Chapter 18
At lunch Hefty was swarmed by curious Trollings, all wanting turns to be held and feed the neat looking creature who saved Poppy and brought back Branch's colors. They ask him lots of questions and cute him into playing with them after lunch.
That's how Hefty finds himself doing push ups with five giggling Trollings on his back, pretending to be exasperated each time they make him lose count.
Staying at the table with Miss Frizz, Branch talks with her a bit, glancing into the other room on occasion to make sure Hefty isn't being overrun. He finds himself smiling each time he sees how well Hefty interacts with them.
After a bit Miss Frizz tells the kids to go get ready for their parents to come pick them up. Each Trolling gives Hefty a little hug and kiss before scampering to the other room to grab their things.
"I have no idea how you say no to those adorable little faces," Hefty stayed laying on the ground to catch his breath.
"Practice," Miss Frizz giggled, "I'm sure you'll know yourself, someday."
Blushing, Branch reminded her, "We just started dating and I sort of doubt its possible for a Troll and Smurf to have kids."
"How do you know until you try?" asked Miss Frizz.
"Okay, on that really uncomfortable subject, it's time to leave," Branch went over to Hefty, offering him a hand up.
Standing, Hefty brushed himself before offering his hand to Miss Frizz, "It was very nice to meet you Miss Frizz."
"Put that thing away," Miss Frizz scolded before giving Hefty a hug. "It was very nice to meet you too, sugar, you come back anytime."
"I just may have to take you up on that," smiled Hefty as she pulled back from the hug.
Quickly Miss Frizz grabbed Branch into a hug and kissed his cheek before releasing him, "And that goes double for you sweetie."
Surprised, Branch blink at her a few times before silently nodding.
"Good," Miss Frizz grinned.
Silently, Branch picked Hefty up and headed out the door.
"Oh, carrying him across the threshold already?" Miss Frizz teased.
Both Branch and Hefty blushed this time.
"Just. Started. Dating," Branch repeated himself, using his hair to leave the pod and go back to the ground. He sighed, setting Hefty to the ground, "I'm not sure if I should apologize or if you enjoyed that."
With a smile, Hefty stayed close to Branch and kissed him softly, "Guess."
"Ah, no apologies required?" guessed Branch, blushing softly.
"That's right," Hefty smiled and kissed him again.
The rest of the day was used to show Hefty around the rest of the Troll Tree and Hefty noticed that Trolls, in general, were a lot friendlier to Branch with his bright colors and even his light blue, though there was a bit of caution added in, the Trolls seeming unsure of what it meant. Hefty saw a bit how the Trolls responded to Branch when he was gray, he wondered if it was any better when he had been pale blue.
"And this is my pod," Branch interrupted Hefty's thoughts as he pointed out a dark pod, that blended in a bit with the shadows of the trees and was barely above the ground.
"Well," Hefty couldn't say he was surprised. This pod was as far away from the others as he could get and still be in the Troll Tree area. "I won't need help getting into that one."
"I don't like heights," Branch softly admitted, leading Hefty into the pod.
The inside of the pod was a strange combination of bare and cluttered. There was a bed and a small kitchen area, barely hinting to the fact that someone lived there, but most of the space was a dedicated to some sort of work. All around were some raw materials and a few sketchbooks filled with designs for ideas Branch had.
Picking up one of the sketchbooks, Hefty looked through some of the ideas and smiled, "You and Handy would probably get along."
"Handy?" asked Branch, cleaning up a few things in his kitchen area. When was the last time he did anything here?
"Yeah, he builds things all the time," said Hefty. "Building things, repairing things, trying his hand at inventing. Sometimes he and Brainy work together on stuff but they often end up fighting."
"Brainy seems very easy to fight with," commented Branch before walking over to look over Hefty's shoulder at the sketchbook. "I think that one has some of the medical drawings in it as well."
Hefty smiled, liking Branch standing near him like this, "Medical drawings?"
Reaching over, Branch turned a few pages and pointed out one of a plant with a few notes besides it, such as the coloring and when and where it grew.
"That's pretty," commented Hefty, easily able to imagine the flower even though all the drawings were black and white. "And this is good for burns?"
