#mullwashette

When Angelica Schuyler walked into the coffee shop her group of friends─and little sisters─frequented, she commanded attention. Especially judging from the way a scowl painted her gorgeous features, and her eyes seemed narrowed into thin, angry slits. Now, it may just be James Madison’s imagination playing tricks on him, but the young man is almost a thousand percent sure that the entire─extremely busy, what with it being colder than a well digger’s ass outside─coffee shop goes silent when she enters.

“Angelica!” Eliza says, looking up from where she’d been texting Alexander─who, out of their merry band of friends, was the only one not in attendance─and waving her sister over. “Over here!”

Angelica maneuvers her way through the crowd of people─but not before stopping briefly at the cash register to order a coffee─and joins the group sitting in the back. They’ve somehow managed to crowd themselves into the only booth big enough to fit all twelve of them─and even so, several people have pulled chairs up to the table in order to fit comfortably. Angelica takes a chair from Lafayette─who goes to drape themselves over the laps of Hercules and George─and slams her coffee cup down onto the table.

“Where the hell is Alexander? And Samuel, King and Charles?” she asks with an edge to her voice, noticing the absence of bickering that usually went on between her brother-in-law and his frenemies. None of them were anywhere in sight. “I thought I told you that I need all of you here.”

“Alex got caught up at the station,” Eliza says, pausing to take a sip of coffee. “And those three had to go and meet Charles’ parents for lunch. Sammy just told me to text him whatever you needed to tell us and he’d relay it to the group.”

Sighing at her friends total inability to follow simple instructions, Angelica looks around at the people that were there. Thomas, James and Aaron had all managed to show up─which was a feat in and of itself. For a polyamorous couple, it seemed very rare that anyone managed to catch more than two of them together at a time. There was always one out of the three missing─at work, running errands, out of town.

George was there, as well, which was pretty shocking. He was so busy with being a congressman most of the time that he was hardly ever around─so much so that for the first year of his relationship with Hercules and Lafayette, Angelica had thought it was just those two. She hadn’t even known that George was a part of their romance until she attended a housewarming party for Peggy and accidentally walked in on three of them getting hot and heavy in a closet.

And Peggy. Peggy always seemed to be working at her actual job─she worked at the very cafe that Angelica told them to meet in─or on her youth programs. She─along with John Laurens, who seemed very zoned out on whatever he was doodling on the cafe napkins─was an activist that ran several non-profit charities for youth. Big Brother, Big Sister mentoring guides for LGBTQ+ kids, scholarship programs for inner-city kids and all-girls empowerment summer camp for preteen and teenage girls. The poor woman was so busy with all of these endeavors that it was rare that Angelica and Eliza were able to get together with her, which is why Angelica chose her lunch break during work to meetup with the gang.

“What’s up, Angie? Why’d you need us all here?” Thomas asks, snapping the woman from her reverie. Angelica exhales, looks around at the group one last time before making sure to turn her attention to her sisters.

“Mom and Dad called me last night. They said we won’t be having our annual family Christmas like usual,” she pauses here to gauge her sisters reactions, and is surprised to not find the level of distress that she thought she would. Both girls seem pretty bummed, but not as devastated as she’d expected. “So, I was wondering if the rest of you were busy this Christmas, and if not, if we could plan something for us here. Like a family.”

“Well, my Dad doesn’t want me bringing these two back if I go down to Virginia for Christmas, so I’m pretty freed up,” George says, adding a packet of artificial sweetner to his coffee in an attempt to look bored─though everyone sitting at the booth can tell just how hurt he is at this. “Hercules just has James here and Marie said she can’t go back to France.”

“My grandmother… when I told her I was trans, she uh… she told me that she never wanted to see my face again. However, Adrienne is coming into town. If I celebrate with you all, can she come as well?” Marie asks, leaning her head on the heel of her hand. Angelica waves her hand in dismissal, though she can tell by the way Marie’s eyes light up that she’s made her friend extremely happy.

“That’s absolutely fine, hon. What about you guys?” Angelica nods towards the end of the booth, where Thomas, Aaron and James were chatting quietly amongst themselves. They all look up in confusion─making it obvious to the woman that they hadn’t been paying attention. “Doing anything for Christmas?”

“Well,” Aaron begins. “I usually spend my Christmas’ watching Lifetime movies and eating takeout, so… no. I’m free.”

“Ever since Herc and I’s parents passed, I just spend it doing whatever Hercules does. Why?”

“I’m not going back to Virginia this year, my mother has a new boyfriend and I don’t really feel like being around all that mess.”

“Good. You’re spending the holidays with us. Alright, I’ve got Marie, Thomas, Adrienne, James, Hercules, George, and myself. Eliza, Peggy?” Angelica begins scribbling the names down on a notepad from her purse, formulating a guest list so that she’d know how much cooking she’d need to do for the holiday at hand.

