Another two weeks went by, and Hiccup was disappointed when he never heard Jack speak again. Not wanting to offend the boy, he didn't bring it up, or question Jack's reasoning for silence. (The last thing he wanted was another reason to appologise to the boy.) Thankfully however, with Jack's help Hiccup had begun to pick up sign language at a much quicker rate, allowing the two a new way to communicate. Although he was far from able to keep up with Jack's quick fingers, a simple conversation was easy enough.
'What-is-your-name-?' Jack asked, his hands stringing together the question slowly, a hopeful smile on his face. Hiccup crinkled his nose, his own hands trembling ever so slightly as he took the time to remember his alphabet.
'My-name-is-H-I-C-C-U-P... H-A-D-D-O-C-K' Jack grinned, nodding and clapping his finger tips together in quiet applause and approval. They were sitting across from each other, each taking up half of the window seat. Jack leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees on his crossed legs, his shoes once more cast aside and laying on the floor next to them.
During this time, Jack had told Hiccup bits and peices of his life, explaining the dynamics of his speech therapy, and what it was like being unable to hear.
It wasn't so bad, Jack assured him. He had been born deaf, and while it was an inconvenience, Jack had long since adjusted and could live his life just as easily as any one who could hear would. Or, that's what he told him. He attended Mary Joyce's school for the deaf and hearing impared, so education wasn't a problem for Jack, the curriculum set for those with disabilities like his own. What was a problem however, was his short attention span that made it difficult for the teen to focus on his studies. This much Hiccup had gathered on his own after hearing one too many tales of the hijinks that Jack had managed to get himself into. Quite frankly, Hiccup felt a little bad for the teachers who had to put up with the obnoxious and mischeivious teen.
Hiccup too dwelled on his life when asked, but not in such detail. Compared to Jack, Hiccup felt he was rather dull. He lived in routine. school, library, cello then home where he would spend the rest of his night on homework or one of his 'inventions.' Although, Hiccup made it a point to leave out the part about his obscure hobbies. Enough people found his tinkerings odd, and the last thing he wanted was for his new friend to think the same, or have a reason to poke fun at him like anyone else he had dared to tell.
Some time passed, and Jack took a look out the window with his hands still poised, half way through forming another message. He smiled when he saw that the rain had let up, allowing the sun to peek through the clouds and shine through the dirty window they sat by. The teen then turned to Hiccup, his eyes alight with a childish mirth as he signed a simple sentence. "Do-you-want-to-go-out?"
It took Hiccup a few seconds longer than it should have to deciver Jack's hand motions, but soon enough it clicked, and he glanced out the window himself with uncertainty. They hadn't really left the library together.. In fact, he had always arrived after Jack did, and left before. Did Jack ever leave? Hiccup wondered.
The boy hadn't noticed Jack's annoyed pout until he leaned forward, snapping his fingers twice nearly an inch from Hiccup's face. The brunette flinched, then gave the other a lopsided and appologetic grin. 'O-K' He signed, then paused before continuing again. 'Where-do-you-go?'
Jack shrugged and hopped down from his seat. He didn't mention Hiccup's sloppy sentance, but made a mental note to spend a little bit more time on grammer in the future. He had a few ideas on where they could go, but right now all he could think of is now nice the outside air must be. Hiccup watched as Jack pulled on his sneakers, and couldn't help but crinkle his nose at how down right filthy the shoes were. He himself wasn't a stickler for such things, but he was pretty sure that beneath all the dingy stains, those shoes were white at one point. At least now he knew that Jack did have a life out side of the library.
