Red, White, and Royal Blue - Anything for You

Chapter 3

The sun rose through the curtains, creating an orange aura in the room. It was a new day just like any, and Henry was determined to have it be a good one. After all, it's been a full month since the party happened and he is on a different continent now. New York City is hours away from London. Perhaps he can move on. 

He rolled to the side and saw Alex looking at him gently with puppy eyes. He looks like he's searching for answers but is too nervous to know them.

"Good morning Darling. Have long have you been staring at me?"

"Only a few minutes."

Henry wrapped his arm around him and scooted closer. "What's on your mind?"

"I just love you is all."

"And what's got you in such a sappy mood?"

"Asshole." The puppy eye look vanishes and laughter appears. Alex continues, "I was worried these last few weeks. You didn't seem like yourself."

"If it makes you feel any better, last night helped a lot."

"Jeeze, I wonder why."

Henry kisses his partner's forehead and gives tiny scratches on his back. This makes Alex quiet for a little bit and has him close his eyes gently.

After a while, he opens his eyes again. "I just want you to talk to me, ok? That's what I'm here for."

"Ok. I understand." Henry genuinely does. He'll try to let him in more but still keep the assault at bay.

The Prince does actually call his therapist later that day and sets up weekly appointments with her. 

"I'm so proud of you reaching out again," She tells him right before they hang up.

When he was younger, Bea had to practically force him to find someone. After she got a handle on her drug addiction, she tried to give the same attention to Henry as he gave to her. She saw he was struggling to abnormal levels like she did, just he never got hooked on cocaine. Even still, she pushed him to find a therapist and talk things out. 

He stopped seeing her when he felt a lot better, which the therapist advised him not to do, but he still did it anyway. He didn't think he needed to see her again, but he knew he should after everything that had happened.

Surely, he wouldn't tell her about the assault, but there's nothing wrong with having a place to go to vent about other stuff.

***

Henry and Pez go out to a bar together after a long meeting on a Friday night. It has been a while since they hung out one-on-one, so it was a long-awaited time to do so.

"I can't believe you punched that man," Henry laughs.

"He was trying to steal my laptop. I paid 25 hundred euros for that."

"This happened at the cafe? Are you sure?"

"Definitely, I chased him before he darted out of there. He had the appearance of a broke exchange student. Most likely an undergraduate... I think he was also American."

"Be careful how you say that, we're dating Americans now."

"I didn't mean it in a bad way."

"Sure."

Pez's phone buzzes and his voice lights up. "Oh, speak of the devil, that's June. Let me go take this, I should be right back."

After just a few seconds of his friend leaving, Henry's stomach starts to turn when he sees the familiar body sitting on the stool next to him.