virgil cowers against the wall, still unused to four feet, tail lashing around his legs. roman laughs valiantly, sword out, and virgil snaps his teeth at the sword but keeps his head far back. he can’t attack roman, even if roman thinks he wants to attack him. he won’t attack roman.
“there is a weakness at the neck,” logan says from behind him. “the most tactical place to strike would be there.”
roman readies his sword, and his eyes darken with concentration. “i shall slay the foul beast, logan!” he declares. virgil buries his head under his two front paws and whines.
he hears roman’s footsteps and the swish of his sword, and then -
virgil opens his eyes to see patton standing between him and roman, arms outstretched. roman’s sword has stopped inches from his chest. “patton, why are you defending that creature?”
“that’s no way to talk about virgil!” patton snaps, and virgil’s heart leaps. patton recognizes him - patton knows him. against all odds, there is hope.
“that is a dragon,” logan says, matter-of-factly. “it is not virgil.”
patton rolls his eyes and turns to face virgil. he smiles, softly. “oh, kiddo. i don’t know what happened to you, but it’s okay.”
virgil growls, but not menacingly. carefully, he lifts his head.
“what are you doing, patton?” roman protests.
“you’re not gonna hurt me, are you?” patton asks. virgil shakes his head, carefully. “that’s what i thought. i know you’re scared, but it’s okay. i’m here, and everything is gonna be okay.”
“what if he hurts you?” logan demands.
“virgil won’t hurt me,” patton laughs. “he’d never hurt his fam-ILY, would you, virgil?” virgil shakes his head again. patton closes his eyes and turns his head away, still smiling, and virgil is confused until he holds his hand out, stretching towards (but not touching) virgil’s nose.
virgil remembers watching how to train your dragon, remembers relating to toothless, remembers patton booping his nose and telling him he thought he was pretty great. he stretches his nose forward, carefully pressing his snout into patton’s hand, and closes his eyes.
there’s a choking puff of black smoke, and when it clears, virgil is human again, with patton’s palm pressed against his forehead. patton turns to look and throws his arms around virgil’s neck, cheering. virgil hugs patton back, clinging to him tightly, like a life line.
“thanks, patton,” he whispers. “for believing in me.”
“of course, kiddo,” patton hums, and virgil feels the lightest of kisses in his hair.
I STAN HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON