#Gobber raised hiccup you can’t change my mind

[lex-crow]

Blurb that I probably won’t finish

For context Spitelout was on a mission with a large group, didn’t fallow hiccups orders and got Gobber severely hurt. Hiccup who has spent weeks setting up this mission overtired and is now freaking out about Gobber. breaks Spitelout’s nose along with a long winded ‘never do that again or I will make you wish for death.’ In front of everyone pretty much.

Hiccup stands from the bedside looking his father in the eyes, “is that an order, cheff?”voice almost painfully calm.

“Well no. Son-“ hiccup is not in the mood for the lecture in his dad’s voice.

“Get out. I know ‘he’s high in the village you can’t do things like this’” mimicking his dad “but,” looking to Gobber “I don’t care, he was pretty much all I had for so long, too long. Not you, you could barely look at me then, Gobber was there treating me like his own when all you could do was look at me and see a ghost. Spitelout almost got him killed and I’m not sorry, and I don’t want to hear anything more about it until Gobber gets up.”

“Hiccup-“ That hurt, it was true, things are better now then they were; the resentment remained. Stoic was getting better, was trying but it didn’t change the past. Didn’t erase years of hurt and abandonment.

“I can’t do this right now. Yell at me tomorrow, I just want to stay here.”

Probably shit, but, getting it out so maybe I can do literally anything but think about it.

[wipodu-ao3]

Making it work - a HTTYD fanfic

Read it on Ao3. Join the Discord!

A Fem!Hiccup AU.

Summary:

Hiccup had made up her mind. Dragon killing was not for her, no matter how much her father protested, she was done with it. She was done trying to fit in. She was going to be who she wanted to be, it's not like anyone cared.

[Ongoing]

Hiccup shut the door of the house with force. Every time! Every time she made a mistake her father humiliated her. He thought he was just raising her with ‘the Viking way’, but she knew he could do that in the privacy of their home and not outside for the whole village to see! He just didn’t… he didn’t know how to raise a daughter.

She understood that. She accepted that. But she wasn’t lying! Hiccup had really shot down a Night Fury! Well if no one believed her, she would go out on her own. Nobody cared enough to stop her. She would show them that she wasn’t lying, that she was capable of being a viking as much as they were.

Hiccup left the house using the back door, to avoid any of the taunts she would undoubtedly receive. She knew the woods of the island like the back of her hand, she spent a lot of time there. It was like a second home to her and even with the setting sun and darkness approaching she didn’t fear getting lost.

Being in the woods helped her relax and get away from… everything. From her father, from the bullies, from the scrutiny of the tribe. Her only friends were Gobber and Ruffnut, as sad as that sounded, she didn’t mind. The other teens her age weren’t that kind to her. Her cousin made fun of her constantly, the twins always joined in, but Ruffnut always did so in a teasing way, not like the cruel way the two boys did.

Fishlegs was her friend once, but ultimately he succumbed to the pressure of being one of the ‘cool’ vikings. And Arne… Arne was indifferent mostly, he didn’t make fun of her, he even helped her at some points in her life, but he wasn’t friendly either. He strived for greatness and was Stoick’s favorite without really trying.

Stoick always talked about Arne, how great the boy was, how he will grow up to be a great viking, how the boy would make a great Chief. Like Hiccup didn’t know these things, the crush she had on the boy was enough proof that she did. She hid the crush as best as she could, not because she cared what others thought, no. She hid her crush because her disinterest in the subject was the only thing keeping Stoick away from arranging a marriage with the boy’s father.

She walked through the forest with confidence, she had drawn a map in her notebook just to keep track of the places she had been already. Hiccup crossed out another place on the map, no Night Fury there. This was getting irritating. She knew that the God’s had it out for her, it was already obvious at that point! So why, oh why, couldn’t they give her a break?

“Oh, the gods hate me. Some people lose their knife or their mug. No, not me. I manage to lose an ENTIRE DRAGON?!” She exclaimed, airing her frustrations to the sky as she shut her notebook forcefully.

She slapped a branch out of her way, but it came back and caught her eye in its way. Hiccup glared at the branch with hatred, but something got her attention. The branch was snapped – scratch that – the whole tree was snapped in half. The only thing that could’ve done that would be… the Night Fury!

Hiccup followed the ditch that had been carved out by the falling dragon. She didn’t care about the dirt she got on herself as she ran forwards, twisting her ankle a bit, she didn’t feel the sting, she was too excited. As she reached a small hill peering over it, she was it. The Night Fury was there! Bound and helpless, easy to kill.

She approached the dragon carefully. It seemed to be dead already, that didn’t diminish her spirits, all she needed was a part of it to show to her father and then… then he would leave her alone, she would show what she could do and he would finally be proud of her.

“Oh, wow. I did it. Oh, I did it!” she could help but exclaim, “This fixes everything! Yes! I have brought down this mighty beast!” she boasted as she put her leg on the body.

The body under her foot moved, startling her quite a bit, she took out her dagger with shaking hands. The dragon was alive, that changed things.

“I'm going to kill you, dragon. I'm going to cut out your heart and take it to my father.” Her voice trembled, but she kept trying to reassure herself, “I'm a Viking. I am a VIKING!”

Hiccup looked over the dragon, from its bound tail to his open – oh Thor it was open – eye. She tried to steady herself, but her eyes kept going back to the frightened eyes of the dragon. Those eyes were so… human. The Night Fury was as scared as she was.

“I did this,” she whispered to herself, her voice filled with remorse.

She lowered her dagger as she started to feel guilt overwhelm her. She did this. She had taken this beast and shot it out of the sky for her own gain. Hiccup didn’t have the guts to go through with it, she didn’t have what it takes to take a life for her own temporary gain. Because with her track record, it would be only temporary.

She looked down at the dragon, the dragon had accepted his fate, but Hiccup had other plans. No one believed her, no one would know that she let the dragon go. She kneeled next to the beast, taking the bolas rope and pulling it away from the body, cutting every rope one by one. With the last rope the dragon shot up, pining Hiccup under its claws.

This was it, Hiccup hadn’t thought things through, had she? Of course the dragon would be mad! Well, with the hot breath of the dragon fanning her face, she accepted her fate. What a way to go! The tribe’s disappointment killed by a dragon, how ironic in a way.

But she wasn’t dead. The dragon had leaned in and when she thought it was all over, the Night Fury just roared in her face and flew off. She was alive! She pulled all of her strength and stood up to head back, she didn’t make it far as her vision went black.

When she woke up, it was already dark. Oh Thor, her father was probably back home and he was wondering where she was. She did not want to deal with him tonight! But she still made her way home, her bed sounding way better than the cold forest floor.

As she made her way inside, her heart fell when she saw her father still up. She sighed to herself as she tried to get pass him, she didn’t succeed.

“Hiccup.” Her father’s voice stopped her halfway up the stairs.

“Dad,” she greeted him back.

“I have to talk to you,” Stoick turned to her, his eyes widening at her dirty appearance.

“I have to talk to you too,” Hiccup agreed, she would have to tell him that she was giving up on dragons sooner or later, but sooner was better.

“I've decided I don't want to fight dragons anymore.”

“I think it's time you learn to fight dragons.”

They said at the same time, then again they spoke simultaneously.

“What?”

“You go first,” Stoick told her.

“No, no, you go first,” she insisted, buttering him up might stop him from getting angry after she told him that she didn’t want anything to do with dragons.

“Alright. You get your wish. Dragon Training. You start in the morning.” Stoick said in conclusion, without even asking her what she wanted.

“Oh, man, I should've gone first!” Hiccup was panicking, this wasn’t the plan, “Uh, 'cause I was thinking, you know, we have a surplus of dragon-fighting Vikings, but do we have enough... bread-making Vikings, or small home repair Vikings--?”

“You'll need this,” he said as he pushed an axe that he got from the wall into her hands.

“I don't want to fight dragons,” she disagreed trying to push the axe away from herself.

“Come on. Yes, you do,” Stoick laughed her statement off.

“Let me rephrase: Dad, I can't kill dragons,” she pleadingly told him.

“But you will kill dragons.”

“No, I'm really very extra sure that I won't.”

“It's time, Hiccup.” Stoick forcefully said to her.

“Can you not hear me?!” she exclaimed in frustration.

“This is serious, Hiccup!” Stoick yelped, “When you carry this axe, you carry all of us with you. Which means you walk like us. You talk like us. You think like us. No more of... this.” He explained gesturing to her.

“You just gestured to all of me,” she rebutted in offence.

“Deal?” he asked her.

“This conversation is feeling very one-sided,” She complained with a frown.

“DEAL?!” he basically shouted as he pushed the axe to her once again.

“Deal,” she sighed as she took the axe, seeing the conversation going nowhere.

“Good,” he said satisfied, “Train hard. I'll be back. Probably.” He told her as he picked up his things and left the house.

“And I'll be here. Maybe,” she whispered to herself, she looked down at the axe she could barely hold up, determination filled her, she knew what to do. “But you won’t like what I’m going to be,” she said to the empty house with a smirk.

‘I wonder what Ruff is up to?’ she thought to herself as she let the axe drop from her grasp.

[nautiscarader]

One more stocking next year - pregnancy/impregnation Hiccstrid. Astrid wants to give Hiccup a memmorable snoggletog gift. They fuck on furs by the fire all night long. Astrid wants to make absolutely sure it works so she times her getting filled with the rising solstice sun for the gods blessing.

(okay, so first of all, i LOVED that detailed and well-thought prompt, this is how you ensure yourself a spot in my heart. I had to make one tiny change to make it better with the idea of polar night during Snoggletog, though. Also ages might be wonky given the canon, but w/e)

(Ao3)

Also, if you enjoyed my work, here's Ko-fi link if you'd be so kind ❤️ .

==============

Never before has Astrid been that nervous during the Snoggletog day. true, this day was usually hectic, filled with preparations and last-minute shopping, but this year was different. This was their first Snoggletog on New Berk. First Snoggletog without dragons. And first Snoggletog as a wife.

The past few months she helped Hiccup preparing the Vikings for the winter in new place. Finding new sources of food, gathering supplies, mapping the territory. And now, on top of it was the celebration itself, draining the time from the ever shorter days, as their land approached the short two weeks of never-ending night.

Sitting by the table, amongst her and Hiccup's family, Astrid nervously looked in the window, at the last rays of the setting Sun, hoping her nervousness wasn't too noticeable. But she was wrong, as Hiccup's keen eye quickly spotted her behaviour and reached his hand to hold hers, noticing she hasn't touched the dish she helped preparing.

- Is something wrong? - he whispered, leaning towards her, while his mother sang with Gobber - No, no.. - Astrid smiled - I just wished we were alone already... This day was so... exhausting.

Hiccup looked into her tired eyes, and after a moment of thinking kissed her on the cheek.

- I hope you are ready for one last act. - The what?

Hiccup sat back in his chair, reached for a bottle of mead, and when everyone else were staring at the singing couple, he pretended to pour himself a cup. The peaceful musical moment was shattered with the cup that tumbled to the ground, as Hiccup began moving erratically in his chair.

- Oh, oh dear! - he babbled - It seems we might have brewed a bit too strong mead this year.

He winked at Astrid.

- Aye, yes, you are right, my husband. - she acted best to her abilities. - I don't think I can stand on my leg! If only there was someone strong that could help me walk to my bed! - Don't worry, lad, I'll carry ya!

Hiccup stopped wobbling at once when Gobber reached towards him.

- Between you and we we have two working legs, so we'll be there lickety split.

Astrid pierced him with a stern gaze.

- Er, don't you think tat tis should be Aye, his betrothed wife to carry him, and, er... scold him for clouding his mind too much? - Ar, ye might be right. Just wanted to help, that's all. - So, that's settled then, we are so sorry we cannot stay longer, but...

The two exchanged knowing looks.

- I have to make him a nice cup of yak nog!

This time, Hiccup didn't have to pretend to lose his balance.

- Yes, right, that should do it...

Five minutes later, Hoccup and Astrid were laughing as they waddled through the thick snow away from the chieftain's hall back to their hut, and just before they entered, Hiccup ceremoniously grabbed Astrid and carried her through the door, much to her enjoyment.

- Okay, first emergency exit from family meeting as a new chief. I don't think it was that bad. - It was. It was horrible. - Astrid kissed him - But we don't have to worry about it. - Astrid, go to bed, I'm gonna make you some tea, maybe? - Hiccup took her coat - That should calm your nerves. And I will do stuff around the house...

But as he undid his coat, Astrid's arms closed around his neck, just as her lips met with his in a long, fiery kiss that truly made him feel drunk.

- Actually, I wasn't feeling tired... - she looked into their living room, illuminated by just a dash of light from outside. - I was hurrying up to.. to give you my gift. - Oh, milady, you don't have to do this today, you can wait till tomorrow- - No, no I can't. - she said sharply.

She pressed her lips against his again and walked into the room, leading Hiccup with her. And with each step, her fingers undid one layer of his clothes, and when his hands reached her waist, she let out a prolonged moan, happy that he was on with her plan.

- Here? - Mhm. - she murmured, kissing his jawline.

His ceremonial clothes felt to the floor, and so did hers, tied with dozens of knots and strings.

- We have all night... - No, no we don't. - she repeated, making Hiccup raise his eyebrows. - Okay, time out. Is there something I don't know about? - Hiccup...

She leaned against him, still undoing her clothes.

- Today is the last day of the Sun.

With her other hand she grabbed a piece of wood and threw it into the fireplace. Hiccup at once readied his fiery sword and ignited it, filling the room with pleasant warmth and light.

- Hiccup, I did some calculations, and it's today. Today is the best day for me to... give you your present.

She took his hand and placed it above her sex, just as he was about to undo the bindings there. But then, he looked at her, and noticed the fire in her eyes, burning so much brighter than any reflection of real one would.

- Astrid...! - Don't you want it? Gods would approve, it's a perfect... perfect moment...

She turned around again, hoping to see the light between the thick wall of trees that surrounded their house.

- Well, if so, then we are losing time, milady.

Astrid yelped again when Hiccup took her and lay her on the thick, fluffy furs, one of the few new spoils of hunts on the New Berk. He didn't bother with the last bindings of her corset, and went straight for her delicate panties, kissing her thick thighs, so ideal for the gift she wanted to give him.

- Hic-Hiccup, maybe-maybe don't... - I am not going to leave my lady unsatisfied. - he replied sternly, continuing his foreplay. - Oh, Hiccup...

Astrid threw her head back and let his subtle kisses coat her wet, overflowing sex. She straight out cried his name when his tongue dipped between her folds, revealing how wet she really was.

- I think you did your math right. - he kissed her folds - It's a good thing I didn't drink at all... - Hiccup, don't-don't let me wait... I want to do it all night, but the first... The first one has to be now!

Her husband slid onto her, and as soon as their lips met, her legs locked behind his back, as if her life depended on it. She moaned when his tip parted her soaking folds, and with his first thrust, she arched her back, aligning her sex to better suit their animalistic needs. a moment later she felt something underneath her back, and realised that their clothes, bundled together would serve as a makeshift pillow, shaping her body into an ideal position for her carnal desire.

But even then, Hiccup took it a bit further. He grabbed her legs and threw it on his shoulders, just so he could sink an inch  or two deeper inside her, an action Astrid welcomed with an unbridled "Yes!". her legs locked behind his neck this time, together with her hands, and in the intimate, tight position, the two began rocking their bodies, running against the time and Sun itself.

Every few seconds Astrid looked to her right, at the small window, and to her left to see shadows of the tree getting longer and longer, trying to find the right moment when they would disappear. but it was easier said than done, as with their biological needs came also the frivolous ones, when Hiccup sneaked his hand between their bodies just to stimulate her swollen num above her entrance.

Astrid lost her mind, kicking and scaring his shoulders, as they drew closer and closer to hers and his fulfilment. The two often finished at different moments, but this one? It had to be simultaneous, Astrid decided, there was no other way.

Astrid moaned, nervously shifting her stare between her husband and the frosted window, trying to postpone his release, despite her body demanding the pleasure that has been building up in her loins. Her needy, quickened, ragged breath coincided with his grunts, and only when she lost track of the Sun that hid behind the horizon, she dug her nails into Hiccup's neck and screamed her plea.

- N-Now! give me your seed! All-all of it!

Never to disappoint his lady, Hiccup gladly fulfilled her plea. He let out a prolonged, deep groan as his hips smashed against hers one final time, and he finally let go, flooding Astrid's fertile womb with streams of his seed, while her body arched under the pleasure that shook her body. Hiccup collapsed on top of her bosom, quickly trying to find her lips, while his body, twisted with hers, continued the sacred ritual they've been preparing for, sending more and more life-giving fluids inside her thirsty body.

Long minutes have passed, as their bodies shook together, and when the two opened their eyes, all they could see in the dimly lit room was the fire's reflections, dancing in their eyes. Hiccup was sure that Astrid cheeks have never look more flustered, the combination of heat from the fire, sultry atmosphere, and an even sultier passion that connected their bodies.

- Do you think it worked? - Hiccup sneaked a kiss between her breasts, knowing well that Astrid would jitter when he brushed a particularly sensitive spot - It better did. Otherwise I will be really pissed at the gods.

She cupped his face and pressed his head against her chest, still rising up and down, desperate for air she expelled when she cried his name.

- But still, I wasn't joking, Hiccup. - she suddenly added, catching his attention - I meant it when I said I want to make love all night.

He blinked.

- Not until the Sun rises again...

Hiccup's eyes opened wide just as he was about to kiss her breasts again, as the meaning of her words finally dawned on him.

- But... it's gonna be two weeks, maybe even fifteen days until... - I know. - Astrid cupped his face and tightened her grip on him - We've been gathering the supplies, and for the next two weeks, we're not gonna leave the house. And you...

She crossed her legs, locking them tightly behind his back, bringing his face inches away from hers.

- You're not gonna leave me.

To prove her point, she gave him a gentle kick to his butt, and with that, he started advancing again, seemingly delving deeper with each trust even though she thought he has reached his limit already, just to ensure he would plant his seed as close to her womb as possible. And though he already filled her once, he was more than happy to do it again.

As it turned out, Astrid really wasn't joking about her plan. Though the two did leave the house, of course - perhaps just to watch the northern lights against the dark sky of the short polar night - she was relentless with milking Hiccup of the chief's seed at least twice a day, ensuring that not a drop of his cum would be wasted, though she sometimes had to use her fingers to clean up after a particularly messy finish that overflowed her sex. Still, she was his wife, so it belonged to her, even if she has to preserve it in her belly...

Astrid never before believed what her mother or Valka told about women's instincts, until she awoken two weeks later to the first rays of newly reborn Sun. She felt ill, was sweaty, hot, though instead of her forehead burning, sudden warmth radiated from within her core that just a few hours earlier has been once more overfilled by Hiccup's virility. And when she placed her hand over it, she knew it has happened. She wouldn't even have to ask Gothi for her wheat seeds that she'd have to pee on to see if they'd sprout. She just... knew.

She turned to her husband, sleeping after another tiring session and though she was eager to tell him the news, she just closed her arms around him, sneaking a kiss to his cheek. And when he turned and closed his arm over her belly, he knew it too.

===========

Also, that “peeing on wheat seeds was a surprisingly reliable pregnancy test. 

[whathappenedtomyweekend]

It’s Just A Spark Ch.14 - Fools

"Good evening, everyone."

Scott's head snapped around at the chipper sound of his cousin's voice, just in time to witness Hiccup walk in, all bounce-y steps and wide grins, and drop his bag on his desk.

Gobber stopped, raising an eyebrow at his colleague over the rim of his mug.

"What're you all smiley for? I thought I'd given you the day off."

"My guess? He got lucky," Scott grinned and crossed his arms behind his neck.

Gobber clicked his tongue with a wave of his hand.

"Don't be stupid. If he'd done as much as kiss her we'd know."

The dark-haired man hummed in response and leaned forward to closely watch his cousin, who was getting progressively less smiley.

"Yeah, you're right. It'd be all over the news. 'Henry Haddock - source confirms Berk's most desired bachelor is going steady. Local singles outraged'."

Hiccup frowned, raising his hands.

"Okay, guys - can we please stop speculating about my love life?"

"Oh, so we're already talking love now, huh?" Snotlout smirked, resting his head on his hand, a smug smile playing on his lips.

Hiccup only groaned, rolling his eyes and turned away, muttering something under his breath.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"I said if you wanted the new Berk's issue cover story, you should've scheduled an interview."

Gobber barked out a laugh and gave Hiccup a well-meant slap on the back.

"Come on, boy, we're just messin' with ya."

Hiccup hesitated but then let out a short exhale, the dopey smile slowly stealing itself back on his lips.

"I know."

Scott grinned and nudged his shoulder.

"There he is! Now, come on, at least give us something! You can't just waltz in, all dopey and shit and then expect us to not want any info."

Hiccup shrugged, waving vaguely as if there was really not much to talk about, honestly (his tried-and-failed nonchalance was not bought for a second)

"Well-"

Her hands sinking into his hair - they're stumbling back into the apartment -

"If you MUST know-"

There is barely any space between them, and he doesn't think he wants there to be any-

"She stayed for the night - you know, because of the storm-"

She's wrapping her arms around him and buries her nose in his chest, and he wants to never let her go-

"A-and before she left, we, uh-"

They've stumbled backwards - his hands can't stop tracing her-

"We kissed."

Gobber's mouth hung wide open.

Snotlout let out a sound that resembled a mix between a strangled sob and a squeal.

Hiccup waited. A couple of moments passed. Then, finally, Gobber broke out into a whoop of laughter, and Hiccup was mentally preparing for the usual slap on the shoulder, but was instead pulled in a hug that he could have sworn was cracking a few of his ribs.

"Ha! I knew it! I knew it - you owe me ten, Snotlout-"

"-you bet on me again?"

"Yeah, well, it was a minor storm."

"Ho- how is that a justification?" Hiccup exclaimed and helplessly searched Snotlout's gaze.

But Scott Jorgenson was speechless.

This happened very - very - rarely. The last time Hiccup had seen him like this had been five years ago after they had pulled a feral, muddy and scared Hookfang out of a frozen creek.

