Where I Belong

Author: Nightstar Fury

Rating: M

Pairing: Hiccup/Astrid

Disclaimer: I don't own the HTTYD movies, or any of the HTTYD series such as Riders of Berk, Defenders of Berk, or Race To The Edge.

This Can't Be Me

A young man of 17 with auburn hair and green eyes groaned unable to sleep as he laid upon his bed staring up at the dark ceiling above him. Beside him was his best friend, his dragon who seemed to be asleep peacefully. The young man had one arm behind his head, the other draped over his midsection. He hadn't bothered to change out of his armor having a feeling they'd only be heading out again soon for another dragon rescue. "This can't be all there is..." He sighed closing his eyes thinking back 16 years ago.

[Flashback]

The shouting of orders from the chief, screams of terror from children and their mothers. But alas a nearly one year old baby laid in his cradle cooing contently as a dragon ripped open the wall of the home and entered to see the child there, the nose frightened the child but then the dragon used its claw to rock the cradle carefully and the infant settled some. The dragon leaned in close to inspect the child, sniffing it but the child reached for the dragon's face taking it by surprise. The dragon lifted its claw and let the child grasp it slowly and giggle happily. From the door, a woman with autumn hair and green eyes rushed in holding a sword to strike the dragon down but she paused watching as her son and the dragon played. The cradle slipped as the dragon's claw cut the infant on the right side of his chin, the dragon turned its attention onto the woman holding the sword.

It was then she realized this wasn't a vicious beast but an intelligent, gentle creature whose soul reflected her own. But before anything else happened, a large man, chief of the tribe burst in throwing his ax and scaring the dragon who attacked lighting the home on fire. The woman pleaded for the dragon to stop but it moved towards the child and the woman rushed over to hold the crying infant. "Valka! Hold on!" The chief called as he rolled to avoid another blast from the dragon who now stared at the woman once more, sniffing her with wide eyes and a smile. It grabbed her arm as she clutched her infant in her free arm tightly so he didn't fall. The dragon took off outside, leaving with the other dragons. "VALKA!" The chief cried out in despair.

"STOICK!" The woman yelled back but it was too late, she was already gone from his sight and so was their son in her arms.

(Four Years Later)

"Mama?" Came the voice of a young boy whose hair was lightening from its dark brown to auburn now.

"Yes, Hiccup?" His mother replied.

"How come its just you, me, and the dwagons?" The small boy, Hiccup asked her curiously. The mother, Valka sighed now facing him.

"Because people are bad, son. All they want to do is hurt the dragons, and its our job to protect them." Valka replied.

"But we know dwagons aren't bad, can't you show dem?" Hiccup tilted his head to the left.

"They wouldn't listen. They believe what they want to believe. People are incapable of change, Hiccup. Some minds won't be changed, and some eyes cannot see truth because they refuse too." Valka looked to her young five year old now. "Why don't you go run along and play with Toothless, mommy is very busy planning the next dragon rescue." She added, Hiccup nodded and rushed off to play with his dragon. His Night Fury that was his best friend, they were the same age according to his mother. Hiccup named him Toothless when he was four because of the retractable teeth, but alas the two were near impossible to separate.

(Three Years More)

An eight year old Hiccup was very excited today, he was leaning to fly a dragon like his mother did and she said if he did good then he could help with the dragon rescues. "Mom! Mom! You promised!" Hiccup shook his mother awake from her slumber. Valka groggily opened her eyes and looked at him before rolling over with a sigh.

"Hiccup, I am very tired right now. I'll teach you another day, I had a long night of rescuing..." She said. Hiccup huffed angrily, she'd promised to teach him!

"You always say that..." Hiccup pouted.

"Hiccup, I am the only one who cares about the dragons. I have to protect them from cruel, heartless people like your father was and the entire village we came from. I won't allow dragons to suffer by the hands of Vikings ever again." Valka stated firmly.

"You promised to teach me how to fly Toothless!" Hiccup protested again stomping his foot on the ground.

"Hiccup, get out of my room and go back to sleep. Its not even sunrise! Now move it." Valka ordered harshly, Hiccup fought the tears as he turned and ran out of the room slamming her bedroom door. Valka sighed plopping her head back down in the pillow in defeat. Hiccup rushed to the sanctuary where Toothless was laying near the water on his heated rock, the dragon sensed his friend's sadness and went to comfort him by wrapping around his body and purring softly.

