Notes:
What is this? Another update only days after the last? Who are you and what have you done with the real author?

Jokes aside, I was feeling inspired to write some more, so here's the next chapter!

---

Aaron blinked slowly. Sunlight was shining on his face, causing him to squint. Rubbing his eyes to rid himself of drowsiness, Aaron looked around. He was surprised to see that he was still in the library. He was even more surprised to see that he was pressed up against Alexander, and was probably snuggling into his fur. His face flushed and he quickly scrambled off the couch.

Oh god. How mortifying would that have been had Alexander woken up first. Aaron glanced at the sleeping beast, taking note of the surprisingly peaceful look on his face. Aaron smiled softly. Alexander looked like a large kitten that had laid down for a nap in the sun. It was quite cute.

Aaron walked over to him, placing a gentle hand in his shoulder.

"Alexander," He said softly. "Time to get up."

Alexander groaned and batted his hand away. Aaron rolled his eyes before shaking him harder.

"Come on Alexander. It's morning." Still, the huge beast refused to move. Aaron removed his hand and stared at him with a frown. Finally, he grabbed Alexander's large wrist and began to pull him off the couch.

"Aaron... Lemme go..." Alexander mumbled, weakly trying to pull his wrist back.

"No." Aaron grunted, using all his strength in pulling Alexander's wrist. "We need to get up. The servants must be looking for us."

Alexander grunted, finally sitting up. Aaron dropped his wrist and sighed with relief.

"You're heavy." Aaron said, rubbing his shoulder.

"I am not!" Alexander cried.

Aaron grinned cheekily. "Must be all the food you eat."

Alexander's mouth dropped in shock. "Why you-"

"Come on!" Aaron interrupted. "Let's go eat breakfast."

Alexander scowled, but followed the excited man out, albeit reluctantly.

"Monsieur Burr! Alexandre!" Lafayette greeted once he saw the two making their way downstairs. "How was your evening? Eventful, non?" He said with a wink.

Aaron's face flushed. "W-What!" He shrieked. "N-No! Of course not!"

Lafayette only hummed.

"Lafayette," Alexander grumbled. "It's too early for this."

Lafayette merely chuckled. "On your way to the dining room?"

"Yes. I'm quite hungry." Aaron said.

"I will have a breakfast made for you immediately!" Lafayette said, hopping away. Aaron watched him leave with a frown.

"Is he always this cheerful in the mornings?" He asked Alexander.

"Yes." He grumbled. "Unfortunately."

---

Aaron sat in the library, completely absorbed in a book. This one was about a pirate who went a long journey to find his missing maiden. Alexander had assumed right, Aaron was indeed a romantic. He giggled when they were reunited, finding joy in the ending.

"Not a romantic huh?"

Aaron let out a shriek and his book fell to the ground.

"Alexander!" He said, hand on his chest. "You startled me."

He watched as Alexander leaned down and picked up the book. "A Pirate's Love? Really?"

Aaron blushed. "It's well written. Besides, I never said I wasn't a romantic."

Alexander chuckled and handed the book back.

"What brings you to the library?" Aaron asked, placing the book on the table.

"I figured you'd be here." He said, amused.

"Yes well, I love to read. And your library is magnificent." Aaron looked up at the beast. "Is there a reason you were searching for me?"

"No." He answered and Aaron swore he was blushing.

He smiled, picking the book up once more. "Would you like me to read to you again?"

He giggled at the eager look in his eyes.

"You don't mind do you?" Alexander said.

Aaron smiled. "Of course not. You're the first person I've ever met who's shared a passion for literature."

Alexander beamed. "Alright. But we are not reading A Pirate's Love."

"What? Why not?"

"Cause we haven't finished Jack and the Beanstalk." He said, like it was obvious. Aaron sighed, before standing and grabbing the book.

"I was almost done A Pirate's Love." He pouted.

"Don't care." Alexander said. "That book is far too cheesy."

Aaron rolled his eyes before opening Jack and the Beanstalk.

"Jack ran as fast as he could" Aaron read. "And the giant, realizing he had been tricked, came rushing after - away from the castle and down the broad, winding road. When he got to the beanstalk the giant was only twenty yards away when suddenly he saw Jack disappear - confused, the giant peered through the clouds and saw Jack underneath climbing down for dear life. The giant stomped his foot and roared angrily..."

---

A week passed, and every day Aaron and Alexander would go to the library and Aaron would read. Often, they would ask the servants to bring lunch and tea up and eat there. The two had fallen asleep on the couch more times than Aaron could count.

He was happy though. Alexander was very knowledgeable, and could be quite kind when he wished to be. Aaron was happy to have a friend after spending so many years with only his sister for company.

He was walking down the stairs when Philip suddenly went racing past him on John Laurens' back. It was then, that Aaron remembered poor Theodosia, who was probably still tied up in the cold.

Guilt overcame him when he thought about how stiff her legs must be. He rushed back to his room and grabbed a cloak, before running back downstairs and outside.

"Lafayette, where is Mr Burr going?" Washington asked, waddling over to the candelabra. Lafayette frowned in worry.

"I don't know." He said. "But I certainly hope he's coming back."

---

Aaron walked down the grand stairs and headed towards where he had tied Theodosia up. He was relieved to see that she had hay and water.

"Hey Theo." He said, walking up to her and petting her snout. She nudged his hand, glaring at him. He grimaced. "I know I know. I'm sorry."

