Chapter 26. Not too long to go to the end.

-HTTYD-

Leaving Rama's home the next day, Hiccup felt relief despite the long drive to be getting away from a woman so chatty she put Dagur to shame. Leo had tired of her quite easily, grown stroppy and cried until Valka nursed him and sang to him, at which point one grumpy babe took his nap.

Rama chided her for doing it in front of Hiccup, who awkwardly shrugged and said she'd done it the whole time. He didn't mind.

The fact Hiccup regularly saw her naked for far less innocent reasons was not brought up. They'd almost been caught kissing in bed that morning, Valka's terribly easy theft of his mental faculties meaning Hiccup didn't have it in him to protest when she slid against his body to claim his mouth. Hiccup still tingled at the memory, the way she gasped when his tongue stroked her lower lip as hands clutched his t-shirt.

Only their son's waking cries pulled the two apart, and Rama opened the door to find Hiccup bending over the crib barely a minute after he had stopped kissing his mother. Valka was too addictive, too intense to deny.

Car idling at lights, Hiccup turned to look at Leo sleeping in his car seat. Valka twisted around to follow his eyes, sharing a smile with him.

"Sound asleep."

"Yeah. Glad he's not still in a bad mood. Your mother is really quite talkative."

Valka chuckled, stroking her fingers over the back of Hiccup's hand. His hand tingled, but the lights changed and he had to move them to keep going.

"There's a reason I only call my mother twice a year."

Hiccup joined her chortling, pulling over at the service stop to fill up the car, both adults taking turns for a bathroom break. After that, it was a straight trip back to the Haddock home. Just in time; Leo started to wake.

"Thanks for sleeping the whole way back little man. For that, I'll smuggle you a bit of chocolate pudding when your mother isn't looking."

Valka quirked an eyebrow at Hiccup as he lifted Magni from his car seat, kissed his cheek and handed him over to Valka. He opened up the front door, freed Toothless and started emptying the car boot to carry stuff back into the house. Closing the trunk, then the front door and finally dropping down non-essentials, Hiccup sighed in relief and immediately took a seat next to Valka and their son.

"You ever think it's weird?"

Valka turned to him, expression questioning.

"Think what's weird?"

"Well Rama is my biological grandmother, and his too. But so are you. And you're his mother."

Stroking the boys messy hair, Valka shook her head with a sort of bemused smile on her face.

"That's all you find peculiar?"

"No. Just... I guess meeting Rama made me realise how complicated family trees can get when you uh, keep it in the family."

"I suppose."

Having taken a long nap, their boy had lots of energy to crawl and fuss and generally demand all of their attention. Luckily, he had two most obliging parents who were happy to dote upon him. His personality was already developing quickly; little Magni was cheeky, knew what he wanted and wasn't afraid to complain. He was also sweet, loved cuddles and being sang to and had an endless supply of smiles to reward them with.

"Here you are little one, you cuddle up to your daddy."

Valka transferred him over gently, standing to go to the bathroom. Hiccup shifted him to sit on his lap, soft head resting against his fathers chest.

"Daaaaa."

"What's that son?"

"Daaaaa."

Hiccup couldn't keep the smile off his face as the infant repeated the half-sound, then resumed gnawing on his fist. Valka leant down, kissed their sons hair and smiled widely.

"I think someone is close to talking."

"Yeah, me too."

Valka left for the bathroom, and Hiccup gently checked on teething gums. The little white bump was visible, the first tooth clearly coming through. He loved watching his son grow, become a little person before his very eyes.

"I love you little guy."

"Daaaaa."

"Keep trying bud, almost there."

He scrunched up his little face, effort clear as his small lips pouted.

"Dada!"

Hiccup felt his smile widen, saw Valka returning just in time to hear him as she too beamed in the babes direction.

"You got it. I'm your dad."

"Dada!"

Leo clapped drool-covered hands together, realising he had done something good and grinning gummily in triumph. Valka sat back next to them, kissed the boys happy face all over.

"Such a clever little boy you are."

He preened and leant toward Valka, holding his arms out for mommas attention and she easily gave it to him, lifted the boy up for a cuddle. Hiccup was so enthralled to hear 'dada' that he didn't feel even a tiny bit slighted. Especially when it was clear the boy was also hungry, and mother had the milk.

"Guess learning to talk is hungry work."

Shifting Leo to nurse more comfortably, Valka smiled down at the younger of her sons.

