King Peppy sighed as he stared at Branch, sure he was an adult now, but he still saw him as the tiny child he used to be.
He watched as Branch stumbled passed him and fall.
King Peppy hurried to his side as Branch rubbed his head.
"Branch? Are you okay?" He asked.
Branch took a moment to respond as he hit his head a bit, "Uhhhhhh..."
King Peppy kneeled down, "Hey, Branch? Did you really hit your head that hard?"
Branch blinked a few times then seemed to finally register that King Peppy's in front of him, "Oh! Sorry.."
King Peppy helped him up, "Branch, are you okay?"
Branch nodded but had a far away look in his eyes, "Hmm? Oh yeah, yeah I'm fine, I just..I think that smacking my head just..triggered some bad memories..yeah.."
King Peppy led Branch to his pod and sat him on the couch, "How about you tell me about it while I make us some coffee?"
Branch nodded and King Peppy went to go make some coffee.
"Okay so...the day my brothers left was the day I had my first actual show, it wasn't my first song with them, but my first show, you know?"
King Peppy nodded so he continued.
"Well when John Dory broke the script or whatever, we made a pyramid and I was at the top, but when we collapsed I smacked my head on the floor! So that memory got triggered to the top, then when Grandma Rosiepuff got taken, I hit my head on the leaf and then the ground, so those memories also surfaced!"
King Peppy winced, "I'm sorry Branch.." he said as he handed him a coffee and took a sip of his own.
Branch grabbed the coffee and took a drink as he shrugged, "Not your fault, I never blamed you or my brothers...I never even blamed the b-bergens.."
Peppy felt his stomach drop, "So..who did you blame..and for how long...?"
Branch smiled sadly, "I blamed myself for both incidents ever since they happened. Even though Floyd said it wasn't my fault that night of the show. Even though Creek told me it wasn't my fault when Grandma Rosiepuff died. I blamed myself and I still do to this day."
King Peppy bit his lip and sat next to Branch, pulling him into a tight hug.
He felt Branch try to wiggle free so he held him tighter, "Branch, none of it was your fault, how could it be? You were a baby when your brothers left, you were only four when your grandma was taken..."
Branch leaned into his hug and shrugged, "Just gotta blame something I guess.."
King Peppy thought for a moment as he held Branch closer, "You could blame the tree then. Or the sky, the ground, your parents, your brothers, your grandma, bergen town, the bergens, just Chef. But not yourself."
Branch tilted his head a bit and wiggled around so his head was tucked under King Peppy's chin.
"I suppose I could...but some of those things are completely innocent.." Branch mumbled.
King Peppy smiled and began to rock them, "You're completely innocent too Branch..."
Branch bit his lip and he cuddled closer to King Peppy, "Do you promise...?"
King Peppy smiled, "I promise."
