BROPPY ONE-SHOTS

Here For You

AFTER TROLLS BAND TOGETHER

Prompt; Poppy carries the burden of intense guilt from her past mistakes, the amount augmenting at the sudden reveal of her long-lost sister. At her breaking point, Branch is her go-to for comfort.

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RUBBING her tired eyes, Poppy slaps an insincere smile on her face, hoping it would appear to be genuine enough to convince her subjects that she was okay. She roamed the village, rushing to the aid of any troll that requested for her.

  Her body sagged with an undeniable amount of stress; her steps were heavy and her body failed to perfect the tasks she was meant to do. She couldn't replicate the usual routine of hugging, singing, and dancing. The tiredness in her voice was noticeable, and her movements would come off as sloppy.

  Always seeming the carefree, happy troll: it came with great consequences. To shove aside the negative and force yourself into believing that the outcome would always be positive. That's all she ever knew of, the kind of mentality she possessed since.

However, it didn't automatically erase any of her wrongdoings. No, it never has. Her mind crawled through a narrow dark tunnel, leading to a long trail of insecurity, depressive thoughts, and overall guilt. She felt herself lose control over her emotions, allowing the dark headspace consume her whole.

Day by day, the gnawing sensation of her insecure thoughts doubled. With every increase, Poppy would distract herself, take on anything that could possibly silence the voices that continued to haunt her.

Unfortunately, there was a limit.

"Queen Poppy!" A bypassing troll called out to her, a look of worry adorning their small face. They nudged her lightly, later placing the back of their palm to her forehead. "Are you alright, Queen Poppy?"

Poppy snapped her eyes wide open, gasping. Her lips quickly lifted into a weak smile, dismissing their concern. "Ah! Yes, why yes I am. Don't worry." She offered them a quick hug, feeling herself drift away as they broke apart, leaving her to continue her duties.

She stared off into the distance, her pink bright orbs glimmering under the sun. However, they didn't display their usual glow. Instead, the dull soul of a pink troll resided in them, as if the vibrancy had never been there in the first place.

One of the thousands of trolls noticed.

"HEY, Poppifer." Branch waved, smiling warmly at his girlfriend. He pulled them aside, away from the large crowd, earning a weird glance from the pink girl. She tried to protest, gently nudging her wrist away from his grasp, but Branch wiggled his finger in the air.

"Nope, don't even try it." He simply said, keeping his gaze on the pathway. Poppy sighed, mildly annoyed, but didn't attempt to resist once more. She turned her head to their surroundings, finding herself enthralled by Mother Nature.

For once, she felt a genuine smile break out, her eyes admiring every flower, every plant, and the beautiful sky. The late-summer breeze hit against her face, inhaling a deep breath, allowing the heavy weight on her shoulders to fade away with the wind.

  They passed through a thicket of hollyhocks, stepping into a bright field of various flowers. It decorated the ground in its beautiful colors, coming in many different shapes and sizes. Poppy resisted the temptation to lean down, pluck a few flowers that caught her eye, and adorn them throughout Branch's hair.

"You can do it, so go pick out some flowers." Branch chuckled, settling down on an open spot. He hummed one of her favorite brozone songs, patiently waiting for her to decorate his hair as she pleased. He felt himself smile as her fingers dug through his scalp, expressing her gratitude through the small gesture.

Poppy kissed the side of his temple, nuzzling his cheek with her own. "I love you, so so much." She peppered a few kisses before running off into the field of flowers, quickly plucking out a few blue lilies, her pink skin glowing a deeper shade to emphasize her happiness.

BRANCH nibbled on his sandwich, intently listening to his girlfriend gossip about Pop Village. "You know, I didn't realize how much time Floyd and Hickory have been spending together," He commented after he swallowed down the bits of his food, "Now that you mention it, that might be possible."

  Poppy nodded eagerly, placing a heavy grip on his shoulders and started shaking his body, the last piece of his sandwich bouncing off his hand. "Yes! With the way they look at each other, it's only a matter of time before they start dating!" She squealed, releasing him with a gentle push.

  Branch shook his head, smiling. "Yeah, okay. Now, let's move on from the, uh.." He coughed into his palm before lifting his fingers to air quote, "Tea, and let's focus on something more important." His expression became serious, gazing into her eyes.

  Poppy sucked in the warm air, her smile faltering quickly at his sudden change. She lowered her head and played with her hands, picking at her hug time bracelet. "Don't you want to hear about John Dory and Delt-" She desperately tried to continue their conversation, hoping her issues wouldn't become apart of it.

  She was aware Branch had been studying her for the past two weeks; Poppy only wondered when he would finally get her to talk.

  I guess that time is now,

  "Poppy." He immediately cut her off, his brows creasing with worry. He extended his palms out, silently asking for her to join him. She placed her hands over his, sliding her fingers through to interlock them. "I'm here for you," Branch whispered, pressing their foreheads together.

  "You're not alone, Popstar. I don't plan on going anywhere," He placed a small kiss on her nose, "Unless it's with you." Branch warmly smiled, catching the glimmer in her eyes as he reminded her of the moment they shared during their journey to save Floyd.

  Poppy laughed, a sob in between as tears began to fall onto their laps. "I am so lucky to have an amazing boyfriend." She unlocked their hands to wrap her arms around him, nuzzling her face into his neck with a soft sigh. Her body melted into his touch, the warm embrace relieving all of her stress.

  Branch rested his chin on her shoulder, caressing her back with his free hand. "And, I am too for having an amazing, beautiful, and lovely girlfriend." He tilted his head to plant another kiss on her cheek, the pink girl giggling in response.

  "But, I hope you know, you'll have to talk about what's stressing you out. I don't mind helping out a little more, plus, I get to spend more time with you."

  Poppy smiled, lightly giving his waist an affectionate squeeze.

  "Yeah, yeah. I know, but right now,
                         I just want to stay like this."