AN/Guess what guys? This story is now officially a series! I have so many ideas racing around my head, I can't wait to get them all out! Enjoy this next chapter, and mark it as the true start of this story (as well as the end of the prologue)!

Disclaimer: Lin-Manuel deserves all the praise. Seriously.


"Damn it, damn it, damn it-" Alex raced down the hallway, his jacket flapping behind him and his hair barely staying in its messy ponytail. "Damn it, damn it, damn it-" Alex repeated the phrase like a mantra, desperately consulting his watch as he ran. "Damn it, damn it!" Alex pushed his legs even harder and literally flew down the hallway, clutching his binders to his chest like they could somehow save him.

What was causing Alexander Hamilton, the human embodiment of a disaster, to be even more frantic and messy than usual?

He was late.

The fact that Alex was late was, in and of itself, not much of a surprise. Despite hating it when others were late, and making a big show of sighing when they showed up, Alex himself often got wrapped up in whatever he was doing and only realized he was late when he bothered to check the time.

Of course, being late wasn't enough to make Alex as panicked as he was. No, being late to a class he could pass without even showing up once didn't concern him. But the class he was late for was taught by the only teacher he actually respected.

Professor George Washington of Political Science.

And Alex refused to give Washington the wrong impression. He wasn't a slacker, he was just very passionate about his other projects!

But since "being passionate" wasn't a viable excuse for being late to class, Washington probably wouldn't accept it, and therefore, still see him as a slacker. Alex grit his teeth and tried to draw on some hidden supply of energy.

Several wrong turns later (he still didn't have the campus layout memorized), Alex skidded to a stop a few doors down from the Politics classroom, his lungs burning. Alex took a few seconds to recompose himself, shoving his binders into his backpack and doing his best to make his hair look at least mildly presentable. When Alex looked back up, he found someone waiting for him.

"Did you stop for coffee?" John hissed, hurrying up to Alex. "Do you understand how hard it is to keep making excuses to come out here and see if you've showed up?"

"No, I wish I had coffee right now. I do have a bagel." Alex presented the bagel in question, swinging his bag over his shoulder. John made an exasperated noise that could have been a sigh or a chuckle.

"Why do I like you, knowing that you live with no regrets?"

"Because you're like me. You're different, reckless."

John didn't even protest, which made Alex smile, pleased. He nodded at the door, and John pulled it open silently. The sounds of Washington's lecture immediately drifted into the hallway. Alex slipped into the classroom, hugging the wall as he snuck to his seat, which, luckily enough, was in front of Laf and Herc. John went the long way around, capturing any stray eyes while Alex hunched into his seat.

Laf poked Alex's back the second he sat down, dropping a slip of paper into Alex's lap.

Did you get lost again?

Alex just snorted and tossed the paper back over his head. Laf and Herc both chuckled, but they left him alone. A moment later, John slid onto the bench next to Alex.

"You're lucky Washington got distracted by the lesson before he did roll call," John muttered, nudging Alex's shoulder (something that Alex was starting to recognize as a sort of inside joke). Alex shrugged in response and pulled out his binder. He started taking notes, even though he'd already skimmed the chapter two days previous. His eyes quickly drifted away from his paper and to the rest of the classroom.

It was filled with other students, all raptly focused on Washington. He was a powerful figure and commanded attention, sure, but Alex didn't understand why they all looked so confused. They were learning about a foreign affairs case from half a decade ago, not psychology. Alex could easily argue his case for what should have happened, but no. He had to listen to the case being explained first.

Eventually, Alex's eyes landed on the man sitting next to him. John's attention was fixed on Washington, just like everyone else, but he looked more curious than confused. Like he was forming the scenario his mind.

Alex glanced behind him. Laf and Herc looked equally focused, Herc chewing on his pencil and Laf writing something down.

Alex grinned. At least he wasn't surrounded by idiots.

He turned his attention back to John. His hair was a bit messier than usual, with a few loose strands brushing his shoulders. His skin looked unnaturally pale in the intense lighting, and his eyes looked light brown rather than their usual deep chocolate brown.

In other words, Alex was so bored than he had nothing better to do than examine his friends. Then an idea hit him, and he sat up a little. He took a pencil from his bag and put it to John's left wrist, beginning to sketch. For a few seconds, the other man didn't even react. Then John's eyes flicked to Alex, and he frowned slightly.

"Alex, what are you-"

"Shh," Alex interrupted, waving his free hand vaguely. John eyed him a little longer, then rolled his eyes and went back to watching Washington pace the room.

