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i.
it's otto who finds out first, of course, no matter what strickler says; he acts all tough and mighty and leadery but the fact is that their friendly neighbourhood goblins love otto. of course they tattle to him.
nomura isn't sure how to feel about this. don't get her wrong, she likes otto just fine, and can –barely, but there it is - tolerate strickler most of the time, but it's complacency born of many, many years shacking up together. another changeling might be just what they need to break monotony, or might shatter the careful balance altogether.
strickler's attempts to get them to deep clean the house amuse her, though, as if it matters that they leave good impression. they are here to play pretend at humans, not play nice with each other more than is necessary to get the job done. the new guy is probably still at eating-out-of or eating-the- trash cans stage of assimilation, anyway.
i.
when otto says that goblins say the new guy is on the way to them, she steels herself, braves entry to strickler's bedroom, gathers his dirty clothes and strews them over the hallway as welcoming gift for the new changeling.
i.
nomura was right to not get her hopes up. the new guy is a literal baby, useless in his role – sure he could sneak out to meet them but he is almost constantly supervised by his humans. it rankles, that this is the bolstering of their ranks, when they are stretched thin as it is, confided to his small town. the best new guy – not enrique – can do is spy on his sister, who turns out to be one of strickler's students. what a joke.
congrats, she tells strickler. now you can take your kid creeping to a whole new level.
he pretends he is too dignified to react apart from a glare but she'd bet one of her legs he is thinking of siccing their friendly basement trollhunter hunter on her because he is that petty. he can't do shit though, because nomura and otto have actual, useful jobs. the best he can do is twirl the ring on his finger and pretend he is important.
i.
he sends a class on a museum trip in lieu of usual lecture because of course he does. could've been worse, rowdy teenagers are nothing she can't handle. even if some teenagers turn out to be rowdier than expected. she can't believe strickler managed to miss trollhunter hiding right under his overlarge nose. she will hold this over him forever. forever. and she will forever treasure the shocked-sour look on his face when she asked the name of blue eyed twink trollhunter from the class he sent to her.
sadly otto is not around today to share her glee. she should've prepared camera; it's not fair that he has to miss this just because he is hunting more bridge fragments. nothing to do about it now. they can gossip later. weakly, and after a while strickler asks what her plan is now. she pretends to think, she winks – think i'll pay his parents a visit. if she's learned anything about humans in all her time in their world, it's that they stick to their blood relatives even when they shouldn't, she can't imagine this jim boy will be any different.
nomura doesn't care to decipher a brief flash of hurt in strickler's eyes.
i.
except the moment she lands her eyes on barbara lake something shifts – nomura can't name it – it has no words, it doesn't hurt, but something happens. suddenly it matters little less that she found the trollhunter (except it matters a little more), it matters less that the trollhunter saw the bridge and even less that they caused some considerable damage to the museum.
she accepts barbara's invitation on autopilot, engages in small talk – horrified, hears herself wave away barbara's apologies for her son's behavior, all of her being concentrated on appealing to this woman – she forgets she wanted to make threats, even when the trollhunter boy appears, smiles graciously when barbara says jim apologize to miss nomura, pretends it's not a big deal.
barbara's phone saves her, i'm sorry i have to go allowing her to make her exit and think clearly again – part of her bemoans the call, robbing her of chance to bask in barbara's presence longer, another part of her appalled. none of this went according to her plan.
for the first time in ages she longs to have a friend, to talk to someone and try to figure out what just happened; otto is a darling (as much as a changeling can be) but she would never allow herself to be so vulnerable in front of anyone, not even him, and strickler is out of the question, definitely.
i.
strickler does not disappoint. in time it took her to visit barbara lake (no husband! small part of her shouts in joy and confuses her) he capitalised on her discovery and her plan and got angor to work his black magic and bound himself to trollhunter's mother. he is indescribably smug about it. she already wants to hit him, just for that, but then he mentions he also invited barbara on a date, to get closer to their target and really rile him up and – nomura can't afford to snap, can't let him see how it riles her up, for whatever reason. bleakly, she thinks maybe barbara lake also works some magic of her own, and that they might be in for more trouble than they are ready for.
i.
