Chapter two

Why do I get the feeling that someone's watching?

Eighteen year old Hiccup glanced at his right and saw a group of girls around his age or a year younger huddled closely and whispering to one another, glancing at his way. When their eyes locked on to his curious ones, their faces turned pink and hastily walked away but still kept on stealing glances at him.

"Strange... " He murmured, rubbing his neck as he looked at the departing group with confusion. Over the past years, he noticed the strange behavior of the girls when he passed by or trying to strike a conversation. So far, the only response he could get are blushing, stuttering and dreamy stares.. and it only happens to him.

Well, Astrid and Ruffnut are the only exceptions in this peculiar events. They tend to punch him when they have the chance and just being their usual selves.

Sighing, he shook his head and continued walking towards his house. The feeling of someone boring holes at his back was still there, though he chose to ignore it. He couldn't wait to ride on Toothless and fly off somewhere to distract his thoughts about.. Well, everything.

When he reached at his doorsteps, there was a low grumble making the house vibrate mildly. Hiccup looked above him and smiled, seeing Toothless perched on top of the roof happy to see his best friend returned from work.

"Hey bud! Ready to go?" He greeted as the feline like dragon leaps down from its waiting place and emitted a sound of satisfaction as Hiccup scratched behind his ears. "I take that as a yes." he chuckled as he sat on the saddle, clasping his artificial leg to place. With a swift flap of the Night fury's wings, they zoomed off high into the sky, the cold wind blasted straight on his face. Adrenaline pumped through their veins as they rose higher, barely touching the clouds. Hiccup shifted the pedal and dived at a range close to a thousand feet. When they were about to hit the salty waters, he shifted the pedal again, opening the dragon's wings like a parachute and changed their direction, weaving their way on the rocks that protruded high from the ocean. He whooped in joy, feeling exhilarated at their feat. Minutes passed and they flew around Berk, doing their usual monitoring duty, looking out for any signs of mishap or anything suspicious. Finding none, they touchdown at the edge of a cliff, letting their hearts slowly go back to its usual rhythm.

When the last rays of the sun safely hidden under the horizon , Toothless softly nudged at Hiccup. "You hungry bud?" he asked. As if on cue, a low growl emitted from the dragon's stomach. Toothless looked sheepishly at his now laughing master.

"That's what I like to hear." he said laughing harder when he saw Toothless giving him a deadpanned expression. He started to turn away and head towards the village but the dragon's tail whipped his back causing Hiccup to fall head first on the ground. Toothless laughed –if a dragon could laugh- at his best friend's unfortunate fall.

"Haha. Very funny Toothless." Hiccup remarked sarcastically as he stood up and rubbed his sore nose. The dragon looked at him with innocent eyes and stuck out his tongue before scampering away. Hiccup chuckled at the silliness of the night fury before catching up on him.

(O)o(O)o(O)

The great hall was jam-packed with vikings in various ages eating their supper. Hiccup slowly left the food counter with his tray, looking for a free place for him to eat. He left Toothless at his house already fed with two buckets of fish. As he tried not to spill his supper as villagers larger than him gives a friendly slap on his back now and then, he frantically searched around the room until his sight came across with Tuffnut raising his arm for him to see amidst the crowd. Sighing in relief, he hurriedly went to their usual table and sat beside Snotlout at the end of the table.

"Hiccup my man!" Snotlout exclaimed, wrapping his meaty and muscled arm around Hiccup. All of his friends have changed from the past five years. Snotlout became larger, developed hard rock muscles and a goatee but still has that egoistic and obnoxious personality.

"Uh-haha.. Hi Snotlout. So what are you guys doing?" Hiccup asked as he freed himself from his muscled friend. He took a bite of his sandwich as he scrutinized his friends across the table.

"Obviously we're done eating" Ruffnut remarked, flipping her hair to which Tuffnut received the end of the blow.

