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It was the night after they’d finally won the war - the group of friends finally reunited after they’d been off fighting battles for so long. The whole nation was celebrating the war finally won and freedom from King George the III by rejoicing, drinking, and singing. The friends met back at the same pub they’d begun, where they first decided to fan the spark of revolution into a flame. It felt different now that the war was over and they’d finally started to gain their freedoms. Of course, there was still a long way to go before everyone was truly free, but it was a start.
Lafayette, Hercules, Alexander, and John were all seated at one table, drinking and reminiscing. Burr was standing nearby - he only planned to have a drink or two and then leave. Washington had made a brief appearance, but he didn’t stick around for long. He had more important things to do - or maybe a nap to take. After all, he’d been commanding an army and taking charge of a revolution for years now. Having Hamilton around for the most of it probably didn’t help matters.
As the night went on, the drunken men began to get increasingly more rowdy. Lafayette leaned against the table after slamming down another beer. He was sitting beside Hercules, not for any particular reason of course, and across from Hamilton and Laurens. Laurens was shouting and singing with Lafayette joining the man's shenanigans. Hercules chuckled at the display, taking a moment to examine the Frenchman’s drunken behavior. It was moments like this he really got to enjoy, watching his friends all together and having a great time. Though, his attention was being stolen by a certain someone for most of the night.
Lafayette, on the other hand, had been not-so-subtly stealing glances at Hercules throughout the night, growing more obvious as the night went on and he became more intoxicated. His relationship with the other man was complicated at worst. They’d practically had feelings for one another since they’d first met. The problem was that they’d hardly gotten to be together while fighting in the revolution - so they’d never truly considered dating. That didn’t make Lafayette like him any less, but it was sometimes difficult to understand the nature of their relationship.
Hamilton and Laurens were too drunk to even notice what was going on between the two men sitting in front of them and the pub was far too loud to hear them if they weren’t yelling. Burr had left a while back, and as the night dragged on, Lafayette found it more and more difficult to resist his natural pull towards Hercules. Suddenly, without much provocation, Lafayette stood up and outstretched a hand towards Hercules with a grin. “May I have this dance?” His tone might’ve been playful but he was dead serious, and although his accent was more American than French after over 5 years around Americans - his accent thickened the drunker he got and the more he slurred his words.
Hercules’ explosive personality came out much more intensely when alcohol was in his system, lessening his restraint, leading him to practically jump at the chance to dance with Lafayette. “You ain’t even gotta ask!” He happily shouted, the words slightly threaded together due to his intoxication. Hercules stumbled as he stood from his seat and Lafayette followed, stumbling along. They made their way to the loud and crowded dance floor, weaving through the crowd of drunken people and somehow finding a spot to dance together. Their footwork was mainly tripping up and falling into one another rather than any cohesive dance. It didn’t matter though, because they were having fun with one another.
Neither man cared or paid attention to how much time had passed, though by this point Hamilton and Laurens had already left without saying goodbye. It was late, and both of them would’ve most likely passed out if they stayed any longer. It was probably for the best, since Lafayette and Hercules would’ve persuaded them to stay. They often did that when they felt the night was too young to go home, which turned into a recurring habit of staying out far too late and getting far too drunk.
They only really noticed how late it was once the pub started to empty and the noise seemed to grow quieter. Lafayette was exhausted, anyway. It had been an incredibly long day. Without thinking about it, he grabbed Hercules’ hand and pulled him off the dancefloor, away from the music and what crowd was left. The band would be leaving soon, and the pub would be closing for the night. At least there weren’t a lot of people left around to question the fact that Lafayette had practically clung to Hercules for the latter portion of the night.
Lafayette paused as they neared the door, realizing that he had no place to stay - he’d meant to ask earlier, but it slipped his mind through the day's events. He turned to face Hercules before slowly speaking. “So, I may have neglected to mention I don’t have a place to sleep tonight…” He trailed off slightly. “I had meant to ask you earlier if I could go home with you tonight - so I guess I’m asking now..?” His words weren’t exactly well put together, but it was good enough.
Hercules could understand Lafayette even though they were intoxicated and Lafayette was borderline speaking French. “Hells yeah, you don’t even gotta ask.” Hercules mumbled out, since he was starting to get tired and talking seemed to require too much energy. His arm slipped around Lafayette’s shoulders for support as he allowed him to lead them back to his place. Lafayette already knew where Hercules lived due to ‘past experiences’, so the path was familiar enough to him. They wandered down the empty street, the walk pretty much a blur.
When they got to Hercules’ place, they more or less stumbled through the door. It was a good thing Lafayette had been here before so he knew his way around the place well enough. He doubted they’d be awake for long once they got into bed, but that was fine with him. Just being able to sleep beside Hercules was more than enough.
He couldn’t help but to hang onto Hercules as they struggled to safely make their way upstairs. Right as they got to the top of the stairs, Hercules tripped, bringing Lafayette down with him, which caused the Frenchman to fall on top of him. Hercules let out a pained grunt, and in contrast, Lafayette couldn’t help but laugh. It was probably the alcohol. It took him a minute to stop giggling, only long enough for him to reposition himself so he was now looking down at the man below him, only for him to start giggling again. He couldn’t take anything seriously right now. “Hey there~” Lafayette managed through his unrelenting giggles. Hercules couldn’t help but laugh too, letting out a small “Hey..” back, still getting his bearings.
