Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Being a Shifter is the highest form of honour one can achieve in one's life. Everybody has a nature spirit connected to them, but only one out ten has the ability to connect with their spirit and fully transform into their spirit’s natural form earning them the title of Shifter.

Most spirits take the form of an animal native to your region. They are reincarnated spirits living again and again through their human partners. Dogs, deer, eagles, seals, wolves, crocodiles, tigers, bears, lizards, frogs, and so on. But there are those very special places in the world, where people take on the form of animals, who no longer walk the earth. Unicorns, chimaeras, griffins and such. Only very few places have such a strong connection and lineage to those strong nature spirits and guardians.
Hiccup’s island is one of those places. For as long as they can recall, Berk shared their bonds with the ancient dragon spirits. These dragons once terrorised the island, only for a viking hero to join peace with the a dragon, bonding vikings and dragons together. And now the dragons are reborn within the people of the island, all up to the modern world we live in today. Most dragon shifters were centered around Berk, and then grew fewer and fewer as you moved away from the island and through what was nicknamed the Barbaric archipelago, leaving room for other shifters on the nearby island and the mainland.

One is often judged by what spirit animal you are connected with, and what talents and properties they are associated with. Even among the different dragon races on the island. Gronckles are large, friendly, thick skinned and loyal. Zippelbacks are two faced, snarky, tricksters and wild. Thunderdrums were loud, strong, stubborn creatures. Terrible terrors, small, annoying, not very bright and comes in packs. Nadders, clever, fast and strong, and one of the most sought after dragons, on pair with the likes of the Monstrous nightmare, large, strong, protective, and maybe a little slow witted, but they would never admit it. All character traits that were reflected in their human partners.
Each dragon lived as a part of you, a second voice and person inside you. Your soulmate and second half.
Your dragon gives you inner strength and even loans you their physical strength. You could be able to sprout claws and fangs, borrow their strength to lift heavy objects, or their speed to move fast if necessary. Some even grow wings and fly. The really talented ones, the Shifters, are in complete harmony with their dragons, and are even able to make a full transformation, lending their bodies and minds, to fully transform into a dragon on command. A true show of strength of character, and every viking mother hoped and prayed that their offspring would be blessed by a big large dragon, able to make a full transformation.

That being said, spirits have minds of their own. It is like living with a completely different being inside your head, and if you don't get along, the spirit could tear you apart from the inside, succumb to their primal needs and take over one's body, without a trace left of the person who had once been there. Having a spirit soulmate doesn't always mean they are a total reflection of your self either, or even the same gender. Though it was most normal that your spirit was the same gender as you, it was not always the case. Hiccup's male friend Fishlegs’s dragon was a female gronckle named Meatlug. Even Hiccup's own mother bonded with a large male Stormcutter.
Families are also not alway an easy matter. Romantical partners would not only have to be with each other, but also be accepted by each other's dragon spirits. Most couples were attracted to partners with spirits in the same class and race as themselves, and even their spirits sometimes formed couples to match their partners' romantic interest. There exists libraries worth of books and movies of love stories that have been written where the protagonist finds true love, because their nature spirits are mates. But there are exceptions.

Hiccup’s parents loved each other from the moment they met. They loved each other so strongly, deeply and the thought of being without one and other was unbearable. But they could not stay together as their spirits despised one another. Hiccup's father’s dragon Scullcrusher and Hiccup’s mother dragon Cloudjumper could not and would not get along. If Hiccup’s parents were together for too long periods of time, they would both sprout scales, and their dragons would come to the surface. Cloudjumper and Scullcrusher would tear each other apart as natural enemies, despite the deep love Stoick and Valka held for each other. Staying too long in the same place the two dragons' feral nature would take over, and completely transform their humans and fight it out as dragons. Both dragons, too stubborn, too vicious, proud and too blind to care about their humans' affection. That had only happened once before, and Berk was still missing a large part of forest, deemed inhabitable, after the fight where the two dragons shook the island.

So Hiccup's parents were still married, but did not live together. They could not even be on the same continent after their fight. So strong was Scullcrusher’s and Cloudjumper’s animosity against each other. The two dragon species Rumblehorn and Stromcutter were not natural enemies, so one figures it must have been a grudge from previous incarnations, that the humans no longer remember, but their dragons do. The fact that Valka and Stoick managed to have a child together was a testament to their love, and the strength of the bond they have and hold with their dragons. Both were fullfleched shifters, formidable dragons partners in their own right, each with such rare, strong and skillful dragons as their partners.
Valka now lived outside Berk, pursuing her passion for wildlife preservation and wildlife photography, while Stoick stayed at home with their son Hiccup at Berk as chief of police.
Each living out their own dream, but only able to see eachother a couple of times a year for brief periods of time. Even the sound of Valka’s voice would make Scullcrusher react, so most of the couple’s communication was through emails and letters, depending where in the world Valka found herself. Despite that, their love never wavered, they never sought other romantic partners. They were fully devoted and committed to each other.

Being able to use your dragon's gifts is a high accomplishment, but in modern society most kept their claws and fangs hidden, and it was considered highly impolite and inappropriate to transform in public for no reason. Talents are still part of everyday life, but used with care.
Still there are those who use their talents for their own gain, in illegal and nefarious ways, and if caught, are punished heavily for it. Talongs removed, wings cut to name a few for illegal and dangerous use, but only the severe and extreme cases.
Most people see their talents and their spirits as an extension of themselves, and a help in everyday life. A way to live life more peacefully and effortlessly in the modern era, where you don't have to fight for rank with teeth and claws.

Still as you grow up, you learn and become acquainted with your dragon, and learn how to control your transformation and your gifts and talents.
It was quite normalt for kids to spout fangs, wings and tails simply because they were kids, and could not control their powers yet.
It was a bit different, when you were a teenager. As teens, you were encouraged to test your bond and abilities with your dragon, to see how far both of you could go. Therefore being able to sprout fangs or breathe fire on command was a stigment of progress and power of the bond. So of course teens misused their power as much as possible. Hiccup’s school and its students were no exception.
In Hiccup’s class, the twins would use their zippleback’s gas and sparks to blow up the chem lab for a prank. Astrid would sprout scales and shoot nadder spikes if she was angry enough. Snotlout thought he had higher use of his monstrous nightmares powers, and used his dragons abilities to improve his football game, cheat in school, hit on Astrid and make Hiccup’s life miserable.

One time Hiccup's was drinking from the water fountain in the school’s main hallway next to his locker, when Snotlout sprung forth, claws and fangs on display, scales scattered across his face and arms, horns growing from his hairline and yellow eyes with slit pupils to scare Hiccup. Hiccup jumped back in terror, fell over his own feet and spilled water all over himself, to Snotlout’s great pleasure. Hiccup could still remember the whole hallway laughing at Hiccup's humiliation and congratulating Snotlout for such a great show of his talent. At least he was not punched that day in Snotlout’s pursuits to try out his dragon’s talents.

Hiccup’s school encouraged such behavior and use of dragons powers. Their goal was to make as many of their students full blown shifters, that could go out in the world and be assets and ambassadors of Berk’s great dragons heritage. So Hiccup was often lifted, shoved, pushed, lit on fire, bitten, scratched, punched and kicked, all with encouragement of the faculty for their student body to push themselves and their ability. The most competent shifters would go on to live successful lives, and be given more profitable job offers and future opportunities based on their shifter status.

Then of course there were the rare rare people. Those born without a spirit. Born alone and without a soulmate. Those who would never know, what it would feel like to talk to another being in your own head. To feel the strength and power and support they gave you. They would be forever alone. People born soulless.

Like Hiccup.

Spirits and especially dragon spirits started showing signs of their connection in early childhood, and then fully presented somewhere around age 10 to 13. Children dream and fantasies about what type of dragon they were paired with. How big were they? How strong? What cool powers were they gonna get? As little, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Astrid and the twins, Tuffnut and Ruffnut had been friends with Hiccup. But while the others started hearing voices inside their own heads, grow scales and fangs, Hiccup felt …. nothing.
As time went by and Hiccup showed no signs of inhabiting a sprint, neither dragon or any other type of kind, his friends left him. They did not have time for a Soulless, who could not keep up with their newfound strength and speed.

The worst part was Hiccup's father. Stoick had always bragged about how strong Hiccup’s dragon was gonna be, with such a strong heritage from both his mother and Stoick himself. The Haddock’s could trace their roots back to the original Berk vikings, and even the chiefs of the old viking village, making their connection and the chance to attract a powerful nature spirit even larger.
What wonders of strength Hiccup would accomplish as soon as his dragon presented itself. It didn't matter that he was small now. He would grow with his dragon.
But no dragon ever showed its head, and Hiccup never presented. He remained, gangly, thin, pale and weak.
With no dragon partner to connect over, Stoick grew distant from his son. He loved his son. He was the most precious thing to Stoick on this planet. He just had no idea how to communicate or connect to his small, fragile and clumsy son.
With no supporting father, an absent mother, no friends and no dragon spirit, Hiccup decided to sharpen his other abilities. He worked harder, studied harder all to sharpen his wit and mind, making up for being the smallest in the room. He took up working in his uncle's garage, as his father no longer took him with him in his police car. In the garage, he created and designed trinkets and gadgets in the workshop, trying to build up his strength. He even started to draw to get some kind of creative outlet for his frustrations.
Sharp mind, small body and a sarcastic tone. That was Hiccup. He knew how he was, Even if the whole world and his father looked down on him for not having a dragon partner.

Hiccup was fine with being alone….Until the day he wasn't.
One morning in his fifthteen’th year, he opened his eyes and felt it. The other presence in his mind. His other half. He felt the dragon move in his mind. Slick and smooth, with strong large wings able to carry him farther and faster than he could imagine. Black as night with intelligent piercing green eyes that bore into Hiccup's mind. The creature smiled at Hiccup, purring his name.
“Hello…” Hiccup mumbled to himself. No, not to himself anymore. ”... Toothless.”

Chapter Text

Hiccup took in the large brick building in front of him and gulped. Behind him his father closed the car door with a smack and wished him a good day, then drove off in a hurry, not to be seen in the company of his son. Hiccup looked longing after the safety of the large police SUV that was disappearing around the corner. Around him other teenageres were being dropped off, or driving past him in their cars to find a parking spot behind the school.

Hiccup looked around, hiked up his shabby backpack and walked into school. He kept his head down and speed walked to the locker to get his things before class. He fought the urge to pull his tattered green hood over his head. He hadn't looked when he got dressed this morning. Just grabbed the nearest pair of pants, a random dark band t-shirt and a dark red plaid shirt on top, too obsessed about the dragon in his mind to care what went on his body. What he could not go without was his old green hoodie with the faded Hairy Hooligan logo on the back, that had been a gift from his mother a couple of years back. It had stopped smelling like her a long time ago, but it still brought him some sort of comfort, despite its worn out state.

He tried not to think about it, but everything suddenly seemed overwhelming and constricting. His scenes seemed in hyperdrive, his throat was tightening, vision blurred and he was sweating buckets. He fumbled with his lock with clammy hands. Around him people were looking at him. Were they looking at him? Do they know? Can they tell? Do they know what happened? Do they know that he was now longer Soulless? Was it their dragon's senses? Was it his? Did he smell? Oh gods, he should have stayed in bed and never shown his face. He could feel a tingling sensation right under his skin, like something aching to come out. He gasped with fear as he saw small scales protruding from his hand holding his lock. With a start, he quickly covered it with his other hand, looking around to see if anyone saw. A girl with a blonde ponytail gave him a disgusted look, but then went back to the conversation with her friends, ignoring Hiccup’s existence entirely. 

Hiccup blinked and looked around. All around him people were occupied with their own stuff. No one was noticing him. He was safe. He felt rather than heard the light rumbling chuckle through his body from Toothless. The dragon didn’t have a real voice so it was more barks, roars and humming, than an actual voice. But Hiccup and Toothless didn’t need words to understand each other. A soothing calming sensation flowed through Hiccup’s body, as he realised that Toothless was soothing him. Enveloping in a calm, comforting blanket of support, in some kind of dragon hug. Hiccup was still not quite sure what kind of dragon Toothless was, but he felt larger than his own scrawny body, as he was enveloped in the hug. Hiccup relished in the support and comfort. Nobody had ever talked about the feeling of a dragon. Only the powers and strength, nobody told him it would be like this. 

His locker’s door smacked closed in his face, after he just managed to open it. Hiccup just managed to save his fingers from the door, before Snotlout’s face loomed over him in a grin that did not bode well for Hiccup. Hiccup shivered involuntarily. 
“Heya cuz!!” Snotlout greeted with a drall. Hiccup gulped and turned to him. 
“Hi Snotlout.” He said carefully. Normally he would be ready to reply with a snarky remark that would earn him a punch, but today he was too on edge to come up with a good comeback. Snotlout was also surprised, it was clear on his face, as he was ready at the slightest excuse to punch his cousin. The twins waiting behind Snotlout also seemed confused. Sending each other identical looks of astonishment, before finding their usual wicked grins. Snotlout shook it off and pounded his fist into Hiccup’s locker, making Hiccup flinch and the whole hall turned their attention towards them. 
“Uhh...” Snotlout jeered and the twins chuckled, enjoying watching Hiccup squirm. “What's the matter with you today, Useless? You seem quite jumpy. You scared?”
“Me? No, no, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Hiccup tried to hide his nervousness and at the same time hide his scale covered hand, but Snotlout picked up on his uneasiness. 
“Yes, yes, you do….” A grin stretched over his face, shoving off a single fang. At this point Snotlout had normally gotten one good punch in and then left Hiccup to go on with his day, but of course nothing was easy today. 
“What would I have to be scared about?” Hiccup laughed a little hysterically. The twins' grins widened. Ruffnut cracked her knuckles.  
“Yes, there is nothing to be scared about.” Snotlout agreed, slowly turning away from Hiccup only to turn on him again with enhanced dragon speed.
The metal of his locker was cold, when Hiccup was smacked against it, and the lock was digging into his back. Hiccup gripped his backpack in front of him, in hopes he could use it as a shield, and that Snoutlot would avoid his face. Snotlout gloated, and the twins laughed again. Some of the bystanders also laughed at the display. For them this was normal. They healed fast, and hit harder. Nobody got hurt from being thrown around a bit, if it meant being closer to being a Shifter. They all seemed to forget that Hiccup is Soulless and did not have the same build-in defense system. 

Was. Was Soulless.

Snotlout barked out loud.
“Look at your stupid face, all scared and tiny.” Around them more and more people laughed at Snotlout's taunt, and soon the whole hallway joined in with Snot and the twins snickering,  while Hiccup's tried to disappear into the ground. Gee it wasn't even 8:30 yet. What a way to start the day. 
“Please, cut it off Snot.” Hiccup tried, desperate to get away. He could feel Toothless restlessness, not knowing what the dragon was doing, but his whole arm itched and his heart thunked in his chest.
“What was that?” Snotlout lifted a hand to his ear, like he could not hear what Hiccup was saying. 
“Please stop.” Hiccup tried again, louder this time. 
“I don't think I heard your puny voice. Speak up Useless.” Around them people grinned and snickered, enjoying Hiccup's pathetic try, while Snotlout ignored his plea.
“Aww, well I didn't hear any protest, and I don't like the way you looked at me today so...”
Snotlout lifted his fist, and Hiccup flinched against the locker knowing what was coming. One moment in maniac impulse, because Hiccup should know better, Hiccup looked up from behind his backpack and locked eyes with Snot.
A warm defiance washed over him. A challenge. 

Snotlout froze on the spot, eyes winding, fist raised, his whole body locked. He grunted, but was completely locked in place. He gritted between his teeth, but his muscles would not move. The twins halted their laughter and the rest of their onlookers also paused, looking confused at Snot’s hesitation, unknown about his struggles. Hiccup felt his breath hitch, not knowing what to do.
He was luckily saved by Fishlegs, the usual lookout, who came running down the hall, to warn them. 
“Teacher.” He warned breathlessly from running, and the students scattered like a pack of terrible terrors, returning to their lockers, and on their way to their class. Hiccup forced his locker back open, grabbed a random handful of books and ran, all while Snotlout was still frozen in place. He ran to his next class. Behind him he could hear the twins poke the still stiff Snotlout, while Fishlegs looked on with confusion. 

Hiccup threw himself in his seat and pulled the hoodie over his head to hide. 
What was that? A couple of kids filtered in and gave him a look, and Hiccup tried to sink further into his seat. A satisfied hum spread from his heart. Hiccup could tell the meaning. 

“You're welcome.”

No, no, no. Not you’re welcome. That was bad, very very bad. They were supposed to lay low. Not flaunt their new bond and dragon powers first thing in the morning. No. Not welcome. Bad. Very bad, bad, bad dragon. He could feel Toothless’ confusion. His dragon protected him, why was Hiccup not grateful? Guilt overwhelmed Hiccup, and he was not sure it was his own or his dragon’s. Hiccup was grateful not to be pounded against a locker first thing in the morning, but that was not the way to do it. What was that even? Toothless didn’t answer.
The teacher entered, not sparing any of the students a glance, and Hiccup pulled off his hoodie to focus on the whiteboard. As the class progressed Hiccup could feel the waves of Toothless trying to sooth Hiccup’s frying edges. He was grateful for the effort, but he was still trying to figure out how they were gonna survive the rest of the day, all while still lying low. 

Hiccup could feel the whispers as he walked back to his locker, shoving his books in, and ran to the smaller one of the two cafeterias to get some food, before Snotlout tracked him down. He normally used the large one of the two cafeterias, so hopefully it would throw his cousin off his scent. It felt weird to be at his locker, like he was returning to the crime scene. He heard everything as he walked. Like his senses are responding to his need to know everything. It was only when he sat down behind the cafeteria building next to the bins, taking a deep breath that he became aware of what had happened. Toothless reacted to his distress, by extending his dragon scenes to Hiccup. Sitting behind the building Hiccup could feel everything. He could hear the cooks argue inside the kitchen from the open window above him, and smell all the spices they added to the mystery meat, smell the bacon fat frying on the grill. He could hear the two girls sitting far away talking about texting the boys they liked. He could hear the baseball bat hitting the railing in front of the building, as its owner ran down the stairs to join his friends at the bottom, on their way out to have lunch on the green. He could hear and see every group and gathering eating out on the green in front of the cafeteria. If he focused he could zoom in on each individual conversating, drown out the surrounding ones, while focusing on the speaking face. His eyes felt weird and he was pretty sure that his pupils had changed into slits to accompany his dragon sight.

“Is this what you see…?” Hiccup wondered, in awe of the dragon's magnificent hearing, smell and sight. A low confident hum filled him, and Hiccup could not help but grin as well. He sat there for a moment, just focusing on shifting his senses at will. To hone them in and focus their attention. To stretch them, see how far he could hear, smell and see, while hiding behind the bins.
To focus on a group further away than the others, where two boys were wrestingling in the grass, claws, teeth and scales out, while the friends cheered them on. Then shifting to the group sitting on the picnic tables showing off their phones to each other, one was having a tuna sandwich that was going bad, one painting her large dragon claw nails pink, where Hiccup could honed in so he could see the small specs of glitter in the polish. Then back to the skater kid that tried to show off a flip to his friend, using his extended dragon claws to make it easier to hold the board. 
Of course because Hiccup kept focusing on things so far away, he didn't notice until too late as Snotlout pulled him up by the collar of his jacket. 

“What the hell did you do to me!!” He shook Hiccup forcefully, while the rest of his friends gathered around them. Hiccup could feel his dragon's senses failing with the interruption and his head spun from being snapped out of the meditative state so quickly, while trying to focus on Snotlout as he was being shaken. The twins elbowed each other with a grin bigger than the other, ready to join in if Snot needed them to. Fishlegs kept his distance, but his face was hard. A bit away Astrid Hofferson stood watching her friends with crossed arms and an annoyed look, as she kept looking at her watch, bored with the whole thing. 
“I didn't do anything.” Hiccup struggled against his assailant, only to suddenly be held still as Snotlout leaned in menacingly. 
“Well what do we have here?” Hiccup froze as Snotlout studied him, “Is that dragon eyes? Have you finally bonded with a spirit?” The twins pushed each other to see what Snotlout was talking about, cursing at each other for getting in the way. Fishlegs came closer, a surprised murmur hung from his mouth. Astrid held her place, annoyance still clear on her face, but her left eyebrow had risen in interest. 
“Yes it is.” Snotlout used one hand to hold Hiccup against the wall, while the other pulled at the edge of Hiccup's eye to better see the slit dragon pupils. “Well I be damned!” Snotlout said triumphant, and let Hiccup fall to the ground with a grunt. “You're not that useless after all.” 

“So what kind of dragon are ya?” Snotlout wondered calculating, sizing Hiccup up and down, his own pupils turning into dragon ones to better access Hiccup's newfound talents. When he didn't immediately find one, or a big change in Hiccup at all, he pushed his cousin once more to see if his dragon would do something.
“I'm not…” Hiccup kept blinking until he could feel his eyes return to normal. 
“Don't lie to me. I know what I just saw. Now, what kind of dragon are you?” Hiccup just kept shaking his head, as Toothless hissed in his mind.
“Was that some dragon trick you pulled at me huh?” Snotlout pushed Hiccup once more, Hiccup flinching each time. “Is that why Hookfang froze?” There was a shrill to his voice. An uncertainty and nervousness it did not normally possess.
“I don't, I don't have..” Hiccup was pushed again. 
“I bet is some kind of small perfetic dragon that he is too ashamed to admit.” Ruffnut smirked, tilting her head. 
“I bet it is a terror. A teeny tiny terror” Tuffnut laughed. The twins high fived. 
Hiccup just shook his head unable to do anything, 
“A terror, ha!” Snotlout stepped back and laughed, like all the pieces just fell into place in his mind. “I bet that's why Hookfang froze. He was so shocked that even a terror would end up wanting to be a partner with such a scrawny, useless little imp like you.” Snotlout sneered and laughed more wholeheartedly this time, and his friends joined in. Only Astrid stood behind rolling her eyes, clearly feeling like she was wasting her time. 

Hiccup could feel Toothless trying to crawl his way out to the surface to rip Snotlout in two. His blood boiled, and his teeth and nails itched. Itched to claw and tear. His back and tailbone itched too, but Hiccup just kept his head ducked and begged Toothless to keep calm. To wait it out. They would get tired and leave him alone. It would only make it worse if he fought them. Please, please Toothless. He abruptly and unkindly was yanked back up. 
Toothless hiss turned into a snarl in his ears. Please Toothless, Hiccup begged his dragon. 
Snotlout loomed over him, even though Hiccup was bordering on being taller than him. 
“Sorry man. I have a reputation to uphold.” Snotlout said with a grin.  

Then Hiccup bucked over in pain by the fist in his gut. Toothless wailed on the inside, but kept his claws inside to Hiccup’s relief. After he had sunken down on the ground, his cousin got a kick in for good measure. Nothing too serious. Snotlout was too pissed off, all things considered, so they left laughing. Unfortunately, his boot had hit Hiccup’s chin at some point.
They left Hiccup to himself, blowing up a storm about how even more pathetic Hiccup was now that he had a terror for dragon partner. Soon the whole school would know that Hiccup had presented with a Terrible terror for a partner. 

Hiccup sat up against the brick wall and cradled his injured lip, tasting blood. He rolled his shoulders feeling out the muscle. All things considered he was pretty okay. Hiccup figured that Snotlout's father Spitelout was out of town, giving Snotlout a break, making him in a better mood. The worst poundings Hiccup had received was when Snotlout himself had spotted bruises inflicted by his father’s bad mood. Hiccup knew that Snotlout only went after him, because his father had told Snotlout to do so. Snotlout only took out his frustrations out on Hiccup, after his father was done inflicting his frustrations on his son. The thought comforted Hiccup a bit. It did not make it better and justified, but it helped.
At least Snotlout had stopped using his dragons talents on him. But that had only happened after Hiccup did not sprout his own set of claws to fight Snotlout head on, like normal vikings boys did at that age. 

All dragons fight, Spitelout reasoned. It was Hiccup's own fault he was not man and dragon enough to fight back. Snotlout had looked conflicted about it at first, but now it was just routine. The twins had joined in because they thought it was entertaining. Their trickery zippleback, which they shared, had an infinity for chaos. They needed a focus to gather on, as sharing a dragon ment sharing the dragon's mind, but sometimes each other’s as well. That made them a bit manic, with no outlet to focus on. They were the first ever case of a pair sharing a dragon recorded, and no one knew what to do with them. They got away with more trouble than most because if they didn't pull pranks, or hit something once in a while, they would claw each other's eyes out in the literal sense. People were so afraid they would go feral and then the town would have a hysterical and dangerous zippleback on the loose.

Fishlegs just stood back and cheered on. Hiccup knew that he was afraid Snotlout would turn on him. Better Hiccup than Fishlegs himself. Hiccup had sadly come to terms early with his role, as the others grew their talents, and Hiccup grew none. He could not keep up, and was therefore an outsider. One that could not be trusted Spitelout meant. Even if Hiccup had got a dragon now, it was too late. Even if Toothless turned out to be a Monstrous nightmare, there was no way he would be welcomed back into their fold. It would take a miracle. 

Hiccup spit out a glob of blood and spit, and tested his shoulder again. Toothless snarled in his mind, and Hiccup had to agree a little bit. But it would not help to go all dragon on his cousin. Snotlout had years of dragon experience on him. Hiccup had mere hours.  

Even though Snotlout, the twins and Fishlegs did not have the same academic flair as Astrid, who was top of everything she did, they were all still friends despite their obvious differences. Their dragons formed a strong pack and were naturally drawn to each other, making them still hang out and be friends, even if life was pulling them in different directions. Snotlout was going the football rute as his father expected of him, but was failing his classes, which his father did not appreciate. Fishlegs was getting good grades, but he kept himself back to spend more time with his friends. Nobody was entirely sure what the twins were doing most of the time with a mind like theirs, besides being the top pranksters of the school with the record in the detention they didn't seem to have a plan.
The fighting was not punished, but encouraged and simply just a part of life on Berk. With so many teenagers and hormones gathered in one place, and then you added dragons on top of that, fighting was inevitable. That school tried to keep everything in order and offered sports where the kids could use their powers. Hissing and claw fights were part of life. Hiccup had accepted it. Being soulless and in no way able to protect himself he kept his head low, and only managed to attract Snotlout's attention and his dragons outlet, because of their shared history. 

Hiccup looked up as a pair of boots with fur trimming stopped in front of him. He looked up to see Astrid glowered down at him with a first aid kit outstretched in her hand. Hiccup felt like his eyes would pop out of his head of pure shock and surprise. Astrid huffed, trying not to look at him, but she was sprouting scales on her neck and up her chin, that puffed and flushed like ruffled feathers. She looked uncomfortable, ruffled, annoyed but most of all she looked frustrated. If Hiccup squinted he may be able to see the hint of pink that dusted her cheek. Huh? That was new. 
Of all his old friends, Astrid and him had the most complicated relationship. As kids they had been friends, and in periods the best of them. Then Astrid grew spikes, yellow and blue scales as the first of them and everything changed. She became the leader and the more mature of the group. In private she and Hiccup fantasised about how it would be when the two of them could fly together. Astrid tried to keep Hiccup’s hopes up and was his best supporter, ensuring him that his dragon partner would be amazing.

With each day Hiccup’s powers did not manifest, Astrid’s reassurances got fewer and fewer in between. In the end, Astrid was the first to give up on him. The rest of the group was soon to follow. But as the others grew to be his bullies and tormentors, Astrid had never teased him, been cruel or yelled at him. Astrid simply ignored his existence. Her parents had high expectations for their daughter. She was a Hofferson. She already had been accepted into multiple summer programs the summer their dragons started to manifest for real, to help her further her powers and talents, and of course she was already accepted into school. Hiccup had only been accepted because of his dad. On Berk being a Hofferson came with certain expectations. Expectations that were already set high by her older siblings, and held even higher by her parents.
Astrid was an A-grade student, captain of the track, field and fly team and was expected to be valedictorian when they graduated in two years.
She did not have time for Hiccup. And her reputation would have nothing to do with a Soulless. That would be too much. So Hiccup tried not to tick her off, by being near her, and Astrid ignored him, and all the things her friends did to him. 

With a grunt, Astrid thrusted the first aid kit at him and yanked him up. Then she dragged him further away from where they couldn’t be seen and sat him down on an upside down crate. He looked on in confusion as Astrid started finding bandages and cleaning alcohol to help Hiccup’s split lip, and shaking hands. She took Hiccup’s hand and started patching up his cuts and bruises there first. 
“Thanks?” He said confused, but Astrid shushed him angrily, her scales flared, and eyes turning yellow and into slits. Spikes were peaking out her blond hair like a crown. Hiccup flinched involuntarily. It took a moment for her, but then she exhaled. The spikes disappeared and the scales died down. When she looked at him again her eyes were normal blue and there was an air of annoyance over her rather than fury.
“I'm not doing it for you.” She told him as she cleaned his wounds a bit forcefully. 
Hiccup tilted his head confused. 
“Stromfly would not let me leave before I had patched you up.”
That surprised Hiccup. Astrid rarely talked about her dragon, and rarely let the dragon dictate her way. They were too much in harmony for such disputes.
“Apparently her maternal instincts are showing, now that you are a sad little terror she can take care off.” The air blew out of Hiccup as Astrid put on the last band aid on his hand. 
“Come here.” Astrid grabbed his face and turned it from side to side as she inspected it. Hiccup winced in her strong grip. 
“Not much to do about that. Go wash your face before class. You look like a mess.” Then she left him with the kit and stormed off. 

Toothless hummed soothing, while Hiccup felt up his jaw. She didn't have to grab him that hard.
After starting school together Astrid and Hiccup saw very little of each other, but they were both high grade students and took some of the same high level classes. Even if Hiccup could not compete with the others on strength and dragon powers, his mind was the sharpest of the bunch, and he almost always scored higher on tests than all of them, taking Astrid’s top academic spot. Which pissed her off.
Every time Hiccup placed higher than her, or got a better score on a test, Astrid would send him a deadly glare, maybe groan frustrated at him and then stump off to properly take her fury out somewhere else, best at track, field and fly practice. She was the fastest flyer on the team, and held the record for sprint. And the next time Hiccup would see her, her eyes would glaze over him and she would ignore him once again. 
Hiccup was unsure what was worst. Her glare or her indifference. 

What made matters worse, was still the soul crushing crush he held for his former best friend. To Hiccup, Astrid was still the most amazing, beautiful badass warrior and girl Hiccup had met. She could kick his ass, and he was kinda digging it. Maybe one of the things that was weird about him. Still his chin and hands burned from where she had touched them, and Hiccup tried to forget the closeness of her face, and her intense glittering eyes. He was only making his situation worse for himself.
A soothing rumble in his chest. Toothless apparently also had complicated feelings towards Astrid as well. So why did Astrid's dragon have some sort of feeling of responsibility towards Hiccup’s now than he had presented?

Chapter Text

Okay this time for sure, it would work. Definitely sure. Hiccup concentrated so hard he went crossed eyed in the mirror but to no avail. Toothless just laughed at his misery and his teeth remained flat and round, with no dragon fangs in sight. He groaned frustrated and rested his head on the sink, while Toothless howled with laughter. 
“I almost had it this time!” Hiccup cursed. Toothless just huffed at him, reminding him that he definitely didn't. 
With another groan, Hiccup ran his hands frustrated over his face as he stared into his bathroom mirror. Why could he not grow dragon fags? It was one of the first things children learned when practising their talents. Why was Hiccup failing at it? The gods must hate him. Toothless barked at him, encouraging this time. When Hiccup tried and failed once more, the dragon could not hold the mask and chuckled. 

Even though it was Saturday, Hiccup had snuck out of bed early and had been practising his dragon talents for what seemed hours. Still his eyes would not turn completely green, yellow or any other colour with slit pupils. He was sure that at one point he made his pupils look a bit square, but no dragon sight, and then he sneezed and his eyes were back to normal. He tried his claws next. But his nails stayed rounded and blunt no matter how hard he tried to concentrate. Toothless found his trials hilarious.
Stoick had left earlier to take a fishing trip with Gobber, Stoick’s best friend and Hiccup’s honorary uncle, leaving Hiccup alone in the house for the rest of the day. Not that he minded. He had not enjoyed being stuck on a boat with nothing to talk about for hours on end, and last year Stoick finally got the hint, and stopped inviting him. 
Hiccup was not sure how he survived until Saturday after the Tuesday where Snotlout had beat him up behind the cafeteria. The rumour was out and now everywhere he went he was called a Terrible terror, even the pack of Terrible terrors that went to the school made fun of him, and did not once invite him into their pack. Hiccup was still an outsider. Toothless was insulted by being called a terror, but Hiccup had still no idea what kind of dragon Toothless was, but definitely not a terror. Hiccup had avoided Snotlout like the plague, and ran from secure hiding spot to hiding spot, and hid most of the time in the library, where Snotlout wouldn't have been caught dead. It was a hassle, and Toothless disapproved of his every move, but Hiccup managed to keep his face intact throughout the week, and that was all he hoped for. 

With a grunt, Hiccup gripped the sink and decided to try one more time. He was turning blue with concentration but still nothing. Toothless laughed. 
“Just you wait, I’m sure I felt a tingle that time.” But there was no tingle, no sensation and his teeth stayed the same. Hiccup sighed and decided he could at least brush them now he had spent over forty five minutes staring at them. After they had all been thoroughly brushed and flossed because why not, Hiccup rinsed and spit down the drain. He caught his own reflection in the mirror. His auburn hair was turning darker, he noticed, but it was still unruly and a bit choppy after all the times he had run his hands frustrated through it this morning. His teeth, now clean, were still a bit crooked even after his braces were removed last year. His lip was mostly healed so were the cuts on his hands from where he had tried to protect his face while lying down. Having a dragon really helped speed up healing injuries. Nice to know. Also he had had a strange impulse to lick the wounds, only to see them almost heal up on the spot after a couple of licks. Dragon saliva huh. Who would have known?
Hiccup’s freckles took over most of his face, and even more of his body. But what he really liked about himself were his eyes. They were a nice warm green and was the only thing he shared with his father. Now that his hair was losing its auburn hue he got from Stoick's fiery red and moved towards his mother's brown roots, and there was no way he would be the same size and build as Stoick who took after his Rumblehorn massive build and was shaped like a large three log. This was the only connection he felt with his fathers looks and made him feel like he still was his son.

A bit annoyed he shook out his toothbrush and put it back in its cup. He looked back at his own reflection and smiled showing off his teeth. Toothless smiled with him. He could tell. A joyous warm feeling spread over him and his jaw tingled. And then his teeth disappeared. 

Hiccup screamed and fell back away from the mirror, as he felt his now toothless gums. After some struggling he managed to get back up to inspect himself in the mirror with panic. Pulling at his mouth to look further inside. Then suddenly his teeth were back. Hiccup felt them relieved with his tongue and almost collapsed on top of the sink. 
“Oh thank the gods.“ 
Toothless hummed. Hiccup looked back up at his reflection, and could feel Toothless taunting eyebrow. A challenge. Huh? Hiccup stood up and focused on his reflection. Instead of trying to make his teeth grow longer, he tried to make them smaller. Remembering the warm tingling sensation and the feeling of Toothless in his mind.
He gaped as the teeth retracted into his gums. He let out a triumphant yelp, only then remembering he had to get them back. It took a couple of ties, but then his teeth extended into his mouth once more. Hiccup was both mortified, and impressed. Retractable teeth. 
“Huh.. That's why your name is Toothless. You’re toothless. Your teeth are retractable.” Hiccup clapped his own cheeks and spun around with glee, Toothless smiling showing off his empty mouth, only for Hiccup to freeze. “My teeth are retractable.” 
He groaned again. Did he get to have cool fangs? Of course not. He got empty ridiculous gums instead. Of course, just his luck. Toothless raised a challenging taunting eyebrow at him, frowning at his displeasure. Hiccup chuckled at his dragon's pride.
“It's not a bad thing.” He reassured his reflection and Toothless. “Just not what I expected.” He grinned participating in Toothless mirth as they left the bathroom, grateful that he managed to obtain some control at least. Not a lot, but it was a start. Maybe his powers were not that obvious like other dragons. Maybe Toothless was special. He had to figure out what Toothless could do. A victorious roar echoed in his mind. Apparently Toothless approved.    

The following Monday he went to the library in school and pulled out every book he could find about dragon spices and their talents. When he dumped his stack of books in front of the librarian to check out, the lady looked over the brim of her glasses with dragon eye precision and said, “You know we have the internet now right?”  
“I know.” Hiccup nodded. The lady studied him for a moment before checking his books out. Hiccup had looked at the internet. All Saturday and Sunday. Every list of dragons he could find but most of the lists focused on the more common species, and only a few lines of descriptions on rare ones. Nothing useful. So Hiccup decided he wanted to try other methods. He deposited one half of his books in his locker, and the rest in his bag. He had to flatten himself against the metal as a group of overgeared teenageres ran past him, yelling about shifter practice. Hiccup thunked his head against his locker. Shifter Training. Dang it. That was today. He had been so caught up in Toothless that he forgot. Cursing his own forgetfulness he hiked up his backpack and ran to the gymnasium where training was held.   

Their instructor Mildew walked the line up and down like a military sergeant, inspecting the students who had signed up for Shifter training. Hiccup had always been surprised that it was Mildew who was incharge of Shifter training. He hated dragons, and hated the young boisterous display of their talent. Excessive and needless. Control, utter and foremost control was needed. That was the mantra he drilled into his students for them to achieve the highest form for harmony with their dragons. To control your dragon, command it to give you its form and keep the control or else the dragon would break free and you would be gone.

Hiccup was not sure what kind of dragon Mildew actually had. He never displayed any dragon traits, and appeared totally human. Only a snarl or a hiss at some incompetent student revealed that there actually lived a dragon inside the old grumpy man. Hiccup peaked out from his spot down the line to look at Mildew, while he lectured a student about prober control. Mildew could feel he was being watched, his thin grey hair sticking out like antennas and his large frizzy moustache twitching, as he flinched towards Hiccup, and Hiccup straightened back in line with a start, but too late. He had been spotted. Mildew stalked down the line to stop in front of him with arms crossed. 
“So…. Mr Haddock has decided to grace us with his presence this time.”
Hiccup could hear the condescending snickers from Snotlout and the twins in the front of the line. Stoick had signed Hiccup up for shifter training, but since Hiccup had no dragon, he just sat by the sidelines in the gym, watching the other students try to shapeshift into full blown dragons.
“Yes sir.” Hiccup answered, looking Mildew straight in the eyes, definitely not flinching at the man’s stinky breath. 
Mildew snorted unimpressed and looked down at his clipboard, drawing out time. Hiccup had to stop himself from rolling his eyes, as Mildew tsked and ran his finger down the list of names, and their registered dragons, which he already had memorised, as he missed Hiccup's name on purpose multiple times. 
“Mr Haddock…. Mr Haddock….Mr Haddock…..Mr Haddock….Ahh here you are.” He nodded again and again as he ‘studied’ his papers. “Terrible terror.” He sighed overdramatic at Hiccup. “Not very impressive, but at this point you should just be glad that you got something..” More snickers through the line, and Hiccup clenched his fist, as Toothless hissed. 
“That being said.” Mildew said with sudden seriousness, making the whole line straighten with attention and fear, as he poked the end of the clipboard into Hiccup’s chest. “Terrible terrors are not the strongest shifters. Your body is gonna be under tremendous stress trying to shift into a skin that small, even if you are small to begin with and it is your true form. Do not underestimate the energy, harmony and pain this will take. Are you still willing to continue?” There was a strange clarity to Mildew’s eyes. Hiccup nodded solemnly. 
“Splendid.” A wicked grin spread across Mildew's face like a cat that caught the mouse. “Let's begin.” He whacked Hiccup on top of the head with his clipboard and walked back to the front of the line. Hiccup’s neighbours chuckled as Hiccup rubbed the now aching spot on his head. Toothless growled.

“Now let’s focus! On uttermost control!!” Mildew yelled as he walked down the line. He started yelling instructions, and the students started to close their eyes in concentration, clenching their fist, gritting their teeth, flapping their arms like wings, and some even wiggling their buts trying to force their dragons self to the surface. Hiccup looked uncomfortable down the line at all the blue faces, and concentrated minds. The only one that stood still was Astrid. 
She stood in front of the line with her eyes closed and a calm, collected relaxed stance. 
After ten minutes of trying Astrid’s neighbours, including Snotlout screamed in surprise and ducked out of the way as Astrid grew and grew. The other students stopped and gawked as Astrid's face contracted, and her body withered. Her legs grew and from her knee down expanded into two large blue scale covered feet, with long sharp claws at the end, and small spikes at the hind legs. 
Her arms stretched and stretched until they unfolded as two large wings covered in yellow, blue, and brown spots, her thumbs extending and solidifying into hooks. With a thump a massive tail landed on the floor behind her, covered in blue and yellow spikes, that went all the way up to her back side. Her face changed colour, and her nose elongated. Spikes and scales sprouted across her body, and most of her face. A crown of spikes grew on top of her head, large and intimidating. The student awed around her. But Astrid shook it off and took a step forward in her half transformed Deadly Nadder state. Her face and most of her body was still very much human, but had grown to support the dragon sized appendixes.
Her face was still Astrid. Blue scales dusted her cheeks, and red ones framed her eyes. Making it look like every elaborate eye makeup. Fangs protruded from her mouth, and her nose ended in a large yellow spike. She shook herself like a large bird and turned around. The students stared in more awe. This was the most complete transformation any of them had seen so close. None of them had even come near. 
“Very impressive. Excellent job Miss Hofferson.“ Mildew nodded. “As expected of a Hofferson.” Was Hiccup the only one that noticed Astrid flinching a bit at that last comment, but it was only for a second before Astrid's confident grin was back. 
“Now, there you see it. Uttermost control. Rest of you back at it, I have better things to do than babysit a bunch of nitwits like you.”

The students threw themselves into it once more with even more eagerness to try and replicate Astrid's success. The line split into groups and packs, even if Mildew yelled to get back in line. In the end he just sighed, rolled his eyes and went to get coffee, ensuring even more chaos in his absence. Astrid stood with Snotlout, Fishlegs and the twins smiling as they congratulated and complimented her accomplishment. She showed off her wings and claws, and made her tail swish from side to side, even making it puff up with spikes ready to fire at will. The twins were astonished at the lethalness and power, while Snot looked like he was melting. Hiccup retreated to a corner and watched them every now and then with jealousy. 

When Mildew returned, the hour was almost up and most of the students sprouted varying degrees of scales, fangs and claws. No major transformation like Astrid. One had managed to start growing a trail, but now had problems making it grow back. FIshlegs had mangled to transform his ears, and the small Gfronckle ears that looked like small wings now fluttered every time he moved. Snotlout was the closest. All his visible skin was covered in scales,  black, red and yellow, and four horns had knocked his black beanie off, and his eyes had turned yellow and large fangs grew from his mouth. Even his hands had grown large hook-like claws. He got a satisfied nod from Mildew and was over the moon. 

Mildew yelled at them to line up so he could inspect their progress. Hiccup waited at the end of the line. Mildew went down the line and commented each attempt, nodded at the more prominent transformations, mumbling things like, “Good, good, do better, good, laughable, pathetic, good, better, try harder next time”, until he ended at Hiccup and took in Hiccup’s unchanged very human appearance. 
“Disappointing Mr. Haddock, but not surprising.” Then he went off, dismissing the kids. 
The kids' transformations and scales all melted away, except the kid with the half tail who still walked out of the gym, scaly tail hanging out of their pants. 
Everyone flocked to Astrid as they tried to ask for tips and bask in her presence. Hiccup used the confusion to slip out unnoticed to hide away in a bathroom. 
Nothing had happened. He had tried and tried and nothing had happened. Toothless had been silent the entire hour. Because he wasn't sure about what Toothless was, he was not sure what to focus on. The whole control thing Mildew was spewing on and on about did not work for him, so he gave up. Control, force, yell, kick and scream. Not really for him. And not for Toothless either. 
Instead he had practised retracting his teeth, and could now do it on command. Not that anybody would know. It was not exactly a sort of ability to be proud of, and Hiccup would not be chastised for his newfound talent, and refused to show Mildew. Toothless approved of this, and Hiccup could feel the dragon’s pride in his growing control.

Chapter Text

As soon as he had the chance, Hiccup grabbed his backpack full of books and rushed home. The driveway was empty meaning Stoick was off on a shift. Hiccup unloaded all the books on the kitchen table and continued to flip through them, reading bits and headlines, trying to get a hint of something interesting or even useful. He went through an encyclopaedia of dragon spices filled with drawn depictions of dragons, made properly a couple of hundred years ago. The drawings were crude, hard to decipher and made in a typical nordic style, making them more art than actual factual depictions. He almost gave up, when his eyes landed on one of the smallest books. It was called “The dragon manual, by HHH”. A bit confused at seeing his own initials, Hiccup picked up the book. It was old and tattered and some of the front had faded. Hiccup guessed it had probably been used to even out a library table for a couple of decades, before finding its way back to the shelfs, but what he found inside was a goldmine. Detailed, intriguing descriptions of dragons and their traits, characteristics and talents. Each entry had a list of carefully calculated stats and a drawing of said dragon. Hiccup could not believe it. He flipped through the thin book, and saw dragons he had never heard of before. Too rare and old to be found in modern Berk. There was even a record of known dragon partners and a possibility of them being reincarnated. Too soon Hiccup reached the end only to find a footnote. 

Part One out of Fifteen.

There were 15 more books like this. It even recommended reading “The original ‘Book of dragons’, translated from old norse, originally written back in the viking age. This was unbelievable. Toothless whirled his head in interest, feeling Hiccup's excitement, but was not quite sure what the fuss was about. Hiccup was determined to go back to the library and find the rest of the books.

He looked through the drawings again, trying to find anything that reminded him of what he believed Toothless looked like in his mind. They learned about the most common dragon species and other dragon spirits in school and growing up. Once in a while a yak, or a sheep spirit would appear among all the different dragons, but the last one of those had been over 80 years ago. Old Miller was now in a retirement home baaing at the nurses, still probably gonna live another 80 years.
When more rare dragon species appeared when the children presented, they were pulled aside and educated about said spices. If the spices of dragon were indeterminable they were put through a series of tests to help determine the dragon spices.
Since Hiccup presented so late, he hadn't told anybody. Nobody had pulled him aside and started poking needles at him. Hiccup was not gonna ruin his good needle-less streak now, and would rather determine himself. 

When Hiccup pictured Toothless, he seemed larger than life, sleek and smooth. Large wings, font legs, and a long tale. There was something different about the tail, but he could not put his finger on it. That narrowed Hiccup's guess about his species in, a little. The black though, threw him off. He never read about a completely black dragon. It was not even mentioned in the guide he just discovered. Since Toothless speech was limited, he could not outright tell Hiccup his specific species name. They communicated in meanings, moods and feelings. A complicated word like the scientific human name of a dragon species, was more than Hiccup’s charades skills could muster. So the closest they could come was Toothless shaking his head as Hiccup ran his finger down the index of dragons. Toothless was able to name some of the other spices, just not in so many words.  Rock eater - Gronckle, Two face gas mouth- Zippleback, Groundshaker- Whispering death, Lighting maker- Skrill, Fire-moron- Monstrous nightmare. Sometimes Toothless also came with names for dragons Hiccup could not identify. Ice breather, Red death, Critter food stealer, No-where, Bumpling basher. Hiccup had no idea what those titles covered. 
When Toothless tried to describe himself he just said, leader, protector, fast, energy breather, invisible, dark, brother. That last word was the most important. The dragon kept reminding Hiccup that was who he was. He was Hiccup’s brother. His other half. His soulmate. An overwhelming warmth always flooded Hiccup’s senses with the statement. The overwhelming trust and love that the dragon felt for him. Even though he only had known the dragon for a short time, Hiccup was sure he already loved the dragon. No questions asked. No one had ever told him that he would love his other half. 

They were just a part of one of the many things nobody talked about, when talking about dragons, nobody ever talked about this. Hiccup was coming to think that there was more to this bond than what people were letting on. That maybe there was more to discover than what his teachers and Mildew tried to teach him. Hiccup was determined to find his own way. To fully reach his potential with Toothless as his partner. To discover this whole new part of himself, to accept it as well. He loved Toothless, loved his dragon half, but loving the dragon and loving the dragon as part of himself…. Would take time. He was not used to being loved so openly. To have someone thinking of him all the time, care for him all the time. He was not used to thinking much of himself. To feel the respect, appreciation and love for himself was shaking him to the core. He never thought we would be worth anything. That came with being soulless for so long he thought. 

An ugly thought planted itself in his heart and took root. 
“Why….?” An interested hum sounded from his dragon. “Why did it take so long….? Why did I just present now….? Why weren't you there…? Why now…? Was I not good enough? Was it a test?“
There was a long pause of silence, before the rumbling soothing purr washed over him. Then he was met with waves of feelings. Sadness, uncertainty, affection, pride, sadness… Sadness over being late, pride over Hiccup as his partner and heartbreak. So much heartbreak over being late, leaving Hiccup alone without him. But mostly there was love. Unmistakable, unconditional love and reassurance. It was more than Hiccup had hoped for but not quite an answer. Still, Hiccup's eyes felt itchy, as tears tried to make their way out. He shook his head. Toothless purrs and soft barks were like a comforting blanket. It was not him. It was just how it was. A little unlucky, but the promise that it was going to get better. That Hiccup wasn’t alone now, that Toothless would protect him. 

“Son?” Hiccup looked up, surprised to see his father in the doorway. He was not supposed to be home
“Oh?! Hi dad.” He chuckled, his voice raspy.
“Whatcha…..Whatcha doing?” His father looked around the kitchen, at all the books cluttering the table, between Hiccup’s notebooks and a knocked over pencil case.
Hiccup rubbed his eyes forcefully trying to hide the not yet spilled tears from Stoick, as well as gathering the book, so he couldn't catch a glimpse of the titles. He was not sure Stoick would understand what he was going through.
“Just some studying. Don't worry Dad I got it….What a….What are you doing home?” With a careful smile, Hiccup discreetly put his elbow on the book stack, concealing the last bit of evidence.
“Oh I….” Stoick cleared his throat, looking around the kitchen once more. ”I was looking for this!” He grabbed his travel mug he used for coffee from the counter, holding it up like a trophy. “Can’t go on patrol without it.” He chuckled, making his big bushy moustache vibrate over his even larger full beard. 
“Oh yeah.” Hiccup nodded awkwardly. The sounds of his fingers tapping the table was impossible high, in the uncomfortable awkward silence in the kitchen *
“So…” Stoick tried, eyes looking around for help.
“So…” Hiccup echoed his father, his tapping becoming more frantic. His hands felt clammy and sweaty. His father cleared his throat once more, looking like he was gathering his barings, before he shrugged and ran a hand over his beard, stroking it thoughtfully.   
“I heard…, some say…. I mean..” Hiccup raised an eyebrow. Stoick was mumbling looking for the right words, looking around the room to find help. “In school… that you… I mean…” A terrible knot tightened in Hiccup’s gut, as his dad fumbled with his words. “... Mildew registered you as a terrible terror, and then wrote me a …… email….needing to confirm..”
The awkward silence and unsaid words stretched between them, only interrupted in Hiccup’s mind, where Toothless snorted over being called a terror. But Stoick couldn't hear that so the kitchen was silent. Painfully silent.
After a moment, Hiccup bit his lip and said. “And if I were……?”