Ten minutes later, Alex had almost finished his work of art. It was a calligraphic version of "Laurens", with as many flourishes and loops as Alex could add. Unfortunately, Washington remembered that he hadn't yet taken roll and set down his book. He called for attention, so Alex reluctantly put down his pencil, resigning himself to finish his drawing later.

Alex waited as Washington ran through the list of students. When it got to his name, he smirked and called, "Present", earning a few startled gasps. Alex tilted his head back to Laf and Herc, holding his hands out for high fives. Both slapped his hands with smug grins.

Another half-baked plan perfectly executed.

Washington ran through a few more names, then paused. "Mar-" He cut himself off, heaving a defeated sigh. "Lafayette?"

"Of course, sir," Laf responded pleasantly. Some students snickered, Alex among them, others sighed along with Washington.

"Laurens?"

"Present," John said, tapping his pencil on the desk.

"Mulligan?"

"You know it, sir." Herc nudged John's back with a wide grin. "Guess I'm always a step behind you." John returned the grin, shoving at Herc' knee with his hand. Herc froze, and he pointed at John's wrist. "Dude, where did you get that?"

John gave Herc a confused look, reclaiming his wrist and looking at it. Alex fought back a grin as John lifted his gaze and stared at him.

"You did this?"

"Yup." Alex couldn't hold back his smug grin. "Didn't have time to finish that last little loop."

Laf draped his arm over Alex's shoulder. "Me next."

Alex chuckled, but picked up his pencil and began to sketch Laf's name, only half listening as Washington resumed the lesson.

By the end of the class, John, Laf, and Herc had ornate pencil tattoos of their names on their wrists, and in Laf's case, one wrist read "Lafayette" and the other "Marquis de". Alex and Laf had both been bored, and since Alex didn't do bored, he had seen no harm in indulging his friend.

John stretched his arms above his head as the four of them began to pack up their supplies. Most of the class had already left, with the exception of some students asking Washington for help.

"I need lunch," he mumbled, swinging his backpack over his shoulder. "Eating your bagel wasn't enough for breakfast."

"Hey, not my fault you forgot to have dinner," Alex said, shrugging innocently. Herc poked his back.

"You did too, knucklehead."

"Fair enough. I vote for lunch at that cafe down the street." Alex shouldered his backpack and was about to step into the aisle, since he knew his friends were always down for breakfast at the cafe, when Washington's voice drifted up from the front of the classroom.

"Hamilton. A word before you go."

Alex froze. His friends stared at him, but Alex was as clueless as they were. He waved a hand frantically, trying to tell them to escape while they could. He didn't know if he was being punished or praised. Luckily, John gestured for Laf and Herc to head for the door. The three of them left, though Herc spared Alex a final, worried look before he disappeared through the door.

"What is it, sir?" Alex asked, setting his bag back on his desk and wandering towards the front of the classroom. He was alone with Washington now, and he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

Washington picked up a stack of papers and began shuffling through them. "You have top marks in this class, Hamilton."

"I know," Alex said slowly. Where was this conversation going?

"And you've already turned all the homework for the next week."

"Yes."

"Well, I have to ask... Hamilton, why do you never pay attention?"

"Sir-!"

"Don't get me wrong, I know you're sharp enough to pass this class without even trying. But do you ever stop to wonder if you distract the rest of the class?"

Alex had, actually. He'd even asked John, Laf, and Herc about it before, and they'd all shrugged and told him that they were doing well. Of course, the study sessions they held in the living room every night probably helped, but that was irrelevant. Alex was on an aisle seat, John sat to his right, and Laf and Herc were behind him, not to mention that they sat halfway up the room. Who else was there to distract?

"If the rest of the class can't ignore the scratch of my pencil, I don't think that's my fault," Alex said, resisting the urge to cross his arms defensively.

Washington looked at him for a long moment. "You know, a lot of your fellow students have asked about getting one-on-one time with you to improve their grades."

"Be a tutor?" Alex snorted. "I don't think so."

"Now, why are you upset?"

"I'm not."

"It's alright, a lot of people don't have the patience for it. Still, with how many people want your help, I'm going to offer you a project. You don't have to take it, but I want you to consider it." Alex leaned forward, interested in spite of himself. "The project is to go through the next five chapters of the textbook and create a study guide that I can pass out as we go through the year. If you can handle making it on top of your regular homework, I'll assign you the entire book. And don't worry, you'll get extra credit for each chapter you do.

