slightly long authors note bc im bACK
holy hell guys it's only the first month of school and i want to fling myself off a 21 storey building. senior year is reaaaally hard like just thinking off all the stuff we have to finish this year (research studies, science fairs, college admission tests) UGH
ok i know you probably hate me for not updating for weeks. ive just been so busy and i wont be able to write anything during july-august since during those months we'll conduct experiments and stuff for research ugh
oh yeah and i watched httyd 2 like 2 weeks ago AND OH MY GOD (no spoilers, promise.) I CRIED IN THE THEATRE FOR LIKE HALF OF THE MOVIE UGH so i guess this means i will have to continue atwp now hehehhehehehe eoh gods
THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS CHEERLEADING STUFF WHICH I KNOW ZERO ABOUT. so if you're a cheerleader pls bear with my amateur writing k thanks :)))
to ladypixiedust omg omgomg hahahhahaha gods but your drabbles are what keep me alive
Disclaimer: I do not own How to train your dragon nor Tangled. The characters- blah blah blah you know the drill
"5, 6, 7, 8!"
Shoes squeaked against the hard wood floor of the closed gymnasium. Beads of sweat trickled down their backs and red faces. High ponytails sliced through the air as several girls danced to the beat of a rowdy upbeat pop song. They were separated into groups of four, each to perform a basic cheer dance. Rapunzel sat down with her group mates stretching by the sidelines. She was the only senior in her group and it made her slightly out of place.
Cheer tryouts were nerve-racking. Their seniors stood by the gym bleachers scrutinizing every single girl. They were the next group to perform and the blonde nervously adjusted her spandex shorts. It's not like she had to get in the team, it's just that it would be nice to be a part of something you actually want to be a part of. The moment she knew her new school had a cheer team Rapunzel knew she had to convince her mother to let her join even if it took weeks. And it did. She'd been practicing all summer. The thought of all that hard work being put together in one dance routine suddenly made her want to vomit. She dug into her backpack for her phone. It was already 4:15. She was supposed to meet up with Hiccup over an hour ago. Sighing she put the phone back in her bag and hoped tryouts would end soon.
"Are you guys kidding me?" Arista, the team captain exclaimed to the other group. Everyone's heads turned towards her. "Your tumbles are sloppier than today's lunch and your high v's are lazier than my uncle. Do it again." The music started again.
Rapunzel sighed. It's going to take everything she's got to get in. Let's just hope all those years of ballet lessons paid off on flexibility. She thought to herself. They moved to stretch their wrists and all she could think about right now was Hiccup. Would he still be waiting for me right now?
"Alright. Next group." They were next. Rapunzel shook the sweat from her hands and tried to calmly walk towards the court. She whispered nervous good lucks to her group mates. This was it then.
The music started to play. It was the same one they'd been practicing on several times. The familiar echoing of the bass, the upbeat feel was imprinted in her mind and her body automatically moved to every beat. 5, 6, 7, 8. They counted in their heads and their feet stomped to the rhythm. Hands up high and with each count they moved.
"Hey let's shout it!" The girls started to chant. "There ain't no doubt about it." Claps echoed across the room and tumbles were performed. "Spirit we got some. Go Vikings, we're awesome!" Rapunzel and another cheerer, Ariel then finished strong with a toe touch back handspring combo, landing on both feet which raised their seniors' eyebrows. They almost lost their footing which could've ruined everything but thankfully they rebounded and remained in balance. Rapunzel struggled for breath. Her whole body felt like collapsing but she felt relieved the routine was over.
"Nice one ladies." The co-captain, Anna, remarked. She seemed a little less intense than Arista. Rapunzel swore everyone in her group breathed a sigh of relief. "You there." Anna pointed to the freshman at the back, nervously tucking her dark hair behind her ear. "What's your name?"
The girl's eyes widened at being singled out. "Uhh Violet." You could already tell she didn't like people noticing her.
"Ok Violet. I just wanted to point out that you should really work on your footing and jumps. But you pulled it off quite well." The red head said. "Actually, all of you did an amazing performance. And I'm sure Ariel would give her sister here a run for her money." Anna joked, lightly bumping Arista on the shoulder to which the latter rolled her eyes. Ariel beamed at the compliment.
Tryouts ended a few minutes later. Everyone was tired and some rushed towards the locker rooms, grateful for a quick shower. Rapunzel though, hurriedly put on jeans skipped the wash and ran out of the gym doors only to be stopped by Anna.
"Hey, you're Rapunzel right?" She asked and the blonde absently nodded. "I think we take Chemistry together. Come on we can walk out together."
It was 4:40. She really had to leave now. She knew Hiccup probably left an hour ago but a small part of her still did not lose hope. Anna was still walking next to her down the hall. Their footsteps echoed as their feet slapped against the concrete floor. The dim hallways were lonely save for the janitor in mopping away in front of a classroom door. Rapunzel quickened her pace and she was glad the red head beside her didn't question it.
