#heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys

[everwitch-magiks]

Happy nice ask day, Evie!

Because there will always be a special place in my heart for this fic (it was the first RWRB fic I read), how did you come up with the idea for Heartaches and Cupcakes and Sunshine Boys?

Hello, hello! That's so sweet, I'm so glad you love it so much! ♡

'Heartaches and Cupcakes and Sunshine Boys' was my first multi-chapter fic for RWRB, and it was very much the fic that made me realise I had so much more I wanted to write for Alex and Henry. And the idea was really quite simple: it was from the book, at New Years, when they're talking about who they'd be if they weren't who they are, and Alex says a model and Henry says a writer. I latched onto the Henry-as-a-writer part pretty hard, and I started thinking about an AU where their canon meeting in Rio was metaphorically represented by a book Henry wrote that'd have 'Rio' in the title. Then I thought about it some more and came up with the concept of Henry being tasked to rewrite the sequel to said book based on a misunderstanding about Alex having inspired a villain in the book - so it'd be an enemies to lovers narrarive mirroring canon, which I was really excited to try. The whole thing with Henry’s book and the misunderstanding - and its solution - was a little convoluted, maybe, but it sounded so fun, and I was basically just like, 'I bet I could make that work...'

This was fun to think back on actually, thank you so much for the ask! ♡

#answered #evie writes #fanfiction #heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys

[rwrbficrecs]

Readers' Choice Rec List Part 1 of 7

To celebrate 500 followers we thought we'd do a special rec list featuring recs submitted by all of you, the readers ❤️ Though at the time of posting this, we're at 800+ followers 🥺 From the volunteers and I, thank you for supporting this blog. We hope it's been a helpful resource! Hope you enjoy these recs, with a little comment from the reader. Thank you to everyone who submitted a fic rec 🥰 I'll be posting a list everyday till all 7 parts are posted Go and leave these authors some love ❤️ Happy Reading! Theme: A fic that you’d like to celebrate and give some love to ❤️ the poem you make of me by @omgcmere

@celaestis1: Just as they speculate under the linden tree, Henry is a writer; Alex a model. The story is just so beautiful, sweet and smutty and funny.

Omakase by @orchidscript

@historicallysam: Orchid made me fall in love with a brash American who wants respect and a stoic Brit who wants to be himself. I could read this story every single day.

We'll Invite Something In by @smc-27

@historicallysam: President ACD & HRH Prince Henry, grown up and willing to work for what they want. It's one of my top two favorite stories in this fandom.

Spoke Love to Soul by @celaestis1

@emmalostinwonderland: The story is gripping, the characters are compelling, and the myth they chose is really under-appreciated. I rode the entire rollercoaster of emotions with this one, and I would gladly do it again.

cover to cover by Anonymous

anon: The characters' voices are amazing and the narration is just super sweet! A feel-good fic for anyone craving a good intimate time.

On Thin Ice by @pirates-against-heterosexuality (WIP)

anon: A really sweet, in progress, NHL AU. It's in progress but It's really enjoyable so far, especially as it draws a lot of similarities to book moments, without being a copy.

Heartaches and Cupcakes and Sunshine Boys by @everwitch-magiks

anon: This was the first RWRB fic I read, and it's still my favorite! Henry as a writer (and her skill writing as Henry) and the emotional depth of this fic are things I need in every fic!

love dares you to change our way of caring about ourselves by @kapplebougher

anon: I am simply OBSESSED with this oneshot, I scream about it to anybody that will listen. I come back and read it every time I read the climax of Alex and Henry's argument in London. It is Henry POV and the first time I read it I truly wondered if it was CMQ writing Henry fic on AO3. Not only does it build on the signet ring and give background on what it means to Henry and parallels it with his parents, but it also weaves fire/water symbolism for Alex/Henry. The thing that gets me is the quote at the end though. It's just like the queer historical quotes from the emails in the books and it makes the ending SO PERFECT it just makes me go feral. I wish I could give it all the kudos!

Picture On Your Corkboard by bleedingballroomfloor

anon: absolutely beautiful and a roller coaster of emotions. 100% recommended.

religion's in your lips (even if it's a false god) by @coffeecatsme

anon: NSFW but also incredibly good and i need everyone to appreciate billie's writing!!!

Someday We Will Be Home by witchseeker1133

anon: this fic is incredibly special to me bc it was one of the first ones i read. it is very angsty but i think its worth a read.