Alex chewed his lip, running through what he could remember of the next few chapters. "Would I have creative liberty to devise new scenarios and examples?"

Washington nodded slowly. "Of course. I expect the facts to be without bias, but you can add anything else you want." Alex grinned eagerly, and Washington quickly added, "Within reason. These can't be like your normal essays, Hamilton, other people are going to have to understand these."

"Right, right," Alex muttered, already forming a rough outline of the study guide in his head. "I'll turn in a first draft for chapter three on Monday."

"You can start with chapter four if it-"

"No, I can do it!" Alex beamed at Washington. "Thank you for this opportunity, sir."

Washington sighed, but he nodded once. "Go catch up to your friends. I'll see you tomorrow."

Alex turned and raced back up the aisle, barely pausing to grab his bag as he flew past. He crashed out of the classroom and looked around wildly. He found his friends just down the hallway, Laf and Herc looking at their phones and John sitting on the floor. All three looked up as Alex burst into the hallway.

"Alex?" John asked. His unasked question floated in the air.

"Guys, I'm gonna have to skip lunch," Alex said, trying not to sound too giddy (and failing).

"Why?" his friends asked in unison, with a mumbled "I want my lunch, Alexander", from Laf.

"Washington gave me a special project, and I'm going to have to work nonstop for the next few days." Alex chewed his lip again as he thought about what he had taken on. "I'm going to have to run through the book and look up scenarios, maybe form a new government..."

Herc gripped Alex's shoulder and shook him a little, like he was trying to shake him out of his head. "Dude, you gotta eat."

"I know, Hercules," Alex muttered, still in his own head. His friend frowned.

"'Hercules'? I've told you man, call me 'Herc'. We're not strangers anymore."

"I would appreciate not hearing my full name all the time as well," Laf added, leaning over Herc' shoulder.

Alex smiled faintly. Old habit still held him tight. He was used to being as proper as he could (name-wise) to win favor, and he certainly hadn't been close enough to someone to call them by a nickname in a long time. But his friends were different. Herc, Laf, and John (or Laurens, depending on how Alex felt. John didn't mind him jumping between them). Yeah. That just sounded more natural.

"Well, okay, but I'm not backing down, Herc," Alex said, smirking at Herc's answering snort. "I seriously have to skip lunch."

"No, mon ami, you're not." Laf grabbed Alex's arm and started off down the hallway. Alex struggled, but Laf's grip was as strong as iron. "I am hungry, and I eat meals regularly. There is no way that you don't need food."

Herc reappeared on Alex's right and nudged him along. "I'm with Laf. We're eating."

Alex threw a desperate glance over his shoulder at John, who was trailing them by a few steps. His friend just chuckled.

"I'm always hungry, Alex."

Eventually, Alex gave up and let Laf and Herc lead him off campus. It would only take an hour at most, and he didn't have any more classes on his schedule. And, well, yeah, Alex was hungry. He was starting to regret giving John his bagel. Hell, he hadn't even had a cup of coffee in almost 2 hours. What had his life gone to?

Lunch consisted of a bowl of soup (since Jersey always seemed freezing to Alex), several cups of coffee (plus as many free refills as he could get), and a bagel (just because).

Alex ate quickly and left as soon as he finished. He waved off Laf's urging to stay longer, Herc's disgruntled huff when he refused, and John's disappointed look. His head was filled with ideas for Washington's project; how to group each section, what research to do for more information, snide little side comments that he'd probably have to edit out before he turned the draft in... the possibilities were endless.

It was only once he returned to the dorm that Alex remembered he had other classes. Which meant other homework. More things to do. All due on Monday, which was three days away.

But the ideas racing around Alex's head overpowered any worries he had. He tossed his bag onto a sofa and made a beeline for his bedroom, returning to the living room with laptop and books in hand. Alex quickly settled next to his bag and spread his resources out around him.

He put his fingers to the keyboard. Words raced onto the screen, moving a mile a minute, going as fast as Alex's mind was. There were so many things he needed to say. Just summarizing chapter three wasn't enough, he had to capture the very essence of it. What was its core theme, what did it try to teach? Well, it tried to teach internal government affairs.

Alex smirked to himself. That made his job easier. With how often he thought about government affairs, he could probably build his own government from the ground up. With a bit of help from his friends, of course.

