And all those shadows almost killed your light

Turned out that Jack had to pass the street that Hiccup lived on to reach his house. As the two stood at the end of Maple Hill street Hiccup looked at his shoes, "thanks again for saving me", He said just loud enough fotr the other boy to hear. He had managed to come out of his shell a little as they talked, especially when Jack mentioned Pokemon and his love for Halloween and winter.

" Don't mention it. That Snotnose shouldn't be bullying you anyway, its wrong.", Jack shook his head, he thought bullies were one of the worst things on the planet. "see ya around?" The brunette asked, a little hopeful. The kid may be younger than him but they seemed to have a lot of things in common.

Hiccup looked up at the other and beamed the first true happy smile for what seemed like the first time in centuries. "Yeah!" he gave a little nod to go along with the answer.

"Alright, later then", Jack said before turning and heading towards his house. Hiccup watched him for a moment before silently turning and walking down the street

Fifth house on the left, that was the auburn haired boys destination. The neighborhood was a quiet little thing. Seven houses on each side of the road and Hiccup was the only kid his age there. Mainly elderly people liven in the neighborhood, their children already off to college and such. Hiccup didn't mind though, he lived in his imagination with the books he read and the movies he watched.

The house was simple, small, and only one story. Starting with a small hallway upon entering the front door. A few family pictures on on either side of the walls followed by a small coat closet on the right. At the end of the entryway were two door frames leading into different rooms, one to the left and one straight ahead. To the left was the living room, big and cozy with its gas fireplace. Straight ahead lead to the dining room where a large mahogany table was rarely sat at except for birthdays or Thanksgiving. The kitchen was hidden by both rooms and could be entered by being in either room.

Hiccup took his shoes off upon entering, setting them on an old towel with the rest of the shoes that were lined up in a row. The smell of food had filled the house telling him one thing, his grandmother was cooking. The boy shuffled his way from the living room and into the kitchen. "Nana?"

A small woman, barely above five foot stood at the counter top beside the stove, both hands in her favorite large orange mixing bowl. Her should length hair had once been a chestnuts brown was slowly being decorated by small strands of silver, and it seemed that more and more wrinkles were slowly covering the familiar face, but that never fooled Hiccup. His grandmother may look like a small and fragile little thing but she was a lively and fiery woman with enough kindness in her heart to warm the most hateful soul out there.

"Hiccup! Oh I'd hug you but right now I am wrist deep in meat loaf", the woman known as Nana looked at him with her light brown eyes and smiled. "I'm also making banana nut bread. Just the way you like it too", she said cheerfully. Hiccup swore that she was a mind reader and knew just how to make his day better instantly. Banana nut bread was one of his favorite things in the world, especially when it was still hot and the middle was still kind of gooey.

"Alright, can I have something to drink?" he asked, he could wait for dinner but thanks to all that walking, and running, he was rather thirsty. Without missing a beat the little woman answered him. "I don't know, can you?" Hiccup rolled his eyes and smiled. "May I have something to drink?" his grandmother just chuckled and nodded her head. "Just no soda."

Hiccup went around her, careful not to bump into the table that was behind her. He quickly rummaged through the cabinet to get a glass and simply filled it up with water from the sink. The water was like a fresh slice of cool heaven as he quickly downed his first glass.

"Any homework?" the question made the boy freeze, he has left his book-bag in his classroom when running away from Snotlout. Hiccup gulped and quickly filled his glass again. "Nope, not today." he said calmly, hoping that she would believe him. She seemed to buy it since she said nothing else, too occupied by her meatloaf.

After his second glass of water Hiccup put the glass into the dishwasher then made his way to his room. He entered the dinning room where on the other side was a small hall way with five doors. The ones on the left were the bathroom then his grandparents room. The center door was a small closet where medicine and towels were usually kept, then the two on the right were his fathers and his room. Hiccups was the first door on the right, right after a plethora of family photos, mainly pictures of him as a baby.

Hiccup made his way into his room, littered with books, clothes, and Pokemon every where. Expertly he maneuvered through his mess like obstacle course and onto his bed where a book was sitting from where he was reading it yesterday. Yes, Hiccup slept with books in his bed, he believed that you could dream about things from the book if you did. With that the boy settled down into his bed and was swept away and transfered into a new world.

Jacks house was only twenty minutes away by foot on another neighborhood. It was a bit larger than the one Hiccup lived in and there were a few other streets connecting to other neighborhoods in his. His house was a little dingy, the last house in a row of thirteen on the left. A few other teenagers lived in his neighborhood, but they never noticed him since they thought that he was too young for them.

