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He has a crush on somebody not just anybody mine you he has a crush on one of his closest and most dearest friends. Boom.
He didn't know what it was about the glitter troll that attracted him.
Maybe it was a smile. His personality couldn't be that he was made out entirely of glitter. He hated glitter.
Maybe it was because he's nice, maybe because he might be reminded of his mother. He didn't know.
oh, he knew now he had a crush on his friend. And he didn't know how to handle it.
How do you handle the realization that in your second life, you are gay, not gay
maybe he still didn't know what time to use still Poppy might be the better option?
But he can't stop thinking about Boom and how respectful he is.
A part of him wanted to recreate the meeting that he and Poppy did in his first life and that is years and years from now, so what's the harm of experimenting?
Branch was currently pacing in his room, trying to think this over. He never had a crush on Boom before so he didn't know how to navigate this.
Now that he thought about it when he was a kid in his first life, boom came up to him with a letter, but never gave it to him.
He was pretty sure Boom ripped it up so he thought of it as being insignificant.
He brushed it off back then thinking that it was Boom being Boom but now that he thought back.
maybe he should've picked the letter up.
Maybe he should've read it. Maybe he could've had a life, maybe a family no don't think like this branch reprimanded himself.
it would never work with him. He was an asexual.
but on the other hand, this was a whole new life and he was 11 for goodness sake.
Things could've changed within his jeans.
Maybe he should go to Floyd about this. He was pretty sure that his mother was gay. making up his mind.
He left his room quietly to go look for Floyd.
…….
He eventually found Floyd. He was in the kitchen, making lunch. his mother didn't look like he noticed him.
Singing to some tune that was made up in his head whilst stewing a pot, that looked a little like soup maybe. He didn't know.
taking a deep breath, he braced himself for the question that he was about to ask his own mother. "Hey Mom", he asked.
"Yes, branch, what is it"?
taking another deep breath, he pushed down the jolt of anxiety he felt bubbling up in his chest. "Can I talk to you about something that I'm feeling"?
He didn't know why he felt the need to tell his mother he was feeling his feelings. He just felt the need to add it.
"yes, of course, branch what is it"? Floyd asked him putting down the spoon that he was cooking with and turning down the pot to give his son his attention.
"First, I would like to say that I know it's OK that
I'm gay. Second, I would like to tell you about some feelings.".
"OK," said Floyd sitting down at the kitchen table padding the chair beside him as an invitation to sit down.
Branch sat down next to his mother with his arms in his lap. He looked down towards his fingers, trying to gather up the thoughts that were swarming through his head." How do I tell a friend" he started.
taking a deep breath, Branch started to speak again." How do I tell a friend that I have feelings for them"?
"Who is the friend?" asked Floyd. "Is it Poppy"?
"No," Branch said, still staring at his fingers "it's do I have to say right now".
it wasn't like he didn't trust his mother he did it was this whole thing was confusing.
He didn't want to say anything right now. He just wanted to talk to boom.
"
Of course not", said Floyd. Floyd took a deep breath in, grabbed Branch's hands, and put them in his lap to rub soothing circles on the skin.
Floyd took a deep breath and then began." You must be safe where and when you decide to tell him. I hate that society is not as understanding enough that we can just tell people willingly, but we're not. We have to be strategic and safe about it so you were telling him here".
Branch gave her a sharp nod.
"OK," said Floyd.
"Second, just speak from the heart. Tell him what you want to tell him now. And then later, we'll figure out the rest. There's no to-do list. There's no right way or wrong way. There's just a way. you can try to come up with a plan but 80% of the time plans don't always go according to plan."
Branch giggled at the statement, remembering all the times that Floyd tried to plan something for the bunker and they had to work away around it because something would fall apart, or it would compromise the structure of the place.
Then he started thinking about what Floyd just said. Come up with a plan, but be prepared. Be prepared that the plan will go wrong.
He didn't have to speak.
He could do the hard part of explaining his condition afterward. and then maybe he can trick Poppy into singing for him. Yeah, that's a good plan.
"Thanks, Mom," he said with a smile giving a hug to his mom. "can I go to Poppies I'll be back before dinner"
"Sure, just make sure you are back before supper is ready. two hours OK."
"OK," Branch got up to grab his vest, which he
never gave back to his mother. Putting it on he made his way to the elevator shaft going up and out of his bunker.
What are the chances that Poppy would help him?
………
turns out chances were great that she would give him a look that rivals his mothers and disappointment.
Kind of made him feel bad.
He knew that she had a crush on him. Why would he bring her into this?
"Sorry, I asked Papi. I will" Branch turned around just fill a hand and grab at his arm.
" I didn't say no said Poppy just trying to figure out how we gonna pull this off if you refuse to sing"
"so you're gonna help me".
"Of course, I'm gonna help you. You're my best friend. I'm not just gonna let you fumble and fall no matter how funny it should be".
Branch scowled at his friend, at her words. Who was that much of a bumbling idiot? He questioned himself.
…….
"OK", Poppy said, smiling. I will help you write the song, but I am not going to sing it for you if you want to confess to "boom you're gonna do it the right way".
