A/N: Wow, I was not expecting this story to be that well liked.
Hiccup woke up with a start, his body soaked with sweat. He had been having the nightmare again. It was the same nightmare he had been having every night since Anna had been murdered. He wiped at his face and sighed. He got up off his bedroll and re attached his leg. He then gently taped Toothless on his great black skull. The tired dragon roused and yawned.
" Morning Hiccup…let me guess your going to take a bath?" the fury asked with a slight chuckle. Since he became the chief of the clan, Hiccup had had a few problems getting any privacy when it came to bathing. He was fairly popular with the women riders his age and had on a few occasions caught a few peeking at him as he bathed. After much berating on his part the girls had learned to avoid Hiccup on his daily bath.
" Yes. I'll see you in an hour… Let the kids sleep in for a while. No big rush for them." He said to the smirking reptile.
" Got it. See ya in an hour little brother." Toothless said softly as to not wake the two small bundles currently asleep on a large fur pelt. Hiccup grinned, grabbed a basket that held a set of clean cloths that he usually wore for work. He had to make a new sword and do some repairs on his leg, and needed to refit Toothless's saddle, as the dragon had grown one last time this year. He chuckled at the thought of how large Toothless had grown since they had met. Things had changed, if not for the better despite the recent tragedies.
" I just hope Jacob can handle all this when he gets older." He thought. Being the sole leader of a clan of fifty or more dragons and riders made his life hard, yet oddly rewarding. Hiccup smiled at the thought, then, a sad frown came to his mouth.
" Oh, mom, if you could just is here now. I'd know you love Jacob, and you'd be okay with Toothless by now. I wish I knew what happened to your ship that night you vanished. Maybe then I could finally come to terms with your death. It would definitely help…best get to bathing before my "admirers" show up." He thought. He then shrugged and headed towards the hot springs that the village used for bathing.
Astrid's House:
Astrid awoke and yawned. She stretched and cracked her back. She slid out of her bed and then walked over to her dresser and pulled out her clothes. She slipped out of her nightgown and pulled on her clothes. She then brushed her hair, pulled it into a braid and the put on her leather headband. She looked down at her spiked skirt and frowned.
" If I'm going to start training next month, I had better where something that won't scare the dragon…Maybe I should ask Hiccup…He looked pretty rough. I wonder if he has been sleeping well. I'll ask him later." She thought. She shrugged and went down the stairs. Her mother and father had left for the day and she had the house to herself.
" Huh, alone again…well, maybe I can talk to Hiccup a little more…Yeesh, I'm turning into a little fan girl." She thought. Then she smiled slightly. She grabbed some freshly baked bread and then set out to head to the market to buy some new knives for her weaponry belt.
Hiccups tent:
Hiccup cracked his knuckles as he entered the tent to wake and dress his son. Today, for the very first time in his life, Jacob would get to go to the village to meet his grandfather. He grinned as he saw his son and his dragon asleep next to Toothless, curled up on the pelt of a tiger, a parting gift from one of the Five Dragon kings, the King of the East, to be exact. The pelt was given to him when he had earned the respect of both the king himself, and his son. Since then they had been close allies. but that was story for a different time. Hiccup walked over and gently shook his son awake. Jacob yawned and looked at his father. He smiled.
" Morning Daddy." He said. Hiccup grinned.
" Morning sleepyhead. You ready to meet your grandpa today?" he asked. Jacob's eyes lite up and he leapt to his feet and ran over to the basket that held his clothes. He striped off his sleep shirt and then pulled on his brown trousers, and then his light green shirt. He then grabbed his black dragon doll, or Beep Beep as he called it, due to the sound Toothless had made the day he had first seen the doll Hiccup had made for the boy. He then ran back over to his father.
" Can we see Grandpa now?" he asked, his excitement very evident. Hiccup chuckled.
" Yes we can go see your grandpa now." Hiccup said with a laugh. Toothless made a grunting sound that clearly said, " Keep it down." Hiccup then scooped Jacob up into his arms and the left the tent with Jacob clinging to his shoulders. They walked in silence, both of them taking in the peacefulness of the forest. After about an hour, they reached the edge of the village where much to Hiccups surprise Astrid was waiting for them.
" Astrid, what are you doing here, what's wrong?" Hiccup asked. Astrid had a worried look on her face.
" Snotlout wants to fight you….right now…" she said, concern in her voice. Hiccup scowled. Then he sighed and took Jacob off his shoulders. He looked his son in the eyes and spoke softly.
" Jacob, would it be alright if you stay with Ms. Astrid for a bit? I have a grown up job to do." Jacob nodded and then climbed down and walked up to Astrid. She smiled at him and then looked at Hiccup.
