Life As We Know It

Rated; M for Mature
Pairing; Hiccup & Toothless(Tallon)
Disclaimer; I do not own anything HTTYD-related. Everything belongs to its original creator.

63)

=Toothless's POV=
(8/30/2019-9:00 pm)
(Archipelago; Isle of Berk)
(Hooligan Village Docks; Hiccup & Toothless's Boat)

I had gone out to Dragon Island to handle a dragon issue, fighting over territory. It took most of the day to dispute it all out and get things to stop. When I returned to Berk, realizing everyone was in the hall; I couldn't help but be really shocked and then beyond mad to hear people trying to convince Hiccup to kiss someone. I heard Hiccup give in to a cheek kiss, which I wouldn't have been mad about, but got me angry was Hiccup saying he developed a migraine that he spent all day trying to get rid of and they now brought back. Nothing about it seemed right. I asked some of the dragons sitting outside the hall what was going on, and they told me about two fake ceremonies, one about becoming Chief, and another for some wedding. I figured it out right away. It was why Stoick was being so agreeing to everything, because it was all fake and to trick Hiccup into becoming Chief and marrying him off to some girl. And it made sense why Stoick was wondering why some alcohols set Hiccup over the edge; they planned to get Hiccup wasted while I was gone so that the consummation could happen and they'd just tell Hiccup and Ragna had sex when she was really gonna take advantage of Hiccup's drunken state. Gods! How had I not seen it coming!? I was mad at myself, but it didn't matter because I had to stop this.

And from the moment I burst through the door to stop things; it went crazy with Stoick giving Hiccup an ultimatum with kissing Ragna to finalize the marriage or he'd kill me. I saw how betrayed and heartbroken Hiccup became when his father outright admitted to everything. I never even had to say anything in explanation; Stoick didn't bother hiding what he was doing. The next odd part was my father showing up with my siblings. As confused as I was on things; I was thankful for what he did as he revealed that because Hiccup and I were legally mates already; the marriage to Ragna was void. I could have done without us having sex coming out, but I understood that it was needed for validation that our marriage was legal. It didn't matter to me anymore; things were out now. My father said he'd handle whatever was going on in the hall, but that I should take Hiccup out for some air and to get away from everything happening. I wasn't about to argue with him; Hiccup was a mess and I could feel that he needed me.

When we reached the boat; he broke down on me for half an hour. Actually sobbing; I didn't need him to tell me anything, I was there for everything done and said. Hiccup managed to fall asleep, tired from the migraine and probably the crying too. I didn't dare move as he was gripping my shirt tightly, so I've just held him all this time. No one came to the boat, or tried to bother us. I assure that was likely the dragon guards we had around us; I sensed them there. We had gotten here around 5 pm, and he knocked out around 5:45 after the breakdown. He's been asleep all this time, and I didn't want to wake him. Hell, I knew the first thing he'd want to do when he woke, if he was calm enough, was get the hell out of the Archipelago and never come back. I knew that was coming, but we did need to handle things here first if we weren't returning. Hiccup needed to make that statement of self-exile official, to Stoick's face, before we could leave with no ties here anymore. I remembered what Hiccup said about it.

I sighed lightly, still holding Hiccup before he started to shift a little and I looked at him. "Hiccup?"

Hiccup glanced up at me tiredly; his eyes were still red and kind of puffy from crying earlier. "We have to go back in there and face everyone, don't we?"

"It's all out in the open now, babe." I told him gently as he sat up some, rubbing his eyes to wake up more. "I assume we're leaving for good?"

"I don't know if its going to be that easy anymore…" Hiccup looked down a little.

"What do you mean?" I wondered.

"Before you had come…There was another ceremony. The transfer of position one; meaning the current Chief retires and gives it to their firstborn child. I'd been asked earlier to take part, to show the other upcoming leaders how things went. Basically, act like it was happening to me to show them. However…I think it was part of the lie, like the mock wedding. I think he actually made me Chief of the Hooligans…It had everything the ceremony should have, even the ash blessing symbol of Chief being drawn on my forehead by Gothi…" Hiccup closed his eyes.

"Oh, this makes it even better, Hiccup. He made you Chief for real, then you're in charge. You could appoint someone new as Chief, or whatever. Or give it back to him and leave anyway." I offered.

Hiccup scoffed hatefully almost. "He doesn't deserve to be Chief after what he did today…And I feel like a lot of the leaders and tribe agrees. Stoick was never known for being cruel or…Vindictive like this. That's not what made the people love him so much. I'll figure something out…For now; I just want all this over, so I can come back here and sleep. My head is killing me, I don't feel good anymore…I just want to be away from everyone…E-Except you…"

"I think we can definitely make that happen, love. The sooner we go, the sooner we can fulfill that desire to be alone. Also, I have questions for my father and why he's here…The packs usually don't come this far into the Archipelago because it's cold and we like the heat. I've adjusted, as I've been here so long between being under Red Death's control, and living with you." I stated.

