The group quickly began telling Hiccup all the things he's missed since he left. Somehow, Hiccup managed to dodge most of their questions and got the others to constantly tell him their stories all through out lunch.
"I wanna know how Berk is doing." He said when Astrid pointed this out. "I promise I'll tell you guys everything when we get back to Berk."
Though they were all disappointed they wouldn't get their answers, somehow they couldn't be too mad at Hiccup. He was constantly asking about their lives and asking the right questions to get each of them going off on their own stories. He seemed genuinely interested in their lives and wanted to know more. Except for Snotlout, who would just tell outlandish lies and brag about how "great" he is.
After two days Berk was in sight. The closer they got, the more nervous Hiccup became. Cami tried to remind him Stoic wouldn't be there yet so they would have time to figure out how to approach his dad. That worked at first, but by the time they docked the boat Hiccup was in full blown panic mode. He played it cool, though he was never good at hiding his emotions, and tried to compose himself as he stepped off the boat and onto the dock.
Berk looked so different from when they were kids and Hiccup was obviously impressed by the new look of the Island. Astrid held her head high knowing she helped with much of the changes, and that Hiccup seemed to approve of them. He was so busy looking over the island, and Astrid was too busy watching him do so, that they jumped when they heard people running towards them. Someone was even sobbing.
Astrid turned to look just as her mother grabbed her in a bear hug, crying hysterically in her ear. Her farther wasn't far behind crushing her and her mother in an even bigger bear hug. Astrid wasn't found of hugs, especially in public, but she let them hug her as long as they wanted; till she started suffocating. Just as Astrid was reaching her limit her parents let go, though they each kept a hand on her. Her father was holding onto her shoulder telling her how glad he is that she's safe. Her mother held Astrid's face in her hands and went on about how worried they were.
"I'm okay! Really!" Astrid tried to escape their grasp. She was happy to be with her parents again but she still had an image to maintain.
She could see a crowd piling onto the dock to get a look at her and try and talk to the others about how they got her out. She quickly checked behind her, Hiccup was still there looking unsure of what he should be doing. She turned back to see her father had spotted him, but he didn't seem to know who he was, glaring at him in a protective way.
"Astrid, who is this boy?" Her father whispered, his eyes never leaving Hiccup. Astrid was speechless for a moment, unsure if this was the right way to tell them her betrothed was alive and back on Berk.
Turns out she didn't have to. Her mother, hearing her father's whispers, turned to look and gasped as soon as she saw him. She slowly slid her hands from Astrid's face and made her way towards the auburn haired man. Hiccup stood stock still, watching as her mother came closer.
"Hiccup?" She asked. He gave one of his lopsided, awkward grins and gave a stiff wave to her.
"Hey Mrs. Hofferson, long time no see." Astrid couldn't help but chuckle. He looked exactly like he did as a kid when he got caught doing something he was told he shouldn't be doing.
"You can't be serious." Her father sounded shocked. She turned to see him slack jawed, staring at Hiccup.
Looking past her dad, she could see a few of the people on the docks had also caught sight of Hiccup. Whether people knew it was Hiccup or thought he was just some stranger they picked up she couldn't tell. She tried to signal to the others to send them away but Ruffnut and Snotlout were making up stories about what happened on the trip while Tuffnut was helping Cami send her boat, and the three other Bog-Burglars, back to their island. And Fishlegs was nowhere in sight! Just when she was about to complain about doing everything herself she saw people in the back start to leave.
"Move! Ge' outta the way! You're clogging up the whole harbor!" A voice yelled from the back of the crowded.
People started backing off, letting Gobber come through with Fishlegs trailing behind. Astrid made a note to thank Fishlegs later, as she watched them shoo people away.
"Astrid!" Gobber welcomed as the last of the crowd left. "Good to see you in one piece…" His smile fell off his face as he spotted Hiccup behind her. Astrid could tell he recognized Hiccup in a heart beat.
"Hey Gobber!" Snotlout shouted as he came up behind the big man, trying to put his arm around Gobber's shoulder. "Look who I foun - whoa!" Snotlout fell flat on his face as Gobber started moving forward.
Astrid stepped back as Gobber walked past in a trance like state. Hiccup actually seemed to relax when he saw the blacksmith approach him. His face softened and his smile evened out, making his eyes shine. Gobber stopped a few feet from him and just stared. For once in his life Gobber was speechless. Hiccup gave a little laugh before his sarcasm came out.
"What's wrong, Gobber? You look like you've seen a ghost!"
