Gone (HTTYD Fanfic) REWRITE [Book 5]

~15~

It all happened so fast. People had rushed towards the Night Fury, overpowering the dragon. Astrid watched helpless as they tied down the dragon with much struggle. She watched as Hiccup was pushed back as the dragged out Toothless to the docks. The dragon fought back, swatting people away with his long tail, trying to get back to his rider.

Astrid walks over to Hiccup after she had followed him to the cliff-side perch beyond the village. She remembers seeing Hiccup on the floor, to shocked to do anything. She remembers that before she could go up and comfort him, he was on his feet and out the doors faster than she could process.

She slowly walks up to Hiccup as he watches the boats sail away, his best friend on board of one of those ships. She knows that she has to do something to get him to cheer up. But she was never good at cheering anybody up. Not even in that dream, she hadn't been good at making people feel better.

"It's a mess." No response. "You must feel horrible. You lost everything. Your father, your tribe, your best friend." Astrid tries. Hiccup sighs and lifts his head, though he doesn't turn to face her.

"Thank you... for summing that up..." Hiccup stammers. She is still confused as to way he stammers. Though a thought had come to her a while ago. He has been living with a dragon for over five years. It's not like the dragon can respond back to him.

"Why did I have... to keep that dragon... alive in the first place. If I just... killed him in the first place... none of this... would've happened.

Astrid nods. "Yeah. The rest of us would've done that, so why didn't you?" Astrid pushes, actually getting somewhere. She wants to know why all of this happened. And not just because he befriended a dragon. But as to why he chose this path.. She wants a real reason other than "Because I couldn't."

When Hiccup doesn't answer, Astrid asks again. "So why didn't you?"

"I don't know... I couldn't do it."

"That's not an answer." Astrid points out. Astrid sees Hiccup's fists clench. He takes a deep breath. 

"Why is this... so important to you all... of a sudden?" Hiccup snaps though Astrid isn't phased.

"Because I want to know what you say right here, right now."

Hiccup rolls his eyes in exasperation. "Oh for the love of- I was... a coward! I was weak! I... wouldn't kill... a dragon!"

Astrid smiles a little. "You said 'wouldn't' that time." She points out. 

"Whatever! I wouldn't! Three hundred... years and I'm the first Viking... who wouldn't kill... a dragon!" Hiccup yells. Astrid had realized about Hiccup that when he talks, he always talks with his hands. A lot of the time, it's pretty entertaining to watch.

"First to ride one though." Astrid points out. "So..." Astrid provoked. She looks at him expectedly.

Hiccup sighs, giving in. "I wouldn't kill... him because looked as... frightened as I was. I looked at him... and I saw myself." He says, looking out to the open ocean. Astrid does the same.

"I bet he's really frightened now. What are you going to do about it?" Astrid asks him, turning to face him.

A small smile is present on his face, the first one she has seen for a long time. "Probably something stupid."

Astrid laughs a little, thinking all that had happened not that long ago. "Good, but you've already done that."

Hiccup gets a look, smiles and starts making his way towards the village. "Then something crazy." He says and hurries back to the village.

Astrid smiles wide. "That's more like it." She says and follows after Hiccup.