A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews, it's been a rough week and they really cheered me up. Hope you like the new chapter:)
I'm writting this on my phone and using the app to publish it. As a result my formatting is getting a bit messed up and lines I put in italics simply will not stay that way. Lines written in first person and supposed to be thoughts, Branch's in the first section, Poppy's in the second. Hope that makes sense.
Branch was feeling annoyed. He'd been out early tweaking one of his hidden defence systems in the village when he'd spotted Poppy calling from pod to pod collecting her friends. Finishing his work Branch had hurried home to wait for Poppy's inevitable arrival at the bunker. And he'd waited, and waited. And had lunch. And waited some more. Now he was angry with himself for going out of his way to be available to Poppy, and even more annoyed with her for apparently not needing him after all. There was also the distinct possibility that he had been deliberately excluded as the nature of whatever Poppy was up to related directly to him. Poppy knew he generally hated surprises but that didn't always stop her.
So assuming that was the case Branch had three options;
A, think up a plausible reason to go into the village and see what excuses they came up with.
B, spy on them.
C, get on with his day and trust that Poppy wasn't up to anything terrible.
He was just on the verge of unbolting his hatch to execute plan B, (potentially moving to A depending on the results of B) when he picked up a thoroughly unwelcome sound. Someone, Creek unless Branch missed his guess, was singing right outside his bunker. Singing a love song, of all things. A particularly dire love song at that.
"If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?"
Branch scowled. It was annoying but he'd just wait for Creek to move on. From the sledgehammer subtlety Branch concluded that Creek had written the song himself.
"I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand. If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?"
It's completely one sided. You haven't mentioned one thing about her yet. Also that tune is dismal. It just goes up and up with no melody. Branch mentally critiqued.
"Is there any way that I could stay in your arms?"
The song finally...well not ended exactly but expired, and Branch sighed with relief. Above ground Creek cleared his throat.
"If you're not the one..."
And that's the final straw. Branch threw open the hatch and climbed out into the daylight.
"Creek, what are you doing out here?" Branch asked, in his least welcoming tone.
Creek was sitting crossed legged a few feet from Branch's door.
"Oh, hello Branch. Didn't see you there, mate." Creek smiled his usual insufferable smile.
"I live here." Branch reminded him flatly.
"Do you? I just needed a quiet spot to practice my new song. I wrote it for my date with Poppy tonight." Creek said casually.
Branch realised that his mouth had dropped open, probably around the same time his heart plunged into his stomach.
"Wha...what do you mean?" Branch stammered.
"What I said, really. Poppy asked me out a few hours ago." Creek said smugly.
"On a date?"
"Yes,"
"With you?" Branch knew he sounded stupid but his brain was simply refusing to accept Creek's statement.
"I don't really see which element you're struggling with, mate." Creek was obviously loving this.
"That's ridiculous! Why would Poppy want to go out with you?!" Branch burst out. Isn't this the stages of grief? Denighal, anger. This is stupid, she was never mine to lose.
"Bit offensive, but I'll answer. You might not have known but me and Poppy always had a bit of a thing going on." Creek said.
"That's funny. Because what I remember is her trying to strangle you with her hair." Branch couldn't resist pointing out.
"One unfortunate incident can't erase a lifetime of affection, mate. It's not like she's just forgotten the last twenty years." Creek smiled serenley as Branch flinched. He still felt incredibly awkward about the way he had treated Poppy when he was grey. Not that she would ever mention it, but still.
"Poppy is so forgiving," Creek continued, almost as if he had read Branch's mind. "It's one of the many things I love about her. Anger and resentment are such ugly emotions, don't you think?"
Branch ground his teeth, not trusting himself to speak. Yes, he lost his temper sometimes, probably more than average if he was being honest. And yes, it might be one of the reasons Poppy would never want to be more than friends, but he hated hearing it from Creek of all people.
Creek got to his feet, apparently happy that he'd caused enough anguish.
"Now, much though I enjoy our little chats, I have a date to prepare." Creek lifted his feet off the ground and floated away, carried by an obliging critter.
Branch watched him go, hands balled into fists. He'd told Poppy he loved her, and she'd sang it right back, but it hadn't taken long for him to realise that she'd meant it rather more platonically than he had. Since then he'd been mentally preparing for this day, when he'd promised himself he would absolutely not make a fool of himself by getting involved. But...Not him, Poppy. I know you'll fall for someone eventually but there's no way I'll let it be him!
