New Friend
Hiccup's hummed to himself as he splashed cold water onto his body. He was currently bathing, something he hadn't done since becoming a god, save for his passionate encounter with Rapunzel. It just now occurred to him that he never seemed to get dirty or sweaty. He chalked it up to another miraculous benefit of being a god.
What was the old saying? Cleanliness was close to godliness. Apparently it was true.
He was enjoying himself, enjoying the familiarity of cleaning oneself, like he did when he was alive, when a sudden breeze blew past him. He shut his eyes and ducked into the water when it ended just as quick as it had come. He then went back to washing himself. He ran his hands through his hair and down his arms, all the while he felt a growing odd feeling.
He felt as if he was being watched.
He glanced over his shoulder and froze.
"Hello," came the cheeky response.
With a shrill scream Hiccup ducked down into the water, leaving only his head exposed. "By the gods Merida! How long have you been there?" he shouted in bewilderment.
The goddess gave a laugh at his reaction and grinned. "Not long," she replied simply. "Anyone ever tell you that you have a nice arse?"
Hiccup choked on air, his face going red. "Merida," he squeaked out in horror.
"What? It was very tight and firm. Like apples," she pressed at his expense.
"Stop it!" he yelled out. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Get dressed. There's something I want to show you."
Hiccup arched a brow curiously. "Alright," he said. He paused, waiting for her to do the courteous thing and turn around. When she didn't he spoke up.
"Do you mind?"
"No," Merida said with a shake of her head.
"Can you turn around please?" Hiccup pleaded.
Merida rolled her eyes. "Just get dressed Hiccup. I've seen plenty of naked bodies in my time."
"Well not my naked body, thank you very much!" Hiccup retorted. "And I'd like to keep it that way."
Merida flared her hips to the side before resting her hands on them. "Are you really going to make me turn around?"
"I'm immortal Merida. I've got nothing but time," he reminded her.
They held each other's gaze, a silent battle of wills happening between them. But with a shake of her head and a huff Merida turned around, muttering to herself about the silliness of the Forge God.
Hiccup stared at her turned back, making sure that the Hunting Goddess would not turn around.
"Well go on then. I won't turn around." With that Hiccup climbed out of the water and made his way over to his clothes. As she said she would Merida didn't turn around. But she did however draw her knife from her belt. She raised it up to eye level, using it's gleaming reflective surface to glance behind her at the dressing god.
Merida gave a soft hum as she looked at him, but in a completely new and different way than she had before. He was leaner than his frame indicated. She cocked her head, a faint warmth rising to her cheeks. She raised a hand up and traced her fingers over her neck.
As he finished dressing she lowered and resheathed her knife before finally turning around. Hiccup walked up to her. "Alright, shall we?" he asked.
With a nod and a smile she grabbed Hiccup's arm. The winds whipped up, whirlwind with leaves swirling around them both before they vanished.
"So where exactly are we going?" Hiccup asked as he trekked behind Merida. They'd reappeared in a mountainous region somewhere. Merida then said that they'd continue on foot. Which led them to climbing and traveling various rocky paths and slopes. When Hiccup asked why they were doing this instead of just teleporting straight to wherever she was taking them she'd grinned and said because this was more fun.
"We almost there?" Hiccup asked.
"Why, need a break?" she called back teasingly. As gods they didn't grow tired, so even this climbing, which they'd been at for hours, wasn't enough to even make them winded.
"Hey Hiccup?!" Merida suddenly said aloud.
"Yeah?"
"Have-have you ever had a dream that wasn't a dream?" she asked.
"Pardon?"
She stopped before turning to face him. "Have you ever had a dream...but it was something more than a dream?"
Hiccup arched a brow. "I don't quite follow."
Merida sighed. "Nevermind," she said dejectedly.
Hiccup furrowed his brows in confusion as to why she sounded to disappointed with his answer. With a hum he brought a hand up to his chin in thought. "Well…" Merida looked up, intrigued.
"I supposed I've had dreams that were more like...reliving old memories really."
"Memories?" Merida whispered.
