Okay, so I'm sick right now so sorry if this sucks.
"Right, Laf, just go though there with Maria and she'll do your makeup while I finish this. It'll only take a minute." Hercules instructed, folding a newly adjusted shirt.
"Okay..." He dragged his eyes away from Hercules hard at work, and towards a smirking Maria. She wiggled her eyebrows, grabbing his hand and pulling him into a bright white room.
She chortled, sitting him down. "What?" Lafayette questioned, he was getting odd vibes.
"Oh nothing!" Maria giggled, beginning to dust blusher over Lafayette's cheeks. "Just that you should totally ask Hercules on a date!"
Lafayette jumped, messing up Maria's work so far. "What!? What if it all goes wrong!? We've only known each other for a few days, and I like our friendship so far! What if I ruin it! I sleep around a lot and what if I can't control myself! What if I cheat on him!? Oh god, what if-"
Maria slapped him across the cheek. "Calm down!"
Lafayette cradled his face, wincing. "What ze fuck, Maria!"
She hushed him, pulling out a shiny, clear lip gloss. She started to apply it, whilst rambling. "So, what you're saying is, you were a fuckboy?"
"Am." Lafayette corrected, "I am." He smacked his lips together, biting his tongue. "I'm just so scared of dating. I've never had a proper relationship before."
"There's a word for that." She stood behind him, beginning to untangle the curly locks from the bobble.
"Philophobia." Lafayette answered. "The fear of falling in love."
Maria pulled the Frenchmans bun out harder than intended in surprise. Lafayette let out a quiet 'ow!' "You love him!?"
Lafayette shook his head. "No! Yes! Maybe! I don't know! I've known him, what? Two days? And! And we work together! This is... this is completely unprofessional!" Lafayette yelped again as Maria pulled his hair.
"Just..." She sighed, "one second." She left the room. "HERC!" Maria yelled. "Hair up or down?"
"Whatever looks best, Maria! You're the one who's knowledgeable on hair and make-up, I just know clothes." Hercules chuckled. Lafayette melted.
She rushed back in smiling. "Right, I need you to stay very still."
Five minutes later Maria was finished with Lafayette's hair, who's legs had started to fall asleep. "Almost done yet?"
Hercules walked into the room, suit and shirts in hand. "Right so I've finished thes-" He looked up at Lafayette, his breath getting caught in his throat. Maria had done his hair swept to the side, the other side tucked behind his ear to show he shining stud ear ring in his left ear.
"Hi! Oh ze suit looks amazing!" Lafayette exclaimed.
"So do you!" Hercules realised what he said and quickly added, "Well done, Maria!"
Lafayette flushed, which was hidden by the blusher across his cheeks. Hercules handed the clothing to Lafayette, electricity running through him when their fingers brushed. "I'm gonna change." The Frenchman smiled, and the other two scattered from the room.
He quickly threw everything off, redressing into the suit Hercules had made. He looked in the mirror across the room, smiling. Hercules really was a great tailor.
"I'm ready, mes amis!" Lafayette called, opening the door. Maria came in first, clapping.
"Oh! You look spectacular!" Maria exclaimed, pulling out her phone. She took some pictures, smiling.
"Yeah... you look..." Hercules was at a loss for words. "Amazing..."
Lafayette playfully swatted at Hercules, "merci."
"Right," Hercules clapped his hands, "let's get some photos."
An hour later, all the photos were taken. Lafayette had changed shirts multiple times and was overall happy with the results. Hercules was astounded at how well Lafayette worked, he knew this was his job and he was extremely successful, but wow. Lafayette changed back into his own clothes and shook Hercules' hand.
"So, I'll pay you-"
"Whenever you can. I don't mind." Lafayette nodded, turning to a giggling Maria.
"Can? Can I send these pictures to Peggy?" She pleaded.
Hercules nodded, "Laf?"
"Go for it, Maria. And," he grabbed his phone. "There's my number." He held it up to her.
"Thanks!"
Hercules pulled Lafayette into the main room. "So, would you like to come back to my apartment? We could hang out?" He asked confidently.
Despite one part of him screaming say no. Lafayette nodded. "I'd love to. Let me just tell Samuel I'll be out."
Hercules frowned. "What's the matter, mon ami?"
"Uhh... Well..." He forced it out. "Are you dating this Samuel guy?" Hercules blushed in embarrassment.
Lafayette chuckled. "Oh no! Samuel is my chauffeur! And a good friend of mine."
Hercules sighed with relief. "So, you're single?"
"Oui, and you?" Lafayette smiled.
"Single." Hercules cleared his throat, "right, we can go back to my place, and I can invite the guys over if you want. You can meet them all!"
"Zat sounds good!" Lafayette grinned, and the two walked to Hercules' apartment, whilst Herc shot a message to the group chat.
"The only one who can't make it is Aaron, out on a date or something." Hercules grinned, pushing his apartment door open. "Holy fuck, John, Alex!?"
