Alternate Chain of Command ending. Minden x Snotlout, with background Hiccstrid.

What if Minden got injured during their fight? (set after she kissed Snotlout) While the Wingmaidens rebuild their island, she was brought back to the Edge by the riders. Confused with the conflicting feelings, Hiccup and Astrid help Snotlout feel the one thing he wanted to feel for the longest time - love.

Unlikely Match

The Flyers were fleeing, and Wingmaiden Island was in ruins, but the Riders managed to save everyone from the island. Fishlegs, the twins, Dagur, and Mala stayed with Atali and the remaining Wingmaidens to repair their home while Hiccup, Astrid, and Snotlout rushed back to the Edge to tend to a seriously injured Minden. After fighting the Flyers off her island, one of their Singetails shot a stray fireball, hitting Minden square in the back. Snotlout had a worried yet determined look in his face. He held Minden tightly in his arms, while also flying Hookfang as quick and smooth as possible. He checked her pulse and thanked the gods that she's got one, however she's still unconscious. She has a nasty bruise to her head and shoulders and a burn mark on her back. Her Razorwhip had also been injured in the fight, now under the care of the Wingmaidens back home.

"Don't you dare die on me." He whispered, hoping that no one would hear him. Hookfang grunted in sadness at the echo of his rider's genuine worry for Minden.

Approaching the Edge, the trio landed at Snotlout's hut where the stocky teen laid Minden on his bed. He grabbed his satchel of medical supplies from under the bed, then turned to Astrid. "Astrid, can you remove her armor and skirt, please?" he requested.

"Why me?" Astrid furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"Because I don't know what to do with undressing a woman!" The blonde was taken aback at Snotlout's reply. Normally, he'd take advantage of a woman when she's in such a state, but Snotlout was a decent man - he usually didn't show it. Begrudgingly, Astrid crouched beside the teen Jorgenson as she started to remove Minden's armor, revealing a pattern of bruises on her chest and sides.

"Is it just me or did Snotlout became caring all of a sudden?" she commented. Snotlout glared at her, but Astrid ignored him – her eyes focused on Hiccup.

"Yeah, I wonder what's gotten into him?" her boyfriend agreed, reaching a set of new clothes, of which were her spares, for Minden.

"Oh please, you're exactly like that when I'm sick." Astrid rolled her eyes. Once her task is done, she pecked Hiccup's cheek, before turning to Snotlout, who felt slightly uncomfortable. "Don't you want to kiss her in the cheek as casually as we do?" she teased.

"Of course! But not now obviously!" the raven haired teen riposted, cheeks now showing a crimson blush. He ushered the couple outside his hut, while ordering Hookfang to guard Minden. Once they made it outside, the three dragon riders sat on the edge of the platform, talking about when would the injured Wingmaiden finally wake up.

"There's something between us Hiccup, I can feel it!" Snotlout told his cousin. Hiccup wasn't an expert in giving relationship advice, so he was basing his cousin's experience on his own one with Astrid.

"When did it start?"

"After we got trapped in the forest, I started to take a liking on her, but I'm afraid that will mean she wouldn't be a Wingmaiden anymore if she likes me back. She even freaking kissed me!" Snotlout confessed. The Wingmaiden code stated that if one were to engage in a romantic relationship, said maiden would be banned from both the order and the island to live with where her partner resides; in Snotlout's case, it would be back on Berk.

"You know, that's how Astrid and I started out. She wanted to join the Guard before I had the courage to make a move on her." Hiccup explained.

"You have to know what Minden likes and dislikes, what makes her happy and mad." Astrid added, "The trick is you just have to be yourself, don't pretend someone you're not."

"But I'm a muttonhead!" Snotlout retorted, pointing towards Astrid. "You said that yourself."

The blonde Viking rolled her eyes, "I never meant it literally! If she had the courage to kiss you, I'm sure she likes your muttonhead-ness. That's how I fell in love with Hiccup," She turned to her auburn haired boyfriend, wrapping her lithe arms around his neck. "Right babe?"

"You also couldn't resist this raw Vikingness, milady." Hiccup gazed lovingly. They inched closer until their lips met, engaging into a hot make-out session. It was a quick one because they knew their friend was there watching, but enough to make them feel in love with one another.

"Oh gods, I love you Hiccup." Astrid giggled.

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't see that." Snotlout gagged at the couple.

"Just a preview as to how you and Minden would end up, cuz."

Two days have passed, and Minden was still unconscious. Despite the Wingmaidens' request to transfer her back to their island, Snotlout objected. He became overprotective of her, to the point where the Thorston twins started to make rumors about the stocky rider's change of attitude. That's exactly what they, and the other riders, were talking about during lunch time at the clubhouse.

"Is it just me or did Snotlout suddenly became caring all of a sudden?" Ruffnut remarked.

"The latter sis." Tuff replied, "He is having a case of the Hiccup syndrome." Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs, and Ruff raised their eyebrows in confusion.

"The Hiccup what?!" Astrid commented.