For the next two hours, Alex wrote and read nonstop. Ideas formed and reformed faster than he could get them out of his head, and when he finally paused to stretch out his fingers, he realized that he'd ended up with a document that was nearly 30 pages long, half filled with gibberish. Alex grimaced and went to work revising. It was easy enough to make sure his writing made sense, but 30 pages was too long for most people. He'd have to condense it somehow.

Maybe he should have listened to his friends' pleading and stayed at the cafe. They could have helped him write. It was too late now, since they had probably gone to the library to study or left to run errands or something.

Or maybe they hadn't.

Alex grabbed his phone, glancing at the screen to make sure he hadn't gotten any texts (he hadn't), then typing out a quick text.

Alex: How many pages of notes do you usually have after class?

He got a reply instantly.

John: When you're not bothering me?

Alex: Yes

John: Idk one or two

Alex: Okay

Alex: Are Laf and Herc with you?

John: Yeah why

Alex: I need you guys back here to help me

John: Come to us instead

Alex frowned. An odd answer. He pulled up John's location and spent a few seconds trying to figure out where his friend was. Once he did, he sighed, closing his computer and giving their conversation his full attention.

Alex: A) I'm kind of insulted that you didn't tell me where you were going

Alex: B) What did I say about my distaste for parties?

John: Alex, it's just a welcome party in the commons

Alex: No.

John: If you hang with us for a while, I promise that I'll help you and I'll drag Laf and Herc back if I have to

Alex's fingers hesitated over the keyboard. It was tempting offer. Suffering through a welcome party for an hour at most, then getting his friends' help... It was more than a tempting offer. It was a good compromise. And Alex knew that John wouldn't make him stay any longer than he could bear.

Alex: Fine. Be there in ten minutes

John: Hurry

John: It isn't a party without you here judging everything

Alex chuckled and tucked his phone into his pocket. He stuck his head into his bedroom, giving his outfit a cursory once-over in the mirror. Black jeans, gray sweater that he might have stolen from Laf, he didn't really remember, and a turtleneck. Good enough.

He left the dorm with a slight sigh, retying his ponytail as he headed down the hall. He was just going for an hour. And it wasn't like he was going to be stuck without reinforcements, John, Herc, and Laf were going to be there with him.

Alex was going to die. He hated making small talk with strangers.

Exactly seven minutes later, Alex pushed through the doors of the commons and was assaulted by loud laughter and so many overlapping voices that Alex's head pounded. He winced, pressing himself against the wall. At least the curtains of the room were drawn back to let sunlight in.

It would've been a nice, relaxing area if it wasn't packed with people. Cream sofas and plush chairs were littered around the room, low coffee tables sat here and there, ready to have books piled on them, and a small bar in one corner of the room offered snacks for students who needed a caffeine boot or something sweet. But since it had been taken over for a party, there was nothing relaxing about it. Even the bar had been turned into a real bar.

"Hope they limited the alcohol," Alex muttered, glaring daggers at a guy who stumbled into him. Drunk at 4 in the afternoon. Alex was already regretting his decision to come.

He wandered through the crowd, checking his phone every five seconds to see if his friends had texted their location. He was just about to give up and try to melt into the wall when a hand landed on his shoulder, pulling him into a miraculously clear patch of space.

"Didn't think you were gonna show up," Herc said, grinning broadly.

Alex sighed, but he returned the smile faintly. "Yeah, well, John's offer was too good to refuse. Where are we hiding?"

Herc nodded for Alex to follow him, then plunged back into the crowd. Alex grabbed the back of his friend's hoodie, trusting Herc to keep him safe. All the people pressing around him made him feel sick. He hated being in the middle of crowds. It felt too much like he was drowning. He would much rather be standing above the crowd, talking or performing.

Anything to not be in the center of it.

Thankfully, Herc led him out of the crowd before Alex got too panicked. His friend guided him to a space next to a snack table, where Laf and John were leaning against the wall, heads together as they looked somewhere in the crowd. As Alex and Herc got closer, they both looked up, and identical grins spread across their faces.

"Welcome to the party, Alexander," Laf murmured, clapping Alex's shoulder with a smug grin.

Alex just huffed and settled next to John, making a show of crossing his arms. John snickered, nudging Alex's shoulder.

"Hey, just an hour."

"I'm holding you to that," Alex grumbled. John tipped his head forward, smiling slightly.

"You know I'm a man of my word."

"Yeah, whatever." Alex did know, and he greatly respected John for it. He greatly respected all his friends for it.

