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RWRB FirstPrince Recent Reads

I'm desperately behind the times in sharing what I've been reading and enjoying. I have much to share!

For the interest of expediency, these recent reads are *not* sorted by genre and length like I usually do. My organizational sensibilities are offended, but I must share and this will make it happen. So you're getting a mixed bag of around 60 recs, but all good. Just check tags as always. Click below for the first list of recent reads (many to come)!

Tied and True by bleedingballroomfloor. E, 3.3k. "So if I told you why I'm out here all alone," Alex says, "then why are you here? People watching for your next hit novel?"

Henry narrows his eyes at Alex, a teasing gesture. "Not quite. I have a bit of a, ah. Tradition, as you might say."

"Of drinking alone on Valentine's Day?"

"Having a drink, sure. Being alone…" Henry's thumb skims over knuckles of Alex's hand. "Not so much."

Compliments to the Chef by fairflowered. E, 4.4k. “Your first course,” Alex says, sliding a plate in front of him. Henry isn’t too sure where to look – the food looks great, sure, but Alex’s cheeks are slightly flushed from the heat of the kitchen and there’s the slightest bit of sweat on his neck and Henry wants to devour him.

Alex must notice him staring, because he’s smirking as he explains, “Taragai with a saffron gelée. I hope you like seafood, because that will be the focus of tonight’s tasting menu.”

Henry squints at his boyfriend, curious as to why he’s acting like he doesn’t know who Henry is, or like he doesn’t know that Henry loves seafood and it’s the one thing he can never seem to get right when he tries to cook it at home.

“Thank you?” He doesn’t mean for it to come out as a question, but he’s kind of distracted, okay?

[or: Henry loves to cook and somehow doesn't realize that Alex is a Michelin Star winning chef]

Won't be Putting My Heart on Display by @sparklepocalypse. T, 2.6k. Alex is ten, and last night, he spent three hours between dinner and bedtime making Valentine's Day cards for all the kids in his class — even Jamie Warren, who always calls him Alexander and makes fun of his lunches. Mom and Dad had offered to buy a pack of them at the grocery store, but Valentine’s Day is important, and Alex wants to do it right.

Or, five times Alex fails to ask someone to be his Valentine, and one time he doesn't.

Make the Yuletide Gay by @starrypiscesao3. T, 4.5k. “I don’t know about this,” Oliver says as he looks up at the sign above the store. People walk past them in the mall, scurrying here and there, going about their lives, and honestly they probably aren’t paying attention to some kid and his dad, but Oliver can’t help but feel like every eye in the place is on him.

“We don’t have to, Ollie,” Henry says gently, putting a hand on his shoulder. “We can try it another time, or order your things online.”

“But if I do that, I might get the wrong kind,” Oliver explains, biting his lower lip. “If I go in, they can help me find the right stuff.”

“Well then let’s go,” Henry says with a nod.

“But what if someone from school sees me?”

“Then let’s go home.”

“But if I don’t do this now, I never will.”

“Then let’s go in.”

let's be alone together by acheinmybones. T, 6.3k. “Fuck. Fucking shit. Fuck.”

Another step. Another snap. Alex doesn't remember the ice being thin when he went out on the lake, but he guesses that the sun is starting to melt it just enough.

He’s close enough to hear tutting and tittering and people telling him to be careful, and he has choice words for them, but right now he’s more focused on getting off the fucking ice. He makes a snap decision to run, and that’s a bad idea. That’s a really fucking bad idea.

Step.

Crack.

Step.

Crack.

Alex plays the hero and ends up sick for his efforts. The meet-cute is worth it in the end.

put your name (at the top of my list) by kjbee81. T, 2.9k. And Alex, his heart racing, suddenly feels like he’s doing something that he shouldn’t be, like he’s been caught with his hand in a forbidden cookie jar. He can’t stop himself from stammering. “This isn’t what it looks like, I swear,” he starts, before turning away from Nora and eyeing up the items that he has strewn across the kitchen table. He bites his bottom lip and, looking back at her, he sighs. “Okay, it’s kind of what it looks like but just give me a chance to explain, alright.”

