Thomas parked Angelica's car carefully in its usual space and got out. John and Alex got out of the back where they'd cuddled together, whispering and giggling about things Thomas didn't want to know about.
"You ready to enter hell?" he teased, sliding an arm around his smaller boyfriends. John pushed him, giggling lightly.
Alex mimicked his action, also giggling. "The descent into hell is easy," he quoted, causing John to gasp.
He pointed at his boyfriend. "You're into Shadowhunters?!" he asked.
Alex pointed back at him. "No, I have no idea what that is!" he replied in the same tone of voice. "I was quoting Virgil." John pouted at him, crossing his arms across his chest and sulking.
Thomas squeezed his shoulder sympathetically. "We'll introduce him to the fandom with time John," he soothed.
John grinned up at him, all traces of sulking vanishing. "Heheheh, yeah we will," he agreed ominously.
Shuddering, Alex opened the door to his home. "Welp, now I'm nervo- what the fuck," he stopped in his trail.
His boyfriends just strode into the chaos that was the original Schuyler family running around, tidying up. Philip burst into the room in a shirt and tie and saw the boys immediately.
"Ah! John, Thomas, I need you two to go tidy the kitchen up a bit," he ordered. Alex's boyfriends mock-saluted him and sauntered in the direction of the kitchen. "Alex, go tidy your room," he turned the order onto his adoptive son.
Alex looked outraged. "Why the hell should I do that?" he asked sharply. "Your ex-wife isn't going anywhere near my room."
Philip sent him a pleading look. "Please, one of them will report back to her and she'll yell at me for letting your room fall into a state. Also, you need two air mattresses on the floor of your room, and John and Thomas are gonna have to stay on them while the others are here."
His adoptive son gaped at him and there was a giggle from behind him as Peggy took a photo. Philip shut his eyes and breathed heavily. "Peggy, if you're standing there when I turn around you are going to wish you were never born," he threatened. "We have too much to do right now."
Peggy scampered off. Alex huffed. "Fine, I'll tidy my room and we'll see about the air mattresses," he compromised. Philip mouthed thank you at him as he walked away.
Angelica appeared and Alex returned her car keys to her. "Haha, I forgot this was your first switch day," she laughed. "You get used to it, I'm sure you saw John and Thomas."
Alex rolled his eyes and made to go up the stairs, grateful that his room was more or less tidy. The doorbell rang and everyone in the house froze for a moment.
Suddenly there was a thunder of feet on the stairs and Eliza and Peggy turned up, standing at the bottom in a resigned way that made it obvious they'd done it before. Thomas and John leaned against the kitchen doorframe together.
Angelica walked to her sisters, pulling Alex with her. They stood with their sisters and Angelica squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. "Welcome to hell," John murmured, breaking the stiff atmosphere.
Peggy glared at him and threw a pair of socks at him. He pocketed them before Philip could ask him to and received a grateful look in return. The head of the Schuyler household took a deep breath before opening the door.
"Kitty," he greeted her cordially. Catherine Rensselaer smiled at her ex-husband and Alex waited eagerly for his siblings to come through the door.
Catherine looked over her shoulder and called, "Kids!" Four children came into the entrance hall, the two elder boys carrying their younger sisters.
One of the girls cheered, "Angie!" and fought to be put down. The boy holding her collapsed and Kitty dropped her face into her hand.
Philip struggled to suppress a smirk and wiggled his shoulders a little in a victory dance. "What's happening?" Alex whispered to Eliza.
She whispered back, "Mom and Dad have a thing on every year on who's kids will be better behaved. Mom usually wins, but this year it looks like Dad's got a headstart."
Alex nodded. Kitty scanned the room and her face fell into a smile when she saw the sisters. "Angelica, Peggy, Eliza," she greeted her daughters warmly. She smiled at Alex too. "Alexander, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Alex smiled back nervously. "And you, ma'am," he returned.
"Please just call me Kitty," she insisted. "I have a feeling we're going to be seeing more of each other." Suddenly John and Thomas caught her eye and she turned to them sternly. "John Laurens, Thomas Jefferson get over here," she ground out.
John gulped and stepped forward. Kitty looked him over for a moment before pulling him into a firm embrace. Thomas followed and was also pulled into the hug.
"I heard about your mothers," she murmured. "I'm so sorry." John bit back a sob as he wrapped his arms around her.
Thomas followed John's example. "My mom isn't dead," he whispered to her.
Kitty laughed and pulled back. "But she's gone, isn't she?" she asked. Thomas nodded and she smiled sympathetically. "Anyway, I'll get the kids' stuff and then I'll be out of your hair."
She left the entrance hall and everyone went mildly insane. The four younger Schuylers all ran to their siblings, old and new, and started chattering. Alex sent John and Thomas a nervous look and John just smirked as Thomas wrapped a possessive arm around his waist.
