Branch bakes Poppy's favorite cupcakes for absolutely no reason at all.
“No reason,” Branch shrugged, words coming out a bit too quickly as Poppy bit into one of the cupcakes that had been placed on her desk. She paused.
Branch had made Poppy her favorite kind of cupcakes. Knowledge she didn’t even know he had, but with his eidetic memory it wasn’t exactly surprising. No, her reaction was caused by more than that; it was the fact that last night Branch had gone home and baked her favorite kind of cupcakes for no reason. The Pop Queen swore she could feel the oxygen leave the room, just for a second, when he said that.
“So, these are for the snack pack?” Poppy clarified, picking at the wrapper. She didn’t want to hold onto the false hope that Branch did this only for her. These were probably all for their friends and she just happened to be the first person to be given one today. Yeah, that had to be it. The odds of Branch declaring his affections for her through baked goods were low, after all.
“No. They’re for you. I, uh, just felt like baking. It’s actually kind of relaxing – the precise measurements, the methodical process. Plus, it’s basically just edible chemistry,” The teal troll chuckled, letting his hair fall into his face to avoid Poppy's gaze. The gesture was strangely touching. It felt so…intimate. This labor of love that had butterflies fluttering behind her ribs. The sensation tugged at her brain, urging Poppy to recall a long-forgotten conversation. Something about baking being Branch's love language. Had he ever baked for their friends before, though? Poppy couldn’t seem to remember. This is definitely the first time Branch baked anything for Poppy …
Oh.
The implications of the gesture washed over her. “You baked these just for me?” The Pop Queen couldn’t help the awe that trickled into her voice. At that, Branch looked up, more serious now. Poppy felt the warmth rise in herr cheeks at the intensity of his gaze.
“Well, yeah. I thought it’d make you happy.” The teal troll spoke tenderly, a hand tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear. A nervous habit. The thought of him being nervous around her made the butterflies in her chest turn into an all-out swarm. A smile pulled at her lips as Poppy mulled over her next words, emboldened by Branch's sudden shyness.
“Would…you like to have dinner with me on Friday night? Like, on a date?” Branch lit up at the question, a reaction that Poppy wholeheartedly believed deserved to be photographed and hung in the wall. He glanced at the cupcakes before pulling his lips together in a small smile.
“Yeah, I really would.” The pair just grinned at each other, two hearts threatening to beat out of their respective chests. Two people who just couldn’t stop smiling. “I just have one request.”
“What’s that?” Poppy asked, trying not to let concern waver her voice. Branch grinned even wider; eyes alight.
“I’m bringing the dessert.”
Poppy huffed a laugh at that. Branch was going on a date with her, and he was bringing dessert. Dessert that he would likely spend the prior night baking. An image of Branch in a crooked apron, flour dusting his front as he carefully measured out ingredients, floated through Poppy's mind. The concept made her heart sing.
Poppy pulled her eyes away from him to take another bite of the muffin Branch had made for her – for her – and tried to hide her purely contented moan. At that moment, everything was perfect. Poppy couldn’t have asked for a better date, or even a better cupcake. And it turned out that the odds of Branch declaring his affections for Poppy through baked goods were low, but never impossible.
