Chapter Text
Lafayette finds him slumped over the kitchen counter, his head resting on a book turned makeshift pillow while his fingers still hovered over the keyboard of his laptop. When Lafayette shakes him awake he has half the mind to inform him that it’s almost noon but he opts instead to remind him that it’s Christmas Eve because at this point he doubted that Alexander held any significance for the normal concept of time.
Alexander’s hair is sticking up randomly when he quickly sits up, almost falling backwards, no less, and looking at Lafayette as if he had somehow done something wrong. “Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?”
“I just got home, mon cher.” Lafayette stresses the term of endearment to add a sarcastic twist instead of spitting out the ever popular response of ‘I’m not your personal alarm clock’.
Unsurprisingly, Alexander had not done any Christmas shopping, with the exception of ordering Eliza her gift during Cyber Monday, of course, but considering that it had been a heavily discounted add on to an order he had placed for himself, it can hardly be counted as legitimate Christmas shopping. As far as he sees it, there are two options: order everyone’s gifts online right now and hope that they’ll arrive before the new year or brave the crowds of other last minute shopper and go to the mall as soon as possible.
“Please tell me you’re not actually thinking of going shopping right now.” Lafayette says, or rather demands, as he sips on his coffee. Coffee that Alexander that was technically reserved for himself since he had made it last night at 3AM, but that was beside the point right now.
“I don’t really have a choice.”
“I can already see the headlines: Local man punches innocent bystander over French press.”
Alexander looks unamused. “Is that a hint? Do you want a new coffee maker for Christmas?”
Lafayette shrugs but the answer is obvious. “I heard Macy’s is having a 25% off sale.”
“What did you get Herc?” Alexander asks while trying to clean up the kitchen table, which more or less means shoving all of his papers into a folder that he puts on top of his already dead laptop to carry back to his bedroom.
“I’m not telling you.”
Alexander glares at him over his shoulder when he’s halfway down the hall. “What are you afraid of? That I’m going to get him a better gift?”
“Doubtful.”
It’s a lie. It’s a complete lie and Alexander knows it but he fights his way through the piles of dirty clothes on his floor in search of something clean to wear instead of arguing with Lafayette. A few minutes later, he manages to find a pair of jeans and a sweater that look clean and possibly yet unworn. Just because internally he’s an exhausted mess doesn’t mean that he has to look like one. As Lafayette puts it, it’s the “conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know” aesthetic. With his new winter coat on he might just be able to pass for a fully functioning human being, at least in looks, that is.
“I promise not to fight anyone over anything if you tell me what you got Herc.” Alexander proposes as he walks into the living room, finding Lafayette reclined on the couch with a cliche romance book in his hands.
To be fair, not having to pick up Alexander from jail on Christmas Eve would tempt any man into giving up valuable information. “The entire collection of Star Wars movies on blu ray and tickets for us to see The Force Awakens in 3D on Saturday.”
Damn. Just how is Alexander supposed to compete with that? Hercules is arguably the biggest Star Wars fan he has ever met and his prized collection of Star Wars themed boxers, among other memorabilia, proves it.
Not that Christmas is a competition. Except that it totally is and Lafayette wins every single year because he’s a considerate friend who goes shopping weeks in advance and somehow manages to pick out the perfect gift for everyone. Of course, he feigns ignorance to this game but it doesn’t make it any less real.
“I’ll be back later. Hopefully.”
“Remember: no getting yourself thrown in jail or you’re spending Christmas Eve with the other inmates while Herc and I eat all the gingerbread cookies.”
Alexander ignores those remarks in favor of throwing a beanie over his messy hair to tame it, as well as keep warm, before stepping out of their cozy apartment and into the freezing December weather. The frigid wind alone is making him rethink this decision but he shoves his hands deeper into his pockets and pushes on. He’s only a fifteen minute bus ride from the mall, anyway.
To say that the mall is busy would be like describing Thomas Jefferson as just occasionally annoying when in reality he is one of the most infuriating neighbors slash classmates he has ever had the displeasure of crossing paths with. Basically, the mall is packed from wall to wall and he’s certain he may have accidentally run into at least four people so far.
Inside one of those novelty stores, he finds an autographed picture of Harrison Ford as Han Solo, which he buys despite the hefty price tag of 100 dollars that now has his bank account dangerously low and close to the negatives. Then again, Hercules had bought him an antique quill and ink pot for his birthday earlier this year so it’s definitely worth. Especially if his present ranks better than Lafayette’s, which, in his opinion, it does.
Next stop is Macy’s, which, much to his annoyance, is upstairs, making him reconsider if he really wants to get Lafayette a French press. But if he does buy it there will be another coffee maker in the house. A new coffee maker that doesn’t malfunction at the worst possible time. He doesn’t even want to think about the ridiculous amount of money he had spent on Starbucks during finals last semester because their current coffee maker kept breaking.
