~Astrid~
He left. He fucking left. One minute Hiccup is there with the others and I on the dancefloor, letting his cousin move his noodle arms in a "dancing" manner, and then as soon as Merida gets bored and moves on to me, I see him slip past everyone, going by like an invisible force. However, I was the only one who seemed to have noticed him, and as much as I had wanted to go after him, to ask him what's wrong, I thought against it. He's been stressing me out since the beginning of school and I need a break to relax and let loose.
Also, he and I aren't exactly on good talking terms.
And who's fault is that? Both his and mine. His for being so secretive, and me for being...nosy. Ugh I'm just as bad as Jack.
But can I be blamed? Hiccup is being so weird! This has been going on for weeks. Months! Ever since school started back in late August. I've tried minding my business after catching him sneaking out one night, but the more these robberies have been happening, the more suspicious Hiccup becomes.
I would have gotten an answer too if the Ferris Wheel ride had lasted longer.
*FLASHBACK TO THE FERRIS WHEEL*
I love roller coasters, but Ferris Wheels? Hell fucking no. Roller coasters go fast. They're over in a minute or two and the speed and wind pressure usually keeps my eyes closed, but Ferris Wheels? Those Wheels of Death take forever! They're so slow and I'm not able to keep my eyes closed for a long time because I get too anxious. Out of all of my senses, I value my sight the most. And not only am I stuck on this god forsaken ride, but I'm also stuck with Merida's cousin.
I have nothing against Hiccup at all. He's awkward as hell, but I do like him. He's not like the other boys. He's not caught up in his looks like Flynn, he's not nosy like Jack, he's not as quiet as Kristoff, he's not a know it all like Bunny, and he doesn't act like he's better than everyone like Eret.
Now I'm not dissing on the other boys, I care for all of them (which they'll never know about), but there's just something about Hiccup that's...different. Ugh I don't know. I can't explain it. He annoys me, but all of the boys in our group do, and honestly, compared to the others, I'm glad I got stuck with him.
I just wish he wasn't so awkward around me. But then again, I did rat him out that one time about him sneaking out. That was an accident though. No one else was supposed to know. It was a lip of the tongue. Completely sloppy on my part. I should have been more careful with that, along with my constant staring. He caught me more than once. Creepy, I know.
So of course, how could he not be awkward around me? I mean he was always awkward because of his crush on me, but after catching me being weird with him (which is ironic since he's the one who's acting weirder than usual) I can understand why he'd be more awkward than normal.
And now that I think about it, me winning him that stuffed dragon probably isn't helping with his awkwardness. I can't imagine what he must be feeling right now, sitting next to his crush who won him a prize and who knows he's up to something. That must be nerve wracking, confusing, and embarrassing. He's not the only one who had a girl win him a prize tonight. The girls and I pretty much kicked the boys' asses, and Flynn and Maui and Jack even took prizes from me that I was giving away. So really there's no need to be embarrassed.
Part of the reason why I even bothered to win Hiccup that dragon was because I felt bad for putting him out on the spot that day in the cafeteria. I wanted to do something nice, which according the Flynn and Jack and Maui and Eret and every other boy that I'm rude to, is something I am incapable of being. Assholes. I also felt bad because the game was an axe throwing game and I knew Hiccup would fail badly and waste his money if he tried. I throw axes as a hobby, heavier and bigger than the ones they had, so it was literally nothing.
"So um," Hiccup starts, taking me by surprise. I had thought that this whole ride would be done in silence. "I know I said this earlier, but thanks again for the dragon." He wasn't looking at me or the dragon, which I noticed he placed between us rather than hold it in his lap. If he was trying to give us space it's not working, but I admire the effort. Instead, he kept his eyes ahead, looking to the sky, almost as though he longs to be up there in the clouds.
"And like I said earlier," I say, relieved that words are being exchanged. "You're welcome." I had kept my eyes at the setting sun too as I spoke, not daring to look below. So up it is.
From the corner of my eye, I see Hiccup's head move and hear him whistle either disapprovingly or impressed. "That line is long. I don't think we'll be able to ride the Night Fury tonight. It'll take us hours."
The cart rocked a little to fast to my liking and my grip, which is already on the bars, tighten, along with my stomach. "Ugh I'd rather be in line for that roller coaster--No, I'd rather be ON the roller coaster forever than here." I lean my head up some more, keeping my eyes farther away from the ground. "I'd rather be on any ride than this one."
I felt Hiccup's eyes on me, but kept my eyes up. I didn't need to look at him either to know that his eyes are wide with surprise. "Wait, are you afraid of Ferris Wheels? They're like the calmest ride ever."
"Bullshit!" I snap right when the cart rocks again as the ride circled up and back down. "These things should be illegal."
And much to my annoyance, he laughs. I sharply look over at him, already glaring and ready to punch his shoulder, but I was too afraid to move too fast to punch him and upon seeing his laughing face...my glare vanished. I've never seen him laugh up close before. It's...cute.
