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Chapter Text

Poppy's body hurt as she dragged herself out of bed.

Well, obviously it hurt! It wasn't like Creek had taken the time to be gentle while manhandling her out of the village and to Hole N' Fun. And that was before- Her train of thought halted once she caught view of herself in her mirror, her heart leaping right into her throat. She stared at her reflection with horror; aside from the purple bruise on her cheek, her shoulders had angry, red finger-sized marks on them and that was only what she could see with her nightgown on.

Holy seeds on a sunflower, she looked awful!

Poppy frowned, gingerly touching the prints on her shoulders. She hadn't noticed those last night. She flinched, only just realizing the pressure she was putting on them.

She was almost afraid to check what was under her nightgown. She took hold of the hem, ready to pull it over her head. But her hand shook; she really didn't want to, not in front of her mirror.

Poppy perked up, however, when she remembered that the doctor had told her to apply the ointment after taking a shower. That was bound to make her feel better; who didn't feel great after a nice hot shower! She rushed to her bathroom, quickly jumping into the warm water.

...That proved to be a mistake. The water immediately irritated all of her bruises. Poppy yelped, moving away from the showerhead. Okay, she should have thought that out better. She slowly reached out, turning the heat down a little before returning to her place under the water.

Poppy winced, but the lowered heat was a lot more forgiving. She could stand to be under it for more than half a second, at least. It wasn't as relaxing as a hot, steamy shower, but oh well! It would have to do.

She diligently began to scrub herself down, grateful that she could bathe again. It felt like she'd been sitting in her own filth for days; Creek and Daisy hadn't even had the decency to hose her down. Her grip on her loofa tightened as she thought about the two of them. How they had hurt her, hurt Branch. She-

Her ears twitched and it was then she realized how quiet the bathroom was.

Poppy blinked; why was it so quiet? What was missing? And then she realized; she wasn't singing. She always sang when she was in the shower, it was practically a daily ritual. It was just something she did automatically.

Huh.

Awkwardly, she began to softly hum the first tune that came to her mind. It was nothing compared to the full-blown private concerts she gave her shampoo bottle on a daily, but it was something, right?

If you knock, knock me over
Knock, knock me over
I will get back up again

When she finished, Poppy wrapped a towel around her body and returned to her bedroom. She reached for the ointment she had stuck in her drawer and slathered it all over her body. If Branch was there, he would have berated her about not reading the directions. She rolled her eyes at the thought; she knew how to put on ointment! Besides, she just wanted to get it over with.

The less time she had to look at her bruises, the better.

OoOoOo

Usually, Poppy loved going to the village. She liked to stop and talk with everyone, checking in on how people were doing, and helping with anything her subjects needed.

But today, Poppy just felt uncomfortable. As she walked through the village, it seemed like every eye was on her. Yet, no one even tried to approach her, not even her friends. They all kept their distance, scrutinizing her from afar but making no effort to even talk to her. She didn't like it. She wasn't any different than she was a few days ago! Why was everyone acting so weird?

Was this how everyone used to treat Branch? Was this how I treated him?

"Poppy!"

She sighed in relief when she heard her older sister voice. At least someone was happy to see her. "Hi, Viva!" she greeted half a second before her sister scooped her up into a tight hug. She held back a hiss of pain; she would never stop Viva- or anyone- from hugging her! She loved hugs!

Viva set her down and immediately began to check her over. "How're your bruises?" she asked. "Do they hurt? Did you put enough ointment on? Oh Muses, dd you eat breakfast? You're probably starving-!"

Poppy giggled. "Viva," she complained lightly. "You don't have to fuss, I'm fine!" But secretly, she liked when her sister babied her. She knew part of the reason Viva did it was to cope with not being in her life for twenty years. Also, it just made her feel so loved! It was nice to be fussed over.

Poppy must have been six or seven when it happened. She was playing outside her father's pod with Cooper and Biggie, only to trip over a twig hidden in the dirt and fall face-first into a sizable rock. She didn't even register the pain until the two boys had started crying at the sight of her blood. And it had been a lot of blood.

She would remember the crimson liquid staining her favorite dress for years after the fact.

Of course, Peppy came rushing out. He tried his best to calm down the two sobbing boys before turning to his daughter. His eyes were kind, but his mouth was set in a firm line. "Poppy," he said consolingly. "What happened, my little flower?"

Poppy continued to wail, pointing to the bleeding area above her eyebrow.

The king tutted, taking her hand. "Come along, dear," he ushered, pulling her into the house. Peppy sat her on the table, cleaning her cut of all the blood and dirt. He then placed a Band-Aid over it. "There. See? No reason to cry."

Poppy had calmed down during the process, but sniffled. "Hurts, Daddy," she whined.

"I know, Poppet," her father cooed kindly. He didn't hug her, but he did smooth some hair out of her face. "But you have to be careful. You really scared Cooper and Biggie."

That made Poppy even sadder knowing that she had upset her friends. "Didn't mean to."

"Of course you didn't, my dear," consoled Peppy. "But you have to remember that you're the princess. If your friends see you panic, what do you think they'll do? You must try to keep calm when things like this happen. A smile always makes everything better. Okay?" To her young mind, it didn't make a whole lot of sense. It was just how she felt. But her dad was the king, and he was almost always right.

So Poppy nodded. "Okay, Daddy," she agreed, wiping away her tears.

Poppy shook away the memory, wondering why it was on her mind now. "So, got any plans for today, sis?" she asked.

Viva grinned at her. "Well, I was hoping that I could spend it with my super adorable and super cute baby sister," she answered.

Poppy laughed. "Of course!" she agreed easily. She was always happy to spend time her sister. And she would do anything to take her mind off how oddly the village was acting towards her. "Ooh, we can go to my favorite cafe for breakfast! Have I told you about it?"

"Only about a gazillion times! Tell me more!"

And so, Poppy did. She and Viva talked all the way to the cafe, and then continued when they got their food. She was happy spending the morning with her sister. Even with her body aching with every step. Even with her skin itching under everyone's gaze.

It was fine, everything was fine.

Chapter Text

Poppy absolutely loved spending time with Viva!

That being said, she was extremely tired. It wasn't a feeling she was used to, but then again, she'd never met anyone with more energy than her. It was practically unheard of in Pop Village, she was often regarded as the most hyper troll in existence. It was funny, to think her own sister had her beat! Must run in the family!

Viva must have noticed her weary expression. "Oh my gosh, I've been talking too much, haven't I? Sorry!"

Poppy waved her concern away. "No, not at all!" she assured her, stifling a yawn as she stood up. "In fact, I still have a ton of energy! We should go bother the boys in the Bunker!"

Her sister giggled. "If Mr. Clay's there, he's probably driving Branch crazy," she said. "He won't stop auditing the Bunker, says that Branch's food storage isn't up to code and all that."

A picture of Clay inspecting the Bunker and Branch glaring at him from afar popped into her head, making her laugh. "Let's go save him, then," she suggested with a wink.

The two sisters walked to the outskirts of the village in surprising silence. Between the two of them, things were rarely quiet, but Poppy didn't mind. It gave her some time to think. Why was the village acting so weird? She knew her bruises were a little ugly to look at, but it wasn't like no one had ever been hurt before! Maybe she looked worse than she thought.

"Hey Viv, do you think I look ugly?" she asked before she could stop herself. She hadn't meant to phrase it quite like that. Of course she wasn't ugly! Everyone always told her how pretty she was.

Of course, that was before Creek had hurt her.

Viva stopped in the middle of walking, looking right at her with thinly veiled anger. "Of course not," she answered. Her voice was harsher than Poppy had ever heard it. "Why would you think that? Did someone tell you that?"

Poppy held her hands out placatingly. "No," she said quickly. Had Viva noticed the village's weird behavior too? "I was just wondering." She giggled awkwardly, hoping to alleviate the sudden tension. "Like, if I'm having a bad hair day or something, I'd want you to tell me."

Viva looked at her for a long time. So long, in fact, that Poppy started fidgeting under her gaze. But the concentrated look was soon replaced with a smile. "True!" she agreed. "But for the record? You never have bad hair days! That ponytail is always poppin'!"

She smiled, blushing a little at the compliment. She loved her ponytail; not only was it super cute, but it was also how she was crowned. Her crown rested much neater on her head when it was in a ponytail, so there weren't many days that she wore it out anymore. "Thanks!"

