"I'm not myself. I feel like I'm someone else. Fallen and Faceless. So hollow inside. A part of me is dead. Can you replace it? I'm hollow.
Hollow and Faceless."
Hadrian sits on the wooden countertop, his journal sprawled across his lap and charcoal pencil in hand. He constantly has the urge to itch his eyes as the ends of his hair tickle his lids with spiderweb wisps. His piercing jade green eyes skip across the page, following the flow of his handwriting as the words in his mind manifest onto the parchment.
Outside, the weather of Berk has been blessed by the gods, as it's a pleasant summer day with a cool breeze coming in from the sea, carrying the salty aroma along with the perfume of flowers.
Villagers walk on by in the Sqaure, chatting and mingling with one another carrying burlap sacks and satchels to each stall and view its wares. Hadrian turns his head to look out the window of Gobber's blacksmith and dentist shop, his gaze shifting ahead to the fluffy clouds in the blue sea sky beyond the treeline.
Hiccup was down at the Academy doing his monthly health checkup on all the dragons. Hadrian would've attended, but besides the fact that it was at the bottom of the list of things he didn't give a crap about, he had to assist Gobber at the shop today and take inventory. It was his breaktime and Hadrian decided to use it to write his letter to Heather.
Since her and her family decided to move off of Berk, she and Hadrian agreed to keep in touch through Hiccup's new invention of 'air mail'. When timed right, they would receive each other's letters within a week tops. Given she's moved out, Hadrian was debating on whether or not to consider starting to scour the women of the village, but that thought was obliterated when Heather gave him the most unforgettable kiss goodbye, he'd received.
She hasn't left his thoughts since.
As he reaches the lower half of the parchment, he hears his name called from outside. "Hadrian!"
He looks up, flipping his hair out of his eyes and spots Hiccup jogging towards the shop. Hadrian smiles and waves back, marking the page of his journal before clapping it shut and setting it aside on the counter.
Hiccup walks in and smiles. "Hey, what are you up to?"
"Just finishing my weekly letter to Heather."
"Oh, hey that rhymed." Hiccup chuckles.
"I'm a poet and didn't know it." Hadrian adds. He hops off the counter and takes the book in back towards Hiccup's small room where he keeps most of his new sketches and ideas.
"Hey do you know where Gobber is?"
"I think he said something about having to deliver a new hammer to the Atticus family. Said it was a gift for their son's birthday." Hadrian says.
"Oh okay." Hiccup sighs and takes Hadrian's spot on the counter, folding his legs criss-cross.
"So, how did things go at the arena?" Hadrian asks as he pulls out an old sword from below along with a tainted red cloth.
"Fine, though Thornado had a bit of a tooth problem. I recommended he see Gobber."
"How bad? What's the category?" Hadrian slyly asks as he begins to polish the blade of the sword.
"Let's just say that giving him those old yak jerkys did a lot more than give him bad gas." Hiccup leans in whispering and Hadrian laughs as he slides the blade of the sword into hearth.
"Gross. You need to tell Stoick to stop sneaking his food off to the dragons." says Hadrian.
"And of course Snotlout kept insisting that Hookfang was fine in all places he because he's "His Dragon."" Hiccup says with air quotes and Hadrian rolls his eyes. "But of course he had two cavities and one brown tooth that'll have to be removed."
"Oh, jeez."
"Hookfang on the other hand is doing well."
Hadrian laughs and sweeps his bangs out of his face. He leans against the side of the hearth with folded arms and crossed ankles. "How's Lightning?"
"Great. Not a single cavity or infection. And that's saying something since Skrills are known to have sensitive teeth due to the electrical current waning the enamel."
"Thanks." Hadrian smiles.
Lightning is a black and red-striped Skrill that Hadrian, arguably captured from the wilds and tamed.
He had worked so hard to earn the trust he has now with Lightning, and even when the Berserkers took him away, Hadrian wasn't about to give up. Through a series of events as well as battles between Berserker and Outcast, Hadrian managed to retrieve Lightning, and put an end to Dagur the Deranged, the once twisted ruler of the Berserkers. In his place now, rules his sister, and so far peace has been maintained after the tribes signed a Treaty of Valknut.
As Hiccup and Hadrian talk, a sudden rise of giggles drifts their attention to the window. Both look out and find a group of girls huddled outside, cheeks a pale red and giggles pouring from their pink lips. Once they realize Hadrian's looking, they all smile and wave.
"Hi ladies." he greets.
Hadrian smiles amusingly in return and gives a casual wave. One would think that he just proposed as the girls squeal and their giggles erupt into laughter. They all wave again before scurrying off towards the Plaza.
"Still nice to see you're the town heartthrob." Hiccup teases.
