#mental link

Rating: Not Rated Warning: Creator Chose not to Warn Words: 67,853         

Characters: Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain

Hiccup let out a long yawn before stretching his arms and back, a sure sign that his day at the forge had been a busy one.

Resting his sore leg, he was sitting on a chair at the counter, waiting for any last-minute customers to pop up while Gobber finished sharpening an axe for the Acks in the background. He merrily hummed a tune as their work there slowly came to an end, like the sun gradually setting in the horizon.

Standing up, Hiccup leaned over the counter to look around and see if anybody was approaching.

In the orange and pink light of the setting sun, he could see the baker closing up shop for the day across from them, Not-So-Silent Sven running by with a cure for a sick sheep of his made by the elder Gothi, Bucket and Mulch returning from another long fishing trip, but there was nobody headed their way. Very few people were still out and about now, prefering to have their dinner at the Great Hall instead.

Toothless was lying right outside and raised his head up from his forelegs to gaze at Hiccup when he heard movement on the other side. He's been waiting for him to finish work. Even if Hiccup was needed at the forge, the Night Fury rarely left his side.

Hiccup briefly shot him a smile before sighing and sitting back down again. He crossed his arms on the counter, resting his chin on them and staring straight ahead.

He was tired. And bored. He wanted to go on an evening flight with Toothless, grab some dinner and go home. Maybe he could draw a little in his room. He hasn't done that in a while and his fingers were itching.

With nobody coming, Hiccup thought that it wouldn't matter much if he rested his head a little. Though not at all intending to actually sleep, he wanted to close his eyes for a moment. There was little else for him to do at the moment and perhaps it would allow him and Toothless to have a longer flight a little bit later.

Toothless joined him, laying his head on the counter next to him with a soft rumbling sound coming from him. Hiccup could feel his warm breath. Having him so close only helped Hiccup relax even further.

It wasn't his intention to fall asleep, but he ended up close to dozing off anyway.

Eyes heavy with sleep, breathing evening out, exhaustion of the day catching up to him, Hiccup felt himself slowly drifting off.

"... up."

He heard a voice.

"... cup."

It was neither a dream nor something familiar to him.

".. iccup."

Starting out soft and muffled, it became louder and clearer. He could almost make something out.

"Hiccup."

"Hiccup!"

Jumping up in his seat, Hiccup found Gobber smiling down on him and laying a heavy hand on his shoulder. It didn't matter to him that he saw his apprentice almost sleeping on the job, he was tired too. Although he did still look as merrily as he sounded a tad bit earlier.

"Gobber."

"Why don't you go home early, lad? I'll close up the shop for today and you have a very bored Night Fury to take on a flight." The sweaty blacksmith told him, giving his upper back a few good pats.

"That would be great. Thank you, Gobber!" Hiccup called after him as he walked away and wiped his brow with his tunic, humming.

Getting up and removing his apron, Hiccup quickly hung it up and left the forge for the day. He was eager to meet with Toothless outside and get up in the sky.

"Hey, Bud-" Walking out, he was expecting to see Toothless, hear a happy rumble and feel him physically try to push him up in the saddle. The Night Fury, much like his Rider, had a particular dislike for staying on the ground for too long, though he didn't mind waiting for Hiccup to finish work first.

Hiccup even expected to maybe get an excited lick, affectionate as they both were towards each other, but instead he wasn't quite sure what he just wandered into. Voice trailing off, he noticed that all of the Dragons were there waiting as well. Stormfly, Hookfang, Meatlug, Barch, all five fo them were there and they were staring.

Hiccup came to a halt as he stared back at them, it wasn't a habit of theirs to wait for him along with Toothless. But what surprised him the most was that they looked almost expectantly at him. Even Toothless, instead of greeting him, sat there and eyed him up and down with one brow arched, seemingly waiting for.... something. Hiccup wasn't quite sure what.

"Uhm... Is something wrong?" He asked, fidgeting in place. He wasn't used to dragons making him feel as awkward as he usually did around other humans.

And then they left. When whatever they were waiting for apparently didn't happen, they simply left. Stormfly chirping before returning to Astrid, Hookfang and Meatlug grumbling quietly to each other as they turned. Hiccup could've sworn he saw Barf and Belch shrug. Toothless wasn't the only dragon steadily learning human behaviours.

Hiccup was left to stare at them as they disappeared from sight, taking off and flying away. Now confused and awkward as well as tired.

Toothless joined him by his side, crooning and nudging Hiccup's hand and arm with the flat, scaly top of his head.

"Don't worry about it." He seemed to be telling him in a way only his Rider understood.

He turned to show the saddle on his back and Hiccup got on without hesitation, clicking his prosthetic in place. Toothless easily noticed that his reassurance did little to deter his Rider's bewilderment. Hiccup wasn't quite sure what to make of what had just happened.

"You're never gonna explain that to me, are you?" He asked his Night Fury and Toothless shook himself, stretching his wings out to prepare for a nice and long flight.

He gave another croon and Hiccup picked up on the comforting tones within it. Though not sure why Toothless was so dismissive of this minor event, he let him take off. Maybe some time spend in the sky with the wind and other dragons before heading home would clear his head a little.

Hiccup was sure of one thing, though.