Two things surprised Tobias this morning. First, it was the weather, or rather its impossible changes. As usual, he was woken up by kicks, which were made into his side. Knowing a perpetrator, whose name resembled the involuntary action of the throat, he moved away his hips from him, but at the same time, he bent the top side of his body in his direction. It was better to let him finish dreaming. Maybe a person he was kicking deserved it. Probably James.
He was about to fall back into slumber, but to his shock, the sun's rays blinded him strongly enough that he was forced to tighten his eyelids. Unable to endure it, he opened it slightly, just to swiftly cover his face from bedazzling light with his hand. He sat down, and his mouth fell.
It was a beautiful, sunny day, without even one, the slightest cloud! It seemed a lot of people decided to enjoy it outside and after a year of living in that building it was the first time he witnessed such a group of them outside his window. That woman was wearing just a top!
That day already was bizarre.
And it was about to become even more.
Sighing, he decided there was no way into continuing his sleep. Toothless slid from his bed and as he stood up he stretched his back, which made a cracking sound. Have a wide back they said, it's going to be fun they said.
Eventually, after his daily routine, he caught a glance at Hiccup, who seemed to have problems with sleeping caused by an intense glow. Tobias smiled sympathetically and draw the blinds. After that move, the little boy stopped his squirming and exhaled calmly, but also loudly.
When he did so, Toothless bit his knuckles to prevent himself from chuckling. Thereafter, he kneeled by him and kissed his temple gently as a sleep-well gesture. Agreeing that he should let him rest, Tobias was about to walk out to the kitchen, but before that, he grabbed a phone from the bedside table.
While walking through the living room to his main target, a destination to prepare breakfast, he checked his phone. That activity was to see the time, but not only he did do that, but furthermore, he was aware of his phone being destroyed with notifications now. Underneath the clock, which showed 07:38 AM, there were messages from a group chat with James, Sarah, the twins, and Martha they forced him into, but also from... Cloudjumper?
He blinked a few times at it, and then in his head red lamp turned on. What day it was?! Quickly unlocking the phone, without examing the messages, he clicked on the calendar app. 31st June. Four days after the end of school. Four days after the start of the vacation. The day Cedric considers as the last day before official vacation. Tobias swallowed hard, then he clicked on the unread message.
Conversation with the user: Cedric, the trainer
Sent 6:37 AM
(shared message)
Cedric, the trainer: Since it's the last day the team might meet before everyone travels on vacation, we are going officially celebrate the end of the season at the barbecue as in every year. I'm inviting you at 5:00 PM, my place. Don't be late.
Sent 6:54 AM
Cedric, the trainer: Don't you dare not bring Hiccup, he's the honorable guest.
Well, shit.
What he did do wrong to deserve all of this? Hot air was baking his neck, as well as his arms, legs, his whole. He was forced to tie up his hair, to not end up too sweaty. That happens when you are wearing a black t-shirt, and black shorts and you have black hair. Then, the sun is becoming an enemy.
At the time he was walking through a rather calm neighborhood. It wasn't surprising as every house around screamed, I'm pricey. Before him, he pushed a stroller in which Hiccup napped.
Despite the whole problem of the party, at last, Henry was good enough to fall asleep, giving him an hour or two without anxiety. He didn't sleep well in the morning. The Harmonogram of his bedtime was disturbed, so Tobias was more than relieved when Hiccup took it into his hands, getting needed rest without the childish rebellion.
Toothless checked on a little boy, to make himself sure the sun isn't bothering him once more. Leaning his body over the stroller, he beamed seeing Hiccup's peaceful dream.
Raising his eyes on the road before himself, he finally noticed it. The house. The target and spot of his extinction. The place resembled the whole neighborhood completely, showing it suited perfectly. Since the first day when he saw it, he has always wondered, how Cedric got that place. Probably because he's forever single, Toothless snorted at his thought. Fucking lucky man.
He stopped once they were next to a wooden gate. It didn't lead to the house, but next to it, on the other side of the fence, there were a lot of green bushes and a few flowers. Even a passer-by, who never was here, could say it was the entrance to the garden.
