Part 1B: Acceptance

Berk, 1996

"HICCUP! CUZ! Wakey Wakey!" Was shouted as a short muscled man banged on one of the dorms' doors. Several people shot the man looks of irritation but none were paid any mind.

"What?!" Hiccup, looking every bit like the sleep-deprived college student should, wrenched the door open. "Snotlout what the Hell! It's 7:30 AM!"

"And you have an 8 AM design class," Snotlout deadpanned. "You should have already been up. Now let me in, I need to use your computer,"

"I'm seriously thinking of skipping but then I know I'll have the post-skip depression," Hiccup sighed, stepping back to admit his cousin entrance to his dorm before going to rummage in his tiny closet for clothing. "Why do you even need my computer?" Hiccup asked as Snotlout proceeded to sit at Hiccup's desk where a bulky white monitor was hooked up.

"Because your dorm already got Internet cuz! And I'm too lazy to drag myself to the library this early in the morning. It's all the way across campus,"

"Of course you are," Hiccup rolled his eyes as he picked out a black band T-shirt. His roommate was in the other bed under two blankets totally knocked out. Only a hand stuck out that had given a slight twitch upon Snotlout's boisterous entrance. A 27-hour caffeine-high study session would do that to a person.

Both men cringed when the dial-up noise played over the speaker and Snotlout instinctively turned it down before logging into AOL. "Your screen name is CasaNoVahUnk21?" Hiccup asked as he looked over his cousin's shoulder.

"Like you're one to talk DragonSNack44," Snotlout shot back only for Hiccup to slap the back of his head.

"Oye!" Snotlout grumbled but then proceeded to check his mail. "Hey, you want to go to this LAN party that's being hosted this weekend?"

"Snotlout I have three open projects," Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on! A bit of Battle isle should loosen you up!" Snotlout insisted.

"I think I'll pass Snot," Hiccup shrugged. "Maybe next time. Now if you're done I have a class to run to,"

"You are such a party pooper!" Snotlout uttered.

-0-

Berk, 1999, New Year's eve

"Wakey wakey Cuz!" Snotlout shouted as he yanked the comfy blankets off of Hiccup. It's New Year's eve. Get up! Let's celebrate!"

"Snotlout how did you get into my apartment?!" Hiccup questioned groggily while sporting disheveled hair.

"Aunt Valka gave me the key, Duh!" Snotlout said as if that was obvious. "Besides, what apartment! You live in a penthouse suite! Cuz you got it made!"

"You're annoying you know," Hiccup rolled his eyes before stretching.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Snotlout uttered before he dramatically opened Hiccup's walk-in closet. "Now let's get you ready to hit the streets! Who knows, maybe you'll meet a nice lady,"

"Oh my Thor not you too!" Hiccup groaned. "Mom sucked you into her matchmaking scheme didn't she?"

"Who? Aunt Valka… nope… no sireee… though you have to stop moping Hiccup," Snotlout responded. "You should meet someone, have a nice time. Who cares if you're Markless,"

"Every person I dated cared Snot," Hiccup just rolled his eyes. "And it's not just dating, even professionally, not having a soulmark, when that news gets out people just…. They look at you completely differently. You wouldn't understand,"

"What? Because I have a mark? Try me," Snotlout turned around and crossed his arms. "I'm sure it can't be as bad as you make it out to be,"

"Oh, you really have no idea," Hiccup laughed mirthlessly before throwing out his hands to gesture to his room and probably his whole penthouse. "All this... My success means nothing once they find out I'm Markless Snot. I've gotten looks of pure pity, as I am one of the very few that doesn't have and never will have a soulmate. Looks of disgust, as if something is broken within me for me not to have a mate. I mean, how was any of it my fault? But people don't get it."

"Hiccup…" Snotlout started to say but his cousin wasn't done ranting.

"I know, I know what you're going to say but let's face it. Even dad was disappointed that I didn't get a mark by age ten. That's literally the latest everyone can get a mark," Hiccup sighed as he ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "I spent my whole life hearing the same things. It's just… I don't care. I just don't care anymore, Snot," Hiccup sighed.

