Hiccup Haddock sat on a lone tree branch, doodling the nature surrounding him. He had always had a keen eye for details and being able to flawlessly capture them down on paper. Whenever something caught his unwavering attention, he would always pull out his charcoal pencil and start drawing.
He was generally gifted with his hands, especially when it came to tinkering and inventing. He might not possess the strength of an average Viking but whenever someone needed something done with finesse and accuracy they would seek the young boy out. Most of the jewelry and fancy weaponry on Berk was crafted by him.
The sun was growing dimmer when someone suddenly made him alert of their presence. There was a stream of cool water nearby, some sort of lake. It used to be a bathing area but was rarely in use as of late.
Hiccup's curiosity was quipped though.
He slid off the skinny branch and landed ungracefully on the ground, dirtying his clothes in the process. Brushing against the mud stains, he lifted himself up with determination and made his way towards the direction of the sound.
The bushes screened his presence but he was able to get a wide look at the scene before him.
Astrid Hofferson was sitting beside the lake, her mother's axe resting against the stone wall as she rinsed blood off the cuts on her arms.
"Maybe not today, but one day. I promise, Uncle Finn," he heard whisper while she attempted to patch the wounds by tearing off parts of her dress to use as bandage. The Hoffersons weren't exactly the wealthiest family on Berk and it was pretty evident from Astrid's worn attire. But the young Hofferson girl never let this fact faze her, even at times when she had been publicly shunned out for it.
When they had been five, Astrid had declared herself as his protector, despite being a head shorter and very clumsy with her axe. She constantly followed him and Snotlout around, much to their protests and complaints. Hiccup remembered how much it used to annoy them, and how often he would tell her to just leave him and his cousin alone. It was especially embarrassing when Chiefs of neighboring tribes visited. They always brought their sons and daughters along to greet the Haddocks. Astrid's presence stuck out like sore thumb among the wealthy. She had no right to be there but for some reason, his father Stoick adored her. He didn't mind that she was wearing rags and had lost so many of her baby teeth because of her carelessness. Not to mention, she acted like a clingy little sister, wanting to hold Hiccup's hand, wanting to sleep next to him and Snotlout whenever they camped out.
One time, the Chief of the Marauders had boarded on Berk along with his youngest son Arvid.
Arvid had always been very kind to Hiccup, probably because of his status as heir of Berk. The Marauders admired Stoick the Vast greatly. But unsurprisingly, Arvid detested the little blonde girl that always trailed after Hiccup and Snotlout.
"Tell this peasant to leave," he spat whenever he saw her. Hiccup remembered Astrid asking her mother what a 'peasant' was later that week. She seemed completely oblivious to the hate Arvid felt for her.
During a camping trip with Gobber, Astrid had naturally joined them. Hiccup had just turned seven and his relationship with Snotlout was beginning to grow worst for wear. Right before bedtime, Snotlout had ripped Hiccup's blanket from him once realizing he had forgotten his own at home.
This left Hiccup on the cool, moist earthy floor.
Astrid had then stepped forward with her old and ratty one, placing it on the ground next to him. She sat down on it and then offered Hiccup a seat beside her with a smile.
Hiccup remembered Snotlout laughing at him and Arvid's face twisting in disgust.
"That's really nice of ya, Astrid," Gobber had chimed in quickly, and then given Hiccup a pointed look. The young russet haired boy reluctantly slide on next to her and lay down. He quickly closed his eyes to tune out Snotlout's mocking laughter.
After a while it grew quiet around them, and Hiccup turned to see Astrid wide awake beside him. "Hiccup," she said when she noticed he was wide awake.
"Yes, Astrid?" he answered back despite himself.
"Do you ever think about the future?"
"Who doesn't?" he mumbled back.
"D-Do you think the war with the dragons will ever end?" she whispered.
Hiccup remained quiet for a long moment before uttering in a rather irritated tone. "Please stop talking and go to sleep."
The next morning when he woke up, she was gone.
Her axe was strangely enough struck in the bark behind him.
"Astrid?" Hiccup had called out nervously when she was nowhere close to be seen. This soon alerted everyone else, including Gobber who began investigating her disappearance right away.
Eventually the news made it to both the Chief and her family, and they pulled together a search party.
The whole day went by without as much as a sign of the young Hofferson girl but just when everyone was about to give up, a Terrible Terror caught Hiccup's eye and led him to a small cave opening.