" Your sure you want to fight him?" she asked softly. Hiccup sighed.
" If he's ever going to learn anything about how his idiocy will cause disaster then yes. This show down has been years in the making and I need to confront him once and for all. He won't stop until he is beat Astrid. Don't let Jacob near the arena, take him to your house and when it's over I'll fetch the both of you. I don't want him to see this." He said in a grave yet firm voice that struck Astrid to the core of her being. Never in the few years she had known him did she ever hear him speak with sure wisdom…let alone speak at all. She nodded. She then reached down and picked Jacob up into her arms.
" Come on kiddo, how about I show you around the village while your dads out for a bit?" she asked as calmly as she could. Jacob gave a contagious smile and nodded. He then turned to Hiccup.
" See you later daddy." He said. Hiccup smiled. Then with a sigh he turned and began to walk towards the arena.
At the camp:
Sarah sighed as she washed her clothes in the small stream nearby. Despite being a relatively calm person, lately being around her chieftain had become very difficult. She wasn't ashamed to say that she had and still did have a crush on him. She had had the crush since the day he had shown up in the village for the first time. For weeks she had tried her hardest to get his attention, only to discover that he had already fallen for her very best friend. It was a crushing blow to her. After the wedding she avoided them both like a plague. Finally after about a month after Anna had discovered she was pregnant with Jacob, she had approached her and had asked that if anything should happen to her, that she, Sarah, would help Hiccup raise her son. Not wanting to show her problems with Hiccup to her friend she agreed.
" What's it going to take to get him to like me back?" she thought as she scrubbed the filth from her clothes.
The Arena:
Hiccup grimaced as he walked into the arena. The crowd in the stands were quiet, their fear for the young man that had finally returned to them after so many years. Snotlout was snarling as he watched Hiccup walk in. He got up and stormed over towards him.
" About time Useless." He snapped. Hiccup snorted and rolled his eyes.
" Useless, really? That's the best insult you can come up with, figures with such a small brain you'd come up with equally small insults." He scoffed. The crowd laughed lightly as Snotlout's face turned blood red. He took a swing at the man only to have his hand caught. Hiccup had reacted far faster than expected and had grabbed the hand and then gave it a powerful twist. There was a loud snap and Snotlout screamed in pain. He snarled and charged at Hiccup with his mace held high. Hiccup smirked and then gave a powerful roundhouse kick into his chest. Snotlout fell back, winded. Hiccup smirked and then turned to walk out. Snotlout got up and charged again. Hiccup then whipped around and gave a powerful right hook to Snotlout's chin. The man fell back with a thud, his jaw almost broken. Hiccup then lifted him up by the front of his bearskin vest and hoisted him up into the air. He then reared his left arm back and the punched Snotlout hard. All that could be heard was a sick crack, Snotlout's nose neatly broken and crushed by the sheer force of the blow. He yowled and Hiccup threw him to the ground, disgust clearly evident in his stunning green eyes. Snotlout then collapsed, humiliated and defeated in front of the entire village. Hiccup frowned and bent down to his level. Snotlout looked u and shrank back in fear from the glare Hiccup gave him. This was not the runt he used to pick on all those years ago. The scrawny boy he had humiliated and abused on a daily basis had vanished and in his place was a man that could only be described as death it's self. A man to be both respected and feared. Hiccup glared at him for a moment longer then spoke in a tone that clearly said his mood. Snotlout flinched.
" Now listen to me you ignorant bastard. If you EVER try anything like that again, I will not hesitate to kill you. You are the most pathetic excuse for a man I have ever had the disgust to lay eyes on. If you plan on ever being chief of this village you had better start acting like one." With that said, Hiccup whipped around and walked out of the arena. The crowd burst in to a thunderous applause.
Astrid's house:
Jacob giggled and squealed as Astrid tickled him. She had been busy showing him around the village before she took him to her house to get lunch. The toddler ate like his father, with manners. He thanked her for the sand witch and the warm goats milk, before he had fallen asleep for a short nap. Astrid had to admit that she was somewhat jealous of Anna, despite her being dead. Anna had had Hiccup, and his child, while she had no one. The one guy she had even actually had considered dating back as a teenager had been the gangly, shy and somewhat snarky teen, yet her obsession to be the best Viking in the village cost her that chance the day he left. Now all she could do was stand by and watch the boy for Hiccup. But, if that was what it took to get Hiccup to at the least consider liking her as a friend if not more. Astrid liked the small child who currently was giggling uncontrollably in her lap. He was quite and sweet tempered like his father, yet bold. He squirmed and squealed. Finally Astrid took mercy on him and stopped her relentless tickling. Jacob crawled out of her lap still giggling.