Hiccup managed to wipe the look of disgust from his face just in time to avoid Jack's eager eyes. The white haired boy stood and slung his back pack over his shoulder, a small smirk playing on his lips as he held out his hand to Hiccup. He jerked his head in the direction of the exit, silently asking the question that perched on the tip of his tongue. Hiccup glanced at the out stretched hand, but quickly busied himself with retreiving his own bag. "One minute." He mouthed slowly, once more drawing out each sylable carefully for Jack's sake. The boy in question huffed and rolled his eyes impatiently, his hand fisting into the pocket of his hoodie, now tired of being ignored. When Hiccup looked up again, he tried not to snicker at the childish pout that settled on Jack's face.
'Not-that-long.' Hiccup argued, keeping the sentence short for his own sanity's sake. Sign language was a lot more difficult than he initially thought, and couldn't help but wonder how Jack managed to keep track of so many hand movements. The other boy huffed, throwing his shoulders back in an exaggerated, and unnessecary show of dramatics. Hiccup ignored this and tossed his own back back over his own shoulders, letting out a tiny grunt as his back hunched forward to balance the weight. He grinned over at Jack, who returned the look with an arched eyebrow and puzzled expression of his own.
The two shared an awkward silence before Hiccup cleared his throat and broke eye contact, oblivious to the reasoning behind Jack's stares.
"What?" Hiccup mouthed, shrugging his shoulders a tad. Jack just shook his head and waved his hand dismissively, choosing save his inquiries on the heavy load for later. Once again, the pale haired boy pointed towards the exit, with more determination this time.
'Time-is-wasting' Jack insisted. This caused Hiccup to sigh, but comply none the less.
'We-have-one-hour.' He argued as they quickly shambled across the worn and tarnished maroon carpet. Jack walked with long strides, quickly passing Hiccup without even trying.
"Hey, wai-" Hiccup stopped himself mid-sentance, realising that calling out to Jack would have been pointless. He adjusted the heavy weight on his back and sighed, adjusting his pace to match Jack's. "Stupid.." His hand reached out gripping onto Jack's sleave, successfully stopping the other in his tracks. Jack looked down at Hiccup and gave an awkward chuckle.
'I'm-sorry' He appologized with a shrug of his shoulders. Hiccup sighed, and gave the other a light repremanding smack on his arm for leaving him behind.

Hiccup walked with an almost waddling gait. It wasn't particularly noticeable, his steps simply seeming to weigh more heavily on his right side. Jack didnt bring it up, but slowed his pace to make it easier for the other boy to keep up. For some on with such apparent hip pain, jack did silently wonder why Hiccup insisted on carrying such a heavy load in his backpack, and even pondered if perhaps it was that weight itself that caused the awkward walk. Then again, hiccup had mentioned that he had never been particularly graceful in his ways, so it also could have very well been a bump caused by a fall that made walking so uncomfortable. Whatever he reason, jack made sure to keep an extra close eye on the boy should he tire or trip. Thankfully they didn't have far to go, so the former was less of a worry.
As jack pushed open the heavy swinging doors of the library, Hiccup braced himself for the sudden assault of noise from the traffic outside. He winced as an ambulance roared by, it's siren shrieking and for a moment, he almost envied Jack for his inability to hear. Jack continued to walk, unfased as he walked down the ancient cement steps. Hiccup stumbled as he trotted after Jack, his hand shooting out to grip the railing and steady himself. He felt his cheeks burn, and was grateful that Jack hadn't noticed his pathetic flailing.
"you know, it's times like this I'm kinda glad you're deaf.." Hiccup admitted to Jack's retreating figure. "you didn't hear that stupid sound I made." he followed at Jack's heels, hopping down the last three steps and releasing the railing. Jack turned and flashed Hiccup a smile as the boy once more returned to his side.
Hiccup didn't want to admit it, but there was something about that smile that made his heart melt. He returned the smile, even daring to show a bit of tooth a grin pulled at his lips.
Then, Jack laughed and Hiccup's smile faded.
By the time Hiccup had lost his last baby tooth, he had decided he hated the teeth that seemed too large for his small mouth and poked at his thin lips. Now Jack was laughing at him, and an uncomfortable wave of uncertainty washed over him, and made him tighten his grip on the straps of his back pack. Hiccup's guard left him unprepared however for Jack's next choice of words.
