So I started to watch Race To the Edge today and when I was taking a walk between some episodes it was raining and I was listening to music ('Stay Alive' by José González) and, well, I got inspired to write this little thing here.
(Sorry if there are any mistakes, please tell me then...)
(The quote at the beginning is from 'You Are My Sunshine', look it up, I don't know the original artist)
I hope you like it!
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey."
The sky had been grey all day. So it was no surprise for Hiccup when the first tiny drops landed on his nose while he was on his way home from a weekend at Fishlegs'.
He and his best friend had been working on a project night and day until Fishlegs found his mother's old book of poetry and talked about romantic sunsets and kisses all the time. Eventually, Hiccup was feeling kinda lonely hearing all this relationship stuff, considering his friend had a girlfriend after all – he still wondered how cool Heather was so interested in shy and poetic Fishlegs; he had a kinda bad feeling about that...
When Heather announced to come over for a while he said goodbye to Fishlegs, and left before she could arrive.
He walked a little faster since he wanted to get the last bus at the next station that would leave any minute.
The rain started to pour and Hiccup was glad he had found an umbrella in his old bag (the one he'd searched for in the past months but couldn't find it until yesterday when his dad had actually cleaned up the closet in the hall).
He loved the sound of the rain. It was like a soothing song, smooth and consistent. When everyone was staying inside while it was raining Hiccup had always been the one to search for the biggest puddle to jump in when he was younger. The rain drops on his face, the wind in his hair, the feeling of freedom - it was just not comparable to anything. Sometimes he just stood there with eyes closed, his face towards the sky, inhaling the scent of fresh air and summer rain, or autumn rain, or spring rain, or every kind of rain whatsoever. Right now he better shielded his important school papers in his shabby bag, though. Hence, the umbrella.
He didn't care that there was a dragon on it. He actually liked it, in fact. It was a gift from his mother from when she'd been still here, before she disappeared. (Well, long story.)
There was only an older man standing at the bus stop, holding a huge umbrella on his own.
A few minutes later a long vehicle turned around the corner, soon to be recognised by Hiccup as the bus he had to take to get home without walking in the rain – not that he would complain but, as already said, he needed his bag to stay dry.
The brakes of the bus squealed and dirty water splattered on Hiccup's feet. But he didn't even notice. He was too occupied staring.
Her eyes were nothing like the rainy sky outside. They were blue, bright and clear, like on a warm and sunny day when he could see for miles from the attic of his father's big office building. These eyes were full of strength but also softness and when they caught his own he felt like he was going to drown, like he was falling. He thought he was losing ground.
Her hair was blonde, but not the average blonde. It was the hair of an angel. And her face was completing it in a perfect way.
Hiccup was still staring after the old man had already boarded the bus. Its doors closed.
There was a somewhat trance-like smile on Hiccup's face. And it was still there after what felt like ages. Until a cold rain drop landed right on his forehead and pulled him back into reality.
Hiccup cursed under his breath – the last bus was gone. Now he had to walk to the next station which would take him at least twenty minutes, and when he was lucky he would be able to catch the bus he would have to wait for for maybe additional twenty minutes.
Urrgh... He was hungry. Why did he leave without grabbing some food?
While he was walking he couldn't help but think about that girl who had been sitting in the bus. Who was she? Hiccup hadn't seen her around ever before. And it wasn't like Berk was that big. Maybe she was from the other side of town. Or maybe she was new here. Or maybe she wasn't even living here. And he wondered what her name could be. It definitely had to be angelic. Just like her. Was he acting creepy? Was he, really? Well, it didn't feel like that. It felt... Strange. But also new. And wonderful, that's for sure. He wanted to see her again. Like, soon.
And when he finally reached the next bus stop he couldn't believe his eyes. Was it fate?
She didn't want to be here.
Berk was nothing like Las Vegas. Everything was so much smaller, and the weather here seemed to be always rainy. Why of all places did her parents have to move here?
Maybe she would never understand.
She'd wanted to escape her new house, her new room. Although all of her stuff was there it just didn't feel like home. That's why she was sitting in this bus, letting it take her through town for a while. She just wanted to be alone. It felt like she was never going to feel any affection for this place.
That was why it surprised her even more that when she saw the guy at that one bus stop everything turned upside down . He was just standing there in the pouring rain, his umbrella over his cute head and – wait, what? Cute? Where did that come from? Well... Yeah, he was kinda cute. But why was he staring at her like that? With his forest-green eyes and messy auburn hair...
She was a little bit disappointed when he didn't get into the bus. But only a little bit, really!
And it wasn't like her stomach got all butterfly-ish when she'd gotten out of the bus and was standing in the cold and pouring rain when she saw him.
He stopped right in his tracks when they caught eyes.
The rain stopped being cold. It was warm, the feeling was warm.
Eventually, he found out his legs were indeed able to move, and came over to her.
"Hi," he said in a shy voice. She swore she had never heard anything beautiful like that voice before, ever. (What was going on with her?)
"Hey," she managed to answer.
"Wanna share my umbrella? You look like you're cold."
She smiled gladly at him and he beamed back.
"Thanks. I'm Astrid, by the way."
"My name's Hiccup."
"Glad to meet you, Hiccup."
And she really was.
After all, this town wasn't so bad, maybe.
Actually, as she was standing in the rain next to Hiccup under his umbrella, blushing and smiling like crazy along with him, it already began to feel good here.
It began to feel like home.
Fin.