"Yep, a have some ointments made from it in the bunker," said Branch, stepping back and stacking a few of the odds and ends of the room together to clean it up a bit. "Speaking of which, we should head back there. I don't keep much food here and though there are drawings of fruits in there, I doubt it would be satisfactory to eat them."
Hefty chuckled, "Never really moved in here, did you?"
"Not really," Branch shrugged. "Besides, most of my time since Poppy guilted me into moving out here has been spent being dragged around by Poppy. I think I've spent more time on her couch then in that bed."
"I can definitely see that," commented Hefty. "Do you mind if I take one of the sketchbooks to look at more?"
"I don't mind," said Branch, then looked at the sketchbook and frowns a little. "But maybe not that one. That one isn't full yet." He goes to some other sketchbook to pick a different one out.
"How far did you get through on this one?" asked Hefty, flipping through the pages but stopped when he saw an image of Poppy.
On the page was several sketches of Poppy, looking like she was dancing and singing but always brightly smiling. The next page was a close up of her face, her eyes so detailed that Hefty would have thought he was looking at her if it wasn't for the lack of color.
Branch turned back with a different sketchbook selected, frowning when he saw Hefty staring at the sketchbook really intensely, "Hefty?"
"Um," Hefty stumbled, "You really captured Poppy's likeness."
Walking over, Branch looked over Hefty's shoulder again, "Ah, those."
For a moment Hefty was silent, then asked, "Did you draw these when you didn't know how you felt about her?"
"Yeah," Branch sighed, "Even when she left me alone I couldn't get away from her so…"
Hefty watched as Branch turned a few more pages of Poppy filled drawings but was surprised when Branch stopped and Hefty saw his own face.
"That was when I was trying to figure out what the heck you were," said Branch.
"You drew me," Hefty mumbled, a bit amazed.
The first page was a basic outline of Hefty's face. After that the next page had a few smaller rough drawings trying to figure Hefty out. Most were from the front, almost as if trying to figure out a stagnant model for something. The very first sketch had Hefty's tattoo on the wrong arm but it was placed correctly after that.
"You did all these from memory after the first time we met?" asked Hefty, flipping to the next page, which were a little more detailed and dynamic.
On this page Hefty had movement. He flexed, grinned, sat, stood and there was even one of him eating a sarsaparilla leaf.
Hefty chuckled at the little note that pointed to the leaf and said "nasty".
"Those were after the second time," said Branch.
"These are amazing," Hefty smiled.
Branch rolled his eyes, "You're just saying that because they're of you."
"Yes, but my observation still stands," smirked Hefty, turning the page to find it blank, which made sense. Branch wouldn't have drawn anything after their next meeting because Branch had been in Smurf Village until recently.
"Would you like me to get a mirror so you can stare at yourself some more?" Branch moved to take the sketchbook but Hefty held it out of reach.
"I know for a fact that you don't own a mirror," said Hefty, "Though with all you have to look at, I can't fathom why."
Branch blushed, "Shut up."
Hefty chuckled, then looked at the notebook, "You know, I bet you'd do even better with a live subject."
"Huh?" said Branch, quirking a confused eyebrow.
Smiling, Hefty held the sketchbook out to Branch, "You should draw me."
Branch faked a laugh, then gave him a serious expression, "No."
"Why not?" asked Hefty.
"You don't need your ego inflated any further than it already is," commented Branch.
"Knowing that you love me, I don't think it could get any bigger," smirked Hefty.
Again, Branch blushed, wishing Hefty couldn't fluster him so easily, "Shut up."
"Come on, you've drawn me before," Hefty suggested to the sketchbook.
"I was trying to figure you out," said Branch, "And you weren't looking at me while I was doing it either."
"So, you don't like people watching you draw?" asked Hefty.
"I've never let anyone watch me draw before," admitted Branch.
"Not even Poppy?" asked Hefty.
"Nope," said Branch.
"Now I really want you to draw me," said Hefty.
"What? Why?" asked Branch.
Hefty fell silent, fiddling with the sketchbook.
