You and I
Epilogue: Music to my Eyes
The world was such a beautiful place for Branch. The sky was blue, the grass was green, their cupcakes were delicious, their picnic blanket was fluffy, the lagoon was refreshing and his girlfriend was giving him a delicious massage. Hair, just to feel Poppy's little fingers quickly healing his sore muscles were all the payment he needed for a week of helping rebuild their trashed village.
Not to mention that she was wearing only her swimsuit… and she was leaning on him… and a small kiss just under his ear was enough to make him blush and shot his eyes open. He chuckled at the way her pink hair tickled his skin and she giggled in return, resuming the massage and undoing a very tight knot. Yeah… glorious World Tour had its perfect cue for his love declaration and the outcome was so much better than he had expected.
"Hey," Branch said, causing her hands to back away so he could sit up. He met her eyes and they both blushed. Poppy looked away with a shy smile and tucked her hair behind her ear. He would never get enough of her cuteness.
Branch found himself in another difficult situation to voice his wishes. When he thought she saw him only as a friend he internalized his feelings to spare a major heartbreak and a possible friendship breakup, but now… he just wanted to kiss her and yet, he kept thinking if she would find him too forward.
The taste of her lips while she slept next to him still lingered in his over-excited mind. It was so velvety, so deliciously warm, like drinking fresh honey. The way her body fit next to his was also as perfect. Hair… he was so ridiculously in love that he could spend a whole day looking at her.
Perhaps he should just say it.
So, a little nervous, he reached out for her hand, causing her blush to darken. Her moist lips were slightly parted in surprise. He was going down, aiming them and holding back his will to mindlessly dive in. He watched her lashes fluttering shut and leaned forward as well…
"OHMYGUH, Poppy!" Smidge chose that moment to barge in, making them both fly backwards, sitting several feet away from each other while trying to calm their racing hearts. "You have to come now!"
"Jeez, Smidge, what happened?" Holding back her annoyance, Poppy slipped a pair of shorts so she could follow her small yellow friend back to the village.
"The tenor, Poppy, he came back! He's here, looking for you!" Exasperated, Smidge pushed a stunned Queen towards the path of short grass that led straight to the middle of their village. Poppy could barely look back at Branch while Smidge kept yelling and picking up their picnic things. The teal troll, on the other hand, looked like a deer caught in headlights.
The ex had returned!
It took him a long walk on weak knees to follow Poppy. Smidge was frantically talking about why he'd return now and how ridiculous it was of him to show up without sending a letter to inform them first. Branch heard her, but eventually her voice was muffled out by his own anxious thoughts, wondering if the guy was so great that it would rock their building relationship to its foundations.
"Nessun dorma
Nessun dorma"
The unmistakable voice of the tenor sang with vigor, reaching Branch's ears like glistening muscles of a bodybuilder while he felt like he was the scrawny teen fighting to finish the first pushup. He saw Poppy standing on the edge of the forest, with a shaky hand over her breast and with her eyes fixed on the huge troll who, now they knew, belonged to both Classical and Pop tribes.
"Tu pure, o Principessa
Nella tua fredda stanza
Guardi le stelle
Che tremano d'amore e di speranza"
A few curious pop trolls peered from their pods, watching the mysterious ex-boyfriend pouring his heart out to the queen in song while the grumpy troll stood stunningly mute.
"For Bach's sake! I finally found you, Poppy!" Gregor interrupted his song, going straight to the pink girl and kneeling down. Branch pursed his lips when he noticed the tenor had taken her hand in his and she didn't pull back. "My heart soared with heaven's trumpets when I saw you smashing those strings."
"Uh… hi, Gregor." Poppy replied, retreating her hand with an awkward smile. That made Branch's anxiousness diminish and he took a step towards them, deciding that it was better to make his presence known.
"I found my music, cara mia!" His voice reverberated with an accent that he didn't have before, causing Poppy to smile in soft understanding. "I never felt completely Pop because I half belonged to Classical all along."
"I'm so happy for you!" Poppy replied with her cheerful voice, "It makes so much sense now!"
"I'm sorry I had to leave you for such a long time to find it out." He stepped forward, excitedly coming too close for comfort.
"It's all right." Poppy averted her eyes looking around and finding Branch coming closer and with a relieved sigh she turned back to Gregor. "We are building up a city where everybody will live together. You're welcome to live at Classical Crest, if you want. I bet you'd feel at home."
"Are you living there as well? We have so much to catch up!" Gregor quickly glanced behind Poppy, seeing Branch standing there, looking curiously at them. It caused the tenor to frown and to understand why Poppy was retracting.
"Well, we're still adjusting…" Poppy gave Branch an encouraging smile, stretching her hand so he would take it and join the conversation. "But I have a kingdom now so I spend my time managing everything."
"Oh…" Gregor's shoulder visibly went down, his excited smile faded and his eyes went from Poppy to Branch flicking back and forth non-stop. "You've been crowned."
"Yes," Branch felt Poppy's fingers closing around his hand with an intense grip. She licked her lips and gave him an adoringly smile before turning back to Gregor. "And this is Branch, my boyfriend."
The burst of joy that sparkled inside Branch's chest when hearing her line was comparable to the brightest fireworks. He stood firmly, wrapping his arm around Poppy's waist and stepping up to his place as her significant other. She clearly chose him over her Gregor. How could he ever doubt her feelings?
"I see…" And being the gentletroll he was, Gregor offered an understanding handshake to Branch. It was a sad and, yet, polite gesture that made him realize he had lost his chance and that someone else had conquered her heart. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Branch."
"Likewise."
