branch angst

grey

there was 10 more minutes until the concert started.

my stomach had this weird butterfly feeling, and my throat felt like it had a big lump in it. we've performed together before, and i get this feeling every time. but this time the feeling was a bit different. in an impending doom type of way. i knew something bad was going to happen, i just couldn't tell what it was.

i did a safety check to make sure none of the hooks or screws were loose. i looked over the entire set thoroughly but yet nothing seemed out of place.

it's probably got to be because i didn't eat this morning. yeah, that's it.

but still, i couldn't shake off the feeling that those were just another one of my excuses. something bad was going to happen and i couldn't do anything to stop it.

i checked the clock and shuddered once realizing i only had 7 more minutes to fix whatever was wrong. i looked around for the closest brother (bruce), pulling him to the side.

"i..i don't think i can do this." i said shakily. my ears were flat against my head and my eyes were open wide with fear.

bruce shook his head and gave me a small chuckle. "there's nothing to worry about b! you've done this before."

"not helping!" i said gritting my teeth together tensely.

he let out a loud sigh. "just take some deep breathes buddy, i've really got to be practicing right now."

he gave me a sorry glance over his shoulder before heading back over to my other brothers.

i would try and ask my other brother's for advice, but i was running out of time by this point.

i started pacing around tensely while holding the bridge of my nose. my whole body was shaking uneasily and i felt like puking. something bad was going to happen, and all i could do is sit and watch!

like all those years ago..

i slapped myself against the cheek quickly. no time for flashbacks! i need to think.. think..

i jumped up fearfully when john dory spoke up:

"we're on in five. get ready to show these people the perfect family harmony they've been waiting for!"

perfect family harmony? oh no. i raced over to where my brothers were immediately, but it was already too late. the fighting had already begun.

clay facepalmed, speaking tensely. "that's not what this is about, john."

"well sure it is! we did it once, why not try again?" john dory stated simply.

"clay's right j.d. let's just go out there and have fun!" floyd piped up, attempting to change the topic.

i couldn't take the fighting anymore, although i probably looked stupid, i placed my hands flat on my ears as the argument started getting more heated. all i could do was sit and watch.

sit and watch.

sit and watch..

flashback

baby branch pov:

it was the night before the big concert. the concert when i'd finally be performing!..

this night should have been filled with celebration and excitement, but instead was filled with fighting and anger.

"the perfect family harmony is too hard to pull off! no way!! we'll only end up making a fool of ourselves." bruce exclaimed at john dory, flailing his arms up in a cartoonish manner.

"we'll never know if we don't try!!" john shot back fiercely.

"guys not in front of baby branch.." floyd began while signaling towards me.

"SHUT UP!!" both j.d and bruce said in unison.

floyd fell silent and walked away, tears pricking at his eyes. it hurt my little tiny heart to see floyd walking away like that.

finally, clay jumped into the fight. "bruce is right john! we can pull it off another time. but for no-"

john dory shook his head angrily. "no, no, no! you guys aren't listening to me! we'll be the most famous boy band out there if we can pull this off!!"

i hated this. i didn't want to hear any more so i began tugging and pulling my ears down. no matter how hard i tried to block everything out i could still hear them.

"what if we don't want to be the most famous boy band? what if we, gee i don't know, wanted to just have fun?" clay retorted back.

"see? there you go again! liste-"

"STOP!!" i screamed out, pulling my ears down at the side of my face.

the whole room went silent. all eyes were on me. oops.

i didn't mean to say that at all. i guess it just slipped out.. but the fighting stopped. that's all i could ever ask for, really. i started giggling, beaming up at my brothers.

there was a mix of guilty and remorseful looks flooding each of my brother's faces.

"branch is right. let's stop all this fighting and agree on something." clay spoke up.

bruce nodded his head. "yeah.. i guess i don't mind trying out that family harmony thing."

john dory beamed with delight. "that's amazing!.. i-"

"don't get ahead of yourself john." bruce chuckled while bending over to pick me up.

clay nodded, laughing along. "if we mess this up can you promise to stop bugging us about it?"

"promise." john dory said happily.

floyd joined back into the conversation. "hug?" he asked a little shyly.

all my brothers nodded their heads and came together for a group hug.

i was so happy i was nearly crying tears of joy! i stopped my brothers from fighting! yay!!..
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branch's pov:

"STOP!!" i screamed out while still holding onto my ears.

the room went silent. just like it had before. everyone looked blankly at me, and i could feel my anxiety building up.

suddenly everyone's eyes were on me. but they were looking at something else. my.. hand..?

i looked down..

"branch!.." floyd gasped out.

my hand had turned grey. no wait! my arm too!.. then my other arm. then up my neck...

"no.. no, no, no!!" i said dramatically, trying desperately to swat at the grey colors spreading throughout my body.

but it was no use.

"you've got to stop it from spreading!! acc-" clay said rapidly before i cut him off.

"SHUT UP!!" i demanded, tears rolling down my face now.

everyone went silent.

except..

the curtains were beginning to open up, revealing the audience.

shit.

thats the end of the chapter!! i really enjoyed writing this one 😋