It was two days later.

Jack was still nowhere to be found, and Hiccup and Merida were not on speaking terms.

It had all begun after they had spied on- er - overheard that conversation between the agents. All the way home, worry had been burning a hole into the pit of Hiccup's stomach. Later on, he sent texts and then calls and then even emails that all went unanswered. He even called Mrs. Bennett and then Tiana to see if they'd heard from him. Neither of them had. It was as though in the course of the last 10 or so hours, Jack had gone off the grid.

Completely disappeared.

If this was some sort of extended prank, Hiccup was going to be decidedly pissed. But in light of that foreboding mention of the Hamada's, he didn't think it was.

Which was worse.

Fortunately however, unlike Hiccup, Merida was not the pacing/panicky type. It had been her suggestion that they return to North Pole's Ice Cream Parlor under disguise and see if they could pick up anything else about either of these agents, or even the Hamada case.

Belatedly, Hiccup realized that she did, in fact, have ulterior motives. Ulterior motives that were cold, dairy based, and had to funded by him. Not that he minded of course. It was not every investigative duo that got Ice Cream as part of their stake out….a primary focus part admittedly, but that wasn't the point.

In preparation for their espionage, Hiccup donned a beanie and dark shades - because what else would you wear on a stakeout? - while Merida wore Hiccup's viking jersey and pulled her hair around her face to look like a beard.

Not to be mistaken, the disguise was rubbish but she looked hilarious so Hiccup couldn't be bothered to tell her so.

So with worried hearts and excited stomaches, they had visited North Pole's Ice Cream Parlor to delve deeper into Jack's disappearance, all according to plan.

That's when it happened.

"Merida! Nooooooooooo!" Hiccup couldn't contain the panicked yell (read squeak) as it pulled itself from his throat.

Desperation made his blood pound in his ears.

His fingers trembled slightly.

He didn't reach her in time.

Merida just blinked up at him, feigning innocence. "Whit?!" Her voice came quiet and shocked from somewhere under her 'beard.'

Hiccup's voice arguably increased several notches in pitch, quite impressive for a man of his size. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT. ARE. YOU. DOING?"

Merida looked at her fresh serving of Bubble Gum ice cream then back at him, staring owlishly like she had no idea of the atrocity she had just committed. "Ah'm…" She started, with all the caution of those who deal with the insane and or senile. "… Gettin' …mah ice cream? Whit is wrong wit ye?"

Hiccup briefly follow Merida's gaze as it flickered to the other inhabitants of the store. It was a rather…unique store. It had a wintry theme with white walls and blue floors and tables. The chair back's were snowflakes and the employees were lifeless adults dressed as Yetis' (To be fair if Hiccup had to dress like that, he'd be pretty cynical too). But despite the overwhelming oddities surrounding them, the customer's gazes had locked on them.

Hiccup was never sure why that always seemed to be happening.

Merida had looked back at him now, eyes still very confused and just as concerned as the rest of the customer's. Hiccup realized he needed to enlighten her.

"That," He clarified pointing at the varying shades of pinkish abomination filling her cup. "Is not ice cream."

Merida snorted, paused, then seemed to have decided it was worth the full laugh. "Whit ar ye on aboot?" She shook her head as she nudged him back into motion down the desert buffet counter towards the toppings.

Hiccup grudgingly went, but Merida still needed salvation.

"It's not. I mean look at it! BubbleGum as a flavor should never have been put in Ice Cream to begin with. But then to put actually Bubble Gum in it!? It's a sin, I tell you! A crime! A corruption of the worst level!"

"Thes from a bloke who eats sour cream glazed donuts?" Her 'beard' moved funny when she talked, making her somehow look even more incredulous.

"Okay first of all, how dare you? Those fell from heaven itself. And second of all, at least I know how to eat those! What are you supposed to do with that?! Chew the gum while the ice cream melts? Spit it out? If you say swallow it, I'm turning you into an asylum."

"Listen," Merida began, eyes sparkling as she finished making a nutty mountain on top of her fuchsia plague and turned towards the tables. Hiccup followed her with his pure and holy mango.

Sitting, Merida raised her poisoned spoon at him and continued, "Unlike yer donuts, thes is decent food. Ah love this. And Ah, for one, also love the gum. Its a prize, Hiccup. Ye have tae find them. It's. fun." With one hand she stabbed her spoon into her bowl then raised her 'beard' to find her own mouth.

"If ye don't like it," She continued, plunging the cursed thing into her mouth, eyes smirking. "Then we cannae be friends."

In the end, they hadn't heard anything else about Jack.

Merida had also since been taking one look at Hiccup's indignantly flushed and childishly determined face and laughing at him instead of feeling the burn of him not speaking to her.

Hiccup had never expected school to become a refuge for him. But Merida was a surprisingly hard person to not talk to. And at least now he could fume in peace.

Even though the festival had come and gone, student life was still abuzz. The second semester was still young and club scouting was raging. Especially now that the festival was over, efforts could return tenfold.

It was nice to still be able to get lost in the masses of hollered advertisements and colorful fliers. Like all this hum combined to form its own silence that rang in Hiccup's ears. It was surprisingly easy to study in such a highly active environment. Hiccup had never expected that either.

But more than anything else, despite the campus size and population, despite that it was entirely too easy to run into someone you knew entirely too often, Hiccup had mostly never expected school to be the place where he would find Jack.

Right there.

Two days later.

Strolling through the halls like he hadn't just strained Hiccup's entire nervous system and probably given him cardiac issues for the rest of his life.

Hiccup wanted to scream at him.

Or faint in relief.

Or both. But frankly he could do neither, because as he marched near - still unsure as to whether he was going to hug him or wring his neck - he noticed Hiro Hamada walking with him.

Hiro was probably the youngest student not only at Corona University currently, but probably the youngest student accepted here in history. He was fifteen, or so Hiccup had heard, and thus was naturally heads and shoulders shorter than Jack. His clothes seemed to fall off of him but not in a baggy hobo kinda way, and he looked up at Jack through a tangle of black, messy hair.

The picture of Young Genius with no clue about self care.

However, despite his age, his eyes looked dark and more mature than any a boy his age would normally have. Like they spoke of a pain dulled but ever present. Hiccup could recognize that from Merida's gaze when she thought he wasn't looking.

