UPDATE: There may not be a chapter next week. I have a musical coming up very soon, and next week is the premiere week meaning I'll have very little time to write as most of my energy will be directed towards that and school. Do not worry, because after next week, it shall return to the usual of one, two, maybe even three per week, who knows? Free time is just the thing I need. For now, enjoy the latest.
"Hiccup, that's not funny," Stoick said annoyed as he continued walking, his son and his dragon walking behind him in slight shock and anger. Toothless looked at his mate and then towards the back of Stoick who walked on with a staggering amount of urgency. They were passing through the market, the current hub for jobs and rebuilding.
"And what about it is so funny?" Toothless asked with a tinge of anger in his voice. Stoick stopped momentarily, glancing over his shoulder at the dragon. There was an unusual anger in his eyes, though Toothless could tell those eyes weren't angered with him. The chief continued walking forward, throwing his words over his shoulder as he pushed forward, looking left and right at the progress being made. All around, vikings were being directed towards new objectives, new jobs, and new plans
"Whatever you saw, it wasn't an Outcast ship," Stoick said blandly, continuing at his pace. Hiccup stopped in his tracks, prompting both Toothless and Stoick to turn their eyes to the absent party.
"Why are you so sure it wasn't Outcast?" Hiccup persisted further. Stoick stared at his son, his eyes lacking that annoyed and angered flare they once held before. It was one of the smaller things that Toothless noticed. The chief crossed his arms, sizing up his son and debating whether or not to engage in yet another argument with his son.
"You know it's impossible son," Stoick said as a matter-of-factly. Hiccup rolled his eyes and motioned to his entire body.
"You are looking at the impossible dad," Hiccup said in response. Stoick raised a brow at his son and looked at him unimpressed. Turning away once again, Stoick returned to his brisk walk through the market, nearing the main stand where men and women were collecting orders and supplies. Near the main stand was a decent sized hole that was once much bigger. Ever since the attack, the vikings of Berk have progressively filled most of it in with dirt and just needed a cobblestone finish to be complete. Looking towards the hole, Stoick carried on with this conversation.
"They're gone Hiccup," Stoick said briskly, "They were cowards, and they picked up and left." Toothless stepped forward, making his presence more known in the conversation and in the group.
"We still haven't found a solid explanation for why the sudden vanished," Toothless persisted, sitting on his tail so he could see eye to eye with the chief. Even on his tail, Toothless still stood just a bit short of the massive viking. Toothless noticed the fire return to Stoick's eyes, that hidden anger. The dragon had a horrible feeling in his stomach. Maybe those threatening glances really were meant for him, but as quickly as that fire returned, it diminished as if a passing breeze squashed the once bright flames into a dull glow.
"They heard what Dagur was capable of and they fled in fear," Stoick said with a softer tone in his voice. With it, was almost a tinge of regret in his voice. Hiccup walked closer to the pair, sitting on his tail next to his mate. He had grown a bit, but still stood a good head below Toothless. Hiccup stared at his father, contemplating his next few words.
"Dad, you know as well as I do that it doesn't add up. We defeated Dagur and the Outcasts still fled, before Dagur ever escaped. Before he started recruiting an army," Hiccup said, seeing the hesitation in his father's eyes, "Something, or someone, forced them to leave. For all we know, they left on their own free will on some conquest, but assuming they just up and left and would never return is completely stupid. Dad I know you want to believe a problem as big as this couldn't happen, but it very well could be. Berk is in a state worse than anything Dagur threw at us and another enemy who could be just as dangerous as him could be near our shores. Don't ignore me like you used too. Don't ignore us dad." Stoicked stared at his son with uneasy silence. The chief looked between the Night Fury and his mate, giving them a softer gaze than before like a very thin fog came over his eyes, dimming the fire that once burned bright inside them. Stoick rubbed his head and put his hands on both the dragon's shoulders, smiling the best he could at his two boys.
"Hiccup, I'm not ignoring you, or Toothless, and I do know that some things don't really make much sense, but its the best explanation we've got. You saw what the Outcast island looked like. It was thoroughly cleaned, like they made sure to leave behind nothing that could signal they were ever there. A building would be left, but everything inside would be gone. Assuming they fled out of the area for some reason similar to that is one of the very few that make much sense. If you two really think it was an Outcast ship, then I'll arrange to have Spitelout lead a short scouting of the area. You can tag along if you want, but I'm confident you won't find anything." Stoick finished his last words strongly. The chief removed his hands from the dragon's shoulders and rubbed their heads affectionately before giving them a genuine smile, one that was definitely not forced.
