What she should've done - she should've stepped inside the cove already, she should've strolled through the flowered beauty a while ago, and she should've greeted the man, without further issues, without further prevention. What she should've not done - she should've not hidden behind the entrance's wall currently, she should've not peeped on the inside, and foremostly, she should've not done that for so long.
Weather, if asked, everybody would have said that it was beyond the norm, the extraordinary, whereas the temperature reached the utmost, and the sky lacked any, even the tiniest, mere cloud, being brightened by the gleaming sun. Yet, even though the cove looked its finest, having the hues of blooms overstuffing it, the woman's eyes never glanced around, were rather fixed at one point, never allowing to alter the orientation.
Thus, she'd stared at Toothless, who, doing whatever, the hell, he fucking did, having his hair tied in a ponytail, his bangs obscuring his eyes, crouched over the soil in the direct sunlight, much shirtless. Having the accompaniment of chirping birds, the muscles of his broad back shifted steadily, time and again flexed, stirred, and loosened ahead of her eyes, whilst the vast scars on it unveiled underneath the rays.
The moment she'd laid her eyes on him when entering inside, she'd been stunned, strumbled in half the step, and stayed still, from where everything went to that point when the quick peek turned into minutes of mortification. Just as a few days ago, when staring at the wide forearms whilst Toothless angled the sword, she'd no idea, why she couldn't take her eyes off him, if maybe, it was because of the anxiety - the realization of how robust he'd really been, or something else.
Of course, it wasn't as if she'd never seen him like that before - bare and muscly - after all, when sewing him that tunic, he'd been half-naked the entire while, though now, it wasn't the same - they'd changed. Their approach to each other had changed, their behavior toward one another, whatever there was, which was the consequence of these past weeks, had changed, and for so, the bond between them, for the better.
"It's rather rude to stare at someone without their consent, you know?" he exclaimed, out of a sudden, not even glancing at her, whereas she'd tensed, struck dumb. "If you're trying to scare me though, you're failing since you've come."
Her face burning with mortification, Hiccup slipped through the cove, took the stance by the man, and asked, "How so?" reddening as she'd noticed the man's smirk, which must've been constant.
"That so," he tsked, his shoulders jolting at the act, never really glancing at her. "You've lacked something."
Rolling her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest, she inquired, "Which is?" and got nearly slammed by the flying bucket, whereas she'd seized it, barely.
"The element of surprise," he answered, his eyes locked on her miffed self, maintaining an amused attitude as he ordered, "Fill it up."
"Ye're aware, that ye've handed me the weapon, right?" she spotted, curving her mouth into a smile, having the bucket dangled on her pointing finger. "Be not surprised by how will I use it."
"Quit the talk, freckles. I'll be surprised, only if you manage to sneak on me when conscious, so don't get your hopes high," he stated, then pointed with his head at the pond, just off. "Do what I asked for, please."
"Oh, since ye're beggin' so much," she replied, almost whacking him with the bucket when she'd passed by, if it wasn't for the matter of how he'd tilted his head away. "It ain't mean I won't try, tho."
Subsequently hadn't he responded much, just shook his head, most likely rolling his eyes, while she'd actually listened, approached the surface of the water, and crouching down, she drowned the metal bucket, slowly. In the meantime, her eyes took in the sight of the cove, beaming at the picture of the luminous forest above, much unaware of the glances Toothless vested her with, before he goggled back at the soil, the very moment she'd stood up.
Sooner than later, she'd been just over him, though before he could've even gazed at her, she'd dropped the bucket, the force which splashed his face, and he muttered, "You must have, haven't you?" wiping his face of the drops.
"Such a stupid question," she sneered, her grin bright as she'd knelt down to his level. "What ye're doin' anyway?"
"Look yourself."
And so, as he'd offered, her eyes fixed on the ground ahead, at once glimpsed the dug-up dirt, having the unevenness all over itself, the cores of grass scattered around, and the hand rake, thrown to the side. Looking for answers, the puzzled woman gaped at the man, at the clammy roots of the jet hair, the cheek smeared by mud, and as for the rest, Hiccup didn't allow herself to glance farther, focused her eyes on the handsome, square jaw.
