Kind of forgot I needed to be writing this, after spending so long on that last chunk of chapters.

So... back to dragon folk.

-HTTYD-

Dragonese.

Valka had known their son was special, unique. A blessing from the gods. But to possibly speak the language of dragons? She herself could communicate effectively with the creatures, Hiccup too. But it was very different to actively understand what they could be saying.

"Toothless, does he understand you?"

The dragon nodded his head at she and Hiccup, bobbing excitedly as Wildr continued to roar and grunt in a childish voice.

"Does this mean he's never going to speak Norse? Are we only ever going to hear him speak dragon?"

"No."

The voice was strained, like his throat didn't want to make the sound but it definitely came from Wildr. After making sure Finn was sat securely in his crib, Hiccup knelt awkwardly next to his older son. She knew it was unlikely Wildr would be able to say much more, but perhaps he wanted to see him say something to be certain.

"So you'll be able to talk human and dragon?"

Wildr scrunched up his beautiful little face, little jutting lip sticking out like Hiccup's had as a baby. He was such a perfect little child. Eventually, he managed to push put another short Norse word.

"Yes."

"Alright then, we will wait for you to be ready I guess."

"I agree."

Hiccup lifted their son, kissed his head and an adorable smile spread across their boys face. He may be different, but they loved him all the same and that was what mattered. To both his parents and him. Wildr furrowed his brow a minute later, turning his eyes to Valka and reaching out for her.

"I think somebody is hungry."

"Come on then little one, momma is here."

Wildr knew to tug her tunic, knowing where her feeding stations were and hungry enough he didn't want to wait. Valka slid the fabric down and Wildr latched on greedily, not even noticing when she adjusted her position for more comfort as she let him feed. Hiccup's eyes lingered on her briefly before he cleared his throat and looked away, cheeks flushing lightly. It was nice to get a reminder Hiccup still found her body appealing, despite it having bore two children and some fourty years of life now.

"I'm sorry Finn, I can't do that. Won't be a second, going to get him some apple mush."

She nodded at her adult son, who went off to acquire softened fruit puree for Finn - both her grandson and stepson. While a great deal of her jealousy had been tempered by Wildr's birth, Valka still longed for the time before Astrid lived with them. She would even happily take on Finn, with his gummy smiles and reddish-blonde hair, if it meant she didn't have to watch Hiccup feel guilty about Astrid.

But that was incredibly selfish, to wish Finn's mother away. She shouldn't wish such a thing on anybody, not after what she had sadly done to Hiccup. Still, she couldn't help but dream.

"Here we go little fella."

"Dada!"

Like Wildr, Finn absolutely adored his father. Hiccup juggled fatherhood, marriage, an extra-marital affair with his mother, chiefdom and being the rider of the Alpha dragon... and he never faltered. Never let them down. Aside from the fact she hated the secrecy, Valka's only complaint was that Hiccup and she no longer slept their nights together. She missed his hold desperately at night.

Toothless began to get antsy, though the reason was anybody's guess. Except perhaps Wildr, but he was still nursing, his focus solely on that.

"What's wrong bud?"

Hiccup reached his hand toward the dragon, but was rebuffed as Toothless shook his head like he was trying to dislodge an irksome fly. Cloudjumper tilted his head to the side, concerned for his Alpha. Toothless roared something that made her own dragon take a step back, then bolted. Hiccup ran after him, but couldn't keep up with his dragon and she heard him shout in frustration as he took off.

"Damnit!"

He returned to the hut, scrubbing an anxious hand through his hair and Wildr and Finn both began to fuss and grizzle as they picked up on their fathers mood. He tapped his non-prosthetic foot for a second, then turned to Cloudjumper.

"Did he ask you to stop me following him?"

Nod.

"Which means no dragon is going to help me chase him. Great. I know he has Alpha stuff to do, but that was... it felt wrong. I'm worried."

He paced up and down until Wildr was done nursing, placed the boy in his cradle and burrowed into the safety of her arms. Valka offered the comfort happily, cooing and shushing and petting his hair the way she would Wildr when he was sick or upset teething. Hiccup didn't respond quite the same, clutching her tightly and pressing his mouth to her neck before inhaling deeply at her hair.

"I don't know what I would do if he didn't..."

Hiccup couldn't finish the thought, holding her tight enough that it sort of hurt but Valka took it gladly. Glad she could offer such comfort to her baby boy even now he was all grown up. She had to dig deep for words to pacify him... or perhaps it was the conviction she searched for.

