30. Coming Back Around

Mirabel wasn’t there when they sat down for breakfast this morning.

She didn’t wake everyone up. She didn’t set the table.

She hasn’t left her room since the night before.

They didn’t blame her, the poor girl was devastated.

That night, everyone was at Casita. Eagerly awaiting Mirabel’s triumphant return. Soon enough, they heard the front doors open. Everyone rushed to the courtyard, ready to celebrate the girl’s new relationship.

They were quite shocked to find her in tears.

All smiles fell, immediately.

“Mija…are you alright?” Julieta quietly asked her daughter, voice dripping with concern. She reached out to her…

Only for Mirabel to storm off. Pushing through the crowd, stomping her way up the stairs, entering her bedroom and slamming her door shut.

They all stood there in silence, looking at her door. Confusion and worry on all their faces.

After a while, Isabela spoke. “…I don’t know what he did, but I’m gonna kill him.”

Each and every one of them had tried to talk to Mirabel that night, but her door remained closed. They tried talking through her door, but they didn’t get any response. All they could hear were muffled sniffles.

Eventually they decided to just let the girl sleep, and try to help her through this in the morning. They all retired to their own bedrooms, to have restless nights and troubled dreams.

Morning came. They all awoke at sporadic times, as the one they relied on to get them up each day…wasn’t doing too great.

And now, they were at the table. One figure being sorely missed.

Pepa fumed in her seat, a dark thundercloud over her head. “I just…don’t…GET IT! That boy was crazy about her, you could see it in his eyes! What happened!?” She exclaimed.

“We’d know if she’d just talk to us…” Luisa sighed. Her mother placed a soft hand on her arm.

“She’s very upset right now, we need to give her time.”  Isabela glowered, sinking into her chair.

“What we need to do is find that little jerk, and snap him in half like the twig he is!” She seethed.

“No.” Augustin interjected. “We have to be here for Mirabel!” That took the fight out of Isabela, and she grumbled despondently.

Bruno attempted to look on the bright side. “I-I mean, I’m sure there’s gotta be a logical explanation for this!...R-Right?” He didn’t look very sure of himself.

Little Antonio looked heartbroken, his head resting in his arms on the table. “…Why is Hiccup being mean to Mirabel?” He whimpered.

No one had an answer to the child’s question, so no one spoke.

They all sat in the dining room, engulfed in the gloomy atmosphere, picking at their food. Occasionally glancing to the empty chair, and its untouched plate.

Until Dolores perked up.

“Mirabel’s coming!” She gasped. Everyone’s eyes snapped to her, and then to the bespectacled girl sulking her way into the dining room.

She’d seen better days. Her eyes were red, and carried dark bags. Her cheeks were lined with dried tears, and her hair was frazzled. She stumbled in with slow, drawn-out steps. As if her body was too heavy to pull along.

All eyes were on her as she trudged to her chair, head held low. She slumped into her seat, and muttered the first words they’d heard from her since she returned. “…Sorry I’m late…”

Every heart went out to the girl, as they tried to comfort her. “No, no, it’s alright!” Julieta reassured, reaching over and placing a loving hand on her shoulder.

“So, you gonna tell us what got you so pissed or…” Camilo managed the dodge the slap coming from his sister, this time.

“She doesn’t have to say anything if she doesn’t want to.” Alma declared, before sending a worried glance to her granddaughter. “…But…we all want to help you, Mirabel.” She was joined by utterances of unanimous agreement.

Mirabel glanced around the table. Her entire family, beside themselves with concern for her. Just a few months ago, she’d think such a thing would be impossible.

Despite her dour mood, she managed a small smile.

“Okay, guys…here’s what happened…”

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

Toothless was not a happy dragon.

Now he was the one pacing in circles in their bedroom, mumbling and grumbling about just how stupid his friend was being.

Why did humans have to be so complicated when it came to choosing mates? With dragons it was simple!

Find a nice-looking dragon, do a funny little dance, and there. You’re mated.

But not with humans. Oh no, humans have to spend prolonged periods of time just making googly eyes at each other. Dropping cryptic hints, then denying you ever made those hints. Freaking themselves out over whether the other person likes them, when you could just ask them.

And in his particularly idiotic human’s case: Pretending you don’t like the girl you’ve fallen for, when she confesses her similar feelings to you.