Nora shakes her head at him and somehow, looks even less impressed than she did before he spoke. “Oh, really,” she says, tone dry and like she already knows that he won’t be able to explain this away so easily. “This is going to be fucking good. Okay, I’m prepared to listen to whatever bullshit you are trying to tell yourself now.”

OR Alex goes a little overboard trying to cheer Henry up after a break-up close to Valentine's Day.

If it looks like a duck by @jafffacakess. G, 3.7k. They're roommates. They're inseparable, and co-dependent, and everyone they meet seems to think they're in love.

But they're not.

And that's fine.

Love In The Time Of... by @iboatedhere. T, 6.3k.

How To Study When Your Neighbor Is Dying Of Tuberculosis

Ignore him

Turn music up

Purchase noise cancelling headphones on Amazon

Go to the library

Go to the 24-hour diner three blocks away

Call June to vent your frustration

Murder?????????????

Stress Relief by bleedingballroomfloor. E, 9k. When it gets like this — the too much of it all, the drowning in the deadlines, the anxiety about assignments, the panic over passing — Alex knows he can walk two doors down and have that stress immediately seeped from his body.

The best thing about it, however, is the fact that he can do the very same for Henry.

Or, Alex and Henry's casual arrangement has (unsurprisingly) shifted into something… more.

Prof. A Fox, Matchmaker by @smc-27. G, 3.2k. “Apologies Alex, but I must cut this short. My beautiful, brilliant, single son and I are going to lunch.” Oh fuck. Henry knows he’s blushing. Christ, his dad is mortifying. “Unless you’d like to join us?”

OR: Arthur is Alex’s law professor

Slip My Heart into Your Pocket by elucidate_this. E, 4.1k. So there he sat, on the outer edge of a corner booth with June, her girlfriend Nora, and the most devastatingly handsome man Henry had ever seen. His name was Alex. He was perfect. Henry couldn’t speak in full sentences in his presence.

Letter to the Editor by Romcomdeplume78. NR, 2.2k. NYTimes Crossword player Alex Claremont-Diaz is offended when he spots a huge error in the daily puzzle and emails the Crossword Editor, Henry Fox and tells him exactly what he thinks about him.

An epistolary treat!

Dead Letter Office by Romcomdeplume78. NR, 6.5k. Alex Claremont-Diaz truly enjoys his job at the US Postal Service. However, his favorite part is not exactly part of his official duties - reuniting undeliverable or "dead letters" with their intended recipients. When a ten year old Valentine's Day card is pulled from the processing machine, can Alex find the rightful owner in time to brighten their Valentine's Day?

keep a calendar (this way you'll always know) by serenityandtea. T, 4.6k. Henry gets roped into doing a charity calendar by Pez and he would hate the whole experience, except that, well, it turns out to be the perfect opportunity to pine after the (half-naked?) First Son from up close.

chop chop (i wish you would) by serenityandtea. T, 2k. It’s not as rare of an occurrence as Henry would like it to be, with how Alex gets so focused on his work that he simply forgets such a thing as time exists, but twice in a fortnight doesn’t happen that often anymore. He’s planning what the easiest take-away option would be for tonight, when he opens the door to the sitting room and is met with what can only be described as grunting.

Loud, male grunting.

Loud, erotic, male grunting.

‘Are you watching porn?’

Or; Alex is an idiot with a competence kink and a crush, Henry is just trying to be supportive, and maybe don't cast your thirst trap videos to the living-room TV.

lay your weary head to rest by chasingashadow. G, 3.3k. “Henry. You’re sick. You barely have a voice, I know every word is hurting you, and I’d bet anything that you feel even worse than you’re letting on. I get that you have a busy day, but you need rest. If you try to do all of that today, you’re just going to get worse. We can get things rescheduled. It’s going to be okay.”

