As much as Branch was yearning for this moment, he could have stomached his own disappointment. But letting down Poppy was too painful to bare. He wanted so much to give this night to her. So much.
Suddenly, as though she was struck upside the head with a cow bell, Poppy's eyes popped wide.
"Hold on! " With the leap of a gazelle, Poppy launched herself off the mattress and disappeared out the room. Within seconds she returned, leaning against the door frame, a small, reflective square wrapper between her fingers, smile pulling from ear to ear.
"You're not the only one who's prepared." She snickered.
Branch gawked, "Seriously? Since when did you-"
Poppy laughed. "Don't flatter yourself, bud. My dad's had me carry one in my purse since I was 16." She shrugged her shoulders "Ya know-just in case."
"Wait-wait-wait-wait-WAIT!" Branch shrieked, open hands shooting into the air and waving them about in his own endearing, panicky way.
Poppy, stopped mid step, confusion gluing her toes to the carpet.
"You're telling me…" he started slowly, "you've had THAT prophylactic in your purse since you were SIXTEEN?!"
Poppy's eyes narrowed.
"Oh, go suck a cupcake, Branch!" She spat with a cock-eyed grin. "I may not be as crazy prepared as you, but I CAN read an expiration date."
Poppy climbed enthusiastically onto the bed, straddling back over Branch's lap.
Glancing up with a timid smile, Poppy inquired what was on both their minds.
"Is it…is it okay if I…?"
Branch didn't want another botched job, so he nodded silently.
With a quick flick of her wrist, the package ripped open.
Branch grumbled to himself, mildly annoyed.
Of course.
With the condom pinched between her fingers, Poppy touched a pleasantly calm kiss to the corner of Branch's mouth as her other hand delicately wrapped around his base. Branch's eyes rolled back, sucking in sharply. Fuck, if he finished here, this would REALLY be the end of the night. Branch's jaw clamped down, and his whole body stiffened as the latex liner pushed onto the head and gentle, hot fingers rolled it down, one small stroke at a time.
After reaching the end, Poppy couldn't resist a quick squeeze before releasing him, just a little extra plump power for good luck.
Branch blew out the belly of hot air he had been holding.
"Gahhhh-mMM"
Okay, this was getting exponentially inconvenient. Indecent sputtering seemed to lurch from his throat every time this damn girl touched him. He almost wished Poppy would stop taking his reactions with a literal skip in her step-it's like she knew EXACTLY how to toy with-
Poppy wrapped her arms around his neck, breasts squishing to his chest. Tongue tracing over his lower lip-tingling and sweet. Her thighs flexed-pushing her pelvis firm against his stomach before letting it drag down like a pendulum over his manhood- stimulating his arousal to surge up against his control. Every nerve was begging to mercilessly penetrate his taunter and it was driving him to madness.
Never mind.
This was fine.
An indecent sound emitted from somewhere in his chest when she ended the move with a frisky nibble on his lower lobe. Her balmy breath rushing over his ear was energized and saturated with desire. Branch's fingers dug into their hold. Is it possible that Poppy was enjoying this as much as he was?
Poppy was lifting again to repeat the motion when Branch pressed firmly on her hips, preventing the seductive rhythm. Capturing her attention, he gazed nervously into Poppy's eyes. She tilted her head, puzzled. How many times was he going to stop this?!
"Poppy, before we…" Branch tried to clarify, but quickly lost his mental footing. He cleared his throat and went for a second attempt.
"I just I think I should tell you… I mean. Y-You should know…given my, uh….experience? From what I've read…" Branch sighed. Why did this have to be so difficult to say? He coughed at the wet, glue-like lump building in his throat and kept going.
"Th-there's a decent chance that you aren't g-going to…I won't have enough time, you know? That I won't be able to … so you probably won't…before I…"
"Are you worried about not lasting long enough for me to orgasm?"
Branch was already red.
"Yeah." He replied quietly. Branch shrugged his shoulders "I-I just thought you should know. So…so you aren't too disappointed."
"Tell you what, bud" she smiled playfully, giving her shoulders a little shimmy "If it doesn't happen on my end, you can always help me out when we're done."
Branch's jaw visibly tensed and his brow knotted uncomfortably.
"P-Poppy, I…" Branch swallowed thickly. Words tacky on his tongue like old tape residue on a wall.
"I d-don't think I know how to do that."