Lafayette leaned down, barely managing to keep his balance. He placed a quick kiss to Hercules’ lips before finally pulling himself back up, using the wall for support. He would’ve tried to help Hercules up, but he knew that would only end in more disaster. Hercules stood, using the floor to push himself up. He wobbled a little, but stabilized himself quickly so he wouldn’t fall down the stairs behind them. He instinctively reached out to grab Lafayette, squeezing his coat to keep himself steady. Lafayette wrapped an arm around Hercules’ waist to keep him upright, the touch and hand placement familiar to the two.
“We need to lay down before one of us gets injured,” Lafayette murmured with another stupid giggle, slowly and carefully making his way to the bedroom and shoving the door open. All he knew was that the bed was calling his name right about now. He practically threw the other man onto the bed before something bad happened, and he himself then flopped onto the bed. Hercules lazily moved to the other side of the bed, so that they both had enough room.
Once they were both somewhat situated, Lafayette wasted no time in shifting closer, cuddling up close to Hercules and resting his head against his chest. It was almost strange to Lafayette how natural it was to be with him. He wasn’t sure he’d ever felt this way before, and that was both exhilarating and terrifying. Luckily, for at least the moment, he was too drunk to focus on that for too long. The feel of Hercules’ body against his and the sounds of his steady breaths were more than enough to lull Lafayette to sleep.
When Lafayette awoke the next morning, he found himself in an empty bed without any idea where Hercules was. His head was pounding and he didn’t really feel like getting up due to the pain, so he just laid in bed. One of his hands covered his eyes from the sunlight, trying to make the pounding stop. Lafayette stayed like this until he heard footsteps approaching the bedroom, but he didn’t move his hand. He felt a hand nudge him, making him look up with a groan. Hercules was standing there holding a cup of water with a bottle of medication. “Hey, I got somethin’ for your headache.”
Hercules waited until Lafayette sat up before giving him the water and remedy for his hangover. He sat next to the Frenchman and watched as he took what was given, “How are you even functioning..?” Lafayette mumbled after chugging down some water. “I’ve had my fair share of shitty hangovers.” The other man answered. Lafayette set the glass and bottle on the side table before leaning against him, Hercules’ arm instinctively wrapping around Lafayette. The two sat in silence like this, enjoying one another’s presence and giving Lafayette time to wake up properly.
Only a few minutes into the silence, Hercules spoke again. “You hungry?” His voice was softer than it normally was, mainly since he didn’t want to make Lafayette’s headache any worse than it had to be. “Oui.” Lafayette murmured.
“C’mon, I think I got somethin’ I can make downstairs.” He spoke, pulling the other man up from the bed. Lafayette grimaced as the act of standing up only made his head pound with a stronger fury, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. He wasn’t one who got headaches often, but he didn’t handle it well when he did. That, and he wasn’t sure he’d ever gotten wasted that hard before. He raised a hand to his head, rubbing his temple briefly. He leaned into Hercules for support, stopping himself from swaying any more than he already was. He muttered a french curse under his breath, gathering himself enough to at least open his eyes again.
He hoped some food might help ease the nausea that came with such an intense headache and hangover. He felt Hercules’ eyes on him, worried, and he just shook his head with a slight smile. “I’m alright, mon chéri. Hopefully some food will help.” He said as he rubbed his temple one last time, dropping his hand to his side. He took Hercules’ hand in his own without much thought as they headed down the stairs, Lafayette toughing out the pounding headache that only seemed to get worse with movement.
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Lafayette wasted no time in shutting the curtains tighter while Hercules walked into the kitchen. He groaned in discomfort under his breath as he sat on a dining chair, head in his hands, elbows resting against the table as he simply watched Hercules. He missed him every time they were apart, and it got worse the more time they spent together. At least they were together here and now, for however long that would be. Lafayette really didn’t want to think ahead, so he stayed focused in the present moment, a small absent minded smile on his face. He was happy right now - minus the headache.
They’d won the war, they’d celebrated with their friends, and he’d gotten to fall asleep next to the man who had become more important than almost anyone. He’d woken up with him, and they were here, now. It felt normal in a way that was foreign to them both, especially after spending so long fighting in a revolution. It was a more than welcome change.
Hercules hummed as he prepared breakfast for them. Once he was done, he carried the two plates over to the dining table. He slid a plate over to Lafayette and put a plate down for himself, before he sat across from the other man. “Thank you,” The Frenchman murmured, still keeping his voice down to spare himself any worse pain. Hercules gave a small nod at the thanks, no words needed.
A comfortable silence came easy between them, allowing them to quietly eat their breakfast and giving Lafayette’s head time to stop pounding - at least, for the most part anyway. He’d likely have a lingering headache for the rest of the day, but that would at least be manageable.
After breakfast, the rest of the day went by peacefully and slowly. The men stayed in bed for the remainder of the day, cuddled up in each other’s warmth. They didn’t do much - they rested, quietly talked, and Lafayette had asked Hercules to read to him once, simply because the sound of his voice soothed his soul.
The sun started to set, the sky growing dark and the streets growing still and silent yet again. Lafayette had just woken up from resting - so he had some energy, and his headache had mostly gone away. He turned onto his side, looking into Hercules’ eyes, the room barely illuminated by the moonlight flitting in and a candle on the bedside table. The look in his eyes was full of a love he hadn’t even fully acknowledged yet, his hand reaching out to rest against the other man’s arm.
