To The End - A Tuffnut Love Story (HTTYD)

31. Proving Loyalty

She knew he was right; worrying was pointless. So she smiled up at him dreamily and pull his face down to hers. Iris kissed him passionately, letting her hands travel over his bare chest and back. When she felt him shiver, she broke the kiss with a giggle. "Are you cold?" She asked.

"No, that just tickled," Tuff admitted as his cheeks dusted pink in the dimly lit hut. With a sly grin, Iris ran her fingers up his side again. Tuffnut squirmed and laughed, "h-hey!" Taking this as a challenge, he sat up in the bed and began to tickle Iris's stomach mercilessly. He finally stopped when she couldn't take it anymore.

As soon as he stopped, however, he found himself laying back down on the bed suddenly, Iris pinning him down. "You should know better, Tuff," she gave him a playful smile.

He tried to squirm out of her grip, but Iris was using her body weight to keep him in place. Finally giving up, he rolled his eyes and sighed in defeat, "alright, you win."

Iris laughed and laid her body onto his, meeting him in another kiss. Hesitantly, Tuffnut wrapped his arms around her back, holding her firmly in place. His face was surely tomato red from their position, but he ignored his nervousness and kissed back with all of his emotion. That night, the two gave in to the most sacred form of love.

***

"Okay, try it one more time," Iris urged Fishlegs to glide from the top of a tree to the ground. Since the devilish dervish incident four days before, they'd been practicing in the forests of Berk. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than nothing.

Before Fishlegs could be convinced to jump, Iris spotted a familiar figure on the horizon. She smiled and waved her arms from her treetop. Soon she was met with the familiar face of Stormchaser. She pet the dragon's cheek. "I can't say this is what I was expecting to fly into," Victor called from atop the prickleboggle.

All of the riders glided down the the ground as Stormchaser landed and Victor hopped off. "Go to the stables," he told his dragon kindly before turning to the group. "You said there was business to discuss?"

Iris nodded, and the group went to the village to meet with the chief in the Great Hall. "Victor," Hiccup greeted, "did you have a safe flight?"

"Mostly," Victor answered, "I ran into a rather nasty flock of devilish dervish on my way in, but otherwise good."

"Right, yeah," Hiccup responded a bit awkwardly.

Victor smiled sideways at the chief and spoke respectful, "however, I do know why you've invited me back so soon; I knew it was only a matter if time before you learned my name."

"We just wanted to clear up any misunderstandings," Hiccup told him sincerely, "the last thing we want right now is another war."

Victor chuckled a bit, "well, I can assure you I don't plan on going to war over passed events."

"You knew the whole time?" Iris asked in shock.

"Of course, but no hard feelings about the unfortunate deaths of my father and uncle," Victor went on, then frowned a bit in shame, "I only wish I could introduce myself without fear of becoming a target of hatred."

All of the riders were in shock; apparently, Victor was a shamed of his father's business. That made sense why they'd never heard of him before. "Well, I guess, that's it then," Hiccup spoke in surprise.

Again, Victor laughed. "In that case, how about I help you out with those intruders from the west?" He suggested with a sly grin, "prickleboggles happen to be a natural enemy of the delilish dervish."

After Victor drove away the unwanted dragons, he left to go back to his home island. He'd proven himself to be truthful, humble, and trustworthy that day. Even so, Hiccup still had a bad feeling in his gut. He found himself getting roped back into trying to out think his opponent. Only he wasn't sure if his opponent was Victor, or himself.

***

Three peaceful months had passed since the short time of tension focused Victor. Berk was getting ready for it's annual Snoggletog celebration. Iris and her dragon warriors spent lots of time learning the tradition and enjoying the cheer it brought. The othly thing they couldn't understand was why all of the dragons left in this time.

"Well, they all go to this island to lay their eggs," Tuff explained to his curious wife.

"Yes, I know that," Iris explained, "but why all of them at once? And only one time a year?"

Tuffnut was about to answer confidently but he stopped when he realized that he didn't have an answer. "That, uh, that's actually a good question," he nodded, "instinct, I guess. Don't the sand wraiths go?"

"No," Iris responded with a smile as she watched Arrow playing with Toothless, "they do things differently, since they've lived side by side with humans for so long, I suppose."

Tuffnut smiled in understanding and took Iris by the hand. Together they stolled through the festive village, snowflakes dancing around them.