It was like a light that lit up behind his fathers eyes. He sprang further into the room and pulled out a chair, inching closer to Hiccup to hear more. The sheer joy clear on his face, and an excited tremor running though this large barrel body, like a kid getting handed a giant gift. Hiccup moved a bit back in his seat, unsure about this new excited version of his normally very serious father.
“Dad I …”
“Yes, please tell me more…” His father nodded, eagerly, hands grabbing his knees, one leg tapping like a nervous tick, trying to keep all the energy contained. 
“I….” His father’s intense stare was making him nervous. It had been some time since they had been this close to each other. His fathers smile, relished all the opportunities that suddenly had unravelled, and the hope shone from his eyes. And Hiccup knew that he would have to break it. Again. Toothless was still his, and there was no guarantee that Toothless could live up to all the hopes and dreams Stoick had set up and expected. Expected of Hiccup. Better to soften the blow now, than build up to a huge disappointment later. 
“Dad I …” With a frown, Hiccup sighed resigned, but with encouragement from Toothless he spoke. “I haven't really presented…”
Stoick blinked. He blinked one more, the words not really connecting in his mind. He shook his head to shake off the haze, and tried to reason with his son. Shaking his big meaty hand almost in Hiccup’s face. A gesture Hiccup recognised in his own mannerism.
“But you have a dragon, it's only a matter of…”, but Hiccup held up both of his hands to stop Stoick.
“Dad, I don’t have any talents….” The words had come out fast, harsh and brash in no way they way Hiccup wanted it to sound.
That stopped Stoick. He looked confused at his son. His smile turned into a frown, and his eyebrow sinking into their usual place in a firm line. Cringing under his fathers glare, Hiccup wrung his hands.
“I can’t grow fangs. I can’t sprout claws. That's like step One. And I can’t do it… I can hear him...I can feel him, but…..” Hiccup kept his eyes focused on the table, trying not to break under his fathers stare. He knew he was a failure, he knew he was a disappointment, but it was still hard to say the words out loud. “I can’t. That’s step one. And I can’t do it.”
Stoick shook his head, dismissing Hiccup’s words.
“But you will. You will soon. Before long you will…”
Guilt builded up in Hiccup’s chest, but so did defiance.
“But what if it doesn't...Dad..What if it never happens.“ Stoick blinked at the sharpness at Hiccup’s words. Hiccup leaned forward, feeling the courage from his dragon emanating from his core.
“Just because I now have a dragon, don't it make me less soulless than before..I’m still just me…” He looked away, not daring to look at the disappointment that would be prominent in his fathers eyes.
A firm hand landed on his shoulder. “You have to try.” Stoick said. His voice rumbling with more than just his usual baritone. His dragon’s rumble peaking fourth, reassuring Hiccup in a way only he could. “You won’t know, before you try. So try…” There was a dismissive tone with the advice. Hiccup knew his father tried, but he still felt like he was not heard. His father left the kitchen table, shaking his massive body and grabbing his travel mug, usual stern expression back on. 
“I’ll be late..You’re going over to Gobber?” He asked, already shrugging on his boots.
“As usual.” Hiccup rolled his eyes. Hiccup spent a lot of his free time helping out Gobber in the garage. In exchange Gobber would let him fiddle with his own projects, when clients and customers have left. When Stoick was working evenings and nights, Hiccup would stay at Gobber’s place for dinner. Hiccup would eat, do homework, and Gobber would leave him mostly alone.
“Good.” Stoick huffed with a grunt and then he was out the door. ”Talk to you later son.”
Hiccup shook with the sound, as the front door closed behind his father. Disgruntled Hiccup buried his head in his arms. Toothless cooed at him, to look up. To reassure. To help. Hiccup gave his own reassuring tug at their bond, hugging himself as it was the closest thing he came to hug Toothless. The pride rolled over him. Toothless was proud of his decision. Was okay with keeping him secret. Hiccup could almost feel like he was being nuzzled by the big dragon. 

When Hiccup was little, his dad’s dragon would be more expressive. His father would hum him to sleep in his arms, and Skullcrusher would purr, and rumble in his father’s chest soothing little Hiccup further. As a baby, Stoick would play peek-a-boo, changing his own face to Skullcrusher’s in between each peak, only to delight the giggling baby Hiccup. They even went flying once in a while. Skullcrusher’s body was close to the ground, and Hiccup was still too little to sit on his back without falling off, so his dad had bundled up Hiccup and  on his stomach as he shifted, letting Skullcrusher fly around with the laughing child strapped him to his stomach. The dragon laughed along with Hiccup, his roar rumbling in his chest making Hiccup yell with glee as they soared over the island. Unfortunately Valka found out and Hiccup was never allowed to fly again. After that Stoick was more careful with him and around his dragon. It saddened Hiccup a little, but he knew the dragon loved him as much as his father did. It was clear the times Stoick had let his dragon out, and it had looked down along his large horn, poking him gently so he fell over, chuckling and helping him up after, making Hiccup coo and grin. 
Stoick had once told Hiccup as they sat reading on the couch, that it was more about trust than who was in control. Stoick trusted Skullchrusher not to hurt Hiccup, to fly them to safety, to change back to human form when needed. Weird how they could talk for hours and hours about dragons when Hiccup was little and now, Stoick and Hiccup could barely hold one conversation together. 

Hiccup sighed again. Skullcrusher had introduced Hiccup to flying, and now Hiccup missed it. He had for a long time come to terms that he was never gonna fly again. Being soulless ment no dragon, and no wings. He missed to soar between the clouds, the feel the wind on his face and in his fair, to fall free from everything, just letting everything disappear. Just to be up there, close to the sun, closer to something bigger himself. 
A low rumble vibrated through him, as memories that he was not quite sure was truly his own flashed before him. The wind on his wings, the smell of the thin crisp air, as sunlight had just hit it, the air when you dive through the clouds. The feeling of being completly weightless before falling and catching yourself at the last moment. Hiccup could almost smell it himself.
Toothless missed it too he realised. Hiccup's shoulders and tailbone itched. 

One more thing to add to the list.
“Okay, no more of this.” Hiccup pushed himself away from the table. He had work to do. Toothless roared agreeingly. They were gonna be the best dragon partner and fliers Berk had seen in a long time.

Chapter Text

The next day Hiccup stood again in front of the librarian holding up the thin “Dragon guide book”. She looked slightly amused at him. The boisterous teenage dragons at Berk did not come up to her desk to ‘ask’ for books.
“Where can I find the rest?” He waved the thin book in her face.
The librarian blinked at him, unused to actually being asked to do work. With an annoyed sigh, she pushed her chair back and they walked down isles and isles of books. They spent a good fifteen minutes trying to locate the other books, only to find 3 others. The librarian shook her head, not understanding why they were not on their spot, when the system said it should be. The eyes were turning more yellow than normal, her dragon being agitated in the same way as she. After a moment she huffed defeated.
“Sorry kid. Try the public library.”

Hiccup still thanked her, and left with the little goldmine of knowledge in his hand. He found an empty corner in a classroom and started to room through the books. His phone bussed and he looked over it. Email from mom. He opened it and a picture of a great landscape from on top of a mountain loaded. Below it said. “Nature is truly beautiful. Wish you were here to see it with me. Say hi to your dad for me. Love mom.”
Hiccup smiled solemnly and saved the picture to a folder on his phone, filled with his mothers pictures. They were beautiful things, long stretches of land of dirt, deserts, oceans, jungles and mountains. Sights she wished her family could see. It had been two years since she had last been home. And that was only to see Hiccup. She had brought him to the fair, brought him candy floss, and talked about her journeys. One or twice she asked how Hiccup was doing, if he was excited about starting in the new school? If he had felt any dragon presence yet? 
He was pretty sure Valka and Stoick had not as much as seen each other during the visit. The older Hiccup got, the more their dragons seemed to hate each other. Hiccup loved his mom, but he was pretty sure the woman had no idea what kind of person he was, or how to interact with her own son. Maybe it hurt too much to get to know him and then leave him. 

Shrugging, Hiccup put his phone away and pulled over the next issue in the dragon guide series. Yesterday he spent the night at Gobbe'rs helping him cleaning up the garage, eating only half bad soup afterwards, reading in his books, while Gobber watched the dragon ball game on the telly.
The books were interesting, revealing details of dragons he never heard of, and talents he never heard of. But never one that fitted Toothless. He spent the rest of the hour looking over these books as well, with the same result. As the bell rang, he left for his last class disappointed but determined to know more. With a start, he jumped out of the way of Astrid, who was entering the room. He panted and turned around to run the other way, while he could feel her glaring eyes bore into his neck. Even the safety of the class room could not dwell on the feeling of her anger shearing through his skull. He blushed furiously. She had braided her hair to the other side today. She looked nice. He wished he told her, so maybe she wouldn't glare at him next time they met in the halls. He kept up his pace as he heard Astrid’s annoyed huff as she went into his abandoned classroom. Stange. Hiccup did not recollect Astrid taking Math/Cal this semester.  

At lunch he ducked behind a door so he avoided being seen by Snotlout and his friends, but he could have sworn Snotlout slightly tensed as he passed Hiccup’s hiding place. Hiccup was clearly over-excited to start imagining something like that. Toothless snorted bored.
When the group was out of sight he left, only to bump into Astrid again, making her drop her phone and a couple of books she was carrying. Cursing his own rotten luck, he scrambled to gather them up and hand them over to her, apologising the whole time. He could barely look at her as she accepted her books. He felt her eyes sizing him up, and Hiccup wished one of Toothless talents had been turning invisible. Astrid groaned, then thrusted one of the books into his chest, knocking the wind out of him. 
“You left this in the classroom you dork. At least clean up after yourself. That is school property, you know.” 
He looked down at a copy of “The dragon guide” which he apparently had left behind without noticing. He looked up into blue eyes studying him. Astrid stood expectancy, hands on her hip and a frown. Her braid rested on her right shoulder, not a single hair out of place.
“What? You have something to say?” Astrid challenged defensively. Hiccup winced involuntarily. 
“I didn’t think so.” Astrid nodded and passed him. 
With his breath uneven and his heart stuck in his throat, Hiccup turned after her and half shouted after her so all the hallway could hear. “YOUR HAIR LOOKS NICE TODAY!!” 
Astrid stopped and turned to stare at him. Eyes wide, mouth open and looking absolutely horrified. The tiniest hint of blue scales had spurted under her chin, not even noticeable.  Hiccup eyes winded. Oh gods, what has he done? He could already feel scales growing on his own chin, and hands. Toothless roared with laughter. Without waiting for a response Hiccup fled the hall, not wanting it to turn into a crime scene. All the way the horrified expression on Astrid’s face haunted him. But if he thought about it hard enough, he was sure there had been the smallest hint of pink on the tips of her ears. He groaned, dragging a hand down his face. 

“Stupid mouth!! Why did I say that” Hiccup cursed as he tried to loosen the screw on his motorbike. The was on an old vintage thing, he had bought for practically nothing, as it was more garbage than machine and was supported to be thrown out years ago. Hiccup spent all his work, and money earned from working at Gobber’s, buying and replacing the parts one by one, fine tuning, upgrading and trying to make it work. If he couldn't fly, then this would be the next best thing. When he was old enough, he would drive this instead.
He had just gotten a new extortion pipe, and was now fighting with an old one. Even if he now had a dragon, he still wanted to ride this thing one day. Too much work, money, blood, sweat, tears and soul had already gone into the thing, and Hiccup was not giving up on it. He was stubborn like that.
“Stupid brain.” 
Astrid’s wide blown eyes had burned into Hiccup’s eyelid. Toothless had been chuckling and laughing ever since, as an annoying constant rumbling in the back of his mind. “Stupid dragon.” Hiccup gave the wrench an extra pull. It didn’t budge. “Oh, she must think I'm crazy.“ He groaned with the effort as he put his whole body weight onto the wrench. It slipped from the blot, and Hiccup had to catch himself, so he didn’t face plant into the bike. Toothless amusement grew louder. Useless reptile. Didn't the dragon grant extra strength, but no……. Toothless had yawned at him. Yawned, and Hiccup was left to fight with the tools himself. ”Stupid wrench.” He held up the tool and growled at it like it had offended him. “Stupid screw.” He growled at the bolt next. 
“Whatcha doing?” Gobber’s mellow accent cut through Hiccup’s concentration and spooked him, jumping up to his feet.

“Ahhhh..!” Hiccup cursed as he hit his head on the one of the handlebars, and he half rose to meet Gobber’s unimpressed raised eyebrow. With a growl Hiccup cursed again and rubbed the sore spot. He threw the wrench back into the old tool box, where it landed with a hard clatter. He grabbed his ears at the ringing, as Toothless whined at the sound. Great, dragon ears, right. He got to be better at remembering stuff like that, or wear soundproof earmuffs wherever he went. 
“How's it coming along?” Gobber kneeled down next to Hiccup on his one good leg to inspect Hiccup’s handy work on the bike. He nodded approvingly here and there. The other leg was wrapped in his CAM boot. After Gobber had dropped some equipment over his right foot in his younger days, the bones in the foot had shattered, and never healed up right. With the strength of his dragon, he was able to walk mostly without pain, but he kept his boot to make the day to day easier. His left hand had also been shattered, but in a different accident, but the doctors were unable to save it. Now he wore a hand prosthesis instead. But more often than not, Gobber had strapped a tool, a toothbrush, a spatula or something else in the socket that should have held the imobile plastic hand. Hiccup kinda admired the ingenuity.

“Soooo..” 
Hiccup snorted, still rubbing his sore scalp. Gobber got up and went around, his foot dragging as he went. “Have you thought of a name yet?” He asked as he looked over the bike. Hiccup rolled his eyes. 
“Not yet… Nothing has really spoken to me.” Hiccup leaned back on his hands as he looked the half done bike up and down.
“Ahh, don’t worry lad. It will come to ya, all in good time.” Gobber rose and ruffed Hiccup’s hair on the way.
“Now get ya self cleaned up, and I will find us some grub, so I can tell your father, I at least tried to feed ya..” He folded his hands behind his back and mumbled under his breath. “Not that gotta help you grow much bigger anyway.”
“I heard that!” Hiccup yelled at him. 
“I know!!” Gobber yelled back, chuckling as he limped into the house. Hiccup shook his head, but chuckled at the odd man. Hiccup grabbed a rag and started to dry off oil and dirt on his hands.
Gobber had taught everything Hiccup knew about machines, engines and tools, and Hiccup was grateful for that. Giving him something to do that didn't make him feel useless. And he generally enjoyed talking to the old fart. So yeah, Gobber was brash, loud and abrasive with no sense of personal boundaries, but he was good enough deep down. Hiccup dealt with Gobber’s complaining and Gobber dealt with Hiccup’s sarcasm and dry wit, and even listened to him ramble about design ideas and of course the bike. It worked for them.

Hiccup parked himself at the table with all his books, and opened his laptop to take notes at his finding. Gobber placed a steaming bowl of microwaved mac and cheese and hobbled over to his chair in front of the tv with his own bowl.

For a long time, the sound of the tv and the cutlery was the only sound. Then Gobber grumbled from his place at the tv. 
“What’s all that work for?” He scratched his bushy blond muchashe, eyes never leaving the screen. Hiccup bit his lip trying to think of an excuse. Gobber had not brought up anything about Hiccup’s rumoured terror, and Hiccup was not sure what to tell him.
“Oh just some stupid assignment.“ He brushed him off, hoping he sounded genuine.
“They're really working ya to ya tail bone huh?” Another grunt, and Hiccup could hear Gobber scratching something. 
“Yeah..” There was another moment of silence Gobber asked again.
“What is it about?”
Hiccup tried not to groan outright, but figured there was no way around not giving the man something. He would just keep prying, until he got what he wanted. So why not a half truth. Gobber may even prove himself useful and help Hiccup get to the right path.
“We have to identify a rare dragon species using only a handful of traits.” He scratched his pen on a notepad next to the laptop. Gobber smacked his lips.
“Well what ya got?” 
Hiccup looked down on his notes.
“Big, black scales, wings separate from legs, and retractable teeth.” A rumble ran through him.“ And fast.” Toothless purred content with the addition. Hiccup smiled at the dragon antics. In the living room Gobber scratched his chin, and shouted back into the kitchen, eyes still plastered to the screen. 
“Hey ya, If i ain't know better that kinda sound like a ‘ight fury.”
Hiccup dropped his book. “A what?” He looked towards Gobber with a gabbing mouth. Toothless was eerily silent inside his mind. Gobber kept scratching his chin as he grumbled.
“But that's ain’t be true. No one ‘ave seen a ‘ight furry in over a century.”
Hiccup rose from his seat to better glance over to the man in the other room. 
“Say it again Gobber. A what?” 
Gobber sighed, his head popping fourth from the side of his chair, so Hiccup could see him. He slowed down his speech, to better pronounce every word, so the meaning didn't get lost in his accent. 
“Night fury. Gods bless ya child, don't they teach ya anything in school.” He leaned back in his chair with a huff. Hiccup felt his excitement grow. 
“I never heard of it. Where have you heard about it?” With another grunt Gobber rose from his chair and limped around the room, and back into the kitchen where Hiccup was seated.
“Well from me, trusty “Book of dragons”, of course.”
A well loved dusty book hit the table in front of Hiccup. Frantically Hiccup reached for it with a heave, and opened the large old book, flipping through pages until he found what he looked for. Gobber snorted amused at him.

“ Night Fury.

Speed: Unknown.

Size: Unknown.

The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself. Never engage this dragon. Your only chance: Hide and pray it does not find you .” Hiccup read out loud from the book. 

“THAT'S IT!!?” He yelled indignantly, trying not to pull his hair out, almost missing the triumphant bark from Toothless. No depiction, no drawing, no facts, no description of talents. No nothing.

To his surprise Gobber roared with laughter. His big belly jumped up and down. Probably a side effect of having a hobblegump for a dragon. Even though a not fully fletched shifter, Gobber could still summon the great mallet tail to use on bigger projects. He had been able to shift in his younger days, but not a full shift anymore.
“Oh, you should ‘ave seen your self. Of course not in that one.” He took the book from Hiccup and held up another book, very similar in build and size to its predecessor. “ This is me personal copy of the Book of dragons. Handed down to me through me grand dad, and his grand dad before him. Said to have been written by one of the old vikings chiefs. One of the first great shifters.“
Hiccup reached for it gingerly, and opened the book with shaking hands. His breath hitched as his eyes landed on the right page. 
“Toothless…” He whispered, because that was who was staring back at him with ink drawn eyes. Depiction upon depiction of a large, slick black dragon with wide wings, long tail with tail fins at the end and near the base of the tail. Rounded ear flaps, and smaller noobs going down the chin. A wide toothless mouth, and intelligent eyes. Big flat feet with long nails and tassels behind the hind legs. A Night fury. Strike class dragon. Known for their speed and for being almost invisible against the night sky. Able to dive bomb from great height, using plasma blast as their primary weapon, but some have recorded one being able to control lightning. 
Not to mistake for the Light fury, who is a similar build and strut, but completely white. The two species have though time been known to mingle and mate, when no other available partner of their own spices was available. 
Hiccup ran his finger across the page as he read: ”One rarest and most intelligent of the dragon species, the Night Fury is distinguished by its dark colour and piercing yellow eyes.”

Hiccup suddenly felt very small. A night fury. How in the world had he been able to attract a night fury. Toothless chuckled in his mind, hourmos over Hiccup’s despair. Now that he had seen the depiction of the dragon, he was better able to imagine Toothless in his mind. The long body, with large wings, wrapped protectively around him. He could picture the small changes in the dragon's face when his mood changed. A wave of reassurance and confidence ran through his body, affection at its centre. The dragon’s smirk wandered on to his own face. A Night fury. He had wings. He would be able to fly.

Chapter Text

“Oh come on Toothless, I saw the drawing. Wings and tail, we should be able to fly.” The dragon huffed and remained silent in Hiccup’s mind once more. They were out in the forest at the outskirts of the town.
It seemed like when the first viking settlers had first found the island, they chose whatever side of the island they hit first to settle on. That meant that most of the original village was scattered over the cliff side of the island, which of course was the most dangerous and steep part of the whole island, instead of moving more inward to the more plain livable part of the island. Still with more people and more needs for space, the village had become a town that moved more inland to make room for a football stadium, fast food chains, shopping malls, museums, galleries, schools, houses, police station, medclinic, and such of what makes up for a modern society. That included the boba tea shop.
Now the “old village” had mostly become a harbour and storage to keep up with all the import and export going in and out of the island by ship. Still using the steep cliffside, but connected by roads and roads of heavily secured walkways mounted into the stone.
The area was still littered with relics of what had once been. Large stone statues of old dead vikings heroes long gone. A large indent in a rock, where it had been speculated to house some kind of fighting ring, now used to store smaller boats.
A gigantic horn larger than a house snaked around a rock, still functioning, now fenced and preserved by the local museum, but a frequently visited tourist spot. The large great hall, carved into the side of the mountain, had been refurbished to a viking museum about Berk’s proud heritage. When the structure was first rediscovered the local scientists recovered a large amount of ancient artefacts that had been preserved from weather and time, including a rare collection of weapons, banners, shields and strange saddles. The last addition was still a mystery to many scientists and archaeologists.
Even though the town of Berk had grown and grown, the forest was still mostly untouched. Call it superstition, but nobody would start developing real estate there, and it became a safe haven to Hiccup as a young boy. 

Hiccup had played and explored there, with his old friends here when they were children. Played pirates and vikings and of course dragons. Chasing each other pretending to breathe fire. As they got older they visited less and less, and until it was just him and Astrid. In the end, it had also been the place where Astrid had told him they couldn't be friends anymore. The Hoffersons had noticed that Hiccup was the only one in the friends group that had not started showing the wanted dragon behaviour. And with Astrid’s future and more importantly their reputation on the line, she had been highly encouraged to seek other playmates, and prohibited from going to the forest. That was of course not the official story. Openly they covered up the affair by giving Astrid five new hobbies she had to learn, so she was simply too busy to hang out with Hiccup. It had hurt, but what had just most, was Astrid keeping up the lie, and not just telling Hiccup out right that her parents were embarrassed by him. 

Hiccup had avoided the forest from then on and nobody really got out here anymore. There were official training grounds for shifter training in the town, where people could try to train their dragon's talents. It was a safe place, with an official government lookout to step in if things got out of hand. A watcher they were called. Mostly they just sleep in their chairs overlooking the area, and let the shifter’s have fun on their own. Hiccup would prefer not having a local government official overlooking his every move and misstep. Again he would like to remain needle free. 
Now Toothless and Hiccup needed a place away from prying eyes to train and discover together, where they wouldn't be disturbed. They have come across a cove, with a little lake, placed far and remotely into the forest. They wouldn't be disturbed there.

They had sprinted out there the moment they had been left off, but only after they had sat through another torturous Shifter lesson. Mildew was still just as grumpy and unhelpful as last time, and was not impressed with Hiccup’s lack of progress. Hiccup disagreed. Now that he knew what kind of dragon he was dealing with he knew better what to focus on. Still he was not gonna tell Mildew that. Let him think he was a terror. Let them all think that.
Hiccup was not ready to have all eyes on him, all the expectations of being Stoick's son and now with a rare dragon, that he may not be able to shift into. Everyone else was showing progress. Snotlout had even managed to grow a wing on his left arm, the arm elongating and hanging odd against his side, not matching the rest of his body. Hiccup made progress in his own way, trying to focus his dragon hearing and sight. He took his usual spot on the side, and sat listening to the gossip going around the gym, when Mildew left them to their own devices. Snotlout had at one time caught his eye, and comment ready on his lip, but Toothless would not have it, and Hiccup's eyes flashed green, and Snotlout’s mouth closed shut. He looked confused around, but nobody had noticed them, so Snot went on with his friends, nobody none the wiser. Good. 
Hiccup was still trying to figure out why Toothless seems to have this power over the other dragons. Maybe it was a hierarchy thing. It was totally normal for dragons to establish their hierarchy in the early years, but because Hiccup was late to the party, his dragon would have to make an extra effort to find its spot. That was probably it. Toothless rumbled pleased with himself. Hiccup shrugged it off, and tried to focus on a girl in the back that was complaining about how her claws crashed with her outfit. Definitely not listing in as Astrid ruffled her scales, and basked her wings, making her fellow students coo around her. Definitely not. 
It was hard, but Hiccup was getting better at controlling the talent. Toothless purred and barked with every progress, pride oozing over Hiccup in waves.

Nothing Mildew had said at training had helped and when Hiccup was standing in the middle of the cove trying to feel “uttermost control”. Nothing happened. 
After a moment he gave up and fell back onto the ground with a moan. Maybe he wasn't cut out to be a dragon anyway. Toothless chucked calling him silly. For some reason Hiccup’s father’s voice echoed in his head. “It’s all about trust.” 

Hiccup sat up defeated and grabbed a nearby stick. He removed a few leaves from it, and stood up. Maybe someday he would understand what his father was talking about. 
With Toothless humming and watching Hiccup began drawing in the dirt. He started with the eyes, then the flat nose, and wide mouth. Feeling out every bump and ridge down to the large ear flaps. Slowly the dragon took shape, and he could feel Toothless's appreciative nod in the back of his mind. He added the neck and stood back to admire his work. His shadow cast by the low-hanging sun aligned perfectly with the dragon drawn in the dirt. Marking Hiccup’s face the same level as the dragon's head. An ache washed over him. The wings were missing. Oh, what would he give to fly again. A shutter. Hiccup looked as his shadow grew and gave his drawn dragon wings. 
He yelped surprised and fell over, as large batlike wings unfolded from him. They were larger than him, and he tripped on the tips, yelping both in pain and surprise he went crashing down, his wings wrapping protectively around him on instinct as he went tumbling. He landed with a grunt.
Unsure Hiccup squinted his eyes. The light was coming through the black membrane making Hiccup see clearly the texture and weins running through them. He wiggled one of his arms free to run his finger over the surface as the wings embraced him. They were strong. He could feel it.

He made a frantic giggle. He had wings. He squirmed trying to get the wings to unfold and let him get up. After a moment he gave up. They were not only his wings.
“A little help here.“ A chuckle and the wings slowly unfolded around him to let the sunlight slip in. Hiccup sat up and ran his hands up and down the wings appreciatively. There were almost blue and purple spots running over them, changing colour in the sunlight. Glistening in the light. They felt strong and powerful. Like they could carry him anywhere. It was like a foreign object attached to his body, but at the same time like a muscle he hadn’t used for years and just had been made aware of. 
He stood and let the wings stretch behind him. He gave them a trying tug. He felt for Toothless in his mind. Feeling his presence and taking strength in it. 
He basked with them once, and saw as they sent the dirt flying. He laughed triumphantly and jumped to take off.

Only to fall face first into the dirt, the wings not saving him this time. Toothless roared his laughter. Right rookie mistake. Don't fly before you can crawl. Or walk. With a grunt he got up again. With more troubles than last, he got up very wobbly. The wings unbalanced him making it easy for him to tumble over. He felt crooked, trying to compensate for the large appendix by leaning, ending with him down in a crouch not to fall over again. With a huff he placed his head between his knees. His lower back itched like crazy. 
The absent minded scratched it. Toothless hummed. With a sigh Hiccup tried to stand, and fell over. Toothless groaned again, as Hiccup tried to use the wings to help him up. Frustration rushed through him, not sure if it were himself or his dragon responsible. He scratched his lower back again. It looked like he was walking home. Toothless made a pitiful frustrated noise deep in his throat, but Hiccup brushed him off and focused on letting his large useless wings retract into his back. Toothless huffed along the way, but in the end they disappeared, making Hiccup feel much lighter than before. A low grumble still echoed in his mind. Hiccup reached for his backpack only to hesitate. He looked down at his pink scalefree hand. He curled it and uncurled it feeling a tingling sensation. Maybe flying had been too much for a first try. Maybe…… He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Toothless immediately stilled, feeling the shift in Hiccup. Hiccup opened his eyes with a snap, eyes piercing, pupils constricting into vertical slits, the green bleeding out the rest of his eyes. Slowly scales bobbled to the surface of his hand. When his focus stilled, a small cluster of scales covered his hand, and his nails were black like the night and slightly prolonged with pointy sharp tips. Hiccup grinned feeling the power concentrated in his hand. A smugness that was not his own, overtook him, and he left his backpack, to stand in front of a nearby boulder. After much contemplation, but an encouraging roar from his dragon, Hiccup swiped at the rock with his dragon hand. His claws left long indentations in the rock. He was making progress. This time his smugness was all his own. 

Hiccup had trouble hiding his grin the next day. So what, he maybe running around with black scales on his hand, and slightly black nails, that would not disappear no matter what he did. But he had done something. Something had worked.
Unfortunately It only took one look from Astrid to crush his happiness, as memories of his failure clouded his progress. He still shuttered instantly. 
So he hid from her. Toothless did not approve, which made him cranky, and unhelpful, as a constant annoyed hum in the boy's mind. It also left Hiccup with the unseen side effect that he growled at every dragon that came too near. Like his dragon’s mood was bleeding through. The other students seemed to sense Toothless' bad temper and they all seemed to disappear or retreat when Hiccup walked in the hall or entered a room. In class when he took a seat, his neighbours seemed to find new seating arrangements fairly quickly, and the poor sod that did have to sit near Hiccup was suddenly very interested in their phone, book, or anything else than Hiccup’s vicinity. Even the teachers seemed to give him a break, and skip him for questions in class. Hiccup appreciated that at least.

Later a gronckle had shoved passed him in an empty hallway, and Hiccup had grabbed him by the collar and smacked him up against the wall, filled with annoyance and anger that was not his own, green dragon eyes boring into the gronckle’s orange, demanding he apologised. The gronckle had whined and apologised. Then he ran as fast as his legs could carry him, leaving Hiccup speechless behind. Hiccup was beyond terrified of his own actions. Toothless refused to acknowledge what had happened, even when Hiccup pleaded at him. The confusion kept building up within. Hiccup could feel the divide between himself and Toothless more and more. 
“That can’t happen again!! You hear me!” He scolded the dragon, only for Toothless to huff annoyed. “We don't hurt people. That’s not how we get things done. You hear me.“ 
He shuttered as Toothless hissed. “I know you're mad at me, but don't take it out on other people. Talk to me. Make me understand, please…. Just don’t hurt people. You’re better than that. We’re better than that.” 
The dragon quieted, but Hiccup could still feel the swirling emotions threatening to spill out. The raw power alone petrified Hiccup, reminding him at Toothless was more than just a pet. The dragon could tear him apart if he wished. Toothless dwelled after that incident, taking out his disapproving emotions out on Hiccup rather than everyone else. But the damage had been done. 

Before long a rumor ran around the school that Hiccup’s terror apparently had a spine, and teeth to match.
Hiccup gravelled into his lunch, as he hid away. He had met Astrid in the doorway. Astrid has looked at him with wide eyes, something foreign and uncertain in her eyes. Could it have been fear? He never wanted to see something like it again. Not from her.
Of course Mildew found out about his little stunt and pulled Hiccup to the front of his political history class and demanded he show off the strength of his dragon. When Hiccup couldn't do it, Hiccup spent the rest of the hour where Mildew insulted him in front of the rest of the spectators, while Hiccup talked down a very angry Toothless in his mind, chanting “We’re better than violence, we’re better than violence”. 
The rest of the week was pure hel. Everywhere he went he bumped into Astrid, who looked either angry or uncomfortable. If Hiccup didn't know better he was sure she was following him. Still all the dragon's emotions filled him up, making it almost unbearable. 
Snotlout managed to corner him alone at one time, and Toothless in his still bad mood almost roared at him. Hiccup managed to close it off, and took most of the roar inside his mind, but he could feel the shift in Snotlout. His cousin managed to get one good gut punch in and then left Hiccup alone, with a seething Toothless. Toothless green dragon eyes had looked hateful after his cousin, defiance coming off him in waves, while Hiccup had wined on the inside, grabbing his stomach. 

He skipped the last class of the day and retreated to the cove where he licked his wounds, while trying to get better at controlling his claws. He came everyday now, and it took time from other things. He hadn't done homework in he didn't know how long, and soon his teachers would notice, and surely tell Stoick. Hiccup was not ready for that conversation on top of everything else. His bike also suffered. He spent more time in the cove and less time in the workshop, and barely saw Gobber. With a wince Hiccup got up from the dirt, tired of feeling sorry for himself, and left the cove, clearly not getting anything done today. Nearly at the outskirts of the forest, he stopped dead in his tracks from a ruffling sound. Suddenly Toothless leapt to the front of his mind, ears peaked and eyes sharp as he moved forward to find the intruder. The prey. Afterwards Hiccup would not be able to tell what exactly had happened. He had just let go, and Toothless had taken over. Moving slowly, secretly and hidden low to the ground as they neared the hostile.
Hiccup had jumped to his feet surprising his attacker. Only to come face to face with a half shifted Astrid, claws out, and spikes at the ready as she prepared to fire at him. They both yelped and jumped to not collide, making Hiccup rolling around in the dirt.
“What the hel is your problem!!” Astrid yelled frustrated, as she caught her breath. “I could have killed you,”
Hiccup snorted and stood, dusting himself off. He seriously doubted that.
“Don’t flatter yourself.” He huffed. 
“What did you just say?!” 
Oh gods, he wanted to die. He ran a hand down his face and turned to face her wrath only to hesitate. “What are you doing out here? Are you following me?”
To his surprise she fidgeted, “No I'm not !!” 
Hiccup scrunched up his nose in disbelief. Annoyance washed over him and he felt so over with this conversation. Over her presence.
“Whatever. Leave me alone.“ Half Toothless, half himself. He hoisted up his backpack, and hurried back to the city, leaving Astrid to her own devices, not even looking back. It was getting harder and harder to separate his dragon's feelings from his own.

Chapter Text

The damage had been done, and most of the school went back to ignoring him. No one wanted to deal with an over emotional terror. Someone would just get bitten on the nose. Hiccup knew he would never bite anyone, but the others didn’t and it worked in Hiccup’s favour. Most of the time.
It gave Hiccup a bit more free room to manoeuvre, but of course Snotlout still came to harass him from time to time. Sometimes Toothless stopped him in his tracks before Snot could make his approach. A part of him appreciated Toothless for his interference, another wished he didn't. It was causing him more problems in the end. Astrid seemed to also take the hint to leave him alone. He didn’t find her lurking around anymore. A stupid part of his brain was despairing at the fact. Probably the foolish hormone driven teenage part, while the dragon part just said good riddance.
Since their meeting in the woods, Astrid and Hiccup seemed to go back into their usual day to day routine. The only difference was that now, Astrid looked like she wanted to say something every time she saw him, only to shake her head and look the other way. It hurt more than previous for some reason. 

Also now Hiccup’s head seems to be buzzing with more than just his own dragon. And it only intensified with Toothless’ dark mood. Hiccup had no idea what his dragon did. But now  Hiccup had this feeling, the need to know, the need to sooth, to fix, to make everyone get along in his surroundings. So more than often they would just sit back and observe. Listen. Listen to the people around him, and furthermore their dragons.
Just to make sure everyone was alright. It was like he could feel every dragon in his vicinity. It made his head hurt and his joints ache. He listened in and wanted to help. He was not sure why. He never felt the need to help other people like that before. People never cared about him, so why should he care about other people? Maybe for the exception of Gobber. And his father. Definitely his father. 

Still the urge to go help the other dragons around him, made Toothless even more irritable, which made Hiccup annoyed. It was an evil circle of destructive troughs and emotions. He felt the dragons’ distress, not their human partners. No their dragons’. The urge to be destructive, to communicate better with their humans, to fly, to stretch their wings. Tense, dismissed dragons trapped in the back of their partners mind. Hiccup felt them all. And the more he ignored them, the more his skin itched, and Toothless roared in his mind. 

It got so bad that he was twitching in class. Even more he could feel something was following him. Stalking and hunting him down. His senses and Toothless went into overdrive. It was only a matter of time before Snotlout had enough and snapped to take Hiccup head on, dragon or no dragon be damned. 
So Hiccup hung back after class, ready to confront his bully, with his backpack raised as a shield or ammunition if necessary. To his surprise it was not his cousin waiting for him, but Astrid who went into the open red door. They both yelped in surprise. Hiccup swayed to avoid pommeling her with his makeshift weapon, and Astrid jumped back not realising he had been lurking in the shadows ready to jump her. 

“You’re not Snotlout!” Hiccup leaned up against the exposed brick wall, gripping his backpack close to his person. 
“Gee, what gave it away.” Astrid growled, as she straightened her braid and clothes. Small specs of blue were shining behind her right ear. “What are you doing?” 
Hiccup frowned. “Making sure I don't get beaten to death.”
Astrid rolled her eyes and pushed Hiccup in the left shoulder, almost wacking him upside the head, with a familiarity he hadn't experienced since they were both children.
“No, I mean with your dragon.” She planted her hands on her hips in her typical Astrid pose. ”You're repressing him. Everyone can feel it.” She gestured to him, then to around them. Hiccup blinked at her, as hot indignation and animosity flooded his veins.
“I don't know why you suddenly care!” Toothless hissed furious in his mind.
“Stop it Hiccup, it’s not like that.” Astrid scolded, crossing her arms defensively.
“You sure? Because if I remember correctly you told me that we’re not friends anymore. That means you don't get to care what I do and not do anymore.“ He almost poked her in the chest, but stopped just before. He took a deep breath and took a step back. Hot air was filling up his lungs, and he could have been sure he would have breathed out smoke if he would have been able. A vibrant crimson blushed to life on Astrid’s cheeks, and her eyes flared yellow, instead of her natural artic blue as she got right up in Hiccup’s face.
“It’s not like that and you know it!“ 
Hiccup laughed humorlessly as Astrid reared back.

“Oh, I know. Being a Hofferson, makes you better than everyone else right?“
She yelled frustrated at him.
“But you’re a Haddock, you were supposed to be better than everyone else, but you can't even do that right!” The accusing tone made Hiccup roll his eyes. 
“You're right. I'm not a ….”, But Astrid didn’t let him finish and went right back into it, and got all up close in his face, fist clenched painfully at her side. 
“You're ruining everything. You ruined it then, and now you're ruining it again.” She grabbed her hair, as Hiccup gaped, insulted at her. 
She clearly had thought about this, and now the truth was coming forth. Her glare landed on his, and her eyes had returned to their natural hue. With controlled breaths, she pointed at him, seething. 
“We were supposed to be the best dragons shifters on the island, but … that didn’t happen. Then you were supposed to be soulless and leave me alone, and now…. You're not. You have a dragon, and for some reason my dragon can’t leave it alone.“ She looked broken, and on the brink of crying in anger, but too stubborn and too prideful to let the tears fall.
“You are messing up my life. I have a plan. A plan.” She screamed in his face. Hiccup’s ears were ringing, and he felt the urge to claw. To tear right through Astrid’s perfect face.

“Your plan or your parents' plan?” 
Before, she had once entrusted him with the pressure her parents had put on her, and now she was turning it on him. She has no idea. The nerve. She had no right. It was not his fault that he had been soulless most of his life. She had no idea what he had been through. What she had put him through, all because he didn't fit in the perfect picture Mr. and Mrs. Hofferson had set for their daughter. For their entire family.
Astrid knew he was right. 
“Stay out of it.“ She growled, yellow back with full force. Hiccup glared back, his own eyes a blazing emerald.  
“Sure, but you're the one following me, remember?“ He turned to leave shrugging indifferently, but she closed the door in front of his face. He lifted an unimpressed eyebrow, as his pupils contracted. She heaved with the effort, but her own eyes turned blue. She straightened and flipped her braid over her shoulder. Her fringe did not obscure the hard stare. 
“Just …. Fix your dragon. It’s making the whole school uncomfortable. Whatever you're doing. Stop it. Stop repressing your dragon, or else you'll end up feral.” 

To his surprise she grabbed his arm, making the most of his anger frizzle out.
“I don't want that….” Her voice was small. Barely audible if not for dragon hearing, and almost trembling, but still so hard it would be able to cut diamond. Did she care? Was she worried about him? Then she pushed him back, making him stumble, all fuzzy feelings gone.
“So get your shit together and fix it. Then maybe everyone can get one with their life.“ She rubbed her temple. Hiccup looked demurred around the room.
“I don't know what you’re …. “
She snorted, very ungracefully, making Hiccup shift away from her. She shook her head, and gathered her things. She checked her phone as she told him off like a small insolent child.
“Your dragon instincts. Follow them. Get an impulse. Follow it. If not, your dragon is gonna tear your brain apart. You didn't get the official school talk about feral.” She hoisted up her backpack, and fell into the perfect unattainable image of Astrid Hofferson, not a hair out of place, and no trace of what had just transpired. “It’s real and it happens. If your dragon tells you to do something. Do it. It will make life easier for the rest of us.“ The door flew open, and she pushed past him and out in the hall. He buzzed with his emotions, but also Toothless’s low rumbling, the dragon just as agitated as him.

Hiccup had barely got his bearings when he poked his head outside, and heard someone  slow clap. He jumped in surprise as two figures entrapped him. 
“That was incredible. You didn't die.”
Hiccup turned to see the twins leaning up against the wall. They had properly heard everything. Cautious Hiccup looked around. If the twins were here, then his cousin usually was not far away. 
“Relax.“ Ruffnut said cheerfully. “We’re skipping today. Not here to pommel your face. Then again if you offer.” Tuff lifted a fist, making Hiccup flinch by instinct and Toothless roar.
They both laughed, but Hiccup winced. Toothless snarled precariously in his mind. 
With another grunt Tuffnut left his place on the wall and slung an arm around Hiccup. Hiccup almost jumped out of his skin at the careless contact, as Tuffnut pulled him along to walk with him and his sister along the hallway. Tuff wore a green beanie over what would probably become decent dread in a year of two. His dragon tooth necklace swung against his chest as they walked. Besides a large worn hoodie, he wore two layers of tank tops, one larger than the other with a band logo on the front. His sister was in similar attire with a tank top, sport bra and hoodie. But without a beanie, and her hair was in two long braids that went to her stomach. They swung in rhythm together with her dragon tooth necklace. Sometimes Hiccup wondered if they shared a wardrobe as well as brain cells. 
“You’re up to something….” Tuffnut whispered, grin splitting his face in half. 
“No, I’m not…. I..” Hiccup tried to find a way out of Tuffnut’s grasp, but Ruffnut was standing near closing out his exit strategies. Her grin matched her brother’s.
“Oh you definitely are. The whole school can feel it. That dragon of yours is just waiting to burst out. Looks there is some little fight left in the little fellow eh? “ Hiccup was shoved playfully in the shoulder by Ruffnut, while Tuffnut messed up his hair. They pushed him off them and stood in front of him with excitement vibrating through them. 
“Point is, when you go feral, give us a heads up.'' Tuffnut winked at him. Hiccup, who had just got his bearings, looked confused at them as he adjusted his backpack, and tried to pat down his hair.
“We wanna watch as you tear through campus.” Ruffnut elaborated with a shrug.
“The thought of that much chaos and destruction.” Tuffnut nodded, mimicking a rupture with his hands.
“We’ll have to take notes.” Hiccup looked at Ruffnut.
“Study it.“ Hiccup looked at Tuffnut. They seamlessly finished each other's train of thoughts.
“Uncontrollable chaos and destruction.“ Ruffnut sighed, while her brother got teary eyed, and leaned on her for support.
“The bare thought…Magnificent... Excuse me, I need a moment.“
Ruffnut clapped her brother on the shoulder and pushed forward. 
“Keep up the good work, Useless. Looking forward to all the chaos you're gonna create.”
Then they walked off, laughing leaving Hiccup speechless and a little startled behind. He sank down against the nearest wall to get ground himself, Toothless chuffing unhelpful in his mind. Hiccup looked after the two as they walked away. He had felt their bond. Their bond to their dragon, the hideous zippleback, but still from Ruffnut. There was something else from her too. She seemed unbalanced somehow. That was the only way he could describe it, and the way she leaned and clung to her brother, like he was the only reason keeping her sane. It was…… weird. Even for them. But fascinating. Hiccup briefly wondered if he could help her. Then he came to his senses, when he heard how terrible and ridiculous that sounded. 

Hiccup tried to continue as everything was normal. Holding on to the illusion with both clawed hands. His new routine included avoiding Snotlout, sending glares at Astrid, mostly Toothless contribution, fleeing to the cove to train, eat and work at Gobbers, trying to do some homework, and pass out on top of it, only to wake up in his bed later in the night, probably his dad doing, and all in all trying to keep his mind from spiraling and not go feral or primal in any way. He could feel Toothless fighting him along the way, when the dragon felt Hiccup react in a way he didn't approve of. Every time he neared another dragon, he could feel these ridiculous impulses to help the dragon. The dragons that hated him. The sealed dragon was the worst. Their cry for help in the back of their human partners' minds were the worst, and Hiccup was not sure of how to help them. Toothless bristled at every dragon they passed, and Hiccup ignored it, agitation growing inside them.
How was Hiccup supposed to help them? He couldn't even help himself. He was getting better at his talents, but all in all was going nowhere. He couldn't keep Snotlout off his back. He couldn't talk to his father, only disappointing him. He couldn't talk to Gobber. He most certainly couldn't talk to Astrid. He couldn't trust to talk to anyone about Toothless, and how the dragon was slowly corroding his mind.  
Still the instinct to protect, shield, help and ease flooded him. 

From time to time the twins would pop up and ask him how close he was to exploding. 
“Still hanging on.” He told them with biting sarcasm, and they would moan disappointed and then went on their way.
Still, it got worse, and as Hiccup walked through the entrance to school one cold autumn morning, he could feel the breaking point. All the dragon’s complaining, all the dragons in need. It was torture, so Hiccup did what he did best. He fled and hid. But on the way he bumped into Fishlegs, almost knocking himself over. Hiccup had sprinted with his head down, hands pressed to his ears to drain out the cries from the dragons, he didn't see where he was going and burst right into Fishlegs.
The larger boy steadied him, and Hiccup almost fell over. 
“Oh...Hi there… Are you… Okay….?” Fishlegs looked Hiccup over frowning at Hiccup’s shivering form.
“Just splendid, why you ask?” Hiccup said, twitching, trying not to clamp his hands over his ears again.
Fishlegs hummed cynically, nodded and looked around. “Oh no..” He swore and looked at his spread out belongings. Hiccup just realised he had made Fishlegs drop all the things he had been holding. His hands twisted around the strap of his backpack.
A paper back full of snacks had spilled all its contents over the hall, and Fishlegs’s phone had skittered across the linoleum floorboards. Hiccup quickly ducked to retrieve it, while Fishlegs gathered his food. 
“Here. Sorry. “ Hiccup held up the phone, which was barely untouched. 
“It’s alright.” Fishlegs took his phone back and hoisted up his paper bag. Hiccup just stared at him. 
“Your dragon eyes are out.” Fishlegs pointed out, lifting his finger to point. “You sure you're okay?”
“Yeah.” Hiccup said breathless, still staring. “You’re hungry.” He said dumbfounded.
Fishlegs blinked at him, then chuckled nervously.
“Yeah no kidding. Always am, but no matter how much I eat.” He shrugged. “Still hungry.”
Hiccup nodded, and a light went up in him. 
“Wait here!!” He said, holding his hands up, and ran out the building again, leaving Fishlegs shouting confused after him. “Whaaat???”

Still Hiccup jumped out the door, and flung himself on the banister and slid down the railing, only to jump off the side, making students and teachers scatter at his interruption of the flow.
They yelled after him, teeth bared, and claws threatening, but Hiccup drowned them out, focusing on his task. He skidded to a holt near the school garden that held a pathway paved with loose gravel. Hiccup scooped out a couple of hands full of the gravel, and emptied into his pocket, dashing back into the school to Fishlegs. 
But Fishlegs was not where he left him, and Hiccup stalked down the isles to find him. His nose flared trying to catch the scent of the boy. He found him as the boy was about to enter his classroom.
“Fishlegs!!” Hiccup cried out triumphantly. The other boy froze, and looked uncomfortable around. Hiccup noticed it too, but couldn't care less. Fishlegs had met up with his friends, and Snotlout, Ruff and Tuff looked confused at the incoming Hiccup, with Astrid taking a step back, ready to pounce defensively.
Snotlout opened his mouth to say something, but Hiccup growled at him, “Not now Snot. Go away.” And to his surprise Snotlout did. He just left the doorway and walked into the classroom without complaining. The others stared after him.

“Here!!” Hiccup pulled out the gravel, and poured it into Fishlegs paper bag, and one of his outstretched hands. Fishlegs blinked frightened at the gravel, and shrugged his shoulders in confusion. 
“Thanks?” Behind him, Tuffnut twirled his fingers near his temple, making a coo coo sound. Ruff snorted but Astrid gaped at the gravel. 
“Eat it!!”
“What!” Fishlegs almost jumped, and a little of the pile crackled onto the floor. 
“It will help. Trust me” Hiccup ensured him. He wrapped both his hands around Fishlegs fist making him close it around it, and pressing the fist towards himself. Fishlegs blinked at him hesitantly. 
“Trust me…” Hiccup insisted pleadingly. Toothless hummed excited in Hiccup’s mind. 
“Aaaahhh.” Fishlegs looked back to his friends, but the twins just nodded daring him to eat it, and Astrid crossed her arms, sending Hiccup a glare.
“Okay.” Fishlegs agreed thoughtfully and Hiccup retracted with a relieved sigh. 
Fishlegs lifted his fist to inspect the gravel, before he shrugged and chucked the handful into his large mouth. The gravel crunched loudly, as he chewed. Chewed. They gravel breaking into tiny tiny pieces under the boy's gronckle teeth. Fishlegs bended over with a moan. Astrid tried to go to him, ready to tear Hiccup a new one, but Fishlegs stopped her. 
“So…..Gooood…” He smacked his lips, and burped. “So…..good.” His hand went down to his belly. “The taste. I never knew… Sooo good… and I’m…. “ He looked surprised . “I’m not hungry anymore.”
“What?!” Astrid and the twins cried. 

Stunned, Tuffnut insisted, “But you're always hungry.” 
“Apparently not anymore.” Fishlegs turned to face Hiccup. “Thank you Hiccup. How did you...”
“Do…. I helped.. I actually helped?” Hiccup’s voice croaked.
“Yeah… Yeah you did. Thanks man.” Fishlegs reached out to pat Hiccup on the shoulder, but retracted his hand as bitten, when Hiccup sank to his knees exhausted and shuttering.

“I helped.” Suddenly it felt like part of a burden had been lifted off Hiccup’s shoulders. Not everything but something. He had no idea how heavy it had been, as he sank to his knees with the bare relief. He felt something next to him, but all he could focus on was Toothless. Everything else blurred around him. The dragon stretching and moving in his mind. Stronger and more powerful, but content and proud. Happy with Hiccup. It was getting hard to breathe. He could sense more dragons gathering to gawk at him. He barely registered the twins howling if he was gonna blow. Hiccup heaved. His vision was fussy, and all he could feel was his dragon. The overwhelming feeling, as his body ached, trying, craving the shift, begging him to let go. Everything was woozy, and the pressure was crushing him. 

Someone helped him up and pulled him away. All he could do was follow. He registered being pulled into a small room, and a door shut, leaving him in darkness. Them. Someone was there with him. He sank down against a wall, and pushed stuff aside to make room for himself. A mop fell and landed heavy on the floor. Supply closet, his head noted. There was some ruffing and Astrid turned on the single light bulb in the closet. Hiccup squinted his eyes up at her. She sank down to her knees to sit with him. Hiccup's hands had somehow gone to cover his ears and now, Astrid slowly pried them from his head. 
“Breathe.” She said. Her voice washed over him like a calming wave. “Slowly. In…..” She inhaled and held her breath. ”And out…” She exhaled. “Focus on my voice. “ Hiccup did. “Can you hear me..?” 
Hiccup nodded a little slowly. 
“Can you understand..?” He nodded again. There was a calming air around her, Hiccup wanted to breathe it in. Stick his nose in her hair and just breathe. 
“I'm gonna sit down next to you. Okay?”
“Okay.” 
Astrid moved closer but hesitated. “Can I touch you?”
He nodded, and gulped as Astrid lay an arm around him, and stroked his back soothingly, 
“In and out.“
Hiccup repeated, his breath levelling. He blinked. Toothless was terrified. Terrified for him. Cooing and barking softly at him trying to comfort him. 
He had almost fainted in the hallway Hiccup realised disbelievingly. Toothless huffed unamused. 
“What happened?” Astrid asked slowly. She was close. Her blue eyes level with his, and her breath tickling his ear.
“I helped.” His voice broke half way through the words. But Astrid was unnaturally gentle with him and eased him on.
“Yes you did.” She smiled, and it sent another burst of heat through his very being. “Why?” Her voice was smooth and soft. 
“I had to.” Hiccup held his head high, as Toothless purred. “He told me to.”
“Your dragon.” Astrid said curiously. Her hair was such a nice blond colour. 
“I … had to.. She was in pain. Not a lot. Less than the others. But I could help her.“ Hiccup tried to get to the right words. To explain what had happened with Meatlug. With Fishlegs and his dragon. How he had heard...felt her. Astrid shook his arm slightly to get him to concentrate.
“Who…? Who is she..? Who are the others?” The other dragons. Dragons all around him. Dragons that needed help. But not now. He had been asked a question.
“The dragon. Fishlegs dragon. She was hungry. So I fed her. Gronckles eat rocks…. They need it for the lava in their stomachs. Her inside must be tearing without the rock.“
Baffled Astrid blinked at him, her soft mouth changing into a small o. 
“I helped.” Hiccup repeated. “I helped.“ He fell back against the wall shuttering. “I helped.”
Astrid shifted and rubbed his arm. 
“You did good.” He looked at her, and the soft smile was back. 
“Your dragon is gonna be better now. You need to find a way to share. Don't let it come to this again. He will tear you apart.“
Toothless hissed insulted. “He would never do that.'' Hiccup snarled, feeling his teeth shift, and his pupils turning into slits. Astrid stared back at him, her own dragon eyes on display, ready to face the challenge. Hiccup was surprised and sank back a bit. Still his eyes out, but a little more appeased. 
“Not on purpose.” He added. Astrid nodded and also her dragons featured retracted. Only a small rumbling sound. He was not sure if it was Toothless or Stormfly who was purring.

