That's Why I Love You Chapter 36
I do not own Trolls or any of its characters or the title
*This is a genderbent fanfic of Trolls
I know, this is a chapter that has been long overdue. Sorry everyone, but don't worry I'm not abandoning this fanfic. With that said, enjoy the new chapter!
The hummingbirds were building their nest.
The glow bugs were flying around.
The messenger bugs were playing with the glow bugs.
The Cloud Twins were hanging around the Rainbow Meadow.
Branch was reading.
And Poppy was watching her.
She sat by a window of her house, and Poppy was sitting outside it. His arms were on the still as he stared at her. He had been watching her for a while now. Ever since she woke up and got ready for the day, she knew that he was waiting for her. And it wasn't until she opened the windows of her home that she was soon proven correct. Poppy was waiting outside her front window, a big smile adorned his face as Branch brushed him off and got to reading.
Overall, things were peaceful at the Rainbow Meadow. But that didn't mean that Branch was happy with the recent arraignments. She tried to tolerant Poppy, but whenever he was around her, her emotions went haywire. He did things to her that no Troll had ever been able to do before. And what's worse was that he was completely oblivious to this.
But at least he had yet to figure out who the father of her baby was. Thankfully, he had said nothing else on the matter. That made her feel a little less anxious around him. Instead of focusing on Poppy, she chose to focus on her baby. She flipped to the next page of her book.
All the while, she could feel the eyes on her. Pink eyes that belonged to the Prince of Trolls.
Poppy's face was leaning against his hands as he watched Branch turned the page of the book. Even the simplest of her actions made his heart flutter. He admired the beauty the gray Troll possessed. It was strange, she wasn't like the other Trolls when it came to appearances. But for some reason, that excited him and it made him convent her even more. Not only that, but whenever he touched Branch, it was enough to send him into a frenzy. At least on the inside it was.
In fact, he realized that he experienced a similar frenzy in those strange visions he had been having lately. What were the odds of that?
That's when he peered closer at the title of the book Branch was reading. He hadn't noticed it before, but it did look familiar.
The Lifecycle of Trolls
Another realization hit him. He remembered that book. It was located at the library in Troll Village. He remembered flipping through it as a child, only to discard it for a pop-up book. His mother had also read it to him when it was time for their discussion on the birds and the bees. He remembered feeling so uncomfortable and flushed that day. And now Branch seemed to possess that very same book, the one that was supposed to be at the library. But now it was here.
He had told Wim about their missing books, and now he seemed to have the answer of what became of them. At least, he thought he did.
"So you were the one who took those books," he commented.
That caught Branch's attention, she paused from reading. For a while, she actually forgot that she stole these books from Troll Village. But she didn't feel guilty about it because she figured she was doing the village a favor. After all, most Trolls didn't concern themselves with actual literature. She was sure that they wouldn't notice for that reason. But apparently she was wrong. And of course it had to be Poppy to notice such things. She held her page as she closed the book and looked at Poppy.
"Yes," she simply replied. "Did anyone notice?'
Poppy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. He didn't want to make Branch look like bad person. Plus, he didn't intend on reprimanding her for the action. Now that he knew about her current situation, it made sense why she took the books to begin with.
"Wim didn't think much of it," Poppy admitted.
The gray Troll rolled her eyes at that statement, she also let out a small snort. If Poppy didn't know any better he could have sworn that Branch was amused by what he said. She opened the book up and returned to reading, then she spoke. She didn't even bother to look at him as she did so.
"That doesn't surprise me," she replied. "After all, Trolls don't concern themselves with 'boring' literature like this. The only books they'll read are ones filled with pop up pictures and glitter."
Poppy blushed and laughed a little at the reply. He couldn't deny that, after all he was guilty of it as well. Branch flipped to the next page.
"Besides, I needed these reading now more than ever," she added. "After I found out I was pregnant, I knew that there was still so much I didn't know about pregnancies and babies. These books really helped me out, especially when I had no intention of asking a Troll about the matter."
