Authors note: A week has passed since Hiccup's time on the island and things have moved on in Berk. Astrid and Ry have become quite…close while Ruffnut is still working on a romantic angle…with who you will have to see to believe. Meanwhile Tuffnut is still working on reinventing himself…coming up with something new, thor be with us. And what of Toothless…well…all shall be revealed in this chapter. Note to Hiccstrid shippers, again in order to get from here to how they are in the second film there need to be some bumps along the way, even if romance is outside of Hiccstrid. Hope you are enjoying.
CH.4: Moving on part two
Ruffnut smiled as she was holding onto the arm of the masculine and charming Viking she just happened to set her eyes on. "Oh look at everyone…they are so jealous…"
"Uh Ruffnut…this is getting a little weird…not that I'm against it cause c'mon I'm awesome, still…you know I like Astrid right?" Snotlout inquired as they walked around the village with people gawking at them.
"Snotlout when are you going to like…um…smell the berk flowers and realize that Astrid will never ever never return your feelings? I say you should start looking for a girl who will appreciate you more then…well…lots of people." Ruffnut waved at people and gripped Snotlout's muscular arm tighter.
"Yeah well…Astrid just needs to realize that Hiccup is not coming back and that she should be with someone who has always been there for her. Besides…no offense…you scare me." Snotlout attempted to pull away but her nails dug into his arms and he winced.
"Fear is good…fear makes you sweaty and sweat is sooooo delicious. Plus…you do realize Astrid has been spending time with that Ry guy right?" Ruffnut looked at Snotlout and saw his eyes shoot open wider then normal.
"Wait what…Astrid has been spending time with another guy? I've never heard of this Ry guy…who is he…I'll give him a Snotlout greeting he'll never forget." Snotlout was her type of guy, loud, boisterous, and reckless.
"Well here is your chance…he is coming our way." Ruffnut pointed him out and soon as Snotlout saw him he froze up.
"Hello there Ruffnut…and you must be Snotlout. I have much respect for what your father has done for Berk. You might know my father his name is Bry. How is your brother Ruffnut?" He asks as he places his hands on his hips.
"Tuffnut has it in his wrong mind to try and reinvent himself…whatever that is. So where is Astrid…I noticed you hanging around with her a lot now." Ruffnut said this more so Snotlout could hear it himself rather than just go by her word, which at times was spotty.
Ry appeared to blush and Ruffnut smiled in satisfaction. Vikings weren't known to blush too much but when it happened it always looked so good. "Well…Astrid was going to spend sometime with Stormfly…but…we were going to hang out later…"
"I see…and this wouldn't perchance be a date now would it?" Ruffnut could see Snotlout squirming and it brought her much satisfaction.
"Astrid has wanted to take it slow…and…I've been respecting her wishes. I realize that she might still have feelings for Hiccup and I would never go so far as to tarnish those memories…or that hope she clings to. I know how it is to have a broken heart and to pick up the pieces after. Well it was nice meeting you Snotlout and Ruffnut if you see your brother please tell him my garden is not a boar breeding ground."
Ruffnut watched the tall Viking move off and then returned her attention to Snotlout as he appeared crestfallen…yet something different took over him, she wasn't quite sure what it was but it looked promising. "So…that is Ry…need any more proof that Astrid has moved on?"
"No…no I heard it with my own ears. You know I'm not as dumb as people paint me out to be…I get it, I really do. Astrid has finally moved on from Hiccup…it only took a week…and I've been trying to be her boyfriend for years and she has pretty much ignored all my attempts too many times to count-."
"25…oh wait…was that hypothetical or whatever they call it…oops. Well…the important thing is you took your first step in admitting that Astrid and you aren't meant to be. Now…I know something to get your mind off Astrid…"
"Oh yeah…and what would that be?" Snotlout appeared at his lowest and this wouldn't hurt her any seeing how she had seen Astrid do it to Hiccup countless times.
People were still watching and she turned Snotlout to her and pulling his face to hers she kisses him right smack on the lips. The kiss wasn't anything that special…still…it would help him get onboard with him being her 'boyfriend' so everyone could see she was serious about boys. For too long she had been focused on pranks and dragon riding…and she had just given her first kiss to Snotlout of all people.
