Kisspology

Sore and mad. Those two words summed up Branch's mood accurately.

Cloud Guy wasn't just frustrating, he had managed to infuriate him to a whole new level. The stupid cloud wasn't just the usual pest, after all, this time he had succeeded in causing some physical damage.

Branch was irritated with Holly and Poppy as well. He hadn't noticed the angry thoughts until they left the suspicious Cloud Ship.

Last time he checked, Branch was actually in a light mood. He was focused on how Poppy was taking the cold forgiveness from the Cloud Whale and he didn't spare a thought about how the girls didn't say a word about how he was being treated the whole trip. He wasn't thinking about himself at all.

But when he showered before heading to bed, Branch felt the bruises swelling with the hot water. One on his jaw was particularly hurting more than the others. He got it when he slammed into the solid-cloud quite hard (the mere existence of it still puzzled him for defying all laws of physics) after jumping to save Poppy.

And Poppy never noticed Branch had jumped after her. She didn't acknowledge that he was there supporting her.

Was it too much to ask for a little recognition?

It was the turning point for his mood. Branch asked himself why nobody seemed to care when he was harassed by Cloud Guy.

Even Holly - who was also an occasional victim of the despicable jokes - said nothing.

He could understand Poppy was concerned with the apology, he could understand she was blinded by the fact that she had hurt the whale. But the understanding didn't make it hurt less.

Literally.

"Hey, Branch. Are you home?" Poppy called him from the lounge room.

Branch swallowed his irritation, leaning his forehead against the cold tiled wall while the hot water washed the bubbles from his back. He had to take a few deep breaths.

"Yes. I'll be there in a minute." He responded.

It took him an extra effort to close the faucet and step out of the shower. With a towel wrapped around his waist, Branch wiped the steamy mirror to see his reflection.

He gasped.

He looked horrendous!

His jaw had swollen a lot. His face was out of proportion, with a chin twice its size.

Jeez, what would Poppy say?

He couldn't ask her to leave now! She was waiting for him on his armchair, probably flipping her feet while happily humming a song.

What was he supposed to do? His mind rushed through several absurd ideas, like spreading shaving cream all over his face and walking out in a hurry, pretending he was too busy to give her attention.

Oh, fudge. He couldn't do that. She would know something was off the moment he walked out of the bathroom with his face covered in cream.

Might as well face it at once. At least she would know the extent of his injuries.

Grimly, he hoped the sight of his wounds would make her feel a little guilty.

With his bathrobe tied in place, Branch walked out, immediately spotting his girlfriend sitting on his armchair, exactly as he had predicted.

"Hey there- oh my…" She stopped herself as soon as she looked at his face. Branch looked down, trying to hide the worst angle from her. "When did you…?"

Yep, her surprise and confusion confirmed his suspicion that she hadn't noticed what he had gone through. At all.

"It was quite a day." Branch mumbled and sat down on the couch, still ashamed of his looks.

Poppy stared at him for a while. Branch could feel her studying him, even without looking directly at her. She scanned him, physically and reaching to read his mood. It was some sort of magical power she had. He didn't have to say anything, but after an amount of time watching him, his girlfriend knew exactly how he was feeling.

She didn't say much. He saw her standing up and going to the kitchen. He put one hand on his chin to feel it up. It was hurting so much he could feel it pump.

After a while, Poppy returned with an ice pack and a frappuccino. She knelt down in front of him and softly touched his face to see his jaw better.

Branch saw her eyelashes half closed as her warm hand softly touched the injury. She winced at the touch, as if she could feel what he was feeling.

"I would have brought coffee, but I thought the heat would make the swelling worse." She gave him the frappuccino, that was so delicious Branch's mood improved a little.

Poppy inched closer, firmly placing the ice pack on his jaw and holding it there.

"I guess I need to apologize to you, too." Seeing him drinking from the straw, she grinned at a sudden thought, which amused Branch that he knew exactly had what crossed her mind that instant. An apology with a frappuccino. "Frappology."

Yep, he was reading her thoughts as well.

"I wasn't paying much attention to you." The ice pack was adjusted and Poppy sat on her heels, trying to keep comfortable in her position.

"Yes." He replied, looking away and swallowing the bitter words that reminded him of the usual stubborn Poppy. That side of her still annoyed him. "You didn't listen to us and couldn't let it go, could you? You had to go on your own after that whale."

"I'm sorry." Poppy said quietly. She moved again, this time, sitting on the floor, which made her stretch her arms even further to keep holding the ice on his jaw.

"Whatever." Branch shrugged, taking the straw once more. He didn't really know what to say. He didn't want to give her a double rainbow forgiveness because, again, she wasn't careful like he had asked several times already. She never listened. Never. No matter how she thought she was improving, she was still the same reckless Poppy who would get everyone in trouble.

And she moved again to sit by his side on the couch. Branch avoided her eyes because he knew he would be doomed if he did. One blink with those big magenta eyes and he would be on his knees, forgiving and giving her a free pass to act recklessly all over again.

He would not give in.

She gave him a kiss on his cheek.

He would not give in.

A light kiss on his injured jaw.

"Stop it." Branch's voice didn't come out as firm as he wished.

"I'm kissing it better." Poppy pouted cutely at his side. He felt the couch dipping even more at his side and next, he found a pink leg over his lap.

A kiss on his nose.

She was doing it. It was clear as day. Poppy was manipulating him into forgiving her. Branch just didn't know how to fight back. Those thrilling kisses were melting his resolution.

A kiss on his forehead.

"I don't have a bump on my forehead." Uselessly, he tried to protest again.

Poppy moved. Branch gulped. She sat on his lap. The ice pack never moved away from his face. Her lips hovered just above his.

"I'm so sorry."

Kisspology.

It worked so well he felt like an idiot. Their lips met and Branch knew he had completely forgiven her when his hand moved around her waist, raising her against him until they were fully touching.

He forgot how hurt he was. The arche felt like a small discomfort as the excitement rose. The frappuccino was forgotten on the side table and his hand caressed the back of her neck.

Talking about forgiveness…

Would he ever be able not to forgive her?