LOKI'D!

//Rewatching RTTE lately, and this part actually caught my attention. I’d thought it was a throwaway joke at first, but Hiccup’s actual concern (as leader because he should know something like that, and also as a friend) and Ruffnut’s snappy comeback (she’s essentially telling him “DUH, Hiccup,” without giving a direct answer) have made me rethink it.

Is Tuff blind or partially blind in his right eye? Because if he is, that explains why he rides Belch (the left head) - his blind side would be protected in battle that way. Also Ruffnut usually stands on his right. I went through screencaps to make sure and all the way back to the first movie, Ruff is at least 85% of the time standing to the left (his right). We know she is protective of him, so it makes sense she has made herself sort of a vanguard so nobody can sneak up on her twin.

“You have a bad eye?”

but we don’t talk about it

in that TONE, Hiccup”

Dagur narrowed his emerald green eyes as the dragon rider asked questions about how he was taking care of his skrill, if he has fed it and that it should be put in a bigger cage. How dare he try telling him what he should be doing with HIS skrill!

"What I do with MY skrill is my business! I need him hungry so he will eat those who stand it my way!" He snapped angrily. "Oh no! He's cramped in the cage. Boohoo. He's obviously not staying in it! I'll be harnessing that awesome power of his by attaching him to my ship."

He was actually pretty entertained by his prisoner's comedic song, laughing along with his men as he eagerly ate his meal.

The male twin was easily manipulated by small kindnesses - such as food, a kind word or praise, even ‘gifts’ like interesting rocks and feathers could convince him to trust what he shouldn’t. It wasn’t at all that he was stupid. Deep down, Tuff was forgiving, and as someone who was constantly misjudged and accused, he gave as many chances as was reasonable and then some. It was something Ruff was just as eager to protect him from, as people like Gruffnut were eager to exploit.

Tuff grinned at Dagur brightly, happy he was amused. He’d been half expecting Dagur to tell him to shut up but every time the Berserker had laughed, Tuff had felt his own heart soar on wings.

Dagur narrowed his emerald green eyes as the dragon rider asked questions about how he was taking care of his skrill, if he has fed it and that it should be put in a bigger cage. How dare he try telling him what he should be doing with HIS skrill!

"What I do with MY skrill is my business! I need him hungry so he will eat those who stand it my way!" He snapped angrily. "Oh no! He's cramped in the cage. Boohoo. He's obviously not staying in it! I'll be harnessing that awesome power of his by attaching him to my ship."

He watched as Mildew stomped off, his food now safe from being tainted by the old man's disgusting hands.

He raises an eyebrow when Tuffnut purred and admired his biceps as he held him up by the neck. This only made his blush go deeper before he huffed, dropping the dragon rider.

"I said stop ogling me!" He growled out on embarrassment, motioning for one of his men to tie Tuffnut up.

The men tied him but neither they nor Dagur had told him to shut up. As soon as Dagur got his food and at the urging of the men, he started singing a limerick song, making the verses up on the fly in true Tuffnut fashion. It was a hit with the men, both Berserker and Outcast and went a little something like this:

Silent Sven while exploring a cave,

Had what I call a very close shave.

He stepped on a boar,

Which woke two dozen more.

Well, I'm glad he was faster than brave...

——

OI, OI-OI-OI

Your sister licks fungus off cave walls

So sing me another verse

Worse than the other verse

Pass me a mug of that moonshine

—-

Young Hiccup, the top of his class-

Once picked up a pole iron-cast

As the stormheads rolled by

He challenged the sky

And Thor zapped him straight in the ass

(“True story,” Tuff added, winking at his audience.)

——

OI, OI-OI-OI

Your father sells nip by the dockside

So sing me another verse

Worse than the other verse

Pass me a mug of that moonshine

——

Mildew was a loathsome old creep

Whose wives both took off in his sleep

When he asked for a third

Our Chief called him a turd

So instead he got hitched to a sheep

——-

OI, OI-OI-OI

Your mother herds fruit bats in Helheim

So sing me another verse

Worse than the other verse

Pass me a mug of that moonshine

——-

The men joined in with the chorus eventually, amused by the song, except Mildew of course who had roared with anger. It hardly mattered, the men’s laughter drowned him out and he angrily shook his fist at Tuff, who stuck out his tongue impishly.

