#jlaireby makes me so soft | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

elizabethemerald · 5 years

Text

Jlaireby Reunion

@autumnalfallingleaves Done at last. I loved writing this. I hope you love reading it.

Toby crouched behind a car in his armor, his warhammer in his hand. The rain poured down making a small tinking noise against his helmet and a hissing noise against his hammer.

He nodded to Aaarrrgghh who was sheltered in an alley across the street then rushed out of cover. Before he could even get his war cry out a wave of water washed over him. His wingman managed to grab him to keep from being washed away.

“Bring me the royal cores or I will drown this town.” The thing screeched. Whatever the creature was, it wasn’t a troll. It still didn’t seem to care much for human lives. People ran screaming as the monster pulled water up from the flooded canals into the streets.

“I have no idea what that means!” Toby shouted as the water receded into a swirling vortex around the creature. Whatever it was it was big, and ugly and was able to control all the water around it.

“Don’t lie to me! You stink of Akiridions!” It shrieked tossing another wave at the young Trollhunter.

Toby was glad he had worn his armor, the weight helped keep from being washed away. He took a moment to adjust the weight of his hammer while the water pulled against his legs. There was no point in trying to fly at this thing with all the water around, but he could make his hammer drag him closer and closer to it. Aaarrrgghh followed right behind him as he slowly fought the pull of the current threatening to sweep him away.

“You are probably smelling Aaarrrgghh! He’s the only thing I can smell.” Toby said.

Toby was almost within striking distance when he stepped on something slimy underfoot. He immediately slipped backwards into the water. From underwater he saw a bright light flash by over head hitting the creature in the torso.Then Aaarrrgghh was helping him stand back up.

The creature reeled back dazed. Toby was not about to let this thing gain the upper hand again. He swung his hammer back and leaned against his wingman’s large hand.

“Aaarrrgghh! Throw me!” Toby shouted.

The massive troll immediately hurled Toby forward. He used his momentum to swing his hammer in a powerful arc smashing into the creature. It was sent howling backwards, flying to the farside of the street.Toby used the backblow of his hammer to bring himself up into the air. The creature roared and pulled all the water in the area to itself, summoning a massive torrent that swirled around its body. Toby could even feel some of the water run off his own body towards it.

“Now!” A voice screamed out. Was that Eli? Toby wondered.

Before he could ponder further one of the utility poles exploded dropping several sparking live wires, directly into the torrent the creature had surrounded itself with. Toby covered his face with one hand as the electricity sparked and flashed while the creature shrieked. He swore in the flashes he could almost see its skeleton like in the cartoons.

The flashes of light died out quickly. The creature lay in a small puddle as all of the water it had summoned drained away. Toby held on tight to his hammer as it held him aloft. From his height he could see several figures darting into nearby alleyways. Including two that glowed? And what was that pink light over the next block? A groan below dragged him back to the fight.

All the water that had started to drain, was pulled back as the creature stood up. It blasted a powerful wave at Aaarrrgghh knocking him back into a car. It didn’t, however, look up. Toby swung his hammer around and increased its gravity as high as it could go. He brought it down with a resounding crash on the creature’s head.

Aaarrrgghh walked forward and stood with Toby. The two of them watched as the creature seemed to dissolve? It broke apart in small glowing pieces that got smaller and smaller till nothing was left. Toby looked at Aaarrrgghh who could only shrug. He leaned heavily on his hammer.

Toby wanted nothing more than to sit down and rest, but he felt a vibration in his pocket. He carefully pulled out his phone. He smiled, it was still safe in its ziplock bag. He was glad he had thought to store it that way for the fight. His smile grew wider when he saw who was calling. He quickly opened the bag and answered the phone.

“Hello handsome!” Toby said.

Jim laughed on the other end. “Hey TP. I’ve missed your voice. Is now a good time to talk?”

Toby glanced at the crater where the creature had been and the gathering Acardians. “Well if you called just to hear my voice, I can’t refuse to let you hear it!”

“Actually I can’t talk long, I have to call my mom next.” Jim said. Toby’s heart sank at those words. He always loved talking with his boyfriend and was sad that the conversation wouldn’t be long. Also if Jim was calling his mom was something wrong? Was he hurt or in danger? “Blinky said he thinks he remembers a gyre station near us!”

Jim was obviously excited, but for a second Toby couldn’t pull his thoughts from his worry. “Ok?”

“That means we can come visit Arcadia! Claire, Blinky and I should be there next week, as long as we don’t run into any emergencies along the way! Isn’t that great?”