Poppy smile relaxed. Maybe that was a little much for the first time. She leaned near, setting her chin delicately on his shoulder, Branch doing the same. Her hug was supportive and accepting.
"Look, Branch," she replied softly, planting a kiss to his skin. "You don't have to worry about any of that. This is going to be wonderful. I promise, we are both going to enjoy this."
Branch nodded. Poppy was right of course, he worried too much. This was going to be great, REALLY great. Kissing resumed and curious hands moved to unexplored areas.
Heaven knows where Poppy honed her skills. She had a way of dragging her touch over Branch's chest that made his stomach flip and manhood jump with anticipation. And when she walked them over his lower abdominals (threateningly close to the most willing participant in this game), gratifying shivers flashed through him in bursts of dazzling lust and glitter.
Damn, this girl was amazing! There was a time when he didn't think love was going to happen for him. Now, not only has he found someone. She is kind and brilliant, and impossibly beautiful. There is not a single way his life isn't better with Poppy in it. And now, here she was, wanting to be with him. Wanting to make love with him. Talking about having kids with…
Shit! Don't go down that road-not NOW!
Poppy is HOT! SO HOT! And she thinks I'm HOT! And this is happening! Oh fuck-this is happening!
Mouths cracked open; tongues teased with glancing strokes. Passion was stirring and rising, like shaken soda pouring into a glass-expanding in energy, allowed to bubble over. Branch slowly began pulling and pushing at Poppy's hips, encouraging them to resume their captivating rhythm.
She slid forward and then back. Branch did take notice that the feeling against him wasn't quite the same as before he got wrapped up like a tamale.
Horrible analogy, Branch. It's not like it's something she's going to bite int-
FUCK! STOP IT BRANCH! FOCUS!
The difference in sensation was, of course, anticipated, but Branch was certain he'd be unable to enjoy himself at all if precautions had not been taken. It did feel good. So very good. Being with Poppy felt safe. It felt free.
The friction between them was slickening. He slipped between her crease and the sound Poppy released as his shaft rubbed along her most sensitive spot sent Branch's blood racing.
"Mmmmm! Yesss…" she gasped through gritted teeth.
Poppy now rocked with greater purpose. The motion felt so achingly fabulous. And gaging by Branch's firmness and lidded eyes, the pleasure was mutual. Poppy continued full measure, lengthening the pull with each stroke. It was clear to Branch how close he was to her opening. Every pass, Branch strained to reach out a little further, a little further.
That extra bit was all that Branch needed. His tip caught on Poppy's pelvic bone and both gasped, holding their breath by sheer reflex and startling anticipation. Poppy tilted her hips-ever so slightly, and with barely a push, it slid in. Branch's breath hitched and he held tight to her waist. Poppy's natural, pressing weight gradually lowered her body over Branch's member. Gliding through was easier than he thought it would be, but by god, he never could have imagined how good this would feel. Engulfing him layer by layer, hot, pulsing, squeezing firmly. He fought hard to keep his hips from bucking during this first insertion.
"Auuuhhhhh…." Branch could only focus on restraining one primal impulse at a time, and at this moment, it wasn't his mouth.
"Poppy…Ohhso-auuuuhhh!"
It was difficult to keep his eyes open-to watch her face. Poppy didn't even try. Her head lulled to the side and back, softly groaning, fully appreciating the stretching pressure as he filled her.
Branch was consumed in erotic flame, reducing any remains of concentration to ash. Vision blurring, his eyes closed. He rested his forehead to her chest, panting and whimpering irregularly. His hands (vibrating under the domination of more primitive needs) moved up her back, fingers curling into her delicate skin- just desperate to hold on to something.
Poppy continued downward, enveloping him like the petals of a closing flower, until her soft cheeks rested lightly on his thighs and he was fully advanced.
Poppy tried to shift to a more comfortable position, but Branch pulled her body sharply into his own.
"STOP…." his voice high and strangled. His lids where pinched tight, breaths shaky.
"W-wa-wait. Just…-j-just wait." Branch whispered, struggling to focus. "G-give me a sec-"
His hands were now flat and firm to Poppy's back. Pressing her to his chest, Branch's head lay tense against her shoulder. Everything was still but the silence was straining on its own.
Branch knew if he'd let himself, this would end so fast. Flip Poppy on her back and hold on for dear life. Of course, he'd enjoy those 12 or more seconds, but that's not exactly how he wanted Poppy to remember her first time with him.
