Archive of Our Own ^beta

It took a while for Spruce to cool off after the argument, angrily walking and hair-swinging until his feet begged for a chance to rest. His first week away from the tree was spent like that, his mind keeping him mad through the days and blinded to the severity of the situation.

Until he almost walked off a cliff.

His mind cleared and he snapped out of it. He sat where he was standing, just now realizing the amount of days that he had walked. Fatigued, hungry and thirsty, he stayed by the cliff, thinking about his unintended journey. He realized he didn't know where he was, or even how far from the tree this cliff was located, he just knew he had been following the direction where the sun set.

A more aware look around revealed sand and a close by body of water, larger than any he had seen before, and out in the distance he could see an island of glistening sand.

Just how far had he walked?

He should go back, but could he? Would he find the way back if he followed the moon rise, like he did the sunset? Would he be welcomed back? He had walked out on his younger brothers for fluff sake! He left Floyd and Bitty B behind and didn't look back. Would they even want him to go back?

But more importantly, could he really go back to being Spruce "the heartthrob"? Even without Brozone, he would still be expected to play the part, trolls weren't very accepting of change, wanting everything to remain the exact same, the way they were comfortable with.

But he couldn't live like that, not anymore. He couldn't go back, he couldn't be Spruce anymore.

But who could he be?

A memory came to mind, a little voice sounding out words, jungling letters together in his attempt to get his "S's" and "R's" right.

"Sssp...spoo...Bruce!"

Spruce had taken it in stride back then, always answering when Branch called out to him, even if the nickname only lasted until Branch started getting his name right.

But sometimes, when baby Branch really needed his older brother for comfort and love, he would call him "Bruce".

He may not be able to keep being Spruce the Heartthrob, but he could be Bruce.

Decided on his new life, Bruce got up from the floor, eyes set in the sight of the glistening island, and started walking.

He's sure he can get down there, he already made it this far after all.