*cackles in author at the tension of readers*

-HTTYD-

"Man, this has taken me way too long to finish. Guess we've been busy eh girl?"

Tripfire rumbled in agreement, handing Eret another rock. He stuck it into place, held together with the mix of mud and ash and other bits that formed a solid enough structure to keep chickens in. Eret had started it a while ago, and never got to finishing it as rescue missions grew more frequent. They'd hit a lull though, a few nights in a row where no scouts returned with frantic news, and many of their sick or injured were rehabilitated enough to take care of themselves.

Eret straightened up, checking the wall was high enough that chickens wouldn't be escaping to meet an untimely end in the form of a hungry dragon. He needed more things, like a water bowl and food for them, but since he didn't yet have any chickens, Eret thought he was alright. Clambering over part of the wall that had already set, he took a few bits of wood and set up some nice cabin spots, in hope it would help keep them warm - their nest wasn't the warmest spot, after all. He'd pad them in well, and they'd be checked on regularly.

"Are you sure it's big enough?"

Valka quipped when she came to check on Eret, small sarcastic smirk definitely there on her mouth. Eret definitely didn't look at her mouth for too long.

"Hey, it's not like I can let them roam free without them getting eaten. So I made a big enough space that they have room to... do what chickens do. What do chickens do? Should I get them toys?"

"No, Eret, they don't need toys. They do need roosts though."

"Roosts?"

"They like to sleep higher up. I don't know why, but I remember that much. So" Valka grabbed some of the wood he had to hand and stepped into the coop with him "like this."

She laid them together so there was a beam raised several inches above the ground, then took Eret's hammer and nails and fixed it together herself. Eret watched, impressed.

"Wow. Thanks."

"You'll want to put something there to catch, chickens like to go quite often in their sleep."

"Delightful. Thank you secret chicken expert."

Valka rolled her eyes, already climbing out of the coop.

"Don't forget to build nesting boxes."

"I will!"

He stuck his tongue out. She saw him. Eret shrugged to himself and got back to work, glancing up to see Cloudjumper throwing Tripfire a wistful look before he followed Valka back out of Eret's coop room. It wasn't that far from where they slept, though the entrance to the room wasn't especially wide and so bigger dragons wouldn't squeeze in easily. That wouldn't stop little dragons, of course.

"I'm literally building my life around dragons. When did that happen?"

"Rrrowww?"

Tripfire crooned, padding over and peering at Eret closely, concerned.

"Hey" he laid a hand on her chin, scratching lightly "I didn't say it was a bad thing. I just never had to build an enclosure before specifically to keep baby dragons out of my breakfast."

She perked up, nuzzled Eret and licked his face before she went back to sitting, watching and waiting to decide whether to be help or hindrance. She was a pain in the neck and Eret wouldn't change a thing about her. Tripfire really was already his best friend, somethin- no, someone he hadn't known he was missing until he met her and she licked her way firmly into his life and his heart.

Done with everything he could do that day, Eret tidied up his tools and leftover material, then led Tripfire out for some much needed food and a bath. He found Valka painting, flowers Cloudjumper had brought her the day before at her side, some crushed up into soft colours she spread across the page with her fingers. It took shape as he prepared lunch, easily recognisable as he and Tripfire against a sunlit sky before long.

"Wow. That looks really good."

"Thank you. You two were fantastic last week, and I wanted to commemorate it."

Eret smiled, prodding meat and vegetables in their broth - they ate a lot of soups and stews, because raiding meant a lot of meat and vegetables scavenged off of ships. He'd tilled the soil that would grow vegetables themselves when the frost had passed, he and Tripfire having been graciously granted the chance to take a few sacks of ash from Caldera Cay's volcano last time they visited, as it made for good farming.

Valka was finished with most of the painting by the time Eret had finished making their food, adding little spots of colour with one hand while the other fed broth-soaked flatbread into her mouth. It was an impressive multi task, really. Especially without getting any food on her picture.