Gobber tackled him into a bear hug, easily lifting Hiccup off the ground while uncontrollably sobbing. Astrid wouldn't dare pull Gobber away from his old apprentice, even if she could see Hiccup struggling to breath.
"I missed you too, Gobber." Hiccup wheezed out while attempting to calm the blacksmith.
Through Gobber's sobbing Astrid could just make out words. "*Sob* thought *sob* you *sob* were *sob* dead *sob*"
"Who me? And here I thought you had more faith in me than that." Astrid didn't think this was the time for jokes, but it seemed to be calming Gobber down as he was now sobbing and laughing.
"Come on Gobber, you gotta let him down." Her mother said gently, patting Gobber's giant back as he put Hiccup down. Gobber took a step back and looked Hiccup up and down.
"Look at ya! You're all grown up!" He said through the tears that seemed to never stop.
"He looks just like Val." Her mother nodded.
"I can' believe you're alive! But how did ya get away from tha' dragon?"
"I was never caught by any dragon." Hiccup ducked his head down, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Oh." It took a minute for Gobber to process this information. "Then what happened? Where have ya been?"
"I just…left." Hiccup shrugged, avoiding eye contact.
"You just…left?" Her father repeated. Gobber groaned and put his head in his hand.
"I didn't think anyone would really care!" Hiccup tried to defended himself. "I mean, people leave on expeditions all the time!"
"Those people usually tell other's what they're doing and don' jus disappear!"
"He say's he left a note in his room." Astrid jumped in, Hiccup nodded along.
"I didn' see no note." Gobber gave Hiccup a disbelieving look.
"Not my fault! I wrote a note, put it on my nightstand, plain as day! I promise you it's there!"
"And if it's not? If ya maybe forgo' ta write it? Or if you lef' it in one of yar hide-y holes?"
"Then I'll take any punishment you deem fit." Hiccup held up one hand and did a weird movement with his other hand over his chest.
"Don' know wha' that was, but alrigh'." Gobber said, side eyeing the boy.
"Ahh, it means cross my heart." Hiccup replied a little confused.
"What in hel does that mean?" Snotlout asked.
"Why could you cross your own heart?" Ruffnut continued.
"Ahh, It's just a weird thing I picked up, I guess. It's just a way of saying I promise."
They all stood around for a moment, looking at Hiccup. Astrid was trying to understand how 'crossing a heart' meant I promise, or even how one would 'cross a heart'. Then her mother loudly clapped her hands, snapping everyone back to reality.
"Well, lets get you lot up to town for some good home cooking." Her mother said.
As Hiccup started walking she saw Snotlout throw something on him.
"Snotlout! What are you…" She stopped when she saw it was just a blanket from the boat to cover Hiccup.
"What? If we walk through Berk people are going to stop us and ask about Hiccup. I thought we were keeping him a secret." Snotlout shrugged. "Were we not?"
"No you're right." Hiccup defended as he adjusted the blanket so he could see. "I think it's better if I keep a low profile for now."
"Why are we keeping Hiccup a secret?" Gobber had finally calmed down enough to join the conversation.
"You did see how you reacted, right?" Ruffnut pointed out. "We don't want to deal with all of Berk doing that when were just trying to get to Hiccup's house."
"I highly doubt all of Berk would act like Gobber did." Hiccup muttered.
"We think it would be best if we wait for Stoic to come back before we announce Hiccups alive." Astrid explained. Gobber agreed, more because Stoic would be mad about being the last one to know.
SPLASH!
The group turned to see Tuffnut climbing out of the water, with Cami walking away with a pleased smile on her face.
"Let's get going then." Cami said as she walked up to Hiccup.
"Really?" He said with a bewildered expression.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She practically sang as she lead the way down the dock with the rest following after.
"What was that about?" Astrid asked Hiccup.
Hiccup leaned in to whisper. "Apparently Cami likes Tuffnut."
"Hm." Astrid hummed as if that made any sense. She heard snickering coming from behind her and looked to see Ruffnut right there with her ear pressed towards them. Realizing she was caught, Ruffnut slung her arms around Astrid and Hiccup.
"Really? Cami's got a thing for my smelly brother?"
"I guess." Hiccup shrugged. "She does like the sloppy, crazy type."
"Ruffnut, please tell me you're not gonna try and set them up are you?" Astrid whined as Ruffnut looked insulted. "The last time you tried to set someone up Gobber ended up with half a mustache, the Great hall was covered in poke-a-dots, and half the village went out to sea while the other half was locked in the arena for a full day!"
