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

Chapter 30

They found an empty table for 5 in the back of the tavern by the fire and sat down, Alexander in between Schuyler and Madison. Philip was between James and Thomas. Schuyler and Alexander struck up a conversation about the tax, with Madison occasionally jumping in.

"So how are you going to estimate the tax for each state?", Schuyler asked. Alexander shrugged.

"Probably going to use the census data for the tax on the slaves.", he said. "And then plantations might have a slightly bigger tax, because it's based on how many windows are on the house and the size of the windows."

Philip looked at his father weird. James jumped in as a barmaid came over with drinks and appetizers for them. He thanked her before talking. "Windows, Hamilton? Of all things, like acres of land, you decide to determine it by windows?"

"You know that's going to cause a big opposition in some states. They'll argue it's not being appropriately applied by population, as it should be.", Thomas jumped in, leaning back in his chair and grabbing one of the biscuits. He didn't bring up the fact that Monticello had about 28 windows, which included 13 skylights. "Do you want a repeat of the Whiskey Rebellion? What would they call this? The Window Rebellion?", he said, lazily munching on the biscuit.

Philip ducked his head to hide his snicker and Thomas grinned, looking at him. Schuyler observed them closely. Alexander huffed at the Vice President, snatching a biscuit and eating it.

The boy grinned up at Madison, who chuckled at Philip's attempt to not smile. James gently patted his knee. Philip looked at his grandfather, who smiled knowingly. The boy gently slipped his hand into Madison's before looking up at his grandfather again, who smiled and nodded at him.

James smiled when he felt Philip's hand in his. The barmaid came back to take their orders. Thomas ordered a salad and potatoes, Philip getting the same. Madison got pepper pot soup. Schuyler got a steak, and he ordered one for Alexander, saying he would eat, even when Alexander insisted the biscuit was enough.

Madison grinned and stole a bit of potato from Philip's plate, who pouted at him and stole some of his soup. Alexander frowned at them. When the boy saw his father's expression, he ducked his head, tears gathering and his face flushing, which, in turn, caused Schuyler to frown and James to rub his back. After watching the two for another minute, Alexander spoke.

"Philip, stop it.", he said curtly. Schuyler looked at him as Philip's tears started to fall.

"Alexander, you are in no position-"

"I'm his father and I'm telling him to stop.", he growled lowly. Schuyler raised an eyebrow and sat back as Philip shrunk behind James and Thomas, as the two politicians moved to protect him. Alexander watched them and glared.

"And I'm your father. And I'm telling you that you are in no position to tell your son to stop.", he said coldly and firmly. "You don't realize your behavior is making him lose trust in you. He's afraid of you, to tell you things in fear of your reaction."

Alexander glared at the group, at Philip, who was clinging to Madison's side, hiding his face as Thomas and James tried to calm him. His mouth fell open to say something, but nothing came out. His mind went back to when he'd published his pamphlet. That'd been the only other time he'd seen Philip so upset.

"You failed to realize that he was in love.", Schuyler said. Alexander's breath hitched at the realization. He looked as if he'd been struck across the face. He stared at his son with anger that slowly gave way to fear, as he realized how obvious it was.

"I...", Alexander said softly. He stared at an unfocused point for a minute until he got up, too quickly, falling over the chair. He got up and ran out, needing to clear his mind.

Philip, meanwhile, let out a soft, broken sob that had Thomas pulling him into his lap and wrapping his arms around him securely. Schuyler sighed.

"I'll talk to him. I suggest adjourning for the day, you're not going to get anything out of him."

Thomas nodded, holding the boy, who clung to him. James got a napkin and gently wiped the boy's face. Schuyler smiled at them, getting up.

"If you see other members, can you tell them I say we've adjourned for today?", Thomas asked. The old man nodded, leaving to find Alexander.

Meanwhile, Philip let out another shattered sob, clutching Thomas's coat and shirt in his hands, burying his head in his chest and shaking. His fear was finally reality. He didn't want his father to find out because of his possible reactions. That was calmer than he'd expected it to go, but he'd rather Alexander yell and try to take him away from them, rather than this heavy sinking feeling of loss and guilt.

Thomas wrapped his arms around him, his heart breaking at seeing Philip sobbing his heart out. James reached over and gently rubbed his back. He and Thomas were able to get Philip to the carriage. At some point, the temperature dropped and it had started raining heavily, humidity thick in the air. The rain was fitting for Philip's mood, it was slightly asphyxiating. James sat with him as Thomas ran to tell Adams they had adjourned for the day.

When he came back, the boy was somewhere between hyperventilating and choking on his cries. He was clutching James's coat tightly, trying to breathe in between his body being racked with his sobs. Madison gently stroked his hair and held him close, looking at Thomas for help. Thomas kneeled in front of Philip and James as the carriage started moving.

"Philip? Look at me, sugar. It's going to be alright, okay? We're going to protect you. Your father can insult me and Jemmy in the press all he wants, but he's not allowed to go against you. You're worth more than any political power to us. We'd rather have you than our jobs.", he said.

Philip slowly looked up at him, his eyes watery and tears falling down his face, his bottom lip wiggling, trying to hold back another sob. James stroked his hair slowly to calm him. They whispered soft reassurances and sweet nothings to him and the boy let himself cry and collapsed in their arms and passed out.

Thomas noted Philip lost lots of heat on the ride back, he was cold and clammy, the overcast light giving the boy's gentle features a slight bluish tint as well. James wrapped his jacket around the boy to try and give him more warmth and checked his pulse.

Schuyler tracked Alexander down in his office, entering and shutting the door. The younger man was writing furiously.

He walked into the room and took the papers from him and threw them in the fireplace. Alexander squaked.

"You can't be serious, Alexander. You have no right to call them out. You're the reason he went to them. Philip found it in himself to forgive you for your affair. Did it come from you, or is my daughter the reason he has any manners?", he asked. Alexander looked down. He heard Eliza's voice in his head, telling him to forgive Philip.

"I...", he said. He'd said things about Jefferson and Madison purposefully so that Philip wouldn't like them. And now he was finding out his son was in love with them.

"You're making the personal political again. This is not about their policies, this is about your son's lovers."

Alexander sighed and put his head down, letting out one of his own sobs. "I've tried to keep him away from them. But I've been holding him back, haven't I? I should have let him go earlier... He's old enough... What am I doing?"

"You were doing what you thought was best, which admittedly, you don't consider what would be best for others sometimes.", the old man said. Alexander sighed and wiped his face.

"I'll write an apology to him. I won't bring it up to the media. This is going to be hard to wrap my head around this..."

"Only talk about Jefferson and Madison as political opponents. Thomas and James are your son's lovers.", he said. Alexander nodded, pulling out more paper to start writing to his son.

Back at the inn, Thomas carried the boy upstairs, Madison following. They gently lay him on the bed, Madison toeing off his shoes and curling around the boy's back. Philip shivered and curled back into the warmth of James. Thomas closed the door, taking off his coat and laying it on the boy.

The Vice President hummed and lit the fire in the room and lay against the boy's front. Philip subconsciously cuddled between them, his mind void of all thoughts of what had happened.