Frustrated Plans
"Chopped strawberries, chocolate fondue, marshmallow, soup, tea, extra warm pajamas and lots of scrapbook supplies." Poppy counted the items she had just placed on the elevator to take them down to the bunker. The dark clouds above reminded her to hurry up. "Should I need anything else?"
To answer her, a thick amount of snow fell from the sky, completely covering the ground with several centimeters of bone freezing whiteness, topping the queen to the hair. The elevator moved, being summoned from underground. Her teeth clattering could be heard all the way down.
"T-that g-g-got me by s-s-surprise." She managed to say.
Her boyfriend grinned smugly at her, helping her to brush off the snow from her hair and clothes. It wasn't until she felt a little warmer that she looked up at him and frowned when she saw his colorful shirt and red swimming shorts. Sunglasses were in his hair and his nose was white with a little amount of sunscreen.
"What is going on?" She asked in confusion.
"We're not going to be caught in this weather, Poppy." Branch reached for his front pocket and showed her the button that shifted the interdimensional portals. "Courtesy of Lownote Jones, we will spend the weekend on a warm and Safe Island. What do you think?"
"Safe Island?" Poppy's eyes sparkled in excitement. "That safe island?"
"Are you up for it?"
"Let me re-pack!"
Warm sand under her feet, a welcoming sunlight, glistening blue water, happy fish that waved hello and some refreshing coconut on their side. The bags were dropped by a tree and they agreed that first they needed to set camp, after all, they would spend the night there.
Branch, as usual, was fast in finding tools to work with. A large fallen tree trunk was perfect to be made into a small bedroom with an opening that could be used as a door. First, he made sure the trunk was heavy enough so it wouldn't roll away in case of a storm and, next he carved walls, so they could lock up for the night. It was a safe island, but the last thing he needed was to wake up with a cuddling snake on his bed.
Poppy busied herself spreading their sleeping bags on the floor. She opened their luggage and folded their clothes to avoid wrinkles. Outside, she mused over Branch's survival techniques. He managed to carve a cistern on top of the trunk and improvised a shower with a leaf.
"I brought some crusty bread with cheese. Would you like some?" Poppy asked, seeing that her talented boyfriend was finally finished getting their camp ready.
"Ah, yes." Branch climbed down the roof and entered the brand-new accommodations, coming out a second later with his red swimming trunks and white shirt. "Now I can relax."
"I love when you're carefree like that." Poppy had arranged a small picnic on the ground. She had one big blanket and a basket full of sandwiches, fruits and drinks. Branch quickly joined her, digging in. All that work certainly built up an appetite;
"I'll get changed." She stood up after giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "We are swimming together, mister."
The sky was blue. Not a cloud could be spotted. The sea looked calm enough to plunge without worrying about the tide. Even the waves that broke in the shore were small and smooth, like they were caressing the sand.
Branch opened a coconut and poured its contents in a shaker, making a refreshing cocktail to go with the bread.
He heard Poppy coming outside once more and turned to ask if she wanted a drink as well, but the words died on his lips. The sunglasses fell from his nose and his jaw dropped.
Poppy bit her lower lip, feeling unsure of herself. She touched her arm and avoided his eyes.
She was wearing the red bathing suit again!
Did she look that divine the first time?
"I went to Satin and Chenille and asked for it back." Poppy felt like explaining herself. Her cheeks were burning so much she thought it was probably matching the outfit.
"Hey," She felt Branch's hand turning her face to look at him. "You look beautiful."
Unblinking, he watched her until she relaxed under the lightness of his sincerity. Her teeth let go of her lower lip and a small shy smile appeared on the corner of her mouth and she leaned against his palm; his thumb gently caressed her cheek.
The first mistake he had made in their relationship was corrected. Branch saw when confidence slowly built itself up, filling her enough so she straightened her back and placed a hand on her hip, breaking to the side. Relief washed over him and he realized that small trip was perfect to set things right between them. The Island where he wouldn't have to worry about safety or about someone barging in on them was a convenient place to come clear.
"Are we going to swim or what?" Poppy giggled before running towards the water and throwing herself inside. "Yuuhuuu! Cannonball!"
It didn't take long for them both to be swimming around. No competition was triggered this time, just plain and simple harmony while they enjoyed the soothing waves that washed their worries away. Poppy leaned back with a content sigh, floating next to him with her eyes closed.
Branch couldn't help but stare at his girlfriend. Her perfect shape teased him unknowingly. The curves of her hips were inviting and twice he had to stop himself from reaching out and touching her. Her eyes were closed and her lips were slightly parted in a smile.
Gulping, Branch recognized that expression on her face. He had seen it repeatedly on his multiverse trip when his alternate selves made her look like that.
He looked away in embarrassment. Sooner or later he'd have to tell her what he had seen. Poppy was polite enough not to approach the subject again, not even inquiring what his nightmares were about. He would have to vent it out on his own time.
And the time had come. He wouldn't let her stay oblivious to it all anymore.
A splash of water on his face made him snap out of his thoughts. Poppy was staring at him playfully, pursuing her lips trying to mimic the frown that unconsciously appeared when he was pondering about something for long.
"So serious." She teased in a baby voice.
"I'm sorry." Swimming close, he felt the urge to touch her.
