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schrijverr · 3 years

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'Till Death Do Us Part

Part 10 out 13

When Alex has to bring Philip to work, he and Thomas discover that they both have something in common: they lost their love. They form an unexpected bond and connection about this that grows into something more.

A medium burn with parental feelings about Philip and flowers.

On AO3.

Ships: Jamilton

Warnings: mentions of death and loss.

~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 10: Virgin’s Bower Means ‘Filial Love’

The three of them were sitting around the dinner table eating, when Philip asked: “Are you my dad now too?”

Both paused and Alex looked at Thomas with wide eyes, clearlynot sure how to explain that question while Thomas was frozen in shock. After a moment of finding his wits he choked: “Why are you asking, Pip?”

“When I was talking to Theo about how you guys love each other now and then she says her cousins have parents who don’t love each other anymore, but they have new people they love and they are her cousins parents now too, so since you two love each other now does that mean your my dad too?” Pip explained his thought process.

“Well, uh- I- Thomas?” Alex said, not wanting to make decisions for him.

“What do you-” Thomas started to ask Alex why the fuck he was shoving this conversation on him, before cutting himself off and taking a calming breath. This was not how he had imagined his evening to go when he said yes to dinner.

Philip just watched the two of them with a confused expression, not sure why they were being so weird about his question.

“I don’t know, Pip,” Thomas finally answered calmly, “I can never replace your Daddy, John, and I can never tell you how you should feel about me. It’s honestly up to you.”

Alex mentally thanked Thomas so hard for coming up with that answer, which saved them both from answering.

Sure, he would love to not be the lone parent for Pip, but he would never ask that of Thomas. He knew the other loved his son and Thomas had assured him often enough that he enjoyed taking care of him, but being a dad was a whole other step.

A step that was more commitment, both to Philip and Alex. So Alex could never ask it, Pip however…

“Up to me?” Philip asked.

“Yeah, kiddo,” Thomas nodded, “If you’re more comfortable with me being your Uncle that is totally fine, but if you want me to be your dad, then I’m up for that.”

Alex hadn’t known that, it seemed like Thomas had thought about it a bit more than him. He had suppressed the thought every time it came up, not wanting to get his hopes up only to be disappointed.

Thomas, on the other hand, had had the thought in the back of his mind ever since it had gotten serious. He knew that if this was long term, one day this decision would come. The only reason he’d never brought it up was because he didn’t want Alex to think he wanted to replace John and because it would make them that much more serious.

And he didn’t want to scare Alex off bybeing more intense, so since Alex hadn’t said anything, neither had he. Until Philip had brought it up.

Both watched Philip as he thought about Thomas’s words. Alex was glad that Philip seemed to take this serious and was actually contemplating it, instead of just rushing into making a decision. A skill he had picked up more from Eliza than him if he was honest.

“I’d like for you to be my dad,” Philip finally broke the silence.

Alex was both relieved and tense at the revelation. Would Thomas really be okay with it? Was he just pretending and was it now going to be awkward? But- but what if Thomas meant it? What if he wasn’t going to leave?

Thomas smiled and held out his hand for Philip to shake: “Then I’m honored to be your dad. Here, we’ll shake on it.”

Philip shook his hand enthusiastically, then said: “But I can’t call you Papa or Daddy, I already have those, but dad sounds boring.”

“Well,” Thomas offered, “I call my mom, Ma, so you could call me Da, if you want.”

“Da,” Philip tried it out, then grinned toothily, “Da is good.”

And with that it was apparently settled for Philip, who went back to eating his dinner as if he hadn’t just made a big change in their life.

Alex eyes searched for Thomas and when they met, he frowned concerned, then quirked a brow to ask: ‘You okay with this?’

In return Thomas did the smile that made his eyes crinkle and nodded, even doing a small thumbs up. Alex received the message: ‘Yes.’

With the confirmation Alex allowed himself to smile back. Though he had hoped, a small cynical part of his brain had never believed Thomas would agree to this, had never believed he wouldn’t be alone.

He knew he was selling his friends short, God knows he wouldn’t have been able to raise Philip the way he had if they hadn’t stepped up the way they did. All the times they picked up Philip, watched him, took him out for fun days, had saved him so many times, but they would never be John.

Not that Thomas could be.

It was just that Thomas came close, he was so different from John, yet in all the places Alex needed him, wanted him. He fit.

When Alex was tired, Thomas got up. When Alex was busy, Thomas made time. When Alex couldn't handle it, Thomas stepped up.

The dynamic was vastly different to what he and John had and Alex didn’t think he would ever find something like that. But that didn’t matter. Thomas wasn’t the same, but Alex wasn’t the same as he was back then either.

They worked well together and Alex would never want a new John, because no one could be a new John. Alex wanted a new chance at living the life, they wanted and he could see himself living it with Thomas.

Philip might be oblivious to how much he just did, but neither mind as their – their– son happily ate his dinner while telling them about the haunted slide at his school.

Later that evening, when Philip was tucked into bed, Alex checked in again: “Hey, I don’t wanna make things awkward and I am totally on board if you are, but I do have to ask. Are you truly okay with being a dad to Pip?”

Thomas paused to think. This calmed Alex more than he would think, but Alex appreciated it when people actually thought about his words before responding that way he knew they actually meant it when they replied, which was great when it was about emotional things. Which he was bad at.

“Yeah, I’ve always wanted to be a dad, honestly. And Philip is the best kid I could hope for,” he responded finally, “I also meant it when I said I don’t want to replace John. I’m gonna be me and I’m gonna try to do my best for Pip, if you let me.”

“God, every time I think I can’t love you more, asshole.”

“The insult and statement are really messing with me, du-” he got cut off by a kiss and when Alex broke he said: “I’m going to ignore that you tried to call me dude there, bro.”

“I hate you.”

“And I live to please,” Alex smirked, a smirk that fell ashe sincerely said, “I’m very grateful for what you do. With Pip.”

“I do it with love and I mean that,” Thomas dropped a kiss on his head, beforechangingthe subject, “Now Angie told me during lunch that you once claimed Money, Money, Moneywas ABBA’s best song and I’m going to need you to defend that statement, because that is clearly incorrect.”

“Oh and what do you think it is then?” Alex challenged.

“Waterloo, duh.”

“The historical bullshittery in that song alone is enough to disqualify your position, try again.”

“And your opinion is so great because…? Eh, riddle me that.”

“Money, Money, Moneyradicalized every young queer person who watched Mamma Miaand you cannot convince me otherwise.”

“Says nothing about the quality of the song, baby. Waterloois and remains superior.”

They squabbled while they cleaned up the kitchen, finally ending up in playing the songs, which then developed into a karaoke and dance party, but they will never speak of that again.

When they got to the office the next time, Alex stopped by Angelica’s office and leaned against the door. She looked up, unimpressed, and said: “What?”

“You know, if you gossip about my relationship behind my back, you really gotta learn how to pick your dates,” he told her condescendingly.

“What?”

“Developments happen when you’re away, sweetheart,” he started to walk away with a smirk.

“Alexander come back here and tell me,” she flew out her chair and hurried after him, “Alexander Hamilton, don’t you dare set another step without telling me everything.”

Thomas heard the ruckus and poked his head out of the door: “Are you terrorizing Angie again, Alex?”

“Nah, just extorting a cookie and free dinner out of her,” Alex smiled sweetly.

“Are those your demands?” Angelica asked sharply.

“Yeah, Philip’s eating at Eliza’s tonight, hope you have time,” Alex blew her a kiss before sashaying down the hall, when he passed by Thomas’s office the man rolled his eyes: “Menace.”

“Come get your cookie at coffee time,” Angelica called after him.

Alex saluted, before settling down in his office with a satisfied look on his face as he got to work.

The day passed by as Alex typed his documents, went to his meeting, ate lunch with Thomas, before driving to Angelica’s place where he told her everything that had happened yesterday.

At the end of the night he bid her goodbye: “Bye, Angie. It was nice to catch up again.”