He's going to be there right? The blonde started to panic. She'd been looking forward to getting to know him more ever since that night at the clinic. Was it his peculiar personality that piques her interest? Or maybe he was just the first guy who didn't actually try to hit on her. She thought she was lost and forgot which locker was Hiccup's until she saw the familiar ripped poster barely hanging on a wall. Her phone read 15 minutes till 5. He'll still be there. He will be there. The two girls turned round the hallway.
He wasn't.
The cat lay snuggled up to Hiccup's chest as he sat on the office floor of the animal clinic, working on an essay. He would occasionally stroke the cat's thin sleek fur to which it would purr in satisfaction. His notes lay scattered about him, papers stacked on top of notebooks and incomprehensible words and numbers scribbled across sticky notes. Words would be muttered under his breath as Hiccup jotted down sentences he barely understood and names which meant little to him. There was a light drizzle outside and Hiccup wanted nothing more than to just lie down and sleep through the depressing weather. Schoolwork is tiresome and he was unsure whether or not he'll survive senior year.
Toothless purred once more and jumped off of the boy's lap, stretching his body as he went. Hiccup checked his phone. It was already 5:30. Sighing, he gathered up his notes and stuffed them all in his beaten backpack. His legs were cramping and it pained him to get up.
He left his spot and headed for the door of the vet's office. Toothless followed suit.
"Oh no buddy, you're staying here." Hiccup said when he noticed the cat by his side. He picked him up and placed him back in the office. But when he closed the door Toothless started meowing out loud as if indignant on being left behind. He tried to ignored it but the cat must have sensed it since it started scratching at the door. Cursing, Hiccup went back and grudgingly opened the door. Toothless sashayed out, and if animals could smirk this one was definitely grinning up at him.
He scooped the cat up and it nudged his chin as if thanking him. "Yeah, you owe me."
Dr. Crood, the vet, was busy feeding a Labrador . It had a deep gash on its leg when its owner admitted it two days ago. With Hiccup's assistance, the dog was already halfway through recovery.
"Hey doc I'm taking Toothless home with me. Is that ok?" Hiccup asked, hugging the cat close to him.
The vet glanced up at him and smiled. "Of course. Though I'm not so sure about your father."
Hiccup laughed nervously at the comment. His dad wasn't really fond of animals. He always thought they just got in the way and they pee on everything. When Hiccup was 10 he'd ask for a puppy but Stoick would always reason about what it would do to his allergies which were probably fake.
"Oh yeah it's all under control—yea it's all good see you tomorrow doc!" He hurriedly said then bolted out the door, leaving the vet shaking his head at the closed door.
It had stopped raining but faint traces of the smell of rain wafted over him. Petrichor. The word flashed in his mind. Dew drops lingered on the tips of leaves, dangerously close to falling onto the damp earth. Thin feathery wisps of gray replaced the nimbus clouds. It was almost time before the sun set. The sky was in that point of uncertain transition from light to dark, when daytime still wanted to cling on to the sky, when the sun starts its descent and leaves a trace of pale tangerine streaked with tendrils of gold. Hiccup pushed his bike into the sidewalk and pedaled down the street, Toothless safely tucked in his semi open bag. The air was unusually warm and he felt suffocated by it. So he pedaled faster. Shops and salons passed by him in a blur. He headed west of town, the sky receding in front of him. It was as if he was chasing the daylight.
Several minutes later the wheels of his bicycle slowed to a stop near a rocky cliff. Hiccup jumped off the bike and walked near the cliff. He set down his backpack so that Toothless can get out. The sky grew darker, hues of purple and red blotting traces of clouds. He took several steps closer to the edge, peering down at the sea, its waves crashing down on the rocks. He looked up and closed his eyes, basking at the dim glow of the sunset.
"Don't fall." A voice called out to him, making Hiccup jump and turn around hastily.
Rapunzel stood there in jeans and a tank top, a sheen of sweat on her forehead and bare arms. Her hair was now free of its ponytail and lay tangled in the wind creating shadows on her face. He stood there dumbfounded before mentally slapping himself.
"Are you stalking me?" He asked sarcastically, playing a surprised face.
The blonde rolled his eyes at him and smiled. An awkward lull hung between them until the forgotten Toothless meowed at Rapunzel, catching her attention. She squeaked in delight and bent down to greet the cat. It jumped into her arms and she clutched at it as if it were a baby. With the cat still in her arms, she walked towards Hiccup.
"So." She ventured, looking at the setting sun. "This is where you go all the time to be alone?" The sky was a dark violet now. It stretched towards east where it met the blanket of night awaiting to swallow the earth. When he looked up he saw a single star just right above them. They say you can wish on the first star you see in the sky and that wish would come true.
The wind grew colder around them. "To think mostly." His words came out in foggy breaths.
"About what?"
You, mostly. His mind screamed. But his lips whispered. "Everything."
