#besides that HAVE MORE EEL

[cornkernelle]

Three age periods of the Bastard himself!

Unripe to growing, Banana Eel was originally just a cursed child whom wandered from house to house- until he eventually found himself on the sea. He found work in it, though he often got into trouble for stealing stock and being a general nuisance. One run-in with pirates, and he was changed forever. Felt quite inspired by their greed and glory.

Then, a few decades in the future. Much more browned and ripened- partly by his age but much more by his curse. There was a side effect he discovered very late into his life, and it was that his body ripening (and further down, degrading/rotting) is dependent on how often he used it... and well, he uses it a lot.

His later years focus on getting rid of the curse, as it got hard to live the same way he did before.

[rxg1nald]

nooo dont hide ur face you’re so pretty

[merakiui]

mercurial fertility god floyd and darling who desperately wants a baby.

it seems nothing you do is working. you’ve tried everything and yet you can’t seem to get pregnant! you’re beginning to wonder if you’re cursed or unlucky or simply infertile. every day, you visit the shrine and you pray for a miracle.

your noisy, tearful lamentations and offerings must have been enough because it stirs the god from his slumber. you’re not sure what you were expecting, for a fertility deity is always portrayed differently no matter the story or art, but it wasn’t…this. he has a distinctly human build, but his fish-like features make a little sense the more you take them in. the ocean is full of an abundance of life that’s always reproducing in spite of the harsh environment.

you were expecting him to grace you with a blessing, not become cranky at the sight of you. apparently, he’s angered because you woke him up for “nonsense” and he’s not in the mood to talk with mortals. besides, all you do is whine about how badly you want a baby and how you need your “O Great God” to hear your wish. he’s not a wish granter!! >:( you’re so shocked it’s hard to process all of his frustrated ramblings at first. you can’t bear to look at him from where you’re crouched in reverence, so instead you peer at the peek of a heavy, thick eel tail protruding from his back and resting on the ground.

the god sees your tears and realizes he doesn’t want to deal with a weepy mortal, so he sighs and decides that, since he’s already up, he might as well help you with what you want so you can leave and never come back.

you’re ecstatic, thanking him profusely while also apologizing in loops for being such a bother. he’s already over his bad mood. you seem interesting enough, and the more he listens to you go on and on about why you want to be a mother the more he’s intrigued. maybe this will be fun. he doesn’t play with mortals very often.

so the fertility god agrees to give you his blessing so that you may finally, in his words, “get knocked up.” but before that you have to do a few things for him. :)

you were expecting these things to be of great importance, but no. he’s making you run pointless errands for him. T_T “to prove yourself,” he claims. how many more things will you have to do for him? you remind yourself it’ll be worth it once you have your baby. he may be annoying and troublesome and so temperamental, but it’s fine. you will endure.

but the fertility god is starting to feel a fondness for you the more he interacts with and teases you. maybe he’ll have to be the other half who’ll make that baby with you. <3

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 257

Now Danny loves space. He loves everything about it, to the point his core quite literally is space. And he’s also a baby ghost, even if he could argue he’s not in human form. But see, being baby has an honestly great consequence once it’s noticed- despite the Observants’ best attempts at hiding it, the assholes. 

Of course he would be far more worried- and even a bit pissed- if his caretaker wasn’t who it was. Look, he’d never met Clockwork’s siblings before, but apparently everyone was really against Clockwork himself adopting. 

But Clockwork as his uncle is fine. Besides, his caretaker is Space! Space itself is holding him, cooing gentle words in the sounds of the very cosmos. And they’re huge, like parts of their body going through portals so they can fit outside Long-Now sized big- and apparently Clockwork can get just as big and they can get even bigger- 

Okay, he needs to take a breath- even if he doesn’t need to breathe- to stop his squealing because holy Realms this is so cool. 

Space is awesome! And he’s getting so much more rest than he did in Amity- and even if Space sort of shrugged at the idea of school at first, they did help him set up online schooling. So there’s that, and it’s just the start! 

He gets to learn so much about space and it’s honestly kind of… nice? To be taken care of? And he can do whatever he needs for his Core and Obsession with only a few interruptions to take care of his living needs. Erm, sort of living needs? 

But even that gets turned into a bit of play or even a lesson too! He’s honestly having such a good time right now! He’s learning so much about spaaace! And dimensions! And interdimensional portals and- oops! No one saw that. 

Ahem- But he’s learning so much about space and getting to explore other dimensions with Cosmos! And sure he no longer looks as human as he once did and all that, but he’s seen so many people who also don’t look human that does it really matter? 

Of course it doesn’t, and he matches his sort-of-dad! Even though the streaks of color in their hair are more of a brown-red like they’re literally bleeding out the cosmos around them instead of it fading to void and space like his own. But still! They match and it’s fun! 

And they’re going to go on another trip from the in-between to one of the dimension realities! He’s going to start a game of tag this time he thinks! But no cheating with portals or bending space! Tag! 

Look, the Justice League? Not paid enough for this. In fact, technically not paid at all due to being volunteers (not that it stopped them from finding money in their accounts) but still. 

There is some sort of figure… being… thing… zooming around the asteroid belt, about the size of Earth itself. Let them repeat themselves. A planet-sized creature (are those hands or paws? Tail or simply its body stretching? Hair or the Abyss-) is currently darting around the asteroid belt like a child running through grass. 

That is, without noticing or caring if something bug-sized might be crushed. And they are very much bug sized, as the governments are concerned about. Like really concerned about. Like talking about trying to nuke the entity if it wanders closer sort of concerned. 

Which they are all very concerned and very much like, against. Because it isn’t seeming to notice the asteroids it’s knocking into their area. It’s like… not a space whale or eel or anything like that but also is something like that. 

And they would also maybe like to see if they can attempt to talk it down first maybe and-

oh. 

Oh. 

That creature is the baby. And mama just arrived, stretching across the entire galaxy, from them to Pluto and beyond, like something took the cosmos and shaped it like clay into some sort of form. Like reality itself has wandered into their galaxy with what they are suddenly realizing must be a very young child. 

Shit, they really have to make sure no one tries to piss either of these things off-

[yanderelionwrites]

Influencing the Gacha Pulls - Self Aware Twst x Player/Reader

Kind of a Kalim and Jamil centric one-shot, tho it leans more towards Jamil at the end. Thought it'd be funny to write how the cast could change the results of summons

This is somewhat unserious lmao

Characters featured: Kalim, Ace, Deuce, Jade, Floyd, Ruggie, Cater, Epel, Sebek, Ortho, Lilia, Jamil

Content Warning: yandere, jealous and petty boys want the Player’s attention

Word Count: 1.2k

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kalim skipped down the halls of Night Raven College, merrily making his way towards the Mirror Chamber. Today, the Player would be pulling for his newest SSR card! He had to make sure he was present so he’d “come home early”, as they liked to say. He may not be as powerful as the other housewardens, but he’ll try his darndest to influence the system as much as he can. He wouldn’t want the Player to waste all their hard-earned keys and gems!

Rounding the corner, the chamber doors came into view, and he eagerly quickened his pace. Oh, he just couldn’t wait to see the overjoyed look on the Player’s face when they received his card!

He was about to reach for the door’s handle, but was taken by surprise by two people tackling him to the ground.

“Wah! What the…?!” Kalim opened his eyes to see a blur of red and blue hair. “Ace? And Deuce too? What’s going on?”

“We’re here to stop you, that’s what!” Ace lifted his head, fiery determination swimming in his gaze.

“Sorry, Kalim! But we can’t let you near the Dark Mirror!” Deuce exclaimed just as insistent.

“Huh? Why? The Player will be pulling for my card soon, I have to be there to help them!”

“Apologies, Kalim,” Jade’s voice came from behind, and he looked up to see the smiling eel towering over him. His expression remained one of politeness, but there was a hint of malice in his tone. “We did not mean to be so rough with you. We’ve been given strict orders by our respective housewardens to ensure you…happen to miss out on the Player’s gacha pull.”

“What?! But it’s my banner!” Kalim said, alarmed.

“Aha ha!” Floyd appeared beside his brother, leaning down to pick Kalim up off the floor by the arms. “That’s just how the fish flop, Sea Otter!”

 They dragged him to a far away empty classroom, where more of the main cast was waiting. Floyd sat the poor boy down on one of the seats, and he and Jade made sure to hold Kalim down by keeping a hand on each of his shoulders.

“Oh good, ya caught him.” Kalim turned his head to see Ruggie sitting on one of the desks, his signature grin plastered on his face.

Cater stood beside him, but at least he looked more apologetic. “Hey, Kalim! Suuuper sorry about this, but we promise to make it up to you afterwards!”

“Eh? Ruggie, Cater, you’re in on this too?!” Kalim exclaimed.

“Not just them,” Across the room stood Epel. “We’re all makin’ sure ya don’t wander into the Mirror Chamber.”

Kalim took note of how Ortho, Sebek, and Lilia were there too, looking pleased and unconcerned about the situation. The white-haired boy cocked his head to the side in confusion, resembling a distraught puppy. “I still don’t really understand what all of this is about… Do you not want the Player to get my card?”

“Of course not!” Sebek shouted. “They should only be using the mirror to summon my liege! They have not yet received a single SSR of him since they started playing, but that shall change today!”

Ortho nodded. “Yeah, and it’s the same for Idia! He wants to try out his experimental method of giving the Player all of his SSR cards!”

“Basically, my dear Kalim,” Lilia started, moving to float over the desk Kalim was sitting at. “the housewardens are trying to influence the likelihood of their cards being pulled. They knew the Player had been planning to pull for you during your showcase, so they thought now would be as good a chance as any to try.”

Kalim pouted. “That makes sense…I guess? But you didn’t have to drag me away!”

“We’ve been promised that our own chances would increase as long as we keep ya outta the way,” Ruggie explained.

Ace huffed and crossed his arms. “And to be honest, I’d rather not see the Player pull for you once again.”

Whether Kalim was aware of it or not, the boys have noticed that the Player seemed to favor him a lot. It was only a matter of time before they decided to let their jealousy control their actions, and poor Kalim would have to suffer for it.

Deuce hummed in thought, a frown forming on his lips. “Still though… I guess we did kind of treat him a bit roughly… Jamil won’t be mad, right?”

“That’s why Sea Snake doesn’t have to know about this,” Floyd said, brushing his worries off. “Someone’s on the lookout for him anyway, so it should be fineee.”

A familiar voice came behind him, from the classroom door. “What don’t I have to know about, Floyd?”

“Jamil!” Kalim cried, his eyes sparkling in hope. They all watched said boy walk further into the room, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Wait a minute… Floyd, weren’t you supposed to be the one to stall him?!” Ace yelled.

Floyd paused for a minute, before remembering. “…Oh yeah. Whoops.”

Jamil sighed. “Is there any particular reason you all are gathered here holding Kalim down to a seat?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know what’s going on today.” Ruggie simpered, not an ounce of regret in him. “It’s Kalim’s banner, remember?”

“Yes, I’m aware,” Jamil said. “I’m assuming you’re doing this to keep his card from being pulled then?”

“Yeah, and so what if we are?” Epel huffed, taking a defensive stance. Jamil rolled his eyes.

“Relax. I’m not going to try and stop you.”

“Wait… You aren’t?” Deuce asked, surprised.

“No. I thought it was suspicious that it had been so quiet lately, so I came to see what was up. I didn’t think you’d be holding Kalim hostage, though. But I can see that he looks relatively unharmed, so…”

Jade pretended to look hurt and said, “Do you have such little faith in us? We would never dream of wanting to bring serious harm to Kalim here.”

Jamil scoffed. “With this group? I wasn’t too sure.” The boy then turned around, leaving the same way he had come in. “But now that I know where he is, I’ll be taking my leave. After all…” A devious, knowing look appeared on his features before he shut the door. “I have a summoning to go to.”

Kalim strained against Floyd and Jade’s grips, appearing panicked as he watched his vice dorm leader leave. “Huh?! Wait, Jamil?! Where are you going?”

Jamil chuckled to himself, leaving the classroom (and Kalim) behind. He’s come second to the boy for his whole life, can you really blame him for wanting to put himself first for once? This is the one thing he can’t afford to lose.

Besides, there would be plenty of showcases featuring Kalim in the future. Him missing out on one won’t be the end of the world. Sure, the Player may be upset at not getting the card they wanted, but Jamil was hoping you’d still have him regardless. Would it be too much to ask for you to look at him instead? To pay attention to him, to favor him, to worship him for a change?

* * *

You’ve been pulling for a while now, already having passed 100 pulls. You feel like the unluckiest gacha player ever right now with how many repeats you’ve gotten.

“Why the hell do I keep getting Jamil cards??” you whine. Over half of your last ten-pull had been filled with Scarabia’s vice dorm leader. You were almost completely out of gems now, only having enough for one more pull. “Kalim, where are youuu…”

[brights-place]

You write for so many fandoms! I don't even know what to request! I'm so excited! Your blog is so beautiful!

Can I request a fanfic with Jade Leech or Kokonoi Hajime (my favorite boys 🥺) with a cute and innocent reader? Reader loves wearing bows and wearing cute things, besides being very innocent and naive.

Can you make it NSFW too? Thank you very much for your attention! Have a great day! Sorry for my English, it's not my first language.

[TWST & TR] Jade & Kokonoi x Reader (separate) Warnings: Smut, NSFW!!, shibari, Gagging, Praise, Masochisim, Corruption, cursing, Dacryphilia, Cream pie and Dumbification

A/N: I can see a repeat of your taste in men gaalaxy and ngl I agree with your taste in men personally I love the kawata twins I think that also explains why I like the leech twins... Heads up BTW!! I cannot control if minors read this or not or if your un-comfy with smut don't read this I do not recommend if you do not enjoy these topics and if you IGNORE my authors note and my simple instruction to click off this tumblr post and get mad at me if you don't like it I will tell you off for not READING a basic instruction from my typed out words. I write smut I write angst I write fluff I write what you request because I enjoy it so if you get mad I will shake my filipino fist telling you "TO GET OFF MY BLOG" like an old white man now ENJOY if you still wanna proceed

Summary: Jade Leech & Kokonoi Hajime with a cute and innocent reader? Reader loves wearing bows and wearing cute things, besides being very innocent and naive.

