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He thinks he should’ve seen this coming from a long way off. Snotlout’s already veered away from the Academy a lot, Spitelout pushing him to get a real job or something his cousin never fully explained, and Snotlout finally pulled out, telling them he’d be happy to ride, but he’s still leaving, and he goes to Gobber.
It hasn’t been the same since. Of course, the twins are next, but it still doesn’t feel real they’re standing here. The twins, the first real friends he’s ever had.
“We’re quitting,” Tuff says, and Ruff nods along.
“You’re just… leaving?” Hiccup asks weakly.
“It’s just not that fun anymore,” Ruffnut agrees, “We never get to set stuff on fire or have fun. Now that the war’s over…”
“But that’s a good thing,” Hiccup protests.
“Yeah,” Tuff agrees, “But it’s so boring now. If we can’t bring the Changewings to Berk, camp out with Typhoomerangs, eat eels, or hunt the Flightmare, there’s really nothing fun about being in the academy anymore.”
It hits like a blow, even if Hiccup understands it. The twins have always been about chaos. Of course, they’re lost without it. “Ruff, Tuff, I know you’re having… a hard time with this, but I really think we’ll find something else amazing.”
“Yeah. Maybe.” Ruff shrugs, dejected. “But this just really isn’t our thing anymore, Hiccup.”
He wants to argue. He wants them to stay, but…
“We’ll still go out flying, of course,” Tuff agrees, “I mean, we can schedule rides, I’m sure, though our schedule is about to be very busy. We just don’t think there’s nearly enough cool things left to do out there.”
“Where will you go if you don’t stay? What will you do?”
“One word,” Ruff answers with a grin.
“Loki-ing!” the twins yell at once and break into laughter.
Oh dear. Ah, the one thing he was hoping they wouldn’t say – and then they’ll be getting in even more trouble with Stoick than they usually do. “Okay, guys, I know you’re bored, but that might not be the best answer.”
“Of course it’s the right answer!” Tuffnut protests, “No one appreciates him enough these days.”
“I’ll admit a nice bit of chaos can be nice from time to time, and good at unwinding, but leaving the academy means…” Leaving him. And they won’t spend much time together, possibly all the way down to any at all, and Hiccup’s throat feels stubbornly, uncomfortably tight even thinking about it. He’ll probably cry later, but he can save that for later when he’s actually alone. The twins were his first friends, and to have them gone… “We won’t be spending time together anymore.”
And the riders will be breaking up, which hurts. Yes, he’ll have Toothless, and he’ll always have Toothless, but…
“We’ll miss you, too,” Tuff offers.
They already thought that through, then. “Yeah, I…” He doesn’t know what to say.
The twins shuffle forwards to squeeze him in a group hug. If it makes him cry a little bit, Hiccup will never say.
It hurts worse that night when he pushes the Barf and Belch’s door shut in the arena, and then when Fishlegs makes a comment the next day about how empty it feels without them, and Hiccup knows it’ll only be a matter of time before him and Astrid drift away, too.
He never realized how much the war held them together until after it was over, and then Toothless is all that he’s left with, his dragon making quiet, sad sounds, definitely missing Hookfang and Barf and Belch as much as Hiccup misses their riders.
He mostly just rests his head on Toothless’s and clings to him, wondering why it feels so much like he’s right back where he started.
***
It doesn’t last. Nor does the peace.
Dagur returns, the riders find the Dragon’s Eye, and then they’re off exploring again.
Outside the archipelago is beautiful. It’s something most Vikings inside no longer remember, and Hiccup has barely heard the stories about. It’s a little colder, sure, but not much for a Viking. They’ve already been through Glacier Island, after all.
They find an island for camping and the riders settle out, the first time setting up camp together in a long time. Really, it’s just like the good old days, something Hiccup’s nearly forgotten the feeling of. The friendship, companionship, having people.
It’s nighttime now, and Hiccup is sitting at the edge of the island overlooking the sea, waves washing against the beach far below, and the moon is shining brightly, glistening off the splashing water. It’s a familiar sight, like that back on Berk, but different and almost more beautiful somehow.
“Guess you were right,” Tuffnut says, hopping down next to Hiccup. Ruff drops at his other side.
“It is a lot more fun out here,” Ruff concurs, lightly elbowing his shoulder with a grin.
Hiccup laughs, the breeze light as air brushes their faces. “I don’t mean to say I told you so,” he says, teasing, “But we’ve got a long ways out there to explore. Who knows, maybe we’ll find many more dragon types, just like I said.”
“Yeah, ‘cuz you always manage to be right,” Tuffnut offers in what could be a complaint, but is probably just as much meant as a simple fact for him.
Hiccup laughs. “I’m glad you two came.”
“Duh, of course we came,” Ruffnut deadpans, flopping onto her back, braids sprawling around her. “You’re our friend. Not to sound incredibly sappy.”
Hiccup smiles, anyway. “Yeah, and I’ll bet we can find a few things out here much, much cooler than the Whispering Death.”
“We hope,” Ruff agrees.
“Just hopefully not as deadly.”
“Yeah, where’s the fun in that?” Tuff sulks, but sprawls beside them, and Hiccup quickly finds himself lying down between the two blond Vikings, both twins already snoring. Toothless patters closer, curled near his head with a purring laugh. Hiccup grins back at him.
“Get some sleep, bud,” he tells his best friend, “Something tell me we’re gonna need it.” Whatever chaos they’re in for, to tell the truth, Hiccup thinks it’s gonna be fun. Maybe the twins are really rubbing off on him.
Except when he wakes up, the dragons are gone, and that’s where the panic starts. It’s always like this, isn’t it?