Hey guys, I've been trying my hand at writing a fan fic, it hasn't been posted I'm in the middle of editing it and it is by no means finished but I wanted to get some opinions from the fandom and where better to find writers and fic readers than tumblr.
If I do continue this fic I just want to say this is not the finished product and just a result of my speed writing so apologies for any inconsistency.
This is Ch 2 of my fic I hope it can interest some of you :)
Ch.2 In the kitchen
Class was tiring, too many people. but he's gonna have to get used to people now he's starting this job. branch had always been more of the loner type, his jobs had always been more helping the elderly out with odd house jobs, like fixing their fencing or their sinks. but now he has to get the big boy job, a pub. a loud, people filled, remember the regulars names kind of pub.
Here he is in the door way of his new workplace, early well punctual as he would say, pacing slightly as he takes a breath and goes to walk in. the doors locked? 'okay.' so he knocks, he spots a flash of pink peak through past the window and then a face peaks thought the glass of the door "Sorry we're closed, we don't open till 5!" that familiar face smiles at him with that customer service smile.
"Oh! its actually my first day I work here?" he calls through the door 'dont pace, act confident and you'll be confident' he didn't look confident in the slightest but he needed to keep his fake it till you make it mindset to make it through this shift, expecially now that he's going to be spending the whole shift trying to place where he knows this girl from. other than from last nights performance that is.
Poppy opens the door for him and steps to the side slightly "oh then welcome in, my names poppy I'm the front end manager here, you must be branch the boss let me know you were coming in today. just to let you know there is a carpark out the back and staff use the door back there rather than through the front" she looks at her watch then back at him in surprise. "punctual! that's good, if you could try and keep that up it would be immensely appreciated here. come on through."
Branch follows poppy though the rows of tables towards a bar. "are people not normally here at least 5 minutes before they need to be? my grandma always said that to be on time was to be late-"
"there's a reason we are looking for staff, we tried hiring a few older teens but they kept coming in late. and I mean late late, with no warning. remind me to add you to the work group chat when I'm finished the tour, have you been in here before branch? I cant say I've seen you in here?" poppy guides him through the bar "no I cant say I have I don't really get out to this side of town much, this is my first like, proper job? Ive mostly been studying so this is all pretty new to me."
"well you've come to the right place, other than usual business of a pub, both staff and our boss are pretty laid-back as long as you get what's needed to be done, done. ya know? plus you'll have a wonderful teacher" poppy gestures to herself with almost jazz hands.
branch stares at her blankly for a moment. "Me I'm the teacher, I'm gonna teach you everything your gonna need to know about this place" you could hear the thoughts click into place in branches brain.
"ah got it.. sorry yeah, it takes me a bit to understand, like jokes and gestures? its stupid, I haven't been able to grow out of it. but I am I fast learner so I should have the place down by next week?"
"That's okay branch, I'll start being a little more straight forward we can work around eachother okay? lets go finish this tour, get to know everyone on staff. I cant wait for you to meet the snack pack! your gonna love them trust, and then we can get you started on prep for tonight. lets make this the best first night ever!"
branch smiles awkwardly and follows along, poppy shows him where everything in the bar sits, gives him a quick run down of the poc systems and introduces him to the crew, along with the rest of the pub from there he's off to start his first ever work shift, ever. 'come'on branch you need this, don't fuck it up.'
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'Fuck is it over? I think its over' branch's mind can't help but race. its been 3 weeks and he's already grown accustomed to what some days they all call the shit hole. other days they give their very own pile of bricks much nicer names, but weekends? weekends the Sleeping Greygon gave them all a run for their money being one of the busiest pubs in town.
Branch hadn't fucked up his first shift, or second and so on. he was already "apart of the family" as gristle would say. poppy was right about one thing the boss was laid-back, not only that he wasn't that much older than branch, gristle had taken over ownership of the pub a few years back when his dad(the previous owner) had passed away. gristle grew up in the pub and wanted to be a chef anyway so it ended up working out, now he honors his dad in any way he can. by being the best chef and owner around along with help from his girlfriend Bridget who helps him out with all of the behind the scenes.
branch doesn't mind Bridget, shes quiet for the most part but she can be just as bubbly and loud as poppy when she wants to. mostly when poppy is around to be honest, branch doesn't understand how poppy can keep up being such close friends with everyone around her and he swears he means EVERYONE.
