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Chapter Text

Rapunzel felt hope bubble in her chest as Eugene locked his eyes on her. His gaze was soft and full of unsaid words. 

Promises, apologizes, wishes, dreams. 

Rapunzel, as sheltered as she was, knew what came next. 

She knew what that gaze meant and she was ready for it. Her mother didn't know everything. She had never been looked at like this, under these lights, on this boat. 

And she never would. 

There was love in Eugene's eyes and Rapunzel glowed with it. 

He gently cupped her cheek and leaned forward slowly and Rapunzel wondered how on earth she had ever allowed herself to be cooped up in a cold hard tower. 

This was well worth any anger her mother may have. 

She leaned forward as well, content to let him guide her. He already brought her to her dream, she trusted him with this. 

Her eyes fluttered closed and she waited ready for her world to change when Eugene's hold on her tightened. She felt her world warping and she snapped her eyes open in fear. 

...

Fear clogged Jack's throat. 

With Baby Tooth in his hand, Pitch had the upper hand on Jack but that didn't stop him from raising his staff as a treat. 

"Let her go." He growled. 

Pitch smirked nastily, holding out his other hand. 

"The staff, Jack. You have a bad habit of interfering when I don't want you to. Now hand it over and I'll let her go." 

Jack's eyes flickered over to Baby Tooth who was shaking her head furiously. It was clear that she was putting on a brave face for him. 

Jack looked down at the wooden staff in his hands. It was more than just a tool for his craft, it was a part of him. Giving it up would be like Bunny giving up his boomerangs, Tooth giving up her wings. 

Or Sandy- 

No. 

Jack looked back up at Pitch with renewed strength. 

He would not lose someone else. 

Jack spun the staff once, letting his hands run over the calming wood pattern before handing it off. 

The only thing that's stayed with him throughout those lonely three hundred years. It may have not been an actual person, but it was a comfort nonetheless. 

And now Pitch had it. 

"Alright." He said, watching as Pitch curled his hand around it. "Now let her go." 

Pitch looked down at the staff and back up at him with a smirk. Jack's chest tightened. 

"No." Jack sucked in a sharp breath. "You said you wanted to be alone. So be alone!" 

Jack clenched his fists helplessly but Baby Tooth had had enough. She jabbed her beak into Pitch's hand harshly. 

"Ow!" Pitch growled.

He scoffed and threw her into a nearby ice crack. Jack startled and fear swooped in his stomach. 

"No!" He starts after her, but risks a glance at Pitch who immediately, without hesitation, snaps the staff in half. 

It was sharp. 

It felt as if Pitch had stabbed Jack in his chest. 

Jack crumpled to his knees with a groan and Pitch's grin widened. He motioned his hands and his sand followed, knocking into Jack and slamming him into the ice. 

Jack, with no strength left and no staff to fly, dropped into the same ice crevice that Baby Tooth was in. 

Pain assaulted him from all over and he barely noticed when Pitch threw the broken staff pieces down with him. 

Jack had enough strength to open his eyes and reach out for Baby Tooth but suddenly, his world spun and changed. 

…

Fred's singing probably should have bothered Hiro but he was too focused to actually notice. 

"Harnessing the power of the sun with the ancient amulet they found in the attic." He sang softly. 

There was a pause. 

"The amulet is green." 

Another pause. 

"It's probably an emerald." 

"Fred." Wasabi huffed. "I will laser hand you in the face." 

 "Guys." Hiro called, quieting them. 

He could practically see the disbelieving look Wasabi was aiming at him and bit back a smile. 

Hiro brushed that away to focus and turned to Baymax. "Any sign of him Baymax?" 

"This structure is interfering with my sensor." 

Wasabi groaned. "Perfect. The robot's broken." 

Honey Lemon paused and peeked into a cracked door. She gasped. 

"Guys, you might want to see this." She called. They all crowded around the metal door as Honey pushed it open. 

A huge testing room, fit with two huge identical portal looking devices.

"What do you think it is, genius?" Gogo asked with a pop of her gum. 

Hiro shrugged. "I'm not sure, but look." He pointed up to the deck, where a couple of computers were stationed. 

He jogged up the stairs and was about to search through the footage when he felt his world shift. 

…

Elsa groaned and opened her eyes. 

Her head was pounding and her body ached. Her eyes focused on the roof of the room and she sighed. 

She knew her castle ceilings. 

The only pastime she had was staring at these walls for hours and hours, days at a time. 

She shifted, her gaze exhaustedly traveling over to the window, the blanket that was covering her sliding off. Her eyes widened at the sight that greeted her. 

The land was almost completely white. The fjord was frozen over. 

She sat up slowly, mindful of her aches, and stepped out of bed. She walked over to the window, completely shocked at the pure white until she was abruptly yanked back by her arms. 

She looked down at her hands to see thick black chains covering them. She yanks once and strains to look out the window, feeling dread and fear pool in her gut. 

"What have I done?" 

The sound of the door opening caught her attention and she turned to look but suddenly her world spun. 

…

Merida let her feet go on autopilot as her brain and her heart were too stricken to lead the way. 

Her mother just threw- no, she tossed- the bow into the fire. Like it meant absolutely nothing. 

Like she wasn't even there the day she got it and started learning it. Like she didn't even notice that Merida carried it everywhere. 

Luckily she made it to Agnus before her eyes blurred over with tears. 

She didn't care where her horse took her, as long as it was away from that prison she called home. 

Why was her mom so intent on not listening to her? 

Why was it so hard to talk to her? 

Why couldn't she be different? 

She curled her hands tighter into Agnus' mane and allowed herself to sob. 

Being so emotionally stricken, she didn't even notice her horse neighing in warning. 

…

Anna shuddered. 

She could feel the cold settling painfully in her chest. It was much harsher than before when she accidentally fell into the frozen lake and much colder than falling into the fresh snow. 

It was all consuming and there was no cloth or blanket that could reach it. 

"Are you cold?" Kristoff asked worriedly. 

This time, Anna couldn't lie. "A little." She admitted, her teeth chattering. 

Kristoff did a strange movement before thinking twice about it and stopping. Anna watched him as he scanned the terrain before his eyes lit up. 

"Uh...come here." He gently guided her over to a steam vent and motioned for her to hold her hands over it. 

Anna sighed in relief. The cold pressure on her chest didn't let up but she appreciated any warmth she could get. 

Kristoff watched her with a soft look before he started to lead her away. 

"So, uh...about my friends. Well, I say friends, they're more like family. Anyway, when I was a kid, it was just me and Sven until they, you know, took us in." 

Anna's eyes widened. "They did?"

"Yeah," Kristoff rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I don't want to scare you. They can be inappropriate. And loud, very loud. They're also stubborn at times, and a little overbearing, and heavy. Really, really heavy. Which you'll...but you know, you'll get it. They're fine. They mean well." 

Anna, seeing that this was going to last a while. gently touched Kristoff's arm. 

"Kristoff, they sound wonderful." She said with a genuine smile. 

He nodded sheepishly and Anna moved her hand away reluctantly. He was warm and it was nice. 

She almost wished he had put his arm around her instead of using the steam vent. 

Kristoff took a step forward, throwing his arms out like a presenter, before Anna felt something shift. 

…

Hiccup was tossed into the dark room and his dad followed. 

"I should've known." Stoick huffed. "I should have seen the signs." 

Hiccup, with desperation seeping into his tone, scrambled to his feet. "Dad-"

"We had a deal!" He thundered. 

"I know we did...but that was before …" Hiccup curled a hand into his hair harshly. "Ugh, it's so messed up." 

Stoick turned to the door and turned back sharply. 'So, everything in the ring...a trick? A lie?" 

Hiccup deflated. "I screwed up. I should've told you before now. Take this out on me, be mad at me, but please...don't hurt Toothless." 

Hiccup knew, he knew that that was an impossible request. That the amount of pure bloodthirst harbored for a NightFury was too great to quell for one son. 

But he couldn't help but try. 

"The dragon? That's what you're worried about? Not the people you almost killed!" 

"He was just protecting me! He's not dangerous!" 

And wasn't that the kicker. The only reason that Toothless was even captured right now was because of Hiccup. 

Because of Hiccup's...hiccup. 

"They've killed hundreds of us!" Stoick growled. 

"And we've killed thousands of them!" Hiccup shot right back. 

Stoick blinked in shock for a moment before turning away with a huff. 

"They defend themselves! that's all! They raid us because they have to! If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves. There's something else on their island, Dad... it's a dragon like-" 

Stoick turned back around with bewilderment. "-Their island? So you've been to the nest." 

Hiccup stumbled back, dread crashing down around him. "Uh, did I say nest?" 

"How did you find it?" He demanded, taking a step closer. 

"No... I didn't. Toothless did. Only a dragon can find the island." 

As soon as the words left his mouth he regretted them. 

His father's eyes wided, then steeled and Hiccup knew there was no changing his mind. Stoick turned on his heel and began to walk out. 

"Oh, no, no. Dad, no!" He grabbed hold of his dad's fur tunic. "Dad! It's not what you think! You don't know what you're up against! It's like nothing you've ever seen! Dad, please! I promise you that you can't win this one! No! Dad, no!" 

Stoick shrugged him off determinedly. 

Hiccup, fear for his father and his best friend making him push away his anxiety, raised his voice. He grabbed his father's arm and maneuvered himself so he was in front of Stoick. 

" For once in your life, would you please just listen to me !"

A disapproving look overcame Stoick's face and he pushed Hiccup to the side. Hiccup stumbled and fell into the dirt. 

"You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not a Viking. You're not my son." 

Hiccup's eyes widened in disbelief. 

His father simply turned, and without a backwards glance, he stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. 

Hiccup's eyes blurred with tears and he felt something in his chest shatter.

He was just disowned. 

And by tradition, since his father was the chief, he would have to leave Berk. 

His best friend- his only friend- was gone, most likely to be killed after his use was through. 

He had no one. 

Hiccup inhaled sharply and pressed his hands against his eyes, refusing to cry. 

His world felt like it was crumbling, or maybe it was because it was. 

When Hiccup opened his eyes again, he was somewhere else. 

A large room with a bunch of seats all facing a wall with a screen on it? Hiccup swiveled around and his eyes landed on the other people standing there. 

A girl with a lot of golden hair all tied up with braids and flowers, holding a man's hand. 

A small boy, fitted in some form of purple gear standing close to a large marshmallow being who also had some form of red gear on. 

A woman with white hair and a beautiful blue gown looking around in fear while tucking her hands into her arms. 

A redhead, who's hair was wild and unruly and her face stained with tear tracks, looking around in confusion and anger. 

Another boy, with white hair and a blue hoodie on. He was on the ground, holding his stomach as if he was in pain. A small bird like creature fluttered around him. 

And a girl, with ginger hair streaked with white, shivering as if she was cold. The man next to her watched her helplessly, seemingly unsure of what to do with his hands. 

"E-elsa?" The cold girl called. 

The woman in question only stumbled away from her in fear. 

"No. Don't." She said shakily. 

The girl stopped and her companion simply curled a hand around her elbow and pulled her back towards him protectively. 

Hiccup brushed away his tears as subtly as he could and backed away. 

"What is this!" The redhead growled. She had a thick Scottish accent and now that Hiccup was looking closer, he could see that her dress was ripped and torn. "Where am I?" 

She turned to the guy and the blonde girl with a furious growl. The guy immediately stepped in front of the girl and held up his hands in a placating manner. 

"Hey, I'm trying to figure this out too." His voice was smooth and easygoing. 

"Baymax," The smaller boy addressed the giant marshmallow creature. "Scan." 

There was a pause before the creature spoke. "My scanner is not working in this facility." 

Elsa, despite still looking fearful, took a step closer to the boy who was sitting on the ground. "Is he okay?" 

The boy groaned in response and looked up through lidded eyes. They were blue, electric. 

"I'm just peachy." 

Then there was a pause. 

"Wait! You can see me?" He shifted, making a move to stand before falling again. Elsa automatically reached to catch him and set him back down. 

"Of course I can?" She said confusedly, her hand lingered on his shoulder before she jumped away in fear. 

The little bird creature that was circling him in worry quickened it's circle. 

"It's alright Baby Tooth. I'm okay, I promise." He said with a forced smile. "It just-ow- hurts a bit." 

The marshmallow, Baymax, took a slow step forward. 

"You are in pain." He surmised. "On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?" 

The boy blinked at the creature before scoffing. "Eleven." 

The robot began to say something but was cut off by the red head's shout. 

"What the hell is that ?" 

Everyone turned to where she was looking before Hiccup was pounced on by a familiar black blur. Two bright green eyes checked him over. 

"Toothless!" Hiccup cried in relief. He immediately curled his arms around the dragon's neck. "I thought I lost you buddy." 

Toothless warbled in response before his eyes focused on the other figures in the room. He stepped over Hiccup protectively and growled. 

Hiccup scrambled to his feet and instinctively stepped in between Toothless and the strangers. 

Something in Hiccup's gut was telling him that these people would be important; to both him and the world. 

And his gut is the reason that Toothless is alive and his best friend. 

"Hey, hey. It's okay." He said softly. "They're not gonna hurt me. Right ?"

That last question was aimed at the strangers and they all didn't hesitate to nod. Except the redhead, who was glaring at the dragon. 

"See? It's all good here." 

Toothless gave one last warning growl before curling around Hiccup decisively. 

"So let me get this straight." The man holding the blonde girl's hand started, "You have a dragon." 

Hiccup nodded. 

"And you," he turned to the smaller boy. "Have a…" 

"A robot." He summarized. Baymax turned away from the boy on the floor to address the man. 

"Hello," He did a little hand circle. "I am Baymax, your personal healthcare companion." 

"Righttt. Well, since we're all stuck here. Might as well do introductions? I'm Flynn Rider." 

The girl next to him smiled. "I'm Rapunzel." 

Flynn pointed to the robot. "You're Baymax. But you are…" 

"Hiro Hamada." The smaller boy said. He took off his helmet to reveal a messy head of black hair and an adorable baby face. 

"Aw, you're so cute." Rapunzel cooed and Hiro shrugged, a blush blooming on his cheeks. 

"M' not."

Hiccup mentally argued, he was positively adorable. 

"I'm Anna and this is Kristoff." She kept glancing over at Elsa like she needed to talk to her. 

"Hey." Kristoff greeted. 

"I'm Jack." The boy on the ground nodded. " And this is Baby Tooth." 

"I'm Elsa." The woman said quietly, she still kept away from everyone else but cast a curious glance at Jack. 

"I'm Hiccup. and This is Toothless."

"Toothless?" Kristoff asked. "That's an interesting name." 

"And Hiccup too." Jack hummed. 

Hiccup nodded. "He's got retractable teeth and I-" 

I'm a hiccup. 

Hiccup swallowed. "-I'm a viking. Or, I was." 

Jack nodded, gazing at him thoughtfully. And Toothless, sensing his rider's turmoil, gently nudged his side. Hiccup ran a hand over his nose to calm himself. 

"Well, my name's Merida." The redhead huffed. "Again, what are we all doing here." 

Then, a new voice, from behind Hiccup. 

"Allow me to tell you." 

Toothless turned immediately but Hiccup's hand on his side stopped him. 

The woman was tall and slim, with silver grey hair pulled back into a low bun, and big, bright, blue eyes. She was wearing a soft black sweater and blue jeans with gold earrings hanging from her ears. 

She had an aura about her, regal, important, omnipotent. 

"Who are you?" Merida asked. She must have sensed the aura because her tone was less hostile and more respectful. 

"It depends on your culture. To some here I am Máni, the Norse moon Goddess," She nodded to Hiccup and Merida. "To some I am the Man in the Moon's companion, " she nodded at Jack. "And to others I am Chang'e. In other words, I am the moon goddess. You may call me Luna. I am here to bestow you with your fate." 

Merida perked up slightly at that. "Our fate?" 

"Yes." She nodded. "But to do that, we must first look at your past and reclaim your present so the future can take shape." 

"What do you mean, 'look at our past'?" Hiro asked. 

"In the coming days we will be viewing some motion picture depicting your lives. These will help you all understand yourselves and each other better." 

"A motion picture?" Kristoff blinked. 

"Wait, just us?" Hiccup asked. 

"What about our real lives?" Elsa questioned. 

"Your real lives and any current curses have all been paused." She said with a wave of her hand. Instantly, Anna took a relieved breath and stopped shivering and Jack cautiously lifted his head. "And your families will be joining us momentarily, I just wanted you all to be familiar with each other before then." 

Panic stuck Hiccup. 

If Luna was talking about the family he thought she was talking about, then they couldn't come here. They'd kill Toothless. Hiccup couldn't look at his dad's- Stoick's- disappointed gaze again. 

It seemed like Toothless could tell Hiccup's pains because he purred and curled a wing around him. 

"Our family?" Rapunzel repeated, sounding troubled and Flynn frowned. 

"Yes. And I don't want there to be any worry about possible altercations." Luna said, pointedly looking at Hiccup. "You guys and your friends are my primary concern and I will protect you." 

"So what do we have to do?" Jack asked. He was looking much better, while he still kept a hand curled around his middle, he was standing and had a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

"You just have to sit and watch. I will do the rest." Luna guested to the seats in the front. 

They all made their way to the seats except for Hiccup, who preferred to curl up with Toothless near them. 

And Elsa. 

She stayed away from them, whether out of fear or caution, she wouldn't go near them. 

"Elsa, you aren't going to hurt us." Anna pleaded. Kristoff, in a sort of reminding way, placed his hand over hers and she faltered. 

"I can't-" 

"No one will get hurt here." Luna reassured. "Your powers will only help." 

"Powers?" Rapunzel perked up and Merida glanced over in interest. 

"You all will see." Luna said mysteriously before she waved her arms. 

Chapter Text

Hiccup allowed himself to hunch closer to Toothless, relishing in the moments that his fam- the Berkians- weren't here. He was nervous, he was frightened, but not even for himself.

He's taken grief and pain from the village before. They all hated him for fifteen years of his life. He was pushed around, stepped on, cast aside. And it was by the people that were supposed to keep him safe.

Now that his fath-the Chief- cut all ties with him, it would be worse than ever.

But Hiccup could deal, he has already. 

Toothless on the other hand, has not. 

Hiccup has seen how much Toothless loved him. On the days when Hiccup would come to the Cove shaking and tearing up, Toothless nudged for him to talk, and not keep things bottled up. When Hiccup got too far in his head and went blank, Toothless pounced on him to play, knocking him out of his head. When Hiccup got antsy and fidgety with suppressed anger at either his father or the whole of Berk, Toothless gently knocked him onto his back and offered him a flight. 

But there was also a protectiveness that ran deep. 

When he came to the Cove with injuries because Snotlout roughed him up, Toothless' eyes turned to livid slits for a split second before he was all over Hiccup. Toothless had come speeding out of their safe space and into danger simply because Hiccup had screamed . Sometimes Hiccup would come to the Cove in the middle of the night and hesitantly ask if he could sleep there, he was never turned away but there was always a questioning head tilt. 

Why don't you feel safe enough to sleep in your own village?

Hiccup never answered and he never went into detail about his life in Berk. When he was emotional, it was vague, no names, no specifics. 

He knew his dragon. 

Toothless would destroy that whole village if Hiccup seemed even the slightest bit hurt. Hiccup was just worried all that would come to light and his word wouldn't be enough to stop the dragon. 

"You okay?" 

Hiccup looked up to see Jack and his little companion. She was perched on his shoulder and now that Hiccup was closer, he could see she wasn't a bird, but a fairy. Jack was sitting in the chair closest to them, his gaze was mainly concerned with a little curiosity thrown in. 

"Uh, heh. Define okay. " 

Jack hummed and nodded thoughtfully. Hiccup kinda wished he'd stop doing that. But he also wondered what he was thinking about. 

Toothless shifted to blink at Jack curiously. 

Jack, instead of rearing back in fear, leaned slowly closer. 

"Hi." He said softly. 

Jack smelled cold. Like fresh snow or a Winter breeze. It was strong, if Hiccup could smell it, Toothless definitely could. 

Toothless took a curious sniff and his nose wrinkled. 

Jack, with a wondrous smile, looked back at Hiccup. "Can I touch him?" 

Hiccup laughed as Toothless snorted. "You'll have to ask him." 

And to Hiccup's surprise, Jack didn't wrinkle his nose as if he was weirded out, he simply turned to the Night Fury and held out a cautious hand. 

"May I?" 

Toothless tilted his head and inched forward, pressing his nose into the outstretched hand. Jack's eyes widened and he huffed a small laugh. 

" Wow ." He smiled. "You're amazing." 

Toothless warbled and pushed up into his hand, puffing at the praise. 

Hiccup rolled his eyes playfully. "Don't make his head any bigger than it already is." 

Toothless whacked him with his tail without looking back, drawing a delighted laugh out of Jack. 

Hiccup was just about to engage in a wrestling match with Toothless when a pop echoed throughout the room. 

Jack startled and Toothless immediately curled back around Hiccup protectively.

Hiccup peeked out from under Toothless' wing to see a group of colorfully dressed people fussing over Hiro and Baymax, a woman with curly black hair and a red gown arguing with Rapunzel and Flynn, another woman in a green gown was fussing over Merida while a large redhead man corralled three children. 

A group of people-er, not really people- came up to Jack. Toothless growled in warning but Jack turned and winked at him, causing Toothless to tilt his head in curiosity. 

There was a big man with bulking shoulders and a white beard, a giant bunny creature with blue fur and boomerangs, a woman with wings covered in green and blue feathers and a short, round man who was completely golden. 

"Sandy!" Jack sprung from his seat before faltering with a wince. "Ow-" 

The golden man made an exclamation mark above his head in response. 

Baby Tooth zoomed to meet the woman and they squealed in greeting. 

"Oh, you're alright!" She exclaimed. "Thank God."

"Jack, are you okay?" The Bunny asked and Jack waved his arm a little. 

"It was Pitch. I'm fine." 

Hiccup knew a lie when he heard one but he filed that thought away for some other time.

"Ah. Pitch. Where's your staff?" The bearded man asked. 

Jack's eyes darkened and maybe Hiccup was looking too closely, but his hand curled tighter around his middle. 

"Doesn't matter right now." 

The fairy looked at Jack with big eyes and the bunny's ears went flat against his head. The golden guy, Sandy, looked lost as he shifted his gaze from Jack to the fairy to the big man. 

It was a silence charged with unidentifiable emotions before-

"Is that a dragon ?" The big man asked. 

Jack chuckled. "Yeah. His name's Toothless and that's Hiccup." 

Toothless grumbled, but lifted his wing so Hiccup could be seen. 

"Hello." Hiccup greeted awkwardly. 

"This is North, Tooth, Sandy and Kangaroo." Jack introduced. The Bunny growled, his ears folding back against his head again.

