Hiccup showed the Alpha around and introduced him to each leader. They spent the rest of their day talking and telling stories. They sat down and ate with everyone else.
Dragons piled around Hiccup vying for his attention. Snapping at each other while trying to find a spot.
"Are they always like this?" The Alpha asked Hiccup.
"No. Only around mating season." Toothless chimed in above them. Dragons cleared out from there spots. Toothless jumped down next to his human. "As you probably know, mating season puts everyone on edge. Normally they won't try to kill each other while getting a spot near Hiccup." He chuckled to himself. "But they all know who Hiccup belongs to." He laughed again. Toothless laid down behind Hiccup.
"Oh shut up. Maybe you won't be my mate. Maybe I'll choose someone else." He leaned against the large black dragon.
"Than I suppose I'll be fighting for your love then? Do I at least have a head start?"
"Hmm, I don't know. What have you done for me?" Hiccup smiled.
"Would you like me to make a list of all I've done for you, or just the most recent?" Toothless challenged.
"I hate you." Hiccup grumbled.
"That must be the reason you keep me around. Just so you have someone to blame for everything."
"That's one reason, sure, but there are some other reasons too."
"Oh?"
"Like, you're warm so I'm not cold at night. And you bring me places." He turned around to face his dragon. Hiccup looked into his mates eyes. "You're really nice and always put up with me. Even when I'm being terrible to you. You always know now what to say. You always know what to do." He started to choke on his words. "You make me feel normal, even though I'm this. This monster." Toothless pulled Hiccup into his chest and covered Hiccup with his wing. They could hear Hiccup's muted crying.
"Everyone, you can take your food with you but you can't be here anymore. I'm sorry." The whole of the mountain rose to their feet and took off. The area cleared out in seconds. Toothless turned to the only other dragon still there.
"Would you please go to our spot and wait for us? We'll be back there in a bit." The Alpha nodded and left. "Hiccup we're alone." He opened his wing letting Hiccup out. The boy tumbled out, covering his face. "Oh Hiccup, what am I going to do with you?" He sighed. "You're not a monster. No one sees you like that except for you. Hiccup please tell me what I can do for you. I hate this. You need to help me, so I can help you."
"I know. I know. I'm sorry. You're right, I know no one sees me as a monster but I can't get that out of my head. I just don't know. I'm not like anything else. I can't relate to anyone, not even you. I feel lost. I wish I knew what to tell you." Hiccup could barely keep himself together.
"Maybe when the island clears out for mating season, we'll, I don't know. We need to figure something out, cause we say we'll fix but we don't. I'm afraid that if we don't do something soon, it'll get out of control. I don't want to be without you. And if things like what happened earlier, keep happening then it's only more likely that you die."
Hiccup sighed deeply. The weight of Toothless' words pushed down on him. He couldn't image a world where his dragon wasn't next to him all the time. He didn't want to.
"I'm sorry Toothless. I know that this is as hard for you as it is me. I'm sorry for putting you in this situation and thanks for staying with me for this long." Toothless chuckled at his small companion.
"I don't know, if you know, what being a mate to a dragon means. I'm staying with you because I chose to years ago. We may have been born to be together, but I had a choice to kill you the day we met. If you died my life moved on. Yeah I would probably be stuck on Berk since my tail would still be missing, defending my life everyday, but you just would have been another victim. I chose to not kill you, I chose to let you near me, and I chose to let you help. Until that girl found us, you were the only way I was getting out of that God damned hole. Nothing more. But what happened Hiccup? You were just there to help. You had wronged someone, something, so scary that even the largest of the humans feared me. But if you were just the way out why didn't I throw you off me and run? Why didn't you fear me? Why would I let you keep coming back?
It's because we chose to. But I no longer have that choice. I chose to let you keep coming back and I got attached. So I didn't throw you off me, I didn't run, and it didn't matter that you'd hurt me. You make me feel happy and I won't let you go. No matter how broken or sad, or angry, I'm not going anywhere. I made my final choice when I marked you. I don't choose anymore. I chose. And guess what? I don't regret a thing. It doesn't matter how much you push me away or abuse me, I'll come back for more. So please, please Hiccup, don't think you're alone.
I know that since your change, it's been hard. I know it put you in a weird situation, and headspace. I know that its drug you down a dark hole, but I am here, and I will listen and ask questions. I want to help. Seeing you like this is horrible."
Hiccup clung to the dragon's giant leg. His nails digging into the scales. He was trying to hide his whimpering as much as possible. He sniffled and sat up, pressing his palms into his eyes, wiping away his tears.
"I know. I'll be better. We'll figure it out. I love you. So much. Let's get back to, wherever. I'm tired." Hiccup yawned.
"Alright. Hop on and we'll head up." They both stood and stretched. Hiccup slowly climbed onto his mount and they headed off. Toothless flew up towards their spot. When they landed, they settled into their spot. Once Hiccup was asleep The Alpha got Toothless' attention.
