~December 18, Wednesday~

"Pegs, can you wake up Alexander and John? They have to help us decorate!"
Eliza frowned.

"Yeah, it's nearly lunch," Theo agreed, bringing a box full of ornaments to the living room. "Everyone else is awake."

"Why me?" Peggy whined, crossing her arms.

"Because you're the closest to the stairs." Angelica said.

Peggy stepped forward, making Jefferson, who was just snoozing on the couch, the closest.

"See? I'm not." She said triumphantly.

"You're still going." Angelica grumbled.

"Fine."

Peggy ran up the stairs, trying to hurry her job up, and knocked on Alex's door.

"ALEX, WAKE UP!" She shouted.

She sighed after no one answered. She opened the door, seeing no one there.

She frowned and went to the other side of the hall.

She immediately opened the door, unlike Alexander, and saw Alex and John sleeping beside each other.

"WAKE UP — oh, am I ruining a moment?" Peggy smirked, both boys waking up.

"No, you aren't." John mumbled, looking away as he felt his face flush red.

"Oh, really?" She asked, teasingly. "Anyway, it's nearly lunch. Y'all need to help us decorate the living room!"

Alex and John shared glances at each other and shrugged, following Peggy out of their room.

~~×~~

~one week later~

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!" Peggy bounced on Alex's bed.

"What the heck, Pegs?" Alex groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"Oh, you actually slept." John chuckled. "When was the last time you—"

"A week ago."

"Oh."

"GET UP!" Peggy shrieked, stilling jumping.

"Peggy, quit being a monkey." John frowned.

"Fineee," She sighed, jumping off the bed. "Well, it's Christmas!"

She skipped out of the room and down the stairs, her footsteps echoing throughout the hall.

John shrugged and smiled, "Merry Christmas, Alex."

He nodded, grinning, "Merry Christmas."

~~×~~

Later that night, the group of friends gathered around the Christmas tree in the immense living room.

"So, as you all know, it's Alex's first Christmas!" Peggy squealed.

"Merry Christmas, guys." Angelica smiled.

"Merry Christmas." They all replied in unison.

"Okay," Eliza clapped her hands. "Each of us will get our presents and give it..to who you're giving them to. And then, we open them by order. Got it? Does that even make sense?"

"Yes, Liza." Maria said, moving closer to Peggy for warmth.

"Well, let's start-"

"Can we have hot chocolate first?" Peggy pouted.

"Yes, please." James said, glancing at Peggy and Theo and wrapping himself in his blanket.

"Hmm..." Theo smirked, "John, Alex can you make them?"

The two boys glanced at each other and shrugged, standing up and heading to the kitchen.

"Alex, can you pass me the milk?" John asked, opening the cocoa powder. 

Alex nodded and handed him the milk. John smiled and continued making it.

"Why us?" Alex wondered out loud, as John heated the cold cocoa at the big microwave the Schuylers have.

"Oh..I dunno." John shrugged, thinking Peggy was actually plotting something.

The two boys stood there silent, leaning against the countertop. John had a sudden urge to hold Alex's hand when finally, the microwave beeped.

John sighed, thinking that it's impossible for Alexander to return his feelings, and helped Alex get the mugs of hot cocoa.

"Well, we can't carry thirteen at once, can we?" Alex chuckled.

"No, let them get their own." John laughed, exiting the kitchen with Alexander, each carrying a mug.

"Shh! Here they come." Peggy whispered, smiling slyly.

John raised an eyebrow and looked at Alexander with a confused expression, which he also returned.

"Look!" Theo smirked, pointing at the ceiling directly above where they were standing.

John and Alex looked up and saw a mistletoe dangling from the ceiling.

"Ooh, la la~" Lafayette chuckled.

John awkwardly grinned at Alexander and flushed pink.

Alexander smiled back, just as awkward, and sipped his cocoa as there was nothing to do. He felt his cheeks grow warm, and he wasn't sure if it was because of the drink, or his own doing.

"So?" Peggy beamed, knowing her planned work.

For a moment.

"Uh, yeah." John mumbled, ignoring Peggy. "Well, the hot cocoa is in the kitchen."

John and Alex walked past the others, as they stood up and headed to the kitchen to fetch their drinks.

"I was sure that would work." Peggy grumbled to James and Theodosia.

"Yeah." James sighed.

"Worth a shot to try again, eh?" Theo mischievously smiled.

"Of course!" Hercules, who had randomly joined their conversation, exclaimed.

"Ah,  so you're joining?"

"Why not?"

"Fair point."

"More Lams shippers!" Peggy said, cackling like a maniac afterward.

"Is this normal for her?" Hercules asked the other two.

"Apparently." James laughed.

Finally, they all went back to the living room.

"As I was saying," Eliza sighed after the little detour. "We hand out the gifts and open by order. Alright, let's start. For real."

"Isn't this real life?" Thomas asked.

"True. True." Angelica mumbled.

Once they all got their gifts, they all settled down and started unwrapping them.

"Peggy, what have you done.." John mumbled, staring down at the gift which he received from Peggy covered in bundles of tape.

"Hm?" She hummed, looking all mischievous. "Oh, that? No worries, everyone! I also did that to yours too!"

"Seriously." Theodosia and Thomas grumbled.

"Sorry, Dosia. Thomas."

"Anyway, let's start." John said, still eying the present.

"I'll sta -"

"No, Alex will!"

"Fine."

Alex took a deep breath and smiled, "Thank you, guys."

And one-by-one, he unwrapped each, having some struggle with Peggy's.

"Holy shit —" Alex gasped.

"WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE!" James shrieked, covering his ears.

"Who cares?"

"I do!"

"He's got a point." Thomas chuckled.

"Anyways, whatcha got? From who?" Peggy grinned.

"Fu — NO I DEFINITELY WAS ABOUT TO SAY FUDGE CAKE JEMMY — John, I —"

"Ooh, from John, eh?" She smirked.

"What is it?" Eliza asked, shoving her sister.

"It's amazing!" Alex beamed.

"WHAT IS IT?" They all exclaimed.

"It's not much," John mumbled. "It's just a—"

"It's a picture of all of us!" Alex smiled, showing the picture enclosed in a frame. "He drew it."

"Damn, I look hot—" Thomas laughed, getting a slap from Hercules.

"Wow, your art skills are good." Angelica said.

"Thanks, I guess. It's the least I could do." John shrugged.

"Least? Least? " Alex laughed, looking at John with disbelief. "It's perfect."

And Lafayette just had to wolf-whistle.

"I don't really care about how much presents I get. But I'm glad that I had my first Christmas with my best friends." He smiled.

Inside, John was breaking.
He just got friend-zoned.

So he thinks of me as a friend, He thought.

John smiled, happy that Alex was enjoying it.

He's used to this.
He's quite good at hiding emotions.

On the other hand, Alex was slightly uncertain when he mentioned 'friends'.

He loves them all, of course. He loves each of them platonically, as he finally moved on from Eliza.

But did he love them all platonically?
What if he loved one of them more?

His mind was racing with thoughts.

Does he love John Laurens?