This is LesserWraith's and Absi B's chapter... and, also, yours. Have fun!

Time slows down, moments snap in time as every little part of life finally falls into place. I do not know which one of us embraced each other first. Everything is just a starry blur, a massive flow of feelings slowly wiping away the past sadnesses and fears that have tormented me for so long, like water erasing a smudge of dirt on a pure metal. His eyes, green and intense, stare at me, and never leave my shaking body.

"Toothless..." I say, bursting into tears as I reach my arms around his neck, melting into his warmth and scales, sinking into his thoughts as he purrs quietly at my hug.

Hiccup…

As I continue to cry, Toothless's words fade away, letting me continue to cry and cry. After so long, after so much, even Toothless is at a loss of what to say. He only manages to croon softly and nuzzle my back with his snout.

It is like reuniting with a long-lost friend; it is like reuniting with your missing half. It is like discovering what was gone.

It feels like it never happened. It feels like everything I did, everything that mattered, never did. Nothing matters more than right now, just being in Toothless's arms, letting his care connect with mine.

Hiccup… I...

"Everything's alright, Toothless," I say, my hands gripping Toothless like a lifeline. As a lifeline.

I… I'm sorry that I made you go through all that, he says quietly. You must hurt a lot.

"It wasn't your fault, Toothless," I answer, patting his back gently. "None of it was."

He croons quietly, like he knows that it was.

I… I nearly killed you... several times. Ugh… the thought's making me shudder.

"It's okay," I assure him. "You never meant it."

He pulls away from me, crooning softly. It's not a reassuring croon, or a one that shows happiness.

I had these vivid thoughts. I wanted to kill you, tear you apart… it scares me. I'm sorry-

It's one that shows sincerity.

Toothless warbles in surprise as I jump back into his embrace, scratching at his back and causing him to purr happily.

Ah! Hey! That tickles! Toothless laughs, squirming quietly as my hands scratch his scales fiercely, my mind determined to keep his thoughts away from the painful memories that begone.

"Don't be so down, Toothless," I say happily, pulling away from him again and bouncing up and down on the soles of my feet enthusiastically. "Everything's fine now."

I still owe you an apology, Toothless protests, whimpering quietly. I stop jumping and look at his eyes. His sincere, opt peripherals of care.

"You don't need to give me one," I say, smiling madly. "You'll have loads of time for me to screw up and then our apologies will cancel each other out."

I still owe you one, he insists, his ears flattening and his eyes going wide. It's a lot to keep in my mind, all that I did to you.

"It's a lot on my mind, too, knowing that what you're trying to give me isn't of your faults," I grumble.

Toothless grins mischievously at these words of mine.

All the more reason for me to apologize, he says, prancing towards and landing squarely in front me. After a moment's pause, he regurgitates a fish, the little thing landing into my hands.

I stare at him as his ears perk up and his teeth retract.

"Really?" I ask, looking at him with a weak smile.

Consider it my gift of apology, he coos. Then he licks me full on the face. And that, too.

"Um, I'll pass on the fish, thanks," I mumble, but Toothless answers with a whimper.

If you don't eat it, my apology isn't fulfilled, he fake pouts. I'll feel guilty.

I look at the fish.

"You've got to be kidding me," I mutter, staring at the fish with mild disgust. Of all the things that Toothless could have given me…

He gave me the very same gift that he first gave me. When I first gave him life.

"Here goes, then..." I say, taking a huge bite into it in front of Toothless's staring eyes. The fish, like any raw meat, tastes, well, raw, but there is something in this food that makes me understand that, as you endure through the harsh rawness of life, the sweetness of time will gradually seep in before long.

I force the fish into my mouth, trying hard not to gag in front of Toothless. I nearly choke on it, my mouth protesting at its horrid smell and taste. I shove it down my throat as fast as I can. I'm panting by the time the fish moves on from my mouth.

Toothless croons happily.

"There," I mutter, wiping my tongue with my tunic. "Happy, you useless reptile-"

Toothless knocks me clean to the ground, licking me excessively as my face soon becomes thoroughly soaked with dragon saliva.

"There." He licks me happily. "Make sure you're happy." He licks me again. "And that, too."

He gets off me, purring happily as I try to wipe off the dragon enzymes.

Apologies are like gifts, Hiccup, Toothless coos, his eyes shining in the early light. When given, it makes both the giver and receiver happy.

I smile at Toothless happily (and silently), causing Toothless to croon with uncertainty.

...And they're sort of hard to come by, Toothless continues awkwardly. Um, and they come from special occasions.

I continue to smile at Toothless happily. The best friend ever, the willingly overprotective dragon, the powerful fighter whose strength is always for the better.

...So… yeah. I'm glad that you're okay, Toothless finishes.

I don't stop smiling.

Uh... am I supposed to hug you now...? he asks, pawing the ground nervously.

"You're so awkward, Toothless," I say, hugging him gently as he croons. "I can't wait for you to get back to Berk. I bet all the other dragons are going to miss you."

It's not like I care about them, Toothless mutters. They're too noisy.

"Then who do you care about?" I ask curiously. "Any special someone? Any shining Night Fury?"

Toothless pauses for a long, long, time.

"Toothless?"

His eyes stare into the distance, and he doesn't blink when I wave my hand in front of him.

"Uh, Toothless?"

T

Which one are you talking about? Changewing asked me, flapping his wings excitedly as we hid behind a large rock.

Keep talking and you won't get to know, I muttered, trying to make myself as still as I could, by front paws perching on top of the rock, the rest of my body lying downwards from thereon. In the nightlight, I am invisible to the elements.

Well, except for the annoying, overgrown, annoying, flying, annoying reptile next to me.

Ooh, it's the Nadder with the star mark, isn't it? he smirked, nodding his overgrown head towards the star-marked Nadder, who was tending to her massive wings not far away.

No, you idiot, I said. The Nadder flew back towards the nest, barely missing us as we ducked down. She's not here yet.

Then who...? he began, but froze right away as he saw a sparkling wink in the moonlight, dashing towards the cliff at high speed, scattering the winds and dividing the line between pretty and beautiful. She landed in front of cliff gently, her feet bending easily as she slowly laid down to rest, the moon alongside her as she scorched the ground.

We both watch Hikari, the Shining One, quietly, neither of us daring to make a single noise.

I take in her body as she sleeps, her back rising and falling perfectly with the rest of her body, her wings covering her like an elegant blanket covering a majestic queen, waiting for her King to arrive and take her away from the nest, have children, and return to show the world that Night Furies still truly thrive in this world as dragons in majesty.

After staring at her for forever, I force my eyes to tear away from her, which proves to be almost impossible, with her sparkling scales that reflected in the moonlight, which earned her the name. Not many dragons are given such graceful names. My given name, Hitori, meaning alone, is a name that I generally earned over time being solitary and antisocial- it was not because I was famous or good in any way. In fact, dragons loathed me because I punished them severely.

Guess who tends to them when they're all done.

I could never compare to her. I'm black and she's white. I'm the absence of everything she is. Kindness, elegance, empathy.

Let's go, I huff sadly, turning away and taking off towards the nest. Night Furies like to sleep in solitude, so it's so surprise that she chooses the cliff over the nest.

Dude, you have, to, like, get her with you, Changewing says enthusiastically, swinging and doing loops around me. Like, she's really pretty.

I know that better than you, I say gloomily, my wings flapping slowly as they made their way back.

Night, he said, the only person who didn't call me Hitori, I'm telling you, you have to ask her out. You can't just stand and watch from behind a rock all your life, you know.

Shut up, I answered stoutly. The answer was simple and needed no evidence. I was nothing to her. She was everything to me. A dumb love story that would make anyone cringe.

No, like, you, really need to, he urged. If you like her, she's the one for you.

Can't you mind your own business? I muttered irritably, the silent pain stabbing in further and further.

Well, you better hurry and claim her, before some other Night Fury passes the nest by and asks her out, he said flatly.

I spun around in mid-air, nearly crashing with Changewing in the process.

What?! I exclaimed, my eyes widening in shock.

Duh, it's obvious, Changewing said matter-of-factly. This place might not have a lot of your kin, but trust me, not a lot isn't nothing. The chances of one appearing grows by day, and you're getting no profit from that.

I thought about it for a while. It's true what he said. In fact, Hikari herself found out this nest when she unintentionally crossed by these lands.

I'll try, I said. Sometime.

Promise, Changewing said, reaching out his wing as an offer of promise.

I paused again.

Promise, I said, hitting the tip of my wing with his. He did the same again.

Make sure you stick to it, he snickered. Don't go after the Nadder or something.

I was young, and she was young, and I wanted her.

It was something even Changewing knew.

And it would be something I would make her know, too.

