More Than Just A Feeling

by Vespera21

Summary:

As Hiccup recovers from the injuries he sustained during the battle with the dragon Queen, he struggles to make sense of all the changes in his life.

His dad is now trying to spend more time with him and is actually listening to what he has to say. Astrid is his girlfriend, something he still can’t believe. And he has apparently acquired an entire flock of dragons.

Needless to say, it’s a lot to wrap his head around, especially as Snotlout and Sylvie don’t trust Astrid, the village is against integrating the dragons into everyday life, and his injuries are limiting him more than he would like. He’ll make it through somehow, though…right?

Notes:

And here we are with an EXTRA long first chapter 😘

It correlates with the second half of the last chapter of ‘I Wanna Be Somebody to Someone.’ If you haven’t read any of this series yet, I highly recommended going back to the first installment, ‘Are You With Me?’, and starting there, so you can fully understand what’s going on. (And just so you know, it has officially been decided! This series will be four parts in total 😉)

Title from ‘More Than A Feeling’ by Declan J Donovan

Enjoy! 💕

(Also, I still don’t own How to Train Your Dragon or it’s characters)

Chapter 1: Coming Back Around

As Hiccup slowly regained consciousness, he found himself wishing he could return to his previous comatose state as every inch of him hurt like he had been trampled by a dozen yaks. His leg was the worst, though, with a sharp, stabbing pain that led to a moan escaping his lips.

There was a faint patter of footsteps before a hand grasped his, and a familiar voice said, “Easy there, cuz.”

Despite the pain he was struggling with, he couldn’t help the involuntary tilt to one corner of his mouth, relieved to know that Snotlout was here. That slight smile had been enough for his cousin to encourage him further, and, with much effort, he managed to crack his eyes open.

“Hey, Snot,” he rasped out, his voice rough from disuse. A quick glance told him he was at their grandmother’s, which he supposed made sense, considering how awful he felt. However, his brain was having a hard time keeping up with his mouth, and he found himself saying, “I’m at Grandma’s?”

Snotlout looked at him incredulously for a moment before practically exploding. “Yes, you’re at Grandma’s! Where else did you think you’d end up after that stunt you pulled?!”

Though his cousin appeared angry, Hiccup knew it was just Snot’s way of concealing his worry, and if he was this upset, then things must have been pretty bad.

“What happened,” he queried, trying to push himself up slightly, but failing miserably.

Snot was instantly at his side, propping him up with a rolled fur, his concern no longer hidden as he said, “You don’t remember?”

“No, I-“ He cut himself off and closed his eyes, sinking against the furs and feeling completely drained from that little bit of movement. He wasn’t one to give up so easily, though, and, shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he finished what he had been trying to say. “Toothless shot the Queen, and then we couldn’t avoid her tail. But after that…” He trailed off and looked to Snotlout in confusion. He was pretty sure he had lost consciousness, and there was no telling how long he had been out, or what injuries he had sustained, though from the way he felt, they were bound to be many. 

His cousin didn’t answer right away, instead retrieving a cup and holding it to his lips, Hiccup drinking the fresh water gratefully as his throat felt so incredibly dry. After setting the cup back on the table, Snot finally met his gaze with a fear that Hiccup had seldom seen. “You fell off Toothless, right into the flames,” he disclosed, his voice breaking. “I thought we’d lost you.”

“I’m here, Snot,” he comforted his cousin, trying to breathe through the pain as he used what little energy he had to grasp his cousin’s hand once again.

“Yeah, but not without scaring the rest of us half to death,” Snotlout snapped, causing Hiccup to wince.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, his gaze nervously dropping to their hands. “I didn’t do it on purpose, though.”

“I know, but…” His cousin sighed wearily before demanding that he never do anything like that again.

“Trust me, I hope I never have to,” he replied emphatically, squeezing Snot’s hand, both as an assurance that he meant what he said and as a way to ground himself when another wave of pain hit strong and fast. As much as he wanted to just succumb to the desire to go back to sleep—at least there, the agony shouldn’t be as hard to endure—there were other things he still needed to know. “What about Toothless,” he pressed, his bleary gaze sweeping across their grandma’s hut. “Is he okay?”

“A little bruised, but mostly healed by now,” his cousin informed him. “Once you were stable, Grandma let him in briefly so he could see you, but he was quickly shooed back outside as his tail was twitching anxiously and knocking over everything.” Hiccup smiled at that mental picture as Snotlout added, “He’s been just as worried as the rest of us and is camped right outside the door, waiting for you to wake, and not very patiently, I might add. At least he’s had Hookfang to keep him company, but he still misses you something desperate.”

“Hookfang is your Nightmare,” he assumed.

“Yeah,” Snot grinned, a look of pure contentment on his face that Hiccup rarely saw anymore. “He’s pretty awesome, though he seems to have taken an extreme dislike to my dad,” he grimaced.

“Who could blame him,” Hiccup stated matter-of-factly.

“I know,” his cousin conceded, “but it’s just going to make things more complicated.”

Hiccup would have attempted a shrug, but thought better of it, simply saying, “Maybe yes and maybe no.”

Snot quirked an eyebrow at his response. “What do you mean?”

“Do you know why I paired you with the Nightmare,” he smirked.

“Because I’m your cousin and I deserve the best,” Snotlout declared proudly, puffing up his chest in mock arrogance.

He couldn’t help but chuckle at his cousin’s display, but it quickly turned into a pained yelp as apparently laughter did nothing but jar his myriad of injuries. Snot was quick to apologize, but he waved him off as he closed his eyes and worked to steady his breathing, trying to just ride out the pain.

“It’s okay,” he gasped. “I should have known better, but-” He slowly opened his eyes, planning on keeping his gaze straight ahead for a moment, but it fell slightly, and he stopped short, having noticed that the fur was dipping where it shouldn’t…where his leg should have been.

Hiccup felt himself starting to hyperventilate, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight in front of him. He knew he was seriously injured, and that would explain the absolute agony he felt in his leg, but…

“Hiccup!”

He startled, looking at his cousin in panic. This just couldn’t be true…it couldn’t!

“I’m sorry, Hiccup,” Snotlout apologized earnestly, “but there was no saving it. Honestly, there was a brief time where Grandma didn’t even know if she could save you. It…it was awful,” he confessed, pulling Hiccup into a hug.

Even though his cousin was trying to be gentle, it still hurt his probably bruised ribs, but Hiccup did his best to ignore it, focusing instead on the feel of Snot’s arms around him and his cousin’s familiar scent. It helped him to stop spiraling enough that he realized Snotlout was crying, taking the loss of his leg as if it was his own.

He was still reeling from that revelation himself, but he couldn’t bear to see his cousin like this. Pulling back slightly, he attempted a smile, though with all the pain he was still in, his success with that was debatable. “I mean, Gobber manages just fine, so-”

Snot’s eyes snapped to him in shock. “You don’t have to make light of it, Hic! It’s okay to be upset,” he proclaimed. “You lost a part of yourself!”

“I know, but…” He gulped in an effort to hold back his own tears, which were all of a sudden threatening to fall. “I’m already enough of an oddity, and now I’m the youngest amputee on Berk. Just one more thing that makes me different,” he grumbled dispiritedly, his voice decidedly watery.

“Hey,” his cousin said firmly, waiting to continue until Hiccup met his gaze. “‘Different’ is what saved our entire tribe from being destroyed by the largest dragon anyone has ever seen.”

Hiccup pressed his lips together, trying to get a firm grasp on his roiling emotions. “They wouldn’t have been in that position in the first place if I had just kept my mouth shut and…” A pit of dread filled his stomach, and he jerked away from his cousin, almost falling back down at the pain caused by his abrupt movement, but he couldn’t take the time for that now. “I need to leave,” he declared frantically, throwing off the fur and painstakingly swinging his legs…leg and a half off the bed. He needed a crutch or some-

“Hiccup!” Snotlout was staring at him like he had just lost his mind. “You just woke up! You are not-”

“You don’t understand,” he shouted. “If my dad finds out I’m here-”

“He knows,” his cousin disclosed.

The room started spinning as Hiccup thought through every possible scenario. “But why hasn’t he…”

“He’s sorry,” Snot informed him somberly, carefully getting him back into the bed and trying not to jostle him too much. “He was actually the one to find you…well, Toothless. It wasn’t until after he apologized that Toothless even revealed he had caught you.” He tucked the furs back around Hiccup, adding, “He’s been up here as much as he can.”

This was too much for him to wrap his mind around. “I- You mean I’m not disowned,” he hesitantly asked.

“Far from it, son!”

His startled gaze snapped to his grandmother’s door, unsure what to do at the sight of his father standing there with a smile on his face. And when his dad slowly stepped closer and knelt beside his bed, he found himself holding his breath, just waiting for the other boot to drop.

“You don’t know how much you scared me, Hiccup,” his father almost whispered, reaching out and running his hand through his son’s hair.

Hiccup found himself melting at his dad’s touch, something that he had missed for oh so long. “I- I didn’t mean to,” he stammered, “but there was no other way…”

“I should have listened to you, son, and I’m so sorry that I didn’t, that I haven’t for quite some time,” his father apologized earnestly. “I know I haven’t been the best parent, but I want to try and do better, if you’ll just give me a chance.”

Smiling tentatively, he nodded and said, “I’d like that.” He couldn’t help but feel guilty, though, as Snot was sitting right there, and it was highly unlikely he would ever have a similar moment with his own dad.

The tender moment was not meant to last, though, his father being far too brash a man. “Now, where is Gothi,” his dad asked, clasping his hands together. “With you awake, she should let me move you back home, but after that last row…” He reached up and rubbed his head, leaving Hiccup to wonder just how much he had missed while he was unconscious.

“She took Sylvie to the Great Hall for lunch,” Snotlout supplied.

“Ahh! I’ll be back soon, then,” Dad announced, leaving the cousins by themselves once again.

The silence stretched out between them, Hiccup thinking that this was all too surreal and wondering if he was hallucinating, but a quick pinch revealed it all to be true.

He honestly wouldn’t have minded staying at Grandma’s for longer—in fact, in some ways, he would have preferred it—but he could see how much having him home meant to his dad and seeing that he was trying—far more than he had in the last several years—Hiccup didn’t mind meeting him halfway. Unfortunately, things were a little more complicated than that.

Turning to Snot, he asked, “Have you and Sylvie been staying up here?”

“Yeah,” he reluctantly answered. “Dad was pretty livid that I rode in with you on the back of a dragon. He came up here once to try and drag me back home, but Grandma went at him with her staff, getting in several hits before Hookfang set his pants on fire, thus the complications I mentioned earlier. Going home…it’s going to be bad, Hic; I just know it.”

“What was Grandma’s excuse for keeping you here,” he queried.

“My injuries,” Snotlout replied, “which are still a little tender, but mostly healed, and we’ve both been helping with you.”

“Well, I’m still going to need help,” he pointed out rationally. “Even if Dad's trying to do better, he’s not going to be home all the time. He still has his Chiefing to do, and I’d appreciate the company.”

His cousin looked at him skeptically. “Do you think he would go for it?”

“It wouldn’t hurt to ask,” Hiccup reasoned.

His dad soon returned with Grandma, Sylvie trailing behind them. After a quick examination, the elderly healer announced that he could return home if he wished, but that he would need to continue to take it easy and get plenty of rest. It was just the lead-in he needed, giving him the opportunity to ask his dad if his cousins could join them and assist with his recovery.

“Good to see you two boys getting along again,” his dad boomed before turning to Snotlout, “but aren’t you needed at home?”

“Well…” Snot wavered.

He was saved from needing to come up with an explanation, though, as Grandma thumped her staff on the floor, getting everyone’s attention before writing, “Hiccup will need help, and neither you nor I can be there all the time. These two know what to do and could provide the assistance and companionship he needs right now.”

His dad nodded slowly. “Well, I suppose we can make it work. Now, come on, son,” he said, scooping Hiccup up in his arms, furs and all. “It’s time we got you home.”

They didn’t make it but two steps out the door, though, before Toothless was on them like they were made of dragon nip.

“Hey, bud,” Hiccup exclaimed happily, gingerly reaching out to rub his best friend’s snout, which had been promptly shoved into his face. “It’s so good to see you, too.”

The Night Fury took that as his cue that Hiccup wanted to be with him and blocked their way, glancing toward his back meaningfully before looking back at them pleadingly.

Hoping his father wouldn’t take his next words as a sign of defection, he said, “Um, Dad, I think it might be best-”

“Aye,” his father agreed with a smile, setting him on Toothless’ back before he could even finish his sentence. “The beastie has been quite impatient as we waited for you to wake up. I’ll allow it this time as he wasn’t allowed to visit but once, but remember, you still have to share him,” he proclaimed, shaking his finger in Toothless’ face.

While Hiccup couldn’t see the Night Fury’s expression from where he sat, he knew his dragon far too well and was rather doubtful that edict would go over well. At least Toothless seemed willing to play along for now, most likely because he was getting his way, but come the first time he didn’t, and…well, let’s just say Hiccup hoped that wouldn’t happen until he was a bit stronger.

The walk to the village and back to his house seemed to take forever, leaving him uncomfortable in more ways than one. He was happy to be so close to Toothless, even though being carried by his dad wouldn’t have jostled him so much, but the pain was something he could deal with, especially as Grandma had given him a few herbs before they left. No, it was the praise and cheers of everyone as he passed by that left him feeling completely discomfited. He was no hero, and being treated like one just didn’t seem right.

He was pulled from his anxious thoughts, though, by Astrid calling his name and running toward them. Even more shocking was the wide smile on her face. The one directed at…him???

“What you did was amazing, Hiccup,” she gushed upon reaching his side. “You’re amazing,” she added breathily, leaning closer and…

Wow!

Astrid Hofferson was kissing him. Him!

Hiccup was pretty sure his mind turned to mush, and when she pulled away, all he could do was grin at her goofily.

“So, I guess I’ll see you around,” she remarked. “Or maybe I can stop by your house tomorrow?”

“I- Yeah,” he nodded, afraid he would wake up only to discover that this was a dream. “That’d be…nice.”

“Cool, I’ll see you then,” she replied before running off.

He just stared after her as Toothless resumed his steady pace toward home, the Night Fury grumbling softly, most likely upset that Hiccup’s attention had been diverted away from him. As for Hiccup himself, though, he was beginning to think that maybe being a hero wasn’t so bad after all.

Chapter 2: Cousinly Concerns

The rest of the journey home was made without any further incidents, though Hiccup wasn’t about to complain about the most noteworthy interruption, as Astrid had actually kissed him. He was pretty sure that moment would be living in his mind rent-free for the rest of eternity.

Arriving home was another matter completely, though, his dad trying to do anything and everything to make him comfortable. His bed had already been moved downstairs and placed near the hearth, and he was summarily tucked in with enough furs to completely smother him. At least with his dad’s change of heart, he was willing to do almost anything to please Hiccup, so Toothless was allowed inside, much to the Night Fury’s delight. Thankfully, their home was more sparsely furnished than Grandma’s, so, while there might still be some issues if the dragon didn’t settle down, it would be much easier to deal with.