"Okay fine, I admit you might be right," Snotlout surprisingly muttered. "Though that doesn't mean you have to give up on dating. I'm sure you'll find someone who loves you for you eventually,"

"Hey, just thinking out loud here but… have you ever thought of getting a roommate?" Snotlout asked. "You said it yourself, didn't you? This place is too big for just one person. You found the silence lonely,"

"When did I say that?!" Hiccup exclaimed.

"Before Snoggletog," Snotlout deadpanned. "Remember, you and I along with Dagur got drunk on sake while at an all-you-can-eat sushi place,"

"I did not!" Hiccup tried to protest.

"Cuz… you and Dagur were singing Celine Dion songs the whole cab ride back home," The shorter man muttered. "If that was stone cold sober I'd hate to see you drunk,"

"Now come on! Get dressed. We have New Year parties to crash!" Snotlout said as he threw a black button-up shirt at Hiccup. "It's gonna be a whole new Millenium cuz!"

"At least let me take a shower first!" Hiccup groaned. There really wasn't any stopping Snotlout once he got in party mode.

And true to Snotlout's word they did hit several parties. Ruffnut and Tuffnut, their old college buddies, had a late-night BBQ going at their place while they were waiting for the ball to drop in Times Square. Hiccup also reluctantly hit up several bars with Snot, who was now sporting a traffic cone on his head while tipsy.

"Cuz! We need to visit Heather's party!" Snotlout giggled as he held onto Hiccup.

"I think we've had enough Snot," Hiccup muttered as he steadied the shorter man.

"But it's not even midnight yet!" Snotlout wined.

"So who is this Heather?" Hiccup asked as he sighed while Snotlout tried to hail a cab.

"Oh… Oh... Heather!" Snotlout perked up. "She's the Vet that opened a clinic across from my flower shop."

"A love interest?" Hiccup raised a brow as a yellow cab stopped for them.

"Nah, she already found her soulmate." Snotlout uttered and then shrugged. "OH! But her cookies are to die for,"

"Food really is the way to a man's heart huh?" Hiccup raised a brow once more.

When Hiccup and Snotlout arrived at the rooftop party it was already in full swing with only a few seconds until midnight. A blond woman pushed past him, bumping Hiccup's shoulder briefly. He just shrugged it off as he watched her leave.

"Cuzzz!" Snotlout slurred a bit and got Hiccup's attention. "Dagur's here! Did you know that he's related to Heather?!"

"I didn't," Hiccup answered as the clock struck twelve and the new Millenium had officially begun.

"They're having a tug of war over the guacamole! This I got to see!" Snotlout scurried off in the direction of the buffet table leaving Hiccup alone in the crowd.

"Don't mind me…" Hiccup mumbled as he looked around at the clearly drunk guests. A champagne flute was offered to him by someone in a sunflower costume carrying a tray. "Definitely the weirdest party of the night," Hiccup mentioned under his breath.

Hiccup woke up the following afternoon with a splitting headache. He clutched a hand before his eyes as the sunlight streaming through his windows didn't do him any favours.

"Ugh," Hiccup squinted as his hangover from last night's party and pub crawl reared its ugly head. "Damn you Snotlout," He mumbled as he lazily made his way out of bed. He groaned as the clock on his nightstand read 14:21 and tried to smooth out his hair that was surely sticking out at odd angles.

He then padded into his kitchen, still wearing the black slacks from last night, though now he was sans shirt. Hiccup looked down and frowned. He only had one sock on and he barely remembered the night before. What he did remember was Snotlout doing body shots somewhere around 2 AM. Something he wanted to scrub out of his brain with bleach.

He made his way to his fridge and peered inside. Surely he'd have something for the headache that was akin to a marching band riding a wrecking ball in his head. He spotted the Advil and grabbed some water and the leftover Pad Thai from two days ago. As Hiccup downed the tablet and then ate the Pad Thai cold he looked over at his large apartment from the kitchen island. It was lovely, really, and he thanked his parents profusely for gifting him this place when he graduated from University but it just felt so big and cold right now. As Hiccup looked at the large space that was filled with modern furniture he felt a stab of loneliness. He'd never be able to share such a space with his mate and he was quite morose about that fact as he had always wanted a big family. Kids of his own running around and a lovely spouse, but society classed the Markless as the bottom of the barrel.

Hiccup sighed and slapped his cheeks. Having negative thoughts like this wouldn't do. Perhaps Snotlout was right. Maybe he should look into getting a roommate.