#readers choice #rwrb fic recs #red white and royal blue #firstprince

[suseagull04]

For the fic writers ask game: 15, 24, 35, 49 and 69! ❤️

Thanks for these, M! Sorry for the delay!

15. What's your favorite time to write?

First thing in the morning! Every time I try to write at night, truly terrible writing is the result.

24. How do you choose whose POV to write in?

Whoever's POV makes more sense, usually, although since my current WIP is the first one I've formally outlined, I'm trying to make those decisions a bit earlier, and it's whoever's POV I think is most interesting/important in the scene.

35. What's your favorite fic you've posted?

Probably Magical Mishap or An All Hallow's Eve Miracle for RWRB, although I'm excited about where The Beauty Within, my high school AU, is going too! And there are a couple for OUAT that are near and dear to my heart (including one that might not have ever been formally outlined, but I thought about pretty much the whole plot months before I started writing it).

49. What fic of yours would you say is the best introduction to you as a writer?

The Beauty in the Beast of my OUAT fics, for sure! It has everything I love reading and writing: romance, magic, fairy tales... And probably Muñequita Linda or An All Hallow's Eve Miracle or The Beauty Within for RWRB. I usually write multichapters because I love slowburns and getting to watch relationships grow, but I love getting to lean on my Spanish degree and include Alex's Mexican heritage in fics too. And, of course, I love writing magic AUs!

69. What are your favorite fics at the moment?

This list is going to change as I read more RWRB fics, I'm sure, but for RWRB, if I had to pick a few:

Ghosted by @tintagel-or-cockleshells

Déjame Ver Cómo Es Que Floreces by @14carrotghoul

Heartaches and Cupcakes and Sunshine Boys by @everwitch-magiks

Dream a little dream of me by @heybuddy-drabbles

Incenatus by @missgeevious

#tag games #writing #writer asks #fanfiction

[the-amber-fox]

🏅🤔🍰

What is something you recently felt proud of in regard to your writing (finished a fic, actually planned for once, etc).

I recently wrote a 5+1 called Tomorrow Comes for the young royals fandom. It’s a series of future fics that are all years in the future and are in general what ifs of how would Wille or Simon or Wille and Simon topple the monarchy and for what reasons. And what reason would make them keep it. Some them were fun and easy and some of them dark. Especially one of the parts called All the pain and the truth had some people reach out to me and thank me for writing so realistically about this topic. That was really touching and I think that if my words resonate like that with people it makes me feel like I am doing something worthwhile.

🤔 What is the hardest part of writing fic?

Honestly? Nearly nothing. I love writing and it has always been easy for me? So maybe I should say finding sleep. When my mind latches onto idea, and it’s favourite time to do that is when I go to bed, I don’t get to sleep I until I have written everything down. That can take an hour or two sometimes. Damned writer brain.

🍰 Name one of your fave comfort fics (doesn’t have to be your all time fave).

How do you expect me to choose one?

I have brought you those I have read the most according to my ao3 stats.

Heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys by @everwitch-magiks

I ask nothing of you by @prince-simon

A sporting Chance by @clottedcreamfudge

The poem you make of me by camere

Also everything by @toffeelemon , @aro-of-artemis and @indomitable-love , RMD and @stardisnight

#young royals #fanfic #writing #fanfic writing #rwrb #rwrb fic #my asks #send me asks

[everwitch-magiks]

Heartaches and Cupcakes and Sunshine Boys is such a masterpiece of a slowburn fic- what's your favorite slowburn fic? (I'll take any fandom, but definitely include RWRB somewhere in the answer please!)

Oh thank you! ♡ I'm gonna do a little bit of a cop out here and list three excellent slow burn fics:

Speak for Yourself by @welcometololaland

Never a Guarantee by @clottedcreamfudge

A Long Way From the Playground by @three-drink-amy

#answered #fic rec #rwrb fic rec #slow burn #red white and royal blue #rwrb

[suseagull04]

🥤and 🌿

🤍-M

🌿- give some advice on writer's block and low creativity

I'm so sorry, this got lost in the craziness of rl! I push through and it usually works out, but sometimes, I'll stop and come back to it the next day- this is the one I hear works for people most often!

