First thing's first:

There are two versions of this story. There is the rated T version and the rated M version. I have done this because I know there are individuals that only like reading the weenie hut jr. side to boy-on-boy stories. But I also know people that like reading the salty spittoon side to boy-on-boy stories (If you catch my drift). Both versions are exactly the same except that, obviously, the rated T version will not have any sex. Simple as that. (Though the ratings won't really matter the first couple of chapters).

Second thing's second:

In this story, Jack is a human. Got that? HUMAN. Not a winter sprite. That means he is a warm-blooded, brown-haired, brown-eyed, living creature. I have included him in Hiccup's tribe along with his mother and little sister. I might make him a guardian, not within the 25 days of ceremony of course, but after. MAYBE.

Third thing's third:

I really appreciate any advice that might help improve this story. Good reviews keep me motivated. And useless flames? Haters to the left. You shall be completely ignored.

Last note I hope you read before starting:

The first chapter's sort of tedious (Maybe, it depends on the person), but I strongly urge you to read it from beginning to end. I just don't want any details skipped and people to be confused later on in the story. There's a pleasant surprise waiting for you to read somewhere.

Oh yeah, and why does everyone write disclaimers? FanFiction protects you from law cases like those doesn't it? I don't know, I just can't imagine DreamWorks and Disney/Pixar coming in here and suing everyone who doesn't have a disclaimer. So ehh. Who cares. No disclaimer.

Well actually, the only disclaimer I have is for the cover picture. If you want to see more pictures like the cover photo, go to "ask insert dash here jackandhiccup insert a dot here tumblr insert another dot here com"

Before the Ceremonies

I avert my attention from my notebook to the sudden touch of ice in my head.

"Jack!" I whine as I rub the remnants of a snowball off my hair, "December just began and you're already starting this?" The snow falls on the wooden floor, showing melting away to the unbalance of temperature.

He sneaks a peak at me above my own window pane, as if I can't already see him. He never ceases to amaze me with his climbing skills. How the hell does get up here? It's the second floor for crying out loud! And the tree just outside my room is too slippery to climb! When our eyes meet, he flamboyantly shoots up and plays dumb, "Hey there Hiccup! I didn't see you there! How's it going? Is that snow on the ground?"

In disbelief I glare at him, "Oh really? You didn't see me in my own room? I would get my eyes checked out if I were you."

He chuckles and jumps into my room through the frame, "You know, I like how you

don't even have to think twice anymore."

"Who else would throw snowballs at me?" I rhetorically ask, "besides, you've done this every year for 5 years straight."

"True, and i'm wonderful at it," he grins in pride as he strolls over to my side, "but I don't know Hiccup, that Astrid girl is..." he abruptly slams his hand onto my desk and nears his face to mine, "pretty violent."

I pout and push aside his face, "Oh please, as if she would be able to climb up my window," I huff out as I pick up my pencil and get back to my notebook, "And quit being judgmental. She's just fine the way she is alright?"

"Really?," by the sound of his voice I can practically hear him smirk, "Well, I think someone just likes being the girl in the relationship."

"We're not even in a relationship.." I mumble out.

"Oh, wait, friends with benefits right?" he presumes, "because Astrid is too busy flirting around with more attractive, buff guys," I feel his hands cup my shoulders, "than to be committed with my best friend of a noodle here." he teases with a saccharine mocking voice as he rocks me side to side.

Damn Jack. "Ever heard of keeping your mouth shut if you've got nothing good to say?" I chide him, maintaining my composure as I do.

"Listen, i'm sorry," he rubs my hair, "but seriously bud, I don't think Astrid is your type exactly."

I drop my pencil and face him, "and why not?" I defend myself aggressively.

Startled at my sudden reaction, he steps back and mutters, "well, I don't know" gesturing mock ignorance with his arms, "It's just..." he pauses himself in apprehension.

"What?" I prompt him, "It's just what?"

