To Guest- Thank you!
To everyone- apologies for not updating lately, I've been working and was on Netflix for one night, OUAT is killing me at the mo, sorry!
"I think they're very rude." Ingrid muttered. "That was barely one lesson and then they fly off! Leaving us with these muttonheads! Not you, Aloe, don't worry." Her little sister brightened. Vadik cleared his throat pointedly. Ingrid blanked him, glaring at their parents. They were tiny specks in the sky now, just on their way to whatever adventure called them this time. Stoick was still there, frowning at his granddaughter expectantly. "You're not always a muttonhead, Grampa, but you did father that idiot." She gestured angrily at her father all the way out there. Stoick mmph'ed in agreement.
"Well, if you need me, just holler." He swung Aloe up onto one hefty shoulder and carried her away, Bob fluttering behind them. Ingrid mimicked his departure, muttering a few obscenities.
"Aren't you supposed to be a lady-in-training?"
"Chief-in-training." She corrected shortly. Vadik bowed his head apologetically. "I am having serious words with him when he gets back. Can't just dump this on us. Just plain rude, that's what it is." Ingrid stalked off, grumbling to herself. Alastor and Vadik shared bemused looks.
"Well, what's your first act as acting-chief?"
"Um... I dunno. Food?"
"Always a winner." Vadik smiled.
"What are you going to do?"
"Eh." Vadik shrugged carefreely. "Maybe pester Mum for more of those biscuits. You should come by and have a batch, they're amazing. As for now, however, I may go find my dragon. Had no luck with Ingrid the other day. I don't think dragons like me."
"No, that's not it. From what Ingrid told me, you got too excited and possibly scared them away. You have to stay calm around dragons, particularly wild ones who aren't overly trusting of humans. If it helps, I suggest you find a Terror to train first and then tackle bigger dragons."
"Terrors are everywhere. How do I know which one I can have?" Alastor scratched as his chin, thinking. He whistled to his own little dragon, Bitey. Bitey didn't bite as much as he used to, but he was more than happy to chomp on someone's arm or leg- once even someone's nose- just for the hell of it. Bitey settled on Alastor's head, chewing on his hair and covering it in dribble. Vadik made a face. Alastor just shrugged. "Come on, I'll help you get a Terror. Ow! We will then. Gods, you're such a drama queen. Stop pulling." Alastor coaxed his dragon into his arms, sighing as drool-coated hair flopped into his face. "I'll get cleaned up first." He signalled to Spike. "Want a lift?"
"My hero." Vadik mock swooned.
"Prat." Alastor snickered.
"You're rude too."
"Thanks."
"And there it is. Itchy Armpit." Toothless huffed. "Hey, it was your idea." The Night Fury just grumbled. Hiccup locked his tail and jumped off, Astrid not far behind him. He waved cheekily before deploying his wings. Astrid tackled him, knocking him off course and laughing as she jumped away. She landed safely. Hiccup nearly died, scrabbling to grab hold of the cliff face. "Hey! I made you that suit! You could at least appreciate the craftsmanship! And the craftsman!" Toothless landed just above him, dangling his tail over the edge to pull his rider up. Astrid was tucking in her wings and laughing quietly when Hiccup joined her. "Horrible woman."
"Ah, thanks!" She gushed playfully. She waited until he'd reset his suit before springing the fin. Hiccup just sighed. Astrid pouted. "You're no fun anymore."
"You are literally wearing the legacy of my fun."
"But you've got one too!"
"His and hers!"
"Boohoo." Astrid made a face. "Mine's better than yours."
"I put extra care into your one because I'm such a lovely and thoughtful husband." She snorted. Hiccup crossed his arms. Toothless and Stormfly exchanged looks and raced off to play. "Why are you so mean?"
"I'm not being mean." He copied her pig-noise and she glowered. "Fine," she flicked the hair from her eyes, "if you really want to know, I'm trying to get that dork of mine back."