And the last memory Branch wanted to form was Poppy squealing "Yes! New World Record!" at the top of her lungs. Yeah, Okay, so maybe Poppy wouldn't say that. But it was still a grating thought.
Poppy waited patiently. Her own circle of muscles were clenched, aching to be stimulated. Softly, she stroked Branch's shambled hair smooth, plucking sweetly at the whirling ends.
"You okay?" Poppy asked quietly, kissing Branches sweaty, pulsing temple.
Branch nodded silently and inhaled. If only he possessed the witchcraft to will his body and mind to calm the fuck down. Moments passed. Branch pressed a kiss to poppy's lips. It was almost unbearable how deeply he cared for this woman. He dragged his fingers up and down her spine-soundlessly thanking Poppy for her understanding and leaving happy goosebumps in his wake.
Branch nuzzled the tip of his nose into those pink, cottony tendrils.
"Go slow with me," He whispered.
Poppy grinned. With as much restraint as she was capable of, Poppy started to shift ever so lightly forward and then back. Branch moaned quietly, eyes pinching tight. Poppy added lengthy kisses to the mixture and Branch responded in kind. His hands ventured, massaging it smoothly in tempo with Poppy's movement.
Poppy hummed an approval. Hey, she knew it was beneficial to provide proper feedback to encourage desired behavior in events such as this.
Poppy pulled in and latched onto Branch's mouth. Her fondling tongue swirled and lapped at his with an impish charm. Branch's clenched hand massaged her breast in a most possessive way and his body began rocking in motion with hers.
With his added movement, the tip was hitting new and delicious places inside her. Poppy threw back her head.
"Aahhhh…oh..Branch…."
Her lewd position placed her breasts on prime display and Branch's mouth lunged to a new mark. His tongue followed her natural slant until he reached the center. Branch led with a teasing twirl around the circle before he closed his lips around it. Poppy's rocking was following its own agenda by now. She thrust her fingers into Branch hair, holding him as his tongue labored, gasping as the ripples of pleasure that spiked with each suckle. Branch pinched his teeth firmly over her sprouting nipple, and Poppy cried out in a way that had him pushing her hips at a faster pace.
"Aaaaahh-Poppy…" he moaned into her chest.
His eyes squeezed harder. The spring low in his pelvis was tightening and it felt GOOD. The blocks were piling up, stacking higher and higher, ready to tumble and release. Poppy was pumping around him-sighing his name between gasps. Speed was building and so was the pressure. Gah, he wanted…he was going to..
Shit! NO-Not yet!
Branch held his breath. After a quick change of position, he manipulated his legs to either side. With a powerful shove, Poppy flipped back. Her body slammed onto the bed with Branch landing hard on top of her-knocking the wind from her lungs. Poppy pushed out a ugly cough.
"Gah-fuck!" Branch brushed apologetically over her cheeks. "Are you okay?!"
Considering that he nearly whacked Poppy unconscious, he made the decision NOT to play up the fact that he was able to do all that without breaking their contact.
Poppy's face was flushed and heated-accenting the silver specs that freckled her cheeks. Her bright, pink hair was flowing and free-cascading over the bottom edge of the bed. Poppy's dilated eyes sparkled from the affects physical rapture. She looked incredibly beautiful.
"Yeah, yeah," Poppy gasped. "I'm –"
There was no time to finish because Branch's mouth was back on her like a drowning swimmer to a flotation ring. In this moment, kissing Poppy was life.
Back on top, Branch could set the pace on his own...but not yet. He needed a chance to float down from his peak. Luckily, only gentle nudges from his hips were needed to appease the gripping desire while allowing him precious time to lower his libido. Poppy seemed satisfied with the situation for the time being. Fulling sheathed, 100 percent of his thrust was hitting her far wall and Poppy's body was feeling every splendid jab. Her hands scrambled around his neck, groaning pleasurable sounds into his ear.
It didn't take long for Branch to decide he was at a manageable level to resume the fun. Propped on his elbows, he braced himself for unknown expectations and pulled back.
The drag alone was enough to get the fire flowing full stream through his veins. After a pause to scrape his composure out of the gutter, he thrusted forward-his pelvis slapping against Poppy.
Holy fuck!
Branch gasped and his site went cross-eyed.
That was…
Again, he withdrew slowly, allowing the tingle to rouse his anticipation before throwing his weight back into her. Again and again…
The friction of the two directions was notably unique but quite comparable in gratification. The sensations seemed to feed off one another, one track making him more ravenous for the next.
