Author's Note: I just realized that I didn't wish you guys a happy Valentine's Day...*Tosses heart shaped confetti in the air* HAPPY BELATED VALENTINES DAY! XD *Tosses you all some chocolate* Have some belated Valentine's Day chocolate! =D

I can't even with myself when I forget to say happy insert holiday here...I feel like banging my head into a wall or slapping myself. Anyone else get that way? *Raises hand over head* *No one else raises their hand* *Crickets chirp* Just me? M'kay, m'kay...

Annnyyyywayyyyy, hey everyone and welcome back to the HTTYD one-shot collection "Sticks and Stones" by BeyondTheMoon1203 (aka, me)! I hope you all are having a wonderful evening. =) Now, I absolutely love the little Haddock family, and I think it's been a while I've posted HTTYD: THW one-shot, so here's one that focuses on Zephyr and Nuffink's perspective on their father, Hiccup Haddock! =D I hope you guys enjoy it!

Summary: Hiccup is a wonderful chief and father, but he does have his funny, dorky moments that make Zephyr and Nuffink laugh and feel somewhat weirded out by. But despite his occasional strangeness, they still love him. (Post HTTYD: THW.)

Our Dorky Dad

Zephyr looked up from Hiccup's old journal, which she was previously reading until she came across a thought. "Dad's weird."

Nuffink looked up from where he was playing with his toy sword, and he cocked his head in a similar manner to a Night Fury. "Dad's weird? I think he's awesome!"

Zephyr shook her head. "Not a bad kind of weird. Just a…dorky weird."

"Why?" asked Nuffink.

Zephyr sighed. She wished that her brother was a little more observant when it came to people, but she couldn't blame him for his absentmindedness. He was young, so he wasn't prone to catching immediate details right away. Although, Zephyr did know that Nuffink knew that their father was a little on the dorky side.

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, chief of New Berk and former Dragon Rider had come a long way from his young teen years. He was respected by everyone, revered by his peers, and was highly looked up to by his own two kids, Zephyr and Nuffink. The fascinating tales of Hiccup's old life with dragons and the many adventures that he shared with the Dragon Riders and others always brought wonder and awe to the young girl and boy. Zephyr and Nuffink both longed to see the dragons in person, and they were both a little bummed to know that probably wouldn't be for a while. But they both understood that the dragons were hidden away for a reason; they were safe from people who wanted to mistreat them, so that meant that they couldn't visit the Hidden World all the time.

Still, Zephyr had overheard Hiccup and Astrid talking about taking a trip to the Hidden World's edge. Just for a short amount of time. The eight-year-old girl was ecstatic to hear this, but she decided to keep what she had heard to herself so no hopes would be crushed in case the journey to the Hidden World didn't happen.

Zephyr and Nuffink loved their father, and Hiccup loved them the same. Maybe even more. He was kind, wise, inventive, and protective, and Zephyr constantly found herself reading through his old journals and invention plans to find some inspiration for her own. Nuffink gobbled up the many battles and escapades that Hiccup had fought, and he absorbed every dragon fact that he told him. The youths of New Berk had even created a new game where they reenacted their favorite battles and scenes from the past, and Nuffink was always either Toothless or Hiccup.

Zephyr buried herself in her father's old notes and inventions, writing down things that she found interesting or inquiring. There was one invention that she was yearning to take a look at and that was Dragonfly, but she could never find it in the attic or in storage. She couldn't even find the plans for the miraculous flight suit! Zephyr guessed that her father must have moved them…or he hid them from her eyes for some peculiar reason…

Despite that, Zephyr still found it interesting that her father had made so many remarkable—perhaps even incredible!—inventions at such a young age. Inferno, the sword that could light on fire with just the click of a switch; a saddle and tailfin that he used to operate Toothless; the Mangler, the bola launcher that had caught Toothless; and so much more. Zephyr hoped that one day, she too would be able to create such amazing inventions, and Hiccup often helped her with some of her own, and Zephyr was glad for his help.

Other than inventing, amazing storytelling, and an almost infinite amount of dragon knowledge, Hiccup was also very fun. Whenever Astrid told them no dessert until after dinner, Hiccup would sneak them a bite or piece. If Zephyr and Nuffink were bored, Hiccup would take them around New Berk and show them the place where the dragons had left. Zephyr and Nuffink couldn't think of any other person who was just as amazing as Hiccup. He was not only their chief, but their father, whom they looked up to and respected.

