Astrid and Hiccup sat on the cliff side of Berk. The air was humid and sticky, the sky looked like it was going to rain any second, and Astrid's hair was still slightly damp from the swim she took earlier; but nothing could dampen Astrid's mood.
Today, Astrid had gotten Hiccup to herself for a whole hour without being interrupted, and sitting here, staring at Hiccup as the ocean breeze hit his freckled face and pulled at his long hair, was a moment to remember.
"Today was fun," Hiccup broke the silence. "I mean, Toothless and I have a great time together, but you really know how to take the stress away." He smiled warmly at Astrid, who blushed and punched his shoulder.
"Yea. It was fun, but you really need more practice in axe throwing." She teased. He rolled his eyes and chuckled. Astrid watched him for a bit more as he picked at his prosthetic. Her thoughts wandered to how he lost his leg.
Hiccup had risked a lot in that fight or the Red Death. He lost a lot too. Not to mention he crossed a lot of lines befriending a dragon.
Astrid couldn't help but think that if he hadn't trained that Night Fury, then he would still have his two legs.
But he'd also still be the runt of the village.
Astrid pushed away those bad memories. She didn't want to remember how she had treated him before all of this happened. She didn't want to remember how she used to ignore him when he greeted her. Scoff at him when he couldn't do something right. Laugh at his weakness.
But not anymore, no. To Astrid, Hiccup was the strongest, bravest Viking of all.
'How did he do it?' Astrid thought to herself, and she frowned to the ocean waters below. 'How did Hiccup keep trying? Keep going, after all that everyone told him?' Astrid wondered. Hiccup would always try to be like the other Vikings. He'd always set after some impossible task for a boy like him. Everyone told him what he was and wasn't, yet, he proved them wrong. He wouldn't except it. Why didn't he leave? How did Hiccup keep trying after all those years of judgement and abuse?
As if sensing the change of thought, Hiccup turned to look at Astrid, a tiny frown pulling at his lips.
"What's wrong?" He asked. Astrid looked at him dead in the eyes, forest green orbs met stormy blue.
"How did you do it?" She asked bluntly, searching his soul through those beautiful, green eyes.
"Um, you're gonna have to be more specific." He chuckled, leaning back on his hands and crossing his right leg onto his left.
"How did you keep trying after everyone told you you couldn't..." Astrid trailed off.
"Couldn't do anything?" He finished. Astrid nodded her head and Hiccup sighed, shifting so that he could look at her better. "A lot of things I guess, but if I'm gonna give you an answer, I guess it would have to be what Abigail Tankerz had told me when I was little- well, littler."
Astrid gave him a questioning look, she couldn't remember anyone by that name.
"Long time ago, and, to long of a story to tell," he waved it off. "Even if you were really interested." Astrid positioned her legs in a criss-cross manner and dropped her elbows to her knees to hold up her head. Hiccup laughed. "Okay... I guess. I think I was seven years old..."
((Flashback from Hiccup's P.O.V.))
"Thank you for babysittin' 'im again, Abi." Stoick said, handing over a small bag of bread and fruit to the young, teenaged girl in front of him.
The girl, Abigail, was around the age of fifteen, with long, auburn hair that cascaded down her shoulders in waves. Her blue eyes shone with kindness and she smiled at the chief.
"Anytime Cheif. He was sweet as usual." Abigail smiled at the seven year old Hiccup that now stood by the fireplace.
Hiccup sniffled and wiped at his nose. "Don't go yet, please! I wanna show you my drawin'!" Abigail walked over to him, slowly putting down her small sack, and crouched in front of him.
"I'm sorry Hiccup, but I have dragon fighting class tomorrow morning." She said softly. Stoick walked into his room, muttering something about a project he needed done.
"Can I come with you?" Hiccup asked hopefully. Abigail chuckled and ruffled his hair.
"You'll have to ask your father on that one, Hic." Abigail playfully poked his belly, but instead of smiling, like he usually did when she poked him, he only frowned.
