"Modern myth".
How to train your dragon, Toothcup.
By: Sinattea.
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Disclaimer: Cressida Cowell owns the book series, Dreamworks owns the movie. I own nothing but this AU.
Note: Seriously, FFnet kinda totally sucks lately. It's the first time in TWO WEEKS that I can actually UPLOAD a new document to update the new chapter. AGH! But here it is at last: the new chapter! !
I'm sorry the plot is slowing down, but be patient: some things need depth and detail and some work better with the rush of adrenaline. Up and down. A Russian Roulette.
If FFnet lets me, I'll be updating chapter 25 this coming wednesday, 'cause I'm leaving four days to go in a vacation to Sierra Gorda (-yay!-) and I will be offline for the weekend.
Good news, huh?
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Chapter 24: Vulnerable.
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The last time Toothless had experienced that kind of pain was two years ago, when some Hunters ambushed the Night Fury and other dragons with poison…
- Gods' sake! Toothless you're hurt! ! – exclaimed Mrs. Evans, honestly terrified when she watched the conditions in which Toothless crossed the main door. She lowered her voice - Hunters? – surprising her, Toothless shook his head in negation - You mean it wasn't… electricity?
The dragon boy shook his head again.
- I… I got caught in a fight… – he whispered as he headed towards the kitchen, trying to avoid the tenants watching tv on the living room.
- But I thought you couldn't get hurt… – said Mrs. Evans, her expression going livid when Toothless responded:
- I can't…
The woman lost her breath. Ok, this was bad, really bad; serious enough to be worth of an emergency call to Evelyn, but first she had to help Toothless.
- Ok, ok… – she went to the fridge and got some frosted meat - There, have some ice… How else can I help you?
- I'm fine, I just need to go to my room and- - -
- No, you stay right here – Mrs. Evans forced him to take seat, inflexible before Toothless' attempt of a struggle -, I'll go get it. What is it?
- There's a first aid kit hidden beneath my desk… – the dragon boy finally gave in - If you insist, bring me one syringe.
- Syringe? ? ? – Mrs. Evans gasped - Is it that grave? ?
- No, no, don't worry. It's just as a precaution – he guaranteed, soothing, trying to chuckle at his own sillyness -. I'm fine, really. Imagine I'm just a regular boy who got caught in a regular fight.
- Toothless, that would NOT make me feel any better – she squeaked, altered in a comical way -. Gosh, I'm gonna need some tea after all this. I'll go get that syringe, you stay here. And call Evelyn.
That was a complicated task, because he had to call Hiccup first, and he really didn't want to tell him through the phone that his dad had gone drunk, crazy and beaten him. Or that he definitely suspected about them even though Gobber had stopped speaking at a still convenient point. Or that he was injured.
But he didn't want to lie either, least of all to Hiccup.
Maybe he could settle for a text message. Yeah, that should work for now. He could share only the good news of the night and explain things to Hiccup the next day before school. After all there was no chance that Stoick would wake up from his drunken sleep in time to see his son early in the morning.
So he sent a message, feeling like a total complete coward, and lucky him Hiccup didn't decide to take the initiative and call himself. Actually, Hiccup responded with a simple message detailing how Snotlout warned him that Stoick was staying with them for the night, and how he was okay with discussing that whole matter tomorrow.
Perhaps the luck of the Night Fury was most of times totally rotten, but with Hiccup Toothless had won the lottery, and he didn't need any more good luck in his life.
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Well, being honest, he'd like to have the same luck in other aspects of his life. It wouldn't be asking for much, now would it? If only his "adoptive mother" could get along with his boyfriend's father…
- I always knew that man would be nothing but a headache! Seriously, Gerard is way too fancy a name for him- - -
- And that's why everybody calls him "Stoick" – Toothless rolled his bright green eyes (or at least the one that didn't have a bunch of meat against it), grateful that Evelyn couldn't see his expression -. Odin, Evelyn, calm down, I'm fine.
- Are you? I'm going to need to watch him really close if he was capable of hurting you like that… What if he's like you? Or like me? Or like them? – her voice high-pitched in a very non-fancy way.
Restraining the urge to chuckle at her and her paranoia, Toothless cleared his throat.
- No, I'm sure it's none of that.
- How can you be sure?
- Because… because… Well, because… – and this is the point when he should be saying some good, believable excuse, and yet his mind was empty and he couldn't think of any sort of justification at all. That day was just a vertiginous mixture of chaos and nonsense, there was no way he could figure anything plausible from that… - Yes, of course! ! ! Chinese! !
