As said by a friend about this story
Adopted's Hiccup's life is never boring! And fatherhood is never dull.
-HTTYD-
Hiccup could barely bring himself to stop holding Leo, utterly enraptured by the baby and spending all his time just wanting to watch the boy wriggle and blink. Valka seemed quite as taken with the babe, which made Hiccup again appreciate how difficult her choice to give him up had been. Nobody complained about him sleeping in the chair next to Valka's bed, Leo's incubator between them until Valka was strong enough to get up and move around regularly - he needed feeding round the clock to gain weight.
"I love you and all bro, but you smell funky. You should go home and take a shower."
Astrid was sat next to him, tickling Leo's chin and getting covered in drool. Hiccup knew she was right - he'd changed his clothes when Astrid brought him fresh stuff, but he hadn't been home in days.
"I know, but I gotta take Valka and Leo home and they are being released today so long as her surgical site is fine and Leo is gaining weight."
His sister made a sound of understanding, passing Leo back to Hiccup so the nurse coming to check on him could have a look.
"Makes sense not to go home and come back just to go home again."
Cooing at the wriggly little baby, the nurse took him to be weighed, changed and bathed in preparation for his journey home. Hiccup hated to see him go but knew it was for the best. Besides, he would be taking his son home that day with a little bit of luck. Valka was still recovering, but with the old addage of "the longer you stay in hospital, the sicker you get" she wanted to get out so long as Leo was strong enough to.
"I'm not an excellent patient. Healthcare was generally 'take this, avoid the really dodgy water' for me for over fifteen years."
Astrid chuckled, pulling a thick beanie hat out from her bag and handed it to Hiccup.
"What's this for?"
"It's cold out."
Bemused but knowing Astrid was just fussing over him like she did, Hiccup pocketed the beanie and then both were shooed out to Valka could get her own checkup.
"I'm gonna go make sure he eats, then he can come back and worry in your general direction again."
Valka chuckled lightly as Hiccup was hauled away by Astrid, tugging the hat over his unwashed hair self-consciously as he let himself be led to the cafe in the hospital. His sister gave Hiccup every possible glare until he agreed to eat the sandwich and cupcake she put in front of him, chewing obediently with his mind on mother and son upstairs.
"See? I ate it all."
Astrid gave him a suspicious glance, but it soon gave way to her usual beaming smile.
"Good. So... how you doing with all this? Mini Magni and Valka being sorta dependant on you til she's recovered."
Hiccup pushed cake crumbs around its wrapper on the table, thinking how to be careful with his words.
"Honestly? Pretty good. I mean, it's kinda scary but it's also cool. And it's good for me to have something to focus on."
"Hmm. Is his little foot thing really bad?"
Having absorbed all the information he could on the defect, Hiccup could answer Astrid's question fairly confidently.
"It can be treated without surgery, and he should eventually be able to walk."
"So... that's good, yeah?"
Hiccup nodded, smiling reassuringly.
"He'll have to be kept on a strict regime of special casts and booties and physio, but... yeah. He's gonna be fine."
Truth be told, they were still waiting to hear from Nadia on that front. She'd taken Leo's DNA, was karyotyping his chromosomes to look for abnormalities. Nothing but his talipes jumped out, but Hiccup knew that didn't mean much - he was no geneticist.
"Ok, I reckon we can head back. Or rather, you can" Astrid checked her watch "Heather'll be here in five to pick me up. I have work. She did some food shopping for you, fresh milk and eggs and stuff."
"Oh. Thank her for me?"
Smiling as she circled the table to hug her brother, Astrid nodded.
"I will. Drop me a text when you're settled back home, I'll call you as soon as."
"Will do."
Astrid headed out to wait for her girlfriend, and Hiccup headed back up to his... girlfriend was not the word to ascribe to Valka. Nor was mother. He supposed lover was somewhat closer, but... their relationship didn't truly have a label. Linguists didn't care for voluntary incest. At least not with words Hiccup wanted to use.
"Everything ok?"
Valka nodded, holding Leo to her chest for a feed and smiling to herself. She hadn't been fully dressed in a couple of days, her light button up shirt open from collar to waist to allow the baby access to her breast. The brown skirt she wore had memories of Leo's conception attached, but it was light and comfortable cotton which mattered massively to Valka right now.
"Everything is just fine. I'm healing well and this little one is ready to be released too."
"That's great!"
Still looking down at the nursing newborn with a smile, Valka stroked his hair that stuck up messily from his soft head.