"So, that guy was really your dad?" Hiccup inquired.

I nodded to him. "Yeah, and the others were my siblings. They're using modern names, and the last name of Raseri…Which is what you gave me when I was known as Tallon. And he knew we were mates, and the mark even though you have it covered right now. And he knew about our engagement as humans too. Makes me wonder if they've been watching me to know such things." I pondered. "No matter, it's a question for him. We'll go whenever you're ready, love."

"Might as well get it over with…Let me just use the bathroom and make it look like I didn't break down then crash…" Hiccup mumbled, working his way out of my arms to use the bathroom on the boat. After about five minutes; he came out looking a little better. I went in to relieve myself next, then we held hands and took a breath before exiting the boat and getting on the docks to return to the Great Hall.

. . .

(9:30 pm)
(Hooligan Village; Great Hall)

I knew Hiccup dreaded returning to the hall; he wanted nothing more than to pack up the boat and bail without telling anyone. Yet, he admitted to me on the walk to the hall, which we took our sweet time doing, that he promised Gobber he would say goodbye and let him see Hiccup one more time before we left for good. Also, we needed to get our modern friends home and there was debate in how to do this since four of them were related to leaders of other tribes. Obviously, they'd have things to handle in either place before a decision was reached, but I knew Hiccup wanted to leave and never come back. I had no doubts Hiccup still loved his father, but he wouldn't forgive him after all this. There was no way. And if I got my hands on Stoick; I'd throttle his neck until I watched the life drain from his eyes for hurting Hiccup this way when he was well warned not to do it again.

Ascending the stairs to the hall, I made sure Hiccup was alright first. It seemed like he was thoroughly depressed, but I couldn't blame him and he had the right to be upset; I just didn't want him to hurt himself or slip too far down in this. He was taking deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. I held his hand tightly and smiled reassuringly that I was with him and everything would be okay. Reaching the doors, I pushed them open and it seemed the room instantly silenced at the sight of us. I knew it was late, but apparently no one had left the hall in the last four hours since everything happened.

"Ah, son. There you are. I was about to send your sister to fetch you." Drake stated.

"No need to fetch me, father. I am a dragon, not a dog. Speaking of dragons-," I began, but he put his hand up.

"Explanations will come in time, my dear boy." Drake informed as Toothless mumbled, but nodded. "Now, come and sit. There's much to discuss and deal with. However, I went ahead and got the story and will relay how all this came to be in short summary for you both."

"I…Really don't want to hear that my father went behind my back, no regard for my wants, and lied to me to suit his own desires…" Hiccup muttered as I led him over to the table where our modern friends were, and my siblings.

"I understand, lad…But his crimes should be heard by all. I sent everyone out of the hall while you were away to only deal with those involved." Drake informed.

Hiccup sighed. "Very well…" He folded his arms over his chest, not even looking mad; just upset.

My father went on to explain that this idea to force Hiccup into marriage and becoming the next Chief of the tribe when Hiccup and Toothless left early morning to check the barrier the day before more modern world dwellers crossed through. The story was easily understood that Madguts, Alvin, UG, and Gunnar put it together for Stoick and he went along. But later on after Alvin learned he had a son and daughter; decided it was wrong and after the good Hiccup has done for the world, and decided to pull out and try to get Stoick to change his stance because it would hurt Hiccup. However, Stoick did not change his mind and Alvin had just warned this morning that the entire plan was going to backfire and what happened would be the outcome.

"Now, son…How did you know everything was a trick?" My father addressed me now.

"I'd come back earlier than I originally planned and heard them pressuring Hiccup through the door to kiss Ragna. I suppose everything just seemed to form in my head and I realized that it was Stoick's way of locking Hiccup to the island so he couldn't leave and return to Norway again if he had a wife, child on the way, and was named Chief." I replied.

"Right, I assumed such. We've been watching from the shadows since your first trip here in June. All around, guarding, and hiding our scent and energy until tonight when things seemed to go a bit out of control." Drake said.

"Oh, so you knew my dad was gonna pull this and let it happen anyway…" Hiccup muttered as I put my arm around his shoulder for comfort.

"I made sure things were stopped before it got out of hand, did I not?" Drake reminded.

"After it already happened, sir. You knew this was coming, what he was going to do…And you let him do it. I mean no disrespect…But why?" Hiccup asked.

"Son, I promise I will explain my reasoning for staying quiet once this is through. You will understand." Drake vowed. Hiccup sighed, and nodded in acceptance of the answer. I watching him lay his head down on his arms.

