Toothless never seemed to tire and Hiccup envied his energy. If only his two greatest passions in life did not both require so much physical exertion. Then again, neither would be quite the same if they didn't. Though he would love Toothless regardless of his physical abilities, there was an unmatched bond between them when they flew together. The exhilaration and adrenaline were worth the exhaustion for the intimate connection they created between him and his dragon. It was entirely worth it, and he normally had a few hours to rest before his other great love would be home to tire him down even more. That would be worth it as well.

After a long day of exploring the surrounding islands Toothless landed less than gingerly in front of the little hut that was more than sufficient for Hiccup and Astrid, and which they hadn't initially planned to use so much until their marriage required consummation, but of course, they didn't really anticipate their resolve would last that long. After three long years of romance and innocent but heated embraces, Hiccup had acquired this place to surprise her with, a gift from Stoick after learning that Hiccup had planned to ask for Astrid as his wife. No sooner was their engagement finalized than Astrid was pulling him into the then-empty bedroom, begging him not to make her wait any longer. Her honor accounted for by their engagement, he had obliged. Since then, they had officially lived at home, but spent nights together here with increasing regularity until finally, they never left. Their marriage bed was already made, and any concerns for propriety had long since been lost.

It was customary for Astrid to be out much later than Hiccup, but this time when he dismounted and led Toothless to the stables, Stormfly was anxiously waiting for her friend there already. Excited to see Toothless, she stalked over and made a noise. Hiccup rubbed her nose, affectionately, but wondered why she was home.

He nudged away from the dragons and into the house to find Astrid, still dressed in armor with disheveled hair and a far-off look. Her braid was coming loose at the top and was heavily embedded with knots, worse than it normally was even after a long day's ride. She was in the kitchen, trying halfheartedly to roast some meat over an open flame. It was burnt so thoroughly already that the sort of meat was unrecognizable, and she kept it held over the fire all the same.

"Astrid?" Hiccup said as he edged his way closer to her. She looked up in a daze and for once didn't smile when she saw him. She shook her head, looked down at the charred meat and set it aside, blowing out the flames as she did.

"Hey, Hiccup." She said softly, breathing in and out hard once, quickly as if he wouldn't notice. He went over to her and laced his fingers in her hand from behind, resting his chin on her sharp, metal shoulder.

"What are you doing home early?" He asked. She turned her head slowly to meet his face. She leaned her forehead in to touch his and he could smell her hair, always like pine and smoke from flying low among the trees as Stormfly charred one or two just for fun. She opened her wide, beautiful eyes and looked into his, but they were bloodshot and swollen as if she'd been crying maybe an hour before. She was acting so strange.

"I don't know if we should talk." She forced a halfhearted smile. "I had hoped you'd be here last hour, but since then I've sort of calmed down."

"From what?" He asked. In their time together, he'd always seen her so strong. She'd cried, of course, she'd been weak in moments, but never so oddly without herself. Her mind seemed so far away and for once she was withholding from him. It was scary to him. Watching her hurt brought back memories of meeting Toothless for the first time or losing his father. It seemed as unbelievable and frightening to him as those times.

"Let's go to the bedroom." She said. Even as upset as she seemed, she was still so sure of what she wanted. Definitive and strong. He followed her without question.

She sat on the bed wordlessly and when after a moment she still didn't speak, he walked up behind her to help her remove her armor. She allowed him to help, knowing it wasn't sexual for once, but that her comfort was his first concern. She tossed her armor aside on the floor and wore only smallclothes. She slouched, unlike her, her fit stomach rippled into a haunched semi-circle and her defined breasts, near visible through what was left of her clothing, seemed swollen and awkwardly spaced. Hiccup had noticed them changing one day when he palmed one affectionately and felt its width surpassing the scope of his grasp. He sat down beside her, a hand on her bare leg, when she finally spoke.

"I didn't tell you because I knew this could happen." She said to the floor, her voice steady and her eyes clear and calm. "I didn't want to worry you, you're chief now and I..." She let out another harsh breath. "I didn't want to bother you until it was for sure. But I haven't bled for two months and today I... I felt sick and I... and it came out. It was small, but I could..." She swallowed hard and turned her head to see his eyes. Hers were so full of distress that it made his heart clench. She was as much of his life as Toothless, as his own heart, and feeling her sadness was always just too hard for him. Her tears at his father's wake had hurt him as much as his own, and it had been his that caused hers to begin with. They shared grief and love without a moment's thought. She didn't cry when she finally spit it out. "It died, our baby died."

He didn't react. He couldn't. The thought of a baby at all had seemed much too unreal. She had known about this for two months and kept it silent? Of course this would be hard for her, but he would have to mourn something he never knew he had until it was lost. The emotion might come, surely, but now it all seemed too unreal. He stared blankly back at her, his thoughts only aroused by her shaking her head, burying her face in her hands and then standing up. She paced determinedly in front of him, gathering her nerves as she spoke. Her form was beautiful and he felt ashamed by the stirring it caused him to see her barely concealed breasts bouncing slightly as she walked.

"And I think it's a sign." She said as she twirled around in angry thought. "I can't give you a son and I would not make a good mom. I can't even protect the child inside of my womb, how can I raise one and bring him up to be like you? You need a ladylike wife, a wife with broad hips and a maidenhead that she won't surrender till marriage, and you..."

"Wait," he interrupted. She spoke much too fast and sounded so determined and strong. He could barely make sense of her words until this final nonsense. "I need a ladylike wife? With a maidenhead, Astrid," he shook his head. "I have your maidenhead. Yours, and I didn't need that, you gave me that. And I don't want..." she cut him off.

"I don't want a wedding out of honor. I did what I did because you deserved a lover and now you deserve a wife, so I'm just gonna go..." She snatched at the floor for her discarded armor, but he stood up and took her arm.

"You said you'd be my wife, and I asked you before we made love." He reminded her. She wrinkled her nose at the term and it made him smirk back. "I never thought about sons, not as much as I should have, but if I die and Berk needs a new chief, we'll pick someone else. If you can't give me a son, no one else will." She looked up innocently at him, almost not daring to believe him. She had to have known that she was just being rash, that he'd never leave her over this or anything else. She slowly wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled herself up to kiss him hard. He felt tears on his face and was reasonably sure they were hers, but despite her moist eyes she was fiercefully kissing his lips. The tip of her tongue grazed gently along his lips and he was ashamed of the effect - here was his wife, crying for his unborn son and the news was still such a far-off truth to him that her tearful kiss stirred an erection. She felt it against her before she could pull away and she reached down a hand to hold it. She used her strength effectively as she always did when giving it an enthusiastic stroke.

"I feel like I've failed as a woman today," she said, breathless, as she pulled away. He could still taste her mouth on his tongue and her affectionate touch was deepening his arousal. "Will you prove to me that I'm still all the woman you need?" She begged as she worked the lace of his breeches to free him. And he would prove it gladly, again, and again, for as long as she needed him to.