Don't Be Afraid
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At this point in time, you are 7
********************
You looked outside your window, watching a group of kids run by. An auburn haired boy followed them at a distance, hiding behind objects and eventually, under your window.
"What are you doing?" You asked, your voice slightly raspy from lack of use.
He jumped and turned to face you, startled. "N- Nothing. W- Who are you?"
"I'm (Y/ N). Who are you?"
"I'm Hiccup, son of Stoick the Vast."
"Who's that?" You blinked.
"You don't know who my father is?" You shook your head no. "He's the chief of this village, Berk. Why are you in (F/N)'s house? He doesn't have any family or friends."
"Really? He's my father."
"Your father?! His wife and child died seven years ago. His wife died during childbirth, the child died minutes afterwards."
"(M/N) died when she gave birth to me," you said.
"You call your mother by her name?" Hiccup asked, smirking a bit.
You didn't understand what he meant. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I? (F/N) calls her that. Plus, he told me I don't deserve to call her mommy, especially after killing her."
"Really? That's-"
"HICCUP!" a voice called, authority embedded.
"Coming, dad! Gotta go, bye (Y/ N)!" He ran off.
He came again every now and then. Y'all talked about anything and everything, you smiled for once, you laughed, you were happy. It always ended up in him running off at the sight of your father or another villager calling him over and away from 'crazy (F/N)'s' house before he whipped him.
One day, your father caught sight of him talking to you.
"Hiccup, you punk!" he pulled Hiccup inside the house by the collar of his green long sleeved shirt, dragging him inside, and slamming the door behind him.
"(F/N)! Let him go!" you cried, scrambling to your feet and yanking on the arms of your father as he held a frightened Hiccup in the air.
Smack! A tingling firey sensation exploded across your cheek as a force knocked you against the cold wooden floor.
"You will get your punishment later, twit!" he shouted. "But for now..." He tossed Hiccup to the ground and dragged you by your arm to a familiar tiny room.
"No! No!" you begged, fearful of the room.
He smacked you again. "Shut up, little witch!" He threw you towards the tiny room (which was less than three feet by three feet). You landed in the doorway so he kicked you a few times before closing the door, pushing you farther into the tiny room.
"(Y/ N)!" Hiccup yelled. "Leave her alone!"
"Shut your trap, boy. Now listen here, tell anyone about (Y/N) and I will kill you; tell anyone about this, I will kill you, got it?"
"Y- y- yes, s- s- sir," he stuttered.
You stood up and banged on the door. "Hiccup! Don't listen to him! Get help! Someone will protect you-"
A bang on the door shut you up. "Silence, devil," (F/N) cursed.
"No one will protect a weak, scrawny brat like you, boy. Run. Never come back. Forget about this day and you'll live your life. Tell a soul about what goes on in my house, and you'll be dead in less than an hour, you hear?" Hiccup must of nodded because you didn't hear him respond. You barely heard your father tell him "Run," before the pounding of running feet and a door slamming shut.
A shuffle of feet crept closer to the door and it swung open.
It wasn't the first time you were beaten, nor the last, but you would never forget the day that Hiccup stood up for you- even if he did run off in the end.
*********
Three years passed and although he occasionally snuck out to your window to make sure you were still alive, he didn't talk to you. You never even knew that he checked up on you, for you were always sleeping.
You just turned ten, but, once again, you celebrated the worst day of your life alone. You hated the day you were born: if you weren't born, (M/N) would still be alive, and you wouldn't get beaten daily.
"Happy birthday to me," you whispered, glumly, leaning against your window seal. Your house was rebuilt a year ago, and your room was now a small room on the second floor. The only window faced another house and a small tree grew in between them, but looking at it was the most peaceful and fun thing you could do.
"Happy birthday, (Y/N)!" a voice below whispered, loudly.
Startled, you looked down. He had changed a bit, but was still easily recognizable. "Hiccup!"
"Yup, it's me. Look, sorry I bailed out on you. I'm sorry I left, but I was scared."
"I understand." You looked to your bedroom door and back to him. "But you shouldn't be talking to me."
"I know. Do you know how to read and write?" he questioned.
You shook your head no. "I can draw, though."
