Where I Belong
Author: Nightstar Fury
Rating: M
Pairing: Hiccup/Astrid
Disclaimer: I don't own the HTTYD movies, or any of the HTTYD series such as Riders of Berk, Defenders of Berk, or Race To The Edge.
Come Home, Mom
Stoick and Astrid were worried, Hiccup had only just woken up less than ten minutes ago and he was already up, out of bed, had scolded his mother for her stunt with Drago, now making her sit down so he could get his answers. Stoick and Astrid knew this was the whole purpose of this trip to start with but Hiccup had just been unconscious for 24 hours after having been captured for a total of four hours at the less than merciful hands of a madman according to Stoick. What worried them the most was that both of them had asked Hiccup what happened and both times, Hiccup said it didn't matter. This answer alone made them feel like it was a lot more that did matter but also they didn't want to upset him, they could see he was already pretty pissed off at the situation alone.
"Are you going to tell me what I want to know or just sit there with your head down?" Hiccup asked her.
"I'll tell you want you want to know..." Valka replied.
"Great, only took you years to decide after the truth came out but I'll take what I can get..." Hiccup mumbled.
"Hiccup...you should be resting son..." Stoick offered.
"I'll be fine...I want this done with." Hiccup said, Stoick nodded not pushing the matter with his son who he could see was in a very bad mood. Astrid just stood beside Stoick as Toothless sat on his hind legs next to Hiccup. "What happened the night we were taken?"
"It was a raid and I'd been trying to stop the villagers from killing dragons saying it'd only make it worse and that we didn't have to kill them. It was an unpopular opinion, but then Cloud Jumper broke into your father's and mine's house finding you in the cradle. I rushed to protect you but when I got there, what I saw was proof of everything I believed. Cloud Jumper was rocking the cradle to calm you down, letting you hold his claw while you giggled. But Cloud Jumper slipped and his claw cut your chin, you still have a scar from it too. I raised my sword when when Cloud Jumper faced me, but I understood that he wasn't a vicious beast but a gentle, intelligent creature whose soul reflected my own...But your father burst in and scared Cloud Jumper who began to burn the house attempting to hit your father...I rushed and pulled you in my arms. Cloud Jumper looked at me again, then grabbed me and flew off out of the house and leaving with the other dragons from the raid." Valka explained.
"What happened when we got here, what made you decide not to go back to Berk?" Hiccup stated questioningly.
"Upon arriving here, Cloud Jumper brought me to the Bewilderbeast. In fear of dying I only asked that they didn't hurt you or took you back for me...The alpha didn't harm me or you, he welcomed us. I saw the mass amounts of dragons in this nest, they were all calm and relaxing around. I couldn't believe what I saw but its when I understood that this was the true nature of dragons and they meant no harm at all. The peace I'd longed to find was right here, a place with no fighting or bloodshed. Cloud Jumper was affectionate with me and you, and I'd never felt more at peace...But at the same time I realized I'd been taken from my husband, and you from your father. The more I time I spent there trying to figure a way home, the more I realized that when we got back...It would just be more fighting and...I didn't want that. And I knew just like before, no one would listen to me so...I chose not to return." Valka said.
This went on for a good hour between them, Stoick and Astrid watched quietly and listened as Hiccup asked questions about how she started rescuing and making a home in the nest for them. The answers were standard, ones Hiccup stated he assumed were what he thought originally. Then the questions turned to ones about why she neglected him, and the tension in the room grew thicker while Valka's voice seemed to escape her. "It wasn't a hard question, Mom. Why did you start to ignore and avoid me when I was four..."
"You were always content with Toothless so I backed off to focus on the dragons and how to help them." She replied slowly.
"So that excused you from your motherly duties of feeding me, taking care of me when I was sick, making sure I was okay when I fell?" Hiccup named off a few of the things she failed to do. She put her head down. "Why did dragons take presidency over me?...Why did they need you more than I did? Why were they more important than your son. Your ONLY son, Mother?"
"I don't know, Hiccup. I don't. I got so caught up in wanting to make sure they were alright...I always figured you'd be okay with Toothless, the two of you were and still are inseparable. You were always with him, playing, or flying around...I felt like you only wanted him and didn't need me." She answered quickly.
