Chapter 25

Even though he was crying, Branch fought against being hugged. He blindly tried to shove Creek away but gave up in order to cover his face. His hands couldn't hide anything; his body was shaking and his face was already covered in tear streaks, but he just needed to cover his face. He couldn't think of any logical reason to, but he just needed to.

Holding Branch tightly, Creek bent his knees so they were both on the floor, giving Branch no choice but to move down with him. He just held on, not saying a word as Branch slumped against him and cried. Despite himself, he found himself being reminded of their childhoods.

Back when Creek and Branch first came to live together with Miss Frizz and the others, Branch was Creek's favorite. Brocade was the oldest but also the loudest, bossiest and often times the meanest of the bunch. Posy was just a shy little thing who rather talk to her doll than the others, sometimes whispering into Bluebell's ear, who was a helping hand to everyone, but no one else's. It was a surprise to no one when the two grew up and became a couple, marrying young but still as sweet as ever. Grasshopper lived up to his name and could never sit still. He was sometimes on par with Brocade on being the loudest but that was just a lack of self-restraint if anything. Tiger Lily was the second oldest was fiercely protective of her sister Stargazer, who daydreamed more often than not. Taffeta and Chiffon talked about nothing but fashion, quickly becoming friends with the twins Satin and Chenille when they started school. Tartan was always trying to prove how brave he was, which usually got him and, sometimes, others hurt. Damask was at a stage where he tried to sing everything rather than talk and though it was fun at first, it quickly got annoying. And Tinsel was just a baby; not much to be said about him.

But besides the obvious gray, Branch was different. Branch was quiet and thought before he acted. He would be just fine sitting by himself for hours that sometimes you would forget that he was even there until Brocade tried to establish his dominance as the oldest, often by picking on one of the others. Then the change was like lightning, Branch striking and doing whatever it took to make Brocade back off, often trapping him under something like a laundry basket until Miss Frizz returned from whatever other room she had been in at the time.

The pet name "little thunder cloud" Miss Frizz had for Branch was highly accurate in looks and personality and Creek found those and Branch's moods fascinating. Sometimes Creek would just sit with Branch and watch him draw, the closest Creek ever saw him look even remotely content. Branch never really acknowledged Creek watching but Creek didn't mind because the times Creek would talk to him, Branch would stop and actually pay attention unlike the other kids who would continue on about their business.

During the day Creek couldn't imagine what made Branch gray. Nothing really seemed to annoy him, just generally grumpy and hateful of Bergens, which all Trolls should hate Bergens even now they were finally free of them.

At night though, it was a different story. Of the thirteen kids, they were split into rooms of two Trolls each except for one room had three girls and one had three boys due to the odd amount of each gender. Tinsel's crib was in with Miss Frizz's room though so he didn't count quite yet. Creek shared a room with Branch and quickly became grateful that it wasn't someone else when Branch would begin to cry in his sleep.

Granted it wasn't every night but often enough Creek wondered what haunted Branch so badly. He tried asking Branch once but the gray Troll never remembered, thus didn't have a clue what Creek was talking about. Still, whenever it did happen, Creek would crawl into bed with Branch and just hold him until the crying stopped. He'd sometimes go to his bed afterward but often just slept there and returned to his own bed before Branch woke up.

If Creek had been older he might have thought to tell Miss Frizz but he never did. He just didn't want the other kids to know and tease Branch about it. So, it was Creek and Branch's secret that only Creek knew.

Then Creek's uncle came for him. Of course, Creek had been happy to discover that he still had family but he didn't want to leave Branch. He tried to convince his uncle to adopt Branch too but his uncle said the universe would work itself out for Branch and Creek had no choice but to believe and leave Miss Frizz's.

Bluebell became Branch's roommate after that but Creek knew Bluebell was a deep sleeper and always went to bed before Branch despite being older. Even if Branch cried in his sleep Bluebell would never hear it and Creek couldn't decide if it was a good or bad thing.

