For Massive HTTYD Fan.

Thanks to Thursday26 for the beta. Any remaining mess is mine. Also, I made the Skrill female because why not?

Dragonese courtesy of TamerLorika over on the AO3.

"You're more ruthless than you think, Hiccup. I'll hold them off. Go."

Hiccup barely has time to blink at the offer. The Skrill aims a tiny blast at Viggo and he goes down like a sack of rocks. Hiccup lunges to break his fall, easing the unconscious man carefully to the rocky floor. Above him, he hears dragons conversing too fast and sharp for him to make out. "Come." Toothless leans down before him, retracting his teeth.

Hiccup looks up from Viggo's prone form. The Skrill is facing the passage where he can hear the Hunters coming. "Bud, what…?"

"Hiccup not-ruthless. If Viggo dies, Toothless never hear the end of it." And with that, Toothless closes his gummy jaws around Viggo's waist, jerking his head in a 'get on' gesture.

"But the Skrill…"

Growling with frustration, Toothless releases the injured man and raises his head. "Skrills can blast out of rock. Human, not-so-much. Come!"

Hiccup shakes his head in utter disbelief. But he climbs onto Toothless' back as Toothless picks Viggo up and runs like the wind.

"Viggo?!"

"He sacrificed himself for me, okay? Please, I don't want to hear it." Hiccup sighs. "I saw it. Toothless can back me up. He's dying because," his voice gets desperate, "he protected me."

"I can't believe you, Hiccup!" Snotlout explodes. "You'll believe anyone who says they've changed and they need your help! What's to guarantee he won't turn on us again?"

Hiccup opens his mouth to speak. Then he closes it. Instead, he closes his wrist around his cousin's and leads him out of the clubhouse. "What-? Where are you taking me?" Snotlout blusters, but he lets himself be led along, the others following behind, to Hiccup's hut. Still silently, Hiccup leads them inside.

Looking more harried than they've ever seen him, Fishlegs is standing over an unconscious Viggo. One bloody arrow lies on the floor, and Fishlegs has one big hand over the wound, applying pressure. "Oh, thank Thor. I need an assistant," he says, looking wide-eyed at the group. All business, Astrid detaches herself from them and strides to the makeshift operating table, replacing Fishlegs' hand with her own as he starts to work on the other arrow.

"He took those arrows for me." Hiccup fixes the others with all the earnestness he can muster. "I saw it. I was there. And he threw me out, wanted to hold off the others by himself. If he'd had his way, he wouldn't be here."

Snotlout and the twins are looking between him and Viggo in various degrees of stunned. "It sounds good, Hiccup. It always sounds good!" Snotlout bursts out. "That's the problem!"

"It's a little much to kill yourself just to put one over on someone, Snotlout!" Hiccup explodes. "Use your eyes!"

"Assuming we took what you said on good faith," says Tuffnut, "would we get bragging rights if he turned on us and we proved you incorrect?"

Hiccup's just about to sigh in relief- the familiar banter means the twins, at least, are on board- when Snotlout cuts in. "Hey, I hate to be the party pooper," he says, looking out through the door, "but there's a wild Skrill heading straight for us."

Toothless bounds out of the door and vocalizes. Hiccup spares the approaching figure a glance. "That's not a wild Skrill," he tells Snotlout. "That's Viggo's dragon."

"His… what?!"

"Now that's something I'd never have guessed I'd see," Snotlout mutters under his breath. Fishlegs has just staggered out of Hiccup's hut, hands and tunic drenched in blood, a bedraggled Astrid trailing after him, and told them Viggo will probably live… and the Skrill is sitting on her haunches and straight-up wiggling.

"Uh-huh," the twins nod in unison. They don't even say 'what is it you see?' or similar, they're so shocked.

Before they can say anything else, the fearsome dragon fueled by lightning is bounding up to Fishlegs like a month-old hatchling. "Can-see?" she says, still wiggling in place. "Can-see Willowbark Human?"

"Uh… Willowbark?"

She shakes her head. "Taste like willowbark. Not like honey…"

"Bitter," Hiccup breathes, realizing.

"Bitter?" The sound is almost a hiss in Dragonese. "Can-see? Bitter-human, can-see?"

"Do you ever feel you've stepped into an alternate archipelago?" Snotlout asks Tuffnut quite seriously.

"I'm not sure." Tuffnut turns to Ruffnut. "Do you ever feel you've stepped into an alternate archipelago?"

Ruffnut turns to Astrid. "Do you ever feel like you've stepped into an alternate Archipelago?"

Fishlegs gives the Skrill his best professional smile. "Of course, but don't excite him. He lost a lot of blood, and he's very weak."

Human and Skrill disappear into Hiccup's hut with Viggo in it. Astrid turns to Ruffnut and responds very seriously, "All. The. Time."

They take sick-watch in shifts. Viggo is still unconscious: Fishlegs must have superpowers, all the Riders claim, for being able to get broth and water and medicine down him in that state. Astrid and Snotlout are still jumpy around him and won't get closer than they have to, certainly not to feed him, but Fishlegs is taking his hero role seriously. Surprisingly, the dragons seem to sense the change in Viggo: Barf-and-Belch were the first to come close, sniff deeply, and then confer their approval with a long nuzzle and scent-mark. Meatlug followed, giving Viggo a lick; Hookfang and Stormfly, in almost identical reactions, sniffed and tilted their heads toward their riders with wide pupils, but haven't gone as far as touching him. The Skrill rolled her eyes at that.

Speaking of the Skrill, Snotlout thinks as he perches on his seat for sick watch, that's another offspring of lightning and death that turned out to be a pussycat. The fearsome, lightning-fueled dragon keeps sniffing at Viggo, bussing his head, and generally acting like a loyal friend instead of... of... "He enslaved you!" Snotlout grumbles to the Skrill. Hookfang, who's not trusting Snotlout alone with Viggo, even an injured Viggo, rumbles approval from his spot in the corner. "He put dragons like you in cages. His brother was ready to put an arrow through your heart if Hiccup hadn't stood in the way like the dumb self-sacrificing idiot he is, and he'd have died if Toothless hadn't jumped in the way like the dumb self-sacrificing idiot he is!"

Serious yellow eyes meet Snotlout's, then Hookfang's. Then the Skrill touches her tongue delicately to the bandaged wounds on Viggo's back.

