Yeah... I think I have a serious obsession with Trolls. Especially Broppy. Like, there has literally never been a couple from a DreamWorks movie that I ship more (sorry, Shrek and Fiona XD). So, why not make one-shots for it? Anyway, please enjoy!

Summary: Branch absolutely despises his best friend's boyfriend. Turns out, he now has a good reason to.

OoOoOo

"Branch?"

"Yeah?"

"When was the first time you had sex?"

Branch nearly choked on his own spit. "No," he said, collecting himself. "We are not having this conversation right now. Scratch that: we're not having this conversation ever." They had been friends since they were in diapers, the two told each other almost everything. This, however, was something that he would much very rather keep quiet.

It had caught him completely off guard. They were just doing homework (well, he was doing homework. She was on her phone and waiting until Sunday as per usual) in her room when she had blurted it out. To be fair, though, he probably should be used to his friend's strange tendencies by now. Then again, he didn't think anyone could ever "get used to" Poppy.

Poppy pouted, looking up at him through her thick eyelashes. "Come on, Branch," she implored and he had to look away. Very few people could resist Poppy Sparkle's puppy eyes. Even he found himself at their mercy. "You can tell me."

He decided to change the subject, "Why are you asking me this anyway?"

Suddenly, she got real quiet. It was the quietest he had ever seen her. In fact, he didn't even think that she could physically get this quiet. Poppy was loud, boisterous, and cheerful. Always. She shrugged at him. "I don't know," she obviously lied. "Just... popped into my head, I guess."

Branch placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong, Pops?" he asked gently, using the nickname only he was allowed to call her.

"Nothing." Another lie.

Since when did she lie to him? Poppy was always an open book, especially to him. And he was sure she had never lied to him before. Poppy simply wasn't one to tell a lie. "Poppy..." urged Branch, hoping to get her to open up.

Poppy pursed her lips and he knew she couldn't keep it in. "Well... it may or may not have something to do with Creek?" She finished that sentence as if it were a question when they both knew that it wasn't.

Creek Flow was Poppy's boyfriend (to his distaste) of a year and a half and to say he didn't like the guy was an understatement. Creek was an egotistical, obnoxious, condescending jerk and Branch despised the way he treated Poppy at times. Of course, it wasn't his place to say anything, but that didn't mean he couldn't be silently angry about it.

Branch regarded her warily. "What about Creak?" he asked carefully.

She twiddled her thumbs together nervously. "He... He keeps bugging me about it," she told him, obviously distressed. "He says that it keeps couples close and that if I don't sleep with him, I don't love him."

That fucker.

Rage engulfed him like a flame set to wood, but he did his best to shove it back down. As much as he despised her loser boyfriend, Poppy was his priority. "Poppy, you don't have to do anything you don't want to," he said to her, slightly harsher than he meant to. He glanced at her. "You know that, right?" He was positive that she did, but he just wanted to make sure.

Poppy shrugged again, her eyes downcast in a way that made his heart ache. "What if he gets mad at me?" she asked softly. That was the one thing he knew she hated. She hated when people were disappointed or unsatisfied with her. She always tried to pleas everyone, but if there was one person who didn't deserve her kindness, it was Creak.

As well as himself, but that was besides the point.

"Then you leave his sorry ass," insisted Branch, his anger returning. "If he- God, Poppy. If he's putting this kind of pressure on you..." He trailed off, not knowing what to say next.

She shook her head. "No, no, no, Branch. It's not like that." He didn't know who she was trying to convince more; him or herself. "Creek- he's just... passionate about our relationship. You know?"

"Poppy-"

She sighed. "Just drop it, okay?" she pleaded. "Forget I said anything."

Everything inside of Branch screamed at him not to drop it. Right at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to convince her to break-up with that no-good sleaze and-

And what? a voice in the back of his head demanded. That voice right there was often the source of his loneliness and lack of self-confidence. It was also the reason that Poppy was his only friend. He'd almost messed that up too, but she was very persistent. Tell her that you'd be better for her? Yeah right. You don't deserve her any more than he does.

