Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third is a boy who is not-so-extraordinary. He has auburn hair that is swept across his forehead, evergreen eyes that are large, like a deer's eyes, caught in headlights. His body is thin, and his size is small. He is not the star football player. He is not the most popular boy in school, nor is he the most handsome. He likes to draw. He likes to spend time with his cat, Toothless. He likes to spend time with his polar opposite, best friend, and long-time crush, Jackson "Jack" or "Jack Frost" Overland.
Now, when I say opposites, I mean opposites. Jack, after enduring all of primary school as someone seemingly non-existent and invisible, is what Hiccup is not. He is the star football player. He is popular. He is handsome. He's left a string of broken hearts, and he's only been in high school for a year. He is taller than Hiccup, much, much, taller, despite being 14, a year younger than him. But he has been friends with Hiccup for as long as he could remember. But they go to rival high schools.
The Berk Hooligans have a long running rivalry with the Burgess High Sprites. They don't spend as much time with each other anymore, because of said rivalry. However, they both manage to find time to get together, keeping their friendship intact.
Friendship. Friends. That's what they've always been. And Hiccup spends every night, wondering if he should smile because they're friends, or cry because that's all they'll ever be. But Hiccup is determined to change that.
Today is the day that Hiccup will ask Jack out.
Hiccup's green gaze brushes up to Jack's eyes as they sit on the couch, watching their favourite movie, Big Hero 6. He bites his lip, trying to gather the courage to ask. He takes a deep breath, and looks at Jack, who is simply focusing on the TV in front of them. It's the perfect moment. Jack's parents are out for dinner. His sister is at a sleepover. It's now or never.
"So... Jack. W-We've been friends a long time... I've always really liked you a lot, a-and... And I was wondering if maybe you want to go ou-"
"No." Jack doesn't even look at Hiccup while dismissing the thought. His eyes, glued to the movie, show no emotion, nor does his face. The blood drains from Hiccup's face, and his hands grow clammy. That wasn't supposed to happen! He was supposed to say yes!
Hiccup notices the burning sensation in his eyes, but can't hold back his tears, as they gently roll down his face. They drop, just like his heart. Hiccup's face sets into a scowl, and he clenches his fists.
"That's it? No explanation?" Jack doesn't dare say a word. "You're a jerk, you know that? You know what? I'm leaving." Hiccup stands up, and turns on his heel. He leaves without another word.
Hiccup knows that he loves Jack. He knows that he's hurt. He knows that he's crying. But what Hiccup doesn't know?
How much Jack wanted to say yes.
"... And then he just say 'no'! No explanation, no 'sorry, I can't, I'm already dating someone else', just 'no'! Can you believe it," Hiccup rants. Astrid, Hiccup's only other friend (of course, he has Fishlegs, but he has nothing to say about this topic), listens intently.
"Can I slit this guy's throat already? Come on Hiccup. That's what you get for being friends with a," Astrid gives a fake shudder, "Sprite." She spits the word out as if its dog food in her mouth.
"Maybe it's because he's all popular and shit, now, thinks he's too good for me," Hiccup mutters. "Well, I know exactly what you need to do," Astrid says, giving a smug smile. Hiccup cautiously looks at her, raising an eyebrow. "What..?"
"Oh... Just a little bit of public humiliation."
"Silly string?"
"Check."
"Duct tape?"
"Check."
"Bull horn?"
"Check... Astrid, I really don't feel this is necessary," Hiccup says nervously. Astrid holds her head high, and puts everything in her backpack.
"No one breaks my friend's heart and gets away with it that easily," she huffs. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she says, "You can't be such a pushover, Hiccup. You need to take matters into your own hands."
"But this really isn't necessary, I mean, maybe he has an explanation..." It's hard to believe that this is the boy who was ranting about Jack earlier, although, it seems he's gotten over the whole episode. Astrid, however has not.
"Don't care. Now are you coming, or do I have to torture Jack myself?" Hiccup gives an exasperated sigh, and follows Astrid out the door, where they're sure to find Jack. In the back parking lot of Burgess High.
Jackson Overland is currently heavily duct taped to the school wall, his friends (and trust me, there are a lot of them) simply shocked and gaping at the spectacle. The end-of-school bell has long since been rung, and the people who were either studious enough or bad enough are lucky to see the show. Astrid rotates between blowing a bull horn at Jack's face and spraying him with silly string.
By the insistence of himself, Hiccup just watches, half pitying the poor boy, half smug at the revenge, however extreme. Astrid has probably already burst Jack's eardrums, and his hoodie is a carnage of the pale pink silly string. No one in the crowd has laughed yet, and no one has intruded. Finally, after what seemed like ages, Jack breaks the duct tap, peels it off himself (with mild issues and pain), and sticks it all over Astrid.
"Gah, I think you killed my hearing!" He shakes the silly string out of his hair, and brushes it off his clothes. No one moves except for him and Astrid.
"Well, maybe if you hadn't broke my friend's heart, this wouldn't have happened," Astrid shoots back, venom lacing her words.
"I did what?!" Jack's eyes fall on Hiccup. The auburn haired boy is somehow both sheepish and smug. The crows breaks out of their trance, and they scatter like cockroaches, getting to their cars, to their bikes, or simply taking off to the streets. After shooting Astrid one last glare, he pulls Hiccup aside.
"You told her to do this?" Jack's celeste blue eyes are filled with hurt and rage. Hiccup instantly recoils, guilt-ridden and small.
"N-No, she went and did this... But I... I didn't... Stop her," he replies quietly.
"Is it because I said no? God, Hiccup, I have an explanation!" Hiccup forest green eyes look up from the ground, and lock with Jack's icy ones. "I said no... Because I was worried about what other people would think. Especially your dad. He never liked me in the first place, but being a Sprite makes him loathe me. I don't want you to get yelled at because of me."
"Why didn't you tell me before? That would have saved all this," Hiccup replies, still unsure whether Jack is telling the truth or not.
"I... I didn't have the guts," Jack says, his cheeks hinting pink. "Because I thought it would make you rethink... Well, rethink us." Hiccup's heartbeat quickens at the way Jack says 'us'.
"Well, let me tell you now, I don't give 2 shits about what my dad thinks, so that's off the table. Any other things I should know about?" Jack raises an eyebrow. He had always pegged Hiccup as the type of person to be deeply affected by what people as powerful and impactful as his father. Guess not.
"Other than the fact that I love you? No, there's nothing else," Jack replies. He smirks at the way Hiccup's face turns red, and his eyes grow wide. However, he stops smirking when Hiccup collapses in his arms, hugging him tightly.
"I love you, Jack."
"I love you more, Hiccup."
"I love you most."