This was supposed to be a oneshot. I was so, so sure that this would be a oneshot. But I started thinking about what would happen if Branch was dating Poppy at a sleepover and had to kiss someone else. I started imagining their apology-in-the-middle-of-the-night scene, which evolved into this. It's shorter than the first chapter, but I hope you all like it. I may or may not make a third chapter; it depends on whether inspiration strikes again or not. Also, I was working on imagery in this chapter, so let me know what you think in the reviews. Thanks! :)

Night.

It was a clear night outside the windows of Poppy's pod, stars twinkling in the sky. Inside the pink pod, sleeping Trolls littered the floor. Only two Trolls were awake.

Poppy sat in a window seat, the starry sky reducing her to nothing more than a silhouette. Across the room, a sleeping bag rustled as a blue Troll carefully pried himself out of his girlfriend's tight grasp.

Branch stood and stepped over all of the Snack Pack, making sure not to wake them, as he made his way to the window seat. He silently sat down next to Poppy, drawing his knees up to his chest just as she'd done.

The queen's gaze was focused on the stars, but he knew she was aware of his presence. He sat silently, watching her watch the stars, until finally she turned her head to look at him.

Slowly they met eyes, crystal-blue staring into magenta. Branch found so many memories in her eyes, the most prominent one being their forbidden twelve-minute makeout session only a few hours earlier. From the look she was giving him, it was clear she felt the same.

At the same time, both of them whispered, "I'm sorry."

Poppy gave him a funny look. "What do you have to be sorry for?" she whispered.

"I'm sorry I ruined your sleepover. I'm sorry I showed up in the first place and let Wisteria come along. I'm sorry she hates you. I'm sorry you were uncomfortable earlier. I'm sorry I . . . hurt you."

Just a tiny spark of mischief appeared in Poppy's eyes. "You're sorry she hates me? Aren't you sorry I hate her, too?"

Branch bit his lip and cast a quick glance back over his shoulder at the rest of the sleeping Trolls, checking to be sure none of them were awake before he let the answer roll off his lips. "Not really."

Poppy's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "But—"

He cut her off before she could ask the question. "What are you sorry about?"

A soft sigh escaped her mouth, her gaze dropping to the ground before she spoke. "I'm sorry I'm messing up your relationship. I'm sorry I sassed Wisteria a little. I'm sorry I let Guy and DJ make us kiss for twelve minutes—I'm sorry I didn't stand up for us. I'm sorry Wisteria hates me."

"Don't be sorry Wisteria hates you," he told her, lowering his voice even more before he added, "She hates everyone."

Poppy gave a snort of laughter and covered her mouth as she looked up at him, clearly amused. "Except you," she pointed out.

"Meh. Wouldn't say she loves me . . ."

"She's your girlfriend, Branch!" Poppy chastised, giving him a playful shove. But she didn't sound at all angry or upset with him. She sounded like she was having fun. That was the Poppy he remembered.

"'Kay, then how's this: she loves me because I give her what she wants," he offered. It was true. He wasn't exactly sure why he was spilling all this to Poppy, though. He might as well just break up with Wisteria now.

Poppy stared at him, openmouthed. Then she said: "Why are you dating her in the first place, then?"

Branch hesitated, running the pros and cons of telling her the reason through his mind. Finally he sighed, reasoning that there was no point in holding anything back anymore. "Maybe I was taking the Snack Pack's love advice," he admitted.

Poppy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Because you had a crush on her?"

Branch raised one of his eyebrows at her. "It wasn't love advice for Wisteria, Poppy. It was love advice for you. We'd broken up."

"I'm aware," she teased, then resumed her confused expression. "But why are you dating Wisteria?"

Branch let another sigh tumble past his lips. "Maybe the Snack Pack said jealousy was the way to go."

Poppy looked genuinely confused for a long moment. "Jealousy?" she repeated to herself, as though trying to make sense of the word. Then something shifted in her magenta eyes and they widened with understanding. "You started dating Wisteria to make me jealous?" she asked, head snapping up to stare at him in bewilderment.

A pair of blue orbs trailed up to the ceiling, a small, sheepish smile forming on Branch's face. "Well . . ."

Poppy stared at him with wide eyes for a long, long moment. Then she gave him another shove, harder this time but still playful. When he looked back at her, she was still staring, but grinning too. "Well that might've been helpful to know a month ago!" she whispered fiercely at him as he caught his balance from her shove. "Do you have any idea how much time I spent moping when I could've been so much happier?!"

Branch laughed quietly, holding up a hand to shield himself from her playful swats. "That's the whole point!" he defended in a whisper. "You were supposed to be moping!"

"I thought you hated me!" she said, but her tone was lighthearted, lifting the mood of the words. She finally collapsed into his arms with a quiet laugh, smiling in silence. Neither of the two Trolls said a word, just relaxed in one another's company.

After some immeasurable amount of time, Branch said, "Poppy? We should, um, probably get some sleep."

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, right. Sorry." Poppy gently broke out of his arms and sat up, looking tired. "You should get some rest."

"So should you," Branch said as he stood. He gazed at her one more moment before turning away to walk back to Wisteria.

"Branch?"

He looked back at her over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry I kissed you," Poppy confessed, teeth toying with her lip. "It wasn't right."

A small smile curved Branch's lips, a glimmer in his eye.

"I'm not."