So! This is for just-a-talking-fishbone because it's her birthday!
A big thank you at Hiccuptherunt for proofreading it and at Miundy-foxy for giving me advice with her lovely hair-tutorials. (Those are all their tumblr-user-names, if someone wants to fallow awesome people.)

Inspired by Imagine Dragons - Till we grow older

Fanfiction with integrated fanarts:
Links sadly won't work here. So just look on tumblr for leandra-cerai tumblr com and add /tagged/my_art OR on my profile is the direct link to the fic.

Enjoy!

Worker and Soldier

It wasn't like Jack didn't put confidence in Hiccup. It wasn't like Jack doubted him, either. No, it really wasn't like that. But something inside of him told him, that something would go wrong. This thought has grown on him for the first time when he saw the expression on the auburn haired boy's face when he heard about the imminent danger. Back then he felt a tightness in his chest that made it hard to breath.

The feeling had grown on him again when he noticed that Hiccup didn't sleep properly anymore. More and more nights passed by in which Hiccup woke up soaked with sweat or wasn't able to fall asleep in the first place.

And now that those emerald eyes stared at him through the darkness, this feeling overcame him again. Jack tried to shove it into the back of his head, tried to ignore it and grinned at Hiccup, even though he wasn't even sure if the boy could see it in the darkness.

"Not having peace of mind?", he asked, jumping off of the roof beam and landed silently next to the younger boy's bed. Said boy sighed silently, sit up and lighted a candle.

"What are you doing here, Jack?", Hiccup mumbled, rubbing his eyes before he looked up at the winter spirit tiredly. Again, the weight on his chest increased and Jack's already faked smile started to falter.

"Just making sure that you're sleeping. So off you go to bed, dragon boy!"

Hiccup rolled his eyes and grabbed his prosthesis and put it on before he got up, stretching himself slightly. Jack placed a hand on the thin shoulder.

"Hey Hic, come on. You should rest. You didn't sleep properly for days."

Hiccup bit on his lower lip for a second before rolling his eyes again and shoved Jack's hand off his shoulder. He tried to ignore the fact that Jack was right. And he ignored that he trembled slightly. These dreams just didn't stop and there was nothing he could do about it.

"I can take care of myself, thank you."

He scuffled silently towards his desk on which a lot of different notes and drawings were spread for days now. But Jack held him back, pulling the smaller boy back with the hand that he had laid on his shoulder again.

"Hiccup. I mean it. You can't continue like this."

Hiccup groaned in annoyance before he slapped Jack's hand away almost aggressively. He turned around just to face Jack and looked into the blue eyes that gave him a serious but also worried look.

"Jack. Stop it. I'm not a baby anymore. And /you/ were the one who told me that that Pitch is nothing compared to anything we ever encountered in the past, so don't tell me to just go back to sleep."

That said, he turned around again, sat down at the desk and pulled some of the drawings – or rather battle plans – towards him.

Jack watched the boy for a view moments before he sighed silently and stepped closer to the green eyed teen, taking a glance at the plans while leaning onto his staff.

"I'm just worried", he whispered without looking away from the smaller boy, who sat up straighter when he heard Jack's words. Hiccup pressed his mouth shut, his lips forming a small line when he turned around, looking Jack with narrowed eyes and slightly knitting his brows. Now he was the one who looked worried at the older male, not really knowing what he was supposed to think about all of this.

"What is with you? I…"

Hiccup chewed on his lower lip, avoiding the blue eyes so that he didn't have to fear to get lost in them.

"I've never seen this side of you. Usually you're the one keeping me awake as long as possible just to stray through the woods."

He smiled at the thought of it, showing his slightly crooked teeth. But he looked back into the pale and beautiful face, the grin from before now completely gone. Jack shifted his weight from one foot to the other and bit on his lower lip for a moment.

"It's just…Pitch…he is in a league by himself. You don't know what you're going to face."

It wasn't like Jack really got into a fight with Pitch before but he knew what he could do. He knew how mighty that man was.

Jack sighed and blue eyes met green ones.

"I don't want you to get hurt."

As soon as those words had left his mouth they hang in the air between them, tension rising in the silence between them.

Hiccup kept quiet for a view moments before he shirked from Jack's look and let a hand run through his auburn hair before he turned around so that Jack now faced his back again.

"It's not like I'm not…well, scared. But that's what everyone expects from me, Jack, that's what I expect of myself. I'm a viking and everyone has to contribute their bit. And I am not as helpless as you may think I am."

Like he wanted to confirm his words he made a loose gesture with his hand towards the sleeping dragon that laid curled up in the boy's room.

"I'm not thinking that you're helpless. I know very well myself that you and Toothless have plenty of grey matter but that doesn't change the fact that it's too dangerous."

