The Journey Into Us

Pairing: Hiccup X Toothless
Rating:
M for Mature

Disclaimer:I do not own anything HTTYD-related.

Chapter 64

=Normal POV=
(Saturday, 7/4/2020; 8:30 pm)
(Barbarchi City, Archipelago)
(Beach)

Thankfully, due to the social distancing rules in place for a crowded celebration on the beach for the 4th of July, the group of friends were at their max limit and moved away the next small pod of people who were chatting with others. No one knew there was a small, heated argument between Hunter and Blake except for the friends, and now, it was probably about to get worse because Trayden had joined them. Based on the way Trayden was standing, the look in his eyes, and his choice of words, the man was not thrilled to have returned and found his boyfriend, Hunter, and best friend, Blake, taking verbal shots at one another. The thing that the friends wondered, especially Hunter and Blake, was how much did Trayden hear? Given how Trayden approached, he had to know enough to say that is enough. So now, the group was silent and waiting to see what would happen.

"I don't know where this started. I don't even know how it began. But I do know that after only being able to hear everything for the last six minutes, it's you two arguing. Either about or over me, and that is not okay with me," Trayden finally said after a few moments of silence after he stopped the two males from bickering back and forth. "So you will both stop." He ordered calmly, but there was a stern undertone. "Now, who wants to explain what the hell I came back to?" Trayden asked. Blake and Hunter both took a breath at the same time to start, but Trayden raised one hand up from on top of his arm to stop them. "You two are excluded from the question because you're both going to tell me the same story, but blame the other." He stated. "I want someone who won't take sides, tell me the truth, and keep it short…" He paused. "Fisher…"

The male, Fisher, was on Trayden's left and across from the shoulder. Fisher flinched a bit, tensing, when Trayden said his name. "Y-Yes?"

"You meet the qualities I asked for, so you can tell me what happened," Trayden said.

"It started as a group discussion as to why you're upset and turned into those two going back and forth over who caused it because it was established that they both did something on Wednesday night." Fisher explained.

"Thank you," Trayden said as Fisher nodded to him. "Really, you two? I'm both annoyed and disappointed."

"I'm-," Hunter and Blake started to say.

"No," Trayden stopped them. "No excuses and no apologies. I want you both to be quiet and listen to me now." He said. Blake and Hunter closed their mouths and dropped their arms, having hands at their sides. Both of them looked at Trayden, waiting for him to begin. "To start…The events of Wednesday night, while I will not name anything specific as I don't know how much has been mentioned already, should have stayed between those who were involved. Especially when those situations have been left unresolved and had things been kept private until worked out, this argument you two had over all that, would not have happened." Trayden stated. He took a breath. "Secondly, my mood this evening was nothing to do with either of you. It was because my parents assumed I had received their messages about this party when I haven't gotten anything from them since Thursday, and then rushed me along to get here." He gave that a moment to sink in.

"Yes, I do have a lot on my mind and I wanted to use tonight to figure it out, but I was urged to get here and this is not the place to do it at. I removed myself from the crowd to get my head together and return to the event with the mental reminder that this is not the time or place to resolve things. I needed all that stuff pushed back, so I can focus on the performances and talking to people who apparently know me but I don't remember them because I really don't care who knew me when I was the height of their knee or whatever," Trayden explained. "Blake, I was not trying to be an asshole earlier. I know why you came over to see me, and I appreciate that you did…But this isn't the place for that. And my goal had been to put it out of my mind, just for tonight, to keep everyone off my back about asking I was okay or not. That is why I said I didn't want to talk about it, and asked to be left alone. It was to get my mind away from that topic for this evening."

Trayden took a breath. "It was not because I am mad at you for what happened on Wednesday. Don't get it twisted, I was angry as hell with you that night…But later on, after I calmed down; I forgave it before I went to sleep, and let it go the next morning. You'd have known that if you hadn't left me on read the past two days," He shrugged. "I wasn't telling you come over because we need to talk and will you answer me before I show up at your place and kick your door down to yell at you over what happened," He remarked, then his gaze shifted to Hunter, causing the male to tense a little. "And you…" Trayden paused. "I already told you earlier that I wasn't upset with you about Wednesday night. I understood why you did what you did, and I also appreciate that you felt you had to apologize, even though you didn't because you hadn't done anything wrong."