"I'm a Pooka." 

"Uh huh." Jack snorted. " Sure." 

Hiccup laughed and Jack grinned at him. 

"Toothless!" 

A shout drew Hiccup and Toothless' attention and suddenly Astrid was in front of them both, fixing them with worried eyes. 

"Are you guys okay?" She asked. 

"I'm fine." Hiccup said, although he stayed inside Toothless' protective hold. If Astrid was here that meant that his father couldn't be far behind. 

"Where are we?" She asked. 

Hiccup shrugged and Astrid turned her analyzing gaze on him. 

"Something happened." 

It wasn't a question.

Hiccup shrugged again and Astrid hummed. 

Then she did something he wasn't expecting. She sat down on the ground next to Toothless. There was no question as to what that was. 

A show of support. 

"You're sure about this?" Hiccup asked. 

Astrid's words from before rang in his head. 

Our parents' war is about to become ours. Figure out what side you're on. 

And from her shameful look, she knew exactly what he was thinking of. 

"One hundred percent." She said determinedly, without a single waver. 

Toothless, noticing this, lifted his wing higher. Astrid blinked in confusion before Toothless drew her in closer with his tail. Astrid hesitantly crawled under.  Hiccup shifted so they were both comfortable and Toothless rumbled happily. 

"Hi." She whispered. 

Hiccup flushed red. "Uh, Hi yourself." 

" Hey ." Merida said interrupting the moment. Her arms were crossed over her chest like she was angry but Hiccup could see that her cheeks were red in embarrassment. "Can I sit? My mum's annoying." 

Toothless rumbled and Hiccup gave an awkward nod. 

She sat down next to Toothless and Astrid peered at her. 

"I like your hair." 

"I like your axe." 

"Everyone relax!" Luna yelled. "Berkians, please seat yourselves over here." 

Hiccup breathed a silent sigh of relief when he saw that she was pointing in the opposite direction of them. He caught a glimpse of Stoick and Gobber and maybe Ruffnut and Snotlout before they all sat down. 

"Citizens of Arendelle and Corona seat yourselves here." 

A large mass of people moved themselves to the seats next to the Berkians. Hiccup could see Rapunzel hiding behind Flynn as the woman with the red grow searched around. 

Flynn backed them up towards Toothless and peeked down at the dragon with a nervous smile. 

"Uh, hey Hic, can I call you Hic?" Hiccup opened his mouth to reply but Flynn cut him off. "Cool. We're kinda trying to hide away from a creepy overprotective mother right now, mind if we take refuge with you and your scary dragon?" 

"His name's not Hic." Merida mumbled.

"It's a nickname." Flynn waved her off and Jack raised an eyebrow. 

"It's really not." 

"Um." Hiccup caught the eye of Rapunzel, who was scanning the crowd with anxious eyes. "Sure. You don't mind, do you bud?" 

Toothless huffed, flicking his ear, but ultimately shut his eyes as if he was gonna take a nap. Hiccup could tell by the way his ears were moving, that he was still listening. 

"Cool, cool. Thanks." Flynn sat down next to Toothless and gently pulled Rapunzel down beside him. 

"Wow. He's beautiful." She gasped. "And warm." 

Toothless huffed a breath of warm air at them and Flynn wrinkled his nose. 

"I don't like animals."

Rapunzel frowned. "You like Max- "

"-Like is a... strong word-"

"-and Pascal." 

"Who are Max and Pascal?" Astrid asked, peeking out from under Toothless' wing.

"Woah!" Flynn blinked. "Another viking, gosh. You guys just pop up like daisies huh." 

" Flynn. " Rapunzel tsked. "Max is a palace horse and Pascal is right here." 

She motioned to her shoulder where the color changed from purple to a bright green. It was a small lizard. He hopped onto Rapunzel's hand and stuck his tongue out at Flynn. 

"It's like a huge party over here huh?" An unfamiliar voice called. And then- "Woah, is that a dragon? " 

A dude in a lizard suit and a beaming smile made his way over to their growing group. Hiro trailed behind him with a sheepish look on his face. 

"Sorry guys. This is Fred." He chuckled. 

Fred smiled and waved. "Your dragon is super cool and as you can clearly see, I am a lizard. So, technically we are family." 

Flynn huffed a laugh and Hiccup smiled. 

"Don't mind him, he's an idiot." A girl with choppy black hair scoffed. "I'm Gogo. That's Honey Lemon and that's Wasabi. I don't do chairs." 

She plopped herself down next to Flynn and Honey Lemon winced. "Uh, may we?" 

Hiccup waited for someone to say yes, but to his surprise, they all looked at him. 

"Um. Sure? I mean, there are chairs but-" 

"Chairs are overrated." Astrid said with a smile. There was something in that look that Hiccup couldn't read, but Toothless was purring so he shrugged. 

"The floors all yours." 

"Oh man. Who knows what's on this floor." Wasabi sighed anxiously but Gogo simply yanked him down next to her. 

"Woman up." She scoffed. 

"I'm definitely using that." Astrid said with a laugh. 

"Me too." Merida nodded. 

Gogo smirked. 

"Since we are all finally seated-" Luna looked pointedly at Fred, who had just plopped down. "-we should begin. You have all been called here to visit the stories of seven extremely influential people. Each one embodies the spirit of a trait that should be valued instead of damned. We will visit the past, the present and the future in the hopes of forging bonds and building families." 

Hiccup shifted uncomfortably and Astrid frowned. 

"The first story will be about Hiccup Haddock, the spirit of change." 

Hiccup's jaw dropped and the small group he acquired all swiveled to look at him. 

"I'm not-" 

"We're here for a story about Hiccup?"  Snotlout complained loudly. "That useless viking?" 

Hiccup flinched and Merida frowned. Gogo's gum popped rather harshly. 

"Why couldn't we hear a story about Bork the Brave, or someone who actually matters?" He continued. 

"I'm gonna break a rock with his face." Astrid growled. 

"I, for one, would love to see that." Flynn hummed. 

"And I would love to help." Merida offered. 

Hiccup just shrunk back into Toothless. He was already tired of this and he didn't understand where he was getting all these new protectors from. Hearing Snotlout's jeers were second nature at this point, but telling Astrid not to rise to them would simply bring more attention to him. 

"Aye." Stoick grumbled. "Have care how you speak." 

Hiccup scoffed at that but didn't speak. 

"Yes. Do exercise caution." Luna nodded. " If I hear any unnecessary cruelty to any of my spirits I won't hesitate to lift any protections I have on you. Now, we shall begin. Enjoy." 

With a wave of her arm, a familiar image appeared on the screen. 

[We pan up and glide across the ocean to see an island surrounded by fog. The moment the island is shown, a boy speaks.]

Hiccup (v.o.): This is Berk. It's twelve days north of Hopeless, and a few degrees south of Freezing to Death.

[We glide through the fog to see two giant Viking statues with fires burning in their mouths.]

Hiccup (v.o): It's located solidly on the Meridian of Misery.

"Wow, seems like a great place to vacation." Hiro said dryly and Hiccup smirked. 

"Oh yeah, it's known best for it's crumbling rocks and destroyed building. It's the perfect place for a honeymoon." 

"Oh I can't wait to book, what are your prices?" Hiro shot back. 

"Only an arm and a leg." Hiccup laughed. 

"You guys are weird. " Merida said with an eye roll and Hiro giggled. 

Usually Hiccup would clam up if someone called out his differences but he could see Merida's small smile and allowed himself to join in with Hiro's laughter. 

[We go past the statues only to dive through a crashing wave and jump to a closer shot of the island. As we pan in a circular motion, we see several structures, houses, and a sheep farm.]

Hiccup (v.o): My village. In a word, sturdy. And it's been here for seven generations, but, every single building is new. We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunsets.

[We land on two sheep grazing in the grass.]

Hiccup (v.o): The only problems are the pests. (A dragon carries one sheep away. The other resumes grazing.) You see, most places have mice or mosquitoes. We have...

[A dragon fires at the screen as a door slams shut, a boy cowering behind it]

Hiccup (v.o.): -dragons. Most people would leave. Not us. We're Vikings. We have stubbornness issues. 

"You could say that again." Hiccup said with a sigh. 

Jack blinked. "You know you just directed that at yourself right? So technically-" 

"-If you wanted to say it again, you would just say it again." Hiro finished. 

Hiccup blinked at them. 

Then- 

"We have stubbornness issues." Hiccup deadpanned. 

(Hiccup runs outdoors, where all the houses are on fire and Vikings are tussling with dragons all around) My name's Hiccup.

Elsa, from her place curled on a chair, winced. The name didn't sound good either time she heard it. 

 Great name, I know. But, it's not the worst. Parents believe a hideous name will frighten off gnomes and trolls. Like our charming Viking demeanor wouldn't do that.

[Hiccup is seen dodging several Vikings. A nearby explosion from the blast of a teal gronckle causes him to trip and a male Viking roars in his face.]

Ack: ARGGGHHHHH! Mornin'!

Hoark: What are you doing here?!

Viking: Get inside!

Viking: What are you doin' out?"

Phlegma: Get back inside!

"Heh, it seems like they don't want you out." Jack chuckled but Hiccup merely deflated. 

"Yeah." 

When Jack saw Hiccup's look, the smile slipped off his face. 

[Stoick grabs Hiccup by the collar of his shirt]

At the sight of Stoick on screen, Toothless growled menacingly. 

Flynn, Rapunzel and Merida leaned away but Hiccup ran a hand over his scales. 

"It's alright bud." He soothed. "He's not getting you." 

Toothless gave another low growl and Hiccup paused. 

"He's not getting me either."

Stoick: Hiccup?! What is he doing out aga--?! What are you doing out?! Get inside!

Hiccup (v.o.): That's Stoick the Vast. Chief of the tribe. They say that when he was a baby, he popped a dragon's head clean off of its shoulders.

"Aye, he did." Gobber nodded. "And he broke rocks with his glare." 

Stoick, knowing that Gobber was jesting, punched him on the arm. 

 (Stoick throws a wooden cart at a dragon, knocking it out mid-air) Do I believe it? Yes, I do.

Stoick: What have we got?

Starkard: Gronckles, Nadders, Zipplebacks. Oh, and Hoark saw a Monstrous Nightmare.

Stoick: Any Night Furies?

Starkard: None so far.

[Burning embers land on Stoick's shoulder. He casually brushes it off.]

Stoick: Good.

Viking: Hoist the torches!

[Two enormous torches are raised and lit. The dragons swarm around them.]

[Hiccup runs into a blacksmith shop and puts on an apron]

Gobber: Ah! Nice of you to join the party! I thought you'd been carried off!

Hiccup: What, who me? Nah, come on! I'm waaaay too muscular for their taste. They wouldn't know what to do with all... (gestures to his skinny body) ...this.

Astrid snorts while Jack, Merida and Flynn burst out into loud laughter. 

"You're pretty funny Hiccup." Flynn gasps in between peals of laughter. 

"Ah, well. Thank you, I try." He commented dryly. 

Gobber: Well, they need toothpicks, don't they?

Hiccup (v.o.): The meat-head with attitude and interchangeable hands is Gobber. I've been his apprentice ever since I was little. Well... littler.

[scene cuts to Stoick on the watch-tower]

Stoick: We move to the lower defenses. We'll counter-attack with the catapults.

[A dragon swoops down and sets another house on fire.]

Hiccup (v.o.): See? Old village, lots and lots of new houses.

"At least Arendelle's only problem is ice." Anna sighed. 

"Oh man, can you imagine if Elsa had fire powers." Kristoff shuddered. "Then I'd really be out of a job." 

Viking: FIRE!

Astrid: Alright, let's go!

[The Viking teens are seen carrying buckets of water as Hiccup in the voiceover introduces them one by one]

Hiccup (v.o.): Oh, and that's Fishlegs, Snotlout, the Twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, and... (dreamily) Astrid. Oh, their job is so much cooler. (Slow motion shot of the teens walking away from an explosion)

"Those are...interesting names." Wasabi hummed. 

Hiro tilted his head. "Wasabi is an interesting name too." 

Wasabi rolled his eyes and gently cuffed Hiro upside his head. 

"Huh. You really admired us, didn't you?" Astrid commented. 

Hiccup shrugged, his cheeks burning. Maybe a little." 

[Hiccup leans out of the smithing window to get a better look. Gobber lifts him up and back into the shop.]

Hiccup: Oh, come on. Let me out, please? I need to make my mark!

Gobber: Oh, you've made plenty of marks. All in the wrong places!

Hiccup: Please, two minutes. I'll kill a dragon. My life will get infinitely better. I might even get a date.

Gobber: You can't lift a hammer, you can't swing an axe, you can't even throw one of these!

[Gobber holds up a bola and a Viking grabs it and uses it to bring down a dragon]

Hiccup: Okay, fine, but this will throw it for me.

[Hiccup pats a wooden machine, which opens and shoots a bola randomly, hitting a Viking standing in the background.]

"Oof. That's just terrible luck." Jack winced. 

"That's practically my middle name." Hiccup joked. 

Astrid laughed, unable to disagree.

Viking: Arggh!

Gobber: See, now this right here is what I'm talking about!

Hiccup: Mild calibration issue--

Gobber: Don't you-- no-- Hiccup. If you ever want to get out there to fight dragons, you need to stop all... this.

Hiccup: But, you just pointed to all of me!

Gobber: Yes! That's it! Stop being all of you!

"That's- that's an interesting life lesson." Honey Lemon frowned. "I thought it was keep being yourself, but maybe I was wrong." 

Hiccup laughed. "Yeah, you'd think that." 

"Yeah, well. I don't know." Gogo smirked. "You don't seem like the Viking type." 

"You seem more like a dragon trainer type." Fred nodded. "And that's way cooler." 

"So, long story short," Honey lemon smiled, "keep being yourself." 

Hiccup: Ohhhh...

Gobber: Ohhhh, yes.

Hiccup: You sir, are playing a dangerous game. Keeping this much, raw... Viking-ness... contained? THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES!

Gobber: I'll take my chances. Sword. Sharpen. Now.

Hiccup (v.o.): One day, I'll get out there. Because, killing a dragon is everything around here.

[The camera pans over various dragons as they are described. Nadders are shown attacking sheep, Gronckles are stealing racks of fish, and a Zippleback ignites a house and blows it up.]

Hiccup (v.o.): A Nadder head is sure to get me at least noticed. Gronckles are tough. Taking down one of those would definitely get me a girlfriend. A Zippleback? Exotic. Two heads, twice the status.

Toothless opened an eye and snorted. 

"Don't worry bud," He laughed softly. "No dragon gets as much status as you." 

Astrid watched him with a soft look. When he caught her eye, she immediately looked away. 

Catapult Operator: They found the sheep!

Stoick: Concentrate fire over the lower bank!

Catapult Operator: Fire!

Hiccup (v.o.): And then, there's the Monstrous Nightmare. Only the best Vikings go after those. They have this nasty habit of setting themselves on fire.

[A Monstrous Nightmare growls and alights itself as it climbs up the catapult]

"Cool!" Fred yelled. 

"Not cool." Wasabi winced. "Actually pretty terrifying."

Hiro shrugged. "It's a little cool." Then he smirked. "But it's also pretty hot." 

Wasabi groaned. "Ha. Ha. Ha. You're so funny." 

Stoick: Reload! I'll take care of this.

[Stoick fights the Nightmare, which takes a few hits before retreating]

Hiccup (v.o.): But the ultimate prize is the dragon no one has ever seen. We call it the--

[A high-pitched whistle is heard from the sky. The Vikings panic.]

Viking: NIGHT FURY! GET DOWN!

[From out of nowhere, an explosion tears the catapult apart]

Toothless perked up. 

Stoick: JUMP!

Hiccup (v.o.): This thing never steals food, never shows itself, and... never misses. No one has ever killed a Night Fury. That's why I'm going to be the first.

" Sure." Tuffnut laughed obnoxiously. "Kill a Night Fury." 

"Yeah," Hiccup said softy. "I could never." 

He gently scratched Toothless' head and smiled. 

Gobber: Man the fort, Hiccup. They need me out there!

[He attaches an axe to his arm and begins to run out, but turns around at the doorway.]

Gobber (cont.): Stay. Put. There. You know what I mean.

[Hiccup runs outside the fort, bringing his bolas launcher]

"Aye, of course he doesn't stay." Stoick sighed angrily. "Maybe we should tell him to go out and then he'll stay." 

"I doubt that'll work." Gobber joked. 

Viking #6: Hiccup, where are you going?!

Viking #7: Come back here!

Hiccup: Yeah, I know! Be right back!

[Hiccup is pushing a cart with the automated catapult on it]

[Stoick captures several Nadders in a net and wrestles them. One tries to blast him with fire.]

Stoick: Mind yourselves! The devils still have some juice in them!

[Hiccup sets up his bola catapult on an empty hill and looks around.]

Hiccup: Come on. Gimme something to shoot at, gimme something to shoot at.

Hiccup pulled his knees close to his chest and buried his head in them. 

"Hic?" Flynn asked with a confused frown. "Are you okay?" 

Hiccup didn't move or answer, he simply curled his arms tighter around himself. 

"Hiccup?" Rapunzel repeated. 

He shook his head without moving from his knees. 

With a grumble, Toothless smacked Hiccup in the head with his wing. 

"Stop." Hiccup sighed, without moving his head. 

Toothless warbled and hit him again. 

"Toothless." Hiccup sighed, lifting his head. Toothless didn't hesitate to hit him in the face, prompting a chuckle. 

Toothless, inspired by the reaction, hit him again, turning Hiccup's small chuckles into a loud laugh. 

Toothless stopped when Hiccup was clutching his stomach from the force of his laughs. Astrid couldn't help but join in, grateful that Hiccup had such a great friend that knew him so well. 

[The camera pans around the night sky, and catches on a shadow, visibly blotting out the stars. It fires, and an explosion illuminates it, showing a visible shadow. Hiccup shoots, and a loud cry is heard as the shadow is seen plummeting down into a forest]

Hiccup (cont.): Oh, I hit it! YES! I HIT IT! Did anybody see that?

"Oh my gods." Ruffnut blinked. "He actually hit it." 

Snotlout's jaw was practically on the floor, along with the rest of the village. 

"Huh." Gobber hummed. "It worked." 

[A Monstrous Nightmare shows up and crushes Hiccup's bola launcher.]

Hiccup (cont.): Except for you.

"Damn." Flynn winced. "Bad luck really is your middle name."

[A shrill cry sounds from the hill, and catches Stoick's attention. He turns to see the Monstrous Nightmare chasing Hiccup, and gets up to go help him.]

Stoick: DO NOT let them escape!

Spitelout: Right!

[Hiccup runs behind a torch pole and hides, just as flames reach around the corner. He looks behind it and on the other side, the Nightmare reaches to get Hiccup. Stoick punches the beast and jumps back to defend himself. The dragon tries to breathe fire, but coughs up only a few drops of flaming liquid instead, having exhausted its shots]

Stoick: You're all out.

[Stoick promptly defeats the Nightmare, which quickly flees. The torch pole collapses, the torch tumbles down into the village, leaving ruins in its wake.]

Hiccup (v.o.): Oh, and there's one more thing you need to know...

[The torch rolls onto the Nadders Stoick netted earlier, freeing them. The dragons manage to escape, hauling off most of Berk's food and livestock.]

Hiccup: Sorry, Dad. Okay, but I hit a Night Fury.

"He's your dad? " Hiro gasped. 

Hiccup sighed. 

"He was." He said softly. 

Astrid threw him a sharp look. 

What?

He didn't . He wouldn't. 

She made a mental note to talk to him whenever they'd get a break because something like that was serious and shouldn't be joked about.

[Stoick grabs Hiccup by the back of his shirt and drags him towards his house.]

Hiccup (cont.): It's not like the last few times, Dad! I mean, I really actually hit it! You guys were busy and I had a very clear shot. It went down, just off Raven Point. Let's get a search party out there, before it--

Stoick: STOP! Just... stop. Every time you step outside, disaster follows. Can you not see that I have bigger problems? Winter's almost here and I have an entire village to feed!

Hiccup: Between you and me, the village could do with a little less feeding, don't ya think? (A viking at the back rubs his stomach as if to say "Are you calling me fat?")

Jack snorts. "You might be right about that one Hic." 

Hiccup tilted his head at the nickname but smiled. "Maybe." 

Stoick: This isn't a joke, Hiccup! Why can't you follow the simplest orders?

Hiccup: I can't stop myself. I see a dragon and I have to just... kill it, you know? It's who I am, Dad.

"That is not who you are Hiccup." Astrid huffed. 

"And thank the Gods for that." Hiccup said with a nod. 

Stoick: You are many things, Hiccup. But a dragon killer is not one of them. Get back to the house. [To Gobber] Make sure he gets there. I have his mess to clean up.

Tuffnut: Quite the performance.

Snotlout: I've never seen anyone mess up that badly. That helped!

Hiccup: Thank you, thank you. I was trying, so...I really did hit one.

Gobber: Sure, Hiccup.

Hiccup: He never listens.

Gobber: Well, it runs in the family.

Hiccup: And when he does, it's always with this... disappointed scowl. Like someone skimped on the meat in his sandwich. [Imitating Stoick] Excuse me, barmaid! I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring. I ordered an extra large boy with beefy arms. Extra guts and glory on the side. This here, this is a talking fish bone!

Stoick frowned. He never knew his son felt like this. He may not have been the best at showing his love but he tried his hardest. 

Stoick may be disappointed and angry with his son for lying and deceiving him, but he still loved him. 

Hiccup knew that. 

Didn't he?

Gobber: Now, you're thinking about this all wrong. It's not so much what you look like, it's what's inside that he can't stand.

Stoick glared at Gobber, who winced. 

"I didn't mean it like that." 

Snotlout, on the other hand, laughed harshly. "It's about time someone told him."

Ruffnut frowned but forced a laugh like her brother. She didn't find Gobber's comment particularly funny. 

She's had many viking elders tell her to change things about herself or the way she looks just to please others, or seem scarier. It didn't bother her much now, but she could feel sympathy for Hiccup. 

No matter how useless he was. 

Hiccup: [Sarcastically] Thank you for summing that up.

Gobber: Look, the point is, stop trying so hard to be something you're not.

Hiccup: I just want to be one of you guys.

"Ha! As if he'd ever be one of us." Snotlout laughed. 

Hiccup, instead of looking disappointed, smiled. "Thank gods." 

Rapunzel gently ran a hand over Toothless' scales, causing him to purr. "Yeah, I'm glad you aren't like the rest of them. They seem like hooligans." 

Hiccup and Astrid exchanged looks and Flynn laughed sheepishly. 

"Yeah..she's got an obsession with hooligans. Don't ask." 

Rapunzel hit Flynn's arm. "I do not." 

