Racing out onto the cobblestone street, Astrid glanced around for the brooding boy. Small birds chirped from the peak of a roof nearby, and somewhere a sheep bleated, but other then that, it was silent. Probably scared everyone from this part of town with that ridiculous training. Astrid thought angrily.
"Hiccup!" She yelled, jogging up the slight incline of the town, back towards her house and the woods. She glanced down roads, behind sheds and bushes, but found Hiccup nowhere. The longer she looked the more angry she got, and the more angry she got, the more she got upset at the fact that she didn't know why she was angry.
By the time Astrid reached her house, all the way on the other side of the village, she was clenching her jaw so tight she was surprised that her teeth weren't cracking, and her fingernails had long since gouged marks into her palms.
Slinging her bag of tools over her shoulder, Astrid stormed off. Down the path that was forming through the brush from her trips out to see Toothless. She kicked impatiently at ferns that drooped in her way, swatting wildly at buzzing flies. Astrid head began to ache from her tightened jaw, and her lungs burned from her unwillingness to take a deep breath and calm down.
Only when a rustling behind her caught her attention, did she stop. Astrid whipped around, thinking of only person who would be following her.
"Hiccup! I swear to Thor-" Astrid stomped back to the place the noise came from. A rabbit startled from the brush, leaping away in fright.
Astrid pushed the heels of her hands into her eyes until abstract stars spun in the blackness. "I am going insane." She seethed, walking in a wide loop around the area.
Even once she determined that no one was near her, Astrid couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. She looked up into branches of trees, kicked at thickets, and scared up numerous animals and birds. Eventually, she settled on taking a different, longer route to the ravine. She would take no risks in having Toothless discovered.
Pushing through the rock walls the edged the small trail down, Astrid put a hand above her eyes to block the bright mid afternoon sun.
Toothless bounded up to her, and for the first time in an hour, Astrid relaxed. Even though she had only befriended him a few days ago, his presence was a familiar safe haven for her.
"Hey. bud." She said affectionately, leaning her whole body on the dragon's wide head, reaching one hand under to scratch beneath his jaw, the other behind one of his ears. Toothless's purr quickly became a different pitch, and he flopped heavily to the ground.
"Toothless!" Astrid cried, jumping back, panicked. Her nerves were quickly soothed when Toothless cracked open one splendid green eye, making a warbling sound deep in his chest.
"You liked that, huh?" Astrid laughed, putting her hands in the same position and doing it again. Sure enough, the black dragon collapsed even deeper into the Earth.
"Oh. You are such a sweetheart." Astrid crooned, falling to her knees and sitting back on her heels. Toothless wormed forward on his belly, forcing his head into her lap for more petting. Astrid relaxed her forehead down onto his, breathing his rich, earthy scent.
A little while later, Astrid stood up, and Toothless followed suite. She ran her hands along the leather straps, making tweaks where she remembered they were needed. On the long strap that ran from the foot pedal beneath the saddle to the tail piece, Astrid tightened it up, making it more sensitive.
One of the rods in the actual tail was bent at an awkward angle. Astrid frowned at it, realizing she didn't have the tools with her to fix it.
"Sorry, bud." She said, trailing her hand up along Toothless's flank. "No more flying tonight." The dragon cocked his head, turning his head and sniffing at the apparatus. He seemed to understand. Astrid loved the intelligent warmth in his eyes, feeling a pang of guilt when she remembered she was the one who had maimed him in the first place.
"Besides, I think I have a better design for the tail anyway. But, " She looked at him, he warbled, sensing her excitement. "That doesn't mean we can't practice moving the one you have now."
Toothless grunted as Astrid hopped up into the saddle. "Between you and me, I could do with a little more practice on the ground." The dragon guffawed, taking off at a brisk jog with his wings outstretched.
Astrid kicked down the pedal, sending to tail out flat. Toothless growled and shook his head, swinging his tail up, gesturing to the uninjured side as he flapped it in at out.
"Oh! Of course!" Astrid chuckled. "You're too smart for me, Toothless." He rolled his emerald eyes, jogging off again. When he made a little hop, as if to suggest rising up, Astrid glanced back, winding the pedal until the two side of his tail matched. Toothless purred in approval, running through the edge of the pond and splashing them both with cool water.
"You little-!" Astrid tried to scold, but she was laughing too hard. Toothless chortled in the back of his throat, making Astrid laugh harder.
