The Most Meaningful Notes
Hiccup always watched Astrid: from the grace of her fingers dancing across the ivory keys to the arch of her back as she threw herself into the music.
01
And as the final notes of the piece resounded in the air, Hiccup held his breath as the pianist stood with confidence to bow to the small audience.
A well-earned standing ovation followed. It seemed to follow her everywhere, he noticed. Oddly enough, he too seemed to follow her everywhere.
Since his first piano lesson when he was five years old, Hiccup Haddock knew he would always be second to Astrid Hofferson. Though it may be a stretch to say he knew at five, the distance between the two in skill was astounding.
The daintiness of his small fingers has long grown into large calloused hands; too improper for a pianist he had been told repeatedly.
But his fingers would not -could not- stop dancing. He willed them to make peace with the lack of ivory keys and echoing strings, but his thick fingers have grown too used to the flexibility he had learned, too used to the beautiful notes at their command.
Hiccup knew he stood out at the music academy: he was more interested in drawing and painting; nonetheless his fingers tugged at the precious music sheets begging to learn their steps.
He was thought to be a joke amongst his classmates. His father had been a talented musician, even becoming the dean of the music academy- yet Hiccup could not see any of his talent in him.
Hiccup was smaller than most, a wiry frame with charcoal stained fingers from sketch after sketch. A speckle of paint always made a home in his splattered freckles. His classmates whispered of how he did not take his training seriously, there would be no room, they seem to all agree on, for students who would not focus on their passion. They could not see pass the thick unruly hair and crumpled pieces of sheet music to see his true talent and grace.
His fingers, worn from love and practice of his favorite things did not make his any less of a pianist or painter. He was determined not to let himself be a watered down version of his passion.
"Hiccup Haddock?"
The call of his name broke him from his reverie. Astrid's thunderous applaud had settled down, and like always, he would not be able to follow her performance.
Today's exam would be difficult; he knew that many of his classmates did not like him and mocked him for his lack of grace. Whoever his page-turner was, if they were even one beat off they would ruin his whole performance. Hiccup knew that either way, the power was not in his hands: Professor Gobber always took volunteers, and Snotlout would never fail to take an opportunity to embarrass him.
Hiccup stood to pick an envelope that determined his fate for the sight-reading exam; he could only hope that all his practicing had done him well.
"I'll do it," said the voice beside him.
The envelope slipped out of his hands as he began to shake and his voice failed him.
Astrid had volunteered to be his page-turner.
"Eh, you Astrid? Shouldn't you be resting for the next recital? You know you have a special pass to leave right after your exam, right?" Professor Gobber's questions reflected Hiccup's thoughts, and he knew it was not just him who was confused by her sudden generosity.
She seemed to shrug as she bent down to pick up the fallen envelope. Hiccup watched her with stricken eyes as her lips quivered into a small smile.
Astrid stood and passed him the envelope, her smile still playing at her lips.
Astrid hadn't smiled at him in years.
With shaking hands, Hiccup took the envelope and worked on autopilot as he opened it. Though he announced his randomly chosen piece and sat robotically onto the stool in front of the grand piano, it did not hit him he would be playing a piece he recognized until Astrid had leaned over and wished him luck.
"I think you're more than you'd like to let us know. Good luck." She was playful, almost all knowing.
He did not understand what she thought he was. Hiccup was only half a pianist and half a painter, not full passion like she was.
But her encouraging smile had given him strength.
Hiccup suddenly felt light; his fingers danced and danced a familiar sonnet. He briefly wondered if this is what Astrid felt like when she played: whole. He was no longer half anything, but full of love. This piece, this lovely, daring, and grieving piece, had been one he studied in his childhood. Each movement was thoroughly picked apart as his mother taught him how to fall in love with the piano.
And as Hiccup closed his eyes and let his charcoal stained fingers dance to a tune they knew by heart, the rest of the world drifted miles away.
He knew that Astrid was an honest musician and that she had turned the page accordingly, but it did not matter when for once the heaviness and confusion in his mind and heart became this beautiful, intricately woven mixture of music.
Letting the last note be sunken into the silence of the class, Hiccup finally opened his eyes to feel tears running down his cheeks.
A quiet clap broke the magic of the room. It was Astrid. She too had tears, but her soft smile seemed proud, seemed all knowing once again.
Soon, their classmates followed in pursuit, and for the first time in his life, Hiccup received a standing ovation.
When the exams were over, everyone walked out of the classroom still whispering of Hiccup's performance.
"That was probably a fluke," came Snotlout's whiny voice.
It took all of Astrid's will power not to roll her eyes and punch the boy.
"No, it was magic," whispered Fishlegs from behind her.
"Yeah," Snotlout snorted, "A magic trick on all of us. He probably cheated!"
This time, Astrid whirled around to face the jealous boy. "You should stop now while you're ahead of yourself, it is unbecoming of you to blame someone of cheating. We all know that the pieces are picked randomly, and we all know that each of us here studied whatever music we could have grabbed in hopes of that being our lucky draw."
Raising an expectant eyebrow she continued. "If that is cheating, I suppose you may call me a cheater as well. Unless," she paused slightly sneering, "You are accusing Professor Gobber of cheating by somehow helping Hiccup?"
"Woah," Tuffnut cut in.