Henry shakes his head a second time, trying to do it more gently. “This is nothing, truly. It’s just a cold. I can pop some paracetamol and be on my way. Trust me, I’ve done appearances feeling way worse, and no one suspected a thing.” – Or, Henry is sick. Alex does his best to convince him it’s okay to let himself be taken care of.

Slip Through The Cracks by chasingashadow. T, 10k. So it was while he was laying flopped on the floor, letting his mind spiral, that he caught a sliver of light out the corner of his eye. He’d rolled closer to investigate. It was coming from the very edge of his floor, up against the wall. Three inches long; not more than a few millimeters wide. Big enough, he thinks, that he could probably just fit a slip of paper through.

—

Alex transfers schools his junior year, hoping for a fresh start, but meeting people proves just as difficult as it was the first time around. When he discovers a hole connecting his dorm to his downstairs neighbor's, he can’t resist the urge to slip a note through.

Throw Me For a Loop by chasingashadow. T, 18k. “Eh,” Alex says. “Get a law degree in the morning, hop on a plane to England in the evening, attend a wedding, get one night of sleep, fly to Texas, sleep, start work. That’s the kind of full schedule I like to keep.”

“You scare me,” Henry says, and he’s only half joking.

“Nah, you love me,” Alex says, voice casual, and god, he has no idea how right he is. — Henry is dreading attending his brother’s wedding, but after Alex, his best friend and roommate of the last three years, convinces him to bring him along as a date, Henry thinks it just might be bearable, even if it might destroy him to have Alex for only a day. At least, he thinks it’s only going to be for a day.

space key. - orphan_account. G, 9.6k. Alex and Henry's relationship development through the eyes of Twitter.

i know that i could be your fool (but i can't lose you) by @anincompletelist. E, 12k. “How about this,” Alex says, smug and overconfident, “for every awful date you have where they leave you high and dry, I’ll finish the job.”

Henry’s face, smushed into the bend of his arm, stays alarmingly still.

“Excuse me.”

The beer bottle on Alex’s stomach begins to wobble, and Alex only narrowly catches it before it dumps over on his chest. He rolls over and leans on one of his arms.

“I mean. That’s what friends are for, right?”

Silence stretches over the living room, Henry’s face hovering above him from the couch. Alex stares at the rug until he can’t avoid Henry’s gaze anymore, then blinks up at him slowly.

“Right,” Henry echoes eventually.

Maybe I'm too busy being yours to fall for somebody new by @dezinthecloud. M, 7k. a Valentine's date matchmaking mishap fic

but i watched it begin again by @theprinceandagcd. T, 6.5k. Henry thinks they’re doing just fine.

Right now, however, he thinks Bea has lost her fucking mind.

“Absolutely not, Bea.”

“Henry.”

Henry scoffs, casting his eyes toward the ceiling. “I hate it when you use that tone with me.”

“The tone I use when I’m right?” Bea says, intent on provoking him. “Henry, I’m only asking that you—”

“No.”

“It’s one date.”

“On bloody Valentine’s Day, Beatrice.”

or, a jaded Henry has his last first date

you should be afraid (of little old me) by theprinceandagcd. M, 7.7k. “I think… knowing you has made me brave,” Henry whispers, his throat tight around the sincerity of the statement.

Alex’s expression turns fond at Henry's confession. Still, there’s something unreadable in the twist of his mouth, in the darkness of his eyes, that makes Henry feel laid bare and exposed.

“Sweetheart,” Alex says with the slightest shake of his head. “You were already brave.”

Henry’s cheeks heat, his eyes flicking down to the table. He isn’t sure what to say to that, how to verbalize the weight of Alex’s words as they settle in Henry’s bones and make a home there.

“Anyway.” Alex taps his palm against the table. “I’m in. You’ve got me for whatever you need.”