They had reached the bunker already. Poppy grinned a little, scooching down onto the ground near the entrance and tapping on the trapdoor. "Branchifer~" she sang.

A playful scoff was her reply. "Who's there?" he grumbled, imitating the unfriendly manner he used to answer her in. It had been a game back then, to her at least. She would stand outside his bunker and bother him until he responded. Usually, it was to tell her to go away. But on super rare occasions, she could entice a conversation out of him.

Poppy giggled. "Your adorable girlfriend who's missed you all day."

The door opened and Branch popped his head up. "Ladies," he greeted, offering for them to join him on the elevator. Poppy and Viva giggled, stepping onto the lift alongside him. Branch greeted Poppy with a kiss on the cheek, which made her smile even wider than she already was.

"I'm glad you're here," he told them as they were lowered down into the Bunker. "Viva, please, you have to stop him."

Viva snorted. "Stop who?" she asked, playing dumb. They all knew exactly who.

But it was in vain because Clay was immediately waiting there for them. "Branch, when was the last time this was inspected?" he asked, writing down something on his clipboard.

Poppy began to laugh so hard that her sides began to hurt... And that made the bruises on her sides sting a little. She quickly stopped, frowning. She knew she had gotten hurt there- Creek had kicked her at one point, or something- but she hadn't thought it was that sensitive.

Her abrupt halt didn't escape Branch's notice. "Are you okay?" he asked quickly, looking her over. "Does it hurt? Did you point the ointment on this morning? Poppy, I told you-"

She huffed. "Branch," she intervened. "Of course I put the ointment on." Did he think so lowly of her? She wouldn't forget! Well, she forgot a lot of things. But not this! She was responsible. "I'm not a trolling."

He softened a little. "Of course you're not," he agreed. "Sorry, you just look like you're in pain."

Poppy blinked. "I do?" she asked, shuffling self-consciously. Maybe that was why everyone was looking at her like that? But Viva hadn't said anything.

Branch nodded, gently taking her elbow. "Come sit with me," he beckoned as he led her to the sitting area he had set up. "It's a good thing you brought her, maybe it'll get Clay off my back."

She giggled. "He can't be that bad."

He threw his hands up in the air. "He's trying to tell me about the risk of mold!" he told her, properly outraged. "Mold, Poppy! The first thing I did when I built this thing was make sure the ventilation was handled!"

Poppy kissed his hairline. "Remember when you used to badger me about the pods being too high?" she reminded him. If it wasn't the pods, it was the soil the food was growing in. If it wasn't the soil, it was the lack of defense against predators. Something that John Dory had also bugged her about when he parked Rhonda here.

He was more like his brothers than he liked to admit.

Branch flushed. "That was different!"

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Sure." She curled against him, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Her hip protested vehemently, but pain was temporary; cuddles were forever.

She had missed him so, so much.

He leaned his head on top of hers, arm wrapped gently around her waist. "You promise you're okay?" he asked lowly.

"Of course," Poppy promised. It wasn't a lie, so why did her chest feel tight when she said it? "Branch, you don't have to worry. I'm okay now. You won't lose me." She knew that was his worst fear; people leaving. Not only from his brothers walking out on him, but his grandmother dying soon after.

But that wasn't her, that wasn't them. They stuck with each other, they were always there for one another. She wouldn't leave his side, just like she knew he would never leave hers.

Branch hesitated, then nodded. "I know," he told her, pressing his forehead against hers. "I know."

She smiled. "As long as you know." Her skin tingled unpleasantly under her clothes, but Poppy didn't dare move. He needed her, needed her to be safe and happy.

And she would do that, she would do anything for Branch.

Chapter Text

Over the next few days, the village seemed to ease up around her. Most still didn't approach her, but she was met with smiles from the majority of trolls. That made Poppy feel a little better, but not by much. She still didn't understand why everyone was acting so oddly around her. Oh well, she didn't have time to dwell on it.

She had to prepare for Creek and Daisy's trials.

And it wasn't something she was looking forward to. They weren't used to having traitors in Pop Village, a trial hadn't been held since her grandmother, Queen Violet, was ruler. Her father had always brushed over the details about the trial and Poppy couldn't find a completed account of it either. So she was only going off vague details about how one was supposed to work.

Fortunately, Prince D was visiting Cooper and was more than willing to help her out. "We've had a few trials in Vibe City since I've been around," he told her. "Ma and Pops let me sit in on a few, so I can show you the ropes."

Poppy smiled. "That's perfect," she replied. "I've never done one of these before, Creek should have had one when he betrayed us the first time, but we thought he was dead, so..."

Cooper, who was there for moral support, giggled. "I set him on fire," he supplied helpfully. He was the only one of her friends who wasn't treating her any differently, and she appreciated that.

Darnell smiled at his twin, though Poppy could tell he was hiding a grimace. He wasn't quite used to how Cooper tended to say whatever was on his mind. But to his credit, he never disparaged this. He was such a sweet brother. "Your council should act as the jury," he continued.

So Branch, Viva, Dad, Cooper, and a few elders. "And I guess that makes me the judge?" she guessed brightly, trying to hide the fact that the thought made her want to throw up. She was going to decide Creek and Daisy's punishments.

D nodded. "The jury will probably decide that they're guilty," he told her. "I mean, I don't see why they wouldn't. But you make the final call on what to do with them."

That made sense. She was the Queen after all. "Got it," replied Poppy.

Cooper frowned. "Poppy, are you okay?" he asked. Now, Poppy was close with all her friends. But she had known Cooper longer than most people in her life; they had basically grown up together. When his egg arrived at Pop Village, Peppy had taken him in as a ward of sorts. Before Viva, he was the closest thing she had ever had to a sibling.

Which meant he knew her better than everyone else, barring Branch of course.

But Poppy smiled up at him anyway, holding out her bruised arms. "I mean, these hurt obviously." It was meant to come out jokingly, but even she couldn't deny that it came off more defensively than she meant. "But I'm doing fine, why do you ask?"

Cooper and D shared a look that they thought she didn't catch. "You seem nervous," the latter told her. Muses, was it that obvious? "I know Creek used to be your friend..."

That was an understatement.

An eight-year-old Poppy giggled from her hiding place. She watched her target from the bush, the pretty purple troll with the cute accent who did weird poses and made funny noises. He was standing in the middle of the clearing, making those poses again. Poppy tried to imitate him, but she ended up falling flat onto her face.

This seemed to catch the purple troll's attention. "Princess Poppy," he greeted, looking at her with a gentle smile. It made her heart flutter. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Undeterred by her fall, Poppy stood up and giggled. "Creek!" she replied, rushing to his side. "What are you doing? You look so silly!"

Creek chuckled. "It's called yoga," he explained to her. He was so calm, Poppy wondered if it was because he was twelve already. "It helps me relax. Do you want to try it with me?"

She nodded excitedly. Creek continued his movements and Poppy tried her best to copy them. But most of the time she ended up losing her balance and falling again. She pouted. "I'm not good at it," she told the older troll, disappointed.

He laughed. "Maybe not," he agreed, helping her up. "But that's alright, love. Yoga isn't for everyone. You're already good at so many other things."

Poppy crossed her arms. "Like what?" she huffed.

"Well~" sang Creek, booping her on the nose. "You always have a smile on your face. And whenever someone's sad, you're always able to cheer them up. Staying positive no matter what is admirable."

She had no idea what 'admirable' meant, but it sounded good. Still, she frowned. "But I can't cheer up Branch," she pointed out. She hated to see someone so unhappy and alone, but Branch spurned her every time she talked to him. She didn't understand what she was doing wrong. Why didn't he want her to cheer him up? Everyone else did.

She completely missed the dark look that came over Creek's face at the mention of the gray troll. But it was gone as soon as it came. "You can't help someone that doesn't want it," he told her. "I think you're great, Princess."

Poppy giggled, her cheeks flushing with pride. "I think you're great too, Creek!" Their hug time bracelets chimed in unison and they shared a gentle embrace.

"Yeah," answered Poppy, her throat tightening as tears stung her eyes. "He was my friend." Or so she had thought. But then, he had betrayed the village. And then, he had kidnapped her, hurt her. Had that darkness always been in Creek? Had she been so stupid that she couldn't see the signs? Had he ever really been her friend? Or had it all been an act?

"Sorry I'm late!" announced Branch, cutting through her thoughts. "I got sidetracked by Viva."

