Texas adjusted some twine that was tied around a fence post and attempted to make the fencing attached to said post tighter as the cows grazed behind him. It was Tuesday and every other Tuesday Texas went back to his farm in well, Texas, to make sure Austin was overseeing the animals well. They all looked well this week, save for the cupcake liner tutus Austin put on all the chicks, Austin, and besides a couple of mini chores around the farm, everything was in tip-top shape.
Texas adjusted the fence post again and eyeballed it against the next fence post just across from the one he was fixing. His mind wandered to the radio this morning as he was driving to the hardware store; the news was playing a special about the one-year anniversary of the January 6th insurrection and how the nation was healing. Texas couldn't help but snort at the idea that the nation was 'healing' although he hadn't heard from his pesky politicians in about one month and some of the nicer ones were actually coming to him for advice and final say, which was very peculiar.
His mind drifted to DC as he worked, thinking about how the true 'healing' was happening right back at the Statehouse. DC had made amazing progress since his breakdown one year previous; he was eating three meals a day and the doctors were finally allowing some leeway into his diet (which excited the south as the recent discovery that DC would technically be southern made them full-scale accept him). He was gaining weight (although as Georgia pointed out, the man was as thin as a rod when he was healthy so it'd never be much) and his strength was coming back, although he did sometimes still need support walking or have to take breaks if he was on his feet too long. Gov was even giving him small meeting duties like going through the state's weird laws or names for state natives while he still handled the bigger meetings.
Gov. Gov had finally moved into the Statehouse after finally gaining acceptance from the states. It was generally fine, they had spare rooms, but with the recent edition of District moving in the Statehouse was becoming smaller. Texas shook his head and adjusted the post once again, standing up to check his handy-work. He had been talking for almost two years about building a new Statehouse. Florida was initially against it because the Statehouse was their home but the fact of the matter was they'd outgrown it. The problem was finding a large enough piece of land for the states to build on that was somewhat secluded (no one liked being too well known among the people, too much of a risk for trouble) but close enough to town for supplies. Texas and Alabama had been making plans and scouting out areas, but nothing felt right like the spot where the Statehouse was.
As it turns out, building a house for forty-nine states, two government officials, and the capitol was hard.
Texas wiped his brow and was about ready to lead the herd back into the pen when his phone went off. On the screen was a message from the Main Six group chat that just said:
CrocBoy: I found it!
"TA-DA!" Florida flung out his arms in dramatic fashion as if showing off a new Rolls-Royce or fancy mansion.
"....It's a field." Cali pointed out drawing his flannel close to his body.
"I know that dummy." Florida said, rolling his eyes. "But it's also the location of the future Statehouse."
"You took me away from looking at paint samples at Home Depot for a piece of swamp land?" Gov hissed trying not to step in any mud patches and get his shoes messy.
"We keep telling you, don't paint your room, we're moving!" York hissed.
"I can't stand the puke yellow anymore!"
"Guys focus!" Florida yelled, drawing his boyfriends and future brother-in-law's focus back to him. "This is a perfect piece of land for the house."
"What is this place? It feels spooky." Texas muttered shuddering.
"Oh this is The Compound, it's been abandoned for years. I think some real estate thing years back wanted to build houses here? I honestly don't remember." Florida chuckled.
"So you just had this piece of land just laying around?" Cali asked.
"You act like this isn't common in swamp states sha." Loui said with a smile. "I've got a million of these places back home."
"Well, it is quiet. We could put a gate at the edge of the driveway and build the house a little further back so we'd get no trespassers." Gov suggested.
"That's what I'm saying! It's far enough away that we can get privacy but close enough in town that we can get supplies." Florida explained.
"Did you get high with Colorado and think this out?" York asked.
"No silly. I got high with Oregon and thought this out, big difference." Florida explained making his boyfriend roll his eyes.
"If we can build a firm enough foundation we can build on the swamp." Texas muttered crouching on the ground and touching the wet grass. The swamp sank slightly under his hand but not as bad as he had seen from other parts of Florida. It was enough to build on at least.
"If we can raise funds we surely can get the permits." Louisiana added.
"Heh, permits. I say we just build." Florida chuckled.
"No Florida we need permits, if this is going to be the official new Statehouse it needs to be legal." Cali pointed out making Florida whine.
"Don't worry about that." Gov said firmly. 'I can get the permits. You guys focus on finalizing plans."
"Is this a surprise? Or are we telling cherry?" York asked. Texas stood back up, stepped back, and made a framing scale with his hands to measure where the house would be. He could see it now, the house would be twice the size of the old Statehouse with plenty of rooms and even a few guest rooms. They'd finally have something permanent, a symbol of them all coming together after years of being pitted against one another. And a place for the main six to come together not just as a unit, but a family.
"Nah." Texas said, dropping his hands. "I think it'd make a good surprise. Don't you?"
