Chapter Text
"What are you so giddy about?” Branch crosses his arms as he stares Floyd off across the room.
“I-It’s nothing”
“Please don’t tell me it’s that boy again”
….…….
“Floyd.”
“Uugh” Floyd groaned “why do you even care so much?”
“I wouldn’t If you would just find a better guy to crush on”
“Hey now” Floyd objected. “Ablaze isn’t THAT bad, he can be really sweet sometimes you know?”
Branch scoffed, “Tell that to Clay, I dare you”
“Shut up”
“See?? Not even you could defend that”
“Branch, he apologized to me and Clay after, and both of us decided to let it go. So please knock it off. His approach might not have been the best but Ablaze had good intentions”
Branch stared at his older brother, mouth wide open from shock. “I’m done, you’re actually insane”
“I’m not!”
“Floyd, that guy PUNCHED our brother, what the fuck is wrong with you??!”
“He did that for me! And I mean sure it didn’t work out too well but still he did it because he thought it would protect me or some shit! Can you really blame me for finding that cute???” Floyd dramatically put on an entire show for Branch who looked mildly disgusted
“I give up” Branch sighed in both disbelief and disappointment before walking out of the room.
“You’re Joking, right?” Ablaze’s eyes widened
“No”
“I don’t believe you”
“Then don’t for all I care” Branch hisses. “Just stay the fuck away from my brother”
“Pshh, you can’t stop me” Ablaze brushes it off as an empty threat until Branch took out a pointy stick and started to walk towards him “WOAH WAIT A DAMN MINUTE THAT IS NOT FAIR, If you wanna do this then fight me fair like a real man”
“I’m warning you Ablaze” Branch poked at his throat threateningly before leaving.
As much as he wanted to, Ablaze couldn’t do anything but stand still. Branch did not sound like the type to play around. He didn’t exactly get why Branch didn’t like him and it overall pissed him off. He’s been treating his brother like royalty for weeks and this is what he gets??? Though none of that matters right now, Floyd likes him, the very troll that said would never date him, actually LIKED HIM this entire time. None of it makes any sense but oh well, if his younger brother says it himself then there’s only one way to find out.
Judging from Branch’s face from earlier, there’s a fat chance that he’d actually get killed by the end of this, but that’s a problem for later.
.
.
“You love me too” Ablaze stood in front of Floyd as he walked out of class.
Floyd froze upon hearing his voice. He wouldn’t admit this to anybody, but he seriously missed hearing Ablaze’s voice. Three days was certainly not that long but when you’re used to hearing it every single day sweet talking you into oblivion, you really can’t help but feel a deep sense of longing. Either that or Floyd was just stupidly infatuated. Obviously he’d rather not believe the latter explanation.
“What are you doing here Ablaze” Floyd whispered loudly, sounding more demanding rather than asking.
“Don’t get mad, Just wanted to talk to you”
“Well I don’t, did I not make that clear??”
Ablaze smirked. “That’s not what I heard”
….. “The hell does that mean??”
“I talked with your baby bro, and Branch told me that- H-HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!?” Ablaze didn’t even get to finish what he was saying before Floyd grabbed him by the shirt and basically dragged him out the building. He could’ve simply fought back but it was nice that Floyd was bringing him along rather than avoiding him like he had originally predicted would happen. So that’s a win?
“What did he say to you?” Floyd questioned a little too desperately as soon as they got far enough that other nosy trolls wouldn’t be listening in on their business.
“You sound distressed?” Ablaze mocked. “You alright sweetheart?”
“ABLAZE!!” Floyd’s face burned, making Ablaze all the more amused “Chill princess I’m just messing with you”
“Please for the love of troll just!- STOP calling me that and tell me what Branch told you!”
“I already did. He said that you like me too”
…
“So is it true?” Ablaze prodded for an answer
“No”
“Your face says otherwise”
At that moment, Floyd just lost all of his will to live. Despite how it felt, the heat radiating from his face was in fact not enough to melt everything around him along with himself and he loathes it. Stupid blush for making the situation worse than it already is, the least it could’ve done was make him self destruct to save him the humiliation. Stupid Branch for ratting his secrets out, that traitor better pray the next time Floyd sees him because what was he supposed to do now???
“Is the whole…….. ‘zoning out’ thing normal, or should we get that checked out?” Ablaze spoke as he waved his finger around causing Floyd to get sucked back in to reality.
“Shut it Ablaze, I’m gonna be late. Again” It was a poor and obvious attempt to avoid confrontation so what was he expecting when Ablaze grabbed him by the arm.
