serendipity
(n.) finding something good without looking for it
"Ugh, this was my favourite shirt." You sighed, looking down at your shoulder. But you knew it had to be done, which is why you rippee apart the sleeve, the cut made it especially easy to tear off the fabric. Granted, it was all covered in blood but at least it could be used as bandage to stop the bleeding. Hiccup turned around to see what was up and saw you baring your teeth while tying up the cloth. The pain was immensely agonizing, but you had to convince yourself it was only going to last for a bit.
"I have to disinfect this thing." You said, exhaling a shaky sigh. Hiccup had a frown that definitely did not belong to his face, he hated seeing you in pain, let alone bleeding. Yet he wasn't that ignorant to ask if you were okay when it was awfully clear that you were nowhere near that. The only thing Hiccup could do right now was watch sympathetically. You were aware that if the wound was left untreated then your arm will fall off or worst case scenario, you die. Normally, you'd put honey or sugar over but at the moment you had neither and you were far, far from home.
"You'll need clean water and aloe vera." Hiccup said with certainty that you were almost taken aback. Its not so common to find people that have a lot of knowledge in medicine so when did Hiccup turn into doctor?
"Wow, look at you, healing expert." You commented with a bubbly laugh.
"I was a clumsy kid you know, I always ended up at Gothi's house." Hiccup replied with an embarrassed smile that you found absolutely adorable. "So I picked up a few tips along the way."
You imagined Hiccup coming out of Gothi's house covered in band aids from head to toe but still having the biggest, most cheerful grin like nothing in the world can bring him down and then continue being his clumsy little self. "Okay, Mr. Smartypants, how are we going to find aloe vera?"
"Well, it grows in dry soils so first we need to find a somewhat deserty island." Hiccup replied. While you racked your brain trying to remember a nearby island that had low vegetation, Hiccup took out his map that thrashed around because of the strong air. For a moment it seemed as if it was going to fly away from Hiccup's grasp, but luckily he had it under control. Normally, his map would've all scattered in pieces if Hiccup used normal glue, but Toothless's saliva proved to be an effective adhesive. While Hiccup searched through the map, your eyes landed on Gustav who was picking his ear with his pinkie finger, one eye closed in concentration. You quickly looked away, feeling grossed out from the undelightful sight.
You knew sooner or later you'd find something to disinfect the wound and you knew that once its time to clean the would, there will be hell of a lot of blood and screeching. And you didn't want to have an audience for that.
"Gustav come here." You called out and the boy turned around, plucking out his finger from the ear in the process.
"Sup, how are you feeling?" Gustav asked as Fanghook came closer.
"Peachy. Anyway, um, you should head back to the Edge and tell the gang you're safe. Wouldn't want them worrying." You said and Gustav slowly nodded in acknowledgement. He already thought all of you were heading there, which is why it took him a second to reply.
"Sure. Where are you two going by the way?" Gustav still wanted tag along with wherever you two were going but he knew he'd probably end up being the third wheel. And there was no way he was going to willingly do that.
"We're going to look for something to clean the wound. If the others ask about us just tell them I scraped my arm or something." You replied nonchalantly, waving your hand in a dismissive manner. Next to you, Hiccup repeated the word 'scraped' with much more emphasis and you punched his shoulder with your good arm.
"Alright then, don't die. Bye!" Gustav shouted while Fanghook was already moving away. When the two of them left, you averted your attention to Hiccup and peered over his shoulder to see what he was looking at. Just as you did that, Hiccup's found an island on the map and he tapped the spot.
"This is the closest one." He said.
"So that's where we go."
-----
After what seemed like an eternity you finally reached the island. It was probably just a few hours, but with the continuous pain on your arm, time seemed to pass a lot slower. It passed even slower while Hiccup was trying to find the Aloe Vera.
Before landing on the island, you noticed that at one end it looked like a desert, only sand and more sand. Then thin trees appear in the middle, along with some bushes until finally at the opposite end it was a full blown forest with greens everywhere. It was a very strange and peculiar island, how plants survive there is beyond you.
The dragons set foot in the middle and the hunt began straight away. A few minutes in, you started trailing behind Hiccup, everything around you was starting to get blurry, to the point where you started seeing double. Right away, Hiccup noticed the lack of your presence next to him and turned around to find you clutching your head with a pained look.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling okay?" Hiccup asked worryingly and took a step closer to you.
"Yeah, I'm just dizzy, that's all. Let's go." You said, planning to shrug it off and continue the trip. It was probably just momentarily anyway.
"No, no, no. You and Crystal stay here. We'll find the plant." Hiccup ordered, glancing at Toothless and then back to you. Now if it weren't for your wobbly legs, that now felt like jelly, you'd never agree with him. But now that you needed all of your effort to even be standing, you knew you'd only take a couple of more steps before collapsing.
"Okay. I'll just be here." You said and leaned on the tree behind you, just as you did so, your legs gave up causing you to slide down. As you suspected, the dizziness turned out to be temporary, you were okay after a moment. While you were waiting for Hiccup, you were hoping that no other dragons would stumble here and find you defenceless. But Crystal was here so you weren't that frightened.
Fortunately, you didn't have to wait for long because a few minutes later you saw Hiccup and Toothless in the distance. You were always happy to see them, but this time your stomach knotted in apprehension. It was time to clean the wound and you can already imagine the pain.
He placed down the water bottle and cut the aloe vera's core until the slimy green gel showed. All the while you were watching with an anxious look, felling the hairs on your arm rise.
"So this is going to hurt a bit." Hiccup said apologetically. And by 'bit' he probably meant a lot. You motioned him to just get it over with and faced the opposite side, ever since little you were taught to not look at the wound because it wouldn't hurt as much. And now you prayed for that to be true.
You bit back the pain when Hiccup started tearing away the bandage, it was coated with blood and even more started trailing down your arm. You felt it slide and cringed.
The moment the water hit your skin, you jumped away and hissed. Hiccup, being the sweetheart he is, didn't stop apologizing even though none of this is his fault. He decided to pick up the pace and after the bandage and your arm were cleaned up, he wrapped the bandage back to its previous place. At first the aloe vera was a stinging pain, but afterwards it had a somewhat cooling effect.
"Thanks Hic." You said gratefully, but you were too exhausted to even say his full name. Hiccup smiled at the new nickname and then got up.
"What are you doing?" You asked after seeing him roam around and break small branches.
"Its going to get dark soon. We need fire." You gave him a nod and let Hiccup collect wood. If your arm wasn't hurt then you would've helped him, but now you couldn't be bothered to even get up. Instead Toothless decided to join the fun. With his sharp teeth, the black Night Fury ripped out branches straight from the trees and dumped them in the middle of where the sticks were. After the additional help from the dragon, the fireplace was all set and Toothless effortlessly lit up the wood.
You didn't even realize how fast time passed, it felt like you came on the island just a minute ago when in reality it was already night fall. The dark sky above was filled alluring stars glimmering ever so slightly. They seemed so close, like you could take them in your hand if you reached forward. But you knew that would only look foolish since the stars were miles and miles away.
Hiccup laid next to Toothless and you sat next to him. You watched as the fire flickered, like tiny red and orange flames dancing vigorously. The heat brushed against your skin, a welcoming relief from the cold wind circling around.
"Hey, have you heard about the story where Thor had to dress up and pretend that he was Freya?" Hiccup asked and you stared at him in utter bewilderment.
"I'm sorry, he had to do what?" The words came out mixed together with your chuckle.
"Oh my Thor, you haven't heard of it." Hiccup replied with a beaming grin. "Okay so basically-"
You moved closer to Hiccup and now all of your attention was fixated on him instead.
"One morning the mighty Thor awoke to find that his hammer was missing. After searching for the it in every spot he could think of, asking all the gods if they had seen it, there was still no trace of the hammer. Everyone soon began to fret because without the it, Asgard was vulnerable to attack. Then Thor's mother, Frigg, gave Loki her shape changing feathers and told him to go and find the hammer. Loki used those to change into the shape of an eagle and after searching across all of the nine realms, Loki discovered that the hammer was in fact in Jotunheim, homeland of the Frost Giants."
"Upon arriving in the home of the Frost Giants, Loki changed back into his godly form and approached the chief of the giants, Thrym. He asked him if he knew the whereabouts of the hammer, to which Thrym said that not only did he have it, but he buried it eight miles in the ground and would only return it if the goddess Freya agreed to join him in marriage. Loki took Thrym's demands back to Asgard, and told the gods of his ultimatum. Freya was outraged and voiced her displeasure the loudest, but she was not alone, for none of the gods were pleased with the frost giant's demands. As they discussed possible solutions, Heimdall stepped forward and offered a plan- that Thor himself go to Jotunheim disguised as Freya, win back the hammer, and take vengeance on the giants. It was then Thor's turn to protest, as this would be an unmanly thing to do and would bring shame and mockery upon him for the rest of his days. Loki then pointed out that if the giants overtook Asgard, it would be more dishonourable than wearing a dress."
"No detail was spared on Thor's bridal gown. He needed to be a convincing double to the most beautiful goddess in Asgard so the dressmakers made sure that he was up to the task. After the humiliated god had donned the gown, Loki accompanied him to Jotunheim disguised as his maid-servant. When they arrived at Jotunheim, Thrym boasted to all the giants that the gods had finally delivered his prize."
"So later that evening, Loki knew that the two gods were in trouble. During the feast, Thor consumed an entire ox, eight salmon and many barrels of mead, all on his own. Thrym became suspicious, but Loki assuaged his fears by telling him that Freya's love for Thrym was so potent that she had not been able to eat for a week. Thrym accepted this answer, and went to kiss his new bride, but when he pulled back the veil, Thor's eyes burned with an intensity that made Thrym feel like they were burning through him. Thrym proclaimed that he had never seen a maiden with such frighteningly piercing eyes, and Loki calmed him once again by telling him that Freya's love for him made her unable to sleep, so her eyes were more piercing than usual."
You laughed so hard until no sound escaped your lips, instead you were just clapping loudly and repeatedly rocking back and forth. You wanted to stop, but no matter how much you tried to compose yourself, you ended up laughing even more. To the point where even your stomach started hurting from clenching it too much. "Oh my gods!" You exclaimed between laughs and wiped the few tears that managed to slip out.
Hiccup was in the same state, his whole face had turned a shade of red as he laughed like there was no tomorrow. You found yourself staring at him and completely forgetting about the story. Hiccup was so handsome without even trying, his eyes were closed while his whole face was scrunched up like a piece of paper. And he had the cutest grin plastered on his face, the one that exposed his perfect teeth which were as white as pure pearls and that always left you gawking like a daft chicken.
When Hiccup didn't hear your laughter anymore he stopped as well, he open his eyes and caught you red-handed while you were staring. You looked away in embarrassment and Hiccup cleared his throat before resuming with the ending of the story.
"So the ceremony followed and as customary, the hammer was brought out to hallow their union. But, as soon as it was lain across Thor's lap, he tore off the dress, and swung his hammer with all of his might, killing Thrym instantly. The end."
You gave one last chortle and shook your head in disbelief. "This is the best thing I've heard all year."
"Right?" Hiccup agreed, clearly amused.
"Do you know more?" You asked with enthusiasm ringing in your voice. You shifted closer to Hiccup and watched him with an eager, buoyant gaze, hoping that he has more myths up his sleeves. At the same time, though, you were awfully sleepy. You struggled to keep your eyelids up and you were on the verge of black out. Now even with all that tiredness, there was a rush of adrenaline running through your veins. Its like the two most contradicting things were mashed into one.
