Chapter Text
When Hiccup woke up the following morning, he immediately felt the blob of dread that had situated itself comfortably inside his body. He’s aware he has nothing to worry about.
At the same time, his dad has been very wary of letting visitors in, especially because of the events that happened with Johann, Krogan and the Dragon Eye. He couldn’t just immediately trust people again after that. Johann had traded at their village for years. It wasn’t an easy betrayal to swallow and just move on from.
But Johann is dead, and the Dragon Flyers are no more. They can rest easy now, saving dragons and bringing pride to Berk.
Perhaps Hiccup was just scared of his father hypothetically sending Jack off to another faraway land. It was ridiculous, but Stoick the Vast would not be above that to protect his tribe.
“You ready to go get Jack, bud?” He asked the Night Fury, who was still stretching out his tired limbs. Upon hearing the question, he immediately perked up and made a purring sound.
Toothless flew out the open window, intent on meeting him outside since he’s learned he can’t fit through the wooden frames of the doors or even get down the stairs.
Hiccup headed downstairs after throwing on a green tunic and dark brown pants. He threw on a woolly animal hide to stop the cold from nipping at his skin.
“Oh, dad! Hey…” he greeted, pausing at the foot of the stairs and glancing over at the table where his father was sitting.
Stoick looked up and nodded in acknowledgement, smiling at him. “Aye, Hiccup.” The man responded gruffly, “when am I to be expecting this sudden visitor of ours?”
Judging by his tone, his father still wasn’t happy about having another person on Berk, as expected.
“Toothless and I were going to head off to Gothi’s now. We’ll give him some breakfast and then take him to the Great Hall.”
Stoick acknowledged his words with another nod, tending to the hearth that already had a fire going. He had a small pot hanging over it, boiling some kind of stew.
“Alright, I’m going to… I’m going to go. See you later, dad!” Hiccup exclaimed, reaching for the door with the grace of a newborn fawn, and left to go find Jack.
The chief just sighed, looking at the door and shaking his head fondly. “That boy of mine…” he muttered under his breath.
—
When Hiccup landed on Gothi’s balcony, he noticed that Jack and Gothi were enjoying a conversation together. He’s never really seen people understand Gothi’s symbols unless they were strictly from Berk, so it was intriguing to see Jack had picked up on it so early.
“Well, yeah. Obviously it’s a little different where I’m from, but we do have similar beliefs and legends.”
Gothi noticed him first, her gaze meeting his as she nodded respectfully in greeting. Her greeting caught Jack’s attention, and he gracefully whirled around. As soon as his eyes settled on Hiccup, his face broke out into a happy grin.
“Hey, Hiccup! Today’s the day, huh?”
He hummed, twirling his staff between his fingers. The brunet nodded, biting the inside of his cheek nervously as he swung his arms forward.
“Yep. Meeting with the chief today, where he gets to decide to keep you or ship you off to some random island… just great…”
“Oh, just relax, Hic! Everything will be okay. I don’t have malicious intent, I don’t have any weapons, and no one has ambushed you in the period I’ve been here. Surely, your father will be alright with me staying.”
Hiccup frowned, “you haven’t met Stoick the Vast, Jack. He’s the most stubborn, terrifying viking you’ll ever meet.”
Jack just smiled in response, giving him a reassuring, hesitant pat on the shoulder.
“We’ll be fine.”
–
Everything was not fine.
Attending this meeting with every member of the council had been the worst decision his father had made.
Spitelout was yelling profanities at Jack and had started the other council members into shouting at him too. Gobber was making up theories about Jack being some kind of troll or being from the myths. Gothi, as always, was completely silent on the whole matter.
His father sat at the head of the table, observing the sight before him. Jack didn’t seem to mind their yelling and the constant insults spewing from their lips. Instead, he spared a glance at Hiccup and sent him a smirk and a sly wink.
Stoick had finally decided to intervene when Spitelout grabbed Jack by the collar, his free arm pulled back he was going to beat the answers out of him.
“ENOUGH!” He bellowed, rising from his seat. The room quickly fell into a deathly silence, and the rugged Viking released the boy with an annoyed scoff.
“Boy. You said you don’t recall how you got on the island? No recollection at all?” His father asked sternly, his height and weight towering over Jack in an attempt to intimidate him.
Thankfully, Jack didn’t falter under his stare and instead met his gaze with a sheepish grin. “Yes. I'm sorry, I don’t have any memory of how I got here.”
Hiccup was genuinely baffled by his cool, casual behaviour with the chief of the tribe. The guy could probably lob his head off his shoulders just by flicking him in the forehead.
There was a long moment where Stoick just glared at Jack, like he was trying to intimidate him into crying and confessing to being a spy for dragon hunters. Still, Jack never faltered. He kept his gaze on Stoick, completely levelheaded and calm. He knew Jack was innocent, but even Hiccup would’ve confessed to something he hadn’t planned to under the weight of that glare. He has before, many, many times.
