AN/Welcome one and all to the debut of yet another Modern!Hamilton story! This is gonna be a wild ride of laughter, feels, and a heck of a lot of sarcasm (courtesy of a certain arrogant, loud-mouthed bother). I took more than a few creative liberties, and I absolutely love the results. I can't wait to see your responses! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the musical this series is based off of. I just love it too much to not write a few of my own stories.
It was a long shot. Scratch that, it was completely insane. But Alexander Hamilton had never been known for his rationality or sanity. So he was going to do the impossible, and he wasn't going to let anyone tell him otherwise or slow him down.
He was going to graduate Princeton in two years.
Of course, there were a few obstacles in his way. Even though he was a prodigy, a genius, really, he still had to suffer through things like roommates (he had been placed with three other students, despite the clear lack of social skills he had shown in his interview), menial homework (honestly, why did they think repeating the same problem over and over would help students learn?), and less-than-interesting teachers (he, with all his non-existent social abilities, could teach the classes and make them more engaging).
The appeal of Princeton dimmed slightly in the face of these challenges, but it certainly wasn't enough to turn Alex away or deter him at all. He would graduate in two years. He would show the world that Alexander Hamilton had arrived, and he wasn't going anywhere.
That is, as soon as he found his dorm.
Alex turned in a slow circle, glaring at the college around him. It was beautiful, all polished stone, trimmed hedges, and orange and yellow trees. It was also humongous. Jersey was a small place, but Princeton was absolutely huge. As much as Alex hated to admit it, he was lost. He probably wouldn't even be able to find his way back to the front office.
At the rate he was wandering around, two years would pass before he found his dorm.
Alex huffed, then picked up his bags once more. There was nothing for it, he'd have to ask someone where dorm room 776 was. He usually despised asking for help, but this was one case in which he was willing to sacrifice some pride for the sake of time.
Though he made a mental note to send a letter of complaint to the school about the lack of maps around campus.
The school year didn't start for two more days, so there weren't many people out in the quad. However, fate seemed to have taken pity on Alex and provided him assistance. A lone man sat on the edge of a nearby fountain, book in hand. The book immediately caught Alex's attention and favor. He didn't see many people reading actual books anymore.
"Pardon me," Alex called, picking up his pace and hurrying over to the fountain. The man lifted his head, and Alex stumbled to a stop, eyes widening without his consent. "A-are you Aaron Burr, sir?"
Aaron Burr was practically a legend in Princeton. He was on the fast track through the school, and he was part of the reason that Alex was certain he could do it as well. Seeing Burr in person made Alex feel a little overwhelmed. Sure, the man was only a few years older than him, but still...
"That depends," Aaron said slowly, closing his book. "Who's asking?"
Alex hastily set down his bags and held out a hand. "I'm Alexander Hamilton. I'm at your service, sir. I've been looking for you, well, anyone, really."
"I'm getting nervous." Despite his words, Aaron shook Alex's hand with a slight smile.
"Don't worry, sir. I'm just trying to find dorm 776."
Aaron's smile became more genuine, and he stood, tucking his book under his arm. "In that case, follow me." He headed off towards yet another gray stone building, leaving Alex to gather his bags and hurry after his new guide. "I'm assuming you're one of the new freshmen. What brought you here to Princeton, Mr. Hamilton?"
"I want to do what you're doing," Alex said, for once thinking through his words before he said them. He didn't want to look like a fool in front of Aaron Burr. "Graduate in two, then get out and change the world. The headmaster looked at me like I was stupid when I told him; I'm not stupid. But he told me I could try. So if I may ask, how are you doing it? How are you planning to graduate so fast?"
Aaron was quiet for a moment, and Alex suddenly worried that he'd said too much. He'd never had a good grasp on boundaries. Then Aaron shrugged slightly.
"It was my parents' dying wish before they passed. I just knew I had to do it somehow."
"You're an orphan," Alex breathed, and he couldn't help but feel relieved knowing he wasn't the only one. "Of course, I'm an orphan! God, I wish there was something we could do to prove that we're worth more than people think. We're more than just children without parents."