Jade Leech

- Jade is kind of interesting to write for smut because he may seem sweet yet we all know that its cannon he's much more... interesting then floyd in aspects probably enjoys to toy with you - Jade finds you such an easy target to pester to toy with - He finds you fun to use but if you don't suffice he'd probably throw you away like floyd does when he has his fill of well you - but so far that hasn't happened he's to pussy drunk on having you sobbing infront of him body tied by the red shibari that clings to your body - Seeing your tears streaming down your face but not in pain most likely lust while he makes sure to position you properly and also keep the good view of the tears that come from him overstimulating you - He loves seeing your cute outfits as you both would be standing beside each other so Innocent anything could be happening and you two aren't phased but you'd know jade would be taking you somewhere hidden lifting you up and ripping your cute skirt and taking out your ribbons to tie your hands and/or legs together - Azul would be telling you to do something and jade would be always hovering around making sure your alright - Jade likes to help fix your appearance later on just to ruin it when you go to his and floyd's shared bedroom - He looks well maintained and calm but this man is a FREAK caling you pet names praising you while he dry humps you over your vanity when you try to put on your makeup and do your hair - Sobbing into his arms like a giant mess as he praises you while enjoying seeing you suffer because of him in many ways how you grab anything you could hold onto before gagging you with his dick before you get too loud he wouldn't want Azul to hear nor Floyd he'd just like to keep you for himself for now - To continue with the shibari Bondadge he enjoys watching your body wrapped by it held back restraining you as he feels more in control in these situations doesn't matter if he sees it touch the rolls of your stomach cling to your V line your thighs squished and getting slight marks he just enjoys seeing you in such a state - Eels know everything is fair game as they bite with enormous force so imagine him biting you harshly to keep his grunts quiet as he fucks into you clawing into your skin - Jade is content to wrap himself around your body muttering things to your ears enjoys and tells you how you'll make a wet, warm, soft hole for breeding pressing his hand on your stomach. - His dick is prehensile and he can wrap himself around you swiping kisses and nuzzling into the crook of your very sensitive neck while his cock continuously pounds into you - Though he can't help but smirk sometimes when he sees your ribbons come undone if he feels like it he'll let you wrap the ribbon around his ahem... baggage - Enjoys the added texture this comes in with an extra for his love for ropes, ribbons, and other types of restraints - When he bites into your neck and shoulders to make his claim on you don't worry most morays bites aren't venomous and even if they are you have him to care for you - He is able to treat them but he had to get you to Professor Crewel to hep you for a bit of a too deep of a bite from one night where you both got TOO into it

Kokonoi Hajime

- Kokonoi is kinks aren't bad nor are they good it's more like I'll see what makes you squirm more - Think he'd love to fuck you till you go dumb thats where the dumbification kink comes from - loves fucking you until you're so dick drunk that all you can think about his him and his dick pulvarizing you - He wants you to love his cock so much that you're bending over and spreading yourself open for him with hearts in your eyes when he gives you a certain look - No thoughts head empty and focusing mostly on him and his cum that will be shoved deep into you every time it tries to spill out - He loves whenever you wear cute lacy white underwear and bra he loves the thoughts of corrupting you with impurity - Your so Innocent so Naive and such an easy fucking target for him to fill up and grab by the hips to bounce on his dick - LOVES when you beg for him to eat you out more tugging his hair as his snake like tongue drags through your pussy as he enjoys lapping his tongue - he can’t fucking stand it when you just sit there look pretty so he makes sure to make your pretty little dressed up self is using yourself properly - Kokonoi bites his lip as he would be gripping your thighs panting heavily flushed face staring down to your messy and dishevel appearance - It’s really rare for Koko to have any sort of down time, but when he finally does, he spends it with you - Kokonoi has always bought your cute outfits little ribbons and enjoys stuffing your body as he fills you up as you thank him for whatever he buys you - this man will wave you off and tells you Go get your nails and hair done all pretty for me and use my card to go and buy a new outfit and shoes maybe some ribbons for him to ruin you in - He loves to buy you those cute short ass dresses you’re obsessed with just so he can see that little glint of joy in your eyes as he then fucks into you later that night like a drunk man - Kokonoi likes sticking his tongue out at people and it being the same tongue that was lapping at your wet folds the night before as you were gone dead numb in your mind sobbing as he can't help but get into it more - Leaves hickies and bite marks onto your body as he smiles sometimes wrapping the ribbons around your body lifting them up to left hickies or bite marks there - he loves seeing you get messed up and gagged by his hands as he enjoys seeing the bliss on your face as if its the only thing he can enjoy yet he does get annoyed when some moments get messed up when he's called to go gang activities

reblogs + comments are appreciated ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

©brights-place 2024 — do not repost on another platform, copy, translate or edit my works! if you fit my DNI list please don't interact

[mugman64]

I really like the idea of Percy having a chronic adoption problem so I'm just gonna run with it.

So when Percy finally has enough money he just pours a bunch of it into those adopt an animal programs that are designed to help fund the protection of endangered species. But he is just way too into it, and takes it completely serious.

Annabeth: *Coming home after a stressful day at work, Seeing a tall ass Zebra horse standing in the kitchen staring at her* Percy why the fuck is there a horse in our apartment

Percy: His name is Pablo, he's an Okapi, and he's our son

Annabeth: We can't keep him

Percy: After everything that happened you want to abandon our son, how could you. I even asked him and everything he wants to be here. I didn't think you of all people would want to abandon your child.

Annabeth: *trying desperately not to strangle her boyfriend* Okapi's reach adulthood at 3 years old, Pablo looks older than that, I'm just trying to encourage him to be self sufficient and spread his wings. Also you adopt them to keep them protected in their natural environment, Percy.

------------------------------------------------

Annabeth: *wakes up to see a massive green anaconda on the couch* You've never been able to talk to snakes even if they're water snakes, what possible excuse could you have for this.

Percy: Hermes heard about me adopting animals and gave me the ability to talk to snakes

Annabeth: *mentally adding gave Percy parseltongue to the list of reason to kill Hermes* We have 5 aquariums filled with fish, you're not keeping it.

-------------------------------

Annabeth tries desperately to get help from others but Sally is completely behind it, and the sea gods see no problem with it so she tries to get Thalia's help and its just:

Thalia: Sorry but I am a proud aunt to an electric eel also named Thalia and I can't betray her like that, maybe try Nico.

Annabeth: *Having no clue where this fucking electric eel is and is paranoid around every source of water for the next week.*

Also Thalia totally told Artemis about it and blessed Percy to be able to talk to even more animals.

---------------------------------------------

Annabeth: Percy, why the is there suspiciously bear shaped paw prints on the floor?

Percy: That's Clarisse

Annabeth: And Clarisse is a bear?

Percy: Yeah, it was a little too hot for her so I just froze the water in the bathroom and put her in there

Annabeth: How the FUCK did you get a polar bear into this apartment, we can't keep it.

Percy *pulling out the adoption papers* Oh, Hellhounds are fine but a Polar bear is where you draw the line.

----------------------------------

Eventually Annabeth just tells Percy he might as well open a zoo. Which Percy absolutely tries too, and claims he's just gonna use the "you were a deadbeat dad" excuse on Poseidon to get money.

Annabeth: I take it it didn't work

Percy: I'll get him eventually, besides if I open a zoo you can design it.

Annabeth with park plans that can be modified and haven't been touched in 5 years: I'm listening.

-------------------------------------

So Percy just approaches other gods about funding the whole thing, and within a week he has it almost all accounted for.

Hermes- the Reptile House

Kymopoleia- Jellyfish and sea creatures exhibits

Artemis- all North american animals

Aphrodite and Athena- split every bird exhibit

Amphitrite- Fresh water fish

He even managed to get Keto and Phorcys to agree to sell them the aquarium. When Poseidon appears in the apartment.

Poseidon: I told you I was not going to be a part of this

Percy: And you're not, but your wife, and daughter, and nieces, and nephews, and brothers, and sisters are.

Poseidon, refusing to be one upped: Then I will fund the sea creatures exhibit

Percy: actually the only exhibit open is for sea monsters, were going to have a demigod side.

Poseidon: fine, but I also get my name on any horse exhibits, and a shark named after me.

Percy: Deal

------------------------------

When the zoo opens its just an instant success and safe ground for demigods, then Percy has to be interviewed as the owner.

Interviewer: Do you find yourself building a relationship with any of the creatures, you seem very at ease even around the more dangerous creatures.

Percy, Who just spent the last hour and a half being a couples counselor to some kangaroos: Yeah it's almost like I can talk to them.

And don't worry they do everything by the book and only take in wounded creatures that would die in the wild. But there's still like 30 some odd creatures around the globe that just randomly get visited by a black haired man and blonde woman who call themselves their parents, every year, on the same day. But they bring free food and call it a birthday celebration so why not.

[solxamber]

Love in Contempt - Jade Leech x reader

When you take your ex, Jade to court over a ceramic octopus, the reason he wants it so badly might be sweeter than you thought.

The whole thing started over a ceramic octopus.

Well, more specifically, it started over a breakup that was supposed to be clean and easy. But it wasn’t. Breakups never are. Especially not when your ex was Jade Leech.

You broke up with him because he teased you. Constantly. He would get that sly smile, those sharp eyes glinting with mischief as he’d say something cryptic or mildly condescending, and you were just done. You loved him, but it was too much. It felt like he was always one step ahead, always the clever eel while you were left floundering in his wake. It made you feel… well, dumb.

You didn’t like feeling dumb.

So, you packed your things. Or at least, you tried to. But there was this octopus—this stupid, ridiculous octopus sculpture you’d both found during a weekend getaway. You couldn’t just leave it behind. You both had picked it out. You both wanted it. And it was the last thread still tethering you together.

“You can’t take it,” Jade said with that infuriatingly calm voice as you grabbed it off the shelf. “We bought it together.”

“Oh really?” you scoffed, clutching it to your chest as if it was the most precious object in the world. “And why do you get to keep it?”

“I have… sentimental attachments,” he responded, though his smile was a little too sharp for someone who was supposed to be serious. “It reminds me of the fond memories we made.”

You blinked at him. “Jade, it’s an octopus. It’s not that deep.”

“It could be,” he replied smoothly. “Especially if you think about its place in the oceanic ecosystem—”

“I swear to Seven,” you muttered, interrupting him, “I’m taking you to court over this. You don’t even like the octopus. You just want to keep messing with me!”

Jade tilted his head, smile widening ever so slightly. “Would I ever do such a thing?”

“Yes!” you snapped.

And that’s how you ended up hiring a lawyer.

Your lawyer, a no-nonsense beastman who looked like he’d rather be doing anything but dealing with this, had asked you point-blank, “Are you sure you want to take this to court? Over a ceramic octopus?”

You folded your arms. “It’s a matter of principle now.”

Jade, on the other hand, didn’t hire a lawyer. No, he was charming enough to represent himself. Besides, this was never really about the octopus for him. It was about seeing you again. About trying to figure out how the hell he could fix the mess he’d made when he hadn’t even realized he was making it. He was smitten—utterly, stupidly smitten—and teasing you was just what came naturally to him. He thought you understood that. He hadn’t realized it hurt you until you left him.

And now here you both were, standing in front of a very unimpressed judge.

“Let me get this straight,” the judge said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re both here over… a ceramic octopus?”

You nodded fiercely, still clutching your lawyer’s sleeve. “Yes, Your Honor.”

Jade, standing there with his usual air of grace, merely smiled. “Indeed.”

“And you—” the judge gestured to Jade, “—you want it too? This… octopus?”

“Yes,” Jade said with a nod. “It’s of great… emotional value.”

The judge stared at him for a moment. “You don’t actually care about the octopus, do you?”

Jade tilted his head slightly. “What makes you think that?”

“Because this is ridiculous,” the judge replied flatly. “Why are you here?”

Jade glanced at you, and then his calm demeanor faltered. Just a little. He looked back at the judge, then at you again, his eyes softer than you’d seen them in weeks. “I’m here because I want… I want to make things right.”

Your lawyer cleared his throat awkwardly, but you just blinked. “Make things right?”

Jade took a breath. This wasn’t supposed to happen here, in a courtroom of all places, but there was something about standing under the judge’s judgmental stare that forced his hand. “Yes, I’ve been teasing you,” he said quietly, “but not because I think you’re dumb. Far from it. It’s just… my way of showing affection. It’s how I’ve always been. But I realize now that it made you feel like I wasn’t taking you seriously. That wasn’t my intention.”

The judge rubbed his temples. “Oh boy…”

But Jade wasn’t finished. His eyes locked with yours, no hint of teasing now, just raw sincerity. “I love you,” he admitted softly. “And I’ve been using this ridiculous octopus as an excuse to see you. To talk to you. Because I’m terrified that if I don’t, you’ll move on and I’ll never get another chance to tell you how I really feel.”

The courtroom went quiet. Your lawyer gave you a sidelong glance, as if silently asking if you were really going to let this continue.

You took a breath. “Jade…”

The judge sighed deeply, waving a hand at both of you. “Alright, that’s enough. Get out of my courtroom. You’re both ridiculous.”

Your lawyer sputtered, “But, Your Honor, the octopus—”

“Out,” the judge growled, pointing to the door.

The two of you stood there for a moment, awkward and silent, until finally, you both shuffled out of the courtroom, the octopus still very much in contention but now a distant second to the much more complicated emotions swirling between you.

Outside, you stopped, your lawyer nowhere in sight, leaving just you and Jade. He looked at you expectantly, almost nervously, which was strange for him. Jade wasn’t the type to get flustered.

You looked at him, then the octopus in your arms, and let out a long sigh. “You’re an idiot.”

He blinked. “Excuse me?”

“You should have just said something sooner,” you muttered, your voice softening. “Instead of hiding behind all your teasing.”

“I didn’t realize…” He trailed off, stepping closer. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

You let out a shaky breath, feeling the weight of his words settle over you. “I know,” you said quietly. “But I still need to know that you actually mean it when you say things like that. That you’re not just playing around.”

He reached out slowly, his fingers brushing yours where they held the octopus. “I promise, I’m not playing around. Not with you.”

