Summary:
Every time they played adventure games, Hiccup always got to be the prince.
But Astrid never played the princess.
Astrid would always be his knight-in-shining-armor.
Childhood Sweethearts AU. Hiccstrid Feels.
My favorite place in all the world is next to you.
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~Childhood~
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Hiccup first met her when Mama and Dada went to visit an old friend's home for dinner.
Unlike him, she had always been confident even as a kid.
When she opened the door for his family, she shook hands and bowed respectfully to Mama and Dada, while his legs were shaking as he hid behind his mother.
Then the moment his eyes met hers, her eyes brimmed with excitement, and she immediately pulled on his hands and introduced herself to him.
Astrid Hofferson was her name.
Hiccup thought Astrid had the prettiest eyes of all the pretty eyes. It was the same color as his toy car or water or sky. He felt like he could stare at her eyes the whole day, and then his legs stopped shaking.
"Dear, Little Astrid here just told you her name, what about you? go on introduce yourself." His mother gently ushered him away from her legs.
"I-I... Hiccup," He stuttered; Astrid laughed at him but he didn't think that she was making fun of him. It made him smile. He couldn't understand it but he felt happy when she laughed because she looked so happy and pretty.
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Astrid was brave, she was never scared of anything—not even clowns.
They were at a birthday party of his cousin Snotlout. Hiccup told Mama and Dada that he didn't want to go. Snotlout was mean to him and he told him that Hiccup was not invited to his birthday party. Humph. It was not like he wanted to be invited.
"Astrid is going too dear," Mama said.
Hiccup was convinced.
When they arrived at the party, Hiccup almost peed. Nobody told him that there were going to be clowns! Hiccup hated clowns more than the monster under his bed!
Hiccup started punching on his Dada's arms to go home. His Dada only laughed at him and said, "Son, aren't you a grown-up boy? A real boy doesn't get scared of a clown, like your cousin Snotlout."
Hiccup was still scared but nodded determinedly to his father. As soon as his father put him down, he heard someone call his name.
"Hiccup!"
It was Astrid. She looked even prettier wearing her favorite blue dungarees with bird pins on it. Hiccup told her that she looked like a princess with her braided hair. She punched him in his arm hard.
"I am not a princess! I am a warrior!" she said, crossing her arms.
Hiccup deflated. Was Astrid mad at him? Then Astrid smiled and dragged him in his arms and started heading towards the other kids ... and THE CLOWNS.
"A-Astrid... w-wait!"
Astrid didn't stop.
"Hurry up Hiccup, what are you waiting for! they are starting the games soon!"
Hiccup started to panic and stopped his feet to stop Astrid but she was too strong. He could feel tears building up in his eyes, and he started shaking again.
Snotlout saw him and began shouting mean words at him. "Look! it's Hiccup the ninny!" At least that made Astrid stop, if only to glare at Snotlout. She turned around to check on him, and her eyes widened.
"What's wrong Hiccup? why are you crying?"
"I-I'm not crying—"He wiped his tears."—I'm a grown-up boy!" Hiccup puffed his chest, pretending to be fine. Then he saw the clown approaching. Hiccup couldn't control his shaking. Then she felt Astrid's arms around him; she was warm and made him feel safe.
"Hiccup what's wrong? you know you can always tell me." She gently whispered to his ears. "Is it Snotlout teasing you?"
He shook his head, hesitantly pulled away from her hug and pointed at the clown.
Astrid frowned; Hiccup thought that she was going to tell him off for being such a crybaby. Instead, Astrid charged to the clown and kicked the clown so hard in the sheens.
And after that, she punched Snotlout in the face.
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Every time they played adventure games, Hiccup always got to be the prince.
But Astrid never played the princess—Never.
Astrid would always be his knight-in-shining-armor.
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Teacher Riley said that they get to be grown-ups for today.
"Remember just like we practiced. You go first Astrid then after she is done, you are next Hiccup," Teacher Riley said, "Repeat after me one last time. When I grow up, I want to be a...?"
"When I grow up, I want to be a Firefighter! And just like my Uncle Finn, I will be a hero and help save many people's lives!" Astrid announced proudly.
"What about you Hiccup?" Teacher Riley said.
"I-I... when I grow up, I want to be a Pilot! So I can fly across the whole world!"
"Very good you two!" Teacher Riley beamed and gave them both a light hug. "Now you just have to wait for the twins then the two of you are next."
Hiccup was excited to be a pilot but as soon as he peaked at the curtain, Hiccup saw there were lots of people who were going to be watching them on the stage. Then the twins came out from the curtains, and before he knew it, Astrid dragged him onto the stage with her before he could protest.
When they arrived at the center of the stage, Astrid let go of his hand and started, "When I grow up, I want to be a Firefighter! And just like my Uncle Finn. I will be a hero and help save many people's lives!"
The crowd applauded Astrid for a few seconds before they settled down, then suddenly all eyes were on him; Hiccup froze and his legs were suddenly shaking and he forgot what to say!
Astrid must had felt him shaking when she grabbed his hand tightly, laced her fingers with him and made him look at her in the eyes. Astrid smiled at her warmly, then gave his arm a gentle nudge; it made him felt calmer.
Hiccup remembered now! He was going to be a pilot; Mama even got him his own cool airplane and pilot goggles, and Dada would even let him drive on his lap on the way back to home later. But.
But Hiccup's mouth moved on its own and said.
"When I grow up, I want to marry Astrid!"
