Sticks and Stones [closed]

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

He couldn't find her in the great hall, and that meant that she had likely heard, too, heard the truth. He wasn't sure if he should look for her, wasn't sure if she'd want him to find her. It wasn't that he expected her to run off and cry, but Astrid, by her nature, was the type to deal with things like grief alone.

In fact, he remembered when they were younger, when her father had died, she'd just... withdrawn; disappeared to practice like the crazy person she was. He wondered sometimes if the Astrid of the present, who made everything look so effortless, had been built on those quiet afternoons in the Berk woods, as she worked out her grief with relentless practice.

He still found her anyway, trying to find somewhere to be alone himself. It was a room that wasn't really a room. It led to an open sky, a meadow surrounded by trees, somehow still inside the ship. They weren't trees like back home, but they were trees. What he didn't know was this was Stacy showing off the Sensoriums to anyone nearby. All he did know was that he heard screaming. Over and over. And thunking noises. Scream. Thunk. Scream. Thunk. Scream. Thunk. Grief and anger with its own percussion. As if just screaming or just thunking alone weren't enough.

He watched her, and for once she didn't see him coming, she was so lost in it. For a moment, he wondered idly if he should leave, since she hadn't noticed him coming in, but found that he just...didn't quite want to. Right now, as far as he knew, she was the only Viking left, the only person from Berk left alive with him. After a while of standing there, watching, listening, he started to shake, and then closed his eyes, his mouth setting in a firm line.

Then he pulled his knife out of its sheathe, and his eyes opened again, and there was his own scream, his own thunk, as he threw it into the same tree Astrid was using as her unfortunate practice dummy. It actually hit the tree for once, next to her axe. And it even stuck. A testament to what he was feeling maybe.

(Everyone always told him he needed to focus more.)

Then he stood there, shaking with pent up...something waiting to see if she'd yell at him to get out or not.

Comments

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

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Things sucked, yeah, but she was feeling a little better already.

"You wouldn't like it." She tried to sound indifferent, another useful Astrid tactic at slipping through interrogation.

More willful finger movement. Why wasn't this wooorking.

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

It is not a video game, Astrid (not that those have been invented for you yet). You do not go up up down down left right left right B A start with his hand to get him to ignore the question. He's not that easily distractible.

"But now I'm curious, what were you thinking? I bet it's not that bad."

Is it?

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

That's correct. Just not with his hand, that is. But she isn't that courageous yet.

"Fine, fine..., " she slightly pouted, cheek puffing some in defeat. "I simply remembered a little crybaby, is all..." Who knows if Hiccup can remember, though, or if he'd be surprised she even remembered.

Is it bad now, Hiccup?

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"I was four!"

He was half-laughing as he said it, and he let go of her hand to prop himself up on his elbows to look her in the face.

"Besides, you guys--well, no, those guys, you--" he gestured to her "--you were usually okay--pretty much tortured me back then. Oh, constantly. As soon as the size difference started to become noticeable."

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

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Yep, the other kids were pretty cruel and Astrid knew a major reason. "You realize why they did, right?"

Now with the sheep out of the bag and him pitching in, she felt obliged to carry on.

"Yes, yes you were young. Oh I understand."

"There was that one time during a round of Bashyball. When you figured it'd be a GREAT idea to duck behind me to make yourself less of a target--and I ended up getting the volley of hits...!"

"Thor, was I angry." She strained a smile, but her eye visibly twitched, minor irritation transcending time.

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"It was a good plan! ...Other than the part where you hit me afterward."

He grinned.

"Besides, I wasn't always, well...pathetic," he reminded her. "Remember all the times I made you the warrior queen when we were playing pretend and I came up with stories? And then I'd make a daisy crown for your hair."

Hiccup ducked his head into her neck and shoulder again, half to cuddle, half out of good-natured embarrassment. She could likely feel his cheeks go warm.

