A/N: Sorry, this ended pretty dark and possibly OOC.
How To Train Your Dragon remains the property of Cressida Cowell and Dreamworks.
Eleven.
The next morning was even stranger for he woke at dawn, blinking and rolling over in his bed, giving a huge stretch and yawn and then frowning. It hadn't hurt. It hadn't hurt! He sat up in a shot and dragged his grubby tunic up, staring down at his front and probing his pale skin with cool fingers. He frowned.
There should be a huge crop of dark purple bruises, blooming under his exploring fingers but the freckled skin was clean and unmarked. He tenderly slid his hand over the cracked ribs and, steeling himself, he took a deep breath. Nothing happened: it was normal and pain-free. His eyes widened so he dragged the tunic off and went to find a bucket of water. He turned round and stood so he could inspect his back in the reflection. And then he back-pedalled so hard he tripped over his bed and landed hard on his backside. He winced at the hot sting of an impact on his sore rear. He frowned. The reflection had shown his back was healed, the welts faded to the faintest of residual bruises. He took a shuddering breath.
But why was his rear still sore if he had healed so quickly? And then he realised. "Toothless!" he breathed. The dragon had licked his front and back-even growling at him when he tried to prevent the action-but he hadn't licked Hiccup's rear. Admittedly, allowing the dragon to lick his butt would have gone way past the borders of weird and kinky but where Toothless had licked him, his wounds had healed. Either he was magical-which Hiccup didn't believe (no offence, Odin, he added superstitiously)-or the dragon's saliva had some rather amazing healing powers.
He raced down the stairs, grabbed dried meat and bread for breakfast and a couple of fish for Toothless and snatched up his new flight vest and then ran-yes, ran!-to the cove. Toothless was waiting, having heard his eager steps and the dragon gave a happy croon as he appeared. The boy ran down to his dragon and threw a strong embrace round the blunt muzzle.
"Toothless!" he said in a choked voice. "You are amazing! You healed me, didn't you, bud?" The dragon could feel the wetness on his face and realised the boy was crying again. But he had healed the little Viking, hadn't he? Or had he missed another painful injury that was causing his friend distress? Hiccup heard the quizzical sound and lifted his face, cuffing the tears off his face.
"It's okay, bud-I'm happy!" he assured the dragon urgently. "I'm…happy!" And he grinned, prompting the dragon to mirror the action with his own, gummy grin. Hiccup hugged him again. "I'm happy!" he whispered.
They flew for longer this morning with Hiccup noting the limitations of a manually held rope to control the tail. He only had one hand free to control the tail and it was very approximate and inaccurate: not to mention with only one hand on the saddle, any change in direction basically jerked him free. He needed a better way-and the arrangement was really clumsy. But if he could run the cable along the tail and the dragon's flank…maybe over a gearing arrangement, he could deploy the tail with his foot and then he could hold on with two hands and it would all…work…
Hiccup stared down onto the cove as they gently banked and landed. The boy threw his dragon the fish as he began to unstrap his flight vest and snared his journal from the fur vest, urgently sketching his initial concepts and beginning to plan how he would construct this unique device. A tiny part of him longed to ask Gobber for his help but the rest of him-the sane part…saner, he amended-reminded him Gobber hated dragons and was in charge of dragon training class. No matter what his friend had asked him, this was something he could never share.
He gave the dragon a grateful scratch, his dexterous fingers digging into the soft scales as he scratched and the dragon gave blissful croons. Then suddenly, he hit a spot under the jawbone and and the dragon's eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed, boneless. He was rumbling in ecstasy. Hiccup stared at his hands in astonishment. Now this was one he had to try!
The dragon of the day was the speedy Deadly Nadder and both he and Astrid were the only two left when the lesson drew to its climax. She had driven it back when it came for him. And while he wasn't bothered about winning, he would see her charging the dragon with her axe and he guessed she would harm it badly if she hit. She looked really mad. As he reached forward, his hands scratching urgently at the dragon's scaly cheek-her scales were much harsher than Toothless's-and then he snaked his hand under the jaw and hit the spot. She gave a soft little sigh and collapsed, boneless. Defeated!
