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Stoick tugs his son towards the Great Hall, throwing him in by his arm with great force. Hiccup staggers, finding his balance before turning back to his father, a pleading look in his eyes.

A few feet away, (Y/N) and her father watch as the Chief looks down at his son with a scowl, (F/N) gripping his daughters shoulder, causing her to wince.

The Commander doesn't spare his her a single glance, he only faces forward, a frown etched into his lips.

"I should have known," Stoick growls to himself, pacing around in a rage. "I should have seen the signs."

"D-Dad?" Hiccup meekly calls, nervously looking towards (Y/N). She bites her tongue, her hands shaking in both anger and fear.

"We had a deal!"

"I know we did! That was before--"

Hiccup groans, gripping at his hair as he follows Stoick. "It's all so messed up."

"So everything you two did in the ring..a trick?" Stoick scoffs, shaking his head. "A lie?"
"I screwed up," Hiccup replies, gesturing with his hands. "I-I should have told you before now..I just.."

"And (Y/N)?" Stoick bitterly laughs, turning to the girl, who jerks her head up at the mention of her name.

"I thought you were the sensible one! You were supposed to keep Hiccup from doing anything to..Hiccup!"

"Maybe we need more Hiccup on Berk!" She snaps back, shaking her head as she glares up at Stoick. Her father jerks his head down and glares at her, surprised but also annoyed that she would talk back to the Chief.

Stoick straightens up for a moment, his eyes wide with shock at her outburst. Hiccup smiles to her, nodding his head before turning to his father, calling his attention back to the meek boy.

"Take this out on me, be mad at me! But please...just don't hurt Toothless or (D/N)!"

"The dragons?" Stoick demands, towering over his son as he backs away. "That's what you're worried about? Not the people you almost killed?!"

"They were just protecting us!" Hiccup reasons, his hands pulled to his chest in a pleading manner "They're-they're not dangerous!"

"They've killed hundreds of us!" Stoick's voice echoes, making Hiccup shake his head. "And we've killed thousands of them!" He yells back, almost as loud. "They defend themselves, that's all!"

"You don't understand!" (Y/N) speaks up, eyes now on her as she recalled the events that happened last night with the Red Death. "They steal our sheep because they have to survive!"

Stoick shakes his head, his body tense with anger as he begins to pace back and forth once more.

"If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves," Hiccup explains, his voice shaking "There's-there's something else on their island, dad—"

"Their island?!" Stoick breathes out, looking between the teens, (F/N)'s eyes growing wide at the statement. "So you've been to the nest.."

"D-did I say nest?"

"I didn't hear him say nest," (Y/N) stammers, nervously looking up at her father."How did you find it?" Stoick demands, approaching Hiccup as he backs away.

"What? No, I-I didn't. Toothless and (D/N) did. Only a dragon can find the island."
Stoick's face lights up in realization, turning to his Commander and nodding.

Hiccup's face sinks as he realizes what his father was planning. "No, no, no, no. Dad!" Hiccup tries, Stoick's face remaining the same. "No, please. It's not what you think."

"You don't know what you're up against! It's like nothing you've ever seen," Hiccup grunts as Stoick shoves him to the side, ignoring his pleads as he walks towards the door."Please just listen!"

"Dad, please, I promise you, you can't win this one!" Hiccup stumbles, his eyes wide with fear. "Dad...no! For once in your life, would you please just listen to me?!"

Stoick hurls his arm back as Hiccup grabs him, causing the boy to fly back and land on the ground.

"Hiccup!" (Y/N) calls, pulling away from her father and rushing to his side, helping him sit up as he pants lightly.

"You've thrown your lot in with them,"
Stoick's voice speaks full of venom as he turns to face us. "You're not Vikings.." he trails off, breathing in before looking down at his Hiccup.

"And you're not my son.."

Hiccup gasps at his father, looking down as his shoulders begin to move up and down violently.

Stoick turns to leave, but stops once he sees his Commander walking past him and towards the two teens. "(F/N)?" He calls, (Y/N) looking up at the mention of her father.

He looks down at his daughter, his eyes holding an emotion neither (Y/N) nor Hiccup had ever seen on the man's face..

..hate.

(F/N) looks to his daughter, shaking his head and clicking his tongue.

"What would your mother think of you now..?"

The question caught everyone off guard, not a single word was exchanged as the Commander turns to leave, nodding to the Chief before walking down towards the ships.

Stoick exits the Great Hall, halting as he takes in a shuddering breath before composing himself.

Hiccup lets out a chocked sob, his body shaking as tears form in his eyes. (Y/N) shakes her head and hugs him to her side as he tightly hugs her back, their father's words no doubt plaguing both teens minds.