As of right now though, and most concernedly, they looked worried.

Hiccup could tell Hiro was speaking quickly and low enough that Jack had to lean in to hear. When he did, Hiro slipped him Jack a small sheet of paper that looked like a list. He did it so fast Hiccup never would have seen it had he not been looking.

Then without a look or another word, Hamada ducked into an upcoming hallway, probably scrambling to his next med or mechanics class.

Jack folded the paper then tucked it discreetly into his back pocket. When Hiccup caught a glance of his face, it was stony and for some reason…scared.

Typically, that alone would send Hiccup's nerves haywire.

Shame Hiccup wasn't exactly in the mood for sympathy at that moment.

He gained on Jack with all the grace and speed of an enraged and highly flustered amputee - which he was. Hiccup didn't intend for his real foot to find itself being impaled in the back of Jack's knees, but he wasn't exactly sorry for it either.

Merida was definitely getting to be a bad influence.

Jack stumbled violently but took almost no time to recover. He whirled to face his assailant with his usual athleticism, however, whatever words were about to spill over his lips, died the moment he saw Hiccup's face.

"Where," Hiccup snarled, "In all the realms of Thor and god-forsaken places have you been?"

Hiccup figured he must finally be attaining Merida-level snarls, because Jack for once in his life was speechless.

Which was good really, because Hiccup had no intentions of letting him speak anyway.

"Do you have any idea how worried I've been? First you give me some ambiguous phone call saying you're going off with Hiro to do who knows what then you never show at the party- gods Jack you missed Rapunzel's dance! You missed Rapunzel!"

"Hiccup I-" Jack attempted, looking sufficiently recovered though he winced at the mention of Rapunzel.

But Hiccup wasn't done.

"NO." Hiccup snapped. "Two days, Jack. Two. Days. No calls. No texts. No apologies for abandoning your girlfriend-"

"We're not dating."

"-SHUT UP. Do I look like I'm finished? What the hell was I supposed to think happened to you? What was I supposed to tell Rapunzel? I lied to her Jack! She knows somethings up. She asked me to my face! And I. Lied. To. Her."

Jack's shoulders slumped and Hiccup himself could feel the passion leaking from him. It was a sobering truth that he hadn't had time to reflect on. Since the beginning of their friendship, they had been nothing but open and honest with each other. They'd done everything together.

Now?

Now Hiccup was lying to Rapunzel, both about Jack and the fugitive he was hiding. Rapunzel was silently suffering through what Hiccup now realized now may be suspicious interrogations and Jack and Hiccup had just been letting her. Jack himself, truthfully the one that had brought them all together in the first place,was keeping secrets and disappearing.

It was a worrying sequence of firsts. What was happening to them? That sobering feeling in Hiccup's chest grew colder and heavier. Was this what it felt like, then? After all this time was this what it meant to drift apart? It was only slight now, but Hiccup had a haunting feeling this might not be the end of the lies.

"Friends share." Rapunzel had said. Had there been a note of bitterness there that Hiccup had missed because he hadn't really been listening?

A cold wind blew by… but that wasn't possible. They were still standing in the middle of the hall, receiving odd looks from the students bustling around them.

Jack had grown silent and Hiccup finally looked at him. Really looked.

Since the first sighting of that white patch of hair Hiccup's mind had been racing with worry and rage. It had been two days of his imagination going frenzied with terrifying and increasingly worse possibilities, so much so that just seeing him had been such a relief.

But looking at him now, Hiccup realized he may have relaxed too soon.

Jack was standing a little more hunched over than was normal, and now that he was paying attention Hiccup could see dark circles under his eyes. His clothes were rumpled, his hair unkempt. He looked awful.

Jack must have noticed him looking, because he began pulling at his shirt and running his hands through his hair in a futile attempt to even resemble presentable.

That's when Hiccup saw it.

Jack's hands.

They were bandaged.

Hiccup snatched for Jack's wrists. Jack tried to pull them back but Hiccup had already grabbed them before he could and flipped them over.

Thin white gauze circled Jack's palms and blood was already spotting through in some places. The wounds were long and thing and jagged. Such an odd shape was not the result of some usual scrape or fall.

Not on both palms.

No this was the result of something more drastic, like glass. Or a knife.

Any relief Hiccup had had was gone now, fear was back tenfold.

Jack took advantage of his shock to yank his hands back, sticking them deep into his pockets like he could hide the evidence so easily.

"Jack," Hiccup's voice, previously so impassioned, was low and wavering even to his own ears. "You better have a really good explanation for this."

For the first time in Hiccup's memory, Jack Overland looked flustered. His gaze flickered over the faces in the hall, fast and roving and… panicked? That more than anything scared Hiccup. What could possibly scare Jack?

"Listen Hiccup," Jack began voice pitched low though he couldn't quite hide the worry in it. "Believe me it's not as bad as it looks, just some scratches really! Nothing to worry about. Nothing to let Rapunzel worry about. Hiro just … uh.. wanted to show me his.. uh .. new Car! Yeah! Young kid, first car, wanted me to check it out and we fiddled with the engine a bit. Just some mechanics. You know. Sharp edges, cuts happen. No biggie! "

His laugh was smooth and appropriately self-deprecating. To any other person it might have been convincing.

To Hiccup it was just insulting.

As if Jack didn't realize Hiccup had been there by his side every time he'd fibbed, and pranked and wheedled his way out of punishment for the past several years. As if it hadn't been him and Hiccup who had pulled those harmless pranks and crafted those deceptions together. As if Hiccup couldn't tell the difference between his real, heartfelt smile and that cheap mockery he had on his face now.

And here Jack was. Hurt. And lying.

Hiccup could feel his skin warm, heat birthing from its own chemical reaction of anger and a deep hurt stirring inside him.

Friends share.

Distantly he wondered if this was how Rapunzel had felt when he'd lied to her face. Had she known? Had her skin boiled just as much? Heart ached just as badly?

He realized it was hypocritical even as his fingers clenched around the collar of Jack's shirt. Someday, he'd make it up to her. Hopefully soon. But for now, Jack was not getting off so easy.