T

My mind flashes blindly, pictures of my beloved rewinding themselves over and over in my head. Being a Night Fury, scarred memories do not heal; they come back to torment me ever so often, refreshing itself over and over again as I fail to find inner peace. Her wings, the way she flew in the air, the sparks of her igniting fire; they were all little things that combined together to make the gigantic feeling of affection.

Which makes it agonizingly painful to know that she no longer exists to know of my desires.

"Toothless?" Hiccup asks again, staring at me intently. "Earth to Toothless? Hiccup to Toothless?"

I know that she was just another dragon… but she was everything to me.

"Toothless? It's me, Hiccup…"

She was everything. She lived in the past. She does not exist now, and…

"Um, Toothless, I'm starting to get worried…"

She never showed the empathy and altruism that Hiccup had.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Has.

I shake my head gruffly, my eyes turning to focus on the concerned boy in front of me.

I'm fine, Hiccup, I say slowly. Of course I am.

"Didn't feel like it," Hiccup muttered, pulling me in for a hug. "You were as still as a rock. You still sort of are."

And will.

You're so awkward sometimes, I joke, pulling away from him.

"Yeah, yeah-"

H

An arrow whizzes past me, landing right next to Toothless, who jumps away at the last possible moment.

"What-"

Toothless's eyes slit. He lets out an angry roar, turning around to face the source of the attack.

"Get away from that Night Fury, Hiccup," my father's voice booms out from the cliff of the cove, loud and determined. "Let me take care of this."

"What's your problem, dad?!" I yell, looking daggers at him. "You could have hurt him!"

He did hurt me, Toothless growls, showing a small wound where the arrow grazed the side of his body.

My concern turns to anger, my anger turns into rage.

"DAD!" I roar, charging at him with blind fury. I don't know how I'm going to reach him, I'm going to get my hands on him, and hurt him. I want to make him pay for hurting my friend. I want to make him pay for trying to ruin every single interaction between us, from the very start. I wanted to tell him that everything, everything I did for Toothless was, is, will be for Toothless, but he's never listened. And he's going to pay.

I dodge an arrow shot my way- as if I'd expect anything less from my father.

I reach the cliff, and begin to climb. My legs struggle to find a hold on the slippery soil, but I continue my ascent.

He's going to pay. He's going to hate me for the rest of my life, and I don't even care. I don't. Even. Care.

Just as my fingers clamp the top of the ledge, I'm yanked up by an enormous hand, and pulled aside, my body landing on the ground. Below, I see Toothless, an arrow in his leg, wincing slightly as his eyes stare at my father.

And me.

Toothless! Oh, no. No. I left him back there. I should have got on to him, left… no…

"Toothless!" I call. A croon is the only thing I hear as response from him. I try to connect his thoughts with mine, but I'm too far from him.

"Hiccup." Stoick growls at me, his eyes slitting to rival Toothless's. "That dragon is evil. I'm going to kill it."

"He's Toothless, dad!" I yell, stating what couldn't be more obvious, but to such an oblivious fool, I could have said nothing at all.

"He's nothing but a pest to me," Stoick says, discarding his bow and pulling out a sword. He jumps into the cove, the ground shaking as he lands, advancing slowly towards the growling Toothless. "And pests must be taken care of."

"No!" I yell, rushing towards the edge of the cliff and staring at the two in shock. Two mortal enemies, human and dragon, archrivals, their opposites for life.

Leave it to me.

Toothless looks up to me, his eyes showing anger and concern, a growl emanating from him.

"I-"

Toothless fires a blast of fire at me, engulfing my body as I struggle to break free of the sinking paralysis that accompanies the flames. I try to move my arms, my legs, my feet, but they've all frozen in place- I can't even speak. My body stands in an upright position, unable to move at all.

I'll sort this one out myself, he growls from below. You're not putting yourself into danger because of me.

He watches warily as Stoick faces him, weapons raised in combat.

It's Stoick that makes the first move, his massive axe swinging ahead of him. Toothless steps backward quickly, blasting the ground in front of him, only to miss due to the chief's own swift sidestep. The human pulls out and knife, throwing it at the growling Toothless, who ducks, the knife lodging itself into the cove wall.

Toothless dives for the human, the latter jumping backwards and landing a slash not far from where Toothless lands. They circle each other slowly, their eyes locked in mutual hate.

As the two of them fight, the two of them are a blur of fire and metal, swiping and dodging each other as they circle around their arena, roars and grunts alike in the fight. Occasionally, I hear the yelp as a knife grazes a scale, or a talon slashes the skin. I only stare at the two of them, one wounded, one hurt, both determined to go for the kill.

A sudden screech rips from Toothless's mouth, tearing through the air as Toothless kicks Stoick off of him, only to feel a large knife planted into his back.

"Toothless!" I scream in my head, watching in pain as he fires more and more bolts of fire at Stoick, all of them to be dodged by the person I thought was my father.

There is no way that this is the person that has raised me all this time; to me, to Astrid, to the village.

He is a beast.

Like all of us. Us that we call 'humans'.

Stoick continues to chase after Toothless, the latter wincing at every step, but managing to land shots one by one.

"Somebody, please… stop this..."

A massive axe is thrown at Toothless, the blade spinning through the air in a circular motion as it makes its way towards its undeserving target. Toothless blasts it into pieces, the debris rebounding into Stoick's skin. A sharp part of the axe sticks into his arm, where blood starts oozing from the wound. He tears it out and advances towards Toothless.

T

Oh, you think this is all I've got? I growl angrily, slashing angrily at the ground in front of me. This is nothing.

I spring into action again, dashing towards him quickly. I catch him off guard and send him flying into a large rock. I'm on him within seconds after that, pinning his massive body to the ground with all four feet, my snout directly in his way.

You try and screw with me or Hiccup, I growl angrily, And you'll feel a lot more burdens than just from being a chief-

Stoick shoves me off him, my powerful wings steadying my body as I land not far away. I feel another searing pain as another sharp object lodges itself into my leg. I look up just in time to see the Chief, yet another bow held out at arm's length, fire another arrow at me.

The arrow explodes into million of shards, its existence wiped away from the universe. In another quick shot, the bow follows.

Fight me, you beast, I growl, feeling the knife's pain in my back stabbing at me periodically. C'mon.

Stoick discards the broken remains of his weapons and dives straight for me. The knife and arrows embedded into me causes me to strain at every swipe, every duck, every shot, but I do not falter, and nor does Stoick.

A huge hand comes slamming down on my snout, causing me to close my eyes in pain. In response, I take a blind swipe at my front, awarding me with a sound of splattering blood as my sharp tailfins meet my target.

Ah, the smell of blood… I recall the memories of hunting and killing the weak. Come to me.

I open my eyes, watching as Stoick clutches his left arm in pain, blood flowing out of it quickly. I send another blast at him, causing him to jump out of the way- and reopen the wound.

Die, I smirk. Die like an animal.

I watch him growl in pain, my feet taking small steps toward him slowly, wanting to drag out his misery as long as possible.

You thought it was cool to screw with me, huh? I mock, my tail forming another cut in his leg with a quick swipe. You thought it was gonna be fun?

I circle him, his groans getting louder as his wounds do not heal themselves as fast they should. Wounds heal over time, but if they keep on being reopened, then they never will.

I prowl around him, making sure that he is unable to do such. As I prowl around, the corner my eyes land on a set of scratches on the sand.

Hiccup's picture, I think to myself. Better not mess with that.

My hind leg directly avoids stepping onto the drawing Hiccup drew earlier, just as a massive fist slams me into the wall not far behind-

H

-driving the knife deep into his back, where his organs are certain to be. I see his eyes go wide for several seconds, slit, then close. His body slips back down onto the ground, landing on his feet. Suddenly, I can move again, and the first thing I do is scream.

"TOOTHLESS!"

My mind freezes, my thoughts shoved out of my mind as my body tries to process again and again what has been presented to me.

And I process none.

"TOOTHLESS!" I scream, getting to my feet as Stoick limps towards the wall slowly. I feel my feet reach the reach the bottom of the cove, my legs buckling from the impact.

He reaches over, pulls the knife out of the silent, unresponsive Toothless, and raises it high above his own head.

"Die, you worthless dragon," Stoick whispers.

"NO!" I scream, my mind going completely blank. In the few moments that my consciousness remains, I remember doing these few things: throwing myself in front of the dagger, feeling something cut deep into my shoulder, shoving my injured father to the ground, standing in front of Toothless, hugging Toothless's snout, and speaking to him.

"Toothless, you're okay, right?" I ask, holding his snout gently, not caring for the blood that continually gushes from my shoulder. "Speak to me, Toothless!"

