By the morning of the third day in the bunker, hope of any survivors reaching them was beginning to dwindle in both Branch and Guy Diamond. Long hours of sitting in silence, waiting for the knock or cry of a familiar voice, a sign that they weren't alone. That they weren't all that was left. If it weren't for the several clocks Branch kept throughout the bunker, their time in this dark limbo would've seemed like eternity.
In the kitchen/pantry, Guy Diamond sat at the table and watched as Branch rationed their breakfast out and wrote down what was used. This was one of the few things left in his life he felt control over. Making sure their food lasted as long as it needed to. He wanted to kick himself every time he remembered taking a break from resupplying to have fun, back when he still had Pop- Branch stopped, taking a moment to breathe, leaning against the table.
"You're not eating?" asked Guy Diamond, noticing Branch didn't seem to take out any donuts for himself.
"I'm not very hungry," muttered Branch. "I'm not wasting food if I don't need it right now."
"Whatever." Guy Diamond shrugged and tiredly rested his chin against his wrist. A full night of rest seemed like a distant memory. He then remarked, "You don't seem to mind wasting food on King Peppy? I'm shocked you haven't resorted to a funnel."
"Please, shut up?" asked Branch, annoyed at the insensitivity of the accusation.
"Look, all I'm saying is, you need to give the old man some space. Considering what he's lost, can you blame him?" sighed Guy Diamond.
Branch pushed away from the table. "You're the one with all the answers. How about you go in there and try snapping our King out of it before he commits suicide by starvation?"
"Absolutely not!" answered Guy Diamond, appalled by the question. However, that reaction was short lived and he continued in a quieter tone, "I've told you, I'm not going into that room."
"I know," said Branch. The part of him that wished Guy Diamond would be more helpful was overshadowed by the overbearing darkness that reminded him he was alone. A feeling much more familiar than that of companionship.
"I guess if it helps, I'll take Archer his bucket so you can go spend more time with King Peppy," offered Guy Diamond in an attempt to do something to help, but in reality was his excuse to spend time with Archer.
Branch wasn't thrilled with the idea. It helped him feel better knowing for himself that Archer was still in lockdown and not a threat to their safety. But it was a chore that he was sure even Guy Diamond could handle. So reluctantly, he agreed, "Alright, but don't untie him and don't let him out of your sight. Please?"
"I know, I know." replied Guy Diamond.
With the tray resting securely on his palm, Branch was able to use his other hand to open the door to Poppy's room. The smell of flowery incense was the first thing to greet him, followed by the dimmed glow of the lanterns. It was all he could do to mask the reminders of death.
After shutting the door behind him, Branch stopped to take a deep breath before taking the tray to King Peppy. On the floor behind the withering old Troll sat the untouched tray with last night's dinner, gone stale. Just the same as every other meal he'd brought to him.
Branch gently set down the new tray beside the old and looked up. King Peppy's eyes were closed and his body hunched forward. It seemed like he had gone to sleep and Branch didn't want to disturb him. Quietly, Branch took a moment to go around the room and check on everything. He lit a couple of new incense. Lavender scented. As well as, made sure the lanterns wouldn't go out anytime soon. All the while, giving only passing glances at the sheet that draped over his lost love. He couldn't bring himself to touch her anymore. He couldn't handle the cold.
A sudden thud broke the silence and Branch nearly jumped out of his skin. "Oh no…" he choked, seeing the source of the sound. King Peppy had collapsed onto the floor. His heart raced as he ran around the makeshift altar to get to him.
First instinct was to check for a paulse. There was still one. Then he checked for breathing. It was shallow, but still there. Thankful that King Peppy was still alive, Branch used every bit of his strength to pull him up from the floor so that he was now sitting upright. Leaning against the beam.
"King Peppy, can you hear me?" he asked.
No answer.
"King Peppy?... King Peppy?!" he pleaded.
With a deep hoarse cough, King Peppy's eyes slowly opened and looked at Branch. Peppy was awake, but the distant, glassy appearance in his gaze was the telltale sign of just how far he'd let himself slip away.
Branch knew this look, he'd seen it before in the eyes of a dying animal. At this rate, it wouldn't be much longer. Another day if he were to be generous. Nothing could stop the immediate tears that ran down his cheeks at the realization. Then, as he helped Peppy back up onto the stool, his fears came full circle as he watched his king go back to the same trance-like state he'd been in before.
"Oh God…" cried Branch, falling to his knees. It was too much and he couldn't hold back as he wept into his hands. "I can't lose you too. Not like this… We need you King Peppy! We can't… I can't… Please? You're all that's left of her… I can't do this on my own…"
A gentle touch on Branch's shoulder had him quickly look up to see King Peppy looking back. Orange and magenta hues replaced the black and gray. His color was returning and his eyes once again were warm with life.