A few months later Tinsel was adopted and Branch became the youngest at Miss Frizz's. Creek often heard second hand that this, for some reason, made Brocade target Branch in his bullying more and Branch just took it. Branch just listened to everything Brocade said and never fought against anything Brocade did and there was nothing Creek could do about it.

It wasn't too long later that Branch started to run away. The first few times had been nerve-wracking, Miss Frizz panicking and asking for the village's help to find Branch only for Branch to run away again. After a while the adults gave up helping, saying that Branch still came in for school and would come back on his own when he got bored. But Branch never came back due to boredom. He came to learn things from various villagers, stayed a few nights, and left again. A few times he was forced back due to sickness or injury and he would stay for a while afterward but never for too long.

Due to being a year older, there was a while Creek didn't see Branch even at school. Then, when he did, Branch ignored him. Branch had never ignored him before. Sometimes Creek wondered if Branch even heard him in his rush to leave and build his ridiculous bunker but it still hurt. Creek kept trying but Branch never stopped for him.

That's when the teasing started. Creek had just been so desperate for Branch's attention, he didn't even really mean it when he called Branch a 'gray spot'. He almost took it back but Branch finally stopped and looked at Creek and Creek could not stop.

Even with the teasing, Creek tried to avoid anything hurtful. He stuck to the one thing he hated about Branch; his gray, his unhappiness. He should have known that poking at the gray would have been hurtful for Branch but Creek didn't realize until he was older and Miss Fizz all but yanked his ear off for his behavior once he came back to being under her care when his uncle passed away. He pulled back on the teasing as much as he could but he couldn't resist little jabs on occasion, just to get a look from the gray Troll.

After school or on off days, Creek would often find a place to meditate in the woods. Some days it was peaceful and he could meditate without distraction. Other days he would stumble upon Branch doing his scavenging and just sat still and watched. A few times Creek made a noise and Branch would hear and leave quickly, thinking it was a Bergen or possible other predator. So, Creek learned to be very quiet and very still and just watch, even though he had no clue as to why he just didn't leave and meditate elsewhere.

It was an off day from school that Creek had went to find a meditation spot and found Branch, unconscious, bleeding from a leg injury, and feverish, instead. Instincts took over in Creek's panic and he picked Branch up and took him straight to Miss Frizz who got a doctor to come and look Branch over.

After the doctor treated Branch's injuries and left medicine for the fever, it was just Creek and Branch in the room like their childhood's all over again. This was because Bluebell had kindly vacated his bed for Branch to have while he recovered and bunked in with Damask and Grasshopper until further notice. Being with Branch again was terrifying as well as nostalgic and he had no clue had to do when Branch woke up.

Of course, when Branch woke up he tried to leave. It was almost as if it was instinctual for Branch to see anywhere that wasn't the bunker and make a run for it. Still Branch finally stayed put when Miss Frizz threatened to spank him which entertained Creek to no end.

Thank goodness Branch had given in because his fever worsened and was greatly disoriented whenever he was awake. Miss Frizz did what she could but she had her hands full with a house full of teenagers then and Creek basically took over taking care of Branch. At the time Miss Frizz had thanked Creek for his help but Creek almost thanked her back for letting him do this even though it didn't really make sense.

The first night, Branch cried in his sleep. It surprised Creek more then, than it had as a child. He would have thought Branch would have outgrown this.

Still Creek didn't hesitate to do what he had always done in the past. He crawled out of his bed and into Branch's to hold him.

Only this time Branch woke up.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, Branch was too disoriented from his fever to really question what Creek was doing in bed with him. His initial reaction had been to struggle but calmed down into sniffles when Creek talked softly to him.

When Creek asked what Branch's nightmare had been about, he never expected an answer. He never expected the answer to be the reason why Branch went gray either.

Creek did his best to assure Branch that what happened to Branch's Grandmother wasn't Branch's fault but the more Creek tried the more upset Branch became and the more he cried. Creek had to let the issue drop to keep Branch from hyperventilating and possibly waking up the whole pod. He also had to promise not to tell a soul what Branch thought he had done before Branch would calm down and sleep again.