Hookfang whuffs, hard, and rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah," Snotlout nods. "Viggo gets to join the club of dumb self-sacrificing idiots. If I didn't know better I'd say that what Hiccup's got is conti- conta- catching. He's infected half the Archipelago with it…"

He continues muttering about dumb self-sacrificing cousins and the idiots who emulate them till the end of his shift.

Astrid sits by Viggo's bed, axe in one hand, sharpening stone in the other. The Skrill watches her with the dragon equivalent of a raised eyebrow, but doesn't comment - largely because Stormfly is roosting next to her rider with every indication of firing off her tail-spikes if either dragon or Viggo makes a move.

Viggo, though, sleeps on.

"Thank you for rescuing Hiccup," Astrid mutters through clenched teeth, eyes firmly on her blade. "Assuming he's right and you did do that for him and it wasn't some kind of double-cross…"

The Skrill quarks and grunts. "Saw human!"

Astrid blinks. She looks from the Skrill to Viggo. She opens her mouth, looks between them again, shakes her head, and looks back down at her lap, busying herself with her axe. After a moment, she mutters, "Okay, thanks for rescuing Hiccup," without looking up.

"You're doing well."

Fishlegs always talks to people who're unconscious - besides, he doesn't think Viggo's really out of it, his body's just probably saving its strength by keeping him in a sleep-like state for as long as possible. He counts it a small miracle that the arrows didn't pierce far enough to puncture the lungs: when Fishlegs puts an ear to his patient's chest, his breathing - while labored - is clear. Score one for physical fitness and protective subcutaneous fat layers.

He slips a hand under Viggo's head, ignoring how strange it feels to touch their former enemy, lying on his side in Hiccup's bed. "Soup now. Nice and easy, this'll help you get your strength back." Fishlegs has to push down an involuntary flinch at being this close, lifting the bowl to Viggo's lips and supporting his head with his other hand. The sleeping man's eyelids flutter as his throat works, his body accepting the nourishment. Fishlegs looks hard at his face, but his eyes never open fully.

Viggo finishes the bowl, all of it. "Good," Fishlegs encourages, smiling even though he can't be seen. "You're healing well. You'll be better soon."

He sinks into a stool. Yeah, better soon. Is their former arch-nemesis really going to… to be offered sanctuary here? To be allowed to be part of the team? Fishlegs can't imagine a moment when he won't look at Viggo with suspicion, or have his skin crawl just to be in the same room with him. But Hiccup vouches for him, has told them a tale of Viggo betrayed, vulnerable, helpless, Krogan and Johann turning on him - of the Skrill Viggo trained, coming to his aid, the Skrill even now sitting by Viggo's side like she's known him all her life, like he wasn't hunting down her and her kind not a month ago. And Fishlegs himself has pulled the arrows out of Viggo's back that Hiccup swears the man took for his sake.

And that's what it comes back to, doesn't it? Hiccup vouching for Viggo. Hiccup's many things, but a liar has never been one of them. One thing you can count on Hiccup for, and that's the truth. "Hiccup…" Fishlegs whispers, feeling like reality has been upended. Again.

With a sigh, Fishlegs sets the bowl down and walks around the bed to check the bandages on Viggo's back, shaking his head. Hiccup is either a demigod or insane, or both, knowing Hiccup. Where does he find it in himself to forgive like this?! His scrawny geek-out buddy has a heart in that skinny chest that's big enough to hold the entire Archipelago, humans and dragons both. It both awes and scares Fishlegs sometimes, Hiccup's capacity for forgiveness. For trust. For seeing the best in people.

And, Fishlegs has to admit as he adjusts the bandages on their former enemy, now turned ally… Perhaps that's the source of Hiccup's greatness. Because Fishlegs can't see himself forgiving an enemy so immediately, so wholly. Not even the ex-enemy he's nursing back to health with his own hands.

"Ryker…"

Hiccup jolts upright from his sketch. He's been sitting on the stool by Viggo's bedside keeping watch as he sleeps, the same as he's been doing for the past six days. This is the first time Viggo's stirred or said anything.

"Viggo?" Hiccup lays his notebook and charcoal aside and reaches out to check for fever as Fishlegs has taught him, feeling Toothless shift closer behind him. At Viggo's other side, the Skrill straightens.

Hiccup's hand pauses when Viggo jerks and cries out. His eyes aren't open, but his face tightens into a grimace, the expression pulling at his burn scars. "Ryker," he whispers, and tears pool in the hollows of his closed eyes. Something in Hiccup's heart tightens to hear it.

"Human asleep… sad?" The Skrill nuzzles Viggo.

Hiccup shrugs. "I… guess so." The sound of the name fills him with confusion. Ryker Grimborn was a boor, cruel and vicious, and in the opinion of anyone Hiccup knew, no great loss. As he remembers, even Viggo didn't like him.

"No…"

Didn't like him, perhaps… But maybe he loved him? Even as an only child, Hiccup can sympathize with the loss of a sibling. Particularly one you grew up with, worked with, helped run the family business. Was always at your side.

"Ryker…" Viggo's voice hitches.

Hiccup remains frozen, hand outstretched, as his ex-enemy's face contorts and he whispers his dead brother's name. Toothless croons. Steeling himself, Hiccup completes his gesture, touching Viggo's forehead. "It's okay," he finds himself whispering without even meaning to say it. "It's okay."

He shivers a little bit when his hand makes contact with the lumpy scars marring Viggo's face, memories of burns volcano horror pain overwhelming him despite himself, but he chokes it down. There doesn't seem to be any unnatural heat or fever: the man's just dreaming, not surprising with everything he's been through…

Viggo's hand darts up, with a speed unexpected from one so sick, and clutches onto Hiccup's own. "R-ryker?" he slurs. His eyelids crack open a slit as they've been doing for the past couple of days, unseeing, still out of it.

Damn. Hiccup's heart clenches. "No-uh…" His fingers twitch awkwardly in Viggo's hold before he manages to turn his wrist and hold onto Viggo's hand with an answering grip. He shifts closer on his stool. "It's okay," he whispers awkwardly again, wishing with all his heart that Fishlegs or someone would show up. "It's okay. You're uh, just having a bad dream."

"Can-help human?" the Skrill asks Hiccup. She inches toward the bed, and Toothless moves closer, mirroring her.

