Cold wind swept over him.
Hiccup shivered; loose strand of his hair tickled his cheek in spiderweb wisps. He pulled the blanket more tightly around him, curling into himself. Though the draft died away, dissipating like a sigh, it left the room frigid in its wake. Thin and sharp, the air stung his nose as he inhaled.
Hiccup stirred. Through half-mast eyelids, smoothing his hair back, he pushed himself up onto his elbows. He twitches his cheeks when he feels crisp streams of dry tears on his cheeks. Wiping his palms across his cheeks, a slice of deep purple shimmers gently against his sheets. He stiffens. Slowly, he turn his head to peer down at the object.
A violet ribbon.
The sight of it jolted Hiccup's heart into hyperspeed. Hiccup jerked convulsively. With a small cry, he released the band as though it had scaled him. Scrambling backward, kicking off covers he collided with the headboard of his bed, causing it to rattle. Hiccup started to brainstorm explanations to give himself reassurance that what he was thinking was impossible. But then he glanced to where the ribbon lay amid his tangled covers, and he knew that fooling himself was no longer an option.
He knows this ribbon. It's one of a handful that belonged to his mother. Stoick had them stowed away in a little box, somewhere. He didn't really tell Hiccup any specific detail, and Hiccup never questioned as to why not. It was something private for only his father. Something of his wife that he wanted to be just his. Hiccup can't blame him for wanting a single link back to his wife, a link that belonged to only him.
Hiccup pulls the ribbon out from the crumpled blankets, smooth it over his knee for a moment, his fingers slowly tracing over the silvery V. H stitched into the corner. His eyes sting with fresh tears at the memory of her scent. Unable to resist, Hiccup brought the ribbon close to his nose, brushing it against his nostrils; rewarded with a scent that seized his heart like a clenched fist.
It smelled like her. Gods. It still smelled like her.
Hiccup shut his eyes, even though he wasn't sleepy.
His mind circled back to the previous night's dream. By now, though, the only thing that remained untarnished by layers of wishful thinking and fogginess was the core feeling it had left him with. It lay buried deep within him, like a piece of grit worried into a pearl. In the end, it was the only thing he really needed in order to keep going.
Love.
Contrary to Fishlegs' prediction it took an entire week for most of the snow to melt. Still, icicles hung from the roofs and sides of homes and businesses, dripping from gutters like stripes of torn lace. Like crusted barnacles, hard clumps of charcoal-colored sludge clung to the underbellies of boots and wagon wheels.
The world had a drowned and washed-out look by the time Hiccup returned to the Dragon Academy, as though the thick coating of white had receded, no color had returned to take its place. Even the grass looked gray, poking up through the lingering swiss cheese patterns of snow on the Academy's front doorstep.
But despite the lack of scenery Hiccup was glad to finally get out of his house, even if it felt like he was simply leaving one prison for another.
A light rain began to fall as he stepped off of Toothless, through the line dragons of and the lingering haze of singed wood. He stopped to stand on the sidewalk that led down into the Academy. Hooking his thumbs in the strap of his satchel, he scanned the building's regal structure. Far above, beyond its rigid outline, tattered clouds crawled cross a slate sky. Flashings liver in the overcast light, the iron bars did their best to coordinate themselves with winter's drab gray palette, to blend in just like everything else. Just like him.
Like the falling snow, his connection with his mom, to her, had abruptly ceased to be. The dream slowly fading in a far off scattered memory. Leaving him small connection, his experience to thaw in the stark glare of reality. Hiccup had tucked the ribbon away in the drawer of his nightstand, out of sight and for no out of his mind.
But now, being back in the Plaza of the village, he wish he had. Needing the comfort as he brushed past the Academy and through the bustling town. To his left and right, people passed him, hurrying to silence and stuff their groceries into sacks and bags. At first Hiccup didn't think anyone noticed him. Then he made the mistake of removing the hood of his dull-brown cloak as he entered the Square.
He knew he wasn't imagining the looks, the blatant stares, the whispers.
By this time, he'd grown used to them. They'd become a staple of his daily life on Berk. Everyone knew who he was. He was the boy who after he was free from the hypnosis of Alvin's Changewing, he released an evil Doppelganger and let it ravage the entire village. "You now," he heard one of the men say to a group of buddies before the official snowfall. "the chief's son, he released an evil Doppelganger, and it totally overthrew Stoick and his men. Then after that, he starting seeing that weird old lady and people are saying he's now a warlock. That's why more people started moving. If he's the one who's going to be running the village soon, I wouldn't want to live here anymore either."
