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Summary: Because with Vikings on the back of dragons, Hiccup wouldn't propose in a traditional way. Set after HTTYD 2.
A not so ordinary proposal
"Chief, help me with my dragon."
"There is a problem with my prevention fire system, Chief."
"Chief Hiccup, he stole my axe, do something!"
"We need to discuss the defenses of the island, Master Hiccup."
"Please name my baby, Chief Hiccup."
"Hiccup." "Chief Hiccup." "Chief!"
And then he's had enough. The first chance Hiccup got, he mounted on Toothless and started to fly away from all of the boring responsibilities of being a chief. It was all just too overwhelming, it was too much for him, he never wanted to be leader, he never wanted the duties and speeches, specially so early and without his father's guidance. He was feeling lost.
As Toothless soared away from Berk, Hiccup sighed heavily. He missed the sky; it's been a while since he was able to fly into the intense blue that colored the horizon ahead. He missed the cold wind, the fresh sea air, the cool sunshine over his skin, and above all, he missed the feeling of freedom.
Unfortunately, the past few months, Hiccup barely rode on Toothless except for helping rebuild the village's houses, or to get quickly to another side of the village. But the air was still his escape, his save haven, the place where he could feel at home with his best friend. So there's no wonder it's the place where he'd go when feeling desperate.
Flapping his wings, the Night Fury got higher and higher above the clouds. Hiccup rested his head on his hands and rubbed his eyes for a moment before laying down on Toothless back.
"I'm sorry for neglecting you lately, bud." He said petting the dragon's black scales. "You know I've been really busy..." Toothless let out a sound that sounded like a complaint.
"I know, I know. I'm trying to do my best around here. You don't know how hard it is to run a village." The dragon made more complaining sounds. "Maybe we should go out night patrolling more, you'd like that, right?"
Hiccup sat up again but rested his hands behind him, on Toothless back. The dragon reached a high altitude and stopped flapping it's wings so much and just enjoy a peaceful flight.
"But we managed to fly a little, even though it wasn't to test new flips and stuff or to find new islands, we did try out that. And, may I add, you've got pretty good at it, maybe it is already time to show that to Astrid, what do you think, Bud?"
"Did I just hear my name?"
Hiccup almost jumped off Toothless saddle from the startle of hearing his girlfriend's voice behind him. It wasn't his intention to be heard, it was supposed to be a secret. However, he just couldn't help it, it was a habit to talk to Toothless out loud like that, even though the dragon didn't respond with words, they'd communicate in their own way.
"Oh… Hi, Astrid… Hi… Astrid… Hi. Astrid… "
She raised an eyebrow and Stormlfy flew right besides the Night Fury, with just their wings separating them. Both riders had to speak louder than usual because of the wind blowing in their ears.
"Ok, what's going on, Hiccup?"
He gulped and quickly decided to change the subject to avoid the secret and focus on what was actually bugging him.
"The village is what's going on. This whole 'chiefing' thing is driving me crazy." Hiccup ran the left hand through his auburn hair "It's just that I have so much things to do that I barely have time so sleep. I really don't know how my father did all that and I feel like I'm failing the village and it's all my fault."
Astrid stayed in silence for a moment, just observing her boyfriend that looked just as devastated as the day Stoick got Toothless away to find the nest. An uncomfortable silence surrounded the two just like the white clouds.
"Oh, Hiccup… If I could touch you right now I'd probably hit you." She said in a matter-of-fact kinda tone while he just raised his arms in a question way, but before he had time to ask, she continued "You're the chief but you don't have to do everything by yourself, you should've known that by now. You have friends that care and support you. All you have to do is ask. Or demand, since you're the chief, just don't do it in a cocky way."
"Cocky? Me? Since when am I cocky?"
"You know what I mean. And yes you are, but only sometimes."
"Name one time you saw me being anywhere near cockiness."
"The first Thawfest games with dragons when you actually got a chance of beating Snotlout."