"You do too." 

Astrid placed a hand on Hiccup's arm, drawing his attention. 

"I honestly am really glad you didn't kill Toothless." She said seriously. Hiccup gave her a tight smile. 

"Me too." 

"And I'm glad you're different than the rest of us. You're better and that's good." 

Hiccup flushed red. "I- I wouldn't say better-" 

"No." Astrid said firmly, cutting him off. "You are. Now accept the compliment or I will axe you." 

Hiccup's mouth snapped shut but his lips curled in a small smile.

Chapter Text

Astrid knew there was something that was deeply troubling Hiccup. 

She could hear it in his voice and read it in his face. In the short time that Astrid knew him she could tell that he preferred to hide his pain behind some witty jokes or sarcastic comments. 

But she could see him shut down slightly whenever Stoick was mentioned and she could only imagine that something happened between them when Stoick dragged Hiccup away as the tribe tied Toothless down.

With Stoick's harsh stubbornness and Hiccup's fierce protection over Toothless, she couldn't even imagine the explosive argument that ensued.

She's picked her side though. 

She regretted all those years before when she watched Snotlout and the twins hurt him and didn't step in. She could see the damage now, when Hiccup would flinch away from her or watch her with mistrust when she offered a compliment and it pained her. 

But she'd stick by Hiccup and Toothless as long as she could. Hiccup was kind, loyal, smart. She may have been a better fighter than him, but he was a better person. 

She admired his strength, passion and gentle nature when it came to the dragons and she wanted to learn from him. She also wanted to help him as much as she could.

[The scene cuts to the Meade hall, where everyone is gathered]

Stoick: Either we finish them, or they'll finish us! It's the only way we'll be rid of them! If we find the nest and destroy it, the dragons will leave. They'll find another home! One more search. Before the ice sets in.

Viking: Those ships never come back.

Stoick: We're Vikings! It's an occupational hazard! Now who's with me?

"That's…the worst thing I've ever heard." Kristoff frowned. 

Anna beamed. "I like it!" 

Kristoff, with a fond yet exasperated smile, shook his head. "Of course you do." 

Viking: Today's not good for me. I've gotta do my axe returns.

Hiro choked. " Axe returns?" 

Astrid nodded once and he laughed in disbelief. 

Stoick: Alright. Those who stay will look after Hiccup.

Phlegma: To the ships!

Spitelout: I'm with you, Stoick!

Stoick: That's more like it.

"That's rude." Merida frowned. "Although, I'd love not having a babysitter. If mum isn't watching then Maude is." 

Astrid winced. "That sounds terrible." 

Merida nodded, her wild hair bouncing. "Oh yeah, trust me. It's the worst. Absolutely zero freedom."

Gobber: Right, I'll pack my undies.

Stoick: No, I need you to stay and train some new recruits.

Gobber: [Sarcastically] Oh, perfect. And while I'm busy, Hiccup can cover the stall. Molten steel, razor sharp blades, lots of time to himself... what could possibly go wrong?

Hiccup's uncomfortable shifting caught Astrid's eye. 

"You okay?" She asked. 

Hiccup looked panicked before he smoothed it over with a scoff. "Just peachy. Nothing like having my life displayed for all these people to see to make a person comfortable." 

Astrid could tell that there was something else that Hiccup was uncomfortable about, but she decided to let it slide. 

"Well, maybe this will change their minds about Toothless. Then you won't have to worry about him." 

Hiccup gave a jerky nod. "Maybe. Will it change their minds about me? I guess we'll see." 

Stoick: What am I going to do with him, Gobber?

"Why are they talking about you like you'll burn down the whole place if you're alone?" Hiro asked and Hiccup rolled his eyes. 

"'Cause they think I'll burn down the whole place if I'm alone." 

"Hm. Well, if you haven't done it yet, I don't think you would now." Jack chuckled. "If I could, I probably would've a while ago. Especially with how they treat you." 

"Oh yeah," Merida hummed. "I would've lost my mind. I mean, I hate the way my mum treats me, but at least I'm not insulted by her. Even behind my back I know she'd never do that." 

Rapunzel frowned. "I don't think mother would insult me. Maybe as a joke?" 

Flynn scoffed. "A joke. Sure." 

"Do any of you guys have decent parents?" Jack asked with a frown. 

"My parents died when I was three." Hiro admitted. "My brother-" 

There was a pause in which Hiro's friends cast him a worried and pained glance. 

"-he and my aunt Cass helped raise me." 

"I love my dad. I guess I love my mum. She just never listens to me." Merida huffed. 

"Oh, I can relate." Hiccup sighed. "My dad- Stoick- never listened to what I was saying. No one did. Not really." 

Toothless crooned sadly and Hiccup's smile brightened. "Except for you buddy." 

"Well, more people should listen to you Hic." Flynn said, reaching out and clasping his shoulder. "You're pretty smart." 

Jack and Rapunzel nodded while Hiccup flushed red. 

Gobber: Put him in training with the others.

Stoick: No, I'm serious.

Gobber: So am I.

Stoic: He'd be killed before you let the first dragon out of its cage.

Gobber: Oh, you don't know that.

Stoick: I do know that, actually.

Gobber: No, you don't.

Stoick: No, actually, I do.

Gobber: No, you don't!

Stoick: Listen, you know what he's like. From the time he could crawl he's been... different. He doesn't listen, he has the attention span of a sparrow... I take him fishing and he goes hunting for... for trolls!

Gobber: Trolls exist! They steal your socks. But only the left ones. What's with that?

"They do!" Gobber reiterated. 

Tuffnut and Ruffnut, who had been stealing his left socks for years, high fives. 

Stoick caught the eye of this and groaned. 

Kristoff huffed. "Trolls do not steal socks." 

Anna, with a confused look, merely patted his arm. "I believe you?" 

Stoick: When I was a boy...

Gobber: Oh, here we go.

Stoick: My father told me to bang my head against a rock, and I did it. I thought it was crazy, but I didn't question him. And you know what happened?

"You got a headache." Hiccup said dryly. 

Gobber: You got a headache.

A smile crept over Hiccup's face, despite everything. 

Stoick: That rock split in two.

Fred perked up slightly. 

"No, you cannot go and bang your head against a rock." Gogo said with a pop of her gum. 

Fred deflated. 

 It taught me what a Viking could do, Gobber. He could-- He could crush mountains, level forests, tame seas! 

"Maybe they could stop the winter." Anna sighed. 

"And bring back summer?" Kristoff chuckled. 

"Olaf would adore it."

Even as a boy, I knew what I was, what I had to become. Hiccup is not that boy.

Stoick grit his teeth. 

His boy was a traitor. In every sense of the word. He regretted ever putting him into dragon training. 

Hiccup sighed in relief. 

He was not that boy and he was grateful for it. He never wanted to learn how to tame seas and crack rocks with his head, all he wanted was someone to believe in him. 

Gobber: You can't stop him, Stoick. You can only prepare him. Look, I know it seems hopeless.

"That's because it is." Snotlout scoffed in a bored tone.

 But the truth is you won't always be around to protect him. He's going to get out there again. He's probably out there now.

"Knowing Hiccup, he is." Astrid laughed. 

"Of course I was, what do you expect?" Hiccup said with a dorky lopsided smile. 

Astrid, ignoring the flutter in her chest, gently pushed his arm. "Whatever." 

Chapter Text

Stoick, while harboring anger at his son for betraying his tribe, couldn't help his curiosity at how Hiccup tamed and calmed the dangerous devil. 

"You're interested." Gobber noticed. 

Stoick grumbled. Having a best friend who could read your every look was annoying at times. 

"Maybe." He admitted. "My son-" A small voice from the back of his head reminded him of the words he said the last time they spoke, but he brushed it away. "-is not the most intimidating." 

Gobber gave him a look. "Should this be news to me?" 

"So," Stoick continued, pointedly ignoring him. "I am very curious as to how he managed to beat the beast onto submission. Maybe these are tactics we could use." 

Gobber nodded. "He was very adept at subduing the beasts without killing them. If we ever wanted to take a dragon alive, it would help to know." 

Stoick nodded. 

"But. Once the nest is destroyed, we won't have to worry about the devils anymore."

"That's also true." Gobber scratched at his beard with his hook. "Ah, we'll see how reliable the lad's methods are, then a decision can be made."

[ Scene cuts to Hiccup trekking through the forest]

Hiccup: Oh, the gods hate me. Some people lose their knife or their mug. No, not me. I manage to lose an ENTIRE DRAGON?!

[Hiccup encounters the Night Fury, bounded by his bola and takes out his knife. He is frightened and hides behind a rock, slowly approaching the fallen dragon.]

Hiccup (cont.): Oh, wow. I did it. Oh, I did it! This fixes everything! Yes! I have brought down this mighty beast!

[Hiccup steps on the seemingly dead dragon's face but it is still alive and shoves him away]

Hiccup winced at his behavior and gently stroked Toothless' side in guilt. 

"Don't feel guilty," Astrid said softly. "You didn't know any better." 

"Yeah, I know. I just wish I hadn't-" Hiccup cut himself off with a frustrated sigh. "I should've stayed in the house at the beginning." 

"And what? Have had your dad eventually find the nest and end up hurt? Have never met Toothless?" Astrid asked with a tilt of her head. 

She could see that she still wasn't completely getting through to Hiccup. 

"Toothless, could you wack him please?" 

Toothless didn't hesitate to bring his wing down lightly on Hiccup's head. 

"Hey!" Hiccup protested, his hands going up into his brown locks. "Wha-what is this? Toothless! You're supposed to be on my side!" 

Toothless warbled mockingly and Hiccup scoffed. 

"What do you want me to do? Not feel guilty?" Hiccup sighed and Toothless gave a nod. 

Hiccup looked at a loss for words before he huffed. "It's not that easy. I-" 

He turned his head to hide his face. "I really hurt you bud." 

Toothless went to bring his wing down onto Hiccup's head again but Astrid stopped him. She gave a single shake of her head. 

Hiccup needed to feel whatever guilt he was feeling right now. Then, after it passed, he would most likely be more inclined to talk about it. 

Astrid knew that Toothless was intelligent, but she didn't expect him to get what she was saying with a single look. To her surprise though, Toothless folded back his wing with a sad look. 

Hiccup (cont.): Whoa!

Hiccup (cont.): I'm going to kill you, dragon. I'm gonna cut out your heart and take it to my father. I'm a Viking. I am a VIKING!

Elsa made a face. She didn't know much about Hiccup but she knew that was not him. 

"Ew." Merida said. "Don't ever say that again." 

Hiccup huffed a weak laugh and Toothless made a worried sound. 

Merida watched the beast with a thoughtful look. How did Hiccup become friends with him? Merida could tell she wasn't the only one wondering, Hiro and Jack were leaning forward and watching the screen with worried intrigue.

[He hesitates, looking at the dragon's frightened eyes. The Night Fury, while visibly scared, makes no sound and lays still. Hiccup, unable to kill the defenseless creature, finally gives in.]

Hiccup (cont.): I did this.

"Ha." Snotlout laughed. "I knew he'd be too much of a hiccup to actually kill the dragon." 

Fishlegs frowned. "But...it's pretty cool that he hit it. He's one of the first Vikings to actually see a Night Fury up close." 

Ruffnut raised an eyebrow at Soutlout and bit back a smile when she saw he didn't have anything to say in retaliation. 

[Hiccup begins cutting the ropes that bind the Night Fury.]

"That doesn't seem like a smart decision." Wasabi worried, taking a glance at Hiccup as if he was going to magically get hurt. 

"I like it." Gogo hummed. "It's ballsy." 

"Dumb." Hiro nodded, eyes still fixed on the screen. "But ballsy." 

[The dragon stirs, opening its eyes. It rolls Hiccup over, roars in Hiccup's face, and lopsidedly flies away, leaving him unharmed.]

Stoick, despite knowing that Hiccup wasn't hurt, couldn't help the worry that seized his chest. It was painful, strong and made him realize that that is his only son. 

The only connection he had left with Valka, the only person who he loved endlessly, the only child he'd ever sired. 

And he just tossed him aside, disowned him without even giving him a chance to explain. 

Hiccup may have committed treason, but that deserved to be determined by a Berkian court, not him. Hiccup deserved a fair and equal chance and Stoick didn't give that to him. 

His face set in determination. 

He was going to make this right. 

[Hiccup whimpers and faints.]

[Scene cuts to the Haddock household. Hiccup runs past Stoick and quickly and quietly crawls up the stairs, but Stoick notices him ]

Stoick: Hiccup.

"Uh oh." Rapunzel winced. 

"Yeah, just a bit not good." Flynn muttered. 

Hiccup: (stops halfway up the stairs) Dad! Uh... I have to talk to you, Dad.

Stoick: I need to speak with you too, son.

Hiccup and Stoick: (simultaneously) I've decided I don't want / I think it's time you learn / to fight dragons. What?

"Ah," Merida laughed. "I can see how talking with your dad is hard."

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Just wait." He said sarcastically. "It gets better."

Stoick: You go first.

Hiccup: No, no, you go first.

"Bad idea." Astrid groaned. "You should've gone first." 

Stoick: Alright. You get your wish. Dragon Training. You start in the morning.

Hiccup: [Panicking] Oh, man, I should've gone first! Uh, 'cause I was thinking, you know, we have a surplus of dragon-fighting Vikings, but do we have enough... bread-making Vikings, or small home repair Vikings--?

Hiro giggled. "Small home repair viking?" 

"Yeah!" Hiccup exclaimed. "I was just hoping for anything! It didn't have to be spectacular!" 

Stoick: You'll need this. [passes Hiccup an axe]

Hiccup: I don't want to fight dragons.

Stoick: Come on. Yes, you do.

Hiccup: Rephrase: Dad, I can't kill dragons.

Stoick: But you will kill dragons.

Hiccup: No, I'm really very extra sure that I won't.

Stoick: It's time, Hiccup.

"Dang." Flynn winced. "I would not enjoy having a conversation with that guy." 

"It's literally like talking to me mum." Merida groaned. "She never listens to what I want, or what I want to do! It makes you feel-"

"Helpless." Hiccup finished with a sigh. "Like you have no say in your own fate." 

Merida blinked. "Uh- yeah. " 

She looked at Hiccup as if she had never seen him before. Merida never thought there was another person who could relate and understand how she was feeling, but here she was and here Hiccup was too.

Hiccup: Can you not hear me?!

Stoick: This is serious, son! When you carry this axe, you carry all of us with you. Which means you walk like us. You talk like us. You think like us. No more of... this.

Hiccup: You just gestured to all of me.

Stoick winced. Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say to his son. It was different when Gobber said it; more playful and joke like.

Stoick: Deal?

Hiccup: This conversation is feeling very one-sided.

Stoick: DEAL?!

Hiccup: Deal.

Stoick: Good. Train hard. I'll be back. Probably.

Hiccup: And I'll be here. Maybe.

Chapter Text

Fishlegs always thought him and Hiccup were similar. 

They were both different and considered weird by the rest of the tribe. But while Fishlegs trained and buried himself in dragon knowledge, Hiccup was busy in the forge. 

They never got the chance to bond the way Fishlegs always thought they could. 

Maybe they could now over their shared love of dragons. 

[Scene cuts to a pan around the Dragon Training Arena]

Gobber: Welcome to Dragon Training!

Astrid: No turning back.

Tuffnut: I hope I get some serious burns!

Ruffnut: I'm hoping for some mauling, like on my shoulder or lower back.

Astrid: Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it.

"Um. I'd have to disagree?" Wasabi chuckled. "It can definitely be fun if you don't get a scar." 

Astrid shrugged. "Agree to disagree."

Wasabi hummed but nodded. 

Meanwhile, Hiccup rolled his eyes at his girlfriend's- 

Wait. 

Was Astrid his girlfriend?

She kept kissing him on the cheek like she was, but she also kept punching him too. So there were a lot of mixed signals there. 

He definitely liked her in a way that was more than friendly but Hiccup didn't know whether she liked him back. 

Gods, he hardly knew if she liked him as a friend. 

Hiccup: [Sarcastically] Yeah, no kidding, right? Pain. Love it.

Tuffnut: Oh, great. Who let him in?

Stoick frowned. He never knew that the other Vikings treated his son this way. 

Maybe he should have words with them. 

Gobber: Let's get started! The recruit who does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village.

Snotlout: Hiccup already killed a Night Fury, so, does that disqualify him or...?

Tuffnut: Can I transfer to the class with the cool Vikings?

"No," Jack sneered. "Because you aren't a cool Viking." 

"You could say that again." Hiro laughed. 

Gobber: [to Hiccup] Don't worry. You're small and you're weak. That'll make you less of a target! They'll see you as sick or insane and go after the more Viking-like teens instead.

"You know, I can't tell if he's really bad at being reassuring or really terrible at pretending to be nice." Kristoff frowned. 

"I think it's the first one?" Anna tilted her head. "Maybe?" 

"Hey, do Gobber's comments bother you?" Astrid asked softly. 

Hiccup frowned, thinking for a moment. "Not really? I mean, I know he doesn't mean it in the way others might but I guess there is some truth to them." 

"What do you mean, he doesn't mean it in the way others do?"

Hiccup sighed, curling his hands into fists. "I just know he's poking fun as opposed to if Snotlout or Tuffnut said it. They'd be serious about it. He just- I know he likes me. The same way I know that they...don't." 

Gobber (cont.): Behind these doors are just a few of the many species you will learn to fight! The Deadly Nadder!

Fishlegs: Speed: eight; Armor: sixteen.

Gobber: The Hideous Zippleback!

Fishlegs: Plus eleven stealth times two.

Gobber: The Monstrous Nightmare!

Fishlegs: Firepower: fifteen.

Gobber: The Terrible Terror!

Fishlegs: Attack: eight; Venom: twelve!

Gobber: CAN YOU STOP THAT?! And... the Gronckle!

Fishlegs: [whispering] Jaw strength: eight.

Gobber rolled his eyes and Fishlegs flushed sheepishly. 

"I just can't help myself." 

Snotlout: Whoa, whoa, wait! Aren't you gonna teach us first?!

Gobber: I believe in learning on the job.

[releases Gronckle, which promptly swallows rocks and starts blasting the teens]

Baymax tilted his head. "I have some concerns." 

"Me too." Hiro frowned. 

"I think this is cool!" Merida laughed. "I want to do dragon training!"

Hiccup blinked, an idea forming in his head. He decided not to say anything yet but the plan was forming rapidly. 

Gobber (cont.): Today is about survival. If you get blasted... you're dead! Quick! What's the first thing you're going to need?

Hiccup: A doctor?!

Fishlegs: Plus five speed?!

Astrid: A shield!

Gobber: Shields! Go! Your most important piece of equipment is your shield! If you must make a choice between a sword or a shield, take the shield!

[All the recruits head for the shields]

Tuffnut: Get your hands off my shield!

Ruffnut: There's like a million shields!

Tuffnut: Take that one, it has a flower on it. Girls like flowers.

[Ruffnut takes the shield and slams it onto Tuffnut's head.]

Ruffnut: Oops, now this one has blood on it.

[The Gronckle flies towards the Twins and blasts their shield with a fireball, leaving them dazed on the ground.]

Stoick groaned and face palmed. If this is how most of the dragon training went, it was no wonder Hiccup rose to the top so quickly. 

His son may not have been the strongest or the fastest, but he certainly wasn't an idiot. 

Which, now that Stoick was thinking about it, was a good thing. He would have never thought to use his friendship with a dragon to help him in the ring. 

Gobber: Tuffnut, Ruffnut, you're out!

Ruffnut and Tuffnut: [Dazed] What?

Gobber: Those shields are good for another thing: noise! Make lots of it to throw off a dragon's aim!

[The remaining teens begin hitting their weapons against their shields, making the Gronckle shake its head, confused.]

Gobber (cont.): All dragons have a limited number of shots. How many does a Gronckle have?

Snotlout: Five?

Fishlegs: No, six!

Gobber: Correct, six! That's one for each of you!

"Perfect." Hiccup cheered sarcastically. 

"Now all of you have an equal chance to die." Fred said with a beaming smile and a thumbs up. 

[Fishlegs' shield gets blasted out of his hand. He runs away screaming.]

Gobber (cont.): Fishlegs, out. [to Hiccup hiding behind a plank] Hiccup, get in there!

Snotlout: [to Astrid] So, anyway I'm moving into my parents' basement. You should come by sometime to work out. You look like you work out!

[The Gronckle fires at Snotlout]

"He deserved that." Merida nodded. 

"I'm moving into my parents basement!" Jack repeated with a laugh. "That's hilarious!" 

Gobber: Snotlout! You're done!

Hiccup: So, I guess it's just you and me, huh?

Astrid: Nope, just you. (runs away, leaving Hiccup)

[The Gronckle fires at them, but misses. Hiccup loses his shield and runs after it, the dragon hot on his heels]'

Gobber: One shot left! Hiccup!

[The Gronckle corners Hiccup, taking its aim. Gobber quickly tugs it away, causing it to misfire its last shot, and locks it up back in its cage]

Stoick groaned, clutching a hand at his chest. Gobber watched his friend with a sheepish smile. 

"Heh, maybe I should've put up more precautions…" 

Stoick, wondering how many more times his son was going to almost die, turned to him with a mock shocked face. "You think?!"

Gobber (cont.): And that's six! Go back to bed, ya overgrown sausage! You'll get another chance, don't you worry. [to Hiccup] Remember: a dragon will always -- always -- go for the kill.

Fishlegs frowned. But the Nightfury didn't. Why was that? And why did the Nightfury protect Hiccup against the Monstrous Nightmare during the final exam?

[Scene cuts to Hiccup trekking through the forest again]

Hiccup: [weighing the bola with his hands] So, why didn't you?

[Hiccup enters a cove, surveying its emptiness]

Hiccup (cont.): Well, this was stupid. (He finds some shiny black dragon scales on the floor. He picks one up.)

[The Night Fury swoops past him, but falls back onto the ground, trying to settle down on the cove. Hiccup hides at the entrance and tries to make a sketch of it]

"Woah Hiccup." Astrid gasped. "You're pretty good at drawing!"

Hiccup shrugged. "Not really." 

"What do you mean?" Astrid said with a punch to his arm, making him groan in pain. "It's good." 

Hiccup rubbed his arm but didn't say anything. 

Hiccup (cont.) Why don't you just... fly away?

[As he makes a sketch, he notices the Night Fury is missing one of its tail fins. He erases the fin on his drawing but he slips and drops his pencil, drawing the Night Fury's attention. It stares up at him in recognition.]

Most of the Berkians held their breath. 

No one had ever even seen a Nightfury's eyes and lived to tell the tale. How did Hiccup?

Chapter Text

Ruffnut was conflicted. 

