A/n: Man this chapter was rough to scramble together... longer than the previous two, and a really difficult few scenes to replicate because they're so damn amazing in the original and I just sit here like uh, what am I doing, this was great as it was why am I screwing with it... but that is not the question to ask when writing fanfiction lol.

CGJ : Thanks again for the correction on Stoick's name! Definitely point out my mistakes, guys, 'cause I'm kind of a moron. :B

Hana13 : Will Toothless' anthropomorphic form be explained? Uhhhhh, good question... I had a few possible routes written up and I'm still deciding on exactly which to take. It's basically a choice between involving Norse mythology, running with a partially D&D-inspired concept, or making up a dragon origins myth (i.e. a wizard did it). It will be addressed eventually, but not for a few chapters at least, and even then, not sure how in-depth it will go. Maybe will post the possibilities on a forum or something and see what the consensus is for which offers the most interesting story/satisfactory explanation...

Based on the concept I'm leaning towards most, I'm almost wishing I didn't have the entire body scaled... was thinking of making it pitch-black skin, but then how would he survive, well, anything without scales all over? :o

Oh and I'm just gonna warn you guys now, I should have probably clarified this before... the slash is going to be very, very slow-going. Mostly just fluff and bonding. There will be a little something in there, but not right away, and not much. The real action won't come until the end or the sequel (yes, instead of studying for the personal fitness trainer exam, I'm thinking up sequels to in-progress fanfics... I'll never get my license T_T). Let's just say, this is rated "T" and it's going to stay that way, but if the sequel ever gets off the ground, that will be a big fat "M." ;P So I'm sorry, but not too much candy here. :( Not just yet...


The Viking girl's cold eyes glinted fiercely. She was the most ruthless young fighter the village had ever known, terrifying and beautiful, like a blaze of Thor's lightning in the night. The girl wielded her axe perilously before her victim, her thick braid of yellow hair whipping behind her with the wind.

Hiccup was hopelessly smitten with the warrior maiden. Her surprising physical might, her unshakable resolve to overcome any challenge, and the agile swing of her weapons left the boy in absolute awe. She was everything he could have hoped to be as the chief's son – everything he was not. And so enthralled was he with his opposite, his green eyes never held envy when they met her ice blue glare.

Astrid shoved her axe near Hiccup's throat. He couldn't help flinching as she towered over her fallen classmate, over the coward who ran and ducked his head in the face of his enemies – over he who was so clumsy as to hinder the path between her and victory, he who had awkwardly collided with the fair warrior in the midst of battle.

"Our parents' war is about to become ours," she snarled at him. "Figure out which side you're on."

As she stomped away, the boy looked down at the shattered pieces of wood and metal that once made his shield, and sighed. He picked himself up and reached for one of the spare shields along the arena walls. The lesson was over, the students scattered, and Hiccup snuck away with the shield before Gobber could shake his head and lecture him again about focus on the battlefield.

Hiccup had always been known to lose himself in his thoughts, heeding nothing outside of the mind's eye – until his foot caught on a rut in the road and he flew forward, until tools clattered against the floor when they fell from his grasp (just missing his toes!), or until huge hands took hold of his shoulders and shook him to awareness. But the heat of battle was no time for such childishness. When the boy's mind recalled the blackest scales around noxious yellow eyes, and pondered whether the lines of the lean face were rough to the touch or smooth, he only saw the flame from the Deadly Nadder dragon coming at him with barely the time to scamper out of the path of fire.

Now the nightmarish battle dome was finally behind him, and his legs could catch up to where his thoughts still lingered.

...

The boy slipped clumsily into the crevice between two small cliffs, his shield clunking beside him against rock and grass. He hefted the weapon before him, nearly half of his slim form disappearing behind it, and took a timid step towards the clearing where the Night Fury dwelled.

Grimacing, Hiccup retrieved his slippery, uncooked lunch from a buckskin pouch. Without setting foot into the vale, he lifted the fresh cod above his head, and with a quick, somewhat spastic motion, tossed it into the open. He waited.

...Nothing.

