Hey, Roomie! Ch. 1

ugh been thinking about red string of fate soulmate AU w Lafayette or Laurens … js a little idea. unless?

Or a celebrity au.

COOKING SO HARD RN. UPDATE EITHER TONIGHT OR TMR

A Night To Remember | ch. 3

j. laurens x reader

Warnings: swearing, some sexual jokes, not proofread, google translate Spanish cus yah

Wc: 2.8k

After the fiasco in the hotel room, John takes you to his favorite restaurant in Washington D.C., where you have a heartfelt conversation you didn’t know you could.

A/n: heeyyyy I’ve been having a rough time lately w/ my social life, so please be patient w me, but I will try to get chapters out! ty for your support 💕

“Surely this is a mistake,” he scoffed. “They had to have given us the wrong key or something.”

“I can talk to them and ask if they’ll move us to another room,” you frowned. “I’m sorry, I thought when I booked it, it would have two beds. I can always take the couch if they don’t—“

“No, no, it’s okay. Let’s just talk to them and ask if we can switch rooms.” He sighed, pushing forward and sitting on the edge of the bed while you went to the phone.

You dialed the number to the front and waited for someone to pick up, concern still etched in your eyebrows. Were you that careless to not check what kind of room you booked? It was literally your entire job to sort these things out, and you couldn’t do that right? ‘Good lord, Y/n, get it together.‘

“Hello? Yes, um, I think there’s been a mistake in our rooming situation. We have a single bed when I intended to book two,” you put your hand on your hip, glancing at John who was staring out the window from his spot.

“I’m sorry, we’re completely booked for the night. This is the only available room we have,” the front desk attendant spoke, “if you’d like me to refer you to my manager, I can—“

“It’s okay, there’s no need for that. Sorry for the trouble,” you sighed in defeat, hanging up.

“Well?” He raised an expectant eyebrow.

“We’ll just have to make this work. They don’t have any other rooms available. I’ll just sleep on the floor, John, it’s no big deal really.”

“You’re not sleeping on the floor,” he growled, standing up. “This bed is perfectly big enough for both of us. Besides, who wouldn’t want to sleep with me?”

You grimaced. “When you say it like that…”

He scoffed, shaking his head. A smile grew on his face despite that, and you shared a laugh. The sound of his laughter still felt so foreign to you.

“I promise I’m not as bad as everyone seems to think I am,” he said, grabbing his wallet and phone. He slipped you a spare room card and put one in his wallet.

“What? As a person or in bed?” You asked, tucking the room card into your pocket.

The moment the words left your lips, you slapped a hand over your mouth. Embarrassment infected your face, neck, and ears, turning everything hot. You did not just say that to your boss.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, and a wide grin spread on his face.

“As a person,” he responded. “Trust me sweetheart, anyone who’s ever been in bed with me has nothing bad to say.”

You blinked, wondering how the use of ‘sweetheart’ made you so much warmer even after the humility of making an accidental sex-comment to your boss. “I see you’re incredibly humble, too.”

He chuckled, taking a tiny step closer, “You’d feel the same way, babe.” He winked, and in that moment, something shifted between you. As a reaction, your eyes blew wide and he rendered you speechless.

A tense, awkward silence filled the room. He must’ve sensed he crossed a line, because he backed up, turning to the door.

“Let’s go get food now. I’m starved,” he said.

You let out a pathetic squeak in agreement, following him out the door. The walk to the elevator was silent. You were still horrified from what you said to him, and the fact that he responded saying you’d understand, too, if you…well. It’s a difficult thing to think about. All it did was make you wish more and more that he weren’t your boss, and instead someone you got the pleasure to know as a person.

He called another uber, and in the meantime, you lounged in the main area of the hotel. It was bustling with people—men in suits, families wearing souvenir shirts that were definitely overpriced, groups of teenagers all wearing the same shirt that read the name of a middle school. You picked at some of the lint on your sweatshirt.

John cleared his throat. “The place we’re going to,” he started, “was where I used to go with Hamilton, Lafayette, and Mulligan when we were broke and ambitious. The restaurant is a little shady, but the food is incredible.”

You cocked your head to the side, looking at him with curiosity. He continued speaking, fiddling with his thumbs, which was something you never saw him do.

“It’s a burrito place, I hope that’s okay with you,” he adds.

“Perfectly fine,” you nod. He hums in content, his eyes lingering on yours a moment too long.

“You’ll love it, then. I’ve been dying to have their barbacoa the second I left D.C. for New York.” He stopped fidgeting.

“I thought you grew up in South Carolina?”

“I did,” he confirmed, “but I moved to D.C. shortly after my nineteenth birthday. That’s when I met Hamilton. I was out drinking with Hercules and Lafayette—illegally, might I add—and he showed up with Aaron Burr. We clicked like that,” he snapped his fingers for effect, “and we welcomed him into our group. Those were some of the best years of my life, messing around with Alex and them.”

A soft smile was on his face as he looked at the floor, reminiscing about the past. You studied him while he was deep in thought. He seemed truly joyful when talking about his closest friends. It made you wonder what he was like around them. Maybe you’d find out one day, if you ever got to meet Hamilton, that is.

His phone chimed, and he stood. “Our ride is here.”

—

“This place hasn’t changed one bit,” he muttered, holding the door open like a gentleman.

It was shitty in the most endearing way possible. The air smelt of freshly grilled meats and vegetables, and there was a light chatter from the two other people there. Despite the low turnout, the kitchen was bustling with noise of food being seared, followed by a healthy smoke that steamed from it.

