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Bruce really carved out a chunk of paradise for himself on Vacay Island. As guests, Branch and the others were able to just relax. It was hard for Branch not to be preparing for something but he was getting used to it.
It helped that Floyd got tired easily and needed some extra downtime. He'd do a few things and then rest for an hour or two before doing a couple more things.
Branch was stuck to Floyd's side like glue. The swiftness with which Branch became dependent on Floyd's presence didn't exactly shock him but he wasn't expecting the depth of that dependence. Whenever Floyd was out of sight, Branch felt pure panic.
But it did have benefits.
Like forcing Branch to rest while Floyd did.
The hot afternoon found them in the swim up bar.
Floyd lounged on a pool floatie, fruity alcoholic drink in hand.
Branch sat on a beach ball beneath the water, precariously balanced as he bobbed in the water. His arm hooked beneath Floyd's knee to keep himself from floating away.
Every so often Floyd held out his drink to Branch and Branch wrapped his lips around the straw for a sip.
They weren't alone but they were in their own little bubble.
Clay lounged on his own pool floatie nearby, a book in one hand and a cocktail in the other. He grunted every time Bruce - floating next to him - tried to talk to him. Clay was really into his book.
Bruce didn't seem to notice or care that he wasn't getting engaging conversation out of Clay. He kept talking, telling Clay stories about his life during the past twenty years.
Poppy, Viva, and John Dory were playing some elaborate game of hide n seek, swimming between Vacationers while they played.
Floyd looked at Branch over his glasses, violet eyes half-lidded. “You don't want to go play?”
Branch shook his head. “I'm not big on playing.”
Floyd hummed. “You used to play with me all the time.”
“Well, that's because it was you.” Branch ran his thumb along the side of Floyd's knee. “And I was a kid.”
“Too grown up to play?” Floyd teased. He sat up and put his hand over Branch's hand. “You can do things without me if you want to, Branch.”
Branch wrinkled his nose at the thought, lip pulling back to show off his teeth. He shook his head. “I'm happy here.” A sliver of doubt pierced Branch's heart. “Unless you want me to leave?”
Floyd squeezed Branch's hand. “I want you to be happy, Branch.”
That wasn't a request to stay. Maybe Floyd was sick of him and trying to make Branch give him some space. After all, Floyd never came back and he promised he would. Maybe he didn't really like Branch. Branch bobbed in the water, unsure of what to do. His heart ached sharply.
Floyd sat up. The shifting of weight briefly unbalanced them. “Branch,” he began.
Branch flinched from the hard edge in Floyd's voice. He didn't want to hear about how Floyd didn't want him.
Floyd set his drink in the cupholder and scooted closer to Branch. He took Branch's face in his hands. “I love you and I love spending time with you, Branch. But I don't want to stop you from living your life and having fun. You and Poppy are close, aren't you?”
“She's my best friend,” Branch muttered. As he thought about how much of his life was surviving over living and how very little of it had been fun and how it was because Floyd - and their brothers - left Branch, he found it difficult to look Floyd in the eyes.
“Right. She's your best friend and you've barely spent any time with her,” Floyd said. He ran his thumbs over Branch's cheeks. “I just want you to be happy.”
“I am happy,” Branch protested. “With you. I have twenty years to make up.”
Floyd's lower lip trembled and then he threw his arms around Branch's neck.
“Wai-”
They tipped over and fell into the water.
Branch pushed Floyd up to the surface first, then joined him. He gasped.
Floyd laughed beside him. He laughed so hard that he could barely pull himself back up onto the floatie.
Branch put a hand on Floyd's butt and pushed him back onto the floatie. His beach ball was currently floating away so Branch hauled himself up after Floyd. He perched on his hands and knees over Floyd, trying not to knock them off balance and into the water.
Floyd had lost his sunglasses in the water. He looked up at Branch with naked fondness in his eyes. “I want you around, Branch, but not at the expense of everyone else in your life.”
“Poppy will let me know when she wants attention,” Branch said. He knew this for a fact. When things with Viva calmed down, Poppy would be back. “Most of my other friends are other kinds of trolls,” he added. “So I don't see them very often anyway.”
Floyd nodded slowly. “As long as you're happy,” he said finally.
“I am.”
“With me?”
“With you.”