"I am confident he will return, do not fret my sweet boy."

"You think?"

He turned desperate eyes to her, needing her to be sure where he couldn't.

"I do."

Taking the risk, she pressed her lips to his. It was a touch selfish, as she frequently longed to kiss him and had very few opportunities, but his soft whine said he needed it as much as she did. Hiccup's hand cupped her jaw, the other around her waist as he pulled her closer still. They separated with equally heavy breathing, need growing but they couldn't.

"Sorry. You were just trying to be comforting and I-"

She placed a finger on his lips, silencing him before she leant in and whispered for his ears only.

"And I miss you just as much."

The sound of a dragon landing outside made them pull apart hastily, proved right when Astrid threw open the door with a frustrated sigh. Finn perked up, holding chunky little arms out to her.

"Mama!"

"Hey little man. Sorry I'm late for lunch."

The blonde barely paid them mind until she had her top layer off and under-shift pulled down to nurse her son. Even with his fruit mush, Finn latched on quickly.

"You aren't going to believe this."

"Believe what?"

"Ruffnut is pregnant. And that's not the worst of it."

Valka raised an eyebrow at Hiccup, who did the exact same thing back to her.

"Alright. What's the worst of it?"

"Don't go telling about this alright?"

Hiccup nodded, staring at his wife in confusion.

"She doesn't know who the father is."

"What? Do you mean it's between two people, or she just woke up with a baby?"

Astrid rolled her eyes, shifting Finn to a better position without disturbing his feeding. Valka supposed she couldn't exactly judge - she had a baby with her (grown up) baby, definitely outside of wedlock.

"Between two. Fishlegs and Snotlout, too much honey mead and not enough protection."

"Gross."

She watched Hiccup cringe, shuddering in disgust. Astrid finished feeding Finn, shifted her clothes back up and patted his back gently.

"Yeah. But I said I would take Finn over for a couple of days so she can see what it's like to be around a baby."

"What?"

"What?"

Hiccup was obviously upset - on top of Toothless, Astrid wasn't helping.

"You didn't think to ask me if it was alright you take our son away for a few days?"

Astrid's face clouded instantly, and Valka felt an urge to take the children out of the room.

"What do you care? You're never here."

It took all her energy to not lash out on her usually sweet boys behalf. That was the worst possible thing for Astrid to pick at - Hiccup felt guilty about his absence regularly.

"I'm here as much as I can be. You married the chief, what did you expect? You know what, just go. Seeing as how what I want doesn't matter! I've lost my dragon, why not my son too?"

Hiccup turned and left the hut, growling in frustration and she knew it wouldn't help him - he would usually go for a fly on Toothless... who was gone.

"What does he mean, lost his dragon?"

Valka didn't want to talk to her, but took a perverse pleasure in knowing Astrid would feel guilty.

"Toothless left earlier today. Acting strange, then according to Cloudjumper he ordered the dragons not to follow and off he went. Hiccup is understandably distressed."

Astrid turned to look where Hiccup had left, then down at their son. The guilt on her face was satisfying, but it didn't solve the actual problem of a missing dragon and Astrid's accusation. Nor did it soothe Wildr or Finn who were upset by the argument and tension in the air, their father leaving.

"I'm going to head back over to Ruff... do you mind if I leave Finn here with you?"

Valka shook her head, itching to get Astrid out of the house before she really let the mother dragon instincts out. Astrid placed Finn down, giving him a toy dragon and shrugging on her coat before leaving silently.

Hiccup returned all of three minutes later, obviously waiting to see Astrid leave before he returned. Spying Finn in his crib, he relaxed before sinking down next to the fire. Valka moved to sit next to him, wrapping an arm around his unresisting shoulders.

"I'm a bad father."

"No, Hiccup, you are not."

"Astrid thinks I am."

"But she doesn't know half of the pressures you're under."

Hiccup turned into her embrace, holding her close. A glance across saw both boys were napping again now the tension had passed, and Hiccup quickly took advantage. Valka tried to resist - solely because they could be caught so easily - but Hiccup bit at her neck, silencing protests.

"Hush now."

His hand ventured under her tunic, mouth sucking gently beneath her jaw and it was all she could do not to cry out loudly. Nimble fingers wormed beneath her underwear, stroking and pushing inside her, coaxing wetness and heat between her thighs as Hiccup continued to bite, lick and suck at her neck. It was torment of the most beautiful variety, leaving her biting her own lip to try and stay quiet as her son continued to arouse her in so many ways he shouldn't.

