"You ready?"
Hiccup slides his helmet over his face, gives his dragon's saddle a brief tug, and hoists himself over. Toothless's claws dig ragged streaks into the dirt and he fidgets, anxiously. The boy and his dragon must have spent some time apart because Toothless is packed with fervor, shuffling his wings impatiently.
"Not yet," Eret suggests, "I have an idea to make this race worthwhile. Let's place a bet."
"You have a lot of confidence for a beginner!"
"I'm serious."
Hiccup hooks his prosthetic leg into place and readies himself on the saddle.
"Why would you want to set yourself up for failure?
Eret crosses his arms, grateful that he and his Rumblehorn are well acquainted enough that they can scowl in unison. "You really don't think I can beat you?"
"Not a chance."
Eret grins and shifts his weight on Skullcrusher's wriggling bulk. He waits patiently for Hiccup to unfold Toothless's makeshift tail fin. Toothless trots in place, giddily and Hiccup chuckles, placing a firm hand on his neck, motioning for him to yield his eagerness.
"I think you underestimate me."
"Change my mind, then," Hiccup counters. The helmet cloaks most of Hiccup's charming countenance but Eret distinguishes a devious sparkle in the dragon rider's eyes. Was Eret being imaginative, or was there also a trace of coquettishness in his pitch?
"See that peak over there?"
Eret thrusts his finger into the direction of a towering summit in the distance. Surrounding the mountain are columns of desolate islands and if anything, they provide a safe range for landing.
"Whoever reaches that peak first wins," Eret announces.
"Alright, sounds good to me. If I win, you have to do all of my chores for a week."
"You useless bloke. What, are you ten years old?"
"It's my end of the bargain! Take it or leave it."
"Fine."
He seizes his Rumblehorn's formidable antlers, and adds, "If I win, I get the next two evenings off. I hate it when you assign me evening shifts."
And then, without warning, Toothless lunges forward, hurdling off the cliff to soar into a thick seam of mist.
"Hey!" Eret hollers after him, taking off into the sky, "A countdown would have sufficed!"
Sudden momentum sends him reeling backwards and Eret almost forgets how to steer properly due to the violent rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins, impairing his judgment and dizzying his senses.
There's no apology from Hiccup, who is aiming to distance himself miles away from Skullcrusher and his new companion. Hiccup's exhilarative whoop rings in Eret's ears and he fixates on the Night Fury, accelerating with ease.
Radiant, powerful black wings rip through the fog and Skullcrusher must double his efforts in order to meet his opponent's speed. "Come on, boy," Eret encourages the elegant beast. Skullcrusher steadies his pace and they glide smoothly, furthering their descent into the hazed and cool morning sky.
Black, silken hair whips against his cheeks, lashing him in the eyes and sticking to the corners of his mouth. No wonder Hiccup wears a helmet; the winds are harsh and unforgiving up here. Regardless of Berk's drab autumn chill, the navy blue ocean beneath them pushes and pulls, gently, and Eret has no qualms detaching himself from the rest of the world, for a brief span of time, to observe the icy body of water ripple and heave from the exertion of its natural rhythm.
If this distraction earns him the loss of this race and he's stuck picking up Hiccup's messes for a week, then so be it. Scenic treasury besieges the rider and his dragon; any angle he turns will lead him to an untouched, lush fragment of wilderness.
Skullcrusher screeches merrily, his song sending vibrations alongside Eret's hunched frame. They twirl through a soft sheet of clouds and soon, they're at least a foot from Hiccup and Toothless.
Hiccup spots his challenger and he bids Eret a pompous wave (he's probably grinning from beneath his mask, the smug prat) and he quickens his pace until there's no possibility of reaching that wild momentum. Eret is much too impressed by Hiccup's natural talent to work alongside his dragon—as if they both shared the same mind and soul— to bear any disgruntlement. Hiccup and Toothless successfully weave their way around the summit (they do this twice, to boast), circling the mountaintop before landing on a nearby isle.
