Twelve days of Trollsmas (A Christmas Special!)

Golden Cupcakes!!!

Branch sat down, that hug was so heartwarming, he could feel a slight part of him becoming happy again. He decided he'll try enjoy these few days, only 8 left.

He woke up to silence. Complete and utter silence. He got up and walked around his house, vest-less. His patched shorts were the only clothes he had on but it didn't matter - nobody was here. He opened the door to nothing. Kinda disappointed, Branch went to eat a strawberry for breakfast. He opened the pantry to find a chocolate covered strawberry with sprinkles. A note sat next to it.

'We are going to be cooking today, join us if you want. Love; your friends.' It was Poppy's handwriting, he was all to familiar with it. What he was surprised was the lack of glitter but he was quiet happy about that. Even after the four days of torture he was torn- to his surprise he was missing everyone. Holding the note in one hand and eating the strawberry with the other, Branch couldn't choose what to do. He realised he wanted to spend the day with everyone, even though he pushed them away. Sighing, he slipped on his vest and headed out the door.

When he rocked up to Moxie's house where they were all cooking, everyone was shocked he actually showed. Branch just shrugged when they asked him why he did. Aspen didn't speak to him though, he kept quiet in the corner of the living room as he decorated cupcakes.

"We good." Branch playfully punches Aspens' shoulder when he was done with a cupcake. Aspen smiled and suggested Branch to sit down with him. Branch watched for a while, the colourful cupcakes they were making. Hundreds of them were finished and already boxed up by the time Branch started to help. He took it upon himself to make a cupcake from scratch and go from there, having everyone help him. The trolls would try teach him to use the machines by taking over for a second but Branch refused that. He wanted to do it all himself, to make one cupcake that he could say he made.

It took a few tries before Branch made a perfect chocolate cupcake. Everyone applauded him. He started to decorate it after it cooled down, using golden icing as that was the colour least used. He spent ages making the icing perfect, and he finally made a perfect spiral of golden icing. He topped it with yellow sprinkles and grated white chocolate while he cooked four more. At this point everyone was taking a break in Moxie's bedroom. Just as he was finishing decorating his four new cupcakes so that they were identical to the first, everyone came out and were amazed at the 5 golden cupcakes Branch had made. He stood there, holding them on a long tray all in a row.

"Branch, please let me take a photo!" Biggie begged, already grabbing his camera. Branch bit his lip but knew today couldn't be completely in his comfort zone - he was around other Trolls, how could he be. He nodded in agreement and held the tray back up so Biggie could take the photo.

In the end of the day, everyone was exhausted, they made over a thousand cupcakes, not including Branches' cupcake which they were cut into quarters and shared amongst the Trolls. Everyone complimented Branch on his cooking and for the first time since his Grandma, he was grinning.

"See, today wasn't so bad, was it Branch." Creek says from across the room. Branch glares over to him and everyone bursts into laughter. Branch sat there quietly, sharing the small couch between Satin and Chenille, who insisted he sat there. Everyone shared funny moments they have experienced, not pushing Branch into sharing.

"Then, as Smidge was riding on my back, I tripped on an exposed root and Smidge went flying into this group of Trolls who were all walking near the edge of the lake." Cooper starts laughing. "And they fell in with Smidge!" Cooper and Smidge start bursting into laughter, everyone else start to laugh too.

"That reminds me of a time my old friend went for a dip in the lake," Branch starts. Everyone looks at him weirdly but he continues. "Back when we were really young. He dived in from a high point in the tree by the side of the lake." Branch smiles as he remembers it. "He got out just as a group of our age girls were passing. He didn't realise he lost his shorts in the lake." Branch laughs out loud, everyone joining in. "So they all saw him as he winked at them, before they started laughing and he realised. He always walked the other way when he saw them after that." Once the laughter dies down everything goes quiet. Branch looked around and everyone was smiling. He was too, weakly and it was only a half smile but he counted it.

"Thank you, Branch." Poppy says, directly opposite from him.
"For what?" Branch asks, confused. Everyone looks at Poppy, knowing what she is going to say.
"For opening up to us, finally. Even if it's just a little." Poppy smiles, that smile was a smile Branch caused and as he thought of that he smiled too.
"Thank you guys for today." Branch responds. Everyone smiles at him.
"No problem." Moxie says, "Anytime." She took the words off everyone's mind.

After everyone started walking home, Branch said goodbye to everyone, as he lived in the outskirts of the village. Poppy decided to walk with him, even after Branch told her she didn't have to.

"Why don't I remember you when you were little?" Poppy asked after a long silence.
"What do you mean?" Branch asks back.
"I can't picture you as a youngling but I knew you were here when you were. Did you play hide and seek a lot?" Poppy remarked.
"No, but at a young age I cut everyone out so that probably why." That was it, Poppy didn't risk pushing him but she decided to ask one more question.
"Where's your parents?" Branch stops suddenly. He sighs.
"Where's your mother?" He asks, hoping to change the subject.
"She died while having me." Poppy says. He should have known, Branch thought o himself, that she would have opened up if it meant any chance of him opening up. "Where's your parents? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Just tell me that you don't, don't change the topic." Poppy stares into Branch's eyes, the dark grey eyes that look back into her bright pink ones.
"They're gone." Branch says and starts walking, breaking the contact.

They reach Branches pod and Poppy smiles.
"Why are you smiling?" Branch asks.
"Three. Two. One." Her bracelet opens up into a pink flower. She holds her arms open wide.
"That's why you wanted to walk me home? Because of that?" Branch states. Poppy nods before embracing him. Branch weakly lifts his arms and slightly grazes her back with his hand before pulling away.
"Goodnight, Poppy." Branch opens his door.
"Branch?" Poppy calls before he walks inside.
"Yes?"
"Meet me at Aspens house tomorrow." Poppy says, about to turn around.
"What are we doing?" Branch asks.
"You'll find out." She shows him one more smile before skipping away.

Branch sits downs and goes over the events of today. He got hugged once. He let Biggie take a photo of him. He shared a memory before he was grey. He told Poppy his parents were gone. Poppy shared what happened to her mother, the Queen. He made 5 cupcakes all by himself. He grew a bond with everyone, a stronger bond and nobody sung. Smiling, Branch goes to bed with the memories of everything that happened today.

7 days left.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Have a great day guys!!
All the best wishes
XXTheGreyTrollXX