*Western music plays in background*
*blows hair out of face and looks ahead from underneath fedora*
Ah...my worst enemy...
*tumbleweed rolls across dusty road*
...Procrastination...we meet again...for the final time!
*grabs squirt gun* YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Sorry I didn't update again yesterday, guys! I just remembered that we still have a bit of a problem to deal with...and you will learn just what that problem is in the next chapter. This chapter's more of a filler. Inspiration for this story has kind of flown out the window, but I know last chapter wasn't really much to write home about...it'll get more interesting, I promise. I might even make it over 30 chapters. Not sure yet, but I might. I'll try to.
Shout-outs:
IonitaMircea32: Ha, whoops. My bad. XD 90 pounds...oh gosh. I'll have to go back and fix that in the chapter. I agree. UN-realistic. :) And the FEELSIES are REALSIES. There will be more to come...I might even break 30 chapters. :)
LiviLovesDragons: I'm glad you liked the chapter! And don't feel bad for laughing. Hiccup is hilarious. :D
Lightclaw's Shadow: Or is he...? WHOOPS was that out loud?
silverwolvesarecool: I'm glad! :D
neobendium: Yup. True that. :D
BraveDragonof214: Aww, yes. I love sleepy Hiccup. I want there to be an episode of Race to the Edge where he just exhausts himself and ends up acting really goofy. :D
LunarCatNinja: Yeah. It's about time he feels better. :)
Carly Marley: Well, I suppose, sick or not sick, Hiccup will always be sarcastic. XD I love his sarcasm. He's hilarious. :D
Silver Electricity: Haha! I love Hiccup. :)
midnightsky0612: Yeeeesssss...
Toothless801: WHO DRINKS STRAIGHT LEMON JUICE? SERIOUSLY, WHO!? Not that there's anything wrong with it. I just can't do it. :) I like lemon juice in water and then adding a little spoonful of sugar, but lemon juice plain...? *takes sip* *eyes widen* *spits it out* I don't think so! :D I love writing banters between Hiccup and Astrid. You would not BELIEVE how fun it is to write about these two. Seriously, it's just...so, so fun. Maybe that's why I ship them so hard. Because they're PERFECT for each other. :)
Dria Haddock II: Here is your update! :D
SylviaHunterOfArtemis: Agreed! I ship them so hard. :)
Once the healer returned, Astrid helped Hiccup lean against the headboard, where Valarie then handed him a bowl of broth, which he ate in a matter of minutes. Afterwards, Valarie told her patient and Astrid goodbye, saying that she was going to come back in a few hours to check up on the wound again.
Shortly afterwards, Hiccup fell asleep again, and Astrid left him to rest, walking back towards her own house to see her sister again. When she pushed the door open, Avril was reading a book, laying on her stomach on her bed with the book opened in front of her. She was fingering the corner of the page, looking up when she heard Astrid close the floor.
"Big Sissy!" Avril shouted, diving into Astrid's arms. Astrid hefted her little sister up so they were at eye level, and kissed her cheek. "I can't read!" said Avril, almost happily. "The words look so funny when I don't know what they are!"
"I'm sure they do," said Astrid, and then set the girl back on the ground again.
"Did you talk to Hiccup?" Avril asked, nearly jumping up and down. Astrid nodded. "What did he say?" Avril questioned. "Is he okay?"
"He seems to be doing better," said Astrid.
"Good!" said the three year old, clapping her hands together. "I love Hiccup! He helped get me back to Berk!"
"Good for him," said Astrid, "because I would have killed him if he hadn't."
Avril's eyes widened in terror. "You wouldn't!" she gasped.
"No, actually, I wouldn't," said Astrid.
"Good!" said Avril. "You scared me!" She paused for a moment. "No one really told me what happened to him," she said quietly. "Did he get hurt?"
"Yeah," said Astrid. "Yeah, he did."
"How?" said Avril. "It was the Gemsho, wasn't it?" Astrid nodded. "Did he get hurt because he was saving me?" Astrid nodded again. "Oh no," said Avril, turning around, her back to Astrid. It only took a moment before Astrid realized that her sister was crying.
"Avril…?" said Astrid. "What's wrong?"