Cautiously, the boy crept forward. His shield screeched against the edges of the crevice and caught between the stones, refusing to budge any further despite Hiccup's frustrated tugging. Finally he released the shield, rolling his eyes at the all-too typical blunder, and ducked underneath it.

Hiccup nervously skimmed the valley for the Night Fury, scooping up the untouched fish. He felt a little bare without his weapon, but thus far the demon had let every opportunity to attack him pass. The boy placed all his trust in this pattern, and held his ground with the raw food uplifted.

A black tail swished out from behind a tall rock, and an unseen pair of inhuman eyes watched the boy wander into the clearing. Then the Night Fury emerged from its granite shroud, beginning to clamber down towards the boy. The creature landed deftly a few feet from him, eagerly eyeing the fish, and Hiccup turned.

The boy gasped and took a startled step back. The draconic man tilted its scaly head and squinted at the human. Even the most miniscule movements were quick and fluid, like a wild animal's. Its yellow eyes returned to the fish, and the head tipped in another direction, ears perking slightly upwards.

Hiccup remembered himself, and slowly held out the silver meat to the creature. It approached cautiously, slightly angled away from him in a defensive stance. Suddenly the creature leapt back and hissed ferociously, pupils shrinking to slits as it crouched slightly and brandished its claws. The boy nearly dropped the fish, staggering back as well with wide eyes. He lifted his palms in a conciliatory gesture, but the beast still snarled at him. Frowning, the boy then followed the creature's gaze towards his own waist, where his small hunting knife hung from his belt.

The boy reached for his knife. The Night Fury hissed again, crouching lower still. Hiccup pulled the weapon out, held it away from him, and let it drop by his feet. The creature stopped hissing, but still eyed the weapon with narrowed pupils. Without a second thought, the boy nudged his foot under the knife and flung it into the lake beside them, and his last weapon sank to the murky bottom.

Instantly, the Night Fury's disposition brightened beyond any it had shown the boy before, letting all the frigidity fall from its stance and blinking at Hiccup with wide, curious eyes. For a moment, its simple gaze and upturned ears reminded Hiccup of a puppy, and with that thought he broke into a small, surprised smile as he offered the creature the fish again.

The Night Fury moved towards him less hesitantly this time, but caution still slowed its steps. With a sudden burst of movement, it shot out a clawed hand and snatched the food from Hiccup's fingers. The boy jumped a little and watched as the demon scrutinized its meal. It lifted the fish near the flattish nose, dark lips parting as it inhaled the scent of fresh meat. Hiccup's brows furrowed and he leaned forward a little, noting with surprise that the Night Fury suddenly lacked its set of jagged teeth.

"Toothless?" he observed, puzzled. "I could have sworn you had—"

Suddenly they were there, every razor-sharp tooth emerging abruptly as the creature's jaw unhinged, and with a snap and a gulp, the fish was swallowed in two halves. Hiccup drew back slightly and blinked.

"—teeth," he finished meekly.

The Night Fury ran a slightly forked tongue over the upper row of white fangs, giving it a satisfied flick before its jaws closed again. Then its pupils widened, and its hungry eyes fell on Hiccup expectantly. A strange sound rumbled from its throat, not unlike a low growl, or perhaps a heavy purr. With no hesitation whatsoever left in its step, the demon swiftly closed in on the surprised boy.

The creature stepped close enough to touch Hiccup's face – far past what he deemed to be a safe proximity. The boy's mouth dropped open, but no comprehensible words formed from it as he tried to withdraw from the advancing Night Fury.

"Ah, no—no, no..." he managed to stammer, scrambling backwards as quickly as he could to stay out of the demon's reach. At its full height, it was at least half a head taller than Hiccup. The boy tripped and fell back on his hands and seat, but the creature still did not stop, simply crouching to his level. He scuttled back with hands and feet until his back bumped one of the white boulders scattered through the vale.

Hiccup was cornered by a hungry demon and out of food. That couldn't be good...

The Night Fury planted its palms on either side of the boy, leaning forward to study the human's face without regard for his nearness. Hiccup pressed as far back against the rock as his thin body could, painfully recalling his first encounter with the beast. It blinked at him, cocking the dark head inquiringly.