As she watched, she couldn't help but notice how tense Hiccup was around them. It was clear on the screen but know that she was really thinking about it, even when they were nice to him he wasn't comfortable. 

Ruffnut knew that Hiccup was on the other side of the room. She saw Astrid run over there when they first got here. And she'd have to be an idiot not to see how much Astrid liked him. 

Why? Ruffnut still didn't know. 

But she could only focus on one issue at a time. 

Why was Hiccup always so tense around them? Why did he jolt whenever they moved fast? 

Was he scared of them?

[Scene cuts to the Meade Hall]

Gobber (o.s.): Alright. Where did Astrid go wrong in the ring today?

Astrid: I mistimed my somersault dive. It was sloppy. It threw off my reverse tumble.

Ruffnut: [Sarcastically] Yeah, we noticed.

Astrid flushed red when Hiccup laughed. 

Snotlout: No, no, you were great. That was so "Astrid".

"What does that even mean?" Merida scoffed. Boys really were completely stupid, huh? 

"I can't believe Snotlout likes me." Astrid grimaced. 

Hiccup tilted his head. "Why? You're amazing." 

Astrid paused. "Y-you think so?" 

"Yeah," Hiccup nodded. "Of course I do. You're strong, beautiful and smart. Of course I think you're amazing." 

Astrid's cheeks burned and she opened her mouth to return the compliment when Hiccup cut her off. 

"Why don't you like Snotlout back?" 

Astrid paused and blinked at Hiccup in disbelief. But there was no accusation in his tone, he was purely curious. 

Does he not know? 

"Oh, well. I think- I think I like someone else." Astrid said hesitantly. She had never been the best at talking about her feelings, so this was pretty uncomfortable for her. "Someone a million times better than Snotlout." 

That made Hiccup's brow furrow. 

He looked confused and Astrid, not for the first time, wished she could see what was going on in his head. 

"Better than Snotlout?" Hiccup repeated softly before making a face. "I mean, if you think Tuffnut is better than Snotlout then that's your opinion-" 

"What? Who said anything about Tuffnut!" Astrid shrieked. "I do not like Tuffnut!" 

Hiccup caught her eye, frowned and then a look crossed his features. His flushed, averted his gaze and bit his lip. 

Ah. Finally he gets it. 

"Oh-wow Astrid." He stuttered. "I didn't know you were like that." 

Astrid frowned, confused and Hiccup hurried to backtrack. 

"Not that it's a bad thing! I just didn't know! But my opinion on you is still the same!" He said hurriedly, his voice rising in a nervous pitch. "You're still just as amazing! I mean, why wouldn't you be?" 

Astrid, seeing that Hiccup was just going to keep talking until Ragnorok, cut him off. "What are you talking about?" 

Hiccup's face was beet red, but he met her eyes. "You-uh-you like Ruffnut? Right?"

Astrid's jaw dropped and Hiccup turned redder. 

"No, you dumbass!" Astrid groaned, smacking his arm. Toothless rumbled and Astrid turned to him. "I'm sorry, but your rider is stupid." 

Toothless paused then made a sound of agreement and Hiccup looked offended.

"What? How is this even fair?" He spluttered. "I'm not a mindreader!" 

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Okay but I thought you would at least have decent deduction skills! I don't like Snotlout, I don't like Tuffnut, I don't like Ruffnut. Who's left?" 

Hiccup paused and then opened his mouth- 

"Hiccup, I swear to Gods if you say Fishlegs, I will feed you to your own dragon." 

Hiccup sighed in frustration, flopping back against Toothless, who was watching them with an amused look. 

"Who then?" He asked, sounding angry. 

Gods, I love this stupid idiot. 

"You, dummy!" She exclaimed. "I like you." 

Hiccup sat up in shock, his eyes wide. "You-you do?" 

"Yes!" She said. Now that he was actually looking at her, she could feel all the discomfort from earlier shooting back. She fixed her gaze on her boots. "I- yeah. I like you." 

Hiccup was silent for a second before he reached over, lightly touching under her chin and tilting her gaze up so she was looking at him. 

His cheeks were still bright red but his green eyes were shining with happiness. 

"I like you too." 

Astrid allowed a small smile to curve over her face and she leaned in as if she was going to kiss him. Hiccup faltered before following her lead and just as they were about to kiss, Astrid punched him in his gut. 

" That's for thinking I liked Tuffnut." 

Then she quickly pecked his lips. "And-and that's for just being you." 

Gobber: She's right, you have to be tough on yourselves. Where did Hiccup go wrong?

Ruffnut: Uh, he showed up?

Tuffnut: He didn't get eaten.

Ruffnut frowned. 

She never realized- 

Okay that was a stretch. 

She definitely realized how tough they were on him. But that was always in jest. It was a joke. 

Wasn't it? 

And even if it wasn't, it always seemed to roll right off him. As if he wasn't even listening. Like he didn't care. 

Astrid: He's never where he should be.

Astrid winced at her tone but Hiccup smiled. 

"You're the only one who actually gave advice." 

Astrid couldn't shake the idea that there was something seriously wrong with that statement. 

Gobber: Thank you, Astrid. You need to live and breathe this stuff. The Dragon Manual. Everything we know about every dragon we know of.

[Thunder roars]

Gobber (cont.): No attacks tonight. Study up.

Tuffnut: Wait, you mean, read?

Ruffnut: While we're still alive?

Snotlout: Why read words when you can just kill the stuff the words tell you stuff about?

"That makes zero sense." Hiro scoffed. "How are you gonna kill the stuff if you don't even know anything about it?" 

Even Spitelout had to roll his eyes at his son's stupidity. 

Fishlegs: Oh! I've read it like, seven times. There's this water dragon that sprays boiling water at your face. And--And there's this other one that buries itself for like a week--

Baymax lifted a finger. "If you acquire an injury from boiling water, you should run cold water over it or apply a cold, wet compress until the pain eases." 

Hiccup leaned forward, his interest peaked. "Do you know everything about healthcare?" 

"My databank is full of healthcare advice and services." 

Hiccup turned to Hiro with large, shocked eyes and a wondrous smile. "You made him?" 

Hiro ducked his head. "Ah. No. My-my brother. He did."

Hiccup's gaze turned soft and his smile dipped slightly. "Oh." There was a pause. "Well, he's amazing. Your brother must've been really talented." 

Hiro gave a watery laugh. "Yeah, yeah he was."

Tuffnut: Yeah, that sounds great. See, there was a chance I was going to read that...

Ruffnut: ...But, now...

Snotlout: You guys read, I'll go kill stuff.

Fishlegs: Oh, and there's this other one that has these spines that look like trees…

"Aww," Honey Lemon sighed. "I want a dragon."

"Me too!" Rapunzel exclaimed. 

Pascal made an offended sound from her shoulder and she immediately scooped him into her hands. 

"Not that you aren't already dragon enough for me Pacal." She pressed a kiss to his head and he changed to a bright pink. 

Hiccup: So I guess we'll share?

Astrid: Read it.

Astrid winced. 

[The teens leave Hiccup alone in the hall.]

Hiccup: All mine then. Wow, okay. So, I'll see you, uh... [Door slams] tomorrow.

[He flips open the book, reading its contents]

Hiccup: Dragon classifications. Strike Class, Fear Class, Mystery Class.

Hiccup (cont.): Thunderdrum: This reclusive dragon inhabits sea caves and dark tide pools. When startled, the Thunderdrum produces a concussive sound that can kill a man at close range. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight.  

"Why do I have the feeling that all of these dragons will need to be 'killed on sight'?" Flynn asked. 

"Oh, probably because every single dragon is a demon and needs to be murdered for simply existing." Hiccup said sarcastically. 

"And shouldn't be given a chance to live?" Flynn huffed. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

Timberjack: This gigantic creature has razor sharp wings that can slice through full grown trees. Extremely dangerous, kill on sight. 

Scauldron: Sprays scalding water at its victim. Extremely dangerous. Changewing: Even newly hatched dragons can spray acid. Kill on sight. 

Gronckle, Zippleback, The Skrill, Boneknapper, Whispering Death. Burns its victims, buries its victims, chokes its victims, turns its victims inside-out. 

"It does what?" Merida gasped. 

Hiccup nodded. "Yeah, it's not exactly pleasant to be on the wrong side of a dragon." Then he reached down and scratched at Toothless' scales. "But, you win their trust and loyalty and they will love you forever." 

Merida watched as Toothless leaned into the touch with a pleased rumble. 

"He's beautiful." She said softly. 

Hiccup smiled and nodded. 

Extremely dangerous, extremely dangerous, kill on sight, kill on sight, kill on sight... [flips to the Night Fury page. No picture or information is shown on the page.] 

"Wait." Fred frowned. "There's nothing there." 

"Yeah," Gogo said with an eye roll, "Good going genius. How you figure that one out?" 

Fred waved her off and turned to Hiccup. 

"So you're the first person to ever actually see him?" 

Hiccup shrugged. "Up close and lived to tell the tale. And- and I guess you guys too." 

Fred's jaw dropped. "Guys, we are in the midst of a living legend!" 

Toothless rumbled happily and Hiccup laughed. "Don't make his head bigger than it already is! I won't be able to see over it to fly." 

Hiccup was not shocked with Toothless' wing came down again and smacked him in the head. 

Night Fury: Speed, unknown. Size, unknown. The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself.

"But he's so cute." Rapunzel cooed. She gently held out her hand to the dragon. Toothless, after a moment, leaned into the touch. She immediately began scratching him as if he was a dog. 

Hiccup watched her with wide eyes and Flynm nodded. 

"Oh yeah," he laughed. "She has this way with animals. There was a palace horse trying to murder me with a frying pan-"  

" What?" Jack asked. 

Flynn held up a hand. "Don't ask. She somehow got him to calm down! He started acting like a puppy!" 

  Never engage this dragon. Your only chance: Hide and pray it does not find you.

Chapter Text

Hiccup really liked Jack, Flynn, Hiro, Merida and Rapunzel. 

Jack was hilarious and really good at relaxing an awkward situation. Hiccup wondered about his past, his powers and his... interesting friends. 

Flynn and Rapunzel were adorable and complemented each other really well even though they were completely opposites. Flynn's humor was sharp but in the best way and Rapunzel was so giddy and cheerful that it was contagious. 

Hiro was like a copy of him but just younger. His robot was super cool, he had the exact same humor that Hiccup had and all his friends were cool and hilarious. Hiccup wondered about his brother and why they were wearing all that gear but he figured he'd find out soon. 

Merida was brash and loud and violent. She was fiery and opinionated and Hiccup could tell she didn't take shit from anyone. She reminded him of Astrid. They were both so confident and fierce that Hiccup was in awe. 

Hiccup liked these people. 

And Hiccup was pretty sure that they liked him too. 

Being with them felt right. Right in the same way being with dragons felt. 

They felt like real friends. 

Hiccup kind of wished that Anna, Kristoff and Elsa would join their little huddle. Anna seemed exciting and joyful and Kristoff looked cool. Elsa was weird to Hiccup. 

Why did she stay so far away from people? Why was she so scared of hurting everyone?

These questions nagged at Hiccup as they continued. 

[Scene cuts to several longships gliding through fog]

Stoick: I can almost smell them. They're close. Steady.

"Ew." Jack said, wrinkling his nose. "I can't believe that they smell good." 

Toothless huffed at him and Jack winced. 

"I didn't mean you Toothless! You smell like, uh, like daisies!"

Stoick (cont.): Take us in.

Viking: Hard to port... for Helheim's gate.

[The boats disappear in the fog. A sudden jumpscare shows dragons attacking.]

"Woah." Fred exclaimed. 

Wasabi nodded sagely. "Yep. Now you see that dragons are not all fun and games. They can be dangero-"

"That was awesome!" Fred exclaimed loudly, cutting Wasabi off. 

[Scene cuts to the Arena, in the middle of a training session]

Hiccup: You know, I just happened to notice the book had nothing on Night Furies. Is there another book? Or a sequel? Maybe a little Night Fury pamphlet?

[A Nadder fires at him]

Hiccup: WHOA!

Toothless grumbles slightly at seeing on screen Hiccup in danger. 

Hiccup pat his side. "It's okay bud. I'm right here. I'm okay." 

Merida watched with a thoughtful look. "You two really care about each other huh?" 

Hiccup flushed red but nodded. "Well yeah. He's my best friend." 

Gobber: Focus, Hiccup! You're not even trying!

Gobber (cont.): Today is all about ATTACK! Nadders are quick and light on their feet! Your job is to be quicker and lighter!

Fishlegs: AAAAAH! I'm really beginning to question your teaching methods!

"Aye." Stoick frowned. "As am I." 

Gobber: Look for its blind spot. Every dragon has one. Find it, hide in it, and strike!

Ruffnut: Ugh! Do you ever bathe?

Tuffnut: If you don't like it, then just get your own blind spot!

Ruffnut: How about I give you one?!

[The Nadder attacks the twins]

Gobber: Blind spot, yes. Deaf spot? Not so much. Heh, heh, heh.

Hiccup: Hey, so how would one sneak up on a Night Fury?

Gobber: No one's ever met one and lived to tell the tale. [Snapping] NOW, GET IN THERE!

Hiccup: I know, I know, but hypothetically--

Astrid: [Whispering] Hiccup! Get down!

Snotlout: Watch out, babe. I'll take care of this. [tosses hammer at Nadder, but misses]

" Nice ." Hiro and Hiccup snorted at the same time. They both paused before bursting out into laughter. 

Astrid: Hey!

Snotlout: The sun was in my eyes, Astrid! What do you want me to do, block out the sun? I could do that, but I don't have time right now!

"He's terrible, but it's kinda fun to laugh at him." Rapunzel admitted with a smile. 

Hiccup: They probably take the daytime off. You know, like a cat. Has anyone ever seen one napping?

Gobber: Hiccup!

Astrid gently hit Hiccup's arm. "I know you had questions but couldn't you wait until you weren't in immediate danger?" 

"Oh." Hiccup blinked. "I guess I could've done that." 

Astrid chuckled. "Duh."

[The walls start toppling as Astrid starts leaping from wall to wall, the Nadder behind her. Astrid jumps off the last collapsing wall, right onto Hiccup]

Astrid: HICCUP!

Tuffnut: Oooh! Love on the battlefield!

Ruffnut: She could do better.

"Not really." Honey Lemon murmured. Wasabi raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged. "Hiccup's pretty cool. And a good guy. From what I can tell anyway." 

Rapunzel overheard and couldn't help but quietly agree. 

Hiccup: Just... let me... why don't you...

[Astrid yanks the axe off Hiccup's shield and swings it at the Nadder]

Gobber: Well done, Astrid.

Astrid: [to Hiccup] Is this some kind of a joke to you?! Our parents' war is about to become ours! Figure out which side you're on.

Astrid winced. She didn't realize how harsh her tone was. 

"It's okay Astrid." Hiccup said before she could even say anything. "I get what you were saying. And I shouldn't have tried to ask questions during a training session anyway."

[Scene cuts to at the cove.]

[Hiccup approaches with a fish, leaving his shield behind]

"Well, it's clear what side he's on." Kristoff hummed. 

[The Night Fury creeps out from behind rock. Sniffs at Hiccup and the fish, slowly approaches, then retreats upon seeing Hiccup's knife. Realizing the dragon feels threatened, Hiccup kicks his knife into water. The Night Fury relaxes and quickly acts friendly, and slowly takes the fish from Hiccup's hand, revealing a toothless mouth]

"Aw!" Honey Lemon cooed. 

It seems like all the ladies were in various degrees of enamoured with Toothless and his rider. Honey Lemon and Rapunzel couldn't stop gushing about them, Anna kept peeking over to them with wide eyes, Toothiana was chattering to Bunny and Sandy about the dragon's teeth, Merida and Gogo couldn't stop staring at Toothless, wondering how it would be to ride him, the rush had to be amazing. 

Even Elsa wanted to pet him. 

Hiccup: Huh. Toothless. I could've sworn you had...

[Toothless' teeth suddenly pop out of his gums and he snatches the fish, chomping it in half]

Hiccup (cont.): ...teeth. 

"Wow Hic," Flynn chuckled. "You were so creative with the name." 

Hiccup stuck his tongue out at the man with a smile. 

(Toothless approaches, sniffing Hiccup) Uh, uh, no, no, no. I-I don't have any more.

[Toothless regurgitates half of the fish, and proceeds to direct Hiccup through biting and swallowing it. 

Wasabi gagged and Fred winced, rubbing his friend's back sympathetically. 

"Aw that's so cute!" Rapunzel gushed. "He's feeding you!"

Flynn grimaced at Rapunzel, wrinkling his nose. "Punz, I like you, but no." 

Hiro giggled at Rapunzel's pout. 

"That's disgusting." Astrid gagged. "I can't believe you ate that."

Toothless huffed and Hiccup laughed. "It was definitely disgusting but I appreciate the notion bud." 

"The notion …was adorable?" Jack offered and Merida shook her head, her red curls bouncing. 

"No." She said firmly. "No matter what he says, no it was not."

Toothless rumbled, gently wacking the redhead's head with his tail. Merida gaped at him, eyes wide and jaw on the floor. There was a second of silence before Hiccup burst into loud laughter. 

The group, including Toothless and Merida turned fond gazes on him as he clutched at his stomach. His laughter was infectious and slowly, the rest of them began to laugh. 

Merida watched in wonder, happiness bubbling in her chest. She laughed slightly and Toothless turned green eyes on her and gave her a gummy smile. 

Toothless then tries to return Hiccup's smile. He then snarls and flies away when Hiccup reaches towards him. He ignites a small patch of dirt and sleeps on top of it.]

[After some time, Toothless sleeps, hanging upside down like a bat, and wakes up to find Hiccup drawing Toothless in the sand, Toothless then use a branch to 'draw' Hiccup in the dirt 

Fishlegs watched with wide eyes, ignoring the look that Snotlout was shooting him. Toothless was such an interesting creature and Fishlegs wanted to know more. 

and becomes angry when Hiccup steps on his lines. Hiccup steps over the lines to finally reach Toothless. Hiccup offers his hand to Toothless while looking away, Toothless finally trusts Hiccup enough to touch his nose to Hiccup's hand. Toothless snorts and runs away.]

"Okay, maybe you guys are cute." Gogo shrugged with a pop of her gum. 

"Maybe?" Jack asked with an amused chuckle. 

Honey lemon laughed. "That's the most you'll get out of her." 

"We'll take it." Hiccup laughed. 

Stoick sighed. "So Hiccup learned the Night Fury's secrets by...drawing?" 

Gobber hummed. "The lad earned the beast's trust. And he did it simply by being himself. His curious, persistent and patient self." 

Stoick blinked. 

He never thought about his son that way. 

He always saw his son's need to be apart of the village as annoying and confusing. Why did he insist on trying to kill a dragon when it was obvious he couldn't? Why wasn't he turned away by the village jeers? Why was he so interested in things that Stoick considered unimportant? 

But looking at his son earn this dragon's trust, Stoick could see a completely different side of him. 

A side that might have been there all along.

Chapter Text

Kristoff watched Anna peeked over at the group of people sitting on the floor one last time before taking her hand and pulling her to her feet. 

"Krist- what are you doing?" 

"Come on." He said simply. "It's clear you want to hang out with them. So we'll do that."

Anna tugged back against his pull and Kristoff stopped short, still shocked at how strong she was. 

"What about Elsa?" She asked. 

Kristoff swallowed his initial comment. He still harbored some anger at the woman for carelessly striking Anna but who was he to be upset with her?

He wasn't Anna's... anything. 

She was engaged to be married and he was busy with his job. He didn't have time to be Anna's someone. 

Although some part of him couldn't help but want to be Anna's everything. 

"Maybe we can talk to her after this is over?" He offered. "Unless you want to try now?"

Anna took another backwards glance at her sister. She was rigid in her seat, tense as if in fear. She was alone and even Kristoff could see she was scared. 

And she was alone. 

So very alone. 

"May-maybe after." Anna sighed. "Not in front of all these people. I tried that already." 

Kristoff nodded, deciding not to ask even though he was curious, so curious, and simply leading Anna over to the group of people on the floor. They seemed comfortable with each other, the complete opposite of Elsa. 

Hiccup was still lounged with his dragon, but he was absently reaching for the blonde viking girl even though most of his attention was on Jack, who was laughing at something said. Flynn had an arm wrapped around Rapunzel, who was chatting with Honey Lemon and Gogo excitedly. Merida and the viking girl looked like they were exchanging wild stories from their sweeping hand gestures and loud voices. Hiro was looking wide eyes at Flynn who was smirking smugly. 

Kristoff hated to interrupt, but Anna didn't. 

And besides, this would make her happy. 

He'd do anything to make her happy. 

"Hey!" Anna said cheerfully. All their comfortable chatter came to an abrupt halt and they all looked up. "Can we sit? It's a little lonely over there." 

Kristoff figured Flynn would speak first but they all looked to Hiccup, who had an easy smile on his face. 

"Yeah, what do you think Toothless?" 

The dragon purred and Hiccup beamed. "Yeah, come on."

Anna returned the bright smile and Kristoff allowed her to pull him down next to Merida. Hiccup tilted his head. 

"What about Elsa? Does she want to come sit with us?"

Anna blinked, looking shocked that someone asked. 

"Oh she's-" Anna faltered. "We're not doing good at communicating right now. It's...hard." 

Hiccup and Merida's gazes softened and the viking girl frowned. 

"I'm sorry to hear that." She said gently and Anna smiled. But it was tight, forced. 

"Yeah. Maybe I'll try to talk to her after this." 

[Scene cuts to on top the watch tower at night]

Gobber: ...And with one twist, he took my hand, and swallowed it whole. And I saw the look on his face: I was delicious. He must have passed the word, because it wasn't a month before another one of them took my leg.

"Oof." Hiro winced, shifting slightly, subconsciously leaning back against his robot.

 He can't imagine losing a limb and he especially can't imagine not having Baymax to help if he ever did. 

Also, getting a limb bitten off by a dragon? No thanks. 

Fishlegs: Isn't it weird to think that your hand was inside a dragon? Like if your mind was still in control of it, you could have killed the dragon from the inside by... crushing his heart, or something.

Fishlegs flinched. He can't believe he said that. It sounded horrible. It sounded inhumane. 

"I still can't believe Fishlegs said that." Hiccup sighed. 

"How come?" Rapunzel asked. 

"He's just- I don't know. He's so interested in dragons. He knows all the classes, all the shot numbers, all the types." Hiccup shrugged. "I figured he'd be the easiest mind to change." 

Snotlout: I swear, I'm so angry right now! I'll avenge your beautiful hand and your beautiful foot. I'll chop off the legs of every dragon I fight. With my face!

"Uh huh." Flynn nodded, unimpressed. "Have fun with that." 

"I cannot wait to see that." Gogo scoffed.

