A/N: I might not be here tomorrow, so if I'm not: MERRY CHRISTMAS! :D
For now… Merry Christmas EVE. Ohyeah
This story…. *pause for dramatic effect* is almost over O-O
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When the Vikings finally landed on Berk, they did not waste a single moment. Astrid stumbled off of Stormfly in a rush, pausing only briefly to give her a rapid pat on the snout before stumbling forward. Hiccup had been held by his father on the way back, and the whole flight back to Berk (a few hours) was tense with worry and fear. Astrid had ridden as close to Stoick's dragon as she could get, and she wasn't planning on being left behind once more. Racing forward, she caught up with the chief of the tribe as he made his way to the Elder's home.
People that had been left behind from the search gasped sharply at the sight of Hiccup's body, mothers grabbing their children's hands and pulling them away back into the house. Astrid refused to glance at anybody, in fear they would stop her and start to ask questions. Her eyes flickered over to Hiccup's still-limp body, and she felt a small tremor go through her. Her hands slowly fisting at her sides, she let out a small breath of relief as the Elder scurried out from her home.
The old woman started somewhat at the sight of Hiccup, but she recovered quickly, steeling herself as she beckoned into her home. Stoick shouldered his way into the room, and Astrid slipped through right behind him, hands wringing nervously in front of her as she did so. The Elder pushed her way into the front, getting down to work as soon as she stepped inside the fire-lit room. "Put him there." She said sternly, gesturing to one of the empty beds along her wall. "I'll have to work on him there."
Hiccup did not even move when Stoick placed him on the bed. Astrid flinched away from the sight of his mangled leg, digging her fingernails into her arms as she shied away from the sight. All she could think about was whether or not Hiccup would loose his other leg. "Please let him keep it." She mumbled under her breath, shutting her eyes tightly as she whispered to nobody in particular. She didn't care whether or not anybody saw her, her stomach was twisted into knots upon knots, and she couldn't stop trembling.
The Elder went to work on Hiccup, not even glancing over at Stoick before she started. The chieftain looked awkward where he stood, blue eyes heavy with sadness and anxiousness as he looked down at his son. Astrid fidgeted where she stood, looking down at the ground dejectedly. She decided that she would have to keep count of how many times Hiccup went and died on everybody in Berk. This would be the second time.
Her mind flashed back to what Stoick had said long ago. "'Hiccup might be able to rival Gobber for the amount of limbs lost.'" The thought made her grimace again, what if the chief had been right? Astrid had sat back and watched Hiccup stumble through the snow with a pained expression on his face more times than one. He couldn't be able to handle another injury that severe, it would be far too much for him. The very thought of Hiccup having to stay inside for the rest of his life because he couldn't walk made Astrid nearly want to throw up right on the spot. She shuffled her weight back and forth nervously as she peered around the Elder, trying to catch sight of the boy where she stood. "…Is he going to be okay?" She asked hesitantly.
The Elder didn't give her an answer, not even looking back at her to show that she had heard. Swallowing a lump in her throat, Astrid tried again, louder this time as she raised her voice. "He's going to be fine, right?" She asked. "He wont-"
"I would appreciate some room to work." The Elder snapped, whirling around to glare at the people that surrounded her. Astrid started, chewing on the bottom of her lip as she took a small step backwards. She opened her mouth to say one last thing, but was cut off as a shrill sound reached her eardrums. Turning around, a slow smile spread over her face as she saw the small thing making its way into the house.
Ludi let out another loud mew, tail lashing from side to side as she stumbled forward. Her amber eyes were sharp, like she was demanding an explanation for what was going on, and she sat down with a thump beside Astrid. The blonde let out a small chuckle, bending over and scooping the cat up in her arms, holding her tightly to her chest. The cat pushed her head up against Astrid's cheek, and the girl realized that the kitten was shaking.
Petting her comfortingly, Astrid glancing over at Hiccup's unconscious form. Letting out a slow breath, she gave a small smile. "I'll take care of her for you." She promised softly. Ludi scurried up to perch on her shoulder, and Astrid had to bend her head to the side in order for the cat to stay upright. She realized with a pang that the cat was growing up. Soon there would not be enough for her to stay on her usual perch. Somehow the thought made Astrid even more depressed.
