Wings - A Hamilton Fanfic - Lams, Mullette, and Jeffmads

Chapter Forty Three

Alexander's P.O.V.

All final checks have been done, and it's official: Base 1732 is clear. Washington made a clear order afterwards, commanding us to push the Humans back. The Hunt, as Lafayette called it. We're supposed to hunt the Humans down before they all run back to their kingdom.

Human soldiers run surprisingly fast when their lives depend on it.

And luckily, they spend all their time looking up, for wings, listening for the sound of flapping.

They don't see me coming.

Maybe I've killed a few dozen Human soldiers so far, maybe I didn't. Hey, it's all part of the job.

I stop to rest and lean onto a tree. This is actually quite tiring. Not only do I have to find them, but I also have to run and find them, and then somehow outrun them!

Suddenly, a familiar pair of rainbow wings descend in front of me, breaking through the thick forest branches and leaves.

"Hey, John!" I say, putting on a smile. Still not quite sure how I feel about John now being mute. It's just...not the same, yet still the same. It's hard to explain, as with all emotions. John gives me a quick smile and hug but then tries to lift me and fly away.

"Woah!" I exclaim, using my weight to pull us back down. "Sorry, Johnny, but hunting down the Humans is best done on foot."

It's so strange. It's like I'm talking to myself, but I know I'm not. John shakes his head, and I chuckle.

"I would love to go kill Human soldiers with you, but it's best that I go after them, alone." I move out of his grip and prepare to keep running. John shakes his head again and grabs my wrist. I sigh.

"Listen, John, I want to get what you're saying, I really do," I say, my voice cracking a bit. "But I can't. And I won't waste my precious time on it. That's just how it's gonna be from now on. I don't want it to be that way, but it just is."

John lets go of my wrist.

I turn around and run.

I can't believe I just said that.

But I have to keep going.

Once I kill these Human soldiers, then the war can end quicker. Once the war ends, I can finish my time as a soldier. Once I've finished my time as a soldier, I can get my career started in Newtide. Then, I can advance up in my career, and work hard, and get money, and-

...

And then what?

I slow down.

I live happily ever after with John? After what I just said to him? 'Happily ever after' when he can't even speak? John can't say 'I love you' to me, and I'm never going to be able to hear those words spoken from my lover. Ever. Is that happily ever after?

John can't speak. He can't speak, he can't speak, he can't speak, he can't-

But does he have to?

Does he have to say that he cares, or can I just know it? Can I just know, deep in my core, that John loves me? Is that enough? Will it be enough?

Maybe it won't be.

But maybe it will.

After all, John can't help it. I have to believe in him and power him through this.

Who cares about success? Maybe, just maybe, the real success is from kindness.

Okay, that sounded cheesy.