There was no way Hiccup could throw him. Jack had too much muscle and the convenience of both human legs for that to go over successfully. Hiccup could also never land a punch with Jack's reflexes but he was going to damn well try something. Before either of them could think, Hiccup was pushing all of his 6 feet into Jack's unsuspecting shoulders.

Jack stumbled, but was still too quick to actually bowl over. Instead they both pitched forward, twisting and tumbling till Jack's back slammed against the hall wall.

Hiccup himself was shook, that had gone surprisingly well as he still had Jack by the collar and pinned to the wall. After a quick snort at the irony of fate - as it used to always be him getting slammed into walls and lockers - Hiccup recovered, rage renewed.

"Don't you dare."

Jack's eyes had widened and he watched Hiccup with strange a light growing in his eyes. It wasn't fear. But maybe it was a new kind of respect. Hiccup didn't think on it long.

"After skipping out on us, vanishing for the past two days without a word, then showing up out of the blue with bandages all over you and looking like death frozen over, now you're going to lie to me? You think I won't know? I care too much about you Jack, you don't get to lie to me. Not about this."

Jack had been fumbling for a grip on Hiccup's shoulders but froze suddenly, his eyes softly widening.

He opened his mouth as though to speak then suddenly hissed, "Shhhhh!"

Hiccup was at first shocked then, even more angered. "Don't 'shhh' me! I'm in the middle of being righteously pissed."

"Hiccup!" Jack finally gripped Hiccup's hands still clenched around his collar. He looked panicked but something told Hiccup It wasn't because of him. Then a quick glance over his shoulder told him.

People were starting to gather.

After all it wasn't every day an amputee pinned the charming, quick footed Jack Overland against a wall.

Jack's eyes were flickering past Hiccup's head, skimming over all of them. There was nothing self-serving in his expression, Jack wasn't worried about his reputation, but the way his eyes rushed over each face…searching.. No checking. Suspicion planted root in Hiccup's mind.

He'd seen that look before.

He lived with a fugitive after all.

"Ha ha ha!" Jack's forced laugh came again, but this time it wasn't aimed at Hiccup. "Just placing bets about the Archery tryouts. Got a little too excited."

Hiccup frowned. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Instead of answering he hissed to Hiccup, "Put me down. Before you get us both killed." The words chilled Hiccup and he released his friend, who had returned to smiling and waving away the crowd. After a moments hesitation, they began to disperse. Hiccup noticed then a particular set of club flyers, crumpled now after an Overland had been pushed into them. They were bright pink with a simple clip art of a bow and arrow on it. In big block words it read:

ARCHERY TRYOUTS

FEBURARY 16 7:00

AT THE SOCCER FIELD

COME TRY!

NOBODY CARES IF YOU SUCK!

Hiccup snorted despite himself. It wasn't exactly the most encouraging thing, was it? By the time Hiccup pulled his gaze from the wall, he saw that Jack had succeeded in diverting most of the crowd. A few stragglers lagged behind, some had small notebooks and pouts that identified them as the school news looking for a story. But soon enough the hall was relatively cleared and they were alone.

Jack turned to face him.

"You're a good friend you know that?" He was somber and spoke with a strange gravity to his words. Very un-Jacklike. Hiccup pulled his features together again, still ready to force the answers from him again if he tried to back out now.

But Jack just sighed and ran a hand through his hair, then paused to look at Hiccup, simultaneously hopeful and defeated. "I suppose telling you this is dangerous and could get you hunted or worse won't change your mind?"

Hiccup snorted. "Jack. I'm hiding a fugitive. Heck, you even met her! I'm sure I'm already on someone's wanted list. Might as well make it a party!" That last part came out flatter than Hiccup would've liked but the corners of Jack's lips twitched up anyway.

The realization that that pathetic wince was the first almost-real-smile he'd seen on Jack in a while bothered Hiccup.

Footsteps sounded down the hall and in an instant even that semblance of a smile was gone. Jack jerked to attention, turning to the source, eyes wide, the look of the hunted. It was probably just a student, but it served as a grave reminder they were far from alone.

Jack jerked his head down the hallway, "Come on."

Hiccup followed behind him as he lead the way down the hall, and when they ducked into the nearest empty class room, Hiccup tried not to look too suspicious.

Which was probably futile, since if Hiccup had learned anything at their ice cream stake out, it was that he sucked at subtly.

Jack quietly closed the door behind them. He checked the time on his phone, took one last peek through the door window, then finally turned to Hiccup.

"Okay. If we're going to do this we don't have a lot of time."

Hiccup's brow immediately furrowed in worry. "Are you being followed?"

Jack blinked at him. "What?"

"Is anyone tracking us? Is that why we don't have a lot of time?"

"What? No." Jack scoffed. "I just have class. Gee Hiccup, when I said there was danger I didn't mean imminently. Don't be so dramatic."

Hiccup realized right then that he'd decided against not throttling Jack too soon. It was still an option…Still a really good option…

Hiccup pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Okay. What do you mean theres no imminent danger, Jack. Your hands! You still haven't explained your hands! Or where you were. Or what Hiro wanted to show you!"

"And I will. I promise." Jack said, voice sincere for the first time in all of this. "….I just can't explain it now."

Hiccup was done. "What?!"

"Shhhh!" Jack glanced out the skinny rectangle window again, briefly before turning back. "Listen, Hiccup. I know you want to know, and I know you want to try and help me- help us. And as your friend I appreciate that. Really I do. But, now is neither the time nor the place to explain things to you. If theres anything I've learned its that walls have ears, and this is too serious to risk it getting leaked."

As if just by his mentioning them these nightmares he ran from could be summoned, Jack dropped his voice and drew closer. He was well and truly on guard. But the question was still - against what?

"To be honest, I'd really like to get an inkling of what we might be up against before I bring you into this- and I know, I know you're a big bad fugitive smuggler who we all quake in the presence of - but this has proven itself to be more serious and more expansive than what any of us were prepared for and I need to know more…"

Jack's gaze dropped to his hands and Hiccup's imagination could only guess how this situation had 'proven itself serious'.

Again. Throttling. Still not a bad option.

"Jack!" Hiccup hissed, "You're talking in circles. Out with it! What is it?"

Jack's eyes finally lifted from his hands and locked with Hiccup's. They were the coldest, hardest blue Hiccup had ever seen them.

