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.

71)

=Normal POV=
(9/16/2019-9:00 am)
(Norway)
(Hiccup & Toothless's Home)

The night had gone smoothly, much better than the first time Hiccup and Toothless had the Vikings in Norway, which they'd come on their own after basically forcing Johann to bring them after he accidentally blabbed about where Hiccup was. Regardless, it was a decent night. Toothless got everyone settled between the loft and two spare rooms. The leaders all crashed in the loft, and the heirs, heiresses, and riders split up the two rooms by male and female. Mala also stayed with Heather, Astrid, Ruffnut, Minden, Gala, and Camicazi in the girl's room. Gobber took Mala's original place in the loft space. It worked out despite how many people were in the house at one time. The Raseri Family had their own house not too far from Hiccup and Toothless's, so they stayed there to cut back on who was in the house. Hiccup made an awesome dinner spread of steaks, baked potatoes, and corn; he ended up doing a little shopping, just to put basic items back in the house since they were gone since June, and now it was almost October, so almost four months. Hiccup and Toothless did not end up making love once in their bed, by the time Toothless got out of the bathroom from his shower; Hiccup was out like a light, so Toothless just kissed his forehead and covered them up before he went to sleep as well.

Now, it was the next morning. Hiccup and Toothless were up at 7:30 am, both working on breakfast as the others woke up by 8:15 am and joined once using the bathroom and freshening up a little. To cut back on waiting time; Hiccup and Toothless let some people use their master bathroom in the bedroom. Breakfast was just eggs, toast, bacon, and something to drink. With all that done and over now, it was 9 am and Hiccup was ready to round everyone up to get back to the Archipelago. However, Drake knocked on the door as Toothless went to let him and his siblings in.

"Tallon!" Greeted the brother that Hiccup hadn't met yet.

"Hey, Erik." Toothless smiled, hugging the male. It was funny to Hiccup, all the males of Toothless's family had green eyes. But Alva had blue. The males were just about identical, but all had defining features so they could be told apart. "It's Toothless, brother. I only use Tallon for anyone who doesn't know the truth and even if it slips out, most assume it's a nickname I adopted young, which isn't entirely untrue." He shrugged.

"Got ya. How's life?" Erik asked.

"Calm again, for once in the last, like, half a year." Toothless chuckled. "What brings you all by? Venturing back to the islands with us?"

"That's actually what we stopped by to talk about." Dag informed.

"I don't like that tone." Hiccup mumbled, already feeling like something was up. "Let me guess, the barrier is closed again…"

"Actually…No. It's open still. We decided to make it less a hassle for you and went early this morning to check. Much faster in dragon form to get back and forth." Alva stated.

"It's…Still open? Oh, thank the Gods." Hiccup sighed in relief.

"But…There's an issue…" Drake stepped up.

"Of course, it would never be that easy…" Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Chill, babe. Some good news is better than bad, even if there's a but involved." Toothless kissed Hiccup's cheek. "What's the issue, father?" He asked.

"Nothing awful, just a storm coming this way from that direction that's keeping everyone off the water. Issued by the weather office and approved sailing ban by the Prime Minister. So, the barrier is open, but we can't sail right now. Probably tomorrow or the day after." Drake revealed.

"Okay, I guess that's not so bad." Hiccup smiled a bit; he was just glad the barrier was open. Maybe his prayers were heard and answered! "Oh, I should send Spitelout a message, so he doesn't think we're stuck here. Sharpshot!" Hiccup called, giving a whistle with his fingers between the corners of his mouth. The green Terror landed on his shoulder as Hiccup grabbed a piece of paper and wrote something quickly. "Take this back to Berk, buddy. And stay there; I don't want you caught in the storm. Go around if you have to." Sharpshot licked his cheek and zipped out once the letter was attached securely. Hiccup stood up straight again and faced his future father in law. "So, you never told us what you figured out about the barrier, why it didn't close yesterday once we all crossed." He mentioned.

"Ah, yes. I apologize for that. Can we sit?" Drake asked. Hiccup nodded as they all found a spot, which Hiccup's ended up being on Toothless's lap, in their recliner chair. "Now, it's more…Theory depending on a couple things you answer to after I tell you the idea I have on why the barrier kept closing after a certain point."

"Alright, go ahead then." Toothless invited.

"I think what closed it over and over again…Was fear." Drake stated in a serious tone, looking at Hiccup.