He sighed, but as a birthday present he climbed the tree and snuck into your room during the day, and when (F/N) was working, he taught you to read and write. He lent you books to read and gave you paper and a writing stick- as you first called it- to practice. He even helped you pry a floorboard open to hide it.
He almost got caught a few times, reminding both of you the danger of his visits, but in a month's time you could read and write not as well as Hiccup, but pretty close.
"There. Now we can write letters and communicate that way. It should be safer since I won't be here for as long and we can still hang out. Deal?"
"Deal," you laughed. "T- Thank you, Hiccup."
"It was nothing, (N/ N). I'd rather be friends then not friends."
A door opened and slammed shut. "(Y/N)! I'm home, princess!" The words were slurred and hardly understandable.
"I gotta go!" Hiccup quickly climbed out your window and down the tree. You shut the window as he grabbed onto the tree branch. "Bye."
"Bye, Hiccup."
You just made it a foot from the window before (F/N) came in, a think, smooth, blood- stained stick in hand.
"Ahh!"
***************
Dear (Y/ N),
I'm so excited! And confused. I found a night fury in the woods, just off Raven Point! I was going to kill it, bring its heart to my father, but I couldn't. Instead, I cut him free. When the ropes were loose enough, he broke himself free of the rest and shoved me back against a rock, his giant black paw on my chest.
I thought I was going to die! He opened his mouth and I thought he was going to kill me with its fire-y breath. But he didn't. However, he did roar loudly half a foot from my ears. Think I went a bit Deaf!
Silly Hiccup, you chuckled to yourself, but continued reading.
He ran into the woods before I lifted my head back up. I stood, took two steps, then blacked out.
When I came to, it was dark. I rushed home to find dad sitting in his chair. I didn't think he noticed my entrance, so I tried to sneak past him up to my room. I failed, and then he made me start Dragon Killing Training.
You laughed. He couldn't kill the night fury. How is he supposed to do this?
I told him that I couldn't kill a dragon but he refused to listen! Ugh! He left with most of the village, including (F/N), to find the dragons nest. So luckily you should be able to sneak out before they arrive!
Anyways, I wasn't welcomed in dragon training, but that was a few days ago. Now I go to see Toothless, the night fury, at the cove every day after training. Toothless lives at the cove. You should move there. It's big, nice, peaceful, out of harm's way, and just perfect. But most importantly, it's away from (F/N).
Anyways, I've started training Toothless. He allowed me to touch him a few days ago, and I'm really excited. I'm going to go see him tomorrow after dragon training.
I'll see you in the morning. I hope.
-H. H. H. 3
He was going to train a dragon? More like get killed by a dragon, like his mom.
But live in the cove? With a night fury?
After five years of writing letters with this boy, this was the second time you didn't know what to write back.
Dear Hiccup, you wrote,
I'm not sure if I should move. I'm scared (F/N) will find me and, more importantly, Toothless.
I'm glad you are happy though. Toothless sounds wonderful. I might sneak out before they return from the nest. But just for a little bit. I'd like to meet Toothless, even if it's just one time.
I'll see you in the morning.
Love,
-(initials)
You rolled it up and set it on the window seal, not worried about it being seen since you were the only one home.
**************
"(Y/ N)! (Y/ N)!" a hushed voice said, shaking your shoulder.
"Uh?"
Hiccup chuckled, "Wake up, silly. What time did you go to sleep last night? It's afternoon."
"Oh. Pretty late. I stay up cleaning for when (F/N) returns," you yawned, rubbing the sleep from your eyes and sitting up.
"Ready to see Toothless?" he asked, eagerly.
"Sure. Give me five minutes." You got dressed and followed Hiccup out the window, sneaking through the village and into the woods, then the cove.
"Toothless! Oh, Toothless!" Hiccup called, carrying a large basket of fish on his back.
Almost immediately the black dragon jumped happily up to Hiccup.
"Here, bud. Got your breakfast!" he grunt, shifting the basket over his shoulder and to the ground. He used his foot to tip the basket over, making its contents spill out. Toothless immediately started eating away at the fish.
You giggled. The dragon suddenly stopped eating and walked towards you. Scared, you walked away from him, going backwards.