"Ready the ships!" Stoick bellows, slamming the door behind him.

...

The Vikings work swiftly, hauling catapults and other weapons onto dozens ships, every adult on this mission. (D/N) roars loudly, thrashing against the restraints as the Vikings tighten them around his mouth and wings.

His fur stands on end, the edges digging into the restraints and making small dents, the Vikings all gasp in shock and confusion. He growls, thrashing more violently when he notices Toothless.

Toothless hisses as they clamp a large wooden restraint around his neck, keeping him in place as he struggles. From above, Gothi watches in sadness, hugging a little boy to her side as they watch.

(D/N) sniffs the air for a moment, whining softly as he sees (Y/N) standing above with Hiccup. His ears droop as he looks down, a small whimper escaping him.

(F/N) looks between (D/N) and (Y/N), confliction in his eyes. He exhales sharply before joining the others to help load the ships.

Both dragons begin struggling once more as they were lifted up and set on the bow of the ship.

Hiccup sighs softly, his face holding pain as he hears Toothless and (D/N) cry out in fear.
(Y/N) flinches, looking away as tears form in her eyes. "Set sail!" (F/N) commands, "We head for Helheim's Gate."

Both him and Stoick both look up, pausing when they see Hiccup standing with (Y/N).

They look to eachother before looking away, walking towards the front of the ship and sharply glaring at the dragons.

"Lead us home, devils."

Toothless remains silent as he glares back,
(D/N) lowly growling with a huff as he looks ahead.

...

(Y/N) releases a heavy sigh as the ships disappear in the distance, the sun high in the sky. Hiccup was uncharacteristically quiet, his gaze blank as he looked to the sea with a frown.

"It's a mess."

Astrid's voice breaks the silence as she joins (Y/N)'s side, a frown on her face.

"You two must feel horrible.." she sighs softly, her hands in front of her as she fiddles with her fingers. "You've lost everything." She looks at Hiccup with a sympathetic from.

"Your fathers.." she turns to (Y/N) next, "Your tribe..your best friends."

"Yep, that's...great." The (H/C) girl sarcastically agree, smiling bitterly. "Thank you for summing that up." Hiccup mumbles, shaking his head.

"Why couldn't we have just killed those dragons when we found them in the woods? Would have been better for everyone..."

"You don't believe that," (Y/N) disagrees firmly, making him sigh again and look away from me. "Yep. The rest of us would have done it." Astrid pauses, looking between the two.

"So...why didn't you two?"

"I don't know."

"I just...I don't know either," (Y/N) mumbles,
Astrid shaking her head. "Those aren't answers."

"Why is what we says or this so imporant to you all of a sudden?!" Hiccup demands, his voice laced with annoyance.

"You never cared before!"

Astrid flinches back, (Y/N) looking to her with sympathy before the blonde sighs, taking in a deep breath. "Because I want to remember what you both say right now."

"Oh, for the love of-" Hiccup growls, facing her.

"I was a coward, I was weak. (Y/N) has always been kind-hearted and caring and she wouldn't...we wouldn't kill a dragon.

"You said wouldn't' that time."

"Well, whatever! We wouldn't! Three hundred years, and we're the first Vikings who wouldn't kill a dragon!"  Hiccup finishes his rant with a huff, turning away and crossing his arms as  (Y/N) remains silent, looking between the two.

"First ones to ride them, though." Astrid speaks up after a moment.

"So..?"

"I wouldn't kill him..because he looked as frightened as I was..." Hiccup softly speaks, turning to us.

"I looked at him...and I saw myself" Astrid seems surprised, her eyes slightly wide and her mouth opened before she looks at (Y/N), her brow raised expectantly.

The (E/C) girl sighs, rolling her eyes before facing forward. "I wouldn't..because.." she trails off, taking a deep breath before speaking.

"He looked like me..he was so..scared? He was willing to endanger himself just so Toothless would be safe..I looked at him and I..I saw that he was human."

Hiccup watches her with a dazed smile, he looks to her, making (Y/N) smile back as they stare at each other. Astrid clears her throat after a moment, gaining their attention.
"I bet they're both really frightened now," she pauses.

"What are you two going to do about it?"

Hiccup hums in thought before shrugging. "Probably something stupid."

"Of course.." (Y/N) lightly laugh, making him chuckle. "Good, but you've already done that."

Hiccup thinks for a moment, his face lighting up after a moment, an idea coming to him.

"Then something crazy!" He starts racing along the wooden docks, pulling (Y/N) along as they both giggle like little kids.

Astrid watches them leave with a wide smile, nodding before taking off after them.

"That's more like it!"

——