I do not own How to Train Your Dragon. Direct quotes from the movie will be bolded.

An Honour Or a Curse?

Hiccup walked Sunset home before wandering over to Gobber's forge. He didn't feel like going home just yet and wanted to see if there were any adjustments he needed to make to Hiccup's prosthetic tailfin.

The boy lit a lantern and sat down at the desk. He scanned the various diagrams and decided that there was nothing wrong (not yet, anyway) with the most recent tailfin. "At least that's something I managed to get right," he muttered, allowing his head to rest on the wooden surface.

And now all that's left is to deal with the Monstrous Nightmare.

Hiccup swallowed thickly. He knew that he wouldn't kill the Monstrous Nightmare when the time came. He knew that being alone in the ring with the dragon would give him a chance to show the Vikings that dragons could be their friends. But he also knew that the reaction he dreamed of wasn't the reaction he would get in reality.

It was all a big mess.

The door suddenly creaked open and Hiccup lifted his head, expecting to see Sunset standing in the doorframe with a concerned expression on her face.

What he saw, however, was someone completely different.

"Hey! Dad!" Hiccup exclaimed, jumping up and hastily jumbling his papers together. "Good to see you back. Uh, if you're looking for Gobber, he's not here."

"I'm here for you," Stoick informed his son. "I've heard you've been keeping secrets."

Hiccup froze. "What kind of secrets?"

"Did you really think you could hide it from me?" Stoick asked softly.

"Er...hide what from you?" Hiccup asked, hoping desperately that the conversation wasn't taking the direction he thought it was.

"The dragon."

Hiccup's knees buckled and he collapsed on the bench. "Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry! I swear I was going to tell you, I just-"

Stoick suddenly burst into laughter. Hiccup eyed him in surprise. "Aren't you mad?"

"Of course not! In fact, I was hoping this would happen!" Stoick exclaimed.

"Really?" Hiccup asked hopefully.

"If you think it's great now, just wait until you rip the guts out of a Nadder for the first time! Or slice off the head of a Gronkle!"

And now everything makes sense, Hiccup thought miserably, his excitement fading as he realized what his father was talking about.

Stoick clapped him on the shoulder, oblivious to his son's sudden change in attitude. "You've been holding back, Hiccup! The worst Viking Berk has seen in years becomes top of his class. And who'd of thought Sunset Hockerson would be right behind you?!"

"It's a surprise alright," Hiccup muttered, feeling sick.

Stoick dropped into a stool in front of Hiccup. "And now we finally have something to talk about."

A long silence followed. Hiccup coughed awkwardly and scratched his neck. Stoick tapped his meaty fingers together for a moment before reaching behind his back and removing a small helmet. "I have a present for you."

"Really?" Hiccup asked in surprise. He took the horned helmet from his father's hands.

"It was made from half of your mother's breastplate." Stoick rapped his knuckles against his own helmet, indicating where the other half had gone. "It keeps her with us."

"Wow," Hiccup said, genuinely touched. "Thanks, Dad."

"You've earned it. You did keep up your end of the deal, after all." Stoick smiled proudly.

Dozens of emotions ran rampant in Hiccup's mind at that moment. In a desperate need of escape, he was about to offer a poor excuse of being tired when the stall door creaked open once more. "Hiccup?" Sunset called softly, peering inside. "Are you in here? I saw the light-"

"And if it isn't the second-best dragon killer herself!" Stoick boomed, getting up and clapping the girl on the back with pride.

Startled, Sunset grabbed her helmet to keep it from falling off. "Hello, Chief. Sorry if I interrupted anything."

"Hiccup and I were just having a talk. And it's good that you showed up, because I have something for you as well." Stoick grabbed a wooden shield resting beside his vacated stool. He held it out and Sunset took it, studying the intricate designs carved on the front. "Now you both have something to protect you in the ring."

"Thanks," Sunset breathed, touched. "It's beautiful."

"You know," Hiccup interjected, "we really should get to bed."

"Uh, yeah." Sunset nodded. "We have quite the day tomorrow."

"Right! Yes. I'll bring you home, Sunset. It was a good talk, son," Stoick said as he ushered Sunset out of the forge.

"Yes, it was! I'll, uh, see you at home. Thanks for the helmet!" Hiccup gave a small wave as the two left. He collapsed back on the bench with a moan. "Well. This just got a little more difficult."

...

