The States

Parenting 101

On Adoption:

The Virginias come first. 

He doesn't mean to find them, but he sees the little girl and knows instinctively. 

And when her twin puts himself between Alfred's outstretched hand and the girl, Alfred smiles. 

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Alfred brings the Virginias home, and is suddenly struck with the realization that he's just adopted two children.

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Alfred is pretty much winging this. The Virginias aren't babies, but they aren't entirely self-sufficient either.

They're kind of like cats. They can kind of take care of themselves, but they probably shouldn't. They try and eat things they shouldn't and sleep in weird places and break things.

They keep startling him because they're both below eye level and he just sort of... forgets they're there.

That's not even considering the vaguely-pastel-furred dogs (?) that came home with them. 

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He finds Delaware next, and Alfred's heart aches with the silent declaration of trust as she places her little hand in his.

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Alfred finds Maryland next, and has to hide his shock at the sight of cerulean blue eyes staring back at him. 

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The two Carolinas and Georgia had managed to find their way to each other, and by the time Alfred finds them, they're used to only relying on themselves. 

Georgia splays her arms protectively, using her smaller form as a barrier. Both boys frown at this gesture, pressing closer to her and peering over her shoulders. 

Alfred crouches down to her height. "Hello," He says, softly, calmly. "I'm America."

Georgia eyes him with distrust. "...Georgia."

He smiles at her, and even though she doesn't smile back, some of that distrust fades. 

Alfred turns his attention to the twins. "Which of you is South and which of you is North?"

The twins blink. 

The one on the left raised his hand. "North." He then points to his twin. "South." 

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Even if he hadn't felt the tug, he would have known Massachusetts.

There was no way not to- not with her golden hair and emerald eyes and milk-pale skin.

She wasn't what he had been expecting. A cross pendant dangles from a chain around her neck. She sits with her legs folded under her on the bank of a river. 

"Massachusetts." He says, and her eyes widen.

"Don't say that too loudly around here." Mass warns.

He offers a hand and pulls her to her feet.

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Alfred feels sick from the wrongness of leaving, and Mass wants to east. 

It all makes sense when they coax Maine down from a tree. 

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