Chapter Text
Jim Lake Jr. typically started his Saturday mornings waking up early, opening the window to his room, and stretching his long limbs, shaking off last nights sleep. However, with his current duty as the Trollhunter, sleeping in late became a necessity to survive the brutal training that lies before him.
Today, sleeping in was not an option.
Jim jolts awake to the sound of pots and pans clattering to the floor. His first thought was that Mom was trying to grab a pan for cooking (Oh no, not again!). Jim quickly gets dressed in his normal white shirt and jeans, covering himself with his loved blue jacket, and leaves for the kitchen before his mom burns whatever she is trying to make.
When he makes his way to the stairs, he looks over to his mom’s door, which is cracked ever so slightly, but still open enough to see the blob of red hair and the slow breathing of Barbara’s restful body. He can’t but smile about how peaceful she looks.
Wait, if mom is asleep, then who is downstairs?
Jim’s realization causes him to stand still. Who would be in the house at this time? Draal? Toby? They would’ve said something by now or at least called.
He quickly pulls his amulet out of his pant’s pocket and whispers the small chant: “For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command”, covering his body in the silver armor, sword appearing into his hand.
Jim walks down the stairs in an attempt to stay silent. He edged himself closer to the bottom, trying to control his breath as he notices his heart rate increase due to his rising level of fear.
Creak.
'Damn this old house', Jim curses to himself. The rusting in the kitchen came to a halt.
The perpetrator starts to run to Jim’s location, causing Jim to raise Daylight in defense.
Jim couldn’t help but close his eyes as the sound of nails running across the hardwood floor gets louder, only for a figure to hover over Jim.
The Trollhunter opens his eyes and before him stood an eight-foot green troll with wings, staring at Jim with wide yellow eyes.
Before Jim could do run away, fight, or even react, the troll sniffs the boy, pressing his large nose at Jim’s chest plate, and eventually sniffing his face. Jim’s jaw is wide open, not knowing what to do. Is this normal for a troll to sniff others? Like dogs?
The troll pulls back from a moment and gives the Trollhunter a smile. A small truce. Jim lowers his blade.
“Ummm hi. I’m Jim.” He waves and laughs nervously, still confused and frightened.
He was not prepared for what happened next.
The troll licked Jim’s face, drool coating the boy’s cheek and dark hair. And then the troll purrs.
Jim yelps in response and wipes the slobber off of his face.
The troll seems content with the quick cleaning job, and then turns back around and leaps toward the kitchen on all fours, it’s wings closing and tail following behind. Still in shock, Jim follows the troll for answers, but all Jim saw was hell.
The couch in the living room was absolutely torn to shreds, the bed of springs exposed. What used to be the coffee table was now broken pieces of wood that formed a circle in the room’s floor, enclosing the bed of ripped couch cushions and various items like silverware and picture frames. Multiple blankets from the storage closet were layered on top of the makeshift nest, as well as the door to the storage closet.
As Jim holds his face to conceal himself from yelling, the bouncing green troll pounces back into the living room carrying a blender in its mouth. The troll drops the blender in front of Jim, waiting for the boy’s response. And thus, the staring contest began.
The Trollhunter’s angry and surprised eyes pierce into the trolls confused and patient yellow eyes. As a response to the silence, the troll nudges the blender closer to Jim’s feet using his nose. The troll sits and waits.
“What do you want me to do with it?! In fact, what do you want me to do about the mess you made?!” Jim whispers with intensity and anger, but the troll only stares.
“Mom is going to kill me!” Jim begins to freak out, his arms failing as Jim tries his best not to scream on the top of his lungs. “Mom can’t find out about this!”
The troll only turns its head to the side, his ears pointing downwards in confusion, almost like a puppy. After a second of thinking, the troll wraps one of its wings around Jim and pulls the boy towards the troll and the pile of blankets and torn cushions, causing Jim to trip and fall into the comfy mess on the living room floor. The troll curls up around Jim’s body lying in the nest, and the troll begins to lick Jim’s hair as Jim flails around to escape. In response to the boy’s constant movement, the troll growls, baring its fangs at the child.
Jim gives up. 'I guess I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.'