[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/200123/bcaa8b3399dd09b06e4e4e08dac499e3.png[/img][/center][hr][hr][center][b]LOCATION: New Berk [/b][/center][hr]
[indent]Steven blinked in surprise as Hiccup replied by running off and frantically checking every house, occasionally calling out the names of what Steven can assume are his friends and family. Like.. oh, no. He really [i]didn't[/i] know, did he? And apparently the dragon didn't either, given how he'd started pacing back and forth slightly, his little ear things flicked back against his head. Oh, jeez. Steven absolutely did [i]not[/i] mean to cause a freakout session between these two. But at the same time, how could Hiccup have not known? Did he not get the same set of rules Steven did? A flash of a thought came to mind, then.

Stars. He [i]knew[/i] that he shouldn't feel the way he felt and that him feeling the way he did was kind of [i]really[/i] messed up, but.. the thought of being the [i]only one[/i] able to help? It excited him, if only for a second. Like, it was just like old times- like when everyone used to come to [i]him[/i] to fix their problems, or when he’d had to shoulder the weight of liberating [i]multiple[/i] worlds from the Diamonds’ authority - except now, he has to help Hiccup deal with this situation's he's in, and Steven's about to shoulder the weight of the responsibility of helping the chief and his dragon get back to their home. He nodded a little to himself, an unfamiliar-familiar feeling of [i]drive[/i] and [i]purpose[/i] filling his chest-

And then Toothless [i]barfed.[/i]

With a little disgusted yelp, Steven quickly dodged out of the way - the sick wasn't anywhere near him, he realized after squeaking like a schoolgirl and cringing away - but.. Still. [i]Ew![/i] He's dealt with waaay too much Lion-barf to have to deal with Toothless barf too! Ugh! Except [i]wait a second[/i]. Still with a little cringe on his face, Steven shuffled a little closer and noticed something rather curious about the, uh.. contents. Rather, it wasn't [i]barf[/i] - which was good! But also a little concerning, because it looked like Toothless just spat up [i]tokens.[/i] Before Steven could get a better look, Toothless quickly slurped them back up. Steven reached out to try to prevent him from doing so, but- Yeah, the dragon was too fast for him. 

Steven covered his mouth with a fist, just looking at the night fury with concern and a fear for his health. Like, he really shouldn't have eaten those. Plastic isn't good to eat. The dragon reacted to his revulsion with a sound not unlike that of a cat that's surprised by you petting it - like a purr, but it's a brief and [i]surprised[/i] purr. His pupils were also big and wide - again, not unlike a cat! Honestly, it was kind of [i]really[/i] cute. In fact, it was [i]just[/i] cute enough to distract from how gross dragon barf was. Barely.

As the disgust faded from Steven's face, Toothless nodded his head in a direction and started to walk away [i]in[/i] that direction - specifically, it was towards the largest house that was a bit of a ways away from the rest of the village. Steven stood there for a second confused, like.. Did... Did Toothless just [i]beckon him to follow?[/i] He waited until Toothless turned his head, as if checking to make sure Steven was following and- Yeah, ok, the dragon really did want him to follow. Apparently dragons were super smart and totally capable of understandable, nonverbal communication! That's good to know. Probably. Eventually. Either way, he jogged to catch up to the dragon plodding along through the dead-quiet village, but still kept his distance. Steven didn't want to intrude on Toothless's personal space, lest he get mauled or blasted at.

Just as they got close to the chieftain's house, Hiccup came through the front door with a despondent air to him and a dejected look on his face - at least, till they'd accidentally made eye contact and Hiccup put on a smile that was all-too-familiar to Steven. He knew what a fake smile looked like, which was kinda sad if you thought about it for too long. Whatever, that didn't matter. What mattered was that Hiccup was very obviously not ok as he sat down on the steps. Though Toothless had given him that expectant gaze, Steven didn't need any further prompt to act. He knew what he needed to do.

[color=ed145b][b]"Hey,"[/b][/color] he said as he sat down besides Hiccup - not too close, but not weirdly far away either. [color=ed145b][b]"So, uhm.. Funny thing, Hiccup. I.. I think I know what's going on, and maybe even the why of it. But.. It's kinda hard to explain."[/b][/color] Steven's hands went into his jacket pockets, his hand brushing against his phone as well as the tokens- and his eyes lit up as an idea rushed him. He continued on, like this is what he'd intended in the first place! [color=ed145b][b]"So, uh, instead of trying to explain and inevitably making myself look like an insane [i]fool[/i], I'm going to give you-"[/b][/color] Steven pulls his phone from his pocket, making sure that the 20 or so texts are pulled up before handing it over with a smile, [color=ed145b][b]"This!"[/b][/color]

And If Hiccup were to hesitate, Steven would sort of.. wiggle the phone in his grip, trying to give permission to take it without saying anything.

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