Poppy giggled, instantly feeling lighter when she saw her boyfriend. "That's okay," she assured him, greeting him with a hug. "We didn't really start yet." She pulled away, observing him. There was still a little gray in his color, but other than that he looked fine. The blue was still there.

That made her happy. He had worked so hard to find his true colors, he deserved to be happy. More than any troll she knew.

"Oh good," he replied, taking out his clipboard. She rolled her eyes; and he was trying to tell her that he wasn't like Clay? "Do we know when we're having it? I was thinking by the end of the month..."

Poppy nodded, though her stomach felt cold at the realization that the end of the month was just around the corner. "That should work," she agreed. "The sooner the better, right?"

She was dreading it, but it was even more agonizing to drag out the date. It was better to deal with these traitors now than allow them to stay longer than they needed to. They were like poison to the village.

Branch scribbled something on his clipboard. "Okay, so we'll have to notify everyone on the council. Do you want me to help you make the flyers?"

Poppy winked. "You can sit there and look pretty while I make the flyers," she flirted. They both knew when it came to invitations of any sort, she needed complete creative control. And she was actually kind of looking forward to it; maybe it would help settle her nerves about the whole thing.

He playfully rolled his eyes. "Cooper, don't forget," he reminded him pointedly.

"What makes you think I'll forget?" But even as he said this, Cooper's attention was taken by a passing butterfly. Poppy giggled while Branch slapped his own forehead.

Prince D smiled. "I'll remind him," he promised, leading his twin away. "Queen Poppy, if you need any more help, you know where to find us."

Poppy smiled back, waving as they left. "Bye, you guys!" she called. "And thank you!" She turned towards Branch, grinning. "So... wanna make out?"

Branch snorted, giving her a blank look. "In the middle of the forest? Not particularly."

Chapter Text

After "convincing" Branch (jumping on him) to a forest make out, Poppy stopped by her father's pod to drop off his trial flyer. She had seen her dad when she had come back from Vacay Island, but it had been brief. And since then, she hadn't seen much of him lately. Probably because she was so busy with setting up the trial! It wasn't like he was avoiding her like the rest of the village was!

...Right?

Upon seeing her, Peppy grinned. "Poppy, my dear!" he greeted. He brought her into a hug that was somehow tighter than Viva's.

Poppy winced with pain. "Hi, Dad," she choked out, trying to ignore the stinging sensation. "How've you been?"

Her dad smiled at her, but she couldn't help but notice that his eyes weren't really focused on her. They seemed to bounce between looking over her shoulder and drawing up over her head. "Good, good. You're looking well, Poppet. It's just what I expect from my strong girl!"

Usually, her father's praise made her heart feel warm. But the words made her feel... weird. She couldn't understand why, she was strong; she always had been. Nothing knocked her down for long, that was something she took pride in.

So why did her dad's words sound so hollow to her ears?

But she tried to swallow it down anyway. "Thanks, Dad." He ushered her inside and they spoke over tea for a while. Things felt almost normal, but there was something about their time together that was making her feel sick. She couldn't get his comment from earlier out of her head.

My strong girl.

She had always been his strong girl, Poppy recalled. In fact, she couldn't really remember a time that she hadn't been. Strong and happy. That was what people knew her for, right? She was their queen, wasn't that her job? To be strong for her people?

Then why did it bother her so much?

Poppy suddenly remembered why she had gone to her father's pod in the first place. "Oh, before I forget!" She dove into her bag, grateful for the distraction from her odd thoughts. She pitched her voice to imitate formal tone. "Your court summoning, King Peppy."

But instead of playing along, her father frowned. It was a very rare moment when her father got solemn, and it made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. "Poppy," he said her name slowly, almost sternly. She suddenly felt like she was being scolded, even though she hadn't been a trolling for a long time.

But she hadn't done anything wrong! Had she?

"I hope you're thinking seriously about this trial," he continued. "It's a big deal."

Poppy frowned, mirroring him. "Of course I am," she replied, feeling a little defensive. Why wouldn't she be? She took her job as Queen very seriously, he knew that!

Peppy held his hands up in a way that was probably meant to be placating, but to her it just felt condescending. "I just want to make sure you aren't letting your... personal feelings cloud your judgement," he told her.

She felt her skin prick with a sudden bout of anger. "My personal-?" She cut herself off, clenching her jaw. "They kidnapped me, Dad." Part of her couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could this not be personal? They had captured her, hurt her. They were the ones who had made it personal.

So why did it feel like he was blaming her?

"I'm aware of that, Poppy." Her father's voice was a touch colder than she was used to. She didn't think he had ever spoken to her like that. "And they deserve to be punished for it. But remember that Creek was once an upstanding member of the village, so was Daisy for that matter. If you go too hard on them-"

"Too hard?!" Poppy demanded. It came out louder than she had intended, but she couldn't help it. "Did you forget what Creek did? He nearly got every one of us killed! I don't give a damn how much of an upstanding member he was before! Him and his mother can both go-!"

"Poppy."

She shut her mouth. He didn't yell, her dad never yelled. But somehow this was worse. The tips of her ears burned; whether it was because she was angry or shocked, she didn't know.

Peppy seemed to take note of how startled she was and his face softened. "Sorry, dear," he amended, holding his hand out to her. She didn't want to take it, but it was her dad. So she did, even if it felt like holding lead. "I just want to make sure you understand. What happened to you was terrible, but you must remember you're a leader. You might feel a certain way, but it's important to be sure you're making the best choice for the village."

Poppy blinked back the tears building behind her eyelids, trying to digest her father's words. Had she been... selfish? Was it wrong to want to punish Creek and Daisy so harshly? Was she really letting her personal feelings get in the way of her duty as Queen?

"Do you understand?" Her throat felt tight; she almost didn't register her father's words. Peppy tilted her chin up, making sure she met his amber eyes. "Poppy, I need you to answer me. Do you understand?"

She swallowed, her bottom lip trembling. "...I understand."

OoOoOo

As soon as she left her father's pod, tears began running down her cheeks. No matter what she did- no matter how hard she wiped them away- they refused to stop. Every part of her wanted to take off running towards the Bunker, to let Branch hold her and tell her everything would be alright. She wanted to more than anything.

Poppy calmly walked to her own pod.

Her bruises- which hadn't bothered her much all day- suddenly ached relentlessly. She stood in front of her mirror, slowly peeling off her dress. She watched, numb, as every bruise, welt, and gash revealed itself. They were a garish mix of purple and red, standing out against her pink skin.

Ugly.

Poppy didn't bother with pajamas, she simply dropped onto her bed. Her body screamed in protest, but she ignored it as she wrapped herself up in her blanket. She curled in on herself, trying to stop her racing mind. But she couldn't, her father's words wouldn't leave her alone. They played on repeat like a taunting, torturous song.

"...you're a leader..."

"...cloud your judgement."

"...best choice for the village."

Then, it changed. No longer was she stuck on the conversation from earlier. No, in her mind's eye, her father was replaced by someone else. Someone who relentlessly haunted her dreams.

"So, in a way, you could say... I'm doing this for you."

Suddenly, her bed burned. Poppy ripped her blanket away, tearing herself off of her bed. She had almost forgotten... he had been in here. He had taken her out of this very bed. She had fought and fought, but nothing had worked. Nothing had stopped him.

In the dead of night, Creek had easily ripped her away from everything she knew.

She stared at the bed for a moment before reaching for her pillow. She set her pillow down and laid across her fluffy pink carpet. Her body throbbed with pain, she ignored it.

Poppy closed her eyes.

Chapter Text

Whenever Poppy was stressed, she would scrapbook.

It had been her hobby for as long as she could remember. She loved singing, dancing, and hugging, but scrapbooking was her true passion. It was the one thing that was just hers, the one thing that could truly relax her. So when the outside world became too much for even her to handle, she would turn to her craft supplies.

It wasn't working.

Paper and glue were scattered across her pod, but Poppy had yet to produce anything even halfway decent. It was like her fingers were deliberately disobeying her. Every time she had tried to make a little pink troll with a crown on her head, she ended up with a bruised botched body.

Why did it feel like she couldn't do anything right these days?

A gentle knock at her door startled her. "Poppy," came Branch's soft voice. "Are you awake yet?"

Little did he know, Poppy hadn't slept the entire night. "Y-Yeah," she called back, lifting herself from the floor. "Just a minute!" She looked in the mirror, and sugar, she looked awful. There were dark circles under her eyes and her ponytail was somehow lopsided. And Muses, her clothes. For the first time in years, she hadn't bothered with a dress and opted for a pair of sweatpants.