"Something funny, Haddock?" I ask, using my intimidating voice.
Hiccup's laugh comes to a complete halt and he realizes his mistake. "Oh I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh. Well, I mean, I did but that's only because--"
"Because you're surprised the Fearless Astrid Hofferson actually has some fears after all?" I finish for him, sighing. The one thing that makes Hiccup like everyone else is the fact that he thinks I'm fearless. I'm not. I have more courage than most people, but I do have fears.
"As much as I like how highly some people think of me," I continue, "I feel like they forget that I'm still human. I have fears. I just like acting as though I don't. That's why I agreed to get on this stupid piece of scrap metal."
"Why act though? If you don't want to do something because you're afraid, then you shouldn't feel pressured to do it. I admit you should at least try to conquer your fears, but don't do it if it really stresses you out too much. Do it when you're ready." Hiccup says, and I suddenly hated both him and myself.
He's right, of course, but it's none of his business why I act. However, I did blurt out all that info. Of course he'd be curious and say something inspirational. Honestly, I'm glad. It means he cares. Because another thing I like about my best friend's cousin is that, even when it's not his business, he cares anyway.
That's why I've been so worked up about him these last few months. I know him sneaking out isn't my business, but I...I care about...I care about Merida and she cares about him, so I care about him too. For her sake. I need to know he's not doing anything illegal, which I know he wouldn't dare do, but honestly he's so unpredictable. I can never figure him out entirely.
"It's easier I guess," I say, being the most honest I have ever been with him. With anyone actually. That includes Merida. "Less issues I suppose. Plus, it's not easy being a girl in this world. Guys rarely mess with a girl who they know isn't afraid to fuck them up and who isn't afraid of them."
Hiccup nods in understanding. "Yeah, that makes sense. I'm glad you and Merida are able to defend yourselves."
I glance at his noodle arms and smile a little. My arms are just as twig-like as his but I'm obviously stronger. "You know," I say as I debated if I should even ask. I decided to go with it. "Boys get harrassed just as much as girls do. If you ever want to work out with Merida and I at my place, you're always welcomed. We're neighbors, so don't even bother saying you don't have a ride. I'm literally right across the street."
Hiccup nervously chuckles. "Yep," he nods, "You've been there all our lives. H-How's your aunt anyway?" I notice his stammer and realize that he's actually trying to keep the conversation going.
However, I still scowl at the mention of my aunt, his father's deputy. My Aunt Tamora Calhoun is the most badass woman ever, but she has the worst taste in men. Okay, maybe Felix isn't the worst, he certainly treats her right, but he's so...positive. He's worse than Anna, Tooth, and Rapunzel combined! It's sickening. There's nothing wrong with being positive, but sometimes it can become overbearing. Not even my friends are at his level. I'm not even sure if he can get angry, and that's what gets me angry. Sometimes I think he's the one who isn't human.
He's also really really short. Shorter than my aunt and shorter than me. He's not a midget, but he's definitely not the average height for a male of his age. His brother Ralph on the other hand is a giant. He's pretty cool, but their adopted sister Vanellope is definitely my favorite.
"Oh she's great," I reply, bitterly. Sweat soaked my palms, so I quickly remove them to wipe them off on my shirt. "She and her boyfriend are just awesome."
"Wait, she has a boyfriend?" Hiccup asks, just as shocked as I was when Tamora told me. "Who?"
"Felix." I answer. "The fixes-everything-dude."
His eyes widen, even more shocked, and he says, "No freaking way."
"Yep," I pop the p and finally release my hold on the bar to cross my arms, definitely bothered.
The shock in Hiccup's eyes turned into amusement and he did not bother to hide his smile. "Well, that's definitely something I didn't see coming. That explains why he was always over at your house during the summer."
"And I feel so stupid for not realizing the real reason why," I grumble. "I didn't find out until I got home from open house and found them in a passionate embrace. Luckily for me their clothes were on."
It was a few days after that when I caught Hiccup sneaking out. My aunt had kept her relationship a secret from me, making a fool out of me, and I will not let that happen again, especially by Hiccup.
Hiccup chuckles. "Yeah, that would not be a sight to see. So do you like him or are you jealous?"
I give Hiccup a disgusted look. "Jealous?" I repeat. "Why the hell would I be jealous?"
Hiccup shrugs as he says, "Well, now you have to share your aunt. You and Tamora are like two badass peas in a pod. She's your role model and for the longest time it's just been you, her, and Gobber. Now here comes Felix, taking your aunt away from you in a way. He might become your uncle through marriage someday, which means you'll be living with him. Hell, he might move in before he proposes. That's how most couples usually do it. Get to know each other, move in together, get to know each other again on a deeper level, propose, marry, kids, etc."
Wow, I think that's the most he's ever said to me.