Eret reconvenes, carefully preparing to dismount. From above, he witnesses Hiccup, shouting and hopping up in down, performing what he thinks is supposed to be a victory dance, encouraging Toothless to join him. The Night fury elects to swat him playfully with his paw.
Dust and withered autumn leaves kick up from the surface as Skullcrusher plants on a patch of dirt.
"I hope you enjoy being my servant for the next week," Hiccup jeers. Eret hops off his Rumplehorn and pats him on the snout. Skullcrusher grumbles happily and nestles his head in Eret's shoulders.
"Don't listen to them, boy," Eret coos. "You did good. They're just a pair of show offs."
"Aww," Hiccup taunts, removing his helmet. It tumbles and rolls away, leaving Hiccup with a disheveled mop of hair sticking out from all ends.
"Is someone a sore loser? Are you a bigger baby then him?"
Hiccup trudges his shoulder into Toothless. Toothless does not appreciate the comparison. He snarls and whacks Hiccup on the head with an expanded wing.
"You still seem pretty riled up," Eret snorts. "How about we solve this dispute for good? Man to man. No creatures."
Eret pivots, bends his knees, and thrusts his fists into the air, grinning idiotically, more so than he intended.
"I'm a pacifist, in case you haven't noticed," Hiccup chides. He runs a hand through his mousy tresses, attempting to smoothen the untidiness he created.
"You're declining because you know I have the upper hand."
"I'll have you know," Hiccup explains, hands resting on his hips, "that my smaller physique makes for unsullied agility."
Eret's posture deflates as he cackles in disbelief. His hands drop to his sides and he shakes his head.
"You know what?" Hiccup huffs. "You're right, let's do this. I'll give you a fine example of my dexterity that you so clearly lack."
Eret braces himself for an impact when Hiccup rushes towards him with speed that he admits he didn't quite expect. Hiccup aims to swipe Eret in the gut but Eret catches his wrists in mid approach. With no difficulty, Eet heaves his body forward. Hiccup loses his balance and lands flat on his back, Eret's strapping body collapsing atop his. Eret smiles, triumphantly, straddles Hiccup's thighs, and constricts his clutch on the Viking's wrists.
"Okay, so," Hiccup wheezes, the wind clearly knocked out of his lungs, "what really counts is my courage and wit to initiate this fight."
"You are as quick as you say you are," Eret encourages. "Just not quick enough."
"Ow, this is worse than getting tackled by Toothless. You can get off me now, you careless brute."
Eret chortles and rolls off the youth, shuffling on the ground until he collides with the shape of Skullcrusher's coiled mass. The two Viking use their dragons sprawled bodies for back support and ample cushioning.
"I consider it progress."
"How do you mean?" Eret asks. He stretches his legs languidly, resting his hands behind his head.
"Five years ago I couldn't even pick up an axe."
"Yes, I've been told you used to be the runt of the litter."
"Glad to know that Berk speaks of me so favorably."
Eret smirks, roguishly, and rejoins, "Rumor also has it that puberty did right by you."
"What?"
"You grew up to be a handsome lad."
"Oh," Hiccup pipes. "People think I'm handsome? You think I'm handsome?"
"Yes, Hiccup."
Hiccup's cheeks are dotted with coy hues of pink. He scratches the back of his head—a habit that's often characterized by Hiccup's modesty or shyness—and extends a lopsided grin.
"Thank you," Hiccup says. "Wait, no, never mind. I'm still mad at you for crushing my lungs. I'm withholding my full appreciation."
Eret's eyes roll, reaching above, into the high heavens. Hiccup stands up, straightens his stance, and secures loose straps on his thigh that must've come undone during their wrestle. Eret continues to recline lazily, a free hand stroking the abrasive scales nestled below the Rumplehorn's belly. Skullcrusher purrs joyfully.
Eret's eyes roam shamelessly over the arc of Hiccup's bent form; truly, a lovely display.