Or, Mary asks Henry to bring a woman as a date to her birthday party. He brings a fake boyfriend instead.

some know by @whimsyhuh. E, 1k. Alex is seized with the urge to trace the planes of Henry’s face, touch a thumb to the dip in his full lower lip. He doesn’t want to wake him, though, so instead, he carefully pulls back the covers.

Then he freezes, because Henry’s naked. Henry only forgoes pajamas for a few very specific reasons—being too exhausted after sex, for one, and when he wants Alex to fuck him in his sleep, for two.

Alex swallows.

The Roommate Problem by @cha-melodius. T, 8.9k. It would be one thing if they were just two roommates and friends, and maybe he could push a little and see where things went. He’s not that oblivious about these things, no matter what his sister might say, and he’s pretty sure he’s not completely alone in these feelings. But none of that is an option, because he’s not spending his twenties in Europe to have fun and fall in love with pretty British boys.

(Or, not your typical roommate AU)

This is Ground Control to Major Tom by mprods. M, 11k.

Months. Years. Time. Life.

The story of how Henry Fox takes control of his own narrative.

This Is More of a Comment Than a Question by @caterpills. M, 94k. Three weeks before Henry Fox's tour for his fourth, highly anticipated, awards-bait novel A Brief War in December begins, his publicist Janella breaks her foot on a bunny slope at Windham.

Alex can't be mad at her, even though he kind of is. Saying it out loud would be like kicking her when she was down, and she already went down a literal mountain in the worst way possible.

Now crammed in Rafael Luna's corner office, Janella is shooting Alex extremely apologetic looks while slumped on her crutches, wearing a bright orange cast. The conversation about who is going to be joining Henry Fox on his multi-city trek across the U.S. is also going downhill. Alex is feeling the same sort of free fall while standing still.

Because out of all the publicists available in their tiny underfunded department, the only one left to escort their company's best-selling author is regrettably him.

The problem is, well, Alex absolutely hates Henry Fox.

Or: Alex is the publicist for Mountchristen Publishers, and is stuck on a two-week tour with their best-selling, but frustrating, author Henry Fox.

If You've Got It, Haunt It by caterpills. T, 5.1k. Honestly, the costume makes no sense, seeing as the haunted house Alex waves people into resembles neither a circus nor a house. It's some slap-shod mom-and-pop maze on an acre of property usually reserved for a kitschy, family-friendly pumpkin patch, called Haunt-O-Stroll (name pending). When the permits fell through for hayrides, the owners converted the paths into a walking route next to old shacks, overgrown hedges, and the half-dismantled backdrops from the local high school's production of Beetlejuice.

Alex had asked during his job interview—they insisted on conducting them, even if he didn't hear of anyone who was actually turned away from the part-time gig—what the theme was. Mr. Richards said scary. Scary is more of a lifestyle than the theme, but Alex didn't correct him. Maybe he should have.

Or: Alex is a scare actor at the local haunted attraction and keeps scaring this one guy who should absolutely not be there (but keeps coming back?)

tiny moves by anincompletelist. E, 2.5k. The waves crash outside on the shore, the near-silent noise of the air conditioning lulling Henry into a pleasurable haze. Neither of them had bothered turning on the lamp but the last of the sunset paints one side of Alex’s body a watercolor pink, warm and endless. Henry’s eyes fall shut as his neck rolls to the side, stretching languidly.

Alex’s lips brush the spot under his navel.

“Or a real baby.”

A laugh falls past Henry’s lips, squinting down at Alex’s widened pupils and dark, eager eyes. He feels too good to argue.

“Sure, love.”

i'm gonna show up in your shape by anincompletelist. M, 11k. The anger he feels boiling in his stomach isn’t Henry’s fault. Really, it’s not. In fact, Alex is probably going to feel terribly later about the way he goes about this.

And it’s a damn shame, too, because Henry’s a culmination of every one of Alex’s types—dirty blonde and strong jawed with eyes he could drown in, broad shoulders and dainty collarbones covered in a shirt that might be a size or two deliberately too tight.