And I don't like it.
My scowl returns at the thought of them getting married and having kid. Oh god, that would make me a cousin. "Um no thanks. Just because they're dating does not mean they're going to end up marrying each other. They haven't even been together for a year yet, and if they do end up getting engaged and moving in together then I'm moving in with Merida or you."
"M-Me?" Hiccup stammers, shocked.
"Of course," I reply, nonchalantly. "Your father loves me." I'm being both serious and playful. If Merida's folks aren't able to take me in then Stoick will be my last hope. At the same time though, I know Hiccup likes me, so the thought of me living with him must have his heart racing and I find his blushing face to be quite adorable. I would never play with his feelings, but it is amusing to tease him every once in awhile.
Hiccup says something under his breath that I didn't quite catch, but it sounded like something along the lines of He's not the only one who loves you, and it threw me off. Did I hear him right? "What was that?"
"Nothing," he says in a panicked rush, and I let it drop as I continued to complain.
"Anyway," I brush my bangs out of my eyes and look at the sky again. The stars are starting to come out now. "If they do get engaged and decided to wait to move in together after the wedding, which I honestly find to be really stupid, then the second option is to force them to postpone the wedding until after I graduate and move in to my college dorm. The wait will be good for them I think. It'll strengthen their relationship."
"Or it gives you time to sabotage and weaken it."
"I would never."
"Sure."
That's when I punch his shoulder and laugh. "Since when did you get so brave with me, Haddock?"
Hiccup rubs his shoulder while he chuckles. "It comes and goes as it pleases."
I roll my eyes while smiling. "Yeah, I can believe that."
"Would living with him be so bad though?" he asks and that's when I noticed how much more relaxed his body is now than what it was when the ride first started, "He can literally fix anything, which...is kind of ironic since you and Tamora like to break stuff."
I crack a smile at that, but it goes back into a frown a second later. "It's not...really the living together issue that I'm concerned about. It's...well it's really just him. He's so happy and positive all the time. It drives me crazy. It used to drive my aunt crazy too, but somehow he won her over and I'm afraid..." I pause after using the word; it's so foreign on my tongue. "I'm afraid he'll end up breaking her heart too. That's why I'm so against him. Not because I'm jealous he's 'taking my aunt away from me'. She's not an object, Hiccup. She's an adult woman who can do as she pleases."
How is it so easy to talk to Hiccup about this? Merida will kill me if she finds out. I've never revealed this much to her about how I felt about Tamora and Felix. She's gonna be pissed if I tell her, which I don't think I will.
"Felix doesn't seem like the type of man to hurt your aunt," Hiccup says, but it doesn't convince me.
"Tamora didn't seem like the type of woman to fall for a guy like him either, and yet," I sigh again. "Here we are. Gobber loves him too, so I'm all alone in the hating him department. He says that it will be nice having another man in the family."
"Which means another uncle for you."
I close my eyes and sigh. "He'll never be my uncle. Married to my aunt or not. He'll never be family. Gobber and Finn, may he rest in peace, are the only uncles I've ever needed. I don't need nor do I want anymore. Even if it means my aunt is unhappy. If she really wants to stay with Felix, marry him, have kids, that whole life thing then...she'll have to wait until I'm gone to college because I don't want any part of it."
"So...is it because you're afraid you're going to end up caring for him too?"
The idea is absurd, but I find myself nodding after a moment of silence. How very observant of him. "Yeah because if I do, what if he dies like my uncle Finn and parents did or turns out to be a cheating piece of scum? I'll get hurt if I get close, which is exactly why I'm afraid for my aunt because she'll be hurt the most. She hasn't been in a relationship since her fiance died during their wedding after exposure to some killer bug. That was years ago, before you and I were even born. She lost her sister--my mother, and her brother--Uncle Finn, along with their parents. And then during her wedding she loses her almost husband. That's a lot of people. She knows loss, as do I. We don't need more people to care about." I was left breathless after my long speech and take a deep breath in.
Hiccup nods while I did this. "Yeah," he says, "I understand. Not through experience, but I get what you mean. For me though, I wish I had more. I know I have my cousins, aunts, and uncles, but they're their own family and I sometimes find myself wishing that I had siblings or...or even a pet. Better yet, I wish I had my mom too. My dad...well...he's not enough. Hell, sometimes he's not even my dad. Your Uncle Gobber is more of a father to me than he is."
"Gobber's like a dad to me too," I say, feeling...a little sad actually. Both for myself and for him. We both lack mothers, but Hiccup has a dad. I don't. However, his relationship with Stoick isn't the greatest. I've known this for years. "But, Hiccup, you're lucky. I know you and your dad aren't really close, but at least you have a father who does care for you in his own way. Mine is dead. You never know what kinds of treasure you have until you lose them. Try to make amends with him."