Dumping some fish in the baskets for their dragons so Tripfire would stop trying to steal his food, Eret reminded her they had yet to go lunch time flying anyway, but that didn't stop her from thinking that whatever Eret was eating must be simply delicious and also for her.

"There we go, all done."

She turned it to Eret, who had an inconviently full mouth and could only make muffled noises of compliment at that exact moment. Swallowing thickly, Eret nodded enthusiastically.

"That's amazing! Can I hang it up when it's dry? I want to see myself everywhere I look!"

Valka tsked at him, but conceded he could hang it when it had dried all the same. She'd captured the way his and Tripfire's colours matched, the shape of his helmet, even managed to add small lines where the leather of his saddle came together. Finishing her meal with more gusto, Valka was done not long after him, dropping her bowl and spoon in the bucket to be rinsed later before she stood and stroked a passing Windgnasher.

"Once lunch has settled I'll take you out too."

They stayed out for a while after the dragons were done fishing, flying peacefully - and Cloudjumper showing off a little, clearly trying to impress Tripfire. The air was sharp with chill, but they were all well adjusted to such a thing as they dipped and dived for a bit.

"Hey Valka?"

"Yes Eret?"

"We're gonna need to go do a trade run again soon. We're low on a few herbs we use to treat the dragons, and I also need supplies for the chicken coop. And chickens."

"Yes, I rather think you might. I want to be sure this quiet spell will last though. Next week?"

"Next week works. Not the trappers island again though."

"I agree. The Northern Markets should be good, I have flown there several times and traded well, there's a group of caves high up that Cloudjumper often rests in while I'm there. It's relatively peaceful, and usually busy this time of year. Good for blending in."

Eret nodded in agreement. He didn't think about how they'd blended in on the last couple of trade runs. Not at all.

Yawning into her hand as she picked up her armour, Valka stoked the fire enough to heat water while Eret packed up his saddle bag with tradeable goods. It was too early to eat anything, but she wanted tea before they took off through the early morning hours. Eret nodded to say he'd have some too, both downing it as soon as the steeped water wasn't hot enough to cause serious damage.

Cloudjumper grumbled.

"I know Cloudjumper, but it's the only safe time to go. We can't be seen just hovering over in broad daylight."

By comparison, Tripfire was raring to go. She liked new places. They took their helmets off as soon as they were on their way, letting the air wake them more than tea ever could and tasting the impending snowfall on the air. Valka hoped it would be gone by the night so they could fly home - Stormcutters could handle snow, but it wasn't ideal for long flights for dragon nor human and a heavy blizzard could make flying outright dangerous.

"Here, I made you something for Yule by the way."

Eret commented as he and Tripfire hovered upside down above she and Cloudjumper, dropping a small linen bundle into her surprised hands before they levelled out again. They'd really come along together, those two.

"What is it?"

"Open it and see!"

Valka did so, carefully unwrapping it to find...

"You made me gloves?"

"Yeah. I used your old diagrams from when you made your armour to get the size, but they should fit well enough to keep your hands warm on a flight like this even if they're a bit off. Happy Yule! Wait, do you celebrate Yule where you used to live?"

Eret never pushed for information, but he recognised Valka had to come from somewhere, and it could be referenced in passing like that without Valka getting a painful stab of nostalgia.

"We celebrated Snoggletog."

He tried and failed not to laugh, hiding his mouth behind his forearm until he'd schooled himself into an almost-neutral expression.

"Snoggle-what?"

"Snoggletog. Nobody remembers why we picked such a ludicrous name, but that's the holiday for this time of year."

Valka slipped the gloves over her hands, a little bulky at the wrist where Eret had used fur to line them, but considering her armour it wasn't very cumbersome. And she had enough dexterity to still grip her staff - and her hands were no longer cold, which was the best part as the linen covered exposed skin. Valka was only really functionally skilled with sewing, well enough to make or mend clothing and tend wounds, but anything other than mittens for her hands was beyond her skill set. And mittens wouldn't do for flying. She always meant to practice, but never got to it. Eret had beaten her there, apparently.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Did the colours come out alright?"

He'd covered them as he had his own, with paint made from Cloudjumper's shed scales in streaks of dawn orange and sky blue.

