Chapter Text
It was nice having a quiet morning for a change. Branch was so rarely up at dawn anymore. Staying up late having fun and catching up on chores made his former morning routine more challenging and much less appealing. But last night he’d slept ok. And this morning he got to finish his coffee before morning song started. He was even out the door and on the way to meet Poppy and it still hadn’t started.
The air was crisp and a little cool, but as he got closer to the village, worry started nagging at him. He walked a little farther before he gave in to the growing feeling of wrongness and stopped to figure it out. Did he forget something? Leave something open, or on?
No… nothing like that.
He stood looking down at the ground and his shadow, tapping his foot. It was the day. It felt off somehow.
His shadow... It seemed wrong, shorter than he expected. Branch checked the sun, it was much higher in the sky than he’d thought…
Morning song should have started by now.
That didn’t necessarily mean something was wrong…
Branch hurried the rest of the way and pushed through the dense screen of leaves near the village border.
Everyone was gray. All gray.
Trolls milled about, mostly looking down at their feet. No one looked up as Branch entered the clearing. A heavy silence hung in the air.
“Oh no.” His own hushed whisper rang in his ears. He swallowed and approached a small group of trolls. They noticed him, some shielded away, but no one looked up. Branch came aware of wringing his hands and tried to stop, “What happened….” but he already knew.
Someone had died. It’s the only reason everyone was gray.
No one looked at him or even tried to answer.
“Guys?” They ignored him.
He asked another group, but they wouldn’t look at him either.
He needed to get to Poppy. She’d fill him in, even if everyone else wouldn’t. She’d explain.
He just had to stay calm… find Poppy and figure out what was going on. He stepped back from the group and turned towards her pod. The forest spun around him as he tried not to panic.
Guy Diamond stepped out from a group of trolls in the distance. The world sped up, blurring everything. Branch was panicking, but he met Guy’s eyes, and they said everything he needed to know.
Poppy
Branch ran.
“Poppy!” He burst into her pod.
Poppy lay on the bed, her magenta hair draped over the pillows. She didn’t react as he shouted her name and raced inside.
“No.” He paused for only a heartbeat before rushing to her side. “No no no no no…” She’s… She can’t be…
“Poppy?” This couldn’t be real, it was something else. It had to be. He pulled her up to his chest, but she was limp in his arms. He won’t accept it then it won’t be true. “Poppy, wake up, come on.” His voice trembled. He couldn’t stop shaking. “You don’t want to miss morning song, right?” He held her to his chest, “Right?”
This wasn’t real. As long as he didn’t believe it—
Someone walked in behind him.
“Branch... ”
King Peppy.
If Peppy was gray, then it was true. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out everything but the certain knowledge that Poppy was fine and would wake up. They were going to sing and dance and everything was going to be fine. It had to be. Branch curled around her, trying to hold on to that reality.
“Branch...” Peppy touched his shoulder.
He focused on her, only her. Just Poppy.
She breathed.
Branch’s own breath caught as he felt it. Not in his mind, that really happened. He shot up and looked at Peppy—Gray Peppy.
“But she’s alive.” He looked down at her in his arms, weak, but breathing.
“I know, son.”
“So, then why?” Why? Why was everyone gray? Had someone else...? He bowed his head, someone else had died.
But not Poppy.
Tightness spread through his chest. He shouldn’t be relieved it was someone else, but he had hoped, prayed, that it be anyone else.
Someone lost a loved one, and Branch was relieved it wasn’t him.
Selfish.
He didn’t look up at King Peppy. He had to ask, but didn’t want to know.
“Who?”
“Millie, Bixby’s daughter.”
She was only 13.
Monster.
No. I’m just glad it wasn’t Poppy. I didn’t wish it on Millie specifically, just... anyone not-Poppy.
Branch looked down at Poppy, unconscious and breathing weakly. He probably did not want to know.
“What’s wrong with her?”
Peppy didn’t respond right away.
“Please, please, don’t tell me she’s dying.” Don’t let it be that. Branch pulled her in tighter against him.
Peppy sighed. Don’t say it. Poppy had to be ok. She just had to be. He pressed his face into her hair, trying not to anticipate the words.
“Branch...”
“Please, King Peppy.”
“I’m sorry, son. I wish I could tell you what you want to hear.”
It isn’t right. She couldn’t be. She can’t.
“What happened?” His voice was even, very quiet.
“What does it matter?”
It makes a difference. The doctors could be wrong.
“There could be something someone missed, something that could help. Please King Peppy.” She might not have to die, but if Peppy won’t say what happened, then Branch can’t find away to help. His chest heaved and he couldn’t stop shaking.
Peppy sighed. “Millie’s flyer bug got startled and took off. Poppy went after her. We aren’t totally sure what happened. It seems like Millie fell off or got off her flyer bug and startled a giant woolly scorpion.”
