Forever

Ch. 1: New Responsibilities

The nudging was getting annoying, but Hiccup didn't want to open his eyes. The nudging on his arm got harder. He groaned, swatting at it. One more hit got him thrown off his stool and onto the floor, forcing his mind to begin working.

"Toothless!" He shouted, rubbing his neck. He stood up, and quickly grabbed onto his desk. "Oh, everything hurts." Continuing to massage his sore muscles, Hiccup opened the door to his small office in Gobber's workshop, letting in some of the bright morning light.

The sun was barely peaking over Berk, casting everything in a soft glow. Hiccup's gaze wandered around the village; his village.

His eyes rested upon his father's statue, and he quickly averted them, trying not to let the tears come. Backing away, Hiccup closed his eyes, taking deep breaths.

"It's only been a month Hiccup," a thick accent said behind him. "Ya're allowed to grieve if ya need to lad, the village understands."

Turning around, Hiccup faced Gobber. "I just still can't believe he's gone."

He hobbled over, and put a hand on the young chief's shoulder. "I know. But he wouldn't want ya to just stand here moping around, he'd want ya to get up and be the chief he always knew ya could be! Now come on, we've got work t' do."

He sighed and turned around, preparing the shop for opening. Toothless looked up at Hiccup questioningly, as if to ask what he was waiting for.

He helped Gobber with a few miscellaneous jobs tiredly until he was stopped. "Go home, get a bit of rest eh?" Gobber suggested. "The village can survive a few hours without ya."

Hiccup chuckled a bit at the offer. "Not as long as Ruff and Tuff are around."

Gobber hit his back, pushing him out the door. "Go home," he said. "You haven't slept at home in a week boy, you're wearing yourself out."

The chief didn't argue this time, and began the walk home, Toothless tailing behind.

Through his tired daze, He noticed a few villagers milling about, a sign that more would quickly follow. A few of them waved, with the occasional, "Mornin Chief," said to him. Hiccup smiled and shook his head groggily before pushing open the door to the house he shared with with his mother.

He found her next to the fire, making her morning tea. Beside her sat Astrid, reading through his most recent island findings.

Their heads raised when his metal prosthetic hits the wood floor. "Mornin Hiccup," said Valka, looking him over. "Late night?"

Hiccup nodded. and opened the door wider to allow Toothless entry.

Astrid got up and walked over to her boyfriend, placing a light kiss on his lips. "Morning M'lady," He said to her groggily.

"Mornin babe," she replied while he pulled her into an embrace.

"What are you doing here so early?" Hiccup asked into her blonde hair.

"I wanted us to go on a morning flight, but you weren't home, so your mom invited me to stay until you got here." She pulled away a bit and looked up at Hiccup. "You must be hungry. Want some breakfast?"

Those words caused his senses to perk up, and he was suddenly very alert. His mind started racing, looking for a way out of having to choke down her version of "good ol' fashioned home cooking". "I uh- need to get some rest," Hiccup stuttered, trying to smile for effect.

She pulled away to arms length, staring at him suspiciously. He grinned innocently, trying not to let his fear of his lovely girlfriend's inedible cooking show.

Pulling away from her grip and around her to the stairs, Hiccup pressed a kiss to her cheek before running up them, leaving her with a confused look on her face, Toothless bounding at his feet.

He opened the door to his bedroom and flopped down onto his bed face first, not bothering to take off his flight suit or even going as far as to remove his prosthetic.

Toothless nudged Hiccup yet again, trying to get him up. "Toothless," He said, his voice muffled by the furs on the bed. "Not now."

Toothless warbled, annoyed in response, and Hiccup heard him pad over to his stone slab that lied against the wall.

His eyes closed, and his mind began to swim, thinking about all of his new responsibilities. He finally got it now; why his father was never able to spend time with him. Being chief was exhausting. This wasn't how it was supposed to be though, Stoik was supposed to be here Hiccup, guiding him with his knowledgable hand. He always pictured his father on his right side, Astrid on his left, the two people he trusted the most in giving him advice. But that got torn away from him, it wasn't like that now at all, and now Hiccup was going to have to grow up.

The young chief's thoughts were interrupted however, when he heard the door creak open, footsteps following. His eyes didn't open. The bed shifted as they sat down, and Hiccup's hair began getting tugged gently.

Astrid must've been there, braiding his chestnut hair yet again.

The small tugs created a soothing rhythm soon enough though, lulling Hiccup into the best sleep he'd had since Stoik got killed.