La Coordination

Act Twenty-One

He knew she had work and that was about it. Whether she was doing well or had the time to work was something else entirely. Best to go out and check up on her, right? It was the least he could do anyway and besides they hadn't had a lot of alone time since all of this Dagur business went down. He missed it.

A lot.

Toting Toothless at his side, Hiccup stepped out of home with the quietest of steps. Being sure to close the front door with a delicate hand, he moved outside into the cold air. The Night Fury on his right bumped his snout against his elbow just as he took a step forward, was he anxious too?

There was no way Dagur was on watch with her, right? Not that he was afraid to be around the big brute it was just a matter of getting some time to himself and Hea. Oh and Toothless too. With a huge intake of frosted air he stepped onward into the darkness of the field. Once within spotting distance, Hiccup exhaled.

What was he supposed to say at this point? There was so much he could say but just what was appropriate right now? Dare he even bring up the subject of Dagur? Would it make things worse or did she need to get that kind of stress off her chest? So many options such little time.

Would she even want to speak with him after…?

"I'll back off."

Dear Thor that conversation felt like centuries ago.

Only one way to find out.

His hand on the lock of the gate leading into the field caught her attention. She sat upright and like she had on so many other occasions, she turned to see him approaching. But unlike so many other nights, she didn't smile. Instead of even waiting for him to come close enough, she turned back around to face the grazing sheep.

Was she upset? She had every right to be upset, especially after what happened. Not just about Dagur appearing on the island but with him getting hurt the way he had. If it was confusing for him…how confusing was it for her? What was she thinking?

"You okay?"

He watched her back expand as he took in a single breath of air. In the same moment she exhaled, only tipping her chin upward. He took a seat at her side seconds later his eyes glued to hers.

"Just a little traumatized I guess."

"I get it. It must be hard." He mirrored her and looked upward at the stars. "But there's something I have to ask you now that I have the chance."

"Oh?" She flinched a tad, while her hands fell into her lap.

"Yeah."

He had to know, was this treaty really going to happen especially after what happened earlier in the day. There was a moment when Ruffnut said that she wasn't going through with the agreement but by the looks of things now, anything was possible.

She had to know that Dagur the Deranged had saved her from an incoming fire ball, right? She wasn't overlooking that small fact, he knew she wasn't. This had to be the reason why she was so confused and conflicted. But she had to know, at least hear it from him, that she didn't owe him, Dagur, anything.

He saved her and that was his choice, she wasn't indebted to him just because of that. Was Dagur manipulating her behind everyone's back? Probably but she had to the right to know that she didn't need to pay him back. After all, that whole mess was his to begin with.

And even if she did feel like she owed Dagur, he and all the other riders were going to be there to reassure her that she was free to make her own decisions.

"Are you still leaving with him?" He asked pointblank as Toothless bypassed the both of them and took a seat at his side. "You don't have to leave with him just because you feel like you owe him."

She flinched hard. "So you know?"

"If you're referring to the fact that he deliberately pushed you out of the way to save you, yes." Hiccup watched as her eyes left his once again. "I don't know how obvious it is to everyone else, but yeah, I could tell."

"He didn't have to do it, Hiccup."

"No but that doesn't mean he owns your life." The younger male felt his heartstrings pull in the worst way. So she was feeling that way, was she? "He did start the whole fight, remember? It was the least he could do to make sure you weren't hurt."

"But you're missing the point," Her tone took on a certain kind of fire. "He didn't have to. He could have let me get hurt but he didn't. That has to mean something."

"It doesn't mean anything." The rider sighed, his heart beating slower and slower by the moment, the aching of his chest never once lifting. "He's trying to trick you again. Don't let him, he always wants something for himself, he's just using you."

"I don't believe that."

"Hea…"

"And that's why I'm still going with him." She spoke with a sort of confidence he hadn't seen in a great while, or so it felt like a great while anyway. "Besides, if I had just kept my promise to him in the first place, he wouldn't have gotten so upset. So in the end, it was kinda my fault."

"How could you think that?" Hiccup shook his head. "It's not true. Dagur has control over his own emotions, he could have stopped himself at any point but he didn't."

"I'm sure that there is a part of him that is willing to do bad things." Her tone took a sudden change from confident to small and meek. "And I'm certain that he'll try to overtake Berk again but there is also something that I know."

What? What could she possibly know? And how could she be sure? This guy was a ticking time bomb. No one could be sure of what he was possible of! How could they trust someone so explosive and unpredictable? They just…couldn't take that chance.

"He's not all bad."

"Yes Hea, he is." Hiccup brought his two hands to his chest and clenched his fingers. "You can't trust him just because you want to. You haven't seen half the bad things he's done in the past year. I know you want to believe that this guy is kind and gentle but he's not. He's dangerous."