Hiccup bit the inside of his lip. He did his best to ignore the gawkers and murmuring as he made the way though the market.
It wasn't that he hadn't expected this to happen after everything he and the village have seen and been through. He'd just hoped that there would have been enough in-between time of the seasons to provide even a minuscule amount of distraction.
But there would be no respite.
Whispers and turning heads, glares and fleeting looks of sympathy alike followed him all the way to the only two people who don't judge him. Mulch and Bucket.
They had long since proven their loyalties since the lightning was striking in the village, and when the villagers were ready to ship off Toothless, they stood by Stoick's side. And despite the moment of betrayal when Hiccup stabbed Bucket when he was brainwashed, that still didn't ruin their friendship. Bucket was pulling at a wheelbarrow and Mulch was just done helping another customer when the two spot Hiccup.
"Oh hey there Hiccup." Mulch said with a snaggletooth grin.
"Hey Mulch." Hiccup said in a shy smile. "My Dad says you've got us some good fish?"
"Oh ho you bet we do. We caught it this morning. The most beautiful cod and salmon that dare swim the Meridian of Misery." Mulch boasts and Hiccup smiles as Mulch nudges him with his elbow. "Bucket, give the boy the fish."
Bucket digs through sacks of flower and barrels of weapon until he finally finds the burlap sack, soaked at the bottom from the wet fish. He smiles and hands the sack to Hiccup. "Here ya' go Hiccup."
"Thanks Bucket." Hiccup says with a forced smile.
"Everything alright Hiccup?" Mulch asks.
Hiccup sighs, a puff of air billowing into the sharp air. "Uh," he paused, debating on whether it was safe to involve Mulch and Bucket just yet. One dream and one vision, while the timing was coincidental, it wasn't enough for Hiccup to decide it was a matter worth discussing with others. "just, a little self-conscious about everything." He snaps at the last minute.
"Oh, still gossiping hmm?" Mulch goes on as he loads up the cart.
"Yeah, yeah pretty much." Hiccup plays as he slings the sack over his shoulder. "Thanks for the fish guys, I'll see you later." Hiccup calls as he starts the trek back to his home.
As he made his way home, Hiccup looked around and pulled his hood over his head again. The feeling of the cloth on either side of his face helped him feel more concealed even if it was only an optical illusion. As he make his way to the familiar trek, near Gobber's blacksmith shop, fear tugged at his gut when he noticed the set of fresh footprints in the snow, which led all the way up to the front entrance of Gobber's shop. He made his way to follow but stopped midway. Glancing around, it seemed no one was watching him, thankfully. If anyone did see this, it would only add to the whispers going around the village of Hiccup slowly losing his sanity.
Wasting no time, Hiccup hurried toward the shop, doing his best to stay out of sight as he crept up to stand just outside the doorway. Pressing his back to the wall, he turned his head to listen.
"-not comfortable with him practicing magic anymore. Not with the way he's been acting," he heard his father say. "I'm afraid he's not ready for it."
"He is, Stoick. I know it's been a rough start, but he seemed to be getting the hang of it. Maybe he needs this. Maybe he just needs something to focus on." Gobber spoke.
"I agree, but I don't like the idea of my son practicing witchcraft. You saw him this morning. Whatever it is, it's getting worse."
"The boy doesn't ask for much, Stoick. If he needs this to help himself, then who are you to argue? The boys' been through enough."
"Well I'm starting to think that this magic stuff is exactly what he doesn't need."
"Are you saying you're going to make him stop?" Gobber asks.
"What I'm saying is that I think he needs a break. A real break. From magic, from the Academy, and the village."
"I'm not so sure Stoick." Gobber said. "What if the magic really is helping Hiccup, and we just can't see it? He hasn't come to you for anything. Maybe you're just being overprotective."
"Hiccup's been through so much, he doesn't want anyone to worry about him. If anything is happening, he's most likely keeping it to himself. And I just don't have the guts to make him pry."
At these words, Hiccup paled. His thoughts freewheeled back to the night before, to the sight of the ribbon resting in his palm.
If his father hadn't known it was there, then how had it found its way out of hiding?
The dream, Hiccup thought, his memory latching onto the image of his mother handing him the ribbon.
His mother. The dream . . . had it been real? Had he been awake?
It was his only explanation, for now.
A numbing dread prickled in his gut.
