Nothing /// Mullette Asylum Fic

7 - Kind of a Dick

Trigger Warning: homophobic comments/actions/whatevs, who cares, it's bad

Lafayette
Hercules nervously grabbed Lafayette's hand as they lined up in the entrance hall. After a millisecond of hesitation, he squeezed back.
The two had become basically inseparable over the past weeks, but recently became a little more distant as Lafayette downright refused to eat.
The Frenchman had noticed he was starting to gain weight. While everyone had celebrated this, Lafayette himself hated it, feeling they were celebrating him being overweight.

All they wanted was for him to be healthy, but he couldn't see that, becoming more reclusive. Still, he had no choice but to join them in the entrance hall as the inspector walked up and down, sizing them up.
He was a bald man, with small round glasses and an extremely pale complexion. His little black beady eyes darted around, landing on the boys' intertwined hands.
He glared and Hercules immediately took his hand away, but Lafayette glared back, loopy from not eating or sleeping in a week.

The inspector turned up his nose. "Homosexuals are not permitted in this facility", he sneered.
Pretty much everyone grew angry at that; the only straight ones in the room were Theodosia, George and Eliza.
"Inspector, it was merely an act of support. They are not, after all, mentally stable", George said. He sounded confident, and they would've all been furious if they hadn't heard the slight tremor in his voice as he spoke.

"Hmph", the inspector agreed. He looked them up and down once again. "They look alright. Especially this young lady." He winked at Eliza, who blanched and signed furiously at Angelica, who looked like she was about to kill a bitch.
Peggy cowered nervously behind Angelica, clutching at her sister's arm.

"Alright inspector", George intervened, concealing his anger behind a mask of politeness. "If you would like to follow me..." George led the man away.
Seething with anger, Lafayette turned around and punched the nearest wall, dragging his fist down and ripping open the skin on his knuckles. He cursed angrily and rapidly in French, about to hit the bricks again before his hand was stopped by an annoyed looking Hercules.

"Bleeding to death isn't exactly going to improve our situation", he said gently.
Lafayette snorted. "This is nothing", he scoffed. "Only tiny cuts."
His accent had become more prominent in his anger, and he could've sworn he saw Hercules turn red before he turned away and led him to the infirmary.
He covered the cuts in a bandage. "There", Hercules sighed. "Stop punching walls."
"No promises", Lafayette huffed.
"Want me to kiss it better?" Hercules grinned.
Lafayette almost choked on air. "That's gay", he laughed nervously.
"Exactly", Hercules murmured, raising the other's fist to his lips. He gently kissed the white bandages.

Lafayette almost fainted right then and there.

"Shall we go?" Hercules smirked.
The Frenchman made a choked noise of agreement.
They left together, loosely holding hands and keeping watch for the inspector.

Hercules
Worth it. So worth it. His beautiful face was bright red, and he kept shaking his head and murmuring in French. Hercules stifled a laugh as he watched him. In the next few seconds, however, a lot of things happened.

"How's my favorite gays?!" John screeched, jumping out from behind a corner. They leaped back, hands coming apart.
The inspector loomed up behind them, making them leap out of their skin a second time.
"You!" he bellowed at John. "Never use that disgusting word again!" He turned to Hercules. "Follow me! Now!"
When he turned his back to leave, Hercules pulled a shellshocked Lafayette in for a quick hug.

"If he does anything to you, tell me and I'll beat his ass", Lafayette said when they separated. He had a grim look on his face.
Hercules saluted. "Aye, aye, captain!"
He walked hurriedly after the inspector, who was impatiently waiting for him outside George's office.

They walked inside after the inspector rapped firmly on the wood with his knuckles.
"Mr Schmidt, Hercules, How may I help you?" George asked, a little surprised.
The inspector marched around the other side of the desk and sat in George's chair.
George looked surprised and vaguely annoyed but stayed quiet. The inspector could report back to his superiors and have the whole facility shut down.

"I believe this young man to be a homosexual", the inspector sneered. "He and his friend, the French one, holding hands and laughing together, it disgusts me. His friend, the freckled one, even called them 'gay'."
George looked like he wanted to dropkick the man, but controlled himself. "Mr Schmidt, Hercules here is very close to Lafayette in a platonic way. Lafayette is one of our most difficult patients, and Hercules was merely comforting him."

"What are your feelings towards 'Lafayette'?" Schmidt asked, ignoring George.
Oh boy.
"Like George mentioned, he's the closest friend I've got. Nothing more", Hercules said, keeping what he hoped was a blank expression on his face.
"Liar", Schmidt snarled, suddenly standing up and shoving the desk aside, yanking Hercules from his seat.
Items fell with thumps to the floor.
George looked livid, but did nothing.

"You do not lie to me, boy", Schmidt hissed, striking Hercules.
He fell to the floor, holding his face.
"Get out of my sight!" the inspector roared, kicking the boy in the ribs.
Hercules scrambled up and ran out of the room. He already felt a bruise forming, and poked his cheek, wincing. His ribs were aching uncomfortably.

Somewhere along the way, he met Lafayette, who leaped into his arms and hugged him tightly.
Pain lanced into Hercules' side and he sucked in a breath, wincing.
Lafayette leaped back, looking concerned. "What did he do?" he demanded, looking furious.
"Nothing much", Hercules said cautiously.
The look on Lafayette's face could slaughter a man ten times over if looks could kill.

"Okay he maybe hit me in the face and kicked me in the ribs but it's okay", Hercules said quickly.
Lafayette said nothing, only grabbed his hand and led him to the infirmary.
Hercules hadn't wanted to anger the boy, but stayed quiet instead of apologizing.

Lafayette kept his eyes pointed down the whole time. "Shirt off", he said quietly.
"At least take me out to dinner first", Hercules muttered, but begrudgingly did as he was asked, wincing slightly.
Lafayette walked over to him. "Where does it hurt?" he asked blankly.
Hercules gestured to the right side of his ribs.
Lafayette gingerly placed his hand on the spot Hercules gestured at. He moved his hand over it until he found a place that made Hercules wince.

The bigger man's breath hitched at the feeling of Lafayette's soft hand brushing over his skin.
"Your bone might be bruised", the Frenchman said quietly.
Hercules nodded. "Lafayette, look at me", he said suddenly.
Hesitantly, the younger man looked up.
There were tears in his eyes.

Hercules placed a gentle hand on his jaw, becoming hyper aware of his slightly labored breathing, his accelerating heart rate, and the feeling of Lafayette's hand against his bare chest.
"What are these for?" he asked gently, referring to the tears.
"He could've done worse to you", Lafayette mumbled. "I should've done something."

In a sudden rush of courage, Hercules pushed him against the wall. There was less than a centimeter between them, breaths mingling together. Both of Lafayette's hands were on Hercules' chest now.
"What could you have done?" he whispered.
Lafayette said nothing, a single tear rolling down his cheek.
Hercules brushed it away without a second thought, bringing the smaller boy in for a tight embrace.

Lafayette wrapped his arms around his torso, burying his head in his chest.
Hercules didn't know, but at that time, the young Frenchman was already plotting revenge on the inspector.