Inseparable - Trolls Mythology AU

Chapter 20 - The Strings

- Dad, why do we have to sleep? - A little violet kid hides his face deeper into his father's shirt. - I thought you said once that Immortals don't have to sleep. But we sleep every night! It's... - He yawns. - ...frustrating.

Branch smiles at him, stroking his hair gently.

- I don't know - The blue god admits calmly. - I've never been a child. Ask your mother. She was.

A small girl looks up at the pink goddess, showing her eyes filled with surprise.

- You were a kid and dad wasn't? - She asks aloud.

- Dad came from Chaos - Poppy explains quietly, hugging her daughter a bit tighter. - And I was born just like you. That's why you have a grandpa and others don't.

- So why do Immortal kids have to sleep?

The last question comes from the oldest child, lying a bit aside from the rest. He doesn't like hugging that much. He prefers to sleep alone.

- I don't know, Aster - Poppy turns to him with a smile. - I needed it when I was a kid, that's all I know. We don't know much about immortal kids, they are really rare.

- That's why you are so special - Branch adds, smiling at his kid. He yawns, making everyone, one by one, yawning too. - You really need to sleep now.

- Are you sleeping with us? - A little girl lifts her sparkling eyes.

- Star, do we ever leave you during sleep?

- How can we know? - Aster points out. He really likes discussions. - What if you leave us when we get asleep and come back in the morning?

Star looks worryingly at dad.

- I swear we don't do that! - The blue god declares openly.

- Look, Happy is already asleep - Poppy glances down at the kid cuddled into Branch's arms. She takes a look at her daughter, kissing her on her light pink forehead. - Just close your eyes, little Star.

The girl smiles and listens to her mum. A few minutes later the grasshoppers' concert is disturbed only by calm breaths from children's mouths.

- That was fast - Branch whispers, gazing at his daughter. - What about Aster?

Poppy turns to her left where her son is lying a step or two from them.

- I think he's sleeping too - She announces.

They both look up at the clear nightly sky. They are staring at the twinkling stars for a while, listening to the soft melody of the grasshoppers' song. The light blue moon shines above them, watching the whole Earth from the sky. Everything is pleasantly calm.

- Let's figure it out again - Poppy starts out of nowhere. She doesn't have to explain she means their work. They both think about it most of the time. - What do we know about Love?

- The last time we separated six things it needs to be full and true - Branch starts listing. - Free will, awareness, affection, honesty, attachment, and emotionality.

- Six inseparable parts of Love - The goddess looks at the god, frowning sadly. - And trolls don't have even one of them.

Branch heave a deep sigh. He carefully moves closer to her, trying to not wake up his son cuddled to his right side. He slips his free hand under her head and embraces her shoulders, touching her to him. She has no hand to hug him back, but they both get used to it. They all like a "family" sleep hug, it's really cozy and warm. Besides Aster, he doesn't like hugs that much.

- I don't want to repeat myself on and on, but I've already told you - The god says softly, gently touching her ear with the top of his nose. - We can do anything more by ourselves. We have to ask others for help.