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“As your new Queen, my first official decree is for everyone to spend all of tomorrow resting up and recovering after the awful few days we’ve just had! I know there’s work to be done and a lot of things that need to be fixed, but you guys come first, and you all deserve a break. So that means no singing and dancing, no big performances, and most importantly, NO WORKING!”
“What about hugging??” Came a worried voice from the crowd below.
“Well of course hugging’s still allowed! I’m not a monster,” Poppy replied with a snort and a flick of her wrist. From the back of the lit-up fungal stage where he stood with King Peppy and a few of their friends, Branch couldn’t hold back a smile.
“Sooo, with that said, you’re all dismissed! Go back to your homes and into your beds and rest well knowing that no one is expecting anything from you tomorrow. Especially not me. I love you guys!”
“Thank you, Queen Poppy!”
“We love you Queen Poppy!”
“YOU’RE THE BEST QUEEN EVER!!!”
The pink troll leaned on one leg and waved eagerly as she watched her friends and family disperse, each heading back to their respective pods just as she’d ordered. She hadn’t quite realised just how exhausted she was, and found herself cupping her hand over an almost tear-inducing yawn. The adventure had sure taken its toll on her, but she wasn’t going to let it show.
She turned to see her father approach her, wearing a proud smile on his face that made her heart burst. The two hugged, he told her she was already doing an amazing job as queen, and then headed off to his own bed. After waving him off, Poppy leapt down from the large mushroom podium used for announcements (and grand performances) and was surprised to hear the soft footfalls of another landing beside her.
She turned to see Branch, greeting her with that new smile she still wasn’t quite used to yet.
“Oh, Branch! Hi! Is everything alright? Aren’t you going back to your bunker?” She asked good-naturedly. It wasn’t like him to stick around after everyone else had left.
“I thought that maybe I could…walk you home?”
A look of surprise painted Poppy’s features in regards to the last question she would ever expect him to ask, especially as her home wasn’t that far at all. She raised a curious brow as she regarded the rather uncertain looking troll standing just behind her. Surely he wasn’t being shy right now, but the way he was fiddling with his fingers and struggling to hold her gaze was awfully suspicious.
Without answering, she reached down and took hold of his fidgety hand as if it was the most natural thing in the world. The sudden warmth filling his palm and entwining through his fingers caused Branch’s eyes to widen slightly and his heart to stammer in his chest. When he caught Poppy’s eyes, she was smiling at him, causing him to instantly smile back as if it were a reflex. Something he wasn’t used to, but somehow felt easier whenever he was looking at her.
“Actually, let’s go for a walk! Just the two of us. We haven’t really had the chance to properly talk yet after… everything .” Suddenly remembering herself and just who she was talking to, Poppy quelled her enthusiasm with an awkward chuckle. “If-if you want to, of course.”
Wait, was she feeling shy now? She really wasn’t used to her friendliness being reciprocated by Branch, and it was throwing her off a little. His smile, while a little awkward and stiff, was so… nice.
“You sure you’re not too tired?” Despite her apparent eagerness, Branch had noticed the queen’s attempt at hiding a yawn back on the stage. With her free hand she waved his question off.
“PFFF nah, you know me, I can keep going!”
Oddly enough, the thought of going for a walk with him had woken her up. She felt her natural burst of alertness and energy flow through her tiny body, and allowed it to fuel her so that she could really focus on her friend (not that that was difficult..) and ignore any remaining remnants of tiredness.
Branch chuckled. “Alright then, let’s go.”
With his affirmation, the two of them began walking across the soft plush grass under the glow of star-soaked moonlight, both heads scrambling with scattered thoughts and nervous chests tightening from the constant warm and tingly reminder of the hold they had on each other.
Poppy’s voice was soft when she finally spoke. “You were right, you know.”
Branch blinked as he turned to look at her. Now that was something he wasn’t used to hearing. “I was?”
“Yeah.” She smiled, her own gaze settling onto the ground before them.
“You do have a voice like an angel.”
Her lowered tone rasped a little as it often did, but for some reason the way it sounded as she’d said that was so undeniably attractive to Branch. It was so sincere, and almost.. flirtatious? Whether that was intentional or not he’d never know, but it sure made his head spin. As did the compliment he’d just received from someone who’s opinion meant more to him than he’d ever admitted before.
“Thank you,” he replied shyly, feeling his cheeks heat up as she looked at him with a heart-stoppingly gorgeous smile that radiated from her sparkling cerise eyes just as much as her distractingly soft-looking lips.