but otto is a better friend than she deserves and she needs to do something nice for him the first chance she gets. they tell him what's going on when he is back and he picks up on unhappy undercurrents. otto is too good at his job to ask direct questions and they may nominally answer to strickler, but he has nomura's back first. instead of confronting, he chooses to dance. it amuses nomura and makes strickler thoroughly uncomfortable, especially when things take decidedly erotic turn, but he has to cede to this in name of house harmony. it's a bonding activity, somehow. otto and nomura insisted, and it's otto's tradition now, whenever he is back from his many trips.
of course, since she isn't allowed any nice things lately, they are interrupted by little trollhunter of all people, carrying the new changeling and a tupperware.
i.
so now he knows them and they know him, and they glare at each other over kitchen table and delicious cakes. nomura wonders when did her life stop being real. the cakes are trully unbelievable, for starters – mom's idea of apology – little trollhunter muttered darkly, looking like he'd rather poison the lot of them. nomura is strangely okay with the idea. it seems like sensible course of action, not this stilted polite stand-off. he may know them now, and may never stop looking at strickler in disgust and betrayal, but he has no upper hand. strickler gleefully informs him. except it doesn't faze trollhuter as expected, just makes him grimace. he doesn't shout or shake in fear or beg for his mother's life. just incredulous let me know how that works out for you.
maybe he is bluffing, of course. or maybe he does know something they don't, and nomura was right not to mess with barbara lake when she had her brief chance, and they don't have the upper hand after all.
i.
strickler goes on a date with barbara lake and returns with the amulet.
an hour later trollhunter breaks into their house to throw another cake into strickler's face, hollering you forgot this! and following with another attempt to cave in strickler's nose. he has feeble fists when not armored up, but nomura still takes as many pictures of the mess as she can, because she is not going around without camera ever again. this is her life now. besides she'd hate it if otto missed things like this.
luckily the commotion rouses him. he joins her on the sideline, helpfully pointing out ooh snap this one! whenever strickler goes down. because otto is a strange one and seems inclined to like the little trollhunter. to be fair, trollhunter concentrates most of his ire on strickler (even if he manages to do pitiful damage without his fancy get up), and both nomura and otto are fans of (almost) anyone willing to make his life hell.
maybe they can show pictures to angor later, see how he likes them.
i.
angor loves the pictures, if his smirks are any indication. but he clarifies it when he asks for printouts.
i.
nomura decides to pay lakes a visit again. her cooking isn't up to par, so she just goes to bakery and orders cakes – it's the intent that matters, or some such. she prepares excuse – you forgot your tupperware – spends extra minutes during her morning routine making sure she looks really, really good for reasons she doesn't care to closely examine.
alas, it's trollhunter who opens the door and promptly shuts it in her face.
he relents some ten minutes later because nomura keeps ringing the doorbell and his neighbours are starting to poke their heads out. no, mom isn't home and yes thank you for that as he rips his precious tupperware out of her hands, turns his nose up at bought cakes – i can make better than that –
well then make some, she snaps back finally, pushing past him to make herself comfortable in his living room. that stumps him. but not as much as her follow up question, which is hey kid, you have a snapchat or something.
i.
it's not like she forgot her real job or anything. bular still lurks around tall dark and menacing, asking about progress on the bridge, strickler still switches between looking constipated and elated (his mood correlates to contacts with barbara lake), and nomura, otto and trollhunter are exchanging pictures.
that might make things awkward when the bridge is done and they have to fight but so far. it's amusing, if nothing else. who knows, they might convert trollhunter to their cause.
i.
sharing pictures progresses to otto picking up trinkets from his trips to give to the trollhunter, progresses to trollhunter bringing over more food to delight of everyone but strickler (yes, even angor – angor now deigns to leave his basement, smirks unnervingly and hoards all the food his long hands can reach).
(truth be told angor doesn't care for their cause, bound only by his soul resting on strickler's hand, and strickler doesn't actually ask for much because he's learned that it's easier and faster to do things himself because angor rot is an actual troll, never disobeying orders but taking so much time and resources that strickler just doesn't have patience for that anymore).
then idyll shatters when strickler wakes up looking like he was mauled by a clumsy but determined bear. what the fuck happened to barbara lake.
trollhunter is not answering nomura's messages.
i.
it's sunday morning, the worst, because strickler can't even see trollhunter at school and corner him, and he can't contact barbara, because she said she'll be away for the weekend – not that he hadn't tried, but all his calls go to voicemail, and well. nomura has strangest, briefest thought of trying to comfort strickler because as much as she hates him he does care about those humans in his strange ways, but she will not sink that low.
but that large gash on his face looks worrisome.
and well, if he is too much of a coward to actually go over to the lakes and check if anyone is there, she isn't. even if it makes her slightly queasy, the thought that anything happened to either of them.
