(no subject)

[waywardshepherd]

[ He hadn't been snooping, really. He'd just been trying to clean up some things; he could see his accumulating mess, and he'd wanted to do something about it. Not that Alex Shepherd didn't snoop, and more than occasionally, just that this isn't the reason he manages to stumble across one of Henry's secrets. It takes him a bit to register what he's looking at, and then he's all grins, unable to help himself as he shuts the drawer and walks into the kitchen with the pack of cards in hand. He stops in the doorway, raising a brow as he holds up his find, a tiny grin already curling his mouth despite his best efforts. ]

And what's this, Mr. Townshend? Got something to share?

Comments

[21st_sacrament]

[That tone says it all, really, Henry doesn't even need to turn around to see the look on his face to know the cat's out of the bag. Which cat it is, well...]

Are those the - Oh. Oh. U-Um.

[Keep it together Townshend, mock him for being nosy, they were in your nightstand.]

...no?

[Henry, what the hell.

Is that a blush on his face? Yes. Yes, it is.]

[waywardshepherd]

[ You tried, Henry. You tried.

And Alex is only grinning wider now. ]

That so.

[21st_sacrament]

[The classic awkward pregnant pause that only Henry can cause is filling the room now.]

...I got this catalog in the mail.

[waywardshepherd]

Uhuh.

[ Definitely sitting down for story time now, messing with the cards in his hand. ]

[21st_sacrament]

[Is he looking at them oh god.

Henry fidgets.]

They weren't... expensive. A-And I just thought - Uh.

[He's clearly embarrassed at being caught. His shyness is kicking in full gear. This is all your fault, Shepherd 8|]

[waywardshepherd]

[ Flip flip fli- pausing to raise an eyebrow at one, then continuing to flip through. Yep, he's looking at them.

But he looks up when Henry cuts off, still grinning. Sorry, no regrets here. ]

How long have you had 'em?

[21st_sacrament]

[You are horrible. So horrible.

But then Henry has to cross his arms and look away.]

...three weeks.

[waywardshepherd]

[ You love him. ]

You planning to tell me at any point?

[21st_sacrament]

[/cries Fidget, fidget, glancing down at his shoes oh look a new scuff mark.

After a moment he looks back over at Alex, feels his face flame up before nodding.]

[waywardshepherd]

[ Just an amused look at that, and his eyes return to the cards, contemplating them. He rolls the idea around in his head a bit, and then - ]

You busy tonight?

[21st_sacrament]

No?

[...does that mean?]

[waywardshepherd]

Might as well use this thing then, right?

[ Yes, that's what it means. ]

[21st_sacrament]

[Henry almost says, if you want to but that erases the fact he wants to too. Instead he says okay, soft, like it's a secret.

He glances over his shoulder, the sink is empty enough save for their mugs from an hour ago.

And a little louder:]

Okay. My room?

[waywardshepherd]

[ He can't help his smile at that, no longer teasing, but genuinely pleased. He's glad to know he isn't forcing Henry into some proverbial corner with this - he'd hope at this point in their relationship, Henry would know when to tell him to back off, but, well. Alex still has his worries. He knows he can be overbearing sometimes. ]

Sounds good. [ He gathers up the cards, moves to stand. ]

[21st_sacrament]

[Henry takes Alex's hand, feels the familiar grip of his fingers and the warm skin of his palm. It helps, draws him away from his shyness. He has to remind himself, there's no need to be embarrassed, because it's Alex and if anyone has ever approved of Henry for being himself, it's his boyfriend.

He leads them back down the hall to his bedroom, where Henry settles cross-legged on the bed.

Soft exhale. Okay.]

You should probably shuffle them first.

[waywardshepherd]

[ Alex moves to sit across from him on the bed, taking the same cross-legged position to make some room on it, nodding at the suggestion. He's not the most elegant shuffler, but it works, which could really be said about... everything about Alex Shepherd. He sets the deck between them, grinning at Henry again. ]

You bought 'em - you get first draw.

[21st_sacrament]

[He does just that!

He reads it silently to himself first, before remembering this is a two player game, Henry, and promptly reads it aloud.]

Share one secret your partner doesn't know about you.

Uh.

[He brings the card so it's resting underneath his bottom lip.

He's thinking.]

[waywardshepherd]

[ That gets Alex raising a brow, resting an elbow on one knee and putting his chin in the palm of his hand as he waits. Amused as always. ]

Can't be that hard, can it?

[21st_sacrament]

[Henry's quiet for a long time, perhaps longer than even Alex is used to.

He does break the silence finally, hesitant before he says:]

I got in a fight in high school.

[waywardshepherd]

[ That? Gets a surprised look. ]

Really? That's hard to imagine. What happened?

[21st_sacrament]

Don't squirm, don't get nervous, he's not judging you. Just tell him.]

I... was in my junior year. No one bothered me, not really. I was quiet but I was tall and - uh.

[This is harder than he was expecting. Fuck.]

...we watched this movie in class. I can't remember the title [liar] but it was old, in black and white. A woman was. She was.

...

Her husband slapped her in one scene. A-A couple times. And after class... I heard someone say that, someone said if she was stupid enough to stay with him, she. Deserved it.

[Henry's not looking at Alex. He's looking at his hands. His brow is furrowed.]

I lost my temper and shouted at him and...

[He can feel himself closing in on himself. With a jerky nod of his head, he's done. He's done.]

[waywardshepherd]

[ Oh. Well, that's a hell of a way to kick this off. Alex doesn't say anything to the story, just frowning in understanding and his own anger, but he shakes the latter off, moving to lean forward and press a kiss to Henry's forehead. ]

Yeah, well. They should've kept their mouth shut.

[ Adam had never hit Lillian, but Shepherd's Glen hadn't been without more than its share of domestic abuse, even if no one had ever talked about it. He gets it. ]

[21st_sacrament]

[Henry realizes he completely soured the mood.]

I-I'm sorry...

[waywardshepherd]

Hey, no, don't worry about it. [ A reassuring grin at that, and he leans back. ] It's fine.

[ And to put weight to that statement, he's gonna draw his card now, keep the game going. ]

... talk about how you - [ He can't even finish it when he realizes what's on the card, burying his face in his hands. That would be his luck. ]

CACKLE

[21st_sacrament]

...Alex?

[What's wrong. Why are you hiding. Oh god Henry totally ruined the game, he's upset the flow and now all their cards are horrible. That's what's happening isn't it.]