Clay swung himself home with a smile on his face. He landed on the ground, "oof—" and brushed himself off, looking toward his large home. Clay hummed to himself, "hmmh perfect perfect perfect.." he did a little dance up his driveway.
"mmhhhm." He swung open the door, The green-headed troll still sung on the way in. He usually did. All of them did. It helped them to practice their vocals every day when they weren't performing. it was also just fun.
Spruce was sitting at the counter, sipping a drink. His curious gaze turned to clay. "where've you been off to?"
"just hanging out," clay shugged, still haltering a smile on his face. He began towards the stairway, prepared to spend the rest of the evening in his room. Honestly, clay was ready for a nap.
Then John Dory walked into the kitchen, seeing that clay was about to walk up the stairs, "woooaaahh!! Not so fast!!! Where'd you go?"
"What!! Me?" Clay chuckled, realizing that.. he didn't really wanna answer the question. Would his brothers be mad? Viva didn't really have the best first impression.. "Like I said, just hanging out."
"Hanging out with who?" John tilted his head, leaning over the counter. Spruce watched his two brothers curiously. The slight commotion caused Floyd to walk in, carrying baby branch.
"Me, myself, and I." Clay grinned, thinking that the lie would be harmless. "I like me."
"He's a liar!!" Floyd pointed, "he was hanging out with girls!!!"
"Shut up Floyd. I was NOT." Clay rolled his eyes, taking a few more steps up the stairs, "now, I'm going upstairs, to do more— me stuff."
"Woah. No you're not." JD pointed towards the floor, signaling him to stay. Clay rolled his eyes, knowing he had to listen to his older brother: "you're gonna get your booty down those stairs and tell me where you were off to."
"UgGghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. If grandma was here right now she wouldn't make me explain. She would probably be happy, actually." clay groaned, stepping back down the stairs at his brother's request, "so maybe I was with a girl, so— so what?"
"He's a ladies man." Spruce clicked his fingers, "he gets it from me."
"Nuh-uh."
"Clay, you can't— you can't be—" John sighed, shoving his face in his hands, "don't you remember what happened last night??"
"Yea, I know." Clay groaned, looking towards the floor. He leaned over the counter as well. He just wanted his brothers to understand. "I'm careful."
"Yes, you were very careful last night. And you almost ended up dead." JD said sternly, trying to hammer his point into his younger brother's head. It was dangerous. And who did his brother hang out with?
"WHO WAS IT!!!!" Floyd exclaimed, grasping baby branch tighter.
".... ᵛⁱᵛᵃ"
"What?"
"IT WAS VIVA." Clay grumbled out, averting his eyes from all his brothers, who stared at him wide-eyed. He immediately felt a little embarrassed, and guilty.
"Oh my goodness." John Dory breathed into his hands, "please do not tell me you showed up at the princesses doorstep."
Clay lowered his voice, "maybe I diiiiid.. but, she let me in!!"
"Of course she did. She's the princess." John groaned, "ugghhhhhhhhhhhh now we're all probably gonna get executed."
"Hey, no." Clay affirmed, setting his hand on his brother's shoulder, "it was fiiiiiiiine. She showed me around and we talked and it was fun. You're forgetting that she saved me yesterday."
"I think that John just wants you to be careful." Spruce chuckled, looking at JD, who looked stressed out of his mind. But they all knew that John Dory was just... like that. He could be all nervous sometimes. Being a princess didnt automatically mean that viva was.. nice.
"But she is nice."
"I know but—"
"CLAY IS GONNA BE A PRIIIIIINNNCE!!!!" Floyd shouted, giggling out his words, causing an annoyed groan to escape past Clay's lips.
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"You're being silly." He ruffled his younger brother's hair. "Everything is fine. And FoR YoUr InFOrmaTIoNnNnn... I'm meeting her tomorrow as well." He smiled.
"Alright, that's fine." Spruce answered, despite an overprotective glare from John Dory. "Just be safe. And don't be out for too long. And nobackroads."
"Got it." Clay nodded, "you hear that Johnny? I'm gonna be real safe."
JD groaned, causing a giggle from baby branch, and the rest of the family.
