Everything Has Changed (Trolls Spider-Man AU)

Drying Dishes

After Branch and Floyd both calmed down, Branch showed Floyd Poppy's gift. He laughed at the silliness of it and asked Branch if Poppy was the kind of girl to like it. All Branch said was 'I hope she is.'

"How did you know that Clay forgot to get Viva a gift?" Floyd said as Branch put his gift back in his wardrobe, being sure to only open the door that didn't have the Sentinel suit.

"Like- a week ago maybe- Clay had me eat dinner with him and go Christmas shopping with him." Branch didn't tell Floyd that Clay asked him for advice, so he kept that fact to himself. "I know what he got you, by the way. Anyway the thing he wanted to buy Viva wasn't in stock so he told me to remind him to get it later. I only remembered until now." Branch lead Floyd to the door and opened it for him.

The moment they left the bedroom to go into the main room, Clay was opening the front door. Branch rushed towards it and saw Poppy.

He waited for her to enter completely before offering his hand up. Poppy looked confused and raised her eyebrow. Branch just rolled her eyes and motioned to the bags in her hand.

"Your coat and the bags?"

Poppy's eyes lit up with understanding. She smiled and started giving Branch her stuff. When she was done, she thanked him and leaned to give him a peck on the cheek. After the kiss, she whispered, "Great job."

The Brothers around him cooed and ogled at the gesture as Branch started to put the presents under the Christmas tree and put her coat in his room. When he finished, he saw that Poppy and Viva were setting the table and Brandy was setting up everything.

He turned to the nearest brother, Bruce, and asked. "Why are they setting up everything? Shouldn't we help?" Bruce laughed and shook his head.

"No, we cooked, Brandy wanted to do everything else. Then the girls offered to help her."

"I didn't cook."

Bruce hummed in thought. "Hm that's right."

"John!" Bruce shouted and John's head snapped from the Girls to Bruce and Branch.

"Branch needs something to do."

John sighed and then remembered something. "Branch get the foldable table from the first guest bedroom closet."

Branch left, in reality, he just wanted some time to plan what he'd do, what he'd say.

He wanted this to be believable, he needed it to be believable so his brothers wouldn't catch on. Especially since Floyd is there. Floyd knows Branch back and forth; he would tell if Branch wasn't being genuine. Maybe Viva would be able to notice the same with Poppy. He just needed to make sure that he was the most head over heels idiot in the world. Which probably won't be a problem, it's not hard to be head over heels for a girl like Poppy.

He had help from clay when it came to setting up the chairs. Once they were done, everyone sat down at the table and started to serve themselves.

"So, Poppy, Branch, how did you guys meet?" Brandy asked as she departed from the kids table and sat in her seat in between Viva and Bruce.

Poppy looked at Branch with a fond smile and pointed at herself, as if to say 'I'll take this one.'

"So, I was struggling in my classes and my cheer coach told me that to keep being on the team I had to bring my grades up. So, I asked around about who had the best grades in our year. Well, my Friend, Chanelle, she's in the same English as Branch, and she sits next to him. Their English is 2nd hour which is homeroom, right? So she peaked over his shoulder when first quarter progress reports came and saw that Branch was first in out year. Of course she immediately passed that information to me and I found Branch in the hallways a few days later-"