There Must Be Something More ( Bellroc x Jim Lake's older sister Iris Lake)

The Demigod is Due on Toby's Street

"See? Nothing wakes her up. I win. You can be Duke of Arcadia, and I'll be the Duke of Dance."
" I don't know, Jim," Iris piped up, startling the two boys as she let them know she hadn't been asleep for a while now," your Irish stepdance really needs work. Toby's rendition of ' Nessun Dorma' isn't half bad,
though."
She brushed the perfectly stacked video games off of the top of her head; barely suppressing shrieks of mirth at their pink, cringing faces.
Toby's phone roared like a troll.
She raised an eyebrow.
" What? I just recorded trolls training in the Forge. It makes for a sweet text notification."
He pulled out his phone, read the text, and said," That's the reminder I set. We gotta go to my house. It's Tacos- with-Trolls Time!"
" Mom is...?"
" Yeah, she's in bed," Iris reassured him. ( Maybe nine p.m. was a bit early for most people above the age of seven.But,as a doctor, it was smart to rest up for her shift. )

Jim walked upstairs to obtain Volume One of a Brief Recapitulation. Toby pocketed his device, and Iris ordered ( and paid in advance for) the tacos on her delivery app.
She headed for the bathroom and opened the door.

" YEEK!! BELL...WHAT THE ...truck..."
" Iris, are you okay? What's wrong?" Jim's voice sounded from below.
" Iris, you coming already? Tacos!!"
" Found a surprise in the bathroom, that's all," she responded, still reeling at the unexplained presence of Bellroc. And in the bathroom, of all the places they could randomly show up...

"Sorry, uh...I'll catch up with you guys. I'll have to deal with this first. "
Footsteps thudded out the door, whose hinges creaked tiredly.
She could've sworn Toby just said to Jim, " Dude, I told you you couldn't handle the fiery revenge of a Diablo Maximus Burrito..."

" Bellroc?"
" Yes, that is my name."
" I am asking what you are doing in here. "
" Trying to deduce this room's purpose. "
" Evacuation. "
" Of survivors?"
Iris's hand slapped and dragged down her own face. " I'll tell you later."
*****
She did not return home with only one brother. Both had to be there, otherwise Toby would miss out on the explanation concerning Bellroc.
Toby recalled that she'd never told them anything, and now, they both wanted their questions answered.

She stopped them at her bedroom door. " Before we go in, here's some advice: Don't do or say anything annoying or dumb. They are allergic to moronity."
" Noted," said Jim.
" Also, they already don't like you two, because you are human."
" Gosh, I've never faced that before! The horror!!"
" Okay, you're just being sarcastic because I insulted your IQ."
" I ...Queue ? Durr."

She socked him in the arm. He yelped.
The door opened.
Bellroc stared at him, unimpressed as expected. " This is the Trollhunter?"
" Yeah."
" His legs might snap in a strong wind."
" Bellroc, please let us in before you add injury to insult. "
Jim and Toby exchanged worried looks, then side- eyed her autism- adjacent partner.
They stepped back and let Iris drag Jim and Toby inside by their arms.
*****
" Allow me to introduce Bellroc. B-E-L-L-R-O-C. Occupation: Keeper of the balance between mankind , and magickind. Age: They don't even know, but it's somewhere over five thousand years. They are a real, non- Percy Jackson breed of demigod. Their sex is none of your business, and pronouns...they don't care for you to know that either, but ' They' and ' Them' has been deemed acceptable.
They lead the "Arcane Order" .Who all live in a magical, flying scary skull castle."
" Aawwwesooome sauuuce..."
" It is fortunate for you, boy, that I encountered your elder sibling first, and not you. Otherwise, you would have met your end."
Toby and Jim were lying on Iris's bean bag chairs. Iris was standing in front of her bed, at Bellroc's left side.
" Iris? Wh-what do they mean by that,
e- exactly?"
" What I said. You humans are known for being stupid, are you not?"
" Bellroc,I will break up with you if you insult my brother again right now."
They jumped in their skin,mouth falling open. Toby gasped at the sight of teeny pointy vamp- fangs.
" Yes. I am serious. Enough name-calling."
" Fine," they growled, pouting.
" Did you sharpen your teeth, or were they always this cool?!"
Bellroc glared at Ginger in disdain.
"I despise brown- nosing. "
"Okay. Me too. What is that?"

The demigod looked at Iris for help. She just grinned and shook her head.
Jim eyed them warily, grasping his amulet in one hand.
Toby slowly pulled out his phone, pointing its little camera lens at Bellroc.
" You. Bellroc."
Their head jerked sharply towards Jim, hawk- like.
" What are you doing with my sister?"
"Mating."
" Not that. Why is it like, like you two know each other? How,why, when?"
" I have observed Arcadia for centuries. Many Trollhunters have passed. It is due to them all living here, that I have for so long,come and gone from here. Merlin's Trollhunters. Merlin's drafted saints.
Merlin's damnable self- righteous FOOLS!!!"

Jim's Amulet glowed brightly. Toby jumped and dropped his phone, just barely capturing a blurry image.
" And humans, humans are infinitely worse. With the exception of my beautiful mate. Eyes like the midsummer blue sky. An uncorrupted, unselfish heart.Love, not greed, is what fills her. "
Iris kissed their cheek. An orange patch bloomed on it. She squeezed their hand, they uttered a kittenish purr, their jaguar-smile carving lines in their cheeks, bangs gently stirring.
" I met her, whilst searching for you. I would have killed you. But, your death gains me nothing. Whereas, in exchange for sparing you, I have gained Iris. And she is invaluable. "
Toby slipped his phone into his back pocket, happy with his secret photographs. Jim frowned at them, his distrust and dislike wholly justifiable.
*****

She tugged off her breast-clinging sports bra, and reached for the button on her pants. Her bust felt light as air without its restraints, not suffocated and suppressed.
On her bed lay nightgown and sleeping bra, ready for wear.
Footfalls on carpet. The steady tap, tap, tap. Their familiar hands, undoing the button and pulling down her pants for her.
" Thanks. You wanna have some fun?"
" Would you...dance for me?"
They rest their hands on her hips, and kiss her stomach above the navel, knees thudding down. She shivers and giggles.
" Not sensually. Your secret dancing, I find it delightful ."

" I'd rather dance with you. "
They rose to their feet.
" Would there be music to accompany it?"
" Of course. "
She first got dressed, while Bellroc set aside their able eyes. Then, she fetched the stand from the shelf above her bed, set it up on her bedside table,and set the phone on it.
Iris selected her song of choice, and pressed play.
They stood facing each other. Bellroc placed their right hand on her hip. She held their left one with her right, and placed her own left on the demigod's shoulder.
The song played further: " Oh, I never knew you were the someone waiting for me..."

They slow danced in the dark and the hushed waves of the music,and later lay together on the bed. Iris fell asleep in Bellroc's embrace.