“I’m down, but can I bring Martha? She’s like the Scrooge of Christmas─hates the holidays. I wanna show her true Christmas joy, y’know. It’ll be romantic. Might even get laid.” John audibly groans at how cliche Peggy sounds, before reminding her that she’s talking about his stepsister─so show a little decorum. The woman sticks her tongue out at him, and Angelica laughs at the two before agreeing.

“Well, since Martha is going… John you might as well go,” Eliza says, looking to her boyfriend─who wrinkles his nose. “C’mon. Alex and I are definitely going, and you know you don’t want to go back to South Carolina for Christmas. It’ll be fun! We can do Secret Santa!”

“Ooh, yes!” Marie exclaims, removing her sketchpad from her satchel. She flips to an empty page and begins scribbling everyone’s names down. “Okay… Angelica, let me see your beanie.”

Angelica hands over the hat, eyebrow raised. With careful and precise fingers, Marie rips the paper with the names into small little shreds─each shred of paper holding someone’s name. She folds them in half before dumping them all into the beanie.

“I’m adding Charles, King and Sammy in here… Eliza, you can pick for the three of them and text them who they got,” Marie says, dumping the shreds of paper into the hat and mixing them around. “John, you pick for Alex but don’t look at who he got, alright? Just give him the paper when you see him. Rules for the Secret Santa? You obviously can’t tell the person you’re buying for that it’s you, no going over thirty dollars for materials, no buying gift cards, and you have to make it.”

There’s voices of protest at the last rule, but the look Marie sends the group could rival Angelica’s. It doesn’t, of course, because Angelica is the queen of glaring─but it could.

Marie takes a slip of paper from the hat before passing it to Hercules, who repeats the motion. The beanie goes around the table until it ends with George removing the last piece of paper.

Angelica grins at the name on her piece of paper.  Eliza and Thomas both groan─probably because the people they chose are difficult to shop for. Peggy does a fist pump, John smiles wistfully, James, George and Aaron seem to be indifferent either way, and Hercules gives a smile that says ‘oh, this will be very fun’.

“Who did you get?” John asks his girlfriend, as he, Eliza and Alex push their cart around the crafts shop. They’d all agreed to go shopping for their materials at the same time, in the same place─to save money, and gas. However, the young brunette sitting in the cart is quickly becoming to regret agreeing upon that─seeing as this is the sixth time John has asked her this question, and Alexander had asked twelve times before. Eliza looks up at him with an expression that can only be described as a mixture between ‘offense’ and ‘exhaustion’. “What? I’m just curious!”

“Yeah, and curiosity killed the cat,” she teases, before directing him to turn down the aisle that has yarn. “I’ve already said this, John! I can’t tell you! It’s called a Secret Santa! What if you tell them that I’m the one making their present? Geez, I know you’re a rebel, but it can’t be this hard for you to follow the rules.”

“Wow. You’re really passionate about the do’s and don’ts of Secret Santa, aren’t you?” he asks, as she directs him to put some navy blue yarn in the cart. She nods her head just as Alexander comes bolting towards them with arms full of markers, crayons, colored pencils and pens.

“Alex! You’re supposed to be shopping for materials for your Secret Santa, not thing you like,” Eliza chastises playfully, before squeaking in indignance when he dumps all the materials on her.

“Shut up. I’m making John a poster,” he says.

“Alex!” Eliza whines, and John laughs loudly. Well, at least he could trust that his gift would be made with love.

Lafayette sits cross-legged in the middle of their living room, hands gently maneuvering the clay on the pottery wheel. Their eyes are concentrated on the machine, all of their attention focused on the design of the clay to make the shape they want.

“Laffy, I’m sorry darlin’, but I’m curious. Who in the hell would want a homemade clay pot?” George asks, looking down at them from his spot on the couch. He’d been focused on CNN news, but the gentle whirring of the machine had drawn his attention several minutes ago and the curiosity had been eating at him. Lafayette doesn’t offer a response, simply shrugs their shoulders and continues to gently knead the clay on the wheel. “I can’t think of anyone in our group that would find use for that.”

“Then you’re not thinking hard enough,” they respond calmly, reaching their hand into the opening in order to manipulate the shape even further. George opens his mouth to retort something equally as sassy, but Hercules enters their apartment at that very moment─arms filled to the brim with varying colors of yarn─soft pinks and blues, bright neon greens and yellows… and just as George is confused as to who in their circle of friends would want a flower pot, he is confused as to who would want all those colors clashing together.