What was wrong with him? Here was exactly what he wanted, delivered straight to his door. And he denied it. Why?

Is this some kind of Viking thing? Rejecting the advances of someone you’re in love with, just to be stubborn?

No…this couldn’t be a Viking thing. Because if it was, Hiccup wouldn’t be doing it. He’s the antithesis to all things Viking. That’s kinda what his problem was back on Berk…

…Berk…

…

Oh you’ve got to be kidding me…

Toothless released a groan as he realized just what the problem may be.

Those Vikings. Those morons convinced the poor guy that he was useless.

Now, here he was. In a new town, filled with people who like and respect him. With a whole family of people who considered him a friend…except for maybe the one who smelled like flowers…

And a girl who was as nuts about him, as he was nuts about her.

But he still didn’t think he was worth anything.

Hundreds of miles away, and those Vikings were still finding ways to hurt him. Toothless swore he’d fire at the next person he caught wearing a horned helmet.

The Night Fury knew what had to be done.

Hiccup wasn’t unreasonable, just a little bit…scarred.

But scars faded. With some time, and support from the people who cared about him, his time with the Hooligan Tribe will be nothing but a distant memory.

But if he kept acting like a jackass, there wouldn’t be anyone who cared about him.

The Night Fury bounded out of the bedroom, past a startled Ignacio, out of the forge and into town.

He ran past his gaggle of children. Sorry, kids. No time to play today.

He dodged villagers, and wagons, and market stands, and donkeys. He kept heading straight for the house on the hill.

He needed her.

He needed her help.

And he needed to save their friendship.

…And perhaps kickstart their relationship. They were awfully cute together.

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

“So yeah…that’s what happened.” Mirabel finished her recounting of the previous night’s events with a sigh. “He just…flew off into the night.”

Isabela looked ready to commit a crime. “How could he just blow you off like that!? What a little shi- “

“Language, Isabela.” Alma warned. “But yes, it is quite unfortunate…”

“I-I don’t get it, that doesn’t sound like Hiccup at all!” Bruno stated, confused. “I mean, I’m not the Hiccup aficionado or anything, but it doesn’t seem like something he’d do!”

“You make a good point…” Augustin mused.

Pepa glowered at her brother and brother-in-law. “Just because it doesn’t sound like something he would do, doesn’t change the fact that he did it!” She snapped, her cloud thundering with her anger.

“I say we put him in a box, and put that box in a bigger box, and bury him in a hole!” Camilo proposed.

Dolores gave him a look. “Milo, he’d starve to death. That’s murder.”

“Your point being?” Camilo responded. Isabela grinned, she liked the sound of that.

Luisa glanced down to her younger sister, looking like she was on the verge of tears herself. “My precious baby sister…suffering her first heartbreak!”

As Mirabel began to look even more sullen, her mother called for her attention. “Mirabel, we’re here for you. All of us. Whatever you need, you just tell us.” Mirabel didn’t look any happier.

“I just…I just want to know why. I thought he liked me…”

Unfortunately, no one here had the answer to that.

Julieta looked like she was about to say something else, but before she could-

They all heard a familiar screech from outside.

Mirabel gasped, and quickly stood from her seat. Is that…

Without a second thought, she ran towards the courtyard. After a moment of stunned silence, the other Madrigals made to follow her.

“That better not be who I think it is…” Isabela threatened. “Because if it is, he’s leaving this house without a leg!”

Mirabel rushed to the front doors, and heard what sounded like scratching from the other side. Occasionally there would be a thumping or a pounding from outside, accompanied by another screech, but Casita held the doors closed tight.

Something was trying to get in, and Casita was shutting it out.

Mirabel knew who it was.

“Casita, please! Let him in!” She pleaded. The house relented, and opened its doors.

As soon as he had an opening, Toothless leaped into the house. Slightly panting from the effort.

He was alone.

“Huh, just the dragon…” Camilo pointed out. “I guess the geek lives…for now.”

Upon seeing Mirabel, Toothless lowered into an apologetic bow. Big green eyes begging for forgiveness.

The girl sighed, but smiled. “It’s okay, Toothless.” As soon as she said that, the Night Fury bounded forward. Nuzzling her with all his might. She returned his affection with some chin scratches.

The Madrigals were just happy to see her really smile again.

