Picturebook Romance
A Trolls fanfic
By Dreamsinger
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Relaxation and Revelations
As Poppy and I headed to the market square to pick up some food for lunch, no one said anything about the fact that we were holding hands. I was almost disappointed. Also, relieved. I wasn't much of a risk-taker, so I was just as glad the other trolls didn't seem to see anything out of the ordinary about our relationship. They just saw a pair of good friends on their way to lunch.
Well, they aren't wrong. Whatever else has changed, Poppy and I are good friends. Best friends. We grew up together. We understand one another, and share secrets with each other. We know things about each other that no one else knows.
A warm feeling of closeness made me squeezed her hand and give her an affectionate smile. Poppy beamed back at me. Then her face changed to a look I'd only seen there for the past two days, but I had no trouble identifying it. Poppy wanted to kiss me. I started leaning toward her before I caught myself, hoping no one had seen us.
Then my girlfriend, who was also my best friend and trollhood playmate, glanced casually around us. Immediately I thought, She's up to something.
A large group of trolls was walking ahead of us, talking with one another. None of them seemed to be paying us any attention. Big rose-colored eyes turned toward me, her thick dark lashes lowered invitingly.
My own eyes widened as I sensed her amorous intent. Here? Now?
She winked and gave me a mischievous smile.
Oh, she's good. Despite my better judgement, I felt my own recently-discovered sense of playfulness opening me up to some rather…fascinating possibilities. So far we'd been too busy to try out Poppy's new "sneakissing" game, but the more I thought about it, the more it intrigued me. Finding ways to secretly kiss Poppy without the other trolls catching on? It was exactly the sort of game I'd create, as if we were living out one of the scenarios from my Trial Run roleplaying game.
Leave it to Poppy to come up with a game that involves two of my favorite things: privacy and kissing. She knows just how to tempt me.
Poppy lilted her head and lifted an eyebrow in silent challenge.
…Oh, what the hair. Challenge accepted! I grinned and bounced my eyebrows at her in answer. Game on. Now, we just need an excuse…
Poppy and I spotted a convenient scrap of confetti streamer on the ground at the same time. "Oh, look. A piece of litter. I'd better pick it up," we said simultaneously, our innocent tones matching perfectly. As we bent down together, we brought our joined hands to block the view of our faces from behind. At the same time, our free hands reaching for the streamer spread out to hide as much of the rest of our faces as possible. We quickly kissed, then picked up the streamer together, straightened up, and stood still. Belatedly, my heart began to race. I tried not to sweat, or look around guiltily, or make it obvious that anything unusual had just happened. Poppy did the same.
I held out for maybe four seconds. Then I flicked my eyes this way and that, checking the reactions of the trolls around us. Poppy did, too.
Nobody was staring at us. Nobody was freaking out. Everyone was going about their business, cheerfully chatting with companions and totally not acting as if they'd just seen their beloved queen kissing the former village hermit. Everything was fine and dandy, just the way I liked it.
I let out a breath of relief, which quickly turned to elation. Success!
Poppy and I beamed at one another all the way to the nearest trash can. It was at times like these when I truly appreciated how Poppy could make even the most mundane task fun. My life before these last six months seemed so restricted now, so colorless. I'd thought that was the right way to live; that it had to be that way. I'd never truly believed my life could be any other way. Life was work, and work was life. Why bother to make tasks more fun? Why bother to make friends? Why bother to fall in love?
Then Poppy had come along, and "why" became "why not?"
Man, I love her!
In the market square we passed Fizzy's dessert booth, which reminded me of his earlier request to speak to me - and how Poppy had gotten so amusingly frustrated over being kept out of the loop. I smothered a snarky grin. It wasn't often I got to see the queen of the trolls dancing with frustration like that. Normally she was so perky and upbeat; it was nice to be reminded that even she could lose her cool over some things, just like me.
Although I did understand her side, of course. After we're done with whatever Poppy has planned for this afternoon, I'll ask Fizzy if he minds if Poppy joins us when we have our talk.
I was curious as to what Fizzy wanted to talk to me about, but my attention kept getting distracted by the more immediate event coming up. I wonder what kind of surprise Poppy has planned for me? Probably something involving a huge song-and-dance routine. Will it just be her, or will other trolls be involved? I mused idly, prepared to relax and have fun now that the bead cleanup was done. Especially since it had been such a rousing success. Not bad for my first official leadership effort, if I do say so myself. Considering the logistical problems of dealing with over two hundred extra workers, even King Peppy will have to say I did a great job, right? Today was the fastest, most thorough Cleanup Day ever. And it's a good thing we finished so early, since Poppy- Wait a minute.