“Yeah, the same, ‘Lex, don’t be a stranger,” Angelica hugged him and kissed his cheeks, before telling him to say hi to Eliza and Maria from her and to tell Eliza she’s rude.

The drive to Eliza and Maria’s home was uneventful, but when he pulled up to their house, Eliza was already waiting for him in the doorway. She had her arms crossed and when Alex was close enough to hear, she said: “Why did I get a text from Angie reading: ‘One of Pip’s dads is coming your way’ winky face, she typed a winky face, Alex.”

“And you really think I’m not here to tell you and pick up Pip, you think so lowly of me, ‘Liza,” he grinned.

“Oh thank God, thought I was going to force you to tell me,” she sighed with relief, Eliza was never one for forcing people. Though she could be scary if she wanted to.

“Didn’t Pip say anything? I’m surprised, he’s usually a talker,” Alex said, stepping inside.

As if on cue, Philip came running. He threw himself into Alex’s arms and said: “Papa! We had dino nuggets for dinner and I drew everyone, wanna see?”

“Of course I wanna see, buddy,” Alex smiled.

Philip bounded away to get the drawing and Eliza asked: “So what could he have said?”

“I think he will already tell you, did you ask about the drawing yet?” Alex replied.

“No, not yet. He’s been working on it ever since he got here, but he wanted to finish it first,” she said as she led him to the kitchen table.

“Ah, how are you and Maria, by the way?”

“Good, Maria is at the orphanage today, so it’s just me here. We’re doing a drama program in the weekends currently, so that’s a lot of fun,” she told him.

“Oh, wow, sounds fun. Are the kids enjoying it?”

“I think so. We got a few actors running around, that’s for sure,” Eliza smiled.

“Well, I’ll be sure to keep an eye on movies in the future,” Alex grinned back, “Angelica says hi to you both, by the way, and I had to tell you you’re rude. She’ll kill me if I forget.”

Eliza’s smile turned exasperated and she replied: “I’ll call her tonight, haven’t spoken to her in a while, you know how she gets.”

Alex chuckled at that, but didn’t get to reply, because Philip came back with the drawing. He put it on the table and climbed into the chair next to Alex, so that he could show his Papa the figures. It weren’t stick figures anymore and most of them were pretty recognizable.

Pip pointed at first figure and began to explain: “This is Grandpa George and Grandma Martha and they’re holding hands and next to them is Uncle Laf, he’s annoying Grandpa George, but he doesn’t mind.”

Alex saw that the drawn Lafayette had a speech bubble with senseless scribbles in it.

“And then on the other side you have Uncle Herc and then Auntie Maria and Auntie Eliza, Auntie Maria is giving Auntie Eliza a kiss, like she does whenever she leaves.”

“Is she going then?” Alex asked.

“Maybe, I don’t know yet, maybe I’ll add a portal behind her,” Philip answered, “Next to Auntie Eliza is Auntie Peggy, she’s poking you. You see Papa?”

Alex studied the figure that was meant to represent him. It was a green blob with his beard and long hair in a messy bun, who was holding hands with the figure he assumed was Thomas. The Peggy figure was indeed poking his cheek. He smirked: “I can see that, Pip. Very well done.”

“Thank you, I was gonna make Auntie Angelica next to you, but she is now standing next to Uncle Laf and being tired about his actions,” Pip explained, making the both of them laugh.

“Who is that?” Alex asked, spotting a figure in the sky.

“That’s Auntie Martha, Da said she’s dancing with the stars, so I drew her with the stars and here is Daddy with angels,” Pip told him.

Alex now recognized the colors as one of the dresses Martha wore in the pictures in Thomas’s house, then also the outfit John wore in the picture on the mantle piece.

He was a bit chocked up about it and was luckily saved from replying by Eliza, who repeated in a questioning tone: “Da?”

“Yeah, Da’s here,” Pip pointed to the magenta figure with big hair holding Alex’s hand, “He’s holding Papa’s hand and I’m in between them.”

“Do you mean Thomas?” Eliza asked, giving Alex a look that meant ‘you could have at least given me a bit of information’. She was piecing it together along with Angelica’s text.

“Yeah, he’s my dad now too, isn’t that cool, Auntie Eliza?” Pip answered excitedly.

“Very cool,” Eliza smiled, “When did that happen?”

“Yesterday,” Philip informed her with a smile, “I asked if he was my dad now too during dinner and he said I got to pick and I said yes, so now he’s my Da.”

“Oh wow,” Eliza glared at Alex. The message was received: ‘We’ll talk about this later.’

Alex just rolled his eyes and just focused on letting Philip explain the drawing in more detail, before getting them home.

While that was all happening, Thomas ate dinner by himself for the first time in a while. The house didn’t feel that much like home anymore and Thomas didn’t really want to acknowledge it, so when he had finished his dinner, he decided to call his Ma.

“Hello, this is Jane Jefferson speaking,” she picked up.

“Hi, Ma, how are you?” Thomas greeted her warmly, ever since his call after his birthday they’d been calling more and Thomas found their relationship improving despite the distance.

“Ah, Tommy, I’m good, I’m good, how are you?” she replied, then cheekily added, “How’s your loverboy?”

“Ma,” Thomas whined.

“What you never tell me anything, I can ask.”

“I do tell you almost everything,” Thomas refuted, “I’m actually currently calling you to tell you things.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I- uhm, I guess, I’m a dad now,” Thomas decided to start there.

“What?”

Thomas expanded: “Philip calls me Da, so that happened.”

“Oh my God, I officially have agrandson, how exciting,” his Ma gushed.

“I guess so,” Thomas chuckled.

“Am I meeting my grandson and my future son-in-law anytime soon or are you still not asking them?” she inquired.

“They’re also coming to Monticello this summer,” Thomas was glad he could answer that question this time, “And can you please not refer to Alex like that when we’re there.”

“And why not, is it not true?” Thomas could practically see his mother’s amused look.

“It’s embarrassing, Ma,” he was also not above pleading and whining.

“I’m not embarrassing.”

“You are very embarrassing.”

“We’ll see that when you get here, will you and Alex be sharing a room?”

“Yeah.”

“No funny business under my roof.”

“Ma!”

And they talked like that for a bit more. Thomas was both excited and extremely nervous to go home again that summer. He didn’t know if Alex and Philip being there made his nerves better or worse.

A while had passed between that call and the summer break. Thomas and Alex had worked a bit longer and Pip had spend a good chunk of time at the orphanage and his other Uncles and Aunties until it was time to go.

When the day came to drive down, Philip was brimming with excitement. It was a six hour drive, so they left in the morning, but that didn’t stop Philip from pointing out everything he saw that he rarely saw otherwise.

Thomas thought it was kind of adorable and listening to his kid’s rambling calmed him as did Alex’s even breaths from where he was napping in the passenger seat.

About an hour and a half into the drive Alex woke up with a small yawn: “H’w lon’ was I out?”

“Not that long,” Thomas assured him, while Pip said: “It was soooo long Papa, you missed so much by being boring. We drove past horses a while ago.”

“Ah, maybe we’ll see more horses later and I can see them too,” Alex smiled, “Want a snack?”

“You have snacks?” both asked in a different tone, Thomas curious and Pip excited.

“Of course I have snacks,” Alex got boxes with sliced apples out the bag by his feet as well as juice boxes and a water bottle. He handed Philip a few slices, twisted the cap off the water and handed that to Thomas, before giving Philip a juice box once his hands were empty.

They switched two hours into the drive, then again two hours after that, so that Thomas was the one driving the last part. As they drove they played word games with Pip and sang music.

It felt a bit like a road trip movie and Thomas cheeks hurt a bit from the smiling by the time they pulled into the driveway.

Alex gaped at the building and said: “I knew your family was loaded, but holy fuck.”

Thomas snorted, he was kind of used to that with the mansion they lived in. It was built in colonial style and old, he didn’t even know how it had gotten into the family, but it had. The sides were covered in small white flowers and on the porch an older lady sat in a rocking chair, waiting for them.

“Da does your Ma live in a castle with a dragon?” Philip asked as Thomas unbuckled him, while Alex grabbed their bags.

