This story takes place on the Dragons edge and Outcast island after 3rd season and before httyd 2
... it´s almost like a full episode of rtte season 4 ... i think
also ... please be patient with my english, I probably made some mistakes
It was one of those nice mornings when Astrid took Stormfly for a morning ride over the island and sea. Sun was just rising so it was still a bit cold, but that never bothered her. Overlook of the ocean, fresh air and warmth of the red rising Sun was just perfect start of the day. Although this time it was a bit different. Usually she practised some tricks with Stormfly, but this time she was ... a bit lost in thoughts. Stormfly was off course expecting some training, so after a while she let out a quiet growl in a wordless question.
"I´m sorry girl. I was just thinking about what Heather said earlier.
You know ... that thing about Hiccup ..."
After a few seconds she continued.
"I don´t like him ... well, off course I like him, but not like that. I don´t like him!
I mean ... I like him as a friend. We´re just friends..."
There was a minute of silence.
"Growl?"
"Ou! So what that i kissed him? He was being nice, so I wanted to be nice to him too. It didn´t mean anything..."
Astrid took a long breath and straightened up her back.
"Come on girl, I need to clear my head."
Then they flew to the top of the mountain at breathtaking speed and as final bonus they checked out all guard posts where night terrors were just getting asleep.
As they were flying towards the base Astrid couldn´t see anyone there. They were probably all still asleep in their huts. After all it was not so unusuall.
Then she felt such a sudden burst of good mood, that she decided to make breakfast for everyone. "That´ll boost their spirits and afterwards we can have my new -armkiller- training." She thought to herself.
She was still high enough as she slowly flew down, when...
"Goooood mooooorniiiiiing! Ooooooohhhoooooo!"
Something fast and blurry with Hiccups voice flew around, closely folowed by something big, black, fast, blurry with red tail.
Astrids heart skipped a beat out of shock, but in a moment she was smiling again and she thought to herself:
"From time to time Hiccup can be so funny and crazy ..."
- he´s falling too fast -
"... and reckless ..."
- Toothless can´t catch him befor he hits the ground! -
"... and stupid!" she almost screamed out loud.
"Hiccup!"
She turned Stormfly down to dive as fast as she can realising that she can´t reach him in time either.
Then Hiccup stretched his dragonfly 2.3 and his falling changed into a flight. Toothless somehow managed to folow him, which was very strange because his tail should be useless without Hiccup in the saddle.
Astrid slowed down to comprehand what had just happened. Suddenly there were flames in her eyes and destruction in her mind.
"That idiot! He´s gonna kill himself one of these days!
C´mon girl, I want to hit him."
Hiccup was flying towards the open sea just in case Toothless couldn´t catch him in time.
With everything under control ... he realised that water is closing in a bit faster than he thought.
"Tooooothleees! Now is the time!"
Toothless speeded up, but ... they both ended up in water.
"Caugh, caugh, almost!
Next time I´m shure we can make it bud."
Said Hiccup while swiming towards Toothless and climbing atop him.
Toothless gave him a disagreeing growl.
"Whaaat? It was fine! ... and I´m glad that that lock mechanism on the tail works too."
When they finaly got out of the water, like the wrath of the gods Astrid flew in and punched Hiccup in the shoulder so hard, that he fell to the water again. Toothless however had still locked up tail so he didn´t fall, but instead let out his laught like growl as only he can.
"Caugh, caugh ... salty. What have i done to deserve that cold water again Astrid?"
"You´re a reckless idiot you know that? You could´ve killed yourself!"
"Come ooon! I had it under control."
"Oooh reeeally? And that´s why you ended up soked in salt water?"
"Well ... that´s almost true ... it´s just ..."
"Oh I hope you´ll drown."
Astrid turned Stormfly to shore and flew while shouting over shoulder.
"Toothless? What do you say we leave him to swim all the way to the shore?"
"Rrroouur?"
Toothless looked interested.
"Come ooon bud. You wouldn´t leave me to swim that distance with drgonfly on my back?"
Toothless smiled provocatively, but landed neer Hiccup.
"Thanks bud."
By the time Hiccup and Toothles came back to dragons edge Astrid was allready in her hut, but you can´t say, that there was no sign of her. When he landed, concerned looking Fishlegs and Snotlout holding his nose were immediately there.
