Work Text:
Alex had never really put much thought into the sky above him. In retrospect, he’d taken the stars for granted. They were seldom visible in big cities, and having gone from DC straight into New York, he was lucky to get a glimpse of half a dozen of them at a time. It didn’t usually bother him- not until Henry.
Henry grew up with a father who had shined just as bright as the stars for barely a fraction as long. He’d loved the stars like a security blanket, had sought them out through celebrations and crises alike, and though he’d never say it, Alex could see the way he ached every time he turned his gaze up toward the sky. Alex longed for constellations he’d never learned and hoped that someday Henry would be willing to teach him what he knew.
With any luck, that “someday” would be tonight.
They’d arrived at the lake house in the early afternoon to find clear skies and temperatures just the right side of warm. It was nearing evening now, and Alex, already giddy with anticipation, went about collecting blankets and snacks while Henry showered away the grime that came with traveling. He’d attempted to seduce Alex into joining him but, tempting as it was, Alex was determined to put his plan into action.
He spread a few blankets across the lawn, pausing periodically to test out the view and repositioning several pillows to ensure they’d be able to see as much of the sky as possible despite the surrounding trees. Once he’d set up the snacks, he stood back to survey his work. After a split second of contemplation, he hurried inside to sneak a bottle of lube out from their bags and tucked it between the pillows before rushing back into the bedroom.
Henry emerged from the en suite with a puff of steam, a towel wrapped around his waist, and Alex did nothing to stop the way his eye trailed up the length of his body. When he got to Henry’s face, the other man was smirking. It was a fond little thing but the heat behind it had Alex’s stomach fluttering. He shot a wink over his shoulder as he made his way into the bathroom for a quick shower of his own. He rushed through the process, scrubbing over his body and paying close attention to his lower half, and quickly came back out into the bedroom to make sure Henry hadn’t spoiled his own surprise. Luckily, he was sitting half dressed on the bed and squinting at his phone.
“Everything okay?” Alex wondered as he patted and scrunched his hair with a towel. Henry locked his phone and smiled widely back at him.
“Everything’s perfect,” he said softly. He stood and crossed the room until they were toe to toe and Alex couldn’t help the way his eyes locked in on Henry’s lips. The other man answered his silent question by leaning in to kiss him soundly.
When he went to pull back, Alex tightened his hold on Henry’s hips and chased his mouth with his own. They both grinned into the next kiss and it didn’t take long for it to turn from soft and lingering to fast and heated. Alex reluctantly pulled back before Henry had the chance to steer him toward the bed; he had plans and, if all went well, they’d have plenty of time for sex later.
“I have something for you,” he murmured against Henry’s lips. “But you have to close your eyes.”
“You-? What?” Henry looked adorably confused. He’d been the one to pack their bags, after all- he’d know if Alex had hidden a gift somewhere. Alex smiled at him, deeply affectionate, and grabbed him by the hand to guide him out of the room.
“Eyes closed, Your Majesty,” he insisted and caught Henry’s fond eye roll before he obeyed. Alex carefully led the way through the house and out onto the back patio. He was eager to show off his work: it was rare that he had the time to put together such a gesture, and though Henry never complained, Alex still wanted to woo him anyway. He deserved it. Once he’d positioned Henry properly, he squeezed his hand twice.
“You can open your eyes,” Alex told him softly. He watched as Henry’s face morphed from mild exasperation to speechless. Henry took in the set up, looking awed and overwhelmed, and immediately turned to Alex with shining eyes.
“What is this?” He wondered, equally quiet but full of wonder. “You did this for me?”
“No, I set up a picnic under the stars for my other boyfriend,” Alex deadpanned. “Yes, it’s for you. I figured this would be the best way to watch the stars come out.”
Henry looked at him for a long moment, his jaw slack, before tugging Alex into his arms and burying his face in the crook of his neck. “Thank you,” he breathed. Alex held him tightly and grinned over his shoulder.
“Of course, baby.” Alex ran a hand through Henry’s hair, content to let the moment stretch out as long as Henry needed. After a minute or two, he pulled back to look at Alex with such adoration that he felt his cheeks flush and resisted the urge to look away. It still left him breathless, the way Henry loved him so completely. He wasn’t sure what the hell he’d done to deserve it, but he thanked god every day and every night for blessing him so thoroughly.
Alex took Henry’s hand again and pulled him toward the blankets to settle in. Henry gently crawled over to the far side and patted the space next to him in invitation. Who was Alex to keep him waiting? He sank to his knees and tucked himself into Henry’s side as they got comfortable.
They traded easy conversation as they watched the sun sink lower and lower until it was hidden by the trees. Henry turned his head skyward and Alex took in the way his face softened into an expression he’d never seen before; it was breathtaking to witness.
“Will you teach me?” He asked quietly. Henry lowered his gaze to Alex’s and smiled at him with such tenderness that he felt a lump forming in his throat.
