Focus
Summary: Written for AI-less Whumptober 2023 Day 28. Set in my Magic AU. A successful spell of any kind requires concentration, something Hiccup lacks. Unfortunately, when he finds his focus, it’s on the wrong thing entirely.
Warning: /
Rating: Teen and Up
Characters: Hiccup, Snotlout, Astrid, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Fishlegs, Viggo
Pairing: Slight Hiccstrid, Slight Vigcup
Words: 1 708
Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon
Prompt: Oxygen Deprivation, Sweating
Whumpee: Snotlout, Hiccup
Author’s Notes: Honestly love writing for this AU. And glad to add some Snotlout whump to this year's AI-less Whumptober!
Enjoy!
@ailesswhumptober
XOXOX
For as long as he’s been here, Viggo has been a mystery to Hiccup and he figures he always will be. One moment, the man has all the patience in the world for him and seeks to tutor him personally. The next, Hiccup is a stain on his existence. It’s a confusing dynamic that they have, one he doesn’t appear to have with anyone else in this castle.
“Take something and focus your magic for once in your life. Try the spinning top, maybe a child’s toy will finally help you grasp the basics!
Clearly, Viggo has never met an actual child before. But it is the reason why he had to go all the way down into the dungeon- now a place where artifacts and other nick-nacks are stored- to grab a child’s toy that hasn’t seen the light since the 1800s to practice his focus on. Because the key to a successful enchantment is focus, something Hiccup severely lacks. He blames the neurodivergency.
It’s lunchtime, but instead of taking a break, he’s taken the toy with him to the dining hall, where he sits at the table and, in every sense of the word, embarrasses himself in front of his newfound friend group.
“Oh, come on! Work with me here!” Hiccup moans in annoyance as he spins it only to watch it come to a slow stop, dashing whatever little hope he has. The point is to keep it spinning. Spinning, spinning, spinning, and spinning, for however long his concentration lasts. Endless motion.
Snotlout snickers. “This is just painful.”
Astrid kicks him underneath the table, he jumps and spills his soup. Ruffnut protests loudly when some of it splashes onto her pile of sandwiches.
“Maybe you’re not saying it correctly?” Fishlegs gently offers.
“Uh, Mr. Amazing over there? Mr. I’m-Awesome-At-Everything-I-Do? I thought he didn’t need to incant stuff?” Snotlout comes again as he uses his one napkin to clean it up. “No magic outside of class,” Viggo always says, but he’s pretty sure that rule only applies to him and the twins.
“Maybe you lack intent?” Astrid offers.
“I’m not sure what other intent besides “spin you stupid thing!” I can give it. I’m intenting the crap out of it! I’m going to be stuck at the basics forever,” Hiccup deflates.
Snotlout snickers again. “All the power in the world, still sucks.”
“Don’t you have soup to clean up?!” Astrid asks him, arms crossing.
“Uh, and who’s the reason I have soup to clean up?”
“Just go grab more napkins. Maybe it’s your unbelievably loud slurping that keeps distracting him,” she crosses her arms and Snotlout sends her a glare.
But it’s true. Partially. Hiccup can’t focus in the dining hall, but he couldn’t focus in the classroom either. There was this fly that kept buzzing around the room, coming close and then flying out of reach. His senses have always felt like they’re dialed up to 11, that’s just how his brain works, but it’s ten times worse when he’s trying to focus his magic on anything.
Hiccup brings his attention back on the top. Instead of spinning it beforehand, he lets it lie and tries to make it move that way. His fingers press against his temples, elbows on the table, as he glares at it as if it’ll help.
But the table doesn’t remain quiet, Snotlout gives him a glare and snickers before Astrid kicks him.
“Maybe it’s your nagging.”
“Maybe it’s your face!”
“Maybe it’s your face!”
