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It was a late night, around midnight when Branch found himself walking up. His hair stuck to his forehead as drops of sweat fell down his face. The troll felt his heart racing, unable to put into words what he saw, his grandmother, or was it poppy. He couldn't really tell, all he knew is he couldn't stand what he saw. Them getting hurt. It made his chest feel tight, his legs weak. He then turned looking over at a photo of him and poppy. She always knew how to make him feel better. Normally he could just look at a photo of her and feel better. But it didn't work tonight. He then sighed, taking the photo in his hand, running his thumb on poppy's face. His mind was unable to remove the image he saw. A quick shiver ran up his spine as he thought about his best friend getting hurt. The blue male then got out of bed, walking over to his bathroom, a quick look in the mirror told him he needed some time outside. A slightly unkempt face, causing some facial hair to spring up, his hair all over the place and some bits sticking to his sweaty face. The bags under his eyes emphasized how exhausted he was. He didn't look good, and he was surprised no one pointed it out. He would have. The troll rubbed his eyes, then left the bathroom. Letting his thoughts collect themselves. Even if it's midnight, some fresh air wouldn't be too bad.
Branch grabbed his jacket and threw it on, stepping on his bunker lift, soon going up, his breath still shallow. Branch then walked outside, trying not to make too much noise, he wouldn't want to wake anyone else up. Even if he was far from others, he was still careful of his steps, keeping them light till he got far enough from the town. Branch looked up at the night sky, no longer scared of the bergins, he was able to have late night out more often then he used to. The male went down a hill, towards a lake he always confided in. He then stopped in his tracks once he heard a familiar voice.
“I don't even know who I'm speaking to, maybe I'm just speaking to the wind, or maybe someone's listening, but I can't stand it. I love him so much, but I'm so afraid of him knowing. What if he doesn't feel the same,” the troll paused, looking at the water “what if he leaves me, what if he never wants to be friends with me ever,”
Branch's eyes widened, he knew who that was from a mile away, it's hard not to, her smile radiated in his head, just the thought of her was enough to brighten his day. He would have figured she would know this, or at least understand that he's not going anywhere. But, he can understand over-thinking things. It happened more than he'd like to admit. Branch then stepped out from behind the bush, walking forward, “poppifer?.. “ he spoke, trying not to spook the troll.
Unfortunately he did spook her, poppy jumped up and quickly turned, “oh! Branchifer! W-what are you doing here.. This late, “ she tried to laugh off her awkwardness, trying not to draw anymore attention to herself. Branch studied her face, noticing her cheeks were more red than usual, it looked like she had been crying, “I should ask you the same thing, poppy,” he spoke softly.
Branch softly grabbed her hand, linking their finger, his eyes not leaving her face, even when she tried to turn away, “I, I just couldn't sleep, had a lot of stuff on my mind, so I came down here to think.. Didn't really help if I'm honest” she then looked at him, her face feeling hot, she's used to him staring at her, but this felt different, she knew she was being studied. Poppy then stepped back, keeping her hand in branch's. He then let go and sat down, patting the ground next to him, “cmon sit, let's talk”
Her ears then perked, “talk! Talk about what, it's all good, brachy, I actually might go-” she then felt her dress be pulled on, her eyes met branch’s, “please poppy,” he voice was soft and raspy, that was enough to make her immediately sit. Branch then looked at the water, paying attention to the patterns of the flow, a soft silence between them made up for the awkwardness. This helped the both of them calm down and just be with each other.
After the silence was too much, poppy found herself being the first to talk, “So, what made you come down here?..Is everything okay?” She turned and looked at him. Poppy already knew the answer, she could tell by just looking at him, his once soft face was now all spikey due to the facial hair, his eye bags, and his unkempt hair was a huge giveaway on how he was and has been doing the past few days, and even so, she still found him as beautiful as ever. Branch then looked at Poppy, meeting her eyes. He didn't know how many times that would happen, but honestly he didn't care. He loved her eyes, he loved meeting her gaze. It made him feel special, like he was made for her, and she was made for him.
Branch then took her hand, keeping the eye contact, “I just, I just had a bad dream, about you getting hurt. It scared me, and I just needed some air. I knew it wasn't real, but it felt real. I'm glad I found you, ya know out here, made up for the time I would have spent worrying about your safety,” he chuckled softly, knowing that was true. Poppy then frowned, her eyebrows furrowing, “oh branch.. I'm so sorry, that sounded terrible,” she squeezed his hand softly.