Pushing it lightly, causing the gate to make a creaking sound, he went inside. Even at the end of the hike, Tobias didn't hurry. The complete opposite of it. He was forced to slow down once the stroller was jiggling, because of the uneven ground. Seeing he got to the objective, he threw his head backward, taking his anger out.
Afterward, he returned to the normal position of the head and observed his surroundings. There was a long, terribly long, table, on which already place had a few salads, chirps, and other snacks that were common as alcoholic appetizers. Obvious was the grill, which was not so far from the main place. While his eyes caught the glance at it, he noticed Cedric, who was staring at him with crossed arms and raised brow. He didn't make a good first impression with that vent of anger.
Tobias grunted, then he clicked at the low pedal of the stroller to keep it in place, before walking toward him. "Welcome host." Seeing his expression didn't change he snickered. "Come on, Cloudjuper! Don't be like that!"
"It wasn't a favorable image." Cloudjumper sneered. "You could do so much better."
"It's not like somebody saw it." He pointed at the empty table and surroundings with nobody around.
The older the man stank an eye at him. "I saw it."
"Right." Tobias scratched his head. "So what now? I should go, or...?"
Exhaling, Cloudjumper smirked. He moved forward and forced the boy into a crushing hug. "It's good to see you two." He let him go and looked at him mockingly. "And by two I meant mainly Hiccup. You might be a good addition."
Toothless narrowed his eyes. "Thanks." He murmured.
As a consolation, Cedric patted his shoulder, then when his sight locked on the stroller he walked past him toward it. He kneeled before Henry and snarled. "You had to put him to sleep at the party?" He whispered.
He leaned over him, supporting himself with arms on his knees. "He didn't get much sleep in the morning. Give him an hour and he's going to be better than well-rested."
"I won't argue with his parent." At Cedric's response, Tobias nodded, making an older man sure he was serious. "Through, he won't rest much with that pack, if you know what I mean."
Seeing Toothless tense reaction, he could say he knew. "True." He sighed.
Cloudjumper hummed. "You can always put him in the gazebo. It might not be the best, but for that moment I guess it's good enough."
"It sounds promising." He straightened. "Where it is?" Cedric raised his brow at him. "What?"
"It's literally by the entrance. How could you not notice it?"
Toothless frowned. "You know, I had more important matters to focus on, like your uneven stone footpath." Cloudjumper narrowed his eyes at him. He smirked. "Alright, I will just go before you throw me out."
"And keep up with that." Cloudjumper stood up and walked off toward his work.
In the meantime, Tobias with Hiccup followed the same track he came in. Once he got to the gazebo, he was shocked by its size of it. How could he not notice it? He growled to himself. Damn you Cloudjumper.
The place wasn't anything much, just a roof with a swing by its farther part. Toothless seated the stroller front toward entering and kneeled by it. From the bag, which was situated in the stroller's cargo he took an electronic nanny and hung it on the holder.
He checked if Hiccup was properly covered with a blanket and a little smile appeared on his face while doing so. He gazed at him and whispered. "If something happens, just call after me." Then, he left him and walked back to the original area.
Once he got there, he proposed his help to the old man Cedric, who with a warning glare accepted it. Tobias didn't have much to do rather than watching a grill, on which being cooked were famous's trainer sausages and other delicates as skewers and meat to hamburgers.
Laying comfortably on the garden chair, after the moment there appeared a new presence that was Teddy. Toothless greeted him with a swift wave of the hand, but other than that he concentrated on peaceable resting.
Cloudjumper was just after him welcoming rather a short boy with a hug. "Our lovely Terrible Terror." Cedric gazed after him, then frowned, confused. "I thought you were bringing your sister."
"Hi, yes I did. She's-" Teddy looked backward, but his eyes widened while seeing no one there. "What? She was just-" He spun around, hoping to somewhere catch a glance from anybody, but in the end, he didn't. Stopping, he chuckled nervously noticing two others' stares. "I swear she was just behind me."
"What about your grandmother?"
"She came too." He shrugged. "They just disappeared."
"You lost two of them at the same time?" Tobias snickered. "Good job, pal."
"Maybe, they lost their way in the meantime?" Cedric glanced at the way Teddy came through and then gazed upon him. "Let's go, we have to search-"
"She virtually dumped you for another! And he doesn't even have the full dentition!" There was a yelling, which overtook Cedric, followed by laughter. "Just, wow!"