She probably felt it, too, because her face lightened up in expectation. Branch noticed that lately, Poppy would wait for him to make the first move. He couldn't complain about it, because somehow it made him feel more confident.
As soon as he reached out and placed his hands on her hips, she swam closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. Their noses touched and her eyes fluttered close, completely surrendering to what he was willing to do.
His mouth lightly grazed hers and he felt her trembling. Opening his eyes, he saw goose bumps spreading all over her skin.
"Are you cold?" He asked against her lips.
"It's… not from cold." Poppy replied, not needing to explain what she meant. And to encourage him, she tightened her embrace. Instantly, his arms encircled her and he met her mouth open and ready for a deeper kiss.
They hadn't kissed in what? A week? And a month before that?
Branch hadn't realized he was starving for her taste until he could savor her. The thin fabric that separated them made him feel every curve of her body pressed against him and he couldn't do much to fight his own from responding.
Poppy softly moaned when he changed angles, trying to taste her even deeper, if possible. In an instinctive act, she pressed her hips firmly against his.
Branch felt when her eyes opened, feeling her lashes brushing against his own. He saw when she seemed to understand what was happening between them.
"We should talk." The survivalist took a step back and cleared his throat, looking awa.
Those words had the power to wipe away all the confidence she had. Quietly following him out of the water, Poppy tried not to steal a quick look at his serious face.
Wordlessly, Branch handed her a towel and took a few seconds to study the position of the sun. It was almost setting and the sky was already partially dark, with orange light coloring the horizon.
The wind blew, causing him to act on his survival instinct first. Poppy merely watched, holding the towel to cover herself up. Branch found dry wood and built up a fire so fast that the Queen wondered if she would ever be able to be so skilled. A second later, a pan was over the fire and clean water from the cistern was being heated for tea and for a bath.
"You're impressive, Branch." Poppy whispered sitting down next to him. He made things look so easy.
He offered a dry smile and sat down, still heavy with the subject that he knew he would need to get out of his chest. He wondered how Poppy would react and it scared him.
And she was the first to speak.
"May I ask you something? And you're free not to answer if you don't want to." The queen sat down by his side. He felt her cold and wet skin brushing against him and nodded. He owed her a lot of answers, "Something happened that day you went away," Branch closed his eyes tightly when he heard her formulating the right question. He already knew what she was going to ask. It was exactly the one thing he wasn't ready to talk about. "I wish you would tell me what it was."
The teal troll debated with himself about answering her. Truthfully, he knew he wasn't comfortable with the subject, but he could see it had been bothering her for a long time. From his own experience when he tried to guess an event to sooth his curiosity, he would be trapped in a dreamland that usually led to the wrong conclusion. He didn't want Poppy to think he was angry with her that day.
"I really thought letting other trolls know about our relationship would be for the best." Branch started. The fire cracked and Poppy quietly watched him. "I thought the gossip would diminish and people would know you're taken so I wouldn't be jealous if I caught someone stealing you a glance," he blushed, "you know… guy stuff."
Poppy felt flattered at his words, even if the revelation that there were trolls looking at her had come as a surprise. Branch feeling protective had made her feel taken care of. And still… the second part had to be revealed.
"But… I found that some trolls aren't happy for us."
"Wait, what?" Poppy frowned, almost jumping up to stare at him incredulously. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm still seen as Bergen-obsessed Branch." He couldn't look in her eyes, because if he did, he wouldn't be able to continue, "and you're the lovely queen. Everybody adores you and a better suitor was expected…"
"Branch!" She quickly grabbed his hands, turning him so he had no other choice but to stare at her nearly panicking eyes. "Who said that?"
"It doesn't matter." He shrugged, "In a way, they are right. We are too different,"
"And I love our differences, I told you that!"
"But are you going to love me in the long run? Or is it just infatuation?" The words came out of his mouth before he could stop himself. It was a spur of a thought that made him hold back all the pooling feelings he had lately. "Someone normal may come along and you may realize we're a big mistake."
Her jaw dropped and she stared at him like she had been slapped. Branch realized he had chosen the wrong words, but they couldn't be more truthful.
Night fell and nothing but the sound of crickets and the cracking fire could be heard. Poppy had fallen in a stunned silence. Her eyes were fixed on the pan, watching the boiling water. It was the first time Branch realized feelings could be physically painful. He was slowly invaded by short and elaborate breathing. His lungs struggled for air. His heart squeezed inside his chest like it was bleeding. His joints hurt like he was feverish.
He didn't understand what was going on until he looked at the queen at his side and saw her colors fading. Panicking, he realized he was feeling what she was feeling. Her pain was irradiating to him.
Had he caused this?
"Oh, Hair, Poppy don't go gray on me!" He sprung to his knees, shaking her shoulders and staring at her glassy eyes.
"Sorry…" She said quietly, brushing his hands away. Her touch hurt his skin like they were being ripped apart. "I- I think I need to be alone right now."
"Poppy, wait!" His knees didn't seem to want to work. The queen stood up and quietly collected her belongings. "This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you!" His throat burned as words came out. Helplessly, he watched when she entered the carved trunk and flash of light went off, indicating she had returned to their dimension. "Poppy!"
"Fudge," He cursed, finally being able to move. He ran as fast as he could, entering the shelter just in time to see the wormhole shifter falling on the ground and the bedroom completely empty.