The pair ran around, practicing and goofing around until dusk. Astrid took off all of Toothless's gear, rubbing his back where the saddle had been before folding it all up neatly and placing in under a cleft in the rocl to keep it safe and dry.
Astrid kissed him on the nose, and Toothless licked her whole body before leaving with promises of more fish and a new tailpiece tomorrow.
Astrid walked along at a clip, hunger driving her quicker over the field, the setting sun painting the western sky orange, setting the clouds aflame in a gentle pink.
She was humming an old nursery rhyme her mother used to sing to her sister when she pushed open the door to her house. She didn't notice the figure in her kitchen until after she had dumped her heavy bag and bent down to untie her boots.
Rounding the corner, still humming, Astrid screamed. Backpedaling, she slammed into the wall, reaching up for the antique axe hung there.
"Woah, Astrid!" Hiccup held up both hands.
"What are you doing in my house?!" Astrid yelped breathlessly, pressing her hands to her chest, feeling her heart racing beneath.
Hiccup shrugged nonchalantly, leaning back against the table and crossing his arms over his stomach. "I was tired of waiting for you outside, so I let myself in."
"That's," Astrid said, shaking her head in disbelief. "You can't do that!" She cried, throwing up her hands and glaring at him. He had lit the stove in the corner, dipping the room into golden firelight. Shadows danced on the far wall and Astrid noticed a pot on the stove.
"Well, I did." Hiccup said flatly, noticing her noticing. "And I made you supper, so before you go and throw me out, eat." Hiccup pulled out a chair for her. Astrid glared at him for a moment longer, then conceded, sitting down and allowing Hiccup to dish up two bowls of steaming stew.
"I still can't believe you are in my house." Astrid shook her head, tracing one finger along a crack in the table.
The young man just shrugged, sliding on bowl across the table for her and sitting down. "This is my mother's recipe." He said slowly. "Cod-" He paused, a frown tugging at his lips. Astrid raised her brows at his. "Cod uh…"
"Cod stew?" Astrid suggested.
"Yeah! That."
Astrid rolled her eyes lightheartedly, taking a scoop with her spoon and blowing on it. She stared at Hiccup and he shoveled a bite into his mouth, burning his mouth and sticking out his tongue.
"A little hot?" Astrid smirked.
"Uh-huh." He said, his tongue still sticking out, warping his words, Astrid laughed, getting up to fetch him a mug of water. He quickly gulped down the drink, breathing heavily.
"Ah, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, best dragon slayer to step foot on these fair shores, bested by a bowl of stew." Astrid mocked through a grin, refilling the mug.
Hiccup was grinning too when she sat back down. "You got me there, Hofferson."
Astrid rolled her eyes, taking her first bite. The stew was not only hot in temperature, but it was spicy. It burned her tongue and lips and soon as it touched them.
"Hiccup!" She cried, pushing back from the table. "What is in this?" She hurried to the well pump, drawing herself a mug full of cool fresh water.
The boy at the table started to cough. "I don't know! Do I look like a know how to cook?" He yelled, joining her to draw himself up more water.
After several minutes and half dozen mugs of water, the both leaned back, breathing heavily, mouths still tingling.
"Thor!" Astrid exclaimed. "Taste's like you put a whole Death Pepper in that!"
"I did." Hiccup said innocently.
"Why?" Astrid cried, shaking him by the shoulders. "Are you insane? Or just trying to kill me?"
"That's what the recipe said!" He insisted, fetching the tattered card from the counter, thrusting it at her for proof.
"That doesn't say Death Pepper, that says Black Pepper. Those are two very different things!"
"Oh." Hiccup said softly. "Got any other food?" He looked up at her through thick eyelashes.
Astrid rolled her eyes. "We'll find something." She muttered, opening a cabinet. "Go do something with that stew, would you?" She gestured to the pot. "It's making my eyes burn just being in here."
"As you wish, Mi'lady." He said sarcastically, bowing.
"Oh, you little rat!" Astrid said giggling. Hiccup looked up at her with a lopsided grin, his eyes flashing. A moment came and was gone between them, Astrid turned around quickly, feeling heat rise behind her cheeks as she dug through the cupboard. She held her breath until she heard the door open and shut, then turned around and let out a heavy breath, shaking her head.
Why were things night and day with Hiccup? He was so mad this afternoon, now he was joking around, laughing in her kitchen and cooking her dinner. Well, trying to cook her dinner. She smiled ruefully at the disaster of the stew.