He didn’t care what happened to him really. It would all either work out or it wouldn’t- in the meantime he was happy to entertain. Tuff wasn’t in any hurry to get back to Berk where a bunch of furious elders and an irate Chief waited to punish and yell at him for accidentally releasing the Skrill from that block of ice (the poor dragon had looked cold and Tuff was only trying to warm him up, truly - not that it would matter concerning how much trouble he was in.)

Dagur narrowed his emerald green eyes as the dragon rider asked questions about how he was taking care of his skrill, if he has fed it and that it should be put in a bigger cage. How dare he try telling him what he should be doing with HIS skrill!

"What I do with MY skrill is my business! I need him hungry so he will eat those who stand it my way!" He snapped angrily. "Oh no! He's cramped in the cage. Boohoo. He's obviously not staying in it! I'll be harnessing that awesome power of his by attaching him to my ship."

Did this guy not fear his threats? Was he just incredibly stupid? Was he purposely babbling on to confuse him? And then there was the mention on more food, causing his stomach to growl.

He made a face of disgust when Mildew and his gross hands were mentioned, he definitely didn't want that to happen! "Keep Mildew away from my food." He ordered on of his men.

Tuff laughed when he told his men to keep Mildew away from his food, causing Mildew to stomp away, furiously. Poor old man couldn’t get respect from anywhere it seemed. Tough luck.

“Oh, yeah I figured I was bait. I mean, are you really gonna hold me up against the wall all night? I bet you’re certainly strong enough to,” he purred, admiring the biceps. Tuff had a bit of a thing for muscles. “Just put me down and have your dinner. I can tell jokes or something. Really, it’s not like I’m going anywhere.”

He didn’t give any reaction to being used as bait. He was pretty sure Hiccup was going to wait for him to either release the Skrill from the cage or escape on his own. If Tuff couldn’t manage, he would send in Ruff, or she would ignore Hiccup’s wishes and go in for Tuff herself.

Dagur narrowed his emerald green eyes as the dragon rider asked questions about how he was taking care of his skrill, if he has fed it and that it should be put in a bigger cage. How dare he try telling him what he should be doing with HIS skrill!

"What I do with MY skrill is my business! I need him hungry so he will eat those who stand it my way!" He snapped angrily. "Oh no! He's cramped in the cage. Boohoo. He's obviously not staying in it! I'll be harnessing that awesome power of his by attaching him to my ship."

Sure, he was hungry... But that didn't mean he was going to just drop everything to chow down on that delicious mutton waiting to be eaten. He was busy threatening the enemy! He had priorities! "Shut your mouth or I'll eat your tongue instead!" He snarled.

A look of complete confusion and disbelief quickly spread across his face as Tuffnut spouted that bout of flirtatious poetry, no one has EVER spoken to him like that! He didn't know how to feel or how to respond.

“Well, tongue tastes disgusting - I should know, I’ve eaten a lot of weird dishes - many of which I wasn’t technically allowed to have, being from the Chief’s table and all, but technically those dishes were being made in the kitchen at the time so they weren’t actually his yet. Anyway, tongue is disgusting - blech. May as well eat a raw slug.” Tuff absolutely didn’t shut his mouth - he practically couldn’t right now. “Look, you’re very strong and I appreciate that, but I’m not going anywhere with all your men standing right here. Go eat something before it gets cold. Or before Mildew touches it - you know he doesn’t wash his hands after handling sheep, right?”

Mildew was standing right there and of course began sputtering in rage at the impudence and lack of respect. Tuff rolled his eyes and made a hand puppet to mimic him. A few of the men snickered, finding this amusing.

Tuff was listening to him as he painted, and responded to the gentleness in his voice with a fond smile of his own. He liked Eret and whatever was going on between him and Hiccup seemed to be doing them both a world of good. “Yeah, just don’t let my sister figure that out or she might start setting up little ‘rescue’ scenarios for herself while you’re around. You know, like lying flat in the road, pretending she’s been run over by an apple cart,” he smirked. “You’re lucky she’s switched her interest to Fishlegs.”

“Poor Hiccy. I know exactly which people make him want him to take such a leap - sometimes my sister and I are among them, even when we’re only trying to help. You’re good for him though- he needs that stability.” He finished his painting and turned around, though he missed Eret rubbing at his chest. “He needs it more than magical adventure mushrooms, in any case. Yeah, he better not do that - I think we’d all be lost without him. Everyone would be sad and confused. Plus, Dagur would be upset, which isn’t allowed.” He had probably said too much about that, but he’d learned if he shrugged like it was nothing, people thought he was just babbling nonsense and left it alone.

