The golden hour settled gently over Troll Village, casting warm light through the leaves and bathing everything in that dreamy glow that made the world feel magical. Birds chirped soft melodies as a gentle breeze swayed the vibrant foliage. High in one of the treehouse platforms just beyond the main square, Branch and Poppy had slipped away from the post-Hug-Time Parade crowd to enjoy a little quiet time together.

Not that "quiet" was ever really quiet with Poppy.

"…and then Guy Diamond tried to crowd-surf but no one caught him because they thought it was a glitter cannon going off again," Poppy was saying through a giggle, her eyes crinkled with joy. "Classic, right?"

Branch laughed, relaxing more with every moment. "Yeah, well, at least he didn't explode this time."

The two sat on a patch of soft moss overlooking the whole village. Below them, the rest of the Trolls were still laughing, dancing, and winding down from the celebration. But up here, it felt like the world had shrunk to just the two of them. Time slowed down.

Branch glanced sideways at Poppy. She had flower petals in her pink hair from the parade, and she didn't seem to notice or care. That was Poppy—always in the moment. Always just… shining.

And in that moment, Branch knew: I have to tell her.

He cleared his throat. "Hey, Poppy?"

"Yeah?"

"I, uh…" He paused, swallowing nervously. "I really like hanging out with you."

She beamed. "I like hanging out with you too, Branch. Ever since the whole Bergens thing, you've become way more fun. And honestly, your singing voice? Underrated."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "No, I mean, I like-like you."

Poppy blinked. "Oh."

"I've felt this way for a while, but I didn't want to mess up our friendship or make things weird. I overthink stuff, you know?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah. You really do."

Branch chuckled, heart pounding. "But I can't keep pretending I don't feel something when I'm with you. So I thought… maybe I'd try this."

He leaned in. Carefully. Cautiously.

Poppy, still a little stunned, leaned forward too.

Then—BAM!

Their foreheads collided with an audible thud. Poppy gasped and toppled backward onto the moss. Branch staggered, eyes wide.

There was a beat of silence.

Then Branch burst out laughing. Like, real laughing. Big, hearty, uncontrollable laughter—the kind Poppy rarely saw from him.

"Branch!" she groaned, sitting up and rubbing her head. "What just happened?!"

He clutched his sides, still laughing. "We—oh my gosh—we just headbutted! I was going in for the kiss, and you moved at the exact same time! Boom! Full-on Troll whiplash!"

Poppy blinked. "Wait. You were kissing me?"

He froze, mid-chuckle. "Uh… yeah?"

She stared at him, cheeks slowly turning the same shade as her hair. "I had no idea."

"Well, yeah, it was kind of a last-minute bravery situation."

Poppy tilted her head, genuinely confused. "You've liked me this whole time?"

Branch sat down beside her, still catching his breath. "Yeah. For a while. You make things better, Poppy. Even when I'm in my grumpy gloom cave."

Poppy's heart skipped a beat. She looked at him—really looked at him—and realized that behind all the sarcasm and caution, there was a softness in his eyes that had always been there. She just hadn't seen it for what it was.

"Well," she said, brushing a leaf from her hair, "I guess if you're going to kiss a girl, it's good to start with knocking her out first. That way expectations are low."

He snorted. "Want a redo? No injuries this time?"

She smirked. "Yeah, but let's coordinate better."

They leaned in again, slower now. Careful. Soft music floated up from the village below—a sweet melody from Cooper's banjo—and the fading sun cast a dreamy light around them.

And this time, no bump.

Just a gentle, real kiss that made both of them forget the world for a moment.

When they pulled back, Poppy was smiling, eyes twinkling. "That was nice."

Branch grinned. "Better than a concussion."

She rested her head on his shoulder, and they sat there watching the stars blink into view—two hearts finally in sync.