Sighing lightly, the girl turned on her heel and marched out of the house, being the first to do so. Spitelout and Stoick would probably end up staying out of sheer stubbornness. Hiccup was Spitelout's nephew and Stoick's son, they would probably play the Family Card. Considering the fact that Astrid only held the 'Sweetheart' card, she was sent packing from the place. She would just have to stay and wait until she heard news about his condition. Or maybe after the Elder was done working on him. Maybe she would let Astrid back into the house then.
The other Vikings had just finished packing up their dragons, some of the ones who had gotten hurt during the battle with the dragons were limping home slowly, in hopes of being mended by their family members. Astrid walked through the crowd aimlessly, finding Stormfly sitting next to Hookfang. Snotlout stood beside his dragon, and Astrid's heart did a flip as she tried to double back. She did not want to talk to anybody right now.
But Snotlout caught sight of her before she could make her escape, blinking thoughtfully as he stared at her. "Hey." He greeted nonchalantly, his arms crossing over his chest as he raised an eyebrow at her. The girl let out a small huff, her shoulder's slumping as she shuffled back to stand beside Stormfly. She let out a small mummer as she reached up to pet her dragon comfortingly, Ludi blinking rapidly as she lifted her paw to the dragon's face in a copied movement.
"Hey, Snotlout." Astrid sighed, averting her eyes from the teen.
"You okay?" Snotlout asked, looking at her closely. His eyes darted over in the direction of the Elder's house, and he gave her a small smile. "Hiccup will be okay." He promised, Astrid's eyes lifting up to meet his. "After all, worse things have happened, right? He's Hiccup, he can't die. Who else will annoy everybody?"
"Anybody can annoy people." Astrid said thickly, eyes beginning to burn.
"That's where you're wrong." Snotlout said firmly. "It has to be somebody specific, with all the right qualities. They have to be weak, they have to be small, and they have to actually be really cool. Once you get to know them instead of pushing them away, of course." He looked at Astrid with a large smile, staring at her expectantly. But Astrid merely stared at the ground, holding a silence that was extremely tense and awkward.
The silence stretched on, and right when Snotlout was considering leaving, Astrid spoke. Her words were quiet and subdued. Her blue eyes flickered over to meet Snotlout's briefly, but then they darted away once more. "You ever…regret it?" She asked softly, Snotlout's forehead creasing with confusion. "I mean- when we ignored him. When we made fun of him. He was quick to forgive us, but…" She looked over at the Elder's house emptily. "Do you think he ever thinks about those times?"
Snotlout glanced over at Hookfang, mulling the odd question over in his mind. "I dunno." He offered. Astrid looked over at him fully as he went on. "I mean- most people in the village ignored him. But that didn't ever stop him, he had a crush on you ever since he first saw you. Remember that time he gave you that little flower that he said he grew in his house?" A ghost of a smile crept over Astrid's face as he brought the memory up. "And you grabbed it and stomped on it? It might have been mean, and I know I would have hated you if that were me. But the next week he just tried to give you another thing…what was it?"
"A wooden horse." Astrid said, laughing under her breath.
"Yeah. That. You actually kept that though, right?"
Astrid blinked, looking up from the ground as she blinked thoughtfully. "Yeah. Yeah, I did. I don't remember why though." She paused, biting her lower lip as she glanced over at her house. "…Thanks, Snotlout." She said, glancing back at her friend. "But I have to go do something, I'll see you at dinner."
Snotlout lifted up his hand to wave goodbye, and Astrid spun on her heel and raced off. Ludi squealed at the sudden speed, digging her claws into Astrid's shoulder amour as her fur flattened against her face. Astrid's heart felt somewhat lighter, and when she got to her house, she bounced up the steps eagerly. Flying through the house and up the stairs, she barley even noticed her mother's shout asking what happened on the search. She only realized the question when she got inside her room, and by that time she just threw the thought over her shoulder.
Ludi leapt off of her shoulder and onto her bed with a silent thump. The cat watched curiously as the girl dove forward into her closet, throwing and tossing clothes around the room carelessly as she searched for one item. Ludi's head tilted to the side cutely as she watched, and she settled herself down on the ground comfortably, kneading the blanket as she made herself at home. Her ears flattened her head as she lied her head down, and she stared ahead emptily as she wondered what was wrong with Hiccup. The boy looked like he was asleep in the Elder's house, but Ludi seriously doubted that idea. Why would he be so still if he was asleep? She slept beside him every night, and he always tossed and turned in his sleep. And the blood that covered him…her fur bushed out with fright, and she made a conscious effort to flatten her silver fur and calm down.
