Chapter 2: This I Promise You
Notes:
Just to remind you guys that this is before TWT. ;)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Poppy woke up with a splitting headache. She had a slight memory of what had happened the night before. She was dared to sing a kind of song she usually wouldn't sing (not in public, anyway) and when Branch doubted her capacity of being a tempting troll, she just used all her guts to show him she could sing anything she wanted to... in the way, she embarrassed him.
Oh she felt bad for it. She shouldn't have put him on the chair. Friends don't embarrass friends. The least she could do was apologize properly. At her nightstand was a glass of water and some cupcakes. She smiled, realizing that probably one of her friends or even her dad had dropped by and thought that she might need some sugar on her blood after the long night.
Her bird friends entered her pod, singing happily as they got ready to help her dress up. She sat up yawning and immediately blushed. Oh dear, she didn't have anything on. She was so tired that... oh dear the towel was on the floor.
"Sorry," She said to the birds, but they acted like they didn't care. Suddenly feeling sober again, she hurried and brushed her hair from bottom to top. The birds put her crown on the head and left.
She didn't feel like singing good morning to anyone. Actually, daylight felt a little invasive at the moment. Well, it was Sunday and everybody was sleeping late, so... maybe she should as well. No! She had to make things right with Branch, first. Good thing it wasn't a particularly sunny day, actually, it looked like it was going to rain any moment.
Some kids said good morning as she passed by them. Cooper was having some morning cupcakes for breakfast and laughed in his goofy way when he saw she had a hangover. She laughed nervously. It wasn't good for her queen image to get drunk, actually, it wasn't good anything too ordinary anymore.
Coming in front of the usual "Go away" doormat on the floor, she knocked, taking a deep breath. Nobody answered. Weird. She knocked again. And again. Maybe he wasn't home, or maybe he was just asleep. Shrugging, she decided to break in, as usual, and leave him a glittery 'Sorry" note. Next time they meet she'd be in a better shape and they would be able to talk it through. Moving to the rock in front of the doormat, she typed his super secret password "I-heart-Gary" and the trapdoor opened from the floor, with the elevator ready to be used.
Happily humming she descended the tunnels full of jars (that she hoped wasn't sweat) and rations. Deciding to look into his lonely living room first, she stopped by the table. Maybe she'd just scrapbook the sorry note and leave it right there.
" Ooh, ooh
When the visions around you
Bring tears to your eyes
And all that surrounds you
Are secrets and lies"
Poppy looked up from her work hearing his voice. Oh, so he was home. "Better get this over with," she thought, hurrying with the scrapbooking. Quietly she paid attention to his singing. She would never admit it to him - it would go straight to his head - but he truly had the voice of an angel.
"I'll be your strength
I'll give you hope
Keeping your faith when it's gone
The one you should call
Standing here all along"
Now that was cute. She thought. Except for "True Colors" She had never heard him sing a slow song.
"And I will take
You in my arms
And hold you right where you belong
'Till the day my life is through
This I promise you
This I promise you"
Okay, so maybe that was too weird even for Branch. She realized, stopping the note and standing up. Was he... in love with someone?
"I've loved you forever, in lifetimes before
And I promise you never, will you hurt anymore
I give you my word, I give you my heart (I give you my heart)
This is a battle we've won
And with this vow forever has now begun"
Biting her lower lip, she tiptoed towards his bedroom and found him making his bed while wearing his usual bathrobe. He was standing with his back to her, so she didn't intrude. She just watched him quietly.
"Just close your eyes (close your eyes)
Each loving day (each loving day)
And know this feeling won't go away (no)
'Till the day my life is through
This I promise you
This I promise you"
He fluffed his pillow and put on his slippers. He was way lost in song, he even had his eyes closed. Poppy watched him as if she was seeing him for the first time. He had been cranky for so long that she hadn't noticed all the signs! What a terrible friend she was!