You met his eyes and saw the truth there—saw the vulnerability he so rarely let anyone see. For all his teasing, for all his sly remarks, Jade was standing before you now, completely unguarded.

You smiled a little, the anger and hurt from the past few weeks fading, leaving behind only the feeling you’d always had for him. “I love you too, you know.”

He exhaled, relief flooding his features. “Does this mean…”

You held out the octopus. “Here. You can have it.”

His eyes widened. “I—no, I don’t actually want it. You keep it.”

“What?” you asked, incredulous. “But we just went to court over this thing!”

Jade’s lips twitched upward into a soft, mischievous smile. “Yes, but I only went along with it so I could keep seeing you.”

You stared at him for a long moment, then burst into laughter, unable to help yourself. “I can’t believe you…”

“Believe it,” he said, stepping closer. “As long as we’re not fighting over it anymore.”

You smiled, feeling the weight lift off your chest. “No more fighting. But don’t think I’m not going to hold this over you forever.”

Jade’s grin widened, his teasing glint returning. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

Just then, the courtroom doors creaked open. The judge stuck his head out, eyes narrowing at the two of you still standing outside.

“Well?” the judge asked dryly. “What’s the verdict?”

You and Jade exchanged an awkward glance before you both shuffled back inside, the octopus still cradled in your arms.

The judge groaned. “Let me guess. You’re back together?”

You gave a sheepish nod.

The judge let out a long, drawn-out sigh. “You two are banned from this courtroom. Now get out before I find a reason to hold you in contempt.”

As you and Jade slunk out of the courthouse, you couldn’t help but laugh. Jade glanced at you, his eyes soft and amused. “It seems we’re a bit infamous now.”

“Yeah,” you grinned, reaching out to take his hand. “But at least we’re infamous together.”

Masterlist

[justwinginglife]

Sorry, this is so stupid, but this is based off of a conversation I was having with my best friend and I think it’s so funny and I had to post it. So, I have, like, a legit fear of the ocean- c’mon, it’s big, it’s dark, and no one knows everything that’s actually at the bottom- but I feel like I’d do so much better with the ocean if Rafayel was real. 

Imagine a shark is swimming towards you in the water and right as it’s about to take a large bite out of you, Rafayel just pops up beside you and boops it on the nose. “ExCUSE me, Bruce?? I’ve known you since you were a lil baby and this is how you decide to treat my wife?? Nuh-uh. I’m not having any of this. Matter of fact, I’m telling your MOM. Also, I thought you went vegan???”

Or imagine, you’re swimming in the shallows and an eel or something of the slippery sort slides across your leg and it makes you squirm out of instinct. 

Rafayel just blinks at you. “Sorry, is something wrong?” 

“It- it was just so…so slimy and gross.” You whine. 

He sighs. “Cutie, this is my friend Steve that I’ve known since we were little. Steve has a wife and four kids and volunteers at the habitat for sea-manity. Do you still think he’s gross?”

“Um, n-no. Pleased to m-meet you, Steve.” 

And, like, imagine if he took you to a particularly dark underwater grotto and you start to panic at just how dark and ominous it is. He notices how your grip on his arm tightens as he leads you deeper. 

“My bad, guess someone forgot to pay the electricity bill this month. Ahem!” And then he claps his hands and suddenly schools of glowing fish are swimming circles around you, lighting up the cave, and bioluminescent algae begin to glow on the cavern walls like all they needed was his command to do so. 

And besides the fact that drowning is no longer an option, and besides the fact that he can command the storms and the waves to give you nothing but smooth sailing, he also just makes the ocean so much more beautiful.

Imagine you’re in awe when you see your first rainbow colored coral reef. 

“See that, cutie? That’s not just a coral reef, that’s luxury living right there. Only VIPs can afford to live in such prime real estate, and I’ve booked out the entire place for you, free of charge. Isn’t it amazing?”

All this to say, I love him.

[natalievoncatte]

“Kara?”

She doesn’t answer. Lena’s presence doesn’t surprise her; Kara Danvers always knows where Lena Luthor is, at least as long as there’s a way for the sound of her heart to find Kara’s ears, no matter how soft or faint it might be. In her ruminations Kara thinks on that before she speaks. Even when they were at their worst, when they were hurting each other in every way that mattered, Kara would stop and listen.

It was a secret and sacred thing, a transgression that she would never admit. She would confess to scoping Lena out with her x-ray vision first. She’d never actually done that, but she’d pretend-admit before confessing that, sometimes, she’d listen to Lena’s heart as she slept and drift off to its slow and steady beat.

They’re by the sea, at the Danvers family home. It’s been a year since Alex and Kelly married and a small, core group have gathered here in this house by the waves to celebrate the anniversary. It’s just Alex and Kelly of course and Esme, and Lena and Kara. And Eliza.

She lives here, after all.

Nia and Brainy are in town in an AirBnB, and they’ve been by the house but are mostly doing their own thing. They’ll marry soon, Kara thinks. They have that air about them, the way that Alex and Kelly did before the proposal.

There is a sense of finality to it all that has fallen over Kara like the shadow of a passing storefront, and she sits where she can watch the ocean waves roll in, chin propped on arms resting on knees, curled up and watching the waves reach the high water mark and roll back.

Lena stands beside her now, seemingly unconcerned that Kara hasn’t answered her. This happens a lot now. There are companionable silences. Lena spends half her days in Kara’s home, working from a laptop on Kara’s kitchen counter while Kara writes at the kitchen table.

A lot has happened. Cat Grant offered her the role of EIC at CatCo; Kara rejected it. She’d mad furtive plans to reveal her identity, then canceled them. She’d told Cat but asked that it end there and Cat had respected it, then gone on an esoteric retreat at an eel farm or… something. Kara still submitted articles to CatCo but on a freelance basis, and she was submitting more articles elsewhere lately.

Actually, very little had happened. Kara had more time to really write, now. She put on her suit and flew out the window less and less, being less needed.

Lena sits down next to her and assumes a similar pose. Kara can’t help but look at her; she has never been able to resist looking at Lena Luthor. That too has changed. She doesn’t steal a glance this time, she studies, lets her gaze linger. She looks at the way the light of the golden hour plays with Lena’s soft, easy beauty. Her sort-of-roommate skipped putting on makeup this morning and her hair is down in a mop of air-dried dark curls, some of them lazily riding the breeze around her head. Some of it falls across her face and Kara fights the urge to sweep it back with a soft brush of her fingers.

Lena is beautiful. The warm light makes her pale skin glow, brings out the sparkle in her blue-green eyes, as deep as the sea they watch. There is a soft playful hint of a smile on her lips, but her brows are furrowed.

Kara thinks back to the last time she spoke to J’onn. She told the man, the closest thing she had left to a father in the world, about how she was wearing the cape less and working more, about Lena, about how Alex and Kelly seemed to be moving on, both of them now retired from the insanity of her lives and Alex actually planning to practice medicine.

“That’s what happens,” J’onn told her. “Things pass. Stories end. The great deeds are done, the archenemies vanquished, the miracles all performed. After that is just life.”

Kara wasn’t sure what that meant. In her life -almost sixty years, that she’d experienced as less than thirty- she’d packed in the experiences of a hundred lifetimes. She’d watched her world die, found her family, lost them, made a new one. She’d loved and lost and she’d even died- twice. She’d spent two eternities in her own personal hell.

Kara lets out a slow sigh. She’s still looking at Lena.

They have to have this conversation. Kara just doesn’t know what to say or how to say it. The problem is obvious. Lena and Kara had arrived this morning a few hours after Kelly and Alex, and found that Eliza had, as to be expected, already planned out who was bunking where.

“Alex and Kelly have Alex’s old room,” Eliza had told them, after hugging Lena. “Esme has Kara’s old room, and you and Lena can take the guest bedroom.”

When the words left her foster mother’s mouth, Kara’s heart raced. If Lena thought anything of it, she gave no sign. Kara was on the verge of panic.

Eliza had given the two of them a room with one bed. A small room, a shared room that would give two people no privacy.

Does she think we’re…?

Kara had considered the possibility before. She wasn’t blind or oblivious to a fluttering heart beat or lip bites or long stares, but…

“I’m scared,” Kara says, and she looks away.

She can feel Lena looking at her, gaze unwavering.

“What about?”

Kara swallows hard. She doesn’t know if Lena realizes what Eliza has assumed yet, if she’s put it together. She must have, because she came out here looking for Kara. Kara hadn’t run away exactly, but she had fled. She needed to think.

“One thing I’ve learned,” Kara says, “is that once you say something, you can’t un-say it. You can’t change the truth once it’s been told.”

Lena nods softly. She knows. They learned the same lesson from the same cruel trick.

“Do you know why I held on to my secret for so long?”

“You always said it was to protect me, and I didn’t accept that. Then when…” Lena pauses heavily, “when we moved on, I never really asked again.”

Kara swallows. “I lied. I did it for me.”

Lena says nothing.

“I was scared. I was afraid that once I told you, it would be the same with you as it was with everyone else. Once people know Kara is Supergirl, then Kara stops being Kara. Kara is just Supergirl’s real name.”

Kara’s breath hitches. She glances at Lena, who watches intently.

“I was wrong. I should have known better. I should have trusted you.”

“Yes,” said Lena. “You should have. I should have tried to understand you. To understand why instead of projecting my own insecurities onto your choice. But it doesn’t matter anymore. I forgave you.”

Waves crash in the silence.

“I would forgive you anything.”

“Even beating the last potsticker?”

“I’m serious, Lena.”

Lena sighs. “Are we going to talk about it?”

“You saw the room.”

Lena nods.

“Your mom seems to be assuming that we share a bed,” Lena says.

Kara swallows hard.

“The last time I was with Nia, she asked when I’m selling the penthouse, because she assumed I’ve been planning to move into your loft.”

Kara groped her knees because her hands are shaking. She grips her knees to stop them but it makes her legs shake instead.

Lena shifts closer, scooting across the grass. She’s not touching Kara but it feels like she is. Her touch becomes and threatens. They share space, the sea breeze passing over them as one. Lena looks at her through a tangle of inky curls and her eyes are infinite, searching Kara for something.

“I have deemed a dream,” Kara whispers. “I fear if I dream it too deeply I’ll suddenly wake, and when I wake it’ll be gone the way dreams always are, and it will fade as fast as any dream. The thought of losing it hurts so bad it makes it feel like my chest is caving in.”

Kara looks at Lena now. She looks so young, she is young. Her power suits and makeup and air of command and defiance all make her seem almost matronly but here with Kara that mask is gone and beneath it is her true self, her secret self that not even their friends see, a young girl who’s never been young.

Just like Kara.

“What if you woke up and the dream came true?”

“Sometimes,” Kara admits, “I wonder if you’re real. I used to dream of things when I floated in my pod and they seemed so real…”

“It’s real, Kara,” Lena whispers, soft and breathy. “It’s real and I’m not going anywhere. Nothing has to change. It’s just going to evolve. I know what you want to say and I’ve been scared of it too. What you’re saying, I can feel it in my soul… when the Luthors took me in, I used to dream that my mom was alive. I’d wake up smelling breakfast and hearing her sing and when I realized it was just a dream it was like she died again every morning.”

“I love you.”

Lena stares at her. Kara hears Lena’s steady pulse flutter and begins to stammer.

“I know I’ve said it before. I mean I’m in love with-“

Lena presses a finger to her lips.

“I know. Stop telling me and show me.”

Kara freezes, not sure what she meant. Lena twisted languidly and leaned towards her. Kara freezes briefly and then just lets go, moving on instinct. Using a little strength she pulls Lena into her lap, gently touches her chin, and tilts her back a touch, to kiss her.

It is at once tentative and soft and absolutely explosive. Kara forces back tears, as Lena embraces her with all her strength, molding herself to Kara as if she means to climb inside her. For all her urgency, her kiss is just as delicate, just as tender and exploratory.

It is as it has always been. They compliment each other perfectly, moving together without a word needed, Kara breaks the kiss because Lena needs air and lowers her to the grass, fully on top of her now, brushing lose strands of hair back from her face to kiss her again and again and again, each kiss ah apology, each brushing of lips a lament for time lost.

They could have been doing this for years.

Lena arches under her, grinding hungrily, kissing her furiously. She moans softly as Kara’s hands find bare skin and Kara murmurs a Kryptonian prayer against her lips, and her thighs rise to bracket Kara’s hips.

Kara feels it all. The desire, the lust, the need, and above all the unbridled joy. This is no dream. It’s real. It’s happening. It’s…

“Eww,” Alex says.

Kara snaps up, acutely aware that her hand is halfway up Lena’s now-askew top, and that Lena has leg-locked them together. Lena lets her head fall back and peers up at Alex.

“Eliza sent me to find you two. Dinner is ready,” Alex sighs, then turns, muttering,

“Get a room. Sheesh.”

Lena cracks first, unleashing a gale of laughter.

“Let me go,” she protests.

Kara lets her…. briefly. Play-wrestling ensues, and Lena just know that Kara is letting her win as they roll in the grass, but it no longer matters. Lena is flushed and grass-stained and joy burns her in her eyes and-

“Come on!” Alex bellows.

Kara helps her up, and they head for the house.

[vqnrouged]

𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆

𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 : a sleepy morning with jade

𝐚/𝐧 : this has been sitting my drafts for a bit so why not post it. I WANNA GIVE HIM A LIL SMOOCH

Slowly opening your eyes, you were greeted with complete darkness. A confused groan left your lips as you blinked a few times, adjusting to the lighting. Your eyes flicked around the room, until they landed on your boyfriend.

Tousled teal hair splayed across the blue satin pillowcase, painting it with color. A singular piece of black hair laid gently across his cheek, following the curve of his jaw. The electric heterochromatic eyes you adored so much were covered by his eyelids, which were softly shut. And finally, a sleepy grin was spread across his pale visage. He looked like an angel.

A loving smile spread across your face as your gaze softened towards your lover. If it weren’t for the fact you personally knew the beauty who laid beside you, you would have thought he was a prince from a fairy tale.

Heat rose to your cheeks painting them a soft shade of red. You pouted, you really are a love fool, aren’t you? You brought your cold palm to your face in hopes of calming yourself down, but you were met with the piercing golden gaze of your “prince.”

