I am forever forgetting to put the disclaimer. :C
Disclaimer: I do not own any original content from How to Train Your Dragon or its spin-offs. I only own this storyline.
Chapter 1
Hiccup paced anxiously around the saddlery, pinching his fingers and muttering to himself. He had been walking up and down and periodically sitting for about ten minutes, as the five terrible terrors who lived in the armory watched curiously from the rafters. Eventually, he stopped pacing, walked to a window, and peered out. He quickly turned and sat down on a gronkle saddle. Several seconds later, Astrid came in.
"Hey, Hiccup," she said, "What's up?"
"Uh, hey, Astrid…How are you?" he murmured, adjusting himself on his seat.
"Good," she answered, raising an eyebrow as she sat across from him on a nadder saddle, "Y'know, you already asked me that earlier."
"Oh, well, just checking…"
She smiled and shook her head.
"Alright. What's killing you?"
"Um…well, uh…"
He clenched his hands together and looked up at her.
"No. Be a man. Get it out."
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. Then, he opened them, set his jaw, and reached out. His gaze firmly met hers as he cupped her hands in his.
"Astrid…" he began.
"Yes?" she said softly as she stared worriedly at him.
He broke eye contact momentarily as he took another deep breath.
"Astrid, there's something that I need to say to you. That I haven't said…because I was…scared to say it."
Astrid leaned forward.
"But, I think," he continued, "That it's time to say it now…"
He paused again, looking down. When he looked back up, he could have owned her eyes.
"Astrid, you know I love you…" he half-asked, as if he was requesting permission to continue.
She nodded. He had her permission. Every fiber of her being gave him permission.
Keeping his eyes locked on hers, he sucked in his lips and said, "Astrid…"
She held her breath.
"Astrid…
Idon'tlikeyaknog!"
He bit his lip. She stared at him, then blinked rapidly and leaned back, her hands still in his.
"Um…" she murmured.
Hiccup continued gnawing on his lip and stared at her anxiously.
"Um…" she murmured again as her brow and mouth twitched.
"Astrid?" he asked sheepishly, gently squeezing her hands, "Are you mad at me?"
She blinked again, frowning, and shook her head.
"No…..So…you don't like yaknog?"
Hiccup slowly shook his head.
"I thought you said you liked it…"
He bit his lip again.
"So, you lied?"
"Well, when you made it the first time, you were just trying to cheer everyone up. And, then, after that, you already thought I liked it…I mean, I never actually said that I did…"
He quickly moved on.
"I just didn't wanna keep making you think that I did."
"You mean, you didn't wanna keep lying to me?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well…..ugh, yes. But, it's because of you. I didn't wanna lie to you anymore. The reason I didn't tell you in the first place was because I didn't wanna hurt your feelings…And, everyone else was being kind of mean about it, honestly-"
"Well," she said curtly and inhaled as she pulled her hands away, "I appreciate you finally being honest with me. Now I don't have to waste my time making it for you anymore."
She stood up.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled.
She turned to walk out, but paused and looked down at him.
"So, all those years I was making it for you, did you just throw it away?"
"Well, actually," Hiccup replied with a sheepish smile, "Toothless really likes the stuff."
"Ugh," she scoffed before marching out the saddlery.
Hiccup sighed and slumped his shoulders.
"Well, at least my conscience is clear," he thought.
The terrible terrors leapt down onto the saddle next to him and croaked, cocking their heads.
He cast them a sideways glance and asked reprovingly, "What're you lookin' at?"