To The Groom... (Lafayette x Laurens) [Laurette]

Chapter Twenty-Five: Desperate To Say Something

Laurens skipped eating.

"Come on, please, for me...?" Hercules tried to convince him to eat.

"........" Laurens looked up at him, hopelessly lost. He shrugged.

"I know, there must be so much happening to you inside... but you can't just not eat..." Hercules said softly.

"It's just... one... skip one...?" Laurens looked at the food for a few minutes, slowly taking it.

"You've never done this before... it worries me..." Hercules said. Laurens put it to his lips, not looking at him.

"There you go..." Hercules put his hand on top of his head.

"Laurens..." He said once he saw Laurens was zoning out. Laurens looked at him again, starting to eat slowly. Hercules let out a quiet sigh, giving him a slight smile. Lafayette couldn't sleep last night, he sat in his tent, looking at the ground. He kept silent, not knowing what to do.

"If I... if I only told him... how much he meant to me..." he whispered, a tear rolling down his cheek.

"I never did... did I...?" he shook his head, not being able to eat, either.

"We don't go to war until later, what do you want to do in the meantime...? Anything at all...?" Hercules asked Laurens. Laurens thought about it, then slowly shook his head. Hercules sat in front of him, moving the hair away from the broken male's face. Laurens looked at him, felt like Lafayette's touch, almost... a caring and worried touch... tears started to form in his eyes again.

"No, no, don't cry... it's okay, Laurens..." he said soothingly, frowning.

"I-I'm sorry..." Laurens whispered.

"You don't have to be sorry, Laurens... you didn't do anything wrong..." Hercules said, going to place his hand on his cheek, but hesitated. Laurens only took three bites out of the food he gave him. Laurens let out a depressed sigh, taking another, small bite. Hercules wanted to say 'I love you' so bad... that would only make things worse, the poor guy just broke up... that's the last thing that he would want to hear.

"You still have the friendship bracelet I gave you..." Hercules said, still wearing his as well. Lafayette still had his, too.

"M-Mhmm... a-always..." Laurens said.

"Heh..." was all Hercules said. Laurens's face was kind of pale, too. The fighting in the war, Laurens lacked speed and missed some shots now and then, which Hercules was frightened of. He mostly shot the people that were trying to shoot Laurens than the people trying to shoot himself. Lafayette kept a distance, though. They never did say anything to each other. Which ate Laurens inside 'til he was an unstable, emotional mess. It ached Lafayette. As for Hercules, he wished to take all of the pain away from Laurens. They surrendered, and Lafayette, Hercules, and Laurens won once again. Even as Lafayette walked past Laurens, he didn't say anything. Laurens kept walking, trembling a bit. He desired and longed to say something to him. He couldn't take it, being separated from Lafayette. The man took away his pain and gave him a new feeling, a new type of love. Someone he felt safe with. Someone he always wanted to be with. Laurens gasped for air again quietly, tears rolling down his cheeks. Lafayette already knew this, he kept walking, his heart aching as well. He wanted to just hug him and never let him go. Laurens would hyperventilate right about now, Hercules immediately caught up with him and led him away fast, bringing him to his tent. Laurens never did sleep that night, Hercules didn't sleep, either. He waited 'til Laurens fell asleep. He never did.