"That!" Hiccup pointed at her. "That is a story I want to hear! Who did you try and set Gobber up with?"
"Gobber wasn't even apart of it!" Astrid laughed.
"Wait, he wasn't?" Astrid shook her head, as Hiccup let out a cute laugh in amazement. "Then how did he lose half his mustache?"
"Darn goats." Gobber muttered as he stumbled past them, stopping Hiccup in his tracks.
"A goat?" He asked, looking back at Astrid and Ruffnut.
"Goat-S." Astrid emphasized, enjoying the stunned look on his face.
The two continued down the dock, laughing as Astrid started telling him the story from the beginning. Neither one realizing they left Ruffnut behind to gawk at them before a mischievous grin spread across her face and she ran off to tell Fishlegs some hot new gossip.
Astrid didn't get to finish telling her story. The citizens of Berk slowly swarmed her, asking what happened and how she was doing. As the current Heir, and the one who was kidnapped, it was her responsibilities to answer their questions and calm their fears. So Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and Gobber had to make an impromptu meeting while Hiccup, Cami, the twins, and her parents snuck away to Hiccup's house.
"What about the new guy?" Someone shouted.
Astrid clenched her teeth. They were just about done and she had started to hope no one was going to ask that question.
"What new guy?" Fishlegs nervously sputtered.
"The tall, handsome, young man on the dock with you lot." Called Phlegma the Fierce. A few of the women behind her started giggling for some reason, it made Astrid's stomach squirm.
"Oh, that was just me." Snotlout strutted towards them, flexing his muscles. "I must've been gone for so long that you all forgot my splendor."
Some of the younger girls giggled at him while he showed off, everyone else rolled their eyes.
"Not you, you mutton head." Phlegma stepped forward. "I said tall and handsome, not short and smelly."
"He helped me escape Outcast Island." Astrid explained. "He got injured during our escape so I offered him shelter here."
"Are you sure we can trust him?" Starkard called from the crowed.
"Yeah! He could be a Outcast here to gain our trust so he can set up an attack!"
"That's just what an Outcast would do!"
"QUIET!" Astrid yelled, she was always surprised at how quickly the Hooligan tribe could get swept up in their stories. "I can assure you he is not an Outcast!"
"Then who is he?" Spitlout repeated the original question.
"We still need to…verify…parts of his story. Till then, he will stay at the Chief's house under constant surveillance."
"For how long?" Ack asked.
"Till Stoic get's back." Astrid nodded her head.
As she turned to leave the crowd she heard Phlegma offer to be his guard, with a round of agreement from all the other women. It made her angry for some reason. They didn't even know who they were fawning over! Would it get worse when they find out the "tall, handsome, young man" was actually Hiccup, their missing Heir? Yes, it most definitely would.
"Someone got popular with the ladies." Gobber joked from beside her. Astrid gave him an annoyed look and stomped ahead.
"Someone's a bit touchy with that subject." She heard Fishlegs joke back.
Astrid cursed the stupid Dead Man's Charm all the way up to the Chief's house. She knew the village will be glad to see Hiccup back as Heir, but the idea of the women of the village falling over him made her skin crawl. It was such a weird image, but with his status, new looks and confidence there was no way the women of Berk would leave him alone. Then again, the village does think the two are engaged so maybe the women of the village wouldn't be too pushy.
She was able to calm herself down by the time they got to the Chief's house only to be weirded out seeing everyone there. She was so used to the large hall being empty and cold that opening the door to talking, a burning fire, and the smell of a good meal made her feel like she entered the wrong one. Her mother was by the fire cooking up a meal, telling Hiccup that she expects him to eat as much as he can, as he was to skinny for her liking. Hiccup was sitting at the table, while the twins crowded around Cami. On closer inspection, Cami was showing off a tattoo on her upper arm.
"Barley even felt it." She was saying. "What about you two? Got any?"
"I have one! Wanna see?" Tuffnut was already pulling at his clothes to show everyone, only to be stopped by Ruffnut punching him.
"I knew it wasn't a birth mark! I'm gonna tell mom!"
The two started fighting each other, Cami narrowly avoiding their scuffle as she jumped to sit on the table. She looked just as amused with their fight as the twins do when the other gets injured.
"So, how'd the meeting go?" Hiccup asked as Astrid walked over to his side.