“Then continue to do what he tells you to do.” She sounded breathless, but nodded at him with confidence. A confidence he didn’t believe in. He buried his head between his knees, wrapping his arms around them, shielding him from the outside.
“I can’t.” A hand grabbed his chin and forced him to look into Astrid's dragon eyes. They were Stromfly’s yellow, but he recognized the fire as Astrid’s. 
“Yes you can. You're Hiccup Haddock, you can do anything.” She hadn’t spoken to him like that since they were kids. Hadn’t believed in him since then. Her faith back then had been unwavering, so sure of their promise for greatness. Right now Hiccup could not follow her. 
“There are so many.” He said, his voice shaking. There were so many dragons that needed help. Tears that were not his pricked at his eyes, as he reached out and grabbed Astrid’s hand.  
She shifted her grip, so her hand rested against his cheek instead. It felt almost kind. 
He still hasn't moved his own hand, and she allowed him to grip her wrist while she stroked his cheek. 
“Start small.“ She said. Her small smile reminded him of sunny days with bare feet in the moss, and made him tingly all over. ”You can’t save the whole world.“ She was so close to him. Her other hand moved to rub his other cheek. His hand flopped into his lab with astonishment. Her voice was velvet to his ears.
“Start small. Little things to make their life easier. I think it will help your dragon. It’s a nesting dragon. It thrives on the wellbeing of his flock.“

Hiccup licked his lips and gulped. 
“I don't have a flock.” He said breathlessly. There was a small chuckle from Astrid.
“So your dragon is projecting. Everything and everyone is its flock. Get your own flock. Then maybe his tendencies will be more manageable. Until then start small.“ She tilted her head, and there was that spark in her eyes that always made him grin. She sat back on her haunches. He wanted her to hold his face again. 
“Okay. Small.“ He nodded eager to please her, but stopped as he got dizzy. He dragged a hand over his face.
“Thanks… How do you know all this?” 
She grinned and shuffled to sit down next to him again.
“I'm the best student in this school. I know everything.”
“Of course.” He snorted, but felt the strength returning to his bones.
“Thanks Astrid. You didn't have to..”
“I did..” Her answer was unwavering. 
They looked each other over. 
“Truce?” She asked. 
He nodded “Truce.” But before he could take her outstretched hand. The door to the closet flew open. 

“What the hel is going on here!” Mildew poked his angry head inside, and then ducked to avoid a slew of perfectly aimed spikes coming for his head. 
Hiccup heaved from his confined position. He had been pushed behind and against Astrid, who now held him tight with one arm, while the other was outstretched protectively, craws at the ready. She hissed as her newly formed tail sent the spikes flying. Her eyes burned yellow in the dim light, scales bloomed across her cheeks, and he hissed ferociously. A crown of spikes poked through her hair. She looked glorious, and Hiccup was smitten, even as he was flushed against her chest. He tried not to notice how good she smelled, or how nice her boobs felt under his cheek, but instead just listened to her vivid heartbeat. He had barely had a moment to breathe, before another round of spikes was shot and Mildew ducked out and closed the door behind him. Astrid heaved and got to her feet, extending her hand to help Hiccup up. 
“That was … something.”
But Hiccup kept getting distracted by Astrid’s tail. He started hypnotic at it from his seat on the ground. 
“How do you even stand? How come you don't fall over?”
Astrid shrugged a little flushed. “The tail keeps me balanced.” She gestured to her outstretched hand again.  
“Your tail…” He heaved, and Toothless chuffed. ”I have a tail!!!” He shouted, directly into Astrid’s face. She comically withdrew her hand, blinking unnerved at him.  
“Okay…?” She squinted at him as he chuckled.
“Astrid, you're brilliant.“ He launched out and embraced her. She froze in his grasp, and with some weird impulse, he smacked a kiss on her cheek, and ran out the room, leaving a shell shocked Astrid behind him.
“Thanks Astrid!“ 

Chapter Text

Hiccup woke up groaning in pain. Throughout the night his legs had ached and woke him up multiple times. His jaw, gums and teeth hurt, like he was growing an extra pair of teeth. Which he knew he was not. He had tried to rub the aching muscles in his legs, but it only dulled the pain. Needless to say he didn't sleep much that night. Toothless had hummed soothingly at him through the night to help him through the worst, but Hiccup had still squirmed around in his agony when the pain was worst, shuttering, sweating and groaning. He had felt a small ache almost cramp after his sessions with Toothless in his limbs, but it always subsided. Nothing like this. Toothless kept humming, it would pass, it would pass.
Toothless had been more cooperative since Hiccup’s meltdown after helping Fishlegs. The dragon seemed more aware of Hiccup’s boundaries, but still pushed him to try to help the other dragons. To appease the dragon, Hiccup followed the advice and went small. He could not save everyone. But he gave pebbles to Fishlegs, found a crowbar for an itchy nightmare so they could reach between their wings, and handed a cheesegrater to an annoyed nadder to help with the dead scales. He gave a first aid kit to two dragons that got into a fight. Wrapped another nadder ‘s hand in a paper towel when they accidentally smashed a canned soda and drenched themselves. Fixed a broken wheel on a bike, to help a gronckle get to school on time. Shared his sandwich with a hungry terror. Small things. Not that he was getting acknowledged for his efforts by the humans, but there was a small ping of gratefulness from their dragons. 
It soothed Toothless though, so it soothed Hiccup, and his head didn't feel like it was gonner split in two all the time. After that, Toothless was also much more into their continuous training of their talents. With the revelation from Astrid, he now knew he needed a tail to fly. To keep him balanced and not fall over. He had still not managed to summon both wings and a tail at the same time. Either one or the other and the effort strained his muscles and left him exhausted after. His body still did not shift to accommodate for the appendices, and they always felt heavy and unnatural. Last night he managed to summon his tail in full size, and got to admire the fins at the base of the tail, and the two large ones at the end, he could control at will. He had walked away with a dull ache, satisfied with last night's effort and results. Today was another case. 

Hiccup stretched his neck, rubbing a sore spot, and stumbled down to the kitchen downstairs. Stoick was on his way out, but stopped in his tracks when he saw his son.
Hiccup rolled his neck and scratched his head, as he made his way over to the table. Then sat down with a hiss, and lifted his left leg up to rest on the other chair, while he rubbed his shin, trying to soothe the screaming muscle. 

“Son?” His dad asked from the doorway, travel mug with coffee already in one hand, and casefile in the other, one shoe already on.
“I’m fine dad, just didn't sleep well.” Hiccup opened and closed his mouth, trying to relieve the pain, as a jap shot through his jaw. Toothless rumbled in his chest. Hiccup gave him a reassuring tug. 
“Are….Are you alright?” Stoick asked, tilting his head in worry. Hiccup looked at the clock on the wall. His father had a morning briefing in twenty two minutes. Just enough time for him to get to the station if he left now. 
Hiccup exhaled. “I'm fine. Just a little sore.”
He jumped startled as the travel mug and case file landed in front of him as Stoick stormed back in the kitchen. 
“Dad?” Hiccup tried to get his fathers attention, but Stoick did not hear him.
“It’s completely normal to be in pain. Your body is adjusting to your dragon. You are having growing pains. Before long you will probably sprout taller than me.” The large man stood on his toes as he went through kitchen cabinet upon kitchen cabinet. 
“I will?” Hiccup seriously doubted that, considering his dad was over two metres tall, but his dad just nodded vigorously. “Aye.” 

“When I presented, I grew two feet practically overnight. I was of course much younger than you, but the pain will be the same...Where did I put…?” Stoick explained.
Hiccup watched awestruck as his father ransacked through their medicine cabinet. He appeared victorious with a packet, only to frown.
“Expired of course. I brought this years ago, around the time all the other kids presented, waiting for you to be next.” The packet landed on the table as Stoick went over to the freezer and stuck his head inside. “You never did of course and I completely forget to replace them.”
Hiccup looked at the packet that said, “Bucket’s famous Tooth relief.” It looked like it was full of gum. 
“Here.” Stoick had returned with a bowl of ice cubes. “Suck on one of those for a bit, it will help with the pain. Your dragon's teeth are trying to push your own out, and until they figure things out, it’s gonna hurt like hel.“ Then he was off again running out of the kitchen. Hiccup blinked after his father as he carefully put a cube in his mouth. 
“I will run to the store after work and get you some new ones, but until then cold water and cubes.” His father ran past the kitchen door. In search of something. Hiccup nodded thoughtfully as the chill cooled his gums. 
“Here.” Stoick returned with some towels. One he wrapped around Hiccup's shoulders, and Hiccup gripped it to keep it there. “Leg up!” Stoick instructed and Hiccup stuck out his leg and Stoick pulled up the pyjamas legs, and carefully wrapped each appendix in a towel. Then he planted his son's feet in a washing bowl and left, leaving Hiccup perplexed waiting for him.
“Now..” He appeared again with a boiling tea kettle. When had he put that on? ”This may be weird but it will help. It's not gonna burn you. Trust me.” Stoick looked into his son's eyes, and planted a comforting hand on his shoulder. “It may hurt a little at first, but you’re a viking. You are a dragon!” He gave his son a reassuring squeeze, and Hiccup felt the love radiating from his father. A strange warmth flooded Hiccup's chest at his father’s smile. Nodding once, Hiccup knew that strangely enough, he fully trusted his father despite all their differences. Stoick nodded again. His hands changed, getting covered with scales as he grabbed the boiled kettle and poured the scalding hot water over Hiccup’s wrapped legs.
Hiccup yelled, but was surprised when it did not burn or melt his skin, but instead soothed and relieved the ache. 
“Huh?” Hiccup wondered. His father knelt down in front of him, and used his dragon hands to gently massage Hiccup’s legs with the towels keeping the water and heat trapped inside.
“Your dragon is made of fire, burning deep inside their core. They do not burn, and neither will you. Your dragon will not let you.. If you trust him completely.“
Surprised Hiccup looked down at his father as he worked. “I do.”
Toothless hummed content inside him.
“Good.” Stoick nodded, keeping his focus on his son's legs. They sat in silence as Stoick worked. “How is that?” He asked after a good quarter of an hour. 
Hiccup gingerly stretched his leg. “Much better. Thanks Dad.”
“Of course.” He started to unwrap Hiccup legs and remove the bowl, and offered Hiccup more ice he could chew on. “That should give you some hours. We will repeat the process, when you get home and before bed.”
“Oh, okay.” Hiccup nodded while chewing on his ice, and dried the last water off his legs. 
“Get your things, I'm driving you to school.” Stoick left to throw the towels in the washer.
“What! But dad...” Hiccup protested, trying to stand but had to sit down again as pain shot through his leg. Normally he would either walk or take his bicycle, but from time to time his dad would have time to drive him.
“No, you're not walking all the way to school, when you are having growing pains. I will deliver and pick you up for school, until we're sure you pull through..” Stoick's disembodied voice rang through the house.
“But Dad..” Hiccup yelled, while Toothless chuckled at his distress.
“This is serious, Hiccup.” Stoick’s face appeared in the door frame. “You do not run, or overexert your limbs, when you're growing. They will become crooked.“ Then he left again. Hiccup scrunched up his nose in frustration.  

Stoick appeared with a set of clothes that Hiccup could put on in the downstairs bathroom, as he refused to let Hiccup walk up the stars, no matter how much Hiccup protested. Which meant Stoick had to run back up the stairs, to get some different clothes, as the ones he picked were from his washing pile. 
“Remember Old Bellsprout.” Stoick yelled from upstairs, rummaging through drawers.
Hiccup leaned on the stairs bannister shouting instructions to his father, where to find clean clothes. “The one with the cane?”
The sound of shuffling and a drawer being closed echoed from upstairs. 
“Yes, ran around the whole island, while his dragon was growing. Now he has two bad knees, crooked bones and needs a cane to walk. Do not push your dragon!!” Stoick marched down the stairs and presented his son with a new pile of fresh clothes.
“Alright.” His father nodded at him. Hiccup had to remember not to roll his eyes. 
“Alright.” He agreed. Stoick rewarded him by patting him on the shoulder, making Hiccup feel like he was sinking further down into the floor with each pat.  
“Good. Now get ready, you're gonna be late.” This time Hiccup did roll his eyes as his father ushered him into the bathroom. 

He emerged to his father still running around the house to find all Hiccup’s school supplies and drop it in his backpack. Hiccup would help, but was stopped each time and forced to sit at the kitchen table. Hiccup looked at the watch on the wall. They were gonna be late. 
“DAD!” He yelled. Stoick looked at him worried for a moment, until Hiccup gestured to the clock, then he started running faster and shouting at Hiccup to get in the car.
“Come on, come on.” Stoick flew around gathering the last bits and pieces while locking up. 
“Dad..” Hiccup tried to interrupt but was overruled. 
“Come on Hiccup.” Stoick stod in the door gesturing the boy out, breath staggered with all the running he had done.  
Hiccup rolled his eyes, went into the kitchen. 
“Your case file!” Hiccup waved the red file over his head. Stoick slapped his forehead and grabbed it along with his phone. 
“Oh thanks Thor, good you remembered.” Then Hiccup was half dragged, half carried out the door and in front of the patrol car door. “Now into the car, do you need help...”
“I’m fine dad.” Hiccup assured him as he entered the vehicle. Stoick threw his case file in the seat behind him, and entered the car.
“Right.” Then they were off.
Inside the kitchen the travel mug was left cold and forgotten on the table. 

Stoick did not speed to Hiccup’s school, he was an officer of the law. But Hiccup did have to grab the handle bar a couple of times as Stoick took the swings at a higher speed than necessary. Slightly shaken Hiccup exited the car in front of the school with only five minutes to the bell. Stoick leaned over the gear shift to talk to Hiccup as he got out. 
“You have your ice?” Stoick asked, clearly still concerned, but with his typical no-nonsense attitude back in place.
Hiccup stuck out his tongue where a half melted cube glistened. Stoick nodded and handed Hiccup his backpack, but not before he padded it and said. “I packed you a heating pad, just heat it in the cafeteria microwave, if you can’t get another dragon to blow fire on it.” 
“Dad.”
“And a cooler with more ice. I will get the packet and then...” Stoick padded the backpack once more.
“Dad.” Hiccup chided and took the bag. 

Stoick nodded a little worried, but then leaned back in his seat and started the car. “Right right. Ahh.. Have a good day son…..I love you very much.” 
Hiccup halted at slamming the car door closed to just look at his father for a moment. His dad smiled awkwardly at him, but there was nothing but truth behind his words. Hiccup felt his own flustered smile overtake his face.
“I love you too dad.” Then he smacked the car door shut, his dad still just sitting there a little surprised and mumbling to himself. 
“Good good.”
“Go!” Hiccup laughed and patted the roof, shaking his dad out of his stupor.  
“Right, bye.” 
With a chuckle he watched his father driving out of the parking lot.
“Bye dad.” He yelled, waving goodbye. 

His newfound serenity didn't last. The moment his dad’s car was out of sight, he could feel it. The looks and the snickers. Most of the last stranglers had hurried inside, but there were a couple of seniors looming at the entrance. They chuckled and mocked Hiccup as he walked towards the door. Wondering why on earth Hiccup was being dropped off like a preschooler, too loud for the intention to be Hiccup not to hear. Hiccup lifted his chin and continued. They could say what they want. He would not let them ruin such a rare moment with his father. Toothless chuffed and rumbling growls vibrated through Hiccup. Hiccup had just passed the bunch when the baby sounds began. The seniors, two gronckles and a nadder, Hiccup has no idea why he suddenly knew this, were making kissy noises, and baby gurls, sukling their thumbs and laughing their asses off.
Hiccup faltered in his tracks as the anger overtook him. But Toothless’s calming bark made him stop. Hiccup quickly took a breath and continued up the stairs. That was when one of the gronckles laughed, that he had never seen anything so pathetic as the chief telling his son that he loves him.

Hiccup froze. Toothless went silent. His ears were ringing, there was a fire building in his core and he felt like time was going in slow motion as he turned and snarled, Toothless putting all his weight behind it. Not a growl, or a roar or a hiss, but a warning. The three boys flinched. They huddled together as the fear spiked in their eyes. Hiccup held eye contact for three more seconds before he walked off. He could feel the relief as the boys tumbled down, grabbing each other and gasping for air. Hiccup entered the school with a sudden burst of confidence.  

The noise was overwhelming. Hiccup looked around the cafeteria, and sighed at the sight of the long line to the student microwave oven. Fire control was apparently still not the most controlled abilities as most students reheated their lunch using technology, instead of their talent. 
“Here give it.”
Hiccup yipped startled, but handed his heating pad to Astrid's extended hand. She walked away and Hiccup had no other option than to follow. The truce was still ongoing so Hiccup and Astrid were still pretty civil with each other. The day after Hiccup’s meltdown, Hiccup had come up to Astrid only for Astrid to squeak and run away. Later she found him again, punched him, and then they never spoke of it again. Now they said ‘Hi’ in the hallway, and that was an improvement in Hiccup’s book. Astrid had even reduced her glaring quota to only when Hiccup outperformed her in class. All in all, improvement. 
They sat down at a table way in the back. She put her lunch tray down, and blew on the pouch. A blue, soft flame left her lips and caressed the item. After a couple of minutes she handed it back to him.
“Careful it’s hot.”
“Thanks Astrid” Hiccup sighed with relief as the pouch heated up his leg. It had begun thunking like mad during the last period, and he had almost limped to the cafeteria, when the bell rang. Astrid didn't say more, just nodded and started eating her chicken.
 
“Hey Cuz!”
Hiccup looked up and saw Snot, Fishlegs and the twins joining their table. Hiccup could not help the snarl and growls that escaped his lips.
“I swear Snotlout if you..”

“Woaw woaw...It’s cool.” Snotlold took a step back holding his hands up in surrender. The others hid behind him. Toothless snarled inside him, and he could feel his own lip curl and his eyes zoom in on the four like they were prey. After a moment Hiccup nodded and Snot and the others literally deflated.
Hiccup continued to give them stink eyes as they sat down, with a safety distance of two chairs around him. He eyed his cousin with suspicion. Snotlout still stared at him, but seemed in a good mood today, which meant his father was off the island. He even chuckled.
“Nice to know there is some fight in the terror of yours.” Snotlout commented as he sat down.
Hiccup was ready with another snarl, but Snot lifted his hand, calming, “No no, you misunderstand. We've all been there.” The rest of the table nodded, making Hiccup even more uncomfortable “I remember the growing days. They sucked, I basically stayed home. Hard core of you show up.” Snotlout shrugged, unnaturally friendly. 
The twins nodded. Hiccup gave them all suspicious glares. He was pretty sure his dragon eyes were out but he did not care, and neither did Toothless. He was too tired, too much in pain to care. 
“Yeah I remember one time...” Tuffnut launched into an anecdote where he wanted to knaw his own leg off, and how his sister offered to do it instead.
Hiccup sat the entire lunch stunned as the friends talked and joked around him like he was part of their flock. Fishlegs chipped in with a story from his history class, where one of the nadders sneezed and sat fire to his book. The others laughed and continued talking about their classes. Hiccup did notice that Snot kept looking at Astrid, who pointedly ignored him. Maybe she had talked to him. Got him off Hiccup’s back for now?

Hiccup felt skittish and wanted to run away, but Toothless kept him in his place, backing him up and reassuring him, as he slowly ate his lunch. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw movement. Not a lot, but a flutter. Discreetly he dropped his napkin and bent down to look under the table, where he saw Ruffnutt's right legs basically vibrating. He remembered the feeling he had last time he saw her and took a moment to look at her. Her left eye was twitching, but she covered it up by blinking at the right time. Her fingers were twitching, fidgeting, always doing something, while her eyes darted around the room, to her friends, her brother and her lunch, not knowing where to focus, while she sat silent and let the other do the talking. 
He did not know why, but he asked her anyway, going with the impulse he now had come to recognize as a push from his night fury.
“Hey Ruffnut.” The whole pack turned to look at him, stopping what they were doing giving him all their attention. Hiccup extended his closed fist and opened it to reveal the bundled up napkin. The others grunted disappointed but Ruff’s eyes were focused on the ball. 
“Bet you can't hit the trash can over there.” Hiccup dared. Ruff’s eyes followed his eyes and saw the trash can, where at least a dozen people were passing by. 
“Oh yeah?” A wicked grin spread over her face and she lifted her arm to throw, but Hiccup interrupted her, also gaining the attention of her twin.
“Without hitting anybody.”
Both twins turned to look at him confused. Hiccup’s smirk was undeniable but he had them now.
“Anybody can hit a fool in the head, no the real trick is not to hit anybody.”
Tuff and Ruff eyes darted around the student bodies that hustled past the can.
“Now that takes skills.” Hiccup twirled his fork around lazy.
“I can do it.” Ruffnut said, almost breathless. Something flashed in her eyes, and Hiccup snorted.
“Oh yeah?” Hiccup mocked her with her own response. Ruffnut snorted herself and stood up to better take aim. Her brother watched with undivided attention. His hands completely still on the table. Ruffnut went to her tiptoes, and let the paper ball fly. Their table followed the projectile and Tuffnut high fived his twin. Ruffnut cheered triumphantly, when the ball hit it’s target. 
“Bet I could do it better.” Tuffnutt protested, standing to match his sister. Ruffnut crossed her arms.
“Well too bad, No more balls.”
“Actually.” Hiccup snarked. They both focused on Hiccup.
“There are balls all around.“ He made a vague gesture to their surroundings.
They all looked around at the discarded napkins around the tables. 
“Here are the rules.”
They snapped back to Hiccup again, ready to receive the information.
“You have to stand where you picked up the napkin! You get full points if you hit the can in one go. Minus points if you hit a person on the way. You have to the bell rings. Fishlegs will take points.”
Fishlegs looked surprised and a little scared but nodded. Confident Hiccup mirrored him, as he started the countdown. “Ready? Set. Go!”
Then the twins were off, and Hiccup forced on shifting his heating pad over to his other leg. 
Fishlegs, Astrid and Snotlout stared at him with open mouths. 
“What?” Hiccup asked, a bit annoyed.
“How did you do that?“ Fishlegs pointed a shaking finger at Hiccup.
“Do what?” Uninterested in the conversation, Hiccup bit into his sandwich. 
“That! That !!” Fishlegs kept shaking his finger at the other boy. ”You managed the twins!!” They all looked at the twins as they ran around clearing out the napkins. “They are cleaning up!!” Hiccup took another bite as Fishlegs shrieked at him “Voluntarily.”
Hiccup just shrugged as Tuffnut shouted “What's the score?”
“You're still tied, better hurry up!” Hiccup shouted, then went back to his lunch. 

When they left the cafeteria all the napkins were cleaned up and Tuff and Ruff discussed who won, on each side of Hiccup as he kept insisting they were tied, showing off a paper with a random number of tied lines. Ruff gave him a grateful smile and Hiccup winked at her. Behind them Astrid missed a step, making Fishlegs grab her so she did not fall. Hiccup looked back at them, but Astrid glared back, so Hiccup quickly looked away. 

He left the others to get some stuff in his locker for his next class. He was not prepared for the fist that knocked into the looker beside him, making him jump. Then he was lifted by his collar. He knew it had been too good to be true. 
Snotlout growled at him. “I don't know what you're up to, but stop it.”
Toothless fumed inside him, but Hiccup could do nothing more, than hold on to his shirt, as it tried to choke him.
“You don't get to waltz in here, with your teeny tiny terror and worm your way into my pack. you hear me.” Snotlout's meaty finger poked Hiccup in the ribs, with only the hint of claws.
“I don't know what you did to get to Astrid, but it stops here. You hear me.“ He shook Hiccup for good measure. 
“Knock it off.” He let him go, by shoving Hiccup into his own locked locker. “Know your place, you freakshow.”
Hiccup coughed and chopped, feeling his neck bruising as Snotlout walked away. The dragon in his mind buzzed, and a headache he had familiarized himself with, threatened its way back. Small things.
Hiccup needed the attacks to stop, or else Toothless would take it into his own claws, and Hiccup was not sure Snotlout would survive if it happened. He needed to master his talents. At least to put up a fight. He had to do better.

Chapter Text

Hiccup wished that he had the ability to speed up time, and just get to the end results, because dragon training was agonising. The shift took an enormous amount of energy he didn't have, and the feeling to force his dragon appendages forth was a gruelling and sometimes painful task. And that was just listening to Mildew's lectures about it. Doing it was so much worse. But at least now he didn’t hide back at the end of the line. Astrid always put herself next to him, no matter where in the line he stood. And where Astrid went, her pack of friends went as well. Fishlegs always sent him encouraging smiles, and the twins grinned at him, still asking when he was gonna blow. It was a nice alternative to getting pushed around. Well Snotlout still pushed him once in a while, and stared hatefully at him every chance he got. Now Toothless also managed to get a growl in or two, and it rattled Snotlout enough to leave him alone for a day or more. Unless Astrid was near. Then Snotlout kept to himself. Also it helped that Football season was well underway and kept Snotlout busy with training and running. 
Astrid has also turned out to be a whole new source of information. She still held the record for most shifted in training, but now she would tell Hiccup when he asked her for tips. She tried to explain how it felt to shift, and Hiccup would try to manifest his dragon's abilities by pure thought alone by trying to emulate the feeling she described. But still it did not help. If he managed to shift, force his wings or tails, the change hurt, and left him breathless and drenched in sweat. Nothing like the effortless shift Astrid had mastered. Those times made his growing pains worse.

Mildew and the books were no use, with their “10 easy steps to become a fullfleched dragon shifter”, which basically boiled down to one thing.
“Yell at your dragon.” 
“Utter and foremost control!!” Mildew would shriek to the class, spit and saliva flying from his moustache. He turned to chew out at Hiccup and his lacking progress, only for Astrid to turn her dragon eyes and scaled face at him, holding a protective arm in front of Hiccup, emitting a low, but threatening hum. Mildew would then suddenly decide it was time for coffee. Astrid would smirk proudly at Hiccup for approval, as it was clear it was not only the human preening. Hiccup would thank her politely, and wonder if he could do it without her. He felt small as she kept trying to cuddle him. A part of him enjoyed the attention but his dragon part roared for independence, still it was clear. Stormfly would not let any harm come to them, when she was near. She was a strongly protective nadder, linked to an even more loyal and fierce protective girl. A dangerous combo.
His training time had also shrunk, now that his father was driving him to and from school, and either home or over to Gobber, where it was harder to slip out to the cove. The police chief had gotten out of his way to shift his schedule, so he could pick up and deliver his son, even if that meant he took work at later hours or at the weekend. Hiccup appreciated the effort. It was a nice change in a way to get to spend time with his father. While driving, his father would rant about Skullcrusher, and about the feeling and crushing his first bolder with his face, or smelling out a fox over a four miles away, or blowing fire for the first time. Hiccup ate up every word. While the talk was very one sided it was nice. Hiccup had talked more to his father these last two weeks, than what felt like years. It felt good. 
The way his father talked about his dragon was very different from the way his teachers did. There were control yes, but in the way it was all about trust. And the bond. Toothless also seemed to enjoy the sound of Stoick's voice, because when the man first started about dragons, Toothless quieted to soak it all up. It had all come naturally to his father. The change, his dragon. It just fit together for him. He had not fought his dragon like Hiccup had. Fought every step of the way. Hiccup envied that. 

He sat in his clearing drawing dragon figures in the dirt with a stick, thinking with the pleasant mull of Toothless cooing in the back of his head. Today had been awful at dragon training. Astrid was not present, as she had some other activity she had to do, and she was so far ahead of the rest of them, that Mildew hadn't complained. That and Astrid scared Mildew shitless since their encounter in the supply closet. Without Astrid as protection, Mildew had stood for over half and hour and shooted at Hiccup, and then consequently Toothless, because Mildew addressed his dragon directly by yelling in Hiccup’s face by calling him a useless, minor maggot dragon, with no chance of becoming a real shifter. To Hiccup’s surprise Toothless had yawned and ignored the man, knowing the man was baiting them to get a reaction and a dragon talent forced to the surface. Hiccup had a harder try ignoring him, and the words that still echoed in his head hours after he snuck away from Gobber’s workshop. He had though felt a smouldering heat emanating from his core, getting hotter and hotter in his gut, the more Mildew talked, with the desire to spit it in Mildew’s face. But his saliva had felt unnaturally hot, and knew that he would never live it down if he spit a teacher in the face. He got the same impulse now as he sat here thinking about it. This time he followed through, and spit a blob out on the ground and pushed himself from his spot.
He did not notice how the spot his blob had hit, started to sizzle and singe, a little smoke puff leaving it.

The more Hiccup got worked up, the more it ached in his mouth, and he had to open it panting like a dog. Toothless cooed comforting in his mind, but it still did not quell all the anger. He screamed at the sky in frustration, but it came out more like a roar.
Afterwards he felt better, and the aching and warmth in his gut had cooled. He ran his hand down his face, and through his hair, messing it up.  “Why can’t we just fly away.“ He sighed defeated. He felt it more than saw it. A shiver ran through him, and he felt something spout on his cheeks. He scratched the itchy spot, and noticed scales but also small knobs on the underside of his chin. They grew more into almost frills, before growing up to his ears that had now grown into large flaps, with smaller ones right underneath. He felt the length of his face where more nubs grew from his nose and up his forehead. He felt through his hair and felt more edge scales hiding in his hair. They ran down the middle of the back of his head, down his neck and down his back and continued down. His back itched, and he had an impulse to shake his shoulder. He shrugged off his green hoodie, letting it fall to the ground before the itching was too much, leaving him in his t-shirt, jeans and boots. 
He rolled his shoulders and felt the weight settled and extended off his back. He knew the feeling. He didn't have to look to know their wings had faded into existence. He wiggled his butt just the tiniest bit, with encouragement from Toothless and he felt the thump behind him as his long tail and fins landed on the ground behind him. He yawned as his teeth shifted. Not retracted, but changed shape at least. He blinked until his eyes felt normal, knowing their eyes adjusted to the dragon sight. He rolled his shoulder, as his skin crawled and round back scales washed over his hands, and his blunt round nails elongated into claws. Still blunt, but Hiccup knew the strength they hid. He took a couple of steps to help the change, and they went down his legs, making his boots sink into his skin, being replaced with more stumpy feet with toes equipped with more claws. The denim in his jeans, ragged and well worn, melted into the dragon hide, making the transition seamless on his legs and to his tail. 
He felt the urge to continue, to let the shift take over, to let go. But Toothless also felt his hesitation and stopped. Hiccup blinked into consciousness, from the dreamlike state the shift had put him in. He stretched his limbs, wings and tails and clenched and unclenched his claws trying it out. His brain was still not quite caught up with what his eyes were seeing. His dragon eyes.
He inspected his scaled arm, and turned the arm lazy. He scratched his ear, feeling his large ear flicker with the touch. They turned around, listening to the sound of the nature around him. A soothing calm ran through him as Toothless hummed content.
Hiccup eyes widened as he realised.
He yelled, almost toppling over, as he scrambled to get over to the lake to look at his reflection. His phone had dropped to the ground with his wallet and keys. The metal, and electronic, not merging well with his dragon form. He was too distressed to notice right now as he stumbled over to the water surface. He expected to fall, but the tail did its work and kept him balanced as he wandered. Swishing from side to side behind him, having a mind of its own. Hiccup was vaguely aware that Toothless controlled that, more than him. 

He started down at his reflection in the rippling water. Green eyes, and a half shifted face looked back at him, radiating the same fear and confusion as he felt. He had shifted. ….He had shifted. It didn't hurt. It had been natural.. He had just….. Let go. Let Toothless feel him and then….. This. 
An almost full shift. He was just as much shifted as Astrid had. Maybe a little bit more. He hadn't forced it. He hadn't commanded the change, he hadn't even asked Toothless to change him. He just…. Wanted to fly. It couldn't be that easy….could it.
To just...let the dragon decide. Meet him halfway. There had to be a trick to it. How? There had to be a catch. What? How…? And Toothless had stopped. He had not been taken over  by the dragon. The dragon listened to him. Hiccup chuckled disbelievingly at the reflection. Toothless chuckled with him, and Hiccup felt the dragon's pride and confidence rolled off him, and into himself. He fell back on his butt, and laughed, that turned into snorts, barks and soft roars. Toothless’ glee mixing with his own, only enhanced by his partner's success. Hiccup rolled around on the ground clutching his stomach. The wings and tails thumping on the ground. He had never been so happy. 
“Wait!?” He hesitated and sat up. “How do we fly?”

When he stood leaning over a cliff side, going straight down into the ice cold sea, he rethought his life choices. He felt the anticipation and excitement, but mostly he could just feel his own fear and regret. His feet started to move on his own, Toothless eager to take the leap, but Hiccup planted his feet in the dirt resolutely refusing to move and plummet into his miniate and very near death. Toothless whined, but Hiccup fell back on his butt and shook his head, tail twitching.
“NO!! NO way!!” Toothless pulled again trying to get them up and away. Hiccup grabbed the tail and held it towards himself to get comfort. “Nope. Too risky. Maybe we can come back tomorrow with a rope, and then try to hover a bit.“ Toothless snorted. “No, I'm not afraid. I’m being rational.” He peaked over the edge. “I'm not just not ready to jump over a cliff yet.”
A sour feeling spread within him. And Hiccup felt offended. “Of course I trust you.” Toothless rumbled. “I do… I just…” He gave the sea and the rocks on the shore front a look over. 
“It’s just….” A warm confident soothing feeling washed over him and he got up, cursing the useless reptiles. Trembling, he walked away from the edge. The wind shouted in his ears, and the smell of the ocean bores up his nostrils into his nose. Tempting.
Then he sucked in his breath and ran towards the edge. He leaped into the air and over the edge, begging that he had just not made the biggest mistake in his possible very short life.
He fell. 

The winds whooshing around him, making his eyes water, but he also felt the lightness, the happiness of his dragons and the feeling of freedom. He closed his eyes and relished in the feeling of his dragon. “I’m ready Toothless.”
The dragon stretched his wings and caught the wind sending them upwards with a flick of his tail. Hiccup shouted with glee.
They soured over the waves, with the winds in their hair, speeding over gulls, and other seabirds, as they danced in and out of rock formations. Tumbling, somersaulting, souring, up up up, finally free.
Hiccup sighed, almost crying with the feeling, getting to experience this one more time, when he thought he could never do it again. 
A fervor built in his core and he went with the feeling and the urge and opened his mouth, to feel something hot and cracky building building up inside his mouth. He followed through and spit the energy out. A plastma bolt exploded a few metres ahead of them.
Hiccup cried out, but Toothless continued to fly into the ball of melting fire.
They emerged on the other side, a little soddy, but unharmed. His hair and eyebrow were intact, his skin hadn't melted off, even his unshifted clothes had made it.
He laughed triumphantly, and Toothless echoed him. They flapped their wings, going higher, faster, everything. Just  the two of them.

When they reached the top of their climb, they filled up their lungs and roared out.


All over the island the dragons stopped. The dragons turned their head towards the sound, towards the future, for what they knew was coming. Then the humans shook their heads and went about with their everyday business, wondering why they had spaced out for a moment.

At home, Astrid fell down her chair, the roar, the call that still rang in her ear calling out to her to join her, shaking through her. She gripped her mouth shut, fighting to keep the roar resting on her lips inside, so she would not disrupt her parents downstairs and they would come running. But Stromfly was ecstatic, she wanted to roar, wanted to fly. Their pack had form again. They both knew what was coming.

Fishlegs hurled over the kitchen sink, as molten lava, and rocks hit the bottom. He coughed. That was the first time he had roared like that. But he had just felt the urge. Or more like Meatlug had. Something had changed. He spit out another rock, and wiped his mouth.

Ruffnutt and Tuffnut sat next to each other, still coming down from their roar. They had no idea what happend. But it had felt good. Had felt right. They grinned at each other and opened their mouths to roar again. Detention be damned.

Snotlout blinked up at the sky through the grid of his Football helmet. His coach’s face appeared in front of him.
“What was that?” Snotlout blinked. “How did you not see him coming Jorgenson!!!” She scolded. 

Snotlout felt his left side where his teammate had tackled him. Properly a broken rib. It would heal. He let the coach rage out, while he looked up at the sky. He wasn't easy to pin down like this, always on his toes, just something…. Something had distracted him. He shuttered. Something had changed...And he was not sure what. But he could feel the shift in Hookfang. Something was different. He would just have to wait it out to see what. Still the pull to leave the field and fly to the ocean was overwhelming, to scream and to roar to call out. He better stay down, before he did something stupid.

Chapter Text

Gobber had stared a bit at him, when Hiccup returned to the workshop soaking wet, but with a big grin on his face. Hiccup didn’t mind. So what if they landed in the lake. They had flown. Part two, learn how to stick the landing. His shift had ended the moment they hit the water, and his human limbs were pleasantly sore like he had just done a long run. Nothing like the pain he had had before.
He retreated to the dining room, and stretched his body, on top of his usual warm muscle treatment. He could already feel how the muscles were adapting to the change, even more now that Toothless didn't seem to fight over control anymore.
Still he would need to practise. By the end of the flight he could feel the strain, and his shift started to flicker out. They only managed to crash land with half of his dragon shift already gone. Still they had touched the sky and scenced the freedom. They would do it again.
And so they tried, with varying degrees of success. Some time they managed to take off, only to crash right away. Sometimes only the wings and tail sprouted while the rest of his dragon's traits fizzled out into nothing. Hiccup figured it was like training. Can’t run a marathon when you can’t even run a mile. So Hiccup simply practised holding the transformation. Not flying. Maybe running a few rounds around the lake in the cove, but simply sticking out the transformation. And trying it to retract at will and not only when he was dead on his feet of poor exhaustion. Toothless preened at the progress and finally getting to stretch and stroll around. Hiccup kept trying. Kept trying to do better with his flying. The shift came more naturally now, that he knew to let Toothless take control. 
But they still fought for control some times, especially when trying to fly, and that mostly meant crash landing. Into the lake preferably, but not always. Toothless was more adventurous and daring than Hiccup when flying, and Hiccup's fear was trying to get the better of them. 
Still they learned very quickly that Hiccup trying to steer and take control when flying led to crash landings, bruised egos and scraped knees. To put it short Toothless controlled the flying and Hiccup gently leaned into it to help direct rather than steer. Good in theory, harder in practice. 

One time they landed in a grass field that left them unable to move for hours. Not because they got hurt, but simply because the grass smelled….so good. Hiccup’s phone kept buzzing, as Hiccup had failed to show up for dinner at Gobber’s, and it took Hiccup half an hour to unlock the screen in his sluggish state. In the end, he managed to shake the shift off, and his head got clearer immediately. He sat confused in the fields, in a patch where his wings and tails had left a dent in the grass. He almost dropped his phone, when it rang, and he spent the next 10 minutes calming down Gobber, as he ran to his house, apologising for falling asleep in the library. He did manage to grab a couple of handfuls of the grass and dump it in his bag on the way through the cove.
He thought if it worked on Toothless, then maybe it would work for others too.
Hiccup managed to cut the grass into pieces, without dozing off more than a couple of times, and then mix it with other fragrant flowers to mask the smell a bit, wrap them up, and then slipped the small satin bags into dragon's bags, pockets or purses, that he could hear was suffering and needed to relax just a bit. Very small amounts. Toothless approved. The smell helped take the edge off the dragons, and made them more pliable and less likely to strike out and start a fight. 
Was it considered drug dealing, when you were distributed dragon nip behind people's back, without payment. Hiccup hoped not. The small potpourri pouches he left everywhere in school seems to help. He snuck an extra large one into the teacher's lounge just in case, and the first dragon training after Mildew seemed like he was floating on a cloud, sipping his coffee undisturbed and almost not yelling at all. Hiccup made sure to stop by the field to stock up, just for that. 

Mildew was all in all no help, even high on dragon nip, so Hiccup had dismissed him as any real source of information. Turned out Hiccup’s father had been the source of the best of Toothless and his progress. Even if he didnt know it. 
With the sun shining, Hiccup stood on top of the stairs at school, looking out over the parking lot, scouting after his dad’s cruiser. People around him flew past him, like he was not even there. 
Out of the corner of his eyes he caught movement. People jumped around to avoid Ruffnut, who was sitting on the stairs all alone. Toothless moved in the back of his mind from what Hiccup knew was the dragons noticing the distress of another dragon.
Looking around the area Hiccup frowned, but Tuffnut was nowhere in sight. With a pang of guilt Hiccup hoisted up his backpack and sat down to join her. 

She didn’t take note of his presence, and Hiccup tried a more soft approach. 
“Hi.” He said and gave her a soft wave. She looked up from her arms.
“Hey Hiccup.” She smiled, but Hiccup could see it was not sincere.
“Where is your brother?” He tried to sound natural, but Ruff snorted leaning over her folded arms.
“Tuff are hanging out with Snot. Boys time.”
“I see.”
Ruff nodded and scratched her arms. She looked unfocused around, her pupils never standing still, only from time to time where she looked like she listened to something. She kept scratching her forearms.
“Ruff?” Hiccup asked softly, trying not to reach out to stop her scratching.
“Hmmm.” She said indifferently, focusing on something in the distance. 
On edge, Hiccup chose his words with care.
“What was your dragon's name?”
“Barf and Belch.” She said too fast for it to seem natural. Hiccup nodded and scratched his own chin, Toothless restless in his mind.
“And what colour is he?“
“Green.” She answered unhelpfully. A car honk threw him out of his stupor, and he jogged down to his dad's cruiser. He waved at Ruffnut who waved back unenthusiastic, but Hiccup stuck his tongue out at her, and it made her smile. 

In the car he thought about how the green scales on Ruff’s arms had seemed more deep emerald green than the electric green he had seen on her brother’s scales in class. 

After much discussion where Gobber got involved, Hiccup was allowed to walk from school to Gobber’s. Stoick, argued that he should not exhaust himself, and Hiccup argued that he needed to strengthen his muscles or the dragon would win. Gobber opened a can of beer and drowned it, while Stoick and Hiccup half discussed and half yelled at each other. And so the compromise was born. That gave Hiccup more time for practice in the cove, and when Goober was in the garage, Hiccup simply let Toothless peak trough a bit resulting in a half shifted state, but with no wings, and tails to attract attention, letting Hiccup sit doing homework in his simi shifted state, while his dragon senses worked around him. 
Strengthening their bond, and generally putting Toothless in a much better mood.
When he was able to hold a semi-full shift, wings and all, even with a bit of hovering, for over an hour without breaking a sweat, Hiccup turned to focus on his plasma blast. He stole old cardboard boxes, and empty cans and bottles from Gobber’s trash and sat them up as target practice. He tried to get Astrid to help, as her aim was the best in the school, but she was strangely suddenly very busy with the upcoming Track meeting, and a lot of extra collegium work. If Hiccup was honest, it felt like she was pulling away from him. And other times, she was still strongly protective. It was not making any sense.
At lunch and at school she was, if possible, almost always next to him. He was having trouble figuring her out, but she did tell him how she trained her spine shot with Stormfly. That's how he got the idea. 

Still always easier said than done, and he spent the first hour, sending spit balls out his mouth, with drool dripping down his chin to Toothless obvious amusement. The dragon roared his laughter through the whole session. Irritated Hiccup cursed the reptile and spit on the ground. A small bolt left his mouth and made a small burning whole in the ground. Both Hiccup and Toothless jumped in surprise, and the scales stood up on their arms. They sniffed the smouldering spot as it fizzled out. Hiccup reminded himself to bring a fire extinguisher next time. 
Even with shifts mostly under control for now, Hiccup still refused to shift at school. He was not sure how the others would react. He was okay with being a terror. Toothless was not, but Hiccup reminded him that, when people found out he was a night fury, they would be even more impressed. It seemed to stroke the dragon's ego, while Hiccup sauntered around school trying to help the dragons around them. He found a scarf in ‘lost and found’ for a Typhoomerang with a beginning cold. He gave a candybar to a hungry terror, and leant his heating pouch to a nightmare, who had strained his neck. Small things to help and to make things run smoother.
He even got acknowledged for it now. The dragons he helped would nod or smile at him, even thank him sometimes, instead of wishing him far far away. Toothless preened, and sometimes a pleasant purr would room tough their body. Even if the purr was low and barely audible the dragons would react to it, and let Hiccup pass without having to elbow his way through the crowds. Astrid smiled at him every time she noticed it happening when they walked together, and it made small butterflies spring to life in Hiccup’s stomach.

He sat down next to Fishlegs for lunch with a smile on his face after recommending a  dragon dentist to a gronckle with toothache. He felt useful.  

“What are you working on?” Hiccup gestured to the tablet open on the table next to Fishlegs lunch. With a smile Hiccup saw a bowl filled with stones as a dessert for Meatlug.
They had been talking more lately, and now Fishlegs even ran up to him to walk to classes, or just chat. They had a lot in common, it turned out. They could talk about games, tv, melting points of different metals and rocks, science magazines, and the latest “Ivan the dragon viking’ comic that had been released, while the others rolled their eyes, but Hiccup felt he had his friend back. Snot was still Snot, he didn’t know how to talk to the twins, and Astrid was still eluding him despites her bold smiles. But Fishlegs and him fell right back into their usual conversation as years had not passed. Still there was one topic they were both still very interested in. Dragons of course.

Fishlegs didn’t even look up as the other joined them. 
“An essay on what kinds of materials work with dragon shifting and how different materials affect the ability to shift.” He grinned into the tablet, and scribbled something with his stylus. He looked up at Hiccup who was already leaning in for more.“So materials that were more common back in the old viking age such as leather, wool, linen and other fibre based fabrics are easier to shift with right. They just melt right into the dragon skin, whereas fabric made of more synthetic fibres, like polyester can work against the shift, as they are not as natural and take extra effort and energy for the dragon to adapt it into their skin.“ Hiccup nodded along as Fishlegs explained using his hands as he spoke. ”And how metal changes shape, but stays on the dragon in some cases.”
Hiccup halted, eating his sandwich to ask, “Meaning?”, before handing a fork to the twins who were making a tower out of cutlery. Snot glared across the exchange. Fishlegs continued even more enamoured, swinging his own cutlery around.  
“If you wear for example a wedding ring or an earring, the pure metal, it will stay and shift onto your dragon. So you shift, your dragon still has your earring in its ear, or pierced through a horn maybe.“ Tuffnut snatched the spoon out of Fishlegs hand, while Fishlegs continued undisrupted. 
“I’m also kinda looking into material that will hold the shape when shifting, leaving it as a layer on your dragon. But the only thing I can find is metal used for dragon armour, and they would have to craft it to fit the dragon's proportion.” Hiccup nodded interested, while Astrid just shook her head beside him. 
“So, It would be like, if we could make a material that would sift with the dragon, so if you made like a bullet proof vest, it would change shape and just warp to fit around your dragon?” Fislegs nodded eagerly.
“OR like if you have a thing to help your dragon, and you put it on while in human form, and then when shifting, it would move to a place where it would support your dragon, without you having to put on afterwards. Fumbling with your big dragon hands! “ Hiccup added.
The two boys looked excited at each other. 
“Nerds…” Snotlout snorted next to them. 

“What about electronics?” Hiccup asked. He had noticed that his phone never phased for the rest of his shift. 
“I have been looking into that, but I always...argghh..” Fishlegs stretched his neck painfully. 
“You ok?” Hiccup asked concerned.
“Yeah. I just get stiff sometimes.” Fishlegs rolled his neck trying to make the pain go away. 
Hiccup nodded as he listened in. Listened to Meatlug resting and cracking restless inside his friends' mind. He got an idea. A crazy idea, but hey not the first time that happened.
“Hey, can you make your dragon skin come to the surface without it phasing with your clothes?” 
Fishlegs shifted proudly.
“Oh yeah totally, it was one of the first tricks I mastered. Tough gronckle hide.” He chuckled, showing off a rolled up sleeve with brown bumps.
“Can you do it on your shoulder?” Toothless barked in his mind.
“Yeah I can.” Fishlegs chuckled and pulled at his auburn shirt to show off his shoulder that now had changed into brown hide, with bumps and scales.
“Great!” Hiccup stood up and went behind Fishlegs to inspect the area. Fishlegs stiffend a bit nervously at first, but were trying to go along with Hiccup’s weird impulses as they had not been wrong yet.
Snotlout groaned. “What are you doing? Everybody can shift their skin. That's like the first thing you learn? Can’t you not even do that?” Hiccup ignored him, and Snotlout swallowed a spoonful of mystery meat, while he grumbled around the spoon.

Hiccup yipped triumphantly when he found the bump he was looking for, and pressed it.
Fishlegs fell face first into his food tray, sending mashed potatoes and meat splatter everywhere.
The others cried out and tried to duck the spray, but the twins’s cutlery tower crashed down.
“Great! You killed him!” Snotlout protested, slapping his hand on the table.
Tuffnutt grinned, eyes lighting up. ”Awesome!!”
Astrid looked petrified at the scene with her mouth open and food spill dangling from her fork. Ruffnut poked Fishlegs cheek with her knife, but nothing happened.
“Hiccup!!” Astrid howled a dragon hiss on the brink of her voice.
“Relax, it’s just a pressure point. My mom has been researching them all her life.”
Astrid sent him a look that told him that that was not enough, but before Hiccup could defend himself, Fishlegs moaned and lifted his face from his plate.
Hiccup pushed Ruffnut away so he could sit down and lay a careful hand on Fishlegs arms.
“Hey buddy, how do you feel?” Fishlegs felt his neck, as mash fell down his face and landed with a splat on the table. 
“Much….Better actually.” He said carefully before looking at Hiccup. “Meatlug says thanks...She is ...much more…..happier. What did you do?”
“I helped relieve some muscle tension, and let her focus more of her energy on you.” Fislegs blinked at him, but Hiccup continued. “The flow between you should be better now, and who knows, it may even unlock some new talent.“ Fishlegs eyes winded.
Tuffnut grabbed Hiccup’s arm.” Do me next. I want to shoot fire out my fingers.” Ruff pulled at Hiccup’s other arm. ”No me!! I wanna be able to shoot lasers out of my eyes.”
“Guys…” Hiccup tried, while being pulled back and forth between them. Astrid slapped her fist down.
“Nobody is doing anything. Let him go!!” 
The twins reluctantly let Hiccup go at Astrid’s bared fangs.
“Guys, I only know that one trick. The point is different for every species, and does different things in each dragon, and I don’t have my mother’s dissertation memorised where she explains more.” The twins' eyes glazed over uninterested, and Snotlout groaned.
“She just showed me the one because gronckles are more common.” Hiccup tried to explain.
“So pretty useless in other cases.” 
Hiccup shot Snotlout a glare, but his cousin smirked and leaned back in his seat crossing his arms. 

Valka lit up when she saw the name calling on her phone.
“Hi Honey, so good to hear from….”
“Mom, can you send me your dissertation on dragon biology and energy flows?” Her son sounded extra energetic and talked faster than Valak could process.
“Well of course honey, but…”. She didn't manage to say more, before her son hung up the phone.
“Thanks mom gotta go. Love you bye.”
The line went dead with a long bip. Valka looked down at the satellite phone.
“Bye son.” She said to no one. 

