Title; Our Little Secret
Pairings; Hiccup/Astrid
Rated; M for Mature
Disclaimer; I do not own the HTTYD movies or series!
10: In The Works
Hiccup and Astrid were officially eighteen, they celebrated their birthdays at the same time since Hiccup was born on the twenty-ninth day of their second Winter month and Astrid's fell on the first day of the month immediately following. Everything had been better since Hiccup forgave Stoick. Hiccup had moved back home; he thanked Gobber for letting him stay in his house even though he would have been fine in the cove. After all, the cove was one of Hiccup's favorite places. Astrid knew why Hiccup didn't mind stay alone in the cove; it was because she'd be able to visit more and they could do their thing, which they were back to doing two times a week and being careful not to get caught this time. All they needed was another situation like before; Astrid wasn't sure Hiccup would handle something like that happening again. Hiccup had been really upset, and she didn't like hearing that he felt depressed enough to consider suicide as a way out to escape the pain he felt from what Stoick did.
In truth, Hiccup had forgiven his dad, but he still lived in little fear that something would set his old man off again. Hiccup already warned his father that if it ever happened again; he would not forgive him a second time. Astrid saw how worried Stoick got hearing that, so she assumed that things were going to be okay between them because neither or Stoick wanted to relive that horrid situation. The weather was getting warmer, and days getting longer. Hiccup and Astrid were in the cove today; discussing the final touches of their plan to have Stoick start a marriage contract with Astrid's parents. Of course, the only way to do this was for Hiccup to beat Astrid in a fight.
"We'll have to do it soon, Hiccup. You know as it gets warmer, more available guys step forward to fight me for my hand," Astrid sighed heavily.
"Hey, don't worry. Everything is going to be okay," Hiccup assured.
"I'm trying not to, babe, but half the time in those fights I get so exhausted and just push myself to exhaustion to beat them," Astrid looked down. "I'm scared that the next fight with one of those bigger guys, I'll end up losing,"
"Astrid, I promise you that it's going to be all right. The next fight you will lose, to me, and then we'll get married," Hiccup tried to raise her spirits.
"I hope you're right, Hiccup. So, when are we going to do this?" Astrid wondered.
"Well, my dad told me the Chieftains are coming to Berk by the end of the week for some meeting that he wants me to be a part of. It's a high chance that the other leaders will be bringing their Heir's too," Hiccup stated while sitting back and Astrid cuddling against him.
"More worry about the fights," Astrid muttered.
"No, because you and I can just break into a fight before the meeting. That will keep the Heir's making a play for you, and it will halt the meeting. You know everyone stops what they are doing when a fight starts involving you and another male," Hiccup reminded.
"I suppose it could work, but Hiccup, what if you don't beat me?" Astrid looked at him.
"Don't think like that. I will beat you, and then we'll have the future we've always talked about," Hiccup kissed her forehead. Astrid smiled at the feeling of his lips on her skin, then she adjusted herself and kissed his lips gently. Hiccup returned the gesture and deepened it. Hiccup laid her down, being slightly over her and keeping the kiss going as Astrid put her hands on his arms and moved them up to lock around his neck to draw him in for more.
{An Hour Later}
Hiccup and Astrid laid there catching their breath from the session they had. It was always amazing, and then they needed to give themselves time to recover before heading back to the village. However, this time, they were going back with their minds made up to have their fight at the end of the week when the Chieftains arrived for the yearly meeting, which was to be held on the island of Berk.
{End Of The Week}
"Stoick, where is that boy of yours?" asked Bertha, Chieftess of the Bog-Burglar Tribe.
