"Detention? Again?" Hiccup sighed heavily at his friend, he thought it was slightly hypocritical as he wasn't exactly a saint himself. "Who am I supposed to play FIFA 15 with now?" he grumbled and Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Eret, don't cry about it," he chuckled lowly and Eret glared at him.

"You call yourself my friend but where are you half the time?" he whined whilst crossing his arms huffily, "Can't your dad get you out of it or something?"

Hiccup exhaled and sat back in his chair as the school buzzed around him. It was break time and the pair were sat in the social area. Hiccup caught his cousins stony glare from across the large room and returned it easily. He really hated that boy. Sometimes. Well... most times. Hiccup's eyes then saw the large figure of his dad burst through the doors. Hiccup was sure his dad hadn't exactly meant to have made such a grand entrance but he always does as he's so largely built that even a gentle push to him is a hell of shove to someone else. He watched as the head teacher marched to his cousins friend group before he sternly starting talking to Scott. Hiccup caught the words 'detention' and 'disappointed' before finally turning back to Eret with his answer.

"Hope. Not this time"

Eret followed his friends gaze and arched an eyebrow, "Huh, you didn't tell me your detention involved him" the distaste in his voice towards Scott is obvious, and Hiccup doesn't mind that he shows it so uncaringly in front of him. It's not like Hiccup's about to jump in and defend his cousin anytime soon.

"It wasn't anything big" Hiccup grumbled whilst playing with his bottle of juice from the canteen.

"Oh, watch out! Father approaching, I repeat, father approaching" Eret not so slyly whisper-shouted from behind his very obvious hand half-covering his mouth.

Hiccup's expression didn't change but if anyone had been looking close enough they'd notice his shoulders tense in anticipation. It's embarrassing getting a telling off from your head teacher in front of the school. But he's sure that getting a telling off from your dad has to be a lot worse.

But to Hiccup's relief and dismay his dad carried on walking past their table. Only acknowledging his son with a disdainful look before cheerily greeting the rugby team as they entered the social area. Hiccup tried to not look upset as he witnessed the rugby boys having a more in depth conversation with his dad than he ever has. How come he finds the time to talk to Scott and them but not him?

"Guys!" someone exclaimed whilst plonking down at the table beside Hiccup causing him to jump comically.

Hiccup burled round, glowering at the new addition to the table, "Jeez, Fishlegs would you stop doing that?"

"Doing what?" the broader boy asked whilst tucking into a sandwich happily despite it only being 10 in the morning.

"Creeping up on people. Now what's got you so happy?" Hiccup's mood had changed drastically but only Eret noticed as he finished up his Maths homework.

"You'll never guess what!" Fishlegs exclaimed through a mouthful of bread and tuna.

"What?" his friends monotone voice asked.

"Robyn actually said 'Good morning' back to me today!" the boy bounced in his seat, shaking the table slightly and causing Eret's pencil to skid across his jotter.

"Oh wow, it's only been six years" Hiccup's voice wittily returned. He picked at his nails dully, not at all interested in his friends budding romance with Robyn, one of the roughest girls in the school. Her twin brother Trevor was not any better and held the status of one of the toughest boys at the school. It wasn't that the pair were exactly mean to anyone and they certainly didn't go around beating up random kids like some bullies but they were definitely crazy. Yeah, that's the right word; crazy. Nut-jobs. Delusional. Lost their marbles. That's the Thornston twins in a nutshell for you!

Eret shot his miserable friend a glare before turning to Fishlegs with an overly joyous shit eating grin, "That's amazing Fish!" he exclaimed and then looked at Hiccup pointedly.

"Yep, spectacular" Hiccup chipped in.

Fishlegs had always missed the sarcastic note in Hiccup's voice even though they had been friends since nursery, and looked at his best friend contently, thinking that he was genuinely happy for him.

"Oh shoot!" Fishlegs suddenly exclaimed jumping up in a rush, knocking his now empty sandwich container to the ground. He hastily grabbed his bag, "I need to quickly catch Mr Gobber before the start of third period, see you's later!" and with that he lumbered of, his back disappearing through the doors as they swung shut behind him.

Eret finally finished his homework and shut his jotter with a dramatic slap, "That boy seriously needs to lay off on the energy drinks before he goes through the roof".

Hiccup agreed, noticing the energy juice Fish had left behind.

"He says it guarantees him a win every time" Hiccup shrugged whilst looking at the ingredients on the label of the bottle. They didn't exactly sound healthy.

Eret rolled his eyes, "He's called Fishlegs for a reason, no one can beat that boy in the water, with or without his stupid energy drink, everyone knows that".

Eret shouldered his bag before standing up, "Are you helping Mr Gobber out this weekend?"

"I'm not scheduled in to but no doubt after my dad hears of my detention I'll be forced again to work" Hiccup stood up also as the school bell ran shrilly. He really hated the noise of that stupid bell.

"If you're not, call me, I've got a wrestling match Saturday, you've not been along to one of my games in ages!"

"I know, I know! I'll try make it ok?"

"You better!"