Sweatpants! She hadn't even known she owned any until this morning. But wearing a dress had made her feel so... exposed? No, that wasn't the word. More like an impostor. She wasn't a neat, put-together queen.

She was a failure.

But there was no time to dwell on that now. Poppy scrambled to clean her pod up, shoving all the butchered paper she could into the trash. Once her room was halfway presentable, she practically flung open the door, properly winded. "Branchifer," she greeted, quite literally breathless. She made sure to block his view of her pod from the outside.

"Poppifer," Branch replied, but his tone lacked its usual playfulness. Instead, he sounded wary. His bright blue eyes examined her and this time she did feel exposed. Branch could read her like no one else. "Are you okay?"

"Pfft, of course I am!" she answered a little too quickly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

His eyebrows drew together. "You're wearing sweatpants," he pointed out.

Poppy crossed her arms self-consciously. "So what?" she asked defensively. Was it a crime to wear sweatpants now?

Branch looked her over. "You never wear sweatpants," he reminded her. He was still looking at her like there was something wrong; she didn't like it. "You don't even own a pair, those are mine."

Her cheeks warmed as she realized he was right. These were Branch's. "Maybe I'm stealing your wardrobe," she deflected with a shrug. But she felt gross inside; she was lying to him. They didn't lie to each other. But for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to tell him what was wrong with her.

Especially because she didn't quite know.

He didn't believe her, they both knew it. But for some reason, Branch decided to let it go. "We have a lot planned today," he reminded her, taking out a clipboard that was suspiciously identical to Clay's. "The preschoolers are expecting you of course, Clay wants to go over safety measures, the twins want your input for their upcoming fashion show..."

Usually, Poppy would be excited. These were things she did as queen for her people and she took pride in that. But listening to Branch rattle off her schedule filled her with a sense of dread. All of that sounded exhausting.

Poppy berated herself; that wasn't the attitude of a queen. It didn't matter what she was feeling, that wasn't an excuse to not do right by her people. "Got it!" she replied, plastering a smile on her face. "Let me change real quick, okay?"

Branch gave her an odd look, but nodded. "Sure-"

He barely got the word out before Poppy unceremoniously closed the door in his face. She flung her sweatpants and tank top off, reaching in her closet for the first dress she saw. It was a cute lilac dress, which she complemented with a matching crown.

She was almost ready to go when the ointment sitting on her nightstand caught her eye. Oh, she hadn't remembered to put it on this morning. Poppy reached for it, but hesitated. She really didn't have time to take her clothes off, apply it, and then put her clothes back on again; she was late enough as it was.

So she retracted her hand and rushed out the door to meet Branch.

OoOoOo

"...and that's how Queen Poppy and her super cute and super brave boyfriend Branch saved all of music," Poppy finished reciting. The children giggled and clapped, even though she must have told the story ten times before.

Branch stood a small distance away from her, cheeks flushed violet. "Poppy," he complained, embarrassed. The kids laughed at him; once he had started joining her here, they had taken to him immediately. Whether it was because they liked him or liked making fun of him was anybody's guess. Keith especially loved bothering him.

"Queen Poppy," one kid, Sparkle, called raising her hand.

Poppy turned her attention to the girl. "Yes, Sparkle?" she replied.

"What's wrong with your face?"

Poppy's ears burned at the question, her hands flying to her bruised cheek. For some reason, it hadn't crossed her mind that the kids could see her bruises too, they didn't give her weird looks like the adults did. But she should have expected it; children were naturally curious with no filter.

How the heck was the going to explain this?

Fortunately, she didn't have to. Branch was by her side in an instant, partially placing himself between her and the kids. "Well, Sparkle, you know how sometimes you get boo-boos?" he answered. At the girl's nod, he continued, "That's what happened to Queen Poppy. Everyone gets hurt sometimes, right?"

Thanks the Muses for her Branch.

Sparkle seemed to accept this answer. "Ohhh," she said, then turned to Poppy. "I hope you feel better soon, Queen Poppy." The other children chorused their agreements.

Poppy managed to smiled. "Thank you." She knew Sparkle hadn't meant anything by it- she was just a kid- but her words had felt like a knife to her chest. What's wrong with your face? What's wrong with your clothes? What's wrong with you?

It suddenly made sense, why people didn't seem to want to be near her.

OoOoOo

Satin and Chenille's fashion show planning hadn't required much of her attention, so after an hour she and Branch were on their way to meet Clay. Though, most of his jargon went in one ear and out of the other for her. So Poppy allowed Branch to handle discussing these things with Clay and she would approve whatever he recommended.

She opted to speak with Viva instead, chatting adamantly with her sister. Though, she allowed the blond to take over most of the conversation. She didn't feel like her normally chatty self.

What's wrong with you?

But Branch was nothing if not efficient, so the whole thing was done in about twenty minutes. "All we need is your signature," he told her, holding out the document. Poppy quickly scrawled her name across the paper.

Their hug time bracelets went off right after and Branch wasn't able to escape Clay's grasp in time. She giggled, watching her boyfriend huff at his older brother's antics before she was scooped up by Viva.

Usually, Poppy loved Viva's strong, exuberant hugs. They made her feel so loved. But the pain that flashed across her skin prohibited her from fully enjoying it. She desperately held back from flinching.

This time, Viva noticed her discomfort. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, horrified at herself as she let go. "I'm so sorry, Poppy! I keep forgetting!"

Poppy waved her off. "It's fine," she assured her sister, feeling exceptionally guilty. She hadn't meant to make Viva feel bad! It wasn't a big deal, she could be uncomfortable for a few seconds.

But Viva shook her head. "No, I need to be more careful," she insisted. "You're too sweet, you'll never tell us if it hurts when we hug you."

Branch- finally managing to untangle himself from Clay- frowned thoughtfully. "She's right," he realized slowly. "You won't tell us if something's wrong."

That... wasn't what Viva said. Poppy giggled nervously. "Guilty," she admitted, looking at Viva and pointedly not responding to Branch. Those blue eyes would pierce right through her if she let them. Right now, they were practically burning a hole through her skull. "But I still like hugs."

"That doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful," stressed Branch.

It was Poppy's turn to frown. "I'm not made of glass, Branch," she laughed off. "I won't break." You would, you did, you're weak. "You don't have to worry so much."

"If I don't, no one will," he pointed out. He seemed... agitated. Why, she couldn't say.

She was horribly confused. "What do you mean?" she asked. Why would anyone have to worry about her? She was fine.

Branch looked somewhere between incredulous and desperate. "Poppy," he said, probably as patiently as he could. "Outside of me, Viva, Floyd, Clay, and Cooper, how have people been treating you?"

Poppy falter; she hadn't realized he noticed. "Well, um, awkward?" She laughed, trying to lighten the suddenly serious mood. "Not that I blame them. I mean, look at my face." Sparkle's words from earlier kind of put everything in perspective. Her bruises were unsightly, that was why people acted that way.

It wasn't a problem.

Viva's eyebrows pulled together. "There's nothing wrong with your face," she intervened adamantly. She was getting upset, anyone could tell. "And what is Branch talking about? What's going on?"

Clay laid a hand on her shoulder. "Viva," he warned, his gaze bouncing between Poppy and Branch.

"They're avoiding you," Branch corrected flatly. "The minute you weren't the perfect queen you always are, they treated you differently. That isn't fucking okay."

Poppy winced; Branch hardly swore, least of all at her. "Of course they're uncomfortable," she defended. "I'm the Queen. I'm supposed to be strong for the people, that's what Dad always says."

"...you have to be careful. You really scared Cooper and Biggie."

"Poppy, you're still a person," insisted Branch. "Someone hurt you, you don't deserve to be antagonized for it."

She held her hands up placatingly. "Branch, don't you think you're exaggerating?" she asked. She didn't like where this conversation was going. Her stomach rolled at her boyfriend's implications. "The villagers just aren't used to something like this."

"And they never will be if they always act like this whenever something does happen," he shot back at her.

Poppy bristled. "What do you mean-"

"Okay!" Clay cut in, clapping his hands together. "I just remembered, I wanted to talk to Smidge about construction schedules. Branch, come with me?" When his younger brother didn't budge, he caught him by the ear. "Branch."