"Fear?" Hiccup asked.

"That's right." Drake nodded.

"Can you…Explain more, Dad? Not saying you're crazy or nothing, but without context behind this; it sounds like you're nuts." Toothless said.

"I anticipated explaining; I just wanted to gage your reactions first." Drake smiled some. "The barrier has clearly always been around for Odin only knows how long. There's nothing on it, as no one would know unless they crossed it. You believed there was a barrier that changed Toothless into a human, and obviously noticed there was something between the two spaces when you put your hands through. Right?"

"Yeah…But we debunked the transformation thing." Hiccup replied.

"For Toothless, not Sharpshot. I said turning human was a Night Fury ability, I can't speak for other dragons. Now…Not sure if you noticed, but Sharpshot was not a bird this time upon crossing…He was still a dragon here." Drake informed calmly. Hiccup's eyes widened a little; he actually hadn't noticed that at all until Drake brought it up.

"Does…That mean the barrier is no longer protecting the dragons?" Gobber wondered.

"Doesn't appear so, but this is also theory that is what it's purpose was." Erik remarked gently. "It's been around for a long time, even before us perhaps."

"There's no way to know. Whoever created such a powerful force is likely long gone." Alva added in.

"Regardless…It doesn't matter if it's passable no matter who or how many cross." Hiccup stated. "So…What's this whole fear thing?"

"I am led to believe the barrier responds to emotions…Yours specifically. Perhaps an unknown force is at work, there is no way to know without meeting the creator itself. Again, merely theory. But I've watched everything for all these years and spent a lot of time thinking on it all. The barrier gave you, nor Toothless, the traders, anyone for four years. And no one here would really cross because it was uncharted waters except to the traders, and obviously, you two who mapped everything." Drake began.

"Okay…Following so far." Toothless urged him to continue.

"Okay, bottom line because dad takes way too long…The barrier started reacting to Hiccup's fear of being found and having the life you guys built and his happiness taken away. It started sealing after you two ran away in March when his father announced him becoming the next Chief. You two bolted for Norway, and a week later; they followed. The barrier perceived them as a threat to what you feared happening. Them finding out where you've been. Threatening to take it away, so it sealed to lock you here where your father couldn't control you as this was not his territory to make you do anything. You were safe here; the barrier closing protected you from having to return." Dag rolled his eyes, standing against the wall with his arms folded over his chest.

"Wait…You're saying it closed to protect Hiccup from his father's desires to force him to be Chief?" Toothless asked.

"Yes. The barrier knew returning would jeopardize Hiccup's happiness, so it sealed you here in Norway where he wouldn't have to go back and be forced to live the life his father wanted him to life." Drake nodded.

"But…The barrier opened after a month, and I was still…Afraid to go back." Hiccup replied, not understanding.

"But what big thing happened before it opened again and you sent back Dagur, Mala, and Heather?" Drake pushed. Hiccup thought a moment.

"Wait…Wait…Big thing that happened. You revealed you were dating me in the fight with your dad!" Toothless exclaimed.

Hiccup's eyes widened a little. "It was more than fear of returning to Berk, Hiccup. It was your fear of your father's disappointment in your dating Toothless. Afraid to lose the one you love. All fear. However…The theory is that because you revealed that you would not leave Toothless no matter what, and didn't care what they thought anymore; the barrier sensed that you wouldn't care if anyone knew upon returning." Drake explained as Hiccup just listened.

"But the barrier closed again after we were through, and that was after Hiccup revealed things." Heather said.

"Yes, but what did he tell you three about if the barrier closed again? Just what?" Erik asked.

"Just about the barrier…Not that he was dating Toothless, or him turning human." Mala replied. "The barrier must have sensed that Hiccup still wanted hide that information, in fear of returning and not being accepted by the tribe for dating a man, much more being with his dragon."

"You got it." Drake nodded to her. "It was fear, Hiccup. In all the other instances too. It opened again a month later, after your father's apology about accepting you. That was a defining moment for you as you-" Hiccup put his hand up.

"I know what he did…I rather not revisit it, thank you. I get the example…" Hiccup stated. The pain of what Stoick did was still fresh, having only been two weeks since the incident.

"Of course, I'm sorry. But…The barrier opened after that, and closed again once you were inside as you were afraid to reveal things to the tribe, worried what they would think of you. Worried that-," Drake continued.

