Branch's Birthday Surprise

Part Two

~~Down In The Bunker~~

That night, Branch went down the bunker toward his room, exhausted. It was crazy how tiring talking to Viva could be. But he had enjoyed the chat- it had been simple, mainly about each other.

Branch started to his room but stopped. He had heard something in his invention room.

Slowly he crept toward the door as he heard more struggling noises and an "ugh!" and the sounds of- rubber? Maybe a balloon.

Finally he got to the door, and there was Floyd, his back toward the door, at Branch's Idea Table with a red balloon in his hands.

"Dang this- darn-dy balloon!!" Floyd seemed to be- well, Branch didn't know exactly. But somehow he was having trouble with it.

"Uhm, Floyd?"

Floyd jumped up, alarmed, and spun around, flushed, to face Branch, hands behind his back. "Oh! Hayyyy, Branch!! 😁"

"Whatcha doin'?" Branch asked, suspicious. "And why are you messing with balloons?"

"Who said I was messing with balloons?!" Floyd asked nervously. "Whaaaat? That's cray-cray! 😅"

Suddenly, from behind his back, the red balloon shot up in the air, releasing air out of itself, and flying all over the room, landing directly onto Floyd's head.

"Heh heh," Floyd laughed awkwardly, pulling the balloon off of his head. He quickly tried blowing it up again and tying it, whispering, "darn!" and "dang this cursed thing!" over and over again.

"Uh huh," Branch smirked, crossing his arms. "Floyd, what are you doing?"

"Well, uhhh..." Floyd seemed to be searching for an answer. "Okay, Branch." He took a deep breath. "I never thought I'd tell you this, but... when I blow up a balloon and give it a hug all of my stress just goes poof!"

"Poof?"

"Yup. Poof.😌" Floyd nodded, satisfied. "Every week night I hug a balloon I blew up and all of my exhaustion just goes poof!"

"Poof?" Branch was still trying to process this conversation.

"Yup. Poof.😌" Floyd took the red balloon and attempted tying it once again. "When I tie it, you should hug it!"

"Well...I don't think..." Branch looked around for an escape.

Floyd struggled with the balloon for 15 more seconds before looking up at Branch. "Could you possibly tie this for me? Pwease? 🥺"

Branch sighed, took the balloon, and tied it. "There."

"Now hug it," Floyd demanded gently.

"Floyd, I don't think it's really necessary to-" Branch began.

"Hug. The. Balloon. Branch. 😃" Floyd said sternly with a huge creepy smile on his face.

"Uhhh..." Branch gave the balloon an awkward hug.

"Good! Feel the poof?" Floyd asked happily.

"Well, erm, surrreee." Branch quickly handed the balloon back. "Well, I'm going to bed now, so you enjoy your hugtime with balloon and Imma go..." he turned toward the door.

"Wait!" Floyd ran to him and stopped him. "What do you think about this color?"

"The color?" Branch asked.

"Yeah. Of the balloon."

"Uhhh...it's fine?"

"No, but, like, do you like this color? For balloons?" Floyd asked urging him on.