🥤- recommend an author or fanfic you love

Where to start?! I first fell in love with @everwitch-magiks' Heartaches and Cupcakes and Sunshine Boys, Déjame Ver Cómo Es Que Floreces by @14carrotghoul, and going to throw in Wanting Me Dead Has Really Brought You Two Together by @hypnostheory and Shout into the Void by dhpanya10 because I've been looking for an excuse to rec them for a couple weeks now, they're so good!

#rwrb fic #asked and answered #answered #ask game

[everwitch-magiks]

for that “director’s cut” I was wondering if you’d done henry’s confession scene in sunshine boys! (I’m not sure if I’ve articulated this very well— right after the photo shoot)

Hi! I haven't done that one, so here we go! In Heartaches and Cupcakes and Sunshine Boys, after a photo shoot during which Alex holds the camera and Henry wears literally nothing, some very big confessions are made:

Henry was sitting on the edge of his bed. He had a towel slung around his shoulders and his hair was damp and unusually tousled. Evidently, he'd taken a shower. He wore dark sweats that looked like something one might use for pyjamas. He looked up abruptly when Alex knocked, his eyes a little wide. "Hey." Alex hoovered by the door for a moment. Should he just step inside? Should he wait for Henry to invite him? "You look… less naked." Henry huffed out something of a laugh. He held Alex's gaze. "I guess." Alex's feet carried him across the threshold before he'd quite made up his mind. "Listen, Henry. I'm… I just, do you—" "Alex, I… I can't…" Henry got to his feet. His expression twisted into something painful. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, earlier." "And if you didn't?" Alex asked. He spoke slowly, watching carefully for Henry's reaction. "If I was extremely into everything, today?" Henry went completely still. His expression looked oddly questioning, his eyes clouded by something like doubt or disbelief. Alex would've much preferred hope. Yet then Henry's expression shifted. He swallowed, his jaw setting firmly, and there was no mistaking the way his gaze settled on Alex's mouth. "Alexander." Alex's name sounded impossibly sweet on Henry's lips—instantly, Alex wanted to hear him say it again. Henry took a small, deliberate, unmistakable step forward. "Alex. Please." Alex let himself move a little closer, slowly but surely entering into Henry's space. Henry's gaze flickered up to meet Alex's steadily. Something about the air between them felt electric, like they were on the precipice of an epic, glorious disaster. Henry's murmured please still hung in the air between them. Taking it to heart, Alex finally closed his eyes and leaned in.

Henry says several important things after the kiss, too, none of them quite explaining everything he's feeling, but Alex is able to piece it all together eventually.

This scene. This scene. When I first started outlining Cupcakes, I knew this scene was going to be the main turning point. I'd gotten really obsessed with the whole premise of the fic: Henry is a romance writer who is accused of basing a villain on Alex, and it's no use trying to convince anyone that it's not true so Henry does the opposite and sets out to redeem the villain in his sequel. (Also, he's in love with Alex. It's complicated.) But as much as I couldn't stop thinking about the whole idea, every aspect of it, I always knew that I was working towards this scene specifically. I really wanted to have the right tone for this conversation. I wanted Henry to still be hesitant about Alex and about what it would mean for Henry to let himself be with someone at long last, but I didn't want Henry hesitating about the kiss itself, and I got a lot of help from my beta reader to establish that Henry did, in fact, want to be kissed at the time when that happens. I was also keeping the reader in the dark about a lot of things at this point in the story, such as the truth about the villain in Henry's book, but I was starting to hint at those things and I wanted to keep that at the right level. The dialogue was in my outline in a sort of bullet-point form right from the start, although parts of it changed a lot when I actually wrote it. I went back several times and tried to make Henry less angry and more resigned. He's still angry for a part of it, but he and Alex had enough problems without Henry yelling at full volume in this scene. I really like how it turned out in the end, and maybe in particular how it sets up what comes next in terms of the resolution of the conflict and the second confession scene, the one where they're not speaking so much between the lines. It did what I wanted it to do for the story and for their relationship, and I'm still so happy with how it improved from the first draft to the final version!