Chapter Text

Hiccup felt the fear sink into his bones as he looked at the obstacle course. The bustling and humming of excitement echoed around him from his classmates, but Hiccup felt the need to run a hide far far away from this. 
“Move!” Hiccup jumped as Snotlout pushed past him to get at the front of the crowd to take up start positions.
Mildew had decided that his students were competent enough to hold their shift enough to actually use their gifts to complete an obstacle course. 
The course was located next to the football field and was normally used for dragon racing. 
It utilised the player’s strength and gave them opportunities to hone and enhance their dragon’s power, agility and speed. 
There were a number of poles, one first had to climb to the top of, then run between, using the tops as foot holds, without falling down. Then use dragon wings to soar down to the next platform, or simply jump down and swim to the platform for more water based dragons. If you were neither of those, there was a sip line. A number of hurdles to jump, fly or climb over, or slide under. A rope net to walk, or swing from to move on in the course. A target range where hitting the right target opened a trap to the next level. The whole course was covered in a decent amount of dirt, so it would get muddy by the slightest sign of rain, which on Berk was quite often. Hiccup thanked the heavens for the clear sky and shining clouds with no rain in sight, since the storm last week. They had at least three days of sun left in the year. At least. Hiccup looked at the court and thought it looked like a mix between a military camp and a crossfit race. 
The students would be measured by their use of dragons skills, speed and ingenuity to complete the course the fastest. Two teachers' assistants were placed around the course to help judge the victims. Or students. Hiccup had a feeling that for Mildew they were one and the same. To intensify the chaos and competition, all students were released at the same time to see who would reach the finish line first. 
It was not the first time they had tried such a course. But it was the first time they tried it where everybody had at least some kind of shift ready to use. They were pulled out once every autumn and one every spring, and Snotlout has won every time. Today he wore a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt that said “If you can read this, you have already lost.” in the back, and “1#” on the font. 
Hiccup pulled uncomfortably at his own green long sleeved t-shirt, black shorts, and leggings underneath. It was autumn, why was everyone dressed like it was still summer. He bristled and agreed with Toothless, that they were the only sane pair here. 

Astrid for some reason did not participate this time. She said she had practice, then she squeezed Hiccup's shoulder and ran off, leaving Hiccup alone with Snotlout and the gang to fend for himself.  
Snotlout sent him a sink eyes, and the twins grinned their usual manic grin. Fishlegs gave him a small wave. It was weird somehow having become part of their pack. The other groups of students filled out into their own groups and packs avoiding Hiccup.
With a sigh, he slugged forwards next to Fishlegs, who had saved him a spot as Mildew spit out instructions. 
“On the count of three, Mr. Mason will fire the start shot and….” Hiccup tuned him out. He could feel Toothless restlessness underneath his skin and how the dragon urged to run, climb and claw. To win. Hiccup looked sideway towards his cousin who was laughing while he slowly pulled a finger across his throat. Hiccup rolled his eyes.
“Haddock!!”  Hiccup jumped up at being addressed. 
“Yes.”
“As you have shown no capability whatsoever, you will go into the back so you don't get trampled by the other dragons.” The rest of the students giggled, but Toothless hissed.
Hiccup managed to trap the hiss and instead spat out. “I can compete. Let me start with the rest.“
“I'm not sure that's a good…”
“Let me start with the others.” Hiccup commanded the weight of his dragon behind his words. The dragons nearest him choked on their giggles. Mildew looked puzzled for a moment but then sighed. “Fine. I hope you have insurance.” 
Then he walked away to start the race. Hiccup fell in tow with the rest to take up positions. 
“Hey!” Snotlout barked at him as they got into start positions. “Astrid is not here to protect you anymore. Enjoy my dust.” Then he laughed, but Hiccup ignored him, his focus on the track, dragon eyes darting around to find the best path. He knew, when the shot was fired, the first few minutes would be chaos as dragons would fight each other to hold competition back and get a head start. Hiccup would have to get out of the fray and then ahead. 
No wings, no tail, no scales. They could do this. Toothless inhaled with him as they grinded their feet into the ground. Hiccup could feel his eyes and ears falling into focus, downing out the crowd around him to focus on the goal. Taking the victory and squashing it into Snotlout’s face. 

Mildew counted down, and on the last count, Hiccup squatted down and as the shot fired jumped back, as everyone else around him jumped forward to graped the nearest opponent. 
While the other dragons engaged in an alright brawl, teeth, claws and wings out, Hiccup ran around the pile to the actual track. He felt the strength tighten in his legs as he started to run, jump over hurdles, slide under obstacles and his nails elongating as he grabbed the first post. They heard the struggle behind them as the first dragons got out of the brawl and started catching up, but Hiccup and Toothless were already way ahead of the others. 

With Toothless help, they scaled the pole and started running across the others, feet hitting their mark every time. His ears sang listening after the change in the wood, not to hit weak spots, and his green eyes zoomed in on their target. A roar interrupted their concentration and they had to jump over to a pole two feet away and Snotlout jumped past them. His dragon teeth were out, horns on his forehead and scales scattered across his skin. He jumped across the last pole, shot out his arms that extended not quite wings and he took off. Hiccup growled, but got his balance again as they jumped after him, grabbing the sip line. The landed only seconds after Snotlout and then tore after him, jumping a few more hurdles before grinding to a stop at their target course. While Snot just started firing at random hoping for the best result, Hiccup took a moment to look around. Squared rooks on different heights with a target on top each, scattered between boulders on a rock bed.

The target changed, he knew, and he started to look for the signs of the hatch instead. A small indentation in the rocks bed caught his eyes and he ran over to stand on top of it. Out of the cournet of his eye he saw the smallest target he had ever seen, hidden in between the larger rocks and even larger target. Hiccup grabbed a small pebble and threw it with pression at the target. The earth gave out under him, and Hiccup tumbled down into a net suspended over a mud pile. He barely had time to get his bearings before something large fell over him as well, making him move and almost fell out of the net, had he not grabbed the edge. Snotlout grinned and started crawling on his belly across the net, his hands extended into claws making it eager to grab the net and pull his body easily forward. 
Toothless hissed, and sunk into Hiccup’s arms making them go just as fast. While Snot crawled over then, they swung and grabbed at the net, hanging just below him, almost at the same speed. Hiccup was weaker and it took more effort for him to shift his grips, but Snotlout was clumpy and kept slipping in the net making him slower as well. Snotlout got to the end first, and simply rolled down the net to the ground. Hiccup was on the other side and had to first get on the right side before he could copy Snotlout and slide down as well. He could hear the other student falling down into the net behind them, the weight making the net jump each time, further troubling Hiccup. With a grunt he reached the bottom and ran to catch up with Snotlout, just 600 metres and a couple of hurdles and he would be at the finish line. 
He took off, Toothless roaring. With a couple of strides he was up next to Snotlout. As Snot went over, Hiccup went under a hurdle. Body rolled around another one, only to see the finish line so close. Hiccup heaved, his legs burned, his arms felt like they would break off, the finish line was within sight. He pulled with the last grunt of extortion and sped up, only for his legs to disappear under him. He took a tumble, rolling a couple of times to spare his body the scrapes. He shook his head confused and got up onto his knees. Heat builded in his core as he saw Snotlout pointing to his back as he ran over the finish line, long dragon tail swishing behind him. Hiccup’s vision was still fuzzy after his fall, but he ground his teeth together to get up, Toothless roaring in his mind. He took a step and then halted as disinnes blurted his vision. Toothless wined in desperation, and Hiccup heard a couple of students run past him over the finish line, as he got his barings. He ended up passing the line with the main portion of the group, nothing to brag about, but not with the last stranglers that was still stuck in the net. The twins danced around Snotlout as he flexed and kissed his muscles.
Mildew looked him up and down as Hiccup leaned on his knees catching his breath. 
Hiccup felt the urge to spit him in the face. But the older man just scratched his nose, and signaled something to one of the assistants, then went over to the next student. The assistant handed over a paper for Hiccup to grab. Hiccup pushed his sweaty hair out of his eyes and looked at his evaluation.
“00” His eyes widened in disbelief and anger. He turned at Mildew, Toothless hissing. 
“I was first and second for most of the race. I finished the race!” He trotted up in Mildew’s face, feeling Toothless bobbeling close to the edge. To his credit Mildew looked a bit frightened, but it quickly got replaced with a scowl.
“This is an obstacle course for DRAGONS….” He said slowly, like he was spelling it out for Hiccup. ”You showed no use of your dragon, therefore you failed. You have a dragon. Use it!”
Then Mildew shoved off to yell at the next student, leaving Hiccup with his mouth hanging out. He crunched the paper in his hand, the sound cutting into his ears. A large hand landed on his shoulder and he turned to see Fishlegs giving comforting pats. “Good race!” He said. His ears were still gronckle, and a large dragon tooth hung from his mouth, and he had large patches of tuff, bumped skin. 
“Thanks.” Hiccup huffed trying to calm his thumping heart, and raging dragon. “You too.” He added as an afterthought. 
Fishlegs rolled his eyes, and shoved him playfully with his shoulder, winking before he ran up to Snotlout. Many around them followed suit, lifting Snotlout up above them chanting. “Snotlout, Snotlout, oye, oye, oye!!!” 
Hiccup’s throat burned. It was just unfair. For once he had had a chance, and Snotlout blew it for him. 
Hiccup heaved as the anger finally boiled over, feeling something build up in his mouth, and he spit it out, hitting one oh the post of the finish line. The assistant who was dotting down the last results screamed as Hiccup’s fully formed plasma bolt scorched the wood and left a large sizzling spot on the ground. 
He looked frightened over the top of his clipboard at the still heaving hiccup. Hiccup looked around. No one else had noticed, everyone was too engrossed in celebrating the winner and Mildew shouting at them to keep it down. 
Slowly Hiccup lifted a finger to his lip and looked at the assistant once more. Toothless purred. The man nodded, still hiding behind the clipboard. Then he got up, and walked away, nose down in his papers ignoring them.

Chapter Text

Next, he sat up the target practice again in the cove. Felling the fire warm up deep in his core before firing the plasma bolt out of his mouth tasting the char, and energy on his tongue.
Hiccup knew he could hit them. He knew, with Toothless eyes and precision, he could hit it. It was just a matter of building up the plasma in his mouth and keeping it there enough to form a ball big enough to fire. Last time he had fired in anger, but he couldn't keep that method up. It had been an impulse, just like the first time they had flown. And he hasn't been able to do it since. He would have to do it again, without the anger. He didn’t wanna be dependent on being angry all the time. It was not worth it. There had to be another way. Like he had found his own way with flying, with communication with Toothless, with shifting. There had to be another way. He just had to find his angle. 

Astrid had ambushed Hiccup the moment the class was back at school ground. Hiccup lagged behind after waving Fishlegs off and dragged himself into the locker rooms long after everyone had left. 
Astrid smacked his locker shut in his face. “What the hel!!” She screamed. 
Hiccup jumped in fright, making a very manly and not at all high pitched scream. 
“Astrid!!!! You can’t be here, this is the boy’s locker room!!!“ He chided, holding up his towel as a shield, even if he was fully dressed, in his now dirty and sweaty workout gear. 
“You let Snotlout win!!” She snarled.
“I did not let him wind, he cheated !!” Hiccup snarled back.
“Of course he cheated! What did you expect !!” She showed him a flash of fangs. “You need to stop overthinking and just do. He has dragon powers, and has won every year. Of course he's gonna cheat.”
Hiccup flashed his own dragon teeth, which was less impressive as they were indistinguishable from his blunt human teeth.
“Think of what his father would do if he didn't win.” Astrid hissed.
Hiccup faltered. “You know!!”
Astrid gasped. “You know!!” 
They looked at each other for a moment as the severity of the situation fell on them like a heavy blanket.
“I patched him up a couple of times.” Astrid revealed, leading up against the locker next to Hiccup’s. 
“And you never told anyone!!” Hiccup accused.
“Neither did you!!” Astrid screeched, scales puffing up. Hiccup huffed as Astrid continued.
“It is his words against mine. One word from him and my reputation would be ruined. You know, what is at stake for me.”
“Is that why you don’t compete in the race?” Astrid remained silent, but looked down at Hiccup's hard stare. Hiccup had tried to say something, but nobody believed him. Not his dad, Gobber or his teachers. If Spitelout was a little rough around the edges, it’s because he tried to raise a son without his mother, and one should give them space. They tried their best. Hiccup had called that dragon dung, and been dismissed.
Hiccup smacked his locker. “You make it really hard to keep truce.” He growled. Astrid matched his growl. 
“Watch it.” 
In the end Astird gave in and shoved him. ”That is not why I am here. “
Her eyes got softer and there was something else.
“You finished the race. And from what I hear. You ruled it. Completly destroyed it.” She gleamed at him, making Hiccup wanna take a step back at her large, round, blue eyes staring at him with… something.
Toothless preened at the praise. Hiccup scratched his neck. “It went alright. Except in the end.”
“Still pretty cool.” Astrid said, rocking on the heels of her feet. 
“Thanks..” Hiccup said slowly, warmth crawling up the back of his neck. They stood a moment just so near to each other. They were so close Hiccup could reach out and hold her hand. He wanted to hold her hand. Her breathing seemed shallow, as she looked at him through her eyelashes. 
“I …” Hiccup croaked..
“Yes?” Astrid’s voice was soft, and sent shivers down Hiccup’s back. 
“I NEED TO SHOWER!!” Hiccup spit out going rigid. Astrid looked confused at him for a moment before her whole face became red. 
“RIGHT!!” She laughed. “I leave you to it...I’ll just.” She started walking away, but her hip caught a wagon filled with basketballs on the way, making it trip all spill its content everywhere. “Ups.. I just..” She took another step and hit a bunch of floorball sticks that clattered to the floor.
“Dang it !!” She cursed and Hiccup could see blue and yellow scales ruffle on her neck. She pushed past the equipment, leaving Hiccup behind hiding his overheated face in his towel. 

As he stood there in the cove his cheeks heated up thinking about it. Toothless moved in the back of his mind, and Hiccup tried focusing on the target once more. 
He cleared his throat and took aim. He remembered the feeling from before. The heat, the power, then he thought of Astrid. Thought about how her face bloomed at him, but also on how she had looked before all that. Proud. She had been proud of him. Toothless preened and purred in his mind. The warmth built further. He thought of Goober patting his shoulder as he fixed a particularly difficult problem at the shop, and then again when he told the client to shove off and behave like an adult instead of whining about the price. He thought of Fishlegs who ran up to him with the newest release of ‘Ivan’ gushing to him and grabbing his arm, wanting his opinion. He thought of the twins, who sat down next on either side of him, when he was having lunch alone and continued to annoy him until he agreed to sit with them at lunch. 
He thought of his father's proud face as they sat across from each other, as Hiccup nursed his growing dragon muscles after they had poured scalding water over them. A much younger Snotlout muffed up his hair as they ran down to find tadpoles. Astrid laughed at his comment at Mildew and the twins looked upon him in awe at his awful sarcastic remark.  
He felt Toothless justle, and more heat gathered now in his mouth. 
Fishlegs high fived him. His father clapped him on the shoulder. Astrid blue eyes shone at him. Her lips looked so soft. Her hand grabbed his arms as she pulled him up, bringing them close to each other. 

Hiccup opened his mouth and fired the plasma bolt hitting the target dead centre. He clicked his tongue and followed up with the next one and the next one, each hitting their mark. 
“Hello angle.” He grinned and Toothless huffed in contentment. He felt his muscle shift, and his skin crawl as he let Toothless take over and wings extending. They took off flying with a wicked grin on his face howling in triumph. Laughter rocked his body.

Chapter Text

Something had bothered Hiccup. Or rather someone. And for once it wasn't Snotlout. 
Things had come down a bit now his brain was not being torn apart by his dragon. Regular flights and being in a pack actually helped. The urge to seek out other dragons had lessened now that he was part of his own circle. Even if that circle contained Snotlout. They had worked out some kind of silent agreement. Toothless did not do his weird command thing, making Hookfang obey his orders, and Snotlout did not take his anger out on Hiccup. Sort of. Hiccup still got pushed around a bit, but everyone around him called it Dragon rough housing, and he could still not figure out how Toothless did the command thing. Sometimes Hookfang just felt like obeying Toothless and keeping the hel out of his way. Mostly when Hiccup was agitated or tired or in a few cases angry. It left the boys in some kind of stalemate, that neither was happy with.  
Fishlegs and him were good. They were friends again. Astrid and him still had the truce so everything was fine. Totally fine, and Hiccup did not spend most of his free time thinking about her. Even if the tension between them could be cut with a knife according to Tuffnut.
Which he tried to do, by throwing a knife in between them at lunch the other day. Astrid had flared up, all dragon up and chased him around the cafeteria throwing spikes after his head.
And that was the thing. Tuffnut was Tuffnut. Chaos and manic, but fiercely loyal even like this. You knew how to expect something unexpected.

Ruffnut was…..weird. And that was saying something. But the more time Hiccup spent with her, the more he noticed. Her brother was cool, unbothered, chaotic and happy. Unhinged, but happy.
Ruff…. Ruff was twitchy. Unfocused and uncertain, especially when she was away from her brother. When they were together she would mirror him and react and feel the same as him, lean on him for support and for guidance on how to act or react. And Tuff never noticed. Hiccup had a theory, but it seemed impossible. But then again two persons sharing a dragon was impossible in itself so maybe. Toothless tingly scenes always acted up around Ruff so maybe there was something she was not telling, but her dragon was trying to communicate. 
He was interrupted by Astrid handing him a plate decked out with food. 
With a nod, he smiled and thanked her, making her scoff, but Hiccup could see the pink tint at her ears. 
Snotlout made a gagging noise behind them, but sat down as well. Tuff made a comment and dragged him and the table into a discussion about lasers vs venom. Hiccup toned them out and focused on Ruffnut. She was having an intense staring contest with her water bottle. 
Toothless moved in his mind. 
Hiccup bit into his lunch and really looked at Ruffnut, searching for the signs of a distressed Zippelback. She licked her lips looking parched. She was clenching and unclenching one hand, while the other remained calm on the table. For a moment it looked like she was gonna use her clenching hand and snap her fingers. Hiccup gasped, leaning back, as he knew Ruff had the head that set things on fire, while Tuff had the one that sprayed gas. Which gave her the ability to make sparks with a snap of her fingers. Hiccup was quite fond of having two not burned eyebrows, so he almost fell over trying to get away. Ruffnut raised an eyebrow at him. 
The others looked towards him at his ragged movement, so he laughed awkwardly at them. 
“Weirdo.” Snotlout commented and went back to shouting at Fishlegs. Ruff had gone back to staring at her water bottle. 
Hiccup looked at her hands on the table. One had electric green scales with a couple of red ones in between. The other hands were a completely different kind of green. And shape. 
Toothless huffed, making Hiccup take a calming breath. He found his phone and pretended to write a message to his dad, while he took a picture of Ruffnut’s hand. 
He plopped the phone into his pocket. He tried not to run out of the room, until the bell rang for class. 

After class was over, he sped past his pack and ran to Gobbers. Gobber almost had a heart attack, when Hiccup smacked his hands down on the garage counter, out of breath and heaving, waking the man from his nap. 

“What happens when you reject your dragon!?” Hiccup heaved.
Gobber blinked at him for a moment. “Simple you' go feral.”
Hiccup shook his head. 
“No, but what if you think you’re doing the right thing, but it is hurting your dragon.”
“Nobody knows as you go feral.” Gobber insisted, with a tone like Hiccup was stupid.
“But what if….?” Hiccup tried to find the right words, but then burst out with it. 
”Do they get itchy? Will the dragon try to come through? Do you lose your mind? Does it mean you may seem a bit manic to others? You know, because your mind is….”
But Gobber stopped him, thunking his fake hand down on the table.
“Nobody survives so long, because they go feral.”
“But what if they…..?”
Gobber dragged his normal hand down his face in despair.
“Hiccup. I love you. You're the closest thing I will probably ever have as a son.”
“Woa deep. Honesty.” Hiccup said with round eyes, but Gobber held up his hand.
“But please.. Shut up.”

Having clearly depleted his most reliable source of dragon knowledge, Hiccup said instead,
“I need to see your Book of dragons.” 
Gobber looked at him like he was disturbed, but got up and found the book for him. 
Hiccup ruffed through the pages trying to find the right connection, letting Toothless gently prod his mind in the right direction as he read. He had been looking for signs of disgruntled Zippelback, but what if he was looking for signs of another type of dragons entirely. 
Toothless cooed, making Hiccup stop to look down at the page his dragon was hinting at. 
He titled his head to take in the new dragon, finally connecting the dots in his head. 
Ruffnut had a different dragon than her twin.

After a few days of spying on the twins to confirm his theory, Hiccup put his plan into motion. He made sure to have a loaded conversation with Astrid, right next to Snot and Tuff getting them involved and in the end, that had them sprinting towards the football field to see who could do the most laps. With those distracted Hiccup had a better opportunity to hone in on Ruffnut. 
“Hey!” He said cheerfully when she joined them outside the cafeteria. She looked at him up and down. 
“What are you up to?” She pressed her lips into a tight frown. 
“Nothing! Absolutely nothing. Can I talk to you for a second?”
She raised an eyebrow at him, so he added, ”In private.”
Behind him someone choked, and Astrid went kinda stiff. 
“I wanna say noooo….” Ruffnut said, tilting her head. ”But I feel like that is not an option.”
“Great!” Hiccup said and grabbed her arm and dragged her a little away from the crowd going inside. Someone made a cut off noise, but Hiccup could not determine if it was from Fish or Astrid. 

“I need to ask you something, and please answer truthfully.” Hiccup said determined. 
Ruff crossed her arms. “I feel like this is a trap.”
“Maybe a tiny one.” Hiccup admitted, holding his index and thumb up in front of his face.
“I can respect that.” Ruff shrugged. “Go on.” 
“Do you have two dragons?”
All colour drained from Ruffnut’s face. She started chorting and laughing “Of course not, what a stupid idea. You are stupid. I’m stupid. This whole school is stupid. Are you hungry, I'm hungry, let's go!!”
She looped her arms around Hiccup and dragged him away. Behind them he could feel Fishlegs and Astrid look at each other before setting after them. 
“Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up.” Ruffnut chanted as they fled the scene. It was more to herself than to Hiccup. She pushed him off, like she just remembered he was here, and whined like she was in pain. Hiccup reached out to touch her, but she smacked his hand away and started to hiss at him. A gurgling sound caught in her throat making her cough. Fishlegs and Astrid caught up to them, but Ruffnut’s uncontrollable coughing was dragging a lot of attention from passing students. 
“Ruffnut, I can help you.”
“You…” She gagged. “Know nothing. Shove off.” She had to lean on a wall for support, she looked more and more drained with each cough. 
Fishlegs looked horrified and Astrid kept shifting, scales flushing forth only to die down.  
Ruff looked greener by the minute. Dragon green, not vomit green. She smacked her lips as the skin started to dry out. Ruffnut coughed and chopped, trying to spit, but with no saliva in her mouth.

“Here.” Hiccup extended a bottle of water to her, which she chugged.
“Now spit” He ordered, making her hold her last sink, and the others swear at him. “What?’”
“Spit.” Hiccup ordered again, feeling his dragon's weight behind the words, making Ruffnut choke on her own spit and spew. 
A beam of hot water exited her mouth in a concentrated spray a few meters long. Hiccup beamed, while Fishlegs and Astrid gaped. 
Ruffnut held a hand to her mouth up to cover it in horror. Then she twisted and screamed. Hiccup could feel the shift in her, as her eyes darted around the room unfocusing, as she fell to the ground and heaved, but he knew he was on the right path. He reached out to her again, but she got up and screamed at him.
“Get the hel away from me.” And then she fled. Around her everyone had frozen, trying to get away from the gagging girl. Fishlegs made an unintelligible noise.
Hiccup gathered up her discarded bag, and ran after Ruffnut trying to catch up to her.  But she just kept running away from him.
“Ruffnut…” Hiccup tried holding two calming hands up. “Please just…” He had cornered her.
“No, stay away! Stay away.” She screamed, thrashing against her own body, eyes shifting colours, and hissed, shrieking and clawing.
“Please…” Hiccup pleaded, but Ruffnut screamed something between human and dragon.
“What the hel! Stay away from my sister.” Tuffnut pushed past the crowd that had gathered,  to get to his sister, who was heaving and choking on nothing. 
“Let me..” Ruffnut got up, and Hiccup stepped in front of Tuffnut, cutting him off with his back.
“Ruffnut, do you trust me?”
“No, I don't!” She screamed manically.
“I am sorry then.” 
She screamed as he picked her up and swung her over his shoulder, using Toothless overwhelming strength. Tuff eyes turned dragon, as he ran after them, sprouting fangs and gas leaking from his mouth. 
“PUT her down!” He roared.
Hiccup ignored them and sprinted faster. He ducked out of the way to outside, over to the large water fountain in front of the school. He ran up to it and dumped screaming Ruffnut into the water fountain, dunkin her under the surface.
She sat up coughing water, with Tuffnut pushing past Hiccup to get to her. 
“What are you doing? Zipplebacks hate water!!”
But before anybody could do anything, Hiccup pushed Ruffnut’s head screaming under water again, forcing her to take in the water. Tuffnut howled as he attacked Hiccup, who evaded him to help Ruffnut up to a sitting position. 
“You!” Tuffnut pushed him and knocked him off balance.
Ruffnut snarled and to everyone's surprise, fired a beam of scalding water past Hiccup’s ear. It hit a metal pole, and melded right through it. Both Ruffnut and Tuffnut started unbelievingly at it. 
“It worked.” Hiccup heaved. Tuffnut looked towards him, devil in his eyes, but before he could make his move, his sister threw herself from the fountain with a cry and ran away. Her soaked shoes left a trail along the way, as her wails got higher. Tuffnut gave Hiccup, one evil look, before thinking better of it and running after his twin. 

Without warning Hiccup was unkindly pulled up by Snotlout, who snarled at him. 
“What the hell, freak!?” He shook Hiccup by the collar, spitting him in the face. “Don’t you dare pull such a stunt again.”
Then he shoved him and ran after the twins. Hiccup rubbed his shoulder and looked through the crowd to see Fishlegs and Astrid looking down at him from the stairs.
“Fishlegs you have to know I ...” But Fishlegs huffed and followed the others.
“Astrid.” Astrid stayed for only a moment, before she toughened up and followed the others leaving him in the dust. The rest of the student body around them started to sulk away, calling him creepy, dangerous and feral. The guilt sat like a hard stone in his chest. He was just trying to help.

Chapter Text

It only became worse. The very public failure out in front of the school, had made people walk around him in a big arch, like he was contagious. They whispered, and froze up when he looked at them, probably fearing he would try to drown them next. Hiccup just wanted to go back to being invisible. There was no trace of the twins, but the rest of the pack returned to class, looking at him like he was a time bomb. Fishlegs rushed past Hiccup, and Snotlout looked at him as if he looked long enough, he could make Hiccup’s head explode. 

Astrid was back to ignoring him. Hiccup figured their truce was up, making the stone in his stomach even heavier. He had just been trying to help. Toothless tried to soothe him, but Hiccup just got more frustrated and agitated by his effort, ending with shutting the dragon off in his mind, making Toothless frighteningly quiet. Guilt and sadness just weighed down on him, and his body felt heavy as he dragged himself to class. His classmates stared at him, whispered behind his back. Hiccup could feel their stares drilling into his skull. He just wanted to go home. To hide away, and forget everything. He had just tried to help. It worked. Ruffnut had spewed hot water like he had predicted. Maybe not the best execution of his plan, but it had worked. Why did it feel so wrong, to be right for once. His ears were drowning. Had he really done the right thing for Ruffnut? Or just the right thing for him? Because once again he had the need to make sure he was right? To be better. Better than all of them.

Didn’t mean it was right of him. But the dragon had been suffering, Hiccup reminded himself. Maybe now Ruffnut would not wait until her dragon was dehydrated to ask. Or maybe he just made things ten times worse for her. Again. Did he make it worse? Again? Was he making things difficult for her? For the pack? The pack that he forced himself into? Did they even like him? If they had ever liked him, that was gone now. They had all looked at him like he was a monster. Like he would hurt them. He was not trying to hurt them. He was helping. He was just trying to help. To be useful. He was not useless. He was not….. There was something poking at the edge of his conscience. Toothless was still eerie silent, so it was not him. Hiccup had told the dragon to shut up and it had. But what if he never wanted to talk with Hiccup again. What if it became silent again? What if he became soulless again? 

Hiccup buried his head further down in his folded arms. The annoying thing poked at him again. Someone was talking to him. Hiccup did not want to deal with that. He was just trying to help. But he had failed again. He just wanted to disappear. To let the voice leave him alone. For everybody to leave him alone. 
Maybe not everybody. He wanted his friends back, for them not to hate him, not to fear him. He wanted Astrid not to hate him. Not to think he was a monster. Or useless. The voice got louder, making Hiccup annoyed. A warning growl growing in his chest. Leave him alone. Let him suffer alone. He was just trying to help. He was trying to help.
Someone touched him. Hiccup did not wanna be touched. Anger boiled up in him, but the person kept touching him, so Hiccup smacked the hand away, got up from his seat and roared. Roared out all his frustration and anger. Roaring out the grief and guilt. Roaring out sadness and anguish. When he was done he felt Toothless shift in him. Peeking through and wrapping his presence around him, making Hiccup think clearer. His dragon had been worried about him, as the feeling of love and worry washed over him. Hiccup breathed in deeply, settling back into his skin and his dragon. With a clear mind, he looked around. 

He was in class. At his seat. Surrounded by his classmates, seated at other tables.
It had been his teacher, who had tried to poke him, apparently thinking he had been sleeping in class. Not accepting his warning, as she was not afraid of a grouchy teenage dragon, she had continued to prod, and had faced the full-on blow of Hiccup’s roar.
She was absolutely terrified in fear and submission. Her dragon was out, her head bowed in submission, nadder spikes out, scales over all visible skin, as she crouched, her neck exposed. Hiccup blinked down at her. She was shaking. He slowly looked around. His classmates were in a similar state. Hiding behind tables, bags and each other, shivering in submission, varying degrees of dragon out. Fishlegs was shivering, his arms around his head in protection, gronckle bumps popping up like pimples. Snotlout had ducked down under his table next to him. Only Astrid seemed to have tried to resist the submission her dragons had demanded at Hiccup’s roar. Her fingernails were long with talons, that had clawed long indentations in her table, preventing her from hiding behind it. She breathed heavily with the effort, scales and spikes covering her face, only her eyes remained human, as they darted around the room. Scared. Concerned. Hiccup was not sure. He was petrified himself over what he had just done. He was not completly sure what he did exactly, and Toothless was too busy fretting about him to be of any help. He looked down at his teacher.
“Please don't do that.” He stammered, reaching out to his teacher. She screamed and fell back on her behind, more dragon than human. 
“No, it’s okay, it's okay ...” Hiccup cried out, but his voice was taking on a raspy dragon growl, making the students flinch even more.
“I didn't mean to….” Hiccup tried as he looked around his terrified friends. 
“Please go back to your table..” He said and his teacher scrambled back to her desk, 
“Everybody, get back up, it's okay….” But just as Hiccup had said it, students rushed to their seats, eager to follow his instructions. “No, it's okay…” Hiccup said, but it was far from okay.
“I think I should leave.” Hiccup told his teacher, who only nodded wide eyed at him. Hiccup nodded as well, and darted from the room, only barely remembering his stuff. He could feel everyone's eyes on him as he ran, and then the sigh of relief when he left.

He ran to the cove. His feet moved before he knew where he was going. Toothless was restless in his mind. Scolding him for cutting him off, which made Hiccup scold him at whatever the dragon just pulled off in the classroom. They didn't really fight, just growled and screamed at each other until they both were heaving for breath.
“Fine, fine” Hiccup complained. “Keep your secrets.” Toothless made an insulted sound and Hiccup wished he could throw something at him. He sat down at the edge above he cove, dangling his legs over it. He pulled off his backpack and sighed. '
He just wanted to help. Now everyone was definitely afraid of him. He was sure of it. So much for keeping a low profile.
“Well, that’s just swell.” Hiccup mumbled, pulling at grass strands and seeing them flow down the cove carried by the wind.
“It was pretty dramatic, yeah ...” Hiccup shrieked and turned around. He found Astrid leaning on a tree, clearly having followed him. She did not look mad, only calculating. Until she saw his face and started screaming. Hiccup looked confused at her, and she fell back, pointing at him.
“Your face!” She howled. Hiccup’s hands flew to his face and felt the scales that had grown over his nose and cheeks. He flapped his left ear, and confirmed his ears had shifted as well. That explained why Astrid freaked out. She had never seen him shifted before. He knew he was no beauty when he shifted, but still. Kinda rude. Hiccup rolled his eyes at her and stood up.
“Woaw. It's like you've never seen a shifted dragon before.” He sulked.
Astrid got herself under control. She hesitated and stood up, wiping dirt off her skirt. Her eyes flashed yellow, and scales blushed up embarrassed, then she became calculated and mistrusting again. 
Hiccup gave up, feeling a similar annoyance from Toothless. They shook their shoulders and their wings folded out from their back, tail landing on the ground. The familiar feeling of his shift, like a wave of water over his skin. Hiccup pulled at their connection and stretched their wings, leaving Astrid speechless.
“You’re not a Terror.” She barely whispered, awe thick in her voice.
“No I'm not.” He said. A little stone fell from his heart, being able to finally tell someone. Toothless just preened at the slack jawed expression on Astrid’s face. The expression fell into fear, as Hiccup jumped off the cliff, making his wings carry him down into the cove. He looked up at Astrid, who still looked flabbergasted at him. 
“I’m a Night fury.“ He said simply. 
“Can you keep up?” He challenged, basking his wings, making the grass and leaves bow from the winds he created. He looked back up at Astrid with a smirk.

Flying was awesome. Flying together with another dragon was amazing. Hiccup laughed as he flew circles around the half shifted Astrid. She squawked annoyed at him, but quickly got around him, and soared over him, her long talons on her feet gripping after his head, caressing his scalp in a familiar teasing manner, before she dived out of his reach. Toothless howled in elation, and they took chase. They whipped in and out of rock formations on the shore, touched the ocean with their hands, and raced across the forest. Hiccup somersaulted past Astrid, making her hiss at him, but laughing as well. Hiccup was clearly far more trained with his dragon, able to push his limits and do tricks in the air. But Astrid and Stormfly were strong and fast, being able to catch up with them with ease, when they goofed off. Racing with them, not afraid of falling. Astrid was a skilled flyer, not even working up a sweat. She pushed him out of the way, and squawked, teasingly at him, forcing him to quit the act to catch her again. Astrid almost let him each time, only to duck out, and start the game all over. They landed on top of the large rock formation catching their breath, laughing hysterically. Their hair flew around them and the sound of the wind, the waves and the gulls mixed with the cry of the dragon fused laughter. Toothless roared happily, letting the sound past Hiccup’s lips.
Hiccup rejoiced in the feeling of freedom. The smell of the ocean and the wind, as his hair whipped around him. He looked at Astrid and felt his heart swell when she looked at him. Eyes filled with so much warmth it almost hurt to look at her. Her smile was comforting and distracting. She took a step towards him, and Hiccup took a step back, feeling the edge under his dragon feet.
She looked so beautiful, with her hair flying, yellow eyes playing in the sunlight, sometimes gleaming with a hint of blue, a crown of spikes on top of her head, scales scattered around her. 
This was what they always had talked about. Just the two of them, floating over it all, away from it all. Just the two of them. Astrid’s lips looked soft, despite the scales as she took a step forward. But Hiccup let himself fall back over. She roared and peaked over only to see him bomb dive and catch himself last minute, howling at the top of his lungs. She rolled her eyes at him, their dragon eyes made it easy to see her expression even from this far away.
She quickly followed him and they flew skywards again, up, up and up. They broke the clouds racing, heaving their breath at each other. Hiccup grinned at Astrid, arms free while his wings did the work. Astrid did look a little flustered as she had to keep her arms moving as her wings were attached to them. The pink and orange light from the setting sun, coloured the clouds under them in pastels hues, making them look extra soft and fluffy. The sun’s last rays made what remained of Astrid's braid glitter in the light. Hiccup flew closer to Astrid and reached out his hand, cooing at her. She hesitated a bit, but her dragon purred. Then she threw herself into Hiccup's arms, and let him hug her. He held her tight to his chest as he drew their wings further in and then let them drop. Astrid wings had diminished in size to make better room in Hiccup’s arms. She looped her arms around Hiccup’s neck and buried her face into his chest as they spiraled.
“Ready?” He asked and she nodded eagerly against his shirt. The felling did all sorts of things to Hiccup’s heart, but he focused on his dragon, so they could control their flying. Toothless would never let him hear the end of it, if he made them crash because of stupid teenage hormones.
Astrid turned slightly and opened her eyes, looking down at the incoming sea. She breathed in heavily as they neared, and just as they were about to hit the surface, Hiccup and Toothless expanded their wings, carrying them upwards once more. Astrid screamed with joy at the rush. Hiccup laughed as well, and let her go. She jumped from his embrace letting her own wings carry her weight once more. She soared in close, their faces close to each other, her wings keeping her steady in front of him. He hovered himself to stay at her level. She was trying to say something, but her voice came out as a dragon cry. She was too excited to form human words. Hiccup could not help but giggle at her, his own voice mixing with Toothless low grumbling tremble. She looked embarrassed by her lack of control, trying to hit him in the arm with her wing, only to drop because she forgot she had to use her arm for flying. It only made Hiccup and Toothless laugh harder, laughter rolling into a hoarse dragon gurgle. Astrid came back up, and bumped him instead, but he swung out of her way. Her scales flushed up, and there was a rosy hue to her skin under the scales, but she ended up laughing too. When Hiccup got himself and his overly amused dragon under control, Hiccup gestured with his head back towards the cove, and Astrid nodded, making small squawks in agreement. Hiccup’s stomach hummed as filled with butterflies at the smile she sent them.

They had barely hit the ground, before Astrid tackled him.
“That was amazing!!” She sang as she lifted him up and spun Hiccup around, like he weighed nothing. She had pulled most of Stormfly back, but Hiccup was still mostly scales, wings and tail, so the feat was quite impressive, and in Hiccup’s opinion, so hot. She put him down and gave him a moment to settle himself after the roundabout.
“Your dragon is amazing!!!” Toothless preened and Hiccup rolled his eyes at his pridefulness.
“You heard that Toothless.“ The dragon purred at the praise.
“Is that his name?” Astid asked still high on flying, life sparking out of her blue eyes even in beginning darkness.
“Toothless, yeah, that is his name.”
“Not as terrifying, is it?” Astrid remarked, but Toothless gasped, affronted by the comment.
“Yeah, it is nowhere as terrifying as Hiccup, but what can you do?” Hiccup joked sarcastically, making Astrid laugh again.
“But still.” Astrid said between giggles. “Pretty amazing.” She stared past Hiccup eyes and shouted, like Hiccup was not right there.”You’re amazing Toothless.!!”
The dragon was right back on team Astrid, bouncing around confidently in Hiccup’s mind.
Hiccup rolled his eyes, and started retracting his wings, and other dragons parts, before the dragon got too many good ideas. Astrid hummed at him as he did it, staring him up and down with hungry eyes, making Hiccup blush a bit.
“Why do you hide him?” She asked, suddenly serious. “He is clearly amazing, and you're quite good at holding your shift. So… why do you hide him? “
“I am the first Night Fury shifter in who knows how long, and I am not a big fan of being captured and being poked with needles in the name of science.” Hiccup shrugged, looking around for his phone, which had been left behind in the grass when then went flying. “Plus.” He added, as he found the thing and shoved it into his pocket. He then looked at Astrid.
“I don't wanna be judged based on what kind of dragon I have.” 

“I have been Soulless for so long, and I am still the same person. I don't wanna be recognized for my dragon, even if he is cool or amazing. I just wanna be me. Clumsy Hiccup, who presented way late in life. I don't want people to treat me differently, and then be disappointed then they figure out I am still just… you know…me.” Toothless cooed at him, as Astrid looked conflicted at him.
“I won't tell.” She said carefully and took a step close to him.
“I know.” He smiled at her. She took his hand, looking at it almost shyly. Hiccup tried very much to remain calm and collected and not completly panic. She was just … So close. She smelled like the ocean and the wind, where they just flew. Like the chalk she put on her hands before field practice, and something earthy and very dragon. The smell filled him up and made it feel like his heart was gonna beat out of his chest. Her fingers caressed the backside of his hand, and he just stared down at it like an idiot. 
“Are you gonna talk to Ruff.” She said quietly.
“Yeah. Hiccup sighed. “Better apologise to her, and hope she doesn't bite my head off.“
“She is gonna be fine. We all are. “
The words soothed something in him, that he was not aware how much it had grinded on his mind.
“You sure. I think I just made it worse.”
“You were just trying to help. It will be fine.”
Hiccup hummed, not quite believing her. She squeezed his hand making him look back up at her. 
“And for the record. I don’t mind being around Hiccup even if he is just a Terror.”
“Gee, thanks.“ Astrid rolled her eyes, then did something unexpected. She pulled him in by the front of his sweatshirt, and kissed his cheek. All thought processes halted as heat rushed to Hiccup’s face.
“You got this.” Astrid said, hands still tight at the front of his shirt. Hiccup could only nod. 

Chapter Text

The twins did not return to school the next day. Hiccup gathered the rest of his pack and apologised thoroughly to all of them, trying to explain he was not alway in control, when he got those impulses.
“I was really trying to help, and I would never do anything to hurt any of you guys. Not on purpose.” He looked intensely at Fishlegs and Snotlout, while Astrid looked immensely smug beside him. “My dragon seems to be able to read the moods of other dragons, and when there is something wrong, he wants to help. I just want to help.”
Fishlegs looked worried, and Snotlout only crossed his arms harder.
“But sometimes I have a tendency to just act, before I think it through. Sorry.”
Fishlegs accepted the explanation gracefully, but Snotlout was very uncomfortable during the whole exchange. He kept looking for escape routes, and was not sure how to act over for a sincere apology from his cousin. He kept biting his lip, wringing his hands. In the end he settled on, “Don’t pull a stunt like that again.” Then he nodded and walked off. Hiccup counted it as a victory, as Fishlegs swung an arm around his shoulder.
Next he went to see his teacher after classes. She flinched when she first saw him, but got more control over her reaction afterward. Hiccup hung his head, and explained he was very sorry about what had happened in class yesterday, and that he was not sure how to control it yet. Toothless was not entirely happy with him bowing his head, and apologising so many times, as they technically had done nothing wrong. His teacher took the apology calmly, and asked Hiccup if he needed help with his dragon.
“No, we are figuring it out. “
“Still, you presented pretty late, and it is a lot to take in. If you need someone to talk to, my door is open.“
Hiccup nodded gratefully, and left waving to her. He was quite surprised that he was not getting punished for any of his actions yesterday. 

It takes two more days, but then Hiccup spotted the twins at the doors talking to Snotlout. Hiccup gasped and ran up to them to explain and apologise. But the moment Tuffnut got a whiff of him, he grabbed his sister by the arm and pulled away with her, not looking back. He continued to do so, everytime Hiccup tried to come near. So in the end, he gave up. They needed time, so he would give them that. Or rather it would seem, Tuffnut needed time.

Hiccup and Astrid had found a sunny spot outside on the back stairs, leaning in next to each over their language homework. Astrid was trying to teach Hiccup how to pronounce the words correctly, tracing the words with her finger in the book in his lap, while spelling out the syllables. Hiccup was firmly distracted by her closeness, and the movement of her lips. Plus the word's pronunciation was terrible, so it mostly ended in fits of giggles, while Astrid scolded him to be serious with a fond smile. A subtle cough, made Hiccup’s stomach drop and made him jump up and away from Astrid.
“Ruffnut!!” He cried as he turned around and looked up at her, as she peered down at them from the top of the stairs. “Ruffnut, I am so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, and I do not think before I act, and I am so…. Soo… Ruffnut!!” Hiccup took a step closer to the girl. As he talked, her face had gotten more and more stern, until silent tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks. She huffed and refused to acknowledge them, only wiping her nose with the back or her sleeve.  
“Ruff….?” Hiccup asked tentatively, opening up his arms carefully not to spook her. She heaved, then jumped at him, throwing her arms around him, as she shook with her loud, ugly sobs. Hiccup steadied them as she collapsed in his arms. Stroking her back, and hugging her tight, mumbling over and over. “I am so sorry.”
He looked over to Astrid for help, but she looked to be having her oven crisis. She looked happy to see Ruffnut, but her dragon was giving her away, as scales kept appearing and disappearing up her neck, as they did when she was agitated. She looked like she wanted to punch someone. Probably him. Toothless was having a blast over it for some reason.
To quickly deflate the situation, Hiccup asked her to get some water for Ruff, as the crying may dehydrate her. Astrid sprang to the task eager to get away.
When she was gone, Hiccup helped Ruffnut sit down in Astrid's abandoned spot.
“Ruff I…”
“Stop apologising.” She said hoarsely, as she sniffed and wiped her nose again. “You were the only one who actually listened.“ She said breathlessly looking into nothing. Hiccup sighed relieved, and retreated his arm from around her, but still stayed close to her. She snorted and bumped him with her shoulder, and Hiccup grunted and bumped her back with a smile. They sat for a moment in comfortable silence, until Hiccup asked.   
“What is your dragon's name?”
“Belch is Tuffnut’s dragon, and Barf is mine.”
“And?” Hiccup insisted. 
“And …. Scauldy. And you were right. He is a water dragon.” She sighed. “A Scauldron.”
Hiccup beamed. “Nice to meet you Scauldy and Barf.”
Ruff emitted two tones of humming. One for each of her dragons. 
“You have two dragons.” Hiccup said breathlessly.

Hiccup leaned in listening intensely as Ruff talked animatedly about her dragons.
“It’s like Barf is right there, and he is the most consistent most of the time, but Scauldy is on the back burner most of the time. So I can ignore him until suddenly I can't. And then they started fighting. It made it hard to focus.”
Hiccup nodded, as Ruffnut used her hands to gesture. 
“Scauldy doesn't feel the need to shift like Barf and Belch.”
“You can feel Belch too?” Hiccup wondered.
“Only sometimes.” Ruff said thoughtfully. “It's more Tuffnut than Belch. Twin telepathy, I tell ya.” She pointed to her brain with big knowing eyes. Hiccup rolled his in retaliation.
“I still don't think that's a real thing. “
“He said to the girl with two dragons, sharing a dragon with another person.” Ruff snorted. 
“I see your point.”
“Twin telepathy.” Ruff sang, wiggling her fingers in Hiccup’s face. Hiccup snorted, and they both shared a laugh before Ruffnut grew serious again.
“I could keep him quiet by going to the pool, do a couple of laps and spit some water, but I had to sneak out. Then Tuff started to notice and I had to stop. Zippleback’s don't like water. It can cut off their spark. He wouldn't understand. He is so fine with everything, but he is so happy we share a dragon. It would break him to know that was not entirely true. Maybe I stole his dragon…“ Hiccup nodded trying to take it all in. There was still much they didn’t about the dragon bond between Ruff and her twin. Too many variables, no one could say what was actually going on.
“He almost went feral when they tried to put us in separate classes.“ Ruffnut reminisced. “Clawed up the vice principal's desk and everything. I had to help set it on fire to hide the evidence.”
Hiccup bumped her shoulder.
“Yeah, that's why you did it .” He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes, but smiled nevertheless. 

“I think you should start on the swim team.” Hiccup said after a moment.
Ruffnut snorted, but then saw he was serious.
“I think it could really help. Plus you have a water dragon, you’ll leave the rest of your competitors to eat your dust. Seafoam? Waves? I don’t know the correct water based term for that. “
“I do like winning, and I do like leaving others in the ‘sea-dust’” She chuckled. “Alright. I’ll try.”
She raised her arms like she was gonna punch an invisible foe. Hiccup relaxed and leaned back on his elbows.
“Maybe you even get to best some dolphins if you do competitions.“
Ruffnut made a gagging sound.
“Argh… Dolphins. Think they're so smart, with their big brains and big fins, we’ll show them.”
Hiccup smiled at her. “Look at you letting Scauldy out.”
Ruffnut beamed. “It feels good.”
“Good” Hiccup agreed. Ruffnut shuffled closer and Hiccup put an arm around her, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. Toothless hummed soothingly, and Hiccup felt the vibrations coo from Ruffnut's dragons in return. 

They were suddenly drenched in water as Astrid emptied a bucket of water over them.
“Ups.” She said, not seemingly sorry at all.
“Astrid!!!” Hiccup complained, flicking out his wet hoodie. Ruffnut hissed and growled at her in return.

Chapter Text

One down, one to go. Getting Ruff to forgive him had been easy enough, but getting Tuff on the same page was harder. Ruff tried to drag him to sit together with them again, but Tuff still refused, and instead sat with Snotlout. Every now and then, he would send Hiccup hateful stares, partial dragon, filled with an unspoken anger. Snotlout in this case actually helped and distracted Tuff, or pulled him away before things escalated. If it wasn't for those smug grins he would send Hiccup afterwards, Hiccup had thought he was doing it to help. 
Ruffnut tried to talk with her brother. Which turned into shouting matches, which then led to actual fighting matches. It must have continued at home, because they started showing up in school separately. Ruff riding with Astrid, and Tuff with Snot. There were no pranks going around, as all the effort was combined into ignoring and annoying each other. Their silence was deafening. 
Astrid pulled Hiccup aside after Tuff pushed past them in a hurry. 
“So apparently she has demanded her own room.“
“They shared a room?”
“Yeah… Well apparently now she wants her privacy, and Tuffnutt refuses to move out. Their parents have cleaned out their big brother's room to make room. Now they are fighting over it. They won't let the other one leave, but they won't move their own stuff either. “
“Geee..”
“Yeah.. It’s getting pretty grim. At least nothing has exploded yet.” Astrid tried to reason. 
Fishlegs snorted. “That's because Ruff has been spitting water in Tuff’s face every time he is leaking..”
Hiccup grimaced. “It’s making it worse I suppose.”
“It’s not helping …” Fishlegs agreed. 

Tuffnut was clearly boiling over, and decided the best way forward was to take all his repressed feelings towards his twin and point them towards Hiccup. He ambushed Hiccup right after class, when Snotlout was distracted with football training, and Astrid with more student work, leaving Hiccup without his trusted bodyguard. 
“This is all your fault!!” Hiccup yelped as Tuffnut appeared out of nowhere outside the school and grabbed hold of his jacket, lifting him up a good couple of inches to his face. Gas was already leaking dangerously from his mouth. All it would take, would be a spark. 
“If you hadn’t interfered, none of this would have happened.” Hiccup remained silent focusing on the gas. To his surprise Tuffnut crumpled suddenly, clawing at his hair, and pulling off his beanie. 
“She's gonna leave me!!!” He screamed into Hiccup’s face. 
“I'm gonna be all alone, you have no idea what you have done.” 
Hiccup opened and closed his mouth. He had no idea what was going on between the twins, and how to fix it. But he was certain of at least one thing. 
“Tuffnut, of course she is not gonna leave you.” He tried, holding on to the spotted hand that still held on to his jacket. Toothless hummed soothingly, with perhaps a tad bit of warning.
“She is your sister. She is not gonna leave you.” Tuffnut’s fingers grew shorter and stubbier, while his nails grew longer, the tips digging into Hiccup’s meat quite painfully. Hiccup grabbed them, trying to make them let go of him. 
“She is not gonna leave you..”
“She had another dragon!!” Tuffnut said, fighting against each word. 
Hiccup breathed deeply, trying not to inhale the gas. 
“She is not gonna leave you…”
Tuffnut remained silent, his fist still shaking, and his eyes flashing. 
With a loud sigh, his head fell onto Hiccup’s shoulder, and his body grew lax and the scales and talons shrinked, leaving behind a shaking boy. Hiccup reached out, so Tuff did not nose dive into the pavement.
They clung to each other as Tuffnutt shook with tears that would not spill. Hiccup just kept his voice low whispering comforting nothings, while he let Toothless rumble a soothing purr in his chest to help soothe Tuffnut and his dragon.

Stoick’s eyes widened as he took in the scene in the kitchen. Tuffnut was sitting at the kitchen table, face down, sulking, while Hiccup darted around in the kitchen. 
“So….What's going on here?” Stoick asked carefully from his place at the door. He was not used to having company over. Hiccup never brought anybody home with him. 
“Therapy.” Hiccup answered nonchalantly and he popped open the lid of the tub of ice cream they had bought on the way home, and placed it in front of Tuffnut who started to dig in with gusto. 
Stoick looked at the two boys, before shrugging and leaving the room, to get to his evening shift. 
“I invited you sister.” Hiccup said. 
“You did what?” Tuffnut sputtered ice-cream flying from his mouth. Hiccup wiped a spot that had hit his cheek with a flick of his wrist, but ignored the betrayal in Tuffnut’s voice.
“No more hiding. I fessed up and said I am sorry. Your turn. Whatever is going on between you two, is between you two. “
Tuffnut made a dramatic howl. 
“Oh please.” Hiccup scoffed. “Ruff already forgave me. I did it in her best interest.”
“Maybe don't drown people in water fountains. You know. In their best interest.” Tuffnut hissed.
Hiccup made a move to take the ice-cream back, but Tuff bared his fangs at him. Hiccup growled back and Tuffnut let him dig his own spoon into the tub. He was getting better at it. Maybe all the growling at Astrid and Snot had finally begun to pay off.
“You need to talk to her. Scouldy is part of her. And it’s not gonna change.”
Tuffnut grubled louder, maybe a hint of dragon peeking through. 
Hiccup splashed him with a glass of water. “No leaking.”
Insulted Tuffnutt pulled the tub back to him, draggin his spoon around in the mess. 
Hiccup snorted and sat back in his chair, letting him sulk. 
After a moment Tuffnut spoke up.  
“There's something different about you. All of us can tell. You better do something about it quickly. It's gonna be worse if you don't and you're gonna burst.”
Hiccup faltered. Hadn’t been taking care of it. Was he and Toothless not fine anymore? 
Toothless' ear was peeked in agitation, leaving them both unsettled. 
Luckily they did not have to deal with that currently, as the continued chimes of Hiccup’s doorbell started to ring. Quite insistent.  

