My dear friends! I am so very sorry for updating late. My week was super busy and I was unable to finish the chapter until today. I was torn between giving you a 6,000 word chapter in which virtually nothing happens, or taking the time to complete a much more pivotal part of the story. As you might have noticed, it's 17,000 words long. I sincerely hope that you all find it worth the wait.

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Ty-ten (x2)

Colinou

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As a favor for a good friend, I have been asked to announce that Colinou will be attending a Teen Wolf convention, and is making a fanbook for Eaddy Mays. If any of you are fans and have a message you would like to be included in the book, let Colinou know. Be nice. Please and thank you.

WARNING: To use Vvarden's word, this chapter has some steamy moments. So, don't be surprised or yell at me, because I'm telling you now. Believe me, the first draft was waaaay more steamy, so I toned it down significantly for you. (Maybe some of you would prefer steamier, but since no one's ever requested it, I'm playing it safe.) Anyways, without further ado... What you've all been waiting for.


There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Erik said, wondering who it might be. His mother and siblings had gone to the Great Hall, and had persuaded Maara to join them, so he'd been staring at the ceiling for a while, thinking.

The door swung open, revealing his father. Immediately he attempted to sit up, but Hiccup stopped him. "No, don't strain yourself." Walking over to the chair next to the bed, he took a seat. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, I guess. Did you just get back from Dragon Island?"

"I did. Your mother sent me here, said I should talk to you."

Erik nodded. "Why did you go back? What happened to the Whispering Deaths? Did you…" He didn't want to say it.

"Did I what?"

"Get rid of them?"

His father looked surprised, then chuckled. "In a sense. No, I did not kill them."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Then what did you do with them?"

"I had Toothless talk to them. They needed to know that they couldn't stay on Dragon Island, and that if they continued to behave violently, we would have no choice but to destroy their nest. After a while, they came around to the idea. I went back with a few others to help move the eggs to an uninhabited island, and to make sure the injured one wasn't too badly hurt."

"Wow." Erik was pleased with how events had turned out. The Whispering Deaths were terrifying, and they'd nearly killed him and the twins, but even so, he didn't like the idea of having to resort to ending their lives to prevent further bloodshed. They were wild, aggressive dragons, but still dragons.

"Everyone survived, thank the gods. Otherwise I might not have had a choice about getting rid of them. As it is, I'm thankful that Baldor and Carsten's parents aren't on the warpath about this. They have every right to be upset, but so far they've been rather calm and reasonable about the whole thing."

"Well, it's not like being a Viking is a risk-free business," Erik pointed out.

"That's true, but some risks are more acceptable than others. I should have checked over the island more carefully, it's my fault that you were placed in the path of danger."

"Dad, you had no way of knowing that those Whispering Deaths would show up between the last time you checked Dragon Island and this trip. You can't blame yourself for something you had no control over."

His father gave him a slight smile. "It's my job to take responsibility, Erik. This, especially, is something that I need to be held accountable for. Three students almost died. One of them was you. So this one's on me. I didn't make the Whispering Deaths attack Baldor and Carsten, I didn't make you go down in those tunnels, but I did take you all there without taking the necessary precautions that could have averted this entire situation."

Erik was rather humbled by his father's complete willingness to take the blame for something that he didn't necessarily have to. Just another thing to add to the list of qualities that make him as great as he is.

Then he frowned, remembering something. "Speaking of the Whispering Deaths attacking the twins… I don't know how they did it. I thought they couldn't come out during the day."

"If you'll recall, it was cloudy the entire time we were there."

"What does that have to—" Oh. Erik felt kind of stupid. "Sunlight."

"Correct. They're sensitive to direct sunlight, but when it's cloudy, they don't have any issue being above ground during the daytime."

"That makes a lot more sense."

"Yep. Listen, I want to continue this conversation, but I wanted to go next door and see if your sister has come back. Do you mind if I do that really quickly?"

"That's fine, but where did she go?"

"She left to go hunting for a few days. We thought it might help her clear her mind. You know she's been off since the Haku debacle. So, I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Sounds good."

Hiccup left, closing the door softly behind him, leaving Erik thinking about his sister. He had been worried about Aeri, and hoped that her hunting trip had helped with all of the upset she had faced recently. She hadn't come to see him, leading him to believe that she was probably still gone. I wonder what she's doing right now.


"See? I told you it wouldn't hurt."

"And you expected me to believe you? What could you possibly know about this kind of stuff?"

James rolled his eyes, continuing to dab the paste over the teeth marks on her chest. "My mother was a healer. She taught me a lot about plants and medicines before she died. Come on, give me some credit, would you? You're lucky I know what I do, given your penchant for endangering yourself."

Aeri wrinkled her nose at him. She was lying on her back on top of the furs, trying not to feel self-conscious in her underwear as he removed her bandages and cleaned her wounds. She had to admit, the salve was soothing on her punctured skin, and it smelled nice, too. But it was getting harder and harder to lie still with him running his hands over her, even though it seemed completely clinical. Their clothes were still wet, so he was in the same state of undress as she was, and it was extremely distracting.

He finished replacing the bandages on the front of her body, then patted her leg. "Okay, roll over."

She obliged, letting her thoughts continue to roam as he took care of her back. Her face was turned away from him, and she allowed a small smile to creep onto her lips.

James.

He really was something else. Something wonderful. And he seemed to care for her as much as she cared for him. Even after the mess with Haku, she wasn't afraid of having feelings for someone else, because James was different. He was just so considerate. In every way. He was more concerned about her wellbeing and happiness than he was about his own. He'd saved her life again, and he'd treated her injuries, all the while showing her a level of respect and kindness that she didn't even think she deserved. For the gods' sakes, she practically had to beg him to kiss her when they were almost naked in each other's arms! What kind of man had that level of restraint?

She felt his fingers lightly skimming over her back, until they stopped.

"What happened?" He tapped her scar, the one left over from the arrow.

"I was shot."

"Who shot you?"

"A man named Jon."

"Why did he do that?"

"He was persuaded to make an attempt on my life by Ajaa, a young woman back on Heimme."

He was tracing the scar now. "And why did she want you dead?"

"I guess she was jealous."

An exasperated sigh. "Do I have to keep asking questions or would you just tell me the story?"

She smiled again, her face still hidden from him. "I suppose there's no harm in you knowing. Ajaa was very beautiful. Possibly the most beautiful woman on Heimme. From what I understand, she saw me as a threat. She didn't like that I wanted peace with the dragons. But mostly, she didn't like how close I was with Haku. She loved him. And Jon loved Ajaa. Apparently, she approached a number of her suitors to do the deed, but only Jon was willing to commit murder for her. So, one morning, while I was out on a rock off shore and Shade was in the water, Jon shot me. Fortunately, Haku was nearby, and he rescued me while Shade took care of Jon."

"What happened to them?"

"Well, they were imprisoned. When the pirates attacked, the jail was destroyed, and no one within survived."

"I suppose justice was served, then."

"I suppose you're right. I don't think about them often. I don't know what we would have done with them if they had survived the attack."

"They're lucky they're already dead. Because if I had learned of their treachery while they still lived, I can assure you, they would not have remained living for long."

Aeri thought about it for a moment. James sounded very serious. She found herself wondering whether or not he would ever carry out a threat like that, and decided that he would. "I don't think I'm wrong in assuming that it wouldn't have been a pleasant end, either."

"No," he replied quietly. "It would not." A second later, she felt him press his lips over her scar. Immediately, she tried to turn over, intent on kissing him, but he held her in place.

"Oh no you don't. I'm not finished."

"Please?"

"In a minute." He continued his efficient ministrations, but she had no interest in behaving. Sliding her hand over, she found his leg, and began to stroke his knee. He gave no sign of noticing, so she started inching her fingers upwards.

Without warning, her hands were pinned, and his chest was against her back.

"You are trouble, aren't you?" he whispered into her ear.

In vain, she struggled to free herself, but he just swept her hair aside and planted a kiss on the side of her neck.

She could feel his laughter. "I'm trying to patch you up, to restrain myself from taking you in my arms and kissing you senseless so that I can take care of you, and how do you thank me?" He returned to her neck.

"James," she whimpered.

"Aeri," he said in a low voice, trailing kisses down to her shoulder.

"I can't— please, let me up."

Immediately he released her, and she rolled over to see him leaning back on his knees, looking conflicted.

"What's the matter?" she asked, sitting up.

"I'm sorry. I won't do that again."

Now she was confused. "Why not?"

"Because it was uncalled for and—"

"Oh, shut up," she laughed, reaching out for him. He didn't resist as she drew him close, pressing her lips against his.

"If I don't like something," she whispered, "I'll tell you." With that, she pulled him back to the furs, and resumed their kissing. Suddenly, he rolled them over, so that she was on top of him. Surprised, she leaned back, looking down at his face.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Letting you be in charge."

Well. She liked the sound of that. So she gave him a smirk, enjoying the way his eyes darkened. Kissing down his jaw, she decided she wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine, so she parted her lips and began to suck softly on his neck.

He groaned, running his hands softly down her sides, avoiding her broken ribs. Pleased, she pushed herself up, sitting astride his hips with a cheeky smile. A crooked smile graced his features as he looked up at her, and her entire body flushed with warmth at the heat in his gaze. But he lay still, making no move to touch her or draw her back. And again, she found herself marveling at his restraint. But she didn't want his restraint in this moment. What she really wanted was the opposite.

"James," she said, trailing a finger down his chest.

"Aeri." His voice was almost gravelly, and she very much enjoyed it.

"What would I have to do to get past this rigid self-control of yours?"

His lips quirked. "I like to think that I could hold out through quite a lot. Some men behave like beasts, treating women like objects. That's a weakness, a failure of character. I'm not saying I'm perfect, not at all, but I have too much respect for you to allow that weakness to take hold. I won't do anything that you are not explicitly okay with."