"Of course I wanted him, he's my best friend mother. He's the only one I had because you were busy with your rescues, after a while of things I got the the hint you wanted to do your job so I stayed out of your way and kept myself busy but there were still things only my mother could of done for me and guess what, she didn't. She just assumed her son's Night Fury could handle it...And it just worse and worse over the years. You didn't care for me when I was sick, you told me I'd get over it with a little sleep. You didn't take care of my injuries, you didn't do anything for me but you did it all for them. For Odin's sake, the dragons didn't just take you from Dad, they took you from me too even though I was always only a room away!" Hiccup grumbled out angrily.
"I'm sorry, Hiccup...I'm so sorry I neglected you. I'd give anything to take it back and do it over and make sure I took better care of you..." Valka cried.
"Sorry doesn't turn back the sundial now does it, Mom. One last question..." He trailed off taking a breath before opening his eyes again looking right at her. "Why didn't you ever tell me about, Dad. Gods all I ever wanted was his name and where we'd come from. I knew it wasn't just us living among dragons all our lives...Why couldn't you just tell me about my past?..."
"Because I didn't want you to leave me to go seeking it out and getting your heart broken by the truth I'd come to accept." Valka closed her eyes, her answer took Hiccup by surprise. "Since you were five, you'd asked where you came from...about your father, and why I didn't show Vikings the truth about dragons...And I always told you it was because they wouldn't listen just like they never listened to me...I didn't...want you to have to watch them kill Toothless if they didn't listen. I didn't want you to get hurt, Hiccup...So I thought it was better if I just didn't tell you anything to make you curious. I was...just trying to protect you from the people I didn't think were capable of change..."
"As I said before...You never tried to show them either. We were taken, and you never went back. Didn't you think that maybe if you flew in on Cloud Jumper they'd question what the heck happened to you, why you were riding a dragon that took you and me...They'd want answers and you would have had the chance to tell them and show them the truth, Mom. Not telling me anything only made me want to find out on my own, so when I found the necklace...and you still refused to tell me...I set out to find out for myself where I came from. Ironic I landed on Berk at all but maybe it was supposed to happen that way, I don't know. But I know this..." Hiccup paused as Valka looked at him. "When I crashed there...They saw that Toothless was protecting me and the wanted to know why...So I did what you never did. I showed them the truth and in that...I learned the truth about myself."
"I'm so sorry, Hiccup...I just...I know I can never take back any of what I did or said to you...I just...pray you forgive me one day and if you can't...then I'll understand and leave you alone to live your life." Valka said. Hiccup sighed now.
"I get you wanted to protect me from getting hurt, and ignored me because you thought I was good with Toothless...But doing what you did only hurt me more, Mom." Hiccup said, Valka closed her eyes sadly. "I'm already living my life the way I want too. I have my father, the tribe, my home, and I have my girlfriend, as well my best friend...I have everything I could ever want except the one thing I wanted all along. I want my mother. I'll forgive you for everything..." His mother's eyes shot open in shock. "If...you come home with us. You have spent enough time away from Berk, mother. I think it's time that you come home with your husband and son. You can still protect the dragons and have a family again...You don't have to pick one or the other...Come home, Mom. Where you belong."
"Hiccup...I don't...know what to say. I'm...thrilled you'll forgive me but...I can't just abandon the dragons here...Can I bring...them to Berk?" Valka asked him softly, in shock that Hiccup was forgiving her at all.
"Of course you can. It's time we all go home, besides...Now you can watch me become the chief of Berk, Mom." Hiccup grinned a little. Valka's blinked a few times looking to Stoick who nodded his head to confirm.
"Then let's go. I'm ready to be home again..." Valka smiled, Hiccup smiled as he hugged her and she returned it.
"Then it's back to Berk first thing tomorrow morning." Hiccup stated firmly. Stoick stood proud of his son, forgiving his mother and inviting her back to Berk. Astrid was over the moon to see Hiccup's smile again, and Valka had her son and husband back. It was a great feeling and all of them were happy, they couldn't wait to get back.