"I didn't meant to get between your guys' relationship, I'm sorry." Astrid said with earnest conviction.
Every bone in Igraine's body screamed liar! and she chose to listen to her instincts, eyes narrowing in disbelief. "What relationship?"
"I thought you two were gunna try-"
"No." Igraine snapped, walking back to an anxious Sparky, but not before she saw the hurt flash through Hiccup's eyes. Igraine felt a brief spout of regret before she squashed it with anger.
"Igraine," Hiccup began and he seemed to be pleading with her as he continued, "please just listen. Astrid kissed me."
"I know that, I'm not blind." She started petting Sparky's neck to keep the tears from spilling over her cheeks.
He took a step toward her, "But I didn't know she was going to! We aren't back together at all. I don't want to get back together with her."
"Then why were you two kissing?"
"She kissed me. I don't know why." Igraine sensed Hiccup was looking back at Astrid for an explanation.
There was a moment of silence in which those two silently fought before Igraine heard Astrid grudgingly speak up. "I didn't mean to start anything I...I just wanted to see if there was anything worth saving." Lie.
Igraine blinked away her tears and weighed her options. She knew Astrid was lying, that she had an obvious ulterior motive, but Hiccup sounded sincere. Astrid had used him in her game to win him back and her gut was telling her that Igraine was right. So Igraine made her choice. She looked back at Hiccup, her eyes willing him to tell the truth. "Is there?"
From the corner of her eye, she could see Astrid's face light up with hope but Hiccup's became somber, his hazel eyes holding Igraine's steadily. "No."
Astrid's face fell before she hid it with a blank look. Igraine's chest relaxed and she let let out a breath she didn't know she was holding while giving Hiccup a small smile. "Sorry...for freaking out..."
"It's okay. How about we just go back and you can help me with Sparky's saddle?"
Igraine nodded, enjoying the relief in Hiccup's face as they all returned to their dragons and headed back towards Berk. Once they landed, Astrid broke off and disappeared, something Igraine was eternally grateful for, and Hiccup merely led her back to the forge where his workspace was littered with leather and metal. Before he began working, Hiccup gave her a questioning look to which she returned with a smile, all was forgiven. At least, for him. She still didn't trust Astrid. Hiccup grinned in relief and went back to manipulating the leather into shape.
"So...What are you doing?" Igraine hopped up on a counter only to hop back off as Hiccup enthusiastically began teaching her how to blacksmith. They spent a good two hours like that, Hiccup helping her with the fire and teaching her the tricks of the trade, until the sun sank past the horizon and in those two hours, the two found themselves stealing secret glances at the other. Oblivious to the passing time, they continued working, both relishing in the moments when their hands would touch or they found themselves close together with unspoken happiness and shared nervous smiles, until a gruff voice broke the silence.
"Hiccup-oh, Igraine." The pair turned to see Hiccup's dad giving them a strained smile, as if he was uncomfortable. "Yer parents are lookin' for ya'."
"Um, thank you." Igraine turned to look at Hiccup who was mere inches away from her, causing her to blush. "I, uh, better get going..."
"Y-yeah, I'll see you in the morning." Hiccup grinned at her.
She happily returned the grin before hurrying out to find what her parents wanted, a chaste type of hope blooming in her chest.
"Don't let me stop ya' from working, lad. I just wanted to...have a chat." Stoick said, obviously getting ready to tackle an awkward subject. Hiccup let it slide and decided giving his hands something to do would be better before getting extra leather out to add Hiccup flair to Igraine's saddle. " 'er parents and I were wondering...You know about the Hanok's traditions on marriage, right?"
Hiccup gave him a side glance and answered slowly, "Yes, why?"
"Well," Stoick scratched his beard. "were ya' thinkin' of competing?"
"For-for Igraine?" Hiccup stuttered out, turning to look at his dad in shock. Stoick merely nodded in an uncomfortable manner. "I-I...haven't even thought about it..."
"Did you fix the fight earlier today?" Stoick abruptly changed direction.
"You know about the fight?" Hiccup suddenly felt annoyed that it seemed to have gotten out. "How?"
"Frea told me before I came to find you, so I wouldn't be confused if Gunthrum hunted you down when she told him." He chuckled and even Hiccup couldn't help cracking a smile even though the thought of facing an angry Gunthrum scared him. "What happened?"
Hiccuped stalled, fiddling with a piece of wire. "Astrid came here to apologize for a fight in the arena the other day and said Igraine had forgiven her, too. So I went back to acting like friends. Next thing I know she was asking me whether or not there was still an 'us' and I told her no then she kissed me."
"That's my-" Stoick's proud grin fell as Hiccup gave him a look. "My...My chivalrous son! Stayin' true to Igraine. What happened next?"
