Foreigner of Trollmanity

《⑨》'(Y/n)'s gonna punch Poppy one of these days-'

Branch sat at the edge of the raft, listening to the song Hickory was singing, which was getting a little too personal for some reason- ... before glancing over at Poppy, who was steering the raft and looking slightly irritated yet sad... then to (Y/n), who was walking next to the raft, looking even more irritated then Poppy and scowling...

The survivalist flopped back onto the raft, taking his eyes off of you to stare at the gray sky.

Neither you nor Poppy were talking to each other after that argument about friendship... and Branch didn't know what to do. He felt he shouldn't stick his nose in your guy's business, but he also felt like he should try to mend the straining friendship between the two... but he had to agree with you that Poppy didn't entirely know what true friendship meant... even though he didn't want to admit it.

... He was the living example that Poppy didn't listen to her friends and just did whatever she wanted... she never listened to him... and she also didn't listen to you... and she didn't listen to Biggie either...

Actually, now that he's had time to think about it... she didn't listen to anyone but herself...

Hickory suddenly came over to him, interrupting his thoughts and blocking his view of the depressing sky.

"Somethin' tells me your heart ain't all in this mission, Branch." He pointed out, holding out a hand for him to grab from where he had flopped onto his back.

"What do you mean? I'm here, aren't I?" Branch was confused as he sat up, and it was obvious since Hickory continued.

"Yeah, you're on a mission, all right... but your heart is with Miss (Y/n)-"

"Hey, Hey, Hey! Shush! Shhhh!" Branch nearly jumped to his feet, his heart nearly dropping to his feet from how loud he thought Hickory was being.

He looked up to the person of topic...

.... You were in your own world. You didn't hear anything.

Oh thank God!

"Heheh. Have you told her yet?" Hickory asked, amused by his reaction, and sitting down next to him.

Branch sighed, glancing up at you again... before looking down at his reflection. "No..."

Hickory tilted his head. "Why not?"

"It's... it's just... I don't want to ruin our friendship if she's not interested- and it's hard to tell if she likes me like that or not... and she's a completely different species entirely, so there are so many things that could go wrong. Like how she's so big, and I'm so... small...... I-I just..." He trailed off as he looked at his hands... He wants to tell you. He really did. He wanted that possibility for something more... but the possibility of you rejecting him is always there to hold him back.

"You're scared..." Hickory finished for him, nodding in understanding when Branch gave a short nod of confirmation. "I understand that. But you shouldn't let that hold you back. One of these days you might not get 'nother chance like this to tell her everythin' you wanna tell her..."

What Hickory was saying made sense. Of course it did. This is something he's thought about in the silence of his bunker when he's alone with his thoughts. He's had so many arguments and discussions with himself about this...

One day you might not be here.

One day he might not be here.

One day you might be sent back to your world out of nowhere and Branch will be left all alone with the wish for a rewind to tell you everything before it's too late...