Controlled Chaos

Dreams

After breakfast, the couple didn't talk much. And Branch being... well, Branch, he was worried that Poppy was upset or angry at someone. Mostly, he was concerned about her being mad at him.

Where'd she even go? he thought. Branch wandered around her pod, but he couldn't find her anywhere. When he finally decided to give up, he went to the living room and flopped onto the couch.

But then, his thoughts came running into his mind.

Was this some kind of game? Or a prank? Or was Poppy genuinely gone? Branch wasn't sure, but knowing Poppy, she seemed to like worrying her boyfriend. Or, maybe she really had just.. left. 

But that was unlike her. Usually, she would stay with Branch until he made her go out and do her work. And she would always whine and pout about it. He thought back to the morning's events and realized that it wasn't really a normal morning.

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Meanwhile, Poppy sat on the ground in the bathroom. A strange spot to sit, but she liked it. It helped her breathe and just think. And boy, did she have a lot to think about.

She remembered the tension headache, and how much it hurt. Why did it happen? Poppy racked her brain for an answer, but the only logical thing she thought about was the stress. So, why didn't it satisfy her?

It seemed like a content answer, but it didn't feel like the right one. Poppy shook her head to erase the thought from her mind. Her brain quickly jumped onto another subject; last night's dream.

Poppy's eyes widened. She had completely forgot about her dream. She tried to recall the events, but she couldn't. After a while of straining, she groaned and pulled her on hair. Why couldn't she remember anything?

She sighed and laid down on her back. The tiles were cool and soothing. Poppy hadn't even realized how hot she was. She stared up at the ceiling as her thoughts continued to lead her on a wild goose chase.

Poppy's thoughts slowed a bit and she felt her eyelids getting heavy. She was about to fall asleep when an image flashed thru her head. She jerked up, her eyes wide open. She held her head and rubbed her eyes.

Water...

It was water..

The picture was so real to her. It was of her, in a small pond. Why did it terrify her so much? Poppy felt like crying, like melting into a puddle of tears. And all because of an image?

She started to remember what happened. It was her dream, or at least, she was pretty sure it was, and she was at a lake, swimming happily. It was peaceful and perfect, until she realized that the sun was about to set.

The dream's sun started to move faster across the sky. Poppy watched it, scared. She hated the dark. Not knowing what to do, she tried to scramble out of the pool of water and back onto land.

But she didn't make it. Poppy was stuck in the dark, and the lake seemed endless. She suddenly was jerked under water, and she remembered waking up in her bed, soaked in sweat.

Poppy felt stunned. She didn't know what the dream meant. But she did know how scared she was. It was like watching a horror movie, but the main character was yourself.

"Maybe I should go find Branch.." she mumbled.

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Branch had fallen asleep on the couch. He didn't even awake when the creak of the bathroom door filled up the silence of the house. He kept on sleeping, even when Poppy crawled next to him.

"Branch?"

He heard a call. Someone saying his name. It was distant, like an echo from someone far away.

"Branch.."

He heard it again, and his brain, being curious, forced him to open up his eyes. Branch's eyes fluttered open to see Poppy next to him, clinging onto his arm. He looked down at her and smiled.

"There you are, I was looking for you," he yawned. Poppy nodded, but said nothing. Branch looked into her eyes and noticed something strange. Her eyes were a dark magenta, and her small pupils made her look scared.

Branch cupped her face and gently he made it so he could better see her eyes. They looked so terrified. "Poppy, is something wrong?" he asked, his voice almost at a whisper.

She wanted to say no, but she couldn't lie to him. Where would that get her? "I'm kind of scared, to be honest," she said. Poppy laid her head on Branch's shoulder and sighed.

He hated when Poppy was scared, or sad, or angry, or really any bad feeling. So, he tried to comfort her. Branch  set her in his lap and squeezed her. "What's scaring you, cupcake?" he asked.

"I-I had a really b-bad dream..." she stammered. Branch's expression shifted into terribly concerned and soft one. "Oh, Poppy.. why didn't you tell me?" he asked. She shook her head, and buried her face into his hair.

"I j-just remembered.." she cried. Her voice was muffled, yet still sounded clear to him. Another stress dream.. he  thought. "Could you tell me what happened?" he asked.

Poppy hesitated. Normally, she would've told him in a heartbeat. Why was she hesitating? Poppy took a breath. "I dunno, Branch.. I don't really wanna talk right now," she sighed.

He didn't know why, but Branch felt a bit of anger flow thru his veins when she said this. She was his girlfriend, wasn't she supposed to tell him everything? He shook away the feeling, realizing that she probably just needed time.

"Okay," he said, nudging her, "but do you at least want to snuggle some before you have to go out and queen?"

"Yes..but I don't wanna be important today.." she whined.

"I know, but TrollsTopia is worried about you."

"But I don't want to!"

"I'll take you to dinner tonight."

Poppy hesitated. "Fine, but I'm holding you to your words, Branchie," she giggled.