If Hiccup can be inspirational, so can I, so much in fact that I left him silent. He probably feels guilty now. If it's about me, he shouldn't be guilty. I don't want his pity. I don't want him to feel sorry for me. But if it's about him and his dad, well he should feel guilty. So should Stoick. They are both at fault. From what Merida has said, her uncle and cousin aren't good at communicating or taking the time to communicate.
"Oh my god," Hiccup finally says as the ride went down. For a moment I thought it was because he got frighten.
"What?" I say, worried. "Is something wrong with the ride? Hiccup, don't fucking play with me--"
"No, no! Look," he points downward, "Eret's mystery date is Heather!" And just before the ride went back up, I saw them. My friend and my enemy, walking past the Ferris Wheel, sharing a cone of cotton candy, and eye-fucking each other.
What. The. Hell.
"I had no idea Heather was interested in Eret," Hiccup says, smiling down at the couple who we were still able to see below. "She told me she liked a jock and was going on a date with one, but I didn't think it'd be Eret. Honestly, I thought it'd be Snotlout or Tuffnut."
Shocked, I say in full disbelief: "Hold on what?! Since when do you talk with Heather? Last I checked Heather doesn't associate herself with losers."
Hiccup looks hurt and that's when I realized what I said. Guilt instantly washes over me and I open my mouth to apologize, but he cuts me off before I could release even a breath. "Well, last I checked Heather and I can talk to whoever we want, loser or not. We're friends."
"Friends?" I repeat, not believing a word. "How can you be friends with her? She's a bitch."
"Not to me. She's nice with me," Hiccup admits and that right there was all I needed to know that my ex-best friend has him wrapped around her claws. Oh hell no.
"She's only being nice so she can use you to do her homework," I snap, hating that I was being so harsh on him since he already gets enough shit from his cousin Snotlout, but Hiccup needs to hear this. "Or so she can laugh about your stupidity. This is all a game to her. Nothing but entertainment. I know this first hand."
"But since I'm a stupid loser, I guess I can't see that, right?" Hiccup snaps for the first time ever towards me, not stuttering or looking afraid. "I know I'm a lot of things, but I'm not blind. I like Heather and there's nothing you can do about it. Why do you even care?"
And just like that, the words I like Heather, sent my stomach into painful knots. It feels like I've just been punched in the stomach, and I have before many times when I spar with Merida, but this...this hurts a whole lot more.
My throat is dry and tight when I speak again after a silent moment. "I care because you're Merida's cousin. She loves you and I love her, and I know seeing you hurt will hurt her too. But you're right," I say, clearing the dry and tightness away, "I can't do anything about it. And when Heather ends up hurting you, don't come crying to me or Merida. She doesn't need to be apart of that bullshit and neither do I."
"Duly noted." Hiccup mutters, loud enough for me to hear.
I say nothing after that, trying to calm myself down, but I'm legit fuming. Hiccup is so smart, but now he's acting really dumb. And the reason for that? A girl! Of all the things to make him go stupid, it's a girl. Unbelievable. When did they even start talking anyway? When did they become friends? Does he want her to be more than a friend? I thought he had a crush on me? I guess he can have more than one crush. It's normal to have multiple. So why do I hate the thought of him liking other girls? Well, wait, that's obvious. This girl is Heather. Of course I'm not going to like that. It has nothing to do with the fact that there's another.
I bet if he had a crush on Anna or Moana I wouldn't feel as sick as I do now. I only feel weird because it's Heather.
I swear to God if she hurts him I am going to rip her to shreds. I don't care if I get kicked off the cheerleading squad. Maybe she'll get kicked off too. It would piss Chloe off for sure. God, I hate her too. Snobby, fucking troll. Ugh! I am so pissed!
But when I look over at Hiccup, my anger turns to sadness.
We were having an actual conversation for once and I ruined it with my anger. "Hiccup," I say, trying to be the bigger person, "I'm...I'm sorry." He looks over at me then, surprised. "I didn't mean to call you stupid or a loser. The loser part was toward everyone who isn't in Heather's group, which includes me too. And obviously that's not true about me. I'm not a loser." I nudge him, gently. "And neither are you."
But his frown was still there. "Thanks, but there's no need to lie. Can we talk about something else now?"
And now I'm annoyed again. I tried being nice, but he's being so freaking difficult. God damn it Hiccup. "I'm not a liar, Hiccup." I say, offended. "I give the honest truth, and that truth is that you are not a loser. You have the potential to be one, sure, but you also have the potential to be something greater. Oh, but what do I know? I'm just a liar."
"And since you want to talk about something else," I go on, suddenly very very pissed, "How about we talk about you sneaking out? It's been going on for months. What are you hiding, Hiccup? Are you doing some illegal shit? Are you associated with the all the break-ins that's been happening?"
"What?! Of course not!" Hiccup exclaims, looking at me as though I've grown a third eye or something. "Have you not met me? Look at me, Astrid! I'm not exactly qualified to be a thief."
