- Haddock House, New Berk.
Toothless stepped up onto the wooden porch that led to Hiccup's house with Luna sleeping on his back. The entire house was decorated and painted with dragon shapes and patterns. Hiccup opened the door, and Astrid lit up the fireplace.
Toothless gently placed Luna down on the bear skin rug, and looked around. He smiled at the tapestry of the riders and their dragons hung above the fireplace. Astrid yawned as she stretched her back.
"Can I take shower first? Feelin like I could faint any moment." Astrid asked, and left before Hiccup could answer.
"Wanna go talk outside?" Hiccup grinned at Toothless sheepishly, "Not really sleepy.".
Toothless and Hiccup took a seat on the steps of the porch, looking over the village. Most vikings were drunk as they returned home, and for dragons? Well… not so different, Toothless chuckled as a few dragons flew wobbly back to their respective nests.
"Oh, Thor, did I make the right choice?".
*Please, don't make Dragon Mead illegal.* Toothless said quickly, *We'd try to get drunk anyway, with or without the twins' invention.*.
"I'm not talking about that, bud. I'm talking about… This." gestured to all before him.
*That's it.* Toothless straighten up his posture, *Spill the beans, what's wrong?*.
"Well," Hiccup sighed, "You know I'm happy that you guys are here, right?" Toothless nodded, "But what if all we are fighting for are just a big chunk of many memories?".
Toothless rolled his eyes, his human is smarter than this! Why let Tuffnut's whining about his sister suddenly be about dragons?
"I'm serious, Toothless! You all deserve a life, and your love for us would make you guys more vulnerable," Hiccup said mournfully, "Hunters know that, everyone knows I made the King of Dragons a useless reptile!".
Toothless's eyes went wide. Now that's an insult! NO! I WON'T LET YOU DISRESPECT OUR MARK LIKE THAT!
*Slow down, tiny human! I am no King of Dragons!* Toothless mimicked how he remembered Stoick speak, *Only the Alpha of Berk's flock.* Then back to himself again.
"But all dragons in The Hidden World, they bowed at you.".
*Hello, I was introducing myself, they're just being polite!* Toothless replied, *And don't change the subject! How is us having each other's back being weak? Yes, hunters took advantage of that many times, but, Hiccup, if you force us all to leave, Berk will be more than vulnerable to attack. Hunters will do everything they can to find The Hidden World, and did you forget that evil dragons exist too? The Red Death has even managed to enslave-*.
Toothless stopped after Hiccup placed a hand on his forelegs, his human is heaving! Oh no, I went too far! Toothless thought as he remembered a young boy lost in his own nightmare despite being awake after someone mentioned The Red Death for the first time.
*I'm sorry, Hiccup.* Toothless nuzzled his rider, *I didn't mean to-*
"It's ok, you're right, I need that." Hiccup leaned against him, "And I can't avoid that forever." smiling ruefully, "Dad would have said that too if he's here.".
*I'm sorry…*
Toothless looked away, it's what he has always been afraid that Hiccup would bring up since they could talk. He could move on from the left leg, but from Stoick? Never… he never will.
"You know I don't blame you, right?" Hiccup asked, "I was afraid of change… the burden that comes with growing up to be exact. He was tough on me, but looking back, I'm glad we had good stuff too. I remember sleeping between the horns of his helmet on the way home. Then I got Snotlout's first punch when I was five, so he took me out for fishing.".
*Well, at least you got a break. When I was five, someone called me a 'Troll' while I was hunting.* Toothless chuckled.
Hiccup's eyes went wide with a smile for a while before it turned into a rueful smile as he was looking down.
"He was the last thing that connected me to childhood.".
*Mine too.* Toothless admitted, finally not trying avoid hard things, *I was too young to remember what it's like.*.
Toothless looked up at the sky. He can't remember how they got there, or even why, but there was one thing that's left in the darkest corner of his memory… the last second before the slavery…
The caldera glowed deadly crimson with rivulets of lava among the steamy chamber. There were many breeds of dragons hidden in the corner, or at least nooks that were out of sight. A life ending ROAR sent his family shrieking, trying to flee, but she vanished his mother, and siblings with just one bite…
His father managed to push him out of the way with a tail whack… He was saved… and he hid in a small cave like a coward… Curling around himself as he grew stronger over time, and yet having no life.
