The Great Endeavor - A Tuffnut Love Story (HTTYD/RTTE)

27. Kindness

Endeavor let her lungs deflate, blowing out air in a quick huff. She couldn't look away from the god. Loki. Her father. A million thoughts raced through her mind. Loki, being in her mind, read ever single one of them.

"You are not a goddess," he clarified, answering a question she was too shocked to even ask. "You're mother was human, but...your birth killed her." Loki frowned, obviously upset by the memory.

"Why didn't you take me?" Endeavor finally found her voice. She wasn't as mad as she was purely baffled. If he loved her so much, why didn't he raise her?

Loki placed a hand on Endeavor's shoulder. "I tried. But you were not welcome in Asgard," he explained in a remarkably serious tone, "and when that nasty plague broke out, I knew there was only one way to keep you safe."

"..The Ilse of Loki..." Endeavor realized.

"Yes," Loki confirmed in a soothing voice. He looked down at his daughter, his eyes betraying the feelings he tried to supress. Guilt, regret, sorrow. Hesitantly, he pulled Endeavor into a cautious hug. She was still shocked, but immediately hugged back. When Loki felt her strong arms squeeze him, he let out a relieved sigh and hugged tighter. "Endeavor..." He whispered.

Endeavor squeezed her eyes shut. Though it was all a dream, it was real. Loki was her father, and in his arms she finally felt her life beginning to make sense.

• • •

Endeavor woke pleasantly and peacefully. Sitting up, she looked around her at the sleeping dragon riders. She took a deep breath. It made sense now why they were so desperate to tell her who she was: a demigod, and one with hardly any control of her power. She stood and began to sneak away from the camp.

As she did, Tuffnut was awoken by her footsteps. His eyes slowly focused on Endeavor as she walked away. He sat up and shook his head to wake himself up fully. Rubbing his eyes, he stumbled to his feet and began to follow her.

Tuff stayed further back, not wanting to startle the young woman. But this proved pointless when he heard her call back, "I know you're there. Come out of the shadows."

Tuffnut awkwardly came into view. Endeavor turned to meet his eyes across a clearing in the woods with a smirk. "I was just, uh.." He tried to think of an excuse.

Endeavor smiled in amusement and beckoned for him to come forward. As he did, she sighed. "I know who I am now," she told him, "my father came to me in a dream."

"Wait, I thought your father grew a second head and ate himself alive," Tuffnut recalled in confusion.

Endeavor shook her head. "Apparently..that wasn't my real father," she clarified, "which makes sense; he never did love me." There was silence for a moment. "I always knew there was something about me..but I never expected this."

Tuff looked at her at his side and empathized, "yeah, I guess finding out you're a demigod can be pretty, uh, surprising."

"To say the least," Endeavor added with a small laugh. Again, she sighed. "I mean, Loki's daughter...that definitely explains my connection with the island."

At this, Tuff's eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of his head, and his jaw gaped open. "LOKI'S YOUR DAD?!" He almost shouted in shock.

Endeavor flinched away out of surprise. She gave him a bizzare look and yelled defensively, "wha--you said you guys knew!"

"Yeah! That you're a demigod," Tuff clarified, "we didn't know you're Loki's daughter."

"Oh," Endeavor stated, calming down and smiling sideways. "Sorry to just drop that on you, then," she apologized, unable to help laughing as she replayed his reaction in her head.

"Oh, i-it's okay," Tuffnut stuttered, trying to keep his cool. Another short silence passed before he had to ask, "..so, what now?"

"Now," Endeavor began, straightening her posture, "now, I learn to control my power. As much as I hate to say it, Hiccup was right; I'm causing disasters just by being here. And the older I get..the stronger I get...the more chaos I bring."

"Well, I can't disagree there," Tuff added matter-of-factly.

Endeavor nodded slowly. "I've already caused a plague, and that was before I even got sucked into The Isle of Loki."

Again, Tuff's jaw dropped. "The Scourge..that was you?" He asked in disbelief.

"I never wanted to believe it before, but yes," Endeavor confirmed, her voice sounding small as she looked down in shame, "that was me."

Tuffnut frowned, realization hitting hit hard. "That's why you always tried to save the mosters," he observed.

"Truthfully, I'm no hero," Endeavor laughed, "I'm selfish...I thought saving those people would somehow redeem me."

"Endeavor, you didn't do any of that on purpose, it just happened," Tuff tried to explain, moving to stand in front of her. "You're an amazing person--well, demigod...and even if it's just for selfish reasons, you are a hero," he told her, earning her attention. But when her eyes met his, Tuff forgot how to speak. He was struck silent by his own embarrassment.

Thankfully, Endeavor didn't notice this. She was too busy bringing him into a hug. She smiled and let her eyes close in relaxation. "Thank you, Tuffnut. I don't believe anyone has ever spoken so kindly to me as you do."