For This You Were Born

P2 C5: The Dream

Chapter 5: The Dream
Summary:
Branch spends his first morning at the village. Maybe he makes a friend.
(pst does anyone know what best friends means?)

Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Branch kind of panicked a little when he woke up to a faceful of curly light green hair.

But instead of shoving himself away quickly like his instincts tried to tell him, he froze, not moving a muscle or letting out a breath for a long moment. Pause, assess the danger, identify the threat and determine the best course of action quickly. JD's words ran through his brain as Branch tried to figure out where he was.

It took a good minute and a half for his brain to catch up and the memories of the day prior to come to the forefront. They had found their family. They found the trolls. They had found Spruce and Clay and Floyd. They were home. The whole concept was insane to Branch. Things were going to be so different, more than he could ever had imagined. And he had imagined a lot.

Clay and Floyd were curled around him, Branch sandwiched in between. It was a strange sensation. They were so different from JD. Not bad, just different. Something he would have to get used to. He wondered what was going to happen now. It was hard to imagine.

It took Branch almost ten minutes to detangle himself without waking anyone up. JD was a light and very sensitive sleeper so Branch had learned to be extra quiet, careful and gentle. Floyd had shifted closer to Clay, probably reacting to the sudden lack of warmth. Branch looked over and saw JD, practically engulfed in Spruce's massive hair. Branch could hardly recall the last time JD looked like he slept so well.

Branch glanced out the window. Huh, the sun was already up. JD must have been in pretty deep sleep if he was not awake and missing the sunrise. Or maybe he really was just that tired. Either way, Branch picked his way out and over to the door and carefully let himself out.

The breeze coming off the lake was cool and delightful, washing over his face and chasing away remnants of sleep. The mist over the lake was fading rapidly and the sun was almost high in the sky. It was so different from the city and he loved it. This made sense. This was home.

He made his way over the grass and to the beach where the waves lapped gently at his feet. He let out a light giggle as the water rushed over his toes. He wiggled them, experimentally. It felt so nice.

Brandy told him she could teach him to swim. Branch wasn't so sure about the concept. Water was just as scary as other things. It was dark down there, underneath. He didn't like the dark. And he couldn't keep his eyes open underwater. He couldn't breathe down there. That didn't seem like such a good idea.

He liked the feel of it on his feet but he wasn't sure if he liked it enough to dare venture deeper. Swimming itself sounded scary, even if the water was beautiful and blue and it looked so nice. He looked down at it, little white crests started to form around his ankles. In the shallow areas, he could see the sand and rocks underneath the waves. He stared, trying to see individual rocks.

Wait... what was...

He reached out, his hand getting wet as he picked something kind of large from the sand. At first he thought it was some kind of decorative rock but he felt as if he held it too tight, it would crack. There was a hole in the side and it was formed like a spiral.

"OH! Nice shell!"

Branch leapt out of the water, falling back into the sand and dropping the item next to him.

"Oh no! Are you okay?" The voice was female and worry started to coat her tone. He felt disoriented for a moment and his vision tried to adjust. "I didn't mean to scare you!"