Cold Heart

Confrontation

"Where are you going?" A sharp voice called as I neared the edge of the town. Astrid.

I turned Toothless around, hovering in mid-air in front of her. "I'm going back to... my place of residence. I'll be back tomorrow."

She narrowed her eyes. "What is the point of this Hiccup? What is the point of all these lies? Of keeping your identity from everyone? Stop hiding, stop being a coward." 

I curled my lip and lifted up my helmet and held it in my hand. I waved it around with a crude laugh. "You want me to get rid of this?"

Her gaze turned to ice. "Yes, yes I do. And I'm going to tell Stoick whether you like it or not. He deserves to know."

My brain rang with complications. They were hovering above town. In any other circumstance, he would shoot her down and either kill her or keep her captive until I personally wanted people to know my identity. However, I liked the peace I had with Berk. I wanted to protect the dragons, and they would be considered on my side if I went to war with the people below me. The dragon war would start up again. I was more powerful and brutal than them, no doubt, but fuck, Fishlegs didn't even have a dragon yet! I had taught them all nothing. 

So say I let her tell them. That was like setting off the time bomb I feared from the start. One more harsh word, and I might just go crazy. More crazy than I already was. I relished the conversation I would have with Snotlout. I relished the gazes of surprise they would send me. The gazes of fear. I, however, already knew what disbelief would fill them if Astrid did say it. The disgust they would feel. I didn't know how I could deal with the glare of Stoick upon me again. If anything, that would destroy me. Perhaps it wouldn't change anything, but it could change everything. 

Then again, I could avoid Stoick. I could kill someone else as an example. Re-make the lost fear. Say I just blew up an occupied house. They were just one person, but that would break the concept of a deal I had made with Stoick. My mind fluttered through all the concepts and I finally sighed, my gaze forming into a glare. I saw no easy way out, and I didn't relish shooting down Astrid. She was too smart to take down easily. 

"Tomorrow. I'll tell them all tomorrow, okay?" The old hurt came back in a wave of anger. I didn't like this. I didn't like it at all. This would only complicate things. Astrid was honorable; too honorable. 

She seemed to hesitate, but her eyes widened as Toothless growled and opened his mouth ever so slightly. 

"Fine, tomorrow by sunset. Or I'll find a way to get to you, Hiccup. You have weaknesses like everybody else." She hesitated before turning away on her nadder.

"I could kill you whenever I wanted, Astrid." I paused, smiling ever so slightly in malice. "And if that isn't enough to intimidate the Astrid, I could just kill your parents instead." My voice grew in intensity. "Don't play with fate."

She stiffened and I could just feel her fighting every urge in her body to attack me. Instead, she uttered no response and dove towards Berk again, leaving me hovering on Toothless alone. I fought a smile, popped my mask back on, and flew back into the forest. 

***

I woke with Heather on my mind. I hadn't yet contacted her. I assumed that she was with Fishlegs yesterday. That wouldn't be the best thing for information, but it would enforce the crush I'm sure Fishlegs immediately had on her. She had an intelligent aura, and she wasn't exactly ugly. At least he was a good friend to have, as a spy. Stoick respected him enough. His family had a little influence. In any case, he was a part of the group of teenagers. He would know things. More than Snotlout and the twins, at least.