I stopped walking and frowned at my pink companion. "Hey, Poppy, why did you schedule this 'big surprise' on Cleanup Day, of all days? What if we hadn't had the extra volunteers? It would have taken all day. Didn't it occur to you that we might be just a little bit busy? You know how I feel about-"
She let go of me to hold up her hands. "Relax, Branch. My surprise was going to be tonight, after Cleanup Day was over. Since we finished early, we're just getting a head start, that's all."
I blinked a few times. "Oh. Well, okay, then. Uh, sorry about that."
She patted my cheek affectionately. "Don't worry, I wouldn't mess up your favorite holiday, Sweetums."
I rolled my eyes. "And we're back to the silly nicknames." But I still reached out and took her hand again with a smile, wanting to make up for any bad feelings of the past few minutes.
-O-
P sensually fixes B's hair to its new longer style. Hairblooms and temptation ensue…
The longer Poppy sauntered along with her boyfriend, the happier she got. Cleanup Day is over, so now Branch can relax and just have fun with me. Oh, I can't wait til he sees my surprise! she thought gleefully. Today is going to be a game-changer; I just know it!
Then Branch began to stroke her palm with his fingertips, sending little zings of energy buzzing pleasantly through her body. Her belly tumbling, Poppy had all she could do to keep walking normally instead of melting into the ground like she wanted to.
When the perky pink troll could no longer contain the exuberance inside her, she broke into joyous song. Branch, as always, sang with her. She began to dance, and he danced with her. She used her hair to swoop over the heads of their fellow trolls, rolled in the air and bounced off a mushroom spring before landing neatly in an empty spot on the grass, and her wonderful boyfriend was beside her the entire time. Never once did he let go of her hand.
Oh, how she loved that wide, toothy smile of his! So charming; so mellow and cool and cute and oh, he was happy and she was happy and she wanted everyone to know it! Almost bursting with the giddy energy that comes from being in love, the young queen enthusiastically began to skip as she headed for her favorite sandwich-maker's booth. Branch skipped merrily alongside her.
They had to let go to carry their food, but it was fun to swing the picnic basket between them; each of them holding one side of the arched handle as they skipped gaily around the market. Their joyful mood was contagious, and other trolls began to join in. Even the trolls who waited on them hopped in place to play along. Soon the entire market square was a sea of colorful, bobbing heads of hair.
"See what you started, Poppy?" Branch said suddenly.
Poppy looked at him in surprise, but he wasn't scolding her. Instead he was giving her a soft, indulgent smile. "I love the way you spread happiness in your wake. You're like a bright sunbeam warming the hearts of everyone around you."
She gave him the big, sunshiny grin she knew he loved. "Aww, thanks, Branch!" She lowered her voice under the cheerful background chatter and added for his ears alone, "And I love you, my charming poet."
He squeezed her hand gently, and she squeezed back, so happy she could fly.
The young lovers meandered away from the market square, heading for the same semi-private spot they'd shared yesterday. As they entered the area, Branch looked around and heaved a sigh of relief when he realized the little glade was empty. Poppy knew he appreciated the sense of privacy. The thick scattering of fluffy, cotton-leaf bushes all around them did a good job of blocking the two trolls from casual view. Normally privacy wasn't something she worried much about, but lately she'd begun to appreciate it as much as he did, for certain reasons…
Speaking of reasons… Wearing a thoughtful look, the handsome aquamarine troll surveyed the area for the best spot to set up their picnic. Poppy moved in front of him and gave him a suggestive look, and the frisky grin he gave her in return made her heart quicken. After one last quick look around, Branch stepped up to her, leaning over the paper cup he was carrying in his other hand to meet her lips with his.
His kiss was unexpectedly sweet, tasting of strawberry lemonade. Poppy made a sound of delight. "Ooo, tasty."
He chuckled as she look a swig from her own beverage, making sure it wet her lips before letting her boyfriend taste raspberry-grape flavored kisses. When she felt the brush of his tongue over her lips, she giggled at the sensation, warm and tickly and somehow very enticing. The idea of being a trolly lollipop made her giggle again and lean toward him.
Just then his stomach growled loudly. Both of them blinked. Then he blushed, chagrined, and Poppy grinned in amusement. "Wow, Branch. I didn't know I tasted that delicious," she teased him. "Maybe we'd better eat first."
Together they used their hair to spread a candy-striped blanket on the grass, under the sparse spray of a low-hanging tree branch. As they ate, Poppy enjoyed listening to the soft shhhh of the breeze through the nearby foliage. Sun-dapples gave the little glade a lovely, rustic charm. What a pretty scene. I'll have to remember to bring my paint set next time.
Once she was done eating, Poppy got up to dip a handkerchief in a pocket of fresh water at the base of a nearby plant stem. She used it to wipe her face and hands clean and then offered it to Branch, who took it and thanked her. When he looked down at his hands, his mouth turned down into a little frown.
