A/N: When people go on holidays (or vacations) they sometimes behave differently to how they normally do at home. So any OOC-ness is entirely intentional and yes, I know certain people normally wouldn't behave like this. It's a story. Daily updates.
-o-
FOUR: Seaside Shenanigans.
Though he did his best to enjoy his friends' presence, the twins' ridiculous antics that ended up spilling their Sangria, throwing the olives as missiles and eating all their snacks had really started to annoy Hiccup. He was getting hot, though the breeze off the sea was cooling-but the fact that the waves were splashing over a long zone of very damp, soft sand meant that he stood no chance of getting into the sea. So he pretended to be asleep as Astrid rose and walked into the waves, diving in and swimming strongly out, then circling and heading back in. Snotlout, Throk and the twins immediately followed her and began playing, splashing and diving like kids. Somehow, Tuff seemed to have acquired an inflatable that was in the shape of a chicken and he was paddling around, rolling it over everyone he could.
Quietly, he sat up and watched her, an unfamiliar feeling of jealousy washing over him as he watched her enjoy herself with their friends. No one else stayed as they all went into the sea, splashing and clearly having fun as Hiccup remained isolated on the beach. Breathing hard, he fished in his pockets to get his phone and earbuds and quietly blue toothed on and then thumbed on an audiobook, before lying back and closing his eyes. It was wonderful and warm but he was surrounded by empty beds, with the sounds of all his friends shrieking and laughing in the sea.
He was roused from his self-imposed cocoon when a shadow fell over him and a dripping Astrid smiled down on as him as he opened his eyes.
"Hey Babe," she said happily. "The water's lovely."
"Wouldn't know," he told her sourly, closing his eyes again. She immediately sat at his side.
"What's wrong?" she asked. "Aren't you feeling well?" His eyes snapped open.
"What's wrong?" he repeated. "Guess." Her brows furrowed as she looked at him.
"Sorry-didn't you want to swim?" she asked him. He scowled, an unfamiliar expression.
"Actually, I did," he said and then gestured to his leg. "Except, of course, I can't get into the sea with one leg on my own-while I could at the pool." Her eyes widened and then she rubbed her forehead.
"Sorry," she sighed. "I forgot."
He paused. He had worked very hard to be treated exactly like everyone else, striven with all his might so that his leg wasn't an issue and that it didn't really hold him back from doing things that he wanted to do. And he supposed he should be pleased that it hadn't crossed her mind, that she hadn't focussed on his limitations when she had thought about going swimming because he did swim-and well-back home.
Except there were things that he couldn't do-and though he told himself he didn't allow himself to be limited by his leg, mentally he edited his goals so they didn't include anything impossible for him, because he found the limitations of his disability still hard to deal with when he slammed into them face first. And this was one of those times, where he was with a group of able-bodied people-his friends, allegedly-and he was restricted and unable to join in what they could do without even thinking. It had hurt, being left on the sidelines, unable to join in and he felt a frisson of irritation that Astrid, of all people, hadn't considered he might want to join her in the water.
"It's okay," he forced himself to say. "I mean, I try not to let it hold me back, Guess I did too good a job, hmm?" She smiled at him then, her face lighting up and she gave him a damp hug.
"You are amazing, Hiccup," she told him honestly. "I wouldn't cope with losing a limb or being limited in any way. I would just...mope and fall apart. But you are so brave, so strong, so...balanced. I'm really proud of you." He felt himself smiling back, seeing her there with him and he took her hand.
"Why, thank you, Milady. I..."
"Didn't fancy swimming?" Snotlout interrupted, coming up and standing by Astrid. "It takes a real man to swim in the sea. Guess we know which one of us that is!"
His good mood shattered again and he glared up at his cousin.
"Nope, we just know which one of us is thoughtless enough to forget one person has a physical limitation so he cannot actually get into the sea...asshole," Hiccup snapped back.
"You tell yourself that," Snotlout taunted him and returned to his lounger to dry off in the sun. Astrid settled by him on her own lounger, lying on her front and carefully creaming herself to ensure she didn't burn.
"Don't let him get to you," she advised. "You know he's just trying to get a rise from you." He nodded and sat back, pulling his hat over his face.
"I know," he sighed. "But he just knows exactly how to get under my skin."
