Archive of Our Own

If Pez actually wanted Henry to get out of his flat and go make local friends, he wouldn’t have sent Henry the Tiktok profile of the most beautiful man Henry has ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on at the exact time Henry needed to leave to make it to the social his new job is putting on. Now that he’s opened the link, Henry has zero desire in any part of him to lock his phone and walk away. He’s already dressed to go out, was even patting David goodbye when the text came through, but now he’s most likely going to sit on his couch and scroll this man’s account and not move for the rest of the night. 

The account is titled ACDRuns, and he looks to be about Henry’s age. The bio says he's a NYC / Philly / D.C. Local, and Henry isn’t entirely sure how that’s possible considering they’re three very different cities, but who is he to question a beautiful man? There are quite a few different types of videos on his accounts, and they’re all sorted very diligently into playlists. The level of organization is really doing it for Henry admittedly. The organization and his eyelashes.

One playlist is titled fun runs!!! and almost all of those are set in Philadelphia. They feature two other men, one seems to know ACDRuns very well, and the other is his partner. It’s all very impressive, the lighthearted bantering despite the insane distances they cover in each video. They just make it look so easy. And they’re not hard to look at either. 

The best one, in Henry’s opinion, is the one where they try seven different coffee shops all in different parts of the city, especially when ACDRuns says, “This one has just so many teas, like the tea options were endless. I’ve never seen that many teas in one place. Tea lovers out there, I think Herman’s is for you.” And Henry knows he’s fucked because his fingers twitch to actually note it down. As if he’s not in Brooklyn. 

ACDRuns has another series with a girl who lives in DC. Their series together is all about the technical aspects of running, stuff about pacing and training plans. It all goes a bit over Henry’s head, but it’s not like he’s going to sign up for a marathon anyway. Their chemistry makes his stomach hurt a little bit too, easy affection and loaded smirks. The commenters love these two together, and Henry moves away from that playlist faster than the one before. 

Henry peruses the other playlist titles: runnin’ on a budget!! and run fit check :) and actual honest gear review (trust!!!!). It’s a lot of solo content which Henry appreciates. Especially the fit check ones. Some of the Nike designers out there, whoever they are, are doing the Lord’s work. Henry can feel himself falling down a rabbit hole, scrolling deeper and deeper into this guy’s account. Until Pez, the man who shoved him down in the first place, yanks him back out with a very sudden phone call. 

“Haz,” Pez greets first, not letting Henry get a word in. “Have you watched the video I sent you yet? That beautiful beautiful man in New York, created possibly just to save you from a dark, deep hole of loneliness and despair.”

“I’m not sure that I quite like how you’ve just described that.”

“Shall I change my vernacular, will I get an actual answer?”

Henry snorts, scratching the place between David’s ears that he really likes. “You may certainly try. But I do not guarantee desired results.”

“I sent you a strumpet in running shorts. Have you found him yet?” Pez replies, tone very dry.

“Have I found him?” Henry repeats, incredulous. “I found his account, but I don’t even know where he lives. He listed three cities.”

Pez blows a raspberry into the phone mic as if that isn’t an actual valid point Henry just made. “Aren’t they all connected anyway?” 

“America is quite large, Pez. I know you know this, I know you’ve been.”

“I have been,” Pez agrees. Henry can hear him moving around his own place, probably getting ready for bed. “And that’s how I know they’re connected. Somehow. Maybe your strumpet runs between them, Google says he runs ultra marathons. Do you know how long ultra marathons are, Henry?”

“Long,” Henry guesses because he does not know.

“Quite.” The word is loaded with innuendo, practically dripping with it, and Henry wrinkles his nose. Pez continues on before he can protest, “Anyway, that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you complete the meet-cute in New York and fall in love.”

“I feel like the size of New York is actually lost on you,” Henry mumbles. He tilts his chin up toward the ceiling. “Regardless of whether he’s actually located here, the likelihood of me just running into him seems very slim.”

Clicking his tongue, Pez sighs. “Hazza, my dearest love, did you even watch the video I sent before thirst scrolling to his account?”

Well. No…

“Erm.” There’s no use lying to Pez, he always knows, even when he’s not watching Henry’s face. “Perhaps not.”

“Perhaps not, he says.” Pez sighs, a little too dramatically for what the situation deserves, in Henry’s opinion. “I shall summarize for you, and you can get back to me after your work event.”

The work social. Henry winces and interrupts, “I fear I will not be attending the work event.”

“No you must because I must hear more about your lovely coworker June. I do believe you’re underselling her in all of your descriptions thus far.”

“First of all, how could you possibly know? And second, I feel like I should remind you that I am, in fact, still, as gay as a maypole.”

“Vibes. That’s how I know,” Pez answers very seriously. “And I am very aware that you’re gay, there’s nary a day slut era Henry doesn’t cross my mind at least once. Do not try to distract me with banter, light of my life, you’re going to that social as soon as I hang up the phone, and you’ll report back to me after.”

Pez is thousands of miles away, realistically there’s nothing he can do to Henry that could be that bad if Henry doesn’t go to the stupid work event. Unfortunately for Henry, he knows Pez will absolutely find a way to punish him long distance for it. 

“Now, if you had taken the time to watch the video I sent, you’d know that our lovely ACDRuns is organizing a group run starting in Manhattan in two weekends. It’s free and no sign up is required, all paces welcome.” Pez explains. “It’s not part of a run club apparently.”

Henry knows all about run clubs. Well, not really, but he knows that one almost ran David and him over on a Saturday morning walk. He’s not sure, to this day, who panicked harder, him or David, but either way, it was traumatic for both of them. So Henry kind of has beef with run clubs in New York City. 

“I know how you feel about run clubs,” Pez continues. “So I thought this would be a safer bet.”

“That sounds like a run club,” Henry argues just to be difficult. There’s no way he’s agreeing to go on some stupid group run for a man. Even if that man is the most beautiful man Henry has ever seen in his life. Especially if that man is as hot as ACDRuns is. 

“Group run,” Pez practically sings. “You’re going to go. It’s in two weeks, plenty of time to get into proper shape for a six kilometer run.”

“I hate you.”

“You don’t.”

Henry doesn’t. But he does hang up on Pez, ignoring the call back he gets immediately afterward. In the end, Pez does win because Henry goes to the social to avoid answering Pez’s pestering phone calls, and he is a little sad to report that he actually has a very good time with his new coworkers. 

[Video description: ACDRuns standing outside on a sidewalk in a pair of shorts and a tank top holding a water bottle. He’s sweaty, panting a little bit like he’s trying to catch his breath, and smiles at the camera.

ACDRuns: Hey y’all! I wanted to make a quick video to let you know I’m hosting a group run this Saturday morning, June 20th, in Central Park! 

He takes a sip of water and adjusts the headband holding his hair out of his face. 

ACDRuns: We’re starting at the Boathouse, meet us there at 8:00 a.m., and it’s open for all paces! It’ll be conversational, so no one is left behind. Feel free to come hang out with us for a few miles. If you have any questions, feel free to message me on Instagram.

He gives the camera a thumbs up.

ACDRuns: Hope to see y’all out there! It’ll be fucking awesome. 

End video description]

June is very lovely and, of all of Henry’s coworkers, definitely Henry’s favorite. She’s a few years out of school, spent some time grinding freelance writing before getting this job. Henry thinks her writing is breathtaking, that all of her pieces are nearly perfect, and she’s very kind to boot. Most of her stories are about her brother, so Henry has heard a lot about him. Alex is his name, a year younger than Henry apparently, and the most chaotic, yet hardworking person June has ever met. 

“Seriously,” June says one day during lunch. “He’s always had a fire under his ass for no good goddamn reason, but the last few years, he’s really slowed down. It’s crazy watching him do anything though, he’s so dedicated to everything he decides to do.”

“Admirable traits,” Henry responds. And he gets it, he’s done plenty of singing Bea’s praises to anyone who will listen, but June’s commentary almost feels a little pointed. Henry ignores her imploring looks after telling a particularly flattering story about her brother. 

“He’s in law school now,” June continues. “I’m just glad he’s taking time to do things he likes instead of focusing so deeply on school.”

She doesn’t elaborate on those interests, but Henry does wonder for the rest of the day. He especially wonders if they’d have any in common, though Henry doesn’t know exactly what he’d say if someone asked him what his interests are. For the past few days he’s been going home and slowly working his way through ACDRuns’ account and hanging out with David. Not the most interesting routine in the world.

[Video description: ACDRuns sits down in front of the camera with a cup of coffee in hand. There’s a notebook on the table in front of him, and he smiles at the camera, running a hand through his hair to push it out of his eyes. 

ACDRuns: I’ve gotten a lot of questions from y’all about my running journey, so I thought I’d sit down with my coffee and talk about it! Even though I kind of hate that word. Like, it wasn’t really a journey, it's more of an…I don’t know a good word to describe it. Whatever. 

