Walter was no stranger to awkward situations, but this one… He was hard pressed to think of an instance more awkward than this.
Here they were, he and Jim. The teen's frustrations now ebbed as they sat with their backs against the arena wall. To Walter's relief, the fight did not involve anything life-threatening.
They avoided each other's gaze, both pretending to be fascinated by the broken training equipment strewn around the arena.
Eternal seconds ticked by. Then Walter broke the silence. "I assume you're feeling better now?"
"Yeah," Jim muttered.
"It's normal for a troll to need to satisfy these urges, you know. It's nothing to be ashamed off," Walter assured.
Still, Jim didn't look at him, but Walter knew Jim's troll urges weren't what this was about. They needed to talk, but neither knew what to say.
Walter glanced over at Jim and opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find the right words. He cleared his throat. "Jim."
"I don't want to talk to you." Jim crossed his arms like the moody teenager he was.
"Listen. I know this isn't easy for you – my marriage proposal to Barbara, I mean," Walter offered.
"Not easy?" Jim glared at Walter. "That's the worst understatement in history, Strickler! The guy who tried to kill me is marrying my mom!" Jim fumed. "Then you're just going to go home to Arcadia and raise another son – live happily ever after with your perfect little family. Without me!" He threw up his arms.
Walter frowned as he listened to Jim's words, then he saw the real root of the young man's frustrations. "Jim… you cannot be replaced. You know that, right? Your mother loves you more than anything. She won't just forget you – she can't."
The words hit their mark and Jim sucked in a hard breath.
"I know that," Jim said defensively. "I just… Taking care of Mom is my job!" He jumped to his feet. "Then you stepped in, and – You can't do that!" he bellowed. "So, you're going to move in with her?!"
"That is what married couples do, isn't it?" Walter asked.
"You can't just do that!" Jim yelled again. "So, you're going to cook all her food too? Do you even know what she likes to eat?"
"I am fairly familiar with Barbara's tastes by now," Walter replied.
"Well… That –" Jim grasped for another objection. "A baby – that's a huge thing. Can you handle that?" he asked. "I mean, seriously, you're the world leader of a secret organization. You're this fearsome warrior, not… a house dad!"
Jim's reasons grew more outlandish after that, and even Jim realized he was reaching.
"Will my running away from this without a word, like a certain other husband make your mother happy?" Walter asked with lifted eyebrow.
Jim started to protest, then looked away.
"Jim." Walter stood up. "I just want to make her happy. Isn't that what you want too?"
"Yes…" Jim admitted, eyes still averted. "And she looks really happy right now. I know I should be happy for her, but I just…" He turned back to Walter. "I'm a terrible son, aren't I? What kind of kid doesn't want his own mom to be happy? She… doesn't need me anymore, and that's… a good thing, I guess. But –" He swallowed hard, eyes welling up with tears.
"You're wrong, Jim," Walter said.
Jim stared at him.
"Barbara will always need you. You're her son, and she needs your support. You're not being replaced – far from it. Her family is not being split in two, Jim. It's being extended. When you formed your bond with Blinkous – when you trained with him, you didn't replace your mother, you gained a father. And Barbara isn't replacing you, she's gaining another child, and you're gaining a brother – one who will need your protection… A form of protection I will not be able to give once this is over. Who knows what the future will bring?"
"I… think I see," Jim admitted. "But what does that make you?"
Walter smiled sadly. "I know I destroyed my chance of you accepting me as your father, but I hope at least… we can be friends."
"You know what," Jim said with a sigh. "My biological father… Well, you trying to kill me was bad, but what he did to me and Mom –" Jim shook his head. "You helped me when I needed it. Even right now, you knew what I needed to snap out of this, didn't you? You were just trying to help. You looked out for me way more than he ever did, so… yeah, friends seems okay." He offered Walter a hand.
The changeling took it and they shook on their newly-found understanding.
"You're doing better?" Walter asked.
"Yeah. It still kind of stings. In here," Jim said, holding a hand over his chest. "I really want to go break stuff, but… I know I have to just suck it up. And besides." Jim gave Walter an evil grin. "You're going to be human. If you hurt my mom there'll be nothing that can save you." He poked Walter with a warning finger. "No more troll strength to protect you."
Walter chuckled, "Well, I guess I'd better not hurt your mother." Then he grew more serious. "Jim, listen! Humans have the ability to calm down by just waiting it out; trolls do not," he warned. "If you feel the need to destroy something, just do it. The trick is finding a way to do it on your own terms."
Jim nodded as he listened. "Yeah, okay. I get it. Man… trolls and humans – they really are entirely different species. Sometimes it's easy to forget," he mumbled with a glance toward Walter. "You're seriously going to go through with it, aren't you?" he asked. "Becoming fully human."
Walter nodded. "I've made up my mind, Young Atlas; I'm not going to change it now."
"I see. Wish I could join you." Jim kicked at a loose stone, sending it skipping across the arena.
Walter laid a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "Who knows? Maybe it's not too late. There were many old spell books and other arcane knowledge at the Janus Order that haven't been opened for centuries. Maybe there's a solution there."
Jim lifted a skeptical eyebrow. "Merlin said it wasn't possible."
"Merlin is not all knowing, even if that is what he claims," Walter stated. "I need to go through those books anyway. I'll just keep an eye out while I do."
Jim smiled, grateful Walter was going to look specifically for a way to return him to his human self. "Thanks…" he said.
"Oh, that reminds me!" Walter smacked his fist into his other hand. "Your education!"
