Thank you all for your sweet and kind reviews! They mean a lot to me! :)
I don't know if this is quite a story with a plot…more like a series of odd circumstances that Jim and Claire get themselves in. And Jim getting used to being himself in general. So…might be a little bit of a rough ride. Hope you enjoy anyway!
—
After sunset, Jim and Claire were both awakened by shaking.
"Rise and shine, Mr. and Mrs. reconnaissance!"
"Blinky?" Jim muttered, waking up.
"It's dark enough out that you can go up and get supplies for us to use! Come on, come on! No time to waste!"
Claire moaned and stretched her arms out, though, one was still in Jim's grasp.
"Jim?"
"Morning," he smiled with his sharp teeth.
"What are we…?" She glanced at her surroundings, and then at him. "Where did your armor go?"
He tapped the amulet. "Where it's supposed to go."
She sat up. "Was I using you as a mattress?"
"Yeah, but I wanted you to."
Claire's eyes widened as she blushed.
"I mean—you've been sleeping on rocks for a while now. I thought I might be a little softer."
She assessed him, feeling his chest and stomach, just like she had in her sleepy state. Then she rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck. "Well, I'm not as sore. So I think it worked." She leaned in, and kissed his nose. Then she rolled off of him, and stood. "So what are we doing?"
Jim sat up, smacking his lips. "We have to go into town, and find supplies."
"Oh yeah, we found the stone." Then she frowned. "You mean, I'll be going into town, while you watch from the rooftops."
"Sadly to say."
Claire glanced over his new found form, instantly noticing his poorly fit clothing.
It was hard dealing with Jim's transformation. He had struggled tremendously, and still did, to an extent. But Claire had a hard time coping as well, though she never vocalized those thoughts to him. When she told Jim she loved him, she really meant it, not just to make him feel better. She was sixteen, the time when girls start to imagine all the fun things they'll do in the future with their husbands. Having 2.5 kids, a dog, and a white picket fence. With her love becoming a permanent half-troll, things seemed bleak. She had decidedly given up the idea of a normal marriage.
She'd never admit to anyone, but the idea of never having sex with him, because of his armor, was a real bummer.
But she had just resolved changed her mind. An ideal future with Jim might mean sleeping in caves, and eating nutri-grain bars. But as long as she was with him, it was fine.
But now, seeing the almost human skin poking out from his ripped clothes, the hope of the picket fence began to return.
"Hello? Claire?" He waved.
"Oh! Sorry!" She laughed.
"You okay? Do you need more sleep?"
"No, I'm fine." She grinned, "I was just admiring you."
"Me?" He asked, bewildered. "Really?"
"Yeah, you look cute. And…hot." She added, with a blush.
"Even with the teeth?"
"Even with the teeth."
"And the horns?"
"Especially the horns." She reached up and took hold of one, tugging him towards her. "They make it easier to do this." Then she stood on her tip-toes and kissed him, just long enough to urge him to kiss back. When she pulled away, his lips were still puckered between his teeth.
Then he blinked, and looked at her. "That's…that's the first time we've kissed since I transformed."
She shrugged, looking away. "We've been busy."
"Are you two ready yet!?" Blinky shouted. "We're burning darkness here!"
Jim took Claire's hand and together, they made their way to the surface.
New Jersey was different from Arcadia. Cooler, for one thing. At least today. They had found a service tunnel that ran under the sidewalk, and using Jim's strength, they forced open the grate and came out into the city. They had just enough time to close the door before a group of pedestrians came around the corner. But Jim didn't have the chance to hide. So he acted casual, hoping to pull off a costume.
It was a couple of teenagers that saw them, and as they passed, they both seemed to study Jim for a second.
"Dude, sick costume!" One said.
It worked like a charm. "Thanks!" Jim sighed.
"Are you guys going to the horror convention?" The girl asked.
Claire muttered over to Jim. "Horror convention?"
"Uhh...yeah! Well, we're looking for a Walmart first."