"Seems so. As is growing."

"Yeah, but we know he might be short. Well, short for a boy with two parents over six foot."

Valka leant back slightly, brought the boy with her so he didn't lose his feeding spot and stroked the boys hair as she got comfortable.

"True. I was taller than both of my parents, my father even commented once or twice that I must not be his."

"Well, my dad definitely knew I wasn't his."

She hummed in thought, tracing circles on the back of Hiccup's hand.

"Did you ever consider looking for your father? Stoick, I mean."

"Not really. He didn't want me when you were pregnant, why would he be interested now?"

Plus Hiccup didn't really want to discuss Valka with his biological father. It could be incredibly awkward given that Hiccup had been the next man in her life, making love to her and getting her pregnant despite being her son.

"I was just curious. I meant nothing by it."

"No, I know" Hiccup winced as his knee throbbed, knew he needed to take off his leg and rub it "I just, never had the inclination."

Knowing Hiccups facial expressions more intimately than anybody else, Valka noticed he was in pain and ran a soothing hand over his cheek.

"It's fine. Take it off. Our boy won't mind."

He could take it off in front of Valka, but doing it when little Magni was awake worried him. He didn't want to scare his son. Didn't want to reveal to the boy that his father was... incomplete. Physio had helped, but Hiccup would never be in love with his missing limb. Sighing, Hiccup shook his head.

"I'm gonna take a bath."

Valka gestured to their son.

"Take him with you. I'm sure he'd enjoy it."

"You'll have to come help."

He didn't think that would be a tough sell, and sure enough Valka agreed quite readily. Hiccup went to run his bath while Leo finished nursing, sat in the hotter water to ease his aches before adding enough cold that the temperature was baby friendly. Always chirpy when his brace came off, Leo splashed and played with his bath boys, sat securely in his fathers arms and Hiccup did admittedly feel much better like this. Just a father-son moment with nothing to hide.

The boy liked skin-cuddles anyway, so bath time and cuddles meant they had one happy little Viking on their hands. Hiccup didn't want to let him out, but after carefully washing his sons body and hair, the water was getting cold and neither of them should linger in that.

"Is your leg feeling better?"

"Yeah, much. Plus look how happy he is."

They weren't meant to have his brace off for long, and once Leo was covered in baby lotion and baby clothes, the bootie bar went back on. Much to his displeasure. His little feet looked normal, technically the club foot treatment had been successful but the brace prevented it coming back, and as he had it in both feet quite severely, it was imperative they maintain his treatment to stop it reoccuring.

"I know little guy, but I promise it'll be worth it."

Sulking, he wriggled and fussed until placed down to crawl around. Hiccup leant back against his seat, sighing slightly.

"He's a temperamental little munchkin."

"Quite. But as you said, he just knows what he likes."

When he went for his next appointment with the orthopaedic doctors for a checkup, Leo kicked the nurse who tried to put his brace back on and started crying when she tried again. As Hiccup predicted, he was learning to say no even if he didn't have the words.

"Sorry, he's not usually this moody. Come here little one."

Valka lifted him, cradled him until he soothed, then Hiccup slipped in and got the brace back on while Leo was distracted. He was perturbed to find he had been tricked, but of all the people mini Magni couldn't stay mad at, mommy was number one.

"How old is he now?"

"Ten months."

His first birthday neared. Valka had been 'back' for nearly a year now, and Hiccup knew she hadn't intended to stay beyond the first year.

"Almost a year old and you're still such a little guy? That's ok, means you get to stay super small and cute for longer. You'll get away with murder with those eyes."

Despite his tantrums, their son charmed every medical professional he came across. Hiccup never stood a chance of not getting attached. Valka kissed Leo's hair, smiled as she got a cheery gurgle in return.

"He's perfectly sized to be himself."

The nurse smiled, checking something off on a chart.

"Quite right. That's him all done for the next two months, unless he needs new booties."

"Thank you."

Hiccup mumbled a quiet thanks too, heading to the car and strapping Leo in to his seat. He protested greatly as the harness straps went on.

"Dada no!"

"Why am I not surprised that no is one of your first words?"

"No!"

Shaking his head, Hiccup placated his son with a plushie dragon toy Valka had made him, which did seem to quiet the boy somewhat so Hiccup could circle round, slide into the drivers seat. Valka was quiet, pensive.

