Disclaimer: I do not own How to Train Your Dragon or Brave nor do own any of the character.
Since it is my first crossover I would love feedback.
This is set after Merida and Hiccup have both experienced their own adventures-movie plots-. Merida is fifteen and Hiccup is sixteen.
Also I am sorry but I am bad at accents so Merida does have an accent that everyone notices and will comment on, but I will not be writing like she does, its just to difficult for me, so I apologize in advance.
thought '...'
speaking "..."
Hiccup's point of view
I was outside in our food shed trying to get a basket of fish for Toothless' dinner and grabbing a cut of salted meat for me. As I dumped the basket of fish by the back door Toothless gave a happy coo and started to gobble down the fish.
"Take it easy bud I know you haven't eaten all day, but your gonna get a stomach ache if you don't slow down." Toothless seemed to ignore as he kept gobbling down the fish. I sighed, "Fine but when you have a stomach ache I don't want to hear any whining."
I walked into the kitchen placing the meat on the counter trying to figure out what exactly to do with it, but my cooking skills were just as great as my Vikings skills…horrid. I could hear tossing and turning coming from the living room and went to check on the girl. She seemed distress; her face scrunched up, sweat building up on her forehead. I went back into the kitchen and grabbed a rag. I came back and started to dab her forehead. She was muttering to herself again.
I sighed, "I don't know whether I want you to wake up or not," I muttered going back to the kitchen.
I grabbed a bucket from underneath the counter and went to the well outside, passing Toothless who was on his back groaning. "I told you," I said passing him, as I stifled a laugh at his roar. I filled the bucket with water and reentered the kitchen. I than placed the water into a cooking pot and submerged the salted meat in the pot. Although some Vikings can eat it salted and all I couldn't, so I waited for the meat to desalt itself. 'Than again Vikings could probably eat it raw' I thought, walking back outside to put the empty basket back in the shed.
As I closed the door, Toothless still curled up by the back door I heard a loud "NOOO" that caused me to jump. 'She's up' I thought, running back to the house as quick as I could with my stupid prosthetic leg.
Toothless was up already at the back door. "No" I shouted, blocking the door from Toothless "I need you stay here bud. We don't want to scare the girl." Toothless looked at me his head tilted. "She's probably not from around her who knows how she'll react to a dragon." Toothless whined, but sat down. "Thanks bud."
By the time I had made it into the house she was already opening the door. "Your awake" I said, trying to keep my voice light to try and not spook her. But as the words left my mouth she was running out the door. 'So much for that idea' I thought.
"Wait" I shouted after her trying to run after her, but again my running isn't as good as it used to be. "TOOTHLESS" I shouted knowing that he could run faster than I could. As I kept running after the girl I knew that Toothless had already passed me and was running straight for the girl. "So much for not scaring her with a dragon" I muttered watching, as Toothless seemed to skid to a stop. As I got closer I found that Toothless had actually passed the girl and was standing in front of her. I came up behind her and watched as she looked between Toothless and I.
As I tried to get closer to her she turned to the side her back facing the forest instead of either of us. I could tell that she was looking at both of us carefully. "Look I know you're scared and a little confused, but we aren't going to hurt you. We just want to help." I tried to take another step towards her and she backed up. That's when I noticed that she was watching Toothless or at least trying to. Since Toothless was a Nightfury, he practically was the night.
I stepped closed to her, my arms extended in a surrender position. However as I got to close I found my arm being grabbed twisted and pinned to my back. I gasped in pain. 'Geez I really need to work on my hand to hand combat.' I thought, trying to struggle out of her grip. But the more I struggled the more pressure she placed on my arm. Before I knew it Toothless was growling charging at the girl and me.
The next thing I knew I was being pushed into Toothless. Who thankfully stopped and used his head to keep me from falling. However the minute I got to my feet Toothless gave a louder growl and pounced at the girl. The girl dodged the attack landing in a low crouch. 'Wow she's fast' I thought, looking at the girl and than at Toothless.
"Toothless stop, she's just scared," I said, coming over to him and placing a hand on his head to try and calm him down. But Toothless was still growling and what surprised me was when I heard another growl. I turned towards the noise expecting to find another dragon or something, but no the noise was coming from the girl. 'That's a little intimidating' I thought, still trying to calm Toothless down.
"Look we aren't gonna hurt you, if we were we wouldn't have spent the time taking care of you." I said, trying very hard to keep the sass out of my voice as I gave Toothless a good scratch underneath his neck. "We would have left you in the middle of the ocean to freeze to death. So please calm down. We aren't going to hurt you."