As soon as Jack entered the house he was in his living room, and it stank with the smell of stale beer and cigarettes. The kitchen was to the left of the living room and to the right were where the bedrooms and game room was. The game room sounded enticing just by the name but Jack never went in there, that was where his father mainly stayed online gambling away. The man may not be employed but he hardly ever came out of the game room unless to eat, get another beer, or sleep.

His mother, a middle aged woman whom he looked like except for the blue eyes, was away at work. She, as well as his little sister, would not be home till later that night once his mother got off work. Jacks mother always got Emma and took her to her dance class, which was right across the street from her job. She always asked Jack if he wanted to go with her so he wouldn't be alone at home but he didn't mind, as long as his father left him alone.

As quietly as he could Jack tip toed to his room and laid on his bed. He was not in the mood for homework, he could alway do it later, right now all he wanted to do was see if he got any bruises from snotface. Jack lifted his shirt and found no bruises as he could see, he had mainly thrown the punches since he had caught the bulky kid by surprise with his tackle. Breathing a sigh of relief Jack laid on his bed, thinking of the boy he saved earlier that day.

I remember you said don't leave me here alone

The next day at school was one of the best days Hiccup had had in a while. Snotloud and his twin sidekicks left him alone, the twins only gave him evil sneers through classes and lunch. The hulking bully had a bruise on his face, probably from Jack tackling him to the ground Hiccup thought. The only bad thing was gym, they were forced to play dodge ball and Hiccup was on one team while the twin were on the other. To say the lease the twins had a field day with him, earning a few bruises on his arms and legs in the process. Hiccup hated gym, he was not athletic no matter how hard he tried. The only thing he could do was run, thanks to trying to escape bullies.

After school that day Jack was waiting outside the main building patiently. There was no sign of any bully waiting to pounce on him, not even Snotlout. The brunette smiled at his friend before falling into step with him. Hiccup was surprised by both, especially seeing Jack wait on him. It was strange since no one ever really talked to him in school. It wasn't because people hated him, not including the bullies, he was just very shy and has a hard time connecting to people.

"Alright, I'm going to ask you one question since our conversation got cut short yesterday." Jack immediately began their conversation, not that Hiccup minded.

"Uh, um.. okay.." Hiccup replied, suddenly very curious to what color his shoes were as Jack looked at him.

"What starter Pokemon?" Jack said very seriously. Hiccup blinked, not expecting the question to be Pokemon related in the least. "Charizard." Jack just began dancing happily as if the million dollar question was answered.

"Alright Omanite or Kabuto?" Jack smiled, his voice not as serious but it seemed that he intended to stay on Pokemon. "Kabuto." The rest of the way home went like this. Choosing Pokemon, what their favorite teams were.

As the two neared Hiccups street Jack seemed to shoot more questions at him. "Alright, alright one last question." By this time Hiccup coming out of his turtle shell of solitude and had asked Jack some of his own questions. "First Pokemon card?" Hiccup stopped and shook his head. "I don't have any."

The brunette seemed to go into a fit hearing the other boys answer. "What?! No way!" Hiccups face turned red and she shuffled his foot "way, I don't have any."

Jack pondered a moment as the two started walking again and eventually reached Hiccups street. "You said that you like Vulpix right?" A small nod cam from the younger boy as he looked up at Jack. "That's all I need to know, see you tomorrow!" Jack said, as if he were suddenly on a mission.

"Wait, Jack!" Hiccup called out, he needed to ask him something, it had began to fester in his mind as they walked home but he didn't want to change the subject on the other boy. It seemed like now or never since he had the older boys attention.

"Yeah?" Jack walked back over to the other boy, his head cocked to the side almost like a curiously puppy.

Hiccup hesitated, taking a deep breath before speaking. "Wh... why are you walking home with me? And talking about Pokemon with me? Why aren't you with other kids?" He didn't want to sound mean, but he had to know. It was nice but if Jack was just trying to bodyguard him then he didn't want to burden the boy.

Jack stood there surprised at his question, looking at the scared look that had come on Hiccups face. "Well, isn't that what friends are suppose to do?" He asked simply. Friend? He had only met the boy yesterday and Jack was already considering him a friend? "Hiccup do you have friends?" Jack asked curiously. The boy was acting as if the word was foreign.

Looking down Hiccup hid his face with his bangs before nodding and waited. Waited for Jack to start laughing and calling him a loser for not having friends. That that was the reason for why he was mainly bullied, but it never came. Instead a hand was placed on the boys shoulder. "Well you have one now."

Astonished Hiccup snapped his head up to look at Jack. The boy just smiled at him and patted his shoulder. "See ya tomorrow then?" Hiccup was so happy that he furiously nodded his head, words lost to him. Jack turned and headed home, leaving Hiccup rooted in place. Friend, he finally had his first friend. With that the boy happily ran down his street, with tears of happiness running down his face for the very first time.