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“Whose idea was it to pair us up for this?”
“It was yours, you genius.”
Aaron almost groans, annoyed, not even trying not to roll his eyes. Okay, maybe it was his decision to ask Alexander to be his partner in this stupid history project. Burr justified it this way: Hamilton is an exchange student, he’s new to all of this, he doesn’t really know anyone, yadda yadda yadda. So, for sure, he proposed the partnership solely for Alexander Hamilton’s own good, despite their habit of regularly getting on each other’s nerves. Now he regrets trying to “do the right thing” already.
“Don’t worry, I won’t make the same mistake in the future,” Burr says, opening his laptop. There is barely space for it on his desk, all thanks to Hamilton’s gigantic law history books he brought for the project - the poor guy doesn’t even have a laptop like most of his peers and he’s often the only one in the auditorium who writes everything down in his notebook. Though Aaron has seen him write during a lecture and had to admit - he indeed always writes like he needs it to survive.
“Where were we, anyway?” Alex sighs and goes through his seemingly endless notes. They sit right next to each other because Aaron’s massive desk stands right against the wall with the window. It’s pretty hard for them both not to let their elbows touch, but they’re trying their best.
“Life and death of the substantive due process.”
“Great. I suggest you write about the early origins, and I’ll take the Lochner era.” Hamilton reaches over Burr’s laptop to grab a seemingly ancient book with “A history of American law” written on it.
“Are you sure you’ll find enough information only in the books?” Burr frowns in confusion and disbelief.
“Without a doubt.”
Aaron shrugs and starts his research. He’s tempted to open Wikipedia, but Alexander’s voice in his head, saying “Are you seriously going to use Wikipedia as your source of information?”, quickly forces the cursor to click on some other link. Wait, since when does he have Hamilton’s voice in his head? Of course, Hamilton talks a lot, he’s a bit intrusive sometimes, but not to the extent of mastering telepathic powers, right?
Now, when Aaron thinks about it, he really does spend a lot of time with Hamilton - in the college library, during lectures, or on lunch breaks, Hamilton is always by his side, passionately talking about something, looking around, or… yeah, mostly talking about something. But it was not useless blabbering, no-no-no, Aaron enjoyed engaging in the conversation with him, and it was apparent that Alexander had a lot of interesting and even brilliant ideas that he just wanted to share with someone, and this someone just almost always happened to be Aaron Burr.
Once they talked about the American revolution - not once, actually, but this time was special - and imagined themselves in it, as one typically does. It was in that time of their acquaintanceship when Hamilton having such a vivid imagination managed to amaze Burr. With a bright gleam of fire in his eyes, he told Aaron that he would have definitely been Washington’s right hand and would’ve gotten command of a battalion to fight the redcoats. Aaron’s mocking remark that Hamilton would’ve more likely stayed as an aide writing and sending letters during the whole war offended him for some reason. “You couldn’t be further from the truth, Aaron Burr, sir,” uttered Alex with some kind of a half-sarcastic tone. Fortunately, he doesn’t hold grudges against Burr.
Burr doesn’t hold any either, despite the fact that they always find something to bicker about. Most of the time Aaron manages to remain calm and reserved, even when Hamilton gets more abrasive than needed - it didn’t take Burr much time to figure out that the new student has close to no filter and is just too excited about bringing the truth to light, regardless of other people’s feelings. Over time, however, while arguing with Aaron, Alexander seemed to start choosing his words more carefully and restrain himself in expressions. It could’ve gone unnoticed by any other person, but Burr clearly felt it. He wasn't sure what the reason for such an unbelievable change was - they still wouldn't call each other friends at that point - but it was pretty nice anyway.
His thoughts are interrupted by senses - Aaron feels the warmth of Alexander’s skin with his hand holding the mouse. Hamilton has moved his left arm over a bit to get more comfortable while frantically writing yet another paragraph. He is also lost in the process (this happens to him pretty often), while Burr watches him turn over the pages of his thick notebook only to write more. Aaron has noticed that Alexander’s handwriting is rather neat and clean for someone so chaotic.
