Hiccup and the others left the next morning, he left a note of things to do, and another note, on how to care for Toothless. Just in case I "forgot,". I sit on my chair, eating my homemade lunch, still don't like eating fish for lunch. Toothless paces and whines at the door, I stand up and open it, he runs out, he is a nervous and upset mess of a dragon. He misses Hiccup so much, the day after Hiccup left, I was out working, I was around the corner of a house, I could hear Toothless sniffing on the other side, he actually pounced on me expecting to see Hiccup!
I have learned now that he is constantly out sniffing and searching for Hiccup, trailing everything that smells strongly of him, which is how I learned not to borrow Hiccup's dirty tunic while I'm out cleaning a dragon's stall. He smelled Hiccup's scent on the shirt and thought it was him, I still smell faintly of hay from the stalls…. Though the days without Hiccup are giving me time alone with Rye. We have had a picnic in a cave, Toothless of course tagging along everywhere. I finish up eating and head out.
I'm carving some wooden handles for a couple daggers, Toothless sniffing and sadly staring at Hiccup's supplies, I pity the dragon, he loves Hiccup more than anything. And his protection of me is amazing, but he has never been fond of me like he is with Hiccup. I bite my lip in hope that this will work,
I pull Hiccup's apron over my head. Toothless jumps up and sniffs it happily, seeming to sense then memories it contains. I finger the front of it, A tear here, an unevenly stitched patch there. Wait, this is new, is there, blood on it? I bring it close to my face to investigate. Odd, I have never noticed blood on his apron. I feel a tap on my shoulder and whirl around to see Rye. I smile as he laughs at the heavy apron on me.
"Rye! Have you found a place to stay yet?" I ask. He frowns a bit, "No, I can't keep sleeping on porches and in sheds!" He says in a low tone. I giving it thought for a second before suggesting this, but, "You know, Hiccup's still away for a while, would you like to sleep at my house for a while?" I ask him, his face lights up, "That would be great!" He says, I put away my stuff and look at the sky, I can head in early. "Why don't we hit it over to there now? Then I will have time to make some dinner." I say, Rye adjusts a bag slung over his shoulder, "That would be good. I've got my stuff in this here bag, the dragon coming with us?" He asks as he glances at Toothless who is scowling at him. "Yeah, but he should be good." I reply and close up the shop, we walk to the house, I let us all in and close the door.
I show Rye to the bedroom, "You can sleep in my bed over there, I'll be sleeping downstairs." I say, he turns around looking at me in an exhausted way, "No, I should sleep downstairs. You keep the room, I'll be fine. But first, let's eat." He says as he gestures at the door. I nod my head yes and start downstairs, I hear him follow. I search around and finally get some meat, I heat that up and cook some fried apples. This will be nice, Rye is looking at the stuff in the house when I set two plates of food down,
"Oh! This looks good." He says as he takes a seat. I sit down as well, as he scarfs the food I can't help but have my eyes flick up and and look at his messy blonde hair, his green-brown eyes are glued to his food. I stop staring and eat my food, Toothless is eating the bunches of fish I gave him, I can't help but feel as though this is right. Like Hiccup and dad being gone are crucial. We finish eating and head to get some sleep, I walk up the stairs, my mind buzzing with thoughts.
A couple days roll by, when I wake up that morning. I slip a different tunic over my head and rush down the stairs, I stop and watch, someone's knocking on the door. I watch Rye stand up and go to open it, I walk down quickly as I see, who of all people? Hiccup. "What's he doing here?" Hiccup says angrily as he steps inside, the door left wide open.
I speak before anyone can say anything, "I just invited Rye to sleep here for a few days while you were away!" Hiccup turns to me, glaring a bit, "You let him sleep here?" He yells. His hair is flicking as he moves and his eyes are angry and hurt. "Y-yes, but-" Hiccup cuts me off and turns around shouting at Rye. Rye shakingly tries to explain, "H-Hiccup, I didn't do anything to Isabella!" I shout from behind them, "He hasn't even kissed me!" Hiccup pays me no attention, before I can try and maintain peace, Hiccup has taken a blow at Rye and hit him in the face.
"RYE!" I say as my eyes widen in fear. Rye rubs the side of his face and stares at me in an upset way. "Go!" Hiccup says loudly, pointing at the door. Rye moves past Hiccup, I feel him grab my wrist, and now, he's kissing me! I like the feeling, but the emotions well up as I see Hiccup grab Rye away from me. He hits Rye in the chest, "GET OUT!" Hiccup shouts and pushes him towards the door, Rye grabs his bag by the door and runs out. Giving me on long look before darting away.
Hiccup closes the door and faces me. His face softens as he sees me. My tears mix with blood from Rye's bleeding face. I feel hiccup wipe away my tears, and suddenly his arms around me, his face sober, I shove him away from me, shaking my head no as I dart upstairs.
What have I done? Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, ruiner of lives… I think as I sit down on a chair. I just hit Rye, Oh Gods, my little sister who I love so much, I just hit the only man she's ever loved. And now how do I tell her everything else? About my proposal to Astrid, about finding dad...