Chapter 7: The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions
"Dagur…"
Blinding darkness like a smoke which could not be lifted no matter how hard the wind blew, hid the source of the voice in the distance. Dagur felt himself instinctively lean closer, hoping to hear the voice again.
"Dagur." The Berserker chief blinked and when he opened his eyes, before him was Oswald the Agreeable, former chief of the Berserker tribe, his late father.
"Father?" Dagur asked in a mutter as Oswald looked at his direction. They were on a cliff edge overlooking the sea, somewhere quite familiar. Perhaps they were on Berserker Island.
"Father?" The Berserker called out again as he could not see his father's face due to the brightness of the day, completely opposite to how it was just a moment ago.
When the light got too bright, he covered his eyes with his arm and closed them. Opening them, he saw a blur of a small figure running right through him and toward Oswald. It was a child, a little boy who had red hair and a maniacal laugh.
"There you are!" Oswald exclaimed with a chuckle but Dagur still couldn't see his Father's face due to the bright light before him. Just before the light overwhelmed his vision further, he saw two smiling faces, one of his father carrying a child in his arms which he distinctly remembered as a distant memory.
Next, Dagur found himself watching the island of Berk in the distance from the side of the ship. He remembered jumping up and down with his hands clasped tightly on the wooden surface. Though Dagur couldn't see himself doing what he did, he could remember the feeling. He also remembered his father approaching and standing next to him shortly after.
"Daddy daddy! Am I gonna finally meet the chief of Berk's son?" Dagur asked though he didn't think his lips moved. Everything he heard and felt seemed to interact with everything around him.
"Yes Dagur, now be nice to him. He's a special little boy." Oswald bid but when Dagur tried to look at his father, again, a blinding light blurred his father's face.
"Not as special as me!" Dagur exclaimed and the last few moments he remembered was his father patting his back and the sound of his booming laughter.
In the blink of an eye, Dagur found himself standing next to his father and Stoick the Vast. He remembered getting a pat on the shoulder and asked to go play with the chief's son, Hiccup. Now Hiccup was just as Dagur remembered him. The scrawny little man hid behind his father's back and was almost invisible due to Stoick's size. However, Dagur noticed him. He always did.
There was just something about the small brunet boy that drew Dagur like a moth to a bushfire. At first glance, not much could be said about the tiny boy nor would he be distinguished as the chief's son. However, Dagur knew something in him felt the need to be around the other boy. After all, Hiccup was quite like his daddy in that their gazes had some gentleness in them.
"Come play with me!" Dagur ordered then grabbed Hiccup's wrist, it was so fragile and thin in his grasp before he dragged the other boy outside to play.
He remembered how hard Hiccup cried and how scared the Hooligan boy was of him. He also remembered the scrawny boy trying to pull away from his firm grip only to fall over from when Dagur let go and began crying some more. He remembered laughter from a dark-haired boy who Dagur remembered calling Snothat or Snot-something-or-rather. He remembered scaring two identical looking blond children who were making Hiccup dizzy. Hiccup cried some more because he everything upset him and it angered Dagur. The Berserker child didn't like seeing Hiccup cry, not back then at least.
Tried as he might, Dagur couldn't get Hiccup to stop crying so he decided to give up and let the other boy cry. Daddy was furious when he found Hiccup sobbing next to Dagur. The scrawny brunet immediately ran to his father's arms, leaving Dagur to be scolded by Daddy for not being nice enough to him.
However, Dagur tried to be nice, he tried so hard in his own way, but Hiccup wouldn't even tell their parents otherwise. He just cried in Stoick's arms and made Dagur feel like he was the worst person in the world. So Dagur hoped that next time he visited, Hiccup wouldn't be such a crybaby and make him feel bad inside.
The next time he saw Hiccup, the scrawny boy avoided him and seemed to get along with a fat blond boy with chubby cheeks. It angered Dagur so much that he had to punish the blond boy for taking Hiccup's attention away from him by locking up the fat boy in a cage for a few days. He didn't care that for the duration of his visit, his father, Stoick and Hiccup looked for the blond boy. Dagur didn't even get a chance to show Hiccup his knife throwing skills. And he'd been practicing so hard on the chickens back on Berserker Island and on Heather's ornate shield. Sometimes, he missed his targets but that's because the chickens ran so fast or Heather wouldn't keep still.
