Written for a soft prompt from a long time ago requested by my dear friend, Ashleybenlove, on Tumblr.
Hope you enjoy! Constructive criticism is appreciated.
Your Heartbeat
"Wow... Your heartbeat's really loud." The words left Snotlout too quickly for him to stop. Before he could even realize it, they had already been spoken.
Hiccup's gaze moved down to meet Snotlout's as he panted. The two of them were lying on the ground in a horizontal crevice of a cave, one just wide enough to fit the broadest of the two.
They had been on their way to Berk on dragonback to join the other Riders who were already there for Snoggletog. It was a flight of a day and a half and they were in need of a break. They wanted to have some food, some rest, a chance to stretch their legs and warm themselves.
They found the nearest island they could set down on, one quite small in size. A heavy snowfall had forced them to seek temporary refuge.
Unfortunately, the cave they sought shelter in was already the home of a very protective, very angry mother Whispering Death. Not wanting to disturb her young nest, Hiccup had decided against using the firepower of their dragons to flee out of the immediate range of her dangerous spines and fire to quietly leave for a different place, maybe a nearby sea stack.
However, in the chaos the Riders had gotten separated from their Dragons with the Whispering Death right on their heels. No doubt Toothless and Hookfang would follow soon.
A convenient hiding place was spotted, a fissure just large enough to fit them both, and Hiccup had not wasted any time to grab his friend by his tunic and pull him inside while taking a leap to the left. The second he spotted safety, he took his chance.
Snotlout had yelped as he was dragged along. It was by pure luck alone that he wasn't heard and therefore immediately discovered by the rock-eating boulder class dragon prowling just a corridor away.
Collapsing onto the cavern floor with Hiccup beneath him, who grunted from the impact with both the stone ground and the broader young man on top of him, the Jorgenson boy had no hand in how he fell. He had ended up with his head on the other's chest. For him, it had been a softer landing than he thought.
His new position made him privy of Hiccup's heartbeat, fast and loud, even through the thick leather chest piece.
Snotlout supposed he shouldn't be as surprised as he was since every living being had one. He had one. Yet this particular pounding sound ringing in his ears struck a chord with him.
The drumming in Hiccup's chest, with his every heaving breath, was racing.
As both his friend and his leader, Hiccup had always seemed so in control. He needed to be. He was loyal, kind, sometimes even crazy... The Haddock heir was many things, but above all, he was fearless. No matter what they faced, whether it'd be a dragon the size of a volcano or an entire fleet of Dragon Hunters, he almost always seemed that way.
It had been a source of hope many times before and of reassurance.
Even right now, as Snotlout looked up to him, he didn't see any sign of panic besides his light panting, which may have also been a result of the running they had to do. The running he had to do with one leg and a prosthetic.
Hiccup was a terrible liar, everybody knew that, yet his heart and face were telling two different stories. One spoke of absolute control. The other of panic, of fright.
That's when Snotlout had made his statement. He couldn't help it. It was as clear as day and almost deafening in his ears, the only thing he could currently focus on. An anxious heart beating up a storm.
"Uh... Are you okay?" Hiccup's nasal voice almost didn't quite register with him. His slender arms were still wrapped around him, though Snotlout wasn't sure whether it was to reassure him or himself. There was a hand of his on the horned helmet too, just shy of being all up in that dark hair.
He didn't seem to answer to Snot's previous statement.
"I guess?" The Jorgenson boy wasn't quite sure just why he was so shaken up, so rattled.
Hiccup, fearless Hiccup, was frightened for him, for Snotlout. Maybe that was the reason why. Snotlout had always known he cared, that was just his thing, but to hear it like this?
Undeniable proof.
And Hiccup wasn't letting go yet either.
Briefly did he wonder if his cheeks really were heating up or if it was just a figment of his imagination.
They stayed like this longer than expected as the Whispering Death moved past them outside of the crevice. Even as Hiccup relaxed, knowing that they were both safe, they still didn't quite pull away from one another.
It felt right. Somehow. The two of them together here. His bigger body in the gangly arms of the other. His head on Hiccup's chest and listening to a worried heart inside slowing down to a more relaxed pace. He hadn't felt this baffled by a surprising surge of emotions since... Well, ever.
Snotlout wondered, still lying here, if Hiccup felt the same way.
He hoped he did.