So I typed this up a few months ago and forgot about it...so I'm posting it now...cause I want to post something...
Alaska sat in the state meeting, and was surprisingly, not getting involved in any fights. Not even with Texas. And this did not go unnoticed. Pennsylvania sat on the opposite side of the table from the surprisingly calm girl. She had noticed that Aleksandra hadn't once glanced up from her lap, and hadn't once raised her hands to take notes (or doodle on the paper as that's what she usually did). Penn couldn't think of why Alaska was doing that, so in the fray, the albino state slipped around the table, trying to see what Alaska was doing. However the other girl seemed to know that Penn was coming and put whatever she was doing in the bag at her feet. Penn only managed to catch a flash of blue.
"So why aren't you harping on Tex for being a close-minded idiot?" Penn asked
"I…haven't felt the need to." Alaska said, "Probably wouldn't do much if I tried anyway, he's still not convinced I'm not a spy for Papa, and so anything I say is angled to hurt America."
"That's never stopped you before?" Penn stated. It was true, Alaska had often complained how nothing she did could change the Texan's opinion of her, but she still took every opportunity to contradict his thoughts.
"I cared before, because some of the southern states agree with him because of who he is and I thought that they were the reason that many of the others still don't like me," Alaska explained "but I don't care what they think of me any more."
"Oh, and what were you doing just now?" Penn asked, "Were you texting during the meeting?" Penn gasped, "It was Romano wasn't it? You two are close aren't you? From when he had to baby-sit you while your Vati and Germany were making that non-aggression pact, despite the fact you weren't supposed to be there."
Alaska laughed nervously and nodded, not indicating which question she was answering with the gesture, but Penn assumed it was all of them.
"Pennsylvania, sit down so we can continue this meeting." America stated from the head of the table
"Ja, ja." Penn sighed as she walked back to her seat.
That was the first of the meetings. The meetings were to continue for a week before they were to be released to go back to their states. And so far, every meeting, Alaska would sit apart from the fighting and such, staring at her lap, ignoring the world.
Penn simply thought she was texting Romano, as the Southern half of Italy was given as much consideration as the states were, therefore would have the time to text friends who, also, had time. But…it irked her that Romano would be paying so much attention to the northern girl. She would think that if Romano was going to talk to someone that much, he'd talk to someone he had more in common with, like Florida or California. Penn had never considered that Romano would have this much interest in someone like Alaska. Not that she didn't think Alaska was great, because the girl had become her best friend in the reletively short amount of time since the girl had been dragged out of hiding. Yeah she was part of the SBTT (State Bad Touch Trio) but they weren't as close as their fathers were, and mostly hung out because that's what had become expected of them. They all had others they were around more. Louisiana liked to be around the southerners, and California preferred the once Spanish states and Romano. Or she thought Romano preferred to be around the Spaniards. But…Penn looked over at Alaska again. Her head was still down and she was concentrating on what was in her lap.
It shouldn't bother her this much but it does. Usually by this point (the third out of six meetings) they would have already pushed Virginia into a rant so long she started speaking with an English accent for the rest of the meetings but Alaska hadn't acknowledged her except once on the first day. Penn glared at the presentation notes Texas had passed out, as if they were at fault for her friend ignoring her.
By this time Virginia had also noticed Alaska's lack of commentary, and Pennsylvania's shortened temper with everyone who spoke with her. Her twin brother had even noticed, if only because he hadn't been able to join in any fun-poking at his sister.
"Are Pennsylvania and Alaska fighting?" West Virginia asked his twin
"Maybe…" Virginia's generous eyebrows pulled together, "They were just fine on the first day though…"
"They only spoke once." West stated, "and it was when everyone else was fighting."
"That's…right…" Virginia looked between the two worriedly. Many states had joked that, after Pennsylvania had gotten over her disgust that the other girl had run away from America (though no one was sure what had convinced her that it 'wasn't as bad as she thought') and Alaska had started to trust Penn (again, no one understood how it happened, as Alaska had shown special distrust of the original thirteen), the two fighting would be apocalyptic, especially if the fight was silent. Neither girl was fond of silent fights and both would much rather just through a punch and get it over with, so this…it wasn't normal. If they were fighting, Alaska wouldn't be ignoring the world and Pennsylvania wouldn't be silently seething.
Both twins had formed a conclusion, and they couldn't be more different.
"THE APOCALYPSE REALLY IS COMING!" West Virginia yelled at the top of his lungs, fisting his hands into his messy hair, causing most of the states to stare at him, as he had been one of the few who had been firmly against the theory of 2012.
