I won't lie, I was giggling so much over responses to last chapter.

-HTTYD-

"You... what?"

Eret wasn't sure he was hearing right, head still fuzzy with lust, the feel of Valka's body pressed so tightly to his seeming branded to his skin even though he'd pulled away.

"I'm married. I have a husband. I have a- I can't do this."

He'd been living in the nest with Valka for months now. Not once had she ever even hinted she was married. Unsure what he was really meant to say, Eret sighed and reached past Valka. She watched him, confused and for a second, Eret could have sworn she looked afraid of him. He realised then that he had no idea what sort of marriage or culture she'd come from, and that Eret could seem like a serious threat in that moment.

"I'd never force anyone. You're safe."

He grabbed the second head cushion from next to her, then climbed off the bed and laid on the floor, wriggling his boots off and tucking them out of the way. Valka seemed to barely even be breathing, and he'd bet gold she was staring at where he had his back to her - Eret's body had not yet caught up with the 'stop', and so he'd turned away to avoid feeling Valka's eyes on him.

Eret knew they probably should have talked, but rejection stung and he didn't want to say things he regretted in the morning while still a little drunk. He felt more than a little stupid for thinking Valka might feel the same way he did. Sure, she'd kissed him back for a minute, but it was more likely she was just lonely and wanted a warm body... or she was drunk. Eret had seen her put a few ales back downstairs.

She moved very little for several minutes, then he heard the dull thuds of Valka taking off her own boots, creaks of wood as she got settled on the bed.

Then he felt a blanket laid over him. Valka didn't say a word, and Eret didn't dare ask. He doubted either of them slept much that night, and he was up when he heard the first sounds of life outside before the sun had even risen. Valka was awake when he got back from the bathroom, and she wouldn't really look at him. He wanted to say something, to take that unsurety out of her face but what was he to say? Kissing her downstairs had been cover.

Everything that happened upstairs was entirely intentional, and Eret feared his stupid drunk self had done irreparable damage to the friendship that had ultimately saved his life and given him real purpose.

Also, Eret was pretty sure Mala was going to gut him if she ever found out. She'd been very clear Eret was not to hurt Valka, even when he tried to insist there was nothing going on. Even then, he'd felt like a liar, and felt certain Mala knew he was lying. But now he knew that nothing could happen.

The tavern was pretty deserted when they went down, Eret returning the room key and feigning agreement that he'd enjoyed his night at the innkeepers insinuations. Valka had barely waited for him, and she was silent nearby when Eret went to pick up his chickens. They clucked in their carrier, mocking Eret for this whole damned trip and the impossible awkwardness he'd caused as they got ready to trek back to the dragon cave. The sooner they left, the better. Eret needed a good fly. Flying helped him sort his head out the rest of the time, after all.

His hand ached from the heavy handle of the chicken carrier, but Eret wasn't about to complain when Valka had agreed to this trip for him to begin with. At least his gloves helped, he supposed.

Valka wasn't wearing the gloves he'd made her. Eret hoped she wasn't suffering cold hands just because he was an idiot. They made the whole trek in silence, and there was palpable relief when they saw the spot they'd left their dragons to sleep in. They both stopped when they entered the cave, and found a surprising sight. Before they could even think of something to say, the squawking of chickens stirred the dragons, and Tripfire looked distinctly 'caught' when she realised they had seen her sleeping snugly next to Cloudjumper - there was enough space that sleeping face to face only inches apart was completely unnecessary.

She dropped down to the ground, snuffling at Eret with a confused look in her eyes. He patted her jaw, smiling, soothed by being back with her.

"Hey girl. Any trouble while we were gone?"

Tripfire shook her head, licked him happily before ducking down to investigate the chicken carrier.

"No, you can't eat them. C'mere, I need to load up your saddle so we can get ready to go."

Eret put her saddle back on, began loading the saddlebags up before he pulled on his armour. Valka had already finished putting hers back on, perched on Cloudjumpers back and resolutely not looking in their direction. Sighing to himself as he put his helmet on, Eret climbed up into his saddle and patted Tripfire to say she could go. At least the blizzard had let up, though he'd want dry boots when they got back to the nest.

They kept their helmets on the whole flight back, no above-cloud chats or even any real interaction; Cloudjumper knew the route back, and Tripfire followed him, so Eret only really had to make sure his chickens didn't freeze to death on the way back. At least he'd bought a new pelt - not many markets carried reindeer so far south, so he'd been unable to resist when he saw a little piece of his homeland there. So he slung that around the carrier, hoped it would do the trick.

The landing was as silent as the trip had been, and Eret could feel Tripfire's eyes on him as he took off his helmet and walked in a few steps, knew she could tell there was something different. Valka spoke for the first time all day, and it was only to tell him she was heading to check on the sick bay. Wincing, Eret made a snap choice and sent Tripfire with his stuff to the room Valka had used when he first came to the nest. He moved the rest of his stuff out in one go, left Valka's room entirely her own again and ignored the niggling itch that he was too much a coward to just talk to her about it.