She pondered this. It wasn't like she could argue with his logic. "Is that why you don't initiate anything?"

His eyes were perfectly serious. "I've told you. I don't want you to look back and wish that I hadn't."

"Even though I've told you that will never happen?"

"You don't know that." It was barely more than a whisper, pained and pleading.

She leaned down, taking his hand in hers and pressing it against her cheek. "I do, though. Even if you drove a dagger through my heart right now, I would not regret any of this."

"Oh, Aeri. You know I would never deliberately hurt you—"

"Then what are you so worried about?"

"Just because I don't intend to hurt you doesn't mean I never will."

"If we treat our lives like fragile, breakable things, we aren't really living. Maybe we might get hurt, but does that mean we should never do anything that presents a risk? I'd say that flying on the back of a dragon is one of the most dangerous things a person could do, but that hasn't stopped me. Because even one moment in the sky is worth risking my life for. Caring about another person is a lot like flying. There's a tremendous amount of risk there, we both know that firsthand. But that's what makes life worth living. Isn't it?"

"When you're flying, you have Shade to catch you if you fall."

"Is there any difference? When I'm with you, I have no fear of falling."

"That's pretty cheesy," he teased her, but still looked conflicted, so she pressed her lips to his. After a moment, his hand slid into her hair, the other resting on her thigh. This kiss was a little different than the others. It was unhurried, less insistent. But there was still passion, kindling the fire in their blood.

So when something icy touched her back, she yelped with surprise, falling to the side. Turning around, she came face to face with Shade's smug grin. His scales were slick with melting snow, but in his mouth, he carried…

"My spear!"

He nodded happily, and she took it from him, inspecting it and finding it no worse for wear. Setting it to the side, she wrapped her arms around his neck, not caring how cold and wet he was.

"Thank you, bud."

Raising a brow, he glanced between her and James, who was now sitting up, smiling.

Aeri felt her face heat. "Uh, yeah."

With a warble, he licked the side of her head, making her hair stand up on end.

"Aw, Shade! Gross!"

He just gave her a rumbling laugh and padded over to his earlier position next to the furs, turning in a circle before dropping to the ground.

Doing her best to smooth down her hair, she looked back at James. He looked very amused, so she stuck out her tongue at him. Getting to his feet, he made his way over to the bags at the side of the room, rummaging around before pulling out the loaf of bread.

"The clothes should be dry by tomorrow morning. Then we can go back to the village and get you to a proper healer."

Aeri did her best to hide her dismay. She found herself wanting to stay in this cave, with James, forever.

It was as though he could read her mind. "That doesn't mean we can't come back here sometime," he said with a slight smile, which she found herself returning as he tore the loaf in half and handed the larger piece to her.

"I'd like that."

"So would I." He was sitting on the furs now, facing her.

For a moment, neither of them moved, just gazing into each other's eyes. Aeri set her untouched bread to the side, and he his, then her hands cupped his face and his arms gently wrapped around her, and they just laughed when Shade snorted and used his wing to cover his eyes.


Ash was at the feeding station, helping herself and listening to the chatter of the other dragons when she heard her name. For a second she had the silly hope that perhaps Shade had returned, but when she looked it was only Svar.

Hiding her disappointment, she forced a cheerful smile and turned back to her fish.

"How are you, gorgeous?" he asked as he sidled up to her, and she blinked, trying not to laugh. He'd been very flattering as of late, but it would still never erase the fact that he was an insufferable idiot. It would never make her love him.

"Oh, I'm very well, and yourself?" If she focused on being polite, she might not think about all the things she'd rather be doing than having a conversation with him. Being trampled by a Rumblehorn, or chased by a Screaming Death, or getting eaten by a Queen, or drinking Changewing acid…

"I'm great. Never been better. Listen, I was hoping that maybe we could go flying together later, just you and I…"

Her heart skipped a beat, and not in a good way. Fighting back panic, she blurted, "Oh, I think I hear Toothless calling me. We can talk more later. See ya!"

She ran, ignoring his protests. Once she felt sufficiently far away from the square, she looked around, making sure he hadn't followed her. Fortunately, his annoying face was nowhere in sight. Breathing a sigh of relief, she decided to go looking for Lightning. Maybe the older female would have some advice for how to deal with unwanted advances from males.

She had passed no more than two houses when she heard her name again. This time, though, it was Kiva.

"Hey," she greeted her friend. They hadn't been spending as much time together, in part because there were other Night Furies from the colony around to keep Kiva occupied, but mostly because Ash couldn't stand to hear her friend talking about Shade.

"I have a plan," Kiva announced, piquing her curiosity.

"What kind of plan? Are you going to take all the fish? Start a new colony? Rule the world?" Her teasing tone faded at her friend's reply.

"I'm going to make Shade my mate."

Ash barely stopped herself from growling. Instead, she answered with the same politeness she had offered Svar. "I thought that was already the plan."

"Well, yeah, but this time I mean it. He's been gone for days, but even if he was here, I probably would barely see him, or he'd be with other dragons. No, once he gets back, I'm going to get him alone and strike."

She forced herself to breathe normally. There was no way she could allow Kiva to go through with this. That much was a given. But how to best thwart her without revealing her own feelings on the matter?

"Have you spoken to him at all recently?" Kiva probed.

"No, can't say I have." Technically. She hadn't spoken to him in a few days. She might have seen him the morning he and Aeri had left, and the day before that, and possibly even the day before that as well, but Kiva didn't need to know that.

"Hmm. Well, if you see him when he gets back, you should tell him that I want to see him."

"Sure! Definitely." Not. Her voice was too high, too cheerful, but Kiva didn't seem to notice.

"Thanks, Ash. I bet you'll be an honorary aunt to my hatchlings soon enough! See you around." She spread her wings and took off, leaving Ash with her false smile and faint nausea.

I can't let them be alone together. That was the only thing she could think of at the moment. Which meant she would need to be on the lookout for Shade's arrival, and keep Kiva busy until she could figure out a plan of her own.


Hiccup paced back and forth while his mother watched him from her seat, smiling slightly as she sipped her steaming tea. It was too cold for him to want to be outside in the snow, so he did his pacing indoors.

She should have been back by now. He knew his concern was probably irrational, but he'd nearly just lost his oldest son, and he would not sleep easy until Aeri was back in the village, safe and sound.

"I'm sure she's fine, Hiccup."

"You're probably right. But what if she ran into trouble, or got hurt? It's just her and Shade out there, no one else to come back for help."

"Well, wait a little while longer, and then you can muster up the search parties and tracking dragons."

He didn't answer. He was too busy thinking of all the reasons why he should have gone out and found her the moment he had returned to Berk. If something had happened to her, days ago, she could already be dead. Boars were dangerous, the cold even more so.

Cloudjumper made a cooing noise, lifting his head to look at the door. Was that her? Hiccup hurried to the door and flung it open, finding his surprised daughter on the other side, arm outstretched.

"Oh, thank the gods," he sighed, immediately wrapping his arms around her and squeezing tightly.

"Ah! Dad, not so tight."

He released her, stepping back and taking in her wince of pain. Her arm was across her middle, and he felt a stab of panic when he noticed the holes in her furs, ringed with dried blood.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"I almost got eaten. Can we come inside now?"

Hiccup peered past her to see Winter, smiling sheepishly, with Shade and Sahko.

"Oh! Yes. Of course." He ushered his daughter to a seat by the fire and hovered while she got settled. His mother had opened the larger door to allow the dragons to enter, patting them as they passed. The icy wind followed them all inside, with a few stray flakes of snow.

Aeri had turned and was looking back to where Winter was standing by the door, looking slightly awkward. Hiccup immediately understood, and left his daughter's side to approach him.

"Welcome back, Winter," he said, holding out his hand.

For a second the younger man stared at him, then hurriedly moved to grasp his hand and shake it firmly.

"I take it you ran into each other out there?"

"Uh, something like that."

Hiccup smiled knowingly. "Do I owe you a drink for bringing her back in one piece?"

"Oh, uh, no. Sir. I didn't—"

Aeri interrupted his stammering. "He saved my life again, if that's what you're asking, Dad."

"Ah. Then perhaps more than a drink."

Winter didn't respond, the sheepish expression back on his face.

"Well, come on, then," Hiccup clapped him on the shoulder. "Let's sit by the fire, and you can tell me what mess she got herself into this time."

Valka had enough hot water left in the pot to pour them all mugs of tea, which Aeri and Winter accepted gratefully. Then she busied herself by taking the saddles and bags off of Shade and Sahko, while listening to their conversation.

"So," Hiccup began. "Who wants to start?"

The two young people glanced at each other. Then Aeri started speaking. "Shade and I left the morning Erik and the other students did, found a suitable campsite and explored. Nothing much happened the first two days. We each took down a boar. In the early afternoon, I left him napping by the fire and trekked off on my own, thinking that I might find something smaller to hunt, but the storm picked up, so I started heading back. I never even heard it coming."

"Heard what coming?"

"The Typhoomerang."

Hiccup almost choked on his tea. "A Typhoomerang?"

She nodded. "Two, actually. The one carried me in its jaws to this big snowy field on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea, where the other was waiting. I thought they were going to eat me, but they just sat there while I struggled and screamed. Shade came, but he didn't see the other one, which attacked him and a few seconds later the one holding me threw me off the cliff. I remember falling and then… nothing."

His thoughts were racing as he calmly sipped his tea. He'd never heard of dragons baiting other dragons before, especially not with humans. Fighting back alternating waves of fear, concern, and confusion, he looked to Winter.

"Sahko and I had been staying in a cave not too far from where this happened. We had just returned from gathering wood when he got really worked up, so we flew back out and got there just as Aeri got tossed over the edge. I had Sahko drop me in the water while he went up to help Shade, and once I had her it was just a matter of waiting. Shade came and hauled us out, and went back to fighting. I got her breathing again while he and Sahko took care of the second Typhoomerang, then they carried us back to the cave so we could, ah, recuperate."