"What's wrong, Branch?"
"I forgot to remove the sticker Leafe gave me. Look, I almost got jelly on it." He showed her where a small purple blob was just barely touching the edge of the cute googly-eyed gold star on the back of his hand. Worry made his mouth flatten. It was a look Poppy was all too familiar with.
Fortunately Poppy had the solution. "Here, give it to me," she suggested. "I'll put in our private scrapbook, so you can have it for always."
"Thanks, Poppy." His worried look softened into a warm, appreciative smile that made her heart flutter. So cute! Such a simple thing, but it made him so happy.
After Poppy placed the shiny gold sticker in its new home, she flipped back through the book while Branch got cleaned up. Her eye caught on the pages where she and Branch had posed together in the new outfits the twins had given them. She turned them slowly, admiring every detail of her lover-to-be, and noticed something. She looked up at him, then down. "Hey, Branch?"
"Yes?" He put the damp handkerchief into the basket and turned to give her an inquiring, blue-eyed look.
She held out the book. "Your hair doesn't match the photos we took yesterday."
"What do you mean?"
"It's short again." Poppy slipped the scrapbook back into her hair, then reached to stroke his hair back from his forehead. His eyes closed in automatic bliss.
"Oh, right," he replied comfortably, "Well, we were in a hurry this morning. Guess I forgot to do my new 'do."
She chuckled a little at his joke; not so much because it was funny but because she loved to hear his newfound gentle humor. Gone were the days when sarcasm was his only way to express himself.
Looking at her boyfriend sitting there trustingly waiting for her touch stirred a flurry of adoration and desire all at once in the young queen. Poppy glanced around once more to make sure no one was nearby, then moved to kneel behind him and kiss his cheek. "I love the new 'do. And the troll who wears it," she whispered intimately as she slid her fingers into his luxurious dark locks and let her hands glide where they would.
"Thanks…" he said dreamily, perfectly content now. It was amazing how quickly he relaxed when she did this. For her it was a little different. Relaxing, yes; but exciting, too. The thought ofhis hands running through her own hair made her belly quiver and go all melty inside.
She leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "Want me to help you make it longer?"
"Mm-hmm…"
Poppy gathered the long, soft strands between her palms, tugging gently and rhythmically. He sighed in pleasure. "Oh, yeah, Poppy…" His dark head bobbed gently, and soon the tufted ends were lengthening, his fine, strong strands entwining themselves affectionately around her fingers.
Gently she freed her hands and gathered all his hair together. She flipped it gently back and forth, playing with it. "Maybe I ought to braid it. Or put it in a topknot-ponytail like mine. Would you like that?"
Sublimely peaceful now, she'd thought he wasn't listening, but some fragment of consciousness made him murmur, "No matching hairstyles, please."
She chuckled and let his hair go free. Her boyfriend leaned back toward her, inviting her to continue, but Poppy had a better idea. She slid her legs out to the sides and put her hands on his shoulders, gently pulling him toward her. He didn't resist, letting himself go all lose and easy as he lay back on top of her, obviously in the mood to cuddle. So was she. Poppy curled her arms and legs around his head and shoulders and blissfully lay back against the plush cotton-leaf plant behind her. "Ahh…" they sighed together in pure satisfaction.
Full and content, Poppy was glad for the chance to chill with her special someone for a while - only for his ever-present anxiety to kick in a moment later. "Oh." His head lifted. "I'm not hurting your bruise, am I?"
"No, I'm fine," she replied. "It doesn't hurt. You can lay down again."
He didn't move. "There's a painkiller in the arnica salve," he reminded her. "It's meant to keep you comfortable while you heal, but it might keep you from realizing-"
He fell silent as she put her hands on his head. "It's okay, sweetie. You won't hurt me."
He hesitated a moment longer, then sighed in surrender and relief. He scooched a little further away from her so he wouldn't be directly on her bruise, and finally let his big head come to rest on her body.
Over the sleek dark surface of his hair, Poppy had a nice, if upside-down, view of his face. There was his familiar, handsome nose, standing up in front of her like a mini-mountain made of broad, gentle curves. She admired the way his colors blended into one another there; soft lavender merging into light aquamarine. She noticed that he had a delicate line of lavender running along the slight bridge of his nose, which was super cute. I want to paint him from this angle, she decided. Soon, but for now…
Now, there were other pleasures. Poppy took advantage of the one right before her and began to massage his temples, then slipped her hands into his hair. Instantly the dark mass collapsed, spilling over her like a blanket of liquid silk. "Yeah…" he murmured.
With a smile of pure bliss the young queen gathered some of his hair and brought it to her face, lovingly kissing the soft strands. Yesterday morning I thought his hair was the only thing I'd be kissing for a long time, and now look at us. Look at all the progress he's made already. I'm so proud of him. "Oh, Branch. I love you so much…" she said aloud, her voice soft and husky.