"Well you're going the wrong way," the guy stepped up. "I'm Henry, by the way. This is my dear, sweet Astrid."
"Sup?"
Jim held out his human hand. "I'm Jim, and this is my girlfriend Claire."
Henry smiled. "Nice to know you. We're making our way to the convention center now. If you want to come?"
"Are you entering in the costume contest? First place is 5,000 dollars!" Astrid interjected. "I bet you could win!"
5,000 dollars could get a couple of hotel rooms and decent meals for Claire. Not to mention, they could get their cart for the Heartstone. "I'm in," Jim agreed.
"Awesome!" Said Henry. "I made a costume too, but my dad accidentally trashed it. But there's always next year!"
The group of four made their way through the city, chatting like normal teens. Passerby stopped them every once in a while to take pictures with Jim.
After several of these, Claire sided up to him, taking his hand. "Do you think that's a good idea?" She whispered.
"I'm not a hundred percent sure, but we need to act casual. So if people think this is a costume, then so be it."
"So Jim," Henry called over, interrupting their conversation. "Those horns are super cool. What are they made of?"
"Oh, uh…real horns! From a ram!"
Claire held back a snort.
"Can I touch them?"
"Yeah, just…don't yank on them." Jim bowed his head as his new friends all rubbed his horns, 'ooh'ing and 'aww'ing all the while.
Finally, they reached the hotel where the convention was being held.
"Oh, you guys don't have passes yet, right?" Henry asked. "I think you can still get them. They're 30 bucks for a day pass."
Jim winced. 30 bucks each? He had the money, but if he didn't win the contest, they wouldn't have much left over for a cart. Claire seemed to notice this too, and nudged him. "Hey, let's go for it. Let's be normal kids for a while, huh?"
Jim smiled at her, taking her hand. "Yeah, normal."
At the ticket booth, the attendee nearly jumped to his feet. "Oh man! That is an awesome costume! What are you?"
"Uh…troll. Trollhunt—…Troll knight."
"Wicked! Are you entered in the costume contest?"
"Not yet," Jim smiled, baring his fangs.
"I can get you signed up here. Name?"
"Jim Lake."
"And you said you're a Troll knight?"
"That's right."
The man tapped away at his iPad. "And qualifying contestants for the contest get in for free."
"What do I need to qualify?"
The man printed out a pass and put it in a lanyard. "I'm the preliminary judge. You qualify. It's just to keep people from mediocre costumes from entering, like obviously half-assed costumes to get in for free. Y'know?"
"Gotcha." Jim grinned, putting on the pass.
"But it is going to be 30 bucks for the lady."
"If only I had worn my armor." Claire whispered.
Jim took out his wallet and handed over his card. "No worries, at least I got in."
"Alright, you both are all set, good luck in the contest! Judging is at midnight!"
"Thank you!" They both called. Then they met up with their new friends.
"You in, man?" Asked Henry.
"Yep! All set!"
"Awesome!" Astrid took out her phone and checked the time. "Well, it's nine now. We have some friends here, if you want to come with us to hang out."
Jim looked at Claire, and she looked back at him. If her face said what he thought it said, he replied, "Uh, I think we'll catch you guys later."
"No prob! You guys still want to go to Walmart later, right? We'll go with you."
"And we have to see Jim win the competition."
"We'll see you later, then!" And off they went.
Jim spoke once they were alone. "That is what that look meant, right?"
"Yeah, as much as I've missed human interaction, I also feel really gross."
"I think you look beautiful."
She was wearing dirty clothes, her usual jeans and t-shirt. And she hadn't washed her hair in days. She blushed. "Thanks, Jim."
"I'm going to call Blinky and tell him what we're up to. If I may borrow your phone?"
"Sure," she handed it over. "And while you do that, I'm going to go freshen up in the bathroom." She bid him adieu by standing on her tip-toes and kissing his cheek. "I'll be back in a minute."
"Take your time, we're in no rush."
He unlocked her phone, and found his own picture in her contacts. The line rang twice before Blinky's cheerful voice picked up.