He holds the notebook up and takes a quick sip of coffee.

ACDRuns: I took notes because I don’t want to forget anything. So, let’s start from the beginning. I played sports all throughout high school, and when I got to college and stopped playing sports, it took less than a week for me to be practically crawling up the walls with all the extra energy I wasn’t burning anymore. Running was always kind of a punishment in sports, or, like, a byproduct, I never loved it, you know?

He wrinkles his nose and takes another sip of coffee, flipping the page of his notebook.

ACDRuns: But when I started running in college because I couldn’t afford a gym membership, it was totally different. It was almost therapeutic, and I kind of relied on it to stay sane. And then my competitive streak kicked in, and I signed up for a 10K with one of my friends. It was so addicting, so I just…kept signing up and kept running. 

He leans back and grabs his shirt, pulling it taut so the logo is visible. 

ACDRuns: This was my first ever race shirt, and I got it from that 10K. The Austin running scene is awesome, by the way. Bit of a side note, but that was my first marathon, and I joined a run club there too. They’re all so fucking supportive down there, so if you’re in Austin and super interested, I could make a video on that! 

He drops his shirt back and takes another sip of coffee. 

ACDRuns: Anyway, I started doing Tiktok during the pandemic when everything shut down and at home workouts were all the rage. There were a ton of people starting to run, and I felt like I had a lot of advice to offer. And I was literally going fucking batshit insane trying to focus with all my classes online, like I was kind of losing my mind. My account kind of took off in 2021 when I did my series on strength training to increase speed. Which I’ve been thinking about revisiting honestly, I have more to say now. 

He flips the page again and looks up at the camera with a small smile.

ACDRuns: I started law school two years ago, and my account really took a backseat. I moved and wasn’t running as much because I was so focused on school and getting my shit together, and then I nearly went insane again. I missed running so fucking much. Almost burned myself out entirely until my older sister took me by the shirt and shoved me out onto the street to force me to go for a run. And it took a lot of time, but I started to figure out a balance between school and Tiktok and running for myself again. But I did it, and here we are. 

ACDRuns: I ran my first ultra last year which was crazy. I’m going to do at least one more, and I want to run the New York City marathon this year too. Lots of plans, lots of things to look forward to! Thank you all for joining me on this journey, I hope to see you all out there soon.

He smiles one last time and waves before stopping the recording.

End video description]

Henry is not a runner. He’s played sports and done the running because it was required, and his favorite ended up being polo. No running required, luckily. Unluckily, that is very much not an option for him in New York. Henry misses it desperately, the release he got from those workouts, and every day that he does nothing, he actually debates going for a run. Running influencer is the perfect name for what ACDRuns is. 

He has the sneakers because Bea picked up running when she got out of rehab. She thought he wouldn’t say no to her asking him to go with him if he didn’t have to pay for the equipment himself. Admittedly, she was right. He accepted every time, mostly because he liked spending time with his sister, and she never wanted to run that far. Although he’s pretty sure she signed up for a half marathon a few months ago. 

But, Henry is not crazy like she is. He’ll run his five kilometers at most and call it a day happily. The sidewalks are insanely crowded too, Henry notes when he walks David. Not exactly conducive to running around, and that’s not just an excuse– it’s a real concern. He’s not going to go to the group run, no matter how many times Pez messages him to ask. 

Henry isn’t a runner, genuinely, but he wakes up insanely early on a Wednesday morning, before the sun even rises, and puts on the damn running shoes for the first time in months. David opens one eye to glare at him as he flicks on the kitchen light for breakfast. Henry eats a piece of toast with peanut butter on it hunched over the sink like a rat, and puts his headphones in as David turns away from the light and goes back to sleep. 

There aren’t many people out on the sidewalk this early in the morning, and as Henry starts running, he relaxes for the first time in quite some time. It sucks, it sucks so badly how much he enjoys himself, running along the mostly quiet streets as the sun starts to rise. Henry makes it three kilometers before turning to run back to his flat. His way home is at a much slower pace, and by the time he gets back, the sun is up, and it’s been around 45 minutes. 

David is happier to be awake now that the sun is up, and he pads over to the door to greet Henry when he gets it unlocked and steps inside. Henry squats to give him a few scratches before moving back to the kitchen to start his morning tea and another breakfast– oats this time. 

Henry isn’t normally an oats buyer, but after binging a ton of ACDRuns’ content, his for you page was filled with runners, and oats seems to be a common variable. He’d bought a container on a whim during his last trip to the shops. They’re alright, maybe a bit bland, even for his taste. But he finishes his second breakfast and his tea right around the time his alarm would normally be going off. 

It’s kind of nice having extra time to take David on a walk and get dressed. Henry feels a lot more energized too, runners’ high perhaps. However that works. He’s loath to admit how much he actually enjoyed the running, and that he’s now tempted to make it part of his typical routine. Pez is going to be so bloody insufferable. 

The whole thing is made worse when he shows up to work, and June clocks it right away. She squints at him, one hand on her hip. “Did you do something different today?”

“Erm,” Henry hesitates. He weighs the merits of admitting it to at least someone– June because she doesn’t actually know Bea or Pez to report back to them. “I went for a bit of a run this morning.”

June lights up, face brightening to a degree Henry could’ve never imagined to be physically possible. She grabs one of his shoulders, squeezing and shaking it a bit. “You run?” He doesn’t know how to answer that because no, but also maybe sort of. She goes on before he can figure it out. “You should come with me on Saturday, I’m going to this running group thing in Central Park. It’ll be so fun!”

Henry doesn’t know if he truly believes in fate, but this does feel a little bit like fate. With June there as a buffer, surely it won’t be as bad as if he showed up on his own. He sucks his bottom lip into his mouth, biting it for a second while he debates internally. Letting it go with a quiet pop, Henry nods. “Sure, I’d be amenable to a run.” He should probably sound more chill about it actually. “What time?”

She wrinkles her nose and squints down at her shoes. “I’m not sure. I can text you the details?”

“Alright, yeah.” 

And then they have to do their actual work. Henry has an article to finish up, he’s only done the research portion for it so far, and his deadline is fast approaching. He doesn’t have much time the rest of the day to think about Saturday or his morning run. But when he gets back to his flat at the end of the work day, there’s a text from June sitting on his phone.

Saturday @ the Boathouse @ 8. Alex will be there! You guys can finally meet!

Alex and ACDRuns. Bloody fantastic.

[Video description: ACDRuns sits cross-legged on the floor. There are several pairs of sneakers scattered around his legs. 

ACDRuns: Alright, y’all. Let’s talk running shoes. I feel like I should preface this by saying: any shoes can be running shoes if you strap them on and go for a run. But , there are specially made tennis shoes for running. 

He waves his arm, presenting all of the shoes. 

ACDRuns: As you can see, I have a rotation. It’s crazy how specified shoes can get. Like they make shoes for speed work and shoes for long runs. Shoes for trail runs, and some that are better for pavement running. I don’t get that serious most of the time. I have a few different pairs, and it keeps one pair from wearing out super fast if you wear it all the time for every workout. 

He picks up a pair of white and lime green shoes. 

ACDRuns: These are my speed work shoes. They’re the Asics Magic Speed 2. This shoe is light as fuck, like I feel like I’m flying during interval and tempo runs. It’s pretty firm, so if you’re looking for something flimsier and more flexible, this one isn’t for you. I’ve tried out a few different styles like the Novablast 3, but these are the best easily. 

He sets those shoes down and picks up a pair of black and white shoes. 

ACDRuns: These are the Mizuno Wave Inspire 20s. And here’s the thing, I was a Nike loyalist for my daily trainers, okay. I tried a pair of these and am never looking back. They’re so comfortable and cushioned which is good since I do a lot of sidewalk running. Sidewalk running, if you didn’t know, is bad for your feet and your knees, pavement is a little better, but you will not catch me on the roads in these cities I run. 

He flips the shoe over to show the sole before turning it to the side and running his finger over the white part. 

ACDRuns: Interesting fact about these shoes: Michelin, like the tire brand, actually helped develop these soles so they’re supposed to last longer than your typical shoe! Really cool. Now, I’ll admit these are a little heavy, if you like a lighter shoe, you might not enjoy it as much. But I’ll swear by these. 

He sets the second pair of shoes down and picks up a third. They’re mostly white with a little orange and black. 

ACDRuns: Last type is race day shoes. They’re not meant for lots of wearing, and I don’t recommend you train in these types of shoes. These are the Nike Alphaflys. They have a few different generations of these, I bought the newest ones for my half coming up! I wore the 2s, the bright pink ones that are super popular on Tiktok for my last race, and they were great. These shoes are carbon shoes, so they’re light as hell. 

He puts the third pair of shoes down and lines them all up in front of him. 

ACDRuns: Here’s my general tip: if you’re going to get really invested and put a lot of time into the sport, get yourself at least one good pair of running shoes. They don’t have to be super expensive, you can find deals online all the time, but they’ll make such a huge difference in your training. 