“Y’know, mo chroí, you’re an awfully hard person to drum up ideas for,” Hercules says, dumping the materials beside George on the couch to press a kiss to their forehead. Lafayette gives a squeal of annoyance at Hercules having revealed who he was Secret Santa-ing to; and by relation having revealed who Lafayette’s Secret Santa is.

“Herc, mon coeur! It was supposed to be a surprise, non?” they exclaim, finally tearing their eyes away from their pottery. “You’ve ruined it for me!”

“Aw man, I’m sorry, Laf!” Hercules responds, plopping down beside them on the floor. At first George believes he’s being sarcastic, but when his eyes land on his boyfriend’s face, he can tell that he’s genuinely apologetic. It’s cute, how he recognizes the importance of this to Lafayette and respects that. “This Secret Santa thing slipped my mind.”

“Hey, darlin’, the surprise isn’t entirely ruined,” George pipes up, easing down onto the floor with the other to. “You don’t know what he’s going to make. I promise, I’ll help Herc hide whatever he’s making for you, so that you can be surprised on Christmas. Sound good?”

And though Lafayette is still pouting, both men can tell that this considerably makes it better.

“I don’t even know Maria that well!” Thomas exclaims for what seems to be the billionth time since they got who they’d be making presents for, as he scrolls through ideas for gifts on Pinterest. “Why can’t I just buy her something? It’d be so much easier!”

“Firstly, Thomas, the whole point of Secret Santa was for us not to know who you’d be making a present for,” Aaron reprimands, for what seems to be the billionth time in response to Thomas’ complaining. He’s making what seems to be personally designed coffee mugs─using blank templates and markers designed for ceramic art to design them. He’d been pretty good at hiding who his present was for, though Thomas can just barely make out a ‘G’ on one of the mugs. “Secondly, you’re supposed to make it because it’s supposed to come from the heart. These aren’t just our friends, they’re our family, too.”

“That’s lame,” the Virginian huffs, tossing his phone onto the coffee table. He dramatically drapes himself over the armrest of their couch, tossing his arm over his eyes like the drama queen he is. “Why can’t I just pay someone to make something for me?”

“Can I pay someone to kick your ass? Maybe then you’d stop complaining,” Aaron murmurs under his breath, picking up another marker to doodle something on the coffee mug. Surprisingly, he’s met with silence─until his phone chimes with a notification. Curiously, Aaron picks up his phone to read it─finding that it’s from Facebook.

Thomas Jefferson ─ with Maria Reynolds, Angelica Schuyler and 15 others.

Need help coming up with ideas for Maria’s Secret Santa present… anyone care to help out?

“Goddamnit, Thomas, it’s supposed to be a Secret!” James yells from the other room─obviously having got the notification as well. Thomas gives a groan of annoyance at this, probably remembering that tagging the person you’re going to be Secret Santa-ing for is not the smartest idea.

“But keeping it secret is hard!”

“Looks like I won’t have to pay anyone to kick your ass,” Aaron chuckles, setting his phone down and glancing towards his boyfriend. Both Thomas and Aaron’s phones are blowing up with notifications─though neither of them need to check them to see it’s probably their group of friends reprimanding him on sharing who he was supposed to be the Secret Santa for. Thomas quirks an eyebrow, and his lover finishes with, “Angelica is probably going to do it for me.”

By the time Christmas Day rolls around, most of the people in the group participating know who their Secret Santa is─and those that don’t know for sure at least have some sort of inkling. What with loudmouths Alexander Hamilton, Hercules Mulligan and Thomas Jefferson letting everyone know not only who their gifts were for, but who their spouses gifts were for and gossips Peggy and Maria spreading around rumors as to who made presents for who… yeah, the whole idea of the Secret Santa actually being a secret was moot.

And Angelica was quick to let the perpetrators know just how disappointed she was in them for not being able to hold water.

“Well,” she says, after they’ve all retired to her living room following a pretty amazing Christmas dinner. Her eyes travel over their faces─and at least most of the culprits have the decency to look ashamed. “This was supposed to be a Secret Santa, but thanks to a select few that can’t seem to let anyone enjoy anything… you might as well tell you who brought your gift for that it was you. I’ll start.”

Crossing over to the Christmas tree, Angelica removes a small wrapped box and hands it to Peggy’s girlfriend, Martha. “I looked up how to transfer photographs onto wood, and then I got this picture from Peggy. It didn’t come out as good as I thought it would, but I figured you would like it.”

It’s a professionally taken photo─probably taken by Charles who was a photographer. The two women were on the beach, and Martha had her arms draped over Peggy’s shoulders. Peggy’s hand came up in the photo to hold Martha’s, and her head was turned just slightly to the side to press a kiss against her cheek. Martha had that picture posted across all of her social media accounts─it was her profile picture for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter… she’d told Peggy countless times that it was her favorite photograph.

