And here it is. The final chapter of How To Become a Friend. This has really been quite a journey, and I had so much fun writing all 30k words of it! Writing from Toothless' perspective was quite a challenge, but it was a great one, and I hope you all thought I did a good job with it. It was a ton of fun putting all the things that make Hiccup and Toothless' friendship so amazing into writing. It's like the ultimate character study!

I really, truly hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. And I hope you'll enjoy the final chapter! We return to the movie in this one, with a bunch of added feels of course!

The last 200 words of this story just might be my favorite of the entire thing... self reflection, acceptance, change... and most of all, love and friendship. The bonds of these characters are what make them so amazing, and I tried as hard as I could to end with that as the central message. Enjoy!

The How To Become a Friend project: July 25- September 19

Ch 27: Family

Spring has finally returned. While it's not warm out, (then again, when is it ever?) the grass has returned and the trees regain their leaves, and the animals are all coming back. It's a season of new life.

It's been four weeks since our fateful battle, but, just like the season, things are finally changing with Hiccup. He still hasn't awoken, but for the past couple days, something has been different.

Every once in a while, I'll see his eyes move, or hear the breath that has been so steady for so long become faster. And I haven't left his side ever since. I can't. I need to be right here when he finally does regain consciousness. I want my face to be the first one he sees.

It's late morning, and Stoick has left for the day. With the weather warmer now, he can't stay inside all day. There's too many of his Vikings out and about. I take my place right next to Hiccup, and curl up around his bed. I exhale deeply, closing my eyes.

I don't know how much time passes, but I'm awoken by the sound of movement. Odd. It's too early for the chief to be back. I lift my head, listening harder. But no more noise sounds. I couldn't have just imagined it, though. Curious, I stand up, turning my attention to my human.

His eyes are still closed, but his mouth is open and his expression is focused. I sniff him, searching for any signs of consciousness.

Come on, Hiccup… wake up.

Having had to pull myself from the darkness several times, I know how hard it is. But I can tell he's really trying.

This could be it. This could finally be the moment.

I pull my head away, giving him some space. "Please, Hiccup. Wake up," I say, hoping my encouragement will help.

And then, his eyes blink open.

Am I seeing things? Is this real? I poke his head with my nose, trying to see if he reacts. He does.

"Hey, Toothless." His voice is weak, but it's his, and it's the best thing I've heard in weeks. Unable to hide my excitement, I begin licking his face, pushing him further and further. He reaches out an arm and puts it on my head. "I'm happy to see you too, buddy."

You're awake! You're awake! I step up onto the bed, but my paw goes too far and ends up on Hiccup's stomach. "Ow!" He instantly sits upright, holding the affected area in pain, only to stop and look around. "What? I'm… in my house." He looks at me, and I can't contain myself. I've missed that voice and those eyes too much. "You're in my house. Does my dad know you're here?" I barely hear anything he's saying, as my elation takes over, and I bound around the house in excitement. Why is he not excited? He's finally awake!

"Okay, okay-" I jump up onto one of the house's wooden beams. "No, Toothless!" I stop, tilting my head to stare at him, but I don't leave my spot. "Aw, come on…" he moves forward, then stops. A look of confusion crosses his face, and he throws off his blanket, only for the expression to be replaced by surprise, then sadness, then disbelief.

Oh. Right.

I jump back to the ground, ready to help with whatever happens next.

After a moment of hesitation, he slides to the end of the bed, setting his real foot down first, then the new one.

I move closer. Because I want him to know I'm here for him. He takes a deep breath, a thousand emotions seeming to run through him at once. Then, he lets it out in a huff, his eyes locked on mine.

It's okay. I'm here.

After another couple shaky breaths, he grabs onto the end of his bed and stands, leaning entirely to the right. I step back, waiting. Tentatively, he takes a step forward, only being able to stay on the prosthetic for a moment before switching. This doesn't seem to be good enough, because after one more exhale, he tries stepping with the left first. Immediately, he loses his balance, and I throw my head forward, catching him. After I help him stand again, he looks into my eyes, silently pleading.

