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Length (this chapter): Oneshot
Characters (this chapter): Gobber, Hiccup, Stoick

Summary (this chapter): Vikings don't cry. Except for when they do.

Gobber finds Hiccup in the last—and, in hindsight, most obvious—place he looks. The boy is on the rocky overlook above the docks, sitting near the edge with his arms wrapped around drawn-up knees. He looks even tinier than usual, silhouetted against the clear sky. Gobber makes no attempt to hide his approach, lest he startle the 8-year-old right off the cliff, but Hiccup only hunches his shoulders as he sits down heavily beside him.

Neither say anything for a few minutes. Gobber studies Hiccup out of the corner of his eye, not commenting when the child scrubs a sleeve across his face and sniffs quietly. Hiccup's chin rests on his knees and he keeps his gaze on the horizon, in the direction his father's ship will soon be sailing.

At length Gobber breaks the silence, his tone light. "Your father's pretty worried about you right now. You gave him quite a scare, running off without a word like that. Didn't want to say goodbye?"

Hiccup's expression flickers, but he remains silent. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Gobber presses on. "You know it's just a short trip this time. He's just going to meet with the Berserkers and renew the treaty. He'll be back in three, four days." He pauses. "It won't be like last time. Oswald isn't the type for surprise attacks."

The boy flinches noticeably, then mumbles something and tucks his head, pressing his forehead into his knees. Gobber nods to himself. He is an old hand at getting recalcitrant Haddocks to talk, and he's clearly on the right track with this one.

It makes sense, too. Only a few months ago Stoick returned from an attempt at negotiations with Alvin with a head wound that was still bleeding heavily by the time he stumbled off the ship. The arrow had, thank Odin, glanced off his helmet and only grazed him, but Gobber himself would admit to a moment of terror at the sight of him, blood covering half his face despite the bandages. Hiccup had been attached to Stoick like a barnacle on a ship for days afterward.

Gobber nudges the boy with his shoulder. "I didn't quite catch that."

"I said, I know." Hiccup does not lift his head, but turns it slightly so his words are less muffled. Gobber stifles a grin. Peevishness, in father or son, is always a good sign that he's getting through.

"Well then, what's the problem? He said you were off running as soon as he came to say goodbye." He studies the top of the boy's head. "Was it so he wouldn't see you crying?"

Hiccup freezes.

Aha. Gobber does roll his eyes this time. Gods preserve him from stubborn Haddocks bottling up their feelings until they burst. "He wouldn't be mad, you know," he says. "It's only natural, after what happened—"

"Vikings don't cry," Hiccup interrupts fiercely.

Gobber scratches his chin. Well, that's true, to a point. Vikings are hardly known for their soft and cuddly demeanors. But then again, they aren't known for their restraint, either, emotional or otherwise. He wraps an arm around Hiccup's thin shoulders. The boy is tense, braced for censure, and Gobber shakes him a little, gently—he should know better than that by now.

"Now, you listen to me," he says. "There are three situations when even Vikings are allowed to cry. One is at weddings. I've seen many a warrior bawl like a baby all the way through the ceremony. It's practically expected. I myself may have gotten a bit… misty-eyed when your parents got married. Though mostly it's because I was so shocked it finally happened."

From the subtle relaxing of Hiccup's shoulders, he can tell he has the boy's attention. Which is good, because the next one is important. "Another time we are allowed to cry is when someone we care about is hurt or killed. There's not a man or woman on Berk who won't shed a tear then, and there's no shame in it. Some don't like to do it in front of everybody, but I promise you we've all done it."

"Even you?" Hiccup's voice is tiny, but curious. One green eye is just visible beneath his hair, watching him intently.

"Aye, even me. When you're older, remind me to tell you about the time your father almost got himself killed saving our ship from an angry skrill." Gobber still cringes at the memory. It had been bad, very bad. He doesn't think he'll ever forget Valka's screams.

"What's the last one?" Hiccup has finally raised his head off his knees. "You said there were three times Vikings are allowed to cry."

"Ah, well, the third one's a bit different for each person. It's when something happens that makes you so happy, smiling just isn't enough." Hiccup's eyebrows draw together as he tries to imagine such a scenario, and Gobber lowers his voice conspiratorially. "The only time I've seen your dad cry, it was for that reason."

Hiccup gives him a skeptical look. "My dad never cries."

"He did," Gobber confirms. "One time, in all the years I've known him. Do you want to know why?" Hiccup nods eagerly, sitting up straight, and Gobber gives his shoulders a squeeze. "It was the day you were born."

Hiccup stares at him, eyes enormous, looking for evidence of a lie. Gobber stares right back, letting the truth of it sink in. Finally Hiccup blinks a few times. "Really?"

Gobber gives him a firm nod. "Really."

The enormous smile that lights up Hiccup's face would warm even Mildew's craggy old heart, Gobber thinks. Hiccup scrambles to his feet, suddenly all energy and motion. "Dad hasn't left yet, has he?"

Gobber grins and points below them. "See for yourself."

Down at the docks, Stoick is indeed still waiting, bag slung over his shoulder. He looks like an anxious child himself, as Gobber will gleefully tell him later, shuffling his feet and trying to pretend he isn't delaying because his child isn't there to see him off. Behind him the ship is ready to sail, its crew standing around impatiently but not brave enough to say anything.

"Dad!"

Stoick whirls at Hiccup's shout, just in time to see the boy lose his footing on the steep slope and go tumbling down, face first. Stoick starts forward in alarm, but Hiccup is back on his feet in an instant and continues at full speed. Following behind at a more sensible pace, Gobber watches with satisfaction as Stoick drops his bag in order to catch the armful of tiny, messy-haired child that launches itself at him without slowing down.

The ship's crew manage to find themselves suddenly distracted by other things, giving their Chief privacy as he hugs his son, almost smothering him in his big arms. Stoick is beaming, the worry vanished from his face. He meets Gobber's eyes over Hiccup's head and gives him a look Gobber knows well. Thank you.

He returns it with a shrug and a nod. Any time.