“Yeah it’s great.” Toby said with a flat tone. He looked at the crushed, water logged cars around the street, what would Jim and Claire think of their city now? Jim continued talking about the details of their trip, but Toby couldn’t force himself to pay attention.

“Alright, I’ve got to go. I need to call my mom and tell her as well. I love you TP!” Jim said. Toby didn’t respond immediately. “Is everything ok Tobes?”

At Jim’s pet name for him, Toby perked up. “Everything’s awesomesauce Jimbo! I’m just thinking of what to show you once you’re back. I love you too! I’ll talk to you soon!”

Toby hung up before his voice could crack. He turned away his face sour and almost ran directly into Shannon. He was so surprised to see her he dropped his phone in a puddle.

“Oh I’m sorry! I just wanted to tell you, great job defeating that thing Toby!” Shannon said. Her eyes seemed to shine in the light of Toby’s warhammer. She paused for a second while he fished his phone out of the water. He noticed that it had died, it survived the entire battle and it dies in an inch of water. “Is everything ok?” She asked.

“Everythings fine. Jim and Claire will be coming to visit.” With that he turned and walked away.

* * *

Toby struggled forward. He could hear the screams and shouts up ahead. It sounded like Jim and Claire were in a battle. He tried to take off with his hammer, but it would respond to him, only growing heavier and heavier. He had to get to his two lovers, so he abandoned the hammer. His armor felt heavier as well, like the curse in his hammer had transferred to it. He stumbled out of his armor leaving pieces behind. From around the next corner, just over the next hill, from somewhere up ahead he heard Claire scream in pain.

“Claire! No!” Toby cried as he fought to keep moving. He had no more armor to shed, and still he was dragging into the ground. He fell hard and tried desperately to crawl forward when he heard another scream. Jim this time.

“No! Jimbo. Please, please.”

Toby sat up breathing hard. He looked around his room in a panic for a few seconds before he realized he had been dreaming. He laid back on his pillow, trying to get his breathing and heart beat back to normal. Jim’s scream still echoed in his mind. The same scream from when Jim had taken the brunt of Morgana’s attack while he and Claire had been bound helpless. The same scream that had often haunted his nightmares since.

A rumble from across the room brought Toby’s head up. Aaarrrgghh was awake, watching him from the corner of his bedroom. Toby could barely see the hulking brute in the darkness.

“Nightmare?” Aaarrrgghh asked.

“Yeah.” Toby said softly.

“Talk about it?”

Toby leaned his head back against his pillow. He knew the Krubera had plenty of nightmares of his own. Toby had often woken to soft growls and whines from his wingman. Aaarrrgghh didn’t need to be burdened with Toby’s nightmares as well.

“Nah I’m ok. Get some sleep, we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow.” And Toby closed eyes and pretended to fall asleep quickly. In truth it took him hours to fall back to sleep, long after the Krubera was softly snoring.

* * *

The next day, and the next week Toby tried to keep himself constantly busy. There was a lot of work to be done around Arcadia. There were still large parts of the city needed to be repaired. Business were installing sun shades for the few remaining Troll citizens. And Toby was at the center of it all. Some of the adults balked at allowing a teenaged boy tell them what to do, but Toby illustrated again and again that he knew the most about trolls.

Toby desperately wished it was still the old days with Jim and Claire at his sides. When they would sneak out at night to fight trolls and investigate mysteries. Now that Trolls were public knowledge, the mayor and the city council wanted to be involved and Toby had his hands full assisting them.

Despite how busy he kept his days, and how tired he was when he went to sleep, each night he had nightmares. The gyre crashed and Jim and Claire were killed. He was desperately trying to call them but his phone wouldn’t work. They were just in the next room, around the corner, always just a little out of reach and he couldn’t get to them. Sometimes he woke up screaming. Sometimes he woke up crying.

Both his Nana and his wingman were getting worried about him. It wasn’t hard to tell he was upset, but neither knew what he was upset about. The last thing Toby wanted to do was burden them with his anxieties.

* * *

“How’s it going Dr. L!” Toby called across the street. Jim’s mom was kicking her car door shut as he walked tiredly to his own door. She turned in surprise and waved him over.

“I’m doing well. Just a little tired.” Barbara said. Toby noted that she did have dark rings under her eyes and her hair was a little frazzled. Since her arms were already full of bags from her car Toby immediately picked up the remaining bags and hurried to open her front door. She set down her bags inside with a happy sigh. “Thank you, Toby.”