“I’d love to.” He moved in closer and grabbed Alex’s hand to point at a series of stars growing brighter in the sky. “You see that trio of stars? The ones that form a straight line?” Alex nodded wordlessly. “That’s Orion’s Belt. When it gets darker, you’ll be able to see the rest of him. According to Greek mythology, Orion was a hunter who fancied himself so great that he swore to kill every animal on Earth. But Gaia- the goddess of the Earth- didn’t like that and she sent a scorpion to kill him. Zeus turned both him and the scorpion, or Scorpius, into constellations. We won’t be able to see Scorpius since Orion is out; Zeus put them at opposite ends of the sky to keep them from fighting again.”
Alex stared up at the stars for a long moment before shifting over to press a kiss to Henry’s cheek. He watched as a blush spread across his face and repeated the gesture a few times before relaxing back into the pillows.
“Tell me more,” he requested. Henry moved their hands over to another cluster of stars.
“This is Ursa Major,” Henry carried on softly. “Also called the Big Dipper. Zeus seduced a Hunter of Artemis by taking on the form of Artemis herself. The Hunter fell pregnant, which Artemis did not approve of. She banished the Hunter; Hera, Zeus’s wife, found out about the affair and turned the Hunter into a bear. Years later, her son- who had become a skilled hunter as well, encountered her by coincidence. Zeus couldn’t bear to watch his son kill his own mother, pun intended, and turned them both into constellations to reunite them forever. If you look just a bit higher, you’ll see the start of Ursa Minor- the Little Dipper.”
“Wow,” Alex whispered. “These stories are all so sad.”
“Perhaps,” Henry agreed and tightened his hold on Alex’s hand. “But they’re also beautiful, don’t you think? I find it quite comforting that heroes and tragedies can go hand in hand, preserved forever through folklore and the stars. Their stories are remembered every time we look up.”
“I like that,” Alex told him, his eyes locked on the sky. More stars were appearing rapidly as it grew darker outside, and Henry continued pointing out different constellations. He explained their lore with quiet enthusiasm and Alex listened intently to every word. When Henry finally trailed off, Alex turned to look at him.
“Thank you for sharing this with me,” he said softly. “I could listen to you forever.”
“Forever sounds wonderful.” Henry met his gaze and Alex couldn’t help but think the stars in his eyes shone brighter than any in the sky.
They met in the middle for a sweet kiss, lips moving slowly together, and Alex tugged their joined hands until Henry got the hint and moved to straddle him. They kept kissing, and kissing, and kissing, lost in each other while the stars twinkled above them.
When they finally paused to breathe, Alex looked up at Henry, framed by the night sky and thousands of years of history, and felt overcome with an emotion he couldn’t quite name. All he knew was that he needed Henry, and he needed him now.
“You know what I think?” He asked, continuing before Henry had a chance to answer. “Having sex under the stars would be crazy romantic and we should do that, like, right now.”
“You have the best ideas,” Henry told him and leaned down to kiss him hard. Alex scrambled to dig the lube from between the pillows without breaking the connection, and made a victorious noise against Henry’s mouth when he found it. Thank god for horny forethought. Henry pulled back slightly and laughed when he saw what Alex was holding, but sat up to strip his shirt off. They made quick work of their clothes, desperate to get closer, and Alex passed the lube to Henry. He raised an eyebrow and Alex flushed slightly.
“I thought maybe you could fuck me this time,” he said, oddly shy. They’d done it this way a few times now, but not nearly as often as the other way around. Henry smiled at him and settled between his legs, setting the lube down within reach.
“Of course, love,” he agreed easily. “Whatever you want.”
“Just you,” Alex grinned up at him. “And your huge dick.” That startled a laugh out of Henry and Alex delighted in the slight blush he got in return. Instead of replying, Henry leaned down to kiss him again, carding his hand through Alex’s curls and cradling his head like it was something precious.
Things turned heated near immediately, and it wasn’t long at all before they were both hard and grinding against each other with purpose. After a few long minutes of this, just chasing what felt good, Henry groped around for the lube. He popped the cap and smeared a liberal amount across his fingers. After taking a beat to warm it up, he reached down between Alex’s legs to circle his rim. Alex lifted a knee toward his own chest to give him better access. Henry shifted into a more comfortable position at his other side, tangling their legs together while he started to push his finger in.
Alex gasped at the intrusion but quickly melted back into the pillows. He willed himself to relax and exhaled shakily when he did. Henry leaned in to press a kiss to his forehead, then his temple, then his cheek, tracing a path down the side of his face until he met Alex’s lips again. The kiss was gentle as Henry moved his finger deeper, only stopping once Alex could feel the base of his hand against his ass. He sighed again, this time with satisfaction rather than nerves.
“Alright?” Henry pulled back to ask, voice soft. Alex nodded and strained up to chase his lips, smiling into it when Henry obliged. Alex loved sex with Henry- loved it- but there was nothing quite like kissing him. It made him feel endlessly cherished any time Henry gently coaxed his mouth open with his own. They moved together languidly while Henry picked up a steady rhythm with his hand. Soon Alex was gasping against his mouth, ready for more. He said as much and Henry quickly added a second finger.