"(Y/ N), he won't hurt you," Hiccup said, suddenly behind you. He stopped you from walking backwards and held your wrists. "Shh," he whispered. "Toothless, this is (Y/ N). She's a friend. (Y/ N), this is Toothless. My dragon."
"H- Hello, Toothless." He sat back on his hind legs, making himself taller, and gave you a gummy smile. You giggled again. "His smile is just like yours, Hiccup. But without teeth."
"Is it?" he asked, turning his head slightly to the side. "Hmm, I don't see it."
You laughed. Why would he see it? "Anyways, he's kinda cute."
Toothless purred and rubbed his head against your hand.
"Wow, he warmed up to you real fast," Hiccup said in awe.
"So did you," you replied.
He shrugged. "I guess you're just loveable."
"Me? Loveable?" you asked, going into deep thought.
"Yes, loveable," he repeated, pulling you back to reality.
"How so?"
He shrugged and dragged his foot across the ground. "You're cute, pretty, kind, strong, tough, good at keeping secrets, caring, loving, nice, sweet, your voice is soft and flowing, angelic like, and much more. You're also really passive, but with the environment you grew up in, it's no surprise."
You blushed and ducked your head. Y'all only spent time together when (F/N) was off with most of the village searching for the dragon's nest, fishing for long periods of time, or basically off of the island for more than a day, which was surprisingly quite a few times a year, but y'all were best friends despite communicating through mostly letters. But, still, how did he know all that?
"C- Can I do something?" asked Hiccup, now standing in front of you.
"S- Sure," you stuttered, looking up at him.
"Close your eyes."
"Why?" you asked, knowing he wouldn't answer you with a slap to the face.
"Just do it." You nodded and did as you were told.
You waited many seconds before you felt a soft pair of lips on yours. You let out a small gasp but kissed him back. His arms wrapped around your waist and pulled you close.
"Can I tell you something?" he asked, when y'all pulled back for air.
"Yes."
"I love you. Romantically."
"I love you, too. Also romantically," you admitted.
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
"Yes, I will."
"Will you move out of (F/N)'s house?"
You froze and looked into his eyes. "Hiccup, you know I can't do that. Where else would I go?"
"You can live with me at my house. Or here with Toothless. Please, I need to know you're safe and well taken care of. And neither of those things are going to happen at (F/N)'s."
He had a point. And you have dreamed your whole life of running away. Hiccup was the only thing that kept you strong enough not to run away or give up after all those years of abuse.
"Please, (Y/N)," he begged, resting his forehead on yours and staring into your (E/C) eyes. "I need you out of there. I'll help you pack and move out. You'll be out of there before (F/N) gets back. I promise. Just please." Genuine concern and love. That's what his expression was showing.
You sighed. "Fine. But you have to promise to keep him away from me and protect me from him."
"I promise. Come on, let's start now!" He dragged you back to the village, now not caring who saw y'all, and quickly helped you pack your belongings- which consisted of three pairs of tattered clothing and you're hidden drawing journal and pencil with ink. "We'll need to get you new clothes," he smiled. "And more stuff." He leaned over to peck your lips as he carried your bag of things out of the house you never called home. He brought you to his house. He gave you an empty dresser for your belongings and shared his bed with you.
That night, and every night after that, you slept with Hiccup's arms around you. Peacefully and happily.
Epilouge (Short)
*********
A few weeks after you moved in, the villagers returned from hunting for the dragon's nest. Stoick asked who you were and why were you at his house with his son. You didn't know how to respond and Hiccup told him the whole truth. When (F/N) found out where you had gone to, he wasn't happy and managed to give you a few punches before Stoick pulled him off of you and Hiccup carried you away, soothing you. The next day, he was banished for his actions toward you, and you continued to live with Hiccup and his father.
A few days after that Astrid found out about Toothless and you and Hiccup took her on a flight to show her dragons weren't bad (you had a (D/T) named (D/N)) and stumbled upon the dragon's nest. The next day Hiccup tried to show the whole village that dragons weren't bad and failed. His father disowned him and tried to take out the nest himself. Luckily you and Hiccup came in to save them and soon became the heroes of Berk. Hiccup lost part of his leg though. You weren't use to the positive attention or being around people, but Hiccup was always there and helped you no matter what.
Many years later he proposed, y'all got married, and had children and y'all lived happily ever after THE END.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~