Infernal Responsibility

Desolation

Night, when the atmosphere takes up a foreboding disposition. It was one of those times when darkness fell like black, gelatinous soup, forbidding you from seeing five feet ahead. But when you've trained your senses in order to survive, it's almost comforting.

Hiccup walked Astrid back to his home after they were separated from Pippin. She was silent, not really having anything else to say to him, but still berating him in her mind. And he knew it.

The young woman looked exhausted. She didn't even fight him as he carried her up to bed, took off her shoes and tucked her in. He sat next to her for a while, running the back of his fingers over her cheek.

"You look like you have something on your mind." She said softly.

"I'm...not staying tonight." He stated with no inflection.

"Why? Afraid I'll hurt you?" She mocked.

"Don't let the sun set on your anger." He grinned ever so slightly.

"I was angry after the sun had set already." She sighed.

"And you have every right to be angry." He nodded.

"Then stay here so I can silently stew while I fall asleep."

He stood instead. "I'm afraid I can't."

She sighed again, her anger slowly dissipating. "Duty calls?"

He walked over to the chest he kept in the corner. Astrid didn't know all that was in there, and sometimes things were better left unknown. "Not this time."

This peeked her interest. "Oh?"

"Yeah." He took out black clothes, abandoning his leather attire. "It's something personal."

She sat up. "You aren't going to steal Pippin back, are you?"

He chuckled. "No, no. This has nothing to do with Peregrin." He slipped the long sleeved, high collar tunic on and then hooked a small bag onto his belt loop.

"Then what is it?" By now, Hiccup had completely disabled her frustration and turned it all into curiosity.

Now ready, he walked back to her and pushed her back to lay down. "Sleep tight, Astrid," and he kissed her.

As he pulled away, she gripped the back of his neck to keep him close. "How am I supposed to sleep with this giant hole in my chest?"

He smiled. "That's why you're sleeping here." He pecked her once more then stood up straight. "Mwaba will be downstairs if you need anything. I'll be back in the morning." He didn't give her the chance to respond as he hurried down the stairs and left.

Astrid sat staring at the door for a moment, trying to figure out what he was doing. Then, Astrid came to the miserable conclusion that he had changed and she had only known this new Hiccup for a week or so. There were things that happened that she would never understand.

And that was a burden he would carry alone.

Outside, Hiccup whistled for Toothless. Almost immediately, the dragon was bounding around him like an excited kitten. "Hey bud! Ready for some night flying?!"

In response, Toothless gave him a gratifying lick across the face.

Hiccup grimaced as he felt the saliva dripping off his chin. "I'll take that as a yes." From the bag, he withdrew a face cover that hid his jaw and nose from sight, a headband, and a pair of goggles he had fashioned from bronze, leather, and fitted with thin glass lenses. The lenses had been a trade with rome, as a lens maker had made them to be slightly convex to magnify distance. Of course, he was using it to keep the wind from watering his eyes. He mounted and off they went.