His hand hovered on your lower back as he walked you to the front. You scanned the menu, most of it being in Spanish, which was a minor setback considering you didn’t speak any Spanish.

“What’re you getting?” He asked, glancing down at you.

“I don’t know—whatever you’re getting, I guess. I trust you have good taste,” you shrugged. He hummed, stepping to the cashier to order.

“¿Puedo conseguir dos burritos de barbacoa con frijoles pintos, arroz integral y un pedido de guacamole? Y también dos bebidas, por favor.” He swiftly pulled out a card to pay.

You gaped at him in shock. He never once mentioned he was fluent in Spanish. Ever. When the transaction was over, he stepped back and led you to a table fit for two.

“…I didn’t know you could speak Spanish,” you commented.

“Did I fail to mention that? Hm. Weird,” he hummed, sliding into the wooden chair. ”It’s nice I can still surprise you. Sometimes I feel like you know more about me than I know about myself.”

Your eyebrows furrow the tiniest amount. “How so?”

“Well, for starters, you’re the only assistant I’ve had who’s memorized my coffee order. And you coincidentally drink the same kind of coffee that I do. You’re pretty attentive.”

Heat rose to your cheeks at the mention of the coffee incident. He noticed that you conditioned yourself to chug the same caffeine that he does.

“And you’re a bit of a perfectionist. Everything I ask of you gets done immediately, and it’s exactly how I instructed you to do it. Sometimes it’s like you already know what I’m gonna say before I say it. You just read my mind, I suppose,” he rested his chin in his hands, and something about this was intimate. Domestic. Nice.

The realization that he brought you to his spot when he was younger triggered something in you. He trusted you enough to show you somewhere personal, and tell the story that went with it. Now he sat before you, reading into your personality as if you had known eachother since birth. And when did he first figure out you’re a perfectionist?

You cleared your throat, snapping out of it when you realized he ceased talking. “I can assure you there’s a lot I have to learn. I’ve learnt more about you from this trip than I have in my two years of working for you.”

He cocked his head to the side. Why did he, of all people, have to be so cute?

“Really? Oh, I guess with the whole airplane thing…” he backtracked. “Y’know, you never told me who was making those jokes. About you being a bad writer—which is absolutely untrue, but the way.”

You inhaled sharply, thinking back to all the times you’ve walked in with two coffees in your hand, and your coworkers immediately snickering. The worst people about it were a group of girls that seemed to have banded together, straying anyone who wasn't a total bitch away from their group. Think Mean Girls cliques. They’re beautiful and probably capable of writing, but pretty is as pretty does. Part of you felt like they were jealous of you. It was obvious that they all had huge crushes on Laurens. You’d overheard them talking about how he has the “nicest ass in the office.” Whatever they said was out of jealousy, you reminded yourself.

But it was every time you encountered them that they would make a snide comment. It’s taken a lot of restraint to not claw at them. Somehow, women know exactly where to strike. They know exactly what people’s insecurities are, and with you, they pinpointed it and went for the throat.

It provoked feelings you didn't want to address.

Forcing down the scream you wanted to let out and the closing of your throat, you met his eyes again, and he looked concerned. It wasn’t how he usually looked at you. Then again, you weren’t entirely sure what the usual was since embarking on this trip. It has completely shifted the mood in your relationship with him.

“Just a few girls,” you replied. He deadpanned, giving you a look as if to say ‘really? That’s all you’re gonna say?’ And yes, that is all you would say.

“Is it Pam’s little friend group?”

You tried to hide the way your eyes widened. How did he guess that so quickly?

“I—how did you know?”

A scowl formed on his face and he rolled his eyes. “Please. They’re all over me every time I walk by. They think they’re slick with it, too, but they ain’t.” He scoffed.

You blinked in surprise. He knew about that. “So…do you just like, know everything?”

His face twisted into confusion before he burst out laughing. The familiar feeling of embarrassment bubbled up to your neck again. God, could you say something normal for once? Talk about the weather, or the latest baseball game, or maybe ducks? Scratch that—he doesn’t look like a duck kind of guy. Maybe dogs?

“Around the office, yes. I just choose to ignore majority of it. I don’t have time for that gossipy bullshit, y’know? There’s work to be done, and I focus on getting it done.” He leaned back against his chair, the sides of his eyes crinkled with amusement. You found this display of him way nicer than you should.

It struck you to remember some words from an earlier conversation. He said he’s not as bad as everyone thinks he is, to which you responded by asking if he meant in bed or as a person. Very smart decision. Anyway, moving on.

“You said earlier that you’re not as bad as everyone thinks,” you say. “What did you really mean by that?”

He smiles, tapping his nose, “attentive.” A long sigh leaves him, and you could tell he was preparing for a heart to heart.

“I hear what people say about me,” he starts. The atmosphere turns serious, despite the sound of Selena blasting from the kitchen. “I know I can’t expect everyone to like me, but it is a little frustrating when I walk out of my office and everyone is staring at me like they just finished talking shit about me. Talking about how I’m not fit to be in charge, how I’m too mean, too strict, too this too that. They think a couple harmless whispers in the break room will shield them from my reach. But I notice the way everyone flinches when I enter a room—including you.”

You hang your head, guilt panging through you. He continues, his tone taking a darker edge, “but they forget I have the power to make or break their careers.”

