I do not own the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.

Mission: Steal Stoick's Helmet

Ruffnut heaved a basket of fish into Barf and Belch's stable, her brother trailing lazily behind. The girl yelped when the two heads snapped gently at the basket upon smelling their breakfast. "Are you going to help me or not, Butt-Elf?"

"Not." Tuffnut smirked and watched as his sister tumbled the rest of the way into the stable, tripping over her feet and falling to the ground. The fish spilled out and Barf and Belch eagerly gobbled the food up. Ruffnut scowled and picked herself up, brushing the dirt from her clothes.

"Normally, this is where I'd say you're gonna pay, but I'm sure Astrid will do that for me."

Tuffnut snorted. "Let's be honest-what won't I do?"

Ruffnut considered this before sighing. "Good point. Still, it's always fun watching you make a fool of yourself."

"And that's exactly what will happen."

The siblings turned to see Astrid framed in the stable entrance, the sun casting a glow on her thin frame. Barf and Belch warbled in greeting before going back to their breakfast. Astrid sauntered into the stable and stood in front of Tuffnut.

"This is gonna be good." Ruffnut bounced on her heels eagerly.

"Tuffnut, I dare you to steal Chief's helmet."

"Piece of cake." Tuffnut said dismissively.

"While he's wearing it." Astrid smirked. "As in, right now."

"Are you trying to get me banished?" Tuffnut cried as his sister burst into laughter.

"What happened to what won't I do?" Ruffnut asked between giggles.

"You're not going to get banished." Astrid rolled her eyes. "Besides, Hiccup wouldn't let him do that. You have to steal that helmet by dinner. If it helps, Stoick is holding a meeting this afternoon with the other Vikings in regards to coming up with new defense manoeuvres."

"Uh...tell me more on how that helps."

"It helps, you dunce, because you steal the helmet right off his head while he's busy conducting the meeting." Astrid snapped. "And if you don't complete the dare by dinner you lose one of your get-out-of-a-dare freebies."

"Got it." Tuffnut mock saluted the blonde. "By dinner the helmet will be mine."

Astrid smirked. "Maybe. Maybe not." She twisted on her heel and stalked out of the stable (and into the fresh, non-rotten air).

"How are you gonna pull this one off, idiot?" Ruffnut asked.

Tuffnut screwed his face up in thought. "I'm gonna steal his helmet while he's at the boring meeting. I'm gonna hide in the rafters of the Great Hall."

Ruffnut waited, but it soon became clear that was all to Tuffnut's plan. She shook her head. "Oh, great plan, Butt-Elf."

"Thanks. I thought so, Bride-of-Grendel."

...

Tuffnut slipped into the Great Hall minutes before the adult Vikings were due to have their meeting. The boy glanced at the high wooden rafters hesitantly and climbed onto one of the tables. He jumped, his fingers brushing the edge of the rafter. He cursed and stared nervously at the door. The last thing he wanted was to be busted by the chief.

Astrid would never let him live it down.

Tuffnut jumped again, managing to get a decent grip on the rafter. He hauled himself up and gripped the support tightly. A minute later, the doors opened and the Vikings spilled into the hall, gathering around the central fire. Stoick stood at the head of the group and spread a map out on the stone table that surrounded the fire.

The blonde boy took a deep breath before wriggling carefully along the rafter. He tuned out Stoick's speech as he crawled. He never held any interest in the meetings and could care less about coming up with new defense strategies. They were never violent enough to keep his interest.

Tuffnut came to the end of his rafter and glanced below. Stoick was too far away for him to reach, which meant he would have to jump to the opposite rafter.

Great.

Gobber glanced up when a movement caught his attention. His eyebrow arched upon seeing the male Thorston sibling balancing precariously on the wooden rafters above. No one else had noticed the boy and after a moment of thought Gobber stayed silent.

He was curious to see what stupid thing the boy would do.

He watched as Tuffnut jumped to the rafter above Stoick's head. The lad grinned triumphantly when no one noticed his move-only for his features to twist into panic as the rafter gave a loud creak.

The wooden rafter snapped, causing Tuffnut to plummet onto the stone table in front of Stoick, his butt inches away from the central fire. The Vikings shouted in shock and surprise, the dust momentarily cutting off their vision.

Tuffnut lay in shock for only a moment before seizing the moment. He snatched the helmet from Stoick's head and tore from the Great Hall, running as fast as he could. Gobber shook his head and eyed Stoick, who looked ready to explode from anger.

Red-faced, Stoick slowly moved towards the wooden doors Tuffnut had just disappeared out of. Thorgerd Thorston stared in stunned disbelief as his chief exited the hall. "My son is an idiot." He moaned. "Not just an idiot, but the idiot."

"I'm sure his sister put him up to this." Gobber said, rather amused. "But yes, Tuffnut is quite the idiot."

"I'm gonna kill him." Thorgerd growled, embarrassed beyond belief.

"I think Stoick is going to beat you to it." Gobber chuckled.

...

Astrid leaned against the forge entrance, watching as Hiccup crafted a new sword. It was a place she found herself often, taking interest in the boy's work (and the boy himself, of course).

"Astrid!"

Surprised, the blonde turned around. Hiccup curiously peered around her, watching as Tuffnut came racing over the slope and waving a helmet in the air. "I got it!" He shouted, running past.

"Nice one!" Astrid called after him, impressed.

Hiccup gaped. "Is that my dad's helmet?"

The man himself lumbered up the slope, eyes burning. "YOU GOT FIVE SECONDS, THORSTON." He thundered. "TO RETURN MY HELMET OR ELSE YOU'LL BE MUCKING OUT THE BARN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!"

Astrid smirked at Hiccup's expression. "Does that answer your question?"

Dare suggested by MorganViking8998 :)

Next chapter: In which Tuffnut dares Fishlegs.