"Kidnappings." He said, fingers curling into a fist over his bandages. "It's kidnappings Hiccup.

Hiccup felt his heart drop to his toes.

Jack wasn't done. He ran his hands through his hair, expression stricken. "Or at least we hope its kidnappings. Theres other things, Hiccup. Things I saw. Scenes. I don't know but…but if it's not kidnappings..….if its murders…"

Jack didn't finish.

Hiccup wasn't really sure if he wanted him to.

His skin felt cold. To hear that kidnappings, and potential murders, could be underway, and had been discovered by his own friend nonetheless, was concerning enough. But worse was the sickening coil in his stomach when Hiccup realized it all made a twisted sense. Jack's discovery…Rapunzel's investigations…The agents…

For a moment Hiccup even wondered if Merida tied into this somehow. He could see in his mind her paled face as she looked at Agent Black, vanishing into the shadows.

But no. She said she hadn't recognized him. And nothing had seemed off or strange during their stakeout. No trace of the fear she'd shown in regards to her own captor. These cases while odd in their duplicity were still so drastically different. It was probably only coincidence.

Not that differences mattered. Either way it was clear, none of them were safe. Something was boiling under the surface of the peaceful facade of Corona city.

Something dark.

"What do we do?" Hiccups mouth was dry, his voice quiet.

Jack's head snapped up, incredulous. "What do we do? We do nothing. We dig too deep, Hiccup, we turn up missing or dead."

"Which is exactly why we need to do something!" Hiccup hesitated only a breath before plunging on. "Jack, what if this has something to do with Rapunzel's investigations?"

Jack's gaze hardened. "What do you mean?"

"Well, we both know the guilty party from her case is dead. So why are they investigating her? Why now of all times? What if they're connected?"

Jack turned a quick pace and Hiccup could see his thoughts racing along the lines his own had been two days ago. Weighing the possibilities he'd never calculated, asking the questions he'd never asked. They ones they should have asked.

Hiccup's eyes dropped to the floor. He could feel the weight of the words on his tongue and he knew they weren't going to go over well. But it was the obvious conclusion.

"We need to tell her."

Jack stopped mid-stride and whirled on Hiccup, a rage so raw and rare it spoke more of his hidden affections than any soft gaze ever could. "Are you mad?! Do you have any idea how Rapunzel will feel if we tell her there's a potential serial kidnapper on the loose?!"

Hiccup steadied himself. "Rapunzel's smarter than we give her credit for! She knows we're hiding something and maybe if she understood she could help better with the investigations-"

"NO! I will not put her through that." Jack snapped, eyes bright and teeth bared. He looked almost feral.

"Be reasonable. She's already suffering!"

"And I won't add to that. End of discussion."

"Jack-"

"End. Of. Discussion."

A silence fell and tension made the wide classroom feel cramped like a closet. Jack was wound so tight his muscles could be seen bulging in his forearms above his clenched fists. Hiccup had to work to loosen his jaw.

The bell rang.

The sounds of students flooding the hall outside filled their ears, as lockers clanged and footsteps echoed. It magnified the silence inside this classroom and, moreover, emphasized that they were out of time.

Hiccup still didn't move.

Finally, after a pause, Jack's shoulders slumped. Whether it was in defeat, or simply exhaustion, Hiccup couldn't tell. Jack took a breath, then turned to face him.

"Ill figure something out Hiccup. I won't let it get that far. Just…" He ran a hand over his haggard face, stopping too late after the bandages were tugged loose and he winced.

He sighed, "Just give me time."

When he looked at Hiccup again, Hiccup realized he was asking for more than just time. Everything in him wanted to argue, wanted to not make the same mistake he had the night of the dance. Friends share. But in reality, Hiccup still had his own secrets too.

"Okay." Hiccup could feel the regret already weighing him down and flooding his veins cold. This was a terrible decision and one way or another he knew he would pay for it. But it was too late.

"Okay?" Jack asked, unsure.

"Yeah. Okay. Sure. Whatever." Hiccup failed to keep the grumble out of his voice but Jack didn't notice.

Jack clapped his hands together and his face lit up like it should have done before. Like with a switch his smile was finally working again.

"Okay! Great! It'll be fine Hiccup, trust me. Really, you lil' nerd. You worry too much."

Jack seemed to be putting himself together again- fixing his hair, adjusting his clothes, tightening his bandages - so Hiccup refrained from pointing out that there was literal suspected kidnappings at foot and things couldn't be further from fine. For some reason his friends didn't really like it when he did that whole "logic" thing.

Jack was just reaching for the door, the receding sounds of the outside students announcing time was still moving away from them, when he seemed to slow.

"And you won't….you won't tell anyone.. right?"

There was really only one person Jack cared about.

"Yes. I said 'okay' didn't I?"

Jack just nodded once. His eyes looking distant and full of a heaviness he must only have learned in the past two days. He reached for the door again and this time pulled it open, slipping into the hall.

Hiccup gathered himself, mentally and physically, and made for the door himself. He did have his own classes to get to and a very interesting report to make to Professor Gobber.

He'd just opened it when suddenly Jack was back, panting in the hall like he'd just finished a marathon.

"Jack what is wrong with you?" Hiccup was quite sure at this point they'd failed in all regards of subtly.

Jack's hands were on his knees but he managed between heaving breaths, "I….forgot…to..tell…you… something…"

Hiccup was again on guard. But when Jack straightened he had that lopsided grin he was famous for. "Sorry I didn't show at the party. I know it's not really your thing. I missed you guys, though. Also sorry about the last two days."

He was all charm, and flashing teeth. All that the Jack Overland that Hiccup knew was. Hiccup shook his head and decided right then it wasn't worth the effort worrying about this idiotic, reckless, and mischievous friend of his. No matter what was coming for them, he'd turn out fine. Jack Overland always did.

"Yeah well, abandon me again at one of those and I really will throttle you." Hiccup brushed past Jack into the hall. "I'm telling you, those dances are an archaic form of torture! Who needs that many turns in one song?!"

Jack just laughed and fell into step beside him as though nothing life-changing or threatening had occurred at all. "You were thinking of throttling me? If I didn't know any better Hiccup I'd say you're getting a little violent."

"Yeah, well you know what they say about the company you keep."

