Today was one of the odd days where Hiccup decided to let the Rider's of the Edge to have an actual break. Everyone was confused but also excited and because they were afraid the one-legged Viking would change his mind, no one questioned it. The riders all mumbled a form of thanks before running off in their separate directions, ready to make the most of this unusual day.
Astrid took full advantage of a chance at some alone time with her dragon and in particular at the beach; it didn't take long, since moving to the Edge, for Astrid to find the secluded area on the far side of the island. She had to admit that she loved the sense of peace she felt while she was there, getting to watch the ocean while hearing nothing but the gently crashing waves. Lately, Astrid had been bringing Hiccup with her to enjoy the peace and serenity of the little beach but today she felt was meant for just her and her dragon, Stormfly. Since the dragon wasn't much for conversation though, she simply sat in the sand and let herself enjoy the simplicity.
It didn't take her long to tune out the world and just appreciate the view before her and the feeling of the sand beneath her. Eventually, her hand started to unconsciously trace letters in the sand; somehow the act had become a habit. She began to trace their initials, A + H, together in the sand.
It wasn't some love-struck girly reason she does it; the first time she traced their initials like that was more for good luck than anything else. Then it started to just become a habit and now, she couldn't explain it but the motion of tracing the letters and seeing them together, it just gave her a sense of calm. Maybe it was just one of the small ways she let her feeling come to the surface, a way that didn't put too much out there but still had meaning, at least to her.
The calm and serenity quickly ended though, when someone asked, "please tell me you're doing what I think you're doing?"
Astrid abruptly turned to see who it was. At the sight of her raven-haired friend, the best Astrid could do was stammer out "H-Heather what are you doing here?"
It was clear from the look on Astrid's face that she was feeling caught, and even more so, embarrassed. And that fact brought a sense of joy to Heather, she knew that this was about to get very interesting.
"Exploring," answered Heather before coyly asking, "But the real question is what are you doing Astrid?"
"Nothing, just..." but Astrid couldn't think of an excuse and she definitely couldn't admit the truth, "nothing."
Heather just continued to smile as Astrid started to squirm in the sand, it was rare to see the blonde act vulnerable. Heather soon took a place in the sand beside her agitated friend. The two sat in silence for a while and Astrid soon found her peace again as she let herself be in the moment again as two watched the ocean.
"So Fishlegs was telling me about your lives on Berk before you know," Heather suddenly began, "the whole Dragon Training and everything, and it made me a little curious."
"About what," Astrid said, still slightly dazed by the calm of the sea.
"Curious about you," Heather hummed, "and Hiccup." That caught Astrid's full attention.
"What about me and Hiccup?" stammered Astrid, afraid of the direction their conversation could head in.
"Fishlegs mentioned that well Hiccup was basically the town pariah and how he was alienated because of that," Heather continued.
"Yeah he was, but the fact that he isn't the ideal Viking isn't what you're getting at," Astrid stated, anxious for her friend to get to the point, "so what is it you want to ask?"
"Don't take this the wrong way," Heather began, "but I mean you've known him forever so when or I guess how did you fall for him?"
"What?" The blonde had not been expecting that.
Heather knew being direct wasn't going to be enough to get Astrid to talk about it, so she decided to try a very pointed question. "Well did you fall for him because he defeated the Red Death and became Berk's hero and ended the war with dragons and-"
"No!" Astrid was horrified by the insinuation, but she knew that it wasn't a completely unjust analysis.
"No," she said, softly this time before asking, "do you really think that I'm…"
"Of course not," Heather cut in, keeping a supportive tone as she quickly corrected herself, "and I didn't mean for it to sound the way it came out, I just wanted to know what it was that made you well, fall for him."
Astrid pondered what to say next, the truth was she never really tried to put into words how and why she felt the way she did about Hiccup. All she really understood is that she does feel something for him and that, that something is real.
"I guess if I had to pick an exact moment it would have to be when I first saw him with Toothless," Astrid admitted.
"That's when I started to… really see him," she continued, "I mean Hiccup always stood out, but that was the first time I really saw him. It was like he was still the same old Hiccup, but at the same time he was so much more."
Heather just watched as her friend put together the word to explain how she felt, for what she knew was the first time.
"He showed mercy and gained a dragon's trust, a night fury's trust" Astrid was beginning to sound somewhat prideful as she continued, "he was scared but he was still able to be gentle and brave."
"Hiccup was the only one in generations to ever be able to even think of doing something like that because he's Hiccup, and I just..." Astrid added before concluding, "I finally saw him and I knew I wanted to be on… by his side."
There was a long pause before Astrid suddenly pulled her head to her knees and burst out, "I am such a girl," as if she had just come out of a daze.
"Yeah you are," commented Heather, as she put her arm around her best friend, "but that's what the people we love do to us."