Branch closed his eyes and inhaled deeply through his nose. "Fine," he agreed begrudgingly. He looked to her with softer eyes than he had previously. "We'll talk more later, okay?"

Poppy had a feeling she wasn't going to enjoy that talk. But she was supposed to be doing a better job at listening. "Okay. I love you."

He gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I love you too." As her boyfriend was pulled away by his brother, Poppy was left wondering what the heck had just happened.

Chapter Text

Once the brothers were gone, Viva turned to Poppy. "I've never seen you two fight before," she admitted.

Poppy frowned, not liking the wording of that. "We weren't fighting," she corrected, a little sharper than she meant to. At least, she didn't think they weren't. They had fought plenty of times before, pre-relationship of course, and it wasn't usually like that. Branch didn't seem mad at her, more like mad at everyone else.

Viva shifted on her feet. "What did Branch mean earlier?" she asked much softer than she had before. Her pink eyes were tinged with sadness. "Are people really treating you different?"

Poppy wrung her fingers together, half hoping the ground would swallow her up. She didn't want to have this conversation, she didn't want to admit that things were different. Everything had been going so well and she felt like she was messing it all up. "I mean, kinda?" She giggled nervously. "But you know how dramatic Branch can be. Really, it's nothing."

"Poppy-Pie," Viva urged, gentle but firm. "You can tell me, you can tell me anything. You know that right?"

"O-Of course I know that." The words felt heavy on her tongue. She loved Viva, more than anyone excluding Branch, but something about the claim rang true. If she told Viva the truth, it would upset her. She didn't want Viva to be upset, especially not with the villagers. She had just started to get used to Pop Village.

Poppy couldn't ruin that. So, she smiled. She smiled so wide that her cheeks began to hurt. "Everything is fine," she said, more forcefully than she intended. "The villagers probably just feel weird about the whole being kidnapped thing. Besides, we haven't had a trial since Dad was a kid, of course everyone's on edge."

A spark flashed through Viva's eyes. "Speaking of Dad..." she spoke up. "How did he take the trial? We both know he's not good at this kind of thing."

Now wasn't that an understatement. Pain ripped through Poppy's heart at the reminder of her father's words. Even though she knew he was just looking out for the good of the village, it still hurt. But she couldn't tell Viva that!

Things were still tense between her sister and father. Viva loved Peppy of course, but not even she could deny that she was (rightfully) hurt that she had never been mentioned again. Not even to mourn. The three of them had talked about it some time ago, to which their father had apologized. But they were still working on rebuilding their relationship.

Poppy couldn't ruin that! Even if her dad was right, Viva was overprotective. She would get upset and they would fight and the family that Poppy had just gotten back would be broken again.

No, absolutely not.

So Poppy laughed, waving it off. "Oh, you know Dad," she replied flippantly. "Mr. Forgetful! He didn't even remember the trial, I had to remind him!"

Liar. You're a liar, Poppy.

A tense smile overtook Viva's face. "Oh, good." She giggled, a bit more relaxed. "That's so Dad!"

She bought it. That somehow made Poppy feel worse. Trying to distract herself, Poppy reached into her bag and handed Viva an envelope. "Your court summoning," she explained. "I almost forgot to give it to you." That was another thing she had to do, hand out the rest of the summoning letters. With how upset she had been last night, she had forgotten.

She was being careless, and that wasn't something she could afford to do right now.

Viva took it, opening it excitedly. "Is it weird to say I'm excited? I can't wait for you to bring the hammer down on those two traitors! Am I allowed to ask what you've got planned?"

Community service?

That hadn't always been the plan. Her chosen punishment had been lifetime banishment (which Branch was against, since it left them unsupervised and gave them an opportunity for revenge) before her talk with Peppy. But ever since she had visited her father's pod, she had been having doubts.

Was that too harsh? Was that her hurt and anger at them talking, and not her rationality as queen?

The more she thought about it, the more she thought that maybe her father was right. Maybe she had been letting her feelings get in the way of her responsibilities. After all, it wasn't like the Pop Trolls were used to harsh punishment. The whole thing could be too overwhelming for them.

Poppy smiled and winked. "It's a surprise."

Viva grinned. "I'm sure it's a fantastamazing punishment!" she cheered.

She wished she had the same confidence her older sister did.

OoOoOo

Branch met her in a little clearing in the forest, somewhere they both went a lot. Whether it was for her to breathe away from the pressures of being queen or for Branch to escape... life (also, John Dory), they somehow met in the middle more often than not. Most days, they would sit here for an hour or two and either sit in comfortable silence or talk about random, insignificant things.

Poppy cherished those moments with Branch. He was her best friend in the world. But today, she felt dread.

He was already sitting on their log when she got there. He was talking to himself, like he often did, before he caught sight of her. He gave her a gentle smile. "Hey," he greeted.

Poppy tried to smile back, but it felt like a grimace. "Hi." She shuffled forward, joining him on the log. They sat in silence for a minute, enjoying the gentle sounds of the forest. If Poppy could, she would stay like this for the rest of her life; surrounded by peace next to her favorite person.

But nothing lasted forever.

"You can't really think that the way they're treating you is okay."

Poppy flinched. There was no trace of anger in Branch's voice, but there might as well have been. "I think they're just scared," she retorted. "And confused. You know they're not good at dealing with stuff like this."

Branch scoffed. "Dealing with what? Anything that looks or acts different?"

She turned to face him so fast that she might have given herself whiplash. Was that what this was about? Was Branch so upset because of how the village had treated him? She suddenly felt guilty; she should have been paying more attention. Of course he hadn't forgotten that, it had gone on for twenty years.

"I'm sorry," said Poppy quietly. Her eyes burned, but she held in the tears. She should have done more for Branch. She had always tried to be nice to him, but not everyone was like her.

But Branch shook his head. "I don't care how they treat me, Poppy," he told her. "I got used to it." He looked at her with startlingly blue eyes. "But they're not allowed to treat you that way. Not after everything you've done, you do, for them."

She bit her lip before it could start to tremble. "It's okay Branch," she assured them. "They'll come around." In all honesty, the villagers had been put on the back burner in her mind for the past day. She was much more worried about the trial now.

But Branch's ears flicked in annoyance. "It's not okay," he insisted. "I know your dad taught you that you had to take shit from other people, but you don't."

Poppy bristled at the mention of her father. "He didn't," she replied. And a few days ago, she would have believed that. But her last conversation with him kept replaying in her head.

"You might feel a certain way, but it's important to be sure you're making the best choice for the village."

He scoffed. "Please, he'd probably tell you to go easy on Creek and Daisy for the sake of the village or some stupid crap like that." He meant it jokingly in that dry, sarcastic way of his. But her heart leapt into her throat at just how accurate he was.

Once it was apparent that she didn't have a retort, Branch turned to face her fully with wide, alarmed eyes. "Poppy," he said slowly, baring his teeth in a poor attempt at an awkward smile. "Your dad didn't actually say that, right? He might be a questionable leader sometimes, but he would never treat you like that. Right?"

It was on the tip of Poppy's tongue to lie. But... she was so tired. Tired of pretending, tired of lying to Viva, to Branch. She was tired and she didn't want to pretend anymore.

So, she said nothing.

Branch stared her down with an indescribable expression. They sat in silence- not their peaceful silence, a horrible foreboding silence- before he abruptly stood. Without a word to her turned on his heel and stomped away.

Towards the village.

It took Poppy much too long to realize what he was doing. She sat there, blinking after his retreating form. Then, it hit her over the head. "Branch!" She scrambled to her feet, quickly giving chase. "Branch, come back!"

She cursed herself as she ran. How was she going to get herself out of this mess?

Chapter Text

Branch was fast.

Poppy considered herself to be pretty scrappy, but apparently that was nothing compared to her boyfriend on a warpath. In any other situation, she would find that hot (oh, who was she kidding she did find it hot). But now wasn't the time for those thoughts! Now was the time to worry about whether or not her boyfriend would deck the first troll he saw.

"Branch!" she called futilely. "Branchifer, you come back here right now!" He ignored her, continuing his angry trek. "Don't make me call reinforcements!" Again, he didn't answer.

Poppy huffed, then made a sharp turn towards the Bunker. If there was anyone who could talk the sense back into her boyfriend, it was his favorite brother. She clambered into the hatch and nearly took the elevator lever off as she descended. "Floyd!" she shouted, tripping over her own feet.

