Alex POV

"Nothing!" Laf, Herc, and John shouted. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, yet decided to let it slide.

I noticed John at the side, his face beet red. I shook the thought off. "So... why's John and Herc here?" I asked, emphasizing 'Herc'. I thought I have seen Laf blush, but his tan skin blocked it.

"MU-" John chuckled, but Herc quickly sprung up and covered his mouth. John licked the hand.

"Dude, you're disgusting." Herc gagged, wiping the saliva off on his pants.

"Well, I try my best." John sweetly snickered. "Are we just gonna sit here, or hang out?"

"I guess, we could go to the park," Laf suggested. We all shrugged and nodded in agreement, seeing there was nothing else to do.

We walked out the dorm building, the three leading the way 'cause I don't know it, anyways. I looked at them, such great friends. I sighed, but not the unhappy one, the grateful one. I never had seen friends like these. These... were special.

John started backing away from them to walk beside me.

My brain immediately had two thoughts: the first one being "oh look, it's that man you really really like but you just met him so go start a conversation" and then "oh look, it's that man you really really like but you actually like him so go and run now before you do something embarrassing, Alex".

"You alright?" John asked, snapping me back to reality.

"What? Oh yeah, sorry," I said and cleared my throat.

"I've got it!" He snapped his fingers and pointed at me eagerly. "You have an accent!"

I had hoped I wouldn't give it away. "Yeah? Well you do too."

"South Carolina airport, I'm from there. But you don't have a Southern nor American accent. Hamilton, who are you?"

"I could've been a tourist," I muttered. "Yeah, I may not be from around here. Alright, I answered your question—"

"You did not!" John whined.

"Oh, heck yeah I did. Is it my turn to ask now?"

"Fine. Whadya want?"

Obviously, being my dumb self, I decided to be well, dumb. 

"Are you free this—"

"TURTLES!"

We have arrived in the park. John immediately ran to the pond by the park, his hands up in the air. As much as I wanted to scream in fury, I managed to smile.

Dammit, those turtles.

The three of us laughed. Laf and Herc sat down at the bench having a little conversation while I joined John. He was petting three turtles on his lap, two on his shoulders, and one on his head. I took the turtles on his shoulders and played with them since John had too much on his hands. And head.

I jogged up to John and stared at him. No, not that lovesick one. Be patient, guys, please.

"Sorry, what was that you wanted to ask?" John smiled meekly, clearly embarrassed. "I started a turtle obsession when I was 9."

"Ah. Don't worry, it was unimportant, anyway," I murmured. 

John nodded. "You want to hold one?" John raised his hand and offered one cute, adorable, and very scary baby turtle.

I sighed. "Fine."

I reached out my hand and let the turtle crawl on my palm. "Okay this isn't so bad—"

And suddenly its brothers and sisters decided to join it. Great.

"Dude, there's nothing scary about them," John chided, seeing my mental state.

Don't judge me! Back in Nevis, an army of baby turtles crawled on top of me while I was asleep on the sand. I did not mean that to happen! Nor that I purposely smelled like their favorite food.

"Yes, there is." I frowned. "Oh gods, John get them off me, please!"

After a long time — yes, apparently I was a turtle magnet — John managed to remove every single one from me and gently placed them back to the pond.

"Too bad we can't keep them." John pouted.

"Not planning to," I whispered, my voice hoarse from that very traumatic experience.

I noticed the sun was quickly starting to set. "John, we better get back to Hercules and Laf. It's pretty late," I said, panicked. He nodded and we jogged back to the bench. We were surprised they were laughing and not at all worried about us. We shrugged it off.

As we came to their view, they shut their mouths and Lafayette starts typing something to his phone.

"Hey gays, let's head back to campus," John teased.

~~×~~

We reached back the dorm building and headed of our separate ways. Me and Laf went back to ours as Herc and John went to theirs.

Hercules POV
Meanwhile...

