DC Headcanon's 6: Sparkle Sparkle!

And the Seed Grows

Dark!Cali? Dark!Cali. 

I probably didn't do this idea justice. 

murderous thoughts tw murder mention tw

It was late. It was late and California just left DC's room, which really was York's room but his room was close to his office and he had a breakdown every time he went near there, exhausted. It had been a rough day; DC had several breakdowns throughout and even heavily medicated still looked like he was about to cry at any minute. California had wanted to stay with him all night but Florida kicked him out, ordering him to get some sleep and that he'd watch him.

How California expected to get any sleep was beyond him.

The nation state took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, not feeling the least bit tired. He didn't want to make an attempt, so he decided to go into the living room hoping some late night TV or infomercials would put him to sleep. No one was in the living room; Utah had made Ari actually go to bed with the rest of the four corners, leaving the TV unoccupied and free for California. He flopped on the couch, grabbed the remote, and turned on the TV, flipping through the channels for something to distract him.

He flipped through the bad late night TV, the strange Adult Swim cartoons, the reruns of old eighties sitcoms, and infomercial channels finding nothing to settle on. As he flipped through the channels, he came across some news networks, and would've paid no mind to them if he didn't catch the ticker at the bottom and the word 'insurrectionist' at the front. California flipped back to the first news channel and sat back, knowing it wouldn't be good for his blood pressure but figuring some rage would make him fall asleep faster.

The first news report was a mother of one of the insurrectionists being interviewed, crying into her tissue while the news reporter looked on sympathetically. California rolled his eyes as the mother made a tearful plea to the public, and possibly the government.

"He was just a kid!" The mother wailed. "He didn't mean any harm! He was practicing his first amendment rights! He only went for a peaceful protest!"

California felt a small bit of rage bubble inside of him, but quickly changed the channel before it could bubble over. He flipped through the channels again until he landed on another news report, this time on a far-right news network. The anchor was yelling and ranting like a mad man with a picture of the Capitol being sieged in the background. California was about to change the channel before the anchor's words got to him.

"The government is arresting innocent people! Innocent people who just wanted to have a conversation with their senators and congresspeople, who they elected, about the 2020 election! How dare the government arrest these patriots?" The anchor yelled.

California felt the rage boil in him again. He was moving on auto-pilot, going to the next channel. Another news report, this time with an insurrectionist with her face blacked out of course to 'protect her identity', talking to the interviewer about how the media skewed the perception of the insurrection. From her view, all she saw was a peaceful protest, not some coup like the media was claiming. Besides once President Trump was reinstated he'd just pardon all the patriots from the 6th and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Rage. Rage swirling in California's stomach.

More news reports, more of the same thing. News anchors babying the insurrectionists or allowing friends and family to paint an 'innocent' version of them for the public. Opinion pieces about how they were patriots, demands to allow them to go free, or interviews with some actual insurrectionists about their opinions of the sixth. California felt something engulf him, something he hadn't felt since DC was forced into the bunker all those months ago. He had tried to ignore it, tried to stop the spread of the roots of the seed that planted itself in the darkest part of Cali's soul, but watching the reports he could feel that seed sprout, and start burying itself deeper.

No matter what Gov said, those people would get off with light sentences then go back to their Qanon forums and websites and get a hero's welcome. They'd be free to try again, and who knows they could be successful the next time. DC's life was in danger with them free, and no one was doing anything to stop it.

It was time someone did.

California flipped to the last news report, this time CNN and a little less full of propaganda. It was another interview with another mother of an insurrectionist, California had to give her props for going full weeping mother for this interview but one thing she said really stood out.

"He'll come back better than ever, Anderson." The mother weeped, dabbing her eyes. "My son's a Patriot, he won't let this get him down."

If someone could hear it, something snapped inside California.

CNN moved to a rerun of Deal or No Deal, but California barely paid attention. His eyes were full of fire, the darkness in his soul spreading. These people didn't deserve to walk free after what they'd done. These people didn't deserve to get the praise and babying after nearly murdering his boyfriend. These people deserve to suffer the same way DC suffered that terrible day. They should be pushed to their limits and holding on for dear life, not DC who was currently so heavily medicated he didn't know where he was.

These people. Didn't deserve. To Live.

"CALIFORNIA." California jumped and whipped around to see Texas standing behind the couch, looking concerned.

"You okay? You looked lost in your thoughts there." Texas pointed out. California shook his head, trying to free it from the dark thoughts and turned off the TV.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine just....a little tired." California lied. The rage was still burning inside of him and the seed was spreading, but he pushed it down a little.

"Well maybe you should go to bed. It was a long day for all of us." Texas suggested.

"Yeah. Yeah, bed will be nice." California muttered, taking off his glasses again and rubbing his eyes. He moved past Texas and out of the living room, unaware the southern state was watching him worriedly as he passed. The liberal had a dark look in his eyes that frightened Texas, he'd neve seen such fire, not even when ranting at meetings. Something had changed in him from the morning until now and Texas could only pray it didn't manifest like it looked like it had.

Maybe he'd feel better after sleeping it off.