"Ah Master Jim! Have you and Claire located supplies? Or perhaps a vessel to help us carry our new Heartstone?"
"Um…not quite."
Blinky paused on the other line, then his voice took on a dangerous tone. "What happened?"
"Okay, so like…we came to the surface, and immediately these teenagers saw us."
"Don't tell me you killed them!"
"No! Why would—?! Look, they thought I was in costume. There's a Horror convention going on a few blocks away, and I entered the costume contest."
"As what?"
"As myself. Well, a 'Troll Knight' is what I put on the application."
"YOU WHAT?!" Blinky yelled, as Jim moved the phone away from his ear. "How could you ever think this was a good idea!?"
"First prize is 5,000 dollars, okay? I figured if I win, I could have enough money to put Claire and I up in a hotel over night and treat her to a nice meal. Okay? Plus, we could probably buy a really sturdy cart for the stone."
Blinky was silent, supposedly thinking. "And no one suspects you?"
"Not a bit."
"Hmm…alright. Just, try to lay low."
"We will, I promise."
Right after he hung up, Clair returned. The hair around the edge of her face was wet. "You know, you really stick out. I mean, in this crowd, you still fit really well, but…I'm worried about your clothes." She hooked a finger in his waistband a gave a gentle tug. It had no give. "Aren't you dying? Aren't those pants like…super tight?"
He sighed. "Yeah. I am, actually. But I figured the ripped clothes would help with the costume."
"But didn't you say you were a troll knight?"
"Yeah?"
"Then put your armor on! That will win the contest!"
"You think?"
"Yeah! It's super Tron!"
Jim glanced down at himself, thinking. Some of his clothes were just hanging on by a thread. It would only take a weird, sudden movement for there to be an awkward rip in his pants.
"Yeah, the last thing I want is a Spongebob moment up on stage. We just need to find a secluded place for me to suit up."
"The bathrooms were pretty crowded." Claire blanched.
"Wait," Jim spoke, staring at the stage in the middle of the convention. "I have an idea, but I need you as a lookout."
"Lead the way."
The duo snuck their way over to the middle of the room and Jim slipped under the cloth covered stage.
From the outside, there was a brief glow of red that blended in with the other stage lights. Then, Jim emerged again, in his armor. "Ah, much better."
Claire gazed up at him, a look of adoration on her face.
"What?"
"I love seeing you in your armor. My knight, my prince, my Romeo."
"Your Trollmeo," he corrected.
She scoffed.
"Whoa! Dude, sick costume!" A guy in a realistic Freddy Krueger costume said. "What's that made out of? Foam?"
The question took Jim off guard, as he touched his armor. He honestly didn't know. Some kind of metal. "Uh, real steel."
"What?! Can I touch?" Freddy reached his claws out.
"Yeah, but if you could…not scratch it…?"
"Oh sure!"
Another cosplayer, dressed as the Creature from the Black Lagoon, approached the group and looked in awe.
"Is that like, a medieval Beast from the X-men? No, you've got horns…"
Freddy felt the pauldron on Jim's shoulder. "This is amazing craftsmanship. Did you make this yourself?"
"Ah, no. A…friend did. Custom, just for me. He's somewhat of a wizard."
"I'll say!" Said the Fishman.
Yet another cosplayer came into the group, this one dressed in a black leotard with white and black face paint and a spiky black wig. "And, what…or who, are you supposed to be?" Asked he.
"I'm a troll knight," answered Jim, becoming more confident in his story.
"A troll knight? There's no such thing." Said the newcomer. "Besides, trolls are supposed to be big and ugly with fat noses and beady eyes. In Lord of the Rings, they're dumb, huge, and hairless. Or the Elder Scroll Trolls, they're more like three eyed apes." He narrowed his eyes. "Though, I suppose you got the ugly down."
Jim's nose flared and he nearly snarled.
"Dude, chill." Freddy interrupted. "It's a costume."