He sighs in what I sense is frustration, "Hiccup, in case you haven't noticed, Astrid didn't even pay a spark of attention to you until after you took her flying with Toothless. She's practically using you whenever she'd like. I mean, what the hell!" he complains as he flings his arms in the air, "But since you're all head-over-heels for her, you don't even notice!"

I scowl at him. I'm not an idiot, really i'm not. I did notice it from the start, that Astrid wasn't even aware of my existence until just last year when she realized I was becoming a better "dragon slayer" than her. But I saw it more as an opportunity to be with the girl I liked than being used. She caught me by surprise when she started randomly throwing smooches in my face. And my dad thinks she's the perfect girl for a chief's son. We're bound to be together someday in the future right?

And what does Jack know? Astrid and him have only had scarce conversations here and there throughout the year, mainly only a simple greeting. He's never actually met her and pretty much judging her by the book cover.

Heck, he doesn't know anything about us! If Astrid and I are willing to wait to actually be committed to each other, then so be it! I don't think i'm ready for a relationship anyway. But if she wants to throw smooches around, it's not like i'm gonna stop her, I mean come on!

And despite all my thoughts, I calmly relax once more, turn around, pick up my pencil, and get back to drawing, "I'm too busy to talk about this."

Surprisingly, he doesn't say anything (because normally he'd nag and tease even more) and I hear a sigh and the creaking of wood on my bed.

He must be tired though, because yesterday he and his family built a bonfire at the center of the village, which by the way takes about half a day to set up considering it's so big. I'm surprised he hasn't knocked it down in all these years he's helped, he's always getting into trouble after all.

His family builds it every year one day before the first of December to keep us warm. Because, you see, every night starting from today all the way up 'till Christmas the tribe celebrates the arrival of the winter spirit. We dance, play games, sing, tell stories, all that kind of stuff. At the end of the day, we gather around the fire and roast fish-on-a-stick to eat. I'm in charge of designing the new boats for the fishermen, I'm creating them as we speak. They are actually not readily built until the 15th of December for some reason, so the old boats are used in the meantime. I'm just giving myself a headstart at my tasks this year.

Why don't we do this kind of celebration for every other season? I don't know. The winter spirit welcoming is just tradition for us.

Personally, I don't believe in any spirits or mystical creatures or magic, etc. This is pretty ironic for a boy with a dragon. But dragons are full-proof real. Show me an actual winter spirit and then maybe i'll believe it. In the meantime, I just follow through with the ceremony to not be rude.

Jack seems to like this time of the year though. Well, no, actually he loves December and winter itself. It could be because of the lively everynight parties, or it could be simply because he likes throwing snowballs in my face. I think both. Not to mention all the games he plays with the kids. Oh, speaking of kids...

"Where's Emma?" I finally ask Jack after some time, still drawing.

He quickly picks his head up from my pillow, "playing with her friends," and drops his head back into the fluffy puff.

"Why don't you go play with them? The kids love you anyway." I suggest. It's not like I want him to leave or anything, because I don't, but I worry about his little sister sometimes.

He muffles something through my pillow I can't comprehend, so I disregard him and keep talking, "Her friends have some crazy ideas sometimes, you know. And some crazy games too. I just don't want her to get hurt. I mean, you have some crazy moments of your own, but last time they were throwing rocks at Astrid's sleeping dragon, and that didn't end too well." Somehow I feel Jack is more cautious than Emma's friends, which sounds ridiculous but honestly I think it's true.

I hear him turn over, "Ughh," he groans, "you're right." His feet touch the floor and he steps over to the window frame, "speaking of dragons, where's Toothless?"

I stop drawing and look over at him, "I don't know," I admit, concern whooshing through me again like this morning, "I woke up today and he was gone."

"Hmm," he creases his eyebrows, presumably noting the worry in my voice, "strange...Do you want me to look for him? I can take Aquilone." he offers as he sets his legs through the window.

"No," I shake my head and continue working on the boats, "just go take care of Emma. Thanks though."

He smiles, "I'll let you know if I see him around," and hops through the window to a nearby tree and slides down, a routine i've known he follows from all the years we've known each other.