Toothless makes no sound.

"Toothless. Say something, Toothless!"

Toothless does not move.

"Toothless- Toothless- don't leave me, bud!" I yell desperately, hugging his snout tightly. "C'mon, Toothless!"

When his eyes do not open, I move to check his snout.

"Toothless, get up," I plead. "Please."

He isn't breathing.

"Toothless…"

I let go of his snout, which flops down on the ground silently in front of me.

"Toothless..."

"TOOTHLESS!"

I swear I see a flash of red streaking into the cove as my mind flashes violently, my vision completely jammed- as- as-

"TOOTHLESS!"

I- I- what- no- I-

A huge splurt of blood escapes my shoulder.

TOOTHLESS!

NOO!

NOOO!

My mouth paralyses, my mind goes blank, and my eyes flare with the fiery pain that once again threatens to overcome me entirely.

And my vision goes red.

TOOTHLESS!

TOOTHLESS!

T

…

…

...

Nng…

Rgn…

What… why?

H

TOOTHLESS!

Wh- no- this can't- this- this- this isn't-

TOOTHLESS!

My shoulder- no, screw it-

Toothless-

I- I- he- Toothless-

TOOTHLESS!

T

Nn…

...

...

Hiccup…

...

I…

H

Keep yourself together- keep yourself together- don't lose it, don't lose it-

TOOTHLESS!

He's going to be okay- he's not dead, he's not going to die-

Just- just- hang in there! I- I'll- do something!

I- I- what do I do?!

What do I do?!

T

Hiccup…

…

…

I...

…

…

I'm sorry.

H

Toothless…

Toothless...

Toothless…

Toothless!

I open my eyes slowly, registering the land around me. I didn't realize that I was on my knees, my hands gripping my head violently. Blood is dripping everywhere, and the pain has finally begun to sink in, stabbing and burning viciously as the metal grazes the liquid within. I have no energy, no sense of anything.

And no best friend.

I soon realize that Toothless's paralyzing flame must have worn off not long ago. Which was why I managed to get down to here in the first place.

"Dad..." I say, looking forward- looking straight at Toothless's body; behind me, the unconscious Stoick, the man clutching both of his legs in pain; to my side, at my drawing on the ground.

It remained untouched. Even the stick that I left there hasn't moved.

Toothless…

Why?

Everything hits me in a shade of monochrome, my mind numbed and paralyzed from all that has happened. When your brain is unable to take anything further, it sends you into overdrive.

That just happened.

And then, it wakes you up, and fails to recover itself. Nothing feels like anything matters now.

This is now.

Maybe I'll just die here. The wound is stinging slightly, and blood is bursting from it continually. Maybe I'll just… lay down. And maybe I'll never wake up again.

Maybe I'll be with Toothless.

I want to feel sad. I want to scream, cry, shout, do anything- but I've exhausted myself of every possible thing that I could do to express my emotions. Right now, nothing is appealing nor disgusting, nothing is good nor bad, nothing is depressing nor appealing.

And nothing will I become.

I just want to die now. The dullness of my mind may have killed my emotions, but I still have empathy left.

We all do.

Why, Toothless?

Why?

Why am I still alive?

The knife's not far away, if I recall… maybe I can end it. I'm not feeling anything anyway.

Maybe, I'll...

"..."

A small breeze passes me, and I swear that it feels warm. And comforting.

Huh?

"..."

It makes me feel… better. Even though I shouldn't. Not when Toothless…

"..."

The wind… is it trying to tell me something?

"..."

The wind suddenly dies down, and is replaced with the terrifying sound of screeching as a huge Nadder, followed by a huge Zippleback, a Gronckle, and even a Monstrous Nightmare land into the cove.

"Toothless?"

"My god! He's not moving!"

"HICCUP!" Astrid screams from behind me.

"Dude, you're seriously hurt," Snotlout says, a hint of worry in his voice. "Go back to Berk."

"The Chief is in pretty bad shape, too," Fishlegs says.

"Don't you see what he did to Toothless?" Tuffnut growls, refusing to get off the Zippleback. "We're better off if we let him die here."

"We've got to get Hiccup and Toothless to safety first," Astrid says urgently. "Hiccup- you're bleeding-"

"I'm staying here," I say dazedly, the blood loss beginning to affect my brain. "I'm not going anywhere without Toothless."

Everyone turns at my voice. And, from what I can see, there's a long silence. Which I don't care of, for all the time in the world I would use to look at Toothless. To watch and hope that he would wake up, and give me a happy lick.

Astrid turns to the other people sternly. Everyone averts her gaze.

"Get Stoick out of here. Now."

"But Hiccup- he's in danger of-"

"Get out!"

The twins silently load Stoick onto the Zippleback, the two heads protesting as the weight upon them falls quite hard. However, with the Nightmare's and the Gronckle's support, they manage to lift Stoick and their respective friends up into the air, the dragons lifting the humans lifting the human.

"Hiccup… what happened?"

"Toothless. He fought Stoick. He got launched into the wall." I point to a part of the wall, where the blood had stained. "Because..."

"Because what?"

"Because… of me."

Astrid goes silent. Everything feels so monochromatic now. I feel like I'm fading…

"Hiccup, we've got to get you back!"

"I'm not… leaving… Toothless," I say quietly.

"Hiccup, c'mon-"

"Toothless… is everything…"

"Hiccup, you'll die if you don't get some help soon!"

"I'm not leaving Toothless," I say slowly. "Never."

"He…" she begins.

"Leave me here," I say. "Leave me. I can... manage."

Astrid's eyes go wide.

"Hiccup- you might die-"

"I... don't... care," I whisper. "Not... leaving... Toothless."

My mind is finally on the verge of fading away.

"Hiccup…" she says, getting up slowly. "Wait here. I'll go get the healer, alright?"

"Th… anks."

As she flies away on Stormfly, I turn to face Toothless one last time. I use all the strength I have left to lift Toothless's snout up to my shoulder, and place it there gently. I wrap my hands around his neck, and I swear I feel that warm wind brush me by once again.

"I love you, bud," I whisper, falling downwards into the ground as everything finally goes black.

"..."

T

I'm flying. I'm flying through the clouds, and I'm letting the coldness of the whites sink into me. We're passing through a rather cloudy part of the sky, and it feels like the clouds that chill and comfort me seem to go on forever. My eyes are not any better off closed than they are open in this whitely terrain; the clouds encompass everything.

The funny thing is, I can tell that the Lights are above me, glowing green and blue in their magical properties, but I can't actually move my head. They dance around, taunting me with their beauty, but I cannot do anything to reach it.

I cannot look up or down. I can't move anything apart from my wings, actually. All I can do is fly forward into the neverending clouds. It feels like I'm not flapping my wings at all; I'm just flying, flying, flying.

It feels like Hiccup is the controlling my flight at the moment. I feel nothing. I know nothing. I can only rely on Hiccup, whose presence I cannot feel, to stay in the air, fly through this blind, white paradise that never seem to end.

H

I am flying. Well, I think I am. I can't see anything here, but the rushing winds and the chilliness of the clouds as of lo are feelings exclusive to flying- so it must be true that I am flying.

I remember dad's warnings not to be late for dinner, and I remember Toothless's newfound ability to speak. I remember that we're on a flight through the clouds, and that Toothless was the one who suggested the idea. I remember all the things that I wanted to talk to him about, now that he could talk, and all the things he might have wanted to tell tell me.

In short, I am flying. On Toothless, who I cannot feel. Maybe it's the cold.

I should start talking. Otherwise I might freeze to death.

T

I feel something in my mouth. It's wet, and it's sticky. It's oozing in my the side of my snout, but from where then I don't know. All I know is that it's coming in a steady flow, and every drop of it is making me more and more aware of what's around me. It's giving me energy, too.

"Toothless, would you care if I died?" Hiccup asks out of the blue.

It's a stupid question, with an answer that even he knows. Why is he asking this?

I let out a small growl, but I still do not feel anything. I feel like I'm getting warmer... I might even feel something now...

"I annoy you all day long. I never seem to know when you want to fly. I never know what you want, and you have to ask me. I should know what you want, but I don't. You must be sick of me a lot of the time."

It's not like that, I say irritably. Surprised at my ability to communicate, I continue. Being friends isn't anything like that. We make sacrifices for each other, and do the best we can to not screw up the relationship. It's not like it's our duty to make the other person happy all the time, Hiccup. That's like some weird servant thing.

I feel a gentle breeze brush against me. It's weird, because we're flying in the air, and little breezes shouldn't really be felt. But here it is, and it's warm. It's making me warmer. No, not just warmer. More aware. It's like my senses are sharpening, and I recognize more and more of my surroundings.

