The Truth- John Laurens x Reader
A/N: I worked so hard on this, to be honest. I hope you enjoy!
“Come meet my daughter, Y/N,” the unfamiliar man said, gesturing behind him to the house. “She’s about your age now, starting high school.”
A young girl who, as her father had said, was about John’s age, came running out of the house, her hair falling in strands around her face. She was wearing a hoodie and leggings, classic just-moved-in outfit, and had her earbuds still in her ears. She was looking down at her phone, but when she stopped in front of him, she pulled out the headphones and looked up at him.
Her eyes widened and her face flushed. “Wow.”
John smiled, although he was taken aback as well- with her beautiful hair, eyes, body, everything about her- she was beautiful. “Wow, yourself.”
Her face turned redder as she awkwardly stuck out her hand. “Um- um- thank you?”
“I’m John Laurens,” he introduced himself, opting out of the handshake and instead kissing her knuckles. She looked at the ground shyly and let her fingers linger in his for a moment before pulling away.
Y/N’s father looked down at her in confusion before turning to John and smirking in realization. “How would you like to come over for dinner, John?”
“Oh!” Laurens exclaimed, noticing how Y/N’s eyes brightened at the thought of spending more time with him. “Actually, sir, since you just moved here, how about you and your lovely daughter come over for dinner? I can’t cook myself, but my grandmother is a wonderful chef.”
“We would love to come over,” he replied, turning to Y/N. “Would you like that?”
“Um-um- yes! Please come over!” she bit her lip and stepped back, suddenly shy again. “I-I mean, we’d love to!” Y/N’s father put his arm around her and chuckled.
“She’s just excited, our neighbors back home weren’t nearly as friendly.”
John shook his head. “I don’t know how anyone couldn’t be nice to such a lovely family. We’ll be eating with my grandmother, is that okay?”
Y/N sort of shoved her father out of the way. “Yep! See you then!” She stared at him for a second before running off. John shook his head and laughed with her father, but his face was just as red, his heart beating just as fast.
That night, Y/N and her father showed up at the house next door with a tray of cupcakes Y/N had slaved over all afternoon. Y/N knocked lightly on the door, her face still bright red.
“Hey,” John said cheerfully, pulling open the door. He had done his hair again, his curls were neatly pulled back into a ponytail. He was wearing nice pants and a button-up blue shirt, he had an easy smile on his face. “Mr. Y/L/N, it’s great to see you.” He turned his gaze to Y/N, his grin growing larger. “Miss Y/N, you look beautiful.” He kissed her hand again, making Y/N’s father smile.
“Save it for later you crazy kids,” another man said, coming up behind John. Y/N looked down in embarrassment but Laurens chuckled easily.
“Yeah, yeah.” he rolled his eyes. “Mr. Y/L/N, Y/N, this is my unofficial grandfather, George Washington.”
Y/N’s father shook his hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Washington.”
George rolled his eyes. “Please, call me George- John, Martha and I aren’t that much older than you!”
“Whatever you say, old man,” John teased, grinning at George before reaching for Y/N’s hand and taking it. She turned pink and used her free hand to play with a strand of hair. “Come on, Y/N, I’ll show you my bedroom!”
Washington noticed how Y/N’s father paled. “Door open!”
“Legs closed,” John whispered under his breath. Y/N gasped and let out the tiniest giggle.
He shrugged. “I speak the truth. Come on, Y/N, this is my room.”
She looked at him for a moment. “You’re adorable.”
“Y/N!” he exclaimed, mocking her. John’s face was pink, his eyes bright.
She shrugged. “I speak the truth.”
For weeks after that, they would speak every day- texts, phone calls, emails, even letters- John would pull out his best pen and stacks of paper and write paragraph after paragraph. He was a romantic, although they were nothing more than friends- flowers, chocolates, anything to make her smile. When school started he showed her around, introduced her to his friends, made sure nobody would dare lay a finger on her. He would flirt, little pickup lines and compliments, and each word would make her blush.
One day, months after they had met, he kissed her, a tiny little peck on the lips. She put a hand over her mouth, looking at him in confusion.
“I love you, Y/N,” he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. “Will you be my girlfriend?”
“I would love to,” she replied. She smiled sneakily. “I speak the truth.”
“Shh, shh,” Y/N said in a hushed whisper, giggling a bit as John struggled to get over the windowsill. “If you get hurt I’ll never forgive myself!”
“If I get hurt I’ll blame the window,” John mumbled, rolling his eyes at her before gracefully falling off the sill and onto the floor.
“Yes,” Y/N said softly. “But if my dad finds out you’re here, you’re not only injured- you’re dead.”
John looked from side to side, putting a hand to the side of his mouth as if he had the most interesting gossip to tell. “Don’t tell anyone, but the window did it.”
She kissed him, looking at him so sweetly and innocently that his heart melted. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” John mumbled, kissing her once more. He intertwined his fingers with hers, squeezing her hand and leading her to the bed. She laid down on her side, letting him wrap his arms around her and pull her to his chest. In his arms, Y/N felt safe, in another world- here, her father couldn’t find them, here, nothing could tear them apart.
“I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” she mused. He grinned.
“I speak the truth,” he finished with a chuckle.
“I speak the truth,” she repeated quietly, drifting off in his arms.