“No dragon, I’m afraid,” Thomas chuckled. Then turned to his Ma, who was coming to meet them, he pulled her into a hug: “Hi Ma.”

“Tommy,” his Ma replied, holding him tight, before letting him go and saying, “Aren’t you going to help your boyfriend unpack. I didn’t raise you like that.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Thomas rolled his eyes, taking a few bags from the back, smiling comforting at Alex. He knew that if he had unpacked first, she would have scolded him for letting her stand there. His Ma showed affection through toughness, it had taken a long while for him to see that.

Philip stared at this new lady with interest. She was older and darker than his Da, but she had the same eyes and grace to her. When she saw Philip staring she smiled: “And who is this young gentleman here?”

“I’m Philip, Philip Hamilton, it’s nice to meet you, Ma’am,” he stuck out his hand.

“How polite,” the lady smiled, “I’m Jane Jefferson, but you can just call me Mawmaw.”

“Mawmaw Jane,” Philip nodded to himself, “It’s nice to meet you. Do you own the house? Da says it doesn’t have a dragon, but it looks like it has a dragon.”

She chuckled: “No dragon, no. The most fierce beast you’ll find in there is Sir Poof, the cat.”

Philip pouted while Thomas grinned: “I take it none of my sisters are home, then.”

“Don’t get cocky, young man. Mary’s coming later. Now, I think there is someone you have to introduce me to, hm?” she replied.

Alex had been keeping himself on the background. No matter what he had said to Thomas, he was pretty nervous and wanted Thomas’s mother to like him, to like Pip. So he startled slightly when Thomas said: “Yes, Ma, this is Alex. Alex, this is my mother.”

“Hi, Ma’am,” he greeted, voice a bit higher than normal, “I’m Alexander, Alexander Hamilton, it’s an honor to meet you.”

“Jane Jefferson, same to you,” she smiled, she could see that the man was nervous meeting her, but she noted with amusement how both father and son had introduced themselves the same. It was clear who had taught the boy that.

“We got you these, Mrs. Jefferson,” Alex handed her the bonbons they had gotten her. Alex had wanted to buy flowers, but those would have gotten ruined during the ride, so instead they had gotten bonbons.

“How sweet, but none of that Mrs. Jefferson stuff. Call me Ma or Jane, alright?” she told him, taking the bonbons, “These are nice, thank you.”

“It- I- Thank you for your hospitality, Jane” Alex rubbed the back of his head.

Thomas watched quite amazed at this Alex. He had never seen this version of his boyfriend before. This Alex was awkward and unsure of what to do next, while also painfully polite. He decided to step in and save him: “We really appreciate the invitation, Ma.”

“Of course, of course it’s good to see you again, here I’ll show you where Philip can sleep, you two will share your old room,” Jane picked up on Thomas’s action.

They gathered their stuff and brought it to their rooms. Thomas’s old room was at the end of the right hall and Philip was staying in the guest room opposite of it, which Alex was grateful for as they set down their bags.

“You okay?” Thomas checked.

“Yeah, just more nervous than expected,” Alex admitted, “What if she doesn’t like me?”

“She will, I promise. You’re great and Pip is a sweetheart, she’s been excited about you two ever since she heard about you,” Thomas assured him.

“You think so?” Alex asked.

“I know so,” Thomas replied, hoping he wouldn’t have to come back on that, “Come, I’m sure you’d like something to drink.”

“Lord help me through this,” Alex sighed taking Thomas’s hand and allowing the soft squeeze Thomas gave to calm him.

“It’s gonna be fine.”

“Sorry, I know, I know, just scared it will go wrong, but I’ll be fine, really,” Alex said, unsure of who he was trying to convince, “Let’s just go drink something.”

Thomas held his hand all the way to the front porch, where Jane was sitting with Philip, cat on her lap. Alex could see from the way he sat that Philip was telling one of his many fantasy tales, while also trying to drink from a huge glass of lemonade with a straw in it.

Alex nodded a greeting to Jane when she noticed him, then ruffled Philip’s hair: “Hey, buddy, have you been nice?”

“Yes, Papa, I’ve been telling Mawmaw Jane about the Ranger Apprenticethat me and Da have been reading and aboutGeorge the Glitter Glue Man,” Philip told him with a grin.

“How nice Pip, have you thanked your Mawmaw for the lemonade?” he asked.

“I have,” Philip assured him.

Jane confirmed: “He has, you’ve raised such a polite young man.”

“Thank you, it helps that he’s a sweet kid,” Alex smiled, talking about Pip was easy, he could do that in his sleep.

“He sure is, ain’t you, Philly,” she smiled to the boy, “Really, I’m afraid what Francie and Kitty’ll do to him.”

“Francie and Kitty?” Philip asked.

“My nieces, my second oldest sister’s twins,” Thomas explained, “She’s the only one of my siblings who had kids and they have been spoiled into oblivion by all their Aunts and Uncles.”

“They’re lovely ladies, don’t let Tommy get into your head,” Jane assured him, “They just have active imaginations.”

Alex didn’t want to blame two little girls for how Philip would act, but he also didn’t want to paint Philip to be a bad kid, so he just said: “Well, Pip has a very active imagination himself, so they’ll probably get along.”

“Am I going to meet them?” Philip asked.

“Probably, Mary said she’d come,” Jane assured him, “Now while my son gives our guest something to drink,” it was a bit pointed, “why don’t you tell me more about this Glitter Glue Man. What was his name again?”

“George,” Philip supplied helpfully, before retelling his heroic death by glitter bullet and his subsequent confetti revival by Theo.

Thomas took Alex to the kitchen and poured him a glass of lemonade as well with a small: “Homemade, Ma’s famous for it.”

Alex took an appreciative sip and said: “It’s delicious.”

“Ma’s lemonade is the best,” Thomas told him proudly.

“I get why,” Alex smiled, relaxing somewhat.

They returned to the porch and sat with them, Alex softly complimenting the lemonade, before listening to Philip talk. Alex felt slightly bad about clinging to Philip’s charms, but he cut himself a bit of slack.

When Philip had finished his story, he took a pause to drink some more and Thomas took that opportunity to ask: “Who’s coming?”

“Well, Mary and her girls are coming, her husband couldn't make it,” Jane said, then she went down the list, “Small Jane said maybe, but she had business,Martha, Peter probably not, Abby said no, Lucy maybe, Anna most likely, Randolph yes.”

“So only Randy and Mary are coming?” Thomas summarized.

“Yeah.”

“Wait, is there another Jane? Why is she called Small Jane?” Philip spoke up.

“It’s a family name, we call her Small Jane to keep track of which Jane we’re talking about,” Jane explained.

“That’s funny,” Philip said.

Alex was about to say something about the commentwhen Jane chuckled: “Ain’t it, Philly. Don’t you know someone who’s been named after someone else. Family does that from time to time, so that they can point and say; ‘hey that’s your namesake, ain’t that cool?’”

Philip thought for a second, then said: “Auntie Angie says Theo’s mom is also called Theo, but when I asked Theo, she says her name’s just mom. It’s confusing, but she can push really well on the swings.”

That made Jane laugh and she ruffled his hair and said: “We have a swing in the tree there.”

She pointed at a big tree and Philip’s eyes lit up and he looked back to Alex with big eyes. Alex smiled and said: “You can go swing if you want, just be careful. Want me to walk with you there?”

“I’m big, I can do that on my own,” Philip protested, but as he got off the bench, he did say, “Thank you, Papa.”

“Stay in sight?” Alex asked.

“I will,” Philip promised.

The three adults watched Philip bound over to the swings, then Jane turned her focus to Alex: “So, has my Tommy been treating you right?”

“Ma!” Thomas exclaimed, he had told her not to be embarrassing, not that he had expected her to listen, but still.

“Uh,” she shushed him with a finger, “I asked Alex a question, Tommy. I wanna know if you’re treating him right. So, Alex.”

Alex had expected a lot of questions, but not that one, so he floundered for a moment, before he found his words: “Yeah, yeah, it’s- it’s been good, he’s been good.”

“Yeah?” Jane nodded along with sharp eyes.