"I have hours worth of stories." Hiccup laughed and you cheered triumphantly before nestling your back on Toothless. The black dragon opened one eye and then went back to sleep. Crystal, on the other hand, was laying on her back, her front and hind legs flailing in air while she played with a poor butterfly that was just trying to escape.
"Alright, here's another. One day, Loki the trickster found himself in an especially mischievous mood and cut off the gorgeous golden hair of Sif, the wife of Thor. When Thor learned of this, he was enraged, he seized Loki and threatened to break every bone in his body. Loki pleaded with the thunder god to let him go down to Svartalfheim, the cavernous home of the dwarves, and see if those master craftspeople could fashion a new head of hair for Sif, this one even more beautiful than the original. After a thoughtful consideration, Thor allowed this, and off Loki went to Svartalfheim. There-"
As he spoke, Hiccup's words slowly became incoherent and somewhat faded. Your eyelids began to feel heavy to the point where you could no longer hold them open. You closed them for a second and before you know it, the sleepiness engulfed you to the realm of dreams.
(btw if anyone wants to read the story its called "The creation of Thor's hammer" :D)
-----
Your eyes shot open and for a second you were completely lost. You didn't know who you were, what you were and where you were. Then memories slotted back straight away and you remembered all the events that unraveled. Dagur's attack, you searching for a wound cure and how you got to this island.
It was currently the middle of the night, dark and scary, but the fire that was still lit up provided enough light for you to see your surroundings. The nearby trees swayed left and right from the gentle breeze while past them it seemed like an empty, black abyss. You didn't even realize you had fallen asleep, one moment you're listening to Hiccup and the next thing you know you've blacked out. Judging from the abated fire, you could tell a few hours have easily gone by. You then realized what you were comfortably leaning against. Your head laying on Hiccup's shoulder and you felt his head resting atop of yours. And your hand was set on the ground while Hiccup's was over yours, fingers dovetailed.
Now that on its own would've been pleasant to wake up to, if it weren't for the wound that hurt like a seething fire had exploded on your arm. It burned with even more intensely from before, so much so, you couldn't just ignore it and fall asleep again. You took a look at your arm and found that the wound has bleed even through the bandage.
You exhaled a silent sigh and moved carefully in order not to wake up Hiccup, he looked peaceful so you didn't want to disrupt his slumber. Hiccup torso slid down a bit as you shifted away but luckily he only murmured something incoherent before going back to sleep again. When you got up, both of the dragons already had their eyes on you. In the darkness of the forest, the two pair of eyes glowed like miniature suns.
They were always sensitive even at the slightest change in the surroundings, so naturally you moving around like it was broad daylight woke the dragons up. Crystal crooned softly when you neared her to get water and you gave her a pet on the head. She saw you grimace in pain and proceeded to get up, but you stopped her.
"No no, go back to sleep. I'm okay." You whispered to Crystal who hesitantly sat back. She turned her head and watched you walk away from the campsite and take out the bandage to check the wound. A searing pain spread throughout your whole body as you unfolded the cloth. The aloe vera had melted and stuck to the cloth so while you were pulling away, it felt like you were pulling away your skin. You knew that taking it off like this was longer and more painful, which is why you yanked away the bandage with full speed. It stung immensely, you bit back the scream as much as you could, but a pained whimper still managed to slip past your lips.
You let go of the breath you were holding and glanced at the disgusting looking cloth, your nose crinkling up in revolt. The bandage was red and damp from all the blood and gooey from the aloe vera and it reeked a godawful odour. You squashed the bandage into a somewhat circular shape and tossed it in the fire which ignited it straight away.
Your gaze landed on yourself once more and you saw the awful state you were in, ripped and tattered shirt, dusty pants, messy hair and everything else. You sighed, wishing for a nice, warm bath right now but you were still far away from the Edge. Your hand was still blood-stained so you started pouring water over the wound and luckily this time it didn't hurt as much as before. The bleeding turned out to be just exterior and after the cleaning up it, only a part of it clogged up on the surface of the wound and didn't slide away. Which was a good sign, it was getting better.
But you couldn't just walk around with the gross wound visible for everyone to see. You've already used one sleeve so your shirt was pretty much destroyed at this point, while the other one was still fully in tact. You made your way to Crystal and held your arm in front of her.
"Rip." You said. Crystal opened her mouth, showing her razor sharp teeth, but just before she could get to your hand, you pulled away. "But don't rip off my arm."
The dragon gurgled a laughter and after that the whole island could hear the load creak as the shirt got torn apart. You took the ripped peace that was hanging from Crystal's mouth and looked over to Hiccup who started moving. He straightened up and watched you through one half-lidded eye while he rubbed his other eye with his hand.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He croaked sleepily.
"Oh, sorry to wake you up. Everything is okay, don't worry." You said reassuringly and placed one end of the sleeve underneath your chin while you started wrapping the other side over your arm. The sudden contact burned on your wound and caused you to hiss and jump a bit while the cloth fell from your chin.
"Wait let me help you." Hiccup offered and then he stood up. He walked so perfectly straight as if he hasn't just been in a deep slumber, if you were in his shoes, you'd be wobbling left and right like a penguin. Toothless followed Hiccup as well and he rested his head on your forearm while Hiccup wrapped the cloth.
Toothless let out a sad rumble and stared at you with sad, limpid eyes.
You gave him a pat on the head and smiled warmly.
When the knot was finally tied, it wasn't too tight to be hurting you and it wasn't too loose so the cloth could fall. "Thanks a bunch. Anyways, you should go to sleep, its late."
"What about you?" Hiccup asked and you looked to the left where the beach was. It was too hot near the fire so you wanted to cool down a bit and clear your mind.
"I'm just gonna take a walk."
"Mind if I join?"