Why do I get the feeling that's not all that happened? Hiccup wanted to smirk at Winter's obvious discomfort but refrained from doing so. Instead, he asked, "Does she need to see a healer?"

Winter nodded yes as Aeri blurted "Nope!"

"Better safe than sorry, dear," his mother said. "I'll go find her and bring her back here. Come, Cloudjumper."

Leaving Hiccup alone with his daughter and her… friend. "So," he said slyly. "Would you say you're both recuperated?"

"Well, neither of us is dead or missing any appendages, so, pretty much."

Normally, he wouldn't think much of her sass, but now he got the feeling that she might be employing it as a distraction. It wouldn't do him much good to confront her about the sideways glances she and Winter kept exchanging, so he changed the subject.

"While you were busy getting attacked by Typhoomerangs, we were having some trouble of our own on Dragon Island."

"What happened?"

"Whispering Deaths. They attacked the twins, then nearly killed your brother."

Aeri's alarm was apparent. "What? Is he alright? Are the twins okay?"

"Yes, they're all alive, and more or less in one piece, though the twins are rather traumatized."

"That's terrible. I should go see Erik at least—" She moved to get up but Winter hurriedly flung out an arm to block her way.

"Nope. Not until you've seen a healer."

She scowled at him. "I'll be fine. You took care of me, remember?"

"Which is precisely why I would appreciate it if you would just sit still for a few minutes and let an actual healer check you out."

"Are you going to try and make me stay?"

"Are you going to make me make you stay? Or will you act your age and behave?"

Hiccup watched them with amusement. Clearly, his fears had been well founded, so he was more than a little grateful to have Winter back in the fold. While it was his job as a father to worry, he got the feeling that he wouldn't have to worry quite so much with this young man around to keep an eye on his daughter. Not that he was in any hurry to hand her off to someone else. No, it was just nice to know that Aeri had found someone who could keep up with her. That, and he didn't think that Winter would ever let his temper get the better of him the way Haku had.

"Alright, you two, that's enough," he chuckled. "Aeri, your brother can wait a little longer to see you. He's not going anywhere."

She pouted, but didn't argue, to Winter's obvious relief. Fortunately, his mother returned at that moment, opening the larger door for Cloudjumper and a purple Gronckle. They were trailed by the healer, who smiled pleasantly in greeting.

"Lucky for us, she was just next door with Erik," Valka said.

"So lucky," Aeri muttered under her breath, and Hiccup stifled a snort, summoning his Chiefly side.

"Thank you for coming," he said. "Go on, Aeri. Upstairs. The sooner you get this over with, the sooner you can see Erik."

Though she rolled her eyes, she obeyed, quietly greeting the healer and leading her up the stairs to her room. The Gronckle made itself comfortable next to Sahko, and promptly dozed off. Once they were gone, it was comfortably quiet for a few moments while Hiccup gathered his thoughts.

"So, Winter. What do you think?"

The young man looked a bit confused. "What do I think about… what?"

Hiccup waved a hand. "All of it. What do you think?"

"Well…" Winter seemed slightly nervous, but as he spoke his demeanor settled. "Besides the fact that I would not object to locking Aeri in a supervised room for the rest of her life, there are other issues at hand. I don't know much about dragons, but the behavior of those Typhoomerangs doesn't add up. Why would they use Aeri as bait? The only thing they could have intended was for Shade to come after her, but why did they want that? It just doesn't make sense."

"You're right. Unfortunately, we can't exactly speak Dragonese, so there's no way for Shade to tell us exactly what he knows. Doesn't hurt to ask, though." Hiccup got to his feet, setting his mug to the side, before walking over to Shade, who cooed curiously at his approach. Crouching at the dragon's side, he stroked his neck, scratching under his chin and behind his ears.

"Alright, Shade. Do you think you could maybe help us out here?" The Night Fury shrugged. "I'll try to ask the right questions, then. Do you know why those Typhoomerangs took Aeri?"

A nod. Shade didn't seem overtly angry, but there was now a tension to his posture that hadn't been there a moment before.

"They wanted you?"

Another nod.

"But why? Did they have a reason for wanting to lure you there?"

A soft growl affirmed that.

Hiccup couldn't figure it out. "Did you do something to them? I just don't know how you could have provoked that kind of aggression when you've been in the village almost constantly since you and Aeri returned…"

Shade was staring at him intently, as though waiting for him to realize something. Frowning, he wracked his brain. When was the last time a Typhoomerang had been sighted? "We haven't seen any Typhoomerangs for a while—"

"Hiccup." It was his mother, coming to stand behind him.

"Yes?"

"We haven't seen any, but we know they've been here. Remember? When Soren went missing?"

Hiccup could have smacked himself. "Oh. So, was that Typhoomerang one of the two that attacked you, Shade?"

A satisfied nod.

"Wow. So, just another example of a dragon holding a grudge. I guess that would explain it. Well, I'm glad you all escaped with your lives, then."

Shade glanced over to where Sahko was lounging in the corner, appearing characteristically bored and a little put out by the sleeping Gronckle encroaching on his space. Understanding, Hiccup moved closer to the Skrill, holding out his hand.

"Thank you, Sahko. Without you, Shade and Aeri might not have come home."

Sahko eyed his outstretched hand, before gently bumping his nose against it. Figuring that was about as much as he could expect from the grumpy dragon, Hiccup smiled and made his way back over to his seat by the fire.

Upstairs, the healer helped her Aeri out of her furs, then directed her to lie on her bed while she examined her wounds. The older woman sniffed at one of the discarded bandages, nodding and naming herbs under her breath.

"Who treated your injuries, child?"

"Winter."

Another nod. "He did a credible job of it. Did he say where he learned the healing arts?"

"Apparently his mother was a healer."

"Smithing and healing. Good with his hands, that one. Useful, too. What happened out there?"

Aeri found herself telling the story again as the healer gently cleaned her skin. She did her best to skim over what had taken place in the cave, but the woman simply raised a brow.

"So he took off your clothes to save your life. One of the better excuses I've heard."

Her face heated as she stammered, "No, it wasn't like that, he didn't... I mean-"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me. But you might want to practice telling that fib if you're going to be sharing this story with anyone else."

"It's not a- fine."

A chuckle. "Believe it or not, you aren't the first young couple I've encountered. I only have two pieces of advice for you. Firstly, don't compromise your honor. The second is, if you disregard the first, don't get caught."

Aeri couldn't help but laugh. "Wise words. Nothing to worry about with him, though. He won't even touch me unless I point blank demand that he does, and even then he holds back."

"Is that out of fear, or respect?"

"Respect. At least, I hope it's respect. He says he doesn't want me to regret anything."

"So he cares about you. How very fortunate that you care about him as well."

"That's all it is, though," she insisted. "Nothing serious."

"I can understand why you might want to avoid a serious relationship. If someone I cared about spoke to me as that Haku boy did to you, I'd be as skittish as a wounded dragon."

Aeri wondered how the conversation had turned this way. Healers tended to be the most knowledgeable when it came to medicine and gossip. But the mention of Haku didn't send her into a spiral of anxiety as she might have expected.

"Well, I don't want to rush into anything. I know my parents married when they were my age, but they'd been around each other their entire lives, and had been close for years beforehand. I haven't known Ja- Winter for very long in comparison."

"That may be true, but you've had several opportunities to discern his character. I am by no means encouraging you to rush into anything, but keep in mind that many young people don't get to learn the true nature of their intended until after the ceremony."

Aeri only had a moment to ponder that before the healer pulled a white cloth and a stoppered bottle out of her bag. "This stuff hurts like Hel, but I have to use it to make sure your wounds are completely clean and free of infection. Here," she tossed a worn piece of leather at her. "Put that between your teeth, and make as much noise as you like."

Nervous, Aeri nodded, taking a deep breath.

Downstairs, Hiccup sat with his mother and Winter by the fire. "So, tell me, Winter. Have you ever celebrated Snoggletog?"

"Snoggletog?"

"I'll take that as a no. You're in for quite a treat—" He was cut off by a strangled cry from upstairs, which had them all halfway out of their seats and Shade growling aggressively.

"What's going on up there? Is she alright?" Winter's voice betrayed his concern.

Before Hiccup could decide on whether or not to reassure him, there were footsteps on the stairs, and the healer came into view.

"Valka, I need you."

Nodding solemnly, his mother got up and followed the healer up to the room, shutting the door behind them. Slowly, Hiccup and Winter settled back into their seats, doing their best to maintain their anxiety. Minutes passed and there was no other sound, but they didn't bother trying to make conversation. Hiccup drained his mug of tea and rose to pour himself another, refilling Winter's as well.

Finally they heard the door open and close softly, and the healer descended the stairs.

"She's going to want to rest for a bit. None of her injuries were life-threatening, but—"

"Did you use that stuff on her?" Hiccup interrupted.

The healer smiled. "I did. Fortunately, puncture wounds aren't quite the same as those gashes on Eric's chest, and she handled it very well after the first sting, but as I said, she's going to want to rest for a bit. Valka is keeping an eye on her."

"I'll go up and check on her—" he started, but she waved a hand.

"I doubt she'd appreciate that. To treat her, we had to remove all of her clothing, so she's in her underwear at the moment. Maybe later." Was it just him, or was the healer implying something? She glanced at Winter and back at him, her pleasant smile seeming suspiciously amused, and Hiccup almost groaned.

"Thank you for coming," he said, biting back his immediate response. "If we have further need of you, we'll send for you."

"I'm sure you won't, at least not with Aeri, but I'll check on Erik tomorrow, after I've visited the twins. Come on, Phyllis." She summoned her sleeping Gronckle, who yawned hugely but eventually obeyed.

