Orion || RWRB fanfic || Henry's POV

Extra Scene: *Fireflies* (aka The Lake Scene)

Hey! It's been a while since I last updated- sorry, school's just been a bit hectic lately.

Anyway, this is another extra scene- the lake scene, where Alex brings Henry on their family holiday. 

Again, I'm not entirely sure how good this one is, but... enjoy. Hopefully :)

This was by request of alexa28wells

TW: alcohol

***

"H?" Alex's voice jerks Henry out of his listless daze; eyes tracing imaginary constellations on the ceiling. "You awake?" 

His voice is rough with sleep, and low, and a hot rush of breath escapes his lips, as Henry gatherers himself together enough to reply:

"Always." 

That single word brings back a flood of memories- the flash of Bea's bright smile, teasing him over her discovery of his newfound crush- 

Wait, no.

Love. 

What he and Alex have is so much more than just a crush. They feel so much more than boyfriends, so much more than a movie-type love story. 

Alex knows every inch of Henry's soul, and Henry has committed the map of his heart to memory. 

They have every inch of each others' bodies down to the finest detail; the sprinkling of moles on Alex's back, the adorable curl of hair at the nap of his neck that stubbornly refuses to stay put without copious amounts of hairspray, the slightly crooked front tooth when Alex smiles that reduces Henry's insides to molten fire. 

He flashes that smile now; the soft thud of feet against the floorboards as his warm grip closes around Henry's wrist and he's led blearily out of bed. 

Alex is in Henry's own clothes; heather grey shirt and shorts, his curls are perfectly messed up, eyes gleaming with mischief, and Henry almost can't take it. A giddy laugh bubbles up in his chest, and echoes around the kitchen tiles; Alex slamming a hand down over his mouth as they pad outside, where the air is thick and lazy, and alight with fireflies. 

They sneak past a dozing PPO, and then there's long grass scratching at their legs, and Alex breaks into a run; never letting go of Henry's hand, until they reach the pier. 

The moon is high and bright tonight; its face reflected in the rippling lake water, stirred by a caressing breeze. He laughs freely now; spinning around with his arms stretched out and eyes squeezed shut, and a few beats later, Alex joins in. 

His heart is beating almost out of his chest, he's high on the sound of their voices mingling together, carrying across the still water all the way to the swaying trees on the other side. When Henry opens his eyes again, his eyes are trained on the stars. Right above him, his eyes find Orion, a twinkling trail set among the velvet. 

His mind cuts back to the fiery heat of the New Year's Eve party, the suffocating bodies, the overwhelming voices. Bare foot, his toes dig into the lakeside soil. And Henry thinks- he thinks: he's never felt more free.

Then a hand brushes his shoulder, and Alex's fingers draw him along the faded planks, towards the end of the pier. Water ripples below them, and Henry watches with an arched eyebrow as Alex's shirt goes sailing over his head, back down the pier. The skin of his back looks so smooth, cast into alternate shadows and light by the moon, and Henry's throat constricts suddenly, so that it becomes hard to breathe. 

Alex shucks his boxers- Henry fights the urge to stare- and then, with one last, wild, pulse-jumping laugh, he jumps. There's a splash, and Henry darts back to avoid the spray kicked up in his wake.