The Head Tie - Hamilton

Rejoice - Chapter Two

"We hereby pronounce Marquis de Lafayette and Hercules Mulligan...innocent. No solid accounts of gross indecency are founded. Thank you, your honor."

"Very well. Innocent! Free these men. Court adjourned." The judge ordered. The court erupted into noise, and Hamilton was told both of their friends would have to be collected separately, so him and Laurens collected Mulligan, and told Burr to meet them at Hamilton's house with Lafayette.

When they were in the safety of the house, the two ran into each others arms. Lafayette started sobbing, and Hercules seemed to barely believe he'd made it. "We're alive." He kept repeating as he stroked Lafayette's back comfortingly, as if he had no idea how it could be true. Laurens and Hamilton had cheered themselves out already, just watching with fond smiles.

"Thanks, Burr." Hamilton said, shaking his hand again. Aaron simply nodded, and then sighed. "Tell your friends to be more careful, Alexander."

As he walked to the door, he said one last thing with his hand on the doorknob. "I can defend you once, but if you don't cool it, you'll get the entire community caught." With that, he left, closing the door with so much force it was inches from slamming.

"Maybe that head tie really is lucky." Laurens laughed as they sat down at the table. Hercules grinned. "Why, John, you thought I was lying? I'm offended!" He said jokingly, causing the others at the table to bark a laugh. The curtains were drawn, and Hamilton made sure the two were sat at the end so that they could cuddle up without being seen.

Lafayette sighed as he rested his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. John was leaning on his elbow, making jokes about something or the other, Hercules was giggling into Lafayette's hair, and Hamilton had his head thrown back in the cackle that Laurens had grown to adore.

After the laughter died down, Alexander sighed. "Man, I wish moments like these never ended."

The other men all mumbled in agreement, obviously exhausted from the long day that they'd had. "Alright, no matter what I wish, y'all need to go home. We got stuff to prepare for." They all simply nodded in agreement, before dispersing and leaving Hamilton alone in his kitchen.

He sighed to himself.

"Talk less, smile more..." He said out loud to the empty room.
______________________________________________________________

"Go." Washington commanded, and Lafayette pulled the head tie tighter around his ponytail. It was usual for him now. Hercules had basically given him it for the duration of the war, and so far all it had done was boost his confidence. He was also used to something else.

Do or die.

He threw himself into the battle, fighting for himself, for France, for his friends, and most importantly, for Hercules Mulligan.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"So this is it."

"So this is it." Laurens laughed back.

"So this is it." Hercules sighed.

"It's over." Lafayette said simply, breaking the chain in complete shock. The other three let out a laugh. "This is the last drink we're ever gonna have together." He said sadly. They all paused and looked at each other.

"...We knew that from the beginning, Laf. We've got our separate fights to fight now." Laurens said simply. "But let's make the moment last, right?" The other three nodded in agreement. Hercules smiled at his boyfriend, and they had the night of their lives.

Maybe because they were experiencing it like it was the last night of it.

At the end of the night, Lafayette was dangerously aware he was due to sail back to France in the morning. As they parted ways, Hercules pulled him into a corner, knowing for a fact they were both smashed enough to do pretty much anything.

Their last kiss was something new entirely.

They'd done a lot of stuff before, sure, but this was different.

Desperate, slow, and...

And final.

Oh God, it was so final.

Lafayette tried to memorise this feeling, the feeling of his hair being pulled down and tangled up in the fingers of Hercules, as his fingers clung to the other's back like he'd disappear any second. The feeling of soft lips against his, and the feeling of throwing everything they had for each other in one kiss because they didn't know what would come of them next. The feeling of the strongest form of love Lafayette had ever felt in his life, the strongest passion, and most importantly, the strongest sadness and reluctance to leave.

When they broke apart after minutes, although it still felt too short, Lafayette let out a small pant. "I'll come back for you. I promise." He whispered as their foreheads pressed together. Hercules smiled. "I know you will." He pulled back suddenly, and Laf protested at the sudden lack of warmth.

He'd barely gotten the tie back, but he was already taking it back off.  "But it's yours!" Lafayette giggled, trying to pull away from his boyfriend as he tied the head tie around his ponytail. Hercules stood back to admire his work, and Lafayette hated to admit it felt familiar and safe to have the ends of it hanging down his back.

"It'll keep you safe for me." Hercules grinned. He placed one short, sweet kiss to Lafayette's lips. "Write to me when it's over." He said simply, before disappearing into the night, leaving a stupidly smiling Frenchman stood staring at nothing in his wake.

"I will."

There was a certain calmness about sailing off before the sun rises. No sounds but birds slowly coming back to consciousness and the sound of the sea captain shouting off orders. Lafayette hated it. It was too quiet; Too distant from the hustle-bustle he was used to, that he desperately wanted to keep forever.

But he knew he couldn't. He had to go back to France. He was married after all. He knew for a fact his wife wasn't interested though. She was interested in women, and he was interested in men, so their marriage was more of an agreement to hide both of their true orientations.

He had to go back to France and get freedom for his people now he's seen what the Americans have gained from it.

Still, the silence was overwhelming. His cabin was too fancy. He felt too...

Too...respected on this damn ship.

It was like everything around him was either reminding him of Hercules or mocking him.

When he got into his house, he knew it didn't feel like home. Adrienne welcomed him with affection for the public eye, and inside, sat him down with a hot milk. "So, the revolution in America?" She asked. He couldn't wait to talk about it, and she giggled as his eyes shined.

"Oh, it was wonderful! I mean, for the most part. I made friends. Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens...and then there was him." He sighed like a lovesick schoolgirl, and his wife shook her head. "So you found someone?"

"Oh, he's so, so, so perfect. His name is Hercules and he gave me this tie, see? I mean, we nearly got convicted of everything. I'm talking sodomy, I'm talking gross indecency, the lot!" She gasped in shock. "How are you even alive?"

"Hamilton did law stuff in school, so usually by how amazing he is."

They talked for hours, mainly just Lafayette spewing about Hercules and his friends and how amazing it was, and then complaining about British laws and the war and how the trenches ruined his shoes. "So I can finally start up the revolution here."

She nodded. "Make that Mulligan proud, Marie." She said with a grin.

AN: Yeah, this is gonna be short as heck, sorry. :0