"Shut up!" Virginia hissed at her brother.
"Was is Westen talking about Gin?" Penn asked, having been jerked out of her brooding by the boy and not wanting to go back.
"Are you fighting with Alaska?" West Virginia asked, not letting his sister answer Pennsylvania's question.
Penn looked over at Alaska, who, apparently, hadn't so much as twitched when West Virginia had yelled.
"Nein, she's just to busy texting Romano." Penn growled.
"Romano actually texts Alaska?" Virginia said, shocked
"Apparently." Penn spat.
"What would Romano want to talk to Alaska about." West Virginia gaped, "I mean. This is Alaska we're talking about. Not Cali, Alaska."
Penn shot a glare at West Virginia but didn't comment. She had been thinking something similar, but the boy made it sound like Alaska wasn't worth talking to.
Virginia, sensing impending doom (or at least bodily harm) for her brother if they stayed on this track, quickly switched topics.
Alaska had glanced over at Pennsylvania again, as she'd been doing all week, to see the albino speaking with Virginia. At least she wasn't upset any more Alaska tried to reason with herself. She'd known how close Virginia and Pennsylvania had been before Penn started spending time with her. The others say that the only person Penn had been closer to than Virginia was Alaska herself, but Alaska wasn't sure she believed that. Penn only wanted pancakes and the Canadian maple syrup she received from her Maman when she came over, and if it wasn't that she came because she'd gotten hurt and needed Alaska to patch her up.
Alaska sighed and turned back to her work, the familiar motions calming her, preventing her from staying on any depressing thoughts.
The thoughts came back though, as Penn started to talk to Virginia through another two meetings. Alaska started checking on her friend less and less as the days progressed, not liking how she felt when she saw Penn and Virginia laughing together, Penn seemingly forgetting her. Half way through the last meeting, however Alaska sighed as she finished her project and looked at Pennsylvania before placing her project back into her bag and slipping out of the room. She could talk to Wisconsin for the notes on what she missed, like she had for the past week.
Penn had stolen a glance at Alaska's seat a few minutes later to see it empty. She brushed it off, assuming the girl had just gone to the bathroom, but when she wasn't there at the end of the meeting, Pennsylvania bid goodbye to Virginia and ran out of the room. Penn ran through the house to get from the west side of the building, where America had converted the ballroom of the old house into a meeting room, to the east side, where the personal rooms were. From there Penn had to run to the end of the hall to get to Alaska's room and when she did she reached for the doorknob to open it, but it opened on it's own. Penn stared at Alaska, who was standing in the doorway, staring back at Penn, her suitcase in hand.
"What happened to our Sunday together?" Penn asked, breaking the silence.
"I…" Alaska started, trying to figure out what to say.
"What? Romano have some sort of date planned?" Penn hissed at the girl.
"He might, for someone, not me though." Alaska sighed, "I wasn't talking to Romano, haven't heard from him since Christmas."
"Then why are you packed? And what kept you so occupied?" Penn yelled.
"I…I thought you'd want to hang around Virginia on Sunday this time…and…" Alaska muttered before reaching into the bag she'd had with her all week, pulling out a wrapped object and shoved it at Pennsylvania before running past the girl. Penn just huffed as she watched Alaska run off. Grumbling, Pennsylvania stomped down the hall to her room, throwing herself onto the bed and tossing the package onto her nightstand.
The next day Pennsylvania woke up to a pounding on her door. The girl got up and checked her alarm clock. She glared at the device before going to answer the door. Virginia greeted her with a slap to the face.
"Fuck! What was that for?" Pennsylvania shouted.
"Alaska's not her, and I'd bet it's your fault." The girl said simply
"She just packed up and went home last night." Pennsylvania explained
"And you didn't stop her?" Virginia asked
"Why is it my job to stop her?" Pennsylvania yelled, "She's a big girl now! Hell she was probably a "big girl" sooner than we were with Russia as a father!"
"Fine." Virginia sighed before walking away from Pennsylvania who slammed the door and turned back to her bed. She noticed the wrapped mass on her nightstand and snatched it up. Pennsylvania tore open the wrapping and gaped. She had been given a knitted dark blue scarf, hand knitted by the looks of it, with random golden points until she reached the end, where those golden points formed a recreation of Alaska's flag.
