The next whole day at the shop Henry couldn't hide the intense feeling he had over the date he and Alex will had tonight. He can't shake the nervousness away when he anticipates what tonight would be. He didn't want to ruin tonight for being who he is and he worries if Alex could see right through him and hated him for it.

But somehow in between those fear of ruining tonight, he couldn't stop smiling at the image of Alex smiling at him. He had noticed how Alex had done that a lot lately showing his pearly smile with his dimple dip deeply into his cheek. The way Alex is only an inch taller than he does makes everything different although they argued a lot about it.

"Henry." Nora called him noticed how he was smiling at the corner on his own. Henry shot up surprised when she taps him on his shoulder didn't realized she had been calling him for a while. "Anything I can help with?" He asks.

"It's almost six p.m. Wanna go get ready for your date?" She asks knowing Alex would kill her if she kept Henry late. "Oh, yeah. Are you going to close the shop early too?" He asks pulling out the tie of his apron and hanged it at the corner.

"In a bit. Henry?" Nora called him again and Henry noticed her longing look before he put on his sweater over his body.

"Please be careful." Nora pleaded for a start but Henry frowned by her words. "I think I would be safe knowing Alex is well protected by his men Nora. They never left him out of their sight." Henry replied and Nora exhaled a breath.

"Not that Hen." She says as she stepped closer towards him.

"Let's not be too hasty alright. I don't want to see you get hurt." Nora told him and Henry sighed leaning himself against the metal table.

"I know Nora. I never expected anything in my life, not from anyone. It's my first date, so I don't even know how tonight is going to end. He might ended up not liking who I am." Henry lowered his gaze down on the floor playing with the hem of his sweater.

Nora sighed stepped up to face Henry before cupping his folded elbow in her palms. "You are lovable Hen, despite your past. A broken bird that needs back his wings to fly." Henry shot up his gaze to see her pleading eyes.

"Life is filled with broken winged birds Nora. But you don't break a bird's wing and tell it to fly." Henry quote but Nora sighed cupping Henry's arm tighter, "Yes but without love, we all like birds with broken wings Henry." She quoted back remembering the few lines she had read in one of June's novels. Henry inhaled a deep breath before he exhaled staring at Nora standing before him and smiled.

"Thank you Nora." Henry says pulling her into his chest and gave her a long hug. "Now go! Alex would kill me if he knew I released you late." She says as she pulled away from him and shoved him on his back out of her store.

Henry went home and got himself readied for his date with Alex that night. He told him he would come around eight and it gives him couple of hours to get ready. Alex dropped off a package for him this morning and Henry was amazed by the expensive suit Alex had gave him to wear for their date night.

By eight, Henry was already showered, perfectly shaven and ready to head out. He decides he will wait for Alex on the sidewalk instead enjoying the night air as he wait.

He locked the door before climbing up the stairs when he saw Alex's SUV parked just as he stepped out. He watched as Cash opened the car door and Alex stepped out to greet Henry with that smile Henry had began to yearn these days.

"Hi handsome." He says closing on the front button of his suit. He was wearing a fitted black two breasted suit with a dark blue lapel and pairs it with a black satin undershirt. Alex also went tieless for tonight occasion and he let his top button exposing his tanned skin despite the cold weather. Henry could see a metal necklace popping from the side of Alex's neck that falls under the shirt.

Henry smiled when Alex cupped his cheek and pulled him into a kiss. Henry sighed melted in Alex touched as their lips touched before he had to pull away from him. "Ready?" He asks and Henry nodded, grinning like a school girl on their dates.

Cash drove them both to a building Henry yet unfamiliar himself with before he was led to a back door. He pulled back his wrist from Alex's grip feeling skepticism of the place Alex had brought him. "Trust me." Alex says before interlocking their fingers and pulled him into the dark hallways. Henry can see at the very end, a simple grey metal door before he saw Alex pushed the door opened to reveal the brightest light in that room behind that closed door.

As soon as Henry entered through the door, he was met with the most beautiful dining area that had a huge glass chandelier falling in the middle of the ceiling and the rest of the ceiling is made up of glass reflecting the view of the red carpet hall with a liquor bar at the corner.

Right in the middle is where a table set up for them, a single red rose in a slim clear vase next to a candle lighted and a tall waiter stood on the side with that smile on his face holding out a bottle of wine for them.

