A/N: I've had this idea in my head since watching the last episode of Race to the Edge season 3. I'm really hoping we get to see Hiccup and Astrid becoming official early in season 4 and so this is the way I'd like to see it happen. Although given the show is PG it probably won't get so suggestive. And probably no shirtless Hiccup.

So enjoy and don't forget to review! And I'll be back to The Dragon Hybrids soon!

The Confession

Hiccup woke up to find himself in bed, in a room he didn't recognise, and with Astrid lying next to him. Seeing the women he loved there, with bits of her blonde hair falling out of her braid, distracted Hiccup so much it took a while to register that nearly every bone and muscle in his body ached. And when it did he realised he was shirtless and covered in bandages. He remembered how he likely got there, a confrontation with Viggo to save The Great Protector dragon for Queen Mala, in the hope that saving the dragon would prove to her once and for all that the Dragon Riders weren't working for Viggo, and they and the Defenders of the Wing could be allies against the Dragon Hunters. He remembered being separated from Toothless and the lava eating Eruptidon dragon saving the Night Fury, seeing Astrid on Stormfly racing towards him as he fell, then a sharp pain and Astrid screaming his name before everything went black. "Astrid wake up," Hiccup whispered, giving the girl next to him a gentle shake.

Astrid stirred and opened her eyes. Her face lit up when she saw Hiccup awake and it took all her strength not to hug him and make his injuries worse. "Hiccup! Oh thank Thor you're awake!" she exclaimed sitting up. "I haven't left your side in two days!"

"Two days? I've really been out for two days?" Hiccup asked.

Astrid nodded, failing to fight back her tears. She thought she'd have been all cried out after two days of worrying about her best friend, but it seemed she had some tears of relief stored in her tear ducts for this very moment. "You have no idea how worried I've been!" she cried. "I thought I was going to lose you!"

"Hey, it's ok," Hiccup said reaching up to wipe the tears from Astrid's cheeks. "I'm ok. It's gonna take a lot more to get rid of me."

"Hiccup I can't do this anymore. I can't pretend we're just friends when it's clear to both of us and probably everyone that's ever seen us that we're not. I'm in love with you and I want us to be official and public and anyone to dares gossip about us can go to Hel!"

"I've waited to hear you say that for so long."

"I should have said it sooner. Years ago maybe. I know we agreed to be friends while I figured out how I truly felt but that was nearly five years ago. It doesn't take that long to figure it out." Astrid gave a humourless laugh and jumped off the bed. "You know all this time I sort of thought of you as my boyfriend, even though I was scared to admit it to myself," she said wrapping her arms around herself as she started to pace the floor. "All those little kisses when we were alone, those times we went exploring alone together that felt more like dates. We've hardly been able to keep our hands off each other lately. It feels like we've been a couple all this time and no-one thought to tell us."

"Or we were too scared to admit it," Hiccup said attempting to sit up, but wincing in pain. "Ok, I'm gonna keep lying down."

Astrid rushed back to her injured boyfriend's side, but he waved her off and mouthed that he was fine as he laid back down. "It seems strange to think we could possibly be scared to admit it," Astrid said sitting back down on the bed. "What could we possibly be scared of? How could admitting to what we've been for so long and make it official change anything between us? If we'd admitted to it earlier we'd still be the same as we are now."

"But official and with a lot more making out," Hiccup pointed out. "And probably a lot of other stuff." He sighed and gave a small laugh. "Maybe that's what I was scared of. If I admitted we were more than friends I'd over step the mark and lose you forever."

"You wouldn't lose me," Astrid laughed. "I know you'd listen to me if I told I wasn't ready."

"Well I'm happy to do things on your terms. As long as I have you."

Astrid smiled and laid back down to kiss Hiccup softly on the lips. Hiccup reached up and slid a hand round the back of her head, pulling her down for a deeper kiss. His other hand wrapped round her waist to pull her closer to him, almost on top of him. One of Astrid's hands found its way into his hair while the other gripped his shoulder for support.

They didn't know how long they stayed like that, but the sound of the door bursting open jolted them out of their make out session. Snotlout was standing in the doorway his mouth open in shock at the sight of his two friends lying in bed together, their arms wrapped around each other. "Snotlout! Haven't you heard of knocking?!" Hiccup exclaimed, neither him or Astrid making any move to untangle themselves from each other.

"S-sorry," Snotlout stuttered. "I-I was just coming to see how you were doing. I-I didn't mean to interrupt."

"As you can see I'm fine. So do you mind leaving?"

"Right. Of course. I'll go tell the others you're awake. Her majesty will be pleased. You know, after you rescued her dragon, saved her village and all that hero stuff to know you'll live." And with that Snotlout rushed back out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"Well that's one way for them to find out about us," Astrid said, fighting back a giggle. Gods she loved how much she'd been laughing in these few minutes and how good it felt after two days of worrying.

"I guess so," Hiccup said before lowering his voice to a whisper as he went to plant kisses on his girlfriend's neck. "Now where were we?"

"Hold up Dragon Boy," Astrid said untangling herself and climbing off the bed. "You really should wait until you've fully recovered before you think about seducing me. That and the fact you're likely to be receiving more visitors and I doubt our host will be best pleased to find you having your wicked way with me in her healing hut."

"Fair enough."

The door suddenly burst open again and the rest of the Dragon Riders came rushing in, pushing past Astrid in their haste to get to their leader and smother him with hugs. Astrid stood back and watched, unable to keep the smile off her face. Her boyfriend was going to be ok. And just as important, she could finally call him that, officially and publicly, the way she'd wanted to for so long.