Tango

Move in with me?

As he had promised, Thomas went back to work to all his co-worker's surprise. Madison possibly being the most surprised of them all. No one spoke to him directly but, whispers were heard around the breakroom. People were confused. How was he back, where had he disappeared off too for a month, and was his moping around over? They would quickly find the answer to that question as Jefferson went about the office with a much more relaxed attitude, his cane clicking lightly, as he walked the halls. It was a pleasant change to see the man back and merry as he used to be.

                                                                       ***

"Thomas? What are you doing here?"

Madison entered his old friend's previously vacant office.

"Um, working?"

"Yeah, I know. Why?" The other was perplexed.

"Because I'm employed here. James, what is your point?"

"You stopped coming to work for a month and suddenly show up as if nothing happened, and I'm the weird one?"

"Look. I know this isn't the usual but, let's not make this weird, okay? Just act as if I had never left." He tried to reassure his friend.

"I'm supposed to forget your pathetic ass, roaming these halls and then going MIA? All because of one dude, and now it's all good?"

"Yes." The Virginian huffed.

"How did you even manage to get over him?"

Jefferson looked up from his paperwork like a deer in the headlights, didn't dare say anything, and looked back down.

Madison's eyes grew tenfold at the realization.

"You are still with him?!"

"I never said we broke up."

"He ghosted you. What the fuck?"

"Stop being a drama queen, James. We talked it out like grown adults, and we're good now. Maybe you should take some time and grow up too."

Thomas gathered his things and left, offended. The day had been a mess with everyone's lurking and gossiping and to add fuel to the fire, Madison was still acting like a child over his choice of significant other.

                                                                    ***

The following weeks were just about the same, with Thomas's and James's friendship growing tense. The days would draw out long, Jefferson not having anyone to really enjoy his time with aside from
maybe Lafayette, with whom he had begun to spend a lot more time. Their friendship was always strong despite the few weeks when the Frenchman wasn't sure about his intentions towards their mutual friend. But the recent events had really brought them closer together. The Marquis was always protective of his younger friend so to have his two closest friends finally be at peace with each other rather than fight, was the change he had always hoped for.

"How come you're so protective of him?"

Thomas asked as the two were enjoying their coffee break in his office, the younger man practically having replaced Madison.

"Je ne sais pas, he sort of reminded me of myself when I first saw him. He was so scared his first day in college." The Frenchman reminisced.

"You're telling me, the Alexander Hamilton, was scared on his first day in college?"

"Oh yes, I watched him grow into the man you met later on. He had just arrived in America a few days prior and didn't know anyone."

The older man propped his chin up with a fist listening intently.