Chapter Text
Branch stared at the sonogram Hype had given him as he sat by the river, his legs dangling off the edge and into the water. Hype had told him to go back to the Bunker, but he didn't want to head inside just yet. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, and he believed that the soothing sounds of the flowing river would help him find some clarity. The water had always held a special place in his heart, evoking cherished memories from his childhood, and it provided him with a sense of calm that he desperately needed in that moment.
As he took a break from studying the sonogram, Branch's attention shifted to his tail, which had regained its vibrant blue hue. It was puzzling to him that this was the only part of him that had returned to its original colors, but he found himself not overly concerned about it. The blue tail was just a reminder of his happiness, a reflection of the joy he felt upon seeing the images of his future children on the ultrasound. In the grand scheme of things, the color of his tail seemed trivial compared to the excitement and love that filled his heart.
With renewed focus on the sonogram, Branch felt an overwhelming swell of affection that made him feel as if he might burst with joy. The realization that he was going to be a father to so many little ones filled him with an indescribable warmth. He could hardly contain the love he already felt for them, even before they had arrived. The thought of nurturing and guiding his babies through life filled him with a sense of purpose and happiness that he had never experienced before, making the world around him seem even more beautiful.
However, Branch found it incredibly difficult to broach the subject with him. Branch was completely in the dark about how his reaction would unfold. Branch was particularly worried that he might not take him seriously at all. There was a strong possibility that he would just chuckle and dismiss Branch as a liar. Given that he had been drinking heavily that night, he might not even recall the events clearly. To make matters worse, he could potentially turn the tables and accuse Branch of infidelity, insisting that there was no way he could be the father.
The thought of his children being unwanted by their other father truly shattered Branch's heart. Every time he gazed at the sonogram, an overwhelming wave of love washed over him, a feeling he never realized he could experience. Yet, he couldn't shake the nagging fear that the other father might not share the same affection. There was a chance he could mock Branch and his little ones. He might scream at Branch for taking advantage of him while he was intoxicated. The possibilities loomed large, and unfortunately, they all seemed to lean toward the negative side.
Branch exhaled deeply, forcing himself to tuck the sonogram into his hair before rubbing his face in frustration. He realized he had to shift his focus away from his thoughts of him and concentrate on preparing for the arrival of his little ones. The nursery was a priority, along with constructing a crib. He envisioned a nursery that would be adjacent to his bedroom, yet he was mindful of not isolating his children from his brothers, just in case of an emergency. Perhaps he could design it with one door leading into his room and another opening into the hallway. That seemed like a feasible plan. Additionally, he needed to consider the materials for the crib—should he build just one, or would it be better to create multiple cribs to accommodate each baby?
"B'anch!"
Out of nowhere, a tiny form bumped into his back, and two little arms quickly wrapped around him in a warm embrace from behind. Branch instantly recognized the familiar voice and, with a mischievous grin, coiled his tail around the small figure, lifting them effortlessly off the ground. This playful move elicited a burst of laughter from the little one as Branch brought them up to eye level, holding the now wriggling figure upside down in front of his face.
"Hello, Raisin."
Raisin, a cheerful three-year-old, had striking dark periwinkle skin complemented by matching hair and eyes, while his nose stood out with a vibrant salmon hue. Dressed in an oversized dark green hoodie that enveloped him, he paired it with playful blue shorts. As he gazed at Branch, his face lit up with a wide, infectious smile, and the sound of his giggles filled the air, radiating pure joy. His tiny tail wagging a mile a minute.
Raisin came into the world with a unique condition known as Hair Down Syndrome, abbreviated as HDS. Unlike the typical Trolls whose hair stands upright, Raisin's hair cascades down towards the ground, which means he can't utilize it in the same ways as his peers. He is unable to grow it longer at will, change its color for disguise, or use it for protection, which can be quite limiting. The most he could do with it would be to use it to store things when he gets older. Branch's youngest brother, Trickee, shares the same condition but styles his hair in a ponytail using a unique type of hair mousse.
"Hi B'anch! We saw you by the wa'er and wan'ed to say hi!" Raisin giggled while playfully kicking his legs, acting as if he were having a hard time escaping from Branch's tail.
"Oh? 'We', huh?" Branch asked raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk forming on his lips as he settled Raisin comfortably on his lap. His gaze shifted behind him, where he spotted an old friend, Milton Moss, standing a short distance away. Milton cradled a familiar little one in his arms—Keith, a one-year-old with a unique appearance, featuring light green skin, a dark green nose, and striking dark blue hair that matched his equally vibrant eyes. Freckles dotted his cheeks, and his crossed eyes added to his charm. With a warm smile and a friendly wave, Milton greeted Branch, while Keith, eager for some freedom, squirmed in Milton's grasp. The determined toddler soon found himself on the ground, and without hesitation, he made a beeline for Branch, leaping into the welcoming embrace of the eighteen-year-old.
