Pirate Business.

The problem with Dragon Island, Hiccup thought as he walked carefully through the narrow streets of the village, was that there was nowhere he could be himself. He was condemned to be Captain Fury the whole time.

Dragon Island was so named because, many centuries ago, it had been the nest of a giant Red Death which had commanded dragons scourging the island of Berk. It had been slain and the huge bones used in the construction of the village on the island. The place was hard to reach, a very complex seasick maze protecting the harbour and beach of the village. Pirates had found the island and protected it fiercely. But the settlement wasn't just pirates: they needed laundrywomen and bakers and blacksmiths and healers. There were shops for clothes and food and weapons. And many pirates had a small hut or chamber in the mountain for their own. And more had a partner or family.

Dressed as Fury, Hiccup walked through the village, his cloak flapping behind him, his face obscured by the scarf, a sword comfortably strapped to his hip. It was like any other village, with shouts of the vendors, the smells of food and bread and hot metal and children running around. He sighed: he wanted to spend some time in the forge, working metal and improving his sword. He had some ideas about how to create a retractible blade and maybe one that self-ignited... He was so lost in thought he almost missed the little boy who ran straight into his legs and landed hard in the floor.

Instantly, he stopped, guilty that the boy was sitting on the ground, his lip quivering. As the boy started to cry, he dropped to his knees and pulled his scarf down, offering the scared boy a friendly smile. "Are you okay?" he asked the boy, seeing grimy face with big green eyes and tousled shaggy black hair. The lad was wearing rags and he stared fearfully at the man. Hiccup sighed. "Is your Mom around here?" he asked. The boy shook his head.

"D-don't have a Mom," the boy whimpered, still cringing as if anticipating a blow.

"Dad?" A mute shake of the head. "Aunty? Uncle? Grandfather? Anyone?" A shake of the head every time. Hiccup sighed. "Are you staying anywhere?" The boy curled his chin down to his chest.

"B-by the docks," he whispered, expecting a cuff to the head. "I-I try to beg food..."

Or steal some, Hiccup guessed. He nodded. "Have you eaten today?" The boy wiped his eyes on the back of his hand and shook his head. "What's your name?"

"T-toothless," the boy whimpered. Hiccup sighed and stared at the very skinny boy, lifting the chin with a finger and seeing several missing milk teeth.

"That's not actually a name, it's medical condition," he told the boy, ignoring the fact exactly the same could be said about his own name. The boy nodded.

"The-the others keep saying that..." he sighed and Hiccup's green eyes saw bruises in various stages of healing on the thin body.

"What would you like to be called?" he asked the boy. There was a thoughtful pause.

"I-I like...Arild," he said quietly. "My-my Mom used to call me that..." Hiccup caught his hands and gently pulled the boy to his feet.

"Let's get you some dinner, shall we?" he asked the boy and was rewarded by a shy, gappy smile. Hiccup knew he shouldn't be doing this, knew he had any number of prices on his head and had no stability in his life at all...but he found himself sympathising with this undersized, hungry, bruised little boy who seemed to be all alone. So he hefted the boy up in his arms, offering a smile and taking the little lad to the nearest tavern. He got food, yak milk for the boy and an ale for himself and watched the boy starvingly clear the plate. When he had run out of food, he looked up with a happier smile. Hiccup offered his hunk of bread and the starving boy devoured it urgently. Finally, the boy was full, his eyes more relaxed.

"Wh-what's your name?" he asked anxiously. Hiccup gave his lopsided smile.

"Fury," he said. The boy's eyes widened.

"But they say you're a very bad man," he whispered, beginning to shake. Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"They're all very bad men," he reminded the boy without denying the allegation. "This is a pirate outpost, after all." The boy stopped and considered this for a moment, still trembling slightly.

"Okay," he said. "You-you aren't going to h-hurt me?" Hiccup shook his head.

"No, Arild," he said to the boy, earning himself an astonished smile, "I don't want to hurt you." The boy glanced at the door: it was getting late and he still had to find somewhere to curl up. He swallowed, unwilling to end his time with a person who was being nice to him for once. He hung his head.