"Whoa…um…that was new…" Ruffnut smiled at his incredulous nature and removed her lips from his as she couldn't shake the tingles all over her body…like terrible terror bites.
"Yeah…just…don't think too much of it. Look I'm going up to the hills to bury something…you in?" Ruffnut was going to bury Tuffnut but since he was off doing his own thing…Snotlout seemed like the perfect victim…er…canidate.
"I'll follow you to the ends of the earth," Snotlout said as he slid his hand into hers and suddenly things became awkward, like really fast.
"Yeah…should be lots of fun…heh," Ruffnut felt his sweaty hand in hers and she really wished this didn't feel good. Leading them out she wondered on her actions and what it would lead to.
Astrid sat on the hill overlooking the ocean feeling anxious. Somewhere out there Hiccup was exploring the islands with Toothless…was he thinking of her? She felt that some part of her would always belong to Hiccup…even if they had never told each other how they felt or shared an official kiss that wasn't started by her. Taking a breath she listened as footsteps approached her from behind.
"Sorry I'm late…I had to make sure my garden was safe from Tuffnut and his boars." Ry was quite the gentleman for a Viking and he had manners, something most Vikings like Snotlout never took to heart.
"It is alright…I was just thinking is all. So…we're actually doing this huh?" Astrid finally turned around and saw that Ry was holding out flowers to her. "Wha-what are those?"
"I grew these myself…sort of a calming thing to keep me from going off the deep end. Working the Berk Guard can be strenuous, and Gobber told me that gardening helped cleanse the senses…at least I think that is what he told me."
"I never took you for the gardening type," Astrid noted as she accepted the flowers and smelled them. "They smell nice."
"Thanks…I call them the sunrise flowers of Berk…on account of they only bloom when it is sunrise. When you smile…it reminds me of these flowers and every sunrise…I feel all warm inside." He reaches out for her hand and holds it in his…and suddenly her cheeks grow warm.
"Hiccup never gave me flowers…he never really did anything romantic like this. We were never holding hands like this…we always pulled away from anything that would change our friendship." Astrid looked away feeling guilty for bringing up Hiccup during such a romantic moment like this.
"It is alright Astrid…I realize how much Hiccup meant to you…still does. Still I am hoping this past week hasn't been nothing…that some part of it…you enjoyed yourself." He leaned and towered over her slightly…and her skin became flushed.
"I have enjoyed myself…greatly…Ry you have gave me so much hope and comfort after parting ways with Hiccup. I cherish our time together…and…I think I'm finally ready to move on."
Ry began to lean in and Astrid leaned in too…her heart hammering away at her like the clap of thunder above, her eyes began to close as she anticipated her next kiss. She had only kissed one boy her entire life and now she was going to kiss another…and this one was initiating the kiss for once. The closer they drew…the more real this was becoming instead of just in her head.
And just as their lips were inches apart…her eyes drifted down the Cliffside, she was not certain why they did but when she saw the dark object down below her heart stopped, the fluttering sensation and everything else ceased. Whatever compelled her to do what she did next, she was not certain if this was fate or not intervening but she pulled away from Ry.
"I'm sorry…can we do this another time?" Astrid smiled apologetically and handed him the flowers back as she raced for the cliff edge and taking a breath dove off. She felt the wind play through her blond hair and her tears flew past her. She hated leaving Ry up there but as she could see the black object closer she knew then the object was none other then…Toothless! Bracing for impact she felt the water come up to greet her, her body descending as she went after Toothless…if this was moving on it felt like she was moving backwards, but, Toothless and her had been through a lot since they first met…and as Toothless sank faster she kicked her legs more and got a horrid sensation then…where was Hiccup?
Authors note: Another cliffhanger…but it sets up chapter five as we go back to Hiccup and see what ordeal he has come across in his time with Roland. The first part of this chapter I wanted to set up the Snotlout and Ruffnut bit from how to train your dragon 2. Astrid and Ry though, well, still early to say but Toothless's appearance and Hiccup gone missing will put Astrid at war with herself and put her feelings in question out in the open. Next chapter might be hard to read though…just warning you that Hiccup will be facing some pretty horrid stuff, see you next chapter.