Grown-Up Stuff

Soundproof

A/N: 😏

                            __________________________________________________

It was precisely three things that were serving as a distraction to Branch that night.

One was the incredibly delicious marshmallows in his hands, plopped into his mouth every few minutes so he could experience its chewy, fluffy goodness in between the songs that he and his brothers were harmonizing to. Another was Poppy, sitting across him from the campfire alongside her sister Viva. Her deep, fuschia eyes - sparkling with the reflection of the crackling orange flames - remained trained to his blue whenever she spared a glance his way, letting him know by the intense gaze that there was something other than flames crackling between them.

Tension.

And it was one that was continuing to build as the evening progressed, all because of a small tidbit of information that was so graciously dumped upon them during the idle conversation among the group of friends. The information in itself being the third distraction.

Patience was not proving to be a virtue, however, and he and Poppy had to be pulled out of their dazed infatuation with one another several times - Viva nudging her sister with a giggle and Floyd nudging Branch wearing his own little smirk.

After what did feel like hours of happily enduring laughter, songs, stories and other shenanigans that could only ensue among siblings, the first yawn finally was emitted, coming out of Floyd. It in turn caused everybody else to realize just how tired they were, too. So when the other yawns and tired stretches followed suit to confirm it was true, Branch nearly felt like pulling his brother in for a hug. His favorite bro had come to his aid, even if he may not have known it! But while the fun between the seven friends had just concluded, the heated glint in Poppy's eyes told him that their fun was just beginning.

Just as Branch's thoughts began to wander somewhere ungentlemanly, John Dory's loud voice broke through. "I don't know about you all, but I'm bushed!" To demonstrate his point, he plopped down flat on his back upon his sleeping bag. "Guess it was pretty fun singing and roasting marshmallows after all, eh?" he chuckled after a moment.

Bruce hummed in agreement, munching on the last few in his possession. "Mmm-mmm! I gotta tell Brandy we should add these to the dessert menu," he said, referring to his wife of whom he ran Vacay Island's cantina with.

"Imma be the first one in line if you do that!" Clay exclaimed, exchanging a fist bump with the purple-haired Troll.

"Count me in on that, too!" Viva giggled. She too really loved marshmallows - her couch back in Putt Putt Village, in fact, was a marshmallow! And only now did it really occur to her to wonder how in the world she'd managed not to consume it for all those years living there. Shrugging it off, she turned to the gang with a large grin. "He's right though," she said, gesturing a thumb at John Dory. "This really was fun! I'd love for us to all hang again sometime!"

Floyd nodded his head, agreeing. "That would be nice." He turned to Branch, seeking his younger bro's opinion.

"Yeah," the blue Troll responded, hoping he didn't sound too breathless when he answered, his gaze still fixed on Poppy.

The Pop Queen, in a similar fashion, concurred with a little dazed "Uh-huh."

Good nights were bid, sleeping bags unzipped, and wrappers to the Jumbo-sized marshmallow bags disposed of. As Branch went to go put out the campfire, he silently mouthed the words to Poppy that would let her know when they could get the ball rolling.

Five minutes.

He accompanied the words with hand gestures - one going forward, as though he were making the motion for the word "after," and then another gesture tucking his hands under one side of his head, to make it look as though he were laying down to sleep. Poppy understood right away, confirming with a little wink and followed by a half-lidded gaze that made a tingle go down his spine. He tried to ignore it as he laid down in his sleeping bag, for the sake of surviving those next five minutes without her in his arms already, but found he couldn't. Poppy's effect was too strong, and the desires manifested themselves in delicious fantasies for what he ached to do with her. Fantasies of which would soon become a reality.