It seemed that he would have to show Hiccup next time.
Memories of Dagur's childhood passed by like a blur of boredom as the Berserkers lived in peace for most of his life. The most exciting times were when his father had business with Berk. However, Dagur had realized that he couldn't be anything else to Hiccup but scary. No matter what Dagur did with Hiccup, it always led to disaster, like the time he finally showed Hiccup his knife throwing skills. The Hooligan kept running at the direction of his targets when he specifically said to keep still. Or when he tried to teach the scrawny boy how to swim.
In every occasion, Hiccup was either left pale with fear or gasping for dear life. If only Hiccup wasn't so weak, fragile and scared of him, Dagur could show him that he had more than enough strength for the two of them.
Still, Dagur never missed a trip to the other tribe despite the begrudging feeling steadily growing in his chest. Talks of power and glory were whispers that he heard from people who did not agree with his father's leadership. This eventually festered a bitterness and distaste from anything that is gentle and weak, something that was diluting both his father's image and Hiccup's. It didn't happen all at once and it certainly took its time to manifest, however it was an idea that remained and corroded inside Dagur, like a chained dog that gnawed on a dry bone.
Round and round went Dagur's memories of everything after the day his father disappeared. His maniacal laugh steadily grew louder and louder until it was almost unbearable to hear.
"MuwahahaHAHAHAHA!"
Dagur had to tightly shut his eyes and cover his ears as the world around him spun uncontrollably.
Then everything stopped.
When he opened his eyes, Dagur found himself back in the cover of darkness. The ground he stepped on was unrecognizable nor was anything else around him. The shadows coiled and seethed like smoke until a faint light appeared before him.
"Dagur."
He heard the light call out with a voice which seemed familiar. The faint light eventually formed into a shape of a person who stood before him.
"Dagur." The redhead leaned closer to find the misty light to be the shape of his father.
"Leave it alone Dagur." The image of his father commanded. The imitation had a very bright face again and it caused Dagur to squint just to see the shape.
"Sign the treaty Dagur. Leave the chicken alone Dagur." The figure commanded again but only this time, it wasn't his father's voice that he heard.
"Put down that axe Dagur!" It was his own.
Dagur felt something hard and wooden in his grasp. When he looked down, he saw an axe in his grip with the sharp steel seeped with blood. The sight startled the Berserker into dropping the item but instead of landing on the ground, it simply dissolved into nothing.
"Leave…"
Dagur looked up as he heard the glowing figure before him speak again.
"Leave…"
The faint light reshaped itself into a new form. A form that distinctively resembled a thin male with a stump as a leg. The figure manifested into Hiccup and the resemblance was uncanny.
"Hiccup?" Dagur asked then the Hiccup look-alike spoke again.
"Leave me…" Hiccup repeated but the last word was too soft for Dagur to decipher.
"What did you say?" Dagur asked and took a step forward.
Suddenly, the faint light flashed in red and the Hiccup figure cried out, "LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"Gasp!" Suddenly Dagur gasped himself awake. He panted then moved his gaze across his surroundings. Though the cave was dark, the light from the moon illuminated their dragons' silhouettes as well as Hiccup's who slept soundly beside him and slightly stirred. It must have been hours since he fell asleep right after he gave Hiccup his medicine.
A low groan was heard from his side and he noticed Sleuther and Toothless gazing at him, he could see worry fill their bright colored eyes even in the darkness. The fire beside them had long since extinguished but Dagur had no intention of reigniting it. Sleuther crept beside him then nuzzled his snout at its rider then Dagur petted its head in return.
"I'm okay. It's just a nightmare. Just a…" Dagur muttered softly then paused to turn to his side to gaze upon the sleeping man then continued, "a nightmare…"
Out of the darkness, flashes of his dream appeared which made him wince, shut his eyes tightly and shake his head. He searched the ground next to him to find the jar of medicine and the bottle of mead he brought from the ship earlier. Whenever he had such nightmares, he found solace in the taste of mead passing through his lips and the exuberant sensation it brought when he'd drank too many. Following several large gulps, Dagur let himself sink back on Toothless' back, and made sure to be careful with his wounds. The dragon remained in its place right above Hiccup's head since Dagur fell asleep. Sleuther on the other hand laid near the mouth of the cave vigilant in case of any dragon attacks. The winged beasts simply sat there and watched him.