"Dad, can we wrap this up as soon as possible. Hiccup has a migraine and I really don't want it to hit the point where he can't deal with light or sound…" I asked. I knew that position Hiccup was going into; this was too much for him to deal with despite the room not having much sound. I didn't want to see him get sick and I knew he was upset too; he didn't want to fall apart in front of everyone.

"Well, as I understand things…The next phase of this needs Hiccup, my boy." Drake said as Hiccup glanced at him and I arched a brow. "One of the ceremonies held was a transfer of position, from Heir to Chief. Hiccup was led to believe it was to show other what it was like, but his father did actually have the ceremony performed to make Hiccup leader of the tribe. Right now, he's Chief of the Hooligans, not his old man. Stoick's fate for his crimes against-,"

"I didn't do anything that wasn't meant to happen!" Stoick argued. "He was first and only born to me, that makes him Heir and he can't just keep gallivanting around doing whatever he wants when he wants. He needs to grow up and take his place in the tribe. All I've done is ensure that, like any good father would do."

Hiccup raised his head, glaring. "Shut the hell up!"

Stoick's eyes widened a bit. "You can't talk to-," He tried.

Hiccup stood up this time. "Yes, I can. Your lies to make me do what you wanted named me Chief of the tribe, officially, which you're part of still as former Chief. So right now, I'm in charge of you and I'm telling you to shut up. Not as your son either, as your Chief. A good father would do what Alvin did, wanting his son to be happy, regardless of born status! The man just learned he had children less than a week ago, and he understands what it means to do whatever for your kids to be happy, so he's not forcing them to stop the lives they have built to rule the tribe, and be part of something they never have before. I've never wanted to be Chief, and you goddamn knew it! What you did was what you wanted to do because you don't accept that I'm in love with Toothless!" Hiccup raged as Toothless winced at the noise.

The anger and hurt was very evident that you didn't need to be a dragon to feel what Hiccup did right now. "I'm not like you, I'm never going to be. But you had to push and push, so here we are. I'm different, Dad. You've known it for basically all my life. And if anything before fifteen wasn't obvious that I'm not your typical Viking in anything other than this is where I was born...Sparing, befriending, and riding a Night Fury should have done the trick. But no, you're so lost in your self that you can't see anything other than what you want! And I'm always the one who suffers for it! We've had this argument a thousand times over and I'm sick of it. You don't listen to me, and you don't care what I want. I found how to stop the war, you saw that I was a traitor, and I nearly died to fix your mistake of taking almost the entire tribe to their deaths on Dragon Island because you wouldn't listen when I said Red Death was not a dragon you could defeat by normal means! Just that being the prime example."

"Every single time you don't listen to me...Not even so much as a member of the tribe, but as your friggin son...I get hurt, whether that's physical or emotional hurt. I'm the one who suffers, because of you. Now, for once in your fucking life, listen to me and shut that hole in your face before I let Toothless close it for you; I know how badly he wants to make you pay for hurting me, again, after the warning not to. However, my punishment will be far worse than anything physical Toothless does to you because I'm just angry enough to cast you out and make you a prisoner for life on Outcast Island." Hiccup glared hard, clenching his hand to a fist until it cracked.

"Yo-You wouldn't do that…You're not a cold person, Hiccup…I-I didn't do anything that bad…" Stoick tried, actually showing a little fear of his son's threat.

"Oh…You don't know what kind of person I am…" Hiccup gave a half laugh. "In fact, if you knew anything about me; we wouldn't be in all this because you would have accepted me as I am and wanted me to be happy. You don't know what people can become when you push them far enough and if you keep talking when I've told you to fucking shut it…You're gonna push me over the edge to do something drastic to make sure you can't do anything else ever again." He warned. "You've given me hell for years because I wasn't your kind of Viking. Because I wasn't like you. I'm like my mother, aren't I? Different from everyone else, and you couldn't accept that after she got taken by a dragon…Could you? I didn't just lost my mom all those years ago…I lost you too. So excuse me if I don't see you as my father when you've never been that to me. If it's anyone in this very room who has that title…It's Gobber."

The look on Stoick's face showed shame and hurt that Hiccup said what he did. "You've never acted like my father. My Chief, sure. Never my dad. It was Gobber who taught me how to take care of myself, who made me laugh, took care of me when I was sick…Who gave me his storage room because you always locked me out of the house and wouldn't be back til late. I have a bedroom at Gobber's…And a key. I basically lived there til I was twelve. Gobber, who taught me everything I know…And let me be myself. He never tried to change me to something I'm not. He's the one who told me the day I shot Toothless down to stop trying so hard to be something I'm not. It used to bug me…But I realized over the years that wasn't him telling me to change; he wanted me to be who I am. Stop trying to be your Viking son, and be me." Hiccup explained.

