The next morning, Raegan woke up with a cloud over her head. It took her forever to fully wake up, and even after she didn't have any motivation or will to get up out of bed. She just lay there staring at the ceiling, her arms and legs feeling heavy, as if they were made of metal instead of flesh and bones.

Getting up was slow going. Trying to get dressed, she fumbled with her clothes and boots, and did the same with her hair, having to pause and start over many times, which made the whole morning routine twice as long as it should take. And she couldn't place a finger on why this was happening until sitting down to breakfast.

Alone.

Ingrid had gone out early to run errands around the island but was usually working in the village infirmary most days, her father was away but was usually out of the house soon after breakfast, and of course she had no living siblings.

No one to talk to. No one to do anything at all with really.

Raegan always felt isolated, but never lonely, and she almost always had something to do. Her parents made sure to keep her busy with farm work, art, training, or reading, and then at night they'd spend quality time together when the work was done.

But every once in a while, there would be a moment of silence, and she would wonder what it would be like to talk to someone else other than family, to have someone to hang out with during the day.

And yesterday I had my one and only chance. Reagan deducted. And I blew it.

Her mom's porridge began looking less and less appetizing (when in reality it was quite delicious) so Raegan skipped breakfast, and since her mother told her a thousand times to not physically exert herself without eating, she chose to write in her journal to pass the time. She didn't feel like training anyway.

Ingrid, when she realized her daughter wanted to leave against her father's wishes, gave Raegan a journal, and in it she was supposed to write down everything she was feeling to somewhat release them without doing anything drastic. It helped the young viking some, but she hid the journal from her father because if he saw what she wrote, he would dub her ungrateful and immature, when she was far from that.

Raegan trudged outside to the usual dim lit forest and foggy atmosphere, due to the warm rain from last night, and went to the only place where she actually saw the light of day - a nice flowery patch of grass on the edge of the property. A bright beam of sunlight peeked through the trees, and for a moment she held her face up to it, letting the warm light kiss her face, making the corners of her mouth turn upwards into a small smile as her mood slightly lifted, then laid down on her stomach and opened her journal.

After twirling her charcoal pencil several times with her fingers, Raegan settled in writing about last night's dinner party, and she got really into it, etching down every last detail with a fast hand.

It was less of a party and more of a freak show. She wrote. I spilled fish all over the chief's son, tried to make conversation and made a fool of myself, and didn't say a word to him after until we said goodbye. I'm such a dunderhead. Why did mom do it? Last night was absolutely, one hundred percent the worst -

"Raegan?"

"Gah!" Raegan twisted around at lightning speed and crawled backwards fearfully a few feet.

Hiccup held out his hands as if it would calm the frightened girl. "It's just me, just me!"

Raegan gasped and scrambled to her feet. "What are you doing here?" She asked incredulously, wiping the dirt on her hands onto her pants.

Hiccup paled and stiffened, and he was suddenly unable to meet her eyes. "Oh! I - I wanted to… just - Uh…" He rubbed the base of his neck. "Actually I don't know what I'm doing here." He mumbled.

Raegan squinted and observed the timid boy, who seemed to be just as afraid of her as she was afraid of him, which was strange. Hiccup was a boy of the world, so why was he so nervous instead of calm, cool and collected as she thought people like him were?

In a strange way though, she felt a measure of comfort to see that he was just as awkward as her. Maybe it's normal when two people meet for there to be a measure of nerves and anxiety?

This realization and the fact, HE WAS HERE, caused a small smile to grace her features, though she still tucked away a piece of imaginary hair behind her ear before speaking. "I doubt you came all this way for no reason." She shyly acknowledged, trying to ease his nerves.

Hiccup looked down at his boots."I-I did have a reason, but now that I think about it, it's, uh, kinda… stupid."

Raegan lifted her shoulder in a half shrug. "You came all this way," She said softly, "I mean, may as well tell me what you had to say so that you didn't walk several miles into the woods for nothing."

"...Nah," Hiccup turned sideways as if he was going to leave. "I-It's nothing just-" He paused and let out a sharp breath through his nose, then turned to her again. "- It was weird right," He blurted out, "Last night?"

"It was." Raegan agreed, then decided to - since she didn't want the conversation to end there and they had common ground - add, "I - I didn't even know you were coming until you walked through the door."

Hiccup was appalled at this information. "You didn't?"

Raegan shook her head. "Usually it's just your dad who comes."

