December 25th, 2021

Alexander and John's Apartment

Senior Year of College

//paper hearts; and I'll hold a piece of yours//

"Lexi, come on. I have one last thing to show you," John said, pulling Alexander into their shared bedroom.

"Babe I thought we already did all the presents with Martha and Jack," Alexander replied.

"Well, this is not so much a present and more of something that I want to  share with you," John sat Alexander down on their bed with a smile. Alexander looked at John with a curious smile.

John walked backwards towards their dresser with a smirk on his face. Alexander laughed.

John reached underneath the dresser and pulled out a wooden box. He smiled softly as he walked to sit next to Alexander on their bed.

"What's that?" Alexander asked.

John smiled and ran his finger over the top. He opened it, revealing pictures and a set of two gold rings.

"Before my mom died and before Martha was born, my Ma sat me down and showed me this box. It belonged to my grandmother."

John picked up the stack of pictures and smiled, showing them to his boyfriend.

"The first few pictures are of my grandparents. They were truly in love. My grandmother wanted my Ma to share this box with the person she fell in love with, to prove that true love does exsist," John looked up at Alexander, "and she shared it with me."

Alexander smiled as he looked through the pictures of John and his Ma, "These pictures are beautiful."

"My Ma wanted me to share this with the person I fall in love with," John said, looking at Alexander.

Alexander looked up at John, his lips forming a smile, "And you're sharing it with me?"

John chuckled. He grabbed the two gold bands that remained at the bottom of the box and smiled.

He grabbed Alexander's hand, rubbing his thumb softly over his knuckles.

"Lexi, we have known each other 13 years, and I have loved you each and every day of those years. There is no one else that I love more than you."

Alexander smiled widely, holding John's hands tightly, "And there is nothing I love more in this world than you."

John smiled, his cheeks turning red, "Alexander, when my Ma gave this box to me, she told me to give it to someone that I had fallen in love with. She said that it had to be real. Something that was built on love and trust. And god, I only dreamed of giving this to you, and here we are," John smiled widely at his gorgeous boyfriend.

"Together," Alexander smiled.

"And I want to stay together, because I love you, Alexander, so fucking much," John pulled his hands away from Alexander's and smiled as he slid off their bed and onto the floor on one knee.

Alexander gasped, placing a hand over his heart and smiling.

"Our lives have brought us through hell and back, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't know a lot of things in life, but I do know that you are my light. You are my soul. And you hold my heart," John pulled out a red paper heart from his back pocket.

It was crumpled up and slightly torn on the edges, but the words were the beauty of it.

Alexander chuckled lightly as he took the paper heart slowly.

"I made this for you in seventh grade for Valentine's Day," John looked down and laughed, "I never gave it to you because I was afraid. But you know what? I'm not afraid anymore, because I have you," John's eyes sparkled as he saw Alexander's smile grow wider.

"And I can't wait for the day that we will be able to share this wooden box with our children," John smiled as he watched Alexander pull a piece of his hair behind his ear with a loving smile on his face.

"But first," John lifted one of the golden rings in between his index finger and his thumb. He had to take a deep breath to keep his voice from shaking. Nevertheless, tears slowly fell down his cheeks, "Alexander Hamilton, my light, my life, will you marry me?"

Alexander had tears staining his cheeks with pride as he nodded his head quickly and jumped into John's arms, wrapping his around his new fiance's neck, "Yes! Oh my god, yes! There's nothing that would make me happier."

John laughed happily as tears of joy came down his cheeks and he wrapped his arms around Alexander's waist tightly. He buried his head in Alexander's shoulder with a smile.

Alexander pulled out of John's embrace and pressed his lips to his. He held John's face softly, pulling him closer. John smiled into the kiss and hugged Alexander's waist tighter.

When they pulled away, Alexander helped John stand up. John held out the gold band that now belonged to his future husband.

Alexander held his hand out and smiled as John slid the ring on his finger. Alexander did the same for John with a giddy smile.

They looked at each other with pink cheeks and smiled wider, pulling each other into a tight embrace. Alexander's hands wrapped around John's waist as John held Alexander by the waist with one arm and held the back of his head protectively with the other.

John's eyes were shut tightly before he saw a light appear in front of him. He lifted his head slowly, pulling Alexander closer to him.

He smiled softly when he saw his Ma standing by the edge of their bed, a proud smile on her face and tears brimming her eyes as she lit up the room with a warm golden glow.

John let out a soft laugh, tears finding their way to his eyes once again.

"I'm so proud of you, baby boy," she whispered.

She slowly blew John a kiss before disappearing in a glimmer of light.

"Ma," John whispered softly.

Alexander pulled away from John and tilted his head in confusion, "Baby, are you okay?"

John smiled and pressed his forehead against his, "My Ma likes you."

Alexander smiled and held John's hands softly, "And I love her. She raised an incredible man."

John smiled as tears made their way down his chin.

"Hey, you wanna know something funny?" Alexander said, pulling away from John and walking towards his nightstand.

"What?" John asked with a smile, placing his chin in his hands.

"That card I gave you on Valentine's Day in seventh grade was a back up. I made you another card that I was too scared to give you," Alexander pulled out a pink paper heart from a small box and smiled.

John's eyes widened as he smiled, "You made me a paper heart?"

Alexander nodded and kissed John's cheek as he handed it to him.

John smiled as he read the heart.

There wasn't a poem or a paragraph, or even a sentence. There was one word, but to John and Alexander, that one word was enough.

Together.