“Okay, okay!” She giggled, before a more serious look replaced her grin. “But…where’s Hiccup? What happened last night?”

At the mention of his rider, the dragon backed away from the girl. He looked to Antonio, and released an inquiring chuff. A clear request to translate.

As Antonio stepped forward, Toothless began making a multitude of croons and warbles.

“Um…” Antonio started. “He says that Hiccup is being an idiot right now.”

Isabela released a snicker. “I like this side of Toothless!”

Antonio continued translating. “He says…those stupid Vikings convinced Hiccup that he doesn’t deserve to be happy. He’s trying to push you away, because you make him happy.” There were a few gasps at this revelation, and a few somber looks.

Mirabel’s eyes were wide with shock, and she felt a pit in her stomach.

Here she was, thinking she was the problem. Maybe she wasn’t pretty enough for him. Or strong enough for him. Or special enough. That Dolores had heard wrong, he didn’t like her. And now that he knew she liked him in that way, he didn’t want to bother with her anymore.

But now that she knew, that he did like her in that way, and he was denying them a shot at being happy together? Because of his own village’s treatment of him?

It boiled her blood.

“They crushed his spirit so much…he doesn’t think he’s worthy of happiness?” She thought.

Her hands at her sides clenched into fists.

Her shocked expression turned into a firm frown.

And her eyes sparked with unwavering determination.

She knew what she had to do.

She would convince him that those horrible Vikings were wrong. He did deserve to be happy.

He would take this goddamn love and affection, even if she had to drag him into a hug kicking and screaming.

“We gotta smack some sense into him!” She proclaimed to Toothless, who released an energetic warble.

“He says…He couldn’t have said it better himself!” Antonio grinned.

The dragon turned around, and gestured to his back before warbling again. “He says he’ll take you to Hiccup! He left him on a mountain, he needed a time-out.”

As the family chuckled, Mirabel climbed aboard the dragon. Fitting her feet into the pedals, strapping herself in, and trying her best to adjust the tail-fin.

Julieta stepped forward, smiling. “Whatever happens, we’re here for you.” She pecked her daughter’s cheek, and stepped back to the crowd.

Mirabel turned back to the Madrigals, grinning widely. “See you guys later, I’ve gotta go pick up my idiot!” She declared.

She pat Toothless as her family cheered her on. “Alright! Let’s go, buddy!” At her urging, Toothless charged out of the house. The clinking tiles wishing the girl good luck.

As the dragon sprinted down the hill, he spread his wings. Mirabel held on tight, ready for the rapid ascent.  She’d seen Hiccup do this so many times, surely it couldn’t be too hard?

The dragon launched into the air-

And nearly plummeted straight back down.

Mirabel frantically adjusted the tail-fin, saving them from a painful collision. But now they were veering too far to the left.

She rapidly changed position, and then they were veering too far to the right.

Only after Toothless was knocked into a building, was she able to achieve a steady balance.

The Night Fury smacked her cheek with an ear-flap. “Ow! I’m sorry! I’ve never done this before!” Toothless grumbled in response.

Hiccup made it look so easy…

Climbing higher into the sky, they shifted into a glide as they approached the mountain range.

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

Twelve hours alone on a mountain really humbles you.

He was sitting, on that patch of green atop hundreds of feet of rock. Hiccup had been there all night. The cold air barely allowing him to sleep.

He soon understood that the tropical climate really was having an effect on him, because after a while he was shivering. Hiccup only shivered in the deepest of snowstorms, that’s what life on Berk does to you.

But he hasn’t been on Berk for months.

“So…why do I still let it affect me?” He thought.

Between the complete isolation, the lack of things to do, and not being able to sleep, Hiccup had done a lot of thinking while on that mountain.

And he realized he’d been an absolute idiot.

Mirabel was there, and she had feelings for him. Someone as wonderful as her, wanted to go out with him. And he rejected her.

And why? Because the disembodied voice of Snotlout told him to?

He couldn’t get down, he’d tried. It didn’t work out. And Toothless wasn’t coming back any time soon…if ever.

It was just him and his thoughts. And his thoughts told him that he was a moron.

He wished he could take it back, all of it. He wished he could go back and accept her offer. They’d probably be at a restaurant or something, enjoying their blossoming relationship.

But he made his bed, and now he had to lie in it.