"Mr Claremont-Diaz, compliment from the chef for your date tonight." The waiter gestured the wine bottle in his hand before pouring it into the glass.

Henry turned his head around to find himself and Alex alone at the dining hall with no one in sight. "Are we-" Henry paused trying to ask whether anyone else is going to join them when Alex noticed the paused.

"I booked the whole place just so you won't feel uncomfortable having people around us." Alex whispered in Henry's ear before pressing a kiss on his cheek. Henry smiled softly letting Alex pulled him by his hand and guides him to the chair.

"The place is amazing." Henry says after he sat down and Alex joined him on the opposite site with that grin on his face.

"Owh Cassius, something waiting for you or should I say someone." He handed out something from his coat pocket and Henry noticed the card shaped key before Cash grabbed it from his hand. He looked on the card and a smile flashes on his face when he realized what it was.

"I'm guessing you'll call me when you're done?" He asks and Alex waved his hand dismissing him. "Don't be absurd, I have Damien, you kids go have fun. I'll see you tomorrow." Alex says and Henry could see Cash is beaming with happiness almost wanting to hug Alex but stopped when he realized it would be inappropriate.

"I don't understand." Henry asks as Alex placed the napkin over his lap and took a sip of the cold red wine.

"Cash's anniversary is tonight. I told his girlfriend that he has a surprise for her. By the way, to answer your first question, yes this place is amazing. A friend of my dad's happens to own this nice restaurant." Alex says before placing the glass down next to him . 

"That was nice of you. To do that for Cash." Henry told him couldn't help hiding the smile curved on his lips.

"Cash has been there through my ups and downs. He's practically family." Alex explained noticing the smile grew. "Don't tell him I said that! Gonna took him a fire ladder to bring him down from that high!" Henry snickered a smile when Alex realized he had been complimenting his trusted man denying the fact how he felt his heart stammering from Alex's Texan accent.

Henry remained silence fidgeting in his seat with his fingers threading the linen of the napkin on his lap with his knee bounced under the table nervously.

"Henry." Alex called holding out his palm for him on the table. Henry stares at his opened palm before he placed his own palm over his. "Breathe. It's just dinner." He says and Henry inhaled a breath before he exhaled longly with a smile. He felt the reassuring grip from Alex before he pulls away.

The waiter came back with a couple of booklet menu in his hand and displayed it over Henry's plate before he handed to Alex.

Henry stares at the menu shifting his gaze side by side then up and down before his eyes shot wide at the price on the side. Alex noticed the surprised look on his face when he snatched Henry's menu away from his hand. "Alex, this is absurd." Henry whispered not wanting the waiter to felt uncomfortable.

Alex clicked his tongue and starts ordering stuffs without Henry's knowledge in Spanish. Henry sat there feeling dumbfounded by his gesture but chose to stay silent since he didn't want to ruin the night. The waiter left with a scrutinizing look on his face noticed how Henry had taken back by Alex's gesture. He could see how upset Henry looked and couldn't help feeling sorry for him before taking the menu from Alex's hand and left.

Alex finally shifts his gaze and saw the bothered look on Henry's face after the waiter left, "You okay?" He asks and Henry glared back at him with a clenched jaw, "Do that again and I walked." Henry says leaning himself back against the chair.

"You were gonna harassed me about the price and I don't want to hear it." Alex says abruptly before taking another sip. Henry stares at Alex's gulping the wine down like its water before reaching for another.

"This was a mistake." Henry says before he stood up abruptly and wanting to leave but Alex grabbed him by his forearm stopping him. "Wait, no please. I'm sorry." Alex says clutching on Henry preventing him from leaving.

Henry tried to pull his arm away from Alex's death grip but Alex won't allow him. "Let go of me Alex." Henry says but Alex stood, circled around the table to stop him. "Please, I'm sorry. I told you I've never done this before. Please give me a chance." Alex pleads and Henry could see how sincere Alex meant when he said those words.

"I wont sit here letting you think like you own me Alex." Henry says hurtfully and watched as Alex pressed his lips together into a thin line with his eyebrow crooked. "I know. I know, I'm sorry. Please. Henry I never meant too." Alex pleads again and Henry tried to pull away again only to have Alex grabbed him by his arms with his both hands.

