Ze' Actual Ball
The Day of the Ball
"Oh, look who fucking finally showed up to lunch," Angelica greeted Alex. "Where the fuck were you all those times?"
"Library," was Alex's one worded reply. He was just standing there, swaying.
"Alexander," Eliza said. "You look like you're about to collapse. When was the last time you ate?"
"Er...... I grabbed a snack? From the kitchens? Oh, which by the way are full of house elves John you need to get on that."
"So, you barely ate in the last three days. How much did you sleep?"
"7 hours."
"Alexander don't lie to me."
"7 hours Total."
"You idiot," John said. He stood up, and pulled Alex into a seat, and arranged him so that Alex was leaning on him. Hey, John thought, if I can't have him, might as well. "What were you even doing in the library? We don't have that much homework-Oh shit do we?"
"No," Alex said. He nuzzled into John's side. Oh, fuck, John thought. He was warm and flirting? But no, Alex flirts with everyone. But what if? And his brain went on and on and on. "I was researching Nicholas Flamel."
"Oh, that guy who Longbottom was talking about," Eliza said. "Had something to do with the killer plant?"
"Yeah," Alex said. "Didn't find anything, though."
"I know about Nicolas Flamel," Angelica said. Of course she fucking did, Alex thought. "Something about a philosopher's stone?"
Alexander started rising from his spot. "I have to go-"
"Where are you going?" John shouted after him. He was being ridiculous, he barely ate in the last what? 3 days? He barely slept, he was on the verge of a breakdown and yet he was already at the doorway of the Great Hall.
"God dammit," John said, running after him.
"You go knock some sense into him," Angelica yelled.
John rounded the corner. "Alex!," he yelled. He reached him, and grabbed his arms. "Where are you going?"
"Library." That fucking one worded reply again.
"Alexander you've barely eaten, you've barely slept, you are going to work yourself to death." John was all up in Alexander's face now, their foreheads almost touching.
"Eh," he said. "Death is inevitable, you know. Might as well do it now and get it over with. Actually, I know a couple spells that might-"
"Stop. Alexander, stop. I don't understand you right now. I mean, I know that you have anxiety, but why are you being so suicidal right now? And why the fuck have you been avoiding me? Did I do something wrong? Was that one night too much?"
"No, John Laurens, you have never done anything wrong in your life. It's just that I," he squirmed, shifting his weight. He looked so uncomfortable. "It's just that I- I," he stammered. Alexander always had an eloquence with words, what was happening? "Nevermind. I have to leave." He turned and headed toward the library, leaving John standing there, helpless.
"Did you find him?" Angelica asked, when John returned to the lunch table.
"Yeah," he said dejectedly. He sat down and put his head into his hanHeds. "He's going to the library, and he is going to work himself to death, and I can't go get him cause he's avoiding me, and I fucked up so bad," he rambled miserably.
"Hey," Eliza said, laying a hand on his arm. "I'll go get him, and fix him. Don't worry about it." She gathered some food to take to Alexander. "See you next class."
Alexander fucked up so bad. He had his chance to tell John how he fell for him so badly, and what does he do? Fuck up.
Alexander wandered to his favorite spot in the library. He proceeded to find anything relating to the philosopher's stone to distract him from his thoughts, but it wasn't working. He tried to not think about how John's face fell when Alex ran away from him, or how John's face lit up when he saw him at lunch, or how he was so warm and opening and welcome to Alex during lunch.
Of course he fucking thinks about these things.
Eliza wandered around the library, looking for Alexander. She liked to think that she knew him pretty well, not as well as John knew him, though. So she just started looking for Hamilton™ Hiding Spots in the library.
She had some trouble getting in there in the first place. "No food," the librarian whispered harshly at her. Eliza then explained how this food could bet rid of Alexander, who was basically in the library 24/7. The librarian let her through.
She found Alexander curled up on a couch in the Legal Section. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
He was crying.
"Oh, Alexander," she said. She set down her tray of food. "What's wrong?"
She went over and comforted him.
"Nothing," he said, hiccuping. "It's just that I, I-"
"You can trust me," Eliza said, running a hand down his back soothingly. "I won't tell anyone. Is it about John?"
"How do you know about-"
"I've seen the way you two look at each other. And then, you completely avoid him. I could tell you guys were having relationship issues."
"I have so many issues. So, so many." He broke down.
"Shhh. Alexander, it's ok. You guys will be ok. Here, eat this and talk to me."
He took the food, and started rambling. "Ok, I have it bad for John. So bad, so fucking bad. It's just that his hair and his eyes and his fucking freckles, his fucking freckles, Eliza, and his fucking smile and his personality and I fucking oh my god fuck. And-"
"Hold on," Eliza interrupted. She was going to have to stop him at some point, Alex could probably talk for hours about John. "When did you start falling in love with him?"
"The night of Leafy."
"Yeah, tell me about that."
"So, we went back to our dorm and then John was having a nightmare- because that's what you do when you encounter a killer plant. And then I go and try and comfort him, because John only deserves happiness and love, and then he wanted me to stay because you know, nightmare. And then I fell asleep in his arms and when I woke up I had the really strong urge to make out with him a lot. And here I am now."