"Indeed. Once we have the pertinent details for his physiotherapy and I get my medication and dressings to take with me, we are ready to go."
Hiccup had never driven so carefully in his life, and he had once been freshly on the road after a car accident taking his leg and his parents, with PTSD. But... Leo gurgled quietly from the back in his car seat (leaving him to go round the front was terrifying), and Valka had a pillow between her stomach and the seatbelt. He had been assured it was a totally safe way to get them back.
His relief when he saw his own home again was massive, easing into the drive and calming when he finally switched off the engine. Hiccup circled the car, helped Valka stand up first so she could go and unlock the front door. Then he leant into the car again, unstrapping Leo and picking him up carefully.
"Ok little man. Welcome home."
Not really aware of more than his very immediate surroundings, Leo's only response was to drool. Hiccup carried him in, finding Valka already sat down and ready to take hold of the baby so Hiccup could go retrieve the stuff left in the car. Hauling the bags into the house, Hiccup put them down on the kitchen island before making his way to the vacant seat next to mother and child.
"You feeling alright?"
"Sore, maybe a little tired but deliriously happy."
Valka kissed him, sweet and tender and Hiccup felt her acute joy too, especially when she handed over the baby so he could hold him. Leo yawned and blinked, eyes apparently unlikely to change to their expected green for at least a couple of months.
"So no post natal depression? I know you had it with me, and having it once makes it more likely to happen again."
She shook her head, stroking gentle fingers over the back of Hiccup's neck. He had missed her tactile tendencies, felt so much better to have them focused back on him.
"Not a hint. I'm keeping an eye on my mood fluctuations, if at any point I'm worried I promise to tell you. Not to mention Nadia will be here most days, and she would know even better what to look for than me."
Somewhat pacified, Hiccup returned to looking at his son.
"He's perfect."
"I quite agree."
Hiccup smiled, then accepted reality.
"Will you be alright for ten minutes while I take a shower?"
"I think we'll manage just fine Hiccup. Won't we little one?"
Leo couldn't really answer, but he seemed settled enough being passed back to their shared mother and Valka smiled as she cuddled him close.
"I won't be long."
"No rush. We aren't going anywhere."
Those words made Hiccup's chest twist slightly; Valka wasn't guaranteed to be a permanent fixture in his life. Nor was Leo. Not getting attached had gone out of the window the second he saw Leo, fell in love on that basic level, a primal instinct for ones young.
He headed for the bathroom, changing his dragon limb for his shower one and feeling distinctly odd without his comfortable, custom limb on. Showering was quick, functional. He scrubbed his hair clean, washed days of grime from his skin and climbed back out quickly. Black and green leg back on immediately after, Hiccup hobbled toward his room as he adjusted to having his good leg in place.
Freshly dressed with only slightly-damp hair, Hiccup succumbed to the urge to return to Valka and Leo. Valka was singing to Leo, who was staring up at her rapturously. Clearly, he enjoyed his mothers voice as much as Hiccup did.
"Better?"
"Well, I smell better."
"I still smell like hospitals."
Hiccup took a stealthy inhale as he slid back next to Valka, shaking his head.
"You smell like you."
Encouraged to walk around to increase her circulation and decrease the chance of post operative complications, Hiccup took over holding Leo while Valka got up and stretched her legs by heading to the kitchen. She returned with her fruit tea and a hot chocolate for Hiccup, which made him smile.
"I think this little guy is hungry again."
"He's got a very good appetite. That's a good sign."
Hiccup texted Astrid while Valka was feeding Leo, and she called him a few minutes later to ask how everything was.
"Good. I think they are both pretty tired, but back in one piece and all. Can you call Dagur and ask if he minds watching Toothless a couple more days? I want to check with the medical expert people how to be safe with a dog and a baby."
"Sure, no problem. Wait. What will you do if mini Magni is allergic to dogs?"
Hiccup hadn't considered that, but he thought quick about it.
"I mean the house hasn't been cleaned since Toothless was last in it and Leo seems fine. I'll keep an eye out though."
"Sounds good. I'll call you tomorrow, we won't just turn up for a while since you'll not want Dagur suddenly waking a newborn."
"Much as I wish to say you're welcome anytime, that actually makes a lot of sense. Thanks for being so good about all this."
Astrid's smile was audible on the phone.
"Hey, mini Magni is an honorary Hofferson."
"Why do you call him that?"
Astrid laughed to herself.
