"Son! Wake up! It's a new morning, and I need help gathering everyone into the great hall!" Hiccup heard his father call from downstairs, effectively waking him and Toothless up with a start. It was dawn, but the sun was barely up as it was. Why of earth did his dad want everyone in the great hall at this time of day?
"Okay, okay, I'm coming…" Hiccup yawned, and then watched Toothless as he stretched like a cat. Smiling at the black dragon, Hiccup then got up and got dressed. Once he was done, he and Toothless went downstairs and saw his father waiting for him by the door.
"Come on, son." Stoick said, and Hiccup groaned and Toothless whined.
"Now? I want breakfast…" He grumbled, the two then begrudgingly walked out the front door ahead of Hiccup's father. Stoick raised a brow.
"Hiccup, are you two alright? You both seem… More tired than usual." He asked. Hiccup turned to his father with a look of remembrance on his face, before an almost cheek-splitting grin spread across his face.
"Oh, that's right! Dad, I need to tell you something!" Hiccup said excitedly. Toothless looked at his rider as if he had three heads for being so energetic first thing in the morning. Granted, Toothless usually woke him up in the mornings for a morning flight, but even so… It was a lot later in the morning when he did – a good two hours later! Not before the sun had even risen!
"What is it?" he asked.
"I proposed to Astrid yesterday!" He said. "And she accepted!"
"Well done, son! That's cause for celebration! I was going to call everyone to the great hall to see if we should hold a dragon racing championship game today, but that can wait until tomorrow! Let's announce you and Astrid's engagement instead!" Stoick said merrily, patting his son on the back in congratulations.
"Sure! Now everyone will know that Astrid's off-limits! Lately, some of the men in our age group have been coming on to her and either she's the one that's punching them in the face, or it's me." Hiccup sighed. Stoick laughed.
"That's my boy!" He said. With that, the two then went through the village gathering everyone. Hiccup was the one to go to Astrid's house, and when he'd gotten there he noticed that Stormfly was still sleeping peacefully in her shelter. Toothless gave Hiccup a gummy grin, and then went over to rouse the sleeping Deadly Nadder. Hiccup smiled and then went and knocked on Astrid's door. She didn't answer, so Hiccup let himself in and went to her room. When he got inside, he was greeted with the sight of the love of his life sleeping.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed on her flawless creamy face, her expression was peaceful, her slightly parted lips were a petal pink colour and exposed her pearly white teeth. Her golden blonde hair was out of its usual braid and framed her face as it cascaded down past her shoulders to her mid torso. Her breathing was even and soft. From what he could see poking out the top of her blanket, he noticed that the top she was wearing was his from when he was 14 and that it fit her like a glove.
He'd wondered where that had disappeared to, when he had to start wearing bigger shirts due to his growth spurt, and now he knew.
Hiccup had to swallow the lump that rose in his throat that rose when he took in Astrid's sleeping form and clothing choice. He shook his head to clear himself of the daze he was in, and went over to kneel by her bedside in the direction she was facing. He, gently, raised an arm and went to brush some hair that was on her face aside with a feathery light touch.
It wasn't light enough, though, because Astrid then stirred and her eyes fluttered open.
Hiccup once again was caught off-guard, as he stared into those deep azure eyes of hers. He felt like he was flying when he stared into them, since they reminded him of a cloudless sky.
"Hiccup?" She asked groggily, squinting to make sure it was him she was seeing. Hiccup would never admit this to anyone, aside from Astrid, but he could've sworn that his name being the first thing Astrid said in the morning only made him love her more.
"Hmm?" He hummed in reply, and then it sank in to Astrid that Hiccup was in her room and had been watching her sleep.
"Hi-Hiccup?! What're you… Why are you in my room so early?!" She asked, sitting up straight and looking at him with a confused look on her face. Don't get her wrong, she loved the boy to pieces and didn't mind that he was there… She was just confused as to why he was there, so early in the morning.
"I did knock, but you didn't answer so I let myself in. Anyway, I told my dad and he's wanting everyone to gather at the great hall in a few minutes. Don't ask me why it's this early, because not even I know… But I volunteered to come and get you to make sure you would get up and go, but that was just an excuse… I just wanted to see you…" Hiccup said, and Astrid blushed. Hiccup swore there was no other beauty in the world like Astrid's… She was one of a kind, and the most attractive woman he's ever met in his life – both personality wise and physical.
"Oh, uh, okay then…" She smiled. Hiccup blushed now, and Astrid looked at him confusedly.
"Astrid, when I came in… I swear, even first thing in the morning, you're the most beautiful creature to walk this earth…" He told her, and Astrid's face turned scarlet.