“You idiot!!” Ruffnut yelled when Hiccup opened the door. She pushed past Hiccup who only just managed to jump aside, then threw herself at her brother.
“I’m not leaving. I'm not leaving. You're so stupid.”
“Your face is stupid. Another dragon sis, really?”
“Like you could possibly begin to understand!!”
“You could try!! I may not be smart like you, but you could try!!”
“I tried so many times to tell you. I just could not..”
“I would get it!! I get you. You get me. We’re twins. But …” Tuff glubbed .''We are also different people. You are Ruff. You will never be Tuff 2.0..”
“I just…. It’s so hard. The other is easier.”
Tuffnut grinned.
“But it is more dangerous. You are you, I am me… We are gonna be alright. Just talk to me.”
Ruffnut had her first cry, and Tuffnut dragged her down to rest her forehead against his. 
“You and me.” He said, closing his eyes and she nodded, closing her own eyes.
“You and me.” He said again, gas filling his mouth. Scalles grew, fangs pushed out and his eyes changed colour. 
“You and me.” They inhaled a common breath. 
“You and me.” Ruffnut agreed and they drew apart, and instead grabbed each other's neck. But where Tuffnut’s Zippelback features marred all his face, Ruffnuts was clawed down the middle. Her right side looked like her brothers. Green and red scales, fangs popping out from her mouth, her eyes an electric yellow with a slit pupil. Her left was different. Her nostril was more square, and the scales on her face were deep green, her fangs small and corned. Her eyes were milky green and her pupil square. 
Tuffnut pulled back and so did she, only for them to bonk their skulls together with hollow sound that made Hiccup flinch. 

After they were done literally bumping heads, Ruffnut was offered a seat in the kitchen and her own tub of ice cream. Hiccup left them to have a moment alone so they could, eat, cry and hiss at each other. They left, not even thanking me for the ice cream. Tuffnut moved into his oldest brother's bedroom the next day.

After that, everything went back to normal. Or how normal it could be, except sometime Ruffnut would seek out Hiccup and they would talk about dragon qualities. Or more precise Scauldron capabilities. She was still trying to figure out how to balance the two. And she thought Hiccup was the best person to trust that with. Even when Hiccup tried to convince he was not. She would sit near him from time to time grabbing his arm, only to make Astrid hiss and growls at them. 
“Why are you doing that?” Hiccup asked her one day. “You know you only rile up Astrid.”
“She had it coming. Maybe she will finally get her head out of her ass, if she gets a little competition.”
“What?”
“For a smart person you're really stupid.” Ruffnut just told him and messed up his hair before flagging down her brother and running off leaving him with more questions than answers. Toothless mocked him. 

Hiccup picked Ruffnut after swim training to hang out. It was apparent something they did now. Tuffnut still refused to come even ten feet close to the building with the pool, so Hiccup offered to pick her up, while Tuff joined Snout for football practice. 
It was nice. 

“I’m glad you're back.” She told him, bumping her shoulder into his. He tried not to wince in pain.
“Back? I haven’t gone anywhere.”
Ruffnut tittered carefree.
“Yes and no. It was always us you know. The six of us, and then it was just the five of us.”
Her eyes grew a bit distant with the memory. Toothless had to humm at him to chase away the dark clouds that started to gather with the reminder. 
“Packs form early.” Hiccup muttered to himself thoughtfully, Toothless purring agreeingly.
“Yeah, and so do roles.“ Ruffnut kicked a rock on the path. ”Astrid tried her best, but she was no leader. She can keep us in check, but it’s not the same.”
Hiccup’s eyes fell down on the asphalt as they walked. 
“There was always this emptiness, where we all knew you were supposed to be. But nobody talked about it.“ Ruffnut admitted, sounding very grave. Her hands moved about as she tried to explain. “To lead us, make sure we didn't kill each other, and used our destructiveness for the good and all.” Ruff chuckled.
“She tried, but it was just not the same. She is too much of a nester. Don't like the conflict, because she can’t resolve it. Just tell us to shut up or shove off.”
Hiccup stopped, looking at her dubiously. Ruffnut turned around, her braids dancing in a wide arch around her, her tone light. 
“Don't you remember. You always came up with all the good games, and Astrid gathered us up and made us fall in line. In a good way. It made sense.” 
She grabbed his arm, and they continued walking
“Even with me and Tuff though, or Snot and Tuff. You always knew how to deflate the situation, making us all friends again. Astrid was never good at that.” 
Hiccup tried to remember what she talked about, but the picture of his childhood was vastly different from her recollection.
“You don’t need me.” He said quietly. 
He was rewarded with another shoulder push.
“You don't get it.” She said loudly. “It was not the same without you.”
Hiccup’s heart felt fuller with the admission. Ruffnut shrugged.
“Snotlout follows Astrid around because he is a creep like that, but Tuffnut follows Snot, and I follow my brother, and Fishlegs follows me.”
“Fishlegs?” 
Ruffnut rolled her eyes as the only response, playing absentmindedly with a braid.
“Yeah. Someone has to talk to him about nerdy stuff, when you are not here.”
She shrugged it off and continued down the path, making Hiccup hurry up to follow her.
“Besides his theories about how alloys and materials affect the shift and how dragons' traits vary and grow though different generations, depending on resources and other benefactors from the environment is pretty neat.” 
Hiccup just stared. 
“What? I am smart.” Ruff said, flicking her braid in his face as she walked.
“My point is… We all follow each other, but!” She lifted a finger to empathise. Then she turned it around and poked Hiccup in the nose with it. “She follows you.”
Hiccup blinked.
“Always have done.” Ruffnut snorted. 
Hiccup sank around a lump that had formed in his throat.
“What are .. how…” He hiccuped, his voice cracking.
“Please, Astrid is a total nest mother. Big time nester.” 
She pulled her phone up to check her messages.
“My theory is that her dragon already laid a couple of clutches back in the old days, before vikings and dragons merged, ya know. She got all those maternal urges she has none to go with, so she uses them on her pack. Well us. And when we were small, it was mostly you. Making sure you got up when you fell, patched you up, made sure you didn’t fall behind. Always sharing her snacks. You know. Stuff like that. Bet it got worse after puberty.” 
Her finger darted over the screen. 
“I have seen other theories like this, and Fish totally agrees. There have been studies about how a dragon having a clutch affects behaviour of their partner, where dragons who have not, behave differently. There have been cases, where some even let their dragon help and carry the eggs for them, and cool shit like that. Not that I think Astrid is gonna pop an egg soon or anything. She needs a male nadder for that. And since she only has eyes for you that would never,  just .... You are looking weird at me…” 
She scowled at his slacked jawed expression. 
“You are so smart.” Hiccup breathed. A lot of the stuff Ruffnut had pointed out was pretty recognizable in Astrid behaviour, even back then. Hiccup thought it was because Astrid had taken pity at him, because he was the smallest. But there may be a deep carnal desire buried in her even then, to take care of young. Great. Even her dragon had taken pity on him. And now when Toothless had appeared, Stromfly took her role even more to heart, even overpowering Astrid’s feelings to make sure Hiccup was okay. He wondered how Astrid felt about all this. Was she okay, or was she annoyed to keep looking after him? It also explained her strange behaviour in the closet and even now. She was a nesting dragon. A den mother. A protective den mother that could throw a punch, but a den mother nevertheless.
She recognized the trait in himself and knew how to help Hiccup, because she properly had the same problems with her own dragon. The need to help others. But she seemed fine, when they went flying together. Not pitting at all. Just all shiny and… pretty.
He felt the blush rising on his face, and scales itching on his neck in embarrassment. He slapped a hand over the spot to cover it up, but the loud smack echoed down the path.
Ruffnut noticed. How could she not. But she said nothing. She only bumped his shoulder again and they continued in silence, joining up with Tuff and Snot so the twins could ride home together.

Chapter Text

Snot was not happy with all the current developments. Hiccup could feel it. Toothless had had to show his face more often to hiss at Hookfang, but it kept them in line, much to Snotlout's frustration. It was clear that the twins' acceptance of the newest addition to their pack, was the final straw for Snotlout. The shift in dynamic was clear. Hiccup could feel the change as well. Before Snotlout had been the leader, the centre of attention and the most powerful dragon to look up to. The others flocked around him. Now, even if Hiccup’s dragon was still undecided, the mystery drew his friends to him naturally. Before, Astrid had just pulled Hiccup along, while Hiccup tried to remain invisible. He was not just a passenger, but a part of the pack. Astrid was the most proficient in school, yes, but she had been a silent watcher in their pack before, because her dragon was in need of a pack. Now, she acted as Toothless second. She reacted beforehand, aware of changes before they happened, and able to carry out actions with ease. The twins used to join in on whatever impulse Snotlout was having. Now Hiccup was able to channel their chaotic energy in a more productive way, seeking Hiccup out for guidance, leaving Snotlout alone more. Fishlegs had never had a strong bond with Snot. They were part of the same pack. But Fishlegs and Hiccup were friends now, so the boy broke out of his shell more. He spoke out more often and came with his own ideas or input, even against the others. Hiccup was kinda proud, to see him blossom into a more confident and smug dragon. Hiccup and Ruffnut apparently listened to his statistics, his rambling and theories and even participated, giving him the confidence to speak up and care more, in a way Snotlout could never understand. 

Snotlout had lost his spot, unable to act the same way around the other dragons and had to earn his place again, now that Toothless was the more central dragon in their pack. Toothless preened at the change, content in the change in power dynamic. Hiccup was still on the fence, not sure about the change, but could not deny that the same things came easier than before. It felt good to have friends again. It made classes like Mildew’s political history passable, when the twins entertained him by hitting Mildew in the head with spitballs, after he hacked on Hiccup in front of the class, because Hiccup corrected him. 
Hiccup wondered, when it would all blow up in his face again. 

Snotlout was clearly ready to let it come to blows between them, had it not been for Astrid keeping them both in check. But Toothless was also ready for a fight. The years of torment and struggles weighed down on Hiccup’s mind, so that Toothless could feel the blow of it. His pride would not stand for it. But Hiccup was not sure it was only his fault, that Snotlout looked ready to blow. 
Football season was well underway, and the team had to win their next game to be able to join the championship. They had lost last time, not because of Snotlout, but because of a bad tactical decision and a serious injury on the team. But Snotlout seemed to think that their defeat was his fault, and it was his sole responsibility to win the next game. Hiccup had suspicions about where he had gotten that idea. There was also midterm coming up, and Snotlout was not doing so well, from what Hiccup had been able to find out. Snotlout always pulled his work away before Hiccup could look, and he would rather die than ask for help.  
Because Snotlout, despite his faults, was still part of the pack, his irritations started to affect Toothless and his weird ‘dragon in distress’ warning signs, meaning Hookfang and Toothless would come head to head, usually in the most inconvenient times. 
Last time Hiccup and Snotlout had come to call over the last sandwich and Snot had tried to headbud Hiccup, but Hiccup had stood his ground and met it head on so the two boys ended in a staredown, foreheads pressed against each other, Hookfang’s teeth bare, while Hiccup remained cold and collected glaring his opponent down. Everyone around them had to take a step back. Dragon skirmishes were normal, but this was something else. Only the Twins started to chant “Fight, fight fight” out of instinct, before they questioned who should win, as it was internal infighting in their pact. A teacher had to be called, but the two boys did not move, even as the rest of the world started to move around them. 

Later that day, Hiccup had picked Ruffnut off from swimming practice, and they went to gather up Tuff who had been hanging out by the football field, while Snotlout was running through the drills. Fishlegs and Astrid had also joined them after their own after school activities. Toothless was agitated, or maybe it was Hiccup himself. He could feel his skin crawling, trying to shift, but they were surrounded by people and Hiccup did not want to risk it. Still the hissing in Hiccup’s head made it harder to stay positive, while he waited for Ruffnut to come up from the basin. 

They went to wait for the other a little away from the football statium, away from the crowds to take the edge of an agitated Toothless, and a muffled Hiccup.
Even when the others joined, they were clearly aware of his mood, even as Ruffnut shouted ”Moody teenager alert!!”
Hiccup snarled at her, not in a mean way, just annoyed, and she barked back making him smile. That in turn made Astrid flare up and push Ruffnut to the side to stand between the two of them for some reason. Hiccup stuttered, flustered and annoyed, when she grabbed his face as to inspect him for something. Ruff was right, Astrid was such a nestmother sometimes. And for some reason, she had been paying extra attention to Hiccup lately. The teenage part of his brain was flattered by the attention, why the reasonable part was embarrassed, that she felt the need to check up on him.
“Astrid pleaseeeeee….” He wined and grabbed her hands. They both hesitated. They did not realise just how close they had gotten. So now they stood awkwardly with Hiccup holding Astrid’s wrist between them, not knowing what to do. Hiccup was paralysed and could only focus on, that he was close enough to count the freckles on her nose, and feel her breath on his face.
A loud thump blew them out of the moment. Hiccup quickly released Astrid and turned to the sound. Snotlout had finished practice. He looked haggard and worn out from the exercise, with sweat over his face, that was red from anger and the effort. He had dropped his duffel bag with his stuff, and had only barely run through the shower. He still had his helmet clenched in his right hand. A hand and arm that slowly started to get covered in scales.
“That’s it….” He growled and threw his helmet down on the ground and stalked towards Hiccup. His friend reacted immediately, reaching out to Snot trying to calm him, and standing between him and Hiccup.
“Hey man, chill.“ Tuff tried. “Don't think about what Coach said. It’s fine. You did great! You're gonna destroy next game… woah !!” Snotlout had grabbed him by the face and pushed him away.
“Hey! Only I can push my brother around!” Ruffnut complained.
Fishlegs did step in front of Hiccup, only for Snotlout to look him up and down, with fang growing in his mouth.
“Yeah you’re right. What was I thinking.” He stepped out of the away fidgeting, letting Snotlout continue his stalking.
“Snotlout.” Astrid warned, but he waved her away.
Instead he waved an accusing finger in Hiccup’s face. Toothless hummed ominously.
“You!! Why can’t you just stay in your lane!!”
“What are you even talking about?” Hiccup hissed, crossing his arms.
“Stop it, just stop it! It is all your fault!” Snotlout pushed past Astrid, to try to give Hiccup a big shove. Hiccup avoided it easily, only making Snotlout fume more. 
“So it is my fault, that you are an unlikeable oaf, that is bad at football.” Hiccup was not sure what came over him. Years of pent up anger and resentment finally overflowing, without the ability to fight back. But things were different now. He could fight back now. He was not afraid of his cousin anymore. Toothless hissed in his mind, every muscle in his large body taut and ready to jump. Hiccup heaved.
“Or that you are bad at school, and the only way to feel better is to pick on your younger cousin, so daddy may like you again.” 
Astrid gasped beside him, and Fishlegs slapped his hands to his mouth so hard it made a slapping sound. The twins grew quiet, too stunned to say anything. 

Snotlout on the other hand found his voice. His face boiled over with anger, and his arms rippled. 
Snot snarled at Hiccup, but Hiccup was ready for him. He hissed as Snot threw himself at him, and grew as they tumbled around on the ground. It was the most complete transformation Hiccup had seen Snotlout perform. His body had grown to his dragons size, limbs extending, spikes and scales growing everywhere. His arms had forked into wings with hooks at the ends, which he used to lash out after Hiccup’s face. Fangs protrude from an elongated jaw in a dragon snout. Eyes squinting into slits, yellow and ominous, with horns on top of his head, where almost all of his black hair had vanished. Still, there was something very human and very Snotlout, about the almost shifted dragon, meaning Snotlout was still in control. He was using his dragon's face, but it was truly his own anger. Hiccup and Toothless were not intimidated. They had more control than Snot did, and Hiccup met Snotlout fist head on with his own, as black scales sprouted all over his body and his face. His mouth grew wider as more teeth made their way, his tongue forking at the end, and his eyes turning completely green, pupil growing bigger and square, before it turned into a slit. A heavy thud echoed, as his long tail landed on the ground behind him, already swishing the big tails fins, and his wings unfolded around him, making him bigger than he actually was. The two boys tumbled on the ground each grasping for the upperhand. Teeth biting, clawing, kicking, punching, as they hissed, snarled and roared at each other. 

Fishlegs and the twins stood frozen, unsure what to do. They wanted to intervene, but their dragons recoiled with the thought. Astrid stood steel faced. Scales and spikes sprung from her face and hair, snarling, and fidgeting, knowing she could do nothing. This was more than just Hiccup and Snotlout. This was the dominance between dragons. 
And Toothless was winning. 

Despite the amount of screeching, clawing and roaring, Toothless was having the clear advantage. The shift between Hookfang and Snot was fragile, and sometimes would shift between dragon and man, while Hiccup kept his shift steady the entire way. Where Snot tried to force a full transformation, Hiccup knew his limits and kept them, depending on Toothless to make up in the areas he lacked. Snot forced his way through, trembling with each exhaustion. 
It was over too soon, and Hiccup loomed over Snotlout with a foot planted on his chest, as the other boy lay pinned on his back in defence. He withered and wiggled to get free, but Hiccup kept him down, foot on his chest, and then a clawed black hand on Snotlout elongated scaled throat. Plasma gathered in Hiccup's gut, before travelling to his mouth. He opened up wide, and Hiccup could see the panic in Snotlout’s eyes. With one last failed effort, Snotlout cried out his defeat and agony, and whimpered. 

Hiccup spit the plasma bolt out beside the boy's head. With a grunt he released his opponent and took a couple a steps away from him, heaving from the fight. His wings moving up and down with each drag of air, and his trail dragging heavy behind him. 
Snotlout scampered a few steps away, breathless and frightened, dragon scales and fangs already melling away as he shrank to his normal size, eyes never leaving the gaping hole where Hiccup's plasma bolt had hit. 

Their friends moved to Snotlout, while Astrid ran towards Hiccup. Hiccup hissed at her, and she stopped dead in her tracks, scales puffing up, her dragon reacting to the warning more than her. Stormfly chippered in response, while Meatlug, Barf and Belch only hummed.
“What…? Are you…?” Snotlout asked with ire, cradling his left arms that were still healing from Toothless claws. Fishlegs stood nervously behind, while the twins had crashed down next to Snot, supporting him. All three of them flared scales, only for them to fall away, just as quickly for them to rise again. 
With a grunt Hiccup heaved. “Stronger than you.”
Astrid eyes winded even though she already knew. Fishlegs mouth fell open in shock, and the twins looked at each other confused. Their scales still rippled so Toothless hummed sternly to soothe the rising agitation and confusion. It worked and all three of them seemed to settle in their dragon once more.

“Why didn't you finish it? Why didn't you take the shot.” Snotlout roared. Angry tears filled his eyes. 
“Because…” Hiccup heaved. “You’re family. You’re one of mine. “ 
The thought was strange, but entirely true.
Snotlout crumpled defeated on the ground, his fingers and nails digging into the ground, fangs once more. He roared his feelings too complicated for him to express in any other way. 
Hiccup felt the fight leaving him as he sank down on his butt, Astrid by his side in an insistence. Stormfly protting with her insisted hum.
He leaned his head back and roared his victory, with all the weight of Toothless behind it. It drowned out the sobs and cries from his wailing cousin. 

Afterwards things changed between them. Snotlout now refused to acknowledge him and outright ignored him, or left the room if Hiccup entered. His friends were stressed by this, as it now meant Hiccup and Snotlout did not sit together at lunch and they had to split up once again. Usually Astrid stayed with Hiccup, and Tuff started with Snot, while Fish and Ruff alternated. The three of them were clearly trying to get Hiccup and Snot back on the same boat, but it was clear that the hostile tension between the cousins made their effort useless. Hiccup went on with his life. He still had a life to work, with an agitated dragon that took most of his time, with a mountain of homework and even more work in the garage. He did not have time to wait for Snotlout to come around. He had had it coming. He would not be the one to apologise, even when his friends begged him to be the bigger person. Not this time. Hiccup had spent years being thrown around and now he finally had fought back. He was not sorry.
The other did manage to drag him to Snotlout's football game that friday. He sat between Astrid and Tuffnut, while the crowd hollered around them as their team entered the field. Their team won barely, but it was unpleasant to watch them barely scrape by with lots of errors and penalties. Hiccup looked down from his seat eyes following his cousin, who ran around on the field agitated and angry. Hiccup could feel it too. His dragon was in distress. Toothless could feel it, but this time Hiccup was not sure he wanted to help him with it.

Chapter Text

Snotlout ambushed Hiccup in the cafeteria the next week. His friends sat nervously around him as Snotlout walked up to the table with a strange pained look on his face. 
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“I think we need to talk.”
“You think…” 
Astrid was ready to stand, but Hiccup waved her and the other down. Normally he did not mind Astrid’s behaviour, but not now.
“Stay here. Go back to class and I will see you later.” He rose to follow Snotlout. 
“But..” 
“Please Astrid.”
She snarled, but nodded, sending one more look in Snotlout direction, which Snotlout returned with his own snarls. 
With a sigh, Hiccup gathered his things and followed Snotlout out the cafeteria. 
They sat down outside away from the entrance, away from prying eyes and dragon's ears. 

“You okay?” Hiccup asked after too long prolonged awkward silence.
“Don't worry about it.” Snotlout huffed. 
“Don't lie to me.” Hiccup said seriously. 
“Yes I'm fine…...No I'm not fine.. It will get better, but I'm not fine.”
Hiccup nodded content. 
“Good. That's the first truthful thing you have said to me. “ 
“Oh why can’t you just…”
“Just what Snot? Wanna go again…”
They both snarled at each other, Toothless hissing and Hookfang snapping. They both heaved a deep breath and backed off, Toothless grumpling relentlessly. 
After a moment, where Snotlout heaved with his head between his knees and Hiccup had to close his eyes to calm an agitated Night Fury, Snot spoke.
“Why could you just have stayed put? Why could you not just have stayed soulless?. Everything was fine then.“ He ran his hand through his hair, while Hiccup bristled.
“No it wasn't, not by a long shot.” 
Snot snarled again.
“I know. I know, okay. But for a moment I could at least pretend everything was okay.”
He rolled his shoulder as he sat up to stare into thin air.
“I know what I have done. I know it is not okay. But I can’t change the past.“
Hiccup remained silent.
“You don't know what it's like at home. You don't know what I have to deal with. You have no idea…”
“But I do Snot. I do. I know what's happening. I know where those bruises come from. I know why you get the way you get. But that's no excuse. It still doesn't make what you have done okay.”  
“I know, I know. I just felt, feel so.. Hopeless. Unfortunately, what I was doing to you, was the only feeling of control I had.“ Snotlout held up his hands. ”And of course you took that away from me as well. Just like you always have. All your life.” He sneered. 
“What are you talking about? It hasn't exactly been a piece of cake being Hiccup the Useless. The soulless son of Stoick the Vast. Where have you been these last years? You are not the only one with problems. But it still dont give you the right to take them out on me!”
“I know. I know!! Okay. I know, and I know I have to do better. “
Snotlout heaved, grimacing like in pain. 
“About Astrid….”
Hiccup wanted to hiss, but Snotlout carried on. 
“I was never about Astrid.. It was more about…you not getting her.. As bad as it sounds.. I know… I was expected to…. Better than you.. Always… I.. Argh…!!!”
He howled and pulled his hair, before settling down to continue. 
“I have always been jealous of you. I could try to do everything perfect. But I was never as smart as you guys, as fast or as strong as you guys. And you know my father.. It was never enough for him. And after mom died, well... You know what happend.” 
Hiccup grunted. 
“I know it may not mean something to you, but I am sorry for how it all played out between us. It was not the way I wanted. Never like this.“ 
Hookfang hummed encouragingly, while Snotlout continued.
“You were always my little cousin. I was supposed to protect you. But I screwed it up. And now I'm never gonna be your friend again.“
Hiccup looked at him for a moment, before sighing. He wrapped his arms around himself.
“In a way I have already forgiven you long ago, and in another way I think I'm never gonna forgive you.“
Snotlout looked stricken by his words, but nodded nevertheless.
“You gotta fight for yourself. And not against me. But him. And if he tries anything… you pack up your stuff and get the hel out of there. “ 
Snotlout rolled his eyes at Hiccup, snorting unimpressed.
“Yeah right. Where am I supposed to go? He’ll find me and drag me back.”
“You’ll come home with me.” Snotlout looked surprised at him. Even Hiccup was a bit surprised, but on the other hand he knew that it was the right thing.
“You’ll come home and live with me. And if your dad tries anything. Then I have the whole police force and system after him for child neglect and child abuse.“ Hiccup nodded, pleased with himself with the decision.
“In this small town. That's gonna follow him forever. “

Snotlout paused, eying Hiccup with calculation. 
“You serious?” He said. 
“Yes…” Hiccup insisted, and meant it. 
“I… I’ll think about it.” Snotlout added hesitantly. 
More awkward silence filled out between them. Hiccup blew out the hair from his eyes and looked to his side. 
“By the way. … Nice shift.”
The size of Snotlout’s eyes were hilarious to say the least. Hiccup still chucked at the sight. 
“You almost had it. I’m sure you will get it in no time.”
Snotlout snarled unimpressed.
”No, I'm serious. I’ll help you.”
“You?” Snot barked.
“Me. Don't look so surprised.” Hiccup could not help but grin, as his cousin's face twisted in dread.
“I have other methods. And something tells me it will work for you in no time.”
Still Snotlout did not look convinced, but it did not bother Hiccup much.
“Thanks…” Snot scratched his chin. “I will do better. “
He turned, so they could face each other. His eyes flashed yellow.
“I will never raise my fist or claws against you again. I'm sorry.”
Hiccup looked at Snotlout’s extended hand. He looked back up to its owner. Snoutlot looked broken. There was a vulnerability to him, but he had bit his lip and glared at him with determination. Hiccup smirked and grabbed his arm, pulling the other boy into a side hug. Snotlout made a surprised yip, but returned the hug. Grabbing the back of Hiccup hoodie, fingers boring into the fabric. Hiccup didn't mind. 
It was not much, but it was a start. It was something. Things were not alright, far from it, but it was a start. 
Hiccup chuckled, and pulled from the hug. Snotlout swiped his eyes annoyed and asked something about bugs getting in his eyes. 
“You need therapy.“
“Don't we all?” Snotlout shrugged, making Hiccup crack open and laugh. 
Hiccup had a sick feeling in his gut that the reason Spitelout was pushing his son so much was because his son had the potential to be, what his father had not been able to achieve. A full felched dragon shifter. Growing up with Stoick and Valka, and even Gobber, but not being able to maintain a full shift. He failed every test and exam. Stoick had told Hiccup the stories. Spitelout had grown bitter and petty with jealousy. He wondered if Snotlout knew that too. For now. He gave his cousin a playful shove to the shoulder and the two went back to the school and class. 

The same night. Snotlout stood with two duffel bags of his belongings and a small travel suitcase filled with books, and comics on Hiccup’s doorstep. Hiccup took a step back, extended his arms and invited him inside. They spent the night cleaning out one of the guest rooms so Snotlout could sleep there. 
The next morning Stoick returned from the graveyard shift, tried, exhorted, and low on blood sugar. He took one look at the boys eating cereal at the kitchen table and raised his eyebrow. 
“Snotlout lives here now.” Hiccup just said. 
Stoick's bushy eyebrow rose even higher. “Do I want to know? “
“No..” Hiccup sent a side eye to Snotlout, who looked deep into his bowl. “Not yet. I will tell you later. Trust me.” Hiccup would try to explain the situation later after Stoick had some sleep and at least one cup of coffee. He would be more understanding then.
With a huff, Stoick nodded and went up to bed. Snotlout nodded gratefully at his cousin. 
Later Snotlout and Stoick had a long, long, long conversation behind closed doors, that Hiccup did not even try to listen into, even with dragon ears. He made himself scarce, and hoped his dad would take care of things. Leaving things to the adults right. 

Don’t leave things to the adults. It sucks.
Spitelout refused to talk to Snotlout, and never showed up at their doorstep. When they saw him in town, he completly ignored his son and went on. Hiccup liked to think that was for the better. But it hurt to see Snotlout so devastated at every rejection. No child protective services were called, no consequences, nothing. Hiccup was seething with the decision that everyone had just decided to let the world move on, but Snotlout asked Hiccup not to dwell with it. Snot would deal with it in his own time. 

They started slow, but it worked somehow. Hiccup was still annoyed with Snotlout, but they made due. There was no way Hiccup was letting his cousin back in the same house as his father. Then rather suffer in silence. Or maybe not silence but then acceptance. 
They snarled at each other, when they met on the stairs or before bed, but it was okay. They were processing. Snot had his own car so that was a plus. They drove to school together now, but that also meant that Hiccup had to stay to wait for Snotlout to finish football practice. He already used to wait for the others, so no big deal. 
So he bundled up and sat on the bleachers as Snotlout did drills and got tackled by his fellow team members. He only grinned a little bit, when Snot got thrown to the ground with a particularly hard thrust. Hiccup clapped from his spot. 
“Good hustle!!!” He whooped. ”Try again, this time not maybe land on your face!!”
Snotlout glared at him, but Hiccup just gave him two thumbs ups. 

At the middle of practice Snotlout sat down groaning, breath huffing, sweat dripping and looked racked. He flopped down next to Hiccup on the bench for a quick breather. 
“Do you even like football?”
“But I'm good at it.” Snot heaved.
“But do you like it?” 
“I like it when I tackle people and they go down.” Hiccup handed him a water bottle.
“I like it when they underestimate me, and I out flank them.” He grubbled down the content.
“Hmmm. “
“What? Tell me what you see.” Snot hissed annoyed with Hiccup’s usual sour face.
“Nothing.” Hiccup dralled, maybe just to push the button a bit further.
“You have something to say, say it!” Snot snarled.
“You need to watch your left flank better. Use your head.“ Hiccup pointed out. Snot nodded, rubbing his chin, and actually considering his words. 
“Right, use Hookfang to headbutt.“
The smile on Hiccup’s face strained a bit.
“Cool. Also… Think for yourself. Don't only follow what the coach says or what I say. You're smarter than that. You can do it. “
“Okay. Thanks .”
They sat in awkward silence until Coach called Snotlout back in. 
Hiccup watched as the players lined up and smiled when his cousin to his surprise followed his advice. He jumped out of his opponents way as they attacked his left, then ran across what Hiccup assumed to be a goal line. The coach whistled and Snotlout threw the ball down into the ground, puffing out his chest, as his teammates patted his back. 
Hiccup clapped from the bleaches. “Not bad” He shook his head. “Not bad.”

Chapter Text

So that was a thing now. He watched Snotlout football matches, even the practice ones. But then again it made sense. Toothless was all over being at their different pack events so this was right up his alley, even if Hiccup did not enjoy football that much. He went to see Fishlegs debates, Ruff’s swim meets and Astrid's Track and fly, so this was just one more to the pile. Stoick seemed to be delighted that he suddenly had friends again and never commented, that Hiccup sometimes came home later or went out on a Saturday to watch a stupid football game. Hiccup even apologised to Gobber for not being in the garage so much, but the man also just brushed it away. Hiccup had a suspicious feeling both his father and his uncle were delighted that he suddenly had a social life, and was not spending his time hiding away in the garage. Hel, Hiccup even had time to do his homework when he sat waiting in small classrooms, on the bleachers at the football field or track and field or at the swinging pool, so Stoick never complained. Even after Snotlout moved in. Hiccup was surprised how calm Stoick took in their addition to the house. Maybe Stoick had known deep down what was going on with Snotlout and was ashamed of not doing anything for him. So now he made up for it by treating the boy as his own. So this was Hiccup’s life now. Dragons, friends and family. It was weird.

Hiccup was cold. More precisely he was freezing, cold, and pissed. Why was he here again? Right he was a good friend, a good cousin and a good pack leader. That was what Ruffnut called him. Pack leader. He had scoffed at the notion, but Toothless had preened and been insufferable.
Then, why did football have to be played outside, when the weather was bordering on freezing, bearing sweet promises of soon to become hail and snow. In gods damn end October. One had to love living on an island that did not have a proper understanding of seasons, and went directly from scolding summer to freezing to death. The big game would not be before tomorrow night, but to show great sportsmanship, Berk had let their opponents come and train on the field on friday when they arrived by boat.
And because Hiccup was a good friend, he had agreed when Snot had asked to watch and give input on his play. So Hiccup sat frozen to his cold plastic seat, covered in multiple layers of sweaters, a big fluffy oversized winter coat that his father thought he would have grown into, scarf, mittens, hat and a nasty attitude. Toothless did his best to keep Hiccup warm from the inside, but Hiccup was pretty sure he was getting a cold by the end of this. There was a loud thud as someone said down around him. Astrid sat down next to him and handed him a large canteen of something steaming.
“Oh thank the gods.” Hiccup cursed and reached for it. “You are amazing.”
“I know.” Astrid said with a smirk. She was annoyingly only wearing extra thick leggings under her skirt, and a high neck sweater, and was in no near freezing condition as Hiccup was. Someone kicked his seat from behind, and Hiccup stuck his tongue out at the twins behind them, who had brought their own supply of popcorn, nachos and corndogs. Hiccup briefly wondered if they had broken into the stadium kiosk to get the food, as it was closed until Saturday. Fishlegs settled in on Hiccup's other side and pulled forth a book. He at least was wrapped in a big furry coat and a scarf. The twins were still wearing t-shirts under their thermals west, with the long scarfs hanging around their necks. Hiccup was grateful that they all had sacrificed their Friday night to join him.
“So how does it look?'' Astrid asked. Stealing a handful of popcorn from Ruffnut. They hissed at each other, but that was a normal occurrence by now, so Hiccup did not think more of it. Toothless coos reassured him that everything was fine between Stormfly and Ruff’s dragons. 
“If they play like this tomorrow, we are gonna get ploughed.” Hiccup grimaced. 

The two teams were settled up at each end of the field, training dummies and other equipment set up as they ran drills. Mostly they just used the opportunity to snarl at the other team and show off.
Their rivals were called the Dragon Trappers as a taunt against Berk’s team called the Hairy Hooligans. Berks had the most concentration of dragon shifters, but there were also dragons outside of Berk, just fewer and fewer the farther away you got. Still The Dragon Trappers were mostly dragons shifters as well, but they had a couple or large yak shifters, that could pack the same kind of punch. One of said yak midfielders chose that moment to charge head one one of the dummies, sending it flying across the field to great applause from his teammates.
Hiccup and his friends cringed. The thing about football was, all and nothing was fair. You could use your talents as long as nobody saw you used a talent. So of course that meant everybody was cheating. Claws that disappeared when the judge blew his whistle. Extra tough hide under the uniform, enhanced speed and strength. As long as nobody right out blew fire at the other team, it was permitted. Snotlout was especially good at looking quite harmless until he pounded into his opponent with nightmare strength, sending them back several paces.
“Pain… Love it.” Hiccup scoffed and sipped at the hot chocolate Astrid had brought him.
“He should try to outrun them instead of meeting them head on.”
“Why?” Astrid asked.
“The trappers have focused on strength not much speed. He could easily outrun them all if he tried. Fish, what do you recon?“
Fishlegs briefly looked up. “Nothing special. Gronckles, Nadders, Nightmare, yak, bear, and an elk. I can’t get a reading of those two though.”
Hiccup followed his line of sight and saw the players. One of them with red hair and face paint he recognized. He groaned.
“Ugh…I thought he was a Berserker now. Damn he keeps getting thrown out of school.“
Fishlegs smiled over his book, as Hiccup soured. The twins leaned over to hear.
“That's Dagur. Our fathers used to be friends and they thought we would be as well. That was until Dagur tried to dump me in a well. Then they abandoned that idea. He is originally from Berserk island. He is a total egotical psycho.”
“Woah- tough history.” Tuff noted, looking into his nearly empty popcorn basket.
“He is a Gronckle. He says he is a rare Shrill, but take it from me. He is definitely a gronckle. Thinker skin you have to search hard to find.”
Fishlegs elbowed him. “Sorry.” Hiccup said. 
Hiccup, looked back over the field, but could not get a good read on the last guy, before he turned around. “Rumblehorn.” He said without missing a beat.
Tuffnut patted the bottom of his bucket to get out his remaining popcorn, uninterested.
“What!” Fishlegs turned in his seat. “How do you know?”
Hiccup and Fish was a little competitive like that. They were both well versed in guesing spirits, and especially dragons, and Fishlegs was often faster than Hiccup.
“Please, I have been living with one my whole life. I know one, when I see one. “ Hiccup looked the tall teenager over, with the big lean muscles, and how he puffed out his chest as he walked. 
“Definitely a Rumblehorn.” Hiccup mussed, Toothless humming agreeingly. Tuffnut complained about being out of popcorn, so he stood up to get more. His sister followed, but they only managed to get to the end of the row, before they heard the fighting start. Hiccup sighed, having just reopened the canister and paused, pouring a cup of liquid golden warmth. He knew he should deal with it, Toothless knew they should deal with it. But it was cold.
Hiccup turned to Astrid. “Could you…?”
“Already on it.” Astrid stood up and followed them to make sure nothing exploded. Fishlegs picked up the leftover bucket, looking at it with sad eyes.
Hiccup grinned. “Go with them. I will be alright for five minutes. “
Fishlegs nodded and got up to get more food.
Hiccup returned to his cup and looked back out on the field. The Trappers seemed unorganized and Hiccup wondered briefly where their trainer was.
“Hey.”
Hiccup looked past his cup to the teenager in front of him, looking up at him expectantly. It was the Rumblehorn from before. He looked even more handsome, and unbearable up close. He was on the brink of something more mature. He was tall, lean and well muscled. In a year or two, when his dragon had matured, he would be ribbling with them. Just like Hiccup’s dad had at that age. He had a short black ponytail, and a large jaw. He held his helmet under his arm, dressed in his yellow, white and purple uniform, only a little dirty from practice.
Hiccup could not help scrunching up his nose in confusion. What was he doing way over here by Hiccup‘s bleacher, far away from his team.
“Hey….” Hiccup said suspiciously.
“Name’s Eret.” He said, making a move, like his hair would swish around him. “Son of Eret.”
He sent Hiccup a megawatt smile, but Hiccup only rewarded him with an annoyed lifted eyebrow. Not getting the response he clearly was used to, he coughed, and leaned on the fence between them.
“So…. What’s your name.”
“Hiccup.”
“Really..” Eret said tasting the name.
“Yes. Really.” Hiccup said impassively.
They stared at each other with more uncomfortable silence.
“Well anyways.” Eret said nonchalantly. “Saw you looking at me out there. Thought it was best I came and introduced myself.”
“Aha.”
“Yeah.” He chuckled nervously. “Seemed only proper..” He said scratching his cheek.
“Proper….?” Hiccup said confusedly at the nervous guy. Only then did he notice it. Toothless had been humming constantly since the guy approached. The rumblehorn was making his own humming noise, playing under Toothless tone. Like they were testing out the hierarchy. In the meantime Hiccup and Eret, were stuck staring awkwardly at each other, while their dragon had some sort of unsaid conversation. Hiccup leaned on his hand, looking the other man up and down, Toothless hummin growing loader by the minute. Eret looked very uncomfortable under the gaze. Hiccup titled his head at him and sat up again. Toothless stared down at them from their higher advance point.
The football player swallowed visible under the piercing eyes, his rumblehorn, growing weaker, but not in a defeated way, but a respectful way. Hiccup was not sure what that was all about. But Toothless was loving the show of respect. Poor Eret that had been forced into this by his dragon’s instinct.
“I never met an alpha type dragon before.” Eret said quietly, looking down on the ground. “Better be on the safe side.”
Hiccup’s mind was fussy, he could not hear what Eret had just said, the rumbling from Toothless was overwhelming, forcing Hiccup gently into the back of his mind as the dragon took over, cooing softly at Eret, only to bark a couple of times. The word alpha was forreign and unrecognisable to Hiccup. Just another word. But for Toothless it sent waves of warmth and pride through his limbs.
After that, he was satisfied and allowed Hiccup control again. Hiccup was fairly confused, not sure what Toothless had said to Eret and his dragon. The words that Hiccup said were not his own. They felt odd and strange in his mouth. “Well, now you have.”
Only then, Hiccup shook his head to throw off any remaining confusion and fog.
Eret made a sort of respectful bow or nod, and smiled once more dashingly up at Hiccup. 
“So you saw me out there.“ He boasted. “How did I look?”
Hiccup snorted.
“Sorry, but I am here to support my cousin. I did not have time to look at your sorry ass.”
Eret made a sound like he was wounded and grabbed at his chest. “Ouch.. That hurt. Hurt soooo deeply.”
Hiccup rolled his eyes at the dramatics, Toothless chuckling, and Hiccup could now help to crack a smile.
“Smooth.”
“Thanks. “
“So no tips for me huh?” Hiccup followed his eyes that had found the notepad Hiccup had been using to track Snotlout's performance, before his fingers got too cold to write.
“Maybe, if you ask nicely.”
Eret smile became even wider. “You’re pretty smart right. “
“Smarter than you, that's for sure.” Hiccup crossed his arms and leaned back, still smirking down at Eret.
“Then say something smart.”
Hiccup should ignore him, and not rise to the bait. He should sneer and send him back to his team. But Toothless warm fuzzy feelings still rolled around in his head, and the dragon had been respectful and charming. He was amused with the pair of them. And so was Hiccup.
“You're a Rumblehorn.” Hiccup shrugged. “Big, loud, good at shoving past your opponents.“
Eret looked confident with the praise.
“But you play with your head and not your heart. You run into things like you're a giant boulder.”
That made Eret look confused back at him. He looked slightly offended by Hiccup’s brutal honesty, but he leaned in over the fence anyway to hear more.
Hiccup leaned fourth in his seat as well. He smirked and reached over the fence to poke Eret on the nose.
“You're a tracker dragon, moron. Use it!”
Eret looked confused at his own nose. Hiccup scoffed again, and nodded towards the field. Eret looked back and saw a few of his teammates staring at them, talking. From across the field some of the Holligains had squared up, crossed their arms as they saw the same.
“I better.” Eret threw his thumb back towards his team.
“Yep.” Hiccup agreed and sat back, crossing his arms. Eret sent him one last look before running back. Hiccup briefly followed him with his eyes, only to lock on Dagur when Eret joined him. Dagur said something humorous to Eret, that made Eret smile, and the rest of their crowd burst out laughing. Dagur threw a friendly arm around Eret and pulled him back into the fray. But as he did he sent one hateful look back towards Hiccup. Hiccup and Toothless glared back with every fibre in their body.

“Ew.” Astrid snarled. “What was that?” Hiccup almost shrieked in surprise, but he luckily remained seated. 
“What was what?” Hiccup asked, annoyed. The others were back as well, all of them carrying big tubs of popcorn and nachos. 
“That with him… He is a Trapper.!!” Astrid said, pointing with a corndog towards the field.
“So..”
“He was flirting with you.” Astrid hissed. Hiccup scoffed.
“He was not..” 
“He totally was…” Astrid insisted.
“Was not…” Hiccup rolled his eyes.
“Was too, and you just let him, like you...” Hiccup interrupted her, sending her a teasing look.
“Well it's not like I am dating anybody right now, right!!” That shut Astrid right up. “Maybe I like the attention.” He winked shamelessly at her and she turned scarlet and blue. Ruffnut laughed the loudest, while Fishlegs and Tuffnut just watched confused. 

The mood on the field changed suddenly, when the trappers coach joined the team. He was a fairly young man for his career, muscular, black haired, with a black van-dyke style beard. He had dark black circles under his eyes, and he felt just plain wrong to Hiccup. Hiccup’s skin crawled and Toothless hissed, instantly agitated at the man. It could have been a coincidence, but at the moment Toothless hissed, the man looked back at Hiccup, and held his eyes for almost a full minute. Then he turned around and yelled at his team, to start drills.
Hiccup did not like the look on him.
Training continued, and more nosy students came to join Hiccup and his pack on the side lines and on the bleachers to watch the two teams.
Two hours later the Hooligans coach blew the whistle. Hiccup gathered up his things and went down to meet Snot on the field. More around him followed and others went to talk to the players.
“How are you holding up?” Hiccup looked down at Snotlout, who heaved laying on his back on the ground.
“What do you think?” He hissed hatefully. Hiccup shrugged and extended a hand to help him up. Snotlout grabbed it and pulled himself up, rolling his stiff shoulders after words.
“Hookfang is getting agitated..”
“You could let me do the pressure point technique from my mother’s desolation.” Hiccup offered. Hiccup had shown the paper to him at one point, and done the technique on both the twins and Astrid. The last one had been an awkward affair, as Astrid had moaned loudly and sprouted wings, hitting Hiccup in the face, knocking him unconscious. Afterwards all of them had been able to hold the shift longer, and Astrid was even flying faster and building up spikes faster. Their dragons were more at ease and easier to shift. He had tried it on himself, but there was no Night fury chapter, so it had no effect on him.
Snotlout  winched. “No way I am letting you near me with that sort of thing.”
“Suit yourself.” 

“Well well, who do we have here?”
Hiccup felt his mood sink like a rock
“If it isn’t little Hiccup. I knew this place reeked of failure. But here I thought it was just the opposite team, when in fact it was my favourite little nobody.” 
Hiccup fought the urge to gag, when Dagur and a couple of his teammates joined around them.
“Hello Dagur, I can still see you’re still your charming irresistible self. And if you’re still to stupid to notice, Yeah, that was sarcasm.”
A guy beside Dagur chuckled, but stopped after Dagur smacked him on the arm. The hairs on Hiccup’s neck rose.
“Now now, little Hiccup. No harm done between old friends.” The Trappers chortled brutishly behind Dagur. Hiccup spotted Eret on the edge of them. He tried to hide behind his larger teammates. He looked very uncomfortable being here. Astrid took a step closer to Hiccup, as Dagur took two steps to get up into Hiccup’s face.
“Heard you finally crawled out of that cave of yours. Heard you have a dragon now. So let's see it. Let’s see the big strong dragon, that has chosen the honourable heir to Stoick the Vast.”
Hiccup could feel his friends agitated dragons, and those around him, but he remained standing. Steeling his face in a frown.
“What is it to you?”
“Nothing, just curious. But of course if you're too scared.” Dagur used what he thought was a charming smile, but for Hiccup it was a precursor to trouble and pain.
“I am not scared of you. Never were. Hard to be scared of a guy who still sleeps with his night light on.“
The smile on Dagur’s face stifled, but he brushed it off quickly.
“Alright then, show me what you can do.” He and his brutes took a couple of steps towards Hiccup, which made his pack gather around him.
“Back off.” Astrid snarled.
“I am not gonna fight you Dagur.” Hiccup’s voice thankfully remained calm and uninterested, even if Toothless restlessness was drowning out his ears.
Dagur and his goonies only laughed harder.
“Of course not. Look at him, he is so scared.” The taunting was juvenile, but it had still agitated Snotlout enough to step in front of Hiccup.
“I am not scared of you.” He growled in Dagur’s face.
“Back off Snotlout.” Hiccup grabbed Snotlout’s arm trying to leave it alone. 
With some effort he got Snotlout to calm down enough to take a step back. Which is of course why Dagur decided to make it worse.
“Yeah, back off. Run back home to your mama..”
Snotlout's whole body froze, as his eyes turned yellow, and spots of scales started to appear on his neck.
“No..” Hiccup said with such conviction that Snotlout stopped on the spot. He sighed, nodded and let Hiccup pull at his arm.
“Yeah run back, hide behind the failure’s skirts.” The trappers howled.
“Now you….” Snotlout barked.
“Boys!!” Suddenly the Trapper coach came looking with the rest of the team behind him. “That is no way to show a friendly Trapper spirit. Is it?” 
The rest of the team fell in line with the already gathered group. Dagur positively glowed with smugness.
“And what is going on here?” The coach stood next to Dagur, with his arms behind his back.
“Nothing, coach.” Dagur leered, still smirking. “Just two old friends catching up.”
Hiccup glared.  
“Now, did I hear that right? Heir to Stoick the Vast.” He turned his cold dead eyes on Hiccup. ”You must be Hiccup.“
Then it dawned on Hiccup, and a coldness spread through his bones, as he looked into those empty voids of the coach's eyes. This man was soulless.
The man nodded at them. “Name’s Viggo Grimborn. I am the coach for The Dragon Trappers.“
“Uninterested.” Hiccup simply said. Behind him he could feel the uneasiness of his pack. More from the football team and the few people from the bleachers had joined, now that Viggo had dragged his whole team with him.
Someone hissed behind him, and a trapper snapped his jaws now filled with long fangs.
“Oh well.“ Viggo sounded unbothered and slightly entertained. “Now boys. Remember it is not their fault that these are not true fighters. Not really true dragons. Only true dragons fight for their pride and honour. And these clearly have none. Not like true Trappers.”
More snarls behind him. Hiccup knew what Viggo was doing. Trying to rile up a fight, so he could demand some of The Hooligans suspended for fighting before tomorrow's game, weakening the team. Hiccup would not have it. He remained cold and collected, even as Toothless warning hum filled the air around him. He stared into Viggo cold eyes.
“Don’t.” He said. Not to Viggo, but to his pack and to the dragons around him. It worked for most of them. They drew back their teeth and took a step away from the trappers.
“See… spineless.” Viggo grinned, his team laughing at The Hooligans.
“Let’s leave.” Hiccup said to a panting Snotlout. “Now.” He pulled at Snotlout's arm and after a moment, he snarled but let Hiccup pull him further away. Astrid remained a moment to look The Trappers up and down, holding her stand and snarling.
Hiccup felt it, before he saw it. Viggo had done a good job at rilling his team up, but not such a great job on controlling them. One of the older boys, was exhausted by the workout, rilled out by the fight, and hanging and a thin string of control of his dragon. When it could not get a more positive outlet for its bottled up instincts, it attacked it next thing that moved. That had been Hiccup. The crowd erupted around him as the dragon sprang forth talons and claws extended, scales ripping through parts of his uniform, to slash at Hiccup. Viggo flinched as his player ran past him, but did not intervene.

Hiccup landed hard on the ground, as he was pushed away from the line of the slash, his wings not even fast enough to shield as he tumbled down. In fact his shift completly failed him, when he hit the ground, air pressed out of his lungs. He turned to see Snot pushing him out of the way, receiving the blow from the large talons himself, slashing him open along the middle. But still Snot turned around and almost spewed fire. He moved along on all fours in a move that would be impossible, if it wasn't for his limbs that shifted on the way. His elbows stuck out in odd angles, wings running from the pits, and down into his hands, that have shifted into huge claws, with talons to match their attacker. Snot opened his mouth and roared, lava gathering in his mouth, that were filled with sharp, crooked teeth, his face contoured into his dragon snout, eyes unrecognisable, with no trace of hair left, replaced by scales, horns and spikes, all angry red and dusty brown. His clothes were almost gone, leaving room for his spiked spine, bleeding into his red and orange scales, and yellow belly skin, twisted open by the blow. Tail long and leathery, swung back and forth. He hissed, at the angry pink lashes on his skin, sparks flying from his mouth, as he spewed. He was still not quite whole dragon, there was still something human about him, but Hiccup was strangely proud of him. Still the shock as Snot went down crashing, trashing from the pain. The howling pierced through Hiccup’s ears and tore at his heart. The other dragon, a very close to feral nightmare, was hissing and trying to lash out again at Snotlout. The Trappers and the Hooligans, throwing their own howls and grunt. But kept their distance from the two nightmares that took turns trying to slash at each other. Viggo has taken a step back, eyes blown wide, now knowing how to defuse the situation. He was soulless and there was no way he could go in between the two dragons, without getting slashed. Snotlout made a great effort, but the large open gash on his stomach made him howl in pain and fall to his knees. There was chaos around, as bodies moved around him. Hiccup’s whole body filled up with rage, his heart thundering in his chest and Toothless deafining in his ears. So he rolled over, got up and roared. 

