{Normal POV}

=Three Weeks Later=

Hiccup had moved past the torture inflicted upon him by Drago's workers, but not the rapes. However, no one expected him to get past that so quickly even though it had been eight months that Hiccup had been home and away from Drago's stronghold. Hiccup still had nightmares, but Toothless would let Hiccup sleep against him, and that seemed to help a significant amount in keeping the memories from that day away. Viggo and Ryker were both named fully trained and privileged dragon riders of Yin and Yang, the Hideous Zippleback who seemed to have chosen them of its own free will. Hiccup was still living in the cove with the Grimborn brothers, Ying and Yang, plus his draconic lover, Toothless. Hiccup did tell Gobber what was going on; that Hiccup and Toothless were together. Also, Viggo and Ryker figured it out and didn't seem to mind. For Hiccup, that made it more real that this thing has happened before and people were mostly accepting of it. There would always be some who thought it was unnatural and didn't like it, but there was nothing they could do. Hiccup decided late last night when he couldn't sleep that it was time to move back into the village, and start his Chieftain training, plus tell his father about loving Toothless so that who thing could begin. Hiccup didn't know how his father would take it, but he hoped it would be well.

Are you alright, Hiccup? Toothless asked while Hiccup and he had reached the village and were looking for Stoick.

"Bit nervous; you know how my dad is," Hiccup admitted.

I'm sure he'll be accepting of it after a little adjusting. Toothless stated confidently. Hiccup nodded as he rubbed the top of Toothless's head.

"There he is," Hiccup pointed. Toothless flew over and landed next to Skullcrusher.

"Hiccup! I'm so glad to see you, son," Stoick greeted as Hiccup climbed off Toothless and then got a bear hug from his father. "Where are the Grimborn brothers?" he asked.

"Hanging around the village, safe and sound," Hiccup told him.

"Ah. Good then. So, what brings you to the village today? Resupplying?" Stoick asked.

"Actually, I was hoping to speak with you about a few things. I-If you have time?" Hiccup hoped.

"I always have time for you, son. Come, we can talk at the house. I was just heading there for a quick lunch," Stoick offered. Hiccup nodded as the two headed for Stoick's hut, with Skullcrusher and Toothless following.

. . .

[Stoick's Home]

After arriving, the two dragons stayed outside after Hiccup assured Toothless he could handle this; but his own confidence was betraying him. Stoick plated up two chicken legs for himself and Hiccup, then some bread and drinks. Hiccup and Stoick sat down at the table across from one another.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Stoick asked.

"Well, I wanted to let you know that I'm moving back into the village for starters," Hiccup said as Stoick's eyes widened, and lit up with joy.

"Oh, that's wonderful, Hiccup! A-And you're ready to start your Chieftain training, or not yet?" Stoick inquired.

"It…Depends on how you feel regarding the next matter," Hiccup began while looking down.

"Go on, son," Stoick invited.

"Y-You know those old legends passed through the generations about…Humans falling in love with Dragons? Gobber told me about them once," Hiccup started.

"Of course, Hiccup. It's a strange concept, but everyone loves who they love. Sometimes you can't help that," Stoick took a drink after saying that.

"Right. Um, so about that…I-I love Toothless, Dad," Hiccup said, somewhat glancing his eyes to see his father's reaction. Stoick was just staring at him. "I realized it after my birthday, how I feel for him. Toothless is always there for me, and he…brings me a sense of comfort that I don't get with anyone else. I don't know, maybe it's our bond, but I'm sure that I love Toothless, and we're…kind of together,"

"Have you two done anything?" Stoick asked. Hiccup shook his head.

"No. Nothing except kiss a few times," Hiccup stated.

"I see, but if you're in love with him, then I assume at some point you two will be…Mating?" Stoick arched a brow. Hiccup blushed a little but nodded to his father. "Well, it's a bit shocking to learn, Hiccup, but I'm not upset about it. I actually always kind of had a feeling that you and Toothless had a different bond that the other riders. Their relationships with their dragons are more alliances, friendships, but yours with Toothless is stronger, stable, unbreakable even. It was Toothless who helped you to remember things after you lost your memory for a bit. So no, I'm not upset. Were you worried that I would be?"

"Well, Dad…I mean, you don't have the best track record with me telling you big news. I wasn't entirely sure how you'd take the information that your twenty-year-old son is in love with his Night Fury," Hiccup admitted. Stoick laughed a little.

"Don't worry, son. It's alright. Now, why did that affect your Chieftain training?" Stoick questioned.

"In all the other legends, the dragon and the human leave the Tribe to have their own life. I wasn't sure how the Hooligans would be to me being their Chief with a dragon lover," Hiccup said.

"They'll be fine. Might take some adjusting, but they'll deal with it. In case ya haven't noticed; we tend to adapt to new changes pretty fast around here since you and Toothless ending the dragon war and integrating dragons into our every day lives," Stoick took a bite of his chicken.