They seem to like to watch.
With the buzz settling in his mind, the Berserker sat back on Toothless' hind legs and watched the empty black space. Every now and then, when he didn't have it in check, his guilt manifested and yearned. There were nights when some of his men and even Heather would barge into his room after hearing him thrash in his sleep. His men said Dagur never used to have the nightmares, only when he returned from his retreat of solitude did they start.
Crazy dreams he liked to call them to pacify Heather and his men's worried expressions. However deep down, he knew there was no escaping the past that bounded him like iron chains seared into his skin, irremovable. Sometimes, those iron chains of guilt felt cold like ice, much like the sensation he felt at that moment when he turned to Hiccup's sleeping form.
Earlier in the night, when Dagur gave Hiccup medicine using his mouth, an electrifying sensation tickled his body then followed by a heavy feeling in his core. He had not felt this electrifying feeling in a very long time, or if he did, he often buried it deep in his mind or passed it off.
They often occurred whenever he was with or thought of Hiccup. At times, he wondered if it was simply the villainous side of him which he never truly discarded despite years of meditation and self-discovery.
How could it not?
His dreams were memories after all, memories that resounded his crimes against Hiccup and the others. Despite being forgiven by Hiccup out loud recently, Dagur still could not bring himself to forgive his own crimes, let alone forget them. After what he did last night and pressing his lips against Hiccup's, Dagur began to realize why the nightmare occurred.
With drink in hand, he gulped once more and leaned his head back to rest on the Night Fury, thinking about the times when all he could ever think about was Hiccup. Some people had said it before but only recently did Dagur admit to himself that he was truly and utterly fascinated by the other man, obsessed rather. After all, Dagur could not bring himself to deny that ever since his heart changed for the better, the one person's opinion he sought after the most was Hiccup's.
The very thought of Hiccup finding out how Dagur nursed him back to health convinced the Berserker that it would probably derail the harmony they'd established. And Hiccup probably already knew since he opened his eyes while Dagur's lips were pressed against his.
So Dagur continued drinking until not a single drop of mead was left and hoped that its intoxicating properties could kill the vicious anxieties that seethed in his mind until sleep took him once more.
Morning came and Dagur found himself slightly hungover, head throbbing and the small empty jar of mead rolled to his side. He looked outside and saw the day so bright that it illuminated the insides of the cave. The creaking sounds of the jungle commenced without the slightest care about the cave's inhabitants.
His wounds had also healed slightly, judging from how he could move his arm and shoulder without shaking frantically. However, he was still not in the best state to be moving around, especially since all he wanted to do was curl up into a ball and sleep some more.
However, he remembered Hiccup. The brunet chief laid next to the Berserker panting. When Dagur placed a hand on Hiccup's forehead again, it was still quite hot but not as much as yesterday.
"Man, I've never seen you get like this before." Dagur said to the panting man then turned to the Night Fury, "Has he been getting much rest lately?"
The Night Fury shook its head then groaned with worry before nuzzling its snout on Hiccup's hair. Dagur pulled his hand away with brows furrowed.
"Trust you to push yourself too hard. You're just too stubborn to listen to your own body." The Berserker said to Hiccup then shook his head while a small chuckle escaped him. He reached for the medicinal jar next to him then gripped firmly.
Taking the mouth of the medicine jar to his lips, he sucked in the medicinal fluid and held it before placing the bottle on the ground beside him as he did last night. He leaned down and used his right hand to lift Hiccup's head up before placing his lips against the other man's. The soft lips were slightly dry, but the medicine should help hydrate them. Once he pushed all the fluid into Hiccup's mouth, Dagur pulled back slightly and moved his eyes over the sleeping man's face.
In his mind, Dagur tried to convince himself that he was solely doing this for Hiccup's own good and nothing more. Absolutely nothing else. Yet the warm funny feeling in his chest kept pulsating and feeding into the fascination which had sorely compromised him before.