"You're still thinking of leaving, aren't you?"

She didn't answer. She didn't have to. The silence said everything and Hiccup drove them back in deafening quiet, the rest of their evening spent in a similar way. After he put Leo down to sleep for the night, Hiccup ventured back to the living room. He had intended to draw, but when he looked at his desk Hiccup had no inspiration. So he laid out on the sofa instead, stared at the ceiling.

"Hiccup?"

Valka entered the room, placed the baby monitor down on the coffee table before sitting at the edge of the sofa.

"What?"

His voice didn't come out biting, just simply resigned and she could tell.

"Are you angry with me?"

Hiccup sighed quietly, shaking his head and pushing himself up a little. Valka came closer on his indication, laid between his legs and rested her head against his shoulder.

"I'm not angry. I wish I could be, but... I love you. And I won't chain you down if you don't want to stay."

Her hand slipped under his jumper, tracing circles on his stomach and slowly making her way higher to rub his chest, feel his heartbeat.

"I love you too."

He believed her. Valka craned her head, kissed his jaw. Her mouth slid up to cover his, her body pressing against Hiccup's and he couldn't help but respond to the insistent pressure. Valka's kisses were hungrier than usual, hands and mouth devouring his skin as she stripped his jumper and t-shirt off, managing to unbuckle his jeans without looking so she could ravage his mouth further.

Hiccup felt bruises pulse on his pectoral, the base of his neck. Valka whimpered when he turned them, worked open the buttons of her dress and peeled it from her body easily. He found her bare beneath it, and his fingers slipped inside her with ease as Valka became aroused by him, her responses muffled in his shoulder as their son slept so close by. Neither bothered to suggest moving to a more suitable location.

He ended up on his back, on the floor with little memory of getting there as Valka straddled him, biting her lip as she sank down Hiccup's erection. He gasped breathlessly, thick carpet offering nothing to grip on while Valka overwhelmed him with her heat, her need. She barely stilled as they came flush, setting a blistering pace that had Hiccup writhing beneath her, trying and failing to match the rhythm and accepting he was to just hold on for the ride.

The scar from Leo's delivery had faded hugely, blending in with the ravaged look of his wild, feral mothers skin. He felt what he remembered as scars from a shark bite beneath his hands, clutching at her ribs and hips in an attempt to slow her so he could breathe, but Valka could not, would not be slowed. The muscles in her slim thighs tensed and tightened as she used them to ride him, looking sinful and delightful as she threw her head back, let out exquisite moans.

Valka breathed his name like a mantra, ran her hand down his chest and stomach before touching herself, stroking her clit and Hiccup had never seen her so hot, so wanton in their physical intimacy before. And that was saying something for the passionate creature atop him. She bucked, ground against him needily and with a last few thrusts, Valka broke under her own fire and came with a near-silent sob, spasming muscles combining with the mind-bending pleasure bringing Hiccup with her seconds later.

Limp and panting against his neck, Valka pushed herself up on shaking arms to look down at him. Hiccup was still shuddering, fighting to control ragged breathing as his heart was slow to calm. He saw it in her face, knew what it was that had spurred her on so.

"Say it."

She hesitated, but the truth slipped from her tongue.

"I'm leaving soon."

Hiccup ignored the stab of betrayal, rolled Valka onto her back. She let him, ran her hands down his back as he kissed her, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and widened her thighs when Hiccup grew hard against her again. He'd need to clean the carpet... tomorrow. Right now, he needed to have Valka a quivering wreck beneath him.

She gasped as he penetrated her again, held Hiccup's gaze with her wide green eyes as he thrust into her receptive body. Her nails scraped across his waist, left red lines from back to stomach that burned on his flushed, sweaty skin.

"So good baby, love you..."

Valka grew more vocal as she got closer to climax again, murmuring soft sentiments in his ear as coherent speech became difficult. Words caught on moans, her hips lifting in time to meet him. They pressed tighter, closer til her breasts were hot against his chest. She sucked his bottom lip between her own, bit down gently and let it slip from her teeth with a sharp tingle. Fingers buried themselves in his sweaty hair, tugged teasingly at his hair and raised sparks along his scalp.

"I'm close baby."

She knew what that word did to him, smirked as his hips bucked and his cock hit her deeper. Valka arched and trembled, guided his hand down and when Hiccup brushed her clit, it was the final push she needed to hit the heights of pleasure. He held her as she rode the wave, spilled into her with his own quiet gasps as the climax stole what energy he had left until they were a spent, shaky tangle of limbs on the floor.

