Chapter Text
“Goodbye forever!”
“Fine, I’m out.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“W- wait, guys!” Floyd finally finds his voice for the first time since the argument started. He’d frozen once the ordinary disagreement had turned into a full blown screaming match, each of his older brothers releasing emotions and frustrations that had been balling up for a while now.
He stares wide eyed as JD disappears out the window and Spruce and Clay head for the door. What were they doing? Where were they all going?
In a last ditch effort he rushes forward and grabs Clay’s arm before he could swing away like the oldest two already had. The brother closest in age to him spins around with a furious and exhausted glare that makes Floyd flinch, his stomach dropping with sadness and fear.
He silently pleads with his older brother. Don’t go.
Clay’s eyes soften into something like guilt, but he turns and pulls away, and with nothing but a whisper of “I’m sorry,” he leaves, just like the others.
They leave Floyd behind, without even a goodbye.
And the youngest brother is left staring after them, feeling more empty, lost, and hurt then he ever had before.
Grandma kept telling him they’d come back. “They just need some time to cool off,” she’d say with a smile that wasn’t as confident as she was trying to seem. “Soon enough they’ll realize they didn’t mean it, and they’ll come running back home begging for forgiveness. They could never abandon their family, they love each other too much for that. And they love you, Cherry.”
He wanted to believe her. He was trying to believe her. He was doing his best to wait patiently for them to come back for him.
But as days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, and not one of them showed back up, the doubts crept in.
“Goodbye forever!”
“I’m sorry.”
What if they weren’t coming back? He hadn’t been worth so much as a goodbye to any of them, how could he be worth coming back to a cage surrounded by monsters trying to eat them all the time?
Had he ever been worth anything to them at all?
Maybe, but it wasn’t enough. He wasn’t enough.
He’d only ever wanted to keep them from arguing, to keep his family together. He’d tried to fix things for them because he hated to see them hurting, but he’d failed. It hadn’t been enough.
No matter what he’d done, he’d only delayed the inevitable.
He should’ve done more. He should’ve tried harder to stop them.
But he’d just froze.
Now they had all left because of it.
He was having a hard time getting rid of these thoughts. They’d risen to the forefront and they weren’t wanting to leave. No matter how much he tried to tell himself that he knew his brothers—they wouldn’t just leave him, they just needed time, they’d come back when they were ready—the doubts always lingered. What if he was wrong?
He needed more of a distraction than Grandma’s pies and puzzles, but he didn’t feel like he had the energy to do much lately. He didn’t feel up to going to parties or hanging out with his school friends. He didn’t want to go out any more than he had to, anyways, for fear of being recognized and asked about his brothers or the band. Troll knows he already got enough nosey and pitying looks from his classmates at school.
He felt tired all the time, but he could barely sleep in his silent, empty bedroom. He was going down hill and he knew it, something would have to change sooner or later. But he didn’t feel the need to do anything about it yet.
For now, he’d just keep waiting, and wondering, and hoping for his brothers to come home soon.
Rosiepuff knocked on the door to the second bedroom in the pod and waited. When there was no noise on the other side, she called tiredly. “Floyd?”
There were some shuffling sounds through the door and she stepped back just before it opened revealing her youngest grandson looking down towards the ground. Despite his clear attempt at hiding his face, she still caught a glimpse of his wet cheeks through his magenta bangs.
She pressed her mouth into a sad frown. “Can I come in?”
Floyd hesitated a moment, but then nodded, reaching up and wiping his face with his arm. He stepped aside and Rosiepuff walked into the dark bedroom and right over to his lower bunk.
She sat down on the edge, and then patted the spot next to her when she saw him staring. She smiled softly, a silent invitation.
He looked down again and shifted on his feet for a moment, then slowly walked over and sat down beside her.
After waiting for a second to see if he’d say anything first, Rosiepuff spoke up softly. “What happened, Blossom?”