"This is all I've got." Astrid made a face, holding up a crusty loaf of bread and block of goat cheese. Hiccup didn't reply as he moved to the well pulp to with the pot.
"But," Astrid said brightly, "Don't you worry. I know just how to make this delicious." Hiccup turned and raised an eyebrow skeptically. Astrid stuck her tongue out at him, slicing the loaf in half. Hiccup dried and put the pot away as Astrid smeared the cheese on the bread, then placed on a rack just above the open flames of the stove.
"Where were you?" Hiccup asked, as had become his typical question upon meeting Astrid, as they waited for the cheese to melt. "Your hair looks a little, windblown."
The word made Astrid's throat tighten up. Was he hinting at something?" She thought, deciding to play as if she didn't know what he was talking about.
"Huh. Must have been walking fast." Astrid said breezily, untying the leather strip that held the end of her braid, combing her hands through her kinky hair. Hiccup watched her intently.
"What?" She asked gently, braiding her hair back up and sliding her headpiece into it's place.
"I've just- never seen you without you hair back." He says, the corners of eyes pinched slightly.
"I guess that's because I never go out without it braided."
"Okay, smart mouth." Hiccup chuckled. Astrid pulled the cheesy bread from the fire. They sat on the floor in silence and ate it.
"Why were you-" Astrid starts before thinking out what she is about to say.
"Why was I what?" His tone told Astrid that he already knows what she wanted to ask.
"Why were you so upset after practice today?" She asked quietly. They sit side by side, so at least she doesn't have to look into his eyes when she asks the question.
It's a long time before Hiccup answers. He shuffles his feet, kicking them out in front of himself and crossing then at the ankles. "I guess I was jealous."
The answer surprised Astrid. "Jealous? Of me?"
"Yeah."
"But, you're already so, so…" The words never leave Astrid's tongue. So good, so perfect.
"That's what everyone thinks." Hiccup says, almost sounding irritated. "Truth is, the Monstrous Nightmare I killed, the one that impressed everyone so much… It was practically dead when I found it. All I did was slide the knife across it's throat."
Astrid said nothing, his story narrowing her eyes.
"I told everyone that it was so much more than it was… And now… I can't back any of it up." His voice sounds raw, and Astrid saw a side of Hiccup that she never had before, that no one had ever seen before.
She didn't have anything to say. What could she say? They sit in silence, the fire casting unpredictable shadows over their legs.
"Well, if you must know, I get all of my impeccable skills from dumb luck."
"Oh please." Hiccup says. "No one can get that good in a couple of days. And, you don't even use weapons!" He states, bracing himself with one hand and gesturing with the other as he describes the scenes of the last couple of days in ten times more grandeur and glory then they actually were. Astrid can see how could have easily convinced people of his version of the Monstrous Nightmare story.
Leaning back and shaking her head, Astrid says, "You'll be such a good elder."
"What?"
"You are such a good storyteller." She smiles. "You want to know how it actually happened?" She sits up, looking at Hiccup's expression. "I almost pissed myself I was so scared."
Hiccup falls back laughing. Astrid joins in, closing her eyes and enjoying the sound of his laugh.
"Oh, Astrid." He breathes. "I can't believe I used to think of you as stuck up. You're hilarious."
Astrid smile vanishes. "You used to think of me as what?" She asks quietly, not able to keep the hurt from her voice. Hiccup stops laughing too, realizing what he said.
"Oh no, " He says quickly, backing up, trying to recover from his slip up. " I didn't mean it like that."
"How did you mean it then?" Astrid asks, her voice steely. She watches Hiccup swallow, his mind whirling, trying to come up with something. Astrid pushes to her feet.
"Wait! Astrid!" Hiccup scrambles up behind her. "I don't think of you as stuck up now! Just when we were younger. You'd never like, come play with the other kids. We just thought that because, you know, you were the Chief's daughter, you thought you were better than us."
His explanation only made her feel worse. She took in a shaky breath, poised at the bottom of the staircase. "Just go, Hiccup. You obviously know where the door is."
"But…" Now he sounded hurt, confused. Astrid stood at the top of the steps until the front door opened. Then closed.
AN_
Dang, that's rough. They were getting on so well for a minute there.
Haha. Well, how are you liking the story so far? Is the tempo good, is it moving too fast? I don't know. But, if you do, feel free to leave a review and let me know...? Lol. I don't like to ask for reviews, but I guess I just did.
-Birch66724