𖣯 ✹ 🌷(úlfheðnar) ꏍ ！┈─❟
╰───►chapter thirty; hiccup
❝ finding beauty! ❞

    HICCUP threw his father's hand away, stumbling away with his chest already erupting in fury. "Are you kidding me?!" he whispered as loud as he dared. There he was; Stoick the Vast in his fiery hair and beard, standing seven feet tall. Hiccup's father glowered at him, and he just glared back. He wasn't surprised━not by a long shot. He knew his father would follow him, and it angered him because it just reminded Hiccup of how he got here in the first place. Of how his father wouldn't listen to him━ever. 

     But there was one thing he was surprised by, and it made his anger falter just enough to exclaim, "How did you get in here?!"

     "The same way we're getting you out," grumbled Stoick, tugging Yrsa with him and passing HIccup his helmet. He clutched it to his chest, a frown on his face.

     "'We'?"

     "All clear!"

      Gobber poked his head out of the cave entrance amongst bright moss and ferns. Hiccup's shoulders slumped━no, he's not surprised by that, either. Then, Stoick grasped Hiccup's arm, too, and he and Yrsa were pulled along. 

     "Toothless, Helrose━come!"

     Hiccup struggled, glancing back at their dragons that followed, a little confused. He wanted to snap, to tell his father━just believe in me! I know what I'm doing! But then another thought hit him, and all that fury went dry. His stomach dropped, and what replaced it was a burst of nerves. "Uh━wait, wait━uh━wait━" 

     He stumbled along as they were dragged through the cave. Away from the hidden paradise and into went, slippery stone. "Okay━uh━Dad━there's━there's something you need to know━"

     "Yeah, yeah━" Stoick hoisted Yrsa up with one hand and plopped her down over the rocks and into the small landing below. "Tell me on the way."

      "Stoick," tried Yrsa, shuffling along, "it's━it's actually really important━" she almost tripped trying to walk backwards. "I wouldn't call it exactly an on the way kind of explanation━"

     "I've heard enough," ordered Stoick, pulling Hiccup along quicker so he was in front, too. He almost fell if Yrsa didn't grasp the sleeve of his tunic and kept him up. Their dragons tagged along, purring and warbling in bewilderment. 

     "But it's more━more of the earth-shattering━" went on Hiccup, trying to get his father to even open his ears for a second. Sometimes he wondered whether the sheer mass of his hair made him hard of hearing, "━development variety."

      "Yeah, just add it to the pile," he pushed past to squeeze through the narrow gap in the cave. He struggled to get through, but managed to reach the otherside. Hiccup and Yrsa caught up. They tried to go through the same time, shoulders hitting the stone before Yrsa blushed and stepped back, letting Hiccup go through first. 

      "Yeah, I━uh━um━" Hiccup hurried, almost slipping on his prosthetic. "Dad, unlike most surprises I spring on you━" Yrsa jumped down next to him. Behind them, Toothless tried to get through, but his head was to wide. He had to pull back and climb through sideway. Helrose copied, for no other reason than because Toothless did it, "━this is one you'll like, I promise!"

     His father ignored him, marching through the pathway he and Gobber had taken to get into here. Hiccup shared a nervous glance with Yrsa, and she pursed her lips, shrugging. He sighed, tugging at his hair. "Dad! You just have to handle it delicatey, so━" 

     He had stopped suddenly. Hiccup managed to reach him, finally, pressing a hand on his shoulder to peer around. Gobber blocked the way, frozen in his shock. Then, with a pale face, he turned around to Stoick and muttered, "Uh ..." he cleared his throat and brushed past, giving him a pat on the shoulder-plates, "you might want to take this one." Gobber took a seat, "Oh, boy..."

     Stoick immediately assumed the worst. Hiccup's gut twisted to see him unsheath his blade. "Oh!" he chucked his helmet to Yrsa who only just caught it. "Uh, Dad━" he scurried forwards, trying to stop him as he surged through the gape into an icey-blue cavern, "━could you put the sword away, please━?"

     His father halted.

     Hiccup ran into his back and was bounced backwards. 

     He heard a hitch in his father's breath━almost what he could consider a gasp. There was silence. Hiccup held his heart in his throat, waiting for what Stoick would do. He watched his sword arm drop.

      He took this as a chance to peer around into the cavern━Gobber and Yrsa had the same idea, the three of them peaking around the vast figure of their chief. Hiccup's mother stood there, under the gleam of the ice shards. She stood proud, but she was nervous━she gripped her staff tight, her shoulders were rigid. She stared back at Stoick with a wide and fearful gaze.

      Hiccup's heart was racing; he found it hard to breathe. There was a moment where nobody moved. No one spoke. The only sound was the thunder of his heart in his ears, and the crunch of the ice outside. 

      Then, Stoick's sword clattered as it hit the ground; he had dropped it. 