Branch winced. They didn’t eat trolls, preferring other insects instead, but would attack if threatened. Or extra hungry.
“The others caught up to them as Poppy grabbed its tail, trying to protect Millie, but it sprayed poison instead of striking, hitting both of them.” Of course Poppy would try to protect Millie. Poppy would always protect anyone she could, even putting herself at risk. It’s one of the things he loved and couldn’t stand about her. Branch rested his cheek on top of her head and nuzzled her hair. Poppy, why did you have to do the brave thing, he squeezed his eyes shut, and it didn’t even work. Millie died anyway, and now Poppy might as well.
“But, the doctors are treating her, right?”
“Branch, you know there isn’t any cure for this poison.”
“You can’t be serious!” They weren’t even trying! That was insane. They can’t just let her die! Fear and rage crashed around in his head, the shear incomprensible—How! How could they do this to her! No. He couldn’t accept it. Wasn’t going to let them kill her by doing nothing.
“Branch...”
“No! No. They have to at least TRY! You, they—can’t just—give up on her!”
“Branch, you’re shouting, please—” of course he’s shouting. He has every reason to shout. He’d be flailing and throwing a huge fit if Poppy weren’t still pressed tightly against his chest. Peppy should be glad Branch wasn’t screaming.
“No! Just—just no! How much of the poison even touched her? Huh! A lot, a little? How far were the other trolls who saw it happen? They wouldn’t be able to tell unless they were close.” If she didn’t get hit with too much, then maybe—
“You need to calm down Branch.”
“DON’T TELL ME WHAT I NEED!” He was fuming. They weren’t even trying to save her. Everyone, even her father had written her off, given up on her. Abandoning her like she was dead already. Poppy... Poppy couldn’t die. He couldn’t lose her. Branch tightened his arms around her, holding her as if his own life depended on it. Poppy, his best friend, the woman he’s a better man for. She’s his angel.
His anger was burning out as quickly as it flared. He needed to figure out the next step to saving her, now, or he was going to totally lose it.
Solutions, he had to find solutions, not start grieving. Poppy was still alive, nothing could get in the way of making sure she stayed that way. Not his feelings, not Peppy. Nothing.
“Son,” Peppy put a hands on Branch’s shoulder and he froze, “I know how much she means to you. I’ll...” he sighed. “I’ll talk with the doctors.”
Branch cradled Poppy against his chest with his head down over her, his nose and cheek in her hair.
“Thank you, King Peppy.” Branch didn’t shrug off the hand or yell or tell him off. Peppy was their former king and Poppy’s father.
“If there’s anything you need, let me know.”
Branch snorted under his breath. “There is, actually.” He took a breath, choosing his words and saying them carefully, “If anything like this ever happens again, and no one comes to tell me, I’m going to take that very personally. And,” Branch had never disliked his former king, or anyone, like this, “if, somehow, Poppy doesn’t recover from this, I’m going to blame you.”
Peppy looked hurt, but not surprised by the words.
“Honestly, Branch, I didn’t expect anything else.”
The grey king turned and left the pod, presumably to talk with the doctors. But any faith Branch had in Doctors Plum and Moonbloom was already shot, they’d given up on her, so he expected little help from them. If they could help keep her alive... there was a solution out there, be it time or some herb or other ingredient or something. There was something.
Branch looked down at the woman in his arms. Her pink hair and skin looked muted, her breathing was so faint. He’d give anything to take her place. If it was him, she would have known or been told instantly and would never have let anyone give up on him.
“I won’t give up, Poppy. I know you can hear me and I’m sorry I yelled at your dad.” He hugged her gently, “I know you’re going to keep fighting. You do that, keep fighting, however you can, and I’ll do the same out here.” He smiled sadly into her hair. “We’re strongest together, so we’re doing this together too, ok? I know you won’t give up. And neither will I. I will never give up on you, Poppy.” Branch didn’t “know” if she could hear him. He didn’t even think it was very likely, but he had to try, just in case.
“And, Poppy? I think you know already, god, I hope you do, but... I love you.” He didn’t want to cry. She was going to be fine, so no tears were warranted, but logic wasn’t taking the fear and pain away. His throat tightened up and his eyes stung as he spoke. “I love you with all my heart.” The words, every one of them, broke him. What if this was his last chance to tell her? He had to tell her while she was alive. Even if she couldn’t hear him. He couldn’t miss ever telling her.
“When you’re better, I’ll tell you properly, I promise. I’m counting on you, understand. I can’t do this without you. And…just in case it isn’t blindingly obvious,” he held her as lovingly as he could, pouring his affection into that embrace, praying for her to hear him, “you mean everything to me, Poppy. You’re my everything.”