15. Lunchtime for Heroes

Hiccup was starving.

He was also tired, incredibly so, but eventually his hunger won out. And he knew he had to get up.

After the hectic events of the last few days, Hiccup was forced to go back to the smithy and rest.

He had insisted he’d stay, to help with the salvaging, or begin preparations on the rebuilding. Anything he could assist with. But after Mirabel learned of how he’d forsook his own wellbeing just to ensure hers, she absolutely refused to let him do anything else. She dragged him back to the forge, shoved him into the guest room, and demanded he go to sleep. She ordered Toothless not to let him out unless he had to use the restroom, a command the dragon took quite seriously.

It was a weird feeling, being grounded by your friends.

Despite his protests, as soon as he hit the bed he was out like a light. He slept the entire day away, and it was now late evening. The sunset coating the sky a myriad of colors.

And now he was lying awake in his bed, too tired to move but too hungry to stay as he was.

As he mentally debated the pros and cons of acquiring food vs sleeping for three more weeks, he heard a creaking noise.

Lethargically, he turned his head to see the door open. Toothless entered the room, and gestured outside with a flick of his head. “Oh really? You’re freeing me from my eternal imprisonment?” Quipped the tired boy as he stumbled out of bed.

Guided by the dragon, he stepped down the stairs to the forge, wondering just what his companion wanted him to see. He found Mirabel waiting for him downstairs, a basket in her hand. She flashed him a kindly smile. “Hiccup! How’re you feeling?” He rubbed his neck while returning her smile with his own, lopsided grin. “I’m doing as good as I can while the warden- “He pointed to Toothless. “-has me on lockdown.” She chuckled at his joke, but then grew a very strict look. “That was for your own good. You needed to sleep, we can’t have you passing out again! Comprende?”

Her jubilant energy returned as she held up her basket. “You also need food, which is why I brought this!” One sniff of the delectable aroma and Hiccup’s stomach was doing flips. He hadn’t eaten in days, and he had to stop himself from drooling on the spot.

It was Julieta’s cooking, it had to be. Nothing else smelled that good.

Smirking at the boy’s entranced gaze, she waved for him to follow. “Come on, we’ll have lunch together! I know this great spot! I’ll tell you what happened after you left.” Hiccup followed her, in a daze. Virtually floating to the scent of the food.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As they walked through town, the two were stopped by multiple villagers.

Mirabel was constantly being asked how she was holding up, if she needed anything, and being offered various goods. It was all very kind, but when you’re trying to get somewhere it can be quite annoying.

Hiccup on the other hand was being showered in praise, to his great surprise. The people constantly thanked him for his heroics yesterday, both with the plant situation and the earthquakes. The boy truly didn’t think of it as saving the day, he was simply trying to help out. He shook hands, was hugged, and even offered a baby to kiss. He politely declined.

As Mirabel was busy dealing with some overbearingly charitable townsfolk, he internally groaned as his favorite person, Osvaldo Ortiz, approached. Grin wide as always. The boy prepared himself for another barrage of cheerful mockery, but was surprised to find that wasn’t the case.

“Hey, Hiccup! Everyone’s talking about you, man! You and that dragon saved the town from not one, but two disasters! Get this: They’re calling you Hiccup the Hero!” Hiccup didn’t hear anything Osvaldo said after that. As the man sauntered off, the boy stood shocked from his words. Sleep-addled mind still not quite registering what he’d been told.

Hiccup the Hero?

Titles were very important to Vikings, and you usually didn’t get one until you were fully grown. When you’ve made a name for yourself. But Hiccup was different, he got a title at the age of nine.

The other kids his age were already shaping of to be ruthless dragon killers. Throwing small axes at Terrible Terrors, and trying to stomp on Fireworms. While Hiccup could barely brandish a butter knife. After his first big failure, when his first attempt to down a dragon literally went up in flames, he was given his title. Hiccup the Useless.

The cruel name was spat at him whenever he screwed up, which happened a lot, and eventually it worked its way into his brain. These days it was nearly impossible for him to perceive himself as anything but useless.

But these people, the people of the Encanto, saw him as a hero. And for what, just lending a hand where he could? He didn’t understand, he couldn’t. He couldn’t be anything but an amusing nuisance at best, and a walking disaster at worst. That was just how it was.

A hand on his arm refocused his attention. Mirabel was looking at him, concerned. She asked him something, but he didn’t hear her. He must’ve spaced out.

