Hey all!
Thanks so much for giving this a shot! I intended this to be a one shot, but I felt it would rush the plot too much. I don't imagine it will be any longer than two chapters though. I will have the second part up soon!
When asked of her feelings for Hiccup Haddock, Astrid would, with sweaty hands, stutter out that their relationship ended at friendship. But deep down, Astrid knew better. She wasn't ready to admit it to herself just yet, but her stomach always had a way of leaping into her throat whenever he gave her that crooked grin. It was a unique feeling she'd learned to associate with him and him alone.
Until, of course, she noticed she got the same rush from someone else.
Up to this point, she assumed the emotion meant he was special. Special in a way that made mainland girls giggle. Special in a way only one person could ever be. Perhaps she was wrong. Before Hiccup, she had never had a really close friend, not even Ruffnut. No offence, but the girl twin just didn't have a whole lot of depth. She reasoned that it was a best-friend rush or something, because it couldn't be what she thought it was. She couldn't feel that way about a girl, right?
"Astrid? Astrid, are you ok?"
She snapped out of her thoughts and smiled sheepishly at the chief's son. "Y-yeah. Sorry, I just, didn't sleep great last night." It certainly wasn't a lie. She hasn't really slept since the day Heather left. She'd been in almost complete agony trying to sort out her feelings. She still felt the flutter from Hiccup, but it had dulled considerably to make room for the new bubble of warmth that grew a little whenever someone mentioned her name.
Hiccup shrugged. "It's alright," he turned back to work, a sword prototype he called "Inferno". She wasn't really listening, and felt guilty for it. She thought she heard him say it was supposed to catch fire.
She hadn't the foggiest idea how, but she assumed it was safe belief that the lecture she had just zoned out on would have explained it.
Not that she could have understood more than a fourth of it, but still.
"Any particular reason why?" He asked gently.
She swallowed. "Of course not. Just...a Night Terror or something chirping outside my window."
He chuckled. "Why didn't you chase it away?"
"They kind of guard Dragon's Edge. Don't wanna piss them off." His chuckle turned into a full blown laugh. "Fair enough." The brunettes smiled faded a bit. "To be honest, I haven't slept that great either. I've been kinda worried about Heather, you know? I-I just can't shake the feeling that she might do something stupid."
Astrid tried to hide her discomfort at the subject change. "Like you?" She asked with small laugh, to which he glared. "I wouldn't worry about it. She wouldn't do anything to put Windshear at risk."
"I know that, but she's dealing with some crazy stuff right now. It would push anyone past their limit."
She raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying, Hiccup?"
He shrugged again and turned back to his work. "I don't know. At least, not yet. It's just been...eating at me, y'know?"
Astrid stared blankly at his back. "Yeah. I get it."
He glanced over his shoulder. "You sure you're alright?"
"Oh, for the love of Thor! I'm fine. Mind your own beeswax."
He reeled at her outburst, and she immediately felt shame. "Ugh. Look, I'm sorry, ok? Everything's good. But I have stuff to do. I'll see you later." She leaped from her seat on his work table and swiftly walked from the makeshift blacksmith. She mentally thanked every deity she knew of that he didn't have a chance to see her burning cheeks.
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Astrid put her hand on her stomach. Her conversation with Hiccup left her far more uneasy than she cared to admit. She needed advice. But from whom? Hiccup would be her normal go to, but obviously not this time. Snotlout was a definite no, as was Tuffnut. That left Fishlegs and Ruff. While Ruffnut could be insightful at times, she had problems with keeping her mouth shut. Astrid could not let this secret get out. Fishlegs was her only option. She braced herself for a long, wordy explanation and walked towards the brainiac's hut.
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She found him hunched over a table, muttering to himself. Meatlug slept on the floor at his feet, but her eyes popped open at Astrid's arrival. She jumped up to greet her, snatching Fish's attention from his work. He spun to face her on the stool he was sitting on with a smile.
"Oh, hey, Astrid. You need something?"