Toothless raised himself from a laying position to a sitting one and while doing so he detected the source of fuss. There was Torch, who was walking side to side with a similar to him boy. Examining the look on his face, he could tell the teenager wasn't enjoying it.
The more he thought about that, he got to the conclusion that caused rather a startled facial expression of his. Torch had a brother. Twin brother more precisely?! It was surely a just, wow!
"Hi, guys." With not much thinking what could be said was that Cedric was on the line. Relatable much. "Have you seen Teddy's grandma and sister while going here?"
Torch's brother, who just now Toothless noticed as more light-haired than his brother, chuckled. "Yes, they disappeared the same way his girlfriend did." He elbowed Torch, at which the teenager snarled. "And our sister, but who cares about her, right?"
Exhaling, Torch pointed at his brother. "That's Chase, mine triplet brother." Toothless's eyes widened. There was more than one Torch? And even a female one?!
"Okay, but where they are now?" Teddy bit his lip.
Chase snickered. "Yeah, Tyler where is your girlfriend?" Tobias droned to himself. He knew Torch for so long, even so, he never truly knew his name.
Torch sighed, then pointed at Toothless. "You."
Tobias raised his brow at him. "Me?"
"Your baby more specifically. All the female population encircled him like he was some celebrity or something!"
Tobias's eyes squinted. "What?!" He rapidly stood up from his place and rushed in the direction he last saw Henry. He was stopped once he detected a grip on his arm. It seemed he noticed it not exactly as it occurred because behind his grasper, who happened to be Torch, were traces after tries of halting him. "What are you doing?"
"That's what I should be asking! Where do you think you're going?"
"I don't know!" He snorted. "To my son, now surrounded by unknown people! Even worse, unknown to me!"
"They are not doing anything wrong." Tyler let go of him, seeing that it wasn't calming him even a bit. "Besides, they aren't such strangers. It's our family, and I swear they know how to behave."
"It's fine! These are women, ladies which have a maternal instinct way stronger than yours!" Chase leaned on his brother's shoulder, who looked down, embarrassed. "It's just the same as your mommy treated you as a child. You experienced it right? Or does your mom not love you?"
This was officially the worst comment he could make. Everyone around made sounds similar to sympathy hissing, but not for Toothless, but for Chase. They knew he didn't need those, it was Chase whom they felt compassionate for now. Tobias blinked at him a couple of times, before turning to Tyler.
The boy grunted. "I'm so sure, you have always thought that there is no one worse than me. See? I'm not that bad after all!" He patted his brother's back while whining about his name. "Do me a favor, and while punching him, make it hard enough that he won't be able to mortify me for the rest of barbeque, okay?"
Startled Chase widened his eyes at his brother and then glanced at Toothless. The wider-than-him boy tensed his shoulders, making them look bigger. His jaw tensed, and when he stretched his neck, it made a cracking sound. Tobias gazed over him, and when he did the boy ran off. Toothless chuckled under his breath. Smart move.
Glancing at Tyler one more he sighed. "Fine, I'm staying. But they better don't wake him up, okay?" He pinched a bridge of his nose. "I had enough of bullshits for one day." He muttered and afterward walked off to his previous place.
Eventually, as time was passing everyone were appearing slowly. Besides Sleuther, there were a few people, who Toothless never actually have seen. They were reserve players, that had training at different times than them. Undoubtedly, all appearing were femaleless, for Tobias already the known reason. Toothless was becoming only more anxious, and it only worsen when the twins arrived.
The positive aspect was that because of the existence of other people, he wasn't forced into dialogue with them. Negative materialized when after hearing about what happened to women, those two decided to try eavesdropping on them.
Between the place of barbeque and the gazebo, there was a high bush, which prevented any seeing or hearing from it. Even so, the twins with few younger boys, who were more than happy to spend time with them, were leaning over bushes, trying to catch anything. From his seat, Toothless could hear some of their plans, which with time were dumber and dumber.
As time passed, Tobias just like them was becoming curious about the theme of conversation which probably was happening between females. His leg started shaking under the table until an idea or more likely reminder appeared in his head. Electronic nanny!