“I just can’t believe that was the first time you’d sung in so long! It sounded amazing!” Her eyes cast downwards as a dreamy sigh escaped her. “And the way we harmonised together… I swear my voice has never sounded so good.”
Branch shook his head, “Your voice has always been beautiful.”
The boldness and conviction of his words surprised them both, but the truth in them kept the blue troll from allowing the anxiety to take over. It was important that she knew what he really thought. What he had always thought.
Poppy blinked, stunned to hear such a huge compliment coming from the mouth of someone who’d never been known to give them before. At least not genuinely. She was used to kind words regarding her voice, but hearing them from Branch meant more than she ever could’ve possibly imagined.
“And here I thought you hated my singing,” she said with a cheeky, heavy-lidded grin and a nudge of her shoulder against his.
“Nooo, I hated the risks of singing. As good as it sounded, it was dangerous. Something else I was right about, by the way.”
“You’re never gonna let me live that down, are you?”
“Nope.”
She laughed, and he laughed too. Despite the nightly chill hanging in the air, there was an undeniable warmth hanging between them. They were still holding hands, and as nice as it felt, neither of them were quite used to it yet.
“I mean it, though. I’ve always loved your voice, even though I tried not to.”
“Thank you. I love yours, too.” Poppy murmured, feeling her face prickle with heat. “I’m sad that you hid it for so long, but.. I’m honoured that the first time you felt ready to sing, it was.. for me.”
It was Branch’s turn to blush. She cast him the sweetest grin before pulling her eyes away, and there was no stopping the tightening of his cheeks as they were lifted by his own small smile. He squeezed her hand, so small and delicate in his, and it was enough for her breath to catch and her gaze to return to his.
“There was never a good time to sing until then. I wasn’t going to give up on you, Poppy. Just like you never gave up on me.”
It took a lot to leave the ever energetic and talkative queen speechless, but the swarm of butterflies fluttering through her stomach filled her vocal chords and rendered her incapable. Her silver-speckled cheeks were pinker than they had ever been, and eye contact had never been more difficult for her to maintain.
Branch noticed this. He had never seen her respond so bashfully before. Knowing he’d had such an effect on her made him feel amazing. If this was how she reacted every time he told her such sweet things, he didn’t know how he would ever stop.
Finally, Poppy found the courage to speak after needing a minute to gather her hazy thoughts. “Do you..” Her voice broke a little, so she cleared her throat. “Do you think we could sing together again, maybe? Just us?” A single nervous chuckle slipped out of her awkward smile as she dwelled on the magnitude of her question, especially to someone as private and previously anti-noise as Branch.
It was one thing to sing with several trolls at once as that was just an average part of the lifestyle and a way to maintain and strengthen group bonds. It was more of a performance. But one-on-one.. that was different. It was personal. It was intimate.
And she wanted to do it with him?
“I.. I’d love to,” he said, once he'd found the breath she’d stolen.
“REALLY?!”
Ah, there she was.
Branch’s heart jumped at the sudden volume change, but not out of dread for once.
“Oh my gosh, that would be AMAZING! I’ve literally not been able to stop thinking about singing with you and haven’t really had the chance to ask if you wanted to do it again just the two of us so knowing that you also want to is really, really cool.”
She was speaking so fast it was hard for him to keep up, but he found himself hanging onto every word. Poppy’s enthusiasm had slowly been becoming more and more infectious, and it certainly didn’t hurt that he’d been wanting to sing with her again, too.
They reached a gathering of lightly glowing mushrooms at the edge of a small stream, and decided that it was a good place to sit and rest. They were both reluctant to release the other’s hand, but found that sitting side-by-side more than made up for it.
“You’ve really not been able to stop thinking about it?” He asked, peering over to her with hopeful eyes. Poppy lowered her own to her criss-crossed legs, subconsciously fiddling with the hem of her dress.
“How could I? You brought my colours back! You made me happy again. It was amazing, Branch.”
He swallowed, his slate-blue cheeks burning with foreign hues of violet and his hummingbird heart filling his chest as he thought back to that unforgettable moment of mutual comfort and elation. It had been such a powerful display of vulnerability and raw, unfiltered emotion as the two had finally made a connection strong enough to bring every troll’s colours back. It had been everything, had meant everything.
Just like she did.
“You make me happy, Poppy.”
She sputtered and nervously pushed her fringe out of her face, needing to look away as her cheeks were undoubtedly full-on scarlet by now. “Okaay, am I gonna have to get used to that now? You being so nice to me all the time??”
