AN: Hiya, guys! Decided to do my take on the 'Branch has a child' au, your typical Branch found an egg at his doorstep, because it's been stuck in my mind for AGES!

Ok, so, in this thing, the child will be a girl, 'cause, it provides potential for overprotective dad Branch, and I LIVE for that! Also, her name is Rosiepuff, because it would be Branch naming her, and just-

This is just a tiny introduction to her, so I decided to start with the 'True colors' scene.

Anyway, tell me what you guys think, and enjoy!

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True colors

This was it.

They were dead.

Literally.

"Poppy, are you being sarcastic?" Rosiepuff could hear Biggie's hesitant voice, but she didn't even turn her head.

"Yes!"

Her grip tightened around Branch's leg. He placed a gentle hand on her head.

"All I wanted to do was keep everyone safe, like you did, dad." Poppy's voice broke. "But I couldn't!"

"Poppy…"

"I let everyone down…"

Branch sighed. "But, Poppy-"

"You were right, Branch." A beat. "The world isn't all cupcakes and rainbows..."

Rosiepuff's eyes widened. The world all of a sudden seemed to dim, mirroring the fading hues of Poppy's once vibrant colors. She watched, heart heavy, as the realization dawned upon Poppy, their ever-optimistic princess, that life could be harsh and bleak. The air around them felt heavier as Poppy's whispered confession to Branch cut through the silence, a stark contrast to the usually cheerful and lively tunes that filled their days.

Everyone was turning gray.

She was turning gray. Her tiny body pressed against Branch's skin even harder. What was this feeling?

Branch looked around-no, no, no, they shouldn't be like this, like him. He never wanted this. His gaze drifted to the little girl clinging to him, her grip leaving fingertip marks on his leg. Not her too.

He took a deep breath.

"You with the sad eyes."

A new sound beckoned. It was soft and hesitant, yet carried a warmth that felt like the sun's rays after a storm. Rosiepuff knew that soft tone.

"Don't be discouraged."

She looked up-Daddy? He was singing? Rosiepuff's ears perked up, the words resonating within her. He did sound like an angel.

"Oh, I realize," he continued, "it's hard to take courage, in a world full of people." The princess had her eyes on him, the darkness inside her feeling less oppressive with each note.

"You can lose sight of it all, the darkness inside you can make you feel so small." He took one last glance at Rosiepuff, giving her a reassuring smile. She nodded, letting go and allowing him to move.

Ping!

Branch looked down at his hands. For Poppy, he thought, as he slowly opened his arms, asking for a hug he's been turning down for too long.

But Poppy didn't hesitate to fuse the petals of her hug-time watch.

And one by one, the place began to regain some color.

"Show me a smile then," Branch took the dimmed pink hands in his, gently forcing Poppy to her feet with no resistance, "don't be unhappy, can't remember when I last saw you laughing, this world makes you crazy," He slid over the floor, his smile somewhat genuine, "and you've taken all you can bear, just, call me up, cause I will always be there."

Rosiepuff smiled faintly.

Branch looked at Poppy's feet, seeing the tiniest hint of a bright pink. "And I see your true colors shining through, I see your true colors," He reached out a hand, "that's why I love you."

He waited. His smile kept faltering but he forced it back. His daughter watched with bated breath.

Poppy smiled, resting her palm against his.

"So don't be afraid," she sang, and Branch joined, "to let them show."

And for the first time since Rosiepuff has known her father, he was getting bright. He was glowing, and the little girl's grin widened. Does that mean her daddy was happy now?

"Your true colors, true colors are beautiful." Cyan hue mixed with the pink one, and Branch only noticed when he followed Poppy's gaze on himself. He wasn't gray anymore.

"I see your true colors shining through." "True colors."

"I see your true colors." "Oooh.."

"That's why I love you." They sang in unison, their voices blending into a perfectly-harmonized symphony and their steps not missing the gentle rhythm.

"So don't be afraid to let them show."

"Your true colors," Branch muttered.

"True colors," Poppy joined along, "are beautiful."

The music stopped, and so did their spin.

"Like a rainbow." A final note escaped the newly-painted lips.

The pink Troll vocalized along. "Like a rainbow."

Harmonica tunes filled their ears, and the pair looked around to see the audience, gray and sad just a few minutes ago, now colorful and happy.

Rosiepuff's eyes, wide and gleaming, reflected the sight before her.

Branch was happy, really happy.

She ran to him, just as he looked at her, her tiny feet carrying her swiftly across the pot, a blur of excitement and wonder as she threw her small arms around his legs, barely managing to fully hug it. But she didn't care.

And Branch, still caught in the afterglow of his own vulnerability, barely had time to register the small figure charging towards him. Poppy, standing beside him, turned just in time to see Rosiepuff emerge from the shadows, her eyes alight with an emotion that mirrored the surprise and awe on Branch's face. The moment was electric, charged with the happiness that seemed to flow around the place.

Rosiepuff's breathing came in excited gasps, stopped just short of the pair, her gaze locked onto Branch. The gruff, solitary figure she had come to know was transformed in her eyes; he was no longer just her protector and guardian, but also a beacon of hope, a bearer of beauty in the form of song. She climbed into his arms and cupped his face, as if to ensure that he was real, that the voice that had sung of true colors and love was not just a figment of her imagination.

Poppy watched the scene unfold with a tender smile, understanding the significance of the moment for both Branch and Rosiepuff. She had always known the depth of feeling that Branch possessed, and now Rosiepuff had witnessed it too.

"Daddy!" said troll suddenly exclaimed, her tone playfully angry. "You didn't tell me you could sing!"

Branch chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't say I can, but-"

"Does that mean you will sing me a goodnight song?!" Her wide smile was pleading. How could he say no anymore?

"Yes, sweetheart," he muttered, pulling her into a hug, ignoring her tight grip around his neck. "I'll sing you a goodnight song."