"Then why did he save me?" She turned to him, her anger now getting the better of her.

"I don't know why." He shook his head, allowing his hands to come to a rest in his lap. "Maybe to make himself look good, maybe because you're a girl, I really don't know why, Hea. But just trust me on this. He's not the guy you think he is."

"I know I can't change him." Even though she faced him, again her eyes moved elsewhere. "But maybe I can help him. I want to."

His heart thumped one solid time then for a moment ceased to beat. She wanted to help Dagur? Sure, he had an idea why but was there a point in asking now? Did he even want to know? There were so many questions, unanswered feelings, and new options; was there enough time to talk about it all? Was tonight the right time to talk about it? It was so hard to tell. It was obvious that she was dead set on helping Dagur out but…

Was this in the end his fault because he asked for some space between them? Was she just getting back at him for asking her to tone down the affection? He wasn't even sure he could muster the strength to ask her at this point. He was tired in so many different ways.

"He needs a friend."

A friend? It couldn't possibly be that easy. Besides, friends and friendship was something that was earned not just handed out like ginger candy. It was a relationship that was built with two people who wanted it. How could she force a friendship on someone who probably didn't even know what it was?

Had Dagur ever had friends in the past? It wasn't like he could really know for sure either way.

"He's tired of being alone."

"How can you know that?" Hiccup felt his features tighten while his palms began to sweat.

"Because no one wants to be alone forever." She turned her chin forward once more and returned to stargazing. "I think he's tired of being alone and maybe that's why he's so mean. He's not used to having friends."

"I can agree with that. But…"

Was Hea the right one for him? The right type of friend that he needed? Why couldn't it be someone else? It didn't and shouldn't have to be her.

"I think we'll be okay." A small smile spread over her cheeks. "Try not to worry."

How could he not worry? All he could do was worry. This wasn't something that she was willing to budge on, he could tell that much, just from the way she was speaking. Was there a point in arguing now? She had made up her mind, even if it meant that it separated them. Potentially forever. And she was alright with that?

He couldn't change her mind this time. And it hurt. This time was so different than the time before when he helped her see the good in dragons. She wasn't afraid or even just being stubborn. This was something that she honestly believed in. And how could he change that? What gave him the right to think that he was in any position to change her mind? He didn't. In the end, he had no right, power or chance of changing what she believed.

On a night so cold and quiet, would this be one of the last times they had a late night shit talk? How many more meetings like this did they have left?

Not many.

XoXoX

A number of days earlier he would have never expected this to happen, even two days before when he was first burnt.

Having her to himself, this had to be a dream! If he could he'd pinch his forearm just to be sure that this wasn't some sort of slumbering fantasy but seeing as his hands were a bit scorched at this very moment, he couldn't really preform. But who the heck cared anyway! He was getting all of her attention and tender lovin' care! That's all that really mattered.

With one of her oh-so many gentle touches, Rye placed her fingertips along his upper right arm and held him still. While holding him with her left, she moved her right hand to his bandaged palm and with the softest of tugs, pulled the sticky wrap from his stinging hand.

"Does it hurt?" She asked, her eyes drawn to her work space rather than his eyes.

So what it stung? Did she need to know that? Nope! He had to put on a strong front, for her sake. Besides, if it did get out that he was complaining the others wouldn't let him live it down.

"Nah," He shook his head hard enough for her to tighten her grip on his forearm.

The moment her digits contracted around his thick muscles, he felt his heart hitch. Was she actually hitting on him? Or just holding his arm steady? Flirting, for sure. He could totally tell by the way she touched him! There wasn't any denying it, him with his rustic charm and good looks, no wonder she fell for him so hard!

"Does it itch any?"

Instead of answering her right away, he watched with a wide set of eyes as Rye pulled away the last layer of bandage, revealing his bright red, peeling skin. Sure, it hadn't blistered any but it still ached! Why didn't he get any special tea like Dagur had? He was hurt, wasn't he?!

"Kinda." He answered, feeling his upper lip twitch as his dream girl used a small pair of tweezers to pull away the white flaking skin.

"You haven't been itching right?" For the first time since she entered the home that day, the older female glanced up at him from beneath a dark set of beautiful eyelashes and glass. "If you tear open the skin now, it could cause an infection. So if you have, stop."

"Okay but it's still gonna itch," Snotlout pouted, how did she know that he'd been rubbing his bandaged hand against anything rough enough to give him relief? "What am I supposed to do about it? How do I make it stop?"

"You're just gonna have to tough it out." A smile that made his heart once again slam away appeared on her face.

Oh she was too adorable! That look, it had to be the look of utter and complete love! Did this mean that his years of flirting and compliments had finally started to pay off?! Did she actually take his more than strong hints and get it?! With that kind of smile, it had to be true.