"Of course. Thank you again." He opened the door for them, and they went off into the icy afternoon. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts once more, he finally turned back and sat across from Winter, who was staring hard at his own clasped hands.

"Shall I beat around the bush for a while, or would you like for me to be straightforward?"

"Let's just get this over with," Winter immediately replied.

"Do I need to be concerned about my daughter's honor?"

The young man met his gaze without wavering or hesitation. "No."

Hiccup hid his profound relief. "Will I need to be, in the future?"

A sigh. "Not from me."

This piqued his curiosity, and he couldn't help but inquire further. "Is she not interested in you?"

"Uh, I don't think so." Now Winter looked a little red, though it was hard to tell in the firelight.

"So one of you is being responsible. Why do I have the feeling it's not her?"

Winter gave a surprised laugh. "Because she oftentimes thinks with her heart before her head."

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Hiccup paused. "This is just as awkward for me as it is for you, but listen well. Every man has a rope, and women always seem to know just how to drag us to the very end of it. I can ask you in my most threatening tone what your intentions are another time, but for now, I only ask that you continue to show her the respect and care that you have always shown her. I really don't want or need to know details, I just want and need to be reassured that she is safe and happy. Understood?"

"Understood. I can't promise you that I will be able to keep her safe and happy forever, because there's a chance that she will at some point decide she doesn't want me around, but I'll do my best while I can."

Hiccup absorbed this. "Do you think she is so fickle?"

"Oh, not at all," the young man replied hurriedly. "I just… I don't know. I couldn't possibly be the one for her."

"Anything is possible, Winter."

He finally looked down, not answering for a moment. "I suppose you're right," he said softly. "But some things are more likely than others. Some things can't be, not because they're impossible, but because they simply shouldn't."

Hiccup had no reply. He knew from his own experience that the best things came from the unlikeliest of places, that love for friends and for life partners could grow where seemingly nothing could take root. But he'd learned that over time, through trial and error. Nothing he said could persuade Winter of this. He could only hope that the young man would someday come to realize that on his own.


Ash had lost track of Kiva at the feeding station, but wasn't too concerned, as Shade had not yet returned. As soon as he was back, though, she'd need to focus.

As she made her way back to her and Cinder's and Holly's shelter in the near-darkness, she debated once more in her mind whether it was right for her to intervene in the way she intended to. Ultimately, Shade would choose Kiva, or he wouldn't. She really had no business interfering in their relationship, despite her own personal feelings on the matter.

After how you treated him before he left, do you really think he'd still want you as his mate?

Well, it's not like he hasn't been sending out signals to the contrary.

He has to feel SOMETHING for me. He has to.

Ash clung to that hope, that perhaps in spite of the past, he might love her as much as she loved him, and that they could be together. But how could she go behind her friend's back like that, and completely betray her trust? What kind of dragon would she be if she deliberately sabotaged their relationship, whatever that might entail? Her love for Shade was starting to cause her physical pain, an ache in her chest only alleviated by being in his presence, hearing his voice, looking into his eyes…

"Ash."

The sharp whisper made her jump, and she looked around wildly, fearing that Svar might have sought her out again. Instead, her heart melted at the sight of two glittering blue eyes, peering out at her from the shadows of an alleyway.

"Shade? What are you—"

"Shh. Come here, I don't want anyone to see me. Or, rather, I don't really want to see anyone."

She obliged, glancing up and down the street to ensure that no one was watching. Satisfied that they wouldn't be disturbed, she sat as close to him as she dared, taking in his familiar scent and suppressing the giddy grin that threatened to split her face.

"If you don't want to see anyone, why are you out here?" she asked in a low voice.

"My apologies. I don't want to see anyone else. Just you."

At that moment, she could have sung like a Terrible Terror. Instead, she just nodded. "I'm glad you're back safe."

"So am I. We almost didn't make it."

That snapped her out of her euphoric daze. "Wait, what? What do you mean?"

"Aeri was taken, and used as bait to lure me into an ambush."

"What?!"

"Shhh!"

"Sorry," she whispered. "Explain. Now."

He told her how he'd woken from a nap to find her gone, but hadn't worried, until he'd heard her cry out in the distance. When he got to the part about the Typhoomerang, her stomach dropped. Any mention of those ill-tempered dragons made her feel ill.

"What would a Typhoomerang want with you?" she asked.

"There were two. The big one that had Aeri, and a younger one… the one that attacked you and Soren."

She couldn't help it. She gasped. A thousand thoughts coursed through her mind but she couldn't formulate the words to express the immediate panic that came over her in that moment.

"Hey, hey. It's okay," he said soothingly. "They had me pinned, and had thrown Aeri off the cliff, but Sahko and James came to our rescue. James got Aeri, and Sahko and I killed both of the Typhoomerangs. Everybody's alive and safe now."

"You killed them?" Despite her hatred of them, she didn't like the idea of Shade resorting to murder for any reason.

He gave her a look. "Yes? You do realize that they attempted to kill my human, and they would have killed me in the most humiliating and agonizing way they could possibly think of, right? Not to mention that the one tried to kill you and Soren."

"Well, yes, but…"

"I didn't have a choice, Ash. I couldn't let them live, not after what they had attempted. What if they tried again, with more Typhoomerangs, attacking the village? No. I do not regret what I had to do. I was not cruel in any way. Believe me, I wanted to make the younger one suffer for daring to even consider harming you and Soren and Aeri. But I'm not a vicious beast like he was. Their deaths were quick and merciful, all things considered."

Ash knew he was right. He had done what was best. They wouldn't hurt anyone else. Even so, she wished he hadn't had to be the one to do it.

He seemed to know exactly what she was thinking, because he leaned in and pressed his forehead against hers. "No one is allowed to hurt you, Ash. Anyone who tries will have to go through me. And I'm not going to play games or go easy on them."

Her heart fluttered. "You don't have to—"

"Oh, but I do," he said firmly. "And I will. Always."

His eyes were wide and intense, and she found she didn't know what to say. Was this a promise?

Without warning he blinked and the intensity in his gaze vanished, leaving his usual undecipherable expression. Stepping away from her, he smiled slightly. "I should get back to Aeri. She's been resting. Don't tell anyone you saw me, unless of course my family asks. I'm sure Cloudjumper has already alerted them to my presence. I'm glad we could talk, I…" he paused. "I missed you."

Before she could respond, he was gone, leaping fluidly to the roof next to them and disappearing into the night. As soon as he was gone, the grin she had been suppressing blossomed on her face.

I missed you, too, Shade.


Erik grimaced as he pulled his tunic over his head. Clean bandages were wrapped around his chest, concealing the unpleasant wounds healing there. He finally felt well enough to walk around, and he had decided that it was time for him to venture out. Not for long, but he had somewhere particular in mind.

Tightening the laces at his collar, he stiffly donned his vest and boots and slowly made his way downstairs. Wren was at the table, sketching in her 'secret notebook', but she glanced up and gave him a halfhearted wave before returning her focus to the page.

Taking a breath, he opened the front door and quickly slipped outside, smiling at the sudden cold. There was a biting wind but no snow was falling from the overcast sky at the moment, for which he was grateful. Crossing his arms gingerly, he began making his way down the hill. A few moments later, a surprised warble reached him, and he turned to see Storm bounding towards him, Skali on her heels.

"Hey, girls," he said affectionately, patting their heads. "I could use an escort, if you're not busy."

They grinned goofily, obviously still feeling playful, but they stayed at his side the entire walk, though his pace was slow and unsteady. He often had to stop to catch his breath, but carefully, as he couldn't take particularly deep breaths.

Finally they arrived at his destination, to his relief. "I'll be out soon, if you don't mind waiting for me."

They had no apparent objection, so he knocked on the door, doing his best to stand up straight. After a few moments the door opened a crack, revealing a weary looking woman. Her exhausted expression quickly transformed into one of surprise upon seeing him, though.

"Erik!" she cried, flinging the door wider and bidding him enter. "Hurry, get inside, where it's warm…"

Once within, he looked around curiously, taking in the cozy fire and the man asleep in one of the chairs.

"He's been eaten alive with worry," she said quietly of her husband. "It's been a trying time, to be sure. Oh, I'm so glad you're feeling better, though. We've been sending up prayers to the gods for you."

Her kindness touched him. "You don't have to do that."

"Of course we do. Without you, they might have never… well, you're all here, alive at the least, and that's all we could hope for."

He felt a surge of compassion for her. "I suppose so, but there's nothing wrong with hoping for more than that. I apologize for coming without notice, but I was hoping that…"

"Of course you can see them. Their room is upstairs, the door on the left. I don't think they're asleep, they don't seem to be able to get much rest without having terrible nightmares. I'm sure you've heard that they haven't spoken to anyone since your return, and that includes us. Perhaps, if they see you…"

"I'll see if I can be of any assistance. I'm not sure they'll even want to see me, but it couldn't hurt to try."

She nodded, the pain in her eyes speaking louder than any words. He felt humbled by her strength and kindness in the face of all that had happened. Giving her a reassuring smile, he ascended the staircase and turned to the door on the left. He knocked softly, knowing there would be no answer but wanting to alert them to his presence. After a moment, he entered, fighting his sudden nervousness.

The room, like the rest of the house, was on the smaller side, with two narrow beds pushed against opposite walls. A few candles lit the space with a warm glow, and everything appeared neat and tidy. Both beds were in use, their occupants facing the walls, covered in blankets and completely still, save for the occasional rise and fall that accompanied their quiet breathing.

Even without their mother's warning, he knew they weren't asleep. "I haven't brought any food, and I'm not particularly good company, but I wanted to see you two."

After a moment the blankets on the bed to his right shifted, until a pair of wide eyes was fixated on him.

"Erik?"