Poppy gave Branch a sad look. Had he known sooner, he would have done everything in his power to help Branch. He wasn't an expert on Troll pregnancies or babies, but he would do it for Branch. He would have been there by her side through it all. He didn't care if he wasn't the father of her baby, he would help her either way. But what's done was done, and now they were here. And he fully intended to make up for it by staying until the baby was delivered.
Then he would leave, and he would never speak of this to anyone.
That's when a sudden thought hit him. He wondered just how Branch figured out she was pregnant if she didn't go to a doctor or have some sort of test. The village had small sticks that could detect pregnancy, they were cheap and convenient to buy. They were very common purchase whenever a Troll couple knew something was off about the mother's body. But Branch never brought up how she found out. And knowing Branch, she had her ways. Needless to say, he was curious on the matter.
"How… how did you find out?" he asked. "About your pregnancy I mean?"
Once again, Branch paused her reading. She then stared off into outer space, almost as if she was trying to recollect what she had done.
But she did remember. How could she ever forget?
It wasn't too long after feeling that sharp pain for a day, that she noticed other features of her body changing. Her hips began to stick out and they looked curvier than before. Then there was her constant eating and feeling nauseated. She knew then that something was wrong, this wasn't normal for a Troll her age. That's when a sudden fear hit her.
She remembered the talk her grandfather had given her about the birds and the bees when she was younger. His biggest worry was that he would die before she grew up, that's why he took the liberty of teaching her so much at an early age. Now that Branch looked at it, maybe he was right to be concerned. He did die too soon, and therefore he wasn't able to teach her everything he wanted.
Never in his life did he think his granddaughter would be responsible for his death. And that was something Branch would never forgive herself for. It's also why she had to become independent. She couldn't rely on anyone, and this was no different. She recalled how she was able to detect her pregnancy. It happened months ago, back when her world revolved around herself.
That was about to change.
As soon as she heard the party occurring, Branch knew it was time. She learned from experience that Poppy wouldn't attempt to bother her when there was a party he was attending. And so, she left the privacy of her bunker and ran out into the night covered forest. In her hand was a lantern and draped on her back was a bag, it would soon be filled with her prize.
She ran through the forest, the lantern shining her way, until she finally came across what she was looking for. She lined the light over the simply looking plant. Its leaves were an odd shape, and sprouting from the stems were small yellow flowers.
Branch found that feature to be ironic considering what the plant's hidden purpose was. It was sprouting life… something she didn't know she was about to do.
Truthfully, she had come across this plant before. She had used it when it came to cooking. The stews it made were very delicious, and also healthy. But now she was going to use it for something other than eating. She felt her face flush a little once she remembered what she had to do. With that, Branch walked over to the plant and started to gently pluck the leaves. She repeated the action with the other plants, she then placed the collected leaves in her bag.
Once she was sure she had enough, she made her way back to her bunker. All the while, she could hear the sounds of the party in the background. Music and voices filled the air, one of them being Poppy's. It made her heart skip a beat. She clutched her bag once she recalled how that very same voice had serenaded her with loving words. They were too good for her, and yet he still spoke and sung them. She sighed as she remembered the way he embrace her and took her to bed. It all made her head swirl with desire.
That's when another voice mixed with Poppy's. And it was the last one she wanted to hear. Creek. Her eyes narrowed at the very thought of that female Troll… the very same one who made her life a living nightmare. Creek never failed to remind her why she was an abomination. A freak of nature, as she described it. She clutched her bag some more.
"Freak of nature," she whispered.
But before the memory could sting her yet again, she remembered what she had set out to do. She didn't have time to think about Poppy and Creek… she had to think about herself at the moment. And so, she picked up the pace as she headed back to her home. She arrived there within minutes, and she made sure to tightly secure the area before making her way into the deep depths.
Once she reached the proper area, she took out the leaves and pulled something from the shelf.
