(Damn you guys, motivating me so much- have another chapter)
.... Branch has been having some internal conflicts for awhile now, even before the Trolls had ended up in the Human world with (Y/n)...
He had been crushing on Poppy for the longest time. She was the only one to try and befriend him and never gave up on him... and he couldn't help but grow feelings for her because of it. Even when he refused every invitation she offered him, she still came around to try and talk to him or involve him in things.
Of course, she was one of the most annoying Trolls he's ever had the displeasure of meeting, but he couldn't help but admire her ability to stay positive no matter what, even if it irritated him to no end when she refused to see the reality of situations.
Every invitation, even the ones he destroyed out of frustration, he kept and fixed...
He felt so jealous when she began chasing after Creek. He tried to get over his crush on her, tried to distance himself, tried to make her hate him so she'd stop coming around and messing up his healing process... but it just wouldn't work. She wouldn't go away, and he couldn't stop the pleasant feeling of floating every time she remembered to attempt to invite him to some party she was throwing.... he had fallen so deep that he felt he might never find his way back up...
... But then (Y/n) came crashing into his life and complicated everything even more.
(Y/n)...
At first, he kept his distance- or at least, tried to. Every time he looked at you or was in some kind of proximity of you, everything in his body screamed 'Bergen!' and wanted to run and hide...
But then, the more he was around you, the less he felt the need to note every possible escape route or hiding spot... until he finally stopped coming up with horrible scenarios where everyone turns into an appetizer or the main course and that little voice in the back of his head stopped screaming. He began to hang around you more and more- mostly because you were the only other sane person in the house, and didn't break into song and dance every time someone did something the Trolls thought was worthy of celebration.
Like breathing-
He began the slow process of healing again, this time with someone there to help the process along... even if you and him hadn't realize it at the time.
You probably still don't know..
.... He began looking forward to Hug-Time, strangely enough. Because it meant he'd get to be alone with you for an hour or so, talking and relaxing without the threat of another Troll interrupting, or joining in on the conversation, or doing something stupid or destructive that'd make you have to leave mid-conversation to stop them...
Of course, your strange way of speaking still confused him to no end, but it's what makes you so unique- even if you say things that he doesn't understand but feels like it's probably an insult, like the time you called him a snowflake because he didn't want to watch you 'see how many energy drinks it would take to give you a heart-attack' after the Trolls threw a massive party in the bathroom and got glitter everywhere.
... and before he knew it, he began unknowingly crushing on you, along with his slowly diminishing crush on Poppy... and he knew that it was wrong to like someone 10x his size... but he couldn't help it. You understood things that no Troll ever could, he could have a serious conversation without having to explain why it's a serious conversation, he could spill sensitive information without you trying to make a joke out of it... like Poppy and the others did when they began singing the exact song he sang that got his grandma killed right after telling them about it...
He had tried to brush it off, knowing they probably didn't mean it as a joke... but that's what it felt like.
... and it became painfully obvious that Poppy didn't return his feelings after he confessed to her in a song when they were all stuck in that pot, and she took it as platonic love... of course, it hurt, and he was disappointed... but not as much as one would have thought when being friend-zoned by his first crush...
It was only when he was in that strange hug with you after they saved everyone in Bergen-Town, that he finally, really, realized that he was crushing on you...
Sometimes he can still feel the warmth of your hand against his back and the vibrations of your voice...
He had it bad...
It only got worse after he told you everything about his past experiences with Bergens, and you didn't tell him to forgive them, you didn't tell him to stop holding a grudge, you didn't make him feel bad about 'having beef' with them... you told him it was ok, and that his reasons are valid...
You understood him in a way that Poppy never could.
It was only after you confronted him about his fading colors that he finally accepted that he had a crush on you... not like denying it would have helped him any or changed anything, but after you had given him some, surprisingly good, advice about his colors, he just.... finally made peace with himself and stopped fighting it. Of course, that didn't mean he's entirely over Poppy... he might never get over her, seeing that she was his first crush after all... but its become way easier to hang around her without feeling that pain in his chest.
... But right now, he's leading you to that perfect spot he had in mind for the shelter.
... which was definitely just a coincidence that it was close to his bunker...
Definitely...
........................
............
I-it's just in case something happens and you need to get him or visa versa! It's convenient!
He slowed down his jog as the marked area came into sight. He had marked a big X into the ground before he went looking for you, so it'd be easier to find it again and make sure he didn't walk past it. It was a big enough space that the two of you could dig a big enough hole so you would be able to stretch out, and depending on how deep the hole is or how tall the branches are, you might be able to sit up in the shelter once they finish, and this spot had enough cover from the trees so when it rains, it wouldn't cause any problems like flooding or the shelter collapsing.
"Ok, this is the spot." He nodded, placing his plans down near a tree. "Let's get to digging." He pulled a shovel from his hair, ignoring the faint joke that you made about digging your grave.
As Branch dug, he couldn't stop his gaze from constantly trailing up to look at you, where you were on your knees, digging with your bare hands, since you didn't have a shovel of your own... just your hands alone dug faster than his much smaller shovel, a light gleam of sweat shining in the sunlight against your dirtied skin, a zoned out look on your dirt covered face from all the times you accidentally wiped your face with your hands...
