To watch a Troll

The Present

Poppy began looking down with wide eyes, an exaggerated frown on her face. She rubbed her hands on her dress, feeling them sweat as she avoided their eyes.

"Oh wow, look at that, the screens starting up, maybe we should go sit down haha-" Poppy said, looking away from their eyes nervously, ignoring how intense their gaze was.

"Nu-huh," Clay said, somehow making the screen pause.

Damn. That serious?

Despite Poppy knowing that the two trolls didn't get along, she still knew Creek wanted Branch to get along with him. He was going at it in the wrong way. Then again, no one knew how to get along with the grey troll. They'd just have to go through trial and error to see what he liked.

They already knew what he didn't like.

"So, who was that?" John Dory asked, all four slowly surrounding her, ensuring she didn't run off while they asked.

"Oh... That... So that was my best friend, Creek..." Poppy drawled out, avoiding their eyes as she fiddled with her fingers.

"Oh-ho... Your best friend? So you're friends with someone who bullies Baby Branch?" Spruce said, all the brothers side-eyeing her as they began planning something.

"Well in Creeks defense, he thinks they're just teasing each other." Poppy stammered out, tapping her fingers together as John Dory and Spruce rolled their eyes, Floyd and Clay looking at each other in confusion.

"How does being mean to someone make him think they're teasing each other?" Clay asked, squinting one eye as he raised an eyebrow, looking at Floyd who only shrugged.

"Dunno, but he's being mean to Branch." That was the only thing Floyd said, making Clay nod as John Dory and Spruce frowned.

"Listen, uh, what's your name?" Spruce asked, making them realize that in their anger they never got the pink troll's name.

"Oh! Sorry, my name's Poppy! I'm Branch's friend, even though he'll tell you I'm not." Poppy said happily, quickly getting distracted as she introduced herself, making Branch shout from where he was sitting.

"NOT MY FRIEND!" He shouted, making some trolls who were talking jump, turning to look at him as he rolled his eyes.

"Wow, he has a 6th sense for knowing when you call yourself his friend, huh?" Spruce said, eyes slightly wide as he looked at Branch, who only scoffed and turned, avoiding their eyes.

"Yeah, but I know that one day, he'll call me his friend!" Poppy said, smiling widely until Branch shouted again, making her look exasperated.

"I'LL NEVER DO THAT!" Branch shouted again, making other trolls side-eye him.

All four of his brothers only frowned.

Bitty B used always to want to be friends with everyone. Didn't matter if they didn't like him, he used to just want to be friends.

Looking at the baby of the family felt different now.

"Yeah, okay, cool, so about Creek..." Spruce started, all the brothers not noticing the screen starting up again, until Poppy glanced at it, laughing loudly in nervousness.

"OH WOW LOOK AT THAT THE SCREEN IS STARTING I THINK WE SHOULD SIT DOWN," Poppy shouted, rushing them all to sit down before she sat down too, Creek next to her.

"Branch is funny." Was all Creek said, with a calm smile.

'You should see his brothers,' Poppy thought, biting her lip, 'You'd think they're hilarious.'

Soon enough, the screen began the same process, a big loading screen showing up.

Soon, the camera panned to the Chef grunting as she kicked the troll tree, revealing the decoys made from wood. Prince Gristle looked around nervously.