After the sleeping man swallowed, Dagur laid Hiccup back down with a heavy sigh. Next to him, the dragons watched with a keenness that was too much for his liking.
"What?" Dagur asked with a raised brow, "Ever seen a guy give mouth to mouth to another guy before?"
Both Sleuther and Toothless shook their heads in sync. "Didn't think so." Dagur stated then rolled his eyes as Toothless' expression grew cheekier.
"Ugh, cut it out already! There was nothing to it!" Dagur exclaimed then the dragon rolled its eyes as well then made a 'pfft' sound.
Dagur huffed, sucked in his breath, nostrils flared, and death stared the Night Fury who did not seem scared the slightest.
"Look I'm only doing it because Hiccup needs to take his medicine and I can't do it with only one functioning hand alright?" Dagur tried raising his bandaged covered left arm and hand with an irritated look, "I'm doing it for his own good, so lay off with the staring, I've got to prepare breakfast."
Toothless made another snarky sound but the Berserker ignored it.
With one last huff, Dagur turned his back on the dragons then turned to their provisions. This, whatever it was, would have to wait as the sun was already up and breakfast was due. When he got back up, with their dragons' help, Dagur trudged toward the baskets he brought from the boat to check what provisions they had left.
The basket for the fish was empty but at least there were some bread and fruit stored in a couple of the other baskets.
"Looks like we're gonna need to get more fish." Dagur stated as Sleuther trotted to his side and peered into the empty fish basket to sniff it. "We were supposed to go fishing soon but…"
Without another second, the Triple Stryke dragon turned around to the mouth of the cave and began hopping toward it. "Wait Sleuther! Where are you going?" Dagur tried to chase after but the pain from his injuries barely let him get further than a step.
Noticing that its rider followed, the Triple Stryke dragon turned back around and roared at him.
"Wha-What's got you all worked up?" Dagur asked and the dragon waved its tail at him before stabbing the dirt and drawing a line. One of its pincers then pointed at Hiccup and Toothless before turning to the mouth of the cave and launching itself into the air until it was out of sight.
Gob smacked, Dagur turned to Toothless who looked at him with a nonchalant expression. The dragon merely laid beside Hiccup then warbled at him. Dagur couldn't understand of course.
"Do you also boss Hiccup around every now and then?" Dagur asked and the Night Fury made a smug expression then cheekily waved its head.
"Must be a dragon thing." Dagur rolled his eyes, then grabbed the basket containing the fruits and bread and painfully managed to drag it toward Hiccup and Toothless. He placed the basket beside the Night Fury's tail then reached inside for a piece of bread before he gestured it to Toothless.
"Guess we'll eat what we've got until Sleuther gets back." The Berserker stated, to which Toothless nodded then bit the end of the bread before Dagur took a bite for himself.
It wasn't long before Sleuther returned. Before this, Toothless helped Dagur hang some of his wet garments and fabrics to dry, including his cape. The Triple Stryke approached Dagur and Toothless with a mouth full of fish, probably from the sea or a nearby stream. The Triple Stryke proceeded to spill the contents of its mouth in the fish basket, and almost filled the container to the brim. Dagur thanked his dragon and the beast nuzzled its snout on his cheek in response.
As the day went by, Hiccup's temperature fluctuated. Sometimes, the Hooligan would suddenly wake up seemingly groggy and spacey regarding his surroundings before Dagur and Toothless frantically scampered to check on him. The brunet wouldn't say much, in fact he didn't seem to register much of his surroundings save for going outside the cave for some private time alone.
Toothless assisted Hiccup during these times while Dagur waited at the entrance of the cave with Sleuther until the duo returned. In one of the occasions, Hiccup turned to Dagur with a weakened smile and said thanks which Dagur replied, "No problem, it's what brothers do."
The slightly dazed brunet nodded weakly before returning to his makeshift bed of sheets and Toothless tucked him back in.
It was only a matter of time before he recovered and at least the other chief did not seem to remember much of what had happened since he fell ill, much to Dagur's relief. For now, all Dagur could do was give Hiccup more medicine so the fever wouldn't come back. When he wasn't taking care of Hiccup, Dagur tended to his wounds.
