AUTHOR'S NOTE: I CLAIM NO RIGHTS TO THE CHARACTERS, PEOPLE OR DRAGONS, AND PLACES MENTIONED! THEY BELONG TO CRESSIDA COWELL!
Also, this is my first fanfic ever so please don't be too harsh on me D: This is how I imagine Hiccup proposing to Astrid! I hope you all like it ^^
This is Berk. Life on here has almost got back to normal since the day Drago Bludvist and his Bewilderbeast tried to cover Berk with ice and take over all the dragons. And well… since the day I succeeded my dad as the chief of this charming island. The twins still keep fighting from time to time, Snotlout still likes to pick on me but lately for some reason he has become more careful to not really insult me or someone I don't want insulted. Fishlegs, who knows the Book of Dragons from cover to cover, has started giving younger kids lessons on different kinds of dragons that people on Berk have. Astrid… in addition to winning dragon races, she has kind of become my right hand since I became chief, and I can always count on her advice. It turns out I need it more often than I imagined I would. Mum has also helped me with my duties so I have time to breathe every now and then. All the houses damaged by the Bewilderbeast's ice have now been repaired, and life seems pretty perfect again… the only downside being missing my dad. I have my weak moments but I'm glad to be able to count on Astrid, my wonderful girlfriend, being there for me. And also my bud, Toothless. He enjoys flying just as much as I do, especially now that we have had less free time for flying …aaand he still doesn't like the solo flying trick even though we've improved a lot!
There is just one major thing that needs to be done now. I need a wife on my side to rule Berk with me, and that's why I've been planning on proposing to Astrid for quite a while now… but I still haven't figured out a way to make it as special as I want it.
"Snoggletog is approaching, Hiccup. Why don't you propose to her as a Snoggletog gift?" Mum asked me again when I brought up my dilemma for about a thousandth time.
"Yeah, it's not too long until Snoggletog, I could propose to her on Snoggletog… but it just doesn't seem special enough," I exclaimed my usual reply to that suggestion and spread my hands, "I mean, we've spent a few Snoggletogs together now, but for some reason I feel like Snoggletog's missing the special factor I want the proposal to have."
"Well, don't you know anything that would be special for you two, then?"
"I know there must be something, Mum, I just wish I already figured out what…"
Mum was quiet for a while. Then she stopped on her tracks, and looked at me.
"How about your first date? What did you do, where were you on your first date? I don't think I've suggested that one yet."
"First date? Mum, I don't think we ever really- no wait, you gave me an idea! Thank you so much, Mum!"
I gave Mum a kiss on the cheek and I was already on my way to Gobber's shop where he still used his blacksmithing skills when needed.
Our first date, of course! How come I haven't thought of that before! Besides, the anniversary of that date is tomorrow! Oh, this is going to be perfect!
On our first date, we had flown together on Toothless, with a most magnificent view over Berk at twilight! Fine, that date didn't end very well (Toothless took us to the Red Death) but there was no way this date could end like it! Toothless was the alpha now! Well, it could end to her saying "no" but apart from that, nothing could go wrong.
"Gobber, Gobber!"
"Why hello, Hiccup! What can I do for ya, lad?" Gobber said.
"Well, I don't think you can do it for me but you could certainly help me! You have made rings, right? Rings for fingers."
"Yeah, it's been a while but I'm sure I can manage to make one." He chuckled and looked for a spare piece of some finer metal.
"Actually… I would like to participate in the making of the ring. That's why I said you couldn't actually do it completely for me."
"So this ring isn't for you, is it?"
"No… I've been planning on proposing to Astrid."
"Odin's beard! That's great, Hiccup!" he exclaimed and gave me a very strong pat on the back.
"Yeah… I already know when and how I'm gonna do it, the only thing I'm missing is a ring."
"Let's get started, then!"
"We'd better, cause I'm gonna propose tomorrow and I won't have time to make the ring tomorrow!"
"So, what d'ya think? Will this piece of metal do?" He showed me a little piece of silvery metal that was already shaped elongated.
"That's perfect, Gobber!"
"Then let's start working!"
I forged the ring completely on my own as Gobber instructed me. The elongated piece of silvery metal soon became a simple but very pretty ring. When I had admired it for a while, I actually gave Gobber a quick and awkward hug.
"Thanks for helping me, Gobber. Wish me luck!"
I started running back home, and heard Gobber shout after me: "Good luck, Hiccup!"