"Geez, you could have taken more than 2 seconds to answer that, you know…" He mumbled crossing his arms a little bit embarrassed by her very quick response.
There was another moment of silence. Hiccup breathed heavily, it was harder than he thought talk about that, but he was glad she was taking it in a good way and even managed to joke a little. Laughing made things easier, somehow.
"It's just that sometimes, I feel like it was easier for my father, I mean, he didn't have to deal with chiefing stuff and training new riders and water-proof systems and make speeches and making new saddle projects and discovering new lands and islands to research and riding my best friend and all these kind of stuff."
And then, she laughed. Hiccup dropped his jaw for a second just surprised by her reaction until she clarified.
"Hiccup, where have you been your first 15 years? Seriously, do you think it was any easier for you father? Well, let me tell you it wasn't. Have you forgotten how it used to be? Kill or be killed, remember? We never knew when the dragons would raid us again, we never knew which houses we'd have to rebuild or whose bodies we'd have to send to Valhalla. And actually, I'm not saying it just for the dragon part, but also for our human enemies. Hiccup, it wasn't easy for your father."
"But he managed. And he's not here anymore to guide or help me."
Toothless crooned sadly and Hiccup petted his black-scaled neck for comfort. He knew the dragon felt guilty and responsible for Stoick's death, even though it wasn't his fault, and Hiccup also felt guilty for taking Toothless flight away, even though the dragon didn't blame him for that anymore.
"It's just that I'm trying to be everywhere at once and do everything at the same time. It's driving me crazy." He sighed, she barely heard him because of the wind and his soft tone, almost speaking to himself.
Astrid rolled her eyes a bit annoyed. Did she have to do everything? Did she always have to open his eyes to the obvious truth right in front of his face? Apparently, yes.
"You know, Hiccup, maybe you were just too alone for too long. I guess now you need to learn how people can help you and how to rely on them."
"What do you mean?" He is so naïve! Astrid thought smiling softly, she liked it about him, sometimes.
"I mean that, for example, Fishlegs could help you teaching new riders. He can teach a lot about dragons, you know that. Your mother lived with them for 20 years, she's the best person to help the villagers when they have some problem with their dragons and she could also teach them how to ride as well. Snotlout might not be the brightest Viking on the island, but he's not that stupid, he could help training people for defense now on dragons. Gobber just got a new apprentice that seems to like making saddles so you don't have to do it so much anymore. See? There's plenty of help back home."
"Ok. And what about you?" he asked with a smile on his face.
"I've just done my part. I opened you eyes to the truth in front of you. But since I'm good at practically everything I listed, I might be able to do a few things here and there. Or maybe I could check if they're doing their jobs well and guarantee they'll do it."
"And what would I do without you?"
"Oh, you'd probably be lost and devastated, maybe somewhere near the edge of the world right now." The blond said with a beautiful joking laugh.
"You know what? I guess you're right. And that's why Toothless and I have been training to show you something that I wanted to ask you for a while and I guess now it's the perfect time."
Toothless gummy smiled and flew higher until he was upside down above Astrid and Stormfly. The girl watched amused and confused but with a smile on her lips. Hiccup got something and threw it to her. She grabbed it in mid air, missing Toothless flip and flap even higher, vanishing from sight because of the countless clouds around them.
Astrid looked up for a few seconds, trying to find them and them looked down at what she grabbed. It was a tiny sac that fit her palm, a string closed it and all she had to do was push it slightly to open. Being a curious Viking, she didn't lose time and quickly unfolded the small sac.
A few red petals were blown by the wind out of the sac into the open air. Holding it tighter, she noticed that there was something in there besides the petals and Astrid quickly tried to grab whatever was in there. Suddenly, Toothless passed in front of Stormfly, startling both girls. The Night Fury was flying down and fast, albeit it wasn't out of control.
