Ship: Lams (Hamilton)

***
Leaf Me Alone
***

"I just don't get it, John." Alex didn't avert his gaze from the novel he had in his hands, "You're doing it again this year?"

"Of course I am! Autumn isn't Autumn without leaf piles!" John squeaked from where he was, standing in front of the sitting Alex as he read his book on the living room's couch.

"I just don't see why you spend half an hour raking up leaves just to scatter them again." Alex frowned, placing a bookmark in Warriors: Into The Wild after reading it for the seventh time since he got it.

"Because it's fun!" John rolled his eyes, placing a hand on his hip, "You do know what fun is, right?"

Alex scoffed, getting up so he now stood in front of the taller boy, leaning up and kissing his cheek before smiling, "Of course I do."

"Good, because I wasn't sure." John grinned.

"It's just that I only have so much time for fun before I need to get back to doing something productive." Alex simply shrugged.

"Having fun is productive!"

"How?"

"It relieves your nerves," John pointed out, "And makes you less tense!"

"I'm not tense." Alex deadpanned.

John poked Alex's side and he squeaked, rubbing it, "Hey!"

"You're as tense as my turtle when he's spooked."

"Regardless, it helps me work." Alex pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

"I doubt it." John squinted, "At least try and have fun with me? The leaves are already in a pile!"

"How'd you manage that?"

"I called Mull and Laf and asked them to dump a bunch of leaves into our backyard." John blinked.

"JOHN!"

"WHAT?"

"That's going to be hell to clean up afterwards!" Alex groaned, rubbing his temple, "And I'm always the one who picks everything up around here!"

"Then appreciate it and then clean it up!" John pleaded.

"I'm not going to appreciate jumping into a bunch of soon-to-be mulch." Alex crossed his arms over his chest.

"HE CHOSE THE HARD WAY!" John suddenly shouted.

"What-?" Alex screeches as Lafayette rushed in and shoved him into John's arms.

John hoisted the short boy onto his shoulder.

Alex's glasses fell right off his face as he began to pound on John's back like an upset child, "Put! Me! Down!"

"Nope!" John giggled as he thundered upstairs until they reached the window balcony and stepped outside.

"IF YOU THROW ME I SWEAR TO GOD, LAURENS, YOU HAVE TO PAY MY HOSPITAL BILL!"

"Relax!" John slammed the windowpane door shut and placed Alex down.

However, once he was down, Alex cling to John's side.

"What?" John chuckled.

"Heights." Alex whispered into John's side.

"What'd you say?"

"I'm afraid of heights John." Alex whisper-hissed.

"Oh...my bad..." John winced sheepishly, looking around and then down at the yard, "Oh shit..."

"What?" Alex groaned.

"Well...Lafayette really listened when I said to bring a lot of leaves..."

"Oh god..." Alex pried his face away from John and looked down to see their entire backyard covered in fifteen feet worth thick leaves, reaching halfway up the house.

"John, what the hell..." Alex choked out.

"I-it's fine- we can just um-"

"I'm going inside." Alex sighed deeply and turned around, grabbing the knob.
It didn't open.
He jiggled it-

"It's locked." Alex's face paled.

"Wh-what?" John coughed out nervously.

"The door. It's locked." Alex was stiff now with fear, "J-John, we're done for- it's too windy for them to hear our voice a-and we'll freeze if we stay here."

"Alex, there's a leaf pile, we can just j-"

Alex shook his head as he suddenly hugged John from behind for comfort.

John suddenly felt immense guilt, "This is my fault."

"I should have just agreed and seen it first." Alex sighed shakily.

John turned and held Alex close, "Hey, listen, it'll be alright- think of it like facing your fear head-on!"

Alex looked up at John with round, worried eyes, "I don't really want to..."

"I'll hold your hand, it'll be fine!" John promised.

"What if we-"

"Don't put logic to this, put my word to it." John brushed a stray hair that was blowing in Alex's face, "I'll protect you, I promise."

Alex paused before nodding slightly, "Okay...I trust you."

John held his hand out and Alex hesitated before firmly taking it and intertwining their fingers.

The two boys then faced the edge of the balcony, stepping slowly onto the stone rail, Alex noticeably trembling.

"Ready, Al?"

"No..."

"3......2......1!"

"I CHANGED MY MIND!"

"NoPE!" John grabbed Alex bridal style and jumped, both screaming, John screaming in excitement, Alex in sheer terror, until they both crashed into the soft leaves below, bouncing around in them before rolling out towards the front door, in giggling fits by the end of it.

Alex rolled on top of John and looked down at him with a wide grin.

John smiled up adoringly at his partner.

"That was...fun, I'll have to admit." Alex chuckled before leaning down and kissing John on his freckles nose.

"Again?"

"Never."