He studies the young man's soft, ruffled hair, his round button nose, and the chiseled, angular cut of his jaw. The prying stare travels, focusing on Hiccup's slender profile, his thin waist, narrow hips, long, lean legs.
He licks his lips, ogling the curve of Hiccup's bottom and then his front, the tight, leather-clad prominence between his legs.
"Hey!" Hiccup scolds, completing his task. He catches Eret in the midst of his indulgence.
"What?" Eret inquires, feigning innocence.
"I see you eyeing me," Hiccup accuses, slumping against Toothless.
"I'm sorry."
"No you're not."
"You're right," Eret laughs. "I'm not."
Hiccup blushes but the glow permeating his face indicates that he's flattered. The lankier Viking rubs a tender spot behind Toothless's ears. Toothless's eyelids flutter and a wet tongue flops from the side of his mouth. It looks comical, if not endearing. Eret would've never envisioned seeing this domestic side of a dragon.
"The first time I taught my dad how to properly fly a dragon, it was with Toothless."
"You never told me that," Eret muses. "What was it like?"
Hiccup's laughter colors the hazed, gray ambiance. They've been traipsing the barren landscape, simply enjoying one another's company, reminiscing and recalling the earlier years: times that didn't involve the same prospects that they face in the present.
"It was a nightmare."
Eret shoots Hiccup a knowing, disparaging and almost parental frown. Hiccup slouches and sighs, "I guess I owe you that explanation, huh?"
"That you do."
"Wow, how do I even begin to describe the mess that I've created for myself?
Hiccup ducks his head, hoping to avert eye contact. Eret contests him by refusing to alter his gaze.
"Well, let's go way back, then, shall we? My girlfriend of five years stayed by my side after my dad's funeral, after Drago attacked Berk, after everything, and how do I repay her? By freaking out when she brings up our future together."
"Hiccup," Eret consoles, "You're not wrong for feeling scared and its alright if you're unsure what it is that you want."
"No, you don't understand…I did want it. To have a family of my own, I mean."
Eret tilts his in confusion. "I'm not quite so sure I follow. You've changed your mind?"
Hiccup idly strokes a patch of his Night Fury's scales. Toothless senses discomfort in his owner's demeanor. He nudges his snout into Hiccup's knee and peers up at him, with a reassuring glint.
"I was scared of becoming chief but also, deep down, I was honored. I had this perfect idea in my mind of what my life was going to be like from here on out. I was going to get married to Astrid and we'd provide an heir."
"And…?'
"And in my idealized world of what was supposed to happen, I'd have a son or daughter and they'd grow up with a grandfather."
"Stoick was always supposed to be part of your future," Eret repeats.
"It's a lame excuse, I know, but it's the best reason I can find for escaping the pressures of adulthood. It definitely isn't a good enough excuse to push Astrid away. So all of this coupled with the occasional existential dread, as you could imagine, makes for sleepless nights."
Eret inches nearer until he uses Toothless's belly as a cushion. He stretches his arm behind Hiccup's neck, carefully, and places his arm around the armored shoulder. Eret suspects a shed of hesitation because to be honest, although they have kissed, this gesture is one shared simultaneously by close friends as well as lovers. He's not sure how Hiccup will interpret it.
Hiccup practically hurls himself into the embrace. Thin arms envelop Eret's upper body and Hiccup buries his face into the soft furs of his shawl. The arm draping over Hiccup's shoulder constricts and pulls him closer.
"Sorry," Hiccup mumbles, into the downy pelt. "I just…I could use this right now."
Toothless curls his body around the two men, protectively, as if he's initiating his version of a hug.
"I'm sorry," Hiccup repeats with an audible waver in his voice.
"Hiccup, it's aright."
"It's not alright. My mom noticed that Astrid and I were drifting apart. She tried to talk to me about it."
"I'm sure that didn't bode well, considering what a stubborn git you are."