This was Hiccups favourite form of stress relief - making her come. It didn't matter who was home or where they were. One particularly memorable incident had included Holdup pinning her from behind, thick hard cock hot against her ass, even through their clothes as his fingers brought her off when they were in the work room at the forge. Vikings in and out all the time, no locked doors and Eret and Gobber talking swords only six feet away. Harsh whispers against her ear warning her to be quiet, to make sure nobody caught them as he did that thing with crooked fingers that made Valka struggle to stay standing.

Even so, it was always a struggle to be silent under his touch. Hiccup made everything feel so good, so intense that maintaining thought was near impossible. When Hiccup latched on to her neck, sucking until she was undoubtedly bruised - marked as his - and dipped his fingers back inside her, Valka was clamping down on pleasured cries as he pushed her over the edge.

"Sorry... bruised you again."

Attempting to regain use of her vocal chords, Valka turned her head and kissed him softly. He pulled his fingers free gently, wiping them off functionally on his trousers.

"I don't mind."

He smiled, just a little, before getting up to go and wash his hands in the rinse bucket before reality came down around him.

"I better work on dinner. Anything in particular you want?"

Still quivering slightly, Valka was certain her expression conveyed what she really wanted. His mouth quirked up at the side, shaking his head in a fond sort of way.

"Aside from that. I was thinking soup and yak pies, the boys can have soup then? Would be a good way to use up some of the bread we have left over..."

He trailed off, habitually reaching for Toothless' food bowl only to realise there was no point in filling it up.

"Th-oup!"

Not yet gifted with much in the way of teeth, Finn's words were mostly lisped but the word was obvious. Valka only hoped she hadn't woken him, watching as he picked up the younger boy.

"Soup it is little man."

Hiccup always naturally cheered up whenever he interacted with either of his sons, and Astrid's accusation had no place in his happiness and joy in fatherhood. She would be prepared to bet Astrid couldn't remember the last time she helped with dinner. Valka loved to help - Hiccup would offer her tastes on his fingers, eyes darkening with desire when she sucked the skin clean. Wildr would watch quietly but happily, smiling at his parents. Finn would try and steal anything within reach of his high chair.

But of course, Hiccup was never home. Astrid didn't realise how good she had it in Hiccup.

Wildr sat happily in his chair too, close enough to Finn's that they could trade toys and he would listen attentively as Finn babbled away in baby-talk that Wildr had never done. Hiccup diced vegetables and dumped then in the pot, filled the warming rack with bread and pies and occasionally kissed her with a mix of testing-tastes across his lips. Cloudjumper sat outside the window, peering in and roaring to Wildr and Finn to make them laugh.

Aside from Toothless being missing, she wished every evening could be like this.

Hiccup woke with a start, the downstairs sofa an awful place to sleep. Looking around, there was still no Toothless. He did find his mother however, holding Wildr to her chest and her hair gloriously free. Even in his emotional state, he noticed that.

"Hey mom. Hey little guy."

"He's a sensitive one, refused to sleep and kept pointing to the door until I brought him down."

Wildr held his arms out to Hiccup, beaming with his somewhat-toothy smile as he was held by his father. He was reminded that they had a unique little boy, apparently able to speak Dragon and growing quicker than his peers despite the otherwise lacking speech.

"Don't be staying awake on my account Wildr, you need your rest."

Their mother sat next to them, nuzzling into the crook of his neck with a contented sigh. The bruise he had shamelessly left on her neck was still dark and proud, though hidden by her winter coats high collar. Lucky it was always cold enough to explain a coat in Berk.

"My boys."

"Does Finn count? They are brothers after all."

Hiccup's expression was intense, questioning as Valka leant back to look up at him.

"Of course my dear grandson counts. But he's in with Astrid."

"Sometimes I wish for none of this. Wish we could just take the boys, take our dragons and leave."

He kept his voice low, as he almost daren't speak the thought on his mind.

"Me too."

"But Snotlout would trash Berk. Finn would miss his mom. And I don't know that I could abandon what dad always wanted me to do. And besides... Toothless is gone."

He was upsetting himself again, but he knew nothing but the dragons return would truly heal the grief and loss darkening his heart.

"Not... gone."

Wildr slowly uttered, grabbing both hid parents attention.

"You know where he is?"

