Title: Nature
Author: tarotgal
Fandom: Hamilton
Rating: PG
Pairing: Hamilton/Laurens
Disclaimer: Feels strange doing a disclaimer here, but I don’t own real historical people and have no affiliation with the musical either. I make no money from this.
Summary: Alexander delivers a speech with some difficulty.
Notes: The words of his speech were taken directly from some of Hamilton’s writings. Also, I haven’t read “the book” yet and am unclear about where in NYC Hamilton lived specifically pre-Eliza, so I apologize if I’m way off about this.
More Notes: cowboyguy and I both wrote to a prompt one evening. I had already written an SPN fill for that prompt, so I modified it a little and adapted it to Hamilton instead.

Nature

One hundred people by the look of it. Not an enormous gathering by any means, but easily twice as many as last time. This was progress, even if felt like a disappointment; Alexander had been hoping for two hundred at least. The plan had been a simple one: gather a crowd, give one of his speeches, feel support for the revolution grow that much stronger. Some days, Alexander Hamilton fed on that... especially as there wasn't much at home to eat.

But it seemed like it was the easy plans that could easily go wrong. “The only distinction between freedom and slavery consists in this: In the former state a man is governed by the laws to which he has given his consent, either in person or by his representative; in the latter, he is governed by the will of another.” He looked out into the faces of the New Yorkers assembled before him, hanging on his every word. “In...” His breath caught, and he knew at once he needed to sneeze. He begged for it to go away or, if not, for it to go quickly before the momentum of the statement was lost for good. He had to stay in control. “eh... eh...” Gritting his teeth, he withdrew the handkerchief from his pocket and pressed the folded square to his face. “eh-EHTchhh!”

Mortified by the few laughs he heard, he had to summon all his resolve to meet the eyes of the onlookers, trying to make a connection with them as he continued his speech. “In the one case, his life and property are his own; in the other, they depend upon the pleasure of his master. It is easy to discern which of these two states is preferable. No man in his senses can hesitate in choosing to be free, rather than a slave.”

He had them again—enraptured, persuaded. Excellent. He went on, as if nothing had happened. But there was still a bother in his nose. Faint but ticklish, he felt it playing with him every time he took a breath in. “The Americans are entitled to freedom...” He rubbed his nose, hoping that would help. It did not. “All men have one common original: they participate in one common nature, and consequently have one common right... eh-ehh-D’schh!”

Alexander powered through. He had no other choice. There were a million things to do, a thousand words to speak, a hundred minds to sway, and only a half dozen sneezes that got in the way. Only when he was done both speaking and receiving their sizable applause did Alexander notice a familiar and most assuredly welcome face in the crowd. He smiled. And John Laurens smiled back.

As the crowd disbursed, the two friends made their way to each other. There was much Alexander wanted to do in that moment—bury his face behind his hands and let lose with sneezes or perhaps bury his face in John's chest and hide himself away—but what he did instead was smile and press the side of his hand against his nose to keep from sneezing. His handkerchief was too damp from his sneezes to do any good now.

John knew something was wrong; he had probably known since that very first sneeze. But he smiled reassuringly. “Everyone was convinced.”

Alexander cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.

“All right, maybe not everyone. But people were moved. I could tell. Shall we depart?”

Alexander nodded emphatically.

“Would you like to celebrate with a drink? Hercules is over at—”

Alexander shook his head.

“Home?”

Even more nodding. And a small, involuntary gasp. “eh ehhh-H'tchhh!”

As they rounded the corner, Alexander's eyes went wide. Two carts overflowing with flowers stood on the other side of the wall, just feet from where he'd delivered his speech. That explained it then. Alexander couldn't help but smile. Nature was always against him. He held his breath, bracing himself as he walked past the flower sellers. John flanked him on the left, looking concerned, biting his lower lip.

Home at the moment was a room in a boarding house, and it was mercifully fortunate the lady of the house was out, paying a visit to a friend presumably as it was too late for her to be at the market. He flew up the stairs without being spotted and with John on his heels. It was a treat to be able to invite John in through the door and not have him climb in through the window.

The moment the door was shut behind them, all pretenses fell. John grabbed his arm. “I know something's wrong, because you haven't said a word. You're never at a loss for those, Alex.”

Alexander gave a weak smile. “H-have you a huh-heh-h-handkerchief?”

“Of course.” John dug one out and offered it up. He gave a tiny jump as Alexander's fingertips brushed his own fingers.

Alexander covered his nose and mouth, already winding up to sneeze with a great breath. “Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh Eh-HEHTChhhhh! EHTchhhhhh! Ehhh-H'ehtchhhh! HEHChhhh! Ehhh HihTshhhhhh!” He was thrown forward helplessly.

“Oh dear...” John pulled him over to the bed and sat him down before he could fall down.

Because Alexander wasn't done. “hehhh hehhEhtchhhh! EHChhhhh! HEHTchhh! HTTChhhhhhh! HEH HEHChuhhhhh! HEHTchhhhhh!”

John sat down beside him and slid an arm around his back. “My dear Alex...”

“Hehhh HEH-TIHShhhhh! EHhtchhhh! Hehshhhhhh! Ehhh!” He froze, lips quivering, nostrils flaring. Then his chest deflated and the persistent tickle finally backed off. He snuffled into the handkerchief and folded it carefully, dropping it to his lap with a sigh. “Pardon me.”

John shook his head and swept his hand against the back of Alexander's head. “Not at all. As you were saying earlier, we all have a common nature we cannot deny. And when a man has to sneeze, a man has to sneeze. It was the flowers, wasn’t it?”

Alexander nodded, sniffing a little. “Needed to sneeze from the very beginning of that speech. Felt good to finally let those out.” He leaned into John's touch. “Just as it feels good when you do that.”

“This?” John stroked the back of Alexander's head again.

“Helpless,” Alexander whispered with a nod.