Kitty walked back into the room and everyone straightened up, though Thomas didn't let go of John. She cast her eyes over the two and smirked. Alex very nearly pouted.
She placed the bags in the middle of the floor and walked to Philip, kissing his cheek lightly. "It was good to see you all and I'll be back in three weeks to pick you guys up," she addressed the final part to the younger Schuylers.
The tallest and probably eldest boy nodded at her. "Yes Mother, we'll see you in a few weeks," he said. Kitty blew her kids a kiss before turning on her heel and walking out of the Schuyler residence.
Philip clapped his hands in a way that demanded attention. "Okay, sleeping arrangements!" he cheered. "Because we have three extra people staying with us this year-" All eyes shot to Alex, John and Thomas "-bedrooms have been switched about a bit.
"Catherine and Cornelia, you guys are sharing the first guest bedroom," he said, pointing at the two smallest people in the room. "PJ you got guest bedroom two! And John, you are in the attic bedroom."
The eldest Schuyler boy nodded approvingly. "For anyone who doesn't know or dislikes remembering my name-" he paused to glare at John "-I'm John," he introduced himself.
The other Schuyler boy pushed past him and held out a hand to Alex, introducing himself, "I'm Philip, but everyone calls me PJ because me and my dad share a name."
Alex smiled awkwardly. "It's nice to meet you PJ, John. I'm Alex, but you probably already knew that," he replied. PJ nodded and backed away.
"This is Catherine and Cornelia, but everyone calls Catherine 'Cathy' and everyone calls Cornelia 'Corn'," he introduced his sisters. They waved at Alex shyly. "They're only three so they either talk loads or don't talk."
Alex sent John and Thomas a smug look. "Well, it's nice to meet you," he told them, confident that they liked him.
John Schuyler sent him a strange look. "It isn't nice to meet you," he said abraisively. "You stole my room and you're obviously friends with that." He tossed his chin in the direction of John, who wiggled his fingers cheekily.
"Oh come on James," he teased. "You know you love me really."
John sent John Sr. a dirty look. "You can't even get my name right," he moaned. "Why would I like you?"
Alex's boyfriend rolled his eyes. "Of course I can get your name right, John. I just don't because I don't want to share a name with a whiny little brat like you," he shot back.
Peggy threw another pair of socks at him which he caught reflexively. "Where are you getting these?" he wondered.
"Stop picking on my brother," she scolded. John rolled his eyes again as his nine-year-old namesake stuck his tongue out at him.
Turning to Alex he complained, "Do you see why I thought it would be better if I wasn't here?" Alex nodded sheepishly, remembering how he'd acted earlier.
Thomas squeezed John's waist to draw his attention to him. "Why don't we go upstairs and give you four a chance to settle in?" he suggested.
John nodded thankfully and headed for the stairs, throwing the pairs of socks back at Peggy. Thomas followed with a sigh. "It's lovely to see you all again," he tried but both Johns just raised their eyebrows at him.
He gave up, following his boyfriend up to their room. John started packing up his stuff that lay all around the room. "Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?" Thomas asked quickly, walking to him and grabbing his wrists.
John stopped, shoulders slumping. "I knew I shouldn't have stayed here," he replied quietly. "So I'm going home for the next three weeks."
Thomas's hands moved from his wrists to his shoulders. "Are you sure that's what you want to do?" he asked.
When John nodded silently, avoiding his gaze, Thomas sighed. "You should at least tell Alex," he coaxed.
John nodded again, going back to packing. Thomas sighed again. "I hope you know that I'm staying here for these weeks," he informed his boyfriend.
Closing his eyes and stopping packing for a moment, John took a deep breath. "I know, and I get why. I'm not sorry I'm leaving, but I am sorry to leave you here alone with the monsters," he said.
Thomas chuckled, sitting down on the edge of Alex's bed and opening his arms for a hug. John climbed into his lap, burying his face in Thomas's chest.
Alex walked into his room, exhaling loudly at the relief of being away from his other adoptive siblings. "Hey guys. What's wrong?" he asked, taking in their position.
"'m going home," came John's muffled response.
Alex blinked. "Oh," was his eloquent acknowledgment.
John took his time in justifying his reason. After a while, he said, "If I stay here all that's gonna happen is me and John fighting all the time and you don't deserve that. You deserve the chance to get to know your siblings without my biased comments."
"Oh," Alex replied again. "Are you sure?"
John nodded and Thomas took the time to say, "We went through it all. Promise us that you'll keep in touch though. Don't think I could cope for three weeks with radio silence from your end."
There was a muffled sobbing laugh from John and Alex joined his boyfriends on the bed, wrapping his arms around them. "Love you," he said. John mumbled the same back and Thomas just kissed his boyfriends' cheeks.
~
So, there are four of the seven new characters I promised! Ngl, I have a soft spot for PJ and the twins, but I'mma make John Jr a real bitch. But he might mellow out a bit in the sequel if he makes an appearance then.