ACDRuns: My very special tip is that most running shoe stores will fit you for shoes. They measure feet flexibility and watch you run for about 30 seconds to a minute on the treadmill and see your gait and figure out what shoes best support your feet. Liam goes to Road Runner Sports in King of Prussia for his shoes, and that’s where I got my last few pairs too. Not sponsored or anything, I’m recommending because they know their shit. Find a place like that in your city and hit them up! 

He leans back on his hands and tilts his chin up. 

ACDRuns: When I started running it was with thin, cheap tennis shoes. You definitely don’t need anything too fancy, so don’t feel bad if something like this is out of your price range. If you want a more detailed explanation about how to pick a shoe, like if you don’t have any running stores nearby, I can try and answer some questions. Drop ‘em down in the comments, and I’ll keep an eye out. Otherwise, good luck, and happy running, y’all.

End video description]

Saturday June 20th arrives faster than Henry would like to admit. His stomach hurts when he sits up in bed, filled with nerves at the thought of running in front of other people. Other people including ACDRuns and June’s brother Alex. David is waiting for him when he finally drags himself out of bed to the kitchen for breakfast. Henry kind of wishes he could bring David with him, but it’ll be about an hour trip to get to Central Park, and he’d never put his already nervous dog through the New York subway system.

He’s gone for a run every morning since that first one, not very long ones, just enough so that he doesn’t utterly embarrass himself today. Admittedly, his hamstrings are a bit tight after all the sudden exercise. Henry eats his peanut butter toast like normal, and tries to stretch every time David pauses on their quick walk around the block before Henry has to leave for Central Park. Maybe he should leave ACDRuns a comment asking about stretches because as far as Henry’s seen, he doesn’t have a video up about them. 

Henry has a playlist called dad that he listens to mostly when he’s feeling more anxious than usual. It’s made up entirely of songs his dad liked or that they listened to together before he passed. It’s Henry’s favorite playlist in the world, and he starts it up as soon as he finds a place to stand on the subway, headphones shoved deep in his ears. The playlist, like it always does, helps, and by the time he’s getting off in Manhattan, he feels a lot looser and more relaxed. 

You’ve got this my dearest Hazza. Go charm the pants off of all the hot runners in attendance, I know you can <3

At least Pez believes in him, even if Henry’s belief in himself is running a little low. It's a consistent theme in his life if Henry is truly honest with himself. 

Channel uni-era Henry Fox if you must

There’s a decently sized crowd waiting for the run to start when Henry approaches the Boathouse. His nerves kick up again, and he twists his fingers in the fabric of his frankly shorter than usual running shorts. Maybe he’s regretting the length a little bit now that he’s standing in the light of day in front of a group of strangers. But it’s far too late to make any changes. 

June sees him before he sees her. She’s leaning against a wall, stretching out her calves, and yells loud enough to catch the entire group’s attention. “Hen! You made it.” And suddenly everyone is looking at him. Aside from one man standing a few feet away from June, still turned away talking to another man. June waves, bouncing up and down on her toes, and Henry reluctantly makes his way over to her. 

“I did say I’d come,” Henry reminds her with a small smile. 

“I know, but I’m still happy to see you.” She answers very honestly. Suddenly Henry’s throat is too tight for him to force any words out. He doesn’t need to say anything though because June grabs his wrist. “Anyway, I want you to meet Alex.”

She pulls him to the man who hadn’t turned around yet, and Henry’s heart literally falls out of his arse when June yanks the man’s shoulder, a lot less gentle than she’s pulling Henry, and he spins around to reveal none other than ACDRuns. In the grand scheme of Henry’s life thus far, this coincidence feels incredibly fitting. Unfortunately. 

Henry, in all of his stalking, has never gone too deep into learning more about ACDRuns’ life. It would be easier to fantasize about a future with the man if Henry knew his name. So he’d avoided it– very successfully apparently. June hasn’t appeared in any of the videos Alex has seen, and the D.C. girl calls him Alejandro. Even the Philly guys call him ACD, so Henry thinks it’s pretty fair to not know his name was Alex. 

“Nice to meet you, man.” Alex yanks him by the ear out of his spiral. “June has told me so much about you.”

Henry is going to throw up and die in front of everyone. Right now. He’s not even being dramatic, this is absolutely the end of him. Christ, Pez is going to have an absolute field day with this. Henry will mentally commit to never telling him, but Pez knows him better than basically everyone on the planet, and Henry knows, deep down, Pez will figure it out.

Straightening his back, Henry tilts his chin up. Time to put on a brave face. He shakes Alex’s offered hand after a pause only slightly too long. Henry tries to smile, hoping it doesn’t look like a grimace– the last thing he wants to do is look like a prick in front of June and her brother, and says, “Likewise.”

Alex holds up his phone. “Hope you don’t mind if I film some of our run today. I have a little Tiktok account for running stuff, and I want to make these group runs a more consistent thing on Saturdays.” Little is underselling Alex’s account quite a bit– Henry would fucking know. He wonders if he should tell Alex he’s a follower. But Alex leaves before he can decide, a clap on the shoulder before turning on his heel to make his way to the front of the group. 

June loops her arm through Henry’s, giving that same shoulder a squeeze. Henry tries so desperately to not dwell on the fact that Alex’s brief touch felt very different to this one. Alex calls everyone’s attention, and Henry is so enthralled as he starts to speak animatedly, introducing himself and explaining the plan. 

“Oh, Hen,” June whispers, tugging his arm. “You wanna fuck my brother so bad you look stupid.” She grimaces, wrinkling her nose. “As much as I hate to admit it.”

“My life is a cosmic joke,” Henry tells her entirely seriously. 

“I don’t really know what you mean.” 

Henry is not going to tell her he’s been thirst stalking her brother’s Tiktok account for weeks now. He’s not going to tell anyone, this secret will live and die between him and Pez. As much as Pez loves to tease him, Henry knows he’ll keep his secret. 

They start the run before he has to come up with some sort of explanation, and Henry is just glad that June sticks by his side. Not that he needs her to babysit him, but he does appreciate it a lot. She talks to him too. Going on about the story she’s researching, and the cat that keeps jumping from her neighbor’s fire escape to hers, even about the guy that lives in her building that she and Alex call WASPy Hunter and how he keeps asking her out in the elevator. 

“He took me out once, I was trying to be nice, you know? Awful, genuinely horrible, Hen. You will never catch me saying yes to him again, and if you do, something’s wrong. I’ve been, like, body snatched or something.”

Henry laughs, more of a huff because they’re going a little faster than he’s used to and Central Park is much hillier than Brooklyn. Alex interrupts their conversation, dropping back into step with the two of them. “Are y’all talking about Hunter?”

“Yes we are, nosy,” June answers, teasing tone. 

Alex grins and elbows Henry. “You got any disastrous New York dating stories to share with the class?” 

“Ah,” Henry starts. He can’t exactly say he’s been mentally planning out their future together, that would be weird. Clearing his throat, Henry shakes his head. “Not really?” 

“Not really?” Alex pushes. 

“Not at all.” Henry amends. 

And then Alex looks him up and down very slowly, appraising him. Henry actually trips, and he’ll forever blame it on a crack in the sidewalk. Alex catches him, grabbing his upper arm, and his fingertips dig harshly into Henry’s skin. Christ alive. 

“Easy there,” Alex tells him gently. “That’s surprising, by the way.”

Henry has no idea what he’s talking about, he’s lost the thread of the conversation entirely. June snorts on his other side, and Henry asks, “Erm, what’s surprising?”

“That you don’t have any crazy dating stories. A guy that looks like you do oughta be getting asked out left, right, and center.” 

Thank god it’s so hot outside because Henry knows his cheeks were already flushed enough to hide the inevitable blush at Alex’s compliment. June gags very dramatically, grabbing Henry’s other arm and yanking him toward her. “Go away, little bit, Henry is my running buddy.” 

“We can share.” Alex doesn’t reach for Henry, and Henry isn’t sure how to feel about that. It’s probably for the best. 

“No we can’t.” June sticks her tongue out at him, leaning around Henry to make sure Alex can see it. “You smell, Henry doesn’t want to run with you.” 

Alex scoffs. “Real mature, bug.” He wipes sweat off his forehead with the collar of his t-shirt. “It’s not my fault it’s so hot and I’ve already run 22 miles this morning.”

“Stop trying to flex to Henry, he’s not impressed.” June certainly doesn’t sound impressed, but she’s wrong about Henry. He is impressed. And maybe swooning a little bit internally as he really takes a second to look at Alex to see he’s covered in a nice sheen of sweat that doesn’t look sloppy. Instead he’s practically glowing in the morning sun. 

“He looks impressed to me,” Alex argues. 

Henry should probably put a stop to this ridiculous back and forth. He clears his throat, catching both of their attention. “He’s right here, you know?” 

