Lafayette gave a small huff as he trudged out of the general's tent for what seemed like the thousandth time in the past week. Since his arrival at the camps about three weeks prior, he'd been in charge of teaching the soldiers basic discipline and how to carry themselves like proper soldiers. However, he quickly found out how hard it was when he was barely conversational in English and had a thick accent to go along with it. Often the other men would have a hard time understanding him when he spoke, so he'd have to repeat himself over and over again. This process almost always resulted in him returning to the tent at the end of the day with a headache, simply glad to be able to vent his frustrations to Hamilton and Laurens, who both spoke French fluently enough to allow him to revert back to the easier language at the end of a hard day.
Almost every day for the last week or so, Lafayette had been practically begging Washington to let him have command of his own little squadron for a battle that was being planned. He had gotten Alexander and John to help him out a bit and do the same. After all of this, he felt as if he'd gotten nowhere.
Lafayette returned to the tent after dinner after the long day, finding a stack of letters on their bed, Hamilton working at the desk while Laurens read a book on the bed.
"Hey, Lafayette. You got popular a few minutes ago." Laurens said as the man took off his boots and moved to sit next to him on the bed to start on the letters.
"Good God." He sighed as he looked through the letters, finding many from family members in France as well as a couple from Major Huger, Mary, and Francis. He started in on those, reading through them with a small smile as he read the words of little Francis's voice written in Mary's handwriting. The boy wrote about life in South Carolina, telling him how he'd gotten his mother to start teaching him French. The little boy lamented over his schoolwork and ended the letter with the wish that the letter found him safely and in the army.
His second letter was much more excitable, telling all about how they'd heard talk of a young French boy working by the general's side who was always optimistic and happy, and who always greeted his general by throwing his arms around his neck and kissing his cheeks multiple times until he was finally pried away. The boy talked about how many people he'd been able to brag to that said French soldier was his honorary big brother and had given him the pin he made sure to wear every day on his shirt without fail.
Lafayette decided to reply to Francis's letters before moving on to the other ones, telling him all about his first few weeks in the army, and making sure to keep the tone cheery for the sake of the little boy and spare him the less exciting details. He told the boy all about the dear friends he shared a tent with and how he'd practically been adopted into General Washington's family as their own son. He decided to conclude the letter with the words 'ton frère' before signing the name Lafayette at the bottom of the paper. He addressed the envelope and sealed the letter inside, setting it aside to be sent out the next day.
With that, he let Laurens sit behind him so he could lean back and cuddle into the other man as he read the letters from France, deciding to finish with the ones from Adrienne. His in-laws wrote rather angrily to him, making the point very clear that he was a terrible father and husband for abandoning his family in his unnecessary quest for glory while he could have just sat back and raised a family like every other nobleman. Adrienne, however, wrote sweet, loving letters to him. She explained that their parents were angry with him, as were the King and Queen and a majority of their court. When he returned to France, he could be sure to face some consequences for his disobedience after being plainly told that he wasn't allowed to leave the country. However, she found his precociousness endearing and funny and adored him nonetheless.
Henriette was well and healthy and happy as ever, and absolutely loved the doll that he'd sent her. Their baby girl asked after her father quite often and they both prayed for his safe and speedy return. One of the reasons for this was because they missed him. The other reason was written at the end of Adrienne's last letter.
"She's pregnant." Lafayette breathed at the words written on the page.
"Huh? What's that?" John asked, looking over at the man cuddled up against him.
"My Adri is pregnant. She must have conceived just before I left." Lafayette replied, a wide grin spread across his face at the news.
"Whoa. Hey, congratulations." John replied with a happy smile to him, hugging him close and kissing his temple softly.
"I say we should drink to that." Alexander said, finishing with his papers and producing a bottle of wine and three glasses for them.
"Where'd you get all that?" John asked curiously.
"That's not important." Alexander replied as he sat with the pair on the bed, pouring out three glasses of wine for them all and passing them around.
"To family and love and the revolution." Alexander toasted, the other men agreeing happily before simultaneously taking a drink of wine.
"Speaking of revolution, has the General budged at all?" John asked curiously.
Lafayette shook his head with a small sigh. "No. He doesn't budge at all, no matter how many times I plead. I am stuck trying to teach discipline to men who know nothing of it and cannot understand a single word I say. So many of them have brought their wives to camp, too. I am increasingly jealous. How lovely it must feel to return to a woman after a day like the ones I often have."
