In Another Lifetime

Chapter 12 - Dreams and Confusion

Hiccup lay in bed after the girls had gone back to their dormitory. Jack had gone to sleep ages ago, Hiccup found it was impossible. Thoughts were rushing through his brain, muddling what he already knew and warping his beliefs. Merida's kiss kept coming back to him, the softness of her lips, the feel of her hand on his chin, tilting him closer to her. The lurch of his heart as her shining blue eyes looked into his own muddy green ones. Her wit and humour that made the whole group laugh. Her gorgeous red curls that framed her face perfectly. He couldn't rest with that on his mind. He just couldn't.

But there was another thing to think about now too. He thought Merida had looked familiar, but all he had remembered was a laugh. Now, thinking about it deeply, he remembered something else. He thought he remembered a kiss. Something soft, placed upon his lips as the memory faded away. Panicked words not belonging to him whispered as the memory refused to offer any more solutions. Hiccup didn't even know if any of this was true, it could have been a dream from when he was young, or a story he read as a child, but somehow none of those suggestions seemed to make any sense in his brain.

He didn't know how, but he just knew that somewhere before, he had seen Merida before now. Before today. It was crazy, because he knew he hadn't, but something about being with her felt right. It felt safe. Like if he was parted from her something bad would happen. But that was stupid. He should get to sleep.

Hiccup pulled out his ear-buds and his iPod and pressed play, in the hope that it would soothe his troubled mind. Oblivion by Bastille started playing from his Favourite playlist.

When you fall asleep; with your head upon my shoulder -

When you're in my arms; when you've gone somewhere deeper -

Are you going to age with grace? Are you going to age without mistakes?

Are you going to age with grace? Or only to wake and hide your face?

When oblivion is calling out your name -

You always take it further; than I ever can.

Hiccup sighed, pressed his head against the pillow, and he dreamed of Merida. Of reliving that kiss over and over, but there was no Jack or Rapunzel there to judge them.

It was just the pair of them. They were lying down on a patch of heather, gazing up at the stars. Merida turned towards him and smiled at him. Hiccup grinned back and played with a piece of her hair.

"These stars are beautiful," she whispered, the light of the moon reflected in her eyes. Hiccup leaned over and held her hand.

"Not as beautiful as you."

Merida looked down at their fingers, laced together, then gazed into his eyes, smiling and smiling and smiling. Hiccup pulled her closer towards him. Their foreheads were touching and their eyes were closed. He could feel her breath tickling his cheek. He tilted her chin ever so slightly, and their lips brushed each other's with the lightness of a falling leaf in Autumn. She leaned in to his touch, running her fingers through his hair.

They remained there in paradise for what seemed like an eternity. Hiccup had loved her for a thousand years, and he'd love her for a thousand more... 

~ Jack's Dream ~

They ran through the fields and eventually collapsed, laughing and giggling like five year olds again. Jack picked a daisy from the grass and wove it into Rapunzel's hair carefully, his fingers selective and delicately weaving the strands together. Jack smiled at the result. She looked even more gorgeous than usual.

"Hey, Rapunzel?" he whispered. She turned towards him, her bright green eyes wide and her mouth curved into a deliciously happy smile,

"Yes?"

"You're beautiful, you know that?"

She giggled and smoothed out her dress.

"I'm not."

Jack took her in his arms and murmured into her ear,

"No, you are."

He leaned down to meet her lips as her breathing rate increased and he held her head in his hands. Their mouths met and it felt like the world had gone into slow motion...

Driiing... Driiing...

"Wha -?" Jack mumbled as he woke up.

"Bell to wake us up I think," Hiccup said as he stretched his shoulders. His fingers clicked as he stretched them, making Jack flinch.

"I was in the middle of a dream!" Jack muttered angrily.

"I could barely sleep last night," Hiccup sat up and faced Jack, who was still tucked under the sheets. "But then I got a really good dream."

"What?" Jack asked. Hiccup blushed and scratched the back of his neck.

"N - nothing..."

"Was it about Merida?"

"No!" Hiccup said quickly. Too quickly. He recovered himself as fast as he could by making up something about riding a dragon like he had always wished he could when he was a child. Jack wasn't buying it, but he decided he'd given Hiccup enough grief after last night . The pair of them got up and dressed hazily, then stumbled out of their dormitory to go to breakfast.

A/N Nearly at 700 reads! Happy days! Thank all of you amazing people who decide to read my stories - they're nowhere near as good as most people's but I really appreciate it :) Also there's going to be a reoccurring theme of Bastille music and lyrics throughout this story, just so you know.

Going to be writing a new Mericcup fanfic soon, set in the medieval era. It's called 'Crusade', watch out for that! Thanks bookworms and that's all for now!