"I know you can do it." She added.

Oh!

Now he knew he had to be dreaming. In what world did Rye give one person, other than her best friend Gobber, so much attention? This was it! He was going to get his first kiss then his first girlfriend! This had to be the beginning of his new life as her as his woman. Something he'd been dreaming of since…forever.

While his face flooded with the blood, Rye went back to finishing up her work. Turning her big brown eyes away from him and back to his terrible 'life or death' burn, the smile on her bright face faded away. Huh?

"I wanted to thank you," She began, brows weighing heavy over her features. And what looked like a slight, small grimace formed where once that perfect smile once sat.

"From defending you against danger?" He lifted his head high and allowed his eyes to come to a close. "No problem, babe. It's my job to defend the fairest of maidens from the evil of this world!"

The frustrated look on her eased into a small smirk that brought even more blood to his cheeks. "Not for just that."

"Oh?" There was more?

Rye took a quiet moment to smear a medium-sized amount of honey on his open palm. While he waited for any kind of reply, her smirk died away once again, leaving her to look more sad than anything. What was wrong? Had he said something wrong? After all of that mental congratulations he'd just given himself about how well he'd done flirting with her and now this? This girl was more confusing than ever! What did she want?

"You've been really sweet to me for a while now and I wanted you to know that it means a lot."

Where was this coming from? He was always the nice guy! So of course she should know, even to the point where she didn't need to thank him for it. After all he was the smartest, kindest, best looking man on the whole island! A hero didn't need thanks like that in public or in words. It was just his awesome nature.

"You've gotten me really used to Hookfang. I don't feel so nervous around him anymore, you know?" She said pulling her spoon away from his hand and laying it aside. "It took a lot for me to get on a Nightmare after what happened and all. But you've taught me a lot."

Did she mean all that constant nagging and begging to get her to ride with him? Is that was she was talking about? And all this time he thought he wasn't getting anywhere, especially when she said 'no' to his offers. Did that mean something? Or anything for that matter?

Again with the upmost care, she brought a new bandage to his wounded hand and proceeded to wrap it around his palm. "So thank you."

"Uh, you're welcome…I guess."

"Even that night when I stayed over at your place, I learned something."

"You mean when we both got into that huge argument that lasted half the night?" He said without any delay.

After the second loop around his wrist, she came to a stop and hooked together the gauze in place. "Sure."

What in the world could that be? Was it right of him to just ask? Then again it could make him look like a doofus if he didn't know exactly what she was talking about. The last thing he needed, after this string of good luck, was to look like an idiot in front of her. Best to stay quiet and wait for her next move…right?

Just as predicted she carried on, "I learned that I can trust you. More than I first thought." Rye leaned backward in her seat at the kitchen table before looking at him with a sense of softness. "And I'm not saying that I didn't trust you before. What I'm saying is…"

Her eyes darted away from his.

What happened? Why did she stop? And what was with that look of delicate sadness? It was almost as if she were sad and happy all at the same time. Did that even make any sense? How could a girl be happy and sad at the same time?! Maybe it was one of those girlish things that made women so moody all the time. Then again there had to be something more to this.

She then reached out to the remaining hand that needed re-bandaging. With a lighter touch than she had the first time around, she wrapped her fingertips around his wrist and drew him in.

"That I can trust you with my heart."

Wha?

"I know it sounds stupid," She her brows dipped heavily over her eyes while a small smile worked its way over her reddening cheeks. "But I believe it. It's okay…it's okay."

What's…okay? What was she talking about and why was his heart ticking away so quickly in his chest cavity? He needed to know what was happening! He needed to know the reason why his heart stung more than his palms and why his face felt like he had some kind of tropical fever. This wasn't normal, it couldn't be! What was she doing to him?

And just by speaking to him.

"It isn't a bad thing to care about someone, even after you've been hurt. Even though it still hurts."

His lips grew dry. How long had his jaw been open? For that matter, how long had his eyelids been pried wide open? Even at this point his eyeballs were starting to go dry! And why couldn't he move an inch?!

"I want to tell you something," For the first time in moments, her dark cocoa-colored eyes moved back to him, even though she still looked hurt. "But I can't have you telling anyone else, including Hea. Okay?"

"You sure?" He managed to speak, although he nearly choked on the dryness of his tongue.

"Yes, I want to."

"O…okay. I won't tell anyone. Promise." Snotlout lifted his fixed up hand but then paused. "Um, I would give you a pinky promise but my hand is kinda…"

"Don't worry about it. Like I said, I trust you." The look of unhappiness broke from her features, revealing the smile he adored. "There was a person I cared a lot about. A lot. And I told him but,"

But?

"He didn't feel exactly the same way so I was kinda rejected." Why she still spoke with a smile was beyond him but instead of saying anything, he remained silent.