Tobias rapidly dug through his pockets, until he found searched object. He placed it on the table and started turning it on, so it won't only collect crying, but also everything else. Witnessing his doings, almost the whole table turned in his direction.
Thereafter, there was a loud bang next to him, causing him to peek at the cause, only momentarily when he caught glimpses of twins. "You had it the whole time?!" Belch snarled. "We were standing next to the bushes like idiots, and now you magically-!"
Placing his finger against his lip, Tobias gave him a signal to be silent, which turned out to be successful, even more than he thought. The whole table went silent, and the electronic nanny made buzzing sounds until there appeared first clear words.
-think so. He seems a little older.
Maybe, but he can't be older than six months! Look how tiny he is!
The two female voices were arguing. One of them, which spoke first, was hoarse and tight, while the second one was around and slightly high-pitched.
Okay, let's say he is those 5 months old. Did you see anybody that was pregnant at the matches back then? She snorted. Exactly.
Alright, alright. Even so, this kid could be kept at home, and a mother could hide pregnancy or just don't come to matches, right? Woman hummed. It could always be a teenage pregnancy.
It was the moment when talking around women was talking synchronically, causing the sound to be buzzed, and what comes with it, making it unable to make out who was talking.
What about you Amanda? The different woman asked loudly enough it became quiet among others. You hadn't been present for some time.
I had a lot of work! She shrieked. Besides, I didn't have sex with Tyler even once!
Keeping his stare at the device, Tobias could say what was happening in the background. Right now everyone giggled silently enough to hear the voices from the gadget, but loudly enough to make Torch whine embarrassed.
But, the idea of teenage pregnancy isn't the worst. Amanda continued. Maybe he's Sarah's and James's?
"Are they trying to guess whose baby it is?" A man, about his forties, who Tobias get to know earlier as a father of Sleuther, muttered.
Simon, who was somewhere next to him guessing from the direction of the sound snickered. "They will never guess."
We would ask Sarah if she was even here.
Where is she anyway?
You know her. Either with her boyfriend or with her male friends. A lady sneered. I doubt she even has female friends other than Martha. Some women laughed.
Tobias frowned. "Why they are so mean to her?" He growled. "I bet last time they met, they were all sweet and friendly as hell."
Someone sighed and when he spoke, Tobias recognized the someone as Cedric. "Women." He slurped his drink. "Don't try to understand, because you won't. Talking behind each other's backs seems like their daily hobby.
"You see Toothless? It's the second reason today why I'm not that bad!" Tyler chuckled proudly alike."I, at last, offend you directly, dickhead."
Tobias snorted. "Thanks, douchefor your great sacrifice."
"You're welcome."
-doesn't even have one of their characteristics. Woman grunted. I mean, brown hair and a tiny build? Who is like that?
Are we sure it's not Sharpshot's?
Don't mention my grandson in those games! A hoarse-voice woman, who Toothless just identified as Teddy's grandma, shouted. If I had a grandson, I would be the first to know!
Alright, jeez. A younger female groaned. Is that everyone from the official team? Maybe we missed someone.
There were once more synchronized talks, before the big question.
What about Toothless? Tobias Night?
Everybody fell silent. Everybody. It was the moment Tobias noticed that it wasn't silent before. There were whispers, which were now hushed. Quietness forced him to even raise his sight at everybody and their gazes were focused on the nanny.
What was surprising, was that some people, who he doesn't know, understood the issue, which was the closeness of a women's guess, to the truth. It would be worrying, how they knew he was father if it wasn't for the fact that everybody has been into listening to what's happening since the beginning, and there must have been a theme of their earlier whispering.
The tension was growing around everyone at the table until it was halted by...loud snort. A female snort.
Tobias Night?! He had never had a girlfriend before! The snort transformed into a chuckle. Not even saying a kid! She busted into an even louder laugh. A cold-hearted, rigid Tobias a father!
Almost everybody groaned, disappointed. Almost, because Toothless just rolled his eyes at them. While everybody kept saying their moans, Tobias got lost in his thoughts. He felt a little...hurt, maybe offended? He didn't get time to think it through, because another voice from the device continued.