"Scott?" he asked carefully, leaning closer to his cousin. "You okay?"

Snotlout was scrambling for words, helplessly opening and closing his mouth again, looking up at his cousin.

"I - I just didn't think you'd actually do it," he then got out, and to Hiccup's horror, his eyes were watering.

"Oh- God, Scott, I - wait, why is this such a big deal to you? I mean, we're a couple, it was official - I told you and you were completely okay."

His cousin's face crumpled up.

"What? You - you were a couple and you didn't tell me?"

"No, I - I did, I definitely did-" Hiccup stopped, his hands flying up to his hair. "Shit, I told Gobber. I didn't tell you."

"And you're asking me why I'm making such a big deal out of this?"

"Ooh my God, Scott, no, I-"

"Since when? Huh? How long have you been keeping this from me?"

"I wasn't - 3 days."

"Three da- oh wait, that's actually a lot less than I thought it'd be."

Snotlout stopped, looked at Hiccup and then shrugged, and his next words were completely levelled as if he hadn't just been yelling and on the brink of tears at being presented with the fact that his cousin had found love. "Yeah, that's chill."

Hiccup blinked.

"Wait - what?"

Snotlout shrugged again.

"Yah, it's fine. Three days is fine. Gobber once took a week to tell me he got Grump And a new arm design, so you're good."

Hiccup exhaled, relieved. "Okay, good."

He paused, frowned, turning back to Gobber, furrowing his brow.

"You didn't tell him about Grump?"

Gobber shrugged unassumingly.

"No, but seriously," Snot grinned and nudged Hiccup's shoulder. "I'm really happy for you."

Hiccup grinned back at him. "Thanks."

"But don't think that means you're getting out of telling me everything that happened!"

"Yeah, no, I know."

__________________________________________________

Hiccup's words were still ringing in her head. 'Take a step back. Clear your head.'

So she went out for a run. The memory of his lips still burning on hers. Every breath she drew was burning, and her legs felt like they'd give way under her, but Astrid couldn't stop grinning to herself.

Something led her past the fire department, and it was either her heart or her memory, but it was hard trying to bite down her smile, so she gave up and grinned at the ground under her.

His heart had beaten so loud she'd heard.

Astrid remembered the dream she'd had a few weeks back, and she couldn't help but think how that hadn't even gone close to comparing to the real thing. Hiccup's calloused fingers seemed to have left invisible imprints on her skin, and heat rushed to her cheeks as she imagined them ghost over the same trail again, his mouth following his hands.

Astrid came to a sudden halt, leaning against a facade, trying to catch her breath. She screwed her eyes shut and dragged her hands over her burning face, trying to chase the previous thoughts out of her mind.

It turned out that it was downright impossible not to think of - memories of stepping on each other's feet and desperately trying to get closer were as present to her as the wall she was leaning against.

Astrid remembered wishing for fourth, fifth glances, get to know him past his jokes and easy smiles - she thought of him that night, sitting with his leg pulled up, fingers trembling over the fabric. The look in his eyes that was begging her to both to watch and look away.

She'd looked at him and realised that he had never really tried to hide anything with his jokes - but that this Hiccup, right now, was letting her know that there were things in his life that were real and that were painful . He had looked at her and apologised.

A part of her wanted him to know that she was willing to share and ease his pain; another part of her desperately needed him to know that there was nothing to be ashamed of. But she also knew that he needed time to grow comfortable with that idea. And she was willing to wait, however long it took.

By the time Astrid got back home, it was already dark outside. She dropped her keys on her bedside table and quickly checked on Stormfly, who was already asleep, before she toddled into the kitchen, turned on her computer, put on the kettle and opened the fridge, where the only things remotely resembling a meal were a slightly wrinkley paprika and a container with some fruit salad. Usually, she would have at least sighed and closed the door again, only to open it up a few seconds later to check if anything had magically changed - but today, on this particularily unordinary day, she shrugged and opened up the container.

So she sat and ate, in silence.

Astrid had no problem with being alone. In fact, she even enjoyed it. Usually. But again, today, on this particularily unordinary day, she had a problem with eating alone. Specifically, eating without Hiccup.

She wondered how she'd got so used to spending time with him so quickly. All she knew right now was that doing the dishes after finishing this fruit salad would be a drag again, maybe just because they weren't doing them together. A smile bubbled up inside her chest at the thought of yesterday, and she bit her lip, trying not to think about how he'd kept throwing little glances at her anytime he'd handed her a dish, their fingers sometimes brushing, in fear she'd miss it too much now if she did.

But she already had, and now she did miss it. Astrid sighed and put down her fork.

____________________________________________________________

The steady tapping of her fingers on the keyboard was interrupted by a sudden rap on the door, before a key turned in the lock and she heard the door open -

"Put on your pants, we're having dinner!" Ruffnut Thorsten declared from in the middle of her kitchen, shoes and all.

Astrid blinked and looked up from her screen.

"We are?"

"Yup!" Ruff confirmed, grinning brightly at her friend. "Come on, grab your keys, wallet, I booked us a table."

"What, right now?"

"Well - yeah. But first," Ruff grinned and plopped down in Astrid's place when she got up and walked over to the kitchen counter. "I wanna see how you're getting on with this."

Astrid shrugged and handed her friend a mug of coffee - two spoonful sugar and so much milk it was an offense to everything Astrid stood for - and sat down again, curling her legs under her.

They sat in silence for a while, and Ruff took a sip of her abominable coffee choice (Astrid's words, not hers) and remarked calmly, "So, I don't know if this is intentional, but it says here under personal skills 'kissing Hiccup', and, uh, you might wanna give that one a second thought, sis."

Astrid choked on her coffee, slamming the mug down on the table.

"What."

"Well, it says -"

"I wrote that?"

Ruff hesitated, her eyes scanning her screen. Suddenly her face went uncharacteristically slack with surprise. "That's … not the only thing you wrote."

"Wh- let me see."

Astrid scrambled to her feet and grabbed the laptop's screen, pulling it closer.

Stumbling back against the wall … couldn't stop smiling … his hands …

With every passing sentence Astrid's expression grew a bit more horrfied. For a blurry moment she wasn't even sure what her mind had made up and what had really happened yesterday.

There was a moment of silence after they had both finished reading.

Ruff clapped her hands and rubbed them together, her voice almost cheerful when she spoke.

"Well, at least nobody will ever read that, right?"

Astrid looked at her, completely mortified.

"You just did!"

"Shut up, as if i count."

___________________________________________________

"So?"

Hiccup stopped and waited for Scott to catch up with him, keys already in hand, and chuckled. "So what?"

Scott had convinced him to change shifts at the same time, so now Hiccup stood in the department's drive way, waiting for his cousin to finish up. It was a clear, calm and starry night - not a single reminder left of the passed storm.

"So," Scott stressed, jamming his hands into the pockets of his jean jacket as they picked up a leusurely pace. "How do you feel? About all of this. Yesterday, I mean."

Hiccup stopped short, having expected another prod for 'details' from his cousin.

But, to his surprise, Snotlout was watching him with an earnest expression. So he hesitated for a few moments, not sure what to say.

Snotlout went on, "'Cause, listen. I - I mean, we both know you've never had - well. Something like this - but let's be honest, you're a bit of a sap. I know you, so you're probably completely head over heels, but … is she serious about this? As serious as you are, I mean?" At his cousin's expression he quickly raised his hands. "I just don't want you to get hurt. I care about you, man. I want this to work out for you."

It was in this moment, and maybe it was the fact that they were out on this particularily starry night, or that Scott's expression and voice were so soft and concerned it was impossible to think that there had ever been any animosity between them years back from now, or that at the thought of yesterday he felt an intense wave of serenity wash over him - it was in this moment, that Hiccup realised that there was a word for what he was feeling.

"I'm in love," he whispered into the darkness, and Snotlout stopped walking, and the words were so easy they chased a smile to his lips. "I think I'm in love with her, Snot."

It was for the second time today that Scott Jorgenson was rendered scrambling for words.

So Hiccup continued walking and gave his words some more room. "I've been living in this flat for almost five years now, Scott. And I don't know, maybe it's the job or the amount of hours I spend talking to my cat each day, but every time she's in my apartment it feels like I'm finally home. Like I've stopped searching," Hiccup paused for a second, then he grinned. "And honestly? Fuck sleeping alone."

Snotlout couldn't help but snort at that, making Hiccup's grin widen as he grabbed his arm and leaned against him, making both of them stumble. "There he is."

Scott laughed and pushed him off, stumbling onto the empty street.

"I knew it! You sappy fool! And you didn't tell me earlier!"

"If love be blind, it best agrees with night," Hiccup chipped swiftly, and quickly ducked away from his laughing cousin's arm.

"You know I don't get your Shakespeare references!"

"That's why I make them," Hiccup grinned and pulled Snotlout back onto the pavement.

"No, dude, but seriously," Snotlout's expression was serious again. "This isn't one-sided, is it? Emotion-wise?"

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "How do you mean?"

"Well," Snotlout shrugged. "Are you sure she's feeling the same for you? Or at least to some degree?"

Hiccup paused for a moment.

Her hands are open on the table, calm, relaxed. 'That's good. 'Cause you've caught mine, too.

'It's good to see you.'-

Her voice is still trembling, but she's smiling as she presses her lips to his cheek-

"And this is for ... everything else."-

Her voice is the first thing he hears that morning. 'I've missed you,' she confesses and he's redefining his own meaning of the word.

He looks up, and the sun's coming up, and she's out of breath but still breathtaking- 'You okay?'

The plank bed is bending violently and she leans into him - "I'd rather be here and spend the night with you than going back."

They're already back inside and he's fiddling with the radio, so maybe she thinks he doesn't notice the expression on her face, but then he looks up and she's smiling even wider-

She wraps her arms around him and he can feel her grin against his chest-

"You're not staying?"-

She's comforting Toothless, he feels himself dozing off, her calm voice surrounding him, and he can feel her drape the blanket over his shoulders-He's trembling, and he's wishing he wasn't, but then there she's taking his hand, "Let it be ugly"-

-Then he's holding her, or maybe she's holding him, and he can feel her heartbeat, and it's as erratic as his own-

"Hiccup Haddock, I can't even begin to tell you how much I'd like that."

Hiccup looked at his cousin and nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I am."

[tysonrunningfox]

Ripped: Part 10

This chapter is...so much, again, I...hope I didn’t mess a lot of things up but also I’m so excited for this to be out there

Ao3

Detective Eretson’s office isn’t roomy, but it looks bigger for the absolute lack of decoration. Snotlout has been complaining about him for a year, but there’s nothing on the walls except for a very official looking medal that Hiccup doesn’t recognize and the bookcase holds only a cardboard box neatly folded and marked “miscellaneous”. Hiccup can see Snotlout’s nametag on his desk out through the small vertical window, which is crosshatched with wire, the age old answer to bulletproof that actually makes it weaker.

Hiccup’s dad’s office had glass like that. They took it out after he died and replaced it with modern tempered glass, like there was no longer anything inside worth the falsely protecting.

Eretson brings Hiccup a cup of coffee from the breakroom, stale and obviously made that morning, but he accepts it anyway, taking the smallest sip he can while Eretson sits down and logs into his computer. The silence and clicking matches Hiccup’s speeding heartbeat and he clears his throat, fidgeting in the cold plastic chair. Something about the detective’s presence reminds him of his dad getting home after he’d done something wrong but it hadn’t been discovered yet. He learned young that confessing was easier than not, but his dad’s disappointment was heavier to carry than his own guilt.

“What? No bad cop routine this time?” He laughs, the sound echoing off of the undecorated walls, unwelcome.

“That was tired cop,” Eretson pushes his keyboard away and turns fully to Hiccup, eyebrows knit together in a heavy frown.

“What’s this then?”

“I’m good at my job, Mr. Haddock.” There’s swagger there but it’s buoyant, balancing. “And I’m good at reading people.”

“I’m guessing I say ‘won’t try to escape’?” Hiccup rubs one of his wrists and Eretson doesn’t flinch.

“This precinct lets you get away with a lot because of your father,” a jab that hurts worse than when Snotlout says it, “but not murder.” He flips through some photos from the crime scene and Hiccup swallows hard, trying to focus on anything but that flash of metal leg and regretting it. “People who do this don’t look at pictures of it like that.”

“I bet that’s true,” Hiccup remembers the guy who’d invited him over to see his collection.

“It is,” Eretson turns the photos over, “but that doesn’t explain why you keep finding the bodies.”

“So you think the cases are related?” It’s the only thing Hiccup has been able to think about for the last two hours. Or that’s not fair, it’s the only thing he’s been able to focus on.

He thought about his tour, and how it felt like the worst ever but he’s scared it’ll be his best reviewed. He thought about Astrid, one second blushing with her chin held high and the next pale and terrified, her shaky hand telling him to pull his foot out of his mouth and turn around. He thought about Dave and wondered if it hurt.

But he focused on all the reasons the murders can’t be related. Or all the reason, singular, and it doesn’t feel very reliable right now, sitting across the station from his dad’s old office, being lectured by strong, broad shoulders and an unshakeable scowl.

Lightning doesn’t strike twice until someone puts up a lightning pole.

“Your alibies check out. I talked to Gobber and he affirmed how you knew of the first victim. And I confirmed the tape—“

“What tape?” Hiccup can’t think of anywhere legal he’s been that would be taped and obtained by the cops.

“Right,” Eretson clears his throat and turns back to his computer, clicking again before turning the screen around. “This tape was recorded—“

“The back of the condos,” Hiccup nods to himself, watching grainy black and white footage of Astrid jumping and his arm curling her protectively into his chest. It’s a joke even here, she obviously doesn’t need his protection, but God he wanted to give it to her earlier as she shook, trying not to look into the alley and being unable to look anywhere else.

The memory twists his stomach, caught up in everything else. It was torture to see her scared after seeing her so passionate, defiant, happy. Embarrassed was his favorite, he liked it enough that he pulled off feigning confidence, even though the thought of her kissing him for revenge after trying to save his tour practically made him lightheaded.

Cameras. Astrid texted him that she’d talked to the police about cameras, this must have been why. He wonders what she thought when she saw it.

“This is approximately time of death, given the coroner’s statement and Miss Hofferson confirmed that you walked her home.”

“I did.”

“When does your first Viggo Grimborn tour begin?” He says Grimborn like an American idiom he finds deeply inferior and Hiccup wants to ask where he’s from, but the little Snotlout on his shoulder flicks him on the ear and reminds him not to yap without a lawyer present. He’s not sure when Snotlout got promoted to be both angel and devil, but now’s not the time to dwell on that.

“Seven or seven thirty, depending on the weather, and I try and get there half an hour before to let people know they’re in the right place.”

“Miss Hofferson says I can confirm with her coworker that you were at her job from five to six, approximately.”

“Sounds about right,” Hiccup wills his face not to move but Eretson’s eyes flash anyway, deadly like a predator that isn’t used to starving.

“So, the night of Jennifer Franklin’s murder, you’re attesting to the fact that you made it from 324 Harbor road to the alley behind the Ripped Tavern in less than half an hour, but you’re now claiming that being at the Berk Archives until six is enough evidence to say that you couldn’t have been killing this man at approximately six thirty, according to the coroner?”  

Eretson isn’t flip-flopping or changing his mind, he’s trying to steer his investigational sailboat with a strong lean and Hiccup’s lower back throbs.

His doctor doesn’t like him walking eight miles a day on cobblestones and his hips agree. His back is usually willing to compromise but the last week avoiding shortcuts at Snotlout’s request has done a number on its resolve.

“I’ve been staying out of the alleys,” Hiccup realizes all at once that there’s no way to know that Dave was wearing his old spare leg and the angelic-devil Snotlout on his shoulder applauds him for keeping the secret, “Snotlout—Officer Jorgenson, I mean, said it wasn’t a good idea after the first murder.”

“He did?”

“He’s not particularly confident in my ability to take care of myself,” Hiccup flexes an arm and laughs, the self-depricating sound less welcome in the office than the awkward one. “Ask him yourself.”

“You can’t tell me about it?” There’s frustration there but not disbelief.

“I uh…don’t talk much.” He clears his throat, “I’m shy around authority figures, you know how it is, I’m sure.”

“That’s the first lie you’ve told,” Eretson stands up and opens the door to his office, “don’t—“

“Don’t leave town, I’ve got it.” Hiccup walks out into the lobby, freezing when he recognizes a man in a crisp grey uniform talking to a man in a suit that makes Eretson stop short.

“Detective Eretson, I’ve heard that you’ve met Mr. Grisly—“

“I have,” Eretson answers stiffly, holding out a tense hand at the end of a flexed arm.

“My pleasure,” the man in gray shakes it, everything about him mocking and superior for no externally discernible reason. His accent is Bond villain and he raises a charcoal eyebrow at Hiccup. “It’s good to see you again, Hiccup, it’s been too long.”

“Has it?” Hiccup never thought he’d feel like he was backed against the same wall as detective Eretson by the same force, “I thought you didn’t enjoy your private tour.”

“Enjoyment isn’t necessary for an experience to be…influential.” He laughs, “you didn’t get my joke, by the way.”

“Joke?”

“It hasn’t been a long time at all, I caught you with your hands full the other night.” He’s having as much fun as Hiccup isn’t currently and as much as Eretson has never had.

“With unsanctioned cameras,” Eretson crosses his arms, respectfully glaring at the man in the suit. “I’m close, Sir—“

“The approval just went through this morning, we can’t have the media buzz right now Eretson, I’m calling in all the help we can get.”

“Then talk to another precinct, don’t bring in a civilian organization—”

“Other precincts don’t have anyone to spare,” Eretson’s boss is conclusive, leaving no room to wedge an argument in before he continues, “and Mr. Grisly’s help has the additional benefit of being free, so you’ll take the information he gives you.”

“I’m sure it’s unbiased,” Hiccup mutters under his breath and Eretson scoffs, their momentary agreement lingering as Eretson’s boss walks away.

“I look forward to working together,” Mr. Grisly’s smile is predatory too, but starving. A lion under a gladiator arena starved to amp up its ferocity, but something about the gleam in his eye makes Hiccup think he bolted the lock himself. “This case so far is of particular interest to me.”

Everything impulsive in Hiccup’s body wants to say ‘Grimborn’ but his stomach twists against it, the ghost of a gag keeping the words in his throat. If it’s Grimborn, that means at least two more murders and he doesn’t even want to think about it, especially given his recent luck in stumbling across them.

“Great, more hobby detectives,” Eretson gripes, dismissing Hiccup with a look at the front door and yet another reminder not to leave town. Hiccup wishes that was more of an issue, but he wasn’t exactly planning a lavish vacation before a second murder shut down his tours.

00000

The shelter is busier than usual, and Gobber lets Hiccup eat if he works, so he finds plenty to keep himself occupied through the next week. Plus, people at the shelter are scared, getting there earlier, every day with new complaints about the Neighborhood Watch Force flaunting badges they’ve been told mean something now. Snotlout is furious but for once, as helpless as Eretson, even though the phenomenon doesn’t seem to be forcing any kind of bond. If anything, Snotlout is angrier, but that could just be the fact that he’s stuck on traffic duty during an important investigation.

Home is quiet though, and Hiccup is restless. As much as his back appreciates the break, he doesn’t need the extra time to think. He could research, given his renewed access and enthusiasm about the archives, but he can’t think about Grimborn without thinking ahead like a meteorologist tracking Hurricane Death. That and as much as he’d like to hang out with Astrid, he’s not sure she feels the same and if she doesn’t, he doesn’t know if he can blame her.

She’s been texting him, mostly pictures from the Berk Enquirer. She found some article from the summer of eighteen eighty-five suggesting an earthquake was actually caused by a dragon fighting ring in a giant arena under the bay and asked for his thoughts on the topic. He said it seemed plausible, given that no one actually knows what’s under the earth as it hurtles through space like a Frisbee and she sent back a string of angry emojis that made him laugh, but flat earth jokes aren’t necessarily communication.

“Oh my God, dude, what are you wearing?” He barely gets two steps in the door after helping Gobber check people into the shelter on Friday night before Snotlout’s outfit accosts him from across the living room. “Or should I say what aren’t you wearing?” Hiccup pulls down the collar of his tee-shirt to mimic the deep V of Snotlout’s shirt.

“What?”

“You left the part of your shirt that covers your lack of tan in your closet, you might want to check on that before you blind someone.”

“Very funny,” Snotlout grabs his jacket, “I’m going to go get a beer, want to come?”

“Even I know I shouldn’t spend my last five dollars on beer.”

“If you want me to cover you, just ask, don’t be so cryptic all the time,” he chides as he rolls his eyes, waving Hiccup along behind him.

“I wasn’t asking you to cover me.” Hiccup clarifies on the way downstairs and Snotlout shrugs.

“Whatever, dude, keep telling yourself that.” He looks both ways before continuing, voice low, “they still don’t know it’s your fake leg, by the way, have you heard anything from Eretson?”

“Nope, apparently I learned how to shut up at a really convenient time, I just needed some pressure.”

“Well keep the pressure on, I doubt your closed mouth is permanent, and they’re no closer to solving this, even with Mr. Creepy skulking around the station.” Snotlout shudders, “the guy isn’t even helpful, he just looms over everyone’s shoulders. He caught me online shopping the other day and he just watched.”

“It’s a good thing I’m sure you were shopping for totally work appropriate stuff, as you always do,” Hiccup raises an eyebrow and Snotlout glares at him.

“Shut up, Hiccup.”

Gruff’s is busy but not packed yet, and they’re lucky enough to get a booth along the wall. Snotlout sends Hiccup to the bar to get drinks and Gruffnut jokes about his growth spurt instead of asking for ID. That’s something that wouldn’t happen anywhere else in Berk these days, the bars down on the main street that charge ten dollars for some locally made shitty whiskey usually end up asking Hiccup for two IDs if he makes the mistake of shaving too close to going. It makes him want to ask how Gruffnut manages to pay rent if Heather is struggling, but he guesses this is a worse neighborhood.

