{A/N: I cannot thank you enough for support and compliments. Honestly, guys, it keeps me motivated. If you ever want a prompt or ship written, PM me.}
Alex, having only spent an eighth of his money on clothes, was dragged along to shops Laf liked. He didn't complain.
While the boy next to him searched absentmindedly threw the store, Laf was having the time of his life. It may seem silly, but he'd never been happy in Europe, so the improvement was drastic.
He jumped around the Sephora. Laf bought highlighter and contour and rejoiced in the fact people saw him as breaking gender roles or buying makeup for someone else. When he expressed interest in anything feminine in France, people would assume he was getting out of his 'phase'.
"Alexander, do you want anything?"
Alex shook his head. "Absolutely not." He didn't need to look nice. He didn't want any extra attention.
Gil shrugged off the odd response. "Why don't about you choose the next store?"
"I don't know anywhere." The boy shrugged. Then he saw it. It was a store full of books and notebooks and nick nacks.
Gil started to list off suggestions, but Alex was already well on his way to the Barnes Noble. "Oh, here then." He paused, stopping for a moment. "Alex, would you mind if I ran to CVS?"
Alexander was kind of reluctant, this was a very new place. "Why?"
He wasn't about to out himself and say he needed tampons. Lafayette didn't understand his own thought process in not bringing them. Was he expecting the Washingtons' to raid his bags? "Uh, um, a... Snacks... A new toothbrush and just like... Stuff." They stammered.
"Yeah. I can handle a bookstore." He waved Laf off, not wanting to seem codependent. Heading into the store, he probably half looked like a lost puppy and half like a little kid on Christmas.
Hamilton took a lot shorter than he expected. He decided not to get any books. Just notebooks and pens and such. He'll wait until he finishes the Washingtons' collection. He checked out, being completely socially inept with the cashier.
Meanwhile, Laf got distracted by a magazine, before making his way over to the counter with ibuprofen, tampons and a 'men's' razor. When he feels all else makes him feel dysphoric, he shaves his face. It just helps, for some reason.
Hamiton made his way to the convenience store. He saw Lafayette buying something strange, he chooses not to mention it. Maybe Martha needed them or something. He was too focused on a notebook he got that said 'write like you're running out of time' to think critically.
Lafayette received a text from Martha to meet at the car. He leads Alex out to the parking lot, while the boy rambled on and off about his new pens.
Martha and George sat next to a desk they bought for Alexander, but that's not what they were grinning about. They handed the boy a black box. "Open it." Martha chirped.
Alex did as he was told and found a sleek new looking phone. "Wow... I... Thank you so much..."
"You're welcome, it's mostly set up too. It has our numbers, plus, Lafayette and Samuel." Mr. Washington grinned happily. "We also got you a desk! How do you like it?"
He had lived in an alleyway for years. Just surrounded by books and whatever he could find to string together a place that he could call livable.
Now he had a room. That has a desk and a bed and mostly not water damaged books. Everyone could see his small smile.
Does he trust them?
Of course not. He's waiting for them to either die or use him. That's how it has gone in Alex's life, the kind die and the cruel use him.
Gil waved a hand in front of his face, which Alex slapped away. "No face!" He yelled, crossing his arms in front of his features to defend from an invisible attack.
Laf covered his mouth, he scared Alex. This kid must be utterly traumatized and he didn't even think. "Non, non, non! I was just trying to get your attention... I..."
"Stay calm, you boys go sit in the car." Martha hummed. They listened. "Alex, can you hear me?"
He nodded, not looking any less defensive.
"No one's going to hit you anywhere here, we'll make sure, okay? We want you to be safe."
His voice shook, but his body was a bit less tense. "I don't know why I did that. I didn't see Laffy and there was just a hand in my face and I got scared." He lowered his arms.
"Can we talk more about this when we get home?" Martha asks, speaking quietly. "With George. We'll figure out a plan, that sound good?"
"Yes, miss." He got back in the car, trembling a bit.
Both of the boys said they were sorry multiple times before Mrs. Washington cut in as a mediator. "Neither of you did anything wrong. I'd skip the apologies."
Does Alex trust Martha?
He's starting too.