"Since you still don't know what I suppose from that dumbfounded face of yours," he started, and Hiccup narrowed her eyes at him, annoyed, "I'm working the land."
"Really? I'd never guess!" she ironized, placed her hand over her chest, as if shocked, and added, "I'm rather more curious of why?"
"Honestly, I don't know either. If I were to speculate, I'd say that's because I've always belittled the Vikings, and it's my way of disciplining myself, or maybe because I've got fond of it. Whatever is it, I'm just excited to see these plants grow," he explained, whereas he'd reached for the full bucket, and poured the contents on the mud. "Though, don't ask me what have I planted, because I've no idea either."
"Rather than that, I'd like to know where even from is that bucket, the hand rake even," she began, snagged the mentioned tool, and continued shortly after, "'though, why I'm even askin' when I know the answer, already."
"Let's say, as for such a potent Village, you're very vulnerable to larceny," he remarked, smirking at the woman, who snorted, evening the ground in front. "I'm not even embellishing it. The literal Night Fury walked through your streets the other night, and nobody gave a damn."
"Great," she mumbled, giving him a side-eye, before sighing. "I won't ever hear the end of it, will I?"
"Not if I can help it," he mocked and straightened his back, the cracking sound very evident when so. "Alright, I think it's done."
"Ya think it's done, or is it done?" she queried, lifting an eyebrow at him.
"You're impossible," he sighed, reaching for the cloth - the tunic - at the side.
Hence, ahead of Hiccup's eyes appeared his chest, and whilst it wasn't anything she'd not seen already or anything she'd not expected - the toned muscles, hairy skin - however, they'd stopped at the spots of silver - scars. These were of various, oval shapes, positioned symmetrically at his sides, some having the ongoing threads, some looking as if they'd been concaving his skin, and some triggering such emotions, she must've gazed away, startled even.
At some point, noticing so, he'd glanced at her, frowning his brows, and asked, "What?" drying his neck against the tunic.
"I'm sorry, I just," she hesitated, her hand twirling the ring finger of the other, "I just never saw such scars, such terrible."
"Oh, right," he murmured, skimmed down at them, and regretted it, shutting his eyes, tight. "They're from that dragon's chewing and-, they're-, it's nothing."
"I ain't think so. Myself, havin' this scar," she paused, just to graze her fingers across the middle of the ribcage gap, as if she'd wished to feel the scar underneath the fabric of her shirt, "whenever I see it, 's like the pain's back. I can't even think, how much pain ya must feel."
"It's not the pain that's disturbing me," he confessed, his necklace weighing on his neck. "If it wasn't for you, I'd never dare myself to take off my clothes for so long. Thank you."
"Always glad to help," she responded, weakly smiling at him. "'though, I wouldn't call it help, much."
"Nobody's ever helped me as much as you have, from before and from after curse, never," he declared, and so, the woman's smile brightened, to the point, where he couldn't help, but smile also. "Besides, I've no view of the back, so the pain isn't so bad."
"Ya'd never seen yer back?"
"No, of course, I had, however, never clearly," he clarified, settling himself down, comfortably. "Inside the reflections, in the water and weapons, but I don't know, what exactly they look like."
"Well, if I were to describe," she proposed, shifting herself behind him. "I'd start at the blades - the scars here are the smallest, the size of my finger, maybe. Further downward, each scar's gettin' larger and has its symmetrical other, presumably because of how the dragon's jaw's build. As for lower, the gap between the scars is gettin' wider and-," she illustrated, without acknowledging it, brushing her fingers against the mentioned scars, although when realizing, stopping, out of a sudden, tilted back, ashamed. "I'm sorry. I crossed boundaries."
"No, you didn't," he opposed, peeking back at her, seriously. "I'm listening."
"Alright, since so," she agreed, gazed at him for permission the last time, and receiving it, resumed, "If I were to say, at the bottom they're the worst because they were made by molars. They're the widest, the least healed," she described, just then removed her hand, and whispered, "They must've hurt as hell."
"They did," he confirmed, rotating his body to her, so that their eyes met, "but I've survived it, haven't I?"