Or was, maybe murders happening so close to the condos will equalize property values a little bit.

Who’s he kidding? They’ll probably skyrocket. He saw his first article relating the current duo of murders to Viggo Grimborn this morning and couldn’t help but read it. It got a lot wrong, even ascribing to the theory that the third victim’s fiancé did it to first scare her into staying off the street and then to cover his tracks, but Hiccup gets the feeling it did what it was supposed to. Someone at the shelter was complaining about motel prices doubling nearly overnight and Berserker Tours added a RSVP tab to the website that Hiccup told himself he wouldn’t check, but when he did it was scheduling three weeks out.

Snotlout dutifully doesn’t listen to Hiccup’s rant about it, staring idly around the room like if he looks bored enough Hiccup won’t know he’s looking for a target. It makes Hiccup think about texting Astrid for what must be the hundredth time this week, and he sets his phone on the table where his pocket can’t accidentally make that decision for him.

“…absolute lying, thieving sack of shit!” The insult rises above the noise of the crowd mid-sentence and a few heads turn towards the end of the bar by the door. Hiccup turns in the booth to investigate and thinks he recognizes the blonde woman yelling at Gruffnut, hands planted on the weathered counter. “Don’t play dumb with me, I know exactly how dumb you are and you aren’t going to get away with acting any dumber than that!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Gruffnut whistles, cleaning a glass with a filthy rag, “must have been Tuff.”

“Is that?” Snotlout frowns, talking mostly to himself. “I think that’s—”

“Ruff!”

Hiccup recognizes Astrid’s voice instantly and jumps to his feet, but Snotlout is already across the room, holding Ruffnut back as she’s trying to claw her way over the counter.

“Let’s calm down here—”

“I don’t need a cop to protect me from my dweeby little girl cousin, Snotlout.”

Ruffnut’s yell is primal and she elbows Snotlout in the chest almost hard enough for him to lose his grip.

“You absolute piece of shit, if you don’t find my money I’m going to kill you and claim next of kin, you creepy body snatching—”

“Ruff, calm down,” Astrid tries again, catching Ruffnut’s arm before she can take another swing at Snotlout.

“I don’t even have to hide it, I can just disembowel it in the street at a specific location and—”

“Hey!” Astrid booms, shoving Snotlout and Ruffnut out of the way and evidently taking the problem into her own hands. “Just give her the money, Gruff. And while you’re at it, I’d like my fifty bucks back.”

“You never loaned me fifty bucks, that was Tuffnut.”

“How about a free round,” Hiccup inserts himself, leaning elbows on the bar next to her and waving sheepishly when she cocks her head, surprised but not unhappy to see him. “Or I’ll tell Snotlout to release the beast over there.”

“He doesn’t listen to you,” Gruffnut narrows his eyes but starts pouring four shitty beers anyway.

“I might not have a choice,” Snotlout grunts as Ruffnut flings herself back against him, trying to kick at the bar, “fuck, she’s strong.”

“Flattery won’t work on me,” she grunts, yanking Snotlout’s arm off of her waist and turning to face him. Her posture changes instantly, hip cocked as she twirls long hair around her finger, “oh, yours might.”

“This isn’t even the first situation this week that my good looks have diffused,” Snotlout grabs two beers off of the counter and hands one to Ruffnut, smiling smugly at Gruffnut, “you should be glad to have me around.”

“Yeah, I’ll be glad to have you around the day it’s legal to charge cops ten percent more.” He grumbles, walking to the other end of the bar to serve someone else, “can’t even have a bar fight with your cousin these days. Fucking nanny state.”

“So…” Hiccup looks at Astrid as Ruffnut and Snotlout head back to the booth, “there’s a story here.”

“Yeah,” she tucks a lock of her hair behind her ear, ponytail slightly crooked, likely from her own attempt to hold Ruffnut back, “I should probably tell it, I doubt Ruffnut has the attention span right now.”

Of course Ruffnut and Snotlout are sharing one side of the booth and Hiccup tries to be casual as Astrid slides in next to him, accidentally bumping his shoulder as she takes off her jacket and sets it between them. It’s not much of a buffer because it smells like her shampoo, floral even above the cigarette smell ingrained decades deep into the wood paneling on the wall, and Hiccup tries to focus on anything but the memory of encyclopedias falling in tune with his pounding heart.

“Guess what?” Ruffnut is too pleased with herself to really look annoyed, “after all, it turns out that Snotlout wouldn’t have minded you giving me his number. All that arguing for nothing.”

“Not for nothing,” Snotlout stretches an arm across the back of the booth, “I didn’t mind holding you back, babe.”

“I mean I’d rather you didn’t hold me back,” she grins, “and we were wearing less or it was strategically pushed aside—”

“Oh my God!” Astrid chugs about half of her beer in a single gulp, cheeks practically glowing and a stern expression on her face. “I’m sorry about her, Snotlout, thank you for helping me save my friend from assaulting someone.”

“Again, I don’t mind,” Snotlout winks and Hiccup usually asks him how he thinks anyone could think that looks cool, but now he’s just remembering how stupid he must have looked doing the same at Astrid and asking her to kiss him again.

And then they found a body.

That’s still a change in tone he hasn’t found a way to navigate.

“I kind of do,” Ruffnut puffs out her cheeks and releases the air in a small, deflated puff, “the holding me back part, I mean. Free beer is my favorite, but it takes a lot of free beer to add up to a thousand dollars.”

“Less to fifty,” Astrid snorts, “I might be up to it.”

“That would be like sixteen of these on happy hour,” Hiccup turns his glass between his hands, “I’m not doubting your power, but…”

“After the week I’ve had, I might be up to it,” she shakes her head, obviously tired. It looks different than the kind of tired he saw when he showed up at her door too late or too early, or the kind of tired she was when she just had to wait for his eleven o’clock tour to yell one last theory down at him. It’s deeper and he hates that he knows why she can’t sleep.

“So, how do you guys know Gruff?” Hiccup changes the subject before it can drift naturally into Grimborn and all the ways its meaning might be changing.

“Are you kidding me?” Ruffnut points at her face and then absently over her left shoulder with a habitual thumb. “Oh, shit, Tuff isn’t here right now, that would be confusing.”

“He’s Ruffnut’s cousin,” Astrid explains, “and her brother’s doppleganger, it’s a whole long confusing story.”

“Well, I don’t have anywhere to be.” Hiccup tries to feel natural but Snotlout’s easy arm on the back of the other side of the booth makes his heart race when he even thinks about doing the same to Astrid. He remembers what she felt like against him, the strong set of her shoulders under his hands, the curve of her waist, and his entire body itches to pull her into his side now.

Not that there’s any indication she’d let him. She might see him and remember an alley she never wants to see again with him presenting it like Vanna White happily revealing the prize behind door number three.

“He takes my twin brother’s clothes and asks for money or stuff and when he gets it, he falls off the face of the earth again. Last time it was Tuff owing tax money so of course I gave it to him,” Ruffnut rubs her temple, “I’m too good of a sister, that’s the whole problem.”

“How alike could they possibly look?” Snotlout asks, grinning when Ruffnut is apparently happy to be blinded by his chest.

“It’s…kind of creepy, actually,” Astrid sighs, “I didn’t believe it until Tuffnut didn’t pay back some money I loaned him. He’s usually good about that stuff but he just kept insisting I never loaned him anything, and then I met Gruffnut.” She waves her hand towards the bar, ponytail swinging for emphasis.

“You know, babe, if you had a case for identity theft,” Snotlout waggles his eyebrows and Ruffnut pouts, crumpling into his side, head dramatically on his shoulder. He wraps his arm easily around her waist and Astrid sits up straighter, so rigid if Hiccup didn’t know better he’d think she was a wax statue.

A wax statue that had its post-forming makeup touched up by someone red-green colorblind trying to make an absolutely gorgeous Wicked Witch of the West, but still.

“I wish,” Ruffnut groans, “Tuffnut worships the ground the guy walks on.”

“I get it,” Snotlout nods, “that’s how Hiccup feels about me, some cousins just have that energy.” He grins, looking pointedly at Hiccup’s awkward arm, setting limply in his lap like he forgot how to move it. “Some don’t.”

“I get that you’re pissed, Ruff, I am too, but maybe it’s not the time for the disemboweling threats,” Astrid says it like the words are likely to bounce back at her so she doesn’t want to sharpen them too much.

“Why not?” Ruffnut snorts and gestures at Hiccup, “I’m in the right company.”

“Right, that’s me,” Hiccup nods to himself, “the disemboweled body guy. It’s good to finally officially introduce myself.”

This is going great.

“Oh, we’ve met,” Ruffnut raises an eyebrow, “how’s the tour business? I bet it’s picking up with some crazy mimic on the loose.”

“Babe, I’m not supposed to talk about it, but I can’t help myself around you so I’ll just say that the police have no actual reason to link the murders,” Snotlout tries to steer the conversation and Astrid glares at him. “Aside from, you know, some obnoxious weirdos or whatever.”

“If you’re not supposed to talk about it, maybe don’t talk about it.”

“I didn’t,” he rolls his eyes, “I said what we haven’t found, which is not the same as saying what we have—”

“How about none of us talk about it?” Hiccup tries, drumming his hands on the edge of the table, “anyone read any good books lately?”

“Nope,” Astrid looks at him helplessly then, wide eyes begging him to keep a secret. A bookish secret, apparently.

Oh, their secret. It makes sense that what happened at the archives would get lost in the whirlwind of finding a body, but Hiccup can’t quite stop himself from assuming she regrets it.

“Right, like it’s possible to avoid talking about it,” Ruffnut points at the TV over the bar, where the news is showing a juxtaposition of a picture of the alley from the Grimborn file along with a modern picture.

“…police response has been sluggish, given the repeated nature of the murders and the plausible connection to the Viggo Grimborn case—”

“I’ll put it on Sports Center,” Snotlout stands up and Astrid follows.

“What? So we can watch more Superbowl reruns?”

Snotlout grins, “not a Pats fan?”

“Don’t talk to me,” she shoves him hard enough that he stumbles and makes a bee-line for the tv.

“Is it because you’re a sore loser or what?” Snotlout starts in on his favorite argument.

“Well, there goes his night,” Hiccup tries to joke with Ruffnut even as he watches Astrid’s furious, irritated expression. She takes the remote from Snotlout’s hand and changes the channel, ignoring a few complaints at the bar. “Especially because it looks like Astrid has an opinion on the topic.”

Ruffnut narrows her eyes and Hiccup clears his throat, unused to the position of Designated Normal Person and unsure if he’s doing it right.

“So umm, football?”

“Did you do it?” Ruffnut whispers, leaning close across the table.

“Football?” Hiccup laughs, “yeah, look at me. I was a championship kicker, won the big game for the whole town and—”

“No, the murders,” she clarifies, shrewd even as she tries to look casual. “I’m just saying, it’s a little suspicious that you were giving murder site tours to my best friend both times they happened.”

“No, I did not murder two people.”

“Because I mean it, Astrid is my absolute best friend, and if you’re getting her entangled in some weird serial killer cult, she won’t be the one getting blamed for it.” It’s too matter of fact to be a threat, like the sequence of events already exists in a universe Hiccup really doesn’t want to get to.

“I’m not introducing Astrid to a murderous cult.”

“Well, I know you guys aren’t hooking up because if you were, she’d probably have something more interesting to talk about than stupid Viggo Grimborn.” Ruffnut looks him up and down appraisingly, “maybe.”

“I’m not introducing Astrid to a murderous cult,” Hiccup repeats the truth, willing his expression flat.

“HGTV?” Snotlout scoffs over the crowd, “right, for all the renovating you do in your shitty apartment.”

“It’s aspirational,” Astrid jumps and neatly sets the remote on top of the tv where Snotlout can’t reach it. “Unlike the NFL’s stance that their system is really totally fine even if the competition has devolved into who gets cheated by a bunch of—”

“That’s my cue,” Ruffnut drains her beer and stands up, “she gets on me for threatening my dipshit cousin and then she starts dissing the Patriots in a bar in the middle of Downtown Berk. I don’t know what she’d do without me.”

“Always a pleasure, Ruff,” Hiccup waves before slumping forward, smacking his forehead on the table a couple of times for good measure.

Astrid regrets kissing him, her best friend thinks he’s more likely to be into ritualistic murder than to have a chance with her. He’s broke. Someone might be a ritualistic serial killer and their shared interest in Berk’s history is making him more broke.

He expects Snotlout to start right in on making fun of his absolutely disastrous performance with Astrid, so he’s shocked when someone quietly slides into the booth across from him. He doesn’t expect to look up and see Astrid biting her lip and staring pensively at her beer.

“Where—”

“They just left together,” she cuts him off with an awkward laugh, “just so you know.”

“Ah,” Hiccup pushes his hair back, half-relieved and half-jealous, unsure where the feelings overlap. He’d love to not be here, but Astrid seems committed to being exactly where she is, so he’s committed. “So I’m stuck here for a while then.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it,” she shrugs a stiff shoulder, “you’ve met Ruffnut, it’s not like she’s shy about…well, anything.”

“Oh no, not—It’s not about her, it’s for my own good.” He laughs, wishing she’d sat back next to him at the same time as he’s glad to be able to see her face, slowly relaxing away from it’s coiled, anxious expression. “Snotlout’s a screamer.”

She snorts mid-drink, clapping her hand over her nose and coughing.

“Sorry,” he shoves a crumpled napkin at her before re-thinking it, “never mind, I wouldn’t trust anything on this table—”

“I’m fine,” she wipes her nose on her sleeve and pointedly changes the subject, “how have you been? Usually I don’t have to ask because I see you every night outside my window.” She doesn’t mention why he’s not doing tours and that makes it more obvious.

Or maybe it’s obvious all on its own and he’s just skirting the issue by making her snort beer out of her nose.

“I’m good. Fine. You?” He wouldn’t try to deny that he’s asking how traumatized she is. In fact, he probably deserves an award for not tacking on a rating scale. One means she needs a ride to a licensed mental health professional immediately, ten means she’s smart enough to never want to see him again because he’s obviously a weirdo dragging her towards the macabre and it’s not good for her.

He’s hoping for like a six, meaning she’d take a hug but won’t necessarily make him talk about it.

“I just said I’m fine,” her half smile accuses him of being a little bit stupid and he can’t help but remember how soft her lips were. How weirdly sweet she was when she tried to save his tour. How adorably embarrassed she was when she impossibly let it slip that she thought he did something sexy, like that’s a word anyone has ever associated with him, least of all someone like Astrid.

And then they found a body.

“Good.” As bad as Hiccup is at performing the role of Designated Normal Person, he’s even worse at having nothing to say.

“Thanks, by the way,” Astrid clears her throat, sniffing like there’s still beer where it shouldn’t be, “for not telling Ruffnut about…you know, the other day.”

“Which part?” Hiccup scratches the back of his head, “because I think she knows about the whole umm…finding a body part, given she thinks I’m the killer.”

“She doesn’t seem to get that people can have a shared interest and nothing more.” Her words sting but her blush doesn’t.

“Right, shared interests always lead to ritualistic murder,” he nods, elbows on the table as he leans a little closer to not have to say murder so loud, “I don’t see the flaw in that logic.”

“Either murder or the inevitable ‘sex in a murder alley’ she keeps insisting is a thing.” Astrid is either very cruel or has no idea of her ability to short circuit minds.

“Yeah, that sounds pretty morbid and drafty,” Hiccup laughs, his heart slamming around his ribcage apparently untethered, “plus, if ritualistic murder alley sex was on the table, your apartment is already a murder site so…” He swallows hard, wishing the floor would do the same to him. “Not a new one—"

“Don’t remind me,” she says seriously, clearly choosing not to hear the worst of what he just said, and he’s an idiot who can’t take an out.

“So no point in risking the public indecency charge, I guess.” He gestures between them and shakes his head, “not that ‘murder alley sex’ is a thing that exists at all, let alone with—you know, you. Or me. Or—"

“Don’t you mean my apartment isn’t a new murder scene yet?” Her laugh is humorless and heavy as she cautiously meets his eyes. “I hate to even say it, but do you think it’s a Grimborn thing?”

Hiccup’s stomach twists and looking into her tired face, he wishes he was a better liar, “I guess we’ll find out.”

“If it is,” she looks at him carefully, her assessment entirely perpendicular to Ruffnut’s, “if someone is killing people like Viggo Grimborn did, how can we just sit there doing nothing? If this—what are you going to do about it?”

He knows the correct answer to that question. It’s been drilled into him again and again since before he can remember. Hell, probably since before he could walk.

The police are dealing with it. The system works. Getting in the way only slows down the process.

But he can’t say that because Astrid knows that means nothing. It’s an empty thing he’d say to tell her to move on with her life while people are getting hurt, to pretend that mental blinders do anything other than hide suffering. And she’s too smart for that. Too smart and too honest to go along with it.

And she doesn’t scare easy.

“Probably something stupid,” he shrugs and she nods, apparently satisfied with the answer.

“Sounds about right.”

[p-artsypants]

No, You Go First (Part 1)

This ones been rolling around for some time. Changed a little bit here and there…kind of thought about making it longer. Maybe someday.

What would happen in the first movie if Stoick listened to his son at a key point?

FF.net | Ao3

—

Hiccup snuck in the door quietly. The run in with the Nightfury had taken much longer than expected, and he only hoped no one noticed he was missing.

Who was he kidding? No one would miss him.

Though, when he entered his house, Stoick was sitting at the fireplace, whittling, and waiting for him. The boy bit his lip and fled to his room, hoping to not be spotted.

“Hiccup?”

“Dad! Hey! Uh…I-I have to talk to you…”

“I have something to say to you too…”

They both spoke at the same time, mashing their sentences in a mess of scrabbled words. Then, “What?”

“You go first,” urged Stoick.

“Okay…” And he took the chance, because when would his father ever listen to him?

“I was thinking, you know we have a surplus of dragon-fighting Vikings, but do we have enough bread-making Vikings, or small home—“

“Get on with it Hiccup.” Stoick said, crossing his arms.

“I don’t want to fight dragons.”

Stoick stared at his son, blankly, and then laughed. “Come on, yes you do.”

“Rephrase, I can’t kill a dragon.”

Stoick was prepared to rebuttal, but seeing his little son so hunched, so withdrawn…so un-viking, made him hold his tongue. “What was all that bravado about then earlier? You were begging me to let you out there!”

“I know I know…” Hiccup rubbed his arm. “But I…realized something.” He glanced up shyily, wincing all the while. “Promise you won’t get mad?”

Stoick let out a massive sigh doing everything in his power to stay calm. “I promise. I’d rather you not hide things from me.”

Hiccup nodded meekly, still holding his arm. “I…I did shoot down that dragon. So I went down to Raven’s Point to make sure, and maybe finish the job if I needed to. When I got there, I saw him…and I raised my knife, ready to strike…and then I looked into it’s eyes. It was…scared, terrified…I saw myself in it. I couldn’t…I just…I cut it free.” He clenched up, waiting for the onslaught of anger from his dad.

But it never came.

Hiccup peeled his eyes open to see his dad red in the face and a frown on his lips. Then Stoick puffed out air. “So you cut it loose. It didn’t hurt you?”

“He pinned me to the ground and roared in my face. And then he took off.”

“What kind of dragon was it?”

“I think it was a Nightfury…”

“A Nightfury! And you let it go!?”

“I know!” He cried. “I’m sorry! I just…”

A heavy hand fell on his shoulder. “Look, Hiccup.”

He looked up and met Stoick’s eyes.

“Your mother was a lot like you. She was convinced that dragons weren’t as evil as we believed. Even up until the day she was taken.”

“They are still a pest! They do make it hard to live! I just—I just—…” He gestured helplessly.

Stoick steered him over to sit him down at the fire.

“When your mother was here, most of us only used hammers as weapons. We agreed that the beasts weren’t evil, but after she was taken…” He sighed. “Hiccup, I understand where you’re coming from, I really do. But I can’t lose you.”

“Dad…”

“I have to know that you’ll be safe in a raid. But you can’t lift a hammer, you can’t swing a sword…”

“Dad, dad!” Hiccup interrupted. “I’ll stay in the forge.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’ll work. I’ll lift heavy stuff and build up my arms and learn how to use weapons…”

Stoick, who was now calming down, saw the slight tremble in his son and the fear that persisted in his eyes. “Son,” he said softly. “It’s alright. The forge is a good idea.”

“You don’t look 100% sure…”

“It’s not the most honorable. Everyone loves the Blacksmith, but not for a chief. But, you’re only 15. Things may change.”

“Yeah.” Hiccup vocally agreed, but that look in the Nightfury’s eyes had been so haunting, he knew he couldn’t raise a weapon against a dragon ever again. “But…I’ll start to win everyone’s favor by staying out of the way.”

Stoick managed a laugh. “A start it is.”

The little family fell into silence. Stoick continued his whittling while Hiccup sat by. He felt like there was more to be said.

“Dragon training starts tomorrow. I was going to have you start…but while Gobber’s training the new recruits, someone will have to be in the forge.”

Hiccup nodded in agreement, some of the tension coming off his shoulders.

“You’re not a warrior.” Stoick declared, giving him a side eye. “You aren’t bursting with muscle, and weapons are useless in your hands.”

“Thanks…”

“But you have something most of the vikings in this village wish they could have.”

This was news. All his life he had been called useless and a screw up. What could he possibly have that no one else did?

“You have brains, capable of resourcefulness and creativity.”

Hiccup just stared at his dad, open mouthed.

“You couldn’t throw a bola, so you made something to throw it for you. I’ve seen your craftsmanship, I’ve heard your wit. You’re different from all of us, Hiccup.”

Hiccup hunched his shoulders. “I don’t want to be different. No one likes different…”

“Of course they don’t. Because they can’t understand it.” He leaned forward, beckoning Hiccup to look him in the eye. “You won’t be able to lead the tribe like I have, or like my father before me. But you will lead it, one day. You just have to find your niche.”

“Well, what do you want me to do?”

“If you truly believe that the beasts are capable of something more, find a way to make them stop raiding us. A thousand years of fighting hasn’t changed a thing.”