"Please. Please." Alex plead with his eyes staring deeply into Henry's hazel ones letting him know how sorry he was for acting such way. Henry swallowed his throat painfully before he sighed his long breath at Alex's plead and finally nod his head at him.

"Fine." Henry says pulling his arms away from Alex's grip and sat back on the chair with Alex towering besides him. He exhaled a breath of relief before sitting himself back down in the chair and took a sips of water which such a relief for Henry.

Silence haunts the table when Alex couldn't find words to start their conversation again and Henry noticed the awkward silence had made the night uncomfortable.

"Is it true?" Henry asks breaking the silence. Alex shot up surprised by Henry's question.

"About what?" He asks and Henry still kept his gaze low on the empty plate before him.

"That you'd never done this before." Henry gestured his chin between them and Alex sighed running his fingers over his curls. "Yep." He replied shortly.

"How come?" Henry asks still keeping his gaze low. He could hear Alex inhaled sharply before he exhaled and replied to him.

"I guess I never had the time to do so. I was too busy looking for June and taking care of my business." Alex explained and finally Henry looked up meeting his apologetic gaze.

"Tell me about her." Henry asks knowing how much Alex misses her. Alex smiled forcefully with his gaze fixed on the spoon he twirled in between his finger.

"June was- a spirited person. The light in our life. She was the smartest, brightest, most talented person I've met. But people said with gifts, comes with loss." Alex choked when he remembered what happened. Henry hummed nodding his head softly at his words.

"You understood that more than anyone else." Alex stated and he could see Henry nods softly pressing his lips together.

"Because of Bea." Henry whispered. Alex listened tentatively for him to tell him. "Tell me about Bea." He asks and Henry lowered his gaze back at the empty white plate that reflected the lights above the ceiling.

"Bea was fire. The house never quiet because of her. She always have something up her sleeves. She always protects me from- everybody. When my parent dies, it doesn't just feel like, losing them, I lost her too. The house was never alive again after. Too quiet, too silence and haunting. At the end it felt more like a museum than a house." Henry could feel the memory is too painful for him to remember.

Alex held out his palm for him across the table and Henry eyed his open palm for a while before slowly placed his own. Alex sighed of relief of Henry's acceptance before pulling it over his lips causing Henry to smiles. "I'm really am sorry." Alex whispered against Henry's knuckles and he nods softly accepting his apology.

"What exactly did you order?" Henry asks letting Alex keep their tangled hands over the table when Alex smiled back at him. He stated various name of food he had ordered causing Henry to frown completely didn't understand his words.

"I'm guessing no Mexican food where you came from?" He joked which Henry glared back at him.

"As the matter of fact, back then no. I was born in Wales and the closest thing I got to a Mexican culture is the pack of paprika in our kitchen." Henry stated before he took a sip of the wine glaring as Alex smiled behind his glass.

"Oh, so you do seasoned your food. Thought you guys just eat fish and chips with salt and pepper." Alex teased.

"Buzz off." Henry says couldn't hide the smirk and Alex loves when he made him blushed, throwing deep shades of red around his cheek and ears.

They were interrupted when the waiter came back bringing food Alex had requested and in front of Henry displayed variety of food Alex wanted him to try.

"Alright Wales. Lemme show you my culture." He says pointing out each and every food in the plate for Henry to try.

Henry couldn't lie when he said he enjoyed the food much more than he expected. Henry moved on from one plate to the other tasting each and everything Alex told him too. Alex on the other hand was rather elated to see Henry acted like a child being out into the world for the first time and had the chance to experience the guilty pleasure of the world.

The waiter came and checked on them few times refilling their drinks after another and Alex couldn't help noticing the constant touch over Henry's shoulder each time he came by the table.

"Oh God your accent is amazing. Where are you from?" He asks and Alex noticed how he let his palm rest over Henry's shoulder, again. Henry replied, briefly too occupied by the spiciness of the food on his tongue.

"I love London, I went there once and fell in love with Broadway." Another touch and Alex noticed the uncomfortable gaze and Henry tries to pull his shoulder away from him.

"You should try the pozole, it was to die for." The waiter must be new to this establishment to think he could stand around here when Alex sat there watching him touched Henry repeatedly.

