Brodacious! A BroZone Oneshot Collection

Baby

"WHOA Branch, chill, I wasn't talking about you guys' egg!" Bruce attempted to clarify. "Everything is going splendid. Right, Poppy?" he called out to his sister-in-law.

"I'll say it has," Poppy giggled, "Jr.'s been enjoying the whole show!"

"See, Branch?" Bruce said to him. "There's nothing to worry abou - "

"Jr.?" Branch questioned, interrupting.

"Jr.?" Clay and Floyd echoed, having just returned with the items that they were sent to get.

Slowly, all five brothers glanced over towards Poppy's direction -

- and their breaths were taken away at the sight that met them.

Because right there - cradled in her arms and with her Auntie Viva gushing over them - was the baby, having hatched as the frantic new father was flustering about.

OUR baby, Branch reminded himself as he met Poppy's sparkling fuschia gaze with calm, yet emotional, teary eyes.

"Poppy..." he whispered, touched, heart so full of love that no other feeling was possible to be occupying his emotions.

Bruce recognized this moment - having felt it so many times before himself, when Brandy had had their children - and ushered their brothers away.

"All right, come on, guys," he said, "it's time to give them some privacy."

"But the baby!" John Dory exclaimed, clearly wanting to meet his niece or nephew.

"I'm sure we'll have our chance," Floyd said optimistically, patting him on the back.

"Well... okay," JD said, pouting in a way that made him not at all look like the eldest of their bunch, but ultimately complying.

"And that goes for you, too, Viva," Clay said with a meaningful look.

"Aw..." She pouted, but knew he was right, and followed him. Viva took one last peek over her shoulder before heading off. "Kinda makes me wanna have one of my own," she said, casting a look heavy with implication at him.

Clay blushed. "O-oh! Well, um, I, um... maybe it will happen one day," he replied.

She snuggled beside him and grinned. "That would be great."

And as they trekked off, it was only Branch and Poppy left to themselves.

"Come on," Poppy said, gesturing to him from where he was still a distance away. "She wants to meet you."

"It's a girl?" he asked, mystified.

Poppy nodded, and indeed, Branch could see the little lashes on her eyes and the adorable little smile that looked so much like her mother's that it took his breath away. He, however, could see his own features on the child as well, indicative with her indigo hair, and bluish skintone. Slowly, he moved forward, each step becoming lighter and more eager than the next, until finally he was next to them.

He looked down at the baby.

The baby looked up at him.

Both smiled at each other.

"She's... gorgeous," he finally said.

The baby sweetly giggled in response.

He reached out, ready to caress her, but paused. "Can I... touch her?"

Poppy gave him a baffled look. "Can you? You're the father! Of course you can!"

She transferred her to Branch's awaiting arms, the baby giggling again.