All the attention was becoming a little much for him, though, especially when his father started hovering around him, looking unsure of what to say or do.

“I’m fine, Dad,” he remarked drily, but his father’s glare told him that wasn’t the right thing to say after almost dying. “Well, as fine as I can be,” he hastily amended. “If you need to go take care of any Chief business, Snot and Sylvie will look after me. It’s not like I’m going anywhere just yet, and you can check in regularly like Snot told me you’ve been doing.”

He could tell his father was about to protest, but then there was a knock on the door with a request for assistance from the Chief. Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief as his dad unwillingly turned to leave, promising to bring back some dinner from the Great Hall.

“I can make something here, Uncle,” Sylvie hesitantly offered.

His dad looked at her in surprise. “Thank you, lass, but only if you’re sure it’s not too much trouble.”

“I don’t mind,” she assured him before he nodded and left, leaving the cousins on their own.

“Are you sure, Sylvie,” Hiccup pressed, throwing off all but one fur now that his dad was gone. “I’m not sure what’s left in our stores, and I know that you don’t enjoy cooking.”

She shook her head, smiling at him softly. “Your dad isn’t much different from ours. He’d probably bring back something too heavy for you to really eat right now.” She stepped toward the cellar, saying, “Let me see what’s there, and I’ll figure something out.” She disappeared for a moment before popping her head back into the main room and adding, “Plus, I know you’ll actually appreciate and enjoy what I cook. That makes all the difference.”

“Thanks, Sylvie,” he called after her before shakily pushing himself up to a sitting position and turning his attention to Snotlout. Now that he had a chance to really look, he could see that his cousin was clearly irritated about something, but he had no idea what it could be as everything seemed to have gone fairly smoothly since they left Grandma’s. “What’s got you so grumpy,” he asked, leaning against his headboard and deciding it was better to stir the fire than to let it smolder.

Snot gazed at him through narrowed eyes for a moment before reluctantly responding with one word. “Astrid.”

That was not at all what Hiccup had been expecting. “I know you can’t stand her,” he cautiously began, “but-”

“And she couldn’t stand you either,” his cousin reminded him passionately. “She was even questioning you and the dragons as we went up against the Queen.”

“She didn’t know any better, and people can change,” he claimed, thinking that if he was giving his dad another chance, he should be willing to give others that same opportunity as well. And…and this was Astrid! He had been half in love with her for the past two years and would not just brush her aside now that she was finally paying attention to him.

“I won’t deny that,” Snotlout answered warily, “but I still don’t trust her.”

Hiccup could see that his cousin was not about to be swayed in his opinion, but considering the rivalry that had been instilled in Snotlout and Astrid from a young age, he supposed that standpoint was only to be expected. He just needed some time to come around. That was all. But when Hiccup caught Sylvie shooting him nervous glances, he began to wonder if there was more going on than he realized.

“What’s your opinion, Sylvie,” he inquired, wanting to hear what she had to say as she wasn’t as prejudiced as her brother.

She busied herself with preparing some meat for the stewpot, refusing to meet his gaze as she said, “Ruff and Tuff were the only ones who tried to visit you, even checking in more than once a day.”

“They’re good friends,” he acknowledged, remembering how they had come to his rescue in freeing him from the Great Hall, but failing to see how that related to their current conversation.

“I just…I don’t know about Astrid,” Sylvie confessed, pausing and finally looking up at him with her brow furrowed. “Something feels off, but…I also don’t know her well enough to say for sure.”

“I appreciate that you both are concerned,” he professed, “but you have to admit that your dad has led you to have a rather biased view toward Hoffersons. They’re not all bad, and I hope that Astrid will help you to see that.”

“If you say so, Hic,” Sylvie responded, while Snot remained stubbornly silent, both seeming highly doubtful.

Toothless seemed to recognize the brewing tension between cousins as he ceased his poking around the hut and padded over to nuzzle his bonded. Hiccup soaked up the attention, stroking the Night Fury lovingly and letting himself be soothed by the pleased rumbles, which brought to mind the aborted conversation he had been having with his cousin earlier. 

“I never did finish telling you why I paired you with Hookfang,” he said into the strained silence that had grown between them. “Yes, your personalities seemed quite similar, but he was the most impressive dragon in the Ring, one I thought might help get some respect from your dad. I’m sorry that didn’t work out,” he apologized.

“It’s only made things worse,” Snot huffed, crossing his arms. “Hookfang won’t leave my side when I’m in the village, and if I’m inside, he’s on the roof, which I know Dad won’t go for. Especially considering Hooky’s taken to flaming up every time he so much as sees him, so our house will end up burnt to a crisp in no time.”

“That’s great,” Hiccup exclaimed, though, judging by the look his cousin was giving him, he didn’t see this for the blessing it was.

“Are you crazy,” Snotlout practically exploded.

“He’s protecting you,” he shot back, in disbelief that his cousin hadn’t realized that.

That seemed to catch Snot by surprise, and he blinked a few times before asking what Hiccup was talking about, though in a much calmer manner.

“Hookfang sees your father as a threat,” he stated matter-of-factly. “He’s doing what he can to keep you safe and away from the person who hurts you. Even if your dad does try something, I doubt he’ll get far because Hookfang will step in.”

“I appreciate it, cuz, really I do,” Snotlout replied emphatically, clearly touched by what his dragon would do for him, “but…oh man, this makes things so much more complicated.” He leaned forward and buried his head in his hands.

Before Hiccup could say anything, though, the back door was pushed open, Hookfang sticking his head inside and rumbling as he looked at Snotlout in concern. The boy lifted his head and smiled at his dragon half-heartedly before walking over and leaning against him, scratching his jaw in that place all dragons seemed to love.

Hiccup remained quiet, thinking that the Nightmare’s comfort was better than anything he could offer right now, especially as there wasn’t much hope Uncle Spitelout would ever change. They would figure out some way to navigate this new world, though. It would just take time…and a clearer head than he had right now.

He was almost thinking that perhaps he should get some more rest like Grandma had suggested, when Toothless and Hookfang started crooning and grumbling at each other in what sounded like some sort of conversation. He watched the two of them, thoroughly intrigued, and wondered if that was actually what they were doing.

Snotlout must have noticed his interest as he remarked, “They’ve been doing that a lot. Did it back at the nest, too. It’s almost like they’re talking to each other.”

“We know they’re not dumb,” Hiccup commented. “It would only make sense that they have their own language. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t think of that before, but then again, we never had the opportunity to see dragons interact with each other, only how they interacted with us, which means…” He trailed off as he was hit with a sudden realization. His gaze drifted to Toothless, who was now looking at him intently. “Have you been trying to communicate with me all this time, bud?”

The Night Fury bobbed his head, warbling excitedly before bouncing around the room.

“Toothless, don’t-” He cringed as the dragon knocked over a chair in the thrill of the moment. “Bud, I’m excited, too, but you need to calm down,” he implored.

Fortunately, Toothless listened before any more damage could be done, returning to Hiccup’s side and nuzzling him affectionately.

“Thanks, bud. I promise I’ll do my best to learn,” he said earnestly, “but you’re going to have to be patient with me, okay? Maybe we can start with-”

“Getting some rest,” Sylvie chimed in, effectively cutting him off.

“I’m not doing anything strenuous,” he argued, knowing he should probably listen to his cousin, but this was such an amazing discovery!

“Perhaps,” Sylvie begrudgingly conceded as she hung the pot over the fire, “but you’ve been unconscious for four days, Hic. You need to let your body and mind get the rest it needs.”

Her worry was palpable, making Hiccup feel bad for all he had put his family through. He patted the edge of his bed and opened his arms, his youngest cousin eagerly accepting his invitation and curling up next to him, resting her head on his shoulder and trying her best not to put any pressure on whatever other injuries he had. Snotlout joined them, sitting at the foot of the bed, while Toothless rested his head by Hiccup’s side, his free hand reaching out to stroke the Night Fury’s head.

“I’m sorry that this has been so hard on you guys.”

“Hiccup! You don’t get to apologize for almost dying,” Snot chastised him. “Unless you did that on purpose…”

“No, of course not,” he hastily replied, “but-”

“We’re just happy you’re okay,” Sylvie murmured, easily silencing him with her soft voice.

He smiled and hugged her tighter, his gaze swinging to Snotlout as he said, “And I’m glad you’re both okay, too.”

Snotlout nodded firmly in response, and they let the silence settle over them comfortably, enjoying simply being together.

Chapter 3: What Have I Missed?

Hiccup hadn’t even realized that he had drifted off until he felt a large hand shaking him awake. He groaned and attempted to turn away, but the hand retained a firm grip on his shoulder, keeping him in place.

“Hiccup, it’s time for dinner,” his father said softly. “You need to eat something.”

“Do I have to,” he grumbled as his dad propped him up, moving him as if he were a rag doll.

“Yes,” Snotlout chimed in, “because I won’t let Sylvie give you any more willow bark until you eat.”

He glared at his cousin, feeling that was completely unfair, especially as he was slowly beginning to realize that all his aches and pains had returned, much to his dismay. “You’re a tyrant,” he proclaimed.

“And don’t you forget it,” Snot shot back smugly, bringing him a bowl of stew and making sure he had a firm grip on it before letting go.

His dad pulled a stool near the bed and took a seat, asking, “How are you feeling, son?”

“Tired…and everything hurts,” he answered wearily, deciding to forgo the use of his spoon and just drink the stew, thinking it would be easier. Fortunately, Sylvie had given him mostly broth with just a few finely cut vegetables, making that option possible.

“That’s to be expected,” his father nodded sagely, accepting his own bowl from Sylvie and thanking her before turning back to Hiccup. “You’ll pull through, though. You’ve always been strong of heart and mind, son. We just need to get that message through to the rest of your body, and I’m sure you’ll be up and about in no time.”

He gave his dad a lopsided smile, appreciating his vote of confidence, even if it sounded more like an unfounded hope than reality right now. It was probably just the pain talking, though, so he turned his attention back to his dinner, eagerly accepting the willow bark tea Sylvie handed him once he had finished his meal.

The herbal brew helped immensely, the majority of his pain dulling enough that he soon fell back asleep, lulled by the warmth from the fire and the soft hum of conversation. It only lasted so long, though, as he found out when he startled awake, an exceptionally sharp pain shooting up his leg that was impossible to ignore. He bit his lip in an effort not to cry out, determined not to bother anyone at what must be an unearthly hour, but despite his best efforts, Snotlout was soon at his side, apparently having stayed downstairs in case he needed anything.

“What is it,” his cousin pressed, grasping his hand.

“Leg,” he gasped, as another wave of pain hit, this one even stronger than the last, and he found himself clutching his injured appendage with his free hand.

“The herbs must have just worn off,” Snot remarked. “I’ll make you more tea,” he said, prying himself from Hiccup’s death grip.

He knew he had to let his cousin go—the willow bark would provide the relief he needed once it had been prepared—but for all that he had been determined to deal with this on his own, the loss of Snotlout’s support somehow made the pain harder to bear.

Toothless seemed to sense this, though, as the Night Fury was soon attempting to crawl onto the bed with him, wrapping his body around Hiccup’s back and settling with his head on the boy’s lap and his tail draped lightly over the injured leg. The additional warmth helped a little, and he practically melted into the dragon’s side as his dad’s snores echoed through the hut, but he needed something more to distract him from the agony he was currently enduring.

“Tell me what else I’ve missed, Snot,” he requested almost desperately.

“There’s not much more to tell,” his cousin shrugged. A quick glance at Hiccup’s pinched expression, though, had him scrambling for something to say. “We got you to Grandma as quickly as we could, though before we left the nest, Toothless seemed to organize the other dragons to help bring the rest of Berk back. They’ve stuck around, mostly staying in the forest, except for the ones from the Ring. They’ll sometimes venture further into the village, Hooky being the most notable example as he practically glues himself to my side anytime I step out.” He paused for a moment before saying, “I don’t really know much more than that, as I’ve stayed with you these last few days.”

“Have the others been spending time with their dragons,” he managed to ask, curious how those dragon friendships were progressing.

“I’ve seen the twins out flying with their Zippleback quite often; they’re the easiest to spot,” Snotlout revealed, “though I think the Nadder has taken to following Astrid around. I believe I’ve caught Fishlegs dotting on his Gronckle, too, but it was hard to really see things from up at Grandma’s.” He passed a mug of tea to Hiccup before adding, “When I went to fetch water earlier tonight, though, I did notice that more of the dragons were visible along the edge of the forest, mostly near here.”

Hiccup thanked his cousin before greedily drinking the tea, hoping it would work soon. Once he had finished, his mind returned to what Snot had said. “I wonder what’s changed…”

Toothless nudged his arm slightly, looking at him pointedly.

“What is it, bud?”

The Night Fury huffed before nudging him again, clearly trying to express something.

Hiccup’s brow furrowed as he tried to discern what his dragon was getting at. “Are you saying it has something to do with me,” he queried.

Toothless bobbed his head, crooning happily.

That didn’t exactly make things much clearer, but as his pain began to fade, the haze that had clouded his mind disappeared with it, allowing Hiccup to think further on the subject. How the dragons’ appearance closer to the village related to him, though… “They know I’m here now,” he hazarded a guess, Toothless rumbling in an approving manner.

“I mean, you did kill the monster that had been enslaving them for centuries,” Snot observed matter-of-factly. “They’re probably pretty grateful. I know I would be.”

“I wonder…” Hiccup trailed off as an idea occurred to him, one that was surely a little far-fetched, and yet…

“What?”

“Could it mean that with their former Queen gone, the dragons from the nest now look to me and Toothless as their leaders,” he hesitantly proposed.

“It’s definitely a possibility,” Snotlout conceded. “Toothless has been ordering them around a lot, so that would make sense that he’s the new leader, but would they split that position between two creatures, much less one of them a human?”

Toothless gave a contented hum, burying his head in Hiccup’s stomach.

“I guess we can take that as a yes,” Hiccup responded, more than a little skeptical himself.

Yes, he had helped defeat the Queen, but Toothless was the one who did all the actual work. He would have no problem ceding all his glory to the Night Fury, but if the dragons from the nest were looking to him, too…was there even a way to renounce his unexpected position? 

He would do his best to do right by the dragons, despite the language barrier, but if they were determined to stick around, he could see many issues cropping up in the future, especially as he wasn’t sure all the Vikings of Berk would be so accepting of having them in their midst.

It was a topic he would need to broach with his dad, but not until he had more info at his disposal, which would need to wait until he managed to glean more from Toothless or had a chance to interact with the wild dragons himself, or possibly both. He was in no position for the latter option, just yet, though, so he would need to bide his time, he thought wearily, as sleep claimed him once more.

Chapter 4: Bridging the Gap

Somehow, Hiccup managed to sleep through the rest of the night, waking up to assorted aches and pains that were already creeping back along his limbs. Before he could say anything or even look around, Sylvie was at his side, pressing a mug of willow bark tea into his hands.

“Already brewed and it’s extra strong,” she said softly, urging him to drink.