Now, Both Hunter and Blake looked at each other apologetically, and then down with guilt. Everything would have been fine and solved another time beyond tonight if they had kept their mouths shut and hadn't made things a big deal where they essentially got into a verbal fight over which of them screwed up more. "There was zero reason for you two to argue tonight, and the fact it was over all this? Over me? I'm more annoyed than I was before. Also, disappointed, upset, and hurt." Trayden told them firmly, keeping his hard stare. "With everything I heard, this didn't sound like a back and forth shift the blame argument. This seemed way deeper, like a contest for either who knows me better or has a higher rank in my life, so now, I'm going to tell you both what I think about what I heard,"

"That's not what we-," Blake tried to step towards Trayden.

"I didn't tell you to move or speak. I said it was my turn to talk," He demanded. Taking a breath, Trayden looked at them both. "I don't care what you were or weren't trying to do. What you did was get into a heated argument regarding me. The reason doesn't matter, the fact is that you two verbally fought and that isn't okay. So I'm going to clear everything up right now and maybe get to try and enjoy the night." Hunter and Blake nodded to him silently.

"First off, Blake…" Trayden looked at him. "You were in the wrong in this argument with Hunter." That remark shocked the whole group, and Blake's eyes widened some. "Having a key to my apartment is a reward of my trust in you, and yes, I gave you an open invite to let yourself in. I suppose its partly my fault for not explaining the context behind that allowance, but at the same time…I didn't think I would ever have to worry about you, of all people, taking the invitation literally as come over any time and let yourself in," Trayden stated.

"What you did was assume that because I was home and bored senseless that morning, and stayed that way all day, even though you had no clue because we stopped messaging around 9 am after I told you I was going to shower, then make breakfast, and I'd hit you up later." Trayden said. "I had also messaged Hunter, who told me he was bored, and let him know I was free and he could come over if he wanted to before I put the phone down to go shower and cook something. I never checked my phone for responses, I was going to after I started eating, but I ended up getting a knock on the door and it was Hunter." Trayden explained to Blake.

Giving himself a moment to breathe, Trayden stayed focused. "Like Hunter said, when we last talked that day, you knew I had nothing going on…But the plans changed, and hours later at 7-ish, you should have checked if I was free or not. A text or a call would have been fine and also-,"

"But you and Hunter were screwing on the couch, so…I doubt you-," Elijah started.

"I doubt you're going to continue having comebacks and inserting yourself in matters that don't concern you when I haul your beaten ass up that cliffside over there to the right, then toss you off it without remorse and see if you can paddle yourself to safety before the waves crash you into the rocks, knock you out, and you drown…" Trayden only slightly turned his head in Eli's direction with a look in his eyes that otherwise suggested he would hurt him. Elijah gulped nervously. "Now, do you have anything else to say?" He asked.

"N-No, sir. I'm s-sorry, s-sir," Elijah got out.

"Good, then shut it before I shut it for you," Trayden warned. "What I was going to add, before I was interrupted, was that if you didn't receive a response from me but knew my car was outside my apartment building…You could have always come over anyway, and knocked on the door. To make sure I was actually at home first, because I would have answered to find out who was there, and then when you told me it was you and let me know you had something to tell me; I'd have said gimme a second, then let you know when it was clear to come in." He informed as his eyes moved back to looking at Blake.

Blake glanced down a little. "I know it was an accident, Blake, that's why I forgave you and let it go. But the other thing Hunter was right about is the fact you did end up hurting me by ignoring my attempts to reach you for two days…And then tonight where you downplayed the whole thing like it was nothing," Trayden remarked. "Not the showing up thing, but that you avoided me and acted like that wasn't a big deal. That's what hurt." Trayden stated.

Sighing a little, Trayden wouldn't ask the question he wanted to. At least, not right now he wouldn't. Trayden wanted to know why Blake didn't reply to him in messages or calls the last two days. Perhaps it was a conversation for later on, or another time, but Trayden had a feeling that his theory was right. Hunter wasn't purposely trying to compete with Blake, but Blake could be taking everything Hunter said to him before as Hunter trying to take his place in Trayden's life. "Look," Trayden finally said as Blake brought his head up to see him. "Like I said, I already let that whole ordeal on Wednesday go…" He paused. "But what happened tonight, with you two arguing…That hasn't been resolved, and unfortunately, Blake…I know you pretty well…You get very defensive when backed into a corner, and you're protective of me." There was a pause.

"But I didn't get backed in a corner, or protective of you…" Blake mentioned.

"Yes, you did. And do you know how I know that happened tonight without having to be here for the entire fight?" Trayden questioned softly. Blake looked at him, shaking his head no. "Because I saw it in your stance before I walked into sight," Blake tensed slightly. "And I heard it in your tone of voice. All I needed to hear was your first sentence to Hunter," Blake turned his head a little. "You're just his boyfriend, I'm his best friend?" Trayden pushed. Now, the others were curious. Even Hunter. What did Trayden see going on that they didn't? "That's your infamous line when you're getting jealous and over-protective of me with someone I'm dating,"

"Is not," Blake defended instantly.