"And on the off chance you run into some unexpected issues, just return to Berk and we'll discuss it further, alright?" Stoick said, crossing his arms at his two boys. Both the dragon's nodded their heads in agreement. Stoick's gaze lingered on Toothless just a tad longer before the chief turned away, heading back towards the temporary hub. Hiccup and Toothless watched as the proud chief yelled out orders and redirected the disarrayed group of vikings who liked to pretend they knew what they were doing. The smaller dragon couldn't help but smile at his father. He was proud of him, how much he had changed, for the better. He listened now, much more than he talked. It made Hiccup feel like him and Toothless really made a difference, not just with Stoick, but with all of Berk and even other tribes.
Hiccup turned and noticed a lack of a Night Fury by his side. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Toothless a few steps away, walking back towards the Great Hall. Hiccup quickly turned a took a few quick steps to fall in line with Toothless. The larger dragon glanced over at Hiccup and smiled lightly at his mate. Hiccup smiled and leaned against Toothless lightly, happy they were both safe, even if it was only for a short time.
Stoick finished yelling his orders and pointed one viking in the direction of the Great Hall. His finger slowly fell, seeing his son and his dragon so close together. It was something he knew he may never get used to. His son was a dragon, and he married a dragon. Certainly not the life he had envisioned when he was just a young man, just starting his life with his pregnant wife. He was still overwhelmingly happy for his boy, and thankful for the dragon, no, for Toothless making his son happy.
"You know, I'm pretty proud of my dad," Hiccup said softly as the two dragons walked slowly, watching as a viking hurriedly ran passed them, "He's changed a lot since the days when we were just getting to know each other. He's more considerate, he at least tries to listen to us, he's a bit nicer, but I think that might be a stretch." Hiccup laughed a bit under his breath and glanced over at Toothless, feeling the uneasy vibe his dragon was giving off. Hiccup could tell his mind was elsewhere as the larger dragon stared forward with a distant gaze.
"Is everything alright Tooth?" Hiccup said softly, stopping. Toothless took a few more stops before he registered the words in his head. The dragon turned his head back to his mate and smiled, nodding his head.
"I was just thinking about the situation," Toothless said, "I hate to say it worries me, but it really does. It was just a few months ago that our lives were at risk against a dangerous viking like Dagur. I don't like the fact that life could go back to the way it was. I don't like that our lives are in danger, that one of us could die." Hiccup smiled and took a few steps forwarding, motioning for the Night Fury to follow. Toothless obliged and continued walking with his mate towards the Great Hall. Hiccup stopped suddenly again, staring at a burnt house. The once lively wood was scarred with a deathly black cloak that draped it's ashy burden over the house. The doorway was slightly warped and ajar, revealing the blackened and charred innards of the building. Metal rods, scraps of paper, brittle furniture that seemed to grow smaller with the passing wind as it took one piece at a time.
"Toothless, it's an occupational hazard," Hiccup said softly, remembering the words his father had told him ever since he was a child. Now that he was older, he could fully understand the significance of the few simple words. Being a viking didn't guarantee you a full life, it just guaranteed a life, one that could end at any moment. Death is closely intertwined with a vikings life as they tread closer to the horizon between the afterlife and mortal life. Toothless sat next to Hiccup and stared at their once great home. It would be several more days, maybe weeks, maybe even months before rebuilding teams got around to it. It was in the center of town, around the area where much damage was called. Quality homes that were being built on Berk in the last year took much longer to build, so, until then, the Great Hall was their home.
"Only if you accept death as an option," Toothless said in response. Hiccup turned to his mate, noticing the flare in his eyes. The way that passion burned in when he looked at the once gloriously simple home spurred something inside Hiccup. It reminded him how much he truly loved that dragon. Hiccup smiled and moved closer to Toothless, leaning his head on his mate's shoulder, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest.
"Then death is not an option."
A warmer breeze blew through Berk, bringing new life and buoyancy to once drowning spirits. All around, vikings were finishing their new daily routines of building and rebuilding as the sun sank lower into the skies and nearer the horizon. Looking towards the setting sun, one could see the silhouettes of two dragons cuddled close together. The docks were almost completely quite, save for the one or two souls finishing up their daily duties before heading back to the Great Hall or one of the remaining houses on Berk.
The two dragon's sat in relative quite only interrupted by the subtle movements of the waters and the occasional clammer of Berk. Save for those few instances, the pair sat contently in each other's company. It had honestly been a while since the two really spent time together like this. Both always had something they needed to do, whether it was Berk responsibilities, household responsibilities, or something else that may have risen. Now that they were both working towards a common goal again, they got the opportunity to love each other properly once again. Even if it was small, something good came out of such a horrible disaster.
"Sixteen," Hiccup said softly to Toothless. The larger dragon nodded his head in response, draping his wing around his mate comfortingly.
"It's been a while since I last saw so many vigil fires going at once," Hiccup said. Toothless gently licked the smaller dragon and motioned out towards the setting sun.
