Sparring was one thing, but dancing? Dancing with Astrid? Close proximity and a perfect view of her crystal blue eyes, her button nose, and her very...addictive lips? In front of everyone?

Hiccup snorted mentally as he and Astrid practiced, a few hours before the actual ceremony, their betrothal. Normally, he would be nervous - he and Astrid were going to be engaged! - but right now, at this very moment, he was rather surprised and a little amused. Of course Astrid would turn out to be a great dancer. Of course he would be the only one that would be stumbling on his feet.

As a bored viking played his violin near them, Astrid laughed as she twirled.

"You're much too good at this, milady," he stated bluntly, as he once again stepped on her toes, "I was expecting us to just be cute kids together, but now you've gone and had natural talent so I'll just look like an uncoordinated idiot."

Astrid threw her head back and laughed before spinning into him until her back was firmly against his chest. They swayed slightly. "Natural talent? I've been dancing since I was a kid, Hiccup. I'm a proud viking. I just never overdid it, so it's not well known. Dip me?" Hiccup complied, grateful that she wrapped her arms around his neck just in case he dropped her. "In case it helps, I don't think anyone expects you to be a good dancer."

"Loads better," he murmured dryly, making her laugh again as he pulled her up and started waltzing again, keeping his eyes on his feet, "I think you should write the chief's speeches for him, Astrid. I've never been this inspired."

A quiet whisper in his head told him he was only being this way to make her laugh, he didn't truly mind if she was good at dancing. At least one of them were. But making her laugh was something that he just couldn't get tired of. Someone might have thought that Hiccup might just be a little smitten with her, but he knew better. He was absolutely smitten with her. She was beauty, she was grace, she could punch a Slitherwing in the face.

From what Astrid had told him, it hadn't been the face she punched, but meh, poetic licence was more important.

"Oh, you big baby," she teased, giving him a kiss on the cheek, "it's our betrothal ceremony today, babe, you couldn't ruin my mood even if you tried."

Oh, hearing her say the words "our betrothal ceremony" was probably the sweetest reward he could get out of this dancing disaster. Of course, there was also the fact that she was going to have to wear a much more ceremonial dress today. She had chewed his ear off about it being very unnecessary, and Hiccup had agreed wholeheartedly. Why did she need a dress when she would make everyone's head turn even is she turned up covered in dirt from training?

Nevertheless, she was going to wear the "cursed dress", and she was going to look stunning.

Hiccup was finally done with dancing. He knew he wasn't going to get any better. He wrapped his arms around Astrid's waist, and they simply swayed together instead of moving their feet.

"Are you okay with all this? I know it's a bit rushed…"

"We've been together for months. How long were we supposed to put off your dad and my parents? I don't have a death wish, Hiccup - unlike some people," Astrid teased, burying her face in his shoulder and letting out a cough that sounded a lot like, "Dragon Fly!"

"Dragon Fly is a jewel and it won't be disrespected by the likes of you." They both laughed this time, right before Hiccup kissed her cheek and picked her up, spinning quickly.

A lot of Astrid's hair came loose and her cheeks became red as she clung to him with a bright smile. "I do hope this isn't the type of dancing you plan to do at the ceremony?"

"Hey, I'm not destroying your feet this way," Hiccup replied, affronted, as the room spun even after he stopped.

"No, but you're still quite clumsy. This is gonna hurt." Her eyes squeezed shut as Hiccup tripped over a shield and sent them both crashing to the floor. With a groan of pain, Hiccup buried his face in her blonde locks.

"An early warning would have been nice, I'll admit."

Astrid released a crick in her shoulder. "I only saw it a second before we fell. Dear Thor. Is this what our marriage is going to be?"

"Lots of falling? Most likely." He snorted, not even bothering to get up.

She hummed quietly, looking up at him. "Well, besides how sore I am now, I'm having loads of fun, so I'd say our marriage will be great."

Hiccup pouted, simply to make her laugh again. "Except for the part where you'll bully me all my life."

"Be a viking."

"No."

Her laughter was contagious, and soon he was laughing too, not about in anything in particular, because there were so many things - their betrothal, the fact that this was just a vacation from their very busy dangerous lives, and that they were both sore and didn't wanna get up, it all just seemed something to laugh about right now.

The viking stopped playing his violin, and probably sensing the young couple needed their privacy, left them in their giggling mess on the floor.

Review? The new season has left me inspired but I didn't get many reviews on my last two oneshots and that's always a bummer.