If that were true, then that meant his mother could be somewhere nearby. She might even be watching him right now. Hiccup looked out around the village. He searched the snow-laden trees and houses for a braid or a nay-blue tunic, wondering how it could be possible when he had never dreamt of her before the previous year; back when he was under the grip of Alvin's Changewing.
"Do you ever think that maybe that's the reason why he needs the magic training?" Hiccup heard Gobber say. "Clearly he's been through a lot, Stoick. And the fact remains that neither of us knows exactly what happened between him and that dragon, let alone what was exchanged between him and Hadrian. The only thing we do know is that your son hasn't been the same since."
"What if the magic, grows on him? What if that one day was an omen that the worse is yet to come?" Stoick asked, the anger in his voice giving way to quiet panic.
Hiccup drew a quick breath and held it.
"Why would he come to any of us?" Gobber asked. "It's clear he doesn't trust anyone right now and why would he, when he's been through so much mental battles and we've just been pushing that aside, hoping things will eventually smooth over on their own? Maybe if we listen to him, maybe if we let him do something that will take his mind off everything, he'll actually start to open up. You saw him before Stoick, I know you did. When was the last time you heard him laugh? And when was the last time you saw him smile like that? I mean, really smile."
For a long moment, Hiccup heard only the crackling of the coals.
"I hate feeling helpless like this," his dad said. "I don't have a better idea, and honestly, I don't think you do either. But, it's dangerous Gobber. All I want this Snoggletog is to see my boy happy again."
"You don't think I've wanted the same thing? He's been my apprentice ever since he was little. Or well, littler. He's like the son I never had."
Unable to take the guilt pooling in his stomach, Hiccup stepped back from the door. Pulling his hood father over his head, he barely felt the winter air cling to his bare skin while a few stray flakes drifted from an otherwise tranquil sky. As he sped-walked his way home, the sunlight bounced off the snow, searing his eyes. He squinted through the glare, scanning the quiet scene of his village. His thoughts of the conversation bounced back and forth in his skull. Guilt tugged at his heart as he thought of all the times he secluded himself from his father.
He thought he was doing something good sparing his father the worry of seeing him have another mental battle, but really, it was causing his father more worry seeing him go through the battle alone after all that's happened. Hiccup never realized how much his father wanted to help, but he simply pushed him aside thinking it was his battle, he had to finish it.
His own badge of honor.
A pair of fluffy-tailed squirrels skittered and chased each other across Hiccup's toes and up the trunk of Mrs. Finley's oak. That was when he saw him.
Hiccup froze. His eyes devoid of any emotion besides fatigue and dread, his cheeks hollow and skin a pale grey. He trudged through the snow like he was half dead. His teeth were bared from his hollow yet tight cheeks; like it was pulled back taught.
Hiccup hesitated as he approached Snotlout, fearing one sudden move and he'll pounce on him like a mouse trying to swerve around an irritable cat.
"S-Snotlout?" Hiccup struggles to say.
Snotlout approaches, but he didn't seem to acknowledge Hiccup's presence. As he gets closer, he resembles more of a zombie than himself. A strange mark was on his forearm. It was in the shape of a circle with a ten point star. Hiccup peers his head to the side to get a better view, but when the realization of how close Snotlout was getting, Hiccup quickly stepped out of the way. As Snotlout passed him, he moaned and hissed, still not one glance in Hiccup's direction. Once he left Hiccup behind, Hiccup quickly spun open his heels and dashed for his home. Running as fast as his feet could carry him, Hiccup nearly wanted to scream from the way Snotlout looked. It looked like the life had been sucked right out of him, leaving behind a wrinkly, grey and miserable skin.
With his home in sight, Hiccup picked up the pace and nearly yanked the door off its hinges as he flung it open. Once inside, he pressed his back to it, shutting it with a loud bang, his head knocking against the wood in the process. He slides down to the floor, his heart beating in his ears and his vision blurry from the sudden vertigo brought on by the sudden warmth. Against the warm inside air, his skin flared fire hot. Tiny beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. He trembled where he sat and kept his face peering straight ahead to the back door.
As if things weren't strange enough for him, now there was Zombie Snotlout. The first thing that comes to Hiccup's mind is a sort of illness. And if it was contagious, he needed to get Snotlout secluded immediately before he infects the other villagers. It was nothing like anything hiccup had ever seen, then again Hiccup wasn't all that educated in the medicine crafts, but this didn't seem like any virus. He wasn't coughing, sneezing, he only hissed and moaned. But with hiccup's limited knowledge, he couldn't make assumptions.