H

I process Toothless's words, and as I do, I notice something. I can't feel my shoulder. It's like it's gone numb or something. Like, there's nothing... I can't move my head too see it, either.

He says that we make sacrifices for each other.

I have always made sacrifices for him- I have sneaked out of the village to see him back when dragons were enemies, not friends, and I like to go steal fish from the port just so Toothless can be happy- even if I get caught and yelled at, the satisfaction on Toothless's face as he chewed the fish was often more than enough for me to forget it.

"Still… I feel bad for making you annoyed. Or bad, in any sort of way."

T

I let out a small flare in annoyance. It's not a deadly flame, like the ones that I shoot enemies down with. It's a healing flame- the same kind of flame that I used to heal Hiccup's leg with. Its healing properties can restore body parts, nerves, even lost blood. I use it when I'm showing exasperation in front of Hiccup, because normal flame would hurt him. The healing flame takes away a bit of my energy, but I'm fine with that.

I thought it would have scattered some of the clouds, but they do not sway in the slightest as we continue our darkless journey.

We tolerate one another, Hiccup, I reply. It's a sign of our friendship. We don't care about the little things that we hurt each other with without knowing it. There are just as many ways that we'd make each other happy as there are ways that we'd hurt each other, and it's enough that you don't choose the other half. When it comes to the big things, no matter how many times we hurt each other, we'll still always have each other's backs.

I feel Hiccup's hand rub my head. I purr appreciatively. It must be nice to have long hands. And fingers.

H

The sky is getting brighter. It's almost like we weren't in the clouds, but in some kind of land where night is day, and day is night. Maybe we've been flying so long, it's daytime already. Dad would be mad if we were out for the whole night...

I can feel my shoulder now, too. It feels warm... like fire. Hmm.

"Does that mean I hurt you a lot?" I ask.

When we hurt a close friend, we feel a guilt that amasses in our stomach. It never leaves, but it never really stays, either. It will fade with time, but the fastest way is through one's accepted apology. If they say that they do not hold anything against us, we feel relieved and the guilt is gone. And it's this trust and faith that we put into each other that brings and keeps us together, making sure that each time a friend hurts, we will always be there to help them. We feel their pain, and we understand their hardships.

No, he says irritably. It means that I'm close enough not to care. And besides, when friends hurt each other, they mean well. They want you to be better.

"Let me start: You eat too much fish."

You complain too much. Besides, I'm supposed to be on a diet.

"You're too overprotective."

Toothless lets out a small flare. Even though he's flaring in front of him, I feel the healing flame's warmth. I can feel my blood circulating...

Still, when you're on a dragon's back, and pretty much need that back to survive, it's hard to think of how he might need my back one day, and how I'd be unable to help him.

"Easy for you to say," I mutter. "You're a strong and powerful dragon. I'm a boy that relies on you to survive."

I rely on you to survive, too, he croons. Where else would I be?

I sigh. Not a sad sigh, not a happy sigh, but a sigh.

Everything, as of now, feels like a giant fantasy, where dreams have become true and have yet to cease. It feels like we can keep going on like this forever, and nothing would be of importance at all, except the feelings that we both felt when we were together. And it would be never end, and that it never, ever, will.

Of course, fantasies are not real.

But life is.

"I don't know how I got through without you. I don't even want to remember my life before… ugh, how everyone hated me," I mumble.

T

I warble.

You were very well able to shoot me down and then befriend me, you know.

Hiccup goes silent at these words.

"How?"

Because you were yourself, I croon. You've never lost your sense of justice and care, even when given the choice between glory and infamy. You chose the latter, Hiccup, because you were strong. You knew you were doing the right thing, and that's why I trust you… with my life.

"With life?" he asks. I wish I had hands at the moment; I want to facepalm myself.

Um, like, life? I say. My life? For you?

Hiccup's hand pats me again. I warble.

"That's a bit undramatic, Toothless," he jokes.

I breathe another flare, and I swear that I hear Hiccup laugh.

"So… you'd be sad if I died, then," he says.

I perk my ears up.

What?

H

"I mean… is that what a friend is supposed to think? Is a friend supposed to feel sad that their friend is going to die?"

Toothless is silent.

"Like… what is a friend?" I ask, partially to myself. "Is it someone who stands by you all the time? Do they abandon you when their personal interests conflict with yours? Will they stay by your side, even in death?"

I think that there are many kinds of friends, I hear Toothless coo. There are good friends, then there are bad friends. Good friends are the ones that do the best for you, and the bad friends do what is the best for themselves.

"How do you know who is who, Toothless? How do you know that I am a good friend?"

…

"I think that you're a good friend. What do you think?"

…We endure through trials, I guess, he replies slowly. /We prove our loyalties through the choices that happen before us when things arise.

"...Am I a good friend?"

...

"Toothless?"

...No.

I nod.

"...I thought so. I'm a pretty bad-"

You're the best friend I've ever known.

"..."

...

"...Toothless..."

You heard me.

"...But... how?"

The trials that we've gone through are more than enough to prove, Hiccup, that we are more than just playmates. Not a lot of people would risk their lives just to save a friend.

"Like you."

And you.

"Me?" I ask.

Yep. Best friends first, he warbles.

T

"Best friends…" he says. "Like you and me?"

Like me and you, I croon.

"Like a human who annoys a dragon all day?"

Like a dragon who follows a boy everywhere.

"..."

...

"..."

…

"I'd be sad if you died," he says quietly. "I don't want that to ever happen."

Don't worry, I croon, nodding quietly. I have healing flames. I can heal us if anything happens.

"You are, you mighty beast." Hiccup laughs, and I feel a soft hand nuzzling my side. "Time to go back to Berk now, I guess."

Suddenly, I feel a gust of warm wind against my body, and my senses are quickly rushing to.

I guess so, I agree. It's getting sort of warm here.

Hiccup smiles and lowers himself down to hug me.

"I'll never leave you, Toothless," he says happily, as we reach the end of the clouds.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

H

...

...

Nn…

Ow…

Where… what, when?

Where am I?

T

Rr…

Everything's such a fuzzy white…

Mm…

The air.

It's warm.

H

Nn...

My consciousness comes back to me slowly, and the first thing that I register, is grass. Soft, green, lush grass. Then there's the sun. The blinding, promising sun. I shut my eyes again, waiting for my other senses to come to.

T

Something's stirring inside me. It demands me to get to my senses. And I begin to feel more. I try, slowly, blindly, my left back leg, then my right back leg, then my tail.

And then there's grass. It's soft.

Where am I?

H

And then there's my arms. They're holding onto something. My arms feel around, my eyes not intent on opening, and I do not have a plan to open them soon.

Everything feels so… infinite now. I feel like I can just close my eyes forever and let the warm thing in my arms keep me warm and happy forever.

There's a small wind, too.

T

There's something on my snout. And around my neck, too. What dares try to challenge my personal space, anyway? Usually, this would be the time that I struck, with prey so close to my mouth.

But I don't strike it.

It's soft.

And I'm in terrible need of comfort right now. I feel so aching, I feel so warm, but inside, it's... cold.

TH

Hm. So warm… I wonder what this is.

It feels tender. It feels soft.

Slippery. The flesh is slippery, but it's also reassuring and promising.

And moving. It keeps on moving around, like it's searching for comfort.

H

"Mm..." I mumble, moving my head closer to the warm thing. Feels so familiar…

I feel like nothing can go wrong at the moment. Everything is at peace, and time has frozen to let me stay in this position, my body laying down peacefully, my arms encompassing warmth and security.

T

The soft thing embraces me. To my side, a round thing rests next to my snout. I move my head closer to it too.

This kind of warmth… Reminds me of…

Somewhere.

Something.

Someone.

H

I'm lying face down. My arms are hugging something.

Someone.

Nn… it's pretty scaly, too...

TH

It can't be…

It has to be…

Hiccup?

...

...

"...Toothless?"

Hiccup!

"Toothless! Bud! It's you!"

T

Hiccup!

My eyes fly open, the aches instantly gone from my head. My fixate on

the boy in front of me,

hugging me,

lying down on the grass,

crying,

laughing,

Hiccup.

H

"Toothless!" I say, opening my eyes slowly. A black dragon, a Night Fury-

"Toothless!" I say, unable to think of anything else.

I'm here, he confirms. I'm not going anywhere, either. He turns around confusedly. Is dinner ready?

"Aww, Toothless!" I cry.

My arms wrap around him fully, watching as he gives me a small croon. He stands up, lifting me up to my feet in the process.

"Toothless," I breathe, pulling away from him. "You're- you're okay!"

I've had better days, he jokes, looking around at the ground. Then he gives me a huge lick.

"Gah!" I say, laughing all the same as he gives me another really, really, long lick.