The voice was timid, but rough from disuse. Erik swallowed his intense surprise, he hadn't really expected to be acknowledged, let alone spoken to. But he took a small step closer, noting the crooked nose.

"Hey, Carsten."

"Wha- what are you doing here?"

"Well, like I said, I wanted to see you." He pointed to a chair next to the bed. "Do you mind if I sit down? I've been in bed all week and my strength has not yet returned."

A hesitant nod. Keeping his movements slow, he settled into the seat, wondering if he should wait for Carsten to speak first, then deciding he should act as normally as possible.

"Have many people been to visit?"

Carsten grimaced, and Erik desperately hoped he hadn't upset him. But after a few seconds he replied, "Mother said that a lot of people have come by. But only she and father and the healers have been up here. It's… hard."

Erik nodded. "I can imagine. How do you feel?"

"Compared to dead, I'm practically on top of the world."

"But…"

"But." The boy swallowed, his eyes suddenly shiny. "You were there, Erik. You saw it. I can't close my eyes without it appearing, flying at me with all its teeth and its horrid white eyes…" He was trembling, and Erik reached out on impulse and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Shh. It's alright, they're gone, they can't get you here or anywhere on Berk."

Carsten was rigid, clearly fighting back tears. "If you hadn't come for me, Erik, I might have died down there. I was such a coward, so weak…"

"No, Carsten," he stopped him. "You were in terrible danger. It's okay to be afraid. It was a powerful, wild dragon. There was nothing you could have done to stop it."

"There was nothing you could do, either, but you went down there anyways. I don't think I could ever be so brave." A tear rolled down his cheek, and suddenly words were pouring from him. "I'm a coward. I couldn't even help myself, how could I ever help anyone else? If it had been me on the surface and you taken, I wouldn't have known how to help Baldor. I wouldn't have even considered going in after you, trying to find you. I would have gone with everyone else to find your dad, and that's assuming any of us could have figured out where we were on the map. I would have let someone else be put in harm's way before risking my own life. I'm not brave, or intelligent, or resourceful… even when the gods-damned thing had us cornered, you were the one who stood strong. I fainted like a girl. If it had been up to me, we would have died. All of us. You were willing to sacrifice yourself, and almost did, because you wouldn't leave anyone behind. You didn't leave me behind. And now we are home and I won't even talk to my own parents because I know that I would break down just like this and everyone would know how much of a coward I am."

His body was shaking with his silent sobs as he voiced all of his fears and failures. Erik honestly didn't know what to do, but he knew he had to do something, say something, anything to help Carsten get past this.

"Carsten. Come on, Carsten, look at me." The twin sniffled, but obliged, even though his tears continued to fall. "You're not a coward for seeing a Whispering Death and being afraid. You're not a coward because you wouldn't risk your life for someone else. You're not a coward because you don't want to relive what you went through. Courage isn't the opposite of cowardice. Courage is doing something despite your fear. It was pretty stupid of me to go in after you with no plan and no protection, but that's because I could not in my heart walk away knowing that you were down there, alone, possibly dying or maybe even already dead. I know that you think that you would never do something like that, and I can hope that you wouldn't, because we both could have died. But I know for a fact that you are brave, and that if you had the chance to help someone who needed you, you wouldn't turn away. Maybe you feel like you can't be proud of yourself, but I sure would be. You survived being attacked by a Whispering Death. How many people can say that? And on top of that, you didn't soil yourself, which I'm convinced Torkild would have done if he had been in your position."

As he'd hoped, that elicited a surprised chuckle.

"I'm no better than you, okay?" He wanted Carsten to believe that as firmly as he did.

"But you are, Erik."

The croak had both him and Carsten turning to stare at the bed across the room. At some point, Baldor had turned to face them, and he was now watching them with what seemed to be sadness. Erik was privately thrilled that he had spoken, but felt he needed to address his comment.

"No, I'm really not. You know me, you know I have nothing worth bragging about—"

Baldor snorted. "Please. You're the smartest person I've ever met, you're a brilliant fighter, you know all kinds of random and useful information about dragons and life in general, you have the prettiest girl, the coolest dragon, your dad is the Chief… You could brag about any and all of that, but you have to rub it in by being the most courageous and selfless out of us all."

Erik's jaw dropped. He had never once in his life considered himself to be worthy of admiration or envy. But when it was spelled out like that… He shook his head. None of it mattered.

"Guys, I didn't do something amazing or special. I did what any one of us would have, I just had the idea first, and I'm bossier than the rest of you, so maybe it seemed like I was being brave, but really I was just as afraid. I'm not brave. All things considered, I'm extremely stupid. But that's not what matters. What matters is that we are alive and safe and that we will continue our lives, facing new challenges and adventures until we grow old and die. As for the other stuff, anyone could say the same, except for maybe the Night Fury thing. There are lots of Chiefs and those Chiefs have lots of children. It's not like we get to choose what families we are born into, I just got lucky. Since my parents always let me do what I wanted, I've had lots of time to learn about all that random and useful information, and practice fighting. My… friendship with Maara is great, because she's great, but she's not the only great girl out there. Your Zippleback is a fantastic dragon, too. Nothing you've said is any proof that I'm some great person. If anything, it highlights just how useless I am."

Both Carsten and Baldor looked completely taken aback. "Erik," Carsten said cautiously. "You're the most useful person I can think of, aside from your dad."

Before he knew it, Erik found himself voicing something he had suppressed for years. "That's just it, though. Nothing I do will ever compare to the things my father has accomplished. No matter what I do, I'll always be in his shadow. And that's okay, because I love him," he added quickly. "But anything I could do with my life is something that has already been done. Teaching at the Academy, exploring the world, even going after you into the Whispering Death tunnel… All of it is just an extension of my father, really."

"It's a given that your dad is great, Erik," Baldor sounded exasperated. "Because no one in history has ever done or will ever do again what he and Toothless have. They're legends. Gods, if you feel bad that you won't live up to him, join the club. I would hate to be your sister, to be honest. But no one compares you to him, okay? The only time anyone does that is to point out the ways you're like him. You're his son. We might tease you about being a dork, but that's because we can't even compare. Do I have to spell it out for you? You're more like your dad than we are like you. What's more, our parents might owe their lives to him, but Carsten and I owe our lives to you. You did that on your own. So stop trying to diminish that. It may seem like nothing to you but it's everything to us, and to our family."

Erik blinked in shock. His classmates thought he was the person he had always wanted to be, but never felt like. His mission to draw the twins out of their silence had apparently backfired.

"I… okay. I'm not agreeing with you, because you're crazy if you think I'm anything other than an extremely lucky nerd with an attitude problem. But I appreciate what you are telling me. Can we just be glad and thank the gods that we got off Dragon Island alive?"

Baldor rolled his eyes, but nodded. Carsten looked a little forlorn, though, prompting Erik to ask him what the matter was.

"Well, we're alive, but we're pretty messed up. I don't know how you sleep at night, Erik, but we hardly get any. That, and both my legs are broken. I don't know how I'm going to be able to walk again, let alone run, or fish, or fight…"

"Hey," Erik encouraged him. "At least you still have both your legs, right? It'll take time, but I'm sure you'll be able to do all that and more. Just try to be as patient as you can, and be compassionate towards yourself. We'll get there, I promise."

Carsten nodded, looking determined, and the three of them continued to converse about random thoughts and concerns and memories until they were all smiling and laughing. There was a knock on the door, and Carsten called out, "Come in!"

It opened to reveal the twins' parents, eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad," Baldor offered shyly, and their mother burst into tears and rushed in, followed by their father, and they embraced both of their sons and expressed their love for them, before turning to Erik and wrapping him in a series of gentle hugs, careful not to touch his chest.

Erik decided this was his cue to exit. "It was good to see you all," he told the family. "I should probably be getting back."

"Will you visit again soon?" Carsten asked, and Erik nodded.

"Of course."

"I'll walk you out, dear," their mother said, guiding Erik downstairs to the front door. Before opening it, though, she turned to him and embraced him again. When she stepped back, her eyes were filled with fresh tears, but she was smiling.

"I don't have the words to thank you, Erik."

"There's nothing to thank," he replied sheepishly, resisting the urge to look at his feet.

She reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Of course there is, and a hundred lifetimes would not be enough to express my gratitude to you for bringing them home physically and now mentally, as well. I'm not your mother but I am so very proud of you, Erik. You are always welcome here. If there is ever anything we can do for you, do not hesitate to ask. I hope you'll come by again soon."

He assured her that he would, and then went out into the frozen evening. Storm and Skali were waiting for him, and together they made their slow way back home. All the while, Erik was thinking of how profoundly grateful he was that the twins were on the path to recovery, and that he had actually managed to be of assistance to their family. Finally, they made it back to the top of the hill, and Erik said his farewells to the dragons before heading inside to be warmed by the fire.

His mother was there, reading a book about mace etiquette, and she looked up with a pleased smile as he entered.

"I was starting to get worried. Wren was entirely unhelpful when I asked her where you'd gone. Where have you been?"

"I went to see the twins."

Her smile faded. "Oh… How are they? Did they say anything?"

Erik thought for a moment about all they had talked about. "Yes. Yes, they did."

Astrid looked profoundly relieved. "Thank the gods. Do you think they'll be alright?"

"Only time will tell, but I'm feeling very hopeful about their chances."

"That's wonderful news. I'll be sure to tell your father when he gets home. In the mean time… you look a little worse for wear. Why don't you head to bed, and we can talk more tomorrow?"

He nodded in agreement, feeling slightly heavy from weariness, but pleased with his afternoon, then dragged himself upstairs to his bed, and was soon sound asleep.

A little over a week later, he stood in front of his mirror, staring at his bare chest, trying to be objective.

He was young, very fit, not deformed or particularly bad-looking, but seeing the scars left from his encounter with the Whispering Death made him feel entirely ugly.