"Oh, I'm sure he'll be here soon," Stoick smiled, then sighed. "I hope," he muttered to himself. Stoick warned Hiccup two days ago that the Chieftains were coming and he needed to be present for the meeting they would have. The leaders were all in the Great Hall; Alvin Ogglebert from Outcast Island, Madguts Axall with his translator Gumboil of the Murderous Mountains, Norbert Knutsen of Hysteria Isle, Mogadon Meater from Meathead Island, Bertha Boggs of the Bog-Burglar Islands, UG Holgerson to the Uglithug Tribe, Thurmond Hagebak to the Peaceables Tribe, Colby Amundsen for the Quiet Lifes, Dagur Lanvik to Berserker Island, Humongous of Lava-Lout, Gunnar Holt for the Bashem Oiks Tribe, and finally, Elvar Ostberg for Visithug.
All of the Heirs were in the room too, that's why Hiccup was supposed to be there. It was a time for the Heir's to start watching how their parents did things so they could take over running the island at some point or another. At the moment, they were all waiting for Hiccup to arrive because Stoick assured he would be coming. Suddenly, Spitelout burst through the door.
"Stoick!" Spitelout yelled for his older brother.
"Spitelout, what's the matter?" Stoick asked.
"It's Hiccup and Astrid," Spitelout informed as Stoick smacked his forehead.
"Please don't tell me it's a problem like before?" Stoick inquired. Spitelout shook his head.
"No, Chief. This is something different; they're…fighting one another in the square," Spitelout panted out. Stoick got to his feet with wide eyes and hurried out of the Great Hall. Curiously, the other Chieftains and Heirs decided to follow so they could see what was going on.
{Town Square}
Everything went as planning for them. Hiccup and Astrid came out of their hiding spot in full swing of their fight, knowing that everyone would gather around to watch the battle as it was not something anyone would want to miss. Hiccup against Astrid; it was a fight they would never expect given Hiccup's smaller size. However, over the years, Hiccup didn't stay short; he got taller and showed little meat on his bones, but he was still a twig.
"You don't stand a chance, Haddock," Astrid called to Hiccup in the midst of their duel.
"I'll be the judge of that, Hofferson!" Hiccup retorted as their weapons clashed once more. Astrid was using her fabled ax while Hiccup was using a blade nobody had seen before; the villagers had to assume it was one of Hiccup's creations. Stoick arrived to see the two lovers locked in combat; he paled having feared the worst outcome of this.
"Hiccup, what do you think you're doing?!" Stoick scolded.
"What does it look like, Dad? I'm gonna put Astrid in her place; she thinks she's the best and I'm not stopping until I knock her down a few pegs," Hiccup replied as he jumped back to avoid getting hit with Astrid's ax.
"They've been at this for fifteen minutes," Gobber mentioned while coming beside his friend.
"And he's still standing?" Stoick arched a brow, and Gobber nodded to him. "Huh," and then continued watching close. Ten minutes more and Stoick was beginning to notice a few familiar things about the fight; Stoick saw awkward positions that he'd been told about from the villagers, and it was clear now that he understood the teens were fighting one another, not doing anything they shouldn't be.
Hiccup's sword clashed to the handle of Astrid's ax, the two of them trying to push the other one back. Astrid forced Hiccup's sword down as she turned herself and tried to kick him, but Hiccup moved away. Astrid kneeled down to block with her ax when Hiccup's sword came down on her. Astrid pushed up and swiped at Hiccup, and the two continued to fight. The village had never seen anything like it. Normally, by the point of twenty minutes in, anyone else who challenged Astrid would be down and out, but not Hiccup. Hiccup blocked Astrid's strike, and the two held there for a few moments until Hiccup adjusted and used his sword to pulled Astrid forward by the head of her ax. Hiccup threw her across the area, and the two kept going.
"Wow, he's doing pretty good," Fishlegs smiled broadly.
Astrid gave a battle cry as she leaped into the air and came down at Hiccup with her ax, Hiccup blocked it as Astrid made another attack for him, but Hiccup dodged again. However, Astrid lifted her knee and got him in the leg. Astrid ran around as Hiccup was down, but Hiccup placed his sword on the ground to stay low, and then he whipped himself around and used his legs to kick her legs out from under her. Astrid hadn't been expecting that; it showed on her shocked face when she hit the ground hard. Hiccup and Astrid instantly started again, going on forty minutes now.
