All Is Fair In Love And War

Chapter 28

After taking a few minutes to talk and then cool off, Jim was beginning to get a better hold on the situation. Aanya seemed... sorry for what she'd said. Still mad, but willing to listen. Not too long after they'd all started prepping to leave, Toby and Carter came back. Carter was clutching one of his hands close to him, and Toby was speaking to him quietly with a worried face.

Douxie looked up upon them entering the room, furrowed his brows, and then walked over to his boyfriend. Jim couldn't hear what they were saying, but judging by Douxie's expression and Carter's bloodied hand, it wasn't any of his business. Claire, however, walked over with some bandage wraps and said something to Carter. To which the half-blood smiled teasingly at her and snarked back.

Jim found himself smiling at his friends. He was surprised, delighted though, at how well Carter fit into their team. He liked the guy. Carter seemed to be exactly what they'd been missing. He was older, and therefore had a lot of wisdom (allegedly) to give. But he also fit into the category of their team that were fighters. And, Jim would admit, he liked seeing Douxie so happy. He liked it when his friends were happy.

"What are you thinking about?" Aja asked, coming up to him, placing a few homemade bombs ala Krel into a backpack.

Jim hummed absently and stuck the amulet into his pocket. "You think Carter would object much to being adopted by my mother?"

Aja stared at him. It was a long-running joke in their friend group that Barbara "adopted" any new team member. She'd done it with Douxie and Archie when they joined, and had definitely mothered Aja and Krel more than once in their years of being Trollhunters. "Are you joking?"

Jim shrugged and gestured to where Carter was. "Look, Aja. The dude fits into our team dynamic like the missing piece of a puzzle. Claire's already decided she's going to be his best friend. Toby likes him." He met her skeptical gaze, resolve intense. "He's Douxie's partner."

Aja sighed. "I don't know, Jim. I love Douxie, you know I do, it's just..."

"Just what?"

Aja pursed her lips. "Part of me is scared that he's going to do something to hurt us. Hurt Douxie."

"Aja," Jim said gently. "They've been together for a long time. They love eachother." He paused. "Clearly."

Aja shook her head at Jim's reference to the previous night. "I still do not understand what that was about."

Jim sighed. "Unfortunately, I do."

Aja glanced off to the side, thinking. "He had Douxie lie to us."

"Well," Jim half-shrugged. "Technically, Douxie just didn't tell us he existed. And... Archie explained to me why." He let out a breath. "It was more out of fear for Carter getting involved with our lot."

Aja snorted. "Well that ship has sailed."

Jim chuckled. "Clearly."

"I still don't know if I trust him."

Jim looked at her. Then smiled. "You know, you two are a lot more alike than you think."

And with that, he strode over to the rest of his friends.

--

"I know you can't help yourself sometimes," Jamie said, not looking at her as he inspected his own ammo. "But there's a thing called self-control, Aanya."

Aanya glared down at him, stuffing her sword into its sheath. "You're a kiss ass."

He looked up at her, a frosty glare set in his ice blue eyes. He slowly pointed the arrow he was holding at her like a scorning finger. "When it comes down to it, he's more family than our parents ever were. And at least Carter is trying to do something about his dad." He stuffed the arrow in his quiver. "We never did anything about our parents."