"That's why I'm being so picky!" The other kid said. "Last year, some slut painted her body green, glued some leaves on, and called herself Poison Ivy. She won 5,000 dollars."
Freddy Kruger and the Fishman crossed their arms. "I saw her last year," said Freddy. "There was a lot more to the costume than that. And who cares if he's got a different interpretation of Trolls? Dreamworks made the film about the vintage troll dolls from the 80's! They had long fuzzy hair!"
Jim wanted to speak up, but his knee jerk reaction in arguments now was to roar and snarl, not use his wits. He was not in practice for this.
"But that's an established franchise! This is…a bad homestuck OC! His horns aren't even the right color for that!"
Claire gave Jim a look, and he returned it with a shrug.
"Well," said the Fishman, "I think your costume is dope…uh…"
"Jim."
"Jim. You are entered in the contest, right?"
"Yep! I was basically forced into it." He laughed.
"We are too!"
"As am I," the rude interloper stated. "It appears as though we are opponents."
Jim smiled, trying to stay polite and fight back the urge to let his trollish instincts take control. "Fun! What are you supposed to be?"
"Uh, hello?! I'm Ryuk, from Death Note!?"
Jim stared blankly. "Um, I don't know who that is."
"Seriously?! The main Shinigami of the series? The perfect character that crosses the border of both antagonist and protagonist?! The very god of death himself!?"
"It's an anime," Freddy added.
"Oh, right right. I see…" Jim lied.
"Anyways," said Ryuk, "how about you and I make things interesting?"
Jim wasn't much of a gambling man, but the amount of praise he had received inclined him to believe the odds were in his favor. "Go on…"
"If you win, I will pay for your hotel room and a dinner at a modest restaurant. If I win, I get to destroy your costume and take your friend out on a date."
Jim's restraint was reached as he let out an almost tiger-like snarl. "Not on your life!"
Ryuk backed away a step. "What, are you—afraid or something?"
"Claire isn't a possession, damnit. I will never barter her life or her time. She's mine, so back off!"
Claire quickly put a hand on Jim's chest and urged him to back down. "Jim, honey, you still have that injury. Don't exert yourself."
As if she summoned it, a painful throb hit Jim in the chest, and he winced.
"Whoa, you okay dude?" Asked Freddy, "you want some water?"
Jim shook his head. "No, I'm fine. Just a…minor injury." He took some stabilizing breaths and willed his troll half into submission. Then he re-engaged the enemy. "I'll pass on that bet."
"Oh, so you are a chicken!"
"No, I'm just not a moron."
The other boy crossed his arms, "And I'm not either. I've been to hundreds of cons, and seen and smelt every unbathed human you could imagine."
"Ew…"
"But you two…You don't have a hotel room, or any place to stay, do you? You look like you've been sleeping in the woods somewhere."
Jim frowned hard, his teeth poking his cheeks. "So what if we have? That's none of your business."
"I'll pay for your hotel room and food, if you drop out of the contest all together." He challenged.
Claire took Jim's hand. "Don't. Even if you don't win, we'll still have money to get the cart. For once, Jim, you don't need to be the hero and protect me. Just don't let this punk walk all over you."
She made a good point. Jim shrugged. "You know what? If you didn't think I was a threat, you wouldn't have made this bet. So forget it. We need that money."
Freddy and the Creature from the Black Lagoon stepped up and put a hand each on Jim's shoulder.
"If I win, I'll pay for your guy's stay."
"Ditto!"
"Then may the best monster win!"
Ryuk scoffed at the others and stormed off.
Jim snorted. "What a jerk."
"There's always guys like that at cons." Said the Fishman. "Guys that are 'purist fanboys', guys that think that girls aren't allowed to like pop-culture like comics and video games. Basically just asshats."
"Well, we appreciate the support back there." Jim grinned. "But you don't have to pay for our room…"
"Con goers get a special price for rooms here. It's only a 75 bucks a night. That's a drop in the bucket for a 5,000 prize."