"Love you, too, Sunshine," he replied in a dreamy, mellow tone, his words flowing like honey. "My beautiful dream girl…"
Oh, that voice. Just the sound of it gave her shivers when he spoke to her like this. So soft, so sexy. I could listen to him forever…
A spark drifted from his hair. Then another. Fascinated, she watched as tiny, shimmering-rainbow flecks silently appeared from his dark locks, drifting gracefully in the air around them. "Look, Branch. You're blooming," she said softly, not wanting to disturb him, but also not wanting him to miss out on seeing the precious phenomenon, as he had the first time his hair had bloomed.
"Yeah…I feel it." His head shifted slightly as he looked upward. "Oh, wow…" His voice was low with pleasure. Her own head began to tingle, and a fresh set of iridescent sparkles joined the delicate spray of twinkling lights above them. They matched his perfectly; a dream come true.
All trolls fantasized about meeting their perfect match. And she had. It wasn't the person she or anyone else had ever seriously expected her to end up with, yet they felt so right together. He made her so happy, and she knew he felt the same about her.
His nose tilted to the side as Branch noticed the new sparkles joining his. "Are you blooming, too?"
"I think so." She closed her eyes briefly to let herself enjoy the sensation. "It feels so good, kind of cool and tingly. I like it."
"Me, too. It's like…snowflakes or something, but not wet. Kind of refreshing. It makes me feel like I can do anything. Wow." Quiet wonder grew. "It's at times like this that I really love being a troll."
A rush of love for her sweetheart made a fresh burst of sparkles bloom from her own hair, forming a vaguely flower-shaped pattern before they spread out and dissolved. Poppy smoothed his hair back from his forehead as she said with a smile in her voice, "Only sometimes? Not all the time?"
"Most of the time."
"Well, I think being a troll is great all the time. Hm, I wonder what I could do to make you change your mind…" she said teasingly. She leaned over to kiss his forehead, then let her hands bury themselves in the gorgeous flow of silky hair that covered her, gently caressing it.
He closed his eyes blissfully, a wide, playful smile spreading over his face. "Mmm… Keep doing that and I think you might just find your answer."
She chuckled cheerfully and played with his hair for a few minutes while he sighed in contentment. It made her feel so good to make him feel good.
Speaking of feeling good… She eyed his long aquamarine ears. It was hard to avoid the temptation to play with them, too, but she wanted to be considerate. Now that I know for sure that touching his ears really turns him on, it wouldn't be fair to do that to him here, would it? Not when he can't really do anything about it. We'd have to find somewhere a lot more private for that.
So the young queen contented herself with gliding her fingers in and through, gathering his hair up and then sensuously letting long black streamers slide out from between her fingertips as she slowly pulled her hands back. She knew how good that felt.
Sure enough, Branch gave a little moan and rubbed the back of his head against her lower belly. His movement triggered an unexpected urge within herself. It took her a moment to recognize it, but then she shook her head as she grinned down at him. He's the one turning me on, without even knowing it! My sexy guy, she thought affectionately.
Oh, now she was even more tempted. You know, we could go to my pod. Do some kissing, and see what happens after that…
For a long, delicious moment she wavered. Branch was getting more comfortable with the new intimacy between them with every hour that passed. He might be wishing they could find themselves a more private place to enjoy one another, too. Cleanup Day was over; they had nothing to do-
Oh, wait. We do have plans. Important plans, too. I can't just… We have to… She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. It didn't help. Her boyfriend's rich, sugar-spice scent flooded her nose and she licked her lips. Well, maybe we could spare a little time, couldn't we? It was her nature to extend invitations, after all. She'd never know if she didn't ask, and he could always say no.
"Branch?" she began, but his surprised voice overrode hers.
"Hey, is that Acorn?"
The frolicsome fantasies overloading her brain faded as she opened her eyes. Branch was gazing up and forward at an angle, past their few remaining hairbloom sparkles at a small group of trolls. They were gathered together on a big, flat mushroom growing from the trunk of a tree high above them.
Poppy squinted through the spray of leaves above her, spotting mint-green skin and bluish-lavender hair. "Yes, that's Acorn," she confirmed.
As Branch continued to intently watch the group, Poppy sighed inwardly. I guess romance will have to wait. For now.
-O-
P mentions Acorn has a crush, B muses about the relationships of several other trolls
After Poppy and I hungrily made short work of the food, we sat for a little while, just enjoying each other's company. And then we did a little more than just sitting. Poppy's hands stroking my hair felt so wonderful. Soothing, yet stimulating. We even began blooming together. I felt a quiet thrill to see again what I'd never hoped to see – proof of the joy I'd finally managed to attain after so long, and proof that Poppy and I were a perfect match.