"Oh, so I am your dork?"
"You were always my dork. Well, after a certain point. Before that you were a walking, talking headache. Still are, but..." She shrugged. "You've grown on me."
"You make me sound like some kind of fungus."
"All men are."
"See, now you're being mean!"
"So what if I am? What are you going to do about it?" She challenged. Hiccup pursed his lips, tucking in the last of his right wing. "Exactly what I thought." Astrid smirked. "Absolutely not- Oof!" He had tackled her, knocking the wind from her lungs. She wheezed an insult or two, pinned.
"Hey." He smiled flirtatiously. "Fancy finding you here. And so wonderfully garbed as well, you must introduce me to the creator!" Astrid drew a breath to tell him to shove off. Hiccup wasn't listening, propping himself up on his elbows either side of her head and lacing his fingers under his chin. "I bet he's the best, really charming and handsome and clever and amazing and-"
"Fatheaded and egotisical and chauvanistic-"
"I am not chauvanistic!" Distracted, Astrid could get the better of him, flipping them over and wedging her forearm against his throat. "Huh." He said. "You'd have thought I'd have seen that coming."
"You were always blind to my good looks."
"Now who's egotisical?"
"I've every right to be."
"Do you now?"
"Yup."
"Says who?"
"Says me."
"And who gave you the power to say that?"
"I did." Hiccup hummed disbelievingly. "I could have disagreed to marrying you. You could have ended up with someone far less interesting."
"True." His eyes slid past her and narrowed distastefully. "There's a storm coming." Astrid drew a dagger and positioned it between his eyes, glancing over her shoulder. Hiccup was going cross-eyed to keep the blade in sight, not daring to worm his way out of this predicament.
"So there is. We should find some shelter then." The dagger vanished and she hopped to her feet, pulling him up. Together, they summoned their dragons and took off. On one of the neighbouring islands- Murderous Milady, aptley named- was a deep cave. Hiccup checked for dragons before venturing in to build a fire. Astrid busied herself establishing the cave's defences. She had Stormfly layer the entrance with a trench of Nadder spines, covered the mouth of the cave with a network of leaves, twigs and rocks and produced a series of traps out the front. The storm was almost upon them when she stood back to admire her handiwork.
"Feeling better?" Hiccup asked. He had set up the inside of the cave, laying down blankets and his fur cloak to make things a bit more homely. The fire was toasty warm and crackling. He was cooking a salmon over it for them. Toothless had already gathered food for him and Stormfly, hoarding it in the corner. The dragons were happily settled down for the night, free of their saddles.
"You'll thank me when we're not attacked tonight."
"What if I really need to pee though? And I get caught in a trap and you don't wake up? You might not hear me over the thunder, I could catch my death of cold."
"If that happens, I'll send my deepest apologies to Valhalla for you."
"Thanks." He deadpanned. Astrid sat next to him, the first boom of thunder making him jump.
"Are you alright?" She brushed a hand through the mess of hair at the back of his head, feeling the slightest of nods. She said nothing, tying in a braid as he gathered his thoughts.
"No." He eventually admitted. "I keep seeing him."
"When you sleep?"
"I think so. I don't know. I can't tell if I'm asleep or awake. But he just stands there, covered in blood and staring at me." He drew the fish from the fire, hands shaking so much, Astrid cleaned it for him, cutting it into equal chunks for them to share before letting them simmer over the fire for a little longer.
"Does he ever say anything to you?"
"Once." Hiccup replied quietly. Astrid rubbed soothing circles into his back, leaning against his shoulder. "'I hope you're happy'." He continued in a smaller voice still.
"When did you see him last?"
"Some time early this morning."
"Why didn't you wake me? I could have helped."
"Wasn't fair on you."