A shiver ran through your spine that you hoped he missed. You took a moment to gather your thoughts before speaking, voice soft and filled with empathetic undertones.

“I know what that’s like, and it’s the most awful feeling in the world. But you…you don’t actually care what they say about you, right? You know you’re more than just a boss.”

“I know,” he said, “but as much as I don’t want it to, their words cut deep. It just reminds me of my own insecurities.”

“That’s exactly how I feel!” You let out a tiny gasp. “Sorry. I shouldn’t make this about me.”

“No, no, we were talking about you before this. If anything, I turned the focus on me,” he chuckled.

You smiled, relaxing your shoulders. “It’s a relief knowing other people feel the same way I do. I’ve never really talked to anyone about this—especially not my boss—so this is just so…”

“Weird? Yeah, it’s awkward for me, too. I haven’t voiced this to anyone other than my turtle.”

Pause. Did he just say his fucking turtle.

“I’m sorry, did you say turtle?” You coughed. He laughed, making you feel all giddy and fuzzy inside.

“Yep. I guess you don’t know everything about me,” he smirked. You so desperately wanted to wipe that smug look off his face. “But seriously, L/n, tell me what’s goin’ on with Pam ‘nd them. I’m worried about you.”

The mood contorted and you thought about what to say. Him saying he was worried about you was not on your bingo card for this trip.

“It’s really not anything, they just make a few comments here and there—“

“Orden para John!”

“That’s me,” he mumbled, standing up. “We’ll continue this in a minute.”

Your eyes lingered on him while he retrieved the food. He slid a mandarin-flavored Jarritos across the table, as well as your food. He sat and immediately stuffed his face full of burrito.

“You’re going to choke if you don’t slow down,” you grimaced.

“Has wha’ she ‘aid,” he giggled, his words coming out a muffled mess. You rolled your eyes, trying everything in your power to not laugh at the stupidest joke known to man. Of course he’d make that kind of joke, too.

You took a generous bite of your own food, almost letting out gasp from how good it was. He wasn’t wrong when he said it was the best burrito he’s ever had. It was delectable, the barbacoa was soft and flavorful, and they didn’t overdo the rice, unlike Chipotle. (Fuck chipotle).

“It’s good ain’t it?” He took a swig of his soda.

You nodded, letting out a muffled ‘oh my god, yes.’

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about,” he snickered, his eyes taking on a softer edge as he examined you. “Y’know, you didn’t get to finish talking about Pam.”

A small frown tugged at your lips, and you swallowed. Where to even start. You didn’t want it to feel like you were ratting them out, but they also kind of deserved it. They were rude and disrespectful to everyone in the office, not just you. It would be Justice for everyone who has fallen victim to Pam.

Right as you were about to speak, his phone rang. He groaned, pulling it out to silence it. But he paused when he saw who it was. His eyes lit up, and a wide grin spread on his face.

“I’m gonna go take this,” he chirped, leaving you by yourself. From where he stood outside, you could see him talking animatedly with his hands, laughing loudly and nodding eagerly. Who he was on the phone with, you didn’t know. You couldn’t see his screen from the way he had been sitting.

Your own phone chimed, and you checked it to see who the text was from. Unsurprisingly, it was Abby.

Abby: How’s everything with John?

You: pretty good. It’s been chill so far. We’re getting food rn but he’s on the phone w someone

Abby: Anything happen between you and him yet??

You: girl no

Nothing is going to happen

Abby: ugh. Okay. I’ll manifest it anyway. Have fun at the party, tell me if anything happens.

A playful smile formed on your lips, and you shut your phone off as John walked back in, a new confidence in his stride. You raised an eyebrow at the change in his demeanor.

“Finish up eating soon, ‘cause we got somewhere to be after this,” he sang.

“Umm… where?” You asked, wiping your hands with a cheap napkin.

The bright, charming smile never left his face as he responded. “To see my friend, Alexander Hamilton.”

Not my usual posts but i felt pretty proud of this one 😝😝

Also for anyone wondering — I’m working on another ch. of high and dry but it might be a week or two before it’s out !! tyyy

K so y’all might be a little upset with me but I am rewriting High and Dry

The original was very poorly planned and I literally could not write any scenes because I had nothing.

So I’m gonna rewrite it to almost the same prompt, but altered to better fit a story

Thank you for your support🫶🫶

Hey, roomie! Ch. 3

thomas j. x reader

warnings: swearing, nongraphic depictions of blood/injury, second hand embarrassment

Thomas helps you ease into talking to guys.

Word count: 2.6k

“If you want to get better at talking to guys, you just have to go out and talk to them.” Thomas walks beside you in Central Park, scoping out any single men looking to mingle.

“That’s way easier said than done.” You cringe, following his gaze to a man reading on a bench.

“You’re gonna have to get comfortable with rejection, sweetheart,” he stops, putting his hands on his hips. You keep your gaze focused on the lonesome man immersed in his book.

“Ugh—but I don’t know what to say…” You took a step back, accidentally hitting Thomas’s chest. He puts a hand on your shoulder and turns you to look you in the eyes.

“Sweetheart, it’s gonna suck, but if you want to improve you have to be comfortable with discomfort. Just go over and ask him what he’s reading. Say you thought he was cute and wanted to know if you could get his number. I’ll be sitting over there,” he nods to a fountain, “come find me afterwards. I’ll be picking up women of my own, so don’t rush it.” He winks, pushing you out slightly and patting your back.

