Okay, before you read, I want you to know that this is an extra chapter, this is just thrown in here to take it off canon, and I thought it would fit into the story to better explain Hiccup's attitude in the later chapters.
If you think this could have waited well then wait until I update the chapter you think it was appropriate for me to update it (this chapter) come back and then read it.
If that's confusing than oh well, my Microsoft word says it makes sense so nerf!
For your information this takes place the very next morning after Astrid build's Toothless a tail and scared the Hideous Zippleback back into it's cage. At the moment she and the other teens are getting breakfast.
LISTEN TO THIS SONG WHILE LISTENING! http:/ youtube .com/ watch?v=GSmhfGrHdS0
If that doesn't work type in "The Cheetah Girls- I won't say (I'm in love)
Don't like it? Don't read it, just skip this and wait for the next chapter.
Chapter 9
"Come on Hiccup admit it! You like her, don't you?" Tuffnut asked the teen prodigy one day as they ate breakfast.
The Viking in question choked on the cup of mead he had been drinking and hacked the liquid out of his throat and back into his cup.
Ruffnut grimaced before knocking the cup onto the floor. Hiccup slapped a hand to his face at his friend's stupidity. "Ruffnut." He said slowly, "You do realize that knocking the cup off the table just makes a bigger mess right?"
The female twin paled and then quickly scooted away, eyeing the sword always attached to Hiccup's waist. Hiccup sighed before turning away from his friend. At that moment the large door to the Meade Hall was thrown open and Astrid came tumbling inside. Immediately the twins snapped their heads around to look at Hiccup's reaction and they smirked.
His emerald green eyes were completely focused on the blonde klutz in front of them. His expression wasn't one of total obsession, lust, or anything of the sort, rather his eyes held a small gleam.
It was a spark, a spark of interest. Tuff elbowed Snotlout in the rib cage and the other teen grabbed his side in pain, "ow! What are you?"
He was cut off as Tuff pointed at Hiccup, whose eyes were following Astrid as she got her food and sat down at a table far away.
Confused as his cousin's actions Snotlout elbowed Hiccup in the rib cage. The prodigy gave a short yelp of pain before punching his cousin hard on the arm.
"That's for hitting me!" He wound up again and socked him in the face, "and that's, for everything else."
(Normal HTTYD universe)
Astrid stopped her dragon in mid flight, causing Hiccup and Toothless to nearly crash into her.
"What's wrong?" He asked, confused.
"I sense a disturbance in the force…" She said rubbing her arm.
Hiccup laughed loudly before yelling down to the village below, "Ha! I WIN THE BET SNOTLOUT!"
Snotlout rubbed his sore jaw and stared at his cousin in shock, "dude what the Hel?"
Hiccup snorted before sharply turning around to glare at the wall. The twins and Fishleggs snickered quietly to themselves, praying to the gods that Hiccup wouldn't hear them, but alas, he did.
"What are you laughing at?" He asked, venom practically oozing from his voice.
The three teenagers shut their mouths and whistled innocently.
Hiccup growled to himself before turning around once again. What was wrong with him? He was so wound up!
'Was it because Astrid bested the Zippleback and I didn't?' He quickly pushed the thought out of his mind.
Sure, Hiccup had always been jumpy around Astrid, mainly because everything she touched would break, but he had always liked her company. Sure she was crazy, clumsy, and down right terrible at being a Viking, but she was quick witted, and Hiccup admired that. In addition to that she was crazy enough to make a day interesting, but sane enough to not go completely overboard, not to mention the one Viking trait she had acquired.
Stubbornness.
Hiccup was well aware that Astrid could put up a verbal fight with a bull and win. In fact the only person in the village who could out match her stubborn qualities was Hiccup, which is why he was easily able to get her to join Dragon Training. In all honesty his father only mentioned that he would like Astrid to take Dragon Training, but Stoic brushed it off.
The teenager, however, saw this as an opportunity for the poor girl, and raced out the minute she walked by his house. He gave her a shield and invited her to dragon training, saying it would be good for her to learn how not to get killed. He had told her that Stoic ordered her too, but that was a lie, Astrid could have stayed out of Dragon Training, but Hiccup said otherwise.
While he thought about that the cruel words he had said to Astrid floated back into his mind.
"What is wrong with you? Not only did you nearly get yourself killed again, but also managed to destroy my mother's axe! Astrid that was the last thing, probably the only thing she gave me! That weapon was special to me! When she was lying there, burned to a crisp, she handed me that axe and said, 'make me proud.' And another thing! You act as if this is some kind of joke! I'm sick and tired of it! Our parent's war is about to become ours. Figure out whose side you're on."
He chewed his lip thoughtfully as he remembered what he had yelled at her. He had said it with the intention of making her realize how serious this training was. He knew that whenever their parents went out to fight, they were fighting not only to secure their livestock, but also to protect their children. If they succeeded in training, their parents wouldn't have to worry about them so much. Suddenly it clicked.
Astrid couldn't understand she had no parents fighting to keep her alive. She had no family; she was a lonely soul drifting in a vast ocean called life.