Feeling pleased with the reaction he’d received, Branch just casually shrugged in spite of the anxiousness continuing to drum through his ribcage. “We’re friends now, right? Well.. I guess this is me as a friend.”
Even though he couldn’t imagine ever being like this with anyone else.
Poppy giggled and finally found the courage to face him again, meeting his waiting smile with a toothy grin. She nudged her shoulder against his, the contact causing a spark of electricity to pass between them. “Well, I like it. Even if it is a bit weird.”
“Haven’t I always been weird?” He said with a chuckle, and she laughed again.
“I was used to you before! I’m not used to this,” she exclaimed, using an expressive hand to emphasise. She found herself shifting a little closer, lowering her voice as she spoke again, “not that I’m complaining.”
The proximity was causing beads of sweat to form on Branch’s forehead, and suddenly the still night air didn’t feel cold at all.
“W-well, good,” he said, watching as Poppy continued to stare ahead, her soft eyes hooded by her thick lashes. “Because there’s more where that came from.”
“Good.” She echoed, ruminating on the incredibly sweet words already given to her and wondering what else he had in store.
“You make me happy too, Branch.” Happy in a way she’d never quite felt before, that confused and excited her in its sheer nerve-wracking newness. “It’s just a shame it took us almost getting eaten for things to finally get better.”
He chuckled and rolled his eyes at her words, causing her to giggle again. God, he could listen to that sound forever. It was such a relief to finally allow himself to enjoy it. To enjoy her.
“What can I say? I know how to pick my moments.”
“In all seriousness, it was the perfect time,” Poppy said softly, turning her head to catch his darting irises. His cheek lifted in a responding half-smile, his blue eyes sparkling with so much hidden kindness finally brought to the surface. She studied his face for a moment, taking in the details she had never noticed back when his skin was still grey and dull. How different he looked now. How.. handsome.
“I’m glad you think so,” he said, his voice prompting her eyes to settle back into his, bringing about an odd feeling of coming home. She inhaled a thick breath which released in the form of a contented hum.
“Everything’s different now, huh?” She said thoughtfully, turning again to face the glittering water just ahead of them.
“Yeah. Good different.” Branch replied with uncharacteristic positivity. A smile pulled up the cheeks of her profile as the moonlight illuminated her eyes: the sight almost too beautiful for him to bear. She turned back to him, expression filled with a childlike joy as she nodded.
“Yeah.. good different..” The way she’d mirrored his words made his heart melt. “We’ve actually made peace with the Bergens, I’m Queen now, and… and we’re friends. Finally.”
“Finally,” he agreed.
Poppy hummed again before gently resting her head against Branch’s shoulder as if it was the easiest thing in the world, catching him completely off-guard. His widened eyes darted to the sprig of pink hair shooting up past his cheek and tickling the follicles of where it met his own plumage, the sensation making him shiver. This prompted the queen to snuggle a little closer, pulling her knees up to rest against his.
“Are you okay?” She asked, closing her eyes as she settled into his warmth. There was so much heat coming off of him: a jarring contrast to how cold his flocked skin felt against hers.
Branch’s throat suddenly felt very thick and dry. He swallowed as he raised an arm to wrap across her slender shoulders, allowing Poppy to fully lean all of her weight into him and feel relief in that she hadn’t overstepped any boundaries. The sensation was overwhelming, and he had no doubt that she couldn’t only hear but also feel the erratic thumping of his heartbeat that her ear was now so close to.
The feeling of his large hand holding onto her tingling arm made Poppy feel so safe and comfortable, yet so nervous at the same time. She didn’t even know what had prompted her to suddenly become so openly and casually affectionate with him. Was it because of all the years she’d missed out on it? Had she really been that repressed?
...Or had she just really wanted to be close to him all this time?
Branch’s uncertain fingers tightened against her skin, gently but securely, and finding his own courage he leaned his head into hers. Poppy released a cute and contented little sound in response as she nuzzled against the soft, welcoming pressure, and neither troll could remember the last time they had felt so happy. If ever, in Branch’s case.
Allowing himself to relax, he smiled as his gaze drifted to the blanket of glittering stars above, inhaling Poppy’s sweet strawberry scent and relishing in the softness of her body pressed against his.
He hadn’t realised just how badly he’d always wanted to be close to her. And now, he finally could be. He breathed out a steady sigh before closing his eyes and answering her.
“I’ve never been better.”