Well, that's true. She hummed. What about Cedric? Maybe after his middle-age crisis, he decided to create a family finally.
"Okay!" Cloudjumper clapped his hands, gaining everyone's attention. "Let's get back to the main theme of the event, which is barbeque." He rubbed his palms. "Since they didn't guess, what will you say about my famous sausages?"
Belch snickered. "Since they didn't guess, or since they started the topic of your middle-age crisis?" There were mocking chuckles, which Cedric ignored.
Then, Tobias grunted. "Cloudjumper, didn't you leave those delicates on the grill?" At that question, Cedric's eyes grew wide. He stormed towards the said object and at his outraged yelling everybody burst into laughter.
It wasn't much of a time before nobody listened to women anymore. Even Tobias. Under the guise of urgent listening, he hoped everybody would leave him alone, but the truth was he mostly focused on the phone. Eventually, what gained his attention was the sounds of affection.
-have to say, he's adorable.
Won't disagree. That's one of the most pretty babies I ever saw.
Tobias snorted to himself. No shit Sherlock. Afterward, a rather strange silence fell. He straightened on his seat and listened carefully with his hands clapped on his mouth.
He even blinks cutely. A female muttered.
It was for him like a signal. He rapidly started running in the direction of the known gazebo and could swear he knocked over a chair behind himself. As he rushed, in the meantime he checked the time ag his phone. Exactly an hour.
The knowledge that the boy was waking up because of well-sleep, calmed him slightly. Even so, it wasn't enough, because the idea of Hiccup, terribly shy Hiccup, waking up surrounded by strangers, overtook it.
As he got to the target, he started passing through the group and while a lot of them let him without a problem, there must have occurred a special case. Noticing that Tobias tried to bypass her, a young woman turned around to him, preventing him from doing so.
"Hey!" She shouted, then seeing who the other person was she hissed. "Tobias Night, as always selfishly jostling to put everybody wherever he wants to." She frowned. "We all want to see him."
His jaw tensed, and even so, he smirked at her. "Let me guess, Torch's sister?"
"Rude! I have a name, you know?!" She rasped at him, then suddenly she checked him out. Her eyelashes batted. "Sapphire."
Tobias boomed. "Whatever." Then, he grabbed her by the elbows, raised her into the air, and moved her, creating his way empty. When he placed her on the ground, she squealed. He raised his eyebrow at that, even so, rushed forward. He could swear she started muttering something to him. Did she just say he has a nice ass? No matter what she said, he ignored it.
Finally, after pushing through the big group, he got to his purpose. He saw Teddy's grandma, which jiggled a stroller, keeping Henry half asleep. Tobias breathed out in relief at that and walked towards them. He poked her shoulder to not scare her as he approached. "Thank you, ma'am." He grinned. "I will take care of it from here."
The woman's eyes widened, surprised at the sight of Tobias. She moved away and he took her place. He took Hiccup, who was now opening his eyes, but before he could do anything else, he was attacked with million questions. The chaos emerged and he couldn't even focus his mind. At the rescue came Cedric, which stood between him and a crowd of shocked females.
"Ladies! Ladies!" He showed before them his hands, hushing them down. "Calm down! I think it's time to leave baby Henry with his daddy, to let him peacefully wake up, alright?"
"What about answers?!" The random woman shouted. The rest nodded, agreeing.
"Every question will be answered, but not here." He pointed at the entrance. "I invite you to the barbeque, we have fresh sausages."
Some of them obediently walked away, but for those who moaned in answer, Cedric led them to the exit. Doing so, he turned his head to Tobias and blinked. In response, Toothless smiled thankfully. When he was left alone with his son, he glanced at him and smiled even more at the sight of him yawning, clicking his tongue, then smiling at him back. Fortunately, every one of his doubts vanished at that.
The rest of the evening, and with that the event, went fast. Hiccup who for some time happened to be the main point of the party had a lot of fun. Everyone seemed to be delighted of meeting Henry, and Henry himself, despite his shyness, wasn't against meeting them.
Even Tobias began being joyful. At the start, he kept Hiccup close to him, on which he based his calmness. Eventually, when everything went in a good direction, he even passed Hiccup to someone else, so he could have fun on his own. He only gave that honor to the belated Sarah. He wasn't that crazy.
