Chapter Text
Branch is still a young trolling - only a few months from hatching and he still needs lots of guidance and advice in his day to day activities.
But he knows enough that JD was probably better off leaving him with Gramma when they left. In the semi-safe area of the Troll Tree, rather than holding him close and trying desperately to balance being a responsible older brother and the adventurer he desperately wants to be.
But whenever Branch thinks that - JD wraps him up in a hug and patiently explains whatever’s caught Branch’s interest (there’s only so many times you can explain that that is still a tree just at a different shade and/or height and/or angle before something tired shines through).Or gives him kisses goodnight and wipes his scrapes and pretends to be the tickle bug when Branch is sad - it fills him with such indescribable happiness-love-gratefulness that Branch just bursts into happy tears.
He’s still trying to find his words to describe it and JD is still patiently waiting for them, even after all these weeks? Months? Branch doesn’t know!
Branch makes his way to JD who is sitting by the fire, trying his hardest to draw. Branch thinks his stick people look good - better than the ones before. But that isn’t what he wants to say right now. “JD?” He asks and crawls onto JD’s lap, forcing JD away from the sketchpad. Once Branch has his attention, he asks, “How long have we been gone for?”
“Uh, ‘bout a month Bitty B,” Branch tries really hard to process it in his brain but he’s not quite there yet and JD can see that and says, “One mouth is about three weeks baby.”
Branch’s eyes light up with understanding and he slowly holds up a hand in front of him and works through the fingers one-two-three and puts his thumb down. He holds his hand up to JD proudly, “Look three!”
JD gasps, “Oh my goodness it is.” Then he grins mischievously, “I wonder if I could have three bites of Branch?”
Branch gasps and takes his hand away, giggling uproariously, “No! You can’t eat Branch! You need to eat dinner!”
JD groans, “But you looked so tasty Bitty B,” JD softened his face up to use puppy dog eyes and asked teasingly, “Not even a little nibble?”
Branch giggled more as JD ticked his sides, trying to bring him closer for a pretend bite as Branch shrieked in delight, jumping away and shaking his head, shouting, “I’m gonna get Scruffie!”
“Oh no! Scruffie is scary,” JD gasps again and watches Branch run off to the side and quickly find the stuffie sitting on top of their things in the bag, grabbing it and bring it back to sit next to JD, who exaggerated his worry, and faux whispered to Branch, “Will Scruffie let me get a bowl?”
Branch thinks about it, “No.”
He makes Scruffie lunge (just moves the teddy closer and back again basically) at JD who shrieks and moves his hands under his armpits and it makes Branch laugh.
“Scruffie, please!” JD pleads, “I need my hands to get dressed,” then he looks at Branch unsubtly and whispers, “And maybe eat Branch.”
Branch laughs and makes Scruffie roar at JD because Branch is not food - but JD pouts and sniffles lightly, “But I’m hungry. If I can’t have a bowl I’m gonna have to eat Branch.”
Branch turns Scruffie around to face him and they have a silent conversation and Branch nods for Scruffie, “Scruffie said you can have a bowl because Branch is not food.”
“Oh, thank you so much. I will try and remember that Branch is not food,” JD stands and Branch wiggles in place, happy as he turns Scruffie around to have more silent conversations.
JD returns with a bowl of soup and a spoon and starts eating, looking back into the fire but Branch doesn’t mind, playing with Scruffie in his lap. It takes a moment, but he recognises the feeling growing in his mouth as a yawn but he quickly hides it by putting Scruffie on his face. He chances a glance at JD who is finishing off the last of his soup and putting his bowl off to the side.
Branch smiles to himself, quietly giggling. Tonight was the night he was going to stay awake and JD wasn’t going to put him to sleep!
JD grabbed his sketchpad and started drawing again and Branch didn’t say a word because he didn’t want JD to remember to put Branch to bed!
He looked up when JD started singing, gently swaying to the silent beat, “ If I could escape. I would but, first of all, let me say - I must apologise for acting stank and treating you this way. ”
Branch let out another big yawn and kept Scruffie close to him as he listened to JD. JD’s voice naturally fell a bit deeper but as Troll’s they had an amazing vocal range and JD was currently using a higher voice, “ 'Cause I've been acting like sour milk all on the floor - It's your fault you didn't shut the refrigerator. “Maybe that's the reason - I've been acting so cold? ”
“ If I could escape - And recreate a place that's my own world - And I could be your favourite girl, ” JD sang and Branch felt his eyes drop as they settled on the fire crackling away. He scotched closer to his big brother and felt another yawn work its way out of him. He rested his head on JD’s vest and the troll moved his arm quickly and pulled his arm and vest out of the way so Branch was cuddled into his warm side. Body humming as JD sang gently, “ Perfectly together. And tell me boy now wouldn't that be sweet? If I could be sweet - I know I've been a real bad girl. ”
JD kept his eyes on his drawing, trying to draw the basic shapes of the fire, singing gently as he felt Branch give into exhaustion and slowly slump into his side, breathing deeper and deeper, “ I didn't mean for you to get hurt. We can make it better. And tell me, boy, now wouldn't that be sweet? ”