Too Damn Stubborn

George Washington

They had been friends since age ten.

Best friends since age thirteen.

Had a crush on each other since age sixteen.

Roommates since age nineteen.

Boyfriends since age twenty.

They had their first real fight at age twenty seven.

Yes, of course they often had arguments, but over little petty things, never anything more. It was hard to not have disagreements when you were in a relationship with someone as argumentative and confident as Thomas Jefferson.

But this? well, this felt serious.

Madison had come home in a bad mood after work, he'd had to deal with many moody mothers of students at the university after there had been a mistake with some of the student loans- which (as James had told them many times) isn't something he has control over anyway!

Jefferson was irritated thanks to the bad weather making his leg ache more than usual and Hamilton had managed to somehow get an article Thomas had worked really hard on pulled from the final print of the next days Newspaper.

So the air was tense before they even greeted one and other.

Jefferson wanted to rant about Hamilton- get all his frustrations out of his system.

Madison wanted to complain about his job and all the wrongly placed complaints he gets.

Neither of them wanted to listen.

"You know, I feel like you do nothing these days but obsess over Hamilton!" James had snapped "Every day all I hear is 'Oh you'll ever guess what Hamilton did today!' or 'I pulled the most amazing prank on Hamilton earlier.' and I always listen because it makes you happy." He heaved a sigh "I know you're self centered- but hearing you talk about someone else as much as you talk about yourself. Its draining." James said bitterly, not making eye contact with the other man who stood across from him.

Thomas raised his eyebrow, and said possibly the worst thing he could have- but unfortunately he never thought before he spoke "Well my life has to be interesting enough for both of us- considering how dull each day is at your little reception job."

James looked up at Jefferson at that, his face a painful combination of hurt and disappointment before he stood up slightly taller and deadpanned a simple "Fuck you." at Jefferson before he took his bag and left their apartment, slamming the door behind him.

The silence that Thomas was left in was absolutely suffocating.

But as confident as ever he sat down on their sofa and tried not to think about the colossal disaster he'd just caused.

Besides, James would be back later that evening.

--

James wasn't anywhere to be found in their apartment the next morning.

--

James didn't come home that next night.

--

The sun rose on the second day after Jefferson's big fuck up, and Thomas knew he couldn't take this anymore.

James had replied to none of the one-hundred and seventy six text messages Jefferson had sent.

He hadn't picked up any of the two hundred and eighteen calls Jefferson had tried.

Anyone who could know where James might be wouldn't talk to Jefferson.

The worry he felt for his boyfriend (God, he hoped they were still boyfriends) was overwhelming. His entire body felt tense and all he seemed to do was nervously unlock his phone very thirty seconds- just in case James had tried to contact him.