Toothless grumbled as well, a near perfect mimic of Gogo's exasperated tone.

Gobber: Un-unh. It's the wings and the tails you really want. If it can't fly, it can't get away. A downed dragon is a dead dragon. 

Jack and Hiro's eyes widened. They both simultaneously looked at Hiccup and Toothless, horrified and speechless. 

Merida inhaled sharply and Anna looked pained. 

Hiccup curled into himself slightly. "Yeah." His voice was tight with guilt and pain. 

Toothless purred and curled around his rider tighter and Astrid intertwined their hands smoothly. 

After a beat of silence, Flynn shifted. 

"You weren't aiming for the tail Hic." He said softly. "You just got a bad hand of cards." 

Hiccup sighed. "But I still hurt him. I was aiming to take him down. That's probably worse." 

Rapunzel watched his shoulders curl downwards in defeat. 

"But you didn't know any better Hiccup." She offered. "You didn't know him or that dragons could-" 

"But that shouldn't have mattered." Hiccup huffed. Merida sighed, catching his attention. 

She straightened and leaned forward. "Hiccup, do you want to hurt Toothless?"

Hiccup's eyes widened. "N-no!" 

She tilted her head. "Do you want to kill Toothless?"

"No!" Hiccup exclaimed, horrified and frantic. "He's my best friend! I'd never hurt him. I'd rather die before I cause him anymore pain." 

There was a pause. 

Merida smiled knowingly as Toothless warbled affectionately and Astrid squeezed his hand. 

"Then it's okay." She said firmly. "You made a mistake. You aren't perfect, none of us are. But you're making up for it now and I'm sure Toothless forgives you a million times over." 

Toothless rumbled and nudged at Hiccup's leg. 

Hiccup flushed red and ran a hand over Toothless' jaw. "Okay bud, I hear you." He peeked up at Merida with an embarrassed look on his face. "Thank you. All of you." 

Merida shrugged, back to looking nonchalant. "No problem." 

Alright, I'm off to bed. You should be, too. Tomorrow we get to the big boys. Slowly but surely making our way up to the Monstrous Nightmare. But who'll win the honor of killing it?

After seeing Hiccup with the Nightfury, Gobber felt a weird sense of shame at his words. 

Then he remembered how that same Nightmare almost torched the village and swallowed his guilt. 

Tuffnut: It's gonna be me. It's my destiny. See?

Fishlegs: [Gasp] Your Mom let you get a tattoo?

Tuffnut: It's not a tattoo. It's a birthmark.

Ruffnut: Okay, I've been stuck with you since birth, and that was never there before.

Tuffnut: Yes, it was. You've just never seen me from the left side until now.

"I totally have." Ruffnut argued and Tuffnut scooted away.

"No you haven't." 

Ruffnut reached over to pull at her brother's shirt and Tuffnut knocked her away, resulting in an all out smack war. 

[After hearing what Gobber said about how a dragon is unable to fly with injured tail or wings, Hiccup heads to the forge late at night, and makes a new tail-fin for Toothless to replace the one the Night Fury lost.]

"Woah." Hiro gasped. "The craftsmanship. That's beautiful." 

Hiccup ducked his head. 

"C-can you build me a new sled?" Kristoff asked. "Anna destroyed mine."

"I said I was sorry!" She exclaimed. Kristoff smiled slightly. "And besides, I'm getting you a new one, don't worry about it." 

Hiccup laughed and decided it was best not to ask. 

"That boy's work is beautiful. The amount of heart put into it-" North marveled. "It's almost unheard of nowadays." 

"Yeah." Tooth nodded, her wings fluttering. "And I'm not missing the symbolism of him making this new tail out of old viking weapons." 

A few symbols flashed above Sandy's head and Bunny hummed. "Aye, he'd make a good guardian. I'm not surprised Manny picked him."

[Hiccup is back at the cove, with a basket of fish and the prosthetic fin.]

Hiccup: Hey, Toothless. I brought breakfast. I hope you're hungry. Okay, that's disgusting. Uh... we've got some salmon, some nice Icelandic cod, and a whole smoked eel.

[Toothless roars in fear at the sight of the eel.]

"Yeah, I don't know why people think eel is good." Flynn grimaced, his nose wrinkling. "Even a dragon won't eat it." 

Hiccup (cont.): No, no, no, no! It's okay. (throws the eel aside) Yeah, I don't really like eel much either.

[Toothless starts to eat the fish. While he's distracted, Hiccup sneaks toward his tail.]

Hiccup (cont.): Okay. That's it. That's it, just stick with good stuff. And don't you mind me. I'll just be back here... minding my own business .

Toothless rolled his eyes and Hiccup laughed. 

"Okay, I guess I wasn't as convincing as I thought I was." 

Astrid smirked. "Yeah, you're definitely not the best at lying. I've been making outfits." 

Hiccup flushed red and Jack shifted closer. 

"Making outfits?" He asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "I can't wait to hear about that." 

Hiccup groaned, a small smile tugging at his lips and Hiro, Flynn and Merida joined in with Jack and Astrid's laughter. 

[Hiccup tries to attach the new tail-fin.]

Hiccup (cont.): It's okay. Okay... okay... There. That's not too bad. It works.

[Toothless stops eating and perks up, seemingly realizing he might be able to fly again]

[Toothless takes off with Hiccup literally on his tail. They head towards a rock wall]

"Of course you head towards the rocks," Gobber muttered worriedly under his breath, "you could never do things the easy way."

Hiccup (cont.): Whoa! No! No! No!

[Hiccup quickly adjusts the tail fin and they dodge the wall]

Hiccup (cont.)

OH, MY-- IT'S WORKING! YES! YES, I DID IT!

"Why do I feel like everything is about to go wrong?" Flynn asked. 

Hiccup sighed. "Maybe because everything is about to go wrong." 

[Toothless realizes Hiccup is on his tail and throws him off. Unable to steer the fin on his own, he then crashes into the lake.]

Gobber, Stoick and all of Hiccup's friends let out simultaneous breaths of relief. 

A wave a dread passed over Jack at the sight of Hiccup crashing into the lake but he couldn't place why so he shook it off. 

Hiccup: AAAAAGGGGHHHHH! Yeah!

[Scene cuts to Arena, in the middle of another training session. The arena fills with a greenish fog, obscuring the dragon.]

"Oh my God, now you can't even see the dragon you're about to fight!" Wasabi screeched. " How is this safe?!"

Hiccup smiled weakly. "It's not? But that's the viking way. Pain is great ." 

"Wow," Kristoff chuckled, "your sarcasm could literally cut someone."

Hiccup snorted. "Hey, I've got to use my talents somewhere." 

Gobber: Today is about teamwork. Now, a wet dragon head can't light its fire. The Hideous Zippleback is extra tricky. One head breathes gas, the other head lights it. Your job is to know which is which.

Fishlegs: Razor sharp, serrated teeth that inject venom for pre-digestion. Prefers ambush attack, by crushing its victims--

Hiccup: [On edge] Will you please stop that?!

Fishlegs winced, seeing how he could've spiked Hiccup's anxiety. But it was true. Victim crushing was crazy common. 

"I would not want to be partners with him." Gogo said with a pop of her gum. 

"He kinda reminds me of you Wasabi." Honey Lemon considered and Wasabi gaped at her.

" What?" He spluttered. "I do not- What?!"

Flynn, Jack and Hiccup stifled giggles and Hiro rolled his eyes fondly. 

Snotlout: If that dragon shows either of his faces, I'm gonna-- there!

[Snotlout and Tuffnut drench Astrid and Ruffnut, thinking they were the Zippleback.]

Ruffnut: Hey! It's us, idiots!

Tuffnut: Your butts are getting bigger. We thought you were a dragon.

Snotlout: Not that there's anything wrong with a dragon-esque figure-- Ow!

"Ugh." Merida groaned. "Does he think about anything else but you? I mean, seriously, there's a dragon in the same room as him!"

Hiccup snorted. "Snotlout is just in love with Astrid, everybody knows this." 

Astrid gagged. "Oh my Gods Hiccup. Why did you say that."

"It's true !" He defended which only ended with him getting a punch to the arm. 

[Astrid punches Snotlout in the face, and Ruffnut throws her bucket at Tuffnut, who is then dragged into the wall of smoke.]

"Oh my God, he's dead." Anna gasped. 

Astrid: Wait. [A tail knocks them off their feet]

Tuffnut: (running out of the mist, screaming) OH, I'M HURT! I AM VERY MUCH HURT!

"Oh. Nevermind."

Fishlegs: Chances of survival are dwindling into single-digits now. [One of the Zippleback heads emerges from the mist. Fishlegs throws water at its face, and it angrily spews out some green gas.]

"Okay, can I just say," Jack started and Hiccup shook his head. 

"-Nope, you shouldn't. Don't even-"

"-the dragon looks like it's farting out of it's mouth."

Hiro and Merida burst into wild laughter and Hiccup sighed. "Why did I know that's what you were gonna say?"

Jack leaned over to him and bat his eyelashes innocently. "Cause we're best friends and you love me?"

Hiccup gently pushed the winter spirit away, a smile tugging at his lips, a pleased flush on his face. "Shut up."

He's never had a best friend before- Well, one that wasn't covered in scales. 

Fishlegs (cont.): Oh. Wrong head.

[The head sprays a large stream of green gas, and Fishlegs runs off screaming. The head turns its attention to Hiccup and the other head comes into view, spitting electrical sparks]

Gobber: Fishlegs! Now, Hiccup!

[Hiccup throws the bucket of water at the spark-spitting head, but misses]

Hiccup: Oh, come on!

"Okay, we're definitely teaching you how to fight." Flynn said immediately. "Because I cannot worry about you possibly dying anymore. If swords and axes aren't your thing, Rapunzel has a cool frying pan she can teach you how to use, I'm sure little Hiro has a robot or two he could lend you-"

Merida perked up. "I know archery!"

"-Red knows archery-"

"I can box." Gogo huffed. 

"-Gogo can box-"

"I have ice powers!" Jack chimed in. 

"Jack has-" Flynn paused. "You have what?"

"Ice powers?" Jack repeated. Anna and Kristoff exchanged a look. "I can frost stuff over, make it snow, create ice blasts. All sorts of stuff." 

Hiccup and Hiro's jaws were practically on the ground while Rapunzel and Merida were looking more and more excited. 

"You can make it snow?!" Rapunzel asked. 

"Ice blasts?!" Merida exclaimed. 

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I'm Jack Frost. Winter is kinda my thing." 

"I can't believe this. You're like straight out of a comic book." Fred gasped. 

Jack laughed. "Maybe. What's a comic book?"

Fred's jaw dropped. "Oh no. No, no, no. I refuse- you can't not know what a comic book is!" 

Hiccup listened to Fred continued to ramble with a smile. He had originally been expecting to be teased and mocked for his weakness or inability to weld a weapon, but he'd been pleasantly surprised. 

They wanted to teach him to hold his own not because they saw him as useless and wanted to change him, but because they wanted him to be safe . 

It warmed him. 

[The Zippleback pounces, both heads snarling at Hiccup]

Gobber: Hiccup!

"Oh my God, I can't watch." Flynn covered his eyes with his hands and Rapunzel smiled. 

" Eugene," She admonished, "He's right there."

Flynn uncovered his eyes and peeked over at Hiccup. "Ah," He laughed nervously, "Right."

Jack, hearing the name change frowned in confusion. 

[Hiccup reverses the Hideous Zippleback with a hidden eel.]

Snotlout, Fishlegs and the twins all ahhed in understanding. 

"So that's how you got rid of the Zippleback!" Astrid exclaimed. Hiccup winced but Astrid merely smiled. "That's pretty clever of you."

Hiccup: Back! Back! Back! BACK! Now, don't you make me tell you again! Yes, that's right! Back into your cage. Now think about what you've done.

"Woah Hic," Hiro blinked. "You're like a dragon master or something. Using their secrets to keep yourself safe! That's cool!"

Hiccup rolled his eyes fondly. 

[Hiccup shuts the door of the enclosure. He throws the eel inside, and the Zippleback cowers in terror. The teens and Gobber are shocked, and Fishlegs drops his bucket.]

Hiccup (cont.): Okay! So, are we done? Because I've got some things I need to, uh... Yep. I'll... see-see you tomorrow!

"Nice." Merida said with a shake of her head. 

"Yeah, we might need to teach him to lie too." Astrid chuckled and Hiccup looked offended. 

"I can lie!" 

The girl's two disbelieving looks were all that was needed to make Hiccup sigh in defeat. 

"Okay maybe I need to learn." 

Chapter Text

Toothless usually didn't put up with so many humans. 

He didn't normally put up with any humans. 

But Hiccup patiently and persistently wormed his way into Toothless' heart and wasn't planning on leaving any time soon. 

Hiccup was curious, smart, brave, gentle and so very sad . Toothless could see him try to cover it with jokes and he had to admit, Hiccup was amazing at redirection. But Toothless could still see the tension in his shoulders, the bags under his eyes, the way he would sometimes flinch when Toothless moved too quick. 

But he was beginning to see all that fade with these new humans. 

They seemed to relax Hiccup. He laughed and smiled and was so much calmer in their presence as opposed to when he'd come back from his home, all shaken and exhausted. 

And Toothless liked them. 

The small blonde was gentle and somehow knew all his itchy spots. She wasn't as good as Hiccup, but no one was.

 The cold boy made Hiccup laugh and his temperature was soothing on his warm scales. 

The red haired girl reminded Toothless of Astrid with her tough demeanor and way of speaking. But she never seemed to go out of her way to push over Hiccup and kept a healthy fear of Toothless that made him preen. 

The small black haired boy had a weird creature with him that Toothless wanted to nose at so badly. He only stayed in his spot because he could smell Stoick from the other side of the room and the thought of him made his hackles rise. 

The brunette was loud and affectionate and it unnerved Toothless but Hiccup seemed to enjoy it a lot. 

So Toothless was grateful to them and tolerant of them being around him. 

Especially if they made that cloud around his rider lift. 

[Scene cuts to at the forge, Hiccup making a saddle]

"Close your mouth before you catch flies." Merida teased gently. 

Hiro, who seemed to salivate at the craftsmanship flushed red. 

"Oh no, this is totally worth gaping over." Wasabi sighed. "Those stitches, gosh."

Hiccup blushed and it didn't escape Astrid of the symbolism behind him making a dragon saddle out of old viking weapons. 

[Scene cuts to at the cove, Hiccup presenting Toothless with the saddle]

Hiccup: Hey!

[Toothless playfully runs away from Hiccup.]

"Aw you guys are adorable." Anna complimented. 

"Eh, a little." Hiccup joked. Toothless grumbled, whacking Hiccup with his wing. 

I am adorable!

"Adorably annoying!" Hiccup shot back with a grin before receiving another gentle whack.

[Hiccup rides Toothless, tugging the prosthetic tail fin with a rope to change its position. The wind blows at them and they tumble backwards]

"Oof, that had to hurt." Flynn winced and surprisingly Hiccup shook his head.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, it definitely wasn't fun but it didn't hurt." Hiccup patted Toothless' side, receiving a warm purr in response. "Toothless isn't soft but he is a softie. He made sure not to crush me."

[Toothless crashes into a field of Dragon Nip and rolls in it comfortably.]

Hiccup (cont.): Whoa! [holds up Dragon Nip]

[Scene cuts to Hiccup still holding up the Dragon Nip, but at the Arena]

[Hiccup grounds a Gronckle during training by rubbing Dragon Nip on its nose.]

Fishlegs gasped and his hands itched for charcoal and a parchment to note that down. There were so many things to learn from dragons that didn't involve jaw strength or shot numbers. 

Fishlegs couldn't help but get excited at the prospect of chatting with Hiccup about all he's learned. 

Fishlegs: What was that? Some kind of trick? What did you do?

Tuffnut: How'd you do that?

Ruffnut: It was really cool.

"Oh now you think he's cool." Jack scoffed. 

"Yeah, now that you can down a dragon with some grass they think you're great." Gogo huffed. "What about before?" 

Hiccup shrugged nonchalantly but Jack could see the way his hands twisted nervously.  

Fishlegs: Hey, Hiccup!

Snotlout: Hey, Hiccup, I've never seen a Gronckle do that before!

Snotlout had to admit, begrudgingly, that it was still cool. Even though Hiccup only took the dragon down with some stupid grass, he didn't even have to lift his axe to do it. 

Then, because thinking nice thoughts about people gave Snotlout hives, he tacked on as if he could even lift his axe. 

But it sounded weak, even in his mind. 

Hiccup: I left my axe back in the ring. You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up with you.

[Scene cuts to back at the cove]

[Hiccup puts Toothless to sleep by scratching him just below the chin.]

"Woah!" Rapunzel gasped. 

"Ah, so that's how you got to the exam." Astrid smirked, trying her best to ignore her angry face on the screen. "Dragon scratches." 

Hiccup shrugged, a slight smile lifted the corner of his mouth. "They're magical." 

[Scene cuts back to at the Arena]

[Hiccup the puts the Deadly Nadder to sleep the same way during training.]

Tuffnut: Hiccup, you're totally going to come in first, there's no question.

"So what does coming in first mean?" Kristoff asked. "Aren't you all training to ki- er- deal with dragons? Why would there need to be first place?"

"Ah," Hiccup's slight smile faded. "The, uh, winner gets to deal with the Nightmare."

"Shit." Hiro cursed. Wasabi frowned disapprovingly but didn't bother to reprimand him. 

Especially not when he was thinking along the same lines. 

[Scene cuts to back at the cove]

[Toothless chases a shiny light that Hiccup creates using the sun and a hammer.]

Play? Toothless warbled, nudging at Hiccup with his snout. 

"We can go play after this bud." Hiccup whispered. "I mean, if we can get out of here without running into my dad."

[Scene cuts to back at the Arena]

Gobber: Meet the Terrible Terror.

[The cage is opened and the Terrible Terror is revealed to be only the size of a chihuahua. The teens laugh at the tiny dragon.]

"I want that one!" Anna squealed. "It's like a little puppy!" 

Elsa, hearing her sister's happy voice, smiled. She ached to be near her and the rest of them but her being alone was better for everyone involved. 

Tuffnut: Ha! That's like the size of my--

[The dragon attacks Tuffnut.]

Tuffnut (cont.): AH! GET IT OFF! OH, I'M HURT! I AM VERY MUCH HURT!

"Serves you right." Rapunzel said, turning up her nose. Surprisingly the Chameleon on her shoulder seemed to share her sentiment if his squeaks were anything to go by. 

"Oh, I like this dragon." Merida said with a smirk. 

"Yeah, can't you see me with a dragon perched on my shoulders?" Anna asked Kristoff, who looked wide eyed. "I'd look awesome!"

"Totally badass." Gogo agreed. 

[The Terrible Terror chases a shiny light created by Hiccup's shield back into the enclosure]

Tuffnut (cont.): [to Astrid] Wow, he's better than you ever were.

Hiccup snorted but Astrid shrugged. 

"He's right." She said absently.

Hiccup's cheeks flushed pink. "Ah- I'm definitely not- I mean you're just- I couldn't possibly-" 

Astrid cut him off by pressing a brief kiss to his cheek. "He's right ." She repeated sincerely, looking at Hiccup with adoring eyes and a bright smile. 

She laughed when he ducked his head in embarrassment and his blush deepened. 

[Scene cuts to at the forest]

[Astrid sees Hiccup holding a harness while throwing her axe at the trees in the forest. Hiccup runs away and loses a furious Astrid.]

"Well," Flynn said cheerfully, "You know how to run and hide! That's good!"

Hiccup laughed, the humor only half there. "Ah, yeah. I'm really good at that."

Anna hummed. "Because of the dragons?"

The question caught Hiccup so off guard that he didn't hesitate to answer honestly. "No."

Merida frowned and leaned in slightly. "Then what were you running from?"

The rest of the group, sensing the mood shift, also leaned in, dreadfully curious. Hiccup shifted awkwardly, intensely aware of Astrid's presence at his side. 

"Uh, when I was a kid-" Hiccup swallowed thickly. "I wasn't the most, uh, popular? And by not popular, I mean, I didn't have many friends."

To Hiccup's surprise, none of them laughed. Flynn, Jack and Hiro's eyes seemed to take on a soft and empathetic tint. 

"Or, um, any friends if I'm being honest." He shrugged, training his gaze down at his hands. He clenched them into fists to stop them from shaking. "I mean, the others- they hated me. Couldn't stand me. I was-" Hiccup's voice caught for a moment. "Hiccup the useless." 

Hiccup heard a growl of anger, but he wasn't looking up, so he couldn't tell who it was from; either Jack or Hiro. 

Or maybe Rapunzel. 

"They made up a game." Hiccup continued shakily. "I didn't consider it a game, I hated it. But," He huffed a humorless laugh, "I guess they didn't care what I thought." 

Hiccup paused, lost in thought and Anna gently touched his arm. 

"What was the game?" She asked gently, her voice calm and steady. 

"Ah. It had a couple names. Hiccup hunting or Hunt the runt." Hiccup sighed. "It was mainly Snotlout and the twins who would chase me. It sucked, but hey," Hiccup finally looked up from his hands, a small forced smile on his face. "I'm great at running and hiding!"

There was a beat of silence and Hiccup's smile flickered. 

They were all looking at him with horrified looks. Some, namely Rapunzel and Honey Lemon, had tears glistening in their eyes. 

Hiccup flushed red and hunched his shoulders, regretting even saying anything but then Merida rushed forward and pulled him close. Hiccup's eyes widened and he tensed slightly as he was squeezed tight, but after a moment he relaxed. 

He buried his face in her wild red hair with a shudder. Soon, he felt thin arms curl around them both and larger arms following suit. Hiccup could see the purple of Rapunzel's dress and Flynn's brown locks as they settled into the group hug. A cold pair of arms settled around Merida and Hiccup felt Jack's head rest comfortably atop his own. And finally, small arms, curled around them and a mess of black hair announced Hiro's arrival. 

Toothless whined something that Hiccup couldn't translate and folded a large black wing over them, shielding them from view. 

Hiccup, safe in the embrace of his friends, allowed himself to sob. 

They started small, a sniffle or two, and then they grew until he was literally trembling in Merida's arms. Instead of pulling away, she merely tightened her hold and the rest of them followed her lead. 

Eventually Hiccup's sobs petered out and he just breathed. Hiro pulled away, then Jack, then Flynn and Rapunzel, but Merida still held him. 

"It's alright." She whispered, her red hair rustling slightly. "You're safe now. They won't ever do that again." 

Once Hiccup's breathing steadied, Merida shifted back. Hiccup took another deep breath, then another and realized he felt a million times better. Exhausted, but it was like a huge weight had been taken off his chest, and he realized that he's never told anyone that before. 

