Never Be the Same: Act I (A Hamilton AU) **ON HOLD**

Amoureux

*Lafayette's POV*

    There have been few instances in my life that have given me reason to want to shy away from the spotlight. Well, there was that one incident with the Lady Marie Antoinette, but I prefer to ignore that memory. All in all, I considered myself, as did the people around me, to be- how you say- "flamboyant."

    I've always considered myself to be a romantic at heart. After all, I referred to myself as a "Lancelot " no? However, despite my dreams of meeting my soulmate at a ball like all the princes of my fairytales, I never expected it to actually happen...

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    I don't remember much of my activities during the ball before I saw her. Mostly, I remember praising General Schuyler's taste in champagne and laughing with Hercules about how clearly and irrevocably in love our dear John and Alexander were. Then, I heard people shout in glee. I turned and saw the Schuyler sisters entering the room. I'd been about to turn back to Hercules and make a comment on how lovely they looked, when they youngest Schuyler dashed away from the door, and my gaze settled on the girl who'd been standing beside her.

    The best way I can explain what happened next, was that my heart went "boom." My head started to spin, and for a moment I seemed to lose the ability to speak.

    I admit, it took me a moment or two to recognize her. After all, I'd hadn't seen her in four years, and the last time I'd conversed with her face-to-face, I'd been more than slightly intoxicated. But I knew her face all the same. Evangeline Shelby... I never thought "love at first sight" was something that actually happened. Well, I'd just been proven very wrong, hadn't I?

    It then occurred to me that I wasn't breathing. I inhaled sharply before whirling around and grabbing Hercules by the shoulders. He stared at me, startled and confused, and the next thing I knew words were escaping my mouth faster than I could process them.

    "Hercules, mon ami regarde là! Mon Dieu, avez-vous déjà vu quelqu'un de plus beau et plein de grâce ?! Je sais que nous n'avons pas parlé depuis quatre ans, mais je pense que je suis amoureux! Est-ce ce qu'ils appellent "le coup de foudre?" Mon Dieu, mon cœur ne s'est jamais senti aussi lourd et léger à la fois!" I babbled, not noticing the lost expression on my friend's face.

    "English, Laf, English!" he begged. I sighed, exasperated at his lack of fluency in my language. Letting go of his shoulders, I grabbed his face and jerked it so that he was looking at Evangeline.

    "There, mon ami, there! Do you see her? The angel in pink with the rose in her hair?" I demanded. Hercules blinked a few times, then his eyes flickered back to me, his expression curious.

    "Evie?" he asked. I nodded furiously in confirmation. "Oh, I didn't know you had feelings for her..."

    "I didn't," I responded, "Until about 30 seconds ago." A look of confusion briefly flashed across his face, but was quickly replaced with amusement.

    "Well then, I suggest you make a move before someone snatches her up," he chuckled. I snapped my attention to where my angel had been standing, and panicked when I realized she wasn't there anymore. I looked around wildly, and managed to spot her talking to.......... Burr. Oh non. Oh non non non. If Burr knew what was best for him, he wouldn't dare try to woo her.

    I needed to talk to her. It did me no good to stare and rave about my newfound love for that woman. However, the idea of just walking over to her and attempting to strike up a conversation terrified me. Mainly because I had a feeling that if I approached her, my wits would abandon me, my mental filter would shut down, and I would end up saying something like, "Salut, je pense que je suis amoureux de toi. Puis-je t'embrasser?" What was I supposed to do?!

    "Is everything alright over here?" Out of the corner of my eye I saw that Alexander had appeared by my side. I opened my mouth to speak, but Hercules answered for me.

    "The Marquis de Large Baguette over here is in love, but he's to nervous to go to her" he said. I shot him an annoyed glare at the nickname, to which he just responded with a smug smile. He jerked his thumb in Evangeline's direction, and Alex followed our gaze. He stared for a moment, then a smirk crossed his face.

    "Ne vous inquiétez pas, mon ami, je vais gérer cela pour vous," he said to me.

    "Que voulez-vous dire?" I inquired. He didn't answer, just winked and walked away. Hercules and I watched as he made his way over to my angel and Burr. He conversed with them for a minute, then Burr left. A nervous feeling started to bubble in my stomach. "What's he about to do???" I thought frantically.

    Alex said gave her a charming smile; she giggled, and took his arm. She took his arm?! I felt my heart drop to my feet. "Alexander.... why?" was all I could think. I turned to find the bar so I could drown my sorrow when Hercules grabbed my arm.

    "Where do you think you're going?" he demanded. "He's bringing her to you!" I whirled back around and to my delight I saw that, sure enough, Alex was in fact escorting Evangeline towards us. He gave me a knowing glance as they approached.

    "Mademoiselle Evangeline! It's a pleasure to see you again," I called out in a sing-song voice. She whipped her head to face me, and I could practically see the gears in her head turning as she raced to recognize me.

    "Evie, you remember the Marquis de Lafayette?" Alex asked. I bowed, before lifting my head to meet her gaze again. God, what a beautiful smile!

    "Of course!" she replied certainly. Unlinking her arm from Alexander's, she curtsied and said, "The pleasure is all mine, Monsieur Lafayette." I stepped towards her and greeted her traditionally with a kiss to each cheek, to which she returned the greeting. When she pulled away, she smiled and batted her eyes.

    "Merci pour tout votre service," she added. My very soul seemed to do a cartwheel within me. What are the odds that she was also fluent in French? I saw Alex smirk, and Hercules chuckled before departing into the crowd.

    "Si cela prend du temps pour nous de nous rencontrer, cela en aura valu la peine," I replied, my voice a bit more husky than I intended. I took another and, in what I hoped would appear to be a rather suave move, placed a kiss upon her hand. When I looked back up at her, her face had turned a dark shade of pink.

    "I'll leave you to it!" Alexander laughed, waving his hand dismissively and started to walk away. Before he left, I managed to catch his eye. "Merci!" I mouthed. He smiled and shot me a quick wink.

    I turned my attention back to Evie, who still hadn't quite recovered from my gesture. As I took her hands in mine, a smile bloomed across my face. As she met my gaze and looked me in the eyes, I couldn't help but contemplate how seemingly helpless this woman had made me with just one look.... I suppose I was, how you say? Lovestruck.