"NEW YORK." New York's head whipped around and in an instant the football hit him in the head.
"What the FUCK Yorkie?" Massachusetts yelled as Georgia came dashing out of the house.
"It wasn't me, it was him!" New York yelled as Georgia approached.
"New York, ya gotta help." Georgia begged.
"You've got two minutes to explain yourself before I punch you." New York ordered.
"It's DC." And at that, New York's eyes went wide and he instantly went to protect mode.
"What's wrong?" New York demanded.
"We don't know!" Georgia yelled and the northeastern state noticed how terrified he looked. "O-One minute Tucky and I were m-making out and t-the next, we heard a t-thud and..."
"He fell? Is that all? I swear to God Georgia...."
"THAT'S NOT IT!" Georgia yelled, hands shaking. "H-He's in some kind of trance! H-He was just workin'! A-And now..." Realization hit New York like a football.
"Lemme see him." New York ordered letting the southern state take him back into the house. The two entered the Statehouse, Georgia following behind New York fretting and worried as Kentucky dashed out of the back office, looking paler than a ghost.
"I-I didn't mean too..." Kentucky whispered, voice cracking.
"Didn't mean to what? What did you do?" New York demanded.
"I-I tried holding him a-and he screamed and--"
"Oh that's the WORST thing to do!" New York yelled pushing past the border state and going into the office. Despite the chaos outside, the office was relatively calm and DC was sitting in his chair at his desk just staring at the papers in front of him. The only sign the fed was in any kind of distress was the tear marks down his cheeks and his slightly disheveled clothes. New York took a deep breath and approached the desk, studying his boyfriend before turning to the two terrified dads.
"How long?" New York asked quietly but steady.
"T-Twenty minutes." Georgia whispered, letting Kentucky into his arms.
"That's pretty typical." New York whispered turning back to his boyfriend. He knelt down by DC and made him look into his eyes, so he wouldn't touch his face.
"DC. Do you want to be touched?" New York asked. DC's eyes flicked over to New York and the northeastern state could tell he was trying to process what was being asked of him.
"Do you want to be touched?" New York repeated again. DC slowly shook his head and New York nodded before holding out his hand.
"What happened?" New York signed.
"I got stressed out over these reports IDC sent....please tell dad I'm so sorry I didn't mean to push him." DC signed back, and New York could sense some distress pouring off of him.
"I'll tell him, he's just worried for you cherry." New York signed back before sighing and looking up at the two states.
"Cherry's sorry he pushed ya Kentucky." New York announced.
"C-Can you tell DC it's okay? I-I just want to make sure he's safe." Kentucky said, voice shaking. New York looked back at DC then stood up, facing the two dads.
"You've never seen this happen have you?" New York asked.
"N-No. He's....he's never done this before." Georgia pointed out.
"DC's prone to shut downs like this if he overworks then he'll just sit like hours, gone to the world." New York explained turning back to his boyfriend.
"But why? Why did he do this?" Kentucky asked, hands shaking so hard Georgia had to grab them to hold them steady. New York tilted his head.
"He never told you?" Both states shook their heads.
"He's autistic, like me." New York announced.
"I....what you get from vaccines?" Georgia asked and New York resisted the urge to yell. He had time for re-education later, right now he had to tell DC's dads what he knew.
"No. In fact when cherry was born he didn't have vaccines yet." New York explained before shrugging. "It's just something that happens, doesn't make us broken or anything. We're just different." He looked behind him at a slight tugging, and knelt down again.
"What's up cherry?" New York signed.
"Tucky?" DC signed back. New York nodded and glanced back.
"Kentucky, he wants you." New York announced. Kentucky looked back at Georgia nervously, before leaving his boyfriend's arms and approaching his son and his son's boyfriend.
"Son? Son it's dad." Kentucky whispered kneeling down besides New York. He didn't reach out to touch DC, he just knelt beside his boy letting him know he was here. Kentucky looked over at New York who just started signing again.
"Can you teach me some of that fancy hand language?" Kentucky asked.
"Me too." Georgia asked, going behind his boyfriend.
"Here try this." New York said, taking Kentucky's hands. The northeastern state made Kentucky's hands move, and DC's eyes went wide and a tired smile spread over his face.
"W-What did I say?" Kentucky asked nervously.
"Look." New York whispered before repeating the hand motion. "Hi. Son."
"Well I'll be." Georgia said with a smile watching his son's face light up. New York felt a smile tugging at his features before shaking his head.
"I'm going to get him to go lay down." New York announced standing up. He glanced at DC and the fed stood up, letting the state take the sleeve of his shirt instead of touching him.
"C'mon little bear, you look like you need a smoke." Georgia said softly helping Kentucky up.
"You sure we didn't mess him up?" Kentucky asked as New York walked out with DC alongside him.
"Nah, you just didn't know." New York said softly, finally allowing himself to smile. "You're doing the best you can."
"Tucky? Geo?" Kentucky and Georgia turned around. DC stood behind his two dads, looking relaxed and much better than he had hours before. He still wore his dress slacks but had on one of California's flannels and just looked comfortable.
"Son." Kentucky said with a smile smashing his cigarette.
"You look so much better peaches." Georgia smiled as the fed approached.
"How many of those have you had?" DC teased pointing to the smashed butt in the ashtray.
"Only one, it's fine." Kentucky snickered.
"Three." Georgia corrected, getting gently shoved by Kentucky.
"I'm sorry for worrying you two." DC admitted.
"It's alright son, it wasn't your fault."
"I shoved you." DC muttered.
"It was my fault, I should've asked. But we know now for next time." Kentucky said with a smile.
"Plus I'm learning sign. Look." Georgia announced doing a sign. DC watched the southern state with interest and snickered.
"You asked me how many hotdogs I had." DC announced.
"You said that was right!" Georgia yelled turning to his boyfriend.
"Hey I'm learning too!" Kentucky argued.
"I love you both, so much." DC said with a snicker. Kentucky held out his arms.
"Can we hug?" DC smiled.
"Course you big softie." DC whispered before going into his father's arms, feeling safe and warm, like he belonged.
