Poppy hummed to herself, gaze sliding from the knitting in her lap to Branch. He was focused on his book, the soft crackle and pops of the fire the only sounds between them. Poppy smiled, wiggling her toes where they were tucked under one warm thigh.
Branch didn't even look up from his book, one big hand wrapping around her ankle to hold gently. At least until he turned the page.
Poppy loved these quiet moments with him.
Poppy's gaze drifted from him to the fire, watching as a log popped, sparks floating up into the chimney. The fire crackled softly, warmth radiating to her and Branch.
The Pop Queen wiggled a little, adjusting her back against the arm of the couch, getting more comfortable. Poppy knew Branch didn't mind. He liked when the two of them had these quiet moments together.
So did she, really.
Life was often busy - they didn't always have the luxury of this kind of time. So it was easy to take a moment to treasure it.
Poppy knew little bits of his history, things he'd shared with her over time. She knew his life hadn't been easy.
So to know she could give him even this much quiet? This much contentment? Brought her immense satisfaction.
"What's on your mind, love?"
Poppy blinked, refocusing on him with a smile. "Nothing much," she demurred, wiggling her toes again just to see his lips twitch in amusement. "Just thinking."
"Mmm." His gaze settled on her, warm and fondly amused. "Nothing much, huh?"
Poppy grinned. Okay. So she might have just a little reputation for mischief when she said "nothing much". "Alright, you got me. I was thinking about you."
"Any particular part of me?" Branch's voice dropped teasingly low, lips curled in a smirk.
"Yup." The Pop Queen held his gaze easily, head tipping playfully. "Your heart."
Branch paused and blinked at Poppy, just once. She had caught him off guard.
"I was thinking how much I love this." Poppy wiggled her toes again just to watch his gaze flicker down to his thigh. "And how much I love you."
The teal troll's gaze softened, his smile turning more genuine. "Love you too," Branch murmured, one big hand squeezing her ankle again.
Poppy's heart fluttered in her chest. Didn't matter how many times she heard those words, she never got tired of them.
Quiet fell between the two of them again as she picked up her knitting, determined to continue.
For all of ten seconds.
And then she got distracted again.
This was hardly her fault that the firelight reflected off his hair and cast gentle shadows on his face. Really, she was just admiring him.
Again, didn't have a lot of quiet opportunities to do this. So they savored this all the more.
"Keep lookin' at me like that and I'll think you want something, love."
The Pop Queen chuckled, though she didn't look away. "What if I just like looking at you?"
Branch snorted softly. "Should have your head checked," he joked.
"That's nothing new," Poppy shot back, trying not to grin. "Been saying that for a long time."
Branch huffed, shaking his head. One hand settled on her knee, thumb stroking her thigh. The warmth even from that gentle touch transferred through her lounge pants easily.
And Branch knew exactly what he was doing, too.
"Branch …" Poppy bit her lip, ducking your head. Two could play at this little game of teasing.
Branch groaned softly, gaze hot as his fingers tightened on Poppy. Then he moved, book tossed aside as he knelt on the plush rug between the couch and the fireplace. Poppy squeaked as his hands fastened on her knees, turning her to face him and then tugging until she was precariously perched between the edge of the couch and him.
"Think it's fun to tease, love?" Branch pulled her knees apart so he could settle between her thighs, head tipped to look at her.
"Always." Even with her heart beating fast and her face heating under his attentions, Poppy couldn't resist teasing him.
At least while she could still think.
The teal troll huffed at Poppy, pushing closer to her, forcing her legs wider to accommodate him. "That so?" Branch smirked, hands sliding slowly up her thighs, the warm drag of his skin over her sweats delicious.
"Teasing you is the highlight of my day," The Pop Queen teased. One hand lifted to brush through his hair.
Branch huffed and tipped his head enough to nip playfully at her wrist. "Well, since you're so fond of teasing…" His fingers hooked in the waistband of her sweats and her panties, tugging both down with Poppy's slightly clumsy help, until the wad of fabric ended up tossed elsewhere. (Hopefully not in the fire.)