"I don't know," Hiccup says. Why is he so damn useless?

"Ryker," Viggo repeats, wet eyes blinking fully open. Hiccup jolts to see the blue iris and the burnt-out left eye. He opens his mouth to say something. Viggo's staring through Hiccup, seeing something in his mind. "I never meant…" Viggo's eyes close again, and more tears squeeze out. His grip tightens on Hiccup's hand and his breath hitches on a sob.

"I'm… I'm sure you did your best," Hiccup tries awkwardly. He brings his left hand up to cover Viggo's, clasped in Hiccup's right. Odin knows he has no idea how Ryker died, but he's sure Viggo would have done his best to protect him. They're Vikings, after all: family is everything to them. "It…" He decides to go out on a limb. "It wasn't your fault."

"You don't know that…" Viggo blinks, looks up, focuses. His piercing stare is fixed not on their joined hands but on Hiccup's face. He drags in a shuddery breath. "...Hiccup."

Hiccup has to force himself not to squirm. He's not sure how conscious Viggo is, but he's unaccountably embarrassed, pinned by his gaze. He takes a breath, collecting himself. He forces confidence into his voice. "I know you wouldn't let your brother die without a fight."

Those injured eyes blink slowly, once, twice. "Hiccup," Viggo repeats, voice raspy.

"Uh…" Toothless bumps against Hiccup's side, and it snaps him out of his fog of embarrassment. A fresh look at Viggo confirms what he wasn't sure about before: Viggo isn't conscious in anything but the most superficial sense. His eyes are glassy, blinking rapidly, his features slack and utterly void of the self-possession that is Viggo's hallmark. Hiccup feels himself cringing to see Viggo's - Viggo's! - face so open and childlike. It feels wrong.

"I tried to teach you what I knew..." Viggo whispers earnestly. "The best I could, I tried."

Hiccup's face heats even as his chest chills. This sounds too much like a deathbed confession. He leans forward and squeezes his ex-enemy's hand. "I learned a lot from you," he blurts, nodding fast. "I did! I really did."

Viggo's eyes slip shut. "Good…" he whispers.

Hiccup's had enough."Get Fishlegs," he raps out to Toothless. Like a shadow, Toothless slips away.

There's silence in the hut, broken only by Viggo's raspy breathing. The Skrill snuffles at Viggo's face, almost nuzzling, and lets out a purr. It sounds more metallic, somehow, than Toothless' soft rumble, but Hiccup can't pay attention to that: he's only concentrating on the man he hopes isn't dying. He disengages one hand from their joined clasp to lay the back of it against his forehead. He's warm, but not burning up. Can you have fever-delirium without fever?

There's the gentle thump of a Gronckle alighting on the platform outside - that was really quick - and a moment later, the noisy wingbeats of a Monstrous Nightmare. Hiccup jerks and makes to disengage his hand from Viggo's - then he defiantly tightens it. He's not scared of Snotlout.

Toothless takes a few paces outside as Fishlegs rushes in first, followed more sedately by Meatlug. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"He opened his eyes for a few minutes," Hiccup looks up, "but he wasn't… I mean, he recognized me, but he wasn't making any sense."

"That's not unusual for the state he's in." Fishlegs is an island of calm as he examines Viggo and takes his pulse, and Hiccup is grateful. Clearly even the Skrill is, because she purrs and busses him with the side of her head. "It's a good thing he opened his eyes. How long were they open?"

"Only a minute. He said some stuff, but then he went back to sleep."

"Oh, great. We not only take Viggo in - our worst enemy, the one who tried to kill you - but now we're sitting here holding his hand!" Snotlout rants as he bursts in the door. "What's next, a security blanket?"

"That's a great idea!" Fishlegs calls out without looking up. "He'll feel better if he's warm."

"What?! You- Fishface, you've gotta be kidding me!"

Toothless jogs back in the door, coming to stand alert on his haunches by Hiccup's side. Hiccup has to hold back a grin at the way Snotlout splutters. "You'll find one in the chest at the bottom of the stairs," Hiccup calls helpfully. "Right on top as soon as you open the lid."

"He's sweating kinda hard," Fishlegs mutters.

"Snotlout, can you bring a clean cloth as well? It'll be in the chest, right under the blanket."

A Nightmare head pokes in the door as Snotlout retrieves the things Hiccup asked for, helped by Meatlug, muttering dire imprecations under his breath, "...what you get when you listen to Hiccup… tries to kill him… waits on him hand and foot… can't wait to see what he does next…"

"What Snotlout doing?" Hookfang asks curiously.

"Can't you tell? I'm bringing freaking Viggo Grimborn a security blanket."

Hookfang's pupils narrow, then blow wide. He doesn't speak, but he lets out a discreet purr. Snotlout hefts the blanket over, Meatlug holding the other corner, and Hiccup, Toothless and Fishlegs spread it over the sleeping patient. Hiccup hesitates for a moment, then thinks what the Hel, and tucks it in. The Skrill hasn't taken part, but purrs approvingly. Meanwhile, Fishlegs has taken the cloth from Snotlout and is carefully cleaning Viggo's slack face with it. Hookfang says something to Snotlout in Nightmare-speak that the others can't understand, and Hiccup is too busy watching to make sure Fishlegs is being gentle with Viggo's burn scars to pay attention.

When Hiccup turns, Snotlout's standing right there, arms folded. "Hookfang tells me he really did take those arrows for you."

There are many things Hiccup could say. He could say So you believe Hookfang over me? Or he could say, And who told Hookfang? Or he could make some smart-aleck comment on gossipy dragons and the humans who gossip with them. Instead he just says, "Okay."

Snotlout holds his pose, looking like he's eaten something that doesn't agree with him and he's having trouble keeping it down. "So it's the least we can do to help him," he goes on.

Hiccup doesn't even nod; he stands quite still. "Okay."

"It's… it's not like he's going to hurt anyone in the condition he's in."

"Mm-hmm." Hiccup's voice is a whisper now.

There's a long pause. Finally, Snotlout looks from Hiccup to Viggo, and inclines his head in what may or may not be a nod.

There's a clatter at the door and Astrid rushes in, accompanied by a flurry of squawking, anxious Nadder. "What's going on? I was on patrol with Stormfly and saw Fishlegs rushing over here."