Hiccup considered this thought heavily. His father was putting a lot of trust and faith on his shoulders.

“But son, if you don’t find that solution…one day, you’ll have to put your reservations aside and be like the rest of us. Deal?”

Hiccup glanced to the duffle bag by the door. Stoick was leaving, and this could very well be the last time they saw one another. He nodded. “Deal.”

“Good. Well, keep up the good work. I’ll be back. Probably.”

“And I’ll be here. Maybe.”

—

The next day, Hiccup went down to the training academy, and sat along the upper edge with a notebook.  

“Welcome to dragon training!” Gobber called with gusto.

“I hope I get some serious burns.” Declared Tuffnut.

“I’m hoping for some mauling, like on my shoulder or lower back.” Added his sister.

“Yeah, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it.”

Hiccup chuckled a little as he watched.

“You sure you don’t want to join us, Hiccup?” Called Gobber.

“Pul-lease,” interrupted Snotlout. “He wouldn’t last five seconds in the ring.”

“You’re right Snotlout,” Hiccup called with a smug little grin. Though, no one could see it from that distance. “I’d much rather you be in there.”

Gobber interrupted the little spat. “Let's get started! The recruit who does best will win the honor of killing his first dragon in front of the entire village.”

“Which we all know, is going to be me.” Said Snotlout, with a flourish. “I mean, come on. Who else could it be?”

“Maybe me?” Said Astrid, hand on her hip.

“Yeah maybe, if you weren’t a girl.”

Hiccup had to hold back a laugh at the absolute rage that crossed her face.

Soon, Hiccup realized he had made the smart choice of declining dragon training after all. Since Gobber was merciless in his methods. The Grockle sputtered around the arena, it’s eyes focusing on the shields and the weapons. Gobber hung back by the wall, and the dragon paid him no mind. Neither did it notice little Hiccup who sat above. Hiccup noted this. But knew the solution of just ‘not having weapons’ would be received with a firm kick off of the cliffs.

In the end, Astrid careened the shield into the dragon’s snout disorienting it.

“The dragon will always, always, go for the kill.”

Hiccup wrote this down, and then scratched out ‘always’. “Then why didn’t he…?”

—

The Nightfury was not as free as Hiccup had first thought.

Now that it was trapped in the cove, sans tail fin, he had a chance to double his efforts on observation, and perhaps even befriending the Nightfury. Perish the thought!

But he remembered his father’s words and returned to the cove day after day. Every once in a while, he would go the academy and sit on whatever wisdom Gobber seemed to be preaching.

From the look of things, they weren’t fairing very well. He had always assumed Snotlout would be the winner of the class, but it seemed like his ego was his downfall.

And his lack of common sense didn’t help.

Astrid on the other hand, took training extremely seriously. Almost to the point of alienating herself from the rest of the group. She was trapped in her head, focused, with death on the mind.

It was one night at dinner when he took a look into her head. All the other tables were filled, as he sat at one, sketching some ideas for Toothless’s tail. Nothing too noticeable for the other vikings around.

But he was startled when she sat across from him.

“Uh hi Astrid, hi Astrid.” He stammered. Smooth.

“Mind if I sit here?” She drawled as an afterthought.

“No- not at all, you’re fine. I love you—I’d love to have you! Here. Sitting. Just sitting.” He over corrected, his voice too loud.

She stared at him, wide-eyed as he blushed and covered his face with his hands. Then she snorted. “Now I can see why you’re not training with us. Jumpy little thing, aren’t you?”

“Sorry, words aren’t my friend.”

She hummed in amusement and took his notes closest to her. “So what is the great Hiccup Haddock up to this time? What mess will we have to clean up?”

Hiccup snatched his notes back with a frown. “I’m not up to anything.”

“Right. Why do you keep watching us in the academy?”

“Why do you care?” He didn’t mean to sound harsh, but it came out that way. She had never cared about him before. Not unless he did something stupid. Then she was there with her perfect blue eyes, and rolling them.

Astrid shrugged. “I don’t. I’m just curious.” She picked at her food. “You just seem like the only person around here with any decency is all.”

“Oh…did Snotlout do something?”

“He always does stuff.”

“But he didn’t like…you know…”

“Gods no, Hiccup!”

“Okay! I was just making sure!”

She flipped the switch on him. “Why do you care?”

He smiled, “As future chief, I want to know of any drama before it happens.”

She scoffed, “Future chief?”

“I mean…I am the next in line. The only other option is Snotlout, and who would you rather have?”

“You got me there.”  

He cocked his head to the side. “Why are you talking to me again? Not that I don’t enjoy your company or anything...”

“I mean, you said it. You are the future chief. My parents mentioned that I should be nicer to you.”

He shrugged. “Well, I don’t know if I want you to be my friend just to take advantage of my status.”

She cringed. “Yikes, I really didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then how did you mean it?”

“I meant that I want to support you to be a good chief. If no one is here for you and no one believes in you, how are you supposed to lead us?”

He shrugged. “My dad thinks I still have some time.”

“Maybe...” she acquiesced. “But you know, there’s something about you that’s refreshing.”

“What? That not everything I have to say is about strength and death?” He said with sarcasm.

“Basically.”

He wasn’t expecting that. “Oh.”

“You know, I’m kind of surprised your dad didn’t have you enter dragon training.”

Hiccup scratched his cheek. “He wanted me too...but I didn’t think it was a good idea.”

Astrid nodded in understanding and glanced at his notebook again. “So what are you doing?”

He blushed, prepared with a half truth. “Observing dragon behavior. My dad kind of gave me a task, I’m assuming to keep me busy and out of the way. He wants me to see if I can find another solution to our dragon problem...since fighting isn’t changing things.”

“Did I just hear you say you’re trying to get out of fighting dragons?” Snotlout interrupted, approaching the table. “I saw Astrid sitting with you and I was trying to figure out why she would do something so crazy. Now I get it, she’s worried you’re going to doom us all.”

Hiccup bristled, closing his notes. He prepared to leave, but Astrid held a hand out.

“For your information, I’m sitting with Hiccup because he’s my friend, and he’s not a complete idiot.”

Snotlout scoffed. “Like I actually care...” and he walked off.

“Wow...” said Hiccup, breathlessly. “I’m…I’m not used to people sticking up for me.”

“So you made a few mistakes. But you’ve tried to be helpful. I don’t think you should be ridiculed for it.”

Hiccup swallowed, a lump in his throat. “Thank you, Astrid.”

She spared a smile. “If Stoick gave you this task, then I’ll make sure to help you.”

“It’s...it’s kind of a secret. I’m not sure how the others will take it.”

“Can I see your notebook?”

“Why?”

“Because you’re not always at the academy for classes. I’ve had more up close encounters with dragons than you have.”

He shrugged and handed over the book. Debatably, he had more up close encounters with dragons, since the few times he visited Toothless and learned from him. But she didn’t need to know that.

Astrid opened to a new page and began to write down her observations and thoughts from dragon training. They sat in silence for a while while she scratched away, thought, and then wrote some more.  

“Here,” she had dated the page and titled it ‘Astrid’s thoughts on dragons’. “This is my two cents.” Then she stood with a smile. “Your dad is a really good chief. I’m glad he found a way for you to help in your own way.”

“Yeah.” Hiccup didn’t want to mention that he was the one that had come up with idea in the first place. “And, Astrid?”

“Hmm?”

“Thanks.”

She grinned at him. At him! “See you later, Hiccup.”

—

Over the next few days, something began to form between him and Astrid. Nothing romantic…well, at least not on her part. He was pretty obviously smitten with her, and blushed every time he saw her. But she had the decency to never comment on it.

No, there was something like a feeling of camaraderie between them. A sort of friendship, but without the deep emotional talks.

Those were reserved for Toothless.

At meals, and only then, did Astrid join him at his lonely table and share her wisdom. Likewise, he told her some tricks, like the fact that the dragons didn’t like eels and that if you reflected light off a shield, they’d chase it.

She was doubtful, but filed these tricks away for a later date.

Everyone else in the tribe, on the other hand, were being to be merciless to Hiccup. He was of age, and yet refused to go into dragon training? What a brat. Pathetic. Worthless heir. There was talk of him being a dragon sympathizer as well, curtesy of Snotlout. And since Stoick wasn’t around to set the record straight, things only escalated.

Daily, Hiccup was pushed, tripped, and shooed away from vendors and food carts, and even children.

Hiccup thought he couldn’t be any more lonely. He was wrong. The only kind faces waiting for him were Astrid and Gobber.

Even his work in the forge was becoming a problem. People would come to get their knifes sharpened and refuse to let Hiccup do it. If they picked out a weapon he worked on, they’d drop it like it was still hot from the forge.

“Lad, maybe you should just work in the back for a while. Until this all cools down.”

Hiccup scoffed. Like this would ever get better. If one thing was certain, it was that Vikings were stubborn.

Astrid came in one day, Hiccup could hear her. “Is Hiccup here?”

“Depends, are you here to bully him?”

“No, why would I do that?”

“Because that’s all anyone wants with him these days.” He gestured with his thumb. “‘Es in the back.”

Hiccup stood quickly, however, and stepped outside to hide his secrets. “Hi Astrid, hi, how are you?”

“I should be asking you the same thing.”

His shoulders hunched, “I’m…I’m okay.”

She shook her head, but didn’t argue. “I need my axe sharpened.”

“Uh…couldn’t you just Gobber to do it for you?”

“Nope. I know you’re the one that’s been servicing my blade for the last few years. You’re the one who knows it.” She handed the axe over willingly.

It took a little effort to lift it. Like most things did. Put he held it sturdily. “You sure?”

“Absolutely.”

He smiled broadly at her.

—

There will be a part two. I’m just on vacation and wanted to publish this chunk first.

[hiilikedragons]

With Halloween having came and went, got two questions regarding the Vampire Astrid AU. First, how might the two spend the holiday? Secondly, do you have any ideas regarding Astrid's origins, how she became a vampire and such?

I’m so happy you like the vampire AU– I’ve been weirdly fond of it lately. 

The holidays are actually something I’ve thought a lot about in this AU. Hiccup is always trying to humanize Astrid, to bring him into his life and his family and his friend group. She manages to convince him that inviting a vampire over for Thanksgiving is just a couple brain cells shy of idiocy, but she’s not able to talk him out of Christmas. She drags him to a Christmas Eve service at church– and I don’t know why this picture is so clear in my head, but I love the idea of her in a bun and pearls, all proper like, and Hiccup next to her in grease-stained jeans and a leather jacket. And then he insists she come over Christmas day. 

“It’s just me and my dad all morning,” he insists. “My godfather might stop by. And then my friends and I do pizza and exchange gifts.”

So she really really really doesn’t think it’s a good idea to get so involved in this human’s life, especially if she ends up accidentally killing him one day. But she obliges, and she’s greeted by Stoick with a crushing hug. She’s the one who saved his son’s life, after all. Astrid hadn’t even considered it, but Stoick’s falling all over himself to fix her cocoa, get her an afghan, wait on her hand and foot. Every now and then she’ll watch the father and son tease back and forth, and she’ll think that maybe she did the right thing in saving him after all. The same thing kind of happens when Gobber comes over, more bear hugs and fawning. It actually embarrasses her a little, how much they seem to adore her. 

It’s easier with Hiccup’s friends, who she’s met a couple times before. They end up in her bar sometimes, and once in a blue moon she’ll join them for a night out at Hiccup’s behest. She’s usually quiet, though she likes adding the occasional jab at Hiccup’s obnoxious, hyper-masculine cousin when he makes some misogynistic or generally offensive statement. She and Fishlegs get along really well, and he can usually lure her into a rousing history discussion. The twins are the ones she most runs into when she’s out clubbing, which she does less now that she has to hunt less. But she’s still nervous around them, because she always wonders what they might see or have seen. It doesn’t help that Tuffnut’s a zombie apocalypse enthusiast, always talking about people getting eaten. Ruff’s not so bad, but she’s got a friends-with-benefits thing going on with Snotlout that brings her entire sense of judgement into question. They’re both kind of unpredictable, and that always unnerves Astrid a little. Sometimes she’ll slide them a free shot when she’s bartending, just to stay on their good side. 

But on the whole, the gang likes her pretty well. And they have a tradition of getting take out on Christmas for their little get-togethers. They’ve all been friends since they were little kids, something Astrid can’t even imagine, and she watches them banter and laugh and bond with a kind of ache in her chest. Watching them trade presents, tussle Hiccup’s hair, make jokes about his nerdiness or his one-leggedness– it makes her feel so torn. She doesn’t belong here with them, in this kind of warmth. She’s a creature of death and blood. Will she even be in the same city as them next year? Would they hate her if they knew what she was? What if she accidentally kills Hiccup– they would mourn him so fiercely. And then she’ll feel his calloused hand squeeze her own, and she’ll look over to find his eyes smiling at her over the rim of his beer. And even though her heart hasn’t beat in centuries, she’ll feel it kind of flutter. Maybe this could work, if only for a little while. Maybe she should just allow herself to be happy tonight, for the sake of Christmas. 

So yeah, I have a lot of feelings about Vampstrid and the holidays.

I mentioned Astrid’s origins a little bit in the original post. She was born and raised as a human during the French Revolution. Very poor, but impassioned and bold. Very ahead of her time so far as feminism, and always at the front of any protest or fight. The violence of the time draws the attention of a few vampires, Heather being one of them. It’s kind of a predatory thing– so much bloodshed in the city mean that nobody looks too deeply into a dead body here and there, but the vampires begin to fight over territory. Heather begins thinking that she needs a helper of sorts, and Astrid’s fierceness draws her attention. She turns her, and though Astrid kind of balks at first, she’s gone from feeling powerless and oppressed to one of the most powerful creatures in the world. The two become really good friends– Heather the mastermind, Astrid the muscle. Astrid’s protective of her maker, of course, so she protects Heather from any threats, kind of like a bodyguard. Heather teaches her how to stay under the radar, how to drink without killing, and they end up spending about a century together. 

After a while, Heather begins to feel stifled and wants some space. She urges Astrid to go off and find her own way. Though she protests at first, Astrid eventually agrees. She sails off to Industrial Revolution America and kind of settles into the wild west. Maybe it’s silly, but I love the idea of a Kissin-Kate, Quick-and-the-Dead esque Astrid. A lone, fast-drawing cowgirl that roams the country. Sometimes she’ll come across a kind gentleman interesting enough to share stories around a campfire with, and she’ll leave him alive. Sometimes she comes across wanted men and will turn in their corpses for bounties. And then once the twentieth century hits, and the first World War comes around, she signs up as a nurse. Again– the more bodies there are, the easier she can eat without being noticed. 

She ends up with her kind of moral crisis here. She was raised catholic, and she’s always been a little religious, but when she sees so many young men dying, she really starts to kind of consider her immortality and how it plays into her beliefs. It crosses her mind a thousand times when she sees an injured soldier suffering– I could change him. End his pain. Brave boys– practically babies from her two-hundred year old perspective– losing their lives to the petty violence of men. It breaks her heart, and she almost does it so many times. But she considers herself to be damned, religiously speaking. She thinks she’s going to hell. And she doesn’t want to condemn someone else to that fate. Not to mention, she has no guarantee that without a guide like Heather, these young men turned vampires wouldn’t become cold-blooded killers. So she abstains. Watches a lot of people die. Sometimes she thinks she’s hardened her heart against it, and then she’ll try to save a soldier that doesn’t make it, or she’ll see a child caught in the crosshairs of war. That kills her all over again. But every life she saves, she feels like maybe she’s a little forgiven. Maybe God will be merciful. Maybe there’s some balance, a killed to saved ratio that she can weigh in her favor to avoid an eternity in hell. But it never really feels like it’s quite enough.

Then, after the wars, she settles on the upper east coast. That’s always approximately where I imagine Berk to be, in the Pennsylvania area. It’s less of a strange thing for a woman to live alone, so she gets her own place, finds jobs here and there. She tries to put all the death and destruction out of her mind and live a quiet, detached life away from conflict. It’s a few decades of quiet and boredom and loneliness, and then Hiccup comes into her life. 

[deathberryhime]

Achillea

oh wow, this continues, okay, alright, I think I can deal (not) it might get a bit longer than three parts, but alright, i will cope (not)

part i 

ii.

It wasn’t long after the rumors hit her ears.

The guards slurred as they drank, loud and obscene as ever. They were talking about losses; territories, forts, people, assets. The dragon riders had been relentless on their last expeditions.

Astrid tried to quench her rising hope in her chest. It was still early, she shouldn’t hope to be rescued just yet. It would be too good to be true. But her desire to be back home, in her husband’s arms, and curled around their warm hearth was too much.

She curled her arms around her belly, ignoring how her feet ached in her every move. She didn’t belong here. They didn’t belong in this cold and dripping cell, hungry and shivering. Her shift was dirty and ripped from when they had first caught her, blood soiling the once white wool. It wasn’t hers. Astrid bit back a whimper when she remembered how Stormfly, her beautiful and amazing girl, had jumped between her and the hoards that had dared attack them.

Berk had been peaceful after the death of Drago. The Archipelago had lived in peace with the dragons and everything had been quiet after that fateful fight that they had dared to lower their guard.

The Hunters had caught them in their sleep. Astrid had wanted to laugh; you’d think befriending the largest predators of their Known World, would give them more protection. Yet the Hunters still came, waving their weapons and spilling blood. Stormfly’s blood; her beautiful girl bleeding on the ground had been the last thing she had seen before she was captured.

Astrid took a breath to calm her racing heart. She had to have faith that her dear Nadder was alright. Gobber and Gothi had treated her darling and she was on Berk healing and worrying about her. Her heart gave a lurch, because oh Gods, Hiccup. Her husband must be going out of his mind. Was he eating? Was he sleeping? She doubted Valka or Gobber could make him take a break and stop to rest. He had the habit of hyper-focusing and he would forget or forgo rest and food. And he would be ignoring all his needs because finding her would be his number one priority.

She had to get back, now.

The door banged open. Astrid flinched and bit back her painful cry. Her feet had yet to heal, scarred and burned as they were they had started peeling the past couple of days. It had been insufferable; needles piercing her whole body with every move she made. The healer had taken pity and worked a paste on her feet, numbing the pain. Hadn’t it been for him, she’d still be writhing and turning on the floor.

Krogan sauntered inside and Astrid got ready for another verbal match. It had been routine for the entirety of her capture; him coming in her cell taunting her and her jeering and sassing him back. What? Growing a backbone was how you survived in Berk. Then there was Hiccup’s sarcasm, so why it still surprised people, she’ll never know.

Krogan’s expression made her pause though; something was wrong.

Before she could say anything his boot caught her chin. Sloppy, her mind called as Astrid fell down. He caught her by the hair, raising her to her knees before sending blow after blow at her face. She managed a kick at his shin and he released her. Like a puppet, Astrid fell on the floor, dizzy, bruised and bleeding she crawled back. Her heart and mind raced; what was happening? So far, he hadn’t dared harm her, other than incapacitating her. What changed?

Then it clicked.

“You are losing.” Astrid bit back the hiss when he grabbed her hair again; his fist tightened ripping some of her hair. Instead, she grinned. “You started a war you can’t win.”

She remembered the rumors, the hissed and drunken comments of the guards. It made cold satisfaction curl in her stomach.

A scarred sneer met her defiant eyes. “As long as I have you, I’ll always win.”

“You are wrong.” She spat at his face, “As long as you have me, he will continue to fight. You still think he’s that naïve little boy. He is not.”

Astrid swallowed the lump in her throat, a grim smile forming in her bruised face. “As long as you hold me captive, you won’t last to see your stupid crusade die.”

The slap threw her off balance. She braced for the fall, curling into a tight ball with her hands protectively over her swollen stomach. Between the golden strands of her hair, Astrid saw Krogan rise to his full height.  

“I will not fail.” He gave her a hiss, reminding her of the dragons he so hated, “Your husband is the last obstacle in my plan. I will destroy him.”

Fear curled in her stomach and forced herself to look up. “You can’t touch him.”

“Not yet.” Krogan hissed again taking a step towards her. In reflex, Astrid scooted back, cursing herself when she saw a light sparking in her captor’s eyes. “But you. You are a different matter.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” Astrid didn’t allow her voice to tremble. “I’m your biggest advantage, remember?”

A wicked grin appeared on his face. “And whoever said I needed you in one piece?”

Astrid froze, her eyes betraying the fear that was rushing into her heart. “You won’t dare.”

He had her by the throat, lifting her from the floor and slamming her on the wall. Her chains jingled and her feet screamed, reaping a pain cry from her throat. His fingers squeezed and Astrid scrambled to fight him off. Her hand shot for his eyes, but he maneuvered around her nails. Taking another step forward Krogan pinned her in the wall.

“You will stop fighting.” Astrid huffed and tried to buck him off. He shook her, making her head slam at the bricks behind; she gasped in pain.

“You will play the part of the good captive, or I’ll curve his heir out and throw it at his feet.”

She bit back the retort when he threw her down again and shot him her iciest glare. With a sneer, he turned and left, his cape flowing behind him.

“Your choice, Chieftess.”

[sage-nebula]

Two new Steven Universe episodes have aired recently. Thoughts on them below the cut.

Now We’re Only Falling Apart:

First, I’m pretty sure this episode title was taken from the song “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler. “Once upon a time I was falling in love / now I’m only falling apart . . .”

Secondly, this episode was . . . mmh . . . not so great.

At first glance it’s not bad. It’s . . . okay. And I guess it’s still okay after the first glance, it’s just that the more time you spend examining it, the more it falls apart.

First, and most obviously: Pink Diamond. Pink Diamond’s characterization is . . . not great.

I think the biggest issue with the way Pink Diamond was characterized in this episode is that her characterization feels inconsistent and doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Our very first shot of Pink Diamond is of a petulant, spoiled brat who is harassing her mother-figure because she wants something. When she doesn’t get what she wants, she throws a tantrum and shatters a mirror. This sort of characterization fits in line a bit with what we saw in the most recent episode, most notably where we see Pink being bored because nothing is happening on Earth and she felt that running a colony would be exciting. It makes sense to think that a petulant, spoiled brat would want something there to occupy her attention and entertain her at all times. But this image is shattered (no pun intended) in the next moment when we see that what Pink Diamond really wants is someone to hug and play with.

That . . . doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

I’m not saying that it wouldn’t make sense for Pink Diamond to want friendship or companionship of some kind, because it seems as though she doesn’t have any peers whatsoever. The other Diamonds are all older or more powerful than she is, and everyone else (e.g. Pearl) is a servant. It would make sense to think that she would want peers . . . but at the same time, she has also been raised to see those birthed in the kindergarten as more servants at best. I’m not saying this means that she should treat them coldly, or cruelly, but rather that it doesn’t make sense to me that her first instinct would be to hug one of them. When has Pink Diamond ever been hugged? When has that ever been utilized as a display of affection toward her? While I think that part of her petulance toward Blue and Yellow stems more from her being spoiled rather than from either of them treating her badly (more on that in a moment), I also think that it doesn’t really fit their characterization to shower her with hugs and warm welcomes, either. I’m not saying that Pink shouldn’t have been excited to learn that the amethysts were hatching, because it makes sense that she would be excited to have her colony finally coming to life at last, but I think that it would have made more sense to have her excitement stem from seeing them as a bunch of . . . new toys, almost, rather than friends or peers, because she’s never had the experience of having friends or peers yet, and has been taught all her life that the gems that are born on colonies are her soldiers and, in the eyes of a childish one like Pink, playthings rather than peers or friends. This should have been a mindset she grew out of, and we never actually get to see her grow from that mindset because we don’t see her in it in the first place.

And that sort of ties in to her reaction toward humans.

It seems inconsistent to me that Pink Diamond was horrified upon seeing humans on planet Earth and immediately deciding to save them for a couple reasons. First and foremost is that she . . . didn’t actually interact with, or even observe them for long, at all. She just saw them from a distance. She had no way of knowing what they were, or how deep their sapience ran. She had absolutely no reason to see them as people rather than just animals on the planet. I’m not saying she should have seen them as animals or disposable things---again, that’s a mindset she would have needed to grow from---but it doesn’t make sense to me that an alien princess who has been raised to view everything as tools for her to make more gems (who are then utilized like soldiers and more tools) would see a human and immediately think, “That is a person I should save.” It especially doesn’t make sense when you consider the behavior of one Rose Quartz later on, where we see her regularly and routinely treat humans like baby Sour Cream and her very own husband Greg Universe like funny little creatures or pets. Seeing and treating them as people on par with herself is a lesson she has to learn via Greg, and it’s one that we’re not shown she ever fully grasps. So why is it that Pink Diamond, upon seeing a human for the very first time, decides that they’re people worth protecting and saving? How in the world does that feel like even remotely consistent characterization? If we had at least seen her observing the humans for a long while, okay, that I could maybe buy. But she just spotted them across a river and all of a sudden decided they were worth saving, all of a sudden decided she’d be sad if they died. That doesn’t make sense. It feels like a rushed attempt to make us see her as a Good Person, rather than the nuanced character we had before.

The human zoo ties into this as well.

Before, we were led to believe that the human zoo was hers. It is a dark, twisted thing, but it made sense considering her characterization; she was “saving” humans, but not as people, but rather as cute little pets. It’s softer than what the other Diamonds wanted to do, but it was still stripping them of their agency and their freedom by treating them as, well, animals to be enslaved and bred and observed from a far. Blue Diamond maintaining the zoo even after Pink Diamond was shattered was seen as a way of paying respects, because even though Blue didn’t care for the humans herself, she wanted to do this for Pink even though Pink had passed on. Since Blue doesn’t seem to have really hit the acceptance stage of grief yet, it almost seems like perhaps she was doing it just in case Pink really hadn’t been shattered (uh, about that) and ever came back.

But now it has been revealed that Blue and Yellow came up with the idea for the zoo to appease Pink, and before I go further on what this means for Pink Diamond, I want to take a moment to say that this is what I’m thinking of when I say that I don’t think Blue and Yellow really treated Pink badly, per se. To me, the way Blue and Yellow are being characterized in relation to Pink seems an awful lot like they were her stressed, somewhat strict (moreso in Yellow’s case) parents. They’ve spoiled Pink, but as she grows older it becomes harder for them to give her what she wants, especially when she enters a phase of teenage rebellion where it seems like nothing they give her is good enough. They’re trying to do what they can to make her happy, within what they see as reason, but every time they give her something she turns up her nose and stamps her foot and says that’s not actually what she wanted. As a result, they grow frustrated and snap at her to go to her room, and she agrees, only to sneak out the window. It feels, to me, like they really wanted to connect with and have a good relationship with her, but communication was so poor that they were constantly on different wavelengths.

Quite like, if you think about it, Hiccup and Stoick in the first How to Train Your Dragon movie.

In the first How to Train Your Dragon movie, the situation (from Stoick’s perspective) goes like this:

Hiccup: “Dad, I want to fight and kill dragons.”

Stoick: “Hiccup, you cannot fight and kill dragons.”

Hiccup: “But I want to!”

Stoick: “No!”

Hiccup: “FINE!”

Gobber: “Stoick, I think you should let the boy fight and kill dragons.”

Stoick: “Gobber, he’ll die if I do that, have you seen him?”

Gobber: “He might die anyway since if you keep saying no he’ll go into battle on his own, only this time he’ll go into battle without training since you won’t let him be trained.”

Stoick: “. . . Fair point. Hiccup, I’m going to let you fight and kill dragons.”

Hiccup: “Oh, cool, except I don’t want to do that anymore.”

Stoick: “What do you mean? You just said yesterday that you wanted to.”

Hiccup: “Yeah, but that was then, and this is now, and now I’m sure I can’t do it.”

Stoick: “You can and you will.”

Hiccup: “But I---”

Stoick: “GO TO DRAGON TRAINING AND STOP GIVING ME A HEADACHE, SON.”

Hiccup: “FINE!”

Now, of course we know that the reason why Hiccup changes his mind is because he couldn’t bring himself to kill Toothless, but Stoick didn’t know that. All Stoick knew is that Hiccup, after badgering him for probable years about wanting to fight dragons, was now suddenly saying “changed my mind lol” the second Stoick gave him what he wanted, i.e., being difficult for the sake of being difficult. And if we translate this to Steven Universe . . .

Pink: “Yellow, I want to run a colony.”

Yellow: “Pink, you cannot run a colony.”

Pink: “But I want to!”

Yellow: “No!”

Pink: “FINE!”

Blue: “Yellow, I think you should let Pink run a colony.”

Yellow: “Blue, she will die if I do that, have you seen her?”

Blue: “She might die anyway since if you keep saying no she’ll run off to the most dangerous planet she can find, only this time she’ll be doing so with no supervision or guidance.”

Yellow: “. . . Fair point. Pink, you can colonize Earth.”

Pink: “Yay!”

[one week later]

Pink: “Actually, changed my mind, I don’t want to do that anymore.”

Yellow: “What do you mean? You just said last week that you wanted to.”

Pink: “Yeah, but that was then, and this is now, and now I’m sure I can’t do it.”

Yellow: “You can and you will.”

Pink: “But I---”

Yellow: “GO COLONIZE THE EARTH AND STOP GIVING ME A HEADACHE, PINK.”

Pink: “FINE!”

It’s pretty much the exact same scenario, except with some extra appeasement (e.g. the human zoo) thrown in. Yellow and Blue were doing the best they could, but there was a lot of miscommunication and they were all on separate wavelengths. It just didn’t work out. But that said, I do genuinely believe that Yellow and Blue did care for Pink, and that they never really mistreated her (on purpose at least), and that a lot of Pink’s griping about “oh, they don’t care” comes from her being petulant and spoiled moreso than because they actually seemed to not care for her.

That said, back on the subject of the zoo . . . I feel that once again we’ve had a lot of the grey stripped out of Pink Diamond’s character in an attempt to make her appear more heroic. Obviously, opening a human zoo is a disgusting, abhorrent thing. Therefore, they made it so that the zoo wasn’t her decision (even though it would have fit with her earlier characterization), but was instead Blue’s and Yellow’s decision, against Pink’s wishes. (Of course, never mind that Pink let it stay open, I guess.) Rather than allowing there to be a situation where Pink Diamond at first excitedly opened the zoo, and then learned later that such a thing was wrong and shut it down (only for Blue to re-open it in Pink’s honor once Pink was dead), they removed the opportunity for that nuance and that growth by making it so that it was never actually hers at all. Rather than allowing Pink Diamond to be an even more fleshed out character from these flashbacks, what we instead saw was her sandpapered down into being a more two-dimensional character, someone who doesn’t have as much nuance or depth as before, all in the name of making her seem more palatable to the audience.

I have to say, I’m not a fan.

Pink Diamond’s characterization aside, the other major gripes I have with this episode pertain to how Ruby and Sapphire were treated, and how they were treated is abysmally.

First, I find it to be really distasteful that both Pearl and Steven dismissed Sapphire’s feelings in order to talk up how great of a person Pink Diamond / Rose Quartz actually is. First of all, the phrase “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions” is a cliché for a reason. It really doesn’t matter what PinkRose’s intentions were. It doesn’t matter if she was inspired by Pearl, or Garnet, or whoever else. The truth is still that she lied to everyone, Sapphire and Ruby especially, and that she maintained that lie long after her death. Sapphire was upset primarily because she had been lied to, and because she hadn’t questioned anything or anyone for so long. She was upset because she had been misguided into blinding herself, and found out in one of the worst ways possible. She is allowed to feel those things, she’s allowed to be furious, and I feel like both Pearl and Steven saying, “no, it’s not like that!” over and over invalidated her feelings. They were basically saying that since PinkRose actually was a good person, it’s okay that she lied, and that Sapphire doesn’t have to quesiton what she has been doing with her life for thousands of years after all---that she doesn’t have to feel upset that her friends were killed for the sake of a war that was, ultimately, built on a lie. That she doesn’t have to feel even a little conflicted over the fact that she idolized someone who never really existed. Pearl and Steven were so obsessed with clearing PinkRose’s name that they didn’t consider the fact that Sapphire had every single right and reason to be upset, and that everything she had said up to and including that point was right on the money, even if she could have phrased it a little more nicely. The lesson I got from this episode was “intentions matter more than results,” and that’s not a good lesson to impart on kids at all.

Secondly, I feel that Sapphire and Ruby’s fight was extremely rushed. The one thing that I like about the Lapidot separation is that both of them are being given time to think through how they feel. Sure, it sucks that they’re apart, but they’re getting to spend some time with their own thoughts and feelings, they’re able to process things separately, and so when they come together they’ll do so with more understanding between them, and a better place from which to communicate. Ruby and Sapphire weren’t allowed to have that. Garnet received the biggest shock of her entire life when she learned that everything she had lived her life by for thousands of years was built upon a lie, and understandably, Sapphire freaked out when she learned of this and ran off. Yet she gets over it in less than eleven minutes, all because Pearl and Steven work to invalidate her feelings and tell her that she has no real reason to be upset after all. That feels incredibly rushed and unfair to her character, as well as unfair to the relationship she has with Ruby. This should be a time for Ruby and Sapphire to examine themselves and their relationship. Not that their relationship is a bad one, but think about it: They spend every second of their time literally fused together. It can be hard to just live in the same house as someone 24/7, let alone fused together. Ruby and Sapphire have never questioned this, though, because Rose told them not to. Now they have a chance to. Now they have a chance to maybe be a little less, I don’t know . . . codependent. I’m sure everything will work out and they’ll fuse again, but I think that they should be allowed to have this time apart, this time to question and mull things over, versus immediately resolving things so that the status quo can be restored as soon as possible. It felt incredibly rushed.

So that was that episode. On to . . .

What’s Your Problem?:

I feel like Sapphire pretty much immediately falling to pieces to the point where she can’t even begin to formulate a plan on how to find and reconcile with Ruby like an adult is just another highlight as to how codependent their relationship is. This isn’t romantic, it’s worrisome. 

Aside from that, I . . . have mixed feelings on how Amethyst was handled. I see so many people praising her for not unloading on Steven, and agreeing with the show that she’s “the most mature Crystal Gem,” and I . . . just really don’t see it that way.

First of all, I think it’s important to note that Amethyst was never one of Steven’s “moms.” She has always been his older sister. Amethyst is an adult by Steven’s standards, yes, but she’s characterized as notably younger than the others. In fact, IMO, she’s even characterized as younger than Greg; in the episode where they start hanging out again, it felt an awful lot like he was her stepdad, and like part of her bitterness toward him stemmed from the fact that her mother (Rose Quartz) “remarried” and that her “stepdad” stole her away. She felt like an estranged stepdaughter. Similarly, the episode where Amethyst runs away to her kindergarten and she has that emotional moment with Pearl? It felt like Pearl was her mother, comforting her rebellious and estranged teenage daughter. People can do what they want, and I’m not going to condemn anyone who ship them, but I’ve never seen any romantic chemistry between Amethyst and any of the other gems. She has always acted like a teenager (or at the very least very young adult) in my eyes.

For this reason, I find it very . . . bad that the takeaway Amethyst seems to have here is that she’s going to bottle up how she feels in order to take care of Steven. Like, don’t get me wrong, I agree with her that she shouldn’t dump all her problems on Steven, as well as the fact that it is not his job to clean up after his mother and that he shouldn’t have to shoulder this. She’s 100% right in that. But the reason why Amethyst started to get so angry in the pizza place is that she feels that same way about herself. Rose Quartz was like a mother to Amethyst. Amethyst has always acted like Steven’s sister because she saw Rose as the closest thing to a mother she ever had, even though gems don’t even typically have those. And Amethyst, for the duration of this war, has been doing the exact same thing Steven has been doing, which is fighting this war in order to carry on Rose’s legacy. No, Amethyst doesn’t have Rose’s gem, but that doesn’t change the fact that Amethyst also inherited this legacy despite being born after it and that she has done it because she looked up to Rose as a mother-figure and felt that it was therefore her duty to shoulder this burden. Garnet and Pearl have taught Amethyst this in the very same way they taught Steven. And I’m just throwing this out there, but Amethyst is characterized the way she is for a reason. She might be an adult by Steven’s standards, but by gem standards she’s very much a teenager / very young adult. If she was human, she’d probably be about eighteen or twenty. That’s where her maturity is, and that’s not very old at all.

So the fact that Amethyst now feels that the appropriate course of action is to pretend like nothing’s wrong and bottle everything up inside is . . . not good. Repressing things is not good, and here’s the kicker: It’s not mature. Yes, it’s mature for Amethyst to recognize that Steven cannot be her therapist and that it’s not his job to fix her problems. However, it’s not mature for Amethyst to not talk about her problems to anyone, to decide “the future is all that matters!!!!!” and act like the past doesn’t affect her at all. She’s clearly affected. She can’t even ask Steven how he feels without getting bitter, resentful, and angry, because these are emotions that she feels toward the current situation. That he’s not angry about it is something that made her even angrier. And no, that’s not his fault at all, but what it means is that Amethyst is going to have to talk to someone about this. Shoving it in the back of her mind and pretending as though she’s not affected isn’t going to work. Bottling it up is not going to work. And once again, it’s not a good lesson to teach kids. You shouldn’t teach kids and that bottling your baggage up is “mature.” It’s not. It’s unhealthy and will do far more harm than good in the long run.

(Also, “I think you’re the most mature Crystal Gem” honestly sounded a lot less like Steven and a lot more like the writers. They used him as a mouthpiece to tell the audience what we should take away from the episode, and that’s just bad writing. I don’t approve.)

I’m glad that Amethyst isn’t using Steven as a therapist (though in honesty she never really has), but I’m not enthused that she’s not getting one at all. Hopefully that will change in upcoming episodes, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

[maedarakat]

Discarded

("A Gruff Separation"  AU - Hiccup adopts the Twins after they fail Agnut’s administration of the Induction Trials and get disowned by the Thorston clan.)

----

Green eyes surveyed the scene - which was pitiable by any comparison. Hiccup looked away from the slumped, exhausted forms of his younger friends and to Agnut, scowling.

“Okay that’s it, I’m calling it - the Trials are over for right now.”

“Well, yes, unfortunately,” Agnut nodded. “Because it’s clear they lack the stamina and strength to be Thorstons. With a heavy heart, I must declare -"

“A re-trial!” Hiccup said firmly. “It’s not fair to say they failed when you know their cousin ran them completely ragged with his lies!”

She sighed. “While that may be true, the High Council will only say that cleverness is also an important factor in becoming a Thorston. They were both fooled by their cousin, Gruffnut, and his forged scroll. That certainly does not work in their favor.”

He made a noise of frustration. “I can’t say Chief Stoick is going to agree to your assessment of failure -“

Agnut blinked and reached over to primly seal Hiccup’s lips shut between thumb and forefinger.

“Young man,” she drawled, “Pulling rank on me is not effective, nor appreciated.”

Her eyes softened at the sight of her younger cousins, both groaning and trying to help each other sit up. She pulled Hiccup a bit further away from the group by his arm.

“Especially ineffective,” Agnut whispered, “because it doesn’t matter what I report back to the Elders. The Thorstons have long doubted whether these two are a good fit for the family. It would honestly be far kinder to announce their failure and let them muddle along.”

Incensed, Hiccup folded his arms. “I have to say we’re in agreement on that one particular thing. The Twins certainly do not need a family that holds trials to accept their own flesh and blood!”

“It’s the way it has always been done with our clan, a tradition that has been stubbornly passed down through equally stubborn generations. Not even the Chief can interfere in private clan matters.”

Scowling, Hiccup didn’t answer. His arms were still crossed, signifying his refusal to budge.

His father might not be able to change the Thorstons but that wasn’t going to stop Stoick from raising absolute Niflheim on the Thorston Elders. The man had already done it more than once on the Twins’ behalf.

The most striking in Hiccup’s memory was the time Hardsell had forced Tuff to chop wood in a blizzard, barefoot and wearing only his underthings.

Stoick had come in like a lion the moment he discovered the cruelty - delivering a vicious uppercut to Hardsell’s jaw and laying him out cold. He had then carried Tuff, wrapped in a bear fur cloak, through the knee-high snow to his own warm hut, with Ruffnut in tow.

Just thirteen, Hiccup well remembered his father’s angry ranting to Gobber about the draconian punishment, while he sat next to the blond twin - pale and blue-lipped on a pallet by the Haddock’s hearth.  In comparison to his father, Hiccup hadn’t known what to do then, other than help Ruff rub warmth back into her brother’s thin, shivering body.

As Hiccup watched Agnut make ready to leave, he was disheartened to think there wasn’t much he could do this time either.

He walked back to the Twins, swallowing past a lump in his throat at their pained, tired expressions.

“So, I guess we failed after all,” Tuff muttered, leaning against the wall of the Clubhouse. His face was smeared with soot and covered in scratches, and he was holding what looked like a broken wrist close to his chest.

Ruffnut was now laying with her head in her brother’s lap, arms wrapped around her stomach. A surprise blow with the wild Nadder’s tail had sent her somersaulting backwards into a tree, with a force that had made Hiccup worry for her ribs.

He knelt next to them, gently running his fingers over Ruff’s side. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not going to just stand aside and let your own family kick you guys out.” His gentle ministrations brought an uneven giggle from Ruffnut.

“You tryin’ to tickle me happy, Hiccup? Not that I mind at all, please do go on.” She cheekily lifted her tunic a bit higher. Hiccup sighed but continued to examine her ribs.

“I’m just checking for broken bones, Ruff. That dragon really got you.” There was bruising, but nothing felt out of place and she didn’t cry out when Hiccup added a bit of pressure. That was good at least.

Tuff wasn’t so lucky, he hissed in pain as Hiccup felt along his forearm. Something gave slightly, making him tense and yelp, snatching back his arm.

Toothless burbled his concern and loped over to the Twins, nuzzling Tuff’s cheek. The dragon sat closer, curling his tail and a wing around both of them.

“Thanks T, I’m good. Just a little fracture from that fall,” Tuff shrugged.

And burns from the brush fire they had to rescue an infuriated boar from, and cuts from the Nadder spines - all without mentioning Tuff’s heart-stopping fall down the cliffside as he ran along the edge, dodging flaming ballista spears. Thank the Gods their Zippleback had flown swiftly to save him, even if the interference had disqualified him from winning.

Hiccup now understood why early grays had crept into his father’s hair and beard, and he’d be surprised if they weren’t in his own hair by this time tomorrow. “You guys need some rest and recovery. I’ve half a mind to take you to see Mala’s healers tomorrow.”

“No offense, H, but we kind of just want to go to our huts, close all the windows and pretend we aren’t alive for a few days,” Tuff sighed. “Possibly even weeks.”

“That sounds like a terrible plan,” Hiccup said, unable to keep the worry from shaking his voice.

“Hiccup, I know you care. It’s sweet and it honestly makes me want to cry,” Ruffnut said, and her voice was warbling just a bit on that note. “But this has been the worst birthday we’ve ever had, and - and I - “

She hitched and buried her face against Tuff’s thigh. He leaned over her protectively, looking both ill and defiantly brave as he sheltered her from sight. “Could you help me carry her?” Tuff asked, sounding frail. “We need - we need to just be somewhere dark.”

“You guys want to sleep in my hut?” Hiccup offered, without hesitation. He paused, uncertain if that was too awkward. He needn’t have worried, Tuff actually brightened at that.

“We can sleep with you and Toothless? Word on the street is that he purrs.”

Toothless certainly didn’t seem bothered by the idea, trilling softly in response. He gently nosed Ruff and got his head beneath her arm, encouraging her to stand up. Between Tuff and Hiccup, they got her into the Night Fury’s saddle and walked together toward the hut.

Hiccup was additionally distressed to see Tuffnut moving with a limp, and a long gleaming gash showed through his ripped leggings. Wordlessly, Hiccup put Tuff’s good arm over his shoulders and steadied him with an arm around his waist.

The Twins had already been injured and exhausted after Gruff’s fake trials, which had led to their many missteps and injuries during Agnut’s trials. Had the twins not been in such bad shape, Hiccup had no doubt they could have passed with flying colors.

