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“You ever take cold showers?”
“I only take cold showers.”
“Well, you’re no fun.”
Branch sighed, turning from the sink where he was washing the dishes to Jett, who sat at the dinner table. In truth, it wasn’t Branch’s turn to take on this chore; tonight, he was supposed to clean the bathroom.
But alas, Jett’s venture into the forest on a camping trip by his lonesome ended with him falling into his own campfire.
His back was charred, petroleum jelly making the raw skin glisten in the dull light of the bunker’s kitchen.
“I’m assuming there’s a point to this.” Branch smiled, leaning against the counter.
Jett nodded, tail wagging.
In the time since leaving HoneyDew, he’s regained some of his childlike wonder. And one should be concerned, hell, Jett was turning seventeen this year. But it was nice, seeing him act like a kid again.
“Of course there’s a point.” He leaned on his forearms, propping his head in his hands as he spoke, “I mean, since you take cold showers all the time, you wouldn’t get it…” He dragged out his explanation.
“Oh, Stars- Jett!” Branch threw his dish towel at the younger troll, pushing the teen into a laughing fit.
“Ok! Ok!” He said, grabbing the towel off the floor. He found a new one and stood beside Branch, grabbing the wet dishes off the drying rack and meticulously drying them.
Branch’s face softened. “You’re supposed to be sitting down.”
“I’d prefer to be doing something.”
“Fine, just as long as you tell me what the hell taking a cold shower means to you.”
The two kept on with their camaraderie, Branch blowing soap into Jett’s face, as Jett rolled the towel up and-
“Owch!” Two hands flew to the small of his back, where he’d been hit. “Oh, you’re so lucky.” He pointed to the boy. Jett’s laughter filled the air.
Jett’s laugh always seemed to remind him of a certain someone from his childhood he’d long since buried in his subconscious. But instead of bringing back a sense of deep longing and sadness, it made his heart swell.
Jett still hadn’t told him about the cold showers.
Branch was eventually in his study, looking along his shelves lined with VHS tapes of different movies. Jett decided it’d be the perfect night for a movie night, and Branch obliged. It’d been a long time since they’d had one, and he’s been itching to have a normal moment with the younger troll, whom he considered a brother.
Jett lay on his back, his head elevated by Branch’s lap. He turned his head ever so slightly to watch the movie, although it didn’t seem his heart was in it. Branch an arm across Jett, his other hand running fingers through the boy’s faded teal locks—Branch always thought his hair looked greener than anything; emerald if you would.
As Jett’s eyes slowly fluttered closed, focused on the gentle touch in his hair, he smiled sofly.
“It helps.”
“What does?”
“Cold showers.”
“With what?”
“The loudness.”
Branch looked down from the TV at Jett, whose eyes were now closed, and whose face looked peaceful. “The loudness?” He asked, the arm across Jett’s body moving to caress his cheek. His thumb moving along the soft skin.
“When my thoughts are too loud,” Jett said, his voice sleepy. “It helps calm me down.”
Branch’s previous tenderness returned. His smile, feeling, as he simply looked at the boy’s face, which was illuminated by the soft glow of the Television.
“Yeah?” He replied, nearly a whisper. But Jett didn’t respond, soft snores coming from the boy in Branch’s lap.
Branch let out a wet chuckle, tears starting to fall from his eyes, tears he didn’t know were forming.
The next morning, Branch woke up to hear the shower running. He stood on wobbly feet, grabbing his robe that hung neatly on the wall next to his bed. He knocked on the door, slowly opening it, the shower curtain hiding everything Branch didn’t want to see. As he opened the door, though, he was blasted by a wave of steam. “Not thinkin’ this morning?” He smirked, leaning against the doorframe in a cocky manner, even though Jett couldn’t see.
“Close the fuckin’ door!” Jett shouted. “You’re letting cold air in!”
At this, Branch let out a hearty laugh. “You know, the water isn’t supposed to be that hot, your back’s still healing.”
Jett shoved the curtain to the side to peer his head out, an almost crazed look on his face. “Blah, blah, blah, close the door!”
“Fine! But I’d be a bad caretaker if I didn’t at least say something,” Branch said as he left the room, snickering through the halls.