It was a book. A very important book. One that she had kept for years, it used to belong to her grandfather. Much like her, her grandfather was a survivalist. He had to be, it was the only way he could provide for her family… especially for his granddaughter.
Plants and their Many Uses.
That was the title, and it provided her with all the information she needed to find out the truth. She flipped to the page she needed and read the words carefully once again. She had to make sure she did this right. After reading the page again, she placed the leaves inside a bucket and prepared herself for what she was about to do.
This was so embarrassing! For once she was grateful to be alone, because she could only imagine the look on another's face if they saw what she was doing. But she had to do this, it was the only way.
"Well here it goes."
She took a deep breath before slowly pulling up her dress and removing her underwear. She positioned herself over the leaves and let nature take its course. After a minute, she was done. She wiped herself with some paper towels and discarded them before fixing her appearance. She then made her way to the pail. She sat before it and waited. She thumped her fingers on her knees and counted the seconds.
Minutes went by before she was sure it was ready. Using some more paper towels, she reached into the bucket and pulled the leaves out. They were placed on another paper towel and Branch watched in horror as she saw something slowly appear on the leaves.
Black spots.
And that's when her world crumbled.
She found out she was pregnant that day. She repeated the test so many times, all of them bore the same results. And it was then that Branch knew she had no choice but to accept what was happening to her. Her body was prepared long before she was.
That's how she was in her current situation, and now Poppy was asking about that embarrassing memory. She supposed that it wouldn't hurt to tell him. After all, he had already known too much about the matter to let it go. She turned to him.
"At first, it was just a hunch. My body was going through changes that I had never felt before. But I needed actual proof. And I realized that I couldn't exactly go to the doctor's or buy a pregnancy test without causing any suspicion," Branch explained. "So once again, I had to improvise."
Poppy figured that much, he just couldn't figure out how.
"How?" he asked.
She gave him a small smile, something that made his heart skip a beat. He loved it when Branch smiled, it was like the sun itself. That's when she continued to speak about the matter.
"Plants."
That was a very simple answer, but it was the truth. And they were more reliable than any Troll she would have come across, at least they could keep a secret. Poppy, on the other hand, seemed a little confused about it though.
"Plants?" he questioned.
"Plants," she repeated. "Believe it or not, but there a certain plant that helps detect pregnancy."
Poppy's pink eyes widen and stared into her blue ones, her baby blue eyes. He had never heard of such a thing before.
"What?" he exclaimed.
Branch couldn't help but find his expression a little amusing. She knew that she needed a better explanation in order to get him to understand.
"L. taraxacifolia," Branch said. "Not only does it make a delicious vegetable soup, but it's also useful for detecting pregnancies."
Poppy leaned closer to Branch, he was now inside her home. At least his upper torso was. And it made Branch blush a little at how close he was to her now. It also made her heart skip a beat.
"Really? How?"
That knocked Branch right back into reality, and her small smile returned. Once again, it was like the sun to Poppy. But she also rewarded him with a light chuckle.
"Your childish curiosity knows no bounds," she commented.
Poppy blushed a little, and he looked a bit embarrassed too. He leaned a backward a little, and fiddled with his thumbs. He really was like a child, Branch mused. How could she resist a face like that? Poppy was too innocent and good for this world, especially for her. But she adored him none the less. And so, she continued with her explanation.
"I located the plant, took its leaves… and…"
Now she was embarrassed. As stated before, Poppy was too innocent sometimes. Maybe he would find a matter such as this a little disturbing. But she couldn't really explain this topic properly without mentioning this portion. And so, she decided to risk it.
"I did my business on them."
Her face was flushed a little, and she waited for Poppy's reaction. He seemed to be putting two and two together for several seconds before finally reacting. He finally figured out what she had been implying.
"Ooohh," he said.
Branch simply nodded her head.
"According to the book if black spots appear on them, then that's an indication of pregnancy," she added. "So imagine my shock when I saw those very same black spots on the leaves after it was all over."