Hercules felt a pair of eyes on him, causing him to turn and look over at the Frenchman, offering a soft smile. It was hard to see him, but he already had the man’s face memorized. His hand moved to brush against Lafayette’s cheek, feeling the coarse hair of his beard. “Sleep okay?” He asked in the same soft tone from earlier.
Lafayette nodded, eyes fluttering slightly at the touch. “I always sleep better beside you.” He admitted without much thought, letting his fingertips trace patterns onto the skin of his arm. “At least my headache is gone now.”
“I would hope so.” Hercules quietly chuckled, pulling his hand away from Lafayette’s face and up to his curly hair. His finger twirled one of the loose curls, then gave it a playful tug. Lafayette leaned his head back slightly, raising his brow in response. Still, he leaned into the touch. Not many got the chance, but he enjoyed having his hair played with. Hercules leaned down to press a kiss to the other man’s forehead as his fingers continued twisting and twirling the loose curls.
While the men were enjoying one another’s company and easing more into the evening, they spoke about what happened during their time apart. The night was filled with soft spoken words and small affectionate gestures, which easily turned into laughs. This day was one of the best days Hercules had in awhile, mainly because Lafayette was safe in his arms for the first time in a long time. He had dreamed of having moments like this after the war had forced them to be separated for so long.
Though the energy may have been joyous and relaxing for the last few hours, Hercules could feel a shift in the mood. He noticed Lafayette was being more and more quiet and he wasn’t sure why. He’d thought they were having a good time, and he knew the other man wasn’t tired since they’d been in bed the whole day. Hercules gave Lafayette a small nudge to get his attention. “You good..?” The words were laced with concern as his hand gently rubbed the Frenchman’s arm.
The words and the touch had gotten Lafayette’s attention, pulling him from the thoughts that had caused him to go silent. He seemed slightly reluctant to meet Hercules’ gaze this time, not knowing what to say or how to say it. He’d much rather pretend he was fine, that nothing was wrong, but he knew Hercules could see right through him. Lafayette had never been one to stay quiet, so his silence and hesitancy spoke louder than words.
“I’d rather not talk about it tonight,” Lafayette spoke slowly, as if considering his words. “But I suppose this was always inevitable.” He sat up slightly, trying to steady himself for the conversation ahead of him. He knew it was going to hurt them both and shatter the sense of peace they’d so desperately needed.
A confused look painted Hercules’ face, his eyebrows furrowing in concern as he stared into Lafayette’s eyes. He was trying to get an understanding of the cryptic words, unsure what the other man was hinting at. He gently took one of Lafayette’s hands and rubbed his thumb over the man’s knuckles in an attempt to silently soothe whatever was going through Lafayette’s head. “I’m here to listen to whatever’s on your mind, just...talk to me.” He quietly spoke.
Lafayette looked down at their hands, trying to let the touch soothe his frayed nerves. It didn’t do much, but it helped keep him focused. “Well… It’s about me heading back to France.” He’d always been open about his plans to return to France after the revolution in America, hoping to help win one for his own people. He’d just never mentioned how soon. It was taking all he had not to stay here longer, but he knew it couldn’t wait. He couldn’t look at Hercules as he spoke - he didn’t want to see the emotions on his face. He was certain that would only hurt him worse.
He let out a shaking sigh, forcing the words before he couldn’t manage them. “I…I’m only staying a few more days at most. My people need me, and I have to fight for their freedom as I fought for ours.” He said the words with a conviction he wasn’t even sure he possessed right now. “I want to stay here with you. God knows I do. But I have to leave.” His voice became quiet - he couldn’t say much else.
No words came from Hercules as he just stared at Lafayette. Sure, he knew this day would come. Just not this quickly. The truth was he tried to forget, to busy himself so he could push the thought away. It was just inevitable, but he didn’t want to believe that. In his mind he just wanted to think he’d be able to hold Lafayette for as long as possible and not let go.
“Well… I wasn’t expecting that.” Hercules’ tone was laced with the sadness he wanted to hide. He just wanted to start sobbing, but he couldn’t. For Lafayette’s sake. He didn’t want to physically show Lafayette how upset he really was, either. After finally being wrapped up in the love he hadn’t realized he’d so desperately needed - it hurt even more than he’d thought it would. The very thing he’d been yearning for was suddenly being taken away from him again. He wasn’t sure he could take so much disappointment.
Lafayette drew in a breath that was more difficult than he’d anticipated. They’d already been through so much - this felt like salt in the wound. “I’m sorry,” His words were practically whispered, raising his free hand to rub over his eyes. He didn’t want to cry. But he was already emotionally, mentally, and physically drained, faced with the imminent reality of losing the one thing that made him truly happy. He’d sacrificed so much for freedom, and he would only continue to do so. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t sick of it by now. “I would stay here with you forever if I could. But I can’t.” The tremor in his voice betrayed just how hard he was trying not to cry. He didn’t want to make it all worse.
“How...how long until you come back?” Hercules asked with a noticeable crack in his voice. He was fighting like hell not to cry, even though he felt like he needed to. His gaze shifted down to look at their hands, realizing it probably would be one of the last times he’d be able to hold him. This made his grip tighten, almost as if it would keep Lafayette there in that moment longer. He took a deep, shaking breath to help him calm down before he unwillingly began crying. He was trying to be strong for the other man, but it was difficult.
