Something's wrong - that's the thought, which had been touring through Hiccup's head for several days, and only because of one, exact reason, which disrupted the harmony of every day - Toothless had disappeared. It happened suddenly, without much notice, he'd just vanished, completely and unexpectedly, not letting the woman know, if he'd been even alive, if something had happened, if she should've been concerned.
At the very first, on the very first day, she'd not bothered much, believed he must've gone hunting and they'd simply bypassed each other, hence she'd waited, then left rather soon, expecting she'd see him tomorrow. The situation, however, repeated the next day, and the day after, and so on, whereas, with each day passing, she'd got uneasy more and more, anxious when the overthought interfered with her daily functionality.
Therefore, she'd been thinking of what could've taken place: if she'd not offended him anyhow recently, if he'd not mentioned the leave for short, maybe it'd been a misunderstanding, or maybe it'd been entirely her fault. Long story short, she'd been scared, maybe terrified even, hoping it'd been just the stupidest joke pulled, and he'd not been kidnapped by Mildew, after forgetting to mention the crisis which involved him.
Obviously, she'd waited every day and every night, keeping her lookout, her patience running out with each passing minute, with each motion of the leaves, with each scar, that she'd created at the skin of her palms. Nevertheless, after the passage of a few days, she'd stopped visiting the cove, foremostly because of the wrath, that managed to thrive extensively inside her mind, because of the asshole, who'd threatened her into the company, and then vanished, without reason.
Ultimately, she'd not care anymore, decided to take her thoughts off the situation, among others by coming by Gobber, whose forge and home were gone, reduced to splinters, although obtaining the necessary support from villagers. She'd never forget that day, the sight of his face, depressed maybe, as he'd watched over the reconstruction, the blueprint in his grasp, how she'd wished to glimpse that ordinary, lively smile of his, and hence, dashed to him, the grin plastered to her face.
"Hello Gobber," she greeted, not bothered when he'd only merely peeked at her, uninterested. "So, how's the rebuild goin'?"
"Slow," he muttered, sighing as he crossed his arms over his chest. "At this rate, we'll not make it in time for upcomin' raid."
"That's not certain," she replied and pursed her lips - the reaction after twisting her palms behind her back for too much. "Well, only if ye're dragon's mind reader, who ye're not, most probably."
"I ain't need to read their minds," he responded, his eyes fixed ahead, his voice grave. "I know my life's always at stake, and I cannot be unprepared for that."
Only at that point had Hiccup really taken in the sight of him, of the dark bags underneath his eyes, of the exhausted expression, the crookedly put, axe prosthesis, and the burns, emerging from beyond under the tunic up to his neck. These very injuries invoked nasty memories inside her head, regardless, she'd not given up, shifted even nighter the man, overlooking his repelling body language, when eventually, she proceeded with the dialogue, stubbornly.
"Maybe I may come in handy, anyhow?" she proposed, standing on her tiptoes even, glanced at the linseed paper in his hold, shortly. "For instance, I could help with the plans, take a peek at them?"
"I've them ready," he countered, his jaw grounding itself. "The same ones, actually."
"Oh, okay," she mumbled, then spun to him, out of a sudden. "Ya'd not like to freshen the forge up though? Perhaps ya'll use the case, make somethin' new."
"I ain't need it to be new," Gobber pressed, at last gazing at her, his brows knitted. "I need a home."
"I understand, and ye've supported me for so many, I'd just like to return the favor," she explained, whilst her smile faded under the influence of his glare. "Maybe ya'll stay at my home through the build, my father wouldn't mind for sure. Also, I could always carry the planks, hammer nail or two-,"
"For Odin's sake, I ain't need yer fuckin' farce!" he shouted suddenly, and Hiccup stumbled back, confused. "I know there ain't any trainin', the forge isn't available, and ye're bored, but I'm handlin' the whole village, the rebuild, I can't put up with yer ideas, at the time," he rasped, and Hiccup's expression overtook the despair, her heart stabbed by the familiar feeling - uselessness. "Please, just go home and do anythin' else."
"Clear," she mumbled, whilst he'd walked away, added, "I'm sorry," and hugged herself, tight.
Since then, she'd not functioned the same, fractured by his words, destroyed with reality, depressed with the inactivity, that bound her into staying at her home, like a bird closed in the metal, shining cage. All it took was these few days and she'd returned to her previous self - when she'd needed the good reason to barely smile, when she'd needed the exceptional motive to merely wake up, when she'd needed the advice of the quiet sky to simply live.
Unfortunately, only now it's been harder because, while she'd been used to that formerly, she'd experienced the respect, the care, the company now, and thus, she'd felt just lonely, the most lonely she'd ever been. At that point, the only company, that honored her with presence, was the walls of her household, the only action, that was worthwhile, was further igniting the chimney, and the only variable, that would change, was the each time chaotic flames.