“Aw, Angie, I love it!” Martha exclaims, taking the block of wood from her adopted sister. “Thank you, so much! I’m going to put it up in my office.”

After hugging Angelica in thanks, Martha goes over to the tree to get the present that she made for Peggy. Except, she didn’t make it. It’s a small box, wrapped in gold wrapping paper, and when she presents it to Peggy she drops onto one knee.

Everyone in the room either gasps or goes deathly silent.

“I admit, I cheated,” Martha chuckles, looking up at her girlfriend as she removes the wrapping paper and flips open the lid on the box. The ring inside is gorgeous─and it has two birthstones on it, with a small engraving that no one can really read. “I didn’t make this. I bought it, from George. I um… I’ve been dating you, Peggy, for about two years. When I first met you at John’s birthday party, something told me that I’d need to do anything to keep you in my life forever. From your big heart to your sweet soul… I knew you were the one for me. And day in, day out you prove that to me. So I’ve decided that I need to do something to prove it to you. And this is it. Will you… will you marry me?”

Peggy is speechless. She opens and closes her mouth several times, eyes watering with tears, before finally she throws her arms around her girlfriend─fiancee now─and simply nods her head.

Well, at least some secret presents could be kept.

Translations

mo chroí ─ my heart (Irish)

The entire dinner fiasco began with a simple trip. A trip to Westmoreland County, Virginia, more accurately, which was the birthplace and hometown of the esteemed politician George Washington. George had finally decided─after a positively agonizing wait of two years, or at least that’s how Lafayette described it─that his two significant others were at last ready to meet his family. George had already met Lafayette’s family─Laf’s eccentric cousin, Thomas and little sister, Adrienne. And had a brief run-in with Hercules’─though the man’s parents’ English was rather poor, and he’d already known his step brother James Madison. They felt it was only fair they got to meet his. However, George explained to them countless times that they had to wait until the Washingtons were more comfortable with this… arrangement their son had with his two ex-interns. Mostly because he did not want Lafayette nor Hercules to experience the pain of discrimination─especially at the hands of his own flesh and blood.

But at long last, his family had decided they were ready to meet the two people that made the prodigal son so happy. George’s older brother, Lawrence─as well as Lawrence’s wife and their three children─and his parents.

When the trio had arrived in Virginia, they’d been immediately engulfed in Mary Washington’s arms─all three of them hugged tightly and thoroughly until George’s father had interrupted with an uncomfortable clearing of his throat. Mary was a lovely person─a heavy set woman with skin the colour of the night sky and shining brown eyes. She exuded warmth and joy, and both Lafayette and Hercules could tell from the way she looked at George─and of course, from the way he looked at her─that the bond she shared with her son was positively unbreakable. And even though Hercules─who was an excellent people reader─could tell she was upset that she’d most likely never have a nice young girl to call a daughter-in-law, she seemed to be happy that her child was happy.

His father, Augustine, was the polar opposite of his wife. A tall, stoic white man with hard set dark eyes that gave Lafayette and Hercules firm handshakes in place of a hug. He seemed to be far more distant than George’s mother was, and his lips curled down at the sight of the two kids lingering just behind George. It was obvious that he would be the two college students’ biggest obstacle in getting in good with their longtime boyfriend’s family.

“Well,” Lafayette had muttered in French, looking to Hercules with nervous eyes─of whom simply wrapped an arm around them and squeezed their shoulder. “I can see where George got his emotional distance from.”

“C’mon in, boys, come meet the others!” Mary had called before Hercules could respond, and George had motioned for them to get inside.

The home that George Washington grew up in was nothing like their simple apartment in New York, City. Their apartment back in New York was small, and homely. Lafayette had filled every open window space with plants, and things didn’t seem to have one set place. And due to Lafayette being a painter, Hercules being a clothing designer and seamster, and George being a very busy politician─more often than not, their home was a complete disaster. Only when Martha, Adrienne or Beth came over to chastise them did the place resemble something tidy─and never did it last long.

However, the Washington Estate is a complete opposite. Every surface is pristine and sparkling─not a spec of dirt or grime in sight. Everything also seems to have its own neat and tidy place, nothing at all is out of order. There are several maids and butlers that Lafayette sees scurrying around─picking up this, adjusting that, fixing something there. Not to mention how grand and gorgeous it is. Expensive chandeliers hang from the ceilings, the floors are made out of marble and everything is so clean the boys are scared to breathe too hard for fear of breaking it.

As soon as they’re five steps into the house, Augustine calls for one of the servant girls to come take their bags. Lafayette tries to insist that they could easily take the bags upstairs if shown their room, but Augustine glares them down so hard that they merely swallow their words and hand the suitcases to the girl─who does give them a small, sweet smile at their attempt.

