Chapter Text
“Georges? GEORGES! You get back here right now young man!”
Aaron raced through the living room, towel in hand, following a trail of wet footprints, and listening for the sound of soft giggling. This boy was going to be the death of him. He spent too much time with Lafayette, though there wasn’t much he could do about that as he was as much the boy’s father as Aaron was.
Literally.
Still, that made Aaron the only sane one in the entire household. At the moment, the little four year old had escaped the bath, naked and soaking, and was now hidden somewhere in the immense house Gil had insisted they move to.
“Georges, I am giving you to the count of three!”
“One.”
Aaron’s ear twitched as he heard it. Quiet laughter coming from behind one of the couches. He tip toed over to it as quietly as he could.
“Two.”
“Three!”
He leaned over the couch, wrapping the towel around the little boy like a burrito and lifting him up. Georges shrieked and laughed as Aaron spun him around.
“You’re a little monster, you know that?” he tapped the boy’s nose lightly, “Just like your Papa.”
“What about his Papa?”
Aaron spun around again, glaring playfully at Gil who stood in the archway of the living room.
“His Papa is a public nuisance.”
“Dearest, how many times must I tell you? Not a public nuisance, I will only ever bother you. And this little gremlin right here.”
Lafayette snatched the rolled up boy from Aaron’s arms and lifted him high over his head, racing around the living room as Georges screamed with laughter. Aaron sighed, sitting down on the couch and watching as Gil threw their son in the air and caught him with ease.
It was now five years since the two had been together , and three since they had been married. Of course it had been Lafayette who proposed, spectacularly and in front of all their friends as was expected. Aaron had turned up his nose dramatically and said,
“Good Lord no!”
As a joke of course, but Lafayette’s face crumbled and Aaron immediately assured him that oh my god of course I’ll marry you, you idiot, I was joking . Gil had scowled and called him cruel as their friends laughed. Aaron apologised and kissed him gently.
They had adopted Georges a year later and there was nothing in Aaron’s life that could make him more happy than he was right now.
“How was work?” he called to Lafayette who was still zooming around with their son. Albert and Von Steuban bounded in after another moment, leaping at Gilbert’s legs and barking excitedly.
“Not awful.” he hummed, tucking Georges under his arm as the boy kicked and giggled, “I am glad to be home though. You are lucky, you were able to relax all day!”
“Relax!?” Aaron gasped dramatically, “With this little troublemaker running around? I don’t think so.”
“Oh but he is always so good for me!”
“He just likes you better.”
They’d adopted Georges from a small orphanage in France, and while the boy could speak english well enough, Gil loved talking to him in French. Aaron watched them suspiciously as they muttered together, but he couldn’t find it in himself to be upset.
He knew Gil missed France.
Aaron hadn’t told him yet, but he’d already ordered three tickets to Gil’s home for Christmas.
“Daddy taught me a song on the piano today, Papa!” Georges shouted excitedly from Lafayette’s arms and the man beamed.
“Did he really? You will have to play it for me, I am sure you will be a prodigy, just like your father.”
Aaron scoffed as Lafayette sent him a wink.
“I was hardly a prodigy,” he smiled though, “but I’m sure you will be a genius. You’re already so talented! But even talented boys need to wear clothes, let’s go get you changed.”
Gil held Georges out to Aaron as he got off the couch. He carried him towards the bedroom and Lafayette followed. If he thought Aaron couldn’t see him making faces at Georges as they went, he was dead wrong.
“Gil, stop being a nuisance .” he called and was rewarded with a gasp.
“Your papa has eyes in the back of his head, Georgie.” Gil whispered and Georges nodded solemnly.
Aaron put the little boy down in his room and leaned against the doorframe, watching as Laf tried to wrangle him into his pajamas. Who knew five year olds had so much energy? It was still so strange having a child. Whenever Aaron put him to bed this early, he always felt obliged to go to bed as well.
Not that Gil allowed him to sleep...usually...ever.