“Oh trust me,” Alex reassures with a smirk, “I know.” Henry feels his cheeks heat up even more, and he wonders if this is reaching unhealthy levels. “So are you?” Alex asks. 

“Am I what?”

“Impressed. Come on, Hen, keep up.” 

They’ve sped up a bit since Alex joined them, adrenaline pumping through Henry’s veins, but he’s starting to feel it. He knows Alex was referring to the conversation, not the actual running, but Henry slows down the running anyway, dropping a few steps behind. Maybe if he slows down he’ll get more oxygen in his brain and the chances of embarrassing himself further seem lower. 

Alex and June don’t miss a stride as they slow down with him. So Henry gives him an answer. “I suppose it is a bit impressive. 25 miles.” He’s not entirely sure how far that is, but he does know kilometers are shorter than miles. 

“Nearly 42 kilometers.” Alex reads his mind. “For your British sensibilities, sweetheart.” 

“Right, thanks.” Bloody hell. Between the running and the sweetheart, Henry might have an actual heart attack. 

Alex continues on, not needing any prompting. “I’ve been putting off this workout for a while, so I figured may as well knock it out this morning and use the group run as a cooldown.” He glances down at his watch. “It was mile intervals at different paces with a two mile marathon pace rep in the middle.” 

Henry kind of understands, just based on the stuff he’s learned from all the runners on his for you page, including Alex himself. He needs to say something, Alex is looking at him expectantly. “Sounds…hard.” Maybe if Henry trips and slams his head into the concrete he can forget the entire morning. 

“Oh it was,” Alex winks at him. Winks. And then he pulls his phone out of his pocket. “Anyway, I’ll catch up with you guys later, I’m going to film some stuff for my video.” 

He runs off, back to the front of the group, and June at least waits until he’s out of earshot before saying, “That was kind of embarrassing for you.” Henry is well aware. “You’re lucky my brother is kind of an oblivious idiot.” 

That makes Henry feel a lot better actually. The rest of the five kilometers goes by without a hitch. Alex is all over the pack, talking to the rest of the group. He’s so social, so smooth, and Henry is a bit jealous of how seamlessly he’s able to speak to people. Something in his chest clenches hard, and he’s definitely not thinking about how it’s the same feeling he gets watching the tiktoks with the D.C. girl. 

They stop back at the Boathouse, and Alex leads them all through some cooldown stretches. Henry needs water, he wants to go find a 7/11 or something and buy himself some, but he stays long enough anyway. Alex is very impressively flexible, and it’s too good to pass up. It’s a very good reminder of just how gay Henry is as he stares at Alex’s quads, watching the way the flex. He needs to get out of there before he gets caught ogling. 

June stops him, bumping her shoulder into his upper arm– she’s not tall enough to reach his shoulder. “Hey, Alex and I have a post-run Dunkin tradition. You in?” 

“I wouldn’t want to impose.” 

Alex appears out of thin air, clapping a hand on Henry’s opposite shoulder. It scares the absolute shite out of him, and Henry can’t stop the strangled, startled noise that tears out of his throat. Alex, thankfully, ignores it. “It’s not an imposition if you were invited. We pick up donuts and coffee and drink mimosas at our apartment. You’re definitely welcome if you want.” 

Henry does want. He doesn’t really like coffee, but for more time with Alex, he’ll choke it down. “Well, alright. If you’re sure.” 

“We’re sure,” June says. So they start walking to June and Alex’s shared flat. “There’s a Dunkin across the street.” It’s not too far from Central Park, but Henry still wants to die a little bit. He doesn’t want to be on his feet anymore after all those damn hills in the park. 

“Henry, do you have any preferences about donuts?” Alex asks as they hop at the end of an unfortunately long line at the Dunkin. “June and I usually get six, but since there’s three of us I think we should get a dozen.” That math doesn’t exactly work out, but who is Henry to turn Alex down when he’s smiling like that? 

“No, I’ve never had these donuts before.” 

Alex grabs his wrist, shaking his whole arm in excitement. “Oh my god, they’re, like, objectively mid, but I fucking love them.” He sighs wistfully, staring at the half-filled case behind the counter. “Demolishing these after a run is literally sometimes the only thing that gets me out of bed in the morning.” 

The line moves quickly, and before Henry can even really read the menu to get an idea of what coffee to order, they’re at the front. June goes first, ordering something that sounds complex, several different flavors mentioned. 

“Cream?” The girl behind the counter asks, and June shakes her head. She turns to Alex next, eyes wandering down his arms, and Henry gets her. “What can I get you?” 

If Alex notices her looks, he doesn’t show it. June definitely does, and Henry can feel her eyeing him. He will not make a face. Alex’s order is much simpler, and he steps back, reaching up to wrap his arm around Henry’s shoulders. Henry kind of expected to pay for his own coffee, but Alex leans up to tell him quietly, “Get what you want, sweetheart. On me today.” 

Henry blushes. He doesn’t have the running to disguise it now, unfortunately. His order is similar to Alex’s, but he gets cream. Alex takes over as soon as he finishes to pick out all the donuts, and then it’s over. They’re walking across the street, jaywalking to be exact, but Henry follows along anyway. Alex is so close their elbows are bumping each other, and he sways into Henry’s space every few steps. 

The fourth time he swerves into Henry’s side, Alex takes a bigger step away with a sheepish smile. “Sorry, sweetheart. I’ve never been good at walking in a straight line.” 

“I get it.” Henry says. It doesn’t make much sense, but he refuses to let himself visibly cringe. 

Alex squints at him, watches him walk in a straight line, and asks, “Are you sure? You seem to be walking just fine.” 

It bubbles up and out of his mouth mostly without Henry’s permission. “I meant having trouble being straight, not walking straight.” 

And then Alex fucking trips trying to step up on the sidewalk, nearly falling and dropping both the donuts and his coffee. It sloshes out of his cup, onto his wrist, and Alex hisses in pain at the burn. He brings his hand up, sucking the coffee off his wrist, and it’s Henry’s turn to nearly trip at the sight. 

June is watching them both, free hand on her hip with an amused look on her face. “My god you’re both disasters.” 

Yeah, Henry will accept that. Alex doesn’t though, muttering under his breath. “Shut up, bug.”

She laughs at them and scans a fob to open a door, holding it for both of them to step in. Alex starts up the stairs, moving quickly, and Henry huffs. They’re done running why the hell is Alex still moving so damn fast. 

“Fire under his ass,” June says, a few steps behind Henry. “Didn’t I tell you?” Yes she had. 

Alex is waiting impatiently by the door, June has their keys apparently, and he moves through without a word. Henry hesitates in the doorway, unsure if he’s meant to follow or not, and June nudges his shoulder. “Since Alex is going to be fucking rude, I’ll give you a tour.” 

Henry’s heart sinks a little bit, giving an uncomfortable thud as he toes his shoes off, lining them up next to June’s. He purses his lips, debating the merits of asking, and eventually decides it won’t hurt. 

“Is he homophobic?” June looks at him, eyes wide, and Henry shrugs, even more uncomfortable. “He’s been weird since I made a joke.” 

“Ah.” June clicks her tongue, grimacing slightly. “No, not quite.” It’s loaded, and Henry isn’t an idiot. He knows it probably means she’s just trying not to out Alex. It actually doesn’t help at all because it definitely means that Alex just doesn’t like him. So that sucks a lot, and Henry wants nothing more than to get the hell out of there. Simultaneously, he doesn’t want to upset June. 

“Right.” Henry wipes his hands on his shorts. “Can you point me toward a restroom?” 

“Yeah.” June shakes her head, waving her hand forward. “I’ll give you the tour now so you know where to find us when you’re finished.” 

Their flat is small but very cozy. Henry’s is bigger, and definitely lived in, but it’s nothing like this. He lingers, looking at the pictures in the hallway on the wall: June and Alex over the years, starting when they were babies until something that looks pretty recent. Both of them with running bibs on, sweaty and grinning. Fuck he misses Bea. 

June and Alex are whispering about something when Henry makes his way to the kitchen. It looks sort of like an argument, lots of hissing and angry arm waving, but as soon as Henry steps through the doorway, they both go silent. Alex looks a little guilty, and he holds out a cup with pink liquid in it to Henry. 

“I mixed you some hydration stuff.” A peace offering. Henry takes it wordlessly, and after a small sip realizes it’s pink lemonade flavored. Quite good admittedly. 

“Thank you, Alex,” he says, curling the cup into his chest. June has already turned away, mixing drinks, and she spins back around to hand Henry a glass. “What’s this?” Henry asks, almost afraid to take a sip. 

“Mimosa,” June answers, distracted as she pours another glass. “Grapefruit flavored, hope you don’t mind. We’re out of orange juice.” It’s delicious, Henry definitely doesn’t mind, and he tells her so after his third sip. She beams, handing Alex a glass before making her own. 