"Yeah. Good memories. Bad memories. Sometimes they're not exactly the same as what happened, sometimes you forget it happened entirely, and then you have a dream and it's like 'oh yeah' I remember that," he offered with a shrug.
Merida stared at him eyes wide before looking down. "So dreams can be memories," she whispered softly, stunned at this revelation.
"Sometimes," he confirmed. "Why do you ask?"
Merida kept her gaze on the ground before looking up. "No reason," she said with a shrug. Suddenly she was all smiles. "Come on. It's just up ahead."
Hiccup shrugged it off before following after her. They eventually came to a large rock face with a narrow opening?
"Through here," Merida motioned as she squeezed her way through. Hiccup followed behind with minimal difficulty before they reached the other side. As soon as Merida got through she crouched low, turned, and brought a finger to her lips.
He nodded in understanding before crouching. Merida turned away before continuing on, creeping closer to the edge of an unknown drop. Hiccup proceeded behind her, his curiosity still piqued and wondering what the Hunting Goddess was so keen on him seeing.
As Merida reached the edge and peeked over a large black shape shot upward. Hiccup yelped and fell backwards before looking up.
He had no idea what he was looking at it. Some kind of creature, trying to scale the rocks. Huge, black, with scales, and...wing.
It took it all a moment to click. His eyes widened and he stared in shock and awe at a creature from legend brought to life. "Is that really-"
"A dragon," Merida confirmed.
The gods watched as the dragon flapped and clawed at the cliff, climbing it before falling. It flipped itself and opened its wings to glide safely down to a small mountain basin with a spring.
The dragon gave a growl, shaking its head in frustration before spitting fire at the ground.
"Wow," Hiccup said in wonder as he admired its sleek black body.
"Yeah, I found him here the other day. There was a storm here the other day and I'm guessing he was caught in it. Must have brought him down. Bad landing too, his tail is injured," Merida explained.
Hiccup's eyes trailed down to its tail where he found half of its missing. "It can't fly out of here?" Hiccup reasoned.
"Not with that tail," Merida said with a shake of her head.
"Can't you help it?" Hiccup asked. "I mean, don't you have like a connection to all creatures?"
Merida sighed. "If only it were that simple. I already tried getting close to him. But all he does is spit fire and growl at me," she said.
"Dragons are no ordinary creatures. They're an old species. Old as the gods themselves. They're magical creatures, and one of the few capable of harming or killing us," Merida explained.
"Oh," Hiccup said in understanding. That did complicate things a bit.
Merida spun on her heel to face him. "And that's why I brought you here. Thought you might have some bright idea."
Hiccup glanced past her and down at the dragon. It was still for the moment, lying on its belly and staring at the sky. He felt sorry for it. Grounded and frustrated. If it'd been stuck here for a few days as Merida had said then it probably hadn't eaten.
"I'll be right back," Hiccup said before he vanished is a green flash of fire.
Some time later he reappeared, fish in hand.
"You're crazy," Merida told him bluntly.
"What?" Hiccup said in response. "Maybe the food will help gain his trust."
"Hiccup I can talk to animals and dragons still won't let themselves be fed."
"Worth a shot."
"That thing can kill you Hiccup. But hey, you wanna risk your life? Be my guest," she said as she stepped aside and motioned for him to proceed. As he stepped forward to peer down at the dragon she grabbed his forearm.
"If it looks like it's going to hurt you I'm going to shoot it," she told him.
He gave a nod in understanding. He glanced down at the dragon, giving a nervous swallow before vanishing. He reappeared below, planning to reappear close too but not too close to the dragon. But when he did he found it gone. He blinked before looking around in confusion before looking up to where Merida was.
She was waving to him and frantically pointing to something behind him. Hiccup gave a hearty swallow before slowly turning around.
He was met with the sight of large boulder, and perched on top of it with fangs bared, wings partially open to make itself look bigger, and piercing eyes boring into his was the dragon.
A forgotten feeling was dredged up within him. Danger. And an instinctual fear of death. Being immortal for as long as he had been had made him forget that feeling. But now it was back with full force. He actually feel himself break out in cold sweat.