(she should be happy. happy at the thought that they might be hurt, or dead, happy that whatever happened to barbara happened to strickler as well. but she isn't.)
i.
but barbara isn't dead. small mercies. she does, however, look very tired, very bandaged and not exactly pleased at having any visitors. she mutters something that might be excuse for her wounds because nomura can't stop staring, but she doesn't understand any of it. not because she isn't paying attention, but because barbara is practically growling. a part of her – the pure instinct and guts, the one that helped her survived all these years – warns her to back off, and back off fast.
where's jim, she asks, hoping the change of topic will calm barbara down, but it begins to feel like a huge misstep, because barbara crowds her, quick and dangerous, somehow, eyes cold and voice still gruff when she asks why.
uh, and now nomura can't actually tell her they are exchanging ridiculous pictures of her maybe-boyfriend, can she? he hasn't answered my messages in a while?
and oh, but barbara doesn't like that, barring her teeth and making nomura afraid – she is no stranger to fear but this is the first time threat comes from such unexpected angle, first time it's a mere lanky human – why are you messaging my son - it dawns on her, that maybe it doesn't look good, a grown woman interacting with a boy who has no relation to her, no matter what the truth, fishes around for excuse – we're exchanging recipes?
it takes forever for barbara to stop looking at her like that, cold and murderous, but she relents in the end, steps away with a sigh, rubbing the bridge of her nose. he's grounded. he can answer you when he gets his phone back.
nomura dithers for a moment, unsure if she should push for more, but decides it isn't worth it, in the end, call if you need anything? tentative offer, and then she is gone.
i.
nomura doesn't know what to do or if she should even be doing anything. she should know better than most that all families have their troubles and secrets and honestly, it's of no concern to her. but she can't just sit there restlessly. so she drops hints about needing to do something, or about a change of scenery, then graciously accepts otto's invitation to accompany him. she doesn't really care to help him do his job; he's got it anyway. she'd probably just get in his way. but they take long quiet walks, mock the humans they see, and when they sit down at caffe, it's almost natural to send their little trollhunter selfies.
otto stops though. is it a good idea.
nomura understands. in the end they send pictures of pastries. if barbara decides to check his phone, curious questions about food look pretty innocent.
i.
jim is a cagey bastard and offers empty excuses, we had a fight, it's fine when strickler asks him. not enrique is slightly more useful, in that he elaborates his mom found a troll in their basement and kinda freaked out.
what, did she fight it? nomura asks, remembering the bandages. she can't imagine jim letting it happen. can't imagine letting whatever basement troll he has hurting his mother. not enrique shrugs. he doesn't know who the troll is, or what exactly happened – it's not like their trollhunter is actually in habit of confiding in them. he just tolerates them, maintains shaky status quo.
maybe he wasn't home when it happened.
i.
eventually he starts returning nomura's messages. completely ignores certain questions, but he seems fine enough. he does reassure her that he hasn't told barbara about them, though. what a strange boy, because why didn't he? it would probably be enough for barbara to definitely turn down strickler, who continues to chase after her.
otto does otto things and is otherwise amazing. nomura decides to give truth to the excuse, and starts to cook. and if she manages to get in touch with barbara more than strickler does, well. she invites herself to the lakes often, partly because she wants to test jim's statement, partly because she simply wants. offers her cookings for jim to judge, and barbara relaxes about her, decides she is not that kind of threat to her only child. jim just sighs, but picks apart whatever food nomura produces, needs more salt, less of this, don't put that, and one well this is almost edible.
it startles a laugh out of nomura and a gentle chide from barbara, be more polite, jim, but she is smiling too, and nomura wants, wants to –
so of course strickler shows up too.
i.
so they have dinner. it's almost nice. strickler flirts, and valiantly ignores jim kicking his shins under the table. nomura wonders if barbara finds it strange that her legs are hurting out of nowhere, or maybe jim misses. her face doesn't show anything is amiss. nomura is pleased to notice that, while barbara does seem flattered, she doesn't really flirt back with strickler, just kind of – retreats into herself. little later she excuses herself and promises she'll make some dessert.
