Chapter XVI: Night Ride and Talk

John had returned from his trip with Slayer, Toothless, and Hiccup. Hiccup had left toothless in the same place as always and John always let the dragon free of him to fly and Slayer always stayed hidden and away from Berk and returned when John called him by the sound of a horn.

John returned home and entered quietly so as not to wake Astrid but it didn't work because she was waiting for him in the living room.

Astrid: " Where were you?"

John: " Taking Flight with Hiccup and my Dragon. I woke you up?"

Astrid: " No, I woke up and I didn't feel you next to me."

John: "Do you want to take a flight? It would be good to clear your mind."

Astrid: "Yes, of course, why not?"

John and Astrid went out into the forest and got on Slayer and flew into the sky.

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In the workshop where Hiccup was, he was lying on a table thinking about what to do, and on the table, there were many plans for his invention and Toothless's tail.

Hiccup was still thinking when his dad came through the door he could barely fit in.

Hiccup: "Dad…You're back… Gobber isn't here."

Hiccup said this while hiding the plans for Toothless's tail and other related things.

Stoick: "I know."

Stoick had to force his way in

Stoick: 'I have to tell Gobber to make the doors bigger.'

Stoick: "I came looking for you."

Hiccup:" You did?"

Stoick:" You have been keeping secrets."

Hiccup:" Ah...Uh…I…I have?"

Stoick:" Just tell me how long you think you can hide it from me."

Hiccup:" I…I…I don't know what your…"

Stoick:" Nothing happened on this island without me hearing about it."

Hiccup:" Oh"

Stoick:" So Let's talk about that dragon."

Blood drains from Hiccup's face.

Hiccup:" Oh gods… Dad, I'm so sorry. I was going to tell you. I just didn't know how to--"

Stoick starts laughing and Hiccup follows with a little laugh

Hiccup:" You're not...upset?"

Stoick:" What?! I was hoping for this!"

Hiccup:" Uh...you were?"

Stoick:" And believe me, it only gets better! Just wait til you spill a Nadder's guts for the first time."

Hiccup's elated expression sinks.

Stoick:" And mount your first Gronckle head on a spear. What a feeling!"

Stick laughs and smacks Hiccup on the shoulder, sending him into the wall.

Stoick:" You had me going there, son.

All those years of the worst Viking Berk has ever seen! Odin, it was rough. I almost gave up on you!"

Hiccup gets back up, grimacing in the irony of it all.

Stoick:" And all the while, you were holding out on me! Thor almighty!"

Stick grabs a stool and sits. His massive frame nearly fills the tiny room.

Stoick:" Ahhhhh. With you doing so well in the ring, we finally have something to talk about."

Hiccup averts his eyes nervously. Stick adjusts, awkwardly clearing his throat.

After a long, uncomfortable silence...

Stoick:" Oh, I... brought you something."

He presents a horned helmet.

Stoick:" To keep you safe in the ring."

Hiccup:" Wow. Thanks."

Hiccup accepts it, looking it over.

Stoick:" Your mother would've wanted you to have it. It's half of her breastplate."

Stick taps his helmet and smiles.

Stoick:" Matching set. Keeps her close, y'know?"

Hiccup eyes the mismatched helmets, grimacing.

Stoick:" Wear it proudly. You deserve it.

You've held up your end of the deal."

Stick beams with pride.

Hiccup squirms.

Hiccup forces a YAWN.

Hiccup:" I should get to bed."

Stoick and Hiccup:" Yes! Good! Okay. Good talk. See you back at the house. We should do this again. I'm Great. Thanks for stopping glad I stopped by, I hope you by. And for the... the uh, like the hat. breast hat."

Stoick:" Well..uh..good night."

Before stoick leaves, he stops

Stoick:" Do you know where John is?"

Hiccup:" I think in his house."

Stoick:" I was over there and he wasn't there neither was his girlfriend."

Hiccup:" Maybe night walk?"

Stoick:" Yeah maybe it's that…See you at home."

Stoick leaves the room awkwardly, leaving Hiccup looking more burdened than ever.

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John and Astrid were riding Slayer and had gone to another island looking at everything from above when they decided to return and when they were flying above Berk they looked down

Astrid:" It's beautiful."

John:" Yeah"

They followed and landed near Toothless, When they got off Slayer, he went to play with Toothless. John and Astrid continued on their way to the house talking when they ran into Stoick.

Stoick: "John was looking for you, he wanted to talk to you about hiccups."

John:" Yes, I'll talk to you in a moment. (To Astrid) Go home, it's late, I'll be there in a moment."

Astrid:" Okay but don't be late (To Stoick) good night Stoick."

Astrid left to the house

John: "So what is it about?"

Stoick: "I wanted to thank you for taking care of Hiccup."

John: "It's nothing."

Stoick: "Yes it's a lot, when Valka died nothing was the same, I got careless with him. You are like a brother to him and you know it."

John: "It's not too late, you just have to improve. You have to let the father's side come out more."

John YAWN and Stoick seeing this decide to end the conversation.

Stoick: "Well I have to go, in a few days it will be the final training, I am giving people time to rest. John, we know that you are better at hunting dragons why not give Hiccup his moment, don't you think?"

John:" Yeah sure."

Stoick:" Good Night."

John:" Good Night"

The two went their separate ways and each one went home.

John entered the house and went to sleep, he lay down next to Astrid who was already sleeping and she moved alone in her dreams and put her arms around John's neck.

John was thinking of something else to put his mind to this, John was thinking about what was going to happen in the next few days.