He roared loudly, and with his whole body as he jumped in front of his cousin, dragons eyes ablaze, plasma stuck in his throat. The feral nightmare briefly looked confused by the intruder, but quickly registered Hiccup as his new target and opened his mouth to roar back at the human, but before it could open its mouth, Hiccup heaved once more and roared again. This time he was not alone. Snotlout had fought himself back to Hiccup’s side, grabbing him around the middle to remain standing. He was back to mostly human now, but he was still huffing and snapping at the other dragon. Astrid stood on Hiccup’s right, almost fully shifted snarling, and behind him, Tuff, Ruff and Fihslegs are hissing too in their semi shifted state. Behind them were Snotlout's team and the people from the bleachers and the school. Hiccup briefly recalled that some of them he had helped before in some kind of fashion. With a grunt, Hiccup snarled at the nightmare in front of him. Snotlout was heavy and wet against his side. To his surprise, Astrid, the twins, Snotlout and Fishlegs backed him up with snarls of their own. Even grater girl, crowbar dude, and the dragon who used to call him a baby joined forces around him and snarled. The Trappers looked out right frightened. But Hiccup had no time for them, and he opened his mouth and Hiccup roared the nightmare into submission. The dragon disappeared with a peep, leaving behind a messy overgrown teenager that fell down and fainted.
Hiccup pulled Toothless back, and swung Snotlout's arm around his shoulders.
“What the hell is going on out here!” Hiccup heard Snotout’s coach shout as she ran toward the chaos, coming back from the bathroom. She turned on Viggo, angry with steam leaving her nostrils. Hiccup didn't have time to deal with the aftermath as he hoisted up Snotlout and started dragging him out of the field. Astrid appeared under Snotlout’s other arm pit and they ran with him between them all the way to the nurse's office. Ruffnut, Tuffnut and Fishlegs ran after them, Tuffnut grappling Snotlout’s stuff in the process. Hiccup heaved under the weight of his cousin and tired now to think of how wet Snotlout felt. 

“You're lucky” The nurse said as she patched up the long gash on Snotlout’s stomach. “It will heal up fast in no time.”
“Lucky” Hiccup snarled. “He was almost cut in half. “
“It’s a shallow cut, not even that deep. Good thing you have all this belly fat.” She patted Snotlout’s stomach to no amusement from the stone faced teenagers. “Hey with your dragon, you will even be fresh enough to play tomorrow.” Hiccup scowled at her. His jacket was still wet with Snotlout’s blood as it dried into a large stain on the fabric. He had lost his mittens and hat, when he was pushed out of danger.
Seeing that her crowd was still staring at her, the nurse rolled her eyes. She snorted and lifted up her shirt. On her flat stomach were rows and rows of scars forming circles from her hip all the way up to below her bra. They started out as a large circle then smaller circles inside, like something with several rows of teeth had tried to take a bite of her. Tuffnut and Fishlegs hissed in sympathy, while Hiccup just cringed at the sight. Snotlout looked ready to pass out, but that may have been the blood loss. 
Both boys gulped. 
“Never date a whispering death boys.” She winked. “The sex is definitely not worth the pain.”
“Cool.” Ruffnut whispered fascinated.

In the end the nightmare was only suspended, as Viggo somehow spun in it as teenagers always trying out their talents-thing, and the Trappers would still play. Hiccup was furious, but spent his time taking care of his cousin. True to the nurse's words, Snotlout was right as rain the next day, but the coach still kept him benched just in case. Hiccup spent the game glaring holes into Dagur’s and Viggo’s skulls. They didn't try anything more. Railed by their falling teammate, The Holligangs won in a landslide, making it the most hostile takeover in school history as the Trapper barely got five misly points on the scoreboard. Snotlout was a bit sad not to play, but being carried in a kings chair by his teammates afterwards helped on his mood. Stoick and Gobber hollered in their seats in the stands, next to Hiccup, from what Hiccup could deduct, nobody had told them about yesterday's incident. Hiccup waited until later that night to inform them. Then his dad went on a triad that will require Viggo’s grandchildren to have lawyers.

After that Snotlout and Hiccup were good. Like actually good. Toothless cooed and purred. Snotlout had somehow shown his loyalty and protected Hiccup and thereby Toothless. It was much better now. It was like it had been before. They could suddenly joke around each other. Snotlout was still an obnoxious jerk with a god complex and Hiccup was still a sneaky shit with sarcasm, but it was something. They were somehow friends again. They were pack.

Chapter Text

Normal schools have halloween parties and winter formals. But not Berk. Because Berk is a viking heritage island, where you respected your viking heritage and ancestors. At least that is what it said on the flyers at the tourist bureau. Instead they celebrated the Feast of the Einherjar, where you remember your proud family heritage and celebrate the fallen viking heroes, who now sit in Valhalla by Odin’s table.

The whole town was decorated from the start of November to the actual celebration. Just in time to take everything down in time for Snoggletog.. Or as it more commercial was known as Christmas. 
Still Feast of Einherjar was a bit long, so they just shortened it to The Fall Feast. It was in fact a big party, where people would meet up to share a large meal together with their family. And throw a portion of their meal into a fire as an offering to their ancestors. There was a large bonfire down by the beach, where local shops and food venders would sell their wares. 
That was the official family friendly definition. The truth was that a large part of celebrating was drinking your brains out, while toasting and celebrating your ancestors.
Mead and ale was a staple part of the celebrations. And so were drunks. Stoick would be busy running the island thin, trying to damper any drunkards, who had one too many, while protecting public property from getting spray painted, urinated on, or sat on fire. Drunk dragons were always entertaining to watch.
Hiccup usually spent the evening with Gobber down with the bonfire, where they sat and laughed at all the drunks who did stupid stuff, while raking the best performances of the night. Last year a Nadder half shifted got his head stuck in a trashcan, because he forgot he could shift, and his large nadder head got stuck on his human body.
Most of the entertainment was provided by Hiccup’s now school.

With The Fall Feast, came the Fall Fest. They stowed all the teenagers together in the gymnation, hired a half decent dj, and told them to mingle, but at an of course respectful distance. Most would quickly get bored at the party and then go elsewhere to find a real party. Drunk hormonal teenage dragons were always the most entertaining to watch. Per tradition most would jump in the ocean under the full moon. Clothes were optional. The town tried to stop it with no luck, but now they embraced it and have a few watches out to make sure nobody drowned.
Many also saw it as a great opportunity for a first date. As with any formal dances, kids coupled up for the event.
Hiccup had almost had a nervous breakdown, when he realised that he and Astrid were now talking again. Which meant they could be seen together. Which meant there was a chance he could hypothetically ask her to the dance. Together. Which he really would like.
At the bare thought his whole body blushed furiously. He grabbed his pillow and screamed into it in frustration, making Snotlout hit the wall between their rooms to make him quiet down. Embarrassed Hiccup fell down on his bed. Toothless had not been impressed by the interaction, and ignored Hiccup for the rest of the night in silent protest to his lovesick behaviour.
But the fact was still, that Hiccup really liked Astrid. And it would be nice to go together. As friends… or maybe more than friends. Sometimes it was hard to tell if Astrid liked him, or it was just Stromfly being a good nest mother. 
Astrid was just so….Astrid.. Beautiful, strong, amazing, smart Astrid. There was no way she would go with, small, scrawny awkward Hiccup. Right? 
Toothless snorted annoyed with Hiccup’s fidgeting and rambling. The dragon could care less about Hiccup’s romantic troubles. After sketching out multiple scenarios for asking Astrid out, where the best was that he was politely rejected and they continued being friends, and the worst was he dying his hair, moving countries and changing his identity, he felt ready enough to ask Astrid if they should go together to The Fall Fest.
Another tradition was to go flying. It was usually a very romantic tradition with dragon shifters, and Hiccup kinda wanted to fly with Astrid. And maybe find out if she actually liked him, just as much as he liked her. 
But first he had to ask her. How hard could that be?

Hiccup felt shaky as he woke up and it continued as he later that morning tried to put his shoes on backwards. Snotlout did not comment, but he had this smug look on his face.
He felt jumpy the rest of the day, like if Toothless was agitated and annoyed. But the dragon was calm and carefree, ignoring Hiccup’s hormonal problems. 

Hiccup’s trial and error on trying to bring the party up in conversation, was not really working. Despite noting flyers on the walls, banners and other articles trying to bring up the topic, none of his friends was very interested. It did not help that during the day, every time HIccup has managed to catch up with Astrid, some kind of large party invite would happen next to them, usually where the guys would go down on one knee, or throw rose petals, give large bouquets, or blow smoke rings formed as hearts. It threw Hiccup for a loop each time, and Astrid would sneer at the large display of pompous affection. It was mostly the senor’s fault. Go big or go home.
Hiccup knew Astrid would not enjoy such a display, so he had quickly discarded such an idea. 
Snotlout had tried to ask her to the dance last year and even hired some kids from the orchestra to follow after Astrid with their violins, until she agreed to go with him. She had humbly rejected him, by firing spikes at him as he ran away screaming, while the three band kids ran after them and played action music for the chase. The video was still available on their school website.
So Hiccup counted his chances as very slim. 

By the end of the day he had not made any progress and was grumpling into his scarf, while he waited for Snotlout to pull the car around, so he could throw Hiccup off at the garage. 
He almost fell down the steps, when Astrid slapped him on the back. Toothless had not even bothered warning him, too thrilled with Hiccup’s embarrassment. Stupid useless reptile. 
“Hey you.” She greeted him cheerfully.
“Hi, Astrid, hi Astrid, hi Astrid.” Hiccup parroted like an idiot.
“Gee, I didn't even hit you that hard. No need to sound like a broken record.” She grinned and slapped him once more on the arm for good measure. Hiccup rubbed the spot sheepishly.
“Right.”  
“Waiting for Snotlout?” She peered out towards the parking lot, trying to spot his car.
“Yeah. I thought you were off to study group?” 
Astrid rewarded the question with a disgruntled noise.
“They cancelled. Everyone is going dress shopping for the dance.”
“Really? “ An opening, a change, don’t blow it Haddock, Hiccup chanted in his mind.
“Yeah.” Astrid nodded unaware of Hiccup’s internal struggle. 
“But not you?” He carefully asked, trying not to fidget with his jacket.
“Nope, I already have mine.” Astrid said.
Hiccup could not have asked for a better opportunity than if it had been served on a platter.
“Oh, so you're going…?”
“Yeah. I have to.” She flipped her braid over her shoulder, and shook her bang out of her eyes.
He took a deep breath  and open his mouth
“Cool me too. I am also going. Maybe we can ...”
But Astrid interrupted him, before he could finish the thought.
“Yeah. Thuggery is picking me up in his new speeder. Like I care what he drives. We are going to dinner in town with our parents before the dance. “
Hiccup flattered, something heavy settling in his stomach. “Oh… I eee…”
“Yeah. But we will make it to the party eventually.” She said it so casually, that Hiccup could not not even get a word in. 
“Ahh.. okay..”
“So I will see you at least at the bonfire?” She turned to him expectantly. 
“I guess…” Hiccup mumbled.
Her phone rang. “Darn it. I gotta go. See ya.”
She ran off answering her phone. Hiccup looked frozen after her. Of course. Astrid was going with Thuggery, the mayor's youngest son. Every year on the Fall feat, the mayor invited all the local titbits to a large expensive dinner/ fundraiser, where all the rich and influential could mingle and congratulate themself. Astrid had been going to the dinner since she was little. The Hofferson’s were not directly politicians, but they were old money, and old name, that held a certain respect in and outside Berk. Almost every member of the family was a proud nadder, with a high education and an even higher end job. Astrid was no exception, and was very ealy instilled with what her parents expected of her. Her older brother had already been shipped off to be a high paid officer in the mainland military, while her sister was going to one of the most prestigious colleges on the mainland. They had both been top of their class, valedictorian, graduated with honours, and fully fleched shifters. Astrid's sister had played volleyball and her brother baseball. They were both champions. Astrid was also expected to be a champion before graduation. Another thing to note was that all three sports contained a certain level of strength and violence. All three siblings were strong, competitive and in some cases vicious. They were a scary bunch when they were gathered together.
It only made sense for The Hofferson wanting to pair off their daughter with a male nadder from a respectable just a prestigious family that could, like them, trace their lineage back to the old vikings heroes. Thuggery was quite the influential catch. Worst of all, he seemed like a nice guy, the times Hiccup had met him as a kid. Hiccup briefly wondered, if he now was just as stuck up as his parents. 
He at least was not like a soulless Hiccup, who had no dragon to bring to the table, and no real power though his father, or his wayward hippy mother. Even now that they tolerated Astrid being near a Terrible Terror was a small blessing. Of course Astrid would not risk upsetting her parents to go with the dance with the likes of Hiccup. 
“Well that was painful to watch. “ Snotlout remarked from his car. Hiccup sighed.
“It was painful to be in.”
Snotlout only shrugged.
“Here I thought she was using Thuggery as an excuse not to go with me. Oh well, her loss. “
Hiccup got into the car and they drove off. 

Gobber knocked his big fake hand against the door to the garage.
“Tell Miss Sanders that I would work much faster, if she did not keep calling, asking for when it is done!!” Hiccup hissed from under a car. Miss Sanders had come in with the old rust wagon, complaining about a rattle sound. Hiccup had gotten the tedious long task trying to remedy the problem. Which was not so bad, if the woman did chime the shop down asking for status reports.
Gobber grunted from the door. “Yeah you say that to her. But no. You have a visitor.”
Hiccup nearly hit his head, coming up from under the car.
“A what?” Hiccup did not get visitors. Ever. Even after he got back within the pack, Hiccup always went to his friends, never the other way.
“You got ten minutes before the old crow starts calling again. I would be done by then.” Gobber grumpled.
“Yeah yeah.” Hiccup dried off his hands in a rag, and walked out to the front desk. He wondered who it could be. Toothless lifted an ear in peaked interest. Snotlout would be meeting him at home, and Fish had to help his mum. Maybe it was Astrid. Maybe she actually had gotten Hiccup’s hint and had dumped Thuggery, and was here to beg Hiccup to take her to the Fall Fest. Toothless raspy chuckle drowned in his ears, and he rolled his eyes at the overgrown reptile. Yeah, so maybe that was too much positive thinking. Instead they turned around the corner and found another blond waiting for him instead.

“Ruffnut.” Hiccup smiled, trying to hide his unreasonable disappointment. “Hey. What can I do for you?”
Ruffnut flicked one of her long braids over her shoulder, and scrunched up her nose. She poked him on the cheek.
“Do you know you have, like, a really big smooch right there?” She dragged her finger over it, only making it worse. Hiccup cheeky hummed at her, which her dragons responded with in kind. She stuck her forked tongue out at him. She leaned in over the counter, making her dragon tooth necklace dangle as she moved. 

“Hey. Can you do me a favour?” She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, looking almost coy.  
Hiccup leaned back and crossed his arms. 
“I want to say yes, but first I want to make sure no one is getting hurt.”  
“Fine. I promise.” Ruffnut huffed, putting Hiccup at ease so he leaned over the desk towards her.
“Then sure, what can I help with?”
Ruffnut stood up tall and proclaimed, “Take me to the Fall Fest. Please.”
Hiccup and Toothless titled their heads in confusion. Hiccup had not thought the twins even wanted to go. Tuffnut was very open with his opinions that the fall fest was secretly the governments trying to brainwash them all to spending their time and money on a useless gesture.
The response was instant, Hiccup did not even have to think it over. The worst that could happen was he had a good time.
Hiccup grinned, and said. “Okay. I’ll take you.” A large smile widened on Ruff’s face, small green scales bobbing up her neck in a sign of relief and happiness.
Hiccup leaned his head in his hand on the counter.   
“I did not think you even wanted to go. You know, thinking that the party is just a way for society to control the primal urges, and we are all part of the big corporate agenda or all that.“
Ruff scoffed, the tips of her fingers sparking.
“That’s Tuffnut’s problem. I’m gonna let it rest for a day.” She sighed, a small pink blush dusted her cheek, almost invisible under the green.
“I want to sway to awkward music, with two feet apart, eat trash snacks, drink shabby spiked punch, and run into the ocean under the hero moon.“
Hiccup could not help the smile, watching Ruff clearly trying to hide the excitement.  
“I can take you, no problem.” 
“Just like that.” She asked.
“Just like that.“ Hiccup agreed, Toothless humming as well. Ruffnut looked a bit surprised, but happy.  
“Huh. Thought that maybe you were going with Astrid.“ She looked around the shop, looking slightly embarrassed.  
”No, she is going with Thuggery.“ Hiccup heaved, hating the words coming out of his mouth.
Ruffnutt huffed, her fingers sparking again, as she stalked back to the desk. 
“Damn that girl. She is not making it easy.” She grumbled.
“What about you?” Hiccup counted. 
“What about me?”
Hiccup shrugged. 
“I thought that you, maybe wanted to go with… someone else. Maybe someone named after the insides of a gill based animal.“
Ruffnut sighed. The worst secret was out. Ruffnut was not an over affectious type of person, but she had a certain respect and liking to Fishlegs. One that clearly went over the boy's head.
“I have been hinting and sending him signals for the last month, and he just told me he is not going.“ She bristled, her eyes flashing yellow. ”He is staying home for some new event for the Fall Feast in that PC game of his.”  
”Sorry.” Hiccup reached over and squeezed one of her crossed arms. 
“I am sorry too.” She put her own hand on top of his. Then she pulled it off him. Grabbing both his hands between them, with her usual manic grin.
“But we can still have a blast. And if it helps putting a little fire under Fish and Astrid, I am all for it.”  
“I don't think that would work.”
Fishlegs may wake up and see the light, but there was no light for Astrid. Hiccup was not even an option as a romantic prospect for her. The idea was ridiculous. Ruff pulled at him so close, they were almost nose to nose. 
“And if not, we are gonna have a fun night and make fun of everyone else!”
“Deal.“ Hiccup grinned.

The phone rang, and Hiccup made a discouraged noise. But before he could pick up the phone, Ruff had leaned over the counter and grabbed the old orange landline. She spoke quickly and unforgiving, before she slammed the handle back again, cutting off Miss Sanders mid rant. She winked at Hiccup.

As Hiccup went back into the garage to work, Ruffnut followed, settling down near him, throwing comments to him from time to time. Handing over tools and making fun of him. 
“What about Tuff and Snot?“ Hiccup asked, once he was under the car again. 
“Tuff has plans to try to blow up the dj pult and raid the teachers lounge. Let him have his fun.“ Toothless protective genes had already flared up with the comment, but Ruffnut’s reassurance seemed to have cooled him off for now. 
“And Snot?”
Hiccup heard Ruffnut snort and cackle from above the car.
“Snot is gonna pester every girl he can think of until he has a date. And then he is gonna proclaim that he is too much to handle and go stag.“
Ruffnut shone a light from above, so Hiccup could locate if there were any holes in the floor of the car. 
“Tuff not gonna ask him, because he knows Snot is straight as a board, and he rather have him as a friend. He is ace anyway, and he likes what they have now. “
Hiccup briefly almost dropped his tool down on his face. He peered out from under the car. 
“Should you even tell me this?” He asked softly. The twins were not known for their subtlety, but spilling your brother's sexuality to a third party, maybe some kind of breach of the twin code. Ruffnut looked up from playing with her braid. 
“You're Hiccup. You’re the glue that holds us together. He was gonna tell you at some point. This way I can soften the blow.” She leaned over him. The ends of her long long braids were formed into balls, and they were dangling very close to Hiccup’s face. He pushed one of them, making them dance more. 
“And you and Fish…..?”  
“I am patient. I can wait for Fishlegs to get his head out of his ass.“ She moved back so Hiccup could move out from under the car. They moved around it to peer under the hood. 
“And you and Astrid...” Ruffnut shuffled her weight from foot to foot, but her tone was teasing. Hiccup cursed.
“How did we get to this?“
“Now come on…“ Ruffnut followed him around as he peered in behind the passenger seat, and started digging around in between the cushions. The action kept him busy to think about what he was saying. 
“Fine. I would like us to be more… but what we have right now is also … nice …. “
“Just nice…” Ruffnut complained disgustedly.
“If you are insinuating that I lay awake thinking about her….. You would be right.“ He confessed.
“Ew gross. Too much information my guy.” Ruffnut made an unhappy sound, but she still smirked at him. Hiccup smiled and finally found what he was looking for. Then pulled out a half empty tic tac package, shaking it, making the mysterious rattle sound. Ruffnut burst out laughing. 

Chapter Text

Hiccup was not stupid. He knew he and Ruffnut were friends, and there was no need to make a big deal out of it, but he kinda wanted to make a big deal out of it. Astrid was not into big dramatic gestures, and Hiccup would never attempt such a blow out with her, but Ruffnut was not Astrid. She may not say it, but Ruffnut was into the girly stuff, and looked forward to the dance. And she loved the drama. So Hiccup decided he was gonna be the perfect Feast date, and set out to surprise her anyway.
He showed up at school with a large bouquet of flowers, not roses, and presented them to her, loudly asking her to go with him to the Fall Fest. Ruffnut chittered happily as she accepted. The look on Snotlout's face, together with the rest of the hallwas was priceless. Fishlegs on the other hand looked confused. Like he was trying to solve a puzzle, where the pieces would not fit. Tuffnut howled and wolf whistled as Hiccup extended his arm to Ruffnut, and they walked arm in arm to the next class. They grinned and chuckled, talking loudly as they left, so they almost didn't hear someone punching a hole in their metal locker. But nothing really gets past dragon ears, and Toothless heard it, even if his human was too occupied to give it any mind. 
Tuff and Ruff were talking dress ideas over lunch, showing pictures to Hiccup on their phones, to get his opinion. Tuff seemed to have forgotten his agenda against the secret government, insight of his sister's potential happiness.
Hiccup for the fun of it, approved the most ridiculous looking dress, filled with ruffles and large impractical bows, much to the delight and cackles of the two of them.
Across from them, Fishlegs still looked contemplating, while Snot had accepted the situation, and even gave input to the discussion. Astrid was very quiet, and only squeaked when a can fizzled over in her hand, after she punctured it with her claws.
Hiccup handed over his napkins. “Hey you okay? Did training go bad this morning?”
Astrid grabbed the napkins, and shook her head stiffly.
Hiccup did not have time to ask further, as Ruffnut grabbed his arm, and showed him the next ridiculous looking dress. 

“Hey.” Hiccup waved at Astrid at her locker, the rest of their pack following, but more caught up in their own conversation, and Fishlegs in his phone.
“Go away.” Astrid smacked her locker shut.
“What? Why.. ?” Hiccup jumped away surprised. Astrid only grunted and walked away. Hiccup scoffed and walked after her. He reached for her arm, and she snatched it back with a dragon snarl. Toothless’s ears laid flat with the display, and his eyes narrowed. Hiccup snapped at Astrid. 
“Hey! Truce remember! Don't ignore me. Tell me what's wrong.” He pointed an accusing finger at her, and she pushed it away with a huff.
“Nothing is wrong.” Toothless disagreed, and Stromfly hummed agitated.
“There is something wrong. I can tell something is wrong. Toothless can feel something is wrong.” Astrid still tried to walk away from him. 
“Come on Astrid, don't hide from me. “ He yelled after her. She stopped, only to turn on her heels and march right back up in his face.
“You didn't wanna go to the Fall Fest!” She spat, the tip of her fingers elongated into a sharp point, aimed at his face.
“I never said that.” Hiccup bristled, and Toothless backed him up with a hoarse warning hiss, his nose scrunched up in annoyance. Astrid and Stromfly did not let Toothless' effort scare them and hissed back. 
“You never wanted to go the other years. You've never been before.”
Hiccup threw his hands up in the air.
“Well maybe I have never been, because nobody wanted to go with me before. You know, being soulless. So maybe I just stayed away for everyone's sake.” Toothless barked and Stromfly huffed.
“Oh, but now with a dragon, you’re suddenly mister popular.” Astrid sneered at him, spikes crowning at her head.
“What? What are you even saying? You are not going either. What does that even mean?” He stammered, stupefied and confused. Toothless fummed.
“Like sneaking away smooching with Ruff in the garage?” Astrid gestured towards their group of friends, who watched in silence, trying to hide how they obviously listened in.
“What?”
Astrid shook her head.
“Tuffnut saw you two closing up, when he dropped her off at the garage.“
Tuffnut had the decency to look sheepish, as Hiccup shot him a glare, and his sister punched him hard on the shoulder. The tapping on Fishlegs phone silenced. 
“So..” Hiccup brushed it off and stared at Astrid.
Astrid just let out an angry growl, the scales on her neck standing on end. Hiccup felt Toothless tense up in response, ready for any sudden movement. The dragon’s hiss shivered through him like a wave. 
“Never mind !!” Astrid growled a tone too high to be normal. “Well, maybe I wanted to go, but can’t.”
“Well, I want to go too.” Hiccup reasoned, his own voice raising to Astrid’s level. “It's not like anybody asked me before either.”
“When why not just ask them yourself.” Astrid’s cheek was bash red now, while Hiccup fought to keep his shift under control.
“Maybe if you listened you may have noticed that quite a lot tried to ask you for the ball.”
“Like I care about that stuff.” Astrid huffed, and flipped her braid obnoxiously.
“It sounds like you do.” Hiccup crossed his arms, hiding his blackening fingernails.
“But I don't. It's just a stupid party anyway.” Astrid shrieked at him. Behind them, Hiccup felt his friends jump at Astrid’s shouting.
“Right. Too good for a Hofferson.”
The colour drained from Astrid’s face, and Hiccup knew he had hit a nerve. Her clenched fists shook against her sides.
“Shut up. You don't know anything.“
Toothless’s talons hurt, as they started to bore into Hiccup’s arms, but he kept dem crossed.
“Yeah because you won't tell me. You and Stormfly have been all over me since I presented, but that doesn't mean that you get to decide over me. If I wanna go to the party, I can go to the party. “
“I don't care that you are going to the party!” Astrid insisted.
“Fine. “
“Fine.”
“Have fun at the mayor's ball, and give my regards to Thuggery.” Hiccup said as a final comment, before he turned his back on her.
“Hiccup!” Astrid shouted after him.

Hiccup returned to his friends, and grabbed Ruffnut’s hand. They walked away leaving the others behind. Ruff only briefly looked back towards Astrid. Then her face steeled, and she held on to Hiccup’s hand as they went. 
They sat behind the cafeteria, where Hiccup got to let out a breath and sank down against the wall, having a minor panic attack. “I yelled at Astrid.”
“You did and it was awesome.” Ruffnut agreed and hunched down in front of him.
“Everybody heard.” Hiccup quivered.
“Screw them.” Ruffnut snorted.
“She hates me now.”
“No she doesn't.”
Ruff grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her. “No, she doesn't. Let her calm down. She’ll come back, and you’ll work it out. “
“You think.”
Ruffnut smirked.
“Yeah. But right now, she is not gonna stop us for having a hel of a fun party.”
Hiccup nodded, and finally noticed Toothless soothing over his frayed nerves. He let Ruffnut pull him up and away, safely in the garage. 

The next couple of days, Astrid and Hiccup were overly civil with each other, barely talking. But Ruff was filling the space making sure Hiccup was smiling as they made preparation to go to the fest. Snotlout offered to drive, since he was not really doing anything that night anyway. Too much for the ladies to handle, he proclaimed, and Hiccup transferred a 20 to Ruffnut’s card from his phone under the table. 

For lack of better options, Tuff had dragged Snot and Hiccup out to get fancy wear. Apparently the suit Hiccup had gotten for his Grandpa Old Wrinkly funeral, was not gonna cut it. So Hiccup got away with a decent off black suit from two seasons ago, which meant it was half off, and that was good enough for Tuff. He could use a tie from his fathers collection, and one of his old dress shirts. 
Snot on the other hand went all in and found an all red suit, with bedazzled black lapels, and silk bowtie. When Hiccup was done laughing he admitted his cousin looked good in it. When asked Tuffnut already assured them he had his stuff in order. Which would have been fine, had he not chuckled omensly, while rubbing his hands. Hiccup decided he did not want to know for now. 
With a corsage in hand, he had all that he needed for the dance.

On the night of the party, Stoick stuck his head into Hiccup’s room to inform him he was leaving. Then he stopped, when he saw that the boys were up to. Hiccup was struggling with his father's old green tie, while Snotlout, already fully dressed, was flexing in front of Hiccup’s full length mirror.
“Ahh… you're both going to the dance…”
“Yeah… should we not …?” Hiccup looked at his father, with one half of the tie done.
“Well… I just assumed that maybe you would be hanging out with Gobber.” His father scratched his beard a bit embarrassed. Hiccup only shrugged and focused back on his crooked tie. 
“No thanks. I have a date.”
Something flickered in Stoick's eyes, and he slowly entered the room.
“Really who?” He walked over as started to undue Hiccup’s terrible knot, and retie it.
“Ruffnut..” Hiccup said carefree. He could briefly see his fathers disappointment, before he nodded and smiled. “Thorston. Great lass that one.”
“Yeah. She is great.”
With the job properly done, Stoick patted his son's shoulders. “Oh… well have fun..”
He patted Snotlout’s shoulder on the way out as well. Just as he was out, Stoick poked his hand in once more. “But not too much fun.”
Hiccup rolled his eyes. “We’ll be fine dad. No drunk driving or flying.”
“Okay.” Stoick went away only to appear again. “But…!!!
“It’s a school party, dad..” Hiccup complained. “Don’t you remember when you were young and went to parties.”
“That is why I am worried.”
“Relax Stoick!!” Snotlout flipped his keys up in the air, before catching them again. “I will get the love birds home in one piece, and back before midnight.” He winked at Stoick. Stoick did not look impressed, but he still seemed grateful. With a final stern nod he left them alone.
“You really gonna have us home before midnight?” Hiccup asked his cousin sceptically. Toothless chuckled in his mind.
“No way!! It’s the Fall Feast, we gotta go to the beach and hero moon.” He finger gunned himself in the mirror. Despite the obnoxious display, Hiccup suddenly felt like he could admit that he was related to Snotlout.
“Come on..” Snoutlout howled. “Let’s go get your princess.” 
Hiccup cackled and followed him out of the house.

They drove up the Thorston’s driveway, and Hiccup walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. Ruffnut threw the door open with the largest smile Hiccup had ever seen. She looked gorgeous, except for one thing. She wore a light face of makeup, with glittery eyeshadow, and shimmer on her lips. Her long hair was gathered in intricate braids on top of her head, with two locks framing her face. She wore a pearl necklace and pearl studs in her ears. Her dress was tight fitted and hot pink mermaid style, with white long elbow length gloves. But what really caught Hiccup's eyes were the giant pink bow attached to the back, making her fill up the whole entry way.
“Hi..” He stammered.
“Hi.” Ruffnut hyped. “Isn't it gorgeous? Look at this!” She turned around so Hiccup could see the bow in all its glory. “Is it not the most ridiculous thing you have ever seen!! I can knock so many people over with this. It’s gonna be a mess!” She cheered.
“Woaw.. You still look nice though.” Hiccup added, despite Toothless confused tremor in his mind.
“Thank you.” Ruffnut said, reaching out her hand expectantly. Hiccup dug up the corsage from his pocket.
“Sorry it doesn't match your dress.” The neon blue flower crashed horridly with the luxurious bright pink.
“It’s perfect!” Ruffnut titted as Hiccup slipped it on her wrist. She flicked her wrist to really take in the effect.
“So ready?” Hiccup asked carefully.
“Almost.” She sang. They turned to look at Mr. and Mrs. Thorston who stood near with their phone camera open, and an honest to god's large Nikon. Tuff stood next to them wearing a black suit, with the bow tie undone, and a large hot pink flower in his breast pocket, still wearing his green beanie.
Hiccup chuckled and let himself be dragged inside to pose for the photos with the twins. Snotlout, who came to check what took so long, also got dragged into the mix, and they had fun making silly faces, and ridiculous poses. Hiccup’s favourite one was the one where Ruffnut had lifted him over her head, like a war trophy, while Snot and Tuff played air guitar next to it. Just before they all pooled into the car, Hiccup pulled Ruffnut to the side, and squeezed their faces together to take an awkward selfie on Hiccup’s phone. Hiccup made the peace sign, while Ruffnut pulled out her tongue at the camera. Then they were off. 
Whey had just parked, when Tuffnut sprinted off, leaving his jacket in the car, screaming his head off about grand schemes. They waved him off and wished him luck.

After standing in line, freezing their ass off, they were finally let into the gym. Thank gods for dragon breath to warm up freezing hands and one's core. Ruffnut giggled when Hiccup offered to breathe on her hands, since all she could do was make sparks, and spew water. She still let him, and they spent the wait standing awkwardly with their hands between them, with Hiccup blowing on them from time to time, while Snotlout complained behind them in line. 
Hiccup still held her hand when they entered the decorated hall and gym. Large goblins depicting vikings slaying dragons and other beasts, and some where they rode them, hung from the walls. More depictions of epic battles and more violence, but also the gods. Wooden shields had been painted with swords, helmets and signets hung around, with the standard balloons and cut out cardboards stars, complete with a balloon arch when you entered the gym. Also pumpkins. A lot of them all around.
To the side there was a selfie booth, with an array of shields, fake beards, rubber swords and helmets. An array of small round tables was scattered around the room, except in front of the scene where a DJ was warming up in front of the dance floor. A long table at the end was geared up with snacks and food, with the infamous punch bowl at the end. When Hiccup peaked over there, he saw a hand that looked suspicious a lot like Tuffnut’s, pour something into the concoction. Teachers and suspicious overprotective parents that had volunteered, milled around the happy loud teenages. 
Ruffnut squealed happily and pulled Hiccup inside, as the Dj started up a more funky dance song. She used her elbows and her extremely large bow to mash their way to a table, and then in line for food. She took up the space for two seats, when they sat down with filled plates. 
It was a fun time. Hiccup was pulled out to the dance floor and twirled awkwardly a happy Ruffnut around. Even if Hiccup did not have a rhythm bone in his body, he still tried to follow the more complicated moves Ruffnut threw into the mix.
They took turns trying to make the other laugh by pulling out the most obscene and old school dance moves, moonwalking, twerking to disco.
Snotlout also joined and they switched dancing with her, as she “accidently” bumped into other groups and pairs dancing, making her more outgoing moves. Tuffnut showed up from time to time, dancing and laughing with them, his sleeves rolled up around his elbow, and bowtie missing. 

Hiccup had just pulled off a semi successful dip with a cackling Ruffnut, that left them both laughing, but mostly because Tuffnut and Snotlout had done the same next to them with far more success, when Hiccup saw it.
Shuffling his feet near the door, stood Fishlegs. He looked around clearly uncomfortable and stressed as he pulled at his collar. He was dressed in a brown suit, just a size too small that had been hastily thrown over his ‘Ivan the barbarian’ shirt, like he had left in a hurry. Ignoring Tuffnut's and Snotlout's flawless fake tango, he drew Ruffnut inclose, so her ear was right next to his mouth. With one hand on her hip, and the other one in her hand, he turned them around, so she could not see the door.
“Well, have you seen what the Gronkle dragged in?” He twirled her so he was now with his back to the entry, and felt Ruffnut gasp. The hand on his arms tightened in the fabric off his jacket, but else Ruffnut remained silent.
Still Hiccup could feel her sudden agitation and giddiness. Small scales appeared on the hand he was holding, and her eyes flashed briefly. He ginned as they swayed to the music.
“So..” He whispered. “You're gonna do something about it?”
“In a minute..” Ruffnut whispered back, leaning her face in his chest, as she tried to hide her blush. The feat was quite impressive as Ruffnut towered over him in her high heel sandals.
Hiccup spun her out, Toothless cooing in comfort, her own dragons humming in tandem.
When she returned to his embrace, he grinned “Go get him!!”
He hip checked her, and made her stumble off the dance floor. She turned to him with a betrayed indignant look, but he only mouthed “not sorry”.
And grabbed Tuffnut, who promptly dipped him, to make a point about proper dance technique to Snotlout.
Hiccup pulled them both away behind a large flower pumpkin decoration thing, so they could spy and Ruff and Fish much to Tuffnut’s delight. 
They tried listening in, even with dragon ear’s, but the loud music and the noise from the room confused Toothless scenes, and it was impossible to hear without transforming his ears completly. Instead they watched with glee, as Fishlegs stumbled through a conversation, with a cross Ruffnut. In the end Ruff still dragged a red flushed Fishlegs to the dance floor where they twirled around, until they were both laughing. One slow awkward dance later, Tuffnut dragged the rest of them over to join them. Hiccup did an awkward macarena with Fish as Ruff and Tuff did the robot. 
They took photos at the selfie machine wearing ridiculous beards and made fun of who could make the best face. 

At 21:12 Astrid and Thyggery had still not shown up. Hiccup sighed and let his breath turn into mist in the cool night air outside the gym. The side doors had been thrown open, to let air into the room, that had been heated to by the dancing bodies, and adolescent dragons blowing fire into the air. Toothless hummed in his head, fogging up Hiccup’s mind, but that could have been the spiked punch. Hiccup leaned his head back, drawing in the cold air. 
They properly won't come. They were probably still stuck at the mayor's party, and Hiccup felt kinda foolish thinking that they still would have shown up. Even more foolish to dream Astrid would ditch Thuggery and save him a dance. Even after their fight.
“Ready to go.” Snotlout said joining him. Behind them Tuffnut, Ruff and Fishlegs were waiting expectantly. Ruffnut was wearing Fishlegs oversized jacket, drawing in the amount of fabric, but she looked happily flushed, with Fishlegs arm around her shoulders. Tuffnut was sipping on a cup of punch, his completion flushed with the drink, while Snotlout held a water bottle, still respectable sober to drive them to the beach. Inside the gym the atmosphere had turned from awkward sober silence to more chaotic happy lose, as people and dragons got more inhibited with the drinks.
With a sigh Hiccup pushed himself off the fence. So what if Astrid did not join them. It had still been fun. Hanging with his friends, dancing with Ruff. Yeah, a pretty good party. And the night was not over yet.  Just one more thing to do. 
“Yeah. Let's go.” 

They raced to the car, clearly seeing the problem. There was no way all of them could fit, with Ruffnut’s giant bow.
Ruffnut just snorted, and with a flourish, opened a clasp on the side of her hip, and undid her skirt and bow with a twirl, leaving her in a sophisticated hot pink pantsuit.
“Well ain't you full of surprises.” Hiccup grinned and jumped into the front seat.
“Of course.” Ruff smirked and stuffed the bow and skirt in the trunk.

Chapter Text

The beachfront was already filled up with people. Despite families with smaller children had left already, many more still milled around the pop up stalls, and around the fire pits set up to offer warmth on the cold evening. Music blasted out the speakers mixing with the excited chatter and dragon cries from the crowd. Snotlout parked, and they all jumped out to join the masses. They walked along the stalls and bought warm mead to heat them up, together with candied apples, meat on skewers and crepes with chocolate and banana filling. While Hiccup munched on his crepe, Snotlout threw ring toss in a stall, trying to win a stuffed nadder to Ruffnut. Ruffnut cheered him on, while Fishlegs stood smiling next to them. Tuffnut interfered and made Snotlout miss his last shot comically. Toothless hissed briefly to let Hookfang come down from his sudden anger, and then they walked down to the end of the stall to the High striker.

Snotlout bosted and said he could get the highest score, as he clearly was the most superior dragon. That sent Hiccup’s friends into a frenzy, their dragons hissing and complaining and they all lined up to beat him.
Even Toothless hummed low in Hiccup’s chest ready to prove himself, against Snotlout’s boosted ego. Fishlegs went first, unimpressed with Snotlout bosting. His hands and arms grew gnarly and bumpy brown as he lifted the hammer over his head. It came down with an impressive thang, and the bolt nearly hit the bell. Hiccup mouth opened in woe as Fishlegs shock off the throw. Tuffnut lined up next, but his sister demanded her turn, and they ended up fighting in the spot over the hammer. Hiccup hid his grin behind his hand, as the twins lifted the hammer over their heads, and in a common effort, hammered it down on the spot. Shades of green, yellow and red blossomed over the exposed skin of Tuffnuts arms. Ruffnut was covered in Fishlegs jacket, but Hiccup felt the dragon spark in her eyes, as the hammer came down. The blot flew up and only passed Fishleg’s mark with the tiniest bit, too much frustration for the twins. Fishlegs cheered and Hiccup clapped at their effort. Snotlout made a big show out of postering when it was his turn, showing off his flexing muscles. Hiccup rolled his eyes, and told him to get on with it. Tuffnut chuckled and leaned on Hiccup, whopping his fist in the air. Snotlout scowled at them for ruining his progress and started over too much more protest. When his hammer finally came down, it was sent straight to the bell making it ring out into the air. The twins groaned complaining about how Snotlout must be cheating, while Fishlegs cheered and gave him a high five. Snotlout kissed both his arms, flexing them in a particular obnoxious manner.
“And that's how you do it, when you are the best!” He sang, making his firends groan. “Can you and your precious terror beat that?” Snotlout challenged. Hiccup knew it was more for show then a real insult, but Toothless still hissed. Hiccup shushed him.
“I think I am good. I can’t go after such an impressive display of strength.” Toothless growled unhappy, but Snotlout smiled and went straight into another postering session. Hiccup could only grin. He was still trying to stay low, and was not interested in the display, despite how good it would feel to rub into his cousin's face. He was supposed to be a Terrible terror, and though sneaky and powerful, they were not that powerful. Toothless on the other hand, it was hard to tell. Night Fury was more on speed and flight, than raw strength. Hiccup could not see the need, but gladly surrendered his cousin to make a fool of himself again.
Behind them the bell rang out again, cutting off Snotlout’s bolstering and the twins hackling. This time the bell was struck with so much force, it made a visible dent and the sound drilled into Hiccup’s sensitive dragon hearing. They all turned to see a stunning blond couple, where the woman had just obliviated Snotlout score. 

Hiccup felt his face heat up. “Astrid..”
She looked beautiful in a blue dress with a fitted bodice, and a flaring skirt. Her hair had been done up, but now had slipped out of the fastenings, and her bangs kept getting in her eyes, so she kept trying to pull it away. She had swapped her high heels for a pair of worn out trotted converse, but they lay discarded next to her small clutch. Hiccup's eyes wandered to the young man behind her, who smiled warmly at their group. He was equally as handsome in his white suit, with tie and breast pocket in the same blue colour as Astrid’s dress. His golden hair was windswept and charming, matching his sparkling blue eyes. He was taller than all of them, very muscular despite being the same age as all of them.
“Astrid!! You came.” Ruffnut squealed and threw her arms around Astrid in a hug. The mead and the punch had made Ruff tipsy with the rest of them, and that made her overly affectionate. Astrid looked puzzled for a second before hugging her back, sending knowing looks over her shoulder to the rest of them.   
Thuggery went around them and extended his hand to Hiccup.
“Hi. You must be Astrid’s friends. I have heard so much about you.” His smile was bright and honest, making it very hard for Hiccup to begrudge him for simply being there.
“Hiccup. And you must be Thuggery.”
“Yes. Do you remember me? We met a couple years ago at one of my dad’s party’s. Back before he was elected.”
“Yeah I remember you. You were allergic to shellfish and threw up over Anika Parkinson’s dress.” Hiccup said smugly.
“Damn, I thought I would live that down.”
“Not on my watch.” Said Hiccup, which made Thuggery laugh.
“You’re still a lot of fun. I was wondering why you were not coming around anymore? You always made it more fun.”
“I presented late, and your parents found out my dad did not have much sway in the police force, before he was promoted.”
“Damn I hate that. He is such a pretentious prick sometimes my dad.” Thuggery ran a hand through his hair, but his tone and smile was genuine.
“You said it, not me.” Hiccup shrugged. 
“True, but the worst he can do is ground me. Late, you said?” Thuggery took a step closer, looking him up and down, much to Toothless annoyance.
“Yeah. Terrible terror.” He ignored Toothless complaining noise. “Who would have thought?”
“Woao really?” To Hiccup’s surprise, Thuggery’s face lit up with interest.
“Yeah.” Hiccup said warely.
“That is really cool.”
“You think?”
“Yeah. They are really interesting dragons. How has it been going after you presented?”
This whole talk made Hiccup sort of uneasy, and Toothless slightly agitated. They were not used to people actually taking an interest in them. Was this normal, or was Thuggery just playing nice to impress Astrid, by being nice to her friends?
“Fine I guess..'' Hiccup tried to look at his friends, but none of them seemed to notice his struggles.
“No hiding around.“
The odd question made Hiccup stare at Thuggery. There was something truly dragon in the way he smiled.
“Why would I …?”
Thuggery quickly brushed the question off with a charming laugh and more human smile.
“No I mean,.. Your dragon. Is not as favoured as others.”
Hiccup soured by the slight jab. 
“No.. not gonna hide who I am.“ He crossed his arms defiantly, and felt Toothless tense.
“Waoa.. That's really cool.. I wish I had your kind of courage?”
“Courage?”
The honestly in Thuggery comment threw Hiccup off.
But then Tuff grabbed Thuggery’s arm and pulled him over to another stall and left Hiccup alone. Hiccup felt it shift under his skin. The slight tug from Thuggery. But as soon as Thuggery was out of his vicinity, he lost it again. Still he felt Toothless rise to attention by the brief interaction. Beside him Snotlout stiffened.
“Please don’t. You have that stupid look on your face. Just for one evening. Don’t. I don't want to fish anyone out of the ocean.“
Hiccup shook his head, trying to clear the odd feeling.
“I don't know what you are talking about.” He denied.
“You're doing the thing again… the dragon thing.. Like with Ruff and with Hookfang. Stop it. Let it be. Let them figure their own shit out.“
Thuggery chose that moment to put his arm around Astrid, and the sudden urge to help him and his dragon disappeared from Hiccup’s mind. 

Even if Hiccup’s mood was sadly thrown off by the appearance of Astrid and Thuggery, Hiccup was still determined to enjoy his night with his friends. They continued to eat their way through the stalls before ending in front of the large bonfire. And Hiccup even got to keep up tradition and rate the drunks that tumbled around, having a mighty good time. Including several kids from his school. One drunk teen had brought a speaker that blasted music out, making the scene around into an impromptu dance floor. Fishlegs fooled around with Ruff trying to make the most ridiculous dance moves, while much to Hiccup’s dismay Thuggery was twirling Astrid around in a respectful manner. Snotlout smacked him on the arm and dragged him over to get some warm mead to heat them up. Ruffnut later dragged them into her dance circle, and Hiccup did not get away before he was breathless of laughter and dancing.
He plopped down on the cold sand a spot away from the party. He sat feeling the sand move under his hands, his lungs heaving in the cool air, his ears prickling as they listened to the sound of his pack's cheers. Feeling Toothless stretching in his mind, while watching his surroundings. He took another sip of his mead.
He heard the figure come near him, but he intentionally ignored it. Even as they sat down next to him in the sand. They sat in silence for a moment, just listening to the nearby music and sound of the happy crowd.
To Hiccup’s surprise, Astrid spoke first.
“I’m sorry. I did not know you wanted to go to the stupid dance.”
Hiccup turned to her in surprise. It was very unchasteristic of Astrid to apologise for, well, anything. 
“If I had known… then maybe..” Astrid hesitated. “Then maybe I would have gone with you.”
Hiccup blinked a moment, completly stunned. Toothless was shifting, but staying silent.
“I wanted to ask you, tried to actually, but then you told me you were going with Thuggery.”
He confessed, looking down into his drink. “Kinda threw me off.”
“Right..” Astrid eyes were focused on the waves, still not quite looking at him.
“Sorry for yelling at you.” Hiccup said, feeling Astrid shift next to him. She dug the tips of her shoes down in the sand.
“It’s alright..” She said softly. “I just wanted you to know, that if I could have done it differently.. I would have liked to go with you.” She honed in on herself, her face on top of her folded arms, cradling her knees.
“I would have liked that.” He admitted softly. “Why? Could you not? Go with me, I mean.”
She finally looked at him.
“Astrid, I have known you forever.. You are the strongest person I know. How hard would it be to say no to your parents?”
Astrid scoffed. “That's rich coming from you and your father.”
Now it was Hiccup’s turn to scoff.
“We are working on that. But I know that you are nowhere near saying no to your parents, than I am telling my dad about my dragon.”
Astrid shook her head.
“You don't get it.”
“I’m maybe the only one who does.” Hiccup tried to sound mature and inviting, even if his heart was beating 50 miles an hour trying to beat out his chest, from just sitting near her. “It’s not easy being the disappointment of Stoick the Vast.”
A hand found his.
“But you're not. You’re not a disappointment. Not to me.”
“Thanks Astrid.” He turned his own hand, to hold on to hers. 
“You should take your own advice. You’re not a disappointment either. I wish your parents could see that.“
After a moment Astrid pulled her hand back, clearing her throat and looking towards the water again. She tried pushing her bangs away from her face again, but the wind was playing with it making the task impossible. 

“Thuggery seems nice…” Hiccup added after another silent awkward moment. He could feel Toothless gloat over his discomfort. Hiccup swirled around the remaining content of his cup.
“Yeah he is fine.” She suddenly sat straighter and glared at him. “You know we're friends right?”
“Yeah I figured.” Hiccup ruffled his own hair, trying to tame it in the wind.
“Just friends.” Astrid said slowly, trying to pronounciate her words carefully. 
“Oh…” Hiccup stammered, finally getting Astrid point, and getting hot all over at the same time.
“He has a girlfriend you know.” She added.
“No, I did not know.” Hiccup struggled trying to figure out how to deal with that information on top of his faring emotions. 
“Yeah. I'm just sticking it out with him, until he tells his parents.” Astrid said, drawing in the sand with her finger. “He agreed to help me out and go to the stupid dinner, and not be a dick about it.” A spiked nadder formed under her finger’s movement.. 
“A secret girlfriend huh. Knew you liked a bad boy.” He pushed her gently with his shoulder.
Astrid flicked sand at him, making chuckle. “Stop it.”

“Astrid, are we friends?” He looked up to the sky, looking at the stars over his head. “Because a lot of times it feels like we aren't.”
He scratched his cheek uncomfortably. He was not sure where his sudden burst of courage had come from. 
“We're fighting a lot, and sometimes you ignore me. I don't know..”
Astrid was silent next to him for a long time, before she spoke, her voice low and barely audible with all the background noise from the party.
“I want to be friends.”
Hiccup felt his fingers dig into the sand, and form into fist.
“But you didn't before. No until after Toothless….” Hiccup sighed and took another draw of his mead emptying the cup.
“Sometimes it makes me wonder, if you only talk to me because Stromfly is making you.”
“No.. What are you talking about?!” Astrid sounded mad, but Hiccup was too tired to care right now. 
“About you. About us. About him. I know your dragons are all connected to Toothless somehow, even though I am not sure why. But the moment he came along, I became visible again. Especially to you.” 
“To Stormfly. “ He nodded at her.
“She is blocking me in some way.. “ Astrid admitted. ”About Toothless. All she says is that he is pack, and she will protect the pack. But I think there is more to it that she is not telling me.” “So she is the reason you are talking to me again. Because she owes Toothless or something.” 
It kinda hurt to admit it. Next to him, Astrid was shaking her head, then she stopped confused.
“I don't know… I hoped that somehow I could have managed the courage to talk to you, but I could not. She gave me the push. I want to be friends. Always wanted to.”
Her shoes dug deeper into the ground.
“But being a Hofferson was somehow more important. I am sorry for that. Maybe not all of it, but I am sorry that I had to cut you off like that. It seemed like the only way at that time.”
“And now. What happens next time your parents think that being friends with a Terrible terror is beneath a Hofferson.'' Hiccup deadpanned, and Astrid hissed at him, dragon in his throat.
“But you're not a terror!”
“That doesn't matter. If you think I'm gonna bust Toothless out just to please your parents. You got it wrong! I won't. I have not even shown my own parents. So what makes you think I want to share him, for you.”
Astrid was silent for a moment, biting her lip. Her face was flushed, even as she tried to control her anger. Hiccup was also angry, but he was mostly tired.
“I will fight. I am not giving up this time.. I promise.“ Astrid's serious face was very close to his.
“I want to believe it.” Hiccup mumbled.
“Then let me prove it.” Astrid reached out for his arm, but Hiccup pushed it away.
“No, don't. I don't want some sign of loyalty. I just want my friend back.” He heaved.
“I just want my Astrid back.”
Her eyes grew round and big, and so impossible blue. Maybe the buzz was settling in, because Hiccup leaned in closer so their noses were almost touching.
“If you ever get tired of being a Hofferson, you could always become a Haddock.” He smirked.
“What…” Astrid stuttered. 
“I am sure I can find a way to make that happen.” He chuckled and leaned back.
Astrid flushed, but Hiccup didn't notice to caught up in his drink. His head was fussy, and the buzz from the alcohol was nice. Toothless usual presence dimmed a little around the edges with the sensation, but he was alway there. Always watching over him and keeping him safe.