Velocity of the motion grew-every thrust more pleasing than the last. Strokes lengthened and Poppy's body shifted with each plunge and she cried out for more.
Pumps were coursing like river rapids, forceful and intense.
Branch retracted himself to the head, allowing a moment for Poppy to squirm and beg for him to fill her. And with immense satisfaction, he complied.
An undignified raspberry-like rumble bubbled around his manhood. Branch froze like he had triggered a pressure switch bomb. Eyes large as saucers, Branch and Poppy stared at each other.
"Wha..what was that?" he asked uncertainly.
Poppy just stared back. Silent.
"Did…"
"That was YOU-ya goof!" Poppy pouted. "You pulled back too far and pushed air inside me!"
Branch didn't move.
"Seriously?"
Even though the room was dark, he knew Poppy had just rolled her eyes at him.
"Just don't go back so far" She explained "We'll be fine."
He nodded.
That was weird.
But Branch's confusion lifted to reveal a sly grin. Faster than she could protest, Branch swung his pelvis out and shoved in as hard as he was able-recreating the sound.
"Gah!" Poppy hollered, slapping him on the butt "Will you stop?!"
Branch was curled over her cackling like an idiot now.
"I'm-I'm sorry! I couldn't help it!" He laughed "It TICKLES!"
Poppy was unable to stop herself from giggling along with him.
She did adore the goofy side of this guy. Poppy gave him a couple teasing smacks on the cheek before pulling him down and kissing her chuckling dork. Branch's giggles softened to a contented sigh as he dissolved into the rhythm of the kiss.
Branch was low on his arms now, and his hands were free to sweetly caress Poppy's face. Yes. This. This was the position he favored best.
He could watch every expression as it washed over her. Her face and smile where all within convenient reach to be kissed and touched.
With loosely controlled impulse, Branch's movements started small but effective. He was a quick learner and discovered that depth and direction were crucial to Poppy's response.
"Ahhh-Bra-Branch!"
Poppy's pleas for more fed his energy like gasoline to a flame. Bracing his knees to the bed, Branch increased his angle and piston rate amplified exponentially. Poppy's mouth didn't have time to close from the string of gasps and cries that erupted from her.
"S-so-b-b-beau-beautiful" he forced out-voice cracking like thin ice.
Branch desperately trying to keep up with what his instincts were demanding of him. He knew he was short of breath, but oxygen was not of primary importance at the moment. His awaiting peak glided teasingly over his core, like spindly spider legs tickling, mocking, not knowing which second it will choose to snatch him into oblivion.
"Poppy, oh fuck…Poppy! …."
Branch's motion took on new rhythm-desperate and primal. Ramming deeper, stronger, with a full and clear purpose. The idea of Branch's approaching climax and the slam of his manhood pumping wildly into her elevated Poppy's arousal to unstable territory.
"B-Branch, oh Branch-I –oh !"
Poppy's back arched, Pure hot elation pulsed and spasmed to through every muscle-every nerve fiber. Poppy's short nails dug into the skin of Branches back as she cried out.
" ..uhhhhhh-AHHUUUHHHHHHHHHH!"
Poppy's inner rings power squeezed in tight ripples around Branch's member, electrifying every synapse.
"Paaa- I-c-can-can't-"
Branch dropped from his elbows, crushing Poppy into the mattress, he pushed his sweaty hands beneath her, around her back in a constricting, locking hold. Poppy pulled her chin free from his shoulder so she could breath. His lips were sucking at her neck with nibbles and whines. Poppy tried to call out his name but was cut off with every thrust. Pushing messy kisses to his shoulder, arms gripping and fingers scratching.
Branch had honestly planned to pull out before it happened. A guy can never be too safe. But the drive was overpowering. Poppy calling his name brought him closer with every strike of the hammer and he was helpless to break the connection at this point. He wanted to feel the release inside of her. He needed to.
The block tower he had been building was now waving and wobbling. Ocean waves of rapacious sensuality crashed around its base-tilting the balance. He continued pushing and stacking-hoping for a few more glorious seconds before it toppled and rained down over him in a tidal wave of pleasure and pure, surging ecstasy!
Branch couldn't stop it. The end was racing toward him like a semi skidding perilously on an ice covered road-breaks would be useless at this point, even if he had them. The clenching knot in his pelvis began to vibrate, rapidly rising in his core, spreading and sparking through to his entire body. Overthrowing all other sensation to be replaced by absolute euphoria ripping through him a the most wonderful and blinding way.