jim makes a grimace. nomura wonders if strickler managed to get him under the table. as soon as barbara is out they are at each other's throat. nomura takes out her phone. curiously, jim is more agitated that strickler has boners for his mom than the fact that he has his sort-of-enemies at his table. something to keep in mind, should nomura ever –
barbara pokes her head out of the kitchen, and everyone smiles at her, sweet and innocent.
i.
when they depart, strickler looks at her, something like concern in his face, and she can't take it. worse, he holds her hair back when she vomits. it's not only because of barbara's awful cake.
don't, she hisses when he takes a deep breath, as if preparing to speak. she doesn't want to hear it. she doesn't want him to be nice to her. she kicks his abused leg. he snorts, and goes away.
i.
grow up already, he tells her some four days later when she hasn't moved from her room. otto asks if she wants a dance. she appreciates the offer, but is absolutely in no mood to see anyone, ever. belly dance, nomie. she still refuses. after two more days even angor comes up. doesn't enter, just chucks his rock golems at her from the doorway. for fuck's sake. eat something.
she's grateful. still doesn't want to get out. she eats his golems. they are disgusting after all the really nice food from past weeks. (she's growing soft. complacent. to think she liked jim - )
and speaking of him, a week later there is a hesitant knock, can i come in.
no! she screeches. her voice is a little rusty. we are enemies!
i have food.
she hesitates. stands up, slowly walks to the door. deliberates for another minute. he makes clanking noises. something on the other side smells heavenly. she opens the door to snatch the plate from him. now leave me to do my dark bidding.
he recoils at the sight of her, tall and purple and no doubt terrible. looks away. squints at something behind her. what are you bidding on?
sumerian pottery, she sniffs.
he leaves.
i.
i think mom misses you, he texts when it's been almost two weeks of her isolation and nothing has managed to bribe her out of her misery and wallowing. her first impulse is to fire back really what did she say tell me everything. she doesn't. she asks instead, what is my ex doing in your basement.
he doesn't answer.
i.
he comes with food, again. nomura is disgusted at herself for falling for it, again. she'd like to kill whoever taught the kid. the rate he is going, he'll have them converted to his side and bular and gunmar will kill them all messily. all because of fucking cookies.
he doesn't go when she snatches them, cautiously moves inside to sit down. she is determined to ignore him. he sounds apologetic when he tells her, i didn't know, and she looks up. he looks miserable, adds, i can tell him to go away.
it's your house, she replies after a while, carefully neutral. he laughs. it's not like he asked permission to move in, anyway. not at first.
now that. that makes her angry. still the same old asshole, i see. she bites out.
jim fidgets. do you wanna talk about it?
not particularly, no. mostly because it still makes her seethe, to remember time with draal. little bit because she doesn't want to saddle the kid with her issues. see? she is grown up, stickler. she is a functioning adult. and it's probably high time she starts acting like one.
thanks for the cookies. now get out.
i.
she takes a long shower. opens the windows, changes the linens. emerges from her room and beelines for the kitchen.
belly dance still on the menu?
otto smiles and gives her thumbs up. strickler sighs. and because why not, jim and not enrique show up.
i.
she can go back. she can and she will, because she is stronger than this. draal has already ruined enough. she will not let him ruin this. so she cooks and goes back.
(and if she is relieved when jim whispers he's not here, i promise, well. no one needs to know. she continues to enjoy her tea and cakes and light conversation with barbara lake.)
she enjoys herself so much, in fact, and jim conveniently makes himself scarce, that she throws caution to the wind, and asks barbara out.
i.
she said yes! suck it strickler!
i.
so yes. they go on a date. it's not that much different than the usual i-brought-food-for-judging soirees, except they are not at barbara's place. they don't hold hands. barbara smiles a lot more, though.
later, otto asks how did it go. did you ~kiss~. she gives him a sly wink. somewhere in the background strickler ughs.
i.
they didn't kiss. nomura pretends it doesn't bother her as much as it does.
i.
she decides to confide in resident barbara expert and texts jim, am i actually dating your mother now?
she doesn't know what kind of answer to expect. it's possible barbara is enough out of touch with reality to completely misunderstand pretty straightforward would you go out with me as i'm tired of drinking tea at your place, let's change it, or some such. maybe barbara doesn't want to date ever again, after whatever happened that left jim fatherless, and is pretending to be oblivious.
i hate you so, so much, comes jim's reply, and nomura does a little victory dance.
i.
arguably, dating doesn't change nomura's life, except when she lets herself think about it. but she shouldn't even have the luxury of thinking about it, because she still has a job to do (should, in fact, start actually doing something again in case strickler decides he is grumpy enough to throw her under the proverbial, bular-shaped, bus), still sees barbara's son more than the woman herself (even if he is not as happy to see her as before).