“Please, Mr. Lafayette,” Lafayette cringes briefly at the use of ‘Mr.’ but makes no attempt to correct the man. Afterall, they didn’t need anymore reason for Augustine not to like them. “I don’t pay them for nothing. You are our guests. I’ve arranged a room upstairs for each of you─George will sleep in his old room, and there is a room with two beds for you and Mr. Mulligan.”

Augustine says all of this with a no-nonsense tone of voice. Lafayette, Hercules and George all hear his message loud and clear─there will be no sleeping in the same bed while they’re under his roof, and if he is to catch them attempting to do so, there will be hell to pay. Laf hasn’t slept in a bed by themselves since they were eighteen─when they and Hercules first moved in together─and they’re twenty-three now. They don’t think they’ll be getting any rest the three weeks they’re supposed to be here in Virginia.

“You can call me Herc,” Hercules pipes up, in order to change the subject on sleeping arrangements. Lafayette briefly notices that their boyfriend has a slight frown painted on their lips, and they immediately know what he’s going to say. “And we usually call Lafayette Laf, Marie or Gilbert depending on their mood for the day.”

“Hercules!” They hiss between their teeth, but luckily there is no time for further comment─as they’ve come to a sliding door now. Once George reaches forward and slides the door open so that they can step outside, Lafayette feels a wave of calm wash over them. Immediately, Lafayette is relaxed at the sight of children happily running around the vast, gorgeous gardens. They’re unsure if it’s the sight of plantlife─one of their favorite hobbies, something that always managed to relax them─or children, but the sharp pain of being misgendered ebbs a little at the atmosphere.

“Ah!” Mary exclaims, which draws the attention of the children playing and the lovely couple sitting in cushy yard chairs beneath an umbrella. Lafayette immediately notices how strikingly alike Lawrence and George look─both have caramel coloured skin, with bushy eyebrows and a warm honey colored eyes. The only difference is that when Lawrence smiles, he doesn’t seem to have the small gap in his teeth that George has─one of Lafayette’s favorite qualities about their boyfriend, as they believe it makes him look so adorable─nor does he have the man’s dimples. And, Hercules will later point out to them, Lawrence is considerably shorter than his younger brother.

Lafayette is more taken with the man’s wife, however. She’s a gorgeous woman, but not at all what Lafayette had expected. They’d expected a stiff, cold woman─well, they’d expected Augustine Washington in woman form, actually. From the way George described his sister-in-law, she was very no nonsense and quite strict with her children. However, Lafayette is considerably taken off guard. She’s obviously of Middle Eastern descent, with skin the colour of treebark and long, silky black hair. And she’s got quite the award winning smile, which she flashes at George when the man steps off the back porch to greet her. Where Lafayette had expected a fancy business suit and heels, she wears a nice sundress and white flats─though, that’s probably because her belly is swollen with pregnancy.

“Oh, I love babies!” Lafayette finds themselves exclaiming before hopping off the porch after George to go and greet her. They don’t know why they’d expected her to harbour the same homophobic thoughts as her father-in-law, but if she does she is an expert at not showing it. Her eyes light up and instead of simply shaking their hand, she pulls Lafayette into a warm hug. They hug her back just as eagerly, trying not to squish her belly bump between their bodies, and greet her with a warm, “Hi, nice to meet you! I’m Lafayette.”

“I’m Anne, it’s nice to meet you, too. So, you’re one of the boys that managed to wrangle our crazy George, huh?” she asks, hand coming to rest protectively on her belly─it’s not long before she starts rubbing her stomach through the cloth of dress absentmindedly, positively glowing with pregnancy. Lafayette winces again at the misgendering, but before they can open their mouth to give an answer─that would’ve most likely skipped over the hiccup, for fear of stirring the pot with George’s family─, George himself is butting into the conversation with,

“Actually, Anne, they are genderfluid. And today isn’t really a boy or girl day, so if you could kindly refer to them as they/them or use gender neutral terms,” George says, making sure his voice is at a level that his father could hear. Lafayette doesn’t miss the distasteful snort from Augustine Washington, but the man’s reaction is completely wiped from their mind when Anne’s mouth forms a small ‘o’ and she gives their bicep a comforting squeeze.

(Not to mention how they simultaneously swoon and become turned on at the way George rushes to defend their honour.)

“Oh, you have to forgive me! Yes, Lafayette, of course. Just alert me if ever I misgender you, honey, and I will make every effort to do better,” she says warmly. Lafayette must look confused or thrown off at her answer, because she gives them a small smile. “I know. Deep south, you’re lucky if you find someone that accepts homosexuality─yet alone those that identify with the transgender community. But I’m a social worker and advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth─kids that came out to their parents and got kicked out, mostly─, so I’m very… uh, do they say ‘woke’, these days?”