Thor knew if he was rejected, he be in pieces then he'd never admit it to anyone and lie about ever confessing in the first place! So why was she telling him all of this? Was he supposed to know who she told and rejected her? It wasn't like he had the slightest clue! Then again maybe it was someone he least expected…like…?

"Who was it?" He asked, no sense in beating around the bush right?

"How did I know that would be your next question?" Her lips stood out more than they had seconds before as she spoke with a smirk. "That's not important but what is, is that you know that you're the reason, the only reason why I feel better about it."

"Me?!" He used his freshly bandaged hand to slam his own chest. "Ouch!"

"Of course." She giggled that oh-so sweet giggle.

"But how did I do that? The other night all we did was fight! I don't get it." He removed his stinging hand from his throbbing chest.

The softness of her eyes left his face and returned to the work that she'd originally come over for. She peeled off the gauze on his remaining hand and proceeded to repeat the same process she had done with his opposite hand. Taking her time and gentle touch, she removed the dead skin from his burnt palm and added more globs of honey to the sore area.

"You're more special than you realize." Rye smeared the breakfast condiment on his hand. "The real treat that night wasn't the dinner you set up, it was being with you."

For whatever strange reason his chest felt like it tightened. Almost like his heart grew ten times its size, he felt it almost a struggle to breathe. The urge to grip his hands tempted him but the sting of his burn stopped him. Every time his heart beat it seemed like his blood ran hotter and he sweated even more than he was already! He wasn't like…having a heart attack or something right?!

Was he DYING?!

"Thank you for that."

"Uhh…"

The feeling of a new piece of gauze wrapping around his hand eased his thumping heart. She handled him the same way she handled Phobos back when she was a baby, one year ago. Why? Since when did she care so much? Then again she was like that with everyone! Right?

Then again she refused to ride with anyone else.

She couldn't feel the same way, could she?! Since when?!

He hyperventilated.

"Is this too tight?" She asked, looping the gauze around a third time.

He gasped and held his breath as if that'd actually help somehow. He then shook his head back and forth instead of answering with his voice. Knowing himself, he'd probably ruin this moment by saying something really random. He couldn't speak just yet.

"Good." Rye tucked and tied the wrap just right, right after flipping his wrist over and giving him a single pat on the back of the hand. "Feel better?"

"…I guess." Couldn't someone crack open a window in this room or something?! How'd it get so hot so fast?!

"We'll change it out again the day after tomorrow, okay?" She continued to speak but he was on the brink of going deaf! What kind of weird feeling was this anyway? "Like I said before, try not to scratch and you'll be fit as a fiddle in no time."

Really? Then why did he feel like his heart was about to break out of his face. And that didn't even make any sense!

"Thanks for listening." Her fingers curled around the back of his palm and for a moment she pulled on his arm. "Among many other things that is."

"S-sure." A droplet of sweat moved past his sideburns.

Without any other words, she moved up from her seat. Hovering just over her chair she leaned further toward him until her chin breezed past his shoulder. The wind from her body moving past his sent chills up his spine and forced all of the hairs on his arms to stand up straight. And just as she came close to his cheek, she lifted her chin. Stopping only when her bust came to eye level with him, she moved even further until a small tap to his forehead forced his entire body to freeze.

With her lips pressed against his head, his jaw fell open almost to the point where he was sure it would hit the ground. His hands hung in the air and his heart ceased to beat. Since when does a heart speed off like crazy one moment then stop the next? Was he actually having a heart attack?!

The small peck ended in silence and she pulled away with just as much care as she'd given him when she was bandaging his hand. She was so…gentle and soft. Were all girls like this or just her? Then again when had he ever had any connection with a girl like this?

Man, if he had known that fighting with her would make this much of a difference in their relationship, he would have done it so much earlier! Who knew?

And just who was this mystery guy that rejected her before? He also had him to thank for this situation! It was pretty obvious that she wasn't going to tell him at this point, might as well obverse for a while and made a very well educated guess. After all, he didn't need that guy to make a comeback and steal his girl's heart!

"Are you okay?" The sound of her voice made him flinch, although the haziness of the moment refused to die away. "Snot?"

"Uh…I think." He blinked his eyelids with force once or twice. "But I think I should lay down now."

"Alright," Rye released her small touch on his hand. "Lay down, I'll tell your dad to give you some space."

"Thanks."

"For you? No problem."

He watched as the four-eyed nurse stood upright, turn around and take a number of steps away from him and waltzing over to his bedroom door. Her hand fell on the doorknob and just as she began to twist it, she paused and glanced over her shoulder. Rye flashed him one last smile that made his dead heart race back to life. With her free hand she waved a single time before popping open the door and stepping out.

Did what just happened…really happen?

Act End.