Blink, and It's Gone
Hiccup had never considered himself a particularly lucky guy. Or, if luck did by chance find him, it always came with a heavy price.
He shot down a dragon? He lost a leg. His Dad loved him? He loses him. He gains a friend? He loses the friend.
Loss and more loss, but it wasn't in his nature to focus on the downfalls. He'd always tried to find the good in life. But, sometimes, life just passes too fast to find anything in it at all. Like flying. The closer you are, the harder it is to see. The further away from an object, the clearer it appears.
And that's what he tried to focus on, he tried, truly. But the closer the time came, the weaker his façade became.
And that's where he was left, his fingers trembling against the leather clutched desperately in his hands. His jaw was clenched, his arms taut.
A gentle hand landed on his shoulder.
"Hiccup?"
He exhaled shakily. Pulling the last strap, the saddle fell away from the rough scales. Toothless's body vibrated with a croon.
Hiccup's eyes fell to the tail at his feet. The permanent artificial mechanism fluttered anxiously.
Astrid's hand squeezed his shoulder, but it did nothing to lighten the load that came with the last of that little buckle.
He finally looked up.
Toothless's friendly gaze met his. The dragon gave the reptilian's equivalent of a smile, his entire rear wagging joyfully. He looked so happy, and why shouldn't he be? He was finally returning to where he belonged.
Toothless bumped his nose against his chest gleefully, his wet tongue slobbering all over his front shirt. "Yeah, bud, I know." Hiccup chuckled quietly. He rubbed that gentle spot between his ear flaps. "Don't be a stranger, alright? I'm not going anywhere."
Toothless's wings fluttered, and the tail creaked open and shut. It was obvious he was anxious to hit the skies. Hiccup's heart tightened, and rather then thinking about the wind rushing past and being neither close nor far from the earth behind a steady pair of wings, he focused on trying not to cry.
"And- And don't- try not to forget. Cause I sure won't, I swear, bud, I-" His voice gave an unmanly crack. Astrid's arms wrapped around his chest in comfort, but poor Toothless only huffed in confusion.
"Why is this so hard?" Hiccup croaked with a little laugh. He ran a hand over Toothless's head. Behind him, the Light Fury waited friskily, jumping about like a horse chewing on the bit.
Toothless lifted his head high, so that they were eye to eye. His movements stilled, until the only sound was Hiccup's uneven breathing.
"Thanks for everything, your Useless Reptile." Hiccup whispered. "Sorry about the tail."
Toothless looked down in confusion, his mouth opening in a gummy grin as he opened then closed said fins. He looked up again, before his tongue escaped to lick his nose. Hiccup smiled.
The Light Fury finally lost the last of its wild patience. In an instant, it was gone and shooting across the sunset sky. Toothless's body tensed in anticipation.
"Go." Hiccup waved his hand. It wasn't until that moment he realized how badly it shook. "G-go, bud."
Toothless hummed, and then, with one last bump of his nose against Hiccup's chest, he was gone in a gust of wind.
Hiccup didn't move. Didn't even budge. Not when Astrid asked if he was okay, not when she left to give him alone time with a small kiss on his cheek, not even when the sun finally left the sky completely. That entire night, he sat on that sea-side cliff, just watching the sky, knowing that just like flight, sometimes life was clearer the further away you were.
What the heck is this I don't even know. XD I'm just trying to get back into the writing spirit, so have this short piece of if-anyone-knows-what-it-is-or-what-it-means-please-tell-me.
I was trying to make a metaphor on the fact that sometimes, it's for the best to give someone up? I dunno.
But yes, hello *insert awkward wave* I'm not dead! I took the summer off, trying to get back into the swing of life, and I definitely think the long break was for the best. I feel much healthier mentally, plus I'm spending more time with my family and less time on the electronic devices- not to mention I was really busy this summer. I was stupid and bought a car, hence I've been spending all my free time trying to pay it off.
But I started school on the 20th, so now, work has slowed and I have a bit more free time. Not a lot, keep in mind, but a little. So I'm gonna slowly try to finish up my current ongoing fics.
But, enough with this A/N. Thanks for your guy's patience, your support, and just- gah, you're all the best! *hugs* Toodles for now. :)
-Kat