Life on Berk

Never Again

Summary: What's harder than being Chief? According to Hiccup, trying to get your daughter to eat is!

Takes place after HTTYD2.

"Come on, Alva, please?" Hiccup practically begged his one-year-old daughter. The little girl huffed in annoyance at her father. He turned to Astrid, who was sitting on the chair opposite them, relaxed as ever. "Astrid," he whined. "How in Thor's name do you always get her to eat so easily?"

"Maybe she just loves me more than you," she laughed.

"Hilarious, Astrid. Please share your secret?"

"Nope. You offered to take care of her," she mocked.

"You're mean."

"Love you too."

Astrid was usually the one who fed Alva, since Hiccup was always so busy being Chief. Today, he had a day off, so he decided to give Astrid a break and take care of Alva instead. He was beginning to regret his decision.

Astrid, on the other hand, was enjoying every second of his ordeal.

He was struggling to get Alva to eat the vegetable soup they had cooked for her. It was nothing but soup with vegetables. It was simple. And actually tasted really bland. But that was the case with most baby food.

Apparently, Alva was having none of it.

She kept pushing Hiccup's hand away when he brought the spoon close to her mouth.

"If you don't eat this, I'll eat it myself," Hiccup threatened. The toddler clapped her hands and nodded excitedly. Astrid looked up from her meal just in time to see Hiccup visibly cringe and roll his eyes at Alva's enthusiasm.

"Here's how it's going to go, then," he started. "I'm going to eat a small mouthful of this soup. This really disgusting-looking soup," he mumbled the last part, "and then you're going to eat the rest! Sound good?" He looked to his daughter for confirmation.

She squealed in excitement. Hiccup looked nervously at the contents of the bowl, while Astrid merely shook her head in amusement. Oh, Hiccup, good luck.

Hiccup took out as little soup as possible, but enough to convince her that he was eating it. She clapped even harder.

"Okay," his voice shook, "here goes!"

He put the spoon in his mouth.

And very nearly gagged on the indescribably horrendous flavor.

That one time Toothless spat out a half-eaten fish covered in dragon spit for him to eat? Or the time Astrid made her yaknog? This soup tasted almost as bad.

He had come to the conclusion that baby food tasted awful a long time ago. But this made him swear never to consume baby food ever again as long as he had a choice.

He forced himself to swallow it, even though he desperately wanted to spit it out, because Alva was still watching him. He heard Astrid snort in amusement from across the table.

Once he finally got it down, he turned to his daughter who was laughing and clapping. He picked up some of the foul substance in the spoon and she opened her mouth obediently.

Astrid let out loud guffaws at his priceless expression when he saw that Alva was actually enjoying the soup. He merely glared at her in response.

"Never again, Astrid. We are never making that for her again, you hear me?" He deadpanned.

"Sure, Hiccup. I'll make it for you as often as you want," she said in between laughing and catching her breath.

"Which will be never, thank you very much."

"Alva loves it. We can't deprive her of food she actually likes, now can we?"

Hiccup groaned in reply. Astrid only laughed harder.