You Have 51 Kids? (Statehumans)

Chapters Ten: Meet The States

[Canada's P.O.V]

We sat on a leather couch in the middle of America's living room while my brother sat on a couch opposite of us.

I sat with my head down, fumbling with my hands.

America seemed somewhat distressed at my silence and shifted uncomfortably.

"Why is everryone acting so weirrrd about this?" Ukraine huffed. "You don't have kids, so who arrre these people?"

America winced at her words and sighed. "These are my kids."

"Then who's the mother?" Ukraine asked.

America's face flushed a bit pink, but one kid came to his rescue.

I don't think I have ever seen my brother so serious about something.

The kid was nearly taller than me, messy frost-bitten white hair and a pair of ear muffs as though he were already expecting winter.
"We don't need a mother." He scoffed, though his mesmerizing ice blue eyes seemed to glow with interest. "We just appeared."

A smile crossed the boy's face and the slight tint of snowflakes on his cheeks shone in the bright sunlight.
"I'm Alaska, by the way." He put his hand out for me to shake.

I felt Ukraine stiffen beside me but she remained quiet as Alaska introduced himself.

I might be mad at America, but Alaska hasn't done anything wrong. His name does sound familiar, though.
I shake his hand in return.

I would introduce myself, but I'm pretty sure he already knows my name. Instead I just smile and nod to him, Alaska doing the same.

"So you have how many kids?" Ukraine questioned America.

America laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. "Fifty-one."

I nearly choked on my spit. "You have Fifty-one kids?"

". . . Yeah."

Again, I'm not used to my brother, America, acting like this.
He's suddenly quiet and so. . . I can't explain it.

But why would he keep his states a secret? We could have helped him! I could have helped him. He didn't even tell me. I thought we wouldn't keep secrets from each other! I thought we were friends.

I pushed the negative thoughts aside. Fine. If I want him to trust me, there's no point in holding grudges. I just have to support him in any way possible. Easy.

"Dad?" A voice jerked me from my thoughts. A small boy wearing a weird-looking wig going down to his waist tugged on America's shirt. "Hawaii is crying and she won't go back to sleep. She might be hungry."

America nodded and picked the boy up carefully. "Alright Washington. Why don't we get her something to eat?" The sudden change in my brother's voice kind of scared me. He sounded so happy and bright.

That left me and Ukraine alone with Alaska.

The teen boy looked at us for a moment before he spoke. "We snuck out of the house when dad was with the others. We thought. . . you might hurt one of us, so we took matters into our own hands." He looked at Ukraine, but refused to make eye contact with either of us.