"Why is it that you always look disgusted when I get close to you?"
Hiccup stopped looking at the northern coastline at that question and turned to face his patrolling mate with a raising eyebrow.
"What?" he asked back.
Dagur pouted and crossed his arms over his chest, halting his movements and causing the younger chief to stop walking as well.
"You know what I mean"
"No I don't, Dagur" Hiccup replied while he checked for any presence beside their own. No enemy ship seemed to be visible anywhere and Toothless seemed relaxed, if not curious, as to why they were stopping. "I just know that you tend to get fixated on strange things" he kept on telling the Berserker once he was sure there was no danger in the immediate proximity of the coast.
Both of them could remember Dagur's past and endless attemps to capture the infamous dragon's conqueror and his Night Fury; that was one of the many strange things the red viking's mind fixated itself with.
Dagur's face changed from grinning to sheepish in seconds "Yeah well, those were other times..."
Hiccup kept looking at his friend with now both eyebrows raised, not understanding the meaning of that claptrap.
"Anyway..."the red headed viking continued while shaking his head, his irregular hair shining under the sun of that clear day "It's true. Every time I get close to you, you make a lot of disgusted faces. At first I though it was my strong scent of a true Berserker ahaha" he laughed and scrolled his shoulders "But then I've smelt a few of your rider friends and well...can't be that".
The Hooligan's heir kept looking at the other like he had grown two heads and has now fully transformed into a Zippleback. He was unsure if this was a joke or the other was serious about whatever this was. He closed his mouth to reply, and maybe ensure the mental health of the Berserker along the way, when a sound stopped him.
A distant yet familiar voice interrupted the moment of silence and both of them, also Toothless, turned to see the sky where the silouette of Windshear appeared getting closer to their position.
Her rider had one arm raised in greeting and her long and black braid was being teased by the wind.
Quickly she gracefully landed and got of her Razorwhip with an athletic jump.
Dagur had vigorously waved his arms at his sister as soon as he saw her flying in the sky and now was thoughtfully watching Hiccup.
Hiccup just smiled to greet her, his posture immediately more relaxed. "Hi Heather. What happened?".
She didn't seem agitated so he could very much assume everything was fine for now.
"Nothing much. I've just finished checking up on all the Gronkles so I thought to come with you on patrol" she replied smiling.
Dagur grinned and silently went closer to Hiccup while he was distracted by the newcomer.
Hiccup managed to say "It's a great idea, don't you think..." when words died on his lips in a stunned exhale. He found himself wrapped by a muscular arm over the shoulders, keeping him close to the other man side.
"Indeed it is a great idea, brother" he replied to the cut question, never stopping his study of the younger male in order not to miss any of his expressions.
As expected the reaction was immediate. Brown eyebrows furrowed and the mouth turned down, his body trying to escape that friendly yet tight hug.
Dagur waited a few silent seconds then he let go of the other with an angry sigh. Confusion and irritation were flashing visibly over his features.
Heather had kept looking at them smiling but now, with that unusual exchange, was confused as well. She blinked and moved her gaze from her irritated brother to Hiccup who was now free and slightly nervous.
"Yes, well" Hiccup hadn't noticed any of that sequence of emotions, he has been focused on regaining his personal space from the sudden invasion "Another pair of eyes are good to check on things" he concluded with a distraught smile.
Heather didn't understand what was happening between the two of them; his brother had a dark expression on his face then burst out laughing as nothing had ever happened.
"Not that anybody will appear today. Probably" He kept on laughing and now apparently relaxed he resumed walking along the line of the northern coast.
The black haired girl turned towards Hiccup "Did he say anything to annoy you?" she asked him.
"You know your brother" the dragon trainer shrugged and smiled now calmer and resumed walking as well, mentioning her to follow. "He is the same as always"
"Huh" she replied, not a bit convinced by that explanation. It was true that her brother's mind was on a thin line between sanity and madness but that seemed a strange sequence of emotions even for him.
There was something wrong and she had to know what exactly.
The day passed uneventfully and without any kind of problem from the Dragon Hunters; everybody on the Edge knew that it was a matter of time before they had to go back in a fight. That only meant hard work and enjoying every moment of rest; once they all finished their different tasks around the island they got back together for the evening meal. Heather of course was the one in charge of cooking.
Astrid and Ruffnut did try to help her but they were firmly kept away from the stove.
