Chapter 7: In which Astrid learns more than she ever thought she would

It was strange living with someone you barely knew. Learning their habits and quirks. Etching their facial expressions to memory. Recording their tones of voice and frequently used words.

Astrid was quickly learning more about Hiccup than she ever thought she would.

Hiccup fiddled. A lot. His hands were constantly busy like they were impossible to keep still. His apprenticeship as a blacksmith made a world of sense now. When he first started under Gobber, Astrid wondered how someone so small and clumsy could survive around a searing fire and sharp edges and heavy equipment. But she was slowly figuring out that Hiccup was very adept with his hands.

Hiccup flat out lied. He wasn't just a little good at cooking. He could cook. Astrid watched him in awe at how he effortlessly worked in the kitchen and over the firepit. How he made such a delicious stew was beyond her and she eagerly jumped up for seconds. He chuckled over her enthusiasm and Astrid noted how she rather liked seeing him laugh.

Hiccup made good on his promise to teach her some cooking skills. He was patient and explained everything in just the right way for her. Astrid was thankful for these moments they'd had in the first few days as newlyweds. She was not only learning a new skill, but it gave her and Hiccup a chance to get to know each other, spend time together without the uncertainty of not knowing how to act around each other.

She was growing to enjoy his company.

There were still times of awkward shyness that lingered in the space around them. The bedroom being the worst.

Hiccup insisted on going to bed at the same time as Astrid, as if that was some sort of rule in marriage. In the back of Astrid's mind, she wished he'd choose a later time to join her, when she was asleep and didn't have to be conscious of the accidental touching.

It'd happened a few times. Her foot would brush his foot. She'd freeze, her breathing ridiculously loud in her ears. His elbow would poke her back. Astrid wondered if Hiccup froze the same as she did. The next night, they clung to the edges of the opposite sides of the bed, backs to one another. Sharing a bed was by far the hardest experience yet.

It wasn't until the fourth night that Astrid found out Hiccup hadn't been staying in bed. A scratching noise drew her from sleep. Astrid screwed her eyes down tight, drawing her shoulder up against her ear. Then the scratching stopped, replaced by the sound of papers fluttering apart filling the quiet of the room.

Astrid blinked open her eyes. A soft glow from a candle lit the wall. She rolled over to discover the other side of the bed empty. She followed the source of the light to the far side of the room. There, sat Hiccup at his desk, his back hunched over and his left elbow moving. She gritted her teeth as the scratching continued once again.

Pushing herself up to sit, Astrid climbed off the bed. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she padded across the room and stopped just out of Hiccup's peripheral vision. Several drawings were scattered over the desktop, but Astrid couldn't make out what they were drawings of.

"Hiccup?" her voice was scratchy, and she cleared her throat.

The boy jumped and snapped his head around to look at her in surprise. In her sleep-muddled mind, Astrid thought she caught the tip of his tongue sticking out from between his lips. After a five second stare down, his tongue slipped back in and Astrid wondered if she'd imagined it.

"Astrid, did I wake you?" Hiccup asked, apologetically.

"Yes," she replied, bluntly. She thought back to their wedding night and his admission of staying awake most of the night, "You couldn't sleep again?"

"Not really," he admitted, sheepishly. His eyes flicked down to where his sketch laid out before him. "It's taking me a little longer to get used to sharing a bed, I guess."

"I can sleep somewhere else if that'll help," Astrid gave, but the distressed look on Hiccup's face told her he didn't agree with the offer.

"No!" He thrusted a hand in the space between them as if to reach out to stop her. "If anyone should go sleep somewhere else, it's me." His hand lowered slowly, and Astrid spotted his tongue nervously playing with the inside of his cheek. When he finally raised his gaze to meet hers, there was a longing there that she'd never noticed before. "But- I really don't want either of us to sleep somewhere else."

"Okay," Astrid nodded and grabbed her bottom lip for a moment. "Come to bed when you're ready."

"Okay."

As she retreated to the bed, an invisible heaviness projected on her back. She tried to hide a glance behind her bangs, catching Hiccup watching her over his shoulder. The scratching started up again, but it was quieter and didn't grate at her.

Sleep began to sink into her bones when Astrid felt the bed dip on the opposite side. She wasn't sure if it was her sleep-hazed mind playing tricks on her, but Astrid thought she felt a hand hovering a hair from her waist, longing to touch, but not daring to.


His father was coming to supper. Stoick the Vast – Chief of Berk – was coming to supper! Astrid held back her trembling hand that needed to punch something, anything! How could he do this to her? Hiccup knew she couldn't boil water to save her life! How was she supposed to prepare a meal fit for a Chief?

"It wasn't my idea. He insisted." Hiccup explained with a shrugged that made her want to slug him.

Astrid found the money purse then nabbed the ties of Hiccup's shirt. "If we're doing this then we need better provisions than grain and salted yak meat."

She was thankful for the experience shopping at the market that she'd received growing up. Her father and mother would bring her. Astrid enjoyed scoping out the goods and wares, along with the various food items available. She knew roughly how much goods cost.

Hiccup picked up a nice rye bread loaf, the golden brown braided top looking enticing delicious. "My dad likes this." He met the vendor's eye. "The usual?"

"Yes, sir," the vendor, Halvard, replied with a cheery smile and holding his hand out eagerly, "One gold coin."

Alarm shot up Astrid's spine at the presumed cost. She pivoted, eyes narrowed. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. You always charge Hiccup a gold coin for a loaf of bread?"

Halvard nodded, his face questioning his answer. "Well, yes."