Poppy shivered as those big hands smoothed up her thighs until Branch could grip her hips, holding the pink troll in place, perched a little precariously on the edge of the couch.
Poppy knew she was in for it when Branch tipped his head and smirked up at her.
"Well, love?"
"Well?" Poppy blinked at him.
His teeth flashed in a brief grin before he tugged Poppy off the couch and into his lap. Poppy squeaked, grabbing his shoulders for support, even as he chuckled at her.
"I could tease you all night." The teal troll lifted his hips just enough to press his erection into her, making Poppy gasp. "Get you close again and again…" Branch's hands guided her hips into a slow rolling grind against him, the friction of his pants against her skin almost maddening.
"Is there a second option?" The Pop Queen swallowed hard when his fingers gripped her a little more tightly.
"Still thinkin'." Branch smirked at Poppy's little whine, pulling her tighter to him. "Take off the rest."
Poppy didn't even hesitate, tugging her shirt off and dropping it behind her before her bra followed. Branch didn't make it easy for Poppy, dipping his head to kiss and nibble at the column of her throat while she was still working her bra off.
"Darling," Poppy whined softly when Branch thumbed her nipple, toying gently with it.
"Still thinkin'," Branch teased, nosing back up the column of her throat to kiss the hinge of her jaw.
Poppy huffed at his teasing, fingers of one hand tangling in his hair. But she didn't stop moving, biting her lip as heat gathered between her legs.
"Good girl," The teal troll rumbled teasingly, fingers digging into her ass. "Keep going."
The Pop Queen huffed wordlessly, scratching his scalp lightly. "Tease," Poppy murmured, too full of affection to be even a little bit annoyed.
Branch just hummed softly, giving her a few moments to recover. Gentle kisses to her forehead and cheeks made Poppy smile, eyes closing briefly. "Still alright?" Branch asked softly, lips just brushing her cheek as he spoke.
"Mmhm. More than." Poppy wiggled a little, more playful than needy, grinning at the soft groan that earned her.
"Clearly I haven't worn you out yet." Branch tipped her carefully to one side until she went sprawling onto the rug, already warmed from the fire. Branch didn't follow Poppy immediately, though, instead tipping his head a little and just… looking at her. Poppy warmed, pulling her knees in.
"What?" The Pop Queen resisted the urge to cover herself, curling her fingers into the rug.
"Just admiring the view, love." Branch smiled a little, sweeping his gaze over Poppy slowly, purposefully. "It's a very good view."
That got Poppy to duck her head, warm and flustered. "Now who's teasing?" she grumbled.
"Not teasing," The teal troll protested, hands landing on her knees, gently pulling them apart again. "I mean it. You're gorgeous."
Poppy had no response to that except to hook her heels behind his thighs and tug him closer. Branch huffed softly but lowered himself over her, taking his time kissing her. One of his hands slipped between the two of her, pushing clothing out of the way. The Pop Queen's face burned - Branch was too impatient to undress all the way this time. That didn't happen often, and it made her squirm.
Poppy's breath caught in her throat at the feeling of him pressed between her thighs, the head of him just notched into place.
"Relax for me," Branch murmured, even as he pressed into her slowly. Poppy's jaw dropped at the stretch of him filling he. It didn't matter how many times they had each other, taking him was always a stretch. Branch took his time, pulling back slowly and sliding a little deeper with each pass.
"I can take it," Poppy murmured, pushing her heels against him, trying to draw him in deeper. "Come on, Branch."
His lips twitched in a grin, a little mischief in his eyes. Uh oh. "That so?" Branch pulled back and Poppy had a moment to anticipate before he pushed in, not stopping until he was pressed up tight to her, as deep as he could go. The Pop Queen couldn't help the little noise she made, or the way Poppy clung to him, hands fisting in the back of his shirt.
And then Branch paused there, still hilted in her, forehead pressed to hers. "Alright?" he asked softly, holding her gaze easily.
"More than," The Pop Queen assured him, one hand unclenching from his shirt to cup the back of his head, fingers scratching lightly through his hair.
