'Sup. I was chatting with my Trolls squad on Instagram and pointed out that even though he knows Poppy's presentation is headed for disaster, Branch still gives it his all and gently gets her to realize her mistakes with Bridget. I dunno about you, but I think that's quality boyfriend material. Thus, a fic of her wondering why and the result. Teeny little fluff fic for your Christmas night.

(FanFiction may have screwed with the spacing.)

After the first holiday between Bergens and Trolls drew to a happy close, friends both big and small hugged goodbye and goodnight. It was too late to make the trek back home, so the many trolls who'd come to celebrate were more than happy to kip out in their ancestral home and leave in the morning. Among these of course was the Snack Pack in its entirety. Poppy was safe and snug in a mossy alcove, much like her many friends, and pondering the events of the day. Sure she and Bridget had had their first fight, but their friendship was stronger for it and each had learned a valuable lesson. She had been rather pushy, but with good intentions, and Branch had been there to reassure her that not all was lost after they'd been kicked out of the castle.

Branch… She sighed contentedly, feeling so glad that he was learning how to be happy again, step by step. He was getting bluer all the time and she knew that when his colors came back again, they would stay. The princess was so glad her precious friend had learned to smile again, and honestly, Bridget was so right. It was a very nice smile. She rolled onto her back and reviewed his participation in her shenanigans.

"Poppy, are you sure this is a good idea?" he'd said.

Her head popped off the moss. Sure he'd been wary of her idea in the beginning, but she thought he was just being his usual overly cautious self. Of course she'd thought the same about his warningts of being too loud and he'd been right in the end. Poppy sat up, brow furrowed. How many people was she not listening to?

"You know that wise old saying, "go big or go home!"? Maybe we should go…" was another.

She'd cut him off there, too caught up in their presentation. Branch was the first person she hadn't listened to, and this was not the first time. Unlike Bridget, he hadn't gotten mad. Both times he'd come to support her anyway, despite the fact that she kept trashing his warnings. He knew continuing the presentation was a bad idea, and being unable to convince her, had instead given his all during the speed round. Why?

Poppy thought she knew her friend. Apparently she was wrong.

Then "Now I know that's not true, because I'm your friend."

As good as it felt to hear him say that, her friends didn't do for her what Branch did. Not ever. They hadn't given it to her straight, told her when she was overstepping boundaries, and gotten her to realize when she was doing something stupid.

So why?

Not mindful of the exact words he'd sung to her during that long ago day in the pot, when every troll lost his or her colors, the pinkette climbed to her feet and made her way through the darkened tree. She passed piles and singles and Trolls doubled up, all lost in slumber. Each brought a gentle smile to her face, but the princess really only had eyes for one.

Branch. If nothing else, she wanted to know why he did what he did. Why not back out and save himself the embarrassment?

The blueish gray troll was thankfully not too hard to find, having opted not to sleep by himself as one might expect, but fairly close to her and the rest of the Snack Pack. Poppy reached down and lay a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Branch?" It came out in a meek whisper, and he must have still been awake, for the male rolled over immediately, looking concerned instead of irritated that his rest was interrupted. A memory of their night out in the woods flashed through the pink troll's mind, and she briefly compared the vexed expression he wore then to the one he had now.

"Poppy?" She sat down next to him.

"Can I ask you something?" Branch pushed himself up, leaning back on blueish hands.

"Sure, what's up?" The princess fiddled with the edge of her dress.

"Why'd you do it?"

"That's not vague at all" said the male sarcastically, but shot her a friendly grin to take away the sting. "Why'd I do what?" Poppy gave his shoulder a playful push.

"Why'd you come along, for starters. You knew my idea was bad, so why?"

"Because you asked me to" Branch replied plainly, not bothering to deny the fact that yes her idea had not been a particularly bright one. "In your own, special, pushy way…" She shoved him again.

"Branch!" He rocked with the motion, laughing.

"You wanted me to come, so I did. That's all I got, Poppy." The pink troll looked quite pensive for a moment.

"Okay, so why'd you give it your all for Double Down Speed Round? I'd already embarrassed you, but you were as enthusiastic as any of the Snack Pack." She didn't say it, but seeing Branch act so trollish had warmed her heart. "Even then, you came to cheer me up and make me realize what I'd done wrong." Her cheeks began to warm for some reason. "I don't get it."

Branch just raised an eyebrow at her.

