𝚜𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚘𝚖 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚎𝚌𝚑 [𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙲𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙽𝚄𝙴𝙳]

Rope Burn

"Where were you?"

The question rang through Alexander's ears the second time it was asked, him not quite being able to block it from his ears. He stood still where he was, quite frankly afraid to move. It was clear that Laurens had been drinking, the fact that he was holding an empty beer bottle is enough proof for Alexander to make the assumption. Well, that, and the unplaceable slur of his words, as if he had a mouth full of water while speaking, his tone of voice punctuation the word /were/.

Alexander took a quick glance around. There was broken glass on the floor a few feet of where Alexander stood, leading to Alexander to think that Laurens threw the bottle. Well, it wasn't an assumption. Alexander heard it and saw it. He knew that it happened. Still, Alexander wanted to make excuses for the other male.

Alexander's thoughts on all of this were.. Conflicting. He only seemed to know it was wrong when it was happening. Through, when it wasn't, it was love. Because it was. John does this because he loves Alexander. He wants Alexander to be safe, and he wants Alexander to be happy. If he didn't, he wouldn't be doing this. Alexander, really, was lucky to have Laurens in his life, even if he didn't currently think so.

"Answer me!"

Laurens's words cut through the air with precision, like a knife being stabbed in a stake. If words could have a look intangled in their meanings, then those two words would be a glare, shot and piercing Alexander's own widened eyes. Alexander swallowed down a lump in his throat, a stutter, before responding, holding his hands behind his back.

"I was at work."

It wasn't technically a lie. Alexander /was/ at work. He made a stop, but he knew fully well that saying that would get him in more trouble than he was already in. Of course, saying that he was at work wasn't allowed either, but it was better than saying he was at somebody else's house, being unfaithful.

Laurens's glare sharped on Alexander's face, practically burning it. Alexander could feel the heat from the expression on his skin, sure that it was going to kill him one day. Laurens stepped closer to Alexander, and Alexander dropped his gaze to the bottle in John's hand, his knuckles white from holding onto it with such a grip. He took another step forward, and Alexander lifted his gaze to the other's face.

"You're lying to me."

His tone was soft, now. Understanding. It was like a flip of a light switch, how he could change like that. He would go from hard, cold, harp, to soft and loving. Alexander preferred this side to him, though knowing in the back of his head that it would never last. It was barely real, on its own. John lifted his free hand to line his thumb over Alexander's jawline, which had Hamilton leaning into the touch, eyes fluttering half closed. It was some sort of comfort. It was the smallest amount he could get from him, he knew this. But, it was something.

"Tell me the truth."

Laurens's words were once again soft, and gentle, easing Alexander into telling the truth. They promised a comfort, a safe space where Alexander didn't need to worry about anything or anyone. They promised that John wouldn't freak out if he heard the truth. Which, Alexander knew he would, but he pushed that thought away. Laurens's thumb now lined over Alexander's bottom lip, earning a small smile from the other.

"I was at a friend's house."

Really, that was more of a lie than the first one. Jefferson was nowhere near his friend. Though, he /was/ at somebodies house, so it counted, right? Sure. Alexander opened his eyes fully to gauge Laurens's own expression, one that had fallen into a sharp glare, the same one he was wearing at the start.