There was a nice and joyously mood. Even the twins were behaving, teasing everyone around the table but nothing more than that. No fires and no pranks, pure bliss.
Dagur partook on a few chats but mostly kept silent, watching and drinking mead. His sister shot him a few questioning looks during the evening but he just smiled and never gave her an indication that something was off.
Later that night Fishlegs was the first one to go to sleep, yawning and muttering about the next day. He was looking forward to keep tabs on the different dragons in the islands but it was a neverending job, even if he got help from the others. One after another everybody but three people went to their respective houses, leaving the common hall more quiet than before.
Dagur was finishing his last drink for the day, Astrid and Hiccup were still in the middle of a chat about how Toothless had run away with Hiccup's prosthetic leg without noticing the absence of the human usually attached to it. Laughters ensued and both of the younger viking were bent over the benches with tears in their eyes; even Dagur had to chuckle to that story.
To catch her breath Astrid reached out for Hiccups forearm, steadied herself and she tried to regain her composure. Hiccup smiled at her and began another anecdote when Dagur finally slammed his empty cup on the wooden table.
The younger two stopped and looked at him puzzled. Dagur got up with a smile that didn't reach his green eyes and excused himself for the night. He wished goodnight to both of them and calmly walked out the room.
Hiccup followed him with his gaze and was about to say something to him; when he saw that the older friend was already far away however he just frowned and tightened his lips effectively shutting himself up.
Astrid got up as well from the bench, she told him goodnight and leaned down slowly to kiss him on the lips. Every other thought escaped the your Hooligan's heir as he closed his eyes and enjoyed their sweet and intimate moment.
Dagur wasn't ready to go to sleep yet. No, he he needed to walk around in order to maintain a certain degree of sanity.
"I. Don't. Understand" he kept on repeating, every word accompanied by a punch to his already scarred head.
"What is his problem? AM I the PROBLEM?" he kept going in circles around to the barns, away from every house in the area in order to stay alone for the time being. The dragons inside were asleep or at least they didn't make any sound indicating they were actually awake.
Dagur alternated nervous walking with sudden stops, muttering at every breath. He seemed like a flame in a windy night, burning of an anger he needed to keep under control.
"Maybe, maybe I could just"
"Brother, what's the matter with you?"
Heather got out from the shadow of the surrounding area, revealing herself to him. She looked very concerned and cautious. She didn't like what she was seeing, it was the same that had happened that morning during the patrol. If not worse.
"Nothing ahahah nothing" Dagur scratched the back of his head sheepishly "Nothing, really" he repeated again since her sister didn't look like she was believing the one single word he was saying.
The red headed swallowed hard, then his hand began to scratch harder on his head, plucking some more of his scant hair."What are you doing here anyway?"
"What are you doing, stop that" Heather was getting angry, she jumped close to him and forced his hand away from his head. "I was worried so I waited for you. Why are you doing this to yourself, what happened?" she asked him again. "And don't say nothing because I can't believe you".
Dagur frowned but let her keep his hand in hers, as to shield his head from it. The other, free to the other side, twitched as he spoke
"I don't understand him. Every time it's, it's" he growled and Heather had to grab both of his arms to steady the raging anger she saw deforming his face "So damn annoying!"
She kept in silence her tight grasp, waiting to understand what was going on inside his head. She feared that just one word from her could stop him from spilling the beans and, by default, it could turn him back as he was before.
"He always does the same face" he blinked then added "well not the same, but the same type of disgust every time I get close to him. Not with you.. not with SNOTLOUT FOR CRYING OUT LOUD" he shouted outraged by that thought. "I mean ahahah I guess it's normal with Astrid being, well. You know" he nodded to himself, but that didn't seem to help his state of mind. At all.
Heather was beginning to understand at least the focus of the problem. The other focus, the main one being her brother. So, Hiccup was the reason of that anger.
She felt sad for him, in this case it seemed like his brother just needed his previous obsession to deem him of some kind of attention.
She rised her left arm and cupped the scarred cheek with her hand; she waited for him to lock the same green eyes with her.
"Give him time. One step after another"
Dagur looked confused at his sister, the anger was being slowly pushed aside by that comforting presence. Then he looked at her grinning wildly and, after a brief realization, he mirrored that expression.
He knew she had a plan.
-sorry for bad grammar, it's not beta-ed-