Ultimately though, on today's day, she'd not even left the bed, as if trapped, nailed to it, the covers tangled around her body, the grayness peeking inside from outside of the window, the darkness obscuring the room. Numbless, she'd laid on her side, her expression empty, her eyes fixed on the bedside table, on the blade, which Toothless's been holding against her throat much unaware, that it'd been stabbed into her stomach, once ago.
Eventually, she'd managed to fall back into slumber, which lacked everything, crowded by emptiness and blackness - the dream about nothing that was the mercy, in the face of all that's been taking place lately. Overall, she'd felt the stars, glimmering over the space, she'd felt the rush of the wind, sneaking past the window's frame into the chamber, she'd felt the warmth, coming out of an unknown source, and she'd felt the presence, the stare at herself.
Not thinking twice, she'd reacted instantly, without hesitation bolting her fist forward, only then opened her eyes, took in the sight of the intruder, even slightly relieved, when she recognized Toothless in him. The man, having his legs bent, his posture hunched, held onto his nose, the furiously red blood flooding through his fingers, the tears swelling his eyes, most likely under the pain, maybe even the fracture of the mentioned nose.
Even if so, she'd not rushed, sat on the bed whilst he'd stood up, circling at the spot, then she inflamed the candle, which brightened the whole room, before standing up herself, sighing and wiping her eyes out of exhaustion. Afterward, they'd just stood in front of themselves, neither uttering the word - Hiccup whereas crossing her arms, glaring at him fiercely and Toothless whereas withstanding the pain, his eyes locked on the floor.
"Damn it," he cursed, at some point, glanced at her shortly, somehow maintaining a smirk on his face. "You've got quite a left hook."
Thereafter, she'd not answered, her eyebrows knitted continuously, although ordered, "Show me," to which he'd not objected, uncovered the bloody nose, his smile fading under the influence of her grave expression.
"I'm fine, freckles," he insisted, while Hiccup pressed the cloth against his nose after she'd grabbed it from the nearby chair, quickly. "It's just a little blood."
"Tilt the head up," she commanded, and he listened as she changed her grasp on the bloodied fabric with his. "Yer nose ain't fractured, though keep it up like this, until then bleedin' stops."
"Alright then," he said, gazing at her with the side of his eye. "Since you're insisting."
Subsequently, she'd remained silent, dead silent, having her head turned to the side, her expression washed out of emotions, her hands knotted around each other, bestowing her skin with scarlet traces affixed to countless, fresh scars. On them had the Toothless's focus fixed, on the palms, which, for any reason, had been harmed, which she must've vented at, acted out after whatever that had happened, after whatever that had he missed.
He'd not managed to utter even a word when suddenly, her chest shook, her eyes swam with tears, and gradually she approached him, their bodies ending up inches from one another - Toothless holding his breath when so. Notwithstanding their tight distance, Hiccup's eyes were everywhere else than at him, her body tense, her hands curled, and then, she leaned her forehead at his chest, allowing herself for a brief cry.
"Hiccup-," he began, although was fast to be interrupted.
"I've planned to yell at ya, for vanishing' without a simple word. I've planned to curse ya, name ya the worst. I've planned each word I'd say for when ya'll be back, for when ya'll say the stupidest excuse. Now 'though," she paused, taking a sharp inhale. "Now 'though, I'd want to skip to the moment when ya'll apologize to me, and I'll forgive ya because I've fuckin' missed ya."
"I'm sorry for disappearing. Forgive me, please," he apologized without taking much of a break, relying his hand on the back of her head, pushing her harder into himself. "Honestly, I didn't think you'd be so concerned for me. I didn't think you'd be waiting for me even."
"Where ye've been to?" she asked, inched away to gaze at him, seriously. "Please, say ye've got some good reason."
"Actually, that's a funny story," he started, straightened whereas Hiccup's glare deepened, and put the blood-stained textile away. "I've got something for you."
Thereafter, he'd searched through the countless pockets of his long, black, leather coat, which she'd noticed just now, and eventually, from the internal partition of the cloth, he pulled the linseed, rolled paper, which he handed to her. Not exactly immediately, but she'd accepted the gift, studied the stained corners of the paper, the brown, leather strap that kept it wrapped, and after Toothless's encouragement, unrolled it, at last.
What she saw, took the breath out of her chest - the drawings of the greenish lands, the white mountains, the miniature Villages, all of that parted by the sky-blue ocean, by the nautical miles, reduced to millimeters - the map. If it wasn't enough, by hand had Toothless corrected it, with the black ink he'd drawn the missing grounds, crossed those that didn't exist, enlargened those that didn't match the actual counterpart, the Berk for instance even, made it real.
Her continually glossy eyes were traveling from the details of the map to Toothless, whose grin, invoked by her reaction, was bright, bright enough that, at some point, she couldn't take her eyes off from. The truth was, that man bestowed her not with a piece of paper, but with the world, the glimpse of it, which had never toured farther than the Berk, and which she had just within hand range now, the glimpse of the entire archipelago.