Alex can’t even blame him for it. It’s working wonders. Even his palm looks soft and inviting, tilted up and waiting to be met with his own. When he blinks, his lower lip juts out the tiniest bit.

Alex spins toward Nora, leaves Henry’s hand in the air beside him.

“Is this the only reason you invited me out tonight?”

the rumors are terrible and cruel (but honey, most of them are true) by gleefulfoxes. T, 3.1k.

annie (@gleefulacd): just found out there’s a section of the internet that believes prince henry and actor alex claremont diaz are having an affair … what the hell sure DIBs (@rwrqueer): they’re kinda reheating hobama’s nachos

Or, all eyes are on Alex Claremont-Diaz when he is cast as Bond's new love interest and befriends Prince Henry. Social media speculates about their interactions until the truth comes out.

young & hung by fullerthanskippy. E, 2.4k. Henry is looking for a younger man to spoil, and Alex is looking like the perfect one.

Brooklyn Baby by blahblahtara. E, 17k. “Uh, well,” A small, dejected laugh falls from Alex’s mouth. “Funny thing. You remember Grace? The girl that came over a couple weeks ago?”

“Grace Aringa, yeah.” Henry nods, ignoring Alex’s questioning glance. How the fuck does Henry know her last name and Alex doesn’t? “What about her?”

“She…is…” Alex takes a deep breath before puffing his cheeks and exhaling quickly. “Having a baby.”

“Oh.” It takes a second before something unrecognisable flickers in Henry’s eyes. “Oh.”

Alex watches Henry blink a few times, watches Henry’s tongue dart out to moisten his lips as he glances at the wall behind Alex’s head for a moment, seemingly composing himself before offering a short nod.

“Right…well.”

“Yeah.” Alex swallows, unable to draw his gaze from the base of Henry’s throat. More specifically, the patch of dark purple skin peeking out from the collar of his soft grey sweater. He wasn’t aware that Henry was a hickey kind of guy.

“I mean,” Henry says. “It’s not ideal but I’m sure we can make it work.”

or the one where Alex messes up and his roommate Henry still doesn't leave him.

with a cherry on top by jafffacakes. E, 23k. “Caramelton John, what the fuck, who named these?” the man laughs, his loud voice circling in Henry’s ears, low and rich.

Years of planning and ideas, months of blood, sweat and literal tears to set up shop in a foreign country, and hours of back breaking work to serve the community — for free — on their opening day, all for some ungrateful arse to make fun of him for it. Henry feels his jaw clench involuntarily, the tightness in his mouth matching the ache in his chest. He’s bone tired and frustrated and now he’s unspeakably angry.

Pez, who has saved Henry’s life in more ways than he can count, and who has not asked for a single thing all day, turns and says “Hen, dear, could you serve these last few for me?”

Henry inhales deeply through his nose, turns his back to the customers, before he looks Pez firmly in the eye and says with zero hesitation, “No.”

Welcome to Pez & Henry's, the newest ice cream store in Austin.

A Ben & Jerry's AU. I hope you like puns.

Coming Up For Oxygen by claremontdiazfox. M, 101k. “So, I guess my good thing and bad thing are…kinda the same? My good thing: I got accepted into a study abroad programme at Oxford.”

“As in, Oxford…England?” Ellen says slowly.

“Yeah,” Alex says. His hands fidget for something to do. “That’s the bad thing: I have to live in England for a year.”

“Isn’t Prince Henry studying at there?” Leo asks.

“If a sitting President could gamble, I’d put twenty bucks on them bumping into each other during orientation,” Ellen says.

“No, first day,” June says. “Alex is like a Prince Henry magnet.”

Leo shakes his head. “Have some faith in the kid. Not for the first month, at least.”

Alex sighs. “I hate y’all so much.”

