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Hiccup was beyond uncomfortable.
Of course, that came with the decision to save Viggo of all people, but as he had told the man, leaving the bastard to burn would've made him just as bad as the dragon hunter himself.
Plus, having a one-up on a Ryker was a huge benefit, especially with the current attack.
So, as much as Hiccup hated it, he knew his only option was to tolerate Viggo's presence.
He barely listened as the behind him prattled about Maces and Talons, too focused on the arms wrapped around his waist. Hiccup gave a non-committal response, and tensed as the arms tightened at a particularly sharp turn.
Don't say anything Hiccup, don't give him anything to use against you. He mentally pled with himself, gritting his teeth.
As if Toothless could sense Hiccup's discomfort, he slowed very slightly, taking caution to not give the dragon hunter a reason to hold on any tighter. Still, the man's arms held on, constricting against the boy's chest.
It was as if, in a subtle way, Viggo wanted to rob Hiccup of his ability to breathe. You're overthinking Hiccup, if he wanted to kill you, he would've by now. He chastised his own mind, trying to focus back in on what Viggo was saying.
"...Poor, dear, Hiccup. Relationships can be complicated, am I right? And while I can't put myself directly in your shoes, I can most surely empathize with your situation."
"You can, huh?" Hiccup raised an eyebrow, glancing back for a moment
"Absolutely. To be in love with the girl that is your partner in battle. Not sure how I would balance such a precarious situation. It can certainly cloud the mind, impair judgment," Viggo paused, a smirk forming on his lips. "Make even the simplest decisions vexing." The words were purred near his ear, and Hiccup shuddered.
"You know what's, "vexing," Viggo?" Hiccup spat, voice filled with venom. "Is why you're rambling on trying to get inside my head. I would think, by now, you'd have given up." He growled, keeping his eyes forward in an agitated glare.
"You see, I'm focused, I'm clear, decisive. What I am not, is your friend, your ally, your Maces and Talons buddy, okay? So let's leave our personal lives out of this and get down to business." He made an effort to keep the tremor out of his voice, his grip on Toothless' saddle stiffening.
Viggo loosened an arm from his waist, surprising Hiccup, before that same hand patted his shoulder roughly. He flinched, both out of slight fear and from the strain of the weight of the man's hand.
"I'm only trying to help." The words caused Hiccup to scoff.
"If you wanna help, why don't you tell me where we're going and what we're doing?" He rolled his eyes, knowing the other wouldn't see it.
After a brief moment of the most excruciating and near-unbearable silence fell upon them, Viggo's voice pierced through the lack of sound.
"Stop, dragon."
Hiccup's eyes widened as the single arm around his waist slid out, the hand instead grabbing just above his hip.
"What's going on?" He looked down, trying to ignore the dread pooling into his gut. "There's nothing out here but empty ocean."
His stomach dropped as a cold sensation appeared under his neck, a sharp blade pressing against it firmly.
"You are much too trusting Hiccup, and that may be the death of you someday." Viggo smirked, his breath puffing against the dragon rider's ear.
Hiccup was petrified, his mouth open as he sat vulnerable in front of his enemy. He knew it, he knew it. His team had even warned him just before he took off that Viggo couldn't be trusted, but he of course had brushed it off as nothing.
"Ah, ah, ah, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, dragon." He tsked out, and only then did Hiccup realize that Toothless was growling at the man, a diminishing plasma blast making his mouth glow purple.
"You see, if I go down, so does your rider." As to make a point, he gripped Hiccup's waist tighter, causing the boy to gasp out. The dagger was still held firm up against his chin, a thin red line of blood dribbling down his neck.
Toothless glared at the man with thin pupils before glancing at Hiccup, his eyes softening with concern.
Hiccup's free hand moved down slowly, searching blindly for the Inferno blade sheathed at his hip. "It's okay bud, we're gonna be just fine."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that, if I were you." And suddenly he was pressed back against Viggo's chest, his entire body fully secure now. "Sometimes surrendering is simply the smarter option, my dear Hiccup."
A hand cupped his cheek, and Hiccup took a sharp breath, his heart pounding. His eyes flicked around frantically for anything he could use to escape, seeing only ocean and a distant blur of the Dragon's Edge.
