Duplicity || HICCUP

CHAPTER EIGHT

Hiccup had a problem, a big problem.

"No way, we've used all the Whispering Death tunnels?"

"Snotlout, they all connect here, there isn't more."

It had been one of Hiccup's better ideas back in the day, one that had earned him a small boost of respect by the village, using the tunnel system the Whispering Death left behind for dragon stables, somewhere for all the unclaimed dragons to nest and not take up the very minimal island space. Great idea then, but now?

"What if we just dig more?"

"And how do you recommend we dig into solid mountain, Snotlout?"

"It was just a suggestion!"

Hiccup stared up the towering stone wall, brows furrowed, desperate to gain any sort of inspiration from the weathered, cracked stone before him, but his mind came up as blank as the wall itself, something that seemed to happen more often than not lately.

"We could blow it up, that'll make more holes."

Hiccup groaned, shaking his head. "We want Berk to still be here, so no," he replied, firmly declining Tuffnut's reckless suggestion, but he couldn't be too surprised one of the twins would suggest the route with the most destruction.

He didn't have to look to feel everyone's eyes on him, expecting, waiting for him to say his bright idea.

"I'll figure something out," he assured his friends, but the words felt empty on his tongue after repeating them over the months, like a promise he knew he couldn't fufill. "Right now, just put the new Nadders in the academy." He didn't break his gaze from the wall, but he knew they were disappointed.

"The academy isn't big enough for five Nadders, Hiccup," Astrid said from beside him.

"It'll just be for the night," he insisted, waving her off. "We'll move them tomorrow." He heard her inhale quickly, fighting the urge to let an argument spill from her lips, but Snotlout's voice stopped her.

"Yeah, good luck to whoever's doing that," he snickered from somewhere behind them.

"And thank you for volunteering, Snotlout," Hiccup said with feigned sincerity.

"What?!" He could hear shuffling. "Me?!"

"Tough luck, I'll tell Gothi to expect you," Tuffnut spoke solemnly.

Almost immediately, Hiccup heard the sound of something heavy hitting metal followed by a disgruntled yelp from Tuffnut.

Astrid's voice broke through Snotlout and Tuffnut's brawl, quiet for just Hiccup to hear. "You're not seriously having him handle those Nadders?"

He took one last look at the looming wall, it seemed to disappear up into the shadows of the ceiling where the sunlight didn't reach, giving the illusion of being taller than it actually was, making him feel small beneath it. He sighed, finally breaking his gaze to face her. "I'll be there, don't worry," he muttered, retreating back towards the Hangar opening.

Astrid followed, her furred boots padding against the stone ground she walked briskly, not satisfied with his answer. He could hear her talk, her voice blending with the sounds of dragons growling and wings flapping. Her words sounded foreign, a language that wouldn't translate in his head, faded in the background, like in a dream when someone tried to stir him awake.

She realized a bit too late that he wasn't listening, her breath already wasted. "Hiccup!" She had enough.

He stopped walking, wincing before turning around slowly. Astrid was wide eyed, her mouth parted as she breathed heavily, frustrated, her shoulders moving up and down with each breath, as she watched him expectantly, waiting for him to acknowledge her. Hiccup offered no solace, no response, his eyes instead moving to look at the floor, avoiding her gaze.