Secretly, I just don't think he's ready to fly with Aquilone, his Devilish Dervish dragon. He just found him a couple of days ago not too far from Berk Lake in the woods, but I think he needs to get closer with him. Jack is up and ready to fly, considering its his first dragon, but Aquilone just isn't. I feel it.

Aquilone means kite in Italian, or at least I think it does. Jack said his dragon reminded him of those giant Chinese dragon kites he's read about in books, being mainly blue and red in color. But he didn't want to name Aquilone "Kite", because it sounded too simple. He wanted something fancier. He was going to call him kite in Chinese, but "Feng Zheng" was incredibly bizarre.

Then I had started telling him a storytale that has been passed down for centuries in my family about how our ancestors in Italy invented objects that needed wind to function, like sails, paper planes, and kites. Now, whether it's true or not, I don't know. Frankly, I didn't believe it because it seems just plain weird that we went from being kite inventors to dragon trainers but why spoil the fun of the story?

And so he had asked me, "How do you say kite in Italian?"

I couldn't remember it well at first. In my head I began to try and stutter it back to memory.

Aqu- Aquia- Aquil- Aquine- Aquint- Aqua- Aquarius? I just couldn't seem to jog it back.

So I made it up, "Aquilone." I had told him with a fake smile. And if it's actually correct, then i'm a miracle guesser.

As for the story with Jack and I, we've been best friends since I can remember. He's always been there for me and vice-versa. We know each other favorites, each other's dislikes, each other's lives, and I know all the tricks up his sleeve. He's a real trouble maker and a great prankster. At heart he's still a child even though he's 17, just a year older than I am.

He lost his father 7 years ago to a dragon attack, obviously dragon training didn't exist then. He cares a lot for his mother and his little sister Emma. Despite causing trouble, he's actually very responsible and maintains his family all by himself.

And well, what else can I say? Jack is Jack. Overall, he's a really great best friend.

At this time, I have finished my designs and I stand, careful of my prosthetic foot, and walk off to tell my dad.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

I find him at the village center, ordering vikings to do this and that. Basically decorating for the first night. I walk straight towards him and he catches a glance at me.

"Hiccup! My boy! What've you got to tell me?" he asks me full of joy. The ceremonies of December always make him this happy.

I hand over my drawings to him, he examines them as I speak, "I finished the designs early this year. I hope it's not a problem."

He chuckles loudly, "Nonsense Hiccup! The earlier the better! I'll get the men to building it right away!"

"Alright dad, see ya later then." I wave as I begin walking towards Jack's house.

He doesn't even catch my dismissal though, as he's too busy calling his men over to show them the designs. The last thing I hear from the group is an "Ohhhhhhh" out of astonishment for my drawings. I lightly giggle before I have them out of hearing range.

Nearing Jack's house, I realize I hear Emma sobbing inside. I fast-walk to the door and knock lightly, not wanting to interrupt anything that might be going on.

Jack's mom opens the door, "Oh, Hiccup," she greets me, pleasantly surprised.

"Hi Mrs. Palenstine," I warmly greet back.

"Oh well please, come in," she gestures towards inside the house.

"Thank you," I step inside. The first thing I see is Jack in the kitchen applying a damp towel on Emma's knee while she sits.

"What happen to Emma?" I ask, getting closer to them both.

"H-Hiccup," she mutters through tears, "it hurts." I go to her side and carefully hug her head against my abdomen, she clutches my shirt in return, continuing to sob.

"She scraped her knee a little, that's all." Jack's mom tells me, "She'll be fine, so there's nothing to worry about." she reassures me.

"I see," I respond looking down at Emma, "how'd she scratch it?"

"She was playing hide-and-go-seek through the woods with her friends. One of them hid in a cave and scared her, so she tripped running her way out." Jack explained to me while grabbing a bandage roll from a brown bag beside him.

"Emma, who scared you?" I ask her gently, "do you remember?"

She shakes her head as she sucks mucus in through her nose.

"I think it might've been Robert," Jack suggests has he wraps the bandage around Emma's knee, "he's the one that's into all the horror stories. He's bound to hide in a cave and scare the rest of the group."