"Seriously sis, what shampoo are you using? Your hair reeks!" Tuffnut joked, pinching his nose. Ruffnut rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"At least I use shampoo! You barely even washed your hair!" She retorted as she tugged a braid from Tuffnut's hair resulting a heated argument between the two. To Hiccup's amusement, the twins matured a bit, Ruffnut being sensible and Tuffnut surprisingly became a responsible type but them still bicker over petty things seems like their way to show some bloody affection to one another.

"Okay, you can stop now" Astrid butted in, knocking sense on both twin's heads. Astrid's dramatic change captivated Hiccup more. She matured and grew more beautiful, her bangs now swept to the side, revealing her mesmerizing deep green eyes. He should try asking her out, since he was still head over heels over her, but then again he still has a lack of courage, especially when it comes to love... But its worth a try-

"Well we finished eating a while ago, and just before you arrived we were debating on who is the most favored teacher in the academy!" Fishlegs said, causing him to jolt back to reality. Fishlegs grew a bit larger and his habit of being a living trivia reporter is still there. To Hiccup's point of view, he's a nuisance when he's stuck with him and instead of lashing out to keep his mouth shut, Hiccup just smiled and ignore it.

"Oh.. Well, who won the argument?" He asked, diverting his gaze as he drank a mug of Yakmilk. Astrid looked at him and shrugged, propping her elbow on the table, thinking it over. The six of them are part of the faculty team at the Dragon Academy, Hiccup being the Headmaster and all.

"No one.." Astrid replied, looking bored. She looked around the hall seeing that the place is empty. "Can we go outside?" She looked at the group who happily agreed.

(O)o(O)o(O)

"Hey Hic, are you okay? You seem a bit distracted.." Astrid asked, her face etched with concern. She noticed Hiccup's movements a bit tensed and seems to keep on glancing behind for Odin knows how long as the six of them headed back towards the village after their short stroll around the forest, with only the bright moon's rays lighting up their path. Hiccup finally glanced at her with weary eyes.

"Nah, I just thought why you guys," he gestured at her and the rest, "seem to hit off with puberty pretty well.." It wasn't a lie but it's not the truth either. He still felt that someone was still watching at him, someone invisible and it made him nervous. If he would tell that to Astrid, she would think he's paranoid. In which he was at the moment.

"Hiccup! Why would you even say that?" Astrid exclaimed, looking surprised at Hiccup's observation. Everybody in the village knew he was the one with most of the changes, how could he not know that? "When was the last time you saw yourself on the mirror?"

Hiccup thought for a moment. "I don't know.. A long time ago, I guess?" He answered sheepishly. Astrid giggled as they stopped by at his house. She patted his shoulders, deep blue eyes staring into his moss-green ones.

"Then look again and see for yourself on how much you've changed.." Without a second thought, she lightly pecked his cheek and left.

"Good night.." She said with a soft smile as she headed towards her house. Hiccup stood for a minute, trying to process everything that happened. He don't know if he would jump for joy or kill himself. The front door from the house bursts open, his father checking to see his son staring at the empty road.

"Hiccup me boy! Get inside or you'll catch a cold!" He yelled to which Hiccup nodded, walking inside like a zombie. Stoick sensed his son's off aura but he chose to ignore it. After all, if Hiccup wants to talk what's bothering in his tinkering head, he would gladly listen, but for now he gives him space. Hiccup headed into his room, saying good night to his father before closing the doors. He heard a beastly snore and looked up to see Toothless in the ceiling and he has no intention in waking up the dragon, unless if he wants to get burned. He sighed and proceeded to change his clothes. His gaze fell on the mirror at the far end of the room and debated if he would look at his reflection, afraid to see the same scrawny Viking but curious to what the past years made of him. But his being screamed exhaustion so he decided to abandon the thought and soon enough his body met the soft, warm covers and pillows of his bed. His heavy eyelids closed itself and smiled subconsciously, feeling the warm tingling sensation on his cheek before succumbing to slumber.

Maybe.. Just maybe.. He does has a chance after all...

Hey! Please pardon any typos etcetera :)