Lafayette tried to swallow the lump forming in his throat, the question itself stabbing his heart - let alone the tone, the way Hercules seemed to hold him just a bit tighter. “I don’t know.” He knew the bitter truth was that he may never even come back. Revolution and war were dangerous - it was a miracle they’d survived. Now, Lafayette was throwing himself into the middle of another battle, another cause he was willing to die for. “Until my people are free. Revolution isn’t predictable. This war took us 5 years - this could take even longer.”
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense..” Hercules agreed, whether he wanted to or not. It was true that Lafayette had to leave, but he didn’t want him to. That much was obvious. It was a silent, unspoken truth between them - neither of them wanted this. The way they held each other's hands was evidence of that. No matter how much he wanted to push away the truth, he couldn’t any longer. Lafayette needed to help his own people after helping America with their revolution, and he couldn’t ask him to stay. “I just...don’t want to lose you. Y’know?”
Lafayette nodded, his eyes glossing over with unshed tears. “I will fight with everything I have to win this war and make it back to you. I swear it.” He felt his throat tighten, his accent thickening as the emotions overwhelmed him. Knowing he couldn’t speak another word, he leaned in and kissed him, his free hand resting against the back of Hercules’ neck. He shut his eyes, feeling the tears finally slip down his face. This was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do.
Hercules leaned his forehead against Lafayette’s, exhaling a breath through his nose. “Okay, let’s just… try to relax. We still have some time before you leave, yeah?” He spoke, attempting to calm the both of them down a bit. Their hands were still clasped tightly together, neither man wanted to let go. Not yet.
Despite how much they tried not to cry for each other's sake, tears were inevitably shed. The prospect of losing each other compelled them to hold on tight and not let go. This led into the late hours of the night, with Hercules playing with Lafayette’s hair, gently massaging his scalp and playing with coils of hair. Lafayette was dozing off, his head resting on the larger man's chest. Hercules tried not to think about Lafayette leaving, doing his best to stay in the present moment, focusing on Lafayette here and now.
It didn’t take long before the Frenchman fell asleep, filling the room with soft snores. Hercules admired the man on his chest in the moonlight, taking in as many details as he could, even in the dim lighting. He was completely enamored by this man and everything he did, from sleeping to jumping off of tables - He was in love. ’Wait’, he thought suddenly, the notion startling him. He’d had feelings for other people, sure, but the depth of his feelings now were an intensity he’d never experienced before.
Falling in love was never on his bucket list. Maybe fooling around with someone he liked, sure; but love? This was new, something he wasn’t ready to let go of yet. It was far too soon. He had just realized he was in love with Lafayette, the very thought making him feel warm, his heart pounding out of his chest. He thought deeply about it, trying to retrace his steps and figure out when exactly this could’ve happened. After an hour of thinking, he realized it was far too much to think about at once, so he decided to get some sleep and enjoy just having Lafayette in his arms.
Over the span of the next few days, the two were very close. They spent practically every moment together, vowing to waste none of their precious time together. Hercules would play with and braid Lafayette’s hair, Lafayette would try to teach Hercules French phrases, Hercules would sketch Lafayette, they would cook with each other, take walks - any activity they could think of, they did. Essentially crossing off an invisible bucket list of things that they’d never gotten to do before Lafayette had to leave.
At night, Hercules would sneak out of bed to go to his sewing room. He had decided to make something for Lafayette before he left, so that he had something to remember him by. He just had to make it secretly to not ruin the surprise, which meant losing sleep. He knew the Frenchman could be nosy, so If Lafayette had known Hercules was making something for him, he’d no doubt find him in his sewing room.
The days went by much quicker than either of them would’ve liked. On the final day, Lafayette woke up with a looming sense of dread that he was determined to push away as much as possible. He knew they didn’t have long left - he’d be leaving sometime in the afternoon. This was the last time he’d see the man he loved for god knows how long. He was too nervous to say those 3 words, but they were running out of time.
Like always, Hercules was awake before Lafayette. He was fully dressed and ready for the day. He’d made sure to get up a few hours early so that he could have a warm breakfast waiting for Lafayette, and so he could finish the gift that he’d made for him.
Lafayette woke up alone, groaning tiredly as he sat up and glanced around the bedroom. Upon seeing Hercules was nowhere to be found, he stood up and pulled his shirt on, walking out of their bedroom and into the hallway. “Herc?” he called curiously.
“I’m in the kitchen,” Lafayette heard Hercules reply, and he made his way downstairs, smelling the food as he neared the kitchen. He smiled tiredly once he saw Hercules, running a hand through his messy hair before pulling it up into a messy bun.
“Made you breakfast,” Hercules said, setting a plate down on the table. Lafayette had a somewhat predictable sleep schedule, so he knew he’d be waking up around this time and had already prepared his plate.
“Thanks,” Lafayette replied, his voice still rough with sleep as he sat down across the table from Hercules. Lafayette was already visibly anxious, tapping his fingers against the table and looking down at the plate. He wanted to eat, but his stomach was already turning on him.
Hercules frowned as he got his own plate and sat down. He was trying to be as positive and supportive as he could, trying to make things easier for Lafayette, even if he was trying not to fall apart himself.
These were their last couple hours with each other until god knows when. Lafayette wanted to make the best of it, but the looming sense of dread was proving impossible to ignore. “Is there anything I can do?” Hercules asked.