"I'm so rude!" Avril cried, spinning around to face the older girl. There were tear streaks staining her cheeks, along with more big, salty tears running from her eyes. "It's all my fault!"
"Avril, it's not your fault," said Astrid. "You were unconscious when it happened."
"I don't care!" said Avril. "I was the reason he was out there in the first place, and now it's my fault he's hurt!"
"Avril, Hiccup wanted to go save you," said Astrid. "No one made him do it. Besides, there was no way I was going to be able to stop him. I know he wouldn't have ever changed his decision, even if he knew that he was going to get hurt like this."
Avril nodded, wiping her eyes.
"Would it help if you went to see him?" Astrid asked. "I could go with you if you want."
"But what if he gets mad?" said Avril, sounding pathetic.
"He won't get mad," said Astrid. "He won't even blame you, Avril, I promise. If he blames anyone, it'll be himself."
"Why?" said Avril. "Is he unenlightened?"
"Where did you hear that word?" Astrid half-laughed.
"Hiccup said that Snotlout was 'unenlightened,'" said Avril, and paused. "What does unenlightened mean?"
"It basically means people who are weirdoes and rather dumb," said Astrid.
"Oh," said Avril, and then gasped as realization set in. "Oh, Astrid, that's so mean!"
Astrid smiled at her sister, patting her on the head before taking her hand. "Come on, then," she said. "Let's go see Hiccup." She walked with her sister to the Haddock residence, where Astrid pushed the door open and walked inside, gesturing for Avril to do the same.
"He's gonna get mad at me," said Avril, standing in the doorway, refusing to move. "I know he will get mad at me."
"Avril, he won't," said Astrid. "I promise you, he won't."
Avril stepped forward into the house, peering up the stairs, looking back at Astrid in question. Astrid nodded encouragingly, and Avril took the first few steps, the floorboards creaking only slightly underneath her feet. Astrid followed her up shortly, continuing to tell Avril over and over how Hiccup wouldn't be mad at her.
Avril stepped onto the loft, and instantly took in Hiccup's pale, sleeping form. She turned her head and looked at Astrid behind her, and Astrid nodded, pushing the girl forward in a way of silently telling her that it was okay. Avril stated walking, until she made it to the bedside, standing next to it, shuffling her foot rather awkwardly.
"Hiccup…?" she said. "You sleeping?"
In just a moment, his eyes flickered open, and he regarded her. Avril held her breath, wondering what he would say.
"Avril!" he said, pushing himself up on his elbow, ignoring the pain it caused him for the moment. "It's great to see you up on your feet again! How are you doing?"
"F-fine," Avril stuttered, and then started crying again.
"What, Avril?" Hiccup asked, sitting up with difficulty and leaning against the headboard. "What's wrong?"
"You...you're going to be mad at me," said Avril, trying to wipe her eyes from the tears that plagued them. "It's okay, too. You can be mad at me."
"Mad at you?" Hiccup asked. "Why would I be mad at you?"
"Because I hurt you," said Avril.
"No you didn't...wait," said Hiccup, glancing down at the bandages wrapped around his abdomen. "You didn't hurt me, Avril," he said. "The Gemsho did."
"But it was my fault!" said Avril. "I was the one who wandered into the forest alone! I shouldn't have, and now you got hurt!"
"Avril," said Hiccup, "I promise, it is not your fault, and I could never blame you for something you didn't do." Avril looked down at her feet, not meeting Hiccup's eyes. "Avril," said Hiccup, putting two fingers under her chin and lifting it so she looked at her, "it's not your fault."
"So you mean…" Avril sniffled. "You mean you're not mad?"
"Of course I'm not," said Hiccup, smiling at the younger girl. A smile suddenly danced across Avril's face, and she launched herself into Hiccup's arms, hugging him as firmly as she could have mustered, making sure she avoided contact with Hiccup's wound.
"Thank you!" said Avril. "I love you, Hiccup! You saved me from the Gemsho and didn't get mad at me!"
"Thank you, Avril," said Hiccup. "You're a really special girl, you know that?"
"No," said Avril.
"Well, now you do," said Hiccup. "Thank you, Avril."