“Wow! I have to say, I admittedly didn’t expect someone to be so accepting,” Lafayette says, feeling flustered at how quick they were to assume who Anne was and what she thought of certain types of people. “Thank you. And thank you for what you’re doing for those kids. It’s important to have some validation when you’re that young and have been turned away by those you call family.”

He knew that well.

“Well, I do have my hiccups, of course. But I’m learning from these kids everyday. I just wish I could say the same for my husband. In the terms of political views, he’s very much like his father,” Anne sighs wistfully, and her eyes travel over to the man. Speaking of Lawrence, he and Hercules seem to be setting up a game of cards at the table─which causes the three talking to go over and attempt to join them.

“Prepare to get your ass dumped on in this Uno, son,” Lawrence is saying, when George, Lafayette and Anne pull up chairs to join them for the game. Once they’re all seated, Lawrence looks up and shakes Lafayette’s hand. “Nice to meet you, by the way. I’m Lawrence, li’l Georgie’s big brother. You are…?”

“Lafayette. It’s nice to meet you, too, Lawrence. I hope you didn’t challenge Hercules to a round of Uno─he is painfully good at that game,” Lafayette responds, though they accept the cards that are dealt to them by their boyfriend. George offers some murmurs of assent to that statement, much to Lawrence’s chagrin─who continues to insist that he’s the best at Uno. Hercules blows a kiss at both his spouses for the support, and much Lafayette’s surprise, Lawrence doesn’t scoff or make any snide comments. Anne had said that he was similar to Augustine when it came to view, they’d expected at least some sort of expression of distaste.

Maybe George had waited for his family to get more onboard with the thought of him in a gay polyamorous relationship. Maybe Lawrence had been practicing being more accepting. Maybe this trip wouldn’t be so bad.

They’re five games deep into Uno─with Hercules winning four and Anne winning one─when Mary returns outside. This time it’s to call everyone in for dinner, which the kids practically trip over themselves trying to get inside to receive.

While helping Mary and Anne fix the children's’ plates─”I grew up in a house with my little sister, and all my cousins. I know things get done faster with more hands, ma’am.”─Lafayette gets to know Lawrence and Anne’s children. The eldest is Augustine Washington II. He’s twelve, and he seems to be really into his ‘emo’ phase. His long dark hair swoops over one of his eyes, and he has to keep tossing his head to the side dramatically so that he’ll be able to see what he’s doing─much to Mary’s distaste, who keeps making comments about how Anne needs to take him to get it cut. However, he’s a really smart kid─even teaches Lafayette a little something about the history of the Washington house while they’re making his plate.

The middle child is Mildred, though she complains loudly when Anne introduces her as such─insisting that the name is old and gross and is the subject for plenty of bullying from both her older brother and the kids at school. No, she practically pleads with Laf to call her Milly. She’s ten, and a very pretty girl with a close-cropped pixie cut pushed back with a bright pink headband. She really likes rap music and dancing, and she promises that she’ll teach Lafayette a dance routine she choreographed all by herself after dinner.

The current youngest is John, who is only five-years-old. He’s very quiet, and doesn’t say much to Lafayette besides ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ so they can’t really decipher much about him. Anne says that he really enjoys drawing and superheroes though, so Lafayette makes a vow to make him something really nice when they get back to New York.

One thing about George’s nephews and niece─and by relation, Laf and Hercules’ nephews and niece?─is that they have a lot of questions. More specifically, they have a lot of questions about Lafayette’s gender, their relationship with George and Hercules, and life in New York.

“Do you live right by the Statue of Liberty?” Auggie─Augustine’s preferred nickname, so that he isn’t constantly getting confused with his grandfather─asks incredulously when Hercules mentions their home in New York. The tailor chuckles at the question and shakes his head.

“No, we actually live closer to Brooklyn, in an apartment above one of my shops,” Hercules says, leaning back in his chair a little bit. Lafayette can’t help but smile at the way Auggie’s eyebrow arch with curiosity when Hercules mentions his ‘shops’─hell, even Augustine seems to have a piqued interest at the thought of Herc running his own businesses. “George didn’t tell you guys? I own and operate a chain of clothing stores that sell my own fashion line, Culper. If it’s okay with your mother and father, Auggie, you could come to New York during New York Fashion Week with me. I could take you to see the Statue of Liberty.”

Auggie looks to his parents expectedly at Hercules’ words, and Lawrence gives a small ‘we’ll see’─though it seems obvious that he’s not entirely willing to let his son go. Lafayette isn’t sure if it’s because Hercules is a gay man, Hercules is a gay man in a poly relationship with his brother, or if it’s simply because New York is a big city that he doesn’t want his son going to alone. Whichever it is─the disappointment is obvious on the preteens face and he slumps down in his chair with a moody pout.