“Thank you, Sylvie,” he said appreciatively, downing half the mug in one go. “You’re a lifesaver,” he declared, before noticing that Snot was slumped over in Dad’s chair, completely knocked out.

His cousin truly had stayed with him all night, which warmed his heart, but also left him feeling rather guilty, as that position could not be comfortable. They would definitely need to come up with a better solution for the long-term…well, as long as it would take Hiccup to heal.

“Yeah, well, you were starting to moan in your sleep,” Sylvie mentioned, pulling his attention back to her as she returned to stirring the pot slung over the fire. “I figured it was best to be prepared.”

Finishing the rest of his tea, he said, “You figured right.” He fiddled with his empty mug, adding, “I’m not sure how I would manage without you and Snot here, so thank you.”

“There’s nowhere else we’d rather be,” she assured him with a small, but heartfelt smile.

The quiet moment between cousins was soon shattered, though, as Hiccup’s dad burst from his room, booming out a ‘good morning’ that had Snotlout falling to the floor.

“I’m up,” his cousin declared, groggily getting to his feet, making Hiccup wonder how much sleep Snot had actually gotten.

Sylvie must have been thinking the same thing as she bustled her brother up the stairs to Hiccup’s room, telling him to sleep as long as he needed before returning and portioning out the porridge.

Once again, his dad pulled a stool over, sitting near his bed while they ate, eventually breaking the silence, saying, “So, Hiccup, I never did find out how you and, uh, Toothless, here met.”

He was confused for a moment until he realized that his dad wouldn’t have thought that Snotlout or Sylvie knew and wouldn’t have asked them for the story. Choosing his words carefully in an effort not to blame his dad for ignoring his claim, as well as endeavoring to hide his cousins’ involvement—not wanting that bit of information to somehow make it back to Uncle Spitelout—he awkwardly explained how he had caught Toothless and then freed him, his sincere apology earning the dragon’s trust.

When he finished, his dad simply stared at him for a moment before reaching out and grasping his hand, cradling it gently. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you, son.”

Those words healed something in him that he didn’t know was broken, but at the same time, he couldn’t find it in himself to repine how things had turned out. “You know what? I’m kind of glad you didn’t,” he hesitantly said, hastily adding, “at least not in that instance. Otherwise, Toothless would be dead and we’d still be fighting the dragons.”

His dad nodded slowly. “Aye, that we would,” he conceded. “I want you to know that I really will try to do better, Hiccup.”

“I know,” he acknowledged, appreciating the effort his father was making to bridge the gap that had grown between them. Still, he knew his dad had responsibilities to take care of… “Don’t you have duties you need to see to or…?”

“Are you trying to get rid of me,” his father accused, though there was a hint of playfulness there that Hiccup had never seen before.

“What?! No,” he swiftly replied. “I just-”

“I’m teasing you, son.” His dad chuckled before explaining, “No, I asked Gobber to take over for me this morning.”

“Uh, are you sure that’s such a good idea,” he asked warily.

“He did fine while we were on the hunt for the nest,” his father observed.

“Yeah, but that was when most of the village was gone,” he reasoned, “and that’s not counting how many times we all almost died in Dragon Training.”

“Eh, it’s just part of the course; it happened to us all,” his dad said, waving his hand dismissively. “So, how about you tell me more about that?”

He blinked a few times, not sure what his dad was referring to. “What do you mean?”

“How you did so well in the Ring,” his father clarified. “I’m assuming now that it all has to do with this fellow here,” he remarked, gesturing toward Toothless.

“Yeah,” Hiccup smiled and scratched the scaly head that had found its way to his lap. “He taught me a lot.”

The conversation flowed smoothly from there, and he was surprised to find that he had actually enjoyed talking with his dad, something he hadn’t felt in a long, long time. He only wished Sylvie had been able to join in, too, but she had seemed content to remain in the background, cleaning up the dishes from breakfast and straightening a few things around the house.

Eventually, his father did need to leave, planning on heading up to the Great Hall for lunch—an easy way to check in on the village as a whole—before seeing to his duties in the afternoon. He did promise to be back in time for dinner, and, strangely enough, Hiccup found himself looking forward to it.

As soon as his dad was out the door, though, he turned right to Toothless, asking the question that had been on his mind since the previous afternoon. “You wanna teach me some words in your language, bud?”

The Night Fury perked up immediately before proceeding to bound around the room.

“Toothless, not again,” he halfheartedly chastised the overexcited reptile.

As the dragon reluctantly settled down, Sylvie spoke up, saying, “You really should rest.”

“That’s all I’ve been doing, Sylvie,” he protested.

She looked at him askance. “You sound like a toddler who hasn’t had their nap.”

He huffed and crossed his arms as his cousin came to sit on the edge of his bed.

“Your body needs it, Hic,” she said earnestly.

“I know, but it’s not like I’m going for a race in the forest or anything,” he argued. “Please, let me at least exercise my mind. Just for a little bit,” he begged.

Sylvie’s gaze narrowed as she pursed her lips. “Fine,” she begrudgingly allowed, “but only while I fix us something to eat. After lunch, you’re resting.”

“That’s not nearly enough time,” he complained, but his cousin was already on her feet and heading toward the cellar.

“Take it or leave it,” she called over her shoulder.

Turning to the Night Fury, who was waiting not so patiently beside his bed, he reached and scratched the dragon’s jaw. “Well, I guess something is better than nothing, huh, bud? So, where do we start?”

Toothless gently bumped Hiccup’s chest with his snout and looked at him expectantly.

“Uh, with me,” he inquired skeptically, not sure if his guess was correct.

It must have been, though, for Toothless warbled happily, repeating the noise a couple of times until Hiccup finally understood what his friend was trying to tell him.

“Is that my name,” he asked in awe.

Toothless bobbed his head before nuzzling Hiccup’s side.

“Aww, thanks, bud,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around the dragon’s neck and hugging him fiercely. “Okay, can you say it for me again?”

He listened intently, doing his best to copy the exact sounds the Night Fury made. It took him a couple of tries, but it actually wasn’t as hard as he thought it would be, or maybe he was just used to imitating the sounds he found in nature. Either way, he was exceptionally pleased with being able to say his name in the dragon’s tongue, even if it was the only word he managed to learn before Sylvie announced that lunch was ready and passed him a plate with some berries, a slice of bread, and a sliver of chicken.

Feeling hungrier than he thought he would, he began eating as his cousin went to retrieve her brother, muttering something under her breath about Snot being impossible to deal with if he missed more than one meal.

Hiccup chuckled, but Sylvie’s comment failed to be enough of a distraction to keep him from thinking about learning the dragon’s tongue. There had to be a more effective way to go about it, but how?

He determined to think on it further later as his cousins were coming down the stairs to join him for their meal, but perhaps after his enforced nap, he and Toothless could try something else.

Chapter 5: Tensions Rising

Hiccup woke up to the sound of voices, though in his groggy state, it took him a minute to recognize the one speaking as his cousin.

“-asleep. Go bother someone else,” Snotlout said firmly.

“How do I know you’re telling the truth and not just trying to get rid of me,” a second voice accused. It was familiar, but he was struggling to place it, especially as the door was not opened fully and therefore blocked his view.

He did see his cousin bristle at the insinuation, though. “I’m not-”

“Snot,” he called out softly, hoping to prevent whatever fight was brewing…and also wanting to know who had come by.

His cousin groaned before glaring at him over his shoulder. “You had to choose now to wake up,” he complained, his exasperation more than apparent.

Hiccup’s brow furrowed, wondering what that had to do with their visitor. “Who is it?”

“The bane of my existence,” Snotlout grumbled, and then it all clicked.

“I can hear you,” Astrid said hotly from the other side of the door.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before chastising his cousin. “Snotlout, we talked about this.”

“Ugh, whatever,” Snot declared, throwing his arms in the air and stepping aside to let Astrid enter.

She rushed to his side, exclaiming, “Hiccup! It’s so good to see you.”

He had been pushing himself up to a sitting position when she threw her arms around him, trapping his arms against him and leaving him precariously balanced as she hugged him roughly. Wincing at the pressure it put on his injuries, he attempted to maneuver enough that he could extricate himself. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate the gesture, but her timing and execution could have been a bit better.

“Yeah, you, too, Astrid,” he responded, his voice strained, especially as all his other aches and pains were beginning to make themselves known now that he was more awake. “If you could just…” He gasped as he finally got her off of him, only then realizing the low growl Toothless was aiming at the overaffectionate blond who was now pouting. Oh, great… “Sorry, Astrid, everything’s still rather tender and-” He paused his apology as his youngest cousin pressed a most welcome mug of tea into his hand. “Thank you, Sylvie,” he said gratefully, taking a big sip.

“I had a feeling you’d be ready for more,” she responded softly, before shooting Astrid a wary look and returning to the table.

“I didn’t realize you had so much company,” Astrid observed tersely, “or I would have picked a different time to come.”

“Oh, Snot and Sylvie,” he queried, not understanding her reaction…well, other than the age old Hofferson-Jorgenson feud. “They’re staying here for now.”

“Someone has to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid,” Snotlout proclaimed, before grabbing Astrid’s arm and pulling her toward the door. “Okay, you’ve seen Hiccup and got to say hi, so-”

“I just got here,” she argued, yanking her arm from his grasp, “and if you ever touch me again-”

“Would you two please stop it,” he shouted, effectively silencing them both.

At least Snot had enough sense to look chagrined, but Astrid was quietly fuming, immediately perching herself on the side of his bed and demanding that Hiccup insist his cousin treat her better.

“You both need to be nicer to each other,” he reasoned, finishing the last of his tea and wondering if it would help with the headache he felt coming on as well.

That answer didn’t seem to satisfy her, though. “But, Hiccup, if we’re courting now, then-”

“We are,” he asked, his eyebrows shooting up as he was completely and thoroughly surprised by that revelation.

“Of course,” she said matter-of-factly, ducking her head as a becoming blush crept up her cheeks. “I wouldn’t have kissed you in front of the entire village otherwise,” she confessed. “But if we’re going to make this work, then you need to support me, to stand on my side when others are against me,” she dictated, leveling a brief glare in Snotlout’s direction.

“I-” Hiccup stopped short, still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he and Astrid were apparently courting. While he could see the importance of supporting your potential mate, though, he would not do it blindly, compromising his morals in the process. “Neither of you are in the right here, so how can I pick one over the other,” he explained, quickly noting the mutinous looks on both their faces. “Look, I get that you were both raised to hate each other,” he hastily added, “but can you at least try and get along, for all our sakes?” Turning to the Night Fury, whose growls had only gotten louder, he reached out and scratched his jaw, muttering, “You’re not helping matters either, bud.”

None of the parties involved were pleased with his verdict, but they also couldn’t deny the accuracy of it and were therefore forced to accept, though tensions remained high.

Still, Astrid seemed to be trying to mend things, reaching for his hand and threading her fingers through his, causing his heart to beat as fast as a Terror’s. “If your house is always going to be so crowded,” she mused sweetly, “then maybe we should go out. We can head up to the Great Hall,” she proposed.

“Where there are even more people,” Snot pointed out incredulously.

“He needs to rest,” Sylvie chimed in, her tone brooking no disagreement.

“But he was just asleep,” Astrid contended. “Surely some fresh air would do him good.”

“You do all realize I’m right here and can answer for myself,” Hiccup said drily, putting them all in their place. While he couldn’t help but agree with his cousins, he could also see how much this seemed to mean to Astrid. Now wasn’t a good time to enact her plan, though, as it was getting close to dinner and his dad would be returning soon, but perhaps they could compromise. “How about I go up to the Great Hall with you tomorrow for lunch,” he offered.

Astrid was quick to accept, preening over his supposed siding with her—she really did remind him of a Nadder in a lot of ways. She didn’t remain much longer, though, seemingly satisfied with their planned outing for tomorrow and wanting to get away from Snotlout with all due haste.

As soon as the door had closed behind her, Hiccup turned to his cousins. “I get that neither of you like her,” he acknowledged, “but you don’t really know her. Could you please at least try to give her a chance?”

Sylvie nodded reluctantly. “I’ll try, Hic,” she promised earnestly.

Of course, she wasn’t the one he was truly concerned about. “Snot?”

His cousin mumbled something under his breath that he hoped was an agreement, but he didn’t press him, figuring that was the best he was going to get; same with Toothless, who simply huffed in his face before lying back down beside his bed. He just hoped they would actually endeavor to get to know the real Astrid; otherwise, this courtship was going to be torture.

As Sylvie started preparing dinner, she broke the uneasy silence that had descended over them, saying, “It’s strange that Ruff and Tuff haven’t stopped by, especially with how often they were up at Grandma’s.”

“I’m sure there’s some kind of logical explanation,” Hiccup answered distractedly, his mind having returned to the seemingly impossible fact that he and Astrid were now courting. Never in a million years would he have thought-

“Did you want some time tonight with just you and your dad,” Sylvie asked, pulling him back to the present.

He glanced at her with his brow furrowed. “Why?”

She shrugged delicately. “I think he would like it.”

“Oh…” He hadn’t thought of that, but it did make sense. It wasn’t that his father ignored Snot and Sylvie, but his focus was decidedly on Hiccup and trying to make up for his neglect in the past. There was only one problem, though. “Where would that leave you guys?”

“We could go to the Great Hall,” Sylvie reluctantly suggested.

“Yeah, but what if Dad’s there,” Snot grimaced.

Hiccup would never want his cousins to put themselves in a dangerous situation, but he couldn’t help but say, “I doubt he would do anything with everyone there—he never has before—and with Hookfang waiting right outside, he wouldn’t get far with either of you before before he was toasted…but maybe you should just go to Grandma’s. She’s always happy to have any of us stop in, but that’s only if you want to,” he reaffirmed. “My dad hasn’t explicitly said he wanted time alone with me, and things have been fine so far.”

“We’ll go to Grandma’s,” Sylvie announced decisively. “It’s the least we can do, allowing him some one-on-one time with you. After all, he probably wasn’t expecting to have us here, too.”

“Like I said, it’s completely up to you,” he repeated, not wanting his cousins to feel that they had been pushed aside.

They assured him that was not the case and headed up to Grandma’s as soon as his dad came home, leaving them to some father-son bonding over dinner and a game of Maces and Talons.

Chapter 6: Terrors in the Night

Hiccup glanced behind him, fear gripping his heart as he saw the dragon Queen bearing down on them as they fell from the sky. She was gaining on them far too fast, her remaining eyes filled with a deep and abiding hatred.

He was beginning to doubt their plan would work, especially as the cable that allowed him to control Toothless’ tail had snapped in the last bout of the Queen’s fire. However, the Night Fury remained determined, still flying valiantly in an attempt to lure the despicable ruler to her death. 

As her gaping maw got closer and closer, though, the smell of death and decay filled the air. By the time her jagged teeth were mere inches from them, Hiccup had accepted that this was how he would meet his end…but maybe…just maybe, they could take the Queen with them.

