Tales of Trollstopia

Bunny Pijamas

"You're not going to say a word until I'm finished, okay?" Poppy looked threatening and Branch could only mutter a scared whine in agreement. "You're not an expert at being uncool; I can understand you think you're socially awkward, but that's the old you. Stop putting yourself down."

When Branch didn't protest, Poppy went to her wardrobe and started picking up fresh clothes to fill her backpack. The teal troll quietly stared at her, not sure if he was supposed to say anything because he was too afraid it could start an argument.

But he did notice the items she was collecting: one big oversized cat onesie, her collection of Glitterborne Chronicles and a bag of marshmallows as big as her hair.

"Uh… Poppy? What are you doing?" Branch asked, getting really intrigued by everything she was going to take to the bunker.

"We're having an 'uncool' sleepover;" Poppy announced, leaving her pod with Branch following close behind, "you get that bunny pajamas of yours and join me."

Her boyfriend couldn't be more stunned. He nearly tripped on his jaw as he walked behind her, thinking of a good excuse not to wear his embarrassing outfit. The worst of it all was that she had the cutest sparkle on her eyes and the broadest smile on her lips.

Branch went mentally through several ideas to turn her down without hurting her feelings. He showered with his mind running so wild that once he got out, he wasn't sure he had scrubbed everything, so he returned for a second round.

He heard giggles coming from her room and sighed in frustration. Promising himself that he'd wear the stupid pajamas only for five minutes before complaining about the heat, he slipped it on, brushing the long fluffy ears out of his face.

Frosting… it was ridiculous. In two minutes, he'd take it off. There was no way he would…- he stopped abruptly as soon as he pushed the door of Poppy's room open. She was half sitting on the bed, against the wall, wearing her cat outfit and looking incredibly cute with a blue marshmallow in her mouth, flipping scrapbook pages.

"There you are!" She squealed, standing up on the mattress and holding her hands so he would enjoy her.

"For your information, this is really unnecessary," he growled, trying to keep his tough troll facade, but Poppy wouldn't fall for it. Instead, she just put a marshmallow in his mouth and petted his bunny ears.

"I have some nerdy and uncool side as well," Poppy revealed, taking him by surprise. "And I have a 'party of me' once a week. Where I do all the coolest uncool things, I'll reveal to you today."

The teasing and the over-excited grin made Branch roll his eyes and join her at once. Quickly Poppy pulled a scrapbook open and showed him her favorite part.

"Glitterborn Chronicles!" She squealed when Branch picked it up. "Lady Marigold is the best!"

"Oh yes, I've read that one." Branch flipped it, unenthusiastically, to Poppy's complete dismay. "I read it like a million years ago. It's where I got the idea for the game Cupcakes and Caverns."

"Shut up!" Poppy held her hands under her chin, looking at him with bouncy feet. "I can't believe we like the same book!"

"Uh, I didn't say I like it," Branch hated to break the news to her like that, but it had to be done. "I said I read it. It's too glittery for my taste."

"Oh…" Her excitement visibly diminished to his comfort zone, and Branch took his time eating more candy. "Well, get ready, then!"

"For what?" he accepted her hand as she pulled him up just to hit him with a pillow.

"Pillow fight! For old times' sake!" Poppy yelped playfully, running out of the room as soon as he sat up again, ready to counter-attack.

"Oh, just you wait!" He laughed, "get back here!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Poppy was an excellent player. It amused him that she archived to win every single game they played. He found her under the kitchen table and she managed to hit him straight in the face before running off again, turning the pillow fight into a hide and seek as well.

The truce came right after he managed to catch her when she was about to close the door on his face and they ended up jumping up on the bed like two kids while gasping to catch their breaths.

"Okay, stop." Branch laughed, laying on his back, completely exhausted and forgetting that he was still wearing his bunny pajamas. "I'm too old for this," he managed to say, stretching and feeling his back cracking loudly.

"We're never too old to have fun." Poppy replied, sitting down by his side. It could have been Branch's imagination, but she held herself up in one arm, leaning over him and with her long eyelashes blinking slowly and flirtatiously at him. "But I can fix you in no time. Turn around." she commanded. Branch looked up at her, completely taken by surprise. She raised her hands and sighed dramatically, "I'm not going to hurt you!"

Obediently and with his heart beating in his throat, Branch turned around to lay on his stomach just to have her exasperatedly nudging him to sit up again.

"What?" he asked, innocently, "I did what you told me to,"

"Yes…" Poppy blushed, inching close and placing her hands on his chest. Blanch swallowed nervously as she unzipped his pajamas. "I can't do it properly with you wearing this, can I?" Her cheeks turned bright pink when she noticed he wasn't wearing his leaf vest underneath, matching his own blush. "L-lay down…" she quickly said and Branch lay back down without another word.

Awkwardly glorious. That was probably the perfect expression to explain how Branch felt at that moment. The mattress shifted and he felt Poppy's cat covered legs on each side of his bottom. Her hands went up to his shoulders and the tip of her fingers pressed the spots that he didn't even know that were sore, massaging quietly, but firmly.