"Miss your wife a bit, Laf?" Alexander asked, having already finished his glass and in the process of pouring himself another.
"Very much, yes." Lafayette sighed.
"Come closer, then, lover boy." Alexander said, beckoning him with a finger.
Lafayette finished his glass of wine before scooting closer to Alexander obediently. "What is it?"
Alexander just grinned before taking the Frenchman's face into his hands and kissing him hard on the lips. After about three weeks of Alexander catching him off guard with kisses, Lafayette had grown more used to the notion of kissing his tent-mates on the mouth. However, his face still took a bright red hue with each kiss.
John smiled and laughed a bit at that, scooting close to the pair to start kissing at one of Lafayette's ears, causing his face to go even redder. The pair started to kiss at each of his cheeks when Alexander got the hint and moved off his mouth.
Lafayette grinned at the sweet kisses, falling back onto the bed as the pair kissed and cuddled him lovingly. When he got the chance, he turned his face to return the kisses, pressing sweet kisses to each of their mouths one after the other over and over again, wanting to repay them for each kiss and snuggle. He felt one of Alexander's hands and one of John's hands travel down to his waist before the pair grinned and started to tickle him. He grinned and broke into a fit of giggles on the bed, squirming around between the other two men, his wig half off his head when he heard someone clear their throat, interrupting their playtime.
Lafayette gasped for air, happily grinning as he sat up and decided to take his wig off for the night. He looked up at their visitor, happily getting up to greet the general with his usual tight embrace and flurry of kisses, a sight that made Alexander and John smile and laugh a bit since Washington was by no means as gushy and emotional as Lafayette was.
Lafayette finished with the kisses when he felt the General's hands gently pushing him away, as if to tell him he'd had his fun. "What is it, mon chèr Général? I would have thought you'd be with Martha now."
"I'll be with her soon, with any luck. I come with news for you that you might be interested in." Washington replied to the younger man, watching the teenager grin and bounce where he stood in front of him. "In three days' time, we will ride out to Brandywine creek. I have decided to allow you to join in Lord Stirling's ranks of soldiers to assist when we do so."
Lafayette blinked at the news and grinned happily, hugging Washington tightly and practically jumping into the man's arms. Sure, it wasn't a commanding position, but it would be his first battle and he would have more than a chance to prove himself to the man and, possibly, convince him to give him a commanding position.
"Merci, merci, merci beaucoup, mon chèr general! I will not let you down, I swear to the Heavens." Lafayette said with a happy grin up to the man.
"I'm sure you won't. Hopefully you won't let Lord Stirling down, either." Washington replied as he gently nudged the young man off of him. "If all goes well, Martha has been asking about when the next time you three join us for dinner."
Lafayette nodded and let go of their general, grinning up at him happily, practically bursting with joy. The trio all bade their general a good night before Lafayette grinned and happily joined Alexander and John on the bed, the pair congratulating him happily before they all started to drink more of the wine until they stripped off their uniforms in the summer heat and slept in their underwear together, the three of them curled together on the bed.
The days leading up to the day of the battle went terribly slowly until the day finally came. The morning of the eleventh of September was a heavily foggy one. Lafayette made sure to get his uniform on early, ready and alert for anything that was asked of him. He went about his regular routine of helping to train the other soldiers to make use of his time while Washington received more and more word on the movements of the British troops, many of them contradicting each other. It wasn't until around three in the afternoon when the general finally gave the order for Adam Stephen and Lord Stirling's divisions to move out, under the general orders of John Sullivan.
Lafayette did as he was told to do, mounting the horse he'd been provided with along with his fellow soldiers. He made sure he had his ammunition and powder ready to go, his ready close with the bayonet attached to the end. When they were given the order, they all rode out together North to meet the British troops. By four, the air seemed to fill with the sound of shouted orders and numerous gunshots. When Lafayette arrived to the battlefield along with the other men, Adam Stephen's division had fallen back. He followed the orders he was given, fighting for as long as he could while men around him were shot and fell down to the ground. Lafayette let his adrenaline take control of him, fighting restlessly until Stirling called for a retreat when the British troops started on a bayonet charge.