You took a deep inhale and marched over to the guy. You nervously sat by him, but he didn’t budge. He kept his eyes on the printed words.

“Uh, hi,” you started off, turning to face him. He looks up, a little surprised to see someone talking to him. “I saw you reading and I thought you were cute, a-and wanted to know if I could maybe get your number?” You fiddled with your hands, struggling to keep eye contact.

He looks genuinely shocked that you said that, but with a polite awkward smile and laugh, he spoke. “I’m sorry, I have a girlfriend. But thank you anyway.”

“Oh, it’s no problem. Have a nice day,” you quickly stood, power walking to where Thomas was sat at the edge of a fountain, observing the interaction between you and the guy.

“So?” He asks when you reach him.

“He has a girlfriend,” you sigh, taking a seat next to him. “Thomas, that was so awkward. It actually might’ve been the worst attempt to pickup a guy I have ever tried.”

“It couldn’t have been that bad. Sure, you looked a little nervous and you fidgeted, but unless you said something weird—“

“I literally stuttered! That’s embarrassing!” You exclaimed, covering your face in pure horror from the interaction. He laughed loudly, putting a hand on your shoulder.

“But you still did it! That takes courage,” he says in an attempt to comfort you.

“What about you? Did you find any women to pick up?” You quickly change the subject to him in hopes of distracting yourself.

He shakes his head, giving a halfhearted shrug. “Nah, didn’t really see anyone interesting. Let’s go find someone else, shall we?” He grins, standing up. You sigh, following after his lead in the park.

After talking to two more guys, you got one number. One outta three ain’t bad. Granted, you don’t know if you’ll text the guy that often since he seemed a little boring. You gained more confidence than you thought you would, and really you had Thomas to thank for that. He was your wingman, hyping you up and coaching you on what to say or do. And throughout your messy attempts, he was patient. It struck you how odd it was that he could go from so incredibly annoying to kind in one day.

“How about we call it a day?” You plead after he starts searching for someone else. He glances down at you, back to the crowd, then shrugs.

“Okay. Your call, sweetheart.” He says. You let out a sigh of relief. It was all starting to get overwhelming—your sweater was itching and your palms were sweaty and you really needed to pee. You were just ready to go home.

“Are you hungry?” He asks, checking his watch and seeing that it’s 12:30. The feeling of hunger that you’ve been pushing down bubbles up and your stomach rumbles. You perk up and eagerly nod.

“Yeah. There’s a cheap pizza spot not far from here if you want?” You offer, pointing in the vague direction of where Pizza Co was located. He nods, grinning and falling into step next to you as you start walking.

The walk was pleasant. It was a nice day, and conversation flowed surprisingly easy. You didn’t know you had so much in common with Thomas; he loved gardening and philosophy, as he quoted Aristotle on “a friend to all is a friend to none” when the topic of his dislike for Alexander Hamilton came up. He was also a huge science nerd, which you figured from being his lab partner in college. For a good five minutes, he yapped on about the Jovian-Plutonian Gravitational effect where Sir Patrick Moore discovered that Pluto and Jupiter would weaken Earth’s gravitational field at 9:47AM in 1976. In simpler terms: people would be able to float around and objects wouldn’t be affected by gravity for a solid minute.

“Well…did it work?” You asked, genuine curiosity sparked in your voice. A mischievous grin lit up on him and he chuckled.

“No. It was an April fools prank, but that didn’t stop people from calling in on the radio show to report that they felt it. Some say when they jumped at the perfect time, they floated across their backyard like balloons.” He explained. You couldn’t miss the passion that was in his eyes. The way he talked so excitedly about this phenomenon as if it were real, and the way he talked about other similar incidents like when the BBC claimed they discovered a colony of flying penguins.

He even showed you the video that went along with it, depicting penguins launching off the ground and flying to the Amazon rainforest and hanging with toucans!

“No way people believed this. You can literally see the editing when they fly.” You laugh as he puts his phone back in his pocket.

“Some did. Well, anyone stupid enough to believe penguins have wings big enough to propel their fat little bodies off the ground.” He beams.

Before you know it, you reach Pizza Co and he holds the door open for you. Once you order your greasy slice of pepperoni pizza, you pull out your wallet to pay, but Thomas stops you.

“I got it,” he smiles, handing a ten to the cashier and ordering another slice of pepperoni. You huff, wanting to protest but the cash was already out of his hands. He gives you a smirk and winks.

“You didn’t have to do that,” you say after receiving your comically large pizza slice on a crappy brown paper plate.

“I wanted to. Relax, just enjoy the pizza,” he waves his slice around in front of your face, laughing before taking a bite.

You roll your eyes and eat your pizza, the blended flavors melting on your tongue. If heaven were a taste, this was it. That, or you’re just really hungry and anything would be good right now.

—

“Okay, how about this one. Chris, 27, he’s looking for new friends and someone to maybe cuddle with.” You cringe as you read the last line, then show Peggy a picture of him.

“Nah. Swipe,” she laughs, her nose scrunched up and you raise your eyebrows, swiping left to read the next profile.

You were currently at Peggy’s apartment that she shares with her boyfriend, who was out for a business trip. Her sisters were on the way since this was supposed to be a girls’ night, and you were counting on them to show up because they had all the booze.

After swiping left on most and right on a select few men, you got a match. Eli, 24, and three miles from you.