It took Henry one last look over Alex's for him to act. He snapped, gripping the waiter by his wrist before twisting it on the table without so much of his elbow raised. The waiter winced kneeling right on the floor next to Alex. "You must be new. So I'm gonna say this once." Alex starts without even glancing at him. His eyes focused at Henry sitting across from him.

"Touch him again, I'll make sure you go home with one arm." Alex whispered still keeping his hand over the waiter's bended wrist on the table before Henry squeezed his hand over Alex's free hand on the table that's closed in a fist. "Alex, please." Henry pleaded noticed the waiter is writhing in pain below the table from Alex's grip before Alex finally let him free.

"Here's a lesson if you want to keep your job here." Alex leaned over the waiter sprawled on the floor clutching on his wrist. "Know your guest. The next time you behave like this, they might not be as merciful as me." Alex whispered on his crying face before he nods.

The waiter scurried over to the back of the kitchen when Alex released him and silence fell in between them. He couldn't looked up to meet Henry's burning gaze knowing how Henry hated violence, he hated everything that Alex stands for. His job, his past and even his demeanor. Henry thought for once, Alex could be civil but he was wrong.

"Alejandro! Que pasa puta?! Lastimaste a mi mesero!" A sudden short Mexican guy with dark curly salt and pepper hair came out from the back door with a knife in his hand started to march up to Alex and Henry.

Henry has already stood up from his chair while Alex leaned crossing his legs on top of each other. "Sit down, I'll take care of this." He says but Henry still kept his distance fear of the man holding the knife.

"Tranquilo Matías! No es mi culpa!" Alex starts to yell back at the guy.

"You think you are so powerful now you can hurt people willingly?" The guy told him in English and Henry for once are glad.

"Tell your waiter then, he should stop touching things that aren't his. It would be bad for your business no?" Alex asks looking up at the guy that still had his gripped over the knife on his side. His eyes immediately softened at finding out what really happened before he found Henry standing further away from him on his side.

"Apologies. I will ask him to say sorry to you." His accent was a lot thicker than Alex was but Henry felt bad for the guy for having to deal with this so Henry shook his head with his palm raised at him, "N-No need. It's okay." He says glancing over at Alex.

Alex stood buttoning his suit again before handing out his palm for the guy, "It's always pleasure Matías. Dinner was amazing." Alex says and the guy grabbed his hand in a firm shake before they both starts talking in Spanish again.

"Come on." Alex held out his palm for Henry and he grabbed it reluctantly knowing how they'd both had just lost their appetite. He didn't questioned Alex where he's taking them but once they were out from the building, Henry still had Alex's hand wrapped around his fingers as they walked the sidewalk.

Henry glanced around, noticing Damien, Alex's chauffeur is walking behind them in a safe distance in making sure of Alex's safety before he realized how confused Henry had gotten. "Are you still hungry?" He asks pulling Henry closed to his side.

Henry looked up to meet his gaze but shake his head instead still had that confused look on his face. "Where are we going?" Henry asks wondering where Alex is taking him.

"A stroll." He says shifting his gaze back to his side to face Henry. He smiled his half smiled still holding on to Henry's hand in his as they walked side by side along the pavement.

They'd walked for a while in silence when Henry noticed Alex's silence while looking down on the cemented pavement. Their hands are no longer attached with each other and Henry had regretted pulling away earlier since Alex's hand is so warm compares to his cold pale one.

"Should we go home?" Henry asks since he knew how the date is ruined not once but twice already tonight. "If you want too. I can send you home." He says looking back at Damien walking up behind him and gestured for him to get a car. Henry wanted to say no, he wanted to stop Alex from calling his driver but it seems that he was frozen solid standing next to him in this cold and let Alex took him home for the night. 

They stood by the sidewalks waiting for Damien to call someone to bring Alex's car and Henry couldn't help noticed the awkward silence again.

He wanted to say something, at least reassuring him that he didn't ruin the dinner but Henry couldn't get the words out. He felt the lump in his throat preventing him for saying anything so instead, he stood by the sidewalks, waiting for Alex to say something instead. But he never did.

.

The ride was quiet, Henry noticed Damien glancing eyes from the mirror checking up on Alex few times noticing the awkward silence between them. Henry too checked up on Alex by glancing over his side to see him staring at the window outside chewing on his lower lips. He wanted to reach over and grabbed his hand over his lap but Henry felt frozen like a statute sitting next to him. He worries if he did, Alex might get the wrong impression and anticipate further but if he didn't, he might regret not be able to hold his hand anymore.