A joyless laughter escaped Hiccup's lips before he took the charcoal into his left hand and bent over the plans, changing some things every now and then whenever he thought that they were in need of improvement, even though he already perfected them in the last few days, probably.

"As I said before. I'm a viking. It's an occupational hazard."

His words almost seemed to be vulgar and he noticed that Jack didn't seem to approve of them, even though he hoped he would.

Hiccup winced when suddenly a pair of arms were wrapped around his shoulder from behind and he could feel Jack burying his face in the crook of his neck.

"…Jack?"

Jack's silvery-white hair tickled him when he shook his head. Hesitantly he placed a hand on one of the other's arms.

"I…I just don't want to lose you again."

Hiccup's heart jumped in his chest and a soft but also bitter smile made its way on Hiccup's slightly chapped lips. Was Jack even aware of what he said there?

"I don't have anyone but you, Hic. No one but you can see me. You're my home, Hic. I can't lose this little home that I'm living in", Jack whispered and a shiver ran down Hiccup's spine. This time it was the viking who felt the invisible weight on his chest.

"…Jack, you're going overboard with that", he managed to say and still didn't do anything against the other boy's hug. He didn't mind the contact, not at all. On the contrary, he thought, he enjoyed it way too much and more than it was appropriate, probably.

The arms around him tightened their grip, almost possessive and Hiccup tried to come up with something that would make Jack feel better. That wasn't that easy if you weren't a specialist in mouthing your thoughts, actually.

"Jack…we're all living and grow older and then…someday we'll die. There is nothing that we could change about that. You've got to live your life while your blood is boiling. While it animates you to stand up to your own fate."

He looked down at his hand that still held the charcoal and smiled for a second. Those words weren't his own. His father told him that his mother used to say something like this all the time. Hiccup was too small back then to remember it himself. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back and almost relaxed in Jack's hug.

"Sometimes we have to prove ourselves, no matter how hopeless the situation may seem to be. Doors won't open while you just stand there and watch them."

Hiccup heard a muffled, soft laugher next to his ear and finally Jack loosened the grip around Hiccup, who almost regretted his words now that he had to let Jack go.

Jack straightened himself and ruffled Hiccup's hair.

"Big words for such a small viking."

Hiccup rolled his eyes, trying to appear annoyed but he couldn't really hold it against Jack.

"Back at making jokes about my height, Snowflake? I told you that I'm still in my growth period."

Jack laughed and shifted his weight on his staff again when Hiccup turned around to concentrate on his plans once more.

Minutes passed by while Jack watched Hiccup how he took notes and drew different kinds of saddles that could possibly affect their ability in battle. And even though Jack felt a bit better now the weird feeling inside of him that something would go wrong was still there.

"You know Hic…", he mumbled, breaking the silence again. "How about…you'll be the worker and I'll be the soldier?"

Hiccup stopped in his movements, frowning and looked over his shoulder up to Jack who eyed him thoughtfully.

"What are you talking about?", he asked, turning around again to get back at work.

"I'm talking about you as the one creating the plans and I'm the one who implement them. I'm tough and bad weeds grow tall after all, right?" Jack winked at the younger male who still looked up to Jack uncomprehendingly. Jack laughed about the confused expression on Hiccup's face, before he gave him a small smile. "I do whatever you say and taking your orders and everything's going to be okay! Your plans are the best I've ever seen and if someone like me implements them nothing can go wrong. I mean…I don't die so easily."

Jack almost regretted it that he spoke his mind, the issue of death now standing between them like a wall. Hiccup kept silent until he turned around again.

"We'll see, Jack. Maybe it really would be better if someone like you would do all the fighting."

The small viking took the charcoal from his left into his right hand, starting to draw again not as accurate and detailed like before. He chewed nervously on his lower lip, thinking about Jack's words properly before he sighed silently.

"Okay, I'll be the worker, you'll be the soldier", he mumbled silently. "It's up to you then, Jack. And don't dare it to mess up my plans!", he threatened and chuckled, pointing the charcoal towards the white haired boy. Hiccup could literally feel the tension falling off of Jack, relaxing and soon his usual grin made its way on his lips again.

"Messing it up? Me? Honestly Hic, you're talking to Jack Frost!"

"That's exactly what worries me."

Jack laughed and rolled his eyes, a gentle smile on his face when Hiccup turned around again just to pull another paper towards him, starting another drawing of different armours for Toothless.

He leant on his staff and watched Hiccup silently, the smile never leaving his face.

"Hey, Hic."

"Yes, Jack? You know this worker-thing won't work out if you interrupt me every single minute."

"I know, but…there is something I have to tell you. Concerning you and me."

If he didn't do it now, then when?

Just when Jack was about to open his mouth Hiccup raised his hand to silence him.

"Not now, Jack, I'm busy."

Jack closed his lips again, staring at Hiccup's back before nodding slowly.

