Living The Dream
Rated; M
Pairing; Hiccup X Astrid
Disclaimer; I do not own anything from HTTYD; it belongs to Dreamworks/Cressida Cowell
Secret Passages
=Normal POV=
(Sunday, November 3, 2019-9 pm)
{Denmark, Drakonian Palace}
The fiasco with Johann Traytor was far from over. The Dreki Heart security team held Johann, heavily guarded until Copenhagen Police arrived to remove him for attempted assault with a deadly weapon since Johann threatened to kill Hiccup with a dagger at his neck. Johann faced a lot of charges, but the biggest involved Hiccup. Johann threatened Hiccup with a weapon, and the intent on the threat was to kill Hiccup if he interfered at all. Of course, Hiccup only spent twenty-four hours deciding what he should do, and after talking to Astrid; he realized the answer had been right in front of him the entire time. Hiccup knew he had to tell Viggo and Ryker that Johann threatened him, and about this whole second war business. Johann was taken away by police, and Hiccup had to state what happened. Viggo and Ryker were able to help in some spots, but Hiccup had all the information about things he'd caught Johann doing or saying. The entire event from just that day in September took until a little before dinner time. And when it was over, everyone wanted to know what had happened.
There had already been an arraignment and small pieces of the trial. Most of this, Hiccup had to be part of each one to give the stories of all the accused incidents from when they began. All of Dreki Heart interns, Viggo, Ryker, their wives, Mala, Dagur, trainers would attend the trials to show their support for Hiccup. If it wasn't a court thing, the Dreki Heart staff was still doing missions and working hard to keep busy. Hiccup was beyond lucky to have such great friends and his girlfriend beside him through all the court things. Hiccup didn't think he could deal with it all if not for them. Fishlegs and Gobber had been told too, but Hiccup made Gobber swear he wouldn't tell his parents because Odin knows they would only use it to prove their point that the world was dangerous. And Hiccup didn't disagree with them, but he wasn't going to go home and hide the rest of his life. Yeah, the work and everything else varied in levels of danger, but Hiccup could handle it. Hiccup wasn't going to stop doing what he loved over such a small thing as catching a criminal red-handed, then helping put him away.
There was a lot going on lately, and Hiccup just needed a day without worrying about any of it. At the moment, Hiccup was laying in his bed, trying to relax. Dinner was over, no missions until Friday since there was court on Wednesday, which Hiccup seriously hoped would be over soon.
"You alright over there, Hiccup?" Eret asked curiously.
"Too much on my mind," Hiccup sighed.
"Why don't you go for a flight?" Thuggory suggested.
"Was considering it," Hiccup nodded. Finally, he got up and got his shoes on. "I'll be back in a bit," he stated, then headed out of the dorm room to get outside to the stables. Once there, Hiccup began saddling Toothless. "Come on, bud. Up for a late night flight?" he asked. Toothless crooned, panting excitedly.
"Can I come?" Hiccup heard Astrid's voice ask. Hiccup looked over to see Astrid and smiled.
"Of course, Milady," Hiccup smiled in response. Astrid began to prepare Stormfly for a flight as well.
. . .
(9:20 pm)
{Denmark; In The Sky}
After about fifteen minutes of flying in silence just to enjoy the night, Astrid noticed her boyfriend looking unhappy.
"Hiccup?" Astrid asked as Hiccup looked over at her. "Is everything okay?"
"I just have a lot on my mind is all, babe," Hiccup responded.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Astrid offered lightly.
"Same stuff as before; the trial, this thing with my parents backing off, wondering what's going on with these other people Johann was working with, and if we're gonna be thrown into a second dragon war…" Hiccup trailed off slowly, looking down a bit.
"Hey, I'm sure it'll be okay. Viggo, Ryker, and the others, even us, Hiccup; we're all working together to figure out what's going on. And we'll stop whatever it is," Astrid assured.
"I wish I could be positive about it, Astrid," Hiccup sighed.
"Hiccup, take some pride and joy in knowing that you're the one who uncovered all this. You're the one who happened to be where Johann was when he was trying to steal the Dragon Manual. You heard the conversations and saw the evidence that something wasn't right. Who knows what could have happened if it didn't play out this way," Astrid informed gently.
"Yeah, I guess that's something to be thankful for," Hiccup nodded, agreeing with her.
"Everything we've been put up against, Hiccup; we've come through fine as long as we're together," Astrid said as she turned Stormfly a bit to fly upside down and over Hiccup, planting a kiss on his cheek, then returning to normal flying position. "Don't worry so much; everything is going to be okay one way or another; we'll get through it,"
Hiccup smiled; he would never understand how he got this lucky to have Astrid in his life. "Thank you, Astrid," Hiccup said softly.
"Come on, let's get back. Maybe we can enjoy a little alone time in the Common Room before turning in for the night?" Astrid suggested.
"Sounds great to me," Hiccup nodded. The two turned around and headed back for the castle.
. . .
(9:35 pm)
{Denmark, Drakonian Palace}
After getting back, then situating their dragons for the evening; Hiccup and Astrid quietly got to the Common Room and closed the door.
"Finally, some alone time," Hiccup said, smiling as he pulled Astrid into his arms gently, staring down into her eyes even though the height difference between them wasn't more than three inches. "Thank you, for what you said earlier, Astrid," Hiccup stated.
