Disclaimer: I disclaim
Warnings: none? Hiccup cries, but that's about it.
Can be friendship or slash, whichever you prefer.
Most days, Hiccup didn't have to force a smile. He was genuinely happy now.
He had friends, he had his father's respect, he was important; but most of all, he had Toothless. That little black dragon changed Hiccup's life in ways he never could have imagined. Out of everyone in his life, Hiccup would have to say he valued Toothless the most.
A twinge of guilt always accompanied this; he loved his father. He loved his friends. He even loved Astrid, just… maybe not like she had hoped he would. But Toothless—Toothless was very, very special to Hiccup. And, by all appearances, Toothless felt the same.
The loss of Hiccup's left leg bothered him about as much as the loss of Toothless' tail bothered him—that is to say, none. With Toothless by his side, pretty much nothing bothered Hiccup anymore.
Except this. It was the middle of the night and he couldn't sleep. Hiccup laid awake, possessed by his thoughts. He curled into himself, clutching his pillow to his chest. He was never sure why this happened and, frankly, it made him feel ridiculous. But here he was, hugging a pillow and holding back tears. Hiccup squeezed his eyes shut to keep them at bay. He opened them slowly to glance at the cause of these 'bouts of weakness': Toothless. Toothless lay sleeping on the floor only a few feet away, oblivious to Hiccup's plight. Hiccup's heart swelled at the sight of the cat-like reptile curled up and snoring lightly. The dam burst. Hiccup choked out a sob and the tears streamed down his face. Toothless' head snapped up and his eyes flew open. He looked at his master—his friend—and looked concerned. Toothless uncurled his tail from his body and motioned for the now-empty space on his bed palette. Hiccup nodded quickly and nearly scrambled to his side. The dragon nuzzled Hiccup's cheek. Hiccup hugged Toothless' neck and began to sob harder. Toothless' heart melted. He wrapped a front leg around Hiccup as best as he could and pulled him closer. "I love you so much, Toothless."
And that was what it all came down to. Hiccup was so overwhelmed with his love for Toothless that he just didn't know what else to do. It was strange, like nothing he'd ever felt before. These weren't bitter or sorrowful tears. These weren't tears of despair. It was the complete opposite. He was so full of love that there wasn't anywhere else for it to go. He had never felt so complete, so full, so happy as he did in these moments. Sometimes he swore the gods had to be real—how else could he be so blessed? He had never known a bond like this before. He was so full of love.
And if the wetness on his shoulder was any indication, Toothless felt the same.