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Poppy's head tilted in confusion when she saw her boyfriend, Branch, sitting outside his bunker at night, gazing up at the stars above.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Couldn't sleep," Branch confessed, offering a nonchalant shrug. His gaze remained fixed on the sky above, his eyes reflecting the soft glow of the stars. Poppy nodded sympathetically; there were countless nights where she would stumble upon him still wide awake, and he would assure her that it's happens every now and then. She was not entirely innocent in this regard either.
He raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. "And what about you? I know for a fact that your schedule is packed tomorrow."
Poppy scoffed and playfully threw her paw at him. "Turns out Viva snores. Like, louder than dad."
With a chuckle, Branch patted an inviting spot on the grass beside him. "Well, care to keep me company then?"
Poppy smiled and settled down next to Branch, leaning against him with a content sigh. They sat in comfortable silence, admiring the twinkling stars above them. The night was cool and quiet until Branch mentioned, "You know, I've never seen a shooting star before."
Surprise flashed across Poppy's face, her paws prodding him playfully in the ribs. "No way! So you've never made a wish on a shooting star?"
He snorted. "Wishes aren't real."
Poppy stuck out her tongue playfully, refusing to back down.
"Nuh uh, they're real!" Poppy retorted, jabbing her finger into the air for emphasis. "You just gotta believe in them."
Branch rolled his eyes but couldn't help smiling at her determination. "So, have you made wishes on them?" he asked.
"Oh yeah, all the time," Poppy replied with a smile as he gently held her paw. "I loved looking at them through my pod and when I see one, it's like 'wow!' I hope that one comes true."
"What kind of wishes does a queen of the pop tribe make?" Branch asked, rubbing his thumb over her paw affectionately. Poppy laughed and said, "You know, for everyone to be happy, including you Mr. Grumpy Pants."
"Former grumpy pants," Branch interjected, correcting her with a matter-of-fact tone. "But what about your own wishes? Did you ever wish for something selfish?"
Poppy's smile turned wry as she looked at their linked paws before meeting his gaze again. "Actually, yes. And it came true too, soooo you can't say wishes can't come true."
Branch rolled his eyes and playfully nudged her shoulder at her response. Poppy's grin grew wider and she turned to him, asking, "What would you wish for if you saw a shooting star?"
Branch hummed as he thought about it and replied, "I'm not sure. I have my colors back, my brothers back, and I have you-"
Poppy let out a delighted squeal and wrapped her arms around him tightly. A groan rumbled up from his chest, and he shifted awkwardly under her enthusiastic embrace. He felt a slight heat in his cheeks, but he didn't resist as she clung onto him. A small smile appeared on Branch's lips.
"Well, maybe there is one thing I can wish for." He said.
Poppy's eyes widened in anticipation. "What is it? Tell me."
Branch turned to her with a smirk and said, "You know you're not supposed to say your wishes out loud or else they won't come true."
Poppy shot him a playful glare and groaned. "Aw, that's not fair."
Branch gave another casual shrug. "Don't worry, I'll let you know if it does come true."
She smiled at him before they leaned against each other, once more looking up at the sky.
"Can I at least get a hint?" she asked softly. Her paw traced a gentle path along his arm, each stroke stirring the soft fur that cloaked him. It always felt so warm and soft even under the cool night sky.
He let out a little hum and replied, "Hmm. Nope. Can't risk it not coming true."
She rolled her eyes and retorted, "And I thought you didn't believe in wishes."
He chuckled and said, "Well, you have a way of making me believe in things, Poppy."
She nestled closer to Branch, reveling in the comfort of his presence. The night air was crisp around them, the stars above twinkling like a thousand tiny lights in the darkness. She leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek.
Her voice barely rose above a whisper, carrying it through the quiet night. "I hope your wish comes true, Branch."
A smile tugged at his lips as he slid his paw into his pocket, fingers brushing against something round and topped with a cold touch of a brilliant blue gem.
"I have a good feeling about this one," Branch spoke softly, a sense of confidence in his tone.