Alex groaned at the stretch and tossed his head back; Henry took advantage of the newly accessible skin and pressed an open mouth kiss to the side of his throat. He latched on there, nipping and sucking, and Alex grew lightheaded at the knowledge that Henry was claiming him. He was Henry’s through and through, and the whole world knew it, but it was an entirely different feeling to be bearing his mark for anyone to see. He turned his head to offer more room for Henry to work and moaned when he felt him move to a fresh spot closer to his pulse point.
“Fuck,” he whispered and tangled a hand in Henry’s hair. Henry gave an aborted thrust against his hip and Alex reached down to wrap a hand around his cock. He picked up a slow but steady pace and Henry gasped into his throat. He kept up the motion of his hand even as Henry bit down, determined to make him feel just as good. “I need more, c’mon.”
Henry hummed and slipped a third finger in with the rest, scissoring and curling them until Alex was a panting mess beneath him. When Alex finally began squirming, Henry pulled his hand away to reclaim his spot between his legs.
“Ready?” He held Alex’s gaze as he nodded eagerly and guided himself inside. Alex kept his eyes on Henry’s while he pushed in to the hilt and they both exhaled heavily. Henry leaned down to touch their foreheads together and stayed still for a long moment; Alex wholeheartedly understood the feeling. When Henry began to pull back out, Alex couldn’t stop himself from wrapping his legs around his waist and clinging. Henry moaned and buried his face back in Alex’s neck.
“God,” he groaned in Alex’s ear. “You feel…”
“Good?” Alex asked breathlessly.
“Perfect,” Henry told him. He lingered for a moment longer before pulling out to thrust back in. Alex cried out at the stimulation, eager for more, and rolled his hips to match Henry’s every move. Soon they were rocking together, making a mess of the top blanket. Henry dug his knees into the ground for leverage and braced his arms on either side of Alex’s head, snapping his hips forward and causing Alex to moan wildly. Henry sunk his teeth back into Alex’s throat as he fucked him and Alex couldn’t help the noises the came pouring out of his mouth.
“Oh fuck, oh god,” he babbled through his moans. “So good, baby, god-”
“Yeah?” Henry grunted and brought a hand down to stroke Alex’s weeping cock. Alex sobbed with it. He felt raw, cut open, born again; being with Henry was world shattering every time, but something about this- about being able to open his eyes and see the stars he’d so gladly pluck down one by one if it kept Henry smiling- made it all the headier. He stared blearily at the sky and shot up a prayer of thanks before tossing his head back again and allowing himself to get lost in the feeling of HenryHenryHenry all around him.
Henry twisted his wrist on the next upstroke and the stars Alex saw had nothing to do with the sky. He wanted more, he wanted everything, and he dug his heels into Henry’s thighs to encourage him to move faster. Henry did, panting as he went, and Alex’s moans punched out of him with every thrust. He moved his hands up and down the length of Henry’s back, scrambling to touch every part of him he could reach. The closeness was really doing it for him and he clung impossibly tighter.
“Close,” he warned and Henry shifted just enough to change the angle and nail his prostate dead on. He let out a choked noise and found himself begging within seconds. “Fuck, baby, please- just like that, please, fuck!”
“Yeah? You like my cock? You like it when I fuck you nice and deep?”
“Yes,” Alex chanted and panted and gasped into the open air. “God, please!”
“You’re beautiful,” Henry breathed as he watched Alex just take it. Alex cried out and Henry sped up the rhythm of his hand on Alex’s cock, his grip tight, and it was barely a minute later that Alex felt himself tightening. The edge was right there, but he didn’t know what else he needed to tip over. Henry groaned and bit down on his pulse point again and- yep, fuck, that was it.
“Henry, Henry!” Alex’s cock pulsed in Henry’s hand as he shot out rope after rope of cum, coating his own stomach and Henry’s fingers while his orgasm rocketed through his body. Henry let out an animalist groan and thrust once, twice more before Alex felt a rush of heat spread through him as Henry laughed breathlessly. God, he’d never get over that feeling. Henry kept rocking his hips, drawing out every ounce of pleasure from them both, before finally pulling out and collapsing on top of Alex.
“Oof,” Alex huffed and let out a delirious little laugh.
“I think you’ve ruined me,” Henry told him from where his face was still hidden. He pulled back to look Alex in the eye and Alex shivered at the seriousness in his expression. “For anyone else. There’s only you now.”
Alex tangled a hand in Henry’s hair and guided him down into a bruising kiss.
“Same,” he said when they finally broke apart. Henry’s answering smile was blinding, all teeth and gums, and Alex couldn’t help but reel him back in. They kissed for an indeterminate amount of time, basking in their ability to just be. It was a luxury they’d had more often lately, but one they never took for granted.
As they laid together, Alex silently promised their lucky stars that their story would be worth preserving too.