The Price of Love

Chapter 27

John's PoV

Shit. Just play it cool John. Play it cool. I quickly disentangle out hands and try to act like we weren't just holding hands. "Hi Daddy!" Alex chirps, turning his head to look at Washington.

"Hello son." He says, his gaze boring into me. "We need to talk." I feel sweat start to bead on my forehead. Calm down, there's a lot of other things he might want to talk about.

"A-about what sir?" I ask, stuttering a bit. He stares levelly at me.

"I think you know exactly what I wish to discuss." He says calmly. I swallow hard.

"Me and Jacky?" Alex asks, still somehow very sharp, even though he's heavily intoxicated. He moves his head into my lap and looks defiantly at his father. "You can't kick me out, I'm your son."

"And I'm not going to. I have nothing against what you two have. You just need to be careful, if other people find out... I don't want to think about the retributions." He looks at both of us. "I just want my son happy. If I hear that you're not treating him right, well then." He keeps his tone even and calm, but somehow manages to radiate menace.

"No sir, I'll treat him right sir." I mumble, memories of what happened a few months ago popping guiltily into my head. Alex curls up against me, talking quietly to himself and picking at a loose thread on my clothes. " 'Xander, you're going to pull my shirt apart if you do that." I say, gently moving his hand away. He pouts slightly and grabs onto my hand, grinning up at me with violet eyes fuzzy with alcohol. I smile at him. "You're so silly." I say again, kissing his forehead.

"No you." He says.

"How am I silly?" I laugh.

" 'Cause you knowed nothin' when I met you." He giggles. "I hads to teach you about the war, an' about why we're better than South Carolina, an' whys we fightin' against Britain." He presses his head against my stomach. "Hi." He says, reaching up to poke my face. He giggles and boops my nose. "I love you." He hums happily. I subconsciously register Washington leaving, closing the door behind him.

"Can I draw you?" I ask randomly, stroking his head.

"Okay." He agrees readily. He falls off his bed. "Ow." He mutters, standing up.

"I don't understand how you haven't reopened any of your cuts yet." I remark as he rummages around in his desk. He shrugs.

"I dunno. Here you go Jacky!" He hands me blank parchment, a quill, and an inkwell. Then he sits next to me and looks up at me expectently. I chuckle and ruffle his hair.

"Just... do whatever 'Xander. Sit how you want to, I'll draw you like that." I kiss his forehead. He pulls his shirt off and smiles at me. I feel my cheeks warm, and I have to remind myself that he's drunk. He's just drunk John. He's being innocent because he's dead drunk. Look at him. Does he look like he's trying to do anything? No. I shake my head slightly and open the inkwell. I dip the quill in and start drawing him.

---

I didn't get any sleep that night. Alex refused to sleep, so I had to watch his drunk ass and make sure he didn't hurt himself. If I'm honest, it was kinda cute though. But by the time it's morning and Alex is sober again, I'm exhausted. I don't understand how he's able to go weeks without sleep, even without coffee. Speaking of which. Alex, now sober, passes me a cup full of the hot brown liquid. "Drink it." He orders, sipping from his own cup. "It'll make you feel better." I down the cup, coughing slightly at the strong flavor. He takes the cup back and rinses it out.

"I should probably be getting home now." I say regretfully. "My father will be worried."

"He should be worried when I find out where you live." He grumbles. "He needs to not be so worried. You can't die under my watch." I chuckle softly.

"Maybe one day." I say lightly, having no intention of ever having my father and Alex in the same room. "When the war is over." I add.

"Well, that's one more reason to win the war as quickly as we can." He jokes. He wraps his arms around me and sighs. "You'll come back soon?" He asks, looking up at me. I feel a pang of sorrow when I see the fear and worry in his eyes.

"Of course Alexander." I kiss him softly and crouch down to his level. "I made a terrible mistake leaving you." I say seriously, looking directly into his eyes. "I cannot let you how bad I feel that I hurt you so much. I promise you, I will never leave you ever again." He nods and hugs me tighter.

"I love you Jacky." He says softly.

"I love you too 'Xander. Now, I really have to go." I gently pry him off of me and kiss him one more time, then I walk out of the house and through the streets of New York. Funny. I never really thought about it before, but I know New York better than South Carolina. I know every store, every face, every speck of dirt. I don't live here, I've only been visiting for a few months, but New York is my home. More than South Carolina could ever be. It's ironic, isn't it? I laugh humorlessly to myself and walk to the stables to fetch my horse.