Here's a new pairing! One I'm excited and terrified for.

Valka and Mala! Two favourite characters of mine, but I'm never confident in femslash. So... be gentle with me.

It's a modern AU, with archeologist Valka and museum owner Mala! (I don't know lots about museums so apologies if you do and I get something wrong)

-HTTYD-

"Simply magnificent. And such a rarity!"

Valka smiled at the exuberance of the museum owner. She was far too used to the actual owners being business sorts, stuffy old men in suits who couldn't understand the excitement of the finds. But the Defenders Of The Wing Museum was different; the owner was a fourth generation bone junkie. She would have been born and grown around fossil fanatics.

"The bones?"

"The rock! Only two per cent of fossils are found within volcanic rock, and I have a particular love for volcanic rock."

She found herself chuckling at their opposing favouritism in the finds, as Valka was far more excited about the bones encased in rock than the rock itself. Still, the museum was showing her work. Valka wouldn't be anywhere else. And after a recent four months digging around an extinct volcano with men in their sand gear, the sight of an attractive woman clothed in an ensemble of black-and-gold that hugged slim curves wasn't exactly a downside.

"Well I'm glad my findings are in such knowing hands."

The woman straightened up, tucking the magnifying glass in her hand down into an indistinguishable pocket on her belt.

"You are welcome to collect a meal from the staff canteen and rest after your journey."

Normally, Valka wouldn't dare leave her bones, but she trusted the blonde woman and her joy for the stones.

"Thank you, Miss...?"

"You may call me Mala. And yourself?"

She extended her hand, so Valka reached out her dig-callused one to shake.

"Valka."

"You certainly have an eye for the exceptional, I will say that. I shall oversee the authentication and building of this exhibit myself. Each one will be photographed, and I will ensure you receive a copy. As well as an invite to the unveiling of course."

Valka nodded, then remembered who she had promised to invite herself.

"Would you mind if I brought a guest?"

"Not at all. I will leave your name on the VIP list with a plus one."

Smiling and thanking her, Valka took a last longing look at her findings, then took her leave. After the offered lunch, that was. She was both hungry and a terrible cook. Much preferred a baking desert to a baking pie.

"Hey mom. Have a fun trip to the museum?"

"Always."

Henry, better known as 'Hiccup', was her adult son and currently stretched out along the floor of her kitchen, utilising the sunlight streaming through the back door for illuminating his drawing. He smiled up at her, adding the finishing touches to a bony plate on the back of his dinosaur.

"Do I still get to come to the exhibit?"

"Of course. I'd never go without you. The museum owner said she would put myself and a plus one on the VIP list for the opening exhibit."

"She?"

Hiccup had a quirked eyebrow, that playful smile he had definitely inherited from his grandmother Rama. Valka's mother, a completely mad Australian woman with a rabid sense of humour.

"Yes Hiccup, I am not the only woman in the world of archeology."

"Last week you were complaining no woman loves bones as much as you."

Her son had been hugely understanding and accepting when his parents divorced, owing to Valka coming to terms with her sexuality. While she still loved her husband, they weren't really happy as a couple and it was a waste to pretend they were. She and Stoick were the best of friends now, he as supportive of her as Hiccup in finding a lady she liked.

"That may well be true, since the woman who owns the museum is more interested in obsidian and basalt than skull shapes and thigh bones."

"Ah well. Back to the search for a lesbian bone licker like you."

"Hiccup!"

He flashed her a grin, turned back to his sketch while the light was good. The ankylosaurus was recognisable though half-finished, and one of Hiccup's favourite dinosaurs to doodle. Valka rolled her eyes and left him to it, the grain of truth in his words not really registering. Yes, a companion who shared her love for fossils would be nice, but Valka wasn't lonely, nor did romance come before archeology.

Dinos before dates, as Hiccup called it.

Valka put all her notes and logs away in her office, filed according to year and location of the dig. Then she returned to spending time with her son - Valka was usually only in the country about half the year, the rest spent running about the world with a fossil brush and buckets of enthusiasm.

"Oh, before I forget, dad told me to tell you to call him when you're settled so you can hang out."

"Oh? Everything alright with Stoick?"

Hiccup nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, dads fine. I guess he just misses you. You guys are friends after all."

Valka returned his smile, stirring a fruity teabag in hot water and inhaling the sweet aroma that came off it.

"So, how's Astrid?"

That familiar look stole over Hiccup's face, eyes taking on a sort of faraway look as his mouth tipped up in a fond smile.

"She's great."

Hiccup elaborated on his girlfriend after finishing the leg he had been drawing, climbing up from the floor with a groan and rubbing his chest.