Hiccup squinted his eyes but was able to recognize the unconscious little body that belonged to Astrid.
The Hoffersons had breathed out in relief at the sight. She was cold and weak but breathing thankfully.
"Whoever is responsible for this, step forward now!" Stoick demanded in the aftermath. He had only been met by silence until Arvid spoke up. "Maybe it was a dragon?"
Stoick had squinted hard at him and then looked over at Hiccup. "What do you think, son?"
Hiccup knew such a case was rather unlikely. Why would a dragon kidnap a little girl, only to leave her in a cave, very much alive? Hiccup looked between Arvid and his father, and then at Astrid who lay still in her father's arms.
"It's possible.. it was a dragon, yeah," he ended up muttering, eyes lowering slightly.
"Devil beasts!" Stoick growled under his breath but there was still a glint in his glare that Hiccup could not make out, especially as it grazed over Arvid.
After the events of that fateful day, something changed. Most of all, Astrid changed.
She had stopped following him. Stopped trying to be one of the guys. For a while, Astrid Hofferson didn't as much as step outside her house.
Hiccup began to feel an unexpected concern for her, but was soon occupied with his own matters and upcoming problems.
Unlike the rest of his male peers, Hiccup didn't grow much in the muscle department. He stayed lanky and small, while Snotlout filled out his frame and Tuffnut jumped up in height. They became stronger but Hiccup remained the same.
He was now an outcast amongst his own. His father no longer regarded him with hope but a shameful, empty look.
Hiccup attempted to bulk up, tried to train himself to use weapons. But it just didn't seem to be in his nature. One evening, he had saturated towards the woods with a heavy axe in his arms. It was nearly impossible to lift up with one hand, so throwing it was just out of question.
Hiccup ended up collapsing in hopelessness against a tree.
...And that's when he saw her.
Precise, quick, elaborate movements.
She threw her axe, her mother's axe, with such accuracy it struck on the same target every time.
Hiccup was almost mesmerized by her movements.
He never knew Astrid Hofferson would grow to be so graceful and nimble.
He ended up staying just to watch her.
Hiccup began observing her, and was always nearby whenever she visited the same stream, charcoal ready in hand.
She usually came by just before the sun met sea level.
The first few times had been to clean her wounds, but as she had gotten more and more confident in handling sharp weapons, her injuries grew far and less.
Astrid began to occupy this time to relax and soak her legs half-way into the water.
She took him by complete surprise one day when she suddenly pulled at the cord that held her hair together.
Long, curly locks by the color of gold draped down her shoulders, and Hiccup felt his breath hitch.
He had always considered her cute but more in a familial manner.
The thoughts rushing through his mind right now were far from brotherly. Especially when Astrid leaned back on her hands and pushed her chest upwards.
He could feel his heart start to drum in his ears, face flushing and his equipment nearly slipping from his sweaty hands.
Later that night, Hiccup touched himself. Uncertain by the act but his hand still moved eagerly to the images of Astrid's beautiful body and face.
He felt ashamed of it afterwards but it didn't stop him from watching her train the very next day and then repeat the same process.
There was something about Astrid that made him feel these strange new feelings.
He couldn't quite place it.
It was Snoggletog, and Hiccup the useless was sitting by himself in a corner.
Earlier that day, he ended up in the most unexpected situation.
Astrid had been struggling to pin her home-made decoration on the walls of the Mead Hall. Hiccup remembered Snotlout offering to lend a hand but Hiccup could see past his fake facade. There was always ulterior motives for Snotlout. Luckily, Astrid didn't give in to him.
"I don't need your help!" she spat, irritated. Snotlout tried to reach for her again but she quickly swatted his hands away and turned her focus back on the wall.
For a while, Hiccup just watched her until at last mustering up the courage to walk up to her, though not as close as Snotlout had been.
"You should nail hooks on the wall and hang your decor on them," he suggested in a quiet voice.
At first, Astrid didn't respond and Hiccup complemented leaving her be.
"Where do I find hooks?" she whispered, startling him. She turned to him carefully, gaze guarded and calculating.
Hiccup grinned at her. "There might be some left in the forge."
Together they wordlessly made their way to Gobber's forge. Hiccup wished for more than anything that she would talk to him the way she used to when they were little kids. It had annoyed him back then, but now he missed it. He missed her laugh and dorky grin.