And did Pennsylvania feel like an asshole. Because there wasn't a doubt in her mind that Alaska herself had knit this for her. Giving some one a scarf must be some important thing to Russians. Pennsylvania thought as she internally beat herself for her actions. She knew that Ukraine had given Russia his scarf, and Russia had given a scarf to both Canada and Alaska, and now Alaska had given her a scarf, not only that, but a scarf of her flag.
Pennsylvania ran to her computer and logged onto American Airlines' website to change her flight's destination from Philadelphia to Juneau. Of course…that flight change gave her about thirty minutes to pack and get on the plane.
To state it simply, Pennsylvania rarely moved so fast just to get on a plane.
And she almost didn't make it to the Airport in time, but once on the plane Pennsylvania pulled the scarf out of her carry on and wrapped it around her neck carefully, burrowing her nose in the fabric. She drifted into an uneasy sleep for the hour long flight from Olympia, where the meeting was held this year, to Juneau.
She was jolted awake when the flight landed but quickly got over her drowsiness in favor of rushing through airport security as quickly as she could, calling a cab when she was through. However, no matter how many minutes she saved in her rush through security, the slow cabbie was going to use them up and more. Penn was anxious to reach Alaska's house, even if the girl wasn't actually expecting anyone. When the cabbie finally made it to Alaska's address, Penn threw a bill at the man, and ran out of the car, not waiting for the change or to see if it was the right amount.
When Penn reached the house she looked into the window to see if she could get sight of the girl and prepare for any damage she'd done, but the girl wasn't in the front room. So Penn let herself into the house, as was her custom with Alaska, and walked towards Alaska's room. When she was just outside the door she heard sobs and broken conversation, in Russian she assumed. Suddenly there was a word barked and not a minute later, the bedroom door was jerked open. Alaska, once again, stood in front of Pennsylvania in the door way to her room.
"Pancakes I assume." Alaska muttered after giving the girl's form a once over, probably to check for injuries, before running to her kitchen.
"I'm such an ass." Pennsylvania muttered.
"Da, you are." Alaska's dog, Kolov, stated from the girl's bed before Penn was hit with something soft. She grabbed it and looked at it. It was a dark blue, hand knit blanket. Looking closer she saw a crest, a familiar crest, though it's details were vague, Pennsylvania recognized it. It would be embarrassing if she couldn't, as it was her crest.
Penn really wanted to hit herself. That desire must have shown on her face, as moments later, Kolov's teeth were in her leg.
"Ow!" Penn yelled, jerking her leg out of Kolov's mouth. The dog just huffed and walked away. Penn sunk to the floor, leaning against the wall so she could easily bang her head against the hard surface. She looked at the scarf that she had taken from around her neck when she entered the house.
Penn sighed and wrapped the scarf around her neck and picked up the blanket, heading to the kitchen. Penn didn't try to mask her steps, quite the opposite. Now she wasn't stomping, but she was making sure to step on any and every squeaky board in Alaska's admittedly large kitchen. But Alaska pretended she didn't hear Penn instead choosing to concentrate on the batter in the pan. Penn walked up behind Alaska and draped the blanket over the other girl's shoulders.
"I didn't know you knit." Penn said simply
"Aunt Katenka taught me…" Alaska murmured, "She thought it was a good skill to know for some one who lives in…" she trailed off with a sniffle
"Hmm, then why didn't you tell me on Monday?" Penn asked
"I…I wanted to surprise you." Alaska stated, "I had plans that would have been much better than…what happened…but you were getting along so well with Virginia…I thought you'd made plans with her for Sunday…and I didn't want to intrude."
"I was talking to her so I wouldn't run out of the room." Penn said, "because with how much you were concentrating on 'texting Romano' I was ready to find someone to beat." Penn reached past Alaska to turn off the stove. Penn gripped Alaska's shoulders and turned her around so she could stare into the girl's violet eyes. Eyes that were avoiding her. Penn sighed and placed a hand on the other girl's cheek, causing those eyes to dart over to hers. Penn's breath hitched at the hope in those eyes. Penn hoped herself, hoped that she was reading the room right as she leaned down and pressed her lips against Alaska's in a chaste kiss. A kiss Alaska easily took control of as she pressed back, licking Penn's bottom lip, asking for entrance. She gladly gave it the girl. Penn stopped breathing at the feel of Alaska's tongue against hers as it mapped out her mouth. Penn was reluctant to pull away, but her lungs were screaming at her.
"Did…you learn from…your brother?" Penn asked
"Kissing?" Alaska chuckled, "No. That was instinct." Alaska smirked at Penn and grabbed her hand, "But I can show you what Quebec did teach me if you want."