Alex only lasted fifteen minutes before he felt restless and uncomfortable in the heaving room. It was like everyone was moving, and he was standing stock-still, even though John, Laf, and Herc were all talking and laughing. Eventually, Alex couldn't stand still any more, and he moved away from the table with the excuse of getting something to eat.

He slid through the crowd, avoiding all eye contact and dancing away from the girls and guys who tried to grab his arms. The bar was blissfully empty, with only a sad-looking guy and the "bartender" herself.

"Bag of chips, please," Alex said, sliding a five over the bar. The bartender shot him a knowing look that said, "You're here because your friends are", then turned away to open a cabinet. Alex drummed his fingers on the countertop, his mind drifting back to the unfinished study guide sitting on his computer.

"Alexander?"

Alex glanced over his shoulder, startled. Then he smiled as he recognized the man approaching him. "Aaron Burr, sir."

"What are you doing here?" Aaron asked, sliding onto the seat next to Alex's.

"Making sure my friends follow through on a promise."

"Friends?"

"Laurens, Lafayette, Hercules. You know. My friends."

"Ah."

Alex snorted a little. From the second he had been introduced to them (the day after Alex's arrival in Princeton), Aaron hadn't much liked Alex's roommates. He thought the four dangerous when put together, what with how opinionated and outgoing they all were. Alex knew that Aaron made a good point, but, still. Birds of a feather.

"I guess I don't have to ask what you're doing here," Alex said archly. Aaron just chuckled. "Yeah. Made any powerful friends?"

"Not yet." Aaron sighed, gesturing for the bartender to get him a drink. "But the Schuyler sisters are here. I've talked to them before, and I'm hoping to make friends with them now. If you can get on the good side of a sister, you're set for your time here."

Alex smirked. "Is it a question of 'if', Burr, or 'which one'?"

Aaron laughed, accepting the drink the bartender held out and rising from his stool. "Have fun, Alexander. I'll see you later."

"See you." Alex watched the other man disappear into the crowd. The bartender gave him a curious look, and Alex considered striking up a conversation with her. She seemed nice. Sure, he didn't like small talk, but she could probably tell him a lot about the other students in the room...

Then a yelp came from right behind him, and Alex was suddenly crushed against the bar by the weight of a person landing on his back.

"Oh my god, I'm so so sorry!"

Alex's acidic comment died in his throat. He clutched a hand over his aching stomach, turning to see who had crashed into him. It was a girl, probably no older than he was, maybe even a little younger. Her dark hair was loose and curled around her face. She wore a simple golden leather vest with black jeans, and a messenger bag dangled halfway off her shoulder.

And she looked horrified. Alex didn't have the heart to mad at someone who clearly hadn't meant to run into him. Not to mention that she looked dead sober.

"It's alright," Alex said, having finally regaining his breath. The girl just about drooped with relief, and Alex waved for her to sit down. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," the girl sighed, rubbing her face. "Again, I'm so sorry about that. This guy was chatting me up, but I'm not about that, so I tried to get away, but he grabbed my arm and-" The girl closed her mouth abruptly, as if she had realized she was rambling. A woman after my own heart, Alex thought with a chuckle, and he held out a hand.

"Alexander Hamilton. Call me Alex."

The girl beamed at him, shaking his hand firmly. "Peggy Schuyler."

Alex raised his eyebrows. "Schuyler?" he repeated. He hoped he didn't sound too surprised. Or guilty, since he'd just been discussing the Schuylers with Aaron.

Peggy shrugged shyly. "Just because I'm rich doesn't make me smart. I used some of my dad's money to come here. I want a good education."

It was a unique viewpoint, one Alex hadn't heard from another student. He liked this girl. She was polite and cheerful, and it was clear she didn't expect anything to be handed to her. Alex saw in her what he had been drawn to in his other friends: John's fierce energy, Laf's confidence, and Herc's enthusiasm. And, of course, he saw some of his own determination.

"Are you here with anyone?" Alex asked, giving the bartender a grateful nod as she passed over a huge bag of chips.

"Kind of," Peggy mumbled. She looked down at the bar top. "I came with my sisters, but I sort of lost them in the crowd. I've been wandering around by myself.

"How'd you like to join my friends and I?" Peggy's head snapped up, and Alex grinned at her. "We're not exactly the most party-oriented folks, but we've got a wonderful wall spot. You can see everyone slowly losing their self respect."

Peggy laughed, her embarrassed expression disappearing as quickly as it had come. "That'd be amazing. Thank you!"

