26. A Surprising Party

Three Months.

The crash landing, meeting Mirabel and her family, the fall of Casita, the rebuilding, deciding to stay…It had all started three months ago.

Hiccup had even turned sixteen in the Encanto.

As the days passed, Hiccup aged one more year. He didn’t make a big deal about it, he never even mention it. He hadn’t celebrated his own birthday in years, it barely registered to him that he was older.

Besides, he was busy.

For the last week he’d been up late, in the forge. Working himself to the bone on a new project.

Mirabel’s birthday was tomorrow, and he was gonna give her the best gift he could possibly create. To show his appreciation for all she’d done for him these last few months.

He’d spent hours carving the wood. Days working on the mechanisms. He’d lie awake in his bed writing the tune.

It was almost complete. Just a few finishing touches, and it’d be ready to give to Mirabel.

Unfortunately, he had to put that on hold. It was time for bed.

He didn’t want to be yawning through Luisa’s book club.

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

“Look, all I’m saying is that Maria is too good for Hector!”

Hiccup stood firm, despite the shocked looks he was now getting.

It was the next morning. He was sat in Luisa’s room, which was interesting in its dichotomy. Half of it was themed with rocks and crag, and filled with workout equipment. The other half was populated by cuddly plush donkeys, and brightly colored blankets on a silky-smooth bed. A place to work, and a place for relaxation.

Hiccup was situated on a fluffy pink pillow laid down on the floor. In front of him were Mirabel, Luisa, and Bruno. All discussing a book they’d read.

Hiccup couldn’t read it, so he just had the plot described to him.

“But Hiccup, it was true love!” Luisa cried, as Bruno frenetically nodded his agreement.

Hiccup didn’t relent. “All Hector did was hurt Maria! When she confessed to him, he jumped off a cliff! While she was depressed because she thought he died in the war, he was actually off making out with her sister! Only when she finally decided to move on with Alejandro, does Hector show up and start acting all sweet…” He crossed his arms, huffing with disdain for the fictional character. “He’s a total jerk!”

He felt a hand on his head, and looked to see Mirabel ruffling his hair with a smug expression.

He had to struggle to keep the blush off his freckled face.

“Dear, sweet, Hiccup…” She playfully chided. “Young Hiccup, so naïve to the ways of love. Because you’re so young.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What’s this about?”

Luisa and Bruno shared giggles. “She’s excited because she’s older than you now!” Luisa snickered.

His raised brow furrowed. “What? No she’s not!”

Mirabel’s smugness only increased. “Yes I am! As of today I am sixteen, and you are still fifteen!”

Hiccup rolled his eyes in response. “I’m sixteen too…” Mirabel gave him a disbelieving scoff.

“Since when?” She asked.

“Since last week. It was my birthday, so there!” He grew a smug look of his own. But the look fell when he saw the surprised expressions of his fellow book club members.

“IT WAS YOUR BIRTHDAY!?” They all cried at once.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Demanded Mirabel.

Hiccup could only shrug. “I dunno, I-I just…No one’s cared about my birthday for years. I just didn’t think it mattered…”

His eyes were fixed firmly at the ground, so he didn’t catch the range of expressions his clubmates were giving. He didn’t see Luisa’s sadness, Bruno’s understanding…

Or Mirabel’s unwavering determination.

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

Hiccup only had an hour before the party.

He was back in the forge, hard at work on finishing Mirabel’s gift. He wanted to hurry, but he didn’t want to rush it. Art takes time.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have a lot of time left.

“I knew I shouldn’t have taken all those kids flying…” He thought. Dragon flights had become quite the popular activity for children in the Encanto. And some adults as well.

As he was carving intricate, four-pronged patterns into his creation, he heard clomping footsteps descend the stairs. Hiccup scrambled to hide his gift, as Ignacio entered the bottom floor.

That blacksmith could not see what he was making. That man was a total blabbermouth.

“Hey, kid! What ’cha up to?” He greeted jovially. Hiccup tried to play it cool, but Hiccup and Cool don’t really go together.

“Eh, y’know just…chilling.” He leaned on the desk, his creation hidden just behind the arm he was using to prop up his head.

The man wore a mocking smirk. “Hiccup, in all the time I’ve known you I don’t think I’ve ever seen you chill.”  

In response, Hiccup leaned deeper into the desk. While flashing what he thought to be a laid-back grin. “First time for everything!” He shrugged.

Ignacio rolled his eyes, and muttered. “Whatever you say, kid…” And made his way out of the forge. As soon as he was gone, Hiccup let himself really relax. And he breathed a relieved sigh.

That was a close one…

Thankful his secret wouldn’t be exposed to everyone in town, he got back to work. Finishing the paint on one of his carvings.

He was very careful to emphasize the sparkle in those deep brown eyes, no matter how small or wooden they may be.

For a moment, he contemplated just why he was so drawn to her eyes. The shimmer they’d display when she was happy, the spark that’d flare in them when she set her mind on something, the adoration that’d flow through them when she glanced at someone she loved.