Mm… my back hurts, Toothless complains, looking back at his back. Was I sitting down too long?

I move to his side, and I swear, my eyes never leave him as he too looks back at me.

"There..."

There's a small scar, much like a knife cut, running along his side. It feels like… like…

Whoa.

Toothless nods towards a (large) blood stain onto the cove wall. It's as if blood had spurted from something quickly, the gooey liquid scattering like an explosion.

"That's..."

It's at your feet, too, he says, and I look down and see an excessive amount of blood on the ground. It looks like it's been oozing out of something.

Out of something...

"Where did this come from?" I ask. For some reason, Toothless's eyes widen, then return to normal quickly.

Nothing, Toothless finishes for me rather nervously. Nothing, really.

As I watch the rays of dawn beam down on us, I swear I see a flash of red at the edge of the woods. It's there for a second, and then it's suddenly gone. Something tells me that it's not coming back. Something tells me that it's something familiar. But it's also telling me that it's not coming back.

….

...

..

.

The warm wind… the blood on the wall… the knife…

All of a sudden, my mind gives an involuntary lurch, and flashes of events drive back and forth in my head, unable to be stopped as I sink to the ground.

I'll sort this one out myself-

Somebody, please… stop this…

Die, you worthless dragon-

TOOTHLESS!

TOOTHLESS!

My thoughts are shoved back into reality as Toothless gives me a hard nudge to my side, causing me to wince back in pain. He watches, slowly, as I limp slowly back towards him.

"You remember too, right?" I ask.

Everything, he replies. I'm sorry, Hiccup.

I continue to sob into his side, his croons and warbles comforting me quietly. The sun rises higher and higher, signalling the sign of a new day, a new world, a new adventure.

What happened after that? he asks quietly. If you don't mind explaining, that is.

"You're trying to make me let out my thoughts, aren't you?"

Maybe, he warbles. It'll make you feel better.

"Well... I sorta of, uh, took a blade hit for you," I say uncomfortably. Toothless is not going to be happy. "But trust me, I'm fine-"

Hiccup! he growls, pushing me away from him. His eyes slit in anger. Even after I paralyzed you-

"You would have died!" I yell, my eyes burning with pain. "I had to do what I could!"

You nearly lost an arm! he growls. Hiccup- don't ever do anything like that again. You're never going to hurt yourself again because of me. Got it?

"So you think that all this time, when I watched you in the arena, freed you from that hell, covered up your wounds, gave myself up to you when you tried to kill me, nearly got myself killed, I was doing it for myself?" I ask, my anger venting out in words unable to fathom into thoughts anymore. It was too much to take. "Who else do you think I was doing that for, if not you, Toothless? Who else would I give so much for?"

In the silence that cuts through the air, Toothless's ears fall back, his eyes avoid looking at me, and I begin to feel incredibly guilty. Toothless has gone through so much, and I've been so useless trying to help him. He doesn't deserve this...

Surprisingly, I feel Toothless's snout nudging my chest, his wide green eyes staring up at me with a small croon.

I'm sorry, he mutters. I really am.

"It's not your fault..." I murmur. "You didn't do anything wrong..."

He pushes at my chest gently, a small whimper coming from him.

"It's alright, Toothless. Everything is."

He moves up and rests his snout on my shoulder, where he closes his eyes gently. Usually, when you apologize to someone, and you go up to them, you have to be sure that they are willing to accept it as an apology. You have to know that they are willing to reconcile with you, willing to take a hug and your arms. They have to be close enough with you, and you have to be close enough with them.

And there's no question when it comes to the two of us.

I didn't want you to get hurt, he whimpers. It hurts me when I hear him do that, but I'm crying as well. So we're hurting each other and we're comforting at the same time, too. I knew you'd try to come down to help me.

"I ended up saving your life," I say, sobbing slowly as I fall into into his soft side.

And you nearly got yourself killed, he says. I never wanted that to happen.

"Still," I say. "You're here with me. That's more than enough."

What about Astrid? he asks sly, completely and utterly ruining the moment.

"Toothless!"

It's written all over your face, he says as if it was something that you said regularly (he sort of does).

He can be pretty blunt like that. Well, he usually is. But he's also blunt when you've just saved him from death and he's pretty sad.

"Shut up," I say, blushing wildly. I push him off, only to be licked by him wildly. Ugh, Toothless!

It's no secret that you like her, he says with a warble. Admit that you have been seduced by her wildly unattractive feminine looks.

"She's pretty hot," I protest. "She's not as bad as you think."

Hey, I'm just being honest, he points out.

I groan.

Best friends. One of the only few people that you can openly talk about your love interests to.

"Speaking of which, Astrid showed up and took Stoick back to Berk," I recall slowly. "Oh, and I saw a flash of red. But that might have been my blood."

Red… Toothless mutters quietly.

"Hm?"

It's nothing, he says as I pull away from him. He licks at my shoulder gently, eyes full of concern, but there is no more blood flowing out. It even seems like it healed, really…

"How did we survive that?" I ask Toothless curiously. "I mean, I thought you were..."

I honestly have no idea... Toothless mumbles. Does it matter?

"I guess it would be pretty useful in case you, like, get into trouble again-"

But he's already on top of me, licking me and giving me his Toothless look.

Hiccup, don't you see? You went to extreme lengths to save me, even putting your life into Death's grasp to make sure I wasn't the one to die. You were giving up your life for me. You were giving death your life instead of giving up mine. You denied death's satisfaction, Hiccup. You showed not agony and pain in death, but the altruism that disgusts those who revel in its opposite, death. It was your bravery and compassion that saved me.

"But…"

Stop being such a scrawn and admit that you're a hero, he croons happily, getting off me and resting his snout on my stomach instead (which, technically, means that he's still on me. But he isn't licking me now, which is okay. But it would be okay if he licked me, too. He just needs to control that fish smell of his).

"I'm not a hero," I mutter quietly, wrapping my hands around his snout gently. He lets out a small sigh and rolls his eyes.

To me, you are, he croons, closing his eyes and purring happily. He's asleep in no time.

I watch him there silently, my hands loosely hugging that overgrown snout of his. As he rests, he does not seem to mind the fact that he's 1. sleeping on me, and 2. preventing me from moving anywhere. A little bit of me wants to care, but because of what he said, I don't really think that it will matter. As long as he's alright, I'm inclined to do anything at the moment. I feel like anything's possible at the moment, just with me and him by my side. Everything else, Stoick, the village, even Astrid, will have to come later.

Right now, we're just two playful boys, and we want a rest.

Maybe people should understand that more often.

I watch as a little leaf settles itself onto Toothless's back. It rises and falls every time Toothless breathes in and out, and its gentle movements remind me of what we are. Toothless is the ear, and I'm the leaf. I rise whenever he rises, and if he falls, it's guaranteed that I fall as well. He's the base that I rely on. Without him, I am easily swept away by the slightest of winds.

Which is ironic, because the left just fluttered over and landed on me instead. Maybe Toothless is like the as well, and he too relies on me as a foundation.

I think of the scripts and books that I read ever so often, and how they all contain scenes about great men fighting dangerous battles and making history through their bravery and sacrifices. I think of the people who read these scripts, and think of how great these people are, and how these people made history by not standing still or letting the time pass them by.

And I think of myself. I think of how people see these little moments in time, of me and Toothless, just lying on the ground together, letting the leaves fall onto us and letting the wind blow past us by, and how insignificant it will be to history. People will look back at us and think how we wasted time, and how we should have been doing more important things.

But to me, this is the most important part of my life. To just lie down with Toothless, forget about everything there ever was in this world, letting the time pass us by, and knowing that in every moment of our lives we will have each other there for us. It is the most valuable thing in the world, friendship, and not a thousand wives will ever suffice the platonic love that a friend can ever give.

History can be made whenever you want it to. Mutual happiness cannot.

I think of the time that I fought the Red Death with Toothless, how our courage and bravery made change to the world, how we were hailed as heroes, how Astrid finally liked me, and I think of the time right now, our little moment in history, where we're just resting, doing nothing, marvelling at how wonderful this world is.

And I think that I'm never going to trade anything for it.

Because nothing, nothing, matters more than our happiness.

Not even my life.

T

After a while, I hear a small snore from Hiccup, causing my mind to rise from its small slumber. Short, it may have been, but I've never slept deeper since. It's like when you wake up, and you know that nothing can go wrong, because everything that is perfect is already hugging you, and you are hugging all that is perfect, never letting them go.

Well, I wonder though, if he has time to go get some fish. I'm sort of hungry.

Speaking of hunger… the inner part of my teeth… it feels sticky. Did I have fish earlier?