I nod my head at his every word, "You've got a point," I agree.

"I think it was Robert too," Emma mumbles, capturing Jack's logic.

Jack finishes wrapping the bandage and secures it with a little latch-on clip, "Then i'll tell you what," he looks up at Emma with a reassuring smile, "tomorrow morning we'll pull a prank of our own on Robert."

Emma claps her hands, "Yeah!" immediately transitioning from hurt to jolly.

I crouch on my knees to her level, "I'll help too," I offer, and she grins wider than before.

Jack grabs her shoulders, "And we'll make sure he gets a scare he never forgets!" he promises as he shakes her around, then lifting her in the air.

"Ahhh! Haha!" she beams in excitement as Jack carries her around the room like an airplane.

I gaze at him in awe. I've always admired this side of him, the side that's so good with children. It's amazing how he can make any child so cheery so fast. Even me sometimes.

The day I woke up with a prosthetic limb, he'd been right there when my eyes fluttered open, even Toothless.

"Well finally!" he had joked, "I thought you'd never wake up!"

I had ignored him though, because I immediately felt my missing foot. Misery completely washed over me as soon as I sat up and saw wood and metal replacing my own flesh and bones.

I had looked up at Toothless and him, completely overwhelmed, heart-broken, and eyes wide open at the very verge of breaking down into tears. Toothless stared at me, devastated of my own depression.

"Hey," Jack had softly called for my attention. I glared at him in all my rock-bottom dismay, and he stepped closer to hug me to his abdomen like I had done with Emma just now.

"It's gonna be alright," he had consoled me.

He and Toothless had held my hands and helped me take my first steps with my fake foot.

When Emma had been put down, Jack turned to me, "So what did you need?" he asked.

"Actually, I was just gonna tell you that i'm done with the boat designs," I explained.

"Why don't you two go hang out together?" Jack's mom proposes, "I'll take care of Emma. Besides, she can help me make pot roast before the ceremony."

Emma gasps, "Pot Roast!" she sings as she runs over to her mom to be carried.

She picks her up, "Just make sure you two come back early enough to eat." she advises us as Jack and I begin walking to the front door.

"Got it," Jack assures, "I'll see you later mom. Bye Emma," he waves as he opens the door.

"Bye Mrs. Palenstine, bye Emma!" I dismiss myself as well. And the door shuts behind us.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Jack and I stroll through the snowy woods with Aquilone by our side. I suggested we go to Berk Lake for another session in dragon training. I'm practically Jack's personal, private trainer.

I made sure I brought a small basket of fish, which i'm carrying right now. I would've brought a bigger basket but during this time of the year my dad puts them in the fishermen boats.

As for Toothless, he's still not back. I have no idea where he is or where he could be and I haven't seen him around. I'm not too worried though, I know he'll come back at some point. But I guess, with time passing, I become a tad more anxious than the hour before.

Arriving at Berk Lake, Aquilone sits patiently and watches attentively as I set down the basket of fish. I call Jack over to come by my side.

As he does, I begin talking, "Okay Jack, do you think you can pet him again?"

"Yeah, easy," he confirms as he walks up to Aquilone and pets his head lightly, Aquilone purring as he does. His dragon licks his face in approval.

"Haha, whoa boy!" Jack wipes the saliva off his features.

"Okay, good, now give him a fish," I tell Jack.

Jack opens the little basket of fish, grabs one, and throws it into Aquilone's mouth. He quickly catches it and chews it enjoyably, rolling over in amusement.

Jack and I both laugh at this; Aquilone for some reason has a tendency to roll over whenever he's happy. It delights me; I know there's still a lot to this dragon's personality yet to discover.

I continue on with the next step, "Okay Jack, I want you to get nearer and scratch his favorite spot on his neck."

"Alright." he says as he walks closer to his dragon and reaches for the place right below his jaw.

"Grraawww" Aquilone groans as he turns over belly up and begins thumping his leg up and down like a dog.