(it bothers her a little, now, that barbara doesn't really try to accomodate for the arguably small change in her life, always ready to sprint off at every emergency and not so emergency call at the cost of limited time nomura manages to get her for herself.)
but nomura is still strangely happy and content in barbara's presence, like something warm and heavy envelops her shoulders whenever she is around. she does smile and snuggle her way into few kisses as well. there's that.
(the rate they are going she doubts she'll see barbara's bed any time this decade, but she can wait. she's had centuries to practice patience.)
i.
strickler ruins things again, of course. that it stems from barbara doesn't absolve him of his sins. as worried as she is, she pettily admires deep bites on his arms and shins.
i.
nomura doesn't bother with texting jim this time, and she has the best excuses if lakes question her showing up at their door uninvited and unannounced. but she doesn't need them because they don't answer anyway.
i.
nomura doesn't have patience for this. just like last time, both barbara and jim are unresponsive, but now they are nowhere to be found as well, and she is getting truly angry, because she doesn't know what's going on, because she is worried, because jim must know and refuses to spill. she must have called them both fifty times or more, looked everywhere she could think of – even hospital and dr. lake? not here when she always is.
i.
oh, we just went on a trip, lies barbara next time they meet, bright white bandage peeking under her sleeves.
i.
jim stops coming over for a while. nomura internally debates coming clean to barbara, if only to find out what is happening to her; she already knows about existence of draal, and who knows how many others besides, she can probably handle more supernatural secrets. strickler debates merits of severing the bond. angor loudly demands to be left alone until you finally decide.
otto is away, alas. nomura could really do with some advice. or dance at least.
jim vaults over the wall in record time when nomura tries to ambush him.
barbara. barbara pretends nothing's wrong, and silences any question nomura might ask with kisses.
i.
barbara comes over for dinner, for change. and it's not that nomura would mind, it's just that she'd prefer some warning beforehand – and barbara is past the door before nomura can think of an excuse to keep her out (beside slamming the door in her face) and do some damage control – otto and strickler, she could explain somehow – but not the troll who is inconveniently awake. in the kitchen.
at least barbara doesn't scream. she just looks pale and suspicious and are you also jim's friend.
not exactly, angor says and grins, slow and mean, showing all his teeth.
and barbara – barbara doesn't hesitate for a second to launch herself at him.
i.
it takes all three of them to pry barbara off angor. nomura has heard of adrenaline-fueled feats of amazing strenght but this has to go way beyond that, this is absurd, barbara's nails leaving deep gashes across angor's arms.
he was joking, nomura yells at barbara. he's an idiot, don't pay attention to him!
you. barbara levels accusing glare at her, and nomura supresses a flinch. stay away from me and my son. all of you.
i.
nomura gives barbara few days to calm down. burns with curiosity and apprehension because barbara honestly scares her sometimes. steels herself for confrontation anyway. readies herself for a fight, prepares her arguments.
is not ready for blood-curdling howling. runs into the house anyway.
i.
her first instinct is to grab jim and drag him up, away from the trashing snarling beast in the basement. her second is to snap her swords out and stand her ground, blocking the path to him.
she ignores his nervous blabbering, stream of no no no don't – asks, where is your mother.
his sudden silence is sharp contrast to howling, and goes on long enough that she turns to look at him. he is looking away, biting his lip. he doesn't look worried about his missing mother. apprehensive, maybe, but not – ridiculously, but she remembers the time strickler bragged about the magic bond.
no, she says.
he sighs.
the beast barrels up the stairs.
i.
of all the ways she imagined the confrontation to go, fighting a rampaging werewolf wasn't even close to making the list.
i.
of all the ways she imagined she'd get barbara naked (and reveal her own form to her girl), slumping over a fallen tree after a night of mindless violence was not in top ten. maybe not even top twenty. (nomura should've remembered how surreal her life has become since lakes have appeared in it).
nomura still has her swords out, one of them broken. the other one at barbara's throat
so, she says, awkward but determined. we need to talk.