Disclaimer: I don't own HTTYD

Chapter Eleven

In an ironic twist, Hiccup himself ended up worrying the most about the pregnancy. Once she'd come to terms with the fact that she was with child, Astrid took it all in stride. She absorbed all that the mothers of Berk told her about raising a child, the highs and lows, and spent long evenings sitting by the fire, rubbing her rapidly growing belly and talking to the little life growing within.

Hiccup fretted. He hovered around Astrid, trying to make sure she ate properly and didn't strain herself (no, here, let me pick that up). He scoured the house top to bottom and got rid of anything that might harm his pregnant wife or the baby (They might get a splinter!). He worked himself up over how the village was full of sharp swords and axes and fangs and claws and oh Thor so many things could go wrong! It drove Astrid up the wall, and eventually she told him in no uncertain terms that he needed to get his act together.

As for Toothless…he was fine. Excited, even. He was going to be an uncle! He'd never been around a pregnant female this much, and the pregnancy seemed to fascinate him. Astrid let him listen to the baby when it began to kick…he had heard hatchlings moving through the shell of their eggs, but it was nothing like this. In fact he treated Astrid's belly like a giant egg, trying to keep it warm (just not with fire, he wasn't stupid) and crooning to it. Astrid didn't mind; she thought Toothless doting attention on her bump was sweet, which made Hiccup pout, given that he was trying to do the same.

In the early days of the pregnancy, before Astrid grew too big, they flew along with Valka to the Ice Nest. The King could not simply give the other humans the ability to hear thought-speak, but he could help open their minds enough for Hiccup to bring them into the 'web' of the pack. It was easier with Valka, for some reason. Hiccup got another migraine, but it was worth it to see the looks on his wife and mother's faces when they heard the dragons talking for the first time.


Astrid went into labour late one night in the summer. The womenfolk in the family and the midwife would help deliver the baby, but Hiccup stubbornly refused to leave Astrid's side. There wasn't room for all of them and Toothless, so he reluctantly waited downstairs with Stoick. He curled up, and tried to ignore the pain in his paw. It was only an echo of the pain in Hiccup's hand, because Astrid was holding his hand very tightly, because giving birth was very painful.

He was very tense, because it took a long time and there was a bit too much screaming and cursing for his liking (laying eggs was so much easier, he'd gathered, if only the humans could do that instead). At last, though, he and Stoick heard a slapping sound, followed by a wail. "Ha! My grandson or granddaughter sure has a good set o' lungs on 'em!" Stoick boomed in approval.

The sound was actually starting to hurt Toothless' ears, but he ignored it. He could get used to it. There was more waiting, but finally, Agatha came downstairs smiling and crying at the same time. The midwife came down, and then Valka. All the humans smelled so happy but they were crying too, except the midwife but Toothless didn't know her properly. Valka told him he could go and see the baby if he liked, Hiccup had asked for him.

So he went upstairs and pushed his way in through the door. The room smelled strongly of blood and sweat and strangely, happiness. Astrid was sitting in bed, looking very dishevelled and tired. In her arms she cradled a bundle, and Hiccup sat in a chair beside her, both of them smiling with tears in their eyes. Hiccup looked up when he entered, and Toothless could feel his joy. "Hey, you" he whispered, "Shh. C'mere. Come and meet your new niece".

Toothless crept forwards, moving round the bed to Hiccups side. He nuzzled his beloved other half, and peered down at the baby in Astrid's arms. A female: she smelled of her parents, and most strongly of what the dragon thought of as human yolk. She was very small, and pink, and even more hairless than most humans. Astrid and Hiccup were gazing at her as if she was the most beautiful, precious thing they'd ever seen. "Toothless? What do you think?" asked Astrid.

The dragon purred approval. *She's lovely. Does she have a name?* he asked curiously. Astrid smiled. She and Hiccup had talked and argued for ages over what to call their child, but they had finally agreed on a name that felt right. "Her name is Helena" she told Toothless, smiling down at her daughter, "Helena Freya Haddockson".


It was a bit harder than Toothless thought it would be.

He did love Helena. Really, he did. She was his niece, she was family, and a hatchling – in a manner of speaking – of his flock. He would never let her come to harm. Sure, she was very loud, and rather smelly, and kept Hiccup and Astrid awake much of the time…but it wasn't as if she could help it. She was just a baby. She didn't know any better.

The dragons tried not to bother their Alphas too much, so Hiccup wouldn't have to leave his mate and offspring too often. Toothless tried not to be too upset when Hiccup persuaded him to wear the auto-tail, so he wouldn't be confined to the ground so much. He didn't really use the tail to fly except when he absolutely needed to. He only wore it so Hiccup wouldn't worry.