The next day, I woke up very nervous. For once, I was glad about having duties because they'd keep my head busy thinking about something else all day. I quickly got dressed in my armour and woke up Toothless.
"Hey bud, ready for another day of duties?"
He grumbled at me and got up on his feet.
"You know, you'll have a special task later tonight. Will you help me, bud?"
Toothless licked my face once.
"I'll take that as a yes, let's go!" I exclaimed and wiped saliva off my face when we took off.
The day went by really fast. I was starting to worry that I wouldn't have the time to check all my duties before asking Astrid out. It had been really difficult to avoid Astrid because she was usually around most of the day. When the sun was slowly starting to set, I almost panicked.
"Mum, do you think you could take care of the last few duties left? I should get going if I want to have the time to take a bath and change," I pleaded Mum quickly.
"Sure thing, Hiccup. This is a special day after all."
"Thank you so much Mum, I'll repay you somehow!" I pecked Mum on cheek and ran home.
I quickly stripped off my armour and stepped into the tub that was filled with heated water. It was surprisingly relaxing to take a bath when I was a nervous wretch on the inside. After a while Toothless nudged my arm to tell me that I should get dressed and we should go.
"You're absolutely right, bud. It's time to get going."
I got dried and dressed. I decided not to wear my usual armour but a green shirt, one that was very much like the one I used to wear with a vest, and darker brown trousers with a cape instead.
"Do I look okay, Toothless?" I asked nervously. He gave me his toothless smile, "Oh, and one more thing, bud. Would you mind wearing the special fin that will make you able to fly on your own? The one I made for you some Snoggletogs ago?"
Thoothless gave me a grumpy face. His face looked as if he asked me, "Have you seriously spared that fin?"
"Come on bud, just this once? Cause tonight I need you to fly on your own for a short while, just so I can be loose on your back, to ask Astrid." He kept his grumpy face when I switched his fin.
"Come on, you big baby boo. You'll get your favourite fin back soon enough!"
Toothless knocked me down with his tail. Then he turned around and licked my face once.
"I understand. Knocking me down was for calling you big baby boo, right? Okay bud, now we really have to get going."
We walked to Astrid's place, and I fingered the ring in my pocket nervously throughout the walk. When we reached Astrid's house, her Deadly Nadder Stormfly greeted us.
"Hey, Stormfly! Is your mistress inside?" I asked Stormfly and stroked her snout. She gave me a sound that I understood to be a yes.
I walked to the door and took a deep breath before knocking.
Astrid opened the door.
"Hey, where have you been for the rest of the day? And… why are you not wearing your armour? And you've taken a bath even though it's not your bathing day until tomorrow!" Astrid asked me, looking slightly upset.
"Eh, hi, milady…" I replied nervously. She punched me in my stomach.
"Hi to you, too! Oh, and that was for avoiding me all day! And, why have you been avoiding me? Usually you're glad about my company." She frowned.
"I've been… well, let me ask you something, okay?"
"Sure." She raised her eyebrows.
"Do you remember what day it is?"
"Not really, is this some special day?" she frowned again.
"Actually yes. This is the fifth anniversary of the day we flew Toothless together, when he took us to the Red Death."
Comprehension dawned on her.
"Oh! That was kind of our first date, right?" she said, smiling.
"Yeah, I count it as our first date," I replied to her smile.
"So, happy first date anniversary!" she exclaimed, laughing. She spread her hands too fast for me to notice and accidentally slapped me on one cheek.
"Thank you for that milady, that's a very generous first date anniversary gift," I exclaimed back, holding my cheek.
"Oh no, sorry Hiccup!" Astrid said and checked my cheek. Then she gave me a kiss on that cheek. She gave me a scrutinizing look from head to toe. "I can't believe you bathed on a day that's not your bathing day, and that you're not wearing your armour!"
"You know, that wasn't the question I mentioned. I got home earlier because… I wanted to ask you out. I thought we could kind of repeat our first date, in celebration of the anniversary. What do you say?"
"That sounds… wonderful, it was so beautiful up there! I can still remember the feeling of flying a dragon for the first time… Stormfly!"
"Actually… I thought we could go without Stormfly, just on Toothless, like we did back then," I said quickly when Astrid started approaching Stormfly. She stopped on her tracks.
"Oh… Alright. You'll have to excuse me Stormfly, your turn will be soon!" Astrid mused to her Deadly Nadder and stroked her snout. I had already climbed on Toothless when Astrid turned around. She walked to Toothless, hopped on and wrapped her arms around my waist.