"Hello, Branch! It's so wonderful to see you, my friend." Milton said as he moved closer, before sitting next to Branch.
"Hey Milton. What brings the three of you out here?"
Milton has been a kind and welcoming presence in Branch's life since he was just five years old, taking on the role of babysitter for him and his siblings at their Papa's request. Unlike many others, Milton never judged Branch for his grey appearance, nor did he mistreat Hype and Boom for wearing clothing choices. He played a crucial role in helping Ablaze tackle his social anxiety, allowed Requiem to style and dress him as she pleased, and supported Trickee in facing his fears of the outside world. The siblings see Milton as a brother figure, often confiding in him and trusting him with their secrets, even from one another.
Raisin and Keith were both orphans that Milton regularly babysits for since Raisin adores critters, just as much as Milton, and Keith follows after Raisin insisting that they were brothers, despite having no biological relations. Branch first met them just under a year ago, when he was still seventeen and Keith was still only three months old. For some odd reason, the two of them were drawn to the grey Troll, and even though Branch couldn't understand their fascination of him, he could never resist their cute faces.
"I was watching over these two at the sanctuary when Raisin asked if you were going to be stopping by. I said that I didn't know and he asked if we could visit you. We were on our way towards the Bunker when we spotted you." Milton said with a soft smile.
Branch felt a smile spread across his face as he looked at Raisin and Keith. There was something about their presence that always brought a sense of warmth to his heart, even if he couldn't quite understand why they were so attached to him. Perhaps this unique connection was something to cherish, and he found himself imagining a future where Raisin and Keith could share joyful moments with his little ones as they grew up. The thought of their playful interactions filled him with hope and excitement.
"Well, that's very sweet of you guys." Branch said as he gently ruffled Raisin and Keith's hair, earning him giggles from the two.
"Why are you by the river? I figured that you'd be foraging closer by your Bunker during this time of the day." Milton said, and even though he was smiling, Branch could see the worry in his eyes.
Branch understood the source of Milton's anxiety. Along with his brothers, Milton was one of the few who was aware of Branch's struggle with keeping food down. There had been multiple occasions when Branch found himself violently ill while trying to assist Milton at his sanctuary, and each incident left Milton visibly shaken. The worst was when Branch was sick three times in quick succession, all while simply helping Milton groom some of the animals. At this point, Branch recognized that it was merely severe morning sickness, but Milton remained in the dark about it. Perhaps it would be a good idea for Branch to share this information with him, as it might help alleviate some of Milton's concerns.
"Big belly."
Branch glanced down at Keith, who had just spoken while playfully pressing his tiny hands against Branch's stomach, and couldn't suppress a chuckle. Leave it to the inquisitive one-year-old to point out his unanticipated weight gain in such a straightforward manner.
"Yeah, my belly has gotten big, hasn't it?" Branch asked as he stroked Keith's hair gently.
"Why is it big, B'anch?" Raisin asked as he too placed his hand on Branch's stomach.
"Well, it's big because I'm pregnant." Branch said, ignoring the sharp gasp that came from Milton as he continued to stare down at the two trollings in his lap.
"P'egnant?" Raisin asked, is head tilting in confusion.
"What that mean?" Keith question as he stared up at Branch, his tail swishing back and forth.
"Well, you know how Troll babies come from Eggs?" Branch asked, his tail slightly waving behind him.
"Mhm!"
"Yeah!"
"Well, being Pregnant means that my body is growing the Eggs right now. So I'm going to have babies."
"Babies!?" Both Raisin and Keith exclaimed with large smiles, their tails wagging happily behind them.
"Mhm. I even have a picture of them, do you wanna see?"
"Yes!"
"Yes p'eeease!"
Branch let out a light laugh as he dug into his hair once more, retrieving the sonogram and positioning it in front of the two Trollings. He then pointed at one of the Eggs, eager to share what he had found. As he displayed the image, Branch noticed Milton leaning in closely, his interest clearly sparked as he peered over Branch's shoulder to get a better look.
"You see this little dot here? That's one Egg. Can you count how many there are?" Branch asked, barely containing a laugh when he heard another gasp from Milton.
"One...Two...Th'ee...Th'ee! Th'ee Eggs!" Raisin exclaimed happily as he counted the Eggs, holding up three of his own fingers towards Branch.
"That's right! I'm having three Eggs, or in other words, I'm having triplets." Branch said, smiling widely at how excited the two Trollings seemed to be, his own tail wagging happily as he looked back at the sonogram, his heart swelling with warmth and love as he did.