"Hiccup, do youknow what´s with Astrid?" Started Fishlegs.
"What did you do again?" Almost shouted Snotlout. "I just said ´good morning´ and i got a bucket in my face!"
Fishlegs corected him."No, no, no, no ,no. You said something about her looking cute when she´s angry as I recall."
"I may have said something like that too..." Agreed Snotlout looking everywhere but into their eyes.
"Snotlooout..." Said Hiccup with moralizing scoul.
"That´s beside the point." Returned Snotlout. "What did you do?"
Hiccup scratched on the back of his head. "I ... was just testing my new dragonfly..."
Twins just came out of their hut and Tuffnut interupted.
"Oooh ... so that´s why Astrid was so noisy that she woke us up. But I don´t get why she is so upset about it. I mean it should be fun watching someone trying to flatten himself on the ground by jumping from such hight."
"Yeah. I would definitely enjoy it!" Agreed Ruffnut. "And if it was you trying to do that, that would be even better." She teased Tuffnut.
"Yes! That´s a good idea sister. Or not? ... now I´m not shure." Said Tuffnut and looked confused.
"Please don´t try that." Hiccup stoped him. "And besides ... I´m not trying to hit the ground! I am just testing dragonfly."
"Didn´t we just say the same thing? Because I am pretty shure we did." Argued Tuffnut.
Sill looking worried Fishlegs said."Well I guess I understand a bit better now, but Hiccup ... she still overacted and Astrid isn´t usually like that."
"Yeah. That part´s worying me a bit too Fishlegs." Agreed Hiccup. "But maybe she just didn´t sleep well tonight?"
"Maybe." Closed it Fishlegs.
When Astrid calmed down a little in her hut, she realized that she overacted quite much and begun to think about it.
"Damn it! Why was I so angry? It was dangerous, but it´s not like he´s done something like that for the first time. And that dragonfly thing was really rubish when he started with it, but since then he made quite a few improwements to it ... and we´ve all seen that it works."
Astrid walked to the door, opened up a bit, just that she can see what´s going on outside. Snotlout, Ruff and Tuff were having breakfast, alongside their dragons. She didn´t see, but she could definitely hear Fishlegs being happy about some new rock he found for Meatlug. And where´s Hiccup? It took a while for her eyes to find him, because he was in clubhouse and he just walked out. He was holding dragonfly and as far as Astrid could say, he was repairing some minor damage that it took from the fall. He stood there firmly as his green eyes were criticaly looking at his flying invention. But Astrid could still see his personality carved into his face. She looked at him and saw his goodnes of heart, modesty and that spicy bit of sarcasm. He wasn´t so shy as he was a few years back, but she knew that in a way he still is ... which was kind of cute.
"And he doesn´t look half bad either..." Astrid thought to herself with one eyebrow lifted a bit.
Then she woke up from dreams, shut the door and braced her back against it.
"Damnm it! What´s with me? Am I getting crazy?
A few minutes ago I hated him and now i like him?!"
She sighed and slided down the door.
"Hmm ... so that´s that unasuming, heroic, dragon rider type huh?"
She took a long breath and slaped her face.
"Wake up Astrid. They probably think I have gone mad so I need to look as normal as I can. Act like nothing really happened."
When she stood up Astrid realized that she didn´t eat anything yet so she took an apple from a bascet on her table and went out to eat it while having a stroll. Than she thought that she´ll check up on Hiccup if he is still in the clubhouse.
"Hi Hiccup."
"Hi Astrid. You feelin´ better?"
"Yes, why would I feel bad?"
"Well, you looked kinda not in your usual self ." He replied.
"Oh, yes ... uhh sorry about that. I-I ..." Astrid didn´t know wht to say.
"Did you sleep well?" Hiccup interupted.
"Yessss ... " She started ... and finished in her mind. "that´s a good excuse!"
"I mean no! ... I had a weird dream, so ... that´s the thing."
"What was it about?"
"I ... don´t really remember." Astrid said while remembering how she looked at him from behind the door.
"But it was really ... weird." She added with a dreamy tone in her voice.