The bandages were off, and this was what remained. Three vivid red lines, no longer open wounds, but shiny, puckered scars, forever marring him. To be truthful, they were a little frightening to behold.

He knew he should already be on his way to the Academy, his entire family had already left, but he just couldn't tear his eyes away. Running his fingers over the lines, he tried approaching it from a different angle.

Vikings love battle scars, he told himself. My own father lost a leg at fifteen, why am I so taken aback by something so purely aesthetic?

Maybe it was the realization that he was, in fact, mortal. Not that he'd ever felt invincible, but he'd always approached life with what might be considered recklessness. He could have been killed in those tunnels, trying to trap the first Whispering Death, or when he'd been knocked off of Storm. He was a human! Going against a dragon of any size was foolhardy, but unarmed and unprepared? Now and forever he would bear the evidence of his youthful folly, a vicious brand to serve as a reminder of his own powerlessness.

There was a soft knock at the door, and without turning he muttered, "Come in."

When Maara appeared next to him in the mirror, he threw up his hands, not wanting her to see the scars.

"Maara! I didn't- I thought-"

"Erik."

He stood, frozen, as she reached up and gently pulled his arms away from his chest.

"Why are you hiding?"

"Hiding? I'm not- okay, maybe I am."

She gave him a patient look, still holding onto his arms, and he sighed.

"They're pretty horrible. I've never much cared for my personal appearance, but for some reason I feel like I'm now too flawed."

For a brief second he thought he saw sadness in her eyes, but it was gone in an instant. "How would you feel if it was someone else with those scars?"

"Well, it wouldn't make a difference-"

"Then why do you see yourself differently now?"

He frowned. "I'm not sure. I guess it's a bit odd, since Vikings really do love this kind of thing. Maybe I don't like that I could have so easily been killed."

"I know exactly how you feel."

An irrational stab of irritation flared in him, and he pulled his arms from her grip, turning back to the mirror. "No, you don't."

"Actually, I do."

"How could you?" Immediately he cringed at his outburst, but she didn't reply. Instead, he saw her undo the clasp on her hood and let the garment fall to the floor. Then she ever so slowly began to tug on the laces at the collar of her shirt.

"Wha- what are you doing?" Despite his sudden alarm, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the skin appearing between the loosening ties. Until she took a deep breath, gripped her collar with both hands and pulled it completely open.

"We match, Erik."

His breath hitched. He could see from her throat to her breast bands, a swath of soft-looking skin that made his mouth dry. But that wasn't the most significant part of the display, not by a long shot. No, what had him turning around to see her and not just her reflection were...

"Are those... scars?" He lifted his gaze to meet hers, which was entirely resolute.

"Yes."

Her fingers were trembling ever so slightly as they held her shirt open, and he immediately stepped closer to her, placing one hand over hers and with the other reaching towards her skin. At the last moment, he paused, not wanting to touch her inappropriately, but she just nodded. So he brushed his fingertips over the pink lines, almost identical to the less faded ones on his own chest, that extended almost to her collarbone and disappeared beneath her breast bands. His shock was quickly curdling into shame.

"Maara, I'm... I'm so sorry. I didn't know. How did this happen?"

"Dragon raid," she said softly. "I went after a fully grown Grimler, and this is what I got for it. If not for Aeri and Shade's intervention, it likely would have killed me."

His eyes were wide as he traced them, trying to imagine them as fresh wounds and feeling immediately nauseated by the image.

"I've been hiding these since I got them. You are the only person, apart from my siblings and Aeri and the healers who worked on me, who knows I am so hideously marred."

"You are not marred." His vehemence surprised them both, but he didn't stop. "You are by far the most beautiful girl I have ever met, and these don't change a thing."

She let go of her shirt and hesitantly rested her hand on his chest, not quite touching the still-sensitive skin of his own scars. "You have to understand that these don't change anything about you, either, Erik. If anything, they've made you wiser, but that's nothing to feel bad about."

It was still hard for him to grasp that she had scars just like his. What were the odds? He didn't know, but a warm feeling was growing within him, understanding that she trusted him enough to bare herself to him in this way.

He leaned down and gently kissed her lips, squeezing her hand. When he raised his head, she was smiling slightly. Touching the largest scar one last time, he pulled the laces tight again, until her shirt was in its original state, covering all of her. But he would never forget what he had seen, and if he ever saw them again, he was determined to treat them as if they were extremely precious and beautiful, which, because they were a part of her, they truly were.

"Ready to graduate?" she asked, and he stifled a groan.

"I almost forgot. Do I really have to go?"

She laughed, standing up on her tiptoes to peck his cheek. "Since the twins are going to be there, I'd say that yes, yes you do."

"They won't miss me…" he tried to convince her, but she wasn't having any of it.

"I was sent to retrieve you, and now I understand why. Come on, stop being such a baby. It's surprisingly mild out today, too, so we should enjoy the respite from the constant snowing."

He reached up and began to twirl some of her hair around his finger. "You say mild, but I know that still means colder than Odin's—"

"Erik," she admonished, but she was grinning. "Could you at least put a shirt on? All this is a little distracting," she said, waving a hand at his chest.

"Hey, I thought you said the scars don't change anything," he said, mildly put out, but she just laughed again.

"I'm not talking about the scars, you goof. I mean everything else."

It took him a second to register what she was saying. His eyes widened, and he looked down at his bare torso, then back at her face. Was she… blushing?

"What, you've never seen a guy without a shirt on before?"

Maara rolled her eyes. "I have, but either they're old and overweight or I'm related to them. So, if you don't mind…?"

Unable to stop his grin from spreading, he moved closer to her, and immediately she took a step back. A surprised laugh escaped him. "Are you embarrassed?"

"No!"

"Then what is it?" he prodded.

Her face flushed an even brighter shade of pink, and she looked pointedly away from him.

"Oh, come on, stop being such a baby," he teased, enjoying her scowl. "Fine. If you tell me, I will get dressed and we can go to the Academy."

"Nuh uh."

Before she could react, he snatched her wrist and held her open hand less than an inch from his abdomen. She tried to yank her arm free, but he wouldn't budge, feeling supremely evil.

"How about I put your hand on my washboard abs?"

She snorted with disdain, but the look of panic was still on her face. "No, Erik, that's really not necessary—"

"Oh, you're totally right, I'm sorry. Here, let me…" He acted like he was going to release her wrist, but at the last moment yanked her closer and pressed her hand against his stomach. She gave an undignified squeak and started smacking his arm with her other hand.

"Erik! Let. Go!"

He laughed out loud. This was just too good. "I can't believe you're afraid of me, of all people, just because I have a slightly different body than yours."

"I'm not afraid," she scowled, then clammed up as if she'd said too much.

Too late. His curiosity was piqued. "Then what is it? Worried you might break your fingers on all this solid Viking-ness?"

"No," she ground out.

He was in a tough position. On the one hand, he desperately wanted to know what her problem with his shirtlessness was. He also couldn't give in and let her get away with not telling him. But on the other, it was terribly distracting to have her touching his bare skin, even though she hadn't done it on purpose.

As it was, she was actively leaning back, and he was the only thing keeping her from falling on her backside. Her blush was incredibly endearing, so he gave an exaggerated sigh.

"Fine. I give up," he tugged her closer to plant a kiss on the tip of her nose before letting her go. She looked rather surprised, and glanced back and forth between his face and chest, before a devious smirk settled on her features.

Before he even knew what was happening, she was pressed against him, running her fingers over his abs on her own volition. He sucked in a shocked breath, which she clearly took pleasure in.

"I find you extremely distracting, Erik," she murmured. "For your own safety, you really should be fully clothed around me from now on."

Her grey eyes glinted with wicked pleasure at his slack-jawed stammering. "I— I—"

She laughed, backing away from him to grab his tunic from his bed and toss it at him. Never had he put on a shirt so quickly, and he knew that his face was probably bright red. He really didn't want to look at her, but her hands were on her hips and she appeared positively diabolical as he rushed to cover up.

Once his tunic was in place, she handed him his vest, which he donned hurriedly. "See, that wasn't so hard," she beamed, taking his hand and lacing her fingers through his. "Let's go."

He blinked at the sudden shift, staring down at her in confusion. Did that just happen? She smiled sweetly at him, with no trace of her earlier predatoriness. Now that he was starting to think about it, though… Even though her intention had been to make him uncomfortable, she still pulled it off flawlessly. Either she was extremely experienced in the romance department, which he knew she wasn't, or she was a good actress, which he also knew wasn't true, or… She was being entirely genuine. The thought sent the heat rushing back to his cheeks with a mixture of excitement and terror. He already had no intention of letting her go, unless she truly wanted to be free of him. Which he fervently hoped she wouldn't. But his damnable teenage male self was shouting at the top of his lungs for another opportunity to remove some of his clothing, and hers, if she was so inclined.

Fortunately, he was logical above all else, and able to counter that. We need to be as close as possible on an emotional and mental level before we get back to the physical portion. Until that happens, I will be as loving and respectful of her boundaries as possible. If he had learned anything from the successful marriages around him, it was that emotional intimacy was just as rewarding, if not more so, than physical interactions. That stuff was just an added bonus.

Whoa. Did I just reference marriage? When thinking about my relationship with Maara? They were far too young to be married, and he felt a decision like that was at least a few years off. That being said, he rather liked the idea of having her at his side forever.

After all, he was hopelessly in love with her.

They were outside now, and he grinned with surprise. "You weren't kidding about the weather."

The sun was out. The thick layers of snow on the rooftops and piled at the sides of the streets shone a blinding white, and the icicles hanging down caught the light and sparkled prettily. It wasn't warm, not by a long shot, but there was hardly any wind, and he was just happy to see something besides solid grey clouds in the mid-afternoon sky.