Floyd sniffed and wiped his eyes again. “J- just a nightmare. I’m sorry I woke you.”
Rosiepuff shook her head. “I was already up, baby. Would you like to talk about it?”
Floyd kept his eyes down, hands fidgeting. He seemed to be contemplating this, so Rosiepuff stayed quiet and let him think.
Eventually he seemed to come to a decision though, as he took in a breath and looked up at her with both hesitation and determination rimming his irritated violet eyes.
“Do…” he lost his nerves, eyes falling back down. “Do you think it was my fault?”
Rosiepuff blinked. “Was what your fault?”
Floyd went back to fidgeting with his hands, the answer coming out a whisper. “The others leaving.”
Rosiepuff’s heart dropped. “Floyd, dear, of course not—“ she held his cheeks in her hands and tipped his face up to look at her, “—why would that be your fault?”
There were fresh tears in his eyes, and he pulled back to wipe them away. “I- I should’ve done more to help them. I should’ve gotten them to stop, but I-“
He was cut off by a sob, and she reached forward to pull him close. “Oh, Floyd.” She ran her hands through his soft red hair as he cried, heart heavy. He’d been hurting so much ever since his brothers left, that much had been obvious. But to hear exactly what he’d been thinking brought on a new kind of pain in her and anger at her older grandsons.
“That was never your responsibility,” she whispered once his sobs had quieted a bit. “They should’ve been able to solve their own issues. I’m so sorry you have to go through this because of them.”
Her baby had such a big heart, and it didn’t deserve to be broken like this. All he’d ever tried to do was help his brothers, and this is what he got in return. It made her blood boil.
Why was the world so unfair?
Floyd was sitting in bed one day, staring down at a blank notebook. Grandma had suggested trying to write about how he’d been feeling lately in the form of a poem or song lyrics. He didn’t think it was a terrible idea, especially since he wanted to write his own songs one day, so he’d need to practice. Besides, it was something to do.
The only problem was he had absolutely no idea how to write song lyrics. He’d never realized how hard it was to come up with music yourself. He’d even read over some of the songs in JD’s notebooks, but he just didn’t understand how his oldest brother found the perfect words to rhyme or got it to match to the beat or found a tune that worked.
He wished he was here so he could ask.
His shoulders slumped and he let out a heavy sigh, dropping the notebook and pen in front of him and leaning back. This was pointless.
Why did everything he do have to remind him of them, the band, everything that had happened? Why couldn't he just move on?
He looked up at his bedroom door when he heard a loud noise, and then a shout. He blinked at it for a moment, then grunted and started to get up, figuring he probably needed to go check on what that was.
He started hearing yelling before he’d even reached the door. That sounded like Grandma. Who was she yelling at?
When he opened it, the yelling became clear.
“How many times are you going to keep doing this to me, Orchid? How many times!? I can’t keep doing this on my own! I’m getting old, and you don’t even have any idea what’s been going on over here these last few months—going on with your children!”
Floyd’s whole body tensed then with sudden clarity. He knew who this was, despite not actually knowing her. Their mother, Orchid, hadn’t shown her face here since she dropped off his egg eleven years ago after all.
So why was she here now?
“I know, Mom, I’m sorry.” Her voice was quieter than Grandma’s, tired sounding. Floyd quietly eased towards the staircase. “But you and I both know I can’t take care of it.”
“You could still be involved,” Grandma gritted out. “You could come visit, help out financially, do anything more than you have been.”
Floyd tip-toed down the stairs just enough to see Grandma and the other woman, and he had to hold himself back from gasping when he did. If he hadn’t already figured out who she was, he probably would have once he saw her.
She had the pale blue skin and purple nose that he and all his brothers shared, and deep midnight blue hair as well as John Dory’s bright blue eyes. None of this was what caught him by surprise though, no, what did was the small blue and brown spotted egg in her arms.
The woman opened her mouth to speak again, looking frustrated, but then she stopped and closed it, shaking her head. “I can’t. I know I shouldn’t be dumping all of this on you but I just… can’t.”