He was utterly helpless.
"Dragon, move." He commanded, increasing the pressure of the blade in warning. "And don't stop until I say."
They flew forward, Toothless constantly checking on his rider as they made their way towards a remote island a good ways away from the Egde. There sat a ship awaiting Viggo's return, a bunch of the man's goons pointing arrows poisoned with dragon root at Toothless, prepared for any attack.
"Land up top, and don't try anything if you understand what's best for you." Hiccup could hear the smug smile in Viggo's voice, and he huffed, the boy beyond frustrated with himself for falling for Viggo's act.
Toothless drifted over and landed down, his stance defensive and his teeth bared.
Sliding off, the dragon hunter pulled Hiccup down with him, causing the boy to stumble onto the ground as his wooden leg was forcefully unhooked from Toothless' tail pedal.
Viggo near dragged Hiccup to his feet, the small knife placed back against his chin.
"Now Hiccup, you know what I want. The dragon eye, for your life." He lifted the hand of the arm encapsulating Hiccup's torso expectantly. "And don't play stupid, I know you didn't leave it at your little base. Believe me, I checked."
The knowledge that Viggo had been inside of his hut disturbed Hiccup, but he pushed the feeling down, swallowing tightly.
"Really Viggo, you expect me to believe you'd let me and Toothless go free if I just gave you the dragon eye, and that you wouldn't just shoot us down the second we took off"? What kind of idiot do you play me for?"
A hearty chuckle filled the air, sending chills down the dragon trainer's back.
"Oh please, my dear Hiccup, you never cease to amuse me. Understand that currently you are worth none of the effort as long as I get what I want."
He stopped for a moment, mouth raising to press against Hiccup's right ear.
"That is, unless you wanted to make yourself useful in other ways..."
Hiccup cried out and flinched hard, his neck slicing against the blade at the sudden movement. "No!"
Toothless growled low, watching his rider's extreme reaction and knowing not much could cause his human to emote that strongly.
Viggo laughed deeply once again, entertained at the scene Hiccup was providing. "Oh Hiccup, you should know by now that I tease. Now, about that dragon eye?"
Hiccup couldn't believe the man. He panted hard, glaring pitifully at the dragon hunter behind him still. "I said no, Viggo."
Amused, Viggo smirked still. "Fine, fine. How about this?" He walked a small distance away from Hiccup, finally giving the boy room to breathe. "I tell you how to stop my pesky brother and his Shellfire, and you go unharmed, if I receive that dragon eye."
Hiccup debated it in his mind, playing over the numerous scenarios. He knew he shouldn't trust Viggo again, not after the man had just completely betrayed him and his riders, but he was at a loss of what to do.
If they didn't stop the Shellfire, it would completely ruin the Edge, and they would have nothing. Not to mention, Hiccup would be most definitely forced onto the ship alongside Toothless, a total and utter loss for the dragon riders and for Berk.
Gritting his teeth, Hiccup pulled out the dragon eye, angling it in his hand for Viggo to take.
The man's grin sharpened, and he went to grab the eye, but he frowned immediately when Hiccup pulled it away.
"First, tell me what stops the Shellfire. Then I'll hand over the dragon eye." Hiccup's gaze held firm, unrelenting.
"I'll give you that Hiccup, you never cease to surprise me. Alright, I give," He pointed out to the ocean near where they had stopped earlier. Hiccup cringed at the memory.
"The Submaripper. It is the natural and hated enemy of the Shellfire, a little fact I kept in my tunic for a day like this."
Hiccup gazed out at the ocean hazily. "How can I trust your word on this?"
Viggo smirked dangerously at that.
"You can't. That's the beauty in a man's word. But," He pointed out the smoke rising from the distance, no doubt from the Edge. "I don't think your little "friends" have the time to consider carefully whether I'm lying or not, do they?"
The dragon trainer glanced out toward the Edge desperately, then down to the ocean again, before finally landing his hesitant gaze on Viggo. He narrowed his eyes, and made a hasty decision in that moment.
-
As Toothless and Hiccup took off, Viggo watched fondly, tossing the dragon eye up and down and catching it with his right hand.
"Until we meet again, my dearest Hiccup."