Hiccup explains about proper dragon hygiene as he stands at the front of the class, the stone board behind him with a picture of Toothless' foot and an icky green foot fungus between the toes.
"So you need to make sure that you clean your dragon at least once every three weeks to avoid infection." He explains. "Now to explain proper teeth cleaning, I will leave it to Gobber."
Hiccup steps aside as Gobber comes forward and leads the class, Hiccup sits on a stool and constantly catches himself looking at the entrance of the Academy.
The sun was hovering over the Academy, surrounded by fluffy clouds against the hard blue sky. The wind glides along the village, whispering through the trees while the sun casts it's gold curtain around the houses, giving them their own little halo.
Hiccup hadn't seen Hadrian since last night, after their argument. After trying to talk to him this morning, given his bedroom door is locked, Hiccup simply left after saying he'd be at the Academy. Hiccup kept looking to the entrance hoping to see him walking through. While he may be tiff, Hiccup still wanted to talk to him. Try and lighten his mood, or at least let Hadrian know Hiccup's on his side. Things always seem better when you have an alley.
Hiccup looks to the Skrill who's simply curled into itself, resting, its breathing heavy and even. Hiccup sighs as Gobber goes on about how too much yak for a dragon's teeth can cause decay. Over on the east side of the Academy, Hadrian's fanclub begins to gather, sitting along the outer rim.
A hand touches his shoulder. "You know he cares for that dragon."
Hiccup turns and finds Heather.
"I know. And I want to let him know I'm on his side, if only he'd show up." Hiccup replies.
Heather merely smiles in return. She debates on whether or not to tell Hiccup about his surprise for her. Heather knew immediately it really wasn't for her, but something to do with the Skrill. Plus if Hiccup already knows and even accompanies Hadrian on certain nights at the Academy, there really isn't any reason why she shouldn't; except that he might convince him not to.
So she keeps her mouth shut as Fishlegs approaches. He leans in, "So, why haven't we tried training the Skrill yet?" he whispers.
"Uh well, it's been a little, irked, lately." Hiccup lies.
"But it's been in that cage nearly a month now. And it seems to have calmed down." Fishlegs points out.
"true, but, my Dad says he's been negotiating on whether or not to give it to Dagur."
"What?! Why?!"
"He thinks it's his way in to forming a truce since Dagur's now gained both fleets of the Beserkers and Outcasts." Hiccup explains.
"But that's even more crazy." Fishlegs argues. "Hadrian found it, he should decide."
Hiccup looks to Fishelgs and smiles at the thought that Fishlegs agrees with what Hiccup and Hadrian have been doing.
Suddenly, the girls squeal.
Turning to them, then instinctively to the entrance, Hiccup smiles as he sees Hadrian walk in. The girls giggle and squeak as he walks over to Hiccup and Heather.
"Ah, glad you could join us Hadrian." Gobber says as he acknowledges his walking in, the gong back to his lesson.
Hadrian pulls up a stool next to Hiccup. "Nice to see I didn't miss anything." he jokes.
"Nice to see you're in a, better mood." Hiccup says. Heather walks over to Astrid while the two start to talk. "So, how are you feeling?" Hiccup whispers.
"Better." Hadrian answers, keeping his gaze on Lightning who still remains asleep in his iron cage. "They're not going to take him." he suddenly whispers.
"I'll help you with this, Hadrian. You're not in this alone." Hiccup assures. "And if worse comes to worse, I will do whatever it takes to help you both."
Hadrian looks to him and smiles, like he couldn't help it. "Thanks Hiccup."
Hiccup couldn't believe it. He was actually smiling, teeth and all. Up until now, it was always just something casual to lighten the mood, it was such a jarring thing to witness that for a moment, Hiccup felt as though he was talking to a stranger.
"And that, concludes the lesson to never let your dragon eat any squid." Gobber concludes.
"And thank you Gobber, for that, interesting lesson . . ." Hiccup says as he approaches Gobber, taking the lead of the class.
Hadrian keeps his gaze on Lightning as Hiccup continues the class until nine o'clock. As the kids file out, Hadrian casually makes himself looks busy until Gobber calls back. "Hadrian, are you coming?"