Aaron gave him a sidelong glance. "Huh. Can I buy you a drink once you've settled in?"
"That would be nice," Alex said, smiling faintly. He wasn't technically old enough, but that didn't matter.
Aaron nodded in return. "Then in the meantime, let me offer you some free advice. Talk less."
Alex frowned. That wasn't what he had been expecting to hear. "What?"
"Smile more."
"Hah." What the hell was this man on about?
"You wanna get ahead?"
"Yes." Of course Alex did, why else would he have said he wanted to graduate in two?
"Fools who run their mouths off end up with a lot of problems. Especially in this college. It's one of the best in this country, but not everyone here has a firm grasp on civility and common decency. Take it from someone who's been here a while." Aaron stopped, and Alex realized that while he'd been contemplating his guide's sanity, they'd entered a building and now stood at the start of a hallway. Aaron gestured at a door at the end of the hallway. A plaque reading "776" next to the door in question. "There's your room."
"Thank you," Alex said mildly. He gave Aaron the most real smile he could when he was still wondering what kind of advice he had been given, gathered his bags, and headed for dorm 776.
He paused before the door, setting one bag down and taking a deep breath. Alex knocked twice, hoping, praying, even, that someone was inside. A faint "Come in!" drifted from inside the room, and Alex released the breath he'd been holding. He picked up his bags and entered the dorm without looking back to see if Aaron was still standing in the hallway.
Alex was immediately assaulted with a barrage of colors, smells, and sounds. Everything seemed to be blue, white, or gray, with some browns thrown in to accent the brighter colors. The smell of pasta and bread hung in the air, making Alex's mouth water. And from around the corner, several voices joined together in a song Alex couldn't quite make out.
The small foyer he stood in opened into a living room. It was small, but still seemed cozy. Posters of both the French and American flags hung on the walls, along with delicate murals and drapes. Two white sofas sat in the middle of the room, a dark coffee table between them. Both sofas were littered with random articles of clothing, books, and pillows. As a final touch, a gray carpet was spread over the wood-paneled floor, and it looked very soft. Or maybe Alex was just that tired, and anything soft looked a good napping spot.
There were two doors leading off the left side of the living room, one of them slightly ajar. When Alex craned his neck to see inside, he realized that it was a bedroom. But he couldn't see anyone inside, so that meant that his roommates were to his right, beyond the edge of the foyer wall.
Alex set down his bags and steeled his nerve. All he had to be was be enough of a functional human to make a good impression. Then he could retreat to his room and be himself. He quickly stepped out of the foyer before he could overthink his situation any further.
The final corner of the dorm was occupied by a small kitchen. A stove was shoved against the wall, crammed next to a tiny fridge and a few feet of counter space. A low island divided the kitchen from the living room, and it was the island that the singing came from.
Three men were crowded around the island, two balanced on stools and one standing in the middle of the kitchen. For a second, Alex could only stare.
The man closest to Alex leaned heavily on the counter, grinning broadly. His hair was dark brown, and it was pulled back into a ponytail that flopped as he nodded along to their rhythm. Freckles decorated his face, concentrated on his nose and cheeks. He looked like he was nearly drowning in the hoodie he was wearing.
"I'm John Laurens in the place to be! Two pints of Sam Adams but I'm working on three!" the man rapped, tapping his fingers on the counter. "These redcoats don't want it with me, cause I will pop chick-a pop these cops till I'm free!"
The man on the other side of "John Laurens" gave him a proud grin. His hair was darker than "John's", though it was also pulled back into a ponytail, and his skin was a light brown. He was precariously balanced on his stool, a jacket half falling off his shoulders and his socks two different patterns.
"Oui oui, mon ami, je m'appelle Lafayette! The Lancelot of the revolutionary set! I came from afar just to say bonsoir; tell the king casse-toi. Who's the best? C'est moi."
The last man's hair and skin were darker than the other two's, and he wore a headband that he occasionally pulled at. His hand covered his mouth, since he was beatboxing, but it was clear he was smiling at the other two. The sleeves of his sweatshirt were halfway down his arms, revealing a woven bracelet of some kind.