"I'd wanted to give you something, as a thank you for everything you've done for me," he explained, quickly inhaling when their eyes met. "Once, you've mentioned, that you dream of having a glance at the horizon, at the ocean away. I know that the map isn't enough really, but I hoped it would be, anyhow, even merely satisfying."
Consequently, Hiccup was stunned, her lips slightly parted in awe, her eyes shining like the bright stars, her expression touched, overtaken by amazement, and soon, the paper slipped from her hands onto the ground. Afterward, before Toothless could realize that, the woman dashed to him, trapping his chest in the tight embrace, which he couldn't be ignorant about as he returned it, plastering his hands to her back and pressing her closer to himself.
"Thank ya," she whispered, gazed at him, and suddenly, cupping the side of his neck, touched her lips against his cheek, shortly. "For everythin'."
"You're welcome," he replied, his smile warm and bright, then, after gazing through the window, into the dark night, shifted away, leaned his palms on the back of his neck. "I've assumably woken you up. I'll go, now."
"Maybe, ya'd like to stay though," she suggested, standing on her tiptoes, twirling her hands behind her back, "explain how ye've gotten hold of the map, why it'd taken so lon'?"
"In my defense, I didn't know that acquiring a piece of fucking paper could be so hard. If I knew, I'd have warned you, that I'd be gone for long," he justified, approached the bed, and by quite a fierce move laid down crosswise, so his feet grazed the floor, still. "Anyway, I've always doubted, whenever you hate me so much since you crave for my presence so often."
"Ain't boost yer ego, yet. I'm just takin' advantage of ya," she clarified, laying by him, so both their eyes were fixed on the wooden ceiling upward, even snuggled nighter him. "Ye're nothin', but simply, my private heater."
"Ah, and it's clear, now," he chuckled, then glanced at her, narrowing his eyes when the sadness crossed her face, even if so shortly. "Is something wrong?"
"What? No, I-, maybe?" she responded, her eyes closed whilst sighing, and only afterward continued, "These couple of days were the most lonely I've ever been, and while I've been used to it, 's harder to go back," she illustrated, felt how Toothless's fingers brushed the tips of the auburn, messy hair. "As 'd turned out, apart from ya, I've nobody else. I'm completely alone."
"What about that man - Gobber, if I remember correctly?" he inquired, and, whereas Hiccup stabbed her nails into her palm, the wrath clouded his feathers shortly, before exhaling, soundly. "Through these days, I've also been lonely, and while it'd never bothered me, it did now. I'm completely alone, too."
"We're completely alone together, quite an irony," she noticed, merely grinning, afterward the cited grin slipped with the thought. "What do we do when we go apart?"
"Why would we part?"
"We'll get rid of not only the curse but also ourselves?" she recalled, reaching for her hands, although not making it in time, before Toothless clasped it, hard. "Ya'll never see me again."
"Come on, don't quote me, Hiccup," he replied, brushing his thumb against so many scars, his eyes locked on hers. "Maybe then the lack of curse would separate us, but now, it'd not be enough. I've gotten too attached to you for that."
"In the future, we might be deprived of such talks like this one, deprived of somethin' that brought us together," she spotted, gazing at him, unnerved. "What if the absence of the curse drives a wedge between us? What if these chatters are the only ones that keep us around?"
Oh, really? he doubted, his expression speaking for itself - his eyebrow raised, his smirk wide. Do you seriously believe that?
I do not know, she replied, her eyes squeezed, her teeth gnashed. I am scared.
It will be okay, he reassured, sneaking his arm underneath Hiccup's neck, wrapping her with warmth. Everything will be okay.
You promise? she asked, leaning her cheek on his upper arm, inches from his face.
"I promise," he swore, pressing his forehead into hers, thereafter.
Henceforth, they'd stayed the same, their hands knotted, their arms plastered to each other's, their eyes closed, the hooting of owls and the sparkle of the moon leaking from the outside - just veritable paradise. It must've taken a moment before either moved and so, Toothless sat up, bent forward, reaching for the map, which crumbled at the floor just off, and returned to his previous position, extending the paper in front of them both.
"So, would you like to learn something about the world?" he offered, glancing at her, his eyebrow lifted, his smirk apparent.
"I want to know everythin'" she replied, beamed at him, before leaning her head at his shoulder, locking her eyes on the map.
Before long, he'll tell her about the lands, which she'd never even imagined, he'll tell her about the various, foreign traditions, which she'd never heard about, he'll tell her about his experiences, his adventures, and she'll fall asleep, under the influence of his deep voice. When so, Toothless will stare at her, his smile evident, gentle, and having a soft lullaby of her breathing, just by his ear, also a sweet scent of the lively forest, just by his nose, he'll doze off, dream about the tale in the company of the spring itself.