"I can't believe this is happening," Sunset said as she and Hiccup stood outside the arena the following dawn.

"I'm with you. I never thought we'd come this far." Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck and managed a smile as yet another Viking passed, congratulating them.

"Hiccup!" Sunset hissed, her green gaze locked on a rapidly approaching figure. "Astrid's come to kill us!"

"I think you're being a little-" Hiccup paused when he caught the murderous glare in the blonde's eyes. "Yeah, okay, she's probably come to kill us."

"This shouldn't have happened!" Astrid snarled, glaring at the two. "I should be in the final two, battling for the honour to kill a dragon. Not the girl who doesn't believe in violence and not the boy who messes up everything he touches!"

"Hey, you can take my place if you want," Sunset offered. She shrunk back at the heated look Astrid sent her.

"And you're not even taking this seriously! Don't understand what an honour this is?" Astrid demanded.

"Hey, it's like you said." Sunset shrugged. "I'm the girl who doesn't believe in violence."

"Then why are you here?"

"I just happen to have a natural way with dragons, I guess."

Astrid threw her arms up in frustration and stormed off, cursing angrily under her breath. Sunset glanced at her best friend. "What do you see in her again?"

"She's beautiful and spirited," Hiccup defended. "She just doesn't know dragons like we do."

"And she never will if she keeps trying to chop their heads off," Sunset said dryly.

"The talking stops and the fighting begins!" Gobber interrupted the duo's conversation and motioned for them to enter the arena. "Try not to get killed."

"We make no promises," Hiccup and Sunset said in unison. Gobber smacked their heads fondly as the two teens went past him and into the arena.

"Here we go," Sunset muttered as Gobber released the Gronkle. She cast a glance at the sparse crowd in the stands. Her father was not there, and that was as much as she had expected.

"What do you mean, 'we'?" Hiccup demanded, bringing the girl's attention back to him. "You're throwing the match!"

"Well, I can still be nervous about it, can't I?"

The Gronkle's head snapped in their direction. The two teens sighed. "Blind spots, not deaf spots," they chorused before diving in opposite directions to avoid the fire blast. Unfortunately for the animal-lover, the dragon decided to go after her. Sunset groaned as the Gronkle sped towards her. "Why me?"

The Gronkle tried to take her out with its tail but Sunset avoided the attack. The crowd cheered wildly.

I don't see how this is entertaining. Sunset scowled and got to her feet.

A loud clang caught the Gronkle's attention, effectively distracting it from Sunset. The girl quickly hid behind a small wooden wall, breathing a sigh of relief. Hiccup picked up his axe and gave a half-hearted shrug. "Whoops."

The Gronkle charged at the boy. When it came close enough Hiccup reached out and rubbed the sweet spot, causing the dragon to drop to the ground in bliss. Gobber put the dragon back in its cage before ushering Hiccup and Sunset into the middle of the arena. Gothi stepped forward and the crowd waited in anticipation. Gobber held his prosthetic hand over Sunset. Gothi shook her head.

Oh, thank you, Sunset thought with a smile.

Gobber moved his hand over to Hiccup. Gothi nodded.

"That's my son!" Stoick cheered.

The crowd screamed loudly, singing Hiccup's praises. The other Viking teens raced into the arena and hoisted Hiccup onto their shoulders. Sunset quickly followed after them, trying to ignore the burning sensation of Astrid's glare.

"That was amazing!" Fishlegs exclaimed. "You took that dragon down in no time!"

"Yeah, well, it was nothing." Hiccup shrugged.

"It was more than nothing," Tuffnut said. "It was wicked!"

"I can now call you my cousin without feeling ashamed by our relation," Snotlout said with a relieved sigh.

"Gee, thanks," Hiccup said sarcastically. "Listen guys, I was hoping to kind of go off alone. Prepare myself for the Monstrous Nightmare...and all that."

"Totally," Ruffnut agreed as they set Hiccup down. "You gotta get in the killing mood and stuff. I get that."

"Right. Well, I guess I'll see you later." Hiccup waved and grabbed Sunset by the arm, dragging her with him.

"I thought he wanted to be alone?" Fishlegs frowned.

"He is alone. Alone with Sunset. When are those two ever apart?" Snotlout asked as they all crossed the bridge leading to the village.

Astrid exited the arena, axe in hand. Her eyes narrowed into slits.

Today was the day she found out what the village misfits were up to.