Hello everybody! Thank you to all the reviewers... To Sophilagirl21 and Guest: thanks! To chocolate15chip and Hamfan09: ermmm...I don't really know for three reasons. One, I don't exactly know how, two, all the ones I've seen are absolute crap, three, ummm...This is awkward—I don't remember what my third reason was...Anyway, I doubt it, but as Shakespeare says, "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt" (Measure for Measure).I don't know what else to say, so let us continue!
Disclaimor: I do not own Hamilton.
"Go away."
"Where the hell are you going?"
"None of your business. Go away." It was darkening as Lissa hurried to where Benedict and his sister lived. Lafayette, Mulligan, and Laurens strode alongside her.
"But where are we—"
"We?" asked Mulligan. Laurens spun around indignantly.
"Yes, you're coming too!" he snapped.
"You are very much mistaken in that notion, John Laurens," muttered Lissa, "you are also very close to being slapped acoross the face," she added threateningly.
"Nope!"
He dodged a blow, earning a glare.
"What is wrong with you?" she demanded furiously.
"Nothing's wrong with me," protested Laurens. He blinked twice, as her exact words sunk in. "Hey, you used my first name!"
"Mmm, to be fair, she did use it with your last name," Lafayette pointed out. Lissa considered making a run for it, but discarded the idea. She was outnumbered, and laden with the heavy basket.
"Where are we going?"
"Is your strategy to annoy me until I answer?"
"Uhh...no?"
"Where are we going?" asked Mulligan curiously.
"Not you too!"
"Well, we—"
Mulligan coughed loudly.
"—most of us—"
Lafayette opened his mouth to speak.
"—most of us," repeated Laurens pointedly, "are going to stick like glue, so you might as well tell us."
"Fine," Lissa snapped, "we are going to visit the tory that was tarred and feathered. Remember him? Benedict—"
"You call the tory by his first name?" Laurens was indignant.
"—has siblings that he provides for, and since he is, at the very least, incapacitated, I—my father and I, I mean—have decided to provide a meal for his family."
"For who now?" It was Mulligan, this time, that looked slightly incredulous.
"If you were paying attention, Mulligan, then you would know that I'm referring to Benedict and—"
"Who's that?"
"The tory that she tries to seduce every market day," said Laurens grumpily.
"I do not!" interrupted Lissa angrily. "Anyway, my father and I have decided to provide his family with a meal."
"Oh."
They neared a few seedy docks. Lissa spoke up. "We're almost here. Now leave."
"Nope!"
"Go away."
"Nope!"
She sighed and let them follow. If the three really wanted to be attacked with a frying pan, Lissa wasn't about to object.
"Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four," she counted the faded numbers on the doors, most of which had been worn away by the years.
When she reached the door marked thirty-nine, she knocked lightly. There was a moment of tense silence, and the door cracked open, and a voice called out, "We are taking no visitors at the moment, if you please."
Mustering all of her courage, she murmured discreetly, "It's alright, it's me—it's Lissa."
The door opened wider and a pair of restless blue eyes peered back at her. "Oh, it is you," breathed the voice. "Come in."
Her greeter was Hester Irwin, Benedict's ten year old sister. She held in one arm a baby no more than a year old, and clutched the hand of another sibling, a curly-haired six year old boy. Two young girls, about four and seven, cowered behind her, frying pan at the ready.
Lissa cleared her throat. "Umm, I brought a few people with me. Is it alright for them to enter as well?"
Hester's dark head bobbed as she nodded silently. Laurens stooped to enter the low doorframe. He grinned roguishly. "The name's John Laure—"
He was interrupted by a thump and muffled swearing in French. It appeared that Lafayette had failed to bend low enough to accommodate the door. One of the little girls, the four year old, let out a tiny giggle.
"Eh, you think that is funny?" asked Lafayette, slightly disgruntled.
"Yes," Mulligan automatically replied. The little girl nodded shyly; Lafayette looked a little embarrassed.
"Oh," he said.
Lissa cleared her throat again and set down the basket. "I brought dinner for your family," she murmured quietly to Hester. Hester nodded gratefully and took it.
"Thank you for everything. I heard that you tried to stop them—the mob, I mean," said Hester.
"I'm sorry I couldn't do more," said Lissa, a little regretful. "Is Benedict alright? How is he doing? Can I see him?"
Hester looked crestfallen. "I wish I could help you in that respect, but I'm afraid that he wants to see nobody right now. Says he's mortified. My brother can be a vain man sometimes."
"You're sure that he doesn't want to see anybody right now?"
Hester nodded. "He made it very clear."
By the time Lissa arrived home, the sky was a darkened blue, with a few enterprising stars beaming down. Inside, a few loiterers lingered, reeking of alcohol. Setting her empty basket down in the kitchen, she sat down in a nearby chair, and put her head in her arms and let out a groan.
"Hello, pretty Liss'!" chirped her father as he entered, oblivious to her misery. Lissa gave another muffled groan. "It's time for dinner preparations to commence! Come, be up and merry—dinner is on it's way!" He sang out the last part through the door to the soldiers trooping in. They gave a hearty cheer. "Come," cried her father again, seizing her by the arms and dragging her out of her chair, "The King's men are waiting!"
Lissa forced herself awake. "Fine," she groused, stalling. As she began to prepare some food, her father came back into the kitchen. "Now, Elisabeth, that won't do! Smile a little—be happy for our soldiers!" He prodded her a bit. She pulled the corners of her mouth up into a tiny smile. "There, isn't that better? You look much better when you smile, my girl."
"Soo...you want me to be happy so that I'll smile so that I can...attract more customers?"
"Yep!"
"You are far too happy right now."
"Who says there's too much happiness in a man?" He asked, and hummed to himself as he strode off.
Well that is it for now...see ya! Remember to review, follow, and favorite!