“Models, huh? Do you know Maria Reynolds? She’s my favorite model ever, plus she’s a really famous dancer! Did you know she danced for Beyonce?” Milly asks, voice raising in both octave and decibels before being gently lectured by Anne to keep her indoor voice. She blushes at the reprimand, but still looks expectantly to Hercules.

“I do, actually. Maria walked when I showcased my Spring collection of dresses. Along with our wonderful Laffy,” Hercules says, lacing his fingers with Lafayette’s. Now it’s their turn to blush, though they bring the man’s hand up to kiss the back of it. “They originally were just going to come to the show, but once they saw this lovely, flowy pink gown… they had to walk. I believe George captured some pretty awesome video of that show on his phone.”

“So, wait, Laffy, I have a question,” Milly asks when it seems the rest of the adults have gone back to being mostly distracted with talk of local politics and gossip, poking at her peas to make the question seem innocent enough. Lafayette looks up from their own plate of food─glancing briefly to George and Hercules to see if they’re paying attention. In case they need to come to their immediate rescue should this turn sour. Just because Laf liked kids didn’t mean they were good with them. Luckily enough, they both are─Hercules with expectancy, George with nervousness. “On your girl days… do you actually dress as a girl? Like, do you wear makeup and dresses and heels like Mommy and Grandma?”

The kids had heard Lafayette discussing with Anne earlier about their girl days while they were in the kitchen, giving advice to her about how to deal with her genderfluid teens on the days where they feel more of one gender than the other. Though, after the initial questions of what to call Lafayette, they hadn’t seemed too interested in it. Laf guesses that their observations of what the kids were and weren’t into was completely off─which is why Hercules was better at people analysis.

“Sometimes. It depends on how lazy I am that day, as well. What I wear doesn’t really matter, though, Milly─even if I dress like a typical ‘boy’ on a girl day, I still expect to be addressed as a girl. With she and her pronouns. Do you know what pronouns are?”

“Yes! I’m the best in my English studies, I’ve never failed,” Milly says excitedly, before lowering her voice again when her father briefly glances to the end of the table where she’s sitting across from Lafayette. “and... I got another question. How come when Daddy took the Secretary lady on a date, Mommy called him a cheater… but you and Mr. Hercules and Uncle George go on dates and it’s not cheating?”

Hercules nearly spits out his mouthful of wine at the question and George goes so pale it looks as though he may fall out of his chair and faint. Apparently, everyone else heard the young girl as well, because the entire table gets deathly quiet when Milly is finished with her question. All eyes are on them, waiting for the answer they’ll give, waiting to see if they’ll fuck this up. Desperately, Lafayette looks to George─who makes it a show to look away─then to Hercules─who smiles into his wine glass but says nothing─and lastly to Anne─who just seems positively heartbroken, and in no position to answer such a difficult questions.

“I… I uh…” Lafayette clears their throat, takes a sip of their wine, and takes a deep breath. Here goes nothing? “When you and your partner willingly bring someone else into the relationship… when both you and your partner know about this partner, and are comfortable with them, then it it’s something we call polyamory. That’s what George, Hercules and I have. We all know about each other, we all are comfortable with each other, and we all love each other. But when you bring someone into your relationship without your partner's permission, when you lie to them about it, or when they’re not comfortable with it… it’s cheating. It’s important that if you want a poly relationship, everyone knows about each other and everyone is happy with the arrangement.”

Milly thinks about this answer for a moment, and while she does, the tension could be cut with a knife. But then she nods her head, seemingly accepting this answer, and goes back to shoveling food into her mouth. Crisis averted… for now.

Hesitantly, the conversation at the table picks back up─and closer to the head of the table, Lafayette notices Anne giving them both grateful and sad eyes. They wonder what the story of that is, and if she’s going to be alright after such a question was asked by her own daughter, but they decide that now─and maybe never─is not the time to ask these things. So instead, they flash her a pitying smile and raise their glass in her direction.

Later that night, when Lafayette and Hercules have squished against their lover in George’s tiny twin bed─after checking to make sure Augustine is sound asleep and won’t be coming to raise any hell about them sharing a bed─George plants a soft kiss on Lafayette’s temple.

“You handled that incident at dinner really well, baby,” George whispers into the dark of the room, his voice thick with sleep from where he’d been dozing off. Lafayette can feel Hercules reach across their man─who is laying in the middle of them─and lace their fingers together, giving their hand a comforting squeeze. An affirmation of George’s words, agreeing with the older man. “You’d make a great parent someday.”