#red white and royal blue #rwrb #first prince #firstprince #heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys #evie writes #fanfiction #answered

[everwitch-magiks]

HELLO EVERWITCH!!!! I had a question that’s been bugging me— with sunshine boys, did you ever fully figure out a plot for “what happens in rio”? I don’t think it’s explicitly stated in sunshine boys but I am really interested lol. the unrequited love and the brash character of alexander cadwell. yes, I know I am asking about a fictional book inside of a fanfiction of another fictional book but it’s been bugging me recently lol. thank you so much for writing!!!

hi there! ♡ I know this is a kinda boring answer but basically, no... for the purpose of the story in cupcakes, I wanted to keep Rio kind of intentionally vague and only specify as much as I needed for the fic. that way, if I wanted to reference Rio later and say something new about the narrative in Henry's book, I'd have leeway to do that since I hadn't defined the contents of it too distinctly.

so I basically stuck to a basic fact sheet: it's an unrequited love storyu, there's a villain in it named Alexander Cadwell, he looks like Alex and has a plot line involving a stolen family heirloom (never came back to that, I just wanted to make a mostly oblique reference to what bad thing he actually did), he's cold and vicious and Henry wrote him as an outlet for a lot of complicated feelings, none of them pertaining to Alex. that is, in a nutshell, all I chose to know about that book.

this is actually interesting to me because for anyone who's reading Hashtag Soulmates, you'll know that there's a fictional book in that fic too (if you're sensing a theme, well, you're simply right), and for that novel I've actually gone and drafted a whole plot. I've written what would be the text on the book jacket for it so I'd get a good grasp of what it is. I want to include it somewhere in the fic, but most importantly I'm gonna need it when I dive a little deeper into the fanfic that Henry's actually writing about the book (I made up a book that Henry writes fanfiction about, as you do) in a later chapter. so for that story the fictional book has kind of a different role; it serves as more of a meta text.

thank you so much for your question, anon! ♡

#answered #evie writes #rwrb #red white and royal blue #hashtag soulmates #heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys

[everwitch-magiks]

Writer Henry, Photographer Alex. Enemies to lovers.

Chapter twelve - Epilogue

Bromance of the year? Get the SCOOP on ACD's new bestie!

[A slightly out-of-focus photograph of Alex and Henry outside of a restaurant. Alex is talking, his expression animated and his hands caught up in some sort of explanatory gesture. Henry stands turned towards Alex, his lips curled into a small smile as he listens. His right hand touches Alex’s elbow like he’s trying to subtly get Alex’s attention or pull him along. Neither of them pay any attention to their surroundings.]

Former model Alex Claremont-Diaz, known for his many thirst-inducing underwear shoots, was spotted this weekend during a night out with his new BFF. Alex’s pal from across the pond is none other than New York Times bestselling author Henry Fox. The two looked cozy in each other’s company as they entered a Michelin starred restaurant shoulder to shoulder.

Avid readers will recall that Alex and Henry weren’t always on such friendly terms. Eight months ago, after the frosting-filled debacle better known as #CupcakeGate, Alex took to Twitter to express his contempt towards Henry for his misuse of cupcake frosting as well as for Henry’s unfavourable depiction of Alex himself in Henry’s most well-known novel, ‘What Happens In Rio’.

[A GIF showing the moment when Henry aggressively smears a generous amount of cupcake frosting down the front of Alex’s shirt. Alex stares at him in apparent shock.]

Yet it appears that the two have patched things up. The duo has been spotted together on a number of occasions during the past few months, both in London and in the states. To the best of our knowledge, no cupcakes have been massacred in the process.

Continue on AO3

#red white and royal blue #rwrb #alex claremont-diaz #Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor #first prince #firstprince #heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys #this baby is now COMPLETE and I am genuinely emotional #evie writes #fanfiction

[everwitch-magiks]

Writer Henry, Photographer Alex. Enemies to lovers.

Chapter ten

When Henry woke up, it took him a few seconds to orient himself properly. He was in his bed, sleeping on his left side as usual, but as far as usual goes, well, that’s where it ended. Because Henry wasn’t waking up alone. There was a man in Henry’s bed, sleeping soundly next to him, his fingers curled gently around Henry’s arm.

Alex Claremont-Diaz was in Henry’s bed.

Henry closed his eyes again, breathing slowly in and out. Last night... God, last night. The reality of all that had transpired came back to Henry in brief flashes, and for some reason in reverse: those softly whispered endearments before they'd drifted off to sleep, the exhilaration of having Alex pull Henry close and hearing Henry’s name fall from Alex’s lips again and again, the way the whole world had seemed to halt when Alex had looked right at Henry and told him that he wanted him, the combined relief and anguish of finally confessing to Alex exactly how much he had come to mean to Henry… And the panic attack. Losing his sense of time and place. Finding his way back to the present in slow, shaky increments only to realize that he hadn’t hallucinated answering the door to find Alex waiting for him outside. That had been real. Alex was there.

