The morning after the rave, Synth woke up feeling... different. He had never thought of Branch this way before, but ever since the night of the rave, something about him had changed. It wasn't just that Branch had saved him from the Quick Glitter or how they spent the day together. Synth had developed feelings for him, though he wasn't sure how to deal with it. Floyd, who had been playing his guitar near Rock Hollow was the first to notice that something was different. He stretched, rubbed his eyes, and spotted Synth sitting on the beach, lost in thought.

"Hey, Synth!" Floyd called, walking over. "What's up? You look like someone just hit you with a glitter bomb."

Synth looked up, a little startled. "I—I'm fine, Floyd. Just thinking."

"Uh-huh," Floyd raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk forming on his face. "I know that look. You've got a thing for my bro, don't you?"

Synth froze, his face going red. "What? No! I mean, I... well, maybe? I don't know."

Floyd laughed, clearly enjoying the reaction. "Relax, man. I won't tell anyone. But if you like him, you should definitely do something about it. He's been warming up to you, I can see it."

Synth sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm not sure how to approach this, Floyd. I want to get to know him better, but... I don't want to mess it up."

"Well, then just do what you do best—be yourself," Floyd suggested with a wink. "But if you want to really understand Branch, I'd say you need to spend the day with him. Do what he likes to do. Get to know the real Branch."

Synth's eyes lit up. "You think that'll help?"

"Absolutely," Floyd said. "Branch is pretty straight-laced, but he's got a soft spot for people who take the time to understand him."

"Alright, alright. I'll do it," Synth said, feeling both nervous and excited at the same time. "Thanks, Floyd."

"No problem. Just remember, don't rush it. Let it happen naturally."

Later that morning, Synth found Branch by the edge of the lagoon, sitting on a rock, his eyes focused on the shimmering waters. Synth approached with a nervous smile. "Hey, Dubstep," Synth said, trying to sound casual, though his heart was racing. "I was thinking, um, maybe we could hang out today. Do you have time?"

Branch raised an eyebrow, giving Synth a sideways glance. "Hang out? What, like... what's the plan?"

"Well," Synth said, looking a little sheepish, "I was hoping maybe we could do your kind of things today. I want to understand more about what you like. You know, like, what makes you tick, what gets you excited."

Branch's eyes softened a bit. "You're serious?"

"Yeah," Synth nodded eagerly. "I feel like we've been doing a lot of my things, and now I want to do what you enjoy."

Branch smiled, looking surprised. "Well, alright then. If you're up for it, I guess I could show you how I do things."

"Let's do it!" Synth said, his enthusiasm contagious.

The two of them set off through the Techno Lagoon, Synth trailing behind as Branch led the way. Their first stop was the calmest part of the lagoon, where the water was still and peaceful. "This is where I like to come and just think," Branch explained. "It's quiet, no loud beats, no distractions. Just the sound of the water. Helps clear my mind."

Synth looked around, the stillness of the place a stark contrast to his usual high-energy surroundings. "It's... actually pretty nice here," he admitted, sitting down beside Branch. "I didn't know you liked places like this."

"I need a balance," Branch said with a shrug. "If I didn't have this spot, I think I'd go crazy with all the noise and chaos."

Synth nodded, understanding a little more about his friend's need for peace. "I get that," he said quietly before a thought occurred to him. "Hey, what else do you like to do? I want to learn more about you."

Branch looked at Synth, considering the question for a moment. "Well, I do like to run. Fast. Like, really fast. It helps clear my head even more."

Synth's eyes lit up. "Running? You mean like a race?"

"Sort of," Branch said with a grin. "But no offense, I don't think you'd be able to keep up with me."

Synth's face lit up in determination. "Challenge accepted! Let's see who's faster then."

Branch chuckled, shaking his head, but he was game. "Alright, if you say so."

They lined up by a patch of rocky shoreline, and before Branch could even take a breath, Synth was already off, sprinting at full speed. Branch blinked in surprise before he started running too, his long legs catching up quickly. It wasn't long before they were racing neck and neck, each trying to outpace the other. After a few minutes, they both slowed to a stop, panting from the exertion. "Okay," Synth said, hands on his knees, "you're definitely faster than I expected. I'm gonna need to train harder."