Hiccup noticed that tone, but didn´t relly know how to react to it. However he didn´t have to think about it much, because Fishlegs rushed in panting with a woried face closely folowed by others.
"Hiccup!"
"What is it Fislegs?" Hiccup quickly asked.
"Terrible terror mesage came. There was a masive brake out on an Outcast island. Astrids Berk team is ocupying tem so they can´t get away from the island, but the island itself is out of control. We are to come as soon as possible because without enought air support Stoick cannot land there with his men to catch all the prisoners again. And A team can´t do it alone."
Hiccup straightened up and with firm voice started.
"All right! It´s gonna take a while to get there so everyone pack what you need. In 15 minutes we fly for the Outcast island. And remember, this doesn´t look like it´s gonna be easy, so take that into account while packing."
Twins, Fishlegs and Snotlout rushed to prepare and Hiccup and Astrid were left alone again.
"It looks like we´ll have to finish our talk some other time." Stated Hiccup and placed hand on Astrids shoulder.
"Well, there wasn´t much left to say anyway." Astrid replied with a smile.
"Now lets get ready for it." She added and took Hiccups hand off her shoulder.
In a few folowing seconds something strange happened.
While their hands were moving downwards, Astrids hand still holding Hiccups, they both realized that strangely pleasant feeling of their touch. They didn´t even know how, but at the point their hands would have normaly separated, they were instead holding each other. The grip wasn´t strong, but firm and gentle at the same time. There they stoped for a moment, because they couldn´t go their separat ways like that, nor they could release the contact they had. While their minds were still halfway to waking up, they looked each other in the eyes, both shocked for a bit diferent reason. Astrid because as much as she tryed to hide that fact even from herself, now she couldn´t hide from it. And Hiccup, he always had a crush on her, but now it was so suden and he could clearly see that Astrid was moved too.
They released the grip. Both were blushing a bit, but strangely Astrid a bit more.
"We should really go ... I ´m going to ... prepare ... " Astrid was trying to find appropriate words.
"Yeah ... I uhhh ... I need to prepare too. ...ehm.
Sooo ... 15 minutes." Replied Hiccup.
Astrid was already on her way out so she didn´t really hear him.
15 minutes later they met before the stables.
As the last thing Hiccup put his gronckle-iron shield on his back.
"All right gang! Remember, don´t rush it. We have to be there as fast as possible, but that won´t happen if we tire the dragons right away. I hope it won´t take us too long because either way we´re not gonna have much time before sundown when we get there. And when we do get there, first thing is to get to Stoick, because they probably allready have a plan."
"I hope the plan will be to burn everything down!" Tuff got excited.
"Or how about blow everything up?" Added Ruff.
"A good question sister. To blow up, or burn down? How about both?"
Hiccup sighed.
"Guuuys ... nobody´s blowing up, or burning down anything. Or ... at least I hope so..."
Hiccup sighed again.
"If I may presume that there are no more stupid questions, then lets get going!"
They flew for the most of the day. Most of it quietly, if you don´t count Ruffs and Tuffs questions "Are we there yet?" and Snotlouts notes about "5000 pounds of flaming muscle coming through".
When they finaly could see the Outcast island, Hiccup repeated what they need to do.
"Don´t forget, first thing is to get to my dad and hear his plan. Do not engage until we know exactly how to do it."
"Uhmmm ... Hiccup? Are you shure about all that?" Ruffnut asked.
"Hiccup look!" Added Fislegs.
The fighting has allready started and it looked really messy. Screams, shouts, expolsions and sound of various weapons clashing against shields.
"So I see how it is. They can blow things up, but we can´t." Complained Tuffnut.
"Tuff, this is not helping!" Hiccup tryed to think about what to do now...
Hiccup quickly assessed situation seeing two groups that needed imediate assistance.
"All right gang, here´s the plan." Started Hiccup.
Astrid couldn´t help but notice how quickly he came up with a plan of his own in such dire situation. Not that she wasn´t used to it, but this time she was just more perceptive of his qualities.
"Snotlout, Twins! Go help Spinelout and Gothi!" Hiccup gave the first order.
"Also , you can blow things up. Just do me a favor and don´t get yourselfs killed ... or anyone else if it´s possible" Added with a bit of sarcasm for the twins.
