(no subject)

[iniquiticity]

wellreadfan asked
A Greenhouses Prompt: Washington losing it a bit and punching someone who insults Hamilton and Hamilton being absolutely delighted. We talked about it a little, but I'd love to see a little ficlet!

They were doing Emissary du Noalles - now Princess du Motier, after some paperwork had gone across the sea both ways affirming that Lafayette was in fact married to her, and that he had been on a long voyage did not in any way annul this, but his disappearance had been in the beginning of their marriage, and so there had been some ambiguity - a favor by attending.

It was a substantial favor. They were, after all, in Princess du Motier’ debt, and at that very substantially.

Princess du Motier had indicated that there were some families she would have liked to impress by her alliance to General Washington, and also that they might know things she would like to know, and also it would be spectacular if, as a reward for hiding her fake-dead husband for a good number of years, they would attend. And both of them, if you please, and not one, for it was not one year, or two years.

In the interest of honesty Washington would not have been caught dead otherwise at a party like this, where the point was to appear in the most ostentatious clothing and brag about how you were the richest. It was most important to unsubtly talk about your business connections and famous people. Washington disliked that they would all be bragging about how he had attended, but a favor and a debt were a favor and a debt.

Washington wore a formal military uniform, but he eschewed as many metals as he could. He knew some of the other generals there, and each of them gleamed with iron and silver more than the next. In comparison, he seemed like an enlisted man. But there was some small satisfaction to it - the ones who disliked him (and there were enough of them) - were force to dress down to match him.

Hamilton did not stand out, and by this it was meant he was wearing a jacket and waistcoat of incredible gaudiness. It had been tailored for a previous man larger than him, but the man had disagreed with Mulligan in some small detail, and refused to pay for it, so Mulligan had only had it and was miserable. Hamilton had bought it for half the price and had it tailored to him. Tiny emeralds were sewn into the wrists and up the line of the forearms. Gleaming atmythyst thread made an elaborate pattern up the side of the jacket. The coats had been trickily cut. Gold and silver made him shine.

Washington had never seen something so ridiculous. Hamilton thought it was absurd. He was excited to have the thing torn apart and made into actually useful pieces of clothing.

But Hamilton was a peacock in it. He enjoyed the attention. He liked to have the wildly-dressed men and women ask about him, what sort of person he was, if he was famous, what the general was like. Hamilton said whatever he wanted. He liked to read and write essays (they disdained this). He liked to drink a lot of coffee (they liked this). He had been adopted by General Schuyler as a reward for distinguished service. When they asked about the war he told horror stories that they refused to believe.

They stayed together for most of the evening. They found the friend Princess du Motier’s friend and spoke to him on her behalf. They spoke. But they could not simply go and then leave. They had to be here for some time.

Hamilton did better pretending when Washington was there, and it suited them for him to cut a demure figure and stand in Washington’s shadow. (They made up for this when they went home, and then Hamilton bossed him around, and he liked it immensely.)

Washington spent most of the evening pretending to drink wine while looking cold and distant, and Hamilton told all of his favorite horrifying war stories. His husband had been pulled away towards the end of the miserable story about eating insects in his sleep and woken up to a severe bout of insect-induced vomiting, which inspired more insects to bother him. This was one of his favorite stories to horrify anyone who had not fought in the war like he had fought in the war, and Washington found that after the sixth or seventh telling he felt much less guilty about the situation as it had been.

“What a strange and magnificent creature,” said a man who had appeared at Washington’s side, “It seems so strange for soldiers as grand as you and General Schuyler to discover him.”

“That creature is my husband,” Washington said, as gently as he could. He heard a fair bit of this, Hamilton being more worthy of a zoo than a decent jacket. “It is not so hard to discover magnificent soldiers. I find they distinguish themselves.”

“And all after such a horrific upbringing,” the man said. He did not appear to realize what he was talking about and how little Hamilton liked it discussed, and thus how little Washington liked it discussed.

“How are you enjoying the party?” he asked, instead.

“What must it be like, to be so meaningless?” The woman asked instead, musing. No, he realized. He knew exactly what he said, and he said it to harm him. He took in his crest, and knew it. Yes.

“It is most important that you make meaning, and I find he has done so quite well,” he answered, now with a soft danger in his voice. “Although it is unkind to suggest such a thing, I might say.”

“I suppose you might, but what else can one say, about something so insignificant?” The man replied. “Such a poor back-alley thing. Always so sufficiently surrounded by his betters, and yet unable to escape the muck of his beginnings.”

“I beg your pardon,” Washington said, and narrowed his eyes. “Apologize.”

“About what?” The man said, and stared at him.

“For the very unfortunate things you are saying about Lord Schuyler,” Washington said. He felt the prickling heat of anger all up and down his back now, feeling like a river and a dam. “And the company in which you say them. It astounds me you would think it acceptable to indicate such things in polite company about any person, and especially that person’s partner.”

“Out of all people, General, I would expect you to be the most to hear such a thing,” he said, “That you would so graciously pity such a tiny, useless creature.”

Washington’s eyebrows went up. He clenched his hands behind his back and glanced about the room to see if he could find Hamilton. He was far, but he caught Washington’s eye and knew something was wrong, and began to move closer.

“You do yourself a very great harm, at present,” Washington said, and could not resist the low growl now. The river roared in his ears and felt hot in his fists. “Perhaps you could recover with an apology, and one most profuse, and to the face of the man you slander.”

“Oh, General Washington,” he said, and Washington knew there would be no apology, because a cruel sneer curled on his lips, “I do not apologize to infected gutter rats, or their generous adopters.”

At this Washington could not resist whatever his face did, and heard nothing but the sound of crashing branches and waterfalls, and felt contact and resistance against the flat of his knuckles.

Then.

The world came back and the man was on the ground, and made a noise. People were looking at him, and whispering, and pushing through the crowd was Hamilton, staring at him, completely baffled. Hamilton grabbed his arm and pulled him, and he went, stunned.

“You slugged him,” Hamilton said, staring at him, “It was a very good punch, but.”

The whispers were increasing. The man groaned and sat up. there was no blood, but his eyes were dazed and unfocused.

“He spoke very ill of you,” Washington said. The moment seemed strange and distant. The man had said – and he had been so angry at that moment, cold and furious, that this scum would incite him, and speak in such a way of his betters –

“You are a very good husband,” Hamilton said, and despite the way people stared at him and helped their friend, he felt a a warm wonderful trill of satisfaction. “I do not deny it. But I feel you have been quite solid with your point, and perhaps we should depart.”

“I think that not unwise,” he said, but for a moment he could not help but take Hamilton’s face in his hands and kiss him for a little moment.

Hamilton grinned his grin at him, and kissed him back, and fisted his hands into Washington’s jacket, and kissed him again. “Come with me, o righteous knight of my virtue,” he teased, “And you shall be promptly rewarded.”

“Being anywhere but here would be reward enough,” he mutter, and they did not even say goodbyes to hosts or friends before heading to the stables.

“Ah,” Hamilton said, over his shoulder, “But it is not enough for such a protector to have enough. The pinnacle of a guardian must have the pinnacle of a reward.”