"Oh, you have it bad...."
"Yeah. And then, we had the problem of the ball, where we were supposed to have a date and everything. And then John goes and asks out Martha Manning, who is probably prettier and smarter- no not smarter- just, just less problematic than me. And here I am, probably the only person who doesn't have date-"
"I don't have a date."
"Wait what? But you're- you're like the best of women. Who wouldn't ask you out," Alex said incredulously. She shrugged.
"It's fine, I don't really care, I mean the only reason I would want a date is to get Peggy to shut up about it...."
"Hey," Alex said timidly. "Do you want to go... together?"
"To piss off our friends?"
"To piss off our friends."
Eliza looked beautiful. She was wearing a blue dress, kinda old fashioned, but it fit her perfectly. It was at that point where Alex realized if he had never met John, he probably would have married her and had a happy life with 8 fat happy children. Of course, that didn't happen.
Alexander was just wearing simple dress robes.
"To the ball?" He offered her his arm.
"To the ball."
The atmosphere of the ball was wonderful. There were Halloween decorations everywhere, somehow spooky and comforting at the same time. Half of the students were wearing costumes, and the other half were wearing fancy elaborate dress clothes.
"How come you're not wearing a costume," Alex asked Eliza.
"Well, technically I am. I mean, this is like an 1800s style dress."
Peggy and Hercules went all out on their costumes. Peggy was dressed like a very rich widow with a terrible secret.
"My name is Janet Snakehole," she said dramatically when she saw them. "And I am a very rich widow with a terrible secret- wait are you two going together?"
"Yeah-" she started when Hercules walked up to them.
"Hello strange person who I have never met before," he said. He was wearing an FBI jacket from the Muggle world. Strange. "Who are you?"
"Babe, not now, 'Liza and Alex are going together to the ball," Peggy said, slapping Hercules' arm repeatedly. He made a surprised face.
"Woah, seriously? Come on babe, let's go." The two disappeared under a table that Alex and Eliza were talking to them over.
"Well then," Alex said. "Shall we go find Laf and Washington?"
The two were dancing on the floor to a waltz. It was dreadfully romantic. Alexander would have hated to break it up.
"Hey fuck'os!" he said, bursting in between them. "How's it going!"
"Alex," Lafayette said disapprovingly. "We were having a moment."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Alex continued. "Where's 'gelica and John?"
"Angelica is over there," Eliza said, pointing to her. "Alex we literally walked right past them when we were looking for Laf. You have a one track mind."
"Oh, shit, she's probably pissed at the fact that I didn't acknowledge her, huh?"
"Well I don't think so, she was making out with Maria."
"Oh. Well then, shall we dance?"
"Ok."
John was probably having the worst day of his life. He was at the ball with Martha Manning.
The first few minutes of the ball were ok, with John's only problem being Martha. Martha was, no other way to put it, annoying. She and John barely knew each other, having met 30 minutes before the ball, and she was already begging him to make out with her. It was like she wanted him to knock her up that night, or something.
He found solace in being with his friends, excluding Angelica because she was on a date with someone she actually really really liked (John heard them talking shit about males as he was walking by them),excluding Eliza because she wasn't there yet, and excluding Alexander because being next to Alexander would have only made his problems worse.
And then Alexander came, accompanied by Eliza.
They were going to the ball together. On a date. John's heart broke when he saw them walk through the halls. Granted, his heart swelled when he saw Alex, wearing the nicest sexiest dress robes he had ever seen, but then he saw Eliza by his side.
Of course, John thought. He was on a date with Eliza, and they were probably totally in love with each other, and Eliza is literally perfect for Alex and vice versa, and how did John ever think that he stood a chance to be with Alex, and......
And then John saw Eliza and Alex dance together, and he just gave up.
"Come on," he said, pulling Martha with him. He was able to hold her off for a good time, but what was the point anymore? He didn't know if Alexander saw him, he hasn't seen him yet. He didn't care, John tried to tell himself.
He led Martha to a corner of the room, and pulled her in for a kiss. It's Alexander, he told himself. You're making out with Alexander. It's Alexander.
Of course, it didn't work, and he let Martha take the reins as he sat there listless, but the chant still went on.
It's Alexander. It's Alexander. It's Alexander.
Alexander was having the time of his life. Dancing with Eliza, hanging out with his friends. Alexander may have also downed a few butterbeers which would have contributed to his good mood. And then he decided to look for John.
That's when his world came crashing down. He found John in a secluded area, making out with his date Martha Mannings.
And so Alex ran. He ran, no sprinted, out of the ball. And looked for a place to cry.
"John. Hey John. What the fuck are you doing?"
Lafayette's voice snapped John out of his trance.
"Can't you see?" he replied sarcastically. "I'm in love." That only made Martha make out with him harder.
"Yeah? Well Alex just ran out of here crying, so your love ain't helping anyone."
John jumped up. "Well where the fuck is he?"
"I don't know-"
The doors of the Great Hall burst open, and in came Charles Lee.
"Troll! Troll!" He yelled. "Thought you would have wanted to know." And fainted.
