How To Win The Soul of A Dragon

Chapter 13

"It's a little late for that" I looked over to the stairs that led to the second floor, and saw Hiccup standing there. He was looking at me mildly sad, and mildly angry.

He walked down the two lower steps and came towards me. 

What was he doing there? 

I looked over to Stoick, but he looked as surprised as I was, so he couldn't have known he was there either.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hiccup asked sternly, almost reproachfully. 

Who did he think he was? My mother?

"You said it yourself once, I don't have to tell you everything that happens to me" I said, trying to remain calm.

"Spending two years as a prisoner in a pirate ship, and wandering three months on your own on the verge of death doesn't count, Lexa!" he said angrily, which angered me as well. 

"Well, excuse me for not wanting to remember those things!" out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Stoick staring at us. He looked very uncomfortable, and I couldn't blame him to be honest.

"I better leave you two alone" he said awkwardly, and left the room. I followed him with my gaze until he closed the door, and then I turned to look back at Hiccup, who pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly.

"Just...Just tell me why" I knew he didn't want to fight, but you already know me.

"Why!? Why?! It was that or coming back to Berk so they could kill Thunderlight! I didn't know dragons had moved in! What do you expect me to do?!"

His expression contorted in anger. Yep, he was definitely mad. 

"I-I don't know! Maybe let me know you were alright? Let me know you were alive?!" I wasn't alright. I wasn't alright at all.

"Oh, yeah, sure!" I argued back "Because there's totally a post office in a pirate ship! And I could totally find one in the middle of nowhere! And you would totally believe I was alive!" he was about to say something else, but seemed to change his mind at the last minute and shook his head, looking at me almost with disappointment. Not being able to see his expression, I left the house and slammed the door behind me. I heard him leaving, and I broke down.

That wasn't what I wanted to happen, it wasn't even close. But, of course, my stupid temperament had to get in the way of everything.

Why did I have to open my mouth? Why did I have to tell him that? Why couldn't I just shut up and let him talk?

I got out of the house wiping the tears off my eyes. I didn't even think Thunderlight could cheer me up that time, even if he was the only one that could make me smile when I was upset over something.

Back in Haustchet, the first few days after my arrival, I would often miss Hiccup or my parents, and cry over them at night as quietly as possible so my adoptive parents wouldn't hear, but I couldn't fool Thunderlight; he would come to me, knowing something was wrong, lick me, and rest his head on my lap gently. I would fall asleep with my hand on his back most of the times.

When we were captured by the pirates, I was scared. Really scared. Thunderlight would nudge my hand and my shoulder even if he was more afraid than I was, which he was because they could eat at any moment. He would comfort me anyway, and would growl to the pirates every time they got near me...Maybe even throw a few bites around, but not fire. Never fire. The whole place could burn to the ground if he did that.

My thoughts were interrupted by Astrid coming over me.

"Hi, Lex-" she stopped in his tracks "Hey, is something wrong?" I sniffed and put on my best smile. I couldn't let anyone know about my fight with Hiccup. Things would get only worse.