Some say If you love it let it go. Some say that if you love it you should hold on as tight as possible. Until your knuckles are white and the underside of your nails bleed. They say that you're not allowed to bring companions to Valhalla, that your only allow to rejoin those lost on your own time, and that's the problem that Hiccup was in right now.
He was falling and he had two choices. One was to Grab Toothless and hope that the gods that they lived, or aim for his father and guarantee his life. His mind was rushing so quick that time had basically stopped. If you were there taking in the details that his mind was, you could count every bead of sweat on Hiccup's face. See every strand of hair whipping in the wind as he fell.
He grabbed for Toothless. The dragon wrapped his body around Hiccup, he was willing to risk his life for the boy. With Hiccup's added weight how ever little it was, it changed their course. They hit the ground with a heavy thud. They were immensely lucky, they had landed only one foot from one of the spikes put up earlier in the day. Toothless checked to make sure Hiccup was alright. Small, almost unnoticeable breath passed the boys lips. Toothless decided that Hiccup was fine and allowed himself to succumb to the pain. Falling into a deep sleep.
Hiccup awoke with pain flooding his body. Numbed by his thoughts. He had to find Toothless. That was the only thing that occupied his mind. He removed the heavy blankets that covered him. he swung his legs over the side of the bed only to hear the distinct sound of metal against wood. He stared at his leg. At least we lived he mused to himself. He tried to stand only to fall under the pressure. He stood only to fall again. The third time he held onto the wall using it as a crutch. He limped his way to the door, opening it the sun struck him and he had to shield his eyes. He stood in the sun looking around astounded at what he was seeing. Viking and dragons together, it made him smile.
A meaty hand hooked its way around his shoulders and pulled him close the owner. "Well son what do you think?" Stoick asked. Hiccup only let out a happy sigh in response. Hiccup asked where Toothless was and his father answered with a sad note in his voice that Toothless had not woken yet and that they placed him in the arena. Hiccup immediately took off in a full sprint. Each time he would land on the new prosthetic he would let out a hiss of pain, but he didn't care. Get to Toothless was the only thought that crowded his mind again.
When he got to the arena he saw Toothless on the ground. His light breathing made Hiccup relax a bit. Hiccup tentatively walked over to the figure on the ground. Light puffs of smoke filled the air as Toothless breathed out. Hiccup sat next to the dragon's large head and couldn't help but cry tears of joy.
For three weeks Hiccup stayed with Toothless. After the first Hiccup started to plead with the gods. He was losing hope that the thing that he loved the most, would wake from his eternal slumber. During the second week he would plead to Toothless to wake. And finally the third he just sat with the dragon's head in his lap matching his breaths with the dragons. Until one day Toothless opened one of his eyes. Hiccup hadn't noticed until Toothless started moving his head. The second eye opened same as the first. Hiccup finally noticed and grabbed onto Toothless' neck and held on tight. Tears dripping onto Toothless' head as a small crooning sound made Hiccup release his captive. Hiccup stared into Toothless' green pools. The sight searing into Hiccup's soul. Hiccup couldn't believe that Toothless was finally awake. He laughed. For the first time in weeks, he laughed.
Toothless tried to get up, but couldn't. Pain shot through his body. He yelped when he tried to move. Hiccup immediately attempted to get the dragon to stop hurting himself. Hiccup's voice was pained and hoarse. "Don't move. Please don't move." The dragon did as he was told. Not happy that he wasn't allowed to get up and play with his love. Hiccup wouldn't move from the arena until Toothless did.
Toothless gave Hiccup a once over. Hiccup's new leg glinted in the sun. It made Toothless jump, for his life. He tried to run from what he thought was a blade. He only got a few feet from his original spot. Collapsing, his body was unwilling to move. Hiccup quickly took the few necessary steps to Reach Toothless' head. "What's wrong Bud?" Hiccup asked, while seeing if Toothless hurt himself again. He sat down next to the beast. Toothless immediately sniffed at the metal of the prosthetic leg. "Oh, sorry Bud. Normally I have it off. I must have forgotten. I didn't mean to scare you."
