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Digging into the twins’ constant squabbles can be really, really exhausting. Hiccup has gotten used to it, but he’s never seen them have a fallout quite this bad before. Never enough that they actually, seriously talked about moving out, and were going to leave Barf and Blech behind just so they could get some distance.
Ruffnut had told him something like that once years ago, and Hiccup had told her something that… changed her mind. He doesn’t know, but she went back to her brother. And she didn’t have to be alone like he was back then.
Now, though, well… things are different. The twins have grown a bit since there, as has Hiccup, and they’re actually, genuinely friends now. And more than that, it’s not something he constantly has people judging him for. Stoick doesn’t care, now that the twins aren’t his only friends. And, to tell the complete truth about it, Hiccup can’t imagine a life without the two of them in it.
Not that they don’t drive him crazy. Because they most definitely do, just… not the same, and they’re working on it.
Ooookay, maybe not drive him crazy can be kept for a different day, maybe a week after the twins tried to rip Barf and Blech in half and then abandoned the dragon altogether, leaving it for Hiccup to keep barely out of Dagur’s bloodthirsty sight. To tell the truth, he’s still a little angry about that.
But still…
“Are you two okay now?” he asks tiredly, leaning on Toothless’s side for genuine support. Mostly moral support – he needs it.
“Uh,” Tuffnut answers slowly, trailing off. “Definitely…”
“Not,” Ruffnut finishes for him, crossing her arms and pointedly turning away from her twin.
“Nope,” Tuffnut supplies, “Not at all. We are definitely not getting along.”
Hiccup slaps a tired hand on his forehead. “O – okay. Just, uh, well, I’m glad you two were able to work together to pull Barf and Blech out of that situation. It was close.”
“I’m still mad,” Ruffnut supplies.
“You’re mad?” Tuffnut asks, glowering. “Yeah, that’s real original. I’m mad!”
“Oh, you think that’s original? I’ll tell you what, you –”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, okay! Hiccup interrupts panickily, raising his hands. “Can you two, please get off each other’s throats for a few minutes? I really just want to say, guys, you did really well together with Dagur today, and I think, well, I was hoping things would be back to normal.”
Why do the twins have to be so exhausting?
“Define back to normal,” Tuffnut requests, “Uh, actually, no, don’t. It’s really confusing.”
“Oookay, is there anything you want to say about the normal that isn’t negative?” Hiccup asks weakly.
The twins sigh and exchange glances.
“There is one,” Tuff offers.
“Just one,” Ruff agrees.
“It’s really nice to have an awesome, two-headed dragon,” Tuffnut seconds.
“Even if I have to share it with him,” his sister nods, motioning at her brother.
“And I have to share with you,” he sulks.
“Yeah, and I’m still stuck with you.”
Do they seriously have to go through this part of the conversation? Hiccup’s tired.
“At least you’re not alone,” he reminds.
“Yeahhh,” Ruffnut concedes finally, “I guess. Though Tuffnut still drives me crazy…”
“When did you guys start fighting?” Hiccup asks, befuddled. Toothless huffs a near-snort of amusement.
They both freeze. “Our parents fought a ton,” Tuffnut supplies finally, “Dad died, then, you know…”
“Our Mom remarried, and he was really mean,” Ruffnut settles on, “We couldn’t yell at them, and it was a lot easier to be mad at Tuff.”
All of Hiccup’s frustration at the twins immediately dissolves into a raw, genuine horror. He knew they must’ve had a very messed up childhood, and he sort of guessed it was half what made them like this, but that’s… awful. Hiccup’s lucky to have Stoick for a dad. His father might be smothering, impatient, and rarely spends time with him, but Hiccup knows he cares, and he could never doubt that for a second. Even if… even fi he spent most of his life afraid of being an embarrassment.
The duo exchange uncomfortable glances.
“That’s why you have your own house,” he guesses slowly, “Because… you were too much trouble.”
Ruffnut giggles. “Yeahh! And it’s awesome. I’m never going back there.”
Tuffnut nods, snickering.
Their humor, their chaos is a show for what they’re missing. He thinks he should’ve seen that a very long time ago. Somehow, he doesn’t think they’ll like him saying I’m sorry or any of the socially acceptable sympathetic things most people would respond with right now. They are the twins, and they get really, really twitchy about anything emotional.
“That – I’m sorry, that’s awful, but… I guess at least you have your own house.” And here Hiccup spent his entire life hating that his house was so empty, but the two of them? Nope, they’re happy.
He’s suddenly glad Stoick never remarried. This massively explains the twin’s attention demanding problems. They never got any their entire lives, so they’re just… trying to go out of their way to get it now. Which… is no way to go about it, but still understandable.
Tuff lightly nudges his sister’s shoulder, trying to lighten the mood, neither of them really in the talking mood.
“Okay, uh,” Hiccup fumbles out, “I… guess that makes sense. It does make sense, and that’s… horrible. But I promise, I’m not gonna ditch you just because that’s what the rest of your family did.”
“That is, uh… really sweet,” Tuffnut offers awkwardly.
“And very Hiccup,” Ruff agrees with a nod. “Don’t worry about us, we’ve never been happier.”
He will, but he won’t say so. “Okay. Just, uh, keep watching each other’s backs, and Barf and Belch will have yours,” he offers, shuffling.
Would now be a bad time for a hug, or…?
But then he’s being squeezed right between the twins in a smothering hug, and Hiccup sighs, just accepting it for what it comes as. It’s smothering, but he’s glad they have someone.
Still pretty relieved when Toothless pulls him out, and the two of them fly off. “I am really glad I have you, bud,” he murmurs to the dragon, lightly scratching his neck. Toothless purrs in answer. “I have no idea what we’d do without each other.”
He really, really hopes that’s not a question they ever have to think about again.