In a few minutes I'd offer swap places with her and return the favor, but for now, I was glad for the chance to rest and digest. Knowing Poppy, I'll need it. I still didn't know exactly what she had planned for this afternoon, but I wanted to have the energy to participate with as much enthusiasm as possible. She deserved it.
Just then Poppy began to lightly tug her fingers through my hair, causing waves of sensation to dance down my spine. I moaned as my brain went giddy with pleasure. Other trolls had touched my hair before, but no one else had ever made me feel this way. Grinning like a fool, I opened my eyes to tell her so.
Looking at Poppy upside-down, over her shoulder through the leaves above us I saw a mint-green troll swoop by. "Hey, is that Acorn?" I blurted out, my peaceful mood instantly broken.
Poppy confirmed that as I watched Acorn use his hair to swing up to join a pair of trolls who were sitting high above us on a mushroom tier. Having just discussed them with Poppy last night, I easily recognized the other three trolls. Maple's red-orange skin almost glowed in the bright sunlight, only outshone by Moonglow's glittery light-green skin. Next to their brilliance, Celesta's sky-blue hair and pale pink skin were restfully pastel in tone.
I recalled the memory I'd shared with Poppy last night, of the three of them when they were just trollings. And now they're all grown up. Acorn is eight years younger than me, so that makes him eighteen now. Maple's about twenty, and I think Moonglow is the same age. Celesta is three or four years younger, about sixteen, so she's graduated from school by now, too.
Just then a small light-orange trolling I recognized as Conifer joined the group.
"Huh. I didn't know Acorn knew Conifer," I commented. It made sense that Acorn would be friends with the others, who were all about his age. But Conifer is much younger, only around eight or so. Why would he be with the older group instead of hanging with the trollings his own age?
Moments later I got my answer. Poppy chuckled and said, "Didn't you know? Conifer is Acorn's little brother."
"He is?" I said in surprise. "I mean, I knew Acorn had a little sister, Kiki. She's the one who nearly died. She's the reason Cleanup Day even exists. No, wait." Vague memories were starting to come back to me; references to a new trolling in Acorn's family, not long after Kiki's choking accident.
At that point in time I'd been investing myself completely in my bunker and avoiding the village as much as possible. I was still a little leery of being around teenage Poppy. Ever since I'd suspected she'd had a crush on me, I'd been careful never to be alone with her. Conifer must have been hatched between that time and the time I'd developed my own crush. No wonder I hadn't really taken notice of him. My mind had been occupied – more like taken over – by a beautiful girl named Poppy for months.
"I remember now. So Conifer is Acorn's little brother, huh?" I mused, smiling a little. He doesn't share Acorn's colors, but now I know why he reminded me so much of Acorn yesterday. They share the same sensitive nature I used to have when I was little. No wonder I couldn't resist his request yesterday when Conifer asked me to teach him how to save a life.
While my mind wandered, Poppy's gentle hands continued to soothingly stroke my hair, calming me. I smiled peacefully up at them. Seems fitting for my Lil' Nut to have a little brother of his own.
After being uncharacteristically quiet up to now, Poppy said, "Hey, Branch? Conifer told me something yesterday. He asked me not to tell, but I don't think he'd mind if I tell you. He said-"
I held up a hand. "Wait, Poppy, if he asked you not to tell, then you shouldn't tell."
"It's about Acorn."
"Oh." I hesitated a few seconds, fighting my curiosity, then caved. "What about Acorn?"
"He has a crush on Celesta."
"He does?" I felt a pleased smile spread over may face. "Well, well. My Lil' – I mean, Acorn has a crush."
Poppy nodded. "He's in love with her, but he's afraid to tell her. Sound like anyone you know?" She smiled at me knowingly.
Oh, Acorn. My heart went out to the troll I'd once thought of as a little brother. I know just how you feel.
I was highly conscious of Poppy behind me, loving and supporting me in so many ways, as she always had. Now that I'd experienced what I'd missed, I wanted that for Acorn. I wonder if I should talk to him. I mean, I'm no expert on love, but at least he might appreciate a sympathetic listening ear from someone who's been through it. I could even apologize for everything, if… My initial enthusiasm faltered into confusion. If he even wants to see me.
I wonder what he really thinks of me? After what happened between us, I've always figured he didn't want anything to do with me. He wouldn't even look at me yesterday when Conifer was pleading with me to teach him the Heimlich Maneuver. Yet when Poppy returned from the doctor's pod, Acorn seemed friendly enough... He even gave Poppy a recipe for me.
Although somehow I doubt he just spontaneously offered it. I'll bet it was Poppy's idea. She probably pushed him into reaching out, like she always does. I smiled wryly. At least I'm not the only one she does that to. Acorn's enough like me that Poppy probably has to remind him to think positively, too.