Toothless began to whimper. Remembering the night he took the leg to save Hiccup's life. He wanted to see, what he'd done. He bit the metal leg, pulling it from Hiccup's thigh. "what are you doing Bud?" Toothless nudged the stump, wanting Hiccup to show him. Hiccup only gave him a confused look. Toothless decided that He wouldn't get what he wanted if he didn't do it himself. He grabbed the knot at the bottom of the pant leg and pulled. The pant leg ripped and moved Hiccup a few inches from where he was sitting. Toothless looked at the now uncovered stump. Not happy with what he saw, the tissue scarred over, with a slight discolored tone. Hiccup cringed at it, he tried not to look at it as much as possible. Toothless kept looking at what he caused. He started to lick the remaining part of Hiccup's leg. Hiccup was dreadfully confused by Toothless actions. But what he saw only helped a little. The scars were not as prominent, and the throbbing pain that always lied dormant was completely gone.
Hiccup had heard the rumors that dragons saliva had healing properties, but no one could confirm it. It wasn't magic but something about it helped. There was another rumor, that if you were to drink the acidic spit and somehow survive the terrible pain, you would live forever.
Toothless stopped his ministrations to look at the stump again. He was pleased with the results. The scaring had gone down a considerable amount and the discolored parted had Hiccup's healthy skin tone again. He turned his head purring to his hatchling, happy to help with his healing. Hiccup inspected the stump further, amazed that the weird color was gone from it. He was hoping that it wasn't infected otherwise he would have to get more of his leg cut off. What ever it was, Toothless fixed it. "Thanks Bud" was all he could say before the large black body swallowed his own. Holding him close to the others. Hiccup squirmed trying to get loose from the dragons grip on him, but Toothless was unmoving. He wouldn't allow that tiny body get any further than flush against his own. Eventually Hiccup stopped moving too tired from trying to fight Toothless. Eventually the boy allowed himself to fall asleep knowing that he was safe.
Toothless watched as the small figure slept. Calmed by the even breaths he took, and the way he tried to curl further into the heat rolling off the dragons body. Toothless wanted Hiccup to know how much he meant to him. Toothless bent his head down and placed his mouth over Hiccup's neck and shoulder. He stopped closing his mouth over the flesh for a second, hoping that he'd accept what he was doing. In one quick motion he sunk his teeth into the boy. To his surprise the boy hadn't awoken from the deed. He immediately started to lick the blood pouring from the wounds. The pain from the acidic spit caused Hiccup to wake. He was screaming from the pain rushing through his whole body. Toothless held him down as he finished licking the blood away making sure that the cuts had properly closed. Seared shut from his spit.
Toothless finally let Hiccup go. Hiccup backed up to the wall of the arena, taking off the now ruined shirt. He touched the new scars on his body. He traced the small indents on his skin. Toothless slowly advanced on Hiccup. Limping from the pain. His body resisting the movement. His mind needed to be near Hiccup, so he slowly walked to the boy. The boy in question now had his arms wrapped around his leg, his head resting on his knees. Toothless nudged Hiccups arm, trying to get him to look up. Hiccup pushed him away, and held out his hand. Wanting to keep the dragon at bay.
Toothless looked at the outstretched hand. They'd been in this situation before, he knew exactly what to do. Toothless pushed his muzzle against Hiccup's hand. The touch made Hiccup whince, then he looked up to the dragon, who stared at him. That dragon knew exactly what to do to get through any wall Hiccup put up. Literally defenceless from the dragon's actions. He could only sit and watch as his dragon wrapped itself around him again. He was swallowed again by the blackness. He could only hear the loud purring sound erupting from the dark figure. Hiccup couldn't put a finger on it but the sound made him feel safe. Like the sound itself would protect him, not to mention the thing making it. Hiccup sat with his eyes closed, listening to the sound that he hoped would never end. Eventually he fell asleep against his guardian.
When Hiccup woke the moon was high in the sky and frost had set in. Luckily for him, he was trapped in a small pocket of heat. He never wanted to leave it. He could hear the light snoring that echoed in the room. He was happy that Toothless could sleep without being in pain. Hiccup remembered how hard it was to watch as the dragon whined in his sleep. He hoped it was from the pain, and not from an eternal nightmare he couldn't escape. He huffed hoping that nothing like what happened would happen again. He absent mindedly scratched the scales at Toothless' belly, causing the purring to return. Hiccup giggled at how easily he could cause that to happen.