The two men were sitting on the couch, chatting and sipping liquor. "You made it!" Alexander cheered.
"How did you get in?" Hercules laughed.
"You gave us a key." John raised an eyebrow. "Oh, hey, Laf."
"ITS YOUR FAVOURITE SOUTHERNER!" A thick southern accent called.
"But Johns already here and Aaron's not coming!" Hercules shouted back. There was an offended gasp from the other side of the wood. "Come on in, Thomas." The door swung open and Thomas flounced in, James following on his heels.
"DON'T CLOSE THE GODDAMN DOOR!" And Peggy sprinted in, Eliza and Angelica skipping in too.
"Is that everyone?" Hercules glanced around.
"Woah!" Peggy breathed out, staring at her phone.
"What?" Angelica asked, peeking over Peggy' shoulder. "Oh wow."
Soon enough Thomas wanted to know and was clamoring to look at the phone. "Huh, that's some nice photography. And good clothes."
"Thanks." Lafayette said softly, falling back into the couch cushions.
"Huh? Oh, hey Gilbert."
"Hi, Thomas." Lafayette waved, "look what are we actually gonna be doing?"
James held out a bottle. "Never have I ever or truth or dare?" He smirked.
He gang nodded in agreement, and sat around the coffee table, Angelica taking the liberty of pouring every one three shots.
"So, the rules of the game." Alexander started, running a hand through his greasy hair. "Eveytime you've done the thing, take a shot. After you've taken three, do a forfeit."
"Sounds alright." Eliza grinned, swishing her liquor around in the glass.
"I'll start!" John yelled. "Never have I ever taken photos in my underwear."
Lafayette quickly took a shot, and every one remembered the photo to the group chat. Hercules took one too, and Peggy bugged him to show. James stared at his shot glass before quickly lifting it and downing the liquid.
"Can I go?" Lafayette questioned. The guys nodded. "Never have I ever stalked an ex."
Alexander, Eliza and Thomas all took shots, Angelica seemingly proud of hers. Eliza was bashful, Thomas was embarrassed and Alexander just laughed it off. "Never have I ever," Alexander began, "almost killed someone."
Thomas shot him a dirty look before downing his second shot. "What!?" John exclaimed.
"I used to have a goat that almost killed a little kid." He shrugged, the liquor getting to him.
"What the fuck, dude?" Hercules chuckled, only to have his ankle kicked.
"Never have I ever set something on fire." James butted in.
Lafayette groaned, taking another shot. Peggy, Eliza, John and Hercules all took one too. "I set someone's hair on fire before." Lafayette admitted.
"How?!" Peggy exclaimed. "I set pasta on fire!"
"Uh... one night stand, candles, drunk. That pretty much explains it." Lafayette grinned.
"Never have I ever broken a bone doing something stupid." Angelica grinned.
"Fuck!" Thomas took his third shot. "I jumped a fence and broke my wrist."
"FORFEIT TIME!" Peggy practically screamed, clapping in excitement.
The group whispered before coming to an agreement. "Take off your shirt." James said slightly blushing.
"Alright, that sucks as a forfeit though."
Fast forward.
Lafayette had to rap an Eminem song, Alexander had to wear his hair in a braid, Angelica had to run upstairs to someone else's apartment and ask them if they'd seen this person and show them a selfie. James was forced into kicking the table as hard as he could. (Which happened to be very hard.) (They thought he broke his toe.)
"Truth or Dare!" Peggy insisted. "ANGELICA! Truth or Dare?"
"Dare, I ain't no pussy." Angelica giggled.
"I dare you to tell the first word that comes to your head."
Angelica stared around the room, her eyes landing on Alexander. "Shithead!"
Hercules burst out laughing, muffling it with his hand. "Haha, Hercules, truth or dare?"
"Dare." Hercules stopped laughing, smiling when Lafayette giggled too.
Alexander narrowed his eyes in thought. "Put ice down the back of your shirt." He smirked.
"You're evil." Hercules spat, clambering to his freezer, and pulling out his silicon icetray.
"We know!" Eliza chortled.
"How many?" Hercules frowned, sitting down. Lafayette took the ice tray.
"Four pieces." Alexander decided on. Lafayette popped four ice cubes out, dropping them one by one down the back of the Irishmans shirt.
"Shit." Hercules hissed, bouncing his leg. "I hate you."
"We know." John smirked.
"James, truth or dare?" Hercules wheezed, biting his lip.
"Truth, defiantly truth." He insisted.
"Name five things you regret buying." Hercules squirmed. Lafayette shuffled closer to him, maybe to hear him up, or maybe just so they were closer.
"Right, I bought an inflatable bouncy house, which broke-" James went on listing things, each one odder than the last.
"You bought one of those horse masks?" Lafayette raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah... so?" James spat back. "John, truth or-"
"DARE!"