All the same, adopting Georges was the best decision they’d ever made, and as much as Aaron complained about the boy’s seemingly endless well of energy, he wouldn’t change it for anything in the entire world.
When Laf finally got the boy into his little polka dotted pajamas, he sat him on the bed, waving Aaron over. He rolled his eyes but came all the same, sitting on Georges’ other side while the boy picked out a book from his shelf.
“Did you want me or your papa to read tonight?” Aaron asked and Georges looked up at him with eyes that sparkled like the sun.
“I will read tonight, daddy!” he cried and Aaron put his hand to his chest dramatically.
“Really? Are you sure you’re ready for that, Georges?”
“Yes! Yes!” and Aaron laughed at how his little voice sounded, french accent still thick when he spoke.
“Alright, go ahead.”
As Georges fumbled through the story book, saying each word slowly and carefully with Gil or Aaron helping him every now and then, the two adults looked at each other. Lafayette had a smile on his face, the same smile he had on whenever he came home and saw Aaron and Georges.
How lucky was he to be alive, like this, with his soulmate and his son, right now?
He could barely comprehend it.
Georges let out a wide yawn, stretching his little arms above his head, and Aaron barely covered a yawn of his own, glaring when Gil laughed.
“I think it is time for you to go to bed, non Georgie?”
“Oui, Papa.” the little boy answered in a tired voice.
They tucked Georges gently into bed, each giving him a gentle kiss on the forehead. Before they left, Aaron stopped by the bookshelf in the corner of the boy’s room. He took down a familiar music box and wound it before setting it back on the shelf.
Soft music filled the room and the two men left, shutting the door quietly behind them. Lafayette didn’t hesitate to loop an arm around Aaron’s waist, pressing a kiss to his temple.
“So I am a monster?” he asked teasingly and Aaron huffed.
“I think the two of you conspire against me. There’s a plot in this house to make my life harder.”
“Ohh, you are so hard done by.”
“Damn right. I work harder than anyone in this house.”
“Cher, it is only you and I who work...and I work very hard!” he exclaimed, finally catching onto what Aaron was saying.
“I’m just joking, Gil. Sometimes I wonder if you can even tell what a joke is.”
“If this is about the proposal-”
Aaron laughed loudly and Lafayette huffed, but a smile played on his lips. He loved it when Aaron laughed, it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard in his life.
“You wound me, cher!” he put a hand to his heart dramatically, “What a fool I was to think this relationship would work-”
He was immediately silenced by Aaron’s lips pressing softly against his own, which wasn’t altogether unwanted. Gil wrapped his arm tighter around his husband’s waist and pulled him closer, leaning back against the wall and deepening the kiss.
“We shouldn’t.” Aaron said, pulling away slightly. Gil’s lips followed his as he pulled away, but stopped. He looked down at the man in confusion.
“What-”
“Not right outside Georges’ bedroom.” he explained, slapping Laf gently on the arm.
“Ugh, you make too many rules! Come then.”
Lafayette went ahead of Aaron, ignoring how the man rolled his eyes, and entered their bedroom.
“Excuse me if I don’t don’t want to have to explain sex to our 5 year old son.”
“You worry too much, cher.” Lafayette couldn’t help chuckling as he shut the door behind them and waltzed back over to Aaron, taking his hands in his own.
“I still think I should have picked out the colours in here.” Aaron griped, looking around at the white and purple covering the room.
It was attractive, sure, and reminded Aaron of Gil, but the white walls weren’t the best for hangovers. Though, the were planning on changing one of the small windows to stain glass, and Aaron liked that idea very much.
“You got to paint the living room.” Laf reminded him.
“Oh yeah.”
The room downstairs was warmer, painted in maroons and browns, looking a lot more cozy when compared to the spotless white wall and swooping purple drapes of their bedroom. Lafayette still gripped Aaron’s hand, pulling him gently towards the bed.
“You know it’s only 7:30 right?”
“Too early to sleep, yes.” Gil agreed, “but we are not going to sleep.”
“No?” Aaron asked knowingly and laughed at his husband’s glare.
“No, we are not.”