Jack's smirk was too smug than someone's who'd been MIA for two days had any right to be. "Sure I do, but I think we both know Merida's anything but bad company."

Hiccup flinched at the memory of Bubble Gum ice cream, but on the whole, - and on comedic disguises in particular - he found he couldn't really disagree.

On reflection, what a world Hiccup was finding himself in.

"Don't go missing again. That's the last I'm saying."

Jack seemed to miss a step at the sudden change, then recovered and saluted Hiccup with an expression both playful but also determined.

"Scouts honor."

"Jack… You were never a scout."

"I wasn't?! Then why do I have the….oh."

Hiccup decided right then that it also wasn't worth asking.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Hiccup realized he could forgive Merida. Not because Bubble Gum Ice Cream was at all any less sinful nor because he suddenly found an overwhelming and saintly abundance of grace inside of him.

No.

He decided he could forgive her easily, because Bubble Gum Ice Cream was suddenly the least of his concerns.

To begin, Hiccup had almost been late to class.

Between the conversation with Jack and the multitude of other issues he'd been facing, suffice it to say Hiccup had been a touch distracted and may have lost track of time. He hadn't realized just how long it had been since he'd begun his day steadily crunching numbers in the library, until Jack had finally waved off ducking into his own class.

Which was strange because they'd never shared classes.

Or even had classes within the same vicinity for that matter. Psychology and Engineering were on complete opposite sides of campus. In fact, the longer he thought on it the more Hiccup realized their schedules hardly ever aligned so well for them to have such a leisurely met up - after the fighting-tightfisted fiasco anyway - during the school day.

He'd smiled to himself, amused with his discovery.

It took him another moment to realize: their schedules hadn't, in fact, lined up this time either.

Needless to say, the despaired-chest-heaving-palm-sweating-tripping-sliding-half-crying run he'd performed across a city-wide campus, had not been pretty.

He could feel the burn of shame trying to encroach on his neck as he'd flown down halls and bust into the classroom, but he couldn't fully bring himself to care. Even though, Hiccup knew if he turned around, the whole class, including Astrid, would be watching him with a mixture of startlement, amusement, and in same cases - Astrid cases - repulsion.

Maybe the burn felt insignificant, because he didn't turn around.

Or maybe it felt insignificant, because slowly Hiccup was learning to not care anymore, what random people had to say.

Either way, he had a project, he had the beginning of a solid foundation, and he needed to be in class to talk to Professor Gobber. Today of all days, Hiccup needed something to go right.

He should have known better.

Hiccup managed to slip into his usual place in the second row of desks right as Professor Gobber entered the room with all his usual grace. His limp was more exaggerated today, and he cast a scrutinizing glance over his class as he waddled towards the podium. With very little ceremony he tossed his bag onto the podium and made straight for the corner of the white board.

He snatched a purple marker and tore the top off, pressing the tip into the enameled surface. Without writing anything he barked, "July 17, 1981. Kansas city, Missouri. What happened?"

To any student who didn't know him, Professor Gobber would probably come across as angry and harsh. To those who did, they merely lowered their feet off of desks, and pulled out their texts because class was in session.

Prof. Gobber had a very strong belief in 'learning on the job'. 'Deep end' was his only method and his class knew that very well.

While his class shuffled for their notes for the answer, Prof. Gobber tapped his marker impatiently. "Oh come on! You all should know this. July. 1981. Kansas City Missouri. What happened?"

Hiccup leaned forward, squinting at the blank board in search, biting his thumb nail in concentration.

The wheels started turning in Hiccup's mind. As this was mechanical engineering it was clear the point of this wasn't a history lesson. It had to apply somehow. Most of the students - ones who hadn't just figured out their project weeks into the semester - were reaching midway in their projects by now.

Midway is a critical point in any project.

It's the deciding moment where those who are less qualified begin to fall behind and where those made of success first begin to rise. It would follow theres an example to be had - the question good or bad?

Prof. Gobber's tapping increased, his elongated mustache twitching irritably. "Are you all engineers or aren't you? I need to hear voices."

Student's clambered to obey. Half-hearted guesses were thrown down from all across the auditorium but none satisfactory.

Missouri. 1981.

Missouri.

Think, Hiccup.

As far as Hiccup was aware Missouri didn't hold claim to any spectacular feats of engineering. Their university was okay, but not especially noteworthy and no accomplishments as of late could be traced back to them. But that was now. Hiccup had no reference to what their reputation could have been like back in 1981. They hadn't exactly left a legacy.

Or at least, not a famous one.

The wheels turned faster. A couple days ago when Hiccup and Merida had gone to the library downtown, Hiccup had drawn most of his sources from relatively older texts in hopes to grasp the basic rules of physics before he tried to break all of them. Even though he'd since then been studying in the significantly more expansive Corona library, he'd still kept to his time period of late 1800's - mid 1900's purely because he'd started becoming familiar with the concepts and antique text style. He'd just begun moving into more recent years before he'd spotted Jack in the hall. Somewhere buried in his mind was the answer. He knew it.

Missouri. 1981. July.

Missouri. 1981. July.

Missouri.

1981.

July.

Hiccup had been right earlier.

Not a legacy.

An accident.

Hiccup's hand was flying before his mind could finally catch up. "In July 1981-"

"There was an accident."

The voice sounded clear throughout room. It was soft, but it was as though the very walls pushed to echo it louder into space. It held a certain power to it, at once enchanting and chilling.

It drowned Hiccup out completely.

Prof. Gobber's eyes grazed over Hiccup's head to the back of the class. Hiccup felt his hand lower stiffly, and he shouldn't have bothered turning to look.

Everyone knew who had said it.

But Hiccup did anyway. That was just another of the hidden powers of Astrid Hofferson. She had a presence that demanded acknowledgment.

Prof. Gobber raised a bushy eyebrow. "Care to elaborate, Ms. Hofferson?"

Astrid was leaning forward in her chair, chin resting on her palm. She raised her own eyebrows back at Prof. Gobber, looking for all intents and purposes, bored.

But no that wasn't quite right.

Astrid wasn't mundane enough to do anything as ordinary as be bored. That was for common people.

No, a better word to describe her obvious slouch and badly hidden disinterest, would probably be long-suffering. As though everyday of her life she spent her time waiting and enduring till all the lesser peers to finally get on her level. Mere association with them was a pain she forbore and her lonesome genius was a tragedy worthy of martyrdom.