"We went swimming the other day, some guy tried to make fun of my leg and Astrid threatened to drown him."

Valka frowned; her son wore a prosthetic after a childhood accident necessitated a below-the-knee amputation of his leg. She and Stoick had always taught him to never be ashamed of it, and his girlfriend was equally fierce about his self-acceptance.

"How rude of them."

Hiccup shrugged it off.

"Don't get all mama dragon on me now, it was just some idiot and I know better than to listen. Tell me about this rare bird you dug up."

Hiccup had inherited her love of archeology, and his fathers love of machines. Her artistic tendencies and Stoick's stubborn (and at times hard-headed) determination. Gods only knew where the mix would have him end up, but whatever her son did, Valka was certain he would be spectacular at it.

"So, is she old enough to be a fossil herself?"

Bemused by her son as they prepared to leave for the exhibition a few weeks later, Valka shook her head at his "I got boned" t-shirt with a T-Rex fossil on before querying who on earth he was on about.

"Who?"

"The woman who runs the museum. I confess I've never been to this one."

"Oh. No. I'd say she's my age, maybe a little younger."

Hiccup jutted his lower lip out in thought as he tied his boot carefully onto his non-organic limb, testing the steps to check it was on right.

"Your age group and runs a museum. It's a match made in Valhalla!"

"Oh, do be quiet Hiccup."

He stuck his tongue out jokingly, then grabbed his jacket.

"Ready when you are mother dearest."

They took their separate vehicles to the museum, in case Hiccup had to leave early or Valka opted to stay later. Both were practically vibrating with excitement as they pulled up, heading in and Hiccup pointed out the sign declaring the fancy new exhibit full of exciting things dug out from the ground.

"Check you out, practically famous."

"Only to carbon daters son."

Hiccup chuckled, casting a cursory glance at the other things the museum offered, obviously intending a return visit some time when he wasn't there strictly for Valka's handiwork.

"Valka! I am so glad you could make it. Is this your... date for the evening?"

Valka shared a look with Hiccup, both raising eyebrows when they looked back to Mala.

"No no, he's my son."

"Ah. My apologies, I am terribly embarassed for the misunderstanding. Forgive me, but you do not look old enough to have an adult son."

"Told you so mom. Hi, I'm Henry but everyone calls me Hiccup."

He held his hand out to Mala, even inclined his head in a little bow and she seemed quite pleased by that.

"I am Mala. Do you share your mothers love for archeology?"

"Amongst other things, but I wouldn't say my knowledge is anywhere near as good as hers. She's the expert."

And with that, Hiccup left the two standing there to go peek at the things not quite hidden by sheets. There were several people already in attendance, and Valka always felt a little amazed by the fact they were there to see something she had done.

"Inquisitive is he?"

"To a fault. We had to padlock the cupboards when he was little as standard child locks couldn't stop him."

Mala chuckled, looking around the room before checking her watch.

"Refreshments are available over to the left, we still have about fifteen minutes and a dozen invited guests to await before we open the exhibit up to the general public."

Valka allowed herself to be led, opting for water rather than alcohol or fizzy drinks. Mala did the same, surreptitiously eyeing the room again as she sipped delicately.

"Hey, sorry to be nosy" Hiccup appeared nearby, grinning "but are you from Australia by any chance? Your accent reminds me of my grandmas."

Mala, looking slightly surprised by his question, lowered her cup and wiped her lip delicately.

"Yes, I spent the first fifteen years of my life in Adelaide before moving here to work at the museum."

"I knew it! Ok, I'll just leave you two to talk bones now."

If Hiccup was young enough, Valka would absolutely ground him for flashing her that cheeky grin as he left Mala and she alone. Clearly, he thought he was some kind of subtle matchmaker.

"I take it you emigrated before you had your son? As his accent carries no trace of Australia, unlike yourself."

Mala asked, and Valka nodded.

"My parents moved us here when I was seventeen. I met Hiccup's father only a year later."

It was quite remarkable, Valka mused, that they had both moved from the same native land to the same new country, meeting through their unusual career paths.

"I would never intend to put you on the spot, but if anybody has questions about the findings would you be willing to be called upon?"

Valka wasn't a public speaker by nature, but she could certainly talk for all of Australia when it came to a find.

"Absolutely."

Mala smiled, thanked her and finished her drink before circling the room, obviously putting the finishing touches to the exhibit opening event. The crown jewel of her findings was the rare bird Hiccup had asked her about, one that, to previous knowledge, had never inhabited even the continent Valka had found the bones on. There was a new dig scheduled for the same area in a few months that Valka intended to be at, looking for new clues.