“My dear, were you staring at me while I slept?” His voice is a whisper, yet it was warm and teasing as his voice always was. His sly grin was ever present just as it had been even in his sleep. Your eyes widened.

“…no?” You uttered. Though, your voice sounded more similar to a squeaking mouse rather than your usual voice.

Jade inched closer to you, his amused gaze trained on you. He was enjoying this; possibly a little too much. “Are you sure?” He pressed.

You grinned nervously at the eel. “…maybe?”

The intensity of his stare softened as he let out a little chuckle. He then lowered his head to lay his forehead against yours, continuing to admire the sweet sight in front of him. “I’m flattered. I must look quite ethereal if I've captured your attention.” He teased, sliding his hand up to caress your cheek.

Placing a hand over his own, you leaned into the warmth of his palm. “You’re always pretty, Jade.” But you already know that, don’t you?

He placed a soft kiss on your forehead, and continued to gaze at you. There was a dusting of red across his cheeks, Jade wasn’t one to be easily flustered. Perhaps it was from the genuity of your words. “Thank you, love. I suppose I just enjoy hearing it from you.” He admitted.

A silence fell between the both of you as Jade took a glance at his alarm clock, his eyes widening slightly after noticing the time. “Ah, it’s almost time to start the day.”

He then looked back at you before suggesting something that almost made your heart leap excitedly out of your chest. “Would you like to join me this morning, dear?”

It wasn’t often you woke up at the same time as your boyfriend, better yet before him, so you didn’t waste a moment with your reply. “Of course, Jade.”

@𝐯𝐪𝐧𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐞𝐝 — ˚ ✦ . ˚. - please do not translate or plagiarize my works.

[cornkernelle]

I never explained it properly in post before, but Banana Eel no longer has random gizmos and tech. Instead, he’s got the ability to imbue bad luck on items or individuals! Its an addition of his curse.

(Thats why its bad luck to touch him in general)

This old doodled comic is an example of what it can do. The poor bastard cant control just how strong the misfortune is, however, so sometimes it goes in his favor and.. most times, it’s a disaster.

This was a moment of success though :)

[mscherub]

Hello! This was, and is originally posted on my Ao3, but I’m gonna bring it over here for other ppl to read, cause why not?

Courting with Floyd (Floyd Leech x Reader)

Gender neutral reader, referred to as prefect, Y/N, or shrimpy~

(Possible?) Warnings:

swearing(I have a sailors mouth and it makes its way into my writing)

Mention of a tooth

Uneducated reader on merfolk courting rituals

Probs grammatical errors and or spelling, or both, knowing me—

Word count: approximately 2.4K

How long has it been since Floyd has been acting weird? Well, I mean he always was weird to begin with, but now? Yea, totally different! He seemed more calm around you which—shockingly—is not like him. Was he ok? Where’d the sinister maniacal eel boy go? Figuring Jade would know better about his own brother, you went to him first just to ask, but, as expected, Jade was no help, simply smirking at you and basically telling you “tough luck.” I mean, Floyd, Floyd, was starting to be nice to you. Always finding a reason to be with you, always finding a reason to annoy hang out with you. Granted he did that before, but not as much. You weren’t thattt interesting. You were basic looking at best in his opinion(rude…), you caused a lot of trouble(ok, that’s fun…), and you did make everything twice as exciting when around so…ehhhh, maybe you were more interesting than he gave you credit for. But now? He’s going all out just to be closer it seems, and it’s unnerving.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Shrimpyyyyyyyyyyyyyy…ne ne, heyyyyyyy. Lookie lookie! Loooook!!! Shrimpy?” Floyd pouted and poked your cheek.

You were in the library, minding your business studying. Grim was off with Ace and Deuce so you got a moment alone, even just for a few minutes, but of course it was ruined already…

“Huh? I’m trying to study here…” you reply. Honestly why did trouble always find you? And more importantly why did the cause of it get blamed on you and—

“Booooringgg…hey hey, shrimpy~” he flashes you that signature toothy grin, pulling you out of your inner monologue. “I have something more fun in mind, yea? Come with me~” he doesn’t give you any time to even respond and yanks you up from your seat. You begrudgingly follow along behind him, trying to pull your arm away from his grip, but to no luck. The fuck did this guy eat to be so damn strong?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After going about campus for who knows how long, precious study time replaced by scaring and robbing people on Azul’s special blacklist…Floyd drags you under a tree in the botanical gardens. He hums a tune softly as he kicks at rocks in the grass…he’s out of toys to play with now and I guess you’re the only option, right?

“Heyyyyyy, Shrimpy! Tell me a story from your world.” you’re pulled from your thoughts again and look over at him as he leans against the tree and slumps down to the ground. He looks up at you expectantly. You sigh and sit down next to him, backs against the trees.

“What do you wanna hear?” You hum as your eyes find their way to a group of butterflies fluttering around a small patch of flowers.

“Something cool. Hmmmm…oh! How ‘bout something about the oceans in your world? You have em, yea?” He sighs, gently bumping the back of his head against the tree

“Yea, my world has oceans, but I dunno. We have like maybe 5% explored? A lot of fish I guess…not much different from yours in a sense besides that merfolk don’t exist.” you murmur. What else was there really to say? You exactly weren’t a marine biologist before ending up here.

Floyd goes quiet and lets out a scoff of disbelief, his eyes widening

“Huh…your world sounds boring shrimpy…no other eel merfolk then?” He waits for your reply. Why did he care about that

“Uh…no. Not any merfolk at all…and I guess it is kinda boring. But hey, it’s home.” you retort. Floyd simply grins and moves his face closer to yours. You glare at him confused. You could be studying right now, you could be reading up on whatever topic Trein assigned, but no! You were bullshitting around with probably one of the top most deadliest students in the entire school, and that’s without the use of magic. But Floyd doesn’t do anything sinister, instead he pulls something from his blazer pocket and drops it in your lap…what the—a pearl?

“Uh—“

“Pretty, huh? Just like your eyes, or whatever. Anyways…I’m bored, and ‘Zul’s probably got some spiel for me when I get back…gotta beat him to the lounge.” Floyd hoists himself up and looks down at you, waving his hand. “Later, shrimpy-Chan~” he grins again. His eyes have a weird glint to them today.

He whistles as he walks off, leaving you alone to ponder, again…ok…what the fuck just happened?

Things didn’t exactly add up. Was he trying to trick you…did he just give you a gift, for free!? Uh, hello? Not Floyd like, not Octivanelle student like at all! Something was fishy, and no pun intended, but what the actual fuck? Ok, thinking logically, maybe you did something that benefited him and he payed you back for it? But what did you do? And also that’s not like Floyd, either? You’re completely and utterly stumped.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Floyd’s behavior only got weirder over the days, and he even uncharacteristically started to give more gifts to you…one being the tooth of who knows who’s. You’ve asked him about it and it’s the same reply each time:

“Just felt like it. Bye now!” —or something like that…gave you something pretty, which was always usually shiny, and then left, leaving you to look at the gift(if you even wanna consider a tooth that then sure) confused.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

One evening you’re sitting in Ramshackle dorm, doom scrolling on MagiCam, Grim curled up and passed out beside you on the couch…

Ding!

“The hell?”

A message from Azul pops up and you instinctively click on it.

Azul: “for the love of the seven, please say yes to Floyd already. It’s driving me and my business into turmoil…”

Huh…

Ok, what the hell did he mean by “say yes to Floyd?” What am I saying yes to?

You: “…uh…what?”

Azul: “…”

Azul: “come to the lounge.”

And that’s it. Azul ends the conversation. Weird.

You hoist yourself up and you pat grim on the head to wake him up.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

When you and Grim get to the lounge, it’s empty, besides for the disaster playing out…Floyd slumped directly on the floor in the middle of the lounge in his eel form, his tail flicking angrily and smacking against the floor, a pout plastered onto his face. Apparently Azul caught him trying to sneak out again to go to the sea for “presents,” and Azul got fed up. Floyd grumbles and glares over at the door, his eyes soften just a bit when he sees it’s you, but he’s in one of his moods.

“Shrimpy…come’ere…” he mutters. “Tell ‘Zul how dickish he’s being by not letting me go get you another trinket from the sea.”

“Floyd, you’ve been skipping out on working hours—“

Jade chimes in, “To be fair, when doesn’t he?”

Floyd keeps bickering with Azul, leaving you and Grim to just witness the scene unfold before you.

“Henchhuman, we could run right about…now!” Grim murmurs.

“No…” you sigh as you grab his tail before he books it. You could totally take advantage of this, maybe get Azul to make a fair deal with you if you solve whatever is wrong with Floyd…

Jade walks up next to you silently and smiles as he watches.

“You know…my brother has taken quite a liking to you I fear…he would be fairly upset if you were to keep ignoring his advances.” He hums. “Though it is enjoyable to watch him try so hard.”

“What? Jade, no offense but what the hell do you mean?” You side eye him, but Azul calls Jade over to drag Floyd to the pool until he can get him a potion to change him back…Azul is stressed and it’s evident as he takes off his glasses to rub his face. But soon his exasperated expression is replaced by a glare as he makes eye contact with you.

“Prefect, I truly thought you were smart, but in this type of situation, you’re so dense!” Azul huffs.

“Ok, ok, before accusing me of anything else, you mind telling me what’s going on?” You say as you cross your arms.

“You know exactly what’s going on…right?” He mutters.

Azul looks at you, his glare never changing until you can see something click for him. His eyes go a little wide and he looks at you surprised.

Shit…you didn’t know the courting rituals of merfolk, did you? I mean it would only make sense, you were a human, and you weren’t exactly from this world…

“Ah…Prefect. How to explain this— “

“How to explain what?” You sigh.

Azul takes a breath in and puts his glasses back on before continuing.

“I suppose there’s differences in each culture varying from land to sea, and in truth that is what makes them all unique in their own ways…uh—“ he pauses again, rubbing his temples.

“in merfolk culture, those who may be interested in another tend to give gifts as a means of courting. Do you understand that? Need I say more?”

You stare at him blankly, blink a few times, then take a breath in.

“Courting?”

“Courting.” Azul confirms.

“By that you mean Floyd is trying to…trying to get with me? Date me?” You murmur, your eyes widening.

“Precisely.” Azul sighs. “And while I have no problem with that in a sense, you ignoring his advances have caused him to be more—more in a sour mood, lately, more than he usually is, anyways. It’s truly putting a stunt into the business of the lounge due to him working less…it’s cumbersome.” Azul sighs again, longer this time.

You look at Azul, then to Grim who seems even more surprised than you. He looks over at you and looks about ready to cry.

“NOOOOO. HENCHHUMAN NO! NO, NO! YOU WILL NOT NOOOOOOO!” Grim whines, grabbing your arm and shaking you.

“Tell Floyd off, Azul! Ain’t no way my Henchhuman is gonna fall in the grips of that slimy eel!” Grim complains

Azul puts up his hand, shushing Grim.

“That’s not my decision, and you both practically know Floyd as well as I do…and to be fair I don’t exactly know why he’s courting since neither him nor Jade have ever tried in their life, not even back in the coral sea…but, Perfect,” Azul narrows his eyes at you, “don’t make a decision that will ruin my business…” and with that, he leaves you and Grim, slamming the door to the VIP lounge.

“Henchhuman you can’t be considerin’ this! There’s a lot of better guys out there…like Kalim, rich too!”

“Floyd and Jade are pretty rich, too, Grim—“

“And he lives above land, and he has Jamil who makes great food! I think if you’re going for someone go for him.” He interrupts.

“Grimmy, it ain’t just about the money for one…” you sigh.

“YOU’RE CONSIDERING THIS?!” He yells, he looks ready to faint.

Truth was, that as much as you acted like you didn’t like Floyd, you honestly kind of did. For what, though? Hard to tell. Maybe it was his laid back attitude, or maybe it was his looks, though he kinda looked like a gremlin, or maybe you just liked him for, well, him…

Grim is already walking(floating) away, but you let him this time…you’ll find him later, guarantee, probably caught up with some mess he always manages to make. Instead, you take a breath in and walk to where the pools are located.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You push through the double doors to the pool room and you find Floyd swimming in circles, bored mumbling obscenities to himself. You get closer, your footsteps echoing on the tiled floor.

“If it’s you ‘zul, I don’t wanna hear what you have ta say, ain’t gonna change anything, and—“ he looks up and sees you. He stops talking then stops swimming. Slowly, his pout forms into a smirk and he swims over to the edge of the pool.

“Shrimpy~ I knew you’d come…” he gives you a closed eye grin. He hoists himself up out of the pool and sits on the edge, the rest of his tail in the water.

You walk over to him and sit next to him, keeping at least a few feet between you in hopes you don’t get wet.

“Sorry I didn’t notice earlier…I guess?” you murmur. You look at him. His smile doesn’t fade, he moves his face closer to yours. “About the courting or whatever, I mean. Actually, it’s more your fault cause how were you gonna do that to me when I didn’t even know what it meant? Ah, whatever. Guess it’s just good I know now, right?” you tease. Floyd giggles and boops your nose.

“Thought you knew. You seemed smart, but maybe I gave ya too much credit for that, huh?” He teases back.

You nudge him gently with your shoulder, your uniform blazer sticking slightly to his viscous skin…

He smiles and holds out a closed fist to you. You look up at him and furrow your brows, looking at his gesture confused.

He turns his fist and opens it, revealing a pearl necklaces with shiny scales that obviously didn’t belong to him. Now that you understood the implications somewhat of the gifts, you hesitate to take it, but he plops it into the palm or your hand. You clip it around your neck and let out a soft hum as the light glints of the scales.

“It’s pretty,..uh, I guess just like you, thank you?” You murmur. Floyd grins even more and practically pounces on you.

“You’re too cute shrimpy…” he hums, rubbing his cheek against yours. “You get it now, yea? Good…now you gotta do it back…I only like expensive things so—“

“Floyd, let’s just skip that, ok?” You chuckle. “I like you, too…without the gifts you’ve given me, though, they are nice…”

“Hmmm…guess I can see past it just this once…” he sighs. He pulls back a little and grins at you. You look back at him and can’t help but smile.