"I don't have anymore," the boy explained anxiously.

The creature blinked again, eyes narrowing slightly as it tried to decipher him. Then the eyes rolled back in its head, and it made a small choking noise. It leaned down, and Hiccup felt something splatter onto his lap. The Night Fury straightened, and sat back with legs crossed, giving Hiccup a little more space. In Hiccup's lap was a regurgitated half of the silver cod.

The boy's nose wrinkled.

"Ugh," he mumbled.

They sat in silence for a few moments, blinking at each other, waiting to see what the other would do. The Night Fury looked down at the fish and back to Hiccup. The boy frowned. When the demon repeated the action, suddenly the human understood. His brows shot up, quickly collapsing again and crinkling as he grimaced at what the creature expected him to do.

Girding himself for one of the weirdest (or stupidest) things he had ever set out to accomplish, the boy closed his eyes and lifted the raw meat to his lips. He bit. He chewed. He even managed to hum approvingly for the Night Fury's benefit. And somehow, somehow he found the strength to swallow.

Hiccup let the fish drop to his side as his face scrunched with discomfort. He shuddered and smacked his lips to get the foul taste out. The Night Fury smacked its own lips in response. Hiccup looked up at the demon's bright eyes and uplifted ears, and realized it was pleased. Despite himself, the boy cracked a slightly lopsided, worn grin at the well-intending creature.

For the first time, the Night Fury's lips curved as well. The smile was small, genuine, almost a smirk – nothing like the way it barred its teeth at him before. Hiccup's eyebrows lifted at the latest surprise from the human-like dragon, and the fatigue faded from his grin.

A little emboldened now, Hiccup bit his lower lip and reached out towards his new acquaintance. He held his palm open and tilted to the side in a typical greeting gesture of his village. But the Night Fury did not take his hand. It peered suspiciously at the boy's outstretched arm and abruptly hissed when he came close to its scales, jumping to its feet and gliding away. The boy pulled his hand back, watching after the offended demon with a contemplative pinch in his lips and brows.

On the other side of the clearing, the Night Fury burned a patch of grass and stamped out the flame, encircling the bed of ash like a simple domestic beast before settling down upon it. Its ears picked up as birdsong rang from the treetops, and when the draconic creature looked for the singer, a tiny finch soared overhead and into the sun's glare. The flightless being stared, dark brows sloping inwards with disquiet, huge eyes shining with the reflected image of feathery wings in flight.

The boy plopped down beside the woeful demon. It blinked and turned to the boy, cross-legged and smiling shyly, waving a little when it looked at him. The demon raised a brow at the nosy human, ears falling back and eyes narrowing skeptically. It curled away from him, folding the enormous wings over the body, tail wrapping around near its face.

Hiccup peered at the damaged tail curiously, and scooted a little closer to get a better look. The wound seemed to be closing – it didn't look as though the missing fin would grow back. The boy grew impulsive and reached out to the fin, trying to see whether the texture was as leathery as it appeared. But the tail lifted to reveal an irritated pair of black pupils narrowing at him. He immediately pulled back, endeavoring not to offend the demon again, and finally left it in peace. The demon huffed and relocated even further away, this time hooking the thick tail round a tough tree bough and hanging from it like a bat.

In the time it slept, the sun journeyed all the way to the edge of the horizon, and the clouds glowed orange and pinkish hues. Hiccup remained in the vale, wandering and wondering and poking at the sand by the lake with a stick. He sat upon a short rock and started to etch the demon's face into the earth, guiding the makeshift tool with a practiced hand in simple, sweeping motions. Something dark and vast loomed in the corner of his eye.

The Night Fury leaned over the boy's shoulder with wide, mystified eyes. Hiccup paused for second when he realized the demon was so near, but decided it best to continue without bothering it for now. The demon followed each curve and line scratched into the upturned grains with its head, tilting and nodding it in unison with the tool's path. Hiccup drew the tiny fins on either side of the Nigh Fury's neck, the slits of the nose, the unfathomable eyes, and the small cluster of black hair above the dark brows. The subject was fascinated with its image in the sand.