The escalator is jam packed and Alexander’s annoyance is at an all time high. Not to mention that every bench he passes seems to be beckoning him to lay down and take a nap. Shopping on close to zero hours of sleep is definitely a terrible idea, a terrible idea that he’s probably going to repeat again despite berating himself now.
To no one’s surprise, the Macy’s is also crowded, and Alexander sees two mothers fighting over a high tech microwave as their toddlers stand idly beside them. At least last minute shopping has a certain entertainment value, if nothing else. As soon as he walks over to the kitchen supplies aisle, he sees majority of the coffee maker are gone, while a good portion of the remainder are battered with some appliances having been taken out of their packaging, as well.
“Can I help you find something?”
Alexander almost rolls his eyes at the interruption but stops once he turns to face the person speaking. It’s probably a jerk move to only be nice to hot people, but the guy standing in front of him would get a ten rating from just about anyone. Even the gaudy Santa’s hat isn’t enough to detract from his appeal.
“I’m looking for a French press....John.” He glances quickly at the guy’s name tag. Alexander doesn’t actually need help, he’s fairly well versed in the subject of coffee, but refusing Mr. Hot-Santa would truly be a crime.
John smiles brightly at him and nods before stepping closer to Alexander in order to reach for a box way in the back of the shelf they’re currently standing in front of. The box is far bigger than Alexander would have expected it to be and when John hands it to him without so much as a warning, Alexander stumbles, almost dropping it.
Much to his surprise though, he doesn’t hit the ground and neither does the box. John catches him mid fall, holding tightly onto Alexander’s waist as the box presses uncomfortably against both of their chests. Once Alexander is back on his feet, at least momentarily, John immediately takes the box out of his hands and looks at him with grave concern.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
John clearly doesn’t believe him and Alexander can’t really fault him for it at this point though. Only he’d be able to cockblock his own flirting game by almost fainting in front of the object of their affection. Maybe the headline Lafayette should have been aiming for is ‘local man faints in front of cute store attendant,’ not that he’ll ever hear about this incident.
“You don’t look fine.” That almost sounds like an insult. “Maybe you should sit down.”
“I appreciate your concern but I’m just tired.” Tired is a severe understatement but it’s not a lie, although, once again, John still doesn’t seem to believe him. “Seriously, I’m fine. I just need to sleep.”
“If you need to sleep, then selling you a coffee maker doesn’t seem like a good idea.” John smiles as he says that, picking up the box again and handing it back to Alexander despite his words.
“It’s not for me.” At least not directly.
“Girlfriend?”
“Best friend.” Maybe he isn’t the only one flirting here. “But if you’re so concerned about my wellbeing then you could give me your number so I can text you and let you know I got home.”
John seems momentarily surprised by that proposition but eventually nods, smiling to himself as he ducks his head for a brief moment. When he starts reciting his number, Alexander is ready with his phone and types it in quickly, putting it under the name ‘Hot Macy’s Worker John,’ because just John is far too simple.
“Don’t forget.” John reminders as Alexander is eyeing check out lines in search for the shortest one. Spoiler alert: there is no short one.
“Don’t worry. I won’t.” He winks at John as he turns around and heads towards the self checkout lane because it seems to be moving faster than all the others.
It still takes him a good twenty minutes to finally pay for the French press, and just as he’s about to exit the store, there’s a hand on his shoulder halting him to a stop.
“Sorry.” Alexander turns around to come face to face with John. Again. Not that he’s complaining. “I didn’t get your name.”
“Alexander. Alexander Hamilton.”
John smiles again and Alexander’s certain that he could never grow tired of seeing him do that. “John Laurens.”
“Well, John Laurens, you’ll be hearing from me very soon.”
“I sure hope so.” He pauses for a moment. “You know, to make sure you get home safe.”
Alexander thinks that it shouldn’t be this easy, but apparently it is because even once he’s outside the store, when he glances back he sees John still watching him, that brilliant smile still on his lips. A very merry Christmas to himself, apparently, Alexander thinks.
The bus back home is late, as always, but half an hour later Alexander finally makes it home. He finds Lafayette and Hercules huddled near the stove making what he assumes are gingerbread cookies from the way they smell. There’s a vague feeling of hunger inside his stomach but the exhaustion overtakes it immediately. He mutters a slurred hello and goodnight to both of them before heading directly to his bedroom.
Once the gifts are stashed at the bottom of his closet and his coat is hung over the chair, he more or less collapses on his bed still wearing his jeans and sweater. Before settling in though, he pulls out his phone and shoots a quick but none the less thought out message to John.
To: Hot Macy’s Worker John
You can stop worrying about me now. I just got home.
Alexander drifts off before the phone lights up and buzzes in his hand.