Chapter Nine
A/N: A little bit of Hiccup and Astrid fluff in this chapter...because why not? XD We haven't had any in a while... But it doesn't last very long.
Hiccup... Astrid sighs as she watches her friend's sleeping face. He looks dead-tired, dark shadows under his eyes. There's a cool rag on his forehead, an attempt by Stoick to soothe his son's raging fever. What is happening to you...? She turns to look at the little wooden box on the nightstand. There's a heavy padlock keeping it closed but within it, are the remains of Aragwen's pendant which Stoick destroyed back at the Great Hall.
The young viking shivers when she remembers what Stoick had told her before he left. 'There's something wrong with him, Astrid. He was acting very strange before, like he was possessed. I need to go consult with Gothi about what can be done to help him. Keep an eye on my son... Don't let him out of your sight.'
She'd replied with a confident, 'Yes sir.' But now that she's alone with Hiccup... She's much less certain. There's a very eerie feeling to his dark bedroom, like they aren't the only two here. More than once, she's positive she can feel a pair of eyes watching her from behind. Her hair stands on end and her back prickles. Only to turn around and find the room as empty as always...
That feeling is only increased once Hiccup starts to dream. It doesn't appear that he's having a bad dream but he tosses and turns and moans in his sleep. She's so tempted to wake up him and ask if he's okay, but she'd taken Stoick's advice to heart...
'Do not wake him up. There's no telling what his condition will be if you do.'
And so she hasn't. Instead, she contents herself with gently scratching Toothless's ear and assuring the worried dragon that his little Rider is going to be fine. He's going to be fine...he has to be...
"Astrid...?"
She nearly jumps out of her skin at the sound of his voice.
Hiccup's eyes have fluttered open, all emerald and innocent. His brow is creased with worry. "Where am I...?" He mutters, softly.
She knows she should be frightened, especially after what Stoick told her...but at the sight of his sleepy, fever-stricken face, she can't help but simply be relieved. "You're home." She tells him. "How are you feeling?"
He blinks a couple of times and shift in his bed so that he can pet Toothless, who is watching him with a nervous gaze. "Okay...my head hurts a little."
She nods. "That's to be expected. You have a fever."
"I do...?" That would explain why his eyes feel so dry and his head is swimming. "What happened...? Last thing I remember I was...taking a bath. How did I get here?"
"Um..." Should she even mention this? It might upset him... "You...your dad said you were acting strangely when he found you at the Great Hall...you fell and have had a fever ever since." That works. Not a total lie.
He hesitates, his heart jumping when he remembers what happened to him. He almost drowned...and then that black mist went into his body and dissapeared...and then...he lost control. Hinrik...
"Hiccup?" Astrid asks, moving closer to him. "Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Because I have... He nods, jerkily. "I'm okay. Just...tired." He tells her, offering a tiny smile.
She smiles back and reaches out, brushing her fingers across his forehead. A moment passes and then she giggles a little. "You never got that haircut..." She reminds him, moving his bangs out of his eyes.
He laughs, tiredly. "I guess I forgot..." Although, admittedly, he doesn't regret having forgotten. He kind of likes it when she brushes his bangs away... It's such a gentle, familiar feeling. "Sorry..."
She shakes her head. "Don't be." Then, she takes her hand away and, with it, goes the rag that is now warm and useless. She turns and dunks it into a pail of melted snow beside her, wringing it out, she places it back on his hot face.
Hiccup shivers when it touches him, feeling like ice in contrast to the fire that heats his skin. His head is pounding again. "Astrid," He says, a little breathlessly. There are stars in his vision...he's going to pass out again.
"Yes?" She asks, running the backs of her fingers across his cheek.
He can feel-not only his consciousness-but his hold against Hinrik beginning to slip. Deep in the pit of his mind, he feels icy fingers clawing toward the surface again, creeping into his veins and sending shudders down his spine. Hinrik is coming back...
"Hiccup?" She asks, leaning in close. "Hey, are you alright?"
But Hiccup is gone, his presence stolen away by the other soul once again. And this time, Hinrik is determined to stay. But to do that...he has to have help. And this girl sitting beside him looks to be the prime candidate. She must be a friend of Hiccup's...making this all the better.
I've got gain a better attachment to this body. Otherwise, I'll just be pushed down again. Hinrik blinks a few times, just making sure the body won't disobey his commands. Then, he turns to this girl...Astrid, was it? He thinks that's what Hiccup called her. The look in her eyes is almost intimidating. She's looking at this body as if it was her own. She must have very strong feelings for Hiccup.
Poor girl. She has no idea, does she?
That only makes this easier. He decides, trying to convince himself that what he's doing isn't as bad as it seems. I need to live. I need to live. If I don't, mother will-
"Hiccup?" Astrid asks, staring into his eyes with a newfound fear. "Hey, please answer me. Hiccup!"
