Heartbroken

The Confrontation

A/N: I'm back!!! JK, no I'm really not. Just found this draft that I never published, and I decided to finally expose it to the world. It's kinda late, isn't it? To whoever is reading this, thanks. Sorry for the longggg wait. This story might end up having a conclusion, so get ready for possibly reading some upcoming chapters soon. Bye for now.

All the nearby villagers ran away from Hiccup as quickly as they could. A few dared to glance back at him only for a moment before they caught Hiccup's scornful look and quickly departed from the scene. The plain grass was slowly losing its color as it hadn't rained in nearly two weeks and the brisk air was hissing. At Hiccup's back was a hill upon which stood a house. The chief's house. Hiccup's house. He could easily retreat to his lonely sanctuary as he had planned to do just minutes before. He felt like iron and his heart like stone. 

A few feet in front of him in the plain open field stood a brave, blonde viking girl. She looked as stubborn and as powerful as ever. Astrid. Realizing his earlier actions, regret and guilt seeped into Hiccup's heart. What had he just done? He must've scared his villagers really bad. And the poor sheppard. Hiccup never wanted to be this kind of leader. A leader of fear. But, alas, here he was.

Hiccup had his eyes fixed on Astrid's. His muscles tensed with a rhythmic pulse of electricity. Shame pumped through his veins like hot poison. He didn't know how he would react when seeing her. He didn't know if would be able to control himself against the profound depth of his emotions. He didn't know if he would lash out in anger, or cry in sadness. But as he looked into Astrid's ocean eyes, unblinking as if challenging him, his rage dispelled. He didn't want to play this game with her. He turned away from Astrid and walked up the hill.

"I know you saw me with Ryder earlier today," she confessed. There was something in her voice. It sounded like a hint of regret. Maybe it was regret for what she did with Ryder in the first place. Or maybe regret that Hiccup had caught her. He chose not to ask.

Hiccup stopped and turned back to her. Their eyes locked. Only then did he realize that Astrid's eyes were bloodshot. How hadn't he noticed that before? There were tired rings around her eyes and veins pigmenting blue on her skin. Her hair was tangled and skin clammy and pale. But she was still the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on. How those ocean eyes could still transcend him into another universe. How he wished to find comfort in her eyes. How he wished to be anywhere but here, to have any talk but this one, to be angry at anyone but her. How he wished to touch her cheek and play with her hair as she does with his. Her delicate hands had crocheted the little braids that he still wears today. Would she ever hold him again? Would she ever laugh with him again? Would she ever kiss him again? Hiccup painfully pushed those thoughts away before they could ruin him. 

"Is that what you came here to say?" Hiccup retorted. He gave his best attempt to keep his tone calm and collected. He failed at it.

Astrid walked up towards Hiccup until she was an arm's length away. "No," she replied. "I came here to talk to you about everything that's happened these past few days. We both did things that we shouldn't have."

"Well, I don't have time to talk. You clearly chose to talk to Ryder instead of talking to me. All night and all morning."

Despite the anger in his tone and all his attempts to push people away, Hiccup actually wanted comfort. He desperately tried to search for any emotion he could find from Astrid's expression--for a glimpse of hope that they could overcome this obstacle in their relationship. Maybe, we can fix this, he wishful thoughts allowed. Maybe, we aren't  broken after all.