"Knock it off." Hadrian dismisses as he turns to pull out the now glowing orange sword.
"Knock off what?" Hiccup laughs. "I'm just stating the obvious."
"What's so amusing to you about me getting attention from girls?" Hadrian asks as he hammers away at the glowing blade.
"Just the fact that you got you goof looks from me, obviously. Um, you were once a hated enemy, but now you're the talk of the village. And the fact that it annoys you when I tease you about it." Hiccup laughs.
Hadrian is about to reply, when Fishlegs calls their attention. They look to see him running up towards the shop, Meatlug lugging behind him. "Hiccup, Hadrian." He calls.
Hadrian dumps the sword into the water and Hiccup hops off the counter to meet him at the entrance of the shop. At first the boys think he's frantic, but the closer he gets, the more obvious it is that he's annoyed.
"Hiccup, hey." He greets through bated breaths.
"Hey, Fishlegs what's wrong?" Hiccup asks as Hadrian wipes his hands on the same red cloth.
"Aw, they're at it again." Is all Fishlegs says.
Hiccup's eyes widen for a moment before turning to Hadrian, who only rolls his eyes and sighs in annoyance.
Tossing the red cloth aside, Hiccup takes Hadrian's hand and leads him through the crowds of people and towards the arena, Fishlegs now riding Meatlug while the boys jog together.
As they reach the Academy, the roars of the dragons can be heard from the entrance. Hiccup jogs into the arena with Fishlegs where he finds Astrid with her hands on her hips, standing next to her Deadly Nadder, Stormly. The twins are simply sitting on their Zippleback Barf and Belch. Hadrian casually strolls in after Hiccup.
Toothless, Hiccup's Night Fury stands behind Lightning as he faces off against Hookfang, Snotlout's Monstrous Nightmare.
The two dragons roar and growl at one another; Lightning's body rippling with electric waves that travel across his torso and glimmering his scales. Hookfang roars and his whole body ignites with flames, as it known for a Monstrous Nightmare having the nasty habit of setting themselves on fire.
Hookfang stands on his hind legs and bares his teeth, spreading his wings wide. Lightning growls and sneers, and as he roars the lightning on his body spits and twitches before fanning out around his spread wings. Both dragons try to roar over one another, and Snotlout stands idly by, a grin on his face.
"What is it with dragons and showing dominance?" Hadrian asks in annoyance, leaning his arm on Hiccup's shoulder and crossing on ankle over the other.
"It's just nature." Fishlegs answers instead. "Claw, tooth and fang."
"They've been doing this for ten minutes." Astrid chimes. "Toothless got Lightning to calm, but Hookfang being the pet of Snotlout, provoked him."
As the dragons roar again, Hiccup look to Hadrian. "Hadrian, please. Do something."
Hadrian sighs and strolls in front of Lightning; the Skrill's bellowing ceases instantly.
"That's right buddy. Calm down. You're better than that overly self-absorbed Snotlout, you know." He babytalks to the Skrill, pursing his lips and wagging the Skrill's face back and forth. The Skrill coos and nuzzles into Hadrian, purring.
Toothless nuzzles Hadrian's hand, and after receiving a few scratches, trots over to Hiccup.
"Well, that's better." Hiccup sighs. "Now, Snotlout you need to teach Hookfang not to be so domineering."
"Why? He should be known as the dominant species." Snotlout counters.
By now, Hadrian leans his elbow on Lightning's snout, his other hand poised on his hip. He raises and eyebrow and looks to the Skrill. Lightning has a similar expression as he looks to Hadrian.
"Hookfang is a Monstrous Nightmare, the most vicious dragon in the Acapelago. He should be known for his doma-deer-ing presence."
"Domineering." Hadrian corrects.
"Whatever, the point is, he is the best dragon, and should be treated as such." Snotlout finalizes the argument, folding his arms and stomping one foot. "Just like his owner."
"Right, that's why all those girls out front are here holding Hadrian posters and calling for Hadrian's attention." Ruffnut points out.
"What?" Hadrian and Hiccup say in unison.
She points upwards over Hadrian's shoulder and all turn to find a group of girls waving handkerchiefs and hands, giggling at Hadrian as he leans against Lightning with crossed arms.
"And isn't the Night Fury the most feared dragon of all?" Fishlegs reminds.
"Yeah, remember how he was like the biggest prize back when we were hunting dragons?" Tuffnut chimes in. "I heard you could have plenty of food for a month just from getting one scale!"
"Wait, is that why you were trying to pluck a scale of Toothless while we were getting him groomed?!"
"No. Maybe. I don't know, quit pressuring me!" Tuffnut defends.
Snotlout growls, his face turning red. "Look! The point is-!"