The day didn't advance fast enough for Branch. Poppy invited Gregor for lunch with their friends and the Snack Pack finally heard the full version of the story. Branch was glad to hear that his girlfriend had never been heartbroken at all, unlike they all made him believe. Poppy didn't miss Gregor one bit, just like she had explained to him.
"Hey, Poppy," He awkwardly called, causing her to lift her eyes to meet his, "Do you think your ex will… you know… stay?"
"I don't think so," she intertwined her fingers with his, offering love and reassurance, "but even if he does stay… nothing will change."
"I just needed to hear that, I guess." He put his arm around her shoulders, taking the path back home. "I still am a little nervous about that time I felt friendzoned."
"Branch…" Poppy whispered, looking shy and scratching her arm. "You ARE my best friend, you know."
Oh hair… he felt like he had fallen from a blissful heaven face first into hell.
"What? But you… Poppy? Friend? Really?" Was he interpreting the signs all wrong? Didn't she just say boyfriend?
"Yes." Tugging her hair out of her eyes, she continued, "I think that's the requirement if you want to share your life with someone." Branch felt his heart beating faster as she continued, "to be each other's confident, best of friends… and… lovers." And that cute blush colored her cheeks, mirroring his own. "We'll never feel lonely again."
Branch would reassure her day after day that she wasn't alone anymore. He'd always be there.
"You know…" Poppy nudged him when they walked back to the bunker where he had to run some errands and where she decided it was her new favorite place to hang out. "... I'd love another private Karaoke night." He didn't miss the way her freckles sparkled when saying that.
So, the errands were quickly finished and while she sat on his couch, engrossed in a list of things she'd need to go through the next day, he quickly went to the kitchen, preparing sandwiches, picking out glasses and making sure the wine was at the right temperature to be served. His karaoke was plugged by the time the first stars shone in the sky.
"You're music to my eyes
I had to listen just to find you
I'd like for you to let me sing along
Give you a rhythm you feel"
Poppy put down her notebook and lifted her eyes curiously, looking for Branch when she heard his voice coming from the other side of the room. She saw him standing in front of the karaoke, grinning at her and holding the deliciously good wine in his hands. A basket filled with sandwiches for a long night of singing and snuggling was on a side table.
"I wanna learn your every line
I wanna fill your empty spaces
I want to play the part to reach your heart
Sing you a song that you feel, oh"
Watching the way his eyes gleamed at her, Poppy felt her insides melting. She admired him like a masterpiece in her own private art gallery. Sipping on her own wine, she saw all the love in his eyes were directed at her.
It felt ridiculous now, looking back at all the efforts she made to keep her feelings in check, fearing he would think her foolish for even considering him as more than a friend. But Hair, that truth or dare months ago had made her act on her feelings, as disguised as possible, there was an unmistakable fire when she touched him and she hoped to see any sign that he might love her back.
"Love, let your music be mine
Sing while I harmonize
Let your melodies fly in my direction
Take me to your paradise
On a musical ride
I'm in love with your music, baby
You're music to my eyes"
Both young, inexperienced and shy. No wonder it took them such a long time and yet, another terribly dangerous adventure to make them come clean about their feelings. Branch lowered the mic, giving it to her with a lovey-dovey smile that couldn't be helped. Taking his invitation, she wrapped one arm around him, molding their fronts like they had been made to fit one another.
"Your voice is quite a view
I heard a song and then I saw you
I learned the lyrics and knew you were mine
Dance the horizon with you"
The mic and the wine were forgotten on the side table, Branch leaned his forehead against her and placed both his hands on her waist. With his eyes closed, he breathed her perfume and heard the sweet words she was singing.
"I wanna sing you a sunrise
And be the dawn I know will move you
I'd like to be the strings on your guitar
Touch me and play what you feel"
His eyes opened when he felt a kiss on his cheek. Blushing, Branch licked his lips, focusing on her pink ones that had just turned in an anticipating smile. His feet moved forward, grabbing her hand up against his chest he dipped her back in a dramatic dance move that made her giggle. It felt incredibly awesome to be the one to cause that little sound when she laughed.
"Love, let your music be mine
Sing while I harmonize
Let your melodies fly in my direction
Take me to your paradise
On a musical ride
I'm in love with your music, baby
You're music to my eyes"
Poppy finished the song, fidgeting nervously with a wide smile that went all the way up to her eyes, curling the tips of her hair in excitement. Branch breathed deeply several times, rehearsing the best way to tell her what he wanted to do since that morning. It felt like confessing all over again.
"Poppy… I… I meant to ask you for a while and… It's okay to say no… I mean, you have your own time and I totally respect that…" Her eyebrows raised and she slightly nodded, waiting for him to continue what he was saying. Her silence didn't help at all. "But I really want to… I mean, I've wished, for a while… And I think this relationship thing may require a little bit more… touch? With lips involved?"
The light pressure that her fingers made on his shoulders when he said that made Branch wonder if it was a signal that he had gone too far. Was she as insecure as he was? Oh maybe… he had chosen the wrong timing. After all her ex had just shown up… oh Hair, did she think he wanted to kiss her only because he needed to make sure she was still his? Wouldn't that sound horrible and make her question his reasons?
"Branch?" She called him with a shy whisper, making him lift his eyes to see her giving him the brightest and most inviting of smiles. "Less talking and more kissing."
The music wasn't over, the instrumental part went on as their lips gloriously came together, crashing their worlds into an unified symphony where violins and pianos harmonized with their heartbeats, letting them feel their lonely days fading into a cloudy past.
The End
A/N - This epilogue was done weeks ago and I was just waiting for Trollstopia to come out to see how they would arrange the delegates to plug Gregor in the time place. Lol.