“I wish she’d look at me like that…”

He shook his head, shocked at the stray thought that had entered his mind. That was weird…

He tried to refocus on his work, he didn’t have much time to waste, after all.

But he was still thinking about those eyes…

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

Hiccup and Toothless were flying towards Casita, just before noon.

Sure, it wasn’t a long walk to Casita. But after a month of being grounded, Toothless would take any opportunity to fly.

They landed on the breezy hill, his ruana flapping in the wind, and as Hiccup dismounted he did one last check on his gift.

The carving looked good, the figures were all accurate, the gears were functional, it didn’t sound like a dying Yak…

All was well.

Hiccup tucked his present under his arm. The two arrived to Casita’s front door, and the boy was a bit surprised it didn’t play a welcoming tune like he was used to. The windows didn’t wave him in, either.

Instead, the front doors slowly creaked open. The interior of the house appeared dark, and ominous. He could hear whispers coming from inside.

He hesitated, as Toothless rumbled warily. Something didn’t feel right here…

But he trusted Casita at this point. And he wouldn’t miss Mirabel’s party for anything.

Swallowing his fears, he nervously strolled through the front doors with Toothless at his side. Both flinching as the doors slammed behind them.

They tentatively stepped into Casita’s courtyard, and gaped at what they saw.

A massive wall of black flowers, as tall and wide as the building itself, towered above them. No wonder they couldn’t see anything.

Isabela was behind this, she had to be. But why? What was it for? Maybe it-

Before Hiccup could ponder the flower wall any further, it parted. Splitting apart like two colossal curtains. The flowers dissipating into nothingness.

And from behind the curtain, rang a chorus of voices. All shouting as one.

“SURPRISE!!!”

Hiccup could only stare, wide eyed. Toothless jumped a good foot in the air.

There stood Mirabel, as well as every other Madrigal. There was also Mariano, Valentina, and Ignacio. All standing together with big smiles, in front of a small table with a delectable looking chocolate cake on it.

Behind the flowers, the courtyard was filled with festive decorations, making the already colorful building seem even more colorful.

“Uh…” The scrawny teen started. “Isn’t she the one we’re supposed to say that to?” He pointed to Mirabel, before realizing something else. “Wait a minute-She knew about the party! It wasn’t a surprise! What’s this for?”

Mirabel giggled. He could be so clueless sometimes…

“It’s for you, Hiccup!” She had to giggle again as his nose scrunched with confusion. “This is your birthday party, too!”

This did nothing to quell his confusion. “My birthday was last week…”

“Yeah, and you didn’t tell us! Now we gotta make up for it!” That was Ignacio, shouting.

“It was Mirabel’s idea. I disagreed, heavily, but it’s her birthday. Gotta give her what she wants…”  Isabela sighed.

Mirabel was gazing at him with those eyes again. “This is a day to celebrate you. How happy we are that you’re here, with us. I’m not gonna miss it.” She shrugged. “Besides, our birthdays are like a week apart. It’s not a big deal. We can share a party!”

Hiccup took a moment to really consider what was happening here. They were throwing a party for him, Mirabel sacrificed her spotlight for him. These people wanted to celebrate him.

He felt a small smile growing, as he realized just how lucky he had gotten to wind up here.

“Is he gonna start crying again?”

He released a dry snicker at Camilo’s quip, which earned the boy a small slap from his mother.

“I will start crying if I don’t get some of that cake!” Hiccup declared. There was some laughter, and cheering.

Somebody started up some music, and everyone began to dance or chat or grab some food.

The party had begun.

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

Hiccup would kill a man for Julieta Madrigal.

This chocolate cake was immaculate. Perfect amount of fluffiness, sugary sweet but not too sugary sweet, rich chocolate that melted on your tongue…

Hiccup would end lives for Julieta Madrigal. Without hesitation.

The party was in full swing.

Pepa and Felix were tearing up the dance floor.

Bruno was helping Valentina reenact one of her fight scenes, with an overly dramatic twist.

Dolores and Mariano were muttering sweet nothings to each other in a corner.

Antonio was introducing Toothless to his Jaguar. The two creatures seemed to reach a mutual understanding.

“I don’t like you, and you don’t like me.”

“Nope.”

“But we’d both kill anyone who messes with that fluffy kid, right?”

“Yup.”

Hiccup and Camilo were locked in a silent competition for who could eat the most cake, a competition that had to be called off when Julieta found that two-thirds of the cake was gone and no one else had eaten any.

That’s when Hiccup cried.

Eventually, it was time for gifts. Hiccup received a lot of apologies, the decision to split Mirabel’s party with him was a very short notice one. They didn’t have time to get him anything. It really didn’t bother him, but he wanted to be mischievous.

He said he’d forgive them if he got one more piece of cake.

As Mirabel opened the first of her presents, Hiccup smugly munched on his piece of chocolatey goodness. All while Camilo glowered at him.