"Then," Jim decided. "If I win, I'll pay for you!"
"Too bad! We already paid! Guess you just have to accept charity!"
The rest of the con went much smoother. The cosplayers went their separate ways, all enjoying the con at their own pace. Sometimes they'd bump into Henry and Astrid, or Freddy and Fishman.
And for just a few hours, Jim could pretend to be normal.
"You seem pretty chipper." Claire noted, "don't relax too much, or your armor is going to disappear."
"It's weird how much you forget in a month." Jim replied. He was looking at Astrid and Henry as they gushed over dragon figurines on a booth. "I've spent the last few weeks in the darkness, in caves and sewers, protecting Trolls. I almost forgot that I protect the humans as well."
"And you did, from Gunmar and Morgana." Claire assured.
"I just…this is nice."
Claire's hand was in his, her thumb rubbed over his knuckles. "We should see what life is like in Arcadia. Maybe people remember the attack. Maybe you won't have to hide."
Jim didn't answer initially, but then finally said. "Except from the sun."
Finally, 11:45 rolled around. Claire caught up with Astrid and Henry, while Jim went up to the stage with Freddy and Fishman. Ryuk lurked in the background, glaring daggers at Jim.
"Wow! What a great turn out!" The announcer called on stage.
The hall was alive with cheers.
"And we have a lot of contestants in the cosplay contest this year! All competing for that sweet, sweet moola. 5,000 bucks! Cash!"
Somebody whistled.
"But you're not all gathered here to hear me talk, so without further adieu…Jason McHaughtly as Jason Voorhees!"
There was about 20 contestants. Some had better costumes than others. Others…not so much.
"Ian Reese as Ryuk from Death Note."
The kid that had harassed Jim earlier walked out on stage, standing ramrod straight. Whether it was stage fright or just an attempt to be creepy was unknown.
There was a polite round of applause.
"Jim Lake, as a 'Troll Knight'."
Jim could have simply walked out on stage, but he was in it to win it. So he ran out on stage, did a cartwheel, flipped in the air, landed in a crouch and unsheathed his sword, spinning it in a flurry of twirls. He ended in a fighting pose.
"That's my man!" Claire shouted over the crowd.
With his advanced hearing, he could just barely hear her.
Jim sheathed his sword and began to walk off stage, when he was suddenly tackled from behind. For being kind of chubby, Ryuk was awfully nimble, as he clambered up on Jim's back.
"This was my year! I was going to win!" He shouted, yanking on Jim's horns.
Obviously, they weren't going to come off, but it was still painful.
"Ouch! Dude! Get off!" Jim reached back and removed the pest with one hand, even as Ryuk held fast to his horns. Jim's short fuse had reached it's end as he tore the kid off and easily threw him into the crowd.
An animalistic roar tore from his throat, echoing in the hall.
The audience was silent, before they erupted in deafening cheers.
Jim took several panting breaths, before calming down and smiling awkwardly. Then he hustled off stage and out of the limelight.
"Wow, that's going to be hard to beat!"
Jim peeked out from behind the curtain, trying to spy the kid he threw. He looked fine, but he was off to the side having a chat with the hotel security.
Jim hoped this wasn't going to backfire on him.
He watched the rest of the competition from backstage. Everyone else was a lot calmer.
"Hey," Freddy whispered. "That was awesome! How did you do that roar? Is it like, a speaker?"
"Uh…no, actually. I really am a troll."
Freddy smiled. "Oh nice, this really isn't a costume either. I really am a burn victim."
After a pause, the two snickered.
"Alright, if we could have all the contestants come back out, please."
Jim and Freddy stood next to each other.
"Good luck," Jim whispered.
"Nah, you got this in the bag."
The announcer looked at the card. "And third place, winning the 1,000 dollar prize is…Logan Garfield as Freddy Kruger!"
Jim gave him a friendly pat on the back as Logan gave him a thumbs up and accepted his reward.
"Second place, with the 2,000 dollar prize…Luna Nox as the Creature from the Black Lagoon!"