Today was clearly no different. Astrid glanced around the class, once, as though offering the opportunity to someone else. She even raised a brow at Hiccup, though her face tightened as though she barely was restraining a wince.

Memories of his less than decent entrance flooded Hiccup's mind and now he could feel the burn of humiliation. He looked away. Even if he answered now what good would it do when she had already stolen the stage?

Astrid finally sighed, hand dropping from her chin as she sat up straight in her chair.

"It caused quite the stir, actually. I'm surprised it's clearly not that well known here. In Missouri, July 1981, a walkway collapsed killing 114 people and injuring another 200."

Prof. Gobber's mustache twitched approvingly. "Finally. Someone who knows their history."

He turned to the board, marker finally moving as he copied Astrid's answer in his terrible shorthand. Despite writing, he continued to address her. "You are quite correct on everything so far, Ms. Hofferon, so tell me: what was crucial in this accident in regards to engineering?"

Astrid's other brow raised. "Crucial? I would hardly call it that. It was pathetic if anything. The entire accident boiled down to a complete overlooking of basic Physic's concepts. The system they designed inadvertently placed double the strain on one particular bolt instead of sharing it - like it was supposed to - and then suddenly everyone's surprised when it breaks! Please. Any high school student could have figured it out. The only lesson to learn is that this is why you don't let fools and slackers do engineering."

Her scorn at the end was sharp. Even though it wasn't aimed at anyone present, Hiccup still winced. He remembered the grieved and pitying look she had given him at the festival, and wondered which of those categories she thought he fit into.

Prof. Gobber hmmed thoughtfully. "Interesting summation, Ms. Hofferon. Quite accurate for the most part as well. It was a rather rudimentary mistake, and the result catastrophic and even more so because it could have been avoided. But I disagree that what you have stated is the lesson to be learned here, though don't get me wrong, engineering is not for the faint of heart."

For some reason, as he said those words his gaze drifted from Astrid and landed on Hiccup.

Prof. Gobber winked.

Hiccup straightened suddenly - he hadn't remembered slouching - and felt his face burn, but differently this time. He could be looking too much into things, but…had that been praise?

Probably not. Prof. Gobber thought his project was a disaster waiting to happen! And even though he had said on occasion that aptitude's like Hiccup's were rare, he could hardly be impressed. Hiccup had yet to actually succeed in anything yet.

Still… something had changed in the air around him and his neighboring classmates. He could even feel a sharp burn between his shoulder blades that he had a very strong feeling was the searing gaze of a certain blond.

Hiccup just smiled sheepishly, and tried really hard to shrink slightly.

He never would have thought he'd regret being six feet. Unfortunately it only magnified his awkwardness.

Thankfully, Prof. Gobber had returned to the board, marker poised again.

"January 28, 1986 just off the coast of Florida?"

Thanks to Astrid, the class had found the pattern now.

"The Space Shuttle Challenger crashed." Said someone to the right and three rows back from Hiccup. He didn't bother to look for fear he make eye contact with a certain person still burning holes through him.

"Good." Prof. Gobber nodded, writing it. "Why?"

"The joint seals were entirely wrong for the temperature of launch, which makes complete sense because everyone knows rocket launches are cold."

Laughs scattered out around the class room and even Prof. Gobber chuckled a little. "Correct. Though it was rocket science that particular aspect was rather simplistic. Good job, Mr. Jenson. Next. November 7, 1940. Washington."

"Tacoma Narrows bridge collapsed."

"Good. Why?"

"No one had calculated the effects wind would have."

"Correct. March 12 1928?"

"St. Francis dam broke. The geological features of the site were wrong to begin with."

"Yes." Prof. Gobber's marker paused for a moment. "Terrible, that one. Killed 432 people and who one knows how many Mexican laborers."

For the shortest moment, there was a visible weight Hiccup could see on Prof. Gobbers shoulders, then he blinked and Prof. Gobber had returned marker to board. "Next! March 29, 1979…"

On and on it went. Through the Ford Pinto to Three Mile Island to the nuclear Chernobyl Disaster. No one here was an idiot, despite Astrid's implications, and by the time the white board was full, there was quite obviously a pattern. With an ill fitting heavy resignation, Prof. Gobber at last capped the marker that had begun to run out of ink and set it on the rack.

He turned to face the class again. "Class what do you see when you look at this board?"

No one answered. The only thing that came to mind was 'numbers' or 'dates' or 'accidents' or 'terribly written purple words'. Needless to say, none of those seemed right.

Prof. Gobber waited a moment, then sighed and looked at the board.

There!

Hiccup could see it again, that invisible weight.

"I see…" He began, eyes glazed in a way foreign to their usual loud, gruff, rambunctious teacher. "I see death."

Whatever light-bantered atmosphere had been created in the little trivia rounds was quickly extinguished. There was a silence sharpened only by Prof. Gobber's own harsh laugh. "In some cases you could even call it murder."

Maybe it was just Hiccup but the room suddenly dropped in degrees. That word was following him today.

Prof. Gobber wasn't finished. "When I look at this board-" He gestured with his hand "- I see families lost. Ties broken. Blood shed. Death counts never ending- all of them which should have - would have - been here had they not been destroyed by stupid, trivial mistakes made by engineers and scientist who thought themselves to smart to make them anymore."

Hiccup took a breath, but it was stifled. Heavy.

He glanced at his peers, but his neck was stiff now. It took himself a moment to realize, this was the beginnings of the weight he'd seen on Prof. Gobber.

"Ms. Hofferson earlier said that engineering isn't for fools or slackers. I would like to argue that the most dangerous individual is not the one who is foolish but the one who assumes they are wise. This is not a lesson in discrimination, it is a lesson of humility and Double. Checking. Triple checking. Umpteenth checking, if you must."

Prof. Gobber turned to face the board, shoulders tight. "When I look at this board, I see responsibility. Our responsibility.

Because of events like this, we, as engineers, OWE every last calculation, every possibility, and every consideration we can give. We owe it to ourselves, to each other, and to every life that will come in contact with and depend on our creations so that things like this never happen again."