Over the years, Henry had imagined a frankly embarrassing number of fantasies involving Alex. None of them had been like last night. Because usually, when Henry had indulged himself with romantic daydreams, he had envisioned a smoother, much more relaxed version of himself: a Henry who could effortlessly catch Alex’s attention and inevitably keep it.

But last night… Christ. Alex had seen Henry at his most pathetic. He had showed up with the worst possible timing and had watched closely as Henry struggled to regain some semblance of dignity. Yet for some truly inexplicable reason, Alex had stuck around. He had spoken to Henry gently and listened to him patiently, and once Henry had managed to find his footing, Alex had made his declaration more earnestly than in any of Henry’s fantasies. I’ve never fallen for anyone this fast. All I want is to have you.

Henry opened his eyes again, taking in Alex’s soft expression and tousled curls. He looked so impossibly beautiful in the morning light that it almost hurt.

Continue on AO3

#first prince #firstprince #red white and royal blue #rwrb #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor #evie writes #fanfiction #heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys #I am so so excited to post this one y'all #it's kinda sweet #I like the vibe #there's gonna be 12 chapters in total on this one

[everwitch-magiks]

Writer Henry, Photographer Alex. Enemies to lovers.

Chapter eleven

“I have two meetings this afternoon,” Henry said quietly.

Alex looked up at him abruptly.

They were curled up together on Henry’s couch. It was where they’d found themselves a lot during the past week. Between plenty of kissing as well as a very enthusiastic continuation of their exploration of each other’s bodies, they hadn’t spent much time without touching each other in some capacity. Currently, Alex was lying down and resting his head on Henry’s thigh, enjoying the feeling of Henry’s fingertips trailing down his bare chest and possibly thinking about resuming a sitting position so that he could steal another kiss or two. Or three.

Henry’s unusually solemn expression made Alex sit up for an entirely different reason.

“Okay,” he said softly, reaching for Henry’s hand. “You look… concerned?”

Henry grimaced. “Well. Let’s just say that I’m not ecstatic.” For some reason, he took a deep breath. “I’ve put off seeing my editor for quite a while.”

“Really?” Alex asked. He felt somewhat confused. “Why would you do that?”

“It’s, you know. It’s the book.” Henry slowly turned Alex’s hand over in his, his eyes downcast. “I sent in the draft of The Waterloo Letters a while ago.”

“Okay.” Alex frowned. “Did your editor not like it? Is that even possible? It’s so good.”

Henry’s lips almost tugged into a smile. Almost.

“I have no idea if Windsor Publishing likes it or not,” he said evenly. “Because I haven’t opened any emails from them since I submitted it.”

Alex stared at him.

Continue on AO3

#First prince #firstprince #Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor #red white and royal blue #rwrb #alex claremont diaz #heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys #evie writes #fanfiction

[everwitch-magiks]

Writer Henry, Photographer Alex. Enemies to lovers.

After a public fight involving a little too much cupcake frosting, romance writer Henry Fox must deal with the obsessive speculation that one of his most despicable characters is based on the very successful model turned photographer Alex Claremont-Diaz. Which couldn't be further from the truth. There's a reason for why Henry's love stories are almost always unrequited, immensely emotional yet devoid of any real hope, and that reason is currently vagueing him in a series of scathing tweets that has Henry's publisher calling a crisis meeting. The solution? Henry must rewrite his upcoming sequel in a way that redeems the character in question completely. The problem? Henry's attempt to get away from it all so he can actually write leads to a direct confrontation with Alex himself. After a series of clandestine kitchen encounters, the two of them end up with a very fragile truce. But can you really find friendship, or maybe even more than years of achingly unrequited yearning, when you don't have the courage to let your disguise fall? How do you really tell the difference between fiction, and the truth?

Chapter one on AO3

#rwrb #red white and royal blue #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor #first prince #firstprince #enemies to lovers #angst #angst with a happy ending #also fluff #this is intense at first but will be warm later #warm is honestly more my brand #currently my outline says this will be 5 chapters but I don't want to jinx it #evie writes #fanfiction #heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys

[everwitch-magiks]

Writer Henry, Photographer Alex. Enemies to lovers.

