Hamilton Oneshots

◾️ Ave Maria ◾️

Prompt : Charles Lee - stars

On this night of a thousand stars , the picturesque slits of moonlight that glanced across the ocean was enjoyable to Charles , thus he decided to sit outside and watch the stars travelling in the night sky above him . A peaceful crash of waves colliding with each other and the seabed below was pleasing and he wanted to sit out there for hours on end , not a single thought running through his head . He knew that he should be hosting the bar but the scenery had just entranced him out of his apron and club t-shirt . He was sitting on a distressed wicker chair and watching the stars bloom out of the darkness . The soft fluorescent light bulbs that were strung along the roof gave the hut a magical look . Charles sighed to himself as his ears pricked up at the sound of the jazz band begin to tune up to the old keyboard from some time in the 90s. The laughs and squeals of couples having fun behind where he was sitting made him happy , but also slightly sad . He'd worked there for three years . Three summers of no romance and three summers of trying to make a cocktail that would make him famous .

Charles gritted his teeth and heaved himself out of the chair , minute cracking in his stiff back almost inaudible as he made his way back to the bar . The fire raged outside the club and Charles yearned to lie beneath its flickering heat and light ; the way that the sparks flew into the night sky made him want to sit there for hours on end , the clean and crisp air allowing the fire to continue burning as the second time bar of the saxophone made the instrument skyrocket into a variety of fine and pitch .

His hands danced over the bar counter and he looked up to see a young woman walking over to him . The woman, flawless, glowing under the neon lights, a split second of glittering on her mature, curved body; her figure so captivating to the eye. The music ricocheted through the nineteen year olds body as his hands frantically grabbed at what he hoped had been his cloth, laughing at something that a customer had said but yet he hadn't heard. She was perfect. Although his brain told him not to flirt- she was probably already taken- his heart told him that they were meant to be - that this was one of those opportunities in life that were too precious to let go .

As she approached the bar and slid herself into a seat , Charles only looked at her with the corner of his eyes , trying to make it look not obvious at how entranced he was by her beauty.

"Can I get... Uh.. what do you recommend?" As she spoke , Charles studied the way that her sweet lips were permanently in a half-pout . He could almost taste the sour cherry lip gloss that sparkled shattered light from above her across her lips .

Charles shrugged , his mind suddenly in an abyss as he almost lost the ability to formulate sentences in his head . He glanced down at the counter , scanning it for any spillages of juice or alcohol that someone had spilt to distract him . Just to be sure , he ferociously scrubbed the surface to buy him time. When he had finished , his shy eyes looked into her radiant own .

"I-I think if you want something alcohol , I'd recommend the Mojito ... or if not , the cranberry juice is pretty special " He said , waving his hands down his apron to eliminate any creases .

"I like your ideas," The woman paused, taking an inaudible breath before continuing "I may just have a Coke . Dancing to that fantastic band has taken away quite a bit of my energy"

Charles nodded slowly , loving the way that her words cautiously slipped off her tongue , diamonds in each syllable , and watching what she said . The way that she said everything was interesting , flirtatious and cunning . He rolled his lips, moistening them with his sweet saliva .

"Excuse me ? Are you okay? You haven't looked away from me for about six minutes " She giggled "Do I have something on face ? Do I look bad ?"

Lee shook his head rapidly and defensively "Of course not ! I-I'll fix your drink now . Give me a Lucille minutes ... I just have something on my mind"

"I hope it's me" She giggled , a blush blossoming over her contoured cheeks and reached down to her jawline . "I'm Maria , Charles" She read off his small name tag with narrowed eyes and inclined her chin with an amused smile at the small dog drawing next to his name .

Charles looked up and gave her a knowing smile , keeping his eyes low and focusing on the way that the fluorescent light glistened in her pupils , making them look glassy and elegant . Her elegance was what really took Lee . The way that she had sashayed over to him without too much shyness or sassiness.

He fixed up her drink quickly , swiftly ignoring the drunken men and women who were looking at him for another vodka shot or something else . The way that she drank it was pleasing ; the way that her lips around the straw sucked up the drink and giggling when the fizz got into her nose . She laughed and edged closer to him, her chapped lips tasting of sweet honey made by the queen bees but yet so poisonous that the very stuff was rare . Her beauty was a rarity, and Lee felt lucky to even have a shot .

"I hope your boyfriend or girlfriend won't mind me talking to you" She smiled to herself and rested her forearms on the counter , the stench of alcohol drifting away from them .

"I actually don't have one ... I'm not from around here" Lee took the bottle away , listening to the clunk of the glass against the bin walls and letting out a snarky laugh in response . "What about you ?"

"Single" Maria sighed , her tired eyes slanting downwards as if in either disappointment or grimace at the thought of being in love or being loved by someone "Love doesn't really go my way a lot of the time" A thought descended upon her but she kept it to herself , brushing her long chocolate-coloured hair out of her eyes to see his face more clearly.

"I've honestly never thought that love would go my way .. it's ... its pointless" Charles nonchalantly said , replaying all the scenes of happiness and anger and sorrow in his mind .

"Do you not believe in love at first sight ?" Maria uttered with the slightest bit of integrity and deliberation . Lee shrugged in reply , the jutting of his shoulders filling him with shame and regret . Maria's sigh was deafening in his mind but he only bit his lip in response .

"I never believed in it until now" Charles muttered with the faintest trace of a smile. The breeze blew cold against his skin and the linen polo that he wore as a bartender wasn't much protection . "Two wrongs sometimes make a right if you think about it" He grinned to himself as her milk-soft hands took his larger ones in them, the faint touches of the epidermis of his skin making him shiver inside .

"When are you on your break ?"

The night grew on their conversation , but when he took her outside, he felt complete ; the jazz piano softly spoke each chord with the precise amount of tone and emotion , he held her tight . He never wanted to let go as he had done with many others . He didn't want to be alone and know her . Charles wanted to know and love Maria. The fire had broken to embers but the distinct scent of the burning wood prickled his nose .

"You know what's beautiful?" He asked her as his skinny , but firms arms wrapped her in a hug , the heat of his body trapping Maria in a shell of warmth.

"What?"

"The stars tonight"

"They're beautiful" Maria's voice rang clear in the silence , save for the crashing of the retreating waves on the sand.

"It's just you, the stars and me tonight"

"