Tuff Love

by Slithersong

Astrid is beginning to reconsider her feelings for Hiccup after their most recent fight. Who could have guessed that going to get time to cool down would lead her into the arms of someone who's had a lot of time to think things over. Did Tuffnut actually grow up, or is this no more than an extremely elaborate Loki prank? [Set a few years after the second movie.] TuffnutXAstrid

14. Chapter 14 - Hiccup

-Hiccup-

Hiccup awoke in a cold sweat from yet another tormenting nightmare. He knew the stress was getting to him, but he didn't know what to do about it. More than anything he wanted to explain everything to Astrid, but the rules forbade him from doing so. For over two years he had succumb to the pressure of those rules mixed with his own… what could he call it… cowardice?

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III was no coward of course. But this situation was about more than being brave or not. It was easy to dodge Astrid's questions and prying, just like he used to dodge his father when he was still obsessed with Hiccup becoming a ferocious dragon killing viking. Sidestep the conversation, and move on.

He knew this wasn't fair to Astrid, she deserved answers. But those answers could, and probably would, drive her away. He could lose his best friend by telling her the truth. She would be right to never forgive him.

Hiccup wished he had paid more attention when his father was teaching him how to be Chief. He wished he had accepted his fathers offer to go to Chief meetings on the other islands. He wished there was someone else on the island who could do this instead of himself. But he knew there was no one to take his place. The village had declared him Chief, and there was no one more qualified.

Yet, even as he dreaded his predicament he couldn't bring himself to hate it. He loved Astrid, but these Chief rules he hadn't paid attention to when he had the chance were going to take her from him. Or rather, they were going to take her from him.

He had even tried to be a poor enough mate for her to want to leave him first. That would be easier. But she was far to stubborn. So he was left in this sickening dilemma. One he couldn't quite bring himself to loath the way he wanted to.

The truth was, there was a secret Stoick had been keeping from him. A secret he was required to keep. A secret that he, and his entire village, could be banished for telling. A secret that he thought he would not have to share until it didn't matter anymore. That secret was Rule 187.8 part c in the Chieftains Code. An enormous Chief agreement that Hiccup had signed without reading (no one actually reads that stuff). Hiccup would rue the day he signed that agreement.

Still, the most painful part of it all was that he could not tell the person it affected the most.