The blonde girl felt all her confidence drain out and pool around her boots. She fumbled with her clasped hands, desperately trying to keep eye contact. "Hi, 'Legs. Um, yes. I...uh...had something I needed to ask, if that's ok."
Sensing her nervousness, Fishlegs waved a hand to a chair beside him. "No problem, you wanna sit down?"
Gratefully, Astrid accepted the invitation and sat down stiffly. She chewed her lip as she decided how to word her request.
"Everything ok?" he asked with concern. "Nothing happened with Stormfly, right?"
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. So is Stormfly. We're both good."
He nodded in understanding and waited for her to continue.
"It's just….I've been curious lately. Is it possible for…," her words died in her throat.
"Is it possible for what?"
"Is it possible for two girls to...uh...have romantic...feelings for each other?"
Fishlegs eyebrows raised in surprise. "Yes, it's very possible. In fact, it happens all the time. You know the Bog Burglars right?"
She nodded firmly. Of course she did. Everyone knew of the great Chieftess Big Boobied Bertha and her tiny but fierce daughter, Camicazi. It was a tribe made up of all women who struck fear into the hearts of all who encounter them. Secretly, Astrid was tempted to run away and join them in her younger years.
"Well," the stout boy continued, "There are a whole bunch of girl couples within that tribe. It's an everyday norm."
Astrid was taken aback. "What? Are all of them like that?"
Fish waved his hands in dismissal. "No, no. Nothing of the sort. There are many girls and women who are attracted to males, along with some who aren't attracted to any gender."
"How do you know all this?" Astrid was so intrigued that she forgot how utterly terrified she was.
"Camicazi told me, when she and Bertha came to renew the treaty six years ago."
Astrid stared blankly at the wall behind Fishlegs' shoulder, trying to process this new intel. "Wow."
The boy viking tilted his head at her. "Any particular reason why you wanted to know all this, Astrid?" he cautiously asked. "If there is, you can tell me. I won't say anything to anyone."
The blush that flooded her face was unmistakeable. A string of colorful curses danced through her head, but thankfully they stayed off her tongue. Her mumbled answer was barely audible.
Fishlegs rocked uncomfortably in his seat, wondering if he should push the issue further. "S-sorry. I didn't catch that?"
She mumbled a little louder, but not enough. He leaned in slightly. "Heh...what was that, now?"
"I think I have a crush on a girl!" Astrid all but yelled, then slapped a hand on her mouth, horrified. She glanced at Fish, who looked equally horrified at her outburst. He quickly composed himself.
"Oh, is that all? It's no big deal, ya know." the gossiping old woman inside him took control. "Can I ask who?"
Her glare shut him up.
"It is a big deal! I'm supposed to be with Hiccup." She hadn't meant for the last part to come out. She stared at her lap, humiliated.
"Astrid, you don't have to be with anyone," Fish said gently, "Stoick's never believed in arranged marriages. Sure, I mean with all might've thought you guys were a thing, and I might have started a fan club, but none of that matters. You do what makes you happy." She laughed bitterly. "That's just it. Both of them make me happy. And besides, no one on Berk has ever even heard of two girls in love," she paused. "Except for you, apparently."
He tried to ignore the slight sting in her words. "Well, it is possible to like both genders. Cami had a friend like that."
"It is?"
"Yep! Actually-"
Astrid stood up and cut him off. "Thanks for your help, Fishlegs. I, uh...need sometime to think, if you know what I mean."
Fishlegs grinned kindly in response. "Of course. Feel free to come back if you need anything else."
She smiled back over her shoulder and whistled for Stormfly.
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"...So that's the jist of it, girl. Pretty crazy, right?" The two were seated on a small rock formation far away from the Edge. It was nice to escape for awhile and enjoy the a better sunset than Berk had been famous for.
Stormfly chittered affectionately.
"Well, at least you don't see me differently. But I still have a pretty difficult choice to make, don't I?" Stormfly chirped nudged her Astrid to her feet. She smiled. "You're right. I don't have to make it right now. Let's head back before Hiccup sends out a search party."