Tango

I'm here, Alex. I'm here...

Little by little, day by day. Hamilton and Jefferson returned to their routine. They slowly got back to their usual rhythm. Snuggling in the morning. Making breakfast for the three of them together in the kitchen. Living their everyday anew, trying to do their best to raise their little Princess. With time, they stopped talking about November fourth. Mostly because Thomas knew Alex would teeter around the subject, deep down, knowing neither of them had truly processed it. Especially not Alexander...

After all of the physical symptoms had gone away, it was like it never happened. As the weeks went on, Hamilton behaved more and more like himself... like his old self. Thomas found himself thinking Alex's behaviour reminded him of the months the other spent hiding his true nature from him. It was weird, watching Hamilton behave like all the progress and self-reflection he had done in the last three years had suddenly vanished. That shell he had created long ago had once again taken root somewhere in his mind. When they were together with Grace, Alex acted relatively normal. But when they were alone, Thomas could feel the difference. They were intimate, but it wasn't right anymore. Any time Jefferson's hands got anywhere close to Hamilton's lower belly, Alex would shut down or redirect the attention elsewhere. Never truly acknowledging what either of them went through or how they felt.

Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day — all went by without a hitch. Without a single argument. Alex had become a robot working on muscle memory. After about six months of it, Thomas had really grown tired of the at times emotionless nature the other had taken on.

The day was warm for April, and the sun was shining after a small bit of rain that morning. Jefferson had just brought Hamilton some documents and sat on the edge of Alexander's desk. He watched as Alexander barely acknowledged him and kept his nose buried in his papers. His mind drifted back to this morning, when the two of them shared some rather heated kisses. Which were unceremoniously interrupted by their daughter walking into their bedroom. It was the first time in a long time that Thomas had felt such desire coming from Alex. The thought followed him all day. He couldn't help reliving it as he sat there, watching Alexander in silence.

"Was there anything else, Thomas?" Hamilton finally lifted his gaze to see Jefferson staring. "Everything alright?"

"Oh... nothing." He lingered. "I was just thinking how good this morning was." He smiled slyly.

Alexander reciprocated the thought.

"Yeah, it's such a shame we were interrupted." He mimicked Thomas' tone.

"You know... I locked the door on my way in." He put his hand down, right in the middle of Alex's paperwork.

"Did you, now?"

"Uh-huh..."

Thomas could feel Alex's eyes on him; the energy in the room, growing.

"Sounds like no one could interrupt us then..." Hamilton stood up, now at eye level with Thomas.

"Seems like it to me." Jefferson smiled, but didn't dare make the first move.

Alexander held the back of Thomas' neck and kissed him, gently. Letting his mind go to the same place it was that morning. Tranquil and wanting. If he were to be honest with himself, he didn't even know what brought it on. All he knew was that Thomas was the missing piece - and he didn't mind getting back to it. He let himself drift with Thomas, the two making one. His kisses, tender and warm. He missed this, and so did Thomas. Both of them, perfectly attuned to each other's needs.

Jefferson let his hands settle on Hamilton's hips. I love you, easily falling from his lips - I love you too, quietly murmured back, close to his ear. Thomas let his hands wander up and smoothly pull Alex's dress shirt out of his dark navy slacks - his hands slowly rising up to rest on his back. Alexander leaned back into his hold with his eyes closed. A silent show of trust, something Thomas had worked so hard to earn all these years ago. It made him smile as he leaned down to join Alex with another gentle kiss that slowly traveled down the soft arch of his throat. He firmly held Alex's back with one hand and as his kisses crept down, his other hand wandered under Alexander's shirt, tracing the familiar maps they had drawn in their minds for almost three and a half years now - every secret curve, valley, and river memorized.