Red, White & Royal Blue Stories

• Nightmares 2 • Henry § Alex •

𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒐

This is a telling of the 'I still can't believe you punched that paparazzi' from the first chapter.

• ———— •

"It's bullshit, Henry!" Alex squawks, Henry pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply.

"Darling, it's a sandwich-"

"They forgot the cheese, H! That's like- a crime" he exclaims dramatically, glaring pitifully at the sandwich laying in his lap. They had bought them from a street vendor and sat down on a bench in a park, nearby there were swings, seesaws and roundabouts to keep the young children entertained while their parents lavished under shaded picnic benches, chattering amongst each other.

Henry didn't let their glances go unnoticed. It was pretty hard not to, even if he tried to ignore the general public it was impossible to not see them taking photos or staring for those few seconds longer than necessary as they fully registered who they were staring at.

New York was lovely; but the people weren't half nosy.

"Do you want to go back?" Henry relents, his sandwich was perfectly fine, but obviously Alex was held up over his loss of cheese.

He frowned further, "I wouldn't" he says, "but that particular vendor has really nice cheese..."

"Christ" Henry exasperates, unwittingly comparing Alex to that of a child. He bundled up his sandwich and stood up, gesturing for Alex to follow. He appeared sated, wrapping his sandwich and reaching to grasp his hand as they walked down the path back to the street.

Cash and Shaan followed obediently, leaving their bench a few meters away behind.

"You're impossible sometimes," Henry points out.

Alex beams, "yet you still love me"

"For some unfathomable reason" he agrees reluctantly.

Their day had been quite peaceful, waking up late in the morning with easy smiles and gentle kisses. They shared a shower, longer than usual due to Alex insisting they had sex (not that Henry was exactly opposed), afterwards Alex was about to prepare brunch when Henry suggested they went out to eat.

They hadn't done so in quite some time and Alex more than happily agreed.

With Cash and Shaan at a distance they trailed around New York to try and find a good place to stop, Henry wanted somewhere to sit outside while Alex was quite easy.

Until he spotted his favourite vendor.

Which was why they both should've expected something to break between their easy going day.

"Henry Fox, Alex Diaz, hello" a preppy, charismatic man with a bright grin and wide eyes says, coming up to them with a camera, microphone and a small crew behind him, all adorned in black.

Alex squeezed Henry's hand, putting on his press-smile. Henry straightened himself and did the same, although couldn't help but feel a little bothered about the intrusion.

"Fine day we're having, huh?" He starts, as if they were friends coming up to each other on the street, rather than strangers.

"Beautiful" Alex agrees, "a great day to go out and have lunch" he gestured to their sandwiches, the paparazzi laughed heartily.

"Yes! Exactly..." and that's how they were trapped for the next five minutes, answering questions with the shortest possible answers while the paparazzi grew in members, passerbyers must've taken it as an opportunity to stop and watch, with their own cameras out, some even going so far as to try and get Alex's and Henry's attention. Not that they were any different from the paparazzi.