Canon divergent post-Rio, where Alex studies abroad for a year at the University of Oxford. His attempts to avoid stuck up, snobby Prince Henry while he’s there have mixed results.

new leash on love by @onpurposewrites. T, 10k. Henry Fox is halfway in love with the curly-haired first-year associate he sees at the dog park every Saturday.

or: 5 times Henry and Alex bump into each other at the dog park, and 1 time they go together.

white teeth to a red wine stain by smc_27. E, 2k. Alex is used to this. Well, not this, specifically, but the general practice of using a heat clinic and letting them pair him up with whatever willing, able, and consenting omega needs a partner at the same time he does.

Like Because, Love Despite by @aforgottennymph. E, 107k. “My abuela always said. ‘You like because, and you love despite.’ You like someone because of all of their qualities, and you love someone despite some of their qualities.”

There’s a beat of silence. A heavy pause. “So what does that mean?”

“You know what it means, sweetheart.”

Percy and Nora are tired of their bosses being miserable and decide to do what any sane overworked assistants would do - set their bosses up.

Luckily for them, their bosses’ secret history is about to make this a lot easier. a Set It Up (2018) AU

Daddy, pass the salt by swoonoveryou. M, 2k. If Arthur is Henry’s father and Alex is Henry’s boyfriend then who’s passing the salt?

It's all basic psychology, baby by blombus. E, 8k. After a series of accidental middle-of-the-night cuddles thanks to recurring fire alarms in their building, Henry realizes he’s falling for the guy he only knows as his “Dream-Guy.”

or - Henry conditions the new neighbor into craving his cuddles.

(this town is fake but) you're the real thing by bluebonnet_blues. M, 3.8k. “Alex,” he says in that accent, sounding a little breathless. Like he’s as surprised that Alex picked up as Alex is that he called.

“Hey,” Alex replies, because he doesn’t know what else to say.

Silence.

Finally, Henry clears his throat. “I saw the interview.”

“I figured you had.” He gives Henry nothing, even though it hurts. He’s already given more than enough.

“It was…” Henry sounds lost. Alex waits. “Did you mean it?” he asks softly, sounding so vulnerable it makes Alex ache.

Still, he holds himself back, determined to make Henry work for it. “Which part?”

“Any of it. All of it.”

Alex takes a deep breath. “Yes,” he says simply, because it’s the truth.

Sounding as though the answer might break him, Henry whispers back, “Which part?”

Alex says, “All of it.”

And that’s it, isn’t it? He did mean all of it. Even if Henry didn’t.

i offer you explanations of yourself by @alasse9. T, 5.5k. Fresh off a frustrating Grindr interaction, Alex heads to Texas to do legal work at the border for three months. While he’s gone, June and Nora meet Henry and Pez and become friends, making Alex feel a little replaced. Things get worse before they get better, because when he finally meets Henry, Alex realizes it’s not the first time they’ve crossed paths. Told through texts, lists, emails sent and unsent and even a GrubHub order, this is the story of how Alex and Henry get from a bad second impression to maybe the rest of their lives.

the great protector (is that what i'm supposed to be?) by @judasofsuburbia. T, 2.8k. June takes a patient breath. “You gotta give me something. Give me something so I don't spend this four hour drive completely spiraling from the thousands of tragic possibilities my brain will come up with.”

Alex pulls the phone away from his ear and slides to his camera. The lighting isn't great but he’s not about to risk it all for some flash. He takes the very first picture of his daughter.

His daughter.

Not some baby.

His daughter .

He sends the photo before he loses his nerve.

“Alex,” June says, carefully and quietly, “What the fuck did you do?”

or: alex becomes a surprise father at age 25 and takes his daughter home from the hospital.

only fools rush in by citydreaming. E, 51k.

Outsidethefox: Ah, is this your first time here? Welcome to Grindr, where the dick pictures are plentiful and unwanted, and the spelling and grammar are generally atrocious.

AC/DC: it’s true, i’m a grindr virgin, i’ve mostly dated girls before and y'all are… wild here.