"Ohhh. He relly does care." Tuffnut was moved.
"Fishlegs, Astrid! You will help Gustav. He´s alone there, so if you can´t handle it, retreat!
I´ll go find my dad and find out what happened. Than I´ll be back and help wherever I can..
Now go!"
Everyone together said a mixture of "Roger!", "Yes!", "Blow things up!" and "Snotlout, Snotlout, oy oy oy!" and they flew in direction they were told to.
Hiccup flew for the port as fast as he could because he anticipated that Stoick will be there somwhere. When Hiccup saw him, Stoick just knocked out one berserker with a headbut.
"Hiccup! What took you so long?" Asked Stoick with his cheafing attitude.
"We came as fast as we could. And where is Skullcrusher?" Hiccup was surprised.
"Aaahahaaah, that beasty is fighting over there." Said Stoick proudly.
"I just sent him there to help." He added as they saw how Skullcrusher just rammed 4 or 5 unlucky outcasts.
"He´s magnificent! Don´t you think?"
"Yeah, he really is, but more importantly what´s the plan here and why did you start without us backing you up?" Urged Hiccup.
"Well some of them tryed to fight their way onto our ship so ... that´s how it started. And plan? Well there is only one plan. Get each and every one back into their cells!"
"Yes, but how do you plan to do it?" Hiccup insisted on getting an answer.
"Knock´em out!" Gobber answered for Stoick.
"Unless they surrender on their own off course." Added Stoick.
"Aaahhh ... that´s a one great plan dad."
"Now get to it son! We can handle things here and I´m shure you´re needed somwhere."
"Ok. C´mon bud!"
He flew up to see where he´ll be needed. And there it was. Svens monsterous nightmare was neted on the ground. Mulch and Bucket were trying to help him, but it wasn´t enough. Hiccup dived in. One crossbow bolt almost hit him, but he returned them two plasma blasts and one tail slap to the face.
"That should even the odds!" Hiccup said.
"Sven! Make your dragon fire up! It should burn the net."
"Fire up boooy!" Shouted Sven.
"Well that´s a chiefs son!" Said Mulch proudly.
Hiccup then flew around the battlefield dealing plasma blasts where he thought was best.
When Toothless had no plasma blast left he flew clos to the ground watching who could he surprise attack when he heard something unsettling. It was Astrid shouting something about retreat folowed by angry but desperat shout and a sound of dragon fallen to the ground.
For the two seceonds he was listening he didn´t see the bolt comming from the side until it was really close. He managed to dodge it, but so closely that the bolt cut of his shield straping and the shield fell down. Also it fell on the head of unfortunate berserker knocking him out.
However there was no time to get the shield back. With a lightning speed Hiccup turned Toothless towards the sounds of a viking girl in distress and flew there as fast as only Toothless could.
Stormfly netted on the ground and some outcasts were holding her down.
Astrid outnubered, axe in her hands, but left arm wounded, back against a wall.
"Astrid!"
Hiccup dived in and jumped off of Toothless to land on an outcasts back smacking him down and he himself than falling neer Astrid. Toothless did somthing similar but he took down two berserkers and didn´t fall. Hiccup quickly stood up holding a sword that he took from the ground.
"Am I glad to see you." Panted Astrid.
"Are you ok Astrid?" He asked with a woried face.
"Well I´ve been worse, but the situation is a bit ... out of hand ... " She said while looking on her injured arm.
"Relly Astrid? A pun? Now?" He was a bit surprised, but quite amused as well.
"Now get them!" Shouted som random berserker.
Fight started.
Toothless jumping around and kicking like a big black ninja was a bit faster at disposing of the enemy, but Hiccup and Astrid fighting side by side weren´t bad either. It looked almost like a dance. Hiccups sword and Astrids axe were swiftly moving through the air as the two of them graciously moved around changing sides, surprising the enemy, blocking blows that would hit the other one, sometimes even hand in hand to move the other one out of enemies reach. It was a very dangerous situation, but somehow they managed to enjoy it ... in a viking way...
They managed to hold of the berserkers and some of the outcasts until reinforcements came and the rest of them surrendered.