"I am Hercules Mulligan, up in it, lovin' it, yes I heard your mother say 'come again?'"
The three joined together in ridiculous high-pitched voices for the "come again", and they lapsed into laughter, finally giving Alex a chance to make his presence known.
"Hey, excuse me?" Three heads turned to him in unison, but Alex didn't mind the staring. He'd always loved the spotlight. "I'm Alexander Hamilton, your last roommate. I'm not interrupting too badly, am I?"
The men exchanged looks, identical grins spreading across their faces.
"Not at all. Nice to meet you, Alexander. I'm John Laurens." John slid to his feet, holding out a hand. Alex shook it firmly. Upon closer inspection, John's ponytail wasn't as neat as it had looked. Loose strands drifted here and there, but it just added to his charm.
"Yes, hello, Alexander." The man still perched on a stool gave him an easy smile, his eyes glittering with a playful light. "Call me Lafayette."
Alex grinned at the two, then glanced at the last man. "Let me guess. Hercules Mulligan?
Hercules smiled proudly. "That's right. So you did hear us."
"It was hard not to," Alex snickered. "You sounded good. Practicing for something?"
"No," Lafayette said, lifting a shoulder. "It was just to amuse us. We discovered that we were all musically inclined, and as I'm sure you can see, there's not much else to do here. We don't even have a television. Perhaps you will help to relieve our boredom."
Alex just stared at Lafayette for a long moment. The taller man had switched to French halfway through his sentence. Sure, Alex should have expected it, what with Lafayette's obvious accent, but he was still thrilled. How long had it been since he'd had a chance to have a conversation in a language other than English?
"Laf, not all of us can speak fluent French," Hercules muttered, shooting said Frenchman a mildly annoyed look. Lafayette opened his mouth as if to correct himself, so Alex quickly jumped in.
"I'm sure I'll be able to entertain you somehow. I'm quite adept at keeping people on their toes."
Lafayette raised his eyebrows slightly. "You speak my language?" Alex tilted his head smugly in response, and Lafayette smirked. "I like you, Alexander. I think that we'll get into much trouble together."
"You're already stirring the pot," John chuckled, knocking Alex's shoulder and ignoring Hercules' exasperated sigh at yet another person who spoke French. "I'm glad you've found your way here, Alexander. Do you prefer Alex, or?... okay, Alex it is. Since you've already met all of us and crashed our singing, you wanna get settled in?"
"Yeah, lead the way," Alex said, giving John a faint smile. The other man returned it and headed towards the bedrooms. Alex paused to grab his bags, and when he straightened, John had opened the previously closed door and was gesturing towards it. Alex quickly entered the room.
It had the same color pallet as the rest of the dorm, with dark blue walls, oak wood flooring, and a gray carpet in the center of the room. Two beds were pushed against the far walls, with matching white bedspreads and a trunk at the foot of each. One already had books and other belongings scattered across it. The other one, on the right, still had carefully folded sheets.
"Laf and Herc were the first ones here, and I guess they hit it off," John said, joining Alex in the center of the room. He nudged his shoulder. "You alright being stuck with me?"
Alex set his bags on his new bed and tossed John a grin. "Only if you don't snore."
"I don't," John snorted, dropping onto his bed and sitting cross-legged. He was quiet for a few seconds while Alex unpacked. "I know you've probably already been asked this a lot since you got here, but I'm curious. Why'd you pick Princeton? Aside from knowing that you'd be rooming with us."
Alex chuckled, pausing in taking a stack of shirts from his bags. He didn't really like talking about his past, but he was going to be around John for at least two years. He might as well reveal a bit about himself. "I was offered a scholarship, and there was no way I was turning it down," he said, turning to face John. "New York City hasn't been kind to me so far, but I've managed. Things can only get better, right?
