Dragon Hunters Hunting their Lover's Dragon Soul

(3)A Hiccup Interlude

(Later that morning: The One-Legged, Angsty, Bloody Smart Teen)

    It started out peaceful, just like all his mornings. Hiccup did his regular stretch, stay in bed, stretch, maybe snuggle with Toothless if he sneaked into bed to cuddle him, sit up with his eyes still closed, stretch, rub and open his eyes. The mace that hit him in the head and made him jumpstart, just like all his mornings nowadays, was the fact that there was no Toothless. He always sneaks into bed or somehow pulls him onto his rock with the blanket underneath him so he didn't get a sore back. Hiccup still hasn't figured out how he does it. 

    Then he realized he wasn't in his hut, and that he was sharing a dugout hole that had a metal gate covering the exit with the other riders. Without their dragons. He almost sighed, he really didn't want to have to deal with anyone's stupidity. Luckily, they were still asleep so he didn't have to deal with their brashness. As he will state again, he isn't in the mood. He got creeped out once he realized Astrid was right next to him, if he had slept any longer she would've likely tried snuggling his arm in her sleep. He despised it. 

    Astrid was the best choice as a leader for Berk. Ruffnut was seas away from being good for the role, and Stoick had already made it clear what he thought about two boys having a romantic relationship; not that he'd date any of the other kids. Fishlegs was alright, Tuffnut was just like Ruffnutr, Snotlout was his cousin, and Hiccup saw Heather more like a sister. He didn't know about any other tribes other than the outcasts, which was out of the question, and his father didn't bother sending out any betrothal requests. Hiccup is quite thankful for that though, as Stoick would have picked the one offering the most money and a girl, and he only knew about Betrothal requests from Gothi. 

    Hiccup was hoping that Dragon's edge could've been solely his place, but of course, the riders had to go and mess that up and he couldn't turn them down; he had an image to uphold after all. The weak fishbone, somewhat useless, pitiful heir to a vastly strong and proud Viking, a Hiccup. He'll have you know that he's got some muscle, he's just more lean thank you very much. He didn't even want to hunt down Dagur anyway. Before he turned insane, he would protect Hiccup from at least Snotlouts physical attacks. Not hunting and turning him in would be Hiccup's way of repaying him. He had to capture Dagur before if only to keep the Village from attacking him. If he really wanted Dagur gone or captured, he would have been in a few days, a few weeks at most depending on how much of a lead Dagur had gotten. There is a reason why Nightfurys are seen as the offspring of lightning and death itself. 

   Don't get him started on the whole mess between the other Dragon hunters and the Grimborns.  He would have been fine staying in his own little corner of the world, unable to be found by anybody but those he wants to be around. Hiccup lets out a quiet, wistful sigh. 'No one to boss me around, no one to verbally attack me, no one to physically attack me. Just me, Toothless, and any other dragon I come across in need. Maybe even learn the language of the dragons, wouldn't that be something...' It was a regular dream that seemed like a fantasy the longer he goes without it. At least he's with Toothless, and as far as Hiccup can tell, they've formed a kind of brotherly bond; better than any familial bond he's had. 

   Gobber, while loving, funny, and mostly supportive, can't be on the same level as him. They're both fine with that, laughing and making jokes all the while, and anything negative Gobber says is just him worrying about him; the troll-hunting incident taught him that. A small smile inches its way on Hiccup's face. It's now an inside joke they say in front of people just to see their faces, only Gobber does it now but it's still hilarious nonetheless. Toothless, somehow shows he gets Hiccup, even without having to speak. 

    The smile slips off his face. These thoughts do nothing to solve the fact he's worried about him. He can only hope the tribe's worship of dragons will keep them from doing anything. He begs and prays for any God listening they leave the saddle and tail alone. He doesn't have the supplies and tools to build a new one, and there is no way in Hel he would trust anyone else to build it. He already had to spend a week fixing the tail Gobber made, not through any fault of his own; it was his first or at least ten attempts at something like it. It took him at least fifteen to get it to work without pulling a rope haphazardly (That's apparently how it's spelled according to Siri) or hanging off the tail. All Hiccup wants from Gobber is his love and support; it's all he needs. 

    Hiccup tenses at the pick-up in the rates around him. Toothless taught him how to improve his senses by hunting. The dragon's way of hunting, more specifically, the Nightfury's way of hunting. It was enlightening, to say the least. And He still doesn't know how the riders wake up at the same time, except for Snotlout; he usually sleeps till noon or someone wakes him otherwise. Hiccup lays down and closes his eyes, pretending to wake up the same as the rest, as he's done for years now. It's going to be another long day, maybe even longer than normal. He can't wait, yay.