"Beautifully."

Eret beamed.

"Awesome."

From where they landed on the island was a good couple of hours trek into the main heart of trading, and the same again to get back.

"Alright you two. If we don't come back tonight, don't worry. Unless you see the island burning down. Then maybe worry a little. But we might have to stay down there for the night if it starts to snow real heavy. You two stay here, alright? Unless a hunter turns up. Then you can leave and come back for us later. Is that everything?"

Eret glanced to Valka, questioning if he'd missed anything.

"No, that should do it. Be good you two. There's enough fish to get you through today, you know where the water is Cloudjumper. We'll be back sooner than tomorrow, I hope."

Pulling the full bag over himself after giving the dragons their fish, Eret gave Tripfire a good nuzzling before waiting for Valka to be done bidding goodbye to Cloudjumper for the moment. She had the empty bag he'd brought, and already told him if he bought chickens that he was responsible for carrying them back. The traders usually gave good buyers a carrier, at least.

By the time they reached the end of the walk, the sun was fully risen though it couldn't quite chase away the frosty chill. Valka was thankful she'd brought a heavy tunic and warm leggings to match her simple skirt. The ring on her finger sat heavier than usual, a glance to the sky as Valka wondered how Hiccup was spending Snoggletog. The island was abuzz here, full of sailors out to do their final trade run before the oceans froze too much to sail through, and the fields too icy to tend.

Their supplies of preserved meats was as good as gold to some of the traders, especially the herb grower looking to offload so they didn't have to work so hard to store so much. By the time Eret had bartered with the livestock trader, the snow had started to fall heavily and there was little chance of ignoring the dangers of flying home that night - several sailors had already headed for their ships to sail before the water froze, others buying extra furs and skins to warm themselves with. The trader politely agreed to let Eret get them when they were leaving, whenever that may be.

Valka appreciated her gloves all over again. At least with them on, Eret wasn't trying to hold her hand, though when asked they did off-handedly 'confirm' husband and wife. It was easier that way, rather than have people gossip they must be adulterers and draw attention to themselves.

It only became a problem when they had to find somewhere to sleep for the night. Going back to the cave with the dragons was an option, but the two hour trek in the snow just to come back the next morning for Eret's chickens felt counter productive and a lot of energy expended. As Valka stood awkwardly contemplating their sleeping situation for that evening, she decided Eret was definitely getting nursery dung duty when they got back - it was his bloody chickens that brought them out in the first place. The herb run alone could have been done on a small island closer by, but nooooo. Eret's desire for eggs had her posing as his wife as they rented a tavern room for the night.

"Don't worry" Eret murmured as they sat with drinks and dinner at a table, his words almost lost in the sounds of solitary men and increasing mead consumption "I'll sleep on the floor."

"Hey, inkface!"

Eret blinked in surprise, looking over to the - clearly inebriated - total stranger who'd called out toward him.

"Yeah?"

"Ain't ya got a kiss for the wife? If you won't, I'll honour Frigga for ya!"

Raising an eyebrow, Eret turned to Valka only to see her glance up to where mistletoe hung openly above them, all but demanding it.

"Care to elaborate?"

"It's a tradition to kiss under the mistletoe for Frigga."

"Oh. Well, it looks as though it's me or him. Obviously, he's a looker" Valka gave Eret an exasperated look "but at least you know when I last cleaned my teeth."

Her heart thrummed in her chest - Valka did not want to disrespect the goddess any more than she wanted to have that stranger all over her, but the thought of kissing Eret was having a terribly strange effect on her.

"Just... get it over with before he comes over."

"So romantic. Close your eyes, try to look like we've done this before."

She didn't want to, it felt too intimate but Valka closed her eyes anyway, felt Eret's broad hand cup her jaw before warm lips pressed to hers, the taste of berries from the warm pudding he'd eaten still sweet on his mouth as her stomach did some kind of backflip. She responded on instinct more than conscious thought, his mouth gentle but insistent against hers for longer than was really necessary, but neither thought to stop for a while until there was a sharp whistle in the background.