"She promised me, Toothless..." Hiccup whimpered, "She promised she'd teach me to fly you today...All she cares about are the dragons...Not me..." Hiccup put his head down as the dragon licked his face and stood up lowering so Hiccup could get on his back. "But...mom said I couldn't ride you until she taught me...If she ever does..." Hiccup mumbled. Deciding he no longer cared, he climbed on his friend's back and held on tightly. Toothless darted in to the sky flying around with Hiccup on him, the boy was laughing and having fun so the dragon knew he'd done a good thing. "I don't need mom top teach me...I can do this without her." Hiccup said firmly as the two proceeded to do a bunch of loops, flips, upside down flying and more. Hiccup even managed to learn how to ride Toothless without sitting on him, he was standing and keeping perfect balance. He loved it!

Needless to say when his mother did wake up and saw him flying around on Toothless, he was grounded for two weeks for pulling such a stunt. But it was worth it, because now he knew how to fly.

(Four Years Later)

A now 11 year old Hiccup was geared up and ready for the mission. He'd been doing them since he was nine but finally his mother was letting him do one alone since it was a big fortress and she needed help to free the dragons that had been captured. His gear consisted of black armor, gray clothes, black boots and pants along with a black mask to conceal himself and hide in the shadows with Toothless. "Remember, Hiccup. Free the dragons and fly away. Do not stay and talk, don't forget why we do this." Valka reminded.

"Yeah, mom, I know. Protect the dragons from heartless people who won't change. I got it...Vikings are bad, dragons are good..." Hiccup rolled his eyes as he mounted Toothless. The two took off towards the location, his mother and her dragon, Cloud Jumper right behind. Once at the location of the trappers, Hiccup saw the cages and dragons within them. "Alright Toothless...Lets do this bud." Hiccup smiled beneath the mask as they dive bombed in and his dragon shot a blast at the cages opening five of them. The dragons emerged and flew off, Toothless ordered the dragons with a roar to follow and they did. Hiccup took close to 20 dragons with him back to the safety of the ice nest where he and his mother resided.

The mission was a complete success! He saved 20 dragons all by himself, well with Toothless too but still his mother hadn't needed to help him at all. Hiccup and Toothless were waiting at the nest for six hours before his mother returned with an entire flock of dragons. "How many did you save?" Valka asked.

"20 all at once." Hiccup said proudly. But his mother didn't look thrilled at all.

"Not enough, Hiccup. You're lucky I went back and checked your area because there were three other cages with two dragons each in them, and more on the South side of the fort!" Valka scolded.

"Toothless...didn't have anymore shots...So we left like you said too, can't you just be happy for what I did do!" Hiccup yelled back.

"No! You almost condemned 15 dragons to death! This is all we have, Hiccup. Saving dragons, that is what we do, this is who we are! Or at least its who I am, I don't think you care enough." Valka stated.

"I do care! I'm only 11 mother, how much do you think I can do!?" Hiccup shot back.

"You ride a Night Fury, you could of done a lot more!" Valka said then walked away. Hiccup couldn't believe it, he did so good. Saving 20 dragons in a matter of ten minutes wasn't good enough for her and she thought he didn't care about dragons! It infuriated him to no end to know his mother cared more about the dragons than the safety of her own son, that she cared more about them period. Hiccup stalked off to his room angrily, his dragon following.

[End Flashback]

Hiccup opened his green eyes now, staring blankly up still. Ever since that day six years ago, his mother had basically ignored him and his entire existence. They barely spoke at all but she refused to let him leave on Toothless, and when it came to dragon saving she just told him to get what he could and she'd pick up his slack because she wouldn't allow dragons to suffer. Gods he hated it so much, he just wanted to leave on Toothless. One day he would, when the time was right. Hiccup knew there was more to him than just being a dragon rider, and there was more to life than rescuing dragons. Hiccup knew people were capable of change, after all his mother changed when she was taken. Hiccup wanted to know about his life, the former one before they were taken. He didn't believe everyone was bad, maybe they just...didn't understand because no one ever showed them. "One day, Toothless...I'll find where I belong." Hiccup said reaching over and rubbing his friend's head. "This can't be all I am...This can't be me." Hiccup finally let sleep take him.