"Anyways, the headmaster liked the way I thought, and decided to take a chance on me. I can't blame him, I'm practically a diamond in the rough. I mean, I'm only nineteen, but trust me, I'm smarter than half the teachers here. I'm going to turn this school on its head. You're going to be witness to a revolution. I've never really had a group of friends before, but I can tell y'all aren't like normal people. I stand by what I told Lafayette, I promise that I'll make your life more interesting."
John looked at Alex for a moment. For a second, Alex once again wondered if he'd said too much, overstepped and made the wrong impression. Then a large grin spread over John's face, drawing Alex's attention to the freckles on his nose and cheeks.
"I think I just met a kindred spirit. I'm looking forward to being a part of your revolution, Alex."
Alex grinned broadly. "Laurens, I like you a lot."
John returned his fierce grin, and something that could have been happiness plucked at Alex's heart. It wasn't something he'd felt in a long time. It was amazing that someone he barely knew was so much like him. He could just about feel the life radiating off of his roommate, and Alex was eager to see if John's energy matched his.
Hercules and Lafayette picked that moment to poke their heads through the door, and they gave Alex and John matching grins.
Maybe John wasn't the only one who was similar to Alex.
"We're going to try to find food," Hercules said, jerking his head at the front door." You guys coming?"
Alex's stomach answered for itself, and the four of them left the dorm laughing. Hercules spared a moment to give Alex a key, then locked the door behind them. A conversation about the campus started up as they walked, distracting Alex from the other students they passed. It also completely distracted him from the stares they got. If he had noticed, he wouldn't have been surprised. He knew they were quite a sight.
John was on the far left, loose strands of hair drifting in front of his eyes, freckled face pulled into a wide smile, still nearly drowning in his hoodie. Alex himself was on his right, hair messy, a self-satisfied gleam in his eyes, hands in his jacket pockets. Lafayette was next in line, perfect ponytail, smug smile, long coat swishing dramatically behind him. And Hercules was on the far right, headband carefully folded, laughing loudly at his friends, ankle-high boots over tight black pants.
Admittedly, most of the stares they got were from the female students they walked by. Alex only noticed the attention they were getting when a girl called "hey cutie!". He then spent the next few seconds trying to figure out who she was cat-calling, and upon realizing she had aimed it at him, he had inched closer to Lafayette.
Alex was married to his studies and projects. He had no time for a girlfriend.
After a good half an hour, the group was still no closer to finding food. Alex felt a little relieved. At least he wasn't the only one who had no idea where he was going.
Despite their lack of direction, Lafayette eventually took it upon himself to lead their unofficial search. Alex, seeing nothing better to do, joined him. He made sure to be as theatrical as possible, strolling down the hallway like he owned it while John and Hercules followed a few steps behind.
"You seem very confident for someone who doesn't know where they're going," Lafayette noted quietly, giving Alex a slight smile. Alex lifted a shoulder.
"There are few things I don't know, Laf. Where I'm going is one of the few, so everything I do know makes up for it." The taller man chuckled, and Alex raised an eyebrow. "What about you? Someone could mistake you for a peacock with that strut." Without even breaking his stride, Lafayette flipped his coattail and threw out his arms dramatically. He really did look like a peacock. Alex chuckled, appreciating the flair.
The laughter died in his throat when he realized that he wasn't the only one laughing.
John and Hercules had, of course, chuckled along at Lafayette's theatrics, but from the other side of the quad, two men were advancing. One of them wore a fuchsia trench coat (which Alex thought was practically a crime), the other, a simple gray sweater. Alex immediately felt on edge, and he felt even more wary when he noticed that the fuchsia man was still chuckling.
"Always the flamboyant one," the man said, stopping in front of them. "Glad to see your self-esteem is as strong as always."
"Yes, well, one must do something to entertain themselves," Lafayette replied smoothly. "Hello, Thomas. Is there something you need?"
Fuchsia man, Thomas, waved a hand. "Nah, I wouldn't trouble you like that, Laf. I just wanted to stop and say 'hi', and Jimmy James was willing to make a detour. It's been a while since I've seen you, after all. " Thomas's eyes moved to Alex, and John and Hercules by extension, since they were standing at Alex's shoulders. "Who're your new friends?"