"I've been fooled before," I say, referring to my aunt. "So what is it? Why are you sneaking out?"
His face began to glisten with sweat and he wore the worried face of someone seriously guilty of something. "Astrid--"
But before he could finish his sentence, our cart does a sudden jerk forward, scaring the fuck outta me to the point that I clung onto Hiccup's arm, bury my face into his shoulder, and accidentally let out a frightened squeal.
And never have I ever been more embarrassed in my entire life.
"Did you just--" Hiccup starts, but for a second time he doesn't finish his sentence. I don't let him this time.
"I swear to god, if you tell anyone about me being scared and squealing like that I will end your life," I threaten, feeling my face heat up to the temperature of the sun as I lift it up from his shoulder. "Do I make myself clear?"
Hiccup chuckles. "Clear as water. Also can I...uh..."
"What?"
"C-Can I have my arm back?" And there he goes, being nervous again. "Unless you're still scared because in that case I don't mind. Even if you're not scared I don't mind. I...I'm going to stop talking now."
I release my hold on him, my blush deepening and say, "Let's just....not talk anymore. I'll find out what you're hiding another time. Mark my words. Right now let's just try not to die on this death trap."
"Well, lucky for us the ride is over." And sure enough, Hiccup is right. We're three carts away from the exit/enter gates, and as the minutes went on until it was our turn to exit, we spent them in total silence.
And for the first time since I got on the ride, I wanted to stay on it longer. Not because I want to have more alone time with Hiccup, but because I knew for a fact that if we had stayed on the ride longer...
I would have gotten my answer on why he's being so sneaky.
All good things come to those who wait, and while I'm so tired of waiting, I know that patience is one of the keys to success.
I'm going to find out Hiccup. I swear it.
~END~
Hiccup and I spent more time together during the rest of the week when we went to the fair, pairing up to do rides by the force of Merida and Maui, but we never had a long moment alone for me to pressure him into telling me his secret. Eret hung out with us too and not once did he tell us who his mystery date was. I wanted to blurt it out, to expose him, but I knew I'd only cause unnecessary drama. I had better things to worry about anyway.
Hiccup first, Eret and Heather later.
And while Hiccup and I never had another long moment alone, we did, however, finally ride the Night Fury, and of course I just had to embarrass myself again by screaming my head off.
It was not at all what I was expecting it to be. It was so much more and I was not prepared. Hiccup had done so much better than I, and I'm forever going to be impressed with him. He laughed the entire time, no fear at all, and while I wasn't scared scared, like for my life, I was still a bit frighten. The speed of the ride is said to be faster than any other roller coaster in the world, almost as fast as lightning.
Which is exactly how fast Hiccup had fled the party just a few minutes ago, and while I'm trying to not think about it, to relax, I can't get him out of my mind. I bet he's sneaking off to God knows where right now. I should follow him. This might be my only chance.
"Hey Merida!" I shout, hoping she'll hear me over the music.
"Yeah?" She shouts back, her dancing body slowing down to hear me better.
"I'll be right back. Don't eat all the caramel apples!"
"Don't tempt me!"
I wave her off and roll my eyes, silently thanking God that she didn't ask where I'm heading to and that she didn't want to tag along. A few minutes later, I'm outside on my sky blue Moped, heading home.
And along the way, I catch up with the green eyed boy who's been giving me hell, making sure to stay a good distance behind so he wouldn't see me. I'm actually very impressed at how fast Hiccup is riding his bike. From what I usually see he's a slow biker. I hope he's not peddling so fast because he knows he's being followed. If he knows he's being followed, I don't doubt that he knows it's me.
If Hiccup really is doing something illegal, I wonder if it's by force. He would never break the law unless he's being forced to, and if that's what's happening then maybe I can help him. Me being nosy and not minding my business might be what saves his life. If it's him and only him doing the crimes...well I guess I'll have to take him down too, but first I'll try to help him right his wrongs.
When we make it to our neighborhood, kids in costumes were everywhere, but what I did not expect to see is a whole crowd of them at my house. What the hell?
I hid behind a fence so Hiccup wouldn't see me, but quickly took my eyes off of him to see what was going on at my porch. My eyes widen before quickly turning into a glare. Standing on my porch with my aunt, handing out candy, is Felix. Fucking Felix. Tamora said she had work tonight. How many more lies will she be telling me? How many lies has she said before? I am so fucking sick of the lies!
"You've got to be kidding me!" I hiss, which caught the attention of some kids walking by. They stopped and stared, not saying a word, so of course I did the only thing I could think of.
I went to my belt and unleashed my very real and very sharp mini axe. I gave it a swift flip in the air and caught it's handle, saying one word that I knew would get them going. "Run."
And they did, screaming their heads off too, which caught the attention of more people, but not Hiccup. No, he paid them no attention as he goes to his backyard instead of inside the house, looking around for a quick second, which made me think that he's looking for me.