"I will"


Hiccup trudged to detention, dreading the next two and a half hours terribly. The rest of his day had been as uneventful as possible, that's if you're not counting him nearly setting the school alight in Chemistry. But really, apart from that, Hiccup had just tried to not fall asleep for the most part.

"'Afternoon 'Amish" Mr Gobber greeted him joyously, "No surprise to see you 'ere again"

Hiccup gave him a small smile, "I missed you Gob, had to deliberately misbehave to come back"

"Oi" Mr Gobber waved at Hiccup in a scolding manner at the announcement of the boys nickname for him to the class. As well as being the schools swimming coach, Mr Gobber also helped run detention and Hiccup was always relieved when it was Gob's jolly face he was greeted with and not some other stuffy and ancient teacher who took joy in staying after school hours to watch misbehaved kids suffer. "Just take a seat wid ya?"

Hiccup's face was lopsided into one of his lazy grins as he slipped into a seat nearer the back of the class.

Mr Gobber waited another ten minutes for a few stragglers to arrive before handing out there work.

Hiccup scanned the room and noticed Scott wasn't anywhere to be seen. There was some blonde girl sat upfront and another two silent kids to his left but apart from that, no annoying cousin in the room.

"Hiccup where's Scott got ta?"

Hiccup was a bit irked that Mr Gobber had opted to ask him. How should he know where Scott was?

"I dunno" he replied doodling in the margin of his paper and avoiding eye contact.

"Well if he doesnae show up anytime soon, I'm going ti have to phone his parents!"

Again, Hiccup wondered why he felt the need to tell him this. It's not like he cares if Scott gets in anymore trouble.

Another five minutes ticked by before the door opened and a flustered Scott stood in the doorway. His eyes were wide and he looked as if he were a deer that had been caught in headlights. Hiccup noticed his hands were shaking but kept his mouth shut as his cousin closed the door behind him and collapsed into a chair at the front.

"Where ya been?" Mr Gobber cried, sighing as he had to get up once again from his chair to give the late arrival a piece of paper and text book.

"Sorry I got caught up... something to do with football"

Hiccup cocked an eyebrow.

He knew Scott was lying. What was he hiding and why did his usually tough and sneering cousin look so god damn shaken up? Hiccup so badly wanted to go over and check he was okay but a small reminder that his cousin was partially the reason why Hiccup was in detention to start with, helped the boy keep his butt firmly planted on his seat.

Detention dragged on for what felt like forever and Hiccup was sure it was a blessing in disguise when the clock hand finally pointed to the six.

"Right, you lot! Detention's over, now get out my sight!" Mr Gobber joked, standing up and waking everyone up from their silent dazes and daydreams.

Everyone quickly clambered to their feet, the thought of freedom was enough to make any lazy teenager all of a sudden become the next Usain Bolt. Hiccup noted how Scott dashed out the classroom, not even bothering to return his textbook to Mr Gobber's desk. Mr Gobber cursed at the disappearance of the boy. The rest of the obedient teenagers, who were desperate to not annoy the man so as to keep out of detention, placed both their work and textbook in two separate piles on his desk. Hiccup dropped of his textbook before spinning around, ready to bound out the school and try to catch the rest of the summer's night but he slammed into something hard.

"Watch it!" it said before Hiccup focused on a blonde girl about a head shorter than him.

"Sorry!" he was quick to apologise.

She grumbled something incoherent before barging past him.

Hiccup watched her as she walked away, her long hair swishing at her waist as she stormed into the distance.

Who was that?

Hiccup soon forgot about the girl as he stepped out into the warm evening breeze. He was happy that the sun was still fairly high in the sky. At this rate he'd still have enough time for a leisurely walk with Toothless, his dog, before he would have to start on his horrendously large pile of homework. Hiccup made to walk to his car before realising horrifically that he hadn't brought his car to school today. Eret had given him a lift instead and now, well now, Eret was home probably playing FIFA and had been for two and a half hours. Hiccup groaned dramatically.

"For the love of –"

"Hamish!"

Hiccup froze and slowly turned around.

And here he was thinking his day couldn't get any worse.

"What are still doing here?" his father's voice boomed, echoing around the half empty car park.

Hiccup thought for a moment to try to make up some elaborate lie which made him look like some golden boy but he knew his dad had only momentarily forgotten about his detention. His dad often forgot things that related to him, it was only natural when he had three thousand other kids to worry about.

"Oh...uh..." Hiccup scratched the back of his neck, "Detention"

"Oh" His father's face darkened as he remembered and there was a small awkward pause before his dad really looked at him and noticed the absence of his car. "Do you need a lift?"

Hiccup really wanted to say no. A twenty minute ride home with his dad who would be horribly hostile towards him? No, thank you. Doesn't exactly sound appealing does it? But Hiccup had no other way home, he knew if he phoned Eret to pick him up he'd call Hiccup a lazy arse and hang up. Fishlegs had training and the buses to Berk only ran hourly. And guess what? He'd just missed the 6 o'clock one.

