To The End - A Tuffnut Love Story (HTTYD)

33. A Snoggletog Surprise

Once the pain in her forehead was subsided, Iris grinned deviously and pushed her love off the bed. He fell to the floor with a thump. Rolling onto his back, he watched Iris's head pop out from over the bed with a satisfied smile.

She hopped over him delicately and held out a hand to help him up. Once he was on his feet, Iris smiled up at him with lidded eye, pressing her body against his, "happy Snoggletog." She tiptoed to plant a kiss on his lips, then pulled away to get dressed.

But as she was getting dressed, Iris noticed that Arrow wasn't in her sand pit. It worried her a bit; this was the third time this week that Arrow hadn't slept in the home with her.

Noticing Iris's look of fret, Tuff smiled at her, "I'm sure everything's fine. Maybe she's on the beaches?"

"Maybe...it just isn't like her," Iris spoke warily.

"Well, speaking from experience," Tuffnut began to explain, "sometimes siblings just need some alone time from each other."

This made Iris feel much better. She sighed and shook her head, "you're right. I've probably been annoying her with all of the training lately."

With that, Tuffnut strapped on his spiked shoulder plates and asked, "ready to go?" Iris nodded, and the two left. They'd promised Hiccup to help set up for the evening's Snoggletog celebration in the Great Hall. All of the other riders, and a few other vikings, would be there to help, too.

"Astrid, happy Snoggletog!" Iris shouted as she met her friend with a hug.

"Happy Snoggletog, Iris, Tuff," Astrid responded excitedly. "You're here just in time; think I could get some help with my yak nog?" She asked eagerly.

Iris, not having any idea what yak nog was, gladly offered, "sure thing."

Tuffnut, on the other hand, backed away awkwardly. "Uh, I think Ruffnut needs help actually, you know, with..stuff," he spoke nervously, then raced away.

Astrid and Iris exchanged a look before laughing together. "How do you put up with him?" Astrid joked.

"It's a rare skill," Iris joked back. Then the two went to make the yak nog, talking all about how excited they were to see the dragons return with their babies.

"Has Arrow ever laided an egg?" Astrid wondered as they worked, "a baby sand wraith sounds so cute!"

Iris laughed, "they are. But no, Arrow's never laid before. Sand wraiths will only lay an egg when their human sibling is with child. That way, when the baby is born, it's sibling is already waiting for it."

"Wow, that's so interesting," Astrid admired. Then, with a sly grin, she teased, "so Arrow could be laying an egg any time now."

Iris felt her face heat up, "n-no! I mean, yes, but.."

Astrid broke out into laughter over Iris's fluster. She'd never seen the dragon warrior in such a state before, it was very unlike her. But she placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder, "don't worry about it. It'll happen when it's meant to happen." With a weak grin, Iris continued to make yak nog with her friend.

***

After hours of preparation, the celebration had finally begun. Iris was having a good time with Ruffnut and Eret while Tuff was off doing Thor knows what. She was a bit upset that he was missing for the first part of the celebration, but was happy just to be with her best friends. Finally, as the sun was beginning to set, Tuffnut burst through the Great Hall doors. There was something big in his hands,  wrapped in cloth and tied with a red ribbon bow.

Upon the sight of his wife with his sister, Tuffnut smiled and raced over to them. "Iris! I was right, Arrow was on the beaches," he spoke confidently.

"You were out looking for her for me?" Iris asked with a smile; as clueless as he could be at times, Tuffnut was always so thoughtful. He nodded and held the package out to Iris with an excited grin. "Awe, you didn't have to get me anything," Iris blushed as she took the gift.

It was heavier than she'd expected. And when she opened it, she was surprised to find what appeared to be a black and brown rock. "Um..?" She hummed in confusion.

Astrid was walking over with a tray of yak nog when Tuffnut shouted in joy, "it's an egg, Iris. Arrow laided an egg!" Astrid's eyes went wide and the tray tipped out of her hands. The chunky drink splattered all over the floor around them.

Iris's reaction was quite similar, though she didn't drop the egg. "It looks like Arrow decided to join in with the other dragons' tradition," Tuffnut spoke with a shrug.

"Tuff, that's not it--" Iris was cut off by a stampeed of baby dragons exploding into the Great Hall. Many of them began to lap at the spilled yak nog while the grown dragons went to find their owners. But not even that surprised Iris as much as what she was holding in her hands.