"Oh, over and over I fall (over and over I fall)
When I hear you call
Without you in my life baby
I just wouldn't be living at all"
She held her sorry note to her chest, realizing her heart was beating faster than normal. That voice of his! He should really sing more often. It was like sunshine on a cloudy day, warming her body like a loving embrace.
"And I will take (I will take you in my arms)
You in my arms
And hold you right where you belong (right where you belong)
'Till the day my life is through
This I promise you, babe"
Sipping on coffee, he yawned and grabbed a broom, dancing with it as if it was a lady. Poppy had to hold back a laugh at his weirdness. He was so carefree when he was by himself that it was a shame to insist he had to interact with everyone else to become a full-fledged troll.
"Just close your eyes, each loving day (each loving day)
And know this feeling won't go away (nooo)
Every word I say is true
This I promise you"
Maybe he was just different. Maybe he found happiness inside his fear bunker. As queen, she should respect that.
"Every word I say is true, this I promise you
Ooh, I promise you"
But if he was really in love how could he get a girl to descent to his level of happiness? He made his way to a sign beside his bed, it read "nothing important". He was about to take the sign off when he saw a shadow standing by the door.
"Poppy!" She woke up from her daydream, blushing nervously at him.
"Hey, Branch, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to walk in like that." She quickly answered,
He frowned and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Yeah, sure, you never do it. At all."
"ha-ha, Very funny." She completely ignored him. They stared at each other for a few seconds before she continued, "Look, I came here to apologize for yesterday."
"Hum?" His frown softened and he opened up to listen to what she had to say, feeling confused.
"I put up a show last night and it was wrong to involve you." She said sincerely, "I know you don't like to be the center of the attention and I didn't consider your feelings, so..." She held out the glittery note to him, "I'm sorry."
"You..." He was mesmerized. He didn't expect an apology. "... you don't have to say you're sorry." He said, "I chose to stay. I chose to be part of the game and I chose to watch over you guys."
"Still..." She said, quietly, scratching the back of her neck, embarrassedly. She remembered very well that she had sat on his lap and that was enough for her to want to get her memory erased. That was so awkward.
"I knew you weren't yourself, if that's what you're worried about. I'm not angry." He completed.
"Good!" She said quickly, with a bright smile. It was her cue to leave and pretend it never happened. "I'll just go and leave you to your singing." She heard him gasp and she turned her back to leave.
"You heard that?" He asked, tentatively.
"I did... from the beginning." Poppy looked at him over her shoulder, winking. Maybe she should tell him, after all... "You do have the voice of an angel. I couldn't interrupt you. Sorry again. Bye Branch!"
"No, wait!" He hurried and held her by her hand. She turned around and saw their joined hands. His palm was sweaty and he had that lost puppy look. "Did you...?"
"Like it?" She interrupted him, getting overexcited, "It was terrific!"
"No..." He held his breath and continued, "did you pay attention to the lyrics?"
"Ooh! I get where you're going, mister!" She clapped her hands. "What's her name?"
"WHAT?!"
"c'mon, you don't have to hide it from me!" She teased, putting her hands on her hips. "Do you want my help? I could use my queen charms to arrange you a date with ANY one."
He could have face palmed himself if he wasn't so disoriented. How could she not see where he was going?
"Poppy that's..."
"You know what? I'll have to try a dress today and I'll see if Satin feels the same way." She suddenly said and Branch almost choked.
"WHA? It's not Sa-"
"I think it's going to be hard to get you a private date... you know... being twins and all..." Poppy walked towards the elevator, with Branch desperately following her.
"POPPY!" He screamed in desperation as she started to go up to the exit, ready to leave him while lost in her mischievous date plans.
She stopped when she heard him yell her name, she looked down at him with those adoringly pink eyes. He could have melted just there.
"Don't worry, Branch. I'll do everything I can. I promise." She chuckled. "After all, that's what best friends are for."
And just like that, she was gone.
Notes:
Fangirling NSync since 2001... ehehehe