Stay

Goodbyes and Reunions

Floyd sat there in Bridget's aprons pocket, waiting in anticipation, as she sneaks out in the dead of night. He's scared at the moment, he hopes Bridget doesn't get caught. They spent the past hour coming up with it. All they had to do was wait for night time, so less people would be around, and sneak their way through. But they decided just in case he hides in her pocket. It's a very basic plan, but it should work. He hopes-

“You ok?” 

Floyd looked up, startled, seeing a worried Bridget looking down at him. “Yeah….just nervous.”

“Don't worry, no one suspects a thing.” She said confidently.

Floyd also wasn't just worried about getting caught, he's worried about the consequences. Bridget would take the brunt of it if they were caught. “But…what if you get caught? They'll hurt you…wouldn't they?”

She looked down at him with a sad smile and said, “Don't worry about me…I'm used to it.”

Floyd looked at her with wide eyes and started to tear up. “You don't deserve that!” He sobbed out.

Bridget froze and looked away, but put her hand in the pocket Floyd is in, and he hugged it. After a few seconds Floyd calmed down, and she continued walking, while still having her hand in her pocket. 

They walked in silence from that point, Floyd still clinging to her finger, until they reached the gate to the tree. She looked around, checking if anyone was near, seeing that there was no one around, she grabbed the key and unlocked the gate.

She walked up to a branch and paused and looked down into her pocket. “We're here.”

Floyd looked up at her and then clung to her finger harder. “Need a minute?”

He shook his head, he needed to let her get out of here as fast as possible. He let go of her finger after a second of hesitation, he let go. Allowing her to rotate her hand, and for him to climb on. 

She gently set Floyd on the branch, he looked up to her sadly. “I don't want to say goodbye.” 

She looked at him sadly for a moment then smiled, and reached into her pocket. “Here, take this.”

She handed him a poorly made pink bracelet, with a poorly sewed BFF, it was tiny for her but not for him. 

“I never got the chance to give it to you, you were unconscious.” She said, handing it to him.

Floyd smiled looking down at it, he never had a best friend before. He looked up at her with glossy eyes, “Thank you.” He softly said. 

She nodded, smiling, then started to turn away, but he quickly said, “Wait!”

She turned back around surprised as he quickly put his hand in his hair, searching for something, and once he found it he pulled it out. “Here!” He said holding out a magenta red hand crafted flower. It was made of yarn, and looked big in his hands. 

She smiled and took it saying, “I'll cherish this forever.” 

All of a sudden they hear glass yelling coming from one of the Bergen homes. 

“I got to go, bye!” Bridget said, quickly pocketing the yarn flower, and running out the glass cage, closing it and locking it. Before he even got the chance to say goodbye.

“Bye.” He softly said, putting on the bracelet, then turning around and running back home. 

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Branch sat at the front porch looking up at the stars. Or at least as many as he could through the leaves. He had been looking out at the stars for a few hours now. He couldn't sleep not after that nightmare yesterday.

He couldn't stop thinking about it. The way it showed both Grandma and Floyd. It just makes him think that there is something happening right now. Something big, and he has to stay awake for it.

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Floyd dashed through the troll tree with speed. Bumping into a few pods along the way, accidentally waking the poor trolls in there to wake up. But he didn't care, he was so close. He was so close to Branch.

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Maybe he should ask King Peppy if they were willing to have dinner together again. It was pretty nice not living in a lonely pod…he still hasn't done anything with Floyd's side of the room. He feels like its wrong to get just, get rid of Floyd's stuff. 

He feels like it would be a wast of time…

Was Floyd alive? Branch randomly thought, is he trying to get to him at this very moment? 

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Floyd made it to the center of the tree, were there a bit of trolls out, and just kept running. Bumping into one troll but he didn't turn back to apologize. He could have sworn he heard someone say “Is that Floyd!” But he was going to fast. The voice did sound familiar, he just doesn't care at the moment. Branch is his main priority.

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No….could he?

That just impossible, but why does it feel right? Is something wrong with him? He just wants to cry right now. Why does he want ro cry? It's not like….

Floyd….

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Floyd saw the house up ahead, it brought him great joy seeing it. He's almost there. He pushed himself to run faster, getting closer and closer. Seeing a little trolling sitting on the front porch. Its Branch! Getting excited he called out, “Branch!”

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“Branch!” 

Branch heard his name called out, by a familiar voice and looked up. And he couldn't believe what he was seeing. A troll with a bandage over his eye, and left arm running towards him. Calling out to him. He didn't believe it at first, he thought it was a random troll, but that voice its….

“Floyd!” He called out running towards him. 

The two ran up to each other, happiness on their faces, meeting each other in the middle, giving each other the biggest hug they had ever given.