Lin tweeted earlier today to 'write something for yourself' so *cracks knuckles* here i go ig

Of course Hercules felt bad about rejecting Gil. But what was he supposed to do? He liked Marie! He wanted to date Marie! And Gil, too, but that's not exactly an option, you know? This wasn't Hannah Montana, you can't have the best of both worlds. He needed to make a choice, so he chose Marie.

That's why he stood in front of his mirror, fixing his shirt. He had to look good, but not too good. He didn't want to seem desperate or anything. But he also had to seem handsome and all that. He honestly had no idea what he'd do if Marie rejected him. His heart sunk at the thought of it.

And isn't that hypocritical; that he'd have his heart broken if Marie told him no, but he allowed himself to do the same thing to Gil. God, he was an asshole, wasn't he? Maybe he shouldn't even ask Marie out. Did he even deserve someone as amazing as her?

His phone vibrated.

There were about seven or eight texts from both John and Alex. For a second, he thought they were talking about each other, but then he realized they were pissed at him.

What the hell did you do to Laf?

Why is there a crying Frenchman in my room?

I'm going to kill you, i s2g

You rejected them? Wtf Herc?

I thought u fukin loved Laf!?

[just an unnecessary amount of skull emojis]

Okay, seriously, Hercules. What's going on? What's the meaning of this?

Herc sighed, but ignored all of them. He was a man on a mission now. He would take care of the Gilbert situation later.

It took him a while to find Marie. He wasn't expecting her to be with Alex and John. He thought Gilbert was with them? But whatever. They were in one of the cafeterias, hidden in the corner. Marie had ice cream and water in front of her; John and Alex were holding her hands like worried parents.

"Hey, guys…" Hercules said as he walked up. John appeared apprehensive and Alex tried hard not to glare at him. Okay, yes, he broke Gil's heart, but that didn't really matter right now. Gil wasn't even here! He cleared his throat and looked over to Marie.

To put it simply, she looked like a mess. Her hair was pulled up in a tight bun; her eyes were red and watery. She had almost no makeup on and it made her look a bit masculine. But she was still beautiful. Her shoulders hung off her like it took an intense effort just to keep them up. She was wearing sweatpants and a big sweater. She must've borrowed it from Gil, because Herc could've sworn he'd seen it on him before.

Concern washed through him as he said, "Is something wrong?"

"Il est un homme méchant et cruel." Marie's voice cracked as she spoke.

"Je suis vraiment désolé, Lafayette…" Alex replied quietly, brushing his thumb over the back of her hand. He looked up to Herc, now not even attempting to hide his frustrations.

"Marie, I wanted to talk to you." Herc said, pushing forward. Okay, so something was wrong, that's okay. He can work with this. If he just gets the words out, if he just asks-

Marie looked down at her ice cream. "I do not wish to see you right now."

Herc stepped forward, "But-"

"CASSE TOI!" Marie shouted, a tear running down her cheek. The cafeteria grew quiet; students turning to glance at them.

John stood up, moving between Herc and Marie, "You should go."

But no, if Herc leaves now, then he won't have the courage to try again. He has to do it right now; he has to let Marie know how he feels. But John is pushing him away, and Alexander is standing up, ready to talk down the situation. Everyone was staring and Herc felt the blood rushing through his ears. He couldn't stop the words from pouring out of his mouth.

Ignoring the hand on his chest pushing him back, Herc shouted over John's shoulder, "Please be my girlfriend!"

Alex and John stopped in their tracks. They shared a confused look with each other. John mouthed a distinct, 'what the fuck'. Herc's gaze snapped back to the girl in question. Marie was livid.

"This is a very cruel joke, monsieur." Marie hissed, glaring at him with such an intensity that it made a shiver run down his spine. She moved forward, pushing past John easily. Each step felt like an earthquake.

"I-I don't know what you mean." Herc resisted the urge to step back.

Marie let out a bitter laugh, "You reject me last night, just to come and embarrass me in front of the cafeteria?! You are un connard!"

Herc blinked rapidly at her, incredibly confused. "What?! No, I rejected Gilbert last night. Not you? I don't-"

"You cannot pick half of me, Mulligan! I am not something you can pick et choose what you want!" Marie cried, she was shaking. "You have to have all or none of me!"