"Poppy, I told you, I will always be there." The last five words were sung in an achingly familiar melody, and the blue-gray troll raised a hand to gently lift her chin, which had begun to dip slightly in belated shame. "The same reason I came after you on your oh so heroic journey, and no it wasn't because of too many hug times, although being swarmed by so many trolls with crazy eyes was kinda claustrophobic, not gonna lie…" The princess giggled slightly and he smiled, glad he'd managed to tease a laugh out of her.

"What reason is that?" Branch's hand went up to cup her cheek, which began to turn a darker shade of pink.

"I thought you knew that already" he said in a low voice, but without hesitation. "Even if you don't feel the same, I did all of that because I love you. From now until forever, I'll be behind you, one hundred percent. Whatever you need me to do, even if it's a crazy plan like getting the Bergens a new holiday when all they ever needed was happiness."

Poppy...began to cry. Silently, with diamond bright tears slowly trickling down both cheeks and landing on Branch's supportive hand. The male troll's expression shifted to one of panic, but before he could freak and ask what he'd done wrong, the pink one slowly leaned forward until she hit his shoulder. The hand on her cheek moved so it rested tentatively on her back in an expression of comfort.

"I'm happy having you for a friend" he said honestly. "If that's all you see me as, that's fine. You showed me how to be happy again and I couldn't ask for anything more." This made Poppy cry harder. He acknowledged his feelings for her, laid them out on the table, and never once asked for anything back. How could she have missed that, unintentionally or not? Branch gently rubbed her back, soothing her.

"I see your true colors, shining through" he crooned softly. "I see your true colors, that's why I love you…" The blue-gray troll tilted his head down, ever so slightly brushing the princess's flamingo pink hair with a feather light kiss.

"I meant every word in that song" he admitted. "Even if you hadn't brought my colors back, I promised myself right then and there that I would stop pushing you away. That for you-" he took a breath "-I was willing to try."

Poppy clutched onto his vest and let him hold her. He was so understanding and so gentle, and for the life of her, the princess couldn't figure out how or why she'd ignored this. This brave, kind, sensitive troll, who'd been giving his all for as long as she had known him. How could she claim to see him as just a friend now?

Glancing up, she saw his warm blue eyes watching her lovingly, and Poppy felt walls around her heart she didn't even know were there start to crumble. She clutched onto his vest a little tighter for stability and pulled herself up, brushing her lips over his jawline. The longer she gazed at him, the more apparent a single thought became, and the only reason she hadn't realized it before was because it was completely new to her.

"I love you."

Those blue eyes crinkled, and she realized his smile had made the next step to a grin and spread from ear to ear.

"You do, huh?" Poppy's cheeks turned a brilliant pink.

"Did I say that out loud?" A laugh started deep in Branch's chest, coming out as one of the most beautiful sounds she'd ever heard.

"Yeah, yeah you did. But that's okay, right?" He craned his head and moved so their faces were precious few centimeters apart, breath ghosting over her lips. "Because I love you too." The pink troll grinned shyly, but found it within her to lean up slightly and close the gap. She registered Branch's eyes widening slightly before her own fluttered shut.

It was a chaste kiss, but warm and filled with emotions Poppy didn't know she had. She didn't notice Branch's arms encircling her waist for support, or her own migrating to his shoulders, until the lack of oxygen became too much to bear and they came apart with a gasp. The young queen gazed at her companion with wide eyes, even as her cheeks remained a rosy hue and her lips curved upwards in a smile.

"I really do" she sighed, reaffirming what the kiss had fully brought to light. Branch heaved a breath, like one dropping a heavy load, and hugged her so their heads rested parallel to each other. Tucked against his neck, Poppy could see his skin glow a beautiful blue and the hair mingling with her own was a rich cobalt. She gasped.

"Your colors!" The arms around her tightened affectionately.

"Seems they'll always come back as long as I have you. Thank you, Poppy." She squeezed back in reply, but the back of her mind wondered why they'd gone away again in the first place. Was that her fault too? He seemed to sense her musings, for the now blue troll rubbed his nose against her hair in a loving nuzzle.

"After being gray for twenty years, it was hard to keep a grip on my colors. Not your fault." Poppy breathed a content sigh, fears assuaged.

"Glad I could help." Branch laughed again, quietly, so as not to disturb their neighbors.

"More than you know, Poppy. More than you know."

Hope you like it!