He gasped when Eret mentioned a little one. He had a kid?! He grinned brightly - as one who got along quite well with children, Tuff was the preferred babysitter for all his baby cousins and younger siblings. The Thorstons were a pretty big clan and last winter had been just as ‘busy’ as the one before it. Things were passed down and seldom replaced - toys, cradles, and high chairs fixed with all manner of creative methods when they were broken instead of being thrown out. They were practically heirlooms … very sturdy heirlooms, that had survived a multitude of fires - some of which had been Twin related more so than dragon.

“How old is she? I know where to get you some furniture for her bed - and blankets, pillows and everything. We always have little Thorstons running around back home, but I know right now we have lots of baby and toddler stuff to spare.” This was exciting. Maybe he’d get to paint a nursery!

﹝⚘﹞—;

Perhaps Tuffnut did pay attention more than people gave him credit for. Simply observing he and Hiccup were working off one another and in a good way perhaps he had noticed them stealing moments together. And here they thought they were being slippery. He chuckles pushing the thought aside for the moment. “Aye ye take offense if ye want but yer sister ain’t exactly what ye call me type if ye understand.” He had been rather thankful. The year before the others constant touching actually did bother him. After what Drago did to him he never let another person touch him without him giving them permission to do so.

He shutters as he doesn’t think about it again. If he didn’t think about it the mark didn’t itch or bother him.

“Dagur…..the scruffy lookin fellow few island ‘way aye?” He questions curiously. He remembered meeting someone with the name but with the village as it was it was hard keeping up with names and locations for the time being. He had to entertain him the last time the other visited. That was interesting. It surely had to be the same one.

“Whoa now dont ye be gettin’ too excited. She’s six. I dun think she be needing all em fancy things. Least I dun think she does.” He really hadn’t thought about it. She never got along with sleeping in a bed. Always preferring crawling into his hammock to sway herself to sleep. It was rather adorable.

“If by scruffy, you mean ruggedly handsome and tattooed - yes, the very same Dagur.” Tuff grinned fondly and cleared his throat, starting to put his paints away. He tucked the paintbrush behind his ear and started to put things in his satchel kit. Dagur hadnt been here for a while. Probably time to pester him with terror mails again.

“Well, if she wants them, they are available. Aw, six? Are you going to let her learn how to ride a dragon with the other young Vikings, or does she need time to acclimate?” Tuff paused before explaining what that word meant, used to people’s blank stares whenever he used a big word. The thought they considered him to dumb to use big words never really occurred to him - he just always figured he was ahead of their vocabulary. Eret wasn’t looking at him like that though.

Dagur narrowed his emerald green eyes as the dragon rider asked questions about how he was taking care of his skrill, if he has fed it and that it should be put in a bigger cage. How dare he try telling him what he should be doing with HIS skrill!

"What I do with MY skrill is my business! I need him hungry so he will eat those who stand it my way!" He snapped angrily. "Oh no! He's cramped in the cage. Boohoo. He's obviously not staying in it! I'll be harnessing that awesome power of his by attaching him to my ship."

"I'm willing to try it just to say I did. Hmmm... Maybe I could eat your leg!" He thought out loud and laughed maniacally. "How would one cook human? Over a fire? In a soup? Smoked?" He rambled.

He knitted his brows when he saw how red Tuffnut's face was when he finally looked up at him, that weird dreamy smile on his face. Was he seriously ogling him!?

“Why are you so fixated on legs? They’re so scrawny and they don’t have much meat on them. Mutton is way better than human meat could ever be. Way less parasites, and look there some is - already seared to perfection on the table.“ Tuff gestured to the banquet table. “Aww, are you hungry? Is that why you’re being so cranky?”

“Well then stop being drop dead gorgeous- with your red hair like the dying sun across a field of slain warriors, and your green eyes like the haunt of Valkyries.” Oh okay shit. Tuff would have facepalmed but he was still pinned. “Either put a bag over your head or deal with people spouting poetry whenever they see you, cause that’s just gonna happen.”