Cool air touched damp skin, raising goosebumps on his back. Valka was naked, so it had to be colder for her. Hiccup leant up on his knees, helped Valka sit up before they both staggered to their feet. There were telling stains on the floor, which he waved off with a sigh.

"I'll clean it up tomorrow."

Toothless was sat in the kitchen looking vaguely scandalised by the entire affair, having probably seen the two humans rutting on the floor and stayed well away. Well, that was better than him watching or panicking and trying to 'comfort' a panting, sweaty Hiccup. He let the dog out while Valka retrieved their clothes, traded with her in the bathroom to clean up for bed.

He was a mess, covered in bites and scratches, skin broken in a few places. His hair was complete chaos, jeans hanging loose on narrow hips without their fastenings to keep them up. Hiccup took them off, noted the carpet marks patterned over his back with a hint of amusement; Valka was an animal.

She curled up in his arms, burrowed against his chest with a contented sigh. Hiccup tried to stay awake and watch her, unsure how many more times he would be able to watch her slumber next to him. His eyes drooped closed against his will, though someone had other ideas about letting them sleep and woke them in the early hours, crying for a nappy change and attention.

Hiccup watched Valka cuddle their son, the reality of becoming a single father gaining clarity as she looked up at him over their boys head.

"Are you staying for his birthday?"

"I'm not sure."

Well, at least that was honest of her.

They talked about it for a couple of days, and agreed she would stay until Leo's first birthday. Mostly because, as Hiccup pointed out, what she would do was dangerous and if she got herself killed, Leo would never have spent a birthday with her. He took more photos of the two of them together, built as many memories to show his son as possible. Hiccup researched baby formula and weaning, checked with Paul that he could bring little Magni to his physio sessions if necessary.

He didn't tell Astrid. If Astrid knew Valka was planning to leave, she'd probably kill her.

They planned their boys birthday party; it was no huge affair, but there was cake and photos and presents and Magni beamed from under the oversized Viking helmet Dagur gave him for his virthday. Nadia came too, having become quite the honorary aunt to the boy when she spent so long assuring his panicked parents about the potential dangers of incest upon offspring.

"Look at you getting so big."

Astrid cooed, kissing Leo's cheek.

"No!"

'No' was by far the boys favourite word. He had 'dada', 'mama' and 'dogga' (for Toothless) down, but otherwise he wasn't eager to speak beyond 'no'. Magni was a spiky little critter, had the Hofferson temper. He even turned red when sulking the way Astrid would have.

"Ok, suit yourself short stuff."

"No!"

She laughed, released the boy over to Hiccup so he could navigate him into his high chair, to resume sticking his fingers into icing and mushing cake before he decided if it was edible. Much of it would need to be cleaned up from the floor before Toothless got the bits and got sick.

"Are you ok bro?"

Astrid quizzed as Hiccup stood outside, getting some fresh air while Leo napped and Dagur played with the new toys.

"Fine. Just not a party person."

"That's true. Still, you seem down."

He shook his head, dug for the fraudulent attempt at a smile and lied to his sisters face.

"I'm ok. Just having a low day, but that's probably because I came off my anti depressants."

He had never started taking them. But it was a handy lie.

"Is that a good idea?"

"Therapist cleared it" that much was true, 'Bernie' had said Hiccup's improvement meant he could lower his dose "and they were making my head feel sluggish."

Astrid 'ahh-ed' in understanding, reached over and squeezed him in a hug.

"I'm glad you're getting better."

Hiccup felt worse then, knowing full well there was a high chance his progress would backslide when Valka left. Though this time he had someone to hold it together for in a way different to Astrid; Leo wasn't in any way self-sufficient. He would need his dad to stay on his game twenty four seven.

That didn't make it easy to accept she was leaving. Things were tense, awkward.

"Where are you heading?"

Hiccup asked when Valka returned from the doctors, rubbing her upper arms and he saw the fresh bruising and needle marks of her inoculation against tropical diseases.

"Africa" she held up a pack of anti-malaria pills "at first. After that, it could be anywhere. I'll likely get terribly sunburnt, my sun exposure has been minimal living in Britain for a year."