"And there's the defense because you've been backed into a corner and called out," Trayden countered sarcastically. Blake tried to glare at him. Trayden giggled a little. "Come on…You think I don't know you?" Trayden asked. "Blake, you've said that blasted line with literally every girlfriend I've ever had…Going ALL the way back to eighth friggin' grade. I won't say every boyfriend because Hunter is the first guy I've ever been with…But regardless, big brother, this isn't the first time you've picked fights with the person I'm dating. And come to think of it…Hunter is the only one I've ever seen you get protective over me about when we weren't dating. You tried to intimidate him at mom's birthday party too." Blake crossed his arms and huffed. "Yeah, see…There it is. Caught," He almost grinned.

"Hey, don't give me shit over it. Someone had to keep those bitches in line and watch your back." Blake retorted.

"They weren't all bitches, Blake…" Trayden sighed.

"Most of them were and constantly trying to compete with me to be have all your attention," Blake scoffed as Trayden stared at him now. "I wasn't the one who started those fights, they did over how close we are. Most of them, exception of maybe three, were trying take you away from me and only for the sake of calling themselves your number one." He continued as Trayden's eyes widened a little. "Or using you to make someone else jealous. I think one of them only wanted you to get closer to me," He mentioned, then sighed. "To me…It always looked like you would end up hurt. So every time they'd compete with me, I'd remind them that I'm your best friend, and they're just girlfriends. That you wouldn't throw our friendship away by choosing them over me. And it just always happened to work out when you were right there to hear it…"

"You were protecting Tray," Hailey said gently. "Even though it looked like you were purposely starting fights that he saw, you were just standing your ground as his friend to keep him from getting hurt. They were the ones challenging you for main position in Tray's life, and the way you defended yourself made them end up leaving Trayden. He'd see the argument, and call it jealousy." She pointed out as Blake nodded to her.

"They'd usually, after the break up, end up showing Trayden that they never really cared, and it was more about how far he'd be willing to go for them. Who was easy to manipulate to keep them happy." Blake informed. "He used to say that he couldn't believe he dated that girl because she wasn't like that with him, while I'd sit back and remind him that I warned she was bad news and didn't like her."

"Okay, you and I will discuss that later…" Trayden shook it off, still surprised at the information. "Back to where this started…You admitted that line is your defense to someone I'm dating who you knew had intentions to use or hurt me, so should I assume you know Hunter is planning to hurt me?" No response. "Or was it said in jealousy this time?" Hesitation and then Trayden sighed. "And this is not the first time you've asserted yourself as my best friend to Hunter. You also did it back near the end of January, at mom's birthday, before we even started dating. You've never done that with girls I dated in the past, never cared when they were just friends, or even a crush," Trayden enlightened. "And before you try to deny it, don't think I didn't hear you about to tell Hunter that because of your position in my life as my best friend, you can make me leave him. Or that I'll always choose you. I stepped in and cut you off from finishing the sentence, but it was one of the two."

Blake flinched. "Yeah, that's what I thought. I told you, I know you, Blake and this seems not like you. Especially after what I just learned that you were protecting me from the girls who wanted to use or hurt me. So why are you doing this with Hunter? Is it because he's a guy, not a girl? That he didn't back down like my ex's have? He's never given you a reason to believe he'll hurt me, and with that threat you started to give him...That's how I know it's jealousy this time." Trayden informed as Blake looked off to the side. "I want to know why, and I want an answer…Now."

"Because of what changed in the time I was assumed dead," Blake finally said.

"What changed, Blake? Other than me meeting Hunter, and the others he works with…Everything is the same," Trayden pushed. "This needs to get worked out. I'm not going to deal with the two of you fighting, and you're the one who started this, so its you who has a problem with Hunter. Talk to me…Please?" He asked.

"He took my spot in your life…" Blake said as Trayden wasn't expecting that to be what he was told. "And you promised me that you'd never pick your relationship over me." He added. "I didn't start it, he did, by spouting off all the stuff and acting like he knows you better than me," Blake mumbled. "You defended him too. He's always the one protecting and comforting you now. That used to be me and in the months I was assumed dead, he replaced me. Everything changed, and I just wanted it to go back to the way it was…Where I was the one you turned to and nothing could separate us…"

Trayden stared at Blake for a moment or two, trying to make sure he heard all that right. And somehow, it wasn't processing due to sheer disbelief, but it was Trayden definitely heard every word that Blake said and he couldn't believe it. In fact, Trayden was so shocked that he didn't know what to say in response. He just stood there, stunned.