Lafayette shook his head, making himself eat something. He knew he was going to need it, and he knew Hercules had put effort into making a good meal for him. He silently picked away at his food, unsure what to say. He wasn’t sure there was anything to say at this point. Nothing could make this better.
“You don’t have to eat that.” Hercules mentioned when he noticed Lafayette picking at his food. He wasn't sure how to comfort Lafayette, especially since he wasn’t feeling great either. He just wanted to put a smile on and try to be enthusiastic for both himself and the Frenchman, but it was harder than he thought.
Lafayette looked up finally when Hercules spoke, shaking his head slightly. “I know. I just need to eat something,” He paused for a moment before continuing, “And I appreciate that you made this for me. I’d feel bad if I didn’t eat at least a little.” Still, he spent more time messing with his food than he did eating it. He knew they couldn’t stay here forever, but he also knew this was the last meal they’d be able to eat together, at least for some time, and he wasn’t in a rush to cut the moment short.
Hercules sighed before standing up from his seat. “Sor-...” Lafayette went to apologize, when Hercules suddenly grabbed his and Lafayette’s plate, setting them in the sink. Breakfast was not how he wanted it to go. That was fine, he told himself. He knew they had enough time to do something else - He just wasn’t sure what. It was then he heard a complaint from behind him that snapped him from his thoughts.
“...C’est quoi ce bordel?” Lafayette questioned, still holding his fork after Hercules had just grabbed his plate and walked off without saying anything. “Are YOU okay?” He asked after a moment, eying Hercules from where he sat.
“Huh?” Hercules questioned, still a little spaced out. He had heard Lafayette say a lot in French, never that phrase surprisingly. He turned to face the other man again, his face making it blatantly obvious he had no idea what was said in the foreign language.
Lafayette processed for a moment, not even realizing what he’d said. “Oh, uh, I said ‘What the fuck’, basically,” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.” He stood up after a moment, walking towards Hercules to put his fork in the sink alongside the plates.
“Ah, shit. Sorry. I didn’t think you’d finish your food.” Hercules explained as he leaned back against the kitchen counter. His eyes looked over Lafayette, trying to read him. He made no attempt to hide his staring - he had no reason to be embarrassed. He’d seen Lafayette through a lot, so he wasn’t shy. It’s not like he cared if he was caught staring or not.
“It’s fine,” Lafayette said, meeting his gaze curiously, seeing the way Hercules was looking at him. He tilted his head slightly, stepping in front of him. He leaned in, looping his arms around Hercules’ neck and looking into his eyes once more. “Are you okay?” He asked again, leaving no room for Hercules to dodge the question any further. “And don’t lie to me. I know when you’re lying.” He knew the other man was trying to put up a brave front for him - but they were both struggling. All they could do was get through today, and the years that would follow.
Instinctively, one of Hercules’ hands gently held Lafayette’s hip. He eased into the closeness with the other man - a comfortable moment of silence when the two were against one another. “Yeah, I'm good. Just disappointed, I guess.” He murmured as he leaned his head forward, his lips close enough for his breath to hit the Frenchman’s ear. His thumb slowly rubbed the other’s clothed hip for silent comfort. “I can’t hide anything from you, can I?” A humorous whisper came from his lips.
“I know,” Lafayette sighed. Disappointment was definitely an understatement for what they were both feeling, but it was something. Neither of them seemed to want to verbally acknowledge the depth of their devastation - and that was fine. They wanted to make the most of the time they had left, trying to remain as positive as they possibly could. “And no, you can’t. I can see right through you.” The closer they got to Lafayette leaving, the more it all hurt. They were perfect together, closer than either of them had ever imagined - yet they’d been separated more often than not. Lafayette was sure that if he believed in true soulmates - he’d found it in Hercules. And he didn’t know if he’d ever be able to see him again. Regardless, a part of his heart would always stay with the other man, no matter how long it had been or how far away they were. He leaned back, placing a soft kiss against Hercules’ lips, trying to push away the inner turmoil.
The kiss lingered between the two, like a quiet and undeniable magnetic pull that connected them. Hercules’ free hand joined his other one resting on Lafayette’s hips, pulling the other man as close as possible. His grip tightened, not wanting to let go yet. He deepened the kiss, a passionate and loving act of affection, full of the desperation to keep one another close.
It was at least a minute before Hercules pulled away and looked over Lafayette’s face, taking in the flustered features of his face. The way he looked right now was something he wanted to commit to memory. Lafayette's lips were parted, his cheeks flushed red, and it gave Hercules butterflies. It made him feel rather proud of himself, seeing the effect he had on the other man. He tried to push that away for now, though. At least he was getting momentarily distracted from the dread plaguing them both.
Lafayette’s pulse quickened, his breath catching in his throat, his face heating up from the intensity of the action alone. His breath was a shaky exhale when their lips parted, seeing the satisfied look on Hercules’ face. It only caused him to become more flustered, the blush spreading. He kept their bodies pressed close together, even as he attempted to even out his breaths. “Zut,” he muttered the french curse under his breath. He was taking in every detail of Hercules’ face, as if trying to commit it to memory as best as he possibly could. Only a few short hours remained before he had to leave, to catch the boat that would ultimately take him back to France.