Author’s note: new banner, same fic! ♡

Chapter seven

‘I was walking through mist. I'd been here before, many times before, but the forest looked entirely different now that it was clouded in misery. It's strange, isn’t it? How a place can be so familiar, so achingly joyful, even after it’s been so irrevocably tainted with grief. How a soul can feel so untethered like it’s been unraveled from within, torn apart over and over and abandoned out in the dark woods. Left alone to the mercy of the night.

I want to destroy this place. I want it obliterated. I want every tree cut down, every branch torn off, every godforsaken leaf burned into hot, red flames. I want to see this forest turned into a scorching inferno. I want to watch it bleed. I want vengeance. I want, more than anything, to just go home.’

Alex frowned at the page. He was probably a few chapters in—the draft that Henry had given him kept jumping between different parts of the story, so it was a little hard to follow. Sometimes there was a page break which might’ve been intended as a transition from one section to the next, but just as often a paragraph would break off mid sentence and another would follow, switching right into a different scene. The words ‘rough draft’ were quickly taking on an entirely new meaning for Alex.

At any rate, Alex had managed to read a significant part of the book. And unfortunately, he was feeling quite lost. How was this supposed to give him the answers to anything?

Continue on AO3

#rwrb #red white and royal blue #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor #first prince #firstprince #evie writes #fanfiction #heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys #I made a new banner!! #I felt like it?? #actually partly bc I wasn't happy with my previous facecast for Alex #and I realised I could just change it #what a notion #used my favourite font this time #it ain't rocket science #<<< name of the font #whenever I want handwriting it's my go to

[everwitch-magiks]

Writer Henry, Photographer Alex. Enemies to lovers.

Chapter six

Pez picked up on the eleventh ring.

“Oh, thank God,” Henry breathed out before Pez could get a word in. And, well. That certainly wasn’t a typical interaction between the two of them. “Were you asleep? I’m sorry if you were, I just… I’ve screwed up, Pez. I’ve really, really screwed up.”

“Slow down, H.” Pez’s tone was predictably sleepy. Something shuffled in the background. “So lovely of you to give me a ring. Fancy you being awake during the actual daytime over there?”

“It’s eight PM, actually.” Henry ran a hand through his hair. “And God knows I won’t be getting any bloody sleep tonight.”

“Oh?” Pez prompted. His voice had gotten a little clearer. “Writing’s still that bad, huh?”

Henry frowned. “What? No, it’s actually going unexpectedly great, but that’s not… this isn’t about the book. Something else has happened.”

“Well now,” Pez remarked curiously. “I'm sure it’ll be alright. Just tell me the sitch and we’ll figure this out, okay? Deep breath, first.”

Henry laughed shakily. God, he’d missed Pez. “Right. See, the thing is… fuck, I don’t even know how to say this.”

“Ah,” Pez said knowingly. “There’s been some developments in the Claremont-Diaz-cohabitation situation, then?”

“Sort of,” Henry admitted weakly. “But it’s not… it’s not just that.”

“This conversation clearly warrants a cup of tea,” Pez decided. “Why don’t you fix yourself a cup, too, and then we’ll-”

“No,” Henry said quickly. “No, I… Tea’s not a very good idea, right now.”

Pez was quiet for a brief moment—the calm before the storm, really. “Excuse me? You don’t want tea? Henry, darling, please talk to me. Don’t tell me those fickle Americans are ruining your delicate taste buds with some sort of caffeinated abomination? Do I need to come and rescue you? Blink twice for yes."

Henry smiled. “Actually, Pez... those fickle Americans have sort of... been making me tea? Or, you know. One of them has.”

“Say what now?” Pez exclaimed. He sounded delighted. “Henry, my sweet, my dearest. Have you perhaps been canoodling with your cupcake gentleman over steaming cups of earl grey?

Continue on AO3

#rwrb #red white and royal blue #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor #first prince #firstprince #Henry makes a Decision in this one #which I've had so much fun with you have no idea #we're gearing up to the main event of this story #enemies to lovers #lake house shenanigans #evie writes #fanfiction #heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys

[everwitch-magiks]

Writer Henry, Photographer Alex. Enemies to lovers.

Chapter seven

Alex Claremont-Diaz was suffering. Because Henry? Henry was…. God. Alex couldn't even describe it. Really, he had long since given up every attempt at making some sort of coherent, comprehensive list of all the sudden and subtle changes in Henry's behaviour that were just completely fucking infuriating.