"Uhhhh…" he choked out. "He-hey there...bud," he stammered out softly. The dragon gave a low rumbling growl. Hiccup gave an awkward, scared laugh. "I brought you a little something," he said as he held out the fish.
The dragon's eyes flicked down to the fish. It gave a sniff, head cocking curiously. Hiccup watched as it climbed down from its perch. Hiccup couldn't help but backpedal a bit. He eyed the length of its body, now up close and at full length.
The dragon stopped before him, eyes flicking down to the fish in hand. It looked back up, locking eyes with Hiccup and then waiting. Hiccup swallowed before extending his arm out as far as he could. The dragon cocked its head, assessing and contemplating the risks of the offering.
Then it began to inch forward. Hiccup had to will himself to stay on the spot, even when instincts told him to run. The dragon came closer and closer before beginning to open its jaws. It turned its head, about to take it when its eyes flicked sideways for an instant.
Suddenly it backed away and snarled at something off to the side, body curling in on itself defensively. Hiccup turned his head ever so slightly following its gaze before landing on Merida, watching from her high ledge with bow and arrow in hand at ready to fire at a moment's notice.
The dragon continued to growl warily as it kept its gaze on Merida. It took a moment, but Hiccup came to understand what the problem was.
He swallowed and took a breath. "Merida! Throw your bow and arrows down here!" Hiccup shouted up to her.
"What?! No! Ah'm naye going to throw my bow and arrows off a cliff!" she shouted in rejection.
The dragon continued to growl lowly, eyes flicking back and forth between the two gods in distrust. Hiccup kept back as he continued to shout at Merida.
"Will you please just throw the damn bow and arrows down here!"
He heard her give a loud groan in displeasure. "FINE!" A moment later a bow and quiver of arrows came flying down, narrowly missing his head.
"Knife too," he added. It landed blade first into the ground, narrowly missing his left foot.
"There! Happy?!" she shouted down at him.
He frowned up at the goddess before looking back to the dragon. It stared at him curiously, having watched the exchange. Hiccup reached out with his foot, shoving the bow, quiver, and knife off to the side before taking a step forward. Then he held the fish out once more.
The dragon cocked its head eyes briefly flicking up toward Merida then the weapon. Finally they settled on him. After a beat it began to inch forward again, coming closer than it had before as it opened its jaws.
Hiccup narrowed his eyes as he took note that the dragon appeared to have no teeth. Odd since he could have sworn he'd seen some when it had been growling at him.
"Toothless huh? Weird, could've sworn you had-" without warning two sets of teeth sprang out from the dragon's gums as it snatched up the fish and wolfed it down. Hiccup yanked his hand back before checking it to see if he still had all his fingers.
"Teeth," he finished. The dragon licked its lips before looking down at the god before it. Hiccup stared up at the dragon, which sitting on its haunches was much taller than himself.
The dragon lowered itself to all fours before stalking forward. Hiccup backpedaled in panic before backing into a boulder. The dragon sniffed at his body as Hiccup stiffened up. "I don't have anymore," he told it.
The dragon cocked its head, staring into his eyes. Then its eyes went upwards before it began to create a strange, almost gagging noise. A moment later a half eaten regurgitated fish fell to the ground at Hiccup's feet.
"Yuck!" Hiccup exclaimed in disgust.
The drain lowered its head and picked the fish up in it's jaws before holding the fish up at the level of Hiccup's chest. Its eyes flicked up to his, and after a moment of not doing anything it poked his chest with his nose.
Hiccup stared in confusion and the dragon did I again. Hiccup had an inkling on what the dragon wanted him to do. So he proceeded to raise his hands up and the dragon then spat the fish into his open palms.
Hiccup cringed in disgust at the feeling of the slimy fish resting in his hands before looking up. The dragon stared at him, sitting on his haunches and apparently waiting for something to happen.
"Eat it!" came a cry that caused Hiccup to glance up to where Merida was. "You have to eat it! Its a sign of trust!"
Hiccup cringed in revulsion at the thought. "No!"
"Just do it!"