That time he spent mostly on talking with others, occasionally fooling around, and obviously on the bets like who is going to be first under the table, and more. This period was enjoyable for him, showing him he could sometimes let himself on loose. It was, because after just an hour the overprotectiveness streamed across his body, forcing him to observe each of Hiccup's movements.
Eventually, at about 7 P.M., when the air got slightly colder and the sky changed its color from a pure blue to dark orange, Tobias sat with Hiccup on his knees and both used Cedric's garden swing. Toothless kept swaying them, light enough that it wasn't too scary for the little boy, but firmly enough that Henry could get some fun.
At the time, he kept giggling every time they got to the highest point, making Tobias no less delighted. As more time passed there, more drowsy Hiccup was becoming. In the end, his laughing changed into silent squeals as well as he had trouble keeping his head straight.
Noticing so, the teenager brought him closer to himself in a such way that Hiccup was laying on his belly. He began slowing until they had been rocking. Their peace got to the point where not only Henry was falling asleep, but also Tobias was about to doze away.
That moment didn't last long, because before something more could happen to him, there was a new presence nearby. From behind the corner of the entrance came Teddy's grandma, who was as surprised seeing them as Tobias was seeing hers.
She smiled, nervously. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't know someone was here."
"It's alright," he smiled back. "We just wanted to escape the overwhelm of the party for a moment."
"I guess, that makes two of us," she peeked at Hiccup, then breathed out. "I will leave you two alone."
"There is no need to," He carefully moved, to create more of a place next to him on the swing. "We will fit up, hopefully."
She didn't object. After a moment she was next to him, sitting with her back leaning on a chair's back. Tobias wasn't draining much attention to her. He was examining Hiccup, and in doing so he was caressing his back, creating circles with his thumb.
"I hope you didn't take to heart what we said," she muttered. He glanced at her struck dumb. "I know you heard our conversations earlier."
He looked away. "Right. That one," he grunted. "I forgot it already."
"There were harsh words."
"You mean those, by which I shouldn't even consider having a child?"
"Despite forgetting it, you remember correctly," she hummed. He shrugged, then frowned at the memory. "I'm sorry."
"For someone, who is sorry, I don't remember anyone standing behind me back then."
"It's not like that."
"No, indeed?!" He frowned. Only after a moment did his eyes soften. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to attack you."
"I didn't take offense," she sighed, ashamed. "You have the right of feeling the way you do. It was indeed..."
"Nasty?"
"I wanted to say inappropriate." Both chuckled, quietly. "But, right. Pretty nasty," she bit her lip. "That's why I should explain myself."
"There is no need-
"Yes, there is," she inhaled. "Truth is I didn't consider you as a father, mostly because of how responsible I know you are."
"Responsible? If you consider me to be responsible, then why you doubted that I could have a kid?"
"It's not about that," She snorted. "We were talking about teenage pregnancy! I would never think you could bring yourself into it," she sighed. "I wasn't right. Not because I thought about you as less responsible than you were, but because you turned out to be much more responsible than I could ever imagine." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "You adopted a child! I'm so proud of you!" He was about to respond, but she overtook him. "Don't say that do Teddy though. I'm not ready to be a great-grandma," she chuckled.
Tobias frowned but even so smirked. "Thanks."
"I guess a lot of people have been saying that to you lately."
"Yeah," He scratched his neck. "It's been helpful, but it's started to be repeatable."
She laughed soundly, then stood up. "I better get going. I have to keep an eye on my grandchild, and you have-" She peeked down. "-your matters." Afterward, she left.
He raised his brow at her, as he looked at how she walked off, but when he glanced where she did, he understood. Hiccup fell asleep. He grinned seeing his cheek against his shirt, which started to be wet out of drool on it.
Eventually, he decided on one slight tilt back of his head and a short close of eyes, wouldn't hurt anybody. He fell asleep. They both snored soundly, while the calm, warm wind rocked the swing.
Aside from the story, I hate and officially don't need a driving license. And I curse everyone that has it. Yes, fictional characters especially, which means I'm killing Tobias next chapter, bye.