Rather than finish them off in a single bite like he had expected, the Queen’s mouth began to fill with gas, giving him a reckless, crazy idea, but one that just might be the solution he had been looking for. Beginning to choke on the fumes, he tugged on Toothless’ saddle, the dragon instantly catching on to his plan and flipping around, firing into the Queen’s mouth.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the gas caught fire and Toothless maneuvered them out of the way. They dodged and weaved as best they could through the spikes on the Queen’s back, but Hiccup had the sinking feeling that their diminished speed wouldn’t be enough to escape the flaming carcass that was endeavoring to consume them as well.

Toothless was about to prove him wrong, though, putting all his strength and skill to use in order to secure their survival, but then the Queen’s tail unexpectedly swung in front of them. Hiccup tried to call out a warning, but it was too late.

They had been struck.

As he fell from the saddle, the weightless feeling he had come to love now filled him with complete and absolute terror as he plunged into the fiery abyss, the blistering heat flaring around him. Despite his fear, he found himself unable to look away until he heard a panicked shriek.

Toothless was trying ever so desperately to get to him…getting closer…reaching out…but the flames waited for no man, or dragon, engulfing Hiccup completely.

 

 

His eyes shot open as he gasped for air, almost screaming when he saw Sylvie hovering over him, something that did not aid at all in calming his racing heart.

“Are you okay,” she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Toothless’ head found its way onto his chest, the familiar weight a comfort as he nodded hesitantly, not trusting his voice just yet. Unfortunately, though, he wasn’t fooling anyone, not even himself, as he could feel that he was absolutely drenched in sweat and his heart was still pounding so loudly he could barely hear anything else.

“You don’t look okay,” Sylvie cautiously countered. “Even Toothless is worried,” she pointed out, sitting on the edge of his bed. “You were thrashing about something awful, and I was just about to wake you… Was it a nightmare?”

“More-more like a memory,” he panted, “only…” He trailed off and shook his head, looking away from his cousin.

“Only what,” she pressed gently, using a corner of his fur to wipe the sweat from his brow.

“I wasn’t unconscious,” he choked out, squeezing his eyes shut as the dream replayed itself in his head, as if it was on a never-ending loop. “I saw us falling and…and Toothless didn’t make it in time,” he finished, his voice breaking at the end.

“The battle with the Queen,” she tentatively queried.

Hiccup nodded in response, his gaze once again focused on a random corner of the hut as he tried to get a grip on his emotions.

“Snot told me about it,” Sylvie said softly, running her fingers through his hair in a way that surprisingly helped him to relax. “At least what he was able to see,” she clarified. “He has nightmares, too, you know.”

His head snapped around as he looked at his cousin intently. “He-he does?”

She nodded solemnly before taking a deep breath. “As much as I wished I could have been there to help, I’m glad I didn’t have to see that,” she confessed. “Snot and the twins showing up with you half dead was traumatic enough.”

“Ruff and Tuff,” Hiccup murmured, his brow furrowed. “They helped bring me back?”

“You and Toothless both,” Sylvie revealed. “From what Snot told me, he was still hurting pretty bad from Dad…well, you know…and so Ruff flew back with you on their Zippleback while Tuffnut made sure Snot didn’t fall off Hookfang, who was also carrying Toothless.”

“I didn’t know that,” he admitted, wondering why Snotlout hadn’t shared that fact with him. Then again, maybe his cousin thought he had, or it just slipped his mind with everything else that had occurred. “That was really nice of them.”

“It was,” Sylvie agreed. For a moment, Hiccup thought she was going to say more on the subject, but she turned to another matter instead. “Are you in any pain? Do you need more tea?”

He took a moment to assess how he was feeling, but the dull ache in his leg was one he was beginning to learn how to live with. “It’s not too bad.”

“Should I-”

He shook his head, smiling at his cousin appreciatively. “The willow bark is still working, Sylvie. I’ll be fine until morning, but until then, you should go back to sleep. Where were you…?”

“Down there,” she answered, gesturing to a pile of furs next to his bed. “I wanted to be close, but I wasn’t about to suffer through sleeping over there like my brother,” she declared, scrunching up her face as she waved toward his dad’s chair.

“I don’t blame you,” he chuckled softly, absentmindedly stroking Toothless, whose head was still planted firmly on his chest.

“What about you, Hic,” she pressed. “Will you try to get some more sleep?”

After that nightmare, he didn’t think he could bear to close his eyes again. “Maybe in a little bit,” he hedged, “but not just yet. Could you pass me my journal?”

She happily complied, stirring the fire a bit as well before asking, “Is there anything else?”

“No, but thank you, Sylvie,” he said gratefully.

She nodded and moved back to her nest of furs. “If you need anything, I’m right here,” she reminded him.

“I know,” he acknowledged, watching as she curled up and quickly fell back asleep.

That state of peace would not come to him so easily, though, so he nudged Toothless off of him and pushed himself up, sitting with his back against his headboard. As his gaze met the Night Fury’s, he found himself quietly asking, “Do you have nightmares about that day, too?”

Toothless warbles sorrowfully, burrowing his head into Hiccup’s stomach.

“I’m so sorry, bud,” he whispered, throwing his arms around the dragon and hugging him fiercely despite the pain it caused, his heart breaking further as a sudden realization hit him. Pulling back slightly, he said, “It’s worse for you, though, isn’t it? After all, you had to live in that nest for who knows how long… The things you must have seen…” He couldn’t even finish that sentence. As it was, his limited experience of the nest was enough to send a chill down his spine. “I’m always here for you, bud, just like you’re always here for me,” he assured Toothless, reveling in the Night Fury’s deep purr that calmed his heart in a way little else could.

Sleep was still far away, though, and while he could write or draw in his journal, he didn’t know that he really had the energy or the focus to work in it. He would love to take advantage of this time to try to learn a few more words from Toothless, but he also didn’t want to wake Sylvie. He could still talk with the Night Fury about other matters, though, providing he kept his voice low and Toothless promised not to make too much noise.

With that settled, he decided to broach a topic that he had been dying to learn more about. “Bud? Do all the dragons from the nest really look to us as their new leaders?”

Toothless bobbed his head, giving Hiccup a gummy smile.

“You, I can see,” he conceded, still rather confused, “but why me?”

The Night Fury softly warbled Hiccup’s name, the one word he could actually recognize.

“Yes,” he confirmed. “Why me?”

Toothless simply warbled his name again with a smug expression on his face.

Hiccup was starting to think that his name meant something else entirely in the dragon’s tongue, but until he learned more, he was no further along than he had been before.

“I’ll understand one day, bud,” he said, slightly disappointed that they couldn’t bridge this gap just yet, “but in the meantime, we need to see to our flock’s welfare. We don’t want to be like their old Queen.”

Toothless rumbled approvingly, and they set about making plans to ensure the well-being of all under their care…well, as best they could with the language barrier, anyway.

Chapter 7: The New Normal

Hiccup wound up discussing matters with Toothless until Sylvie got up, by which time he was more than ready for some willow bark tea. While they waited for it to brew, his cousin saw to changing the bandages on his leg, a torturous experience he would rather not repeat, but knew would be a frequent occurrence in the coming weeks. He knew it would get easier as time went on, and maybe, eventually, he would even build up the courage to watch while it was being done. In the meantime, though, he was in no rush to see his stump; the burns that traveled up his thigh were bad enough, and the very thought of seeing more was turning his stomach, or maybe that was just the pain…

Upon receiving his tea, he drank it greedily before nibbling on a slice of bread, his hunger just barely winning out over his tiredness, his sleepless night finally having caught up with him.

Sylvie must have seen that, for she tucked him back into bed like he was five years old, something he normally would have protested against, but he was too tired and her fussing was actually kind of nice.

It was late morning by the time he woke, feeling more rested than he had since he came out of his coma.

“How are you doing,” Sylvie asked, appearing almost instantly at his side

“A bit better,” he replied, shooting her a small smile, “though after last night, I think I’d like to wash up a bit and maybe change into some fresh clothes.”

He knew that many Vikings viewed their pungent aroma as a badge of honor, but he was not one of them, and everything just felt a little too sweaty for his tastes. Thankfully, his cousins understood. Snotlout retrieved a fresh pair of clothes from his room, while Sylvie heated some water and pulled out a cloth for him to use before retreating upstairs to give him some privacy. Of course, he still needed help, but Snot was willing to lend a hand. Despite the colorful bruising around his torso from where Toothless had grabbed him, he managed fairly well, and he felt much better after all was said and done. 

Once Sylvie had come back downstairs and settled at the foot of his bed with her brother, Hiccup said, “You guys do realize you don’t have to remain here all the time, right? I don’t want you to have to stay cooped up because of me.”

“We don’t mind,” Snotlout insisted stubbornly, though Hiccup wasn’t sure if it was due to his cousin’s loyalty or his desire to avoid Uncle Spitelout. Perhaps a bit of both…

“Look, I already had my tea and won’t need more til the afternoon,” he reasoned. “Toothless is here, and I’m sure he’d be more than willing to keep an eye on me.” Plus, with Astrid due to arrive soon, he was hoping to avoid a confrontation similar to the one they had yesterday. “I’ll be fine,” he assured his cousins, noticing that they were wavering ever so slightly. “Go get some air, and Astrid can help me to the Great Hall. I’ll meet you there for lunch,” he proposed.

“Are you sure about this, Hic,” Sylvie pressed, wringing her hands slightly.

Hiccup sighed. “I keep telling you, Astrid’s not that bad.”

“No, I meant about going out,” his cousin clarified, her unease becoming more pronounced. “You still don’t have much energy, and you’re supposed to be taking it easy.”

“I’ll just be sitting there instead of sitting here,” he justified. “It won’t be that much different. Besides, I’m getting a little sick of seeing the same four walls.”

“I hear ya,” Snot agreed emphatically. “And only because of that—and not because I’m avoiding Astrid—will I take you up on your offer. Come on, Sylvie,” he said, waving for his sister to join him. “Let’s go for a flight with Hookfang.”

Sylvie was still reluctant to leave, but let herself be pulled out the back door, not before charging Toothless to keep a close eye on Hiccup, though.

The Night Fury took his responsibility seriously, watching Hiccup so intently that Hiccup was starting to wonder if this was what prey felt like. Thankfully, the dragon’s concentration was broken when the front door burst open, revealing a more than welcome visitor.

“Gobber,” Hiccup exclaimed happily. “Not that I’m not glad to see you, but what are you doing here? Isn’t there a huge backlog at the forge,” he asked guiltily.

“Eh, it’s nothing that won’t wait,” the blacksmith declared, waving off his concerns with his hook prosthetic, “especially as the dragon war is over now, all thanks to me favorite apprentice, who I wanted to check on.”

“I’m your only apprentice,” he responded drily, though he couldn’t help the slight smirk that crept onto his face.

“Yer still me favorite,” Gobber maintained. “And I wanted to bring ye this,” he added, pulling the strangest contraption Hiccup had ever seen from behind his back and setting it in the boy’s hands.

There were certain parts that looked familiar, and he thought he knew what it was for, but he still found himself hesitant to actually say it out loud, as if that would make his circumstance all the more real. “It’s…”

“Fer when yer ready,” Gobber cut in awkwardly. “I know it’s a lot ter adjust to—been there once or twice meself,” he stated, tapping his own peg leg on the floor, “but trust me, the longer ye put off trying to use it, the harder it is. I’m not saying ter use it just yet,” he clarified, “but I thought maybe having it around might help ye get used to the idea.”

“Thank you, Gobber,” he said gratefully. “I really appreciate it, especially since this isn’t the standard issue peg leg.” There he had managed to say it, and the world hadn’t come crashing down…yet.

“Well, ye never were one to do things the normal way,” the blacksmith proclaimed, patting him lightly on the shoulder before gesturing toward Toothless. “Yer beastie, there, is proof of that.”

The Night Fury gave a gummy grin, which got Hiccup thinking. “Gobber? Could I maybe ask a favor?”

“What is it, laddie,” his mentor inquired kindly.

“Toothless’ saddle and rigging were damaged in the battle,” he stated. “I don’t know how much survived, and-” He broke off as Gobber shook his head.

“It wasn’t salvageable, lad, but I’m guessing ye’ve got yer plans stashed somewhere,” the blacksmith asked, clearly understanding where Hiccup was going with his request.

He smiled in relief and nodded. “On my workstation,” he shared. “There’s a pile of schematics, and it’s close to the bottom.”

“I’ll get right to it,” his mentor promised. “Might have ter make some adjustments fer that new foot of yers, but it’ll give me something to do.”

“Thank you, Gobber,” he said appreciatively. He knew he wouldn’t be able to use Toothless’ equipment for a while, but it would be nice knowing that it was all ready to go.

“No problem,” the blacksmith assured him, ruffling his hair. “Ye get all healed up, now, ye hear? I miss having ye around.”

“I’ll do my best,” he grinned.

Gobber nodded and headed back for the door, sidestepping at the last minute to let Astrid enter. “Oh! Excuse me, lassie.”

She nodded in acknowledgement before turning her attention to Hiccup. “You seem quite popular today,” she observed.

“Ah, yes, I’m quite the social invalid,” he quipped with a lopsided smile.

“What’s that,” she asked, her eyes landing on his recently acquired false limb.

“Oh, uh, Gobber made it for me,” he replied awkwardly, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “It’s a, um, prosthetic.”

“Great! You can use it today,” she suggested.

Hiccup was not expecting that. “Oh, uh, I don’t know that I’m ready for-”

“There’s no time like the present,” Astrid insisted. “And you’ll need to get used to it sooner or later.”

“I know, but-”

“Here, let me put it on for you,” she said, grabbing it from his hands.

“No! I- I can do it myself,” he claimed, snatching it back. It wasn’t that he wanted to, but he felt backed into a corner, and, if given the option, he would rather do it himself than let Astrid get a closer look at the part of him that was less than perfect.

Of course, Toothless instantly noticed his unease, a low growl of displeasure building in the back of his throat.

He reached out toward the Night Fury, lightly resting his hand on the dragon’s snout as he said, “It’s fine, Toothless. Really. I- I need to do this.”

The Night Fury looked less than convinced and did everything in his power to make the whole situation harder than it was, constantly jostling the prosthetic as Hiccup tried to attach it to his stump. He had seen Gobber adjust his false limbs enough that he had a fair idea of what he was doing, but that didn’t make things any easier. The only good to come from Toothless’ interference was that it shielded Hiccup from Astrid’s view. He felt awkward enough as it was, and having her watch him struggle through something seemingly as simple as fastening a few buckles would have led to his eternal embarrassment.

Finally, though, he managed to secure his new prosthetic. It pinched his tender stump and rubbed on his burns something awful, but he supposed he could deal with it, at least for a few hours.

Unfortunately, things quickly spiraled out of control as Astrid declared her intention to help him walk to the Great Hall, not seeming to grasp the fact that wearing a prosthetic did not necessarily mean you could instantly use it.

She had hardly given him a chance to process her words when she grabbed his arms, saying, “Okay, let’s get you to your feet.”

“Foot,” he automatically replied, all his focus on putting his weight on his good leg and not toppling over.