It was fine. It was all fine. He'd known from the beginning that things would be different, that Hiccup would be busier. They still got to fly together sometimes, even if it wasn't the same as with his proper tail-fin. Sometimes Hiccup would be too tired to fly, and if all Toothless got was a few grateful pats or a hug goodnight before Hiccup collapsed on the bed with Astrid…that was fine. He couldn't help it. He was tired.

Toothless wished he could help more. He couldn't feed Helena, or change her…he tried to rock her little cot with his paw, very carefully…but when she saw him, sometimes she cried. He was big and unfamiliar and scary, and Toothless realised that maybe he should keep out of the way.

Despite what his brother might say, Toothless was a mature adult. He didn't need to be coddled like a frightened hatchling huddling under its mothers wing. He had no right to take Hiccup's attention away from the baby, no matter how irritating she could be, because Helena needed to be taken care of and he, Toothless, could take care of himself. He knew Hiccup still loved him, and loved Helena; despite the late nights and messes and everything else his other half was still happy, and that's all that matters he told himself.

Of course it couldn't last forever.


One day, when Helena was about two months old, Valka was babysitting her granddaughter whilst Astrid had chiefing lessons with Stoick and Toothless-Hiccup were attending to their duties as one the Alphas. She sat by the fire, cradling the little babe in her arms and softly singing a lullaby to her.

"The sky is dark, and the hills are white, as the Storm-King speeds from the North tonight; and this is the song the Storm-King sings, as over the world his cloak he" – she stopped, startled, when she heard the door creak open. Toothless padded inside, his claws scritch-scratching against the wooden floor. His head was hanging low, ear flaps drooping, and Hiccup was nowhere in sight.

"Toothless?" she asked in surprise. The dragon paused and glanced at her. Worried, Valka inquired "Are you alright? Where's Hiccup?"

She had never seen one without the other. Something was clearly very wrong, but Toothless just crooned sadly and replied *He's helping Astrid with her lessons. I…I hoped we could go flying together, but he's busy…so I came home*.

He made to go upstairs, but Valka could not help herself. "Toothless, wait".

Paws on the steps, he stopped and looked at her. His eyes were large, and sad, and even in the light of the fire, they didn't seem to shine. Enough is enough she told herself firmly, and said aloud, "Please, come here".

Toothless came over listlessly. "Toothless, dearest. I can tell something has upset you. You can always talk to me. I care about you very much" she told him, smiling gently. The black dragon purred at her, his sounds saying grateful but his body saying resigned.

"Have you and Hiccup fallen out?" she guessed. Toothless shook his head. *I'm fine* he insisted, not meeting her gaze.

Valka shook her head at the poor, stubborn Night Fury. "I hope you haven't been lying like this to Hiccup" she said, not disapprovingly, just in concern. Toothless flinched. Clearly, she had hit a nerve, and he curled further in on himself.

*I haven't lied to him*. At her doubtful expression, he protested *I haven't! I just…haven't told him anything – because there's nothing to tell!* With that, he lay down and draped his tail over his head, fanning it out to hide his face.

Valka waited a few moments, soothing a grizzling Helena, before she said gently, "Alright. Then I'll tell him nothing".

There was no response from her adoptive dragon son, and Valka sighed. She had every intention of not letting Toothless keep this secret from his other half much longer. Living in the Ice Nest, she had seen quite a few pairs of dragons she now understood, with hindsight, were heart bound. She'd seen them protect each other, comfort each other, share with each other…Hiccup and Toothless had a bond like nothing she'd ever seen, and it looked so wrong for Toothless to be here, alone, and not by his brother's side.

She was just about to speak again when she heard a whimper. At first she thought it was Helena and looked down, but the baby dozed peacefully in her arms. Then she realised the whimpers were coming from Toothless; he was crying, and her motherly instincts compelled her to soothe.

She didn't want to disturb Helena by shifting out of her chair, so she simply said worriedly, "Toothless, what's the matter? I do wish you'd tell me what's wrong".

The dragon whimpered again, still hiding beneath his own tail, but this time he spoke too. *Hookfang was right…he does love her more than me*.

Valka's brow furrowed in bewildered concern; she didn't know who Toothless was talking about, but she could guess. "You mean...you think Hiccup loves Helena more than you? Oh, sweetie, you know that's not true. You, Astrid, Helena – Hiccup loves all of you dearly, just in different ways".