      The sound made Hiccup grasp Yrsa's hand, holding it tight and close. She linked their fingers together, squeezing his palm to tell him, it's going to be okay. Hiccup didn't know how she could be so sure. It has been twenty years━twenty long years. And now his father stood before his mother━there was so much that might go wrong. What if things have changed? What if Stoick's temper got the best of him? Hiccup didn't think he could bear to see the first time he's seen both of his parents in the same room together turn into a fight. 

      He was so worried, he felt sick━his legs were weak. He stepped in closer to Yrsa, leaning against her; scared that he'd fall. 

      Chief Stoick the Vast took off his helmet with nimble fingers. His wife stammered, shifting nervously on her feet. "I━I know what you're gonna say, Stoick," she began, her voice cracking a little. "H━h━how could I have done this?" She found it hard to meet his unwavering gaze. "Stayed away all of these years, and why didn't I come back to you? To our son?" Hiccup grasped Yrsa's hand tighter at this. His father had yet said anything. He━for once━was silent. "Well ... what sign did I have that you could change, Stoick?"

     Valka was growing fearful, her voice distressed as Hiccup's father said nothing still. He just started to walk up the slope; stepping into the snow on the rocks with hesitant footsteps━still unable to believe the sight. "That━that anyone on Berk could? I pleaded so many times to stop the fighting, to find another answer, but did any of you listen?!"

     Dragons started to emerge from the ice and rocks as Stoick grew nearer and nearer; they were on egde, alert━ready to protect Valka. But there was hesitation; as if they had a feeling what this reunion was. Hiccup's chest was beginning to scream for air, and yet he couldn't even find himself able to breathe. All he could do was watch. 

     "This is why I never married," then muttered Gobber off-handedly. Toothless glanced at him. He and Helrose had stuck their heads in between the three Vikings. Then, Gobber pursed his lips. "This ... and one other reason."

     That caught Hiccup's attention briefly. He and Yrsa stared for a second at the blacksmith━Hiccup took a moment to understand what he had just said. He would have smiled if the situation right now wasn't so dire to him. Then, Yrsa reached out and gave Gobber a pat on the shoulder, "We know, Gobber," she whispered. 

     "I know that I left you to raise Hiccup alone," Valka shuffled back, holding her staff no longer proudly, but anxiously to her chest with a tender grip of both hands. She fiddled with the leather wrapped around it. Stoick just kept on walking; closer and closer and closer ... not a word spoken from his lips, "but I thought he'd be better off without me━" she was growing tearful. "A━and I was wrong. I━I see that now, but ..."

     She continued to back away until she hit the ice, and Stoick stood on the same slope as her. His whole body covered Hiccup's view of his mother; she was so fragile in comparison━and yet, they stood at the same strength, the same stubborness. The same fire within them that must've been the thing that caught Stoick's heart in the first place. 

     Stoick still hadn't said anything.

     Through tears, Valka snapped a weak, "Oh, stop being so stoic, Stoick! Go on! Shout, scream, say something━!" her breath hitched when his fingers reached her cheek. He cupped her face with such a gentle and loving touch Hiccup never thought he had. His eyes widened, his chest rose━Hiccup was bated in anticipation.

      Stoick brushed his thumb against Valka's cheek, eyes fixed on her own. He finally spoke━in a voice so soft, and so pained ... "You're as beautiful as the day I lost you."

      A tear cascaded down Valka's cheek as he kissed her, and around them, the dragons bowed their heads and backed away, purring a gentle tune. 

      Hiccup could breathe. His whole figure slumped and a smile made its way onto his face. He couldn't stop it━it was so wide, his cheeks hurt. He couldn't even describe the relief he felt; the happiness. The sheer joy to see his parents together after twenty years. Hiccup's family was back together; whole again. It was like he was given a breath of Valhalla━a gift from the gods.

      Yrsa rubbed his back gently, a soft smile on her face. But Hiccup didn't see the pain striking her gorgeous features━like she was saying goodbye to something she never even had the chance to say hello to. 

𖣯 ✹ 🌷(úlfheðnar) ꏍ ！┈─❟     

     HICCUP DID notice something was up with Yrsa on the way towards the cavern in which Valka lived; a cave in the mountain with splendid walls of ice that looked down to the ocean and island below. But while everyone was smiling and chuckling, and speaking of stories, Yrsa was quiet. Hiccup wouldn't have noticed━he was far to estatic over everything━if she hadn't set her hand on Helrose's neck, fingers brushing up and down her scales, something he knew she did when there was something plaguing her mind.

      His smile faltered, and he remembered how she had been before his father came. That same worry returned━because whenever there was something, she would tell them. That was what they did; they told each other what they thought without fear, and the fact that there was something she wasn't telling him, it made him seriously concerned. 

      He didn't think twice before patting Gobber's shoulder as a, give me a second, I'll be there━since his father and mother were at the front of the group, having much needed time to themselves. Gobber nodded, albeit confused as to what had happened, but when Hiccup surged forwards towards Yrsa, his brows jumped and he rolled his eyes, "Aye, 'course," he said and went on. He muttered to Grump, "You and I are the lonely ones, Grump!"