Valka pulled back first, ignoring the tingle in her lips as men laughed and told the stranger to sit down - clearly, Valka was fine for mistletoe kisses to their mind.

Her stomach would not stop fluttering, the warmth of his hand on her cheek still lingering as Valka hastily downed her drink, hoping to take the taste of Eret off her mouth. It did very little for her, so Valka immediately ordered another. Her alcohol tolerance was not spectacular - she only had the occasional drink for certain festivities, or a few with Atali or Mala's tribes. Sometimes a little with Eret if they'd raided some.

But the ale in the tavern was stronger than she was used to, and Valka only realised that after her third, when everything further away than the next table was starting to wobble more than she expected the room should.

Eret wouldn't let her have more alcohol, which Valka decided was incredibly rude of him, since she was only drinking to erase the feel of him kissing her and it hadn't worked yet.

"I need some air."

Valka got up from the table before Eret could stop her, crossing the room to the door and encountering only one idiot who tried to get her under another sprig of mistletoe. She shoved him hard enough that he stumbled, much to the amusement of his friends. There was almost nobody outside as Valka dragged in lungfuls of cold, cleansing night air, eyes drawn in the direction of the caves she knew their dragons were at. If they'd gone there, there never would have been a kiss. And if there were no kiss, Valka wouldn't have had any minor crisis out in the snow, grateful her boots were leather rather than linen tonight. Not especially warm, but at least water-resistant enough to keep her feet dry.

Valka felt marginally more sober when she finally felt ready to face Eret again, the flutters in her belly dying down at last as she pulled open the door and barely got three steps in before being accosted by the same man as before.

"C'mon! It's for Frigga!"

"Should I say no louder, or slower?"

"Or should I remind you to back off my wife?"

She didn't need rescuing, but Eret's bulk and height seemed to cow the man who was attempting to force Valka into kissing him. With a glance up, Eret didn't hesitate that time and placed a hand on her back, pulled Valka in and kissed her rather more surely than before. He was the one to pull away that time, leaving Valka a little dizzy as he tipped his head toward their table.

"Should we grab our stuff and head to bed before you get in any more trouble?"

Valka nodded, if only so he'd stop touching her. She felt his hand at her back as a solid weight, holding her to him until he finally moved. Feeling more like she could breathe again, she grabbed her things and followed Eret up the stairs to the rooms of the tavern, finding the door that matched the number on their key.

Yet she saw very little of the room before the door had even closed, felt the impact of Eret against her as he kissed her for no audience that time. There was no hesitation from her before she responded, breathless with the heat of his skin under her hands, the idiot still going sleeveless in a snowstorm.

The bed creaked under her, but the fur and blankets were thick enough to stop her bruising from the sudden landing. He pressed in again, his hands snug to her waist and a soft groan echoing in the back of his throat. There was time for her to stop him, when Eret pulled back to take a breath but instead she dragged him in again, head spinning and heart pounding as Valka finally remembered how to give as good as she got. Months of stolen glances and hastily-denied thoughts had broken free and taken over, leaving Valka intoxicated on him, on the way his tongue tasted her mouth and the way his hands squeezed at her hips.

It was a monumentally bad decision she'd surely live to regret in the morning, but that wasn't what stopped Valka as Eret's hand slid under her skirt, hiking the material up until his fingers brushed the bare skin of her stomach above her leggings, sending shivers through her as she let out pathetically needy sounds. Eret's mouth left hers and she missed it immediately, even as she trembled pleasantly for the feel of his lips at her neck.

What finally drew them to a screeching, awful halt was what caught Valka's eye as her hands moved with the intent of pulling at his top, itching to feel more skin until she saw...

the wedding ring.

Valka felt like she'd been doused in ice, stomach roiling in a completely unpleasant way as she shoved Eret with all her strength, body shaking with guilt over desire. He grunted in surprise, but moved to look at her, his eyes hazy with want even in the limited light from the window.

"What? What's wrong?"

"I'm married."

-HTTYD-

Dun dun dunnnnnnn