“He’s cute,” Peggy comments and you bite your bottom lip, typing out a message to him. You went back and forth with casual conversation, most of it boring. Something inside you didn’t want to look for other men today. You just didn’t feel like it, oddly enough. So you turned your phone off.

“Not interested in him or what?” Peggy gives you a confused look.

“Nah. I’m more interested in you,” you smirk, shooting her a playful wink. She cracks a grin and shakes her head softly.

“Glad you finally came to your senses. Let’s kiss.” She fake flirts, doing a kissy face and leans in. You laugh and push her away, standing up to get a glass of water.

The doorbell rings and she perks up, hopping to the door and swinging it open. “Angelica, Eliza! Come in, come in. Party’s just gettin’ started,” she smiles, opening the door wider for them to enter.

You greet them with a wide smile and brief hug before getting everything all set up. Movies, snacks, alcohol, and blankets. This was going to be the best rewatch of How to lose a guy in 10 days in history.

Right when they were at the scene where they’re in the bathroom and kiss, your phone buzzed. You ignored it, assuming it would just be your iCloud telling you to update your storage. Then it buzzed again. Okay, either iCloud really wants you to make some changes or someone is a double texter.

You sigh, flipping the phone over, going to silence your notifications but the name caught your eye. Thomas. What did he want? He knew you were at girls’ night and you told him not to bother you.

Thomas: do we have any rubbing alcohol and gauze

Thomas: pls respond

You: There’s rubbing alcohol in the bathroom cabinet

You: are you okay?

You furrowed your eyebrows, worry overtaking you and your ‘Mother Mode’ (as Peggy likes to call it) kicking in.

Peggy irritably told you to get off your phone or take it in the kitchen, to which you muttered an apology then silently stood up and paced to the island counter.

Thomas: yea it’s just a scratch

Thomas: is there any possible way you could bring home gauze when you get back?

You: I’ll stop by cvs

Another sigh escapes your lips, different from the one you heaved earlier. The other was frustrated, annoyed, and ready to tell off anyone who was double-texting you. This one was impatient, anxious, and confused. Saying it’s just a scratch wasn’t much help to ease your nerves. He could be seriously hurt and just not telling you—which was most likely because you don’t need gauze for a scratch.

“Who is that?” Angelica appeared behind you, causing you to practically jump out of your skin. “Whoa, sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” she smiles sheepishly, refilling her cup with the spiked punch Eliza made.

“Thomas was asking if we had rubbing alcohol and gauze,” you respond, tapping your fingers nervously against your thigh.

“Oh. Is he okay?” She paused, knitting her eyebrows together.

“I don’t know, he said it was a scratch but I don’t believe him. Should I head back? We don’t have any gauze and I told him I would pick some up on the way,” you ramble, not realizing that Eliza and Peggy had entered as well. You heard an ad for insurance playing in the background.

“What’s happening?” Peggy asks.

“Y/n is debating if she should go home right now since Thomas is hurt and needs gauze,” Angelica replied for you.

“Uh oh. What happened?” Eliza winces, crossing her arms across her chest as she leans against the counter.

“I don’t know—he didn’t tell me.”

“You seem worried, maybe it would be best if you go. The movie's almost over anyway, and we’ve all seen it before,” Eliza reasons. Her sisters nod along and murmur in agreement. You sigh, biting your lower lip. If you left now you would miss the rest of girls night and you weren’t sure you wanted to ditch them like that, but if Thomas was seriously injured you might.

Despite your distaste for Thomas, if he was hurt (or anyone for that matter) you would help. Especially if they came to you asking for help. So instead of dwelling on the past and your silly emotions, you sucked in your breath and nodded.

“Okay. Okay, yeah, we can always do this again, right?” You acquiesce, grabbing your tote bag from off the counter. The other girls smile and give you short hugs so you could leave quicker.

The moment the door shut behind you, they immediately started talking again.

“I forgot she was rooming with him.” Angelica blinked.

“I know, I need to make sure Alex didn’t get into a fight with Jefferson or something,” Eliza joked, texting her fiancé off to the side.

—

“I got the gauze, Thomas, where are you?” You call out in the eerily silent apartment. There’s some shuffling before his voice rings out.

“I’m in the bathroom,” he replies. Instantly you knew something was seriously off. His tone was different than his usual laid back demeanor.

You rushed over and found the door wide open. There were a few drops of blood littered on the floor, and when your eyes met the sink where he held his bleeding hand over, your stomach dropped.

He gave a pathetic, squirmish smile as you moved over to him.

“Jesus—what did you do?” You immediately move to examine his hand, removing the soaked cloth that he held to it.

“Well,” he starts, “I was getting a drink of water and accidentally dropped the glass. It cut me when I tried to clean it up.”

You glare up at him. “Thomas, did you use your bare hands to pick up shards of glass?”

He forms his lips into a thin, awkward line. A sheepish smile spreads across his face. “Guilty.”

“You fucking idiot.” You sneer, grabbing the gauze and unfoiling some. “I was worried about you. Wash off the blood and I’ll wrap and disinfect your hand,” you sigh, and he follows your instructions.

“‘M sorry love, I didn’t mean to worry you,” he muttered.

“It-it‘s fine. Wash your hands, Thomas.” You whispered.

There was a long moment of quiet, where the only sound between you two was the running water and occasional wince from Thomas. While he did that, you put some rubbing alcohol on a wash rag.

