Branch angst one-shots

The sick and stressed

Third person

Branch lay in bed, sniffling. John Dory knocked on his door, "Need anything, bro?" Branch coughed and grabbed a tissue, blowing his nose before answering. "Some more medicine would be great," Branch said, his nose still stuffed. JD opened the door and pointed to Branches bathroom door, "In this bathroom?" Branch nodded slightly, still weak.

JD walked toward the bathroom door and grabbed the handle. Once he was in the bathroom he opened the medicine cabinet. "Tylenol? Or something stronger?" John Dory asked. "Stronger," Branch said, holding his head. JD reached for the ibuprofen and a cup. He first filled the cup with water, then shook out 2 ibuprofen capsules.

John Dory took both the cup and capsules over to Branch's side table. He set them down and asked, "Need any help getting up? Does your head hurt?"
"I'm sick, not 85." Branch responded lifting himself up from his laying position. Branch held out his hands for both the cup and pills.

John Dory set them both in Branch's hands, separately. Branch swallowed one at a time, utilizing the water each time.

Floyd peeked his head into the door frame, "Everyone ok in here?" Floyd then passed the threshold into Branch's room. "I think Clay is coming down with something too. He's been coughing all day and almost choked on his breakfast because of it."

JD looked over at Floyd with a confused look,"How could Clay have gotten the bug? It not like they've been hanging out all that recently." Branch sunk back into bed and under the covers. JD and Floyd looked over at him, "OK, in my defense he looked sad and wouldn't stop prodding..."

Floyd sighed, "It's fine, I think Clay only got the cough. I'll get him cough drops, be back." Floyd said, leaving the door frame. Branch held his head once again." Your head still hurts?" JD asked. Branch nodded,"I know it's going to take time for the medicine to kick in but my head really hurts."

"Should I turn off the lights, B?" John Dory asked. "And turn on the fan, thanks." John Dory walked over to the light and pulled the string to turn the fan on. He then walked toward the light switch and flipped it off. After getting to the door, JD opened it and looked back at Branch, "Water?" Then Branch nodded and kicked the blanket off of himself. It was soft but he was much too hot. Then JD left, closing the door on his way out.

Branch held his head once again. He was meant to be over at Poppy's, helping her scrapbook at 6 and helping Guy Diamond after that. Then he would have been helping Poppy and the bergens. He felt hopeless. His head was pounding, not only due to his sickness, but he was extremely stressed about everything.

In 20 minutes he would have been taking inventory. Being sick shouldn't have stopped that.

Branch began to get up before the door opened. "Branch, what are you doing?" Bruce said, holding a cup of water. "Bathroom." Bruce nodded. "Floyd needed help with Clay so John Dory asked me to bring you some water." Branch nodded and put his hand out for the water. Bruce walked over to him but stopped halfway.

"Are you...ok? I mean, I know you're not physically ok but you seem stressed. What is it?" Branch looked away awkwardly."It's nothing. I guess this pounding headache is stressing me out though." Bruce nodded and continued to hand Branch the water."I hope so."

Branch nodded and gulped down half the water almost instantly."Must have been dehydrated too, huh?" Bruce asked. Branch shrugged and set the cup down on his bedside table. Bruce went to the door and opened it. Before leaving, Bruce turned to Branch and smiled warmly. Then he closed the door.

Branch slowly got out of bed, nearly struggling to think due to his, now, migraine. The medicine should have kicked in by now, what was wrong? He didn't have time, nor the best thinking power to question it.