The one thing that made Hiccup thin otherwise was that strange mark on Snotlout's forearm. Something about it Hiccup recognized. But what? It was somewhere in his thoughts he could picture it, but couldn't place an exact image. It hovered in his thoughts, floating in the black oblivion, begging to be recognized. Hiccup gripped his head and growled in annoyance. Where had he seen it?
Then a sudden realization dawned on him. He ran up to his room and straight to his desk where he pulled out a pencil, spilling the others on the floor, yanked of a piece of parchment paper and began scribbling. His mind wandered off, his eyes focusing on a small splinter with an upturned edge, curled like a beckoning finger. As his thoughts jumbled around, trying to make sense of themselves, his hand freely scribbled on the paper, as if it had a mind of its own and it was leeching the information of the mark from his brain to the paper.
With one blink, Hiccup snapped out of his drifting trance and he felt a little light headed as he blinked again, as if to resettle his body. He looked to his paper and his brows furrowed in curiosity how he even drew it without reference. Once on the sheet, it resembled the Pentagram Grandmamma had showed him only with five extra stars. Looking closer, the points almost looked like teeth. But as he tries to decipher it more, he suddenly hears the storm door creak open. He froze. He drops to his knees, and creeps his way over to the wooden banister. Turning his head, he caught sight of a dark blur as it slid away from the fireplace and darted deeper inside his house.
Snatching a shield hanging along the all, Hiccup charged down the stairs, rushing the black-clad figure. Arms raised, the intruder stumbled backward, sprawling on the floor with a heavy clump. Hiccup lifted his shield high over his head, preparing to bring it down like a sledgehammer.
"Don't pound me!"
Hiccup stopped short of striking, halted by the familiar voice as well as the wide brown eyes that now peered up at him from behind long black curls.
Stunned, Hiccup lowered the shield.
"I'm sorry," Jolene said, a nervous tremor in her voice, "I wanted to come and see you, and the door was open."
Hiccup took a step back, unsure of what to say or think.
Or how to feel. . .
Nonetheless Hiccup extended his hand and she accepted it gratefully. Jolene kept her distance, slowly fixing her dress and avoiding eye contact, as though she feared Hiccup might change his mind and clock her anyway. Hiccup saw that Jolene wore a knitted scarf. It wrapped softly around her neck, her hair spilling over it certain parts of its edges. She also had on open-fingered gloves that blended into her charcoal fur-lined cloak. There was an undeniable current of secret joy that surged within Hiccup at the sight of Jolene.
"So, what's up?" Hiccup asked trying not to sound rude.
Jolene's eyes looked to him, then shifted to the wall. "I came to talk."
"Yeah?" Hiccup said. Curiosity suddenly blooming at his core. "About what?"
"Something important. And I'm actually glad we got to do it privately." she shyly smiles.
Hiccup feels his cheeks grow warm. He nervously clears his throat. "So, um, h-here can I get you anything? Some warm yak milk perhaps?" he stutter while pulling out a chair for her.
Jolene giggles as she flattens her dress against her bum and takes her seat. "Actually, do you have any tea?"
"Yeah, yeah sure. I'll be right back." Hiccup goes to the back and into the pantry where he fetches a chamomile for the water.
Walking back into the room, Jolene sits with her hands folded over one another in her lap, back straight hovering above the back of the chair. Her cloak drapes over the back. Her skirt spread out in gentle folds along the floor. She looked as though she was posing for a painting. She nervously fidgets with her hands, a look of wilted misery flittered across her features. Hiccup reenters the room. They exchange a smile as Hiccup drops the plant into the boiling water. Taking a wooden spoon, he stirs the water until the plants had moistened and slowly started to deteriorate. Soon the fragrance filled the home. Within minutes of Toothless heating the fire, the beverage was ready and Hiccup poured two cups and handed Jolene hers.
"So," Hiccups starts as he sips his tea. "Is everything okay?"
He takes a seat across from Jolene. Toothless circled before he took his place at Hiccup's feet, head resting on his front feet.
"Well, it's a little complicated," she pauses to peer down at her sup, the steam, billowing up before vanishing into the air. "and I know we don't know each other that well, so I apologize this is all so sudden. But I just needed someone to talk to and I figured since you're the chief's son-"
She realized she was babbling, so she stopped and took in a deep breath. Hiccup gently smiles, and places his hand on hers, it still held the cold chill of winter, slowly leaching the heat of the tea.
