Hamilton
'What do we do?'
Alexander stared at the door to his office, left open when Burr and the others left through it. He wondered if they'd done that in purpose, if they wanted to make him stand up, to close the door behind them.
'Alex. What do we do?'
He turned, fingers twitching. His dæmon, tiny Badai, is staring at him. He can't actually see which way the ant's eyes are pointed, but his antenna are in Alexander's direction and somehow he just knows.
'We do what we always do. We write our way out.'
He moved to the chair behind the desk, pulling paper and pen towards him. He expects Badai to scurry towards him, to start giving Alex ideas as he always does. But Badai just stares at him.
'Alex. Maybe not this time. Eliza-'
'Eliza will understand once we write this down. Eliza loves my writing, she'll understand.'
'This isn't the way though, this isn't like the letters.'
Alex put down his pen, staring at his dæmon. Badai is frozen, staring back at him. 'I can't bear the way they looked at me, Dai, judging me. I have to explain.'
Badai sighs, but nods. Alex keeps writing.
Bruciare wasn't good at balls. Swinging about and fast movement wasn't exactly the best place for a tortoise and Eliza couldn't ever stand her dæmon being embarrassed. So he hid in her skirts, and she hid in the corner, laughing with Peggy until Peggy got swept away.
'Eliza.' She leant down, picking her dæmon up and holding him close. 'Eliza, who's that?'
She turned, following her dæmon's gaze and stopped still, eyes wide. A man was stood with Aaron, laughing about something. She couldn't see a dæmon, but that meant his soul was small, delicate. She was in love.
She turned, grabbing Angelica's arm as she passed. 'That one's mine.'
Angelica laughed, weaving through the crowd towards him. Bruciare looked up at Eliza, trembling slightly. 'Do you know who he is?'
Eliza shook her head, her eyes not leaving the man as he looks back at her, smiling. Angelica took his arm, leading him towards her and Eliza froze, standing up and placing Bruciare on the chair next to her. He chuckled.
'It's okay, Betsey. We're alright.'
Then the man was in front of them, a tiny ant resting above his eyebrow.
'Elizabeth Schuyler. It's a pleasure to meet you.'
It was very lucky that Badai wasn't on Alexander's skin when Angelica walked in. Because nothing was stopping Obair from dashing across the room and picking the other dæmon up in his fingers, almost squeezing him flat. Badai shook as the monkey his face right up to the ant.
'What was he, Dai? This dæmon that was better than Bruciare?'
'S-she was a butterfly and she wasn't better. She was-'
Obair screamed, throwing Badai across the room. Alexander dove to catch him as Angelica picked up Obair, storming out of the room and toward's Eliza's bedroom. She couldn't imagine how her sister was feeling.
'Aunt Angelica?'
The two turned, eyes softening at their nephews and niece, dæmons lined up beside them. Only Phillip's spaniel had fully settled and Obair jumped down to comfort them.
'It's okay, it'll be okay.' Angelica said, pulling her youngest nephews into a hug and kissing Angie's forehead. 'Your father has been an idiot, but everything will be fine. I promise.'
Phillip nodded, holding baby William. 'Come on, let's let Aunt Angelica go.'
The others nodded, shuffling off. Angelica sighed, watching them go. Obair jumped onto her shoulder, sighing.
'Come one Angie. Eliza needs us.'
Washington stared at his dæmon, who was twitching slightly. Jefferson was back from France and it was time for his first official cabinet meeting. Rekishi stood, pacing the room, and George followed her with his eyes. After about two minutes, she snapped, turning on her man with a snarl.
'What?!'
George shrugged, leaning back in his seat. 'Just think it's ironic. First president of our new country, and my dæmon is the national animal of the one we broke away from.'
The lioness scowled, moving to sit down next to him. 'Well if you don't like my form, you could've said. I think it's quite useful.'
George laughed, scratching her head. 'Well, I'd be dead if you were smaller, that's for sure. Come on, we should probably go.'
Rekishi nodded, following him out of the room. 'How do think this is going to go? Do you think Alexander and Thomas will get along?'
George thought of their proposals, the arguments and insults they had already said without even properly meeting. He opened the door to the meeting room, catching Alex and Thomas already glaring at each other.
'This is going to go terribly.'
Rikishi laughed. 'You chose them.'
George groaned.
Sutori tugged on John's sleeve, pulling him down to eye level. Laurens smirked as he looked at his dæmon, all worried about him. He scratched the back of her neck but she pushed him away, frowning.
'You be careful, John.' The German Shepard said, trying to glare at him and failing. 'You shoot first and you dodge his shot.'
'So is he dodging, or is he shooting?'
John smiled at Badai as the ant crawled over Sutori's fur. The dog moved her head to try and see him but Badai just moved onto her nose.
'He's doing both in quick succession.' Alex said, leaning close so Badai could jump onto his hand. Sutori jumped slightly as Alex's hand got very close to her face. Alex just laughed, moving to negotiate with Burr.
John shook his head at Alex, sitting down next to Sutori. 'Seriously, Tor, I'll be fine.'
'You've never duelled before.' She pointed out, ears drooping.
'And hopefully I won't have to again.' He said, leaning to kiss her nose. 'Now be a dear and frighten Lee's dæmon will you.'