Cue the chaos. There were students running everywhere, screaming their heads off. Even the teachers looked a bit panicked. John saw Seabury panic for a second, and then he left the Hall.
"SILENCE," McGonagall roared. "Everyone, please, do not panic. Now, prefects will lead their house back to the dormitories."
She went and conferred with the teachers.
"GRYFFINDORS, GRYFFINDORS," their prefect yelled. "Keep up please and stay alert."
"Bye Martha," John said. She walked away to the Hufflepuffs dejectedly.
"Come on," Lafayette said. "We have to go to our dorms-"
"Wait," John said. "Alex doesn't know about the troll."
"Oh shit. Let's go find him."
It was so unbelievably hard to find a good place to cry.
All the quiet places were filled with couples making out.
Love, Alexander thought bitterly. You only like it when it works out in your favor.
Alexander finally found peace in a girl's bathroom. Unfortunately, the bathroom was occupied. Alexander couldn't tell because he was too occupied with his thoughts, but then a loud roar shook him awake.
In front of him stood a troll. Massive, hideous, foul-breathed and just terrible in general. He screamed, and ran into one of the stalls. The troll, being the horrendous creature that it was, swung its club and destroyed the stalls.
Alexander was not dead yet. He would have been if he would "FUCKING MOVE!", John yelled.
Oh. John and Lafayette were here. Alexander was terribly happy to see them.
"Hi!" he waved at them as he ran for cover underneath the sink.
"REALLY ALEX?" John yelled. The troll aimed its club at the sink, and smashed it. Alex was able to roll away just in time to avoid a painful and horrible death.
John and Lafayette began pelting it with rubble. Lafayette then climbed onto the troll's club, and somehow got onto its head. It took another swing at Alex, and missed.
"Guys!" Lafayette yelled from the troll's head. The troll was swinging its head around to try and get rid of them, but Lafayette was hanging on tightly. Somehow, Lafayette managed to stick their wand into the troll's nose. It tried even harder to swing them off.
The troll then grabbed Lafayette by their leg and held them upside down.
"GUYS," they yelled more urgently. The troll started to swing its club, aiming for them. "FUCKING DO SOMETHING."
"What?" John asked.
"You fucking idiot," Alex said from under the sink. "WE GO TO A SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY, YOU SHOULD KNOW A COUPLE OF SPELLS THAT WILL SAVE THEM!!"
"Well, we're in the face of panic right now, HOW WOULD I FUCKING KNOW!"
"Aww you guys are cute bickering like an old married couple, but if you haven't noticed, I'M DYING HERE," Lafayette yelled. He avoided the club a couple of times now.
Alex was making motions with his hand now, basically walking John through a spell. "Wingardium Leviosa."
"WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA," John yelled. He was able to levitate the club out of the troll's hand. It floated higher, higher, higher until he lost control of it and the club dropped onto the troll's head.
Lafayette dropped out of the troll's hand and backed away. The troll promptly fell onto the floor.
"Eww," Lafayette said, pulling their wand out of the troll's nose. "Gross."
John was horrified over what he just did.
Alex was overjoyed.
"YEAH TROLL," he yelled, making rude gestures towards it. "THAT'S RIGHT. YOU KNOCK US DOWN, WE GET THE FUCK BACK UP AGAIN. YOU SWING AT MY FRIENDS, YOU BETTER NOT MISS, YOU BETTER HAVE ANOTHER PUNCH TO THROW-"
"Alex," John said, putting a hand on his arm. "You didn't even kill it-"
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS," McGonagall yelled, storming into the bathroom. She was surrounded by an entourage of teachers. Seabury, Longbottom, Lee. Lee had a leg wound. Huh. "EXPLAIN YOURSELVES," she continued, pointing at John and Lafayette.
"Er, well, what, um-"
"It was my fault," Alexander said.
"Mr. Hamilton. Well I can't say that I am surprised."
"Well, yes, well I went looking for the troll. I read about them, and thought that I could handle it. But I-" he choked on this part. "I was wrong. If Laf and John hadn't come here and saved me, I would have been dead."
"I would say I am disappointed in you, but that would have meant that I expected you to stay out of trouble. Nevertheless, 5 points from Gryffindor for absolute stupidity. As for you two, understand that you are so lucky to be alive right now. 5 points will be awarded for your bravery. Each. For sheer dumb luck."
"Well," Alex said, once they were all in their dorms. "That was interesting."
They all laughed.
"Just imagine the Schuyler sisters' reaction to this," Lafayette said.
"Peggy would probably wish she came with us," John said. "Eliza and Angelica would fucking kill us."
"Yeah," Alex said.
They went into a comfortable silence.
"Hey Alex?" John asked. He was thinking about the troll. He was just glad that Alex was safe.
"Yeah John?"
"Why did you leave the ball?" John hoped that this question wasn't too personal.
Silence.
"Alex?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Alex-"
"I don't want to talk about it," he snapped.
John's heart broke. Alex didn't even trust him anymore, he thought.
"Oh, ok then. Good night?"
"Night."
Both boys were quickly becoming experienced in the art of crying without making a single sound.