“Of course I can’t let my boyfri- I mean best friend’s mom hurt her back with bags!” Toby carefully covered his slip up. Jim hadn’t told his mom yet that he had opened his relationship and that he and Toby were dating. Barbara didn’t seem to notice and just smiled at him. “What’s in the bags?”

“Baby supplies mostly.” Barbara said, running her hands through her hair. “And a few surprises for Jim. With him coming home in a few days I want everything to be perfect.”

“I know that feeling.” Toby said. Barbara gave him a strange look at that but didn’t comment.

“How have you been Toby? You look as well rested as I am and I have a couple dozen babies living in my house.”

“Oh you know what trollhunting is like. Never a moment's rest.” He laughed remembering his conversation with Jim and Claire from a few weeks ago. “I’ve been working with the city council to make sure the damage from the Eternal Night is repaired.”

“Oh? Has Walter been much help for you? I know Ophelia is on the council and wants this done as much as everyone else, but I’m sure it is helpful having another voice in your court.”

“Mr. Stickler? I only ever see him when I come by here. I don’t know that I’ve seen him at the city council meetings.” Toby’s face scrunched up in his confusion.

“He said he had been helping... that you were glad for the help…” Barbara seemed a little lost for a second before shaking her head. “Either way, do you have anything special planned for Jim coming home?”

“Yeah I’m going to make a banner and a cake. I’m not much of a cook but Aaarrrgghh thinks the ones I cook are pretty good. Probably means they’re not safe for human consumption, but at least trolls like them.” He paused for a second, as he watched a few of the volunteers walk by with crying babies. “I was thinking since this house might be a little loud, and uh packed, Jim and Claire might sleep the night at my house.”

“Oh that sounds wonderful. We can have dinner here, then you kids can go over to your house for movies or something. Do you want me to have Walter bring over an extra mattress?”

“Oh that won’t be necessary.” Toby said with another laugh. Then Mr. Strickler lead another batch of the volunteers out of the nursery, Toby was surprised to see some of his classmates among them. Barbara pulled Walter aside while Toby went up and spoke to his friends.

“I never thought I would see you on baby sitting duty Steve.” He said.

“Shut up buttsnack.” Steve snapped. He glanced around then smiled at the baby in his arms. “Aja volunteered and I wanted to spend time with her.”

“Ah! Hey Aja!” Toby said, nodding to the new girl. She was a little strange but she was a genius and helped them get the lightning in a bottle. She waved back.

“Hello Toby of the Robo Teeth!” Aja said cheerily. She kissed Steve on the cheek as she walked by.

Mary and Shannon walked by holding hands. Toby felt a rush of jealousy. They were all getting such a normal life. Just able to hold hands with their partners. Sure Darci was here in Arcadia, but Toby missed Jim and Claire. As he thought about them his anxiety spiked. He could feel his heart rate go up and knew he was sweating. What if they run into something at the other gyre station? What if something attacked on the way to Arcadia? What if they made it home but they wanted to break up with him? Had he been doing a good enough job as Arcadia’s sole protector? He barely registered Shannon’s face twist with concern.

“Toby is everything ok?” Shannon asked looking at his face closely.

“Yep. Everything is awesomesauce.” Toby whispered with none of his usual enthusiasm. Then he turned away walked across the street to his house.

* * *

It was finally the night that they were coming home. As much as they all wanted to be reunited, everyone decided it was best to wait till nightfall to be safe for all the trolls. The small welcome party was gathered in the woods where they had assembled the Killahead Bridge. With the gyre station in Trollmarket still sealed, and Trollmarket now sealed away as well this was the closest Jim and co. could get by gyre.

Toby knew he now looked even worse than Dr. Lake. The night before last he had woken up three times with nightmares. Last night he had given up on the idea of sleep completely. He and Aaarrrgghh had played Go-Go-Sushi from dusk till dawn.

The welcome party had spent the day setting up the...welcome party. Barbara’s house was carefully decorated with black out curtains in place. And the clearing had been draped banners as well.

Toby and Aaarrrgghh had taken it upon themselves to clear the pieces of Killahead away, so the away team didn’t have to be reminded of it. Now that the Darklands had collapsed, the magic that prevented the pieces from being destroyed had vanished. Toby took out some of his anxiety crushing the pieces into powder with his warhammer.

Eventually there was nothing left to do but wait. Toby, Darci, Aaarrrgghh, Barbara, and Walter all waited under the trees. Barbara and Walter had set up some lanterns and fairy lights around the clearing to provide light. Those two seemed tense and didn’t talk much.

