Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD, and I never will. All rights go to Cressida Cowell, author of the books, and Dreamworks, makers of the animated series and films.
A/N: Bold is for when the dragons are talking, italics are for when the humans are thinking and bold italics are for when the dragons are thinking. This fanfic is set during the RTTE series.
Toothless and Hiccup were in Hiccup's room, getting ready for a morning flight around the Edge, or at least they would be if Toothless would stay still long enough for Hiccup to attach his tailfin.
"Toothless, listen to me!" Hiccup ordered, frowning as Toothless brushed him off, happily making a beeline towards Astrid, who might be able to get fish for Toothless. "Stop right there!"
"Night Fury trouble again?" Astrid teased. Hiccup glared at her.
"You have no idea," he replied, before jogging after Toothless and picking up a bag he'd been keeping under his bed. "Toothless, I'm sorry to say this, but you have honestly given me no choice. You're sneaking out at night, not listening to me and I see no other option for me to take than this." Sighing, Hiccup reached into the bag to reveal . . . a collar. Toothless recoiled. It was horrible in every way imaginable. He couldn't be seen wearing that! It was embarrassing!
Hiccup had attached strips of colourful linen to it, tying it into bows that Toothless knew he'd be mocked for if he even touched the damn collar. They stretched around the leather collar, and with every gust of wind that came in through the window, they waved at him, taunting him. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part about it was what Hiccup had attached to the collar.
The bells. Hiccup had carefully sewn tiny bells into the central knot of every humiliating bow on that collar. Toothless detested them with every fibre of his draconic being. Night Furies liked the idea of sneaking around, not being caught, turning invisible. He couldn't do that with a bunch of tiny bells around his neck announcing his arrival in the most shameful way possible! He'd never live it down!
"Oh, what's wrong, baby boo?" Hiccup mocked, sensing his dragon's despair and mortification. "Does the big, bad Night Fury not like the itty-bitty collar? Well, tough luck, you big baby, you're wearing it, whether you like it or not." And the wrestling match began.
Astrid, forgotten so quickly, watched as clouds of dust were kicked up by the scuffling duo, obscuring her view. Sighing, Astrid checked her weapon for damage. Those two could wear themselves out, for all I care, she thought.
Toothless had a plan to get out of this precarious situation. If he timed it just right, and if he knew Hiccup as well as he thought he did, then he'd be able to save his own reputation before it actually needed to be saved. Just one more tail twist and . . .
Yes! He'd done it! The livelihood of Toothless the Night Fury was protected once more! No more collars! No more shame!
Astrid sensed that Toothless and Hiccup had stopped fighting and looked up. She figured that Toothless was finally wearing the collar and wanted to see how it looked on him. He'd probably look adorable. Turned out somebody was wearing it . . . just not Toothless.
Hiccup was tied up with the collar he had attempted to force Toothless to wear. He couldn't just lift it off him, as his arms had been tied to his sides and he literally couldn't get out of it. Every time he did, the bells started to jingle and made him wish he hadn't moved in the first place. Astrid laughed her butt off at her ridiculous boyfriend, as did Toothless. Hiccup glared at them both, while struggling with the collar. For someone with no fingers, Toothless could tie a tight knot.
"What's wrong with you two? Why won't you help me?" Hiccup whined. "You know I can't get out of this myse- AARGH!" Hiccup fell over, making Astrid and Toothless laugh harder. Eventually, Toothless helped his rider up, earning himself a grateful smile. Hiccup blushed profusely as Toothless led him forwards, the bells chiming out his arrival, and struggled as Toothless led him out of the door to his hut. To be seen was the last thing Hiccup wanted right now.
"Toothless, no!" Hiccup yelped, shielding himself behind the Night Fury. "We can resolve this inside!" Too late for Hiccup, though. Snotlout had already seen him.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HICCUP, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?" Snotlout howled. Hookfang had some questions for Toothless.
"What did your human do to deserve such a harsh punishment?" Hookfang asked, stifling a snicker. "And where did he get that thing tying him up?"
"That's a collar, Hookfang," Toothless answered. "And he was about to put that thing on me first." Hookfang gasped, and backed away from the collar, bumping into Barf and Belch in the process.