You glanced back at Hiccup and a smile slowly found its way to your face.
"Not at all!" Without skipping a beat, you immediately replied and then a second later you realized how eager it must've sounded. But nontheless Hiccup didn't seem to mind because soon the two of you were walking towards the beach.
The soothing sound of the sand crunching underneath your feet started the moment you stepped out of the forest ground. Rolling waves kissed the shore so many times it seemed never ending. The water started nearing your feet and you ran away before it submerged you. And the difficulty of walking in the sand made it even more fun.
"How will we get back at Dagur?" Hiccup asked, watching you scamper away from the water like it was scalding lava instead. You suddenly skidded to a stop.
"Wait, what?" You replied incredulously.
"He hurt you. Of course you were planning on getting revenge sooner or later him. Right?" Hiccup's voice turned more inquiring while your face gradually shifted to a look of uncertainty.
"Honestly, I don't plan on that..."
"But you can't just let him get away like that!" Hiccup countered so enthusiastically as if he was the one that got wronged. You understood that Hiccup just wanted justice, but from past experiences you knew that if you retaliate now, it will come back at you double.
"You know, you once told me that revenge is an endless cycle, that it never ends. And it was really an eye-opener." You quoted Hiccup's exact words because they were still as clear as the day he told them. It was the day he told you about Alivn's death, you were so angry for not getting your revenge on time but then Hiccup's advice shined a new light in your life.
"I don't remember telling you that. But I was clearly brainless." Hiccup scoffed and crossed his arms.
"Hey! First off all," You punched Hiccup on the shoulder. "Don't say that about yourself. And second of all, it was a solid advice. I live by it."
"Third of all, you live wrong." Hiccup said and you rolled your eyes.
"Oh believe me I used to think like that too. That stepping down means you're too weak to defend yourself so you let them get away with it. But in reality what do you think would've happened if we attacked?"
"We burn his ship down. The end." Hiccup answered.
"Then Dagur captures us, then we flee, then he catches us once again, we bust out again and so on, so on." You elaborated. "But what if he somehow finds the Edge? He'll tell Viggo, Ryker, Hel! Even Indrix. And do you know what will happen when they send their whole fleet at us?"
"We fight them." Hiccup deadpanned and you slapped your forehead in anger, which hurt more than you care to admit.
"No! We'll be doomed Hiccup!" You seethed, but Hiccup remained doubtful, he still didn't want to believe that the two of you and the gang could be beaten.
"(Y/N), we have dragons and what do they have? Nothing." Hiccup said as a matter-of-factly.
"They have those one-shot-you-drop arrows and... Oh my Thor you don't remember the steel ship..." What started with an eager way to convince Hiccup what their advantages were, ended up in you trailing off when you realized that Hiccup was completely unaware of the most dangerous thing in existence.
"What steel ship?" Hiccup questioned, even more curious after seeing your flurried face.
"I don't know how but Indrix has a steel ship that sails, breaks through ice, can go under water and top it all off, it's dragon fire proof! Aka, the dragons' fire don't even make a dent in it." You recalled the day Indrix managed to capture you and Hiccup under a minute. But no matter how many times you thought it over, you could never figure out how a metal ship could sail without sinking.
"No way." Hiccup breathed out.
"Yes way. Me and you came face to face with it and Toothless's most powerful blast only managed to scorch it." Hiccup stared wide eyed and in complete shock. He always thought Toothless's plasma blast could destroy anything in its way, from an ordinary tree to a whole hut. But after hearing the comparison, he was stunned. Was there really something that powerful that could deflect even Toothless's blasts?
"I still can't don't know how a metal ship could sail. What do you think? How does it work?" You asked, hoping that Hiccup would have an answer. He pondered to himself for a while, which took longer than expected so you wanted to just drop the theme and talk about something else. But before you could do that, Hiccup suddenly turned to you, looking like he had found out where the edge of the world is.
"A dragon." He said confidently and then nodded to himself in agreement. "Its definitely a dragon. Think about it. The ship probably weights a ton, there's absolutely no way it can move on its own which means that some dragon must be pulling it."
The more you thought about the theory, the more possible it starts to be. Either that or Indrix invented something far greater than today's technology that could make the steel ship move without any help, but that was highly unlikely.
"Do I even want to know what dragon is that big that can drag a whole ton of metal?" You shuddered just imagining the size of this beast.
"We can probably still beat it." Hiccup commented unfazed and still highly assured that the dragons stand a chance in destroying the ship or the mysterious dragon. You closed your eyes, starting to feel irritated how Hiccup was acting like this wasn't a serious matter. And it might not be currently, but nothing is certain about the future.
"Okay let's forget about the dragon and concentrate more on the people. Indrix, Viggo... We're dealing with someone much stronger and wiser than us. We can't just go in dragons blazing." You said. That could work with Ryker and Dagur, all they care about is taking their opponent head on, without thinking about the consequences. But Viggo and Indrix are a different story, they're smart and less predictable. Just when you think you have them, they will turn the situation in their advantage and take the upper hand.
"And what do you suggest we do?" Hiccup asked, wondering what you had in mind since all you've been doing was shutting down his ideas.
"Nothing. Just lay low." Its far better to be like that than to initiate any battles and get yourselves in trouble.
"Really? That's your master plan?"
"Why yes, yes it is."
"Terrific."
You were standing side by side and facing each other and while you were smiling triumphantly, Hiccup heard a sound from the right and when he turned to look in that direction, his face paled immediately. You didn't heard anything so it was strange to see his whole demeanor change so swiftly. You wanted to ask what's wrong but before you had the chance, Hiccup grabbed your wrist gently.
"Don't make any sudden move." Hiccup said in a hushed, assertive voice and it sounded so strict, you were almost afraid to look at what he saw. Once again, curiosity got the best of you so you followed Hiccup's gaze.
