branch angst

escaped

branch's pov:

i've been counting every minute since i've woken up. in case you were wondering, it's been 124 minutes and counting.

i was up searching for sticks and rocks and leaves.. basically anything i could find, really. i don't know what i was trying to accomplish but it felt productive. so.. here i am, traveling through the woods, lost as ever, looking for anything useful.

i wonder how my brothers were. maybe they were already finding someone to replace me. bro zone isn't complete without 5 trolls after all.

ugh. i kicked a large stick in frustration, immediately regretting that decision as i stumbled over in pain.

"ow, ow, ow!"

i yelped in pain as i grasped onto my foot. this got me even angrier. so i started pounding my fists into the ground. which also hurt a lot. but i just couldn't stop!! i was so overwhelmed with anger.. and sadness.. and hurt.

i feel so weird admitting that to myself. i feel so weird realizing that i was only thinking of myself when i ran away. what about my brothers? jeez. i can only imagine how this has effected them. floyd? he's probably a total wreck right now! and it was my fault!

hah! see? theres me only thinking about myself again. i wish i could punch myself. but despite the temptation i stopped myself. not really for the reason your thinking though.

i stopped myself because i could hear a loud booming noise heading my way.

it sounded like a giant! but i couldn't quite figure out what was making such a noise because everywhere i looked wether it be up or down was trees and bushes and leaves and sticks and.. you get the point.

instinctively i ran behind a tree, cursing myself out when realizing there was a perfectly good log to hide inside. but it was too late, whatever was making that noise had reached me.

"do you hear that?" a very recognizable voice called out.

"sounds like a.. troll." you could just hear the disgust in her voice.

velvet and veneer!?

by this point i realized way too late that i was breathing out rapidly. i moved to place my hand over my mouth.

"hey! i remember you!!" velvet cried out, spotting me.

i swear my heart skipped a beat.

i know, i know, literally every character in any show you'll watch will say they were too scared to move. and believe me, i'd never believe them if it weren't for this moment.

but i was too scared to move.

velvet rolled her eyes. "what are you waiting for!? grab him!"

i took this as my queue to start running but it was too late. veneer immediately reached his hand out and grabbed my by my shirt, dangling me around like a dirty towel.

"ewww, he smells!" veneer complained while using his other hand to grab onto his nose.

"thanks." i scoffed.

"he talks!" velvet said sarcastically while eyeing me up and down.

i crossed my arms grumpily and avoided her gaze.

"awhhh! he's so cute!! can we keep him sis?" veneer practically begged.

velvet crossed her own arms. "that wouldn't be such a bad idea.. maybe we could lure the other rats too."

now she was smirking. i didn't like it when she smirked. it meant she had a plan.

veneer looked overjoyed. "omg yay!"

he admired me a bit more before stuffing me in his pocket.

"hey!" i shouted, attempting to crawl out.

veneer patted his pocket, causing me to fall back down.

they started walking away, whispering to each other. i couldn't hear a word they were saying. and honestly? i didn't want to. what i really wanted to do was sleep. so i slept.

floyd's pov:

my alarm clock went of at 6:00am. i don't usually set alarms but i had to if i ever wanted to find branch. i just wish my brothers would understand that! our brother being safe was more important than any of our well-beings right now. i wasn't going to relax until i found him. which might be a bit extreme, but i've got to do what i've got to do. right?

anyways, as soon as my alarm clock went off i jumped out of bed without hesitation. i was going to wake everyone else up wether they liked it or not.

but, to my surprise none of them were in their rooms! but instead in the kitchen, talking.

"look who finally woke up!" john dory chuckled.

"i.. how are you guys up so early?" i questioned.

clay shrugged. "couldn't sleep."

my other two brothers nodded.

WHAT.

now i felt like a horrible brother for being able to sleep. which is absolutely horrible because i knew i didn't do anything wrong.

"you were knocked out as soon as you laid down." bruce explained while taking a sip of coffee.

"i'm not even surprised. you were running around the whole forest looking for him. i almost couldn't stop you." john piped up.

i knew they were just trying to make me feel better about falling asleep... but it was working.

i gave them a smile before slumping down on the couch.

"you're not going to eat breakfast?" clay tilted his head worriedly.

i shook my head. "nah, can't waste any time."

my brothers eyed each other but didn't say anything. god i hate it when they do that. they act like i can't see them do it. i guess this was how branch felt.

"you guys ready??" i asked a little annoyed as i stood up from the couch.

"mhm." bruce groaned while drinking the rest of his coffee.

he placed the cup in the sink before following me and the rest of our brothers up the elevator.

john placed a hand on my shoulder as the elevator went up.

"we're going to find our brother."

i hate trusting people.

the end ☺️. dont mind if this chapter is kinda bad or short, i have literally no motivation rn, but the show must go on, right?