The Lost Boy V - Short stories

Hiccup as a buffy man

(set after the first chapter of Book 2)

The result was... different from what he had expected.

When his father came to get him that day, telling him it was time, Hiccup had been puzzled and worried. Berk was a village full of traditions, and one of them, especially important for the chief's family, consisted in making a portrait of the actual chief and his heir when said heir had completed his 'coming of age' ritual. Sixteen years old. Hiccup was now sixteen years old, had completed his ritual and the time had come for the portrait to be made.

Before the end of the war, the Haddocks' 'coming of age' ritual was to chop a dragon's head off. Considering the great changes coming after the two people had made peace, obviously, the ritual had changed. Even if Stoick had not found yet another tradition to replace the previous one, it didn't matter because, according to him, Hiccup had completed his ritual the previous year, when Toothless and him had defeated the Red Death.

Since that battle, Hiccup's relationship with his father had improved. They had never gotten that along and the chief was not hiding how proud he was of his son. Hiccup was happy of that, of course, but still he was doubting himself and couldn't feel he could keep up with his father. So he was constantly searching a way to prove himself, even if this portrait that sounded more like formality than anything else.

His father and him had posed for hours so Bucket, the more talented artist of the village, could paint them on a shield that would be exposed next to the previous chietains of the clan. Seven generations had lived on Berk since the clan had been founded and settled on this island, and now it was time for Hiccup to feature there too. Father and son had posed for hours, which seemed some tiring to Hiccup than training the other dragon riders for a whole day. And, after that, they had to wait a couple of days for Bucket to finalize the portrait and add the details he dimmed necessary. And when it was finally time to reveal the portrait, the Meat Hall was crowded.

It was an important moment for the village so a banket had been organized. Bucket had settled the shield on an easel and drapped it with a silk fabric. Hiccup and his father were standing next to it, facing the village, just as impatient as the crowd to discover the portrait. Noone had seen it except Bucket, thought Hiccup suspected his father had got a glimpse of it on the artist's demand.

Tension was rising within the crowd, everyone waiting to see, and when the portrait was finally unveiled, silence boomed in the Hall. Then everyone cheered and applaused and congratulated the artist for his talent. Stoick couldn't look prouder, however Hiccup's smile dropped as he stared at the portrait. The result was... different from what he had expected.

He recognized the strength monument adorning a braided red beard as his father, but the teenage standing next to him... was not himself. Granted the hair was the same shaggy auburn hair, the clothes were the same green tunic with brown fur vest and the same wodden and metallic peg leg was replacing his left foot... but the frame was completely different. It was not his scrawny body painted here, but the body of a more imposing and bulky viking that every young one on the island would be jealous off, even Snotlout.

And everyone was cheering. No one was saying anything about this. Hiccup frowned with a mixture of stunning shock and revolt. Then he awkwardly walked to Bucket.

''Huh, Bucket ? Why did you paint me... like this ?''

''Why is the sky blue ? Why do I have a bucket on the head ?''

The tall blond bearded viking with an unusual helmet bent down and put an arm around the thin shoulders.

''We will never know.'' He added.

Of course, that was not the explanation Hiccup expected, but could he really ask one from the man ? Since he had lost half of his skull, Bucket was a bit out of his mind. Hiccup saw Stoick coming towards them with a pint in hand, he held back a smile thinking his father would defend him, but was proved wrong.

''Congratulations Bucket, that's a good job.'' He grinned, patting the artist's shoulder. ''Don't you agree, son ?''

''But it's not me...''

''It is you, just a bit... you know, taller and stronger.''

In this exact moment, Hiccup realised it must have been his father's idea in the first place. Surely he had asked Bucket to paint him like this.

''That's what I call a chief's son !'' Munch added, joining them and cheering with the chief.

''You know what I mean.'' The chief added to his son, before leaving to join the festivities.

Instantly, Hiccup felt rejected. This incident was surely not helping his self-confidence issues. And here he had been so happy when he had heard his father say he was proud of him.

The battle of the Red Death had litterally changed his life, and not just because he had lost a leg nore because of the peace with dragons, but also because it had given him what he had alsways dreamt of : his father being proud of him. However it looked like it still was not the pride he was waiting for. Hiccup was still considered as fishbone, and his father was still dreaming of a bulky son, a son looking like him. Looked like his father still had troubles accepting him for who he was.

While the banquet was starting, and even if it had been organised for him, Hiccup felt completely alone. He felt the urge to seek his friends to know their opinion about the portrait. In a corner of the Hall, next to the stage where the portrait was exposed, he spotted three blond figures, Astrid and the twins, who were staring at the shield. Both girls were smiling, Ruffnut almost swooning, while Tuffnut had his head tilted on the side, seemingly confused.

''Wow... What happened to Hiccup ?''

''Dunno but who cares ?'' Astrid grinned.

A bit farther, Hiccup spotted Snotlout and Fishlegs. One seemed lost between jealousy and admiration while the other was too focused on food to care.

How much it was hurting his feelings to see them prefering this false represensation of him, Hiccup realised there was actually one opinion that mattered more to him. His eyes scanned the Hall, searching for Joke. He found him next to some tables, where Olgarg and Reekfrid were chatting and filling their plates. The white haired boy was not minding them, staring at the portrait, he seemed... abashed. A more-than-skeptical expression adorned his pale face and he was slightly frowning.

Hiccup felt a spark of hope tightening his chest, and even more so when he saw his boyfriend grimacing. A smile spread on his own face, he held his breath and felt his whole body tense in anticipation. That's when the white haired boy looked at him. Hiccup swore his heart stopped beating as he waited, and it poundered again with full strength when the boy mouthed to him a 'What the fuck ?'

Hiccup's smile widened and he even felt his eyes watering. In the end, there was someone to accept him for who he was, and rathered the real Hiccup to this bulky version. It filled him with more determination to prove himself to the others. Stoick said he had already completed his 'coming at age' ritual by killing the tyran queen of the dragons, but he was aiming to make up another ritual to show his father he was worthy.

He didn't know yet, but his ancestor Hamish II was going to give him this opportunity. And after finding the lost treasure of his ancestor, which his own father had tried to find not to avail, and discovering Hamish II also actually was a very thin but smart teenager like him, Stoick realised how he had unwillingly hurt his son. The portrait was replaced and Stoick even insisted for Bucket to find a way to show his son's intelligence, and to add a proud expression on his own face.

In the end, the portrait exposed in the Meat Hall was the first one to break traditions. Just like the young heir it was representing.