Disclaimer: I don't own Hiccup or Merida, obviously. I'm not making any money off this. Both characters and the movies they come from belong to Dreamworks and Disney, respectively. If you really want to see something to blow you away, go watch the movies. Then think about these two interacting. Then you'll see what I mean.

LIMINALITY

Make Me

Hiccup emerged, spluttering from the water, and it was all Merida could do to keep from bursting into laughter. Balancing herself on one slender tree branch, she called over her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I am never trusting your judgment ever again!" It was the thirty-seventh time he'd ever said it and the third time he'd said it today. Merida didn't mind it coming from him as she minded it coming from her mother or even the young lords. Maybe it was because all Merida had to do was say, "Let me prove it to you" and he'd listen. Hiccup always listened.

"I swear I thought the branch could take your weight." Laughter welled up and nearly loosened her grip on the rough bark. Biting her lip, she concentrated on finding the next branch down, and not on the Viking flailing like Hamish, Hubert or Harris in his bathtub.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"No!" As soon as she said it, a giggle escaped her lips and Merida lost her grip on the tree trunk. At the same time, her foot slipped and suddenly, she was crashing the last few feet downwards. She hit the ground with a painful whump.

"Are you okay?" Merida heard a splash of water and sodden footsteps on moss. She curled to her side and buried her face in her arms. "Oh Thor, did you break something?"

Merida shook her head. Hiccup's breath came in anxious gasps as he peered anxiously over her. His hand ghosted over her arms, shoulder, down her side and to her legs, searching for wounds.

"Did you sprain something?"

Merida shook her head again.

"Merida, talk to me! Are you in pain?" His voice changed from concern to outrage. "Are you—are you laughing at me?!"

He grabbed the arm covering her face and rolled her onto her back. Her laughter sprang free and clear in the warm air. "You should have seen your face when you fell!"

"I can't believe I ran over here because I was worried about you!" Hiccup shot up to his feet and glowered at her. His shirt stuck skin-tight against him; water trickled down his cheek and fell on his chest. With his upturned mouth and vivid green eyes glaring at her from behind his sodden hair, he reminded her so much of Hubert's pet that she couldn't help the chortles spilling out from her mouth.

"You look like Hubert's kitten when we get it in the bath!" she gasped, clutching her stomach.

"You said that branch could hold me!"

"It's not my fault you had too much of the roast venison!"

"Stop laughing!"

"Come over here and make me!"

The Viking loomed over her, green eyes sneaky and speculative. Merida realised that she should have shut up right away. Her mum said she had crazy ideas; Hiccup was in another class altogether when he had that expression on his face.

Hiccup grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled upwards.

"What are you—why are you—" Merida's words cut off, followed firstly by her laughter then her breath. Sitting up, her eyes took in the narrowness of Hiccup's waist and hips emphasized by the black markings slashing at his side. Somewhere in the back of her shock-addled mind, Merida realized that Hiccup had tattoos. His flat stomach flexed with his breathing and Merida traced the faint trail of hair that led from his belly button and disappeared into his trousers. Then her eyes traveled up to a broad, well-defined chest and long arms corded with muscle. No wonder the branch had broken under his weight. He was all lean muscle underneath his oversized shirts and vest.

At that moment, Hiccup's wet shirt hit her face. Merida shrieked. Long hands grabbed her by the hips and swung her over a shoulder. She pulled his shirt away and slapped his bare back. Hiccup's legs covered the distance between the tree and pool in five long strides.

"Put me down!" Merida squirmed and tried to push herself off. Hiccup's grip firmed against the backs of her thighs. Panting, she stilled and tried very hard not to focus on the patterns and shapes covering the entirety of his back.

His voice rumbled, dark and amused, against her belly,"Make me."

Author's Note:

This is dedicated to lucid-ultramarine who wanted a drabble based on the prompt "Come Over Here and Make me". Initially, I was writing modern!mericcup but it got away from me and ended up being part of CROSSING THE HORIZON, haha. I always thought Merida would notice Hiccup multiple times, but kind of be distracted by other things going on. This would be one of the times she noticed, but didn't get distracted right away.

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Thank you to everyone who read/reviewed/favorited/followed the story! EXTRA SPECIAL THANK YOU to my new beta nothingnothingtralala. This chapter is particularly shiny and grammatically error-free because of her :)