Hiccup rolled his eyes in amusement. "I pushed her away, telling her there wasn't a chance I'd take her back, and then notice Igraine had run off after seeing that. We followed her to an island and I told her the story. She forgave us, so all is well."
"I hate saying this, but you need to be careful around Astrid, she's going to make things even harder." Stoick gave his son a serious look.
"What things?" Hiccup asked, honestly confused.
"Winning over Igraine's heart, lad!"
"What? No, it-it's not-I'm not trying-" Hiccup stuttered with a furious blush until his dad clapped him on the shoulder.
"It's alright, ma' boy, we already know. It's obvious." Stoick couldn't help laugh at his son's embarrassed face. "Truth be told, Frea and I are makin' bets with Gobber and Gunthrum on you two." Hiccup groaned, much to his dad's amusement. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"I had just gotten her to forgive me for something that wasn't my fault and now you all are betting on us?! It's bad enough I still haven't kissed her!" There was a pause in which Hiccup could feel his dad trying not to laugh.
"You haven't kissed her yet?" Stoick managed between his throaty laugh. Upon seeing his son's exasperated face, Stoick quit laughing and ruffled his hair. "That's alright, it took me a week to even make a move on your mother." Father and son shared a smile before Stoick made to leave, giving his sone one last piece of advice. "Oh, and if you really like this girl, don't let her get away like I did your mother."
Hiccup watched his dad leave, a small smile playing on his face as he went back to work thinking about what was said. So all the adults were making bets on him and Igraine, but did they understand how Hiccup felt? Or Igraine? How did she feel exactly? Hiccup knew for certain that he felt...something. Every time he saw Igraine, he couldn't help but want to smile and show off, anything to see that grin of hers light up her face. There was just something about her that made him feel like he wasn't alone, like she understood. Was this what his dad felt with his mother?
Hiccup didn't mean to, but he stayed up until the moon was high in the sky just letting his hands work on his surprise for Igraine as he thought about his feelings for her. Toothless came by, watching him until softly growling as a sign that Hiccup should rest. "Later, bud, I gotta finish this." Toothless rolled his green eyes at his rider as he went back to his desk, drawing up some extra design that he wouldn't get to add because he promptly fell asleep dreaming of Igraine and scavenger hunts.
Igraine found her parents in the Great Hall near Hiccup's house, her mother watching her father pace the floor angrily with a worried expression. They turned to see her upon her approach and Igraine felt worry morph her face into a frown. Her mother raised her eyebrows while her dad furiously raised a double headed axe. "Where is he, I'm gunna flay him alive for hurting my girl! Chop 'im up in little bits and feed him to your dragon!"
She met her mother's amused gaze for a moment before the comical effect of her angry dad got to her and Igraine laughed, unfazed by the 6'7 viking with a deadly weapon. Gunthrum faltered in confusion as Igraine struggled to breath. Even her mother, who didn't know they had made up, was a bit inquisitive. "What? I'm not supposed to be funny, I'm supposed to be terrifying!"
"And...you are!" Igraine giggled out. "It's just...I'm not...hurt!"
"But...I thought he broke your heart..." Her dad looked crestfallen as the chance to rip someone open was torn away from him.
"He didn't. His ex did." igraine caught her breath and sobered up. "She's out to get me, but Hiccup chased me down and explained everything, stating that there isn't anything between him and Astrid anymore."
"...And you believe him?" Gunthrum studied his daughter. She gave him a confident nod, settling most of his worry over her saftey. "Well, I'd say tear her to bits, but your mother won't let me fight anyone."
"That's my job," Igraine grinned, taking the axe from her dad only to find it twice her weight and almost dropped it on her foot until her dad took it, chuckling. "Well...maybe after some fighting lessons?"
Gunthrum looked at his wife for permission. Frea sighed. "Fine, but only because my daughter has proven to me how strong she is."
Igraine couldn't have felt happier that moment as she gave her mother her biggest hug followed by a rib crushing squeeze from her dad. But there was something nagging at her in the back of her mind that she couldn't shake and she took a step back from her parents. "Mom, dad, what do I do? About Hiccup, I mean. Even if he does like me, I'll be going home in three days...and then we have my name day and..." She couldn't bring herself to mention the competition.
Her mother opened her mother...closed it...opened it...and then looked expectantly at Gunthrum who merely rolled his eyes in amusement. "Lass, let things fall where they may. If he likes you as much as Frea and Stoick think he does, living in a different tribe isn't going to stop him from winning ya over."
"Mom and Stoick?" Igraine's eyebrows bunched together.
Frea smacked Gunthrum's arm under his leather tunic. "You weren't supposed to mention the bets!"
"You guys are betting on us?! You're all insufferable!" Igraine pouted. "I'm going to bed. And I hope mom wins!" She mischievously called as she hurried to Hiccup's house.
"Why does she always take your side?"
"Because us magic folk have to stick together." She heard her mother tease before entering the house and going to bed.