“Well, I suppose,” she reluctantly conceded, “but-” She cut herself off and shook her head, tightening her grip on his forearms, her fingers digging into his skin. “I’ve got you, Hiccup. You can do this,” she said, stepping back and encouraging him to take a step of his own.

“I really think it’d be much better if I rode Toothless,” he maintained.

“At least try, Hiccup,” she pressed emphatically.

He knew she was only trying to help, and, though he was not prepared to walk like this through the village, he supposed he could at least make an attempt to reach the front door. Taking a deep breath, he shakily extended his injured leg, but as soon as he tried to transfer his weight, it buckled under him. Despite Astrid’s iron grip, he would have fallen to the floor if it weren’t for Toothless shoving his head in between them and catching him.

Biting back a scream and trying to breathe through the pain, he barely managed to say, “Yeah, that’s enough for now.”

“You just have to work through the pain, Hiccup,” Astrid stated matter-of-factly.

While there was a time when that advice would apply, Hiccup couldn’t help but think that now was not it. He couldn’t exactly blame Astrid, though, as she had never been in this position herself and would therefore not understand the agony that single step had inflicted. 

“I’ve been living in pain since I woke up after the battle,” he patiently explained. “Just wearing the prosthetic is making it worse, and I’m not about to exacerbate it even further.”

He carefully slid onto Toothless’ back, the Night Fury still crooning in concern. It felt different without the saddle, and far less stable, but it wasn’t like they were going to be flying or anything, so he would be fine.

Looking up at Astrid, he said, “Shall we go?”

She pressed her lips together momentarily, but thankfully, she chose not to argue. “Okay,” she agreed, moving to mount Toothless behind him.

The Night Fury was not having it, though, growling and sidestepping every time she got near, Astrid’s frustration increasing along with her attempts.

“Bud, what’s wrong,” he inquired, never having seen the dragon act like this before. Then again, Toothless hadn’t been around too many people yet… “He must not be used to you yet,” he remarked, unable to think of any other explanation. “I’m sure he’ll get there, though. You just need to give him time.”

Astrid huffed, but at least she stopped approaching the temperamental Night Fury. “Can I at least walk beside you, then,” she requested curtly.

Hiccup was about to say that he would like that, but as Toothless stepped toward the open door, his tail swept Astrid off her feet, making the dragon’s opinion clear.

“Not you, too, bud,” Hiccup groaned, realizing that this courtship was going to have far more obstacles than he had hoped for.

Chapter 8: A Heart in Tatters

The last thing Ruff was expecting when she came to the Great Hall for lunch was to see Hiccup come through the doors on Toothless’ back. Unfortunately, he had Astrid in tow, but she supposed that was something that she would need to get used to. After all, the village wasn’t that big; she couldn’t avoid him forever.

She watched from where she and her brother sat as Toothless slowly made his way through the Hall, having to pause every few feet as Berkian after Berkian offered Hiccup congratulations, probably on slaying the Red Death and not for, you know, actually living through it. Astrid was preening at the attention, even if it wasn’t directed toward her, but Hiccup was far less comfortable, seeming to shrink more and more into himself the further they went.

Ruff wasn’t about to make the situation worse by calling them over, but Toothless had caught sight of her and made a beeline toward them, nuzzling into her side, much to her surprise.

“Hey, Toothless,” she murmured, scratching the Night Fury’s chin before looking up and giving Hiccup what she hoped was a convincing grin.

“Hey, guys,” he greeted them with a heartfelt smile.

As he slowly began to maneuver himself off Toothless’ back, Astrid stepped forward, gesturing toward an empty table deeper into the Hall and saying, “Hiccup, I thought we were-”

“Here is fine,” he said, cutting her off as he slid onto his feet…well…foot, though he was sporting a fancy new prosthetic in place of his missing limb. Considering he was avoiding putting any weight on it, though, Ruff began to wonder if he should even be using it yet.

“I guess,” Astrid replied, sounding rather put out, though she quickly covered it with a smile. “I’ll go get us some food.”

As soon as she was gone, Hiccup hopped on one foot to the table, one arm draped across Toothless’ neck to assist him in maintaining his balance.

“Do you need help,” Tuff asked, already half out of his seat when Hiccup waved him off with his free hand.

“I can manage, but thanks,” he responded, carefully easing himself onto the bench. “And thank you for all your help with the battle and after, too,” he added earnestly. “I just found out earlier today about you two flying back with Snot to get me to Grandma as soon as possible. If I had known, I would have tried to say something sooner,” he said guiltily.

“Don’t worry about it. We were happy to help in whatever way we could,” Ruffnut assured him, though her smile felt so fragile she was afraid it would break at any moment. Why did he still have to be so nice, even when he was further from her reach than before? It just made it all so much harder…

She couldn’t help but worry about him, though. He was far paler than normal—at least he wasn't as white as he had been on that horrible flight back to Berk—but she hesitated to say anything, as it shouldn’t really concern her. Still… 

“Are you sure you should be up,” she pressed anxiously.

“He’s fine,” Astrid declared proudly as she returned, plopping a loaded plate in front of Hiccup and not allowing him a chance to answer for himself. “How could he not be,” she asked incredulously, taking a seat next to him. “After all, he is the Pride of Berk.”

“Yeah,” Hiccup muttered as he smiled uncomfortably. Leaning heavily on the table, he picked at his food, his expression pinched with pain he unsuccessfully tried to conceal.

Needless to say, Ruff was unconvinced by his claim, and a glance at her twin revealed that he felt the same. The only problem was what to do…

Before either of them could so much as suggest Hiccup return home and to his bed, Snotlout and Sylvie joined their table. Both were eyeing their cousin uneasily, clearly thinking along the same line as Ruffnut and her brother. Things only got worse when Fishlegs arrived and began pestering Hiccup with question after question, barely even giving him a chance to respond.

Now, Astrid convincing Hiccup to be out and about before he was ready was bad enough, but Fishlegs should know better; he was supposed to be the sensitive one. Couldn’t he see how tired Hiccup was?!

Ruffnut desperately wanted to say something, hating how no one was looking out for Hiccup’s well-being, but considering how Astrid had already brushed off her concern and Hiccup had gone along with it… She was racking her brain for some other option, even willing to go so far as to dump food on him so he would need to go home and change, hopefully staying there. But just as she was about to enact her ill-thought-out plan, she saw Hiccup shoot his cousins a pleading look.

Snotlout was instantly on his feet, loudly proclaiming that was enough and it was time for Hiccup to go home. He helped his cousin up, ignoring Hiccup’s feeble protests, which Ruff was sure were just an act to save face considering the look she had seen them exchange. 

While Fishlegs accepted that announcement with grace despite his disappointment, Astrid was not so magnanimous, claiming that Hiccup had hardly touched his food, and he should be allowed to finish first. 

Looking at the plate, Ruff thought it was little wonder he hadn’t touched it. It was mostly mutton and yak, far too heavy to eat as he recovered, not to mention the fact that he far preferred fish. The only parts he had eaten were the bread and a bit of the vegetables.

“Can’t you see he’s about ready to fall over,” Snotlout shouted at the blond Shieldmaiden wannabe.

“I’m sorry, Astrid,” Hiccup cut in before she could reply and escalate the situation further. “I think I might have overestimated how far along I was in my recovery. You can come by tomorrow, though, if you want.”

Astrid pouted, but begrudgingly gave in. “I suppose that’s better than nothing,” she admitted, leaning forward and pecking his cheek.

Ruffnut quickly looked away, unable to bear seeing Hiccup accepting affection from someone other than her. Was it childish? Perhaps…but her heart currently felt like it had been torn from her chest and stomped to smithereens, so she figured that gave her some leeway. Unfortunately, her distress did not seem to go as unnoticed as she had hoped, for Sylvie was looking at her far too knowingly.

“I’ll walk back with you,” Astrid declared, apparently determined to stick to Hiccup like the blood-sucking leech she was.

“You really don’t have to,” Snotlout claimed disgruntledly as he helped his cousin onto Toothless’ back.

“Snot,” Hiccup exclaimed, his exasperation clear.

“Ugh, fine,” Snotlout huffed before glancing at his sister. “I’ll have Hookfang wait for you outside the Great Hall.”

“It’s not that far,” Astrid pointed out curtly. “She could walk.”

“But the companionship is nice,” Hiccup stated firmly, his tone of voice brooking no disagreement as Toothless began walking toward the exit, his tail swishing irritably.

Considering what she had learned about Spitelout on the flight back from the nest, and having seen Hookfang’s intense dislike of the Jorgenson patriarch, Ruffnut had a good idea why such a precaution was necessary, though she wasn’t sure why Sylvie wanted to stay in the first place, especially with her brother and cousin leaving.

Fishlegs didn’t stick around for long, and soon it was just the three of them, though Sylvie didn’t let the silence linger.

“I was surprised you haven’t been by,” she remarked, “especially considering how often you stopped by Grandma’s.

“Just been busy,” Ruff replied, shrugging in an attempt to appear nonchalant.

Sylvie hummed noncommittally as she stood, clearly seeing through Ruff’s obfuscation. “If it means anything, I think you’d be better for him than Astrid,” she commented softly. “I just wish he’d see that.” She smiled sorrowfully before walking off.

They sat in silence for all of two seconds before her brother said, “That was-”

“Embarrassing,” Ruff blurted, burying her head in her arms.

“I was going to say interesting,” Tuff countered. “Looks like you’ve got someone else on your side. Maybe two if the way Snotlout was glaring at Astrid means anything.”

She reluctantly sat up, waving one hand dismissively. “Those two have been opponents since they could walk. Hiccup is the one whose opinion matters, though,” she reminded her brother, “and all he can see right now is Astrid.”

“Does this mean you’re feeling desperate enough now,” he prodded, elbowing her lightly.

“There’s no point, Tuff,” she exclaimed, her frustration leaking through. “Even letting my hair down, scandalous as it would be, wouldn’t pry his eyes off of Astrid. Did you see the way he looked at her,” she demanded heartbrokenly. “Plus, they’re apparently courting, or did you miss her boasting about it yesterday, saying how pleased she was to be with the Pride of Berk. She didn’t even use his name,” she muttered.

“Courtships don’t always lead to marriage,” her brother reasoned. “Hiccup may be in the honeymoon phase now, but he’s not dumb; you know that. He’ll come around eventually, sis, but in the meantime, what are you going to do?”

“What can I do,” she huffed, thoroughly exasperated.

“You saw how Astrid tried to feed him,” Tuff scoffed. “She didn’t even know what he likes, but you do.”

“Yeah,” she reluctantly admitted, “but I’m sure Sylvie-”

“No one bakes better than you,” her brother insisted emphatically.

“Flattery won’t get you anywhere,” she said, whacking his shoulder as she tried to hide how much his words meant to her. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt, though… It would make him happy at least,” she supposed.

“Exactly,” he declared, pulling her to her feet. “I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

“Thanks, Tuff,” she said gratefully, allowing him to practically drag her out of the Great Hall.

Chapter 9: Under Siege

Snotlout was struggling to keep his mouth shut as they left the Great Hall, especially after seeing that contraption strapped onto his cousin’s leg. This was neither the time nor place to discuss Hiccup’s idiotic decision, but waiting until they reached Uncle Stoick’s was proving to be harder than he thought, particularly as a certain blonde was still trying to cozy up to his cousin.

At least Toothless appeared to be on the right side, his tail flicking back and forth irritably, blocking Astrid’s every attempt to approach. Satisfied that the Night Fury would not allow any more harm to come to Hiccup, Snot sped ahead, exiting the Great Hall and stepping aside to speak to his own dragon.

“Wait for Sylvie, would ya, Hooky,” he requested, reaching up to scratch the Monstrous Nightmare’s chin.

His dragon puffed smoke in his face, a mannerism that he was becoming familiar with that meant he needn’t have bothered to ask.

Of course, Snotlout knew that Hookfang had quickly become just as protective over Sylvie as he was, but if he didn’t say anything, he was convinced the Nightmare would try to split himself in two trying to watch over them both, even if Snot was returning to the house with Hiccup and Toothless.

Speaking of, the Night Fury apparently had enough of Astrid dogging his steps and chose to avoid the stairs altogether by leaping into the air and gliding down to the Haddock house. Snot could tell that his cousin was a little caught off guard and didn’t seem as stable without his saddle, but it was such a short flight and would have jostled his leg far less than taking the stairs would have, so Snotlout wasn’t too concerned.

He hurried down the hill, with Astrid unfortunately at his side, the two of them reaching Hiccup at the same time.

“Sorry for cutting our lunch short,” Hiccup apologized to the blonde once again, “but I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I look forward to it,” Astrid replied, taking a step closer only to be stopped by a growling Night Fury who was clearly not keen on her getting any closer.

Snot couldn’t help but approve of Toothless’ stance, and while he was a little frustrated that his cousin felt the need to apologize for something that wasn’t his fault, he was relieved by the clear dismissal that sent Astrid on her way…at least until tomorrow.

That didn’t mean that he had forgotten what he wanted to speak to Hiccup about, though, and as soon as the door closed behind them, he rounded on his cousin.

“What were you thinking?!”

“That it would be nice to get out of the house for a little bit,” Hiccup answered wearily from where he still sat on Toothless’ back.

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Snotlout shouted before gesturing to his cousin’s prosthetic. “What is that thing?!”

Hiccup paused, a tinge of guilt in his expression. “Oh, well, Gobber brought it by and-”

“And has Grandma said it was okay for you to wear it,” he demanded.

His cousin looked away, mumbling, “I haven’t asked her, but-”

“I don’t want to hear it,” he declared, effectively cutting Hiccup off as he went to help him dismount. “You’d better be glad Toothless isn’t tossing you off for doing something so stupid,” he grumbled under his breath.

“I mean, it does hurt,” Hiccup reluctantly confessed as Snot helped him back to his bed, “but it always does anyway, and-” He stopped short at his Night Fury’s growl, one that was pointedly aimed at the prosthetic.

“How do you get it off,” Snotlout said tersely, still marveling at how his brilliant cousin could do something so foolish.

Hiccup seemed to deflate a bit as he sighed. “There’s a series of buckles,” he answered softly.

Snot instantly went to work removing it, as well as the bandages wrapped around his cousin’s stump, Hiccup’s squirming not helping matters any.

“Why are you-”

“I’ve got to make sure you didn’t do any damage,” he responded brusquely, trying to be gentle despite his annoyance with his cousin.

Hiccup pressed his lips together and looked away, not attempting to hide his displeasure, but thankfully not fighting Snotlout either.

“It’s awfully red, and your burns look worse from the straps rubbing against them,” he observed. “I think I need to let it breathe for a bit, but Grandma should probably take a look. Once Sylvie gets back, I’ll fetch her. I don’t dare leave you alone, and clearly Toothless isn’t as capable of reining you in as we thought he’d be.”

The Night Fury took umbrage at that, letting out a string of snarls that showed he was just as upset as Snotlout was.

“In his defense, he did try to stop me,” Hiccup stated somewhat nervously, leaving Snot to stare at his cousin incredulously.

“Then why did you put that hunk of junk on?!”