Branch nipped Poppy's lower lip before he started moving, languid thrusts that let her feel every inch of him. His soft groan echoed in Poppy's chest, only encouraging her to squirm under him. It was impossible to hold still, need flaring higher every time his hips met hers. Poppy burned between the warmth of the fire and the warmth of him, legs hitching up higher over his hips.
"Should make this a new holiday tradition," Branch murmured, gazing down at Poppy. The backs of his fingers were gentle against the skin of her cheek, even as he picked up the pace.
"Making love on the rug?" Poppy gasped when Branch changed the angle a little, adding a little swivel of his hips that nearly made her eyes roll back.
"In front of the fire," he answered, as if it should be obvious. "You're beautiful like this."
Poppy opened her mouth to respond, trying to come up with something sufficiently snarky. Only for all the air to be punched out of her when Branch grabbed under her knee, hiking it further up.
"Glad you agree," Branch hummed, amused, adjusting his weight to gather up her other knee, too, hooking both over his elbows before driving into Poppy again.
Which left her a mess. The Pop Queen clung to his shoulders and back, whining even as she tipped her head back, giving in entirely to him. Everything was just riding the edge of too much - the stretch of him inside her, the way Branch angled Poppy's hips to get as deep as he could every time, the brush of his hair against her skin.
Poppy's eyelids fluttered before she focused on the warm glow the fire gave him. A droplet of sweat started at his brow and slid down his nose, briefly catching the light, until she eyes closed against the onslaught of pleasure.
"Feel good, love?" The teal troll asked, voice lower and rougher than normal.
All she could do was nod and cling, squirming as she approached her peak. Branch kissed Poppy, open-mouthed and hungry, swallowing all her noises. One nip to her bottom lip and she cried out, coming around him.
Branch groaned, low and pleased, against her mouth, hips stuttering briefly at the feel of her pulsing around him. "Fuck," he rasped, eyes dark as he watched you. "Feel so good, love."
The Pop Queen whined a little, nails scraping gently against his scalp, blinking slowly up at him with hazy eyes. Branch was close, she could tell from the way his thrusts shortened, chasing his own pleasure. Poppy decided to give him a little nudge in the right direction. She looked up at him, eyes a little wet from the beginnings of overstimulation, and bit her lower lip.
Branch groaned her name as his hips stuttered and then slowed as he came, making Poppy squirm. He stilled, pressed up tight to her still, his forehead resting gently against hers as they both breathed.
Poppy's head tipped back to settle against the floor while she caught her breath, fingers still tangled in his clothes. After a moment she giggled, breathless.
"Hm?" Branch lifted his head to blink at her, confused.
"Mistletoe." The Pop Queen grinned up at the sprig she pinned to the ceiling in a moment of cheekiness. "Forgot I put that there."
Branch huffed a laugh. "Can't ignore that," he murmured, tipping her head to kiss Poppy, slow and sweet and a little bit filthy.
Poppy hummed, scratching lightly at his hair. "You're right," she murmured with a sly little smile.
"Oh?" Branch shifted his weight, still pressed up against her, making Poppy shiver.
"You are beautiful like this." Poppy grinned at the the way his cheeks went pink.
"Cheeky," Branch muttered, but he kissed her again anyway. "Ready to get up?"
The Pop Queen wrinkled her nose. Poppy wanted to, because cleaning up and a hot drink sounded divine, but she loved feeling him like this. "Okay," she agreed with a little sigh.
The teal troll chuckled at her, pressing a kiss to her nose. "I'll lay on you again later," Branch promised before he pushed himself up and helped Poppy to her feet. The Pop Queen shivered, chilly without his warmth on top of her, and Branch gently nudged her towards the bathroom. "Clean up, I'll make you a drink."
"You're the best." The Pop Queen kissed him, just a quick peck, before heading for the bathroom.
Later, cuddled up on Branch's lap trying unsuccessfully to hide her yawns, she agreed with his earlier statement.
Definitely needed to make this a new tradition.