“Maybe you should just shut up, Snotlout! As a matter of fact, stop breathing! Just stop breathing in my general direction so I can finally concentrate!” Hiccup snaps at only one arguing half. It’s true that Snotlout’s constant slurping was also throwing him off. He knows he was doing it on purpose, he likes to make things hard for him.
Hiccup focuses back on the top, willing it to spin, but still nothing happens. He doesn’t understand why. He can feel the magic in his veins thrilling, reacting to his command, so why won’t the top just do as he asks?
“Hey-” Astrid comes.
“Astrid, not now,” what if he just glares really hard? Maybe that will help.
“No, seriously, you need to stop.”
“And I need every noise in the world to stop.”
“H-man, look at what you’re doing!” Tuffnut comes, sitting directly across from Snotlout.
“No, look!” Fishlegs yells and Hiccup just barely avoids a soup bowl thrown at his head.
Now standing, he looks at Snotlout to find his hands around his throat in a struggle. He makes no sound as he’s not getting any air. He’s not even choking, he’s simply not breathing.
“Hey, come on, man! Stop!” Ruffnut yells at him, also rising to her feet.
“I-I-I’m- I’m not-”
“Yes, you are!” Astrid states as she stands and grabs Hiccup’s hands. “Come on, you can do this. Just break your hold on him.”
“What do you mean “just break my hold on him?” I have no idea how I’m even doing this!” Comes Hiccup’s panicked reply.
In a frenzy, Snotlout jumps up from his seat and slams a fist on the table. He looks like he’s trying to make his lungs work, but it’s as if they’ve forgotten how to. Others in the dining hall watch them, whispering.
“Come on, Snotlout, breathe. Just breathe,” Fishlegs comes over and throws an arm around him. Ruffnut stands on his other side while Tuffnut kneels in front.
“Just do what we do!” He says as he and his sister breathe in and out in an exaggerated manner.
“None of that will help! The spell needs to be broken!”
Hiccup looks at each of his friends, panic causing his heart to race. He can’t focus, he can’t break anything.
And there Astrid goes, out the door. Saying something about Viggo, she bolts as fast as her athletic legs can carry her.
“Come on, man! You’re the one doing this!” One knows they’ve messed up when even Tuffnut is seriously mad.
“I don’t know what I’m doing!” He yells, hands in his hair.
Snotlout’s face turns a deep blue, he pounds on his own chest, but still his lungs won’t work. In Fishlegs’ arms he goes limp.
“Snotlout, no!” he yells, holding him up. All Hiccup can do is watch on in horror. “Hiccup, just stop!”
Hurried footsteps enter the dining hall. A large hand settles on Hiccup’s forehead from behind, the owner mutters an incantation about sleep, and his consciousness fades. Eyes rolling back, legs going limp, Viggo catches the young man and gently lowers him to the floor.
A dramatic gasp fills the dining hall, Snotlout finally takes his first breathe in what feels like an eternity. Without the strength to stand on his own two feet, he hangs onto Fishlegs sluggishly, barely conscious himself. Relief sweeps through the hall.
“Now would someone be so willing to tell me what in the Hell happened here?” Viggo is beyond angry, as he usually is whenever something of this magnitude goes wrong.
No one answers simply because they don’t know how to. They were eating, there was some banter and arguing, and the next thing they know Hiccup was passively choking the life out of Snotlout.
Viggo breathes through his teeth, realizing that his students don’t quite know how to answer that.
“Fools, all of you,” he mutters before taking off his dark blue vest to fold up and place beneath Hiccup’s head. It shouldn’t take too long for him to wake up.
Fishlegs helps Snotlout sit on a chair as he catches his breath. His lungs are burning, his body is weak, and the most terrible headache he’s ever experienced pounds inside his skull.
“He was… trying to kill me!” He gasps, a hand still on his chest.
“He wasn’t trying to kill you,” Viggo bites back at him. He was nose deep in a book when Astrid came bursting into his room and disturbed his peace.