Hercules held up his hands helplessly, "I don't understand…"

Alexander stepped forward, "Herc, do you know who this is?"

"Marie Lafayette." Herc replied, not understanding what was going on.

Alex was standing next to John now, watching him with a curious focus, "And the person you were talking to last night, that was…?"

"Gilbert Lafayette." This was the first time Herc realized they had the same last name. Wasn't that a coincidence?

John caught on to what Alex was saying. He shot Marie a look as he said, "And those are two different people?"

Hercules snorted, "Well, yeah. Obviously."

"Jesus fucking Christ." Maire muttered, running her hands across her face. "Il est stupide!"

"Yeah, I know." Alex mumbled. John looked like he didn't know if he should laugh or cry. He hid his mixed expression in the crook of Alex's neck.

Marie sighed and explained, "Hercules, I am Gilbert."

"You said your name was Marie!" Hercules almost shouted. He was so confused, nothing was making sense. Marie was annoyed and no one was explaining anything to him and he just wanted to know if Marie was going to date him or not.

"Oui, it is! Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette!" Marie hissed, "I have not lied at all. My name is Marie et it is also Gilbert!"

Hercules just stared at her, trying to figure things out. "You're…"

"Genderfluid." Marie supplied.

Herc looked to the others, who were watching him quietly. "Alexander, did you know?"

Alex shrugged, "It was really obvious, Herc."

John nodded, his head still on Alex's shoulder, a small smile playing on his lips. "It was."

Hercules turned to Marie, "What- why didn't you tell me?"

"I said language is as fluid as my gender!"

"And?"

"You laughed!"

"Because you're really cute and I didn't want to look stupid!"

"Yes, and that worked out perfectly for you!"

Herc threw his hands up in the air, "Okay, well, why did you refer to yourself in third person? Why would you talk about yourself like they were a different person?"

Marie's jaw locked tightly, "Because it is my body, my person, my gender, and my choice! I shall refer to myself how I wish and I do not need your approval to be valid!"

No, this was wrong. They shouldn't be fighting. Herc wanted their love, not their anger. This wasn't how this conversation was supposed to go. Hercules shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

Hercules grabbed Marie's arms and sighed, "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. That was never my intention. I just didn't know that you were … you. Will you ever forgive me?"

"Tu es completement débile." Marie whispered as she pulled him into a needy kiss. Herc held the other person close to him; pleased that he can finally call them his.

"Are you ready yet?" Hercules asked, he was turned around, waiting patiently.

"Just a moment, mon amour." The voice called from behind him.

Herc's heart was pounding in his chest as he listened to the soft sound of fabric shifting. He bounced on his toes, trying to keep quiet. It didn't work. "Is it ready? Do you like it?"

A hand touched Herc's shoulder and he turned around. Marie's beautiful face blessed his eyes. "I love it."

Hercules stepped back and tried to hide his wide smile. He had to look at his work critically; he had to see if the dress was good. But, oh my god, Marie was so beautiful. The fabric he worked so hard on brought out all of the lines of her body. It was perfect on her.

"There's something missing." Herc said as he turned to the clothing rack. He returned with a long silky white cloth. He held it out to Marie, smiling.

"Is this…?" Marie shot him a suspicious look.

"A wrap." Herc blushed, glancing away.

Marie laughed and carefully wrapped the cloth around her. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful." Herc breathed, stepping forward to kiss her cheek.

Marie giggled, "You are too kind, mon amour. I am hardly the body type you require for this dress."

"Nonsense. Dresses are for everyone." Herc mumbled as he clipped back some of Marie's hair.

Marie grinned, but said, "I have no breasts. This is clearly meant to show off cleavage."

Herc glanced down at Marie's flat chest. "Many girls don't have breasts. That doesn't make the them any less. And the dress just shows off your sexy collarbones."

Marie gasped as Herc pressed a small kiss to the exposed skin.

The first time Lafayette invited Herc to them shave their legs, Herc was a bit confused. He didn't understand why his partner thought this was something he wanted to see. But Laf looked a bit nervous and a bit hopeful, so Herc agreed.

It was very strange, to sit at the edge of the bath, and simply watch as Laf bathed. They chatted and joked for a while, but once Laf grabbed the razor, the room fell quiet.

Hercules watched, silent, mindful, as Laf slowly lathered their leg with shaving cream.

