The Place to Be - John Laurens x male reader

Chapter 13

A/N: I am so sorry for not updating in so long! Just finished my more serious exams so I actually have free time now. Thank you to everyone for reading.

"Er - what's Alexander doing?"

"Writing yet another letter to Elizabeth Schuyler," John sighs.

"Another one?" I ask, looking at the young man scribbling so hard on a sheet of paper I fear it might rip. "At this point he's writing a letter nightly!"

Alexander has been acting strangely ever since the ball. He's been zoning out, staring at random objects and people to the point where it gets concerning - I have been the victim of being stared at many times, and it does get unnerving after a while. Lafayette blames it on young Eliza Schuyler who obviously rendered him helpless at the ball. Hercules then came up with the amazing point if dancing with an attractive person has that effect on someone, John should be an embarrassed heap on the floor after dancing with me.

None of us really liked his conclusion, especially John, who spent the next few minutes with his head in his hands. It was very amusing for me, Hercules and Lafayette.

Alexander's love at first sight has been great material for laughter, but it is making him lag behind a little as a soldier. I'm not complaining, I know how he feels, but it's only a matter of time before my father picks up on it.

"Alex," I call. "Come on, this is the fourth letter this week. You can't have that much soppy poetry inside of you."

"Just a few more paragraphs!"

"For God's sake," I mutter, while Hercules and Lafayette giggle behind me. "Will he ever stop?"

"It seems not," John states. "Don't worry about him, it'll wear off in a few weeks."

My father has given us permission to take leave from army training, probably because of the fact that his son and right-hand man asked him relentlessly. We're staying in New York, mainly having a break from the stress of the army - and, of course, dealing with Alexander constantly writing pages of romantic letters to Elizabeth Schuyler. Peggy has even contacted me saying he's writing her letters for the sole purpose of ranting about how much he's in love with her sister.

I mean honestly, Y/n, I can't seem to get rid of either of them! Eliza's been squealing about him to me and Angelica ever since that wretched ball, and now I'm getting letters from Hamilton only to say how wonderful Eliza is. If I hear one more word of the two lovebirds dancing around each other, I swear my eardrums will bleed. I hope Hamilton's ranting on to you as well, so it's not just me suffering.

John reads Peggy's letters over my shoulder, and we both agree that the two should just shut up and get married already.

"Sorry for taking so long," Alex apologises, sitting down beside Lafayette. "Just needed to finish Eliza's letter. You know, all I've been able to smell lately is what her hair smelled like when I danced with her at the ball. Is that normal?"

Lafayette snorted. "Ask John."

"Shut up, Laf," John sighs. "At least I'm not rabbiting on about Y/n, am I?"

"Thank goodness," I mutter. "I don't know if I could bear that."

John winks at me and turns back to Alex, who's talking at incredible speed about how Eliza's dress swirled around her as she danced. I don't think anyone's listening very intently. I certainly aren't.

"And that blue? Oh, it fit perfectly with her skin tone, I mean, she had clearly put thought into what she was wearing. I think it was silk...? Anyway, that's not the point. And I said, 'If it takes fighting a war for us to meet it will have been worth it'. Personally, I think that that was a rather good thing to say, don't you think? And then..."

All I can think of as I doze off is how thankful I am that Peggy is having to deal with the exact same thing with Eliza.

~~~

John's POV

It's not that I mind Alexander talking about how beautiful Eliza is. I would rant on about how beautiful and amazing I find Y/n if I could, but Herc and Laf would tease me relentlessly for it.

See, I think he definitely likes me as much as I like him. Or at least I think so. It seemed that way at the ball, I'm just not 100% sure. I'm scared that he might not actually like me back, because we've never actually said 'I like you' before, so how can anyone be absolutely sure?

The only annoying thing is that Eliza obviously likes Alex back, from what I can tell from Peggy's letters to Y/n. Both of them appear to be ranting about the other, which I think means that they both love each other. 

At least they can get married.

I do sometimes utterly hate how our society views gay people. I'm just a man, who falls in love with other pretty men. Is that so hard to understand?

"Looking a little dazed there, John," Hercules smirks, leaning across the table to poke me in the arm. I roll my eyes at him, tilting my head over to where Alex is talking.

I look down at the table and trace over the wooden markings with my fingers. It's getting really late, and I'm really tired. I'm just wondering how I can politely sneak off to bed when I feel a heavy weight on my shoulder. 

I look to the side and see Y/n's head resting on my shoulder. His eyes are closed and he's breathing quietly.

My heart starts beating frantically and melts at the same time. Y/n is asleep.

I glance across the table and only see Herc and Laf with wide grins on their faces. Goddamnit, they'll never let me live this down.

I'm not listening to poor Alexander by this point, as I'm trying to figure out how to get Y/n to bed without disturbing him. My first and only thought is to pick him up. It'll be embarrassing, but I can deal with it.

"I'm very sorry to disturb you, Alex," I murmur, trying not to raise my voice. "But Y/n has fallen asleep, and I need to get him to bed."

"Oh really?" Hercules smirks.

"Shut up, you dirty-minded bastards," I sigh, trying to move my arm without waking the man next to me. Kicking Hercules' leg under the table, I pick him up and get up, attempting not to scrape my chair. The tailor places a hand to his chest and looks at me, pretending to be offended. I stick my tongue out at him and go into Y/n's bedroom.

It's a little difficult to pull the covers away from the mattress, but I manage, placing Y/n's unconscious form down on the bed, taking his shoes off and pulling the covers back over him.

He looks very peaceful when he sleeps. I half wonder whether he's faking it. 

What would happen if I got in with him? 

Endless teasing from Herc and Laf, that's what.

As much as I do want to get under the covers with the sleeping general's son, I decide against it, going back into the main room where the other three have got drinks in their hands. They look at me, and Alexander offers me a drink.

"Thanks guys, but I'm shattered. I'm going to go to sleep," I say. "In my own bed!" I add quickly, in response to Herc and Laf sharing a glance.

Thank you for reading! Sorry if it's not very well edited, I wanted to write a new chapter quickly. <3

- AngelOfMusic7