the sea foam of burgess island

the only exception pt. 1 (05)

trigger warning: mentions of suicide
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"i've always lived like this. keeping a comfortable distance."
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"IS THERE REALLY NOTHING GOING ON BETWEEN YOU TWO?"

"for the millionth time, no. we're just friends," elsa sighed exhaustedly. she wasn't sure whether the sign of exhaustion was from just running 8 miles or from her friend astrid berating her about hiccup.

"so you're okay if i ask him out? you're really okay with it?" astrid asked. the genuine concern in her astrid's and face was nice, but elsa really was tired of hearing about it.

"yeah. you guys are both my friends. what's so wrong about it?" elsa shrugged. she untied her running shoe, feeling relief as she slipped her foot into her sandal.
astrid hesitated. "you guys are so close though. i just..."
"really, it's fine," elsa cut her off. "go for it."

a few days later, astrid was rejected, and elsa was the one to hear all about it, much to her dismay.

"why'd you say no? astrid's nice," elsa said to hiccup after she was finally fed up with astrid's complaining.
"i just don't like her in that way," hiccup replied. he barely even looked up from his book as he spoke.
elsa scoffed. well, at least it was a valid reason. but she pressed on. "you barely know her. why not go on a date and see if you do?"

hiccup looked up, raising an eyebrow. "should i? you'd be okay with that?"
what was with everyone needing her approval? elsa rolled her eyes internally. "if you end up not liking her, then that's fine too. just give her a chance."

for two whole months of their freshman year, hiccup and astrid dated. and everyone in their class treated elsa like a ticking time bomb. like somehow astrid had 'stolen' hiccup from her. really, it was fine.

relationships were overrated. the idea of having a high school sweetheart who you give chocolates to on valentine's day was overrated. elsa had never been one for any of it. even as boys tripped over themselves to impress her, with those stupid confession notes left in her locker, she never wanted any of it.

what was the point of love? what was the point, if they're going to leave anyway?

she'd seen it with her parents. the worst of it.
she'd seen it with the many boyfriends her mother had, who all eventually left her mother heartbroken.

it's better not to be attached.

no wonder people called her ice queen. or, on a bad day, a stone cold bitch.

I HAD SWORN TO MYSELF THAT I'M CONTENT WITH LONELINESS.

none of it was ever worth the risk.

but, she guesses, it was different with hiccup.

they'd been friends since sixth grade, since her suicide attempt. they met in the hospital. hiccup's mother had cancer, so he was there everyday.

the two vaguely knew each other. it's a small town, after all. they'd been in different classes, but the grade was so small everybody knew each other's names.

it was weird at first. the last thing elsa wanted was to see anybody from school at the hospital. not after what she had tried (and failed to do). but, when hiccup told her that he was there everyday for his mom, slowly but surely, she accepted him as an ally. and then, as a friend.

YOU ARE THE ONLY EXCEPTION.

the two took care of each other, their friendship growing deeper after elsa left the hospital. when hiccup's mom passed away in seventh grade, elsa was by his side. no matter what.

no matter what.

the two stayed attached at hip, which made their peers question if they were dating. their never-ending questions almost made her angry. who were they to comment on hiccup and elsa's friendship? it was never any of their business.

as elsa analyzed hiccup's and her connection, she wondered, how is it possible to fall for someone...

as a friend?

how is it possible to get butterflies around someone, wishing you were in their arms at night...

...and still want them as a friend?

"I'LL ALWAYS BE BY YOUR SIDE."

her heart skipped a beat, much to her annoyance.

elsa kept running, hoping to god she wasn't blushing. "you sure about that?"
hiccup laughed as he rode alongside her on his bike. "of course. i'm so glad i get to ride next to our town's cross country star."
"such a dork."
"but you wouldn't have it any other way."

elsa smiled, silently agreeing as she continued her pace for the next 6 miles. and for the next 6 miles, and long after that, hiccup kept his word.

elsa had never been open to falling in love.

he'd always be the exception. even as he falls for another girl.

YOU ARE THE ONLY EXCEPTION.