It was a rare occurrence for Hiccup to fall into a deep, peaceful slumber. He was far too used to waking up from pain and fever every night. Often accompanied with nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps that could last into the morning hours.

Color him shocked when he suddenly managed to get some rest for three days in a row.

If he didn't know better, he would have tricked his mind into thinking that his body was in the process of healing itself. He felt more alive now than he had ever done before.

"All finished up?"

Val touched the side of her son's face, making him look up. His piercing green eyes stared back at her, oddly serene and content.

He handed the empty plate over and Val smiled, knowing his appetite had returned. She squeezed his shoulder affectionately before returning back to the kitchen.

Stefan cleared his throat, diverting Hiccup's attention toward him. "You are being careful?"

Hiccup's snapped his head up. "What?"

"The bike." His tone was purposely hushed and out of Val's earshot.

Hiccup nodded, pulling on his sleeves, feeling the coolness of the room more evidently now that all the blood in his body had rushed south to accommodate his digestion.

Stefan sighed. "Good."

-,-

Astrid sat in an empty field full of golden strands and purple vines. The sky was a clear shade of light blue with no traces of any greying clouds.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked the rebel without cause.

"Fire away," he replied with a predictable snort. "It's not like I can stop you from asking."

"True," Astrid said, giggling as he flicked her nose playfully. She tried to get back at him but he quickly had her pinned underneath his weight.

Astrid took a deep breath and bit her lip. "Why do you think we.. exist?"

Hiccup's eyebrow shot up in surprise. "Do you expect me to sit here with all the answers to your existential questions?" he chuckled.

Astrid shrugged. "It's just.. you said you don't believe in God or an afterlife. So what do you believe in?"

"Science," he replied casually. "It explains everything there is to know about the universe."

"But it doesn't tell us why we or the universe exist in the first place," she argued.

"Is that really so important? What difference would it make if we knew?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "I don't know. It would give us a purpose? It would mean we are here for a reason and not just to fill our time."

"And what if we aren't?" he murmured, playing with her golden hair.

Her smile fell. "What?"

"What if there is no reason? Then what?" he precised.

She had not really considered that before.

"I don't know."

He grasped her hand in his, entwining their fingers. "Well, it's a good thing this isn't the only reality then," he smirked knowingly.

It was her turn to raise her eyebrow. "What do you mean?" she asked curiously.

He stood up and offered her his hand. "Let me show you."

-,-

He had driven them down to an empty playground next to a pond.

"I used to come here with my parents all the time," he explained. "I almost drowned in that lake over there," he chuckled, pointing over at the waterhole.

Astrid frowned.

"My father pulled me out just in time. But while I was underwater, I had felt oddly safe and protected," he continued.

"Despite the fact that you were dying?"

Hiccup nodded. "We are all dying, Astrid. All the time, every day," he reminded her.

Astrid grabbed onto his arm as they walked side by side around the space.

"The reason why I'm showing you this is because it's where I befriended my best friend. My father might have physically pulled me up but it's Toothless who kept me alive."

Astrid laughed. "Didn't you say you had a cat named Toothless?" she teased. "Is this going to get weird by any means? Sorry-.. weirder."

Hiccup rolled his eyes and swung his arm over her shoulder, tugging her close. "Of course it is. My cat was named after my Night Fury!"

"Your what?" she asked with a giggle.

"My dragon. Most people can't see him. He only shows himself to those who have earned his trust."

She shook her head in amusement. "Yeah this is getting weird. So your imaginative friend kept you alive?"

Hiccup nudged her playfully. "What makes you think he is imaginative?"

Astrid made a face. "He exists inside your mind and not in the physical world?" she emphasized.

"Just because he exists in my head it doesn't make him less real than you and me."

Astrid scoffed. "It kinda does, actually."

Hiccup pulled her close again and they sank down on the bench. "You know that our thoughts are made of waves and particles, right? A group of scientists in Japan are building mind-controlled robots. It's possible because thoughts don't just exist inside our minds after all."

The blonde pursed her lips thoughtfully. "So you think our dreams and ideas are just another reality in a different dimension?" she hypothesized.

He shrugged. "Why not? It makes more sense than there to just be one singular reality. That would be boring."

"It would," she agreed. "So when can I meet Toothless? The dragon, not the cat."

Hiccup laughed. "When you break out of this deceptive illusion you call your life," he snarked.

"Ouch!" Astrid mock-flinched and then pouted.