A Father's Eyes

Um. Yes. IDK. Feels, I guess? I heard 'Let it Go' from Disney's Frozen for the first time tonight, so I was trying to rid myself of all the ideas. I've never seen Frozen, but I plan to. I have a feeling Hiccup is going to be Elsa in any AUs I write. Just...based on that song.

Stoick knelt down beside Hiccup's bed, staring down at his son's fever-red cheeks in horror, clutching the blanket in his fists. He never wanted this for his son…he never wanted to see this happen to him.

Hiccup mumbled something unintelligible in his sleep, shifting slightly. It was the first sign of life he had given all week. Stoick felt a flash of hope, quickly silenced by fear. Hiccup was getting closer and closer to consciousness. That meant…that meant…

He shook it off. Hiccup wouldn't. He wouldn't wake up through this…oh, Stoick hoped he wouldn't.

Stoick studied his son's freckly, small face and traced a finger over his cheek. He slowly lifted the blanket as the door burst open.

"Stoick," Gobber called from the front, "is he ready?"

Stoick nodded grimly. He didn't want it to happen – but he knew it had to.

So he watched. He watched as Gothi filed in after Gobber and as Gobber slowly picked up an axe from his belt and faced Hiccup, slumbering deeply in the bed. He raised the shining axe as Spitelout barged in. "Stoick—oh." his eyes had traveled to Gobber holding the axe, to Hiccup beneath him.

He drew back slightly.

Gobber squeezed his eyes shut.

He slowly brought it down. Stoick could've looked away. He could've closed his eyes the way Gothi did, the way Spitelout did. He could've winced the way Gobber did.

But he watched. He watched with gentle, concerned eyes – he watched with a father's eyes. Because a father's eyes watched their sons. They watched in concern when their son was angry, they watched in anger when their son was being threatened and they watched in terror when Hiccup fell.

Stoick's eyes had seen a lot of terrifying, disappointing and angering things – a father's eyes always seemed to.