“Do you know how we seal a courtship?” His smiling never faltering.

“Let me guess, a ki—“

Floyd crashes his lips against yours and shuts you up. A small sound of surprise leaves you. He pulls away and giggles, watching as your face turns bright red.

“Hmmm…now I’m bored, Shrimpy…oh, I know let’s go for swim!”

Oh no.

That’s it for now my lovelies! Also this was my first work on Ao3 and ofc transferring it over here may have messed it up a lot more, so if it’s bad that’s why 💀 (I also can write rlly well some days and others I can’t, weird thing…)

Master list

Please don’t steal or copy any of my work! You may, however, reblog if you’d want to!

Pictures belong to Disney Twisted Wonderland but are edited by me :)

[merakiui]

!! Reverse mer captivity!!

But what if among the scientists, there’s a few new faces? Only the most foolish mermaids get caught after all, separated from their shoal under human searchlights.

Others, less savory and more scheming, know how to take on human form, to walk among the two-legs and ensure their secret is kept.

They could free you…but such a rescue would not come cheap. And you’re in the prime of life, hips ready for clutches of eggs despite everything done to you, cooing so alluringly for a real mer to fill you…surely becoming the mate of your rescuer isn’t such a chore? Even if they’re a slow octo mer or slimy eel mers?

Especially when the alternative is having your throat ripped out to keep the humans from learning any more…

Ooooo getting your freedom at the cost of a new form of captivity (having to carry the clutch of a slimy, scheming octopus/eel). >_< that’s the condition, otherwise you’re not getting out of this facility. You hate how he bullies you for being stupid enough to get caught and thrown in this lousy tank for the humans’ enjoyment. Poor thing. You’re clearly not the most intelligent mer. That means all you’re really good for is mothering clutch after clutch, right? :)

You have no choice. You’ve no clue when your next chance at freedom will present itself, and if he can turn human and camouflage amongst the other humans then surely he knows what he’s talking about. You’ll accept his help because you’re desperate to get out of here. Besides, the moment you’re back in the ocean your body is aching for a mate. Maybe he was right. Maybe you just need to not think of anything else ever again but carrying many eggs. OTL

He can’t wait much longer either. He’s been watching you as a human, seeing the way those humans would poke and prod at you. Now you’re here in the sea and you’ll take him and his clutch so well, just like you were made to do. <3

[knight-hiccup]

𝐌𝐀𝐄𝐋𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐌 | Hiccup x Fem!Reader ₅

This is Chapter 5 to this Hiccup series -> Masterlist here. Previous Chapter : Next Chapter

Pairing: Hiccup x fem!reader Genre: romance, fantasy, suspense, drama, angst, dark, vioIence, friends to lovers, dark themes, heavy Viking lore, Norse mythology, canon divergence, slow burn Word count: 9.4k Warnings: This will have the lore of the films + shows but with much darker themes. Gore/blood, mentions of death, Norse mythology, some realistic dragon themes, more realistic scenarios, and mature themes starting at the point httyd 2 ark comes in, so, ofc NSFW. Any other warnings will be properly tagged upon story progression. A/N: Reader description not described besides clothing true to Viking/httyd fashion from time to time.

CHAPTER 5

There, you stood—pressed shoulder to shoulder with the others, breaths rising in sharp, white plumes against the biting afternoon chill—before the gate's jagged maw of grim lattice-splintered wood and rusted iron groaned opened and shivered under the restless force stirring beyond it. The air hung heavy, laced with the faint tang of salt and the low, guttural hum of something lurking—something impatient—its presence so poised to break free.

Today, Gobber declared this trial a test of teamwork—a word that sank over you all with a groan—like the weight of an ancestral feud, pressing hard against your clashing spirits. The group had been cleaved into teams with all the subtlety of an axe splitting timber: the girls—you, Astrid, and Ruffnut were together in one bristling trio.

While the boys were scattered into pairs, Hiccup tethered to Fishlegs in a match that sank the fragile plan you'd pieced together in your head like a ship crashing against sea rocks, leaving you clutching the water filled bucket in your hands as the only hope unraveled faster than you could knot them.

"Trust him," you told yourself.

You'd caught Hiccup's eye earlier, just as you all emerged from the mist before the first call of crying seagulls, when you'd dragged him aside before the arenas mouth—your voice low, urgent, spilling the unease that had gnawed at you since Toothless's luminous gaze had softened under your trembling hand.

"We can't hurt this dragon, Hiccup—what do we do?" you'd asked, voice spilling out in a breathless surge as your fingers tightened around his sleeve, the wool coarse and fraying under your grasp. 

"It's not what they think—we've seen it now, you showed me. What if it's like Toothless—scared, trapped, just clawing for a way out?" The wind keened through the arenas cage, carrying the faint musk of the all the beast's inside, their low, trembling growl echoing your own racing pulse.

His green eyes had flickered, wide and searching, tracing your face as if mapping a path through your worry, and he'd leaned in close so no one else could listen—too close, his breath warm against your cheek—his voice a conspiratorial murmur that sent a shiver racing down your spine despite the morning's bite. 

"I've got something," he'd said, his tone threaded with that reckless spark as he showed the slimy eel wrapped around his shoulder under his gilet, "just wait for it—trust me, okay?" 

You had gone to question it but then, the others' footsteps crunched nearer, their voices a dull hum against the archway of the arena, he'd dipped lower, looking at you with a glint in his eye and whispered, "Stick with me." A quiet vow before Gobber's bellow split the air and shattered the moment.

Gobber's gruff decree had torn you from Hiccup's side, planting you firmly with Astrid and Ruffnut, and planting buckets in your arms. So, now, that promise felt like a fraying lifeline as you stood in the arena's clouded ring beside Ruffnut, the gate's teeth to the Zippleback's cage looming overhead wide open after the explosion, the air already thickening with the acrid sting of smoke that poured from the twin-headed dragon's unseen jaws—its presence a rumble you felt more than heard, a low tremor that vibrated through the chains above you.

"Now remember, a wet dragon head, can't light its fire," Gobber went on. "The hideous Zippleback is extra tricky. One head breathes gas, the other head lights it. Your job is to know which is which."

The air thrummed with unease, the faint clanks of their buckets and the low mutter of the others underscoring the weight of what awaited made you lift your head higher as you prepared—focused. The smoke hit you first, a choking, hideous shroud that billowed from the Zippleback's unseen jaws and swallowed you whole, its acrid bite clawing at your throat as you stumbled forward, the arena's stone floor gritty beneath your boots, every instinct screaming to hold your ground even as the haze stung your eyes and blurred the world into a gray-green, suffocating veil. 

You trusted Hiccups plan through and through—but even so, you both tread on an edge different from Toothless right now. This was no fleeting moment of cove-bound wonder, no gentle dragon sniffing fish from your palm, no sweet gentle Toothless awaiting head pats no—this was Berk's brutal ring, and lives teetering on the edge of those twin heads' mercy.

So, the weight of Gobber's barked orders went rattling through your mind: find the right head, douse it with water, back off, then track down Hiccup before the beast could bite you, water wouldn't hurt it. 

Now, pressed back-to-back with Astrid and Ruffnut, their shoulders a tense knot against yours, you squinted into the murk, your breath shallow and ragged, the bucket in your grip strained yet ready to splash at whatever crawled forward.

The dragon was out there, lurking, its presence sinister pulsing through the haze, and the sounds it made slithered through the smoke from two directions at once, a disorienting chorus that toyed with your senses and set your nerves alight. From your left came a low, guttural rasp, a hiss that scraped the air like a blade on stone, rising and falling as if the gas head were tasting the arena's edges, probing for weakness. 

From your right, sharper and erratic, a series of staccato clicks and faint, sparking pops crackled—you listened—marking the spark head's restless prowl, its rhythm jagged and unpredictable, as though it danced with you guys, waiting to ignite the chaos. 

"You hear that?" Astrid muttered at your side, her voice taut but steady, cutting through the murk as she shifted her weight, bucket haft creaking in her grip, her breath a controlled huff against the smoke's assault. You nodded, barely—a quick jerk of your chin—your eyes watering from the sting as you twisted toward the rasping hiss, then back to the sparking pops that took turns moving, the twin echoes bouncing off the arena's walls until they seemed to coil around you, a noose of sound tightening with every step the Zippleback didn't yet take. 

"It's everywhere," Ruffnut grumbled behind you, her tone half-annoyed, half-thrilled, her braid brushing your shoulder as she craned her neck, "like it's laughing at us—creepy, right?" And it was, that lurking duet of menace—two heads, two threats, weaving through the smoke—leaving you clutching the bucket tighter, your pulse hammering as you waited for Hiccup's unseen signal, the dragon's unseen shapes still holding their strike.

"There!" Snotlout's shout pierced the air, sharp and sudden, yanking your head toward the sound as it ricocheted off the arena's walls, and you spun on your heel, boots skidding the smooth yet gritty stone, squinting through the haze to catch a glimpse of his stocky silhouette—only to realize, too late, that the idiot had zeroed in on the wrong target. 

Before you could brace yourself, a frigid wave crashed over you, drenching you head to toe as Snotlout and Tuffnut, in a spectacular display of misfired teamwork, hurled their buckets' contents straight at you, Astrid, and Ruffnut, the water sluicing down your face and soaking your clothes, its icy bite snatching the breath from your lungs as you stood there, dripping, caught between shock and a flicker of grim annoyance at their sheer stupidity. 

"Hey!" Ruffnut bellowed beside you, her voice a raw snarl of outrage as she shook water from her braids like a sodden dog, her fists clenched tight, "It's us, you idiots!" 

Tuffnut's cackle cut through the murk, high and unhinged, his lanky frame doubling over as he jabbed a finger at the three of you, water still glistening on his knuckles. 

"Your butts are getting bigger—we thought you were a dragon!" he crowed, his grin wide and wicked, and Snotlout joined in, his guffaw rumbling until it snagged on a cough, his dark eyes locking onto Astrid's with a nervous flicker. 

"Not that there's anything wrong with a dragonesque figure—" he started, his voice pitching up in a clumsy backpedal, but Astrid's fist was faster, slamming square into his jaw with a crack that echoed over the Zippleback's distant hiss, sending him staggering back, clutching his face as his bravado crumpled.

Ruffnut didn't hesitate either, her own retaliation swift and messy—she snatched her still-full bucket and heaved it at Tuffnuts' face, the water arcing through the air in a glittering spray before it slammed into his head, dousing him as he yelped and flailed, laughter dying in his throat. 

"Why'd you just waste your water?" you snapped at her, annoyance flaring hot in your chest as you wiped a soaked strand of hair from your eyes, the bucket in your own grip feeling heavier now, its sloshing weight a lifeline you couldn't afford to lose—but her retort was cut short, swallowed by a sudden, guttural roar as the Zippleback struck, its claws snagging Tuffnut in a blur of scales and smoke, yanking him into the clouds unseen with a startled shout that pierced the haze and jolted you upright, every nerve snapping taut. 

You froze for a heartbeat, alert, scanning the shifting clouds until your eyes locked onto Hiccup's lean frame in the distance—his auburn hair a faint beacon through the murk—and you edged toward him, stepping away from Astrid and Ruffnut just in time as the dragon's tail lashed out, a whip of muscle and menace that caught them both off-guard, knocking them sprawling down with twin grunts of surprise, their figures scrambling upright as they all bolted in opposite directions, the arena erupting into a frantic tangle of shouts and running feet.

Another plume of smoke rolled over you then before you could sneak to Hiccups side, thick and blinding, severing you from the others as it coiled around your frame like a living snare, and your breath shallowed, rasping in your chest as the world shrank to a gray-green void. 

The Zippleback's twin echoes—hiss and spark—circling tighter, closer, until you forced your eyes shut for a fleeting second, willing the panic to ebb, exhaling slow and deliberate as your fingers tightened around the bucket's handle, its cold metal grounding you in the chaos.

When you opened them, the smoke parted just enough, and there it was—one of the beast's heads looming before you, its scales glinting brilliant green, yellow and red in the weak light, its jaws parted to reveal the spark head, embers flickering at the edges of its maw like tiny, malevolent stars—and you didn't hesitate, hurling the water from your bucket in a desperate arc, the splash catching half its face, dousing the sparks on one side with a hiss of steam. 

But the dragon recoiled, its head jerking back with a snarl, and before you could retreat, it lunged, its snout slamming into your chest with a force that ripped a yelp from your throat and sent you crashing to the ground hard, the bucket tumbling from your grip as pain flared sharp and bright across your ribs, the hard, wet stone cold and unyielding beneath you.

Gobber's voice boomed through the haze then, raw and urgent—"Get up, lass!"—his shout slicing through the din as your name rang out from several directions, and you scrambled to your feet, lungs burning, just in time to see the spark head swivel away from you, its attention snagged by Hiccup's sudden movement with its other head, the gas head now rearing into view beside it, twin threats converging as the beast's growl deepened into a rumble that shook you. 

Hiccup fumbled with his own bucket, his lanky frame darting to one side as he flung the water upwards—missing poorly, the splash missed the spark head entirely, and the dragon screeched—a furious, guttural sound that rattled your skull—before lunging at him, jaws snapping shut inches from his arm as he stumbled back, barely dodging the strike.

"Hiccup!" you shouted, your voice cracking with panic, mirroring Gobber's own bellowed cry—"Hiccup, move yer scrawny arse!"—as you staggered forward, heart hammering, the smoke swirling clearer now, the Zippleback's heads weaving through the haze, poised for another strike as this trial seemed to teeter on the edge of disaster.

You and Gobber bolted toward Hiccup, your boots pounding in unison from different directions, a frantic rhythm driven by the raw edge of fear that still clung to your ribs from the Zippleback's lunge, the smoke parting in ragged wisps around you as Gobber's heavy gait thundered beside yours, his hammer-hand glinting in the dim light—until you both skidded to a halt, frozen mid-stride, breath snagging in your throat as something unfolded that defied every scrap of Viking instinct you'd ever forged in Berk's brutal crucible. 

There, in the transparent swirling haze that began to lift, Hiccup rose slowly—slight, scrawny Hiccup, the boy who'd tripped over his own feet dodging—well, everything—the Gronckle, messing up with the Deadly Nadder and unable to slay the unholy offspring of lightning and death—facing down the Hideous Zippleback with a fire in his stance you'd never seen.