Oh he definitely should have looked around better.
When he's out of sight, I wait a few seconds before following him, gluing myself to the side of his house. When I make it to the corner, I peek my head out just in time to see him venture into the woods behind the houses.
"Where on earth are you going, Hiccup?" I whisper to myself before I continued with my task, which is following him.
The moon is full and high in the sky, but its light isn't enough for me to see. I'm not a klutz, but I nearly tripped over multiple twigs and rocks within the first few minutes. I wanted to use the flashlight on my phone for guidance, but knew if I did that Hiccup might see it. Thankfully, Hiccup is using his own phone flashlight now, and luckily he didn't here my stumbles from before.
Minutes go by, I'm not sure how much, but eventually Hiccup leads me a secret cove. The scenery itself told me that we are deep in the woods. Very, very deep. I sure hope he knows how to get home. I hid behind a boulder by the entrance of the cove and watch as Hiccup walks to the medium sized pond that was placed in the very center of the cove. He looks around again before releasing a long, loud whistle.
I jumped out of my skin when I heard a howl right after.
What the hell?
I hear barking next, and saw Hiccup kneeling down with his arms spread out and a smile on his face. "Come here, bud," he say, and next thing I know, something moves behind another large boulder, a shadow, and when the flashlight on Hiccup's phone shined on the shadow-like creature, I gasp at the sight.
The moving shadow turned out to be a huge black wolf.
My whole body stiffens and I swear my heart stops. I wanted to scream at Hiccup, to tell him to watch out, to run over to him and get him the hell out of there, but then...they both blew me away.
The wolf's tail is wagging, obviously very excited to see Hiccup, and it barks one more time before running over to him. Hiccup embraces the wolf and laughs as he dodges the wolf's tongue as it licks his face. Wide eyes and jaw dropped, I was left in utter shock. Without even thinking, as if my mind had a mind of its own, I'm standing up and storming over to him.
"This was your secret?!" I shout, making both Hiccup and the black wolf jump. Hiccup yelps, drops his phone, and topples over, landing on his butt.
"Astrid?!" He screeches from the ground, looking more afraid of me then he has ever been in his entire life. The black wolf is quick to stand in front of him, baring his very sharp teeth as he growls menacingly at me, ready to attack at any second.
I freeze in my tracks when the wolf does this and felt another wave of fear surge through me. "Hiccup," I say, slowly and as calmly as I could possibly be even though my pounding heart is anything but calm, "start explaining. Now."
The wolf growls some more, causing me to gulp nervously. I put on my best poker face so Hiccup wouldn't see how terrified and shocked I am (he's already seen that face too many times), but seeing him look terrified and shocked too, more so than me, made me realize that he's more focused on his secret being blown than me expressing an emotion I usually don't show.
"A-Astrid," Hiccup starts, his voice shaky. "I...I...uh...did you...follow me?"
"Obviously. But we're not talking about me right now," I snap, which causes the wolf to growl even louder. My eyes connect with the wolf's and despite my only source of light coming from Hiccup's phone and the moon, I can clearly see that its eyes are green. Do wolves normally have green eyes? Weird...they match Hiccup's eyes. What a coincidence.
"And since you're obviously friends with this beast," I continue as I bravely extend my hand out to gesture to the black wolf, which causes it to release another damn growl, "I'd appreciate it if you told it to back off."
Hiccup nods before grabbing his fallen phone and getting to his feet. He pats the wolf's head gently and says in a soothing, assuring voice: "Hey, bud, it's okay. This is a friend of mine. Her name is Astrid. Astrid," Hiccup says to me, "this is Toothless."
My eyes narrow in confusion. "Did you just say Toothless? Because from what I see he has all his teeth."
Hiccup has the audacity to chuckle. "Yes, I said Toothless. When he first bared his teeth at me, all I wished for was for him to have no teeth at all. I wished for him to be toothless and so the name kinda stuck."
"And how long ago was this?" I ask, never looking away from the black wolf, who is no longer baring its teeth but who still doesn't look happy.
Hiccup rubs his neck and chuckles nervously. I think I see him sweating too. It's not even hot outside. He must be having a huge mental breakdown. I know I am. "Since the beginning of summer."
"What?!" That's when Tamora and Felix started dating. He's been sneaking out to see this beast for months and I only caught him three months ago. Around the same time I found out about my aunt and her secret relationship. What the fucking hell?!
"Hehe...surpriiiiise." Hiccup says as he shifts uncomfortably from where he stands.
"I cannot believe this." I say, scoffing. "Wait until the others hear about this." I give him the biggest glare in the history of glares before groaning and turning away. I knew he wasn't doing anything illegal, but I was still worried. And it was all for nothing! This whole time he had a secret pet. A huge, wild wolf! And here I was, worried that his sorry ass was being manipulated by a bunch of criminals or that he was the criminal.