Tuff had dodged all the spears but he’d twisted his ankle in the Titan Zippleback cave which caused him to fall off the cliff before reaching the finish point. Both he and Ruff had already gotten burns from the explosion that rocked the cave earlier (the same one that had made Hiccup’s heart nearly stop with terror because he had no idea if they’d been killed by the blast.)

It had made trying to save the boar particularly hellish for them, and the boar had escaped their hold, rendering the second leg of the Trial a failure.

The last task - getting a spine from a sleeping Nadder - had also gone horribly wrong, all because they were too exhausted to sneak up as silently as they usually could have.

This was all Gruffnut’s fault. Hiccup swore if he ever saw that jerk again, he was going to punch the guy straight in his lying mouth. Part of him even considered writing to Dagur and Heather in the interest of tracking Gruff down for a friendly little ‘chat’. Dagur had a deep dislike for traitors, after all.

Hiccup’s thoughts were darkly protective as he helped Tuff up the stairs. Toothless had gone ahead of them with Ruff and waited patiently as she got out of the saddle, wiping her eyes. She stumbled towards Hiccup’s bed and fell down across it, burying her face in a pillow to muffle her crying.

“Sis,” Tuff croaked, and Hiccup noted with guilty surprise that there were tears streaking his friend’s face. He’d been so concerned about their physical injuries, he hadn’t even begun to worry for the emotional impact of this awful day. Hiccup helped Tuff lay down next to his sobbing twin, watching as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a close hug.

Toothless warbled sadly, looking every bit as helpless as Hiccup felt. He scratched his dragon’s head and walked over to sit beside them, pulling a warm fur up to their shoulders. “Can I get you guys anything to eat or drink?” Hiccup asked. Usually the Twins were delighted by free food.

“We’re not hungry,” came the unified answer. Ruff reached up to pull the hide further over both their heads.

Okay, well that was definitely worrying. Hiccup bit his lip. “I’m going to go talk to Gobber before Agnut leaves. I-I’ll give you some time to be alone.”

And maybe he’d bring some food anyway. Yak chops and figs, if he remembered their favorites correctly.

“You’ll come back soon, right?” Tuff’s voice asked plaintively.

“I won’t be long at all. Just a few minutes and I’ll be right back,” he assured them, getting up. “Until then, Toothless will stay with you.”

They didn’t answer, but Ruff sighed shakily and reached a hand from under the fur to pat Toothless’ head. The Night Fury nuzzled her palm then laid his top half over them, beginning to purr as loudly as he could manage.

Hiccup took that as his cue to sneak out. He had to ask Gobber some questions, and he had a feeling he wasn’t going to like any of the answers.

----

“Of course I’ll be letting the Chief know everything,” Gobber had assured him, his tone somber. The blacksmith’s eyes had tracked the Twins’ departure to Hiccup’s hut with concern. He had seen all of them grow up, and Hiccup knew he cared for Berk’s own pair of rascals just as much as Stoick did.

It was just as Hiccup feared; having failed the Trials, the Twins were truly alone. They would have to give back everything the family had ever given them, possibly even their clothing, and they could no longer visit their own home. It was coldly and brutally unfair.

“Aside from that, should the Thorston family Elders should happen to need anything from my forge, I’ll be sure to inform them the waiting list is at least a few months out.”

Hiccup smiled faintly. Of course Gobber would.

He could also have said he’d do their jobs and repairwork shoddily, but both of them knew Gobber would never lessen the quality of his work for any reason. No, he would just make them wait an absurdly long time for it - which was just as disruptive a punishment.

“In the meantime, you take care of those two. Let your father hammer some sense into those stubborn Elders, and I’ll keep you updated.” He climbed onto Grump, and gave Agnut a hand up. She nodded to Hiccup as she seated herself behind Gobber.

“Haddock,” she said, before they took off. “I want you to tell them that I’m sorry. Please let them know I still consider myself their cousin.”

“Really? So if they need anything, you can lend them food or money or a place to stay?” Hiccup asked flatly.

“Heavens no! The family strictly punishes anyone who takes in a disowned ex-Thorston. I’d be disowned myself, along with my little ones. I don’t like it either, but that’s the way it is. I truly wish they had passed the Trials.”

“I’m sure you do,” Hiccup sighed, knowing it was pointless to lash out at Agnut. She was part of the problem, but not the root of it.

He waited for her and Gobber tp leave before walking to the Clubhouse kitchen to round up some food. Fishlegs had beaten him to the task, unsurprisingly.

“Here,” he said, holding up a big basket. “Heather told me her yak chop recipe a while ago and Snotlout still had some extra figs from the last time he went to the Northern Markets. I wrote to Heather and Dagur already and told them everything.”

He looked worried, but Hiccup smiled and clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Hey, well that’s good. It saves me from writing a very incoherently angry letter.”

Fishlegs huffed. “Oh, trust me, my letter was pretty blistering. I can’t believe that Gruffnut! And seriously - the Thorstons are really disowning their kids just because of some stupid Trials?! If you have a baby, then that baby is yours no matter what! My mom would never make me prove I was an Ingerman.”

Hiccup sighed. “I know, Fishlegs. Hopefully my Dad can make them see that. But like Agnut said, he can’t force them to change their traditions. We all just have to be there for the Twins right now. Make sure they eat, heal, and rest. Maybe even distract them a bit.”

The larger boy nodded, looking thoughtful. “You’re right, Hiccup. I’ll go see if I can work on some salves for their bruises and cuts.” He hurried off and Hiccup watched him, turning to go back to his hut.

He drew water from the well, determined to make them at least drink before going to sleep, and carried both bucket and basket through the door. Abruptly he stopped in his tracks when he saw the gold hair laying in a pile on his main floor. What on earth? Hiccup went up the stairs, setting his burdens down as he saw the Twins sitting upright.

Ruff had unbraided her hair, and it was still long, though not as long as it had been. She’d cut it to the middle of her back, and its natural curl was starting to return prettily. She was sitting behind Tuff now removing the beads and unbraiding what she could.

“Guys?” Hiccup asked, moving toward them.

“Hey,” Tuff responded morosely. “She’s helping me because . . .” He held up his injured wrist, grinning lamely.

“Why are you - you know you can wear your hair however you want to, right?”

“We actually can’t wear anything that ties us to the family - hairstyles included. Tomorrow we have to go to the Northern Markets and do a complete wardrobe change. Trade in our old stuff, you know. It won’t be so bad, there’s some new things I’ve had my eye on. I always wanted to try out that black leather vest with suede fringes.”

“You’d look awful in suede,” Ruff sighed. “You just like saying that word.”

“True. It is one of my favorites,” Tuff agreed. “Right up there with ‘fringes’.”

Hiccup shrugged, not quite sure how to take their change in mood. He picked up the basket. “I know you guys said you weren’t hungry, but -”

Tuff’s grey eyes widened and he lifted his head, sniffing. “Do I smell . . .?”

“Figs?!” Ruff dove over his shoulder for the basket, snatching it and nearly toppling her brother onto the floor. Tuff recovered and whirled around, and both of them descended upon the food.

“Ahh, not in the bed, come on - use the table,” Hiccup scolded. He sighed as they completely ignored him, but relented with a shrug. It didn’t look like there’d be any crumbs, and he was right; soon enough the basket had been emptied and Ruff was rapturously licking sticky fig seeds off her fingers while Tuff gnawed ferociously on a yak bone, stripping off the cartilage with his teeth.

Hiccup sat down next to them, and was surprised when they cleared the bed without needing asked - putting down the basket and flicking off stray blond hairs from Ruff’s impromptu haircut.

He was quite suddenly made part of a sandwich, Ruff on his left and Tuff nestled on his right, resting his swollen forearm over Hiccup’s stomach.

“Ahh,” Hiccup murmured in sympathy, reaching down to gently examine his younger friend’s wrist. “Definitely broken.”

His fingers lingered uncertainly, unsure if he should warn him first or just do it. Tuff sighed, and hid his face in Hiccup’s shoulder. “Go ahead,” he muttered. “Just be quick please.”

Hiccup did his best and with a sharp crack, set Tuff’s wrist. A pained yelp was quickly followed by a low sob. Tuff slid down to hide his face against Hiccup’s ribs, clinging tightly to him like some lanky frightened octopus. He remained so for a few moments, even as Hiccup rubbed his back and murmured reassurances. Tuff relented finally and let Hiccup get up to retrieve some pieces of kindling and linen to make him a splint

Toothless crooned a soft good night, hopping up on his own bed to make his usual circle of fire. After he finished wrapping Tuff’s wrist, Hiccup laid back down between them to make himself comfortable, oddly well used to sleeping with people in his bed. This was hardly the first time the Twins had crashed with him, but it was the first time they’d been invited to.

He watched Ruff fall asleep first, then Tuff, before finally succumbing to his own exhaustion.

It had been a long, hard day and they all needed some sleep.

-----

Unsurprisingly, Hiccup woke just before dawn to sobbing.

He’d blinked awake muzzily to realize his arms were empty and that it somehow wasn’t correct for them to be. Sitting up, he saw that it was Tuff’s turn to break down. Ruff was leaning against him with an arm around his shoulders and murmuring as soothingly as she could. Hiccup was at their side before he was fully articulate.

“Tuff? What - what’s up?”

“I thought he’d changed, I really thought this time he’d - I thought he cared for us! But he just  -” the boy managed in between hitching breaths.

Oh. Okay, well, there was reason number four-hundred and eighty-three to punch Gruff in the face the next time Hiccup saw him.

“Don’t worry about Gruffnut. He’s a scam-artist and a jerk. Didn’t he also fail the Trials?”

Wait, that didn’t come out right.

Tuff started wailing even harder and Hiccup groaned an apology, sitting up to rub his back.

“No, no, it’s not what you said - I just never realized how alone he must have felt all those years. I mean, no wonder he was a drifter . He - He didn’t even have a home to come back to -”

Ruff groaned and slapped her forehead. “Tuff, for crying out loud! The guy completely screwed us over, you can stop worrying about him. He’s fine! And we will be too. If he can do it, so can we, right? Remember saying all that, about the hut with a divider?”

“Yeah, I was just saying all that because I didn’t want Gruffnut to see us freak out! N-Not that I don’t have a few ideas for what we can do - I mean, I’m good at reading runes, finding clams and diving for abalone and oysters. And you can weave baskets out of anything and read palms and tell fortunes! W-We can make a living off that at the Northern Markets, right? Selling our wares and various talents?”

Hiccup wrapped his arms around the Twins. “Don’t worry about that, guys. Absolutely no-one is going to make you leave Berk.”

“But we can’t live in our house,” Ruff said. “And since our parents were only staying together for us, I bet they’ll finally going to -“

Tuff gave a questioning whimper, looking at her in horrified suspense.

“. . . Buy that new baby yak calf they were talking about last winter,” she covered, grinning weakly. “Can’t have too many yaks, right?”

Tuffnut sighed, sounding relieved, and missed Ruff shaking her head at Hiccup over his shoulder as she gave a thumbs down on the chances of their parents marriage lasting out the month.

“Oh Thor,” Hiccup muttered, rubbing his temples. “What I’m trying to say is you guys won’t be alone through this.”

“We know Hiccup, and thank you,” Tuff said. “It’s nice to know we’ll always have friends in these trying times. Whether it’s a couch to crash on, a basement to hang in, even a designated window to peer in sadly while you enjoy Snoggletog dinner with your family.”

“What . . . of all the ridiculous - you are my family!” Hiccup nearly shouted, with a ferocity that startled even himself.

The Twins stared at him, too stunned to make any sort of comment, and Toothless raised his head to chirp in surprise.

Hiccup stammered, face reddening. “I - I mean, you’re all more than just my friends - and that includes both of you. You guys are like the annoying little brother and sister I never had, and I’m not letting you go cold or hungry, or homeless. We’ll figure this whole thing out in the morning, but until we do, you will always have a home with me and Toothless.”

Neither Twin spoke a word, but they did tackle him into a warm hug, nearly sending all three sprawling off the bed.

———

“You can’t be serious,” Astrid said, eyes wide.

“Oh, I am.” Hiccup barely looked up from the grinding wheel, honing the edge of his sword. Astrid avoided the sparks but came around to stand in front of him.

“I know you want to help, but this is a huge decision. You’re likely going to be Chief someday!”

“That’s not decided yet,” Hiccup shrugged. “What’s decided is that the Twins are not going to be living on the street.”

“Of course not, but it doesn’t have to be you! I’m sure plenty of other Berkians will agree to house them until they find their own way,” she argued.

“Really? Name a couple.”

Astrid crossed her arms, fuming for a moment, then sighed. “Okay, you’re right. No-one else is coming to mind. Mostly because the Twins only seem to listen to you, even if barely.”

“They listen to you too,” Hiccup said, though he was smirking faintly. “When you aren’t being a - how did Ruff put it? A major buzzkill.”

She huffed, but couldn’t keep back a smile. “A buzzkill, huh? And what does Tuffnut say about me?”

“That you need to take a very long nap. Possibly smoke some dragon nip.”

Astrid huffed. “Fine. Just so you know, if either of them ever call me ‘Momstrid’, I’m going to punch them in the ear.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised by that in the least. Feel free to practice on Gruffnut or any other member of the Thorston family.”

She paused, folding her arms. “You’re really upset by this. I mean, it is upsetting, and I’m worried for them too, but . . . . this feels personal.”

Hiccup stopped what he was doing and looked up at her. “Astrid, I love my dad, okay? And everything that happened between us is in the past and we have a good relationship now. But I will never - ever - forget what it felt like when he said I was no longer his son.”

Wincing, Astrid moved toward him, gently touching his arm. She said nothing, letting him continue.

“The Twins just lost their entire family. They may joke and act like it doesn’t bother them, but I know better. It’ll be hard and insane and I’ll probably tear all my hair out by the end of the week, and yes, I’m aware I probably should have talked this through with you first, but -”

A kiss to his cheek quieted him. “Hiccup, you’re always going to do what’s right before you consider whether other people will be happy with it. That’s one of the things I like about you. What can I do to help you guys?”

Hiccup smiled gratefully, relieved she understood now.

***

The Twins’ family was like a pack of vultures. There was no kinder word for it.

Hiccup should have known something was up when Tuff and Ruff started taking things from their hut and hiding it in various corners of his room.

That morning he’d come upstairs to find Tuff nailing a floorboard back down. He’d grinned sheepishly, but finally confessed what was going on.

“Upon disownment, the entire family gets to go through the belongings of the failures,” he explained. “So in a few days, this island is going to be swarming with Thorstons fighting over all our stuff. We’re just hiding things that you guys gifted us with, and also stuff we can’t bear to part with, like Fluffers and my new favorite axe. Also, would you please claim Chicken and her little babies are yours? So nobody tries to eat them?” He clasped his hands together pleadingly, though he hardly needed to.

“Tuff, none of that’s going to happen. They are not coming to this island. I’ll write to the Chief and-”

“Way too late for that, H. Look out the window.”

Hiccup did and scowled as he saw a flock of dragons heading for the Edge, with all sorts of riders - most of them tall with similar hairstyles to the Twins.

“Okay, scratch that. They’re not landing on this island.” Hiccup walked out of the hut and whistled sharply. A few moments later Tuffnut curiously followed him outside.

A white shape flew over to Hiccup, who gave Smidvarg non verbal instructions with his hand, pointing at the approaching Thorstons.

Smidvarg gave a screech and flew off to gather his flock.

“What did you tell him to do?” Tuff asked, having missed most of the signals Hiccup relayed.

He had his answer as mere minutes later, a flock of Night Terrors began to relentlessly divebomb the approaching dragons and their riders.

There was a great deal of shouting and Ruff ran up to them, also watching wide-eyed as the beleaguered Thorstons tried to bat away their attackers and keep a hold on their dragons. Their progress on the island was halted; none of the Night Terrors would let them get a single wingbeat closer.

Finally, the flock turned back, heading South to Berk. The Night Terrors followed for a bit and then returned. Smidvarg landed on Hiccup’s arm, crowing proudly. He churred contentedly as he received a fond scratch on the crown of his head.

“Wow. You really mean business. Nobody’s ever done that before.” Ruff asked Hiccup, quietly.

“Yeah. I mean, I thought the offer was a nice, well-meaning but empty gesture we were supposed to politely turn down,” Tuff chimed in, “But now  . . . you really want us to live with you?”

Hiccup gave them both a smile. “I want you to join my family. It’s not quite adopting you - I mean, that would be awkward.”

“Indeed it would. What would we call you then? Dadcup? Daddock?”

“Ha, ha, please never call me that. I wouldn’t hear the end of it from Snotlout. But from now on, you guys can both call me brother.”

The Twins exchanged glances, and looked back at him, both looking nearly overwhelmed.

“Your Dad won’t - “

“He will let you move in. Just let me handle it. All you two need to worry about now is taking care of yourselves and your dragon. You still need to heal and rest. If you’re up for it, we’ll head for Mala’s island tomorrow morning.”

Again, Ruff and Tuff exchanged glances. “Well, I don’t see the harm in it. I’m simply dying for another coconut.”

“And we can see if Mala’s killed Dagur for real yet,” Ruff grinned. Tuff elbowed her, scowling. It resulted in the usual scuffle, which Hiccup knew better than to intervene in.

-----

Mala and her healers did what they could, applying a pain-relieving salve from dandelion heads and arnica flowers for both Twins, making sure fractures were properly set and gashes stitched. They’d had to give Tuff a few bites of sage fruit so he could remain calm, as he absolutely hated needles.

He wound up needing to eat the whole thing just to remain still, and as a result was more than a bit dazed when he and Ruff got let out.

Ruff smirked at her grinning brother, smoothing her tunic over bandaged ribs. “How you feeling there, bro?”

“This planet is so beautiful. I’m so glad we’re on it.”

“Ooookay, Boynut, yeah. We’re on a pretty great planet.” Dagur commented, largely amused. He whispered behind his hand to Hiccup. “What’s a planet, little brother?”

“Hey, wait a second! If Hiccup’s our brother and your his big brother, does that make you our big brother too?” Ruff interjected.

“Uh . . .” The Berserker suddenly looked hunted. Heather put a hand over her mouth to hide her grin.

“We’ve never had a big brother! Just a few older cousins.” Tuff walked toward him with open arms. Dagur stopped him with a hand on his face.

“Nope, no - you’re Hiccup’s little brother, but I’m not your big brother. And if you ever prank me - ever -  I’ll hang you from a coconut tree by your ankles.”

“Just what a big brother would say!” Tuff cried rapturously. He ducked under Dagur’s hand and hugged him tightly around the waist. The look on Dagur’s face made Hiccup, Heather, and Mala burst out laughing.

“What’s wrong, Dagur? Don’t like being called brother incessantly?” Hiccup teased, failing to keep a smirk off his face.

Dagur snorted, shook his head and relented. “Fine. Come here, Girlnut.” Ruff gleefully ran over and he picked both of them up, hugging them until their joints cracked.

“Berserker Spine-crusher Hug! I love it!” Tuff gritted out.

The others were still laughing as Dagur set the Twins down. The Berserker gave Heather a crafty look. “And you know this also means Heather’s your big sister.”

Heather stopped laughing and yelped as she was suddenly tackled in a hug between both twins, lifting her off her feet. It was Dagur’s turn to burst out laughing as she glared at him flatly, but she couldn’t keep the corners of her mouth from turning up. Heather wrestled her pinned arms free and hugged the twins around the shoulders as they set her down.

Mala beckoned to Hiccup, wishing to talk to him aside.

“Am I to understand the family of Tuffnut and Ruffnut no longer want to claim them?” she asked, looking puzzled. “How is this allowed on your island?”

“Well, it’s not normal. But from what I’ve seen, the Twins are better off without them. Doesn’t really stop the sting on their end, but . . . I think they’ll be okay. We have our own family, all of us riders.”

“I understand. Even here, not every family is happily in tune with each other. The families you find can often be formed with stronger ties than bonds of blood. I believe the Twins will be happy to live with you, though it may take some adjusting.”

Hiccup watched as the Twins ran past, Ruff triumphantly holding up Heather’s axe as she shouted indignantly and chased after them. Dagur was laughing too hard to help her much.

“Oh, I’m sure they’ll be plenty of adjusting. But we’re all going to be there for the Twins, and I know they’ll always be there for us. They’re the heart of the group. At the end of the day, no matter how rough it’s been, they’re always there to cheer us up. And they’re often brilliant - some people can’t see it. I can’t imagine what our group would be without them.”

“You care for them, but not just as a leader,” Mala smiled. “And what do you think your father, Chief Stoick, will think about these ravens of mischief moving into your home when you return to Berk?”

Hiccup laughed wryly. “Ohh, there’s going to have to be a few arguments here and there, I’m sure. But Dad would never turn them away either . . . especially not now, when they need us the most.”

He watched them fondly, glad the Twins were smiling again, despite everything. Hiccup couldn’t think of a single thing worth more than that.

End.

[bovivinator]

Conversion - HTTYD Fanfic

While Hiccup sleeps, his world transforms around him. Some changes are big, some are small, but he is the unknowing catalyst for them all.

Dedicated to @httyd-was-a-great-movie for letting me request stuff all the time, and to @dragondecker for lots of fun hours in plants class. Good luck in animation! Merry Christmas!

Takes place near the end of the first movie, before Hiccup wakes up after the Red Death battle. I tried subtly focus on changing perspectives. Hint: pay attention to the pronouns.

Fanfiction.net | Archive of Our Own | DeviantArt | Other Stories

Gobber heaved his way up to the Haddock home, grimacing when his peg leg was jostled by a loose stone. In his good hand, he clutched supplies to take measurements for Hiccup’s new leg. He had seen Gothi and her assistant entering the Bjarnesen home several minutes earlier, no doubt to attend to Snorre’s badly-burnt arm, and had taken the opportunity to start his project without getting in her way. A Nadder shrieked as it swooped close overhead and he flinched, clamping down on the urge to rush for a shield. Strange and unnerving as this days-old peace with the dragons had been, he had no desire to reignite the past violence with a too-hasty reaction. Never let it be said that Vikings preferred an uneventful life, but the Hairy Hooligans were not as stupid as his apprentice seemed to believe. Some battles were worth avoiding.