"Yes!" Jim heard his new friend cheer from the other end of the stage.
"And finally, our first place winner…"
—
Jim, Claire, and a small group of new friends walked down the sidewalk together. They had met up in the hotel lobby, and things quickly got weird once Freddy and Fishman showed up out of costume. Now Jim was the odd one out, though he had found a secluded place to get out of his armor.
"Even if you hadn't won, I'm sure you easily could have sold that costume for 5,000 dollars." Henry determined.
Jim had been handed a fat stack of hundreds, which was a good thing in the long run. He didn't know what he would do if it had been a check. Once he and Claire had had their fun fanning themselves with the cash, he had stashed the money inside his breastplate for safe keeping. When he had dissolved his armor, the money went with it, only leaving 300 bucks for groceries and their room behind in his wallet.
"Yeah, but I don't want to sell it, you dig?"
The group was making their way to a 24-hour pizza joint for a celebratory dinner, and then to Walmart. After, they'd return to the hotel, where Jim and Claire would spend the day.
Jim bumped his girl's side. "You doing okay?"
"I'm wonderful," she smiled at him. "Especially since we're about to get pizza!"
"It'll be nice to have a real meal, uh?"
"Yeah," then she met his eyes. "But Jim, please don't feel bad. I wanted to come with you, and I knew the circumstances."
His hand rested on her waist as he gently pulled her to him. "I know…I just want to take care of you."
They were getting away from downtown now. There were houses all closely gathered together, with wire fences.
Almost immediately, Jim halted.
"What is it?" Claire asked.
Everyone else stopped, wondering what the hold up was.
Jim's gaze was locked on a 'For Sale' sign on a blue pick-up truck. One that looked like it had some lifting power. The price was 2,000 dollars.
"Claire." He said, pointing at it. "How much weight do you think that truck can carry?"
A smiled stretched over her face. "Probably a boulder that weighs a metric ton." She took out her phone and snapped a picture of the truck, and then the house it was in front of. "This would be better than a cart."
"What are you guys carrying?" Henry asked.
"Uh…a rock."
"A crystal, to be precise. We're geo-nerds."
"Like a quartz?"
"Yep! Exactly! A big ole quartz we found." Despite finding strength in his new form, Jim was still an awkward teenage boy. Luckily, no one noticed.
"Well, if you guys need help loading it, just let us know." Freddy offered.
"Oh, thanks! That's so kind!" Claire smiled. They had plenty of help from the Trolls, but it was a nice gesture.
—
Dinner went well, as the kids chowed down on pizza, and Jim snuck a fork when no one was looking. After, Freddy and Fishman bid them adieu and returned to the hotel, while Jim, Claire, Astrid, and Henry went to Walmart.
"I'm surprised you didn't take your costume off at the hotel," Astrid noted. "It must be uncomfortable."
"Well, actually…I can't take it off yet." Jim lied, "I used a super powerful glue, and it's going to take a while before I can take my horns off. And my skin is just stained."
It was obvious that they didn't believe him, but they thankfully didn't press it. "Don't you have a change of clothes?"
"Nope! That's why we're going to Walmart!"
At the store, the group split. Astrid and Henry going for food, while Claire and Jim went to clothes.
"So I'm thinking long sleeves and long pants are going to be important. Maybe something with a hood. We'll have to cut holes in it, though." Said Claire, looking at a clearance rack.
"The more I'm protected from the sun, the better."
"I don't want you to get overheated though…"
"I won't. Don't worry." He shrugged, flipping through the sweatshirts. "I don't get cold or hot anymore."
Claire half-smiled. "Must be convenient." She pulled a pair of sweatpants off the rack. "Do you think these are big enough?" She held them up to his waist.
"It won't hurt to try them on."
Jim went up six sizes in pants, and he went from a medium to a XL in shirts. To say it was weird was an understatement.
Currently, he wore a black T with a skull on it that Claire had picked out, a red zip-up with thumb-holes, gray sweats, and cheap, size 13 wide sneakers. "I feel like an emo."