Of course, just because Zephyr and Nuffink respected Hiccup, didn't mean that they did not find him a little odd sometimes. Zephyr and Nuffink both knew that Hiccup was very different from most vikings. Even their mother, Astrid, knew this, and it was because of Hiccup's differences that she fell in love with him. Astrid and Hiccup had not told their love story to Zephyr and Nuffink yet, but Zephyr had learned from Ruffnut and Tuffnut that it involved something with a flight, going blind, and a bunch of details that the auburn-haired girl couldn't grasp yet.

Whenever dragons were brought up into a conversation, Hiccup would be so enthusiastic to the point where he would forget how much time had passed. That usually happened when Fishlegs came over, and the two would spend hours and hours and hours talking about dragons. Zephyr and Nuffink piped into the talk occasionally, but they mostly spent their time watching the two "geeking out" as Astrid had termed it over dragons, books, and old notes.

Apart from dragons, Hiccup was also prone to take risks. Zephyr and Nuffink both knew that that habit had improved over the years, but both Haddock siblings were shocked to hear how many times Hiccup had put himself in danger for dragons, or home many times he had crashed on Dragonfly, and yet he still worked on it until it reached perfection. Hiccup was brave, but Zephyr and Nuffink were rather surprised to hear how many times Hiccup had been near death, and yet he still survived.

And then there was inventing. Hiccup loved inventing, and he had significantly improved over the years. Zephyr and Hiccup sometimes collaborated on projects, talking to each other and creating something together. When Hiccup worked by himself, he often got lost in his work, and Zephyr and Nuffink would have to drag him out of it with a game or distraction. Hiccup even talked like an inventor sometimes, and Zephyr would stand there with a completely nonplussed look as Hiccup went deeper into calibration, estimates and numbers, and other things that Zephyr knew that eight-year-olds probably didn't know about until they were older.

But even though Hiccup was strange at times, Zephyr and Nuffink found his idiosyncrasies fond and humorous. Hiccup was a wonderful father, and Zephyr and Nuffink loved him despite his occasional oddness.

Zephyr was just about to list all of the things that categorized Hiccup as "dorky" when he walked into the living room. Nuffink ran up to him and wrapped his arms around him in a hug, and Zephyr closed the journal that she was reading and walked up to Hiccup with a smile.

"Hey you two. What are you doing?" asked Hiccup as he lifted Nuffink off the floor.

Zephyr shrugged. "Nothing much really. I'm just reading your old journals."

"Zephyr says you're weird," Nuffink said with a smirk toward his sister. Zephyr crossed her arms (and silently hoped that she wouldn't get scolded by her father for calling him something that was often taken as an offense).

But instead of scolding her, Hiccup simply laughed and pulled Zephyr to his side. "You're right, Zeph. I guess I am pretty weird."

Nuffink's proud smirk faltered. "But…isn't she gonna get in trouble for calling you weird?"

"No," Hiccup said. He looked down at his daughter with a grin. "Why would I punish her when she's telling the truth?"

Zephyr smiled, and she stuck her tongue out at Nuffink. The blonde boy huffed petulantly.

"Anyway, I only stopped by to say bye," said Hiccup. "I have a meeting to get to, and Astrid says that if I'm not there on time, I'm going to be meeting her axe."

"Can we come?" asked Zephyr. "A meeting sounds interesting."

"Pleaseeee?" Nuffink begged, his emerald-green eyes that he had inherited from Hiccup sparkled.

Hiccup thought for a moment, and then he shrugged. "I guess you two can tag along. Just try not to get into any trouble."

Zephyr scoffed. "When have we gotten ourselves into trouble?"

"We're good kids," added Nuffink.

Hiccup shook his head and smiled. "That you are."

And with that, the trio of Haddocks left for the chief meeting, and in that small moment, Zephyr and Nuffink were both thankful to have such a wonderful dad.

Author's Note: Hiccup...you are an awesome dad. =) A super-duper awesome dad.

This one-shot collection is so close to 100,000 words (excluding all of the author's notes and yada yada). Just a couple thousand more words to go and BOOM! 100,000 words. =) I bet I can make it...No, I know I can make it...

Okay, enough of my rambling. X) I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter of "Sticks and Stones," and I'll see ya in whatever comes next. =D *Waves happily*

Until the next chapter!

-BeyondTheMoon1203

P.S.: THIS STORY JUST HIT A FLIPPING 11,000 VIEWWWWS! 11,000 FREAKING PAGE VIEWS! *Screams like crazy and runs around like a maniac* THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH! =DD