“Yeah,” Alex confirmed, “He’s a huge help with Pip and a great cook, actually. He also gets me flowers,” he couldn't have helped the smile on his face if he tried, “And I feel like we have great conversations.”

“Ahw, you love me,” Thomas grinned draping himself over Alex, it might have been an embarrassing question, but having Alex list off his good qualities in front of his Ma was an ego boost if he ever saw one.

“Like you didn’t know that, dork,” Alex attempted to push him off, but the push was light enough for Thomas to know that he didn’t mean it.

During the exchange Jane got an approving and pleased look on her face, before she moved on to the big hitters: “And what are your intentions with my son?”

Thomas gave her big ‘what are you doing?’- eyes.

However, Alex had gotten over his initial awkwardness and his usual way of words came back: “If I am honest, I would say grow old at some point. Though currently I am just enjoying spending time with him, figuring out what makes him smile, where I can step in like he does for me. Mostly, I just want to have the time to give him all flowers he deserves.”

It was quiet for a moment as Jane sized him up, then she grinned: “I can see why Tommy likes you, he’s also the wordy one around here.”

Alex chuckled, feeling a bit more at ease with that response: “The amount of wordy we both are has made our boss very tired on numerous occasions.”

“You can’t admit you’re wrong, that’s different, darlin’,” Thomas felt the need to point out.

Did Alex know he was sitting in front of his maybe one day mother-in-law? Yes. Could he let Thomas win this argument even though responding would prove his point? No.

“I know when to admit defeat, you just don’t have sound arguments. There’s a difference, okay?” he shot back, “And no, I will not side with you on the chicken-egg debate, picking chicken is stupid and you’re just saying it because I think it’s egg.”

“It’s chicken, cause it lays the egg, Alex, it’s just nature.”

“Other animals lay eggs. Fish lay eggs and fish were the first living beings almost ever,” Alex told him, unable to let it go, “Dinosaurs laid eggs too, they were before chickens.”

“But we’re talking about chicken eggs, only chickens can lay those, therefore there has to be a chicken to lay it.”

“One, saying therefore doesn’t make your argument better. Two, you never clarified we were talking about chicken eggs, therefore you can not suddenly introduce that as a rule for the discussion and your argument falls away.”

“What was that about therefore?” Thomas grinned.

“Okay, gentlemen, chicken, eggs, interesting,” Jane cut them both off, she’d had to sit to too many Christmases when Martha was still around for her to know that Thomas wasn’t going to stop.

“Sorry, Ma’a- Ma,” Alex corrected himself last minute.

“Which side are you on?” Thomas had never not involved everyone to get on his side and he wasn’t letting his Ma off the hook.

“Alex’s, your argument is stupid,” she deadpanned, noting Alex’s shit eating grin to Thomas as she did, “What I’m more interested in is how you’ve been. The last time I saw you was last year during the summer and I appreciate the calls, but face to face, talk to me. How have you been? Your job okay? DoI need to have words with Washington?”

“No, Ma, Washington is still a good boss,” Thomas assured her, “And I’ve been doing great, I picked up reading poetry again and I have just been enjoying the small things, they make life great, you know?”

Jane smiled at the last part: “Good to see you finally having a bit of joy in your life. You always had that weight on your shoulders, it’s nice to see it gone for a change.”

“It’s nice to have it gone, Ma,” Thomas agreed, while Alex contended himself with listening, “But how have you been Ma? Not lonely out here?”

“Nah, Mary and the kids visit often, they at least do,” she said, “It’s good to have some life in this house, you know. Keeps me young. And I’ve been going to the market. Joe from the farm down by the church says hi along with Father Adam.”

“And the knitting club?” he asked.

“You know how that is. Though last time Janet brought store bought cookies, so we don’t know if anything’s going on there, but we’re keeping our eyes on her.”

“Nothing too bad, I hope.”

Jane leaned in conspiratorially and said: “Nah, Dixie saw her in the park with a handsome looking man. We think she’s having an affair.”

“Oh no, really? Janet?” Thomas gasped and Jane nodded in return: “Uh-huh, let me tell you,” then she caught up the both of them on the local gossip with names Thomas nodded at and Alex had never heard before. After that they moved on to just daily life stuff.

At some point Philip came back from the swings, confidently stating: “I think there are fairies living in the tree, the leaves speak.”

“Really, buddy?” Alex asked, hoping Jane wouldn’t judge him for indulging his son’s imagination, since he said other – weirder –stuff like this.

“Yeah, just like in that book Auntie Eliza always reads to me,” Philip explained.

“Well, I never noticed them, but maybe you can tell me more about them while we cook,” Jane told him, getting up, “We’re making fried chicken and I hear from your Papa that you’ve been helping him out in the kitchen. Would you like to learn a bit more?”

“I would love that!” Philip exclaimed, clapping his hands, before taking Jane’s and following her into the house.

Thomas turned to Alex with a big grin and sparkling eyes. Alex looked confused and asked: “What? What does that look mean?”

“She likes Pip,” he explained, “Her asking help with cooking is the number one compliment or acknowledgment you can get from her. We’re killing this.”

“Really?” relief flooded through his system.