As he contemplates, the car came to a halt and Henry saw the familiar street and his heart broke again. The car door opened next to him and he saw Alex already out from the car and later Damien opened Henry's side for him to exit.

"Is everything alright?" Damien asks him in whispers. Henry shot up his head and smiled a forceful smile before he nods. He didn't say anything to him feeling he might actually broke down if he did.

He saw Alex leaning against the car door with his arm crossed before his eyes landed on Henry stepping into the curb. Henry noticed he followed him towards the staircase and Henry stopped him.

"You don't have to walk me to the door, it's dark and I don't want you to fall on the steps. Plus, it's not like I didn't ruined the night already. I don't want it to end with you getting hurt." Henry says painfully noticed the blank stares coming from Alex.

"Henry for what it's worth, it was me who ruined the night and I have been gathering my thoughts to say how sorry I am to you." Alex says and they both stared at each other before they broke into a smile then laughter.

"We are a mess aren't we?" Henry says rubbing the back of his neck. He could see Alex stepping closer to him before he handed out his palm for him. "Come on." Alex says and Henry grabbed Alex's palm in his letting him guide him home.

"We need to do something about this steps." Alex says as they descend and Henry nodded in agreement. "I know. I'm saving up to get some wiring done and put out some lights out here." Henry says and immediately Alex stops midway to face him.

"How much did Nora pays you?" Alex asks abruptly and Henry smiled at him as they reached at the bottom steps. "Enough." Henry says before he leaned and gave Alex a goodnight kiss.

Their lips lingered clearly didn't want the night to end just yet. Henry noticed the hungry kiss from Alex especially when he opened his mouth allowing Alex to kiss him deeper, Alex's moaned filled the space between them and somehow managed to get Henry backed away into the door before Alex hiked up Henry's thigh over his long legs.

"Alex." Henry whispered in between their kisses when Alex trails his lips lower on Henry's jaw and down on his neck. He could feel how soft Henry's skin and the coldness that hits him made Alex sucks Henry's skin like it's a lolly.

"Alex, stop." Henry pushed him by his shoulder when Alex finally realized Henry can't continue this any further. "I'm sorry." Alex says lowering Henry's leg down feeling how strangely tight over his zipper area.

"We're going to fast." Henry says wiping his thumb over Alex's lips. Alex nodded caging his hands over the door frame while he stares at Henry's handsome face.

"I'm sorry about tonight. I should have control my temper better." Alex says letting his fingers traces over Henry's cold fingers and he snorted.

"Alex the fault is all mine. I should have say something when the waiter is being handsy." He defends and Alex smiles letting their fingers tangled with each other.

"Best to say we both is at fault. Probably next date would be a lot better than this." Alex says leaning closer with his hand rested on the dip of Henry's waist. He finds it odd how perfectly molded his hand over Henry's curved like it was perfectly made for him.

Henry smiled pressing his lips into a thin line, "So there's a next one?" He asks stroking his thumb over Alex's chiseled jaw.

"You bet." Alex says leaning over Henry's letting his lips hovers over Henry's welcoming mouth but barely touches when he saw Henry's confused look. "What?" He asks noticed the paused and Alex shook his head at him, "Something about you that I can't put my finger on it." Alex says before he crashes his lips over Henry's again.

"Boss!" Damien's voice stopped them from kissing each other. Alex groaned resting his forehead over the crook of Henry's neck, "WHAT?!" He yelled not bothered to turn his head at him.

"Something happened at the- warehouse." Damien says hinting warehouse could be something else. Alex shot up turning his head at him surprised at the word warehouse.

"What?" He asks confused with his eyebrow crooked, "The boys sir. Something happened." Damien says from the top of the stairs and Alex finally realized what he meant.

"I have to go." Alex says pushing himself off from Henry before he jumped on the steps but stopped and jumped back and gave Henry one final kiss.

"I'll see you soon okay." He says before pressing another kiss leaving Henry in questions. He nods unaware of what is going on right now but chose not to ask anything considered how Alex was rushing and immediately jumped on the steps to ascend.

He took one last look over Henry at the bottom of the steps with that longing look on his face before he left.