Warnings: One or two cuss words I think?? Mentions of child cancer.
Character Count: 13,685
Summary: Chosen AU where you share each other’s thoughts. Daveed asks you to read for Eliza in Hamilton- Hamilton is still in its workshop stages.
You hummed along, tapping a pencil against the wooden picnic table you were sitting at to the beat of the song. The soft lights in the park just barely illuminated the area around you.
Do you like it?
Your chosen’s voice rang through your ears, just louder than the music. You smiled softly, it was the voice you had heard since childhood. Everyone had this ability, if you wanted to, you could open the channel with your chosen and talk- no, think, to them.
To be specific, the channel was always open unless you willingly closed it, which you did often. But when you finally relaxed after a long day, your channel always seemed to slip open without you realizing. Your chosen always seemed to have his channel open, ready to talk to you or listen to you at all hours of the day.
Figuratively of course, though, this man, whoever he was, pulled all-nighters all the time. But he was kind, and funny, and your soulmate. Those facts made up for his racing mind that would sometimes slam into you at three in the morning, waking you up instantly.
You and your chosen shared dreams, when he did sleep, but you never clearly got a look at his face.
It’s great, but helpless doesn’t rhyme in the way you’re trying to make it, why don’t you try using, I don’t know, defenseless?
He closed the channel for a minute and you frowned, glancing around the park you sighed, wondering why he was so quiet for once in his life. It was unsettling to you when he closed his connection, technically speaking it was a part of you being closed off, but you realized how often you closed your own channel and then you felt guilty seeing as he probably felt like this all the time, but you couldn’t help it. Your work- they politely suggested that you close off your channel during office hours, seeing as a soulmate is a distraction.
It’s perfect!
You let out a small laugh as he started the song again, then rolled your eyes and you checked the time, your break was over.
I have to go, sorry, my break’s over.
He shot back a quick goodbye, making you smile at how absorbed in his work he was, you then closed the connection with a small sigh.
One day you would meet him, and you would finally know his name. All these years of hearing him talk to you, think to you, confide in you, and you didn’t even know his name.
It was a fate everyone had. You hear your chosen, you share each other’s dreams, yet you can’t see their face or know their name until you met them. Every time their name is uttered a low hum prevents you from hearing, and it’s infuriating. People say meeting your chosen is such a magical experience, and you frowned, not knowing how long you would have to wait to have that experience.
Your chosen wasn’t technically a soulmate, it was someone the universe had chosen for you for a specific reason. They might be chosen for love, for friendship, or just for company. You knew plenty of people who loathed their chosen, some who even refused to open the channel. You even had a homosexual friend who had a woman as a chosen, really it just depended on what you needed in life. You had decided your chosen was for company, something the both of you needed.
Letting yet another sigh escape your lips, you stuffed your pencil and sketchbook into the small light blue bag you carried everywhere.
Light blue. It was a sign of calm, a reminder of the ocean, which you had a passion for, it is associated with depth and stability. Stability was a thing you needed in your life, and so blue was undoubtedly your favorite color.
You smiled to yourself when you realized you were humming his song under your breath. You couldn’t be blamed though, the man was a genius with music. You silenced your thoughts and opened the connection for just a moment to hear him still tinkering with the words of his song, then closed it once more, your smile widening.
“Y/N!”
Turning to see who on earth would be screaming your name like a madman in the middle of New York at 10:00pm, you were met with your friend Daveed jogging up to you. His hair bouncing along with his steps, paired with his wide goofy grin made you laugh lightly.
“Y/N! It’s so great to see you. How long’s it been? Two- three days?”
You rolled your eyes, shooting back a quick,
“It’s been about two weeks, Daveed.”
He scratched the back of his neck, his smile softening.
“Sorry, just been really busy. I’ve been working on a project- you’re not gonna believe this!”
You rolled your eyes playfully, motioning for him to continue.
“Okay, this guy’s name is Lin-Manuel Miranda, he’s making a musical about Alexander Hamilton.”
