Love in a Family Dose

Through Thick and Thin

"I did learn from the best after all! Now, come on, let's get a move on, it's getting dark"

As Clay and Viva continued their search for thin sticks, they fell into a comfortable silence again but this time they were holding hands, taking in the natural synchronization of their dynamic. It was nice to say the very least, It was as it was many years ago when they had first met. They were so different in terms of interests and mindsets yet they worked so well together, everything about being together felt so natural to them.

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The comfortable silence caused her to think about the earlier days of their friendship when they had just finished setting up camp after escaping the tunnels. She had distanced herself from the group of sleeping trolls and had finally taken the moment to take in the devastation of her situation.

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In a single day, she had lost her only family, her father and her baby sister, whom she hadn't had a lot of time to bond with. There she sat, lightly sobbing, wishing it was the day before, when everyone was singing and dancing and she had been alongside her father.

As she sobbed, she heard a light ruffle in the distance but hadn't paid any mind to it. Off in the near distance she had only heard someone say, "Are you okay?". Quickly, she cleaned up her tears and looked back to see a blue troll with scruffy yellow hair.

"YEAH! I'm okay, it's just something that was in my eye" She said trying to sound enthusiastic but failing miserably.

"You know, you don't have to pretend. It's okay to feel sad, we all lost family and friends today, I mean, we aren't exactly in the best circumstance right now. Do you want to talk about it?" he had said reassuringly before walking towards her and sitting beside her.

Only then did she break down into light sobs once again, "I'm not supposed to cry, I'm supposed to be queen one day, I am supposed to lead my people with the uttermost assurance that they will be okay! And how can they feel okay if I can't even keep it together" she said with broken sobs

"Viva, you have done more than anyone could have done for us. You fought off a Bergen, A BERGEN, do you not understand how amazing that is, and as if that wasn't enough, you led us here with the most determined smile I have ever seen on any trolls face, anyone that is here today, can see that!" he said now holding her hand

Viva, through her tears, looked up from the ground to look at his icy blue eyes before resuming to cry even harder than before, feeling emotional over the sudden reassurance that her efforts had not been in vain. Holding his hand even tighter, she suddenly felt him lifting his other arm and she then looked up to see him, she saw him holding his arms open ready to accept a hug, if that's what she needed. And faster than she could think, her arms suddenly wrapped around his waist before his hand rested and her back and softly rubbed small circles.

They sat there for a while in silence, only her sobs being heard. It took awhile but the comforting warmth for the blue troll made her feel like she was back home again. It made her feel like they were gonna be okay and no matter how unsure she was, everything would work out because they had each other.

"I'm sorry, I am not usually this emotional. I sorry if this a bit uncomfortable for you"

"It's okay, I'm in a sad book club so I deal with stuff like this all the time" he said with a dorky smile, almost proud in a sense

As she heard him talk, she looked up to look at his face. She had recognized his features but couldn't quite place her finger as to where she had recognized him from. That's when it hit her, it was one the ex-members from Brozone, the one they called Clay, the fun boy. With only a year's difference, she noticed the disoriented look of his hair, which was far more messy with a slight hint of green.

She couldn't help but feel surprised that he of all people would be in a sad book club but the dorky smile on his face, made her giggle.

Now, with their eyes interlocked they smiled at each other before he spoke out once more, "I don't know what we are going to do but just know I want to help, and gonna help you rebuild the troll civilization". This made her smile, as soon as those words escaped his mouth, she felt a sudden weight lifted from her shoulders, a lifted burden that she didn't know she was carrying. To that she could only nod in response before he suggested they go back and sleep amongst the other trolls.

Viva didn't know what she was gonna do but one thing that was for certain was that she only needed Clay to do it.

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Viva remembered the memory so fondly before bringing herself back to reality and looking lovingly at Clay.

"Oh look, these sticks will be perfect! All we need to do is bring it back to the camp" he said enthusiastically as he kneeled down to pick them up. When he didn't hear her move he looked back up at her. Only to realize Viva wasn't listening, just merely looking at him lovingly as though she was lost in thought again.

"Uhh, Viva are you okay? What's going on in that little head of yours?" He chuckled as his comment snapped her out of her trance.

"Do you remember when there was a point in time when the Putt Putt trolls assumed we were together" She said giggling as the thought of the random memory

"Oh, Yeah! That was funny! Though, I guess when we really think about it, it makes a lot of sense. I mean we hung out consistently. I guess it reasonable to assume that when two trolls co-run a place, that they are together" He replied with smug look

The environment feeling rather intimate now, they just stared into eachother eyes. Clay with sticks in his hands and pointed in Viva's direction. Slowly she lifted her hands to touch the other end of the sticks.

"Yeah...." She said letting her gaze fall onto his lips before bringing them back up to his eyes again. Now that she had really thought about it, He really had been there for her through thick and thin, above all else, he had always put her first no matter what. She felt a small surge within her and could help but feel her heart skip a beat.

Studying her face now, Clay began to notice just how pretty her eyes were, big doe fuscia eyes which were complimented by even prettier lashes. He studied the hundreds of glittering freckles that formed constellations on her cheeks. He couldn't help but lift up one of his hands and touch her cheek, lightly but slowly letting his thumb rub small ministrations into it. As he did so, he saw her take a deep breath in almost as if she had been holding it in.

Her breath now coming out hitched and now feeling the warmth of his hand, she allowed herself to lean into it and closed her eyes for a second to take in the moment.

Opening her eyes again, she began to search his eyes before letting herself think about how the moonlight complimented his skin nicely, providing just enough light to emphasize its blue hue.

Now completely captivated by each other's company, they began to feel themselves lean forward, so close to satiating the sudden urge that had overcame them. Inching closer by the millisecond, she could feel his warm breath hitting her lips, noses basically touching, and heat rising, ready to set off fireworks....

Suddenly, a light shined upon them, and they backed away as they were blinded.

"Hey guys, you were taking a while so Branch and I came so see what's the hold up" John Dory said with a big smirk, looking at Clay first before turning to see a chuckling Branch,

"But, we see that you guys were "CLEARLY" very busy sooo...... We'll leave you to it!" Branch said letting another chuckle a escape before turning around to walk away with John. He couldn't help but feel a bit amused when poking fun at his older brother

Now Blushing, Clay and Viva looked at each other before looking away and quickly following behind Branch and John.

"Actually we were just about to head back to camp" they both said before the two brothers responded, "MHM Sure, No Yeah, Of course You were '' before looking at eachother again and breaking out in a fit of laughter.

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The walk back to camp was awkward to say the least but both Clay and Viva couldn't help but think about what would've happened if John and Branch hadn't shown up at that very moment...