Trust

i.

The human's looked momentarily afraid, as Night Fury knew he should have. He was a ferocious creature, capable of killing it very quickly, if he wanted. But, it turned out the human wasn't half-bad.

It gave him a fish, drew him and had shown intelligence he didn't know existed in humans. He wouldn't kill it; it had shown trust by throwing away it's knife.

All of this ran through his mind as it turned it's head down and slowly stretched out its hand. His eyes widened. Didn't it know that he could kill it? That the large people and dragons always killed each other?

The hand hung there, letting him make the final decision. The human was in a situation of total submission.

I'm trusting that you won't hurt me. Trust that I won't hurt you.

His head jerked forwards but he still hesitated - this was something no dragon had ever done. But it was also something no human ever had either. It's not natural, he screamed inside, it's not safe, it's not smart -

The voices fell silent as his snout touched the human's hand. He stayed there for a moment and felt the human shake underneath. Then he pulled back, and snorted, giving the human a confused look.

It - he looked confused as well.

A connection had been formed, and there was no going back now.

ii.

He had decided to call the human, Human. Human came every day and brought him large baskets of fish. He ate them up happily; they were especially tasty. Human would go towards his tail and make little scribbles in his notebook.

He didn't know what Human was planning, but as days passed he found himself looking forward to Human's visits. Got excited to see the boy, even. It was strange, as he had never looked forward to anyone visiting him before.

Human spoke to him and he couldn't understand everything, he got most of it. "It's almost ready," Human told him one day, looking positively thrilled. He didn't know why, but it made him feel happy as well.

He knew Human wasn't that creative a name, but Human called him Toothless, and that wasn't a creative name. Soon though, he found he looked at Human whenever he said Toothless.

And soon, he started to refer to himself as Toothless as well.

iii.

Human held up a large, circular thing with straps hanging off and Toothless could tell that Human wanted to put it on him. He knew it was going to help him fly again, seeing as what Human had brought before had helped.

After a playful game of tag that he knew Human had enjoyed as well, he let Human put it on. It felt weird on his back; there had never been anything there before. But not uncomfortable.

He didn't try to take it off. Human had told him not to and he trusted his friend. He had never had a friend before. It didn't seem like Human had really had one either.

"I'll see you tomorrow Toothless," Human said. Human came tomorrow, just like he had said he would.

After a few more days of this, Toothless realized this was called a promise. Since Human always kept his, Toothless wanted to make one to Human as well. He was beginning to be able to fly again, with Human on his back, but it was too unpredictable to promise anything about flying.

Human always had to go home before it got dark. He didn't like it. The forest was dangerous at nighttime and Human was tiny.

I will keep you safe, Toothless promised. He felt proud of himself.

He cared for Human, and Human cared for him.

Toothless didn't think he would need another friend as long as he had Human.

iv.

They had gotten stuck and Toothless could smell the nervousness of Human as he waited for one of the large men to pass. "Hello Hiccup," the large man said.

Just like how Human would say Toothless. Was Hiccup Human's name? Toothless didn't have time to ponder this as Human tugged him towards one of the buildings in Human's home.

It was full of pointy things and Human grabbed one. An image of Human holding one, standing above him and saying he was going to kill him flashed through his mind.

But he ignored it and stayed still as Human used the pointy thing to try to undo the knot that tied him to the saddle, as Human called it. Human wouldn't hurt him, at least not intentionally.

He trusted him.

v.

"Oh, this is amazing!"

Hiccup yelled as they soared upwards into the sky. Toothless had since then figured out that Human's name was Hiccup (that girl in the village had said the name a few times), and although it had taken some getting used to, Toothless liked the name Hiccup.

"The wind in my - CHEAT SHEET - STOP!"

And just like that, knowing that Hiccup was in charge of his flight, trusting that Hiccup wouldn't let them fall, Toothless stopped.

vi.

"No - NOO!"

Toothless didn't know why his boy was shouting desperately, but he bit back the shot he was about to fire at the large man he had pinned. He looked at Hiccup, who looked horrified and they locked eyes.

I don't understand. But I trust you.

vii.

The ship burned all around him and Toothless were terrified. But he was waiting. He had waited as he was chained, as he was forced to come to the Nest. Even as the Queen shattered her mountain lair, he waited.

And he had no regrets even if he did die, because Hiccup was safe.

He shook his head as both he and Hiccup were plunged underwater moments later, trying to say, No, save yourself. The large man from before came down; they exchanged a look and then the large man set him free.

He pulled the man back up - because if he was important to Hiccup he was important to him as well - onto shore and shook himself dry. The Queen needed to be defeated.

viii.

He knew, as Hiccup fell into the fire, that his boy was trusting that he would catch him. Toothless pumped his wings faster than he ever had, knowing even if he could never fly again, as long as he reached Hiccup in time, he would be happy...

He winced as he bit the boy's leg to pull him up, clutching him in his claws and shielding Hiccup with his wings.

And he trusted that they would both make it through.

ix

His boy had finally woken up, after fourteen suns of anxious waiting. Toothless couldn't hold in his happiness, but immediately came down from the rafters when Hiccup went to get up.

He knew the sadness and he knew the realization that you would never be the same again. And he knew trust as Hiccup mourned with him in a look and went to stand, knew pride, even when Hiccup fell.

And he knew that Hiccup knew trust when he caught him.

"First, I had to get his attention. Then, I needed to earn his trust." - Hiccup, Book of Dragons