Happen it about five years ago, Hiccup would be absolutely satisfied by Gobber's explanation that the trolls have been behind it. But, being fifteen years old and being convinced by himself that no such thing as a sock-stealing stone-like creature actually exist (one fishing trip with his father to remember), Hiccup was able to came with only one other explanation – that it was actually some human who wrote all those little notes and even some pictures into his notebook.

To make it even more enquiring for poor boy, short lines of runes didn't contain any hurtful or insulting jibes he usually got for his work. On the contrary, it was ideas of how to make his invention better. Sure, sometimes absolutely out of case, more often, however, simply brilliant. It was just plain frustrating that he didn't know who made them.

He left his notebook in Great Hall one night. His work was interrupted by just another dragon raid. He ran to the forge to do his job – which meant stay inside and don't get into any troubles (easier said than done). When it was all over he went back to the Hall, but his notebook was gone. First he thought that it just fell somewhere, but he wasn't able to find it. And nobody saw it.

Hiccup was slowly accepting the idea he will have to redraw all the stuff he already had there, when almost a week later this leather covered book suddenly shown up from nowhere on his working table in the smithy. Intact, if you don't count those little notes, drawings and math calculations. Hiccup was smitten. It appeared that he wasn't the only nerd on the Berk after all and he was determinate to find out who was this kindred soul of his.

He really didn't thought it would be so hard. First, he thought he would just look around and instantly know who it is. One genius has to recognize another on the sight, right? Well, not such luck. After about two weeks of looking (or intently staring in some cases, especially if that case happened to be Astrid Hofferson) Hiccup had to admit that this wasn't a way. So he tried another.

But asking around people if they are by any chance interested in modern science also wasn't a success. After being tell to piss off by majority of the population of Berk and almost sliced in half by previously mentioned Astrid Hofferson, he decided it's time for the less conventional approach. So... he set up a trap.

For about a week he kept going to the Great Hall with his trusty notebook and watched to be seen with it to everyone. Then, one night he pretended to forget it on the table after dinner. He left, only to quickly sneak back by the side door and hide in the shadows. If this mysterious colleague of sorts was going to make himself/herself known again, it would be tonight, Hiccup was sure.

So he waited. And waited. And waited. It took almost another two hours before the last dinning Vikings left. Hiccup was alone now. He wasn't afraid, though. He was sure he or she is going to shown up. But after another hour he started to doubt. Maybe this person didn't see him. Maybe even weren't in the hall at all. Hiccup was starting panicking, when he suddenly heard the door cracking. His worries were gone instantly. This was it! He shifted a little to get a better view. Low circle of light coming from the torch was getting closer. Any second now and he will see this yet another secret genius of Berk.

Light covered the table where Hiccup's forgotten book was lying. Torch was used for lighting up candles on the table before set down in the holder nearby. In the blinking light of the candles, Hiccup could see this person pulling out a charcoal pen and some parchment before sitting down by the table, unfortunately with the back facing him.

He was now fairly sure that this person was a woman. Well, girl actually, given the fact she seriously lacked any woman-like curves. He quickly tried to remember witch girl on Berk had long blond hair. He wouldn't even dare to hope it was Astrid – his long time crush having any other hobbies than throwing her axe and ignoring him sounded a little too good to be true. However, it was still more probable than the person who actually did sit behind the table and now turned a little to adjust the lights on the table and thereby uncovering her face to Hiccup.

All carefully planed conclusions of finding the identity of the mysterious helper went out of Hiccup's head. None of his scenarios counted with this possibility. As in the dream he got out of his hiding place. She didn't notice him, already sunk deeply in book, reading his latest instalment made especially for... well... her. He stood about five feet behind her back when he finally gathered himself enough to speak up. With voice still laced with amazement he silently said her name:

"Ruffnut?" she literally jumped on the bench. When she saw him, her mouth gaped widely open. She closed and opened it again several times before she recovered enough from her shock to answer:

"Uh. Hiccup! Oh... uhm... hi." She looked around the Hall, as if she was looking for any clue what to say next. Hiccup himself shared her wish. He would definitely use some advice about communication now. Normally, he didn't have problem speak with her, if you could count any of his interactions with Ruffnut Thorston as speaking. All their previous exchanges were basically the same. She or her brother (where was he, by the way, they never left each others side) would jibe him with some smart-ass comment and he would retort with his own. But now, all he managed was absolutely unimaginative:

"What are you doing here?" Ruff bit her lower lip and uncertainly offered:

"I'm sleepwalking?" It really sounded more like a question than statement. She obviously wasn't herself right now. It absurdly returned Hiccup his confidence.

"Oh. Well, be careful to not fall of the rooftops." She actually smirked a little. Hiccup seeing her relax a bit, quickly proceeded to confront her about the thing that brought them here in the first place. No reason to waste the time.