"What?" Jim asked, surprised.
"You're an entire year behind in school," said Walter.
"What does that matter when I'm living with trolls?" Jim asked.
"It matters, Young Atlas," Walter proclaimed, "because there is still a chance you'll be human again, and even if there was no such chance, education is still key! I shall inquire of Blinkous Galadrigal and have him help me. He will make sure you read the books I send you and do your assigned homework."
"What?" Jim exclaimed. "No! No way! You're not bringing Blinky into this."
"Oh, yes, I am," Walter insisted. "And Ms. Nuñez should be a good influence as well."
"No! No-no-no!" Jim protested as Walter walked away. "Hey, wait!" Jim called after him, running to catch up with the changeling. "Can't we talk about this?" he asked. "You don't have to go through all this trouble for me!"
"Oh, it will be my pleasure," Walter said with an evil grin. "I shall enjoy reading your essays and ensuring your English lacks nothing. As a teacher, I can even make sure you'll be able to take a home-administered exam by the end of the year."
"What?! Officially?" Jim asked, surprised.
"Yes, an official exam," Walter nodded. "I want you to take this seriously, Jim, so hopefully one day you can become human, go to college, or have any education you wish. Ensuring the quality of your education would put your mother's mind at ease too."
Jim didn't protest any more. "Yeah, okay. You're right. I just hate studying," he groaned.
Walter smirked. "This may sound cliché, but you'll thank me for it later."
"Sure, whatever." Jim rolled his eyes, but then he smiled. "So, you think there's still a chance I can go to college one day?" he asked.
"If you study," Walter said. "I see no reason why not. Let's at least keep it in mind as a possibility. Knowledge never hurts anyone, now does it?"
Jim shook his head. "I guess not. Heh. I'm actually looking forward to it, now that I think about it. Seems like such a normal thing. It's… nice."
As the two left the training area, Walter was glad their fight turned out this way. Everything was going to be fine.
Together, they stepped into Claire's little house. Claire, Barbara, and Blinky looked up as they entered.
"Jim," Barbara breathed.
"Hey, Mom," Jim said, a little embarrassed. "I… I'm sorry about how I acted. That wasn't –"
He didn't get another word in before Barbara jumped up out of her seat and threw her arms around his neck. "It's okay! I'm just glad you're alright."
"Mom…" Jim hugged her back. "I want you to be happy," he said. "That's the most important thing to me. I just need to get used to this," he admitted. "You're starting an entirely new life, and it's something I wish I could be a part of."
"Oh, sweetie," Barbara pulled back to look her son in the eye. "Of course, you're going to be part of it! Emil is your little brother, and I'm your mother!" she declared. "No matter what happens, I want you to be a part of this. That's why we came here. That's also why we're getting married in New Trollmarket. We want you here for this – even if you can't go to the town hall with us," she said with a sigh.
"Here?" Jim asked. "Before you go back to Arcadia?" he asked then gave Walter a questioning look. "But, that means you would have to…"
Walter nodded. "My days as a troll are numbered."
"When?" Jim asked.
"A week," Walter said. "So, if you feel the need to beat me up again, please do it before then.".
"I'll keep that in mind," Jim said dryly, then stopped for a moment as the reality of it sank in. "You're seriously going through with it."
"Well." Claire stepped up beside Jim. "A week to prepare a wedding? That's not a lot of time." She grabbed Jim's hand and exclaimed, "We need presents!"
"Claire, it's all right you don't have to do that," Barbara protested.
"And I've got the perfect idea!" Claire declared, then her hands flew to her mouth. "But, a week?! I don't know if I have time! Why would you only give us a week's warning?!" she demanded. "A week is nothing!"
"We don't intend to make it anything special," Barbara said, deflating a little, but then her eyes lit up. "Hey, wait a minute, don't trolls have something like marriages too?" she asked, grabbing Walter's hand. "That's perfect, isn't it? We could get married the troll way down here. That'll be the ceremony Jim can attend! Then the next day we'll go to the town hall and do the human marriage!" she beamed, excited.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Walter stated.
"And why not?" Barbara asked.
"Because the main event of a troll bonding ritual is when the male goes out and hunts prey, the larger the better, and presents it to the female. Only if she is satisfied with the size of the prey will she agree to enter combat with the male, and then they fight in an arena where the audience can participate. When the fighting is done, the female declares whether she's satisfied with the male's showcase of strength. Only after the female's approval does the tribe leader announce them mates," Walter summarized. "It may be presumptuous, but I don't think you want me to drop a giant, newly-slain beast in front of you, and I definitely don't want to fight you in an arena."
"Ahhhh… Yeah, no. I think I'll pass on that," Barbara looked away sheepishly. "I just… I wanted to do something with the troll you, and have Jim be there too."
"Well, we could have a small, more human-inspired ceremony," Walter suggested. "Ask Blinkous if he wouldn't mind saying a few words and let it be that."
Barbara beamed then turned to Jim. "What do you say?" she asked.
"Well," Jim hesitated. "Yeah, sure. Sounds good." He nodded, only for Barbara to hug him tightly again.
Jim allowed himself a smile and relaxed.
Barbara let him go. "Sweetie, I know this isn't easy for you, and I'm so proud of you." She lovingly brushed his cheek.
"I'll live," Jim assured. "I just want you to be happy, Mom. So, do that; be happy."
Barbara smiled warmly at her son as Walter looked on. With a relieved sigh he allowed himself to hope this would not become a complete disaster!
This chapter has been editted by: dtill359