Noise could be heard all around town as the usual feast following a successful fight went down. The fires burned bright and warm and gave a nice atmosphere for the warriors singing and feasting all over the Hall. Stoick the Vast, the greatest Chief in years, had just lead their army to victory against the Meatheads over a territory conflict, chasing the ships away from their portion of the archipelago.
Far away in a corner, however, the small runt of the village, the heir to the throne, wasn't feeling all that up for celebration. He poked at the food in his plate, eyes darting sideways from time to time to lock on his father's figure, the Chief boasting and laughing with the warriors around him.
Hiccup sighed through his nose and took a sip from his drink, the mead feeling as watery as his mood. The other teens of the village were somewhere else, joining the celebration merrily in their status of future fighters, leaving him alone as usual on an empty table. It was not his night, it never was, but somehow this one felt heavier.
"Well, look who's hiding here" A deep voice said as its owner approached from behind. "You look like something the Nadder dragged in"
"Not now Jack" Hiccup mumbled, not turning to acknowledge the teen. He felt him take a seat next to him, could've sworn he also saw some people looking at the shepherd weirdly, almost wondering why he chose to sit with the runt, before they went back to their business.
"Hey now, what's with the long face? We're celebrating!"
"I'm not one for parties, really"
Jack sighed, crossing his arms on the table and resting his head on them, looking up at Hiccup. The light of the closest torch fell right over his hair and created a red glow around it. Jack wanted to touch it.
"Do you want to go outside for a bit?" Jack asked, grinning at the small boy when he nodded, getting up to follow through the door and out, unnoticed by everyone.
Hiccup took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet coldness of the nightly air, relaxing immediately once he was apart from the noise and stuffiness of the Hall. "That's better" He muttered.
"Yeah" The shepherd slung his crook around the heir's waist, dragging him along as he walked down the long flight of stairs. The village was silent, every single Viking busy in the Halls, the only sound being the chirping of the Terrors napping under the houses and the soft crashing of waves against the shore. "You want to talk about something while we're here?"
Hiccup kept walking down the stairs, a hand holding onto the wood around his waist. "Why would I?" He asked, not looking at Jack.
The shepherd yanked on his staff, stopping on the step he was in, pulling Hiccup flush against him while the freckled boy stood on the step below his. "You know that doesn't work with me" He whispered, face serious as he stared down at the teen. "Come on now, spit it out. I'll listen"
He thought Hiccup would shove him away and finish the way down to his conveniently close house and slam the door behind him. The boy didn't answer, keeping his gaze down and after a moment shuffled a bit with his feet. When Jack was starting to really get concerned he felt a wiry pair of arms slide over his shoulders and lock behind his neck, pulling him down slightly so his forehead would rest against the brunet's. Jack carefully unhooked his crook and let it drop, replacing its position around the thin waist with his own arms.
Still in that position, Hiccup looked up, the near inexistent distance making up for the lack of light, letting Jack get momentarily lost in deep pools of viridian. "What am I doing here, Jack?"
Jack frowned. "What do you mean?" He moved down one step, getting at Hiccup's level and tightening his hold on the brunet.
Green eyes lowered. "Look at me" He nodded his head down, his position not letting him see how Jack did indeed that, racking his eyes down the twig of a body hidden under the loose vest way too happily. "I'm nowhere near like an actual viking, never mind a Chief. How am I supposed to amount to that?" He nodded again, this time towards the Hall, where the sound of something breaking followed by loud cheers could be heard. "I am no fighter, can barely lift my own weight around and most definitely can't kill even a Terror, no one would even believe I'm Stoick the Vast's son if it weren't for my already 'great' reputation" He huffed, pressing his forehead against the taller teen's chest.
Jack snorted, Hiccup snapped his head up, an annoyed look on his face. The shepherd smirked. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were interested in comedy as of late" The foot stomping over his own didn't deter him. "Hic, we already talked about this. You're a talking fishbone, have more meat in your head than in your bones, and will most definitely become dragon chowder in no time with no supervision" Another stomp, followed by a half-hearted attempt at wriggling out of Jack's hold. That, or Hiccup was really trying but was just that weak. "But you're a Haddock, and gods know we need at least one of you around to keep things working around here"
"Yeah, that, doesn't really help me" Hiccup said annoyed, thick eyebrows furrowing under his bangs. His nose scrunched up when a cold hand brushed his hair back, grumbling when a kiss was placed on his forehead.
"Besides" Jack continued. "You're not that unlucky at hunting mighty creatures. You caught me, remember?" He laughed when a slap to his head was Hiccup's answer.
"I'd hardly call that my biggest achievement" Hiccup smiled, secretly glad that Jack had changed the subject so smoothly. He wasn't really good at receiving compliment and it would have ended pretty ugly if they kept on that path for longer. "That was more of a harmless accident. I'm prone to those, remember?"
"Serendipity has nothing to do with it" The shepherd replied. "You just couldn't resist my animal magnetism"
"I won't fight you in the animal part"
"Hey now, you-"
"Nope" Hiccup released his shoulders and wriggled out of the hold on his waist, skipping down the rest of the steps, Jack hot on his heels.
Jack caught up on his step, grabbing his hand and bringing it up to place a kiss on the freckled back of it in the most un-vikingly way possible. "Well then, my future mighty Chief, do you have a request on this humble worker to settle back your confidence in your position?"
Hiccup hummed, tapping his chin with his free hand thoughtfully. He looked up at the Hall, the celebration still in full swing. He grinned a bit. "Well, it seems there won't be anyone to make me company at home until sunrise. It'd be a pity to have to be all cold and alone in that big, empty house" He turned his head back, just in time to catch Jack's as he leaned down, catching him by surprise in a kiss.
Hiccup moved his free hand to a pale cheek, holding it in place as his lips glided against his intended's. Without breaking contact, he started walking backwards, the familiar path unfolding easily under his feet as he guided the colder, taller and most wonderful guy he'd ever had the fortune of trapping accidentally under a set net in the forest many summers ago.
When the door slammed behind Jack's back, Hiccup thought that, as long as he had the boy by his side, he could worry a bit less about himself and the rest of the world.
Well, a lot less.