... he watched with a slowly forming smile as you threw dirt behind you, spraying everything with dirt as you dug like some kind of animal... it was definitely a strange tactic, but it seemed to be working...
He wondered what you were thinking about... knowing you, probably something weird.
You were thinking about how much easier it is to dig in this place then your own world... like, why the fuck is it so soft?! Goddamn, you're like a drill! Better watch out, we 'bout to spin outta this bitch- ... why Branch is staring at you-
Branch shook his head and went back to digging, unable to stop thoughts from flooding his mind, all revolving around you.
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When the hole was dug and you both made sure you could fit in it, Branch and you went different ways to look for leaves to fill the hole with.
The more he thought, the more the need to sing bubbled up in his chest... which isn't anything new. When he's alone in his bunker, he finds himself singing- so many words cram into his mind at once, and sometimes they don't make sense, but it makes him feel light on his feet...
He began to hum as he picked up any leaves he seen, not realizing the local wildlife was beginning to hum along with him.
The beat continued around him, and he couldn't contain it anymore.
"My heart's a stereo." He began, holding his free hand to his chest. "It beats for you, so listen close."
"Hear my thoughts in every no-o-ote..."
The feeling in his chest only got more intense, causing him to bob his head to the beat created around him. "Make me your radio and turn me up when you feel low."
"This melody was meant for you- just sing along to my stereo."
He dropped the leaves as he began to dance, twisting his feet around as his hands came up to keep in beat, the wildlife dropping the bass. "If I was just another dusty record on the shelf, would you blow me off and play me like everyone else?"
"If I asked you to scratch my back, could you manage that?- like, yeah I can handle that."
He slid backwards on his feet, holding his hands to his chest. "Furthermore, I apologize for any skipping tracks, it's just the last girl that played me left a couple cracks."
He couldn't help but think of Poppy...
With quick thinking, he made the illusion of glitching as he repeated the same move over and over again. "I used to- used to- used to- now I'm over that, cause holding grudges over love is ancient artifacts."
He briefly noted that he might be getting too into this, but it was quickly buried as he continued to sing...
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"... So sing along to my stereo!"
He was panting as finished the final line, holding the final pose for a few more seconds, the musical wildlife around him slowly leaving or returning to whatever they were doing.
... he sighed as let go of the pose, leaning down to begin picking up the leaves he scattered while he was dancing.
Luckily, he's satisfied the weirdly intense urge to sing... for now... it always comes back.
When he got back to the hole, he found leaves piled up on the side... but no (Y/n)...
Huh, where'd you go?
There's enough leaves here to cover the bottom... huh...
He's already walking in the direction he seen you go before he really had time to think about it...
... Singing?
He could hear singing... he was too far away to make out the words, but he could hear the wildlife posing as background music to whatever was going on- but then again, they'll sing along to anything.
It wasn't until he got close enough to peek around a tree that he realized who was singing.
.... there you were, piling up leaves and slightly nodding your head to whatever you were singing.
"-you have beaten Shia Labeouf...."
Oh... he must have missed it, you were already done... darn, that's too bad. No one's ever heard you sing before-
"Wait! He isn't dead! Shia surprise! There's a gun to your head and death in his eyes!- but you can do Jiu Jitsuuuuuu!"
What-
"Bodyslam superstar Shia Labeouf!"
What are you even singing?!
"Legendary fight with Shia Labeouf! Normal Tuesday night for Shia Labeouf! You try to swing an axe at Shia Labeouf!- But blood is draining fast from your stump leg!"
Branch could only watch with growing confusion as you sang... whatever this is, with the wildlife acting as dramatic background choir... what does this even mean? Who's Shia Labeouf- when did you fight him? Songs usually have meaning behind them, so what's the meaning behind this?- Trolls sing when they feel a certain way, so what are you feeling? Is it about a past lover and you are singing about how you left him? Is it about an argument you might have had when you were with this Shia Labeouf person? Is it about some unknown frustrations that Branch failed to see?
"-You're chopping off his head nooooow- you have just decapitated Shia Labeouf!"
What?!
Branch stayed behind the tree, watching you sing this weird song... and slowly realizing you weren't serious- oh thank the stars!
... He's never heard you sing before... and does this really count as singing? You're mostly just saying words in a dramatic fashion with background music...
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As the day went on, after Branch had ran back to the building spot so you wouldn't see him and think he was being creepy, he was trying not to stare at you as they were finishing up what the two of you could on the shelter. He couldn't help but wonder how you came up with that song... do you not sing because you're worried others won't like your music?- I mean, sure, it's weird and resembles nothing he's ever heard before, but if that's what you sing and what makes you happy, then you shouldn't worry about stuff like that...
Hopefully you'll realize that soon.
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(Y/n): Singings some random bullshit
Branch: loosing sleep and thinking too hard about your song choices and trying to find some deep hidden meaning-
But also- HA! You guys probably thought I was about to write down all the lyrics of that first song, didn't you!- nah, I wouldn't do that to ya'- but I went down 2000s-nostalgia-lane and ended up listening to so many early 2000s music-
Actual movie plot starts next chapter~