History Has Its Eyes On You ~ A Hamilton Fanfiction (Book 1, Act 1)

Perfect

!!Warning!!

(Alexander POV)

For John to kindly take Y/N and Emily out for the day, I thought it would be suitable to invite Elizabeth around. 3 weeks, and we had grown to adore each other very much. I couldn't resist thinking of everything Y/N had once said: of our happiness, our family, and our content lives together. We would someday grow old, within the tranquillity of our own world.

And so, I believed that it was the right time to tell her.

I shuddered with the knock at the door. I'd dressed as fashionable as I could, in order to impress her. I rubbed my hands together nervously, adjusting one around the doorknob. Elizabeth smiled with innocence as a glow radiated from her eyes. I bowed my head to her, forcing a shy smile from myself. "You look beyond such beauty that I could ever comprehend, Miss." I complimented, my face beginning to flush.
"I could say much of yourself, sir." she responded, taking my arm into hers.

"I? Beauty? I would hardly think that. You are to be the beautiful one, not any man, such as myself." I denied, closing the door. I led us along the path, intending to resign to the tranquillity of the park not far from here.
"We all have different perspectives of what is beautiful, and what is not."
I tilted my head. "And what might yours be?"
She leaned in, interlocking her other hand with mine. "I see what's on the inside. If I were to marry a disloyal man, what then?"

I widened my eyes. As much as I wanted to question her word 'marry', I chose not to. I wouldn't want to make her uncomfortable. "Oh, unattractive, am I?" I joked.
"Of course not!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
"Hideous, perhaps?"
"No!" she giggled. "You're perfect. Just the way that you are."

~

Frost smothered the grass, as the snow had once again melted. I'd accompanied Elizabeth to a little bench to the side of the park, overlooking the fields. As they did, children played together: brothers held swordfights with stick they had found, and sisters held tea parties with their pretend cutlery. A few were gathered to enjoy a Punch & Judy show, laughing along with the strange humour. I'd dreamed of moments like this, since the day that Elizabeth was destined to be my wife.

Y/N wasn't lying.

Alas, Elizabeth wouldn't stop smiling, as though she knew what was coming. If I could muster up the courage, that is. I could barely even look at her without my cheeks heating up. I slumped my arm around the back of the bench, causing it to want to crawl around her shoulders. I carefully slid my arm around her, but just before my hand could pull her in, she faced me. I pretended to have been resting upon the bench, dragging my arm away.

"It's such a great day today, isn't it?" she pondered. "This winter sky is such a rarity, and I'm glad I get the chance to share such with you." She glanced at my arm, chuckling to herself. She knew what I was doing. I pulled it onto my lap with embarrassment, but it only provoked Elizabeth further. She leaned her head onto my shoulder, clinging to my hand. "You don't have to be afraid, sir. I trust you."

If only she just stopped being so kind; I couldn't ever risk breaking her heart. She was precious, a delicate antique that could be broken from the slightest crack. If I was willing to take up this opportunity, to protect her for the rest of our lives, then I couldn't throw away my shot now.

I carefully lifted her from me, gazing tenderly into her eyes. "Elizabeth..." -I took both of her hands- "There is... something that I've been meaning to ask you, for... a very, very long time."

I took a deep breath, getting down upon one knee.

I took the case out of my pocket, opening it up before her.

"Will you make me... the happiest man in the world?"

~

(Emily POV)

Perhaps it was just me, but John seemed to be acting... differently. He persistently stayed close to me, as though we were chained together. I didn't understand it, and I didn't want it. Like Y/N had said, he was a married man, and I couldn't interfere with that. So as much as I tried straying away from my feelings, he only brought them closer.

However, the dinner went well. Lafayette wasn't as bad as I'd imagined him to be, and not as angry, either. He and Adrienne were great with their children. It made me wish I could have a family. But... no. A husband... perhaps. Though no further than that. Of course, I wanted to live in this world. I didn't mind if we never went back. But Y/N did.

And... I don't think she'd give up until we were back.

Maybe...

Maybe we had to find our own happiness...

...Through marriage.

And with that marriage...

...A ring.

I shook my thoughts away from me, following Y/N and John near a baker's store. As they were about to enter, I released John's arm. "Could I... Could I wait out here?"
"...Of course." John allowed. "Is there something wrong?"
"No, I just... need a breath of fresh air."
Y/N looked concerned but nodded in agreement. John flashed a smile, entering the store.

I leaned against the brick wall, remembering back to the moment before I came here. Over the past year, my mum and I had been traumatised: we'd lost both my grandma and my sister within a month. A search party was sent out to find her... but she never returned. I started to believe her dead, and I secluded myself away. As time went on, it came to the point where I could no longer cope.

And I ran away.

The truth is that I was never in my room when the ring appeared. I was shivering on a street, with only a hood to protect me. I found the ring upon the ground, predicting that someone had perhaps dropped it. I could've made a small living from selling it, therefore I tried it on.

And then I was here.

I scrunched up my face to avoid the tears. Nevertheless, from across the street, an old lady was staring directly at me. She looked... almost exactly like my grandma. I blinked and rubbed my eyes, but she was still there. Suddenly, she took leave down an alleyway. "Wait!" I called. I scuttled across the road and down the alleyway. Just before she turned another corner, she glimpsed at me. "Wait, please!!" I ran as fast as I could, trying to hold my dress up.

Another corner she turned. How she was moving so quickly, I hadn't a clue. But as I turned that same corner, she was gone. I was left to a dead end.

Soft whimpering caught my attention.

I closely approached the dead end, inspecting where the sound seemed to be coming from.

A dog whined in a patch of its own blood.