Sickness, Freckles, and Magenta (ON HIATUS AND SLOW UPDATES)

Chapter 28

The next day, Thomas did his daily routine of recording the weather. James was the next to get up, about an hour later, softly smiling as Philip snored softly. The moonlight was still gently coming through the window.

"Good morning, love...", Thomas said quietly, so as to not wake the boy. He walked over and kissed his forehead softly. James smiled gently and looked at Thomas with gentle, half-lidded eyes. Jefferson cooed quietly at the look, stroking his fingers down across Madison's chin.

James looked at the desk and Thomas understood what he wanted. He grabbed James's notes and an inkwell and sat on the other bed so Philip could sleep before lighting a few candles for James to be able to write. James hummed and crawled into the other bed, taking the papers and laying on his stomach so he could write more of his notes. Thomas lay next to him, also on his stomach, watching James write his notes.

James hummed in thought. He didn't want to get ink on the bed, but he also didn't want to do it at the desk. He looked at Thomas, who had his upper half bare. They'd all slept without clothes, wanting to feel close to each other.

He hummed and laid his notes across Thomas's back, moving the inkwell closer and using Thomas's bare back as his desk. Thomas grinned when he realized what was happening and moved to level his back for James. He shifted a little when he felt the quill trace words into his back.

"Stop moving.", James grinned. Thomas chuckled softly as he could feel the trace of the quill.

"It tickles. Plus, that's not what you said last time you used me as a desk, considering you'd been begging me to do the opposite moments before.", he said. Madison playfully glared at him.

"Unless you want to clean up ink, stop moving.", he said, going back to writing. "You make a rather useful desk. And I didn't beg." Thomas scoffed.

"Yes, you did. You were begging me to pound you harder and touch you. And then you used me as a desk to finish your essay."

"Hush. Martha was a better desk than you. She didn't complain like you.", James said, blushing a little. Thomas chuckled.

James spent some time writing his notes on Thomas's back, sometimes intentionally teasing him with the quill, before deeming it good enough. He put them to the side, and curled up again, falling back asleep. Thomas smiled and stroked his back, laying next to him and holding him close. He could see the pre-dawn light starting to show out the window and he smiled, blew out the candles, and closed his eyes and going back to sleep.

Philip woke up a few hours later, sunlight streaming through the window. He looked over to see Madison curled up in Jefferson's chest and Thomas with his arms wrapped around James. Still being half asleep, he fell down as soon as he stood up. The noise caused James to get up and help him up.

"Are you alright?", he asked. The boy nodded and looked at Thomas, who was stretching his arms in bed. He crawled onto the bed and kissed him passionately. Jefferson chuckled and tangled his hand in his hair to pull him closer for a few seconds, before pulling away and getting up.

"The meeting is at 3 o'clock.", he said, looking at the time and sighing. "We're debating new taxation."

James rubbed his back. "Hopefully, it'll go alright."

Philip quirked his head. "What is it about?"

"There's been an unofficial war with France and the Union is heavily in military debt.", Thomas explained. "Adams and your father have come up with a plan to raise taxes to compensate the debt."

Philip sighed. "I thought he supported France, because his one friend's French."

"Lafayette?", James asked.

"Yeah."

"I thought so too. But, when France had their revolution, your father decided not to help and Washington sided with him and put out a statement of neutrality. And ironically, his party supports Britain.", the Congressman said.

"But didn't we just declare independence from them?", he said, gesturing to Jefferson in reference to the Declaration of Independence.

James nodded. "Exactly. Your father is a walking paradox."

Philip sighed and lay his head in Thomas's lap, who gently stroked his hair to calm him.

"I don't understand him anymore. I can't follow his logic.", he said, rubbing his face. Jefferson leaned down and kissed his head. "But you, I can understand perfectly fine. Probably cause you actually explain the things to me. He expects me to find things out on my own. 'Here son, here's a thing. I'm not going to tell you the thing, but you'll figure it out. I have to go back to work now.' Since I've been here... I've learned so much from you two and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I never want to leave you.", he said, gently holding James's hand and looking up at Thomas.

James cooed quietly and kissed their intertwined fingers and Thomas leaned down and kissed his nose. Philip screwed up his face and giggled at being the center of affection.

"Well, we feel so lucky to have you, sugar. We love the fact that you're still learning and that, as the rectors of your school, we're able to help you. We also love the fact that you're with us. It's amazing to have you with us and that we're able to teach you along the way. We're always going to be here for you.", James said. The boy grinned and squeezed his hand and Thomas smiled down at him.

"I'm scared though... He's already gone off on both of you just for being near me... I'm worried he's going to cause a scene at the meeting. Especially if he sees me sitting with you. I don't want to have to expose us in public.", the boy said, voicing the concern that'd been in the back of his mind. James held his hand tightly, reassuring him.

"I promise, if I see him give you any trouble, come to me. He won't fight the Vice President in front of Congress.", Thomas said, stroking his hair. Philip nodded.

They got dressed and gathered their things they needed for the meeting, Philip dressing in the suit Jefferson had given him months ago.

James cooed. "Look at how handsome you are, sugar...", he said, as Philip put his tricorn hat on. The boy beamed at the praise and took some of James's books, running to the carriage. Jefferson had went and got some bread and cheese for their breakfast, coming back in time to witness Philip running away and James chuckling at his childish antics and they walked out after him to the carriage.