"I guess. So I suppose if everything is alright with this…Then Toothless and I are coming back with the Grimborn brothers, and I'll be…training with you? Oh, there is one other thing, though. And I feel like I'm gonna need your help with it," Hiccup informed.

"That would be?" Stoick inquired.

"I still have to give an Heir, and obviously with…the situation being what it is; that I'm gonna be with Toothless; we can't have kids. Gobber said I would have to do some kind of contract thing with another woman just to carry my child?" Hiccup looked at his dad now.

"Ah, yes. Word would go out just as if it were a marital contract to other Tribes asking for a female to come forward, then bear, and carry your Heir," Stoick enlightened.

"Right, but how does it work? Just ask if some random girl is willing to sleep with me and get pregnant?" Hiccup asked.

"That's the general idea, son, yes," Stoick nodded. "It would begin with sending the word out to the Tribes for eligible women to come forward to bear your child and carry it to term. Once a female is selected; we would sit down to discuss the circumstances around her involvement in your life,"

"Gobber said the girl wouldn't be, just that she has the baby and leaves," Hiccup mentioned.

"It can be done that way if you desire it so. In most cases, the mother, if needing a man to get pregnant without marriage involved for the sake of an Heir, would say the father passed away, and that male would no longer be involved in any way. Or vice-versa if the male needs a woman to carry his child. It's entirely up to you if you want the female in your life after everything. Your situation would be a little different, though," Stoick explained.

"Because I'm in love with Toothless?" Hiccup wondered.

"Precisely. The stories of humans falling in love with dragons are passed to all members of the Tribe, son. At some point, your child would be old enough to hear such things, and at that time; you could choose to tell them the truth or continue playing it off that the mother passed away. However, the mother would have to be in the child's life for most of the first year," Stoick said.

"Why?" Hiccup asked.

"Because babies feed from their mother's breasts, son," Stoick chuckled a little. "For example, with you, because your mother was taken while you were still a baby; Astrid's mother fed you, and I believe your Aunt Frida too. It was a joint effort because they had just given birth to Astrid and Snotlout, so they were producing milk and offered to help out in feedings,"

"Ah, I understand," Hiccup nodded now. "Well, when I was growing up; you had me with Gobber, or I guess Astrid's Mom and Aunt Frida because you were Chiefing. And you were always busy until nighttime. I assume…having a baby; I'd probably run into the same problem?"

"High chance of that, Hiccup. Your Chieftain training won't take long; you learned a lot of it when you were a leader at Dragon's Edge of your home with the riders. I just have to show you how to do things here on Berk, and I have no doubt you'll throw your own Hiccup flare into it," Stoick smiled.

Hiccup shrugged; he couldn't deny that because he definitely would. "Dad, has it ever been done where the woman or man stays after the requirements of the contract for an Heir are met?" he asked. Stoick rubbed his chin a bit.

"Possibly, but I can't recall any off the top of my head. Why?" Stoick wondered.

"I thought that since…I'll be Chiefing, and as someone who knows what it's like to…Be without a mother-figure, we'll say. What if I let the woman…Stay after giving birth? Acting as…I don't know…an aunt or something?" Hiccup suggested.

"It's certainly not a bad idea. Would you tell the child the truth eventually?" Stoick questioned.

"I don't know. I'm not one to really lie, so probably would. I just…Don't think it would be fair to remove the child from the mother's life, as someone who understands not having a mom," Hiccup shrugged softly. "It could be played off that maybe the mother and I are friends, but not together? I wouldn't want the child thinking that its parents didn't love it? I don't know. I suppose there's time to settle on a story. So…Can you help me with all this?"

"I'd be delighted, Hiccup! When do you want to begin?" Stoick asked.

"Toothless and I have an agreement that-," Hiccup started.

"An agreement?" Stoick said quickly, confused. Hiccup had forgotten that nobody knew, except for Gobber, that Hiccup and Toothless could communicate. Hiccup bit his bottom lip and saw his father giving him a look that said; start talking, now. Hiccup sighed and took a deep breath as he explained everything to his father. Ten minutes later, it was done.

"And you can't tell anyone about this, Dad. I mean it…Gobber knows too, but I know he won't talk," Hiccup informed his father firmly.

"So what am I supposed to do when I see you talking to him?" Stoick asked.

"Nothing. Act as if nothing has changed. You hear me make comments to him all the time before you knew about this. It's not different; everyone else hears noises, I hear words. I have to be careful to respond to anything too specific, or people will catch on. Anyway, back to what I was saying; Toothless already knows about this Heir this, and he doesn't care as long as…Well, he gets me first. And we already said that we're waiting until the Drago thing is over to mate, and I have more time to get through the rapes because I'm not quite there yet," Hiccup admitted.

"Well, we can still start things anyway. Putting the word out and finding you a suitable woman, and we can make all the decisions on how it will go, then hold off the act of doing it until Drago has been dealt with, and you've mated with Toothless," Stoick suggested. Hiccup nodded as he took a breath and smile. This went a lot better than he had planned, and he was grateful for how willing his father was to help him out. However, while some things would begin, other would wait for the time being.