Hiccup ordered more drinks and somehow, found himself paying for an order that included everyone. Grabbing their drinks without even a 'thank you', he stared at them for a long time before sipping his sparkling water and sighing. The time on the beach was reminding him of all the reasons why he wasn't upset that he didn't have contact with most of these people regularly. A couple maybe but the rest...well, they were all happy to chat to Astrid, who was naturally more outgoing, but he was largely being ignored. He was brooding so much that he missed Astrid getting up and having a quick conversation with Fishlegs...but when Snotlout challenged them all to some more races in the sea, the husky man walked up to Hiccup.
"I know you like to be independent-but I can help you in so you can swim as well," Fishlegs offered. "I can help you into the water-and out-if you want?" There was nothing but genuine desire to help in Fishlegs's round and already red face and though Hiccup's pride was urging him to turn down the offer, he genuinely did want to go swimming because he loved spending time with Astrid. So he nodded and smiled up at his friend.
"Thanks," he said and removed his leg. Carefully, he rose onto his one leg and leaned against the bigger man, allowing himself to be half-dragged, half-hopping through the sticky wet sand, his foot sinking and the suction difficult to overcome. Finally, they reached the waves and Hiccup was grateful when they got to the point where the water reached mid-thigh, where he looked just like anyone else. And immediately, Astrid was at his side, laughing and joking.
"So you decided to join in after all!" she teased him, offering a small splash at him. He returned it playfully.
"Thanks for speaking to Fish," he guessed and her eyes widened, confirming who had organised it.
"It's not the same without you," she admitted, leaning forward and kissing him. Gently, he cupped her face and kissed her back, all his frustrations melting away. She smirked against his lips-and then she shoved him back into the water.
"Hey!" he spluttered, surfacing as she dived past him and accelerated away from shore.
"Catch me!" she called as he turned and chased.
They spent a long time in the water, laughing and racing and just floating in the buoyant warm waters. The others had joined them and Snotlout was egging the twins and Dagur on as they grew more and more competitive. Astrid and Hiccup raced as well with the one-legged man outstripping his cousin, because though he was missing half a leg, he swam frequently and was strong and lithe. It was obvious that Snotlout was pretty irritated every time Hiccup beat him and he began to become more snarky and mean towards his cousin. Astrid was getting caught up in the races, her ferociously competitive streak getting fired up as Snotlout taunted her that she wasn't strong enough or fast enough to beat him. So Hiccup hung back, knowing better than to get involved when Astrid got competitive. Especially if his cousin was involved. So he swum out a bit further and watched them racing fiercely.
He was a long way further out than everyone else when he heard Snotlout yell "Last one back to the shore is a Gronckle!". Rolling his eyes, he saw everyone start thrashing back to the shore, racing hard and he realised that they were all going to leave him behind. Frowning, he turned and raced back towards the shore, but he was a long way behind the others, who all scrambled out and struggled through the very uncertain footing of the wave zone, Astrid elbowing Snotlout and trying to push past him to throw herself onto her lounger first and claim victory. But everyone else was following as well, leaving Hiccup in the water. He looked over to them and rolled his eyes. It was the one thing that he had feared: being trapped and helpless in the sea.
Hopefully, he glanced over to the gang in their beds-but they were a way up the beach and quite a distance from the waves. Snotlout and the twins were yelling at the top of their voices and bantering with the others so when Hiccup yelled and waved, no one noticed. Some closer people looked over at him and he snapped his mouth shut, feeling humiliated at their quizzical looks. Eventually, seeing his friends settling down on their loungers without a single one recalling that he was still in the water, he knew that he was on his own. So biting his lip against the anger, he began to crawl through the breakers, his hands and knees sinking into the soft wet sand as he slowly made his way towards his friends. Even when he was clear of the soggy wave zone, the soft sand was very difficult. His hands sunk into the sand and he glanced up then continued his way through the beds to finally make it to his friends. Snotlout looked up.
"Oh hey Useless-guess you're the Gronckle!" he announced. Ignoring him, Hiccup made his way to his bed and scrambled on, grabbing the towel and drying his face. Carefully, he dried his stump and cast around.
"Where's my leg?" he asked. There was a pause.