"Call it a draw?" Astrid asked Hiccup.
"Not on your life. I got you right where I want you," Hiccup stated as Stoick's eyes widened a bit. That had been one of the complaints he heard about! Astrid used the bottom of her ax handle to push Hiccup back, then she grabbed the front of his tunic and hauled him over her shoulder onto his back. Astrid stepped on his chest with the ax aimed for his throat. Hiccup reacted by lifted his hand with his sword in it; in a matter of seconds, the blade engulfed in flames as Astrid was forced to step back to avoid being burned. Hiccup got up, and the two continued once more. Reaching the hour segment of this fight, which is the longest Astrid had ever been in a battle with another male, both of their weapons had been moved out of range, and it turned into hand combat.
Astrid charged at Hiccup with a kick, then a punch. Hiccup ducked down and grabbed her by the hips as she went over his shoulder, but Astrid rolled to end up on her feet as they continued their fight. Hiccup was able to block and fight back, matching Astrid's attacks on him. Truthfully, she was impressed. Finally, Hiccup got Astrid down on the ground and crawled over her. The two of them rolled around on the ground for dominance, but Hiccup managed to pin Astrid down.
"Yield, Astrid. You're done," Hiccup told her. Astrid raised her head and kissed him. As soon as Hiccup let up on her arms, Astrid smirked and pulled back, head-butting Hiccup to push him back. Astrid rolled Hiccup, now straddling his hips and trying to pin his arms down.
"Don't get so cocky," Astrid remarked with a grin.
"You cheeky little-," Hiccup grumbled. At this point, everyone believed that Astrid had one. However, Hiccup locked his leg under hers with a smirk of his own. Hiccup flipped her onto her back and then rolled her over onto her stomach as he pinned one of her arms behind her back, using his elbow to keep her down. "Hah!" Astrid struggled a few times as she whipped her head back to make Hiccup release her arm, but it didn't hold long. As soon as Astrid was on her back to kick him back, Hiccup pinned her arms over her head and sat on her waist. "Give up,"
Astrid gave credit where it was due; Hiccup managed to her pinned three times, and from where she was now, she couldn't counter strike back. Astrid flopped her head back on the ground and sighed. The area was silent waiting to see what would happen. "I-I yield," she said which took everyone by surprise. Hiccup smiled as he leaned down and kissed her deeply. Afterward, Hiccup got off of her and then pulled her to her feet. "Not bad, Haddock. Of all the people I fought, I never imagined it would be you who beat me,"
Nobody could believe it in fact. Hiccup actually beat Astrid in a fight; weapons and hand-to-hand combat included! "Holy Thor! Hiccup defeated Astrid!" Snotlout and Tuffnut exclaimed. Hiccup and Astrid smiled at one another, both panting a bit from the hour and ten-minute fight, but they shared a look that said; They bought it. It was part of their plan, to fight and if Hiccup beat her then hopefully their parents would start a contract for marriage between them.
"Hiccup," Stoick said as he stepped forward now.
"Yeah, Dad?" Hiccup asked.
"Not to bring up the past here, but all those…things the village was telling me about you and Astrid, the catching you two in awkward positions. Was it all this? Were you two fighting?" Stoick wondered.
"Well, most of it, yeah. Sometimes they caught us making out, but the rest was all fighting," Hiccup shrugged. Stoick grabbed Hiccup and hugged him tightly.
"Oh, I'm so proud of you, son!" Stoick cheered.
"Dad, need to breathe!" Hiccup gasped out, and Stoick quickly let him go. Stoick was beyond thrilled; Hiccup beat Astrid in a fair fight, and he knew what it meant if any male could defeat one of the best fighters on the island. Hiccup was the only one to do it in the last two years meant that he was eligible to marry her! Of course, there was a lot to go into something like this, but Stoick knew that very soon, a marriage would be in the works.