“So...you and Draal.” Toby said as he and Jim sat themselves at the kitchen table for Allexis to help them with their Spanish homework while she was busy trying to fill out something on her computer. “You two have been hanging out, like a lot.”

“Toby, focus on your homework.” Jim scolded and rolled his eyes. “If you’re implying what I think you’re implying, I swear I’m going to ban you from the house.”

“There is nothing going on between me and Draal Toby, now do your homework.” Allexis said as she pushed her glasses up her nose and squinted at her screen. "We've already got one person in this house dating a troll, two would be weird."

"Also you do know he can hear us, the kitchen is built over the basement." Jim adds. "Let me focus on this homework before Uhl flunks me and I have to go to summer school."

"Uhl was a lot less strict to me when I had him, but then again I excelled in his class so maybe he wasn't harsh on me because I actually did all my homework." Allexis commented.

"Yeah, every time he threw back a test at me with a low grade he'd mention how you never slacked off and use you as an example of a good student for everyone." Jim muttered. "'Allexis never forgot her pronouns homework! Allexis always finished her work early or on time, a fine example of a student in all my years of teaching here! Be more like your sister señor Lake!'"

"Hey I needed to get that scholarship somehow so mom wouldn't have to scrape money together to send me off to college."

"Please finish college so you can be the next world history teacher, you have to replace Strickler if we kill him when he comes back."

The three continued their work, Allexis stopping to check over their homework and correcting his and Toby on certain things.

"You know, I have noticed you and Draal do hang out a lot when I'm gone." Jim said when Toby left for home. "I'm surprised you two actually stopped glaring at each other after one day."

"We simply reached a mutual agreement, and decided to not be enemies living under the same roof." Allexis replied with a shrug as she shut her laptop close. "He's just lonely down there in the basement,he needs a friend.”

“You know, I really do appreciate that you want to protect me, I really do.” Jim said as he closed his text book. “Even though I’m really supposed to do the protecting.”

“Baby brother, if the roles were reversed we’d still defend each other.” Allexis said with a small laugh and reached across the table to take her brother’s hand. “Believe me Jim, I would rather die than let anyone or anything hurt you in any way. If Gunmar even so much as leaves a scratch on your little face, I’ll come after him with the broom.”

“Gunmar better watch out then, because the Lake siblings are coming to destroy him and his army with the rest of the Trollhunters!” Jim laughed and punched the air with his free hand.

🗡️🗡️🗡️

“Hey how's the arm doing?"

Draal looked over to find Allexis coming down the stairs with a box of aluminum cans tucked under one arm and some sort of flat object tucked under one arm.

“It’s...it’s fine, still trying to get used to it." He admits quietly as she hands him the box and sits herself down in front of him before opening the flat object. "What's that?"

"A laptop, and I wanna show you something fun that I really enjoyed watching back in college." Allexis responds as she opens something up on the screen. Draal watched in fascination as a human woman dressed in blue was talking to a tall human man dressed in a fur cloak.

“What’s this called again?” Draal asks as Allexis sat back to lean against him.

“Castlevania, it’s based off a videogame. Figured you’d like it since it’s full of battle scenes and the main guy with the cloak reminds me of you.”

“Really?”

“Grumpy, crass, but also quite honest and loyal to his friends. Guess that makes me Sypha then, since I keep you in check.”

“Who?”

“Oh you’ll see in a bit.”

Draal wasn’t sure how long they had been watching this rather entertaining story on Allexis’ computer, but he certainly was captivated by it. From what he could understand, the main character, a human by the name of Trevor had teamed up with a magician woman and some kind of half vampire to stop an evil and dangerous vampire from destroying humanity and the three somehow managed to defeat this said vampire. And Allexis was right, the human Trevor was somewhat like him, which was rather hilarious.

“So is the story over? It feels like there’s supposed to be more.” Draal asks as Allexis shuts her laptop.

“For now apparently, there’s apparently supposed to be a new season soon, not sure when.” She says with a yawn and picks the laptop up. “Well, I’m off to bed. I have a job interview tomorrow at a comic shop and I don’t want to be late for it. Need some money so I can help my mom out and maybe get Jim a better birthday present.”

“How are you handling everything? After what you found out since you came home?” Draal asks as she heads up the stairs. “Like all the trolls and magic and things related to that?”

Allexis stops and turns to look at him, looking very undecided. “Well...I’m kind of used to the idea of you living in the basement, my brother is the protector of a race of stone creatures I’ve only heard of in fairy tales, still unused to the idea that my brother’s history teacher is dating our mom, and that I nearly died several weeks ago when I tried attacking a human eating troll who wanted my brother dead since day one.”

Draal shuddered at the old memory of where Bular nearly ate Allexis during the fight. Her terrified screams, the nasty gash on the side of her face she had been hiding under her hair from when he managed to knock her out of the bull’s grasp and knocked her to the floor, and the terrified expression she wore when he held her back to keep her from running into the fight to help her brother. That day was just so stressful for all of them, especially for the young hunter. Some nights he would hear him waking up screaming or crying before he went quiet, probably thanks to Allexis rushing in to calm him down.

“Hey, you okay?” Draal looks up to see her kneeling in front of him with a worried look in her eyes.

“No.” He admits quietly. “Your brother almost lost you that day, he made me promise to keep you safe and...you nearly died.”

He feels her hand on his shoulder but doesn’t look up.

“Draal, I’m alive because of you. I’m still here because of you." She says as her hand moves to his metal hand. "Jim is still here because of you, you did what you swore to do. You did not fail."

The troll nods, knowing full well what she meant. This whole family was still alive because he was able to keep them safe, especially Trollhunter's mother and his sister. That's what was important at the moment, they were safe - for now.