Oh...right. I haven't spoken for several minutes... He clears his throat a little and sits up, not bothered by the raging fever that plagued Hiccup moments ago. "I'm sorry." He says, trying out his new throat. As always, his mother has picked the perfect body. Hiccup's voice sounds so much like his own. Just like how Hiccup's body is just the right size for his tiny, under-grown spirit to stretch out and control it with ease. Anything bigger would have been too hard to maneuver. Anything smaller and he would have felt cramped. Not 'Hiccup's body'. He scolds himself. My body.
Then, looking back up at Astrid, he forces a little smile. "Sorry." He says again. "I guess I...just got dizzy for a minute there." Gods, I'm a terrible liar.
Astrid takes her hand away from his cheek and sits back, staring at him for a long moment. It's clear by the on her face that she's noticed something isn't right. And her obvious suspicion is only backed up when that dragon from before suddenly jumps to its feet and snarls at him.
Hinrik shrinks away, his new heart pounding. He remembers how it tried to bite him when Hiccup first returned home, only to faze right through his ghostly body and strike out at his own master instead. It knows I'm not Hiccup...but will it still bite me if I'm inside his master's body?
The answer becomes apparent when Toothless flashes a warning look at Astrid before growling and backing up.
So dragons are loyal, huh? Go figure... Hinrik decides this is chance to try and convince Astrid of his 'innocence'. That's the only way she'll get close again. Scrambling around in his host's memory, he picks out this beast's name. "Toothless...?" He asks, trying to sound as natural as possible. "What's the matter, boy?" Boy? No, that's not right... Hiccup doesn't call him that... Oh geez, what does he say all the time?! It starts with a 'B'...
Toothless narrows his eyes that remind Hinrik a lot of Hiccup's. They're the same color, at least. And something within them...something below the surface remind him of Hiccup as well.
Hinrik smiles as the word comes to him. "What's wrong, bud?"
Of course, Toothless isn't the least bit fooled. He tenses up and growls again, his scales bristling in fury. He glances sideways at Astrid again, willing her not to be taken in by this imposter. But he realizes, with a horrified whimper, that Astrid isn't looking at him anymore. Her unsuspecting azure eyes are locked with the fake-Hiccup's. There's an odd look on her face, a dreamy look...as if she's mesmerized by what she sees in Hinrik's gaze.
Hinrik only smiles at her. It's working.
Deep inside him, Hiccup is kicking and screaming in fury. DON'T DO IT! He shouts. DON'T YOU DARE!
But Hinrik has no choice. Already he can feel is grip weakening. If he doesn't bond with a human body soon, he'll simply vanish into thin air... He's terrified of that. And so, with an innocent laugh, he says, "Astrid, come here..."
Astrid obliges, leaning in with her dizzy, hypnotized head.
Hinrik reaches out, running his new fingers along her cheek.
Toothless hisses and stomps his feet as if to say, 'DON'T TOUCH HER!'
"Shut up, beast!" Hinrik snarls in a demonic, growling voice.
And Toothless, who is not a cowardly dragon, whimpers and backs off. Some instinctive part of him forcing him to get away from this evil child.
Back inside Hiccup's head, the real Hiccup is dazed, shocked by the sudden burst of power that surged through Hinrik. Almost like a lightning strike. Where did all that power come from...?
Astrid's eyes flutter shut, suddenly feeling weak. And Hinrik can feel it too. With an apologetic smile, he says, "I'm sorry, Hiccup. But this my body now. I can't have you stealing it from me."
"No..." Hiccup's voice is so small he can hardly hear it. "Don't hurt her...please..."
"I'm not going to hurt her." Hinrik assures him. "I just need to bond with this new body of mine. And the best way to do that...is through another person."
"What...?"
"Watch and learn." Hinrik says as he turns back to Astrid's dazed form. "Astrid," He purrs, sweetly. "Can you hear me?"
She says nothing, only wobbles a little.
Hinrik nods, satisfied. With that, he takes her chin into his hand and tips her head down until their faces are only inches apart. He feels the spike of recognition that slams through the real Hiccup.
"No...! Don't-"
Hinrik interrupts him by leaning in, closing the space between them. His lips press to Astrid's in a feeling that is all too familiar to this body. He gets the sudden urge to melt into this girl's embrace, a warmth swells in his heart. His heart cranks faster, pumping adrenaline through his veins.
"Astrid..." Hiccup's voice trails off as he vanishes into the depths on his own mind, shoved away by one powerful blow from Hinrik.
It worked.
Hinrik pulls away from Astrid, watching with a cold, uncaring expression as she sinks to the floor. He doesn't need her now. This body's powerful emotions has gripped his soul, practically welded it into place.
Hiccup is gone.
This is Hinrik's body now. I'll see you soon, mother. Wait for me.
A/N: Yep. I really just went there.