- Beg pardon?
- Chinese! ! ! That's it! – Toothless repeated, his mind suddenly lightened with the brightest of ideas.
- I do not understand, Dean – Evelyn's growing annoyance was noticeable through her voice. She should be drawing the mother of the WTF looks by now
- They ordered chinese! Chinese food! I bet Stoick ate some cooked eel with his bare hands.
Evelyn gave it a thought for a minute.
- Well, that would make sense. The allergy makes you vulnerable.
- Exactly, and if it's not that it would mean that I'm allergic to fathers in law, and that would be much worse – he joked in an apologetic tone.
It surprised him the most when Evelyn's classy laughter echoed through the phone. He hadn't heard her laugh in a very, very long time, least of all with such honesty.
- You have some points for making me laugh. You can be so ridiculous, Dean, seriously.
- Easy to do with a black, swollen eye: I look ridiculous – there was a taint of both resignation and fun in his voice; the only two emotions that could help him survive the humiliation of having been hurt by a human.
- Oh, Dean… – Evelyn's smile weakened.
- Don't worry. It's nothing I can't fix – and it really wasn't, he just had to wait for the right moment to sort things out.
There was a moment of silence on Evelyn's part, as if she were trying to decide whether to play along or not. She could sense right away that Toothless had his plate already full with the whole Gerard matter, he didn't need any more worries to add to the mix. Once she was in Berk she'd deal with Stoick herself, she would have a long and serious conversation with him: she'd make him understand, even if he didn't want to. All the gods knew she was an expert in such arts.
But for now Toothless didn't need to know her inner tribulations. That's why she decided to change the subject to one that had the miraculous effect of always drawing a smile on the boy's face.
- And does Jay know?
- Of course not! – Toothless screeched in panic - Well, not yet… I have to tell him, but tomorrow once- - -
- Not about Gerard – Evelyn interrupted, lighthearted -, about the eel...
- Oh… – well, that was a less finicky subject, but still one it was awkward to talk about. Toothless scratched the tip of his nose in an unconscious action to denote his nervousness - I might have told him once or twice…
- Once or twice? – Evelyn raised a skeptical eyebrow.
- Ok, I might have mentioned it once…
- Mentioned? – she muttered amidst a chuckle. Toothless had just given himself away.
- Fine! I never told him! – he admitted, throwing the meat away in his confession.
- Dean, he is your rider and your boyfriend. You shouldn't be ashamed to let him know that you are vulnerable to electricity and eel poison, like all dragons. He won't think you are less super because of a little kryptonite.
- Did you just make a joke? – Toothless caught, bewildered and entertained in equal amounts - Points for making me laugh.
- I do have a sense of humor. That I rarely show it is an entirely different matter – Evelyn played along, giving the boy some time to enjoy himself and then getting him into the conversation -. But I mean it, Dean, you tell him… or I will – she threatened.
- That's not necessary, I will – assured Toothless, fully convinced by the woman's words -. Promise. So… is it confirmed? You're coming this friday?
- Yes. I wouldn't have called Gerard if I wasn't – she appointed with all honesty -. I can't wait to see you, Dean.
- You can't wait to watch me – Toothless deciphered with a humored smile.
- Well, both… – she admitted, a shy smile shining on her lips - Points for that. You know? I missed this: us laughing.
- I missed it too – Toothless confessed.
- I promise you we'll have a brand new beginning once I'm there. All of us – Evelyn said, obviously including Hiccup and, may the gods help her, Stoick.
And she meant it. She'd been thinking a lot of Valery and the beautiful relationship they'd lost. She didn't want the story to repeat itself. She wanted to have a family again, and she felt determined to keep it this time. Just as Toothless.
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The next morning would definitely classify into the top five awkward moments between Hiccup and Toothless. The dragon boy just couldn't find the words to explain what happened, much less after Hiccup's surprise and preoccupation watching his unusual beaten state. "Oh, come on, you've seen me in worst conditions" he tried to distract, but it obviously didn't work. Hiccup only glared at him with more intensity; demanding to know the reasons why Toothless had avoided him last night when he was supposed to report back at his house before Stoick got home.
- Technically, I'm still on time to make it to your house before your dad – Toothless mumbled shamefacedly, a somewhat pathetic smile on his face.
- Toothless – Hiccup reprimanded, crossing his arms and tapping his foot in the typical "I'm waiting" gesture.