Alex didn't really want Thomas and "Jimmy James" to know his name, but Lafayette was already introducing them.
"This is Hercules Mulligan, John Laurens, and-"
"Alexander Hamilton," Alex said breezily. He nudged past Lafayette and held out his hand. "Good to meet you, mister-?"
Thomas hesitated a moment, then shook Alex's hand gingerly. "Thomas Jefferson." He quickly released his grip and draped his arm over James' shoulder. Alex fought back an annoyed scowl. Did Thomas think he wasn't even worth a handshake? If so, what the hell was James to him? "So, where are you freshies heading?"
"Lunch," Alex said, crossing his arms. "I'm sure you'll understand that we can't stop to chat."
"Of course. Lunch is an important meal."
"Very."
Alex held Thomas' gaze for a few more seconds, and the beginnings of a grudge nudged at his mind. He knew near to nothing about this man, but he didn't like what he could see. He wanted nothing to do with him. And as for James, he didn't know enough either. Best to get away from both of them.
"Well, if you'll excuse us, we're leaving," Alex said, finally breaking their unofficial staring contest and giving both Thomas and James a flat look. "I've got better things to do than continue this conversation."
The rest of the group was silent. Then Thomas laughed quietly.
"Go ahead. No one's stopping you."
"Hamilton-" James started, speaking for the first time during their encounter, but Thomas interrupted him with a finger.
"No, the kid wants to leave. Who are we to hold him up any further, James?" Alex nodded once and walked forward, purposely pushing between Thomas and James (which earned him a grunt from James). But as he went by, Thomas added, "I hope you find a good use for your oh-so-precious time."
Alex ignored the passing comment. It took all of his self-control, but he ignored it. He reached the other side of the quad in only a few seconds and ducked into the nearest hallway. He peeked back around the corner, just to make sure that his friends had followed him. They had; John was just a few steps behind him, and Lafayette and Hercules were jogging after them.
"That was very diplomatic," Lafayette noted dryly once he had joined Alex. Alex gave him an accusatory glare, and Lafayette lifted his hands defensively. "Yes, I know him. We met in France a few years ago. Still, your reaction seemed a little... extreme."
"I didn't like him," Alex muttered. Lafayette snorted, but John put a hand on Alex's shoulder.
"Me neither. I was kind of waiting for you to tear him apart."
"Me too," Hercules sighed.
Alex grinned at his friends' reactions. "Like I told them, it would have been a waste of our time to keep talking to them. But hey, at least they helped us out. The cafeteria's down this way, I can see the sign over there."
Hercules glanced at him, a smile tugging at his mouth. "Single-minded focus, huh?"
"I don't envy the girl who manages to capture your attention," Lafayette muttered. That earned a few snickers from John and Hercules, and Alex threw the Frenchman an annoyed look. "It's true, no? I'm sure you won't give up until you win her over."
"Are you hungry or not?" Alex asked snidely, waving a hand at the cafeteria sign.
Lafayette smiled playfully. "Lead the way, Alexander."
Alex rolled his eyes and marched off down the hallway, earning more snickers from Hercules. The four quickly fell into a rhythm once more, with Alex leading the group, John at his shoulder, and Lafayette and Hercules behind them. Now with a clear path to follow, Alex walked quickly. He hoped that his friends would keep up.
They did. Alex never hated being short more than he did for the two minutes it took them to reach the cafeteria.
Alex pushed through the doors and found the cafeteria pleasantly empty. He guessed that most people had wanted to stay with their parents (or on their own) for as long as they could before they came to the campus. Alex wasn't complaining. He now had access to all the food he wanted. He grabbed a tray from a stack and piled on everything his stomach nudged him towards, steadfastly ignoring the price menus set above the cases of food.
"Does anyone have any money?" John muttered, eyeing a piece of chocolate cake. Hercules chuckled.
"Yeah, this meal's on me. You can get the cake." John grinned and eagerly dashed over to the case. "As long as you share!"
