Meet the Father

Jack fidgeted, shuffling in place. "Hic, are you sure this is a good idea? What if he does not like me?" 

Hiccup gave Jack a dry look, pulling on his hand to get him to walk up the driveway. "I told you what he said. He is cool with me dating you and just wants to meet you." Hiccup stopped pulling and looked Jack in the eyes, one hand reaching out to cup a pale cheek. "Besides, who could not like you?"

"Mr. Black. And all of our other teachers."  Hiccup rolled his eyes at the name of their English teacher. "Come on, Jack, you know he only dislikes you because you would not date his daughter."

"The girl talks to plants!" the white haired teen defended. "Plus, I do not swing that way." 

Hiccup batted green eyes in a mock swoon. "That is one of the many things I love about you, Jack."

Before Jack could make a snappy comeback, Hiccup pressed on. "And not all of our teachers hate you; Mr. North and Miss. Ania like you well enough."  

"Well, they are different." 

Instead of giving a reply, Hiccup just pressed a fast kiss to Jack's lips and pulled him along again.

Jack let out a very childlike whine but allowed himself to be pulled along anyways. 

As soon as Hiccup opened the door Stoick was there. 

Jack swallowed nervously at the sight of Hiccup's father; why did he not tell him that he looked like he could crush him like a grape? 

Stoick was huge, at least twice Jack's height with a broad frame to match. His hair and beard were a tangled mass of red hair, only the lightest tinge of gray shooting through it. Seeing the police chief now, Jack had no doubts about why Burgess was a practically crime-free city. 

Hiccup squeezed his hand, a silent reminder that he was there, and Jack felt a little more at ease.

Straightening his shoulders and standing a full height, he held out one slender pale hand with the grace that would have made colonial women swoon. 

"Hello Mr. Haddock. I am Jackson Frost."

Stoick narrowed his eyes at the boy's white haired, dyed that way out of spite for his parents no doubt, and took his hand, pumping once before letting go.  The boy had his ears pierced, a little black stud shining from each lobe.

"It is nice to meet you, Jackson." The response was tight and something in Stoick's eyes was far too familiar for Jack's taste. 

Jack put on a bright smile to hide the hurt of the instant serotype. 

An awkward silence filled the room and Hiccup coughed. "Shall we eat?"

The question seemed to snap Stoick out of his glare and he nodded. "Yes, yes of course."

As he led them to the small kitchen Jack reached out for Hiccup's hand again, clinging to his fingers tightly. Hiccup squeezed back and gave him a smile over his shoulder.

Once everyone was settled at the table, food already laid out on it, Stoick announced that it was time to eat and started to pass the plates of food around.

Jack helped himself to a little of everything and glanced at Hiccup who had a surprising amount of food in front of him.

His eyes were drawn to Hiccup’s father when the large man cleared his throat.

“So, Jackson, how did you and Hiccup meet?” The question was awkward at best and Jack could not help but wonder if the tenseness in the room would ever go away.

Jack shifted in his seat. “Oh, um, we met in school. We are in three of the same classes.” The white haired teen flashed his boyfriend a small smile before turning his eyes back to the eldest Haddock. “We did not really talk much until the end of last semester when our math teacher suggested the he tutor me.”

Stoick raised a thick brow. “So you are bad at math than?” There was no denying the patronizing tone used and Hiccup could practically feel his father’s judgment spiking.

Jack flushed, a deep red painting his pale cheeks, and he stammered. Why did he have to stutter when he got nervous?

“Um, n-no sir. As it turns out Hiccup is an amazing teacher so now I am almost top in the class, only behind Hiccup of course.”

“What do you do outside of school? Do you have a job?”

Jack brightened up at that. “Yes, Sir! I have two.” Jack was pleased to note the Stoick seemed surprised at that.

“I work nights at the Ice Rink, mostly concessions and the like but sometimes I get to help with the classes and drive the zamboni. On the weekends I work at The Warren Bakery.”

Stoick gave Jack a calculating look. What kind of home life did this boy have if he had to work two jobs? While Stoick was all for hard work and physical labor, that seemed a little much even to him.

“What about your parents? What do they do?”

Jack’s face became cloudy at that, something sad and pensive simmering in his eyes.

Stoick did not miss the way the boy huddled in on himself as if he had been struck nor did he miss the way his son reached out for Jack, one hand curling over his shoulder in a soothing manner.

“With all due respect, sir, I would rather not talk about hem right now.”

Stoick gave his son a questioning look but Hiccup just shook his head, mouthing I’ll explain later. Deciding that it was best to drop it for the moment, the oldest Haddock changed the subject.

                                                          **ooOoo**

“Bye Mr. Haddock, it was nice meeting you!” Jack called over his shoulder as Hiccup led him out of the house. 

Only when they had made it to Jack’s car, an old run down pick truck, did Hiccup speak.

“I-I am sorry he asked about your parents Jack, I know it is still a touchy subject for you.”

Jack just shook his head and pulled Hiccup in for a hug, a mumbled it is not your fault getting lost in the boy’s auburn hair.  

“I have to get home, Emma will be back soon,” Jack said in to his shoulder. Hiccup nodded and pulled back a little, pressing a light kiss to the edge of Jack mouth.

“Did you hear from the lawyer yet?”

 Jack sighed. “Not yet. Manny said that I have a good chance of getting granted custody, but we will not know for sure for a few more weeks.”

“I am very proud of you Jack. What you are doing, it is just incredible. Your parents would proud too.” Jack gave a teary smile. “Thank you, Hic.”

With one last hug and a lingering kiss, the two boys parted.

Hiccup stayed outside, snow crushed under his boots and caught in his hair until Jack’s taillights had faded from view.

With a heavy sigh he carded his hand through his hair and turned back to the house.

His father was in the living room when he got inside and he sat down across from him. The TV was on but Stoick was watching it with disinterested eyes. When he put it on mute, Hiccup knew his father wanted to talk and he had a fairly good idea what, or rather who, he wanted to talk about.

“Alright son, tell me about that boy. Why won’t he talk about his parents?”

Hiccup looked down. “They died, about two years ago. They were talking a family trip to Vermont and get hit in a bridge. The car went over the railing.” Stoick winced but Hiccup could tell he still wanted to know more. Sighing once again, he seemed to be doing that an awful lot lately, he continued.


“His parents died on impact. Jack saved his sister and managed to get them out of the car before it went under water, but went hypothermic shortly after. He said that the doctors do not know why, but before he was released from the hospital his hair turned white.” Stoick felt a twinge of guilt at that. Here he was assuming that his hair was dyed.

“They moved here when their grandpa Manny took them in.”

“Manny Tulsa? The old man who lives by the lake?”

“Yeah. Anyway, he’s going for custody, so he can look after Emma full time. He wants to save up enough to get a apartment so they can move out on their own.”

Okay, so that is why he had two jobs. Stoick could feel his respect for this kid going up by the minute. Just one more thing.

“His ears, they’re pierced. Why?” Hiccup smiled. ”That was for Emma. She wanted to get her ears pierced but then he took her to get it done she was scared. He got his done to show her that there was nothing to be afraid of.”

Stoick processed this new information before nodding. “He sounds like a responsible kid.”  

While responsible was not a word that one would be inclined to use when describing Jack, Hiccup could not have agreed more.

Standing from his chair, he let out a yawn.

“I’m gonna go to bed. Good night father.”

Stoick smiled at Hiccup and waved him away. “Goodnight, son.”

Hiccup trudged up the stairs, patting his leg for Toothless to fallow him, and fell on to his bed.