"Worried they'd call for casting me out for loving a man, and refusing to sleep with someone else just to have an heir or heiress…The fear rose because we were back in the Archipelago, and I didn't want to be forced to leave and never be able to visit anyone again." Hiccup said, glancing down. It did seem to make sense when put like this.

"Your fear is what has been sealing the barrier…You feared your father not meaning what he said, wanting to escape back to Norway. You feared what people would think of you and me being together." Toothless said lightly, holding Hiccup's hands now as their eyes met. "However…I think the last sealing was because the barrier wanted you to tell the truth. To stop being afraid. To stop caring what everyone would believe. Also, it could have been tied to keeping you there for you to realize that you were not just An Heir to Berk, but a descendant to the first king of the Archipelago. You stopped being afraid when the truth came out, Hiccup. Not just of you and me, but to let whatever force you felt change you into who you're meant to be. Everything washed away when you decided to be yourself and you saw that you have everyone's respect for how you handled things. Everyone's love, acceptance, and support in anything you chose to do because they believe in you, Hiccup. When you stopped being scared, and stepped into who you are…That's why the barrier didn't close this time." He smiled.

"Because I stopped being afraid and chose to be who I am…Who I've always been…" Hiccup said, surprised but also kind of relieved.

"Again, theory…But it makes the most sense." Drake smiled. "The barrier has been reacting to you. Your desires. Keep your life here, your relationship, protecting the dragons…I think its all been you. I might even go so far to say that some force gave you the unknown ability to create that barrier." Hiccup arched his brow at Drake now. "Something to protect you, in a simpler way. All the fear and worry; it was always in your head, Hiccup. You literally created a proverbial barrier to protect yourself from being judged. Now that you're not afraid anymore…I believe it could be safe to say that the barrier will fade and be just an open passageway between lands. Your desire to change the world, keep peace…This is all you, Hiccup. And I feel entirely…That you're the only one with the power to make the impossible happen. Embrace yourself, Hiccup. Don't ever be afraid to be yourself."

"I've been telling him that for years." Toothless chuckled a bit.

"Hush you…I told you why I was afraid to reveal things while we were on Berk…" Hiccup mumbled.

"I know, love. And I stood by you as I always have. But I did tell you that as long as we're together, everything will always be okay and it will always work out. I told you time and time again, at least twice a week, not to be afraid and be yourself." Toothless smiled, kissing his lips lightly. "When ya gonna start believing me? Have I ever not been right?"

Hiccup rolled his eyes a bit, smiling. "I suppose I'll start now."

"Pain in the ass…" Toothless sighed gently.

"No, no…You're definitely a pleasure." Hiccup grinned.

Toothless's eyes widened. "Hiccup Haddock, did you really just openly say something perverted and about our sex life out loud?"

"Guess you're rubbing off on me." Hiccup giggled.

"Dear Gods…Where is my Hiccup Haddock who is wicked shy and innocent?" Toothless asked. "Help, someone has kidnapped my mate and replaced him with this fake!" He dramatically stated.

Hiccup rolled his eyes and kissed Toothless deeply. "First of all, dramatic arts are not your style. Secondly, I was never shy and innocent after I met you. Thirdly…Hiccup Haddock mated, and will soon be married to a very handsome man-dragon, which allows him to already be referred to as Hiccup Raseri since us being mated means we're already married…Lastly," Hiccup held his cheeks and looked into his eyes lovingly. "I have nothing to be afraid of anymore because I have a bunch of people to love, accept, and support me in anything I do. More than all that; I know that I will always have you doing all that too, Toothless. And having it from just you…Is more than enough."

"Gee, wow…I didn't think you had such words in you to make me speechless and want to cry." Toothless blushed a little.

"Are they tears of joy?" Hiccup smiled leaning closer.

"Yes…" Toothless replied.

"Then it's perfectly acceptable for you to cry them." Hiccup pressed his lips to Toothless's in a passionate and deep kiss. "I love you, Tooth…And maybe I can show you how much later?" He hoped in a soft tone.

"More than a maybe, and I love you too, Hiccup." Toothless replied as he kissed Hiccup again, and held him close. Hiccup just snuggled up against him and closed his eyes contently. This was perfect for him. Gods, it was just so perfect. Everything was right in his life. No fear, no anything other than his choices and his happiness.