Jolene takes a deep breath, "Well, in all honestly, I originally came to see you."
Hiccup was in mid-slurp when she spoke, so the sudden intimate confession caused him to choke on the tea, coughing as it went down his windpipe. Once he clears his throat, Jolene decides to go on, sparing Hiccup talking.
"I wanted to make sure you were okay." She says, ghosting her hand across Hiccup's knuckles.
Hiccup nervously clears his throat. "Uh, y-yeah. I'm fine why?"
"Well, it's just your villagers haven't really been, interactive with you much. And you seem like a likable guy, and with you being the son of chief after all. . . ."
"Uh, its' just," Hiccup stops to take a sip of tea. "I've been going through a lot lately, and I guess through the past, the villagers are starting to lose trust in me. And I can't say I blame them."
"Does it have anything to do with the fact that you're practicing magic?" Jolene asks.
Hiccup looks to her wide-eyed. While it was no secret that he was practicing magic, the reasons were unclear with the villagers. Stoick wanted to keep it confidential since he didn't want anything else stressing out Hiccup, but Jolene's bluntness has left him with little defense.
"Uh, well . . ." Hiccup struggles to find the words to explain it to her without revealing everything that's happened to him within the past year.
"You don't have to tell me, but the magic thing is another reason why I wanted to see you." She suddenly says. Hiccup meets her eyes, an abysmal brown that somehow deprives Hiccup of his oxygen. "I need to confess something, and as far as I can tell, you're the only person I can trust."
Hiccup felt his cheeks flare and he knew he had to be turning red.
"Can I trust you?" she pleads.
"Of course Jolene." Hiccup perks up when the realization dawns on him that that was the first time he's ever said her name.
She lowers her head and takes a shaky breath. The vulnerability made Hiccup want to wrap her in his arms and comfort her. Clearly this was a difficult subject. Perhaps this was even the first time she was ever admitting it to anyone.
"Okay, well there's no need for masks." She says looking directly into Hiccup's eyes. "I know what's going on."
Hiccup retreats back into his seat, withdrawing his hand which had long been melded to hers. His jaw clamped tight. Without thinking Hiccup opens his mouth. "Look, you don't know anything." His mouth unknowingly curled into a snarl. "Neither does my friends or even my father."
"This isn't about them. This is about you." Jolene retorts, holding her ground despite Hiccup's sudden hostility. "You and you're wonderful new gift."
"Pft, I don't have any gifts." Hiccup mumbles, flashing back to the vision he had. Flames, burning ember, crimson splattered. The two black holes that bore into his soul. "Just a curse."
"Only if you let it be."
He looks up to Jolene, and while her concern and innocence gave Hiccup the slight sense that she might possibly actually understand, the subject itself made him uncomfortable. "Look, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't want any part of this. It's hard trying to be normal for mw around here okay?!"
Hiccup clamps a hand over his mouth as a sob rose from the depths of his darkness. He swallows it and after a sniffle, he collects himself. He had expected Jolene to get up and storm out from his outburst, but instead she stayed rooted in her place, watching Hiccup, her face black of any judgment.
Perhaps she really did understand.
"Hiccup," her soft voice calls. Hiccup squeezes his eyes shut. His eyes watering beneath his lids. The gentleness and patience in her tone mad Hiccup regret his moment. "Look, I want you to watch me for a second, please?" she beckons.
Hiccup looks to her as she rises from her seat, standing at the edge of the table. When she sees Hiccup give her his attention, she slowly raises a dainty hand and narrows her eyebrows. Hiccup is stumped for a moment, and suddenly he hears the shield he leant against the table rattle. He looks and sees a pale blue light emanate from around the shield. His eyes widen and he lets out a small sound of surprise.
The shield continued to rattler until it finally levitated into the air Hiccup looked back to Jolene and her eyes were glowing a piercing blue-diamond luster that could cut as much as convince. Hiccup whirled back to the shield as it made its way across the span of the floor and following Jolene's hand motions, she rotated her hand before flattening her fingers down. The shield then tilted and hooked onto the wall.
"W-whoa. How did you do that?" Hiccup breathes, his initial shock overpowering his ability to speak.
"The same way you can melt snow and manipulate clouds. And just like you one day everything was normal and then suddenly I had this power. And trust me I hated it too." Jolene says as she approaches Hiccup.
"I, I don't know what to say?" Hiccup says, his senses heightening when he realizes how close she's getting.
