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

Chapter 32

Alexander walked back into the house, still in slight shock, and Eliza approached him, taking his coat. He sighed softly as she guided him to the couch.

"How was it?", she asked, sitting next to him and handing him a cup of tea. He looked at the tea in his hands before looking at her, and then back at the tea.

"Can I have some whiskey?", he asked in a monotone voice. She looked at him but handed him a bottle. He poured it into the cup until it was full and then took a big drink out of the bottle.

"Did you know Philip is involved with Jefferson and Madison?", he asked. She looked confused. "Romantically.", he clarified. She gasped softly, it made sense to her. She'd noticed when they'd been over for Christmas, the two politicians had been acting rather close to the boy.

"Please tell me you didn't act rashly...", she muttered. He looked at her sheepishly and she sighed looking down. "Alexander Hamilton, what did you do?"

"I may or may not have been writing an article to slam Jefferson and Madison in the press about it..."

"Dear God... Alexander Hamilton, if you just ruined our son's relationship, I swear-"

"Your father stopped me. He threw it in the fire.", he said. Eliza sighed in relief.

"Thank God... You do realize that if you had published that, you would have been not only severely hypocritical, but you also would have tarnished our name more than you already have and Philip would have probably avoided you for good. I'm sure he'll send a letter or meet us to explain later", she said, scooting closer to him and leaning against him.

Alexander just sat in thought and took a sip of the tea. He was really confused right now, his mind racing and his thoughts of his son being with his political enemies.

Meanwhile, Philip was peacefully snuggled back against Jefferson's bare chest with Madison's naked figure curling around his front protectively. He nuzzled closer to James's chest, purring softly. The boy felt Thomas's thumb gently stroke his hip and he pulled James closer so he could snuggle further between them.

He felt the slow breathing of the two older men, indicating they were asleep. The boy smiled softly, wiggling himself out of their hold and kissing James's forehead and Thomas's shoulder. He sat at the desk and started writing his justification to his father. Before he started, he thought about all the things the two Virginians had done for him.

Let's see they just, paid attention to me, helped me, actually cared about how things affected me, loved me, taught me, actually tried to explain your reasoning for that pamphlet, actually tried to get along with you because we were together...

He started writing, immediately telling him to have his mom and grandpa there, and that he would not be allowed to publish this letter in a newspaper. He wrote a side note to his mom to keep this away from Alexander after he read it, burn it if needed.

The boy wrote about how he ended up running away after the pamphlet was published, and what Thomas had done for him. Inviting him to stay, providing him with support and comfort, feeding him. He wrote about James coming into his life as well. Philip smiled as he recalled all the sweet moments he had with them.

James wiping pie ingredients on his face as the boy giggled because he'd tried to add something, Thomas covering his face with the newspaper jokingly when the boy had made a joke about a news story.

Philip wrote out his entire story, his entire heart, unapologetically regretting nothing as he occasionally looked over at the two sleeping politicians. Once he had a majority of his thoughts down, he left it to show it to Thomas later and crawled back in between the two of them, sighing softly and pushing his father out of his mind and closing his eyes, drifting off in his lovers' arms.

Thomas got up a little bit later, to rekindle the dying fire. He stopped and looked at the desk, sitting and reading a few paragraphs. He felt his chest swell with affection for James and Philip, looking back at the two snuggled together. He got up, putting the papers back and putting more wood in the fire. The Vice President lay back down and pulled Philip on top of him, the boy subconsciously nuzzling into his arms. Madison moved closer and lay his arm gently over them.

A few hours later, Philip had gotten up again, his mind having woke him with doubts of his letter. He sat in a chair, reading a book and getting lost in the pages, so he didn't notice Thomas until he felt lips on his forehead.

"Sugar, if you're worried, go and deliver the letter in person. If you want me and James to come, we can...", he said softly. The boy sighed and nodded, sinking back into the chair, letting Thomas pull the book out of his hands. He reached his arms up for the older man, who picked him up, the boy wrapping his legs around his waist. Philip didn't want to deal with responsibility at the moment, and so his older lover wouldn't let him near it.

"Can you come with me?", he asked quietly, in an almost childlike voice. Jefferson nodded, quietly laying the boy in the other bed and curling protectively around him.

"We both can, sugar.", he said softly, letting the boy drift off again into thought.