Soon we were above the clouds. The sun was still shining above the clouds even if it had almost set now.
"It looks just as stunning as it did back then. How'd you come up with an idea like this? And to be honest, I didn't know you still remember this anniversary, I didn't! And you can be sure that now I'll never forget it again!"
"Anything for you, Astrid," I said affectionately.
"And you're amazing as ever, Toothless," Astrid said quietly and stroked Toothless' cheek. Toothless gave Astrid his toothless smile as we flew on. We enjoyed the cool autumn air up in the clouds until the sun had finally set completely.
"Okay bud, it's time to get below the clouds, and time for your special task," I whispered in Toothless' ear. Astrid gave me a questioning face that I replied to with a nervous smile. Toothless flew down through the clouds, and we saw all the lights of Berk.
"Oh gosh, I've missed this feeling," Astrid sighed.
"It's time," I mumbled to Toothless, and he started flying slower, circling above Berk. I carefully turned around to face Astrid.
"Hiccup! What are you doing? Toothless can't-" she exclaimed, and then she looked back, finally noticing that Toothless wasn't wearing his usual prosthetic fin that would only allow him to fly with me.
"I see. So you made him wear the fin you made him one Snoggletog." She gave me a mischievous grin.
"Yeah…" I replied, "…but just for tonight."
"Just so you can face me when we fly?" she asked me, and raised her other eyebrow.
"Well, kind of…" I replied slowly, and bit my lower lip.
"What's all this about, Hiccup?"
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then I looked Astrid in the eye and grabbed her hands.
"You know, I would never have believed that one day we'd be here. You kinda hated me before our so called date flight," I started.
"Yeah, especially for your success in the dragon training," she said amusedly and laughed. Remembering that made me chuckle and relax a bit, too.
"Oh, the good old dragon training days when no one would've believed that I could actually handle a dragon," I said, grinning.
"Well, you showed everyone just what you're worth," Astrid said smiling affectionately.
"Which is nothing compared to you," I said quietly and smiled. Her mouth opened slightly as she looked at me, not believing her ears.
"Hiccup-"
"Please, let me go on now or I'll never be able to say all this."
"Alright, go on," she said quietly, frowning slightly.
"Astrid… I've always admired you, and I've had a crush on you ever since I can remember. And at some point, not completely sure when and how, I've fallen in love with you. You're an amazing woman."
"You're amazing too, babe" she said quietly, now blushing slightly.
"We've been together for a while, and we've been there for each other- all the time we've spent together, and everything we've been through together, has made me convinced that you're the woman of my life…"
She gasped loudly, and covered her mouth with one of her hands. With my now free hand, I reached to get the ring from my pocket. When I got it out of my pocket, of course it slipped from my sweaty fingers.
Oh dear Thor, NOT NOW!
"Oh, come on… is this really happening right now?! Toothless, we have to get that ring! Astrid, hold on tight!" I exclaimed as I turned around and grabbed the saddle. Toothless dived after the ring. Gladly the falling ring shone in the moonlight so we could see it and Toothless kept speeding towards it. I quickly wiped my sweaty right hand on my cape and caught the ring. Then Toothless turned sharply upwards to get back above Berk. Soon he was flying horizontally again.
"Attaboy bud, great job! That was a close one," I said relieved, and I stroked Toothless' cheek. He smiled at me as he was flying steady again, and then I turned back around to face the shocked-looking Astrid.
"Oh man, this is so embarrassing…" I mumbled, feeling really defeated and closing my eyes. Astrid grabbed my hand, which made me open my eyes and look at her. "…but I will finish this. So, as I was saying, you're the woman of my life. Would you… would you marry me, Astrid?"
There, I finally spit it out. Astrid was quiet for a second as I bit my lower lip, and then a huge smile lit her face.
"Oh dear Odin yes, YES!" she exclaimed, almost knocking us both down from Toothless' back as she suddenly threw her arms around me.
"Whoa, please don't knock us down!" I chuckled.
Once he had secured us, Toothless also seemed to celebrate Astrid answering in the affirmative. He shot a row of plasma blasts in the air as I hugged Astrid back. Yes, SHE SAID YES! THANK YOU, ODIN AND THOR! THANK YOU! I put the ring on her left ring finger when she backed from the hug. Then she suddenly grabbed my face with her both hands and kissed me like never before. I wrapped my arms around her waist as I shared the best kiss ever in my whole life.