"I-I should g-go..." the boy said in a tiny voice, his eyes searching the table. He made to move and Hiccup found himself saying something he hadn't meant to.

"You can stay," he said softly. The boy looked up with shock and suddenly wary. "I have a small hut on the edge of the village," he continued. "I have room for you...if you need a place to stay..." The boy's brow creased.

"Why?" he asked. Hiccup shrugged. It had been an instinctive response.

"You remind me of me," he said honestly. The boy stared. "I used to be small and scared and was bullied for years...until I had to leave home..." He paused to master his breathing. He would die before he revealed the rest. "You remind me of me," he repeated. "And no one stepped forward when I was starving in the docks." He gave a small smile. Arild slid off the chair and walked round, scrambling up onto the bench by him and he wrapped his thin arms around Hiccup. Shocked, the pirate stiffened for a few moments, then tightened his arms around the boy and felt the small body press against him. It was only as he felt the hug tighten, that he suddenly wondered what he had done. But Arild hung onto him and he wrapped his cloak around the shivering boy, finishing his ale and lifting the little bundle. But as he turned to the door, three bulky figures blocked his way. He backed away and narrowed his eyes, shifting the scared boy in his arms.

"FURY! We need a word with yer!" Hiccup backed away at the rough accent, his eyes flicking from man to man. They all wore the leather and spikes of Outcasts with the enormous and very hairy shape of Alvin in their midst.

"Oh-hi, Al," Hiccup said lightly, not sitting and trying to keep his escape open. "To be honest, I was wondering when you would turn up!"

"Yer sunk one of me ships and stole me prize from under me very nose!" Alvin the Treacherous roared. There was the subtle scraping of chairs and pirates moved back to give them room. Alvin ruled his island like a tyrant and was very violent. The pirates cast a glance at the lean shape with the boy in his arms: the lone man was going to take a real pasting!

"The prize was mine, Al," Hiccup growled. "It was a Berkian vessel-with someone on it I need to keep alive...until they settle the blood debt to me!" Alvin stared at him.

"Blood debt, eh?" he sneered, his men flanking Hiccup. "What did 'e do?" Hiccup's emerald gaze locked fiercely on the Outcast Captain.

"Betrayed me...and cost me my home, my family...almost my life..." he snarled. "Care to make something of it?" Alvin scratched his huge beard: it was easily large enough to conceal a small badger. Blood Feud was something all pirates took seriously but Alvin hated the cocky, sarcastic young Captain with a passion.

"Well, yer did 'ave a valid reason...but I can't allow other Captains ter just come inter me waters where they feels like it, boy!" Alvin said to him, jerking his head towards his men. His tone was irritatingly reasonable, even when he was basically ordering a man badly beaten. "Yer understand? I need ter give yer a spankin', Fury. Just for the look o' the thing!" Hiccup shifted the trembling Arild under his right arm and leaned forward.

"That is the stupidest excuse for attacking me I have ever heard of!" Hiccup snapped. He drew his sword in his left hand and stared at Alvin. "Wanna back down now-before this goes too far?"

"Get 'im!" the Outcast called as Hiccup erupted into action. He ducked under a wild swing of the first man, ducked up, kicking the man in the gut and spun, whacking him across the face with the hilt of his sword and turning away as he folded. The second man lunged at him and found Hiccup kicking the bench up and then straight into his face. It was still smashing into him and the man was still falling as Hiccup spun, his sword finally swinging up and round, slicing Alvin's beard hard against his chin. The Outcast gave a bellow like a wounded yak and staggered back. Hiccup gave a small smirk.

"ME BEARD!" Alvin roared. Then he froze, the point of Hiccup's sword digging into his throat.

"Least of your problems, Al," Hiccup told him. "Think of this as a great day for grooming. And a bad day for ambushing me." He dug the blade into the thick neck and his voice dropped to a menacing growl. "So listen. I followed my prey into Outcast waters because I am a pirate! We have discussed the issue and reached...an accommodation."

"'Ave we?" Alvin asked slowly.