Astrid snatched the bread from Hiccup's hands and wielded at Halvard as if she were challenging him to a fight. "I know for a fact that you charge everyone else on Berk one silver piece for a loaf." She advanced a danger step. "You charge the son of the Chief more because you know you can take advantage of him, don't you?"

She could feel Hiccup's presence close behind her. "Astrid, there's no need for-"

"Not now, Hiccup!"

Halvard raised his hands in defense. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I'll never do it again!"

Astrid leaned into Halvard's personal space, glaring. If looks could kill or maim or just brings lots of pain. "You better not, because if I catch you taking advantage of my husband again, you'll have to answer to my axe."

"It's time for us to move on!" Hiccup announced, swaying Astrid away from the vendor. He flipped Halvard a coin for the loaf, a glint of gold catching Astrid's eye as she tried to protest.

She was seething. "Why did you still pay him with a gold coin? That man is ripping you off!"

"Astrid, it's no big deal." How could he react casually about this? "You took care of it. Now, Halvard will forever tremble in your presence."

Astrid huffed as she clinched her fists, the leather lacing her fingers creaking under the pressure. There was no use arguing, especially in the middle of the market for every Viking on Berk to witness.

They continued their shopping for goods and returned home. Astrid couldn't quite call this new setting home just yet. It felt foreign, as if she were invaded someone else's property. But this was where she'd live out her days, or until dragon fire burned it to the ground and they had to rebuild.

She had no desire to speak to Hiccup after the incident at the market. They began preparing the supper together in silence. She wondered if Hiccup could feel her anger radiating towards him and that's why he kept his mouth shut.

He did most of the cooking, only directing her when she stood there clueless as of what to do next. He was excruciatingly patient with her, and that calming feature of his soothed her roiling interior. Her anger slowly simmered as the stew began to boil.

Astrid set the table, pondering how such a massive presence as Stoick the Vast would fit at their little dining table. When she combed over her thoughts from before the wedding, it made Astrid scoff. She assumed there would be certain privileges that followed being the son of the Chief. After seeing their humble abode, the Chief had built as a wedding present, it was clear they weren't going to live it up in luxury. If Astrid was honest with herself, she was perfectly fine living in their quint hut. Respect was more important to her than fancy things.

Just the thought of that vendor at the market began to boil her blood again. Did Hiccup know all along Halvard was taking advantage of him? How many other vendors were doing the same? They couldn't afford to spend extra money like that. Not with the allotment Hiccup earned working as Gobber's second hand. They could always look toward her father-in-law if they ever fell into a bind, but Astrid felt her pride rise at the very idea. No, they were husband and wife. They could make it on their own. Now, all she needed was Hiccup on board the independence ship.

A knock at the door announced the Chief had arrived. The evening whirled by as Stoick made himself at home. Astrid felt out of place as if she were stepping into her mother's boots as she offered the Chief a drink and served the men (well, one man, one boy, in her mind).

There was one word to describe being the domestic housewife: absurd. She'd never had to worry with such things; her mother taking care of it all with eagerness and pleasant smile. Whenever her and Hiccup ate, he served her (unless she were going back for seconds then she'd get it herself). When Astrid stole a glance at him as she delivered the bowls of stew and rye bread to the table, she noticed Hiccup's fingers twitching and he had to rub his thumb on a spoon's scoop to ease the restlessness.

With all the food items and drinks served, Astrid sat opposite her husband with Stoick between them. There was idle talk about how married life was treating them. It wasn't until Stoick brought up a subject that made both of them nearly choke on their stew.

"Any grandchildren in the making?"

Astrid's throat burned as the stew ran down her windpipe in the most painful way. Across from her, Hiccup's face was as red as the beets from Farmer Auck's vegetable patch.

"Dad," Hiccup chided after recovering, though his cheeks remained flames, "we just got married a week ago. Don't rush anything."

"It was worth a shot," Stoick chuckled hardily.

The very thought of having a baby cradled in her arms unnerved Astrid. The idea hadn't even occurred to her over the last two months since this arrangement had been dropped on their heads. A bitter taste ran down her throat. She wasn't ready to consummate their marriage, much less bear children! She pushed her half-eaten stew away and sat back with arms crossed over her chest.

"That was a delicious supper," Stoick complimented as he pushed away from the table with a loud screech of the chair. He patted his wide belly. "Thank you, Astrid, for being a good host. I know my son will be well taken care of." He leaned closer to her with a twinkle in his eye and whispered, "And maybe he'll gain a few pounds in the coming months."

Heat flushed her cheeks. She didn't feel right for taking credit where credit wasn't due. "But Chief, I didn't cook-"

"Isn't she a great cook, Dad?" Hiccup spoke up over her. She snapped her head, eyes boring into him. But Hiccup continued with ease, "I'm a lucky guy to have Astrid for my wife."

"That you are, son!" Stoick slapped Hiccup on the back, sending the poor boy bumping into the table.

The Chief bid them a goodnight. Finally alone, Astrid could release all her pent up emotions.

"Why did you let Stoick on that I cooked this meal?" She flung an arm out toward the pot still warming over the fire. She wasn't sure why his little lie made her mad. Maybe it was all her frustration from the day coming to a boiling point.

Hiccup's green eyes were suddenly hooded by a deep-rooted wound. "Because I don't want him thinking of you the way he thinks of me. A screw-up. An oddball. Useless."

Astrid was left standing there, arm half hanging in the air. She'd never witnessed Hiccup's demeanor change in a snap. His words stabbed into her chest, cutting straight through her anger and leaving an ache she never knew she'd achieve from Hiccup Haddock.