Trust

AN: Hello again! Has anyone else noticed Hiccup's surprisingly often tendency to jump of ridiculously high objects? If you've read the companion fic "Suicidal Tendencies" you'll know what I'm talking about! Well this is Hiccup's side of the argument. Again based from DRoB episode 5 'In Dragons we trust', but like ST references other episodes.

Enjoy!

As you fly through life, it is important to know who you can trust and who you can't. Take now for instance. As the wind rips through my hair I should not be so content to watch the sky fall away from me. I slowly spin over so I'm facing down towards the ground that is rushing to meet me. I smile, enjoying the heady feeling of weightless-ness, knowing that my 'rescue' was already on his way. As I angle my body just so, Toothless lets out a happy roar as he swoops in beneath me.

"Nice catch bud," I smile, rubbing his crown fins appreciatively "a little close…" I add, eyeing the mildly alarming proximity of the cliffs. Granted, not a problem for me – Toothless and I have pulled off more death-defying, hair-raising stunts than my Dad would care to admit, but considering I'm trying to reassure the others the simplicity and safety of the exercise, especially after Astrid's daring run (which Toothless and I WILL be recreating later on), a simple drop would have to do.

I can always count on Toothless, and it's important for him to know, no matter what, he can count on me. As we spiral back up to the others, my foot automatically clicks through the gears of Toothless' tailfin, catching a cross-breeze to catch up with the others, gliding further around Berk. Astrid smiles at me as we pull along side, still grinning from her dare-devil run. Although that hint of smirk means she knows I would rather be doing a Loki-style run of my own… I shake my head back into 'teaching' mode.

"Come on Fishlegs, it's your turn. Jump."

"I don't wanna jump. I-"

I cut him off. "You have to believe she's going to catch you. It's a trust exercise!" I sigh, exasperated. Surely after seeing Astrid and I jump Fishlegs could see how this goes? And with Meatlug's mothering nature I doubt she'd let him drop more than 5 feet before she caught him. 5 of MY feet.

"I like to do my trusting on the ground thank you very much!"

"Fishlegs…" I have no idea what I'm going to say to convince him, but thankfully Snotlout saves me the time.

"Like THIS Chicken-legs!" Snotlout grins cockily before raising his fists in the air and sliding sideways off Hookfang's long neck. "Wha-ha-ha-hoo!" I can't help thinking he looks a bit like a starfish.

To my surprise, Hookfang doesn't seem to notice. I mean, I know I don't always like my cousin, but you can't help but notice when he's around. Granted this maybe leftover from the days when I had hide from him to avoid him beating me up… but surely Hookfang would notice the weight of his *cough* Viking frame leaving her neck?

"So…should we mention something to Hookfang or..?" Tuffnut's drawl pulls me out of my thoughts.

"Let me sleep on it." Ruffnut's bored toned reply makes me laugh, even though I really shouldn't. You know, mature leader of the Dragon Academy, one of my students in mild peril and all that.

"Hookfang! Get him!" Thank Thor for Astrid, I think while trying to smother my sniggers. Toothless wasn't helping. I could almost feel the dragon calling Hookfang an idiot as she looks around wildly for her missing rider. I swear Toothless has the same sense of humour I do, or at least the dragon version of it.

"Not feeling the trust!" Snotlout's voice echoes back towards us, which almost sends me back to sniggering. The twins are less subtle, almost falling off their Zippleback laughing so hard. I grin as Hookfang manages to catch Snotlout…with her face! I snigger again, was Fishlegs right in saying dragons can pick up characteristics from their rider? But the smile slips from my face as I realise they are still going to crash. And of all the houses on the island, a dragon (and Snotlout) had to crash through into the WORST possible – Mildew's home.

The loud sound of wood splintering reaches us and then there's a pause. A horrible, silent pause that I just know can't be good. And then Snotlout bursts back through the Mildew's roof (creating another large hole as he does) screaming like the Red Death is after him.

"You'll pay for this!" Mildew's rough voice echoes back up to the group. Snotlout winces to the left of me.

"Oh, something tells me we're going to hear about this…"

I know I should head back to the village and head Mildew off, tell my dad before Mildew can, but have you met my dad? They say that when he was a baby he popped a dragon's head clean off its shoulders. Do I believe it? Yes I do. And anyway, we're still working on the whole, listening to my side of the story thing, and if it's in public? Well, we're kinda still on the 'You skimped on the meat in my sandwich' look. And I know he's going to give me that lecture about 'the responsibility' and the 'all eyes of the village and what I do reflects on him' speech. And well, can you blame me for wanting to delay it? I sigh, rubbing Toothless' crown fins again. Just until tonight, I'll confront him tonight. After Astrid and I have a race through the stacks. Who knows I might get un-lucky and not have to talk to him at all!

I pause. Maybe Astrid has a point about these suicidal tendencies… Toothless rumbles below me, annoyed I've stopped rubbing his head. I shake my head to clear those thoughts. Ah maybe not suicidal, but let's see if I can't get Fishlegs to jump anyway!

AN: And it's done! Hiccup seems so much harder to write for me compared to Astrid (maybe it's because I'm a girl?) Ah well, another daft little fic-let which I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you thought of the ending, I wasn't too sure it worked…

Anyway, love and hugs!

Spannerspoon out.