"Daddy says that I can't fight dragons. That I won't be strong enough." Abigail frowned towards the door that Stoick had left through. She turned back to Hiccup and gave him another smile.
"Well listen here, Hic." Hiccup looked her in the eyes. "You can do anything you want, no matter what anyone says. As long as you put your heart, mind, and soul into it." Abigail stood up and picked up her small sack. She gave one last smile before leaving the house. Hiccup waved goodbye then headed for bed, a small smile playing on his lips.
...
Hiccup"s peaceful sleep was interrupted when a loud crash shook the house. Hiccup sat up in his bed, rubbing his sleepy eyes. He saw light shining from the window, so he ran over and opened the rafts. "Fire!" Someone yelled outside. "Grab the buckets!"
Hiccup's small feet padded against the floorboards as he ran for the door. Pushing the latch up, he swung it open.
Hiccup's eyes widened in fear and alarm as he saw who's house was on fire. Hiccup started to run out the door when large, meaty hands picked him up and placed him back inside.
"Stay inside." Stoick said sternly, folding his arms and looming over the small child.
"But dad!" Hiccup cried, "that's Abi's house on fire!" Hiccup made another dash for the door, but again, he was stopped by his father.
"I said, no." Stoick placed his son by the fireplace. "Go to yer room." He pointed Hiccup towards the stairs.
"Please! Dad! I just wanna-"
"No! Yer stayin' inside 'til I come and get ya. Yer safer here."
"Daddy! I'm not in danger it's-"
"Stoick!" A Viking came through the door, interrupting Hiccup. "This fire's outa control, and Spitlout thinks he's got the dragon who did it!" Stoick turned from Hiccup and nodded to the Viking.
"On my way." The Viking nodded and hustled out the door. Stoick turned on his son. "Stay." And with that final word, Stoick the Vast left the house. Hiccup watched the door slam.
Hiccup waited a few seconds, before reopening the door and bolting out. Hiccup reached a small crowd, squirming through the people oAf Berk to see the commotion. Orders were being thrown left and right, and Hiccup couldn't make sense of any one of them, at least everyone except: "GET OUTA THE WAY! THE BUILDING'S GONNA COLLAPSE!" People hustled out of the way, and I grabbed the Viking who shouted the order.
"Wait!" Hiccup tugged at the Viking's hand and he turned on Hiccup.
"What is it, lad?!" He glowered, obviously not in a patient mood.
"What about the people inside?" Hiccup's voice held so much concern and worry. The Viking's gaze softened and he let out a sigh.
"I'm sorry lad, but by the time we got in there, they were already gone." Big green eyes searched brown as Hiccup looked for any sign of deception. When he found none, his hands were drawn to his chest and he breathed in heavily.
"No..." The little boy whimpered.
Before he knew it, someone yelled, "LOOK OUT!" And Hiccup saw darkness.
((End Flashback))
(Astrid's P.O.V.)
"...Then what happened?" Astrid asked softly. Hiccup sighed and looked away from the ocean, once again into Astrid's eyes.
"I woke up. Dad said I was hit by wood and it knocked me unconscious." Hiccup's gaze was far away. Astrid drew her knees to her chest, contemplating on how she could answer to that. Turned out, she didn't have to. Hiccup only continued. "From that day on, I promised I would always do what Abigail last told me before she died. I would keep trying, and whatever I did, I would do it with all I had."
Astrid stared at him. She had never heard this story.
Astrid and Hiccup sat on the cliffside, deep in thought. One more look at Hiccup, and Astrid silently promised to herself that she would make tomorrow the best day ever for Hiccup. Because Hiccup deserved it. Astrid would make it the best day ever for him. No matter what anyone said, because Astrid knew, she could do anything, if she put her heart, mind, and soul into it.
...
A/N
Hey! Yea, this is really short, but the idea just... Came to me. I thought it was cute, and a little sad, so, since I couldn't sleep, I just wrote it! A little Astrid and Hiccup fluff, but also Hiccup Angst. Hope you guys liked!
~Tr1ggerhapp3