"Lick a bar of soap."
Alexander had juggled knives, Peggy had showed everyone the weirdest photo on her phone. (It was here floating in a paddling pool full of gummy worms.) Thomas confessed to reading a bunch of Steven King novels.
"Lafayette, truth or dare?" Thomas questioned.
"Vérité!" (Truth!) Lafayette smiled, happy it was finally his turn.
"Out of all of us, who would you sleep with?" Thomas winked, only to be elbowed sharply by James.
Lafayette flushed red. "Umm... probably Hercules." He shrugged nonchalantly, although he was panicking inside.
Hercules flushed red. "Me?" He smiled. "Thanks."
"Hey! Make sure to get a vegetable pizza! I can't eat meat!" John warned as Alex dialled for pizza.
"Yeah, yeah, of course."
"Bye guys!" Eliza called, closing the door as they left. Thomas and James stood too.
"We'll be off." Thomas practically dragged James from the flat. John and Alex stuck around.
"Movie?" Alexander questioned.
"Yeah sure! What do ya have, Herc?" John lay back on the couch across Alexander's lap.
"Uhh... Moana?" Hercules replied, smiling as Lafayette rested his head on his shoulder.
Lafayette clapped happily, "ooh, yes! I love zat film!" Lafayette sat up, sliding into the couch cushions.
"Great!" Hercules dug through the drawer in the TV unit, pulling out the disc. He set it all up and clicked play, slipping back into his spot by Lafayette who rested his head back on Hercules' shoulder.
Lafayette looked over at John and Alex, strewn across each other on the other couch. "Zey are a cute couple, non?" He whispered to Hercules.
"Alex and John? Believe it or not they're not together." He chuckled, lacing an arm around the Frenchmans waist haphazardly, so Lafayette could move away if he didn't like it. He didn't move, but relaxed into Hercules more, smiling.
"Zey are not?" He fiddled with the hem of his shirt.
"No, they're so clueless."
"I AM MOANAAAAA!" John screamed and Alexander leapt his height in the air, slapping John on the arm repeatedly.
"What. The. Fuck!" He yelled playfully.
"IT CALLS ME!" Hercules joined in.
"AND NO ONE KNOWS, HOW FAR IT GOES!" Alexander sung in a remarkably good voice.
They guys looked at Lafayette expectedly, waiting for him to join in. He chuckled, rolling his eyes. "And no one knows! How far I'll go!" Lafayette held the note quietly, blushing in embarrassment.
"Woo!" John cheered, staring up at Alexander. "It might just be the wine we drunk with the pizza, but you're really cute tonight."
Hercules turned to Lafayette, raising an eyebrow. Lafayette smiled.
"Uh- um- oh... Well... thanks?" Alexander stuttered. "Fuck it." He bent over and kissed Laurens firmly on the lips. He pulled away, both males flushed red.
"Aww." Lafayette cooed, "ze ship 'as, how you say, sailed."
"Lams." Hercules nodded, taking his attention from the new couple to the film, to the Frenchman who was practically cuddling him.
After the film was over, Alexander and John had left, Alex carrying John in his arms. He wasn't asleep, just lazy.
Hercules looked at the sleeping beauty on his lap. Lafayette had slid from his shoulder to the more comfortable spot on his lap. He was snoring softly, shifting every so often. It was here that Herc realised he didn't want to wake Lafayette. He wrapped one arm around Lafayette's waist, the other under his arms to pick him up in the infamous bridal style. Hercules gently carried him to his own bed, laying Lafayette under the covers, pulling them up under his chin.
He kissed Lafayette's forehead quickly before scrambling from the room, grabbing a blanket on the way out. He collapsed onto the couch, turning off the lights and drifting off to sleep. That was until he heard a ringtone.
Hercules searched for the phone, finding it on the coffee table.
Incoming Call from:
Sammy Seabury
"Hello?" He groaned into the phone.
"Lafayette! Finally! Where are you!? I've been calling-"
"This isn't Lafayette, this is his friend Hercules Mulligan." Hercules mumbled sleepily, rubbing one of his eyes.
"Where is he!?" 'Samuel' exclaimed in panic.
"He's staying at my place, and he's asleep, why?"
"Hercules Mulligan, you say?" The man ignored his question.
"Yeah."
"You're the one Lafayette's working for right now!" Samuel yelped.
"Yeah, look he's asleep at my place and he'll be back tomorrow morning." Hercules grumbled.
"Okay! Have a great night!" And Samuel hung up.
Hercules placed Lafayette's phone back on the coffee table, slipping back under the blanket. And now he finally drifted off.
Whilst asleep, he felt a weight be placed on top of him, and then extra warmth heated him up. This was nice. Hercules fell into a deeper sleep, smiling and dreaming.
Words: 2,489
I'm oddly proud of this! It's really weird too, so it was fun to write!
*Jurassic Park screams*