He was too hungry for these existential quandaries.

He reassured the bespectacled girl that he was okay, and while she didn’t look convinced, she nodded. She grabbed onto his wrist, though. Apparently not trusting him to walk on his own. And led him to her perfect picnic spot.

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Hiccup had to give it to Mirabel. She was right, this place is great.

They sat in a forest’s clearing, picnic blanket placed at the edge of an expansive river. The water glistening with the setting sun. The soothing sounds of nature could be heard all over, and butterflies laxly flittered about the area.

The duo sat on the blanket, and Mirabel retrieved their lunch from her basket. Another new food for Hiccup, something called a chicken empanada.

…

Yeah, this one might just be his new favorite. Gods bless Julieta Madrigal.

His companion giggled, clearly seeing the emotion on his face.

Swallowing the first of many bites to come, Hiccup asked his question. “How are you…how’s everyone doing with all this?”

The girl looked a bit forlorn. “It’s tough. We’ve never been separated like this. Losing Casita, losing the gifts…” a faint smile graced her features once more. “But we’re all okay, we’re still La Familia Madrigal! And we’re gonna be better to each other, too!” Hiccup nodded as he took some more bites, at least they weren’t feeling too down about the whole situation.

“So, what exactly happened yesterday?” At this she sighed, partly in amusement and partly in exasperation. “Where do I even start?...”

She told him everything. From the disastrous engagement dinner, to reuniting with her long-lost uncle inside the walls of Casita of all places. When she brought up her helping Isabela through her cactus induced journey of self-discovery, she was shocked to learn that what was a playful romp for them was a terrifying affair to the townsfolk. She thanked Hiccup for his assistance during the accidental crisis (something he still wasn’t comfortable with) and promised she and her older sister would apologize to the villagers soon.

He tried to tell her it wasn’t that big of a deal, as to not upset his friend, but he couldn’t deny that it left quite a few people shaken.

Continuing her story, she told him of her and Alma’s fight. A fight that quite literally split the Encanto apart. Hiccup was astonished to learn that this family and their interpersonal issues were the reason for such destruction, and made a mental note to try not to upset them.

Any of them.

Ever.

She told him how she had felt so guilty, so hopeless. She silently wandered off, hoping no one would find her. Leaving the Encanto for the first time in her life. She trudged her way to this very spot.

And cried. She cried the entire night. She cried until the sun rose. Letting a decade’s worth of emotions, feelings of worthlessness, failure, anger, sadness, flow through her tears.

Hiccup felt awful. He wanted to say something, do something, to comfort her. But she wasn’t done speaking.

“…And that’s when Abuela found me. We talked for a while, about a couple things. I learned why she was the way she was, why she held on so tight. Why she pushed them so hard, and pushed me away…she was scared.” Now that, Hiccup didn’t quite get. That didn’t sound like scared behavior, that sounded like jerk behavior. But he let her continue.

“She had already lost her husband, and her son. If we lost the magic, she’d lose everyone. Or at least, that’s what she thought.” That familiar spark he’d come to appreciate flashed in her eyes. “What she needed to realize, what we all needed to realize, was that our family was the gift. We are the miracle, and as long as we’re together…that’s all that matters!”

Hiccup grinned, brushing empanada crumbs off his ruana. “And you’re the one who showed them that, right?” She smirked while curling her finger around a strand of hair. “Well I don’t mean to brag, but…” “Oh no, you’re not getting away that easy! It’s clear to me that what they needed, what the Encanto needed was more of- “He gestured to all of her. “This!” She laughed his praise off, but he had one more thing to say.

“You know what? I was wrong.” She gazed at him, inquisitively. “I said we were both a couple of hiccups, but you? You’re anything but. You’re incredible!” She blushed, and grew an appreciative smile.

“I couldn’t have done it without you!” He tried to deny it, but she was insistent. “I mean it! You were a huge help in Bruno’s room!” Hiccup scowled as he remembered that awful place. “What was up with Bruno’s room, anyway?” the girl shrugged. “I have no idea! I asked Tio Bruno, and he said he didn’t remember it being like that!” Hiccup donned a deadpan look. “If it came down to having a gift and getting that room, or no gift at all, I’d take not having a gift.”

Mirabel erupted with laughter at his comment, and he joined in with his own snickers.

The two friends sat on that blanket and chatted the evening away, as the sun set on the river.