"Because he's tiny. Hence mini. But she gave him a name that means tough and strong, so I'm gonna use it. Plus... its kinda hard for me to call him Leo."
Her voice trailed off a little at the end, but her tone returned to upbeat soon after.
"That's fair."
"Yeah. Anyway, Heather is cooking and I have to go bug her. I'll call Dagur for you, no worries."
"Thanks Astrid."
"Love you bro."
"Love you too."
They hung up, and Hiccup had a brief moments inspiration - his bedsheets needed changing. The blood still made a brief fear run through him, but mother and child were fine now. He should relax. Stripping the soiled sheets and placing fresh on, he felt better. Valka would need a clean sleeping enviroment anyway. He cracked the window open a little to let in some air as the room was a bit stuffy, then figured that was an improvement.
When Hiccup went back through Valka was just done winding the baby, who gurgled quietly to himself when he was done. Hiccup held out his hands, still not over the fact his son was real and there and alive. He didn't seem at all concerned by his twisted feet, though Hiccup was told it wasn't meant to be painful as it formed in utero. His physio shouldn't hurt either, though Leo may dislike his casts and booties as babies did a lot of twisting and stretching and they would get in the way.
"As much as I would love to never put you down ever again, both you and your mother need a nap."
Valka looked vaguely sheepish to be caught yawning, but she smiled when Hiccup gestured toward his room.
"You're meant to avoid climbing stairs too much, and his crib is in here so you'll be close by."
"Are you staying?"
Hiccup reallyyyyy wanted to, but he shook his head.
"I'm gonna go clean the place up a little. I normally clean something every day."
Valka tried not to look disappointed, and Hiccup failed not to be bouyed by her want for him next to her. Leo went in his crib agreeably, looking impossibly small against the baby pillow and blanket. He'd quizzed Nadia about how the best way to lie him down. Twice. Maybe three times. On his back, nothing too tight or on his face.
"You want tucking in too?"
Hiccup helped Valka lay down, her special pregnancy cushion still on the bed and it helped her get into a comfortable position. She reached for Hiccup, kissed him soundly and it felt so natural to him he could scarcely believe it.
"I'll check on you soon. If he cries I'll come... well not running, but the sentiment is there."
She smiled, stroking his scruffy cheek softly. Hiccup badly needed a shave.
"I appreciate the sentiment."
"Good. Get some sleep. The books say when he sleeps you should be sleeping. Especially when you had surgery."
Acquiescence told him Valka was exhausted, smiling to himself as she looked toward Leo's crib before her eyes closed. Hiccup dragged himself away, motivated solely by the fact a clean home would be better for both of the recent hospital escapees in his bedroom.
Cleaning had often gave him a mental break, focusing on the task mechanically when he needed a distraction. Now he just liked to tidy up, to make sure everything was clean. His shrink said that wasn't uncommon for PTSD or anxiety sufferers; keeping order, knowing what to expect. The washing from the hospital tossed in the machine, kitchen cleaned and floors swept and mopped.
"Much better."
Valka and Leo were both still in slumber when Hiccup returned to his room, peeking in to see his boy just breathing. Tiny fists scrunched either side of his little head, lips pouting slightly between yawns and occasional gummy gnaws on his fist. Then he crawled onto his bed, trying not to wake Valka. Fairly successful, Hiccup laid next to his mother and curled on his side. He couldn't honestly want to be anywhere else.
When the newborn woke, it was with a vital cry of liveliness that summoned an adult to his side within a few seconds. Settling back next to a half-asleep and so beautifully content Valka, Hiccup took a turn winding his son. Leo fixed big blue eyes on him afterward, puffing his little cheeks out and wriggling in Hiccup's hold.
"You should take off your t-shirt. Babies enjoy skin to skin, its good for bonding."
Feeling a little self conscious, Hiccup complied as Valka took the little onesie off of Leo. He felt nice and warm still when laid on Hiccup's scrawny, scarred torso, and he settled into the cuddle immediately. It was such an enchanting experience, stroking his hair and feeling his little hands pat at Hiccup's chest to learn about the new human beneath him; he was told babies could quickly distinguish people in their own way and only Valka had done skin-cuddles so far.
As he held Leo, Hiccup wondered if Valka's encouragement of them bonding meant she wasn't planning to leave again. It would be cruel, surely?
Hiccup wished he was brave enough to ask.
-HTTYD-
I have learnt more about babies in the last month researching for this fic than in all my previous years of life. My official favourite term I've learnt is 'wearing your baby'.