"Thanks."
Eret gives Hiccup's shoulder a reassuring squeeze to let him know his words are all in jest.
"My mom told me that I shouldn't run away from my fears and she's right. I guess that's why I was so angry: because she was reminding me of how stupid I'm acting."
"You're not stupid."
"Aren't I? Astrid and I have been through so much and I threw it all away. I never wanted to hurt her. I don't want to hurt Astrid, my mother, or anyone I care about."
"Hiccup," Eret soothes, "I don't doubt that but you can't please everyone."
"I can try, right?"
"You can start apologizing to your mother and speaking with Astrid."
Hiccup raises his head and says, "I know I should, but I can't tell Astrid I've been romanticizing my best friend."
Heaviness lowers in Eret's chest, coiling and seizing his lungs an heart, but he knows better. He'll have to ignore it for now. Above all else, Hiccup's happiness is what matters.
"If you want to mend what you and Astrid had, then that's your choice."
"I don't know what I want but I can't give up whatever this is."
"You can't have both, I'm afraid."
Eret sighs and peers into the sullen green eyes that search his, hopeful for answers. He tucks a lock of Hiccup's hair behind the soft shell of his ear. Affectionately, he begins to run his fingers through the pliable curls.
"You couldn't pay all the riches in the world to be twenty again," Eret declares.
Neither had been keeping track of time but it must have been hours since their departure from Berk. Sunlight peaks through dreary clouds and a layer of mist breaks apart, gradually, leaving room for rays of heat to bask the formerly nipped atmosphere.
A twinge of disappointment resonates within not only Eret, but the remainder of the party, as well. They fly away from their desolate cliff to return to their burden of responsibility in Berk. Eret doesn't remember the last time Hiccup had that amount of leisurely bliss to himself.
"I guess I should get back to the town," Hiccup says in a hollow voice. He leaps off Toothless and lands on the balls of his feet, unfastening his constricting armor. Eret follows his lead and slides off his Rumbplehorn, staring blankly into the thick forests that guided their way towards the center of Berk.
"Hiccup," Eret hums.
"Yeah?"
Slowly, eyes remaining open, lest he overlook any alterations in Hiccup's gaze, he lifts his face to the lad's. Their lips meet with a reserved hesitation that ebbs away, little by little, as Hiccup's curious mouth explored his, rapt with enthrallment. Hiccup wraps his arm around Eret's neck. Eret can feel the wonderment through Hiccup's embrace and the soft strokes of his tongue.
Eret tears away, lightheaded and disillusioned by the fact that the slim body against his is retracting it's warmth. Hiccup bites his lip and then parts his mouth but Eret steals his chance to disrupt the silence.
"That was fun."
"Yeah it was."
"So, um—" Eret starts.
"Yeah?"
"I-I—should I go?"
"Not unless you want to stick around and watch me adhere to my chiefly duties."
"That sounds fascinating, but I think I'll pass."
When Hiccup and Toothless make their way along the path home, Hiccup turns his head one last time to catch a glimpse of Eret, as if he feels guilty that their tryst has come to an end. That acknowledgement produces a recognizable flutter in Eret's stomach.
"Valka!" Eret greets when he sees the tall woman emerge into his line of vision. It's more an alarmed yelp than it is a greeting because Eret is tremendously unprepared for her visit.
His palms secrete a lukewarm sweat and his heart rate rapidly increases, as though he's hiding a secret from her. Frankly, he might as well be. He's pining for her son and, Odin have mercy, having erotic dreams about him.
Eret's first instinct is to infer that Valka has arrived to tell him she knows all about their private endeavors but Eret upholds his composure, suppressing paranoid delusions.
Eret is dwelling in the stables, tending to his dragon. He was brushing dead scales off his Rumblehorn's back before Valka entered and diverted his attention.
Valka is brimming with merriment and she enters, her Stormcutter in tow.