“Yeah, welcome to the family, darling.”

~~~~~~~~~

A/N:

I made up the nieces, bc I’m not researching family trees for a fic that has gotten too far out of hand already, okay, not doing it.

As for the others I didn’t try and figure out any of the family’s personalities or actual lives, if you’re looking for accuracy a fanfic is not the place to find it. Same forin the next chapter, have no expectations on that front.

Also, yes, I am passionate about the chicken-egg discussion and I am pro egg, you can fight me.

#RR writing #tw: death mention #tw: loss mention #Hamilton #Hamilton AU #Alexander Hamilton #Thoma Jefferson #Philip Hamilton #angelica schuyler #Eliza Schuyler #Jane Jefferson #Jamilton #'Till Death Do Us Part #'Till Death Do Us Part Part 10 #'Till Death Do Us Part AU

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writingfortoomanyfandoms · 5 years

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1K Writing Challenge

Okay dudes, this is INSANE I never thought I’d reach 100 never mind 1,000 so thank you all so much!!!

I know that a fair few of you also like writing and I LOVE reading fics and I need to read more so bad so I thought that, to go in tandem with my week of blurbs, I would host a writing challenge!!!

Anyone - absolutely anyone - is free to participate and I really hope you guys get involved and spread the word!! The prompts and who you can write for are under the cut

Thank you all so much again for 1K I love you so much!!

The Rules

1) You don’t have to be following me but it is a follower celebration so it would be nice :)

2) If your piece of writing is over 500 words, please use the ‘read more’ feature

3) Reblog this post to get the word out (and tag anyone who may be interested!)

4) It’s a max of 2 people per prompt, if more are needed then I can add them on as and when

5) Smut is fine but please leave warnings as appropriate

6) On the back of that one, no inappropriate pairings pleaseeeeee

7) Also please make sure you leave appropriate warnings at the beginnings of fics if any sensitive subjects are brought up (e.g. mental health etc)

8) Ships and OC’s are welcome

9) Tag me in your writing!

10) Use the hashtag #courts1kwritingchallenge

11) If you want to enter send me an ask with the prompt you want and the pairing you’ll be writing it with

12) The deadline for this is 15th July

Happy writing guys!

Characters/People/Pairings

1) Any of the BohRhap cast (I love them all so much)

2) Brian, John and Roger

3) Freddie is also welcome on the condition that it’s platonic

4) Warren Worthington

5) Pat Murray

6) Gardner Langway

7) Eugene Sledge

8) Roger x Reader x Ben

9) Ben x Reader x Joe

Other characters are of course also welcome, these are just the pairings that I find myself reading and writing for the most and who I personally would prefer if that makes sense? If you have any questions, please just send them my way!

Prompts

Also please remember to send in which prompt list the prompt you want is from :)

Fluff

1) “Come on, you can sit on my lap until I finish” (1/2 @rogersautomolove w/ Gwilym Lee)

2) “I know that I’m needy and pathetic and everything but I love you a whole lot and want you to just get your hot ass over here,”

3) “Your lips are so soft I could kiss you forever”

4) “Seeing you looking so adorable in your pyjamas… it just reminds me how much I adore you” (1/2 @angiefangirlworld-2 w/ Ben Hardy/Gwilym Lee)

5) “I love how much I love you”

6) “Rumour has it, I make you nervous.”

7) "You look cute with a baby bump!”

8) “I never really believed in marriage until I met you”

9) “You’re a little shit but you’re my little shit.” (1/2 @deaky-trash w/ Pat Murray)

10) “I don’t think I ever want to leave your side”

Sad

1) “Loving me is a death sentence”

2) “I wish I could kiss away all your scars” (1/2 @39-seas-of-rhye w/ Warren Worthington)

3) “Wishful thinking will always be my downfall”

4) “You love me as though I deserve you” (1/2 @killerqueenrogertaylor w/ Roger Taylor)

5) “We’re in love with the same person, well you know what they say? Friendships are built on common ground”

6) “I wouldn’t trust me - everything I touch falls to pieces” (1/2 @fourmisfitz w/ Roger Taylor)

7) “If you were in my situation what can I do to stop hurting this much?”

8) “Surprise, I have feelings and you just hurt them.” (1/2 @doubledeaky w/ Roger Taylor)

9) “‘Go away’ is just a lonely person’s way of saying, ‘show me that you care enough to stay’.” (1/2 @butlegendsneverdie w/ Ben Hardy)

10) “Hey, hey, it’s alright, you’re safe now, they won’t hurt you anymore.” (1/@ @marvellouslynerdy w/ Queen)

Angst

1) “How could you think it wouldn’t hurt me?”

2) “How could you keep this from me?”

3) “I never wanted this” (1/2 @goldentattco w/ Ben Hardy!Roger Taylor)

4) “Why didn’t you tell me how bad it was?”

5) “I feel like I don’t even know you anymore”

6) “You’re not worth crying over”

7) “I didn’t mean it - I’m sorry! If I could invent a time machine and go back and change it I would”

8) “I’ve spent all this time wondering and worrying about you. You didn’t think of me once?”

9) “I don’t think I can forgive you.”

10) “I hope he/she makes you happy.” (1/2 @rogerina-taylorr w/ Roger)

Miscellaneous

1) “Your brother is so going to kill me” (@mamaskillerqueen w/ Ben Hardy + @goldentattco w/ Ben Hardy!Roger Taylor)

2) “Where did all these puppies come from?”

3) “Is this my shirt?”

4) “Did you eat the last cookie?”

5) “There’s not much that can’t be fixed with Mama Mia and a shit tonne of ice cream”

6) “How come history keeps on repeating itself and yet I still don’t have a dinosaur?”

7) “When this is all over, I want my sanity back.” (1/@ @marvellouslynerdy w/ Platonic!Freddie)

8) “You act tough but I know that it’s just a front. You’re a softie.” (1/2 @marvellouslynerdy w/ Roger Taylor)

9) “It doesn’t count as an argument when I’m 100% right”

10) “You’re so cute when you’re mad” “Well then I’m about to get real fucking adorable” (1/2 @queen-bunnyears w/ Roger Taylor)

Song

1) Wherever You Are - 5 Seconds of Summer

2) 21 Questions - Waterparks

3) If It Means A Lot To You - A Day To Remember

4) Somewhere In Neverland - All Time Low

5) Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy - Queen

6) Better Together - Jack Johnson

7) Would You Be So Kind - Dodie

8) A Daydream Away - All Time Low

9) Do You Want To Know A Secret - The Beatles

10) You’re My Best Friend - Queen (@marvellouslynerdy w/ Joe Mazzello + @writing-of-a-british-bitch w/ John Deacon)

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flusteredmountainman · 5 years

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Since a bitch got sent one (1) ask only about. my ask meme that I created lol I’m going to go through and answer B) all of them bc i can... its selfcare.....

First 3 answers above the cut, other 47 below lmfao

Favourite of the main 6? I think the title of my blog speaks for itself lol

Least favourite of the main 6? Garbage stink piss man (Lucio)

Which of the main 6 do you want to slap the most? The aforementioned piss man but.... also kjaenfjkfea at times. Julian very badly because he’s just Like that but he’d probably enjoy that unfortunately

Which of the main 6 have the most similar interests to you? (favourite colour, flower, food, drink, season, hobbies etc.) Portia tbh!!! She’s a very sweet spring girl and I also have a fairly similar personality to her.

Who has the most tragic backstory? Mmmm.....muriel.......... I mean everyone has a pretty sad past but Muriel’s really is something else. The man is Heavily traumatised and I desperately want to give him a hug :(

Favourite side character? Mazelinka.... adopt me challenge kjaefkjnaf. i cant stop thinking about “goat bitch” what a fucking icon

Favourite animal friend? Faust!!!! shes a good girl!!!

Best/worst of the courtiers? fuck i dont remember any of their names but valerius is. hot basard. worst is vlastomil hands down im kinkshaming anyone who wants to fuck the worm

Fuck, marry, kill (asker’s choice) Well skajfnkajf I’ve shot myself in the foot but. TBH its like. Marry Muriel, fuck everyone else, kill Lucio (full disclosure I only just finished julians upright ending and haven’t played Nadia’s yet so this may change except for wanting to marry Muriel and kill Lucio lol)

Romance or fluff? (Muriel) Fluff!!!!! Muriel deserves all the affection in the whole wide world. He gets sick? Bundle him up in furs by the fire and cuddle up into him with a good book. You look at him once? he blushes. it really doesnt get fluffier than that ++ a lot of his character arc in general is going to be.... letting himself trust you............. which is. so fucking wholesome

Wild night out or quiet night in? ( Muriel ) Quiet night in lmfao. We’d just hang out inside drinking hot chocolate and talking until we fell asleep propped up against the wall in his tiny house having completely lost track of time.

Adventure or domesticity? ( Muriel ) I wanna say adventure because. I love travelling! I love going out and trying new things! And Muriel very does Not but I feel like getting him out of his comfort zone would do him some good! Starting small would probably be best, like maybe a tramp or going camping once in a while, then building up to bigger trips to other cities once you’ve convinced him you’ll both be ok as long as you’re prepared.

Cute date to the aquarium/zoo/park or elegant dinner date? ( Muriel ) I already answered this one B) I said: “ Definitely somewhere casual!!! I feel like he’d be most at ease somewhere like the park on a sunny day! Pick a nice grassy spot by a creek and bring a basket and have a really nice, chill picnic, and have a nap together in the early afternoon sun. Go for a walk after and talk about Plants (because i. am a biology student lol) and generally just have a really relaxing time. Give the man a flower? Tuck it behind his ear? and he’d die kjnaefjnaej. Alternatively….. aquarium………. “

