A Helpful Hand

Chapter 2

The next morning Blinky was violently ill, as Aargh had predicted. The big green troll gave him water, and then offered food, which was refused. Aargh knew his four armed friend would feel miserable for awhile, but the effects of the grog should ware off in a few hours. Blinky had managed to drag himself out of bed and was curled up in a chair in his library, cringing away from the soft lamplight. Aargh knew he was probably embarrassed and sulking, and would come out eventually.

Blinky came out when Jim arrived for training, looking like death. His hair was mussed and there were dark bags under his eyes, but the humans tactfully didn't mention it, instead waving a quick hello. Blinky shuffled up and leaned against Aargh, closing his eyes for a moment. "My dear friend, I must apologize for my actions last night.

They were frankly unacceptable, and I assure you it will not happen again." Aargh nuzzled his head, seeing that his little friend was still deeply unhappy. "Don't be sorry. Everyone gets sad. Friends help." Blinky smiled a little, but then he faltered. "Did you really tell Vendel?" Aargh's brow furrowed as he shook his head no- how much did Blinky remember from last night? Most importantly, did he remember Aargh's kiss?

"There was also something else, which I have been thinking of all morning." Oh no, he did remember. Aargh silently readied himself for rejection, thinking that surely Blinky couldn't love someone dumb like himself. "Touching faces is a human sign of affection, is it not?" Aargh nodded, wishing for a convenient hole to appear so he could run away and die of shame. "And... did you mean it in the same way as humans?" Blinky's face was guarded, but he looked almost... hopeful? Aargh nodded again, slower this time, and something flashed in Blinky's eyes. "Would you like to demonstrate this again? I wasn't really in a state to enjoy it last night..." Blinky ventured, fidgeting nervously.

Aargh grinned and scooped Blinky into his arms, planting a huge kiss right on the intellectual troll's mouth. Pulling away, Blinky saw that the humans had frozen in the middle of their training, mouths open. Then suddenly, clapping could be heard from somewhere above. Vendel stood watching, a laugh echoing from him. "It's about time, you two! Bravo!" Then he disappeared. Jim, Claire, and Toby started laughing, and their applause joined with Vendel's echoes. Blinky gave a sigh of relief and leaned in for a second kiss.

Dictatious's betrayal did scar Blinky, but perhaps the hole left in his heart could be healer, with a different sort of love. One thing Blinky knew for sure was that he was never, ever going to let Aargh go- he would never let him slip through his fingers ever again.

*thanks for reading! Sorry for the sappy ending, but I just want my babies to be happy :3*