“You’re violating my personal space,” he says. He was never a fan of any physical contact, but this time he doesn't feel repulsed by it, rather…
“So?”
“I can’t work on our project like this.”
“Just so you know, Aaron Burr, sir, you’ve been staring at this poor monitor for five minutes straight. I’d suggest you look for some other reasons for your unproductiveness,” even though Hamilton has turned his head away from him, Aaron can practically see the satisfied smirk on his face while saying this.
“You bastard,” mutters Burr. He doesn’t move his hand away, however. Neither does Hamilton.
They sit like this for some time. Alexander is still writing. Burr can’t believe that in this situation Hamilton seems absolutely calm and unbothered, all while Burr’s head is full of thoughts that are getting mixed up into a chaotic, unexplainable mess. Usually, it has been the other way around.
There is a reason why he wanted to do this project with Alexander. There is a reason why they are doing this project in Aaron’s room together, not on their own. There is a reason why he spends so much time with him. There is a reason why he hears Alexander's goddamn voice in his head. Not because Hamilton is annoying, as someone might suppose, not because he’s obnoxious, arrogant or a loudmouth bother - he’s none of these things to Burr. Aaron has always kept his guard up around Alexander, but it’s been down since Hamilton walked into his room today, oddly enough.
“And now you’re glaring at the back of my head instead of working,” Aaron hears Alexander’s voice and it’s strangely gentle. But Aaron likes it. He sees Alexander looking at him with his big brown doe eyes and feels a pit forming in his stomach. They sit too close to each other.
Hamilton doesn’t smirk or grin this time; he smiles sincerely. “Is my presence that disturbing for you? I’m flattered.”
“Look, I have no idea what’s gotten into me lately, but-”
“I assume that you have a crush on me, Burr.”
Burr’s taken aback even more by this proposition. He, Aaron Burr, has a crush on Alexander Hamilton? “What nonsense,” he wants to snarl.
In the next moment, Aaron’s body goes almost completely numb, because all he feels now is only the soft touch of lips behind his ear. Alexander-fucking-Hamilton’s lips. Blood rushes to his cheeks, making his face feel hot. The chaotic mess in his head suddenly disappears, leaving it empty. Seconds later, Aaron realizes that he has his hand on Hamilton’s.
“Just wanted to make sure my feelings were mutual and I was right.” Alex can’t stop smiling, it’s obvious that he’s holding back a nervous chuckle. “God, if only you could see your face right now-”
“Talk less,” Burr mumbles as he reaches even closer to Hamilton to kiss him on the lips. The word “mutual” echoes in his mind over and over again and makes his hand touch Alexander’s neck in the most gentle way possible, while Alexander’s arm is already around Aaron’s shoulders. Everything falls exactly into place now. It’s one of those rare occasions when he’s happy about Hamilton being right. Of course he’s right.
Breaking the kiss, Burr doesn’t turn his face away from Alex. Instead, he also smiles - he can’t help it when he sees a bit shocked, but satisfied look on Hamilton’s face.
“I’ll give you that, Hamilton,” Aaron says in a low voice, gazing into Alexander’s eyes, “perhaps I do have a crush on you.”
Alexander is (much to Burr’s surprise) the first to look away, all flustered. “I’m not going anywhere if you want to make sure of it. Like, we still have a p-project to do.”
Aaron almost groans again, but this time he just kisses Hamilton on the cheek. Alexander’s reaction to his affection is too mesmerizing. Never would he think there was something that could make Alexander Hamilton himself blush innocently, but here he is - sitting right next to Burr with his sparkling eyes and red cheeks and ears, looking absolutely adorable.
“Speaking of the project... remind me, whose idea it was to pair us up for it,” Burr smirks.
“It was yours… you genius,” Hamilton looks back at him again. “And it was a brilliant idea.”
“Glad we finally agree on something.”
Alexander laughs. Aaron's heart is full and he's sure that Hamilton's is too.