The endearment just spilled past his lips when it was Henry, again and again, like the prince drew out some protective softness in Alex that just wanted to hold him close and lavish him in affection -- embarrassing, really, how sappy he was, how down bad and living in blithe denial of just how far he'd fallen.

He took his hands off Henry just long enough to shrug out of his sleeves, letting jacket and wings drop to the floor. That felt better. And now he could continue trying to return the favor for Henry, finally finishing with the frankly-too-many buttons, bearing the other man's chest to his attention, fingers running over warm skin, soft and pale and perfect beneath his touch. Fuck.

Alex laughed at being called indecent. "Please, like you had a thing to worry about. Once I saw you tonight I couldn't take my eyes off you." There may as well not have been anyone else at the party. "You looked like you stepped out of a fairytale. A very sexy fairytale."