When it was over, it was already too late to fly back to Berk, not to mention the Dragons edge so they knew their going to stay here for the night. Stoick also said, that this deserves a celebration.
Then everyone celebrated a good fight with lots of food and barels of ale near a big bonfire. Everyone was talking about what happened to them in a fight, comparing new scars and praising the help of the dragon riders and Hiccup mostly.
Hiccup however wasn´t the type for bathing in his own glory, so he took a mug of ale and went to find his shield. However he still had that sword, that helped him during the fight. Toothles noticed that he is going somwhere so he accompanied him off course. They didn´t fly. They just walked around until they found the shield and then sat on the cliff with overlook of the ocean facing the sunset. It was quite late, and there was only a bit of red Sun left visible over the horizon.
After a while they heard quiet daedly nadder growl behind, so both Hiccup and Toothless turned around. Off course it was Astrid and Stormfly. Toothless got up to greet Stormfly, but even they were too tired to play. Astrid came closer, with two more mugs of ale.
"I knew I´ll find you somwhere around here."
"Well, you know me quite well.." He replied and then asked.
"How´s your arm?"
"Naaah ... it´s ok. It´ll be a bit painfull for the time being, but as I said, I´ve been worse." She said with a smile.
"But thanks what you did back there, it was pretty heroic." She said half honestly half teasingly and handed him one of the mugs.
"Naah ... it would look better if I didn´t fall after my dramatic landing." He said and both of them bursted into laughter.
Astrid grabed his shoulder while sitting down still lughing. She than drank a bit of ale, put down the mug and let her arms prop her up while resting her back.
"I see you still have that sword. I didn´t know you can handle it so well." She said.
"Well, neither did I." He said, put down the mug and took the sword into hands. "And I thought I would keep it, but it´s too troublesome to carry around like this.
Hmmm ... maybe ... if it could shrink somehow so it would be smaller ..." He started thinking.
"And how would you do that?" She laughed.
"I don´t know..." He said. "...yet." He laughed at it too and put the sword down on the shield again.
Then he put his hands on the ground too, but accidentaly touched Astrids hand.
"Sorry." He reflexively said and moved his hand to the side.
"Don´t be." She replied and let her hand rest on his entangling their fingers.
For a moment they were just looking at each other.
"Astrid, I-I ..." He felt good and wanted to say something, but didn´t really know what.
"Don´t say anything." She said as if she could read his mind.
"But..."
Without a warning she kissed him.
Hiccup was surprised again, but not because of the kiss so much, but because it felt different, than the other times. It was warmer and sweeter than any of those before. For the first time he let himself really enjoy it ... and she noticed it. At first Astrid wanted to kiss him just a little, but this new feeling didn´t alow her to stop. Hiccup gently placed hand on her cheek. She than put her arms around him and he replied by moving his hand to the back of her head with a slight push towards him. That little kiss changed into a long, gentle, sweet and passionate one. It felt like hours of exploring the most beautifull places in Valhalla.
Then they slowly drew away both astonished by what they´ve just experienced and just sat there looking each other into the whidely opened eyes. Hiccup smiled. Astrid laughed silently. Astrid then leaned her forhead against Hiccups, her arms still around his neck, their noses touching. Hiccups hand slided down to her waist and pulled her closer. She wasn´t used to be pulled around by anyone, but this just ... felt right.
Sun had set and it grew a bit cold. Also they were both quite tired, but neither one of them wanted to move. Astrid however found the right answer. She laid down on the spot.
"Astrid." Spoke to her Hiccup softly.
"Won´t you be cold like this?"
"No I won´t..." She replied while finding the right position.
Hiccup was looking at her amused how cutely she just behaved.
Then she probably found the right position, because she stopped moving. Afterwards she reached for Hiccups hand and wraped herself with his arm, making Hiccup lie down next to her. Hiccup didn´t really mind, so he held her tightly and kissed her on her cheek. She let out satisfied sigh and like that, they fell asleep.
They woke up face to face, their dragons sleeping next to them, covering them with their wings.
When they realized it wasn´t just a dream they smiled at each other and kissed ... just to be shure it was real.
Then they started a new day ... or at least they thought so.
However it wasn´t just a new day they woke up to.
It was a whole new life.