And over the blissful, boneless body of the Nadder, he faced an enraged Astrid. She screamed at him in rage and he read it again: contempt, anger, hatred. There was no respect, compassion or even congratulation. These were the eyes of an enemy and he felt a cold chill run down his spine. Somehow, his success had turned the girl of his dreams into a deadly foe.
Astrid had stormed out by the time Gobber handed out his verdicts, his award of top marks to Hiccup a formality. The boy blushed, unable to cope with compliments. He still felt guilty because he hadn't learned to fight dragons, as his father had demanded. All he had done was use tricks and subterfuge to incapacitate the beasts without harming them. He really didn't deserve the plaudits.
He went to the forge to do his service for Gobber and repay the blacksmith for the materials he was still stealing. He had visualised and drawn blueprints for the tail gearing mechanism and was now starting to build components. It was going to take a while because he had set himself his most complex challenge. But the practice he had gained in building his various dragon-fighting contraptions had trained him to solve mechanical problems, to see answers in his mind and calculate the solutions to problems he had never dreamed even existed. And he was careful, because he knew if he fell, he would die. And so would Toothless.
He took a break around dusk and pulled his vest on with some trepidation before walking up to the Hoffersons' house. With his heart in his mouth, he knocked on the door. And then he waited. Finally, the door opened and Olaf Hofferson stared down on him, his eyes surprised. Hiccup gave a shy smile.
"Erm, is Astrid in?" he asked softly. Hofferson looked down on him and frowned. He looked uncomfortable.
"Yes-but I don't think she wants to see you, son," he told the boy gently. "She's very angry about Dragon Training." He sagged.
"I know, sir," he said sorrowfully. "I-I never meant to upset her, sir-but I have to defend myself. She is far and away the best of us. I am just...lucky." Hofferson frowned at him.
"You look as if you know what you're doing, son," he commented, having watched the morning's lesson. Hiccup pressed his hands to his face and groaned.
"I want Astrid to win, sir," he admitted. "But when the dragon comes at me, I have to do something! I'm not strong enough to fight them off alone. I have to stop them. But I truly want Astrid to win. I know how much it means to her. Please tell her that. And tell her-I'm sorry. She has been kind to me and I have valued her kindness more than she can know." Hofferson patted him softly on the shoulder, touched by his sincere apology.
"I will, son," he promised. "And...you take care, alright?"
"Thank you, sir," Hiccup said softly as he walked back to the forge.
He completed three axe heads as well before he called it a night, laying the neatly finished metal on the back bench, ready for Gobber to customise them and assign them to suitable owners. Hiccup-made tools were among the best Gobber produced, though not a single villager-except Astrid-knew he was possessed of that level of skill. Then he glanced up: he had seen Astrid talking with Snotlout earlier, something that was unusual since it was no secret that she loathed him. He sighed again: his already remote chances with her seemed to have evaporated completely since he had inadvertently got good at Dragon Training. He wearily took off his leather apron, ensured the fire was properly out and closed up the forge, then headed up the hill to his home. He needed a good long sleep.
It was late and the stars were out with the chill of frost on the air. It was technically still summer but apart from the very odd week, there were often frosty nights. He gave a yawn as the made his tired way up the long flight of steps that finally led to the little grassy lawn in front of the Chief's House. Hiccup stared up, sighed and reached for the door.
A hand grabbed his wrist and he was hauled roughly round the corner into the deeply shadowed space beside the house, hidden from the prying eyes of the village. Hiccup's eyes widened as he was dragged behind the rainwater barrel and felt himself slammed against the wall of the house. There were four shapes in front of him and he felt his throat tighten with fear. He began shaking his head.
"No…please…" he whispered. Snotlout cocked his fist.
"Astrid reckons you're cheating!" he announced coldly, his eyes gleaming at the chance to beat his cousin again. It hadn't seemed fair when the boy was winning but if it was all a trick, then he needed punishing, didn't he? Hiccup squeaked in fear.
