Poppy came to the realization that she loves Branch's Hands.
They're holding hands when she realizes it.
She loves his hands.
She really, really loves Branch's hands.
When they're holding hands, just like they are now, and hers just seems to be swallowed by his. It's one of the best feelings in the world being connected with him by him and his amazing hands.
And then there are his fingers. Branch's fingers give her the chills if Poppy stares at them long enough she realized how small her hands are compared to his. He's always telling her how much he loves her small hands making her feel
Poppy doesn't even have to look when she feels Branch's hand slide into hers because she feels the callouses and she just knows.
But probably one of her favorite reasons she loves his hands is when he cradles her face while he kisses her.
Branch doesn't do it often, as sad as Poppy is to admit that, but when he does she feels so safe and protected and it's one of those feelings she never realized she needed until they started dating.
The first time Branch does it, he tells her he loves her.
Poppy freaks out a little, but she's never been told that before and she's just been told 'I love you' by her best friend in a non-platonic way and the words 'I love you' are scary enough as it is.
So of course, in true Poppy fashion, she begins to babble on, and she's pretty sure she says I love you back, but all of a sudden Branch's hands are on either side of her face and she's being kissed senseless.
She feels the callouses rubbing her cheek and she smiles against his lips.
Poppy kisses back for all she's worth, the fact that she can hear them announcing that his their food order is ready was not helping.
When they pull away, which Poppy was happy he finally did because she was getting a little lightheaded there for a moment, Branch still holds her face in his hands and looks down at her, the height difference apparent in this moment. Branch sets his forehead on hers as they try to catch their breath and they announce the final call for their food that they ordered.
"I love you." Branch says before leaning down to kiss her one more time. Branch pulls away and when his hands drop from her face she feels like her body temperature drops two degrees.
He starts to walk away at that point and Poppy stands there in shock for a moment before running after him, grabbing his hand.
Branch turns and Poppy stands on her tiptoes to peck his lips one more time.
"I love you too." Poppy whispers. Branch's face lights up like it did when she had just told him she loves him back for the first time ever.
He kisses her once more before peeling away from her and running towards the stand where their food was waiting.
Branch turns and waves to her as the worker gives him the tray of food and she waves back watching him.
It turns out Poppy finds that most of the time Branch does it to make her stop talking, and it should make her angry but it's just one of those things that she loves about Branch.
Him and those beautifully amazing hands.