Hiccup’s gaze remained fixed on a random corner. “I- I just wanted to- Astrid said-”

“And there it is,” he exclaimed, thoroughly exasperated. “‘Astrid said,’” he repeated mockingly, beginning to lose his patience…though he had very little to start with. “If she told you to jump off a cliff, would you do it?!”

His cousin barely hesitated before answering. “I mean, Toothless would catch me so-”

He looked at Hiccup in horror. “Do you even hear yourself right now?!” At least his cousin had the grace to look slightly chagrined, but that wasn’t enough. “I’m guessing she wanted you to wear that torture device,” he accused.

“I’m going to have to eventually, Snot,” Hiccup reasoned, “and-”

“Stop avoiding the question!”

“Fine,” he yelled back before pausing to take a deep breath to calm himself. “Yes, she suggested I wear it.”

“And you just went along with it,” Snotlout probed.

“Well, I-”

“If it were anyone else, like me or Sylvie or one of the twins, would you have gone along with it,” he pressed.

His cousin’s silence spoke volumes, and not in a way that brought Snot and peace of mind.

“Exactly,” he proclaimed, with Toothless adding a huff of his own. “See? He agrees with me.”

“Only because he’s listened to you complain about Astrid constantly,” Hiccup rationalized. “None of you are giving her a chance,” he proclaimed, his own frustration leaking through.

Snotlout simply stared at him in disbelief. How deluded could he be?! Of course, he knew that his cousin had been crushing on Astrid for a while, but even Snot could see that she was being too pushy, walking all over Hiccup…well, maybe not all over... He could begrudgingly admit that there were certain things his cousin refused to compromise on, like his morals, and he did end their lunch date early, but that wasn’t enough! Hiccup shouldn’t be doing so much, not after all he’d been through; he needed rest.

While he doubted he could get all that through his cousin’s thick head, at least he could disprove his last accusation with a single question to a certain Night Fury.

“Toothless, is your opinion based on anything I’ve said,” Snot inquired, his attention divided between the dragon and Hiccup.

The Night Fury shook his head adamantly.

Hiccup still looked unconvinced, though, leading to Snotlout asking one more question to drive his point home. “Is it because of how Astrid treats Hiccup?”

Toothless let forth a predatory growl, his gaze flicking toward the door as if he expected Astrid to walk through at any moment.

“Ok, so she’s a little rough around the edges,” Hiccup said in her defense, “but she’s spent her whole life training. She hasn’t had a chance to develop her softer side because she’s been focused on becoming a warrior. If you just-”

“She’s a warrior who is breaking down your defenses, because you’re letting her,” he shouted.

“That’s not true,” his cousin countered hotly.

“Hiccup, your mind is under siege! She’s just using you,” he argued.

“You’re wrong!”

The two held each other’s gaze, the tension only rising until, suddenly, the front door opened.

”Sorry, it took me longer…” Sylvie stopped short, looking between them warily. “Uh, is everything okay?”

“Just peachy,” Snot bit out before storming past her. “I’m going to get Grandma,” he announced, shooting one last glare over his shoulder at his cousin. “Maybe she can knock some sense into you.”

Chapter 10: Getting Through to Hiccup

Sylvie was not sure what she had just walked into, but considering the way Snotlout stormed past her and Hiccup was glaring stonily at a random corner, she was pretty sure they had argued. Even Toothless was pointedly ignoring his bonded, which was not a good sign. Catching sight of Hiccup’s exposed stump, she had a feeling that was what it had been about, as it looked far more irritated than it had that morning, most likely due to him attempting to wear a prosthetic too soon.

“Oh, your poor leg,” she murmured, not about to chastise him for his decision as she was sure Snot had already done plenty of that, and no doubt Grandma would as well.

“It’s fine,” he said tersely, but Sylvie didn’t miss the way his jaw was clenching.

“Are you ready for more tea,” she gently inquired, not surprised at all when her cousin nodded stiffly, still refusing to make eye contact.

As she bustled around, heating the water and preparing the tea to steep, she wondered just what her brother had said to put the two boys so at odds. The leg was one thing, but Hiccup wasn’t so proud as to refuse to admit when he had made a mistake…unless Astrid had something to do with the whole thing, which honestly wouldn’t surprise her. She wasn’t about to pry, though, feeling that Hiccup needed rest now more than anything, and she didn’t want to upset him further.

Needless to say, she was quite surprised when her cousin broke his silence, his voice low as he asked for her opinion. “Sylvie, do you agree with Snot?”

“About what,” she queried softly.

Hiccup took a deep breath before saying, “About Astrid not treating me well.”

Sylvie bit her lip as she thought, wanting to choose her words carefully so as not to raise her cousin’s hackles. “She doesn’t seem to realize how much pain you’re in,” she observed cautiously.

“How could she,” he reasoned. “She’s never been through something like that herself.”

“I suppose,” she reluctantly conceded, “but that doesn’t mean Snot and I don’t see it and try to make things easier for you.”

“You’re family,” he rationalized, “and you’re here all the time—which I’m grateful for, I don’t mean that in a bad way,” he hastened to assure her, “but you two have seen everything.”

While that was true, it didn’t mean that others couldn’t show more compassion and understanding. True, it wasn’t necessarily the Viking way, but it would be nice if it were. Of course, she and her brother weren’t the only ones who had noticed at lunch that something was wrong. She debated with herself for a moment, wondering if it was her place to say anything as she didn’t want to put Ruffnut in an awkward position, especially considering her feelings for Hiccup, but if it helped him to see that others noticed, unlike Astrid… “The twins were worried about you,” she stated. “I could tell.”

Her cousin blanched. “They did,” he asked warily, probably thinking that they would view him as weak, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

“They clearly saw that you were in pain,” she explained. “I swear, they looked like they were trying to concoct some plan to get you back home.”

Hiccup deflated at that. “Oh…” He fiddled with one corner of his fur dejectedly before attempting to come to Astrid’s defense. “But-” He cut himself off and sighed, apparently not able to summon a sufficient argument in that instant.

Sylvie felt a little guilty for backing him into a corner like that. She was just trying to help him see the whole picture so he could figure things out for himself. He wasn’t thinking clearly due to Astrid’s attention muddling his brain; the constant pain he was in probably wasn’t helping matters either. At least, that last issue was one thing she could easily help with, though. 

“Here you go, Hic,” she said, passing him the prepared mug of willow bark tea.

“Thanks, Sylvie,” he murmured, immediately taking a sip and then staring into the mug like its contents held the answers to all the questions in the world. She was about to step away when he quietly asked, “Is it so wrong to want someone to see me…and maybe love me the way I love them?”

Her heart felt like it was breaking for her cousin as she sat on the edge of his bed. “Of course it isn’t, Hic.”

He looked up at her, his expression pained. “But…?”

She hesitated before saying, “But I don’t know that she truly returns your feelings. I can’t say for sure,” she hastily added upon seeing how crushed her cousin looked, “but her actions…” She trailed off and shook her head. “Just don’t let yourself get swept away by the idea of her or her kisses.”

Hiccup blushed, which wasn’t totally unexpected considering how long he had been falling for the Hofferson girl.

“Just, try to look and see the kind of person she is beyond being pretty and one of Berk’s rising warriors,” she suggested, not wanting her cousin to think she was telling him what he should do or feel. “Okay?”

He nodded and returned to his tea, but Sylvie could tell he had taken her words to heart, which was a good thing, as no sooner had she stood from the bed than Grandma flew in, her staff held high as she glared at Hiccup.

She hastily scurried out of the way, going to stand by Snotlout as Grandma whacked her cousin on the head, albeit lightly, before shoving a slate in his hands that was already fully covered in script, clearly berating him for making such a foolish decision.

Grandma poked and prodded Hiccup’s stump, announcing that, as the prosthetic hadn’t been on too long, there wasn’t any major damage. It wasn’t about to get infected or anything, but Grandma was still far from amused, even going so far as to threaten to take him back up to her house so she could keep a closer eye on him. She was about to keep going, but someone stopped by, apparently having tracked her here, and said she was needed at the Larsens. Grandma eyed them all critically for a moment, her warning clear—don’t let Hiccup do that again—before whacking the boy once more for good measure. 

“I said I was sorry,” Hiccup exclaimed. “I promise, I won’t put it on again until you give me permission.”

Grandma nodded firmly before taking her leave, promising to check back in tomorrow and instructing them to let the leg breathe for a bit before wrapping it back up for the night.

Once she was gone, the tensions from before returned, Hiccup and Snotlout looking everywhere but at each other, with Hiccup avoiding looking at his leg as well. The two were so seldom at odds, and Sylvie hated seeing them like this. She knew she should probably encourage Hiccup to take a nap after his outing, but with the way things stood, there was no way any sleep he got would be restful.

“Why don’t we play a game,” she proposed.

“Knock yourselves out,” her brother snapped, plopping down near the fire and refusing to look at her as well.

“Snot,” she sighed, ever so slightly exasperated.

“I’m not about to act like none of this happened,” he scowled.

“I’m not asking you to,” she clarified, “but the two of you need to talk this out.”

Her brother remained stubbornly silent, but, thankfully, Hiccup got the ball rolling.

“I’m sorry, Snot,” he said, his voice low, but entirely sincere.

“Are you really,” her brother pressed, clearly not believing him.

Hiccup nodded. “What I did was stupid. I shouldn’t have let myself be persuaded to do something I knew I shouldn’t do. Even if I was only harming myself, it was still wrong.”

Toothless padded over, clearly sensing what was going on, and whapped his bonded with his tail.

“Yes, and I should have listened to you, too, Toothless,” Hiccup added, reaching out his hand and smiling when the Night Fury nuzzled it, seeming to forgive him.

Of course, Snotlout’s pardon was not so easily gained. “I’m glad you realize that, but does that mean you won’t let it happen again,” he pressed.

“Wearing my new leg?” Hiccup shook his head. “Definitely not putting that back on until I have Grandma’s approval, for more reasons than one,” he said, muttering the last part as he rubbed the top of his head, right where Grandma’s staff had hit. 

“I mean letting Astrid walk all over you,” Snot specified.

Hiccup wavered momentarily. “I don’t know if I would go that far-”

“She might,” Snotlout interjected.

“I’ll talk with her and try to explain things,” Hiccup promised before taking a deep breath, adding, “And I won’t let her push me past my boundaries. Just give her one more chance. Please?

For a minute, Sylvie thought her brother might object, but he nodded abruptly, saying, “Fine, but next time she oversteps-”

“I won’t let it get that far,” Hiccup proclaimed adamantly. “I don’t think Toothless would let her, either.” A statement that had the Night Fury huffing in agreement.

She was pretty sure things were all mended between them now, but she still needed to confirm. “Better now?”

“As long as he keeps his word,” her brother declared.

“I’ve never failed you yet, Snot,” Hiccup said earnestly.

“I guess,” Snotlout begrudgingly conceded before brushing the entire matter aside. “So, what are we playing?”

Sylvie let out a breath of relief, the atmosphere in the house feeling much more relaxed as they played a dice game, only stopping when it was time for her to start dinner, though she did wrap Hiccup’s stump up first. It was already looking better, and she figured Hiccup would prefer his father not to know all of what happened today, especially as Snot and Grandma had already raked him over the coals quite thoroughly.

Her timing had been impeccable, for she had just finished taking care of Hiccup’s leg and got the fish on when her uncle walked in, immediately checking on his son before commenting on his outing.

“I was late getting to the Great Hall for lunch today,” Uncle Stoick remarked, “but I heard you were there for a bit.” He lightly clapped Hiccup on the back. “I’m glad you felt up to getting out, and with the Hofferson girl, too. Don’t think I haven’t heard the rumors there,” he winked. “She’s a fine catch, son. You should be proud.”

Hiccup laughed awkwardly and reached up to rub the back of his neck. “Yeah, she’s something else, that’s for sure.”

She felt bad for her cousin as she could see he was torn. His dad was praising the girl he was courting while his cousins were opposed, one more vocally than the other. At least with all that had happened, he seemed to actually be thinking about her words from earlier, and that was some form of progress, right?

Chapter 11: A Promising Visit

As soon as she had finished eating breakfast, Ruffnut filled up her basket and made her way over to Hiccup’s house. She had chosen this time on purpose as she was unlikely to run into Astrid at such an early hour. Not that the other blonde wasn’t already up and probably out training somewhere or something, but Ruff had noticed that Astrid only seemed to visit Hiccup or be with him when others would see—like yesterday at the Great Hall—not that she was paying that close of attention or anything. And it wasn’t like she was trying to avoid her… Oh, who was she trying to kid? But surely no one could blame her for not wanting to see her crush deliriously happy with someone who wasn’t her. This was hard enough without having that rubbed in her face.

Still, she was trying to have hope like her brother did. Like Sylvie did, too. After all, Hiccup wasn’t stupid. She just had to keep hoping that he would see past his own crush and realize that Astrid didn’t really care for him, not like Ruff did, anyway. In the meantime, though, she would still be a friend, and reminding him she was around wouldn't hurt.

Knocking on the door to his house, she wasn’t altogether surprised when his cousin answered.

“Oh, hey, Ruff,” Snotlout greeted her.

“Hi. Is Hiccup up, or…” She trailed off, not having thought through the fact that he might still be resting.

“‘Up’ is a relative term,” Hiccup called out.

Snotlout opened the door further and gestured for her to step in, upon which she saw that Hiccup was sitting against the headboard of a bed pushed up near the hearth.

“How are you feeling after yesterday,” she asked, scratching Toothless who had immediately appeared at her side, demanding attention.

“Tired,” Hiccup responded, running a hand through his hair that left it adorably mussed. “I don’t think I really thought through all the people I would need to interact with…among other things.”

She quirked an eyebrow. “Like the prosthetic you were wearing, but not using?”

He laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck, “You noticed that, did you?”

“I’m not dumb, Hiccup,” she declared with a roll of her eyes.

“No, you’re not,” he shot her a lopsided smile that left her heart fluttering before his gaze moved to the basket on her arm. His eyes lit up, and he sniffed appreciatively, commenting, “You are a great baker, though.”

“Well,” she shrugged casually, “I figured you might need something to cheer you up, being stuck in here all the time.”

“Those look amazing,” Snotlout declared, reaching into the basket, though she smacked his hand away before he could filch any of the pastries.

“These are for Hiccup,” she stated firmly, passing the basket to him, “and he doesn’t have to share unless he wants to.”

Unsuccessfully holding back a chuckle, Hiccup said, “I suppose I could be generous and let Snot have just one.”

“Yes,” Snotlout exclaimed, quickly retrieving his bounty.

Hiccup held the basket out toward his other cousin as well, fending off Toothless at the same time. “Sylvie?”

“Thank you,” she replied, selecting one of the tarts delicately. “You too, Ruff. It was very kind of you to bring them over.” She took a bite, and her eyes widened. “These are delicious!”

Ruffnut grinned, pleased with the praise. The younger girl’s reaction, though, made her wonder… “Do you bake, Sylvie?”

“Just bread,” she answered shyly. “Dad isn’t big on sweets; he prefers much heartier fare.”