"You're welcome," Astrid replied. "You're only nineteen, babe. You can't worry about everything,"
"I know, but I can't help it sometimes. All this started because of me catching Johann two months ago," Hiccup reminded. Astrid cupped his cheeks, shaking her head to him.
"Hey, don't do that, Hiccup. Someone had to stop him, and it happened to be you. I mean, you're the only one who noticed that something wasn't right with him, and you uncovered something huge that may have been detrimental to humans and dragons if it went on," Astrid stated, stroking his cheek lightly. "Sure, things might still happen, but at least now we know it could, and we'll be ready for it,"
Hiccup kissed her lips. "I ask myself every day how I got so blessed to have you in my life. You always make me feel better," he said afterward.
"I'm more than your girlfriend, Hiccup; I'm your best friend too," Astrid smiled, then pulled his face to hers as they kissed again. Both closed their eyes, continuing the kiss more as it slowly it turned into them making out. Hiccup and Astrid had been together eight months total now, and it wasn't unlike them to hug, kiss, or hold hands. The two of them started making out when they were alone around five months in, but it was never anything like this. Astrid's hands were on Hiccup's shoulders, and his arms were around her waist; their bodies were pressed together tightly and not letting up. Hiccup walked Astrid backward until they hit the back corner bookshelf, still kissing feverishly. Astrid tried to push Hiccup back more, and her hair got stuck.
"O-Ow…" Astrid mumbled as Hiccup stopped.
"What's wrong?" Hiccup asked.
"My hair is caught on something in the shelf," Astrid sighed. Hiccup backed up a little as Astrid pulled her hair more to get it free. Something came forward on the shelf and clicked. Astrid for her hair loose and moved away quickly, standing behind Hiccup. The two watches as the shelf began to move and open as a door would. Hiccup and Astrid's eyes widened in the surprise at what they'd seen happen.
"Woah…" Hiccup said in shock.
"This never got mentioned in the tour," Astrid stated.
"Maybe Viggo and Ryker didn't know?" Hiccup shrugged.
"Or didn't remember?" Astrid countered.
"Should we check it out?" Hiccup asked.
"Might as well," Astrid nodded. Hiccup and Astrid got their phones and turned on the flashlights while moving a bit more in. "It's a spiral staircase upward," she pointed out. Hiccup's arm hit a lever on the wall as the shelf door closed tightly.
"I guess we know how to open and close it from this side now," Hiccup informed, then took Astrid's hand as the two of them started up the staircase. After about twenty steps in a curl upward; they saw a door and them more stairs to continue up. Hiccup opened the door and peered in. Astrid found the light switch and flipped it on.
"Looks like a small office or reading area. Couple chairs, recliners, tables, bookshelves, and doors or windows leading outside," Astrid said, checking outside behind the curtain. "Yeah, one for each direction of the palace," she added after looking outside each one.
"Want to keep going up?" Hiccup asked.
"Yeah, this is kind'a fun," Astrid smiled. Hiccup nodded as they turned off the light, then got back on the staircase to continue up. After another twenty stairs; it was another door. "Office space," she confirmed after a quick peek inside to see a small couch, shelves, a desk or two, windows outside again. Hiccup and Astrid left the room, then went up more stairs to another space.
"Appears to be a terrace," Hiccup enlightened. "I think we're in a tower, babe," he added.
"I believe you're right," Astrid nodded.
"Should we see what else is there?" Hiccup questioned.
"I think I kind'a wanna go back to that reading space we found on what I assume is the third floor, and pick up what we were doing before?" Astrid asked gently, with a slight blush. Hiccup chuckled a little, nodding. The two left the area they were in and returned to the reading room. Hiccup and Astrid turned on one of the small table lamps and looked around.
"Is that another door?" Hiccup asked, pointing to another curtained off area. Astrid shrugged as they moved over to it, then pulled the curtain aside to reveal another door. Hiccup and Astrid opened it and used their flashlights once more to look around. Upon finding a switch, Hiccup flipped it up to reveal a somewhat long room with a fireplace. It didn't appear much was in here except some old couches, tables, more books, a desk setup, etc. There was only one other door, and curiosity won them both over. Hiccup and Astrid made their way through to find more stairs, going down this time.
Carefully moving down the ten or so steps, they found another room. Moving inside, and flipping on one more light; it appeared to be a small bedroom with a very small window to see outside. "Looks like this is third floor, or part of it," Astrid stated.
"I agree," Hiccup looked outside with her. The room had a single twin-sized bed, a nightstand with two drawers, and a lamp on it. There was a plastic-style three-drawer dresser, and that was about it. "I wonder if Viggo and Ryker know about any of this?"
"Suppose it doesn't matter," Astrid giggled. Astrid grabbed Hiccup's hand, pulling him close and kissing him again. "Catch me if you can," she called before darting off. Hiccup shut off the light of the room, then hurried after Astrid until they reached the reading room from before. Astrid decided to lead Hiccup up to the next floor, the tower room on the 4th floor above the reading area. Hiccup finally caught up to Astrid, grabbed her around the waist as the two fell onto the section couches Astrid was under Hiccup, both panting as they smiled. Astrid's hands stroked Hiccup's cheeks lightly, then drew his face forward into a kiss. Almost instantly, the making out from before picked up as if it had never stopped. Neither of them cared about the time, or that anyone could wonder where they were; too Hiccup and Astrid were totally alone and wrapped up in one another.