“So… we're good.. Still.. friends?” The words were almost hesitant. She still looked immensely pretty, with the wind in her hair, stars in her eyes and dragon in her heart.
Hiccup breathed a deep sigh, trying to get a handle of his conflicting emotions. Happiness over being friends with Astrid again, and the disappointment of being just friends with Astrid again.
“Yeah…we are still friends.” He reached over to hug her sideways, and instead she let her head rest on his shoulder, with his arms around her. Hiccup sat still for a moment just listening to her breathing, feeling the weight on his shoulder, rubbing the fabric of her jacket under his fingertips. Feeling the subtle wif from Stormfly. 

Astrid sat up abruptly as Tuffnut ran over to them, shouting about them being unsocial. Hiccup knew there was no way of deteriorating him, so he got up, and brushed the sand from his pants. He extended a helping hand to Astrid, which she took. They hurried up and quickly joined their friends and Thuggery.
Now with Thuggery so close, Toothless was more sensitive to his agitated dragon, and in Hiccup’s inhabited state, he was not doing a good job at controlling him.
Hiccup could feel his skin crawl with Toothless sudden restlessness. Even if Thuggery had a secret girlfriend, and he was not dating Astrid, Hiccup’s personal feelings still impacted his judgement. It was hard to just let go of his jealousy right there and now. He could only hope it would mellow out. Still as Thuggery laughed and twirled Astrid around in a mock greeting, the dreaded nauseous feeling still clung to his skin. That combined with Toothless constant shifting and agitation made him want to put some distance between himself and them. At least while he got his head together. When Toothless became like this, he had a hard time thinking properly. Of course the alcohol that he had previously enjoyed mollifying the world around him, was now working against him. Great.
He broke out of the circle, and said something about getting them new drinks. He ducked out around a couple of men with their arms around each other, singing their hearts out, voices coloured by mead. He had barely gotten a few meters away before Thuggery caught up with him and offered to help. Of course. Because he was a nice guy.
Toothless growled in Hiccup’s mind, his own shift trying to break free. He had to take a moment of just breathing to get Toothless to get go of him. Thuggery noticed, with his arms full of mead.
“You alright..?”
“Give me a minute…”
“Losing control…?”
“No just…” Hiccup breathed heavily, trying to drown out Toothless growls coming through his voice.
Lucky Thuggery seems unaffected by Hiccup’s weird behaviour.
“Then maybe take it easy with the mead, right.” He gave Hiccup a friendly pat on the shoulder. 
“Don’t want a primal dragon running around.“ He joked.
Hiccup looked him up and down, and noticed that there was another cup missing, beside the one for Snotlout, who was driving. Thuggery was not drinking either.
“Like yours…?” Hiccup could not say what was coming over him. Stupid dragon with stupid dragon instincts. Toothless leered in the edge of his mind.
Thuggery’s smile faltered for only a minute. Then the smile was back. He was much taller than Hiccup, but Hiccup was not intimidated. Not with Toothless at having his back.
“Let’s just go back to the others..” Thuggery suggested.
“No, I think we should talk..” Toothless’s hummed louder in his head.
By now the others had noticed the drinks, and were coming over to help carry, only to stumble at Hiccup’s frosty tone. His pack’s dragon was very much intune with Toothless, and the shift in temperament, sat them off.
“Hey man. It’s okay. Nothing to worry about..” Thuggery’s smile was strained as he distributed the cups.
Hiccup was not impressed. Neither was Toothless.
“What's wrong with your dragon?” He asked icecold. Toothless hissed.
“Hiccup..!” Astrid protested open mouthed.
“Not again.” Snotlout huffed, and Tuffnut took a deliberate step in front of his sister.
“Are you embarrassed over it?” Hiccup continued. He felt Toothless’s claws itching, the urge to shift and make the other dragon comply.
Thuggery remained silent.
“Answer me.” Toothless demanded. 
His friends remained awkwardly quiet, shuffling their feet and looking the other way. Fishlegs took one of the mead cups and chucked its contents. Ruffnut shuffled her feet beside him, lifting her own cup to her lips. Her cheeks had a rosy hue, but her eyes were still and focused.
“Better tell him.” Ruffnut said quietly. “It will be worse if you don’t. He is not gonna stop.”
Thuggery turned to Astrid for assistance, but Hiccup ignored her plea for letting it go.
Instead he walked up to Thuggery and took his face between his hands, making everyone uncomfortable. More importantly he placed his hands behind Thyggery’s ears, fingers tracing around to find the right spot, his mother’s paper clear in his mind. Toothless and the buzz from the mead seemed to have washed away his personal boundaries.

Thuggery, not knowing to respond, gasped as Hiccup found the two points and pushed. A shiver ran over Thyggery’s body, but nothing else happened.
“Huh.. You not a nadder” Hiccup saying matter of factly stepping back. Toothless’s ire seemed to plummet, and instead was replaced with interesting confusion. All the aggression gone like dug from the sun. Hiccup’s mind was suddenly quiet and mellow once more.
“How could you tell?” Thuggery said, his voice small and slightly panicked. Beside them Astrid gasped.
“That would have released a nadder- But you're not one. You're something else.” Hiccup reached out again, but Thuggery took a step back, grabbing at his arms. Toothless barked a warning, but the other boy deflected it. His eyes briefly flashing, as response to Toothless taunt.
“Hey now.” He sputtered, trying to deflect Hiccup’s hands. He looked to the others for help, but they just shook their heads, embarrassed by Hiccup’s display.
After some scuffelling Thuggery got a hold of Hiccup’s hands. “Stop it… “ He hissed, finally showing some dragon. Toothless purred.
Thuggery may not be on board, but his dragon was. It was silently calling out to Toothless.
“If I tell you, will you stop? And not tell anyone.”
“Sure..” Hiccup said undeterred.
Thuggery rolled his eyes and they turned yellow, while a length of scales appeared on his neck and chin. They were grey in the low light, but almost silver when the light caught them.
Beside him, Hiccup felt Hookfang shift, aware of a threat in his area. Another Nightmare.
“Monstrous Nightmare.” Hiccup concluded. Thuggerys shift disappeared as fast as it had been there. “And why are you embarrassed about that?” He complained. 
Astrid led out a string of curses and annoyed sounds. Toothless seemed pleased, but something had shifted in the dragon. He was happy to help, but another large A-grade dragon in his territory could become a threat, if not treated carefully. Hiccup had no use for dragon politics, and just sulked. He could not understand the problem. He had been soulless. Not that it was something to complain about. Why was Thuggery complaining about being one of the strongest and most sought after dragon spices? It was simply not fair.
“Because it sucks to be a Nightmare, when you are expected to be a Nadder.” Thuggery snarled, his nightmare temper showing. That was why he had been so careful with his drink. The charming smile and carefree eyes. He was trying not to let his dragon slip.
“You should tell them..” Hiccup just said. “About both.”
Astrid shifted behind them, and Thuggery’s eyes widened slightly.
“If you don't, then he's gonna take matters into his own claws.” Toothless only confirmed Hiccup’s assessment.
“I'll think about it..” Thuggery said through gritted teeth.
Hiccup shrugged, then his hand surged forward hitting Thuggery in the chest. His friends protested around him as Thuggery dug over.
Hiccup cursed and shook his hand in pain, two of his fingers outstretched. But he had hit the points.
Thuggery’s body shivered once more, this time with scales, and a large silver tail landed behind him, while spikes grew over his face. When he stood up, hands still on his knees, smoke was coming out of his nostrils.
“Better?” Hiccup said, still contemplating his aching hand.
“Much…” Thuggery hissed. “Don’t do it again.”
“Only if you ask. “
Tuffnut cheered. “Damn you crazy.”
They walked away, and Hiccup just managed to hear Thuggery whisper to Astrid.
“You did not say he was smart too..”
Astrid made a strangled noise, but Hiccup didn't hear her comeback as Tuffnut dragged him along with the rest of them. Astrid joined them shortly but without Thuggery.
“Said he was done for tonight.”
“Well his loss.” Tuff spat, mouth full of food and mead. 

They walked down the beach, where the lights from the walkway got further and further away, leaving them in almost darkness. But that was no issue to a bunch of dragons with night vision.  
Further down, closer to the lights, people have already shed their shoes to jump the waves. The sound of shrieks and hissing when the cold water hit skin carried all the way to Hiccup and his friends. Tuffnut was already shuffling out his shoes and running towards the water, hands in the air, screaming his lungs out. Hiccup figured it was a way to overcome his fear of the water and get it over with.
Ruffnut was pulled by Fishlegs, who stopped to pull up his pants legs. Snotlout pushed him all in when he took too long, then cannonballed himself.  Hiccup placed his keys, phone and wallet in the sand, so he didn't drop it in the ocean.
He dipped his own feat in the water, feeling the chill from the cold sand and the icy touch of the waves.
Astrid stood beside him, arms around herself, shivering as she dipped her toes. In the water Ruff and Tuff were up to their knees, throwing water at the others, while Fishlegs chased them around. 
“I wanna shift…” Hiccup said, as Toothless intentions become overwhelming. The night events had finally dried his resolve. Toothless ached and stretched, and with Hiccup’s mind fussy, it would only be a matter of time before he would give in.
“Ahh… no…” Astrid said with authority. “What if anybody sees you..” 
Hiccup chuckled and let their wings expand.
“Do you…?”  He wandered out, his feet already shifting. Astrid rolled her eyes. She had a hard time focusing on him, as he almost disappeared against the dark ocean and the black sky.
“Night fury.. Right…” She scuffled and followed him out to the others. Seeing Hiccup’s shifted state, the others followed suit and shifted as well. Roaring and hissing in glee, letting their dragons lose. Even Astrid after some hesitation. Hiccup was drunk on the happy feeling with the shift and the mead. He stomped his foot and made splashes on the others. 
Hiccup hip checked Ruffnut and she stumbled into her brother. They all froze when they started shouting. Astrid gripped Hiccup’s arm, and Hiccup let her step in front of him. But he also wrapped an arm around her middle, ready to hold her back.
The shouting quickly turned to laughter as they twins gaped at each other. They were fused together at the hip, scales covering their connected skin.
Ruffnut, who had let the water dragon lead, trilled. Scouldy pulled back and Barf’s impression became more firm. Scales growed from their body. Belch was echoing on Tuffnut, and the twins' middle legs connected together, merging into one, before splitting into a split dark tail. While the twins howled and cackled, their friends could only stare.
“It don't hurt at all!!” Ruffnut shouted.
“This is so awesome..” Tuffnut purred. Their impressions changed, turning more dragons.  Hiccup felt Astrid and Stormfly relax under his arm, and went in to hug her, resting his face on her shoulder. It’s a little awkward as she was still taller than him, even though they both had dragon feet. But they swayed slightly with the movement of the water. The twins jumped all about swinging their new common tail, with Fish and Snotlout chasing after them,
“Make sense that they need each other to shift.” Hiccup mumble into Astrid's hair. “They share a dragon after all.”
Astrid only hummed. Her transformed hands were resting on Hiccup’s arms as they swayed. Hiccup breathed in her scent. Toothless was much more territorial than Hiccup, but this was truly his own. He knew the attraction he felt towards Astrid. Releasing in the dull ache he remembered. It would be so easy to bury his nose in her neck, and kiss the soft skin.
They were knocked over by the twins, tumbling them down in their eagerness. Astrid managed to steady herself, but Hiccup landed butt down in the ocean, soaking his suit. The twins tripped over him and separated into two separate blobs in the ocean. Hiccup hissed and used his wings to drench them. They growled and the game was on.
Toothless used his strong wings and they took off, basking the strong appendices trying to get some warmth out through the limps, after the cold dip in the ocean. Only Astrid and Stormfly could follow, so Astrid leaped at him, using her own arms for flight. They taunted the others from above, before they all, shaking and shivering, trekked back to land. With swiftness they gathered their things and shoes, to run to the nearest firepit to get warm, before they decided to call it a night. 

It was way past midnight and for many of the people on the beach, the party had just started. Still Hiccup was cold, tried and had enough entertainment for the night.
They all scampered to Snotlout’car and encountered a problem. Somehow it ended up with Ruffnut sitting in Fishlegs lap, with Astrid and Tuffnut squashed in the backseat, with Hiccup and Snot at the front. When they were all buckled up, Snotlout cranked up the heater and they were off.
The twins' place was closest and they dropped them off first. With Fishlegs a close second.
Hiccup offers to walk Astrid to her door, making Snotlout groan overdramatically.
Astrid graciously still accepted.
They stop awkwardly in front of the door. The lights were on, on the top floor, so maybe parents had already returned, but most likely the house was empty.
“Thanks for tonight. I am glad we ended up having fun.”
“Yeah..” Astrid said, wondering. Hiccup turned to leave, giving her a wave, when he was pulled back by his collar. The shock was almost too much, as he felt Astrid soft lips on his cheek. Confusion was quickly replaced with the warmth washing over his body, his nerves sizzling and vision blurry. 
“Thank you for.. tonight.” Astrid gave him one last smile. It still managed to make Hiccup’s legs turn into jelly, then she closed her door. Hiccup sprinted back into the car, not sure if his legs would disappear under him, if he hesitated.
Snotout looked up from his phone, at Hiccup’s flushed expression.
“What took you so long?”
Hiccup made an unintelligent noise, so Snotlout snorted and turned on the car.

Being cold, tired and danced out made it really easy to fall asleep as soon Hiccup hit the pillow. One warm shower, a quick change onto sleeping clothes and Hiccup was gone like a light.
He woke up hours later with a sore throat, and went down into the kitchen to get a cup of water. Halfway down the stairs he froze, when he heard the scuffling sound of something heavy landing on the floor. Toothless jumped, senses alert and ready to pounce.
More shuffling, then a voice mumbling almost incomprehensible. But Hiccup could recognize it anyway.
“Myyy looveee..” His father’s rusted voice rumbled from his sunken form on the floor near the entrance. Hiccup settled on the stairs, trying to make himself smaller. He could hear his father struggling to stand, and settle on sitting against the wall.
Hiccup bit his lip to stay quiet as he listened in.
“My love…” Stoick staggered, and Hiccup realised that he was drunk. His voice was raspy, and his words blurred, making his accent even more pronounced, and the words more unclear.
“My Valka..” Hiccup felt a tight grip on his heart. Stoick rarely talked about his mother.
“Won't you come home soon my love.. I miss my wife.. “  Hiccup pressed the edges of his hands into his eyes.
“You are missing so much Val.. You should see our son Val.. He has friends now.. He has a dragon now.. Val, I am so proud.. He was always his own person, just like you.. But Val.. He is just brilliant.. Always were… your son.. My boy.. So strong..”
Despite Hiccup’s best effort and Toothless comforting purring, the stupid tears fall anyway.
“Please come home Val..'' Stoick’s voice ebbed out, and something fell on the floor with a thump. Distressed Hiccup stood to help, hearing the soft snores from his father. He gathered the phone dropped on the carpet and looked at the still ongoing call. The call had gone to voicemail long ago, capturing Stoick's plea. 
Breathless Hiccup lifted the phone to his lips. “Love you mom. Come home soon.”
Then he ended the call.

Stoick woke up the next morning, rather confused, nursing quite the hangover. He briefly noticed the blanket thrown over him and hurled himself into his bed upstairs.
Many hours later he woke up to the smell of food. Hiccup was cooking on the stove in the kitchen when he walked in..
He said nothing as he sat down next to Snotlout who was already digging in. Hiccup clenched his father's shoulder and smiled as he sat down a plate in front of the man. Without any words he turned on the TV for the game, and they ate in silence. Stoick looked over to his son, and couldn't not help his own smile.

Chapter Text

Life continued. Snoggletog came and went. And so did the new year. With the new year, came a new semester. But nothing really changed for Hiccup. He went to school, he worked at the garage, he hung out with his friends, he went to football games, swim meets, track and fly, supporting his pack and his friends in any way he could. It was fine. And it was not.

Hiccup knew he was different. That Toothless was different. He talked to the others about what it meant to have a dragon. And their experiences were not the same as his. They have emotions and needs based on their dragons, but they did not have overpowering commanding controlling impulses like Toothless did. They did not have the need to take care of the pack in the same way Toothless did. Stromfly was a nester, and made sure that the people in her near vicinity, her pack, and Astrid family were protected and happy. A trait that sometimes led to Astrid fussing over all of them. But in a lot of the cases Astrid could tell Stromfly no, and the dragon would let them be. Meatlug was content with eating, and as long as Fishlegs was happy, she did not care for more. Hookfang was a very selfish dragon that followed his own head, and rarely followed Snotlout’s lead. That made both of them incredibly stubborn, but they were harmonious in that way. The twins needed each other to balance out the dragons raging in their head. So long separation and the one dragon that was split in two, would force the twins to come together. Their fused shift they experienced on the beach helped a lot, and they continued to do so to help their dragon connect. But all in all all the dragons cared for their partners and that was it. Not Toothless. Toothless felt responsible for every dragon he came in contact with. And with Hiccup growing confidence the dragon's territory seemed to expand. The dragon felt the need to be in charge, and have the overview. He would feel out the room, and scope out the dragons, sending out calming noise from Hiccup’s throat, alerting the room of his presence. Not that he would interfere, but that he was in the background, listening, observing, protecting. Hiccup did not even notice he did it, until Snotlout told him to drop it. He called it one more of Hiccup’s weird dragon scenes. Along with Toothless' growing urge to set things right about him.
His dragon senses, as Snotlout mocked him. Generally Snotlout felt embarrassed when Toothless wanted to interfere in dragon matters that were not his own. Splitting up distributes, reminding people about their repressed dragons, and generally getting in peoples way.
What made it even more comical was, that everyone still thought Toothless was a little terror. So it was always entertaining, when a scrawny guy broke up a fight between two guys double his size, by hissing them into submission, thinking they were being scolded by a dragon the size of a chihuahua. Toothless in general had a calming effect on other dragons, that Hiccup thought was some sort of mutual respect from all the dragon’s parts. Not that Hiccup could understand such. That was between the dragons, and not involving their humans.
Hiccup’s theory. Toothless was old. Really old. He knew most of the dragon spirits on the island, and they knew him. And one could wonder through how many incarnations. Toothless was special. Despite all of this. Hiccup still could not make a full shift.

Much to his frustration, no matter what he tried, he stayed in his half shifted state, being able to fly and to shoot plasma bolts, but never really giving into the dragon. It was like the dragon never really wanted to. They would shift, but when Hiccup tried to push their connection further, the dragon would brush him off. Astrid was already way ahead of him, Stormfly talking over most of her body, with barely anything human left. Still not a full shift and it left Astrid exhorted, but still. 
“As expected of an Hofferson.” Mildew remarked in shifter training. Only Hiccup noticed the nerves flicker in Astrid's eyes, while the rest of the class applauded her. 
Hiccup and Toothless sat behind and observed. With most of the class improving their shift, the class was much more chaotic. Stray wings, heavy tails, spikes, claws and fire made the experience suddenly more dangerous than previously. 
Toothless seemed to think it was his job to observe this whole ordeal, making sure everybody made it out there alive. But mostly the dragon just sat back and laughed his coarse bark, at the flittering bumbling teenagers trying out their new limbs and size.
He intervened in small ways, that nobody seemed to notice. Hiss at a dragon so he did not step at his neighbours tail. Surprise another, so they did not sneeze fire in their friends' faces. Small things that went under their human’s notice, but that the dragons appreciated. 
Hiccup felt it all. Sitting silently watching, while Toothless propped and poked gently, conducting the procedure in a way nobody noticed. Mildew bragged to his colleagues that the number of accidents in class had gone down 86% percent, and of course credited his own genius. 
Toothless anger boiled every time, and he and Mildew had a long staring competition, since Hiccup and Toothless still refused to shift in class. Making it the only class he ever failed. 

Frustrated and tired he dumped his backpack in front of his father, emptied of ideas. 
“Dad. How do you shift!?”
Stoick half eaten bagel was frozen in the air on the way to his mouth, and his finger still on the tablet he was reading from. Quickly he shook off the confusion and turned all his focus on his son. 
“You just do son.”
“Just do?” Hiccup asked incredulously. 
“Yeah…” His father shrugged. “You just do.”
Hiccup buried his face in his arms and groaned. 
Perplexed, Stoick hesitantly reached over a meady hand and clapped him on the back.
“It is different for everybody. You were a late bloomer. Maybe this is similar.”
More groaning.
“You have to be patient with your dragon. If you force it against its will, it could go feral.” 
Hiccup looked up from his arms, as his fathers hand turned firm.
“Terrible terrors are small fierce creatures. And stubborn. Like you.“ He poked his son in the heart. “But they are small. It will be hard on your body. Don't force it, before your body is ready for it. “
“And if I never shift?“ Hiccup asked desperately, the thought digging into him. Something sad flashed over Stoick's face. But he pushed it away, but still Skullcrusher flicked in his eyes. His father nodded, and patted his shoulder. 
“Then you do not shift, and that is okay.” His stern tone made Hiccup almost want to believe Stoick believed it himself. They were both trying to accept it. Both trying to heal. It was getting better. They talked more, but the dragon was still a sore spot for both of them. 
“Maybe…” Stoick hesitated. “Maybe, your body is simply not just ready. Maybe something is missing, or something is too much.. And it is keeping your dragon unstable.”
“What? It’s not like having extra limbs I can chop off to make it better.”
The comment made Stoick grin, and Hiccup scoffed, making them both laugh, both of them knowing how clumsy and Hiccup was with all four limbs.
“Let's just wait with cutting off limbs for now. But it could be plan B.” Stoick winked. 
“Give it time.”
“I will.”
“Good.”

“I wish your mother could see you. See how much you grown. “
“Dad..” Hiccup complained as Stoick messed up Hiccup’s hair. 
The front door flew open and Snotlout announced his return from practice with a loud cry “What's for dinner!!”

So it was fine. He and his dad were fine. He and Toothless were fine. The job was fine. School was school, so as fine as it gets. He had friends, he had a dragon. He and Astrid were fine. They were still friends, and her parents still dictated every part of her life, and Hiccup was still not able to be seen with her if they were near. But everything was fine.
Everything. Was. Fine. 

Chapter Text

The morning started fine. 

Hiccup yawned and got out of his bed. Toothless was still snoring in his mind, not awake enough to be a fully conscious being in his mind. Lucky bastard sleeping in, while Hiccup clamoured to get up. He met his cousin in the bathroom they shared, him looking just as dead as Hiccup felt, eye goop still stuck in his crusty eyes. Hiccup waved and reached out for his toothbrush. Snot mimicked his gesture and they brushed their teeth in silence. They both leaned down and spit at the same time, and rose to look at their drowzee mirror images. Hiccup studied their equal ruffled appearances. 
“Am I…?” Hiccup woke right up and stood taller, when he noticed. ”Am I taller than you?”
That seemed to wake Snotlout right up. Like an electric shock had run through him. His eyes flew open and he leaned over the sink, grabbing it to stare intensely in the mirror.
“That can’t be right.” He grumbled. They both took a step back standing side by side. In a similar motion, they both titled their heads first to the left, then right. Slowly Hiccup lifted his hand, feeling Toothless rise within him, wiggling with anticipation. Hiccup put a hand just on top of his head, and flicked it so it just hovered over Snotlout. There was a clear gap between Hiccup’s hand and Snotlout scalp.
“No way…” He rejoiced, before Snotlout tackled him. He fell down with a clank and they grampled for dominance rolling around on the floor. “Not fair, I'm the oldest, I am still the tallest.” Snotlout insisted as they rolled around, red spots appearing on his skin. Hiccup kept his scales away, but he could feel his eyes taking on a more dragon nature, as he howled in delight at his cousin's discomfort. They didn't realise they had moved from the bathroom in their ruckus, and before they noticed they tumbled down the stairs one step of the time. Growling, groaning and yammering the whole way down, still trying to get the upper hand on the other. Snotlout landed on top of Hiccup and went to bite him in a lighthearted manner, the playful side of Hookfang showing. Toothless was all in on the game, but managed to flip them before Hookfang won. Hiccup had managed to take a hold around Snotlout's arms, pinning him down as a pair of socks appeared in front of their vision. Hiccup smelled coffee grind and beard oil.
“Morning dad?!” He said cheerfully, looking up at him, from his place on the floor where he pinned his cousin down.
Snotlout added in equal cheerful and cherry voice. “Morning.”
“Fighting…” Stoick said slowly with all the restraint of a man, who had not finished their day’s first coffee. “Outside….” He said and then the socks trotted off to the kitchen. 
Snotlout used the confusion to turn the tables and cried out in triumph and laughter, making Hiccup laugh as well. 
With a grin Snotlout helped him off and muffled Hiccup’s already fussy hair even more as they shrugged off to the kitchen for breakfast. They went to school. Snotlout went to practice, Hiccup went to hang out with Ruff before her swim training, and then he was off to the garage. After work Gobber closed up shop and they set off to the Haddock house for dinner. Everything was fine. Until it wasn't.

“Son?” Stoick asked his son, when the boy suddenly stood up and looked outside the window. But Toothless didn’t hear him, and walked out to the window to look outside.
Stoick opened his mouth to speak again, and asked him to return to the dinner table, but Snotlout placed a hand on his uncle’s arm and shook his head slowly, sensing the tension coming from his cousin. After a moment Toothless huffed and turned away from the window and walked out the door, with Hiccup silent in his own mind, letting the dragon take over. There was no shift as Toothless stretched their ears and sight to listen and feel.
Someone had breached the barrier. There was a threat in his territory.
Hiccup was startled, but curious more than frightened over his dragon's complete overtake of his body in the middle of dinner. He didn’t feel like he was going feral, so Toothless must have a pretty good reason. His father called out to them one more time, where Hiccup managed to look back at his family sitting perplexed at the dinner table. Snotlout wiring his head, Hookfang rising to his skin to follow Toothless. His father’s openmouthed silent question stuck in his expression, and even Gobber, still with a half eaten chicken leg lifted to his mouth. It only took a moment, then Toothless hissed at them all, and tore Hiccup away and out the door, but even Hiccup understood. It was a warning to stay put. The humans may have other ideas, but Hookfang, Skullcrusher and even Grump stayed in place keeping their humans in place.
They dashed outside and out behind their house, moving towards the forest trying to find a better vantage point. They didn't take flight, the change would take too much of Hiccup’s energy, but they managed to find one of the protruding cliff sides on the other side of the forest away from most of the town, where they could listen. Reaching out their senses and listening for the threat. Only here did Toothless let go and allowed his dragon ears to bubble up to extend the reach. They stood there, stretching, reaching, calculating, ears humming with all the sounds and life from the city. But they focused outside the city, outside the forest, and outside the island and across the sea. They locked on to the sound. A gruelling hum from a massive, enormous body that moved slowly through the sea, prowling for their next prey.
Fear settled in Hiccup’s gut, while Toothless snarled. It was headed directly towards Berk.

“Giant feral dragon on route to Berk '' The news anchor read from his teleprompter. A greyscale blurry picture was shown next to him depicting a giant mass of a dragon. The image was low quality and grainy, but the fishing boat next to the mass made it clear in size. It was like a small mountain, large with beady eyes and bumpy skin. Hiccup had just opened the door as the news anchor got into the details. He entered the living room to find his family glued to the screen. Gobber and Stoick in their own reclined chairs and Snotlout on the sofa, staring intently at the screen. Hiccup quietly wandered over to his dad’s chair, placing a hand on the neck rest, looking into the screen. A growl made its way through his dragon teeth, green bleeding into his eyes, as Toothless snarled at his enemy.
A gentle hand grabbed his hand, throwing Toothless out of his stupor as Hiccup looked down at his Dad’s serious face.
“You’re young, ready for a fight, but don’t let it get to you. This is a fight you can’t take.” Toothless disagreed, but Hiccup just nodded and stepped aside as Stoick rose from his chair.
“Where are you going?” Hiccup asked, rubbing his arm, as his father put on his boots, and found his badge.
“I’m going down to the station. We have to figure out how we can redirect that thing away from Berk, and if we can help the mainland's government and military in some way. Leave it away from as many inhabited islands as possible.”
Hiccup felt the cold settle in his stomach. The giant dragon was heading to Berk, and his dad was gonna fight it. 
“I’m coming with yer.” Gobber harrumphed. He did not rise as easily as Stoick had, but he sipped the last of his coffee, and then went to Stoick, waiting for him in the door. 
“You boys stay here. Don’t leave the house, and only move if it’s an emergency. Follow the guidelines if the police extend them ok.”
“Okay.” Snot agreed from his spot, hands folded together with claws forming at the tip.
“Okay?” Stoick sent his son a stern glare, but in the end Hiccup caved and nodded. He was rewarded a fatherly pat on the shoulder, and then the two men were out the door.
The car had barely left the driveway, before Hiccup found his phone and started texting, pacing in front of the TV.
“ Ah… What are you doing?” Snotlout complained, edging around Hiccup to see the TV.
“She is not welcome here, she dares to come here. This is my territory, she can’t just.”
“Waow Hiccup, chill, your dragon is coming through.” Hiccup shook his head, not to be overwhelmed by Toothless destructive and invasive thoughts.
“Who are you texting?” Snot asked, when Hiccup had stopped pacing.
“The others.”
“Why?”
“To get them to come here, so we can figure this out.” This was key. He needed his pack. 
“Figure out what? There is nothing to figure out. Stoick told us to stay put.” Snot barked, throwing the tv remote aside.
“We are. For now.” Hiccup reassured, but kept tapping his lengthy message. “That's why they are coming here.” 
Hiccup yelled indignantly as Snotlout swiped his phone from his hands.
“Sit down, you're not thinking clearly.” He pushed Hiccup down in his fathers large recliner. “Your pacing is making me nuts.”
”I am not.” Hiccup snarled, growling deep in his throat. Snotlout crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.
“Just tell me. What are you gonna do?” He stared his cousin down. “Go out there and face him yourself, no no no.“ Hiccup tried to stand, but was pushed back. Toothless barked, and Hookfang growled.
”That's suicide.” Snotlout reasoned, eyes flashing yellow. “Look at it.” Snotlout tapped the tv screen that ran amateur footage of military vessels trying to scout out the giant monster dragon. “Look at it. What are you gonna do? It will squash you. You need a plan.”
“I …” Hiccup’s more reasonable brain seemed to finally catch up with Toothless overwhelming emotions. He sat back, the larger picture settling in.
“That's why while you were out feeling dragony, I called the others and they are on their way here.“ HIccup looked surprised at Snot who looked smugly pleased with himself.
“You are not handling this yourself.” He smirked.
Hiccup crooked his head, kinda impressed.
“Can’t stop you from doing something stupid, that's your thing, but I can make sure you at least survive afterwards. “
“Snot….” Hiccup whispered, but the moment was broken when Tuffnut barrolled inside yelling from the top of his lungs, with his sister and Fishlegs taking up the rear. 

Even with his pack around him, Toothless was still agitated. The other dragons had a calming effect on him, but Hiccup still had to fight him not to fly out and confront the beast. There was not much to do anyway. Astrid had not joined them, stuck at home with her parents, but she gave the group constant comments through text, that made Hiccup’s phone almost buzz off the table. 
They sat comparing notes, and waited for something to happen, but nothing did. The police issued a statement to stay indoors, and it forced the others to go home, and join Astrid in spamming the group chat. But seeing the others, and seeing their dragons, feeling their presences had resolved something in Toothless. When they left, he was more quiet, more calculating. More mature.
The policy kept up the ban for 24 hours, before they noticed it did not help anybody, so people was encouraged to go about their day, but no one was leaving the island as no ship, shifter, spirit or plane was supposed to go near the beast. Hiccup did not see his father in all that time. Gobber popped his head in to make sure the boys had stayed put, and there was food in the fridge.
That night, they all watched the mainland's first attack and attempt, to steer the feral dragon away. A reporter had sneaked in with the mission, and filled everything on his small phone. The footage was hard to decipher, but it gave a good glimpse into the size of the beast. 
The press had dubbed it. “The blue giant.”
It made Toothless snarl. “Her name is “Red death “ 
Gobber and Snot turned to them questioning. “What..?”
“Nothing..” Hiccup mumbled, and tried to pull Toothless back.

The official statement was that contact had been made, and the feral dragon had been pushed back, but the leaked reports showed something else. The military had made contact, and in the end the beast had been derailed off course, only to get back on course the next day. But something had gone wrong. They attacked her with ships and guns, and sent shifters in after her to survey and fire a smaller attack and then something went wrong. The shifted started acting weird and started attacking their own comrades, and the ship they were on. They tore their ship apart and had to be shot with tranquiliser guns and captured, and even then they still thrashed in their capture, unable to make sense. Some of them escaped capture and flew off. Like they too had gone feral. Later it was revealed that some were coming back from their senses, and some were not, still stuck in their shifted state, with no human mind. 
The beast had not done anything itself, it had made the shifters do the work for it, and in the end just slipped back into the sea.
It was gruelling to watch the clip’s of the feral shifters trapped in their own bodies. Toothless could feel their distress even though the video they were watching on Hiccup’s phone. 
“It has done something to them…” Gobber wondered and scratched his chin with his fake hand.
“She.” The others turned to Hiccup. “It’s a she.”
“Huh..” Gobber grumpled. “Well. ..”

With no other news, Hiccup and Snotlout went to school as normal. But nobody really focused on learning. Even the teachers. Everybody was more interested in the ongoings with the feral dragon. 
Instead of teaching, the teachers let the class focus on “creative writing.” or “research”, while they themself stuck to looking on their phones following the situation. 
The news channel had 24/7 coverage of the event, but mostly it was reruns of the footage while ‘clever’ people commented and discussed the outcome and best strategies for the problem. The level of worry and panic had not reached the level to evacuate all of Berk or any of the nearby smaller island, but it had been mentioned by an old retired gronckle naval officer, who had been invited on the news. 
While the news tried to cover everything, the internet exploded with conspiratorial theories, blog posts, and how to survive a primal dragon attack checklists. 

The pack was restless, Toothless seemed calm for once, withdrawing into Hiccup, without much to add. While everybody was at school, the next wave of attack was initiated. 
Though the not so hidden reporter, one thing was made clear. It was not only dragon shifters that were affected, and not even fullfleched ones at that. While the strike had been filmed, soldiers next to the reporter, most in a semi shifted state, started to behave strangely. It didn't matter if it was, tiger, lion or bear. Eagles, crocodiles or moose. All of them grabbed their heads and cried out in pain and confusion. Including the otter shifter reporter. They dropped the phone, and the sound died out as the unfocused cracked camera filmed the turmoil and confusion on the deck, where the passengers thrashed on deck. 
Before the camera dropped, Hiccup was sure he heard something.

Later that night, his pack gathered around him. He sat down and replayed the video over and over again. Fishlegs scanned the newsfeed, trying to bring out the highlights to his friends, while the twins were more focused on ‘how to survive’ articles. Astrid sat stiffly next to Hiccup, like she expected an attack at any moment. That somehow made Snotlout act as a proper host and he supplied the group with drinks and snacks from the kitchen, and kept cleaning up after them. Hiccup supposed it was a way to keep his hands busy. Hookfang’s red scales bubbled up from time to time on Snotlout’s body, and it was clear the dragon itched for a fight. Football practice and all other after school activities were cancelled and there was no way for the agitated dragons to let loose.
“Here look at this.” Fishlegs shoved his phone and showed an article to Hiccup. The article was with a video of a very distraught woman, who swore that the monster was her husband. It looked more like the woman was interested in her 15 min of fame, then her ‘poor poor’ husband. Hiccup doubted it was true. But was caught Hiccup’s eyes were the article under the one Fishlegs pointed on. 
It was small and unnoticeable, between the larger headlines focusing and centering about the monster. 
Someone had broken into the food storage down at the peer. Toothless twitched. 
“Fish…” Hiccup broke off FIshlegs rant about possibilities and factors for going feral, and the whole pack focused on Hiccup. “Have you seen other articles like this….” 
Fishlegs leaned over and looked. His ears shifted involuntarily to Gronckle ones, and tickled Hiccup in the face with their nervous fluttering. 
“Maybe… I have to check.”
“Please do.” 
Fish and the twins set out with a new course and started their drive into the rabbit hole. 
“The mainland had a break in at an industrial meat factory. All unproduced meat was stolen… and even some of the live ones as well.” Ruffnut said from her spot, chewing at the tip of her pen. 
Tuffnut leaned over. “The farm right next to it was robbed of some of their dairy cows. Apparently they were abducted by aliens, since they disappeared into thin air.”
“The fishmonger, King’s crown meat, livestock…” Fishlegs summed up. “A lot of this stuff is happening, but nobody seems to think they are connected… “
They all turned to Hiccup, who was still reviewing the reporter's video. 
He left his seat and casted his feed to the tv in the room. 
Then he turned up the sound, making the room around him complain, but Toothless eyes narrowed as they filleted out the noise from the screaming sailors, ship creaking and helicopter fins. 
“Listen! “ They hissed, and the pack around him obeyed.
“What is that..” Astrid asked disgustedly, her scales flaring up. The pack around them scuffled. 
Fishlegs pulled up his laptop, and turned off the TV, to the others complaining. 
He pulled out his movie editing program and downloaded the reporter's video. He was no expert in video or sound editing, but he did manage to remove some of the foreground sound, so they were left with the background noise, as the clip replayed again and again. 
Fishlegs turned up the volume and between the humm of the engine of the military ship, was another humm. As it filled up the room, the dragons roared out in confusion and agitation, making their humans cry out as well.  Especially Hookfang and Meatlug who were partly shifted. 
Hiccup covered his ears and screamed “Shut that off!”
Toothless roared in his mind, but it was Astrid that sprang into action to take the laptop from an agitated Fishlegs. 
Tuffnut’s shifted fist, cut off the noise by punching through the screen of the laptop, cutting it off immediately. Hiccup hissed and huffed, gathering his thoughts, Toothless restless in his mind. Fishlegs stared at his destroyed laptop.

Astrid was the first who spoke.
“It’s a beehive. It’s using worker dragons, look.“ She turned on the Tv on the news feed, replaying the second strike on the feral dragon “It makes people go primal to take over their dragons, to give it food. It doesn't do anything itself. “
“So what.” Tuff growled, inspecting his hands from glass splints.  
“So we have to break its control. Free the other dragons of course.” Hiccup said excited and Astrid nodded just as excited.
“Of course.” Snotlout growled, rolling his eyes at Hiccup’s tone. 
“Something so big must have a hideout right? Somewhere to rest and sleep. A cave, a hole, a nest.” Hiccup walked around waving his hands, trying to explain his raging troughs.
“A nest.” Fishlegs picked out the remains of his broken laptop.
“Yeah. We find the nest and then we find her.'' Hiccup clapped his own hands excitedly. 
“And do what exactly.“ Snotlout snarled.
“Free the other dragons.“ Hiccup threw his arms up.
“You're crazy.“ Ruffnut remarked from her spot on the couch. Then lowered her voice. ”I like that.”
Astrid showed off her fangs in a hiss, but Ruffnut just hissed back showing off her own fangs. 
“Not now.” Hiccup scolded. Astrid scowled but Ruffnut smirked and winked at her, then laid a comforting arm around the nervous Fishlegs, who was muttering statistics under his breath.
“So we find a boat and then…” Hiccup kicked off.
“Guys...”  Snotlout interjected.
“You have to steal a boat.” Tuffnut added.
“Borrow.” Hiccup insisted.
“Guys…” Snotlout yelled.
“What?” He lifted up his phone for Hiccup to see. Hiccup reached out as he read the first line, heart trumping in fear in his chest, Toothless shrieking in his head.
“Police chief Stoick joins in an effort to defeat and contain the feral dragon. “
“Dad.” 
A text beeped into his phone.
“I love you son.”

He was out the door in a moment, his legs moving on their own. 
Snot only followed him long enough to throw him the car keys. He jumped in the vehicle and sped away. 
He reached the harbour where the military vessel was fueling, stocking on supplies and loading up volunteers to join the fight. A crowd had gathered of journalists from both Berks and other islands, together with a small worried crowd with the locals waving goodbye. 
Hiccup parked, and jumped out of the car searching desperately for his father.
“Dad!” He hurled towards him, pushing noisy reports out of his way to get to him. 
Stoick grabbed him as he stumbled and took him aside so the press could not overhear their conversation.
“Dad you cannot, please dad, don't. She’ll kill you. Dad please. Dont.” His breath was ragged and his words came out stumbling.
“I have to Hiccup. All full shifters have to help make an effort.”
“No dad, she’ll kill you. She’ll take over your mind…. She’ll…” Someone shouted for Stoick's attention. 
“I have to go son.“
“Please dad, please don’t.”
He was pulled into a bear hug, that turned more dragon with each second. Stoick’s started to feel more scale under Hiccup's cheeks and he knew it was more than just his father saying goodbye, but Skullcruser as well.
“Dad please don’t.” Hiccup sobbed into the large man's chest. His own nails turned into claws so he could cling to his father, his cries turning more animalistic, as Toothless wailed for his human. Skullcrusher huffed warm air into Hiccup's face, like he had done when he was little, and his father gave him one last squeeze before he let go, and put on the stern chief face again. Then he disappeared into the crowd towards the ship.
Hiccup staggered for a moment before he tried to push into the crowd, but was cut off by some military personnel. Not a dragon, he noted, but he huffed and puffed at them anyway, showing off his unimpressive teeth. They just sneered at him and pushed him back. Hiccup stumped back, evading to get crushed by the crowd. He looked frantically around and spotted a protruding cliff above the harbour. The same one he had stood on previously. He ran away from the crowd and took flight letting Toothless take over as they ran. 
His large wings flapped fast and they landed softly, but abruptly on the top, staring over the crowd and the ships, and the military to get a glimpse of Stoick, but the ship was already moving out, and all personnel gone from the deck, making Stoick impossible to make out.
Hiccup and his dragon cried out a gut wrenching cry. 

Astrid found him there later. The rest of the pack joined them shortly. 
She sat down next to him, and rested her head on his shoulder, Stormfly humming soothingly.
Hiccup sat in his half shifted state, ears and wings dropping, wings flat against the ground, head hidden in his knees. 
“What now?”
Hiccup looked up and over the ocean. The tears dried out and there was only determination left. His core burned hot. 
“Now. I’m gonna teach your guys to shift.“ He growled, determined “Then I'm taking the fight to her.“

Chapter Text

The feeling of deja vu was strong as they flew towards the nest. Hiccup could only go by the feeling from his dragon, agitated and restless, but somehow laser focused on their destination. He did not sped ahead as he could, but kept in tow as his pack struggled to follow him. Hiccup had pulled all of his ticks out the book to help his friends reach into their dragons enough to make the shift enough to fly. As always Astrid was in the lead with the most complete transformation. She had already been able to fly for some time, while the others had struggled. Unable to leave them behind, and they unable to let him go alone, Toothless helped the dragons and their humans settle into their skin. Somehow both Hiccup and Toothless knew they could not do this alone, not without their pack.
He was at the head, with Astrid and Stormfly right behind him. Fishlegs, Meatlug, Snotlout and Hookfang behind them, with the twins merged together at the rear.
Snotlout flew on Hiccup’s other side, his form long and gangly but airborne and fighting ready. Hockfangs’s long horns and protruding fangs made him look more terrifying than he was. His fear and uncertainty was still there, and it had been the worst hurdle to overcome with his transformation. But he had done it. For a brief moment he had shifted completely, then it faded away to his now unruly form, but still able to fly. Able to follow Hiccup. It was clear he would not give up. 
Fishlegs whole body was transformed, his small wings buzzing and carrying their large corpus forwards. His face was not, making it quite funny looking with a human face on top of his dragon body. It was clear to Hiccup that Fishlegs logic and head was what was holding him back from a full fledged shift. 
The twins were struggling the most. With a common goal in mind they have unified their lower body into a passable dragon shape with wings that could carry them. Their upper bodies were covered in scales, with horns and fangs, with the shift was uneven and splotchy.
Their eyes were yellow, and their fingers elongated into talons, but else very human despite their dragon bottom. There were a limited amount of scales on their necks, and their teeth had almost stayed mostly human. 
One of Tuffnuts arms was fused to his body, and Ruffnut was struggling with the duality of her dragons. They both panted to keep up the pace. They both fought for control with each other and their dragons.
It was hard being two, trying to align. But being five in one body, must be a lot.

Still Toothless lead them on. Hiccup tried to keep his head calm. Find a way, a path. Somehow they could make it out intact. His more logical part of him was screaming how crazy it was, but another part of him was shouting how natural it was. Like the first time plummeting over a cliff and saving himself. Toothless lived for this. Despite the danger and the beast ahead, he thrived at the head of the pack. In control and leading with a goal in mind, and the pack at his tail. Toothless knew it had to be them, who stopped the primal dragon. Why was it them? Because he was different from the rest of the dragons, and he was one of the only ones that stood a chance. The overwhelming confidence from this dragon was confusing, but Hiccup felt the ease to just slip into the dragon's head and the dragon's skin. His doubt and control was slipping. 
He was interrupted by Snotlout managing to swing up next to him. His long neck made it easy to talk to him, even if his body was many paces behind. 

“So question?” Snotlout barked as they soared over the sea. The sound of the winds and their beating wings was drowning out in Hiccup’s ears, making Snotlout harder to hear.
“How do we ensure we don't go feral!!!” He shouts. “You know!! When we get there!!”
“Mind over matter!!” Hiccup and Toothless roars back at him. They speed up just to spite them. Astrid and Stormfly followed effortlessly, but the others grunted with the effort.
“Right.. Mind…” Snotlout could not help to look back at the quarrelling twins. They are holding up so far, fused by the hip as they were, but it did not stop them from fighting. Still there was a real possibility that they would unfuse, unshift and then crash into the sea. 
They truly look more weird than the rest of them. Where for Hiccup and the rest their dragons have fused into their human features making it more natural, the twins stuck out like a sore thumb. Their fused bottom half had taken on more and more the shape of a green skinned, yellow bellied dragon, with full functioning wings and a split tail. But instead of a dragon neck, the twins were as a freaky dragon double centaur. 
“Keep a human mind when landing..!” Hiccup yelled back over Toothless roars.
“The Queen will try to go after the dragon's mind, but we will not let her!!”
“Use your talents sparingly, don’t let your dragon exhort them self enough to be taken over. The more human the better.”
As much as the dragons protest, it made the most sense. Use the human as a shield so she could not use their dragon half against them. 

They arrived to chaos. The fight against the Queen dragon had ended up on a large deserted island, mostly hidden by a deep fog covering the whole island, and hiding it from view. It was mostly a dying volcano deep within the mountain, surrounded by pebble sand beaches and the whole island was deemed uninhabitable. No natural animal lived there. Except for the large beast that had slumbered underneath the mountain. The large crater in the side of the volcanic mountain only backed up Hiccup’s theory. It looked like the creature slumped back in its hole each time it was fed and content to sleep. But not now. 
The queen was very much awake, roaring against the small army of military and shifters trying to force it back into its crater. 

They crash landed on the beach in midst of the choos, among rapid humans and shifters fighting each other, while simultaneously trying to fire at the Queen.
Small camps were settled around the beach, with people running around, shouting and fighting. Some of the camps had been trampled by the fighting, and there was a clear effort trying to evacuate further down the beach, but the siren song from the queen made it impossible. This may have started as a coordinated effort with a clear plan of attack, but now it was chaos. The commanding officers were all shifted and under the queen's control, and no one seemed to be in control anymore. Hiccup and his friends ran and hid though their chaos, trying to cover their ears and keeping control.
They ran through the remains of a trashed camp where a radio was blistering, the mainland trying to get contact. The fog was making the signal hazy, and no phone signal was available leaving the island cut off from the rest of the effort. 
Hiccup grabbed the microphone and held the button down.
“Commanding officers lost to Red Death, please send backup for extraction, medical assistance needed, but don't shift, that is how she gets you.”
“Who the hell are you, what is going on..?” The frantic woman on the other end snapped.
“Send backup! Don’t shift!” Hiccup snarled back and dropped the mic. 
“What the hell. Was that a kid? How did he get there?? Hey kid get me….”
But Hiccup was already moving, weaving in and out of people of shifters, trying not to get hit on the way.
Of course in the middle of the fighting he saw his dad. And unfortunately he was not doing great. Skullcruhser was out trashing, his dad shouting in between roars, attacking both friends and foes. They all skidded to a halt and hid behind a damaged field tent.
“We need to break their control. Incapacitate their dragons.”
He looked behind him at his pack. “Tuff, Ruff, make some noise, distract them. Maybe we can get enough to snap out of it and help us even the field.” 
“ON IT!!” They both shouted and crapped some of the equipment laying strewn around. They had unfused and were still covered in scales. They ran through the masses banging their new found instruments, shaking people up, giving theri humans a chance to get the upper hand.
“Fish?” Hiccup turned to his friend. 
Fishlegs body was getting less and less dragon by the minute, exhausted by the trip. 
“I can’t see.” He said, squinting at the queen. “I need to get closer.”
Hiccup twisted, his wings barely missing his friend. “Snot, go with him, protect him, Find me a weak spot.”
“But..” Snot protested getting up from his crouch. 
“I got him!” Astrid reassured. “Go.”
Snotlout nodded, and he and Fishlegs ran towards the queen to get a better look. 
“Astrid, help me get to my dad.”
“I got your back” She roared and followed him. 
They weaved around evading stray claws, hooves and teeth. Toothless roared, making some falter and fall back, but most of the time, Stromfly watched them with her Spiked tail making them draw back, clearing a path towards Stoick. 
When they got close enough Toothless bared his teeth and roared Skullcrusher in the face into submission, even quieting the other shifter around him. Stoick shook his head, sitting on his knees. Groaning. 
“Son…?” Stoick mustered confused, the light returning to his eyes. 
“Dad!” Hiccup chuckled, relieved and surged in for a hug. His dad caught him, still ruffled and confused, ready to give him a fit, but hesitated when he got  a good look. 
“Hiccup… What… wings… what..”
“Not now… We need to get away.” Hiccup hiked his father’s arm around his shoulder, to drag him back to the tent. Stromfly howled around them, sending spikes flying, clearing a path as they hobbled forth. Despite Toothless strength, Hiccup was already tired and his father was much larger and heavier than him. They managed to get back to the tent where Snot and Fishlegs were already waiting. 
Hiccup plopped his father down with a groan and shook out his wings.
“So..?”
“Well..” Fish hesitated. “It’s eyes are small, even if there are six of them. So no blind ankle, but small, and big nose. So relying on hearing and smelling. It will probably flake in the same way normal dragons would. It was very distracted by the twins rackle.”
“So noise?” Hiccup panted. 
“Pretty much.”
“Right..”
“Yo Hic, we found more adults.” The twins returned with a straggled looking band of adults.
“Who the hell are you?'' Snarled a man who was still half bear, but looked good enough to be in charge. 
“The teenager in charge, unless you get your butt in gear!!” Toothless snarls, berating the bear. 
He opened his mouth to shout but was cut off. 
“We need to break her control. We think sound may distract her. She is a dragon after all. I have contacted the mainland and asked for backup and medical assistance, but we need to get people off the beach and away from her. And don’t shift. She takes over the shifters.”
The bear and Toothless started each other down. 
“Well.” The bear grumbled. “You heard him. Get in gear, let's move!!”
Nodding, Hiccup turned back to his father and let the man do their job. 

