Fly On Your Own

Chapter 18

       "Gobber, the pageant's tonight, so are you sure you're gonna be able to do this?" He got up and advanced toward the sobbing Viking.

"I hoped it wasn't noticeable!"

"You know, it is, but Gobber, think of the kids." Hiccup looked back at our three children, his eyes beaming with pride. "We're doing this for them." My attention was suddenly snapped to Kjartan, who was slamming his head against a bench, just for the fun of it. I jumped up and pulled him away, bringing him to sit in my lap so he couldn't keep hitting his head.

"Aye, Hiccup. Brilliant, as always. All right, I'm okay."

"It's gonna be fine," Hiccup assured him. "Fine."

"Okay, people! Two minutes to curtain!"

As people scrambled to get to their places, Hiccup came back down the stairs and approached me. I smiled as he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer against his chest.

"I'm sorry our entire day as been wrapped up in getting ready for the pageant. We haven't gotten to do anything we do on Snoggletog." I reached up and touched his cheek.

"It's fine, Hiccup. We'll still make dinner and give the kids their presents, we'll just do it tonight instead. All our traditions will still be there." He suddenly fell silent, tracing a hand up my arm as he refused to meet my eyes. "Hiccup? What's on your mind?" He was silent for another moment, before mumbling, so others around us couldn't hear him.

"Those aren't... the tradition I was thinking of." I smirked at him, raising an eyebrow and remaining silent for a while, just to mess with him. "But I mean, if you're not--"

"We'll figure something out." An almost goofy smile crossed his face. "Now, come on. We have to get you into your Toothless costume.

As we moved backstage, families and villagers began to file in, taking their seats and packing in tight and making sure there was enough room for everyone. The low beating against a drum signaled the start of the production, while Gobber and Tuffnut delivered their lines. Hiccup kept his eyes focused on the "actors" as I fastened everything on the suit, trying to make sure he wouldn't fall out and get hurt.

"What is that? What is that?" He pointed aggressively in Tuff's direction, clearly responding to some line. "That never happened!"

"So Gobber took a few liberties."

"I don't know, there--- were dragons everywhere, and people doubting me, especially my own father." I tried to reach out and touch him, but he accidentally batted my arm away. "And then I stood my ground and touched one. I touched a dragon. That's hardcore." I took his hand, trying to reassure him.

"He's got the spirit of the story, and that's what this pageant is really about, right?"

"Yeah, I-I guess so."

"Hiccup, you are weak and fear dragons. I am strong and understand them."

"Honey, I don't know if I wanna go through with this."

"You're on!" Before he could protest any further, I slammed down the head of the Toothless suit and started to pull the ropes, lifting him off the ground and slowly moving him to look as though he were flying. I heard children in the crowd gasping in awe, and the smile on my son's face made my heart melt. Kerrigan, unfortunately, still seemed unimpressed, and Alith couldn't even see him. But she had already come around on dragons.

Hiccup pulled on the levers inside the suit to make the ear plates wave at the children, then spread the suit's wings. Gobber went on reciting his lines, suddenly bursting into sobs again and using a curtain to blow his nose, losing his beard in the process. And that's when the chaos happened.