brozone - one shots! [trolls: band together]

branch x reader: under my umbrella

[human au]

it is a chill, dreary monday, one that ensures clouds of breath and foggy skies, one that sends you shivering in your cheap coat, one that chatters your teeth like the reverb of an old jack in the box. of course, you thought. it was typical that the first day of your new job should take place on a day like this.

winding your scarf tighter around your neck, you step forward in the blistering cold, despite the compelling argument from your wobbling knees. as you do so, however, a freezing sensation plods against the tip of your nose.

rain.

the splash pools in the nooks and creases of your skin before leaking down to your quivering lips. outstretching an arm, you extend your index finger to determine the severity of the downpour. a light drizzle. not ideal, but of significant manageability. you heave a sigh of relief and allow your wellington-covered feet to trod further down the hard concrete.

your luck is short-lived, as the grating voice in the back of your mind had predicted. another droplet hits your face. then another, then another; the magnitude of their splashing even transitions from a shower to an enslaught.

chucking it down.

soon, you are soaked head to toe; your hair is flat against your neck and forehead and your clothes stick to your skin like tack. of course, you thought. it is typical that you would forget your umbrella on the one day of the week that there is hammering downpour. you peel the hood of your coat off its cotton back and let it fall over your head. excess water and condensation drip in front of your eyes, the rain soaks through the top and down to your scalp, and the soft material isn't ideal for warmth in this weather, but at least it might keep you semi-dry.

in your pocket, you remember, is your phone, and so you stuff your head in and yank it out. to your relief, the screen blinks on, but to your dismay, the interference of the splashing means that it cannot distinguish your fingers from the rain, and the passcode keys dance a light-up tango, locking you out for the next twenty minutes.

great, you frown, the weather is awful, i've got no umbrella, i can't even call an uber, or like, even suki to come and pick me up. and i'm gonna be late for my first day at this new job and probably get fucking fired while i'm at it. great job, y/n! you have completely outdone yourself! this is an all time low.

and, lost in your internal ramblings, you hardly even noticed that the dribbling on your head had come to a holt. you do, however, notice the cast of shade over the atmosphere, almost as if a massive cloud took up residence directly above you. well, it isn't quite a cloud, but it's certainly a miracle.

"you all right?" asks the man standing beside you. he is tall, with a crop of brown hair, a handsome, boyish face, and an air of familiarity. "i saw you standing here in the middle of the way and figured it'd be a dick move to walk past, when i'm nice and dry." indeed, he is, his hand is snaked around a curved wooden handle that stands between the two of you. your gaze climbs up it and, lo and behold, at the top sits a large umbrella-top.

you smile, the first smile you have allowed to grace your lips all day. "hey, thanks." looking at him, you narrow your eyes. i must know this guy! you are convinced. but you can't put a finger on it, so instead you say: "i'll be out of your way in a minute. maybe just walk me to that pay phone?" you point to a stall down the stretch, he nods, and you start walking down together. his neck is craned so that he fits under the umbrella, his main priority being that you stay dry.