A/N: 1) English isn't my native language, so there may be grammar errors and typos.

2) I know it's a 'don't like it, don't read it' category, but honestly, it's not bestiality, it's two boys, which isn't a wrong thing.

SPOILERS: Up to 1x13

Characters: Toothless, Hiccup

Pairing: Toothless/Hiccup

Written for hc bingo prompt 'cuddling for warmth'

Warnings: hurt/comfort

I'll Be Your Safety

Sometimes Hiccup hates to be a Viking, especially the chief's son. He always had to do nearly impossible, borderline suicidal or plain stupid things, just to show that he will be a great leader, though how sheep hauling would help him ruling his tribe he doesn't know. And let's not talk about the Viking's obsession with strength and brutality, for example the Very Violent and Bloody Tournament, which is as cheerful as its name suggests. It's yet another senseless test for his clan; it's a tradition to partake in this competition for every sixteen years old. The prize is – aside from their survival – that they would become full member of the community, with their first heroic task done they can continue to be brave little soldiers in a war long gone.

Hiccup understands being defensive and prepared for other enemies, like the Outcasts, but to build their own life on hate and mindless violence is like trying to light wet kindling, struggle all you want, the spark won't change into a burning flame, and all you have in the end is coldness eating you alive.

Hiccup shakes his head, as if he can banish his dreadful thoughts like cobwebs, and he looks up at the rickety mast of his miserable, makeshift boat, the Hopeful Puffin, and praying it would hold at least till they get to the North Island. He hates sailing, he was never good at it, and it's just adds to the humiliation that they had to build their own ships, and the Hopeful Puffin is ridiculously small, some of the boards are lose and water leaks in from mysterious holes. But Hiccup can't help it, but to feel proud as he looks at the boat, because it's so like him: different, tiny, but determined to keep going. It's a god given miracle it's not sinking right now, and Hiccup feels exactly the same. He spent so much time alone, feeling like he was just drifting aimlessly in the waves of his father's expectations, almost sinking, almost drowning, yet not giving up, as if he knew on some subconscious level that there would be a change. That somehow someone would save him.

And someone did. Or something, if you prefer, because most of the people on Berk don't see dragons as intelligent creatures, just as pets, or worse, as vermin. But Hiccup is different yet again from the others, he feels a kinship to Toothless, and not just because he successfully trained him, it was never about controlling him or domesticating him – as others think – but to befriending him. They are alike: Toothless is unique, but in a different way, he's not small, not to be laughed at, but just as lonely, he is after all, the only Night Fury they'd encountered, but obviously there has to be more. It's so fitting that they are both lost a body part and that the missing parts had been replaced with a superficial thing. Hiccup is secretly glad they have this in common, it so blatantly tells the world they belong together. The boy and his dragon.

Together they faced many dangers – dragons, pirates, and more dragons –, they saved each other's lives countless times, but that isn't why he takes comfort in Toothless' closeness. He's more a friend to him, than any of the kids he's grown up with. Weird as it is, the dragon understands him better, and they can't even communicate, at least, not with words. But Hiccup always thought that gestures are more meaningful, because you can lie easily with words, you can cover up hurtful quips nicely, wrapping the cruel and unfair criticism into shiny and false good intention. But to do something for the other, which is absolutely selfless, now that can't be faked.

And partly that's why he's angry at his village: Toothless and he saved them so many times and they can be so blind about it. When the lightning storm struck Berk, they instantly thought it was because of Toothless, they didn't give him the benefit of the doubt; they just went on with Mildew's rant. And now here Hiccup is risking his life for them.

He places a hand on Toothless nose gently, and takes comfort from the familiar cool feels of his scales. It became a habit of his, to touch his dragon when he's nervous or angry, when the cold feelings are threatening to overtake him.

He relaxes instantly, and looks at the island's ominous mountains, imagining the dangers waiting for him. But with Toothless on his side, he feels he can face anything.

~oOo~

As Hiccup ties up the boat, he feels the ground shake and soon enough a dragon – what else, really? – shows up in all his murderous glory. Its big claws and teeth are glinting dangerously as it lunges for the newcomers, and Hiccup acts on pure instinct only. He hops on Toothless' back and rides him with his honed skills, slaloming around the jagged rocks circling the shore.