“Oh it's alright, those dreams have been happening lately, I'm almost used to them,” he then turned not wanting to see her sad face, he then felt arms wrap around his body, “branch, I promise I won't ever get hurt, I know it, “ she spoke into his hair, “wanna know how I know,?” His ears perked up, “it's because I have you, I have my own protector, someone that I know will look out for me, I have you, branch” she then looked at him, smiling softly. Branch just stared, he already made it his life goal to protect poppy no matter what, but now, now she knows it.
Branch then smiled, placing a hand on her cheek, “I will always be here to protect you, no matter what,” he spoke softly, running his thumb on her cheek. “But with protection, there had to be communication, so, why are you down here, poppy, what's causing you distress,” the male then turned and faced her, keeping their hands locked together, he watched her face, waiting for her to respond, but also giving her enough time to think.
Poppy looked down at their hands, thinking about all the times they spent together, all the times they laughed together and helped each other. Almost daily she would catch branch staring at her, complimenting her, seeing her as who she is. How could she think he doesn't care, or love her. Branch had sacrificed so much just to see her happy, just to see her smile. Poppy then looked at branch, she could see how he was doing, and she wanted to make him happy, wanted to see him get better and take care of himself, not like she didn't like the scruff. But she wanted him to be okay again.
The pink troll then sighed, “branch, you, you are the best thing I have in my life, you are the one troll I can turn to about literally anything. You're my best friend and you will always be my number one. But, there are some days where we fight and I never know how things will end. Heck, you could completely leave me after every fight, but I always see you coming back, I always see you welcoming me with open arms, and for that, I will always cherish you, but, I want to um-.. “ she paused, her words getting lost, “I, I don't want you to leave me, but I fear that might happen with how I am, i-i I never listen to you, and I'm all over the place, what if one day, I go to far and you leave for good..” She looked down, as soft tears welled in her eyes.
Branch frowned, his hand resting on her face, making her look up. He hated seeing her sad, hated seeing her cry, he wanted nothing more than to make her feel better, “poppy, no matter what happens, I will never leave, I will never abandon you. You are the only troll for me, you are the only troll I'll ever want. There is no day that goes by without me thinking about you, as soon as we part every night, all I can't think about is ways to make you smile, ways to make you feel loved. You are everything I want and more, and I will never see myself happy with anyone else but you. You're my everything, poppy”
Branch then softly kissed her hand, then her cheek, “no matter what goes on in the day, or between us, I want nothing more then to see you the next day,” poppy felt the tears fill her eyes, her arms quickly wrapping around branches neck, she'd never been spoken to like that before, never had someone pour their heart out to her like that. It felt like all her worries melted away, “oh branch, I love you so much,” Poppy spoke, her face turning red and the tears fell.
Branch then rubbed her back, pulling her into his lap, he couldn't even believe he let all his feelings out, he never would have especially since he wouldn't have known how she'd respond. But he's so happy he did. Branch then held Poppy for what felt like an eternity, but he was okay with it. He would hold her for longer if given the chance. After a while, Poppy then pulled back, looking at Branch, her eyes studying his face, “branch, I absolutely adore you,” she smiled, watching as the tips of his ears turned pink, he then covered his ears, “not funny poppy,” he groaned,
She then giggled, “oh but think it's hilarious, it's cut-” she then was cut off by branch kissing her. His lips were softly chapped, his skin rougher due to his scratchy facial hair. It mixed with his scent well, causing the pink troll to become redder by the second. He then pulled away, looking at her reddened ears, “adorable” he muttered looking at her blank expression, his face then fell realizing what he just did, “oh shit, poppy I'm sorry I should have asked-” he spoke rapidly, his hands on his cheeks.
Poppy then giggled, moving his hands, “oh branch!” She then proceeded to kiss his face all over, making sure to hit every inch of his face, poppy then leaned back to watch his face grow a dark blue. A weak smile on his face as he looked at her, “I love you so much, poppy,” he muttered, his face feeling hot. Poppy then giggled, “I love you too, you've never not surprised me branch, everyday it's like a new adventure with you..” She smiled softly, soon standing up, “cmon lets go, she pulled him up, we've been out here late enough.” She then took his hand, leading them back to branchs bunker.
“Poppy it's okay, I can walk you to your house,” Branch looked at her, not enjoying the idea of her walking home alone, “oh, so you don't want to cuddle together and sleep in your bunker?,” she looked at him, watching as his face fell, “o-oh.. OH! No I absolutely do!,” he immediately looked at her, squeezing her hand, just letting her lead them.
He had absolutely no clue what would happen after that, he didn't even know what would happen with them afterwards, all that mattered is that poppy did love him and was there for him. And honestly all this could be talked about in the morning.
End