Nothing /// Mullette Asylum Fic

13 - The Angst-berg™ Arrives

Hercules
Lafayette had made a steady recovery over two months. He was eating fairly normal portions, although he still skipped some meals.
Hercules was with him the whole way. He was so proud of his baguette.

Hercules found Lafayette shirtless in front of a mirror in the infirmary and almost died on the spot.
"Holy shit", he whispered, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's waist from behind and pressing his face into his neck.
"What? What's wrong?" Lafayette asked anxiously.
"You're too hot!" Hercules complained.

Lafayette rolled his eyes and smirked. "I need to put my shirt on, move", he said pointedly.
"Can't you just keep it off?" Hercules asked.
"Non. Move."
"Rude", Hercules grumbled, pressing a quick kiss to the back of the Frenchman's neck before releasing him and stepping back.
Lafayette tugged his shirt on as Hercules sadly hummed funeral music and wiped a fake tear from his eye.

"Quit mourning", Lafayette sighed.
"But... abs!"
"No."
"...aw."
Lafayette grabbed his hand and they walked toward the kitchen.

"Ayyy, it's the raging pansexuals!" John cheered.
Alex laughed and kissed his boyfriend on the cheek.
James was sitting in Thomas' lap, half asleep on the other side of the table.

Eliza and Angelica were fawning over Peggy, who looked like she was having a stroke.
"What's wrong with you?" Hercules asked, dragging Lafayette over.
"Stay away from me!" Peggy shrieked.
Hercules leaped backwards into Lafayette, almost knocking him over.
Peggy dramatically fell backwards into Angelica's arms, who caught her with a bored expression on her face.
"It's too cute", Peggy cried theatrically.
Hercules raised an eyebrow at Angelica.
"All her 'ships' have sailed", Angelica explained.
"What?"
"She shipped you and Laf, James and Thomas, and Alex and John. She used to ship Aaron Burr and Theodosia, which also 'sailed' until Aaron..."
"What happened to Burr?"
"Sent down to solitary. Didn't survive", Angelica said bluntly.

Hercules subtly gripped Lafayette's hand. The Frenchman had gone pale and taken on a blank expression.
"What was he sent down for?" Hercules asked, glancing at Lafayette.
Angelica sighed regretfully. "He was framed. Alex beat up Thomas one day after an argument and blamed it on Aaron. Washington was skeptical, but he trusted Alex's word and sent Aaron down to solitary. Thomas wasn't around when Aaron was blamed to say that Alex did it, and by the time he found out about Aaron being framed, Burr had died. Alex has been living with the guilt for years."
Hercules blinked.
"They- they weren't that close", Lafayette choked out. Tears had come to his eyes.
Hercules wrapped his arm around his waist comfortingly.

"But Alex was always in- in an on/off relationship with him. Sometimes they'd be best friends and other times they'd be yelling. Aaron was quiet, he only spoke when somebody spoke to him first. Thomas and James were the only ones he freely spoke to. He and Theodosia were, how you say? Head over heels for each other. We didn't see her for three months after his death. I was always on 'neutral' terms with him. I called him 'the worst' once. I regret that now", Lafayette chuckled softly, accent becoming more prominent.

The group was silent for a moment.
"Well anyways", Peggy said. "My ships are sailing. But alas, I detect an angst-berg!"
Lafayette and Hercules looked at each other, then Peggy, then each other and slowly began to back away.
"You can't escape it! The angst will arrive in approximately 45 minutes!" Peggy screeched.
Lafayette looked down at his watch. "The 'angst' arrives at 10pm", he said, rolling his eyes and grinning.
"That's when dinner ends", Hercules pointed out blandly.
Lafayette hummed in agreement, then grabbed two plates of food and set it down in front of himself and his boyfriend.

"Isn't Christmas next month?" Lafayette asked, shoveling food into his mouth.
"Hell yes it is!" Hercules said excitedly. "Does anything happen here to celebrate?"
Lafayette snorted. "John prances around screaming Christmas carols at the top of his lungs and insists on screeching at Alex at 12:01am."
"That it? Any decorations go up?"
Lafayette shook his head sadly. "I haven't seen a Christmas tree in years."
Hercules stared. "That sucks", he complained.

Lafayette shrugged, smiling softly. "John begs every year to put one up, but it never happens."
"Do you pass around presents?"
"We have literally been outside once, Herc. Where are we gonna get presents? Although, George gave us all jumpers to wear on December 24th and 25th."
"Ooh, really?"
"Oui. John's was yellow with a turtle on it, Alex green and a quill, Thomas maroon and macaroni and cheese and so on. I got a blue one with a baguette on it", he chuckled.
"Woah, can I get one?" Hercules asked excitedly.
"I can ask George to make you one."
"Yes! I love you!" Hercules squealed, kissing his cheek.
"I love you too", Lafayette grinned.

They finished up and talked with Thomas, who was cradling a sleeping James in his arms.
Hercules glanced at his watch as the bell rang. 10pm. He stared at it until it turned to 10:01, then relaxed.
"Looks like Peggy was wrong about the 'angst'", he whispered to Lafayette.

"Mr Mulligan", a voice said, making Hercules jump. George was staring down at him with a grim expression on his face. "A word in my office."
Hercules kissed a confused Lafayette on the forehead, promised to be back soon and left.

"What do you need, Mr Washington?" Hercules asked when he stepped inside George's office.
"You're going to hate me for this, but it isn't my fault", he murmured. He sat up straighter in his chair.
"What is it, sir?" Hercules asked concernedly.

"You have to be discharged next week."

A/N: Oh look. It's the angstberg. Lovesick Hercules is amazing tho.