Statehouse Oneshots

I Don't Know Him | Past platonic Texacali, CaliGov

It was his statehood, finally.

All California had worked for was coming to fruition. Did he like it? Having to bounce from country to country instead of being left alone? No. But this was a choice that had been made and he is sticking with it dammit. One thing had to turn out semi decent for him.

And besides, the party wasn’t a bad bonus.

He stuck to the corner after introductions. The spotlight on him felt..Weird. Intoxicating, thrilling, but too much. He thinks he might have to get over that soon. For now, he stuck to the wall and watched. His eyes scan the states milling about, and he tried to remember their names.

There was the “Original 13”, of course. Though he’s not quite sure why they stopped at 13. Massachusetts, bragging about how he started the Revolutionary war. And then Rhode Island, Delaware, and Connecticut. There was Pennsylvania, currently talking to the government. At least it seemed to be going well. Maryland was flitting about from group to group, never staying too long with the North East or the South. Then the New states, York, Jersey, and….Hampshire was it? Definitely used to be British. They tended to drop the “New” part. North and South Carolina looked two minutes from a fight, and Virginia and Georgia honestly just looked tired. They were welcoming, sure, but they held themselves close to each other. There was something haunted in their gaze.

Then there was Florida, and Louisiana. He remembered them from before, briefly, but he never quite interacted with his fellow personifications much. Gov had leaned over and whispered in his ear that they seemed nice now, but the pair had turned into real troublemakers. He’d smiled back. Cute, how he thought he couldn’t cause trouble too. Even if he was playing arm candy for now.

And of course, there was Texas, who had barely even given him a nod. Stupid stubborn asshole. That’s ok, he didn’t really want  to see him either. In fact, he’d rather the fucker didn’t even show up. Screw all the games and the tears and everything else they did together. If Texas wanted to pretend they weren’t friends, so be it. He can pretend.

He realised he had been staring, and forced himself to look away.

Right up at Gov, who had crept up on him, appearing at his side. Fucker was always so quiet it was a miracle he didn’t have a heart attack every time.

“Are you enjoying yourself?”

Cali nodded, smiling up at him in a way he knew was charming.

“Better now that you’re here.”

He watched the man’s cheeks turn a light pink, and the way his eyes pointed down at the floor.

He sighed and spoke again before Gov could recover. “I barely know anyone here.”

“Well that’s kind of the point of all this, to meet your fellow states.”

California snorted.

“Aw, can’t I just stay here with you?”

Gov just smiled up at the taller state.

“Careful, there’s only so much flattery I can take.”

Gently, California slid closer, far too much to be subtle, just to see if the man would stay. His posture went stiff, but nothing else happened. He decided to rest his head on his shoulder as he talked about..Generally nothing to him. Gov only lasted a few minutes before pulling away, something about “Going to get them both drinks'' on his lips.

He pouted, now all alone for a bit. Whatever, back to people watching. It wasn’t long before Texas caught his eye again, and he found his mind drifting to old “Childhood” memories of rolling fields and the smell of campfire. He can feel himself glaring again. Fucker didn’t even have the decency to meet his eye.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Florida sidle up to him on his left, and Louie do the same on his right.

“Soooo what’s the deal?”

California turned his head to face Florida.

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve been glaring at Texas like he took your grandma’s last penny sha”

His head whipped over to Louisiana, and then stared directly forward, head held high.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Just scanning the crowd.”

“Lies” Florida sing songs, and he can see Louisiana begin to grin.

“So what did he do?”

He showed him how to identify constellations in the stars. He ran with him through the fields for hours playing. He taught him how to ride a horse, and he patched him up everytime he fell.

He left him all alone with barely any warning.

“I don’t know him.”

“Oh come onnnn.” Florida would not let it go, apparently.

“No really, I don’t.”

“You sure? ‘Cause he’s glaring back.” Neither was Louisiana. Dammit.

Pointedly he looked away from where he knew Texas was standing.

“Then that’s his problem.”

“So if I ask him?”

Texas might spill, but with the way he’s acting he probably wouldn’t. No, his pride at apparently not knowing California cannot be harmed.

“Same story.”

He was sure of it. Florida is squinting at him, like he doesn’t believe him for a second, so he was almost thanking any god possible when Gov returned with their drinks. He set them down on a table near them and made a shooing motion at the chaos duo.

“Give our new state a week before you start your bullshit please and thank you.”

The pair rolled their eyes, and went “Wow”, dragging the word out far more than it needed to be while exchanging glances. He couldn’t decide if it was almost charming, or just plain annoying.

“Wait did you just swear-”

“In front of this baby state??”

“You haven’t done that in forever-”

Gov fixed them both with a stern look and told them to go away once again. He’s honestly surprised it worked. The fed handed him one of the drinks and as he sipped it, he felt his gaze drift back to Texas. His thoughts went to their last conversation. Less talking, more screaming really. Calling each other more and more horrible names until the door slammed on his way out. Both of them always had the last word. Too bad his was begging him not to leave the next day, only to be left all alone in the very fields they used to spend all day together in.

Yes he fucked up. They both did. But by god Texas, at least acknowledge him. What he thought might be a chance at a new start turned out to be a whole lot of nothing.

Gov was staring at him. His gaze held something that made him feel like every layer of his being was being pulled apart until there was nothing left. There was nothing to begin with, he was starting to suspect.

“But seriously, what is with you two?”

He grabbed the feds hands, tightly this time, like he was afraid if he didn’t he’d slip through his grasp like sand. His smile was just as tight.

“I think you owe me a dance.”

He pulled the bewildered government behind him, away from aTexas, towards where music had started up once again. He could forget, if that’s what Texas wanted. Gladly. But he didn’t think the gap in his heart would forget the shape of him.