She probably wouldn’t want anything to do with him, after that. He didn’t blame her. Her family probably hated him, he didn’t blame them either.

He’d have to leave the Encanto.  Toothless would stay, he was happy here. He could maybe find a way down the mountain, after about 25 years. Then…he’d have to find somewhere else to live.

He’d found a paradise, full of people who accepted him, and he botched it.

“Great job, Hiccup the Use- “

His self-deprecation was interrupted by a familiar screech.

He quickly stood, and began to turn around. “Toothless! I didn’t think you’d- “

That wasn’t Toothless.

Standing right in front of him, skirt blowing in the breeze, was Mirabel. And she didn’t look happy.

He struggled to find his words. “Y-You…You weren’t supposed to find me here…”

“I had some help.” She responded, and looked up. Hiccup followed her gaze, to see Toothless hovering above them.

He gawked at her.

Did she…jump? From that height?

…That’s awesome.

“Hiccup, we need to talk.” She began to advance on him, fists clenched. Initially, he considered backing away.

But…he hurt her. He deserved this.

He stood, still as a statue, and shut his eyes. Waiting for the girl to exact her payback.

His eyes popped back open when he felt her arms around him.

Glancing down, he saw her crushing him in a passionate embrace.

Hiccup was terribly confused.

She removed her head from his chest, and spoke. “Hiccup, I’m sorry!”

Hiccup was now insurmountably confused. She was sorry!?

She continued speaking. “I’m sorry those Vikings made you believe you were useless, but you have to realize that they’re wrong!” She gazed at him intensely, adoration sparkling in her eyes.

Her eyes suddenly grew harsher, and she pulled away from him. “And that doesn’t mean you can treat me like you did last night!” He trembled under her glare. “I was devastated, Hiccup! I thought you hated me!”

His eyes widened in terrified surprise. “Mirabel, no! I-I could never hate you!”

She didn’t relent. “Then don’t act like it. Just tell me what you’re feeling so I can help you!”

As he continued to cower from her gaze, something about her last sentence stuck out to him. “Wait…how’d you know it was an act?”

She pointed to the dragon stationed above them. “Antonio?” He asked, and she nodded.

He sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what I said to you last night, I don’t think I could live if I never saw you again.”

Her scowl was replaced with a look of shock, and a slight blush. “R-Really?”

He nodded, and stepped a bit closer. “Really. I…I want you with me. Always. No matter what.” He gave her the slightest hint of that lopsided smirk she loved so much, before it fell again. “I just…I let myself get convinced that you’d be better off without me. That I’d only drag you down. That you deserved better than…Hiccup the Useless…”

The bespectacled girl grimaced at the title she’d grown to despise. “Hiccup…how many times have I told you that you’re not a burden? That we all love having you here with us?”

“I-I know, I really do, but it’s…” His sentence started to petered out, but she wouldn’t let it fade away.

“It’s what?” she prodded, but he wouldn’t respond. “Hiccup, please!”

“It’s hard! It’s hard to take years and years of being neglected and beaten and just…let it go!” Mirabel was about to speak again, but she could tell he was going into a full rant. So she just let him go on.

“I try so hard to just live my life here, because I love it here! Everyone is nice to me, and they love Toothless, and the food is good, and your family’s awesome, and you’re awesome, and it’s great! But everyday I’m terrified that I’ll make a mistake, and everyone here will hate me. Everyday I’m reminded of the fact that my own people already hate me. And that gets to me! It gets to me so much that it starts to affect my actions!” He was huffing now, winded from his tirade. “…Like last night, for instance…”

He averted his eyes from hers. “…I’m sorry I’m so screwed up…”

“Don’t apologize. You’re not the only one.” He faced her again.

“I was neglected for ten years, don’t you think that would leave an effect on me?” She chuckled ruefully. “If someone doesn’t talk to me for more than an hour or two, I start to panic. I start thinking I’m being ignored again. It’s irrational, I know, but that’s how I feel…”

“The difference between you and me is, I talk about my problems. My whole family does, we don’t bottle our emotions up any more.” She moved even closer to him. “Can you promise me something?”

He shrugged, and she took it as a yes.

“The next time you feel like that, instead of going off on some self-destructive rampage, talk to me. Or my mom, or my dad, or Bruno, or Luisa, or any of the people who care about you.” She poked him in the chest. “Of which there are many! Okay?”

