In The Rough

Chapter 4: Rosiepuff

It's been a little over six months since John Dory came back to the tree. The morning after he'd gotten back, he'd gone to King Peppy to let him know he was back and that he was staying. The king was happy to see him, glad that he was home and when John told him he was going to be taking care of Branch, Peppy immediately insisted on helping him. He assisted in getting John Dory a job in the market and everything was going really smoothly. Even Rosiepuff was leaving him be, which was great.

Rosiepuff only watched Branch if John couldn't take him with him to work, which wasn't too often, thankfully. He'd actually dropped him off with her earlier this morning and it had been... tense to say the least.

~

They were on their way to Rosiepuff's pod when Branch asks him, "Do I have to go with grandma?"

"You know you can't come with me today, bud," John sighs, adjusting his hold on Branch, who's being carried on his hip. "It's too busy on weekends for a little baby like you, you know that."

Branch whines. "I know, but-" He looks away and mumbles, "I don't like grandmas house..."

John stops walking and looks at his son in concern. "Why don't you like it, B? I thought you loved it there," he says, trying to sound enthusiastic. He remembers what that room looked like, all barren and empty, but he couldn't imagine she'd been actually cruel towards him. "Branch?"

Branch looks at the ground, avoiding his eyes. "She says stuff about you and it makes me uncomfy..." he whispers.

"What kind of stuff, Bitty?" John's jaw clenched and he holds Branch closer.

"Mean stuff. I don't like it, Dory." Branch looks up at him all teary eyed. "I don't wanna stay with her if she's mean to you, JD..."

"Oh buddy." John hugs him and Branch wraps his arms around his neck. "You don't have to if you really don't want to, bubba. How about this." He pulls back and looks Branch in the eye. "You stay with her today and I'll talk to her, okay? I'll tell her to stop acting like that. And if she still says stuff after that, you don't ever have to stay there again, alright? Promise."

Branch perks up. "Really?"

John's heart breaks at how relieved he sounds. "Really really, bud. I'll find a way to bring you with me or maybe you can stay with one of your friends when I work, okay?"

"Okay!" Branch hugs him again tightly.

John chuckles and hugs him back. "Let's get you to her, alright? I don't wanna be late." John Dory then sprints, Branch laughing in his arms as he leaps over the branches and leaves.

Landing outside of Rosiepuff's pod, John knocks and sets Branch down just as it opens. "Well, hello Branch! It's so good to see you." Rosiepuff bends down to hug him and kiss the little boy's cheek which makes him gag.

"Grandmaaa!" He whines as she lets him go.

Rosiepuff just laughs as he runs past her into her home. Straightening up, she looks at John and frowns. "Jonathan."

"Rosiepuff." John crosses his arms. "Mind telling me why Branch just said he doesn't like being in your house."

Her eyes narrow. "I don't know what you're talking abo-."

"Yes you fucking do," John growls. "Look, I really could not care less what you think of me, I haven't cared since I was ten. But I swear to everything musical, if you make my son upset again, you will never see him again."

Her eyes widen. "What?! You can't-"

"Don't fucking interrupt me. You may not like me, Rosiepuff, and I don't really care if you do or not. But do not make my baby upset because you can't keep your mouth shut. I don't care if you gossip about me, I don't care if you badmouth me, but he does." John snarls at her. "And yes I fucking can. He's my son. If you ever want to see your great grandchild ever again, you will grow the fuck up and save your petty ass gossip for when we both aren't around, understand?"

Rosiepuff stares at him in shock. John turns and starts his way down the branch before he pauses. Not facing her, he whispers, "You know, one day you're going to die old and alone. I hope that's what you wanted." Then he continues walking, leaving a stunned Rosiepuff behind him.

~

God, he's exhausted. John huffs as he shoves more dirt, wiping sweat off of his face. Peppy came to him a few months ago and told him about a plan to escape the tree. They were digging tunnels, they've been digging for years already, and they were getting close to finishing. Peppy wanted to make sure everything got done before Trollstice and asked John Dory if he could help. Of course, John agreed.

Now he's here, deep underground in the dark as he shovels dirt into a cart for another troll to take out of the tunnel. It's hard labor but John doesn't really mind it. He just wishes his back wasn't aching already. Thank gods he only helps down here a few times a week.

Sitting back for a second, John contemplates what happened. Blood or not, he was not letting Rosiepuff make his baby unhappy. He really hopes he got it through to her that he was serious.

He also feels bad for not telling Branch what he was doing. He still thought John only worked in the market and he felt insanely guilty for it. It felt like he was lying to his kid and he hates it. He tries not to lie to Branch if he can help it, wanting to make sure he knows he can trust John. How could Branch come to him with something if John Dory wasn't honest with him? And that thought makes him nauseous. He knows he'll have to tell Branch the full truth at some point. The kid is insanely smart, honestly John wouldn't be surprised if he figured it out before John could tell him. Just until he's a little older. Get us out of this forsaken tree and settled somewhere, and then I'll tell him everything.

John takes a sip of water from his canteen and almost chokes when he hears someone calling for him. Confused, he sets down his shovel and walks up the tunnel he's in and into the main cavern under the trunk of the tree.

A purple troll with green hair is yelling his name and looking around frantically which immediately puts John Dory on edge. "Sprinkle, what the heck is going on?"

Sprinkle turns to him and yells, "JOHN! Something happened, you- you need to get up top, NOW." He grabs JD's wrist and starts pulling him.

"What happened?" John demands, following close behind them.

"It was Chef. She-" Sprinkle doesn't get to finish as John bolts past him. "Wait!"

John doesn't hear them calling for him to slow down, only one thought in his mind. Please not Branch. Please, Muses, not my baby. He climbs up the bark frantically, his body protesting how fast he's going. He gets up top and leaps, jumping from branch to branch heading towards Rosiepuff's pod. Please, I can't lose him too.

Finally, John lands beside the pod and claws the door open. "Branch?!" he yells, looking for him in all of the rooms. Then he runs back outside and screams, "BRANCH!"

Crying from below him catches his attention. John looks down between the leaves and sees a small round shape on one of the branches. There. He jumps down, landing in front of it and cautiously gets closer. "Branch?"

Branch uncurls his hair from around himself and launches at John. "Dory!"

John holds him tightly to his chest, relief flooding his body. "Thank god you're safe, oh my god," he mumbles into Branch's hairline as the boy cries into his shirt. "Branch, what happened?"

"I-It's my f-fault! I-I was singing, I w-wasn't paying a-attention! Th-The Chef- she- she tried to-" Branch sobs, clinging to John and looking up at him, his blue and navy eyes filled with tears. "She took grandma! Sh-She saved me, it's all my fault, I'm sorry-" He watched in horror as Branch's colors start fading, his entire body turning gray.

Frantically, John tries to reassure him. "Branch, no." He pushes aside his own grief and cups the boys face. "It is not your fault. You had no idea that that would happen, baby."

"But grandma-" "Wanted to save you. She saved you because she loved you, Bits, she wouldn't want you to feel guilty."

Branch burrows back into John's chest, sniffling. "I'm sorry..."

"You don't have anything to apologize for, baby," John says, kissing his forehead. Thankfully, it seems like the boys colors have stopped dulling but John knows he probably will be gray for a while, at least from the grief. It's up to him to help Branch get through this and he will do anything to see his baby full of color again.

John feels a single tear roll down his cheek as he looks up at the sky. Thank you, Rosiepuff. May the Muses guild you.