Needs of the One
Most nights Hiccup tossed and turned in his sleep. Astrid had done her best to settle him, to cuddle and love him as she knew he deserved. Most nights it was enough. Others she had to be more creative. They had been married just over a year and she had thought she knew everything it took to please her man but as it turned out Hiccup was full of more surprises than she ever considered. Growing up she had always thought he was completely into girls. He would go a bright pink whenever he saw her when he was a teen and get a real silly goofy look on his face, something he never did with anyone else and still did whenever he caught her in the nude even though they had been together for years. It was rather charming. But it turned out that he was bisexual and liked men almost as much as women. Of course that little secret didn't come out until he was kidnapped by Alvin the Treacherous and introduced to sex with a man. Everyone had been angry at first but Astrid had witnessed firsthand how Hiccup seemed to let go of himself when he was with another man, even two at the same time. He seemed oddly at peace with himself and the only other time he was ever like that was when he was with her. Astrid was not willing to share her husband with Alvin the Treacherous or even Dagur the Deranged but she knew sooner or later she would have to let him go back to them unless she could find someone else, someone on Berk who could make him just as happy.
Asking a man to sleep with your husband was not something to be taken lightly and Astrid really wasn't sure where to begin. She stalled as long as she could and requested a few "special gifts" from Alvin in the hopes that maybe if she helped pleasure Hiccup that she wouldn't need to turn to any of their tribesmen for help but that only lasted so long.
"It's not the same, Astrid," Hiccup tried to explain after using a large carved dildo she had installed to a stool. He had bounce and writhed on it and even came hard but it had taken a lot of work on both their parts and Hiccup seemed more disappointed than satisfied. "It's just…the heat…the way it pulses. I guess the best way for you to understand is by the way I feel in you."
She did understand. She even tried the toy and he was right, it wasn't the same. So she was back to the same question; who could she turn to to help her Hiccup? Her mind always turned to Eret son of Eret. The dashing sailor was almost exactly what she imagined a male partner being for Hiccup. He was tall, strong and liked to joke around with Hiccup as if they had always been friends and Hiccup liked to confuse him and keep him off balance while teaching him how to be a true dragon rider. And then there was Snotlout always hanging around and trying to best Hiccup even though the younger man was his chief. Whether it was because they were cousins or the Snotlout was now Hiccup's second Astrid wasn't sure but pretty much nothing between had changed with the new titles. They often said they hated each other but they were always the first to help the other. Thor help anyone who tried to hurt Hiccup because Snotlout would be after them immediately.
Tuffnut was the next that came to Astrid's mind. The prankster was always playing games but he didn't seem as into Eret as the rest of the riders were. Even after Ruffnut got over her crush on the Wanderer Tuffnut disliked him and didn't hang around him other than during dragon races when he had little other choice. But Tuffnut was the closest in size to Hiccup and did have a lot of stamina. If anyone could keep up with Hiccup it would be him.
Of course there was also Fishlegs to consider. He and Hiccup had been best friends from the time they could walk. They were both obsesses with dragons and knowledge but could there be anything else between them?
Astrid was at a loss. She didn't know who to turn to or where to go for advice on such a thing. She definitely didn't want to ask Alvin for help, he was the reason she was looking for potential lovers for her husband. In the end she turned to the only person who knew Hiccup better than her. She went to see Gobber.
She blushed the whole time she spoke to him and not once met his gaze. She fiddled with her hair and kicked at the ground nervously. Thankfully Valka wasn't around to hear any of this. "So who do think would suit him?"
Gobber leaned against his workbench and hummed to himself. "Hard to say. Stoick and I worried about this happening after Alvin took him. He went through quite rough nights when we first got him back." He got up and poured them both some mead. "Thing is when it comes to Hiccup sexual tastes he hasn't really had much experience. We know he loves and desires you with every bit of his heart but he obviously missing something. Have you asked him who he might be interested in?"
She gave him a look. "You know how he is. He just changes the subject and tells me not to worry about it."
"Invite someone over for dinner. I'll cook."
She shook her head. "You know that won't work. I don't know what to do, Gobber. I just…" She tugged on her braid.
"Alright, how's this…remember a few years back when the boys went camping? Why not arrange something like that again? You can talk to each of them separately and see who's interested in camping and giving our boy a good shagging then send them off and let Hiccup sort it out," Gobber offered.
"Camping?" Astrid asked doubtfully.
Gobber gave a big toothy grin. "You'd be surprised what boys can get up to when they're camping alone without any women to keep under control."
She raised her hands as if to ward him off. "No, no, no…I don't want to hear of the mischief you and Stoick used to get into. I'm still trying to erase the images you painted of you and him treasure hunting in your youth."
"That was a good story."
"Not when you both lost you breeches to a bunch of Fireworms." She gave a giggle and headed to the door. "Thanks for the advice, Gobber. You might be right about the camping trip. I'll talk to Eret and Snotlout first. Bye!"
"Good luck, lass," Gobber called after her, leaning on the window cell. Now if Hiccup wasn't like a son to him and he was a good thirst years younger he might actually make a try for the boy. He was cute and tall, a tad bit too thin for him but all in all a good lad. Maybe in another life time. He only hoped Astrid was able to fine that little – or big depending on Hiccup's taste – something Hiccup so desperately needed.