They set up in the living room, a variety of drinks scattered across their coffee table. Each of them have three or four, but Henry still feels the mimosa. He wonders just how strong June made it, but it’s almost pleasant, sinking into the nice champagne buzz. 

“So,” Alex pinches a half-eaten donut between his fingers. “Henry, tell me about yourself.” 

Henry hates talking about himself. He never knows what’s interesting enough to share. “Erm, I moved here from London somewhat recently. Live in Brooklyn and work with June at the Times.” Alex is still watching him expectantly. “I have a sister and a brother, though I don’t speak to my brother much. My sister is great though. My father passed a few years back, when I was in uni, and my mum never recovered.” Trauma dumping is probably not what Alex was looking for, but it spills out. Henry can’t bring himself to meet either of their eyes. 

Alex’s toes push into Henry’s ankle, staying there, meant for comfort. It helps, settles Henry a bit, and he lets his legs fall open a bit more, knee barely grazing Alex’s closest thigh. “I’m sorry for your loss, Hen,” Alex says. Henry’s throat is tight, and his eyes burn, so he just nods. Unable to get the right words out. 

“My best mate still lives in London, his work is there for now, but he might move here in a year or so. If I’m still here.” 

“And that’s Percy, right?” June cuts in. Henry talks about him a lot apparently. Enough for June to remember at least. 

“Correct,” Henry says with a nod. “Pez is what he likes to be called.” 

“Cool,” Alex says enthusiastically. “When did you start running?” 

“Surprised we made it this long before he asked,” June teases, laughing when Alex flips her off without looking away from the box of donuts. 

Henry doesn’t know how to answer this. He can’t exactly say that Alex is the reason, that would be a little strange, and he’s pretty sure he’s in too deep to admit now that he’s a fan. “I played polo in England, but I can’t do that here. I needed something to stay in shape, so I sort of…picked it up, I suppose. It’s new.” That’s safe. 

Alex launches into his own story then, something Henry already knows, but he focuses on nodding along and pretending like he doesn’t. Henry isn’t a great actor, but he thinks he pulls it off. Morning rolls into afternoon, and they polish off the donuts and the drinks, and by the time Henry should probably take his leave, Alex’s leg is fully tossed across one of Henry’s, and he’s leaning back against the couch comfortably. 

“I should get back to David,” Henry says, carefully lifting Alex’s leg to set down. “He’ll be waiting.” 

Something in Alex’s face shifts, almost unnoticeable, but Henry has been watching every micro expression that crossed his face all afternoon, so he catches it. Alex clears his throat and pulls his leg up, hugging it to his chest like he’s trying to get as far away from Henry as possible. Ouch. 

“Yeah, no worries. Um, do you mind if we exchange numbers? I’d love to run with you more.” Henry takes Alex’s offered phone, not at all reading into the way Alex curls his fingertips away so they don’t touch Henry’s at all. Ouch again. He does ask Henry, “Where is home, by the way?”  

“Brooklyn,” Henry answers, distracted by the mental debate to put his surname or not in the contact. 

Alex swears under his breath, frowning when Henry looks up. “Fucking hell, H. That’s a trek. We’ll have to plan something closer to you next time.” 

Henry would make the trip to Manhattan for Alex at the drop of the hat, but he appreciates the sentiment nonetheless. “That would be lovely.” 

 “You could bring David, I guess.” 

“Best not.” David doesn’t like running much, and Henry doesn’t want to slow Alex down. Hypothetically. 

“Oh.” Alex stands, hands at his side wiggling to show his discomfort. “Well, it was awesome to meet you, man.” Henry doesn’t cringe at the man, choosing to take the hugs Alex and then June offer him. He tugs his shoes on, tying them, before standing to his feet. They’re both in the doorway, watching, and Alex waves with a small, almost sad smile. 

“See you Monday, Hen,” June tells him. And then Henry leaves. He will need several business days to work through the whole morning, probably. 

He makes it all the way back to Brooklyn, is bending down to give David some pats in the doorway when his phone vibrates in his pocket. It’s probably Pez, asking how the run had gone. Or maybe June, she messages him every so often. Henry shuts the door behind him and pulls it out to check. It’s neither of them– it’s a number Henry doesn’t have saved, but it’s not exactly rocket science to figure out who it is. 

well well well guess who popped up in my recommended

Screenshot (1): Henry’s Tiktok profile page with a circle drawn around the follow button that says Follow back

Henry stares blankly at the text for a few seconds before squeezing his eyes shut and burying his nose between David’s ears on the top of his head. He lets out a long, heavy sigh and fights back the massive cringe building in his spine. Bloody app attaching his phone number to his profile. 

For the second time that day, Henry finds himself lamenting. “My life is a fucking cosmic joke, David.”

Much like June, David doesn’t quite understand. 

alex
requested to follow you.

[Video description: Alex smiles brightly at the camera, bouncing excitedly on his toes. 

Alex: Good morning y’all! It’s group run day! I’m so fucking excited. Got here so early, and there are already a few people here. 

Alex flips the camera, showing the small crowd who all wave. 

Alex: I think we’ve agreed on a 5k today, it’s going to be awesome. And I’ve finally gotten my sister June to agree to be on camera. Usually she comes with me on my long runs, and I don’t film those much. 

He reaches out of frame and grabs June, pulling her into view of the camera. 

Alex: Say hi, June. 

June: Hello! 

Alex: Are you excited? I’m excited. 

June: Oh I know you are. I think it’ll be fun! 

Alex: Hell yeah. 

There’s a cut and then a shot of the whole crowd stretching and warming up. The camera turns back to Alex who smiles and gives a thumbs up. 

Another cut and they’re running. Alex moves from group to group, trying to get everyone to give him a little pose and a cheer. He turns the camera to show June. 

Alex: There’s June and June’s friend. We have about a mile left, it’s gone so good so far. 

One last pan over the crowd stretching again post-run. 

Alex: Thanks to everyone who came out today, it was so awesome getting to talk to all of y’all! Hopefully we can do this again soon. We’ll probably try and switch up boroughs, not limit ourselves to Manhattan. I’ll let y’all know when we plan the next one. Until then, have a great run today y’all!

End video description]

eve (eviee)
june’s friend is hot

alex (ACDRuns)
don’t let david hear you say that

eve (eviee)
who is david? i can fight.

sam (sammy217)
it was so good to meet you! today was so fun :)

alex (ACDRuns)
thanks for coming out!!

nate (nathansworld)
will there be runs in other boroughs?? it’s annoying to get to manhattan from long island sometimes lmao

alex (ACDRuns)
soon!! i want to mix it up for sure

henry do you think i should have another cup of coffee before my run or is that a bad idea 

like i’m kind of sleepy

but i also wanna do a zone 2 run so like i need my heart rate to be chill

feel free to respond anytime so i don’t have to make decisions myself…

How many cups have you had so far today?

i’m not sure i like your tone sweetheart

You can’t possibly tell my tone from one question.

The way you’re avoiding answering is telling as well.

i hate you

No on the coffee, just go for your run.

fine

FINE

Group runs become a monthly thing. Alex picks a weekend every month that works for him, sends Henry a text to ask if he’s free, and then promotes it on his page when Henry confirms. Henry doesn’t presume to be the real deciding factor, he’s free every weekend, but he kind of hopes that maybe he is. Alex hasn’t ever directly said, and Henry doesn’t really want to test his theory. 

Regardless of whether Alex is truly planning the runs around Henry’s schedule, they still text almost daily. Some days they’re both so busy it slips through the cracks, but for the most part, Henry can always expect something from Alex when he picks up his phone. The amount of shirtless, sweaty, post-run photos Alex has sent him since getting his number is frankly astronomical. Henry decidedly does not think about whether he’s the only one receiving these photos or not. 

It takes until September for Alex to finally schedule a run in Brooklyn. He apologizes to Henry for it taking so long, as if Henry wouldn’t literally travel anywhere to see Alex, and Henry accepts it. 

“Very magnanimous, thank you,” Alex says through the phone. “You know this means you have to host post-run donuts, right?” 

“Are mimosas a requirement?” 

“Abso-fucking-lutely, sweetheart.” Alex’s voice is a little farther away when he continues, “So prepare David for company.” 

Henry knows enough about Alex’s schedule to know he’s probably getting dressed to go for a run. It’s Tuesday which means he’s doing speed work. It’s horrifying to know so much, truly, but Henry wouldn’t trade it. 

“I shall warn him of the pending American invasion,” Henry responds, tone dry. 

“Is David British too?” Alex only sounds half-interested. Henry tries not to take it personally on David’s behalf. 

Henry hums. “He was born in London, so I assume yes.” 

Alex snorts, sounding decidedly unamused. “Well you’re both on American soil now, so I’d say it doesn’t count as an American invasion.” Henry’s not sure what he did to put that tone in Alex’s voice. It makes his stomach all squirmy, and his hands clammy. “I have to go, but talk later?” Alex asks. 