Lafayette shouted and helped as much as he could, quickly forming a rally spot for the remaining members of his division so they could retreat in a more orderly fashion. It was only when his horse was shot from underneath him when he noticed that he'd been wounded at some point in the battle. He almost didn't believe his eyes when he saw the hole in his boot and shin where a bullet had lodged itself. He put his weight on his good leg until one of his fellow soldiers quickly helped him onto his horse so they could all ride out together.
The sound of his own heart beating filled his ears as the searing pain in his leg finally became evident. The man on the horse with him shouted something as they rode into the nearest town. A couple soldiers called for a surgeon to inspect the wound while carrying him bridal style to a nearby house. When they knocked, a young girl came to the door, followed by what Lafayette could only assume was her father.
"Do you mind if we use this home as a temporary infirmary?" One of the men asked.
Lafayette made eye contact with the young girl and, despite how miserable he was sure he looked, smiled to her gently. Soon enough they were allowed inside and lead over to the dining room where he was laid down on the table, his boot and stocking removed so his leg could be bandaged tightly in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
"My, I hope no one gets confused by my appearance and decides I'd make a good dinner." He said before grinning happily at the people around him.
"You're an odd one, Frenchy. You're wounded, yet you still joke about cannibalism?" One of the soldiers asked with a small smile over to him.
Lafayette just smiled to them, letting his head fall back onto the wooden table as the girl walked over to sit near his head. "Bonjour, mademoiselle, comment t'allez vous?"
"I'm sorry, I don't speak any French." The girl replied to him, examining the wounded soldier's face. His brow was wet with sweat and, save for the freckles that decorated his cheeks and temples, his skin was unhealthily pale. His brown eyes were tired. He had a couple locks of red curls that stuck out from under his white wig. "You should let your head air out. You don't need to overheat along with your wound." The girl advised as she gently slipped his hat and wig off his head to reveal his head of bright red curls.
"Ah, thank you. What is your name?" Lafayette hummed to her as her father came over with a cold, wet rag that he pressed to his forehead.
"My name's Anna. What's yours?" The girl replied with a small smile to him.
"Gilbert. Everyone in America calls me Lafayette."
"Lafayette. How did you get wounded, Mr. Lafayette?" Anna asked him curiously, figuring she'd better continue to talk with him to keep his mind off the pain, at least until the surgeon could come and give him something to help it.
"I suppose I was shot in the leg." Lafayette said with a small laugh. "May I ask where I am?"
"You're in Bethlehem."
Lafayette blinked in shock at the name before silently touching his forehead abdomen, one shoulder, then the other.
Anna smiled and laughed a bit at the reaction, looking over when she heard a knock on the door and watched as her father moved to get the door, letting in the surgeon, followed by General Washington, who quickly made his way over to the table where Lafayette was laid out.
"Marquis, how are you? Is it just your leg that's hurt?" Washington asked, letting Lafayette gently take hold of his hand.
"Yes, just my leg. You don't have to worry about me too much, George." Lafayette replied to the man honestly.
George nodded and gave his hand a small squeeze before turning to the surgeon. "You will treat this boy with the utmost care, as if he was my own son."
The surgeon nodded and set to work, unwrapping the cloth from around his shin and starting to get to work on examining the wound. "Well, it doesn't look too deep. It hasn't hit the bone, so we won't have to amputate. I'll simply have take out the bullet, clean the wound, and stich it back together before giving it time to heal. How is the pain?"
"Oh, I am fi-ah!" Lafayette replied, groaning in pain as the surgeon touched the leg and moved it a bit. "Alright. It is terrible."
The surgeon nodded and smiled softly before turning to Anna's father. "Is there any alcohol in the house? Perhaps whiskey?"
"Oh, I only ever drink wine." Lafayette said as the father nodded and left to get a glass and the bottle of whiskey.
"Good. Then it won't take much to dull the pain." The surgeon replied while the father poured out a glass and handed it to the soldier on the table.
Lafayette carefully and slowly propped himself up on his elbows, grimacing at the pain that shot up his leg and to his torso. He took the glass and swallowed nervously. He looked over at George and remembered the way the man had point blank called him his son. There was no way he would make his adoptive father anything less than proud.
He took a deep breath before raising the glass to his lips and tossing the liquid down his throat before he could even try to taste it, leaving what felt like a trail of fire down the length of his throat.
"Vous pouvez commencer." He said to the surgeon as he felt his mind go fuzzy, laying back down on the table and closing his eyes tightly as he braced himself for whatever came next.