Against All Odds - Hiccup X Reader

Chapter 16 - The Afterparty

The Snoggletog Feast is over and people are starting to head for their homes. It's getting kind of cold out, and I'm sat listening to Ruby and this boy called James who came in midway argue over whether making s'mores or telling scary stories is the best fireplace activity with friends.

"Wanna leave?" Raven whispers.

"And go where?'" I respond.

"My cousin's hosting an afterparty. I don't know how good it is but it's worth a try." He explains, getting up and holding his hand out to help me get up as well.

I get up by myself, glaring at him as his hand hangs in the air.

"Hey- I'll see you guys later." he gets the attention of his friends.

***♡***

"Where is it?" I ask as we're walking.

"Don't ask too many questions." He states. I can't make sense of his behaviour.

"I wouldn't if you weren't the one not you gave enough answers." I snap back. He doesn't answer me- he doesn't even look at me.

"How far is this place?" I ask after some time of mindlessly following him.

"Behind that corner." he responds, pointing at an almost giant boulder in the way. "Sorry it was a long walk, further away the party is the less noise complaints we get." he explains- surprisingly calmly.

We don't speak another word until we get there. The party is in a wooden bungalow. We climb the couple stairs up the porch, Raven knocks on the door three times. I give him a judging look. It's loud as hell in there, and here he is expecting his polite little knocks to be heard.

I let out a little laugh and reach out to the door knob myself, but just as I'm about to open the door, someone else does from the inside.

It's a tall, ginger man about six-foot. He's wearing a flannel shirt; widely unsuitable for the island weather in late Decemeber.

"Woo hooo! More guests, guys!" he shouts drunkenly, ai doubt anybody's listening to him. His accent is off, he's definitely not from around here- it's like nothing I've heard in the archipelago. But then again, it's not like I've been many places outside project Shellfire.

Reluctantly, I step into the house first. Some part of my brain is afraid that people will recognise me and turn my time here into a nightmare, but to my relief, everybody is busy with themselves: dancing and drinking and partying.

I walk further in, taking in the crazy lights and atmosphere. It's like nothing I've seen before
Almost the entirety of the younger population of the island (and nearby islands, as far as I can tell) has been stuffed in mainly this room- there's even live music in the middle of the living room!

"So much for a 'good' afterparty." Raven approaches me from behind.

"Are you kidding me? This is amazing!" I can barely contain my excitement.

"Well, I'm not drinking, and I'm going to make sure you don't, either." He warns me.

"You're very fun, aren't you?" I mumble sarcastically.
He goes to sit down on a red couch by the corner, but its colour is washed out due to all the different light being shone in all directions behind the live music stage.
There's a coffee table right in front of the couch with bottles and containers of various drinks and cups.
Now that I think about it, I've never really had alcohol before. My father was a fan of whiskey, he would have it in his free time and with any business partners in his office, but I'd never seen him drunk in my entire life- not even a little tipsy. Plus, I knew I could never ask for any. Even in public events where alcohol was served, I was forbid of drinking even a droplet. It was always odd to me how my father never let me drink even though I'd heard stories of him selling alcohol to other kids back before he was a kid.
I also remember Ryker's beer nights with his workers whenever a rare dragon was captured or an auction went well. Sometime's he's have some just to cool off. It was weird, seeing him looking out onto the sea with a bottle of beer in his hand, he looked so peaceful- tranquil, which is the complete opposite of what he's known for.

"You alright?" a voice pulls me back into reality from my thoughts. "If you really want to, have a couple shots." Raven tells me. That's not why I was staring at the alcohol, but I won't pass up the chance.
I gravitate towards the one that looks like the one my father used to drink, but I decide not to take any. Just because my father liked it doesn't mean I have to. I pour a shot of a clear drink instead- something called vodka. I down the whole thing quickly. It kind of burns at first, but the aftertaste is an nicer, kind of bitter, but still nicer. I take another shot, just for the aftertaste, promising myself it'll be the last. But two shots wouldn't do anything, would it? I reckon my safe number is three. So I pour a third one. For a last taste of the drink, I take my fourth. My throat is burning like crazy After all of that.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Raven takes me by my shoulders, "No more drinks missy." He drags me towards the door- but someone gets in between us, ripping his hand away from my arm. I find myself face to face with the hunky ginger man I saw at the door. "Hey gorgeous, we never got a chance to chat, did we?" he smirks, and I can already feel my axe digging into my back.