Sick day
Hiya, guys! I'm here to annoy you with another fic! Not really proud of this one, feeling like it's ooc, but I'm lazy to edit it, and I STILL haven't watched the movie!
Either way, just wanted to say that I read your reviews, guys, and I'm really happy you guys like my ramblings, but I'm new to the app and I still don't know how to reply, but I appreciate it, thanks, people!
—--
"Why isn't it going down?" Floyd muttered anxiously, feeling Branch's forehead.
"Still?" John Dory asked, raising an eyebrow. "Don't colds just…go away the next day?"
"I mean, I thought so, too," Bruce said, checking Branch's temperature for himself, then his eyes widened. "You're burning up, bitty b. Did you take your medicine?"
Branch nodded, still under the covers. "Are you done touching my forehead? Cause I wanna sleep."
"Nope, no sleeping till you've eaten all your soup," Clay said sternly yet playfully.
"But-"
"No buts, Branch, you need to eat something," Floyd said softly, rubbing his brother's back.
"Open wide, baby brother," John Dory interjected, holding up a spoonful of soup.
Branch groaned but reluctantly opened his mouth, allowing John Dory to feed him from the steaming soup.
"Here comes the choo-choo train," Bruce said in a sing-song tone, earning a glare from Branch, who shoved John Dory's hand aside and went back under the covers.
"I hate you all," he mumbled, his voice muffled.
Floyd frowned. "Hey…"
"Except Floyd."
Clay smirked. "You're lucky you're sick so we can't argue with you," he teased. "Now get up and finish this soup, young man."
Branch sniffled. "I feel like I want to throw up, and I won't hesitate to do it on John's clothes if he feeds me."
The eldest gasped. "Excuse me?"
"Cut him some slack, guys," Floyd interjected firmly. "He really seems out of it."
"Didn't you say Poppy's coming?" Branch asked, peeking slightly from under his blanket. "Where is she?"
Bruce chuckled. "Can't even stay away from her for a day, bitty b?"
The blue-haired troll blushed. "None of your business."
"Come on, Branch, you can't greet her like this or else she'll think we haven't been taking care of you," John Dory said, feigning sternness.
Branch moaned. "What do you want me to do? Force my temperature down? Or put makeup on my dark circles?"
Clay rolled his eyes, smiling. "No. To get up and eat so you can take your medicine,"
"But I feel sick…"
Floyd bit his lower lip. "You guys think we should take him to Dr. Plum? He's been like this for three days now…"
"I have a thought," Bruce cut in. "Branch, did you do the dishes this morning while we were asleep?"
Branch stammered. "I…uh..i..i..i don't know!" he said hastily, turning in his bed so that his back was facing his brothers.
"Branch? Is this true?" Floyd asked, his voice filled with disappointment.
"It was Branch who did them?" Clay asked. "I thought it was Floyd."
"I thought it was Bruce."
"I thought it was John."
"I thought it was Clay-"
"Shut it. My head hurts…" Branch interrupted. "Yes, I did them. I figured none of you will, so I did."
"I don't know if I should thank you or scold you," John Dory mumbled, blowing into the soup before giving it to Branch.
Branch opened his mouth slightly, his eyes still closed. Each spoon felt like a challenge to him, and the components of his stomach threatened to come out at any moment. And after a few more spoons, he groaned, clasping a hand on his mouth and going back under the covers.
"Enough…"
"You didn't even finish half of it!" Bruce exclaimed.
The brothers exchanged glances, staring at the blankets as they heard sniffles, followed by a fit of coughing, coming from their baby brother. They sighed, unsure whether this was just a normal cold or something more serious.
"Alright, that's it, Branch, get up," John Dory said, his tone now serious. "You're finishing this soup, whether you want to or not."
Branch coughed weakly, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand and pulling off the blankets. "But I'm serious, I feel like I'm gonna throw up…"
Clay frowned. "Do it if you have to, just try to eat."
"I'll go get you some water, okay?" Floyd added with a worried smile.
Branch looked at them. "Did I transport into a different world or something?" he muttered under his breath, surprised by the sudden change in demeanor, but before he could make another comment, his stomach churned, and he quickly shoved his brothers aside, rushing to the bathroom and closing the door behind him.
"Whoa, Branch!" Floyd exclaimed, rushing after him and knocking urgently on the door. "Branch, open up."
No answer. Only the sound of Branch emptying his stomach, making his brothers increasingly worried.
John Dory tried again. "Branch? You okay there, baby brother?"
After a few tense seconds, the sound of the door unlocking echoed through the bunker, and the brothers held their breath, watching anxiously as Branch slowly and unsteadily emerged from the bathroom, leaning on the door frame as his body shook slightly.
"Let's get you to bed," Clay said, wrapping his arm around Branch's waist, holding him upright. "No house chores for a while, alright?"
Branch nodded, too weak to argue. "Thanks…"
—--
"Feeling better?"
"Yeah…and I'm hungry."
The brothers' eyes lit up at his words, and immediately, Floyd went to get some snacks, searching through the cabinets for something light, yet nurturing, for Branch to eat, while Bruce went to get him his medicine.
"It should help settle down your stomach," he declared.
"How do you know?" the green-haired troll asked.
"I'm a father of thirteen kids," Bruce reminded him proudly.
"I got some apple slices," Floyd said cheerfully as he entered the room with a plate of freshly sliced apples, which somehow, made Branch's mouth water despite the bitter taste of the vomit that he could still feel.
He sniffled. "Thanks, Floyd."
Clay chuckled, catching Branch's attention.
"What's so funny?"
"It's just…you're adorable," he said between giggles. "All flushed, and your messy hair."
Branch rolled his eyes, then forced a smirk. "Say that again and I'll tell everyone you like V-"
"Don't you dare!"
"Like what?" Floyd asked innocently.
"Vanilla cakes! I prefer vanilla rather than chocolate, you know," Clay quickly said, then glared at Branch, who was chewing on his snacks with a sly smile.
"Now, go to sleep, you need to have some rest," Bruce said, tugging his brother in bed with a gentle goodnight kiss.
Branch yawned as he curled himself in bed, resulting in a small 'aw' from his brothers, especially Floyd. He smiled, not even bothering to tell them he's a grown-up now, cause maybe, just maybe, he did miss being the baby of Brozone, or maybe he just liked that he wouldn't have to worry about any chores for a while.