DC Headcanon's 3: Now with 10 Percent More Angst

Pudding at 4 in the Morning

"Dude.....is he high?"

"I....I think?"

"Try to poke him."

DC didn't even respond to the group of skater teens poking him, staying focused on the ocean scene in front of him. The colors swirled on the screen, the animals disappeared on each side, then reappeared, making the man smile.

"Yep he's high."

"....Try taking his wallet."

One of the skater teens slowly reached into DC's pocket, going for his wallet when a shout came from the other end of the aisle.

"HEY." New York screamed, making the skater teens jump. They scurried off fearfully, as four other states approached DC.

"Dee?" Florida whispered. DC kept staring at the screen, amazed at the colors.

"How many hours has it been?" California asked seriously. Texas took out his phone and sighed.

"Thirty-six." Texas announced.

"Listen I'm going to get those gummies--"

"Loui we shouldn't."

"DO YOU WANT HIM UP MUCH LONGER?" Louisiana yelled. California backed up slightly and allowed Louisiana to storm off.

"Dee, baby, it's us." Florida continued tugging at DC's arm.

"Huh....what...." DC groaned snapping out of it. He looked around confused. "The hell am I?"

"Walmart. Sugar you went to Walmart." Texas explained.

"That's....that's a first." DC mumbled, rubbing his eyes. He smiled at his boyfriend's. "I couldn't even get to a Target? What a waste."

"You were almost robbed." New York announced.

"Dee you need to sleep." Florida begged.

"I'm fine Dia, I promise. This is the first time this has happened." DC said with a laugh.

"Last time you went this long without sleep you went to The Compound." California pointed out.

"Alright but...."

"What about CVS?" Texas asked.

"Alright, alright I get it but I'm fine." DC said with a weak smile. His boyfriend's could see it though, the pain behind his eyes. How he was swaying and could barely keep steady. His body was shutting down and he was completely ignoring the signs.

"Darlin'." Louisiana called coming back. "We need to get home, and you need to sleep."

"I will! As soon as I finish this paperwork..."

"I'll give you some of this new candy Walmart has." Louisiana offered shaking a clear container.

"...Well maybe a bit." DC said with a smile holding out his hand. The Cajun man popped four of the gummies on DC's hand and the fed quickly ate them down.

"Grape. Unexpected, but I like it." DC said grinning.

"C'mon baby, let's get you home." New York whispered, taking DC's arm and gently taking him out followed by two other boyfriends. Louisiana went to join them when Florida grabbed his arm.

"Loui the hell? I thought you were getting melatonin." Florida hissed.

Louisiana grinned and held up the torn label of the container of gummies.

"What do you think I just gave him sha?"

DC immediately fell asleep as soon as they got into the car, and was dead to the world the entire ride back. The car was mostly silent, none of the boyfriends wanted to speak, and the silence was only occasionally broken by DC's soft snores as he slept on California's shoulder.

When they got back to the Statehouse, Texas had to carry DC in, and DC was mumbling in his sleep about paperwork, laws, and other legal nonsense that he had to deal with on a day to day. The Southern state tucked DC into his bed and looked down at him, watching his chest rise and fall as he slept.

"Tex?" Came a soft voice, and Texas turned around to see Florida in the doorway.

"Yorkie made some hot chocolate, we're not going to be able to sleep yet, want some?" Florida asked.

"Nah. I....I need to take a trip." Texas announced, pushing past Florida and going to his own room.

"A trip? Isn't it a little late to go to your ranch?" Florida asked following his boyfriend into his room, their other boyfriend's ears perking up.

"Nah I need to take care of something." Texas explained opening up one of his dresser drawers. He reached into the drawer and pulled out a weapon, inspecting it in the soft moonlight.

"Tex...what are you doing?" Florida asked.

"Where did sugar say his dad lived?" Texas asked.

"TEXAS. You CAN'T." Florida yelled as the other boyfriends went into his room.

"Oh that's hilarious coming from you." Texas hissed tucking his weapon into his belt. "I'll be back in the morning."

"We can't let you do that sha." Louisiana announced stepping forward.

"Do you see how sugar is suffering? That man wanted a robot for a son and he got it and now DC is a mess of trauma because of it!" Texas yelled.

"But killing Confederation isn't the answer!" New York pointed out.

"If it gives DC a peace of mind, yes it is!" Texas screamed before California grabbed him, wrestling him down to the ground.

"GIVE ME THE GUN TEXAS."

"FUCK YOU GET OFF OF ME POPPY."

The four other boyfriends struggled to separate the two states, as they banged into furniture and toppled over knick-knacks and pictures in the struggle to stop the Southern state.

"HEY." A loud voice screamed and all five paused. Georgia stood in the doorway of the room, glaring at the main five.

"You finally get that boy asleep and you start yelling? KNOCK IT OFF." Georgia ordered before storming off. In the confusion, California grabbed Texas's weapon and quickly handed it to Florida who quickly dashed out before Texas could go at him.

"Now you listen Texas." Louisiana hissed. "Killing darlin's father isn't the solution, we'd all like to get our hands on him. But right now DC's having to heal from three days of no-sleep, and we need to be there for him."

"Just let me kill him, please." Texas begged, breaths coming out short and wet. He bowed his head and began to cry, and California felt tears spring to his own eyes.

"I....I can't stand what that man's done to him. Please....please..." Texas begged.

"We all can't stand it Tex." New York whispered touching his boyfriend's arm. "But right now, the best we can do is help cherry." Texas collapsed in California's arms, allowing New York and Louisiana to hold him and the human torch tight as they cried.

"I-If I could kill my father and his I would...God I would..." New York whimpered.

"W-Why did he have against DC to make him hate him." California whispered. The four sat crying silently, overcome with emotions and struggling to make sense of the abuse. They were lucky and had siblings who could help them, and eventually get free of their parents clutches once they were sold to America.

DC never had that luxury. He lived with his father for years and was kept in his clutches. He really had no chance of escape.

As his boyfriends sobbed in the next room, DC slept on unaware of the tears going on. He smiled into his pillow, that smelled distinctly of salt water and fire, lost in his dream world, body finally relaxing after three days of abuse.