≪ °❈° ≫≪ 🐉°❈° ≫≪ °🐉❈° ≫≪ °❈° ≫

The whole day felt wrong.

Cabeça Dura didn’t show up like he always did. No teasing, no sharp comments, no quick glances when passing by. He simply… wasn’t there. And when he was, he stayed too far away, too busy, too serious. His silence weighed more than any argument ever could.

Every time the uneasiness grew and you tried to understand what was going on, his sister appeared as if she had been waiting for it. Always smiling a little too much, always changing the subject before you could insist. She invited you to help with something, pulled you into training, offered food, talked about 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 — anything except Cabeça Dura.

At first, it felt like coincidence. Then it became a pattern. And broken patterns tend to hurt.

Night came with Astrid and Hiccup inviting you for a dragon ride. Nothing unusual, they said. Their voices were 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘮 — too calm. Still, you went.

The flight was quiet. The wind was strong and cold, and the village lights grew smaller as you flew farther away. The dragon landed in a place you had never seen 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 — a high clearing, surrounded by stone and soft natural light reflecting off the ground, peaceful in a way that felt intentional. The kind of place that doesn’t exist on maps.

And that’s when you saw him.

Cabeça Dura was there.

Standing stiffly, like his entire body was on alert. His shoulders were tense, his hands opening and closing, his feet restless against the ground. He wasn’t loud. He wasn’t aggressive. He was nervous. Visibly nervous. Slightly shaking, even as he tried to hide it.

Astrid landed first and stepped away. Hiccup followed, exchanging a quick glance with her. Neither of them stayed. They walked off toward the rocks, giving you 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 — deliberately so.

His sister appeared moments later, walking up beside him and nudging him lightly with her elbow, whispering something you couldn’t hear. Her expression was knowing, encouraging. When she passed you, she smiled like someone who had been holding onto a secret all day.

Hothead took a deep breath. Once. Twice.

His eyes finally lifted to meet yours. There was no challenge in them. No sarcasm. Just tension, fear of doing something wrong, and a raw honesty he rarely let show. He took a step forward, then stopped, as if reminding himself not to invade your space.

His voice came out slightly rough when he spoke, clearly rehearsed and still imperfect.

“I stayed quiet all day because if I didn’t… I would’ve ruined this.”

His hands were shaking now, no longer hidden.

“I know you notice when things change. I know it confuses you. That wasn’t meant to hurt you.”

He swallowed, breathing in again, like he was fighting his own instincts for the first time.

“I just… wanted to do it right.”

The silence of the clearing wrapped around everything. The wind moved softly. The dragon behind you let out a low, calm sound.

Cabeça Dura took another step, stopping at a respectful distance, his gaze steady despite the nerves.

“I like you.” Simple. Direct. No teasing. “I really do. And I’m not good at this… but I wanted to know if you’d let me try to be someone who stands by your side. Not just as a friend.”

From afar, his sister watched with her arms crossed, smiling in quiet satisfaction. Astrid and Hiccup didn’t come closer. That moment belonged only to the two of you.