Sutori sighed as John stood up, pistol in hand. Despite this, she did turn and snarl, ready to fight.
Fune slammed into his chest, the second she saw him, babbling in French and flying wildly against him. Lafayette blushed slightly, putting his arm under her talons so she could straighten up. The bald eagle calmed slightly as they walked through the camp, Lafayette nodding at the others as he went. Fune was still babbling, but quieter now.
Finally, the two of them got into their tent, Fune flying to land on her perch next to his bunk. Lafayette raised an eyebrow, speaking in French. 'Okay, calm down. What happened?'
Fune hopped from one foot to the other. 'I was with Badai, and he said people are thinking about what symbols they're going to have, you know, when they're their own country. And he said they're thinking of the bald eagle.'
Lafayette smirked slightly but tilted his head. 'And...?'
'And its me, Gilbert.' She crooned, flying around the room. She landed on his shoulder, shaking slightly. 'They're going to make me their national symbol.'
He laughed, stoking her chest. 'Okay, Fune, calm down. I know how much you love America-'
'But this means America loves me!'
Lafayette laughed again but didn't disagree. He could never argue with his beautiful soul.
Hercules smiled as the customer left his shop, waiting for the door to close before the expression dropped. He walked into the back room, smiling at his dæmon.
'Did you get all that?'
Tatakai nodded. 'I don't know what's better, British secrets or you trying to suck up to them.'
He snorted, grabbing a drink and sitting down next her. 'I don't try. I succeed. We'll pass this on to Laf and John tomorrow.'
The bear nodded, yawning slightly. 'It's been a long day and we've done well.'
Hercules nodded, holding up his glass. 'To us.'
'To freedom.' She added.
'And to the revolution.' He whispered, always worried someone would walk in. It was risky work, being a spy, especially as his shop became more and more popular. More Brits meant more information but it also meant his fellow American had began to hate him, to call him a traitor.
'Herc?'
'Yeah, Tat?'
'What if we die, and no one remembers us? What if no one mourns, because they think we're traitors.'
Herc shrugged, stroking her head. 'Alex knows, he'll tell them all. Probably won't shut up. And besides, when you knock us down-'
Tatakai laughed, covering up his swearing.
Hisho stopped once as Thomas stormed out of the meeting. Madison's Yujin met her briefly before Hisho had to speed after Thomas, for fear of being left behind. Yujin shook her koala head fondly after them.
On the way home, Thomas read over Hamilton's proposal. First he had suggested some stupid national bank idea, taking money away from the south to help the north, now he was basically begging him to join the fray. Hisho had spoken to Yujin about it and they'd agreed to meet him, alone.
'What do you suppose he'll compromise?' The peacock next to him said, tilting her head.
Jefferson let out a snort. 'Hamilton, compromise? He'll try to give us something meagre and then throw a tantrum when we don't agree.'
'So?' Hisho said, tail feathers fanning out. 'What are we going to ask for?'
He raised an eyebrow. 'You know what. I do like Madison, his ideas are impeccable.'
Hisho smiled, the best she could with a beak. 'You like Madison because he thinks your ideas are impeccable.'
Thomas laughed, stroking her feathers. 'True. He has very good taste.'
Hisho laughed, leaning against him. They'd missed a lot but now they would take charge.
Brenin curls into himself as his man starts ranting and raving, throwing things across the room and laughing hysterically. The weasel tries to make himself as small as possible, hoping George won't look over, will calm down before he realises his soul in on the bed and terrified,
'Brenin, darling!'
No such luck.
George flops down on the bed, their face's very close together. Brenin forces himself not to flinch, because then George would get angry.
'What do you think of ol' John Adams, hmm? Their brand new President.'
Brenin forces himself to smile, to respond. He manages to stutter out. 'H-he's a bit small.'
George let out a hug laughed, almost falling off the bed. 'A bit small! Oh, Brenin, you are hilarious. Well, how could you not be, you're my dæmon.'
Brenin smiled, a bit more naturally this time. 'And you're the king.'
George grinned, jumping off the bed and bouncing away, out of the room. 'Yes I am. I'm the king and no one can change that. I'm the king, I'm the king...'
He leaves repeating this and Brenin sighed. A man has to be mad to scare his dæmon and King George was truly mad.
Aaron and Laukti weren't good with friends. Their parents had told them to smile and not talk when there was company so much, by the time Aaron started school and Laukti settled- so very early for both of them- it's become his entire motto. Besides, what child wants to make friends with the rich boy with an already settled lizard dæmon.
So they were lonely, very lonely.
Then they met Alexander Hamilton.
Hamilton had sought him out, had seemed happy to talk to him and Badai had happy jumped onto Laukti's head and babbled away. Aaron had tried to give him his father's advice, because wanted to go far in the world but Hamilton had just been confused.
Then, Alexander was gone.
He had new friends, new positions, new family. He spoke to Aaron as if they were still friends, as if Aaron wasn't trying everything to do as well as him and failing. As if he wasn't going to ruin him at the first chance.
Laukti tried to stop him. Badai tried to reach him, 10 paces away. Laukti screamed when he took the shot, Alexander crumbling and Badai disappearing seconds away from her.
Aaron wasn't good with friends.