Dj squeezes branches shoulder "that was the last of it, I'm heading off. you sure your okay closing tonight?"
"yeah I got this, you've got an early class head off. I'll finish this off it wont take me long" he gives a nod towards the door and Dj waves their goodbye, branch finishes off any cleaning that needs to be done in the restaurant then the bar area and starts to head for the back kitchen area and hears a noise coming from the back.
branch picks up the broom 'yeah great wepon branch' "hello? who's here? gris? bridge? that you?" he peers into the kitchen only to see (and hear) a very bright and very much in her own world poppy coming out of the cool room with mop in hand, and head phones on singing to herself and... 'is she crying?'
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(song inset here)
It's been three weeks, three whole weeks since she's gone no contact with the person she deemed the love of her life. Even after everything she still missed creek, still loved creek. Yet the line between love and hate was a thin one.
Poppy was an emotional person, extremely emotional but It had never effected her at work before. this time it was three years down the drain, her first big relationship and with the guy she had a crush on since middle school.
Creek the coolest person at school admired by all (that's what she thinks), she asked him out their senior year, they've been inseparable ever since, she thought she knew everything about him; and him her.
She hated being wrong, it left a pit in her stomach and this time she was so very wrong. she doesn't want to love him anymore but she doesnt know if that feeling will ever truely go away, not after loving someone so hard.
She's lost again, but shes not rock bottom ' I still have my friends, I still have my dad. that doesn't make this hurt any less'.
So she cleans, cleaning her own mess was hard, cleaning others was easy. little small tasks that keep her distracted and keep her moving. she grabs her bucket and a mop and starts on the kitchen.
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"And now it's just me and a hundred square feet of bittersweet memories deleted the playlist, But I still hear all your favorite melodies Strangers to lovers to enemies
So I'll dance with your ghost in thе living room
And I'll play the piano alon-" poppy spots branch and jumps a little taking her headphones off.
"branch! my man! hi sorry, I was in my own little world" she swiftly whipes away her tears giving him the best smile she could muster up,hoping he hadnt noticed. "I let the boys go home early, I felt like cleaning today and saw you had the front, thought I would take it upon myself to tidy up back here... ya know."
"are... you okay?" he sits the broom down at the doorway to be put back later "I'm not the best with like... emotions? but if you need to talk about something I can listen?"
"No its okay, I'm fine just having a moment" she smiles brightly at him but he's not sure if shes trying to convince him or herself that shes fine, he gives her a look to say just that. "branch I'm fine, I promise"
"okay" he grabs a cloth from the sink areas and starts cleaning every serface he can, poppy goes to protest but then decides she wouldn't mind the company even with it being in silcence, she puts her headphones and continues her clean up.
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both of them check the clean up list marking it off as they work around each other, perfectly precise like clockwork. branch didn't realize it could be this easy working with someone but for some weird reason everytime poppy and him work together it just clicks. he cant quite keep up with her jokes and bubbliness though.
"hey branch? I never asked you what you were studying by the way" she opens conversation up and she marks the last thing off the cleaning list
"I'm studying environmental studies and agriculture at TSU. my brothers wanted me to go into performing arts but I wanted something a little different and I've always liked the idea of getting a small farm on the outskirts of the city. I've almost always had an interest in how the earth works may as well learn as much as I can about it?"
"I go to TSU too! bachelor of social siences mainly, mostly for my dads sake but I actually wanted a bachelor in performing arts, look at us swapping dreams. kinda? how come your brothers wanted you to follow music?"
"Makes sense why I never see you, diffrent sides of campus. my brothers are all in music, wanted me to follow suit but I don't like to perform. I'm happy with a normal calm life."