My smile faded. …At least, he used to be. I have no idea what he's like now. I let my gaze fall from the cheerful group high above me to stare at my feet. Come on, Branch. Acorn's moved on. He's an adult now. A normal, happy, healthy adult, and a nurse at that. He's used to talking care of other trolls, so I'm sure he can take care of himself. I shouldn't stick my hair in where it's probably not wanted… I gazed wistfully up at my trollhood friend once more, then resolutely turned my face away, trying to ignore the nagging call to action. Poppy means well, but she doesn't understand. I closed that scrapbook years ago. Opening it now would just snare us all in a giant hairball of hurt feelings. I don't want to do that to him, or me either. The best thing to do is let him get on with his life. He's all grown up now.
He's not my Lil' Nut anymore.
I lay there for a moment longer, then sat up. I wasn't in the mood to relax anymore. Poppy scooched around to sit beside me. "Branch? You okay?"
Just then Acorn glanced down, and our eyes met. For a long moment, we stared at one another. In the back of my mind the thought that the cotton-leaf glade wasn't as private as it seemed was followed by a fleeting gladness that Poppy and I hadn't been caught cuddling and that I'd have to find somewhere with better cover. Or bring a big umbrella.
Acorn turned to look at the girl next to him, hesitated, then said something. Celesta smiled and responded, and he looked pleased. Then she took his hand in hers, and he looked ecstatic.
See there? He doesn't need me. I felt my heavy thoughts lighten."Good for him," I said aloud, smiling. I felt much better now.
Poppy took my hand in hers and we leaned against each other in peaceful companionship. After a minute, she asked softly, "What are you thinking, sweetie?"
"Well… It's nice to think that Acorn's found a companion who will make him happy. I mean, I don't know Celesta all that well, but she seems nice. She, Maple, and Moonglow were the trolls I was telling you about last night, remember? The ones who overheard me reciting lovesick poetry about you while you were hosting that swim party. They never told anybody, as far as I know."
"Oh, right." Poppy grinned. "Maybe we should go ask Maple if she really did suspect that you had a crush on me."
"Poppy."
She kissed my cheek. "Relax, I'm kidding. Besides, I think she might be a little busy right now."
I turned my eyes to Leafe's younger sister, Maple, who was eating what looked like a bright yellow pastry. Automatically I scanned her dress and spotted a big glob of yellow right in the middle of her chest.
I grinned. Still a messy eater, I see. She also had smear of white frosting on her cheek. Moonglow pointed to it and said something. She laughed and leaned toward him, and he obligingly licked the frosting off her cheek. And then-
My jaw dropped.
"Did he just kiss her?" Poppy and I asked each other simultaneously.
I wasn't sure. It had happened too fast, and they were kind of far away. I used my hands like binoculars to block out some of the ambient light and squinted so hard my teeth were sticking out. It was worth looking weird, though, since it clarified my vision just enough to make out the affectionate tolerance on Moonglow's sparkly face as he shook his head and pulled a turquoise handkerchief from his pale pinkish-lavender hair. He looked exactly like I felt whenever Poppy behaved carelessly, as if she needed looking after. Moonglow dipped the hanky in a large dewdrop nearby and used it to clean the smears of pastry from her face and hands, then picked the glob of pastry off the front of her dress.
Maple smiled with lowered lashes and opened her mouth. Sharing the same secret gaze, he fed her the pastry. I swallowed at the same time Maple did. So did Poppy.
Maple put a hand on his arm, and the two of them gazed heatedly at one another for a long moment before Maple turned to the others, pointing to the big spot the pastry had left behind on her dress. She said something and the rest of them laughed. Then she and Moonglow used their hair to swing away, presumably to get Maple a clean dress.
A stray thought crossed my mind. Unless it was to get Maple undressed…
I licked my lips, and cleared my throat. "Well. That was…"
Poppy murmured, "Really…"
"Innocent," I agreed, "And yet so…"
"Sensual…" she breathed.
The ear closest to her twitched as I caught the undertone of excitement. I gave her a flirty side-glance. "Oh, would you like me to feed you like that, my queen?" I said playfully.
She actually shivered. "Oh, yes," she purred. "That looked like fun…"
I felt a pleasant tingle in my belly at her sultry voice. "Now I wish we still had some food left," I commented in real chagrin, and Poppy laughed.
"Next time, loverboy."
-O-
After Poppy and I cleaned up our picnic site, she took my hand in hers and led me on a slow, easy stroll around the village.
"Hey, Poppy? What kind of person is Celesta? What does she do for work? Do you know if she's interested in Acorn, too, or does she just see him as a friend?"
"Why don't you talk to her and find out?"