The girl just stared at me for a moment, and I could tell that she was confused by the tilt of her head. By now Toothless was cooing and the girl also seemed relaxed. I didn't expect her to day anything but I heard "You took care of me." Her voice was quiet, but I could hear a thick accent in her voice. Her accent was mesmerizing and for some reason I wanted her to keep talking.
"Yes we did, now we're both going back into the house. You can follow us or not it's your choice, we aren't going to hurt you, but we aren't going to force you to stay with us. " The more time I spent with the girl the more I noticed that she was like a wild animal. An untrained dragon and when dealing with an untrained dragon you never force them to do something they don't want to do.
I patted Toothless and began to walk away. Toothless was hesitant to leave the girl, but soon he was walking behind me. As we got closer to the house Toothless went around back and I slowly walked up the steps.
Although I was serious about letting the girl chose what to do, I was slightly worried that she would rather take her chances in the woods than with us. I made it up the steps and paused taking a deep breath. I wanted to help this girl, but I couldn't help her if she wouldn't let me.
I heard a gasp of surprise come from behind me and I turned around wondering if she saw another dragon, or Viking, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I kept looking for anything off, but as I scanned the area I saw that the girl was getting closer. She was walking slowly, but at least she was moving. With the little light coming from the house I was finally able to see her eyes. They were stunning and a shade I have never seen before. It was a light blue, but it was so much more that that they seemed to be electric. She was at the bottom of the step, her white teeth sinking into her lower lip as if deciding if this was actually what she wanted to do. So I gave her my hand.
I don't know what this girl has gone through, but she's tough and cautious. Forcing her into something would be dangerous. So I left my hand there waiting for her to make her final decision. She seemed to naw on her lip some more, her hand just above mine. I wanted so badly to grab it and usher her inside and ask her questions, but I knew if I did that I would most likely find myself in another painful pin. She took a deep breath her eyes closing for a moment.
It caught me for surprise when I felt her small hands in mine. But instinctively I wrapped my hand around hers. 'There so small' I thought, but I could feel the calluses on her fingers and palm. I watched as she opened her eyes with a new fire behind them. Slowly with her hand still in mine I lead her in the house.
I lead her into the kitchen letting go of her hand to pull out a chair for her on our small table. She stood there for a moment before sitting down on the chair.
"Are you hungry?" I asked walking back to the pot with the meat. The girl didn't say anything; she was just sitting there watching me.
"Okay well I'm going to make something to eat for both of us…okay" still not a word. I sighed and took the meat out of the water. For the most part the salt was off the meat, but I knew the meat was still going to be salty. "I hope you don't mind a salty flavor." I said, giving off a nervous chuckle, but the girl did nothing.
So I went to the cabinets and started to take different spices out. I wasn't sure what I was doing, so I just took everything out. Dad and I usually eat at the main hall, but due to extreme schedules we almost always missed lunch or dinner. So we've had to start preparing food at home, which was horrid since neither of us knew how to cook. I placed the meat into a pan, and just grabbed a random spice. As I went to pour some spice on it, the entire jar of spice came out. "Uhh" I said, looking at the girl and the meat that was covered in…I sniffed the jar "cinnamon" I muttered.
I heard a laugh and looked to see that the girl was smiling trying to hold in her laugh with her hand. "This isn't funny," I muttered feeling my face get warm. I was scowling at the meat when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked over and noticed the girl was there asking for the jar in my hand. I gave it to her and she started to put as much cinnamon as she could back in the jar. She took the meat off the counter and placed it back in the pot of salted water. She began to rub the cinnamon off the meat. Cleaning it as much as she could, before she placed the meat on the counter.
As I moved to help her she quickly moved at stand in front of the meat. Blocking it from my view. "What I want to help." But she shook her head and motioned to the chair that she sat in. I was about to argue until I looked into her eyes and noticed the irritation in them. Figuring that it had been a long day for every one I raised my hand in surrender and slowly backed away moving towards the seat.
I watched as she looked at the carved labels on the jars. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head. She started to uncap the jars of spices and started to smell them. 'Can she not read' I thought. I watched as she smelled some, her face scrunching in disgust and other times a small smile on her face. She would place some aside and keep going until she decided which spices were need and which weren't. She than placed some in her hand and started to rub it into the meat. Finally when she was done she took a step back looking for something.
"What are you looking for?" I asked standing up, hoping to actual get a response.
After a moment she answered "Knife" although it sounded odd with her accent on it, but she still kept looking.
"Your knife or kitchen knife" I asked, skeptical.