"Gobber has always accepted, supported, and loved me just as I am. So the man I consider and call my dad, is him and he knows it too." Hiccup remarked. "You know all the times I considered self-exile, and wouldn't come back….Gobber told me he'd miss me, and hoped I would visit if allowed…But if not, and I made the choice to leave for good; he just wanted to see me one more time. Even at the thought of never being able to see me again; he supported it. Where the hell were you? Oh, I know…Your body was here…But everything that made you even half a decent man was taken when my mom was." He added coldly. "I told you months ago that I didn't want to be Chief of the tribe. I told you I didn't want to lead the people who, up until Toothless came into my life and we stopped the war at risk of our own lives, didn't even give a damn about me. Except Gobber, and Gothi. And Astrid too, who rallied the others. But before that…Did anyone know me as anything other than your biggest disappointment and embarrassment?"

Stoick kept his head down. "Did anyone even see me as Hiccup? As myself? Or was I just…Stoick's only son? No one knew me as me. And even after the war ended…I was known as a hero, the next Chief, the pride of Berk…But when was I just Hiccup? I wasn't. Regardless of knowing all that; I've always stayed loyal to the tribe that was ready to throw me out over befriending a dragon. I've always been impartial to everyone. I've always kept these people safe and stuck my neck out on the damn chopping block to ensure the peace stays. And all the good I've done…You apparently don't think it's enough to let me have what I want? I want a normal life, in Norway, with Toothless. I wanna work my back-breaking, vocal-chord straining, busy ass week cooking and singing for huge groups of people who scream when I show up. I want my house that Toothless and I bought together. I want to be with him, away from all the ridiculous traditions you still follow about having to get married and have a legitimate child in order to be Chief…I want normal. I want to be happy."

Hiccup lifted Stoick's head up. "And you swore to me in June when Toothless and I got engaged…That you didn't care what I did as long as I was happy, that making me do exactly what you did wasn't worth losing me." Hiccup paused as Stoick saw tears brimming his eyes. "A-And it was all a lie. I knew it was a mistake to trust you, and I've felt it for weeks that you said all that to shut me up and pacify me. I never should have believed you, or given you a second chance…But I did, and now I regret it more than anything else in my life I ever have. Because now I can see that you never cared about what I wanted, and you never cared about me." Hiccup said.

"Hiccup, please…I'm sorry, son…I just wasn't thinking…You know how I get. I have a temper, like you do. It's coming through now…And you're saying things you don't mean." Stoick tried to reach for him. Hiccup backed up, ending against me as I was already giving the warning growl to back off. He was testing the limits of my patience, if not for Hiccup standing between us; I'd wring his neck for the pain he caused that I felt radiating from Hiccup right now. Stoick tried again as I stopped his wrist, and shifted Hiccup behind me protectively.

"You lay a finger on my mate, and I swear I will kill you where you stand, Stoick Haddock. It's not a warning or a threat anymore; it's a promise." I threw him backwards against the wall with surprising ease, glaring. "I told you that I would not allow you to hurt him again and no force in this world or the next, even the Gods will stop me from what I do to you...Your only saving grace is that Hiccup makes the decision what happens to you for betraying him as he's in charge. And the fact I know he needs me more than my need to hurt you. Now you shut your mouth, and listen to what your Chief is saying to you." Hiccup came next to me again, as I linked my hand with his and nodded for him to go ahead.

"This isn't my temper. This is me being done with you, like I said earlier. I told you I was done with all. I mean every word, and many people here can now see what our relationship really is. You're right, I do know how you get. How you always have and always will. You will not change. You don't even know what you did, do you? You aren't sorry because this was planned a month ago from what I heard. You tricked me into becoming Chief, and you were going to force me to get married to someone I do not love…You tried to force me to marry someone by threatening to kill Toothless if I didn't finish the marriage that wouldn't have even been viewed as legal because I'm already mated to Toothless. And you did all that knowing full well, and hiding it from everyone, from months ago that I love Toothless and I've been with him since January 8th, 2017. You saw him propose to me June 8th, 2019, two and half years of being together. The same night you fed me all those lies…All you've wanted is to get me back here to make me Chief so I couldn't leave again…It was never about me or what I wanted." Hiccup stared at him.

I felt him shaking a bit and put my arms on his shoulders. "For all you've done today…I can't forgive you for it." Stoick's face dropped when those words left Hiccup's mouth. "You are my father, by blood only that you helped create me. And as my father…I will always love you." Stoick looked hopeful for a moment. "But I will not forgive this. I will not forgive you this time." Everyone's eyes widened and they gasped.