The dragons groaned with worry at the very sound of him writhing in pain, but he constantly reassured them that he was fine. Sleuther wasn't usually the type to show concern about things however, Dagur could tell that his dragon was quite a softy in the inside. The Triple Stryke purred affectionately as it nuzzled Dagur after his dressings were replaced by some of the fabrics Dagur hung to dry earlier.
At times, his dragon flew out of the cave to fulfill some errands for Dagur such as refilling the water jar and hunting fish. Toothless would also leave the cave and gather some branches filled with fruits and berries which Dagur gathered and placed into the baskets for dinner.
Every now and then, Dagur noticed the other man stir in his sleep, muttering incomprehensible syllables and thrashing slightly. During these times, the Berserker would shuffle next to Hiccup and check Hiccup's temperature. When it was too hot, Dagur would place a small soaked fabric on Hiccup's forehead. Despite the aches and pains from his body, Dagur pushed himself and during those times, the dragons always moaned with worry.
"It's alright gang, I can handle it. I'm a big boy now." Dagur reassured the dragons again and sent Toothless to retrieve his cape from outside. The purple fabric was surely dry by now and Dagur laid it atop Hiccup to help the man get warmer.
The brunet stirred but eventually settled when Dagur found his fingers subconsciously running through Hiccup's hair.
A few seconds passed before Dagur realized what he was doing and pulled his hand back, then placed both hands together and looked away as if he had just done something he shouldn't had again. He then glanced to his side to look at the dragons who probably wondered why he stopped.
"Oh, don't look at me like that." Dagur grimaced as guilt stirred in his gut. "I don't think Hiccup would like it if I touched his hair like that…"
The Berserker could imagine it, Hiccup shaking his head and brushing his hand away.
"I mean it's not like I don't like taking care of sick people. I've taken care of lots of sick people before like Heather and several others…but Hiccup's different- he'll-," Dagur paused as he thought carefully of what he was about to say to the dragons.
"Hiccup never likes it when I try to help him out…" The words hurt as much as he thought about them. "I know you guys are okay with it but you know what he's like right, Toothless?" The Berserker turned to the Night Fury with a deep frown.
"Since we were kids, Hiccup never liked it when I tried to help him out." The redhead chieftain said while shaking his head, "I mean sure I wasn't the best at expressing my intentions to people being deranged and all but now…"
He paused for a moment to carefully think of the following words, "You know what he'd think…"
"If Hiccup were to find out what I did for him while he was unconscious then I'm sure he'd be upset. He'll probably give me a lecture and be like: 'Don't touch me Dagur' or more like 'Keep your hands to yourself Dagur'- 'Don't kiss me like that Dagur- '" Suddenly the redhead stopped upon realizing what he had just said. When he glanced back at the dragons, Sleuther remained expressionless on the other hand, Toothless smirked with a mixture of smugness and cheekiness.
Blood began to rush through Dagur's cheeks and he was sure they were red. "E-hem…uhhh…"
Unable to find the words, the Berserker began to laugh. "HahaHA! A Kiss? Where did that come from?" Dagur scratched the back of his head. "What's gotten in to me?"
He placed his right hand on his face then grimaced, "It's the herbs. It's definitely the herbal medicine that Hiccup's taking from my mouth…"
Without another word, Dagur slumped down next to Hiccup, his shoulders slouched, and mouth frowned even deeper. At times like these, Dagur would meditate. It wasn't always at times when he was mad when he needed to meditate and clear his thoughts. Whenever his nerves got unbearable, he'd get into position, legs crossed and wrists resting on his knees. Unfortunately, being in his current state, he couldn't move his body to that position.
So, he resorted to deep breaths, closing his eyes and sitting up straight. He tried his best to clear his mind of any worries and chaos. He removed thoughts of his injuries, Hiccup's stirring, the dragons who watched and the outside world. The clearer his mind became, the darker it got but at least there was peace.
Within the darkness in his mind, clouds began to form into shapes that envisioned blurry scenes. He could hear people's voices conversing and right at the center of it was Hiccup's voice, angry and disapproving like the time when they were on the island being hunted by the dragon hunters.