Still, this transition was proving to be a difficult one. The communication barriers between the two groups were much more obvious now that they were actually trying to get along, and there had already been several minor injuries resulting from unavoidable misunderstandings. Hiccup’s survival had certainly been a gift from Odin, but Loki had gotten his say, too, in keeping him asleep where his ability to befriend dragons was out of reach. His fellow trainees’ attempts to spread what little he had taught them when they teamed up with the training dragons were welcome, if rather paltry in the face of this enormous task.

Thankfully, the dragons seemed as eager as the humans to play nice and not hold grudges, or the whole situation might have quite literally gone up in flames already. That these seemingly-bloodthirsty creatures would take deliberate care around their new neighbors, often choosing to fly away from a conflict instead of fighting back, was going a long way to convince Gobber that dragons were also much more intelligent than they had been given credit for.

The biggest proof of that, however, was lurking behind the chief’s door now in front of him.

He tapped on the scarred wood with his tongs-attachment and it opened inward a few moments later. Stoick squinted as the sunlight met his eyes and sagged in relief when he saw his visitor wasn’t there with another dragon complaint. “Gobber. I’m glad you’re here.” His head was bare and the lines in his face were noticeably deeper than they had been only a week before. The main source of his stress lay unconscious in the bed behind him.

Gobber nodded by way of greeting. “How’s the lad holding up?” He glanced around the room as he hobbled in, but there was no Night Fury in sight. Had it finally gone to join the other dragons? “He’s not woken?”

“No.” His friend closed the door behind him. “Mumbled a bit when Gothi changed the wraps, but never opened his eyes. We have Eir’s blessing, though, he’s healing well.” He eyed the bundle in Gobber’s hand. “Is that…?”

“For the leg, yeah. I could whip up another peg in a jiffy, but I’m thinking he’ll be wanting something a little more, ah, unique.”

Stoick smiled at that. “No, I can’t imagine he’d settle for anything simple.” His voice was layered with equal parts affection and sorrow, and the smith clapped a supportive hand to his shoulder.

“Don’tcha worry, Stoick, he’ll be back to driving you up the wall in no time. Then you’ll be wishing you’d appreciated the peace and quiet a little more. And there’s a bright side, too, he won’t have to worry about sock-stealing trolls anymore!” The chief leveled a flat stare at him and Gobber chuckled.

He moved to the bed and used his tongs to lift a corner of the bedcovers. Something creaked above him, and he glanced upward only to jerk back and swear as his eyes met a green, slitted pair that almost seemed to float in the air. Draped over a rafter, the dragon’s body was difficult to see in the dim lighting. It had tensed into a crouch, probably in response to his approaching Hiccup. A rumbling noise spilled from its mouth, not a growl, but still a warning. A reminder of the creature’s watchfulness over its rider.

“He won’t stop you,” Stoick said, when the staring match didn’t seem likely to end any time soon. “He let Gothi do her work just fine.”

“How long has the beastie been up there?” Gobber directed his question to Stoick, his gaze not leaving the Night Fury.

“Since Gothi changed the wraps. He was lying by the bed before, but wouldn’t leave the room when she needed him out of the way. This was the compromise.”

“Huh.” Finally looking back down, Gobber pulled the covers away from Hiccup’s stump again and began to work, eyes occasionally flickering up to the occupied rafter. He hadn’t intended to be ungentle to start with, but his actions held an extra level of care prompted by the feral presence above. The dragon, for its part, relaxed after a few moments, settling against the rafter like an enormous winged cat, tail twitching from time to time. It never stopped watching, though.

“What’d Hiccup call it, again?” Gobber’s question broke the silence. “The Night Fury?”

Stoick grunted in an amused way. “Toothless.”

“Toothless?” The smith’s eyebrows shot upward, and he glanced at the menacing shadow above, which had perked up when the wholly-inaccurate name was voiced. He shook his head and reminded himself that Hiccup’s mind worked in strange ways.

Gobber finished quickly, despite the pressure. Measurements taken and injured boy tucked back in, he sat next to the weary father to keep company a little longer. “The leg should be done day after tomorrow. I’ll make sure to strap it on so he don’t wake up stuck in bed.”

That got him a raised eyebrow. “Maybe I want him stuck in bed for a bit. You know he won’t be as careful with that injury as he should.”

“No, Stoick, the last thing he needs is to feel trapped. It’ll be hard enough as is.”

Nodding, Stoick acquiesced. “I won’t argue with that. Besides,” he sighed “if he couldn’t walk, he’d probably just ride Toothless out of the house anyway. There’s no keeping him down.” This time it was pride that warmed the chief’s voice.

“Too true.” A chortle sprung from Gobber’s lips. “Y’know, maybe I won’t make him a leg after all. Walking’s far too mundane for him, he’ll just fly on dragonback everywhere he goes! Just think of it!”

Stoick began to chuckle as well. “Ay, no need for a prosthetic limb when you’ve got the offspring of lightning and death as your shadow! It’s just the sort of dramatic thing he’d love.”

They laughed together, the oppressive weight of the sickroom lifting with their cheer.

Suddenly, the door banged open and Alva, the village tanner, burst in. “Chief! We need—”

Her interruption was cut short when a black blur shot from the ceiling and tackled her to the ground, hissing and growling. The woman gave a very unvikingly shriek at the sight of the fanged maw (see, Hiccup, plenty of teeth!) and angrily narrowed eyes above her. Stoick shot to his feet.

“Whoa, now!” Gobber cried, following. “Back off, dragon!”

The Night Fury ignored him, continuing to snarl at the villager pinned beneath its paws. Its ear-plates were pressed flat to its head, and its wings were spread to make it look bigger and more threatening. Though it made no move to attack further, it was an intimidating sight.

Stoick approached carefully, hands held out. “Toothless,” an ear rose, “let her go.” The black-scaled head swung around to give at the red-bearded man a look Gobber would almost call questioning. “She’s not a danger,” Stoick stressed, coming closer.

The dragon eyed Alva for a moment longer, then stepped back and slunk over to Hiccup’s bedside, where it kept watch on the Viking men.

Eyes wide and face pale, the woman took the hand the chief offered her and stood on shaking legs.

Gobber released a heavy breath. “Perhaps it’d be wise not to come barging in somewhere a protective Night Fury’s holed up in, eh?”

“What do you need, Alva?” Stoick asked with a hint of exasperation.

Eyes still glued to the dragon on the other side of the room, she couldn’t seem to remember. “Ah...there was a thing...um, a problem with some, uh, Gronckles…”

The giant man sighed. “I’ll be there as soon as I can, go tell everyone.” Alva left quickly, still rattled.

As soon as the door closed, the Night Fury turned away and started tending to Hiccup, nuzzling at his brow and giving little licks to his face. Gobber watched in amazement, the gentle behavior so different from the ferocity it had displayed only moments ago. Stoick crossed to his bearskin cloak hanging on the opposite wall and swung it around his shoulders.

“Hang on,” Gobber started. “you’re not leaving the dragon here alone with him?”

“I can’t depend on Spitelout to do everything until he wakes up, not with all this upheaval.” His friend placed his helmet on his head.

“I can’t stay, I’ve got my work to do.”

“I’m not asking you to. It’s only for a bit, and...they’ve likely already spent more time alone together than I like to think about.”

Gobber now remembered the sketches he’d found in his apprentice’s backroom the day before. He considered their subject, who had now climbed onto the bed and was carefully arranging his body around Hiccup’s so as not to jostle his stump leg.

Stoick opened the door. “Besides,” he said, pausing in the frame. “You were right, Gobber.”

The smith turned back towards him. “About what?”

“I can’t protect him forever...but that doesn’t mean nobody will.” The not-so-weary-anymore father shared a look with the creature next to his son, and something passed between them, an understanding revolving around the boy asleep in the bed. Stoick nodded, Toothless blinked, then they both turned away. The chief left the house and the dragon rested his chin next to the pillow, nose buried in his rider’s auburn strands. Hiccup mumbled something unintelligible and turned his head to press against the scaly snout before settling again.

Gobber regarded the peaceful pair for a few minutes. The Night Fury was so quiet and still, he couldn’t tell if he’d gone to sleep as well. He shook his head and laughed, prompting one green eye to open and peer at him. “Him having a dangerous shadow really isn’t that far off, is it?.” He looked straight at the black beast, who opened both eyes and tilted his head curiously. “You, beastie, are not at all what we expected. But then, things never do happen like they should when Hiccup’s involved.” He smiled at the small form under the covers. “And sometimes that’s not a bad thing.”

Toothless looked down at Hiccup as well, and purred in agreement. Gobber jabbed a finger at him, regaining his attention. “This means it’ll be your job to make sure he doesn’t go and blow himself up again.”

The dragon huffed, offended.

Gobber crooked a grin. “Yeah, you would already know that. He’s very good at it, after all.”

There was a snort of amusement. Toothless laid his head down again and curled closer to his rider. A great black wing unfolded and laid itself across the boy like a blanket.

The blacksmith sized up the asymmetrical tail with its lonely fin. He remembered another part of Hiccup’s sketches and came to a decision. Turning away from the friends snuggled together on the bed, he muttered to himself, “Suppose Stoick’ll have to wait a few more days on that leg. After all, it’s not every week I have to put together a matched set for two amputees.” He limped outside and blinked down at the path before him.

It had never seemed brighter.

[thepurplewriter333]

Chapter Eleven: Honest

If I could name one good thing and one bad thing about being stuck in bed all day, it would be these:

1. I didn't have to do anything.

2. I didn't have to do anything.

Boredom was my new companion all week. Every morning, Dad carried me down to the couch and turned on the TV, but nothing good was ever on and I always ended up watching Bug Wars for two hours straight. By the time lunch rolled around, I had a new respect for insects.

That Saturday, Dad must've sensed how lonely I was, because half an hour later- much to my surprise- a knock came from the front door. My father opened it, and there stood…

Astrid. And Snotlout. And Fishlegs and Ruffnut and Tuffnut.

I straightened from my position on the couch. "Uh, hi, um… h-hey…"

Dad grinned at me. "Thought you could use some company, Hiccup."

Astrid laughed at my expression. "Surprise?"

I quickly forced on a face of whatever relaxation I'd be expected to have, and coughed slightly. "Yeah, um…" Suddenly, Toothless burst out from under my blankets. Eyes wild, he began to yip loudly, and I had to hold him back from jumping off the couch. "So this is Toothless, my new dog," I said at the top of my voice to be heard over his barking. "He gets… excited sometimes."

Astrid nodded. I had told her about him before.

Snotlout, on the other hand, was bent over laughing, while Fishlegs looked uncomfortable and the twins tried to get Toothless to bark louder. Dad quickly made an excuse about needing to take my dog on a walk outside, and soon was out of the room… leaving me alone with the group of people who had tormented me my whole life.

It was awkward for a moment.

"So," Snotlout tried. "How are… things?"

"The… um, usual." I cleared my throat. "Anyways, you know, you guys don't have to stay over here if you don't want to… I don't know why my Dad invited you all here… I'm fine, believe me."

"Nah, of course," Astrid smiled, already walking over to the couch. "We're friends, right?"

Yeah. Sure. Friends, my thoughts hissed.

To my dismay, I knew my thoughts were right. Why would Astrid Hofferson want to be my friend? The only reason she was even hanging out with me was because of my newfound "popularity" after the crash. Even talking to her over the phone I could tell that.

Fishlegs smiled sheepishly. "Your father called us and said that you might need someone to keep you company. So we came. Hope you don't mind."

"Yeah, of course not." Embarrassed, I waved them over. "Well, sit down, sit down. We can… talk."

And so eventually we were all gathered around the living room; me on the couch, Astrid sitting beside me, Snotlout and Fishlegs in two chairs, and Ruff and Tuff on another couch. I didn't know any conversation starters, alas it remained silent.

"So, what do you have to do over here?" Snotlout finally asked.

I didn't know, and told him so.

"Aw, come on, you've got to have something," Astrid encouraged. I shook my head slowly. All I was aware of was how close she was to me.

"Ooh, I know!" Fishlegs said excitedly. "What about truth or dare? After all, we don't really know each other all that well-" mostly because they'd ignored me my whole life- "so maybe we'd get to know each other better after playing."

Astrid nodded in approval. "Sounds good. What do you think, guys?"

No one in the group disagreed. We started

"Okay, I'll go first," Astrid said. She turned to Snotlout. "Truth or dare, Snotlout?"

Snotlout's chest puffed out in pride. "Dare, of course."

"Fine. I dare you to slap me."

He paused, chest deflating. "Well, uh… I don't hit women."

"What? You scared?"

"Of course I'm not scared!" Snotlout spluttered. "I just…" His face reddened. "Fine. I'll choose a truth."

"Your loss. Okay, answer me this: what's your biggest fear?"

The atmosphere held its breath, as did Snotlout. He looked ready to punch a wall before he shook his head. "Haha, right," he snorted. "Yeah, I don't have any fears. I'm too manly for that."

"I saw him run away from a spider once," Tuffnut offered.

We quickly moved onto another person after that.

"Ruffnut," Fishlegs asked. He bit the inside of his cheek. "Have you… ever k-kissed anyone?"

Ruffnut smiled proudly. "Sure have. Once I kissed this guy, Eret. He's on the football team…" She sighed dreamily. "I didn't know what a man was before I saw Eret Eretson, the man of my dreams!"

I leaned forward. "So, who made the first move?"

Ruffnut didn't supplement an answer.

Next, it was Tuffnut's turn to ask Astrid. "Truth or dare?" he asked her.

"Truth," Astrid said firmly, surprising everyone.

"Ooh, tough case… hmm… okay got it: do you like Hiccup?"

There was the expectant pause. I cleared my throat. "We are asking some very personal questions today, guys," I pointed out. I then turned to Astrid. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I understand."

She smiled weakly back. "No, it's all right. And in answer, yes, I do like you, Hiccup Haddock." When my eyes widened, she laughed. "Don't go thinking too highly of yourself just yet. I like you as a friend, Hiccup."

"Oh! Yeah, uh, of course," I stuttered, looking down at the floor. "Of c-course, yeah…"

Idiot.

Shut up.

Finally, I was the victim getting asked the question, and I didn't even hesitate before answering with, "Truth." With my leg, it wasn't like I could do a dare. I couldn't do much of anything, really.

As it turned out, Snotlout was the one asking me something. I expected it to be embarrassing or rude or immature, but to my surprise, it was something completely different. "Okay, Hiccup…" He paused. "Do you… do you forgive us for ignoring you… and… well, making fun of you after all these years? Remember, you can't lie."

I didn't know what to say. The rest of the group pretended they were doing something important, like picking at their nails or inspecting the floor. I wasn't sure whether it was in shame, or they just didn't want to be a part of the conversation.

"Well," I began carefully, "I guess I do. The past is in the past, right?" I offered a smile.

Snotlout didn't return it. "Hiccup, I said to tell the truth."

"It's okay, Hiccup," Astrid sighed. "We weren't exactly kind to you. We understand if you still… well…"

"Have a grudge against the people who ignored him for his whole life?" Tuffnut filled in. He raised his brow. "Yeah. If I was him, I'd be ready to start a riot. I mean, what kind of people do that kind of thing?"

"Duh, we did," Ruff hissed.

"Oh, yeah, right… wait, was that wrong?"

I knew Tuff had a point. I should be angry with them for all they'd put me through in the past. Snotlout and his gang had roughed me up more times than I'd liked to remember, Astrid hadn't acknowledged I was alive until a few weeks ago, Fishlegs had mostly avoided my path during my unfortunate years of school, and the twins constantly played malicious pranks.

But, for some reason, I wasn't angry with any of them. They had just made a few mistakes, like everyone did. Plus, as much I hated to admit it, I really was a nobody up until a month ago. It wasn't like I ever tried to be noticed, or get on their good side. So could I really blame them for what they put me through?

So I cleared my throat and said, "I don't hold anything against you guys." At their doubtful expressions, I added, "Honest. I don't."

"But… how can you say that?" Fishlegs stammered. "We treated you like you didn't exist…"

"Me and the other guys beat you up, just for being you," Snotlout muttered.

"Can you ever forgive us, Hiccup?" Astrid asked softly.

I smiled over at her, and this time I spoke with no trace of doubt in my tone.

"Honest… I already have."

"So, how was meeting your friends again?" Dad asked cheerfully from the kitchen as he put dinner on the stove. He was making pancakes. Just like Mom and I used to make on the weekends. It was almost like a family tradition in the Haddock household… not that Dad ever joined us, although- he was too busy working...

Your father can't make up for her! my thoughts insisted. He's just a fraud. He wants you to trust him, but he'll never trust you with anything other than broken promises and lies.

I shook my head, returning my attention to the TV. I needed more sleep.

By the time dinner was ready, a family of ants was fighting a scorpion on screen and I wasn't sure if I wanted to see how the battle would end based on the way it was going. But before I had the chance to decide, Dad was turning the TV off and helping me stand up from the couch, so I could limp over to the dinner table.

I was walking better by the day, now, at least, and could get around the house with little trouble. Stairs were my only problem. No matter how hard I tried, I'd always slip up and had to have Dad catch me before I fell face flat to the floor. Based on my little progression, I doubted I'd be able to get up or get down them any time soon.

"Hungry, son?" my father said.

I wasn't.

"Kind of."

"Good. The pancakes are made especially for you." He winked.

We sat down at the table, where I picked at my food with a fork to make it look like I had eaten something while Dad shoveled in his own bites of the syrupy pancakes.

"So. Gobber's coming over tomorrow," he said in between bites.

That did little to excite me, though Gobber was an old family friend. He always treated me as an adult, and not a kid, for which I was always grateful for. "He is?"

"Yes. He wants to see how you've been lately," Dad explained, before biting his lip. "What with the… uh… crash."

"Oh. Yeah."

There was silence at the table.

Seemed like nothing had changed.

As dinner finally came to an end, I had at last managed down a few bites of food when I suddenly realized a change in my father's mood. His upbeat tone had faded long ago, and he refused to meet my gaze. Even he didn't look too hungry anymore. And he was always hungry.

"Dad?" I asked, worried. My fork dropped to my plate. "Is something wrong?"

He placed his hands beside his plate, cleared his throat, and shifted in his seat for a moment before he looked up. "Hiccup, I need to tell you something. Something… important, son. I thought it would clear up before I had to tell you but… it didn't. So I hope you'll understand."

Fear clenched at my heart. "Dad…?"

From under the table, Toothless poked at my foot. If dogs could sense bad news coming, I was sure I wouldn't like what my father had to say. Nonetheless, I had to listen. I knew that if I didn't, the curiosity would drive me mad.

Dad crossed his arms. "Well, son…" He hesitated, his brow furrowing. "It's like this…"

[vivi-ntvg]

Stay

A/N: A little contribution for Hiccstrid week. It’s day 6 already here, so... (I guess this could be considered future Hiccstrid, but since it’s right after HTTYD2 I don’t know if it counts).

“Thank you for the help, Chief!”

“No problem, Hoark!” Hiccup smiled at the man and waved back as he started the walk home. Night had long since fallen, and Toothless looked up at the stars longingly.

“I know, bud”, Hiccup said. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to go flying today. We’ll go tomorrow first thing, all right?” His dragon warbled. He smiled and rubbed his head.

Once he got to his house, he closed the door and allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. He hadn’t done half of what he’d planned to today, but a fight had broken out in Hoark’s household and he’d spent most of the afternoon trying to placate both sides of his family. Being Vikings, this wasn’t exactly an easy task, and it had taken a lot of effort on his part to avoid an all-out brawl. (Some punches were thrown, of course; that was inevitable.) While he was glad that he’d resolved the conflict in the end, it also meant tomorrow would be a busy day.

But that could wait. For now, he went over to the hearth and gathered everything for a simple stew. He was glad his mother hadn’t tried to cook him dinner; the last time she did, not even Toothless could stomach her overcooked fish, and that was saying something.

He was just finishing when Valka walked in.

“Hello, Hiccup.”

“Hi, mum” he smiled as she sat down with him. “Where were you?”

“I was helping Gobber out with some dragons.” She went to get herself some stew. “What about you? I heard something about a conflict in Hoark’s house.”

“Yeah, you have no idea.”

Hiccup told Valka about his day while she ate, and once she was done, he said he was turning in for the night. “I need to sleep.”

“Of course”, she smiled. “Good night, Hiccup.”

“Good night, Mum.”

He went upstairs to his room, Toothless following. He’d just closed the door when a voice spoke behind him, making him jump.

“Your room is a mess.”

Hiccup smiled and turned around. “Okay, first of all, don’t sneak up on me like that.”

Astrid grinned. “I like to keep you on your toes. The element of surprise, remember?”

“Yeah. On our enemies. Not me. Also, who cares what my room looks like? Nobody ever sees it.”

The blonde’s eyebrows raised. “Oh? I’m nobody?”

“Allow me to rephrase that: nobody should ever see it, not for now.”

“Well, then, if you don’t want me here, I’ll leave.” Frowning in mock-offense, she turned to the window. Hiccup laughed and, stepping forward, grabbed her arm.

“Come here, you.” He pulled her towards him and kissed her. She responded in kind, and he cleared his mind of everything but the sweet feeling of her lips against his. They remained like that for a few moments.

“You were pretty busy today, weren’t you?” Astrid asked, her forehead resting on his. He sighed.

“Yeah. Keeping the peace is hard. I don’t know how...” he swallowed. “How Dad managed it.”

Astrid pulled back enough to look at him. They’d had this conversation often enough since the battle with Drago. Everything that he wished he’d done differently. Everything that he would’ve needed to ask his father about. Everything that he was struggling with. He’d rant, and Astrid would listen. Occasionally she’d comment or give advice, but most of the time she just lent him her ear. And when he was dwelling too much over what he couldn’t change, she’d cut him off.