Floyd, who was reading a book on the couch, glanced down at her. "Poppy," he greeted calmly. "What's wrong?"

She scrambled to her feet. "Branch is gonna kill someone!" she told him.

Nothing surprised the second youngest Brozone member. He cooly marked his place in his book and set it down, moving towards her. "Elaborate?" he asked politely. "And breathe, you look like you're going to pass out."

Poppy did as he said, taking a deep breath. "Branch is mad," she explained. "Like, really mad. At the village, a-and my dad. I don't want him to do something he'll regret."

Floyd seemed to consider her words. "Does he have a good reason to be mad?"

And how could she answer that? Did she admit that she felt abandoned by her village, that she felt hurt by her father? Or did she tell him that Branch was overreacting and being overprotective? That nothing was wrong?

What was the right answer?

But in not answering, she seemed to give him his answer. "Sit down," he instructed her gently. "I'll make hot chocolate."

Poppy did as he said.

OoOoOo

Floyd didn't push her. He didn't ask her what was going on or prod her for answers. He simply handed her a mug and sat beside her. Poppy was anxious; she came over here to get him to stop Branch, not to make her heaven in a cup! But she didn't say that, she simply took a sip; he had gone to the trouble to make it for her, after all. He had even put extra marshmallows in hers.

"Sometimes, when I'm having a rough day, hot chocolate helps," Floyd told her. "It doesn't fix anything, but it makes me feel better."

Well, that made sense. How could anyone be upset drinking hot chocolate? Poppy took another sip; it tasted just like how Branch made it. He didn't like a lot of sweets- he preferred salty, spicy, and savory- but she had discovered he had a special fondness for chocolate. He claimed it was because of its nutritional value.

Floyd put a hand on her shoulder. "You look like you've been having a rough day for a while now," he continued.

Poppy wouldn't be able to explain why she started crying at those words. But the dam broke, and she began to sob. Ugly, wretched sounds escaped her, sounds she didn't even know she was capable of making. Floyd kindly rubbed her back, gently urging her to let it all out.

The elevator shuddered suddenly, startling them both.

"JOHN DORY, LET ME GO!"

"No way, bro! You look like you're gonna bite the first troll you see."

"Yeah, and it'll be you if you don't put me down!"

What met them was a startling sight. John Dory had Branch wrapped in his green hair, Branch squirming and trying to free himself. Viva and Clay were behind him, looking extremely confused and worried.

Poppy felt relief swell in her heart. "Branch!" Huh, looked like reinforcements did show up. Even if they weren't the ones she'd sought. Suddenly, she was really glad that JD stalked the outskirts of the village. She might have not been able to catch him, but survivalist extraordinaire John Dory could.

Branch calmed at the sight of her, though he was still writhing in his brother's hair. "Poppifer," he said. He frowned, no doubt taking note of her red, teary eyes.

She tried to smile. "Branchifer," she replied, her chin wobbling. "I'm guessing they caught you just in time?"

He scoffed. "Unfortunately." John Dory let him down and he stepped forward, lifting up a hand to thumb away a stray tear. "Especially because they made you cry."

He meant the villagers, of course. Poppy shook her head. "They didn't make me cry." She didn't know what did. They were tears she felt she had been holding in for so long, and didn't realize that until she finally let them loose.

"Poppy," Viva chimed in. "I know something's wrong. It has to be if Branch is this upset."

Poppy took a deep breath. "I don't know," she responded. She turned away from them for a minute, not wanting the group to see her face. "I guess I'm stressed, with the trial and everything. It's not a big deal."

Branch scoffed. "That's not it and you know it."

"Branch," warned Poppy, turning to glare at him.

But he wasn't going to be deterred. "The village has been outright avoiding her," he told the group. "Because of her bruises, because she got hurt."

Poppy closed her eyes, though her ears picked up Viva's gasp. "Branch," she pleaded. They didn't need to know this, Viva didn't need to know this. She could deal with it, it would stop. Everyone was going to be upset over nothing. Branch was already upset and she didn't want him to be, not because of her.

"Poppy," breathed Viva. "Why didn't you say anything? You know that isn't okay. I would have done something, and you know Branch would have."

"Like what?" asked Poppy pitifully. She felt like she was surrounded with no way out, even though this was supposed to be her family. She knew they weren't her enemies, and yet- "You can't change what people think, Viv."

"We can tell them off when they're being shitty," Branch shot back. He moved in front of her, cupping her cheeks in his hands. "Poppy, you don't deserve to be treated like this by them, by your dad. Please tell me you know that."

"Dad?" Viva repeated. "What does Dad have to do with this?"

"He told Poppy to go easy on Creek and Daisy," Branch spat out, like the words were poison on his tongue. He was mad, really mad. Angrier than Poppy had ever seen him, even when he was gray.

"WHAT?" came the resounding response from everyone else.

Viva was the loudest. "Why would he do that?" There was so much hurt in her voice, just like Poppy knew there would be. She didn't want her big sister to be hurt, why couldn't anyone understand that?

"For the 'sake of the village,'" Branch told her. Viva flinched, turning away. Clay was at her side in an instant, hugging her close and whispering things she couldn't quite make out.

Poppy felt like everything was coming apart around her. She felt her body shake, the bruises littering her body screaming in pain. She tried to breathe, but her chest was tight and the air was barely making it through her nose. Her vision blurred. What... What was happening?

"Branch." John Dory's firm voice cut through her panic for a moment. "Ease up a little."

"But-"

"I know you're upset," came Floyd's soothing intervention. "But look at her, Branch."

Quiet. The only thing Poppy could hear was Clay's low murmuring. Then, strong arms wrapped themselves around her, arms she knew well. Branch. "I'm sorry," he mumbled into her ear. "I didn't mean to make you upset."

Poppy clung to him like he was her lifeline. She buried her face into his warm neck, feeling the panic subside just slightly. He had that effect on her, that calming sensation. "It's okay," she whispered back to him. She didn't care what he had said, she just wanted him.

"Bring her to your room," instructed Clay. "Let her rest for a minute, we'll decide what to do after." Branch did as he said, gently gathering her into his arms and carrying her away. Poppy burrowed her face into his chest, feeling warmer than she had in days.

When they got to his room, Branch gently set her down onto his bed. It was firmer than hers, but she settled into it much easier than she had her own the previous night. Also, it smelled like him which was always a plus.

He leaned down and kissed the side of her face. "You look tired, Pop," he told her softly, thumbing the skin under her eye.

She leaned into the touch. "I am," she finally admitted, her chest feeling a little less heavy. She felt tears she didn't even know were there fall freely down her face. "I'm so tired, Branch."

Branch brushed some hair out of her face. "You can rest here," he assured her. "You're safe." He went to leave-

Only for Poppy to yank him down into the bed with her. "Stay," she begged. He couldn't leave her, he couldn't.

Fortunately, he obliged, scooting onto the bed with her. "I'm not going anywhere," he promised. He curled around her, his warmth enveloping her smaller body. "Try to sleep, okay Poppy?"

Her eyes were already drooping. "Okay," she agreed.

Chapter Text

Poppy woke up feeling more comfortable than she had in days. It probably had to do with the warm body pressed intimately against hers.

She smiled, craning her head to get a look at Branch's sleeping face. He was so cute when he was asleep! She leaned forward, gently pressing her lips against his crow's feet. He was self-conscious about them, not that Poppy knew why. They were adorable, especially the way they changed with his expression! She loved every inch of Branch, his wrinkles were no exception.

He groaned. "Poppy," he complained, eyes still closed.

She giggled. "Sorry," she said unapologetically. She snuggled closer to him, thoroughly enjoying his relatively newfound warmth. Before regaining his colors, Branch had always been cool to the touch. The few times she had managed to make contact with him (before being pushed away), she had been shocked at how little body heat he'd possessed.

That couldn't be further from the truth now. She liked to call him a furnace because he was always so warm.

Branch sighed, pressing his face into her hair. "How do you feel?" he asked lowly.

Poppy sniffed, the memories from earlier (yesterday? She had no idea how much time had passed) rushing to her all at once. She couldn't get Viva's hurt expression or Branch's angry words out of her head. She had done that; they had been upset because of her. "Fine," she answered quietly. "I'm fine."

Branch frowned. "Poppy-" But he cut himself off, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. He was quiet for a while, so long that she thought he might have fallen back to sleep. Then, "Do you remember how we first met?"

Of course she did! How could she ever forget?