“Sir, what did happen?” Astrid asks. She figures they’re all dying to know. How could Hiccup just enchant Snotlout like that and how did his hold on him not break? He was panicking just as much as the rest of them, probably even more so.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Viggo asks. “Our dear friend focused his magic on the wrong target. And instead of breaking his hold, his panic strengthened it.”
In a way, it makes sense, or so they suppose. Heavy emotions can make or break a spell.
“Take Snotlout to the infirmary. I’ll wait for him to awaken,” their mentor orders, referring to Hiccup, and they listen. While Fishlegs and Tuffnut take their shaken friend away, Astrid and Ruffnut are urged to follow. Astrid shoots a glance at Hiccup behind her.
In time, the entire dining hall runs empty of guests, leaving just the two of them.
It takes a couple of minutes longer, but Hiccup eventually comes to. He’s understandably sluggish as he awakens from a brief sleep put upon him by magical means.
“Viggo?” He’s confused to see him at first, but as the events preceding his passing out return to him, he sits up in a hurry.
“Snotlout! What-what happened to him? Is he- is he okay?!” He asks his mentor, who raises a hand to silence him.
“Snotlout was taken to the infirmary, but I suspect he’ll make a full recovery. You have nothing to worry about,” he assures him.
Hiccup sighs and pulls his knees up, settling his elbows on them and a hand in his hair. He wouldn’t exactly say that he has nothing to worry about. He almost killed Snotlout! By accident!
Viggo lays a hand on his shoulder and once again he’s showing a side to him that the others don’t get to see much. Or at all.
“You’ll learn to control it,” there’s almost confidence in his statement, but Hiccup isn’t sure how that will ever happen.
“Sure, like I haven’t been trying to learn my entire life,” he mutters as he rises to his feet. Viggo watches him leave, expression unreadable. The dining hall behind him, Hiccup retreats to his room, unsure how he’s going to face anyone ever again.
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Lureabies: Chapter One
Not really sure if this counts as fluff or whump but you
get the jist
Note: I don’t have an account on ao3 (might make one in the future idk) so i have to post the whole thing her
Takes place shortly after httyd 2
Characters: Snotlout Jorgenson, Åse Haddock (oc)
Summary: Snotlout and Åse are chased by dragon trappers into an unfamiliar part of the woods, when suddenly they find they can no longer keep themselves awake. / Mild Spoiler v
Lureaby dragons (original species) lure them in and poison them
Sorry any mistakes, enjoy :)
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They’re surrounded. This was just supposed to be a scouting mission, but they were spotted by trappers. There were maybe 40.. 50 of them, and it was only Åse and Snotlout. The others sat on the other, far side of the island waiting for them to return, and it wasn’t a very small island by any means.
A few moons past, Hiccup had heard word of a large band of dragon trappers left over from Draco’s fleet, camping out on this island; trapping dragons and selling them to various buyers for various reasons at various prices. He’d sent Snotlout and Åse to scout them out to be sure the rumors were true. If they were, they’d deal with them. And as Åse and Snotlout soon found, they were indeed true.
The hunters made chase, but never once fired one of their many cross bows at the two vikings. Only holding them at the ready. But seeing as they were severely outnumbered, the two ran for it. Goldwing and Hookfang had been hovering above the trees a few yards behind them, out of sight prior. The Berkians had originally planned on hopping on their dragons and taking off, but that was now out of the question. The dragons couldn’t get to them through the thick forest canopy and anytime they tried to even get close, the trappers would fire what seemed to be dragon root arrows. Lovely. And if either dragon fired? More arrows. They had to stay out of arrow range, but that also meant out of blasting range.
They were surrounded at every side but front, so run they did. It was almost as if the trappers were herding them somewhere, but they didn’t have time to worry about that now.