Waiting for them were Storm and Mika, saddled and itching to fly. He hadn't actually flown since Dragon Island, because it took a great deal of upper-body tension, which he was trying to avoid, but he supposed it was probably fine at this point. A little stiffly, he climbed into the saddle. "Take it easy, girl, will you?"

Storm gave him an affirmative warble, and once Maara was on Mika, the two dragons took off smoothly, in the direction of the Academy. Soon they could see the old arena, surrounded by villagers and dragons. There was a clear space by the entrance, so they landed there, and for some reason, people started applauding. Confused, Erik looked around, and became even more bewildered when he realized that they were all looking at him. He managed to dismount without tripping, and Maara came up beside him and nudged him with her elbow.

"Wave or something," she said under her breath, and despite his confusion he raised a hand, and some people cheered louder.

This is weird, he thought as he turned into the tunnel, followed by Maara and their dragons. There were plenty of people in here, as well, but they got out of the way, shouting greetings to him all the while.

The inside of the arena was packed, but he could see his classmates and their dragons towards the front, so he made his way to them, making sure Maara was right behind him. As she'd said, the twins were there, sitting in wheeled chairs that his father had designed years ago for transporting injured individuals. They grinned widely as he approached, and he noted with pleasure that the circles under their eyes weren't so dark anymore.

Looking around, he caught sight of his entire family standing nearby, with Gobber, Fishlegs, and Winter, though the only dragons accompanying them were Toothless and Meatlug. Aeri and Wren waved cheerfully at him, and Alyka shot him a quick smile before turning back to Rorik, who was talking animatedly to her.

His father noticed his arrival, and immediately strode to the front, raising his hands for quiet. "Now that we are all here, we can begin!"


Ash was with Kiva in the crowd, watching the humans' ceremony. She'd seen it plenty of times, but Kiva had never been to one, so she'd explained that it was more or less their coming of age. Hiccup had begun to speak, and everyone had fallen silent, giving Ash the chance to look around. The five humans, including Erik and the two in the wheeled things, were being acknowledged as adults, which was great, but she couldn't afford to disregard her surroundings. She knew he was here, and had to make sure she kept Kiva out of his vicinity.

Kiva hadn't said anything, but Ash knew her friend was confused by her sudden clinginess. She hadn't let her out of her sight since Shade had returned, and it was proving to be even more challenging than she'd originally bargained for. Every morning, she had to wake up earlier and seek Kiva out, and then find excuses to be near her until they both went to sleep. This meant hours upon hours of listening to her friend talk about Shade, and interacting with the other colony Furies, including Svar. The one upside to this was that he couldn't catch her alone anymore. But this couldn't go on forever. She was bored and nervous all at once, and starting to get jumpy. There was no way she wasn't behaving suspiciously, but no one had confronted her yet, so she figured she could keep it up.

There. Across the arena. He was with his mother and younger siblings, watching the proceedings, but as soon as she'd located him, his gaze flickered up to meet hers. Her heart thumped in her chest, and she wondered if he'd already known where she was. Not that it mattered, but she thought he might be smiling. It was hard to tell. The humans cheered suddenly, distracting her, and she looked down to see that Erik's female human had been called forward from the crowd. From what she could tell, the girl was also being celebrated, though she looked extremely surprised.

The cheers died down and Hiccup continued talking, and Ash glanced back up to find Shade's eyes still pinned on her. She resisted the urge to stick out her tongue at him, then remembered who she was with. When she looked out of the corner of her eye, her stomach did a nervous flip. Kiva was staring across the arena at Shade, though Ash didn't think she'd noticed that he wasn't looking at her. It wasn't the first time that an aggressive possessiveness had come over her at her friend's fixation on the dragon she loved, but as always, she knew it would be foolish to act on it. Truth was, Kiva had gotten there first. Fair was fair.

Shade was now watching the ceremony, and Ash wondered if he'd noticed Kiva. How could he not? A new sense of inadequacy washed over her. Ash would never be as beautiful as Kiva, or as nice. Kiva had also never hurt Shade before, or driven him away. Maybe Shade just saw her as a childhood friend, that he could confide in and joke around with but never love.

She swallowed painfully. What am I doing? She loved him. Whether or not he felt the same, she wanted him to be happy. Though it hurt her to admit it, perhaps Kiva would be better for him.

The humans erupted into cheers again, snapping her free from her terrible reverie. Apparently the ceremony was over. She watched him with his family, hoping he would look in her direction again, but he didn't. The crowd was in motion, now, heading back to the village. When she lost sight of them, she sighed, turning to Kiva.

Her heart stopped when she realized her friend wasn't there. Where did she go? How did I not notice her leaving? Immediately she began to panic, angry at herself for losing focus, and fearing desperately for what was sure to happen if she didn't find Kiva soon.

"Hey, Ash."

Doing her best to hide her overwhelming anxiety, she found Lightning at her side. "Hi, Lightning…"

Shade's mother seemed to notice her edginess. "Is everything alright?"

"Um…" Well, she couldn't exactly tell her what she was afraid of. Well, my friend is in love with your son, and she wants to make him her mate, but I'm also in love with him, and I've been sabotaging her efforts because I don't want them to be together, even though he'd probably be happier with her… "Do you know where Shade is?"

Ash didn't like the oddly knowing look in Lightning's blue eyes. "He and his siblings went to the feeding station. Are you sure everything is okay?"

"No," she blurted, immediately regretting her words, but unable to take them back.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Yes. "Not right now… I've got to go. Thanks, Lightning."

Without waiting for the older female's reply, Ash ran off through the thinning crowd. There were humans and dragons everywhere, no place to spread her wings… An idea struck her and she changed her course, heading for the cliff's edge. In a single leap she was falling, finally able to spread her wings.

In a matter of moments she landed in the square, frantically looking around and becoming increasingly upset that she couldn't find them.

"Ash!"

This time it was Soturi, appearing especially unhappy.

"What is it? Where is Shade?"

"That's the problem! If Storm was with us this wouldn't have happened, but she's back at the Academy…"

"Soturi. What happened?"

"Kiva," she replied miserably. "She intercepted us before we even got here. Skali and I had to stay with Soren so there was nothing we could do, you've got to do something, Ash!"

Ash couldn't help her curiosity. "Why are you so upset?"

"Are you not?"

A humorless laugh escaped her. "I suppose I am."

"Storm told me she wants Shade as her mate and she'll do anything to make it happen. She also said you're the only one who can do anything about it."

"Well, I don't know about that last part, but… where did they go?"

"I think they were heading to the forest. Hurry, Ash."

"I will. Thanks Soturi." With that, she took off, racing to the tree line. They were nowhere in sight, so she landed, sprinting along the edge of the forest until she picked up his unmistakable scent and caught sight of fresh prints in the snow. Without hesitation she followed them, turning her back on the setting sun.

She did her best to be quiet in her haste, her thoughts spiraling madly in her head. How am I supposed to interrupt this? There's no way I'm going to be able to barge in and make it seem like I'm not deliberately interfering… A minute later she heard voices and slowed, still unable to justify her presence. They seemed to be in a small clearing, so she hid behind a large bush, trying and failing to calm her panicked mind.

"What are we doing out here?" Shade was asking.

"I wanted to speak with you, privately."

"And we couldn't do that closer to the village?"

"Well, I was thinking that we could do more than just talk."

Bile rose in Ash's throat, and she had to grind her teeth together to stop herself from roaring her outrage. She needed to see what they were doing.

Keeping herself low to the ground, she inched her face around the edge of the bush, depending on the undergrowth to conceal her. Fortunately, it was evening, and the forest was shadowed and dark, despite the snow.

Shade was sitting in the middle of the space, his back to her. Kiva was approaching him with what Ash knew was a seductive look in her eyes.

"You what?" His voice was level but Ash detected the strain there, noticed the tension in his posture. She hoped fervently that it wasn't self-restraint but that it was simply discomfort.

"I think you know what I mean, Shade," she purred.

"I think you shouldn't play games, Kiva." Uh oh. Ash knew that tone. It signaled that his tolerance had run out.

"No games, Shade. I'm perfectly serious."

"So am I. What do you want?"

Kiva pouted. "You, of course. We haven't been spending any time together and I want that to change."

"We can spend time together in the village—"

"Quality time. No other humans or dragons. Just us."

"Why?"

She looked taken aback, but forged on. "So we can get to know each other better, grow closer…"

"And you decided that bringing me out here would accomplish that."

"Well, yes."

"Kiva. I'm going to ask you one last time. What do you want?"

Ash knew this was it. Kiva was clearly aware that she was losing him, and and instead of backing off, she was going to make her last play.

"I want to be your mate, Shade." He didn't immediately reply, so she kept talking, making Ash cringe. "From the first time we met I knew I wanted that. And I know I could make you happy."

"You don't even know me." His voice was hard, and in her mind Ash was screaming at Kiva to let it go, to give up, but she persisted.

"Sure I do! You're so strong and noble, everyone can see it, not just me. And I know you're dedicated, to your family and human and all of Berk. I want to be a part of that. I would miss the colony but I like it here, and if we were together it would be worth it. Don't you think so?"

Her earlier confidence was quickly being replaced by something akin to desperation. Ash couldn't blame her for that, Shade could be frightening beyond all belief if he was in a mind to do so. And she got the feeling that he was definitely in that mind right now.

"I'm sorry if you got the impression that I had intentions toward you, Kiva. But I assure you, you could not make me happy, and I know that I would not make you happy either."

"But—"

"No, Kiva. I'm serious. I have no feelings for you, and I'm sure that whatever you feel for whoever you think I am will pass. Nothing will change that. Let it go, let me go, and move on." His voice softened slightly. "You deserve someone who will love you. I am not that someone."

With that, he turned and took off, vanishing in a moment. Leaving Kiva standing alone and forlorn in the clearing. Ash debated with herself for a moment. Should she go to her friend right now, and comfort her? Or should she follow Shade and make sure he was okay?