Alex's grin got bigger. He stood and grabbed his chips, gesturing for Peggy to follow him. He dove back into the crowd with much less worry than he'd had the first time. It was a lose-lose scenario being in the crowd, but with the prospect of adding another friend to his group, it seemed a bit more bearable.

Of course, no one would ever compare to his friends, but Peggy might come in a close second.

Alex finally emerged from the crowd and hurried toward the patch of wall he had mentioned. Herc immediately noticed his return, and he grinned at the huge bag of chips in Alex's arms.

"How much?" he asked, pointing at the bag. Alex held it out of Herc's reach, just in case.

"Five bucks. Worth it." Peggy appeared at Alex's side with an exhausted huff (probably from their battle through the crowd), and Alex put a hand on her shoulder. "Peggy, this is my dear friend, Hercules. Herc, this is Peggy, another reluctant party-goer."

Herc laughed, holding out a hand. "Nice to meet you. Call me Herc."

Peggy grinned and shook his hand. "Peggy."

Alex leaned around Herc to wave at John and Laf. "The tall one is Lafayette, our resident model, and the short one is John Laurens. Guys, this is Peggy."

"I'm taller than you, Alex," John snorted, shouldering past Alex to hold a hand out to Peggy. "It's a pleasure. Alex doesn't speak for me." Alex took a breath to protest, but John clapped a hand over his mouth, putting his other hand on the back of Alex's neck. "As much as he tries to."

"Bonjour, madam," Laf added, draping over Herc's shoulder. "As it happens, Alex does speak for me. I am the best-looking one of this group. Not that they'll admit it."

Peggy looked between the four of them and burst out laughing. "You guys are the best," she said, wiping away tears with a hand.

Alex beamed at her. This was what he loved to do. Well, his passion was debating, but entertaining others came in as a close second. Anything to see people's reactions, their laughter or their angry glares, their applause or their shouts. The spotlight was where Alex wanted to be. All eyes on him.

Though, he had to admit, being out of the spotlight with his friends wasn't bad either.

"Hey, weren't you bringing back food?" John asked, taking his hand off of Alex's mouth (though he left his other arm draped around Alex's shoulders). Alex huffed, then revealed the bag he'd been holding behind his back. "Ooh, that's what I was waiting for."

"And I mean nothing," Alex muttered. John just winked at him, and for a second, Alex was stumped. What was that supposed to mean?

Regardless, Peggy and John both wanted chips, which was how Alex found himself leaning on the wall once again, John on his left and Peggy on his right. Both grabbed handful after handful of chips, and Alex made sure to complain every time they did so. But for as much as he whined, Alex didn't mind being squished. He was thrilled that his friends were all hitting it off. He had gotten the impression that Peggy didn't have many friends, and he had wanted to change that.

Friends. Huh. Alex didn't have many friends either, but that was slowly changing.

"Hey, Alex." Peggy nudged Alex's arm and startled him out of his thoughts. "Laf's trying to talk to you."

"Finally," Laf grumbled when Alex looked at him. "Well, Alexander, it has been an hour. Do you still wish to leave, or have you changed your mind?"

Alex sighed dramatically. "Alright, fine, maybe this isn't so bad. It's not as bad as I thought it'd be, anyway. But wasn't the whole point of coming here meeting new people and dancing or something?"

"Yes, but that's not why you came. And you have met someone new."

"Whatever. I'll stick around for a few more minutes."

Herc, and to Alex's horror, Peggy, both chuckled. John poked him in the ribs, which conveyed more of a message than Alex would have thought possible, then took another handful of chips.

"If you're gonna stick around, I should introduce you guys to my sisters," Peggy said thoughtfully. "I think they'd like you. Maybe."

"'Maybe'?" Laf repeated. "Why wouldn't they, we are amazing."

Peggy snickered, but she said, "Well, they're not exactly the same as me. Let me just go get them, I'm sure they'd want to meet my new friends." With that, she launched into the crowd. It practically parted for her, and one guy actually dove out of her way. Had to be because she was a Schuyler sister.

"So, why exactly did you bring her back to us?" Herc asked once Peggy had disappeared. "Don't get me wrong, she seems great, and I'm glad you did, but... you're not the most social person."

"I help others in need," Alex said, giving Herc an overly dramatic smile. "She was in need of company."

Laf snorted. "She is very pretty, no?"

"That's not why!" Alex snapped. Laf raised his eyebrows, and Alex handed the chips off to John so he could gesture with his hands. "Laf, I am literally married to my studies. Have you learned nothing about me over this past week?"