His hands thrust out before him like a shield, and the beast, that twin-headed terror of gas and spark, cowered—its massive heads ducking inward toward its coiled body, scales trembling as it let out a piercing screech, not of rage but of fear, a whimpering, guttural sound that shivered through the arena and turned your blood cold. This wasn't the Hiccup you knew, not the one who'd fumbled buckets and dodged tails, but something else entirely, something untamed and sure.

His hands still extended as he took a step forward, voice ringing out sharp and defiant—"Back! Back—back!"—and the Zippleback obeyed, its heads recoiling with every barked command, screeching again, high and terrified, their slit eyes squinting shut as they shuffled backward, claws scraping the stone in a reluctant retreat toward the gaping maw of their cage, tails lashing feebly against the ground. 

"Now, don't you make me tell you again!" Hiccup bellowed, his voice cracking with a fierce edge that echoed off the arena's walls. 

The corners of your mouth twitched upwards as the weight of his secret he'd spilled to you was working, and the beast flinched, its massive frame shrinking as he pressed on, unrelenting. 

"Yeah! That's right! Back into your cage—now, think about what you've done," he said, his tone dropping to a stern finality as he strode forward, slamming the gate shut with a clang that rang out, the Zippleback vanishing into the corner of its prison, its whimpers fading into a stunned, hollow quiet that swallowed the arena whole.

The world held its breath then, an eerie stillness settling over the ring as you stood there, mouth agape, the empty bucket dangling forgotten in your slack grip, your eyes locked on Hiccup's back—his narrow shoulders squared, his auburn hair wild from the scuffle—while the others mirrored you, statues carved from shock.

Astrid's arms limp at her side, her sharp gaze wide and unblinking; Ruffnut standing wide-side-eyed, her braid askew, staring as if Thor himself had descended; Snotlout clutching his bruised jaw, his bravado drowned in disbelief; Tuffnut, still half-tangled from the dragon's snatch, gaping mutely; and Gobber, his hammer-hand frozen mid-air, his weathered face slack with something between pride and bewilderment. 

Hiccup turned then, spinning on his heel to face you all, and his green eyes widened, flickering with a sudden, awkward panic as they swept over the sea of stunned faces, the weight of what he'd done crashing over him like a rogue wave, and the silence stretched taut, unbroken until hulking, trembling Fishlegs—dropped his bucket with a dull thud, the clatter slicing through the hush as water spilled around his boots, his jaw hanging loose in astonishment.

Hiccup shifted on his feet, his hands wiping his hard work on his fur gilet before flapping uselessly at his sides, caught in the spotlight of your collective stares.

"Okay, so—are we done?" he said, his voice climbing an octave as he waved his arms in a flailing arc, trying to shrug off the moment like it was just another botched training drill. 

"'Cause I've got some things to do, uh—yep, I'll see you tomorrow!" And with that, he bolted, his lanky frame darting for the arena's exit.

Boots kicking up dust as he fled the weight of your eyes, leaving you all rooted there, watching his retreat until he vanished beyond the gate—only for every head to swivel back in unison, a slow, synchronized turn toward the Zippleback's cage, its iron doors glinting dully with a subdued rustle within.

The silence stretched out a beat longer, teetering on the edge of awkward, until Tuffnut's voice sliced through—half croak, half cackle, tinged with awe and pure, unfiltered bewilderment. "What in Thor's mighty sweaty armpits did I just come to witness with my own two eyeballs?" he hollered, his pitch lurching upward as if he'd accidentally swallowed a live eel. 

The arena jolted back to life like a beehive kicked awake with Gobbers rambling and a chaotic hum swelling after Tuffnut's bleary outburst still dangling in the air like a half-cooked riddle. Astrid's furious muttering spilled out in a garbled snarl, something between a war cry and a tongue-twisted curse, while Snotlout pawed at his jaw, scowling as if the Zippleback had personally insulted his lineage. 

The cage rattled faintly in the corner, its twin heads whimpering—a pitiful, squeaky duet that almost made you feel sorry for the beast, if your own pulse weren't hammering too loud to care. The Nadder scar on your arm pulsed under its soggy bandage, a dull ache gnawing through the damp chill as your soaked clothes slapped against your thighs, heavy with the weight of the water spilled onto you.

Gobber's voice thundered across the ring, the blacksmith's bellow that could wake a coma-drunk yak, his heavy steps thudding closer like a storm rolling in. 

"Oi, lass! Now where are ye scamperin' off to so fast?" he roared, his tone a rough-hewn mix of indignation and that gruff, forge-hardened bluster that demanded you stay put—likely for a round of discipline ramblings and sharp jabs at Hiccup's latest stunt—the man had questions.

His stump clacked quickly against the arena ground, punctuating his march as he zeroed in on you edging toward the gate, your muddy fur boots slipping just enough to make your escape less than graceful.

You didn't slow, tossing back a brisk, "Need some air, Gobber—catch you later!"—your voice steady, a grin plastered on to cloak the frantic tug in your chest, the kind that screamed find him, now. You ducked through the gate, weaving past a splintered post as his gruff retort chased you—"Bah, ye're as bad as the lad, slippin' off like a greased eel!"—his words fading into the smoky haze, swallowed by the noises of the arena and the squelch. 

Your heart thumps a fierce tempo, out pacing even Gobber's bellowing boasts, fueled by an urgent need to find Hiccup—his wild, maddening genius still flickering in your thoughts, a puzzle you couldn't grasp. You'd hauled yourself toward his house, where he lingered.

The squat silhouette of your own home rises into view as if trying to tempt you inside and to your bed. Yet the urge to unraveling Hiccup's latest feat—overrides it, wet clothes or not. You'd agreed last night to meet him, and now your boots pivot, scraping the earth as you angle toward his place.

Approaching his door, the crisp afternoon air bites at your lungs, your breath puffing out in quick bursts. Then Hiccup strikes—darting from the side of his weathered house with the agility of a coiled spring. Auburn hair flops across his forehead as his boots skid on the hard-packed dirt, kicking up a faint haze of dust. 

His hands clamp around your wrists, firm yet surprisingly gentle and warm, cutting through the chill that had settled into your skin. You stagger back a half-step, a sharp bark of laughter slipping out before you can rein it in. 

"Hiccup, you'll be the death of me with these ambushes," you quip. His eyes flare with mischief, a swift, crooked smile tugging at his lips. 

"Come on, let's go see him—he's waiting," he says, voice low but humming with excitement. His grip eases, fingers lingering for a fleeting second before dropping away, already motioning you forward. 

You freeze mid-step, eyes locked on Hiccup's retreating figure as he rounds the weathered corner of his house, his lanky frame moving with that effortless, slightly reckless stride. You blink a few times with a sigh knowing well he was avoiding the topic, and now this—two worn sacks slumped against the wall come into view, their contents hinted at by the faint bulge of fish in one and the jumble of clothes and gear in the other. The sight jolts you, a mix of disbelief and exasperation bubbling up as you plant your hands on your hips, staring after him. 

"Are you just going to ignore the giant dragon in the room?" you call out in a nod to the absurdity. Your voice teeters between irritation and a reluctant chuckle, the words hanging in the crisp afternoon air like a challenge. You shift your weight, boots crunching faintly on the gravel-strewn path, waiting for him to turn. 

Hiccup pauses, one hand resting on the fish sack, and glances back over his shoulder. That grin—wide, unapologetic, and brimming with a smug pride—spreads across his face, catching the sunlight in a way that makes his freckles stand out like scattered embers. It's infuriatingly contagious. Despite yourself, the corner of your mouth twitches upward, a slow bloom of amusement breaking through the annoyance you'd tried to hold onto as your brow arched at him. 

He straightens, brushing a speck of dirt off his tunic with exaggerated nonchalance, and quirks an eyebrow of his own with a tilt of his shoulder. "What dragon?" he teases, voice lilting with mock innocence as he hoists the fish sack over his shoulder, the burlap rustling softly. 

The gleam in his green eyes dares you to press the point, but there's a warmth there too, a quiet thrill that pulls you in despite the chaos he drags behind him all the time. You shake your head, a huff of laughter escaping as you step forward to grab the second sack, the rough patches scratching against your palms.

It's lighter than expected—due to the soft bulk of spare clothes and a jumble of small tools clinking faintly inside. The weight of it settles into your arms, grounding you even as your mind races with the unspoken question—how does he do it? 

How does he weave madness and brilliance into something that feels so inevitable? Hiccup's already moving again, boots scuffing the dirt as he heads toward the open wood, and you follow, the faint tang of fish and leather mingling in the breeze, your smile lingering despite waiting.

"First the Night Fury, now the Zippleback—Hiccup, it's unreal what you're pulling off," you went on again.

He ducks his head, a flush creeping up his neck. He slings to adjust his own sack over his shoulder for better comfort, the sour whiff of fresh cod and salmon wafting as he nods toward the woods. You fall into step beside him, the path to Toothless' cove unrolling ahead an hour journey with the fresh pine-scented air cutting through the day's lingering dampness welcoming you again.

The village fades behind you—torchlight swallowed by the trees—and you can't hold the question back any longer. "That Zippleback in the arena," you say, glancing at him sidelong, "it was charging, heads snapping, and then it just—froze. What did you do? It was that fish?" 

Hiccup's stride falters for a half-step, then steadies, his mouth twitching into a faint, knowing smirk. "Yep, that eel," he says, voice quiet but carrying that undercurrent of pride he tries to bury. "Slipped it out of my gilet near them when it backed fully in the cage." He adjusts the sack again, eyes fixed ahead, but you catch the glint of satisfaction in them. 

You blink, boots scuffing the dirt as the words sink in. "An eel?" you repeat, incredulous. "You stopped a two-headed dragon with a fish?" The memory flares—the Zippleback's twin necks thrashing, gas hissing from one maw to the other, until Hiccup darted in.

"Not just any fish," he corrects, shooting you a quick look, sharp and earnest. "Dragons hate eels—panic at the sight of them. I figured it out with Toothless." He pauses, kicking a pebble that skitters down the path. 

"First time I brought one near him, he reared up, wings flailing, and nearly took off out the cove—if he could. Took me a minute to coax him down." His tone dips, heavy with the weight of trial and error. "Turns out—I was correct, it's not just him. That Zippleback proved it—instinct kicks in, and they're terrified." 

You let out a low whistle, the damp chill of the woods turning forest seeping through your tunic as you process it. "So, you've been testing this—watching Toothless, piecing it together—and then you walk into the arena with an eel up your sleeve—knowing it could go wrong?" Your voice rises, caught between admiration and disbelief. "Hiccup, that's either brilliant or mad—maybe both." 

He shrugs, but the flush deepens, creeping to his ears. "Had to try it sometime," he mutters, then adds, quieter, "Figured if it worked on Toothless, it'd work there. Didn't expect everyone to stare like I'd grown a second head." 

The path dips, roots jutting underfoot, and you steady yourself, the weight of his words settling in—how he's been unraveling the dragons' mysteries, one quiet discovery at a time, while Berk still sees him as the oddity. You couldn't be prouder of him.

Following the hour-and-a-half trek to reach the Night Fury. Toothless lay sleeping atop the smooth, weathered stone in the cove, his obsidian scales catching the rays of sun like shards of polished glass. The instant your boots scuff against the gravel, his coiled sleepy form stirs with a yawn and stretch. Claws clack lightly against the rock as he sways to get down, a fidgety dance of wings and tail, his bright emerald eyes darting with barely contained anticipation.

Then Hiccup lets the sack fall—a soft thud—and Toothless pounces, a low, rumbling chirr vibrating from his throat. The burlap splits under his eager swipes, fish tumbling in a glistening cascade across the stone, his snout nudging through the pile with an almost comical zeal. The quiet of the cove shatters, replaced by the lively chaos of his delight. 

A grin tugs at your lips as you watch him, his graceful—stumpy tail wagging like a pup's, little hops punctuating each snuffle through the scattered catch. The air fills with the briny tang of fish and the faint rustle of his wings as he flops onto his back, clutching a fat cod between his paws. 

He gnaws at it with a contented gurgle, those wide, gummy jaws working in a way that's equal parts absurd and endearing, a flicker of warmth blooming in your chest at the sight. The moment settles into a gentle rhythm for you three, the cove's jagged outlines softening as Toothless's playful energy threads a spark of delight through the warm afternoon glow.

And his fish-fueled delight had settled into a lazy sprawl across the cove's sand, his obsidian scales glinting like wet ink as he gnawed the last cod's tail, a contented gurgle rumbling from his throat while the briny tang of his feast hung thick in the air, mingling with the damp moss and faint freshwater bite drifting up from the pond below. 

You leaned back against the boulder, legs stretched out, the day's damp chill seeping through your tunic as your boots scuffed the gravel, a grin still tugging at your lips from watching him flop and hop through the scattered pile—his tail still swaying happily as his gummy jaws made short work of Hiccup's offering. 

Hiccup sat cross-legged beside you, the empty fish sack crumpled close to his feet, his green eyes bright with that quiet thrill he always carried after pulling off something mad—and he rummaged through the second sack, the one you'd hauled, pulling out a charred stick-pencil then twirling it between his fingers, a smirk curling his mouth as he glanced at the flat rock slab you lounged on.

"Watch this," he said, his voice low and conspiratorial, like he was about to unveil another dragon-whispering trick, and he scooted forward, the stick scratching against the stone as he began to doodle—a quick, jagged outline of Toothless, all wings and tail fin and that big, goofy grin, the lines wobbly but unmistakable. 

You leaned in, elbow brushing his, a laugh bubbling up as he added a flourish to the tail, muttering, "Perfect likeness, right?"—but Toothless stirred then invading between you both, his emerald eyes narrowing as he sniffed the air, craning his neck to peer at the sketch, and with a huff that puffed dust across the rock, he swiped his claws over it, smudging the whole thing into a streaky blur before flopping back with a smug little chirr, like an art critic dismissing a novice's work. 

"He hates your art!" you crowed, doubling over as the laughter spilled out, raw and bright, the sound bouncing off the cove's jagged walls while Hiccup gaped, mock-offended, his free hand clutching his chest as if wounded. 

