𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐄, how to train your dragon ¹

vi. An Outcast's Greeting

    Hiccup sighed, "Why do I always end up feeling like the screw-up I was before I met Toothless?"

    Val glanced at him, and felt her shoulders slump. "You were never a screw-up━at least, not really," he sent her an amused scoff, and she smiled. "What I mean, is that the person you are now━you were always that person. You were always annoying, and stubborn, and the biggest knucklehead Viking ever."

    He frowned at her, "Thanks?"

    "But, Hiccup," she turned to face him, her hair drifting softly in the ocean wind. "That's the person that saved Toothless; persuaded your father that dragons weren't bad after all━persuaded all of us. Don't let Mildew take that away, especially when Toothless needs that part of you now, more than ever."

    She reached out and squeezed his hand. "But we all also need a break━we can't keep on searching out here forever. Have a rest, and we'll try something new tomorrow."

    He sighed, but followed her back up the cliff and home towards the village. They didn't let go of their hands. Valkyrie glanced down shyly at the feel of warmth from his palm against the cool Berkian climate. She thought back to the kiss at Snoggletog and smiled softly to herself. With the flutters in her stomach, came the want for mischief, and Valkyrie bit her bottom lip to stop her playful grin as they walked along the cliff-face, waiting for the exact moment to jut her hip out━

    "Whoa!" Hiccup would've tripped and fallen off the edge of the cliff if it weren't for Valkyrie holding onto his hand to pull his stick-figure self back up. She laughed, and he grumbled. "Val!"

    "You should have seen your face!" she wheezed, "You were all like━Whoa━!" she did her best impression of him and he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips in disbelief.

    "Okay, I do not move my arms like that━" he gestured wildly and she pointed at him.

    "You just did, you doofus!"

    Hiccup gaped, scoffing in his amusement. "All right, that's it━come here━!"

    Valkyrie gasped, seeing him break out into a run after her. She shrieked in her delight and started off at a sprint up the cliff-walk. The two teenagers━two good friends that both knew deep down, one day, when they were ready and were old enough, they were sure to become more━chased each other back up to the top of the cliff, feeling the wind race through their hair and tunics. Val smiled to see Hiccup looking and feeling better, distracted for a few fleeting moments from the absence of his dragon━and Val from hers━to enjoy each other's company in the moon-lit evening.

    Reaching the top, Hiccup caught up with her and flung his arms around her waist, managing to pick the girl up. She cried out in alarm, not expecting it and the two of them fell back onto the ground amongst the grass. Sitting up, Valkyrie tried to get away, but Hiccup stretched out with a exclaim of, "Oh, no you don't━you're not getting away that easy━!"

    He pulled her back under and started to tickle her in the sides, and Valkyrie couldn't stop laughing. She wheezed for breaths in between, fighting his grip before finally getting a hold of his hand and twisting it over and Hiccup yelped, "Ow! Ow! Okay! Okay! You win━you win!"

    She let go and dusted off her fingers, victorious. "You never stood a chance," she grinned and he rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

    Looking back out into the ocean, Valkyrie went to say something else when her eye caught a shadow in the distance. Hiding behind a sea stack━she wouldn't have seen it if she hadn't glanced that way. All laughter and jokes gone, she soon frowned and shuffled closer to the edge, "Hiccup..." she murmured, and his attention changed. His chuckles faded away, noticing the tone of her voice. "Why would one of our ships be anchored there?" she pointed to it.