"Yeah," Hiccup said. "You take your idiots and leave or I will make it my business to sink every Outcast vessel I see...and I will be cruising Outcast waters a lot in the next weeks. Understand?" Alvin made to signal his agreement but Hiccup sighed. "DON'T NOD!" he snapped. "You'll cut your own throat! Thor, could you be more stupid?" Alvin backed away, kicking his men awake and heading for the door.

"You'll regret this, Fury!" Alvin swore. Hiccup sighed.

"I already do," he groaned. "Now we have to go all the Odin-damned way to Outcast Island!" He sheathed his sword and peered down at Arild, still clutched securely to his side. "You alright, little buddy?" he asked. The boy raised his surprised green eyes and nodded once. Hiccup smiled back at him. "C'mon...let's get you somewhere safe..."

"That was pretty smart work for a man with only one useable arm," a sultry voice purred. Hiccup looked up-to meet the confident grey eyes of a pretty, slender jet-haired girl. She was wearing a loose white blouse and long dark brown skirt, her shining black hair braided over one shoulder. She pouted.

"Hallo, Heather," Hiccup sighed. She pressed against him, her curves indecently moulded against his lean shape.

"It's been so long, lover," she whined, raising a hand to rest against his face. "I was hoping you had some time for me now..." Hiccup glanced down at Arild, the boy's eyes confused but definitely bleary with weariness. He looked only six or seven and very small and malnourished: he needed somewhere warm to sleep. She followed his gaze. "My cottage has a nice space by the fire where he can rest while we...get reacquainted..."

"You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?" he said sarcastically, knowing it was a mistake.

"You're mine," she purred, his fingers sliding up to twine through the hank of hair behind his right ear. She sometimes braided the hair and he kept the little braids because they lent him a dashing look that suited Fury, but he resented her possessiveness. He leaned forward and gave her a small, chaste kiss.

"Then lead on, milady," he whispered in her ear, shifting the boy in his arms. Arild gave a small moan and his hand latched onto the pirate's armour. Hiccup felt a strange lurch in his chest as the boy's eyes fluttered closed and he went to sleep in his arms as they followed the woman into the cold night.

oOo

Alvin as furious: first robbed of his prize, made to look a fool in front of his men and now bested in the middle of a tavern on Dragon Island. He stomped through the streets, slamming people aside until he reached the main building in town: the Pirate Council. Roughly, he threw the guards on the door aside and stormed in...to be met by a calm, well-shaven man with a very small stripe of a beard, his dark eyes and shaven head very alien. A similar but larger man with dark brown eyes, shaven head and identical beard stood at his shoulder. Alvin stifled a growl but controlled himself: the Chair of the Council was not a sympathetic man.

"I 'ave a complaint, Master Viggo!" Alvin snarled. The calm man gave a sideways look.

"Oh?" He folded his arms and looked as if he was reading Alvin's very thoughts.

"Fury!" The word was spat with hatred. Viggo rolled his eyes and sighed.

"What has he done now?" he asked in a weary voice.

"'E only attacked me while I were raiding a Berkian ship that was stupid enough to sail too close to Outcast Island!" Alvin growled.

"I do believe he predominantly raids targets from Berk," Viggo noted. "Maybe he thought a Berk vessel was his business as well!"

"'E fought off two of my vessels. Sank one!"

"And I believe you were leading the raid?" Viggo probed. Alvin gave a low growl in his throat.

"'E almost killed me!"

"And yet he chose not to," Viggo pointed out. "I presume your anger is because you confronted him and it went poorly?" His eyes flicked to the big Outcast's wrecked beard and Alvin saw his lips twitch in a smile at the ridiculous sight. The Outcast bunched his fists in rage and the taller man straightened up, his glare growing harder. "Easy, Ryker. I am certain Alvin doesn't want to antagonise us as well as Captain Fury..." With an effort, Alvin forced himself back under control.

"Damned sarcastic little bastard beat three of us!" he snapped.

"Hmm. He is renowned as a swordsman of some skill," Viggo pointed out.

"Aren't yer goin' to do anything?" Alvin's tone was accusing. Viggo stroked his chin in thought.