Afterward, after the seconds, that were spent in silence, as the man knitted his brows in question at the woman's intense stare, much suddenly, she flung herself at him, her arms circled around him, her hands reaching for his shoulders, in rather an embrace. Much confounded, Toothless extended his arms, gaped at how she'd mashed her cheek to his collarbone, her eyes squeezed hard, her mouth curved in grimace, and at last, when the shock streamed out of his body, loosened.
Thus eventually, he'd returned the favor, wrapped his arms around her waist, whereas the auburn hair of her braid tickled his forearms, and even dared himself to lean his chin atop her head, closing his eyes, comforted. Henceforth, they'd stayed like this, Hiccup breathing out relief, listening to the heartbeat by her ear, and Toothless was rather motionless, only occasionally glanced down at her, as if ensuring of her presence.
"I'm sorry," she apologized, her fingers grazing his skin, almost stabbing it. "Is that even okay?"
"It's okay," he replied, strengthening his hold on her. "It's even more than that."
Therefore, minutes went by, and neither bothered to move, neither questioned of occurrence, neither disturbed by the outside world - focused on what's the closest, on what's the most meaningful, on what's needed most. Ultimately though, when having his eyes fixed on the pond onwards, as his neck brushed the dense, wavy hair, grounding his jaw in discomfort, he'd lifted it away, then released her, whilst Hiccup didn't oppose - did that herself.
"As much as I didn't want to destroy the moment, I planned on taking a bath, if you know what I mean," he justified, pointing at his glistening skin, before narrowing his eyes at her, curious. "You should join me, and before you disagree, I'd like to remind you that you're covered all by my sweat, now."
"I'm Viking - a little dirt ain't scare me," she snorted, although then smiled, and continued, "However, I'll actually take the offer. Gods forbid if ya'll try anythin' funny."
The whole conversation was finalized by the man's chuckle, who hadn't even secreted his intentions, yet the woman didn't come off as bothered, rather shook her head and rolled her eyes at him only, before herself grinning, amused. Soon after, they'd been dressing themselves off, so their boots were left by the side, whereas Toothless waited for the woman, who, wearing her pants and shirt only, smoothly took off the second-mentioned cloth.
Consequently, he'd taken in sight of her - of the thick bandage, that wrapped her chest, of the round of freckles, that scattered her entire body, and foremostly, hardly wide but a deep scar just inches underneath the white fabric. Neither must've spoken about it, they've understood, thus Toothless grasped her hand, initially gently, heartening, before clasping it hard, so she'd not been able to break away, he dragged her to the center of the pond itself, her screaming overtaken by his laughter.
The evening, reddish-orange sun, which was brightening the cove whilst being low, had been heating their bodies up, whereas they'd seated on the boulder, positioned just over the water's surface, drying their dripping selves. Having her eyes locked on the onward, her legs stretched, drained, Hiccup had been soaking the view up, relished it, while Toothless had been doing the same, his knee plastered to the ground meanwhile the other endured his forearm's weight.
Without the woman realizing that, half of the warmth she'd felt she'd been endowed with by the man, who, as justification for sitting comfortably, leaned his arm behind her back, almost as if enfolding her with the heat of his body. At some point, when the bright rays managed to hide behind the woods, Hiccup shifted nearer to Toothless, requesting permission, and he tilted his head toward her, giving the approval - hence, she asked.
"Of all the things, what ye're longin' for the most, from before the curse?"
"Now, that's a question," he responded, his expression ponderous. "The peace, assumably."
"The peace?" she repeated, glancing at him, then snorting. "That's actually expected, comin' from ya."
"See? I'm very predictable," he replied, turning the corner of his mouth up, whilst she'd giggled, before straightening, continuing, "These years ago, when I merely was a mindless dragon, life was peaceful. Every day, it was the same routine. Every day was the same, and so, rarely I've been surprised by anything. The wake-up, the hunt, the flight, the hunt, and the sleep, and so on, for the rest of the week, for the rest of the month, for the rest of the life."
"Was it really that great, tho?" she queried, furrowing her brows in disagreement. "As for me, such a life comes across as depressin', purposeless."