"Thank you." He said softly. They still hadn't moved far but Toothless' wing was still covering them from sight, so Hiccup didn't know if it was because they couldn't or because they wouldn't. 

"No problem Hic." Flynn said, his voice gentle. "Anytime."

"Seriously." Jack said sincerely. 

The others nodded after him and Hiccup flushed red. 

Then Rapunzel's gentle gaze darkened. "Now how are we gonna make them pay?" 

Hiccup blinked as they all fell over themselves with ideas and plans and ultimately decided to brush against Toothless' side and let them work. Toothless pulled his wing close to his side and shifted to nose at his rider. 

"I'm alright bud." Hiccup comforted, running his hands along the dragon's jaw. "It's okay." 

Toothless grumbled. You're sure? 

"I'm positive." He gave a small but real smile. "They...they took care of me." 

He turned back to look at them and saw them all surrounding Hiro, who was scribbling on a sheet of paper frantically. Anna, Kristoff, Gogo and Fred had gone over to offer input and ideas.

But-

Where was Astrid?

He blinked and peered around the dark room. She wasn't over at the seats with Elsa or in the crowd with Jack's friends. So she was either in another room or-

She went back over to the Berkians. 

Hiccup inhaled sharply, his shoulders tensing again. What if she sided with Snotlout? What if she still believed he was useless no matter what dragons he trained? 

As if he could hear Hiccup's thoughts, Toothless grumbled. Astrid will be back. 

"But-"

She will. 

Hiccup met his best friend's unwavering gaze and after a second he sighed. "Right."

[Scene cuts to at the cove]

[Hiccup practices new tail positions with Toothless, when the rope snaps and bends the safety hook, leaving rider and dragon attached.]

"Gosh, you are just full of bad luck." Kristoff winced. 

Hiccup: Oh, great.

[Hiccup sneaks Toothless into the blacksmith shop to remove the connecting cord.]

Gobber's jaw dropped. There is no way that Hiccup, clumsy little Hiccup, snuck a Nightfury into their village without anyone noticing. 

"Are you sure that was the best idea?" Hiro asked and Hiccup shrugged. 

"It was either that or live the rest of my life attached to my dragon." Then Hiccup sighed, "Which doesn't sound too bad right about now."

Viking: Hiccup.

[Toothless throws a bucket and Astrid hears the noise.]

Astrid (o.s.): Hiccup? Are you in there?

Hiccup: Astrid. Hey! Hi, Astrid. Hi, Astrid. Hi, Astrid.

"Wow, you are so bad at playing it cool." Flynn winced. Rapunzel gently slapped his arm but Hiccup laughed. 

"You're definitely right. Lying is not my strong suit." 

"Hey," Jack called, a frown on his face. "Where did Astrid go?" 

They all began swiveling and looking around for her but Hiccup sighed. 

"I think- I think she went back to the other vikings." 

Merida's brows furrowed. "You think she went to talk to-" She did a vague gesture that Hiccup could tell was supposed to signify Snotlout. "-that other viking?"

"I don't know." 

"She'll be back." Rapunzel said placing a comforting hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "I see how she looks at you. There's no way she'd stay over there after hearing what they've done." 

Hiccup gave a tense smile. "Yeah. I hope." 

Astrid: I normally don't care what people do, but you're acting weird. Well, weirder.

[Hiccup is pulled through the shutter doors. Astrid tries to see what happened, but doesn't notice Hiccup flying away with Toothless.]

"That was some good luck!" Fred offered to attempt to break the tension. 

"Yeah, really good luck." Flynn agreed. 

[Scene cuts to at the pier, the destroyed longships from the expedition heading back]

Gobber: Well, I trust you found the nest at least?

Stoick: Not even close.

Gobber: Ah. Excellent.

Stoick: I hope you had a little more success than me.

Gobber: Well, if by success, you mean that your parenting troubles are over with, then... yes.

"That wording is…not good." Wasabi winced while Hiccup snorted. 

"That's Gobber for you." He remarked. 

Phlegma: Congratulations, Stoick! Everyone is so relieved.

Starkard: Out with the old and in with the new, right?!

Hoark the Haggard: No one will miss that old nuisance!

Ack: The village is throwing a party to celebrate!

"Okay wow, your entire village is bad at this." Gogo scoffed. 

Stoick: He's gone?

Gobber: Yeah... most afternoons. But who can blame him? I mean the life of a celebrity's very rough. He can barely walk through the village without being swarmed by his new fans.

Stoick: Hiccup?

Gobber: Who would've thought, eh? He has this way with the beasts.

[Scene cuts to Toothless soaring across the ocean, Hiccup on his back]

"Yes!" Merida cheered. "Dragon riding! Finally!"

Her excitement was infectious and caused Rapunzel, Hiro, Jack and Anna to grin. 

Hiccup couldn't help but feel warm as he looked back at his first real ride with his best friend. And going by Toothless' gummy smile and wide eyes, he couldn't either. 

Stock's eyes widened at the sight of his son on the back of a dragon. And for real this time, not just for a short burst or tied down, actually in the air. 

"Uh, Stoick, your son is on a dragon." Gobber whispered. "As in, on it. Riding it. Over the water."

"Aye, I see." Stoick blinked. 

"Stoick," Spitelout leaned over, "Your son is on a dragon." 

" Aye . I know." He huffed, slightly miffed at the disbelief in their voices on his son's behalf. "It's amazing."

Hiccup: Okay there, bud, we're gonna take this nice and slow. Here we go. Here we go... position three, no, four. 

"I do not like that hesitation." Flynn laughed nervously. 

"Oh." Hiccup hummed. "Well. Then you're gonna love it in a second." 

Flynn groaned. 

Alright, it's go time. It's go time. Come on, buddy, come on, buddy! [changes tail fin position] Yes, it worked!

[Hiccup accidentally flies Toothless into one of the sea stacks.]

Hiccup (cont.): Sorry!

[Hiccup flies Toothless into another sea stack]

Hiccup (cont.): That was my fault.

[Toothless hits him with his ear]

Toothless grumbled. 

"I said I was sorry!" Hiccup huffed. 

"You guys are adorable." Rapunzel sighed. "I wish I could speak to animals." 

Pascal nudged against Rapunzel's cheek in sympathy. 

"Well, hey, you can practically talk to Pascal and Max." Flynn offered. "And I'm pretty sure Max has insulted me a couple times." 

Merida perked up. "Ooo. I can't wait to meet this horse." 

Hiccup (cont.): Yeah, yeah, I'm on it. Position four, uh, three. Yeah! Go baby! Yes! Oh, this is amazing! The wind in my...

[The wind blows his cheat sheet out of his hand]

“Wow.” Kristoff winced. “You just can’t buy a break, can you?” 

Hiccup (cont.): ... CHEAT SHEET! STOP!!

[Hiccup's diagram flies away and he tries to catch it, but unhooks the safety cord and falls. 

Stoick jolted, his entire body tensing in fear. 

Rapunzel and Merida unconsciously pressed closer to Hiccup, who looked unnerved by the sight on the screen. 

"That looks so cool ." Fred whispered. 

Wasabi blinked. "He's falling to his death." 

"Well, other than that." 

He tries to get back on the saddle, getting smacked with Toothless' tail in the process.]

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God," Flynn chanted nervously. 

Hiccup (cont.): NOOOOOO!!! Oh, gosh! Oh, gods! Oh, no! Alright! You gotta kind angle yourself! Okay, no, no, no... come back down towards me! Come back down-- YOW!

"I can't watch." Tuffnut said as he covered his eyes with his hands. 

Ruffnut leveled a look at him. "I thought you didn't like him." 

"I may not like him, but I don't want him to die." 

[Finally reattaching, the cheat sheet smacks into his face. Hiccup tries to memorize the sheet before smoothly swerving through rocks, swiftly changing tail positions.]

"Yes!" Flynn cheered loudly. 

Jack stood and began dancing around excitedly, pulling Hiro along with him. 

"He's not dead!" Wasabi said in an astonished tone. 

Hiccup chuckled as Rapunzel curled her arms around him. "Well, I could've told you that." 

Rapunzel pulled away and Merida hit him in the arm. Hiccup winced. 

"Don't you ever do that again." Then she smiled. "Unless you take me with you." 

"I always knew he could do it." Snotlout shrugged and Ruffnut rolled her eyes. 

"No you didn't." She snapped. "You and Tuffnut both thought he was going to die." 

"Can you blame us?" Tuffnut scoffed. "He was falling from the sky!" 

Stoick breathed a huge sigh of relief, even though he knew his son was okay- 

Gods, this needed to hurry up and end so he could talk to Hiccup. 

Hiccup (cont.): YEEAHHH! (Toothless shoots a blast of fire and flies through it) Ah, come on!

[Scene cuts to on a sea stack where Hiccup and Toothless are resting. Hiccup looks slightly singed by the fire earlier.]

"You know, that's a nice look on you."

Hiccup turned abruptly to see Astrid standing behind him. Toothless purred and moved to brush up against her side like a giant cat. Merida smiled and moved slightly, allowing her to sit next to Hiccup. 

"Hey Toothless." She said affectionately, patting his head. 

"Wha- where did you go?" He asked. "Why did you go?" 

Astrid bit her lip slightly. "Um. Let's just say that I needed to blow off a little steam." 

The image of Astrid continuously throwing an axe at a tree entered Hiccup's mind. 

"And," She continued, "I also needed to talk to Luna." 

"About what?" 

"Oh don't worry Hiccup, you'll see." 

While Hiccup didn't like the sound of that, he was also glad that he didn't have to worry about Astrid siding with Snotlout. 

"And," Astrid suddenly looked shameful. "I just wanted to say sorry. I didn't know that they did that to you but that's not an excuse. I should've said something all those times they were cruel to you and I didn't so that's on me. I'm so sorry Hiccup."

Hiccup's eyes stung but he took a breath, collected himself and smiled shakily. No one's ever apologized to him for the things they've done, they just expected him to forget or move on. 

This was...nice. 

"Thanks Astrid." 

She smiled and slowly grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers. "I'm on your side. I meant that when I said it." 

Hiccup nodded and this time it didn't shock him when she quickly kissed his cheek. 

[Toothless regurgitates a fish head for hiccup]

Hiccup: Uh... no thanks. I'm good.

[A flock of Terrible Terrors try to steal fish and Toothless tries to chase them away. One of them fights Toothless over a fish and loses. It tries to attack, only to be blasted in the mouth by Toothless, causing it to briefly inflate.]

Hiccup (cont.): Not so fireproof on the inside, are you?

Fishlegs gaped at the screen. That's so cool! 

"Huh." Tuffnut said absently. "They're kind of...cool."  

  (He tosses the Terror a fish, which it swallows whole) There you go. Everything we know about you guys is wrong... (the Terror curls up next to Hiccup like a kitten, purring softly)

"Aw," Anna squealed. "That's so adorable!" 

[Scene cuts to the Haddock household.]

Hiccup: [sketching Toothless] Dad! You're back! Gobber's not here, so...

Stoick: I know. I came looking for you.

Hiccup: You did?

Stoick: You've been keeping secrets.

Hiccup: I... have?

Stoick: Just how long did you think you could hide it from me?

"Shit, shit, shit." Jack chanted and Hiro slapped his arm. 

" Language ." He said mockingly. 

Jack stuck his tongue out at him and gently blew a cold snowflake at his face. 

Hiccup: I don't know what you're...

Stoick: Nothing happens on this island without me hearing about it.

Hiccup: Oh?

Stoick; So. Let's talk about that dragon.

"Okay, shit." Hiro winced. 

"That's what I said." Jack huffed worriedly. 

Hiccup: Oh, gods. Dad I'm so sorry. I was going to tell you. I just didn't know how to--

Hiccup (cont.): You're not... upset?

Stoick: What?! I was hoping for this!

Hiccup:Uh... you were?

Stoick: And believe me, it only gets better! Just wait 'till you spill a Nadder's guts for the first time! And mount your first Gronckle head on a spear! WHAT A FEELING! 

"Shit." Jack said flatly. 

"At least he doesn't know about Toothless?" Rapunzel offered weakly. 

"But now he'll be expected to hurt a dragon!" Hiro argued. "I'd rather have to run away than kill a creature I swore to protect." 

Hiccup turned a surprised gaze onto Hiro. 

"Huh. Well, yeah, that's what I was thinking." 

You really had me going there, son! All those years of the worst Viking Berk has ever seen! 

Hiccup's shoulders slumped but Astrid bumped his shoulder with her own. 

"Best dragon rider though." 

Odin, it was rough! I almost gave up on you! 

Stoick winced. He never realized how he sounded, but now hearing it from his son's perspective, it was horrible. 

Merida huffed. "I wouldn't mind shooting your dad with an arrow." 

Hiccup chuckled. "Just wait. You're gonna love him later." 

Merida and Astrid exchanged a nervous look over Hiccup's head. 

And all the while, you were holding out on me! OH, THOR ALMIGHTY! Ah. With you doing so well in the ring, we finally have something to talk about.

"Damn." Flynn winced. "That's depressing." 

"Yeah," Anna frowned. "My father and I didn't have much in common but I could always find something to talk to him about." 

"Yeah, being a viking is everything in Berk." Hiccup sighed. 

Stoick (cont.): Oh, I... brought you something. To keep you safe in the ring.

[Stoick holds up a Viking helmet and gives it to Hiccup]

Hiccup: [Sincerely] Wow. Thanks.

Stoick: Your mother would've wanted you to have it. It's half of her breast plate.

Stoick (cont.): Matching set. Keeps her close, y'know?

Stoick (cont.): Wear it proudly. You deserve it. You've held up your end of the deal.

Hiccup: I should really get to bed.

Hiccup and Stoick: Yes! Good! Okay. Good talk. See you back at the house. We should do this again. I'm great. Thanks for stopping by. Glad I stopped by, I hope you uh, like the hat. And for the... the breast hat.

Stoick: Well, uh... good night.

"Are you guys always this awkward?" Flynn asked. 

"Sometimes it's worse." Hiccup said with a shake of his head.

Chapter Text

Tuffnut thought it was weird that there was a whole movie about Hiccup. Not that it was wrong per say. 

Just…weird. 

A movie about Hiccup wouldn't be boring - mainly because he was a Viking and Vikings were cool no matter what they could or couldn't do. 

(Of course, a movie about Tuffnut and Ruffnut would be way cooler, but whatever) 

But it was weird because- well, Tuffnut didn't realize how much he didn't actually know about Hiccup. Now that he was forced to think about it, he couldn't actually remember having a conversation with him where he would actually talk back. 

So, Tuffnut realized that it wasn't exactly fair to say that Hiccup would be boring or a waste of space or annoying when Tuff couldn't actually think of anything past the bare minimum about him. 

Maybe he deserved a chance. 

And then when he turns out to be boring Tuffnut would be able to rest easy. 

[Scene cuts to at the Arena]

Astrid: Stay out of my way! I'm winning this thing.

Hiccup smiled. "Hate to disappoint M'lady, but it doesn't seem likely." 

Astrid, unbothered, simply smiled back. "Well, I'm not too worried about losing that one." 

Hiccup; Good. Please, by all means.

Viking: You got it Astrid!

Astrid: This time! This time, for sure! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

[Astrid sees the Gronckle on the ground, Hiccup standing beside it]

Astrid (cont.): NO! NO! SON OF HALF-TROLL, RAT-EATING MUNGE BUCKET!

Fred opened his mouth but Gogo shot him a look. 

"No." 

"But I-"

"No." 

"I just-" 

"No." 

Fred deflated and Wasabi patted his shoulder in sympathy. 

Stoick: Wait! Wait!

Hiccup: So, later.

Gobber: Not so fast!

Hiccup: I'm kinda late for--

Astrid: What?! Late for what, exactly?!

"Just late to fly with my dragon." Hiccup shrugged casually. "Don't even worry about it." 

Stoick: Okay, quiet down. The Elder has decided.

Gobber: You've done it! You've done it, Hiccup! You get to kill the dragon!

“Fuck.” Flynn cursed. 

“Yeah.” Hiccup nodded. “That about sums it up.” 

Stoick: Ha, ha! That's my boy!

Hiccup: [Sarcastically] Heh. Oh, yeah! Yes! I can't wait. I am so...

[Scene cuts to at the cove]

Hiccup: ...LEAVING! We're leaving. Let's pack up. Looks like you and me are taking a little vacation, forever. 

Astrid flinched. “You would’ve left?” 

Hiccup ducked his head but nodded. “Uh- yeah. Yeah I would’ve.” He looked back up at Astrid’s hurt and sad gaze and set his jaw. “I just- I had to keep him safe.”

Astrid looked down at Toothless, who was blowing playful smoke at Fred and Wasabi. 

“...Yeah. I get it.” She replied quietly. “Just- next time? Take me with you.” She looked back up with a small smile. “Someone has to make sure you two don’t get into trouble.” 

Hiccup flushed and smiled. “Yeah.” 

Then Jack cut in with a grin. “Hey, here’s to hoping there is no next time.”

“Here’s to hoping.” Hiccup said weakly. 

“He was going to...leave.” Stoick blinked. “As in, leave forever.” 

“Aye, I heard.” Gobber swallowed. “I can’t believe it. He almost-Stoick, you almost lost your son . We almost lost your son.” 

Stoick flinched. “Gobber, I have to-" He paused, swallowing thickly. "I- I need to tell you something.” 

Gobber shifted closer, dread tightening his gut. "I'm listenin' Stoick." 

"I made a mistake." Stoick bit down on his bottom lip harshly. "A huge one. I- I disowned-" Stoick cut himself off, unable to even finish his sentence but Gobber heard him loud and clear. 

Gobber's eyes widened in horror and he shifted back slightly. "You- Stoick-" 

Stoick placed his head in his hands. "I know, I know."  

Ruffnut and Tuffnut, who were silently eavesdropping looked at each other in shock. They could hardly imagine that happening to them. 

Maybe- 

Maybe they were wrong about Hiccup.

Ah, man... Aggh! What the-- What are you doing here?

Astrid: I want to know what's going on. No one just gets as good as you do. Especially you. Start talking! Are you training with someone?

Hiccup: Uh... training?

Astrid: It better not involve this!

Hiccup: I know this looks really bad, but you see...this is, uh... You're right! You're right! You're right. I'm through with the lies. I've been making... outfits. 

"Oh my god." Anna giggled. "I can't believe you actually said that!" 

"What can I say," Hiccup laughed. "I'm just such a talented liar." 

"Um. No." Flynn said shaking his head. "No you aren't." 

So, you got me. It's time everyone knew. Drag me back. Go ahead. Here we go.

[Astrid bends his arm backward, making an audible cracking noise, forcing him to the ground.]

"Hey! What the hell!" Jack snapped. 

Astrid flinched, turning a sheepish gaze onto Hiccup. "Hiccup-" 

Hiccup cut her off with a grin. "Don't apologize Astrid. I know you're sorry." 

But Astrid shook her head. "No, that doesn't mean I shouldn't say sorry. I shouldn't have hurt you like that. It was wrong and I'm really sorry." 

Jack and Merida, who had tensed a bit, relaxed. 

Hiccup (cont.): OW! Why would you DO that?!

Astrid: That's for the lies.

[Astrid drops her axe handle on his gut]

"Oof." Hiro winced, rubbing his middle. "That can't feel good." 

"Ah, trust me." Hiccup said with a dry smile. "It doesn't." 

Astrid (cont.): And THAT'S for everything else.

Hiccup: [In pain] Oh, man.

[Toothless comes from behind a rock, growling]

Astrid: Get down! RUN! RUN!

Hiccup: NO! No. It's okay! It's okay... she's a friend. It's okay. You just scared him.

Astrid: I scared him?! Who is "him"?

Hiccup: Astrid, Toothless. Toothless, Astrid.

[Astrid runs away, threatening to expose them]

Hiccup: Da, da-da! We're dead!

[Toothless leaves]

"He just walks away." Gogo chuckled. "I would too." 

Hiccup (cont.): Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Where do you think you're going?!

[Astrid's running through the forest, Toothless suddenly swoops down and picks her up]

Astrid: AH! Oh, Great Odin's ghost! Oh, this is it!

[Toothless deposits her in a pine tree]

Astrid (cont.): Hiccup, get me down from here!

Hiccup: You have to give me a chance to explain.

Astrid: I am not listening to ANYTHING you have to say!

Hiccup: Then I won't speak. Just let me show you. Please, Astrid.

Astrid: Now, get me down.

Hiccup: Toothless, down. Gently. See? Nothing to be afraid of.

"Uh oh." Hico winced. "That look does not feel comforting." 

"Trust me." Hiccup laughed. "It isn't." 

[Toothless blasts off the tree, Astrid sliding off his back]

Hiccup (cont.): WHOA!! TOOTHLESS! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! BAD DRAGON! He's not usually like this. Oh, no...Toothless, what are you doing?! We need her to like us. And now the spinning. Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile.

"Okay, now that I'm thinking about it and I'm not scared that I'm gonna die, that was really fun." Astrid smiled. 

Toothless crooned happily and Hiccup smiled. "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it...even if you were scared for your life." 

Astrid: Okay! I am sorry! I'm sorry! Just get me off of this thing!

[Toothless slows down and glides above the clouds slowly]

"Aw," Honey Lemon cooed. "All he wanted was an apology." 

"What a beautiful creature." North hummed. "You don't see dragons like that around much anymore." 

"Hardly ever." Bunny nodded. 

Astrid (cont.): Alright, I admit it. This is pretty cool. It's... amazing. He's amazing. So what now? Hiccup, your final exam is tomorrow. You know you're going to have to kill a... [Whispers to Hiccup so Toothless doesn't hear] kill a dragon.

Hiccup: Don't remind me.

[Toothless suddenly dodges]

Hiccup (cont.): Toothless, what's happening? Whoa, what is it?

"Shit." Flynn cursed. 

[They find themselves in a middle of a flock of dragons. They are carrying food en masse toward the island.]

Hiccup (cont.): Get down!

Astrid: What's going on?

Hiccup: I don't know. Toothless. You've got to get us out of here, bud.

[Toothless ignores them]

Hiccup (cont.): It looks like they're hauling in their kill.

Astrid: Uh, what does that make us?

Hiccup: What my dad wouldn't give to find this.

[They approach the Dragon's Nest in a Volcano. Swarms of dragons throw their offerings into the lava below.]

"The nest ." Stoick gasped, leaning forward to catch a glimpse. His son went in there. His son rode on the back of a dragon into the dragon's nest. 

"What- they're just dumping all the food away?" Snotlout questioned. "Then what's the point of-"

Hiccup: [Sarcastically] It's satisfying to know that all of our food has been dumped down a hole.

Astrid: They're not eating any of it.

[A Gronckle delivers only a single tiny fish. A roar is heard from below and the Gronckle squeals in terror as something big seizes it]

Astrid: What... is that?