He finished preparing bottles for Magni; with all the doses of dead or mostly dead viruses Valka had just received, she wasn't allowed to breastfeed him anymore.

"Are you planning to visit?"

"If you'll allow me to."

Hiccup pushed the bottles aside, gripped the side until his knuckles turned white.

"Truthfully? If you're leaving, I would rather you stayed gone. But if you want to come back, I will never keep you out of Magni's life. And my opinion of you is still high enough that I damn well expect you to come and see him."

Valka nodded, holding Magni's hands as the boy stood up. They weren't sure if he would meet the walking milestone, though it wasn't unheard of and certainly possible for him to walk with his bootie brace. But they were encouraged to have him stand, support him as he tried to ensure his leg muscles developed properly. So far, he could pull himself upright by himself, but Leo was more interested in crawling.

"Sleep in a t-shirt for a couple of nights."

She looked over at Hiccup, confused. There were only three nights until she left now.

"Why?"

"So it smells like you. I want him to have something comforting when he cries for his mother."

Hiccup was trying not to come across resentful, but sometimes the venom had to come out. Valka looked away, bit her lip. Nodded. Magni started complaining, bored of standing when he wanted to haul himself along the floor like there was no hefty bar slowing him down.

When Magni started to complain he was hungry, Hiccup warmed his bottle. Tested it on the inside of his elbow, then offered it to his son. Mostly, he got a confused look from the boy, who was used to either a spoon and bowl or his mothers breast.

"Want me to feed you?"

"No!"

Despite his vehement negative, he held out the bottle and lifted his arms to Hiccup. Hiccup lifted him, sat Leo in his lap and held the bottle for him. After a minute, he got the idea and began to guzzle at the rubber teat. At least it seemed he wouldn't struggle with that transition, though Hiccup wasn't sure that there wouldn't be some upset about not being cuddled by his mother during feeds.

In spite of the tension between them, the fire could not be extinguished. Hiccup knew each could be their last time, the last he'd feel her thighs sticky on his hips, or taste the sweat on her skin. Valka was increasingly primal, their sex increasingly animalistic, base and messy. Until it was the night before she left, and Valka was suddenly slow, tender. Kissed him like she'd never get another chance.

She wouldn't, not really. Hiccup, in a moment of gutting pain that became cool anger, had given her an ultimatum. If she left, they were over. Hiccup wouldn't keep her from being Leo's mother, but he couldn't be her lover any longer. He couldn't stomach the thought of being some kind of bizarre booty call, where she turned up, fucked him and saw their son before taking off again.

"Mama!"

Leo knew something was up, even if he didn't understand airports. Hiccup wasn't going in with her, but they stood in the car park as Valka kissed their son goodbye. What really got him was that she didn't cry. He was fighting tears the entire time. Valka was dry-eyed as she picked up her bags, kissed Leo again where he resided in Hiccup's arms.

She looked at Hiccup and he turned his head, jaw tensing as she kissed his cheek. He loved her, but in this moment? He hated Valka for even being capable of leaving them. Never had he truly understood that love and hate were so entwined until this woman stormed his life and broke his heart.

"You have everything? Passport? Photo? Phone number?"

He had the number of the charity who tended to give Valka and people she moved around the world with 'assignments', though they were not guaranteed to have any clue. She had a couple of pictures; one of Hiccup and Leo, the other of her holding their son. And Hiccup's home number written down, so she could call ahead if she was coming back.

"Yes."

"This is it then. I didn't bring his pushchair, so we're not coming in."

"I know."

Goodbye didn't seem the right word, and Hiccup couldn't watch her walk in. He bent down, strapping their son into the car and trying not to break when Leo called out for Valka again.

"Mama!"

"Here little guy" Hiccup gave him his dragon plush "lets go home."

Big green eyes stared at the empty seat as he gnawed on a wing, and tears blurred Hiccup's vision as he eased them out of the airport car park. He wiped his eyes, focused on the road and listening to his son babble to himself in the back seat. By the time he got back to the house, Hiccup found himself clock-watching. Knew when her flight would board.

"Well son" Hiccup sat down, one arm around Magni on his lap and the other hand on Toothless' head "it's just you and me now."

Gods, their boy was the spitting image of Valka. He looked up at Hiccup, unsure of what was going on but sensing his fathers sadness.

"Dada?"

"That's me."

While the boy wouldn't let him wallow, Hiccup still found time. When Magni napped, Hiccup stared vacantly into space from his unmade bed. It still smelled of her. Her things still littered his room; she hadn't taken everything.