“Yeah.” Henry swallows, willing moisture back into his mouth. “Later.”

So Alex is everything, but he’s also really fucking confusing. It's not something Henry is particularly eager to bring up to June because as much as he’d value her insight on her brother, Alex is still her brother. How much Henry would like to both sleep with and date Alex seems like a line he maybe shouldn’t cross with her. 

Pez has very little to say that does Henry much good. He’s team fuck Alex, damn the consequences. Which Henry appreciates, but he’d love a little personal insight too, and that is something that Pez cannot provide because he’s never met Alex. Until Pez gleefully informs Henry he will be visiting very soon– so soon, in fact, that his visit will overlap the Claremont-Diaz siblings taking over his flat after their run. 

Henry can’t prove it, but he’s pretty sure Pez decided on a spur of the moment trip just for the chance to meet June. Between teasing Henry about his crush and listening to Henry lament about Alex’s perfection, Pez has decided that Henry’s descriptions of and stories about June are no longer enough. 

“Are you actually coming for me?” Henry asks. 

The silence is damning, just a beat too long. “I miss you like a long lost limb, my heart,” Pez finally says. It’s very dramatic, very on brand, and god if Henry doesn’t miss him too. “But I do expect to meet the lovely June Claremont-Diaz.” He pauses, moving around his flat a bit before Henry hears him sit down– probably on his bed. “I’m dying to meet her in the flesh, in fact, I’d go so far to say that our introduction is a requirement.”

“And who am I but your humble servant,” Henry replies with a sigh. In actuality, he does think that Pez and June will get along, he’s just not sure he’s ready for the extra ammunition she’s likely to give Pez. That’s the disastrous part. 

“Lovely to hear, my liege. Now I must take my leave, my flight is quite soon.” 

If it were literally anyone else in the world, minus Bea, Henry would be furious about the last minute warning. But it’s Pez and even with his new friendships, Henry misses the closeness he gets with Pez’s friendship. Sue him, maybe he wants to curl up on the couch with someone he knows loves him no matter what– even if it’s purely platonic. 

Henry’s flat only has one bedroom, and he doesn’t have an air mattress, so they’ll have to make due with sharing Henry’s bed. Not that it’ll be an issue, they’ve slept in far dodgier places during university. So as he cleans his place up, including changing the sheets, Henry finally feels re-energized. 

[Start photos post description:

Photo: June and Alex standing together, arms over each other’s shoulders, bi flag wrapped around both of them. 

Photo: Notebook, textbook, and half-filled mug on a table. The mug has the words Feral Bisexual written in pink and blue.

Photo: Alex with a medal around his neck and a bi flag painted on both cheeks. He’s covered in mud but smiling widely, flashing a peace sign.

Caption: Deviation from my normal content, but with Pride Month and all, I wanted to share a huge part of me with y’all. My sexuality doesn’t define me, but it does make me Alex. I want my page to be a place of honesty and transparency to a certain degree, and I also want it to be a safe space for everyone– no matter race, ethnicity, sexuality, or gender. Happy Pride, y’all, and please remember you’re never alone!!! 

End photos post description]

HENRY my head is going to explode i’m like freaking out rn but it’s my rest day so i can’t go run it off please help

i need you to tell me how other people relax

I’m truly sorry to hear that, Alex.

yes thanks for your condolences your majesty

you text all proper like a fucking royal or something

whatever just tell me all your normal people secrets june won’t spill i feel out of the loop

A cup of tea, a comfort book, my favorite blanket, and Bake Off.

And a good cuddle with David certainly helps as well. 

david……

well don’t have that but i could probably figure something out about the rest

thanks sweetheart

You’re welcome, and feel better soon, Alex.

:))))))

Pez arrives much the same way he’d swanned into Henry’s life the first time: loudly and colorfully. He wraps Henry into a big hug with tears that Henry knows are real, and kisses all across his face. Henry’s face is tomato red, but he doesn’t pull away. At the end of the day, he’s missed Pez and everything that comes along with him. 

“Hazza, love of my life, I cannot wait to get to your humble home and pick out the sluttiest outfit to wear on your running date tomorrow morning.”

Henry clears his throat, dutifully taking Pez’s suitcase as they walk toward the airport exit to climb into an Uber. “Would you like to come along?”

“Oh darling,” Pez pats his shoulder when they’re both in the car, Pez’s suitcase safely stowed away in the boot. “I would do many, many things for you, but I do not run for anyone.”

Henry assumed that would be the case, but it’s polite to ask. “It’s not a date,” he feels like he should add. “It’s literally a group run. With loads of other people that Alex talks to more than he talks to me.”

Pez narrows his eyes and clicks his tongue. “Yet who has a standing invitation to spend time with him after every run?”

“June’s there too,” Henry defends, but it’s so weak. Even the Uber driver hears how weak it is because he meets Henry’s eyes through the rearview mirror, and there’s a sarcastic little glint. Which…rude. 

It takes very little time for Pez to settle in, unpacking his entire suitcase and taking over Henry’s bathroom counters. Not that Henry minds because it gives Henry the chance to sit on the edge of his bed and lament in person. 

“He’s just so hot and cold with me sometimes,” Henry says, flopping backwards into his pillows. “It’s like everything is fine, and then a switch flips.” He rubs a hand over his mouth and frowns. “I think he doesn’t like dogs. It almost always happens when David is brought up. 

Pez squints. “Has he met David?”

“No, not yet. But he will tomorrow.”

“Maybe when he meets David everything will sort itself out. I don’t know how anyone could hate him.”

David is the cutest thing on this side of the Atlantic in Henry’s very unbiased opinion. Alex certainly makes a push for that title quite often, but Henry doubts anything will ever top David fully. Although seeing them together might just kill Henry. Unless Alex really doesn’t like dogs. That’ll probably successfully kill off Henry’s crush honestly. 

“A crush is just a lack of information, darling,” Pez advises, ruffling Henry’s hair. “But until we know for sure, I’ll be damned if you don’t look entirely fuckable for your strumpet tomorrow.” 

Henry really doesn’t think there’s a single outfit on the planet that could possibly make him look fuckable after running 10 kilometers in the heat, but Pez certainly tries his best. He picks the pair of shorts Henry wore the first ever group run, which he’ll admit got him some looks, and a t-shirt Henry hardly ever chooses himself. It’s one that he partially ruined and had to cut the bottom off of, leaving it cropped right above his belly button. 

“I’m sure you buried this on purpose,” Pez says with a hand on his hip. “But it is my god given right to remind you it exists.” Henry lays it and the shorts over his desk chair. “May I also add it is my god given purpose to implore you to either cut more of your t-shirts or buy some crop tops. It is a crime, Hazza, that you refuse to show off your slutty little waist more often.”

Henry snorts. It’s not the first time Pez has referred to his waist as slutty. It’s also not the first time he’s tried to convince Henry to wear crop tops. “We shall see how tomorrow goes, yes?” Pez squints at him, but concedes with a tilt of his head. Henry has zero intention of actually buying any, and Pez knows it. 

“I have very little doubt that it will go over well, and when our dearest Alex is drooling over you, I will hold you to it.”

When the next morning rolls around, the morning of the Brooklyn run, Henry allows himself to sleep in a bit. He drags himself through his normal pre-run routine, the toast and tea, getting dressed with only a little dread in his chest. Because he’s an adult, Henry is careful to put plenty of sunscreen across his nose and bare thighs. If it makes them glow a little bit, that’s not his business. 

The meetup spot is a coffee shop a few blocks from Henry’s flat, so he takes the opportunity to stretch a bit on his way. There aren’t many people on the sidewalk, and he doesn’t feel self conscious when he does his high knees like he normally does. As much as he hates doing them in public, he’s not an arsehole, so he refuses to do them in the comfort of his flat and piss off his downstairs neighbor. 

Despite the lackadaisical morning, Henry is one of the first people there, even beating Alex. Because he’s been going consistently, there are a few people he recognizes that he’s able to speak with until June arrives, wrapping Henry in a tight hug. 

“I’m so excited to see your place and meet David.”

June has seen plenty of pictures of David, demanding a new one every day before they start their actual work. Something about encouragement or inspiration, but Henry is always happy to show David off anyway, so he doesn't mind in the slightest. 

“He’s excited too,” Henry says. He looks around and realizes Alex still isn’t present. “Where’s Alex?”

Rolling her eyes, June answers, “He decided to run over. Last I heard from him, he was on the Brooklyn Bridge, so he should be pretty close.”

And she was right. She and Henry only get about five minutes to attempt to lead the rest of the group through some stretches before Alex pulls to a stop next to them. He’s out of breath and excessively sweaty. It’s running rivulets down the side of his face, dripping onto his entirely exposed collarbones, pooling there. Henry is fucking obsessed. 

“Sorry I’m late, y’all. We ready to roll?” 

[Start video description: Alex is on the sidewalk, headphones in his ears already. He’s finishing up some stretches. 