It was in the little things, wasn’t it? The weight of Henry’s gaze on Alex. The careful, deliberate way Henry enunciated certain words. The way Henry’s smiles seemed relaxed and always slowly growing, completely unlike the reluctant, careful tugging at Henry’s lips that Alex had grown so used to over the past few weeks.

God, Henry’s lips. Henry’s face. Every agonizingly alluring inch of Henry’s body that would soon be quite literally put on display for Alex... and for their small group of perfectly professional yet unfortunately also obnoxiously nosy crew. Alex desperately needed another cup of coffee.

“You holding up okay?” Nora had strolled over to him and was holding out what looked very much like a double espresso. Bless her. “Henry seems… unexpectedly fine.”

Alex made an ambiguous noise and took a large gulp of coffee. The heat of it burned his throat. “Tell me about it.”

Nora tilted her head. “That’s a good thing, isn’t it? This might actually go smoothly.”

“Sure,” Alex muttered. He let his gaze drift back over to Henry who was having a seemingly charming conversation with their make-up intern. Henry's posture was far too relaxed and confident for someone who was wearing nothing but a flimsy robe that he was mere minutes away from taking off. All too often, Henry actually made the intern laugh. “I might die from this, but sure.”

“You’ll be fine.” Nora smiled with a confidence Alex wished he had in himself. “You’ve done this a bajillion times now. Henry hasn’t.”

“Henry is acting like getting naked with strangers is his favourite Tuesday pastime. How the fuck am I supposed to gain the upper hand, here?”

“Maybe there’s more to him than you know,” Nora suggested calmly. “And Alex, maybe this shouldn’t be an issue of higher or lower ground? Maybe this is something you’re doing, y’know, together. As a team. Remember how you told me you actually care about this guy?”

The intern laughed again. Henry was smiling this really pretty smile that he had never once directed towards Alex. Quickly, Alex looked back down towards his coffee. “Yeah, well. Maybe I’m having second fucking thoughts about that on account of the fact that Henry’s being an obtuse fucking-”

“All right, the lights are in place. Look alive, people.” Zahra was herding crew members away from the area they’d set up. She paused long enough to give Alex a stern nod. “Diaz, take it away. Try not to let this one drag on for six ages.”

“I think,” Alex said tightly, “That we’d all like to make this quick.”

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#rwrb #red white and royal blue #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor #first prince #firstprince #evie writes #fanfiction #heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys

[everwitch-magiks]

Writer Henry, Photographer Alex. Enemies to lovers.

Chapter four

The two of them settled into an oddly comfortable routine after that. Henry still slept through most of the day and wrote furiously all through the night, but now he often found himself doing so in the kitchen with the quiet company of one Alex Claremont-Diaz.

Or, well. Mostly quiet.

Or rather, less and less quiet.

“Got any other hobbies?”

Henry looked up from his screen.

“Not really.” He frowned. “And this isn’t a hobby.”

“So basically, you’re literally no fun.” Alex grinned. “Got it.”

Henry rolled his eyes. He didn’t feel at all annoyed.

“Who’s your favourite author?”

Henry blinked, looking up in a daze. It was, what, two hours later? Maybe even three.

“I’m not sure if I have just one.”

“Sure you do.” Alex rested his head on his chin. “Isn’t that kind of required? In your profession, I mean.”

“Not precisely.” Henry licked his lips. “I’ve always quite enjoyed Charles Dickens.”

“Come on, that’s just the one they keep putting in your bio.” Alex’s eyes narrowed. “There’s no way you’ve actually reread Great Expectations for fun.”

“How would you even know that’s not my-”

“No overthinking,” Alex added quickly. He grinned, almost playfully. “Just answer the question. Who’s your favourite author that you genuinely enjoy?”

Henry bit his lower lip. “I guess… Jane Austen.”

“Huh.” Alex nodded slowly. His expression was one of vague approval. “Fair enough.”

“What about you?” Henry wondered curiously.

Alex’s smile widened slightly.

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#rwrb #red white and royal blue #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor #first prince #firstprince #we find out more about Alex's photography project in this one #of course it's not just as simple as taking photos #of course he's got a whole political thing up his sleeve #Henry is.. intrigued #evie writes #fanfiction #heartaches and cupcakes and sunshine boys