The boy on his lap nodded, gnawing on a chubby little fist and looking up at them both with rosy-cheeked adorable-ness. They didn't push him, Gothi had said he would talk when he was ready... no matter how much Hiccup needed to know what else he knew.

"Coming... back."

"That's good news at least. Thank you Wildr."

"Dada!"

Hiccup had stopped hoping he would hear that from his near-silent son, and the tiny word lifted his mood from Hel to Odin in one second flat. He lifted Wildr up and kissed his forehead, whispering lest anyone overhear their private moment other than Valka.

"That's right little guy. I love you son."

Wildr curled up in his lap, resuming his fist-chewing and closing his beautiful green eyes to settle in and sleep in Hiccup's arms. Valka smiled lovingly at both of him, and despite how much he loved the woman next to him, Hiccup still struggled to comprehend how they had made something so beautiful and perfect. Finn too... how he was such a wonderful little Viking despite the struggle to conceive him, the cracks beginning to spider their way along the marriage of his parents.

Valka leaned across and kissed him, smiling as she stroked his cheek and wound a finger through his hair. It was getting long, fringe almost in his eyes and ends coasting the top of his shoulders. His stubble didn't grow much thankfully, meaning he didn't have to shave constantly to rid himself of patchy stubble.

"He'll be back."

"I hope so. Love you."

"I love you too."

If Finn were down here nestled in the perfect family cuddle, and Toothless was somewhere he was certain of his safety... Hiccup would wish every night could be like this.

It was starting to worry him, his feelings for Astrid rarely popping up into his mind ever since Finn was born. Like all the love he had for the boys mother had transferred to their son bit by bit. He loved Finn so much it made him ache trying to hold it in, but sometimes he almost didn't want to go home because he and Astrid would fight.

Not even two years in, his marriage was failing. Hiccup knew on his wedding night he shouldn't have gone through with it, but then he wouldn't have Finn... oh, he was so torn.

"I would love to stay like this, but you two need your rest."

"As do you my boy."

Hiccup sighed, kissed her again and managed to get vertical without waking Wildr. He carried the boy carefully back to his cradle in Valka's room, not an inch of resistance when their mother led Hiccup to her bed, cradled her against her chest and kissed his hair. He wouldn't - couldn't - sleep there, but Odin, his mother could calm his racing mind with her soft touches. Apparently she wanted to be awake for their time too, murmuring some of her dragon facts to him.

"Did you know, there are certain types of wildflowers that only grow within the... what did you call it? Typhoomerang scorch marks?"

"Really? Wait, what did you call it?"

"It translated to Fiery Flower-wing. I like Typhoomerang better, but that name was told to me by another dragon-keeper. Because their wings have tiny little divets in, seeds stick to the flammable material there and shake off when they spin. Certain species of flower only bloom when the seeds were heated before dropping, so a Typhoomerang is the ideal pollinator."

"That's amazing. Wait, what happened to the other dragon-keeper?"

Valka sighed, and he had a guess about her answer.

"Drago."

"He's gone. Nobody else will get hurt by that madman."

She petted his hair, heartbeat a steady thrum beneath his ear and her smoky, floral scent filling his lungs. He loved her so much. They stayed like that for several hours, talking quietly about dragons and kissing intermittently but mostly just enjoying the uninterrupted time together.

He made himself leave when he heard Finn start wailing for his breakfast feed, which told him it was the usual time to get up for the day.

"I'll make eggs just how you like them once I've gone to check on Finn."

"Anything I can do?"

"No worries, you focus on Wildr. Love you both."

"Love you too."

Finn gave him drool-damp cuddles while Astrid woke up, an awkward silence falling over them as Hiccup picked up clean leggings, used the bathroom and went back down while she nursed their boy. He again went to fill Toothless' fish bowl before realising, clinging to those words Wildr had said in the dead of night.

He mixed eggs with a dash of milk, butter and herbs - Valka had gotten used to mostly bland, functional food while away, had rediscovered a love of mixing flavours and rich food that gave her a small cushion of luscious flesh over most of her still-perfect body - that morning, he made smaller portions for Finn and Wildr that weren't as heavy, added yak jerky on the side for his own as eggs rarely filled him up and greeted Cloudjumper and Stormfly with barrels of fish. It made him very popular, and also aching with grief and worry.

Toothless had to come back.

-HTTYD-

Sorry I forgot you guys, thanks for sticking it out because I'm useless!

Also gonna be rude and demand reviews. I am a hungry dragon, feed me reviews!