Outsidethefox: It is certainly an experience. I have only signed in once before myself, but so far the second time seems to be much of the same.

Outsidethefox: With the exception of this conversion of course.

OR: Alex waits until he’s been living in England for an entire week before he finally downloads Grindr.

a wrinkle in time (like the crease by your eyes) by theprinceandagcd. T, 3.9k. November 16, 2021; 8:13AM.

The date and time have been burned into Alex’s memory for as long as they’ve been tattooed on the inside of his wrist.

On the morning following his eighteenth birthday, the artificial intelligence spit out that configuration within seconds of reading his genetic code. It was so quick that even the tester was shocked, blinking at the numbers that etched themselves onto Alex’s skin.

“Your soul match is probably really strong,” she explained, smiling warmly at him.

Once outside the looming gray building, Alex stared at the freshly inked dark lines. The abnormally warm spring sun shining on the top of his head made him squint, but the date and time were easy to see. On that day, the predestined moment was still five and a half years away. It seemed like ages for Alex; patience had never been one of his virtues.

Alex pressed his fingertips to the mark and felt his tenacious pulse hammering away beneath it. It was as if his heart was overcome with euphoria, thrilled to know that Alex’s soulmate was out there, somewhere.

i know just how to get what i need by anincompletelist. E, 5.5k. Working in HR is just about as lively as Henry expected it to be when he finished his education and went straight into work. It wasn’t his first option—then or now. But it pays the bills and appeases his family enough to let him pursue writing on the side, and that’s the only qualification he’s ever really been concerned with.

And then there's Alex, of course, who is also a bit of a concern.

safe and sound, i think i'll keep you around by anincompletelist. E, 4.7k. The camping trip was supposed to be relaxing.

And it ends up that way, sort of. Just not in the way Alex anticipated.

This Could Either Break My Heart or Bring it Back to Life by @rockyroadkylers. T, 34k. “You want another one?” the waitress asks, returning to Alex’s table and gesturing to his near-empty glass.

Alex looks down at it, then at his phone screen, which he’s been staring at like that might make a message from his date magically appear. He sighs, and shakes his head. “No, thanks,” he mutters, digging in his pocket for his wallet. “Just the check.”

“Sure.” She gives him another pitying smile and walks away, just as Alex’s phone chimes with a notification. He scrambles for it, trying not to let himself get his hopes up, only to be disappointed anyway. Well, not fully disappointed, because he likes the person sending him the text, but it’s not the person he’s been hoping to hear from.

[Henry, 10:43 PM] How is it going? Should I leave the door unlocked, or are you not coming home tonight?

OR: Alex's date stands him up. Henry takes him out instead. (And they were roommates!)

two years from tomorrow by @firenati0n. M, 33k.

Dear Alex,

Wrapping my head around this phenomenon continues to be quite difficult.

You’re a man living two years ahead, in my home, using my mailbox?

Somehow, inexplicably, we occupy the same corner of space, but not at the same time.

Somehow, inexplicably, I believe you.

Or, Alex and Henry both know they've found their right person. If only they weren't in the wrong timelines.

easy tiger by anincompletelist. T, 17k. Alex has a habit of feeling like he's always running late or falling behind somehow, which he's pretty sure is just par for the course, being the parent of a teenager. Some days, he still feels like a kid. Like he's learning along with her.

It takes vulnerability, a shit-ton of ice cream, and a crush that makes him feel like he's in high school all over again to remind him that maybe that isn't such a bad thing.

i hope i don't forget by smc_27. M, 16k. When he gets home around 10:00 - Gloria, the night custodian, reminded him this is the third night in a row he’s worked this late - he checks his email and sees there’s one from his mom.

It just reads ‘Call me.’

Which means she’s texted and called enough times that she’s resorting to email. Surprised she hasn’t sent him a fucking postcard. Actually, he’s surprised she hasn’t just shown up at his fucking door.