[A colossal dragon emerges from the lava pit and eats the Gronckle alive. All the other dragons cower in terror before the giant creature.]

"What-" 

"Oh my Gods-"

"The dragon-"

"-could eat the whole village-"

"What are we gonna do-" 

"Stoick, how are we going to fight that?" Gobber whispered harshly. "Our plans- they're for a large amount of dragons not- not a-" 

"A single large dragon." Stoick said quietly, horrified. "This- this is what Hiccup was trying to tell me. That we couldn't fight it. That we'd lose." 

"May-maybe we shouldn't." Gobber winced. "I know we're Vikings but-" 

"Gobber, I disowned my son because of this." He whispered lowly. "He was trying to warn me and I-" 

Gobber watched as Stoick placed his head in his hands. "Stoick, I know. I know. You made a mistake. You're human. Now the only thing left to do is to make it up to him. To apologize and hope he forgives you." 

Stoick lifted his head and nodded. "Aye, you're right." 

Gobber nodded. "I always am." 

Snotlout, overhearing, couldn't help but feel bad for Hiccup. He may have been a bad Viking, and he may not have been able to swing an axe or spar but no one- no one deserved that treatment from their father. He'd know. 

"Um. Hic, what type of dragon is that ?" Jack asked. 

"I don't know." He sighed. "And I don't know how my father- Stoick- will fight it." 

Toothless growled at the screen and Hiccup gently trailed a hand down his side to calm him.

Hiccup: Alright, buddy, we gotta get out of here. Now!

[Toothless escapes and all the dragons flee. The Red Death lunges at Toothless but grabs a Zippleback instead. Toothless and his riders fly off to a beach and land.]

Astrid: No, it totally makes sense. It's like a giant beehive. They're the workers, and that's their queen. It controls them. Let's find your Dad.

Hiccup: No, no! Not yet. They'll... kill Toothless. Astrid, we have to think this through carefully.

Astrid: Hiccup, we just discovered the Dragons' Nest. The thing we've been after since Vikings first sailed here. And you want to keep it a secret?! To protect your pet dragon?! Are you serious?!

"Always." Hiccup promised. 

Hiccup: Yes.

Astrid: Okay. Then what do we do?

Hiccup: Just give me until tomorrow. I'll figure something out.

Astrid: Okay.

Astrid (cont.): [punches him] That's for kidnapping me.

Astrid (cont.): [kisses him] That's for... everything else.

Merida raised an eyebrow at the two and they both flushed red. 

Snotlout sighed heavily but shrugged it off. 

Hiccup: What are you looking at?

Chapter Text

Stoick stood and made his way towards his son. The rest of the Vikings and everyone who had been whispering harshly to one another instantly quieted. The group of teens, who had been intently listening as Hiccup quietly talked through some ideas to deal with the beast of a dragon, all looked up in various stages of shock. The Night Fury’s green eyes widened, and he wasted no time in snarling at Stoick, but he wasn’t afraid.  

Hiccup, with wide eyes and a calming hand on the night fury’s snout, spoke. “D- Stoick?”  

Going by the way the other teen’s faces darkened, Stoick wasn’t the only one to hear the way his son’s voice wavered.  

“Aye, can we- can we talk?" He paused. "Alone?”  

Hiccup's eyes flickered to Astrid, who was watching them both with an intense frown. When Hiccup met eyes, her gaze instantly softened, and she even offered him a small smile. With that, Hiccup seemed to bolster, and he straightened. "Yes." Stoick sighed in relief, something in his gut going soft. “But Toothless comes too.” 

Stoick blinked. He wanted to protest but- Hiccup was a stubborn lad. And, if Stoick had to be honest, the dragon seemed to have formed some sort of wild connection with his son.  

 The white-haired teen shot an encouraging smile at Hiccup while the red- and golden-haired lasses fixed even glares on Stoick. They seemed to promise retribution if anything went wrong. Well, it was nothing compare to what Stoick would do if he messed it up-  

Again.   

The moon spirit seemed to appear out of nowhere and she gestured towards a doorway that Stoick was sure wasn’t there before. “You guys can talk in there. Don’t worry, you won’t miss anything while you’re gone.”  

… 

Stoick’s parents taught him the Viking way; honor, courage, truth, fidelity, discipline, hospitality, self-reliance, industriousness, and perseverance. And in turn, Stoick raised Hiccup with these beliefs.  

But there was always one core value that his  móðir  thought was important for him to know: humility.  

He learned to be proud, but to always know when to admit his own wrong doings. He learned to stand by his truths, but never let his own cloudy judgement stop him from seeing another person’s truth. He learned to persevere, but to never push so hard and so much that he hurt the people that he loved.  

And, in his haste to realize the Viking dream that they’ve been chasing for years, he hurt his son, the person he loves the most.  

Stoick watched as the Night Fury brushed up against Hiccup’s side like a giant cat, while keeping its deadly green eyes narrowed on him. While all Stoick’s instincts were screaming for a weapon or a shield, Hiccup seemed  calmed  by the beast’s presence.  

A wild connection.  

“Dad, I-”  

“Hiccup, you-”  

They both blinked at each other for a moment before Hiccup’s gaze immediately fell back to the floor. “Sorry.” He whispered. He shifted a bit and took a breath. “I shouldn’t have said that I- that I wasn’t one of you. I want so badly to be, but-”  

He paused, and Stoick could see him searching for an answer. And there were so many-  

But I’m not as fearsome as the rest of you- I'm not the heir that people expect- I can’t kill dragons-  

Stoick’s heart hurt. He wanted so badly to bridge this gap between the two of them, but he had no idea where to start. His eyes once again found the dragon’s and Stoick sighed.  

“He’s beautiful.”  

Hiccup looked up in confusion. “What?”  

Stoick nodded to the Night Fury. “The Night Fury- uh- Toothless?”  

Hiccup blinked down at Toothless owlishly and Toothless blinked back, as if they both couldn’t believe what they were hearing.  

“Oh- yeah, I mean, I guess.”  

Toothless snorted and bumped Hiccup’s side and Hiccup playfully swatted at the dragon’s head. “You’re all  right-  don’t go getting a big head now.”  

Stoick smiled, surprised to see such an ease between the two. It was like looking at a new person. Hiccup seemed happier, in every sense of the word. Something about the realization made Stoick sad and grateful at the same time.  

He wished he could’ve been a part of it. He wished he could’ve been there. 

“I didn’t get to really see it before.” Stoick continued. “His beauty. I was- well, my judgement was clouded.”  

“Well, you did cover him in chains.” Hiccup said, giving him a sideways glance and frowning. “So, you really couldn’t see him at  all .”  

Stoick winced, he deserved that. “Yes, I’m-” Then he paused and decidedly locked eyes with Toothless. “I’m sorry.”  

Hiccup inhaled sharply, but Stoick only had eyes for the dragon, who was now watching Stoick with a wary curiosity. “I shouldn’t have been so harsh with you the way I was. I should have listened to Hiccup and tried to understand where he was coming from. I shouldn’t have been so rash and harsh.” Then, he looked up to Hiccup, who’s eyes were as big as saucers. “I should have listened to you when you were trying to tell me that you didn’t  want  to fight dragons and I should have listened to you when you were trying to keep your dragon and your village  safe .”  

Hiccup inhaled shakily. “Dad-”  

But Stoick wasn’t done. He looked down, away from his son’s bright green eyes and with shame burning his his chest and tears pricking at his eyes, he continued.  

“I should not have disowned you. I should have heard you out because no matter what, you’re  my  son.”  Stoick  looked up to see Hiccup watching him with tears sliding down his cheeks. “Hiccup, I  love  you and I am so, so  proud  of you. No matter what. And I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you that before. I’m sorry that it’s taken me so long to realize what I should have already known.”  

Stoick swallowed and blinked away the tears that were blurring his vision. They stood there, staring at each other for a second before Hiccup sniffled and rushed forward. Stoick didn’t hesitate to pull his son into a hug, whispering little I’m sorrys into his hair the whole time.  

It’s been so long since Stoick’s held his son and that realization alone only brought more tears.  

Hiccup didn’t speak but he nodded, squeezing Stoick as best as he could.  

And Stoick is proud to say that he didn’t startle when Toothless affectionately brushed up against his leg with a quiet worried croon.  

Hiccup pulled away, a watery smile on his face. “It’s alright bud. It’s okay. They’re happy tears.”  

“Aye, everything’s finally okay.” Stoick nodded to the dragon. He still felt a bit out of place for talking to a dragon, but Hiccup smiled at him, something so wide and open that Stoick couldn’t help but return it.  

Toothless warbled and knocked against Hiccup’s knee. Hiccup’s smile dimmed and he seemed to droop.  

“Well, not  everything.”   

Ah. Right. The Red Death.  

…  

Hiccup came out of the doorway with fresh tear tracks on his face and a worried frown, but he looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He was talking with his dad quietly while Toothless trailed behind them both curiously.  

“What do you think they’re going to do?” Flynn asked quietly, watching them as they made their way over to the other Vikings. 

“I have no clue, but that dragon was huge.” Rapunzel worried. “I can’t imagine that Hiccup would be able to win it’s trust like he did with Toothless.” 

“Let’s hope he doesn’t try.” Merida frowned. “Not that I don’t think it could work, just that I’d hate to see what would happen if it didn’t.”  

“Well, I wouldn’t be opposed to zapping it with some ice.” Jack shrugged.  

“That could work,” Hiro said slowly, thinking as he went. “But- I think fire would be more useful.”  

“Fire?” Flynn questioned, “It’s a dragon, it’s fireproof.”  

“That’s true, but if we look at it from a different angle, fire could definitely kill a dragon.”  

“How?” Kristoff asked. 

“Wait.” Anna frowned. “From the inside? Earlier, the tiny dragon got blasted on the inside and-”  

Hiro nodded excitedly and Anna grinned. “Oh my God, from the inside!” Flynn repeated. 

“That could totally work.” Jack said, bumping Hiro excitedly. “He would just need to convince the other Vikings that dragons aren’t what they seem and-”  

There was a pause.  

“Hiccup has to fight in the dragon ring.” Rapunzel pointed out softly. Flynn’s smile dropped and Rapunzel immediately took his hand to comfort him. “How would he convince them from there?”  

“Train the dragon right in front of them.” Merida said firmly, as if she didn’t even have a doubt. “He could. There’s no question.” 

“Then it’s perfect!” Anna cheered and the others smiled along, excited that their friends wouldn’t have to face down a gigantic dragon without a plan.  

Astrid decided not to tell them that Hiccup already tried that and it didn’t work. She couldn't stand to take away their excitement when they just got it.  

 Luna tapped Astrid on the shoulder. She leaned down, her silver hair shimmering slightly. “You can do what you were planning to do while they’re talking.”  

Merida frowned. “What are you planning? “She asked.  

Astrid grinned, although it looked more like a baring of teeth more than anything.  

“Oh, I’m just gonna have a little  talk  with a certain Viking. “  

… 

Snotlout was extremely confused. 

Apparently, Hiccup was more useful than he originally thought. Well, he was actually  remarkable  if Snotlout was being honest with himself.  

He was the first Viking to ride a Night Fury- actually, the first Viking to ride a  dragon.  Full stop. 

Maybe he was wrong about his cousin. Maybe he should apologize.  

Snotlout watched as Hiccup, Gobber and Stoick talked quietly, making plan on what to do with the Red Death and the rest of the dragons. He remembered the way Hiccup looked in the ring, tiny and weak but steady- in fact, he had looked steadier than Snotlout could ever remember seeing him.  

Hiccup was strong. Stronger than Snotlout might ever be. No amount of dragon fighting could ever help him measure up, but maybe apologizing could be a good start.  

His father leaned over and nodded to Hiccup, who seemed to be explaining something to his father very intently.  

“It should be you over there.” He grumbled.  

That familiar shame bubbled in Snotlout’s gut but instead of the usually wash of anger towards Hiccup for taking a spot that should be his, he just felt resigned.  

“No, I don’t think it should.” He said quietly.  

His father blinked at him in shock but before he could reply, Astrid called his name. He looked up to see her jerk her head in a  ‘follow me’  motion.  

… 

Anna nudged him once before leaning forward towards Jack.  

Kristoff was beginning to realize that Anna didn’t wait to make sure he was on the same page before expecting him to go along with her. So all he could do was follow her lead and be ready to pick up where she left off.  

“So, Jack,” she started, her eyes wide and curious. “You have snow powers?”  

Jack nodded. “Well, not just snow, I can do ice, snowflakes, ice blasts, frost, snowballs- all that.”  

“Really?” Kristoff questioned excitedly. Having people who could create ice from thin air around would make his life a million times easier- well, taking the current state of Arendelle out of the equation.  

“Yeah.” Jack nodded, he seemed excited to have someone to explain it to. As if he never has before.  “It’s pretty  cool.”  

Anna snorted and Flynn, who had been half listening, leaned over with a frown. “Frost, genuinely never do that ever again.”  

“I can’t help that you’re a hater.” Jack shot back immediately. “I have plenty more where that came from. Like- hey Anna, what do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire?”  

“Oh, I don’t know, what?”  

“Frost bite!”   

Kristoff sniggered and Flynn groaned.  

Jack’s smile widened. “Aw, come on Flynn, don’t give me the  cold  shoulder.”  

“Jack-”  

Anna bounced once. “Oh wow, these puns are  snow  laughing matter!” She exclaimed and Flynn turned betrayed eyes on her.  

“Not you too-” He looked to Kristoff with a pleading look on his face. “Come on Kris, I’ve got to have someone on my side here.”  

Kristoff took one look at Jack’s beaming smile and Anna’s heart-clenchingly adorable expression and grinned.  

“I’m sorry Flynn, I guess we’re all walking in a  winter  punderland .”   

Flynn groaned so loud that Kristoff was sure that Hiccup could hear it all the way on the other side of the room.  

… 

Something seemed off about Snotlout when Astrid led him to the room that Luna showed her for her ‘I need to blow off steam’ axe throwing earlier. Usually he’d be talking her ear off by now, making all kinds of jokes and half-hearted passes at her, but he seemed quiet, subdued.  

He didn’t even ask where they were going.  

Maybe the sight of the Red Death scared him, not that Astrid could blame him- seeing it in person was terrifying.  

“Alright, we need to talk.” She started once they were in the room.  

Snotlout raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Finally realized how much we belong together?”  

Astrid faltered; her train of thought derailed. “Wha- no.  No.  That is not what I called you in here for.”  

Snotlout kept his eyebrow raised and it made Astrid want to punch him in the face.  

She inhaled deeply. “Snotlout. Listen to me carefully. I do not like you and do not want to be in a relationship with you. There is nothing you can say or do that could make me change my mind. And if- for some Gods forsaken reason- I decide that I do have feelings for you, it will be on my terms, not because you couldn’t understand that no means no.”  

Snotlout blinked.  

Astrid could literally see him process her words and felt relief flood her when he looked disappointed but understanding.  

“Okay. That’s- well, that’s fair I guess.” Then he smiled and leaned closer. “So... you like Hiccup huh?”  

Astrid was moving before he even finished his question. Within a split second, Snotlout was pressed against the wall with Astrid’s hands against his chest.  

“Don’t you dare even speak his name.” She snarled.  

Snotlout gasped, his mussels rippling with fear. “Astrid, wha-”  

“Do you even realize what you’ve done to him? What  we’ve  done to him?” She hissed, feeling white-hot choking fury turn to angry tears in an instant. At Snotlout’s speechless and confused look Astrid let him go and stepped back. She turned away to hide her tears but Snotlout gently grabbed her elbow.  

“What’s wrong with him? What’s happened?”  

Astrid brushed her stray tears away and yanked her elbow from his grasp. “What? You mean you don’t remember?” And of course, Snotlout still had that clueless look on his face. She laughed humorlessly. “Hiccup hunting? You guys’ fun little game?”  

Snotlout blinked rapidly, looking as if it was all coming back to him now.  

“Yeah.” Astrid spat. “Your ‘game’ wasn’t fun for everyone Snotlout.”  

“I- I didn’t-”  

“What?” She snapped, back to feeling that white-hot anger. “You didn’t do it? It wasn’t you? Who else would it be?”  

“No.” Snotlout said firmly. “That isn’t what I was going to say. I-” he paused, looking shameful. “It was me. I did that. I- I hated him. I was horrible to him.”  

Astrid’s anger died down in shock. The last thing she expected was for him to admit that he was wrong. She figured that she’d have to shake it out of him.  

He sunk down to the ground and pulled his knees up to his chest. Astrid sighed, all the anger leaving her in one fell swoop.  

“Snot-”  

“My dad has always been telling me that I’m the one who deserves to be up there. That I’m the rightful heir. That Hiccup- that Hiccup couldn’t measure up.”  

Astrid sat down next to him. “Snotlout, that’s not an excuse.” She said firmly.  

“I know that. I know that Astrid.” He nodded. “He wasn’t the one to tell me to chase him around with the twins. He wasn’t the one to tell me to insult him at everything he did. He wasn’t the one who told me to terrorize him. I did that all on my own.”  

Astrid nodded, unsure of where to go from here.  

They were quiet for a moment before Astrid shifted a little.  

“I thought I hated him too.” Astrid admitted. Snotlout looked up at her, shocked at the admission. “During dragon training, when everyone was fawning over him. I thought that he didn’t deserve all the attention, that I had been training my whole life for this and he just stumbled into it by chance.”  

“But he hadn’t.” Snotlout said.  

“Yeah,” she sighed. “I couldn’t fathom that he had been learning just as quick as I was. And he had learning much more useful information. And if I'm being honest, now that I think about it, I wasn’t  really  mad at him. I was mad at myself.”  

Snotlout frowned.  

“You aren’t really mad at Hiccup.” She offered. “It’s not his fault that Stoick is his father. So, if you aren’t mad at Hiccup, then who  are  you mad at?”  

“Right now, I’m mad at myself, for not realizing and for all the stuff I did.” Astrid nodded. That was a given. “Back then, I could have been mad at myself too, maybe at Stoick.”  

“But not really.”  

“No,” Snotlout agreed. “Not Stoick.”  

“Then who?” Astrid pushed, seeing that he wasn't going to admit it himself. “Me?”  

“No!”  

“Fishlegs?”  

“What? No!”  

“Then who Snotlout?” She huffed. “Who were you mad at?”  

“My dad!” Snotlout snapped, rushing to his feet, an angry snarl curled on his lips. “I’m mad at my dad! He’s always pushing me to train harder and be better as if that’s going to stop Stoick from choosing Hiccup! He’s always insulting Hiccup and then insulting me and sometimes he even insults you and he’s just-”  

Snotlout came rearing to a stop and sighed exhaustedly. “I was mad at my dad and-and I hurt my cousin because of it.”  

Astrid stood slowly, watching Snotlout’s hands tremble. She took a step closer, thinking  what would Hiccup do , before decidedly placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.  

“How could he ever forgive me?” He asked, his voice shaking. “I mean, I- I wouldn’t even forgive me.”  

Astrid tilted her head, thinking of the way Hiccup easily shrugged off all the times she wronged him and graced her with a smile as if he’d forgotten about it all.  

“He’s...he’s a pretty forgiving person.” She admitted. “If it were me, I wouldn’t forgive you. But he’s incredible. In every sense of the word.”  

“Yeah, I’m starting to realize that.” Snotlout chuckled weakly.  

Astrid grinned before grabbing the collar of his shirt. “But just because he forgives you doesn’t mean I do. And Gods help me, if you so much as look at him the wrong way, I will make sure to feed you to a Gronkle- and I’m sure Hiccup’s new friends wouldn’t mind helping me out.”  

Snotlout nodded fearfully and Astrid let go of him with a smirk. She walked out before calling over her shoulder, ‘I’d get started on an apology if I were you!”  

… 

Hiccup just about felt dizzy with relief. There was so much happening that his brain almost couldn't keep up.  His dad- well, his dad was his dad again and agreed to actually give Toothless and dragons a chance. He agreed to  listen  to him and hear him out on things he didn't immediately agree with.  

After telling his dad and Gobber just about everything he observed with dragons that could be considered useful, he took a step back, grateful that he wasn't expected to have a plan for everything.   

He was also comforted by his father's warm proud smile. 

Toothless made a sound at his side  

Alright?   

“I'm okay bud. I’m alright.” He reassured. “I feel great actually. “ 

“Um- Hiccup, can I ask you a question?”  

Hiccup turned to see Fishlegs and the twins standing there.  

“Yeah?”  

“Well, I mean, feel free to say no- like if you don’t want to- I just-”  

Tuffnut rolled his eyes and gently shoved Fishlegs aside. “He wants to see your dragon.”  

“ We  want to see your dragon.” Ruffnut cut in.  

“Please.” Fishlegs added with a strained smile.  

“You guys want to see him?” Hiccup asked, feeling Toothless peek out from behind him.  

“Well yeah, he’s a Night Fury!” Fishlegs exclaimed. “Why wouldn’t we?”  

“I figured you’d be- I don’t know- scared.”  

“Of course, we are.” Ruffnut said with an eye roll as if Hiccup should already know this. “That’s what makes it so awesome.”  

“Ah.” And before Hiccup could even step aside, Toothless curiously sniffed at Fishlegs. Fishlegs eyes got wide and his jaw practically dropped.   

“Woah, I mean, I've seen him on the moving pictures and a bit in the kill ring but-" 

“He's so much cooler in person!” Tuffnut exclaimed, kneeling down to get a closer look at his teeth. “Wow. These could kill me, isn't that cool Ruff?” 

“More than you'll know.” She scoffed. “Hiccup, you have to teach us everything you know about dragons. How do I get one that follows me around and torches anything that I ask it to?” 

“Uh, that's not really-"  

“No way, Hiccup, I want the coolest dragon! You can't give it to her!” 

“I wasn't going to-"  

“Hiccup,” Fishlegs cut it, “how many shots can he fire off? Have you tested it? Would you want to? I could help!” 

“I don't think I-" 

“Tuff, you can't have the coolest dragon because I'm going to be riding it-" 

“Technically, a Night Fury is the coolest dragon so neither of you will have it.” Hiccup said loudly. “and no, Fish, I haven't tested Toothless’ shot limit yet- the cove is too close to Berk to do any off that.” When all three of them looked like they wanted to say something, Hiccup turned his head.  “Oh, would you look at that, I think my dad is calling me-be right back!”  

Hiccup turned, motioning for Toothless to follow him. Luckily, it didn't take much to lose them out the crowd and Hiccup was pretty sure that his dad was actually looking for him. Don't get him wrong, he was grateful that they were excited about dragons but it was a lot for hiccup to watch them go from complete hatred and the mindset that they should kill on sight, to admiration.   

For both him and the dragons.   