I felt a quick flash of frustration and growled under my breath. Normally Poppy was happy to talk about other trolls, but sometimes she got like this.
It used to make me furious. Six months ago, when I first started to socialize again, Poppy did this to me a lot. I mean, I could see her point. She'd asked me, "If you were in my position, how would you help a troll like you to be more social?" Grudgingly picturing myself in her place helped me see that she was right, but that didn't mean I liked it.
After a long pause where I counted to ten out loud, I finally said to Poppy, "I get it. And you're right; I should go talk to her myself. But how about just a quick overview?" I thought fast. "For example, what are her hobbies? If it turns out I have some of the same hobbies, that will be a good starting point, right?" I crossed my arms, pleased with my argument. Poppy couldn't refuse to talk now, could she?
Since anger management and negotiating skills were both things Poppy approved of, she rewarded my efforts by telling me a little about the girl. "She's an apprentice astronomer. She comes from a family of astronomers."
"Really? An astronomer?" I was delighted to hear it. "She likes science, then. Probably also into math. All those stellar computations, star charts and stuff. Wow."
"Mm-hm. That's where her name comes from. Celesta means 'music of the stars'."
"Wow," I repeated. "That's beautiful."
Her voice deepened with affection. "I thought you'd like that, my sweet poet." Poppy gave the hand she was holding a light squeeze, and I squeezed back. Then I wrapped my hair around hers. She twirled her hair with mine and I sighed contentedly. Sometimes I could see why the twins had put up with being attached to each other for so long. I really loved feeling so connected to the one person in the world who was most precious to me.
I wasn't the only one who'd found someone precious. Poppy and me, Acorn and Celesta, Maple and Moonglow. It seemed as if everyone I knew was pairing off.
I kept thinking of the intimate scene we'd just witnessed. Maple and Moonglow remind me of my foster dads. One a glitter troll; one not. It wasn't a common pairing, but I knew being two different types of trolls didn't really matter. Even as a frightened trolling, the one thing I had never worried about was my parents' compatibility. It had given me great comfort me to see the way my dads had always loved and supported one another.
The only thing that might be a potential issue for Maple and Moonglow was if they wanted to have a family early in life. They'd have to wait until Moonglow produces an egg, and that could take a while.
Glitter trolls didn't have regular mating seasons. Unlike the rest of us, they couldn't control when they would have offspring; it would just spontaneously happen someday.
Of course, they're both pretty young yet. It's doubtful they'd want a trolling so soon. Still, Leafe is only thirty, and he and Cherry Blossom already have two trollings. If Maple takes after her big brother, she might want a family early, too.
I remember how often my dads used to say how glad they were to have me. It sure didn't take them long to have a trolling of their own after I left. So it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that they must have really wanted a little one of their own; someone to love and care for. They were willing to take in a trolling like me, after all. I'll bet it was even part of the reason they both coached so many sports teams.
They were both around forty before Jaunty finally brought a new trolling into the world. It usually doesn't take that long, but it could. Hmm. Maybe I should do a little quiet investigating to see what the status is. Are Maple and Moonglow in love? Do they want to get married? And if so, what are Maple's views about being a parent? Sooner, later, or "whenever"?
Trolls ask, How is Poppy? And compliment Branch
-O-
Poppy and I cleaned up our picnic site and then she took my hand and we headed out. I assumed we were heading to Poppy's surprise, but judging by the roundabout route we were taking, either it wasn't something we needed to rush for, or she was stalling. She had said she'd planned for it to happen tonight, so maybe it wasn't ready yet. I didn't mind. For once, I had no plans for the rest of the day, so I was free to enjoy a lazy stroll around the village with my girl.
Now that today's main event was over, everyone was out and about, enjoying all the many, many fun activities we trolls loved. Poppy and I joined in on two song-and dance numbers, a drawing game called Guess That Critter (it was Mister Dinkles), and spent several minutes juggling balls and teacups back and forth between one another before passing it all on to Fern and Hickory. As the purple trollings had fun juggling, they gleefully reported that Hopscotch's popcorn booth was as popular as ever, which made Poppy happy. I was, too, and not just for Uncle Skip's sake. I knew it would devastate Poppy to learn that her accident had ruined the popcorn booth that Hopscotch loved so much.
Of course, the day wasn't without its fair share of annoyances. Our friends weren't running interference today, so literally dozens of trolls stopped us. I didn't know how she could keep patiently answering virtually the same question over and over.
And over.
"Are you feeling better, Queen Poppy?"
"Yep, I'm good, Nightfrost. I appreciate you asking."
"Hi! How are you, Queen Poppy?"
"Fine; thank you, Daffodil."
"Whuzzup, Queen Popp-ay? You doin' okay?"
"I'm doin' great, Stellar, my man! Thanks for asking."
