The Last Night Fury (A HTTYD Future AU)

Can Never Let Go

The evening arrived at Berk, allowing the hustle and bustle of the village to finally die down. While the sky was semi bright, the darkness was slowly arriving, so many houses were already lighting their candles to combat the arriving darkness. 

One such house was the Haddock household. Despite constant rebuilds on the house during the days of dragon raids, it always stood at the same place, next to the Great Hall. It had always been the home of the Chief of Berk ever since Vikings arrived on the island eight generations ago. 

The lights were on in the household, as the Haddocks were having a quiet evening. Martha was in her room, located on the top floor, where she was making notes on her notebook about many things, mainly on ideas for Hilda's training. She could hear the growls and roars of Deadly Nadders since her and Astrid's dragon were staying in their stable next to the house. She could also hear her parents downstairs, talking about Astrid's trip to Berk's alliance island. 

"... And then, he suggested that we should have some sort of dragon sacrificial ritual." Astrid laughed. 

Hiccup chuckled. "That defiantly sounds like him. I'm assuming you said no."

"Of course! It was a ridiculous idea to begin with." she exclaimed. She was sitting at the main table with papers in front of her, ranging from notes to sketches. Hiccup, who was cleaning the plates used for their dinner, then walked up to her, standing just behind her and looking down at the table.

"Look like you still got a lot of stuff to do." he mentioned.

"Well, technically, this is all your stuff, but because I went instead of you..." Astrid gave him a look as she said this. Hiccup just laughed before giving her a kiss on the lips. 

"I do appreciate you going for me." he smiled. 

"I know." she smiled back. Hiccup then went back to cleaning the plates as Astrid looked through the papers.

"However, it did meant I missed out on all of the initial excitement that went on in Berk." she mentioned.

"Yeah, you certainly did." Hiccup remarked. 

"I mean, a Night Fury? That's... that's insane!"

"Yeah... it is."

"Obviously, we couldn't even imagine it, but still! It's amazing, really. Also it means that Hilda can finally have a dragon, which is great. She doesn't get left behind. And, with Martha and everyone else helping, including you, I'm sure she'll become a Dragon Rider in no time."

"Yeah, I guess." Astrid was surprised to hear Hiccup say that, in the way he said it - in an almost monotone voice. She turned around and saw that, like in the morning, he was standing still, not moving a muscle.

"Hiccup?" she called out.

Hiccup shook his head before facing her, looking confused. "Yeah?" he answered. 

She sighed as she stood up from her seat. "OK, Hiccup. We need to talk about this."

"About what?" he asked. 

"Starlight. The Night Fury." 

Hiccup looked at her, almost shocked that she said that. Then, he gave an unhappy expression. 

"There's nothing to talk about." he simply said, before beginning to walk past her. But Astrid managed to grab his hand before he walked any further. 

"Yes, there is something to talk about." she said sternly.

"Then, what is it?" he exclaimed, turning to face her, looking noticeably annoyed. 

Astrid sighed as she let go of his hand. "Listen to me. I know this whole Night Fury situation might have been hard for you." 

"How do you know that?"

"I know, Hiccup. I know you to know this situation had to have been bothering you. And even if I didn't know, Marth told me it's been a problem."

Hiccup sighed angrily, running his hand through his hair. "Look. There is no problem. I'm helping Hilda, aren't I?"

"That doesn't mean it's not killing you on the inside - seeing the first Night Fury in a long time."

"It's not, alright?!" Hiccup was getting increasing angry, so much so he began to walk towards the front door.

"Hiccup, stop!" Astrid shouted, which he did, just right in front of the door. "I don't know why you keep doing this - pretending that everything is OK with you. I told you, you should tell me if there is anything wrong with you, and I know something is wrong with you now. You see Hilda and Starlight and... you think of Toothless. I know that because I do too."

There was silence between the two and the whole house.

"Hiccup, please! You have to talk to me, right now!" she pleaded. "You have to tell what's going on with you! Tell me if I'm right!"

"Yes! Yes, you're right! Everytime I see Hilda and Starlight, I do think of Toothless! And the fact that I couldn't save him! That I couldn't save the other Night Furies! But no matter how much I wish things were different, it will never change the fact that Starlight is the last one! That Toothless is not here! That Toothless is dead!!"

His voice echoed across the house. His hands were shaking violently. His face was drenched with tears, as he slipped out all of his appressed feelings, all in one go. But realising what he did, as if he was ashamed at what he did, he suddenly marched out of the door, slamming it in the process. 

Astrid just stood there, feeling shaken, before hearing the sounds of flapping wings and the familiar roar of Stormfly, knowing that Hiccup had took her to possibly cool off. She sighed as she placed her hands on her face. 

"Can't remember the last time he shouted like that." Astrid lifted her head from her hands when she heard a familiar voice. She turned around and saw Martha standing in the middle of the stairs. 

"How long were you standing there for?" she asked, wiping her eyes from her tears. 

"Just now. But... I could hear you two from upstairs." Martha answered. She then sighed. "I don't think he's going to be OK."

"No, he... he will." Astrid replied immediately. "You and I both know that this is hard for him. But it's like you said, he'll be OK. He always bounces back. It will just take some time, that's all."

Martha nodded in response before walking down the stairs and giving her mother a hug. 

"Thanks, Martha. But I'm not the one who needs a hug right now."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

The sky was pitch black, with nothing to consume the darkness but only the stars and the moon. This only source of light reflected from the streams of water, as Stormfly drank from it to refresh herself. Sitting not too far from her was Hiccup.

He was sitting on the ground, leaning up against a rock. His mind was both empty and all over the place. He then got up, looking about his surroundings. Memories came back like a rapid waterfall, for this place was the Cove, the exact place he and Toothless first met. 

The rock he was leaning against before was the same one he leaned against all those years ago when he had to eat the fish Toothless threw up for him. From the distance, he could see the scotched marks made by Toothless where he slept. He could also see the rock where he sat when he drew Toothless, where Toothless drew him and when they both bonded for the first time. 

One tear fell down. Then another. Then another until they continued to come down, with no sign of stopping. 

Then, with no one around but Stormfly, he let out one loud, aggravating scream, echoing against the walls, the trees, everything. He fell onto his knees, allowing himself to cry his tears out.

"I'm sorry, bud." he wept. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you." 

He continued to cry, as the guilt of what happened to the Night Furies came back. It was always there, but it took seeing another one, the last one, for those memories to resurface once again.