Chapter 33

After leaving Creek to rest, Branch and Hefty went back to Chef's for breakfast. As the other Smurfs left to start their days, they stayed behind. Hefty helped Chef clean up and Branch took a sketchbook out of his hair as well as a tape measurer and a pencil before getting to work.

First Branch did a rough sketch of the current layout. He then measured everything, putting it down around the sketch so he knew the distance between everything. To make sure he had the whole picture, he also measured the available space outside the mushroom.

Once he had the basics, Branch sat at one of the dining tables and started sketching out ideas on how to make the kitchen more efficient. The simplest would be to rearrange the existing space but adding things would just make it crowded. It would be better to take out a wall and expand the kitchen to add a second oven and more counter space, as well have a better designated area to wash and dry dishes.

When Chef heard Branch's ideas and saw the sketches, he stared for a long time. As soon as he could think again, he absently tapped Hefty's arm, "Marry him."

As Branch blushed, Hefty chucked, "I'm trying."

"Try harder," Chef insisted, "Or I'm proposing."

"Don't even think about it," Branch and Hefty snapped at Chef together which only made Chef bust out laughing.

Not waiting for Chef to stop laughing, the duo left and headed over to Handy's Mushroom.

Hefty took hold of Branch's hand as they walked, "Just to warn you, I haven't threatened Handy not to propose to you yet."

Though Branch rolled his eyes, he squeezed Hefty's hand back, "Why do you think everyone wants to marry me?"

"Because they aren't blind," Hefty grinned when Branch blushed, pausing their walk to kiss him softly. "I'm just lucky I found you first."

"I'm lucky you're easily lured in by singing," Branch mumbled, still blushing.

"Just your singing," Hefty caressed over the Troll's purple cheeks, leaning in to kiss him again, "My siren."

Branch kissed Hefty back, holding onto his arm while his other hand still carried his sketchbook. He really wanted to kiss Hefty more but didn't think it would be a good idea in the middle of Smurf Village on the path to Handy's Mushroom.

Slowly Branch pulled back and swallowed, trying not to be tempted by Hefty's smile to kiss him again, "We should get going to Handy's, Hero."

"He can wait," Hefty tried to kiss Branch again but his lips landed on Branch's cheek when the Troll turned his face.

"We're outside," Branch reminded him.

"So?" Hefty asked, grinning when Branch flushed again. "The more Smurfs see me kiss you, the sooner they'll realize that you belong with me."

Face tinged purple, Branch took hold of Hefty's hand and kissed the Lock Ring on his finger, "I do."

For the first time Branch could recall, Hefty's entire face went dark blue with blush. His smile went from teasing to wobblily but so happy looking. The hand that Branch was holding held on tighter as if needing an anchor but the grip was still gentle.

"Hefty?" Branch asked hesitantly.

With a quick yank, Hefty pulled Branch closer and wrapped his arms tightly around him, talking softly into his ear, "You have absolutely no idea what you do to me, do you?"

Not sure what to say, Branch held Hefty back, face still heated as he listened to Hefty speak tantalizingly low into his ear.

"I know you think I'm joking or that its too soon but I really want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, showing you how much I love you," Hefty only tightened his hold, keeping Branch snug against him. His breath was tickling over Branch's ear and neck, making the Troll shiver and Hefty felt every little bit of it. "You call me your mate, you give me a ring, then you say that "I do" and it's taking every little bit of me to remember I can't touch you the way I want out here. And Smurf-it-all Branch, I want to touch you so much, so bad, I'm scared I'm going to frighten you away." He nuzzled the side of Branch's face and breathed over the hickey, rewarded with another shiver, "I need to know where the line is Branch, so I don't cross it."

Branch swallowed thickly, his body hot and his head swimming, "I-"

"Get a room!" shouted Poppy.

Both Hefty and Branch jumped, though they didn't separate, turning to see Poppy and Smurfette, holding hands and blushing at the sight before them. Though, to be fair, Poppy was grinning her head off along with the blush. And, thankfully, no one else was around.

Stretching out his hair, Branch curved it out and in to cover himself and Hefty in a bit of a cocoon that hid them from sight.

"That's not what I meant Branch!" Poppy shouted, even though she knew it was very unlikely that the duo could hear her.

"What should we do?" Smurfette asked, still blushing.

"I'm tempted to stay and wait for them to awkwardly come out but Branch is too easily embarrassed sometimes as it is," said Poppy. "Lets just go and hope no one else stumbles upon this or Branch might blush to death."

"Is that something that can happen to Trolls?" Smurfette asked cautiously.

Poppy smiled, leading Smurfette away, "No, but why risk it?"

Inside the cocoon, Branch half covered his face as he tried not to blush to death.

Giving him a moment, Hefty eyed the hair around him. Curiously he pushed at the hair a bit and it did not budge.

"Hefty," Branch said slowly, waiting a moment before cautiously lowering his hand in order to look at the Smurf. "I have to admit that I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to you and that terrifies me. I have always tried to prepare for any scenario that I could think of and the idea that I could one day have a mate wasn't even on the radar.

'But I love you. I love you and I want to be with you always. That day apart was agonizing and I don't know how I'm going to handle the distance going forward. I can't imagine ever marrying anyone but you, even though being engaged seems like too big of a step right now. I just need more time to get used to the idea, I think."

Slowly Branch reached up, cupping Hefty's face, determined to say it all even though his face felt like it could melt off, "A-as for the line, I can't tell you where it is because I don't know. You're the only one who has ever made me feel like this." Unable to keep eye contact, he looked down in order to keep going even as he kept his hand on Hefty's face, "And sometimes, when you touch me, it's just so hot and overwhelming and I can't think and I want more but I'm scared of that too. I know the basics of how sex works but seeing, um, you, it doesn't seem physically possible so when that day comes we're going to need to take it really slow…

'In the meantime, I would like to try more. I want to touch you more and, um, try my mouth on you like you did me… If that's alright."

But Hefty stayed silent, and Branch looked up. Even in the slightly darkened area of the hair cocoon, Branch could see that Hefty was blushing again but also that his eyes had darkened, staring at Branch intensely. The look made Branch swallow and shiver again.

Hands squeezing Branch slightly, Hefty leaned in and spoke against Branch's lips, "You have absolutely no idea what you do to me…"

Leaning in the rest of the way, Hefty stole away the remaining air between them, heating up their surroundings as Hefty sought to claim Branch through their kiss. Lips could hardly stay connected long enough in their attempt to kiss, lick and nip all at once, never getting enough fevered contact.

Moving again, Hefty's hands caressed and embraced the small of Branch's back, trying to pull him even closer. They then moved lower, taking hold of each cheek of Branch's ass and squeezing.

Though Branch moaned, he pulled back enough to break the kiss and pant against Hefty's lips, "Wait, wait…"

Hefty didn't delve in for another kiss but he didn't let go either, "No one can see us."

"They can still see my hair," Branch reminded him. He placed a softer kiss on the corner of Hefty's mouth. "Let's go back to your mushroom," he blushed but smiled at Hefty, "And continue this there."

Hefty smiled wobblily, thanking his lucky stars that the universe granted him this beautiful, angel voiced, talented Troll to be his mate. He kissed him again and spoke softly, "As you wish, Siren."