A more sibilant flutter of wings follows Stormfly's, followed by a chorus of twinned voices. "Did Viggo finally turn on Hiccup?" Ruffnut calls excitedly, hopping off Barf.

"Can we watch the bloody murder?" asks Tuffnut as he alights from Belch.

"Or did we miss it already?"

"Shh!" Fishlegs hisses at them, and, miracle of miracles, everybody shushes. "He woke up for a minute," he whispers, "that's all." He folds his arms and straightens, standing broad and tall behind Viggo's sleeping form. Next to him, Toothless bends, retracts his teeth and adjusts the blanket where it's slipping down.

Hiccup looks from one face to another of his friends. "Do you guys not believe me?" he finds himself saying. "Do you think I was making it up about him sacrificing himself for us? -for me?"

Astrid takes a step forward. "Of course we believe you, Hiccup."

Tuffnut nods. "Apart from anything, you can't lie worth beans."

"Smell it on him," adds Stormfly. "Viggo changed."

Hiccup watches his human friends listening earnestly to Stormfly. They know as well as he does that dragons can scent sincerity - many's the time they've relied on their partners' ability to do just that. "All dragons smell it on him," Meatlug adds, "even," she cuts her eyes at Hookfang, "stubborn dragons."

Hookfang rumbles. "Nothing wrong with be-careful."

"You tell 'em, Hooky."

"Nobody's doubting what you said, Hiccup…" Astrid says, bringing them back to the point. "It's not that we don't believe you…"

"It's just," Ruffnut takes a step closer and lowers her voice. "We're the ones who are supposed to create chaos."

"Not you," confides Tuffnut.

"I hate to agree with the twins," says Snotlout, "but bringing Viggo here does create a lot of chaos."

"For crying out loud!" Hiccup's finally at the end of his patience. "Do you think he's going to hurt anyone in his condition? Look at him!"

The Riders have the grace to look abashed. Astrid purses her lips while Snotlout actually shuffles his feet. "I have to agree with Hiccup," says Fishlegs. "It doesn't mean I trust him, but right now, he needs us to stay alive."

"Thing is, you gotta be honest, H," Tuffnut volunteers, "we gotta pull you back from trusting everyone and everything. You're the guy who sticks his hand out to dragons in case they feel like a snack." Toothless nods emphatically.

Ruffnut elbows her brother. "That worked out. Couldn't you pick something that had a bad outcome?" She shakes her head. "Way to prove Hiccup's point!"

"He needs us now. After all," Fishlegs adds gently, "it's not like Viggo has anywhere to go back to."

"What?" Astrid stutters. "Doesn't he have - ships, and a crew, and people who work for him?"

"Krogan took them over," Hiccup explains gently. "His brother's dead, his army's gone. Krogan and Johann kicked him out of everything he owned. He almost got killed trying to get his empire back. Now he has nothing left."

"Nothing but you." The Skrill has been sitting silent as a shadow while Viggo is tended to by Fishlegs, but now she raises her head and speaks.

"Yeah, well," Snotlout blusters, "who's to say he's not just going to try and get it back the minute he's better?"

"So what do you suggest we do?" Hiccup faces off against his cousin, folding his arms. "Do you suggest we murder him in his sleep as insurance?!"

"That would be… the prudent thing to do…"

Everyone swivels in shock at Viggo's whisper. Hiccup whirls and drops to his knees to meet Viggo's eyes. He's blinking blearily, but his eyes are his. He's himself again. The expression in his eyes is fully Viggo, the seasoned, urbane strategist, not the lost little boy of his first awakening.

"See? Viggo agrees with me-" Snotlout visibly cuts himself off. "You stay out of this!"

Viggo opens his eyes fully, and Fishlegs hurriedly slips a pillow under his head so his head can stay upright without strain. Viggo opens his mouth to speak, but a Skrill head busses his shoulder and his eyes widen. He turns his head painfully to her. "You stayed…" he whispers.

Hiccup's mouth falls open and he hears indrawn breaths behind him. The genuine emotion in Viggo's tone is like nothing any of them has heard before. "Moonlight see Willowbark-Human sacrifice self for Human-Queen and Night Fury," says the Skrill. "Human worth something. Stayed."

"Skrill foolish," Hookfang rumbles. "Human hunt dragons."

"Hunt dragons before," the Skrill - Moonlight - retorts. "No more. Yes?" she asks Viggo, bussing his cheek again.

"Yes," he says, and the way his eyes soften - well, his one eye - has the Riders muttering to each other in wonder. "No more," he adds fervently.

"Okay, everybody out," Fishlegs says with a brisk clap of his hands. "He only just woke up. Can't have you tiring him out."

"How come you're never that protective with me?" Snotlout whines as Hiccup helps shoo everyone out.

"Take a bunch of arrows in the back and he'll see what he can do," Tuffnut quips.

"How come you're not throwing the Skrill out?" complains Ruffnut.

"Dragons heal. Humans make-sick," Hookfang preens.

"Hey!" Snotlout complains. "Whose side are you on, anyway?!"

It's late afternoon, almost sunset, the next time Viggo opens his eyes. This time it's Ruffnut on sick-watch. "Well, hi," she says in a sultry tone. "Looks like we're alone together."

Viggo blinks several times while she retrieves a dipperful of water and lifts it to his lips. "Fishlegs says you gotta drink a lot." She turns to Meatlug as Viggo's drinking. "Yo, Meatlug, tell Fishlegs he's up."

Ruffnut holds the dipper up to Viggo's lips - he tries to reach up and hold it, but the movement pulls on his wounds and he desists - until he pulls back his head, indicating he's had enough. She puts it back in the bucket. Then she sits back and meets his eyes. "It's about time they brought some fresh meat in here," she smirks. She flips back her braids. "Imagine meeting a man like you in a place like this."

"You don't really desire me… and a girl your age won't intimidate me with seduction," Viggo whispers, matter-of-fact and assured despite the frailty in his tone.

Ruffnut shrugs, dropping the come-hither mask at once. "Can't blame me for trying."

Viggo's eyes drift shut. "There are better ways to intimidate an adversary."

She perks up. "Yeah?" Then she frowns. "Okay, you're sick right now, but I'm holding you to it when you wake up. I'll bring Tuffnut."

"My sister tells me you offered to show her ways to seduce a mark."