But he didn't even need to ask. Because I understand what he's going through. And I will do whatever I can to help.

I nod ever so slightly, and he wraps his arms around my neck. Then, together, we make our way to the door.

Hiccup pulls it open, only to hear the roar of a Monstrous Nightmare outside. He yells, quickly slamming it shut. "Toothless, stay here," he tells me. Then, he opens the door again, and steps out.

I do as he told me for a minute, but a minute is too long. I told myself I wouldn't leave his side, and even if he asked me to stay behind, I can't let him be alone. So, I barrel through the door, pushing my way through several Vikings to get to him. Then, I see what he's holding. It's my saddle!

"You okay?" I ask, and he and the other Vikings all laugh. Hiccup looks around, as if he's still not sure what he's seeing is real. When his eyes get to me, they stop.

I just stare back, not saying anything, as a million thoughts and emotions go through him. Then, he throws his arms around me. "Thank you, Bud. Thank you so much."

Why is he thanking me? I'm not the one who did all this. I'm not the one who ended the dragon war. I'm not the one who changed Berk. He is.

"I'm the one who should be thanking you," I say.

He pulls back, smiling, then picks up my flying gear again.

"Are you alright?" I ask, glancing from the saddle to him.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he replies.

"Then I am too."

He works to attach everything, as the rest of the humans in his age group appear on their own dragons. Once everything is set, I crouch as low as I can, so it's easier for him to get on. After a bit of struggling, he makes it, and locks his new foot into its stirrup.

"Let's take a lap around the island!" One of the other riders says.

I feel a hand on my head. "You ready?"

"More than ever," I reply.

After a moment, I spread my wings and take off, alongside the other humans. Astrid and her Nadder dive under us, getting ahead.

Oh no, not today.

Hiccup resets my tail, and we dive down as well, soaring through the village behind them. "Come on, Toothless! Let's show them who's boss!" Hiccup says, and I narrow my eyes. When we come up to a wooden bridge, as Astrid flies over it, we duck through it, coming out in front. "Yes! Nice move, Bud!"

I smile, my heart filling with joy. Then, together, we fly up, spiraling through the sky, as one.

I'm not the same dragon I was a few months ago. I was angry, a survivalist, only ever trying to make it to the next day. I didn't care about any other creatures but myself, and even myself I didn't care much about.

But then I met Hiccup.

He stripped me of my ability to fly on my own. At that time, I thought this was it. That my life was over, that I had no reason to go on if I couldn't fly. And I was angry. Angry at this human, angry at myself, angry at the world. I just wanted it to be over. And I wanted that human to leave me alone, to pay for what he had done.

But I was wrong.

Because every time he came back, every time I played in the Cove with him, every time I heard his voice, every time he brought something new for me… I found a piece of me I didn't even know was missing. He taught me how to care, how to live, how to learn, how to love. I found myself through him.

And now, I wouldn't change any of it for the world.

Because flying with Hiccup, talking to him, learning new things about him and the species I was so wrong about… I feel complete. For the first time in my life, I've found someone I care about more than myself.

He may not be perfect, but neither am I. It's when we're together that we make each other the best we can be. We're mirror images, a matching set. We've both had to lose a bit of ourselves to figure out who we are, but when we're together, we're as whole as anyone else. And I know neither of us would change a thing.

Hiccup means more to me than I ever thought was possible. And I will do everything I can, for as long as I can, to keep him safe and happy, just I know he'll do for me.

Because Hiccup became more than just my friend.

He's my family.

THE END

I'd like to thank everyone once more for all the love this story has gotten. And I hope you'll all join me for the next one!

Also, this fic is an audio book! It's all narrated by me, so the voices were all done by me and aren't perfect, but if anyone's interested, here's the link! (Just put the youtube url before the rest of this link)

/playlist?list=PLjJ14wOmujKlWqfqQj-MbYSyT0WzNhO0K