"Tail is blue!" Keith exclaimed joyfully as he pointed out Branch's tail, marveling at its vibrant blue color. Branch couldn't help but chuckle once more when a loud squeak erupted from Milton, but instead of turning to his friend, he remained focused on the Trollings.
"That's right. My tail is blue now. It's because I'm happy to be having my babies." Branch said with a gentle smile.
"Yay! B'anch is happy!" Raisin exclaimed happily as both he and Keith dove into a hug, one that Branch happily returned with a laugh.
"Oh! Flowers!" Keith exclaimed as he pointed to a small patch of wild flowers, sitting behind Branch.
"Oh, oh! C'own! We can make B'anch a C'own! Can we, Milly?" Raisin asked as he looked towards Milton, both him and Keith giving him their best puppy eyes. Milton gave a small chuckle as he easily folded to their pleading faces.
"Alright, but keep close, alright? Don't wonder off and keep in ear shot of me and Branch."
"We will!"
"Okay!"
Raisin and Keith carefully slid off Branch's lap, and as soon as they touched the ground, Raisin took hold of Keith's hand, guiding him toward the vibrant flowers nearby. Branch observed them with a warm smile, his ears twitching and rotating to catch any signs of potential danger. Although they were in a relatively tranquil part of the forest, he remained vigilant, unwilling to let his guard down. Once he felt assured that there were no threats lurking around and saw Raisin and Keith joyfully gathering flowers, he turned back to Milton, who appeared fraught with anxiety yet was trying to mask it with excitement. Just as Milton began to voice his concerns, Branch interjected, cutting him off before he even got a single sound out.
"Yes, I really am pregnant and this is really happening."
Milton closed his mouth, his lips pressing together, looking as though he was trying to figure out what to say next. However, Branch knew his friend well enough to know what he was going to ask next. So when Milton opened his mouth again, Branch went ahead and answered the unspoken question.
"I am three months along. Fifteen weeks to be exact. It's why I've been throwing up a whole bunch lately. Hype says that the morning sickness is a bit too excessive, and is already trying to come with a diet plan for me."
Milton closed his mouth once again, biting at his lower lip. He stared for a small moment before reopening his mouth, and Branch spoke before him once again.
"And it was consensual on both sides. Nobody forced me."
"Oh thank the Muses." Milton sighed in relief, and Branch couldn't blame him.
Milton was the one who warned him and his siblings about the stupid contest to claim Branch as a Mate. He can overhear the conversations the Trolls participating since they tend to overlook him. He often tries to warn Branch when someone tries to do some huge 'romantic' gesture, allowing Branch to avoid the Troll altogether. Milton's been particularly keeping an eye on the one guy who gave Branch that drugged muffin, making sure to tell Branch if he learns that the guy is trying to give Branch another piece of homemade baked good.
After a small moment of silence, Milton perked up again, this time with a smile, and went to ask another question, only for Branch to interrupt him again.
"Hype says that my due date should be sometime in June, next year."
"Ooo, not too long after you turn nineteen!" Milton exclaimed happily as his tail began to wag happily.
"Yeah," Branch said with a chuckle, "Hype said the same thing. He even suggested I do a water birth since it seems to be the less painful one."
"Is that what you want?"
"It's what I'm leaning towards. Especially since I'm having triplets."
"Right, that must've been quite the shock." Milton remarked with a light laugh, his tail wagging energetically behind him, reflecting his cheerful demeanor. The atmosphere was filled with warmth as they shared this moment, the excitement palpable in the air.
"Absolutely, but to be honest," Branch replied, glancing back at the sonogram with a gentle smile as he admired the image of his little ones, "I can't wait to meet them." His heart swelled with anticipation, envisioning the joy that awaited him as a parent.
"I can only imagine! If they take after you, they're bound to be amazing," Milton said affectionately, reaching over to tousle Branch's hair playfully. Branch responded with a light-hearted huff, swatting at Milton's hand in a friendly manner. Just then, Milton opened his mouth to ask another question, but Branch, anticipating his curiosity, jumped in before he could utter a word.
"Yes, I will tell you who the father is, but you can't tell the others just yet, please. The moment Ablaze finds out, he'll hunt the guy down and kill him." Branch pleaded as he looked to Milton with a desperate look.
"You have my word." Milton said with a nod, knowing that what Branch said was true. He'll keep quiet, but not for the sake of the other guy. He's mostly doing to make sure Ablaze doesn't end up in trouble. The Baker was a sweet guy, and Milton isn't going to let him end up on the wrong side of the law, even if this Mystery Guy ends up being a total jerk.
Branch let out a slow but long sigh, before taking another deep breath and began to tell Milton everything.