"I had a purpose, to survive, every and each day, and it was enough. Well, was, because then, the curse came," he recalled, slamming his chin on the sprawled forearm. "One would say, that the intelligence, which humans hold, is bestowal, but as the animal, who was once devoid of it, I'd say it's the curse itself. Since you're carrying it, your ancestors were able to come up with the idea of Villages - shelters, which gather you into societies. Thus, you're deprived of scare - after all, the Village is guarded, and so are you; you're deprived of common sense - you're outright setting your life in threat for fun; you're deprived of the need to survive-, you're deprived of purpose."
Thereafter, she'd frowned and pursed her lips, before whispering, "Ye've been deprived of purpose," staring at the lilies by the farther pond's border.
"Survive - that's all that I've ever been doing, and suddenly, that lost its sense," he remarked, his voice heavy, edgy. "Of course, at the very beginning, I must've fought for survival, but then, when I've learned, that people have for purposes everything, but survival - the potency, the authority, the search for purpose itself - I've thought for once, however, these weren't good thoughts," he declared, washing his face out of emotions. "It was after becoming human, that I questioned, if my life has a meaning, if it's even worth living through."
For a while more, he'd been emptily goggling forth, when, at some point, he'd felt the woman's hand on his shoulder, and so, gazed at her, whilst the honest, weak smile overtook her face as if she said - I understand. Subsequently, he'd extended his laying arm, his chin shifting to his elbow, whereas his hand grasped her one, squeezed it merely, and he forced the light grin on his face as if he said - Thank you - only then, he continued.
"I wish to just have these thoughts, these exhausting, life-sucking thoughts, out of me. I wish to just be, once again, the Night Fury I was, even at the cost of being mindless. I wish to just be free, happy, and peaceful like I was," he finished, and after Hiccup'd nodded, he raised an eyebrow, and inched tighter. "What about you? Of all the things, what you're longing for the most?"
Therefore, the woman had gained thoughtful features, and returned to her previous position, before answering, "The control," hugging her knees to her chest.
"The control?" he repeated, his eyes locked on her. "I've expected anything, but this."
"See? I'm very unpredictable," she cited, and they'd laughed until she began, "Ye're aware, of how 's for me, at the Village, about them treatin' me badly, and so on. When I was younger, it'd been practically the same, only then did I've no way of snappin' or fightin' back, like I do, now. Every day, I feel that beast growin' inside me, the beast, whom I'm losin' control of, the beast that might set itself free, and do horrible. I'm terrified of the thought itself, that I may hurt someone, even if they'd deserved it. I'd like to get rid of it, feel the control of my anger, at last."
"And what if that beast isn't actually from the curse?" he suggested, his forehead creased. "Haven't you ever thought, that beast isn't the result of the curse, but the mistreatment you've got?"
"Oh, but I do know it's not. I do know, for the matter, it's been created and evolved through all these years, even inside my youn', childhood self. The issue is that it'd received the material form, which could've caused harm, if not controlled," she admitted, nipping her hands harder on the shins. "I'm not such a person, to seek revenge, to burst at anyone for bein' called names, I'm-, I'm submissive and peaceable, but that doesn't bother me. I'd just want to be myself, no matter how useless or pathetic I am. I'd just want to live without the fear of losin' control, without the constant reminder of what I may do."
Hardly had Toothless responded to that, actually not at all, only stared at her, his eyes intense, before he shifted nearer her - the request - to which Hiccup reacted by tilting her head toward him - the permission. Just then, Hiccup really faced the fact of his arm behind her, when it'd encircled her, whereas the man held her farther upper arm, and pulled her nigher to himself, his head outright nudging itself into her hair.
"You'll never lose that control," he assured, smiling as she'd leaned her head at the crook of his neck. "You're mentally too strong and stubborn for that."
"And ya'll find the purpose, eventually," she guaranteed, unable to restrain the beam, "no matter how fucked it'll be, probably," she sneered, and thus listened to his honest chuckle, to that bright, low sound, which filled her heart with pleasant warmth, and which she'd relished, before asking, "Toothless?"
"Yeah?"
"Someday, after everythin' that we've gone through," she started, her eyes fixed back at the pond, "we'll be rewarded, we'll have our wishes met, will we?"
"We will," he stated, his eyes following hers. "We've earned it."