"Traditional pirate rule is that 'every man is for himself and Loki take the hindmost'," he quoted. "But you may wish to speak to others if you feel you want to teach this young upstart a lesson. So far, he hasn't done anything against the rules of Dragon Island, Alvin...but if I hear further complaints, I may be minded to withdraw our protection from the Night Fury and her Captain..." Alvin scowled and turned abruptly, determined to recruit some allies so he could take his revenge against Fury.

Once he had gone, Viggo turned to his older brother. "Ryker-find out what we know about Captain Fury. The man is very young-though highly talented- and I am concerned that he is causing so much upset. We have run the Island for over ten years and no troubles-until now." The taller man scowled at his leader and younger brother. Viggo was ice-cold, ruthlessly intelligent and mericless.

"You want me to send him a warning?" he asked. Viggo paused. His older brother was exceptionally loyal, cunning and very, very cruel. He nodded once.

"Don't let it get out of hand, Ryker," he warned. "Just a simple reminder that I wish this place to remain ordered to my liking. And don't forget- I want to find out everything there is about Captain Fury!"

oOo

Hiccup lay back and stared at the ceiling, folding his hands behind his head as his chest heaved with his recent exertions. Heather snuggled against his chest, her loose hair soft on his skin. Her hand trailed affectionately over the naked, sweat-beaded skin of his stomach until he snatched the blankets up against the cold air.

"I think you were pleased to see me, love," she murmured. He stared at the ceiling, hating himself. He was right-it had been a mistake-like so many others, as far as she was concerned. Heather had latched onto him the first time he had made it to Dragon island just over two years ago and she had determinedly pursued him ever since. No matter when he returned or how long his absence was, she was waiting. He didn't ask if she had others while he was away because he reckoned it wasn't his business. Heather was free to do what she wanted.

Unfortunately, she was convinced he had feelings for her and did her best to smother him with affection whenever he returned. She had clung to him like a limpet as a very appetising prospect for a single young woman in the cutthroat outpost. She was giving him bigger and bigger hints about their relationship which he had broadly ignored-though he knew he had probably led her along a bit because it was nice to have some company that didn't expect him to be an accomplished seaman or pirate or anything useful or worthwhile. But he regretted not being firmer because ultimately, it had meant she had decided something far worse. She thought he loved her.

He didn't. In fact, he seriously doubted he would ever feel love for a woman again after Astrid had torn his heart out and stamped on the pieces. The thought of exposing himself to that degree of pain, that soul-wrenching agony and despair made him feel physically sick and he shied urgently from any such commitment. In fact, he had even cheated on Heather when the Night Fury had moored in other settlements as a way of alleviating his fear that he was getting too involved with her. It didn't make him feel any better-in fact, it stoked his already generous self-loathing-and it hadn't solved the problem because Heather was almost impervious to his disinterest and his repeated statement that he was not interested in a long term relationship. As far as he was concerned, there was no long term future together: he was fond of Heather and enjoyed her company-but that was it.

Yet Heather was not only oblivious to his feelings but also possessive, jealous and vicious when roused. Hiccup despaired at her tendency to overplay and overplan their supposed future together and he really wished that she would find someone who actually cared for her-as he never would. He knew as well-with a hefty jolt of guilt-that he was using her pretty callously and that one day he would hurt her. He sighed.

"I think you've got what you wanted, Heather," he said quietly.

"I wanted you!" she protested, lifting her head to look at his thoughtful face. "I love you." He sighed again.

"Heather...you know I was hurt by someone..." he reminded her. "I'm not ready for anything...romantic..." She pouted.

"But we've been together for two years now," she said coyly. "Surely you know how much I feel for you..." He sighed.

"I am aware of your feelings," he admitted tonelessly as she snuggled against him. He pointedly kept his gaze locked on the ceiling and didn't respond.

"And I yours," she sighed happily. "I know I was your first. After all, you're so shy, so hesitant..." He groaned. "And now...we were made for each other..."

"No, Heather," he told her quietly. "Whoever I was made for ripped my heart out years ago..."

"And this is your new chance at happiness!" she told him persistently. And he considered it-really considered it because she had clawed at his defences every time they spoke, every time they met, every time they made love...but when he searched deep inside, he found...nothing. And that made him feel more ashamed and guilty than he could express.

"I'm sorry, Heather, but this isn't going to work," he told her sadly. "There is no future with me."