"Hates it? That's a masterpiece—he's just jealous he can't draw," he shot back, his grin widening, and he nudged the stick toward you, daring, "Go on, you try—bet you can't do better.

You snatched the stick from his hand, your fingers brushing his warm knuckles for a fleeting second that sent a flicker of heat up your arm, and you knelt beside the rock, the damp stone cool against your knees as you scratched out a lopsided Hiccup—big, wide eyes, a mop of messy hair, arms flapping like they had in the arena, all gangly and chaotic.

"There—that's you, mid-panic," you said, sitting back with a smirk.

And Hiccup leaned over, his shoulder pressing against yours as he squinted at it, a snort escaping him before he grabbed the stick back, his voice teasing, "Ohhh—that's how it is?" Hiccup said, his tone pitching up with mock indignation, his shoulders moving wildly with each word and his free hand clutching his chest as if struck.

You grinned wider, holding both your hands up in surrender. "That's how it is," you shot back, the words lilting with amusement, and Hiccup gaped, his smirk twitching as he shook his head, muttering, "That's rich—let me fix this," before snatching the stick tighter and leaning back in.

He scratched in a hasty version of you beside it—bucket in hand, hair wild from the trial, a little too many teeth in your grin—and you yelped, "That's not me, that's a troll!" lunging for the stick as he yanked it away, laughing, his eyes glinting with that infuriating, oblivious spark that always unraveled you.

Toothless perked up then, his ears twitching at the scuffle, and bounded over, his claws skidding on the rock as he nosed between you, his muddy paw slamming down right on the sketch, smearing your troll-self and Hiccup's flapping arms into a single, glorious mess of streaks and dirt.

"Hey—no fair!" you laughed, shoving softly at Toothless's snout as he crooned, delighted, his tail flicking mud across your tunic while Hiccup cackled, dropping the stick to clutch his sides, his laughter ringing high and wild through the cove. 

You lunged for it again, tackling Hiccup in a tangle of limbs and dirt-streaked grins, your hands grappling for the charred prize as he squirmed beneath you, still giggling, "You're worse than he is!"—and Toothless dove in, his gummy jaws nipping playfully at the stick, yanking it free and sending you both sprawling backward into a heap against the boulder, breathless and tangled, the dragon flopping across your legs with a triumphant chirr.

Mud smeared your cheek, Hiccup's tunic was a wreck, and Toothless's paw pinned the stick between you, his big green eyes gleaming with mischief as he smiled, tongue lolling. You caught Hiccup's gaze then, his face inches from yours, flushed and grinning, that spark flickering in his eyes—unaware, as always, of how it lit something deep in your chest—and you let the laughter fade into a quiet, shared breath, the moment settling warm and messy and perfect, Toothless's weight a steady anchor between you.

The cove's soft laughter and fishy soaked mess lingered in your mind long after you and Hiccup hauled yourselves back to Berk that evening, Toothless's smug chirr echoing in your ears as the golden dusk faded to a star-pricked night, and you couldn't help yourselves after that—couldn't shake the pull of it, the wild, reckless joy that had sparked between you three. 

The next day, you snuck off again, slipping through Berk's sleepy morning sprawl as the sun rose, the village's torches flickering like distant embers while you darted past the Great Hall's smoky hum and the bleating sheep on the hills, your boots crunching pine needles as you met Hiccup at the forest's edge, his grin flashing in the sun, a silent pact sealed with a nod toward the cove.

And then the next day, and the next, and the next—each trek a little bolder—until it wasn't just you covering for Hiccup's odd absences anymore, no, you were both covering for each other, weaving excuses like a pair of conspirators drunk on the thrill of it.

"She's just fetching flour. Pftt—" 

"He's tinkering with something useless—" 

The lies rolling off your tongues as easy as breathing, fooling Gobber's gruff squints and Astrid's sharp glances. It was madness, pure and intoxicating, that drove you both deeper into its claws—when nightfall covered Berk and the wind howled soft through the cliffs as everyone snored, you'd creep to Hiccup's house, tapping the door gently until his tousled head popped out.

Eyes glinting with that restless spark as he hissed, "It's ready?"

You'd both sneak into the forge to make the gear, your footsteps muffled on the muddy paths, the cold air biting your face as you slipped through the shadowed doorway, the familiar clang of tools and the faint reek of charred wood. It was freezing and the wind wrapped around you both like a cloak—but despite the shivers—the hearth of the fire you had prepared warmed you both to spring into action.

The glow painting his freckled face in sharp relief—his jaw set, his grin half-hidden as he muttered, "This is it; this'll work." 

And you'd nod, heart thudding with something fiercer than fear, something that thrilled you to your core. He'd had this idea brewing since the cove—a saddle for Toothless, a real one, leather and steel to bind him to the sky—and you dove in beside him, the forge's heat prickling your skin as you hauled strips of cured hide from Gobber's stash to hurry and get this done.

Your fingers tracing the rough grain—shaping it—while Hiccup hammered rivets, his strikes ringing out sharp and steady, the rhythm syncing with your pulse as you cut, molded, and stitched layers, threading sinew through punched holes with a needle that pricked your thumb more than once, a hiss escaping you each time.

He'd glance over, teasing, "You're bleeding for the cause now."

The saddle took shape under both your hands, a patchwork of necessity and genius as you took turns helping—Hiccup sketching quick adjustments on a scrap of parchment, then you holding the leather taut as he pounded it flat, the two of you shoulder to shoulder over the anvil, sweat beading on your brow as the fire roared, casting long shadows that danced across the forge's cluttered walls. 

You'd pass him tools without a word—tongs, hammer, awl—your movements fluid, instinctive, like you'd been forging together since the day you were born, and he'd mutter thanks under his breath, his voice soft but alive with that relentless drive, "Needs a strap here—see? For balance," while you'd nod, tugging a length of leather from a coil, testing its give first, your fingers brushing his again as you handed it over.

The contact brief but electric, stoking that ember in your chest you couldn't name—but it kept on growing. One night, as the hearth flickered low, he held up the half-finished frame—crude steel rings in the straps curved perfect to fit Toothless's back, leather pads stitched rough but firm and soft for the night fury—and you both grinned, wide and wild, the exhaustion forgotten in the glow of it. You both had finished it in just two nights together.

Hiccup's laugh spilling out as he said, "Imagine Gobber's face if he saw this," and you shot back, "He'd think we've lost it—two lunatics building dragon gear," the shared madness binding you tighter than the sinew in your hands.

When the time came to test it, he hauled the saddle to the cove, the leather creaking in his arms with you lugging some fish, both of you breathless with anticipation as Toothless perked up from his perch, his emerald eyes glinting curious in the dark. The giant baby didn't reject it—not a snarl or a flinch—only made Hiccup chase him around.

He'd finally settled down—tilting his head, sniffing the contraption as Hiccup adjusted it, his hands steady but gentle, cooing, "Easy, bud—let's see how this feels," while you held the straps aloft, your fingers brushing Toothless's scales as you buckled them tight, the dragon's warmth seeping into your palms. 

"How cute. . ." you murmured, voice a soft hush as your fingers glided over the smooth, warm scales crowning Toothless's head to his nose, their faint stippling sparking a memory of Hiccup's freckles—those familiar, sun-dusted flecks that scattered across Hiccups face. 

The dragon leaned into your touch, a low, contented rumble thrumming beneath your palm, his warmth seeping through craving the quiet bond you offered as he put his head on your lap purring in his way.

"It looks like he's got freckles like you, Hiccup—right here on his nose. How cute," you repeated, a smile tugging at your lips as you glanced up, the words slipping out before you could catch them. 

Hiccup's head tilted, a playful smirk curling his mouth. "You think my freckles are cute?" he teased, his green eyes glinting with mischief, the light catching the scatter of dots across his nose and cheeks in that same moment. 

Heat flooded your cheeks, a fierce blush blooming as you ducked your head, pressing your face against Toothless's warm, leathery neck to shield your fluster—making the dragon look at you with beady knowing eyes.

"You know what I mean," you mumbled, voice muffled against the dragon's scales, your heart tripping over itself in the quiet. 

Hiccup, oblivious to the flush you hid, let out a light laugh, the sound bright and unguarded. "I'm just messing with you," he said, waving a hand dismissively, his grin lingering as he turned to adjust a strap on Toothless's saddle. The moment slipped past him, but the air still thrummed with the echo of your unspoken flicker he hadn't yet caught, and something hovering just beyond his reach.

When Hiccup was done, Toothless shifted, playful—waiting, then bounding back with a chirr, wings flapping once as he tested the weight, and Hiccup laughed, "He's showing off now!"

And sure enough, Toothless pranced, a goofy hop-step that sent mud flying, his tail smacking your leg as he spun, nosing Hiccup's chest like a kid demanding praise. You stepped back, grinning, "He loves it—look at him strut."

Hiccup shot you that lopsided smile, mud-streaked and glowing, "Told you it'd work," his voice soft but sure, and you nodded. The cove's mist curling around you three as Toothless flopped beside you.

That whole day after that unfurled in the cove like a jumping fish in the water, the sun climbing high as you stood rooted on the gravelly shore, your boots sinking into the damp earth, watching—and panicking—while Hiccup threw himself into the sky atop Toothless over and over, the saddle's leather creaking under his weight, the straps you'd knotted tight holding perfectly. 

The first flight started with a whoop—Hiccup's voice ringing out sharp and wild, "Here we go, bud!"

As Toothless launched, wings snapping wide, the rush of wind tugging at your hair while you shielded your eyes against the sun's glare, heart lurching into your throat as they soared upward, a black streak against the endless blue. But the climb faltered fast—Toothless wobbled, Hiccup's hands fumbling at the tail straps, and they plummeted, a graceless spiral that ended with a splash in the cove's pond, water erupting in a glittering arc.

You yelped, "Hiccup!"—only for his head to bob up, drenched and grinning, waving off your worry with a sodden, "I'm fine—fine!" while Toothless paddled beside him, crooning annoyed with a roll of his eyes.

He didn't stop—climbed right back on, soaked, water dripping, and tried again, the saddle slick with pond muck as Toothless shook himself dry, spraying you both with a flick of his wings before leaping skyward once more, Hiccup's laugh trailing behind like a comet's tail. 

The second fall came quicker—mid-turn, the fin snagged, and down they went, another splash swallowing them as you paced the shore, hands clenched, muttering, "Gods, he's going to drown himself." 

While the third had you shouting, "Slow down!" as they veered too sharp, clipping a pine before crashing into the shallows, Hiccup's lanky frame tumbling free with a grunt, Toothless flopping beside him, tail thrashing waves that soaked your boots as you waded in, hauling him up by the arm, his grin unshakeable even as you snapped, "You're pushing it!"

He just laughed, breathless, "Almost had it that time—did you see?"—and you shoved him with a sigh and a hand rubbing down your face, exasperation warring with the warmth his reckless spark always stirred in you, his wet hair plastered to his forehead making him look wilder, impossibly alive.

The fourth fall was a mess—Toothless overshot, wings flaring too late, and they both belly-flopped hard—Hiccup sinking face first, unmoving from the pain—while water exploded around them as you winced from the sound of the slap.

The fifth following fast when Hiccup leaned too far, the saddle tilting, sending him skidding across the pond's surface like a skipped stone before sinking with a gurgle, Toothless's head popping up first, then Hiccup's, coughing but still grinning like a fool as he slogged to shore, the dragon paddling behind with a playful chirr.

And there you stood, a statue carved from the moment—face blank, eyes shut, spine rigid, one arm hanging loose at your side—the other hand pinching the bridge of your nose as you let out a slow, heavy sigh that seemed to drift into the stillness.

Five times—five heart-stopping plunges into the water, thankfully soft enough to spare them no broken bones—and you'd had enough, the sun dipping low now, casting long shadows across the cove as you stomped over, grabbing his soggy sleeve, your voice firm but cracking with the panic you'd swallowed all day. 

"Alright buddy—stop trying your luck, Hiccup, you're done," you said, hands on his shoulders, holding him still as water dripped from his nose, his green eyes wide and bright, caught between defiance and that sheepish flicker he got when he knew he'd gone too far.

Toothless flopped onto the shore beside you, shaking out his wings with a spray that doused you both again, and Hiccup laughed—soft, winded—muttering, "Okay, okay—guess we'll call it a day," before slumping against the boulder, breathless, his smile lingering as he caught your gaze, oblivious to how your heart still raced, not just from fear but from the way he glowed, soaked and stubborn and yours in a way he'd never see. The way no one got to see this Hiccup but you.

When the village slept, you'd steal away to Hiccup's room too, the pair of you hunched over his creaky table, shoulders brushing as you pored over sprawled blueprints—his charcoal-smudged fingers tracing lines for stirrups, harnesses, gear to tweak the saddle's fit, your own hands adding hasty scrawls for padding or straps, the parchment crinkling under your elbows as you argued in whispers, voices low to dodge any possible passerby outside.

"Needs more give here," you'd say, tapping a finger on parchment, and Hiccup would squint, nodding slow, "Yeah—don't want it pinching him," before scratching in a curve. 

His knee knocking yours under the table, a casual touch that lingered in your skin long after he pulled away, oblivious as ever to the way it unraveled you. The plans grew wild—strings for his tail fin for easy adjustment, a latch for quick release—each idea a spark between you, fueled by the hours and nights in the forge and his home.

And you'd catch his grin in the candlelight, that flicker of brilliance he hid from Berk, and feel it settle deep, a quiet ache blooming beside your pride as you murmured, "This'll change everything," and he'd nod, eyes locked on the page, "Yeah—it will," not seeing how you meant for him, too.

The trials didn't relent even after the Zippleback's chaos subsided. Despite yours and Hiccups retreat to the seclusion of the hidden cove, the training never ceased—honed not for slaying dragons, but for something sharper, quieter. In those stolen hours, you forged more daggers, the ring of hammer on metal echoing faintly against the stone walls. 

Each throw of your dagger toward the target on the tree grew surer, the blades slicing through the air with a satisfying thunk into makeshift targets, your aim tightening with every flick of your wrist. All the while, you kept up appearances—sweating over the forge under Gobber's watchful eye, proving your diligence, ensuring he'd see nothing but a dedicated apprentice and suspect nothing of the truth simmering beneath. 