She snorted.

"Look," Aaron said, slightly irritated with her attitude. "I'm taking you out, okay? You'll get to stretch your legs. Or do you not want that?"

Theodosia whined and pressed against his cheek.

"That's what I thought." Aaron walked behind her and untied her. He climbed onto her back, snapping the reins.

"Alright girl!" He called and she took off. He let out an excited cry as she galloped across the snow. It's been so long since Aaron just let go and allowed Theodosia to run as much and as fast as she wanted. Back in YorkTown, horses couldn't do that for fear of hurting someone.

"Jump Theo!" Aaron yelled when they reached a frozen over river. She did and he whooped happily.

---

"Where's Aaron?"

"Ah, Alexander." Washington greeted. "I believe Mr Burr went outside."

Alexander froze. "What? Why would he do that?"

Both Washington and Lafayette shrugged. "No clue" They said in unison.

Alexander quickly ran to a window, eyes widening when he saw Aaron, who was on a beautiful sleek brown horse, jump over a small frozen river. Even from behind the frosty window, Alexander could make out the joyful expression Aaron had.

A small smile made its way onto his face. Sure, Aaron had begun to look happier over the past few days, but he still held a sad look in his eyes. It pained Alexander to see him so sad, even if the other man hid it well. But now, with Aaron riding on the horse, he looked overjoyed.

He looked free.

His heart clenched and he looked away.

"Alexandre?" Lafayette asked softly.

"Son," Washington said. "Why don't you go out and join him?"

Alexander looked at the clock like he was insane.

"Don't look at me like that!" Washington said. "You two are friends! Go chat with him! Go!"

With that, the two household objects pushed him out the door. Alexander stared as the front door slammed shut, leaving him out in the cold.

Wrapping his coat around him more tightly, Alexander began to walk to where he could hear Aaron yelling in excitement and happiness. Alexander trudged along, grumbling about the cold.

He didn't like the winter seasons. Far too cold for his liking.

"Woah girl!"

Alexander let out a shriek when he saw a horse heading right to him.

"Alexander?" Aaron said in surprise, slowing his steed to a stop. Alexander couldn't help but notice how majestic Aaron looked atop his horse.

"Aaron, hey!" He said nervously. "Uh, what's up?"

He watched as Aaron carefully climbed down from his steed, holding the reins tightly. "What are you doing out here?" Aaron asked, walking up to him.

Alexander backed away. Eyeing the horse cautiously. He didn't like horses. He didn't have good experiences with horses.

"What is your horse's name?" He asked. Aaron smiled widely.

"Her name's Theodosia." He said, patting her snout. "She's been with me since I was just a child. According to Sally our parents bought her as a birthday gift to me."

Aaron's eyes turned sad and Theodosia nuzzled his cheek.

"Your parents..." Alexander said hesitantly. "What happened to them...?"

"They died when I was young. I never really knew them. Sally remembers them though. She misses them terribly." He explained softly.

"You're an orphan?" Alexander asked and Aaron nodded. "I'm an orphan! My uh, my parents died when I was only ten years old. Hurricane."

Aaron's eyes widened and he took Alexander's hand in his own. "I know it doesn't help but, I'm terribly sorry to hear that."

"It's fine Aaron. It happened a long time ago." He said.

Aaron frowned. "Just because it happened awhile ago, doesn't make it hut any less. My parents passed when I was only two years old, but I still miss them everyday."

"It's fine, I promise. I've had Washington, Lafayette, Eliza and all the others with me and supporting me. They're like my family now."

"Hm. That makes sense I suppose. Sally's my family now. Speaking of her. All this snow reminds me of the imes we'd have snowball fights back in the village."

"Snowball fights?" Alexander said. Aaron's eyes widened in shock.

"Wait, have you never had a snowball fight before?"

Alexander laughed awkwardly. "Um, is that bad?"

"Yes!"

"Oh..."

"Snowball fights are basically my childhood!" Aaron exclaimed. Alexander blinked.

"I was always reading and writing." He said sheepishly. "Besides," He crossed his arms pouting. "It's too cold outside."

Aaron released Theodosia's reins, slowly bending down while Alexander pouted. Grinning to himself, he made a small ball of snow and while Alexander distracted.

Smack!

Alexander shrieked and fell down the second the snowball connected to his face. Aaron laughed, making another snowball. He threw another one and this time Alexander dodged.

"That was a cheap shot!" He whined, scrambling away when Aaron made and threw more snowballs. "Hey! I don't even know how to make them."

Aaron stopped his barrage. "You don't know how to make them." He stated. Alexander flushed and shook his head. Aaron giggled before running over, kneeling beside him.

"You gather a bunch of snow and pack it together. But not too tightly and don't use any ice or it'll be painful for our opponent and you don't want that." He instructed.

Alexander gathered some snow, but with his big clumsy claws it simply fell apart. At his defeated look, Aaron laughed.

"That's normal Alexander." He assured. "My first twenty snowballs fell apart."

They continued to sit in the field of snow (Theodosia was grazing nearby on some bushes), continually laughing at Alexander's efforts to make snowballs. Of course, there were times when they would shove snow into each other's faces but well, that was normal.

Lafayette, Washington, Peggy and Eliza all watched from within the castle as the two laughed and played. Eliza smiled.

"There may be hope after all."

Notes:
You guys all thought I'd forgotten about Theo didn't you. ;)