Soon they came to a bramble, and assuming the trappers wouldn’t follow them in, they dove in head first, crawling towards safety. Thankfully it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. Snotlout would know, he’s fallen into plenty of unforgiving bushes. And they were right, those trappers turned on their heels in defeat and retreated. After a few seconds of dragging themselves along the dirt, they found themselves in a bit of an odd clearing. Large trees stood around them, blocking them in at all sides, only allowing small bits of golden sun reaching in the kiss their leaves. They’d definitely never been here before.
“Can you uh.. see.. a way out?” Åse spoke, winded. She realized they hadn’t spoken that entire time, only using some hand signals to communicate. “Uhhhh,” Snotlout looked around as he hunched over, hands on his knees, lungs begging for more air than they could take in, “yeah- Yeah! Over there..!” He pointed with an exhausted enthusiasm to a small clearing between trees. It was reminiscent of a path, thought the ground not worn.
The two trudge forward at the same pace, calling for their dragons. But neither came. They couldn’t help but worry for them and hope they’d just gone for help. Surely the trappers couldn’t have gotten them.. Right..?
They followed that path for what seemed like years, making note of the glowing sun fading in and out between sweet smelling branches.
The two walked in silence now, hand in hand, equally exhausted, when Åse suddenly stopped, seemingly frozen in place. Snotlout turned see her, confused. “Are you ok?” “Shh shh! Do you hear that?” she held a finger in the air and looked around silently. “Alright, I think you’re a little more tired than you thought cause-“ She cut him off by waving her hands around him and quickly pressing a stiff finger to her lips. Snotlout, concerned and confused, looked around. It had been maybe 10 seconds when he started to try and speak again, quickly cutting himself off as he heard a soft humming sound.
He turned to her, eyes wide and brows knit tightly together. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but he couldn’t quite find any sound in his throat. All he could do was follow the noise, intrigued.
“Wha- Lout! Where are.. you.. going..?” Åse found herself becoming just as curious as he was, taking his hand once more and following his lead further on into the trees. The humming continued, growing louder with each step they took.
After a bit of walking, they found themselves in a small field of grass and flowers, surrounded by more trees and every side. The trees were dark and shrouded; usually either of them would be frightened, but oddly enough they each felt strangely calm.
Åse spun on her heels, glancing around. “Whoa,” Snotlout began, “Ah! What the-“ “Hm?” Åse turned to see Snotlout waving lethargic hands around his head. “Bugs?” She asked, having no energy to say much more. “No.. something… something sprayed.. me..” Snotlout’s movements became more and more sloppy as he clumsily made his way to Åse., booted feet not wanting to cooperate.
Noticing, she met him half way, catching him as he fell forward. He mumbled nonsense to himself, eyes dancing around his head like a baby seeing color for the first time. “Lout? Hey! Hey look at me,” She snapped fingers in his face, watching him hardly react, becoming increasingly more worried, “Lout what’s going on? Talk to m-“ Åse was cut off by a strong mist hitting her in the face from seemingly nowhere.
After a moment, Åse was beginning to understand what was happening to Snotlout. She suddenly felt 1000 times more exhausted than she had before, eyes begging to shut. All the colors around her became more vibrant, spinning round and round with her head. She should’ve been scared, but she could only feel joy. Pure euphoria. Her brain was full of thick, unforgiving fog. It blocked out most coherent thoughts until she could no longer hold herself up. She settled in near Snotlout, who at some point had lost his helmet ‘When did that happen?’. Heads together, feet pointing in opposite directions.
Snotlout looked up to her, grinning a giddy-ish grin, before raising an arm lazily to play with her auburn hair. He giggled in a sense, before lazily mumbling loving nonsense. His words were unclear, but Åse knew what he meant. She grinned, raised an arm to cup his face. After a moment, his eyes slid closed, and his arm dropped. Before Åse could even try to be alarmed, her body gave in and she succumbed to the comforting darkness that had been begging her to be let in.
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Hope you enjoyed chapter one, hopefully chapter two’ll be up tomorrow but no promises 😉
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