"What I wouldn't give to watch Stoick bond with this one," Valka comments, gaping at the armored reptile. A smile etches across her narrow, bright face and its mixed with nostalgia, sorrow, but also fond remembrance.
"I imagine it was an unusual courtship, initially."
"Yes, he had his soft spots. Unfortunately, that side of him often lacked a finesse," Valka laughs softly. She extends her hand and Skullcrusher welcomes her greeting, nuzzling his trunk into her open palm.
"The first time I met your husband he shoved me in the face."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Oh, I deserved it."
Valka giggles, gracing Eret with an knowing yet unreadable expression. Cloudjumper imitates his owner, titling his head. The resemblance is uncanny between the woman and her Stormcutter, they bore into him with widened, studious eyes.
"Lucky my boy straightened you out."
"Lucky I listened to him."
"Now if only he would listen to others," she jeers, light heartedly. "I'm glad I found you, Eret. I'm here to thank you for what you've done for Hiccup."
"You're welcome," Eret says, though it comes out sounding more like a question than a formal response.
"I know you two have been spending time together. Whatever it is that you've been telling him, he's been taking it to heart."
Eret swallows hard.
"Does he seem different? Because of me?"
"Remarkably. His face lights up whenever you're mentioned. He says he's going to teach you how to fly like him; like his dragons."
"That's the plan. It's terrifying, to be honest. I don't know how he does it, or how you perform the stunts you've shared with us riders so far."
"It's all about trust," Valka explains. She has the same lovely eyes as her son and when they crease and twinkle from her honest smile, Eret's apprehension dwindles. He carefully soaks her words, immerses himself in her guidance. "You'll see."
Ships polish the shores of Berk on the final week of autumn. Hiccup is gone for the afternoon but a few of his friends hurriedly make a beeline for the vessel when they see its sails surfacing from the horizon. Trader Johann spots Eret and coaxes him into the segment of his traded goods; the ones that contain new weaponry.
"I have more than enough axes and knives," Eret protests, bidding the merchant a sheepish grin. Instead, he flips through a collection of parchments, scrutinizing their contents.
"Ooh," Ruffnut says, hopping on deck, "Good. More sharp and pointy things for me, then."
"He used to be so cool," Her brother mutters into her ear, "Now he's looking through books. And he's reading them."
"Knowledge is such a useless tool, isn't it?" Eret calls to them, rolling his eyes. "It's only the very tool that domesticated an entire species of dragons into your homeland."
"Don't you hate it when he words stuff like that?" Snotlout argues, "It's so confusing, it's like you can't tell whether he's being serious or not."
Eret ignores them and begins searching through various crafts and pens that are available for exchange.
"I'd never confuse you like that. I'm a straightforward guy, just what you need."
"Ech," Ruffnut gags.
A small bottle of ink finally piques his interests and picks it up and examines it for details. "What's this?" Eret asks the merchant.
"Fine ink from Rome."
"Really? Rome?"
"Aye, the finest I've collected."
"Good for writing and artistry?"
"No complaints so far. Is this for you or is it a gift? For a special someone?'
"It's for a friend," Eret lies.
He exchanges the bottle of ink for a sack of apples. Sacrifices must be made, but this one is particularly painful because seldom does he have the chance to enjoy fruit. Living on a ship for months denied him scores of savory treats. After much consideration, Eret opts to hand it to Hiccup in person, when he returns.
This was supposed to be a one shot smut fic but then it just kind of accidentally turned into a multi-chapter fic that goes into detail about their big nerdy crushes on each other? Oop. I'm going to feel kind of weird when more HTTYD content comes out and Eret gets a ton of backstory (hopefully) and my depiction of him could be totally off? Oh well. Whatever. No worries, I'm not going to complain about more HTTYD content.
I also feel a teensy bit odd writing this because I'm a huge Hiccstrid shipper but sometimes I get an idea and it just consumed my soul and ruins my life. Again, sorry for slow updates. I literally just finished summer semester this week.