When he turned back, the expression Prof. Gobber wore was somber and fierce. "Do you all see? Do you understand?"

Hiccup felt paralyzed. His throat was dry, hands sweaty. Honestly. Talk about pressure.

Still. This was a weight that needed to be borne. He did owe it. They all did. Slowly, as he could convince his joints to unlock, Hiccup nodded. He could feel the rest of the class, joining him in this silent pledge.

Prof. Gobber's eyes raked over them all, meeting each student's gaze, then he nodded himself, and smiled. "Good."

Just like that the weight dispersed, spell broken, and Hiccup could move again. The weight wasn't gone forever, he knew he would always carry it, but for now he could take comfort in that fact he was nothing more than a young, broke, college student, and he was a long way off from making anything that could harm anyone except for maybe his own fingers. (Or kitchen microwave, but that was hardly engineering related)

Prof. Gobber limped back over to the podium, raising a stack of papers and tapping them even. "Well then, now that we are all on the same page - and as most of you should be a good ways into your project - you'll understand the importance of this next assignment."

The whole class seemed to shuffle, as he went down the line passing stacks of the stapled brief to the front row who turned and distributed to the person behind them. When Hiccup received his, he glanced over it and frowned almost immediately.

It was a group project. He continued looking over the project with a growing misery while Prof. Gobber began explaining.

"Now, this is a group project-" A series of groans sounded from the back students who'd yet to receive their pamphlet. "- I know, I know. But you all are college students now and collaboration is necessary here and in every other aspect of life, so buck up. Also, as we've already seen today, very often people rarely catch their own mistakes until it's too late. So in the spirit of this lesson and as a midway checkpoint for your projects, everyone here will be submitting their projects to another student for peer review."

Hiccup didn't bother stifling his own groan now.

He wasn't entirely fond of group projects on a good day. He'd always unfortunately been the one taken advantage of and forced to do the work. Probably due to some unlucky combination of having been small as a child and easy to pick on, or the fact that he was disabled, or maybe just because he'd often been the only competent one.

Now, he'd be sharing his rather…er…eccentric project with another classmate. For evaluation. No matter who they were, nor how nice, they'd probably laugh in his face after a single look. Even Phlegma of all people hadn't been able to resist. And especially with Hiccup's ragged entrance this morning fresh in mind, needless to say Hiccup was not looking forward to any such encounter.

At least I don't have to worry about being a laughing stock after my dragon fails. Hiccup thought, bitterly. I already am one.

At last the rustling of papers ceased as everyone received their copy and Prof. Gobber returned to his podium, pulling down the projector screen and booting up his laptop.

"Needless to say, this will be a full review. This is good practice for team building and getting in the habit of reviewing and revising projects as you will do over and over and over again in the industry. I want teams to double check and run their own calculations of their partners project, leaving no stone unturned. I'm talking basic concept evaluation, mechanic calculations, theory experimentation, and even some propositions against it in preparation for the final defense that you will each have to make at the end of the semester."

The screen finally powered on, Prof. Gobber opened Word which flickered on, then loaded slowly on the ancient computer. "Since I'd still want you learning various mechanics in this - no matter what you think I don't do this just to waste time with busy work - the groups are going to be preassigned and I've taken the liberty to team you each up with someone else whose project is the least similar to your own."

From the moment he said, 'preassigned' an uneasy feeling had settled in Hiccup's stomach. Sure this project was going to be akin to a firing squad, but he'd at least wanted the chance to pick his executioner. Now as the spinning wheel of death finally decided it was finished with its little dance and loaded the document, dread began to creep up his legs.

At this point in time a partner who had the 'least similar project' to Hiccup could really have been anyone.

Anyone.

Yet when the page loaded, and his eyes raced anxiously to find his name, Hiccup would be lying if he said he hadn't suspected.

Group 19: Hiccup Haddock, Astrid Hofferson

There was a sound between a shout and a strangled cry somewhere behind him, but Hiccup could barely hear it over the sound of his own blood racing in his ears. Of the entire class, no one could have been 'least similar' to him than Astrid Hofferson.

Whatever he'd felt burning his shoulders before was nothing to the inferno he now felt on the back of his neck. Hiccup could only stare in horror at his once beloved Professor.

Professor Gobber…You've killed me.

The traitorous bastard had the audacity to turn, smile at him, and wink. Again.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o

When dismissal was called, Hiccup wasn't sure who moved fastest. All he knew was that both he and Astrid had blazed through the throng of students in mass exodus and were now pleading at the desk of their instructor.

"T-this is really not a good idea-"

"You expect me to work with him? All due respect Professor but-"

"- our projects are really just too different-"

"Forget our projects. We're too different and-"

"Honestly, sir I'm too young die now and I've got a cat and-"

"What?!"

Hiccup realized belatedly, "Was that out loud?"

"Yes!"

He couldn't bring himself to look at her, but he could feel her rage and indignation boring into the side of his face. He flushed. And sweated. And stammered. And just generally made even more of a fool of himself then she already knew him for.

She glared at him, and he couldn't help his eyes straying to a soft hair that had fallen from her braid. He cursed himself after.

How was this fair? How could she be so smart and so beautiful - no sense beating around it because she just was - and yet so…so…above.

And not just him, everyone.

Maybe that was why his heart raced around her, or why his tongue felt swollen in his head. Maybe it was that she was hands down one of the prettiest girls on campus, or maybe it was that she was also one of the smartest students.

Maybe it was this goddess like status she had, and knew she had.

Either way, they couldn't be a team. And they both knew it.

Hiccup because he had a vastly unjustified crush.

Her because she had a vastly justified disgust.

Professor Gobber, for his part was back to his inconsiderately oblivious self. Packing his bag and preparing for his next class. He'd barely spared them a glance the whole while and now was hoisting his bag unto his shoulder preparing to leave.

"Oh come now. No one likes preassigned groups but it isn't all that."

He made for the door but Astrid moved gently, but firmly, to block him. Her blue eyes cleared and focused, her face turned the softest and most earnest Hiccup had ever seen it.

He was almost moved… had it not been all in an attempt to get away from him.

"Sir. Please."

Professor Gobber sighed and stopped, letting his bag drop to his desk. Astrid, taking that as consent took a breath.