She was pregnant, and the plant's leaves proved it. And she knew who the father was, it could only be one Troll. Ironically, that Troll was standing right in front of her and he didn't even realize it. She couldn't even tell him either.
"So that's how you found out," Poppy said.
"Yes," she responded. "Not exactly the proudest moment of my life, but I did what I had to do."
Poppy's eyes narrowed in defeat. Branch had been on her own since the beginning, and there wasn't anything he could've done to help her. It made him feel so guilty. He was the Prince of Trolls, and Branch was one of his subjects. Therefore, he had a responsibility to her. But he failed her time and time again, and this was the biggest of them all. He was determined to not make that mistake again, that's why he would bring her home with him. And he would always make sure that she remembered that he was there for her. But in the meantime, he could stay by her side here at the Rainbow Meadow.
Branch was about to continue reading when she realized that she couldn't possibly focus on the words after this. And so, she indented the page and closed the book. She placed in on her lap before sighing a little.
How did she ever get to this point in her life? For her entire life, it seemed like he was always running away from her problems rather than facing them. After the death of her grandfather, she subjected herself to a life of isolation. She felt like she deserved it, that she didn't deserve to love anyone or have anyone love her. She was afraid that if anyone got too close to her, they would get hurt. And that was something she didn't want to risk.
And that's why she bore that pain in silence. What right did she have to complain about a life she chose for herself? But no matter how much she tried to convince herself of that, the pain still hurt. She tried to find some comfort in her everyday activities. She took such pleasure in her survival tasks such as cleaning, building, organizing and cooking. It helped her forget about the world she hated and wished she could be a part of at the same time.
She needed to forget. And there was one day she loved to do so. She looked at her kitchen and saw that she had the appropriate tools for baking. She turned to Poppy, and decided that maybe he could be of use after all.
"Poppy," she addressed.
He perked up a little, he reminded Branch of a cuddle pup as he did so.
"Yes Branch?" he asked with eagerness.
"I need you to do me a favor," she said.
He immediately started to jump up and down. Now he really looked like a cuddle pup.
"Anything!"
She picked up a basket beside her and handed it to Poppy, he gave her a confused look.
"Go to the strawberry bushes and collect the reddest ones you can find."
He now understood what she wanted him to do, and he was more than happy to help.
"Okay!" he cheered. "What for though?"
"I'm going to make some treats," she responded.
His mouth started to water at that statement. He lived for Branch's treats.
"What kind of treats?" he asked.
"Strawberry tarts," she said. "And if you like, you can help me."
Poppy's eyes got starry and his mouth started to salivate even more. That's when his legs started to move, he was running!
"Say no more, I'm on my way!" he exclaimed.
And with that, the pink Troll ran to the strawberry bushes. Branch watched as he did so, and chuckled a little.
"What a naïve child he is," she commented. "But still you can't help but love him."
The gray Troll placed the book back on her shelf and walked over to her kitchen. She would have to bake outside today. She didn't want Poppy in her house, so she would have to do it there. She collected what she would need and headed outside to prepare the fire pit.
Meanwhile, Poppy was scanning the strawberry bushes. He carefully chose the reddest strawberries, he even taste tested the ones he didn't put into the basket. He couldn't wait to see the tasty treats Branch would make out of these strawberries. She never failed to disappoint him before, now was no exception. Poppy wondered just where Branch learned to do things like that, maybe from a book?
That's when Poppy remembered something. Books. Branch seemed to have books on many topics, including on pregnancies and babies. And she looked so invested in them too, she took everything to heart. Maybe that was one of the reasons she was so prepared.
And if that was the case, she would be prepared by the time the baby was born.
"Maybe I should take a look at those books myself," he commented.
How could he be useful to Branch if he didn't know anything about the matter? He wouldn't be able to help her during the delivery if he wasn't prepared. And right now those books seemed to be the only way he could learn about the matter.