Unbenounced to Hiccup, Toothless had awoken as well. He was watching his human, happy that he wasn't pushed away. He nuzzled the humans neck, which startled him. "Hey bud." Hiccup whispered. Toothless began to lick at the mark on Hiccup's shoulder. Hiccup sighed causing Toothless to slow his ministrations. "Why me?" Hiccup asked. He knew full well what the bite meant. He was claimed by none other than Toothless. There wasn't much he could do about it, not that he wanted to. First Viking to befriend a dragon, and now the first to be claimed by one. 'What a weird life I have.' he mused to himself. Toothless nuzzled him again, making Hiccup smile. He pulled the head closer to him, scratching behind the dragons ears, and under his chin. The purring became even louder. It made Hiccup's body vibrate as he scratched the one he was claimed by.
Suddenly Hiccup didn't know what came over him. He moved behind Toothless' head. He kept scratching the dragon's ears as he felt around his neck. He quickly bit down on the scales and flesh there. He bit as hard as he could, until he drew blood. Toothless had stopped purring, letting out a small whine as he felt the blunted teeth push through the least protected part of his body. Toothless could feel the blood dribble from the bite, it would quickly clot and heal on its own, he wasn't worried about it. He felt a something smooth and wet pass over the wound. He turned his head just enough to see Hiccup licking it just as he'd done to the boy. Even though it wouldn't help the healing, it made Hiccup feel better by doing it. Hiccup stopped once he could no longer taste the iron-y blood. He felt around the skin, wanting to find the mark he left. When his fingers traced over the now scarred over bite he winced. Toothless pulled Hiccup closer to him. Hiccup had never felt as loved as he did right now. He layed small kisses on the dragon's chest as sleep consumed him again.
The next morning, Stoick and Astrid walked into the arena. They didn't know what to think when they entered. Hiccup's leg was on the opposite side of the arena, cloth from his pants and shirt ripped and shredded, and the blood on the ground. They rushed around looking for any sign that Hiccup was still alive. "WHAT DID YOU DO?" Astrid screamed at the sleeping figure. Toothless didn't budge, hoping that she'd go away if he didn't respond. The girls voice was joined by a much louder one. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SON, DEVEL?" Toothless jumped up. Eyes narrow, growling at the two intruders, ready to strike to protect what he claimed. Hiccup woke up as the cold air nipped at his body. He was wondering why Toothless wasn't wrapped around him, until the sound of three angry beings, broke him from his daze. He quickly climbed out from under Toothless. Seeing that his father and Astrid had weapons ready to attack. He jumped in front of Toothless. "NO Stop." he screamed at the two, balancing one his one leg. Toothless moved his head so that Hiccup could have something to hold onto. "Thanks bud" he whispered to the dragon. Scratching behind his ears.
"Hiccup we thought you were dead!" Astrid said. "What?" Hiccup replied. "Why would I be dead? How would I have died? Too many cuddles from my dragon?" he laughed. Said dragon cooed and nuzzled his head into Hiccup's side. "Well I don't know. we didn't see you and there's blood on the ground and your leg is way over there. We didn't know what to think." Astrid said, sweeping her hand around the arena. Hiccup looked around the arena for the first time since Toothless had awoken. He could see what she was saying. "Damn bud, we made a mess didn't we?" The dragon responded with a gurgle.
The group stood for a minute, until stoick broke the silence. "Hiccup what is that?" The overly large viking asked, pointing at the bite on Hiccup's shoulder. "Oh this, haha it's uhm you know. It's a bite. That... Toothless gave me. But it doesn't mean anything." He lied, scratching Toothless behind the ear reassuring the dragon. Stoick raised an eyebrow at the two in front of him. "All right then. Well let's get going Astrid, i'm sure these two gave some more catching up to do."
Astrid nodded and started out of the arena. Once she was out of earshot, Stoick turned back to the boys. "Hiccup listen, i'm not dumb. I know what the bite means, Hel, you see it on every other dragon around here. Now I may not approve but there's no stopping you. The last time I tried you almost died. So just be careful. And you devil, you take care of him, he's in your hands- paws now. Hiccup i'll expect you back in the house in a few days, returning to your duties, you hear?" Hiccup replied with a curt nod to his father. Red in the face from the inability to hide what the mark meant.
Stoick quickly left. After a minute of standing not saying anything broke the silence "Well bud, what do you want to dah-." Toothless pulled Hiccup back into himself, closing his wings around them. "More sleeping huh. I think i'm okay with that." Hiccup curled in closer to the heat of his best friend and mate. One last smile crossed his face. One last breath. One last push….
And now Hiccup was falling (asleep) again….