Hiccup & Toothless' Fate

Chapter 14 - A Deal

Um.

I may have written this literally months ago?

Sorry.

This is actually cross-posted on Ao3 under the user [mae_the_4th] so feel free to check it out!

xXx

(Hiccup POV)

Anxiety is a funny thing. One minute you're flying high above the clouds (sometimes quite literally) where nothing can stop you. The next minute that itchy feeling grows, sets roots, hits you, and you're stopped in your tracks.

I'd never felt it like this.

Faced with actually being willingly present on Berk, in daylight no less, made me want to crawl under Toothless' wing and never come out. As it were, however, I couldn't do that. I had a meeting I needed to go to. With Stoick. My father, even if he didn't know that. Oh my gods, what the Helheim was I thinking.

Looking down from my vantage point above the village of Berk, the hustle and bustle of people brought back many memories. Some good, of course, but bad ones as well.

"That alley there, see it?" I said to Toothless. "Got beat up in that one. Oh, that one too... and that one."

Huh.

"Oh, oh, bud, look there! That's the forge. Remember that? Made your gear there, as well as all the other inventions." Toothless gave me the side eye. "Shut up, you're supposed to like what I make."

A shout from the square made me jolt. My first thought was that Toothless and I had been spotted up on the ridge where we lay, or one of the other dragons had left the forest cove where I'd put them. Instead it was simply Fishlegs' mother, overjoyed at her son's return home. Fishlegs was unmistakably Frida's son, sharing the same blonde hair, large figure, and caring personality. Their one difference though was that Frida was unafraid to show exactly how much she cared – in this case, throwing her arms around her son and lifting him into the air, bellowing to all the island about how her "muffin cake" had returned. Behind him, I could see Snotlout and the twins joyfully snickering about the nickname, sure to make Fishlegs' life Hel afterwards. That is, until Spitelout came along, locked his own son in a headlock, and proudly yelled about his "boyo's" return. Unlike Fishlegs, however, Snotlout did not return the affection.

I removed my hand from where it had jumped to the hilt of my sword, only to return it when a footfall sounded behind me.

"Enjoying the view?"

I scrambled upwards, embarrassed at both being caught spying and in such an undefended position, cross-legged on the ground. Astrid stood behind us, arms crossed over her chest.

"Uh, no, um, just uh, checking for hostiles. Or something like that."

Her face did something that by all accounts gave me the impression that she was wholly unimpressed. Privately, I was glad that she couldn't see my face, it still being covered by my helmet. It was undoubtedly bright red.

"Uh, I thought you'd be down there with the others?" I said, trying to save face. "Greet the family and all that." Below, Ruffnut and Tuffnut's uncle had met them, exchanging head blows that sent all three of them reeling.

Astrid's expression turned stony, like a door had been shut. "I'll see them later. Besides, the Chief needs me and I need to do my duty – which at the moment, is escorting you to the Great Hall to meet with Stoick."

My hands started twitching again so I clamped them firmly on my hips, the picture of confidence. "Lead the way then," I said.

Astrid turned and plodded down the slope. I hesitated, then followed, giving Toothless a shove when I passed him.