Ascendant

CHAPTER TWENTY: THE DARK GUARDIAN

Hiccup and the gang had to make their way through the labyrinth the opposite side as the pathway to the entrance was cut off. But they did this, passing by various trials and dangers that were shut off including swinging blades that they were glad they didn't have to pass under. Gregor for sure wouldn't have made it...

Once they saw the last light of day they had to make camp to wait out a surprise snow storm. So they made a fire and they were now all taking shelter in the last room of the labyrinth that was full of fake traps and real ones that were disabled, half walls and doorways to nowhere, as well as doors that were upside down and attached to the ceiling to create the illusion that they were on the ceiling themselves...

Tuffnut was being scolded by Arne as he kept jumping on pressure plates to set off the traps that didn't exist, Hiccup and Astrid were by the fire, Faelan, Ruarcc, and Gregor were in a corner as Gregor snored loudly on the ground, Moira and Uriah were secluded in one of the cubbies by themselves, and Snotlout and Ruffnut were sitting in silence as that last trial still burned in their brains.

After the uncomfortable silence lingered, neither one having the energy to get up or do anything, Snotlout said quietly, "What happened?"

Ruffnut looked cluelessly at him.

"When you and Tuff were in that... fake place."

For some reason opening up and being emotional with someone was disgusting to her, as she couldn't make herself do it for so long. But something happened back there that made things real for her. And she choked down her pride to reply to him, awkwardly looking down at her hands. "Um... we fought for a bit... but then we started to think the only way out was for one of us to die..." she admitted with a depressed look. "I make jokes... about him being a pain in the ass—and he is—but... I really don't think I could... live without him," she finally said as she watched him draw inappropriate runes with Hiccup's charcoal pen on Gregor while he slept. "I've been pretty uh... down... for a while about the whole experience... worried and just... afraid to lose what I have."

[GEM]

"Yeah I'd... I'd be pretty uh... bummed out if you guys got fireballed in the face..." Snotlout admitted in the most minimal way but like it was an emotional revelation.

"Okay stop, I'm going to cry," she cut him off.

"Okay."

The quiet lingered again for about a minute.

"...Gods I hope we make it through this," Ruffnut sighed, leaning her head back.

He glanced at her hesitantly and slowly but softly lowered his hand and wove their fingers together.

She felt her heart jump like a thirteen year old girl and she glanced down at their hands then her eyes met his briefly, a subtle smile on her lips at the gesture before she avoided his gaze and he did the same with her but their hands stayed locked together.

She felt weirdly satisfied when she admitted to having those feelings about everything and coming clean about her emotions. It was like a shield had finally broken. Perhaps she'd be better with empathy as well soon enough.

[GEM]

After another moment of silence that was more comforting than awkward, Ruffnut asked, "What did you see back there?"

"Oh I was boiling to death in a giant pot of hot soup—"

She bent forward and choked as she let out a laugh.

He began to chuckle as the two laughed together at this.

"Seems the group is starting to feel better," Hiccup said as he walked back to where Astrid was sitting, watching the fort with fur on her shoulders. She missed the warmth of her dragon curled around her in times like this.