"Half of the girls in this room did stop what they were doing when you walked in," John mumbled.

"You're all horrible." Alex reclaimed the chips from John and slumped against the wall. "I wasn't expecting you to side with them so quickly," Alex muttered, shooting John an annoyed look. It faded when he noticed John's surprisingly sad look. "Sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"No, no, that's not what I was-" John cut himself off, giving Alex a small smile. "It's alright."

Laf and Herc both chuckled. Alex didn't understand why, but he glared at them and shifted closer to John. He didn't like it when Laurens was sad.

A few minutes later, Peggy returned to their group, dragging two other girls in tow. The tallest girl had darker hair than the other two and complementing dark skin. The other girl's hair was slightly lighter than Peggy's, and her skin was fair. Seeing the three Schuylers side by side was an odd experience, since Alex knew that most of the people in the room would have killed to meet just one of them, Aaron Burr being among them.

"These are my sisters," Peggy said, glowing with pride. "This is Angelica and Eliza. Angel, El, these are my new friends, Herc, Laf, John, and Alex!"

The four chorused their greetings, and Alex waved.

He could see the shared blood between the three. They all were taller than most girls, with long legs and arms. Their facial structure was kind of similar, and the same smile curled all their lips, but none of them wore the smile the same way.

Eliza's smile was shy, and her clothing reflected it. She wore a simple sky blue jacket and jeans, with a silver pendant accenting the white shirt. She stood behind Peggy, as if she wasn't quite sure about Alex and his friends.

Angelica was the exact opposite. Her smile was bright, if a little wary, and her outfit was flashy and loud, all purples and pinks with a bit of black. Her hair hung loose down her back, and golden bracelets jangled on her wrists. She stood right next to Peggy, her free hand on her hip.

Peggy was almost a perfect combination of her sisters' styles.

"Thank you for taking care of Pegs," Eliza said, a light brush dusting her cheeks. "We didn't mean to get separated from her."

"Our pleasure," Alex returned, and he dipped in a slight bow. He meant it as a joke, since he knew his friends would have taken it as such, but Eliza's blush got darker. Alex immediately felt bad. Eliza was pretty, and it was clear that she liked him, but, really, he stood by what he had told his friends. He didn't have time for a romantic relationship. One girl wouldn't change that.

"You don't seem like the kind of people who go to parties like this," Angelica said, her smile getting a little more genuine. Alex tilted his head in question. "You're all hiding on the wall."

Laf waved a hand slightly. "There is nowhere else to go. The crowd would suffocate us. And I am too pretty to die."

"You are not," Alex grumbled. Laf shot him an amused smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you two," John said, giving both Alex and Laf reproachful looks. "You have an amazing sister."

Peggy laughed and shoved at John's arm. Angelica's and Eliza's smiles got wider, and Alex realized that all three probably suffered from a lack of friends. Being Schuyler sisters couldn't do much for their trust. He was suddenly even more glad that he had met Peggy. He didn't like the thought of any of the three being alone.

"I know we were planning to leave, but we can stay for a little longer?" Peggy asked, turning to her sisters. "Please, Angelica?"

Angelica gave Alex a curious look, then nodded. "Yeah, sure. My shift doesn't start until later."

And for the second time in as many minutes, Alex found himself squished between a girl he didn't know and a guy that he did. This time, John was on Alex's right and Angelica was on Alex's left, which made him a little nervous. Angelica gave off an intense vibe, and he didn't know what to think of her.

But he quickly found that he didn't have to be nervous.

They struck up a conversation about the college programs, and Alex decided that he had never met someone like Angelica. Her views were so unique, like his, but different. It was like matching wits with someone as his own level. And their conversation only lasted two minutes, maybe three.

Then Alex glanced over his shoulder, and the euphoria he had felt vanished.

The rest of his friends were all talking, laughing, smiling. They looked like they had been friends for years. And Alex had, for a few minutes, forgotten about them.

That wasn't something he was willing to do for a girl he had just met.

John, still standing at Alex's right shoulder, suddenly laughed at something Eliza said, and a feeling Alex couldn't place twisted his stomach. Whatever it was, he hated it. Without meaning to, he shifted, knocking John's shoulder. His friend glanced at him, grinning widely. The feeling in Alex's stomach changed to one equally confusing.

"Finally remembered that we're here too?" John asked quietly, his gaze teasing but also a little sad.