So, Branch simply nodded. "Whatever you want, Princess."

What a mistake that was.

OoOoOo

Branch woke up to an urgent knocking on his door. He groaned, dragging himself out of bed and glancing at his nightstand clock. One o'clock in the damn morning. There was only one person her knew that would be at his house, let alone at this ungodly hour. "Poppy..." he growled, shuffling wearily to his door. "Someone had better be bleeding to death."

As soon as he opened the door, his anger disappeared completely.

Her pink hair was down from her usual high ponytail and was strewn all over her head, falling across her shoulder messily. Her eyes were red and puffy and there were tearstains on her cheeks. Her body was trembling and she was absolutely soaked head-to-toe. He had never seen her more upset in his life or disoriented in his life.

But what stood out to him most was the angry red hand-shaped mark on her right cheek.

Poppy managed to smile weakly at him. "H-Hiya, B-Branch," she greeted, her voice shaking as much as her body was. "I-I'm sorry that I'm h-here so late, b-but..." She didn't get to finish her sentence before she began to sob loudly.

Branch immediately took her in his arms, holding her close. He tugged her into the small apartment, closing the door behind them before leading her to the couch. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders, hoping it would do something to warm her up. Her nails clutched his shirt, wailing incoherent noises into his chest.

He continued to hold her, rocking them both back and forth in an effort to calm her down. He rubbed comforting circles on her back, a thousand scenarios running through his mind at how she possibly could have gotten that mark- He suddenly stopped all movement, making the girl in his arms, who had gradually stopped crying, glance up at him curiously.

Creek.

That son of a bitch. Branch was going to murder him. How dare Creek even think about harming a hand on her head. By the time he was done, the fucker was going to be begging for mercy. He was going to - God - he was going to destroy him. He-

"Branch!"

He blinked and looked down at the pink-haired girl. "What?" he asked, slightly hostile.

Poppy rolled her eyes. "I called you, like, six times," she informed him. "What are you thinking about?"

Branch decided to be honest with her for once in his life. "How I'm going to rip your asshole of a boyfriend apart," he said truthfully.

She sat up quickly. "Creek didn't do this!" she insisted. "I, uh, fell! Yeah, I tripped and fell into a wall and-" She looked up at his unchanging expression and sighed. "I'm that bad of a lair, huh?"

"The worst."

Poppy visibly deflated, sniffling slightly. "I'm sorry."

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "For what?" As far as he was concerned, she had absolutely nothing to apologize for.

"For bothering you with this," she answered. "I know it's late and..."

Branch shook his head. "Don't be." He stood up before helping her to her feet. "Why don't you take a shower and then head to bed? I think you still have some clothes in the spare bedroom, yeah?"

Poppy nodded. "Probably. I'll go ahead and do that." She wrapped her arms around him. "Thanks, Branch."

He hugged her back. "What are friends for, Princess?" Friends, the voice from a few days ago reminded him as she released him and walked away. Just friends. This doesn't change anything. He tried his best to ignore the sinking feeling in his chest at the words.

Around half an hour later, Poppy came back in completely dry clothes. She looked much more relaxed than when she had first arrive, though her eyes were still red and the mark on her cheek was still prominent against her skin. "Goodnight, Branch."

"Night, Poppy."

Poppy seemed to contemplate something seriously before softly pressing her pink lips to his cheek. "Thank you for being there." She shot him one last smile before retreating to her room.

Branch lightly touched the spot where she had kissed him. "Always, Princess," he vowed, his cheeks flushing. He'd always be there for her. No matter what.

OoOoOo

That ending was "meh." It's, like, 80 degrees out and I'm lazy. Sue me. I'm actually planning a part two to this, only because I wanted to add something here, but it didn't really fit. So, expect that. Also, I'm not to fond of Creek? Does it show? Anyway, please review!