The taller boy turned on his heel and walked backwards as his hands strung together a series of signs, the words small and easy enough for Hiccup to slowly deceiver.
"smile-like-that-again." Hiccup's forehead creased at the request, his eyes warily watching behind Jack for any possible obsicals. Reading Hiccup's expression, Jack pressed on. "I-like-it. You-remind-me-of-little-mouse."
Hiccup mouthed the words unconsciously as he read, pausing to struggle with the word 'mouse.' His eyes locked with Jack's as he rose his own hands to reply.
'I-remind-you-what?' he asked, not even sure if he wanted to know the comparison.
'a-mouse.' Jack repeated with an eager grin. When Hiccup's expression remained confused, jack puffed out his cheeks and sighed through his nose. He reached into the pocket of his olive green hoodie, and produced a well used plastic pen. The end of the pen looked as if it was left in the hands of a hungry rabbit it was so riddled with tooth marks, and the words 'slumber lodge hotel' had been almost completely rubbed off. Jack boldly reached out and took Hiccup's hand, holding it still as he wrote on the boy's exposed wrist.
The touch sent a jolt of electricity up Hiccup's arm and down his spine and back again, making his lips twitch upwards just slightly. He focused on the words that were being etched on his skin, and not on the cool, nimble fingers that held him in place. How was his skin so cold? Hiccup wondered.
'you remind me of a cute little mouse. C;' jack wrote, as usual adding a little smiley face at the end. Hiccup wasn't sure how to react to this, as normally being compared to a rodent would have sent him into a tizzy. However, jack made it sound like a compliment. He tried to take the pen from Jack, only to have the other whisk it away and tuck it securely behind his own ear. 'sign-to-me.' he instructed with a mischievous wink. Hiccup rolled his eyes, the fluttery feeling leaving his stomach at the other's antics.
'I-don't-know-feeling-about-being-called-a.." he paused, trying to remember the word. When it didn't come to mind, he settled for finger spelling. "a-M-O-U-S-E" he frowned, but the look held no effect on Jack, who waved him off.
'not-even-if-you-were-a-very-cute-one?' Hiccup shook his head with certainty at the question.
Jack snickered and reached to playfully pinch Hiccup's heavily freckled cheek.
"H-hey!" the boy squawked, batting the pale hand away and pouting childishly.
'I-happen-to-like-mice. So-accept-that-some-people-have-different-opinions .'
"fine." Hiccup muttered. "then accept being called a mouse isn't a compliment in my books."
It was now Jack's turn to be confused, as his strength didn't lay in lip reading. 'Say-that-again? I-don't-understand." He asked, his dark brows knitting together while his eyes flicked from Hiccup's loosely clenched fists, to his unamused expression. An all too familiar worry sat like a rock in Jack's stomach, as his imagination ran wild, thinking up all the hurtful things Hiccup could have said. 'People-don't-just-speak-in-front-of-me-unless-its -about-me. What-did-you-say?'
The other boy sighed and ran his fingers through his wind tousled hair and processed Jack's message. Hiccup was about to raise his hands to ask for Jack to repeat himself, when the sounds of yet another siren met his ears. Hiccup flinched, and couldn't help but wonder who the clutz was that kept hurting themselves, and needed two ambulances. As the sirens grew louder, the other vehicles pulled off to the side of the road to allow the ambulance to pass.
Hiccup then realized a second too late where they were walking. While they were talking, the two had walked the length of the side walk and came to a curb, and with Jack's back turned, the deaf boy had neither seen the street, nor heard the wail of the approaching vehicle.
"Jack, stop walking!" Hiccup called out, forgetting in his panic how useless the action had been. The other boy frowned, frustration becoming clear on his features. However, the look of frustration quickly morphed into one of panic as one last step sent him tumbling backwards into the street.