He nodded, and she could see the small smile on his face. It made her smile as well.

“Now how about we get off this mountain, huh? It’s freezing up here.” She turned to call for Toothless…

Only for Hiccup to grab her hand, and pull her into a tight hug. “You really are amazing…” He whispered into her shoulder.

From within his embrace, she allowed her stunned expression to melt into a content smile. “So are you…” She whispered back.

They pulled away, just a bit. Hiccup’s arms overtop hers. So they could look at one another.

Hiccup looked very awkward, but he still worked up the courage to say what he needed to say. “So what…what are we?”

Mirabel paused. She’d kind of forgotten about the whole mutual crush situation. “What do you want us to be?” She shrugged.

He looked thoughtful for a second. “I-I’m not entirely sure, I just know I want…you. With me.”

Deep Brown met Pine Green, as they both intently gazed at each other. One becoming lost in the other’s eyes.

Mirabel was blushing, Hiccup was sweating, Mirabel was fidgeting, Hiccup tried very hard to not focus on how nice she smelled…

Both hearts were beating as one.

Mirabel knew what she had to do. She felt it in her soul.

Mirabel moved her head forward, just a bit. Instinctively, Hiccup flinched his head back.

They both returned to their original positions, breathing heavily. No one saying anything, both of them just staring at each other.

Until finally…Mirabel closed her eyes.

She moved her head forwards, lips puckered, and surrendered her trust to him.

…

…And then she felt it.

His lips on hers.

And their hearts felt like they were about to explode.

It was brief, barely a second. But they were both left reeling from it.

They ogled each other, wide eyed, almost in disbelief.

And then Hiccup smiled that lopsided grin, and she couldn’t help but smile in return.

“Let’s leave it at that, and figure the rest out later.” She offered.

“F-Fine with me!” He agreed, still staggering from the kiss.

Hiccup was ripped from Mirabel’s embrace by a very excited dragon.

“Okay, yes! I’m back, bud! No more weirdness!” He shouted as Toothless covered him in saliva.

Mirabel snickered at the sight. “He’s just happy that you’re yourself again!”

Hiccup glared at her from underneath the dragon. “Go ahead, laugh it up. Let’s see how you feel when you’re the one cleaning dragon spit out of your clothes…”

As disgruntled as he looked though, he soon started laughing too.

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

“Thanks to my…troubled past, I have some emotional issues that sometimes lead to unfortunate reactions. I’m really sorry for the trouble I’ve caused, it won’t happen again.”

As the Madrigals listened to the boy’s apology, with Mirabel vouching, a sense of relief washed over them. It’d be a shame if such a nice boy turned out to be a total jerk.

Alma stepped forward, wearing a kindly smile. “It’s quite alright, Hiccup. I think we all have some problems we need to work through.” The family behind her shared similar thoughts.

Hiccup smiled, despite the blood rushing to his head. “Th-That’s really great to hear…Can I come down now?” He asked meekly, as he was constricted and held upside-down by Isabela’s massive vine.

“I don’t know, can you?” Isabela asked, feigning innocence. But once Mirabel starting glowering at her, she knew her fun was over. “Fine…” She sighed, dropping the boy unceremoniously.

Casita tried to move a chair to catch the boy, but it was too late. “It’s the thought that counts…” He mumbled, as he laid there face down on the floor. He looked up to see a hand being offered to him, one he gladly took.

Mirabel helped him up, and kept his hand in hers. The two shared wide smiles as they gazed into each other’s eyes…

Until they heard all the snickering.

Right, eleven other people in the house…

They quickly separated, both with embarrassed blushes, as Julieta approached them. A teasing grin on her face.

“Don’t worry, you two. I’ll keep them from bothering you!” They both gave her a grateful look, before she swept both of them into a hug. “And…congratulations!”

As Julieta walked back, a shriek from outside alerted Hiccup that it was time to go home. Mostly because Toothless was hungry. “That’s my ride.” He dryly quipped.

Mirabel nodded her understanding. “See you tomorrow?” She asked, hopefully.

Once more, he graced her with that lopsided grin. “Of course. I’m not going anywhere.”

With that, he began to leave. Already wondering just what craziness his next day in the Encanto would bring.

…

…But not before Mirabel could give him a peck on the cheek.