The 'Dragon Defender'

Trying

"What dragons do you know that can change their shape?" I scoff, unsettled by how accurate Hiccup was. Adriana reaches for my hand, which I take and squeeze gently. Once Hiccup has an idea in his head, that's it; he's not going to get it off his brain until he's confirmed or denied his theory.

"Think about it!" Hiccup encourages. "What else would Atali mean by that?"

"She could've meant any number of things," I try to brush it off, knowing this effort will be in vain. "Why is it, whenever the whole world tells you to leave something alone, you continue to press forward?"

"It's not just an issue of dragons anymore, don't you see that?" Hiccup argues. "Adriana. Indigo. This isn't just a matter of dragons. This is about humans who are alone and isolated and deserve to live among other humans without the fear of being hurt or killed. Berk can offer them that chance!"

"You're forgetting that this is all some silly make-believe," I sigh. "Get back to Berk, you clearly need some rest. When was the last time you slept?"

"I'm not even tired!" Hiccup protests, giving me all the ammunition I need to change the subject. "Oh, I'm sure," I remark. "Come on. Let's get you back to Berk before some wild dragon shows up and kills us all before we can even see it coming in the dark."

I go to push Hiccup back onto Toothless' back, but he moves out of my way, an arm outstretched to stop me from approaching again. "Look. I get that you don't believe me. I do. But just trust me on this one."

"I don't trust you at the best of times," I scowl. "Every step of the way, you have to go behind my back. The Sanctuary. Slitherwing Island. The Morphwings. Atali. And even now, you lied and tricked all of us in order to chase a dragon that clearly doesn't want to be found. I have to keep reminding myself that you mean no harm and that you're just curious, but you have no idea how challenging it is for me to justify all your actions anymore."

Hiccup approaches, trying to set a hand on my shoulder, but I push him off. "Don't. Let's just get you back to Berk before you cause more messes I'll have to clean up."

"Indigo, I'm not trying to-"

"I don't care what you're trying to do!" I snap. "You can spend your whole life trying, okay? You can try, and try, and try again, but your heart being in the right place just isn't enough when you consistently prove that you don't care about the consequences of your own actions! Trying doesn't abdicate you of responsibility. Trying doesn't help! I've been trying! I've been trying again and again to tell myself that you're just curious and that you don't want anybody to get hurt, but it seems like you don't care if that happens! In fact, I'm pretty sure the only thing that motivates you to do anything is the word 'no'! Because you don't take it as a warning or a boundary, you see it as a challenge! Sure, it worked out with training Toothless, but it won't work out that way every time! And at this point, I can't keep brushing it off and letting you go unchecked. You're putting yourself and others directly in harm's way for your own entertainment, Hiccup. I can't justify that. Now get on that Night Fury before you lose your other leg."

Hiccup and Adriana seem shocked at my outburst. There's silence for a minute. Then, slowly, Hiccup gets on Toothless' back. "... Okay. I'm sorry."

"I know you are," I sigh, mounting Stormfly. "But I know you aren't, too."

~•~

"You found him!" Fishlegs is visibly relieved as we all land back on Berk. "Yeah," I hum, not really in the mood for conversation. The flight back was mostly silent and I don't feel like breaking that now. "I'm tired. Do you guys mind if I go to bed?"

"Not at all," Astrid assures, though she looks a little concerned. "Are you all okay?"

"We're fine," I nod, dismounting Stormfly. "Thanks for the ride, girl."

"No problem," she replies, accepting my petting happily before I walk off, Adriana following me. Nobody tries to stop us, all I can hear of the others is Astrid shockedly asking Hiccup what he'd done to make me act like this.

"Are you actually okay?" Adriana asks me. "Yeah," I nod. "I really am tired. I'm tired of all of this... was I too harsh back there?"

"I don't know enough to make that judgement," Adriana holds up her hands. "But it stopped him from finding the island. Sometimes... sometimes we have to cross a few lines or make some sacrifices to keep secrets safe. Like it or not."

"Yeah," I agree. "You know what? I think we're more similar than the others realise."

"I think we are," Adriana smiles slightly, an almost playful tone reaching her voice now. "But I'm the better one."

I chuckle a little at this. "Mm. If that's the hill you want to die on."

The moment of distraction does calm me down a little. We reach our hut and I hold open the door for Adriana, who gladly heads inside and collapses on her bed. I lock up and do the same, sighing tiredly.

"... Indigo?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever consider just... telling the humans the truth?"

"About what?"

"About being a dragon."

"I've thought about it," I admit. "Never seriously considered it as an option. Why?"

"I don't know... you aren't part of the pack, technically. If you'd worked out you were a dragon before you'd met us, would you have told the humans then?"

"I've never really thought about it," I murmur, rolling over on my bed to look over at her. She's facing away. "Maybe. I don't know. I'd probably have told Valka, I guess. At some point or another. But I can't really say for sure."

"Did we... mess things up for you?"

I sit up now. "What are you talking about? You haven't messed anything up for me."

"When you spoke to Hiccup. You said you always had to clean up his messes. And you said about how trying with good intentions doesn't make things right and isn't an excuse to get out of the consequences of your actions and stuff. And... we've tried to force a lot of stuff on you. Stuff that you didn't want. Are we just as bad?"

I consider this for a moment. "... Your actions didn't potentially threaten the safety of an entire species, so..."

"Yeah, but your pack..."

"What about my pack?"

"Well, you always say that they wouldn't be able to survive without you."

"I don't say that. I just need to be there to protect them."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"... It's complicated."

"Is it?"

"... Look... for my own peace of mind, I'm always going to be there for them. Nothing will change that."

"We did."

Nothing more is said, but Adriana's given me a lot to think about.