"N-no," he whimpered. Technically, he hadn't. The lessons asked for the dragons to be defeated, not killed. Otherwise, the Berkians would have to catch a lot of dragons for each class.
"No one gets as good as you without cheating!" Astrid said, coming close to the pinioned Hiccup. The boy felt his breath freeze in his throat. Astrid had never participated in his beatings-until now, when he had become a nuisance. His heart lurched in despair.
"I'm not cheating!" he gasped, trying to pull his arms free but Ruff and Tuff were too strong and experienced at holding him still for beatings. "Please, I hoped you'd be happy I wasn't screwing it up!"
"You are for me!" Astrid snapped. "I have trained all my life to be the best at dragon training. How can I do that if you are cheating your way to top marks!"
"And we all know Gobber won't call you for cheating-so we have to!" Snotlout hissed. "And whatever my Princess wants, she gets!" Hiccup's panicked green gaze swung wildly from Snotlout to Astrid and saw something ruthless in her face. He took a shaky breath.
"You're…you're…?" he gasped, recalling her words to his cousin all those days ago when Snotlout had threatened him so personally. When she had wheedled all that information out of him that he would never want Snotlout to know. He felt the betrayal like a knife in his heart. "Odin, no…"
Her fist was the first to slam into his face, cracking his head against the wall behind while he felt his lip split. She hit really hard-though he would expect nothing less. Then Snotlout joined in, his meaty fists pounding into the scrawny body-face, chest, gut, face again… Hiccup gave a desperate cry, knowing no one would help him. Astrid hit him again and he sagged, his vision already spinning. He stared up at her with pleading green eyes, begging her for clemency, for a tiny flash of the compassion she had given him only a week or so earlier. But there was nothing there but anger and he closed his eyes because he didn't want to see the hatred in the clear blue eyes he had fantasised about. It was as if his best dream had turned into his worst nightmare.
He didn't recall when they stopped holding him, just when he curled up against the wall and tried to shield himself from the kicks. Each thudded through his pain-wracked body and he gave a final weary groan before he coughed blood and slumped, unconscious. In the end, it was Ruff who hauled them away, staring down at the little bloody shape, reminding them that he was the Chief's son and killing him would almost certainly lead to banishment for all of them. Snotlout gave one last vicious kick into the boy's back and then wheeled away, his arm draped over Astrid's shoulders.
"C'mon, babe-let me show you my new basement flat!" he said as he steered her down the hill. She forced herself not to shake him off, her disgust at him only dwarfed by her disgust at herself. She had promised her father that she would be a friend to Hiccup but her anger and her jealousy had led her to this. She had seen the desperate plea and the terrible hurt at her betrayal in Hiccup's glorious green eyes and she felt shame curl in her gut. How could she have honour if she treated a helpless boy like this? But her family were relying on her: winning Dragon Training would gain her honour, reputation and a high bride-price as an accomplished Shield Maiden. And her family needed her to succeed. So she allowed herself to be steered away, leaving the little bloody shape curled in the dirt.
Hiccup's eyes opened, unfocussed, as they started down the steps and he stifled the pitiful moan that slid over his bloodied lips. He couldn't recall one that bad since… And he felt tears slide down his face. Since his Dad had been injured and Spitelout and Snotlout had almost beaten him to death. But this time, it was Astrid, leading the assault. Astrid breaking him. Astrid spitting on his dreams.
He almost wanted just to lie there and succumb to hypothermia or bloodloss, but there was one person who relied on him, who needed him. Toothless. The dragon couldn't fly or feed himself without the boy. If Hiccup died, the dragon would starve and die-or be caught and slaughtered. So he lay on the cold ground, his breath coalescing around him in pained little clouds, before he agonisingly got to all fours and began to crawl to the door. It took him ten minutes, fighting for breath and sobbing his pain before he got into the house. The fire was all but out and Hiccup painfully managed to grab a couple of logs and toss them onto the fire before his strength gave out and he collapsed on the floor by the fire, senseless.
A/N: There will be fall-out. Sorry if Astrid seems OOC but pathological jealousy can make people behave very strangely.