LOST BETWEEN TIMELINES: HTTYD (HICCUP x READER)

Chapter 24

The next morning, Hiccup stretched his arms above his head, satisfied with the plan he had been working on all night. "Alright," he muttered to himself, "time to tell Y/n." He quickly got ready and set off, determination etched on his face.

Meanwhile, Y/n stepped into her house, carrying a small basket filled with herbs and fruits. "Mom, I've got the things you asked for," she called out, setting the basket on the table.

Her mother turned from her cooking with a warm smile. "Thank you, dear. You've been such a help. Your father's in the shop and could use a hand with some tasks. Go see him when you're ready."

Y/n nodded, stifling a yawn. "Sure, Mom," she said, though her tired eyes betrayed her restless night of overthinking.

As she stepped outside, the bustling village felt unusually peaceful. "Finally, things feel... normal. No more chaos, no more danger." She let out a small sigh of relief, hoping this peace would last.

As Y/n walked toward her father's shop, she was lost in thought, her gaze distant. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her wrist and yanked her to the side of a nearby house.

"Hey!" she yelped, instinctively raising her fists in defense.

"Whoa, whoa, it's me!" Hiccup said quickly, hands up in surrender.

Y/n blinked, lowering her fists. "Hiccup! What on earth are you doing?"

Hiccup glanced around nervously before answering, his voice low. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just... I didn't want anyone overhearing this."

She tilted her head, curiosity piqued. "Overhearing what?"

"This." Hiccup hesitated, then gestured for her to follow him further out of earshot.

They stopped behind a stack of barrels, and Hiccup took a deep breath. "Look, I've been thinking about this a lot, and I believe we need to prepare for the Red Death. It's not going to... leave us alone."

Upon hearing Hiccup's words, her brow furrowed as his words sank in. The mention of the Red Death hit her like a cold gust of wind. She almost got still, her unease building with every passing second.

For weeks now, she had thrown herself to make things work out and also got a chance to prove it. They had made real progress, but hearing Hiccup willingly walk toward the greatest danger in their world made her stomach churn.

Her thoughts spiraled. "The Red Death..." She had worked so hard, done so much, to steer them away from this looming disaster. Yet here it was, creeping back into her reality, as if the universe itself was determined to follow its destined path. No matter what changes she made, no matter how hard she tried to rewrite the story, it all felt futile in the face of this monstrous inevitability.

Hiccup's voice broke through her thoughts. "Y/n, I know it's a lot to take in, but we can't just—"

"Can we talk about this later?" she cut him off, her voice quieter than usual but laced with tension. Her gaze darted away from him. "I need to get to my father's shop. He's waiting for me."

Hiccup blinked, his concern evident. "Y/n, are you—"

Before he could finish, she turned and walked away, her pace brisk as if she were trying to outrun her own fears.

Hiccup stood there, his hand half-raised as if to stop her. But he let it fall back to his side, a frown tugging at his lips. He could see the turmoil in her eyes, the weight she carried, though he didn't fully understand it.

"She just needs space," he murmured to himself, taking a step back. "I'll talk to her later."

As Y/n disappeared into the crowd, her thoughts raced. "No matter what I do, it's like the world is pulling me back to the same outcome. I thought I could change things. But maybe... this is bigger than me."