Chapter Text
A little troll in a small black T-shirt and a little red skirt sat on the sidewalk, under an overhang. It had been raining in the city for three days now. She held up her 'Free To Good Home' sign, hoping someone passing by would see her and offer to take her home. A young blonde glanced her way and then looked again, stopping and taking the time out of her holiday rush to read what the sign said. The small cat sized troll with big ears, a tail with a puff of black fur on the end, and cute little paws looks up with big green eyes. She smoothes her black tuft of head fur and smiles hopefully.
"Adopt A Troll?" She asked, hopeful, and the blonde, whose name was Roxy Lalonde, smiled back. She elbowed past someone and knelt next to the troll, setting down the bag of groceries.
“Hey there, little one. So, you’re lookin’ for a home?” She asked, tapping the sign. The young troll nodded.
“Yes. If You’ll Have Me?” Her eyes shone with hope at the interest Roxy was showing; although it was hope tempered by past experiences with those who pretended to be kind before treating her worse than she was treated on the streets.
“Of course! A cute little thing like you doesn’t deserve to be out here all alone like this.” Roxy smiled. “What’s your name?”
“Kanaya.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Kanaya. I’m Roxy. Now come on, let’s get you to your new home.” The blonde girl picked her up, but she wriggled free, looking as though she remembered something important, and dashed off down an alley. “Hey! Wait!” Roxy snatched up her groceries and raced after her. She found the troll digging through a box filled with packing peanuts. There was one stuck to her horn, but she didn’t seem to notice. “Hey! What’s with the running?” Roxy asked, walking over.
“I Just Remembered Something. I Forgot To Bring It With Me This Morning.” Kanaya explained, and leaned halfway into the box to pull out a small cloth bag that she tied around her chest. “There… Thank You For Following Me… I Should Have Said Something But I Didn’t. I’m Sorry, Roxy.” She batted the packing peanut off her horn and crouched there, looking somewhat ashamed. Roxy felt her heart melt a little.
“Hey, hey… It’s okay, Kanaya. Come on, let’s go home.” She unzipped her coat and picked Kanaya up, tucking her inside and zipping it again, bag and all. She looked at her hands, damp, and found them filthy. Kanaya ducked her head.
“Sorry.”
“No, no, it’s okay. Dirt comes out.” She assured her. The little troll nodded, curling close. Roxy picked her groceries back up and headed back out into the insanity that was a city at Christmastime.
“Where Do You Live?” Kanaya asked.
“Not too far away. I’m surprised I haven’t seen you before, I go by here all the time!”
“I Just Switched To This Street Today…”
“That explains a lot.”
Roxy turned into an apartment building, and headed up a few flights of stairs. Kanaya peaked out, curious as to what was going on. Roxy fumbled for her key and unlocked the door, stepping inside and relocking it. She unzipped her coat, letting Kanaya down, and found her white shirt nearly black with filth. “Hm.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine, Kanaya. I don’t really care that much.” Roxy smiled, shrugging, and set the groceries in the kitchen. She came back, and Kanaya was still sitting right in place, looking around. “Come on. Bath time!” Roxy grinned, picking her up again. Kanaya smiled.
“A Bath Actually Sounds Nice For Once.” She admitted. Roxy smiled, but only a little. She felt how light the small troll was, and cradled her close, able to feel her ribs through her fur.
“After a bath, we’ll get you a meal.”
“I’m Not That Hungry…” She murmured, shrugging. She just… wasn’t. Roxy frowned, but decided to move on, setting Kanaya down in the bathroom and running the water for the bath. When it was deep enough, Kanaya set her bag, shirt, and skirt aside, and let Roxy put her in the tub, purring loudly at the warmth. The blonde giggled.
“That’s so cute!” Roxy told her, and grabbed the soap. She spent the next half hour scrubbing the small bundle of fur clean. When she was done, the water had been changed once, despite her tight budget, and Kanaya’s fur was a very nice pale shade of grey. Roxy wrapped her in a towel and cuddled the purring troll. “There. Much better.”
“Yes. Thank You Very Much.” She smiled, blinking sleepily in the warmth.
“You’re very welcome.” Roxy took her out to the kitchen and set her on the chair, getting her a shot glass to use instead of a regular glass, and filling it with milk. “Here. You have to at least drink something. You’re all fur and bones, Kanaya, I felt it.” She took the glass reluctantly, really not hungry at all, but drank the milk anyway. Roxy smiled and went to change her shirt, then put the groceries away. Kanaya watched her, warm and safe. Her hunger was returning too, as she drank and remembered what food tasted like.
“Actually… Can I Have Some Sort Of Raw Meat?” she asked hopefully. Roxy nodded.
“Of course! Here, looks like I’m making chicken for dinner.” She pulled the chicken back out and opened it, slicing enough off for her and putting it in a bowl. Kanaya took it and ate with a vengeance. When she was finished, she licked her paws and muzzle, setting the bowl up on the table, and yawned. Roxy picked her up. “Nap time?”
“Yeah…” She purred and licked Roxy’s chin, snuggling close. She felt safe, and warm, and very, very sleepy. Roxy took her into her room, and settled her on her bed.
“There you go… Now you sleep, okay?” Kanaya nodded, curled up with a blanket, and quickly fell asleep. She ended up sucking on one paw in her sleep, her extreme youth showing. Roxy smiled, and pet her fur, then went to get a drink and see what could be done about those clothes she had.
Because apparently, she had a troll now.