Hiccup tilted his head in confusion. "He's come here before?"

Raegan felt the nervousness creeping up once more because she felt like she said something wrong. "Uh, yeah… He comes every once in a while to eat dinner with us." She explained.

"He's never mentioned coming over here before." Hiccup countered. Not that Stoick made it a habit of talking to him in general.

"Well, he has." Raegan insisted. "Stoick and my dad have been friends since childhood I'm told."

"Huh." Was all Hiccup could say at first. "I guess that makes sense because yesterday morning he was all like -" Hiccup puffed out his chest, deepened his voice and added the accent that all the adults on Berk seemed to have except the youngins. "'We're going over to the Calders for dinner -" Then he returned to his normal, nasally voice. "-like it was just a normal everyday thing. And I said yes because, well, I wanted to see if the rumors were true."

Raegan, who had an amused look on her face from the impersonation, now furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "What rumors?"

Hiccup's weight now shifted from one foot to the other, and he swayed slightly as he explained. "Well, everyone knows you exist, but no one has seen you for many years, ever since your family moved into the woods ten years ago actually. And your family is so reserved that they don't give off too many details about why, so the village speculates a lot of the details." He listed the stories off with his fingers. "Some think your family is inherently insane and anti-social, others think that you guys are building something huge and dangerous, but the most popular story is that you were born so freakishly deformed that Mr. and Mrs. Calder decided to seal you away in a cave and never let you out to avoid mockery."

Raegan's jaw dropped.

Hiccup realized how inconsiderate he was for her feelings, and his eyes widened in fear and regret. "B-but clearly you're very pretty so it's not true!" Raegan's eyes widened and she blushed furiously, making him face-palm. "Oh gods I should have just kept my mouth shut."

Raegan's mouth opened and shut several times. "Thanks… I think?" Was all she could say at first, and she wrapped her arms around her torso self consciously. "Um, but the real story isn't so interesting. My dad keeps me out here for protection."

Hiccup nodded in understanding. "From dragons?" He could totally understand that.

"From everything." Raegan said honestly, deciding that he should know everything so maybe he could quell the rumors. "Besides Stoick and the family, no one else knows where we're at."

Hiccup was the one to look confused now. "So how come I was suddenly allowed to know?"

Raegan gave a nervous laugh and looked miserable telling him the truth about last night's feast. "This is probably going to sound so pathetic," She started, "But my mom decided I have been isolated enough and should have a friend who can come visit me since I clearly can't leave."

Hiccup nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Oh." He said in understanding.

"Yea." Raegan tucked away imaginary hair again. "But listen, you don't have to come here anymore if you don't want to. I know this is weird. In fact," She knelt down and swiftly picked up her journal. "I wouldn't blame you if you want to leave now." She held the journal securely against her and glanced at Hiccup one last time before heading back towards the house.

"Wait!" Raegan felt his hand on her shoulder and stiffened, making Hiccup drop his hand as she turned around and looked at him surprisingly.

He fiddled with his hands. "I - I didn't say I wanted to leave." He looked away, and she caught sight of his now sober demeanor. "Believe it or not, I do understand the whole 'being awkward around others thing.' More than you think."

Raegan felt a wave of kinship rush through her, and she searched his features to make sure he was telling the truth. "You… do?"

Hiccup shrugged.

She managed to keep her face impassive, though inside of her was filled with jubilation. He wants to stay! He doesn't think I'm weird! The last thing she wanted to do is make him feel like she rejoiced at his apparent lack of social skills.

Raegan bit her lip and glanced at the house, then to him again. "Do you want something to drink?" Was what she offered breathlessly.

Hiccup met her eyes and she saw a glimmer of happiness as the corners of his lips lifted. "Sure."

So Reagan led him to the covered porch and like a good host made sure he was sitting comfortably on a chair before scurrying inside.

Due to her heart racing, the young girl leaned against the door for a minute. Just this morning I thought I was going to be alone forever, and here Hiccup is, having a drink with me! It was almost too good to be true, and pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming before going and tucking away her journal in its hiding spot beneath the floorboards in the corner of her room, gathering the water jug from the dining table and two cups from the cabinet before heading outside again, finding him just as nervous as she was, drumming his fingers against the table.

The items were set down on the little round table between the chairs and she poured him a cup and tried to start a conversation. "Uh, unfortunately I can't give you anything more than water because I'm banned from touching the good stuff." She explained sheepishly, then wondered why she brought it up in the first place.