"maybe I could get some music tips from your brothers one day then haha, I get not wanting to perform some people are made for it and some people aren't, no point in forcing it"
"why aren't you pursuing it then?" branch puts the last of the cleaning supplies away and peaks out to see if the front of house lights are off "if you want to do something so bad just do it"
"my dad? mayor of Tattali? wants me to be like my old man, possibly be mayor myself one day. just like my grandfather was, I feel like mayorial satus shouldnt be kept in the family but he's paying so I gotta do what I gotta do"
"your old man is mayor Peppy?" branch slowly turns to face her "why are you working here then? he pretty much owns this place and your working?"
"First off, you didnt know? our full names are on the schedule? Poppy Mayfeather, Mayor Philip(?) 'Peppy' Mayfeather its not hard to put 2 and 2 together, kinda nice not being known for once I guess?"
he takes notice of how much she talks with her hands, he just wants to reach out and hold them... no! hold them still... also no 'shut up branch,'
"oh and second; Us Mayfeathers are a do it yourself kind of family, sure dad is paying my way through collage but I pay for my unit, pay my bills pay for food all of that stuff, he calls it a learning curve the only thing he interfers with is my education or if I'm completely desperate. even then I have to pay him back that's just how we work." she shrugs gives the kitchen another quick look around.
"looks like we are done here, ready to head off? I'm sure you have class tomorrow?" she reaches for her keys and nods her head towards the door.
"its friday pops, no classes on just work" he pulls his stuff from his locker double checks the contents and walks to the door.
Poppy walks a step faster then usual to follow him "right! wow you can tell how out of it i am at the moment, ahaha. i guess ill see you tomorrow then?" they both walk out the door, poppy setting the alarms on the way out and making sure its locked up
"Yeah, i didn't want to point it out, since im not like your friend or anything. but you did seem a little off today, are you going to be okay?" branch looks at her with a hint of concern while he put his jacket on
"Oh yeah, pft im fine. Wait, not friends? branch we are totally friends! why wouldnt you think we were friends?"
"Dont change the subject poppy, your clearly not fine. if you cant talk about it that's fine but will you be okay being alone?"
Poppy puts a hand on his shoulder branch stiffens and looks at her hand"i will be okay, if i need someone i have smidge. but branch..." he looks back at her "You are my friend, the whole Grays crew. We are your friends branch"
they stand there in silence for a moment, slight disbelief in branches eyes. poppy reaches down to grab his hand and squeezes if reassuringly, only for a moment.
branch isnt used to letting other people touch him, but why does it feel kind of... right? why is okay for her to touch him. is it because its rough and exitable like his brothers do? is it out of familiarity? he doesnt know but he cant tell what these thoughts are making him feel.
is he scared? happy? the only thing he knows is he needs her to let go as much as he doesnt want her to. he pulls his hand away and his heart winces slightly at the lack of contact.
"yeah, uh thanks. ill.. try to take that to account? i didnt know work could, have friends? heh"
"of course you can have friends at work branch, we would be misrible creatures if we couldnt work with at least one friend at work. and the whole group Loves you dude, i think their starting to like you more than me" she laughs and jokingly punches his arm "dont go stealing my job."
He lets out a small chuckle and she is able to laugh now she sees hes more comfrtable, he looks back at his bike and back at poppy "well i should probably head off? im pretty beat"
She nods back at him and takes a step back "Yeah me too, Safe travels! Night Branchifer!"
as he turns to go he stops "Branchifer?"
"Yep. everyone gets a poppy nickname, yours fianlly hit me. you get no say, Night" she gives a small wave as she turns and heads to her car.
"oh okay... then... See ya Poppifer!...." he turns to his bike and puts his helmet on mumbling to himself " poppifer? stupid"
She smiles to herself 'awe hes getting comfortable, the poppy effect is working. he's so... sweet'
They both head home feeling very diffrent emotions and the begging of what they both hope is a new understanding of one another. hopfully. ♡
I hope it piques someone's interest, I've always struggled to put pen to paper so I understand if it's not amazing but I thought I'd give it a try :) Xx
