Chapter Text
Draal had helped carry Aaarrrgghh into the library, along with a few of the stronger- but still gentle trolls to make sure his friend wasn't hurt on the way in. Not that he could be hurt now, anyway. He knew Vendel had wanted to argue, he could see it in the twist of his face- how his hand tightened on his staff- that Aaarrrggh should be resting with the others lost from Trollmarket.
But Blinky- couldn't, wouldn't let him go just yet.
They thought they had more time, before the Creeper's Sun took him- before the Krubera took him. It had been a promise between them, that they'd say goodbye when it was time for goodbye.
"But there's no time for goodbye, now old friend," Blinky closed the book far rougher than normal, a stone on the table clicking as it fell from it against the floor. The stocky troll didn't get up, but he shifted, his lowest pair of eyes glancing up at Aaarrrgghh, before they found themselves back to the floor.
"I-I," the scholar was at a loss for words, but cleared his throat, "I had always thought we would have more time, which is almost humorous considering the centuries we have spent together," Blinky chuckled, but there was no joy in his voice. He forced himself to look back at Aaarrrgghh, guilt and grief sticking in his throat.
"You were-are," his voice broke slightly now, his eyes trying to shift away from his friend's stone face- unflinchingly staring straight through him, "my dearest, closest companion- and I- I don't-" it broke off in a small sob, and Blinky's eyes itched as he felt tears pricking at them. He wanted to stand, but his legs felt like lead, and the troll only managed to fall to his knees. "I don't-I wish, I can-can't-" he couldn't speak, his lower hands falling to the floor the upper pair wrapping around his chest- eyes squeezed shut.
He'd been a constant companion, after the war, after they left their homeland- after his brother died. When Aaarrrgghh had left to guard Tobias, Blinky had felt the absence. No comfortable silence of them in the library, Blinky reading one of his numerous tomes and Aaarrrgghh happy to stay at his side. Even then, they still saw each other- even as Aaarrrgghh became more absent, they were still together. They still had the comfortable silence's as the children sparred, still had the soft moments together- going to the pub, even their adventures with the trollhunters' they had stood by each other's side, a constant presence- even when they were apart. And the promise they'd see each other again, next moon rise.
Hands clenched into fists, voice rough with emotion, "You weren't supposed to leave me alone, Aaarrrgghh," the normally boisterous troll's voice was small- too small. "Master Jim." In his mind's eye, Blinky saw the young man, no the boy- disappearing into the Darklands- a promise on his lips- and another one breaking.
"The amulet- still hasn't chosen another bearer," his right eyes flicked back to the table. It was dark, but a faint glow of power was still omitting from the artifact. "He's alive- but," Blinky's always creative mind flooded with the images, Jim being hunted by Gumm Gumms, falling down a pit, starving in some hole, being stalked by the monstrous denizens of the Darklands- Gunmar- the troll's voice cut off in an almost whimpering sound, eyes blinking rapidly- his heart racing. The boy had walked into his own death, his boy, would die surrounded by enemies- all because he was too useless to find a way to get him out. His death would be on his hands, just like before- why did he think he could do this again- torn limb from limb-
'Blinky panicking,' his head whipped up, tears freely going down his face, and Blinky shuffled closer to Aaarrrgghh. His upper hand, trembling, reached upward- hovering over his chest before pressing it there. Still dead stone.
"I'm losing my sanity," he laughed again, but it broke into sobbing, and Blinky leaned forward, resting his head against Aaarrrgghh's chest. "Next you'll be telling me how to free Master Jim from the Darklands? How to kill Gunmar from the outside, eh?"
Silence. Blinky shifted, sitting on the floor, resting his head-eyes shutting. His head hurt.
"You were always wiser than anyone would ever give you credit for, my friend."
Silence, not even the rustle of a gnome, not even the sound of anyone's breathing, but his own.
His hands moved to rest on his knees, even as they ached as he curled them close to his chest. His upper left curled against his chest- while the right held Aaarrrgghh's own.
"If you were here, if you were alive- you'd say,"
'Have hope, Blinky smart- will save Jim,'
Blinky looked down, fingers twitching- unwilling to look up.
'Always, have, plan'
He looked to the wall, noting the drawing-his ideas over the last few days. Tobias and Claire were the optimistic ones, they looked at him and knew in their heart's that Jim would come back- that'd he'd find away to help him. And he hadn't the heart to tell them- that he was running out of ideas. And that they were running out of time.
"I am an old fool, Aaarrrggh," his voice was small- and he leaned fully against the larger troll, trying to forget that he was gone. Trying to remember the last time they shared their rest together, Aaarrrgghh's arms wrapped around him and how his heart was a rhythmic, melodic thumping.
Exhaustion crept up on Blinky, and he slowly was overcome by it, falling into unrestful sleep against his old friend.
'No fool, Blinky will save Jim.'