"So... what are you planning to do with my notebook here?" he nodded to his pad, still lying on the table before the girl. Ruffnut took it in the right hand, measured it for a while and then quite seriously said:

"Burn it."

"Wh-What?!" Say that Hiccup was shocked was an understatement. This was not what he expected to hear. All his thoughts shrank into one – get his precious book off hands of this lunatic. He was almost getting ready to jump after her, when his mussing was interrupted by scratchy laugh.

"Just joking!" Hiccup gasped. She really had him going there.

"You are..." he wanted to scowl at her, but eventually, he decided against it. This was all Ruffnut for him. He rather quickly switched the subject. There were more interesting things to discuss then her insufferable sense for humour, at the end.

"I have to admit that I'm confused. From all of the people I imagined to have any interest in my work, you were the very last one. I thought you are..." before he was able finish the though, she interrupted him.

"Too stupid?"

"Yes." He realised what he just agreed to and all horrified rushed to correct himself: "NO! No, that is not what I meant!" Ruffnut gave him very pointed look, which told him awfully clearly he's not bullying her.

"Ok, maybe a little," admitted Hiccup shamefacedly. In poor attempt to sooth his previous words he added: "I more thought that you wouldn't be interested at all in something like that."

"Why shouldn't I? I think it's fascinating." Ruffnut looked seriously surprised, like her interest in inventions was commonly known among the people of Berk. Well, if it was, it definitely didn't get to Hiccup's ears.

"You... you do?" he asked incredulously. She just nodded.

"Yes, very much. Of course, some of this," she waved with notebook (he really should get it back before something bad will happen, you never know with Thorstons, they do like fire, after all) "is plainly crazy or nonsense, but there are a few things that really caught my intention." Things were getting stranger every other passing minute. It somehow scared and fascinated Hiccup in same time.

"So did I notice." He finally moved from his spot behind Ruff and went to sit down behind the table opposite her. She watched his short journey carefully and didn't speak again until he was seated. Probably didn't want him to faint. Good call on her side, because what she did next would easily send him into limbo. She genuinely apologized.

"Hope you're not mad at me... I never meant to meddle into your stuff, but you left it here one night and I was curious." She actually looked a little nervous. Sight which Hiccup never seen at her before. It made him little put off, so he rather quickly moved on.

"I'm not mad," he assured her. She smiled in relieve. "But... honestly, I think I'm missing something and I would like you to explain."

"Well, you've been something like an idol for me and my brother. We always admired people with the talent for blowing up stuff." Now it was Hiccup's turn to look absolutely unimpressed by the other's bluffing skills. She was speaking in her usually cheeky tone, but it somehow sounded off a little.

"While I'm certain that's a true on some degree, I'm also pretty sure that's not all." Ruffnut didn't answer for while. Her forehead wrinkled as she was thinking hard about something (yet another really uncommon sight, a bit disturbing, even). It almost looked like she was having the internal battle with herself.

After a little while, Hiccup couldn't stand it anymore.

"Ruffnut?" her head snapped back to him, eyes shinning with an odd glimmer of resolution.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone. Ever. Do you understand?" she said. Hiccup shook his head.

"Not to tell what?"

"If you will tell anyone, and I mean anyone at all, I will come to your house at night and will nail you on yours father shield and hang you on the torch at the plaza. Is that understood?" Oh, finally. For the first time that night, Hiccup has been sensing normality. Ruffnut Thorston and threats of violence and body harm? Yep, he was home again. That was something he was used to.

"OK, I promise I won't tell a word about anything you have to say. I'm having a distant feeling that nobody would believe me, anyway." She didn't deny that.

"All right then. Uh... how to start?"

"From the beginning?" she gave him so disapproving scowl that Hiccup rather raised his hands up in prevention of any angry attack from her. When he looked at her again, she just rolled her eyes on him.

„Beginning would be good, actually. All right then. I have a twin brother." The second she said that, she cringed. That wasn't the most intelligent opening. Hiccup chuckled a little.

"Don't say? Where are you hiding him?" She actually laughed out loud on his snippy comment and shook her head a little.

"He's not coming out very often, he's very shy." she said mockingly. Before Hiccup could add something, she continued. She talked almost half an hour. About the day she and her brother were born. About complications that came along when it was Tuffnut's time to come to this world. About how this complications made it impossible for her brother to breathe and how it marked him for the rest of his life.

"It made him the way he is. Restless. Uncontrollable. Our little nut. Everyone always said he will be different. Since we were little and it started shown, everyone kept saying that. Mum never allowed let him be taken... away, but... it was clear as a day he won't be like the others. He would be alone and... I couldn't stand that. So, I kept him company. I became his best pal, went with him on his crazy adventures and kept him from feeling unwanted or different..."