"But Branch probably wouldn't like that," he added.
That was true, Branch didn't like people helping her out most of the time. He wondered if that had changed during her time at the Rainbow Meadow.
"But then again I would be helping her," he argued. "But she wouldn't like me going through her stuff."
That was also true. Branch was a private person and didn't like for people to touch her things. But that's when Poppy remembered that the books technically didn't belong to Branch.
"But those books do belong to Troll Village, and I am the prince there. Therefore, I have every right to them."
Poppy started to think of all the pros, he didn't focus on the cons. To him, the pros outweighed the cons.
"Plus, I want to help Branch with the labor and delivery. I'm sure those books have something on that matter."
But then he remembered that it wouldn't be easy to acquire those books. Branch was a very private person, therefore he had to find a way to get them without her knowing. He started to contemplate how he should accomplish such a task.
"I guess I'll just have to sneak into her home when she's not there. But the glow bugs or the hummingbirds might see me. Then there's the Cloud Twins, especially that Cloud Guy."
Poppy growled a little at the mention of that male cloud. He managed to outrun him thanks to Branch and Cloud Gal's intervention. But his dislike and annoyance for the creature still remained. And so far he avoided him like the plague. He was also more than quick to get Branch away from him. But he couldn't focus on that now. Then another idea hit him.
"Or maybe, it would be better to wait until night, everyone will be asleep by then. Maybe Pinky and Bluey can help me too, maybe they can get the books for me" he assumed. "That way I won't have to worry about getting caught."
Poppy nodded his head, he was more than happy with his decision. He would be helping Branch in the best way possible.
"It's settled, I'll start looking through those books first thing tomorrow," he said. "Hopefully, she won't notice. I'll just have to read the books she hasn't read or has already read. I'll have to ask her about that tomorrow."
That's when Poppy finished collecting the rest of the strawberry, all were red and delicious looking. He was ready to help Branch make some treats. What a good day this turned out to be! He saw Branch placing all the necessary cookware around the fire pit while she started the fire. He waved at her as he made his way back, with his prizes in hand.
Little did Poppy know that there were two witnesses to his little debate. The Cloud Twins were hanging around the branches of the tree, when the pink Troll made his way through the area. They had heard everything, and they knew for a fact that the gray Troll wouldn't like it. The older twin, Cloud Gal, was the first to voice her opinion on the matter.
"Should we discourage him from trying anything like that?" Cloud Gal asked.
Her brother waved it off as he positioned his arms behind his head. He then laid his body down on the branch he was sitting on. A carefree look was on his face as he stared upward.
"Nah, sis," he replied. "We just need to sit back and watch this rom com play out by itself. Besides, this is something between the two of them. All we can do is offer our advice when it's need."
Cloud Gal gave her brother an amused look.
"You have advice?
Cloud Guy laughed a little before motioning to the Trolls.
"Well if it were up to me they would've been smooching already. But instead, we're forced to watch from afar as Romeo and Juliet slowly realize that they were meant for each other. It's all so romantic yet frustrating at the same time."
Cloud Gal turned to the Rainbow Meadow, she watched as Poppy ran up to Branch. He had a big smile as his face as Branch gave him an annoyed look. All the while, their child was in her womb. They looked so perfect together, like two pieces of a puzzle. Or rather three pieces, including their child. They would make a good happy.
They were so different, but their opposites attracted one another. She was the night, and he was the day. She was the darkness that calmed him while he was the light that brightened her day. They were two halves of one whole. What a remarkable sight they were. They truly were meant for each other. Both of the Cloud Twins found themselves rooting for the two star crossed lovers. And it was then that Cloud Gal realized that Romeo and Juliet had been star crossed lovers as well. But he remembered how their love story turned out.
"For their sakes I hope it has a better ending than Romeo and Juliet," she commented.
The Cloud Twins continued to watch as the Trolls baked and basked in each other's presence.
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