"I don't think that's true." Toothless chuckled.

"What? Yes it is. If you were a worm I'd put you in a jar with like, dirt and stuff in it. Then I'd probably just sit around watching you. Or at least wondering what you were doing under the dirt."

"You're weird." Toothless said rather bluntly.

"I'm not weird." Hiccup exclaimed. "What would you do huh? What if I was a worm?"

"I'd probably eat you." Toothless said calmly. It took a second for Hiccup to gauge what his mate had just said. And to see if he was joking. The issue was Toothless wasn't pulling his comment back.

"You'd eat me? Really?"

"To live as something like that isn't fit for my mate. Plus given the knowledge we know now. You could be reborn within my current lifetime. Allowing for us to find each other again. Plus with the rules they put in on what souls could inhabit what. You'd likely be a dragon since that's what you were meant to be anyway. Though that hasn't stopped you before from being something else. Maybe if you were to be born again you'd be a wolf, or fox. A bird maybe. Of Course being a human again would hurt my feelings. I quite like the form you have." Toothless pressed his snout into Hiccup's chest. "Turns out having human hands is so much better than having paws. Then again you were normally meant to be a dragon so maybe you'd take that form. And you'd be the most beautiful beast to walk the earth. Nothing less than a spectacle."

"I'm sure there are things in this world that are more beautiful than me Toothless. Even just among our own flock. I can't match the pretty collage of colors on the speckled Nadders. Or the deep, rich reds of any one of the Nightmares. Even outside our flock, things like Freya exist. She was fantastically beautiful, not a hair out of place. And what of yourself? Sleek black scales, that coat unimaginable strength. A handsome face and eyes like the forest. How are you not the thing everyone else wishes they could be?"

"Why would they want to be me? Until I met you I was completely lost on what, or who I am. You see what's beautiful in people, and bring it out of them. Everything you encounter you can find something about them that makes them unique. And because you can't see yourself like that you don't believe that you can be just as breathtaking. Even if someone tells you straight to your face. You are gorgeous Hiccup. You shine as though the sun itself constantly looks at you. And you're the only thing I particularly care to look at. So there's that.

You may not be what everyone thinks of when they hear the word beautiful. But to me you are the very definition. So don't put yourself down like that. Cause for some of us, or at least me. You thinking that you don't hold up against others makes me sad. Hold your head high, Hiccup, cause everything you think can't be beat already has been. And I think you can guess by who I think."

"One day you're going to run out of words you know. What will you do then?"

"There was a time that we couldn't talk to each other and I still made you feel better back then too. All it takes is a little lick here." The dragon's tongue ghosted over Hiccup's chin. "A little nudge here. Just enough to get you to move your feet." He started to walk around Hiccup and pressed his head into Hiccup's side. Pushing hard enough that Hiccup had to catch himself. "And then, now that I'm behind you. I place my head here." He rested his chin on Hiccup's shoulder. "Place one of my legs in front of yours. Making it kinda awkward to get out of cause you'd have to twist yourself out. Something you've never done.

Then what happens next is up to you. Normally you wrap your arm around my head and press yours into mine more, then just sit there for a bit. Or I'll break out of it early then get up on my hind legs. Like this. And invite you in for one of those things humans do. A, uhm, a hug? Right?" Toothless looked down at Hiccup, towering over him when standing on his hind legs. Hiccup stepped forward and pressed himself against Toothless and wrapped his arms around him as much as he could.

"Yes, it's called a hug." Hiccup said softly. Toothless let his forelegs drop over Hiccup's shoulders and used them to press Hiccup a little harder against himself.

"See I don't exactly need words to help take your mind off things. Sometimes you just have to be reminded that it isn't all doom and gloom." Toothless smiles down at Hiccup. Not that the boy noticed since his eyes were closed, enjoying the moment. But after a while Hiccup pulled back and Toothless let him go. The dragon dropped down onto all fours and shook himself. "Ready to head back inside. Get something to eat?" Toothless asked. Hiccup nodded and climbed up onto his dragon's back.

They slowly ascended to the top of their mountain and landed at the top. Where his father and the others were sitting in front of a fire. Which meant that they'd found his stash of wood that Hiccup would use for his projects. He hoped that they weren't using anything he already had plans for. At the same time they were accompanied by the dragons that had taken them flying earlier. He even saw a few quickly take their hands away from their dragons. But it seemed everyone was enjoying their time, eating and relaxing.

When Toothless landed Hiccup slid off his mount.

"Would you get us something to eat?" Hiccup asked.

"Of course, what would you like?"

"I'm kinda feeling meat."

"That does sound good. I'll get a piece we can put over that fire and share." Toothless swiftly left and Hiccup joined the group and sat in front of the fire.

"Welcome back Hiccup." Skullcrusher said calmly.

"Thank you." Hiccup huffed.

"Something wrong?" The Rumblehorn asked.

"Yeah can we help with anything?" some of the others chimed in.

"No, no. Everything is fine. Don't worry yourselves about anything. I ask that if you stay with these humans that you simply keep them happy while they're here."

"Everything okay son?" Stoick asked.

"Hmm? Oh! yeah. Everything's fine."

"Worried about the attack?"

"Yes. But we think that something has slowed down its progress. Obviously we don't know what but given that we were told of its approach and it isn't here, is sorta throwing us off. We should be in the middle of a giant fight right now. But that no one has returned is odd. That's why we sent out Color and her team to go look. It's just odd is all. Which is why we're returning to a more or less regular life for now. Until we get word of what's going on that is."

"Makes sense to me. Keep your people as happy as you can until you know the situation better."