"You have to promise you won't tell anyone. Please Hiccup." Jolene begs as she kneels down I front of him. "You're the only one I've told. Promise you won't say anything."
She places her hand on Hiccup's wounding her fingers like a spider would its prey.
"I – I promise Jolene. I promise. And I'm touched you trust me so much. But why is this a sore subject for you, if you don't mind me asking?" Hiccup yearns.
Jolene's quiet for a moment, then she look back to him. "I didn't wander on your shores by accident. Well I did, but not for the reasons you think." She pause, as if waiting for Hiccup to say something, but he doesn't. "I ran away from home."
Hiccup's eye furrow in a seriousness that made people take him seriously. "What happened?" Jolene looked up at him, to make sure she hadn't imagined the genuine note of concern. She felt the brush of Hiccup's knuckles against her jaw.
She lowers her head, and Hiccup can feel the vibration as she draws a shaky breath.
"Back on my home village, my family, while well-respected, we were outsiders. My family possessed a rare, gift that others would either see as a threat or an advantage, if you will." Jolene looks up. "I'm a witch, Hiccup. With powers beyond understanding. At first it wasn't considered a threat, there were plenty of others among us. But soon, the people turned against us, and they tortured and burned my friends and family if accused of being a witch. Through the years, raids would come to my village, sixty years' worth. They came again and again, each time taking more of my friends and taking them captive. We did our best to hold them off, but out numbers dwindled as the raids continued."
She pauses as her voice hitches toward the end. The painful memory reopening the wounds she clearly tried so hard over the years to cover.
"Finally, my great-grandmother was captured. She was left away in chains. The last witch of my village. They say they were put in terrible prisons, tortured and punished for having theses powers. She was the only one who managed to escape."
"So, what brought you here?" Hiccup softly asks. So gently.
"As the years passed, no one ever spoke the word witch in the village. And when people found out I had 'the spark' as they now call it, there were soldiers coming to the village. I was the very last witch to ever be born in the village. They recommended my family leave at once. But my parents couldn't afford the price. So I took matters into my own hands and I ran away. Sparing them the pain of losing a daughter, permanently, at least."
"You're a very brace woman." Hiccup says, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Tears stream down Jolene's flawless face and she leans her head in Hiccup's lap. Hiccup leans down and kisses the crown of her head. Sobs begin to wreck her body, she seems so fragile. Her grip tightens on Hiccup's hand. Hiccup offers no words of encouragement, why would he when it can't change anything? He can't rewrite the past, all he can do is give her hope of a better life.
"You're safe now, Jolene. I promise you're safe."
She looks up to him, wiping away her tears. He holds her chin and smiles. Her skin seemed to hum from where he touches her. She saw him shift in his seat. He leaned down close to whisper, the sensation of his breath against her cheek nearly causing her eyes to flutter shut.
"I promise."
Hiccup ghosts his thumb over her bottom lip. She goes rigid, then relaxes to his touch. Hiccup presses his lips to her forehead. Jolene sighs and Hiccup can feel her skin warm. After a few more moments of comfort, Jolene needed to head home. Hiccup wraps her cloak around her neck, buttoning just at the base of her chest. Even her collarbone was somehow attractive.
"Thank you Hiccup." She mumble shyly. Hiccup smiles as he opens the storm door.
"I hope you feel better." He says.
Jolene pulls her hood over her head, the ends of her hair streaming down through the opening. "I do. And I hope to see you again."
"So do I." Hiccup retorts, taken aback by his own choice of words. Jolene giggles as she crosses the threshold out into the snow-laden town.
She glances over her shoulder and Hiccup offers a wave. Waving back, he stood and stared after her until the train of her cloak vanished around the corner. Once she's out of his sight, Hiccup closes the door with a muted thump. A smile refused to cease Hiccup's lips, a feeling of absolute purebred joy germinated within his chest. Hiccup let the feeling spread, let it sink into his secret spaces and make him its own.
As he put away the cups of tea, Hiccup noticed something black shadowing off his hand. Angling it, his heart nearly stops from the initial shock. He drops the cups and they shatter into brittle pieces. Rushing to the bathroom, Hiccup grabs the soap and begins to scrub the back of his hand as hard as he can, until its bright pink and tingly. But it won't go away.
It won't even fade.
His hand sank, as though his own hand became too heavy for him to hold.
Hiccup can practically feel the teeth lacerate at his heart he stares at the tooth-like points of a ten point star.