Leo heard Ellen enter their part of the residence over an hour ago. He knows she’s had a bit of a day—he ran into Alex earlier and got the news firsthand. Not that it was exactly a revelation, at least not to him. He’d figured it out months ago, though he supposes that’s because he’s always paid more attention to Alex than most people, aside from June, of course. But today, Alex finally told her about Henry and their relationship. Of course, also about his sexuality and that it wasn’t some sudden shift, but probably something that had been brewing beneath the surface for a while. Leo finds Ellen in the sitting room, a glass of wine in hand, staring blankly into space. She looks tense like she’s holding onto every emotion she’s ever had. He crosses the room and lowers himself onto the loveseat beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he’s done so many times before. She doesn’t resist, if anything, she leans into him. “So, he told you, huh?” “Did he tell you?” Leo watches the emotions flicker across her face. “Not before he came up from telling you, but I had my suspicions for a while.” Ellen shakes her head, huffing out a soft incredulous laugh. “How the hell did I not know my own kid was dating the Prince of England? Or that he was even interested in princes?” “To be fair, you have been running a country.” “And before that? From what I gathered, this might not have been a new thing so much as just him finally letting himself realize and act on it. How did it get to the point where my own kid felt nervous telling me that?” Ellen lets out a breath that Leo would almost call a sigh, her voice is quieter and laced with something that sounds like regret. Leo squeezes her shoulder gently. “Alex has always done everything he could to avoid rocking the boat, so that probably lead to him avoiding thinking about pursuing something like that.” He pauses for a moment, laughing. “Well, knocking over cakes at royal weddings aside that is.” That gets a faint smile out of her, but it fades quickly. Leo pulls her in closer and holds her there for a moment, hoping to ground her in the warmth of his presence. Then he quietly adds, “It’s not too late to pay more attention if you feel like you’ve not been doing so. Even adult children need their parents.” Ellen doesn’t respond, just sits there, her head against his shoulder, but he can tell his words are sinking in. Leo presses a kiss to her temple and lets the silence stretch between them. Some things don’t need to be rushed.

The city feels emptier than usual this weekend, with Henry away at a family event he couldn’t get out of and June and Nora off visiting Nora’s parents, Pez and Alex are left alone in the apartment they share with Henry. Neither of them feels much like going out so Pez takes the initiative to order takeout while Alex fires up the TV, scrolling through their streaming options with lazy flicks of his thumb. They pull the throw blankets off the back of the sofa, wrapping themselves in warmth as they settle in. It isn’t until Pez curls up beside Alex, tucking himself into the cushions, that he realizes what movie Alex has chosen. The opening notes of the score are unmistakable. Pez groans, turning his head to look at Alex. “Seriously, Pride and Prejudice? Henry doesn’t make you watch this enough?” “Maybe I’m missing him, alright?” he admits with a laugh. “Besides, this way we can make fun of the bits we never would when he’s here.” Alex grins, his dimples deepening and Pez chuckles. “Alright, fine, I can make it through another viewing of this movie.” The night passes by in a blur of food and laughter. The takeout containers are slowly pushed aside half-forgotten in favor of commentary and inside jokes. Pez, never one to miss an opportunity for dramatics, launches into exaggerated impersonations of the characters, making Alex clutch at his stomach with laughter. Alex ends up nestled into Pez’s side giggling and the sofa becomes their little island. The weight of exhaustion settles over them both, and without really thinking about it, they let sleep take them, tangled together beneath the blankets as the TV plays in the background. The next morning, Pez stirs at the faint sound of clicking. His eyelids flutter open to see Henry standing in the doorway, phone in hand, snapping a picture of them. The sound of the camera shutter wakes Alex as well. He shifts against Pez, blinking up at Henry, who is looking at them with that knowing, amused expression of his. Without hesitation, Alex reaches out, fingers curling around Henry’s wrist. when he comes closer, tugging him toward the sofa. Pez, still half-asleep, joins in, and Henry lets out an exaggerated sigh but doesn’t resist. He flops down between them, and in an instant, both Pez and Alex are curling up against him like two contented housecats. Henry’s warmth is familiar and comforting and within minutes they’re drifting back to sleep, pulling Henry into dreamland with them. The city hums on outside their door, but inside their little apartment, all is still and as it should be.