Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/10462167. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage Category: F/M Fandom: Hamilton_-_Miranda Relationship: Hercules_Mulligan/Maria_Reynolds, James_Reynolds/Maria_Reynolds Character: Maria_Reynolds, Hercules_Mulligan, James_Reynolds, Alexander_Hamilton, Gilbert_du_Motier_Marquis_de_Lafayette, John_Laurens, Thomas_Jefferson, Peggy_Schuyler, Angelica_Schuyler, Eliza_Schuyler, Charles_Lee, Susan Reynolds Additional Tags: James_is_an_abusive_dickwad, Maria_needs_love, Hercules_the_hero, High School_AU, Maria_is_trying_to_escape_her_abuser, Teen_Pregnancy, Maria Reynolds_goes_by_Maria_Lewis, Lafayette_is_genderfluid Stats: Published: 2017-03-27 Chapters: 1/? Words: 1289 ****** Zero in need of a hero ****** by gayria_lewis Summary Maria Lewis is fifteen and her sixteenth birthday is in only a few weeks. She's still stuck with her abusive boyfriend, James Reynolds. With how her life seems to be going, it looks as if she's going to be forced to marry him. Have a life with him. If you can even call being hurt and screamed at everyday living. She just wants to escape. She wants to be free from this hell hole. More than anything, she wants to make at least one friend by the time her birthday rolls around. Notes I really hope I can continue this! If you have any ideas for a second chapter, feel free to comment them in the section below!! See the end of the work for more notes "Have you heard? James Rey is still dating that ho, Maria." "I heard she was sleeping with his friend, Charles Lee." "Well she doesn't deserve such a cutie like him. He's fucking hot." All things Hercules has heard about the apparent 'power couple' of the school. James Reynolds was the quarter back of the varsity football team. And Maria... well, she was a cheerleader. Hercules had never really met Maria, but he was on the same football team as James. He himself was wide receiver. Anyways Hercules was currently walking down the hallway to get to his first class of the new year. Some random English class. As he was taking his time walking, his three best friends just so happened to be screeching to each other at the end of the hall. Hercules chuckled and picked up his pace, eventually sneaking up behind his ex, but also best friend, Marquis de Lafayette. Hercules took off his beanie slowly and signaled to Alex and John to keep talking. Then he pulled his beanie over Marquis' bun but over all failed to get it to cover Marq's eyes. Marquis turned around with a shriek before playfully slapping Herc on the shoulders. "Jerk! I swear to God if you messed up my hair, I will definitely murder you! I will murder you so well that no one will be able to find you or know who did it!" Marquis yelled, pouting and crossing their arms over their chest. "I bet your hair looks beautiful as always." Hercules smiled at Marquis and snatched his beanie back. "But if you murder me, who will compliment you as much as I?" He bowed at the waist to Marquis. John and Alex were snickering at how dramatic Laf was being. Marquis batted their eyelashes before grinning and pushing Hercules back. What Hercules wasn't expecting, was to be pushed into someone else. His three friends were cackling at how stunned Hercules looked. Herc shook his head and placed his beanie over his hair before standing and turning around to face the person he knocked over. "Sorry m--" When Hercules looked down, he definitely wasn't expecting to see a beautiful chick. She looked so gorgeous. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as he offered the girl his other hand. She didn't take it, but instead grabbed a hold of a locker handle and pulled herself to her feet. Now that Hercules was really looking at her, he saw that she was terrified. "Hey, are you okay? I didn't mean to knock you over." He apologized. She shook her head frantically. Her wavy brown hair cascading over her shoulders. "No, no, it was my fault! I'm so sorry, please don't tell James, he'd be so ang- he'd be so upset if I hurt you or- or-" The girl was rambling. Hercules was confused. This fucking star striking girl was apologizing to him? But he knocked her over! He took her hands in his and shushed her. "Are you talking about James Reynolds?" He asked gently, not wanting to spook the poor girl. She nodded slowly, eyes wide as dinner plates. "Are you dating him?" He asked, noticing how his friends had gone quiet