Mirabel got a lot of nice gifts. New threads for her embroidery, a lovely new dress, a book on foreign countries (She’d suddenly developed an interest in Norway and its surrounding areas), the list goes on.

Hiccup was starting to get worried. After all the amazing things she’d gotten, would she like the silly little trinket he’d made her?

He supposed he was about to find out, as it was his turn.

“I uh…spent a lot of time on this…not saying you have to like it! I just…Here you go.” After that clumsy introduction, he hander her his box.

She unwrapped her present, eyes sparkling with intrigue. She opened the box, and removed her gift.

It was a small, wooden box. Beautiful engravings of butterflies were carved all around it, and on its side was a metal crank.

“Oh wow, a box…” Snarked Camilo.

“It’s a music box, Milo!” Corrected Dolores.

Upon hearing the words music box, Mirabel quickly glanced up to Hiccup for confirmation. All he did was gesture to the trinket in her hand, and softly say, “Open it…”

So she did. She opened the music box, and gasped at what was inside.

There were wooden figures of her, and her entire family. All hand crafted, with even the most minor of details implemented. The interior of the box was painted to resemble Casita, with its wide assortment of colors. And once the box was open, a soft and gentle tune of Hiccup’s own composition played.

She gazed at the box with wonder, and spoke without looking up. “You…made this?”

He nodded, before realizing she couldn’t see him. “Yeah, I did…”

He saw her body twitch, ever so slightly, and he knew what was coming. He planted his feet to avoid being toppled over as he was swept up in a hug by the bespectacled girl.

As he heard the awws coming from the other party guests, he didn’t even try to hide his blush.

“I LOVE IT!” She cheerfully declared, hugging him even tighter.

“Glad to hear that…Now please stop suffocating me…” He wheezed from within her grip.

“Oh, hold on!” He gasped for breath as she finally released him. “Let me get your gift!”

That made Hiccup pause. “Wait, my gift? I thought you guys didn’t get me anything?”

She smiled brightly as she retrieved a box of her own. “We didn’t get you anything for your birthday, but I got you this earlier! I just figured now was a good time to give it to you!” She handed the box to Hiccup as she continued talking. “I know you said you wanted some decoration for your room, so…”

Wordlessly, he opened his present.

It was a portrait, remarkably similar to the Madrigal mural. With a few differences. Bruno was smiling, Isabela was growing more than flowers, and her wardrobe change was depicted as well. Augustin, Felix, Mariano, Ignacio, and Valentina were included…

And so was Hiccup.

Standing next to Mirabel, with Toothless at his side, was Hiccup. Grinning that lopsided grin.

“It’s all your friends! I think it’d took nice on your wall…” She began to fiddle with her hands. “Do you like it?”

He met her gaze with a bright smile, and as he was about to thank her profusely-

“He’s totally gonna cry!”

“Shut up, Camilo!”

At Hiccup’s shout, the whole party started laughing. Even Camilo himself.

The scrawny teen looked back to his laughing friend. He noticed the face she snorted when she giggled, how her cheeks turned red when she laughed to hard, how her hair bounced in time with her movements…

Wait.

Why was he noticing these things?

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

Augustin was playing a lively tune on his piano, and Mirabel decided to join in with her accordion.

He watched them play, and was shocked to see that she was pretty good with that thing!

She danced and spun and twirled, while never missing a note on that strange, squeezy contraption. Hiccup was happy just watching her enjoy herself.

As the song was wrapping up, she did one last spin. Her hair and her skirt whirling from the momentum.

And suddenly, time stopped.

Everyone froze, and everything around Hiccup seemed to become darker.

Except for Mirabel.

He was seeing her more clearly than ever before.

All at once, he saw all that she’d done for him. Every time she’d helped him, while asking for nothing in return. Every time she made him feel welcome, accepted, wanted.

All the times they’d eaten together, laughed together, those few moments where they saved each other from certain doom. And the delightful time they’d spent as friends for these last few months.

He remembered how it felt whenever she hugged him, whenever she held his hand.

He saw the light illuminate her beautiful features. Her flowing cascade of dark curly hair. Her wide smile that melted his heart every time he saw it, and those eyes.

Those eyes.

Those miraculous, wonderful, incomprehensibly deep brown eyes.

That, despite fourteen other people being in the room right now…

Seemed to be looking only at him.

And it clicked.

Hiccup’s eyes widened as it finally clicked.

Hiccup felt his heartrate increase and the sweat start to pour in as it finally clicked.

Hiccup could only think one thing as it finally clicked.

“Oh No…”

“Oh No Oh Gods Oh Jeez Oh No Oh Gosh Oh Gods Oh Jeez Oh Gods Oh No Oh Jeez Oh Gosh Oh Gods Oh No- “

Despite his frantic internal monologue, one realization reigned supreme above all his other thoughts.

An immense rush of emotion he could no longer ignore.

He…

had a crush…

On Mirabel.

…

“…Odin help me…”