Could it be…

I lick it experimentally, and recoil suddenly as I taste blood. Fresh blood.

I recall the blood on the grass.

Okay, calm down… I think to myself in panic. /Did Hiccup… no, he wouldn't…

"Toothless..."

My ears perk up at the sound, and see Hiccup's hands fidgeting around restlessly.

What is it? I ask. He doesn't do anything apart from shift his head into a more comfortable position.

When he goes back to sleeping as normal, I let out a small huff of disconcern. Humans are weird. It's only my luck that I know a friend who is both weird and caring.

But still… did he give me that blood? Was it his blood that gave me the strength to regenerate?

"Toothless..." Hiccup begins to flex his arms, sweat appearing on his forehead.

Hey, are you okay? I ask, but after a while he falls asleep again. My eyes don't leave him this time, slitting and wondering if I could access his thoughts. But I know that it would be futile to try, and I would be invading his private space anyway.

Friends are honest to each other, but they also have their dark secrets that are best left alone.

Or was this my own blood...

"Toothless…!" Hiccup yells, thrashing around violently, his hands hitting the ground and my snout in panic, fear- even anger.

Hiccup! I say, nudging him hard enough for him to jolt awake, beads of sweat running down his neck.

"I had a dream..." he pants. "I dreamed… I fell when I was hugging you, and the blood seeped out of my shoulder, and…"

Entered my mouth, I say slowly, piecing everything together the same time Hiccup does.

"Yes. You saw that too?"

I- I… I begin. I was the one who caused Hiccup's nightmares…

"It's alright, Toothless," he pants with a small smile, looking up into the morning sky. "I'm alright."

I look at his smile, and I cannot bring myself to trouble him any longer. Maybe there are things that we must keep away until the time is right.

But not with those closest to us.

As I explain it to him, he only answers with nods and 'mm's of understanding. When I'm done, he gives me this weird smile and hugs me tightly.

"All the more reason for you to be happy," he says happily. "So I can be happy too."

And that's when I realize: happiness does not come from ourselves. It comes from seeing those we care about being happy.

Empathy is the greatest trait we sentimental beings have.

T

I wash myself happily in the cove. The water does not soak my skin like it would for humans, but the water is just as liberating nonetheless. Which is a fitting theme for the birds that can fly out into their future, without care of where they come from or where they will end up.

It's the thrill of adventure that keeps them going along.

I snag a fish from the water and eat it happily, hoping to wash the taste of blood out. I still think it's Hiccup's blood, but a small nudge tells me that it could have been anyone's, including mine. I don't know. All I know is that Hiccup saved my life, and because of that, I've been given another chance of living.

"Hiccup!" a voice yells, somersaulting down onto the ground near me. I turn around warily and find Astrid kissing Hiccup full on the face. Hiccup freezes, his hands unsure of what to do (or he maybe have forgotten that they even existed, but whatever). She doesn't stop kissing, either, when I stand right next to them and give them a happy croon, as if saying,

'Astrid, do you take Hiccup to be your lawfully wedded wife?'

(Yes, the wife joke part was intended.)

And then, when Astrid pulls away,

'I declare you… mates for life.'

Obviously, Hiccup must have gotten a glimpse of what I said (I wonder if I even said that out loud!), because when Astrid pulled away, he gave me the hardest stare I've ever seen.

And I laugh.

And Astrid laughs.

And then he laughs, and suddenly Astrid is hugging me too, and thanking me for helping him get himself back together, and I'm wondering what she means until Hiccup gives me a guilty (but smiling) look.

Maybe some things should be held out until the time is right.

But not with Hiccup, who will tolerate pretty much anything that happens between us.

"I've been… in depression the last month that you weren't here," he mutters, rubbing my snout gently as Astrid pulls away. (I don't think she's hot at all.) "Let's just say I stopped being myself and I rarely spoke to anyone."

"He didn't even speak to me," Astrid huffs. "You two must be real close for Hiccup to have felt so down." She turns to Hiccup. "If I were gone, would you be like this?"

"Maybe if you didn't punch me so much-" he mumbles, which earns him a really, really, forceful punch from Astrid. They begin to argue, and bicker. Strangely enough, I let the couple be as I watch another figure stagger to the cliffs.

Stormfly! I can out, watching her physique as she looks down at the cove quietly.

I've been worried about you, she says quietly, ruffling her wings in a solemn manner.

You have? I ask, taken aback by her words.

Duh, she mumbles nervously. When Astrid told me that you two might not make it, I tried to turn back right away… but I had faith in you. You're a strong one, Toothless.

Yeah… I say, not really sure of what to make of her words. You are, too. You got Astrid back safely and everything.

I wish I could have helped you, she says quickly. I've never felt this useless before.

You're not useless, I tell her. You're one of the fastest fliers out there. You're a really good friend of mine.

For some reason, she seems to droop her wings even more.

Hey, I was wondering, if you're free… could you meet me near Astrid's house? I- uh, the other dragons, want to know the whole story.

I think I'm going to stay with Hiccup, I say. But sure, I'll go see you after I'm done flying with him.

Alright… she says, her tone lightening almost like she's jubilant. Thank you… Toothless.

Um... thanks? I answer. Thank me for what?

As she turns around and flies away (I suppose Astrid ran here and didn't see Stormfly), and I croon in question.

I wonder why she's telling me all this. And the way she fluttered when I agreed to talk to the other dragons. She's acting strange. She's usually never that open to me before…

C

Idiot.

The whole world would know that the Nadder likes him, and he doesn't.

How. Just how.

I could roll my eyes for eternity, point out signs that everyone would know of, and yet… he's just so blind to all of this. I could write it in front of him, in the sand, NADDER LIKES NIGHT FURY- and he wouldn't get it. He'd ask who was named Nadder. And what a strange name Night Fury was.

He's still clueless, after all this time… oh, I could laugh.

It was so obvious.

Hikari liked Night Fury as well. I heard her ponder at nights that Night Fury was out. I've never talked to her, but it was so obvious. They were just too shy for each other to speak. They could have been together. I could have given them so many opportunities to meet… it would have taken only one to set them off. But I never did help them. I thought I was doing the right thing, keeping them away and letting them meet on their own circumstances.

And now it's too late.

And after all this time, he's still clueless… it's almost funny, the way the handsome boys are the most oblivious to the girls that like them.

After all this time.

Pa? Is there something wrong?

I turn to my youngest son, the son who I found surviving in the woods not far from here. It turns out he was sneaking out for fun the night Night Fury was shot down, and he's been there since. I feel bad for forgetting him, but now…

Pa?

I give him a gentle lick.

It's nothing, champ, I say, rubbing my snout against his. Let's go.

I turn tail, facing away from the treetops and taking off into the sky quietly.

Good luck, my friend, I echo in my thoughts.

Sometimes, you've got to be that friend that sacrifices your own interests so someone else can be happy. Sometimes, you just have to accept it when someone forgets about you and finds someone else better than you. Sometimes, you just have to be that invisible giver that disappears when the heads are turned your way.

Besides, I am happy myself. Soon, Night Fury, Toothless, Hitori, will become another memory that will soon become a story for me to tell my son. How we fought the wrongs and upheld the rights. Maybe, just maybe, when the time comes, we may cross paths again. And only then will I smile and greet him, as an old friend, and talk about what memories we made.

Hopefully, though, the scars that run on the devil's skin will be enough of a mark to make him remember to never mess with my friends again.

H

It's pretty much noon when we finally decide to go back to Berk.

It turns out, Stormfly came running after Astrid the second she noticed that the latter was missing- Astrid's off on Stormfly now, and for some reason Stormfly is flying really fast and avoiding eye contact with me. Me? I dunno. But she's definitely not looking this way.

I swore I saw the speck of red again too, but I'm too delighted to care, really. Toothless is going back to Berk, and everything's going to become normal again.

Well, hopefully. I mean, there's still the father problem.

"Toothless…" I ask.

Mm? he asks, flapping his wings gently as the sun blazes down on us.

"If you meet my father…"

I thought he was dead, he says bluntly.

"Toothless!" I say, a hint of anger in my voice. "He's my father!"

He tried to kill me, Toothless growls. So, he's still alive?

"He was trying to protect me," I say. "Like I was trying to protect you."

He tried to kill me, Toothless repeats.

"Toothless-" I begin, my anger rising gradually. How can Toothless be so blunt about this thing? He should know better! He's been through more death than me. He knows what it's like to lose someone you care about, even if you detest them.

I'm not mad at him, he says, shaking his head with a sigh. I just don't think that I want to see him again. If he tries to kill me again-

"Then I will not hesitate to be by your side," I cut in. "But, for now, don't hurt him. He's been through a lot."

For now, Toothless croons.