"I'll be out in a minute, I need to get some supplies. I have the job of cleaning the stables today."
"Very well." Gobber subsides.
Hadrian waits a minute after the footsteps have dispersed before he runs over to the cage and pulls the lever. The gates rumble like the belly of a Scauldron and Hadrian steps back as Lightning walks out, huffing. Hadrian extends out his hand and strokes the Skrill's snout. Lightning purrs as Hadrian scratches under its chin.
"Good boy. That's my dragon." Hadrian grasps both sides of Lightning's head. "How about we go for a fly?"
That afternoon, in the Square, Heather checks the sundial next to Gobber's anvil. Due to the morning classes, she understands why Hadrian didn't show, but where was he now? She leans against the doorway as Hiccup walks up with Toothless.
"Hey Heather, waiting for Hadrian?" he asks.
"Yeah, have you seen him?" she asks.
"He stayed behind to grab some supplies because he said he had to clean the stables." Hiccup explains.
"Oh," Heather says. "okay."
"Everything alright?" Hiccup asks.
"Yeah, just, tired of waiting." Heather says nonchalantly.
Suddenly someone from the village screams. "Skrill!"
The entire village suddenly explodes with cries of terror and fear. They scatter like a herd of sheep. Hiccup and Heather run outside and find everyone running in blind panic. A show zooms over the houses, and for a moment blocks out the sun. Hiccup shades his eyes and looks up, immediately recognizing the red stripes of the Skrill. Hiccup would've thought it had escaped if it weren't for the unusual feeling he had in the pit of his stomach. Out of the barrel of ravaging emotions, he could feel, excitement.
"Hiccup!" Astrid calls and both he and Heather look in the same direction. Astrid runs up to him. "Hiccup, the Skrill ash escaped, what do we do?"
Hiccup doesn't respond, but instead walks out as his father and Gobber run up to them.
"Who let that dragon out?!" Stoick asks, or more rather demands."
"Hold on!" Hiccup calls.
And as if on cue, the dragon circles back around and smoothly drops down to landing in the Square. As it lowers its wings, Hadrian's form is soon revealed. The villagers have stopped panicking and now gather and gaze in awe as Hadrian pats the dragon's neck. Hiccup smiles as runs up to Hadrian and Lightning.
Heather follows behind. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise." She giggles.
"Hadrian," Fishlegs calls, "that's . . ."
"The Skrill from the Academy." Hadrian finishes.
"Hadrian!" Gobber calls. "What on earth are you doing with it?"
"Just showing everyone how he really is." Hadrian says. "He was willing to learn." He directs to Stoick, who remains silent.
"I don't understand, I thought you said this was a wild dragon." Gobber says. "How in the name of Thor did you tame him?"
Hadrian hesitates. But he takes a deep breath as he scans to looks to Hiccup. He then turns to Gobber. "I went every night and waited for him to trust me."
"You went every night?" Stoick chimes in.
Hadrian looks to him, his head slightly lowered. "I'm sorry Stoick. Really I am, but I had to show you that Lightning isn't as bad as you, or any of you-" he directs his words to the villagers. "think that he is."
"You did this behind my back." Stoick sternly says.
"Dad he was excited. He wanted to tame his own drago-" Hiccup starts.
"Don't make excuses for him!" Stoick barks. "It's the same as if he had lied to my face."
"I did the same when I found Toothless, what's the difference?!" Hiccup barks back.
Stoick is stunned momentarily. He's never heard Hiccup yell before. Not even after the fight they had at home.
"I went with him Dad, they have something." Hiccup defends.
"You went with him?"
"Chip off the old block."
"Stoick," Hadrian interjects. "Look for yourself. You said that Lighting wasn't trainable, but here I am. I'm riding him. I've tamed him."
"You've what?"
"The only reason you want to give him to Dagur is to either have him set waste to the island, or because you didn't think he was trainable. He is Stoick. Not all dragons are the same." says Hadrian.
"Hadrian, you can't always have everything you want." Gobber says.
"I don't think I ask for much." He counters. Lightning huffs and Hadrian pats his neck as he ruffles and shakes his head, mimicking a dog after a swim.