“You think so?” Lafayette asks quietly back, eyes attempting to find George’s face in the darkness. They can see where Hercules had propped himself up with his elbow, and if they follow the darker outlines in the shadows, they can just make out the sight of George snuggled against the broad tailor. George was usually the big spoon, but Lafayette couldn’t help but muse at how adorable he looked when he allowed himself to be the little one.

George briefly pauses in the middle of a busy intersection of the mall, eyes darting between the heavily crowded walkways and his watch. He, Lafayette and Hercules had originally agreed to meet up at the food court to get a snack after a long day of Christmas shopping. However, after his two lovers ran into their friends, those plans had seemed to change—and now despite texting each of them what felt like far too many text messages, and having all of his calls go to voicemail, he can't find them.

When they'd arrived, Laf and Hercules had wanted to go Christmas shopping for him and each other. Of course, George didn't mind that at all—it gave him the chance to get the special presents that he'd been planning to buy for them for several months now.

And he'd got a good holiday discount price on the gorgeous wedding bands the jeweler had to offer. Happy Birthday, Jesus.

However, now he's resorted to searching around the vast mall for them. He'd been called into his office at the last minute—there had been a litany of public slanders against his name ever since the tabloids caught a photo of him, Hercules and Lafayette enjoying a date night, and the newest was  as well as several rumors that one of his significant others was a paid escort. Of course, it was nonsense, but that didn't mean he could let this rumor continue to circulate without addressing it. He needed to do a press conference, do some damage control. And he wanted—no, he needed Laf and Herc to be there. Needed the people to hear it from their mouths, too. This time, the election and whether or not he won was floating on his reputation, and he'd already lost a large amount of conservative votes when they'd been found out. He couldn't afford to lose the seat to Henry Laurens.

But they weren't answering, and he couldn't find them, and James Madison and Aaron Burr are absolutely no help.

“Maybe I can ask them to announce them from the intercom…” George hums in thought, having given up on finding them in the plethora of crowds and now changing his search to find a mall employee that wasn’t already busy assisting someone else.

"You haven't experienced the gift of Christmas until you lose all of your signifs at the mall,” James says, before taking a long obnoxious slurp from his iced coffee. George briefly looks over his shoulder to glare at him, while Aaron pipes up with:

"That's a pity. Awful way to experience the holidays."

"No, what's a pity is using the mall intercom to announce their stupidity,” James retorts, tossing the last of his coffee into the trash can. “They've probably gotten in trouble with mall security.”

“You two are useless,” George snaps in annoyance, though he's making his way to the first mall cop that he sees. The man is leaning boredly on his segway, typing away on his phone and ignoring the vast amounts of people that could be stealing anything from anywhere.

“Excuse me, sir,” the politician says, when he's within hearing distance. The man looks up, eyes drooping from exhaustion and annoyance, and quirks an eyebrow. “Do you happen to know where your security office is?”

“No, sir, I work there but have no clue of where it is,” the man—Jack, his name tag reads—deadpans, looking more and more fed up by the second. Behind him, James snickers and he can tell Aaron is attempting to hold back his own laughter.

“Can you take me there, please?” Washington asks through gritted teeth, ignoring them in favor of finding his signifs. Sighing, Jack powers up his segway and begins to move through the crowds — just barely slow enough that George and his inept entourage can keep up. Its a fairly long trek, a walk that George hopes is fruitful. The conference was in an hour, and they still needed to go home and change into something media worthy. He couldn't afford to waste time going into the very bowels of the mall, only to not find the two people he was looking for.

However, he strikes lucky. When Jack guides them into the small room that apparently acts as a holding cell, he finds his lovers and their friends sitting slightly bruised and bored on one side of the room while three security guards sit annoyed on the other side of them. Oh boy.

“What happened, here?” George asks, turning to the security officer that had apparently broken up whatever happened. He can tell it was him due to the large phallic shaped bruise on the side of his face.

“They were fightin’, sir. From what I can understand, they're obviously children—” the cop glares at his significant others and their merry band of idiots—all of whom have begun silently snickering to themselves. “—and they got into the erm… adult toys in a store and were fighting with each other like they were lightsabers.”

Lafayette chooses now to speak up, explaining with, “Alex started it! He bruised me, Papa, look!”

“Yeah, but he hit me back!” Alex snaps, thankfully glossing over the fact that Lafayette just called him ‘Daddy’. Hercules and Thomas seem to be thoroughly amused—though they seem to have joined in, as they're not exactly unmarked themselves. George sighs for what seemed to be the billionth time that afternoon.

“Can I at least take them home?”

“Sure. But they're banned from that particular store.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, George let's out one final exasperated sigh. At least this wasn’t getting out to the media.