"Wha-! Where'd that come from?!" She asked, her tone huffy from embarrassment.
"My heart." He replied, not missing a beat. Astrid felt like melting.
"Hiccup…" She whispered his name. He smiled lovingly at her for a moment, before deciding to tease her a bit.
"And by the way, I figured out what happened to my missing shirt." He said, and Astrid's eyes then avoided his.
"Oh, really? That's interesting. Where is it?" She asked, forgetting that she was wearing it.
"It's right there." He said, pointing to her torso, and she then turned to look at where his finger was pointing, and then her face went scarlet again. "If you want it, you can have it. You look mouth-watering in it, in my opinion." He said cheekily. Astrid grumbled, not making sense, from being caught out and forgetting that she was wearing it. Ever since Hiccup started wearing bigger shirts, she'd kidnapped that one to sleep in at night. No one knew about it except her… And now, the former owner of the shirt, too.
"Can you leave? I want to get dressed…" She mumbled, and Hiccup chuckled.
"Sure. I'll meet you in the great hall." He said, standing up. "Oh, and before I go…" He started, effectively gaining Astrid's attention, and bent down to give her a kiss on the forehead. "Good morning, my love." He greeted, before leaving her house. He just got to the steps in front of her house when Astrid poked her head out of her bedroom window at the front of the house.
"Hiccup!" She called, and he turned around with a smile.
"Yes?" He asked.
"Good morning!" She greeted back, retreating back inside. Hiccup chuckled, and then went to see where Toothless was. Toothless was seemingly having a chat to Stormfly, and Hiccup gave a smile before calling him.
"Toothless, let's go, Bud!" He said, and the Night Fury gave his rider a gummy grin before bidding the Deadly Nadder a farewell and running up to Hiccup. The two then walked to the great hall and waited by Stoick at the head of the hall for everyone to get there.
When everyone was finally there, including Astrid, Stoick finally began.
"Listen up!" He called out, his deep bellowing voice echoing off the walls and grabbing everyone's attention. Astrid looked from the Chief to her fiancé, though, and smiled with a small blush when he gave her a grin and a wink. "I have an announcement to make! My son, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, is now engaged to Astrid Hofferson – as of yesterday!" He cheered, and everyone else did too. Except, that is, for the men in their age group who had been trying to woo her for the last 2 years… They were a tad upset, but at the same time happy for the couple. Hiccup then went and made his way through the crowd to Astrid, and when he got to her he snaked his arms around her waist and sealed his lips over hers in a passionate kiss. Astrid, albeit flustered, kissed him back and wrapped her arms around his neck in response. When he pulled back, he put his forehead to hers and stared lovingly into her azure eyes. Astrid flushed, but reciprocated the stare into his emerald ones. They held each other close, not saying a word, like that for a few moments before letting each other go, though they held hands, and turning to see the rest of the tribe looking at the two with grins on their faces. Astrid's face went redder and Hiccup just grinned right back.
"Alright, alright, save it for your honeymoon. Now, aside from that excellent news, I have also called you here this morning to inform you that in a few hours we will be having a chieftain from a tribe that has recently relocated to an island near Berk in a few hours to sign a peace treaty. He is informed of our alliance with the dragons and has no issue with it so long as we can keep them under control. So, Hiccup, you and your friends gather up any… Uh… Any unstable dragons that may cause trouble. Dismissed and have a nice day." Stoick said, finishing up.
As everyone cleared out of the Great Hall, Hiccup and Astrid received many congratulations. When everyone, except for the engaged pair, had left the Great Hall Hiccup had turned to Astrid with a playful smile.
"So, my love, are you up for a race? First one to Dragon Island gets a foot massage from the loser?" Hiccup asked and Astrid laughed.
"Sure thing, Dragon-Boy. Don't go crying when you eat my dust, though!" She egged him on, already letting go of his hand and running out of the guild doors. Hiccup laughed heartily as he stared after her and Toothless stood next to Hiccup with a curious look on his face. When Astrid had gotten to the bottom of the stairs leading up to the Great Hall, she whistled and after a moment Stormfly was seen flying to her master from the direction of her house. When Stormfly landed in front of Astrid, and she mounted the female dragon, Hiccup had emerged from the Great Hall on Toothless' back.
"Are you ready, Milday?" He asked, raising his voice a bit for her to hear him properly. The only response he got from his beloved, however, was a mere tongue-poke before she nudged her dragon in the sides lightly and the Deadly Nadder took off in a flurry.
"Typical Astrid." The boy chuckled, before nudging Toothless' sides and the pair chased after the girls.
