Author's Note
This story is partly connected to Reminiscence, however, you don't need to read it before hand. I'll make a few small mentions of it
every now and then but not too often.
Branch placed a flower on a table, next to a picture of Grandma Rosiepuff. He sat down and stared at it. "Grandma..." he said, his voice trailing off. "Grandma...I'm so sorry..." He hugged his knees, grabbing Croco and pulling him close. He buried his head in his knees to hide his tears, even though there was no one in his bunker.
"Branch?" Poppy's voice called from somewhere inside his bunker. "Branch? Are you in here?"
Branch stayed silent long enough for Poppy to find him, hugging his knees. "Branch are you okay?" Poppy asked. Branch stayed silent again. Poppy looked at the table to see a cupcake, seemingly appearing like his deceased grandma, a flower, a candle and a framed picture of his grandma. "Branch? Is everything okay?"
Branch moved his head but looked away from Poppy. "Hey, I thought we agreed to tell each other everything," Poppy said.
"I don't want to talk about it," Branch said. "And offering to make another puzzle with me isn't going to work either," Branch said through tears.
"Branch? Are you crying?" Poppy asked.
"No," Branch lied.
"Branch!" Poppy cried. "I know what it sounds like when people cry! Don't lie to me!" Her voice softened. "You can tell me, I won't tell anyone."
Branch pulled Croco closer, pulling him up to his face. Branch relaxed and started crying again. "Oh my gosh, Branch!" Poppy cried. She put her hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. Whatever it is, you can tell me."
"Poppy, it's just too hard," Branch said through his tears, muffling his voice a little from Croco.
"What's too hard, Branch?" Poppy asked gently.
"It's hard to even think about grandma," Branch continued. "The only thing I have of her is that one puzzle you helped me put together, the one that Synth, R and B helped me with, and Croco. Everything else...everything else is gone." Branch broke down, his tears coming faster than he could keep up with.
"Oh, Branch," Poppy said softly. "It's okay."
"It's just getting harder to keep her memory alive with Croco," Branch mumbled.
"Shh, shh. It's okay," Poppy said patting him.
Poppy stayed by Branch's side until he stopped crying. Poppy and Branch's Hug Time bracelets went off but it wasn't a full hour. Branch leaned on Poppy a little. "You see the cloak she's wearing?" Branch asked, his voice shaky.
"Yeah?" Poppy said.
"I've been trying to find it. After a while I...I gave up and started trying to...to remake it."
"You have?" Poppy asked. Branch nodded and motioned towards the corner of the room. Poppy used her hair and tapped a mushroom, which lit up. In the light, a pile of pink colored cloaks lie on the ground. She grabbed one with her hair and held it up. "It looks right," Poppy said.
"It's not right!" Branch cried. "It's just not the same." Poppy grabbed another, this one half finished. The knitting needles are no longer attached to it, meaning Branch had given up on that one. This cloak is missing the hearts. "It's just not the same."
"Branch..." Poppy said, putting the cloak back down and retracting her hair.
"Today's her birthday and I was hoping I could find it but...I just don't feel like going out."
"It's okay, Branch," Poppy said. "I can help you find it."
"Poppy, you don't have to. I don't want to get wrapped up in this."
"No, really. I want to. I want to make my boyfriend feel better! I don't like seeing you sad, Branch!"
"Poppy, please-"
"You can't try and negotiate your way out of this one, Branch! I've made up my mind and I'm going to do it! No going back now!" Poppy tried to move but Branch grabbed her wrist. Poppy smiled sadly at him and moved closer again. Poppy stayed with Branch for another, complete hour, before Branch let her leave.
"Branch is so sad!" Poppy said outside of Branch's bunker. "I have to find his grandma's cloak, even if I die trying!"