“Hiccup, there you are.” Stoick nodded, clapping a hand onto his shoulder.  Luna was standing there,  an encouraging smile on her face and Gobber too, looking nervous but hiding well enough. “We've decided what to do about the dragons and-" Stoick paused, looking a bit apprehensive, “we were hoping that you'd be willing to explain to the village what you were trying to tell us all along about the dragons.” 

“Really? I mean- you want  me ?”  

Something in Stoick's expression looked pained but Hiccup couldn't place exactly what it was.   

“Of course, son. Of course, we want you-I want you. I’m so proud of what you’ve learned and accomplished; there's no one else I'd want to help me do this.”  

Wow. “O-okay.”  

“Are you up for the task?” Gobber asked, his grin growing.   

Hiccup took a breath. “Are you kidding?” He gestured to himself. “With all this? How could I not be?” 

… 

“Alright everyone, settle down and take a seat. Chief Stoick and his son have a few things they want to explain to the Berkians.” Luna announced.  

Stoick cleared his throat before beginning. “Alright, so we've all seen the threat that we're up against. And, I'm sure we're all aware that as Vikings, we never shrink away from a battle, no matter what the odds look like.”  

There was a proud cry and Stoick smiled.  

“Aye. I'm glad to hear that. This threat is the biggest thing we've faced yet and it may look bleak but we have a secret advantage. My son has been to the nest and has been learning dragon secrets that can help us.”  

Stoick stepped aside and motioned for Hiccup to take his place.  Hiccup took another deep breath and stepped forward.   

“Um, yes. I have been learning about dragons and what we originally thought about them simply isn't true. They aren't mindless killers, they’re intelligent, loyal, loving creatures. If we give them a chance, we can learn much more from them then we think.” Hiccup said confidently. “Earning the trust of these amazing creatures can set you up for a lifelong bond more fulfilling than killing them.” 

Everyone was quiet and completely enthralled while watching Hiccup. They've never seen him so confident and sure of himself. In the crowd, Astrid was smiling proudly. 

Stoick gave Hiccup a tiny nod, urging him to continue.  

“Ultimately, we've decided to continue watching the moving pictures to learn all that we can before going out, facing and defeating the Red Death. “  

Being faced with his village’s cheers at something he said was almost as good as the rush he got when flying with Toothless.  

Almost .  

Chapter Text

Even watching Hiccup speak to the tribe in the way Stoick always knew he could didn't manage to help him shake the rising shame and fear of watching himself on screen as he addressed his son. Stoick could safely say that this was the moment he was most ashamed of in his life- his priorities were completely skewed, and he almost destroyed the greatest bond he ever had.  

Hiccup seemed to notice his strife, no matter how well Stoick tried to hide it.  

“Dad, why don’t you come and sit with me and Toothless?” He offered softly. “You can meet my new friends and we could watch the movie together?”  

Stoick almost declined- the thought of looking his son in the face while the greatest mistake of his life played out on screen felt like some form of twisted nightmare- but then saw the way Hiccup's smile strained, the way that Toothless kept shooting little worried glances at him, the way Hiccups eyes seemed to be pleading.  

If it was hard for Stoick to watch it, it had to be even worse for Hiccup.  

His son was reaching out for him, asking for his support, asking if they could lean on each other, how could he saw no?  

“Of course, son.” He replied, pushing forth a smile and pretending not to hear the relieved sigh. “I heard your friends are pretty interesting.”  

“Oh yeah,” Hiccup chuckled, “they're interesting alright.”  

… 

“Guys this is my dad. Dad, this is Merida, Jack, Flynn, Rapunzel, Anna, Kristoff, Hiro, Honey Lemon, Wasabi, Fred, Gogo and Baymax.”  

“You, my sir, have an extremely awesome beard.” Fred complimented.  

Stoick raised his eyebrows. “And you have an interesting suit.”  

“Why thank you!”  

“Mr. The vast?” Anna called, “Is it true that Vikings can tame seas and put out fires with their bare hands?”  

“Well, I certainly believe it to be true.”  

“That’s great. What do you think a Viking could do with an eternal winter brought by a mystical magical force?”  

“Uh-”  

Astrid hurried over, pressing a brief kiss to Hiccup’s cheek. Stoick’s eyebrows raised even higher.  

“That was amazing Hiccup.” She beamed.  

“Yeah, you looked like a chief up there!” Rapunzel said, nudging Hiccup slightly.  

Hiccup flushed red, cutting a nervous look to his dad. “Ah, no I couldn’t-”  

“She’s right son, you did.” Stoick said confidently, as if he didn’t have a single doubt as to Hiccup’s potential. 

Hiccup’s eyes widened and he ducked his head to hide his pleased smile.  

[Scene cuts to at the Arena]  

Stoick winced at the sight of him on screen. His words here- they were horrible. At the time they seemed funny but  now -  

Stoick: Well, I can show my face in public again! If someone had told me that in just few short weeks, Hiccup would go from being, well... Hiccup, to placing first in Dragon Training... Well, I would've tied him to a mast and shipped him off for fear he'd gone mad.  

Merida, the only one not to smile at Stoick’s arrival, crossed her arms over her chest. “Was that supposed to be funny?”  

Stoick stuttered slightly but Hiccup cut in to save him.  

“I mean, it was a little funny.” He shrugged. “You’ve got to be able to laugh at yourself you know?”  

Merida raised an eyebrow at him. “Yeah, laugh at yourself, not have other people laugh at you.”  

Neither Hiccup nor Stoick had anything to say to that.  

Yes! And you know it! But here we are. And no one's more surprised...or more proud than I am. Today, my boy becomes a Viking. TODAY, HE BECOMES ONE OF US!  

Astrid: Be careful with that dragon.  

Hiccup: (Glances at  Stoick ) It's not the dragon I'm worried about.  

Astrid: What are you  gonna  do?  

Hiccup: Put an end to this.   

“He’s going to train the dragon in front of them all!” Anna cheered.  

“I knew it.” Merida smirked. “This’ll be so easy.”  

[She eyes him, dubious.]  

Hiccup (cont.): I have to try. Astrid, if something goes wrong... just make sure they don't find Toothless.  

Astrid: I will. Just... promise me it won't go wrong.  

Astrid shifted so that her arm was pressed against Hiccup’s.  

“It better not go wrong.” Flynn threatened lightly. “I swear, I’m going to get grey hairs worrying about you Hic.”  

Hiccup chuckled nervously. He didn’t want to give it away, but he had a feeling that Flynn was going to be doing a lot of worrying in the next couple of minutes.  

Weirdly, it was sort of nice to be worried about. 

Gobber : It's time, Hiccup. Knock him dead.  

Tuffnut : Show ' em  how it's done, my man!  

[Hiccup enters the Arena and picks a dagger from the weapons stand]  

Stoick :  Hrmph . I would've gone for the hammer.  

Hiccup: I'm ready.  

[They release the Monstrous Nightmare. Hiccup approaches the Nightmare slowly, raising his hand like how he did to Toothless]  

Stoick : What is he doing?  

Hiccup: It's okay. It's okay. [throws helmet onto floor] I'm not one of them.  

Stoick and Hiccup flinch.  

Stoick : Stop the fight.  

Hiccup: No! I need you all to see this. They're not what we think they are. We don't have to kill them.  

Stoick : I SAID STOP THE FIGHT! [slams hammer against the Arena railings, agitating the Nightmare] Out of my way!  

Stoick jolted. He hadn’t realized- it was entirely his fault-  

“No,” Hiro gasped, “no, it was all going perfectly!”  

[Frightened, the Nightmare attacks]  

“Oh my God.” Flynn whines. Rapunzel curls a small hand around his bicep.  

Hiccup feels Astrid tense next to him and immediately, without thinking, goes to grab her hand. And then after a moment reaches for his father's hand.  

A small  ‘I’m still here',  ‘ I’m not hurt'.   

Toothless croons at the sight of his rider in so much fear on screen and moves so that his head is halfway in his lap. Hiccup, with no more hands left, looks down at his dragon painfully but Jack swiftly places his cold hands on the dragon’s scales in comfort.  

Hiccup shoots him a warm smile, but Jack was too busy watching the screen to see it. 

Astrid: Hiccup! HICCUP! [enters the ring]  

“You shouldn’t have-"  

“Hiccup. You could’ve been killed. I’d do everything I could to stop that.” Astrid stated firmly, her gaze never leaving the screen. 

Hiccup blinked but once that settled, he squeezed her hand in thanks.  

[Meanwhile, at the cove, Toothless hears Hiccup's screams and races to the Arena]  

“ He heard you .” Honey Lemon gasped in shock. “He heard you and is coming to save you.” 

“Yes!” Fred cheered.  

“But wait, now all the Vikings will know about Toothless.” Honey Lemon gasped. “And they'll know that Hiccup's been-" 

“Training with a Night Fury.” Wasabi finished fretfully. 
 
“I cannot believe I couldn't see he was protecting you.” Stoick cursed. “How could I not have seen?” 

Stoick : This way!  

[Astrid escapes, but Hiccup is pinned under the Nightmare's claws. Suddenly, a resonating blast fires at the Arena's railing. Toothless jumps into the Arena. The smoke clears up, revealing the two dragons fighting]  

Gobber : Night Fury!  

Hiccup: Alright, Toothless, go. Get out of here!  

“Oh no, oh no.” Rapunzel chants nervously.  

“Why didn't you leave?” Hiccup mutters. “I would've been fine. It would've been just another failure for me- but I can't lose you bud.”  

Astrid, hearing him, rests her head on his shoulder.   “He knows you don’t deserve that.” She whispered softly. “Just the same way that I know it.”  

Hiccup sighed but pressed a kiss to her forehead in thanks.  

Vikings: Night Fury!  

Hiccup: Go! GO!  

Viking: Take it alive!  

“They're not killing him!” Hiro exclaimed gratefully.  

“Yeah, but who knows what they’re going to do with him.” Jack said lowly, patting at Toothless nervously.  

Astrid:  Stoick , no!  

Hiccup: No, Dad, he won't hurt you!  

Hiccup shuddered; the sight of his father pinned down by his best friend was something he never wanted to experience ever again.  

Hiccup (cont.): No, don't! You're only making it worse! Toothless, STOP!  

Hiccup (cont.): No! NOOOOO!  

Viking: Get him!  

Hiccup: No! Please, jus-- just don't hurt him! Please don't hurt him.  

Stoick : Put it with the others!  

Hiccup tensed and Astrid pressed closer, keeping her eyes locked on the screen.  

Just how bad was it?   

The rest of the Vikings watched in quiet shock, after seeing just how badly they messed up and learning how they were wrong about dragons, there was nothing to be done.  

Stoick : I should have known. I should have seen the signs.  

Hiccup: Dad--  

Stoick : We had a deal!  

Hiccup: I know we did... But that was before... Ugh, it's all so messed up!  

Stoick : So everything in the ring... A trick?! A lie?  

“No,” Gogo muttered, “it wasn’t ever a trick. He just learned something completely different. Everything he did was genuine.”  

Hiccup: I screwed up. I should have told you before now. Take this out on me, be mad at me, but please... just don't hurt Toothless.  

Toothless crooned softly and Hiccup smiled- albeit bitter sweetly. “I’ll always try to protect you bud. Always.”  

Stoick, hearing the utter devotion in his son’s voice couldn’t help but cringe in shame. 

Stoick : The dragon? That's what you're worried about? Not the people you almost killed?!  

Hiccup: He was just protecting me! He's not dangerous.  

Stoick : They've killed HUNDREDS OF US!  

Hiccup: AND WE'VE KILLED THOUSANDS OF THEM! They defend themselves, that's all! They raid us because they have to! If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves. There's something else on their island, Dad... it's a dragon like--  

Stoick : --Their island? So you've been to the nest.  

“No-” Rapunzel whimpered, tears building in her eyes. Flynn wrapped an arm around her shoulders, despite also feeling just as helpless as she did.  

Hiccup: Did I say nest?  

Stoick : How did you find it?!  

Hiccup: No... I didn't. Toothless did. Only a dragon can find the island.  

“Oh no Hic-” Flynn winced.  

Hiccup ducked his head at that. He really fucked up there. Gods, if only he’d kept his mouth shut, his dragon wouldn’t be-  

Toothless’ paw against Hiccup’s chest knocked him out of his thoughts.  

I’m here.  He crooned.  We’re together.   

Hiccup (cont.): Oh, no, no. Dad, no! Dad! It's not what you think! You don't know what you're up against! It's like nothing you've ever seen! Dad, please! I promise you that you can't win this one! No! Dad, no! FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME!  

Stoick : You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not a Viking. You're not my son.  

There was a pause.  

Everyone in the room was completely silent, stuck still in shock, unable to even think.  

Snotlout, of all people was the first to speak. He whispered a quiet- “Holy shit-”  

And suddenly Merida was moving, her face twisted in anger, she looked like a forest fire, ready to burn Stoick to the ground. Astrid stopped her, pulling away from Hiccup for just a second so the redhead wouldn’t maim her chief. Jack was the next to move, only a beat after Merida. The temperature seemed to drop and the icy blue glint in his eyes promised a frozen hail of pain but this time Hiccup- with tears blurring his vision slightly- stopped him.  

“J-jack, stop.” Hiccup weakly pushed Jack down back to his seat. “Stop.”  

Even though Hiccup knew that Toothless felt the anger down in his scales, he curled around Jack, simultaneously keeping him from hurting Stoick and himself from as well, if only at his rider’s wishes.  

“I can’t believe you’d disown your only son for this!” Rapunzel shouted; her face bright red. Flynn kept a hand on her elbow, holding her back despite the dark, angry look in his eyes that showed that he wouldn’t mind letting her lose.  

“Hiccup is kind and brave and smart and a million times better than any of you Vikings!” Anna growled. “If anything, he should disown you!”  

“If I had my bow-”  

“Oh, I wouldn’t need a bow-”  

“-Hiccup was right to want to leave-”  

Hiccup watched them all with wide eyes. It was nice to be protected- it was amazing honestly- but his dad.  

Stoick had his head bowed and silent tears streamed down his face, but he didn’t even bother to respond. It was as if he thought he deserved every word they aimed at him.  

Hiccup remembered his father’s earlier words: “ I should have heard you out because no matter what, you’re my son”  

“Guys, stop.” Hiccup said firmly. They all immediately quieted and looked at him, their eyes all softening. They were only this angry because they  cared-  it made Hiccup’s heart hurt. “I- I know you’re angry- trust me, I  know.  I felt it too, still do. I’m hurt and I feel betrayed and I’m upset. But- but we can’t hold on to these emotions because then we’ll never heal. He apologized and maybe it’s not enough for you, but I-” Hiccup paused and turned so he was looking at his father now. “It’s enough for me and I’m working to forgive him. So please, if not for him, stop for me?”  

Merida inhaled. She pulled away from Astrid stiffly and nodded. “I- I’m sorry Hiccup.” She apologized.  

Jack took a breath and the temperature seemed to warm again. “Me too.” 

Rapunzel frowned, but instead of apologizing she pulled Hiccup into a hug. Anna followed close behind with Hiro at her heels. Hiccup curled readily into the comfort.  

“I just want to say-” Stoick spoke up, his voice gravelly and hoarse. Merida, Jack and Flynn couldn’t stop themselves from shooting him a glare, but Stoick was speaking directly to Hiccup. “Disowning you was the most shameful moment of my life and the worst mistake I’ve ever made. I am willing to do whatever it takes to regain your trust. And I’m severely glad that you have friends like these in your life,  sonr .” 

Hiccup nodded, a small smile lighting his face.  

Stoick  (cont.): READY THE SHIPS!  

[Before walking to the docks,  Stoick  staggers back, realizing the mistake he just made.]  

“Oh Stoick.” Gobber sighed, shaking his head.  

Stoick : Set sail! We head for Helheim's Gate.  

Stoick  (cont.): (to a chained Toothless) Lead us home, Devil.  

“My humblest apologies, Toothless.” Stoick said solemnly and Toothless, still half curled around Jack, warbled.  

“He accepts your apology.” Hiccup translated. 

Astrid: It's a mess. You must feel horrible. You've lost everything. Your father, your tribe, your best friend…  

“Wait, this- we've never had this conversation.” Hiccup blinked.  

“Thank God,” Flynn chuckled. “You're amazing Astrid, but this is a terrible start to a comforting conversation.” 

“So, does that mean we're watching the future?” Hiro asked.  

“This must be what happens if everything plays out the same way.” Hiccup realized. “This could be our future.”  

“So if we watch this, we can learn what not to do and what to do.” Stoick mumbled, watching in renewed interest.  

Hiccup: Thank you for summing that up. Why couldn't I have killed that dragon when I found him in the woods? It would have been better for everyone.  

Astrid: Yep. The rest of us would have done it. So why didn't you?... Why didn't you?  

“Yeah, I’m still wondering-" Fishlegs sighed. Even though he loved learning about dragons, he knew that if he was in Hiccup's position he wouldn’t hesitate. Maybe that made him a bad person, maybe it didn’t.  

Hiccup: I don't know. I couldn't.  

Astrid: That's not an answer.  

“You're really not the best at this are you?” Hiccup asked lightly.  

Astrid rolled her eyes. “I have a plan Haddock.”  

“Oh do you?”  

“Always.” She smirked. “Haven’t you learned by now that I know what I’m doing?”  

Hiccup snorted. 

Hiccup: Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?  

Astrid: Because I want to remember what you say, right now.  

Astrid absently nodded along with herself. Because she did- it was a new feeling in her chest, a sort of longing to hear what Hiccup had to say. She wanted to know what he thought and what his opinion was on almost everything.  

She could feel herself turning soft for Hiccup Haddock and maybe it was a good thing.  

Hiccup: Oh, for the love of-- I was a coward! I was weak! I wouldn't kill a dragon!  

“Hiccup, you weren’t weak for that.” Jack offered. “You were actually extremely strong.”  

“Aye,” Stoick nodded. “And even more so for trying to show it to all of us.”  

Astrid: You said "wouldn't" that time.  

Hiccup: Whatever! I wouldn't! Three hundred years, and I'm the first Viking who wouldn't kill a dragon!  

Astrid: First to ride one, though. So...?  

Hiccup: ...I wouldn't kill him because he looked as frightened as I was. I looked at him, and I saw myself.  

Hiccup inhaled sharply. He  did.  He hadn’t realized before hearing it from his own mouth but it was  true.  Toothless was like his other half, his soulmate in the most platonic way. He couldn’t live his life without his best friend.  

Astrid: I bet he's really frightened now. What are you going to do about it?  

Hiccup: Eh, probably something stupid.  

“Uh, can you not?” Kristoff winced. He, just the same as Flynn, was beginning to feel extremely protective over the young Viking.  

“Yeah, I’d appreciate it if you could not do anything stupid.” Flynn sighed.  

Astrid: Good. But you've already done that.  

Hiccup: Then something crazy!  

Astrid: That's more like it!  

“Oh no.” Stoick sighed.  

Stoick : Sound your positions. Stay within earshot.  

Viking #1: Here.  

Viking #2: One length to your stern.  

Viking #3: On your starboard flank.  

Viking #4: Three widths to port.  

Viking #5: Ahead, at your bow.  

Viking #6: Haven't a clue.  

Gobber : Listen...  Stoick ... I was overhearing some of the men just now and, well, some of them are wondering what it is we're up to here-- not me of course, I know you're always the man with the plan-- but some, not me, are wondering if there is in fact a plan at all, what it might be?  

“I hope I get to you in time.” Hiccup worried.  

“I hope you don’t.” Stoick admitted. “If it goes wrong-"  

“If it goes wrong, I want to be there.” Hiccup said firmly.  

“Let's hope it doesn’t go wrong.” Astrid sighed.  

Stoick : Find the nest and take it.  

“That's not a good plan.” Fishlegs groaned.  

“Hopefully Hiccup's is better.” Snotlout winced.  

Gobber : Ah. Of course. Send them running. The old Viking fallback. Nice and simple.  

Stoick :  Shhh  

Stoick  (cont.): Step aside.  

Viking: Bear to port.  

Fishlegs  ( o.s .): If you're planning on getting eaten, I'd definitely go with the  Gronckle .  

Tuffnut : You were wise to seek help from the world's most deadly weapon. That's me.  

Hiccup: Uh…  

Snotlout: I love this plan! 

Hiccup raised an eyebrow at the sight of his cousin so enthusiastic about something he had planned.  

Hiccup: I didn't…  

Ruffnut : You're crazy! I like that…  

Astrid frowned and absently scooted closer to Hiccup.  

Ruffnut choked at her on screen self and Tuffnut shot her a grin. “Oh, Hiccup huh?”  

“Shut up Tuff.”  

Astrid: So? What is the plan?  

“That's what I’m wondering too.” Merida frowned.  

Gobber : Ah. I was wondering where that went.  

Stoick : Stay low and ready your weapons. We're here.  

[At the arena, Hiccup has released the Monstrous Nightmare. He gently guides it toward  Snotlout , who is scared and grabs a knife.]  

Astrid: Uh-uh.  

Snotlout : Wait! What are you--?!  

“I- I get a dragon?” Snotlout gasped. Maybe Hiccup  would  forgive him. And even if he wouldn’t, Snotlout had to apologize anyway. Seeing Hiccup talk to the village confidently and being disowned harshly by his father made Snotlout's guilt even more pronounced than before.  

If Hiccup didn’t accept his apology, Snotlout still vowed to help him, to stand behind him, to protect him where he could. The fact that he’d been treating his own cousin so terribly because he couldn’t please his father was despicable. The only way to truly make it up to Hiccup was with actions.  

Hiccup: Relax. It's okay... it's okay. [ Snotlout  bonds with the Nightmare]   

Snotlout : Where are you going?!  

Hiccup smiled; a Nightmare fits so well with Snotlout. Their arrogant natures and hot temper would make for an interesting bond.  

Hiccup: You're going to need something to help you hold on.  

[The teens glance at the three other dragons, all out of their cages]  

Hiccup was so excited; he could already see the pairings in his head. The twins with a Hideous Zippleback would work because despite the twin’s constant fighting, they worked extremely well together in battle and seemed to know each other’s moves better than anyone. Fishlegs with a Gronkle due to the dragon's reputation of being a gentle giant. And Astrid with the Deadly Nadder because both the dragon and the girl were beautiful, light on their feet, tough and deadly; a force to be reckoned with.  

This was going to be amazing.  

Chapter Text

Stoick was nervous. The circumstances that led up to him heading to the Dragon’s nest with a chained up Toothless were bad but from here, things could only get worse. His son and the children of his village were riding on dragon to a nest where they were ready to fight a horde of dragons and a queen dragon that is bigger than anything that he’s ever seen.  

Chapter Text

Hiccup allowed himself promptly five minutes of external freaking out after finishing the movie.