"You're all stiff…" He heard her commenting and buried his forehead in his arms, hiding his burning face from her. Thank goodness she was on his back, because yes, he was stiff… and she had no idea how much. "...You're not taking proper care of yourself, are you?" He didn't intend to moan an answer, but that's exactly what he did.

Poppy's fingers trailed down to the middle of back, pressuring his spine and getting some cracking noises that provided immediate relief for him. He didn't know she was so… talented.

Branch had to bite his lip down to keep from making more noises. Poppy sat down on his butt, completely focusing on his back and oblivious about the reaction her warm and delicious body caused. The way the inside of her legs felt while irradiating the heat on the outside of his was so thrilling that he completely forgot she was giving him a back massage.

It wasn't right… she didn't know what she was doing to him… and he couldn't take advantage of her like that.

"I'm good now, Poppy, thanks," he pushed his arms up, causing her to fall on her side. He quickly pulled the zipper up to cover himself.

"What….?" she tried to ask in confusion, but she was too surprised by his sudden change of spirits to complete the thought.

"It's late, we should sleep." he tried to amend, without looking at her and walking forward a bit hunched, trying to hide the best he could.

"Wait… Branch!" the hint of desperation was clear in her voice and Branch silently winced. He didn't want to hurt her, but he couldn't turn around. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No…" he choked out, completing in his mind that she had done the exact opposite. She did everything so perfectly right…

"Then, why are you leaving?" She was sad and confused and Branch silently stood there, trying to get his body under control so he could face her again. "I see…" breathlessly, he heard when the bed sheets ruffled on the floor as she heavily sat down on the mattress. "... you don't really want this, do you?"

That certainly did the favor he needed and his body immediately cooled down. Safely turning around, Branch stared at a crestfallen Poppy sitting on the edge of the bed, with the cat head covering the most part of her face.

He could almost hear her heart breaking.

"I understand you may not be prepared for this…" she continued saying with her voice waving with emotion. "... but I really just wanted to just touch you more."

"That's not…" what was he supposed to say? He really wanted to touch her, too, but she had no idea what she could do to him.

"I should go…" She whispered, quickly jumping off the bed and picking up her scrapbooks from the floor. She didn't care if she was going to step outside in her pajamas, she just needed to get out of there and recollect her thoughts.

"No, Poppy, don't go. I'm sorry." Branch stood on the door, blocking her way. "You've got it all wrong."

"Wrong?" She stood back, placing her precious scrapbooks on the bed once again. "You've made it perfectly clear that you're grossed out by me."

"I'm not grossed out, Poppy,-"

"Why do you flinch away when I touch you, then?" At this point, she felt no shame in showing him her tears and Branch didn't know what else to say to find a polite way to explain it to her. "First it was the swimsuit, then we shared a bed and you didn't do anything, and then…"

"Because I love you," he saw her eyes filling with conflicting emotions. She believed him, but at the same time, she didn't. "I burn for you so much I feel like I'll turn to ashes when you touch me." One hand shot up to her chest and she quietly watched him. Licking his lips, Branch continued, "I'm afraid I won't behave properly if you…" his voice trailed off… he couldn't exactly find the words to explain the things he might do to his queen. Hair, the things he saw - in Lownote's spaceship - that he could do to his queen.

"... I may be willing…" Branch's lip tightened in a line when she began speaking, interrupting his previous thoughts "... to accept a little misbehavior."

His hands were shaking so hard he didn't know what to do with them. Her hands were warm and she approached him, looking at the zipper on his pajamas. She hesitated a minute and when he didn't stop her, she slid it down once again.

Her lips were slightly parted and, bravely, Branch stood there, feeling the bewitching way she explored his body with the tip of her fingers. First, she went up from his stomach, testing his skin texture, stopping at a few marks he had earned from an accident or two while setting traps. Trying to ignore the feelings she was causing him; the teal troll didn't notice that she was completely enchanted by him.

"Where is it proper for me to touch you?" Poppy asked, studying how his arms were rigid on his sides, like a soldier. She really enjoyed the way he looked like he could carry her with ease. Walking to his back, she touched his scapula, tracing his lines. "Can I touch you here?"

Whimpering and feeling like he didn't have enough willpower to endure her torture any longer, Branch tried to swallow a lump in his throat, realizing it was getting hard to breathe.

"I really like your ears…" and the next moment, her arms circled him from behind and she nipped his earlobe causing his world to turn dark.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Smidge had gathered the Snack Pack to talk about how important it was for them to ask Branch for forgiveness. They hadn't realized how smothering their constant invasions had been. They had gotten a huge gift basket and a card for him.

"Head between your knees, Branch. Breathe!" The gang came to halt when they arrived at the trap door. Poppy stood there, wearing a cat onesie fanning Branch with a towel, while the survivalist barely managed to keep himself up, hyperventilating.

"Oh, I know that bunny pajamas!" Biggie said with a big grin.

Notes: Bridgerton inspired some of the dialogues because... why not? LOL.