Dagur had paused in the middle of fighting a Hunter, his axe blocking the Hunter's sword, when he heard Tuffnut say that. He looked towards the flaxen haired rider with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that, Boynut?" He asked before kicking the Hunter in the gut, sending him flying into the wall.

He looked at bit surprised upon hearing that his artwork was really nice. "You really think so?" He asked, feeling some pride fill up in him.

He chuckled with Tuffnut. "Well I am totally down to learn all you have to tell me." He replied with a smile.

Dagur narrowed his emerald green eyes as the dragon rider asked questions about how he was taking care of his skrill, if he has fed it and that it should be put in a bigger cage. How dare he try telling him what he should be doing with HIS skrill!

"What I do with MY skrill is my business! I need him hungry so he will eat those who stand it my way!" He snapped angrily. "Oh no! He's cramped in the cage. Boohoo. He's obviously not staying in it! I'll be harnessing that awesome power of his by attaching him to my ship."

"Damn right I'm terrifying. But clearly being scared gets you all hot and bother. Which is a first for me, gotta admit." He rambled a bit, laughing with his men.

"Ooooo big scary words and no action! You would have to jump to even try to bite anyone's face anyways." He teased with his usual smirk.

“To be fair I don’t want to actually bite anyone. My uncle got trapped in a snowstorm with a bunch of people once and they had to eat someone’s leg to survive. He said it tasted just terrible. I’ll take his word for it.”

Dagur narrowed his emerald green eyes as the dragon rider asked questions about how he was taking care of his skrill, if he has fed it and that it should be put in a bigger cage. How dare he try telling him what he should be doing with HIS skrill!

"What I do with MY skrill is my business! I need him hungry so he will eat those who stand it my way!" He snapped angrily. "Oh no! He's cramped in the cage. Boohoo. He's obviously not staying in it! I'll be harnessing that awesome power of his by attaching him to my ship."

He was feared not only for the fact that he was deranged with a very short fuse, but also the fact that he was very strong, rivaling most Berserker adults. It made lifting someone thin like Tuffnut incredibly easy for him.

He was about to deliver one of his signature yelling hissie fits when he noticed Tuffnut's face blushing.

Now that took him off guard. No one has...

Tuff’s grey eyes widened. Had Dagur just called him out in front of everyone? Oh gods, this was worse than any embarrassing thing he could think of. Unfortunately it just made him blush harder. “I am not! Sh-Shut up! And I’m not terrified of you either! I mean not that you aren’t terrifying in general, I just .... don’t feel like it today.”

Dagur narrowed his emerald green eyes as the dragon rider asked questions about how he was taking care of his skrill, if he has fed it and that it should be put in a bigger cage. How dare he try telling him what he should be doing with HIS skrill!

"What I do with MY skrill is my business! I need him hungry so he will eat those who stand it my way!" He snapped angrily. "Oh no! He's cramped in the cage. Boohoo. He's obviously not staying in it! I'll be harnessing that awesome power of his by attaching him to my ship."

Dagur basically snapped, grabbing Tuffnut by the throat and slamming him into a nearby wall, holding him so he wasn't touching the ground.

Dagur’s hands were just as strong, but nicer - not as big and calloused. Tuff had to take a moment to look along his arm at his biceps and well toned muscles. Okay, well he had to admire those muscles ... in fact, they were a bit of a weakness for him. Yep, the heat in his face meant he was blushing hot and his grey eyes met Dagur’s green ones, not with any malice or hate, but with soft interest. Loki, maybe Ruff was right - he had a problem ...

Dagur narrowed his emerald green eyes as the dragon rider asked questions about how he was taking care of his skrill, if he has fed it and that it should be put in a bigger cage. How dare he try telling him what he should be doing with HIS skrill!

"What I do with MY skrill is my business! I need him hungry so he will eat those who stand it my way!" He snapped angrily. "Oh no! He's cramped in the cage. Boohoo. He's obviously not staying in it! I'll be harnessing that awesome power of his by attaching him to my ship."

Dagur had paused in the middle of fighting a Hunter, his axe blocking the Hunter's sword, when he heard Tuffnut say that. He looked towards the flaxen haired rider with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that, Boynut?" He asked before kicking the Hunter in the gut, sending him flying into the wall.

He gave a soothing shushing as he held Tuffnut close to him, rubbing comforting circles on his head since he didn't want to bother his injuries. "It's alright. It's just some dragons fighting over a mate." He explained softly.