After a few minutes, Astrid finally straightened, a small wistful sigh coming from her as Ludi looked curiously at her back. She was holding something, and the cat propped herself up somewhat, craning her neck to try and catch sight of what was in her hands. But the blonde spun around to face Ludi, and the cat blinked with confusion at what she held.
It was a small wooden toy that looked like an animal Ludi had never seen before. It was beautifully made, though, detail strong and pretty from where the cat sat. Intricate swirls and designs covered the toy, and Ludi knew instantly that whoever made that toy put real thought and hard work into it. She let out a small, quizzical mew, and Astrid jumped as if she had been roused from a dream. Smiling warmly, the girl got down on her knee by the bed, Ludi taking that as an invitation as she hopped onto the girl's shoulder.
Cradling the horse in her hands, Astrid turned her smile down at the thing, laughing softly under her breath. The memory of that day was held in the swirling pattern on the saddle of the horse, and Astrid wondered how a small eight-year-old could have ever managed to make it so pretty. Maybe that was the only reason she kept it back then, she thought that Hiccup was an idiot back then, of course. It was a decent horse, and Astrid could just imagine herself as a younger version, snatching the toy away from Hiccup without a word of thank-you, spinning around and running away. But that was probably what Hiccup had been expecting.
The girl shook herself, turning and marching out of her room and back down the stairs. Her mother blinked from where she stood in the kitchen, a smile spreading over her face as she saw what was in Astrid's hands. "Well, I declare!" She laughed, Astrid shooting her a look. "What made you dig that out? I remember that small thing. You loved it so much, playing with it every day you could!" Her mother paced forward, taking the toy from her and looking at it with a smile. "Didn't Hiccup make you this?"
Reddening at once, Astrid snatched the thing out of her hands, making it rough on purpose. "Of course not!" She snapped grouchily, her mother giggling as she glared sourly at her. "I just…found it AND STOP IT." She tucked the toy under her arm and ran out the door, leaving her mother laughing from behind her. Pursing her lips sourly, Astrid threw a glare over her shoulder as she made her way through the snow.
Looking back forward, she let her face let go of its frown, letting out a small sigh. Snotlout watched her as she passed him up, catching sight of the horse and snickering under his breath. If this had happened a long time ago, Astrid would have just acted indifferently, waiting disconnectedly for news about the 'Useless.' And now she was going to go give him that toy. It seemed like some of Hiccup's kindness had rubbed off on her.
Approaching the Elder's house, Astrid sucked in a deep breath. She had a right to be in there, she had a right to be anywhere really. If the Elder told her off, she would just go right back at her. Although even most male Vikings never challenged the Elder…this might not be such a good idea. But she shook herself for the second time, reaching over and pushing open the door.
Spitelout was gone, Astrid didn't see him in the room. But Stoick still sat in the room, watching anxiously at the Elder, who was still hunched over Hiccup's small form. She seemed to be concentrating, not even looking up as the door closed with a soft slam. Astrid winced at the loud noise though, blinking as she straightened.
She couldn't go over and put it by Hiccup, he was being worked on. Sighing, she realized that she would have to do it sooner or later. The Elder could snap at her any moment to get out, and the girl wanted to leave it here now. Shuffling over, Astrid stood beside Stoick, reaching over and tapping his shoulder hesitantly.
The chief started at the touch, looking over at her and smiling as he saw her. He opened his mouth to say something, but Astrid pushed the horse into his hands before he could say anything. She was flustered, and she went red in the face as she looked at the man shyly. "This is for Hiccup." She said, the chief looking down thoughtfully at the gift. "He'll know what it is when he wakes up." She glanced over at Hiccup's form for a moment before adding. "Just tell him it's from me."
"Astrid!" The Elder snapped, pausing from her work as she turned and glowered at the girl. "I thought I told you that you needed to leave. Stoick can stay, but you need to get out. I have to work here, and I can't have distractions! Leave, unless next time you have a sickness, I'll give you something that you don't want to know what it is!"
Astrid was happy to leave though. Ducking her head, the blonde turned and scurried quickly out of the house. Pausing at the door, she turned back to look at Hiccup. She let a small smile grace her face before she turned and ran off outside.
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A/N: I have to go get ready for a Christmas Eve party I'm going to! If I don't update tomorrow, you need to tell me all that you got for Christmas! Alright? I want to know every little thing! Even the stuff you get in your stockings that you never end up using! …Or is that just me? XDD
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE! :D