Claire almost had stars in her eyes. "You look perfect."
He chuckled, "well, as long as I'm covered, I don't care. Did you find a few things?"
"If we stop at the laundromat before we leave, I'll be fine with just these." She held up a pair of black sweatpants, something comfier to sleep in than jeans.
"Awesome. Snacks?"
"Snacks."
—
The sun was just barely starting to poke over the corner when they returned to the hotel and got a room. Once inside, Claire dropped all the supplies on the floor as she resisted on leaping on the bed.
"I'm going to take a shower, immediately." She stated. "I can't wait to sleep in a nice warm bed."
"Go for it, if I may use your phone?"
She handed it to him, then found her new pajamas in their bags.
As the bathroom door closed, Jim called Blinky and found the hidden bag of groceries he had purchased without telling Claire.
"Ah, Master Jim. We were beginning to wonder when you would call. What became of the costume contest?"
"I won! We got 5,000 bucks."
"Wonderful! I assume at least. And what of the cart?"
Jim set the avocados, veggies, and spices on the counter. It had been a while since he had made anything, but the muscle memory was there. "We found something even better. There's a truck for sale just down the road, and it's in our price range."
"Excellent! What is...a truck?"
"You've seen them. It's like a car, but the back is like a cart, and people put stuff in them."
"Oh yes! Now I understand. You think that will be strong enough? It is quite the hefty stone."
"I think we can get it. The thing is, a truck is a lot faster than Trolls. So some of us will get back before the others. I'm the one who knows how to operate it, and I think Claire and Merlin should come as well, since they're human and will need to sleep and eat."
"I see." Blinky paused. "We will discuss this among the group. For now, just secure the vehicle."
"We will, later in the day. Talk to you later." Jim hung up, and finished mixing the guacamole. He munched on the spoon idly as he set the bowl and tortilla chips on the table.
Then he poked through the items he bought, finding soap and shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, clean socks and underwear, and a wide hairbrush. He might have been a troll, but he wasn't a wild animal.
The bathroom door opened in a billow of steam.
"Ahh…" said Claire. "I've never felt so clean in my life."
Jim gathered his belongings. "Then it's my turn." He kissed her cheek as he passed. He got a whiff of her smell and almost went back to kiss her again.
"Jim!" She shouted.
"Hmm?"
"Did you make me guacamole!?"
He grinned. "Maybe."
He could have sworn there were tears in her eyes. "Thank you, you're so good to me."
"I try."
In the bathroom, Jim stripped and climbed into the shower. It was a weird moment remembering that the temperature of the water didn't bother him. He felt it more on some of his more human parts, like his chest and his five fingered hand.
He lathered up well, using the loofa he bought as well.
It was like scrubbing a rock. He couldn't exactly tell when he was clean, but he did his best. His horns got in the way as he shampooed his hair and scruff, but he made sure they got cleaned as well.
Finally, he decided he was done and dried off, rubbing the towel frantically through his hair. It fluffed up, and made him look wild. He brushed his teeth and then combed through his mane.
When he emerged, Claire was laying on her stomach on the bed, idly watching cartoons.
"There's my fluffy boy." She grinned, seeing him without his shirt.
"I tried to comb it out."
"Come here," she urged, sitting up.
Jim sat on the floor by her feet.
The brushing felt nice. Not so much the brush itself, but the way Claire's hand ran over the hair after.
"So…" she began. "What are we?"
Jim was confused, and turned slightly to give her a look, but she forced him to sit straight. "I thought we were boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"Still?"
The question had hurt a little, honestly.
"You've…we've been kind of distant. I thought things…had changed."
He curled in on himself a little. "I didn't know if you would think it was weird…I'm not exactly human anymore."
"No, no you're not." She agreed.
He looked at his hands. "I still love you, I'm just scared."
She finished brushing out his hair and allowed him to move. He stayed on the ground, kneeling in front of her.
