LOST BETWEEN TIMELINES: HTTYD (HICCUP x READER)

Chapter 21

The group gathered near the edge of the cove, the tension slowly fading as Astrid and Leo took a seat. Hiccup stood beside Toothless, gently petting the Night Fury, while Y/n took a deep breath, preparing to explain everything.

Y/n began, her voice steady but careful. "This here is Toothless, the Night Fury," she said, gesturing toward the Night Fury, who seemed half-curious and half-skeptical at Astrid. "And this is D/n," she pointed to her Sand Wraith friend, who shifted his wings slightly, keeping a calm stance not that interested, "...uh, he's new to humans, so don't mind him. They're good dragons, Astrid. They won't hurt us. They've never been the monsters we thought they were."

Astrid's brow furrowed in disbelief. "Good dragons? Y/n, are you hearing yourself? These creatures have terrorized us for years. How can you say they're good?"

Y/n held up a hand, trying to calm Astrid's nerves. "I know, I know it sounds insane, Astrid. Believe me, I didn't believe it at first either. But Hiccup's been working with Toothless for a while now, and I've been doing the same with D/n. They're not just mindless beasts. They can think, feel, and be our allies if we let them."

Leo crossed his arms, his gaze sweeping over the group before settling on Astrid. "You know..," he began, "I've been watching all this since the start. At first, I couldn't believe my eyes. Dragons and humans? Friends? It sounded insane." He glanced at Toothless and Hiccup, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "But after seeing these two-Toothless and Hiccup-well, that changed everything for me."

Then Leo turned to her, his expression sharp. "What I don't get," he said, his voice almost accusing, "is how you met D/n and didn't think to tell me at all."

Y/n opened her mouth, but before she could answer, Hiccup jumped in, speaking in a low tone as if to diffuse the tension. "For the record, I didn't know either," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "We ran into D/n with Y/n purely by accident."

Meanwhile, Astrid stood off to the side, her arms crossed as her eyes flitted between the dragon and the conversation. She said nothing, but there was a flicker of something unspoken in her gaze-curiosity mixed with the faint sting of feeling left out.

Y/n quickly raised her hands in a lighthearted gesture, though her tone carried a defensive edge. "No, that was-I was-look, I wasn't trying to keep it a secret," she said, her words rushing. "I was going to tell you, but I needed the right time. Even now, I wasn't sure if D/n would stick around or take off." Her voice softened as her gaze shifted to D/n, her lips curving into a faint smile.

She straightened up and clapped her hands lightly. "Anyway..."

Astrid interrupted her, "So... you're saying all those attacks, all the raids... they were never really the dragons' fault?"

Y/n nodded. "Not entirely. There's something else controlling them. Hiccup just discovered a massive dragon-a giant creature that forces all the other dragons to do its bidding. That's why they raid us. They're being controlled, guys."

Astrid glanced between Y/n, Hiccup, and the dragons, her grip on her axe finally loosening. "This... this is a lot to take in."

Y/n smiled softly, understanding her friend's hesitation, she said in a low tone, "I know. But we don't have much time. Hiccup found the dragon's nest, and if we're going to stop this, we need to work together." She raised her voice this time, "Trust me, Astrid, these dragons are on our side."

Astrid sat back, her thoughts racing, but she didn't say anything more. Leo glanced at her, then back at Y/n. "Well," he said, scratching the back of his head, "looks like things just got a whole lot more complicated, huh?"