Falling for Lafayette had been easy. Hell, it had been way too easy, back when the Frenchman had still been a college student with an accent twice as strong as it was now, so much more shy and lanky than he was today. He'd slipped into the shop Hercules had worked in back then, long before he'd opened up his own, and all the times he'd told himself off because Gil was a student or freaking underage hadn't helped his infatuation in the slightest.

In hindsight, the ridiculous amount of times that Lafayette had come to the shop for a new suit, for repairs or to have an old one re-fitted could have tipped him off toward the fact that his crush was very much mutual earlier than it had, but even when he'd realised that, he'd kept Lafayette firmly at arm's length.

("You're not even a legal adult yet, kid, slow down." Crossed arms, a frustrated pout, Hercules persistently refusing to give in.)

And even back then, without the confidence and self-assured, smooth charm he displayed nowadays, Lafayette had been hard to resist.

"Earth to Hercules, are you still with us?"

Alexander's socked foot was prodding at his thigh and Hercules realised his hands, previously busy with the seams on John's scarf, had been laying in his lap for a few minutes now while he'd probably been staring off into nothing. He turned his head to look over at Alex, who was stretched out with his head on the armrest of the couch and his chilly feet tucked under Hercules' thighs, a book on his chest. His hair was open, silky and wavy from his shower earlier, and his dark eyes were fixed on Herc, teasing and inquisitive both.

Falling for Lafayette had been easy, but Hercules still marvelled at how quickly Alexander and John were managing the same, especially now that he could allow himself to think of them this way without feeling a twinge of guilt every time because he feared he was betraying Gil somehow.

Now, he appreciated Alexander's passion and his fierce determination in a whole new way, accentuated with peaceful, quiet moments like this one. When the force of nature that was Alexander Hamilton came to a halt and lapsed into something more silent, calm, not poised to snap at any given opportunity, he felt like he was privy to something intimate, something the rest of the world didn't just getto see.

"Herc?"

Right. Talking.

He shook his head, partly to shake himself out of his stupor, and gave Alex a smile.

"Yeah, sure, I was just..." He trailed off, waving a hand vaguely. Words were Alexander's forte, not so much his.

"Just?" he prompted.

"I..." He set his sewing stuff aside on the armrest next to him and then turned to crawl over the length of the couch until he was hovering over Alex and could dip down for a kiss.

It earned him a surprised little sound, but Alex was quick to catch on, relaxing into the cushions and allowing Hercules to set the pace to something slow and gentle, downright sweet. Herc watched his eyes fall shut, lashes fanning out over his cheeks, before he closed his own and just let himself feel.

Alexander's eyes fluttered open almost hesitantly when they parted and he licked his lips, eyes a little glazed over.

"What was that for?" he inquired quietly.

There were words on the tip of Herc's tongue, words he wasn't ready to say, words he probably wouldn't have managed to get out anyway with how tight his throat felt right now. So instead, he kissed Alex again, holding himself up on one elbow and cupping the other's jaw with his free hand. Alex was pliant and unhurried for once instead of frantically seeking control, and it was tempting to get lost in this, to just keep on doing it forever.

He broke the kiss eventually, even if it was reluctantly, and sat up to answer with a very belated "just because". Alex looked bemused but pleased as Hercules returned to his previous position and picked the scarf back up as though he was gonna be able to focus now. When he didn't say anything more, Alexander murmured a quiet "okay, then" before he picked his book back up, teeth worrying his lower lip absently and a faint smile on his face.

Hercules watched him for another few moments until the bedroom door opened behind them and Lafayette stepped out with John. Since the latter was busy fiddling with his shirt sleeves, Hercules could stare unabashedly; John had his hair mostly down, dark curls framing his face and brushing his shoulders. Fall was approaching already, but he still had his summer tan, freckles dark and numerous against his skin, and there was a small frown of concentration on his face that lightened into a smile when Lafayette reached out to fix his cuffs for him. John's smiles could light up a room, and the look in his eyes when he looked up at Gil made the sight all the more mesmerising.

Then, he glanced over at the two of them on the couch.

"Guys, we have dinner reservations in an hour, what are you still doing there?"

Alex snickered, snapping his book shut, while Hercules watched John's curls bounce.

"Chill, not all of us need an hour in the bathroom beforehand," Alex teased as he sat up and stretched.

"You still need to get a move on, you're in sweatpants, for god's sake!"

Hercules laughed quietly as he set the scarf down on the coffee table and got up to make his way over to John, drawn to him like a moth to the flame, slow but sure. "Relax, he's had his shower, he just needs to get ready. And I'm all dressed up already."

John frowned at him and, as soon as Hercules was close enough, got onto his tip-toes. "You are not wearing a beanie to a restaurant," he chided, plucking the offending garment off Herc's head to toss it toward the couch.

"I woulda taken it off myself," he muttered while he reached out and brushed some of John's curls back, fingertips trailing along his jaw. He watched the frown morph into something softer, surprised, questioning, John's breath hitching and his lips parting in a way that made it impossible not to lean down and kiss the quizzical expression away.

John melted into it, hands coming up to rest at Hercules' waist, and he let Herc thread his hands through his curls and tilt his head carefully. He knew that despite the fact that he was shorter and happily submitted in moments like these, there was power tightly curled in John's frame, he could be as loud and brash as the rest of them, but he felt fragile and trusting under Herc's hands, readily showing this side of him, and it was– it was a lot, it was so much better than he deserved, these people were so much more than he could ever had hoped for.

He had to take a shaky breath before he opened his eyes once they'd separated. Only then did he look at John, whose cheeks were beautifully flushed, eyes a little wide. Herc cleared his throat and ran his hands through John's hair, smoothing out the curls he had tousled.

John made a small, questioning hmm-sound, but it was Alex who spoke up, fond and amused: "Honestly, what is it with you today? Not that I'm complaining, mind you."

Hercules made a quiet, non-committal sound and swallowed back the lump in his throat before he replied: "Nothing. Weren't you supposed to be getting dressed?" Alexander rolled his eyes in passing, but did nothing to hide his smile as he disappeared into the bedroom. Herc looked after him for a moment and then dropped his hands from John's shoulders, stepped aside. "Didn't mean to distract you," he told him with a hint of mischief creeping into his smile.

John blinked at him for a second, then went back to fiddling with his shirt cuffs as though he'd only just remembered them. "Can't say I mind," he replied, and then he was grinning at Hercules and Lafayette was stepping up behind him, wrapping his arms around Herc's waist.

He leaned back, grateful for the grounding hold while he covered Gil's hands with his own, and closed his eyes as he turned his head for a kiss – smiling, still, while he tried to wrap his mind around how fucking lucky he'd gotten.

I really, really need some Herc bonding with John. I have two other parts already halfway written, one for Herc/Alex and another with backstory for Herc and Laf, but ngh. Anyone good any wishes or suggestions for Herc/John content? (I have so many plans for this 'verse help)

Also, I have no self control, and ask-the-poly-rev-squad may or may not be a thing on tumblr now. It's not an ask blog specifically for this verse, but there's some parallels (and some differences, of course).

Way too long author's note over, I hope you enjoyed this mindless excuse for fluff!