General L/n (Thomas Jefferson x reader)

Thomas

Reader's POV

"Say, how about I help you?" I say knowing that with my help we can finish with some time to spare. He seems to be stuck between his ego and need of assistance. "You know, even if you decline my help, I'm still giong to help you. You have no choice in the matter, Jefferson." His shoulders slump forward and his whole aura is defeatist. I guess I'll try to ignore it. Without asking permission I open his desk drawers until I find a spare quill and some paper. "Yo, Thomas. Where's your blank paper?" I look at him and he returns my gaze with his eyes ever so slightly widened. Is it because I called him Thomas? Surely not. "T-top drawer" Now I feel stupid. That should have been the first place to check. Surprised at my own stupidity I open the drawer and I'm faced with my own handwriting. Sigh. Stop distracting yourself with me, Thomas. Being characteristically blunt I pick up the letters and place them in front of him. "Look, I don't know who is sending you these letters or why. Frankly, I don't care. However, if they are the reason for your constant distracted nature, I will ask Washington to ban all personal letters coming your way." I look at him with a sense of sympathy. I don't want to stop sending him letters. I really don't. Not because I want to lead him on or anything! It's just, the general seems to teach him so much and reading his words filled with nothing but enthusiasm, admiration and passion - it's so contagious. It's so very selfish of me. But yet again, I want to be selfish. I want to give him a chance. I want to give myself a chance. So... Thomas - please don't make me stop! I can feel my eyes borderline pleading. His eyes, those deep brown eyes look almost panicked. "Please don't!" he says obviously having momentarily lost all composure.

He simply clears his throat and pretends nothing happened. What, a, mood. "They, uhm, those letters give me alot of comfort, so please don't" Woah. That was so... weird. I didn't know all it took was the right time and the right place to see someone's walls shatter. Sigh. Either way, tomorrow we will go back to normal- me yelling at him and him being a sassy brat.  "Comfort for what?" Maybe it isn't my place to ask, maybe he doesn't trust me enough and I made things awkward. "You don't have to-" I began saying before a loud sigh interupted me. Surprisingly enough, for once, the sigh isn't coming from me. "I'm no Alexander. Of course, I want to help my country the best I can, yet, everyone has their low points. Everyone has their insecurities and fears." I don't say anything, half in fear of ruining this one chance I have to get closer to him without a dozen of letters and ,half because I'm not exactly sure what to say. Not knowing what to do, I slow my breathing and look away from him to make myself invisible. He carries on "General L/n... those letters are from General L/n. She did so much for our country and I couldn't admire her more. She helps me be motivated and passionate about what I do. So everytime I'm not feeling a hundred percent, something as little as seeing her handwriting or holding a letter is enough to calm me down and bring me on the right path again. I don't want to loose them. I promise I'll try harder. If you want you can come in every now and again to make sure I'm working. As long as I don't lose the little bit of contact I have with her, I'm willing to do alot." After intensely looking at his desk, he looks back at me with so much determination in his eyes that could combat Lexi's. To be honest, I'm in awe. I put a hand in front of my face feeling my cheeks grow warmer and my heart beat become irregular. I was not prepared for this level of sincerity! Heck! I was prepared to threaten him, scold him and leave. This is so much more than that! I really have an affect on him... no, the general really has an affect on him.  "Alright Jefferson. As long as you do your work, you will still recieve your letters." I say somewhat disheartened.

I pick up a quill and think about how to divide the work amongst us. If he finishes the half he has already started and I take care of the rest, we should fininsh at a reasonable time and I might not get stabbed on the way home. I try my best to write with Jefferson's goals and opinions in mind without taking over the articles. My opinions hate me right now but it's the least that I can do. I focus until the sound of our quills and paper rustling dissapears and what is left is me and the papers. "Can I ask you something?"... so much for consentration. I make a noise that somehow resembles a 'yes' as I continue writing. "Y/n is your first name isn't it?" I stop writing and look at him with a bored expression. Some mental jumps make him think that was an invitation to keep talking "Why don't you introduce yourself with your last name like everyone else." Dammit. I thought he wouln't notice. "Well, how do I put it?" I try to come up with a lie that had shadows of the truth so he doesn't suspect anything. "I want to keep my jobs and accomplishments in those jobs different. I used my last name in my last work place and I did achieve quite alot. Now that I work in the Supreme Court I didn't want to be recognised for my previous achievements and instead be recognised for my political skills instead. I know it sounds silly, but it is as you said. Sometimes you want to escape people's expectations so I though this was the best way to do it." I look down at the papers and pick up my quill once again. "I hope that satisfies your curiouslity Jefferson." We say nothing further until we finish up Thomas' workload.

To signal I've fininshed I stretch and dramatically put the quill back in the ink pot. I look at Thomas and see him reading over his work. "That should do it." he states, exhaustion clear in his voice. I get up from his chair impressed that he hasn't thrown me off it by now. "I'll take those to Washington. You go home and take a rest." I say nonchalantly not looking forward to the tid bits of work I have left. Another sleepless night it is. Before I walk out of the door I turn around to face Thomas and give him the brightest smile I can manage.

"Good work today, Thomas. Keep it up."