The Lost Boy V - Short stories

Snow

(set after the first chapter of Book 2)

White. White everywhere. Some hues of grey stone or green fir tree, but mostly white. That was what Berk looked like when winter was there, when the whole island was coated with a tick blanket of snow. It also was what the mountain side looked like when Hiccup and Toothless had been brought there by Joke.

Winter always had a way to fill the white haired boy with a renewed energy, the cold season and snow bringing back to him his joyfulness and his mischievous tendencies. Though this year, with the dragons now living among vikings, the teenage boy had plenty of new ideas. The auburn haired viking and the ebony black dragon had followed him when he had invited (or rather dragged) them for new games.

Hiccup was not one to complain spending time with him, especially since they had went from best friends to boyfriends, and Toothless loved to play like a viking kid.

So here they were, in a sunny but chilly morning, plummeting the mountain side at top speed. Both boys were sitting on the dragon's back, who was slidding in the snow on his belly like a sledge. A cry of joy from his passenger echoed in the air, mixing with a whistling roar of delight, while Hiccup was torn between fun and stress.

Unlike Joke who was quietly settled behind him, arms wrapped around his waist, Hiccup was clinging to the handles and trying his best to guide Toothless so they would avoid colliding in trees. He was having fun too, but was far less carefree than his friends.

''Wow watch out !'' He yelped.

He had tried to avoid the obstacle, but he couldn't make miracles either, and between ramming into a large tree or brush against a much thinner one which branches would snap rather than hurt them, he had chosen the thinner tree.

Yet, if he had the time to duck, that was not Joke's case, and one branch slapped him in the face. Honestly, he barely felt the hit, it felt like Astrid's braid in his face, still all the snow piled on the branch dropped on him. Hearing the hit, Hiccup and Toothless looked behind at him with worry, only to see him burst in laughter. Hiccup would have been relieved he was okay if it was not for the red strain blooming on the pale face, from his nosebridge to his left cheekbone. The viking gritted his teeth.

''Sorry.''

''Don't worry.'' Joke chuckled.

Though his amused smile suddenly vanished, replaced by a look of horror, and Joke hurried to point something in front of them.

''Look out !''

Toothless was the first to react and, before Hiccup had the time to look ahead, the Night Fury shot a plasma blast. Hiccup barely spotted the huge pile of snow before it exploded and Joke pulled at the saddle, trying to redirect them.

It launched them into a tumbling spin. It took a bit of time for Toothless to straigthen and that left the threesome a bit dizzy. They were fine and resumed their slidding. Joke laughed and Hiccup relaxed enough to chuckle. Well, until they heard a rumble behind them. Both boys looked over their shoulder and noticed Toothless' blast had started an avalanche.

''I think it's time to take off.'' Joke suggested.

Hiccup didn't wait and moved his peg leg in Toothless' contraption before pulling at the handles.

The dragon pushed on his legs and beat his wings, but he instantly dropped back. Another try gave the same result. Puzzled and starting to panic, Hiccup looked at the pedal and moved his peg leg again to activate it, nothing seemed wrong. That's when he felt Joke's hands tighten their grip on him.

''Hic, the fin is frozen !''

The chief's son bent on the side to get a look and, indeed, saw that the fake fin was frozen solid, stuck in closed position.

All of a sudden, their dragon sledding turned into a nightmare, and the avalanche was getting closer to them ! Toothless started to panic too, while the boys went to work. Joke didn't know if he could really do something, still he left his spot on the saddle and starting to crawl on the dragon's tail, trying to reach the fins.

Hiccup was watching the avalanche with increasing panic.

''Joke !'' He urged.

''It's stuck !'' The boy retorted, trying all his might to open it up.

He had hoped the ice was thin enough to break, but it looked like the fin had started to freeze from the beginning of their sledding. If they had known...

Joke screamed and held on the tail as a bump sent them in the air for a moment, before they fell back. He then understood that was why Hiccup had yelled his name, in try to warn him.

''Oh no...'' Said viking gasped. ''Joke get back on the saddle now !''

This time, the white-haired teen suspected another danger and didn't wait to oblige, crawling back to reach his boyfriend.

He could feel the tension in the auburnet's body who was still pulling at the handles trying to slow down, Toothless had his wings opened for the same purpose, but none of it was working. Then Joke saw what was scaring them more than the avalanche on their tail. The white-haired boy tightened his grip on his boyfriend, only one thought in mind : this game had been a bad idea.

They screamed as they fell into the gash they had spotted but couldn't avoid, then everything went black.

* * *

Their erratic breathing echoed in the secluded space, plunged into darkness. It was dark, it was cold, and they were scared.

''J-Joke ?'' Hiccup asked, his voice shaking from both cold and fear.

''I'm here. Hic, it's so cold...''

''Come here.''

Both crawled into the cold and thick snow, following the other's voice.

The space around them was so tiny it didn't took long before they found each other, and clung to the other for warmth and comfort.

''Where is Toothless ?''

The question was quickly answered as thy heard the dragon spat a plasma blast, and they saw the purple light heading upward. It barely lit up a dark silhouette above them and what looked like a ceiling before disappearing. Another shot came right after, revealing the ceiling was actually made of ice and snow.

Four shots proved enough to pierce this snow and let sunlight in their little shelter. That's when the boys found the dragon above them, his wings placed in a way to shelter the three of them. Toothless looked down at them with his round pupils, purring softly.

''Wow...'' Joke breathed.

Then the dragon shot another blast, aiming higher in the sky, like a distress signal.

''We'll get out of here, thanks to Toothless.''

''You saved us, bud. Again.''

The dragon warblled in reply, looking back a them with his crooked lopsided smile. That's when the boys noticed how they were pressed against one another. Both had his arms around the other, they started and quickly backed. While Joke's face turned a deep crimson red, Hiccup felt his heart quicken all of a sudden, yet soon he missed the feeling of Joke's chilly body against his. That didn't help him not blushing too.

''Yeah, huh... Well, we're okay, right ?'' The viking chuckled nervously.

''Yeah, we're... safe and sound.'' Joke replied, just as uneasy as him.

They had to admit, none of them was used to the recent twist in their relationship. Most of the time, they would act as if they were still best friends, and get extremely embarrassed when they would act like boyfriends. Though they were young, and it was still the beginning, they had plenty of time to get used to it, they didn't have to rush things, and that was for the better. Even if Toothless happened to be exasperated by his friends' antics.