Suddenly, it leapt up and sped away from the boy. There was rustling, and a mighty crack cut through the tranquil clearing. Hiccup glanced up to see the Night Fury wielding a huge branch in its hands, dragging it against the sand with an excited flourish. It spun and ran around the bemused boy, making huge circles and squiggles in the earth. From where he sat, Hiccup couldn't tell what it was the creature might be drawing – if drawing it could be called. The creature then dropped the branch and grinned at the markings on the ground proudly, looking over to Hiccup for approval. The boy stood, and examined the artwork.

It looked like a giant three-year-old's scribbles.

Hiccup glanced at the Night Fury. It beamed back.

The boy just laughed softly and grinned at the ever-more endearing creature. He stepped towards it, but when his boot fell on one of the long lines in the ground, the being hissed angrily. Hiccup jumped and stepped off the line. The Night Fury calmed instantly. Ever the experimental youth, Hiccup hesitantly touched the line again. Again, the creature hissed. He pulled back, and the hissing ceased. Then the boy stepped over the line, and the Night Fury brightened. Hiccup smiled, understanding the rules, and started to play the game.

The boy's gaze focused down at the markings in the sand, and he carefully stepped within the spaces of the pattern, swiftly making his way across the entire drawing. He turned and stepped backwards and sideways and around, never touching the lines. The youth spread his arms a little for balance as the turning dizzied him a little. When he reached the drawing's edge, he heard a slight stutter of sound behind him, and warm breath hit the back of his neck. A little startled, Hiccup turned, and the Night Fury stood there, closer even than before, gazing down at him with a surprisingly gentle look about its eyes. Hiccup gaped back, the human and the draconic man equally fascinated with each other.

Hesitantly, the youth tried again to offer his hand to the Night Fury. It leaned away from the offer, snorting slightly and narrowing its eyes in warning. Abruptly, Hiccup thought of the way the village tailor's hound snorted and howled at his cousin, Snotlout, because the obtuse boy always looked it directly in the eye when he approached it. Hounds took direct eye contact from a stranger as a challenge. The Night Fury sometimes behaved so like an animal, Hiccup wondered...

Taking a breath, the boy's eyes fell shut, and he turned his head away from the Night Fury, hand still extended. There was a pause, and Hiccup hoped he hadn't lost his senses. Then he tried not to jump as smooth, firm fingers pushed into his. Instead of clasping his hand, a scaled palm pressed against his own, pushing back the smaller human hand until the palms were flat against each other. The boy slowly glanced back at the Night Fury. It was staring at their hands with a curious expression. The demon claws were retracted, it seemed, and the dark fingers stretched out a little longer than Hiccup's pale, thin ones. With their hands side-by-side, the differences between the human and the mysterious creature seemed suddenly so few.

Their eyes met, and the dragon-man seemed to remember himself. He withdrew from the boy, and with no more than a quick half-smile, the gigantic wings spread and he coasted away again. The boy watched him and closed his fingers into his palm, still holding his hand out from him in a slight daze. He blinked out of it and looked to the darkening sky.

Hiccup would be late to dine again tonight, but even so, he smiled the entire way home.


A/n: Daww palms together just like in Pocahontas, but without boobs or awesome songs about diversity and war and stuff... hm maybe I should fix that...

Also, Astrid is a little nutty in this. By a little nutty I mean a little homicidal. ._. I mean the tough pretty girl thing in the movie works okay, wasn't sure why she had to be so damn stick-like when she was obviously really strong – well I know why... girls can't be bigger than their male love interests, and Hiccup was tiny -.- stupid Hollywood. But I'm just saying, she should have some more obvious muscle if she's that tough. So in this, she'll be less spunky-skinny and more bat-shit-warrior-Klingon-princess. ...Something like that anyway. :B

Reviews extend my life by .9 seconds so do it do it do it! Even if you think it's shit, go ahead and tell me, dude, I eat adversity for breakfast. :V