"And yet you're happy enough to screw me," she snapped back. He stared at the ceiling. Her tone was growing harder, more vicious: this wasn't going to end well.

"That's true enough," he admitted ashamedly. "But I'm afraid I don't love you, Heather. I never have." She sat up, her eyes flashing with anger.

"You treacherous lying..." she spat.

"I have never said I loved you, Heather, because it was never true," he told her quietly. "I always used your name. Never a term of affection. I knew what we were doing was...ambiguous. I suspected you would misunderstand. But in the end...I am only a man, Heather. I have the same needs and urges and weaknesses as any other man..." He sighed, knowing what he was going to say next would sound brutal but unable to stop himself. His encounter with Astrid had depressed him enormously and he just couldn't face another long argument about how much he owed Heather and how he should be grateful for her love. He closed his eyes and silently apologised but said the words anyway. "You offered...I accepted..."

He felt himself curl inwardly at the hurt in her eyes-that rapidly turned to cold, blazing hatred. He gave an inner shudder: just now, he reckoned he really was despicable. He really truly hated himself at this moment.

"Do you know who my brother is?" she snapped. He finally looked at her, shamed green eyes inspecting her furious features. After almost two years, she had finally, catastrophically got the message. And he knew it would be messy.

"I believe you told me he is Dagur the Deranged, leader of the Berserkers!" he said sarcastically. "I presume you're trying to threaten me with him? Why, Heather? Having an insane super-violent brother won't make me love you. Quite the opposite. And if you want me to leave, I can happily do that without further encouragement." And he sat up abruptly, turning away from her and reaching for his tunic. She crawled to his side and grabbed at his arm-then as he turned to look at her, she slapped him hard. The sound echoed round the tiny cottage. She gritted her teeth and slapped him again-and again. He silently accepted the blows, knowing he had earned them.

"You bastard! I hate you! Get out!" she shrieked and he sighed.

"See? I knew you didn't love me," he said quietly, dragging his tunic on and hauling up his leggings.

"My brother will see you pay," she sneered.

"I wouldn't say that, Heather," he advised her sharply. "You know what people who ask for payment for sex are called?"

"You bastard! GET OUT!" she snarled. "I will demand my brother makes you scream. And I will watch! And then you'll wish you'd treated me better..." Hiccup stood up, pulled his armour on and fastened the major buckles swiftly.

"That I will," he reassured her. "But until then, farewell, Heather." And he rose and walked through the curtain into the main room of her small hovel, crouching by the fire to scoop the curled Arild up, still wrapped in his cloak. Hugging the sleepy boy close to his chest, he adjusted his sword and pulled his scarf up, then headed out into the cold. Somehow, he had managed to alienate Alvin, Heather and almost certainly her Deranged and very dangerous brother today as well as acquiring someone who needed his protection. He sighed.

Life had just got a whole lot more complicated.

oOo

As the lanky auburn-haired shape emerged into the street, his breath coming in small clouds, the concealed watchers followed his progress interestedly.

"So he's with the Deranged's sister?" the first man murmured as he heard the shrieks, curses and admonishments never to return. "Perfect. Now he's alienated her, there's no one who will give him sanctuary..."

"And he looks like he's got a child with him," the second noted. "Hostage?"

"We'll see what the boss says," the first reminded him. "Over the months, Captain Fury has become too annoying to allow to do his own thing. He needs to remember who runs Dragon island and the Pirates in the Archipelago!" He paused. "We need where he is staying. Then, in the morning, we can pay him a little visit..."

A/N: Okay, so that was pretty harsh. But please remember Hiccup has been badly hurt by Astrid and hasn't been able to emotionally approach a proper relationship-though he is willing to engage in a casual physical one. Heather clearly isn't 'the one' for him though he does feel guilt for the way he has treated her. His treatment of her is very poor...and may come back to haunt him. It may seem OOC but he's had a very rough few years and is having major trust issues with women.

I have been asked if this is a Hiccstrid or a Hiccup x OC story. The answer clearly is both. There has been past Hiccstrid and HxOC in this chapter. Will there be future Hiccstrid? Read on...