"A mark?!" Viggo repeats. He looks at the other Thorston twin. "It seems… perhaps I picked the wrong rider to teach strategy."

"Yeah, that you did," Tuffnut says easily. "He's got all these morals. Don't do this, don't do that." He tilts his head. "We're pledged to follow him, though - I mean, we never made an actual pledge, but I guess it counts that we've been following him since we were kids - so like anyway we do what he says, you know? Even if it would be quicker to do it some other way." He quirks a smile. "Besides, we don't always listen to him, y'know? Just on the important stuff."

Viggo is silent for a long moment. "So they chose you to tell me the rules by which you live."

"Man," Tuffnut whines, "he sees through everything!"

Ruffnut slides out from under Viggo's bed. "Maybe not everything."

Viggo looks from one twin to the other. Completely despite himself, he smiles. "Sneaking up on an incapacitated man," he feels compelled to say, "is hardly a test of stealth."

"No," Ruffnut concedes cheerfully, "but it's a start."

Fishlegs is grateful that he's the one on watch when Viggo starts to really suffer. He's been blessedly unconscious when the pain has struck before - he's seen him writhing and moaning in his unnatural slumber - but this time he's awake. He sees his jaw clench, and sweat starts to appear on his brow. The Skrill, Moonlight, nuzzles him worriedly, eyes flickering between Fishlegs and Viggo. But Viggo doesn't say a word.

"Meatlug? You know where the willowbark tea is, right?" Fishlegs has made a batch in advance, and been keeping it for just this moment. It's not even back at his hut; Meatlug only has to make a trip to the corner to bring back a kettle with a long handle. "Here." He pours the tea into a cup. "This will be bitter," he warns, "but it'll make you feel much better."

He's grateful that Viggo doesn't comment on his clumsy bitter-better choice of words as Fishlegs helps him drink. He's probably hurting too much: the strain from moving his arms to hold the cup forces a grunt from him, and Fishlegs can see what it costs him to try and stay composed. "You're a better patient than the others," Fishlegs grins, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "They'd be complaining about how bad it tastes by now."

Viggo drains the cup, and Fishlegs offers him some water. "This will help chase it down." Once he's drunk, he helps him settle onto the pillows again. "It should take effect soon, as you don't have much in your stomach. I'm right here while you ride it out till then."

"Thank-human," says Moonlight. But Viggo says nothing at all.

The expression on Viggo's scarred face is - disconcerting. The shrewd, urbane, self-possessed half-smirk is gone completely, and in its place is a kind of wonder. It's like witnessing something private that he shouldn't be seeing, so Fishlegs jumps up and returns the kettle to its place in the corner, shunts the bucket of water to one side, and busies himself restoring some semblance of order to Hiccup's hut, letting Meatlug take over the duty of watching the patient. The dragons chirp to each other in a dialect Fishlegs can't understand, so he occupies himself with his work.

He ends up being quite engrossed in stacking some notes he'd left haphazardly on Hiccup's workbench, and takes a while, dividing them up by subject. When he turns back to check on his patient, the lines of pain are gone, and Viggo is deeply relaxed, lying boneless on the bed, the Skrill and Meatlug both purring. It warms Fishlegs' heart to see his patient free from pain. "There you go," he smiles softly. Meatlug tilts her head toward Fishlegs and gives him a beautiful, wide-pupilled smile.

Viggo's face has that lost gaze again, and this time Fishlegs tamps down his embarrassment. The man is helpless, after all, dependent on him for his every need, so Fishlegs needs to suck it up. "Something on your mind?" he asks, careful to keep his expression friendly and neutral.

Viggo's eyes flicker up to Fishlegs, then down again. If he didn't know better, Fishlegs would say that Viggo Grimborn was embarrassed. "You're ruled by compassion," he says finally, contemplatively.

Fishlegs straightens, nonplussed, and tries to find a good response. "Uh… I can't say I've thought about it, but uh…"

Still looking down at the blanket, Viggo murmurs, "Your sole motivation was that I not be in pain."

"Yeah…" Fishlegs remembers his duty. He strides across the room and sits down on the stool so he's nearer to Viggo's eye level. "Is it better? The pain?"

"Yes," Viggo responds, then adds with a wry half-smile, "although nothing really counts as pain after you've lived through having half your face burned off."

Meatlug lets out a little whimper and Fishlegs winces. "I'm sorry."

There's that perplexed, lost look again. "Do you know… I believe you are."

Fishlegs lets out a little 'uh', hardly a word at all. "Well… who'd be happy to see someone's face burned off? No offense."

"I know a lot of men who would be happy to see that happen to an enemy."

"Willowbark-Human know bad humans," Moonlight huffs.

"Yeah, see? She said it," Fishlegs grins. "You should join the conversation more often," he says to Moonlight.

"There are many who would just enjoy the come-uppance of an enemy. Or…" Viggo takes a moment to breathe, "or use the fact that they were healing me as leverage. Or perhaps make treatment contingent on fulfilling some condition."

Fishlegs feels himself recoil even as Moonlight and Meatlug hiss. "You won't find that here. You're sick. You need healing. That's the end of it."

Viggo shakes his head against the pillows. "I'm not accustomed to dealing with that."

"Dealing with what?" The word's odd on his tongue, but Fishlegs says it anyway. "Compassion?"

Viggo nods. "Being motivated by a desire to help… to heal… not to achieve glory…" he pauses, then slowly shakes his head back and forth against the pillow. "It's… not something I'm accustomed to," he repeats, as though lost for words.

"Well, get used to it," says Fishlegs bluntly. "I think Hiccup is going to offer you a place with the Riders, if you want it."

Viggo half-laughs. "I know Hiccup Haddock III is generous of spirit, almost naive - but it's hardly likely he'd be that generous of spirit."

Fishlegs feels his face settle into a mask of stone even as an impish desire rises in him. "Did any of the others ever tell you about the time he offered his arm to a Screaming Death in case it wanted a snack?"

"I don't trust you, you know."

"Good."

"I mean it. I don't."

"You shouldn't."

"Quit trying to make me let my guard down! I won't!"

"Excellent."

Snotlout sets down his axe, folds his arms and plants his knees apart as he sits on the bedside stool. Hookfang has settled in behind Viggo, next to the Skrill, and they are sharing rumbles and purrs. Snotlout cants an eyebrow at them. Traitor. Put a pretty female in front of that Nightmare and he'll sell you out the first chance he gets.