Branch gave him a teasing look. "You'll need more than training, Synth. But you did pretty good."

Synth grinned. "I knew I'd catch up eventually."

Branch's smile softened, and he gave Synth a playful shove. "Alright, you proved yourself. What else do you do?"

"Uh, well," Synth scratched his head, "I'm more of a party planner, I guess. I don't know if that's something you'd be into."

"Try me," Branch said, raising an eyebrow.

Synth grinned mischievously. "Alright, how about a mini rave? I'll teach you how to do some moves."

"Here?" Branch looked around. "In the middle of nowhere?"

"Why not?" Synth said. "Let's make our own little party."

Synth started showing Branch some simple dance moves, starting slow and then picking up the pace. Branch was hesitant at first but soon found himself getting into it. He followed Synth's movements, his feet tapping in time with the beats Synth hummed out loud. "You know, you're not as bad as I thought you'd be at this," Synth said, smiling as Branch seemed to loosen up. "I think you have some rhythm after all."

"I've got some moves in me," Branch replied, a little out of breath but smiling. "Not bad for a guy who's never been to a rave before."

As the day went on, they continued to share their interests. Branch showed Synth how to clear his mind with a little "alone time," and Synth introduced Branch to some of the more upbeat activities. But through it all, Synth couldn't shake the feeling that he was learning something much more valuable than just how Branch danced or ran. He was learning who Branch really was. By the end of the day, they were both sitting side by side by the water, watching the sunset together. "I'm glad we did this," Synth said quietly. "I think I understand you a lot better now."

Branch smiled at him, his eyes a little softer than usual. "I'm glad too, Synth."

Synth hesitated for a moment before speaking again, the words coming out almost too easily. "I think you're really... something special, Branch. I mean, you're so different from anyone I've met. I like being around you."

Branch looked at him, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, slowly, he smiled. "I like being around you too, Synth. You're... not as bad as I thought you'd be either."

The air between them felt different now heavier, but in a way that felt good. They didn't need to say anything more, the unspoken understanding hanging between them as the sun dipped below the horizon. Branch went back to the bunker where Floyd was. He saw Branch with a daydreaming look on his face. "Hey, B. You and Synth seem to have had a good day," Floyd called, flashing a teasing grin at his brother. "Did you show him how to survive without a rave for a day?"

Branch rolled his eyes but smiled. "We had a good time. Turns out he's not as bad as I thought."

Floyd raised an eyebrow, still smirking. "Yeah, I could tell. You two seem like you've got a bit of a vibe going on."

Branch shot him a glare but didn't deny it. "We're just friends, Floyd."

"Sure," Floyd said, giving him a knowing look. "I'm not saying it's anything more, but you two definitely seemed to click today."

Branch grunted but didn't argue further. He grabbed a log and threw it onto the fire, sitting down next to his brother. The warmth of the fire flickered between them, and for a long moment, neither of them said anything. Floyd strummed a few notes on his guitar, the sound floating through the air. "So, how's it feel, B?" Floyd asked after a pause, glancing over at his brother. "Making new friends?"

Branch gave a small, genuine smile. "Yeah, it's been... good. A little different, but good."

Floyd grinned, leaning back. "I'm glad. You deserve it."

Branch didn't say anything in response. He just stared into the fire for a while, his thoughts swirling. Synth had made a real impression on him today, and while he wasn't sure what would come of it, he felt... lighter. Maybe it wasn't just friendship after all. After a long stretch of comfortable silence, Floyd spoke again. "You know, B, I'm proud of you. I think you've got this whole 'being open to people' thing down."

Branch glanced at Floyd, his voice quieter than usual. "Thanks, Floyd. I'm just trying to figure things out."

Floyd didn't say anything more but gave his brother a brief, reassuring look. As the fire crackled and the stars began to twinkle above them, Branch leaned back and let out a quiet sigh. It was nice to just be here with his brother, no pressure, no expectations. And for the first time in a long while, Branch felt like maybe, just maybe, things were starting to fall into place.