Astrid rarely smile anymore, if ever.
Hiccup remembered how everyone used to make fun of her teeth as a child, and now that she had the most beautiful and perfect teeth on Berk, she preferred not to show them.
They ended up grabbing a bag of hooks, nails and a hammer. The plan was to head back upstairs the way they had come but Astrid motioned him to follow her through the woods so they could use a shortcut instead.
It ended up being a mistake as it ended with them falling into a dragon trap.
Not just any trap, but one set up by the Chief himself.
They stayed up there tangled for quite a while.
It was the best hour of Hiccup's life but also the most torturous one.
Being pressed up so closed together was doing things to his body he rather hoped she never found out.
When they were finally discovered at last by Stoick the Vast no less, Hiccup let out a breath of relief.
His happiness was short-lived however.
Stoick was greatly furious with his son for ruining his trap. But it didn't stop there.
The nails and hooks Hiccup had taken from Gobber had been reserved for other purposes.
Hiccup tried convincing his father of Astrid's innocence when the girl herself ended up taking the entire blame. Hiccup wondered if it was to avoid spending more time with him.
He watched her heavy with guilt from the forge window as she fulfilled her punishment, shoveling snow until sundown.
Her arms were probably cramping by the time she was done.
She left without a word afterwards.
Finding himself now in his lone corner of the Hall, Hiccup wondered what he done to the Gods to punish him so.
The celebration would go on with or without him so he stood up from his table at last and left the Great Hall.
As he stepped down the large stairs, he was hit on the back by a snowball.
"That's for getting me into trouble," a familiar voice rang.
Hiccup quickly turned to meet furious blue eyes and gulped.
Astrid bent down to gather more snow to throw at him. Hiccup didn't know how to react.
"Come on," she said reaching for his hand while he gaped at her. "It's Snoggletog, you shouldn't be alone."
Hiccup accepted her hand and felt his heart flutter when she chuckled at him. Suddenly, he was showered with more snow. "Hey!" he yelled in protest to which she only giggled.
"What are you waiting for?" she challenged him.
Hiccup shook his head. "Oh no, it's on!" he said before gathering up his revenge.
It ended up being the best Snoggletog he could remember, even if Astrid never spoke to him again for the remaining of the year.
They had just returned back to the cove after escaping the dragon nest and Astrid had immediately jumped off Toothless to head back to town when Hiccup had stopped her.
All by himself and his own strength this time.
"Yes."
As simple as this word was, it held tremendous significant.
For with that utterance something in her eyes shifted, as if she could see a piece of herself within him.
He was willing to do anything to protect Toothless. He was willing to go to great lengths to stand up for his own.
He was going to end the war with the dragons... and she was going to be there to help him.
When everything went up in flames after his encounter with the Monstrous Nightmare in the kill ring, after his best friend was taken away and his father and the tribe had disowned him, Astrid chose to stand by his side.
That was when Hiccup knew, she was never going to leave. She had to stay to ensure he remained true to his beliefs, his promises and himself.
He was nothing, even less than what he used to be, but she remained loyal to him.
She chose to believe in him and his vision even when he didn't.
But most of all, she told him to do something crazy.
They were sitting at the edge of the world, looking at the broad horizon where day met night.
Astrid had just recovered from the Scourge of Odin, an unexpected turn of events Hiccup would never have wished on anyone, lest not Astrid.
The thought of losing her had taken a strong toll on him. Fortunately, she looked healthy and happier than ever, and he could finally let out a much needed breath of relief.
As his eyes fell to the faded scars on her bare arms, memories of the past began flooding his mind. He inhaled deeply to muster up the courage to reach for her.
Slowly but surely, his hand descended on top hers.
He could feel her pause and the burn of her stare against the side of his face, but he dared not to move.
Not until she entwined her fingers with his and gave him a squeeze.
When Hiccup finally turned to look at her then, he was taken aback by the brilliant smile on her face.
It was so blinding it put him in a momentary state of shock.
Warm feelings rushed through him and he suddenly realized how much he had loved her all along.
He had loved her even when he had not wanted to. When he had not known what love even was or meant.
He had loved her his whole life.
"I'm so glad you decided to come with me," he whispered, smiling back at her unafraid and determined. "It wouldn't have been the same without you."
She squeezed his hand again with a laugh.
"So am I."