Astrid laid a heavy leather strap over the hatchling. It whimpered, and Stormfly shifted in response. The hatchling had thrown a spike before it was ready, and the opening had become infected. Astrid, her hand in a leather glove, took a nail from a brazier and stabbed the wound. The hatchling yelped. Fishlegs moaned from the crowd. Astrid squeezed blood and pus from the wound and held the hatchling down for Stormfly. The anxious mother lowered her head to her baby and breathed a hint of fire onto his back. The hatchling yelped again, but the quick singe would kill any infection. Astrid released the hatchling, and he bit at his back. Stormfly snarled at him until he stopped.
"He'll be okay, right?" Fishlegs asked.
"He'll be fine," Astrid said.
Fishlegs stared at the hatchling. "Does he need anything?"
"Stormfly won't let you near him." Astrid covered the brazier and stood up.
"I'm here if he needs anything," Fishlegs said. He'd probably be there all day.
Astrid met Ruffnut outside of Stormfly's pen. The raspy blonde handed her a bag.
"I get every detail," Ruffnut said.
Astrid nodded.
"That's a week of leftovers," Ruffnut said.
"I know."
Astrid found Hiccup behind his house working on his next leg upgrade. Toothless laid nearby, watching a group of Terrible Terrors play.
"How did it go with the hatchling?" Hiccup asked.
"Nothing serious," Astrid said. "Stormfly is overly protective. That's all."
She watched him work. In two years, he'd gone from boyishly cute to boyishly handsome. In a few years, she could drop the boyish part.
"It's good that she trusts you," he said.
"I know," Astrid said, still watching him. "Toothless? Are you hungry?"
"Hungry?" Hiccup said, looking up.
Astrid poured a week's worth of mutton onto the ground in front of Toothless. The Night Fury dove on the meat and started eating.
"Astrid," Hiccup said. "What are you doing? That'll put him to sleep for hours."
"I know," Astrid said. "I want a little time alone with you."
"Oh," he said and stood up.
He was finally taller than she was, and he still had growing to do. She would have noticed him by now even without Toothless. But, liking the scrawny Hiccup first felt so much better.
"What do you want to talk about?" Hiccup said.
She smiled at him. "We're taking a walk."
Hiccup shrugged and followed her. He waited for her to speak.
"She won't let anyone else near her babies," Astrid said.
"I know," Hiccup said.
"She's my best friend," Astrid said.
Hiccup looked at her. "I thought I was your best friend."
She laughed. "No. You're my boyfriend."
"I am?"
"You didn't know that?"
"You never used that word before." He watched her cautiously.
She smiled and punched him on the arm. "You're my boyfriend. Don't forget that."
"I won't," he said, rubbing his arm.
She led him to the pond. He followed, curious but happy to be with her.
Astrid stopped took a deep breath. "I watched your house every day you were sick," she said.
Hiccup had a fever for three days after he lost his leg. His father, the healer and Toothless never left his side. Stoic told him about the illness, and Gobber talked about adjusting to his new leg. But, this was the first time Astrid mentioned it.
Astrid sighed and started walking again. "Your father never told us anything," she said. "The healer came out once. She said the infection was spreading. You might need to lose more leg."
Hiccup nodded. His father had told him that. Stoic had to cut off three inches of Hiccup's leg to save his life.
Astrid stopped next to a large boulder at the edge of the pond. "Your father came out on the third day. I hoped it was over, or he had news. But he had that look like he had something to do. Something he didn't like."
Hiccup knew the look well.
"He walked over to Gobber's," Astrid said. "And he came back with a saw."
Hiccup nodded again. Stoic wouldn't let anyone else do it. His son, his job.
"That was too much for me," Astrid said. "I ran from the village. I had no idea where I was going. I found myself here. I saw what was left of a sketch of Toothless in the dirt next this boulder. I sat where you must have sat, and I thought about your father and that saw."
Hiccup thought he should do something but had no idea what.
Astrid continued, "Stormfly landed over there. I don't know how she knew. She nudged me. I tried to push her away, but she ignored me. She laid next to me and wouldn't leave." Astrid laughed. "So, I hugged her neck, and I cried."
Hiccup stared at her. Astrid knew how to cry?
"Three weeks earlier, I wanted to kill her and mount her head on a spike." She laughed again. "You gave me my best friend, Hiccup. I want to thank you for it."
"You're ... welcome," he said.
Astrid sighed. "It's a better thank-you than that." She stepped close to him and took his hand. "I love you, Hiccup."
He gasped and tried to speak.
"Take your time," she said.
He took a deep breath. "I've loved you since I was ten."
"I know," she said. "You didn't hide it very well." She hugged him and nuzzled his chest. "I loved you after you stood up to your father, because you stood up to him for the right reasons."
"That was when—?" he said. "You didn't mention it on the lookout."
"I didn't want to distract you," she said.
"Good point." He hugged her back, still cautiously.
"I want to thank you for Stormfly and for everything else."
"Oh," he said. "I guess—"
"Shut up, Hiccup," she said. She stepped away from him and took off her boots.
"Astrid?" Hiccup said.
She smiled at him and pushed off her leggings. He gasped and stepped back.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
He stepped forward.
"Hiccup," Astrid said. She pulled off her tunic. "I want to thank you."
He froze, barely able to breath, and stared at her face.
Astrid stood up straighter and said, "I won't hit you if you look at my body."
Hiccup dropped his eyes to her body, every glorious, perfect inch of her. Her skin tingled as if he were touching her.
"Your turn," she said and pushed off his vest.
"Astrid," Hiccup said and stepped back again.
"Get back here, Hiccup."
He walked back to her and shuddered when she grabbed his clothes. She pulled off his tunic and ran her hands down his chest. The dragon riding had developed his muscles. He was definitely easier to notice now, but she would always love the boy who wouldn't kill a dragon. She hugged him again, moving her bare skin against his, and kissed his chest and neck. Hiccup kissed her forehead and pulled her close. Astrid put her hands on his shoulders, hooked her leg around his and threw him to the ground. Hiccup grunted but didn't object. Astrid dropped next to him, pulled off his boot and reached toward the straps of his artificial leg. He grabbed her hands.
"It's you," she said. "And I want you." She took off his leg then his leggings. She climbed over him and kissed him. "That was for Stormfly, and this—"
He rolled her onto her back and held himself over her. She gasped then smiled at him. He kissed her more aggressively than he ever had.
"That was for the lookout," he said.
"And this—" she began.
"Shut up, Astrid," he said and kissed her again.
A short time later, shorter than either would have liked, they laid next to each other and stared at the sky.
"Did we do that right?" Hiccup asked.
"I'll ask my aunt," Astrid replied. "But, I bled."
"Did it hurt?"
"Yes," she said. "But that's normal. I think."
"Now what?"
She shrugged. "We get dressed and go back. Or do something else." She looked at him. "If you want."
"Oh," he said, still staring at the sky. "What if you're pregnant?"
"What do you think, Hiccup?"
"Right," he said. "What if you're not pregnant?"
"Same thing, Hiccup."
"Right," he said. "So—"
"Yes, Hiccup."
He rolled onto his side. "I want more of that."
"Now?"
"No," he said. He touched her body in a way that surprised her. "But I will want more of that."
She smiled at him while he touched her.
"Just so you know," she said and touched him back. "I'm more complicated to ride than a dragon."
"And more dangerous if I get it wrong," he said.
"Right," she said. "So, you don't want to—"
"Yes, I do," he said and shut her up with a kiss.
She pulled him close and thought, and this is for everything else.