(of everyone i ever knew) i'm giving it all to you by alasse. T, 18k. In a world where the be-all and end-all of relationships is determined by soul resonance, HRH Prince Henry can’t have a soulmate and FSOTUS Alex Claremont-Diaz experiences soul resonance in such a disruptive way that he just doesn’t want one. Against all odds, this is their story.

So he obediently shuffles after June and Nora to say hello, trying his very best not to get distracted by all the connections his brain is shouting at him about.

He’s actually trying so badly not to get distracted that he ends up not realizing it’s his turn to say hello to Prince Henry until he’s right there in front of Alex, holding out a hand, and it means he doesn’t have time to register much outside of wow, are his eyes really that blue? and that’s less of a smile and more of a grimace before their hands touch.

And for the first time since puberty hit, it’s not a sensory shock, it doesn’t feel like someone’s soul is shouting at him.

It’s peaceful. It’s—

“Quiet,” Alex whispers. “Your soul is so quiet.”

in my veins by brewrosemilk. E, 38k. What does a decent person do when their long-time friend asks them if their twenty-three year-old child can stay with them for a while? Because they’re fresh out of rehab, and vulnerable, and in need of some stability? A decent person says yes, of course—which is exactly what Henry did. In fact, he was kind of looking forward to having someone else in the house—he loves David, and he goes down to the shelter a few times a week—he’s hardly a recluse, but being an author isn’t exactly affording him much of a social life—not that he often minds it all too much. However—someone in his house to talk to who also talks back had sounded like a fine trade for helping a young man through a hard time.

Only—then Alex walked into his life.

Alex's Song by read to love. E, 22k. “Alex,” he whispers, “you can kiss me back. Do you still want to?” How can he explain to Henry how terrifying it suddenly is to want to? Because if he kisses that enchanting mouth, he may never recover. And then Alex remembers a different version of himself. A younger version, less knocked around by life. That Alex would jump and just hope it wasn’t a cliff. That Alex has picked himself up off the rocks too many times. But the alternative is to miss this. There’s only one Henry in the world: A piano-playing poet who’s making his and Dad’s lives immeasurably better. And he’s waiting, both hands on Alex’s face, to find out if Alex still wants to kiss him. So he jumps. Again. And if it’s a cliff, he’ll pick himself up off the rocks. Again. “Yes,” he whispers, threading his fingers into Henry’s hair, “I still do.”

tired of writing in pencil (i'm inking you in) by anincompletelist. M, 34k. Against everyone's better judgement, tattoo artist Alex takes up a babysitting job on the side after he forms a connection with the kid over their shared love of art. It doesn't hurt that his dad's kind of hot, too.

He gets more than he signed up for the longer he spends with them, and figures out that maybe the key to happiness isn't what he thought it was — maybe growing up means being a little childish after all.

Re: Support Ticket #922845 by @pagemelt. E, 50k.

From: Henry ([email protected]) To: Alex ([email protected])

You might be my most maddening client to date, did you know? And I’m in tech support, so that’s saying quite a lot. But fine. I beseech thee, internet stranger! Revealeth to me your deepest secrets! In addition to yours being my most irritating open ticket, it’s also my most interesting. Funny how those qualities so often go hand-in-hand.

In which Henry works in tech support, and Alex opens a ticket about his bi panic.

Meet Me on the Other Side by sparklepocalypse. E, 81k. August, 1890. South Texas bounty hunter, Alex Claremont-Diaz has just received the most lucrative lead of his career: all he's gotta do is track down an English prince who's run off and left behind a jilted fiancée, and he'll be set for the rest of his life. Ain’t the first time Alex has been sent after a feller who’s gotten cold feet. And $25,000 for a royal runaway groom? Should be easy money.

I only tag an author once per post (you might find yourself above more than once), but I'm still figuring out firstprince author handles. If you see one I may not know or find a broken link, please give me a heads up!

Master List of RWRB FirstPrince Recs

Master List of Recommendations

#thank you for reading! :)#fic love #a great list #good company always

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