“Hold still,” you instruct, gently dabbing the wash rag on the cut. He hissed, instinctively pulling back but your harsh glare brought him right back. After, you apply some ointment to help it heal and then wrap it in gauze, gingerly touching his wrist to signal when to turn. More examination shows he has cuts on the tips of his fingers, too, but you’d worry about that in a second.

You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding and look up at him. He was already staring at you, and if you had to guess he’s been looking at you the whole time. His eyes delicately scanned over your features.

“Thomas?”

“Hm?” Your voice seems to snap him out of whatever trance he was in, and he straightens up, glancing at his now bandaged hand. “Oh. Thank you.”

“Yeah. It’s fine just don’t—use your brain next time you break glass, okay?” Your breath hitched mid sentence when you realized how close you were to him, and you backed up, wiping your hands on a towel.

His eyes lingered on you for a moment more, watching you scramble out of the bathroom.

For the first time since moving in, Thomas had actually managed to leave you feeling flustered. And this time, he wasn’t even trying to.

Hey pookie 😊 when are you coming back ☹️☹️☹️

COME BACK THE KIDS MISS YOU

(Only when you feel better ofc!)

Hello children, currently I’m working on a Laurens fic but we’ll see how it goes. Thank y’all for your patience and support 🫶

*flowers* And now we wait😼

(happy valentine's 👍)

HAPPY VALENTINES!!! I’m currently working on a laf/reader bc I’m lowk getting tired of writing for Thomas 🥰🥰 HOPE Y’ALL HAD A GREAT DAY❤️💕🫶

High and Dry | ch. 3

thomas j. x reader

Warnings: swearing, mostly yap tbh this chapter is pretty mid

Wc: 3k

Guys I swear it’ll pick up after this chapter js you wait 🙏

“I’d like for you to come visit,” your mother said, a smile in her tone.

“Mom,” you started, stress evident in the single word, “I would love to, but with the school year just starting…” you trailed off, hoping she’d get the hint.

“You don’t have the time,” she finished. A relieved sigh escaped your lungs, and you peered in the tiny window to see Thomas still typing on his computer.

“Yes. I’m sorry, mom, I—“

“It’s okay,” she interrupted abruptly. “You don’t have to give me an excuse. If you can’t visit, then let’s leave it at that.”

A heavy, almost frustrated sigh escaped you. As much as you’d like to visit her, you weren’t quite ready to face her after the years of emotional trauma she put you through. And with the reintroduction of Thomas in your life, you weren’t quite sure if you would ever be ready. He was the only person you opened up to enough to let him see that side of your family. He was the only one to have met her. And she really loved him. Still does, probably, because you never told her why you stopped being friends.

She was under the impression that you grew apart due to him moving to France. You never did have the heart to tell her the real reason.

“Okay.” You frowned. “I’ll call you when I get the chance.”

She hung up without saying goodbye. Instant guilt bubbled in your stomach all the way up to your chest, making you grimace bitterly. You felt like a total shithead for pushing her away, but what could you do? The state of your mental health was deteriorating, the second most stressful time of year was beginning, and enemy number one somehow found a way to wiggle back in your life.

It was too overwhelming to deal with all at once, especially since your therapy visits were slowing down to once a month rather than once every two weeks. A small, desperate part of you was convincing you that it was for your mother’s sake that you don’t visit. If you went, you reasoned, what would end up happening is projection from all the fucked-up shit going on in life. As a result, she would only get worse and you would be unhappy, too. So it was best to avoid until it stopped all together.

You took a moment to regain yourself, then walked back in and wordlessly sat, ignoring the lump that formed in your throat.

—

“First day of teaching, how are you feeling?” Alex grinned, his hands clasped together. You shrugged.

“Nervous. Excited. Kind of dreading it.”

Hamilton shook his head, a wide smile still plastered on his face. “You’ll do fine! First day is always nerve-wrecking, but I’m always down the hall if you need anything.”

A sheepish thanks was sent his way, and you tried not to think about all the chaos that would ensue during the day. There was bound to be that one kid who causes trouble. When running into those types of students, you have to remind yourself they probably have something going on in their lives causing them to act up. Giving them a reaction would only give them a reason to continue. Best thing you can do is laugh it off and move on.

“I appreciate it, Alexander,” you said. His long hair was put up in a ponytail, and he had this ambition to him that seemed to infect the people around him. He was only a year or two your junior, yet he was so intelligent and walked like he owned the place.

“Of course. Hey, Lafayette got back with his girlfriend, just like I predicted.” He sat on the edge of your desk, changing the focus from you to drama.

“Oh, good, he won’t shamelessly flirt with me anymore,” you sighed in mock relief.

“Who’s shamelessly flirtin’ with you?” A certain southerner chimed in, walking through the door. Thomas held two coffees in his hand, one iced and one hot. His biceps strained against the white button up he wore, and—wait. Why were you staring at his arms?

“And now's a good time for me to leave. See you, Y/n, good luck!” Hamilton hopped off the desk, scowling at Jefferson when they crossed paths. Thomas sent back an equally distasteful glare, then turned to you with an expectant look.

“No one anymore,” you formed your mouth into a thin line, shifting in the shitty swivel chair the school provides.

“Hm. Okay.” He narrowed his eyes, scanning your appearance, taking note of the neatness in your hair and makeup. “I brought you coffee, even though you took my spot again.”

An iced latte with a distinct Starbucks logo was placed on your desk. Instantly, your eyebrows shot up in surprise. You hesitantly grabbed it, taking a sip. It was your favorite. How did he remember that you like extra caramel and extra vanilla?