"There's a right and Wrong way to do this"?
Poppy seemed surprised that he would generally ask that." Of course, there's a right way and a wrong way to do this". She practically shouted it at the top of her lungs.
"OK", he said, putting his hands up to try to playdate the pink troll.
" Good, let's get started. What do you like about
"Boom"?
branch found himself not having to think about why he liked the glitter troll, to begin with.
He liked everything about the troll. He liked his colorful hair, his blue eyes, the way he's so kind and gentle towards people, but also can be a total bitch and badass if you, piss him off the right way.
he found himself relaying the exact thoughts to Poppy. Poppy didn't seem surprised that he'd be attracted to that emotionally. He didn't want to sleep with the glitter troll.
he just wanted he didn't know what he wanted not right now at least but all he knew at the moment was that he wanted to be able to call his friend his boyfriend.
with a smile, Poppy gave him a pen and a piece of paper." right down when you told me and I can help you make it into this song form".
with some reluctance and encouragement, he did exactly what Poppy asked him to do.
……………….
It took him and Poppy all afternoon to work on that song. It was harder than he thought it was going to be to put words into music form. He knew how he felt about Boom.
But he didn't know how hard it was going to be. To put the words down on paper and make it sound good.
But he did it and now he was ready to go see boom..
He was a little nervous, walking up to Boom Pod. He hadn't been there weirdly by himself since well ever he knew that this was probably going to be a little weird, but you needed to try.
He needed to shoot his shot somehow.
walking up to the pod door, he took a deep breath in and let it out. It's time to shoot his shot. He thought to himself as he raised his hand to knock on the door.
It didn't take long at all for Boom to open the door.
"Hi Branch, didn't expect to see you here you good?" he asked with a smile
"Umm yeah", Branch said nervously, smiling at Boom. "I just need to talk to you about something. Can I come in"? He asked.
boom smiled at him, stepping away from the door to let him into the pod. "Come on in", he said.
giving a smile back to the glitter troll, he walked past him and into the pod living room. He looked around to make sure that he was by himself. That he and boom were alone.
It's not that he didn't like the rest of the friend group he did. It's just that they have stayed
together like Lou ever since the great escape.
he didn't blame them of course, tricky hype, and ablaze. all three lost their parents all on the same day. has been attached to Boom Hip ever since.
"So branch, what may I have this honor and pleasure from your visit"? a voice asked, knocking him out of his thoughts,
It took Brunch a few minutes to gather his thoughts, but after a few minutes, he knew how he was going to go about this.
"Can I sing you a song "
A song
"Yes", Branch said, "I know you haven't heard me sing in a while and I get it, but I just want it". His rambling was cut off by a chuckle.
"of course, you can sing me a song".
.
Giving a small smile, Branch took out his guitar. He could feel his heart beating in his chest through his ears. He could hear it with each thump of the heart.
But he had to do this. He couldn't imagine his life without boom even if he says no today even if he doesn't work out, at least he knows that he tried.
taking a deep breath, he started.
Last summer we met.
We started as friends.
I can't tell you how it all happened.
Then autumn came.
We were never the same.
Those nights, everything felt like magic.
And I wonder if you miss me too.
If you don't is the one thing that I wish you knew:
I think about you every morning when I open my eyes.
I think about you every evening when I turn out the lights.
I think about you every moment, every day of my life.
You're on my mind all the time. It's true.
I think about you, you you, you you
I think about you, you you, you you
Would you know what to say
If I saw you today?
Would you let it all crumble to pieces?
'Cause I know that I should
Forget you if I could.
I can't yet for so many reasons.
I think about you every morning when I open my eyes
I think about you every evening when I turn out the lights
I think about you every moment, every day of my life
You're on my mind all the time. It's true
I think about you, you you, you you.
I think about you, you you, you you.
How long 'til I stop pretending
What we have is never-ending.
Oh, o-o-oh.
If all we are is just a moment,
Don't forget me 'cause I won't end...
I can't help myself.
I think about you. Ooh, ooh.
I think about you. Ohh.
I think about you every morning when I open my eyes.
I think about you every evening when I turn out the lights.
I think about you every moment, every day of my life.
You're on my mind all the time. It's true.
I think about you, you, you, you, you.
I think about you, you, you, you, you.
The song ends with Branch slowly, wiping his eyes he didn't know when he started crying. He was just happy. He got through it.
looking up, he saw Boom's surprised face. It looked like he shocked him into silence. Was his point across was his confession good? Was it not as good as he thought it was? What was boom thinking? what was he thinking?
I'm sorry I shouldn't have. I'm sorry brunch started out trying to get up as fast as he could.
The next thing he knew boom was giving him a tight hug. "I love you too", he whispered. "I love you so much".
The gray troll was stung into silence. He just stood there, stiff, letting boom, hug him. Longer than anybody, other than his mother, ever hugged before he felt like crying.
Ever so slowly, he wrapped his arms around the glitter troll, putting his head on Boom's chest just resting there, listening to his heartbeat, feeling the caress of Boom's fingers going through his hair.
he didn't know where he was gonna go from here. Where they were going to go from here but right now right here he was at peace.