The War is Over But We're Just Beginning: A Lams Fanfiction

8 I Should Tell You

Hercules and Alexander walk up to Laurens's large house where Lafayette and Laurens are staying. Hercules bursts through the door with a cry of joy.

"JOHN! LAF!" He grins. They emerge from the doorway.

"What is it, mes amis?" Lafayette asks curiously, his hair undone and springing out at all sides. Alexander grins.

"I'm getting married to Eliza."

There's silence.

"Congratulations!" Both men break into large grins and embrace Alexander.

There was one difference.

Lafayette's smile is sincere and real.

While Laurens's emotions were sincere, his smile is far from real.

In the midst of all the joy, Alexander feels like crying.

He grins nonetheless and accepts the way-too-hard pats on the back Hercules gives him.

Lafayette begins to chatter to him on and on in rapid French. "Nous devons obtenir quelques belles fleurs pour la réception. Un vrai mariage est pas terminé avec des roses sur ou quoi que ce soit de similaire! Oh, Eliza est vraiment magnifique! J'espère que vous serez heureux ensemble!"

Alexander looks at Laurens, who has a smile plastered onto his lips, but anyone who had spent time memorizing every expression and inch of his face enough could see that he was on the brink of tears.

"Let us spread the word!" Lafayette exclaims, and leaps out the door.

"Jeez, Laf, it seems like you're more excited about Alexander's wedding than he is." Hercules smirked and elbowed the excited Frenchman in the ribs.

"I love weddings!" His dark eyes sparkle. "When Adrienne and I were wed, it was the most beautiful ceremony! But perhaps I'm...oh, what's the word?"

"Biased." Laurens offers softly.

"Yes! Mercí!" He grins again, patting the young freckled man on the shoulder as they walked toward the center of town.

"Wait, you're married??" Alexander looks at Lafayette incredulously. The tall man nodded.

"I am wed to my beautiful Adrienne and we have a daughter together. Henriette." He explains, his eyes getting a faraway look in them as he thought of his wife and daughter.

"A daughter?!" Hercules and Alexander exclaim in unison. Lafayette laughs.

"We fell in love very young. We courted each other for one and half years. Then we were married." He says. "And then Adrienne got pregnant. And we were blessed with Henriette!" Lafayette sighs.

"Seems like you were very busy in France." Laurens pipes up.

The wistful immigrant nods.

"We should get to inviting people." Hercules says. "Lafayette and I will take the left side of Long Island. You two will take the right."

Alexander chuckles. "I don't know that many people, Herc. Just invite people you know that I like, okay?"

Hercules deflates. "That makes this way shorter." Lafayette snickers.

"Come on, Hercules, I bet we can get more guests than them!" He says and the pair take off toward the left.

Alexander looks at Laurens. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You fell in love." Laurens says softly.

"Yes." Alexander doesn't try to deny it. "But you will always mean something to me. I promise." He looks at Laurens's golden eyes tainted with regret. Laurens looks at him softly and presses his lips to his quickly. As he pulls away, Laurens says, "Consider that like a contract."

Alexander rises. "Laurens..." He quickly identifies the feeling inside of him, gnawing at his chest. He was longing for Laurens, longing for the man to kiss him roughly, flicking his tongue in and out of Alexander's mouth. Alexander wanted to memorize Laurens's skin like a map, every freckle a new territory to explore. "Wait."

Laurens turns around, eyes wide with an expectant stare. "Yes?"

"Will you follow me?" Alexander asks tentatively.

"But of course." Laurens dips his head respectfully.