Chapter Text
There was an awkward pause as the last song finished. Moon looked around the room, taking in the awkward silence and shifty eyes. “Jesus christ I thought you guys were adults,” she sniffed, "minus Phillip.”
“Well sorry if our situation is more complicated then some light flirting at a ball where I met my wife.”
Moon raised an eyebrow, then blinked. “Oh you guys have never had to deal with modern school drama… or reddit,” she mumbled, shivering as she remembered the many stories she’s read. Maria, despite not knowing what ‘reddit’ was, patted Moon on the shoulder in sympathy.
“Listen, I was young and stressed and you were one in a few who actually paid attention when I talked. It was a childish crush,” Angelica said, a stubborn tilt to her chin as she looked at Alexander. There was a moment where the man sat, opening and closing his mouth as he tried to figure out the words to say.
“Alright?” He finally settled on, voice cracking around the word, much to the enjoyment of those not involved in the drama.
Moon sighed, not even bothering to announce the next song, instead letting the music blast through the room, making many people jump.
I may not live to see our glory
I may not live to see our glory
But I've seen wonders great and small
I've seen wonders great and small
“Oi, what's that supposed to mean?” Alexander shouted as John’s onstage counterpart gestured to his actor. The ghost raised an eyebrow at his friend. “Oh come on, I’m not even that short!”
“If you have to say ‘i’m not that short’ you are in fact, that short,” John said gleefully, yelping as Alexander punched him in the shoulder.
'Cause if the tomcat can get married
If Alexander can get married
There's hope for our ass, after all
“It’s funny cause all of them were already married at this point,” Moon said to Maria in a conspiratorial whisper.
Raise a glass to freedom
Hey
Something you will never see again
“And what do you mean by that Mr. Mulligan?” Eliza asked, a steely glint in her eyes as she looked at the tailor.
“Nothing ma’am I promise,” the man said, sweat starting to collect at his neck. “Just drunk dudes joking around, y’know?”
No matter what she tells you
Let's have another round tonight
Raise a glass to the four of us
Ho
“I think you’ve had plenty,” Angelica said. There was a small twitch to her lips at the drunken stupor of the man onstage. Despite the supposed inebriated state of the men it was quite nice to have some reprieve from some of the other, songs.
To the newly not poor of us
Woo-hoo
We'll tell the story of tonight
Let's have another round
Well, if it isn't Aaron Burr
Sir
There were snorts around the room at the strained voice of the actor. “Y’know, can’t say I blame you for not wanting to be there,” Jefferson said, watching with mild amusement as the friends onstage all perked up at the showing of the man.
I didn't think that you would make it
To be sure
Burr
I came to say congratulations
Spit a verse, Burr
I see the whole gang is here
You are the worst, Burr
Burr rolled his eyes with a huff, he glanced at the group of friends. There was amusement and enjoyment rolling off of all of them as they joked around with each other, playful nudges and suggestive eye wiggles being all Burr needed to see to feel a pang of longing. Maybe if they met in a different time, hell even a different place, maybe the little group would’ve been able to stick together.
He looked away before he could become anymore sentimental, watching the onstage dramatized version of their lives play out.
Ignore them
Congrats to you, Lieutenant Colonel
I wish I had your command instead of manning George's journal
No, you don't
Yes, I do
“Do you now?” Washington asked with an eyebrow raised.
Alexander yelped, “Of course not sir!” he said, y’know, like a liar.
Now, be sensible
From what I hear, you've made yourself indispensable
Well, well, I heard
You've got a special someone on the side, Burr
“How did you find that out?” Burr asked John, he never really figured that out. The man always seemed to know random tidbits of drama around camp.
John looked at him, slowly giving him a shit eating grin. “I’m southern.” There were noises of acknowledgment and agreement from within the room. Washington had to hide his smile behind his hand.
“How does that relate to finding out drama?” Burr asked incredulously, feeling his blood pressure rise just from the three minute conversation. Burr took back everything he thought before, screw these little shits, they’re not worth a popped blood vessel.
Is that so?
What are you tryin' to hide, Burr?
I should go
No, these guys should go
What?
No
Leave us alone
Man
“Betrayal!” Lafayette cried, clutching his chest as he fell back against Hercules' shoulder. Tears collecting in his eyes, he sniffed dramatically. “ Oh comme nous avons été trahis!”
Alexander rolled his eyes, as the tailor also joined in on the frenchman's antics. There was a snort from beside him, looking over he saw John shaking his head fondly. “Have I betrayed you dear Laurens?” Alexander asked, leaning forward absentmindedly as the man looked at him.