Poppy sang at the top of her lungs, skipping through the forest as she often did. Her dad was usually there to stop her before she got too far, but the five-year-old had managed to slip away while he was preoccupied with helping some other trolls. She was almost afraid he would be mad at her, but as long as she got back before he noticed, everything would be okay!

Except... Poppy stopped skipping as she realized she had entered a part of the forest she had never been to before. But that was okay! She could just turn around and make her way back to the village! Right?

"You're being too loud."

Poppy jumped, squealing a little. She had thought she was alone! She blinked, turning to see a boy a little older than her. He didn't look like any troll she had ever seen before, his skin was a murky gray and his hair was completely black.

But nothing about his appearance was off-putting to the young princess; he must have been a different kind of troll! Like Cooper or Legsley. "Hi!" she greeted. "I'm Poppy, what's your name?"

But the other troll scoffed. "Doesn't matter," he grunted. "You're too loud, the Bergens might hear us."

The Bergens? But that was silly! "There aren't any Bergens," she told the older troll. "My daddy told me! He made sure everyone was safe!"

The gray troll's expression changed for a split second. "Is your dad... King Peppy?" he asked carefully.

Poppy beamed, pleased he recognized her father. "Yeah! We never have to worry about the Bergens again!"

But the other troll slapped his face, which she thought was silly. Why would he do that? "You're the princess then..." he murmured. He sighed. "You shouldn't be out here. Your dad's probably worried."

She nodded in agreement. "I know! I got lost." Her eyes brightened with realization. "Can you help me get back?"

The troll looked like he would rather do anything else. But he groaned. "Fine," he agreed reluctantly.

Poppy cheered. "Yay!" She attached herself to his arm, holding it tight.

He tensed. "What are you doing?" he demanded. He squirmed a bit in a half-hearted attempt to get her to let go.

But she was unperturbed. "To make sure I don't get lost!" she told him.

The troll grunted, but stopped trying to shake her off. "Let's just go." He started walking, practically dragging her along back towards the village. Her little legs struggled to keep pace with his.

But Poppy wasn't called the most positive troll for nothing. "What's your name?" she asked again.

"...Branch," he finally told her.

She grinned. "Nice to meet you, Branch!" she said loudly. "Do you wanna come to by birthday party?"

"Shh!" Branch scolded her. "And no, I don't like parties."

He might as well have said the world was ending. "You don't like parties?" demanded Poppy. That was unheard of! Everyone liked parties!

"No."

Poppy pouted, but didn't argue. Maybe he was just shy? Yeah, that had to be it. That was okay! It just meant she had to keep trying. She could even make him his own special invitations so he could feel special!

Poppy giggled at the memory. "I took it as a personal challenge," she declared, beaming. And so had started her lifelong mission to get Branch to be her friend.

Branch rolled his eyes at her. "You don't have to tell me twice," he replied. "Do you know how hard it is to get glitter out of clothes? And how did you even get that confetti bomb in here?"

She laughed even harder; she had managed to stick it into his eye slot when he hadn't been home. "Skills of the trade, Branchifer." She blew a raspberry against his cheek, then nuzzled her nose against his face. "It was worth it, right?"

His gaze softened. "Every bit of it." He cupped her face, placing a kiss on her forehead so gentle it made her knees weak. "I brought it up because... you saved me, Poppy."

Poppy's face flushed. "Branch," she half-scolded, giggling in embarrassment. Sometimes he just said these sweet, intimate things that threw her off-guard. She had to admit, though, she adored his attention.

Branch chuckled. "I'm serious," he promised her, looking at her like she was the most precious thing in the world to him. "I know I pushed you away, I know I acted like I didn't want you around. But honestly? I looked forward to seeing you every day. I-" He paused for a second, then stood up.

Her eyebrows drew together. "Branch?"

But he gravitated towards his desk, rummaging through one of the drawers. He pulled out a stack of colorful paper and came back over to her, holding it out to her. "Here," he offered.

Still confused, Poppy took the stack. "What's this?" she asked, but her breath caught in her throat. Her invitations. The ones she had made him for every single party she had ever thrown from the time she was five. They were all here, all of them in perfect condition when she distinctly remembered him crushing quite a few of them. "Branch..."

Her vision blurred again, but not in the way it had earlier. The corners of her mouth turned up, even as her chin wobbled.

"I saved them," Branch confirmed, sitting back down next to her. "All of them."

Poppy looked up at him. "Why?" she asked, not quite understanding.

His kissed the bridge of her nose. "These were the only things anyone gave me since Floyd left," he told her. "I thought you were loud and annoying, but-" His head lowered a bit. "You were the only one who cared."

She couldn't help it, she lunged at him into a hug. "I'm so sorry, Branch. I'm sorry you were alone." It broke her heart every time she thought about it. Her Banch, just a baby, alone and abandoned by everyone in his life.

While she sometimes condemned her past actions concerning him, she was glad she had been there for him in some way.

Branch caught her and kissed the crown of her head. "I know." He gently nudged her back, sapphire pools looking deep into her eyes. "But that's not why I'm telling you this, Poppy. I'm telling you this because... I'm scared for you."

Poppy blinked. "Scared for me?" she repeated. What did he mean by that? Just because she was having a hard time right now didn't mean that she was in danger. Why would he be afraid?

He nodded. "You're pushing us away," he told her. "I know you don't mean to, but you are." He gently cupped her cheeks. "You gotta let us in, Poppy. You gotta let us help."

She glanced away, feeling much too warm under his gaze. "I don't-" She choked over her words. "I don't know how." Whenever she had bad feelings, she shoved them away. She was supposed to be happy. She was the most positive troll, the person every Pop Troll depended on for happiness.

How was she supposed to admit that she hadn't felt very positive for a while now?

Branch gave her a sad look. "That's okay," he assured her. "We'll figure it out like we always do. Okay?"

Tears rolled down her cheeks, but Poppy gave her boyfriend her brightest (watery) smile. "Okay."

Chapter Text

Poppy felt a looming sense of dread as Branch led her back towards his living room. His grip on her hand was tight, as if he was afraid she would run away. That made Poppy feel guilty; she would never run away from Branch. Not after everyone else in his life had. They were a team, they stuck together. No matter what, she would be by his side.

Branch guided her into the room where his brothers and her sister were. John Dory and Floyd were talking lowly, while Clay was sitting with Viva. Her sister's hands were clasped together, a tortured look in her magenta eyes. Clay was speaking quietly to her, but nothing in her face indicated she even heard him.

Another stab of guilt; she had done that. She was the reason her big sister looked like that.

Branch squeezed her hand and maneuvered her to the bright pink loveseat she had bothered him into getting. It was her favorite place in the Bunker to sit. Usually, she would drape herself over his lap as they sat here after a long day.

She reached for some of that comfort now. It didn't quite work.

John Dory was the first to spot them, and he gave her a comforting smile. "Hey there, Poppyseed," he greeted. "Rest well?"

Poppy yawned, nodding. "I did," she told him. "Thanks, JD." She would admit, she was fond of John Dory. Well, she liked all of Branch's brothers because they were part of her family now. But her and John had just clicked. Him being the only one to come back for her Branch certainly helped, but she saw a lot of similarities between herself and the oldest Brozone member.

Floyd handed her another mug of hot chocolate that she took gratefully. "Thanks." She sipped the hot liquid, trying to hold onto the warmth it provided.

Viva finally looked at her, and Muses, there was something so devastated in her magenta eyes. "Poppy," she whispered. Her chin wobbled.

Guilt stabbed her right in the chest. "I-I'm sorry, Viva," she said lowly. "I didn't mean..." Didn't mean to make you sad. Didn't mean to make you worry. Didn't mean to be a burden.

But Viva shook her head so fast her yellow hair flopped about. "Don't apologize!" she begged. "You didn't do anything wrong! Dad-" Her voice broke. Viva stared at the floor. "Dad did this. He should be the one apologizing, not you."

Poppy bit her lip. "He was doing what was right for the village." The words sounded hollow even to her own ears. For the village, for the village; what about her?

The lost princess scoffed through unshed tears. "Yeah, right, for the village." Anger bled through her forlorn expression. "Not telling you about me was for the village too. Forgetting everyone who-"

Clay laid a hand on her arm. "Easy, Viv, easy," he consoled. Clay could be a prickly troll- not unlike Branch- but he was so soft with Viva.

