Pool Side

Gov watches his family have fun at the pool, glad there are no injuries — this time, at least.

Idea from @fl0w3rg0at! Thank you, Lovely!

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The Statehouse is massive, that much is known. Not as large or as strange as The Jones Residence, but massive and strange in its own right.

The properties expand for miles, more than enough space for everyone to have their own thing, their own hobbies, without encroaching on others’ space.

Sometimes there are disagreements on times and places, usually solved within a few hours, but there is one thing they never disagree on.

The pool on the back patio.

Absolutely massive, large enough for all of them times three, with plenty of deck chairs and grills and tables to satisfy all of them and more.

It’s a beautiful day, not too hot nor too cold, the perfect temperature for them all to be happy with it; spending the afternoon and evening by the pool.

Some spend most of the time actually in the water, others amongst the grills and tables.

Gov reclined on a deck chair, in buckled sandals– often called his ‘Dad Shoes’, but little Kayleigh had been teaching Paisley to paint nails, so Gov was going to show off their work (he was more than happy to be their test subject, and they did great [do not say anything to the contrary]) – and deep blue, knee-length swim trunks with a black waistband. A white, thin, short sleeve button down rested open over his chest, his compression top and his brace underneath it. DC, one of his eldest children- Daniel-, passed out asleep in the chair next to him, in cargo shorts and a similar shirt with far too many colors for Gov’s eyes. The boy’s crutch settled on the deck table between them. He’s been healing well, after waking up from his comatose state but a few months ago.

Sunglasses rest firmly on Gov’s nose, eyes too sensitive to the bright daylight as he watches his family.

Robin dives and glides through the water like she was meant to be there, dressed in a baby blue two-piece with a white, sheer wrap-skirt that ends a bit above her knees. Popping up every once in a while to splash lightly at the children– and even her own fathers, Massachusetts immediately diving into the water to enact his revenge.

Some of the cities were there, Nicki being all too willing to let his little sister climb his shoulders to avoid their father, while Grayson and Phillip - Philadelphia- gleefully charge at Mass through the water.

There’s yelling and laughter as more of the swimmers join in on the fight.

But Robin is a stone-cold woman, and it’s with that grin he knows and loves– not the same one she wore when dealing with… certain people but one she wore when being an Annoyance On Purpose, very similar but not the same, closer to the she wore when she was being Feral On Purpose– she wraps herself around Nicki’s torso and lets her weight fall back.

The city yells out in betrayal, but is cut off the moment they breach the water, Robin unwinding herself and darting off under the reflective surface.

“YOU LITTLE SHIT–!” Nicki gasps as he burts back up into the air, water dripping down his face as he pushes his hair back. “GET BACK HERE–!”

Ivan stands closer to the edge of the pool, and Robin would never betray her baby the way she would her siblings or parents. The largest State, and the largest of them there, aids his mother by standing in front of her.

“ROBIN!-”

“You touch mah baby boy, Nicki, and Imma turn yer knee caps intah chowdah!” she points threateningly at the City, who scowls at her. She’s grinning, still, looking around Ivan straight at her brother.

“Get ovah here and fight me, coward!”

“I’ll give ya a right scrap, ya mutt–!”

Gov snorts as Robin dives into Nicki with a screech, sending them both back under the water and splashing several onlookers.

He snorts as more people dive into the water, devolving into splash fights and playful yelling as he watches from his seat. He watches it go on for nearly 30 minutes, enjoying the time he has to simply observe and relax.

He’s so caught up in the watching, the adoration he feels for his loved ones filling his heart completely and utterly, that he hardly notices when someone makes their way closer to him. It’s not until something– someone– presses into his side with a muffled murmur that he notices.

Ivan had climbed out of the water, likely that the amount of people had grown distressing. It’s moments like this that Gov is glad to have thought to order custom chairs, the regular deck chairs most humans buy would not have held the weight of both him and his son.

He settles, placing an arm around the boy's shoulders as Ivan buries his face into Gov’s side. It’s not uncommon for any one of his children to grow distressed or overstimulated by their environment, but Ivan had always been one with the lowest tolerance. Gov thinks it must be from the sheer isolation the lands of Alaska have, but it could simply be Ivan himself.

The splashing dies down, the yelling quiets into normal outside volume, but the jumping and dragging under water does not cease, though most grow content to simply saddle up at the pool sides or allow themselves to float among the expanse of water.

He spies Robin climbing out of the pool, grinning wide and smug at Nicki. He doesn’t entirely know what the goal of their impromptu brawl was, but it was clear she had won something.

What that something was, he had no idea, and doubted he ever would. His dear Infinity’s relationship with her siblings was different from Gov’s relationship with his own; not by much, but enough for both of them to be a bit confused by each others interactions with their family members. His relations with his parents cities, his siblings, had been morphed by how ill and weak he was when he finally became Congress. His Robin’s relations had been changed from how feral and how she unapologetically caused trouble for anyone who annoyed her– or himself, for that matter, she’s always been the protective sort.

But that was alright, they rarely needed to know; but they would always explain it to each other if asked.

He has no idea why humans divorce or leave their partners so regularly, unless it’s physically or mentally harmful. They really should learn to communicate with their partners. And their children, for that matter– though he hardly has a leg to stand on in that matter, he’s been working on it.

“You look a little lost, dear.” his wifes’ voice is amused as she stands next to his seat, hands on her hips, “Have you wandered far?”

“Not at all,” he hums, curling his arm tighter around the largest, yet one of his youngest, of his children. “Simply observing, love.”

She just hums, still amused, taking up residence in the chair on his other side, and it isn’t long before another State, either overwhelmed or simply too tired to find anywhere else– not that either of them would complain– finds their way into her lap. Sebastian had never done well with warm weather.

Or cold weather.

Or any weather different from his States usual rainy days, to be fair.

They sit for a moment— the grilling should be done soon. Then they could all eat before the sun set entirely. Gov doesn’t know how long the States and Cities would continue to party, but he, Robin, and the few Departments that could make it had to wake up early.

But for now, they watch their family enjoy themselves, almost all together for the first time in decades.

He’s…missed it. Missed being around his kids and his parents and his uncles.

Sure, they’ve been around each other near constantly— but he’s always working. He’s missed just being there, watching them all have their fun and keeping them safe.

He feels a hand rest on his arm, but he doesn’t jump. He shifts his gaze to his dear Robin, who had plucked a set of sunglasses that match his own from thin air, and he knows her eyes are curious and concerned beneath the tinted lenses. One of her eyebrows raised as she runs her other hand through Sebastian’s hair.

He can hear, can feel the silent question.

Are you okay?

He smiles back at her, and it seems to appease her, as she settles back into the cushioning of the deck chair.

Gov settled back into his own seat as well, taking a glance at the still sleeping Daniel, the boy easily grows exhausted, much like he did for a while after the Civil War— hell, even for a while during and after the Revolution.

He hums, clutching Ivan closer to himself as his gaze finally returns to the chaos in the pool and the patio surrounding it.

He hasn’t had a chance to properly relax like this in…he doesn’t remember how long. Even in the 20’s they were still working, just not on Government work. The only times he’s been completely free of work had been times he was bedridden.

…

It’s nice.

Pool Side

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