Standing at the front of the room, Mala commanded attention in her confident posture alone and when she cleared her throat, it managed to carry through the din and everyone fell silent, turned toward her.

"As you all know, the findings displayed in this exhibit not only possess great intrigue about the species present, but also happened to be rarities in themselves as they were perfectly preserved within volcanic rock!"

A couple of the others oohed and aahed about the rarity, growing antsy as the covers were removed to allow full view of the bones and stones. Everyone circled and chittered in interest as they perused, but Mala wasn't done yet and called their attention about half an hour later.

"As an added bonus, the head of the team who found the majority of these fossils is in fact here tonight."

When Valka was named as the finder, she had a small contingent of excited paleontology buffs and explorer-types eager to question her about the dig, the location. Attempting not to come over rude, Valka only answered a minimal number before Hiccup came to her rescue and dragged her away from the fan club.

"I am so proud of you, this is all amazing."

"Thank you Hiccup. Is this the honey and the hatchet where you tell me you're off?"

"Work's called me in, I tried to tell them I booked today off special but three people are out sick."

She was disappointed, but Hiccup was obviously crestfallen too and wouldn't be leaving if he didn't absolutely have to.

"We'll come see the exhibit together again soon yeah?"

"I look forward to it son. Go on, don't hang about on my account."

As he leant in to hug her goodbye, Hiccup kissed her cheek and gave Mala a courteous wave before regretfully leaving. They would definitely be back, and he had managed to make the actual exhibit for the better part of an hour. Mala approached her again, looking sympathetic.

"I take it he did not wish to leave?"

"No, but he had to get to work. Oh well, we can always come back when he's free again."

Seeming to take the position of not letting Valka stay alone again, Mala managed to keep an eye on everybody from her side, engaging her in more conversation as people started to leave.

"So, what was it that brought your interest to the world of fossils?"

Mala asked, stopping to look at the tiny fossilised wing bones carefully preserved behind glass.

"Oh, I was an enormous fan of dinosaurs even as a little girl. I knew even then I wanted to spend my life searching for them."

"Ahh, a lifelong passion then."

Conversation soon turned to some of Valka's favourite excavations, only halting when someone came to tell Mala that the museum hours were about to be over. Gods, they must have been talking for hours.

"Oh, yes. I have to close up now, but we should definitely talk more."

Valka nodded, always eager to enthuse with someone about things that were countless millennium old. One on one, at least. The excitable fan club earlier had been a little overwhelming.

"Absolutely."

"Would you happen to be free tomorrow evening? There is a charming restaurant nearby that I simply adore, and has individual booths that will allow us to converse over dinner."

"That sounds wonderful."

Mala clapped once, an oddly youthful display of excitement at odds with her composed, elegant stance.

"Excellent."

Taking the address and agreeing on a time, Valka left before somebody locked her in for the night. There were worse places to be locked in than a building full of ancient history, she supposed. Driving herself home as evening began to fall, Valka hummed to herself, tapped her fingers on the steering wheel and just generally resonated with the joy of a truly good day.

"So, did I miss anything?"

Hiccup asked when he got home, tired but still ready to hear about her day after he'd left.

"The fossils didn't suddenly reanimate and start chasing us, if that's what you mean."

"Shame. Did you have chance to talk more with Mala?"

Valka nodded with a smile, producing the bit of paper with the address of the restaurant on.

"We are heading out for dinner tomorrow to talk some more."

Hiccup looked at her very strangely for a minute or so, the quiet scrutiny starting to bother her slightly.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. I just... I can't think the last time you smiled like that about something that hadn't been dead a couple million years."

Pouting in thought, Valka looked up at her son from her seat.

"What are you implying?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all... except that maybe you have a date."

"Oh, don't be daft son. It is just two women going out to eat dinner and debate how many years it needs to be to be archeology instead of grave robbing."

"Yeah... I'd totally believe you mom. I would. Except for the fact you're blushing."

Valka threw an apple at him. Hiccup caught it deftly, feigning hurt until he bit into the fruit and winked.

"Me think the lady doth protest too much. I'm just saying mom, maybe don't go there in your digging fatigues."

Valka shooed at him, though her admonishments were rather half-hearted.

"Oh do go away you daft boy. It's not a date."

"If you say so. I'll go stay at Astrid's though, just in case. Wouldn't want to cramp your style."

"Hiccup!"

She heard him laugh as he left for the kitchen to start a late dinner.

It was not a date.

-HTTYD-

next chapter will pretty much exclusively revolve around Valka and Mala, unlike this one that sort of got away from me.