" Your fun Ms. Astrid. You're more fun than Ms. Sarah. She doesn't play with me; she just makes me do chore with her when daddy has to teach the big kids. And Auntie can't play with me cause she's must protect daddy. I like you. Can you come play with me and Cloudy tomorrow?" he asked so sincerely Astrid could not help but smile.
" I'll have to ask your dad but we'll see." She said. At that moment there was a knock on the door. It opened to revel a calm looking Hiccup. Jacob got up and bolted to his father and clung to his right leg.
" Hi Daddy." He said happily. Hiccup chuckled.
" Hello son. Did you and Ms. Astrid have a good time?" he asked. Jacob nodded his head vigorously.
" Uh huh, she showed me the whole village and made me lunch and then we got to play. Can Ms. Astrid baby sit me every day?" he asked. Hiccup's eyebrows went up into his hairline. He looked up at Astrid who shrugged and gave him a soft smile.
" Uh, sure…If she wants to…." He said. Astrid smiled.
" I would be glad to." She said. Hiccup looked at her with a mix of skepticism, and relief. He smiled and nodded.
" I'll bring him over tomorrow morning. I have t work with my father and Gobber to set up plans for the arena so I can get our new trainees ready to start at the beginning of the next month. Thank you Astrid. I owe you one…. Well Jacob, time to go meet your grandfather now. Tell Ms. Astrid goodbye." He said. Jacob turned around and waved at Astrid with the most adorable grin she had ever seen.
" Bye Ms. Astrid see you tomorrow." He said sweetly. Then he and Hiccup left and headed towards the tall hill where the chief's house was. Astrid waved at them then she shut the door, a huge smile on her face.
" Looks like my luck is turning around." She thought as she began to make dinner for her parents for when they came back home in a few hours.
Stoick's House:
Stoick sat in his favorite chair as he ate his lunch. As he finished his rather large mutton and potato and sardine sand witch, he heard a knock on his door. He got out of the fur-lined chair and went to the door. He opened it and saw his son.
" Afternoon son." He said. Hiccup smiled.
" Afternoon Dad. I was wondering if you would like to meet your grandson today?" Stoick's eye went wide as he looked down and saw a small red haired child clinging to Hiccups leg. The boy was obviously very shy about meeting him. Stoick bent down and gave a soft smile.
" Hello there and just who might you be?" he asked. Jacob gulped and stammered.
"J-Jacob…are you my Grandpa?" he asked softly. Stoick chuckled.
" Aye, I am yer Grandpa Jacob. Now can ye give your old grandpa a hug?" Stoick said gently. Jacob then smiled and wrapped his tiny arms around Stoick rather large neck.
Hiccup laughed then bent down to Jacobs level. Jacob looked at him.
" Son you think you could stay with your Grandpa while I get some work done?" he asked. Jacob smiled widely and nodded.
" Okay daddy see you later." He said as Stoick scooped him up and placed him on his shoulders.
Hiccup smiled and then began to walk towards the old blacksmith shop.
Gobber's shop:
Hiccup sighed and rapped on the stalls window. It opened and a familiar voice yelled out.
" Oi' I told ye we ain't open…" Gobber trailed off as he caught sight of the young man in front of him. His jaw dropped. His then made a sound that was similar to the kissing of a fish out of water. Hiccup chuckled.
" Hello Gobber." He said. Gobber blinked then in a blink of an eye he pulled Hiccup into a bone-crushing hug.
" Hiccup. Lad where ye been all these years?" He asked. Hiccup chuckled as they both sat down and began to work.
" It's a long story Gobber."
Later that night, Astrid's house:
Astrid lay in her bed with a huge grin plastered on her face. Not only had she managed to get young Jacob to like her, she had gotten Hiccup to allow her to baby-sit his son. So far things were starting to look up for her. She chuckled as she recalled Hiccups face when Jacob had asked him if she could babysit him everyday. He had looked like he had never been asked that before.
" He looked adorable…and hot. That scar on his cheek makes him look really hot. I wonder what he looks like without his tunic….or his pants… Yeesh not this again…" she thought with a slight irritation. She rolled over on to her stomach and buried her face into her soft pillow. How was she supposed to treat Hiccup like a person, when all she could think about was his body?
" Grrrrrrr…why did I have to ever even think about him like that in the first fucking place? Damn hormones, they are making my life so much damn harder…Deep breaths Astrid, take deep breaths… This is going to be harder than I thought. Odin Help me." She thought as she began to fall into a deep peaceful sleep. As her mind fell into the realms of unconsciousness, she pulled her fur blanket closer to her and snuggled into her pillow.