"You did this behind my back." Stoick bites off every syllable as he tries not to lose his clearly overbearing anger.
"Stoick please, if you give time to the Beserkers, Dagur will surely kill him."
"He is not you're to claim."
"I don't get why you're being so stubborn." Hadrian snaps. "I've trained him, there's no legitimate reason for you to give him away now."
"Dad, he's right." Hiccup says as he steps in front of his father and backs towards Hadrian. "You don't have any reason left at all. Hadrian has tamed Lightning, he can ride him. Think of how useful he'll be in defending Berk."
Stoick places his hands on his hips. He huffs and turns stroking his beard, debating on what to do next. Or if he'll just burst in a rage of anger and screams.
Hadrian dismounts and carefully approaches Stoick. "Sir, I'm deeply sorry for going behind your back, but I needed to do this. Just as Hiccup did for Toothless. We have a bond that's different like every other relationship a rider has with their dragons." Hadrian speaks. "Please, just let him stay."
Stoick looks to Hadrian and he can see the genuine look in his eyes. He sighs and strokes his beard again. He turns his back to Hadrian.
"Take the dragon back to the Academy." His voice dropping nearly five octaves.
"Stoick - " Hadrian starts.
"Take him back to the Academy." Stoick says sternly. "I will not let this sedition go unpunished." He starts.
"Dad," Hiccup nearly whispers.
"Just take the dragon back." And that's all he says before he walks off, not turning back.
Dread pools into Hadrian's stomach, thick like a black oil spring. He looks to Hiccup for some sign of hope. A simple ghost of a smile, a sigh, something that tells him that Stoick was swayed. But Hiccup looks as pale as a blanket of snow. He looks to Hadrian and gives an indiscriminate shake of his head.
Hadrian suddenly wishes he could cry, because the tears might bring him a sense of release, but he doesn't. He has to wipe his hands on his tunic as the sweat collects – or maybe he just does it because it helps him feel calmer. He bites the inside of his lip as he walks back over to Lightning. The Skrill coos and nuzzles into Hadrian's neck. Hadrian lets out small chuckles as he rubs the dragon's snout.
"I wish I could be like you." he whispers. "Throwing caution to the wind."
"Hadrian," Hiccup voice chirps up. He turns and allows Hiccup to approach them.
Hadrian lowers his head and looks into Lightning eyes.
"I . . . I just want to say, this is incredible." Hiccup musters to say. "And if my dad doesn't let you -"
"Hiccup," Hadrian interrupts. "I don't think he's going to let me keep him."
"No he will, h-he's just mad about you going behind his back." Hiccup covers.
"Don't get my hopes up." Hadrian says as he mounts Lightning.
"Hadrian I'm serious!" Hiccup hoots. "Look at you! You're riding a Skrill! The last time we tried to train one of those, it nearly roasted us alive."
"Hiccup,"
"My father is impressed, please, believe me. He's definitely swayed by this."
"Look," Hadrian says holding up a hand. "We'll just take a ride around the island before we head back."
"I'll go with you." Hiccup says and before Hadrian could argue, he mounts Toothless and pulls next to him. Hadrian sighs and shakes his head.
"Fine."
Then with one flap of their dragon's wings, they rocket to the air and glide up to the mountain. Everyone watches, smiling with excitement and astonishment at the sight of a Night Fury and a Skrill flying side by side. They were incredible. Their broad wings and darkened bodies were intimidating. Hadrian and Hiccup flying next to each other. Something about the site was, unworldly, but gave off a sense of, belonging.
The two rode around the island in silence as the sun set over the horizon, blushing a sharp pink, casting the clouds a purple periwinkle. Hadrian looks ahead and reaches his hand up, slicing through the fluffy pink clouds, the moisture like dew sticking to his arm.
They park the dragons inside the Academy, leading Lightning into his cage easier than before. Before Hadrian shuts the door, the Skrill nuzzles into his neck again and Hadrian hugs around his snout. He looks into those ruby red eyes and feels his eyes water. Lightning coos and licks his face.
"I'm fine, Lightning." Hadrian pats his snout. "I'll see you tomorrow."