He and Toothless are in perfect unison, as always, they don't need words or anything else, it's as if they connect on some basic level: He knows Toothless, and not just how well he flies, or how to guide him where he needs, it's more of a friendly bond between them, and not one of the dragon and its master's. Maybe that's the reason why he and Toothless are the best in flying, because he sees his dragon as an equal, not a tool or a prized pet.

After they trap the gruesome dragon with its disgustingly half-transparent skin in some narrow crevice, they land in the wild forest, which would perfectly disguise them.

Hiccup isn't worried about the vicious dragon, as he tightens his backpack's straps, and prepares for the rest of the journey towards the highest mountain's pike. He has Toothless, and right now, that's all he needs. Beside his dragon, he always finds his strength, it's as if Toothless has faith in him, and it helps him to believe in himself.

He doesn't remember his mother well, only a blur of soft skin and warm voice remained in his memories; he doesn't know if his mother would be proud of him, would really love him without conditions. And though his father's trying to be a good parent – only last week he tried to defend Toothless against the villagers –, he's also the chief, and has to present a fearless, vicious, cunning and impeccable heir. Which would be Hiccup, but he can't be what his father wants him to be. Despite the fact that he found a lost treasure even his father couldn't, despite that it proved that not every leader was a big, bulky Viking, he remained an outcast.

But in the midst of the askew glances, mean whispers, Toothless is the one who gives him something that no one else really had in his life: a solid rock to hold on to. The warmth of his acceptance, the good memories of their times together, the freeing feeling of flying wash away the cold remnants of other's hatred and mockery. With Toothless he finds himself.

With these thoughts in mind, he starts his journey, and he doesn't really notice how close he walks beside Toothless.

~oOo~

The trip is unexpectedly an uneventful one. They share their food, though Hiccup packed for Toothless, too, but it's their tradition, they walk silently side by side, touching every now and then, and when the night fall, they huddle close over the fire that Toothless started.

Under the starlight, with his back to Toothless' side, Hiccup doesn't feel the cold of the night, he's content and warm, and most above all, he feels that it's absolutely right, everything is as it should be: he'd complete this ridiculous test, and then live his life with Toothless on his side.

~oOo~

When they arrive in front of the cave, they stop short. It has a sign over the entrance: 'In order to get what you came for, you have to lose something.'

"That's cheerful," Hiccup says, but he doesn't shy away from the task. His father hinted as much as this. Everyone needs to sacrifice something to the gods to prove they can put the tribe before anything else.

Hiccup doesn't mind losing some object; he could even give up his mother's breastplate-helmet thing, as much a memento it is. He doesn't have anything else on him: his sketch book, some charcoal and his dagger. Nothing he truly and really values, and beside this is just some token act, no one lost an arm or anything that important. Yes, there were mishaps when someone didn't return at all, but if you couldn't kill a dragon or survive its attack, you had no place on Berk.

"What do we have to lose?" Hiccup says out loud, and steps inside the cavern with a torch ready in his hand.

He holds it high, to light his way, while he starts toward the deep tunnel. He feels the place close around him, and he tenses, though he knows it's just his mind playing tricks on him. The sad part is it reminds him exactly how he feels in his home; it's lonely, suffocating and cold. When he realizes this, he almost chokes on a laugh/sob, but keeps going.

Yes, he thinks, it may be really the gods' cruel game, to place his deepest fears and doubts in front of him in a palpable and terrifyingly solid form. He's trembling as he walks the rest of the way, with the dread a constant buzz in his head, he doesn't really pay attention to Toothless. In the back of his mind he knows he's there, he feels his heat, but he can't focus on anything else than to get out of here.

After what feels an eternity, they reach the end, and the chest lying there. It's so much like a pirate's treasure, Hiccup almost laughs out loud, because instead of gold pieces and jewels, it's filled with ordinary metal coins etched with their clan's emblem. Each one of them is on a leather string. Hiccup thinks about all the disappointed pirates who came here on a treasure hunt and found the Hairy Hooligans' Initiation Chest, as he picks one medal up, and puts on his neck.