Hiccup made a small whine before looking down to the fish. With a sigh he looked up to the dragon to make sure it was watching. He opened his mouth and inched it closer to the fish. He hesitated before any part of his mouth could make contact, suppressing the urge to gag, before sinking his teeth into a patch of fish flesh.
He tore a chunk away and held it in his mouth before looking up hopefully. The dragon's gaze was still fixed on him in waiting.
"You have to swallow it!" Merida yelled down.
Hiccup's shoulders sagged and he let out a whine. With a breath he maneuvered the fish to the back of his throat. Then after a moment of mental preparation, he swallowed.
He learned something interesting that day.
Gods still have a gag reflex.
He had to fight to keep the fish down. Once he was fairly sure he wasn't about to empty his stomach he gave a shudder. He looked up with a strained smile, praying he'd done enough to earn the dragon's approval.
The dragon narrowed his eyes, studying his face curiously before its lips began to twitch. Hiccup watched as the dragon curled its lips back, revealing its gum in an attempt to grin. Hiccup chuckled at the sight.
Then he raised a hand up presenting his palm to the dragon. The dragon's teeth popped out and it gave a low growl. Hiccup hesitated, briefly contemplating stopping what he was about to do, before closing his eyes and turning away.
Merida watched from her spot anxiously, wishing she had her bow and arrows and screaming at Hiccup in her mind for his apparent lack of common sense. That dragon could kill him, or at the very least bite his hand off. But there he was sticking his hand out like an offering.
What a crazy god.
Hiccup had his eyes squeezed shut, his palm outstretched, and half expecting the pain of his arm being torn off. He heard the dragon move and gave a flinch.
Then he felt something touch his hand. He peeked and eye open to find the dragon had pressed his snout into his palm, eyes closed, and body relaxed.
Merida watched on in stunned silence. Even she had never touched a dragon like Hiccup was doing now. They didn't let themselves be touched by anything.
Hiccup kept his palm where it was, staring in amazement at the creature before him that was allowing this contact.
The dragon opened its eyes and pulled away. It looked him in the eyes before giving a huff and a slight growl before walking away. Hiccup watched it go before looking to his hand and staring. He could hardly believed he'd touched a dragon. He hadn't thought anything could astound him anymore since becoming a god and seeing what he had.
By the gods he was wrong.
A breeze ruffled his hair a moment later Merida was standing beside him. They both stared at the dragon as it burned a circled in the ground with its fire and then curled up on top of it.
"That was…" Merida began, not quite knowing the words to express herself.
"Yeah," Hiccup said in agreement. His eyes fell to the tail. "Is there anything we can do for it?" he asked.
"Naye," Merida replied with a shake of the head.
" Really. Not even with a blessing?"
"Well if it were a scar or wound, sure. But this is a missing limb. Can't heal that," Merida said. She gave a hum in thought before amending her last statement, "Rapunzel might. But I'm not sure if he'd be willing to let anyone else get near him."
"True," Hiccup agreed. The last thing he wanted to do was endanger another good. He glanced away to think. "Maybe…"
"Maybe what?"
"Maybe there is something I can do."
Hiccup reappeared in his forge, a plan formed in his mind. Merida was still with the dragon, deciding to feed and care for it until his return. He went to the bellows, stoking the flames before going to his journal and beginning to sketch a rough blue print of his new project.
As he did Think approached him from behind. She stopped to examine the fires of the forge and then to see Hiccup engrossed in his journal. She figured he must have a new project in the works. Once he was in the midst of it, hardly anything would be able to distract him.
Best to do this now.
"Hiccup," Tink said, just loudly enough to draw his attention.
Hiccup turned around and greeted her with a smile. "Tink. Man, you wouldn't believe-"
"Hiccup," she interrupted. Hiccup arched a brow, noting her pensive tone. He went silent, closing his journal so as to give her his full attention.
"Something on your mind Tink?"
"Yes," she said. She paused to swallow a lump in her throat. She fiddled with her hands, steeling her nerves before looking up and meeting his gaze.
"I think...we should talk."
new chap
Toothless!