The dragon snorted dismissively, but his body was tense. *Not different enough* he said, a little resentfully.

Valka stared, trying to make heads or tails of what he was saying. It almost sounded like…but surely not… "Toothless, are you…jealous, of Helena?"

The tail whipped away from his face; Toothless looked at her square on, his reptilian eyes cold, and curtly replied, "No, I am not. Even if I was, what difference would it make?"

Valka's frown was now one of disapproval. She felt sympathy for him but he was acting childishly, and she could tell he was trying to be mature. "Don't take that tone with me" she scolded, as if he were a stroppy human teenager and not a large, sharp clawed and fanged fire-breather who was actually older than her.

The co-Alpha cringed submissively in the face of her motherly disapproval and apologised at once. *I'm sorry. I'm really not jealous…I can't be. Helena is just a baby. It's not her fault she needs so much attention*.

"That's true…but it doesn't mean you might not feel jealous of the attention she's been getting...attention that Hiccup hasn't been able to give to you?" she guessed. Toothless whined sadly, and weakly protested, *I don't need...she needs him more than I do*.

"Toothless, please tell me…why do you think Hiccup loves Helena more than you?"

Another whimper. *I know he still loves me...but when he's holding her, when he's just looking at her, he feels this, this happy-proud-protect you always sort of love, and it's so similar to the love I have for him. It's not quite the same, but…if I love him so much, and he loves her so much, in the same sort of way…

*We're supposed to be two halves, we're heart bound…but now he's two halves with Astrid, and Helena is half of him…where does that leave me? I can't help take care of my own niece, all I can do is not let Hiccup have to worry about me when he needs to take care of her. He has to put her first and that's…fine, it's fine, he doesn't need me and I..don't…*

He whimpered again, moaning in grief, and Valka's heart ached for him. "Why haven't you told Hiccup how you feel?" she couldn't help asking.

He flinched again, wings twitching. *I can't. I told him I'd be okay with this. If he found out I'm not...if he knew I sometimes wish I'd said no - if he knew I've been avoiding Helena because she's afraid of me and frustrates me!* -

As if sensing his mounting distress, Helena woke up and bawled. Toothless suddenly stopped, wide eyed, realising what he'd said. It was too late to take it back now. He felt like he'd thrown himself off a cliff, broken that wretched auto-tail, and now all he could do was plummet.

Whining guiltily, he looked away from Valka as she soothed her granddaughter and hid his face in shame, licking at his own scales in a futile attempt at distraction. *I care about her, but…I should love her as much as he does. She's important to him. She should be that important to me too*.

Oh, Toothless…Valka looked at him with not just pity, but sympathy. She knew what it was like to keep her distance to try and protect someone she loved. She knew what it was like to keep a secret so long, she feared the discovery of her keeping the secret more than the discovery of the secret itself. Valka knew how much it hurt.

Helena looked up at her soulfully. Valka kissed the babes little forehead, gathered her up and carefully rose from the chair. She walked over and knelt in front of Toothless, cradling Helena in her arms. "Toothless, son. Look at me".

He did. "I know how you feel. I did the same thing you're doing, for twenty years. Don't make my mistake. Raise your head" she instructed, kind but firm. Toothless obeyed, his eyes dull. They swiftly grew shocked when she reached out and placed Helena, swaddled in furs, between his forepaws.

*What are you doing?!* he squeaked.

"Hush. I'm giving this little treasure a chance to spend time with her uncle".

*Valka, don't - I'll make her cry, I'll scare her, I might hurt her!* he protested, freezing in place, terrified.

"That's not true and you know it. Do you know why Hiccup's love for you and Helena feels so similar? Because he loves you both unconditionally. If Hiccup is a part of Helena, then you are a part of her too, and she is going to love you and her parents very much" Valka told him gently.

Toothless looked down at the baby lying between his paws. She looked up at him, and he saw the fear in her eyes gradually give way to curiosity. He knew she was his niece but he hadn't really felt it until now. She was his niece. She was Hiccup's daughter.

He hadn't been this close to her before. His keen eyes picked out tiny freckles on a nose that was a miniature of Astrid's. She'd inherited Hiccup's ears, poor thing. Her little curls were blond, almost white, and her eyes were baby blue…her hair might darken to auburn, or her eyes might change to green.

She burbled, and kicked her little foot, and reached a clumsy, tiny hand up to him. Toothless lowered his head, and Helena's fingers brushed against his snout. She couldn't hold her arm up long enough, but in that brief moment, he saw her eyes go wide and round with innocent wonder. She was so adorable, and so full of potential.

