Chapter Text
January
“Is this truly all necessary?” asked Henry, holding one side of the Happy New Year banner. Its silver plastic has gotten folded over the years and truthfully, it looked a little worse for the wear
“Absolutely. It’s a tradition now,” Alex replied while juggling the tape and other end of the banner. He stood stretched on his tip toes, hands high above his head, causing his shirt to ride up.
Henry looked everywhere but him, glancing around the room. Almost any square inch was covered in tinsel of some sort. Small disco balls hung from the ceiling. All of the Christmas tree lights had been reallocated to don the windowsills. Nora and June had spent a movie night with Alex crafting stars from shimmery paper. Henry had opted to sit on the couch without participating in this activity, knowing that glitter would soon be coating the apartment and wanting to avoid it on himself for as long as possible. Yesterday, Alex had even interrupted Henry’s playing mid song to decorate the keyboard in their living room. Henry was sure that the room would even glow with the lights off.
“All of the glitter is tradition now?” Henry questioned with a joking raised eyebrow. Alex rolled his eyes and told Henry to hold the other end of the banner higher. After it was finally in place, Henry followed Alex to the kitchen. Alex began arranging a charcuterie board. He moved the cheddar from one side and then the other, unhappy with how it was lying. He held a few grapes in his palm and stared at the board, trying to figure out where to place them. The sound of Taylor Swift singing filled the kitchen. Please don’t ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere. Typically, Alex didn’t like Taylor Swift all the much, let alone basically on loop all day, but begrudgingly allowed it due to Henry’s argument that it was “on theme.” He began slicing his next cheese victim.
“What is your New Year’s resolution?” Henry asked him.
“Hm?” Alex said looking up. “Oh, I don’t do resolutions. I pick a word of the year. Kind of like vibe I want to go with.”
“Oh,” said Henry, “Well, what will your word be this year?”
Alex tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. He considered the past year carefully. It had been a truly terrible year, littered with enough events to make him feel like he was living in “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.” Law school was kicking his ass, his abuela had been sick earlier in the year, June had moved out and his parents finally sold his childhood home, just to name a few off of the top of his head. Still, there had been moments that glimmered like the tinsel coating his living room. He did actually love law school even though it was hard. His abuela was better. And June moving out meant that Henry go to move in. Henry. A friend of one of Nora’s friends who needed a roommate. An empty room in Alex’s apartment and in his heart, although he didn’t know that part yet. How serendipitous.
The universe has a funny way of knowing what you need. Henry had truly changed Alex’s life since he moved in last March. He gave Alex a confidant, a recipe tester, a practice judge for mock trials. Most importantly, a friend. A good one. The kinda that settles in your bones and finally makes you breathe thinking: If I can live here forever, I will always be happy. He wanted more of that feeling, not just from Henry but in general. More petting strangers’ dogs at the park and phone calls to his mom and making surprise dinners for June and Nora. He suddenly craved the idea of expanding all of the love in his life so much that he felt a pang in his chest. Alex blinked, realizing that Henry was waiting for an answer.
“I think love. Yeah, love,” Alex told Henry in a quiet voice.
“I think that’s a nice one. I think I’d have to have a think on what mine might be,” Henry replied, bumping into Alex with his hip.
“Hey! Watch the salami roses!” Alex retorted, mockingly angry. Henry laughed back. He walked back out of the kitchen and into the bathroom to finish getting ready. As he was placing the final touches, Alex finally realized he was humming Taylor Swift under his breath to himself and almost rolled his eyes, although there would have been no one there to witness. Just as Alex finished the board, he heard Henry call for him.
“Alex? Can you help me?”
Alex walked down the hall and popped his head into the bathroom. “What’s up?”
“Can you just..? The back is…” Henry told him gesturing to his hair. Alex gave a sly smile as he realized how improper his always proper roommate’s hair currently was. After trying to fix it while standing on the floor in front of Henry for a few moments, he realized he was going to need to be at a different height, especially to do the back (although he’d never admit that). He hopped up on the counter, sitting with his legs spread. He gestured for Henry to turn around. Henry slotted his body in between Alex’s. Henry handed him the gel, opening the lid for him. Alex took a moment to breathe in the smell of Henry. It felt comforting somehow. As he worked Henry hummed to himself. It was a song that Alex had heard him playing almost everyday for weeks now. Alex ran his fingers through Henry’s blonde hair. Alex loved how soft Henry’s hair was. Sue him if maybe he fussed with it a little longer than necessary. As the last strand was gelled into place, the door opened and they heard a voice call out.
“Oh boyyyyyyyyys,” chirped Nora’s voice.
“Hey little brother!” June called too.
The click of high heels met them in the kitchen. Both boys greeted the girls with hugs. Alex was especially happy that they had come bearing champagne. And of course, Nora insisted on bringing the most annoying noise makers ever. They were the first to arrive, but soon others began to trickle in as well. A few of Henry’s polo teammates and some neighbors and Alex’s study group and a few friends of Nora and June and suddenly their little apartment was full. Alex mingled with everyone, talking about every topic under the sun. But whenever he heard Henry laugh from across the room, he was drawn immediately to it, like an arrow to a bullseye. He just guessed that he liked seeing Henry so happy.
Before they realized it, it was almost midnight. Alex grabbed Nora by the arm to kiss her, which was their tradition since before they were teenagers. Even still, his eyes couldn’t help but search for Henry. After all, they were co hosting. His stomach did a funny flip when he realized that he was talking to one of June’s friends who both girls had cursed that he was so hot yet so gay. Alex shook that odd thought out of his mind and did a spin with Nora, for dramatic effect of course. As Alex pulled Nora in close, the countdown began.
Five
Four
Three
Two
One
Happy New Year!
Alex kissed Nora with a joking dip right after the ball dropped. Both half giggled through their silly kiss. Just as soon as Alex’s eyes fluttered open again, they met Henry’s from across the room. Henry held his gaze for a few moments.
Oh.