The Lost Boy V - Short stories

Bad Choices 5 - A better life

*cough cough* SMUT WARNING *cough cough*

Finding himself in the same room he had woken up in the morning felt odd. Now that he was sure it was his bedroom, it seemed completely different, especially by night time and without the dragons to crowd it. The viking pushed aside this strange feeling, mixture of déjà-vu and discovery, then he lit up the lanthern next ot the bed and closed the wooden shutters by the window. Said window had visibly been added so the dragons can go in and out.

The sole idea of vikings not fighting them anymore and living in peace with them was still hard to believe, just like Joke being alive and them being together in this other life.

With the lanthern, he could see the whole room, even if the light was dim. He reached the bed, arranged the furs and blankets on it, then removed his clothes. He put them back on the chest where he had found them, folded and piled. He only kept his pants on, then removed his peg leg and sat on the edge of the bed.

He stared for a moment at the stump on his calf, and noticed how the skin had reddened. It was a bit sore, too, surely it was the friction with the prothesis, still he marvelled at how his body was used to it, even if he, himself, was not used to this body.

He looked up as he heard the door creak open and saw Joke, a steaming bowl in his hands. The viking blushed as he saw the blue eyes wander on him. Visibly, though it stunned him, Joke seemed to like the sight of his bare chest. At least, until he noticed how Hiccup was holding his left tight. He frowned with concern.

''Is your leg aching ?''

''Oh no, it's nothing.''

''You sure ? The oil is ready, I can give you a massage here too.''

''I'm fine.'' Hiccup smiled.

Joke's concern moved him more than he wanted to admit. Memories of the life he had lived were still nagging his mind, he wondered again how could this life be so different from his own, and he liked it more and more. Joke smiled back to him with such softness his heart skipped a beat, then he went to put the bowl on the nightstand, before retreating a nightshirt under the pillow.

Realising he was about to change, Hiccup felt flustered. Even if he had understood Joke and him were together in this other life – though he didn't know how long it had been – he was too embarrassed and didn't dare to look. He held from clearing his throat and decided to lay down on his stomach so he couldn't see Joke. A part of his mind tried to pretend it was because he was settling for the massage, another part hoped Joke had not noticed the blush creeping on his face or blame the fever for it.

He crossed his arms and used them as a pillow, taking good care at looking the other way around, yet hearing the ruffling of clothes drew in his mind a perfect picture of the sight he forbade himself to see. He felt like dying out of shame at least a dozen times and ended up squinting his eyes shut.

Then he neared the heart attack as a weight shifted on the edge of the bed, indicating Joke was climbing on it. The viking even flinched when he felt the young man take place above him, his knees on each side of his hips. He tensed without his control, earning a faint chuckle from Joke. That chuckle made the blush darken.

''It's cute how you always react like this, even now. No wonder you're that tensed.'' Joke teased.

Hiccup couldn't bring himself to answer. He didn't know what to say, anyway. Joke seemed to suggest the viking was still embarrassed with his presence, it meant their relationship was new, right ?

''And don't try to blame the fever, you know you're always like this.''

''What about when I'm drunk ?'' Hiccup tried.