It doesn't help that Viggo is so sensible. So approving. He just keeps praising and praising, probably to make Snotlout let his guard down. He's not doing that. And now he's closed his eyes and lain back? Probably another trick.

"You know," Viggo says thinly, eyes closed, "it would be more prudent to hide your dislike and suspicion of me. Allow me to let my guard down."

"Like you're doing with us?" says Snotlout. Moonlight blinks and hisses. Oh well, Snotlout's not going to regret saying it.

But Viggo doesn't take offense. "No," he says calmly. "I owe Hiccup a debt of honor, which makes me bound to be honest with him."

"Hiccup," Snotlout says carefully, probing, "but not us."

Viggo opens his eyes and straightens as much as he can in his reclining position. "You too. After all, you had me at your mercy. Any of you could have poisoned me in my sleep."

Hookfang squawks - squawks! Like a Nadder! Snotlout shakes his head in confusion. "Didn't you say that was a good thing?"

"It is," Viggo sighs, "what my former self would condone."

Suddenly Snotlout finds his teeth clenching. "You! You poisoned Astrid!"

Moonlight's head rises and she growls. "Poison human?"

"As I said," Viggo whispers. "What my former self would condone."

"Human dead?" whispers Moonlight, shocked.

"No. Saved," Hookfang cuts in.

Snotlout flaps his arms for silence. "You- you want me to forgive you for that?!"

"No," says Viggo. "I wasn't aware that she was more than a friend to you."

"She's not. She's more than a friend to Hiccup."

"Yet Hiccup forgave me."

"Yeah, Hiccup is Hiccup! He's always for taking in strays, no offense, he believes in forgiving enemies! And second chances and-and…" Snotlout trails off. "Second chances and…"

At seven years old, Snotlout catching Hiccup outside the foundry, throwing rocks at him with unerring accuracy all the way home, just because. At ten years old, Snotlout throwing Hiccup's blueprints into the fire. At twelve, Snotlout deliberately telling a version of events to Stoick that painted Hiccup in a bad light. At thirteen, Snotlout hitting Hiccup until he cried, then making fun of him for crying…

Forgiving enemies. Second chances.

"Poisoning is different," he chokes out loud.

Viggo is silent, merely nodding. Hookfang lets out an inquisitive purr.

"How-how do I know you won't poison us all? Or one of us? Ask us to bring you something or one of us dies?"

"You don't," Viggo replies, serious. "All you have is my word."

"That's good enough for Hiccup," Snotlout says, "but it might not be good enough for me."

Catching Hiccup outside the Great Hall after a punishment and pushing him into the mud. Being gleeful at him eating dirt. Threatening Fishlegs until he stopped hanging out with Hiccup. The joy he felt at the heartbreak on both their faces at losing a friend. "How-how do we trust you?" Snotlout blurts.

"I wouldn't advise it," says Viggo. "I'd suggest you be on the alert. Or send me away."

Now that's foolish. "Send you away where?" Snotlout snaps. "Back to Krogan and Johann? You can't walk from the last time you faced off against them!"

There's determination in the set of Viggo's jaw - almost enough to conceal the deep sadness in his one remaining eye. "I am not helpless. I would find a place to go."

Moonlight rumbles. "Not alone."

Viggo blinks. "Go with human?" Hookfang croons with uncharacteristic softness.

Moonlight's croon matches Hookfang's. "Yes."

"See?" Snotlout says. "She wants to go with you! The Skrill is second only to the Night Fury in the list of Dragons Hunters Go Apeshit About Catching. You wanna go waltzing around the Archipelago with Moonlight, expect to pay another visit to your friendly family Fishlegs sometime real soon to dig another set of arrows out of your butt!"

Viggo chuckles, clenching his fists when the laughter strains his injuries. Hookfang honks. "I'll take it under advisement."

"It would make sense for you to be with us. Like, my enemy's friend… no, my friend's enemy ...is uh, like my enemy too. No, wait…"

Viggo doesn't correct him, just looks tired and amused. Finally, Snotlout finishes, "...so it makes more sense, if you're riding a dragon and Johann and Krogan tried to kill you, that you throw in with us, because they're trying to kill us as well. So they have all the people they want to kill conveniently in one place. No, wait…"

Viggo smirks. "The mask serves you well."

"What mask?!"

"Oh, pardon me. You're right, you're right, it's not a mask." Viggo's smile becomes conspiratorial. "You really are naive."

Snotlout huffs. "I'm still not trusting you."

Viggo raises a sudden eyebrow. "...You balance Hiccup," he says, softly, with the air of a realization.

Snotlout folds his arms and sets his jaw.

Viggo remains silent for a long moment. Eventually he speaks. "Your proposition of murdering me in my sleep was… prudent, although not what I would have done. Ryker might. Although he wasn't fond of using poison. His methods," if his voice wavers, it's gone too quickly to notice, "were more direct."

"I wouldn't kill someone in their sleep. Not even I would do that." Snotlout drags in a deep breath, looking over at Hookfang and the Skrill, still gossiping in tones too low for a human to make out. He wonders what they're saying.

"I didn't poison those men, you know."

Snotlout blinks. He knows exactly what Viggo's referring to. He thinks of snappy comeback after snappy comeback, but in the end, he says nothing.

"Hiccup probably guessed I had nothing to do with it, for practical reasons alone - where would I get the seeds of the disease? But that aside - even I would not kill an entire ship of men who had not wronged me in any way."

Snotlout's a little unnerved at this defensive Viggo. "You still used them," he mutters. "Even if they were already dead, you used them."

Viggo inclines his head. "Hiccup wouldn't approve, but yes, I did. Opportunism can be a valuable trait in a businessman."

"You're-" Snotlout chokes a little. You're talking to the guy who once sold water in a drought, he thinks, but the words stop at his lips. "I- We don't do that. It's not…" He shakes his head. "You don't use sickness and death. Some things shouldn't be used."

"You really are ruled by compassion. All of you." Viggo looks at Snotlout shrewdly for long enough to make him nervous. "Hiccup taught you well," he says softly.