His phone vibrated almost eerily in sync with the door knocking, and Hiccup's heart leapt into his chest as he picked up the mobile, clicking 'answer' as he crossed to the front door.

"Astrid?"

"Hiccup, you sound terrible! What's wrong?"

"Hold on, there's someone at the door."

Astrid fell silent as Hiccup opened it, finding Nadia stood there and his gut twisted a little tighter. He gestured to her to come in, then at the phone and returned attention to his sister.

"Astrid? Yeah. I uh... it's complicated."

"What is? Is mini Magni ok?"

"Oh, yeah. He's fine."

"You're not. Where's Valka?"

Hiccup drew in a deep breath, reckoned Nadia could hear Astrid by the way she turned toward him at that question.

"Africa. Well, on a plane there."

Nadia's eyes widened as Astrid swore colourfully.

"She left?"

"Yep."

"With Magni?'

"Nope."

He could all but hear Astrid's mind working overtime, and she hung up a minute later with a short sentence.

"I'm on my way."

Hiccup put his phone down, knew there was no stopping her when Astrid got like that.

"I didn't think she was serious! Bloody stupid woman."

Nadia burst out with, shaking her head.

"She told you she was thinking of going?"

She nodded, pacing up and down Hiccups living room as Toothless followed her, sensing high emotions and desperate to offer his assistance.

"Passively. I assumed it was the PPD, the whole my child is better without me thing."

Hiccup frowned.

"Valka was depressed?"

"Quite. She said it wasn't as bad with you. Because then she knew Leo was safe, and so she wasn't afraid of messing it up, but Valka definitely had postpartum depression. Spent half her time with me when you were out crying about being a bad mother."

Hiccup was stunned. Valka had hidden it completely, and he had been looking. And their son adored her so, he was amazed to know she thought she was failing him.

"She convinced herself leaving was the right thing. Again."

"I'm gonna go after her and drag the bloody stupid woman back."

"No."

Nadia faltered, looked at him in amazement.

"No?"

"Maybe the PPD helped push her, but Valka wanted to get back to the wilderness anyway. Was mentioning it before Magni was even born. If she truly wanted to stay, she would have gotten treatment. Asked for help. Not just... gone."

Like it had when she gave Hiccup up for adoption. The PPD might have been a hearty nudge, but she was already considering it before that.

"Hiccup-"

"No! She had months. Months to tell me she was struggling, and she didn't. She told me she didn't want city life. Not even Leo... Valka bonded with him, let him fall in love with her the way a son should, and she managed to leave anyway. No. If she wants to be gone, then she can be."

Before Nadia could answer, Hiccup heard Leo crying. He must have been talking too loud. He'd pulled himself upright, was clutching at crib bars and staring up at Hiccup. He was still small, but sturdy, tough. Very much the Viking strength Valka named him for.

"What's the problem Magni?"

He hauled the boy out, felt little arms wrap around his neck. Magni missed his mother even if he didn't have the words for it yet. Hiccup checked his nappy, found the boy clean and dry.

"How about we go make some food, eh? You like the kitchen."

"Kichen!"

His 'tch' sound wasn't great, but Hiccup wasn't sure if that was a speech impediment or just that he was still learning to form sounds with the dozen teeth he had cut.

"Hey, a new word. Good job little warrior. Come on."

Nadia was still stood where he'd left her, though she followed him to the kitchen and gave the one year old a once over. Hiccup had his sons soft foods warm and in his bowl, a fresh bottle of formula next to it by the time she spoke again.

"How is he doing?"

"Good. He can stand up, but he prefers to crawl. Had a new bootie fitting last month, his height and weight are low but definitely growing."

The doctor smiled, watching Leo completely ignore his bottle in favour of smushing food into his hair, clothes and eventually his mouth. Hiccup suspected he would have to have to feed the bottle to him afterward. Fussy little Viking.

"Hiccup. I know this is all a huge shock to the system, but Valka wouldn't have left him with you if she thought you couldn't care for your son."

Nadia had the same manner of pep talk as Valka, he noted. Hiccup reached for Valka's favourite mug, then realised it was needless. He reached for Astrid's instead since she was heading over, only to drop it with a thunk! when he heard her voice.

"Your what?"

-HTTYD-

I know. I know. I'm terrible.