When Jack stops, I don't even have to tell him. He immediately goes to the basket to get him another whole fish, which again Aquilone eats up while tossing over in turns.

"I'm gonna get a bit risky here," I warn Jack, and he looks over at me seriously, "I want you to try and mount his back. Just TRY," and he restlessly grins.

"Yes! Finally!" he jumps and then he begins running towards Aquilone's back.

"Whoa! Hey!" I extend my hand as reflex that obviously won't reach him. He stops in his tracks and looks over.

"I don't know what might happen, you got that? I can't assure you Aquilone will be happy with it, so be prepared for the consequences," I inform him. I feel the anxiety from Toothless build up over what might happen to Jack. I seriously don't know how Aquilone will react, all I can hope for is that he doesn't hurt Jack.

Slowly and carefully, Jack proceeds to climb Aquilone's back. Aquilone looks back at Jack questioningly, wondering what is about to happen.

The dragon's head snaps up as soon as Jack steps onto one of his scales. I cringe in sudden fear as Aquilone gives out a small, low growl.

"Jack, maybe you should-"

"Shh, it's okay boy" he interrupts me as he pets his dragon, trying to settle him down. Slowly he takes a second step up, still rubbing Aquilone's scales. His dragon momentarily subsides, quietly purring at Jack's tameful touch.

Persistent as he is, Jake takes a third step, dragon still pacified. And finally a fourth in which he finally mounts him, right behind his neck.

He glances over at me looking more than enthusiastic, like the face of a child who has just been granted three wishes. Oh no, he's gonna scream, he's gonna yell, he's gonna laugh, oh gosh no!

"Don't startle him!" I whisper harshly, hoping he heard my warning.

But being sucked into his own world, "I'm on, Hiccup!" he waves his hands hysterically, "Ha! I'm ACTUALLY on!"

At that point, Aquilone's back spikes shoot up.

Crap, crap, crap!

I run towards Aquilone, but he begins thrashing around violently.

"Ahhh!" I hear Jack screaming and catch glances of him trying to hold on tight.

"Jack! Hold on!" I yell as I run to the basket of fish and grab it, "Aquilone!" I yell again trying to catch the dragons attention by waving the basket around, "Come here boy!"

He comes to a forceful halt, causing Jack to slip off, and speeds towards me.

Scared for Jack's safety, I drop the basket at hand and sprint to try and catch him.

I run fast enough to push him to a slightly safer impact, my body acting like a cushion for his.

On impact, I feel my insides squish from the weight gravity curses upon my good deed of saving a life.

He instantaneously throws himself off, "Hiccup!" He kneels beside me waiting for something to happen.

I deeply cough a couple of times and have the sudden urge to puke, but I forcefully keep it in my system, "I'm okay" I breathe out through my coughs.

He hugs me tightly, making me feel even worse, "Thank god! You scared me for a moment there!"

"Jack" I suffocate, barely audible, "let go."

"Oh!" and he snaps away from me, "Sorry!" he apologizes, squeezing his hands and cringing his face.

I catch my breath for a moment and look over to where I had dropped the basket for fish.

Gone. Aquilone too. He must've flown off.

Jack follows my gaze, "Where's Aquilone?" I catch fear in his voice.

"Don't worry," I try to calm him, "he'll be back."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Heading back to the village, it is snowing lightly. Which is good, Jack seems preoccupied with catching snowflakes than worried about his dragon. They instantly melt when they touch his warm skin.

I, on the other hand, am just making sure we're going the right direction. It may be an island but the woods are a pretty big part of it.

I feel my stomach growl and I can almost smell the warm pot roast Jack's mom has waiting for us at the house all ready to eat. Imagining warmth, I begin shivering and realize i'm cold myself. I hug my elbows together as an attempt to generate some heat.

"Are you gonna kiss Astrid tonight?" Jack suddenly asks, still catching snowflakes.

I practically spit out my words, "What! What do mean?"

"Well, legend has it that the couple who kisses on the first and last night of the ceremony will have a good year, relationship-wise that is," he stops catching snow and winks at me.