Coffeshop AU, high-school/college AU or modern AU? Give a headcanon about the one you chose jnakfjkjaf coffe shop AUs are so cliched but I actually love them for the settings of meetcutes. You meet Muriel when he’s on his rounds as a part time dog walker around the block and you barrel straight into him coming out of the shop when you’re checking an email, spilling the (now cold) remnants of your beverage all over him. You apologise profusely and he shrugs it off, blushing over your fussing and awkwardly tries to excuse himself. You insist on helping him finish his walk with All these dogs, anyway, you like dogs so it’s no trouble, and he begrudgingly agrees to finish the interaction sooner. You end up having a nice chat with him and notice in the weeks after that he starts coming by the shop without the dogs during the times you’re usually around, even though he doesn’t drink coffee. Your conversations with him during these short interludes quickly become the highlight of your day, and you start to suspect, eventually, that he feels the same :)

If (Muriel) turned up on your doorstep at midnight covered in blood, how would you react? Well I’d clean it off.... of .......course............. 👀👀👀

You’re stranded on a desert island; which 2 of the main 6 do you want with you? Muriel of course not only because I adore him but he’s. also a mountain man. Handy. And Asra because hes a good good magic boy and can make sand into water so.... handy. also asra is just an incredibly blessed person so kajefnkjaef

If your apprentice could go back in time and change one thing before the events of the game, what would it be? lucios birth :^)

You’re sick; who do you want to take care of you and why? I think I’m becoming predictable but. Muriel kjaefnkjafnjf you took such good care of him so it’s only fair that he should return the favour. He’s got a surprisingly good bedside manner and is generally just very gentle. Cooks eggs and grumbles that you should be taking better care of yourself but when you say thanks for all his help he blushes and kinda. stands up slightly straighter bc hes secretly happy he can Help

If you were trapped in an elevator with one character for 8 hours, who would you want it to be and why? Jojaefafjoafe ok so. Porbably Portia because she seems 1. one of the least likely to panic and 2. Would have fucking great conversation the whole time.

Give a headcanon about Nadia She loves romcoms!!!! She would never ever admit it to anyone though, but she’s a huge sucker for romance stories in general. Cries at the end of mamma mia. Uses it as an excuse to snuggle all the way into your shoulder.

Give a headcanon about Asra He’s extremely lactose intolerant but he eats it anyway bc hes Chaotic and gives 0 fucks about how bad his guts feel afterwards, the cheese was Worth it dammit (and I say this bc thats also me kjaenfnef)

Give a headcanon about Julian Had a brief stint in his teen years where he unironically identified as sapiosexual

Give a headcanon about Portia She loves playing with hair/having her hair played with! Catch her falling asleep with her head in your lap as you weave your fingers through her hair.

Give a headcanon about Muriel I also already answered this one!: “ He’d be really into gardening if he knew how! Catch me digging up all the dirt around his house and planting herbs, flowers (*cough* forgetmenots *cough) and other medicinal plants, and some strawberries for when spring comes! “

Give a headcanon about Lucio Unironically identifies as sapiosexual now even though he’s a huge dumbass himself

Give a headcanon about a side character/the apprentice (asker’s choice) Nadia’s dad gets pegged

Give a popular opinion that you disagree with People calling Muriel a dom. have you. looked at this man. I have to laugh

Give an unpopular opinion Lucio sucks lol

Tarot or zodiac? Zodiac!!! Mostly bc I know exactly 0 things about tarot, I appreciate the aesthetic tho!

What is your patron major arcana? Oh worm I just looked at all the explanations in the wiki and tbh. The empress uh. dragged me with how much I ID with that (both reversed and upright) so akejfkjfae thats mine

Upright or reversed ending? Upright

Ot3? Me x muriel x asra (muriel has 2 hands and 2 tiny partners)

Brotp? jakjefnkanfe i love. portia and julians sibling banter. the good shit

Favourite non-apprentice-based ship? asriel............................. till i die............. (pordia is also fucking god tier)

Is the apprentice you, or your OC? thats just me bich kajefnkjnafe we living our best self indulgent lives

Tell me about your Apprentice(s) im a big bi mess and i would die for muriel and thats it really

Favourite piece of worldbuilding lore? already answered: “ I really love how much of a shithole Vesuvia is kjbanefknaefk like. No formal process of trial/law? Public executions just being how people Do things? someone fucking help this city lmfao”

Favourite background/location? ok i really love nopal bc of all the cacti but tbh like. really anywhere theres a lot of cool nature? the forest is fucking good

The Forest or Nopal? bring the cacti from nopal to muriel’s hut in the forest and it’s perfect

The Palace or the shop? thheeee shop. i like the palace but i think id get Overwhelmed not being able to just. be in my own space a lot lol

The Rowdy raven or the library? the library with a healthy amount of alcohol lol.

Favourite sprite?

43. Favourite character design? I !!!!!!!!! really. love Asra’s design bc of its howl callback but all the designs r fucking cool 44. Best masquerade outfit? Nadia’s..... glamorous..... 45. Best scene? Muriel. hugging. faust you and asra. hes so fucking wholesome ill cry...... or just straight up both of his books akjenfkjafn 46. Worst Scene? Honestly any containing lucio 47. Favourite song on the soundtrack? I love Crowd hammer! (predictable) but also memory 48. Best tale/bonus content? I dont remember names im terrible but i/ love the muriel one ofc kjneafkjn 49. Best CG?/ 50. Favourite memory?

#muriel #its not. an ask but imma tag it that way #asks #hcs #it speaks #nadia #lucio #julian #portia #asra #jaye writes

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sis-tafics · 6 years

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Jill’s 8k Musical Challenge

***I HAVE UPDATED WITH ALL THE ENTRIES I HAVE SO FAR***

Yay! So I recently hit 8000 followers and I wanted to do a writing challenge!

I was debating for a long time on what to do for a challenge theme and I finally decided on one of my favorite things, musicals <3

Some of these on the list are strange, or fun, or ridiculous, but I think that is kinda the point. Like I say in the rules, if there is a musical or song I missed that you are dying to write for, just ask and I am more than happy to add it.

Rules:

ANYONE is welcome to join!

Send me an ASK with the prompt you would like (title and number please), the pairing and maybe a backup or two in case it is already taken. First sign ups will be until July 25th . After that if there are any left and you would like to double up, we can talk about it :)

I will allow 2 pairings per prompt

If I run out of prompts I can make more

If you don’t see a song or a musical, ask and I will add it. These are just some of the ones I thought were generic enough they would work for a fic.

There is NO word limit. All I am asking is if your fic is over 500 words to please use the Keep Reading feature

When you post it tag me please

If I don’t tell you I have seen it, poke me

Your fic can be any SPN character or actor, any pairing, any ship, any genre, whatevs…Just make sure you tag it appropriately for other people

If it is a ship I do not read I will still reblog it and add it to the masterlist, I just may not give feedback. Sorry.

Your fic can be used for another challenge or request. It can be the first part of a new series or part of a series you know I am currently reading

The fic can be inspired by any part of the song, whether it be the title, a line of lyrics or the whole fucking thing.

The deadline for this challenge is October 1st. If you need an extension, need to backout, whatever it is (real life happens people) please just shoot me an ask. The Masterlist for this will go up soon after.

Any other questions, feel free to ask.

Prompts (Under Cut):

A Million Dreams - The Greatest Showman

@team-free-will-you-idjits-67 (Sam x Reader)

@deansgirl215 (Dean x Reader)

Come Alive - The Greatest Showman

The Otherside -The Greatest Showman

This is Me - The Greatest Showman

@meganwinchester1999 (Sam x Reader)

@acreativelydifferentlove (Dean x Reader)

Never Enough-The Greatest Showman

@georgialouisea (Dean x Reader)

Rewrite the Stars -The Greatest Showman

@ithinkimadorable-67 (Sam x Reader)

@squirrelchester (Dean x Reader)

Tightrope - The Greatest Showman

Come Back Home - The Greatest Showman

Mama Mia! -Mama Mia

Our Last Summer -Mama Mia

The Winner Takes it All -Mama Mia

@storytimewithylva (Dean x Reader)

I Have a Dream-Mama Mia

Take A Chance On Me-Mama Mia

@appleschloss (Steve x Bucky x Tony)

@dkpink123

Dancing Queen-Mama Mia

@hollygopossumlovesj2 (Dean x Reader)

Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Phantom of the Opera

All I Ask of You - Phantom of the Opera

@thing-you-do-with-that-thing (Dean x Reader)

@docharleythegeekqueen (Benny x Reader)

Somewhere That’s Green -Little Shop of Horrors

Who I’d Be- Shrek the Musical

@a-winchester-fairytale (Dean x Reader)

