Hiccup ran his fingers over the spot on his hand where his IV had been placed. He could tell his was exhausted, and dazed. Even though he was mentally and physically exhausted, he couldn't seem to shake the feeling of dread that had washed over him from the previous night.
His father sat a bowl of tomato soup down in front of him, knocking him out of his daze.
"Please, eat something," his father said to him. There was a small plea in his voice.
Hiccup picked up his spoon slowly, and started to blow on the hot soup. The silence between them felt like a dark cloud of guilt growing. The thought made his stomach turn, and he placed the spoon down in the bowl, and let out a sigh.
"Hiccup-"
"I don't feel good," Hiccup said to him.
He watched as his father pulled his chair that sat across Hiccup's up beside him, and he took a seat. His father's heavy hand rested on Hiccup's back, rubbing it gently. His father was trying to make him feel better.
"You did nothing wrong," his father said to him. "You need to realize that-"
"My actions called the police to the hospital," Hiccup said. "If I hadn't locked the door, you wouldn't have needed to put your foot through it to get to me."
"I'd do it again if I had to," Mr. Vast said to him. "Those officers know me personally, Hiccup. They were doing their job-just as the paramedics were doing theirs when they came to the house. You need to stop worrying. You are going to make yourself sick-"
"The neighbors probably heard me scream-"
"They did," Mr. Vast said. "They know your situation. They know what you are going through-"
"What we are going through," Hiccup corrected him. "It's not just me who's dealing with life changes here, Dad."
Mr. Vast sighed. "You are right. You aren't."
"I'm sorry I made you miss your meeting this morning-and the other meetings you might have had."
Mr. Vast hung his head for a moment. "Hiccup, push whatever guilt you have hanging over yourself right now, son. Push it away-" He brought the bowl of soup closer to Hiccup. "-and try to eat."
Nodding, Hiccup reached for the spoon again, and forced himself to slowly eat a few spoon-fulls. This seemed to satisfy his father-and his stomach for that matter. After finishing half the bowl, not only did he feel a little bit better, but his father seemed less edgy.
"Dad-can we talk about last night?" Hiccup asked him as his father took his bowl from him.
Seeing his father pause for a moment, he knew he'd caught him off guard.
"What is there to talk about?" Mr. Vast asked him, heading to the sink.
Grabbing his crutches, Hiccup stood up and headed towards the sink to help his father clean up. Cleaning up after meals seemed to be something Hiccup always did (probably mainly because he was the one who did most of the cooking in the house). Seeing his father do it seemed like an alternated reality to Hiccup. He grabbed the soap and sponge, and took the bowl and began to clean the bowls and the pot.
"Dad-I'm sorry for what happened last night," Hiccup said to him. "I let my anger overpower me."
"Hiccup, I honestly think if I had been standing in your-"
"Go ahead and say it, Dad. In my shoe-"
"Seems odd to say," his father said to him.
"I can take it," Hiccup replied, rinsing the first bowl clean.
Mr. Vast leaned against the counter and sighed. "I failed you-and I am sorry."
Hiccup thought about his response before he spoke. "Dad, I was honestly just more scared than anything. Since I was a kid, if you didn't show up to get me, I'd either catch a ride with Fish's mom-or, most likely just walk home. I felt like-I'd just lost control. I knew I couldn't walk home-not that far and not like this-not yet. I think I was scared and embarrassed. My anxiety overtook me, and then then all of the Ingerman' asking what happened-"
"What did you tell them?" Mr. Vast asked curiously. Hiccup looked up at him. "Oh, come now. You told me you hadn't actually told him anything about that. I was surprised you waited until now to tell him-"
"I didn't exactly tell him," Hiccup replied quietly. "I-I told him everything after it happened. He doesn't know how it happened. Just that it happened."
Mr. Vast nodded. "Eventually, Hiccup, you are going to need to talk about it more."
Hiccup gave a small laugh. "Yeah, to who? I just have you, and Fish." He shrugged his shoulder. He was finished with the dishes, and he reached for a dish rag to dry his hands. Noticing his band aide covering his poke from his IV was wet, he reached over and took it off. For a moment, he looked at it, before his father reached over and grabbed his hand to take a look himself.
