It's A Long Story - Lams [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter Nineteen

"Bye daddy," Philip said as Alex grabbed his briefcase, smoothening out his suit jacket. Alexander smiled, kissing his forehead before turning towards the door until John put a hand on his shoulder.

"I think you're forgetting something, sweetheart," John said, smiling at Alexander softly.

Alex put his hands on John's hips, a small smirk on his face. "And what might that be?"

John pouted, his arms slinging around Alexander's neck. "You know. Lexi you always give me a goodbye kiss before you go to work. Always," Alex grinned, pressing a short, sweet kiss to John's lips before pulling away, saying a goodbye before he left the house, off to work. John turned to Philip, who was scribbling on a piece of paper with crayons. "That's beautiful, Pip," John said, glancing at the bright colors on the page as he set a plate down on the table, Philip's breakfast.

"I wanna be an artist, just like you, Papa," Philip said excitedly as he pushed the paper aside to grab at his plate.

"I thought you wanted to be a poet," John chuckled as he sat across from Philip, in front of his own plate. "That's what you always tell us."

"Papa, I am a poet," Philip stated matter-of-factly as he took a bite of his scrambled eggs. "But I wanna be an artist too."

"Are you sure you don't want to be a lawyer, like your father?" John laughed as Philip's nose crinkled in disgust. "I'm guessing that means lawyering is not an option, huh?" Philip nodded. "Why not?"

"Being a lawyer is boring, Papa," John chuckled, shaking his head.

"I can't argue with that, Philip. I really don't understand how Alex does that," John agreed, leaning his elbow against the table. "Do you want to watch me work, today?" Philip's eyes lit up as his head darted up at John's question.

"I can come in the art room?" Philip asked cheerily, a grin on his face.

"Sure, Pip. You've got to be careful though, Daddy won't be happy if you break my expensive art supplies. Okay?" Philip nodded, giving John a salute. "Finish your breakfast, then we can go," Philip nodded, attacking his food, scarfing it down quickly. "Hey, hey, slow down. The art room is not going anywhere, no need to rush," John chuckled, finishing the last of his own breakfast before grabbing Philip's now-empty plate and carrying them to the sink, rinsing them before setting them in the dishwasher carefully. "Ready?" John asked, turning to Philip, who had followed him into the kitchen and had wrapped himself around John's leg.

"Yes," Philip nodded hastily, making John smile.

John grabbed a set of keys from the top of the fridge before heading down to the room at the end of the hallway, that they always kept locked. It only took one time finding Philip in the room covered in paint for them to start locking it. He unlocked it, stepping inside, slightly struggling to pick up his feet with the weight of the six year old boy attached to his leg.

"Why doesn't Daddy ever come in here?" Philip asked as he stood up, sitting in the small stool next to John's taller one that was in front of an easel.

"Art isn't really his thing," John shrugged, sitting at his own stool, glancing at Philip. "Alex made this room because he knows this is what I love to do, he doesn't really come in here unless I'm in here. Well, sometimes he surprises me with new paints, but otherwise, this is Papa's zone." John pulled out a box of watercolors from a drawer, setting them on the table, taking a paintbrush in his hand.

"Papa?" Philip asked as he watched his father take a first brushstroke on the previously clean, pristine white canvas.

"Yes, Pip?" John glanced at Philip who tilted his head slightly.

"Do you love uncle Tommy?" John bit his lip as he dragged the paintbrush across the surface with a gentle grace, his freckled wrist tilted slightly.

"Well, yes, I do, I love him a lot. But I don't love him like I used to. Now I love Thomas like family, he's my best friend, but it used to be different," John bit his lip. "I used to be in love with him."

-

John smiled up at Thomas, their eyes were locked as the two shared gentle, soft kisses and loving gazes. James had left, making an excuse that he had to go to the library for an essay, though John could tell that wasn't really why he left. Though John couldn't bring himself to care. He felt pity for James, but he couldn't help how he felt for Thomas, and he understood that James likely felt the same. Thomas was a handsome and surprisingly sweet and caring guy, he wouldn't be surprised if there was a line of girls and boys at the college who'd like a bite of the infamous Thomas Jefferson.

"You know what?" Thomas asked, a small smirk playing at his lips. "I think our deal is off. I don't want to pretend to be your boyfriend anymore."

"And why is that?" John asked, smiling, catching on to what Thomas was going to say.

"Because I want to be you boyfriend, for real. Not just in front of Hamilton, I want to be with you, John," John smiled, resting his head against Thomas' shoulder as he felt an arm snake around his waist.

"Open up, Jefferson!" The two heard a voice scream from the other side of Thomas' door, the person banging harshly on the wood.

"Who the hell?" Thomas muttered, pulling away from John to sit up, swinging the door open. Thomas rolled his eyes as he saw Alexander standing behind it with a cocky smirk on his face, his arms crossed. "What're you doing here, Hamilton?" Thomas sneered, leaning on the doorframe.

"Is John in there?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow, trying to look over Thomas' shoulder. Keyword trying, he was too short.

"And that's your business, why?" Thomas asked, chuckling at Alexander's futile attempts at trying to figure out the answer to his question himself.

"He's not your boyfriend," Alexander smirked smugly. "Lafayette told me everything, that you're just pretending to be with John just to piss me off and make me jealous. Well you two can drop the act, I know your little plan," Alex looked at Thomas expectantly, presuming that Thomas would sigh, and admit that he had no feelings for John and tell him he's right. But Thomas, being the cocky person he is, just merely chuckled, motioning for John to come over.

"Babe, I think Hamilton here thinks he's going to be with you," Thomas wrapped his arm around John's shoulders protectively, smirking as Alexander's smug expression morphed into a confused frown.

"How stupid," John said, leaning into Thomas, giving Alexander a passive-aggressive smile.

"But Laf told me-"

"Oh, I was only with John to piss you off, and to help John make you jealous, but now, now we're actually together. So why don't you run off to your girlfriend, and forget about John. You can't have him," Alex stepped back, a shocked expression on his face. "Bye Hamilton." John gave him a small wave before Thomas shut the door. "What an imbecile." Thomas turned so that he could wrap his large arms around John's waist. John grinned, slinging his arms around Thomas' neck, looking up at his boyfriend with soft eyes.

"We're forgetting about Hamilton, agreed?" John asked, raising an eyebrow. Thomas nodded, kissing John sweetly.

"Agreed."

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