“We should probably find something to do before my hands get busy.” Hercules murmured, his face still close to Lafayette’s. His hands fell to his side after the perverted admission, knowing it would be for the better. He tried to think of other things to do, and of a good place to give the Frenchman his gift.
Lafayette pouted slightly as Hercules’ let go of him, even as he tried to calm down his quickened heart. The other man's words weren’t helping, but Lafayette wasn’t about to complain about it. “I suppose,” He reluctantly pulled his body away, standing up straighter and removing his hands from Hercules. Instead, he took Hercules’ hand - wanting to touch and be close to him as long as he could. “Did you have anything in mind, or..?”
Thankfully, Lafayette had no belongings, so there wasn’t anything for him to do but spend the time with Hercules until he had to go. He had enough time to do something - anything really. It didn’t matter much to him what they did as long as they were together.
Hercules thought for a moment as he swung their joined hands back and forth. “What about going for a walk? There’s a nice park nearby that I go to sometimes.” He suggested, not having any better ideas. Plus it would be a relaxing way for them to spend their last hours.
Lafayette smiled. “That sounds wonderful.” He was reluctant, but he pulled his hand away from Hercules. “Let me go grab my coat and throw on my boots.” He had just rolled out of bed like this, so he needed to quickly get himself put together before leaving the house.
“Okay, that’s cool… Wait! Before we go, I have something to give you.” Hercules said with a smile. He excitedly had Lafayette wait in the kitchen while he practically ran to his tailoring room, stumbling on the way. A slam echoed through the house as he accidentally pushed the door a little too hard in his excitement. He looked over the gift he’d made - a detailed frock coat - quickly, to make sure it looked good and didn’t have any noticeable mistakes. He wanted it to be perfect, because Lafayette only deserved the best. God, he loved that man… He dusted off the coat before grabbing the clothing and leaving the room, reuniting with the Frenchman in the kitchen as he proudly held up the coat.
“I made this for you…y’know, so you have something to remember me by.” He smiled widely, still presenting the deep blue coat. “I could tell you the stuff I added, like the extra pockets on the inside just in case you need to hide something. Or these little details I knew you’d probably like...” He added, his smile a little smug. He knew how the other man tried to dress nicely with the little clothing he had, and he knew Lafayette would love it. He was definitely proud of himself.
Lafayette had just stood there in the kitchen, still processing the way Hercules practically stumbled up the stairs. He had no possible idea what the other man could have for him, especially since they hadn’t really been apart. At least that he knew of. Even though he wanted to follow him, he impatiently waited for Hercules to come back downstairs.
Lafayette looked up as Hercules came back into the kitchen, holding the coat he’d spent days making. He was processing for a solid few seconds as the other man proudly presented the intricately detailed coat. “How… When…” He was at a loss for words. He stepped closer to him, taking the coat into his own hands, feeling the dark blue fabric and the gold details stitched and embroidered into it. “It’s beautiful,” Lafayette said after a moment, looking up at Hercules’ face. “I love it. Thank you. This means more than you know.”
He shrugged on the coat, fixing his shirt and smoothing out everything else. This coat was probably the most thoughtful gift someone had ever made him, and he intended to cherish it. It fit perfectly - it was more than Lafayette could’ve ever asked for. It looked perfect on him - exactly as Hercules had designed it. He smiled, placing a quick kiss to the other man's lips before stepping away. “I’ll be right back,” He headed up the stairs, pulling his boots on and fixing his hair as best as he could.
He didn’t make Hercules wait long, skipping a few steps on the way down. Every moment was precious after all. He hugged Hercules from behind, a smile still on his face. His earlier dread was momentarily forgotten, at least. “I’m ready whenever you are.”
“What’re you doing back there, Mister?” Hercules chuckled. Throbbing cock
“Mmm, nothing…” Lafayette replied, voice quiet. “We should go, before I can’t keep my hands to myself.” He laughed quietly as he pulled away, taking Hercules’ hand once more.
“Yeahhh, I'd rather not spend our remaining hours in bed. C’mon, let’s go.” Hercules smiled, pulling Lafayette around from behind him.
Lafayette held Hercules’ hand, walking out of the front door. The air was crisp - it was around the middle of October, the fallen leaves were red and orange as they littered the streets. Lafayette liked the cooler weather, the middle ground between too warm and too cold. “Lead the way, mon cheri.”
Hercules pulled Lafayette down the street, not taking long to find the surprisingly beautiful park. The autumn leaves were sprawled all over the grass, the park’s path could just be seen beneath them. The two walked through a grand gate to get into the mostly empty park, only a few people were there. He leaned in closer to the other man and quietly asked, “This is it, what do you think?”
Lafayette took a look around the park, taking in the rather peaceful, quiet atmosphere. It was a nice spot to spend their time together. “It’s nice,” He replied after a moment. He glanced down at their hands, still intertwined. It was good nobody was around - he didn’t want to let go, and society was far too judgemental for them to be holding hands publicly.
Even though it wasn’t summertime, even though the flowers weren’t in bloom, it was still a beautiful spot. This weather was much needed - especially after the rough summer they’d just gone through. He squeezed Hercules’ hand a bit tighter and began following the path through the park in relative silence.
The two had walked for a few minutes, their joined hands swinging. The autumn smell in the air added to the peaceful silence between them - until Hercules spoke up. “Hey, I hope this doesn’t sound weird, but I love you.” He bluntly confessed, not realizing what he just said.