"Hey! Watch it!" both heads snapped. "We're trying to get a proper view of this and you're blocking us!"
"Then move yourself, eel-for-brains!" Meatlug shouted, wisely sitting on top of Fishlegs' hut for a better view. (It was seen as a miracle that Fishlegs had a hut at this point.) "Toothless, you should do this more often to Hiccup; he looks adorable!"
"Yeah, yeah, enjoy it while it lasts, I'm taking him to the forge to burn it," Toothless answered.
"Aren't you overreacting a little, Toothless? Nobody's gonna want that thing," Hookfang discounted. As if to prove his dragon wrong, Snotlout grabbed the collar and took it off Hiccup, accidentally spinning the brunette around in a circle as he was unravelled from his leather bonds.
"Thanks for the collar, Hiccup," Snotlout cheered. "You have no idea how much I need this." And with that, Snotlout walked away with the collar, smirking. "Revenge, revenge at long last."
"I wonder what he could mean by that," Hiccup wondered aloud, as he leaned on Toothless to stop his head from spinning.
The next day, Hookfang was doing what he normally did, setting Snotlout on fire and then pretending that he wasn't there. "Hookfang, if I have to tell you to stop one more time you'll regret it!" Snotlout screamed, as he extinguished his burning rear in a trough full of water.
"You always say that," Hookfang yawned, as he sharpened his claws on Snotlout's favourite sword right in front of him.
"Oh, that's it! You do not touch my sword!" Snotlout yelled, as he grabbed Hookfang's horn and tried to drag the proud Monstrous Nightmare to his pen, but Hookfang, determined to get some sleep, singed Snotlout's hand. "Well, I didn't want to do this, but you leave me no choice," he sighed, as he brandished the collar Hiccup originally made for Toothless. After tying it around Hookfang's neck and then clipping the matching lead to the collar (there was never a matching lead, Snotlout made it himself just to embarrass Hookfang), he tugged on it. "Come on, you. Back to the stables. If you're gonna sleep, sleep there."
"Fine," Hookfang grumbled, getting up to stretch . . . and getting a shock. He seemed to be wearing a collar - Toothless' collar, to be exact. Where else could those bells and ribbons be from? He was about to flame up and set the collar on fire, but a bucket of water foiled his plans. "Ack!"
"Good, now you won't get rid it," Snotlout smirked, walking Hookfang to his stable and not caring that there was a flock of Night Terrors chattering and giggling from the safety of the watchtower. Barf and Belch laughed at him too, along with the twins. The jokes about Snotlout's new puppy were still ringing in his ears, much like the bells. But the one Hookfang really didn't want to see was Toothless.
"So that's what happened to that old collar," Toothless mused, making Hookfang attempt to struggle out of it. He only succeeded in making the bells jingle louder. "I was wondering where that had gone. Good to know someone's using it."
"Unless you're helping me get out of this, shut up," Hookfang hissed. Toothless frowned at him and left, sending Hookfang into full-blown panic mode. "Wait, no! Toothless, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please don't let Barf and Belch come in here, they've already laughed at me today and if they come in, I'll never live it down!"
"I'm not going to let Barf and Belch come in and laugh at you, Hookfang," Toothless soothed. Hookfang simmered down a little, until the Night Fury added, "Besides, I know someone that could do far worse things to you than those two. And they don't have to say a mean word to you to do it."
Hookfang was confused, before the true meaning of Toothless' words hit him. Please say you're not doing what I think you're doing, Hookfang thought, gulping with fear.
"Stormfly, Meatlug, I've got something to show you!" Toothless called loudly, making Hookfang's blood freeze in his veins. (Considering Hookfang was a Stoker class dragon, this was pretty impressive.) "I'm sure you'll find it adorable." Within moments, Stormfly and Meatlug showed up, and their first response was to coo at the humiliated Hookfang like he was a hatchling. Toothless slipped out through the door before Hookfang could even think about a revenge plan.
"Aww, he looks so cute!" Stormfly cooed, nuzzling Hookfang's neck lovingly. "I want to keep him like this for as long as possible."
"He looks adorable with those ribbons on him!" Meatlug chirped. "Maybe we should find some to put on his horns. That would be precious."
"NOOOOOOOOO!" Hookfang screamed.