Toby found himself alternatively pacing the clearing and sitting with Darci, holding her hand. He couldn’t contain his anxiety. Each passing minute filled his head with worse and worse visions. As he paced Darci watched him walk back and forth, concern clear on her face. She had never seen her boyfriend like this before.

Aaarrrgghh, suddenly stood up his ears flicking forward. A second later Walter stood up as well. Soon even the humans could hear and then feel the rapidly approaching rumble. The gyre shot out of the ground accompanied by an explosion of rubble. Toby instinctively moved in front of Darci. Mr. Strickler did the same with Dr. Lake. Of course Aaarrrgghh protected all four with his body.

Once the rubble settled, they watched the wheels of gyre spun slowly to a halt. Jim immediately collapsed out of the gyre. Toby was sure he had hoped for a more dignified entrance than that. The half troll shakily turned to help Claire and Blinky exit the vehicle. Toby found himself moving against his will stepping towards them. He halted as they turned to look him.

Would they yell? Was this where they would break up? Had they been injured during the ride? Was Jim about to die in his arms?

Jim rushed forward closing the gap between them in a fraction of a second. He picked Toby up and spun him around, hugging him tight. Then he set him back down and stared into Toby’s eyes for several seconds, a large stone hand cupping his cheek. And then Jim pressed his lips to Toby’s.

Toby could feel Jim’s tusks pressing against his cheeks, but he didn’t mind. All his worries of the past week washed away in an instant. He wrapped his arms around Jim’s neck holding him there while they kissed. This was their second ever kiss. Their first as boyfriends.

When Jim pulled back his eyes and horns were glowing blue and Toby was breathless. Before he had a chance to catch his breath he felt a new pair of hands on his face. He was turned to face Claire. She didn’t hesitate to draw him into a second kiss. Toby gently put his arms around her waist as they kissed. When he was sure he would pass out if he didn’t break away Claire pulled back, her eyes were shining with a purple light. Toby had never her smile so bright and knew he had the same grin on his own face.

Toby couldn’t help but start to chuckle. Claire giggled as well. Jim laughed loudly and picked them both up and spun them around again. When he set them down Toby looked first at Darci. She had said she was ok with them being open, but he had never kissed someone in front of her. She was looking away a bit of color on her face.

“Eh, fuck it.” Claire said from Toby’s side. Then she marched up to Darci and gently put a hand on her chin. The two girls looked deeply into each other eyes, then Claire gave her a quick kiss. Before she could pull away Darci pulled her back and kissed her again, this time longer.

Jim grabbed Toby again picking him up and pressing more kisses to his face. Toby held onto Jim’s horns as they kissed again and again. Jim’s cheeks were riddled with Toby’s kisses. Eventually Toby’s feet were on the ground again, though it still felt like he floated above the grass. Claire and Darci backed away giggling. Jim put his hand on Toby’s shoulder, and Claire stood next to him, one hand on his waist the other around Darci’s. Darc had one arm across Claire’s shoulder and the other reaching in front of her to hold one of Toby’s hands. And they finally turned to look at the adults in the clearing.

Strickler was meticulously studying a piece of the Killahead Bridge. Barbara stood with her hands clasped in front of her, her eyes shining. Aaarrrgghh had covered his eyes, but opened his fingers so he could peak. Blinky smiled broadly, two hands tucked into his belt and two crossed in front of his chest.

“So uh,” Jim started, not sure what to say. “That’s a thing, that happened.”

“And will hopefully happen a lot more!” Claire said confidently, kissing Darci on the cheek.

Barbara made a high pitched noise and clapped her hands together in glee. “This is fantastic. I’m so happy, for all of you.”

Aaarrrgghh rumbled in agreement and Blinky also clapped his hands.

“That’s settled then.” The four armed troll said. “I believe we have another party to catch! Shall we depart?”

“Yes let’s!” Jim said. Then he scooped Toby in one arm and Claire and Darci in the other. All three squealed in delight as he hustled to the cars parked nearby. \

Hammer, Sword and Staff. The stories of three lovers, separated by miles but joined by the trials they faced together. Time and distance may drag them apart, but eventually their love will bring them together.

Previous installments:

Toby asks Jim out

Video date for Toby, Claire and Jim

All I want in the world

These stories take place After the Eternal Night. Just as my tales of A Doctor and a Museum Director finding love together and my tales of Reckless Slayerz protecting Arcadia

#jim lake junior #toby domzalski #claire nunez #Hammer sword and staff #after the eternal night #jlaireby #writing emerald

23 notes · View notes