"Then…when?", he asked. He raised his eyebrows in surprise when the younger boy turned around, an almost blissful smile on his face.

"After the fight with Pitch.

The blue eyes widened and Jack couldn't help it but stare at Hiccup.

"…what?"

"I said after the fight. All you want to tell me can wait until then, right?"

Jack frowned and knitted his eyebrows while Hiccup chuckled, showing his crooked teeth again. Jack was completely confused by now.

"Believe me, Jack, it can wait…and we have something we can look forward to if you don't tell me now, right?"

Jack opened his mouth just to close it again, like a fish on land. Did Hiccup know what he wanted to tell him? Was that so obvious? He chewed on his lower lip nervously and thoughtfully before he nodded slowly.

"Okay…do you promise me that you'll listen?"

Hiccup's smile turned into an almost blissful one, nodded and hold his hand out to Jack.

"Sure."

Jack took the smaller hand into his, shaking it to seal their promise. He got goosebumps when their skin made contact, the warmth of Hiccup spreading in his cold ones.

"Promise."

Jack smiled when he noticed that Hiccup has fallen asleep. He himself laid on the boy's bed, looking through his books curiously. Sure, he couldn't read them anyway, but it was interesting after all, especially because the small viking had added a few drawings every now and then. He shut the book, placed it right next to Hiccup's bed and got up. Hiccup's head laid on the desk, softly bedded on his crossed arms. His silent breath nuzzled the papers under him and he shivered slightly when Jack got closer, more sensitive to the cold now that he wasn't prepared for it.

The winter spirit chuckled silently before he took off his cloak and wrapped it carefully around the thin shoulders of the fragile boy.

Now that he was asleep Jack had the opportunity to take in the sight. And even though Hiccup had dark bags under his eyes and was paler than usual, Jack couldn't help it but think that the boy was more than just adorable. Jack leant down, running his hand gently through the auburn hair, caressing the freckled cheek just to gain a content sigh from the smaller boy. Jack hesitated for a second, smiled and stroked a few strands of hair behind Hiccup's ear before he kissed his temple softly.

"Sleep well, dragon boy. And don't forget our promise", he whispered in the sleeping boy's ear before wrapping an arm around Hiccup's shoulder, the other one placing itself under Hiccup's legs just to lift him up with ease.

For a second Jack wondered if the younger teen had lost some weight, too. He seemed to be even lighter than before. He held back a sigh before laying Hiccup down on his bed, adjusting the cloak to cover him and tugged him in with the blanket properly. Jack already looked forward to the time all of this was over. He floated up to the roof beam again, where he leant against another one with his back and closed his eyes to get some rest, too.

If Jack would have waited a few seconds longer, maybe he would have noticed that the smaller male had opened his eyes, a soft smile on his lips and his cheeks slightly reddened. Not only Jack was eager to keep that promise.

For Jack everything seemed to slow down, even though it must have been seconds. All he could see was the falling bodies and there was nothing that he could do about it. He wasn't fast enough. The dragon smashed down on the earth first, followed by the body of the boy. The sound of crushing bones echoed through the air that was already filled with the smell of smoke, fire, blood and death. Everything around Jack went silent after that. All he could hear was his own scream, his tripping steps that he took with his trembling legs that ran over bloodspattered ground.

Trembling, he came to a halt, standing in front of the two bodies on the floor. His gaze focused on Toothless first before he looked at the boy that didn't move anymore. "H-Hiccup?", he stammered, his voice almost cracking. Jack was surprised how undamaged Hiccup's body looked, its limbs twisted awkwardly. His lips quivered. "H-Hic…come on…get up", he said, laughing desperately while falling on his knees. How could all of this happen? Hiccup wasn't supposed to fight, he agreed on this, didn't he…? Why did he went off to fight with Toothless? Why had he been so stubborn?

"You….I…I was supposed to be your soldier, right?", he asked, tears starting to stream down his face when there was no reaction, not a single breath, not a blink of an eye. Only blood that spread on the floor, starting to flow like a small river that dyed the floor dark red. "No…no Hiccup…" He reached out for the boy, pulling the motionless body into his arms. Warm liquid moistened Jack's hands, his clothes, everything.

"Hiccup…", Jack whimpered, pulling Hiccup tightly into his arms. "Come back to me…Hiccup…Hic…" He pressed his forehead against Hiccup's, seeing the fading colour on his face, feeling the fading warmth of his body. "You promised to listen…Hiccup…"

He repeated the other's name like a mantra, like it would wake him up, but the little viking remained motionless. An eternity seemed to pass by before Jack let finally go of, placing Hiccup softly on the floor. Jack cried, weeping bitterly, causing it to snow. He screamed Hiccup's name at the top of his lungs, again and again until his voice died away, just like Hiccup had died away before his eyes, like the boy who would never come back to him.

The promised words remained unspoken between them forever.