"So let me get this straight: This morning, you were complaining about how she was using me, and now you're trying to get me to be with her based on some myth?" I ask him unbelievably.

"Hey, I can't stop you can I?" he laughs, "if you can't beat them, join them." he smirks.

I slap my hand against my forehead, "Jack, you're really..." I sigh and glance at him, "you're really something."

He roughly slaps my back, causing me to jump, "Of course I am! I'm Jack!" he yells proudly. I laugh at his conceitedness.

I lightly push him to the side, "You're so full of yourself sometimes." I tease him with a smile.

"Haha, and what about you?" he elbows my arm playfully.

"What ABOUT me?" I ask, slightly confused.

"Hiccup please, there's been times when you come out of your way just to see me so you can show off your new inventions and drawings," he explains.

"That is not true!" I deny.

"It is so!" he argues.

"THAT is called sharing my ideas and creations!" I defend myself, pointing my finger at emphasis.

"THAT is called cockiness!" he argues once more, mocking my gesture of pointing on emphasis.

I was gonna rebuttal my argument but I realized it stopped snowing and we had come to stop before the top of a snow-covered hill. Jack and I roll down here during the summer.

Ah darn it! "Jack! Why didn't you tell me anything? We've been going the wrong way this whole time!"

I wait for his nagging but I hear utter silence. I turn around quickly and realize he's gone.

"Jack?" I call out, looking deep into the woods in front of me, "Jack!"

Terrified of his disappearance, I run into the woods again and frantically try to find him, "Jack!"

I look behind trees, above trees, in burrows, in logs, in bushes, behind rocks, but nothing. No sign of him.

"Shit!" I curse to myself, I begin speed walking towards the village when I feel a snowball hit my head.

I knew it was him now. I turn around and see him grinning, trying to hold back a laugh, "You should've seen you're face!" he jokes, pointing in my direction.

"Why you!" I grab a handful of snow from the ground and begin chasing him back towards the hill, "I'll get you for this Jack!" I shout as we run through the woods like deer. I hear him laughing at me a few feet away.

I begin aiming at him with my arm, keeping it in a steady position despite all my movements. Before I have a chance to fling it at him he swiftly picks up his own bundle of snow and throws it behind him, hitting my chest.

"Jack!" I yell in frustration and pull my arm back, about to throw the bunch of snow.

But Jack reaches the top of the hill and faces me, putting his arms out signaling me to stop running, "Wait!" he shouts. My eyes widen as I try to bring myself to a halt, dropping my white revenge onto the ground, but I was too close behind to brake myself.

Our foreheads clash against each other and Jack falls back, pulling me down with him. We roll down the hill so fast and the only stable feeling on my body is Jack's arms tightly secured around me and the ache on my forehead. We simultaneously stop rolling every five seconds or so, it's Jack shot at trying to make us stop rolling by pressing his feet into the snow. But the momentum on us is too strong of a force to stop.

We reach a bump at the bottom of the hill and fly to a spot close-at-hand. As soon as we've made fixed contact with the ground, I become aware of two things.

One, my head is still spinning from the fall.

Two, my lips feel much warmer than before.

I open my eyes to see Jack's face is point-contact with mine. Jack is also staring straight into me, stupefied. In shock, both of us don't move for a while. I don't see his eyes despite them being right in front of me. My mind is blank and unable to think straight. The only thing I can concentrate on is Jack's soft lips against mine.

There's a sudden jerk in my heart. I feel the lust of wanting to move my lips against his, a feeling so small calling out to me that as soon as I hear it, both of us pull away from each other as if we had been thinking the same thought.

"Uhh-"

"That was-"

"yeah-"

"Awkward-"

"I'm sorry!"

"No, I'm sorry"

"It won't happen ag-"

"Yeah, yeah I know-"

"But-"

"You know, let's just umm-"

"Head back to the village?"

"Yeah, we should just get out of here" I confirm.

Wanna see what Jack's dragon looks like? You can literally just search up "Devilish Dervish dragon" on google. It's red and blue. You'll find it.