How to Deal With Amnesia

Chapter 13: Stoick's Arrival

"HICCUP!"

"Oh, man, it's... my dad! What did I do wrong, lately?"

"I don't think it was an angry well, it was more like a concerned yell... There's more distress undertone than when he's angry. Besides, we did send a Terrible Terror asking for Gothi to help you, so he's probably freaking out right now..." She said, grabbing his left hand and walking to the Club House entrance.

Both saw Stoick exiting Hiccup's hut in a hurry, searching for his son. Astrid waved to get their attention and as soon as Stoick saw them, he mounted Skullcrusher and they flew in their direction while Gothi followed the chief on a purple Gronckle. Hiccup's mouth dropped to the floor at the unusual sight. He leaned to Astrid and managed to whisper, "My dad is on a dragon!" right before the Rumblehorn landed on front of them.

Astrid tried not to laugh as she rested a hand on his shoulder.

"I know, Sweety."

"S-sweety?"

"I'm just kidding you, I don't actually call you like that." She rushed to respond as Stoick dismounted again and rushed to them. Gothi did the same, but slower.

"What happened?" Stoick asked, looking worriedly at his son. Used to being yelled at and doing things wrong, the surprised boy took a step back unconsciously. "We got a Terrible Terror asking for Gothi for an accident with you. Are you okay, son?"

"Hm... Well, yeah... I think I am."

"Sorry, Stoick, probably not Fishlegs's better choice of words... But the thing is we didn't really know the extend of the injury or what to say back then... But he's in one piece and physically fine."

"Well, that's a relief!" The chief said happily, not really realizing the hidden meaning behind Astrid's words, but she wanted to deliver the news delicately. Before she had the time to open her mouth to say anything else, Stoick joked. "So, how are my favorite son and future daughter-in-law?"

It took two seconds before the penny dropped and Hiccup widened in surprise, and to accompany his shattering question, Stoick bumped his massive hand on Hiccup's right shoulder in a tender way a few times. The boy, however, was so flabbergasted and unprepared to take the impact that he lost his balance, and as he leaned to his left side, he end up falling forward, after all, he still wasn't completely used to the prosthetic, even though he wasn't using Toothless as a crutch or even limping as much as he did when he first woke up.

Astrid was quick and grabbed he boy to help him back up. As soon as he was standing again, he gasped, looking at her with very wide eyes. It was the kind of gasp that if he were drinking something, he'd probably choke to death. His next question came with distress.

"We're engaged?!" Hiccup guessed they were dating, but he'd never guess they'd be this far in the relationship in only three years!

"No, Hiccup... He just likes to tease us since he found out we're dating, but that's actually recent."

"The teasing or the dating thing?"

"Both. No offence, but you're kinda slow, so it's probably gonna take a while before we get engaged..."

"What are you talking about?" Stoick asked, looking at Astrid and Hiccup, but was interrupted by Hookfang landing near them.

"Hi, Guys, is lunch ready? The twins are unbearably annoying when they're hungry..."

"Believe me, they're not the only ones..." Astrid said, crossing her arms and looking straight at Snotlout. Changing the subject, the black haired boy turned to Stoick.