The Dragon Master and The Lightning Rider *Hiccup Fanfic*

10. The Story of the Skrills

Skye found herself staring at the empty lake. The breeze that blew her raven hair into her face went unnoticed. She didn't remember how she had found the hidden alcove but she was glad for its privacy. Burying her face in her hands, Skye groaned softly.

Why was it that every time she meets people, she ruins it? This one had to be a record for shortest time making people hate her.

"Skye?"

She froze. Hiccup had followed her all the way from the Hall. Skye rubbed her eyes before glancing at him. She couldn't help the steel in her tone. "What do you want?"

His expression turned rock hard. "It's one thing to run off. It's another to snap at Fishlegs. You need to explain yourself."

"I don't need to explain anything to you."

"Yes, you do."

Irritation pricked at her. She slammed her hands on her thighs and swiveled to him. "Why do you even care, Hiccup?"

"Because I do."

"Well, you shouldn't. I'll be leaving in a few days anyway so you don't need to bother about me."

A disbelieving laugh escaped him and he sat down next to her, raking a hand through his hair. "You can't just tell someone to stop caring, Skye." His eyes twinkled. "I have a feeling you're just trying to rile me up and get me to hate you."

"Is it working?" She whispered, staring at him, trying to gauge what he was thinking.

"Nope," he replied, knocking her knee with his. Skye covered her burning face with  her hands. It was silent for a while, both of them trying  to come up with something to say.

Her eyes scoured the cove, its large, rippling lake whose surface reflected the half-moon, the scattered trees and bushes and boulders. Hiccup cleared his throat. "It's a beautiful cove, isn't it?" She hummed in response. He said, "it's a special place to me."

Skye shifted and he realized it was the wrong thing to say. His hand reached out and stopped her from getting up. Skye frowned, still keeping silent. "This is where Toothless and I became friends."

"I'm surprised he didn't bite your head off the second he saw you."

Hiccup's laugh rang out in the quiet night. Recounting the story of their bonding was magical to hear and Skye smiled at his animated gestures and jokes. When he reached the part of their first flight, Skye went breathless. As such a young kid, his compassion and bravery was astonishing. Going against your entire island to prove something important; the pure strength Hiccup had just doubled her admiration for him. If it were her, she was sure she would either run away or just kill everyone.

Skye grinned at him. "When Sin and I met, I was pretty sure she was going to eat me. I had found her sleeping on me and it scared the life out of me."

Hiccup chuckled. "What, you didn't point a knife at her?"

Skye scrunched her nose at him. She had been close to slashing at Sin's neck that day, if it hand't been for the dragon's unusual behavior towards her. "That's unfair."

"I've known you for days now and I can tell that you like to solve your problems with a blade."

"Well," she mumbled, cheeks flushing as she found the threads of her jackets interesting. "It's one way to do it."

Hiccup clicked his tongue. Sometimes it was easy talking to Skye. It was moments like then that made him uncomfortable because this was a different side of Skye. She wasn't chatty; only one-line replies, and even thought she tried to joke around, he could sense her brooding as if something terrible was weighing her down for every second. He didn't know what compelled him, but he asked, "why do you push everyone away?"