What you saw there was the most formidable, horned dragon in existence. A mighty Typhoomerang.
It's scales were a mixture of yellow, orange and red which shone under the moonlight. Those dragons are rather pretty from afar, their large wings spread to the fullest as they glide in the sky. But seeing them so up close was a whole other level. What made it even more scarier was the fact that this wasn't a baby dragon you were dealing with, it was a full grown adult. Their firey breath is a literal tornado that burns down everything in its path. One look in your direction and you're both toasted.
You watched the Typhoomerang crouched down and drinking water. Salty sea water. You've never met a dragon that's so fond of it. Usually the dragons drank from rivers and the only dragons that enjoyed the sea water were the tidal class dragons, the ones who live in it.
Now even if Hiccup told you not to move a muscle, you still noticed him step in front of you as if his protection instincts kicked in. It was quite a nice gesture from him, whether he did it subconsciously or with full intention. But your mind was too fixated on the deadly dragon standing just a few meters away. You were holding your breath, wanting to make yourself as invisible as possible. Even though fear was planting itself in your mind, you still gaped at the majestic dragon, wondering if you'll ever get the chance to tame one. It will be the second most exciting thing riding it, first being flying with Crystal. Then as quick as you saw it, the Typhoomerang spun above the ground and flew away with grace.
"Phew." You said, relieved. Feeling like you could finally breathe again. You wanted to continue the walk, so when you took a step forward you were surprised to find Hiccup's hand still clinging to your wrist. It was just hovering over but your step was big enough to move Hiccup's arm towards you.
"Uh, sorry I should've le-" Hiccup began to apologize, but you cut him off before he had the chance to finish."
"No, no. Its okay." You smiled and took his hand into yours, dragging him forward. Astonishingly enough, Hiccup didn't pull away like you expected, instead he followed after you with a thin, hidden smile.
"Honestly, I'm still wondering how the dragon didn't hear us bickering from miles away." Hiccup joked.
"Let's be glad it didn't. Otherwise we would've been toast." You giggled, but whatever ease you still had in you vanished in thin air when you spotted two sleeping dragons ahead. They were both Typhoomerangs, but not as nearly as big as the one you saw earlier. The dragons could pass as it's kids because they were small, but at the same time not baby sized. Hiccup saw them as well and both of you stopped dead in your tracks. This is the second time you see a dragon and it was undeniably a warning from the gods that if you continue, you won't be so lucky to escape the third time.
Obviously there was no way you could pass the dragons without waking up one, so the best thing right now is to call off the stroll. "You know, I think its enough walking for today." You laughed awkwardly, though silent enough in order not to be heard from the Typhoomerangs. Even if they were little, their fire is still as hot as the sun. No way were you taking that chance.
"Agreed." Hiccup replied and you both rushed away as fast as possible.
The saunter back to camp was spent in an almost apprehensive silence, in the back of your mind you were still expecting another dragon to suddenly appear out of nowhere, yet that never happened. Together the you and Hiccup walked hand in hand alongside the water, the splashing from the waves and the cool breeze calmed down your shaken nerves.
The heavens were starless, as if ink had spilled all over the sky, abandoning the lonely moon hanging like a luminous gem. It spread its silver rays through the vast sea, showing the total contrast between the surroundings. The moon's glowing reflection danced in the raging waves, bobbing in the distance. It was quite a captivating sight, so much so, you found yourself transfixed by its beauty. However, during that, you didn't fail to notice Hiccup's hand stir out of place. For a quick second you thought he was going to let go, but what took you by surprise was the fact that he interlocked his fingers with yours. His hand fitted perfectly with your own like two pieces of puzzle and you'd be lying if you said that your heart didn't skip a beat.
While your lips were previously agape because of the moon, now closed and curved into a soft smile. Your gaze remained on the the ground in front of you because for whatever reason you were too shy to look at Hiccup. Your arms swayed as one as you walked and it all reminded you of the times Hiccup and you would walk on the Edge's beach. They were nice, calm nights where both of you were sleepless so you always hit the beach. You'd walk barefoot, find seashells scattered in the sand, occasionally splash in the water and basically enjoy each other's company. Those were the memories you were most fond of.
The scent of fresh sea air started to fade once you neared the forest's entrance and you were disappointed how fast the the walk ended. When you returned back to camp, you found the two dragons wide awake and running around chasing one another, which was a relief. Because as much as dragons are sensitive to their surroundings, once they're in deep sleep, there's no waking them up, even shouting on top of your lungs won't help.
Hiccup and you decided it was a good idea to head back home before the twins put a missing person poster for the two of you. So you both saddled up and set course to the Edge.
-----
After arriving back on the Edge everything was fine and dandy, you changed from the bloody mess before anyone noticed you've returned and played it cool when the gang asked why you had a whole bandage for just a scrape on the arm. You shrugged it off and told them its to protect it from infecting, thankfully they bought it and theme changed.
Hiccup and you explained what happened on the boat but changed the details for the cave incident, not wanting them to get outraged and start a protest to go after Dagur. The gang told you that Gustav came back safe and sound, that he's at Berk now, patiently awaiting the day he can become a true Dragon Rider. Needless to say, Astrid was the most relieved out of everyone.
As for your wound, it hurt for the first couple of days and after that the pain started to gradually decrease. You cleaned it regularly until your body started heal and repair the cut itself. You knew some remedies about taking care of a wound, but you didn't think you'd ever need to use them.
The days passed excruciatingly slow because all of the time you wanted to pack your stuff and fly to the islands shown on the Dragon Eye. You've looked at everything that was on the lens, marked every islands on your map and noted down everything that was written. The most crucial information that was even underlined for its importance was the fact that you should never, ever, ever turn your back on Stealth Strikes. If you make that fatal mistake, you're basically an open invitation to get devoured. It said that if its possible, you should stay in your place and maintain as much as eye-contact as possible, that way you won't pass as a prey. If you start running, then its over for you.
