Work Text:
John heaved an exhausted sigh and rotated his wrist. He had finally reached that point in a long work day where you zone into your words, only to have a sudden realization that the room has grown too dark to see. John attempted a glance out the office window, and was met with his own reflection staring back at him. He looked awful, he noted to himself, with bags under his eyes and his hair sticking out from its cue every which way. He decided he had worked enough for the day, the sun would be up in the matter of hours and General Washington would not appreciate the drowsiness that would surely follow the dawn.
John stood slowly, stiffly. His muscles were taught and his joints were aching. He stretched for a moment before capping the inkwell and stacking his papers neatly. Too many a time had Alexander complained about how John had “a tendency to allow his exhaustion to pull his work into a tornado”. John smiled to himself at the memory, Alexander had been right. He was always teasing John for his confusion when he would enter the office in the morning and be unable to find any of his drafts.
John blew out the candle and the room was doused in darkness. He didn’t need the light to make it to his quarters, he knew this building and its halls like the back of his hand. Now that the flame had been put out, John could see the large white moon outside the window. He smiled again, surely he would have a few hours to sleep in his own bed.
John made his way out into the hall, careful to close the door without a sound. He counted his steps down the hallway, softly humming to himself. He stopped when he reached the second office, the third door to the left.
There was a soft candlelight flickering from underneath the door. John furrowed his brow and moved towards the door, wrapping his knuckles on the wood softly. When no answer came, he slowly turned the knob and peered in. And then he was suppressing a laugh.
There was Alexander Hamilton, slumped over his desk fast asleep. A quill was still in his hand, and the inkwell was upended with a dark pool gathering on Alexander’s page.
John leaned on the doorway for a moment, simply observing his companion. His hair was strewn around his head, it brushed over his eyes in a way that was so characteristically Alexander it made John’s heart swell.
Alexander shifted in his sleep, effectively flipping the inkwell fully upside down. John chuckled, knowing the ire Alexander would burn with when he saw his ruined work.
John padded over to Alexander and knelt next to him, putting a soft hand on the boy’s shoulder and shaking gently.
“Alex, wake up,” he cooed. “Wake up, dear boy. Let’s get you to your bed.”
Alexander stirred and peaked his eyes open, bleary irises glancing
around before focusing on John.
“Hi there,” John laughed.
“Hi,” Alexander’s voice came out hoarse and he cleared his throat.
“Wh’a time’s it?”
“Nearly three in the morrow I would say,” John said as he righted the inkwell and capped it, not that there was anything to keep in it anymore. Alexander sat up and frowned at the pages in front of him, giving a quiet groan. John looked back at Alexander and laughed out loud, smacking a hand over his mouth. He wouldn’t want to wake the other aides or the General.
There was a smear of black ink across Alexander’s cheek. It was endearing, almost innocent. Alexander knitted his brows together and swiped a hand over his cheek, accomplishing nothing.
“What?”
“Let me help,” John chuckled. He produced his handkerchief from his coat and gently scrubbed the ink from Hamilton’s face.
“Good as new.”
Alexander blushed as he turned back to his papers. “Can’t say the same for these, though.”
“Worry not about them right now, Alexander dear,” John said softly. He stood slowly, gently taking Alexander’s arm and pulling him up with him. “We sleep now.”
John leaned over the desk and blew out the candle just as he had minutes before. The boys were drowned in darkness, just holding each other. Neither one of them made a move to exit the room.
John pulled Alexander impossibly closer, his hands on the shorter one’s waist. Alexander positioned his hands on John’s chest, not pushing away, but instead relishing in the man’s hold. They were alone, an occasion that rarely occurred, and one they intended to take full advantage of.
John leaned down slowly and planted his lips on Alexander’s neck. It was a gentle movement, soft, warm lips caressing hot skin. Alexander hummed happily and leaned further into Laurens’s chest. He inhaled, taking in the scent of cinnamon that John always seemed to carry with him. John pulled his head back, taking Alexander’s chin between his thumb and index finger gently and pressing their lips together.
After a few moments they pulled away, leaning their foreheads against each other.
“You ought to get yourself to bed, dear boy,” John whispered.
“You ought yourself,” Alexander snipped back with a smile.
“I ought to get myself to your bed?” John smirked.
“John!” Alexander chastised with a bright smile. He smacked John’s chest lightly.
Laurens shushed Alexander gently, taking his hand and leading him out of the office. They made their way to Laurens’s quarters hand in hand. Once they made their way past the threshold, Alexander threw his arms around John’s neck and squeezed. John wrapped his arms around the aide in turn, nuzzling into his head. Even on his toes Alexander was significantly shorter than John.
“What’s this for, love?” John whispered.
“I love you,” Alexander murmured into John’s neck, peppering soft kisses onto the skin he found there.
“I love you too,” he replied softly.
John took Alexander’s arms and sat him on the bed. He began stripping away Alexander’s uniform, his boots. Once the boy was in his shirt and breeches, John laid him down on the bed, before repeating the undressing for himself and climbing in next to him.
Alexander was shifting restlessly. John knew he had trouble falling asleep, and he knew just how to help him. This was not the first time they were in this position.
John wrapped Alexander up in his arms, removing the ribbon from his hair with one hand and massaging his scalp. Alexander let out a happy sound, nuzzling a bit closer into John’s arms.
Without stopping the relaxing movements, John took a breath and started to sing softly to Alexander.
Lavender’s blue dilly dilly
Lavender’s green
When you are king dilly dilly
I shall be queen
Alexander sighed contently, his fidgeting stopping completely. His eyes slipped closed as John pressed a kiss into his hair.
Who told you so dilly dilly
Who told you so?
‘Twas my own heart dilly dilly
That told me so
Alexander was fast asleep. The sun would be up in a matter of hours. John was content to spend those few hours right here.