Branch stared at him, "Are you," he struggled to put his head around it, not used to Hefty acting this way, "Are you competing with Poppy?"
"No," muttered Hefty, then sighed, "I know you love me but, you said it yourself, you didn't know how you felt about her and, I…"
Walking closer, Branch took the sketchbook and set it to the side before holding onto both of Hefty's hands, "Hefty, should I be worried about you and Smurfette?"
"What, no," said Hefty, confused. "What does-"
"Should I be jealous about you and whoever it was you had sex with fifty years ago," asked Branch.
"I very highly doubt I'd ever see them again but even if I did I'm still going to say no; I love you," Hefty assured him.
"And I love you," Branch softly kissed Hefty. "My confusion about Poppy was before I understood my feelings for you but I understand them now. I'm in love with you and I love Poppy as my friend; just like Smurfette is your friend. That isn't going to change."
Slowly Hefty smiled and kissed Branch again, "Thanks."
Branch smiled and picked up the sketchbook, "And if it'll make you happy, then I guess I can do a few more drawings of you."
"Really?" asked Hefty.
"Really but no staring at me while I do it," stated Branch.
"Got it," saluted Hefty and closed his eyes.
Rolling his eyes, Branch kissed Hefty again, "Not now Doofus, at the bunker."
"I still object to being called Doofus," commented Hefty, letting Branch take his hand and lead them out of the pod.
"Stop being an adorable Doofus and I'll stop," assured Branch.
"Oh, so I'm adorable now?" asked Hefty, grinning.
"Adorable? Who said adorable? Those big ears of yours are hearing things," Branch said with a completely serious face.
Back at the bunker, Branch sat at the kitchen table with his sketchbook and got out a few pencils and erasers. He took Hefty's hat, setting it on the table, and told Hefty just to walk around and do stuff and Branch would observe him for his drawing.
Eventually Hefty decided that he could handle sandwich and tea making, plus the kitchen was in perfect view of the kitchen table where Branch sat. As he worked he couldn't help but sneak little glances in Branch's direction.
At first, Branch sat up normally as he sketched but soon enough curled up on his chair, heels of his feet on the seat of the chair while his toes dangled, knees up towards his chest and now the makeshift table Branch set his sketchbook down and sketched on. He'd look up on occasion and just missing Hefty looking at him before returning to work, his expression rather relaxed even while he concentrated.
Part of Hefty wanted to get Painter Smurf to capture this for him. Branch was just so relaxed and cute and Hefty wanted to see him like this all the time. Which was also why Hefty wanted to keep this to himself. Hefty was the first-person Branch allowed around him as he drew and Hefty was going to cherish that for as long as he could.
At first Hefty missed it when Branch began to hum but it drew him in and he turned to watch Branch instead of sneaking glances.
Not noticing Hefty's watchful gaze, Branch began to sing, "The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath
Cerulean from mountains and thrust towards the sky
Never revealing their depth
Tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above
I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love suicide
I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
And rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake in my bed
You're my survival, you're my living proof
My love is alive and not dead
Tell me that we belong together
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above."
Branch glanced up and looked back at his sketchbook but then looked back up at Hefty, blushing at Hefty watching him with such a gentle smile on his face.
Swallowing, Branch drummed his fingers over the top of the sketchbook, "Um, I was singing again, wasn't I?"
Smiling more, Hefty walked over to the table and leaned over to prop his elbows on it. He then sang in return, "I'll be your cryin' shoulder
I'll be love suicide
I'll be better when I'm older
I'll be the greatest fan of your life."
Branch smiled, setting down the sketchbook to stand and meet Hefty in a kiss over the table, "You know, you're not a bad singer yourself Hero."
Hefty blinked, then smiled widely, "You didn't call me Doofus."
"Eh, you're still a Doofus," Branch kissed Hefty again, "But you're my Hero too."
For a moment all Hefty could do was smile happily. Then he took Branch's hands and kissed them, "Marry me, Siren."
"Ah, we just started dating," Branch blushed while giving him a disbelieving look.
"Don't care, marry me," Hefty continued kissing over Branch's hands.
"You are hopeless," grumbled Branch, but kissed Hefty all the same.