Tales & Tails: The Five Years In Between

/ Or the story of a how a boy and a dragon loved each other. \

Year: One
Month: One

- Sleeping Arrangements -

This, is Berk.

Now normally, sleeping arrangements were fairly simple. In most houses, there were three or two bedrooms. One for the parents, or parent, and the other two for children. If you had more than two - say three boys and a girl, the girl would get one to herself and the boys would share.

My house had two bedrooms. My father's and mine. I was currently sharing my bedroom, which my dad wasn't happy about. You see, while most people share a bedroom with a brother, or a sister, I was sharing mine with... My dragon.

"Hiccup, I've had enough of this!"

"Dad, I've tried everything I can think of - he just won't listen!"

Stoick humphed. "Blasted beast." He glowered at Toothless, who was sitting beside his son, eyes wide with innocence. The Viking Chief snorted; as if. "Listen, it was fine when you were asleep, but he can't be in your room. That's the tenth time he's almost set the house on fire!"

"I can't help it if he roasts the floor with his fire before napping. I've told him it time and time again but it's hopeless. He's as stubborn as a Viking," Hiccup said, flailing his arms about.

Toothless seemed to glow with pride at the comment and rumbled happily.

Stoick threw his hands up angrily. If only there was something they could do... His face lit up, an idea springing into his mind. "That's it, thank Thor, I've got it!"

######

Hiccup hobbled up the stairs to his room that night, still shaky on his prosthetic, but he could manage it pretty well. Toothless trotted behind him, but the dragon reared back in surprise as a big wooden thing was shut in his face.

He nudged it with his nose. The big wooden thing wouldn't move. "Sorry bud," Hiccup said from the other side of the door. And his boy did sound sorry, very, very sorry.

The big wooden thing wouldn't let him get to Hiccup, but he quickly realized that it was intentional. This was what Stoick had thought of. Toothless warbled pitifully and went downstairs.

He went outside and curled up outside the front steps after burning the rock beneath him to get comfortable. He didn't know how he was going to sleep without Hiccup nearby. The very notion of a nap seemed impossible right now.

The Viking boy could hear his dragon's mournful moaning through his window and it felt like an icicle was piercing his heart. It took everything he had to not immediately run and let Toothless in. He knew he couldn't though; his dad was still right. Toothless kept setting fire to the house. Not only was it time-consuming, it was dangerous. The Night Fury would get used to sleeping outside. Dragons were naturally warm, even in winter Toothless would be fine...

Another moan drifted through the window.

Despite how cold it was, even before winter, Hiccup threw off his blanket, got off his bed and went downstairs and outside as fast as he could. Toothless looked up at him and warbled excitedly. Hiccup shushed him. "If my dad finds out I'm out here I'm dead," he whispered hurriedly. He got down and lay next to his dragon, sleep already coming for him again.

Toothless brought a wing around his rider protectively, wrapping the Viking in warmth.

When Stoick got up early to leave the house the next morning, he almost tripped over Toothless. The Night Fury lifted an eyelid to peer at him. Toothless rumbled irritably, but open his wings.

Hiccup quickly woke up, momentarily blinded by the sunlight, but soon his father's huge frame had come into focus. "Oh, hi... Dad." He laughed nervously. He sat up and got out of Toothless' claws. "Funny seeing you here."

Stoick rubbed his temple and sighed, rolling his eyes, but he didn't say anything. He continued on his way down the road, going around the dragon's body.

That evening, when Hiccup retired back to the house after a night flight with Toothless, he found a huge, thick stone slab in his room. "Wha-?"

Toothless pushed past Hiccup and wormed his way into the room. Toothless burnt the stone beneath him to warm it and settled down.

Stoick clapped a hand on his son's shoulder. "Ya should be gettin' ta bed son, it's late." Hiccup vaguely nodded and walked into his room.

Toothless was resting, but patiently waiting for Hiccup to climb into bed - safe and sound - before falling asleep. Hiccup turned back to the door, a thank you already on his lips, but his dad had already left.

Hiccup chuckled to himself and walked over to give Toothless a pat on the nose. "G'night bud." He got into bed, already feeling tired. Toothless' deep breathing was steady and soon his own breathing fell into step with it.

The Viking Chief checked up on the reptile and the boy later on in the night. Both were sleeping soundly and it was unusual to see them looking so peaceful. His lips twitched upwards at the sight. If hauling a huge rock up the stairs was all it took, he would have done this weeks ago.

In any case, it was much better than the house being set on fire.

A/N: A drabble/oneshot will be put up - one for each month of the five years, so... 60, more or less. I would love to hear what you thought of this. And if you're interested in more plot driven stories, feel free to check out my fics, "Dragonheart" and "Vǫrðr Inn Verǫld Svíða".

Have a nice weekend! :)

[Also, a mini celebration for me because this being my 100th story!]