"For a while, then," I say, knowing how good Toothless can be with words.

How long?

"Umm..."

Just kidding, he warbles. If he doesn't hurt you, I'm fine.

I look down at him, and he answers by wiggling those ears of his. You know, pushing them up and down, like he was a flashing sign. I find it quite… funny, really.

"You're cool, you know that?" I ask, grabbing one of his ears gently and nuzzling against it.

Grrpphmmmr, Toothless mumbles, a mixture of discomfort and happiness. Imagine getting your ear nuzzled.

"And you're just soooooooooo cuddleable," I say, reaching down to hug him.

Sometimes I wonder if the other people think you like me or not, he says with a sigh. You show way too much affection.

"What do you want me to do, cry that you're still alive?" Hiccup asks, rubbing my sides happily.

I purr happily in content. C'mon, a bit more to the right…

"Being best friends makes other people question the way your axe swings," Hiccup jokes.

Yeah, yeah- mm! Yeah, rub my neck! I say, almost forgetting that I'm still flying.

Yep. Being with Hiccup makes you forget you're there.

And it's good.

H

We land on Berk amid the sounds of joy, mainly from the teens and Gobber, but still, joy. Setting down deftly in front of the house, the twins immediately start hitting each other, causing everyone to look their way. Snotlout tries to use the confusion to kiss Astrid, but gets punched straight in the face (sucker!), Gobber heads over to try to break up the ensuing fights, and I manage to pass them by easily. To be honest, I just want to clear up the remaining loose ends. And get a few z's.

"So, having a better time?" Fishlegs says, who walks up to meet me. Evidently, he was inside the house and just decided to come out. Evidently, 'better time' seems to be a better word than 'good' time, because it really is a better time.

"Couldn't be better," I say, patting Toothless absentmindedly. "Where's dad?"

"He's in the house," he says, pointing his thumb behind him.

"Thanks," I say, walking past him, Toothless close by. As I near the door, he grabs my arm.

"Hiccup," he whispers seriously. "Whatever you do- don't let Toothless hurt him, alright? You need to prove that Toothless isn't-"

I nod with finality, shaking his arm off me.

"I know what I'm doing," I say. "Well, I hope so."

I open the door quietly, Toothless poking his head through and slipping inside. I smile slightly and head inside as well.

I don't find my father far away- he's sitting on the couch, his hands and legs heavily bandaged, his breathing quiet but rough, his head hanging down from what I can only assume to be defeat.

It's a tense, tense, moment when I walk up to him slowly. He probably knows it's me, but honestly- it feels like neither of us knew each other anymore. It's like talking to someone who you had a grudge against, and it certainly was anything but talking to your father. Usually, at this age, it's pretty uncomfortable to talk to your guardians anyway- but as of now, I really don't think I know the man standing in front of me at all.

It's all I can do, too, to stop Toothless, who is not far away, from growling. I know he's my friend. I know that we've been together for so long. I know we went through hell and heaven alike together.

But the man I am going to talk to now is my father.

And so I speak first.

"Dad," I say. I did not expect an answer, but he looks up anyway. I can see the wound under his chest now; a large, patched up, but greenish wound.

"Son," he says, looking at me with exhausted eyes. Like he's tired of battle and all that it has done to him. "What is it?"

"I… I…" I begin. Honestly, I don't know what to say. I just know that I have to talk to him, because he's gone through a lot, maybe even worse than me, but I just don't know what to say to make things right again.

"I was stupid," he starts. "I was into my own head for too long. I thought… I could make things better again."

"Don't say that, dad," I say. I hate it when people talk less of themselves. Especially when they shouldn't.

"Hiccup, I don't want you to be angry, but…" he heaves a sigh. "Do you know why you have no mother?"

Mom?

"Why?" I ask curiously.

"A Night Fury shot her. Clean impact. We couldn't do anything about it..."

Toothless's eyes widen, and quickly turn toward me in alert.

I know now, why people are told to be silent when they're prosecuted; anything that you say will hurt your credibility. People will think you're desperate and thus actually guilty.

And, as of now, I don't even want to know if he is or not.

"No…" I stutter. "Toothless… wouldn't…"

"I'm not saying it was Toothless," he says quietly. "I'm just saying that a Night Fury did it."

"Then..." I try hard not to process my thoughts, but they just keep coming. I thought that Toothless was the only Night Fury left alive…? Then who…?

"I found out, on a raid several months ago, that there were more Night Furies," he explains. "I thought that it was running the nest. I thought that it was the devil..."

Toothless's ears fall back instantly, and this time he growls.

"I ordered them to raid," he says sadly. "But all there was, a defenseless Night Fury, one who fought for their wounded, to the very end… and all I did was watch."

Toothless snarls angrily, blasting the ground next to Stoick in anger.

"T- Toothless…" I begin, but I feel the hate in me rising as well. He killed… a Night Fury?

"Your dragon has every right to hate me," he says with a sigh. "I hated him as well."

Toothless growls angrily. I have to move between him and Stoick to prevent any fights from occurring.

Let me get him… just a bite… he roars angrily, trying to break find a spot that he can attack from. He killed her. He killed her!

Honestly, I am tempted to help him too, even if I don't know who 'she' is. But something tells me that violence, history making as it is, is not the answer.

"Still, I was intent… I wanted more revenge," he continues, trying his best to ignore the threat beyond me. "And when you trained a Night Fury… it boiled my blood. I could never really look at your dragon in the eye. Had it been a Nadder, I would have at least passed it off…"

"Toothless and I were meant to meet," I say angrily. "No one can change that."

"After the dragons made peace… I was furious. I wanted them to pay the price of slaying one that I loved most."

He looks at me straight in the eye.

"I could never tell you the news. It would kill us all, if I told you that a Night Fury killed your mother. You would have angered him and he would have killed you. It would lead to another war."

"Toothless would never try to kill me," I say defiantly. "Not from spite."

"So, I set to try and make things right. I got a dragon of my own. I thought that dragons maybe were okay. You certainly convinced me of that, despite the hate that I still harbored for your dragon."

"He's not my dragon-"

"I know, I know," he says tiredly. "Listen."

And for once, I listen to his orders.

"When he wasn't with you these past few days, you fell into an almost unresponsive depression," he says. "Everyone came to talk to me. And they told the same story: Toothless was gone, and you were so sad you couldn't do anything. You didn't even eat. All you said was that Toothless was going to come back. You kept muttering it, over and over again. And then you'd fall silent and you'd be really aggressive towards everyone who went up to you."

I look guiltily at Toothless, who stops snarling and looks at me with wide eyes instead.

You… went through all that? he asks, which I find too painful to answer. I urge my father to continue.

"And I thought: Dragons were dragons, no matter how close you got to them. I thought Toothless had left Hiccup of his own accord, and I was happy… until I saw you in that state."

Hiccup? he says, nudging me with his snout gently. Did you really…

"It made me angry. And when your dragon returned, I made it a resolution to kill him. He had to die. I had had enough. I wouldn't let another Night Fury kill my son as well."

"Dad..."

"So, instead of doing what was right, I ended up nearly killing my son. And you proved to me that we are all animals of this world, and it can be impossible for us to hold grudges together." he says sadly, nodding towards the shoulder of mine. "Is it feeling better now?"

"I guess so," I mumble, absentmindedly trying to pry Toothless off as he continually nudges my side, completely oblivious to Stoick's words.

Really, Hiccup? he keeps asking. You really did? You didn't even eat because of me? Hiccup?

"I suppose you have something to tell me," he says, looking at me with the expression of a father. Cold, but caring.

"Dad..."

Did you really? C'mon, Hiccup, I'm concerned here. Did you?

"Yes, I did, Toothless," I sigh. "Can you stop for a while?"

But… are you okay now? he asks, a small whimper escaping him. I pat his head gently.

"Yes," I say irritably.

Will I have to make you super happy to make up for-

"Toothless."

GrrmmpharI'mtakingthatasayesmaybeI'llgetyousomefis horsomethinglaterblarrrmmph, he mumbles all very fast.

"Well… dad," I say, turning towards him. Honestly… what is there left to say? He said everything. He wanted to protect me, but his anger got into the way.

So…

"Are you okay?" I ask.

My dad gives me a surprised look.

"What?"

"I asked if you were okay," I repeat. "Those scars look like they hurt."

"Not as much for a viking," he says gruffly. "Though trust me, green venom cuts through skin."

Changewing... I hear Toothless mutter. Guy was famous for his poison.

I wish I knew who Changewing was. Or maybe I'm happy that I'm not.

"So… Toothless?" I ask, turning towards his perked up ears. "Is there anything you want to tell my father?"

Toothless's ears instantly lay down flat, his smile becomes a sneer.

