Little Miracles

Sugar High

Chapter Two: Sugar High

Hiccup and Astrid had taken the liberty of putting out rocks all over the village, giving their children strict instructions that they were to stay within the rocks and only go out to play when there were people around. Otherwise, they had to be watched by an adult. Finn and Adrianna understood these rules very well and knew the consequences would be dire if they disobeyed. Finn had gone over the rocks once and had been kept inside and by himself for two whole hours as a result. He had watched Adrianna and Helga Ingerman playing together from his window with a scowl. No, he wasn't eager to repeat that incident.

Like all little boys, Finn had a bit of a stubborn streak. And with parents like Hiccup and Astrid, this may have been magnified just a touch. And like all little boys, he had a lot to learn about impulse control.

Then again, leaving a bucket of fresh, sweet berries out in the open was just asking for trouble. But Lotus had no idea that setting it down while she went into Gobber's workshop to ask him a question would result in such mayhem. Finn immediately spotted the ripe, purple berries and made a beeline to them. Grinning widely, he stuck his grubby little hands into the bucket and raised the berries, dripping dark purple juice, to his face. Soon he was covered in juice and his smile kept on widening until his whole face shone with it.

"Ohhh Finn!"

Finn looked up and found himself face to face with his grandmother. She stared down at him with a look of, oddly enough, disgust. Why was she looking at him like that? She should be happy that he had found something so tasty!

"Yook, nana!" he held up a fistful of berries. "Want some?"

He pitched the fistful of berries into her dress and grinned when she jumped back, scowling at the splatter marks he had left.

"Let's get you home. You need a bath." said Lotus, sighing deeply.

"No!" Finn squealed, his eyes widening in horror and the grin melting off his face.

He tried to get up and run away but his grandmother was too quick for him. She reached forward and gripped his upper arm. Finn began to scream very loudly in protest but she didn't let him go. Suddenly, he made his entire body go limp so that the only way to get him home would be to drag him.

"Gobber!" she called, trying to keep the boy at arm's length. "Can you help me for a moment?"

Gobber immediately came out of his shop, took one look at Finn, and began laughing uproariously. Lotus glared at him but he seemed to find this even funnier.

"Ahhhh he takes after his mother, doesn't he?" he guffawed. "Had a good time, didn't you, squirt?"

Finn nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Gobber, could you help me take him home? I would rather not pick him up." Lotus sighed, narrowing her eyes at the boy.

"Arrr come here, Finn. Listen to your grandma!" Gobber exclaimed, swiftly picking up the child and clearly not caring that he now had purple splotches on his outfit now.

"Noooo!" Finn wailed. "Pumme down, Unca Gobbew!"

"Nope." Gobber responded calmly.

As muscled as the little boy was for his age, Finn simply couldn't struggle his way out from under Gobber's arm. Finally he went limp again. It didn't take long to take the toddler to his at least one of his parents. Hiccup was home with Adrianna and the two of them were unabashedly playing with stuffed toys. As soon as Hiccup caught sight of his son, he bit back a laugh.

"What did you do to him, Gobber?" he asked as Gobber deposited the boy at the front door.

"He did this to himself." Gobber replied, gripping Finn's upper arms so he couldn't escape.