Sorry not sorry -C
   Night is a tough time for anyone

   Night is the time he does work. Everyone knows that. He nurses a coffee mug, letting it smoke and billow upwards as his fingers pound on the keyboard. He doesn't want his closest friend to bolt awake, but he knows the intensity comes from all the hardships he's been stuck with. All of his anger goes in the typing.
   John will sleep through anything, that he knows of. When the hot tears fall on the keyboard, only Alex knows.
   
   Night is the time he drags out the pictures and prays. He doesn't want his roommate to hear, to worry about what he thinks about when it's only him and his thoughts. He thinks about his former life, and how alone he feels, and he prays even harder.
   After all, Jenna needs him to be her rock. He can't show that he's any weaker. After all, Burr might not be Hercules or Alex, but he can at least be brave.

   Night is the time he keeps working in the hopes of not worrying his boyfriend. He keeps working in the dimmest of light. It seems more dangerous. So many times, he gets little pinpricks to swell on his fingers. He doesn't want to wake Laf though, and what else can Hercules do?
   So he continues to work in the dark and hope his boyfriend never wakes up from a nightmare while he is working.

   Night is the time she goes to the bathroom. She looks at herself, at her face, at her body. She wonders why she got stuck with this body when her sisters are so effortlessly beautiful. She wonders why her words are childish while Angelica's are charming and Eliza's are sweet. She wants to cry.
   Her sister never wakes up while she's in the bathroom with all these thoughts. But, sometimes, Peggy hopes she would.

   Night is the time he writes poetry. Every line feels more heartfelt. He feels more connected to himself. It's weird how his thoughts get, excited and animated. Then, it all falls down with a single thought, and he's on the verge of tears. He feels so lonely, and every poem reflects upon that.
   He might feel so alone, but he knows better than to tell Theo that. She wouldn't understand that it has nothing to do with her. It's all him, all Philip.

   Night is the time he isn't on point. He can't flirt and flounce like he always does. It's so exhausting, to always have to be snobby but eloquent and smart but making it effortless. It's hard to be held to impossible standards that he's gotten himself imprisoned in. His roommate suddenly wakes up to him just looking out the window, but he can feign sleep just as well as he can feign every other emotion.
   If Madison notices Jefferson's shaky hands and how they curl into fists, he doesn't mention it. And Thomas wouldn't have it any other way.

   Night is the time of night she realizes she's alone. For all the flirting of the day, nobody ever stays with her. It's only her, the empty room, and her roommate. Sometimes, she does her hair to calm her down, but it doesn't change the fact she has nobody to cuddle with. To kiss. To smother with affection. At the end of the day, she's failed all of her attempts.
   Eliza doesn't realize that when she flirts with her, Maria just wants her to stay up at night and make her less lonely. But Maria won't speak those words.

   Night is the time he realizes that despite his best efforts, he couldn't win. Every day is a battle against the other professors, winning over his students' affections. It never works. They flee and overreact, so he puts his foot down again and again. He almost feels insane with all of the power he gets.
   One day, all of his students will be back. And George will just be waiting for them.