"I—Im-Gon—Aauuuhhhhh!"
It raced through him like a live wire dropped in a tub of water—chaotic bolts of electricity flashing dangerously in every direction-engulfing his consciousness. Branch's muscles shuddered and the reflex to push himself further into Poppy was instinctive. His manhood lurched and jolted in waves out of his control, Branch's fists dug into the blankets, lungs locked in arrest, riding out the climax in heaving grunts and unattractive whines.
Branch fell, moist panting, in the now quiet of the room. After shudders twitched in his belly.
The whole world around Branch felt far away-like sounds and sensations had to travel through seven layers of fog and whip cream before they could reach him. But reach him, they did. One by one, a hundred different stimulants filtered through and piled over him. Branch knew this was going to be an experience like no other. He had practiced manual fulfillment and was expecting a heightened level of pleasure when a partner was added to the equation.
Branch, however, was vastly unprepared for the emotional onslaught that would accompany this moment.
The happiness… the vulnerability…the dread of believing he would never share his life with someone, and now, the panic of being so purely and untaintedly connected. And Joy. Intense Joy. It was a swarming, visceral mess of feelings-powerful and acute. Branch's chest squeezed tight around his heart, like he was forced to feel more than any one person was meant to. The avalanche was a brutal assault on Branch's exhausted form. He tried to hold onto it, but the pain of restraining such a disaster was unbearable, so he resolved to just let it come. A choked, broken sob was first to evade his control and he started to shake like a plastic bag caught in a tree on a windy day. He nudged his face into the crook of Poppy's neck.
"Branch?" Poppy spoke softly into the darkness, "Are you okay?
Branch remained silent for a while, allowing the tears to run their course.
At last, Branch sniffled away the moisture in his nose and nodded. He wiped at the wet streaks that rippled down his flushed cheeks with his upper arm.
"Y-Yeah. Yeah, I'm. I'm okay... Really, I-Im" He wrapped his arms gingerly around a concerned Poppy and she returned the embrace. "It's just…it's just a lot."
Poppy nodded. She didn't require more of an explanation than that.
Their chests were both heaving mercilessly, catching up on their oxygen demands, and their raspy, tired gasps were the only sounds in the room. Branch repositioned his head to rest over Poppy's heart. He listened to it beat, deep and steady. There was something most gratifying about living in the moment. Especially when the moment that finds you (for all profoundly meaningful reasons) is perfect.
"Thank you for being mine." Branch clutched her fierce and forceful, wordlessly sending a prayer into the mysterious and unknown universe. Gods help him, he was never going to mess this up.
Poppy flattened her lips to the boy's temple, now cool, damp and salty.
"I love you so much," she reassured, smoothing her hands over his tightly pulled shoulder blades. Branch felt the tense muscles puddle and he huffed away the remaining tension that had been building in his chest.
"I love you too."
Branch laid quietly on Poppy for several minutes, his mouth still pressed to her neck-his hot breath steadily swishing in an out.
Damn this boy was heavy. Poppy tapped on his back.
"Maybe you should roll off me before you fall asleep?"
*Silence*
Branch was blissfully unaware of the physical tole sex would have on him…until now.
"I don't think I can" he groaned; voice muffled against her moist skin.
"Well, you're gonna have to try, before I asphyxiate." She chuckled, giving a fistful of his hair a playful tug.
A tired, irritated growl rumbled in Branch's throat. Just minutes before, he could feel only one thing, now, he felt everything. He had never felt so renewed and exhausted, thrilled and numb, spent and full all at the same time. His muscles were jelly and his blood had turned to split-pea soup-content to just stagnate in place. But Poppy had to breath. This night could still end horribly if he accidentally suffocated Poppy. He wouldn't get away with it either. His DNA was all over her now. He tilted his head just enough to kiss Poppy's soft, freckled shoulder. With all the might he could muster, Branch willed himself to shift up and away from Poppy's body.
Fuck!
Okay, yeah. He felt that.
Leaving Poppy was not going to be as easy. The small bit of friction that pulled back tripped a shock wave of over-stimulation. It jolted at the tip and shuddered painfully up his spine and he yelped. Though only minimally traumatizing, the experience rendered Branch highly resistant to a second attempt.
Sure. Fine. I can just live here.