Lafayette stopped in his tracks, wondering if he’d heard him correctly. Hercules didn’t seem bothered by what he’d said, which made Lafayette wonder if he’d heard him correctly or not. “What?” He wanted to be sure he’d heard him right before reacting. He knew his English wasn’t that bad, but he was seriously questioning it right now. He turned to look at Hercules, his own expression showing how caught off guard he was by the sudden emotion. “Did you just…” Lafayette trailed off, not sure he could repeat it yet.
“What?” Hercules asked, clearly oblivious as to why Lafayette was perplexed by his words. He was pulled back when the other man abruptly stopped walking, their hands still joined. His head turned to look at the lost look on Lafayette’s face, brows furrowing slightly. He had to admit, the other man looked cute like this. He was still concerned, unsure why the Frenchman was so caught off guard.
Lafayette just looked at him with an almost unreadable expression. Did he really not understand what he just said? His eyes scanned Hercules’ face for any indication of recognition. “You just - you said you loved me?” He questioned, voice growing quiet. His hand pulled away, whether he was fully conscious of that decision or not.
“Yeah…Wait, I said that?” Hercules had a moment of realization, not even noticing that he said those three words. He wasn’t exactly prepared to say that out loud. His heart started pounding, worried what was going through Lafayette’s mind. They had never said ‘I love you’, too scared to say those three words. Of course, he’d thought it. And no, he didn’t want to say it yet. He was subconsciously cursing at himself for being a stupid blabbermouth.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that. I do love you, trust me. I just wasn’t ready to say that so soon. I didn’t mean to make this awkward, I was just talking out of my ass.” He quickly spoke in hopes of making the situation better, in case he had just ruined the moment. This was their last few hours together, and the last thing he wanted was to make things weird between them.
“I don’t know what to say.” There were a million things running through Lafayette’s head all at once, yet he couldn’t really make himself say any of them. He knew he felt the same, that those 3 words had crossed his mind more than a few times, but saying them, especially now, felt wrong - or maybe just too foreign to him.
He hesitated over his words, meeting Hercules’ gaze, seeing the worry and anxiety painting his features. Lafayette knew he loved him, and he knew this may be the last chance he had to tell him. He refused to leave this park without telling Hercules the truth, without making sure the other man knew he loved him just as much.
He took a deep breath, reaching out to take Hercules’ hand again. He did what felt the most comfortable to him, even while his stomach was fluttering and his mind was still reeling. “Je t'aime.” He spoke, pausing for only a moment. “It means ‘I love you’.” He said, his voice quieter than intended. “I was too scared to tell you. I knew it would hurt worse when I left,” He fought off the tears that threatened to well up in his eyes.
“Marquis De Lafayette, you know damn well it would’ve hurt the same.” Hercules murmured and he embraced Lafayette, one of his hands gently pushing the other man’s head into his shoulder. “I love you - I love you more than I thought I did. I needed you to hear me and I needed to hear you. I love you. Damn, that feels so good to finally say.” He spoke with a bittersweet chuckle. He’d imagined this moment for so long, just not a short amount of time before he’d be losing him. A weight had been lifted from his chest, at least, like a deep secret he no longer had to hide.
“If there were such things as soulmates, I know you’d be mine,” Lafayette whispered, the words feeling foreign on his tongue, yet a weight off his own mind. “You may be the reason I believe in soulmates at all. You are my other half. I will be leaving a part of my heart with you, always.” His voice broke off at the end of his sentence, sighing shakily.
“Soulmates, huh?” Hercules whispered in return. “You are mine, and I am yours.” He answered, offering a small smile, full of love and that lingering pain of their time slipping away. His hand cupped Lafayette’s jaw for a moment, thumb swiping gently over his cheek.
“God…I wish you weren’t leaving so soon, not after this.” Hercules admitted, his eyes filling with tears at Lafayette’s words. He wished he had more time to allow his feelings to be heard, to say all the other things weighing on his chest. Now that the L-word had finally been dropped, he no longer felt the need to conceal the depth of his feelings, able to fully voice everything on his mind. His lips pressed against the man’s forehead in a quiet attempt to comfort him.
Lafayette had easily let himself be pulled into Hercules’ arms, letting out a shuddering breath. He was feeling so many things at once, it felt impossible to express any of them. “Mon amour,” he replied, shutting his eyes for a moment. “Je t’aime.” He repeated, knowing Hercules was right. Nothing could make this hurt less - and he didn’t want to have any regrets when they parted. Saying it out loud was a hurdle - but it was necessary. They both would have deeply regretted never saying it. “I wish I could stay. But if I stay any longer I fear I’d never leave.”
He pulled away slightly, just enough to meet Hercules’ gaze. “I wish we could’ve had more time together. But I swear to you, once the war is over, I will come back. I just hope that day comes sooner rather than later.” He wasn’t exactly sure what time it was - but they’d need to head to the harbor sooner rather than later. He didn’t want to leave anything else unsaid, so he was grateful he’d been able to tell him how deeply he felt.
“We… should head to the harbor so we can make it in time.” Hercules spoke reluctantly as his thumbs carefully wiped the tears from Lafayette’s cheeks, his eyes observing the other man’s face. Taking in as much detail as he could, one more time. He wanted time to freeze in this exact moment, so they didn’t have to part ways. He didn’t want to say goodbye.