“It was open,” you shrugged, looking down at the drink. “This isn’t laced with anything, is it?”

He smirked. “How’d you know?”

“Because you would never bring me coffee out of the goodness of your heart—if you have one, that is,” you retorted.

His smirk grew wider, and he would rather you throw it in his face than tell you the real reason why he brought you coffee. He felt bad for you. After what happened the day before, he realized you must be going through a lot, and a tiny part of him wanted to correct his behaviors. But he would never admit that. So instead of apologizing or trying to be genuinely nice, he figured he could reach you through food. The best way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach, after all.

“I have a heart,” he protested. “Trust me, L/n, if I wanted you dead you’d be dead. But you’re still breathin’.”

“Thank you, you are such an amazing person now that you’ve spared me! What would I ever do without you?” Your tone was dripping with sarcasm. He seemed to thrive in it.

“Suffer, probably,” he suggested, a slyness in his stupid smile. You hated the way that you liked how his eyes twinkled with amusement.

“Right. Because I already don’t do that with you in my life.”

Instant regret the moment the words left your mouth. Why did you say that? All it would do is stir up drama and start the day off negatively.

The smile he wore faded, and for a second, guilt tugged at your heart. “Alright, I get it,” he threw his hands up in defense. “You hate me. Don’t gotta rub it in my face every time you see me, though.”

You muttered incoherent nonsense under your breath. “Feels like I have a right to,” you said. All of a sudden, keeping his gaze seemed impossible. How was it that playful teasing could turn sour so quickly?

“You do,” he nodded, “but you’re also gonna have to suck it up, cause you’re stuck with me the entire year.”

He was right, as much as you hated to acknowledge that. His attention lingered on you, taking in the frown that tugged at your lips, how your face had matured over the years, the way your haircut suited you perfectly. Thomas hated how you made his heart flutter. You shouldn’t make him feel anything other than rage, and yet? He still became flustered at the sight of you.

“Thomas, you—you really hurt me, y’know that?” You started, finally pulling your focus back to him. “I would’ve done anything for you. I would’ve lost a leg or walked through fire if you asked me to. So I think I’m entitled to being a little bitter when you’re around.”

He stared at you, digesting what you dropped on him in silence. Slowly, he nodded, an unreadable expression twisting on his features. Right as he opened his mouth to speak, the bell rang, and the chatter of students filled the hall. He glanced up, then took a step back.

“Saved by the bell,” he murmured, looking at you one last time before exiting.

A breath you didn’t know you were holding was released. You thought telling him how he hurt you, maybe even yelling or belittling him would make you feel better, but it didn’t. The weight was still on your shoulders. The pain still loomed over you, haunting the back of your mind, dancing and thriving in the self-pity you felt. What you would give to stop it.

The first wave of students clamored in, and you stood, forcing a smile and a positive attitude. Next door, you heard Thomas welcoming students in, you heard him saying hello to older ones. His stupid, sweet southern drawl being the only voice you could hear over the loudness that teenagers brought in.

You loathed him for it. Or was it that you hated yourself for selectively hearing his voice above all others?

—

The day went by surprisingly fast, and you ended up having a lot of fun. Lafayette and John had the same lunch as you, so they invited you to eat with them while in the teacher workroom. Conversation flowed, inside jokes were built, and you came out of your shell for once. Naturally, you and John teased Lafayette for flirting with you during the first impressions, then three days later getting back with the girl he said he was ‘officially over with.’ They even noted how you seemed more talkative, more expressive once you’ve eased into the friend group a little. You were just happy someone wanted to be your friend.

The students you had were all smart, and the majority of your classes worked well together. Some better than others, but what mattered is that they had fun. Of course, there were those few students that disrupted class with their friends. It was a simple fix. By the end of the day, you were exhausted, and it didn’t help knowing you had a full week ahead. More lesson plans to create. More time spent working with Jefferson.

“There she is!” An energetic Hamilton barreled through the door. He was practically bouncing off the walls from how lively he was. It astounded you how he was so cheerful after an entire day of working.

“Hi, Alex.” The best you could offer was a lethargic smile. “Good day, I presume?”

“Great day,” he corrected. “All of my classes were perfect. Well, except one, but they were still good!” He slid atop your desk once more, his smile never faltering. “So.”

“So?” You raised a brow.

“How was it?” His hands went to grip the edge of the desk.

“Good. Tiring, but I had fun. Nobody got hurt, so that’s a win in my book. Went over the syllabus, class procedures, the works, but I didn’t want the first day to be that boring, so we had them choose a song or artist that represents them. One kid said Sexyback. I still don’t know how to feel about it.”

“Kids never fail to disappoint me,” He chuckled.

“I know. When I read it I just started laughing. I think that one was my favorite, and the kid that wrote he’s the reincarnation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.” You reached for the stack of notecards that students turned in, flipping through them. Honorable mention for whoever put Life in the Fast Lane.

“Good for both of them. I wish I were that confident.”

“Right? They know their worth. I gotta respect it,” you said, shoving the cards back in the turn-in box.

“Honestly,” he hummed. He contemplated his next words, fidgeting with a stray pen on your desk. “Any trouble from Jefferson?”

“Nothing more than usual,” you shrugged. “He brought me coffee this morning.”

Alexander’s eyebrows flew up in surprise. “Really? What did he want?”

“I don’t know, he never told me why he brought me it. He never asked me for anything either, so maybe he just bought an extra by accident,” you reasoned. Which it didn’t add up in your mind, because how could he buy an extra that just so happened to be the exact kind of coffee you drink?