When he turns around, he drops the torch in surprise, and it rolls around on the ground sputtering, and then the flame dies out. Hiccup is so shocked, he forgets his all consuming fear.

"Well, now we have to find our way out of here in the dark, because I don't have my night vision anymore." The voice is like a deep rumble, but it's soothing. It also belongs to a very human Toothless.

~oOo~

Hiccup can't process the fact that his dragon now has two legs, two arms, jet black hair, and a very Viking-ish body, which he can perfectly study, because whatever magic transformed his friend into human, it left him without any kind of shirt. At least he has trousers, Hiccup thinks and thanks whatever god he can name, starting with Loki – he's still a little wary of Thor since the last time.

They found their way out of the cave safely, and now they are building a fire. Without Toothless' fire, it proved to be a very hard task, not because Hiccup couldn't build one, he wasn't the blacksmith's assistant for nothing, but the snow started falling and it drenched everything, including the little kindling they could find and their clothes.

The sky is almost blindingly whitish gray, and Hiccup stares at it, afraid of a really bad snow storm. After how boring this quest was – not including his dragon's transform – it would be a shame to freeze to death. They huddled in the cave's entrance, but the cold wind finds its way inside the cave, and through Hiccup's clothes. He keeps hitting the firestones together with shivering hands, and praying to each sparkle to catch fire.

After a few futile tries, a little smoke column rises from the small wood pile, but Hiccup swears he wasn't this happy in his entire life. He relaxes a bit, and the images of him being a rather unimpressive ice statue clear from his mind. He looks over at Toothless, who is sitting absolute motionless with straight back against the cold stones. Hiccup starts shivering more violently just by looking at his friend's bare chest.

So Hiccup does the only thing he can think of, after the pathetic fire starts burning, he moves over to Toothless, and pulls off his pelt coat. Before his companion can protest, he puts it over his shoulders. Toothless tries to pull away, but Hiccup adamantly shakes his head.

"No, you're cold and not to mention you have no clothes above the waistline," he jokes to lighten the mood, and smiles a feeble smile. His mind is still racing with question about their situation, but the bone chilling coldness is a more urgent problem than any magic mishap.

Toothless reluctantly nods and accepts the coat, though he can't really wear it, they're so different in size, so he just lays it on his back, to shield himself from the stone walls at least. As he leans forward to arrange it, Hiccup gets a glimpse of his back: in a line, near his waist the skin looks ragged, as if someone had whipped him. Before Hiccup can stop himself, he touches the scar lightly, like he's afraid it'd still hurt Toothless, though it's clearly healed a long time ago.

Hiccup doesn't think, just runs his finger over the hardened skin, and gasps in horror.

"What…" But he trails off, because he knows exactly what had happened with Toothless. Him. He was the one, who foolishly thought can catch and kill a dragon, and in the process he damaged his would be friend. It was ironic how he hurt the one person who never once had hurt him.

"I'm s—" Hiccup starts, but Toothless cuts in.

"Don't." Toothless takes Hiccup's hand and gently pulls away from him. He turns to face Hiccup with a serious look in his eyes. Hiccup never thought human green eyes could hold so many emotions: understanding, forgiveness and love. "You didn't do it on purpose."

Hiccup releases his hands, no matter how good Toothless' warmth felt, and looks at his own hand clenching into a fist, seeing a very different scene before his eyes. That fateful night when he shot the Night Fury down, thinking he did a good thing, proved to be a Viking after all those failures.

"Yes, I did," Hiccup answers and his voice catches. He really and truly feels ashamed, more so than when he disappoints his father. "I never really thought about this…" He gestures toward the scar, and winces, as if he's the one who feels the pain.

Toothless' lips curve into a smile, his eyes are glinting with humor. Hiccup doesn't understand how he could be so damn happy when they're nearly freezing.