Aaron shrieked as Gil lifted him and threw him onto the bed. He followed soon after, jumping not on top of Aaron but beside him. The smaller man glared, and Laf only smiled, staring at him with big eyes. He propped his head in his hands, watching Aaron.
“Je t’aime.” he murmured, reaching out and running a hand over his husband’s eye, around the mark which had caused them both such trouble, but which was now only looked at with love and appreciation.
“English.” Aaron whispered back, shuffling closer, so their noses were almost touching.
“I love you.”
The look Aaron had on his face was almost one of disbelief as he stared at his husband. He quickly kissed the man on the lips, pulling away and curling into Gil’s chest.
“Mon amour, what is wrong?” he wrapped his arms around the man and held him closely.
“I don’t deserve you.” Aaron muttered and Lafayette had to strain his ears to hear him. He tutted, stroking Aaron’s back gently.
“Nonsense. It is I who does not deserve you. You are the one that has to put up with Georges and I, everyday, non?”
“I love being with you two.” Aaron sighed, “You’ve changed my life. I...never thought that I’d ever have a proper family.”
“Well you do now, cher.” Lafayette pressed a kiss to his forehead.
No sooner had he done that then he leaned back, his arms now on either side of Aaron. He stared down at the smaller man with lidded eyes and a grin Aaron knew far too well.
“But I did not bring you here to talk shop, Aaron Burr.”
“Did Alexander teach you that phrase?” Aaron asked, rolling his eyes, “Because that is no way to talk about your family-”
He was silenced by lips softly pressing against his, as he was flipped onto his back, Lafayette lying on top of him.
“You have Georges tomorrow,” Aaron said between kisses, “it’s monday. Remember.”
“You are painfully awful at pillow talk, cher.”
“Well what if you forget him again? I’ll have to take him and he’ll spend all his time with Washington or worse...Hamilton. Do you want that to be the influence for our child?”
“Hush.”
“Before we know it, he’ll grow a beard and be writing out essays on his etch-a-sketch until five in the morning.”
Gil giggled, pulling away to hide his face in Aaron’s neck. Their laughter filled the room, and Aaron wrapped his arms around Gil. Of course, he had short arms and Gil was rather...broad, so they didn’t reach all the way around, but the sentiment was still there, and Laf melted into his touch.
“I love you too, you know?” he mumbled to the frenchman, “I know I should say it more, but-”
“You say it just enough, cher.” he pressed his lips to Aaron’s cheek, then back to his lips, “You are wonderful.”
“Not as wonderful as you are-”
“Aaron.”
“Sorry, sorry.”
Lafayette sighed through his nose, his breath tickling Aaron’s face. He moved to sit up, pulling his soulmate with him, and ignoring his whining.
“Do not tell me you actually want to sleep. It’s only 7:30!”
“It’s so comfortable though.”
“Then let’s at least get changed,” Gil laughed as Aaron wrapped his arms around his neck, “you cannot sleep in those.”
“Oh, what? These are my stay at home clothes.”
Lafayette shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. Aaron buried his face in his neck and wrapped his legs around his waist. If this had been any other time, Lafayette would have been ecstatic, his mind going to somewhere more... biblical .
But, again, he had been with Aaron for five years, he knew him too well.
Letting out a sigh, he got up from the bed, his soulmate wrapped around him like a koala, and made his way to their drawers.
“You are worse than Georgie.” he muttered, taking out his own pajamas and putting them on the bed, trying to untangle himself from Aaron so he could get his.
“See, that kid’s got the right idea. Sleep all day. What a wonderful philosophy.”
“Are you going to get off so I can change?”
“No.”
Gil smirked and, with Aaron still wrapped around him, he raced towards the bed, jumping on it and effectively crushing the smaller man underneath him. Aaron shouted out, groaning under the weight of his husband.
“You’re so fat, get off!” he shouted, slapping at him and Gil gasped dramatically.
“Excusez-moi!? This is all muscle and you love it!”
“Not when it’s crushing me!”