There was a long moment of silence as Grandma stared at her daughter with a disappointed glare, arms crossed.
Eventually Orchid sighed heavily and held the egg out. “I promise, this is the last one. For real this time. I’m done with this too.”
Grandma eyed her and then the egg a couple of times.
Orchid’s face twisted, but when she spoke her voice sounded dull, hollow. “If you don’t take it I can’t promise anything.”
Grandma’s eyes narrowed and she finally reached for the egg and took it. “Get out of my house.”
Orchid spun on her heel and started towards the door, but before she reached it she looked up and spotted Floyd. She paused, and Floyd froze.
They kept eye contact for a good minute, Floyd’s eyes wide and nervous, Orchid’s unnervingly blank.
“Orchid.” Grandma’s tone was precariously sharp.
His mother blinked at him one more time before walking to the front door and disapearing in one swift motion, probably never to be seen again. For a second it reminded him of his how fast his brothers left.
It took him several seconds before comprehension dawned, and he hurried down the rest of the stairs and over to Grandma and the egg.
He stopped a few feet away from her and stared at it in her arms, hesitant. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do, he knew eggs were fragile, he didn’t want to risk hurting them. But at the same time this was a new egg! He would have a new brother or sister hatch out of that thing and he so badly wanted to hold it.
Grandma looked at him as he bounced silently up and down on his feet, and she smiled. “Do you want to hold it?”
He looked up at her. “Can I?”
“As long as your careful.”
With an excited nod he stepped closer and she gently handed it to him. As soon as it was in his arms he was amazed at how he could feel it. It’s heartbeat, like a little melody.
“I guess we’re gonna have to take care of this little one now, you and me.” His Grandma smiled at him warmly. “You think you can help me with that?”
He grinned wide and nodded eagerly, all thought of his mother or brothers gone from his mind, replaced with an excitement and joy he hadn’t felt in months. He couldn’t wait to meet his new younger sibling, he was going to take amazing care of them and be the greatest big brother ever.
And he’d never, ever leave them.
Floyd was determined to do his very best in caring for the egg. He couldn’t carry it in his hair, he was too small for that, so that was Grandma’s job. But he could do the rest of it.
He set up a little nest of blankets in his bedroom for when Grandma needed a break—he made it extra soft and warm, using all of the blankets from his brothers’ beds. He’d also read to it, tell it stories, and just talk to it about anything and everything anytime it was around. The little one needed some entertainment after all.
Whenever the egg wasn’t in his Grandma’s hair, it was right by his side. He never wanted his younger sibling to be alone. He was always extra careful when carrying it around though, he’d be devastated if he accidentally hurt them.
He also decided to start helping take care of the house and Grandma more when he realized just how much energy it was taking out of her to carry the little one. He knew eggs needed a lot of energy from their caretaker to grow and eventually hatch, and his Grandma’s was limited.
So he asked her to show him how to cook some basic meals, wash the dishes, and help with the laundry at the river. He’d never learned how, since his older brothers would always help with those chores before.
He’d started going out more with Grandma and the egg too when she’d run errands to the market or to pick berries.
He was feeling a lot better now that he was keeping busy. He felt like he had a purpose now, a job to do, and that kept him going.
Don’t get him wrong, he still missed his brothers to death. He still wondered about them all the time—where they were, if they were ok, why they would leave, if it was his fault, if they’d come back. On really bad days he could get completely absorbed in these thoughts.
But now he had another sibling, one that he was responsible for. He was supposed to take care of them, and he was determined to do a great job. He was going to be an amazing older brother. He couldn’t wallow in his misery all the time anymore, he just had to keep moving forward and hope that they’d come back soon to meet the new member of the family.
Rosiepuff stood over the stove humming softly as she heated some soup for her and Floyd. She heard some soft talking behind her and glanced back into the main room to see Floyd on the couch with the egg in his lap, reading a book to it.
