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“Why didn’t you tell me you had a family?” Cooper asked gently. “It makes sense not telling anyone else but… I’m your fiancée…”
Branch had just gotten back from saving his brother and he was just now relaxing and enjoying himself. Or at least trying to. He was still pretty tense.
Branch knew this question would pop up but it still threw him off. In fact, Cooper didn’t even get to ask before Branch left. He was about to, only for Branch to tell him to wait until they got back. And now he was home and now it was finally time to actually talk.
“I’m sorry, Cooper, I really wanted to… I love you so much and I never wanted to keep things like this from you… it’s just…” Branch paused and sighed, rubbing his eyes. “I just hate people knowing about all of my issues… I felt like… if I told you, you wouldn’t love the same… like, I’d be too broken to love…”
Cooper stared at him in surprise. He didn’t expect for Branch to be so honest to him about this but he was also shocked at what Branch had thought.
“Branch… you know that’s not true… I’m still here, aren’t I…?”
“… Mhm…”
“And we started dating LONG before you got your colors back.” Cooper said with a smile.
It was true, they had been dating for awhile now ever since Branch was grey. Branch was still a loner that hated people and stayed inside his bunker for hours on end. But beyond Branch’s understanding, Cooper fell in love with him. He didn’t completely understand the grey troll but he really didn’t care much. He just wanted to be around him and make him happy. But unlike Poppy, Cooper gave him his space and made sure he was okay.
Then one day on Branch’s birthday…
… He might just leave it at that. But it lead to them dating. And somehow it all worked out so well.
“That’s true.” Branch answered. “I guess with all the stuff you already knew, anything else would just be too much… I didn’t wanna burden you with my traumas… again. No matter how long you’ve been there for me, my brain still makes me think these things.”
“We all got our own traumas… Believe me. But even then, I asked you to marry me for a reason! I wanna be there to help you. I wanna take care of you… you aren’t a burden for asking for help! I love you… so much.”
Branch smiled but it quickly wavered as tears filled his eyes. He tried to wipe them but it was futile as he began to cry. “I’m sorry— hic— Ive just been so scared! Everyone I ever loved— I’ve just— I was left alone for so long cause so many people have left or passed and I’m just so scared of losing you and Poppy and our friends—“
Cooper rested his head on his fiancée’s, softly comforting him and leaving small kisses on his head. “It’s okay, Branch… just let it out…”
Branch hugged him tightly, crying into his fur. He let all of his feelings of fear, anger and sadness out. Feelings that he had hid from Cooper for so long. They didn’t know how long it was for him to calm down but by the end of it, Branch pulled away and let out a heavy sigh. He rubbed his eyes tiredly.
“How you feeling?”
“Tired like always but… lighter…”
“Good.”
“Thank you… not just for this but… for everything… being there for me when I was at my worst and for putting up with my angsty crap…” Branch chuckled a little.
“Of course.”
“And I’m sorry I wasn’t completely honest with you. I promise I will be from here on out.”
“Wow! A lotta feelings being told tonight, huh? Overshare much? TMI, buddy.” Cooper joked before laughing at his own joke.
Branch smiled and rolled his eyes. “You and Poppy really are similar.”
Cooper chuckled and rested his head against Branch’s again. “I can’t wait to marry you…”
“Me neither… maybe this weekend?”
“What?”
“Poppy had been planning everything for weeks and she has completed already.”
“What!?”
It was Branch’s turn to laugh. “I’m not kidding! Say the word, she’ll have everything ready this weekend. And we have our families again so…”
“YES! Absolutely!! This weekend! Yes!!”
“Okay!” Branch replied with a big smile. Cooper then kissed him passionately and Branch happily did the same.
For once, Branch felt so at peace. Like, actually. For real this time.
Branch was finally at peace. Yes, there will be more things he needed to look into in order to grow and heal but he knew that this time he’ll be okay. He has Cooper, he has Poppy, he has The Snack Pack, he has a ton of friends of different tribes… and now he had his brothers.
So whatever life throws at him, he knows he’ll withstand it. He has his friends and family now.