"... by starting to be different to." Ruffnut just nodded. Until now, Hiccup always thought that Thorston's twins were just... well, crazy. Not enough brain in both of their heads to fill a thimble and way too much energy to spare. It made him a little ashamed how wrong he was. He hated when others dismissed him as nuisance without getting really know him first and meanwhile he was doing the same.

"So... all... this," he made the same gesture as other often used when were describing him "just a... facade? A mask? You keep pretending you are crazy so your brother wouldn't be alone?" Ruffnut just nodded again. She didn't plan to elaborate it more, but seeing Hiccup's astonished face, she reluctantly added:

"He's my brother. My twin. I would blow up the house for him..." she stopped there and thought for a second. "I actually did," she smiled at the memory. Meanwhile Hiccup recovered from his most recent shock. This was so far probably most unexpected revelation of the evening. It made him see Ruffnut completely in the new light. Was she really willing to give up her normal life just for her brother? Did she really spend last fourteen years lying and pretending, just to keep her twenty minutes younger brother happy? That was entirely new description of loyalty.

"Wow," Hiccup breathed out in awe. Ruffnut mistook his dumbfounded expression for disbelieve and rolled her eyes.

"OK, so it wasn't a whole house, more like un-used stable, but it was Tuff's birthday and..." before she got any further, Hiccup quickly interrupted:

"No! Wait, I do believe you blown up a house..."

"Stable."

"...stable just because it was your brother's birthday wish. I'm just... It's amazing! Not that stable! Well, that too, of course, but I meant – you." He realised he's babbling. He tended to do that when he had something serious to tell. He sighed and tried again. Ruffnut was watching him curiously.

"You are amazing," he repeated slowly. Ruffnut's eyes went unbelievably wide. For a few seconds, she looked equally stunned as him before. Hiccup smiled a little. Seeing her like that made him oddly calm. Reminded him he's not the only one here who was shocked out of his shoes.

"I wish I had sister like that," he admitted at the end. On this, Ruffnut even blushed a little. Hiccup did too, but he still meant every word of it. In the back of his head woke up a thought, that he and Tuffnut Thorston may have been pretty much in the same position today, haven't been for the girl sitting before him.

They remained silent after that. Neither of them knew what to say. For Viking teenagers they surely used all their emotion reserves for the next ten years. Maybe to broke the tension, Ruffnut repeated her previous threat, neatly wrapped in the innocent request for silence:

"You can't tell anyone. I mean it. My reputation would be ruined. And I won't let you destroy the save world I made for my brother just because you will want someone to hang out around the plaza with."

"Ouch." That was harsh. But, somehow, Hiccup wasn't insulted. It was just another prove of Ruff's care of her brother.

Ruffnut snickered on his exclamation. Then she gave him his book, which remained in her hands the whole time. Through it was actually the reason they were here, they didn't say more then few sentences about that. Hiccup was all willing to change that, but Ruffnut gathered her things together and started to leave without even saying goodbye. It actually looked like she was running away. Hiccup didn't have an idea when he would see her again alone, if at all, so he had to act now. And quickly.

"Ruffnut! Wait!" She was already half way to the door, but turned around when he called. Hiccup swiftly stood up and run to her.

"Uh... I was thinking that you could... Uh... I mean, only if you will want to and if you will find a moment in your busy schedule of blowing up the things and pulling your brother out of trouble... I was... I was thinking... As I said (nervous chuckle), I have lots of ideas here," he waved with his notebook "and I would really use some hands... I mean heads! Not that I want to take off your head! I..." he was babbling again. Even more than before. Ruffnut looked like she have to hold herself from not to burst into laugh. Yes, he was ridiculous, he knew that. With the deep inhale he continued:

"What I was trying to say... Would you like to join me sometimes? I would... I would really appreciate a fresh eye on my ideas. And yours eyes are seems to be just perfect for the job. You have perfect eyes." His own eyes almost pop out of his head when he realised what he just said.

"OH! Not like that! I mean..."

"Hiccup."

"I mean – your eyes are pretty of course! But not perfect. No! They are perfect, but..."

"Hiccup!"

"... but... uh... not perfect in the way people usually talk about perfect eyes. Even though your eyes would pass the "perfect" definition. I mean... they are of the same size... and keep looking in the same direction all the time and..." He was finally stopped when Ruff shouted his name.

"HICCUP!"

"... yes?" he squeaked out, fully expecting blow coming up right after. However, Ruffnut didn't hit him. Well, not much. She just shoved him and in surprisingly patient tone said:

"I would like very much to join you sometimes on your invention sessions."

"Oh... OH. Great! I mean... good! I'm glad. Ehm... thanks." He rather shut up afterwards, for which was Ruffnut most likely grateful. She gave him last crooked smile and then with "You're welcome" jogged out of the Great Hall and lost in the dark outside. Hiccup got wide smile on his own face. He would dare to say he just got a friend, but... oh, what the Hel! He jumped and did the victory gesture with his hand. Yes! He just got a friend!