Tell him this, and don't miss out on a single word: he begins. He's the worst person in the world and deserves to be sent to the pits of the Queen's nest, because he took away everything from me.

I repeat these words to my father uncomfortably, who only nods with acceptance.

But I want to thank him, too, Toothless continues grudgingly. Because he managed to destroy my past so completely, the only thing I have left is the present time, which I share with Hiccup. And if he ever tried to take you away from me, he's going to know the same agony that I did.

I repeat that as well. As if it is a miracle, my father smiles.

"I'm glad that you're alright," he says to Toothless."

Toothless snarls and bares his teeth at him, but doesn't do anything else otherwise.

"Then… I'll be, uh, going," I say, making to leave, fearing that their conversation may escalate.

"To where?" my father asks.

I turn around and look at his face. Maybe he isn't the cold man I thought he was...

I look at Toothless, and as soon as our eyes lock, so do our intentions.

"The present," I tell Stoick, rubbing Toothless's snout happily as he races me out of the door.

T

Wanna try a new trick? I ask, dashing through the air in a noble fashion, my wings spreading out and depreciating the sun's light as it shines down onto the wide, wide sea that surrounds the world. I've been to so many places before, and in none of them have I found happiness as strong as here.

No, I don't mean the sea.

Then, where? I may ask myself. Where? Hiccup may ask. Where? The sea itself may ask.

And to that, I answer: Anywhere. Be it the colourful rainforests, the freezing north, or even at home, by a wooden bed; as long as there is Hiccup on my back, I am happy.

"Bring it on," Hiccup says with a grin.

I roar, diving downwards with tremendous speed. I relay a series of firebolts into the water. Instantly, massive pillars of liquid water splash around me, a grand water fountain spouting as I breathe fire around the water as it rises all around us, causing steam to rise around everywhere.

"Whoa," he says in awe, reaching out his hands slowly as the water evaporates into steam and back into liquid. "This is..."

Not done yet, I say, flying out of the fountain and turning tail right back in. Where there was steam just moments ago, lies a small rainbow, stretching from where the blasts of water once shook the water and rattled the skies enough for it to burst out its wonderful colours.

"A rainbow..." he whispers. I slow down, gliding slowly into the the spectrum of colours.

His hand reaches out to teach the vivid colors of the world, his fingers flying through them as I glide from one end of the rainbow to the other, his hands never ever leaving the majestic wonders of the land, the marvels of the sea.

I reach the end of the fiery coolness, dashing straight towards a solid rock, its elevated cliff making the structure perfect for resting on. In fact, this rock, this island… was the first place that Hiccup and I ever reached by air, when we had our first test flight, when our friendship was finally proven for eternum.

"Toothless… that was magnificent," Hiccup says, getting off me and hugging me gently. I purr, pulling away and giving him a happy look.

I knew that would make you really happy, I croon joyfully, running around enthusiastically. I wanted to make sure that your sadness never came again. And right then, you looked just like that! I coo happily. You were sooooo free, even I don't think I could compare how I felt.

"And what exactly do you feel?" he asks, settling down on the rock and laughing.

I feel… liberated, I say, closing my eyes and running in circles. I feel like… infinite. I feel… mm, dizzy.

"You better calm down," Hiccup chuckles. "Or you might do yourself in before we get back."

Alright, alright, I say dazedly, coming to rest on the cliff's edge, watching the sun as it once again makes its way down. We've been flying for so long, nonstop, neverending. Tricks I never knew existed, feelings I never thought I'd feel again, all rediscovered from the moment Hiccup took with me to the skies. I never knew how it feels like to be at the happiest part of your life.

And I may never know. Because it just gets better and better every day, every minute, in a neverending rush of adventures, feelings, and wonder.

We're infinite.

"Toothless," Hiccup calls from behind me. I turn around, looking at him as he gives me one of those first looks of trust. Of when we knew our lives would never be the same.

Yeah? I ask, walking up to him and resting by his side.

"Your tailfins..."

He points to my tailfins, both of them now intact and alive.

Yeah? I ask.

"They're… whole," he says.

I know, I nod. What does he mean?

"That means… you don't need me to fly," he says. "You could just be anywhere, and-"

I nudge him irritatedly, growling at his words, stopping him midsentence.

Hiccup, after all this time, do you think I'm going to go wherever I like, even with a whole tailfin?

"I'm just saying you could," he mutters, rubbing my side absentmindedly. "You could travel the world, see new things, just do anything you want."

I've been everywhere, and done everything I can think of, I say. And it's been scientifically proven that there's no place I want to be other than next to you, and nothing else to do than being by your side.

A long silence passes through us as Hiccup pulls me in for a hug. A long, silent, and meaningful embrace.

H

"Thank you," I mumble, trying hard to hold back the tears that are coming once again. But they are tears that symbolize happiness, victory, liberation. They are more than just liquid flowing out of my eyes. They show the love I have for this dragon, overflowing out through every part of my body as I hug him, never wanting to move away.

Thank you, he warbles. For giving me life.

"Hmph," I say, blinking back tears as I scratch him happily. "Some special dragon out there is going to be really lucky to be mates with you."

Mates? Toothless asks, tilting his head in confusion. Who needs mates?

I stare at him.

"What?"

I mean, after all you've been through with me, you little friend, do you really think I would be happier with a mate? With a partner that will never be more loyal than a friend?

"Do you mean..." I ask, my hands freezing as I try to process his words.

Yup, he says, lowering his snout so it's touching my back as I hug him. I'm not going to have a mate.

I pull away from him, eyes staring in shock.

"Toothless!" I snap, clapping my hands in front of him loudly in case he might have lost a few senses of his. "Do you know what you're saying?"

Of course, he warbles. I don't want a mate. I'm perfectly happy being a friend of yours.

"But- children- the Night Fury population-" I stammer.

Oh, the world can carry on without me, he coos. I told you, if I'm not going to be happier with someone else, why should I leave you?

"T-Toothless..." I say, tears finally flowing from my eyes, as I fall forward, unable to contain the kindness and sacrifice that he's giving me.

And he's there to catch me as I fall.

I hug his neck tightly, making sure that my hands never let go. I want to let history know, that history, as powerful and intriguing as it is, is only history. I want to let history know that history, as powerful and intriguing as it is, is only history. It is the past, and we can never go back to fix it. We can only carry on with our lives, and with our lives is what history will be made of. It is our future that will make up our past.

And Toothless is giving up his future, everything; just for me.

And as I hug him, with my tears flowing down my eyes, his warmth encompassing me like a warm breeze, I am assured that when my tears stop, there will be a certain friend who will be still be in my arms, ready to lick those tears away, and make me forget about the past scars that life has inflicted.

And for him, everything that I have, anything that he needs, I will give.

Warmth, care, trust, love, even life. Anything.

I'll give anything.

For Toothless.

It's done, folks! Anything for Life is officially completed!

A/N: So, first of all,I'd like to thank LesserWraith for allowing me to have a part in this story, and for reading and betaing every chapter. I am eternally grateful, because without you none of this would have happened. I was really surprised that anybody was actually willing to let me collaborate on their story, since my first few chapters of my first fic (Dragon School) were decidedly amateurish, and not really a true representation of my abilities. I'm disappointed that Anything for Life is ending, but it's been an awesome journey for me. I first read Anything for Life over two months ago now, and within a week of getting Fanfiction and posting my first story, I was collaborating with someone. It was a combination of incredible luck and some confidence from me that got me here, and I'm so glad I found the courage to ask about a collaboration that day, because it's just been awesome. Just awesome.

I'd also like to give a massive thank you to all the readers and reviewers, because without all your positivity I would never have trusted my own abilities. It's been an incredible journey, and I feel honoured to have been a part of it.

L/N: When I first wrote Anything for Life, I honestly did not think that the story would become a collaboration- or a story at all. At first, it was only an idea that kept me up at night, and soon it became a oneshot that was posted here. It was Absi B who came along and offered to help me continue the story- no one has ever asked me that before. We both had our different ideas of how the story would turn out, and because of that we both kept turning the story into unexpected turns, which made writing incredibly fun. I really want to thank her for everything she's done, and frankly, I don't know if she knows how much of an impact she's had on me.

I want to thank you guys, too. You guys make me realize that my stories truly are worth reading. I want to give all of you guys a biiig hug, especially those who have been with me continuously. You guys are awesome, and I don't say that to people without meaning it.

If you fear that the adventures of Hiccup and Toothless/LesserWraith and Absi B end just here, fear not, for the story Fallen Guardian, which is on Absi B's profile, is yet another collaboration that we have been working on. We'll try to make it even better than Anything for Life!

I shall see you all soon. Stay awesome! :)