How To Bend The Elements

Meeting friends

It's weird. It's weird how different others treat you when they think you're... important. Let's go with important. And guess what? Hiccup did not like it. He felt like only half the tribe dared look at him, not even one fourth dared look him in the eye. The day before, or what Hiccup thought was the day before—he hadn't asked how long he was asleep—people asked questions none stop. They were interested in his culture, what he ate, how he bended... and then suddenly, everyone were looking away, afraid of what he would do to them if they even looked at him the wrong way. At least Dogsbreath wasn't scared of him, instead he was sending glares towards him. That's something.
Hiccup was ashamed. Of the Water Tribe, because most of them knew him already. Of himself, because he fought Dogsbreath. Hiccup was ashamed of every single living being. He didn't know what to do, and that was the only thing that came to his mind. Besides cursing the spirits. Weren't they on his side? Maybe they would if he could just stop acting like a baby and take on 'his responsibility'. Yeah, right.
"Chief Oswald?" Oswald turned around to look at Hiccup, and made a small bow. To show respect. Hiccup did they same, feeling tears in his eyes. He couldn't let them fall though, not when the chief was looking. When did it come to this? Oswald used to greet him with smiles and hugs. Not a Water Tribe greeting. Not a bow of respect.
"Yes, Avatar Hiccup? My adviser told me you'd come to see me, but I didn't expect you to come so soon." Oswald said with a small, almost sad smile.
Hiccup didn't smile. He couldn't. Did Oswald think he was beneath him? That he was more worth than a loved chief? A person who cared for his people every day? "Uh, I just came to tell you that I'll be leaving soon." Hiccup explained, his face almost emotionless.
Oswald nodded in understanding. "Do you know when?" The chief asked.
"Tomorrow, I think."
Oswald nodded again. Hiccup wasn't sure what to do, so he bowed and turned around, a single tear running down his chin. He Airbended it away and started walking, the big doors from the meeting hall open for him. To Hiccup it literally felt like a walk of shame. To Oswald it was probably just another meeting. Except, it wasn't, and Hiccup didn't see the sad tear Oswald himself shed.
Walking down the stairs leading to the hall, Hiccup had his head held low. His posture was awful, and he'd probably curse himself for walking around like that later. But what did it matter? If they didn't want to look him in the eye, neither would he. He knew without question that the people walking would steer clear of him.
That is but one girl his age. She was stomping, the ice cracking in some places. She too had her head down, but not for the same reason. She was honestly thinking she might Waterbend one of her fellow tribe members to the ground if she caught them even glancing at her. So she made sure not to look, as she was very much aware of the stares burning through her back.
The two children walked straight into each other, face first. Hiccup Airbended a little wind to make sure he didn't fall, but Astrid was not as lucky. She landed on her butt. Her anger tripled, if that was even possible.
Generally people knew not to disturb her when she was in that mood, but apparently, someone was stupid enough to walk straight into her! Who the hell was this guy? That's the first question that came to her mind, and that was the first thing she'd ask. "WHO THW HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!? WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, YOU SLIME BUCKET OF A DYING ANIMAL!" She yelled. Okay, so her last minute insults wasn't very good, but it did the job.
Not only was Hiccup shocked by the hostility of her tone, but the hidden threat threw him totally off. He hadn't looked at her yet, but her comment said it all. She was pissed. "I'm so, so, so, so sorry! It was an accident!" He said and turned his head in her direction. He gasped. Astrid, who was still sitting on the ground, got a good look at his face. She too gasped.
"Hiccup?"
"Astrid?"
They nodded to each other, not believing their eyes. People around them looked on with wide eyes, not sure if they should run or stay. Astrid just walked into the Avatar. The Avatar just walked into Astrid. They had no idea who to be more scared of.
Hiccup only remembered where he w as when the whispers around them got a little louder. He was honestly getting tired of whispering, but said nothing. Instead he gave Astrid his hand and helped her up with a bit of Airbending, even if he didn't need to. He barely heard her murmuring about 'being sore in the morning' to herself. He cringed, because yes, she surely would be.
"Wow. Well, this is a surprise." Astrid commented with a shrug. She didn't seem very surprised, but from what Hiccup could remember, that was just who she was.
Hiccup nodded with a dumb expression on his face. He hadn't expected to see Astrid at all. It was nice, but unexpected, and he didn't know what to say or do about it. "Yeah..." was the only thing he he could get out.
Astrid gave him a skeptical look, but didn't do anything else to indicate she'd noticed his weirdo approach. "What are you doing here?" She asked with a small smile. Hiccup looked just as she remembered. He'd grown a bit, of course, and then there was the very obvious arrow tattoos, but otherwise he was very recognizable.
"Oh, you know... just visiting..." he answered, also smiling. He was very happy he got to meet Astrid. He kinda missed her punches and wit able to match his own. Speaking off- "ow! What was that for!?"
Astrid stood straight, her fist still in the air from her punch to his arm. "That's for walking into me!" She told him with a stern look. A punch to his stomach later and she had a very smug look in her face. "That's for everything else."
Hiccup just stared at her, the dumb look back on his face. At that moment he decided that maybe he didn't miss her kinda aggressive nature that much after all. "What?! Everything else!?" He asked, the punches very unappreciated.
Astrid smirked but didn't answer him. Instead she started a new topic. "So, how long are you gonna be here?"
"You don't know?"
Hiccup had a uncertain look while asking this, and Astrid almost got worried. Know what? Why'd he suddenly get so... sad. That's definitely not the go lucky Airbender she remembered. Astrid gave him a look that clearly said 'continue, cause I have no idea what the heck you're talking about'.
Hiccup took a deep breath, a coldness washing over him once again. This was it. The time Astrid would leave him forever. "I'm going back to the Air Trmple tomorrow." He said slowly. "To... to start my training as the Avatar..." Widening eyes was the only answer he got.
At first, Astrid didn't know what to do. The Avatar? Hiccup was the Avatar. So that's what people have been talking about. Huh. "Cool."
"Cool?" Hiccup said in confusion. "Cool!?" He said a little louder. "You're not gonna-you're not gonna act like I'm some kind of dangerous bomb? You're not gonna leave me with a bow?" He asked her.
Astrid snorted. "If you'd visited more often you'd know I barely bow to my teachers. It's a waste of time. Also, why would I think you a bomb of all things? That's just stupid."
"But-"
"Just remember to say goodbye before you leave, sky guy." Astrid told him and started walking away without a care, not looking back. Hiccup mouth was hanging open the entire time, his green eye as big as they could possibly get. What just happened?
-0-
And that's that. Hiccup & Astrid meets for the first time in years. Hiccup's afraid, Astrid's as uncaring about his stupid fears as ever. I'm really sorry if the guys are kind OOC. They probably are, but I'm trying.