"You're a fake Dagur! A fake! I hate you! Do you hear me?! I hate you!"
Or when Dagur visited the others on the Edge.
"It's telling me not to trust you."
When the cloudy visions got too much, Dagur gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut until he gasped himself awake. His eyes shot wide open and he panted heavily before he noticed the dragons at their positions had watched the entire time.
"Grr! Argh! Why is this happening?" Dagur slapped his right hand on his face again with an expression filled with frustration. "Just when things were going so well!"
He took a moment to compose himself before turning to the Night Fury beside them, "Hiccup's gonna hate me isn't he?"
The black scaled dragon shook its head and moaned to disagree. However, the Berserker groaned to himself and shook his head, "You know it's true. I've got a track record of doing stupid things and hurting people even when I'm trying to help."
Suddenly, memories of his childhood and the Edge with Heather flickered through his mind like rushing water from a broken dam, "How do I expect myself to not feel bad for wanting to help when all the other times that I've helped Hiccup, I always screw things up?"
He asked the dragons who remained silent but with sympathetic expressions. The redhead glanced down at Hiccup's soft expression then looked away.
"I dunno guys, it's just, I'm still trying to figure out where my place is or where I stand around him…" The Berserker said while staring at the wall of the cave in front of him. "I know he said he's forgiven me and all but I still can't help but feel worried that what I'm doing is wrong. That even though my intentions are good, it may not come across that way to him you know? I'm scared that after everything that's happened, Hiccup will hate me like he did all those years ago."
His fists clenched tightly then eased after he sucked in a breath to look up at the ceiling of the cave, "I'm probably just overthinking things." Then he turned to the dragons before he continued, "Both of you won't tell him what happened, won't you?"
Dagur glanced at both dragons who gave each other a look of confusion.
"Oh gods, what am I thinking? Dragons can't talk…" Dagur pointed out and the dragons nodded along with what he said, "But you guys sure can understand everything that's going on…"
A fond smile began to form on Dagur's face as the feeling of panic began to subdue in his chest, "I'm glad I have both of you here. Without your help, who knows how Hiccup and I could've survived this."
The dragons seemed to appreciate his words by the way they cooed and purred.
"Maybe I shouldn't have gone on this mission with Hiccup. Maybe I should've stayed behind and let the others go with him." The Berserker turned away from the dragons to set his gaze to the darkness of the cave. "I bet you the others would know how to take care of him better than I ever can. Betcha Astrid would be the perfect candidate instead of me…"
A sinking feeling began to surge in Dagur's chest when the words rolled out of his tongue. He sat slouching for a moment to ponder on what he had just said when he felt something press against his garments.
"Don't leave…" Hiccup whimpered, and the man's hand tightly clutched onto Dagur's garment. The brunet was still unconscious and was probably sleep talking and Dagur knew it was not directed to him.
However, Dagur felt warmth in his chest. He placed his hands on the brunet's and rubbed his thumb on the warm skin before pulling it toward him. A heavy sigh escaped the redhead while a smile subconsciously formed on his face.
"I'm not gonna leave you Hiccup. You're my friend and we're in this together." Dagur whispered to the Hooligan even though he knew the other man couldn't hear him.
Eventually, his gaze moved to the dragons that continued to watch. It was beginning to be a common thing for them to watch.
"What?" Dagur asked the scaly beasts who eventually turned away to lay in their respective posts, Sleuther to the mouth of the cave while Toothless, right above Hiccup's head. The Berserker was tempted to say a snarky comment but couldn't bring himself since at that moment, nothing could sullen his uplifted mood.
Without realizing it, this mood gradually made way for sleep to slowly claim Dagur's consciousness.
It was dark when Dagur woke up and without realizing it, he slept with his hands firmly clasped with Hiccup's hand. Since their hands remained joined, Hiccup didn't wake up since he fell asleep which spread relief in Dagur's chest. He let go before rousing himself slowly, carefully trying not to wake up the other man. Even Toothless and Sleuther were asleep, probably not long after he did.
The Berserker took in a deep breath before a yawn escaped his mouth. Crickets creaked in the jungle and the wind howled after passing through the mouth of the cave. Only the light of the moon shone his surroundings and Hiccup's soft expression. Dagur placed a hand on the other man' forehead to check Hiccup's temperature and much to his relief, felt no sign of the fever.
