Chapter 2

Hiccup had skipped breakfast and was beginning to feel the consequences.

His stomach growled at him like a Gronkle. It didn't help that his best friend sat in the corner of the forge eating some fish that sailor had dropped off because he had a surplus and still felt the Night Fury was a hero.

Which he was.

Gobber had left some time ago after he finished all of the sharpening and cleaning that needed to be done.

All that was left was Hiccup working on the final touches of Astrid's battle axe.

There was a voice in the front of the forge.

"Hiccup? You here?" came Astrid's voice.

"Yeah! Be right there!" he called back. He quickly hid the weapons under a tarp.

Hiccup emerged from his... office you could call it and greeted Astrid as awkwardly as ever.

"H-hey Astrid. What are you doing here?" he asked as nonchalantly as he could muster.

"Well you weren't at the Hall for breakfast and then I flew around and didn't see you anywhere in the sky, so I got... a little worried." The last part was mumbled under her breath.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Hiccup said, feigning that he didn't hear it.

"I said... 'I was a little worried'" Less mumbled this time but Hiccup couldn't help himself.

"One more time please."

"I was worried! Okay?" Astrid said incredulously. She promptly hit him in the arm.

"Ow!"

Before he could complain further she kissed him.

"That's for making me say it." Astrid said.

"Eh. Worth it." Hiccup replied.

"So what is it you skipped breakfast for anyway?" Astrid asked looking around. "You don't even have forge duty today."

"Well you know me," he answered "just wanted to get some extra work in."

She didn't believe him but she didn't push the issue.

"Can I help out?" She asked.

"How 'bout you stick to swinging axes and I'll stick to keeping them sharp? I don't need some rookie breaking all these finely tuned weapons." He answered jokingly.

Astrid, despite herself, smiled. She couldn't help it. Hiccup had a way of making her laugh like no one else on this island.

"Well, I'm gonna go shopping for a new bandanna with Ruff. Make sure you come to the Great Hall tonight for dinner."

Hiccup gave a questioning look.

Astrid noticed it. "Tuffnut has ale duty tonight."

Hiccup smiled.

There weren't a lot of morals on Berk but one of them was that teens should not be getting drunk. While no one did much if it happened it was still really hard to get your hands on ale or mead.

"Alright. I'll be there." Hiccup said.

"Okay, see you there." She kissed him on the cheek as she left.

Hiccup thanked the gods that she didn't go into his office.

After a month of hard work, he would finally be able to give these new and improved weapons to his friends.

He was really excited.

Later that night

"Where have you been all day?" Tuffnut asked.

"At the forge." Hiccup answered.

"You don't even have forge duty today," Ruffnut stated.

"Okay, how do people know my work schedule so well? I mean come on its getting annoying."

"Well, sorry for showing some concern," Snotlout said sarcastically.

Hiccup shot him a look. Not an angry one, more of a confused one.

"So what were you doing there anyway?" the larger teen asked.

"You know just some work."Came the reply.

"Well as much as I would love to hear about your day Hiccup I have ale to pour," Tuffnut said giving a sly smile to everyone at the table.

Everyone returned it except Fishlegs who just looked really nervous.

Hiccup was going to call him on it, but he knew how it felt to be singled out and he wouldn't be the one to do it to another.

Dinner had gone well. Hiccup ate like he hadn't in days. It certainly felt like he hadn't. He seemed a little anxious to the others. But nothing came up about his latest project.

Finally dinner ended and most of the Vikings in the Hall were quite inebriated. So they didn't notice the fact that one of the barrels of ale had mysteriously disappeared.

Hiccup and the others met Tuffnut at his house where he had snuck the barrel to.

After dinner the adults would usually stay behind at the Hall and fill their own drinks many times over.

Leaving the teens to do as they please.

They arrived at the Thorston home. Tuffnut already had placed the barrel on top of a table had brought outside. The plan:

Fill cup.

Drink cup.

Enjoy self.

Simple, no?

Well it was. The Vikings all poured themselves cups of the gold liquid and got ready to drink.

"Wait!" Came the protest from Fishlegs. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea."

The Vikings weren't exactly surprised by Fishlegs' opposition to this plan but they didn't expect him to speak up.

"Oh for the love of... you're kidding right?" Snotlout said. "I mean come on you've never snuck your parents drinks before? Stolen some mead or something?"

Fishlegs shook his large head.

"You're pathetic."

"Now hold on Snot," Hiccup said in Fishlegs' defense. "If he doesn't want to drink then he doesn't have to and that does not make him any less of a Viking."

Snotlout was going to protest but realized the connection Hiccup had to the situation and quickly stopped any argument he was going to make.

"Fine," Snotlout said with smug happiness. "More for me." He claimed Fishlegs' cup.

Hiccup couldn't help but smile. Although he had been spending more and more time with his new friends there was still a lot they didn't know about him. Tonight, they'd learn a little more.

The Vikings raised their cups in a toast and began to drink.