"Um, yeah" Hiccup finally had to answer, defeated. He hated how he felt like it was showing weakness by accepting his dad's help, "Yeah I do"

His dad nodded before turning and walking to his car. Hiccup trailed behind like a miserable puppy and climbed into the passenger's seat. He'd thought about getting in the back so he could lie down, as he really was tired, but he knew his dad would just tell him to sit up anyway.

'Stoick' reversed out the space smoothly before pulling out the car park and indicating onto the main road to Berk. Hiccup had so aptly named his dad 'Stoick' because... well he was just so stoic all the time. Even now there was a heavy silence which Hiccup wished he could fill with words that would actually interest his dad but he knew that not much he said ever kept his dad interested so instead he leant forward and switched the radio on.

Almost instantly his dad switched it off. Hiccup winced. He knew what was coming.

"So you were late again"

It wasn't a question.

"Yeah... ugh Eret had trouble finding a space" it was a lame and terrible excuse especially as he knew his dad only had to easily check Eret's file on his computer to see that Eret hadn't been late this morning. Only Hiccup had been.

"And you disrupted Mrs Fawn's class"

Hiccup refrained from rolling his eyes. Is that what she had said? 'Disrupted'. He was pretty sure that his and Scott's brief exchange had indeed not disrupted anything. So instead of getting into a riled up argument, Hiccup decided to not answer and instead let his dad feel all smug for thinking that he knew all about what Hiccup had been up to.

They were painfully quietly for what felt like hours but was in fact only five minutes.

"What am I going to do with you, Hamish?"

Hiccup nearly choked on his own saliva. Hiccup wondered if his dad had meant to say it out loud before realising he'd addressed his name in his question. What on earth did he mean by that? Yeah, sure, he was late and sometimes a bit too snarky and sarcastic for his teacher's preferences but he got good grades. No, great grades and considering he had just lost his Mum six months ago, Hiccup thought he was doing bloody damn good.

"If you would just ride with me in the morning you wouldn't be late all the time!" Hiccup thought it probably was best to not inform his dad that actually Eret's gets him to school with usually half an hour to spare, "I've told you before that boy, Eret, is a bad influence on you!"

"Dad, Eret isn't the problem here."

"Don't use that tone with me, son"

The way his dad said 'son' made Hiccup's skin crawl. It was not intended in an affectionate way at all.

"And if that boy isn't the problem, then what is?" his dad probed as he turned into their street.

Hiccup was so tempted to just say it all. Everything he had been feeling since that awful day when Mr Gobber had burst through his classroom door, out of breath and pale. He'd requested Hiccup come with him immediately and Hiccup had done so, he had felt the urgency radiating from the man in waves. He'd led Hiccup to his dad's office and Hiccup couldn't for the life of him, remember what he'd gone and done now. But opening the door to his office, Hiccup had definitely not expected to find his dad's tear stained face.

"We need to get to the hospital" He had informed his confused son, before grabbing his coat and shoving Hiccup out the door. "Now"

Hiccup had looked at Mr Gobber for answers but he hadn't looked like he had permission to say anything.

"It's your mother." His dad finally explained as they had sped towards their local hospital. Hiccup's stomach dropped. His mother. He could still feel her lips brushing against his forehead as she'd bid him goodbye that morning. He had still felt the warmth from her hug. He could still see her face, laughing and her green eyes, which were so similar to his, sparkling. "She's been in a car accident"

When they had arrived to the hospital it had been too late. She had died from head trauma. Hiccup tried so hard not to cry because he knew it must only be a dream. Surely? But when he nodded to the doctor that had asked if he had wanted to see his mother one last time, to say goodbye, he knew. He knew as he stepped into the cold, lifeless and eerily quiet room that she was truly gone. Her beautiful face was disgusting pale and her lips blue, no oxygen was passing through them anymore. Her forehead and cheeks were covered in harsh blue and black bruises and the rest of her body was covered. No doubt too gruesome to witness. Hiccup had shook so much but he forced himself forward. He'd brushed his warm lips against her cold forehead and whispered the one simple, sad word;

"Goodbye"

And nothing had been the same since. His dad acted as if he didn't know how to interact with his son now that his wife was no longer around. And now here was Hiccup's opportunity to explain to his dad how alone he felt. How he wished his dad would be there for him more. Spend more time with him. Acknowledge him more. To look at him with more than disappointment or pity in his eyes.

But Hiccup's mouth stayed stubbornly shut.

His dad sighed, thinking that Hiccup wasn't answering by being difficult. He didn't know of the mental battle that his son was trying to resolve in his head. Hiccup watched forlornly as his dad hauled himself out of the car and slammed the door shut.

Hiccup deflated in his seat.

He closed his eyes and waited a while before following his dad inside.

Wow. So I hadn't expected to write that much, my chapters are usually around about 1,500 words long but I just couldn't seem to stop today! I have SO much planned for this fanfic you have no idea, I am so excited!

Just in case anyone was confused;

Robyn is Ruffnut

Trevor is Tuffnut

Mr Gobber is Gobber

Scott is Snotlout

Please review, they encourage me so much to keep writing!

See you all soon, my lovelies!