Author's Note: You're still reading this shit? My shit? I'm flattered.
Present (part 5)
Of all trolls, why did the fleshbags insist on pestering him?
Unfortunately, Drall couldn't leave the basement quite yet. The sun was out and his tunnel still incomplete. In other words, he was efficiently cornered.
The female, Claire, seemed to have dragged the other two along with her. However, he could see both the boys' curiosity. They had questions of their own. In other words, all three were guilty.
"I've said this once and I'll say it again. Questioning me is by no means the proper way for you to learn personal information about Blinky."
The troll couldn't hide the annoyance edging through his voice. This was getting ridiculous.
Claire shook her head, "I don't recall. So-"
"The trollhunter and his friend do." Draal growled, "I grow weary of your cultural disrespect."
The girl recoiled slightly at the accusation.
"Sorry. Don't blame them. It was my idea..." She admitted, though her words did little to endear the boys to the warrior.
He did, however, lower his glare to focus on the floor.
A dainty hand rested on Draal's right arm, and Claire offered a timid smile.
"But it's too late to take it back. We already know what 'incubator' means." She said, looking to the boys for support.
They nodded.
"Then why are you here?" Draal huffed.
The last thing he wanted to discuss was a comrade's physical status.
The portly one stood to join Claire and tugged Jim along with him.
Toby supplied, "We know what it means, but why is it considered an insult? And the book didn't tell us anything about the whole 'unclaimed' part."
Draal raked his prosthetic hand over his face.
Now the conversation had jumped from uncomfortable to down right unsettling.
"No comment on the former, and the whole 'claiming' issue is irrelevant now." He said crossing his arms.
Jim frowned, "So, he's no longer 'unclaimed' as in someone... claimed him? Sounds a bit..."
"Possessive?" Toby offered.
"Objectifing." Claire tsked.
As the three chartered on, Draal resolved to simply close his eyes and tune out the teenagers and their ridiculous human assumptions.
He knew he should have just kept his mouth shut.
...
Arrrgh and Blinky arrived at the Hero's Forge only to find three awaiting children and an unusually absent son of Kanjigar.
"Master Jim." The blue troll called, "Will Draal not be joining us today?"
The trollhunter heaved a long drawn-out sigh and shook his head.
"I doubt it."
"He's not speaking with us." Toby added.
The historian shared a glance with Arrrgh, who appeared equally confused.
While Draal may be known to overreact on occasion, he is prideful, dutiful, and blunt. One would think he'd vent his anger through pushing Jim harder during training rather than resorting to... the silent treatment. Even then, to aid in training does not require speech. That was Blinky's job. Not to mention he could easily avoid both Tobias and Claire altogether during this time.
"And why, pray tell, is that?" Blinky asked.
The answer hung briefly as Arrrgh and Tobias exchanged a quick fist bump.
A small glare in the pacifist's direction and the large troll understood that the distraction was not appreciated.
"He's demanded all three of us owe you an apology." Claire said, wringing her hands together, "We went to your library last night and.. well..."
She bit her bottom lip and the boys were staring dutifully at the floor. None of them knew how to say the next part politely. They began to seriously regret ignoring Draal's advice to mind their own business.
Jim muttered, "We told Claire about what happened Thursday and, against our better judgment, tried to find out... what that one market troll..."
Blinky's throat felt dry and his eyes narrowed.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" He prompted, a pair of eyes focused on each teenager.
They nodded simultaneously, faces solemn.
The stout troll continued, "Will this be a problem with any of you?"
"Not at all!" Jim insisted while his friends shook their heads vigorously, "We just- we're sorry for looking into your personal life behind your back."
When the humans assulted him with pleading looks, it was impossible to work up the energy for a proper reprimand.
Blinky smiled, "Apology accepted. Next time-"
His words fell on deft ears as the kids began to flood him with their gratitude. Then, he nearly stumbled when Arrrgh nuzzled the side of his head. The large troll wrapped an arm around the historian and pulled him close.
"Let's tell them." Arrrgh suggested, confident now seeing the teens' relieved features.
"Uhh.." Blinky nuzzled back lightly and sighed, "This probably won't make a lick of sense to any of you, but we have decided to make Arrrgh's claim official."
The kids' eyes became as wide as saucers taking the blue troll by surprise. Obviously it meant something to them.
Toby was the first to break from his stupor and smiled up at the ex-general.
"Is this what Draal meant? Congratulations!" He offered, "That is what I'm supposed to say, right? Isn't this why Draal congratulated you yesterday?"
While his and the other teens' guesses and theories surrounding the term 'claimed' were for the most part negative, he knew Arrrgh. Whatever this claim was, his friend and Blinky looked content.
"Close enough." Arrrgh said, then adding, "Sorry, left you alone."
He'd felt a tad guilty leaving Toby alone the last two nights without explanation.
"No problemo, Wingman."
AN: So for all who have not guessed what an "incubator" is supposed to be, it's a male troll with the ability to give birth. Basically a hermaphrodite that has both working bits (cause I love Mpreg). I had thought i would have gone into more detail, but alas. My writing just left it in the vague zone.