Alex opened his mouth to apologize (why, he didn't know), but he never got to. He would never fully understand what he saw, but from what he managed to put together, someone suddenly came flying out of the crowd and crashed into the group. Alex was thrown to the left, narrowing avoiding Angelica. When he balanced himself and looked up, John was crumpled on the floor, groaning. Alex's brain was flooded with an emotion he would later identify as panic.

"What the hell happened?" Alex demanded, dropping to the ground next to his friend and putting his hand on John's back.

"Some jerk just launched themselves at us!" Herc glared off into the crowd.

Alex stopped listening after "some jerk". "Laurens, you alright?" he asked. Slowly, John lifted his head, a pained smile crossing his face. No, but I'll make it look like I am, his expression said. "Alright. Herc, give us a hand." The two gripped John's hands, hauling him to his feet. John winced, clutching his ribs. Alex frowned. "What is it?"

John attempted to wave him off, but Alex was too concerned to be stopped. He gently grabbed the hem of John's shirt and pulled it up. A large bruise was already starting to form on John's rib cage.

"My god," Laf muttered, turning to glare into the crowd like Herc had. "Son of a-."

"I think it might be time for you to follow up on your promise, John," Peggy interrupted. John gave her a confused look, as did Alex, and she smiled faintly. "I'm not in the class, but a friend of mine is. She'd appreciate all the help she can get."

The penny dropped, and Alex laughed a little. "Yeah, like Laf said, it's been over an hour."

It took John a few more seconds, but once he got it, he smiled. "Yeah. We can leave."

"Are you good getting back to the dorm?" Herc asked, putting a hand on John's shoulder. John nodded quickly, and Herc sighed. "Okay. Don't you collapse on us, though."

After bidding the Schuylers goodbye, as well as making sure Peggy was part of their group chat, the four started off through the crowd. John was clearly uncomfortable being watched so intensely by Alex and Herc, as well as keeping a hand over his ribs, but he said nothing, which only made Alex more worried. Luckily, they got out of the commons without further incident.

But as he passed through the doors, something got Alex to turn around. His eyes were instantly drawn to a guy standing nearby. His dark hair was slicked to the right, mouth pulled in a cruel grin, hands shoved in his jacket pockets.

The guy was watching John as he limped away.

Anger flared in Alex's chest. The evidence was slim, but he just knew that the guy was the one who had attacked John. Alex clenched his fists, silently promising himself that he would make payback hurt. But Alex reluctantly turned away and rejoined his friends. He had to wait for the right time. And it wasn't now. John needed his help more than revenge.

It took them a bit longer than normal to reach their dorm, but by the time they did, John seemed almost back to normal. He joked and laughed, and when asked if he was okay, he scowled. He nodded, but muttered that he wanted to find the person who had crashed into him and return the favor. That got Alex to smirk a little. He couldn't wait to see John's face when he came up with a plan.

The four collapsed in the living room five minutes later, John with an ice pack on his ribs, and

Laf and Herc with books in their laps. Alex had suggested that if he and Herc were going to be fussing over John anyway, the other three might as well follow up on their promise to help Alex work on the study guide. No one had complained.

After only a few minutes of studying, Alex got a text. He picked up his phone.

Peggy: You guys alright?

Alex smiled softly, glancing to either side of him. Herc was curled to the right of him with a book in one hand and his chin in the other. Laf was sprawled on the ground, using Alex's legs to support his head while he took notes. John was slumped against his left shoulder, his eyes flicking back and forth across Alex's computer screen.

Alex: We're good. Thanks, Peggy

Peggy: Anytime

Peggy: I had an amazing time today btw

Peggy: You guys are special lol

John chose that moment to shift, tilting his head up and nudging Alex's shoulder. Alex glanced at him, and John poked his wrist. Alex lifted his hand. "Alexander" was sketched across his wrist, in the exact same style of the ones he had given his friends.

Alex gave John an incredulous look. The other man smiled, then leaned against Alex's shoulder, his gaze returning to the laptop. A feeling Alex couldn't explain tugged at his heart.

Alex: They are


Thanks for reading! Please follow, favorite, and review! (And in celebration of this being a full series, I revamped the first chapter. Go back and you might find a few new lines here and there! And yes, I know these are super long chapters compared to most fics, and that's the way I plan to keep them. To make sure you guys get the best and longest content I can give you, expect an update every two weeks at the latest, every week if I'm feeling good. Thank you all again, and do not be afraid to let me know what you think!)

~Bird of All Fandoms