Heir and Pride

Chapter Forty-Eight

A/N: 26/12/2016 marks the anniversary of my starting to write this story after rewatching the first movie on Boxing Day at home with my family (though it was of course only posted when I joined Wattpad in April 2016). It has certainly headed left from where I first intended it to go...but I do have a planned arc to take it to the end (just not soon-there is quite a bit more to come!). I am not giving up on this story (EVER) and never will...but sometimes it's a bit harder to come up with the exact way I want to frame the story and I would rather take the time to get it right and as I want than just produce a subpar chapter for the sake of it.

The key relationships in this story remain Hiccup and Toothless (of course-as friends/brothers) and Hiccup and Astrid. My preferred relationship for Hiccup remains Hiccstrid but whether that works out in this story remains to be seen.

Happy Holidays to you all.

Dedication: To NapoleonBonaparte1 (for being so patient-sorry it took a while to get this chapter up!)

Forty-Eight:

Hiccup felt time slow so he could see every detail...the way the plasma boiled in the dragon's mouth as he fired the plasma bolt at the boys...the way his eyes were slotted tight, just as they had been that first time as Toothless had pinned him down and roared at his scrawny, helpless form...the way he found himself turning to try to shield Henryk...the small scales on Toothless's paws...the rush and whoosh as Stormfly flung herself in the way and took the blast in his stead.

Hiccup already knew it was one of the Night Fury's larger blasts and the fact it slammed the tough Nadder aside and spun her to the floor only made him feel worse.

"TOOTHLESS! BAD DRAGON!" he shouted, pushing Henryk back and looking at Stormfly. The blue and gold dragon gave a pained croak but stumbled to her feet as the boy walked forward, his hand extended palm first. The dragon glared at him, steam curling from his half-open mouth. Fearlessly, Hiccup advanced slowly. "Toothless-it's me. You spared my life...and you are my bud, the best friend...the first friend...I had..." He inched forward. "You know...if you truly want to kill me, I can't stop you. And if you aren't my friend, then life really isn't worth going on. If I can't have you as my friend...then you may as well fire..." He inched forward, his hand hovering over the dragon's muzzle. And then he turned his head away. "If Astrid is lost, if you are lost, then I am just...Useless...and I may as well be dead..."

Henryk could barely catch his breath in worry and Stormfly gave a small squawk of anxiety. Then Toothless sniffed...

...and the scent-so familiar, the mix of dragon and fire and metal-called to him. Memories...of warmth and comfort and love and belonging...swirling around his mind, their bright warmth trying to penetrate the clammy fog of his confusion. He sniffed again and an image coalesced, of a pale face with freckles, scruffy auburn hair and bright emerald eyes. Of a warm voice that gave friendship and love and companionship. Of the boy who shot him down and freed him from the Red Death. Of his brother, the boy who flew with him and fought with him against impossible odds...and won. Of Hiccup...

And his nose pressed into the cool palm, feeling the tremble, smelling the salty scent of tears, shimmering in the boy's bright green eyes. His vision cleared, the fog lifted and he saw Hiccup, looking away as he had that day in the cove. He huffed and Hiccup's green eyes flicked to glance into Toothless's finally calm eyes.

"B-bud...?" Hiccup murmured and Toothless gave a small warble, his ear-flaps flicking. He bobbed his head and Hiccup's pale face warmed with a relieved smile as he turned to face his friend and press his other hand to the scaly face. Toothless purred happily, still feeling weak and muzzy but overjoyed at being reunited with his beloved little Viking.