When Words Fail -Shrek the Musical

Don't Let Me Go -Shrek the Musical

I’m A Believer- Shrek the Musical

Story of My Life - Shrek the Musical

Brightside of Life -Spamalot

Over the Rainbow - Wizard of Oz

Defying Gravity - Wicked

Popular - Wicked

There’s a Light - Hairspray

Run and Tell That - Hairspray

Without Love - Hairspray

You Can’t Stop the Beat - Hairspray

Tale As Old as Time - Beauty and the Beast

@supernatural-jackles (Dean x Reader or Jensen x Reader)

@ericaprice2008 (Sam x Reader)

Hakuna Matata - The Lion King

Circle of Life - The Lion King

Can You Feel the Love Tonight - The Lion King

@bamby0304 (Dean x Reader)

The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow - Annie

Road So Far - Supernatural the Musical

@mlovesstories (Dean, Sam x sister!reader)

Single Man Tear- Supernatural the Musical

Carry On- Supernatural the Musical

@tngrayson (Dean x Reader)

Summer Nights - Grease

Hopelessly Devoted to You- Grease

You're The One That I Want- Grease

Beauty School Dropout- Grease

Mooning- Grease

Creature of the Night - Rocky Horror Picture Show

@legion1993 (Jensen x Reader)

Something Good - The Sound of Music

@writingaworldofmyown (Dean x Reader)

My Favorite Things - The Sound of Music

Agony - Into The Woods

I Know Things Now - Into The Woods

Stay With Me - Into The Woods

What Have I Done? - Les Mis

I Dreamed a Dream - Les Mis

@the-winchester-gospels-and-cas (Dean x Reader)

Who Am I? - Les Mis

Castle on a Cloud - Les Mis

@arazialotis (Dean x Reader)

Master of the House - Les Mis

Red and Black - Les Mis

Do You Hear the People Sing - Les Mis

One Day More - Les Mis

On My Own - Les Mis

@yourvoiceislikearose (Dean x Reader)

@claitynroberts (Jensen x reader)

Funny Honey - Chicago

Cell Block Tango - Chicago

@waywardbaby97 (Dean x Reader)

A Little Bit of Good - Chicago

My Shot - Hamilton

@isolemnlyswear-iamsuperwholocked (TFW general)

You’ll Be Back - Hamilton

Beneath the Moonlit Sky

@a-mercuriu5-melodi

As Long as You’re Mine

@organicapple022 (Dean x Reader)

YOU PICK!

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khaelisfics · 6 years

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Different

Paring: Giacomo Casanova x Fanny Price Chapter: 1/? Rating: Mature Word count: 2990 Tags: Slow Burn, Fluff, First Meetings, First Kiss, First Time

Summary:

When he decided to come to England, it was for the women. It wasn't to sell the Italian dresses he didn't make. It wasn't to drink champagne in posh garden parties he didn't like. It most definitely wasn't to fall in love with a woman he didn't want.

Read on AO3

New Teninch story I’ve started working on because I’ve wanted to do this for far too long! I know it’s not the most popular pairing, but I love it and I wanted to give it a try!

Tagging both @doctorroseprompts and @timepetalscollective should this fit in any of the ongoing prompts!

I hope you’ll like it! :-)

The hunting horn had blown. The moment he had stepped through the gate of the imposing mansion, the game had started. The first part of the game was setting up the rules. Making sure everyone knew he was a player, better yet, he was the man who would dominate the game. Make sure everyone knew he was the best hunter and would not let go of his preys, no matter how fierce or how cantankerous the opponents.

He had won the first round already. Pretend he was a wealthy Italian fabric merchant to slither his way into the garden, who unfortunately happened to have lost his invitation letter. The natural talent he possessed with his tongue and his charm were his best trumps, of course. His perfectly tailored costume, rich blue silk sewn with gold, white lace collar pinned with a jeweled brooch, knee-length leather boots were just helpful accessories. Outer evidence of a small fortune he only owned in the pompous discourses he had crafted for such occasions. Luxury clothes and precious adornments were but mere illusions. A few of his words were worth more than whatever money he could convince anyone he possessed. His mouth made him rich. His attitude made him respectable. His clothes only gave him the look.

Two young women walked past him, brushed against his arm, giggling and throwing the kind of decent smile high-society girls were taught to smile, but a smile that hid so much more. He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, a grin pulling at the corner of his lips, and picked up a crystal flute from the table. Just half a glass of posh champagne he would nurse until he would find the perfect prey. Obviously, it wouldn't take long. He would have thought British girls to be more… Moderate. Elegant. Smarter, and maybe colder. Obviously, he had been wrong. Or so he thought.

Oh, they were classier, he couldn't deny that. Well-mannered, well-dressed, well-behaved. But he saw it. He felt it. In the way they tried not to look at him but their eyes burnt his body under the heat of a single of their fleeting glances. In the way their fingers slightly tightened around their glass when he walked past them, as if they were struggling to keep their hands from reaching out to him. In the way they shifted in their seats, or shifted on their feet, like little animals who knew they could get bit and dragged into a den, but who would have gladly let themselves be caught. In all of those ways, none of them were better than all the frivolous Italian women who would have sold their mothers and properties just to get a chance to be naked in his bed.

So, he began to seduce. That one woman, with a red corset that puffed out into a large skirt, glorious breasts pushed up so high and so tight her pendant was trapped between the two mounds of flesh. He rather liked it. He didn’t even have to speak. A wink from one of his piercing blue eyes, a tug on a lapel of his jacket, a small bow and a devastating smile. There went his first dance. The first occasion to get a proper feel of British flesh, his long fingers digging into her hip, her supple chest brushing against his despite the expected and required distance between their bodies, the round swell of her bottom under his little finger, just enough of a contact to map out a derriere that was probably just as glorious as her devant. She fluttered her eyelids at him, looked at him through thick eyelashes, a light blush on her cheeks, and he decided he could do better. She was well-endowed, yes, but her face was common. Not particularly pretty, nor special enough to spark his interest. Not yet anyway. He’d have to wait until the end of the hunt and find out which weakened prey he’d pick - he would stop at three, no need to make himself too noticed.

“Remember the name, Mia Signorina,” he whispered in her ear as he let go of her waist on the last note of the song. “Casanova.”

Oh he loved it, how women swooned when he spoke those few words, rolled his letters and made the vowels last - the moment he had set foot on British soil, he had found out his tongue could not only talk his way in and out of things, but could also speak a foreign language. It made it all too easy.

“Ciao Lady, you sure look like, la perfetta stronza, today,” he greeted the older woman who had been ogling his backside for far too long - and chuckled under his breath when she had to fan her rubicon face, most certainly oblivious to the meaning of his words. “Very nice bosom, though too flabby and too vulgar, I don’t even want to think about the rest. Definitely not doable. Buona giornata, eh?”

It seemed her husband had been watching them from afar, because he briskly walked to them when the wife began to shout at him, rise from her chair and threaten him with her pointy umbrella. She was turning even redder, but knew it had nothing to do with either his charm or his backside, this time.

“This eccentric foreigner told me...” she started when her husband asked what was the commotion about in a bark.

“Advised you on your sense of fashion,” he was quick to interrupt with a fake laugh and a dismissive bending of his wrist, the kind of gesture he was sure those British expected from an extroverted Italian designer. “I truly am sorry, Sir, but look. The pompom under the chestline is much too loose, you can see the string about to break. The dress might have suited her a few years ago, but it is now too small and doesn’t hug her shapes in the right places, which makes her look più grassa than she is, and also rather ridiculous. I would suggest adding a ribbon of taffeta here, change that old-fashioned pompom, and have it entirely retailored. Or you could ask me for a brand new dress, of course, I would be more than happy to take her measurements and have my stilistas in Venezia come up with a better model. Half-price, for a gentiluomo like you. Truth be told, where I’m from, such a depraved appearance would be condemned by law, so let’s make a deal. Give me a hundred pounds right now, I’ll take the measurements after the party and your Lady can have her brand new dress by the end of the week.”

“A hundred pounds?” the husband huffed, his eyes travelling from his wife’s dress he had to admit had seen better days but still looked fashionable and reasonably fitted, and this foreigner who tutted and shook his head at his wife, taking in her appearance with sighs of discomfiture. “That’s certainly expensive.”

“The dress I’ll give you is worth thrice that sum,” he smiled, thumbing a lapel of his costume tu push it towards him. “Italian quality fabric, the most renowned couturiers you’ll ever find, a dress your wife can wear until the rest of her days. It’s an investment, but a good one. A hundred pounds, and you leave it all to me. Next wedding, your wife will shine brighter than the bride.”