With that, the doors of the cage closed with a more ominous boom. Hadrian squeezes his eyes shut and is surprised to feel tears trickling down his cheeks. He quickly wipes them away as he hears Hiccup's voice. "Hadrian you want a ride?"
"No thanks. I'll walk home." He says.
Without argument, hiccup turns Toothless and Hadrian feels the remnants of their take off as the breeze tickles his elbows. He takes a deep breath and starts his trek home. He makes sure to take alternate routes so he avoids the villagers and to avoid Heather. He takes his time so he misses dinner, and even sneaks through the skylights so no one would hear him come home.
He trudges his way up to the loft area and strip down to just his undergarments. Crawling in between the sheets, he burrows down and lets the comforter muffle all the sounds of the night.
He can't take him. He has no reason. Hadrian thinks to himself. He grips the sheets until his knuckles turn white. He thinks back to Hiccup's failed attempts at motivation. Poor Hiccup. He finally had a decent common factor to bond with Hadrian, and now it's all broken down into a mess that even can't put a positive spin on.
Hadrian should've known better than to just fly into the center of the village. He knew he should've rethought everything, but what is it that made him still go? Why is Stoick s upset? He knows it has more to do with Hadrian going behind his back. Then it strikes Hadrian.
Because he was in the center of the village, he most likely gained the support of the villagers. He remembers the crowd gathering outside gazes, slack jawed in wonder like yokels in a burlesque tent. If he were to say no, he'd be frowned upon and shamed.
This almost had nothing to do with Hadrian gong behind his back, but the fact that he severely jeopardized his reputation. Hadrian can guarantee that nearly no one will support Stoick, even his most loyal ally Gobber.
Hadrian ignores the knock that comes thirty minutes after he's in bed. He doesn't want to face anyone tonight. Hiccup's done the best he can do. For the first time in what felt like forever, Hadrian has a nightmare about losing Lightning. He watches helplessly as Beserker soldiers jerk and pull Lightning from his cage and into the cargo hole of the ship. Next he's at the rusted iron bar arena of Outcast Island where he watches as Dagur slices at Lightning every time the Skrill refuses to do what he says. Hadrian screams at him to stop, his voice growing raw. He tries to run to Lightning, but he was moving so slowly that Lightning soon collapses in a pool of his own blood.
And for a moment, Hadrian hears the Skrill talk.
"You lied to me." it croaks.
Hiccup's a relatively light sleeper, and he awoke to what sounded at first to be moaning. But as he regained consciousness, he noticed they weren't moans, they were screams.
Gut wrenching, heart ripping screams.
Hiccup immediately springs from his room and bolts straight to Hadrian's room, where he knew the source of the screaming was. As out of habit, Hiccup had this reflex naturally tuned into his brain given that Hadrian suffered from nightmares frequently when he first moved here. And as always, Hiccup was terrified for him.
He grabs the knob, but it halts at the slightest turn. Hadrian had locked it.
"Dammit." Hiccup cursed. He had forgotten Hadrian did this to make himself more comfortable. It made him more secure that the demons could not enter. Hiccup steps back and then barrels to the door, kicking the door in and storming into the room.
He finds Hadrian in his bed, tossing and turning he was no longer screaming; however he was muttering and, whimpering. Almost as if he were in pain, ad his eyes were squeezed shut. And what Hiccup thought was his screams were actually pleas and sobs.
"No, no. Please." He cries. "Stop! Leave him alone! NO! NO!" Hadrian cries as he began tossing and turning violently again. His screams now were heart wrenching, and Hiccup had to do something to stop it. Hiccup climbs on the bed and straddles him, trying to wake him up.
"Hadrian!" Hiccup said loudly, trying to get a hold of his arms which were flailing about.
"No! Stop! PLEASE!"
"Hadrian!"
"No!"
"HADRIAN!" Hiccup shook him and his eyes flew open, tears streaming down his face. He looks at Hiccup with horrified eyes. He made to push Hiccup off him, still with terror burning into his orbs.
"No, no get off, please don't-" he whimpers, as if he were still in his dream – like hiccup was the one he was pleading to.
"Hadrian, it's me. It's Hiccup." Hiccup says softly, gripping his arms lightly. Hadrian scrambles to sit up and looks at him. It was Hiccup had more than a few moments to look at a vulnerable Hadrian.
