Once upon a time, in a meadow a long way from any city laid three people. Their last name was Goats Gruff after their father old Billy the goat keeper. They all had long blonde white hair, even the older brother who watched carefully over his two younger sisters. The girls giggled and shrieked all over the meadow.
"Come catch us!" They shouted back.
The teenage male leapt to his feet and gave chase. They danced gracefully about the clearing in the warm morning sun.
"Lucas!" Annie, the very youngest shrieked as he swept her up.
He laughed twirling her in her light pink gown. She giggled. Mary galloped over to join them. The tall male grabbed her up too, spinning them both. Lucas set them down laughing. They landed with a squish.
"Ew." Mary lifted one of her feet.
With all their tearing around the three Goats Gruffs had torn up the grass and muddied their little clearing. It was very slick and oozy.
"Aw." Annie sighed very disappointed.
"Hey." Lucas said lifting the two small girls and setting them on his shoulders. "How about we go across the river and play on the hill?"
"No!" Mary shrieked. "There's a monster under the bridge!" She buried her face into his hair.
He laughed gently. "Oh yeah?"
"Yes!" Annie whimpered. "The kids at school say he's so mean and ugly and scary and awful!"
He thought for a moment. "Well here's what we'll do."
He whispered to them softly and they nodded wide eyed. "And I'll meet you over there eventually. Ok?"
The two little girls nodded. They walked toward the wide cobblestone bridge. It didn't seem at all dangerous in the light but if you listened closely you could hear the breath of a creature. Something lurking beneath. Annie took a deep breath and strode forward with all of her babyish courage.
"Trip, trap, trip, trap!" Went the bridge beneath her little slippers.
The bridge shook with the force of the voice beneath. "Who's that tripping over my bridge?" No one appeared but the voice shook Annie so she almost cried.
"The littlest on of Billy's children the Goats Gruffs." She said with false bravery.
"Stay off of my bridge or I'll throw you over!" The voice yelled.
"Don't hurt me! Wait for my sister she's much bigger!" Annie shrieked.
The voice considered that. "Get off of my bridge!"
She ran to the other side and up the hill. It was Mary's turn next. She nodded to Lucas with a faint smile before walking to the bridge.
"Trip, Trap, Trip, Trap." Went the bridge as Mary was a bit heavier.
"Who's that tripping over my bridge?" The sound shook Mary too but she stood up bravely.
"The second of Billy's children the Goats Gruff!" She said proudly.
"I'll throw you over the edge!" There was a scratching sound.
"Don't hurt me!" She panicked. "Wait for my brother; he's so much bigger than I am! A much better fight!"
The voice considered that too. "Get off of my bridge!"
Mary scrambled across to Annie. The two ran up the hill out of sight where they would meet with Lucas.
Lucas sucked in a breath. He really wasn't much of a fighter but. He made his best to make himself sound big.
"TRIP, TRAP, TRIP, TRAP!" Went the bridge as he smashed his feet down.
"Who's the causing a racket on my bridge?" Lucas felt the deep voice vibrate to his chest. It actually kind of tickled.
"It is I, the oldest of Billy's children the Goats Gruff!"
"I'll toss you over!" The voice rumbled.
"Well come on!" Lucas chanted. "I've two big stones to break your bones and one long horn to make you mourn. I've two huge hooves to match your moves and pointed teeth to give you grief!" He was lying of course but most people were scared of the unknown so maybe it would work?
The voice was silent. "I highly doubt that." It said sarcastically.
A hand appeared from the beneath of the structure. It grasped the side of the bridge. A second joined it. Oh shoot, it was coming up! Lucas fretted. Should he speed across now? He missed his chance to run but he had to admire the way the person under the bridge pulled themselves up sheerly through the strength in their arms.
Another teen haul himself over the edge of the bridge and the blonde was struck dumb. It truly was beautiful this mysterious bridge keeper. The fellow had black hair just covering the tips of his ears and hanging a bit to shield his golden brown eyes. He was in only pants showing off the contour lines of his muscles and the impressive scar down one side.
The golden brown eyes roved him as well. He felt rather weak. He was shorter and vastly less muscular. His back gave a slight shiver at the thought of battling this opponent. Of course he felt weak just looking at him too but that was of a different kind.
"What?" The angel from beneath the bridge asked leaning easily against his bridge's wall.
"N-nothing." Lucas stuttered. "You're just … not what I was expecting."
"Hm." The fellow snorted. "You might be looking for my Father, Old Joseph Troll. He keeps the toll bridge where the water is deeper."
"Oh." Lucas flushed lightly. "And you're his son …" He trailed off hoping for an answer.
"Blake." The young Troll said.
"Blake." The blonde mimed. "You're pretty."
The other teen stopped smiling and gave him an odd look. "Huh?"
"You're pretty." Lucas said again. "Do you go to my school? Riverside High?"
Blake seized the more familiar subject. "Yeah."
"But you aren't in any of my classes."
"I'm a Senior." Blake shrugged. "You are a Junior aren't you?"
The Goats Gruff nodded. "What about lunch? Why haven't I seen you there?"
"I sit alone." The fellow examined a hand coolly. "I don't like people."
"But you're like the best looking guy in your grade." Lucas protested.
Blake shrugged looking at him. "Not many people enjoy my presence."
"I do." Lucas blurted before he could think about what he was saying.
The black haired teen looked at him oddly again. Well my boy, Lucas's father would have said, you dug yo' own pit, get yo'self out. Lucas took a deep breath.
"I-I like you." That really didn't sound any better.
Blake was puzzling at him with his arms crossed over his chest.
"I mean." Lucas put a hand to his head trying to think. "You sound and look like a really nice person. You could come sit with us."
"Us?" The black haired teen asked.
The Goats Gruffs nodded enthusiastically. "I sit with Dennis, the oldest Little Pig, Baby Bear and Big Bad, the football players sit with us too."
"Bradson Wolf?" Blake raised an eyebrow.
"Mmhmm. Jennifer Fox sits with us occasionally."
The black haired looked disinterested at the mention of the school hottie. That really encouraged the blonde. Blake crossed his feet casually, thinking. Lucas tried to lean against the wall.
"Whoah." Lucas slid sideways to the floor of the bridge.
Blake looked down at him with his dark eyes. Lucas looked up from his feet. God this guy was huge. The mountainous person leaned forward so his head disappeared then Lucas found himself in the sky.
"Stand much?" Blake set him back on his feet.
Lucas flushed. "Thanks. You're really strong."
He reached out and touched one of the hard tanned muscles on his arm. Blake looked away a bit flustered for the first time. Lucas grinned in triumph.
"I'll be right back." He said pulling back. The sun was at high noon and he promised father that he would check on mum. It would only take a minute. Their cabin was just about the corner.
Lucas came back. Blake was sitting on the edge of the bridge looking down at the river. Lucas smiled thinking of a million different ways to cheer him up.
Blake didn't look up. "Just go across." He said.
"Huh?" Lucas asked thoroughly confused.
"Just go across already." Blake spat not lifting his head. "That's all you wanted right? To get over the river. Just go. Just go and leave me be."
Lucas sighed heavily. The dark haired teen still wouldn't look up at him. The blonde strode forward with his hair waving about his waist. Blake jumped as two arms wrapped under his and Lucas pulled him to his chest.
"You didn't think I spent all morning seducing you just to cross some old bridge did you?"