Snotlout's shoulders slump. "Yeah, well." He'd feel embarrassed and transparent that Viggo's practically seeing through him, but… He shrugs mentally. After Viggo played the entire Archipelago like a Maces and Talons board, Snotlout supposes seeing through one dumb Viking isn't beyond the strategy master. "Hiccup has these things. Princess Human-Kindness." He can't help the way his mouth quirks upward, or the warmth that fills him. There's a tap-step at the door and Hookfang's head straightens. Snotlout raises his voice to a loud drawl. "It's either listen to him or throw him off a cliff."

There's a creak as the door opens, and then the grin in Hiccup's voice warms him all over again. "Nice to hear your declaration of undying loyalty."

"You know it, peg leg."

Viggo looks from one to the other. "Interesting chain of command you have there."

"Not us," Astrid hops off Stormfly on the deck and strolls in, "just Snotlout. Get used to it."

"Not-can get-used to Snotlout," Stormfly squawks. "Only Hookfang can-handle."

"I resent that," Snotlout objects half-heartedly. Hookfang purrs, smug.

Viggo looks from one of them to the other, then he stills completely. If he was a cat, his ears would prick up. "Coming in stealthily isn't any good when you stir up dust in the sunbeams!" he calls, as loudly as he can with his injuries.

"Aw." Ruffnut thuds to the floor through the open window behind Viggo.

"Maybe next time." Tuffnut follows her in. From outside, there's a soft boom as Barf and Belch indulge in their own brand of fireworks.

"Hold on. How do you know one of the dragons didn't stir up dust in those sunbeams?" whines Ruffnut.

"Not-part of training," Moonlight says evenly. "Not-would confuse teacher."

"Teacher…?" Hiccup goggles at the pair. "He's teaching you stealth?" He passes a hand over his eyes. "Oh, gods."

"Ambush skills, actually." They saunter over to the bed. "Fishlegs is on the way." They're barely done with their statement when there's a buzz of Gronckle wings and the man himself walks in the door, laden with supplies. Tuffnut grins. "The doctor is in."

"Am I interrupting something?" Fishlegs asks as he takes in the assembled company. "Here…"

Kneeling by the bed, Fishlegs opens his basket. He doesn't pay anyone much attention as he hands Viggo vial after vial, which his patient drinks obediently. The Riders, even Astrid, grimace sympathetically at the odor and appearance of some of the concoctions. "Who said the cure isn't worse than the disease?" mutters Snotlout.

"Okay," Fishlegs claps his hands together with an encouraging smile, oblivious to the others' mutterings. "Tomorrow we'll start you on sitting in a chair. Maybe standing for short periods if you're not too dizzy. Then light exercise around your hut - very light - Moonlight can help you with that, and I'll be there, of course - and then…"

Fishlegs' businesslike tone trails off. Clearly, he hadn't considered that Viggo doesn't have a hut to exercise around in. His eyes flicker up to Hiccup, then down to his hands in embarrassed silence.

Hiccup steps forward, visibly coming to a decision. The dragons look at Hiccup and straighten. "Viggo," Hiccup says formally. "In the presence of all concerned, I'm offering you a place with the Dragon Riders, if you want it."

Viggo sighs and sticks his chin out. "Hiccup, I'm not in need of pity…"

"And I'm not giving it," Hiccup snaps. "We need a master strategist."

Viggo levels Hiccup with a glance. "You're a strategist."

"An apprentice strategist," Hiccup says, with such candor that the Riders, even Toothless, stare. "Come on!" Hiccup looks around at his teammates. "We've learned a lot from him! We could learn even more!"

"If he doesn't poison us in our sleep!" Snotlout yells.

"My point exactly!" snaps Viggo.

A long silence follows the exchange. Everyone is standing around with their jaws dropped. "Did a Grimborn and a Jorgenson just agree?" Tuffnut asks Ruffnut in a stage-whisper.

"I believe, brother, they did."

"The world's end is nigh."

"Ragnarok is approaching."

"But," Tuffnut asks his sister, "how can you poison someone in their sleep? Do they not have to be awake, as it were, to um, ingest the poison?"

"That is indeed a salient point, Brother-Nut, and…"

Viggo chuckles softly. "You certainly don't want for entertainment."

"Tell me about it." Hiccup passes a hand over his eyes. "Can we be serious for a minute here?"

Astrid steps forward. "Hiccup." She glares at Viggo. "Viggo. I believe you saved Hiccup's life. I'll believe you don't want Hiccup to die. But what about the rest of us? What happens when there's a plan where one of us needs to be a pawn to be used?"

"What always happens," Snotlout snaps. "Hiccup will throw himself into danger so none of us gets hurt!"

"That's not the point." Fishlegs stands. "We need your word," he stares Viggo down, deathly serious, "that none of us is expendable."

"Not just the team," Hiccup cuts in. "We have our honor. We don't kill unless it's unavoidable. Self-defense, or defense of another's life, or einvigi. We don't poison, we don't torture, we don't murder. Sure, we go into battle, we know the risks. But we don't use murder as a strategy, we don't consider anyone expendable, and we're careful to do what we can to avoid the loss of life."

"A nest of do-gooders." Viggo's mouth quirks up.

"And don't you forget it." Fishlegs folds his arms with no trace of a smile.

Astrid clenches her fists and steps forward. "I'm sick of you insulting-"

"Why not?" Viggo's still smiling. "I've always loved a challenge. Working within your constraints? Like playing with stricter rules." He meets Hiccup's eyes. "I accept your terms."

Hiccup nods, visibly trying to keep the corners of his mouth from turning up too soon. Astrid comes up beside him. "We follow Hiccup," she says. "None of us thinks we know better than him."

"She's right. I mean, I wouldn't go that far, but…" Snotlout begins.

Astrid punches him in the arm. "We accept him," she intones, "as our leader. We do as he says."

"We do?" Tuffnut whispers. "Since when?" Astrid punches him in the arm, too. "Ow!"

"What they mean," Fishlegs says calmly, "is that we have a chain of command. We're not afraid to tell Hiccup when we think he's wrong, and we're not mindlessly obedient, but we respect him and we choose to follow him. If you stay on the Edge, you accept those terms."

Viggo's eyes flicker from Astrid to Snotlout and Tuffnut. "Do you use corporal punishment, like some ship's captains?" he asks. "Because I took an oath long ago that I would break the arm of any man who struck me."

