A Walk in My Shoes

A/N: Okay! Okay! Soooo, I've been on a major fairy tale kick lately and I had to do a prince and the pauper thing for Jack and Hiccup. Also, I'm doing Camp Nano, so this might get put on the back burner. Warning.

The work isn't just exhausting, it's repetitive and pointless. I've been working on this same stupid sword for at least four hours and every time Gobber comes back in to check on me and looks over the sword, he just shakes his head and tells me I can do better.

He always does this, tries to bait me into snapping back as an excuse to weigh me down with extra work. But this time, I won't snap. Maybe this time, I can get done early enough to actually get some real rest in. I'm running on about three hours right now, which is probably why I'm taking so long on this stupid sword. I'm so tired I can barely focus. All I want to do is crawl in bed, but I won't get a wink of sleep until the sword is perfect. At least in Gobber's eyes.

I try to stifle a yawn as I hear voices from outside my window, a few people walking past. More people to pick up their weapons, I'll bet.

I notice one of the people casts a shadow that doesn't fade, and I'm just about to glance up and see who it is when I hear the voice. "Hey, look!"

I keep my eyes glued to my work, feeling my face beginning to flush beet red.

"It's the poor kid!" Snotlout continues, and by this time, I'm sure he's pointing at me. I can even hear the laughter in his voice. "Are you still paying off your debts, or what?"

I used to snap at him to leave me alone, but I've begun to realize that just makes him worse. My father always taught me to fight back, but my mother said that a bully can't get to you if you don't let them. Ignoring them is the key, she always said.

Thinking of my parents makes a lump come into my throat. I get it, I get that they died years ago, but I can't help choking up a little whenever I think of them. The way I live now – I wonder if it would appall them, or make them proud that I'm working so hard. Not to mention making a name for myself, I mentally add as Snotlout leans in through the window and growls, "Useless, I'm talking to you."

Yeah. That's my nickname. Hiccup the Useless.

"And I'm ignoring you," I respond, resisting the urge to swing the hammer I'm holding with all my strength – at his head. "Funny how these things don't really mix, huh?"

He makes a slightly offended noise, before he's right back on track. "You're so pathetic," he jeers. "How many more years is Gobber gonna keep you working here, poor kid?"

I scowl down at my work. Yes, I have been working to pay off my debt for awhile, but I've already paid off more than half. I'll be free soon. "That's none of your business," I tell Snotlout, dropping all weapons to ease the temptation.

"Step it up, Hiccup!" Gobber yells as he comes striding back into the room, polishing a spear as he talks. "Those thirty-seven years aren't going to pass themselves!"

I roll my eyes. "Very funny. You know you'll miss me when I'm gone next year," I add in a low voice. I don't want Snotlout to know when I'm leaving. It'd be just like him to find a way to mess that up.

"Next…next year?" Gobber's brow knits.

"By next year, I should have paid off all my debt," I respond, but when his silence is my only answer, I turn to face him. I don't like the pitying look he's giving me. "Right?"

"Oh…Hiccup…" His smile fades slightly. "You're not…you're…you're not leaving next year."

"What do you mean? Of course I am!"

"You're…lad, you're not counting interest."

"Wha…interest? I mean…"

"Hiccup, you're not leaving next year," Gobber repeats sadly. "You're not leaving in the next three years. You've still got a lot to pay."

"What are you…?" I suddenly feel my heart tumbling down from its temporary resting point on cloud nine. The gods love to mess with me too much to let it reside there permanently. "What do you mean?"

"I think you know what interest means," Gobber replies gently.

There's a moment in which I try not to look at him to hide how upset I am, and he doesn't speak, letting me collect myself.

And then laughter breaks through the silence. Mean laughter. Jeering laughter. "Interest?" Snotlout mimics in a high falsetto. "I guess you're regretting your greedy parents now, huh? You really are hopeless, Hiccup!"

"My parents were not greedy!" I'm instantly facing him, so fast the sword clatters to the ground. I want to throw the stupid thing at him. Maybe it'll cut off his mouth. "They couldn't afford to care for me!"

"I almost forgot about that part," Snotlout shrugs, looking amused. "I guess having you was their mistake, huh?"

I feel something building in me – anger, maybe, or the urge to fight back, the way Dad always taught me to. Before I know what I'm doing, my hands are curled into fists and I'm seconds away from throwing a punch.

"That's enough, Snotlout!" Gobber snaps roughly. "Go on, you get off to training! You have no reason to hang around here!"

The door whips open suddenly and the three of us turn to look. As if this day couldn't get any worse, it's Astrid Hofferson walking through the door, swinging her hips with every step she takes, her skirt fanning out around her long legs. "Gobber?" she calls, placing a hand on her hip and leaning to the side for balance. "Is my axe ready?"

"Yeah, it's here, lassie, hold on…" As Gobber shuffles out of the room to retrieve the weapon, Astrid blows out a breath and leans against the wall. For a moment, both Snotlout and I stare at her, and then his eyes flick over to me. A grin spreads across his face after a second.

"What?" I ask, reaching down to pick up the sword.

"Don't tell me."

"Don't tell you what?" I demand, my fingers finding the hilt. I pick the blade back up and set it down on the desk, rolling up my sleeves to free my hands better. Honestly, I'm only half-paying attention to whatever Snotlout has to say.

"She's never gonna go for Hiccup the Useless."

My face flushes again. "Uh, luckily, I don't want her to."

"Snotlout!" Gobber calls as he walks back into the room. "Are you here to pick up anything? Weapons, anything like that?"

"No," my cousin admits, standing up a little straighter when Gobber addresses him, although that could also be because Astrid looks our way at the same time. The only way she looks at me is if there's somebody infinitely more interesting beside me.

"Then get out of here before I hit you over the head with this spear," Gobber replies simply, handing Astrid her axe and shooing her out the door. As Snotlout, in a state of high offense, departs from the forge as well, I can't help but laugh a little at Gobber's parting words, before his others come back to me.

Interest? How am I going to pay off that?

Yep. Welcome to my life. It freaking sucks.