“I… Suppose it’s been a while since my Lady was gifted with a new dress,” he shrugged, reaching inside his pocket to take out a roll of banknotes.

“I’ll give you the matching shoes for twenty more of these,” he raised an eyebrow - he knew he already had the wife swooning with the promise of that dess, and he congratulated himself inwardly when she purposefully stared at her husband.

“Fine,” he gave up, handing him a thick stack of notes.

“I shall meet you later, Signora,” he bowed, the notes quickly shoved inside the deepest pocket he could find. “My apologies if I chose the wrong words and made myself unclear earlier, English is a rather tricky language. Buona giornata.”

He saluted her with one last bow of courtesy and a charming smile - he knew she was perfectly aware he had meant the offensive words, but he also knew he had just bought her a brand new dress, or so she thought, so she simply smiled back and went away. Those British weren’t shy with money, it seemed. Maybe he could fill his purse by the end of the day and buy himself a first-class ticket for his return to Italy.

Feeling lighter despite the hundred notes protectively shielded in a folded layer of his puff-sleeved shirt, he swanned off in the direction of another young woman who could definitely win her way between his sheets or in a bush somewhere in the back of the luxurious gardens. His first real prey was in his line of sight. The woman with the red dress had just been a mere swim in the shallow pond to taste the waters. But that Lady with the emerald skirt and slightly lighter green corset was most definitely the occasion to make the big jump. Deliciously shaped and the face of Venezian beauty, with that added British grace that made her… Well he didn’t know what that made her, exactly, but he was sure it made him uncomfortably tight in the pants he had worn for the occasion No full mast before the ship sails , he had to remind himself. Seduce first. That was part of the game.

“Ma ciao, bellissima,” he crooned, leaning against his cane crowned with a silver lion head, crossing an ankle above the other. “Allow me to compliment you on your choice of dress. This is by far the best I’ve seen today, it fits your body rather spectacularly. Molto bella.”

“I am married,” she answered, tugging on her shawl to cover her bare sternum.

“So?” he grinned with a raised eyebrow, almost delighted to be faced with a new challenge. “Can’t a uomo flatter a Lady who deserves it? I’m sure your husband has never told you how beautiful eyes you have, nor how elegant your gait is. I wanted to meet British class and beauty, and I’ve just met British perfection.”

“My husband often compliments me on my looks, thank you very much, Sir…?”

“Casanova,” he introduced himself with pomp, bowing to give the back of her hand a distant smack of his lips. “Forgive my audace, but would you mind if I readjusted some parts of your dress? I am a tailor, you see, dress designer in Venezia, and I’ve spotted a few things that could be improved. Don’t get me wrong, you look positively stunning, Signora, I put the blame on those English dressmakers. They lack the talent and imagination Italian couturiers have. Give me un minuto, and you’ll make all your friends jealous. You could be the queen of the party.”

“I already am,” she pointed out, her features not growing annoyed, but growing suspicious. “These are my gardens, Sir Casanova. My party. Forgive my asking, but I do not remember my husband telling me there would be an Italian tailor invited. Who introduced you?”

“Why, Sir Bellingham, of course,” he lied, citing a name he had heard after stepping into the party. “We met a while ago in Venezia, he told me he’d find me a suitable market for my designer dresses in England, and he invited me to this party to meet my first clients. See that Lady over there? Already bought one of my dresses, you can ask her. Le mie scuse, my Lady, but if you’re not interested in what my talents have to offer, I should go on with my business. Thank you ever so much for the invitation and the fine champagne. Ciao, brutta.”

He clicked his heels together with one last bow of courtesy and hurried to get away, fast enough to deprive her of the time she’d need to realize he was a fraud, slow enough not to arouse any more suspicion from any others. Well, some of those British girls were tough. Nothing like the Italian women he had courted seduced within mere minutes for the better part of his life. It might not have been the best enterprise to try his luck with a married woman who also happened to be the hostess, he reckoned, but still. In his country, he would already be bunching her skirt up to her hips and ravishing her against a tree - no, better not to think about ravishing women against trees just yet. His frustration was a fantastic remedy to his condition, anyway. He had to fight this frustration. He had to keep playing. He had lost a round, not the game. Yet. Because if all the beautiful British women were as uptight and sober as this one, he doubted he’d ever get to shove his pants down his knees, especially not in such ridiculously posh parties. He would give it one more try, maybe two, but if it kept going that way he would rather flee to the neighbouring town and find a brothel. He hadn’t come all this way, travelled several countries and crossed a sea to be disappointed and frustrated.

So, he kept going on his search for a prey. His previous failures made him more careful, however. Spot the rings, spot the husbands, spot those who looked at him as if they knew he didn’t belong. It made the hunt harder. Made him a predator that had to stay hidden in the shadows rather than run and hunt in the open. He had become a prey himself, in a way. He didn’t like it.

He walked for several minutes among the groups of people, occupied his hands with another glass of champagne he didn’t drink, picked up a few nibbles on the tables to pretend he knew what he was doing, only to discard them in the many plant pots disseminated around in the clean-cut grass. And then he spotted her. The perfect prey.

She was alone, sitting on one of the steps that let to the entrance to an appurtenance, isolated from the main hubbub of the party. No ring on her finger. A dress that looked much less elaborated that the others, a dull beige when all the others sported bright colours, a pale maroon tunic going askew on her shoulders. Rather disheveled, compared to the neat hairstyles and carefully pinned hats the other women wore. If he managed to seduce that one, it wouldn’t be one of his greatest achievements, nor one of his greatest prides. But then he saw her face, and an odd feeling coursed through him. A shiver of… Something. He didn’t know what it was, but he knew perfectly well his heart hadn’t beaten harder in his crotch like it usually did when he looked at a woman, but louder in his chest. She wasn’t even beautiful. Pretty, at most, with her blond curls, her full mouth, her round nose. A woman like a hundred many others he had made his bed creak with. No, not like a hundred others. Like a few others, only. Because he felt it from where he was standing, smelled it, tasted it. That young woman with that innocent sad face was a virgin. He didn’t particularly enjoy virgins. He liked his women like he loved his sex. Bold, mature, liberated. That blonde was none of that. The exact opposite, even. Shy, inexperienced, reserved.

Her deep whiskey eyes met his, her thick lips stretched into a small smile, her hand tightened on her tunic. And he saw in her eyes something akin to what he was feeling himself. The feeling that she didn’t belong here, the feeling of isolation, the feeling that she was pretending. Without knowing why, he realized she was a bit like him. A poor girl lost in a world of wealth who had had to learn the rules by herself rather than being taught. A girl that had been thrown into a cage full of hyenas, waiting for her to die to feast on her cadaver and make her disappear, like a nuisance that needed to be erased from the surface of this Earth. He saw it in the way the others looked at her. He heard it in the murmurs behind him. He felt it in the cloud of tension that thickened the closer he got to her. He was in the same kind of cage. Except he’d been lucky enough to be blessed with talents to help him fight off his enemies and fend off his demons. She obviously hadn’t.

“Hello, Sir,” she greeted him with a bow of the head - it was only then he realized his steps had taken him to her, quite against his most sensible reflections. “Please excuse my ignorance, but I don’t remember seeing you before.”

He had never really seen her before either, he thought. Because as he looked down at her face and into her eyes, he was suddenly struck by her beauty. Unconventional beauty, certo , but beauty nonetheless. Before he knew it, he was taking her hand in a gentle hold and brushing his lips against her skin. It terrified him to understand he wasn’t doing it to drag her into an empty room ten minutes later, steal her virginity against a cupboard and ditch her when he’d be done. He was doing it because he wanted to do it. No underlying purpose. He peered at her through his eyelashes, lips still hovering above the back of her hand, and he saw the way she nibbled her lip with an embarrassed grin.

“Più bella cosa, you’ll wish you had never seen me at all,” he said softly, pushing himself up straight with the help of his cane. “Call me... Giacomo.”

#teninch fic #timepetalsprompts #doctorroseprompts #giac x fanny #giacomo casanova #fanny price #fluff #first meeting #help me #I write too much #got lost again #darn #but #i love them #<3

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