"When you suddenly change your attitude when you become taken. Take Hiccup for example, when he and Astrid spent more time together than with us." Tuff explained. Astrid rolled her eyes while Hiccup nearly choked out the fish he was eating.

"But Minden's bound to head home to her island soon, genius." His sister riposted, punching him in the arm. "Speaking of which, where is Snotlout?" Fishlegs asked.

"Probably in his hut looking at Minden, maybe they're having-" Tuff suggested before Hiccup and Astrid cut him off.

"TUFFNUT!"

Meanwhile in his hut, Snotlout was just finishing off cleaning Hookfang's talons when he heard a grunting noise from his bed. He ran towards his bed and was greeted by a pair of aqua blue eyes.

"S..Snotlout! W..where am I?" Minden groaned as she scanned the foreign interior of the Jorgenson's hut. She also noticed the change of clothes - instead of her Razorwhip themed armor, she's wearing a blue sleeveless tunic and purple leggings.

"You're in Dragon's Edge, your island was devastated so I had to bring you here to tend your injuries." Snotlout smiled. At the mention of her island's status, Minden winced. She sat on the bed with her back against the head frame.

"But….is everyone alright?"

"According to Atali, yeah. She and your other colleagues stopped by yesterday to come pick you up." The raven haired man replied, "I'm sorry this happened." Hookfang huffed from the corner, as if telling his rider 'I've never heard you blame yourself for something.' Snotlout glared at the red Monstrous Nightmare, who just rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"We both know it's not your fault Snotlout." Minden reassured, then continued on. "If you don't mind by asking, why didn't Atali and the others return me back home?" Snotlout's cheeks went red at the question - should he tell her the truth or cover it up somehow? He looked at Hookfang for answers, but the red dragon cocked his head towards Minden. Just be yourself, man. Remember what Astrid told you.

"I needed to take care of you Minden," he confessed. "We wanted to make sure that you recover here while your home is being rebuilt." Just as Minden was about to chime in, Snotlout waved her off. "Don't worry, Dagur and the Defenders of the Wing would be helping y'all in the rebuild effort."

"But I have to return to my- OW!" Minden groaned. Her bruised back accidentally hit the cold hard wood of the bedpost.

"Take it easy on yourself." Snotlout grabbed a pillow and laid Minden's back against it, preventing her from hitting the wood. "Better?"

The injured Wingmaiden nodded. "Yeah, thanks Snotlout."

"Do you want something to eat? I'm heading to the clubhouse." he offered. Minden nodded.

"Yes please, I'm starving." As Snotlout was about to leave, he felt a hand clutched on his arm. "Can you stay and eat with me, please?"

"For you, anything."

For the next couple of weeks, Minden started to recover from her injuries. It wasn't as quick as how the Wingmaidens do it, but she appreciated the effort of the Riders nonetheless, especially Snotlout. He brought her food when she couldn't get out of bed, he changed out her bandages and cleaned her wounds; the only thing he doesn't do is giving her a bath - of which is either Astrid's or Ruff's job. Atali would sent a Terror mail every other day, asking about Minden's condition. On the 18th day after the attack, Hiccup replied one back saying that she's getting better and if they wanted to bring her back home, since Wingmaiden island had been rebuilt already.

He broke the news to both Snotlout and Minden the following day, saying that the Wingmaidens would arrive in two days time to bring Minden home. His cousin knew it was time to let the Wingmaiden go, but that didn't mean he couldn't get to spend private time with her one last time.

Snotlout and Minden landed at a beach on the east side of the island. It's a quiet area that no one knew, save for Hiccup and Astrid, when they go on dates. It was Minden's last day before heading home tomorrow and she wanted to spend time alone with the stocky Viking.

"Hey Snotlout?" Minden started.

"Yes?"

"I just wanna say thanks, for taking care of me."

"Well, it's no big deal. I had my friends help me out as well."

"Not just them," Minden clarified. "I mean, thanks for staying with me when I was out cold. Hiccup told me how you were overprotective of me, it's kinda hot. I've never felt for a man like that before." She lay her head on the crook of his neck, not breaking the loving gaze she has for the man who saved her life.

Snotlout blushed fiercely at this gesture. "You know, if you weren't bound by the Wingmaiden code, I'd love to date you." He whispered.

"Me too Snotlout." Minden replied, dejected. "But what if we can?" Snotlout raised an eyebrow.

"What if we wrote letters? We can keep our little relationship a secret from Atali and your friends." she suggested.

"Maybe we can." Snotlout smiled.

He inched his head closer to Minden's, as if he were being pulled by her charisma, and placed his lips on hers. Unlike their first kiss, to which Snotlout still couldn't get over with, this one was deeper, more blissful. Perfect, is one way of describing it. Once they pulled out for air, Minden placed a hand atop Snotlout's chest and lay her head back on his shoulder - the stocky raven haired rider reciprocated by laying his head against hers.

We are an unlikely match, but I'm glad it worked out well. Snotlout thought.

A/N: I honestly think Minden would be better for Snothat than say Ruffnut, because of how he encouraged her in Chain of Command, but the next one-shot would be a fluffy Hiccstrid one!