"Poppy! I need to talk to you!"
Poppy allowed herself a smirk at the urgent pounding on her door.
"Come in!" She called.
Branch did not look happy as he let himself into her pod. It seemed like everything was going according to plan.
"Branch, what's up?" Poppy asked innocently.
"Nothing." Branch said calmly. "I just heard about your big date with Creek, and I wanted to ask what are you thinking?" Branch's self control snapped and he ended in a yell.
"I was thinking, Dad wants me to start dating anyway, so when Creek asked me..." Poppy began.
"He told me that you asked him." Branch interrupted.
Poppy frowned inwardly. Stick to the script, Creek! It wouldn't do for Branch to think she particularly wanted to date Creek. He might come over all self sacrificing and 'step aside'.
"Oh no, he asked me." Poppy corrected.
"Should have known he'd lie." Branch muttered.
"Anyway, I know you and Creek don't exactly see eye to eye, but it's not like I'm asking you to date him. So what exactly is the problem here?" Poppy asked sweetly.
Any moment now, he'll blurt out that he's in love with me and it'll be happy ever after.
"Poppy, I know you've forgiven Creek for what happened, but I just can't see you with someone who'll abandon you when any kind of danger threatens. You're my best friend, I just can't entrust you to someone like Creek." Branch said seriously.
Huh. That's...not quite what I was after.
"So you'd be fine with me dating some other troll, just not Creek." Poppy said bluntly. Just admit you're jealous already!
"Would you do that?" Branch asked hopefully.
"Sure. You give me a better offer, and I'll tell Creek it's off."
Come on, Branch, get the pathetically obvious hint!
"Great!" Branch said, sounding hugely relieved. "I'll start with background checks, then interview the short list."
What? Are you kidding me?!
Branch hesitated in the doorway .
"By the way, is there, um, any particular look you go for?" he asked awkwardly.
"Oh, I don't know, Branch. How about toned, handsome, dark hair and cute ears?" Poppy said, rolling her eyes.
The ears she was talking about dipped slightly, apparently he didn't like her answer.
"I'll see what I can find." With that Branch was gone.
Poppy wandered through into her bedroom feeling dazed. Only hours ago she'd made the earth shaking revelation that she was in love with Branch. Now it seemed highly likely that he didn't feel the same way at all. He really did only want to be friends, and was happy to set her up with someone else, even after she'd made her own feelings pretty clear. Poppy picked up her pillow and took a deep breath. She had a lot of screaming to do. Her pillow gave her a sympathetic look
"Plan not going to...plan?"
Poppy dropped the pillow, which sprouted arms and legs.
"Cloud Guy! What are you doing here?" Poppy asked.
Now fully back to his usual appearance Cloud Guy picked up Poppy's latest scrap book. Confetti sprinkled to the floor as he flipped through the pages.
"I've been watching for a while, and all I can say is...Oh Poppy, Poppy, Poppy. Trying to borrow my moves?"
"Didn't do me much good." Poppy tried unsuccessfully to grab her book back.
"Honestly, you should have just come straight to me." Cloud Guy chided her.
"I literally have no idea how to get hold of you." Poppy pointed out.
"But never fear, my fair Queen. I've always routed for you kids, so I'll help you net your Prince Scowling." Cloud Guy continued as though he hadn't heard her.
"Thanks, but I basically just told Branch how I feel and he blew me off." Poppy shrugged. If she pretended it was no big deal then eventually she'd have to start feeling it. Eventually.
Cloud Guy raised an eyebrow.
"Really? That wasn't the conversation I was listening to."
"I made it pretty clear with that description." Poppy said exasperatedly.
"In your ears. But you can ask him about that when he takes you out tonight." Cloud Guy winked and pulled his limbs back into his body. "Alright, I'm off to your boyfriend's bunker to pick up some blackmail materials."
"You really don't have to..." Poppy had always loved Cloud Guy, but that was because, let's be honest, Branch was invariably the butt of all his jokes. Poppy wasn't quite so happy now she appeared to be right there in the cross hairs with him.
"Oh no trouble. I do it every few months anyway. Got to keep him on his toes. Byeeeee!" Cloud Guy floated out through the window and was gone before Poppy could say anything else. And, Poppy realised nervously, he still had the scrap book in which she had recorded her morning's epiphany.