I don't own How to Train Your Dragon or Rise of the Guardians. Enjoy! :)
Chapter Three
Jack sighed once again as the information written in the logbook yielded no answer to his question. Standing up, he placed back the ledger of 1960-64 back on the shelf and grabbed the ledger of 1965-69 and sat back down, opening to the first page.
Jack was checking every birth date that could tell him the answer. The main reason he was here in Berk was to find his mother's barely-forgotten lover. He remembered asking about his dad, her husband, and she replied she never had one, or least she think she doesn't; which turned into a long story of how she woke up in the hospital with no memory. The doctors said she was rescued from the North Atlantic Ocean by the US Coast Guard and that she was most likely been on a shipwreck. It was only a week later that she remembered her name was Valka, but that was it. Over the next year and half his mother had a hard time trying to remember who she was and what a nightmare of paperwork she went through. What she did remember that there was someone important in her life, but the image was blurry and shadowy. Even so, she told Jack that she always felt loved when the shadow figure wrapped their arms around her and sing softly in her ear. It was at that moment, eleven-year-old Jack vowed to find his mother's lover—she found his relatives for him, he should do the same.
And after many years of asking doctors and Coast Guard sailors on lunch breaks, here he is in Berk, in the library, pouring over ledgers in hopes to find his mother's actually birth date. Sure, he seemed overly optimistic with only her first name and what little information he gleamed from her saviors, but he would do anything for her, and he'll find her lover one way or another.
Glancing at the clock, Jack realized it was eight minutes 'til six—eight minutes 'til his date with Hiccup. He bookmarked the page and stored it, quickly leaving the library, smiling when he saw his date pull up in his truck—which was oddly named Toothless.
Jack jumped in and barely controlled his jaw from dropping, seeing Hiccup dressed in a nice dark-oak long-sleeved shirt, underneath a black long-coat with blue jeans. Jack felt underdressed with his grey-white snow-jacket covering up his comfy long-sleeved tan shirt and black cargo pants.
"What's wrong Jack? You seem a bit pale—well, paler than usual."
"I-I-I'm fine! So, um, off we go?"
Jack turned red at his stuttering and awkward question—it didn't help that Hiccup laughed also. Hiccup patted his shoulder.
"Yes! Off we go!" Jack smiled that he used his weird wording.
It was silent in the cab as Hiccup drove to the place they were to eat at; Jack hoped it wasn't the Zippleback. Instead, Hiccup pulled up to a nice-looking dinner called the Night Flight. Course Jack questioned the name.
"Night Flight?"
"Yeah. Back in the age, Vikings rode dragons and sometimes took their beloved on a night flight."
"Oh. Cool! Is there a chance we actually get to ride on a dragon and fly?" Jack asked hopefully. Hiccup only chuckled.
"Sorry Frosty, it's just a table for us."
"Damn."
Jack followed his date inside and was impressed by the restaurant. The tables were covered with cream color cloth and a single candlestick sitting atop. But what really made Jack awe was the ceiling. Painted black and dark-blue with small lights dotting every inch, a night sky hovered above the diners. Every few minutes or so, a dragon shape would fly across. The host came up them.
"Hello, how may I help you?" Hiccup step forward.
"Reservations for two; under the name Haddock."
"Ah, yes. Right this way, sirs."
The host led them to a closed-off booth for two and both sat as the host laid out the menu.
"Your server will be here momentarily." He then closed the dark-blue velvet curtain, taking their jackets with him.
Jack looked over his menu—everything looked delicious and he was watering, thinking of the glorious food. He was deciding between lobster with grilled potatoes and shrimp fettuccine with garlic beard when Hiccup spoke.
"So, tell more about your home, Burgess." Jack put down his menu.
"Well, it's a smaller town compared to others, but defiantly bigger than here. It got its malls, restaurants, a couple movie theatres. There's a few hiking trials and a lake that people can ice skate on in the winter. People do get into the spirit of the holidays—whole streets would be decorated! It's nothing close to New York or Chicago, but it's defiantly a sight to behold." Jack smiled as he remembered pumpkins on every porch; Christmas lights strung on every house; a huge Easter egg hunt—any kind and type of holiday the town would go all out.
"So what sorts of festivities do you Berkians put on?"
"Every spring there's a Thawfest, where everybody competes. Then there's Snoggletog, a holiday like Christmas. That's pretty much it. Sure, there are a few festivals and we do celebrate other well-known holidays, but those two are the ones we go all out."
"Cool! Can't wait to celebrate to them." Jack smiled, though there was a glint of mischief in his eyes.
Their waiter came by and took their order before leaving to get their drinks. Jack started to twiddle with his fork. It seemed a bit odd that the staff wasn't fazed by two men sitting in a private booth on a date. Sure, they are more likely to gossip in the kitchen, but on the few dates Jack had been on back at home, he experienced that some restaurants weren't worth going if the staff is rude. Feeling a soft, but rough touch on his hand, Jack looked up into green eyes—like staring into a forest.
"Is something on your mind, Frosty?" Jack mentally slapped himself for staring intently into his date's eyes—though he couldn't help it, they were hypnotizing.
"No. Well, yeah. Doesn't it seem… Weird that the host or our waiter didn't freaked out by us? Even the other diners didn't look disgusted seeing us on a date." Jack blushed as he heard Hiccup chuckle at his statement. Was it wrong to be worry?
"Sorry, but everyone here doesn't care who is dating who based on their sexuality. I understand where you're coming from, though. I took a trip a few years back and saw the town I visited basically shunning and bullying anyone who was gay, lesbian, or bi; it totally shocked me. I know not everyone accepts and don't have to accept people's sexual choices, but to beat them down with negativity; it's cruel. But, you'll face nothing like that here. Everyone accepts everyone—except Meldew, but he rarely comes down from his abode."
"Why does he keep his distance?"
Hiccup shrugged. "He just does. Besides, we don't mind; when he does come down, he's always complaining about everything before he goes back home."
"So he's basically a nuisance to the town and he believes everyone is a nuisance when he comes down?"
"Pretty much. But we do help when he needs it, so we don't totally ignore him."
Jack nodded. Their drinks came—he got a soda as Hiccup got some tea. Soon their entrée came with Jack getting the lobster and Hiccup getting steak. They spent some time in silence as they ate their dinner, enjoy the evening.
Jack ate everything on his plate—he always had a big stomach, so said his mom. They ordered dessert before Hiccup paid for the check. They said thank you to the host as they walked into the cold air, the snow floating down softly. They walked a couple blocks to get to the movie theatre; there was only three movies showing. Jack picked an action one while Hiccup got drinks and snacks. Finding a good place to sit, both boys relaxed as the previews started rolling.
Laughter filled the warm home as Hiccup and Jack entered it. The movie was great and they had plans to go see it again. Hiccup started on boiling water for hot cocoa while Jack sat by the roaring fire pit, watching the flames dance.
Hiccup soon joined him, handing a cup of hot chocolate and whip cream. Jack thanked him, smiling and sipping on the sweet elixir. He felt Hiccup sit on the same huge pillow he was sitting on, slowly wrapping his arm around his waist. Jack leaned on him, enjoying the warmth the other male had. Looking up, he caught green eyes looking at him, happiness glowing from them. He also noticed those same eyes were getting closer.
As the fire slowly dimmed, lips lightly touched each other, completing the prefect night.