“Yeah you’re not getting away that easily”
….….
“So is it true?” He broke the silence “Was your brother telling the truth?”
“Ablaze, I’m not gonna date you”
If only he could show Floyd how hard those words hit him, but that’s weak, and Ablaze was not weak. “You didn’t answer the question”
“Well does it matter??! I said I’m not gonna date you and that’s final!” Floyd lashed out. He didn’t know why he was getting worked up over this but he just did and he didn’t like it. He didn’t like any of this. Floyd already knew he went too far the last time they spoke and he regretted it so much. Floyd knew it was bad the moment Ablaze stopped talking to him for days and he knew that there was no one else to blame but himself, unfortunately he was also too much of a coward to go and apologize. However there was a chance now, a chance that he knew he was about to ruin. Despite their last interaction being entirely his fault, Ablaze still went out of his way to be the one to reach out to him. So what does he do? Get mad at him of course!
He was an asshole, Floyd knew that.
Ablaze was too kind, too sweet, and too blind for him.
He deserves somebody better, somebody who could reciprocate his kindness.
“Why?” Ablaze’s voice sounded so small. “What have I been doing wrong?”
The guilt was eating Floyd from the inside.
Why did Ablaze have to fall for somebody like himself? Floyd couldn’t and will probably never learn how to handle his own emotions, It’s unfair. If only Ablaze were to like someone else, anyone else but him, then maybe, just maybe he wouldn’t get hurt like this. Imagining him dating another troll that wasn’t him stings but that’s what both Ablaze and himself deserves. If even now he couldn’t manage his emotions, how much more could he hurt Ablaze’s feelings if they were actually dating?
“Floyd” Ablaze pulled him into reality once again, and for a split second the two of them managed to make eye contact. The pained look on Ablaze’s expression was drowning him with guilt. Usually Ablaze always wore a confident and cocky face around everyone, and of course Floyd had to be the one to ruin it.
“Floyd please” Ablaze started to beg at Floyd’s lack of response. “Please just tell me what I’m doing wrong, I promise I can try to be better.”
That line was Floyd’s last straw. He can’t do this, he needed to cut ties with him before it gets any worse. It hurts so fucking bad, but it has to be done. Tears threatened to spill out Floyd’s eyes but he can’t cry, not yet.
“You can’t be better Ablaze, I’m just- I’m way too out of your league, can’t you see that?” Floyd chuckled coldly. “I have to maintain my grades, maintain my status, maintain my whole life, and look at you. You think you actually have a chance with me looking like that? So Rugged a-and vile”
Floyd tried to act cold, but he just couldn’t stop the the tears desperately trying to escape him. He shut his eyes closed and ducked his head down to face the ground in an attempt to hide his feelings. Hopefully Ablaze buys it. “I appreciate all of the things you’ve done for me Ablaze, all the food you bought me, all of the things you helped me with, I seriously appreciate it, but unfortunately that’s as far as we could go. You’re way too rough, and I know for a fact that you can’t just change your entire personality and lifestyle for me. So this is Goodbye Ablaze. I never want to see you again.”
He did it, Floyd actually managed to do it. It wasn’t anything to be proud of and it obviously hurt like hell, but this is good. Ablaze didn’t need him, he didn’t need Floyd, he’s better off without him. He just prayed that Ablaze would actually leave him alone after this, and maybe punch him in the face along the way for being a straight up dick. God he hoped that Ablaze would actually punch him. He deserved it after all the shit he’s put him through.
.
“So did I actually ever mean anything to you? Or were you seriously just using me”
He expected Ablaze to be angry at him, to be mad at him for what he said and done, so why? Why was he sniffling? Fuck he wasn’t supposed to be sobbing. DAMN IT. Floyd couldn’t help it anymore as tears of his own started rolling down his face. “What do you mean?”
“All those times I spent talking to you, all those times I made you laugh, and all the things I went and did for you. Did it seriously mean nothing?” Ablaze spoke while wiping away the tears that can’t seem to stop streaming down his face. “If you would let me, I could’ve given you everything I have. I know that there isn’t really much I could offer and that I could never be as smart, as fancy, and as accomplished as you but-”
“Ablaze just stop, please stop” Floyd’s voice trembled as he silently choked on his own tears.
.
“If this is what makes you happy, then I’ll leave. Goodbye Floyd, it was nice getting to know you. Hope you can find someone within your league.” Ablaze swallowed his own tears before wasting no time walking away. Not saying another word to him, not even making eye contact with him.
“This is for the best” Floyd muttered to himself as he cried.