Viva took a deep breath, turning to him. "It isn't fair," she spat. "I was crushed when Poppy, my baby sister, looked at me and had no idea who I was. But I took it. It was just Dad being Dad, right? Fine, whatever. But this is different." She pointed at her sister. "This is about Poppy's safety. Shove every memory of me away? Fine."

Her gaze turned hard. "But let Poppy's kidnappers walk away free? Hell no."

Tears rolled down Poppy's face at her sister's declaration. She hadn't realized how much her father's silence had hurt Viva. But she should have. Of course being discarded and forgotten about was painful.

This must have been the final straw in Viva's patience with their dad.

"We can all agree on that," John Dory chimed in for the first time in a while. He was smiling, but his eyes held the same anger Viva's did. "Letting Creek and Daisy walk free isn't an option."

Clay nodded, taking out his clipboard. "They're a security risk," he informed them, scribbling some things down. "Not only is this Creek's second offense, his knowledge of the village is what allowed him to kidnap Poppy in the first place. Not to mention Daisy knows all of our protocols and escape plans. It's too dangerous to let them do what they want."

Floyd nudged him. "And what they did to Poppy was terrible and shouldn't be overlooked," he added gently.

Poppy had never had older brothers. She had always wanted a sister- which she had in Viva- and she had Cooper, but having protective big brothers was a foreign concept to her. She imagined it was something like this.

She smiled; It was a nice feeling.

Branch looked exceptionally pleased. "So we are doing something about this?"

John Dory gave him a look. "Floyd, Viva, Clay, and I are doing something about this," he corrected. "No offense, bro, but I'm afraid you'll bite Peppy if we let you. Just let us handle this, okay?"

Branch looked like he wanted to argue, but crossed his arms and pouted instead. "Fine," he accepted. Poppy was impressed; JD's Branch knowledge was getting good.

OoOoOo

Poppy gripped Branch's hand as they followed their siblings to King Peppy's pod. He gently rubbed her knuckles with his thumb, but it did little to quell her nerves. She wasn't usually a worrier- that was his job- but she was so sure this wouldn't go well. Was all this effort even worth it? Over her? She was the Queen, she couldn't let her big sister fight her battles.

Branch squeezed her hand. "It's gonna be okay," he promised. She wanted to believe him because he never broke a promise, but nothing could calm her down.

When they arrived, Dad opened the door. To Poppy's surprise, he didn't look great. There were dark bags under his eyes and his face looked like it had more wrinkles than usual. It was like her father had aged ten years over night. "Viva," he greeted. "Poppy. Boys. What can I do for you?"

Viva crossed her arms over her chest. "We need to talk, Dad," she told him, teeth clenched. It was clear she was still fuming.

Peppy looked over them all carefully, his gaze finally landing on Poppy. She stared back, trying her best not to fidget. For some reason, she felt like she had broken his trust, betrayed him. But that was ridiculous.

Wasn't it?

Dad sighed and stepped aside. "Come on in."

Chapter Text

The room was tense.

Poppy nervously sipped her juice; bumbleberry, one of her favorites. Peppy had remembered. Because he was her dad and he loved her.

Viva was on her left and Branch was on her right. Both of them angry, though one of them also hurt. John Dory, Clay, and Floyd were staring Peppy down. JD was visibly annoyed, Clay’s expression was unreadable, and Floyd just looked at the old king with disappointment. She didn’t quite know what the brothers were going to say, but she was glad she wasn’t on the receiving end.

“So,” started John Dory, leveling Dad with a look . “Is there a reason you’re trying to tell Poppy to let Creek and Daisy off?”

Peppy- who definitely wasn’t used to being questioned like this- visibly tensed. “I was only suggesting that she take into consideration how important they both are to the village,” he defended. “They were both upstanding members-”

“What’s so upstanding about selling the entire village out to be eaten?” Floyd interrupted dryly, sounding so much like Branch that it made Poppy double-take. “Or kidnapping the Queen, planning a coup, and trying to turn our allies against us?”

Peppy’s mouth set into an uncharacteristically firm line. “I’m not trying to suggest they go unpunished,” he replied slowly. “I just want Poppy to be aware of what’s best for the village.”

Clay scribbled on his clipboard. “Yeah… I don’t think going easy on two traitors is what’s best for the village,” he chimed in. “Not dealing with Daisy and Creek properly could lead to security breaches, something we’re unequipped to deal with. Not to mention, the chance they’ll pull another stunt is way higher.” He tucked his clipboard into his hair. “What’s your idea of a proper punishment, King Peppy? Because if it’s community service, that gives them way too much access to the village.”

Dad was so disgruntled that it looked like his mustache curled. “Now, listen here-”

John Dory cut him off. “That’s not even mentioning the fact that they hurt your daughter,” he hissed. Poppy had never seen JD look so angry. It was actually kind of scary. “Seriously, dude, what the heck? Do you even care?”

Peppy was properly offended now. “How dare you all! I will not be insulted in my own home!”

“ Dad. ”

Viva was standing now, staring down their father. Poppy couldn’t see her face, but whatever it looked like was enough to shut Peppy up. “They’re right and you know it.” Viva’s voice was soft, though it trembled. “Forgetting how dangerous they are, forgetting the security risks, they hurt Poppy . Our queen. My sister. Your daughter . And you’re… you’re talking about letting them off easy for the sake of the village?”

Peppy was silent.

Viva took a deep breath. “Dad, I’ve looked up to you my whole life,” she continued. “Even when you weren’t there, thoughts of you kept me going. I wanted to be strong because you taught me to be. Because you always were.” She glanced at Poppy then, eyes shimmering with tears. “But now… I know that dad was never real.” She looked back at Peppy. “You’re not strong, you’re a coward .”

Poppy could see the heartbreak on her father’s face. It made her own heart clench. “Viva-”

Viva didn’t give him a chance. “You never told Poppy about me,” she interrupted. “I spent so much time imagining what she would be like, about how close we would be when I saw her again. Wondering if she missed me as much as I missed her. Only to find out you didn’t mention me, not once .”

“It was to keep her happy!” Peppy blurted. His amber eyes begged Viva to understand. “To keep everyone happy! We couldn’t dwell on the past if we wanted to move forward!”

“You can’t pretend things aren’t wrong.”

It wasn’t Viva, but Branch who spoke up. He wasn’t looking at Peppy, his eyes were trained on the floor. Poppy couldn’t take her eyes off him. “You can’t just cast things aside because they make you feel bad. That doesn’t solve the problem.”

Poppy squeezed his hand. As reassurance, and as a silent apology. He gave her a squeeze back.

Peppy looked somewhere between ashamed and devastated, staring at Branch and Viva with guilt in his eyes. “...I just wanted to do what was right.”

“Right or easy ?” challenged John Dory. “Peppy, you can’t stand there and tell me what you’ve done, what you’re doing , is right. Look at your daughters.”

Peppy did. His amber eyes stayed on Viva for a moment, before finally flitting over to her. Peppy stared at her, Poppy stared back.

And she thought about her father. Poppy remembered the good times. The times when he doted on her and hugged her and dried her tears. The times when they would sit together and tell stupid jokes and go on little adventures together. The times when they were so happy with one another.

And she remembered the bad times. The times when she wasn’t allowed to be hurt or sad. When she had to keep believing the world was cupcakes and rainbows even on days when she really, really didn’t think it was. The times when she had to keep the village smiling and singing even on days she felt like dying.

Poppy loved her father. But she couldn’t pretend anymore. It hurt . His actions had hurt her. And ignoring it was just making it hurt more.

Peppy seemed to realize this too because his entire face sagged with sorrow. He suddenly looked his age, far from the strong king she had always known him to be.

Poppy stood up, raising her chin. “You want me to do what’s best for the village,” she said as diplomatically as she could with the lump in her throat. “And like Clay said, something like community service won’t work. Going easy on Creek and Daisy will cause more problems for our people. They’re going to be punished accordingly.”

Peppy quietly nodded. “Of course, Poppet,” he agreed, utterly defeated.

Her eyes stung with tears. Branch quickly took her hand, leading her out of her father’s pod before she burst into tears. He, more than anyone, knew how much she hated crying in front of people.

“You did good,” he promised softly. His paws wiped at her cheeks, trying to mop up her oncoming tears. “I’m so proud of you, Poppy.”

She didn’t feel good. Her body ached and her heart felt heavy in her chest. No, Poppy didn’t feel good.

She felt bad. Really, really bad.