"Hiccup. Hiccup. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third!"
The said teen snapped his head around and glared at the annoying voice that was calling his name. His eyes landed on Tuffnut and he glared harder. If looks could kill, Tuff would have been on the floor, dead as a doornail.
"Oh, you're alive. Sorry, you were like really quiet, where are you going?" He asked when he saw Hiccup stand up.
"Somewhere." He replied before walking away.
Astrid was twirling her food around her plate with her fork, thinking of new way to improve Toothless's tail fin when suddenly she heard someone sit in front of her.
Without even looking up to see who had sat down she sighed, "Hey Gobber. Time for training?"
"No, and I'm not Gobber. I don't sound that heavy sitting down do I?"
Astrid dropped her fork and her head shot up and she fell out of her chair in shock. Hiccup leaned over the table and stared at her in concern, "Are you okay?"
He held out his hand and she took it in hers. "Thanks." She said once she was back in her seat.
The Hofferson girl put her head down in embarrassment. Her face was beet red and her mind raced to figure out what was going on. Hiccup never sat with her, heck half of Berk did all they could to avoid her!
"Astrid? Did I do something wrong? Is this your way of telling me I sat over here for nothing?"
She quickly looked up and shook her head, "no! It's fine! I'm just…" She trailed off.
"Shocked? Confused? Both?" He asked, smirking slightly.
"Why are you sitting here?" She asked suddenly.
"If you don't like my company you can just tell me."
"No it's just. I'm… not one of you guys. I'm different, I'm a toothpick with legs, I'm as klutzy as a dragon with one wing, I'm-"
"Okay I'm going to stop you right there. Yes, you're right, you're different; but hey, lookat me. I'm different."
Astrid stared at him before turning bright red, but she had to admit. Hiccup was on the scrawny side; in fact he was skinnier than Astrid was!
She dropped her head onto the table, "yeah but you can hold your own in a fight. I can't."
"That's why you're in dragon training. To get better." He brushed a strand of hair away from her face, "there's hope for you Astrid."
Then he did something surprising. He smiled. Astrid nearly fainted; she hadn't seen Hiccup smile since they were kids. Hiccup used to always smile, until his mother died right in front of him, after that his smile became so rare that if you ever saw it, you should consider yourself lucky, and Astrid did.
Suddenly the smile faded, and he quickly retracted his hand from her face. Without warning he quickly stood up from his chair, his face cherry red, "I gotta go. See you later Astrid."
With that said he rushed out of the room, and slammed the door behind him.
Astrid brushed her fingers against the spot on her face that he had touched her and smiled shyly.
'There's hope for you Astrid.'
Hiccup angrily swung his sword around, cursing loudly as he did so. Any Vikings that were awake at this hour were wise enough to know that it was best to avoid him.
"What is wrong with me?" He asked, slamming his sword into the ground and leaning on it.
"Well for one you're completely terrorizing the village."
Hiccup looked up to see the other teens walking towards him.
Tuffnut slightly nudge his friend, "come on Hic admit it. You like her." Tuff grabbed Hiccup's face and forced it to turn towards the Meade hall, where Astrid was standing.
Hiccup pushed his friend away in annoyance, "I do not."
"Uh, yeah you do. Why else would you just run over and sit next to her?" Ruffnut asked, poking him in the ribs.
"Because I was giving her advice." He stated simply.
"Denial." Each teen, minus Snotlout, chorused.
"Hiccup come on every time you look at her you get this goofy grin." He then tried to imitate his friend, but failed miserably.
"I do not!" Hiccup shouted, alarming a few passing Vikings.
He ducked his head and blushed bright red. He glared at his friends, picked up his sword and began walking away, but they were persistent, and followed him anyway.
"Come on Hiccup just tell us if you like her!"
Hiccup turned around and glared at them, "I do not love her!"
The twins snickered, "we didn't say anything about l-o-v… something!"
Hiccup flushed bright red and Snotlout stepped forward.
"Hey cuz come on. If you have a crush on the troll-"
"The troll has a name." Hiccup snapped.
Snotlout stepped back, "okay, okay. If you have a crush on Astrid." He said her name as if there were something rotten in his mouth, "just tell us!"
"Oh for the love of Thor! No! I do not like Astrid! I cannot like Astrid! All right? So get off my back! Besides even if I did like her I'd never say anything out loud! My number one goal is to be the best dragon killer in the world, I don't need girlfriends getting in my way!"
He swiped his sword in front of him for emphasis, "now if you even think of asking me a question as stupid as that again, I will be very upset, and you guys remember what happened the last time you got me upset?"
They all shrunk back and nodded quickly, terrified of the tiny Viking.
"Good, now I'm going to go train. I'll see you at Dragon Training." He then quickly sprinted away.
As he made it to the arena he stopped, put a hand over his racing heart, and to it's beat he chanted, 'I don't love Astrid, I don't love Astrid, I don't love Astrid.'
Viking pride. What are ye gonna do?