"Maybe you should ask Odin?" Tuff suggested cheekily. Hiccup swung round to face him.
"Where. Is. My. Leg?" he demanded furiously. "I left it here. This isn't funny, guys! I need that to get around."
"Oops," Snotlout murmured.
"Snot?" Hiccup said in a stern voice. "This isn't funny. Guys-all of you-where is my leg? Please?" Astrid sat up and glared.
"What have you done?" she asked. "Snotlout?"
"Hey-I only suggested it..." he protested. "They did it!" He waved at the twins. Eyes wide with shock, Hiccup turned to Ruff and Tuff.
"Ruff? Tuff? Where is it?" he demanded. The male twin shrugged.
"Oops," he said.
"We buried it," Ruff admitted. "While you and Fish and Astrid got in..." Forcing himself not to explode, Hiccup stared at her.
"Where?" he asked.
"Um...over there..." she gestured, beside his bed. Frowning, he turned round and dropped onto the sand, beginning to dig with his hands. But after a few minutes, he looked up.
"Ruff..." he growled.
"It may be over there," she admitted, gesturing to the other side of the parasol. Crawling there, he began to dig-but with the same result. Astrid got up, grabbed Ruff by the braids and pinned her to the bed, her arm twisted painfully across her back and head pulled back very painfully by one of her braids.
"New plan," she said furiously. "Tuff-you dig up the leg or I pull Ruff's hair out braid by braid. Understood?" Throk made to get up but Astrid scowled and tugged harder on the female twin's hair. "You can help him," she added sternly and the tall man grabbed Tuff and pulled him off his lounger, then moved it aside and began to dig. In moments, the prosthetic was uncovered and Throk handed it back to Hiccup as Astrid released the female twin. Heather walked to her side and murmured a few words into Astrid's ear, nodding as she spoke. But as the auburn-haired man looked up, he saw Snotlout lowering his phone with a smile.
"Snotlout?" he asked, dusting sand off the prosthetic. "What are you doing?" His cousin grinned.
"Just sending a picture of my little cousin legless on holiday!" he grinned.
"Snotlout!" Hiccup growled, rising to his feet. "Don't you dare..." The stocky man stabbed his thumb onto the screen.
"Whoops," he said without any contrition. "Just sent it. I'm sure your Dad will love to see how much fun you're having..." Staring at him, the auburn-haired man grabbed his hat, clothes and phone and turned away. "Where're you going?"
"Away!" Hiccup snarled. "I've had enough."
"Oooh baby boo-can't take a joke?" Snotlout taunted him. Turning back eyes blazing in fury, Hiccup advanced towards the arrogant raven-haired man.
"You really have no idea how humiliating it was to be stranded and forced to crawl back, with none of my friends remembering that I needed help," he snapped. "I only went in because I was talked into it by my friends, who promised that they would help me out. Instead, I had to crawl back-only to find some muttonheads had stolen my leg. And the last thing I needed was you messaging my Dad with pictures of me looking weak and pathetic..."
"Hey-pictures don't lie," Snotlout pointed out.
"Thank you, Snotlout," Hiccup said sarcastically. "I knew forgiving you and allowing you to tag along with us would be a laugh an hour-not! So you stay here being an ass! I'm gone!" And he turned and walked away, not even looking over at the others.
"Hiccup?" Astrid called.
"Stay!" he snapped. "You wanted to come on the beach. So you ought to stay here and enjoy the time with your friends!" But despite his words, she made to follow him-until Ruff grabbed her arm.
"Leave him," she advised. "He wants to go off and sulk. Leave him to cool down."
"But..." Astrid murmured, watching the tall figure retreating.
"Trust me," Ruff said. "He'll just snap your head off. Let him calm down and talk to him later." Sighing, Astrid sank back onto her lounger and sighed.
"I guess you're right," she murmured, not seeing Heather and Fishlegs share a look. "When he's mad, he does need to think things through. I'll give him a little while and then go see how he is."
"Attagirl," Ruff said, winking at her brother. "As our Uncle Junstag, the Sassafras Plant farmer used to say, when your boyfriend has a serious moss on, let him cool off or you'll end up picking thistles out of your..."
"Okay!" Astrid interrupted, stuffing her fingers in her ears. "I just hope he's calmed down by the time I get back..."