Chapter Text
“Alright, one more time, Stay Alive – Reprise. Leo, I need you back on stage left, Guang-Hong I need you on the outer ring.” The choreographer ordered.
Ignoring the temperate throbbing in his temples, Leo stepped behind the supports of the parapet, gathering his hair in his hands and twisting it back into a messy bun. He licked his chapped lips, blinking away the dizziness from his migraine as he stretched his shoulders with a soft crack.
Guang-Hong smiled at him from centre stage, a light blush dusting the apples of his soft, sweet cheeks, unkempt auburn curls falling into his eyes. This boy had no idea what he had been doing to Leo over the past few years.
“You okay?” He mouthed, offering a brief thumbs up before switching to a thumbs down.
“I’m fine. Just hungover.” Leo mouthed back, offering a small thumbs up in return.
“You two are ridiculous.” Seung-Gil murmured next to him, appearing out of what Leo had assumed was thin air. Seung-Gil had an eerie habit of phasing in and out of time and space like some kind of harmless yet deeply uninterested spirit.
“Jeez, dude, you scared me.”
“Why you two haven’t gotten it over with, I have no idea.”
“Excuse me?”
“Why you two haven’t fu-”
“PLACES. I NEED YOU IN PLACES.” The director called. “Hamilton, stage left under the parapet, good. Washington, Angelica, Burr, Madison, Jefferson, Mariah/Peggy, I need you all in the wings and around the parapets for the number. Swing; I need Seung-Gil to carry Philip onto the table, Emil you will be the doctor, Takeshi, I need Takeshi to help Seung-Gil. Eliza I need in stage right. Places, c’mon, you won’t have me telling you which way is up on Sunday.”
Leo heard the planks of the parapets creak above him as his castmates shifted around into position, JJ winking at Leo as he shuffled past them.
“Okay. Philip, you have just been shot by Eeker, Cao, exit stage right, Emil, enter stage left and Hamilton follow soon after. Circle round, Seung-Gil and Takeshi slowly lift Philip onto the table, Hamilton rush towards him. Eliza, on your cue, enter stage right, Hamilton step back. Let’s run this scene, let’s go, go, go. Aaand action!”
The director climbed back into the stalls watching as the synth loop kicked in and Guang-Hong drifted toward him, frozen in the position of his shooting as Seung-Gil and Takeshi guided him onto the table pushed on by another member of the swing cast.
“Where is my son?” Leo asked brokenly as he stepped onto stage, following his cues.
“Mr. Hamilton. They brought him in about half an hour ago, he lost a lot of blood on the way over.” Emil warned as the stage rotated under their feet.
“Is he alive?” Leo asked, following Emil along the stage.
“Yes, but you have to understand, the bullet entered just above his hip and lodged in his right arm.”
“Can I see him, please?”
“I’m doing everything I can but the wound was already infected when he arrived.” Emil said morosely as Leo ran to the table.
“Philip!” he wheezed, only to break into laughter at the obscene expression Guang-Hong had pulled his soft features.
“Hamilton, get it together.” The director said dryly.
“Sorry, I’m just,” Leo felt his gut shake as another tirade of laughter burst from him.
The director rolled his eyes, signalling for the backing track to be cut from the speakers around the stage.
“Scene!”