      Hiccup ignored him and quickly took Yrsa's hand. She frowned at him, confused before he gently started to pull her along. "Come on," he whispered.

      Toothless and Helrose shared a glance, but stayed where they were, waiting. Hiccup pulled Yrsa along with a soft touch until they were in a small dip in the cave rocks; alone. 

      Yrsa's brows furrowed, looking concerned herself, "Hiccup━?" she started but he shook his head.

      "Are you okay?" he asked her, careful. He saw the look on her face shift; her eyes becoming distant as she tried to think of a way to divert the conversation. But at the fall of her cheeks, and the lift of her brows, he knew he wasn't going to let her do it this time. Hiccup took her hand again, "Yrs," he murmured, "what's wrong? Why won't you tell me?"

      She hung her head, suddenly looking very ashamed. "I ..." she sighed. "I didn't want to ruin your day. You're so ... you're the happiest I've seen you in so long and I didn't━" she pursed her lips, not meeting his gaze, "━I didn't want to ruin that."

      Hiccup didn't think there would be anything that could ruin his day. His heart had wings, he felt like he could fly. But he didn't tell her that. He just squeezed her hand, a silent: can I please know? 

      Yrsa shrunk a little━her usual confidence wavering over what this might be. But then, she decided to tell him, "I ... If you want to stay here with your mother, I completely get it. I wouldn't like it, but I was━I was going to leave, and let you stay. But I didn't want to say anything about it because I didn't want to make you feel guilty, or have to worry about it━I was just going to ..." she dangled her head again. "I was just going to let you go."

     Hiccup felt something in him waver. He watched her tilt her head, cheeks darkening as she flushed over her words━ashamed. He wanted to tell her, no, don't be, but he was at lost for words for a moment ... did she really think he would leave? Had he made her feel like that?

     It wasn't like he considered it. When his mother said those words, he had liked the idea━but he had imagined it from Berk. He had imagined it with his friends at his side. With his mother back with his father━all the dragons safe on Berk with this glorious Alpha to take down Drago and save them all. But most importantly, with Yrsa there with him. Always. 

     "Yrs ..." he said again gently. She hunched up, shaking her head. "Yrsa, look at me."

      She was hesitant, but she met his gaze. Hiccup saw that her eyes were beggining to well up in tears. He quickly cupped her cheeks, and her dark eyes widened; gleaming, but hopeful. His breath hitched for a moment, because despite her tears, gods was she the most beautiful woman he's ever seen in his life. 

      "I'm not leaving Berk," Hiccup told her, strong but gentle. "I'll never leave Berk, okay? I'll never leave you. It's my home ... Yrs, you are my home. I told you I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you and I meant it. I still mean it. I want to marry you, and I want to live a long life with you. I want to have kids, and for them to have kids, and to tell them stories and for you to still be as elegant, and as gorgeous as you are now━I want a future with you. I threw the Dragon Eye away in the volcano with no hesitation because Viggo had been right. I would never risk a future with you." He smiled. "You're stuck with me. And I love you, Yrsa Olofsdotter, even if you are a bit crazy."

     She scoffed at this, rolling her eyes and his heart leapt to see the start of a smile on her face. Hiccup matched her smile to add, "But that's okay because I'm crazy for you, too."

     Yrsa turned up her nose, "That was so dorky."

     Hiccup chuckled, "That's who I am━you've chosen to marry that next week, remember?"

     Her eyes then glinted with mischeif━that gorgeous mischief. "And I'll never regret it."

    His heart fluttered and Hiccup leaned in to kiss her. Soft, caring━he held her like the gift she was; someone who snuck up on him, and was the best person he could ever imagine to spend the rest of his life with. Someone he used to think he didn't deserve, but instead now cherished with everything he had. 

     When she pulled away, she smirked, "Is there a plan for this future?"

     Hiccup arched a brow, "Apart from what I just said?"

     She hummed, nodding. 

     "Well," he thought about it. His hands settled on her hips. Then, he grinned. "Something very stupid━"

      "Something crazy," she finished.

      Hiccup chuckled, shaking his head. Heart light, he dipped down to kiss her again; stronger this time, determined to leave her breathless. And he had. "Always," he murmured against her lips. 

𖣯 ✹ 🌷(úlfheðnar) ꏍ ！┈─❟

      a/n: lol, they definitely came back to the others later than intended ...

     (i mean ... what? don't listen to me. stop!)

     this was going to include for the dancing and the dreaming, but hiccup's and yrsa's convo took longer than intended so yeah, here we are. 

     by the way, this is probs usleless cos i think y'all know, but there's a companion book to this about yrsa at dragon's edge. check it out its on my profile in this series reading list. (if you haven't, y'all probs have).

     (these two are adorable, and deserve the world). 

     (but sorry if this chapter has mistakes, and is a bit boring).

     (I just imagined a parallel between stoick and valka, and hiccup and yrsa, so i wrote it; ta-da!)