"I'm here…" he spoke.
"King Peppy?" muttered Branch, rubbing his eyes. "I thought you were…"
"I am…," he answered back with a weak nod. "I need-"
Acting quickly, despite the shaking, Branch got to his feet, "What do you need? Water, a blanket? I'll get you anything. I won't let you die."
King Peppy watched Branch with growing admiration. Without needing to say a word, Branch had already run over to the closet and was bringing him back a small throw blanket. There was no doubt in his mind that Branch was a good man.
"If this one isn't warm enough, I could go-"
"I understand why she loved you." said King Peppy, suddenly.
Branch was hit so hard by the unexpected statement that he accidentally dropped the blanket on the floor. Quickly, he picked it back up.
"You loved her too, didn't you?" Peppy then asked.
Clutching the blanket against his chest, Branch's heart dropped. Openly sharing his feelings was never easy, but King Peppy was right. "I still do." he answered.
"I may not know you as well as Poppy did, but I've seen and heard enough to know you're not like the others. Whenever something went wrong, you didn't run, you faced it. Whenever there was a problem, you looked for a solution. You've shown more than your fair share of compassion for our village over the years, and what gets to me…" Peppy rested his hand over his heart. "You did it with nothing to gain, except the safety and happiness of everyone. You owe nothing, but you give everything."
Branch was at a complete loss for words. Not even Poppy had ever said anything so kind and direct to him. Then he noticed King Peppy attempting to stand up and he instinctively set down the blanket to take his arm and help him. "You're still weak, you don't have to get up," he said in a gentle tone.
"I do if I want to hug you," said King Peppy just before surprising Branch with a warm embrace. "I wish I could've called you my son-in-law, but I'll settle for just calling you my son."
Branch wouldn't have been surprised if his heart burst from the influx of emotions that overwhelmed him. King Peppy understood him, cared about him, wanted to call him son. His body glowed as the gray retreated and his natural blues came back to him. The world was still in chaos, but in this moment, he felt true love again.
As King Peppy let go, he let Branch help him sit back down again, "I'm sorry I almost gave up on you. I-"
This time Branch cut him off, "You don't have to apologize for anything." He then wrapped the throw blanket from before around Peppy and offered him the cup of juice from the breakfast tray. It was relieving to see him actually drink it. "All that matters now is that we have our King back, we'll be able to get through this," he said.
"I'm not the King." said Peppy as he handed Branch back the cup.
Confused, Branch asked, "What do you mean?"
"You are," he answered.
"Oh my god, Guy. If Branch knew some of the crap you were saying about him behind his back, he'd flip out," chuckled Archer as he inspected the contents of his daily mystery food bucket. The texture was slimy and it smelled off, but it wasn't offputting.
"I reserve my right to vent in private company," said Guy Diamond, keeping an eye on the doorway for the chance that Branch might surprise them. If it were to happen, he had to be ready to help Archer get back into his bonds before Branch noticed that they were removed. Freeing his friend during their hangouts was Guy's personal way of rebelling against what he considered inhumane treatment.
"Sounds about right," he said with a smirk. Archer enjoyed joking around, but never with the intention of telling Branch what went on between him and Guy Diamond. His friendship with both of them felt fragile, and honesty came with the risk of losing that.
"So what garbage is he forcing you to swallow this time?" asked Guy.
Archer licked some of it off of his hand, then licked some more. "Definitely eggs. Raw eggs. Old eggs. I think the shell is crushed up into it too."
"That jerk," huffed Guy. "I'll steal you something descent from the pantry later. With as much as he has, there's no excuse to feed you like some wild animal."
"This is gonna sound insane, but I actually kinda like it," said Archer quietly, trying to not laugh.
"You're so gross." Guy Diamond smiled at the sight of Archer, face down in the bucket, happily licking up the rotten eggs like an excited cuddle-pup. He envied Archer's ability to make the best of his situation and stay positive.
Archer lifted his face from the food and licked his lips. "It has this funk like old grossum meat. If you age it right, that stuff's the bomb."
"How are you so happy with everything Branch has done to you?" Guy asked.
"Well that came completely out of nowhere. I mean, I am a predator. I get tied up and I get fed old meat. I expected it, I guess? After what my pack's done, I don't think I'm allowed to be angry about this." Archer shrugged, "Branch is just trying to do the right thing."
"If he were doing the right thing, we would know by now if there were any other survivors," Guy pouted.
"So that's what this is about?" he said with a raised brow. "I mean, hey, if you can get Branch on board with it, I'll gladly go up and snoop around. I think I'm the only one who could sneak around without getting caught."
