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Language:
English
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Published:
2019-04-14
Words:
986
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
18
Kudos:
126
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9
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762

Les Malentendus

Summary:

Alex gets a call from a Parisian friend in the morning, and it turns out quite differently than he expected...

Notes:

This is based on a tumblr prompt that says "Person A talking to Person C in a different language about how hot Person B is, unaware Person B is also fluent in the language they are speaking in."

I am not a fluent French speaker, but I am studying it, so this is basically an excuse to write dialogue in French. I did not use Google Translate, but I did use Word Reference, so don't be too impressed with my language skills. This was also born out of the fact that a lot of people write John not being able to speak French, despite the fact that he did? That was one of reasons he even met Hamilton, because translating was one of the major jobs for aides-de-camp, and that was how they met (I think).

A note on character appearance: I tend to imagine these people with their historical appearances when a story is set in the past, and with their musical appearances (for the most part) when a story is set in present day, which is why Hamilton had the curly hair in my last story and John does in this one.

Also, this story has a VERY similar plot to the other story I have posted here? I didn't mean for that to happen but it did. Anyway enjoy!

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Alex leaned against his bed frame, typing furiously. His first class started at eight, and it was six-thirty, so he had time to work on an assignment that was due soon. By soon, he meant in three weeks, so of course he had to finish it by that night.

His computer started making noise. He frowned. He was being video-called through Google Hangouts. He opened the tab to see Lafayette’s face smiling at him brightly.

“Alex!” Laf screamed. “Tu es réveillé, oui? Ce n’est pas trop tôt?” You are awake, yes? It’s not too early?

“Pourrais-tu être moins bruyant, Gilbert? J’ai réveillé à cinq heures, mais mon colocataire n’a pas encore… non, maintenant c’est plus vrai.” Could you be less loud, Gilbert? I woke up at five, but my roommate has not yet… no, that’s not true anymore.

John was stirring on the other bed, his curly head lifting from its place. He shook his hair out of his face and opened his eyes groggily.

Lafayette faltered on the other line. “Oh. Je suis désolé. J’ai pensé que tu n’as pas un colocataire.” Oh. I’m sorry. I thought you didn’t have a roommate.

Alex glanced at John again. “Il a fait un transfert de Londres dernière semaine. Il s’appelle John.” He transferred from London last week. His name is John .

John had sat up, and was searching around his bed for socks.

“Peux-je le présenter?” Can I meet him?

“John?” Alex called.

His roommate looked up. “Yeah.”

Alex turned the laptop around. “Hello, John,” said Laf’s voice. “I am Lafayette. I am the friend of Alexander. You are from the England?”

“Well, I’m actually from South Carolina, but I went to college in London, yeah. How did you and Alex… uh… meet?” John yawned as he pulled his tangled hair into a ponytail.

Lafayette paused for a few seconds. “I have gone to the Caribbean when I had… seventeen years because of the… Alex?”

“Yeah?” Alex tore his eyes away from John’s tired smile to answer his friend.

“Comment dit-on ouragan?” How do you say hurricane?

“Hurricane, Laf. C’est hurricane.”

“Because of the hurricane Maria, the island of Alex was bad, and I am very rich, so I help.”

John looked genuinely surprised, and then a little guilty. “I never… I had a lot of money too, but I never helped hurricane victims…”

“No, no no!” Lafayette said hurriedly. “It is good. You are not bad. It is difficult to help. Uh, hello. It is nice to see you, John.”

Sensing that the conversation was over, Alex turned the computer back towards himself to see Lafayette’s eyebrows wiggling suggestively.

“Ton colocataire est joli, Alex!” Your roommate is pretty, Alex!

Alex laughed, and snuck another glance at John. “Oui, il est. J’ai le connu pour une semaine seulement, mais déjà je pense que je l’aime beaucoup. Il est tellement sympa, et bon, et intelligent, aussi. Il veut être médecin, Gil! Médecin!” Yes, he is. I’ve only known him for a week, but already I think I like him. He’s so nice, and good-hearted, and smart, too. He wants to be a doctor, Gil! A doctor!

Lafayette’s head disappeared from the screen for a second, talking to someone else. When it reappeared, Laf was smiling widely. “Adrienne est ici, et elle est d’accord.” Adrienne is here, and she agrees.

Alex sputtered. “Pourquoi est-elle là? Je n’ai pas avoué mes sentiments à ta copine!” Why is she there? I did not confess my feelings to your girlfriend!

Laf’s face turned red. “Elle n’est pas ma copine! Tu sais qu’elle est juste une amie! Alex, tu es tellement… méchant!” She’s not my girlfriend! You know that she’s just a friend! Alex, you are so… mean!

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Bien sûr.” Sure.

Lafayette’s face contorted as he said something to someone who was presumably Adrienne. “Bref, je t’ai appelé…” Anyway, I called you…

As the conversation went on, Alex continued to look at John: the way he sung the ABCs under his breath while brushing his teeth, which he did in their room for some reason; how the early morning light made his hazel eyes look green; his Black Lives Matter shirt; his freckles - everything Alex loved about his John already. My John? he thought, startled.

Lafayette was saying goodbye on the video chat, so Alex tucked his laptop into his bag and stood up.

John saw him and smirked. “Je n’ai pas su que tu m’aimais, mon ami.”

Alex whipped around, his mouth dropping open slightly. “How -”

A faint pink blush appeared on John’s face. “I, uh… I went to boarding school in Geneva. Switzerland.”

Alex stood there, gaping like a fish, as John stepped closer. He swallowed. “Boarding school?” he said faintly.

“Like I said, I’m pretty rich.”

Alex couldn’t believe how stupid he had been. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I should probably ask for a different room, now.”

John’s eyes widened. “Non, non, Alex. Ne t'inquiètes pas. C’est bien.” No, no, Alex. Don’t worry. It’s fine .

Alex looked down and slipped easily back into his mother tongue. “Je n’aurais pas parlé de ça devant toi. Je n’ai pas voulu te rendre mal à l’aise.” I shouldn’t have talked about it in front of you. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.

“Tu ne m’as pas rendu mal à l’aise.” You didn’t make me uncomfortable. John grabbed Alex’s hand from where it was hanging next to him and turned it over, tracing the palm with his fingers. “En fait, tes sentiments ne sont pas seules.” In fact, your feelings are not alone .

Alex’s breath hitched as John looked up at him under those thick eyelashes. Then he surged forward, catching John’s lips and making him laugh. He could feel him smiling.

“C’est vrai, John,” chuckled Alex. “Tu es vraiment très joli, particulièrement quand tu ris.” It’s true, John. You are really very pretty, especially when you laugh.

Notes:

As always, comments are appreciated!