Your eyebrows knit together in confusion as you asked,
“So, this-”
“Lin-Manuel Miranda.”
“So, this Lin-Manuel Miranda is making a musical about some dude barely anyone knows about in history?”
Daveed nodded, letting out an airy laugh, then continuing,
“Yeah, I know I said the same thing when I was asked to join the project. That’s why I’m here actually, it’s still in workshop stages, and we need someone to read- well, sing for Elizabeth Schuyler.”
You arched an eyebrow.
“Okay, and you’re talking to me because…?”
He huffed out a breath.
“Do I have to spell it out? I’m asking you to read for Eliza.”
Shifting your weight, you checked the time, then scratched your cheek.
“Okay, but why me?”
Daveed crossed his arms, shaking his head.
“Come on, Y/N. Don’t act oblivious, I’ve heard you sing before!”
You mimicked Daveed, crossing your arms defensively,
“Daveed, you heard me sing one time in college, and you were drunk off your ass. I really have to go, I’m gonna be late for work.”
He grabbed your shoulder, making you jump backwards, in surprise.
“Please, I’m begging you Y/N. Just do this for me, please?”
You sighed, letting a small smile slip seamlessly back onto your lips.
“I’ll think about it.”
Offering him a soft smile and a goodbye hug, you got to work barely a minute late, then surrounding yourself in the atmosphere.
Working at a small cafe wasn’t too bad, but being a waitress meant rude comments, inappropriate touching from men that were far too old for you, and more rude comments. There were moments that saved your day though, like a nice elderly man asking why such a kind young woman would stay at a job like this, or a small shy child looking so proud of himself when he told you his order.
Thinks like that made your day better.
After a few hours, you were clearing off your last table, minutes away from going home.
“Y/N.”
You turned from the table, letting your attention fall to your coworker, Elian, she was a short middle aged single mom, sporting a bob cut, minimal makeup, small hoop earrings, and a soft personality. She had a sad, painful background, and it nearly made you want to cry every time you thought about it. Elian had a three-year-old son who had just recently relapsed into chemotherapy. Her husband had left her, claiming it was too much for him to handle.
“What’s up, Elian?”
You brushed some hair that fell out of your ponytail behind your ear, then straightening out your apron.
“I really hate to ask you this, but my son- he-”
Her voice faltered, and you could see the tears in her eyes. Quickly you rushed to her side,
“It’s okay, I’ll take your shift, go.”
She nodded, hiccupping once or twice, then rushing off. You sighed, plopping down gracefully in one of the booths, taking Elian’s shift meant 6 more hours were added to your own.
That meant absolutely zero sleep any time soon.
Zero sleep was the least you could do for Elian, that woman deserved the world in her hands, and what she got was- You sighed again, shaking your head, and getting up. It was almost 1 am, which meant the college students would be coming in soon.
They were easy to deal with, most of the college students coming at night were attempting all-nighters while trying to finish a project, so really all you had to do was remember to refill their coffee.
It wasn’t too bad, and on the bright side, you stopped serving food past 12:00, so you would be left to your own thoughts.
After about an hour of serving a 20-year-old looking boy, frantically typing something on his laptop, he paid and left, thanking you for the ‘fab’ coffee.
You were left to yourself, this place was quite the hole in the wall, so you didn’t really expect anyone else to come in, especially if they were looking for food.
Plugging in your phone to the main speakers, you smiled, singing along to 'I Want to Know What Love Is’
I got to take a little time,
You took a soft breath,
A little time to think things over…
Pausing with the music, you closed your eyes, and letting it take you, imagining you were center stage at your concert.
I better read between the lines,
In case I need it when I’m older.
Your voice was a whisper, barely heard over the music,
Now this mountain I must climb
You placed a hand to your heart,
Feels like a world upon my shoulders
And through the clouds I see love shine,
It keeps me warm as life grows colder…
You clutched your chest, your voice rising, echoing through the restaurant,
In my life, there’s been heartache and pain,
I don’t know if I can face it again, can’t stop now, I’ve traveled too far to change this lonely life.