She smiled. Honestly, as frustrated as she was with her daughter for abandoning her children, that egg couldn’t have come at a better time.
Floyd loved it with all his heart, and he needed something to love. He’d been having such a hard time since the others left. She’d tried her best to reassure him, but the truth was she didn’t know if his brothers were coming back, or when.
She sighed softly as she continued to stir the soup. The poor kid had been suffering because of a stupid decision his older brothers made. It frustrated her to no end.
But at least now he had the egg. He had something to distract himself, to keep busy. She knew Floyd would make an amazing big brother; he was so excited too, it was just adorable.
The others might take a while to come around. But when they do, they’d have a surprise to come back to, and whatever they miss out on in the meantime will be their own fault.
It was a few weeks after Floyd’s mother dropped off the egg that another visitor came by, one that was much more welcome.
“Helloo!” A cheerful voice echoed from the entrance. “Anyone home? I brought cupcakes!”
Floyd immediately bounded down the stairs with a grin. “Viva!”
He flung himself into her open arms just as she set down the basket of cupcakes and laughed. “Hey, Flo. How’s it going?”
He grimaced slightly at the nickname but smoothed it out fast. She was the only one allowed to call him that outside of his older brothers.
He pulled away and smiled up at her. “Good.”
He’d always really liked Viva, she felt like what having a big sister would be like. She’d been Clay’s best friend since they were little, so she was always really close to the whole family. It didn’t surprise him that she found out pretty fast after his brothers left. She’d been coming to visit him and his Grandma regularly since then.
She grinned back, picking the basket back up. “Good! Sorry I haven't come by in a bit, I got caught up with all my new duties hosting parties as Official Princess.”
He nodded, starting to bounce on his feet. “It’s ok.”
“So where’s your Grandma? She home?” She asked, setting the basket on the counter and glancing around like she’d just pop out somewhere.
“In the garden,” Floyd responded, watching as the Princess grabbed one of the treats and took a bite.
He’d switched to shifting back and forth on his feet by the time she turned back to him. She took one look and rested a hand on her hip with an amused smirk. “Alright, what is it? You obviously want to say something.”
He grinned. “You won’t believe what happened since the last time you came. I’m so excited, it’s supposed to hatch any day now!”
Viva’s eyes went wide, crumbs flying out her mouth as she coughed. “Huh?”
Floyd just giggled. “Come on, I’ll show you.” He gestured to the stairs and raced up.
After a moment of shocked pause, Viva took another bite of her cupcake and followed after.
“Hurry up!” He called as he disappeared into the bedroom.
She smiled as she reached the top of the stairs. “I’m coming, I’m coming.” She put the rest of her cupcake in her mouth, wondering what had made the kid so ecstatic. The last time she’d come by he’d still been pretty down about what happened with his brothers.
When she reached the bedroom it suddenly became abundantly clear though. She froze in the doorway, nearly choking at the sight of the nest of blankets in the floor amidst the two bunk beds, and the spotted egg coddled up inside.
She swallowed and stared at it, eyes wide as saucers.
It only took her about three seconds though to snap out of it and crouch down, stars in her eyes. “Oh my goodness! I can’t believe this, this is so fantastic! And amazing! Floyd!” She spun to him and wrapped her arms around him. “You're gonna be a big brother! This is so great!”
He grinned wide and hugged her back. She didn’t ask where the egg came from; he was grateful.
Floyd was sitting on the couch one evening with the egg beside him, his Grandma in the kitchen cooking. He had a picture book in his lap open, and was showing it to the little one. He was fully aware that the trolling inside couldn’t actually see the images, but he was tired of stories and he felt it couldn’t hurt to tell him or her about the scenes.
He flipped the page and smiled at an image of all his older brothers in snow clothes at the white base of the tree. They were all much younger, younger than him. John Dory held Clay on his shoulders, messy bright green hair flopping everywhere under his brother’s too-large hat. Clay couldn’t have been older than five. Spruce stood next to them, holding a heavily bundled up pink striped egg in his arms.