Toothless had to give up and explain the details of Gobber's conversation, Stoick's reaction towards it, the whole getting drunk process and the final episode between him and the boy he obviously didn't want to be with his son.
It cost him all the guts he had (and whatever else he could borrow) to confess the last part, how Stoick had attacked him and finally reached him and… and hurt him.
- But how… how could my dad hurt you? You… you can't get hurt!
- Funny thing: Mrs. Evans said the same thing… – Toothless muttered evasively.
- And what did you respond to her? – Hiccup asked in a clever way to turn Toothless' evasion against himself.
- Not much…
- And what are you gonna respond to me? – Hiccup sort of defied.
Toothless closed his eyes and let out a big sigh.
- Mind if we… miss the first class? This is gonna take some time…
- You're asking me to miss PE? ? – a moment of silence, after which Hiccup shrugged dismissively - I guess I can live with that.
They sneaked in the loneliest corner in the library, right behind the self-support books nobody ever read, and Toothless finally confessed that he'd held back a bit of information when teaching Hiccup about dragons.
It had been just one thing, and that Hiccup could forgive, but considering it was one hell of an important thing, he was still balancing his options.
Toothless explained to him how all dragons shared three common weaknesses that could pretty much kill them if not avoided or attended. Hiccup already knew two of them. He knew that all dragons were in one way or another related to the four elements: all of them had "a heart of fire", and could resist heat, breathe fire and stuff, but some of them were dragons linked to water, lived in oceans and rivers or boiled water within their mouths to spit instead of the common fire, like Scauldrons. Some other dragons were linked to earth, lived in deep caves, fed on rocks to melt in their stomachs and spit as lava, like Gronkles; some were small dragons that fed on grass and herbs whose saliva had healing properties, some lived under earth like giant snakes with fire breathing capacities. And there was also the link of air, which most of the flying species owned, some more than others, like the Chinese dragons. Same with the fire, some dragons were more into that element that others, like Monstruous Nightmares, that could set their entire body aflame, or some other species that could literally bathe in lava.
The lightning, however, was not an element dragons had affinity with, which is exactly why electricity could hurt them. Some dragons learned how to evade lightning even in the middle of a storm, some developed certain resistance, but it continued to be an element foreign to their nature, and thus aggressive towards it.
That was vulnerability number one.
Then, Hiccup also knew that dragon blood was especially important, because through the blood the strength emanating from that fire heart flowed into every scale and claw. Thus, every time a dragon lost meaningful amounts of blood (as it had already happened to Toothless) the dragon lost the connection with those elements that fed its mythical nature, losing as well its capacities. A blood-drained dragon is incapable of breathing fire or flying, and cannot do so again until its healthy level of blood is restored.
But this third vulnerability, Hiccup was hearing of for the first time.
Not without a fair taint of shame, Toothless explained to him that all dragons had a severe allergy to eels; that standing near one for long would cause the typical teary eyes, constipated throat and runny nose. Direct physical contact tore down the dragon's inner defenses (immunity, strength, sharp sight), becoming greatly weakening. And even worse, contact with an eel's blood could kill them.
- Why keep that secret? ? – Hiccup reproached, cheeks flushed with anger - It's perfectly normal Toothless! ! Everybody knows eel blood has a toxin… but it deactivates with fire…. Why are dragons so vulnerable to it?
- It's an allergy! ! It doesn't even have to be poisonous to kill us! Think of people allergic to peanuts or beestings – Toothless rubbed his face, ashamed -. As pathetic as it sounds, it can kill us.
- Right… I'm sorry – Hiccup rested his hand softly on Toothless' shoulder -. It's not pathetic.
- It is. We both know it is – Toothless insisted, making evident all the reasons why he'd so far kept that secret.
Honestly, no matter how much he tried, Hiccup couldn't get angry at the sight of such a tore-down Toothless. Ok, so he'd kept a big secret, once again, but all Hiccup wanted to do was hug him and tell him everything was gonna be ok and then spoil him all day until he came to good terms with his own vulnerability.
On a second thought, if there wasn't the whole Stoick matter to worry about, he would do exactly that.
- Well, it's… surprising how something so small can hurt something as mighty as a dragon.
The look in Toothless' eyes perfectly reflected his thoughts of "I wish I knew why that is too".
- So… you think my dad could actually hurt you because he… had eel in his hands? ? ?
- It's a theory. I know firsthand he doesn't have the best manners at the table – Toothless remembered the christmas dinner, in attempt to make everything sound less… odd? Dramatic?