"That was the most we'd ever hear you say, like, ever," finished Ruffnut. The twins looked at each other in awe then back to Astrid.
"The Ice Princess has finally spoken, eh," Snotlout sneered in response. "Time to grace the people? You think you're so much better than us-"
"No, actually," interrupted Astrid. Her cold smile caused Snotlout to falter in his step, "I know I'm better than you."
And with all her grace and dignity, Astrid stalked out of the halls, thankful that she had reserved a room to practice and be able to let go of her disappointment in her classmate in the music.
She knew that Hiccup's heart was not set on just music; in fact she applauded that he still attended the academy despite his differing interests.
But today changed everything.
Hiccup was good, amazing even. That was, Astrid paused to think, his best performance yet. She had cried. There was emotion in each note, as if he too felt the fluctuating sorrow and happiness. As much as Astrid knew she was talented, she was nothing like Hiccup today.
She clenched her fists; she was never like Hiccup on any day. Her only talent lied in being able to sight read and having perfect pitch.
Astrid loved the piano, yet her love went unreciprocated.
He had passion, he always did. It was like the piano yearned for his attention and sung brilliantly at his touch. She didn't understand why the notes couldn't do the same for her.
Breathing in deeply, she slid the door open and almost dropped her music sheets.
"What are you doing here," she unknowingly snarled. Seeing the fallen look on his face made her wince. "Sorry," Astrid paused, "I meant, I have a reservation for this room, can you please find another?"
His eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah, uh, but I also have a reservation for this room?"
His voice was high pitched, and she wasn't sure if he was questioning her or himself.
Astrid pursed her lips into a thin line. As much as she wanted to scream in frustration, she knew that the blame was not on him. He just happened to catch her at a really, really bad time.
Because of course Hiccup would show up when she thinks of how talented he was, and how talented she wasn't. Of course he would look at her with his expressive emerald eyes like a kicked puppy. Of course his hair would be perfectly tousled, waiting for her fingers to run through it. Of course he would chew on his lip, stretching out a thin scar she knew would be there.
Of course she wouldn't be able to avoid him like her mother demanded.
Alva was a proud and petty mother; when Astrid and Hiccup began their lessons together and it was clear she was doing much better, Astrid was moved up classes and Hiccup not. Alva whispered toxic things into her ears. Astrid, you are much better than the little runt, he can't even read music. Astrid, look at your graceful fingers, he has chubby fingers he can't spread. Astrid. Astrid. Astrid.
Astrid was but a malleable child, only wanting to please her mother.
So she listened.
Then it was too late to take it all back.
Hiccup had been her best friend her first few years at the academy, then she stopped talking to him, ignoring him completely.
She wondered if he remembered their friendship the way she did. Sunshine and silly compositions. Scratched out music notes and warm giggles. Bright smiles and stolen sheets.
"We can, uh, share the room? If you don't mind that is!" Hiccup hastily stuttered. His face was flustered and his hands gesticulated wildly into the air.
She raised an eyebrow, mentally shaking away images of the past. "Aren't we practicing different pieces?"
"Well," Hiccup said slowly, "You can practice and I'll just be in the corner?"
Astrid did not know what it was that made her agree, but she found herself letting the familiar adagio notes echo.
She suddenly felt self-conscious.
Hiccup was watching her with those brilliant eyes of his, piercing her back in indescribable ways.
Astrid was afraid of nothing. She was not afraid of attractive boys with starry freckles. She was not afraid of charcoal stains. She was not afraid of youthful, childhood memories. She would not let herself be afraid of him.
"What are you looking at," She turned her head slowly at him, enunciating each word coolly.
The boy immediately sat up and scrambled to pick up his fallen pencil. When he leaned over, the notepad on his lap fell over; she saw herself.
Drawn with careful strokes was her. From her dancing fingers to the arch of her back.
"Sorry!" yelped Hiccup. He clutched his notepad and pencil, looking terrified at Astrid. "You're just so, so, talented," he said quietly.
Astrid froze. Her, talented? Was he trying to play a joke on her? She knew he was no longer the boy she grew up with, but she did not think he would become cruel.
She narrowed her eyes and stood abruptly. Astrid gathered her music sheets and shoved them into her bag, ignoring his incessant questions.
"Wait, what did I do? Why are you going? Are you mad at me for complimenting you?" Hiccup stammered out as he too stood.
Astrid whirled around angrily, jabbing her finger into his chest. "You have a lot of nerve, Haddock. I don't like liars, so stay away from me." She walked briskly to the door and slid it open harshly.
She laughed and it sounded hollow to even her own ears, "We both know you are much more talented than I'll ever be."
With that, she left leaving a shocked Hiccup behind.
okay so this is an idea I had a while back and I just reuploaded this chapter because I didn't feel like it was ready the first time around. Hopefully y'all will enjoy this short little fic I'm writing? I don't know much about music or HTTYD (lmao) but I thought it would be interesting to portray another side of grace and elegance normally seen in battle! I don't have plans for this to be terribly long, but hopefully you will be able to find more background info about Astrid's moodiness. There are some details that were mentioned in this chapter, but hopefully it will be more understandable in the next chapter!
Please let me know what you think? Like this is my first HTTYD fic and I struggle to stay committed to writing oops.