“I remember this,” Floyd said. “Well, I don’t, for obvious reasons. I was only an egg, just like you. But I remember them telling me about it. It was my first snow I’m pretty sure, and they were so set on me coming out to see it that they wrapped me up like a marshmallow so I wouldn’t freeze and snuck out with me. Grandma got really upset,” he giggled.
He looked to the next page and his smile fell a bit at the sight of little Clay making silly faces at a baby version of himself. He stared at it silently for a moment.
Clay had used to love making others laugh, especially his younger brother when he was sad. Floyd had always admired how effortlessly happy he’d always seemed, and how that seemed to spread to everyone around him.
He was snapped back to attention by the distinctive sound of a crack. He whipped his head to the egg and stared at it, but it didn’t move.
He was about to turn it around to check it when it twitched, making Floyd jump. Then he watched wide-eyed as it twitched again, and he gasped, setting the book aside. “Grandma?”
“Yes, dear?”
“I think—“ the egg twitched again and this time a large crack appeared, “—the egg! It’s- it’s happening! It’s hatching!”
She was already rushing over before he’d even finished, and in an instant she was sitting on the couch beside him, gently setting the egg in her lap as it twitched and cracked again. Floyd scooted closer, and they both watched and waited with bated breaths.
Finally, once the egg seemed cracked enough, a leg popped out one side. Floyd couldn’t help it, he gasped. Another leg popped out and he gasped again. Finally the entire egg burst apart and Floyd covered his mouth, eyes wide.
The trolling had the same light blue skin that all his brothers did, if a bit more green, and deep indigo hair.
The bright blue eyes blinked and looked from Grandma over to Floyd. Then the little one smiled wide and giggled, an adorable thing.
Floyd’s heart melted, and then the waterworks hit.
Grandma looked over and smiled. “Meet your new baby brother, Floyd.”
He sniffed as he watched the little baby through tears, then he leaned closer and smiled. “Hi, I’m your big brother. Floyd.”
The trolling blinked big wide eyes at him, then made grabby hands again. “Flo!”
Floyd blinked, pausing. He almost expected to feel upset at the sound of the familiar nickname, but he wasn’t. There was something different about the way the trolling said it, it wasn’t teasing or fond, it just was. Like that was simply his name.
He grinned, finding he didn’t mind it from his new baby brother. “Yeah, Flo.”
Grandma chuckled. “So, any name ideas?”
He looked up at her, then furrowed his eyebrows in thought, wiping the tears away. He’d thought of a couple ideas while waiting for the egg to hatch, but looking at his little brother now, none of them quite fit.
John Dory had been named after their grandfather, Spruce after the wood the tree was made of, Clay after a malleable substance, and Floyd after an old friend.
He looked down at the little boy still in Grandma’s lap, smiling and glancing around his new surroundings curiously. Then Floyd glanced out the pod entrance into the night, at the tree that had been both a home and a cage for the Trolls for generations. At the Branches that held up their pods, sturdy and strong.
The same branches his brothers had disappeared into that night.
He turned to his Grandma. “What about Branch?”
She looked at him a little curiously. “Branch?”
“Like the Branches of the tree. His egg also had brown spots on it.”
She looked up in thought for a moment, then smiled. “I like it. Branch.”
They both looked down at the new addition to the family with smiles, and little Baby Branch giggled up at them.
“Welcome to the family, Branch. You're gonna love it here,” Floyd promised with a grin.
He loved his new little brother already. He loved his name, his colors, his laugh, everything about him. He was so, so happy right now.
And yet he was sad, too, because his brothers hadn’t been here for this. This was the first birth since his own and they hadn’t been here to enjoy it with him. None of them had come back in time.
He hoped they would soon. Branch deserved to have all his brothers.
Until then though, he’d at least always have him. Floyd promised himself that; he’d always be there for his younger brother.