Hiccup's jaw drops. "We don't," he breathes. "Never." He glares around at his team-mates. "Just because some people think it's funny doesn't mean I condone it."

"That being said, if your dragon smacks you with his tail, that's between you and your dragon," Snotlout feels the need to interject. Hookfang honks.

Viggo's very still, eyes flitting from one to the other. "What are your punishments for breaking your rules, disobeying orders?"

Hiccup opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. Luckily, the twins answer for him. "You get a Hiccup Lecture," Ruffnut says darkly.

"And don't knock it till you've tried it," says Tuffnut, equally grim.

Viggo lets out a huff that might be a laugh, eyes widening. He shakes his head, a smile playing on his lips, when Toothless adds seriously, "Viking no-honor, no dragon allow on back."

Viggo meets the Night Fury's eyes seriously. "What kind of thing counts as no-honor?"

It's Stormfly who answers. "Force-mating. Torture. Kill for pleasure." She rumbles deep in her throat. "Betrayal."

Viggo inclines his head. "Noted."

Moonlight rubs her chin over the top of his head. "Human not-do that. Moonlight know."

Viggo tries to reach up to scratch her chin, but gasps in pain. Fishlegs is there with a hand on his elbow, easing his arm back down. "Better doesn't mean fully recovered," he chides. "You'll be able to do everything you could before, but it'll take time. Overexerting yourself will only slow down your recovery."

Hiccup meets Viggo's eyes and smiles, not without sympathy. "Being injured means Fishlegs is the boss of you. You have to listen to him. All of us do."

"My condolences," Viggo murmurs smoothly.

"I didn't hear that," Fishlegs grunts.

"So we're all okay with this?!" Snotlout bursts out. "We're just… gonna forget the poison, the battles, the… everything…"

"The volcano," Hiccup says evenly.

"Hey, nobody told him to jump in!" But Snotlout looks abashed.

"I'm okay with it if you are," says Fishlegs, eyes fixed on his basket.

"We could do a trial period," Astrid concedes.

"Count us in!" Tuffnut grins, echoed by Ruffnut.

There's a pause, in which there can clearly be heard the sound of some of the dragons purring. "Oh, okay," says Snotlout. "I know when I'm outnumbered. Just so you know, I still don't trust you. It's going to be a long time. Maybe I never will."

Viggo narrows his eyes approvingly at Snotlout. "That's an excellent attitude, Hiccup. You should learn from him."

"YES!" Snotlout crows. "See? Snotlout, Sno…" Hookfang gives him a pointed stare. "Snotlout, Hookfang, oi oi oi!"

"Do you realize," Astrid tilts her head at him, "you're celebrating because you got a compliment from Viggo?"

"Hey!" Snotlout sticks his chin out. "We Jorgensons believe in taking our compliments where we can find them!"

Astrid facepalms. The twins high-five. Hiccup grins, and it's genuine. "Welcome to the Dragon Riders, Viggo." He pauses suddenly, the smile dropping off his face. "If…" he hesitates, "if you accept our offer?"

Viggo meets Hiccup's eyes. "I accept."

Hiccup's smile is back, incandescent. He kneels by Viggo's bed and holds out a hand for him to shake, crouching close because Viggo can't reach far with his injuries. He waits until they've joined hands. "I trust you," Hiccup says, clasping his ex-enemy's hand firmly.

"You shouldn't," Viggo says seriously.

Hiccup doesn't let go of Viggo's hand. "Do you mean to betray me?"

"No. But you shouldn't trust me on principle."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take."

"See what we have to live with?" Snotlout whines.

"I'm also going to be watching you," Astrid warns.

Viggo's eyes flicker up to her, even with his hand still joined to Hiccup's. "I would expect nothing less."

Tuffnut grins. "We're gonna be watching you too…"

"...and learning," Ruffnut finishes.

Slowly, Hiccup lets Viggo's hand go. His other hand hovers as if he might be about to pat Viggo on the shoulder, but hesitates, not quite making contact. "When you start getting better, we can make plans for a hut. We've plenty of wood, you can - I'm sure you can draw up blueprints for whatever you want. We'll all help. I can show you the forge…" Hiccup's face lights up, "and if you want to see my inventions…"

"Thor help us," Snotlout and Astrid groan, practically in unison. Then they stare at each other, unnerved.

"I'll show you my garden, and you can start a plot for anything you want to grow there. We have vegetables and - But we can get into all that later. You're not going anywhere for a while." Fishlegs turns to the others. "Guys, that's enough for now. I don't want him tired out." He makes shooing motions with his hands. "You can ask him whatever you want in the regular rotation. Come on, give him some peace and quiet."

Humans and dragons filter out. Only Hiccup remains kneeling by the bed, Toothless at his side. Fishlegs putters around, while Meatlug and Moonlight the Skrill stand at the door, giving the humans space. "We've learned a lot from you," Hiccup says softly. "I hope we can learn a lot more."

Viggo's voice is weaker with all the exertion, but still clear. "I would be honored."

Moonlight purrs. "The honor…" Hiccup swallows. "The honor is mine." He rises from his kneeling position. When he turns to go, Toothless remains standing where he is. "Bud?"

Toothless fixes Viggo with steady eyes. "Before, nearly kill Hiccup," he says, pupils narrowing.

Viggo looks stricken. "I-"

"But," Toothless cuts him off, "save Hiccup. Injured, saving Hiccup." His pupils widen with acceptance.

"Listen to him," Hiccup smiles. "He's always right."

Toothless gazes at Viggo for a long time. Viggo swallows, but meets his gaze unflinchingly. Finally, Toothless nods. "Enemy, become friend," he says. He looks from ex-Hunter to Skrill. "Change always welcome…" He inclines his head as a human would. "Welcome."

"I'm honored," says Viggo, and it's clear he means it.

"Hiccup want-learn from Viggo," Toothless says. "Maybe Viggo can-teach Hiccup how to lie?"

Viggo bursts out laughing. Fishlegs squawks something about agitating the patient as Hiccup glares at Toothless. "Oh come on, bud, that's a low blow!"

Meatlug gives a snorting, purry giggle as Toothless walks out, dignified as befitting the Queen of the dragon-nest. Hiccup follows him out, arguing, as Toothless gives a final smug look to Viggo. "Hiccup say Toothless always-right."