*But he helped me feel that again.*
Toothless remembered joining many of Hiccup and Stoick's dinner at the table by the firepit. The cod in the bowls and his dad's mead was more than enough to make them happy after their exhausting days.
*And you have his eyes, Hiccup.* Toothless looked right into his rider's green eyes, *The rest of the face is Valka's, but every time I miss him, I'll look at you. It sucks that we both got beaten out of our childhood comfort, but I guess that's what life is.*.
"Fine! You win." Hiccup chuckled with a sigh, but at the same time hopeful, "We'll piece everything together as we wing along. Your tail will always be my fault, but I'll move on.".
*Duh! It's either the tail or slavery.* Toothless deadpanned, *Like how it's either your leg, or your life for me.* Moving his tail forward, as clean as the first day he lost half of it, *It has only been a few days that I am learning how to really live without flight, building the nest is slow, I swam a lot for fishing, but you know what? I'll say I love my life without any hesitation.* Standing up, *Let's go get some sleep, we already had a wild night.*.
The young man and the Night Fury stood up, turning back toward the door, and leaving the village to the peaceful silence as the chimney fires created golden constellations across the island.
- Master Bedroom, Haddock House.
"I should have known. I should have seen the signs!"
Hiccup's eyes opened due to the shouting outside, and then shifted to wake Astrid. It was very early, but the sunlight was enough to fill the room. His fiancée rubbed her eyes groggily after she pushed herself up from his chest.
"What did Snotlout do this time?" Astrid commented.
The couple got out of their bedroom, and found two Furies had their ears against the wooden door after they got down the stairs. Toothless cocked his head toward the door in confusion as Luna moved away, so Hiccup could open it. The Furies and Humans couple left the building, and then approached the end of the porch, looking down at the village below.
A few clothes, and stuff were thrown outside The Jorgenson's house. Snotlout calmly knelt on the ground to put everything into his bag despite the viking's eyes on him and his father. Hookfang landed next to his rider, didn't attack the young man's father, but was well aware of what's going on.
"How would Jorgenson's blood continue!? Was everything a lie? Are you even my son!?" Luna tilted her head as Hiccup, Toothless, and Astrid eyed their friend empathically.
Spitelout had always taken great pride in his son despite the pressures, he'd never do this unless what happened could disgrace their family, but at the same time, important enough for Snotlout to stand up against his father.
"I spent my entire life chasing this stupid idea you had of me!" Snotlout stood up, "I trained dragons, went on suicide missions with my friends, one of them is even a chief! And if that's not good enough for you as a son just because of this small thing, then I guess I'm never going to be!".
Snotlout climbed up on Hookfang, and flew away. Hiccup remembered the dimmed hall he was thrown into before his father disowned him. He had always been small compared to all, but that was the only moment he truly felt "small".
Honor and legacy are the most valuable things to Vikings, they'd do everything to pass it down through generations, and set the bar higher every time they achieved something. It never never ends well for the black sheeps, or even just normies, being disowned, humiliated, and homeless are nothing strange.
It was temporary for him then, might also be temporary for Snotlout and Spitelout too, but the pain will always be there no matter what.
"Chief." Eret's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Eret!" Hiccup tried to greet normally, "When did you come?".
"I can take today for you, and Astrid." the man refused to beat around the bush, "Be there for him if you want to, Hiccup.".
"Thanks, Eret." he meant it.
"You're very welcome, chief!" Eret turned away, "Nice pajamas by the way.".
Luna and Toothless looked at Hiccup's troll prints pajamas curiously.
A little glimpse of Toothless's past! I hope it's not too little, I want to show who he was before meeting Hiccup, but at the same time, not making it too important, because the main memories he has are with the Haddocks of course!
Still Beta Read by TheWangY!
PS. Snotlout Jorgenson is now officially Snotlout The Homeless xD
Last PS. At first, I wanted to write Hiccup sleeping shirtless, but nah! I think he'd be more into funny pajamas xD