Burn it to the ground

What can change people's minds?

"I can't believe I am doing this." Hiccup mumbled, looking at the Terrible Terror cafe. Young couples and solitary people walked by on the sidewalks. Mothers pushed strolls and even a couple of young teenagers sat next to the wall of the cafe talking. It looked like a normal cafe. Strange that Toothless picked this spot to meet.

Taking a steadying breath Hiccup walked up to the door of the Terrible Terror. Hiccup noticed that the café wasn't very busy so late in the afternoon. Only a couple sitting at a back table and a few other customs sat at the tables. Glancing at every face, he realized Toothless had not arrived yet.

Taking a seat on the far side of the café he ordered from the waitress. Putting his head in his hands he stared out the window of the café. Toothless was late.

That small fact made him start to laugh quietly to himself. A mob boss who was always on time to everyone who owed him money was late for a date.

Blinking stupidly, Hiccup realized what had just been thinking. Where the Hel (1) did that come from? Shaking his head, Hiccup decided to just ignore it as a passing, stray thought.

"So, you actually came I see." A voice spoke from the vacant seat across from Hiccup. Whirling around, he came face to face with the mob himself, Toothless. Hiccup noticed Toothless' eyes were sparkling with humor and amusement as he watched the young teen's reaction.

Toothless noticed a slight pink blush on Hiccups face. It was hardly even noticeable. Smirking, he took his seat.

"I did not think you would show up after last night." Toothless spoke as the waitress came over and took his order as well. Hiccup did not respond until she had left.

"Actually…I really wasn't going to com eat all." He admitted, not looking in Toothless' direction as he spoke.

Toothless raised an eyebrow at this statement. 'Then what made him want to come then?' The mob boss thought to himself. It was strange he had to admit that, that Hiccup had even come. Especially seeing as his dad was the police chief of Berk. Sensing his unspoken question Hiccup continued.

"But, I spoke to one of your gangsters and the conversation got me curious…" Hiccup finally turned his head toward Toothless." And now I see what your gangster said was true: you came dressed like a normal person. But, my question is this: why did you want to meet me in person, in public, and dressed like a normal person?"

The mob boss knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, which gangster had taken their time to meet Hiccup and talk to him. The only member of his gang who always looked after him from the sidelines: Astrid. Plus, when she had come back to the hideout after dropping Hiccup off, he noticed she was acting a little off. He ignored it until a little while before he had left to meet Hiccup here; she had returned from an errand and had the same look as the night before. He asked her what was wrong but all he got as an answer was a cryptic response.

"When I look in your eyes I see something new. That boy is the key and I will help in anyway I can." With that she had turned and walked away from him, leaving Toothless highly confused.

Toothless was indeed wearing normal clothes for a change instead of his suit he normally wore. I was wearing a dark purple shirt and jeans.

He looked at the teen across from him and answered truthfully. "Like I said last night, you have a lot of guts, and I like that. Something just draws me to you."

Hiccup just stared at Toothless. When he spoke Toothless was speechless. "You know what the funny thing is: something draws me to you as well. All day today I have been trying to figure out why but I cannot, for the life of, me put my finger on what it is."

"I see…."Toothless noticed Hiccups face turning a slight shade of pink. From Embarrassment or some other cause, Toothless did not know. "Then, how about this, Why don't we meet again after this meeting and get to know each other more?" Toothless purposed.

Hiccup thought about it. Toothless did come all the way here, to a café just to meet him. He had worn normal clothes and the teen saw no sign of any of the Dragons in sight, this meeting with the mob boss made him feel comfortable. It was almost like they were friends. He saw no reason why they shouldn't meet again. He nodded his agreement.

The mob boss smiled. He realized that for some odd reason, he felt comfortable around this young teenager. It was something he had not felt in quite some time.

"Well, I have to go soon to take care of some 'business'. Why don't we meet again tomorrow?"

Hiccup agreed and walked outside with Toothless. Toothless nodded to the teen and walked down the street.

"So, how did it go?" A voice spoke behind him making him jump.

The voice laughed as he spun around. Astrid laughed softly at the teen's reaction.

He glared at the young woman in front of him. "It went okay." He muttered.

"Good enough for me." She responded. Hiccup just stared at her. "What, you thought I would say something else? Have you forgotten who got you to come In the first place?" She grinned.

Hiccup smiled. Her smile was contagious it seemed. Once she smiled. One could not help but to smile too.

"I just came to see how everything played out. But I am glad to see that it went okay." Thinking for a second, she finally reached into her pocket and brought forth a card." Here, this is my phone number. If you need anything I will help. I think I have come to think of you as a very trustworthy person. Well, I got to go now. See ya!"

Hiccup stood just outside of the Terrible Terror and stared at the piece of paper in his hand. So far, in less than 12 hours he had followed a mob boss, been let go after being found out, talked to said mob boss like an old friend and been given the phone number of his second in command. And he was going to meet said mob boss again tomorrow.

"This day just keeps getting better and better." He grumbled, walking down the road back toward his house.