"You did think about it, Hiccup," he says, and his voice is so low and dark it feels wrong in this picture, in a wintery storm. It belongs to something like a starry night, with all of its little wonders and whispered promises, a great beauty with just a hint of danger. Hiccup's pulse is racing, and he has to focus on Toothless' mouth to hear the words. He' so mesmerized by Toothless' human appearance as he was by his dragon form. "That's why you came back for me, and helped me."

Hiccup doesn't want to talk about this, his worst mistake of all, so he changes the subject.

"How is this possible?" he asks, gesturing to all of Toothless helplessly, he can't even say it out loud it's so absurd.

Toothless shrugs and Hiccup can't help it but watches as his muscles flex. He had a well-built body as a dragon, and it didn't change in his human form.

"I wasn't always a dragon," comes the surprising answer. Hiccup's eyes widen, and he opens his mouth to say something, but no words come. "I was cursed," Toothless continues, and he looks away to the falling snow, clearly he doesn't like to talk about it. "It doesn't really matter, not anymore."

He looks at Hiccup again, and his eyes are filled with so intense sadness, Hiccup wants to ask about it, but he knows it's not something that can be easily shared. So he does the one thing he's used to: he scoots over to Toothless, and he leans against him.

The warmth of his body washes over him, and his tense muscles relax. It's so different, yet so familiar. It's warm and soft skin instead of scales, but the serenity and completeness he felt around his dragon is the same.

"What's your name?" Hiccup asks, and sighs with content and closes his eyes as he starts to feel his hands again. He doesn't realize, but moves his hands to Toothless' side to warm himself. "I mean your real name."

"It doesn't matter." Hiccup doesn't have to open his eyes to imagine Toothless' smile, he can hear it in his voice.

"What? You want me to call some guy from Odin knows where 'Toothless?'" Hiccup asks lightheartedly.

He notices Toothless' arms shifting, and feels himself being pulled toward the other boy. Hiccup doesn't protest he snuggles up against Toothless.

"Yes, I don't mind it. Trust me, my other name means nothing now," he replies. "Also, I find offensive the 'some guy' term." He laughs lightly. "If I remember correctly you've been riding me almost a year."

Hiccup goes rigid; his eyes snap open and he jerks away, though Toothless' arm is still on his shoulder, which, in this situation, does nothing to comfort him.

"I'm… I…" he sputters, and feels his cheeks flame with embarrassment. "Dear Odin, that sounded so…"

And Toothless can't hold it longer, he laughs, really laughs, in his beautiful, deep voice. Hiccup smiles a little, but his awkwardness doesn't go away. When Toothless looks at him, his eyes are still glinting, but some seriousness mixes with his joy. Hiccup knows what he's thinking, dragon form or not, he is still the Toothless he knows.

"You're thinking that whatever it is that allowed you to be human, would wear off as soon as we leave the island, aren't you?" Hiccup says softly, as if the gods can't hear it, they won't act on it. He knows Toothless' human form for less than an hour, but he doesn't want to lose it, at last he could have a friend he can talk to. And he isn't blind, he sees the yearning in Toothless' eyes, he doesn't want to be a dragon either.

"Yes," he replies just as softly. "Or sooner. The gods' games are unpredictable."

"I still don't understand," Hiccup muses, and he leans back, resting his head against Toothless' shoulder. "According to the sign I'd lose something. And father talked about this part of the quest as some kind of big sacrifice. I thought I have to leave one of my prized possessions in here in order to get out or something like that."

Toothless starts to rub Hiccup's shoulder, and it feels so good to be warmed up, Hiccup thinks. Oddly, the thought of what it would be like to sleep beside this Toothless, crosses his mind. He bets it would be very comfortable and warm. He blames the bitter coldness for such thoughts.

"This initiation of yours is about growing up, which yes, is a little about losing something, accepting that you have to let go of some part of you." He sounds like he's deep in his thoughts, and maybe he's not talking only about this, but about his own past, too. Hiccup decides he likes this new Toothless more.

"So what are we going to do about it?" Hiccup asks, a little panic creeping into his voice. "Will you stay here? Forever?" Even the thought causes so much pain, it's almost a physical ache in his chest. Because without Toothless there is no Hiccup, but he can't be that selfish, not with him. Maybe he could live here with him.

