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Toothless hadn’t really known when the connection with Hiccup had started - the mental one, that was. It had been slow and subtle, but now meant everything to him.
Hiccup’s heart beat with his own, almost like the human’s blood was what ran through his veins. And for Hiccup, dragon’s blood through his own.
There was background noise now too, in Hiccup’s own voice. It would come without him moving his lips or actually making a sound. Toothless knew what it was then, of course: his very mind and thoughts were connected to Hiccup’s.
Sometimes the thoughts were loud, sometimes quiet, like leaves rustling in the wind. Sometimes there were many at once, or just one, all-possessing thought or feeling.
Toothless wanted all that back.
Because for now, Hiccup’s thoughts were silent. They had been that way ever since he’d taken the blow from the Red Death’s tail and descended into fire.
Toothless knew he was still alive though, was sure he would have felt it had that connection been truly broken. He still felt the beating of his heart beside his own, still heard it when he neared his unmoving body.
The humans took care of him, another sign that he wasn’t gone. Hiccup’s sire, whose name Toothless had learned to be Stoick, was with him constantly, sitting by his bedside, stoking the fire, talking to him. It took him a little bit of time to open up to Toothless, to get used to having a dragon in his home. Toothless could understand that. It was taking him time to be used to being around humans.
Other humans came and went: Astrid, Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Fishlegs, and Gobber. Toothless had learned all their names now.
He hardly left Hiccup’s side, even to eat, but Stoick coaxed him to.
“We can’t lose you too,” Stoick told him, offering him a fish, and so Toothless took it and ate. Stoick was right.
There was a pervasive sadness around the house. The humans were wondering if Hiccup would ever wake up. Toothless was wondering that too.
But still, his tiny heart beat, and Toothless could feel it in his own chest. He knew Hiccup was badly hurt, knew that there was the chance he wouldn’t make it.
They’d cut off part of his left leg, the part that Toothless had grabbed in a desperate struggle to keep him safe. Gobber had fashioned a device to help Hiccup walk when he awoke.
If he ever did wake.
Toothless kept vigil by Stoick’s side. He got to know Stoick during those two horrible weeks, and Stoick got to know him. They became friends, bonded over their love and care for Hiccup.
Toothless was laying by the bed one afternoon when he heard something. His ears pricked up, and he looked to Hiccup. His breathing had changed. He hadn’t said anything, but Toothless had heard it: his name.
Toothless came over to the bed, looking at Hiccup, cooing, nudging his face. He was waking up! That was the first thought Toothless had heard from him since the battle.
His blood was pumping, heart pounding with excitement. Hiccup! Hiccup was waking up!
Toothless just about exploded when he saw Hiccup’s eyes open, when he felt him take him in. His thoughts were slow, muddled, confused, but they were there.
He ended up bounding around the house in excitement, trying to get his energy out in a way that wouldn’t hurt his still-healing friend.
There was shock from Hiccup, like a pain in Toothless’ chest, and that’s when Toothless remembered his leg. He came over, leaned down to sniff the device, the stump. He looked at Hiccup. The human was breathing hard, eyes big.
It’s gone, it’s gone, it’s gone. What? How? My life is ruined. My life is over. What am I going to do?
Hiccup hid all these thoughts, no matter how Toothless could hear them. Hiccup could hear his thoughts as well, saw that Toothless wouldn’t want him to give up.
Toothless helped Hiccup stand. He tripped, nearly fell, but Toothless caught him. His thoughts were a mad, confused jumble. Toothless was trying to soothe him with his own thoughts, with his presence.
He helped Hiccup limp to the door and open it, and Hiccup was utterly shocked by what he saw, so shocked that he slammed the door shut.
“Toothless, stay here.” He didn’t need to say the words out loud, but probably felt better doing so.
Toothless didn’t want to stay there. He wanted to help Hiccup acquaint himself to his new disability, to this new world that he’d created where human and dragon lived as one.
But, he stayed for the moment, long enough to leave Hiccup to reunite with his father and friends.
He couldn’t stay long though. Hiccup was awake! He was going to be okay!
Toothless bounded out the door and jumped right on the shoulders of Hiccup’s uncle, knocking him flat to the ground. He saw Gobber’s gift to Hiccup in his hands, his new saddle and tail fin. Were they going to fly?
There was a bit of an audience for Hiccup putting the saddle and tail fin on Toothless. The whole village was happy Hiccup was awake.
As Hiccup climbed on with a grunt and a wince, Toothless sent him: “You know you don’t have to fly with me right now. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Hiccup patted Toothless on the neck, gave him a smile.
“Flying with you is all I want.”
They took to the air, and everything felt right with the world. Hiccup and Toothless had their hearts beating together, their minds in sync, their souls aligned. They were one, and would forever be that way.