"Wait, Astrid!" Hiccup calls out and next thing I know, his hand is wrapped around my wrist, stopping me.
I was once again left in shock. He's just getting bolder and bolder these days. Usually, I would have yanked my hand away, but instead I remain still. I'm not entirely sure why I did, most likely due to my shocked nerves, but it was actually Hiccup who removed himself without me even having to tell him or shove him off.
"Look," he says when I turn around to face him, still glaring, "Can we just...talk about this? Please, I'm begging you, Astrid. I want to keep it a secret. My dad cannot know about Toothless. No one can know in case word somehow gets out that I'm harboring a purebred wild wolf that escaped on his way to an animal sanctuary. My dad would never allow me to keep him. He's allergic to canines. Please, I..."
Hiccup pauses as he closes his eyes and releases a shaky sigh. His whole demeanor screamed desperation, but it also screamed determination. Determination I've never seen from him before. Not even when he told me to leave him alone about Heather."I've never had a pet before, Astrid, and Toothless has been, by far, the greatest experience."
He stops talking after that and waited for my response. For a moment, we stood in silence since I am unsure of how to respond, and as I process his words, I look at both him and his pet wolf. Before I got my Blue Australian Shepherd, Stormfly, I knew exactly what it was like to want a pet so desperately. To want a friend at home to keep you from feeling less lonely. There's also no reason for me to seriously overreact too. I mean, keeping a wolf a secret is nothing compared to him secretly being a criminal. I'm just upset over how much I worried for nothing.
I sigh in defeat before saying, "Start explaining and I'll think about it. I want to hear everything from the very beginning to right now."
Hiccup looks relieved and he sighs in relief too. Actually, he looks like he's about to pass out.
We sat down on the ground a second later, and he begins his tale with no hesitation. He told me how bored he was one day in the beginning of summer and how he decided to go explore in the woods. His decision led him to Toothless, who he found nearly dead. Apparently, Toothless's left back leg was missing, completely gone, when Hiccup found him. He thinks he must have lost it in a fight with another animal or in a hunter's trap. Toothless lost a lot of blood, and Hiccup miraculously saved his life without calling animal control or a vet.
He learned about Toothless being shipped to an animal sanctuary and how he escaped and is still currently being searched for. And instead of calling the number, he stayed silent and nurtured the wolf back to health, making a fake leg for him too. Why? Hiccup's not even sure himself. Once Toothless was completely recovered and used to his new fake leg, Hiccup didn't show up for a week, hoping that Toothless would take the hint and move on with his life in the wild. When Hiccup returned to the cove, Toothless was still there.
Hiccup's certain that it's because Toothless cares for him just as deeply as he cares for Toothless. They bonded. Man and man's best friend.
"I've been sneaking out of the house early in the morning for months," says Hiccup, "you finally catching me in August must have been my dumb bad luck."
"Or," I say, adding in my opinion, "it was just you being dumb. I've been seeing you go through the front door when before you used to go through the back door. That's the only logical reason. So now I want to know why the change of doors?"
Hiccup's eyes widen in realization. "Ooooh, of course. Okay, that explains it. How could I forget?" He chuckles as he pats Toothless's head, which is resting in his lap. It's been there since Hiccup first started talking. "My dad put some kind of security system thing on the back door when the break-ins first started. He hasn't done the front door yet because I hid the equipment. Now it all makes sense." He chuckles again, and I join in.
"Hiding equipment from your dad? The Chief of Police?" I tease as I shook my head. "You should be ashamed."
Hiccup shrugs. "I'm already a disappointment to him, but you'd think he'd find out sooner. He's a cop after all." I see sadness in his eyes then, and well...I didn't like it.
"Hiccup..." I bite my lip as I thought of words to say, "you're...you're not a disappointment to him. He just hasn't seen it yet, and neither have you. But you both will in time."
Our eyes connect for a moment before he turns them away to look at Toothless. "You're just saying that. Besides, you don't know what my dad feels for me, so your words...they're not convincing. Thank you though for trying."
"Well," I begin, knowing that there really wasn't much I could do, "I did tell you before that I'm not a liar, and for what it's worth...you're not a disappointment to me. In fact, you're actually pretty amazing." I knew what I said, but I didn't realize how intimate they sounded until after I said them.
"I...uh...well I mean...I...well what I mean to say is that everyone thinks you're pretty amazing. Our friends don't see you as a disappointment, so it's not just me. Your dad may not see it, but you have lots of people who see great potential in you. So...stop being an atheist and just believe already."
I stop after that, realizing that I'm rambling, and hoped he didn't realize it too. Hiccup gives me a small smile and says, "Really? Do you mean that?"
I nod. "Duh! I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. I mean, come on Hiccup, look at what you did," I point to a now sleeping Toothless, who I like a lot more than the growling one I encountered earlier. He's actually rather cute when he's not baring his teeth. "You not only saved his life, but you made him a new, fake leg." I look at the left back leg and shook my head.