She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, but it wasn't... that. Valka stared at the spot where Eret's little bedpile had resided, now empty save for a few stray dragon scales on the ground. Cloudjumper was sat nearby, head cocked in curiousity. She'd not told him about the whole incident yet - there hadn't been time really.

Of course, she hadn't actually spoken to Eret either. The last words he'd said to her were that he wouldn't force her, that she was safe. Valka hadn't realised he could see her fear then, that knot of uncertainty borne of the knowledge some men did not take no for an answer. But he had. He hadn't even tried to force information from her - he'd taken her words as truth, and just moved to sleep on the floor. Valka felt guilty, but couldn't find the words to say it, so she gave him a blanket instead.

Now... now she was left with a burning question as Eret put a space between them. Had he always been planning... that? It seemed unlikely; for a while Valka hadn't even been sure Eret liked her all that much, but he'd needed somewhere safe for Tripfire. And if he'd been the type to force her, there had been ample other opportunities. He knew how to incapacitate a dragon, and he slept in her room. Well, he had. It seemed he'd changed his mind there.

Was it as simple for him as it was for her? That they'd spent time together, bonding over dragons and those other feelings had just developed without her really noticing? When she told Mala there was nothing going on, she'd meant it completely truthfully. Valka had no intentions of starting anything with Eret.

Just because she was an absent wife, did not mean she could renounce her vows to the gods that she would be faithful to her husband. So long as they were both alive, Valka was still bound to him.

She went looking for Eret, with no idea what she wanted to say but it felt churlish to not try, to not go and say something. An apology for not stopping him immediately, perhaps. Cloudjumper followed Tripfire's scent to the old bedroom, the one Valka had used back when Eret first arrived, to keep him away from the heart of the mountain. It was far enough to feel very deliberate, and Eret had already moved his things in, covered the bed with his new reindeer blanket and stacked boxes to one side. There was fresh firewood waiting in the firepit.

But no Eret.

Then she remembered what they'd gone for to begin with, and climbed up to where Eret had built his coop. Sure enough, she heard his voice, talking to Tripfire as he set up his coop. Valka stilled, undoubtedly guilty of eavesdropping but curious all the same.

"It's alright, you know. I figured you liked him anyway."

Tripfire grumbled, but Valka found herself smiling for a brief few beats - despite everything, he was worried for Tripfire, encouraging her not to deny it if she was interested in Cloudjumper. There was never really a question of whether or not Cloudjumper was interested in her. He'd been smitten from day one, really.

The distraction got her caught. Eret exited the cave door, presumably to grab the bag of chicken feed he'd left out there. And he almost walked right into Valka in the process.

"Whoa! Didn't expect that. What... what are you doing out here?"

"Looking for you."

"Wh- oh. Right. I uh. I thought it was getting a bit cramped, that's all."

"Oh. Well, I never meant to make you feel as though you couldn't have your space."

Eret blinked, but he didn't seem to have an answer and went back to feeding his chickens. Given that she'd been the one to push him away, Valka knew she had no right to feel slighted by his behaviour.

That didn't stop her from feeling it.

"Don't look at me like that."

It took her mind a second to realise he was talking to Tripfire, who warbled back in response. Feeling wrong-footed, Valka left before Eret caught her hovering outside again, walking back to her room - her room - and sitting on her bed. She'd let Eret get too close, and it seemed she was going to have to pay for that by letting him pull away now. Cloudjumper nuzzled Valka, trying to comfort her, and she appreciated it immensely.

Eret still turned up to make food in the main room - Valka supposed it was probably because the cooking stuff was technically hers, and Eret wasn't going to steal it. It was all silent though, the only time he even really looked at her was when he put her food down on Valka's side of the table. It was a new addition, after Eret got tired of dragons kicking over bowls and cups as they strolled through. They ate in equal silence, and Eret and Tripfire left as soon as he was done cleaning his bowl.

It only took a few days for Valka to realise how terribly she missed Eret. Oh, he was still there, physically. But with his silent avoidance, Valka felt like they were right back where they started. Eret avoiding the mad dragon lady, interested only in how soon he could leave. Gone was the comfortable, easy presence of him, his usual swagger and terrible jokes seemingly vanished.

When Valka laid in her bed, acutely aware of how used to the sound of his breathing as he fell asleep she was, she looked up to where the Stormcutters slept. Tripfire had tried to stay with Eret, but he'd insisted she sleep with Cloudjumper if she wanted to, and he'd talked her round eventually.

If not for them happening upon the signs of interested mates that meant Tripfire was unlikely to leave, Valka couldn't help but think Eret may well have decided to leave altogether.

No, that was ridiculous. Eret was as invested in saving the dragons as could be. He could do that better from the nest where the Alpha lived. Groaning, Valka turned over, refusing to stare at the spot he'd inhabited. She'd been the one to let him get too close; Valka was going to have to deal with the aftermath now he was choosing to pull away.

-HTTYD-

Honestly, couldn't you just knock these two idiots heads together?