Of course, Branch didn't remember the conversation when the fever passed. He barely remembered Creek being there at all and Creek never felt more hurt in his life.

As Branch stayed at Miss Frizz's for a few more days, Creek came to a realization that hit him like a fallen tree. He was in love with Branch. There was no way of knowing when childhood affection turned into love but it was there and it burned.

Poppy was already in Branch's life. Poppy had been from almost the moment she could walk. She followed him around and made him sweets and specialized invitations to parties all in the effort to make him happy. He yelled and tried to avoid her but always looked out for her. They loved each other, even if neither of them realized it yet; it was plain as day.

And as much as this love for Branch smothered Creek's heart, he also adored Poppy. The princess was one of his dearest friends. Could he really interfere with what was brewing between them for his own selfish desires?

When Branch returned to his bunker, despite Miss Frizz and Creek both asking him to stay, Creek decided that he couldn't do it. Any chance he might have had he had thrown away with the first insult of Branch's gray. He had done nothing to make Branch happy while it was Poppy's second nature to spread happiness. They would be good for each other and he would continue as he always had and try to forget this awakening of emotions ever happened.

But as Creek dated and bedded numerous Trolls as he grew older, he never forgot. He never stopped teasing Branch just for a look in his direction. He never stopped going to meditate in the woods, hoping for a chance just to watch Branch for a while. He watched Poppy and Branch become closer, watched Poppy start to bring back Branch's color and his happiness and Creek tried to be happy for them as much as he felt like he was suffocating at times.

Then Creek heard Branch sing in the woods. Branch's voice was just so beautiful, so angelic, so perfect that he had to run away to keep from running out and confessing everything. He avoided the woods, unable to chance hearing Branch sing again. If only he had known what else Branch would lure in to him with his voice.

That Smurf. That damned Smurf. As far as Creek was concerned, the Smurf ruined everything. He was the one to blame for Poppy and Branch getting hurt and disappearing or days only to have their lives derailed with new love interests that they never even should have known existed.

True Creek had agreed to help get Hefty and Branch together but he never thought it would work. He thought Branch would remain stubborn, the Smurf would give up and eventually Poppy and Branch would realize their feelings for each other.

Because if Poppy and Branch weren't meant to be together, then why had Creek forced himself back for, for all this time?

A small hiccup brought Creek back to the present. Branch had cried himself out, body shaking a bit and hiccupping with the aftershocks of it, but tears no longer falling from his face.

Taking a quick look around, Creek made an educated guess where Branch's bedroom was and silently picked Branch up before standing and heading for it.

"W-what are you doing," Branch's voice was soft and hoarse. He very hesitantly lowered his hands from his tear stained face to push Creek's shoulder for his attention, "Put me down."

"In a moment, just need to find your bed first," said Creek, relieved when he found that he had guessed right and headed for the bed.

"Look, I know I just bawled my stupid eyes out but I'm not a child," protested Branch.

"And I don't care if you're 3 or 300, you're going to lay down for a bit," said Creek, setting Branch down on the bed and holding onto his shoulders when Branch tried to stand back up. "Branch, I'm going to be honest with you. I never liked your Smurf very much. And right now, I fucking hate his Smurfy guts for making you feel this way. But I was, and still am, very willing to grab Poppy and go get him if it would make you feel better.

'Being in love is hard. Being apart while in love is harder. Being in love for the first time on top of it is the worse. I don't think any less of you for what you're feeling. And if your Smurf did, I'd risk great bodily harm to myself to cause that muscle-headed moron even a fraction of the pain he's caused you.

'But you're not going to help anything by trying to act tough about it. Let yourself feel things instead of penting it up for it to explode. Talk, scream about it if you have to. And let yourself rest when you've pushed yourself too far.

'Now, are you going to lay down and rest or do I have to get Poppy down here?"

Branch stared at Creek for a long time. Instead of saying anything, he moved to pull back his covers and lay down.

Satisfied, Creek moved to leave the room.

"Hey Creek," Branch called out softly, "Um, thank you…"

"Don't mention it, love," Creek forced a smile. "Anything for a friend."