Favourite Colour

Hiccup and Astrid sat cross-legged and alone in the cove, after weeks of dancing around it they had decided they needed to really get to know each other, all that nitty gritty stuff that friends knew. They were facing each other not to far apart leaning against too large and rather convenient boulders. It had been silent for awhile neither to sure where to begin and a little unsure of their togetherness.

"I can sew." Hiccup offered, watching Astrid closely afraid she might laugh which she did but the tone of her laugh suggested surprise rather than ridicule.

"I know you can, you made your riding harness, remember?" she smiled to assure him her laughter was in good fun and not teasing, Hiccup wasn't yet entirely acquainted with the idea of friendship and occasionally mistook playful banter as nasty teasing.

Seeing that she wasn't picking on him Hiccup continued "No, that's leather work, that's manly," Hiccup flexed mockingly "I mean I can really sew, I made these pants." He gestured down at them proudly.

Astrid studied him, it was extremely unlikely to come across a Viking male who could actually sew let alone one that would admit it even if it was the purpose of the gathering.

"Who taught you?" Astrid asked curiously tilting her head.

"Believe it or not it was Gothi, when I was younger and Gobber was busy she used to watch me, I was a bit of a handful and it was a way to keep me occupied." Hiccup explained with his usual wild hand gestures.

"I can't." Astrid admitted a little impressed that Hiccup had that particular skill.

"I could teach you?" He offered smiling hopefully.

"That would be nice." Said Astrid before settling into a silence again, it was her turn to spill a secret and it was harder to think of one then it should be.

Hiccup watched her expectantly as Astrid scrunched her face in concentration, her tiny, pink tongue jutting out of her mouth ever so slightly. Hiccup had noticed this was something Astrid tended to do when she was deep in though and as far as he could tell she was unaware she was even doing it. After a short while Hiccup was jolted out of his daydreams by Astrid's voice when she finally settled on something to tell.

"I can't cook." Astrid stated proudly.

Hiccup begun to laugh, everyone knew that it wasn't really a secret "Oh, I know." Was all he said.

"Hey!" Astrid chastised, but a smile was fighting to make an appearance.

"Yak nog." Was all Hiccup said staring Astrid down daring her to disagree.

"Yeah, ok, I guess that one doesn't really count does it." She conceded and then went back to thinking while Hiccup watched.

After several long second her eyes lit up and without warning she jumped up and begun wandering around the cove bending down every so often and the returned with her arms full of wild flowers.

"I can do this." Astrid said proudly as she begun the intricate posses of weaving the flowers together in to two very full flower crowns. When she was done she leaned forward in to Hiccup personal space and plopped one on his head before sitting back and placing the second on hers. He looked ridiculous of cause but he was too busy blushing red to do much about it.

"Oh, that's nice..." He had lost his nerve with her coming so close to him it had been a rather intimate gesture really, their noses almost brushing.

They sat quietly again adorned in their flowers just enjoying being together. Hiccup watched Astrid as she wrapped more flowers together creating more crowns to keep her hands busy. She looked rather beautiful with the flowers in her hair, it was the kind of thing you never got to see her do it was far too girly. Astrid hummed to herself waiting for Hiccup to come up with something suitable to reveal not noticing his admiring gaze. In fact it took several minutes for her to realise that they had sunken into silence and look up at him.

She smiled "Hiccup, it's your turn?" she prompted causing him to jump slightly.

"Oh, right, yeah," he said shaking his head clear "Um...my favourite colour is red?" he sounded confused, like he was unsure whether what he was saying was true or not.

"Is that a question?" Astrid chuckled.

Hiccup looked confused "No, I know it is."

"I thought you liked green?" Astrid asked pointing to his shirt.

"Oh, I do but reds my favourite the dyes are to expensive and I like green so I just wear green, but red is my favourite." He explained "What about you?"

Astrid thought for a moment her tongue once again flicking out "Purple." She decided. "But I don't think these really count as secrets."

"Probably not." Hiccup conceded. "This is harder then you'd think huh?"Astrid nodded in agreement and continued with her flower crowns. "Can you show me?"

Astrid looked at him surprised before nodding her head and waiting for him to move next to her and breaking down the process for him, he was a fast learner and rather good at it and soon they had a dozen crowns and the convocation was becoming slightly less forced.

"I had the biggest crush on Snotlout when I was seven, then he opened his mouth" Astrid laughed "I'll kill you if you tell him though."

"Oh, yeah well when I was seven Dagur's sister Blade dressed me as a girl and paraded me around Berserker Island like her doll, I was so afraid of her that I just let it happen." Hiccup admitted clutching his side as the pair laughed in near hysterics.

When the sun started to set they decided it was best they headed back into town. Astrid had tried to remove the ridiculous flower crown from Hiccup's head but he had insisted it stayed he was keeping it.

"Sap!" Astrid had commented, she'd never admit it but she liked that.

The sun was barely in the sky when Astrid awoke the next morning. She smiled to herself as she pulled on fresh cloths and washed her face for the day. When she was good and ready she headed up to the Meade Hall to meet her friends for breakfast.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut were as usual attempting to rub each other's faces in their perspective food which had ended in the usual stalemate of a headlock, and Fishlegs had his nose deep in the Book of Dragons ignoring the shenanigans while Hiccup read over his shoulder, unaware of her presence. Snotlout however noticed.

"Whoa, new shirt Astrid? Who are you trying to impress? Cause you've already got my attention babe." He raised his eyebrows suggestively, as he flexed his arms to impress her.

"None of your business Snotlout." She answered civilly "Hey, Hiccup."

Hiccup raised his head and nodded a quick hello before returning to the book and then almost breaking his neck as he did a double take. She was wearing red, his favourite colour, the shirt in itself was nothing new, same basic design and pattern but it was bright red.

"Hey, nice shirt, red my favourite colour, you know." He said, sensing correctly that the change had come about for his benefit and feeling rather confident about that.

"I know." Was all Astrid said before plopping down into the empty seat beside him and taking a slice of buttered bread off of his plate.

The gang stared at the two wondering what had transpired to make them suddenly so comfortable around each other. But Astrid and Hiccup didn't seem to notice as he stole the bread back and took a bite and Astrid laughed at his antics.

It didn't take long for the novelty of Astrid's change to wear of, it soon became the norm, red was her colour and it suited her. So did Hiccup, the two were pretty much inseparable and that was just fine with them.