"You've never said you loved me before."
Jim opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it, frowning hard.
"Are you scared of me?"
He didn't say yes, but he didn't say no either.
She reached out and held his face with her hands. "Jim, I told you before, whatever you are…I love you. Please, don't pull away from me."
She watched his adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard.
She continued, "My life was…boring without you. I thought a play was important! But since I met you, my life has been nothing but adventure. Even our dullest days are exciting, because you're here."
He shook his head as his eyes started to water. "I tried my damnedest to impress you." His voice broke, "I did the play because I was crushing on you. And I was so hoping to get the girl in the end…but…" A few tears escaped, as he sniffed. "I can't."
"You can, and you have." She pulled him closer by the horns. "Because unless you tell me to leave, I will stay by your side." She brushed his tears away with her thumbs. "So don't cry, Trollhunter. Your sacrifices weren't in vain."
He nodded, rising to his feet. He scooped Claire up, holding her to him close as she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.
Finally, he laid her down on the bed, giving her a cute kiss to the forehead. He climbed up on the bed with her, and reclined on his side, looking at her.
And in the quiet moment of serenity, the two just looked at each other. With their souls this time, looking past outside appearances and just living in the moment. For words were not enough to convey what needed to be said.
Still, something nagged at Claire's mind, and she sat up, crossing her legs.
"So, I…I actually meant something else when I asked what we were," she began. "My parents kind of figured if I was leaving with you, that meant…well, when we came back…we'd be married."
His eyebrows rose. "Oh."
"Yeah…"
His lower lip stuck out, a quizzical look. "We're kind of young, don't you think?"
She leaned back on her arms. "Yeah, I suppose. But the thing is…I can't see myself with anyone else. I've crushed on and dated a handful of guys…and none of them are like you."
"As far as we know, I'm the only half-troll in the world." He giggled.
Claire hit him with a pillow. "That's not what I meant! You're just putting words in my mouth!"
"That's not the only thing I'm going to put in your mouth." He wiggled his eyebrows.
Two could play at this game, "oh yeah, and what's that? Hmm?"
He hadn't expected her to call him on his bluff. "Uhh…my…tongue?"
She giggled. "Ooo, risky!"
His nostrils flared. "What were you saying about me being different?"
She sobered, and leaned closer to him. "No one, not a single man I've met in my life, was willing to sacrifice what you did. You risked not only your life, but everything else you had to save my baby brother from the Darklands. You came for me in the void…Then…you gave up your body…your freedom…to save us. You could have just risked it, but you made the extra decision to ensure we were safe."
He looked up at her with his blue, blue eyes. "I had to Claire. I…I couldn't just…"
She cupped his face. "You are fantastic, and lovely, and wonderful. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, my Romeo."
Jim tugged on her, pulling her to him. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. He nuzzled his nose in her hair, breathing in her shampoo. "And I want you, too." Then he leaned in and kissed her tenderly. When he pulled away, he smiled at her warmly. "I want to make sure I can take care of you, though. I don't want our married life to be remembered by sleeping on hard rocks and not bathing for weeks."
"I mean…"
"I know you can handle it." He interjected. "But I can't. I can't handle seeing you uncomfortable. You deserve the very best." He ran his fingers through her hair. "So, when we return to Arcadia…I'm going to make us a home in Troll market. Then I will ask, officially. I'll get permission and everything."
Claire smiled, her cheeks hurting. "Thank you," she whispered.
He kissed her, slow and deep, making her toes curl. She wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her fingers in his still damp hair as his hands ran over her body.
Claire's heart thudded in her chest and Jim teased her with his tongue, and idly played with the waistband of her pants.
She tugged on his horn, pulling him even closer and returning his kiss with vigor.
They pulled apart, resting their foreheads together.
"I told you—"
"Yeah, yeah." She giggled. "I liked it."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," she pecked him gently.
"Even with the teeth?"
She snickered. "Even with the teeth."
"And the horns?"
She tugged on them. "What do you think?"