Toothless laughs, but it has a bitter edge to it.

"No, Hiccup, I wouldn't miss out our next adventure for anything."

Hiccup wants to protest that it's Toothless' life, and for Odin's sake, he's human, he could do anything he wants, he doesn't need to bind his life to Hiccup's. He doesn't own him anything, he's free. But Hiccup doesn't say any of this; he can only stare into the green eyes, and waits for the painful admission that yes, Toothless finally wants to be on his own, or to return to his family.

But what happens next, surprises him even more than if Toothless would have said he wanted to stay with him. Toothless kisses him on the mouth, like Astrid did a few times. And though that felt definitely good, this… this feels like nothing else he's ever experienced. All he feels is Toothless, his warmth, his hard muscles and soft skin, all he can taste is him, he can't really name it what it's like, but it's something sweet. The softness of his lips against his is all he can focus, and he is absolutely and totally lost in the other boy.

When they part, Hiccup's breaths are short little gasps and his heart beats in his chest like a bird trapped in a cage. When he looks at Toothless, the other looks uncertain, and pulls away from him.

"Well," Toothless starts slowly, hesitantly, but keeps going on, "that was something I wanted to do while I can. I waited it for so long."

Hiccup can't say anything; all his feelings are a jumble. He kissed a boy, and while he doesn't feel disgusted, he should, shouldn't he? And why on earth would he want to kiss his friend – who might turn into a dragon any minute and be trapped in that form for the rest of his life? But one thing he knows for sure, he'd like to wipe off the dread and misery from Toothless' face.

"Well," Hiccup says slowly, hesitantly, "I can't say the same."

Toothless tries to rearranges his features into an indifferent mask, but he fails miserably.

"That would really worry me," Toothless says, attempting to joke, "if you would go after dragons."

A corner of Hiccup's mouth quirks up.

"I'm maybe the Dragon Conqueror," he says, "but that's definitely not how I 'conquer' them."

Toothless tries a weak smile, but when he can't hold it any longer, he gives up, and leans back against the wall. He studies the snowfall, and Hiccup studies him. He really doesn't know what he feels, but that's a matter for other sleepless nights.

Right now he needs to feel Toothless, so he conjures all of his courage and moves over to him. Toothless tries very hard to not to look at him, and Hiccup almost laughs at his resort, but instead he acts quickly, and with all his grace – which is not so much – straddles the other boy.

Now Toothless is the one who goes rigid, but if he's surprised or just doesn't want to scare Hiccup away, Hiccup can't say. Toothless finally looks at him questioningly, and all Hiccup can do is lean forward and brush his lips lightly against Toothless'. His mouth is soft and warm, and Hiccup licks Toothless' bottom lip gently, testing, tasting, teasing. It doesn't feel weird; it makes him almost go crazy. He wants to explore more, wants to feel more, he wants to lost himself.

Toothless wraps his arms around him, pulls him closer, and kisses him hungrily. And amidst the dancing snow flakes with Toothless, Hiccup doesn't feel the cold of the night, he's content and warm, and most above all, he feels that it's absolutely right, everything is as it should be.

~oOo~

Toothless doesn't change back, even when they arrive in Berk. At first the others are confused, but they soon accept the tale of the curious curse. The Vikings always like the supernatural and miraculous things.

In no time, Hiccup decides he's definitely in love, and really doesn't care about expectations. If the people of Berk wouldn't accept him the way he is, then he wouldn't force them. He knows it's selfish on some level, but he would always choose Toothless over them, because he's the one tethering him to everything. And he loves the way Toothless makes him feel, accepted, loved, appreciated, and respected. It's the very first time he feels whole, not sinking, not struggling, not drowning and now that he found his missing part, the part that keeps him alive, he wouldn't let go of him for anything.

1) The dragon is an Exterminator dragon from the fifth book.

2) The Hopeful Puffin is Fishleg's and Hiccup's ship from the books in all its glory. :)

3) I borrowed the 'North Island's' name from a map of Berk. I don't really know what's on it. :D I didn't read the books that far, or I just don't remember it, so let's just assume it's a dragon infested island.