Sometimes she’d kiss him. Sometimes, things would escalate, although they always stopped before they went too far. Other times, they would simply lie on his bed, Astrid running her hands through his hair, talking about this and that until Hiccup drifted off to sleep. If Hiccup was feeling particularly down, Toothless would join them, wrapping his body around both of them and lending his silent support.

Hiccup felt like he could never repay Astrid everything she’d done for him. She had taken over the dragon training, since he couldn’t do it, and was almost as busy as him. He made sure to set aside some time every day for her, even if it was only five minutes, and ask how everything was going. He wasn’t the only one with problems, he knew, and hers were just as important as his. He didn’t want her to believe he thought otherwise.

“Hiccup”, Astrid said, and he realised he’d zoned out. “Come.”

She brought him to the bed and made him sit down. When she began pulling at the straps of his flight suit, he blushed.

“Astrid, I don’t think-”

“Shh. Trust me.” She yanked down the top half of his suit, leaving his shoulders exposed, but the rest of him covered. Contrary to what he was expecting, she didn’t side beside him, but behind.

“Astrid, what-”

“Don’t turn around.”

He obeyed, and soon Astrid’s fingers were on his shoulders, moving them in circles. She found a knot and worked it loose. Hiccup felt the tension he’d accumulated during the day flow out, like water.

“Is that good?” she asked softly.

“Yeah”, he managed. “Don’t stop.”

He heard the smile in her voice. “Wasn’t planning to.”

Now that the first knot was gone, she moved on to the next one, and then to the back of his neck. He wondered if he’d died suddenly and gone to Valhalla. Astrid’s fingers were magic.

Once she was done, she got up from the bed, and he fell back into it, boneless. Toothless, who’d been curled up in his spot, raised his head and looked at him curiously.

“Thanks”, he smiled. He didn’t say anything else, but he was pretty sure it was clear in his face what he thought of Astrid’s work.

“You’re welcome”, she grinned. He saw her go towards the window and stretched his hand out to her.

“What?” she asked when she noticed.

“Don’t go”, he pleaded. “Stay.”

She hesitated. “Just for a while”, she agreed, as she lay down next to him. “Wouldn’t want Valka to come up in the middle of the night.”

“True”, he replied, lacing his fingers with hers.

Nobody knew that Astrid spent a lot of time in his bedroom, and he planned to keep it that way. Even though she never actually stayed the night, and they had never done anything too scandalous, if word of it were to get out... it would be disastrous for Astrid’s reputation. So they always kept these little meetings short.

The fingers of her free hand were soon in his hair, treading, and he knew it would only be a matter of time before he passed out. Eventually, Astrid got up.

“Stay”, he said again, sleepiness clouding his judgement.

She smiled, shaking her head. “I’d love to, but you know I can’t.” She climbed the window sill and looked back at him. “Good night, Hiccup.”

He was too slow to reply, and by the time he did, she was gone.

“Night.” He reached under his pillow and pulled out the rings he’d been working on in secret. It was dark now, but they still reflected a bit of moonlight.

“Stay”, he whispered to himself. “Stay with me. Forever.”

[whathappenedtomyweekend]

It’s Just A Spark Ch. 9 - Night Shifts

Gobber couldn't believe his eyes. What had originally started as a casual glance out the window had spiralled and now consisted of him staring down at the sight on the street in front of the fire department in parts fascination and parts complete and utter disbelief.

There he was, his colleague who might as well be his own son, the boy with the gapped front teeth and the scraped knees, the young man who was so busy reading that he forgot to eat sometimes, and the man who had told him, only a few months ago, that if his fate was to become an old cat lady it would be fine with him - beaming at the young woman facing him. She had blonde hair, tied up to a ponytail and was dressed, similarily to him, in sports clothes. They were still talking as they came to a halt in front of the building, both smiling at each other.

And of course, Gobber knew that this was Astrid Hofferson.

He watched Hiccup - Hiccup - grin down at her and gently press his lips to her cheeck (Gobber almost had a heart attack), then shortly hug her and turn around to walk up to the building, still grinning from ear to ear.

Well. Gobber remembered the first time the young woman had set her stove on fire. He remembered the exact expression Hiccup had had on his face and the way his eyes were flickering to the side when he'd mumbled something about his ears only being "this red, Gobber, because we were just near a fire, it was hot in there" after they had already been outside again for at least five minutes.

Gobber tried to act normal as the door opened and closed with a click.

"Morning!"

"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show up to work!"

Hiccup placed his phone and headphones onto his desk, ducking away from Gobber's prosthetic arm.

"Sorry, I got held up."

"Yeah, I could see you getting held up alright - in the arms of a certain young blonde, I believe?"

He watched Hiccup's cheek flush and laughed, giving him an enthusiastic pat on the back.

"Was about time, boy! You were one arm and three cats away from becoming me."

Hiccup snorted, "Yeah, right. Don't think having a girlfried will deter me from adapting that lifestyle."

There were not many things you could get past Gobber without noticing. And words, no matter how fast- or low-spoken were definitely not on that list.

"Girlfriend now, eh?"

"I, uh - I mean - oh, man."

Hiccup looked at him, a bewildered expression on his face as if he'd only realised this for himself just now, his hands already flying up to his hair.

"Ooh my God, Gobber, she's my girlfriend. She's my girlfriend," he repeated as if this alone had been something he had never thought to actually be possible.

"Oh, boy," the older man chuckled upon seeing Hiccup's disbelief change to surprise to complete and utter joy.

"Astrid. Hofferson. Is. My girlfriend."

"Yeah, how'd you do that? I'm surprised you're able to hold up a conversation with that vocabulary you've got yourself, boy."

Hiccup had not really thought about this earlier when Astrid had accompanied him back to work instead of his apartment, but now, standing in front of his locker next to the bathroom, his only options for the monthly meeting with the mayor and comissioners a crumpled-up old shirt with Toothless' handiwork at the hem and gym shorts, he regretted not having stopped by at his apartment prior to this.

The young man uttered a curse on his breath but knew he didn't really have time to explore any further options.

So he quickly grabbed the shirt, returned to the bathroom and pulled it over his head, stepped out of his towel and put the remaining clothes on.

He couldn't wait until this day was over. The morning run had energised him, but a nine-hour response-shift ahead and a two-hour meeting were already pretty high on the list of things that would use up that energy.

Thinking about said run - or rather, its aftermath- , however, sent his heart spiralling and made him grin at his reflection in the department's bathroom mirror.

She'd said yes. To being his girlfriend, essentially. Or had she? Had she misunderstood him and had only agreed to an extended status of "just dating"?

Oh, God. Suddenly Hiccup didn't feel all that confident anymore.

"Okay," He leaned on the edges on the sink and stared at his ruffled, still wet-haired reflection. "Stop it. Get it together. Just ask her tomorrow, just to clarify."

Yes. Just to make sure they were on the same page.

His thoughts went - in an effort to take his mind off the question of their 'status' - over the preparations left to be made for their date. He'd have to sweep the flat over before 15:30, and clean the bathroom thoroughly. Also maybe dust off the shelves. Get something to wear - oh, no. He remembered his last confrontationnwith his wardrobe situatuon.

This was their fifth date.

He was out of shirts.

Shit.

"Hey, Gobber, you ready to-" Hiccup broke off when he saw Snotlout at his desk, waving at him.

"Yo."

Hiccup stepped in further, furrowung his brows in confusion.

"Where's Gobber?"

"Went to get lunch."

"What? The meeting's in five minutes, and we're already running late! When did he leave? Did he say anything about when-"

"Woah, take it easy, cuz," his cousin interrupted him lightly and spun his chair around. "Gobber's been late to these meetings since they exist."

Hiccup exhaled and chuckled, sitting down next to the dark-haired man.

"Okay, true. How's your morning been?"

"It was okay. Pretty chill. I took Hooky out for our morning walk - did you know Fish is out of town?"

Hiccup's head perked up. "He is?"

"Yeah, the café's all closed up."

"Huh. No, he didn't mention," Hiccup leaned on his desk and squinted his eyes at his cousin. "He usually always lets us know."

"Maybe something urgent came up and he's not ready to talk about it yet?" Snotlout wondered aloud and leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. "I hope he comes back soon, I could kill for a plate of his waffles."

Hiccup smirked. "He'd kiss you again if you told him that in person."

He knew his cousin would never admit it if he asked, but it was quite obvious, even to Hiccup. Snotlout himself blushed, grumbling,

"It happened once, okay? And it obviously didn't mean anything to him, since he never brought it up again. SO," he pushed himself back and reached for his water bottle, fiddling with the lid with some degree of suppressed fury. "I'm not going to either."

"Alright, sorry."

His cousin sighed, his mood lightening up again. "It's okay. Just don't … tell him."

"You have my word."

"Speaking of which, you finished up those reports from last night?"

Hiccup chuckled. "Yup. I'm back on track." His cousin smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Despite being 'busy'?"

"Shut up."

He laughed. "Come on, nobody ever tells me anything anymore."

"Good," Hiccup shot back indignantly but grinned. "I'm not really keen on all of Berk knowing about it."

"So what's 'it'?"

"Honestly? You think I'm that unattentive?"

"When you're drawing, yeah."

Something about the smirk that was plastered on his cousin's lips seemed fishy to Hiccup. He did not like this grin.

"Scott," he drawled. "What did you do?"

His cousin's grin widened. "Oh, I did nothing. I just *sat* there. Listen, all I'm sayin' is, that maybe you should pay more attention to who else is in the room in the evening."

Hiccup blushed immediately as he remembered being in the common room in the evening, reading until he had absentmindedly started sketching - a pair of eyes, grey on paper but blue in memory, lips, just slightly parted, outlines of a face - "Oh, God," he spluttered. "I - it wasn't - I mean."

Snotlout laughed and nudged his cousin's shoulder. "Hey, I'm not judging."

He offered Hiccup an amicable smile and grinned when his cousin slumped his shoulders and returned the smile.

Who'd have thought? Seven years ago he'd have never even dreamed of sharing the same job with Hiccup and spending most of their shifts together, let alone having normal, amiable conversations and sharing jokes.

Gobber's voice from outside interrupted the dark-haired man's thoughts.

"Come on, Hiccup, we're gonna be late!" Gobber suddenly shouted from the hall, making Snotlout laugh and offer Hiccup a fistbump.

"Alright, I'm coming, just - stay where you are!" Hiccup shouted back rolled his eyes at his cousin, who only grinned and shrugged.

"Alright, I think we're done here, everyone. Dismissed," Stoick Haddock concluded and closed his folder, nodding at the men seated around him.

Hiccup sighed inwardly. The monthly check-in was something that had to be done, he knew that, but these meetings could be both lengthy and boring.

He'd tried to excuse his attire and had only got a few amused looks and some raised eyebrows; 'Could've been worse,' Hiccup thought and got up. At the sight of his father gathering up his files he remembered his post-meeting-agenda and quickly tapped his father's shoulder, lowly asking, "Dad, can I … talk to you for a sec?"

"Of course," Stoick nodded at the other men and led his son off to the side. "Excuse us."

His eyes met Hiccup's expression. The young man leaned in and murmured, "Hey, Dad, listen, um. I need you to do me a favour, please."

His father raised his eyebrows but Hiccup didn't fail to notice the faint smile playing on his lips. He sighed and inhaled deeply, shortly raking a hand through his hair.

"Oh man, I can't believe I'm actually saying this - Dad, I need a shirt."

"You need a … a what?"

His father looked at him, speechless. Hiccup nodded sharply and elaborated, "Yes, a shirt. Any colour, I just need - listen, Dad, Astrid is coming over tomorrow and I've run out of shirts, and I can't just wear the same over and over again, so - please. I just need a shirt or two, button up or down, you decide, I'm desperate."

To his suprise and utter mortification, his father let out a whoop of laughter, starting him and the other men in the room.

"She's really got you bedazzled, aye, son?"

"I - what?"

"I thought I'd never see the day you'd ask me to help you with your shopping!" his father bellowed, still laughing. "Oh, this is great, son, I've been waiting for this my whole life-"

"Dad, don't you think you're … overreacting, a bit-"

"-and I will not waste this opportunity. Consider your wardrobe situation saved."

With this he strode past him, muttering something about "my boy's finally getting his life together" and "wrapped around his finger, completely head over heels", leaving an abashed Hiccup and chuckling collegues behind.

"Well, you did it," Gobber laughed and patted his back, making Hiccup stumble forward involuntarily. "he will not rest until he's got you a month's worth of clothing."

Hiccup groaned. "What have I done, Gobber?"

"Made him the most excited I've seen him in years, you did," Gobber smiled, his expression gentle now. "Come on, let's get back to the department, lover-boy."

"Please don't call me that."

"Romeo?"

"Tragic death and stupid as fuck."

"That a yes?"

"No."

It hit Hiccup like a bolt of lightning. He'd forgotten to fill up Toothless' bowl when he'd left the house this afternoon.

"Shit. Shitshitshitshit," he spat through gritted teeth as he frantically searched for options. He couldn't leave the department now, he was the only one in.

Okay. What else? Call someone. It was at times like these Hiccup wished his entire support system wasn't built on people working in the administrative departments.

And Fishlegs was out of the city.

Then it dawned on him. The only person he could hope to be home.

His hands had already picked up his phone and clicked on the number.

"Hiccup?"

He exhaled. "Oh, thank God. Astrid, do you - do you have time? Are you at home?"

Her answer was hard to make out over the background-voices and music.

"I'm on my shift, why?"

His heart sunk.

"Okay, nevermind then-"

"Hiccup? Hello - hang on, I'll go outside, just give me one sec."

The noise faded.

Her voice got clearer as she grumbled, "You'd think people'd wait for a Friday 'til they hit the bar."

He chuckled. "I'd honestly love to be somewhere else right now, so I can't blame them."

Astrid snorted and finally there was nothing blocking out her voice anymore. "Trust me, you don't wanna be here. Anyways, what's up? Something wrong? You never call this late."

"Oh - yeah, I actually … Astrid, can you do me a favour?"

She didn't even hesitate and her answer let a wave of warmth and affection wash over him.

"What do you need and where should I be?"

"At my apartment. Or rather, first here and then my apartment."

Astrid furrowed her brow, for a second asking herself if this was some kind of disguise for something else but quickly discarded that thought as Hiccup continued quickly, "I forgot to feed Toothless when I left today and I locked everything, so he can't go out to hunt. Could you pick up my keys and feed him, please?"

She hummed. "Yeah, of course."

Hiccup sighed and smiled. "Thanks, I really owe you one."

Astrid laughed breezily and was apparently making her way back inside. From what he could hear, Pink's 'Raise your glass' was playing and people were screaming.

"No problem," he heard her say over them. "I'll think of something."

He chuckled and leaned on his desk.

"You have until tomorrow."

"Oh, so now there's a deadline for favours?"

"Only for that one."

She laughed again. "Well, maybe it's a project that can't be done overnight."

"Am I still talking to Astrid or Ms Hofferson who just pulled the ultimate teacher-joke on me?"

"Both. Hang on a second."

The sound was muffled since she seemed to be pressing the microphone against herself to block out the sound, but he still heard her distinct voice shout, "Heath, can you tell Al I'm taking my break? Be back in 45."

Another voice answered, loud but friendly, "Sure, don't worry. Gotcha, Stellar!"

Stellar?

The sound was back in its full intensity and so was her voice.

"Alright, I'm heading out. Be there in ten."

"Okay. See you."

Astrid smiled up at the sky. "You know, this isn't even a favour I'm doing you. You're doing me one."

Although she had called it multiple times, Astrid had never been inside the fire department of Berk before.

It looked a bit intimidating in the dark, and she only saw one big window with lights on inside. She squinted her eyes up and into the darkness and registered movement.

A slim figure approached the window, waving at her, chasing a smile across her lips as she waved back. Hiccup's sillhouette disappeared.

Astrid herself made her way into the building and up the staircase to the second floor, where she was greeted by a dark hallway.

A door was pried open, a small ray of light emitting from the crack.

"Astrid?" His face was stuck out of the open door.

"Hiccup? Why's it so dark in here?"

"We're saving up energy."

He was leaning out of the door, supporting his weight by the frame.

Astrid smirked and came to a halt in front of him. He didn't move, just stayed with his eyes fixed on her.

The young woman felt a weird sensation rushing through her stomach as she remembered her dream from a couple of nights ago, which had started just like this, opening a door and -

"You wanna come in for a sec?" he asked and interrupted her thoughts.

Astrid nodded, smiling. "Let's make the workplace situation even."

He laughed and led her inside. The building itself wasn't that big, but the headquarters seemed pretty spacious. There were only three desks inside with multiple screens, and by the wall stood an unsafe-looking plank bed.

"Welcome to my job where we get Sicca Syndrome and a bad back trying to sleep on these," he joked and ran a hand through his hair.

Astrid sat down on the plank bed, wincing as it squeaked and bent violently, making him laugh as he sat down next to her.

Without giving herself much time to hesitate, Astrid leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Do we have enough time for me to ask you what your day looks like?"

He chuckled and gently wrapped his arm around her, trying not to let on that he was shaking slightly, thankful she still had her eyes closed so she wasn't able to see his blush.

"Maybe. We could save that conversation up for tomorrow, though."

She opened her eyes and moved to get up, but Hiccup tightened his grip around her shoulders and grinned lopsidedly.

"That wasn't me trying to tell you to immediately get up. It's …" he hesitated, his blush deepening. "It's, um, really nice sitting like this. With you."

Astrid chuckled lightly and leaned back into him, nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck.

"You're really trying to outdo yourself today, huh?"

Her voice was muffled against his skin, her breath sending sparks down it.

"Is it working?"

Astrid grinned against him. "Yeah."

The young man laughed and tried to calm his heart yet again. To think that only sitting with her head on his shoulder, her lips making direct contact with his skin when she spoke was enough to turn him into a flustered mess. And they hadn't even KISSED yet.

"I'm beginning to regret this."

He froze, his heart dropping immediately. Regret what? This? Her decision from earlier? Being alone with him? Out of a sudden? Somehow?

Of course, his logical side knew better than that and patiently waited for Astrid to continue - his worry got the better of him.

"Why?"

"Because now going back to my shift is going to be really fucking hard."

'Oh. Oh, thank God.' He exhaled and relaxed again.

"Why?" he repeated, feeling stupid.

Astrid closed her eyes again. "Because I'd much rather be here and spend the night with you than going back."

Aaaand there it was. His pulse was sky-rocketing. And she was so close she might actually hear. His blush had deepened even more.

Astrid continued after a pause, "Or you know, I could just crash at your apartment and cuddle with Toothless."

He rasped out a laugh. "If you let me in tomorrow."

Astrid opened her eyes and pursed her lips to hide her smile.

"We'll see."

Hiccup really wanted to kiss her. He wanted to so bad it almost hurt.

Yet, there was something holding him back - the question from earlier. But he didn't want to bring this up now. Especially not since-

"Speaking of Toothless, I should probably get going now."

"Oh, y-yeah! Uh," he uncurled his arm from around her and jumped up, stumbling towards his desk. "Let me just … find the key … uh. Should've probably done that earlier."

"Let me help. I've got a knack for finding things."

She joined him at the desk and grinned when he shot her a short, amused glance.

"You do?"

"Oh, yeah. I found you, so that's one."

Hiccup chuckled and watched her pull out his keys from underneath the printed draft of the day's report and hold it up in front of him, grinning smugly.

"And you say I'm trying to outdo myself?" he muttered, making her laugh.

"Well, now we're even."

He shrugged and grinned. "True. You remember the direction?"

Astrid nodded, leaning against the desk.

"Good. Ah, and uh, mind the door, it always gets stuck, so it's a bit hard to open. Just, uh, throw your entire body weight againt it. At least that's what I do."

She nodded again and smiled up at him. "Jot that down. Anything else? Where's the food?"

"Second left cupboard by the window on the floor. You know, the one with the scratches?"

She snorted as she remembered which one Hiccup was talking about - and it seemed like he was either very forgetful or had a cat that loved to eat.

"Alright, got it."

"Thanks again, Astrid."

Somehow they had ended up facing each other, his hands on her arms.

Hiccup's gaze fell down on his hands and his first instinct was to let go, but Astrid smiled and put her own hands on his arms, squeezing lightly.

"You're welcome. But - by the way, where's everyone else?"

"Oh, Gobber's already home and Scott went for a quick nap down in the living area. He complained that my typing was too loud for him to sleep."

She snorted. "Well, at least you've got the place to yourself, right?"

His hands subconscuiously had wandered to her waist.

"I'd rather not. But I'm a bit picky about the company."

"That so?"

He hummed, his eyes dropping to her lips ever so shortly. He looked like he was almost going to lean down and kiss her - but there was something in his eyes Astrid knew well by now.

Hesitation. Something was holding him back.

Astrid smiled and pulled back slightly.

She'd give him time.

Until then … she stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek.

"I'm gonna get going now. Don't wanna keep Toothless waiting."

She grinned up at him and was relieved when he returned it.

"Yeah."

She turned to leave but was held back by his voice softly calling out her name.

"Oh, and … Astrid?"

She hummed, turning around, already halways out the door.

With a few steps he had closed the distance between them. His eyes were warm as he gently wrapped his fingers around her left wrist, tugged her closer and pressed a lingering kiss on her forehead.

Astrid's eyes fluttered closed at the contact.

"Stay safe tonight," he whispered, his lips barely grazing her skin before he pulled back.

Astrid opened her eyes again and was met with his open expression and small smile.

She returned it tenfolds and whispered back, "You too."

Then she turned around and took the stairs downstairs.

Fires and people had a lot in common, but most people could be either reasoned with or at least punched (which was her own interpretation). Then again, her boyfriend was not the type to underestimate a thing like a fire.

Astrid stopped, her hand on the doorhandle. Boyfriend. She'd thought 'boyfriend'.

The air was a tinge colder when she stepped outside, but still had the distinct warmth of a summer night.

Well, he was, wasn't he? It was what he'd asked her this morning, wasn't it?

Astrid smiled to herself and maybe the sky, Hiccup's keys clinking in her pocket.

This was a very girlfriend-thing to do, after all.