The Dragon Master and The Lightning Rider *Hiccup Fanfic*

43. A Choice

Hiccup's mouth curved into a small, buck-tooth smile. His helmet was discarded on the bed, and he paid no attention to his bleeding ear or throbbing headache. His eyes had roamed her, sensually, lovingly, yet frowning at the evidence that she was malnourished and had dark circles underneath her eyes. He didn't doubt that in the time that had passed, she would've been tortured. He could even see the faint form of bruises on her arm through the lacy sleeves.

How many times did she go through this, so that she could now look at him without a wince or the slightest discomfort?

She didn't deserve any of this.

Hiccup could never get used to the thought that someone like her deserved this pain. She never got any rest, even at Berk—although she did seem much calmer, softer, less battered—she had always tossed in her bed at night until he had to wake her up, hold her hand and talk to her till she realized her dream wasn't real.
He remembered one night when her nightmare was so terrible that she was thrashing. He had woken up when she fell on the ground and snapped out of it.
Hiccup had taken her shivering body against him, laid them both on his bed and covered her with his blanket. He vividly recalled her red eyes were teared up, her body freezing. He rubbed her back until she fell asleep on his chest.
When he had woken up the next morning to see Skye's arms wrapped around him, her head tucked in his neck and her legs tangled with his, Hiccup vowed to always keep her safe.

That was when she had first come to Berk. She had gotten better over the years and it filled Hiccup with such happiness to see the woman he loved finally relaxed and content.

Until Shruiken came back. He truly understood then why Skye was always unsure. She had practically waited for her enemy to resurface.

But then he wandered to the thought of the last time they had spoken—they both confessed their love for each other. It filled him with hope now that she was standing near him again.

"Ms. Einar," he said. His voice snapped her out of her trance, and his grin suddenly became infuriating to her.

Without warning, she let out a "you absolute idiot!" Before letting go of the other shoe.

Hiccup ducked as the shoe flew over his head. He did let out a grunt when she tackled him to the ground with a snarl angry enough to scare off a dragon. But he knew her too well to be more confused than frightened.

"What in Odin's name are you doing?!"

"I'm trying to knock some sense back into you!" She snapped and whacked his chest. "You idiot!"

Despite his pain, Hiccup let out a rumbling laugh. He had previously disguised his voice and laugh to be much deeper before, but it didn't stop Skye from finding it familiar.

She was right above his body, face twisted angrily. She was about to send another blow when he caught her wrists. His legs wrapped around hers tightly and she let out a surprised sound. And in one easy movement, he managed to flip them and stop her. His knees held her legs together. His chest pressed against hers firmly, heaving in time with her breaths.

"Skye," he murmured. "Calm down."

Her eyes locked onto his, her burning red, furious eyes, that made his heart squeeze. In no other situation would he ever want Skye to look at him like that. "You-" she searched for words, before letting her head drop back on the floor. "-you idiot."

His smile softened. His thumbs slowly pressed against her wrists, pushing her hands to gently rest against the floor. Hiccup hadn't been this close to her in forever. He missed their intimate contacts, brief gazes, young and childish love (that they wouldn't admit). And he absolutely missed how she would always fluster when he did something small for her, like getting her a plate of food or absently give her her sword as he passed by her in the training rink. That particular gesture—the fact that he knew her timing of practice and her preferred sword made her swoon and stare at him even as he shoveled up dragon poop.