"I still can't believe it's fake. If it wasn't for you telling me, I honestly would have continued thinking it to be the real deal. It's incredible, and since you made it that makes you incredible too. I'm amazed. You're really talented."
Hiccup's small smile turns into a huge grin. "Thanks. That...that really means a lot coming from you. And since we're saying kind words, I know for sure that you'll be a great cop. Maybe one day you'll be Chief of Police like my dad."
My heart leaps at the words, but I'm left baffled. Confused, I say: "How did you know I want to be a cop?"
"Merida of course."
"Ah," I laugh then. "Of course. Oh and Hiccup?" I glance at Toothless.
"Yeah?"
I look back at Hiccup then, my smile still displayed on my face. "Your secret is safe with me, even from Merida. I admit, I think it's wrong to keep him as your pet due to him being a wild animal and due to the animal sanctuary still looking for him, but I can see how close you two are. I won't be the reason you separate, and hopefully you never do."
Hiccup opens his mouth, most likely to thank me, but he's interrupted when his phone buzzes. He picks his phone up, which laid on the ground beside him, and read the screen. "Shoot. I only have 10% left. My phone is going to die before we make it back home, which means no flashlight."
"Don't worry," I tell him as I get to my feet and pull out my own phone. "We'll continue to use yours until it dies and then use mine." I extend my hand out for him to take and he looks at it for a moment as if he couldn't believe it's actually there. "Well come on. I don't bite like some creatures do." I was referring to Toothless and he knew it.
With a chuckle, he gently shakes Toothless, making the wolf get off of him, and hesitates before taking my hand. He lets out a surprise noise when I easily yank him up. I had to suppress a laugh at this, but I did smirk.
Hiccup says his goodbyes and promises to Toothless, and just as I thought we were finally going to leave, he surprises me by saying: "Do you want to pet him before we go?"
"Oh...um...I don't think that's such a good idea right now," I say, a bit skeptical. I honestly want to, but I'm not sure if Toothless wants to. He's not growling at me like he was earlier, nor does he look angry, but I'm still a stranger to him. "Maybe next time, Hiccup. Hopefully then we'll start off nice and fresh. And in the day time."
"Wait, so..." Hiccup starts, "you want to come back and see him?"
I nod. "Yeah. I'd like to get to know him better. If that's okay with you."
"Of course it is!" Hiccup exclaims, way too quickly and way too eagerly, but then clears his throat and tried a calmer approach. "Uh...I mean, yeah, sure. Whatever."
I roll my eyes at his "normal" behavior, but still smile. "Awesome. Now come on, we've been gone from Mavis's party for way too long. Merida is probably looking for us. Oh, and another thing..."
I punch him in the arm, causing him to stumble a little bit. "Ow! Hey what the hell was that for?"
"That," I say as I peer closer to him, "Was for all the trouble you caused me these last few months. And this," I quickly swoop forward to kiss his cheek and pull back a second later, "was for saving that poor animal's life and for not being a criminal."
Hiccup looks at me with wide, surprised eyes. He was at a loss for words, stunned, and to be honest a little part of me was too. I know that he likes me, he and everyone else makes it very obvious too, teasing him constantly, but I swear I'm not toying with his feelings; I would never do such a horrible thing. However, the least I can do to award him for doing such a noble act is kiss his cheek. What person wouldn't consider that as a type of award, especially from their crush? Besides, it's not like I kissed his lips or confessed my undying love for him. Which I don't have...even though he's pretty much everything I could ever want in a guy. He always has been.
But teen relationships are too complicated. My only focus right now is passing all my classes. I don't have time for a boyfriend. And why the hell am I even thinking about this anyway? This is so not important.
I quickly turn around, unexpectedly feeling the heat in my face, and begin walking away. "I hope you didn't forget to breathe," I say to Hiccup, feeling as though he's about to pass out again. "And don't even think about passing out. I'm not going to be carrying your ass home."
"I-I wouldn't want you to," I hear Hiccup say from behind me before he makes it to my side. "I'd be embarrassed about it for months."
I smirk. "Well then, maybe you should faint after all."
"Ha ha," He says, sarcastically, "very funny."
"By the way," I gesture to his viking costume, "Did Merida pick out your costume?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Cuz she chose mine too. I think she set us up to look like a viking couple."
"Oh geez. I just thought it was a weird coincidence."
"Never assume that when Merida decides to help you pick out a costume."
He laughs at that and I join him, enjoying it too much but not giving a damn about it.
And in the back of my mind, all I could think of was:
FINALLY! The truth is finally revealed and I can now sleep in peace tonight. Thank god.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: You seriously thought I was going to give you Jelsa? Haha you fools! JK JK but seriously I had to give Jelsa a break and give Hiccstrid a time to shine! I hope you still enjoyed tho! :D