"Many people did die during or shortly after the fire. There's nothing more we can do for them and they're in a better place. Somewhere they won't have to suffer the burdens of life. If anything, we should be grateful no one else was taken from us. We should be proud of ourselves for acting so quickly," Toothless said, "The vikings were taken by surprise with Dagur's sudden invasion, but if I know vikings, they know how to put out a fire." Hiccup managed a smile and nodded his head. The smaller dragon turned his head to look up at Toothless.
"You know it's only a matter of time before our luck runs out," the Night Fury said softly, "One of us could go, or someone close." Toothless looked down at Hiccup with a understanding gaze, but the dragon looked away and into the setting sun once again, a new glint in his eyes.
"Then it's our job to protect one another," Toothless said, looking back down at Hiccup, "We are family, and families keep each other safe no matter what." Hiccup raised a brow at Toothless and nodded his head curtly. The smaller dragon couldn't help but smile and laugh a little at his companion. Toothless cocked his head slightly to the side, not too sure if he should be feeling embarrassed or offended.
"When did you start getting so wise?" Hiccup asked. Toothless smiled at the question and hugged Hiccup tightly.
"Since you decided to start listening," Toothless said. Hiccup looked up the best he could from the hug and gave the dragon a slightly offended look.
"Hey I listen!" Hiccup half yelled, looking around embarrassed when he realized how loud he was being. Toothless let go of the smaller dragon and shook his head, still with that same beautiful smile of his.
"I meant back at the cove, Hiccup," Toothless said, motioning in the approximate direction of the said cove. Hiccup momentarily glanced in the direction and smiled, shaking his head softly.
"I always knew what you were thinking," Hiccup said playfully, "Even if we didn't have words to say, I knew." Toothless rolled his eyes, but truthfully, the smaller dragon wasn't wrong. Speaking of smaller dragon's, Toothless could hear the sudden soft patter of feet rapidly approaching, followed by calmer, heavier steps. Before he had time to look back there was a sudden weight upon his head. Two big, playful eyes looked into his before the little dragon hopped off his face and latched onto Hiccup's.
"Hello Mr. Hiccup!" little Ryuu cheered loudly, "I haven't seen you in forever!" Hiccup laughed at the smaller dragon and pulled him from his face and into his arms.
"Ryuu, it's hardly been a day or two," Hiccup said in a lighter, sweeter tone that Toothless rarely ever heard. It was the way Hiccup got around children. He changes, sures he's still the same old Hiccup with the same old dry humor, but the atmosphere around him changes. The air becomes so much more energetic yet calming. It just seems so much warmer and inviting with his soft voice, smooth gestures, calming nature, and his welcoming vibe. It was a Hiccup that Toothless found so attractive, yet, every time Hiccup became like this, he felt a pit in his stomach. Of course he would love to start a family with Hiccup, but there's still so much more to life that he wanted to explore and experience first. It always seemed that his own desires trumped Hiccup, at least for this, and he always felt horrible about it.
An awkward shuffling of feet attracted Toothless' attention. Next to him, the boy he'd seen around quite frequently was looking at the two other dragons carrying on an innocent and cute conversation. The boy's eyes were strangely absent, cold, and had an aura of burden. Though who could blame the kid, his father lied to his family and caused not only Berk, but probably numerous other villages and homes along the way to be burnt and destroyed be the dragons who slowly stalked them around the globe, and he was paying for that everyday. It was hard for Toothless to imagine, however, that two dragon's couldn't track down a simple boat, especially one that was a severely different style than the ones around. Unless they got a later start, then in that case it could be a completely different story.
"May I help you?" Tatsuo said blandly. Toothless realized he was staring for far too long and the boy was looking at him with those same void like eyes. Those black eyes seemed to cut through the dragon's tough hide and stab his soul. Toothless shook his head in response, ignoring the interesting feelings he had welling in his chest.
"No," Toothless said, letting the words slip out in a fashion that gave off quite a rude tone. The dragon didn't quite mean for his words to come out in such a way, but he honestly didn't care, not with this boy. For all he cared, him and his family could disappear one day, without a trace and never to be seen again, yet, Toothless would always find himself feeling guilty for having such hateful thoughts. He couldn't help it, it seemed like everytime a stranger came to Berk, bad events would transpire, one after another, and Toothless was left helpless to defend his home and his loved ones. He was thankful for Hiccup, providing the love and kindness he sometimes lacked. It reminded him who he was now, and not who he was before.
"Ryuu," Tatsuo said, his voice dropping in pitch just slightly as if showing some sort of dominance over the little dragon that made Toothless really question the type of brotherly relationship the two had. Just the way his voice sounded in that single word made it seem like it was a master addressing his pet...and it made Toothless feel a little sick.
"Let us be on our way," Tatsuo continued, slowly walking towards Hiccup. The boy reached out his hands and roughly snatched the small dragon from Hiccup's arms. A small protest from Ryuu was quickly diminished when Tatsuo lowered the dragon into his shirt, letting the Ryuu's head poke from the top and look at the world around him.