Unspoken went the fact that Spitelout probably didn’t allow what he would term ‘frivolous baking,’ which was a shame. They weren’t at the Jorgenson house now, though, which led Ruffnut to offer to show Sylvie how to make a few other things, if she wanted.

The girl seemed grateful, but shook her head. “I wouldn’t want to-”

“She’s a really good teacher, Sylvie,” Hiccup interrupted, trying to break through his cousin’s reluctance. “You might enjoy it,” he pressed gently.

“Well, maybe…” she wavered. “If you wouldn’t- Would it be okay to do it, here, Hic,” she asked earnestly.

“Of course,” he assured her kindly. “Snot and I can even help,” he suggested. Both his cousins glaring at him, though, caused him to hastily add, “In a minor way, of course.”

Ruff could tell Hiccup was a little exasperated by their coddling, but after yesterday, she couldn’t blame them for wanting to ensure he didn’t overdo it.

“Tuff is welcome to come, too,” he told her, “if he wants to.”

“Thanks. I’ll be sure to let him know,” she remarked. “So, when should we plan on this baking day? Just so I can have some stuff ready.”

“If you give us a list, Snot or I can get what we need,” Sylvie suggested tentatively.

“That’s a good idea,” Hiccup agreed. “Then, we’ll have everything you need to practice later.”

Sylvie nodded hesitantly, seeming to warm up to the idea.

“Maybe the day after tomorrow,” he proposed. “Say mid-morning?”

“Sounds good,” Ruff nodded. “I should probably let you rest, so I’ll just make that list and then get going.”

They truly wouldn’t require that much, so it didn’t take her long to write down the ingredients they would need. Of course, Toothless demanding more scratches on her way out delayed her departure further, but she wasn’t exactly complaining, and it was with a much lighter outlook that she found herself walking home.

No sooner had she stepped through their door than Tuffnut was asking her how things went.

“Really well, actually,” she responded. “We’re invited back the day after tomorrow. Both of us.”

“What for,” her brother inquired.

“Baking lesson for Sylvie,” she revealed, “though Hiccup and Snotlout will be there, too. They volunteered to help, well, Hiccup did anyway.”

“That sounds promising,” Tuff declared, wiggling his eyebrows.

“I’m trying not to read anything into it,” she admitted, “but I think it’ll be nice.” She pulled out a bowl and set it on the table. “I want to try and work on something new before then, though.”

“Like what?”

“Well, Toothless was clearly quite interested in the basket,” she shared, “and I thought it’d be nice to make something for him.”

Her brother nodded approvingly. “Nice! Get to Hiccup through his dragon.”

“No…well, maybe a little,” she conceded, absentmindedly thinking of what she should include in a dragon delicacy. “But Toothless is so sweet, and he’s kind of sort of grounded since Hiccup can’t fly with him, so he deserves a treat, too,” she reasoned.

“If you need a taste tester, then I’ll volunteer,” he said excitedly.

“They’re dragon treats, Tuff,” she reminded him.

“Yeah, but I’m sure they’ll be good if you’re making them,” he claimed, “and it’s not like you’re adding in anything we couldn’t eat, right?”

“I guess not… But I need to know if a dragon will like them,” she proclaimed before eyeing her brother appraisingly. “You might be close enough, though.”

Tuff stuck his tongue out at her. “If I’m not good enough for you, then I’m sure Barf and Belch would be happy to help.”

“Too true,” she agreed. “I’m thinking a fish base, since the dragons all seem to prefer that over red meat. Could you run down to the docks for me so I can get started here?"

“On it!”

Before she could so much as blink, he was already halfway out the door, requiring her to yell after him, “Get some extra for dinner, too!”

Chapter 12: Fighting Distractions

While Sylvie had volunteered to collect the needed ingredients from Ruff’s list, Hiccup and Snotlout had adamantly refused to consider such a proposition. Neither boy wanted her out in the village on her own, even with Hookfang or Toothless shadowing her. Hiccup would have been happy to let his cousins go out together, but apparently, they were sticking to their word and not allowing him to stay at home by himself; therefore, it was left to Snot to do the required shopping. 

He returned fairly quickly, dropping off the supplies before heading back out, though this time with a different destination in mind. The cousins tended to range pretty far in their efforts to avoid the village, and all knew the forest intimately, including where all the best berry bushes could be found. Still, it would take Snot a while to fill the satchels he took with him, as it was getting a little late in the season; that it allowed him to get away from the hut when Astrid was supposed to come visit was probably an added bonus in his cousin’s eyes. 

Hiccup was just glad Sylvie was going to get the opportunity to learn something new, something that she had been wanting to try for a while. She was becoming more excited now that he had a chance to assure her his dad wouldn’t mind, which had been the only thing holding her back. Considering how her dad was, Hiccup couldn’t blame her for her initial hesitance, and he did everything he could to assuage her fears, pleased to see the smile on her face as she put the ingredients away for now.

They had a quiet lunch, just the two of them—well, three if you included Toothless, who was constantly attempting to steal food from his plate despite the basket of fish he had already eaten this morning. When they finished, Hiccup debated whether he should take a nap—he was still rather worn out from yesterday—but then Astrid showed up, putting that on hold.

“Hi, Hiccup!” Astrid breezed past Sylvie, completely ignoring his cousin’s greeting as she let her in. “It’s awfully nice out. Did you want to sit on the porch?”

He did not currently feel like dealing with all the people that were bound to be passing by. Plus, he really needed to talk with Astrid, something that would be much better done in private. “How about we sit in the back, instead,” he suggested. “It’ll be quieter and give us a chance to talk.”

“Don’t you want to visit with everyone,” Astrid pressed. “I’m sure a lot of people would come over if you-”

“I interacted with enough people yesterday,” he cut her off firmly, not understanding why she was so insistent. “And we haven’t gotten to spend much time together without interruptions. I would really like to have a chance to talk, just the two of us.”

“Well, I guess that might be nice,” she reluctantly conceded, even if she didn’t look fully convinced. “Where’s your prosthetic? I can grab it for you.”

“It’s tucked away for now,” he answered, “but we’re just going out back. I don’t need it for that.”

Astrid tried to get closer, as if to help him, but she halted mid-step as Toothless began growling at her, the overprotective reptile. He crooned at Sylvie’s touch, though, and showed no objection when she helped Hiccup situate himself on the Night Fury’s back for the short trip outside. His cousin stayed at his side, helping him to dismount, as well as making sure he was comfortable where he sat on the steps with his back against the wall. Admittedly, he would have preferred to settle on the grass and lean against Toothless, but seeing how the stubborn dragon wouldn’t let Astrid get close to him, this was the better option. Besides, he was pretty sure he had caught a glimpse of a certain Nadder peeking around the corner and thought the two dragons might like this opportunity to interact.

“You good,” Sylvie inquired, clearly hesitant to leave him.

“I’m fine,” he assured her with a smile. “If I need anything, I’ll holler.“

As Sylvie headed back inside, the dazzling blue Nadder poked her head around the side of the house again, and, unable to help himself, Hiccup gently called out to her.

“Hey, there, girl. Have you been following Astrid around?” The dragon cautiously crept closer, contentedly nuzzling into his outstretched hand. “You know, I bet Toothless would play with you if you asked.”

The Nadder bobbed her head eagerly before racing over to Toothless, the two of them instantly engaging in some sort of game that Hiccup wasn’t about to try to understand. Instead, he left them to their fun and turned to his companion. “She’s sweet,” he commented. “What have you named her?”

Astrid’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Named? Like a pet?”

“Sort of… She’s clearly bonded to you,” he observed, thinking that should have been obvious.

“Oh, I haven’t really thought about it,” Astrid responded airily. “I’m sure something will come to me eventually, though.”

He hummed noncommittally, thinking that a devoted friend deserved more consideration than that, but then again, their bond probably hadn’t progressed that far just yet. “Naming her will help the two of you become closer,” he mentioned, hoping that would encourage her to give her bonded a little more thought.

“Or you could help me,” she proposed, scooting over so she was pressed up against his side.

“I-I would be happy to help the two of you,” he stammered, attempting to keep his mind on the conversation and not on the blond who was currently filling his vision, “but there’s only so much I can do, and I don’t mean because of my leg. The bond between a dragon and rider is very personal.”

“We’re very personal,” she practically purred. “Isn’t that enough?”

“Astrid, I-”

He got no further before she leaned over, her lips meeting his in a kiss that made his mind melt. As much as he wanted it to go on forever, though, there were other things they needed to discuss, and he reluctantly pulled back, reminding himself not to get distracted. “Astrid, not that I don’t like it when you kiss me, but we really need to talk.”

“About what,” she pouted.

“About us,” he declared earnestly, gesturing between them. “We’re courting now, and we need to make sure we’re on the same page when it comes to how we want this relationship to progress and how we’re going to treat each other.”

“That’s easy,” she smirked, leaning in for another kiss.

He caught her by the shoulders, keeping her at arm's length, which was one of the hardest things he’s ever done. “No, it’s more than just that,” he insisted, steeling himself against her petulant expression and bringing to mind the words he had practiced last night when he was struggling to sleep. “I know that neither you nor your parents have suffered any major injuries—and I’m glad for that, really—but you have to understand that I can’t handle being around a lot of people right now, and I’m in a lot of pain.”

“You just need to work through it,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Trust me, Astrid, I am,” he argued, becoming a little frustrated that she wasn’t truly listening to him. “I’m in constant pain—the willow bark only helps so much—but pushing myself too far, too fast only makes things worse and could extend my recovery time.”

“What are you talking about,” she asked, her own exasperation beginning to make itself known. 

“For example, wearing my prosthetic yesterday,” he said, supplying an example. “I don’t blame you,” he hastily added. “I should have put my foot down, metaphorically speaking, that is, but Gr- Gothi was very upset with me, and with good reason. If I had tried to walk more or worn it for longer, I could have gotten an infection. Depending on how bad it got, I could have lost even more of my leg or even my life,” he explained. “Now, I don’t expect you to know this, which is why I’m telling you, but I need you to respect my decision if I say no to something.”

“I wasn’t trying to hurt you, Hiccup,” she claimed, her offense more than apparent.

He nodded slightly. “I know, I-”

“I just wanted to see you back on your feet,” she justified. “After all, everybody misses you and-”

“I don’t know about that,” he muttered under his breath, the last several years of being thoroughly ignored by the rest of the tribe foremost in his mind.

“I miss you,” she said softly, laying her head on his shoulder and causing his heart to race.

“You hardly know me, Astrid,” he said, his voice no louder than a whisper as his heart cracked at that admission. “And I don’t know you that well either,” he rationalized. “We never even spent time together until we were forced to during Dragon Training, and those circumstances were not ideal. You still ignored me…” He trailed off, not willing just yet to say how much that hurt.

“I’m not ignoring you now,” she pointed out.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart. The wrong words could so easily cause him to lose all he had gained with her, so he needed to express himself just right. “No, you’re not,” he admitted. “But we need to take this time to get to know each other, to see if we really will be a good fit. You know, sharing our hopes and dreams, that kind of thing.”

“We’re Vikings, Hiccup,” she scoffed, sitting up straight and looking at him in disbelief. “There’s no room for feelings on the battlefield.”

“But we’re not on the battlefield anymore,” he reasoned passionately, waving his hand toward the dragons who were currently playing with each other as if they hadn’t a care in the world. “The war with the dragons is over.”

“There’s always the Outcasts,” she maintained, “and who knows if the Berserkers will turn on us once Dagur becomes Chief. We need to be prepared.”

Hiccup wasn’t quite sure how to get through to her in a way that she would understand; still, he had to try. “I understand that you’re a warrior, Astrid—I’d never try to change that about you—but that doesn’t mean you need to lock away your feelings…at least, not with me,” he almost begged.

“You’re so sweet,” she proclaimed with a smile.

For a second there, Hiccup felt that the way she was looking at him was a tinge patronizing, but then she leaned in for another kiss, and he supposed maybe he was just seeing things.

“If you need as much rest as you say you do, then I guess I won’t keep you,” she said abruptly as she shot to her feet. “I’ll see you later!”

He watched her sashay off, unable to form any words after that last kiss, while the Nadder quickly abandoned her game with Toothless, eagerly chasing after Astrid, though the blonde didn’t even seem to notice. 

As Hiccup came back to his senses, he began to wonder if he had actually accomplished anything with their discussion or not. Thinking over their interactions, he couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with how Astrid had brushed Sylvie off or with how little she cared about her Nadder friend. She had been so defensive when he was only trying to help her understand what he was going through, and she danced around the other topics, not sharing anything personal at all…well, other than those kisses.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he reminded himself of his promise to Sylvie. He couldn’t let himself get distracted by his attraction to Astrid, but when he stripped that away and really thought about their recent interaction and what kind of person it showed her to be… Well, let’s just say he was beginning to have some doubts.

Chapter 13: An Introduction to the Flock

Hiccup basked in the sunlight that poured into the cove. The fresh air was a welcome change after being cooped up inside for so long, especially since he was able to enjoy it in one of his favorite spots on Berk. He was glad his cousins had suggested this as it allowed him to get out of the house without being surrounded by people. It was peaceful here, even with Toothless bounding around them as he showed off their retreat to Hookfang, the Monstrous Nightmare taking it all in appreciatively.

“This is nice,” Hiccup observed from where he sat leaning against a large rock.

“It is,” Snotlout agreed, shooting him a grin.

They had all been getting a little stir crazy. In Hiccup’s case, it was a little more understandable, but even his cousins had been staying inside, partially because they had taken to avoiding the village as much as possible due to the way their dad was acting lately. They didn’t need to rile up Uncle Spitelout’s temper further, especially as Hookfang was sure to escalate the situation, not that Hiccup could blame the Nightmare for protecting his bonded.

He hoped that his uncle would eventually calm down, but he realized that was not very likely. And that still left the matter of what his cousins were going to do once he was further along in his recovery. As much as he would love to have them stay, he wasn’t sure if his dad would be willing to let Snot and Sylvie stay long term, and that wasn’t even taking into consideration the fact that Uncle Spitelout was sure to object.

In the meantime, though, there was one thing he could do to help keep his cousins safe.

“We need to see about getting you a dragon, Sylvie,” he declared.

“I think I’d like that, eventually,” she confessed, “but I haven’t really been in a position to meet any yet.”

Hiccup cringed, knowing that it was because she had been so busy looking after him. “I’m sorry-”

“It’s not your fault,” she hastened to assure him, “and it’s fine. I don’t know if I’m quite ready yet, anyway,” she hesitantly admitted. “And if I really wanted to get away, I’m sure Toothless would take me up if I asked.”

“He’s definitely quite fond of you,” he commented, fondly watching the Night Fury race around the cove. “Ruffnut, too, for some reason. I just don’t understand why he has it out for Astrid.”

“He’s a good judge of character,” Snotlout chimed in matter-of-factly.

“But he doesn’t even know her, yet,” he countered. “I don’t think he really knows Ruff that well either, but…” He trailed off, trying to make sense of it all.

“He didn’t know you when you freed him, but he could tell you had a kind heart,” Snot reasoned.