John watched him for a second, his smile so incredibly fond as he looked away.
“Only to the highest degree,” the ghost said. Maybe it was a test to their connection, or maybe John had become such a different person in the almost nineteen years he had been dead, but the only one who even noticed the glint of tears in his eyes was Phillip.
The glassy gleam almost startled the poor boy as he wasn’t used to comforting the ghost. For as long as the boy had known him, the ghost always kept his problems to himself. Anything Phillip knew about the man’s life came from information he had to intricately align in order.
“Oh how will you ever forgive me?” Alexander lamented. He yelped as Hercules circled an arm around his shoulder, trapping him in a head lock as he ruffled his hair.
It's alright, Burr
I wish you'd brought this girl with you tonight, Burr
You're very kind, but I'm afraid it's unlawful, sir
What do you mean?
She's married
I see
She's married to a British officer
Oh shit
There were splutters from around the room at the confession, many could relate to the ‘oh shit’ comment. “You-” Peggy started, staring wide eyed at the emotionally constipated man. “How in the hell do you fall into bed with a red coat's wife?” she asked, shock and horror mingled with a sense of delight.
The woman took a little too much glee at watching the man’s cheek flush, head ducking as he tried to hide it. “That is not- that is not important,” Burr mumbled, stumbling over his words at the bold conversation.
“Not important? Not Important?!” Peggy nearly screeched.
“Peggy, drop it,” Eliza cut in before her sister could start ranting about the importance of the relationship. While she wasn’t particularly a fan of the circumstances of how Burr met his wife, she still wouldn’t be harping on past misgivings.
Even if those misgivings do mean squashing any want to prod the man for answers on how the man did not end up shot for stealing the affections of a married woman.
Congrats again, Alexander
Smile more
I'll see you on the other side of the war
I will never understand you
If you love this woman, go get her
What are you waiting for?
“She’s married,” Burr stressed the last word, as if he isn’t a raging hypocrite.
“That never stopped people before,” Alexander said, raising a brow at the man.
“You’d know about that, wouldn’t you?” John muttered under his breath, rubbing his temple.
“Excuse me?” Alexander asked, staring at John now, the ghost almost startled as the man’s attention was turned onto him. Obviously his comment was louder than he thought it was.
John watched Alexander for a moment, the way the man’s brows furrowed was so achingly familiar yet so different. There would be no wrinkle after his expression smoothed over, there would be no crows feet at the corner of his eyes or frown lines that seemed like a trademark of the law profession.
John took a steadying breath, Alexander was so painfully different then the man he watched him unknowingly grow into. “You heard me,” John said, unlike his older self, this Alexander never learned to control emotions. He never had to sit through the rigorous social expectations of being the treasury, despite the practice war gives in making one ignore their fear in favor of duty. And so, John watched as the man’s emotions flitted across his face, always one to wear his heart on his sleeve.
“Would you care to elaborate, Laurens?” the man asked, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he looked at the ghost.
“Do you really want a list of your misgivings in front of your wonderful wife?” John said sickily sweet, “Would hate to ruin the honeymoon.”
“Oh cut the shit,” Alexander rolled his eyes, “it’s ironic how you’re harping on me when you’re the one hiding a child and wife.”
“Was.”
“Come again?”
John smiled at Alexander again, the taste of metal was ripe on his tongue. Even in a corporal body John could never get rid of the feeling of drowning in his own blood. It felt like he was back on that cursed ambush attack, falling off his horse as a bullet pierced through his lungs. John wondered distantly that if he looked down, would he be in his blood stain uniform? One that was just as stained as the grass he would’ve bled out on? Would there be blood stuck under his nails? Staining his fingers a crimson, as they were when he was last granted the mercy of sleeping.
“Should I be offended that you forgot? How would you put it? About my untimely departure from this cursed earth?”
The silence was oppressing.
“That is quite enough, you two," Washington said, making everyone’s heads whip up to him. He paid them no mind as he glanced between his two colonels. He felt a pang in his heart at the heartbroken look in Alexander’s eyes. He watched as Eliza rested a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “I have no idea what has gotten into either of you,” he said, watching as Alexander’s expression smoothed into an indecipherable blankness. “However this is not the time, understood?”
“Yes sir, sorry sir,” John said, staring blankly ahead at the screen. He sounded painfully mechanical, even to those who didn’t know him.
The last two lines of the song seemed almost mocking after the argument, but still they played perfectly clear throughout the theater.
I'll see you on the other side of the war
I'll see you on the other side of the war