"I liked you even back then," he admitted. "That's when I first knew..."

He cut off, embarrassed.

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

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She ran a hand down her face, half-shielding her expression, peeking through parted fingers.

Now he was tossing out her share of embarrassing moments, wasn't he. Touché.

"Hey, hey... and I'd like to think I played that role perfectly," she added, rather haughty-like with nose upturned.

Her brow perked, making the appropriate room for him so they wouldn't knock heads roughly. ...Wait, what is he trying to say.

"Hm? Knew... uh, knew what?" tilting her head cutely, and blinking curiously.

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"Nothing," he said, voice muffled by her neck. It probably tickled a little, his nosing in there and hiding.

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

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A-Ack, it did tickle and her shoulders stiffened some.

"No keeping secrets, you know!" Was he ticklish, perhaps?

Flexing fingers reached for him, "Or else." Let's find out now!

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"N-no! Nononoaahahahastopitstop," he tried to wiggle away, but failed, and eventually fell back against her, wiggling and breathless, trying to escape, but not wanting to at the same time.

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

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She stopped and raised her hands innocently. He deserved that.

"Well, well. What an interesting discovery," she taunted and smirked. He probably shouldn't have gave in so easily.

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"You really wanna know that badly?" he asked, flushing and breathless.

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

"Spill it before I lose interest. And it better be good."

Yep, she was still interested.

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"Back then? That was when I figured out that I... that I liked you. Liked you, liked you, kind of like. And it was also when..."

He squirmed uncomfortably in the grass.

"It was also when I pretty much figured out I'd always like you. ...Like you."

He's been practically in love with you since he was, like, six, okay? Something he hadn't admitted yet.

"You may commence with the mocking now, at your leisure."

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

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"...You do know that was kinda obvious for the longest time, right?" Mocking commenced. Gently.

Hee, tell her something she doesn't know, Hiccup. Though hearing this information made her feel... warm inside. Her heart was doing some weird rhythm also.

"Well, I--"

She cut herself off abruptly and the grin slowly faded. Astrid fell silent, unmoving except for the rise and fall of her chest, her gaze fixed away from him.

It suddenly hit her.

"Who does he think he is?!", "He's so annoying!", "I hate him!"

...Yes, she remembered. All those times. She...

Now it was her turn to sit up.

(http://photobucket.com)

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"What? What is it?" he asked, sitting up as well. Did it had to do with what he said?

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

(http://photobucket.com)

"....."

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

Better say something before he gets too worried.

"...Oh, ah... s-sorry. That was rude of me. It's not because yo-- no, it's nothing."

She looked at him, rubbing the back of her neck, and faking a smile.

"Heey, Hiccup... are you hungry? You haven't eaten anything, have you?"

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"What? Was it something I said?"

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

"No... not--"

A sigh. What can she expect, of course he might get the wrong idea.

"Like I said I just knew-- you weren't too great at hiding it, you know. That's all. Now, come on, answer the question."

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"More exhausted than anything."

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

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Just... don't ask, Hiccup. It's better that way.

Though, she will keep a faint smile and scoot closer, tipping her head to rest on his shoulder. See? Nothing's wrong.

Huh...

"Speaking of that... just where do we sleep?"

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"I...really don't know, and I'm slightly terrified to find out," Hiccup admitted. One last nuzzle and he pulled away to awkwardly climb to his feet. "Why don't we go look around? I'm sure there's some...hole to curl up in somewhere."

Ugh. Pleasant.

[astridhofferson.livejournal.com]

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Likewise, she pushed herself to her feet. Ah well, they better get to it.

"As long as it doesn't pulsate or ooze, I'll be fine."

Yeah, lovely thought.

A Short While Later...

[i-saw-myself.livejournal.com]

"Wow, they're actually holes."

In the wall. With pulsating walls to each cubbyhole.

"That pulsate. It's like this place knew exactly what we didn't want to find and put it here for us to be horrified by it."