It didn't take her long to make up her mind. Silently, she crept away from the clearing, heading in the direction Shade had flown. She had a pretty good idea of where he had gone.

A while later, the sun had set, but the sky was still unusually clear, glittering with countless stars and the full moon. She came up to the edge of the cove, immediately spotting him on the shore, staring at the water. After a moment's hesitation, she dropped down soundlessly behind him, wondering if she should approach him. She didn't have to wonder long.

"Random Questions."

"What?" She hadn't been expecting that.

"You heard me. I'll go first. What are you doing out here?"

Well, honesty was usually the best policy. "I followed you. What are you doing out here?"

"Oh, just enjoying the solitude. Why did you follow me?"

"I wanted to. I don't think I need to remind you that no dragon is supposed to be outside of the village alone. Why did you come here to enjoy the solitude?"

"I can't say it's because I wanted to be followed. Also, I think that one trip to the cove by myself is probably acceptable. What made you want to follow me?"

"I can't say. Why didn't you want to be followed?"

He turned and gave her a long, unreadable look. "You were following me, were you not? I think you know perfectly well why I came here alone. Why can't you say what made you want to follow me?"

"Because I don't know. Why won't you tell me why you came here alone?" She wanted to hear him say the words. That he had denied Kiva.

"'Because I don't know.' Why are you lying?"

"Because I'm afraid. Why are you lying?"

"It could be that I'm afraid, too. Why are you afraid?"

"Because… because of you. Why are you afraid?"

"Because of you. Why are you afraid of me, Ash?"

"Why are you afraid of me?" she asked incredulously.

"That's not how the game works," he said.

"I don't care. Tell me."

"Fine. I'm afraid of what you do to me."

"And what is it that I do to you?"

"Nope. My turn. Why are you afraid of me?"

"What's not to be afraid of?"

"Ash."

She couldn't say it. "I don't know."

He growled in frustration, turning away from her. "If you don't know, maybe you shouldn't be here."

"Shade…"

"No. I don't know what I was expecting. Just go, Ash."

"No."

"Then I'll leave."

Her heart dropped. "No!"

But he was spreading his wings.

"Shade, please, listen to me…" Desperation clawed at her. If he left now, their relationship would never be the same. She couldn't let him go.

She had to tell him.

"I love you!"

He immediately froze, his back to her.

Her whole body shook at the confession, and she willed herself to stand still as he slowly turned around to face her. He stared at her, and she silently begged him to say something, anything.

For a moment, he looked almost as though he were fighting an internal battle. He closed his eyes, but when he opened them, they burned with something deep and unnameable, something that made Ash shiver with anticipation. Slowly and silently he walked over to where she stood, circling her. She didn't move, but a thrill raced through her when she felt his breath on her neck as he ever so softly nuzzled her there.

"You love me." It wasn't a question.

"I love you," she whispered, and she felt his tail tracing lines on her back.

"Do you, though?" His larger body pressed against her side, and it was all she could do to not turn to face him.

"I do..."

"Say it like you mean it," he growled quietly in her ear, and she shivered again, slowly turning her head to look him in the eyes.

His unreadable gaze had shifted into something powerful, something heated, something... passionate.

"I love you, Shade." Her heart pounded in her chest even as his face betrayed nothing.

"Good," he said softly, pausing. She felt rather than saw his wing drape over her back, pulling her even closer, and in his expression she saw a deep possessiveness that, instead of angering her, made her knees weak.

"What about… what about Kiva?" She hated to say her name, to bring her into this moment, but she had to know.

"Kiva means nothing to me."

"But…"

"Ash." He had her tightly against him, and she could feel his strength. Not just the might of his body, but the sheer power of himself. Everything about him was intoxicating, magnetic. Even if she wanted to, she could not escape him now.

"I love you, Shade. But I need to know." She hated that her voice trembled.

"Then know."

Suddenly he released his hold on her, and she found herself being pressured towards the ground and she swallowed, unable to resist. He was barely touching her now, but she understood, and lowered herself into her side, not breaking eye contact. She had not intended for this to happen when she followed him, but she had no misgivings. It was what she wanted, more than anything. He gently pressed her shoulder, rolling her onto her back, and leaned down close to whisper in her ear.

"There has never been anyone else, Ash. You are the only one who has ever captured my heart, and it belongs to you forever."

Such a tide of emotion surged through her at that moment that she thought her heart might burst. "You… love me?"

He drew his head back just far enough so that he could look into her eyes. "I always have, and I always will."

"Say it." Her voice was a whisper, but it was as much a command as his own. A slight smile ghosted across his features, vanishing in a moment.

"I love you."

And there was nothing else that needed to be said.

Ash tried to keep her breathing steady as he loomed over her, blocking out the moonlight. She couldn't help her nervousness, after all, she was very new at this. And he's so big. She tried not to think about the implications of his size, and ended up squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

When he softly nuzzled her cheek, she actually flinched, and he immediately stopped, drawing away.

"I'm not going to do anything you're not ready for, Ash."

His voice was gentle, and she opened her eyes to see him gazing down at her with… kindness? She didn't want his kindness! Well, yes, that, but also more!

"I'm ready." She did her best to sound confident, and for a moment she thought it had worked.

"Don't lie to me." He didn't seem angry, though. Rather, he sounded patient, caring, kind. "It's okay."

Ugh. Why did he have to be so sweet? "I'm not lying, Shade. I want this. I want you."

A deep rumble sounded in his chest, sending shivers down her spine. She was deeply conscious of how he stood over her. They had never been so close in this way before. From what she understood, males were insatiable when it came to this stuff, but Shade was acting like she wanted to take a walk around the village! Why couldn't he be more… she had no idea. More something!

"What?" His voice interrupted her thoughts.

"What?"

"I can practically hear you thinking from here. What is it?"

Ash debated saying what was on her mind, and her face must have reflected her inner turmoil, because he immediately stepped off of her and sat down next to her. Her jaw dropped at the sudden motion. What? This was moving in the exact opposite direction she had planned on. To make matters worse, he looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"Don't you dare laugh at me," she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I wouldn't dream of it, love." Ash couldn't help the flutter her heart gave at the term of endearment. "So, what are you thinking?"

Realizing that she was laying on her back for no reason, she quickly rolled over, unsure of what to say but rapidly becoming irritated with the turn of events.

"Look, Ash, it's okay if—"

Her frustration boiled over. "No! It's not okay!"

He looked taken aback. "Uh, dare I ask why?"

"Because… because…" Ash didn't know how to say it.

His eyes glittered with amusement, so she scowled at him. "If you tell me 'it's okay' again I swear—"

"But it's okay—"

That's it! She pounced, catching him off guard, and they tumbled over until he was on his back with her sprawled on top of him. "What did I say?" she demanded.

"That it's not okay to tell you that it's actually okay?"

She lightly smacked him in the face with her paw, but couldn't resist his smile. So she leaned down and nuzzled him, taking pleasure in the deep rumble emanating from his chest. Emboldened, she slowly licked his neck, her heart racing, before peeking up at his face. His eyes were trained on her, but she couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"Mm… I wouldn't do that, if I were you." His voice was soft.

"Why?" she tried to sound sultry.

"Because my self-control is hanging by a thread, and I can't keep telling you 'it's okay' when you're purposely driving me insane."

What? She was actually affecting him? Doubtful. He was so composed, so Shade.

"I don't believe you," she finally said, and not breaking eye contact, leaned down and gently nipped his shoulder. Something flashed in his gaze and that was her only warning before she found herself on her back again, solidly pinned beneath a large, exasperated Night Fury.

Ash tried to wriggle free, but he only settled his weight more firmly on her until she gave up, rolling her eyes.

"I warned you," he said, his voice dark, and immediately she began to worry. "Now you'll have to pay the consequences…"

Well, she didn't like the sound of that. She searched his gaze, searching for some sign of humor, but he seemed perfectly serious. He slowly brought up a paw, and she gulped as he ran it down her side, until—

He started tickling her. "AH! Please, ple-e-e-ase, oh, STOP IT!" she shrieked, struggling to free herself, to no avail. Finally he stopped, but only because he was laughing too hard to continue. "I hate you!" she hissed, breathing hard, but he only laughed harder.

"I love you too." Looking thoughtful, he lifted himself until he stood over her once again. Feeling bereft, Ash reached up and rested a paw on his shoulder, holding him in place. They were so close, and as he lowered his head to hers she couldn't help how her heart raced. His breath was warm on her cheek as he nuzzled her, and when he slowly trailed his tongue along her neck, she could only close her eyes and revel in the sensation, her body gradually heating up.

Teeth retracted, he returned her nip where her neck met her shoulder, and she didn't bother trying to suppress the whimper that escaped her. She was breathing hard again, but for a completely different reason.

"Shade…" she gasped, at a loss for words.

"Yes?" It was a strained growl, and through her daze she met his eyes, momentarily distracted by his enormous pupils.

"I want…" she broke off as he nibbled at her jaw.

"What do you want, Ash?"

"I want… you."

Another deep rumble resonated from within his chest. "Are you sure?"

"I've never… been so sure… of anything in my life."

"Then… you can have me."

Her breath left her in a shuddering gasp at his words, and she closed her eyes, simply feeling as he slowly adjusted himself over her, continuing to nuzzle her neck.

"Look at me, Ash."

Trembling, she obeyed, meeting his intense gaze.

"I love you," he said simply, and then they were one.


o.O

I can't decide if I should be crude or annoyingly cheerful, so I'll just say, "And then they lived happily ever after."

Except... you all know me well enough by now. Since when do I allow you to enjoy a moment like this without promptly pulling the rug out from under you? Some of you probably already know what's going to happen next, but I won't spoil it for those of you who aren't certain.

Well, let me know what you think. This has been 56 chapters in the making, people. Not to mention the end of OtN. So...

Let the games begin ;)