He hated seeing Tuffnut sobbing, he knew exactly what he was feeling. "Then it's a plan. We will make those into a bonding memory with tattoos." He concluded, running his fingers through the other's hair.

"I am definitely gonna gave to try that the next time he starts to lecture me! Stop touching my cool flaming sword, Dagur. No you can't have that, Dagur. Now I can get away with it! Hah!" He exclaimed excitedly. "Remind me to ask the fine people of Berk all about their Hiccup stories next time I visit, I want to hear every one of them." He replied with a devilish grin.

“Okay. I’ll let you suggest what would look good. You have really nice artwork.” He was relaxing but couldn’t seem to let go. Dagur was making him feel like a human again. Like someone who deserved comfort when they were scared or hurt.

“I’d be happy to tell you all I know for starters and I know a lot. I’ve got the dirt on everyone.” He chuckled softly.

This was a disaster.

Everything had been going great - he had been successful as Buffnut, the Berserkers had seemed to like him and his jokes (Dagur included, surprisingly) but then Hiccup had ruined everything by going in to try and steal the Skrill. He and Ruff had been chased off, but Mildew - waking up able to speak Norse again - had pointed at Tuff and exposed him as one of Hiccup’s riders. It hadn’t helped that his sister had been with Hiccup, allowing others to see the similarities between them and therefore recognize him as one of the Twins.

And now - yet again - Dagur was holding something very sharp and deadly against his throat. Loki help him,because a poem certainly wasn’t going to this time.

“Hey, no need to take on so,” Tuff protested, hands up to show he didn’t want a fight. “That Skrill isn’t gonna go anywhere with Hiccup. He wants to freeze the poor thing in a block of ice again. I certainly wouldn’t fall for the hand thing, knowing that,” he shrugged.

Oh he was so mad!

The grip on his axe handle only tightened as he learns what Hiccup had planned for his magnificent skrill.

"No one is going to freeze MY beautiful skrill in a block of ice again!" He snarled as he leaned close, letting the edge of his axe's blade press slightly against Tuffnut's skin.

Dagur had paused in the middle of fighting a Hunter, his axe blocking the Hunter's sword, when he heard Tuffnut say that. He looked towards the flaxen haired rider with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that, Boynut?" He asked before kicking the Hunter in the gut, sending him flying into the wall.

He really did like how it felt to have someone willingly touch him in such an affectionate manner, it was foreign but a good kind.

He couldn't help but laugh a bit at the rainbow of pain description. "Now that is one I haven't heard, but it surprisingly makes so much sense!" He exclaimed. "I could cover any lingering scars with tattoos too, if that's something you'd be interested in." He suggested. "Bear claws are cool too, just not as cool as dragon claws."

The way Tuffnut imitated Hiccup made him burst into a fit of laughter. "He really is a nerd! Always has been!" He said through his laughter. "I can only imagine the kind of damage he did when he was figuring all the dragon stuff out."

One of the dragons flew off and his rival followed in hot pursuit and Tuff lifted his face, mortified at how jumpy he was. All sudden loud noises made him remember being at that post, whipped until he cried like a child, the raucous laughter and jeering crushing him with shame. (“Look at the brat bawling! I think our brave little dragon rider wishes his mum were here!”) He had almost broken so many times...

Tuff didn’t quite realize he was sobbing again, but he looked up at Dagur’s offer to cover up his scars. Once there had been a crack in his bedroom ceiling that looked like a mouth about to eat him, should he dare to close his eyes. After a long sleepless night, he had ended up painting it into a beautiful hill with daisies with some paints he’d ‘borrowed’ from Fishlegs. The mouth had ceased to be anything scary after that. “I like that idea...” he managed. “Especially if it’s you doing it. Turning the old pain into something beautiful would help a lot.”

The sound of Dagur’s laughter lifted his spirits. He loved making people laugh. Sometimes it felt like it was his reason for existing. At least he could cheer people up when life got them down, though he wasn’t used to anyone but Ruff and Chicken trying to do that for him. “Oh he’s definitely a nerd. Every time he’s mad I just get him talking about dragons by asking questions. It’s working pretty well so far. And he did a lot of damage, I think literally everyone on Berk has a story to tell. More stories than even us...” Tuff knew he was shaking a bit and the warmth of the water told him it had nothing to do with the cold.