"Hiccup, I'm your wife. If you need me, I'll be there." He looked pained. Astrid shifted over, sitting in his lap so he couldn't ignore her. "Remember when Aloe was born?" He nodded vaguely. "I was so scared we lost her too. But you sat by me, you didn't leave me. 'Astrid, it'll be alright. You of all people should know how much of a fighter that baby is, she didn't stop kicking you for five months'. Remember saying that?"
"Of sorts."
"You told me she was too excited to wait, she wanted to meet us all. That's why she was early. She'd been trying to break out from the very beginning." He nodded again, slowly coming into focus. "I was in so much pain, I didn't know how I'd manage if we'd lost her too. I thought I'd let you down again. But then I looked over at you, I saw your face and... I remembered. You weren't going anywhere. You'd been by my side even when I didn't want you there all those years ago. You're the most infuriating person I've ever met. Yet, if I had to choose all over again, I'd choose you. No-one has stood by me as much as you have. The same goes from me to you. I don't care if Berk is burning to the ground and the gods have descended to take me away; if you've got a problem, Hiccup, I want to be there to help you. Don't shut me out." She cupped his face in her hands, looking straight into his eyes. "Please." She added softly, expression gentle. His hands slowly came up to cover hers and he bowed his head, eyes closing.
"I thought he was real. I thought he was there to take you all away." His voice cracked. Astrid slid her arms around his shoulders, one hand in his hair, his head under her chin. His arms were tight around her, he was trembling all over. "I'd be a hiccup again, I'd be nobody without you."
"That's not true-"
"I can't breathe if you're not with me. It hurts. I can't think, I can't... every move I make is like dragging a Gronckle along. And every time you come back, every time I see you again, it all goes away. You always made things better. You gave me something to focus on, something to keep me going. I'm terrified you'll go one day... and... and not come back and..." His breath hitched. Astrid shushed him, smoothing his hair down, firmer hold, warmer embrace.
"I will never not come back." She promised, lips against his ear. "You stand by me, I stand by you."
"I'm just as bad as Dagur was."
"No." Astrid defied instantly. "Dagur killed for fun and revenge. You killed for peace. It sounds oxymoronic, but it's true. Look how much calmer Berk has been now we don't have to worry about Berserkers and Outcasts flooding our waters, invading our beaches and stealing through the village, hurting people, your people-" He shook his head.
"Our people."
"Friends, families, generations of heritage and ancestory, of home, made safe because of what you did. Dagur could have had a worse ending, part of me wishes he had done, but you kept it simple, you got the job done quickly, you freed us. Why can't you understand that?"
"The Berserkers had families. Homes, friends. I broke them up."
"Which is where I stepped in. I had Rangvald make sure those families were put back together. The tribes you put them in are helping them rehabilitate into better people. You'd be surprised how many of them are actually happier this way. They thought they'd never see their families again. Maybe they've lost their friends, maybe they've lost their homes. But they have the chance to start over. Dagur wouldn't have given them that. You know he wouldn't have." Hiccup stayed quiet. Astrid let him, gave him the time to think, gave him time to let the information sink in, to let him remember who he was and why.
The storm outside was fierce, lightning crashing down as heavily as the rain itself, the thunder so ferocious, it seemed to shake the earth. Neither of them moved. The dragons, fed, were peacefully asleep, oblivious to the heavens opening outside their shelter. Hiccup's breathing became less scratchy, less erratic, soothed by her warm presence, her eloquent words, her calloused hand soft in his hair, her thudding heart against his ear in time with his own. She was his and he was hers. They had been for years and they would be for many more.
Astrid slowly detached herself and lay him down on the blankets, lying next to him, face to face, forehead to forehead. He reached past her for his cloak, pulling it over them both. She planted a sweet kiss on his lips, her palm pressing to his chest to feel the steady beat of the organ inside. His arm went around her, drawing her closer, and he soon fell asleep, eyes fixated on hers all the while beforehand. Astrid tenderly brushed his hair back, smiling sleepily. "I love you too." She whispered, joining his slumber.