Hiccup supposed his cousin did have a point, and seeing as Toothless was gamboling his way, he figured there was no harm in asking for confirmation. “Is that true, bud? Could you tell I had a kind heart?”

Toothless crooned happily, rubbing up against him.

“Yeah, I love you, too, you big softie,” he said softly, scratching all the dragon’s favorite spots, or at least all the ones that were within reach. “I just wish you’d give Astrid a chance.”

The Night Fury huffed, making a few snapping sounds, ones that Hiccup didn’t recognize yet, his knowledge of the dragon’s tongue still being relatively limited, but one thing was clear. Toothless had already made up his mind about Astrid, and there was no changing it.

His doubts from the day before crept up on him once again, but he was struggling to think clearly about Astrid when everyone around him was biased. He wouldn’t deny that he had been half in love with her for a while, though he was trying to put that aside as Sylvie requested, but with both his cousins and Toothless against her… He supposed that in itself was telling, but he so desperately wanted to believe that she truly liked him, that there was more to her than everyone saw, but if she continued to refuse to let him in…how would he ever discover it?

Hiccup was pulled from his thoughts by Snotlout getting his sister’s attention. “Hey, Sylvie, I think you’re about to have ample opportunity to make a friend.”

“What are you-” She stopped short and blanched as she followed her brother’s gaze, catching sight of all the dragons perched on the edge of the cove. “Hic?”

He could understand his cousin’s trepidation, as though she was used to Toothless, and she was becoming more comfortable with Hookfang as time went on, seeing so many wild dragons staring down at them was a different story. Hiccup was quick to notice, though, that they were curious more than anything else, and said, “Don’t worry, Sylvie. Everything should be fine.” Looking up toward the dragons, he called out, “Hey there! You guys can come down and join us if you want.”

They were hesitant, despite his offer, so he chirped the word ‘friend,’ one of the handful of noises he had mastered so far. That seemed to put them more at ease, and they began descending one or two at a time, each one making their way over to Hiccup and Toothless and greeting them before making room for the latest arrival. It wasn’t so bad at first, but the dragons just kept coming, each more affectionate than the last, to the point that Hiccup was beginning to think he would be smothered by them. Toothless didn’t seem to be bothered by it, though, which led him to call out to his cousins for assistance.

“Uh, guys? A little help?”

“Nah, I think you’re good,” Snot hollered back.

“Thanks,” he responded drily, sighing in exasperation as he attempted to fend off an overaffectionate Gronckle. “Sylvie?”

“I couldn’t get through if I tried,” she answered, struggling to make herself heard over the dragons who were crowding the cove. “Plus, you can’t deny that they’re all trying to be careful with you, so you really don’t have anything to worry about.”

For all that the dragons each wanted a moment near him, he realized that what his cousin said was true. Their nudges were gentle and their eyes soft, like they truly understood and cared about him. It was so different when compared to all the Vikings who had been crowding him a couple of days ago in the Great Hall, wanting to congratulate him on killing the Queen without a concern for how he was faring in the aftermath. He only made it through that throng thanks to Toothless’ refusal to remain in one spot for more than a few seconds. Seeing as the Night Fury was not concerned by their flock’s enthusiastic greeting, Hiccup resigned himself to the attention, though in all honesty, he didn’t truly mind now that he understood what they were doing.

It was also a good chance for him to listen to the dragons speak. He frequently caught the dragons rumbling the noise he had come to associate with his name, though there was another one that was repeated almost as much.

“Toothless, what’s that other growl mean,” he asked before attempting to mimic it himself. “Is that your name,” he queried, feeling stupid for not asking it sooner, but other words like ‘safe’ and ‘help’ had seemed more important to master quickly.

The Night Fury thought for a moment before slowly bobbing his head, but then he repeated Hiccup’s name with the new sound as well, not making things any clearer.

He wracked his brain, trying to think what it was Toothless could be endeavoring to convey to him. “Is it…is it like a joint name for the two of us,” he guessed.

His bonded shook his head before letting out a loud roar. In response, every single dragon, both those filling the cove as well as the ones still perched on the rim, bowed, while Toothless puffed out his chest, repeating the word in question.

“It’s an honorary title to do with us being the leaders,” Hiccup hesitantly surmised, “like how my dad is called Chief.”

The Night Fury paused in thought, then nodded.

Hiccup supposed that made sense, but he was beginning to feel embarrassed by such a show of respect toward him and his bonded. Toothless definitely deserved it, but him...not so much.

“You can all stand up now,” he called out. “I just needed help understanding. I’m good now.” But still the dragons remained bowed. “Why aren’t they getting up,” he asked his bonded, feeling as awkward as he did when he was pronounced the Top Slayer.

Toothless warbled the ‘leader’ noise again, looking mighty proud as he nuzzled Hiccup.

“Yes, well… Thank you, thank you, but it’s really not necessary,” he claimed, breathing a sigh of relief when the dragons finally raised themselves back up. With order restored—well, sort of…the dragons were still approaching him, but at least they were no longer bowing—he turned his attention back to his bonded. “So a title, like the Queen,” he mused, wishing there was an easier way to ask Toothless what a certain sound meant.

The Night Fury bounded around what little space was available, nodding his head excitedly.

“So, we’re Kings, then,” Hiccup presumed, only for Toothless to huff and take a step backward, a signal they had come up with for the dragon to tell Hiccup to go back to his previous guess. (This was so much easier when he was the one asking for the translation of a Norse word into the dragon’s tongue rather than the other way around.)

“Queens,” he repeated, thinking his bonded had to have mixed things up, but the Night Fury bobbed his head assuredly. “But we’re male,” he protested.

Toothless shrugged, seemingly unconcerned by that fact.

“Wait, so you’re telling me that these dragons view you as their Queen,” Snotlout inquired, barely holding back his laughter.

“Really, Snot,” Hiccup declared, not wanting to deal with his cousin’s teasing about something he didn’t even understand himself.

“That is hilarious,” Snotlout proclaimed before busting up.

“Whatever you think about it, this stays between us…and Grandma,” he stipulated. “No one else needs to know just how these dragons view me and Toothless.”

“Why not,” Sylvie queried, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“Can you imagine if word reached any of the other tribes saying that I control a flock of dragons,” he put forth. “All they would see is a perceived imbalance of power that would have every tribe in the archipelago trying to capture me to use our flock to their own advantage.”

“Wouldn’t that kind of be a death sentence,” Snotlout speculated. “I mean, all the dragons would fight fang and talon to get you back.”

“Exactly,” Hiccup said adamantly. “We just ended one war. Please, let’s not start another.”

Chapter 14: Tasty Treats and Unexpected Complications

Hiccup couldn’t help but chuckle as Sylvie scurried around after breakfast, trying to tamp down her excitement as she made sure everything was out and ready for her baking lesson. He had tried to tell her that she didn’t need to temper her enthusiasm here, whether in front of his dad or the soon to arrive twins, but apparently, old habits die hard. 

Ruffnut and her brother showed up but a few minutes later, with Snotlout letting them in, but they didn’t get far before Toothless was blocking the way, eager for their attention, or more specifically, for Ruff’s scratches, though he seemed equally fixated on the basket she was carrying. 

The female twin laughed gaily as she scratched the Night Fury, saying, “Yes, Toothless, you can smell it, can’t you?”

“Smell what,” Hiccup queried, wondering what it could be that had the Night Fury so excited.

“I felt bad that I didn’t have anything to give him the other day when I dropped off the turnovers,” she explained, pulling out a flat, almost cracker-like object she tossed to Toothless, “so I made something just for him.”

The Night Fury gobbled it up, smacking his lips appreciatively before nosing the basket, clearly hoping for more. 

“What was in there,” Hiccup asked curiously after seeing how much his bonded enjoyed it, thinking maybe he could make some and keep them on hand…providing the nosy dragon didn’t find where he stashed them, that is.

“Fish, a couple of eggs, a bit of yak butter,” Ruffnut listed as she passed the Night Fury another one, Toothless taking it gently from her hands. “I spread it fairly thin so it’d be nice and crispy.”

“Well, he clearly likes them,” Hiccup proclaimed, laughing at how quickly Toothless was already begging for more.

“So do Barf and Belch,” Ruff grinned, “and my brother.”

Hiccup looked at Tuff in surprise, as did his cousins. The twins could be a little weird, but eating dragon treats?

“What,” Tuffnut demanded. “It’s not like they’re made of anything I can’t eat. You should try them.”

“They really aren’t bad,” Ruffnut commented, “though the dragons get far more pleasure from them than I do.”

He supposed that made sense, so with a shrug, he said, “Why not,” accepting one of the baked treats from Ruff, though keeping Toothless from stealing it was another matter. Due to the persistent Night Fury, he simply broke off a small piece and plopped it in his mouth before tossing the rest to his bonded, who happily munched away. It was definitely fishy, but the eggs and yak butter balanced it nicely. “You know, this would make a nice substitute for dried fish or yak jerky for long journeys,” he remarked.

“I didn’t think of that,” Ruff admitted, setting her basket up on a shelf. “You can have more later, Toothless. But only if you don’t try to filch any of the pastries. And we should probably save a few for Hookfang, too.”

Toothless pouted at that, but it wouldn’t kill the Night Fury to share, firming Hiccup’s determination to make sure his cousin’s Nightmare got a few treats, too. Hooky deserved them just as much.

Ruffnut quickly arranged things to her liking, and they got to work. Hiccup was grateful Sylvie had deigned to let him sit at the table, allowing him to help by cutting up the wild strawberries. Snot and Tuff had been assigned to stirring the two pots Ruff had set up over the stove, each with water, sugar, and a bit of yak butter, with the bilberries in one and the strawberries to be added to the other as soon as Hiccup finished with them. Both would be for filling turnovers, while the cloudberries would be used to top the cream filling on the tarts.

As Ruff showed Sylvie how to make the two different crusts, he was pleased to see his cousin begin to relax. Despite all that had happened in the last couple of weeks, she seemed a lot happier than she had in a long time, most likely due to her not being under her father’s thumb. Still, it was a relief to see that his sweet, bubbly cousin was still around. He just hoped they could come up with a permanent solution that would allow her to be this version of herself all the time.

All was going well, and they were just about to take a break to put together some lunch, when there was a knock at the door. Toothless immediately let out a low growl, the Night Fury’s reaction throwing Hiccup off. He knew it couldn’t be his Uncle Spitelout, though, as the man would have been barbecued by Hookfang before he got that close.

After exchanging a quick glance with his cousin, he nodded, Snotlout opening the door to reveal Astrid, which, unfortunately, explained Toothless' growl. The Night Fury wasn’t the only one who was displeased, though; everyone else also seemed rather uncomfortable. His cousins, Hiccup could understand, but the twins…what could they have against Astrid?

“You weren’t home yesterday,” Astrid said, her tone bordering on an accusation as she stepped inside, “and-” She cut herself off upon spotting the twins. “What’s going on here?”

“Ruff is showing Sylvie the finer points of baking,” Hiccup answered. “You’re welcome to join us,” he offered, hoping it wasn’t the wrong thing to say, especially with all the tension in the room, but he also didn’t want to be rude and make Astrid think she was being excluded.

“That’s not really my thing,” she replied dismissively. “We could step outside,” she proposed.

While Hiccup didn’t want to disappoint her, the twins had arrived first, and he had actually made these plans with them, unlike Astrid’s unexpected arrival. “I have guests.”

She stared at him for a moment, her lips pressed together. “Fine,” she huffed, “though could you at least tell me what’s with all the dragons?”

His brow furrowed as he looked at her in confusion. “It’s just Toothless.”

“Not inside,” she clarified. “Outside.”

“Hookfang’s always on the roof,” he said matter-of-factly, “and I’m assuming Barf and Belch came with-”

“There’s far more than two dragons out there, Hiccup,” Astrid declared irritably. “The whole village is on edge.”

None of this made sense. “What are you-”

“Uh, Hiccup,” Snot interrupted him, having poked his head out the back door. “I think they’re waiting for you.”

He grabbed the crutches leaning against the table—Grandma had dropped them off last night as she’d rather him use them than attempt to wear his prosthetic again—and hobbled over to his cousin’s side, astonished by the sight that met him. “Oh…”

Several dozen dragons from their flock had situated themselves around his house, some nearer than others, and he could see this quickly becoming a problem. 

“Toothless, can you send them back to the forest, just for now,” he requested of the dragon that had followed him.

Astrid crossed her arms and scoffed. “Like he can-”

Toothless gave a mighty roar, similar to the one he had yesterday when he was explaining what ‘Queen’ meant, effectively cutting off the skeptical Berkian. 

About half of the dragons complied, heading back into the forest, but the others resolutely remained near, impressing upon Hiccup the fact that he was going to need to speak with his dad about integrating the dragons into daily life much sooner than he had planned. Leaning over, he whispered to Toothless, “Can you tell them I’ll visit later and not to hang around so close to the village?”

Despite the Night Fury passing on his message, the lingering dragons refused to budge.

Running out of options, Hiccup stepped far enough away from the hut that he could see the Monstrous Nightmare on the roof. “Hookfang, could you please keep an eye on them,” he petitioned.

The dragon did nothing more than huff, his gaze remaining stubbornly upon the village, his eyes most likely searching for any sign of Uncle Spitelout.

“Yeah, of course, what was I thinking,” Hiccup grumbled under his breath. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate what Hookfang was doing, but an occasional glance toward their flock would only take a second here and there. Turning back to the dragons near the forest, he called out, “Just don’t bother the villagers, okay?”

Making his way back to his house, he only hoped that it would be enough. He didn’t quite make it to the door when he had to stop as Astrid had stepped in front of him, eyeing him suspiciously. 

“That was…”

“Cool,” Tuffnut exclaimed from where he and the others were standing in the doorway.

“-weird,” Astrid finished before shaking her head. “Anyway, I guess I’ll leave you to your baking,” she said, her expression making her distaste for the activity clear. “I can come by later?”

“Better make it tomorrow,” he suggested, thinking he was going to have enough on his plate tonight with convincing his dad that they needed to start integrating the dragons into the village.

Astrid was not pleased with that answer and flounced off, leaving Hiccup to sigh before taking the last few steps needed to see him inside.

“You okay,” Ruffnut asked softly, remaining by his side.

“Yeah, I just…” He trailed off, not sure what to think of the girl he was courting. Recalling that the twins hadn’t seemed too thrilled to see her either, he decided to see what their opinion was. “What do you guys think of Astrid?”

“She’s a fierce warrior,” Ruffnut stated, moving back toward the table and refusing to meet his gaze.

“You don’t want to cross her, man,” Tuff proclaimed, shaking his head.

“But, as a person… Like, would you be friends with her,” he pressed.

“I doubt it,” Tuff answered, his sister having become unusually quiet. “I mean, she’d have to actually look at us for more than five seconds for that to happen, which isn’t likely.”

Hiccup let the topic drop as they assembled a quick meal, but Tuffnut’s words, combined with both twins’ unease, stuck with him, only adding to his doubts about the girl he had been dreaming about for such a long time.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 3 of Somebody to You