He purred at her, and nuzzled her very very gently. *Hello, Helena. My name's Toothless, and I'm your uncle. I'm also a dragon. Your mummy and daddy are two of the best humans I'll ever know…and we all love you, very much* he told her, really believing it. At last, he let his guard down, and the barriers he'd subconsciously formed between himself and his other half fell away.

Not long after, the door opened. Hiccup staggered into the house, Astrid and Stoick close on his heels. He dropped down beside Toothless and wrapped his arms around the dragon's neck, rambling about how relieved and sorry he was. Then Astrid was hugging Toothless from the other side, telling him he was stupid and he'd better not do anything like this again.

Stoick and Valka walked into their bedroom, giving the four their privacy.

Helena made a confused noise; Toothless looked down at her and told her, *Your parents are very strange*.

"We're relieved, you daft dragon" Astrid corrected, "We knew you were upset the whole time".

*You did? Even…* Toothless glanced uncertainly at Hiccup.

"Of course I knew. I could tell you were hiding how you felt from me…I am so, so sorry I didn't talk to you sooner" Hiccup apologised, "I just thought you needed space, that you'd come to me in your own time. I never thought…oh, Toothless, why didn't you? We've been heart bound for two years, best friends for seven…when are you going to get it through your thick, scaly head that you can tell me anything?" he admonished gently.

*I should have* Toothless admitted, whining guiltily, *I'm sorry. I just…wanted so badly to be able to cope. I didn't want you to worry about me when you were taking care of Helena. I told myself it didn't matter if I was upset, that it was all worth it so long as you were happy* he explained.

"How can I be happy if I know you're not? You matter to me. Toothless, you matter. You're a part of this family too. I don't care how long it takes, so long as I know you'll come to me when you're upset. I can be there for you and Helena both; and I'd worry a lot less if you just talked to me".

Toothless felt foolish and loved all at once. *I promise. No more secrets*.

"You matter to me too" Astrid added, nudging him. "If there's anything you can't tell Hiccup, you can always come to me".

"Astrid…"

"What? I meant for surprises and stuff. Nice ones!"

*I love you three so much* Toothless crooned, folding his wings over his brother and sister-in-law and nuzzling his niece. Hiccup and Astrid hugged him and their daughter both.

Presently, Astrid pulled herself free of the group hug. Hiccup gathered Helena into his arms and cuddled her; Toothless rested his chin on Hiccup's shoulder and they talked quietly about who Helena might take after when she grew up.

When Astrid came back, she was carrying the red tail-fin. "You should go flying" she smiled at them, nodding at Helena and setting the fin down. Hiccup kissed Helena on the tip of her nose and placed her in Astrid's arms; then he switched Toothless' tail-fins, and hooked it back up to the saddle.

Toothless hadn't realised how much he'd missed it until he and Hiccup were in the air together once more. They flew for hours, and apologised and talked, and figured out how the four of them could be a family together, not Hiccup, Astrid and Helena with Toothless out in the cold.

He slept that night, for the first time in weeks. He slept and dreamed of himself and Hiccup taking Helena on a ride, alongside Astrid, and showing the little girl the sky.


A/N: Thanks for reading! If you've come this far, then you won't mind reading a bit more ;)

Helena is a legit Old Norse name, the Nordic spelling of the Greek name 'Helene', meaning 'torch', from the Greek 'Helios', meaning 'sun'. I wanted her to have a fire or light related name. Freya is the Anglicised spelling of Freyja, which in turn is both the Old Norse Goddess of Love (not Fire, like in the show), and a name meaning 'Lady'. So her names would translate roughly to 'Sun Lady' or 'Lady of the Sun'. The surname Haddockson is a compromise because I couldn't decide which surname to give her.

I think Toothless' struggle should make sense, but if you're confused about anything in this chapter, feel free to PM me. I obviously can't reply to anons here so please make sure you're logged on.

Speaking of replying to anons, I should be able to do that soon! I've decided to cross-post my HTTYD stories on AO3, and I've received the invitation. Yay!

I need ideas, guys. I have my own, but I want to gather more. So if you have an idea for a chapter, or even just something to put in a chapter, write it at the end of your review. Couples of rules:

Please keep in mind that I won't necessarily be able to accept or work with every idea.

Please suggest ideas for stories set in the Archipelago – I will get to Toothless-Hiccup's adventures in the wider world in due course.

When I'm finished posting the other stories on AO3, I'll come back with a new chapter, so you guys have plenty of time to think of lots of cool ideas :)