Why in the world had he agreed to do this, again?
Oh yeah, because he was a good friend, right?
The brunet sighed, slouching back on the rather uncomfortable plastic chair he was sitting in, a sleek Greyhound laying down on the tiled floor next to him. Jack had been asked by his 10 year old neighbor Jamie if he could take Abby (the dog) to the vet, seeing as how it was time for her shots and no one at his house had time to take her. Jack had agreed, if only because he had really nothing else to do, no exams at college, so nothing to study, and he didn't really had a job to worry about. He absentmindedly reached down to scratch between the ears of the dog. Getting a little tail wagging in response. He smiled a little; he really liked this dog.
Suddenly the front door opened rather loudly, crashing against the wall and bouncing back, but keeping the passage open long enough to let a big Belgian Shepherd (Groenendael, if the dog breeds sheet on the wall was correct) enter the place. Its leash hanging from its collar told about how it'd possibly escaped its owner at arriving.
"Toothless! Bad boy! Down!" a voice was heard from outside, the black dog turning his head around and panting happily, wagging his tail frantically. He let out a few barks to call his owner, and promptly entered the place, not waiting anymore. The voice huffed, a little closer, and a boy entered the clinic.
Jack, who had been grinning at the display from the dog, straightened a little in his seat.
The redhead that followed the dog was a boy around his age, who closed the door behind him, making sure the Shepherd didn't escape him again "I swear, Toothless, you are the only dog in the world who likes going to the vet" the dog had lied down next Abby, intent on staring a game with her, but the Greyhound just snorted and kept on napping, making the other whine and lower his ears.
The boy went to take a sit next to Jack, seeing at how Toothless didn't plan on moving from there any moment now, but he grabbed the leash back just in case "Sorry if he's bothering your dog, he's a bit too excited to be here" he was now talking to Jack, an apologetic smile stretching over his freckled face.
Jack gaped a second "…what?...oh! oh no, don't worry, I don't really think she's bothered" he glanced down, noticing how 'Toothless' was now pawing at her playfully, not giving up yet "..Yet, anyway" the redhead—or was it auburn? Damn the white lights of clinics—chuckled, petting down the Groenendael to get him to calm down.
"Yeah, he loves playing with other dogs, ain´t that right bud?" the dog barked again, making the boy smile
Brown eyes studied his face for a minute, before deciding something "I'm Jack" he blurted out, handing the redhead his open hand. Green eyes looked a bit surprised, yet relaxed after a second, the boy coming to shake his hand in return "Hiccup"
"Sorry, you need some water?"
"No, no" he laughed "That's my name, pretty weird yeah, but it's real"
Jack chuckled "It's kinda cute" Hiccup reddened a bit at that, and Jack shuffled a bit, embarrassed himself at how that had actually left his mouth instead of staying in his head "S-sorry"
"N-nah, it's fine…nobody has ever said that before, is all…" they sat there in silence, whines from Toothless and sounds of claws hitting the tiles at his pawing the only sound that could be heard. Anyone looking from outside the scene would notice the glances being thrown from one boy to the other, and the subconscious fact that they'd shifted the chairs a little to be angled towards each other while they talked. Both had their hand on their laps, holding the leash of their respective dogs.
Suddenly a door next to Jack's chair opened and a woman in a paw-printed vest poked her head out "Mister Overland? You can come in now"
"Ok, thanks" Jack got up from his seat, pulling lightly on the leash to get Abby up. Oh, but you know how things happen, right?
Apparently none of them had noticed how Toothless had turned around under Jack's chair before laying down, making his leash intertwine with Abby's. As a result, Hiccup was pulled along as well, albeit slightly, just enough to make him and Jack notice the problem.
"Oh damn, sorry" Jack said, getting back a step to try and fix their leashes.
"Oh no, it wasn't your fault, don't worry" Hiccup got up as well, coming closer to pass the leash under the other's and disentangle the mess "That's better" he smiled up at the brunet—he was rather short, actually—and went back to his seat, patting Toothless slightly on the snout" Be more careful next time, bud" was the last thing he heard before entering the office.
After a while—and a few whines from Abby, damn those needles—Jack finally said bye to the vet and got out to the waiting room, Hiccup still there, playing with his dog.
"Oh, you're done?" the redhead asked, getting Toothless out of his lap "Guess it's our turn now, boy" he said to the dog, who barked and jumped excitedly.
Jack laughed and Abby tilted her head, wondering why was he so excited about coming to the semiannual torture "Well then, guess we're done here, nice to meet you Hiccup" he patted his leg to get the dog to follow him, a bit sad to leave so soon, the other boy waving slowly.
He was just opening the main door when a shout stopped him "Wait!" he turned to see Hiccup walking up to him, a bit insecure and fiddling with the leash in his hands "Um, I don't want to sound like a lunatic or something but I actually think you seem like a really nice person and I…I was wondering…if I could…" his voice slowly died down, eyes casting downwards as his cheeks flared in embarrassment. Then a piece of paper appeared in front of his face. He grabbed it wide-eyed, staring at the short number sequence on it.
"Call me whenever you want, Hiccup, you seem like a nice person, too "Jack grinned and ruffled his auburn hair, turning and leaving the place, waving over his shoulder.
Hiccup's attention returned to the place he was in when a distant bark resounded, Toothless standing next to the vet in the office door, her face an amused one. He stared down at the leash in his hand.
"Toothless! How in Hel did you take your collar off?!" he walked towards the dog, entering the office with him on his heels, a small piece of paper tucked safely in his pocket.