Reading all of this made you wonder about the people who wrote these tips in the first place, they probably came face to face with Crystal's kind and thankfully lived to pass down what they went through. You reread the notes again and found that one sentence that always made you cackle. Apparently Stealth Strike's are very fond of pears, for whatever reason. Which explains why Crystal would drop everything she is doing the moment she sees a pear tree. She could eat a whole tree and still want more. So you made a mental note to get lots of pears for the trip. That way you can earn the dragons trust more easily... if there are any.
That's when the sad realization downed upon you. The Dragon Eye is a century old, even more that that. And as much as there is possibility that Stealth Strikes are hidden somewhere in the north, there is also a high chance they could be extinct by now, just like the Night Furies. You couldn't imagine how Crystal would react to that. Flying across the world only to find a vacant island.
A knock on the door disturbed your thoughts and you were grateful because if it hadn't, you'd only end up in the dark pit of negativity and doubt. You rushed to the door with a smile, it was most likely Hiccup on the other side. After coming back from the Typjoomerang island, as you dubbed it, he was surprisingly very nice. You hung out more often. Before it was together with the gang but now it was only the two of you.
You opened the door and immediately got hit by the sunlight, blinding you for a good second until your eyes adjusted and you saw Hiccup. It was early in the morning and you had gotten up two hours prior, you got dressed, braided your hair and cleaned around, just boredly passed the time until everyone wakes up. Today's plan was to explore some islands that were left undiscovered on the Dragon Eye, but Hiccup had a different plan instead.
"Hey, what's up? Are we ready to go?" You asked after seeing Toothless standing a few steps away.
"Actually, I-I wanted to show you something." Hiccup said, rubbing the back of his neck as he usually does. It was cute and you couldn't help but rise a brow at his sudden nervousness. "Do you remember those things you found on Cherry Blossom island?"
"Of course. What about them?' You questioned.
"Well, I remembered what I wanted to make and it's finished now."
"Really? Is it here?"
"No, its back on the island. We can go see it if you want?"
"Yes! Let's go!"
-----
The dragons glided through the sky, each of their wing beat was gentle and silent. The pleasant morning breeze brushed against your skin, making small goosebumps appear on your arms. It caressed your hair out of your face and behind your shoulder. It was a tranquil flight, but your mind was anything but calm.
You're still bothered by the one and only reoccurring question that keeps popping up in your mind no matter how much you try to dismiss it. Your main goal since the moment Crystal became your companion was to find more of her kind, to find the island where Stealth Strikes live. But now you fear that if such place actually exists, Crystal will love it too much, she would decide to stay with her pack rather than stay with you.
You suddenly felt as if this was your last flight with your dragon, that you should cherish it while you still have it. The nostalgic memories found their way back and you recalled the first times you rode on a dragon's back, how thrilling that was, even to this day it still is. Your mind got hazy when the thought that one day you will wake up without Crystal being the first thing you see and that crushed your heart to a million pieces.
You slid your hand over Crystal's scaly head, petting her affectionately. As if she somehow felt your pain, Crystal tilted her head to look at you and let out a croon.
"Dive." You said quietly, sounding like you spilled your soul into this one word. Without any hesitation, Crystal let her body go limp and plummeted down. Hiccup's shocked voice rang in the distance, he called out your name but you couldn't be bothered the least. All you wanted right now was to just enjoy being in the air, it was such a blissful thing to experience. Like walking on the ground was a prison and and flying was the sweet release.
You pulled back Crystal's saddle just before landing in the water and let her fly above it. A moment later you heard the click of the stirrups as Hiccup changed the tail settings and Toothless descended down next to Crystal. They now flew side by side with their wings spread out.
"What happened? Is Crystal okay?" Hiccup asked impatiently, his eyes darting back and forth between you and your dragon. You both seemed find so he couldn't pin point what was wrong, what made Crystal drop all of the sudden.
"Hey Hiccup... Do you ever wonder what would happen if you found more Night Furies?" You said, completely dodging his question.
Hiccup shot you an excited grin right away. "I'd be happy that Toothless isn't the last one. Right bud?" He replied and pat his dragon who had an even more happy look.
"Yeah, but have you thought what will happen after that? After Toothless is finally with the Night Furies." You questioned.
"What are you trying to say?" Hiccup replied, unsure as to where this conversation was heading.
"I'm saying that Toothless will leave you."
You couldn't begin to describe the devastated expression that overcame Hiccup's features the moment those words left your mouth. The frown that replaced his dazzling smile made you wish you hadn't said anything. Whenever you were flying, the dragons didn't have any strong reactions to whatever the two of you were talking about, they just enjoyed being in air. But now even Toothless whipped his head in your direction, with pure shock.
"Well... Of course." The hurt in Hiccup's voice just made the guilt eat you alive at this point. "We'll separate one day, we both know that. But I just hope it won't be soon."
You didn't respond with anything, only looked away silently. You fullheartedly agreed with Hiccup, but the thing is, he's not sure when that will happen. You on the other hand, know that if other Stealth Strikes are still alive, Crystal wouldn't be having a hard time choosing where to go.
"Why are you asking me this?" Hiccup wondered, assuming that it had something to do with the dragon lens you found. And the next thing you said cemented that.
"I was planning on going to the islands we saw on the lens, but now I'm not so sure..." You trailed off.
Hiccup was put in a difficult position, he couldn't just tell you to stop thinking about it cause chances are, you'll probably think about it even more. He didn't know whether to agree or disagree with you, so he opted for the safest option.
"How about instead of worrying about that, you wonder what the surprise invention is?" Hiccup suggested with a knowing smile and it seemed to work because for the next minute all you did was ask him about it and tried to guess what it is.