“Huh,” his eyebrows creased, “that’s odd. One would assume he would give it to Madison before anyone else…”

Even though you didn’t want it to, a knot of jealousy twisted in your stomach. “Who’s Madison?” You asked, trying to keep your tone as level as possible.

“Someone from the math team Jefferson is best friends with.” A tight scowl overtook his features. “Madison and I used to get along, too, until Jeffershit came around.”

It shouldn’t hurt so much to hear Thomas was “best friends” with some girl named Madison. Why did it hurt so much? Why did it hurt at all?

“Yeah? So Thomas really does ruin everything, huh?” You laughed, trying to act as if you weren’t crushed by the possibility of Thomas finding someone new.

You knew that Thomas was bad for you, that you wouldn’t get along ever again, but the thought of him having someone else he’d share everything with, someone he’d laugh and have inside jokes with…it sucked. That was the only way you could classify it. A sick, selfish side wanted him to still be stuck on you; for him to think your name first when someone talked about close friends. But you knew better than to give in to the toxicity.

“God, don’t even get me started,” he groaned. “Seriously. Because you and I both know that once I get going, I don’t stop.”

An airy laugh escaped you, and his bright, enthusiastic smile returned. Thomas was often the topic of discussion between you and Alex, mostly when you felt like talking shit about someone, but right now you wanted to do anything but think about him. It seemed like all your thoughts revolved around Thomas Jefferson. His small action of bringing you coffee, joking around with him, why his cologne smelt so good, the way his shirt hugged his muscles—by the way, when did his muscles become so defined? And why did you find yourself staring at them so often?

“Anyway, you’re starting To Kill A Mockingbird soon with your classes, right?” He asked. “It’s one of my favorites. I wish I could read it with my classes, but with them being seniors, I really can’t,” he shook his head, a disappointed sigh leaving him.

“Yeah, it’s my favorite too, but for now we’re just reviewing and setting up for the year. I’m gonna try and convince Jefferson to start it next week instead of the week after—although maybe I should be a little nicer for that to work…” you trailed off, grimacing at the thought.

“Convince me of what?” Thomas jumped in, standing in the doorway all casual.

Alex stared at him, scrunching his nose in distaste. “This is the second time you’ve done this today, Jefferson.”

Thomas shrugged. “I heard my name. Can’t blame me for bein’ curious.”

Hamilton scoffed, “go be curious somewhere else. We don’t want you here.“

“Believe me, Hamilton, the last place I want to be is in a room with you. ’nd now you’ve infected L/n with your idiocy. This ain’t exactly the ideal environment for me.” He retorted, unamused.

“You could resign. No one’s forcing you to work here,” Alex suggested, smugness evident in his tone. Annoyance flickered in Thomas’s jaw.

“Okay, Alex,” you chuckled nervously, shooting him a look as if to say cut it out. “I was wondering if we could move reading Mockingbird to next week instead.” Alex seemed to have gotten the hint that you needed to be on Jefferson’s good side in order for him to comply.

“Hm. I dunno… you wanna tell me how smart, handsome, amazing, and charming I am?” A sly grin grew on his lips.

“I’m not gonna kiss your ass, Jefferson,” you deadpanned. So much for getting him on your side. You’d rather die than admit those things.

“Well then, I guess we’re not movin’ it a week closer. Your loss, Y/n,” he hummed. The sudden feminine urge to throw your computer at him was overwhelming.

“Oh, c’mon, d’you seriously wanna work on mindless review for two weeks?”

“I don’t mind doing so,” he took some steps toward your desk. “Most of ‘em don’t even remember the difference between a compound and complex sentence, much less how to write an essay or basic punctuation. This’ll set ‘em up for a good year.”

You couldn’t disagree with him. A lot of your past students did struggle with grammar for whatever reason, and maybe a couple weeks to review everything they lost due to summer wouldn’t hurt. “But they aren’t stupid. Most of them are honors students, it shouldn’t take two weeks to review the basics.”

“Mm, you’re right,” he frowned, shifting his watch to Hamilton for a brief moment. “But I still think we should stick with what I’ve done every year I’ve been here. My students have always had the best test scores in the district, after all.”

The not-so-humble bragging only furthered your irritation with his intransigence.

“Oh, that’s crap, Jefferson. Every other school is twice as small, and their funding is significantly less. We’re the biggest school in this district, we dominate in sports, UIL, and scores for every subject,” Alex chimed in, crossing his arms tightly over his chest.

“Uh, was anybody speakin’ to you, Hamilton?” He huffed. “I swear, you don’t know when to stop talking.”

“That is kind of true,“ you mumbled. Alex elbowed your arm, giving you a pointed look.

“You’re supposed to be on my side,” he pouted.

You gave him a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. But to be fair, you said it yourself earlier. ‘Once I get going, I don’t stop.’” Upon hearing his words echoed back to him, he groaned.

“See? Even Y/n agrees. But unless she agrees that I am the most gorgeous, intelligent, dashingly attractive man she’s ever met—“

“Go fuck yourself,” you interrupted, a bitter laugh escaping your chest. “We can just stick to your plan since you want to be such an ass.”

How badly you wanted to erase the smug grin that reached his eyes. “‘M not bein’ an ass, ‘m just bein’ a smart planner. You’ll thank me later, L/n.”

You sighed. This was gonna be a long year.