- Yeah, and when he gets angry he acts like a real viking of old – Hiccup played along -. I can actually see him choking on beer and getting his hands all stained with food and sauce and… blood…
Unfortunately, the Haddock boy's mood wore off gradually, the thought of his dad reminding him that right then nothing was fine enough to afford the luxury of a laugh.
- It's not nice when he's that… angry and careless about life…
- He didn't like the thought of you and I – Toothless swiftly understood why the incapability of a smile, and he joined the sadness club -. We need to figure this out.
Hiccup let out a tragic sigh and hugged his legs, resting his chin upon his knees. Toothless simply looked at him, wondering what could he do or say to make the situation better.
- All I'm praying for right now is that he was drunk enough to forget all that – Hiccup muttered.
- Well, he was drunk enough not to drive – argued Toothless in a sad attempt of a solacing gesture.
Hiccup tried, all-heartedly, to chuckle.
- That's a good sign…
- And if he doesn't forget? – Toothless finally gathered the courage to pronounce their biggest fears aloud after an almost painful minute.
- I'm terrified… I… I… I'll try to explain… to… to make him understand. We're supposed to be fixing our relationship… he should… he should accept it… right? For the sake of our father-son relationship… right?
- I wish, Hiccup. Really.
They sank in long and uncomfortable minutes of silence: studying their possibilities, thinking of proper lies, strategies, excuses, arguments… And at the same time praying to all the gods and goddesses whose name they could think of that things went nicely and Stoick came to good terms with their relationship sooner rather than later.
What made a most complicated problem out of all this, is that after Toothless had provided the very detailed version of the last night's confrontation, Hiccup was sure that his father's denial was not out of homophobia. Or so he hoped; so he needed to believe. Stoick may not be the most open-minded person in the world, but he was learning how to accept Hiccup for who he was, no matter what, right? Besides, when his mother was alive, she and Hiccup were always doing odd things and fighting imaginary monsters and playing "the floor is made of lava" and learning new words in fictitious languages, and Stoick was always okay with all that. He didn't play along often, but he would let them be and smile at them, happy to see they were enjoying themselves, even if he didn't exactly understand how. He had once being open-minded, when his wife was alive, because she was the most tolerant and accepting person ever.
If what he'd screamed at Toothless had been true, Stoick's real fear wasn't having a queer son under his roof, but having a bullied son hurt because of his queerness. Now that their relationship was so much better, the fatherly and protective instinct that laid dormant for six years was back and stronger than ever; especially considering he no longer denied the fact that his son was tormented on a daily basis.
Stoick had once confessed, recently, that he pushed Hiccup so hard in his training because he didn't want to lose him as he'd lost Valhallarama: he wanted the boy to be capable of self-defense, to stay safe, to stay with him. Stoick, as tough and brute as he appeared to be, hid a heart as big as his fists.
And if that was the authentic reason why his father couldn't stand the thought of him and Toothless being together… how could he really get mad at him? How could he say "no" to him? So he wasn't (just no way) saying "no" to Toothless, and he wasn't saying it to his dad either. What other option did he have?
"I wish you were here, mom – Hiccup thought -, you'd know what to do. You always had the perfect advice…"
- …Hiccup? – called Toothless, gently, bringing the boy out of the depths of his mind - You praying to Odin too?
- I need a hug – Hiccup mumbled, locking his eyes with Toothless' -. Just hug me…
Thinking of his mother always made him sad, for days. He hadn't thought of her in a long time, but he was happy that now that he had thought of her (and his dad and so many things at the same time that just worsened everything), he also had Toothless there to hold him tight and keep his certainties in place.
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Another note: I just love remembering that my boys have flaws and fears and that they are vulnerable before the world, before fate, before themselves… It makes them human. ^^
Now, wait for wednesday! ! Wednesday! ! !
Big things happen on… Wednesday! ! !
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Thanks for staying around! ! Let's hit 400 reviews! Shall we? ^^
Hi Mr Whale, Toothless is best, AliceCullen3, YoshisSupport,
Kigen Dawn, Ilmazzobro, animelover56348, Darkflower123,
Musical Fangirl, AlexJohnD, Splendidguy44, Speedhorse Speedy,
Neko-Len-chan, violet flame, Lia, Wolfsthrope Von Schlieffen.
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Splendidguy44: you… are… EPIC! ! ! Like EPIC for real! I read your review at the office and spent like half an hour just twirling in my chair and squealing in happiness!
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