Zero Two Three One | John Laurens X Reader [Hamilton]

XLVII: Three in the Room to Agree

❝Make fair agreements and stick to them.❞
—Confucius

We got the numbers: there has been a major — and I mean major — increase in the number of enlistees for the Army. The Navy and Air Force look upon the Army enviously as their force seems to boom. The AC also experienced a major boost of people signing up for AC training. I never thought I'd see the day hundreds of current soldiers in the military would be signing up for the AC willingly. President Eaton has been flaunting these numbers to the nation and overseas.

It's a great day for the American military... and the Russians are furious. There was a leaked video clip of President Ivanovich exiting his residence in Saint Petersburg after a meeting, and he looked enraged. The fact that I haven't heard from Nikolai in the past few days concerns me.

I know there's no one more infuriated about this than Nikolai. What's with his silence?

The media coverage of the event has been wild! The headlines were ridiculous, and most of them involving me or Alexander were blatantly false. But Reynolds insists it's a good thing since it keeps our names in the news. He's been super busy arranging things for Alexander and me. In these past few days, Alexander and I spent a lot of time going over contracts for a documentary. Yes, a documentary.

It's mind-blowing... People want to make a documentary about Alexander and me. Us!

As for now, I have other things to worry about.

April 3, 2059.

It's an odd Thursday morning at Peggy's place. I should've been prepared for things like this.

"Number two?!" I gasp.

Peggy throws the magazine at me.

"Number two!" she beams.

"What about me?" Alexander calmly asks. 

Peggy holds up a second magazine and throws it to Alexander. "Number two as well!"

I look at the magazine in my hand while Alexander stares at his. I read the cover of the title, my heart racing as each syllable comes together in my mind.

"100 Most Beautiful Women of the Decade"

The magazine Alexander was handed is the same, but one hundred most handsome men. I can't believe it.

I'm number two?! We're number two?! Okay, maybe Alexander could be number two. How the hell did I climb my way up?

"How the hell did I not get number one?" Alexander hisses, beginning to flip through the pages. "Who the hell is even number one?"

Peggy hops in between us, giggling giddily. "You'll see!"

"Don't let it get to your head, Russkies, yeah?" Rory calls out from the kitchen.

"Why was I not made aware of this stupid magazine?" I hiss, looking at the publisher. Carol Magazine. 

"They do this every decade," Peggy says. "They look through the people who have come of age through the decade, and on the final year before the decade, they publish the top one hundred! I'm so happy for you guys for making it!"

"I don't... I don't get it," I murmur. "How do they decide?"

"The public decides," Peggy winks. "Online polls and stuff."

"How did people decide I am... nevermind."

I ignore my troubling thoughts and obey Peggy's ushers to look through. 

I go through the pages, shocked and in awe by the beauty of the women on these pages. They seem to be everything I wish I was. Perfect. I don't know how else to describe them. They're perfect. Beautiful. They're from all over the world, their place of origin and name scrawled on the bottom of each page. All different in appearance, but beautiful nonetheless. From Hong Kong, China. From Lagos, Nigeria. From Zürich, Switzerland.