“Hiccup.” His father grunted stiffly, his glare losing some of its heat now that his eyes are on his son. “Do you truly trust him to stay with us on Berk?”
The young viking nodded, his expression determined and serious. “Yes, dad. I trust Jack. In the time frame he’s been here, he’s never proven to be a threat to Berk. Toothless likes him, and he’s not exactly trusting of strangers, either.”
It didn’t hurt to bring up Toothless’ natural distrust of newcomers. Even back when the dragons were first welcomed to Berk openly, Toothless still took a few weeks to fully warm up to Stoick after the event with the Red Death.
His father sighed, the tension in his shoulders dropping. “Very well. We have a small, spare hut for him to stay in while he’s here.”
Both Hiccup and Jack beamed, at Stoick and then at each other.
“But,” the chief cut in quickly, raising a stern brow. “He is not allowed to leave the island. Not until I’m certain he’s trustworthy.”
It didn’t matter to Jack or Hiccup whether he could leave the island or not, he got to stay and that was all that mattered.
“Thanks, Hiccup.” The spirit smiled at him, causing his heart to make strange flutters in his chest.
Hiccup returned the giddy grin with one of his own, “It’s no problem, Jack. We're friends now. I trust you.”
–
“Where will I be staying from now on?” the brunette asked him as Toothless rubbed against him, demanding a scratch by rubbing his long length along Jack’s legs, much like a cat.
“You mean the hut my dad wants you living in? It’s just up this way. It’s next to our hut, actually. Dad wants to keep an eye on you, sorry.”
Jack shrugged, brushing him off as he scratched at the dragon’s neck, soothing the itch. “It’s really not an issue. Your dad is looking out for his people. Besides, he really reminds me of someone I know back home. Except… he’s a lot grumpier than that someone.”
Hiccup led him up to the hut, opening the door for him and stepping inside.
“Here it is. I know it’s not much…”
Jack chuckled softly, the sound like gentle wind sifting through his hair. “It’s really no biggie, Hiccup. It’s bigger than the room Gothi kept me in. really, this is more than enough. Don’t worry.”
The viking softened, and managed a smile. “I’ll give you a proper tour of Berk tomorrow. Right now, I’m sure we all just want to rest after the day we had. I’ll bring dinner to you later. Toothless, let’s go, bud.”
He announced, watching as Toothless scampered away from the door and flapped his wings eagerly, clearly hoping to go for a flight. Jack was in the same position, still mourning something he’s been for the past 300 years.
“See you around, viking.” He teased, his cheshire grin back in place as he leaned on his staff. Hiccup floundered for a moment, a rosy colour painting his cheeks.
“B-... goodbye!” he exclaimed, shutting the door behind him as he left.
—
Hiccup nursed his mead carefully in his hands, staring at it in quiet contemplation. He had already finished his dinner, his empty plate pushed aside.
He should bring dinner up to Jack soon, even if the food was gravely tasteless and had terrible texture.
“In one of your moods?”
A voice teased as they took a seat beside him, and he turned to face Astrid, holding a mead of her own.
“‘One of my moods’? What is that supposed to mean?” Hiccup replied, furrowing his brow stubbornly.
Astrid huffed with a small grin. “Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“No, you do. You’re denying it.”
Shit. She had him there. He did know what she was talking about, he was just too stubborn to admit it.
“I really don’t,” he denied again, huffing and downing the small amount of mead left on his jug.
“You’re wondering about how you’re going to show off for that Jackson kid.” Astrid told him with a self-satisfied smirk. “You know you can’t lie to me, Hiccup.”
Hiccup dropped his head to the table with a groan, feeling heat crawl up his cheeks.
“Fine, yes. I’m giving him a tour of Berk tomorrow, and I want him to enjoy it.”
Astrid raised a brow, shrugging, “there’s not much to see on Berk. Just show him around, let him see what’s there to see… maybe take him for a flight? Not off the island, of course, but just above Berk. He clearly trusts you, Hiccup, and he’s comfortable enough to joke around with you. Besides, just because Stoick accepted him doesn’t mean the other villagers will just learn to tolerate him. Try to make him feel welcomed beyond that.”
The chief’s son merely nodded in response, face smushed into the wood of the table.
“You’re so wise, Astrid. I’m so lucky to have you as a friend.”
“Don’t forget it.” She nudged him with a fond grin, finishing off her mead and placing the tankard down.
Hiccup remained thinking for the rest of the night, even as he made his way back to his hut. He wanted to impress Jack, and there was no other way than showing off all the dragon species that lived on their island.
His dreams that night were surrounded by soft frost, gentle winds, and a laugh familiar and sweet.