You didn't stop that until the island came in view and Crystal sped past Toothless just for your sake. You were excited beyond words. Hiccup has been planing this since the anniversary and it was probably meant for you.
When you arrived on Cherry Blossom Island you immediately noticed something new. A wooden plank held by two ropes on the side hung from the tall tree. It hovered over the ground and gently swayed from the breeze, capturing you in an almost hypnotic state. Its unlike anything you've seen before and for the first time you couldn't guess the purpose of it, your best guess was that it was some sort of a chair? A chair hanging in air.
"What is this?" You asked quizzically and dismounted from Crystal. After that you rushed over to the invention to check it out closer. Your fingertips traced over the rough, scratchy rope and then slowly encircled around it.
"Its called a swing. I remember hearing one of the merchants talking about this, apparently its pretty common in other places. Kids like it a lot." Hiccup said and you quirked an eyebrow.
"So you're saying this is a kid's toy?"
"No- I mean yes, it's mainly for kids, but grown ups like it too. Just try it out. It's really fun, trust me."
You bit back a smile and shrugged nonchalantly. Wondering what could possibly be that entertaining about this swing thing, it was just a plank suspending from a tree branch. You cautiously settled in the seat, fearing that upon sitting down it will break and you'd end up sprawled on the ground. Fortunately the only thing it did was creak loudly. Your hands curved around the ropes on either side of the seat and then you looked at Hiccup for instructions.
"You just move your legs back and forth and that's it." Hiccup explained and you glanced down. The seat was high enough so that your feet didn't end up scraping the ground underneath instead they were dangling just over the ground. "Here let me help you."
Hiccup went behind the swing, settled his hands on the rope below yours and then started pulling back the swing as much as possible. He released them and expected you to swing forward but instead you gasped loudly. The reason being that you started slipping from the seat and your legs ended up ramming in the ground.
"Look, you're supposed to keep your legs close to the seat when you go back." Hiccup said and you brought your legs up to the plank and looked inquiringly at Hiccup who nodded in reply. "Yes and you raise them when you go straight. That's all."
"Okay let's try again." You chuckled sheepishly, feeling slightly ashamed for not knowing two simple instructions. Hiccup pulled back the swing once again and this time it actually worked out, you were swinging.
As you rose, you leaned back and stretched your legs out as far as they can go. On the way down, you tucked your legs under the seat and held them tight until elevating once again. They burned like fire for the few seconds, but outstretching them was refreshing on a whole new level. You felt Hiccup's hands on your back, gentle but still firm enough to propel you forward. You were staring to get used to this and with every rise it became more and more fun. He pushed you on the swing until you upraised yourself so high to the point that it became risky to be standing behind you. The last push was just out of Hiccup's arm's reach and after that you noticed the lack of his hands. You turned around to find him a few steps away, standing at a safe distance and smiling proudly, partially at you and partially at his invention that worked out perfectly fine.
You turned back around and enjoyed the moment. Every nerve in your body tingled with excitement every time the swing flew upward. At first you were doubtful about this, but it seemed like you underestimated the swing, its the most fascinating thing ever. You can even say it's Hiccup's best invention so far. Each time you sailed forward, it seemed like you were flying. The cold breeze would push past your face and whirl your hair behind, which was the closest thing to riding on a dragon's back.
You took a deep breath and closed your eyes as the swing fiercely dived down. You let the rhythmic creaking lull you into a moment of complete euphoria. Nothing was on your mind, no worries, no thoughts, just peacefulness. You swung forward as far as the ropes would allow and when the swing reached it's peak, your body was almost horizontal to the ground.
When you opened your eyes, you saw the magnificent scenery in front of you. It was all blurry while you were forging ahead, but there was an one second pause at the peak where everything was perfectly clear. The last rays of the setting sun disappearing behind the giant mountains, casting a deep orange-gold hue that spreads far and wide. The wind soaring like an invisible wave, making the leaves drop one by one and then gather together in a swirl. The grass following, swaying in each direction the wind went.
Some dragons were flying to find shelter before dark, the bird's chirping ebbed away slowly until their singing was heard no more. Instead it was replaced by the chirps from the grasshoppers and the cricket's, together forming a perfect melody. Your nose caught a whiff of the cherry blossom scent, faint and sheer rose, accented with a lilac aroma. This island was already beautiful on its own and the swing only added to the fine collection. You imagined coming here with Hiccup for a nice picnic, having fun to your heart's content.
You saw the auburn haired boy walk in front and after a few more swings, you decided it was enough for today. While it was still going forward and in motion, you leaped out of the seat thinking that is the proper time and way to get up. But instead of graciously landing on your feet and continue on your merry way, you started rapidly teetering. That is until your legs toppled over each other and you found yourself closing in on the ground.
You were expecting the most painful fall of the century, but before that could happen, an arm was securely wrapped around your waist and another took hold of your hand. You were hoisted on your feet right away and your eyes met with Hiccup's amused ones.
"You know you're supposed to get up when the swing is steady, right?"
"I knew that! I was just uh... testing my jumping."
"Sure you were."
You laughed bubbly and then noticed something sticking out of Hiccup's hair, it was a small leaf that you couldn't just ignore.
"Wait, you have a little something here-" You said quietly, standing on your tiptoes. Hiccup waited patiently while you plucked out whatever was in his hair and then brushed your fingers, tossing the leaf in air.
And all the while you felt Hiccup's eyes on you. Until he said, "Can I ask you something?"
That made your heart stop beating for a second. It was that exact question that always caused your anxiety spike to the max. You replied with an very uncertain 'sure' and waited. If it was something random, Hiccup would've asked in the middle of the conversation but now that he needed a special permission, it must be something serious.
"Do you still love me?" Hiccup asked and straight away your face washed blank with confusion. It caught you unprepared so now your mouth was opening and closing like a fish thrown out of water that was now struggling to breathe.