"Well, they saw you; so naturally you're the talk of the town." Astrid teased. The look of terror on his face was too funny to pass up. "Relax! They didn't realize you're you."
"Nah, they were too busy admiring ya pretty face." Gobber hobbled in. Cami snorted a laugh, but covered it up quick.
"Why am I constantly being called that?" Hiccup shook his head lightly.
"Caz ya got a pretty, pretty face." Cami teased causing an eyes roll from Hiccup. Does he not realise how good looking he is?
"It's not just you're face." Fishlegs added. "You've also grown taller, what are you, six feet?"
"Yeah well, I had to sprout up at some point. My dad's seven feet tall, and my mom's tall too… or so I've been told."
Astrid noticed Hiccup fidgeting as he mentioned his mom. She remembered how Stoic never wanted to talk about Hiccup after he 'died', if he was the same when Hiccup's mother died then Hiccup must not of heard anything about her growing up.
"Ay." Her mother hummed. "She was very tall, I think that was one of the reason Stoic liked her."
"Yah, he had always been afrai' he would accidentally hurt his partner with how tall he was and all, but Val and him jus' fit together perfectly." Gobber agreed.
Astrid watch Hiccup's face turn to a sad smile. It must be hard to hear stories about a parent you've never met.
"Least we got this one back." Gobber continued. "So, did ya find that note of yours?"
Astrid eyes widened in realization. She could see Hiccup do the same. They looked at each other for a second, then both raced up the stairs. Astrid got a head start, as she was already standing, and beat him to his room.
"Ha!" She pointed at the empty nightstand on the other side of the bed without even looking if it was there. "Nothing there!"
Hiccup raised an eyebrow at her before moving to the other side of the bed. He checked the nightstand and the bed, all with the same suspicious look on his face. He flopped dramatically to the floor to check under the bed, coming back up empty handed to Astrid's smug face. He looked around the area again, and did a double take on the nightstand. He looked back at Astrid, giving her a smug look. Then he reached over and pulled a piece of paper from between the nightstand and wall.
Astrid felt her face fall into shock. He waved the paper in the air.
"Told you." He replied, the smug look never leaving his face.
"Give me that." Astrid demanded calmly, fighting the embarrassment trying to over take her. For all she knew it was just a drawing, or a list and not actually the note. She needed to see it with her own eyes.
"What? No!" Hiccup smug look turned to annoyed as he brought the note closer to him.
"If that's actually your good bye note I wanna read it."
"No! It wasn't meant for you. In fact, I don't think I want anyone to read it."
"You left it for us to read. How bad can it be?" Astrid moved towards him, arms reaching out to grab the note from him.
"No." He replied, holding the note high in the air while he attempted to get away from her.
"Hiccup, you're being childish!"
"No, you are!"
Hiccup somehow slipped past her and made it down the stairs. Astrid yelled for someone to stop him.
"Here's the note! It's real! It fell behind the nightstand, and now that you all know it was there I will throw it away." He crushed the paper into a ball.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You don' get ta jus' throw tha' away!" Gobber said, distraction him.
Astrid leapt forwards and tried to grab the paper ball from him. Hiccup saw her lunge and stuffed the ball in his mouth! She wasn't sure if that was funny or infuriating. Either way, she jumped at him yelling for Hiccup to open his mouth. Astrid pinched his cheeks while he had his hands on her head trying to push her down.
"What In Midgard Are You Two Doing?" The two adults froze in place and looked towards the door. Her father was standing there with bread and butter, having gone to their house to get some.
Astrid took the opportunity to step on Hiccup's foot, causing him to open his mouth in shock. She stuck her hand in and grabbed the balled up note.
Holding it up in victory she cheered, "I win!". Until someone snatched it away.
Gobber stood behind her holding the note. It was at that moment she remembered the room was full of other people. Her mother, the twins, and even Cami was looking at them with the same bewildered expression as her dad. Astrid couldn't believe she acted like that! Out of the corner of her eye she could see Hiccup's face going red as he dipped his head down in shame.
"While I appreciate ya stoppin' Hiccup from destroyin' the note," Gobber said as if this was an everyday occurrence. "I don' think either one of ya should get it."
Gobber than put the balled up paper IN. HIS. PANTS. She couldn't stop her face from scrunching up in disgust. Hiccup also had a sickly expression. They locked eyes and in that moment they both knew neither of them would ever touch that note again.
"I'll keep this safe till Stoic get's back." Gobber patted his groin. Astrid heard Tuffnut make barfing noise in the background and she agreed with those noises.