Usually Dagur would pull his hand away after checking however at that moment, he felt like dragging his hand on Hiccup's face until his fingers caressed the other man's left cheek. Unbeknownst to Dagur, two pairs of large green and small red eyes watched his movements and stared keenly. Only when Dagur looked up did he notice the Night Fury and his Triple Stryke watching and he immediately removed his hands from Hiccup's face.
"I was uhh- ehem-," Dagur stammered frantically before clearing his throat to compose himself. "Anyone hungry for dinner?" he asked dragons who didn't answer but he carried on nonetheless. "I'll go make us some dinner…"
"Sleuther, can you help me uhh set up the grill?" Dagur asked then the Triple Stryke followed.
It took almost half an hour to grill Dagur's share of the fish. Toothless and Sleuther on the other hand shared the remaining contents of the fish basket while Dagur feasted next to Hiccup. The light of the fire illuminated the darkness of the cave and he could see its smoke being expulsed outside, and he hoped for no dragon attacks tonight. When he finished, he asked the dragons to eat what was left before he shuffled next to Hiccup's side and watched the other man sleep.
"I never noticed that Hiccup had a cut on his chin until recently after I met his mother, Valka. She told me the story of how her dragon accidentally cut Hiccup's face when he was a baby before taking her away." Dagur explained to the dragons who watched keenly as the redhead laid beside the brunet. "He definitely took after her more so than Stoick."
"I never knew my mother, dad said that she looked a lot like Heather, dark hair and green eyes. If she was around, I'd like her to meet Hiccup." The Berserker commented then quickly realized what he just said.
"I mean, as a friend- of course as a friend, why else would I introduce Hiccup to my mom for? I mean that's the sort of stuff you do when you like someone right?" Dagur asked the dragons who sat at other side watching them, their faces began to fill with confusion and uncertainty.
"Ignore what I said, I talk too much. My lips are zipped from now on." Dagur said with a small chuckle. Sleuther remained expressionless but nonetheless attentive while Toothless rolled its eyes with sassiness.
Dagur then bit out, "Hey, I saw that." Suddenly, the man next to him began to stir. Hiccup's expression was slightly pained as if he was dreaming about something troubling. Dagur shuffled closer to reassure the other man despite Hiccup's unconsciousness.
"I'm here Hiccup. Don't you worry, Dagur's here." Dagur reassured and took Hiccup's hand with his right hand before his left hand shakily followed. The Berserker felt his fingers firmly clasp the other man's hand for more reassurance.
The brunet stirred some more then his lips parted. A whimper escaped those lips as Hiccup tried to push out a sound, "A-,"
Dagur leaned close, his face merely inches from Hiccup's face to listen carefully.
"Astrid…"
It wasn't a word that left Hiccup's lips. It was a name.
The burnet's stirring stopped as sleep reclaimed him once more while the redhead felt his own heart stop. Dagur slowly pulled away from the other man and felt his grip loosen from the other man's warm hand as his own turned icy and cold. A frown began to form on his face and it deepened no matter how hard he tried for it not to.
The dragons watching no longer watched with puzzled expressions but instead, their faces wore pity. Dagur painstakingly brought himself up, without even accepting help from the dragons, then proceeded to the mouth of the cave where he rested his shoulder and stared at the sky.
The moon looked so beautiful that night, so bright and shaped like a perfect disc of white light however he could not bring himself to appreciate it. Nor the stars, the soft outline of clouds in the sky or the cool scent of fresh air eased the agonizing pain curdling in his chest.
Behind him, he heard footsteps approach and eventually revealing Toothless' head and right beside it, Sleuther's. Their faces peered up at him with solemn worry.
"I'm okay guys, ehem…" Dagur cleared his throat to push away the heavy and sinking sensation from his core. "Just need a little bit of air that's all."
He didn't need to say anything to them nor did he want them to, but somehow, he had a feeling that they understood everything that was going on.
And Dagur wished they could tell him using human words because right then and there, he didn't understand what he was feeling-
Or why.
End of Chapter 7.