She turned to look at me her hair moving like a flash of fire and her eyes narrowing. She went back to the meat and with her finger drew a line through it. "Oh" I said, walking over to one of the cabinets. I handed her the smaller kitchen knife 'That she could still kill me with' I thought, and watched as she cut the meat and placed the two pieces in the pan.
She took the pan into the living room and placed it in fire. She than went back to sitting on the couch. I sat on the floor giving her enough space to get comfortable. The meat started to sizzle and that was the only sound being made.
"Sooo" I said, not really sure what to say now. "My names Hiccup." I say extending my hand again for a shake. She looked at my hand and the corner of her lips turned upward. "Hiccup" she repeated, giving a small smile one of her eyebrows raised. I could feel my cheeks heating up I mean I know my name was bad, but with her accent it sounded even more ridicules than usual.
"Yah I know, but its not the worst around…trust me." I said, giving a crooked smile.
She took my hand and gave it a tight squeeze "Merida." We sat like that for a while, just looking at each other trying to figure the other one our and to be honest something told me I was never going to understand this girl. That's when we heard something rustling from behind.
The girl…no Merida quickly launched herself off the couch and getting into a fighting stance. I jumped up to standing in front of her trying and calm her down. "Its okay its okay its just Toothless." I said, putting my hands up again still not touching her. Toothless was trying to get in the house and based on the heavy footsteps he was somewhere in the kitchen.
"Tooth...less" she asked, breaking the name up her head tilted in confusion.
"Yah Toothless, he's a friend okay." I said slowly, hearing Toothless' footsteps coming closer. That's when I heard a little roar. Merida peeked past me and gasped. I closed my eyes expecting a scream or shrill in terror, but none came.
When I opened my eyes and noticed that Merida wasn't in front of me any more. Instead she was cautiously making her way towards Toothless. Who was swinging his tail lazily, his eyes were narrowed probably remembering her earlier attack, but his head with still tilted in curiosity. Merida was calm, walking slowly taking all of Toothless in. I was worried that Merida was going to rush Toothless, but instead she sat down maybe a foot from Toothless.
She just sat there staring at him, and soon Toothless was sitting in front of her to. They both just sat there staring at each other. Soon Toothless' eyes become wide, more curious then cautious. It was odd seeing Merida and Toothless having a staring contest, but I was relieved that she wasn't freaking out.
I came over to Merida, neither of them paying any attention to me. I kneeled beside Merida a twitch of her hand the only indication that she knew I was there. "Raise your hand," I muttered to her. This time she broke eye contact to look at me, blinking them excessively for a while, as one of her eyebrows raised.
I smiled at her and extended my hand waiting for her to give it to me. She looked at Toothless and than at me. Finally giving me her hand. I set her hand out flat my hand hovering over hers. Toothless gave a low coo, as I tried to place her hand on Toothless head she stopped. I looked at her wondering if she was scared, but when I looked at her I didn't see any fear in fact they were pretty intense. So I let go of her hand and let her do what she wanted.
Toothless looked at me and I shrugged giving him the choice of accepting her or not. I stood up and backed away from the two. After I was far enough away, Toothless stood up. Walking towards Merida, who stayed where she was, but placed her arm down, Toothless moving closer.
Toothless lowered his head so he was just inches above her. He took in a deep breath and unleashed a powerful screech. I was a few feet back and it was still loud, but having been on the receiving end of that roar I knew her ear would be ringing and she would have a headache later. Merida's face was scrunched up, her hair flying behind her eyes shut tight. However she didn't look scared she just looked in pain. When Toothless stopped looking down at Merida, she opened her eyes shaking her head.
After a moment they started to stare at each other, surprising both Toothless and I she jumped up giving off a roar of her own "RawwRawww" she shouted with her hands out as if they were claws. Toothless backed up a bit from the jump, as I laughed at Merida's antics. Once she calmed down she was laughing her hair covering her face, 'She looks so pretty' I thought, before shaking my head trying to banish the red from my face and thoughts from my head.
Toothless walked towards Merida who was now trying to stifle her laughter. That's when Toothless went in and nuzzled her head. His head getting lost in her red curls. Merida seemed to be shocked for a moment before smiling, giggling a bit even. While I was in the corner mouth hung open. Toothless had never taken to someone that quickly not Astrid, not dad, no one, not even me.
I smiled though after getting over my shock. 'Maybe she'll fit in here after all' I thought checking the meat, as Toothless and Merida seemed to be bonding over playful roars.
"HICCCUP" came a voice from upstairs. 'Ahh crap' I thought, hearing the heavy footsteps trudging down the stairs. I turned around I came face to face with a scowling dad.