Guy Diamond was quiet as he considered the possibility. "You are a master of infiltration and that actually could work, but there's a problem. The miserable gray killjoy is never going to agree to it.
"Very true, because you'd be risking me turning you over to the Party Crashers." Archer smirked. "Too bad Bash banished me. So I guess betraying you guys would be stupid, huh?" he laughed at his own sarcasm.
Guy laughed, "Don't worry, I at least trust you."
"Huge fan." Archer grinned as he leaned over and gave Guy a playful lick on the cheek.
"You know what? To Hell with Branch. We can actually get something done, instead of just sitting around in the dark like he would have us do," exclaimed Guy.
"I guess I'm game, but I have two things. First, how am I going to get in and out of here without Branch noticing? Also, Branch is probably going to kill you for going behind his back like this." Archer kept it blunt, hoping Guy realized what he was getting them into. However, he had to agree that going up to look around was the more productive option for them now.
"I think I know a way you can get in and out. As for Branch, piss on what he thinks. He'll see that this was a good idea and get over it," said Guy with confidence.
In the few hours Branch spent talking with King Peppy, he found within himself a new sense of purpose. One that was greater than anything he'd felt before. He would do more than just protect them, it now fell on him to lead them. The weight of the crown and the responsibility that came with it was a lot to take in, even without a physical crown yet to wear. But with King Peppy truly believing in him, Branch believed in himself too. He would work hard to make King Peppy proud, and maybe, Poppy too, if somehow she were able to see him. He liked to think so.
The first thing he wanted to do as the new King, was talk with Guy Diamond and Archer. They tried waiting, but now it was time for action. There was no specific plan he had in mind, but that was fine. He was positive that if the three of them put their heads together, they could come up with something.
Branch decided to look for them in the room he kept Archer in. It wasn't a secret to him that Guy Diamond snuck in there often to spend time with him. Not a lot happened in the bunker without him finding out about it, at least most of the time.
When Branch entered the room, there was no sign of Guy Diamond anywhere, but what made his heart skip a beat was Archer not tied up in there either. The room was completely empty. Quickly, he turned and ran out, calling Guy Diamond's name as he searched the bunker. Every horrible possibility running through his mind. Were they caught? Did Archer turn on them? Was Guy alright?
Most of his questions were answered when he reached the sitting room and found Guy Diamond relaxed in a chair, reading through one of his books.
"Guy?!" he called worryingly as he ran over to him.
Guy Diamond closed the book and set it to the side. "What do you want?" he asked. As he looked up at Branch, he immediately noticed the familiar blues on his skin had returned, "Your color is back?"
"Archer is missing!" exclaimed Branch, too concerned to think about his color.
"I know," Guy replied as he stood up. "Everything's fine."
"Wait. You know?" Branch breathed a little heavily as he spoke, still in initial shock over the situation. "Guy, what happened?"
"Well, while you were moping around, we decided to actually do something. I helped Archer find a way out and he's going to scout around the village for survivors," said Guy, confident in himself as always. "I'll take your praises and thanks now."
"Are you insane?!" shouted Branch. "Now he can lead the Party Crashers right to us! How could you do this without asking me first?"
"Oh wow, wasn't aware I needed your permission." Guy rolled his eyes.
Branch clenched his fists, struggling to keep himself under control. "You knew why I had him tied up! We could've talked about this first. I trusted you."
"I trust him and you're not the boss of me," he said with a shrug.
"I shouldn't have to be the boss of you for you to have some respect for me, and my rules, while you're squatting in my bunker. But if think I've really been that bossy to you this whole time, then you're really gonna hate to know that King Peppy just made me the new King!" said Branch, still trying to keep his anger in check.
"Hah! Now I know how you got your color back," replied Guy, smugly. "Getting off on that free pass to be even more of a control freak than you were before."
"Where the hell is this coming from, Guy? What did I do to you?" Branch lowered his voice. Fighting with Guy wasn't what he wanted. "You're acting like a rude, ungrateful brat and it needs to stop. I thought we were friends?"
"Yeah, well, you were Poppy's crush, so we kinda had no choice," spat Guy, but it was too late to take it back when he saw the hurt in Branch's eyes and felt immediate guilt in the pit of his stomach.
There was nothing Branch could think to say that would help him feel any less betrayed by Guy's words than he already did. So silently, he turned his back on him and started to walk away. Being in the same room as Guy was the last thing he wanted now. Impending danger from Party Crashers, or not.
Guy bit his lip and tried to follow him. "Branch, wait. I didn't mean-"
"Leave me alone!" snapped Branch and that was the end of it.