His eyes were watered and his cheeks were flushed. His expression is . . . broken. That strong, cold, bold face that seemed to be made of stone was now cracking. His lip quivers as he looks down, gripping his bed sheets. In a flash, though, his fingers move from the sheets to Hiccup's arm, and he holds them for dear life. Hiccup's sure there will be bruises running across his arms from the force of his hold.
Hadrian's while body began to quiver – out of nervousness or fear, Hiccup isn't sure – but he's not one to watch someone else emotionally break down, no matter how cruel they are, or were.
So he does the relatively unthinkable: he pulls Hadrian closer to him, places his hand on the back of his head guiding it to his shoulder, and wraps his arms around him.
Hadrian doesn't fight Hiccup and he doesn't protest, instead, he allows Hiccup to hold him, and it's only a few moments later that he starts crying again. Hadrian buries his face into the crook of Hiccup's neck and the tears spill onto Hiccup's neck. Hiccup felt his fingers dig into his shoulder and grip his tunic, like it was the only thing he had to hold onto. Like it was the only thing holding him in place. Surprisingly, the pain Hiccup was expecting to feel never came, as he is too preoccupied with his fingers grazing over Hadrian's bare skin.
Hadrian was so desperate for comfort, and his tears were almost like a plea; a plea for whatever he was dreaming about to never happen to him again . . . or a plea for him to just forget.
Hiccup doesn't say anything to him yet. No words of encouragement, and he doesn't are ask him what his dream was about. Though he could take a wild guess . . .
He rubs Hadrian's back and lets his head rest on Hadrian's shoulder, hearing the vibrations of his sobs rumble in his chest as he holds him. Hiccup inhales his scent of hearth smoke and pond lilies from the Cove, and his heart lamely flutters a bit as Hadrian's arms wind around his neck and pulls Hiccup closer to him. It seems like a silent way of saying 'thank you' and Hiccup only grips him harder.
It wasn't anything new that Hiccup would rouse Hadrian from the nightmares, but this was, undoubtedly the first that Hadrian has offered any, affectionate way of giving thanks.
"It'll be okay, Hadrian." Hiccup coos, rubbing his back in circles.
That is when he feels Hadrian's whole body stiffen. And that's when Hiccup knows he's made a big mistake. Hadrian realizes what he is doing. Hiccup was stupid enough to speak to him in his time of need and desperation. He loosens his grip on Hiccup and pulls away, making sure to shove Hiccup's shoulder as he did. His face was stone cold, giving Hiccup a glimpse of the old Hadrian – of whom he hadn't seen in a while. Hadrian's cheeks are tear-stained and his eyes were red and tired. He glares at hiccup and points a shaky finger to the door.
"Get out."
Hiccup reaches out to hold his arm, but Hadrian snaps it away from him.
"Just talk to me." Hiccup says, trying to reach out to him. He wants to know what is wrong. He wants to help him. He . . . he wants him to be okay.
Hadrian shakes his head and points more firmly at the door. "Get out. Now, Hiccup. Please."
Hiccup stares blankly at him. That was the first time Hadrian asked him to leave, rather politely. Hiccup was interested at how easily it rolled off Hadrian's tongue, but it was a bit put off by how simply and quite sad he sounds.
Hiccup swallows thickly was Hadrian breaks eye contact with him, wiping his eyes with the back of his arm.
"Please, Hadrian -"
"Just go." Hadrian says softly, still not looking at Hiccup. Hiccup sighs deeply finally admitting defeat. He gets off the bed and walks slowly to the door. Before he exits, he turns around.
"Listen, Hadrian -"
"No." he whispers, and the way his voce cracks, Hiccup could tell another sob is threatening to escape his throat. "Just leave." He says, a bit more sternly, as if he were trying to cover up that cry.
Hiccup was about to lighten the mood by saying, 'Sorry about your door' but this wasn't the time. So he nods and closes the door behind him, trying not to let his own tears fall down his cheeks.
It was only after he walks away that he hears Hadrian's whimpering again. But Hiccup continues to his room and closes the door. Hadrian's cries echoing in his ears as he drifts off again into his own slumber.