The four found a table near one of the huge windows and sat down, digging into their food like they hadn't eaten in days. Which, in Alex's case, was almost true. He sometimes forgot to eat when he got involved in projects, and occasionally, he just didn't have enough money to buy anything. Having Herc pay for his food was like a dream came true.
Alex tore through his sandwich, barely paused to take a breath while eating his salad, and devoured his fruit bowl, only slowing down when he realized all he had left was a small order of fries. The rest of his friends had just started their second courses, with the exception of John, who had only ordered a sandwich.
"Damn, Alex. How long's it been since you ate?" John asked. His smile made it clear he was joking, but Alex took the question literally.
"Yesterday evening. Not too long."
John stared at him for a moment, then pushed his untouched cake slice across the table. Alex shook his head, since he wasn't about to take a dessert that John had so clearly wanted, but the other man nudged his leg under the table. I won't take no for an answer, his expression said.
Well, if Alex was reading the other man correctly, John was as stubborn as he himself was. Alex picked up his fork and attacked the cake slice.
"So, are we doing anything special tonight?" Lafayette asked, waving his fork. "This is one of our last nights as free men. Surely we should celebrate."
Alex scoffed as best he could when his mouth was full of cake. "You really want to get a hangover?" he asked once he had swallowed, giving the man on his right a look. "Tonight? When we're probably gonna have introductory classes and stuff tomorrow?"
Lafayette set his fork down with an insulted look. "I can hold my liquor."
Hercules and John both snorted, which told Alex everything he needed to know.
"I'm not really one for parties," Alex admitted, deciding to let Lafayette off the hook. "So if you guys want to test your limits and 'meet people', have fun. But I'm staying in. I'll watch a movie or something, I don't know."
"Ooh, a movie night," John said thoughtfully. "I'd be down for that. Herc, didn't you say that you can make amazing popcorn?" Hercules just cracked his knuckles in response. "Awesome."
"So, movie night it is?" Alex asked. John and Hercules both nodded immediately, but Lafayette still looked unconvinced. Alex sighed, pushing the remainder of his cake slice to the Frenchman.
Lafayette smirked, then nodded his agreement. "And all I needed to do was bribe you. I get the feeling that I'm going to lose a lot of money to you."
Lafayette shrugged innocently and kept eating his newly acquired cake.
John nudged Alex's foot again, and Alex glanced at him. "Don't worry, Herc's got us covered. I've only been here a few days, and I already owe him... $60?" Hercules raised his eyebrows, and John quickly corrected himself. "$70. He's a walking bank."
"No, I just spend my money wisely," Hercules said, poking John in the arm. "Y'all knuckleheads don't seem to get that concept."
John just spread his hands, and Lafayette muttered something in French. It could have been "I am smarter than you" or "How dare you call me a knucklehead". Alex thought that both were likely. Laf might have even muttered a combination of them.
They continued discussing their movie night until Hercules had finished his salad. They dumped their trays in a collection bin and left the cafeteria. Once they were again wandering the campus, Alex found his mind drifting, pulling itself in half a million different directions. He kept one ear on the discussion John and Hercules were having while still running through all his thoughts. There were a lot of them. He hadn't had time to properly think since arriving in Jersey.
And so just before they reentered the building containing dorm 776, Alex told his friends that he was going to wander around a little longer. All three responded with easy grins and John told him to not stay out too late. Alex found himself grinning back.
Then he was alone in the quad. The wind plucked at his jacket and pulled at his hair, but for the first time in his life, Alex didn't feel the cold. He had landed the perfect opportunity to make all his dreams and plans come true. He had three like-minded companions who he just knew he would get into trouble with, and he had at least one rival to keep on their toes. Things didn't seem so bad. Alex was literally looking at his life for the next two years, and to his surprise, he found that it already looked brighter than it had when he'd arrived.
If nothing else, he could ace his classes and become as much of a legend as Aaron Burr was.
Alex smiled into the sunlight, tilting his face up to the sky. It was a cool afternoon, pleasant by Jersey standards. He supposed he would have to get used to it.
No. He wanted to get used to it. Alex was just itching to see how his years at Princeton unfolded.
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~Bird of All Fandoms