The Next Chapter | Hiccup
He'd said his goodbyes. He'd gone to the ringleaders and resigned before he'd even done that, taking the remainder of his pay to the bank before he'd sorted things out at home. He'd taken everything of his out of the tent, all of the weapons he wanted had been removed from the practice tent, and he'd cleared all his belongings out of Douglas's home.
He'd been alright, mostly, as he'd said his goodbyes to the people who'd come to mean so much to him. The goodbyes that had hurt the most were Douglas's and Meeko's. Even then he'd managed to keep himself mostly together. But as he took a final look around the apartment, Hiccup had to sit down for a moment and curl in on himself, gripping at his hair for a moment. This was tearing him apart inside.
He'd made the decision to leave while it was dark, while the circus was asleep. It would be easier that way - Hiccup knew that if he ran into someone, especially Douglas, on the way out, his resolve might break. Grabbing the few bags he had, Hiccup whistled quietly for Draco before slipping out of the apartment for the last time, leaving his pink key on the side.
As he wandered through the sleeping circus, Hiccup came to think of all the friends he would miss. Pearl and their skittle times, Yuna and the soft way she cared about him and Draco. Rachel and her innocence. Faline and the way she always seemed to be there whenever he needed someone. Justin and his strange, strange japanese games and the way he had struck up such an odd, yet close friendship with the man. Shenzi and her mother-like protection of him. Elsa and her shyness, but her kindness once you broke through to her. Connor...little Connor. Hiccup loved him so much, it hurt him to leave. Toothless and the way he just popped up out of nowhere whenever Hiccup seemed to have food. But most of all, he would miss Meeko and Douglas. The two people here that he loved the most.
And then there were the people that were long gone, that had hightailed it out of the circus just as he was doing. Leaving in the dead of night. Marie...everything about Marie. Hiccup still desperately loved her. Jackson, his first boyfriend. Astrid, his best friend in the entire world. All of them meant so much, it had only been a matter of time before Hiccup followed their footsteps. Maybe he would see them on his travels.
As he reached his car, Hiccup shoved all the bags in the trunk before leaning against the metal for a moment. He took a few deep breaths, wrapping his hand around the necklace that Douglas had placed around his neck. He had that on, along with the cuff Shenzi had given him, and he held the bag of skittles that Pearl had given him, a snack to eat while he drove. Douglas's necklace calmed him, a little piece of the friend he'd come to hold so dearly.
Finally, after taking a long, final look at the circus, Hiccup got into the car and drove. Draco lay on the back seat, almost immediately falling into a slumber, leaving Hiccup to his emotions alone, as he left the place he'd come to call home for the final time.
