A/N – This chapter is shorter than the others, but we're getting to the excitement. This is a little tidbit, a one-shot that fits very nicely into the story. And who doesn't love more hapless Toothless?
X
Chapter 30: Intermission
Clank.
There was the morning alarm, right on time. From his secluded nest under the couch, Toothless opened one eye. The yellow haired female was at the other side of the room, just like she was every morning, with that metal thing that made the entire house smell.
Toothless stretched out of his ball, but did not leave the sanctum of the under-couch. It was safe here. Safe from feet and accidental kicks. Why were these humans so clumsy after sleep? If they were still tired, they should sleep more. It didn't make any sense to Toothless.
Toothless had spent a lot of time under the couch lately. The air in the house was thick and he didn't like it. It wasn't like the first night he had spent with these two humans, not at all. It had been joyous, warm, and exciting. There were so many new things to play with, to see, to touch, to smell. His new master was much better than the last one, his mate was too, even though she was mean sometimes.
But something changed. Toothless wasn't sure when, or how even, but it wasn't the same today as it had been. Each day was a little worse.
At a sound from the other room, Toothless's ears perk and his eyes widen, waiting for the something to make itself known. Odds are, it is Hiccup, but Toothless wasn't sure. It could be something else. Toothless tensed as a shadow limped out of the dark room and quickly became Hiccup in the morning light. Pushing his hair out of his face, Hiccup groggily making his way across the room. He went into the same little room and closed the door, just like every morning.
Hiccup came back and sat on the couch right above Toothless. He was doing that thing again, with that flat thing on his lap, tapping on it with the end of that pointy yellow stick. Cautiously, Toothless crawled out from underneath the couch. Hiccup was sitting back, staring down onto the flat thing as if it held all the answers, tapping that pink-tipped yellow stick on the surface. It was infuriating.
Meow. Toothless jumped onto the couch beside him, nosing his hand off the paper.
"Hey, Bud," Hiccup said. His hand dropped the yellow stick and came to Toothless, stroking his head. "Good morning to you, too."
Hiccup had been tapping with the yellow stick a lot. He didn't used to. He used to use the other end of the stick and make scratches all over the paper. Toothless didn't understand what was so fun in making lines. He could do that if he wanted.
"Coffee?" The yellow haired female has brought him a cup, like she does most mornings.
She holds it out to him, he takes it. "Thanks."
The female sits down beside him. They used to sit so close together that there wasn't any room for Toothless. But now, there is more than enough room for him to sit, too.
X