Haven't You Ever Been In Love Before?

Part X

The following chapter contains a lot of sensitive topics, so take heed.

I'm not afraid

Of anything in this world

There's nothing you can throw at me

That I haven't already heard

I'm just trying to find

A decent melody

A song that I can sing

In my own company

John Dory followed the voice until he found Willow singing to herself on a balcony while strumming an acoustic guitar. He had never heard a song so raw... so deep... so gut-wrenching...

Immediately, he hated it.

I never thought you were a fool

But darling, look at you, ooh

You gotta stand up straight

And carry your own weight

These tears are going nowhere babe

You've got to get yourself together

You got stuck in a moment

Now, you can't get out of it...

The rainbow-haired teen's sad song was cut off by the sound of scoffing. She turned her head to find John Dory facing her, though his eyes refused to meet hers.

“Sup, little traitor," he said bitterly, still upset at her for breaking her promise.

“How's it going, you blue idiot?" she retorted, tossing her guitar aside.

“Not great," he answered. “Can't sleep, waiting for my hope to die again."

“So, part of you does believe your baby will live?" Willow pondered.

“Yes— No! I-I don't know!" John Dory groaned in frustration. “Just go to bed, kid. I need some alone time."

“I was here first," Willow said defensively.

“I was born first," John Dory spat.

“Dude, what's your deal?"

“My deal is that you had no business telling everyone about my personal struggles!" John Dory answered angrily.

“Of course, I did!" Willow argued. “I love Branch like a brother, and he loves you and the rest of your brothers. If you died that night and he found out I knew what was happening, he'd never forgive me. I told him and the others because I care. Because I couldn't handle another thing being my fault."

“Well, maybe you should've let me die!" John Dory said angrily.

“Don't say that—"

“No, no, no, no, no!" he interrupted. “You don't get a say! I had to feel my babies break and ooze on top of my head! I had to feel the blood and yolk and whatever the hell that clear stuff is called..."

“Albumen," Willow informed him.

“Shut up!" he snapped. “You don't know what it's like to carry that kind weight for most of your life! You don't know what it's like to have your hope ripped away from you constantly! You don't know what it's like to be a monster!"

“I know exactly what it's like!" Willow screamed at the top of her lungs. “I'm the Troll who killed her mother!"

After hearing that revelation, John Dory fell completely silent. He stared at Willow in surprise as she broke down in tears.

“I used to have this dark curse," she whimpered. “It could only be awoken if I did something terrible and meant it. I didn't know about my powers, but... she was hurting me... told me I was garbage... stabbed me in the face... I wanted her dead that night more than anything. And it just... it just..."

“It just happened," John Dory muttered in realization, causing Willow to look up at him. It was only then, he finally accepted his eggs breaking was not his fault.

“When I found out about my curse," she continued, “before I ran away, I made a promise to myself that if I couldn't break it before it took me over completely... I would kill myself before I hurt anyone else. If it weren't for the Rockapocalype and I hadn't found Ash, I..."

Willow found herself cut off by John Dory placing a finger on her lips. After pulling away, he removed the glove on his left hand and showed a pattern of scars on it, making her gasp quietly. He slipped the glove back on, bent over to grab her guitar, handed it back to her, and the two of them sat side by side as Willow played the rest of her song.

Oh, love, look at you now

You got yourself stuck in a moment

Now, you can't get out of it

Taking a deep breath, John Dory made his choice.

“I need to set them free," he said quietly. “All of them."

❤️‍🩹🪺💔🪺❤️‍🩹

The following morning, as Bruce wiped the bar clean while four of his kids spun the stools around, he felt a giant pair of yellow hands cover up his face.

“Guess who!"

“Well, it can't be my wife, because she's not due to come home till next week," Bruce joked. Brandy laughed as she pulled her hands away and kissed him on the cheek. “Did you miss me and the kids that much?"

“Couldn't stop thinking about you guys for one second," she replied sweetly. “Also, it started raining cats and dogs. Hope the restaurant and kids weren't too much trouble for you."

“Well, I did have a little help from my brothers, Synth, and the girls," Bruce admitted. “But I had to help them, too, so..."

“Help them, how?" Brandy asked.

“You remember when before we got married, I said that most Trolls have their babies through their hair?" Bruce reminded his tall wife, who nodded. “You see, none of us knew this until three weeks ago, but John Dory lost a lot of eggs over the past two decades. He has another one right now, there's still life in it, but he still thinks it'll end up like the others."

“Oh, no," Brandy muttered. “Poor John Dory."

“Hey, uh, Bruce?" Willow interrupted, lightly tapping his shoulder. “John Dory wants all of us to meet him at Sunburn Cove. It shouldn't take long, but it's kind of important."

“Go ahead, honey," Brandy said. “I'll get ready for the lunch rush. Go be with your brothers."

“Thanks, love," Bruce replied, blowing her a kiss before following Willow out the door.

At one point, I was thinking about having one of the other characters overhear Willow and John Dory's conversation, but decided it would be better if it stayed between them. Someday, Willow will open up to the rest of her friends about all of her traumas, but when she's ready to.

I'll see you next time. 🌈