CHARACTERS: Clay, Poppy, Branch, Viva

SHIP: Broppy, Cliva

PLOT:

" Branch asked Clay to watch over Poppy because well, she is sick- but maybe some bounding can bring the Rusty Robot back ? "

WORD COUNT: 1394

A.N: This is completely platonic, if you dare ship them imma cry 💀

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◇ Rusty Robot ◇

" Can you do the rusty robot for me ? "

" Yeah... I don't do that anymore, okay ?..."

Oh yeah that had been awkward.

But hey, that was nothing compared to be laying in bed all day, sick and sniffing like a cuddle pup on a track. Poppy was feeling so headlighted that Branch had forced her to rest and let him do the queen's tasks for the day along with Viva... she thought that would have been a good occasion to NOT listen to him and do scrapbooking or some shit to pass time- but no.

There in the corner of her bedroom, with a book open on his lap and glasses on his nose, her boyfriend's big brother was sitting, none other than Clay.

Poppy was currently glaring at him, making holes through his skull with her gaze. Clay seemed to be way too focus on his chapter to be paying attention to her, but Poppy tried again to ask;

- Let me get up ?

- No, Clay said no the way Goldie would say it.

Poppy groaned her frustration out loud, oh he was not at all like the boyband days said he was like. Clay was nothing of the silly kid that had been doing the cartwheels on the stage anymore, he was now serious boy, and wanted to proove it to all.

Poppy wanted to get up more than anything at the moment, but she knew Clay would immeditely push her back into the damn bed if she even tried to put one foot on the ground. Branch had been clear that she needed rest and Clay was listening to his baby brother, because serious boys listens after all.

- Can I leeaaaasssttt, get my scrapbooking stuff ? She pleaded.

- No.

- CLAYYY PLEASSEEEE, she throwed her arms over her head dramatically.

Clay rolled his eyes and closed his book, placing the page marker on the paragraph he was currently getting emotional on; he could not focus with Poppy complaining again and again.

- Let me go !

- No-

- LET ME GO !!

- No-

- LET ME GOOO!!!

- NO !!! OH MY GOD, YOU'RE MORE NOISY THAN JOHN DORY WHEN HE'S YAPPING ABOUT RHONDA !! He pointed to his book with a frown on his features; I can't focus !! He insisted, And I'm getting to the best part !!

- Reading is boring anyway, COME ONNNNNN let's go do somethingggg! The pink troll tried to kick her blankets away.

She was pretty sure she saw a glimpse of wanting in his blue pearls, but the used to be "Fun Boy" shook it away quickly. He replaced his reading glasses on his nose, getting back to his book;

- No Poppy, he looked down at the words printed on the yellow paper, I promised Branch I would sit here and watch you while he's doing your queen tasks for you with Viva !

- Well.. technically you're not watching me.. you're watching your book- Poppy pointed out.

The co-leader of the putt putt trolls pulled on his ears out of frustration, letting out a loud complain, once again;

- UGHHHHHH !! Just stay there, please!! Make both of our lives easier !! He begged her.

- Okay, okay ...

His shoulders lost their usual tension when he sank back into his comfort zone, which had turned out to be between the pages of a book out of every places. Poppy flipped on her side, holding the blanket up to her nose as she stared at him. Once again, Branch's brother was way too focused on his adventure to even notice the tears forming in the corner of his eyes and Poppy getting back in attack mode;

- ...But—

- What ?! Clay dropped his book again, getting seriously annoyed.

Viva didn't bother him (well almost never) when he was reading !! How could Branch even focus on his hobbies with his own model of pink troll around ??

- Can I at least get a glass of water ?

Okay maybe he was being harsh on her, maybe being sick wasn't her thing, it wasn't anyone's thing. Clay gave a slight sigh, letting the book aside on the table, he raised from his seat;

- Fine, fine, but STAY, THERE–

The troll walked away to the kitchen, letting Poppy sitting on the bed alone. She could have escaped by the window- but for some reason she didn't. She just waited for soon to be brother-in-law to come back, blinking with an innocent smile.

Eventually, Clay came back with the glass of water that had been ordered by her majesty;

- Here– he gave it to the queen.

- Thank you, she took the glass, Hm, nice, very nice, I've never seen water this clear befo- YAHH!!

Suddendly she throwed it in the poor troll's face, making him scream out in shock because it was so cold. Poppy took the opportunity to run out of bed, pass Clay, and rushed put of the room, then outside.

-

POPPY- POPPY NO !! Clay realized and ran on her trail.

Once outside, Trolls were surprised to see their not looking so good queen running out of her pod. She coughed before she yelled;

- GANGWAAAAAYYYY- AH-

- GOTCHA ! Clay had just tackled her in the ground.

.

.

Poppy was pouting in her bed.

Clay was reading his book again, smiling because he had succeed at his mission of keeping the stubborn Queen safe for his brother.

Only she wasn't done with him yet–

- .....Clay-

- No, he flipped a page.

- Oh PLEASEEEEE, I can't take this anymoooreeeee !! She begged him, placing the back of her hand on her forehead dramatically.

- Look Poppy, I don't know what to tell you, okay? I promised Branch I'd watch over you and that's what I'll do !

....

- ... watching your book-

- BESIDES THE DAMN BOOK-

- URGHHH, I NEED ENTERTAINEMENT !!

- I got a good one ! Clay said calmy, DREAMLAND !!

Poppy groaned loudly, running her hands over her face as she fell back in her pillow. Clay's ear twitched to her next words;

- ... and to think you were my favorite of BroZone... The Fun Boy, pssh... she sighed with dissapointement.

Only that softened Clay's shell. He raised an eyebrow in confusion and switched his attention to his little brother's girlfriend;

- Wait... I was your favorite ? He questionned.

It was now Poppy's turn to get a bit confuse with embarassement as she explained;

- I mean- I thought it was obvious, but that's not important– If you wanna be Serious boy Clay now that's fine too.

Clay closed his book.

- Well uh- I don't think any troll has ever told me I was their favorite.

He had closed his book, and Poppy saw the opportunity of a conversation there. Finally something to do !! And since it seemed to make him happy, she was happy to tell him more;

- Yeah, that's crazy right ? She giggled, When I was a trolling, I would listen to BroZone music, and mostly learning the choreographies, she admited, I think that's how I ended up liking you the most- you were super talented- I could never pull off the Rusty Robot though.

She tried to perform it while sitting in her bed, obviously failing at it. Clay chuckled, touched he had inspired someone in his boy band days. He had never thought his silly dances could inspire trolls so much.

- You know uh... I think I could maybe help with that.

- ◇ -

Later on, Branch and Viva were walking back to Poppy's pod after a lomg day of Queen duties... only to hear BroZone music blasting from the inside of the house.

They opened the door only to see Clay and Poppy performing the Rusty Robot in the living room together. When both of their partners saw their trust had been betrayed, their jaw fell open;

- CLAY ?!?!! Both Branch and Viva gasped.

- What ? He stopped his moves.

- YOU WERE SUPPOSE TO KEEP HER IN HER BED SO SHE COULD SLEEP, Branch recalled.

- ARE YOU DOING THE RUSTY ROBOT? Viva forgot why she was angry in the first place.

- YEA!! Clay smiled, I forgot how fun it was ! Join in !!

- YAYYY, Viva cheered running over to her sister and her boyfriend.

Branch just facepalmed fighting back a small smile.