Me and Laffy Taffy sat on the bench thinking of something we could do for April Fool's Day. We wanted to prank Jefferson and his crew, first. Maybe, the Schuylers. After planning for a bit, we saw the John and Alex walk around the park, fingers intertwined. They seem they were meant for each other.

"Hey, Laf, why not we set those two up?" I grinned, giving him a 'I-ship-them-so-let's-make-the-ship-sail' look.

"Sure. Let's make a group chat," he replied, smirking. After a while my phone received notifications after notifications.

~~~

Operation John x Alex

FrenchBaguette added You to Operation John x Alex

FrenchBagguette added NeverSatisfied to Operation John x Alex

FrenchBaguette added AndPeggy to Operation John x Alex

FrenchBaguette added Lizard to Operation John x Alex

AndPeggy: Laf what the heck is this for?!

FrenchBagguette: Are you blind? Look at the title!

NeverSatisfied: So?

I looked at Laf and saw him furiously typing something at his phone

FrenchBaguette: Are you NOT gonna help us set up Alex and John?

Lizard: Awh yes ofc. But we really must change the name

INeedNoIntroduction: Really, Liza?

AndPeggy changed AndPeggy's nickname to AndPeggay

AndPeggay: Better. 'La' in Laurens.

NeverSatisfied: Fine with me. 'Am' in Hamilton...

FrenchBaguette: Lam. Wait, lets add the 's' in Laurens. Lams

Lizard: Great!

Lizard changed the group name to Operation Lams

INeedNoIntroduction: So, how can we make them know they like each other? Their so oblivious.

Me and Laf laughed. Then we saw Alex and John come back. I nudged Laf so he could see the two. He opens the chat and says:

FrenchBaguette: ah! Theyre coming back. Bye

"Hey gays. Let's head back to campus," John snickered. I rolled my eyes and Laf tried his best to hide the blush creeping to his face. He managed, at least.

We stood up and started walking back. Alex and John leaded the journey and me and Laffy Taffy at rear. I took note that every time their fingertips brushed, they blushed and held back their hands. I whispered to Laf and he just giggled. Ah, how his laugh is just so cute and contagi- yes, I joined him as well. Which was a mistake. The two looked back with confusion spelled in their expression.

~time skip to dorm~

John and I went back to our dorm. I flopped down at my bed and sighed. Tiring. I opened my phone and saw at least ten notifications from Operation Lams.

AndPeggay: Caught?

FrenchBaguette: Nah. We're back.

Lizard: And Herc?

FrenchBaugette: Dunno, he probably just arrived at his dorm

AndPeggay:Good

NeverSatisfied: So planning. What do we do?

AndPeggay: I guess we could make them play Seven Minutes In Heaven...

FrenchBaguette: Forced

Lafayette doesn't like anything forced. It has to have a meaning, apparently. He does not like being manipulated...because, John was...

ANYWAYS

AndPeggay: Fine

Lizard: How can they just open up to each other?

NeverSatisfied: Yeah. Good idea.

FrenchBaguette: Dunno

AndPeggay: God, this is harder than I thought

INeedNoIntroduction: Not Caught. But...

Lizard: Yeah? Go on

INeedNoIntroduction: Johnny was going to ask him out. Well, he was too nervous. Next time either of them asks advice, say two words.

NeverSatisfied: Wha?

INeedNoIntroduction: Love Letters.

And that's basically how that conversation ended. I rise up from my bed and headed to the kitchen to make food.

"John, what do you want?" I shouted so he could hear.

He sat at the table and said, "Food"

"Very specific," I groaned. (A/N: see what I did with Jared?)

"Okay, maybe Mac n Cheese if that's fine," he said.

I smirked, "I was hoping you'd say Alex"

He looked up at me, clearly embarrassed. A red tint creeped to his cheeks. I laughed, "You better get 'im someday"

~~~

A/N: Hi. Sorry for a late chapter. It's short, I know. I just wanted to reach at least 1000,which I did. It' s rushed. I know. I have some plans for the next fee chapters. Have a great day/night.

'till next time :3