Berk's brutal rhythm marched on, unrelenting, and the next beast hauled into the arena was the Gronckle, its squat, boulder-like bulk rumbling the earth as it rolled out from the gate's doors, its stubby wings buzzing like a swarm of angry wasps, jaws snapping with a lazy menace that belied the chaos it could unleash.

Gobber had switched the game this time—duo trials, he'd barked, pairing everyone off to face the dragon together, a test of grit and trust you'd all grumbled through as the wind whipped sharp across the ring, some of the village crowding the stands with their usual mix of cheers and jeers for Astrid—and this time to see Hiccups' improvement.

But you'd pulled the short stick, literally, your fingers closing around the splintered stub in the draw while the others smirked or shrugged, leaving you to stand alone, no partner, just your wits and a battered shield Gobber tossed your way with a gruff, "Ye'll manage, lass—always do." 

The first day out of two for the duo trials was only team Ruffnut and Snotlout, then Astrid and Fishlegs so the beast wouldn't be too tired for you all in one day. That given—it kicked off with Ruffnut and Snotlout as they stumbled in, a mess of bravado and bickering—Snotlout swinging wild, Ruffnut cackling as she dodged a tail swipe, the Gronckle belching fire that nearly took Snotlout's pants before they got help in shoving the beast down.

Next and in a blur of shouted facts and axe swings you barely tracked from the sidelines—Fishlegs yelping dragon stats as Astrid's blade nicked the Gronckle's hide, the beast snorting lava that singed the shield before they wrestled it back into its cage, sweat-soaked and triumphant, their part over quick as the crowd roared. Their turn fading into the day's haze.

The second day broke with a sharper chill, the arena cloaked in a haze of smoke that stung your nose as it thickened around the ring. From your perch at the edge, you watched Hiccup and Tuffnut stride forward—an odd duo that tugged a smirk to your lips despite your best efforts to hide it. 

Hiccup's wiry frame darted with purpose, while Tuffnut swaggered beside him, all lanky bravado and long-wild hair. Then the Gronckle emerged, its guttural growl rumbling through the chains and buzzing up into your boots. Chaos erupted fast. Tuffnut, roaring some garbled war cry about "GLORY TO ODIN!," and barreled headlong at the beast—only to meet its beefy head with a meaty thwack. 

The blow launched him backward, limbs flailing, until he hit the ground in a crumpled heap, out cold. The crowd sucked in a collective breath, then dissolved into muffled laughter—Ruffnut being the loudest. 

Gobber's exasperated groan cutting through, "Odin's beard, not again." 

Hiccup didn't falter. While the dust still swirled, he slid a hand into his tunic with the calm of someone who'd planned every heartbeat of this mess. Out came that sprig of dragon nip—its faint, earthy scent a secret you'd glimpsed him tucking away earlier. 

His gaze flicked to yours, a fleeting spark of conspiratorial light passing between you, unnoticed by the roaring throng. The Gronckle charged head on until its snout twitched, nostrils flaring as it caught the whiff—then, with a bewildered snort, it flopped onto its belly, rolling to it's side like an overgrown hound, belly exposed and snuffling contentedly.

The arena exploded with what cheers were given by the dozen people who had witnessed it. Their cheers bouncing off the wooden beams as Hiccup hooked his arms under Tuffnut's limp shoulders, dragging him clear with a quick heave. He brushed off his hands, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips as he straightened. 

You alone clocked the sleight of hand, the quiet brilliance threading through his every move. The village, oblivious, swallowed it whole—their shouts coalescing into a rhythmic roar, "Hiccup the Viking! Hiccup the Viking!"

It was a title sparked by the Zippleback's defeat and now forged anew in this smoky pit, their pride thundering for him in the stands. He gave an awkward wave, his face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and something brighter, the weight of their adoration settling onto his narrow shoulders like ash dusting a smith's apron. 

Then it was your turn, last of the lot, the crowd's buzz dimming as you stepped into the ring alone, the Gronckle snorting awake from its nip-induced doze, its beady eyes locking onto you as the gate slammed shut behind, triggering the giant as it huffed—the air heavy with the sour reek of its breath. 

You gripped the shield tight, heart hammering as it lumbered forward, slow but relentless, its stubby legs and wings churning while you dodged—a quick sidestep as its jaws snapped, a duck when its tail swung wide, the tail splintering against your shield with a crack that jolted the same recovering arm. 

The beast huffed, lava bubbling in its maw, and you rolled, the heat singeing your sleeve as you sprang up, weaving through its charges—left, right, back—your boots skidding on slick stone, breath burning in your chest as you kept moving, kept breathing, the Gronckle's growls turning sluggish, its swings wilder but weaker. 

It lunged once more, a tired bellow rattling out, and you darted aside, cracked-shield raised, letting it crash snout-first into the wall, a dull thud echoing as it slumped, panting, its fight drained—tired out, not beaten, but enough for Gobber's whistle to pierce the air, signaling your win as you staggered back, sweat-streaked and shaky, the crowd's half-hearted claps fading fast. 

You'd done it—solo, steady, no tricks—just raw grit and quick thinking—use it's own energy against itself—but when you turned, wiping dirt from your face grinning from ear-to-ear, the stands were thinning, Hiccup's name still on their lips as they trickled out, his triumph overshadowing yours. . .and he was gone too, the ring emptying slowly besides a few, leaving you almost alone in the smoke, shield dangling, searching for his familiar mop of hair and finding only shadows. 

They'd wandered off, you found out later, meandering across the ancient bridge that stretched over Berk's jagged ravine—a creaking spine of worn planks that dipped and swayed beneath their steps. It wasn't until after, amid the echo of their fading voices, that Hiccup jolted, the realization hitting him like a gust off the cliffs: it had been your turn to face the dragon. He'd let the moment—the swell of cheers, the rush of his own triumph—sweep him away, leaving your fight to unfold without him.

He'd excused it quick, brushing past Astrid with a muttered, "Left my axe behind." 

Before doubling back—not for the axe, but for you—and being overwhelmed, his steps crunching the path as he jogged to the arena's edge, finding you slumped against a post, catching your breath. 

"Hey—I'm still here—I," Hiccup murmured, his voice airy yet scattered, that fresh moniker—" Hiccup the Viking"—still echoing in the villagers' chants rolling through the distance. 

He scrubbed a hand across the back of his neck, his gaze drifting sideways to the bridge where the others' laughter spilled into the air, sharp and carefree. Then his eyes slid back to the arena, now hollowed out save for you and Gobber, the place still scuffed from the day's mayhem. 

"I missed it already?" he asked, a quiet sadness threading through his tone, his brows pinching as he glanced at you. 

You summoned a grin, though it felt like hauling up a weight from the sea floor, your chest constricting with a sting he'd never see—his absence during your own trial cutting deeper than you'd let on. But you brushed past it, smoothing over the ache with something brighter, something new. 

Pride flared for him, fierce and real, yet tangled with a silent jab of something else—loss, maybe, or the first faint unraveling of a bond you'd thought ironclad. He stood there, half-turned toward the fading cheers, caught in the tide of his rising name, oblivious to the fact that while you'd poured your grit into the ring, seeking his nod and Gobber's gruff approval, he'd been swept elsewhere. 

The realization settled in your palms like a cold, heavy stone, but you tipped your head with a shrug. "Yeah—don't even worry about it. Today was about you Hiccup. Let's go home and celebrate," you said happily but tired, voice steady as you fell into step beside him and Gobber. 

The three of you ambled back, the bridge's weathered planks groaning underfoot, your chatter about the day weaving into the lengthening evening. His words and Gobber's gravelly quips filled the air with you behind them, but that thread of distance lingered, faint yet stubborn, trailing behind you as you walked in your own silence swallowed by the dusk.

This is Chapter 5 to this Hiccup series -> Masterlist here. Previous Chapter : Next Chapter

Gifs/edits, dividers + template credit to #uservampyr my co-writer + beta reader ♡

[inuiiwonderland]

You like him a lot but later realize that he doesn’t like you in that way. You then decided to give up on your feelings for him and move on. And move on you did. You fell in love with somebody else and he later fell in love with you, but it was already to late.

A/n: This is a request for @mwankami! I’m so sorry for this being late but here you go! I hope you like it🙃 (I’m sorry if the characters seem ooc😞 I haven’t played twst in a fat minute) also I didn’t know if you wanted reader to be female or male so I just made it gn! Anyways I hope you still like it!

-

Floyd leech

You could only stare longingly at him as he messed around with his teammates.

He looks so beautiful

You were so busy staring at him that you didn’t hear your friend calling your name from beside you until he pinched your arm.

“Ow! What the hell ace!”

“Finally! I was calling your name so many times now! What were you staring at anyways?” You look directly back at floyd and that was enough to answer his question. Ace groans.

“Ugh don’t tell me you were looking at Floyd again”

“I was not” You lied. Causing ace to roll his eyes.

“You definitely were” You just ignored him and grabbed your bag from off the floor as you stood up.

“Hey where are you going? Practice isn’t over for a few more minutes!”

“I’m going back to my dorm. I have a presentation for Mr. crewel class and I want to get it done with early”

“Ughh fine. But text me once you're done!” You waved him off and walked away. But not before taking one last look at Floyd before exiting out the gym.

-

Your friends always question you about your “small” crush on the unhinged tall eel boy. Always saying how can you like someone like Floyd leech? The scary second year who likes to mess and bother anyone and the Floyd leech with unpredictable mood swings.

But you never really cared about their opinions on Floyd.

You find Floyd to be very beautiful.

His fair skin and tall height really caught your interest. But what captured your attention the most were his eyes. The pretty heterochromia eyes that he has really puts you in a trance and you could stare at them for hours.

Floyd leech has you deeply head over heels for him

But the thing is…Floyd doesn’t seem to like you in that kind of way.

He likes you as a friend yes but as a crush no. That’s the only thing that’s stopping you from telling him your feelings.

You sigh as you make your way back to your dorm. Maybe you should just give up on floyd. You already dropped so many obvious hints about your feelings for him but he is either oblivious or doesn’t feel the same and is ignoring your obvious hints.

“Oh floyd…what are you doing to me”

-

4 months later

Today is night raven college basketball team's big game against royal sword academy.

Cheers could be heard in the gym as everyone cheered for the night raven basketball team. You remember ace excitedly telling you about their big game a few weeks ago and that you should definitely come instead of being locked away in your dorm like always.

And of course you came. You didn’t want to disappoint ace by not showing up to his basketball game.

“C’mon you got this ace!” You and your friends cheered. Ace looks up at you guys and smiles before passing the ball to one of his teammates.

As the game continued, You couldn’t help but stare at one specific player.

His long brown hair tied up in a bun and the total concentration looked on his face as the game grew more intense.

You practically have heart in your eyes.

You all cheered loudly as he managed to shoot a score which resulted in night raven winning against RSA. You cheered loudly and felt your heart skip a beat as jamil looked at you and winked.

You ran down the bleachers and congratulated Ace before walking up to Jamil and congratulating him on the win.

“You did amazing out there!”

“Thank you y/n” He smiles. You two began to talk, unaware of the pair of eyes staring both of you down.

He frowns as he watches how nervous and giddily you were around jamil.

“What’s with that frown dear brother? You just won against the royal sword academy basketball team. You should be smiling” Jade teased. He was fully aware of what caused his brother's mood to instantly change.

“I’m going back to the dorm” Floyd tells his brother before exiting out the gym doors.

Floyd leech is in love with you. But sadly, he fell in love when you started moving on.

Now he’s the one who’s head over heels

And it’s already too late

-

Jade leech

“Are you listening y/n?” You blinked a couple times before mentally cursing yourself once you notice that you have completely spaced out.

Jade beautiful mismatched eyes stared at you as you hurriedly looked away while mumbling something underneath your breath. Already feeling shy and embarrassed.

“ ‘m sorry jade. I didn’t mean to space out” Jade smiles.

“Don’t worry y/n. Are you sure you're alright though? We can study another time if you’re not feeling well”

“Oh no! I was just thinking about something! Let’s continue studying”

“Oh? Are you sure?”

“Hundred percent sure! Don’t worry”

The two of you continue to study for the next hour. Every so often you would sneak glances at jade and watch as he reads through some notes while asking if you understand the subject.

You tried your best to concentrate, you really did! But his smooth, calm voice and beautiful heterochromia eyes were easily distracting you from paying attention.

The study session between the two of you soon came to an end and you had to stop yourself from asking him to stay for at least a few more minutes.

“I’m looking forward to our next study session. And good luck on tomorrow’s test” He says as he packs up his things. The two of you bid each other goodbye and you watched as he walked further and further away from your dorm. Once he was gone, you walked quietly back to your room as Floyd words ran through your head.

“Sorry shrimpy, but it seems like jade doesn’t like you in that way”

“Ah really?”

“He said he only sees you as a friend. Aw man and I was starting to get excited to have you as my in law! Stupid jade” You giggled at your friend. Ignoring the throbbing pain in your heart knowing that jade doesn’t like you back.

-

7 months later

You walk down the empty halls of night raven. It was lunchtime so everyone was in the cafeteria. You make your way outside with two trays and smile once you spot a certain someone.

He was leaning against a tree with his eyes closed. You could tell that he was asleep.

“Silver” You call out. You gently lay down both of the food trays before shaking silver awake. He slowly opens his eyes and your heart skips a beat once his beautiful violet irises meet yours.

“I brought you your lunch” You say as you sit comfortably beside him. You hand him his tray and he smiles at you.

“Thank you y/n”

“No problem. So, how’s training going so far?”

The two of you chatted for the rest of lunch time. Talking about how your day has been so far and other stuff. The two of you were so engrossed by the conversation that you two didn’t hear someone calling out your name from the distance.

Jade watches as you laugh at whatever silver said as his cheeks grow pink and he’s looking at you so lovingly.

“Man seems like jellyfish got to them before you” Floyd says behind him. Jade just watches as you feed silver some of your food. He swears he could see the hearts in your eyes as you feed silver.

He forces a smile. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his heart.

“They are happy. That’s all that matters”

And he walks away with a broken heart.

-