#jodiah

One wolf scared you more than the others. Even Lola was fearful of this recruit. Lola wasn’t afraid of anything- for him to distrust someone spoke volumes to you. Without your twin by your side, you stuck close to the adults, for fear of being caught alone with that one. That was the case for this visit. Your Dad was doing his ‘rounds’ and checking out Daisee’s planes, with said eldest sister helping. You weren’t allowed down in the hangar with them, so you promptly located the nearest adult and clung to his side. 

Mavrik, as good natured as always, didn’t mind in the slightest. You held onto the back of his violet flight suit as you followed him into the mess hall. It was loud and smelly, despite there only being a handful of trolls milling about. You scanned the empty tables and faces with a silent worry, only shifting gears when offered a juice box. Mav puts his hand on your back and guides you to one of the tables. 

“Stay here, okay? I’m just a few tables over.” He gestured to where a medic was sitting with a box of, as you’d discover in a few minutes, vaccines. “You don’t want to watch me poke people with needles, right?” He laughed as you frantically shook your head. “That’s what I thought. Nobody’s gonna bother you here. If you get hungry you can steal some chips.” 

Your brow furrows as he ruffles your hair. You give your head a shake to fix your rattled hair. By the time you opened your eyes again, he was gone. So much for sticking with an adult. 

As it turned out, you had a pretty good seat to watch trolls come in and leave. You had a variety of thoughts on each one, coming up with wild and vibrant stories for every face you saw. Trolls would come in, grumble at Mavrik, maybe grab food, get their Fleet Mandated Updated Vaccination, and then leave. You enjoyed the invisible feeling. Save for the occasional glance in your direction, nobody paid you any mind. Soon enough, your juice box was gone, and you had successfully snuck up behind Mavrik and his medical assistant to steal chips and a cookie. The chips didn’t last long. It was only when you started to munch on the dry cookie that you felt the burning sensation of eyes boring into you. 

You turn your head and meet his icy gaze. 

Suddenly, Mavrik felt very far away. Like, miles away. There was an entire ocean between you and your protector. There he stood, the one recruit who scared you more than the others, more than any scary movie you had seen, more than any spooky creature in whatever video game you watched on GrubTube. When your dad had taught you some basic sign language to help you communicate better, you had assigned different people with a sign. It was easier than spelling names out! Daisee was the letter D, Mavrik the letter M, Lola was the sign for twin. Aeremi, a grub at this point, was the sign for bee- but only half of it. You had no interest in knowing the scary recruit’s name. You simply used the sign for ‘scared.’ There was no better way to explain him. He was scary. 

And right now, you were fucking scared, pardon the language. ‘’Scared’s’’ glare was cold, digging into your very roots even from across the mess hall. He was angry and hungry and burning with something you lacked a name for. You felt even smaller than before and painfully aware of just how visible you were. You wanted nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow you whole, like it had sweeps ago. You’d rather be starving in that ditch again. That ditch looked like a breeze compared to ‘’Scared.’’ That must’ve been obvious from your expression, as he decided to beeline straight for your table instead of reporting to Mavrik, as if fueled by your fear. 

‘’Scared’’ loomed over you, eyes boiling over with rage. You tried to shrink down in your seat, tried to peel your gaze away but found yourself unable to break eye contact. For a brief moment you recalled an episode of Troll Animal Planet, where the narrator explained that predatory beasts often find direct eye contact to be a threat or sign of aggression. Looking at your predator’s balled fists, squared jaw, and burning eyes…yeah, you were feeling very threatened. This was a threat. You were in danger. You swallowed hard, trying to ignore the ache in your chest from your racing pusher. After an eternity of silence, you finally hold out your unfinished cookie in a meek offering of friendship. You even try to smile. 

Crap, didn’t Troll Animal Planet also say showing teeth was a sign of aggression?!

You wince as he snatches the snack from you. At first you thought he was just very hungry. A glimmer of hope that you had simply misjudged him, that you had actually made a friend with the only troll on the ship close to you in age.He quickly crushed that hope. Just like he crushed the cookie in his fist, right before he threw the crumbs back in your face. Mean. You quickly discovered it was not the cookie that he hungered for. 

You were frozen in fear for a few seconds longer. When it seemed like ‘’Scared’’ might just turn that threat into a promise, you bolted, ducking under his arm and nearly tripping over yourself as you ran straight for Mavrik. You pushed yourself between him and the pilot he was about to vaccinate. He instinctively lifted the needle out of range, too stunned to speak. The pilot was confused. Mavrik was confused. His medical assistant was confused. You were terrified. There was not one good thing happening in this scene right now. You tugged at his shirt frantically, pointing towards ‘’Scared’’ while trying to stay hidden behind the violet’s frame at the same time. You had to let go of his waist to sign. Your hands trembled as you motioned.

“Scared?” Mav asked for clarity, confusion dripping from his voice at your frantic and sloppy signing. You nodded, then threw yourself into him with relief, hiding your face in his smelly flight suit. He put his free arm around you, glancing over his shoulder to what you were pointing at. You didn’t care if he knew that was that kid’s name. Hell, you were terrified. Mavrik would protect you. That’s all that mattered. 

“Almiss!” You hear Mavrik hiss in a scolding tone. You can feel him look over his shoulder, casting a glare. 

“Get outta here, Pipsqueak- go make yourself useful for once!” Mavrik’s assistant chimed in. You didn’t see the glare she received for it, nor the middle finger Mav was given for the crime of defending you. 

You didn’t pry yourself off your protector just yet. Luckily, he was able to do his job singlehanded. You kept your face buried in Mavrik’s side as he continued to work with one arm around you. He stroked your back in the best motion of comfort he could muster. After what you assumed was at least five trolls, you finally lift your head, peeking around the violet’s broad frame with caution. 

The troll you had dubbed Scared, because of how scared he made you, was gone. Almiss was his name, apparently. You toiled that name over in your mind, pondering it. That name didn’t convey just how scary he was. Two-toned eyes, barely your age and covered in scars. His gaze was so cold, so hateful. You didn’t even want to imagine what could’ve made him so…evil. 

Your thoughts are scattered as Mavrik ruffles your hair again, “He gone, JD?” You glance up as Mav looks over his shoulder. His chuckle is amused, and almost relieved, “First time he’s ever listened.” 

“Who’s to say he listened?” His assistant retorted, “He probably ran off to piss in your fucking fuel tank again.” 

“Language. Daisee will handle it if he does.” 

You perk up at the mention of your eldest sister. You free Mavrik from your hug to sign once more. 

It takes him a second to read your hands. You furrow your brow in slight frustration, signing again, with a sloppy urgency this time. 

“...Leave? You want to leave?” 

You nod, shoulder drooping in relief.