"I'll get you a new one," he said. "Go sit down on the couch and I'll be in."
Hiccup did as he was asked. By the time he'd managed to sit down on the couch in the living room and lay his crutches along the the bottom, his father came in peeling open the bandage coverings.
"Looks like it may bruise," Mr. Vast sighed.
"Did in the hospital," Hiccup responded, allowing his father to cover up the poke mark. "Thanks."
"You are welcome," his father replied. He took a knee down to the floor to sit at Hiccup's level. For a moment, Hiccup had a hard time meeting his father's eyes. With him sitting on the floor, it made Hiccup feel a little nervous. For, his father was at his level. His strong, tough father was looking up at him, holding worried eyes. "You need to sleep, son."
"I'm okay," Hiccup said gently. "I have a question-and I want an honest answer-"
"Oh, boy," Mr. Vast sighed, and he went to his feet.
"The lip stick mark-"
"Let's not discuss that," Mr. Vast said to him, reaching behind his son and grabbing the blanket that laid on the back of the couch.
"Dad-"
"I said no, Hiccup," Mr. Vast breathed heavily. "I'd rather not talk about it right now."
"How long have you been seeing her?" Hiccup asked. He'd made sure to keep his tone friendly, too friendly honestly. He didn't want any reason to cause his father to think he wasn't being kind.
"Hiccup-"
"Dad, please," Hiccup said. "You don't have to tell me her name or anything-"
Mr. Vast leaned to his son's other side, and straightened the bed pillow that had been sitting on the couch for Hiccup. He motioned for his son to lean back, standing there to assist him if he needed help.
"In due time, Hiccup."
"C'mon-"
Mr. Vast pushed his shoulder down into the pillow, then covered him up with the blanket. Meeting his son's eyes, he sighed, knowing he was defeated.
"Hiccup, I don't know what to tell you about her."
"How long have you been seeing each other?" Hiccup asked him. "How did you meet? What does she do for a living."
Hiccup watched his father's expression on his face change from slightly annoyed to concern. Why?
"Dad?" he asked.
Mr. Vast reached a hand up to Hiccup's forehead. He sighed. "You don't have a fever-"
"I didn't in the first place-"
"Then why are you asking me these questions. Surely, you have to be delusional to want to know the answers to your old man's dating life."
Hiccup sighed, finally admitting defeat with his father. "You won't tell me anything."
"You are right, son," Mr. Vast said. "When the time comes-if it does, I will tell you everything you need to know about her. But, now is not the time."
"Can I ask you one question?" Hiccup asked him. "Just one."
Mr. Vast sighed. "I can't promise I can answer it, but if I can, will you promise me you'll try to take a nap?"
Hiccup nodded to him.
"Okay," he sighed again. After a moment, he asked, "What is your question?"
"Does she know what happened last night?"
Watching his father's expression soften again, he waited for a response. A moment later, his father nodded. "That, she does. And, she's expressed concern-not just for myself, Hiccup-but you as well."
His father's answer surprised him. The Girlfriend was worried about them both. This was unexpected, considering The Girlfriend had kept his father out, distracting his father from coming after him after his class the day before.
"I see your mind wondering again," Mr. Vast said to him. "And no, she wasn't who I was with when I needed to be there for you yesterday. I was in a work meeting. I met up with her a few hours after work ended for dinner."
"Long dinner, then," Hiccup said to him. "With all do respect-"
Mr. Vast nodded. "Of course. And, it was. Then, we went for a walk. Lost track of time." Mr. Vast sighed again. He was showing more exhaustion now, or was it guilt? "Now, Hiccup, sleep." Ruffling his son's hair, he left Hiccup on the couch.
Swallowing, Hiccup settled more into the couch. He could feel his eyes fluttering more than they had all night since he had awoken. Within moments, he was sound asleep, and he had not dreamed at all.
...
I know this chapter is shorter than most I write, but I thought it best to leave this one be the way it was.