"Sir. In this program, this year is the hardest year for most students. It is essential for everyone who wishes to succeed to be sharp and driven and stay on top of things if they want to make it. A good GPA for this year is imperative. Wouldn't you agree?"

Professor Gobber just raised a brow. "Quite. Your point? Ms. Hofferson."

Astrid's teeth visibly clenched. She looked pained or annoyed at clearly having to spell it out. "My point, Professor. Is that this school means a lot to me. This degree means a lot to me. More, I feel, than it does to some others."

Hiccup winced under her glare.

Professor Gobber simply raised his other fluffy brow. "Forgive me, Ms. Hofferson, but so far I feel as though we are on the same page? I know you and Mr. Haddock have never really interacted in class but I do think, based off your various records, you will make a good team. Correct me if I'm wrong but you are saying you want a hardworking, intelligent and motivated partner and that is precisely why I've teamed you with Hiccup."

Professor Gobber's thick hand came down on Hiccup's shoulder. And though mostly surprised, Hiccup felt oddly…touched.

Astrid had no heart for the intimacy. Her fist clenched and she seemed to have decided she was done mincing words. "I'm sorry Professor, but I fundamentally disagree. Haddock as far as I'm concerned, is a half-assed wishy-washy dreamer who decided last minute to switch to engineering a whole semester late. I cannot risk my GPA going down because I have been shackled to this…this…amateur who thinks this is nothing more than blowing cool gadgets up in his stupid shed or something! I take this program and this project seriously, so it is with that in mind that I humbly and desperately request a reassignment."

Desperate, it was.

Humble, it was not.

Hiccup couldn't say anything. His throat was dry and his chest ached as though each word hurled at him and been a physical attack. Was he really that see through? Did everyone think he was nothing more than some fool who had his head in the clouds?

No.

Not everyone thought that.

A warmth spread in his hand. It spread from the same place where he'd held someone's hand in a dimmed library and made a promise.

Don't ye stop for nae one.

Hiccup clenched his fist. He understood if people thought his project was a bit far-fetched.

But he was done having people doubt him.

Hiccup looked up and faced Astrid, nerves gone. She blinked as though momentarily thrown back, but before Hiccup could say anything Professor Gobber stepped forward with the fiercest look Hiccup had ever seen.

Astrid gasped, a strange fear leaping into her eyes for a moment before it was gone. Gobber would never hurt a student. Still, his look was off-putting.

"Shame on you."

Astrid winced as though struck.

Prof. Gobber continued. "I thought you understood, but it seems as though everyone got it but you."

Her face paled drastically. "Sir I-"

He didn't let her finish. "The lesson I had today Astrid, isn't for the unsure and the amateurs, as, admittedly Haddock still is. This lesson is for those who think they're professionals when they're not. Of everyone in this class, you would be the most likely to make one of those catastrophic mistakes because you are entirely partial to the idea that you are right most of the time.

"Don't get me wrong, you have plenty of experience and are very intelligent and often are right. But this does not mean you don't have much to learn. It does not make you infallible. While Hiccup has much to gain from being partnered with you for this project. When it is over, I should like to think you especially will have learned something."

Hiccup felt like he couldn't breath, and Astrid looked as though she might drop at any moment. She was so pale she almost matched her hair, and her hands trembled.

"Now, as to differences of persons, well, you are both adults. I'm sure you will work it out." Prof. Gobber hoisted his bag once more. "So if there aren't any more questions….?"

He waited a moment, then stepped hesitatingly forward, as though testing to see if Astrid would block him again. Hiccup still was of the mindset that her legs were about to give out.

Upon seeing that she made no move to stop him this time, Prof. Gobber nodded once to Hiccup and promptly left, skirting around Astrid without so much as glance as he did so.

Hiccup remained frozen. He was debating either staying and risking getting punched for trying to catch her should she actually keel or leaving and risking jarring her from her stumper and getting punched for simply being the nearest thing to take her rage out on.

He'd just decided to try and shuffle out by himself when she whirled on him. It could have been a trick of the light, but Hiccup could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes. But no.

Astrid Hofferson did not cry.

Then again, Astrid Hofferson probably didn't get scolded by teachers either.

The rage in her eyes was palpable. As if she blamed him for everything said, even though he himself had barely said a word. Her mouth opened and Hiccup winced, reflexively, but nothing came out. None of those barbed, scathing things she hurled at him earlier.

Nothing but a shaky breath that could have, had it been someone else, been close to soft sob. Her mouth shut so fast her teeth clicked. Her glare burned brighter with both fury and mortification. Then in a whirl she was gone, jerking her bag onto her back like a club and storming from the room. When she was gone, Hiccup thought his own legs might give out.

He felt as though he'd been squeezed and twisted and run over and hit by a bus all at the same time. Though on reflection, between everything that had happened with Jack, in class, and now with Astrid he wasn't too far off. Buses might even be preferable.

It was then, weak kneed, physically exhausted and emotionally drained, that Hiccup decided. In light of everything else that was going on in his life, it would be quite easy to forgive Merida now.

In fact, Hiccup resolved he'd even pick up a carton of the revolting pink-gum-filled ice cream himself on his way home.

And for some reason, the thought of Merida's face, no doubt mocking but alight with kind laughter, gave him energy to pick up his bag and walk out.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o

AUTHORS NOTES

Why hello lovelies. How are you all doing? Well I hope. I just saw the the final How To Train Your Dragon movie yesterday and I cried. It wasn't even sad...ish. Anyway I'm back! Or at least I'm posting this. To be honest I've been sitting on this chapter for almost a year now pleasedonthateme. I just really wanted to post it the same time I post the next chapter -which is a JACK CHAPTER whoop whoop! We'll start with what happened 2 days ago! Dun dun dun! - but Jack is just really giving me a hard time to write. Astrid actually came SUPER easy but with Jack I'm not sure what angle I want to take on his character yet... I'm about halfway through the next chapter but it gave me a block so I ran away like a coward because I'm scared of overly large blockish things because of traumas caused by unnecessarily pointy legos. jk jk! I'm hoping to tackle it again now though. So please enjoy this as a my apology offering and a final resolution to stop holding chapters after they're finished. From now on, you're getting them hot off the press!

If they ever get off the press...Anyway enough of my ramblings, please review and

O-KEEP BEING AWESOME-O