Hiccup waved the apology away. "This is fine. I'm just glad I'm not wearing it this time." He jested, making her cheeks burn despite grinning at the memory. After pouring herself some water, she sat down on the chair across from him, clasping her hands around the cup in a death grip as he took a big drink of his cup.

There was an awkward silence and Raegan felt a sheer layer of sweat coat her body as she thought, 'Oh no, here we go again' before Hiccup broke it with a question. "OK I have ask now: why are you banned?"

The sheepishness came back. "Because I can't take it well." She explained without thinking twice. "The first - and last - time I tried it a couple of months ago, I got drunk after a few sips. And that was of the weaker ale, so I haven't had a drop since." Raegan froze in horror. Oh that's a great way to start a friendship, Raegan, telling him you're a drunkard!

Thankfully, Hiccup laughed instead of running away. "That explains why you didn't have some last night. I thought your mom was just strict or something."

"Nope, just has common sense." Raegan said bluntly, making them both chuckle.

The conversation after this was almost the same. There'd be more awkward silences when they ran out of things to say about a particular topic, but they'd find something else to discuss. Each had fifteen years of stories to tell, and they were deep into a conversation about dragons when Ingrid came home that late afternoon.

"You're so lucky to have your first scar!" Raegan gushed, not seeing her mother on the steps. "I'd give anything to have a scar from a dragon attack."

Hiccup, who was facing away from the stairs, ran a finger over the thin white line on his chin. "Yea but I was a baby though, so I don't think it really counts." He argued.

Raegan shrugged in response. "I think it ca - Oh, hi mom!" She jumped up from her seat and went to engulf Ingrid in a big bear hug, but couldn't because of the numerous bags she was carrying. "Here, let me help you with that." Ingrid blindly handed her daughter a couple of bags, her eyes trained on the boy she never thought would come back.

Raegan noticed this, and awkwardly glanced between the two. "Uh, Hiccup came to visit me." Raegan thought she needed to clarify.

A smile broke out on Ingrid's face, calming Hiccup down. "I can see that. Hello Hiccup." She greeted as she and Raegan walked towards the door.

Hiccup gave a small wave. "Hi, Mrs. Calder."

Raegan walked inside to set the bags down and Ingrid looked back at Hiccup from the door jam. "Well I'd love to stay and chat but the salmon will spoil if I don't get them on the fire soon."

Hiccup's eyes popped open to the size of saucers and he shot out of his seat, instinctively looking up to see the position of the sun, only to see tree tops. "It's supper time already?" He asked Ingrid worriedly. She nodded, and he fisted a hand into his hair. "Oh gods, I didn't mean to stay all day!" He cried out, then tore down the stairs and started running on the path back to the village.

Raegan stepped out in just enough time to see his retreating figure.

"Hiccup you can stay for dinner if you like!" Ingrid called after him.

Hiccup twirled, but continued running backwards, stumbling a few times. "I can't! I forgot I have to make dinner for my dad tonight!" Was his response, then he met Raegan's eyes. "I'll - I'll see you later!" He promised.

Raegan's shoulders sagged as her - could she call him a friend now? - disappeared into the woods. They had been getting along pretty well, making loads of progress since last night, and she was disappointed that it ended so soon.

Well, actually not so soon. They'd been together all day!

Once again a smile graced her features, which didn't escape Ingrid's notice. The worried mother suddenly felt ten times lighter, and pressed her daughter for details when they went back inside.

"He came here? And you guys talked? All day?" She asked excitedly, shaking Raegan by the shoulders.

Raegan winced. "You're cutting off the circulation, Mom!" Ingrid relaxed her grip and apologized, but didn't lose the crazy look in her eyes. "You seem way more excited about this than I am." Raegan chuckled.

Ingrid sighed and released her. "I'm just - just so relieved that what happened last night didn't put him off."

"You and me both… I guess." This feeling of happiness about having a friend surprised Raegan - last night she was terrified at the thought of speaking to another soul. But this encounter - and the promise of another - had taken away the cloud over her head that had been plaguing her since childhood. She felt a thrill, and definitely wanted to experience it again.

Raegan Zali Calder, after ten years of isolation, had a friend.

A/N

Fun Fact: Viking children were allowed to drink weak beer and ale, so I decided to add this into the story. It mostly happened in more populated areas due to lack of clean water, but I figured I could tweak it a little ;)