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Dada gave him two dollars for receiving a gold star for being such a good student. Hiccup had been saving it for the school fair, and today, Hiccup couldn't wait to spend it.
"Are we there yet?" Hiccup asked for the fifth time.
"Now now... patience dear." Mama said, "We are almost there. You don't want Dada driving too fast–"
"–Why not?"
"Because, if Dada drives too fast, we might get caught by the police, and if we get caught by the police, we won't be able to make it to the school fair."
A few minutes later, they arrived in front of the school gate. Astrid was already there waiting for him with a frown on her face and her arms crossed. As soon as Hiccup got off the car, her face brightened immediately when she saw him and rushed over his side before scowling then punching him in the arm.
"That's for making me wait!" She pouted, then grabbed his hand. "Quick! The school fair already started minutes ago!"
Most of the time, Astrid was dragging him along at every booth; Hiccup didn't mind it as long as he got to be with Astrid the whole school fair.
Then Astrid suddenly stopped, her eyes focused on a booth that was crowded with grown-up students.
"Hiccup, look! It's a marriage booth! We can get married!" And there she went dragging him again but this time with even more fervor.
"We want to get married!" Astrid demanded to the lady at the booth who was wearing officiator robes.
The lady smiled at them then said, "Of course, as long as you pay two dollars for the wedding ceremony."
"I..." Astrid's shoulder's sagged. "I-I don't have money..."
Hiccup wanted to spend his two dollars for the dragon toy but Astrid looked so sad and upset.
"I have money!" Hiccup stepped forward, handing over two dollars to the lady.
"Hiccup!" Astrid gasped, "You don't have to! You said you wanted to buy a dragon toy with your money!"
"It's fine," Hiccup shrugged. "I wanted to buy the dragon toy, but marrying you is more important."
"Oh... Hiccup." Astrid's face rekindled then she hugged him so tight that he couldn't breathe. From that moment, Hiccup knew her smile was worth more than thousands of dragon toys he could ever have.
"Are you sure you want to spend two dollars for the ceremony?" The lady asked him.
Hiccup nodded determinedly.
"Well... Today's your lucky day!" The lady said. "You just got picked by Cupid as the lucky pair, so you two are getting married for free! Congratulations!"
And so Hiccup and Astrid first got married on their first school fair.
Astrid looked like her face was hurting so much from smiling, she wasn't supposed to be smiling like a blushing princess but Hiccup didn't mind. In his eyes, Astrid can be both a warrior and his bride. Astrid punched Hiccup in his arm to remind him that she was a still warrior, then she kissed him in his cheek.
See? A warrior and his bride.
There was confetti everywhere and everyone was cheering for them except Snotlout and other boys.
"Are we really married?" Hiccup later asked.
Astrid frowned, then grabbed his hand tightly. ''Of course we are! No take backsies!"
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Hiccup knew something was wrong the moment he found out that Astrid was absent. Especially when it was Wednesday. Wednesday was P.E. day, and Astrid always loved P.E. because she got to place top at everything.
Teacher Riley excused him in the middle of art class saying that his Mama was going to pick him up early. Hiccup was upset that he didn't get to finish his drawing but when Mama said that Astrid needed him—Hiccup packed his things so fast that he left his crayons.
Mama was quiet the whole time they were driving back home, and Mama wouldn't answer his questions about why Astrid needed him and he was getting so worried.
When they arrived home, as soon as Hiccup got off the car, Mama kneeled down and held him in his shoulders and said, "Dear, Astrid is going to be staying with us for a while..." Mama sighed. "You know Uncle Fin right?" Hiccup nodded. "Something bad happened—" He gasped, "—and Astrid's Mama and Papa are going to be away but Uncle Finn went to a very very far away place... and Astrid's all alone in your room right now–"
Hiccup didn't stay to hear everything Mama said, and ran upstairs to his room. Hiccup knew how much Astrid loved her Uncle Finn; he was her idol, her role model and her favorite Uncle. And if something bad happened to her favorite Uncle—she was going to be upset.
But Hiccup didn't expect to see Astrid this upset.
Astrid never cried, not even when she got a booboo when they were playing sticks and stones, not when she missed an episode of pokemon or Digimon, not when she got bad tummy for eating too much ice cream.
Hiccup never saw Astrid this small ... and it broke something in him to see her like that.
Even if Hiccup had always been the taller one between the two of them—Astrid was not small. She was strong and brave and awesome but now ... she looked so small, curled up like a ball, and she was crying.
"Go away!" She screamed when Hiccup knocked.
"Astrid, it's me Hiccup." Hiccup approached her slowly.
"Hiccup?" Astrid turned around to look as if to check if it was really him, then ran to his side, and hugged him so tight.
"What's wrong... why are you crying Astrid," Hiccup asked gently, hugging her back.
"I'm not crying... I-I'm just happy to see you." Astrid said, pulling away from the hug as she wiped her face then punched his arms.
Her punch did not hurt ... But it hurt Hiccup to see her like this.
"Astrid," Hiccup said gently. He grabbed his hanky from his pocket and wiped her tears from her cheeks. "You know you can always tell me..."
Astrid nodded then said, "Uncle Finn...—" She broke into tears again. "—He's gone Hiccup... they said he went somewhere far away, and he is never going back. Why did he leave me Hiccup?"
"I-I don't know ..." Hiccup said.
Hiccup took one of her hand, then hooked his pinky with her pinky.
"But I promise—I will never leave you, Astrid. Never."
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~Childhood~
end.
Prologue.
Part 1/3 One-shot series