Alex: Good morning, everyone. Let’s run seven recovery miles and talk about race prep!

He starts down the sidewalk, filming a few seconds of him settling into his stride before there’s a cut. 

Alex: One mile down, six to go. So, training for a race, any race honestly, it’s important to vary your runs. If it’s a 5k, you don’t really want to just run, like, three miles every day. I mean, that’s fine, I guess. But if you really want results, there’s several different kinds of runs you can do. 

Another cut. 

Alex: Mile two. Picking up where we left off, so there’s this rule that my running coach taught me to abide by. It’s known as the 80/20 rule. Basically, 80 of your runs are supposed to be at an easy, relaxed pace, and the other 20 percent are harder workouts– usually speed work.

A cut. Alex is dodging in and out of people on the sidewalk and makes a face at the camera when a man on his phone almost crashes into him. 

Alex: Mile three. It’s really up to preference if you want to overtrain for a race, like by the end of your training you’ve already run over the distance of the race. You don’t have to, like for my first ever marathon, the most I’d gone on a long run before the race was 23 miles. And I was fine! But I know some people like the reassurance that they can do it. 

Another cut and Alex is at a public water fountain taking a sip. 

Alex: Four miles. Fucking hell, it’s hot today, I should’ve brought water. Anyway, back to types of runs. There are tons of speed runs you can do– intervals, which are my favorites. Those are low effort staggered with high effort to work on heart rate and stamina. They’re so fucking fun. There are tempo runs, less fun. You’re meant to run at a harder effort for a long time to really build endurance. Basically trying to get used to being uncomfortable. Very very useful on race day. And then there are other ones like hills and repeats. Hills suck, in my opinion. 

Another cut and a shot of Alex throwing a peace sign at the camera. 

Alex: Five miles! We’re almost done, y’all. Okay, recovery runs. They’re meant to be at an easier effort, maybe like a five out of 10. Nothing too outrageous, like you should be able to maintain it for a long time. It won’t feel very productive, but it is, I promise. Long runs are meant to be similar for the most part. You can fit speed workouts into longer runs, but that’s not really the point of them. 

Another cut and a clip of Alex eating a piece of candy out of a Ziploc bag. 

Alex: Mile six. So I feel like I should touch on tapering, which honestly I could make a whole video on it. But the basics: you’re getting closer to race day, a few weeks out, and you should start lowering your mileage to give your legs time to rest. Now, don’t take more days off, just lower the length of your runs. So if you’re running five days a week, still run those five. I hope that makes sense. Like for my last marathon, I ran six days a week, and my Wednesdays were up to 10 miles toward the middle of my training plan. When I started tapering, I dropped them to six miles. But I still did my Wednesday runs. 

Last cut to Alex walking with a hand on his head. 

Alex: Seven miles done. Last thing I want to bring up is cross training. You still need to be doing strength building in a gym or at home. Having muscle is never a bad thing, like, you could have all the stamina in the world, but if your legs aren’t strong enough to carry you all those miles, you’re fucked. And fueling is obviously important. I’ll never do a what I eat in a day video because that’s a slippery slope, but I could talk about the importance of fueling during a run as well as before and after. Let me know if you want one of those. 

Alex pulls a door open and steps inside a building. 

Alex: Thanks for hanging out, I’m on my recovery and cross training day, so I’ll hit the gym for a bit before going home for class. I’m running a half very soon in New York, and I hope to see some of y’all out there! 

Picture of Alex’s watch with his stats. Seven miles in 59 minutes and 15 seconds. 

End video description]

nicky (nicholasp77)
lol his easy pace is me running my absolute hardest

mabel (mbaby4)
fucking same omg

alex (ACDRuns)
it improves with time i promise! keep it up :)

ugh i can’t decide what to have for supper. what are you having hen i need inspo

I’m not the greatest chef admittedly. I’ve made a quiche.

you fascinate me. i must study you in a lab asap

what kind of quiche?

Spinach, bacon, and cheddar.

fuck that does sound good. i’m kind of too lazy to do that rn but i’ll picture it in my mind

i ordered thai takeout if you even care

I do care. I hope it tastes wonderful.

it will. my regular place is so fucking good i swear

maybe you and i could go together sometime?????

I’d like that.

:)

oh my god a smiley face 

A MOMENTOUS OCCASION

And you found the caps button. Truly momentous.

you’re so annoying

moment RUINED

Menace.

we could bring david to thai i guess. i’m feeling magnanimous

Probably not. He wouldn’t like it much. 

Nor would he be allowed I presume.

why????

?

The run finishes after a little over an hour and a half. Henry has gotten faster, and he’s pleased that he’s waiting for the rest of the group that had fallen behind. It gives him time to stretch a bit with June, leaning over to look at her maps app to find the nearest Dunkin. 

“I’m not actually sure,” Henry told her when she asked about the donuts. “Erm, not anywhere on my block.” 

“That’s fine,” June mumbles. She finds one, zooming in on the map. “This one isn’t far, a cooldown walk will be fine.” 

Alex comes in with the last few runners, smiling and waving to everyone as he thanks them all for coming just like he has every run since the first. And then he wraps his arm around Henry’s shoulders. He smells objectively horrible, but Henry can’t bring himself to care. 

“Let’s go get some fucking donuts,” Alex cheers, following June dutifully when she starts walking, following the directions on her GPS. 

The Dunkin really isn’t far, and the sweat freezes on Henry’s skin as they stand in the air conditioning to wait for their drinks and donuts. He’s trying to decide if he should warn them about Pez, but he’s really not sure how to describe Pez accurately. So Henry decides a surprise is fine. 

His drink is ready first, and Alex seems to notice what he’s wearing for the first time when Henry steps up to take it. His eyes freeze on Henry’s stomach, probably right on the exposed sliver of skin. 

“Jesus christ, Hen,” Alex chokes out. “Give the rest of us a chance.”

“Whatever do you mean?” Henry is not above playing dumb. 

June snorts, and Alex rolls his eyes. “You know how hot you normally wear, and now you throw a crop top into the mix.” 

“Ah.” Henry is so fucking pleased, he has to admit. Maybe he’ll finally take Pez’s suggestion. “Well, sorry to steal the spotlight. Though I doubt that’s true.” 

“It’s very true.” 

Alex gets called up before Henry can find a response. He’s content to leave it at that, leading the Claremont-Diaz siblings back to his flat when they’ve collected all their things. It’s late enough that Pez is probably awake to answer the door if he knocks, but Henry pulls his keys out of his pocket anyway. He feels a stare on him, and when he glances over, Alex’s eyes are a little glazed over, fixed firmly on his ass. This couldn’t be going better. 

Pez is awake, sitting on the couch in his robe. He’s dressed, Henry can tell, but he loves that robe. Henry isn’t entirely surprised. Pez stands with a wide smile on his face and a sweeping bow. “Hazza, you’ve brought guests!” As if he didn’t know already. 

Alex makes a noise in his throat, whirling on Henry. He hisses, “You didn’t warn him we were coming.” Henry opens his mouth to defend himself, but Alex is striding across the room with his hand outstretched to shake Pez’s in greeting. “David, I assume.” 

June lets out a strangled noise, eyes sparkling as she presses her fingers to her lips. David is on the couch too, and he perks up at the sound of his name. Pez gets a shit-eating grin on his face as he shakes Alex’s hand, “You know what they say about assumptions.” At Alex’s frown, Pez continues, “No, dear. I’m Percy, but you can call me Pez.”

Alex furrows his eyebrows, dropping his hand with a confused glance toward David on the couch. “Oh my god, sweetheart, why didn’t you ever mention your dog?”

“I have,” Henry says weakly. He’s staring at Pez who is practically vibrating in place at the sweetheart. Alex’s focus is entirely on David now, cooing quietly and scratching David’s ears. 

“You definitely haven’t,” Alex argues. “I’d remember.”

“I have. That’s David.”

Alex freezes and turns on his heel, eyebrows raised so high they’re practically covered by his hair. Pez makes a noise filled with glee, and Henry realizes exactly what’s happened– Alex 100 percent assumed David was Henry’s partner, and somehow no one had clarified that he is, in fact, a dog. 

“David is a dog,” Alex says slowly, voice flat. The look on his face is unreadable. 

“Er, yes.”

Alex throws his hands up, clearly exasperated, with a shrill noise. Everyone in the room jumps at the sudden move, except for Pez who is soaking it all in. David startles so hard he nearly rolls off the couch, and Alex drops his arms with a soothing him, petting him again. 

“Sorry, buddy.” Alex glares at Henry. “It’s not your fault your dad gave you maybe the worst name on the planet.” 

As cute as it is, Henry does feel like he should defend himself. “He’s named after David Bowie, by the way.”

“You gave him the David part and not the Bowie part? That would be so much cooler.” Alex fully makes himself at home on the floor, right next to David. “You’re limiting his incredible potential, Hen.” 

