Face Value

Part 16

SIXTEEN:

Hiccup cringed back instinctively as the door to his hospital room slammed open and a bulky shape burst in, his fists clenched and his face twisted with hatred. He lurched forward, his thick surprisingly high-pitched voice thickened by a broad Berkian accent.

"YOU!" the man shouted hatefully. "I hope you're satisfied, boy! You've crippled my son!"

Hiccup felt the breath freeze in his throat, recognition flooding back. He hadn't seen the man for a number of years for he and his father had fallen out spectacularly when he was much younger-but he still recognised his Uncle Spitelout Jorgensen from old photos. Truth be told, he had always been scared of 'Uncle Spite' for the man made no secret of his feelings for the skinny boy he had been. Spitelout had been dismissive, cruel and snide about the boy he imagined measured up so much worse than his own fine son and those feelings of dislike and fear towards the man had never gone away. And for a second, he felt like he was that skinny, undergrown boy back home, with the grown man in his face sneering at how inadequate he was, what disappointment he must be for his parents. It was the last thing that he needed.

"Wh-what?" he mumbled as his father rose protectively, standing between his vulnerable son and the newcomer.

"Back off, Spitelout," Stoick said with forced calm. "Hiccup has been badly hurt."

"Who cares?" Spitelout sneered. "My son has been worse hurt by yours!"

"What are you taking about?" Stoick growled, squaring up to the man.

"Your son fell down the stairs and in a spiteful gesture, he made sure he pulled my Snotlout down with him," Spitelout yelled. Already shaking his head, Stoick turned to look at his son, reading the distress in Hiccup's bright green eyes.

"Hiccup?" he murmured.

"I-I didn't..." he murmured.

"Lies!" Spitelout accused him.

"But I thought you couldn't remember what happened," Stoick murmured as Hiccup's eyes widened with shock, Surely no one would believe such a thing of him? He swallowed in misery.

"I can't," he managed. "But I'm not spiteful and vicious or cruel..."

"You lost your leg and your career and you were determined to make sure my boyo lost his as well!" Spitelout accused him as Hiccup shook his head again.

"I can honestly say all I want out of Snotlout is for him to stay away from me as much as possible!" he protested.

"You weren't saying that when you entrapped him," Spitelout sneered as Stoick's brows shot up. The intruder gave a nasty chuckle. "He didn't tell you that, did he Stoick? That he and his nasty friends set a trap for my boyo and had him accused of bullying and beating up Hiccup. Not that it takes any effort..."

"How exactly did he entrap Snotlout" Stoick asked, angry at the implication.

"We set up cameras in the bathroom and watched as Snotlout and his friends followed Hiccup in, beat him up and threatened him, calling him worthless and useless," Astrid said from the doorway. "I don't think you can call it entrapment when there was no invitation or any action on our part apart from Hiccup wishing to use the bathroom and being separated from his friends!" Astrid's angry words rang through the room, her eyes blazing as she walked forward.

"And how do you know, Miss?" Spitelout sneered.

"Well, the whole thing was live streamed to Berkbook and the entire video-and lots of stills-are up on Berkbook for anyone to view," she spat back. "No one forced or tricked Snotlout into doing anything. It's as all his own impetus, to go and beat up another student."