Branch looked down into the beautiful, blushing face below him. Her eyes blinked slowly into his, softly smiling with lips still swollen from their encounter. Poppy whined and tried to stretch her muscles under his weight, subtly urging him to try again.
Branch sighed. Blue lips would not be a good look on Poppy.
Branch wormed begrudgingly side to side before withdrawing the rest of the way. He winced and whimpered sadly when his manhood pulled free from her warmth.
Well, "free" wasn't the right word. You know how Adam and Eve were tricked into sneaking a bite of fruit from the forbidden tree because it was gonna be wonderful and great and they would be filled with heavenly knowledge beyond anything they had dared to dream? But after, they were suddenly way too aware of their bodies and their nakedness, and they were scared, and awkward and banished out of the garden of Eden for all eternity by a giant angel armed with the flaming sword of God himself? It was like that.
Branch rolled to his back; leaving his arm to lay over his chest and tucking the other behind his neck. The moon was high by now, and bands of light and shadow streaked the room. Shit, his muscles felt like he'd been run over by a fuckin' building. He felt Poppy's hand fold into his. Branch rotated his view to her. She was smiling. Poppy was always smiling-brilliantly luminescent even with shadow obscuring her face. He raised her hand to his cheek before stamping the back of it with a kiss. Her skin glistened in the streaks of moonlight, the lingering smell of sex and vanilla-infused sweat wafted over him. How lucky was he to-
"Hello Darkness my old Friend"
The music blared harshly into their foggy afterglow. The green, blinking light of his phone lit up the immediate area, disturbing whatever restful private time they had hoped to achieve.
The irritated groan was mutual.
"Who do you know that would call at this hour?" Poppy grumbled, relocating herself to the top of the bed and pushing the edge of the pillow around her ears.
"Probably one of your friends," Branch slurred under his breath.
"Our friends!" she shot back.
Branch gave her a goofy look before rolling to the head of the bed and grabbing his phone from the bedside table.
"Hello?" Branch mumbled into the device, rubbing his hand roughly over his face.
After a moment, Branch's brow furrowed, and his back straightened into a sitting position.
"Dude, I told you, I'm not going to..."
Poppy half opened her eye to see Branch darting his view to her only to quickly look away nervously. Heat bloomed like thunderclouds over his cheeks.
"What? No-no-no way" he hissed, "Will you shut up?!" he strained, coning his hand around his mouth in attempt to muffle his voice.
A few moments later, Branch's face fell into a grumpy frown.
"That's not funny, man," he growled. Stretching the nape of his neck, he listened another 20 seconds to the voice on the other end of the line. Whatever was said, Poppy was unable to make it out.
"Look, J-j-just-" Branch stuttered, his attention zipping back to Poppy to see if she was still watching before shooting elsewhere as fast as he could.
"…I'll talk to u tomorrow," he hushed into the receiver and ended the call.
"Who was that?" Poppy hummed, blinking slowly.
Branch stared at his phone, before turning his attention to his girlfriend. He was visibly shaken.
"It was...uh...it was just Guy."
"You're kidding," Poppy snickered, picking a loose broken nail she had just discovered. "What did he want?"
"Oh...you know-it's Guy," Branch replied offhandedly, tossing his phone back to the table and snuggling down under the blanket. "He always wants something. Money, a ride, glitter gel…"
Poppy brushed the hair from over her left eyes and glanced at the bedside clock. She blinked the glowing numbers into focus.
"At 11 at night?" she puzzled.
Branch coughed into his fist, clearing his throat and looked away.
"Yeah, well, when you need glitter gel, you need glitter gel." Branch giggled uncomfortably. He cleared his throat again. "D-doesn't really matter…HEY! I know-let's spoon!" he piped, throwing open arms in her direction.
Though unwilling to shake her suspicion, Poppy scooted her bottom over the sheets, under the comforter, and straight into the welcoming invite.
"You're turning red, Branch." She stated with a quizzically raised brow.
Branch's uneasy smile dropped, then quickly popped up again with fresh energy.
"Must be my true colors shining just for you, babe!" he over annunciated, stroking his palm a little too enthusiastically over her hair.
Poppy frowned. Now he was just being weird.
"If it doesn't matter," Poppy thought out loud. "Then why are you…?"
A light bulb flickered in Poppy's brain and she shot up, mouth gaping. She ripped herself free from his hold.
"You little shit!"
Branch jumped to her outburst, narrowly catching himself before he fell off the edge of his bed.