Henry shrugs. “That’s a bit on the nose, isn’t it? A man deserves a bit of mystery.”

Pez has taken the opportunity to back out of the room, June in tow. Henry can hear them speaking quietly from the kitchen, and when the fridge opens, Henry assumes they’re going to fix up the mimosas. 

“So, Percy,” Alex wrinkles his nose, “or Pez, I guess.”

Henry waits for an actual question, and when nothing else comes, he tries to prompt, “Yes? What about him?”

“Just a friend or…?” 

“Just a friend.” It feels almost dismissive, and he doesn’t want Pez to harp on it later. “My best mate in the world.”

Alex nods, eyes glinting dangerously in the sunlight streaming through the window. He looks back down at David and says, “Fucking stellar.”

hey sweetheart i guess you aren’t required to come to every run, but i noticed you weren’t there this morning. everything okay??

hey its been a few hours and i’m starting to get a little worried

are you ghosting me asshole? i’m not that easy to get rid of i’m like a rash or something 

hen? this is a wellness check now please send anything to let me know you’re not dead

???????

Sorry I didn’t mean to upset you I haven’t been feeling well

fuck don’t apologize! i’m sorry for pushing. i’m glad you’re alive though i’d miss you. 

can i do anything for you?

I’m alright just trying to rest

you’re not using punctuation so i’m actually really worried

could i stop by? i just want to make sure. i can bring soup

Yes, that would be alright, soup isn’t necessary 

woah no need to break out the commas. save some energy baby 

you don’t want soup? can i bring something else???

Not that kind of sickness I’m afraid. 

got it. be there soon hold on hen 

After post run donuts at Henry’s flat, Alex starts coming over more often. At least two nights a week find him on Henry’s floor, one hand petting David and the other doing his schoolwork. He says David helps him focus, but Henry isn’t so sure that’s the entire reason. It’s not that Henry doesn’t enjoy it though, he sits with Alex, music playing softly from the record player in the corner, and reads.

Two nights a week slowly turns to three and then to four by the time Alex is really in the thick of his semester. He’s studying for midterms at Henry’s flat, actually leaving notes behind because he says he’ll be back once he finishes up with his classes. Sometimes he’ll beat Henry home from work, so Henry gives him his spare key. He watches, almost devastated, as Alex pulls the chain he always wears around his neck and threads Henry’s key through.

Pez is fucking delighted by the whole thing. Nearly every time he calls Henry, Alex is there. “Alex, darling, when’s the last time you saw your beautiful sister?” Pez asks one night. “I need you to pass on a message.” 

Alex has his glasses on, and he glances away from his books at the phone, eyebrows furrowed. “What?” Henry is very pointedly keeping quiet. “I’d rather just give you her number, I don’t really want to think about what you have to say to her.”

“Wise,” Henry tells him quietly. Pez cackles on the other side of the phone, and Henry is pretty sure he can hear Pez actually slapping his knee. “But I think that was a subtle hint from June wondering where you are.”

“She knows where I am,” Alex dismisses. And that’s that. 

Sometimes he’ll stay over and go for morning runs with Henry. At first he’s kind of shy about it, but after dinner one night, Alex is helping with the dishes, and he twists his fingers hard into the towel he’s drying with. It’s so tight they’re practically white, and Henry is concerned. 

“Is something wrong, Alex?”

“I, um, I haven’t posted a Tiktok in a while. Mostly because I’ve been here, and I don’t want to, like, make you uncomfortable.” Henry knows Alex hasn’t posted anything because he’s had to resort to watching old content nightly. “And I was wondering if it’s alright if I filmed some here. If not, that’s totally fine. I can go home.”

He’s definitely spiraling while Henry is trying to process the request. Clearly he thinks Henry will say no, and truthfully, Henry doesn’t care much. He has very little desire to be on camera himself, but he doesn’t mind Alex working. 

“You work here all the time,” Henry answers carefully. “I don’t mind you working on your account too.”

“Cool.” Alex sounds pleased and starts looking around like he’s mentally planning where he wants to set up. “The background here is going to look so much nicer than the one at home. Don’t tell June.” 

“I would never.”

Alex sets the towel on the counter and breathes out a sigh. He smiles softly at Henry, reaching up to cup his jaw. Henry practically stops breathing as Alex holds him, and he feels like Alex has punched him straight in the throat when he leans up on his toes, pressing a soft kiss to Henry’s cheek. 

“I know you wouldn’t.”

[Start video description: Alex sitting on the floor with his back to the couch. He’s got a notebook in front of him and his knees pulled up to his chest. 

Alex: Hey y’all, I’ve been asked a lot in my comments how to get started running. Like people want to, but they don’t know how, so I figured I’d give some tips. Not that I’m an expert by any means, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. 

He clears his throat.

Alex: Okay number one, give yourself a goal. There are so many free training plans out there for certain distances for certain levels of difficulty. I’ve seen, like, couch to 5k before, and then just beginner running plans. I would also say sign up for a race, but sometimes it’s not financially feasible or, like, close enough distance-wise. So that’s not necessary, but is a fun option if you can.

Alex flips the page to his notebook.

Alex: Number two. I have made videos on shoes before, get yourself a good pair of shoes. They should all be in my running equipment playlist if you want to check those out, but everything will be a lot less miserable if you have good shoes. Look good, feel good, you know? 

A cut, and Alex is taking a sip of water, scowling playfully at something off camera.

Alex: Third, make an epic playlist. You want to have fun on your runs, pick stuff you enjoy listening to so it distracts you a bit. And if you don’t want to commit to a plan, you can do intervals where you run for an entire song and then walk for an entire song, going for like 20 to 30 minutes or something. And then slowly increase how many you’re running. It’s a good way to get a good base before trying anything harder. 

Another cut and there’s a dog in frame, sitting on Alex’s lap. He flips the page in his notebook.

Alex: Last tip is to be kind to yourself. Trying new things can be scary, and running isn’t always easy. You need to start slow and steady so you don’t hurt yourself. Be patient and stick with it, show yourself some grace. You’ll never be good at something the first time you try it, growth will come, I promise. 

He waves, picking the dog’s paw up and making him wave too.

Alex: Good luck out there, drop any more questions you might have. Have a good run today, y’all.

End video description]

angie (angieeee1989)
that dog is cute as hell. new location unlocked????

alex (ACDRuns)
lmao yeah i’m at a friend’s. that’s david, he’s the best boy!!!!!

angie (angieeee1989)
david?????? for a dog???????

alex (ACDRuns)
you’re preaching to the choir i’m afraid

It all comes to a head in November. The weather is cooler, and Henry is dressed in leggings and an NYU law jumper that Alex wore and discarded weeks before. He ties his shoes and makes two pre-run peanut butter sandwiches. Alex joins him a few minutes later, still in shorts, and smiles gratefully, taking the offered sandwich. 

“Thanks, sweetheart.” 

Henry just hums, the way he always does. The New York Marathon is less than a week away, so Alex’s mileage has dropped significantly. He’s been happily running slower with Henry in the mornings, so close that their elbows brush every few steps, and Henry thinks back to the first time they met– Alex talking about being unable to walk in a straight line. That translates to running apparently. 

“Feeling alright this morning?” Henry asks him as they turn the corner after five kilometers, back down the sidewalk toward Henry’s flat. 

Alex shakes his arms out, reaching up to stretch with a yawn as they come to a stop. “Not bad. Need some coffee, but otherwise not a bad start to the morning.” 

And Henry was mostly asking about the run, about how he’s feeling ahead of the marathon, but something takes over in that moment. He fists the front of Alex’s shirt with one hand, the other coming up to frame his face, and before he can second guess his decision, kisses Alex. Right there on the sidewalk.

They’re both a little sweaty, a little bit out of breath, and it’s still the best kiss Henry’s ever had in his life. His lips are chapped, and so are Alex’s, but they fit together so perfectly that Henry doesn’t want to kiss anyone else ever again. And he hopes Alex never will either. 

The sun is rising around them, and the whole world feels muted. Soft. Henry has stuff to do, so does Alex, but he’s pretty sure time has stopped anyway, so it doesn’t really matter. Alex makes a little noise against his lips, leaning forward more into Henry, trusting that Henry will hold him up. He will, Henry always will. 

“Fucking finally,” Alex whispers when they’re forced apart to breathe. He smiles, lips quirking up at the corners, and nudges his nose against Henry’s. “Thought you’d never make a move.”

“What and you couldn’t do it?” Henry asks, voice a little embarrassingly hoarse. 

Alex scoffs, pinching Henry’s bicep. “Practically moving in wasn’t move enough for you?”

“Maybe I need it explicitly spelled out.”

“Fine.” Alex leans in to kiss him again, keeping it brief this time. “I want to kiss you. And date you, preferably.”

“Preferably, huh?”

“Shut up, you’re so–” And Henry kisses him a third time, a little firmer than the first two, cutting him off. Alex doesn’t protest in the slightest.