Bet We Could Make Some MORE (History Huh?)

4: I Miss You (Alex)

"Alex..."

Henry asked him to come home early. It's a Friday night. He also requested that Alex take Saturday off. He can do that, he knows he hasn't spent enough time with Henry lately. It's been crazy, working most nights until early morning and climbing into bed with Henry for just a few hours before he has to leave again. They have some meals together, he always tries for at least one home dinner on the weekends, and Henry comes to the office for lunch once or twice a week. But it's not enough, he realizes now.

"Alex, we need to talk."

"Nothing good ever comes from that sentence." Alex is sitting on the couch, as instructed. Henry is standing in front of him, twisting the ring Alex bought for him around his ring finger.

"I am worried about you." Henry's blue eyes are full of pain. What could he have done to cause this?

"I'm fine, baby. I know I haven't been home enough but I'm fine."

"You're not fine!" Henry actually yells at him, and Alex is stunned into silence. "You barely eat. I see the circles around your eyes like never before. I feel your restless body in bed at night and I see you get up to go to the home office at all hours. How many hours of sleep are you actually getting?"

If Alex has to guess, only 3-4 a night. The Adderall is the only thing keeping him going at this point. But it was fine. As soon as the wedding and campaign are over, he'll stop with it all together.

"I don't know, baby. You're right in that it's not enough. I'll start setting alarms to remind me to come home. I'll make sure not to skip breakfast anymore, and you always bring or send me lunch." Not that Alex always remembers to eat it before it goes ice cold. "I'm sorry I'm worrying you. I don't mean to add any more stress." He can't tell Henry about the Adderall, that would not help him feel better about Alex's wellbeing.

Alex stands to wrap his arms around Henry. He holds him tight for a few seconds, and then says softly into his ear, "What else? I can tell there's something."

Henry pulls back slightly, arms still wrapped around each other's hips. Even after all these years, he looks unsure, having trouble articulating his needs. "It's.. uh. Not as important. I know you're busy. But I miss you." He buries his head in Alex's neck and repeats in a breathy whisper, "I miss you."

"Oh." Fuck. "How long um.... has it been?"

Henry takes a deep breath and Alex can feel the air prickle the hairs on his neck. "Months."

"No... really? but we...." Alex's head starts swimming; he cannot remember the last time. Shit. He was really neglecting his groom-to-be. "I'm sorry, baby."

They hold each other there for a moment. Just feeling the pressure of each other's bodies. Feeling Henry's arms wrapped tight around his shoulders. His hands on Henry's hips, holding him close. "Let me make it up to you." Alex breathes out as he goes to nibble on Henry's ear. Henry lets out a small sound, between a gasp and a moan, that's music to Alex's ears. He realizes it really has been too long since he's heard it.

"Let's go upstairs, sweetheart." And he guides Henry up the two flights of stairs to their top-floor bedroom, and closes the door behind them.

---

Alex flops down on the pillow next to Henry, both of them breathless. Alex needed that, and he thinks Henry definitely did too. It definitely unwound a few knots in him.

There's a minute of blissed silence before the guilt hits Alex again. How had he not noticed that it had been months since they had done this. There were definitely a few under-the-covers hand-jobs and pre-work blow jobs in that time, but they were always quick and dirty.