"Are you comfortable?" Tatsuo asked softly and monotonically. Ryuu replied with a small, and very much annoyed nod. With that, the boy turned towards Hiccup and he managed a weak smile.
"I apologize again for the other night," he said with weird hint in his voice almost implying he wasn't sorry at all, and with a final wave and cheery goodbye from Ryuu, the boy and the dragon were gone. Toothless looked at Hiccup, obviously curious about what the strange kid was talking about.
"He's sorry for what now?" Toothless asked. Hiccup looked at Toothless with a guilty, yet angered look. The dragon shuffled his feet uncomfortably and glanced over at the sun finally slipping over the horizon, sending the world slowly spinning into the dark abyss that is night. All around Berk, torches were being lit, setting up a subtle light that matched the dying flames of the sun as it drowned under the ocean waves.
"Well, when we had that fight the other night, I went up to the cliff near the village. The trail was worn in over there, but I thought I could be alone for most of the night and just think and vent to the trees or something," Hiccup started off, making use of his usual hand gestures as he described the scene laid out before him, "I was talking to myself or something like I usually do when I hear noises coming from nearby. Thats when Tatsuo comes over the hill, alone, and sits near me. He starts asking me questions and I start getting aggravated with him. I just wanted to be alone and the kid just keeps asking weird questions and being weird. I yelled at him for some piece and quiet and then he decides to..." Hiccup trailed off, hating to think of the unwanted lips pressed against his own. The weird boy and his weird habits and his weird everything. It seemed like everyone else who came with him was normal and acting just fine around him and the other vikings, but oh no, not Tatsuo. His own family even admitted he was a bit strange.
"Decides to?" Toothless asks, persisting the conversation further. Hiccup presses two claws together and looks down and away from Toothless' gaze. Glancing up for a short moment, Hiccup spills the unwanted deeds.
"He decides...he felt...he misinterpreted the situation...and thought there was a lust, no not lust, forget I said that...that there was a weird sexual, no no no, forget that too, that I was giving off some sort of signal...so," Hiccup said, trailing off once again.
"...so?" Toothless persisted, already not liking anything about what Hiccup just said, or rather what he tried to say then denied repeatedly.
"He kissed him out of the blue," Hiccup said. Toothless' eyes widen with shock more than anything. Thoughts flashed through the Night Fury's head. Why did Hiccup kiss him? How dare he kiss my Hiccup! I will make sure he never touches my dragon in the same way again! Along with other angered phrases and cuss filled sentences.
"And you never told me?" Toothless said. Hiccup looked at him with shock this time, not believing the words that just left the dragon's mouth.
"I'm sorry, but the village kinda burnt to the ground if you hadn't noticed," Hiccup said angrily, motioning to the city. Toothless rolled his eyes at the comment and looked passed the dragon.
"Where did he go?" Toothless said.
"No, you are not doing anything to that kid," Hiccup said, stepping in front of Toothless' line of sight.
"And why not?" Toothless said angrily.
"Because he's a kid Toothless, a kid," Hiccup said with a calmer, gentler voice, "Yes he kissed me, yes he's weird, more importantly why are you not questioning the fact that he, a human child, kissed me, a dragon teen. He's still young physically and mentally, especially when I was at that age. Sure I was a lot scrawnier, but his head just isn't quite there yet." Toothless snorted slightly at the excuse Hiccup was making for this kid that the larger Night Fury already didn't like, and now, didn't like much more.
"Can't we have normal people come to Berk? Not insane vikings, or sorceresses, or little dragon's that have never been seen before, or weird kids who kiss dragons," Toothless stopped himself short, rethinking what Hiccup just asked and the last few words he said, "Wait...wait, what? Where did you say he was from?"
"They said Japan," Hiccup said. Toothless thought about it and drew random shapes in the air as if he was piecing together a fantastic puzzle that would solve life's questions.
"I don't know where that is," Toothless finally said. Hiccup rolled his eyes and sighed softly to himself, explaining it was a long ways away. Toothless stepped closer to his mate, pulling him in for a hug. Hiccup was caught a little off guard, but slowly closed his paws around his mate.
"So how was the kiss?" Toothless whispered. Hiccup pushed the dragon away some to look at him, giving him an annoyed look. Toothless just smiled softly in response and kissed his Night Fury gently.
"I don't care if he kissed you. Okay that was a lie, I really do care and its going to bug me for a while, but I know you and I know that you'd never kiss another guy, or girl, or dragon, or whatever," Toothless said softly, "I know you love me, and you know I love you. Let's move past this and focus on tomorrow. Just promise me one thing before we leave though."
"Yes?"
"If we do run into trouble, promise me you'll make it through tomorrow alive."