I want to know what love is
I want you to show me
I want to feel what love is
I know you can show me
You let out another soft breath, rolling your shoulders, trying to relax your muscles.
I’m gonna take a little time,
A little time to look around me
You gestured to yourself, smiling sadly, slowly getting into character with the song,
I’ve got nowhere left to hide,
It looks like love has finally found me.
You clutched your shirt, belting out the next lyrics,
In my life,
There’s been heartache and pain.
I don’t know if I can face it again,
Can’t stop now, I’ve traveled too far
To change this lonely life.
Loosening your grip on your shirt, you took another quick breath,
I want to know what love is,
I want you to show me
You reached out your hand slightly as if begging someone to take it,
I want to feel what love is
You let your hand drop,
I know you can show me…
You continued to sing to the rest of the song, putting your heart into it, seeing as it was one of your favorites.
Letting out a soft breath you smiled in content, opening your eyes again, and quickly getting back to cleaning the register area and dramatically singing along with your music.
You let the beat of Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’ take you into your own dance, which naturally led to singing, and getting really into it. You twirled around, throwing your head back, running your hands through your hair, then down your sides, belting out the lines, and swaying your hips.
You opened your eyes again, the words dying in your throat as you flinched away from the dark figure standing far too close to you. Screaming, you immediately threw a metal cup at the person before he stepped into the light, revealing Daveed, rubbing where the cup hit him in the face.
“Oh, my god I’m so sorry! Why didn’t the bell ring when you opened the door?”
You clutched your chest, trying to slow your breathing, then noticing the shorter Hispanic looking man standing next to Daveed. He had longer hair, just barely shoulder length, his eyes dark, analyzing you in a way that made you blush. You looked away before making eye contact with him,
“What the hell were you doing Daveed?”
He smiled, his eyes sparkling as he quickly said,
“I told Lin about you, and he said he wanted to meet you- it was the perfect opportunity, you had just started to sing I want to know what love is, and you were- damn you were belting!”
You cut him off with a sharp glare and hissed,
“You could have told me you were coming!”
He responded with a shrug,
“If I told you, we both know you’d make a lame excuse not to sing.”
You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose in frustration,
“Why didn’t you make me aware of your presence before I- before I started dancing?”
His dorky smile turned mischievous and, damn was he walking sex when he wanted to be.
“Why would I ever do such a thing, Y/N? The way you were shaking those hips…”
He licked his lips, leaning onto the counter separating you from him. You blushed, slapping him on the side of the head, then huffing, and going to prepare his usual order.
“You’re a real dick, Daveed, I hope you know that.”
You could hear his light chuckle before he responded,
“Yeah, but you can’t deny that you want a piece of this, Y/N.”
Rolling your eyes and shaking your head, you were tempted to throw his coffee at him.
“Lin-Manuel, isn’t it? Do you want some coffee? It’s on the house for having to watch that mess a few minutes ago…”
His laugh was musical and familiar.
“No thanks, but really, would you consider singing for Eliza? Your voice is, it’s amazing…”
You gave a light chuckle,
“Yeah, I’ll consider-”
You turned to give Daveed his coffee, but stopped short when you met Lin’s eyes. You didn’t even notice you had dropped his coffee as the dreams you had shared flooded over you, finally his face cleared and you saw him.
Lin.
And you knew he was not chosen to be your friend, or just your company, you knew that you would fall in love with Lin-Manuel Miranda. Hell, you could probably rightfully say you were already in love with him.
“Y/N? Oh, my god. You guys are chosen, aren’t you? Now have to be Eliza, Y/N.”
You tore your eyes from Lin just long enough to meet Daveed’s, a knowing smirk had taken over his face, and you let out an airy laugh. Looking back to Lin, he had never stopped staring at you, a wide smile graced his lips once you breathed out,
Honestly when I listen to Mmmbop and I hear the first lyric “You have so many relationships in this life, only one or two will last” I think of TGO every time.