Their greetings to me were different, but also revolved around yesterday's accident.
A deep ultramarine-blue female with a magnificent head of pale-blue curls told me, "Queen Poppy must feel so safe with you around."
I was flattered. "Thank you, uh, Nightfrost," I replied after a panicky glance at Poppy to make sure I was getting the name right. That's just what little Hickory said. I had no idea so many trolls thought about safety. Maybe I am starting to make progress with them after all.
"Hi, Branch! Thank you for helping Leafe save the queen. My daddy said you taught him how to."
"Oh. You're welcome…Daffodil," I replied in confusion to the small yellow trolling. Taught who? Leafe, or her daddy? Who is her father? Was he in one of my Heimlich Maneuver classes, or does she just need help with her grammar?
"I sure am glad we have you around to keep us safe," Daffodil added cheerfully before she skipped off, humming a happy little tune.
"'Sup, Branchmeister? Just wanted to tell you, I feel much safer with you watching over us, buddy," said a cerulean-haired orange glitter troll.
"O…kay. Thanks, um, Stellar." Buddy? I haven't talked to you in years.
I was gratified at their recognition at first, but it got old fast. I was even starting to hate the word "safe"!
Just as I reached the breaking point and threw up my hands to shout something about Poppy being fine and that everyone should just go about their business, I felt something hit the palm of one hand. Automatically I grabbed it, bringing it down to see a big orange-cranberry biscuit in my hand.
"Here's a cookie, Branch. You deserve it," a forest-green troll I didn't recognize said without explanation, and ran off.
Poppy burst into laughter, hugely amused by the whole incident. I sighed and broke the biscuit in half, offering a piece to Poppy as I complained, "How do you stand it, Poppy? You never have a moment's peace."
"They're just showing how much they care. Besides, they're not always this attentive. I really scared them yesterday, so it's not surprising that they want to check up on me. That's why we're taking the scenic route, so I can show everyone I'm fine."
"Oh, I see." I nodded thoughtfully. "Smart."
A disturbing, overheard conversation
-O-
A few minutes later Poppy excused herself to run to the nearest potty-pod. I sat down to relax in the shade of a large clump of foliage. While I was waiting, I unintentionally eavesdropped on a troubling conversation that made me realize that not everyone was waiting to shower me with compliments and cookies.
Behind the bushes at my back, I heard someone say, "It still seems kinda weird for Branch to be in Poppy's best-friend group. Remember what he used to be like?"
There was a round of muttering. To my ear, the general tone didn't ring with approval. I listened intently as someone said, "I don't really know Branch very well. I've never actually spoken to him. What's he like?"
After a long silence, someone else finally said, "Well, I have to admit I don't really know him either. When he wasn't ranting about bergens, he was always off on his own."
"Doing what?"
"Working, I think."
A laugh. "No, seriously. What kind of games did he play? What were his favorite sports?"
"I am being serious. After he left the village, he didn't play games, or sports. Well, unless Poppy made him."
"Wow. He sounds duller than unconditioned hair. I feel sorry for the guy. He really didn't have any hobbies? Nothing he was passionate about?"
An even longer silence.
"His bunker," someone suggested.
"Safety?"
"Wait, the bergens! He was passionate about them!"
"Obsessed, you mean."
"Obsessed, indeed." I recognized Gia's voice, full of motherly disapproval. "I used to dread running into him. Sometimes it seemed like you only had to think of the word 'bergen' and somehow he would sense it. Then he'd appear and go off on a rant, and I'd be standing there trying to figure out a polite excuse to get away. One time I made the mistake of telling him I wasn't busy, and ended up having to listen to him for two and a half Hug Times…"
"Oh, boy."
"I know, right?"
"Remember the bergen graffiti in his bunker?"
"Scary, man…"
I scowled. I'm never going to live that down, am I?
The voices suddenly faded as the group moved on. Too late, I peeked through the leaves to try to identify the rest of the speakers, but they were already gone.
I growled and burrowed into the bush, crossing my arms defensively. I've been worried that some of the other trolls might not accept me as king, but some of them don't even think Poppy and I should be friends? Seriously? What would they say if they knew we were dating?
And more importantly, what do I do about it?
Author's Note:
I thought it was about time for a little romantic interlude, since this is supposed to be a romance story 😉 During the bulk of this chapter, it seems like nothing of significance is happening, but what I'm trying to set up is that Branch is becoming genuinely interested in developing relationships with more than just the little group of trolls he calls friends. Naturally, he's going to be most interested in those trolls whom he used to know well, but even those background trolls we've seen so far who reach out to him are going to be noticed and remembered. He's building connections now. He'll be paying more attention to each troll as an individual, focusing on what their specific needs are, and how he could meet them as king. Other people's opinions are more important to him now.