After a minute or two of just standing there and holding one another, Hercules made the tough decision to start the walk to the harbor. His feet felt heavier the closer they got to their last destination together, and soon enough the harbor was in sight. He wanted to turn and walk the other way more than anything, but he knew that couldn’t be done.
As they approached their dreaded destination, Lafayette pulled Hercules aside, away from the people on the harbor. He knew they couldn’t be seen - this was the last time he could kiss him. Without much hesitation, he pulled Hercules into an almost desperate kiss. He was reluctant to let go, holding onto him as long as possible. The time had passed far too quickly - being here hardly felt real.
He pulled away once he had to, his breath shaking as he did his best to stay calm for them both. He couldn’t stop himself from crying, though - that was inevitable. “I don’t know when I’ll get to see you again. But I will write as much as I can. I don’t expect you to wait for me. But I don’t think I could ever love anyone more than I love you.” The words hurt, but he needed to say them. What if these were the last words he ever got to speak to him? He didn’t even know if he’d make it through the war.
“I love you, you don’t ever have to question that. I will wait for you, as long as it takes. My heart beats for you.” Hercules confidently spoke, tears of his own brimming his eyes as he pressed Lafayette’s hand to his own chest, over his heart. This felt like a damn fever dream to him, he didn’t want it to be real. The man that he loved was about to leave and he wasn’t even sure if he’d ever see him again. From one war to another, the world was too cruel. All he wanted was Lafayette, that’s all he needed.
“I even have something you can remember me by.” He forced a bittersweet smile as he peeled open Lafayette’s gifted coat to reveal his name embroidered into the fabric on the inside. ‘Hercules Mulligan’ the name read in gold stitch. It was there so that Lafayette had a piece of him, something tangible to remember him by. That’s all he wanted if he couldn’t have the person he needed, just to be remembered by the man he loved more than life itself.
Lafayette glanced down, spotting the name detailed into his coat. “I could never forget you,” Lafayette replied, his own bitter smile on his face as he wiped his tears. He kept his hand over Hercules’ chest for a long moment, the sentiment making his own heart ache. “I left my other coat at your place. I trust you’ll take care of it while I’m gone?” His tone was almost teasing, even though he didn’t quite feel it. “I will see you again,” Lafayette promised, but the words ‘in this life or the next’ were left unsaid. He forced himself to look away, towards the harbor around the corner. Time was up.
“Shit. I’m not ready for you to leave. I don’t think I ever was.” Hercules admitted through broken words. The boat was in the harbor, people had begun boarding. This was their last moment together. He wasn’t ready for that much separation, it was far too soon for him. “I need you..”
Lafayette was already hurting, but those last words shattered his already fragile heart. He took both of Hercules’ hands into his own, his heart racing with dread and adrenaline. They didn’t have time. It was slipping away much faster than Lafayette could handle. “I’m so sorry, Mon amour. I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t have to,” The words felt hollow right now, a guilt settling heavy on his chest. He knew he could stay. He’d considered it too many times. But he’d made a promise to himself and his people a long time ago - one he felt he had to see through. “Please, forgive me. I hate that I’m doing this to you. To us.” His breaths were more rapid than he would’ve liked, but he had to hold it together, just for a few more minutes.
He looked back towards the harbor. He had to go. It physically hurt him to pull his hands away and take a step back from Hercules, but he knew he had to. “I have to go.” He swallowed hard, barely containing a sob that had threatened to escape. He didn’t want to say these last words, but it was time. “Goodbye, Hercules. I love you. I will write to you as soon as I can,” He forced himself to take another step back, despite how impossibly heavy his body felt. “Je t’aime.” His voice was barely above a whisper. He knew the second he turned away he’d fall apart, whether he wanted to or not. His eyes locked with Hercules’ one last time, both of their eyes filled with tears.
“I love you too, so damn much. Go kick some ass and come home to me, okay?” Hercules spoke, his heart heavy. He knew Lafayette had to leave now, that he couldn’t hold on any longer. The moment he didn’t want to come, watching the love of his life walk away. It was so much harder than he’d even imagined it could be. His hands wanted to reach out and grab Lafayette, to hold him and not let go, but he couldn’t. He just wanted to hold him one last time, but he knew It would be too hard and he wouldn’t be able to let go. Lafayette could only nod in response. “I promise.”
Now was the worst part, watching Lafayette board that ship. With one last “Goodbye.” and “I love you.” The Frenchman turned and forced himself to walk towards the boat. Hercules couldn’t do anything except watch. His fists were clenched tightly and he was subconsciously holding his breath, the sight was almost too much to bear. Before he knew it, the boat was leaving. He could just barely see Lafayette mixed in with all the other passengers. That was the last sight of the man as the boat eventually was too small to see in the distance. He was left heartbroken standing on the harbour, still processing the separation. He didn’t want to believe that Lafayette was gone, but the truth was staring him in the face.
Lafayette had stood, unmoving, watching until he couldn’t see Hercules anymore. Tears were streaming down his face, he tried not to sob, trying not to draw attention to his distress. He knew he had to do this, that this was what he needed to do, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. He had never felt so empty, so lost. He’d known it would hurt, but not nearly as much as it did.
They were officially apart. Neither of them knew what would happen next, or when they would see each other again. All they had was hope, and a love stronger than either of them had bargained for. Lafayette was only more determined to win this war, to fight in this revolution - so that he could once again find himself in Hercules’ arms.