As he yells, Hadrian looks to Lightning and slyly smiles. Paining his pointer finger at Snotlout, his thumb pointed upward towards the sky, with a flick of his wrist, Lightning clicks his tongue and a thin bolt zaps across the arena and nails Snotlout in his metal helmet. He instantly begins to talk gibberish, his eyes wonky as his body twitches and stiffens.
Once he falls to the floor stiff as a plank, Hadrian's voice rings out.
"Well, looks like that's over. Can we all go home now?"
"Please." Hiccup agrees. "Alright everyone, dismissed."
Later that night, Hadrian sits in his room at Stoick and Hiccup's house, his journal opened and across the calf of one leg across the other. He scribbles in it the event of the arena, and as he decides to draw her a picture, Hiccup knocks on his door.
"Come in." Hadrian calls. The door opens a second later.
"Hey, dinner's almost ready." Hiccup informs.
"Thanks." Hadrian smiles. "What is it?"
"Fish stew."
"Ew, really?" Hiccup nods, his lips folded in. "Well, tell Stoick I'll be a while. Tell him I have an upset tummy." Hadrian emphasizes by patting his stomach.
"From what?"
"That yak jerky."
Hiccup laughs as he saunters over to Hadrian's bed. "That was one of the worst meals be ever made."
"Yeah, I probably shouldn't have told him to feed it to Hookfang."
"You what?!" Hiccup exclaims in laughter. He hops onto Hadrian's bed, rocking Hadrian as he sets his journal on the end table. "Poor Snotlout."
"Poor Hookfang. I'm beginning to think that was a bad idea." Hadrian laughs. "How much longer until dinner?"
"About an hour." Hiccup answers.
"And how is that soon?" Hadrian pokes at Hiccup's forehead. Hiccup laughs smacking his hand away.
"I might've miscalculated." Hiccup defends. "But I actually needed to talk to you."
"About what?"
"You." Hadrian looks up to Hiccup on confusion. "I want to ask you something." Hiccup says leaning closer.
"Why, Hiccup. This, this is all so, so sudden!" Hadrian places his hand on his chest and gasps. He lamely pretends to be surprised and shocked, like when a husband proposes to a wife. Knowing this, Hiccup smacks Hadrian's bicep.
"Come on! I'm trying to be serious." Hiccup whines.
"Sorry, sorry. So what's up?" Hadrian leans back against the bed, propping up on his elbows. "Need some girl tips?"
Hiccup had cast his gaze aside to try and configure the proper wording of the question he wanted to ask; but this remark makes him whirl to face Hadrian, only to see Hadrian staring at him, amused by some private joke, and Hiccup's stomach turns several lopsided backflips at the sight of him lying on the bed like that.
Hiccup sighs. "Look, what I want to ask you is, kind of random, out of nowhere, and frankly intrusive. So I understand if you don't want to talk about it."
"Okay, but just so you know if this is going where I think it's going, I can't help you there." Hadrian jokes.
Hiccup looks to him, and Hadrian smiles.
"I want to know," Hiccup starts, his tone dropping to a softer octave. "what was it like. When you were trapped by Lilith, or Jolene?"
Hadrian's amused look falls and he looks to Hiccup in concerned curiosity. "What? Why would you want to know that?"
"I'm curious."
"I know, but there's got to be more to it than that." Hadrian says.
"There is."
"You know it's not something I like to remember." Hadrian reminds.
"I, I know it's weird, but I feel like, what happened to you in there, it was all my fault." Hiccup says, lowering his gaze to the splintery floorboards.
There's a silence before Hadrian softly speaks. "Hiccup, I'm just as much at blame as you."
"Well, yeah but . . ."
"Don't blame yourself. Never do." Hadrian says placing a reassuring hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "The past is in the past. Let it go."
"Yeah but, will you at least tell me about it? Please?"
Hadrian sighs and relaxes his legs over the edge of the bed. He sits with his elbows to his knees, fingers intertwined between them. He runs the tip of his tongue over his teeth behind closed lips as he debates. Looking back to Hiccup, he only speaks with his soft green eyes and gently expression.
Running his fingers through his hair, he sighs and clicks his tongue. "Okay. If you insist."
Hiccup joyfully whispers "Yes" while pumping his fists in the air. He then quickly adjusts the way he's seated, grabbing a pillow and huddling it to his middle. Hadrian crosses his legs and continues to rest his elbows on his knees.
"Where do I start?" he asks.
"Right after I trapped you in the book." Hiccup answers.
"Happy times." Hadrian jokes.
Before Hiccup has the chance to reply, he clears his throat and clicks his teeth.
"Okay, after you trapped me in the book, I was transported to a world of ash. I was tired and stumbling all over the place, so I needed to find shelter . . ."