“Then will you stop clinging to me like a sloth?”
“I thought you liked it when I did this.” Aaron wheezed, and Gil finally moved off him.
“Not when you are falling asleep. Come on now, do not make me dress you like Georges.”
“Alright, alright.”
Aaron got off the bed, and went to his own drawer, his back to Lafayette as the man changed. He pulled out his sweatpants and tank top, throwing them on the bed. Then he started to undress.
“Ohh, Monsieur Burr.” Gil gasped, fanning himself as Aaron took off his shirt.
“You’re impossible.” he grumbled, but he couldn’t hide his smile. He threw the shirt at Lafayette who laughed as he caught it.
“What would you do without me though?”
“Oh, plenty of things. My work, for one, maybe read a book, meditate, some yoga, bird watching-”
Now it was Gil’s turn to silence his lover, and Aaron melted into the kiss, their bodies fitting together like a puzzle as he stood on the tips of his toes. When Gil pulled away, he smiled at the dreamy expression on Aaron’s face.
“It wouldn’t be as much fun though, would it?” he asked.
“No,” Burr answered, “no it wouldn’t be.”
Another yawn escaped him and he tried to cover it up but Gil only laughed, squeezing his hands and pulling him towards the bed.
“Come, you should sleep.”
Lafayette led him to the side of the bed and the two settled down, the frenchman’s strong arms wrapped around Aaron tightly as he placed last minute kisses to his temple.
Aaron’s eyes fluttered as he tried to stay awake, looking up at Gil with a soft smile. Lafayette simply stared at him, as he did most nights, wondering how he had gotten so lucky. The last few years together had been the best he’d ever had. It hadn’t always been easy, there were arguments, and shouting, long nights sleeping on the couch as Aaron cried in the bedroom.
But every time, they had worked it out, talked and cleared the air. Aaron hadn’t gotten better over night, but Gil hadn’t expected him to, and he had stayed by him through everything.
Truth be told, having Aaron around was a blessing. Somehow he always knew what to say and they complimented each other perfectly. He smiled, that’s why they were soulmates he supposed. Aaron was, for lack of a better word, perfect.
“What’re you thinking about?” the man in question asked sleepily.
“What makes you think I am thinking at all?”
“You look like you’re high. That’s your thinking face.”
“What-!?”
“What are you thinking about?” he asked again and Laf huffed, scowling at him.
Aaron smiled and moved his hand to run it through Gil’s curls, and the frenchman mentally cursed. How did he always know just what to do? He relaxed, tilting his head into the touch and humming gently.
“I was thinking about you.”
“Yeah?”
He didn’t miss the blush which crept up his husband’s face. Even after years of marriage, Aaron was still so shy. It was adorable.
“I was thinking about how beautiful you are.”
“Gil-” Aaron laughed and buried his face deeper into his pillow to hide his blush.
“And how much I love you.”
Aaron’s face was now fully hidden in the pillow as Gil laughed, wrapping an arm around his side and letting his hand rest on Aaron’s waist. He shuffled closer so his face was right next to Aaron’s and when the man peeked up, Lafayette kissed him gently beneath his eye.
“I am glad you decided to love me.” he muttered and Aaron smiled.
“Well, how couldn’t I? With you being so charming and everything.” he fluttered his eyelashes dramatically.
“Ooohhh? I am charming? Why have you never told me this before?” Lafayette shimmied closer, tangling his legs around Aaron’s.
“Because you, sir,” Burr answered, “have a large enough ego as it is.”
Lafayette pulled a face and Aaron laughed softly, proceeding to let his head rest on his husband’s chest. He reached out a hand and took Gil’s, intertwining their fingers as he closed his eyes.
“I love you Gil. I love you more than anything.”
Even after five years, Lafayette’s heart still skipped a beat whenever Aaron said those words, and now was no exception. He stared up at the ceiling, his heart swelling as he held Aaron’s hand tighter, refusing to let go for anything. And he wouldn’t. He’d never let him go again.
“I love you too, Aaron Burr. More than life itself.”
And it was true.