"I-I... Why does it matter?" You countered, having nothing else to say. Even if you were at a loss of words, deep down you already had the answer. What you were fearful of was what Hiccup would say after you tell him.
"Do you still love me?" Hiccup repeated himself with a much firmer voice. Hiccup's enchanting green eyes captivated your gaze, they glimmered with the burning desire to know and the intensity only grew as the seconds ticked by as there was still no answer. Until you caved in and confessed with a defeated sigh.
"Of course I do." You replied. Out of sheer embarrassment you cast your gaze to the ground and left your head hanging low. While doing so you failed to notice the big grin splitting his face and what you didn't expect, not even in a million years, was for Hiccup to cup your face on both sides and slam his lips against yours, capturing you in a kiss.
A hurricane would be the best description of your mind at this moment, with countless thoughts racing to your head and emotions swirling throughout your body like a whirlwind. Feeling his lips on yours made you blossom like a flower.
Not wasting anymore time, you gave in and kissed Hiccup back. You felt your heart rapidly pounding inside of your chest, it was basically on the verge of exploding from happiness. You've desperately waited for this moment since the day Hiccup woke up not remembering you at all. For a while you lost hope entirely, you were convinced that he will never regain his memories, that he will move on and leave you behind. The fire that had burned down between the two of you when he got the amnesia was now ignited and brought back to life.
"I love you so much." Hiccup whispered between kiss, his husky voice echoing in your head. You grinned, finally hearing those words after so, so long. Your hands threaded through his auburn hair, twisting and playing around with it. They trained down to Hiccup's neck and stayed locked there. His fingertips traced down your jaw, sending electricity racing through your veins and you melted under his touch.
You wanted this to never end, but you stared to feel short of breath and pulled away. You anchored your arms on Hiccup's shoulder and clasped your hands behind his head. Your foreheads were pressed together and shaky breaths mingled in air. You still couldn't quite grasp the fact that this happened.
"I'm sorry." Hiccup said, deepest regret laced in his tone. "I'm so sorry for treating you the way I did, it-it was wrong and you didn't deserve that at all." He was so conflicted by his own feelings, he couldn't see the fact that he was hurting you unintentionally. Only now did he became aware of what his actions could do.
From the moment Hiccup remembered you to now, other bits and pieces of memories came back. He recalled conversations the two of you have had and small events you never told him. Such as that one winter morning when Hiccup woke up feeling like he was on fire due to the high fever. His head was thrumming and he couldn't concentrate on anything. Even standing for a couple of minutes made him dizzy. Back on Berk when Hiccup was just a little kid, he often times caught the cold. Stoick, being the overly busy chief he is, was never home to take care of his son. Hiccup would be left alone, shivering under the thin blankets.
But on the Edge you came to the rescue, you made him warm soup and tea throughout the day, put a cold cloth on his head to cool down the temperature and most important of all stayed by his side. Everyone can be around when things are going great, but not everyone stays when you're at the lowest point. And Hiccup has learnt that he should always cherish those who stay.
And it wasn't just that, even when Hiccup was feeling down you always managed to brighten up his day. You were always there to make him happy. And Hiccup didn't want to lose that. Before, when the amnesia was still present, Hiccup tried suppressing down his own feelings, thinking that it was just the journals that were messing with his head. But after properly remembering you things changed, for the better.
"I forgive you." You said earnestly and that was enough to make the most goofiest grin appear on Hiccup's face.
"Will you give me another chance?" Hiccup asked, filled with hope. "Will you be my girlfriend again?"
"Yes!" You exclaimed enthusiastically, pulling Hiccup in a big, bear hug. Your arms wrapped around him tightly, never wanting to let go. You were absolutely overjoyed to finally have Hiccup back again.
It was the most tedious journey you've been through. Filled with pain, regret, sadness and sometimes even a destructive combination of all three. You spent countless times pondering on the what ifs, what if you never took the auction map from Johann in the first place, what if you listened to the gang when they advised you not to come. What if you just stayed back and enjoyed your anniversary with Hiccup? Nothing would've turned out like it did, Hiccup wouldn't have lost his memory, he would've stayed being the besr boyfriend. But after the amnesia, his once loving gaze was permanently transformed into a look of pure awkwardness whenever he was around you.
Bur luckily, that changed. You won over Hiccup once more. It was a difficult challenge, unlike anything else you've been put through. But it proved that with patience and a little bit of determination everything is achievable.
You stared in Hiccup's emerald green eyes, the same ones that made you fall for him. They twinkled with such happiness, you didn't dare to look away. Hiccup, on the other hand, was pleasantly delighted. At first he didn't want to admit to himself that he was starting to catch feelings for you. But when you were the only thing running through his mind, Hiccup knew he had to confess. What he feared more than rejection was you not liking him anymore, moving on. But fortunately it never led to that.
Before meeting Hiccup, you didn't have much planned in life. You wanted to just explore the world. You were so convinced that you wouldn't meet anyone that was content with that and the fact that you had a pet dragon. And that's when Hiccup came into the picture, he was everything you ever dreamt of, someone just like you.
And you knew that as long as you have Hiccup by your side, you can get through everything.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE END.
I have no idea how to end books so yeeT it ain't good. Also srry its rushed I wanted to finish this story asap woops.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO READ THIS BOOK YALL ARE TOO AWESOME HONESTLY 😭❤❤❤ And a SPECIAL SPECIAL thanks to those who patiently waited for updates because lazyass updated after weeks/months cz I'm just a major procrastinator. Lowkey surprised yall didn't just forget about the story-
Anywhoo I'm really grateful for everything!! Like I honestly didn't think this book will get this much recognition :')
SO THANK U GUYS AGAIN ❤❤❤
Also if anyone actually reads this, what do u guys say for another Hiccup x reader story? Not a sequel to this but I had something other in mind.