Tango

I've missed you...

After what had happened, Thomas had to think it through. Even though they hadn't seen each other in over a month, the Virginian hid away for another three days. He didn't talk to anyone, didn't go to work - just stayed at home, processing all that Alex had told him. He didn't even care Hamilton was a hermaphrodite. That didn't matter. The man was so much more. It was the secrets that he couldn't get over. How could someone do that? How could he have gone all this time and not said anything? Why did Alex feel like he couldn't trust him? A miracle happened, they're going to have a child, and he wanted to get rid of it? As much as the idea hurt him, Thomas was a fair man. He put himself in the younger man's shoes and wondered what he would have done. He recalled how scared the other was just at the mere sight of him and how much it hurt. The frightened animal Alex had become, purely because he didn't want to ruin the image Thomas had of him. And what did Jefferson do when he found out? He let it rip, he let off, yelling at him, knowing full well, Alex was terrified just standing in front of him. He hadn't changed. Alex had every right to be scared. All of those loving moments they shared together and Thomas thought he was being a sweetheart. Didn't fool the Caribbean man. He knew this whole time that when something major between them would happen. Thomas would revert back to his old egocentric ways.

If he had truly changed. Truly been different from when they used to fight, he wouldn't have exploded with rage. He would've stopped to think and realize this wasn't as simple as Thomas thought it was. It never is. A lot was going to change. The way they saw each other was going to change. Their relationship was going to change. No more doe eyes. No more smoke curtains. They had seen each other raw. They had flaws, and they were beautiful. Thomas forgave Alexander not because it was the right thing to do but because he came to realize he was at fault too. It takes two to tango. Never were these words any truer than right now. After that fateful night in November, they had thought they had it all figured out. They thought it would be easy; the choreography was all laid out. But things don't always go as planned. This was Alexander Hamilton we're talking about; What did Jefferson think when they agreed to do this? It was only now that they were getting a hang of the dance they had set out to learn. All Thomas needed now was his partner.

From that moment on, the Virginian tried his best to change. He would gain his lover's trust even if it meant his pride would be damaged. No more moping around; they had to be strong. They had to be each other's supports. The time ahead of them would be a challenge they had never thought they'd have to face. Thomas was elated at the idea of having his own offspring. He thought it would've been too late. He was old, nearing his forties. He didn't even think he'd meet someone now, much less have a child. As a means to spend more time with Alexander, Thomas picked up Lafayette's duties. He began to bring the younger man his necessary groceries, always leaving something extra in the bag for his lover to find later. Be it chocolates, flowers, or even just some words from the heart on a spare piece of paper he found lying around. As the days passed and they would see each other more often - Thomas noticed Alexander's face change from uncertainty to fondness and then full-on joy at the sight of him in the door. Alex was happy to see him, and it made his heart swell. They hadn't been affectionate with each other yet, as Thomas never spent more than five minutes at the apartment but, one day, Alex asked him to stay longer. That ask became increasingly more common as more days passed, and the pair would find themselves lying together on the sofa like the old days. But Jefferson would always leave before the clock struck eight. He didn't want to rush things. At least not like they had before. He gave them time, and before he knew it, almost three weeks had passed of them just hanging out like friends.

                                                                     ***

It was mid-march, the weather was finally getting warmer, and Thomas wanted them to go for a walk. He arrived with a bag of groceries up to the door, and before he managed to knock, it opened wide for him. He entered, pleasantly surprised. A beaming smile was already plastered on the shorter man's face.