behind him. She nodded once again. "Maria?" He rubbed his thumbs over the backs of her hands. She yanked her hands away from his with a whimper. "It's okay, I'm Hercules. Hercules Mulligan. Are you looking for James?" He wondered aloud. She bit her lower lip and that's when he noticed she was shaking. Was she.. Was she afraid of her own boyfriend? Just as Hercules was about to ask her more questions, he heard Hamilton start to shout. "Yo! James Rey!! The biggest asshole on the football team!" Alexander shouted, making Maria cringe and Hercules look up to see an angry James Reynolds approaching. Herc didn't move, he stood still and stared straight back at James. James stomped right up to Maria and grabbed her arm. "What do you think you're doing?" He growled in her ear. Maria winced, her eyes shutting as she felt his hot breath on her neck. "I think she's just standing there. And I think you should probably back the fuck up before me and my friends fuck you up." Alexander rushed forwards and pulled Maria away from James, pushing her into Hercules. James Reynolds smirked down at Hamilton. "Oh yeah?" "Yeah! You're a fucking prick to everyone and it needs to stop!" "What's a theater fag like you gonna do about it?" James snarled. Alexander reeled his arm back to punch Reynolds, but John stepped in between them. "Alex.. Go to Science, me and Laf will walk with you." John said, taking Alexander's hand in his and leading him and Marquis up the English hallway to the Science hall. Hercules stayed where he was, watching as James stalked towards him. Realizing he was holding Maria close to his chest, he let her go. "Man, I'm sorry for Alex. He can be a bit of a hot head." He apologized to Reynolds, gritting his teeth to hide his own frustration with how James had approached Maria. "Yeah, he is a tiny ass cunt. I just came here to give my girl a goodbye kiss. Have you met Maria? She's a thick one, ain't she?" Reynolds scoffed, grabbing at Maria's ass through her skirt. Hercules' eyebrows furrowed but he nodded. "Sure, Rey. I have to go to English." He excused himself and walked into his classroom. He sat down in a seat by the door and watched as other students filled the hallway and file into the rooms. When the bell rang, Hercules looked up from his notebook where he had been doodling dress designs. He looked for Maria and James through the window of the door but didn't see either one. He frowned, knowing something was off about that relationship. But who was he to judge? He didn't know the dynamics of their relationship. So he shouldn't pry on their business. Yet it still felt wrong when he saw them together. Hercules shook his head to clear it. "Is this seat taken?" Herc looked up to see Maria smiling slightly down at him, pointing to the seat next to him. He shook his head. "Go ahead." So she sat next to him. She slid her purse off her shoulder and set it on the floor next to her as she looked straight ahead to where the teacher was standing. The teacher, Mr. Holmes, was talking about how this period would be about the syllabus for this class this semester. Hercules lost interest quickly and decided to go back to sketching dresses in his notebook. Apparently Maria got bored as well because she looked over at Herc's book. "Cute. But I think it'd look better with a ruffle on the ends of the sleeves." She whispered to Hercules. It seemed she had calmed down and opened up, because Hercules looked at her and she was smiling genuinely. Herc considered her input and lightly drew on some ruffles. "Oh shit, you right." He muttered back, causing her to giggle behind her hand. He smiled at her laugh. It was a nice laugh. He wanted to hear more of it. "I'm Maria, as you probably know from rumors. But you can call me Mari. It's what my friends call me." She introduced herself. Hercules' smile widened. "Nice to meet you, Mari." He was about to ask her for her number, or something to keep in contact with her, but the bell rang at the worst time. And before he knew it, she was out the door and he was left in the room, wondering if he'd see her later today. End Notes Please feel free to offer me advice and constructive criticism! I might not update constantly, so if you'd like to co-author, that'd be great! Just comment or message me a sample of your writing and I'll respond if I like it. Thanks for reading! Until the next time <3 Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!