Several purple shots went out from the black dragon's mouth, targeting the clouds or wherever was beneath them. Astrid looked down, squeezing her blue eyes searching for something but seeing nothing beyond the clouds and the sea through the opening Toothless made with his shots.
She went back to the thing in the sac and finally found what was inside. It was a beautiful golden ring. By now, Stormfly was rapidly flapping her wings to stay in the same place, Toothless appeared by their side doing the same. Hiccup had a nervous grin on his lips.
"Hiccup, what's this?"
Not answering maybe because he probably didn't trust his voice right now, he just pointed down at the direction the shots targeted. She looked down with more attention. And then, Astrid noticed that Toothless blows weren't random. The opening he made through the clouds contoured a shape that looked like runes that spelled 'marry me'. Her mouth was agape.
She looked at him, he was smiling awkwardly and his eyes had a spark of desperate hope in them, thought she didn't really notice. The blond just blankly stared at him for some seconds before she burst.
"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, that is not a funny joke!"
"B-but what? Why… Odin, I…." He stuttered in his usual embarrassed kinda way, running his hands through his hair, messing it up even more. He couldn't believe she was mad at him. Women! He couldn't understand them, dragons were easy to read, but the opposite sex was simply a mystery. And on top of it all, his best friend was laughing. Laughing! "Hey, look, Astrid, this is not a joke, for crying out loud! I'm not suicidal!"
Because she looked like she was going to kill him. Astrid gets angry pretty easy, and when she does, she can be fearful. And also look very beautiful on the process, Hiccup would admit, albeit being her target. Slowly, she realized he was telling the truth, and then she felt a bit embarrassed, once again, he noticed how beautiful she looked with her cheeks slightly redder.
"But it just doesn't look like a proper proposal, I mean, where's the kneeling part?" She joked trying not so feel so bad for doubting him.
"Well, Milady, since when I'm normal or traditional? But if you want, I can knee for you, but we'll have to land first, I wouldn't risk kneeling on top of Toothless and lose my balance without my flying gear and a dragon that can't fly on his own…" He trailed of kind of joking was well to lighten the mood, but still waiting anxiously for her answer.
Astrid sighed deeply, not expecting it. She was surprised, but it was a good one, she wanted that, they loved each other and they were dating for a few years by now. She just didn't expect it so soon, after all, she knew the free spirit her boyfriend's got. She looked at the ring once again on her palm, suddenly knowing how to answer. Motioning to Stormfly, both got closer to the Night Fury until the blond managed to jump on Toothless saddle in front of his rider, not afraid of falling, after all, Stormfly or Hiccup would catch her if she missed.
"Well, you know what? I have just one thing to say." Hiccup's arms quickly went around her in a protective way, he was surprised for a moment and a bit scared as well for her bold and unexpected move.
"Am I going to like it?"
And then she suddenly punched his arm quite strongly. He yelped in surprise and pain rubbing the sore spot. "That's for the delay. And because I kinda like punching you and would like to do it for the rest of our lives."
"Look, I said I could get used to this, but that actually hurt… Wait, was that a yes?"
Astrid had a big playful smile on her face; he knew what that meant and he liked it. Excited, he pushed himself forward to kiss her. First, gently, and then the kiss slowly got deeper.
"Let me guess, and that is for everything else, right?"
"Not really, you kissed me this time, not the other way around." She laughed. "And, by the way, you know that you'll be tied to me forever hitting you or not, right?"
"Yep."
"You know that I'll be always right, no matter what, and I'll always have the last say in our discussions, right?"
"Yep."
"And you'll have to do everything I ask, pregnant or not. And that I'll chose the name of that babies and the side of the bed, right?"
"Yep."
"And that you'll love me just as much as I love you for the rest of our lives, right?"
"Definitely yes. Did I pass the test?"
"Maybe, I think I need another kiss to make up my mind…"
It was a joke, but he kissed her again nonetheless, glad that she had suggested it.
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