His father’s hand found his face roaming them over his features, feeling the bumps and the scales, shuffling through his hair, touching his ears. 
“Son… your dragon.”
“Long story dad. I'll tell you later okay. We need to go. Get to safety.”
The sound was so much, so many dragons. 
His dad grabbed his arms.
“This does not change anything. I am proud of you son. “
“I know dad.”
“No, I was always proud. Even before.. Just did not know how.. I love you.”
“I love you too.” Hiccup smiled.
“Let's go. “
With Astrid's help, they lifted the large man and started following the evacuation orders. The noise was unbearable. Among the struggling, was the constant hum from the Queen. Trying to take over. His dad made a groan and a hand went to the side. 
“Dad you're bleeding.” A large dark spot was forming on his shirt.
“Got pierced. It’s okay. Skullcruhser can heal it.” He closed his eyes. 
“Dad no..” Scullcrusher thrashed and snarled. 
“No, no, no, don't shift.” Hiccup cried.
His dad was flagging, making it hard to keep him walking. 
“No no no, don't shift, don't shift!!!” 
Toothless growled, the fires of his mouth spreading, resolution spreading. 
“Astrid, get behind me.!!” 
“DON'T SHIFT!!” They roared, Astrid and Stormfly right behind him, helping Stoick snap out of it. The man shook his head. Skullcrusher squealed and they went on. 
More was following, but a lot was still blocking their way.
Hiccup handed over the weight of his father to Astrid, and snarled at the dragons in their path. 
Toothless barked, turning the dragon's attention towards him. A few started to attack, but Toothless snarled, stood his ground and roared at them. A couple snapped back to their human self, collapsing on the ground, while some still remained human but flew away, towards the evacuation area. 
“How did you do that!!” Astrid shouted. 
“I don't know.. Come on.”
They followed the flow, meeting up with the twins, Snot and Fish.
“We need to keep moving-”

The hum was getting stronger, the Queen growing more agitated. She was finally registering, she was losing followers. The effort was finally paying off, but still not overwhelming. 
She broke through the entrance of her cave, sending rock and stones flying out, scattering her attackers, but also the fleeing. She spewed fire and lava, sending people and shifters scattering.
“Shit!!” Hiccup shrieked. Then turned to the twins.“Guys distract her! Make something explode. You're good at that.”
“On it.” The twins agreed with abnormal unity, as they merged together to one body again, and took off. 
Fishlegs was all human again, but grabbing his ears. 
“Make some noise.” Hiccup commanded, reaching over and handed out a banged up lid of a metal cooler. Snot and Fish nodded and ran ahead, baning the metal eagerly. 
Astrid snarled as Stormfly fired another round of spikes protecting Hiccup’s circle. 
They finally made it to the group of gathered people. 
The dragons were howling in Hiccup’s ears, the fog in his mind thick as Toothless fought on. 
This had to stop.  
Their efforts were not enough. The Queen knocked her large club-like tail into the side of the mountain, starting a rockslide, making them have to run back towards her. 
A commanding officer shouted over the noise, and a cackle of people retreated back to fight her. 

Someone knocked into Hiccup making fall on the ground hitting his head, sound ringing in his ears. 
“Hiccup!” Astrid and Stoick were on him helping him up, but his eyes were hazy and the noise deafening. 
“This isn’t working.” He sighed. “We need to do something else.” 
He looked around at the people, and half sifted gathered around him. And his dad. He was showing sign of shift, but clung to his side, where he had been pierced. He had no energy to do a shift, and even if he did, the queen would take over Skullcrusher’s mind.
He reached out and found Astrid’s strong hand. He squeezed his hand tight. Hard and comforting. 
There was a roar behind him, shaking the ground. Everyone grabbed their ears. The twins had succeeded, and now landed in a crash, their bodies breaking up the shift and their dragons cried out. They landed next to them falling from each other heaving and groning with the hard landing. Immediately a man in military grab ran over to them helping them up. 
Fish ran over to Ruff and Snot to Tuff. They all looked tired, banged up and frightened. Only Astrid was able to keep up her shift like Hiccup was. Pure stubbornness no doubt. His hand received another squeeze.
The Queen roared again and spread out her large wings upwards.
“She has wings.” Toothless roared, as an idea formed in Hiccup’s head.
Stormfly answered his call, and eye twitching as Astrid struggled for control against the queen.
“Evacuate the beach.“ He commanded Astrid. Her eyes widened, at first refusing to let go of his hand, shaking her head. But Hiccup kept nodding at her, until she nodded back at him  reluctantly and turned to fly back. Hiccup grabbed her arms before she could return. 
“Then shift back. Tell everybody to shift back, don't give her more weapons to use.”
“But you….“ She placed her forehead against his. The force, roughness of her scales and warmth comforting. Steadying. He pressed back.
“Now. I’ll be alright. I have Toothless.”
Astrid nodded and took off down to the beach. She started shouting orders, echoed by Snot and Fish on the ground, pushing the crowd away from the Queen. A few protested and Stromfly roared then all into submission helped by Skullcrusher before all signs of the dragon, left Stoick's body. 

Hiccup did not have time to focus more on the ruckus on the beach, and the queen made a move to attack again. He needed to be faster, he needed to be stronger, he needed to be more precise. The world was ringing. Then silence. Then clarity.
“Bring me back afterwards okay Toothless.” 
Toothless hummed, then Hiccup let himself slip away. 

It was a strange feeling, as he let go. Like he was floating in water, not feeling his bones broke and reshaped and muscles contorted, and scales grew. He could feel the strain as his  body reshaped, growing stronger, leaner and more powerful. Heat built in their belly and they soared and took flight, aiming their first shot for her eyes. It hit. 
Of course it did. Their aim was perfect. They never missed. 
Sound became muffled as winds filled their ears as they rose, roaring their challenge.
‘Come get me!’ Hiccup yelled, but it came out as a roar from Toothless as their fully shifted dragon body shifted in the air. It worked and the monster took the bait and lifted its massive body up in the air, making the ground shake from the force. More interested in them than the other ants running around in the ground. Her humming breaking.
Slowly she gained in on them. But they were faster, and smarter. She was the trespasser. Coming into their territory, messing up their island, injuring their father/chief. She would have to go. So they dove in, swirled around her and let a plasma bolt hit every time they passed, hitting from a new angle at every time. She had no help, having her minions fled and being freed from control, no one was coming to her aid, and stopping their attack. She was on her own. She was woundarable. She shrieked out her song, calling for her lackeys. But the few still under control were quietly knocked out on the beach, when the people around found out what she was trying to do. 

They attacked her relentlessly. Hiccup analysing where to hit making the most of it, as Toothless flew and took aim, firing at Hiccup’s will, so in sync. Hiccup had never felt lighter and heavier at the same time. The shift was wonderful, he felt whole in a way one never knew he missed, but he missed this. Had missed Toothless. 
She moved suddenly. Her wings hitting them, spiralling them out of course. They managed to steer clear and took higher. Smoke and clouds making it hard to navigate for them, but also for her. She appeared out of nowhere, smacking her large jaw open to swallow them whole. They just barely avoided it. Something hit them in the side, and a gash opened on their stomach. They had to be more careful. Hiccup could feel his power draining, making it difficult to stay conscious, the shift draining him, not ready to hold all the power that was his dragon. His dragon. Who he was gonna protect. They would protect. Together. 
He roared with Toothless and climbed higher, making the queen follow. Taunting her. Hiccup looked down into her large maw, as she prepared to spew a propeller of flames and lava up into the air. He felt faint, because of the air, smoke or the shift he could not take any more. 
“Aim for the mouth.” He thought before he fell. Toothless took over. Hiccup had no more mentally capability to fathom more, as Toothless twisted around and fired a blast directly into the mouth of the beast. 
He felt the fight leave them, and the shift failing. The monster roared and it’s inside lit on fire, a small explosion starting from her jaw and then went through her body. Expanding all the way down to her tail. She was still fighting to maintain control, before she crashed, her large form still warped around Hiccup and Toothless making escape impossible. Hiccup gathered the last he had and opened his eyes. He stopped the shift using all his focus to keep the current state, keeping their wings and tails out, so they could fly away. Toothless trashed and flung away from the large burning monster, zig-zagging between the dragon's spikes, bumps and appendices. Hiccup felt the burn below the knee, but did not have time to comprehend that. He needed to keep the shift, keeping them aloft and in the air, so they could get away. Something large hit them, sending them crashing in the wrong direction. Her wing Hiccup thought, before the shift failed him again. Toothless cried out, and Hiccup breathed out in pain and the pain became worse. It burned, hot, agonising pain, muscle straining pain everywhere, only Toothless cries making him find focus again. He forced his body to obey to once again let Toothless take over. He felt the shift one more time, a full shift as it washed over him, Toothless roaring in triumph and something else. They would make it. They had to.. The burning sensation was in Hiccup’s human leg, had left with the shift, but had moved somewhere else. The sensation was faring and Hiccup could not place the source of the hurt. He kept losing focus. In the end, a confident roar convinced Hiccup that they were gonna be okay. The air shook around them and the monster body hit the ground. Smoke and the smell of burning flesh filled his nostrils. 
Then he lost consciousness hearing Toothless cry filling up his ears in sorrow.

‘Please don't go feral.’ Hiccup whispered.

Chapter Text

It hurt. 

His whole body ached, but in his mind Toothless sang with joy and relief. If washed over him and calmed the burning itch all over him, the dragon taking up his mind and focus. They survived. They killed the monster. The trespasser was gone. They were safe. The island was safe. Hiccup was safe. This was the most important information for Toothless. Concern and love ran through him in waves, one more intense than the other. The dragon filled up his senses. When Hiccup gained more consciousness again, Toothless clamoured down enough so he could blink through the white light in his vision and start to take in his surroundings. There was a tube in his nose, and a drip in his arm. Toothless wanted to rip them out. There were bandages. So many and his leg…
His left leg felt wrong. Toothless cooed. And Hiccup felt him. He felt wrong too… or right. It was hard to explain. Like the dragon had been off balance before and now had regained the right balance. Images flashed past Hiccup’s vision and mind. Designs of a weird contraption in various renditions. Made out of metal, steel, bone, leather, brass, the design and look changed with each, but the concept stayed the same. A tail something. He would have to let it go for now, store it away and try to make sense of it later. 

Something shifted next to his bed. The plastic chair cracked. Hiccup noticed the machine beeping now, as a massive hand came to rest on him.
“Hi Dad.” Hiccup crocked. His dad's massive face taking up his view. His eyes were red and tears stained, but they crinkled in a smile when they looked at him.
“My brave, stupid boy.” He said fondly, and placed a soft kiss on the top of Hiccup’s head.
“Do you know where you are? Do you know what happened?” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his father push a button on a table. 
“My guess is hospital.” He crocked. Stoick lifted a cup and water to his lip and he drank thankfully getting rid of the coarseness in his throat. The tubes in his nostrils were uncomfortable, but it helped with breathing, so he had no urge to tear them out, like his dragon. Stoick helped him sit up better.
“Hospital is right. You have been in surgery for quite some time. Gave me quite a scare. I swear you're trying to kill your old man of worry.” Hiccup chuckled at the forced joke, and coughed.
Stoick looked pitiful at him but did not say more.
“It hurts dad.” Hiccup said, and his dad nodded with even more sadness. 
“I know.” He said, tears filling up his eyes. “I know.”
A door opened. Hiccup did not see it, but he heard. His senses were dulled, and Toothless dragon senses were out of whack. Properly the painkillers, Hiccup thought as a white lab coat appeared in his perfery. Doctor. Right. Hospital. What he thought was a nurse, was bustling around and the man talked. Man? Woman.? Hiccup was only coherent enough to answer the yes and no questions. Something about physical therapy, whatever that was. Toothless hissed, and a bit of his hiss left Hiccup’s mouth as well. Stoick growled at him not to hiss at the doctors, so Hiccup hissed at him instead. The doctor was quiet as father and son growled at each other for a moment before turning their attention on the doctor once more.
“Dragons.” The doctor sighed annoyed and continued with his work. Hiccup leaned back and slipped away once more as the nurse injected something into his drip. The edges dulled and he drifted away, Toothless growling in annoyance. 

When he woke the second time, he was much more coherent and able to have an actual conversation with the doctor. 
Some of his left leg was gone. That was it. The doctor said it as matter-of-factly, like Hiccup had not just lost a vital part of himself. His dad was quiet, properly had had much more time to process the fact than Hiccup had. Toothless seemed fine with it. Not cribbeled by the bare thought, sending waves of reassurance through Hiccup, so he did not cry in front of the doctor.
He would have to do physical therapy to get his legs back to working condition again, and then they would talk prosthetics. Hiccup had this odd feeling, that whatever they presented to him, he could make it batter for some reason. Properly the drugs talking. That, and Toothless.
When the doctor left Stoick told him what had happened. 

The Queen had exploded in the air as its burning corpse crashed to the ground. Luckily no one was hurt. But Hiccup had been caught in the slipstreams between him and the body, and gotten hit on the way down. His shift had failed in the end, but had managed to maintain a half shift long enough to keep him in the air, but his legs caught fire and as Hiccup lost consciousness, Toothless took over in full dragon form and they crash landed on the other side of the beach. Stoick and a couple of others had run to him, while the military staff started to put out the burning dragon corpse, call for emergency transport and other back up they needed. Most was already on the way, thanks to Hiccup’s brief contact with the lady on the radio. They tied up the dragons that had gone primal, most of them somehow regained their consciousness, but some still were thrashing in their feral state. 
Most though did not have any aftereffects from the queen and were cleared by a psych evaluation, performed by emergency personnel upon arrival. They moved the primal dragons, and other humans that had been sympathisers to the queen for later interrogation. 
Hiccup's friends passed and were safe. Astrid and Snot had joined Stoick in the search for Hiccup. When they found him, he was in a cocoon of his own wings, and as they poked it, the shift faded away leaving behind a bruised and battered Hiccup, but breathing Hiccup. 
He was flown by helicopter off the island and directly into a hospital on the mainland, as Berk was already dealing with the trauma patients that were already flowing in from the attack. The hospital removed what was left of his destroyed left shin and foot, and when he was stable enough a couple of days later, he was transferred to Berk memorial hospital, where he was now. He was not permitted visitors yet. There were a bunch of reporters and some military high hats from the mainland that wanted to question him. Gobber was keeping them all at bay at the moment with help from Astrid and Stromfly. Hiccup didn't want to think about the bureaucratic mess he had created, but told his dad to keep them away as much as possible. Hiccup felt he needed to address the elephant in the room. Or rather the dragon .

“Dad” Hiccup looked down at his hands. “I don't think my body can handle a full shift yet.”
“I know, son.” Stoick pulled his plastic chair closer, and put a giant hand on top of his son’s.
“But you did it. You did it. I’m so proud of you.” He kept stroking Hiccup on the top of his head with the other hand. Long calming strokes. 
“Toothless. That is his name.” Hiccup breathed out.
“Yeah.” Stoick smiled. “I would very much like to meet him.”
Hiccup flet the shift happen naturally. Scalles spurted over his face, and his eyes bled green with square black pupils. Hiccup was still there, but was more in the background as Toothless hummed at Hiccup’s father. 
“Thank you. For saving my son.” His hand lay heavy on his cheek, and Toothless leaned into the touch. Just as tired and drained as Hiccup felt. A shift in Stoick as well as green and red scales grew on what skin was exposed between the beard and the bushy eyebrow. His nose turned pointy and sharp as Skullcrusher showed his face, and replaced Stoick. The two dragons met, foreheads rested against each other, rumbling, humming and cooing at each other. Communicating in more ways than their human half could ever do with words. 
Hiccup felt the calm, spreading through his veins. But it could also have been the painkillers. He didn't care. He fell further and further into the darkness, as the dragon cooed and hummed, lulling him to sleep. The last thing he noticed was his Dad continued stroking his hair, and the other hand wrapped around his hand, grounding him. 

When he woke, he asked if his friends could come see him and was denied. The doctors were still not happy with his progress. After getting impatient with their lack of progress and the doctors nor answering how long it would take him to recover. Hiccup started to lick his wound behind the doctor's back. With some helpful effect. His dad never left his side. Toothless was a constant reminder. 

They may be able to keep his friends away, but Hiccup’s fears became true. It was not long before a team of grim looking government officials came knocking at his door. Two tight looking men, with their own government financed team of researchers and doctors, flanked by a burly looking guy with an Australian accent. Stoick kicked them out the moment he saw them. But they kept coming back. Their numbers diminished, but Hiccup knew he could not keep pretending to be asleep when they arrived. 

To his surprise, he was not facing any punishment despite endangering himself, his friends, and interfered with a military mission. They only wanted to talk about Toothless. His Night Fury. His very rare, S-class rated dragon, that had not been reincarnated in over 200 years. 
They wanted to help him, they said. They would pay for all his medical bills and any further treatment that the insurance would not cover. Especially the very expensive prosthetics he would need. They wanted to make sure he was cared for. 
Let him train in their private facility. Pay for his education in one of the finest schools in the country. Their very fancy privately owned facilities. Help him hone his skills. Observe him. He would just have to come in for some “Health checks and samples.”
Hiccup smelled a rat. Toothless was furious. He could not be contained. He was a free dragon. 
Hiccup was not gonna let them get even a sniff of his dragon. And legally they could not. Hiccup was a minor, so they had to go through his very stubborn, very angry dad. Who had lawyered up, right after the men’s first attempted visit.

Hiccup was sitting with his arms crossed in his bed, glaring down a team of doctors and government officials.
“No.” Toothless hissed.  
“You stay away from me, and I will not do anything you say. “
The men began to protest, the doctors rolling their eyes. The muscle man at the door lifted an impressed eyebrow. His green eyes followed every movement Hiccup made. Hiccup had pinpointed all the other dragons in the room, even the arctic fox and reindeer that alternated as his nurses. But that man, he could not pin down and it annoyed him. Annoyed Toothless. 
The first official, a nadder with a bad attitude, bristled at Hiccup, making him turn his attention to him. 
“Do you have any idea what responsibility you have now?”
“You have the first known alpha species dragon known for over a century.” 
There was that word again. Alpha. A muffled memory of Eret’s smiling face came to mind, but else the word made no sense. The pain meds muffled with his memory.
The gronckle researcher piped in. He was young, clearly not used to negotiating. His eagerness ruined his superiors' ruse. “We have to study it. The implication, the power ..”
“No.” Hiccup repeated.
“A real Night fury… It could..” 
Both Hiccup and his dad scoffed in identical fashion. 
“And by it you mean me. Me, a 15 years old.”
“No. I am still just Hiccup Terrible Terror. There were no cameras out on the island, no recordings of such, and I tend to keep it that way.” 
His dad nodded in agreement. They had already discussed this beforehand. Their lawyer stood stoneface behind them, watching the proceedings.
“Unless that is what you want. For everyone to hear about the great Night Fury, who took down a feral dragon, when an entire fleet of adults could not. “
The nadder paled. His frown turned sour. They were essentially sent as damage control, and they wanted Hiccup to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Hiccup was using it as his only wager over his freedom. He looked to his dad who nodded. 

“I want to continue with school, get my education, and we'll see where my path leads. You have no claim on me, or him.” He looked to the lawyer who nodded, content with his response.
“I have nothing else to say to you.” 
His nurse opened the door to show his unwanted visitors out. She flashed Hiccup a wink. 
“Can you at least give us a blood sample?” The eager gronckle researcher asked, hesitating in the doorway. 
“Besides the one you have already confiscated from the hospital. No, I will not.”
They left, and Hiccup sighed in relief. His lawyer clapped his shoulder and gathered his stuff to leave. 
“So what, you're just gonna keep living in hiding?” They asked.
“If it stops, people like them will think they can come in here and try to control me. Then yes.”
“Be careful. At some point the truth will come out.” 
Stoick held his son's hand, reassuring him. 
“I made my decision.”
“Okay.”

Chapter Text

He was finally let out of bed, his doctor, and nurse were milling around unhooking him and talking his ear off. He was not really listening to them, as he sat on the side of his bed in a hospital gown. His father sat in his usual chair looking rather nervous. Hiccup’s head felt heavy, like there was cotton in his ears. They had been slowly cutting down on his meds, but he had just received a shot so he could try walking with a cane to start with. Test out his reflexes and the strength of his muscles.
Something felt wrong. Before Hiccup could process, he felt forward towards the floor, his consciousness fading into black. His father jumped up with a shout, and the nurse scrambled towards him. Neither of them was close enough, and Hiccup was sure he was gonna hit the white linoleum floor. 
Instead two strong dragon legs hit the floor breaking the fall. Hiccup blinked back to reality, his vision suddenly sharper, and the fuzziness gone. He felt stronger too. He felt all the way down, stretching his hindlegs, feeling both of them move. His wings rustled and his tail swooshed behind him. Around him, the nurse and doctor screamed about him calming down, but Hiccup felt totally calm and relaxed. Suddenly his father was in front of him. Holding out his hands in front of him, like he was a large charging animal. Right. Dragon. The full shift had happened so seamlessly, Hiccup had not noticed his body had turned dragon.
Toothless and Hiccup tumbled off the bed, their hospital gown dicarted on the floor, and their wings and tail too large for the small room. They tried to stand up, and hit the heart monitor, the IV drop and the table with their tail. As they turned in confusion, they hit the doctor sending him through the open door and into the hallway. They turned to apologise and the nurse had to duck to avoid getting hit.
They shook off the last fuzz, and the noise in the room became more apparent. They did not like it, so they ran out of the room, feeling the strength of their legs as they ran. Toothless was getting lost, but Hiccup noted the stairway, and they ran towards that and upwards towards the roof.
They surely left more chaos in their wake, but right now they needed to feel the fresh air. Feel the wind. To Fly. They finally made it all the way up to the top, and let the winds caress their skin. The smell of the ocean and freedom in their nose. They stood looking over the edge ready to fly when Hiccup felt it and Toothless hesitated. 
In their shifted state, Toothless still had all of his four legs. Now his tail felt off. Confused they turned to look at it. Their left tailfin was missing. Hiccup gasped in confusion and fright, but Toothless was oddly calm. Rather than crying and panicking, the dragon shifted, swinging the tail around trying out its balance. There was something familiar about it now. It felt lighter in a way. The thin scar running over the rift was old and well healed, like it had been there for years, and not just recently been ripped off. The dragon seemed older suddenly, more at ease and naturally. Hiccup had not realised the weight before it was gone. It could only mean one thing. This was Toothless' natural form. He was not meant to have two tail fins for some reason. Flashes of fin design flashed through Hiccup’s mind again, layering over the tail as old memories. It made him wonder just how old Toothless actually was. If this was the dragon's natural state, then Hiccup would have to make up the difference and make a new tail so the dragon could fly again. Toothless purred. 
When Stoick caught up to them, Hiccup sat fully human on the edge of the roof, wrapped up in a bed sheet he had snatched from the clothing hanger. Behind him more nurses with tranquilliser guns stood at the ready to shoot a primal dragon. Toothless only huffed. 
Stoick bent down and picked up his son in his arms, carrying him downstairs to his room. 

“Did I do the right thing?”
“You did..” His father shifted in his chair, smoothing his son’s hair. “I am very proud of you for standing up for yourself.”
Hiccup sighed deeper into his pillows. Toothless a restless humm in his head.
“Even if I just want to carry on as normal.. As a terrible terror.”
“You can be whatever you want to be.” Stoick’s large hand settled on Hiccup’s shoulder. “That dragon of yours is something special.”
Hiccup could not help to smile. Stoick went to grab his cup and sat down in his own seat again. He swirled his lukewarm coffee around, after briefly dismissing something on his phone.
“I never heard of someone taking so long to present, but you were almost immediately able to bond and fly.. You were leaps faster than all your friends.” He took a sip, then grimaced.
“Yeah it is… Strange.. “ Toothless purred.
“The doctor man seemed to have a theory or two.” Hiccup remembered the thin looking man with the needle. Toothless snorts. 
“They keep mentioning something about Alpha.” Toothless seemed to swell in Hiccup’s chest.
“Never heard the term before. Maybe ask Gobber. You know how he is with his theories.”
Hiccup wrinkled his nose. “How is he?”
“Better.” Stoick looked at his phone for now. Leaving them in awkward silence.
Gobber had also volunteered to help out, when he found out Stoick did. He went to join his friend. But he did not handle it as well as Stoick, and was captured by the Queen very fast. 
Hiccup had not known, and had not looked for his uncle. A pang of guilt now nagging him, telling him if he knew he could have helped. No matter how hard Gobber tried to reassure him otherwise. It had been chaotic and crazy at the nest. Hiccup had done the best he could. Now Gobber was suffering the consequences with the rest of the controlled shifters. It mostly included a lot of paperwork, but Gobber’s one leg had problems shifting back. He had not made a full shift in years, and the forced shift from the Queen was problematic. He was back home in his workshop now, but not up to full working speed yet. It would come, he had promised Hiccup, when he came to visit last. 

Hiccup blew the hair out from his eyes.  
“He can keep his theories for now, I am not in a hurry.” His first wrinkled the sheets. “It’s not like I am going anywhere.”
They both looked towards the stub. Anger and pain flashed in Hiccup’s chest. Toothless hummed soothing, cooing at him, but Hiccup still grabbed the front of his slip, trying to breathe, even as the panic rose and tried to choke him. His fingers dug into the bed sheet and his clothes, the tips turning black. 
A large engulfing arm went around him, pulling him close into a hug. The familiar smell of beard oil and soap was calming. Stoick stroked his hair and held him close, as Hiccup tried to calm his panic attack. 
“It’s gonna be okay. It's going to be okay.” He soothed, calm and firm. 
Hiccup’s voice choked on his own sobs, and he buried his face into his fathers embrace, as the tears ran down his cheek, and he cried. 

“So you just gonna carry on as normal?”
“Pretty much…” Hiccup nodded.
“Hiccup!!” Astrid scolded. Hiccup smiled a crooked grin at her. They had finally let him had visitors, and his friends stopped by, whenever it was possible. Even when their parents insisted they still went to school as normal. They brought him homework he ignored, and gossip and anecdotes about life without him. Out of all of them Astrid visited the most. She would do her homework next to his bed, or they would watch bad movies on her tablet.
He always looked forward to her visits the most. She did not push for him to get better, or come back as some of the others did. She had his back.  
Even now when she punched his arm, a little too hard. Hiccup raised his hands in defence.
“What!! I realised my fear for the unknown torture they would put me under is stupid. But I will still not let them do it. I also have people who can help me. I am not alone, ha! Besides, I saved Berk! They owe me, they can do ....” 
Astrid's mouth opened at his sudden silence.
He leaned back in his bed groaning loudly, hiding his face in his hands. 
“What?” She tried a small smile. Hiccup’s hand went into his hair, and the tips of his fingers turned black. 
“I just freaking saved Berk!!! I Saved Berk!! How crazy am I !!!! She was enormous.. How am I not dead?” He panted.
“There it was… “ Astrid patted his arm lightly. “Yeah. I have been wondering about that myself.”  He tilted her head.
“Good thing seeing a therapist is part of your recovery program huh. “
They both stared down at the covered stub. 
“Yeah.. Good.” Hiccup grumbled irritated. He sighed, and leaned further back in his pillows again. Astrid looked at him with pity, but also something else. Hiccup felt his nerves set on fire, when she took his hand in both on hers.
He slowly turned his head to look at her. She slowly stroked his hand, eyes focused on the task. But her cheeks were dusted pink, and blue scales were crawling up her neck. 
“We're gonna be okay.” She assured him. She looked him in the eyes and then kissed his hand. Making Hiccup simultaneously combust in his bed, while Toothless cackled over his behaviour. Astrid just smiled. 

“So how long are you on crutches for?” Ruffnut asked from her spot on the floor next to her brother. Tuffnut was on his phone not really paying attention, with Astrid and Fishlegs crosseleged next to them, doing homework. 
Snotlout leaned against the mirror wall in the rehabilitation centre, watching Hiccup hobble back and forth on the metal walkway, trying to slowly build up some strength in his remaining leg. He looked ready to jump the moment Hiccup wobbled. 
“Well…” Hiccup grunted and took another jump/step, hands gripping the rails white knuckled. 
“They did the cast of my stump, so now I am just waiting for them to make the leg, so I can try it on and adjust it, but I will properly not do without the crutches for some time.”
“Also since I am growing..” Snotlout snorted, and Hiccup ignored him. “I’m gonna go through a lot more legs, and that's gonna be expensive, so we also gonna look at how much I can lean on the crutches so I don't need a new leg every other week. Or a leg that can extend as I grow. I am debating with the doctors.” Tuff and Fishlegs both huffed out a chuckle.
“On the other hand, the government did promise me, they would cover all my expensive  treatment. So I am also thinking about milking that as much as possible. You know since I ‘undermined authority and risked a high hazard military exercise’. They could just say I saved their butt. That we saved their butt.”
He groaned and the weight on his leg made it wobble. Snotlout jumped up to help him sit down. 
“Good thing they cover therapy as well as physical therapy.” Astrid noted. “How is it going?”
The group looked at Hiccup, a bit awkwardly in the silence. 
“Okay I think. My Dad joins sometimes. It…helps.” Hiccup settled on. “We even talk about mom sometimes…It’s weird…”
Fishlegs looked knowingly at the twins, and they all remained silent. '
Then the physical therapist entered, and scolded them all for being here, distracting Hiccup from his work. They all scampered to flee, except Snotlout who was the designated driver. The clinic had tried to throw them all out on several occasions, but Hiccup’s pack always had an ability to enter anyway. 

“I am BACK!!” Shouted Astrid from the doorway, discarding her light jacket, fanning her face from the heat with a notepad. Hiccup shouted acknowledging her from his spot on the couch in the living room. His new leg was propped up next to the sofa, and he was casually not glaring at it from time to time. Instead he was very invested in his computer on his lap, where he laid down almost upside down. 
“Why is your leg in a time out?” Astrid asked when she entered. 
“We are having a disagreement” Hiccup huffed, annoyed, and Toothless backed him up. 
“Okay…. Move over.“ Astrid pushed him, and Hiccup begrudgingly made room next to him. 
She leaded in over him, disregarding his private sphere. She was doing that a lot recently. Hiccup could not say he minded. 
“What are you working on?”
“Nothing interesting?” Hiccup closed the top of the PC with the designs of a potential new leg he had been tinkering with. “What up with you, general? Keeping the others line?” Toothless chucked, satisfaction blooming his Hiccup’s chest. Stormfly eeped, equally pleased.
Astrid snorted and punched Hiccup in the shoulder. Ever since the twins found out that the government had called Hiccup an Alpha, they started teasing him and calling him ‘Their Almighty Leader and Master.“ And since Astrid was in-charge hierarchical whenever Hiccup was not around, they started calling her General.
“Ruffnut tried to see if she could use her water canon to cool us down. But she is only able to make scalding hot water, so it kinda went the opposite of what she wanted to. “
Hiccup raised an eyebrow.
“Don't worry, I handled it. We are not completely useless without you, you know.”
“I know. Not when they have you.” Astrid beamed, pink dusting her face. 
“Come on, let's go to the kitchen. I can show you what horrors I brought you.”
“Oh goodie.” 
Astrid stood and waited for Hiccup to join her. He was stuck glaring at his legs in timeout. A green tinge was starting to bleed into his eyes. 
Astrid looked between them. “Should I get your crutch?” 
Defeated, Hiccup nodded, and Astrid went to fetch it.  
“Come on.” They sat down in the kitchen. Astrid spread out their homework and sat up her own tablet. She reached over expectantly and Hiccup handed her his PC without a word. The routine was normal and practised. They basically did not have to talk anymore, reading each other like a second language. 
Astrid smirked at him, that could only mean bad things for Hiccup. 
“Mildew thought that you should not miss the surprise exam he threw. He gave me orders to time you precisely. Lucky you.”
“Lucky me.” 
Hiccup pulled out his chair and put down his crutch. He was getting better with the leg, but it still felt wrong sometimes. And if he made a few adjustments, without his doctors knowing, that was his own business. 
He sat down, and pulled his chair closer to Astrid’s. She smiled and pulled him even closer, so they could look over her notes, their thighs touching. 
He was back at school half time now, and the rest at home resting. Most of his teachers were fine with it, but Mildew saw this as Hiccup trying to slack off. Apparently losing a limb was not a valid reason to miss school, and he had been giving Hiccup extra assignments to “keep him sharp.” Hiccup was pretty sure Mildew just hated him and was missing opportunities to pick at him. What the school had been told was that Hiccup had had an accident at home alone, while Stoick was out, helping with the feral dragon. So now more knew him as being not only clumsy, but also a real danger to his own wellbeing. Very tragic. 
Stoick and some of the other adults on the island had taken the credit for taking down the dragon. Toothless was very salty about this. He was pouting for a week when he found out. Personally Hiccup thought this was better. It stung yes, but seeing all the interviews, broadcasts, and other stuff his father had to participate in, made him glad it was not him. The mainland was celebrating the bearshifter that Hiccup had encountered, and Berk was celebrating Stoick. The two of them made sure to keep the public eye on them, and off the brunch of random teenagers that had turned up at the nest. Best solution for everybody.
Even if his sour dragon did not think so. 
He was mostly quiet now. He usually was when Astrid was around. He was not really interested in their human things, only coming out to greet Stormfly. Sometimes the two dragons would have separate conversations humming at each other, while their human was busy with their own conversation. Astrid may be Hiccup’s fake general, but Stromfly took her responsibility as Toothless’ second in command very seriously. 
Hiccup scratched the tip of his nose with his pen, trying to figure out the correct answer. Astrid reached over. 
“Here let me.” She leaned close, letting their sides touch, as she used his pen to write down a hint. “Like this.”
Hiccup leaned into her side, and took back his pen. “Like this?” He scribbled his answer.
“Close, but look here.” Astrid took back the pen. 
Warmth spread from Hiccup’s fingertips where she had touched him, and spread pleasantly through his body. His eyes were locked on her face studying the details. Every freckle, to the hilt of her nose, and the shape of her pink mouth. Astrid’s eyes found his, and her cheeks heated up. But she straightened and tapped his nose with the pen. 
“Focus please.” 
He chuckled, but under the table her hand found his, and interlaced their fingers.

The first day Hiccup walked on his own with his new prosthetic, it was like he was being born anew. He felt balanced, in a way that he did not know he had been unbalanced before. Like his dragon. 
“So how are you gonna fly?” Fisglegs asked, when Hiccup was showing off the leg to his friends. They sat around their usual table, asking questions and admiring the new limb that had received more than just some “minor adjustments”. Nothing fancy or high teh. 
Just a leg that made Hiccup able to feel normal again. 
“I have some ideas.'' Hiccup told him, remembering the flashes of a fin Toothless had shown him. 
“I’m thinking maybe some bluetooth connected, maybe a sensor on the other fin, to register the movement, and mimic them. The real trick is I need something that will hold the shift.” 
He looked expectantly at his friend. Fishlegs beamed. 
“Maybe you can help me out with that.”
“I would like that. 

They run through the forest together. Astrid’s hand was grasped tight in his as they sprinted. 
They scurried around the trees, hiding from the warm sun, sticking to the shades. 
“Where are we going?!” Astrid asked.
“You’ll see.” Hiccup only pulled harder at her hand.
They skit around a boulder and down a narrow path leading into a narrow cliff path. The whole time Hiccup did not let go of her hand. 
Toothless leaped in his throat. Astrid's fingers gave his hand a gentle squeeze and Hiccup could not help to smile. 
Astrid made a kind of giggle noise, but Hiccup was too excited to tease her for it. It felt wonderful to run again. Even with the prosthetic, being able to move freely was a blessing. He had gotten used to the sensation now. Accepted it as a part of him. Even if it sometimes hurt so much he could not look at it. But it was what he had needed, what his dragon had needed unfortunately. He had not known just how out of balance he was before, because Toothless was. 
The path grew stepper and narrower, and his prosthetic slipped, making him almost take a tumble had it not been for Astrid, keeping them both up. 
He yelled out as Astrid pulled them back, and they slid down the last stretch of the path. Toothless chuckleed deep in Hiccup’s chest, judging. They end up colliding into the rock wall of the entryway into the cove. Astrid breath tickled him in the ear, and he hastily tried to salvage the situation. 
“Sorry. Here let me..”
“No it's okay.”
They both turned, and ended awkwardly stuck chest to chest nose to nose. Hiccup tried not to look down at Astrid’s chest, which was pressed up against him. They were the same height now, maybe he was getting a little taller. But her blue eyes are staring him down, and not in the same glaring way they used to. 
Awkwardly Hiccup chuckled and wedged himself out from under her. 
“This way.” 
Astrid was unusually silent, as he reached over and took her hand again. 
They entered the cove, the sunlight flittering down on them. 
“The cove? Really.” Astrid teased, even if Hiccup was not sure why. 
“How fitting.” She mumbled under her breath. 
Hiccup smiled at her. 
“Hey over here slowpokes.!!” 
Astrid tensed with the outburst, but Hiccup lit up. 
“You’re here!!”
“Who is here…” Astrid hissed.
Hiccup pulled her with them as they joined their pack.
“Great, you’re all here” Astrid said, voice strange and cracking .”Why?”
“Why would we not?” Ruffnut smirked. “The great and mighty Night fury has summoned us, so we must obey.'' She sang dramatically. Toothless preened.
Hiccup let go of Astrid's hand to fling Ruffnut’s braid in her face, making her laugh. 
“Drop it…” He warned her with a soft growl, only making her spiky grin wider. “I want to show you something.”

Hiccup slipped out of his shoes and coat. Even his hoodie went. He put down his phone, wallet and keys on top of the neatly folded hoodie.
“I bet you will.” Ruffnut bit her lip, and Astrid hit her shoulder. 
Hiccup ignored them and rolled his shoulder, feelling out the libs. 
“Wanna know a secret?”
Snotlout snorted, but Fighlegs picked up, with Tuffnut looking expectantly at him. 
“Ready?” He asked his dragon as much as his friends. 
“Just get on with it.” Snotlout moaned. 

It came easy. The feel of the stretch and his body moved and shifted, muscles shifting and rearranging, scales sprouting and talons elongating. They landed heavily on their front legs, using one of their feets to scratch behind their newly formed ear, which was still twitching slightly. 
They shake off the last of the change, their scales settling in. With a grin they turn to their audience, spreading out their wings. 

Fishlegs dropped his phone. 
“Now, that is not fair!!” Howled Snotlout. “How are you doing that? It almost killed you last time. Ho-- how… how are you doing that.. How are you keeping it!”
Their pack’s eyes are wide and their mouths open in disbelief and awe. Toothless swelled with pride, Hiccup shook his head. They wooshed around their tail shocking them. Fishlegs stumbled up first to have a look at the fin. Hiccup’s prosthetic was warped and almost unrecognisable. But it survived most of the shift. It was still not a completly full functioning tail fin, but a skeleton for one. They planned on using their growth spurt to their advantage and try as many prototypes as possible so they would fly again. Fishlegs gushed in awe, spouting nonsense about patterns, PBC boards, statistics and other numbers. Snotlout had his hands in his hair walking around them with more annoyance than adoration, but it was still a win. 
The twins ran around excitedly, pointing at different parts of them. Only Astrid remained in her spot. Her eyes were locked on them following every movement. Stormfly flashed in her eyes, showing her she was not alone. 
Hiccup melted a little bit. Toothless chuckled at his silliness. They walked towards her and let the shift melt away, leaving behind the gangly boy.
“You did it…” She whispered.
“I did..”
“How?”
“It is easy.”
Astrid huffed but Hiccup only laughed. 
“Yeah right.”
“No really, that is why we are out here..” 
He looked towards others. 
“I am gonna teach you. I have been practising with my dad. The moment I have a flying prototype, we are going flying, but I have been getting pretty good at shifting.“
The others looked to each other in turn, a hopeful but careful tension spreading.
“And now it is your turn.”
Hiccup stepped into Astrid’s space, his fingertips finding the right spots on her neck and behind her ears. 
Astrid made a sound deep in her throat. Behind them Ruffnut hit Tuff, but else they were just watching the two of them. 
Astrid breath was getting faster and more rappied, the scales flaring up, her nostrils growing a bit bigger. 
“It’s okay, it’s okay..” Hiccup said to Stromfly, reaching out to her. Toothless settled in him, breathing with him. They took a deep breath, and made the other dragon breathe with them. 
“Feel her… listen to her'' Hiccup said. 
They both closed their eyes, theri foreheads resting against each other, breathing in tandem.
“Can you feel her.” Astrid’s eyes twitched, but she did not open her eyes.
“Feel her breath, her heart, her legs, her wings. Her tail, her spikes, every bit of scale.”
Toothless hummed.
“Feel her strength, feel her will.”
“I feel her.” 
They open their eyes and look into eachothers. Hiccup’s were flashing green, his pupils square, while Astrid’s was glaring yellow. 
“Hiccup, I feel her.” Astrid’s breath was hiking in excitement.
“Good. Relax, find her again.” He moved his hands, so they were on her shoulders. 
“Do you trust her?”
“I do..”
“Listen to her..” Toothless hissed softly. “What does she say…”
“Say….”
“Feel then.” They barked gently.
“Like… she loves me.” Astrid hiccuped, with a grin.
They nodded at her. 
“She is your strength. Your breath, your heart. Your body. You are one. You are equal.”
Astrid took a deep breath, closing her eyes again. Hiccup found her hand and placed it against her own heart. He breathed with her, just like his father had with him. His large hand on his shoulder and heart. 
“Feel her..”
“I feel her..”
“Now… let go….”

Hiccup let go of her, taking a step back. Around him his pack was holding their breath. Nothing was happening. Hiccup started doubting. Toothless tilted their head in similar confusion briefly.  Maybe they did something wrong? Maybe they did not explain it fully? Suddenly Toothless silenced him, intent on Astrid. 
The twins twitched, clearly disappointed. But then Astrid opened her eyes, and melted away.

The twins shrieked and jumped back as the dragon spread her wings, and shook her spiked crowned head. The tail whooshed over the ground, making tracks where the deadly spikes slewed up the earth. She swung it around, sending a strike of spikes into a nearby tree, making her friends duck for cover.  Stormfly took her first steps as fully shifted and shrieked in pure joy. Her roar was shrill and birdlike but unmistakably happy. Hiccup just managed to get to a standing position, before he had to gain balance again as he suddenly had his arms full of dragon. She preened and purred, as she rubbed her large hard and snout against Hiccup’s body, almost lifting him off his feet. She was so much larger than when half shifted. Even larger than Toothless. Hiccup threw his arms around the excited dragon petting her. She squawked happily at him, then left him to test out her wings. Hiccup and his friends cheered as she took off and took a lap around the lake. Byt the end the shift was failing a bit, scales flickering, but nothing dangerous. They landed near them, her shift disappeared, and Astrid tumbled into Hiccup’s arms. She hugs him tight. 
“I did it !! it did it!! I shifted!!!” She screamed at him. 
“You did, you did!!! He cheered, lifting her up in the hug and swinging her around. “You guys did it!” Toothless roared his approval. 
They are interrupted by their friends.
 “My turn, my turn!! How did you do it!!” 
Hiccup put Astrid down and went to grab Fishlegs arm, trying to explain more in detail so he understood. He took turns trying to help the other shift, but they did not have it as easy as Astrid did. In the end only Snotlout managed to shift that afternoon, making him unbearable for the next two weeks. But by the end of the month, they were all shifted. All flying together.

Chapter Text

Valka gasped and dropped her phone. The screen shattered across the middle, flickering a bit, but not going black. Trembling, she picked it up, and flicked a stray piece of glass off the screen. The top corner had gone dark, with bleeding edges, but still her eyes were fixed to the photo attached in the mail her husband had sent. 
In the photo her husband was half shifted. Standing tall and proud, with a larger smile on his face than Valka had seen in a decade. His wings were spread out, and his green and red tail lay folded at his feet. Scales and claws on full display as he gave the camera a thumb up and the other arm around their son. Their son. 
Hiccup was taller than she remembered. Still much smaller than Stoick, but larger to compensate for the large big black wings that stretched far and wide behind his back, even larger than his father. His large black tail, also wrapped around his feet. One black tailfin, and a one large deep red with a white viking crest on. Valka was not sure what that was about. Her son’s eyes shone bright green, and his teeth were a little bit larger than normal. His ears were large and rounded in big ear flaps, and scales ran up his cheek, around his eyes and down his neck. Under his chin were small nobs of some fringe. He had his arms around his father to two of them leaning on each other looking happy and silly. Like they had been playing when the picture was taken. Hiccup gave the camera a wave, black scales, and large black claws. Night fury, it said under the picture. Valka had honed in on the words, but the rest of the words had become fussy and unreadable in her mind. Cloudjumper was agitated and was making it hard to focus on the small screen. What killed her, and hurt the most was the sight of her son's foot. The lack thereof. His leg right under his left knee was gone. No prosthetic leg, but Valka knew it was only a matter of time. 
Her son. A Night fury. An Alpha species reincarnated. The implications, the discovery. She barely had the mind to read the rest of the mail, had it not been for her own dragon poking her. 
She tried to be happy for her son. He had finally claimed his dragon partner. He was not alone. Still, the thought of so much happening, that Hiccup had fought a beast, and lost his legs in the process. It was too much to bear. And Valka had not been there for any of it.
Did she even have a place between those two anymore? Could she ever return home again? 

Hiccup looked at Astrid. She had been quiet all day, and she did not do quiet. Toothless tittered. 
“Were you disappointed.” Hiccup said, breaking the silence. 
“No, no, not at all.” She hissed through gritted teeth, still trying to sound cheery and normal after yesterday. 
“You thought it was just gonna be the two of us in the cove.” Hiccup scratched his cheek.
Astrid still shook her head in denial, and flung her backpack on Hiccup’s bed.
“No, no, no problem.” Her giggle was fake and shrill.
“We are all friends here.” She hummed.
She started to unpack her books and pencil case from her backpack. Hiccup stayed in the doorway. His heart was pounding his chest. Toothless gave an encouraging murmur, and Hiccup took the last step inside.
“Astrid, can we talk?” 
She hummed nonchalantly, not really listening. Hiccup opened his mouth, before his courage left him.  
“I want to know how you feel about me.”
Astrid stopped what she was doing, her head turning slowly to look at him. 
“Because for me you're the best. You're Astrid, and I always looked up to you, even before. “ He rambled, his hands going all over the place.
“Now I know I can rely on you and Stormfly. You're like a Toothless’s general or something, his second. Like they are not attracted to each other, but I am kind of attracted to you so.. Anyway…” He managed to take in air, even as he kept talking. His face felt flushed, and his eyes kept darting over his room, to anywhere but her.   
“But for me you will always be nr 1.” 
She was stepping closer to him, her hands on her hips, with her typical Astrid glare. Oh no had he been reading everything wrong. Toothless only hummed at him.  
“And I am not talking about dragon compatibility, because you know, but… I just think you are great. But I can't help wondering if you're only here because of Toothless and his weird attraction powers, or if you're actually here for me.”
She was so close now, glaring at him down. Hiccup wanted to sink into the ground, had it not been for the steady prese of his dragon keeping him upright. 
“That's all I was gonna say.”
Astrid scoffed at him. Actually scoffed. Well there went his confidence. So much for pouring his heart out. 
“You know, for a smart guy, you're so clueless.” She said. Then her face turned softer and she smiled at him, sending butterflies directly into his stomach. 
“I am not gonna deny that there is something going on with our dragons. Even if we are not sure what it is. “ She flicked her braid behind her shoulder. 
“Stormfly is very ‘devoted’ to your dragon, and I am not sure how or why. It is very confusing. BUT!!”
She poked him in the chest. “That is not why I keep hanging out without. I liked you before we started presenting!”
Her face turned a tat pink with the confession. 
“And I know I handled it badly when we were younger, and I am trying to be better now. I should not have left you behind. I know that now, but…” She shrugged.
“You were… are … clever, and funny, and annoying and smart and… You make me wanna be better too.. So… yeah…”
Hiccup was quite star struck with the confession. 
“So…” 
“So..” Astrid echoed.
“I like you, and you like me… and our dragons get along…” 
It was like he was looking at all the pieces, but they would not connect in his mind. It was too busy screaming at him, that Astrid had called him smart.
Astrid reached over, and grabbed hold of his face.
They stared intensely into each other's eyes. 
Hiccup felt a warmth spreading through his body, heating up his face, and somewhere deep in his belly. 
“Just checking. This is not a dragon thing right?”
“No it is not.” Astrid agreed.
“Good because…”
He did not get to finish his thought, as Astrid surged forwards and pressed her mouth against his. 
Hiccup world exploded in colour. The sound drowning out around, making him only focus on the girl kissing him. He stepped closer, his hands finding her waist. She felt it, and pulled him deeper into the kiss, prying his lips open, swiping her tongue tentatively. Then she gently pulled back to look at him. 
Her eyes were bleeding yellow, and there were scales on her face and neck, with spikes poking through her hair. She traced her taloned finger against his cheek. 
“Huh..?” Hiccup felt his own scales under her touch. Then the dragons disappeared, like they went back to sleep, leaving them alone for a time. 
“So just checking. Our dragons??” His breath was coming out in puffs.
“Totally platonic.” Astrid agreed, her breath and voice, not better than him. 
“Us ??” Hiccup gesture between them.
She shook her head, a sly grin on her lips.. “I don't think so…”
“Oh thank the gods.” 
Hiccup wrapped an arm firmly around her and pulled her into a much deeper, firmer and more passionate kiss. She flung her arms around his neck, opening her mouth, grinning against his lips.

He looked down at the well worn, well loved hoodie. It was frayed at the hands and at the zipper. He knew that was a hole in the inner pocket and the back icon was now unreadable from wash. He patted the hoodie, and then put it down into the drawer and closed it. 
Astrid called from downstairs, and Hiccup yelled his reply. He grabbed his new natural leather jacket from his chair, leaving it turning from the force. He shrugged the jacket on, feeling the smooth interlining, ran across his skin when he pulled it on. The layer felt more natural, and Hiccup knew that he would have no problem with shifting with this on. 
“Wow.” Astrid gushed. She pulled her bangs out of her eyes. “You look nice.”
“You think so. It’s kinda different.” He grinned.
The dark leather jacket was muddy brown, almost back with two red stripes around his right arms. It looked nice on top of his scarlet red t-shirt. 
“Yeah but good different.“ She swiped invisible dust off his shoulders, taking a chance to feel them up. ”It suits you.”  
He grinned and leaned in to kiss her cheek before heading outside. He waved to his Dad and Gobber sitting in the kitchen. They yelled their goodbyes at the two of them in return.
He pushed the door open, where his friend was waiting. Snotlout half hanging out the window, honking the horn, with Fishlegs and the twins packed into their own car. They yelled their greeting and then went back to fighting. Hiccup slid into his seat next to Snot. 
“Cool threads.” Snot remarked then turned on the engine, and turned up the music on his phone connected to the speaker.

Hiccup leaned back and took in his friends. They were sitting outside enjoying the sun, before they had to rush inside to the next class.
While Hiccup was a solitude creature, best suited by himself, enjoying the calm in the nice and quiet, his dragon was different. Toothless took comfort in the presence of others, and basked in admiration and respect from his fellow dragons. 
“You're a prideful little fellow.” Toothless shook himself contently with just a hint of a satisfied smirk. Hiccup could not help to smirk too.
Astrid moved beside him catching his eyes. 
“What?” She tilted her head at him. With a hum he reached out his hand and brushed her bangs out of her vision to get a better view of her eyes. He could feel her quiver slightly by the touch, and he knew she would never have let him do this, if the others weren't so busy with the twins' fight. He quickly removed his hand again, before she could say something.  He did feel her slight intake of breath. He grinned and looked away from her, feeling her haunting eyes, bore into the back of his head.
“What’s that?!” He called, making everyone in their group turn to look. At the same time he graped Astrid’s wrist making her look at him. She barely gave her a moment's notice before he kissed her. She blinked, dazzled at him, and a little bit flustered as he retreated, turning to the others as they complained. 
“I can’t see anything.” Tuff was the loudest. His sister flicked his cap off his head. Fishleg dipped behind his phone, snickering. 
“Ha. Maybe it was just a trick of the light.” Hiccup shrugged. “My bad.” He sounded sincere, but he sent Astrid a knowing look that made her smile, before she yelled back at Tuffnut. Snotlout pushed back, coming to Tuffnut’s defence. In retaliation he threw a football at Astrid’s head. Hiccup managed to duck, his back hitting the grass. Astrid grabbed it, and punctured it with a spiky claw. Snotlout guffawed, while the rest laughed at him. When Hiccup sat up again, Astrid had left him to chase after Snotlout, who had produced a new football. Ruffnutt took her place, and Hiccup handed her the comic he had been reading. She settled in next to him, her other hand reaching over to Fishlegs. They intertwined their fingers seamlessly, Fish not even looking up from his phone. 

H iccup sat back on his elbows, looking towards the sky. The sun’s heat felt great on his face, and he could feel Toothless hummed appreciatively. He took a deep breath, taking in his surroundings. He could hear other groups around him going about their lunch break. A group of nadders and grockles were play fighting further back, with their friends cheering them on. A group of girls walked past them, one of them showing of her scales. 
Most of all he sensed his friends. Their smells, their noise and the feel of their dragon's presence.  Toothless hums in his chest, filled him up, making him feel loved and not alone. Surrounded by people he trusted and loved. His friends. His dragon. His pack.

This felt like home.