"I do not do this often." Laf told him, quietly. They wouldn't look up from what they were doing. "I wait until my hair is long."

Lafayette doesn't shave when people tell them to. As Marie, strangers feel like they can dictate what she does with her body.

'A pretty girl like you shouldn't have such hairy legs.'

'It's unhygienic.'

'Did your mom never teach you how to handle a razor?'

Perhaps that's why, sometimes, Marie feels powerful with hairy legs. This is a part of her. It always will be. Strangers do not decide when she shaves. Family doesn't decide when she shaves. Friends do not decide when she shaves. Only she does.

"I wait until I want it gone." Laf says, delicately lifting the razor. "When I do; I am usually stressed. It is… calming, to shave. It feels like, if my body is free of hair, my mind is free of worry."

There's a pause, and then Laf hesitantly looks up to Herc, "Does that make sense?"

Hercules smiles and nods. He's not sure he can relate to what his partner is saying, but he can do his best to understand and accept it.

He continues to watch in silence as Lafayette shaves all of the hair off one leg. It leaves their skin smooth and soft-looking. Then Laf gently sets down their razor and pulls their knees to their chest. They stare at the two contrasting legs; one hairy, one freshly shaven.

"I like this moment the most." Laf says quietly. "This is when I feel the most… me."

"Why not keep it always like this?" Herc asks, gently tapping a finger on both of their knees. "One for Marie, and one for Gil."

Laf thinks for a moment, and then says, "It would not be the same. Marie would want it shaved; Gilbert would want it hairy. It is, how you say, a cluster fuck?"

Hercules chuckles as he watches Laf gently stroke up and down their two legs. Then, Laf finishes shaving the second leg, checks and makes sure they got everything, and then climbs out of the bath into the fluffy towel Hercules had waiting for them.

"Is it like that every time you shave?" Hercules asked.

"Like what?"

"Quiet. Thoughtful." Hercules pauses and then adds, "Intimate."

Gil shrugs, "I certainly feel more connected with myself et more clean when I shave. I see no need to speed up the process."

"Is that a yes?" Herc laughs.

"Um… yes."

Hercules shakes his head and then pulls the wet body closer to his, "Come on, you pretty thing. Let's get to bed."

It might be weird. Actually, it probably is weird, if Herc is being honest with himself. But he watches Laf shave as many times as they'll let him. It's a strange fascination that Herc has. Not the actual shaving. But the quiet concentration Laf has when they hold their razor. The self-reflective focus that allows the person to think about themself, and what it means to be who they are.

Hercules likes the satisfied smile Laf gets every time they look down at their two different legs. How can anything that peaceful be wrong?

Hercules was sitting in Gilbert's lap, gently tipping his head down to kiss him. They were on the floor, an old rug under them. Violin music was playing softly in the background. The lights were off, but the windows were open, letting in enough sunlight to see fine. Everything was peaceful.

Then the door burst open. Herc and Gil pulled away from each other, their gazes snapping up to see Alexander, looking frantic.

"What's wrong?" Gil asked, blinking at the other man's disheveled features.

"I think I love John." Alex muttered, more to himself than to them.

"Obviously." Gilbert said as Hercules muttered, "Fucking finally."

"Guys this is serious!" Alex hissed, running his fingers through his hair. "This is John!"

Gilbert waved his hand easily, "Monsieur, we have had enough dating drama for our lifetime. Just go and kiss him, oui?"

"Do you think he likes me?" Alex asked quietly, shy and unsure.

Gil and Herc said at the same time, "YES!"

Alex flinched, surprised, but nodded. "Okay. Okay. I'm gonna go tell him how I feel."

"Be smart." Gil called.

"Make me proud!" Herc added.

They had gotten relaxed and snuggled up again when the door slammed open once more.

"GUYS I'M DATING JOHN!"

Alex ran into the room, wild, with John on his arm. The other man's smile was dazzling; his face flushed pleasantly.

"Yeah he is." John mumbled, clearly in a lovestruck daze.

Herc and Gil whooped their congratulations.

Other people are always confused at first.

"Guys, this is my partner, Lafayette."

"Wait. I thought you had a boyfriend named Gilbert."

"Yes."

"No, I heard you have a girlfriend named Marie."

"Yes."

"Are you cheating?"

"No."

"So it's poly?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

But that's alright.

"Love."

Tell me what you think!