Poppy pointed an angry, accusing finger in Branch's face.
"You planned this!"
Branch's jaw hung open like a trout-his eyes threatened to explode like popping corn from his skull.
"Gah! No! WAH?-No I didn't PLAN this!" He shrieked "I just-It's not like-"
His fingers spun on his wrist, attempting to form a plausible explanation. But it was like trying to squeeze that little extra from an empty tube of toothpaste.
Words. What were words?! Wasn't he a poet? He should have lots of words!
Poppy, who had improved her glaring skills in the last few months, bore into Branch's frantically evading line of sight.
Well shit.
Branch's shoulders sank and he swapped panic for defense.
"It's not like I planned it...for...tonight." He met her stare from the corner of his eye, then flicked them back to the ceiling "Tonight just kind of…" His head wavered side to side to find balance. "Happened?"
"You jerk!" Poppy snatched the pillow from behind her and smacked Branch upside the head.
"That was Guy wanting details!" She fumed. "He KNEW!"
"I've never done this before!" He hollered back. "Where else was I gonna get advice on," fluttering his hand wildly between their two groins "THIS?!"
"Oh GOD!" Poppy flung herself back onto the mattress and stuffed the pillow over her face. A moment later, a thought hit her. She peeked out uneasily from the pillow.
"You didn't go to Creek, did you?" her voice tense.
Branch scoffed, lifting the pillow off Poppy's face and meeting her eyes.
"Poppy…I think we've established that I wouldn't be sitting here still breathing if I had gone to Creek for advice." He shook his head pathetically. "I'm sure Creep would just rather I stay a virgin, like…FOREVER."
Partially relieved, Poppy let out a tired sigh and then chuckled at the ridiculous situation she's found herself in.
"Yeah, me too," She admitted. "I think he sees me as his little sister sometimes and would blow a coronary if I tried to talk to him about the horizontal frolic."
Branch nodded. He could understand that.
"So…" Branch started thoughtfully "It's a deal, then?"
Poppy turned to face Branch; head propped up on her arm
Branch was staring back, demeanor strong and certain.
"We won't tell Creek," He nodded definitively.
Poppy sputtered, letting her face fall into the mattress.
"I'm sure he will eventually figure it out," She laughed. "Just try not to rub his face in it."
Branch grinned in return. He stretched out his tired, sore arm and curled it around her waist. With an inviting tug, he pulled Poppy back to him. Poppy accepted her capture and went willingly. She laid her cheek to his chest, appreciating the soothing way her head rose and fell with his resp cycle. Branch tenderly caressed her shoulder-drawing small circles over it with his thumb. Her skin was so smooth and cozy against his, they melted together like warm putty. Branch couldn't remember if he had to work in the morning, but he hoped not. Why couldn't time stop in moments of your choosing? What a beautiful world this would be. Branch glanced down at the breathtaking view. What a beautiful world it already is.
"Well," Poppy eased more into the pleasingly restful position, dotting tiny kisses on his chest "When you fill Guy in tomorrow..."
"I'm not actually planning on-"
"WHEN you talk to Guy," Poppy interrupted with a smirk- poking at his ribs.
Branch clamped his mouth shut. No sense arguing when Poppy was right.
Poppy laid a kiss to Branch's lips. Like a wooden spoon to settled lemonade-she stirred up fresh emotions that Branch was certain been exhausted from the previous activity.
Poppy pulled away, suction lingering in his lower lip just a little longer, holding it like a hostage. She released him with a sultry pop, before laying back into place and leaving Branch respirations a little more raced.
"Tell him that he gives good advice."
Branch's smile pulled wide.
"I'm glad I didn't disappoint." He laughed softly, adoringly picking up wisps of her hair between his fingers and watching them fall back around her shoulders.
"Not in the least." She whispered back. "That was great."
The couple snuggled together, arms wrapped in sated warmth and blissful contentment.
"Branch?"
Branch's lids were closed now, he was in recharge mode and sleep was pawing at him like a whiny cat. However, he managed to grunt in response.
"Mmmm?"
Poppy's hand slipped low under the blanket and pinched his butt. Branch's eye cracked open and squinted at his counterpart.
"Wanna do it again?" she inquired mischievously, adding a frisky nip to his collarbone.
Branch chuckled and squeezed Poppy in his arms a little tighter, love swelling in his heart to magnificent heights and spilling over in glorious ribbons of rainbow.
"Absolutely."