Several minutes passed again and more stars glittered above them. They smelled of the sunset and sea salt. The sound of waves embraced them and he wished it would just drown everything else. He wished it would rise and crash on them, suspending them in an infinity of dusks spent on cliff edges. Hiccup looked at her and saw that the sun never really left. She glowed in twilight like a firefly. Her cheeks were flushed in the cold and her blonde hair enveloped her like a lantern would cover the light inside.
"I'm sorry for not showing up earlier." Rapunzel said, a look of guilt passing on her face.
Hiccup shrugged it off and shoved his hands in his pockets. "It's okay."
"No, it's not. It's just that I had this cheerleading tryout and kind of lost track of time." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Toothless purred in her arms and licked her cheek as if to say that everything was forgiven. The blonde giggled and moved her face away from the cat, laughing. He smiled as well and they found themselves in each other's gaze. It was getting dark to see anything clearly but he saw a small blush creep up in her cheeks. Then a faint buzzing made them both jump and he looked away first. Rapunzel handed Toothless back to Hiccup, reached into her pocket and fished out a phone.
Her face fell for a split second. "Oh, it's uhm- it's my mother." She slide her finger across the screen to read the message. She bit her lip and looked up at Hiccup, the faint glow of the phone on her face made everything else seem darker. "I should go."
Disappointment and a hint of regret washed over him.
"Call me, okay?" She was already running towards her car. Hiccup turned around and tried to stop her.
"Wait" He jogged towards her. "I don't have your number."
Rapunzel glanced back, car door open, and a smile playing on her lips. And that was that.
Serein. The light rain that falls from a clear sky at sunset or in the early hours of evening.
The town lights flickered and wavered in the early evening. Hiccup enjoyed this; riding past town with the night sky on his back. A light shower poured on the streets; tiny drops of water spotting his clothes. When he finally pulled up into the driveway, the moon had started to rise over Berk. Though it gave little light because of the clouds blocking it in the sky. A light shining through one of the windows told him that his dad was already home. Hiccup jogged up the front porch steps, carefully hiding Toothless in his stuffed backpack.
Stoick was in his small quiet office, with only his paper work, the constant ticking of the clock and the light tapping of the rain on the roof as his companions. His face was worn and tired, lines stretching across his forehead, wrinkles forming when he narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the text on paper through worn-out glasses. He glanced at the clock beside him. His son was 30 minutes later than usual.
Then as if accidentally conjuring up Hiccup himself, Stoick heard the door close and shoes squeaking on the floor in the living room.
"Hiccup?" He called out and immediately the squeaking of worn sneakers seized. "Is that you, son?"
A shuffling of feet was heard from outside. "Yeah dad, it's me." His son replied.
Stoick began tidying up the papers littered all over his table and rubbed at his strained eyes. He pushed himself off his chair and crossed the room, the floorboards creaking beneath his feet. He opened the door, revealing a slightly drenched boy. He had mud splatters all over his shoes and the ends of his pants. This wasn't unusual. His son had once come home all covered in mud and leaves. He wouldn't say where he had gone. All these years of dinners at the table, silently watching football games and expecting him to come home from school late after dark going Thor knows where, Stoick though he'd known the boy well. Ye looking at him now, almost a man grown, he wasn't so sure that this was his son.
He sighed. "So, how was school?"
"It was…uneventful." Hiccup shrugged his shoulders. "Snotlout said he tipped most of the cows the other night. I wonder how much more till he does community service."
Stoick shook his head and gave a low chuckling sound. "Ah well that's the ol' Snotlout we know."
They stood there, shifting in uncomfortable silence. Suddenly a muffled sound came from Hiccup's bag. His son's eyes widened at it. Stoick eyed his son warily. "What was that?"
"It's uh-" He nervously gripped the straps of his bag. "It's my phone. I should probably head on up."
Stoick nodded, shrugging it off. "There's some leftovers in the microwave if you're hungry." He said then retreated back into his office, the large wooden doors closing loudly behind him. The floor creaked with each heavy step as he made his way towards the window, staring off into the night.
It was then cue for Hiccup to dash up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. Once his bedroom door was closed and safely locked, he gave out a long sigh of relief. He walked to his bed and laid down his bag, unzipping it. Thankfully Toothless was still alive, jumping out of the bag and stretching his small body.
"You seriously owe me big time." He told the cat. Hiccup then proceeded to change into drier clothes.
Once he stepped out of the bathroom, the collar of his shirt dampened by water, Hiccup collapsed down on his bed. His open bag lay next to him. The worn-looking sweatshirt peeked through the zipper. He reached for the shirt and held it in front of him. His hands ran through the soft cloth, lingering in the unfamiliar scent. Then as he held it up, it unfolded and a something flew out and landed on his chest. He sat up and grabbed at the small folded paper.
A.N.
really short chapter. sorry
ok yeah this was supposed to be 4k words long but i decided to cut it and separate it into two chapters bc the second part just didnt quite fit with this chappy so :)))))