Alright! Again, so sorry for not updating yesterday, school has me working like crazy. Also this: I am not sure if I will be able to update tomorrow, because I will be going to a movie marathon from the Hobbit! Part 1, 2 AND 3 ALL in ONE go. *Excited!* This means I will be spending half the day in the movie theater and won't be able to write. Maybe I can get something done before it starts, but please, don't count on it. I am way too excited!

Aannyways, here's another chapter. Containing Hiccstrid. Because I know you love it. Like I do.

Enjoy!

Chapter 36 Sickbed romance

She couldn't keep her eyes off the sleeping man in front of her. He was laying on his side, the covers had slid down to his waist, revealing his chest and the bandages. His head was resting on his arm, his hair falling over his face. She was afraid to touch him, afraid to wake him and ruin this magical moment. But on the other hand she wanted to see his sparkling green eyes, to hear his voice, to feel his lips on hers.

She couldn't help it. She reached out to him, brushing the hair from his face. He groaned at her touch, shifting lightly before opening those emerald green orbs. He stared up at her, confused for a moment, then his lips parted in a smile. He turned on his back before pushing himself up, rubbing his eyes. Then he looked at her.

'What are you doing here? It must be the middle of the night.'

His voice was a little rougher than usual, most likely from the sleep she had just woken him from and the sound send a shiver down her spine.

'It is... I'm sorry. I had to see you. Stoick told me you were awake, but I wasn't allowed to see you. Your father wouldn't let anyone in. Not even Gobber.'

He looked at her, the warmest smile she had ever seen on his face. Then he looked around, as if he just remembered something.

'Where's Wrenlou? He was here before.'

'He went to bed when I arrived. Don't worry, he's fine.'

She was staring at him. His soft hair teasing her to entangle her fingers in it. The sparkle in his eyes begging him to come closer. He gritted his teeth when he rubbed his hand over his side and she reached out to him, worried. He caught her hand before it touched his shoulder. She felt a blush creep up her cheeks and turned her head away. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt his fingers on her face, caressing her jaw.

'Everyday I would try to picture you in my head, see if I could imagine how you would change. But that image in my head doesn't hold a candle to you.'

She was sure her face was as red as fire when she felt his fingers entangle in her braid, pulling it loose. She looked at him before she undid the rest of it, her hair flowing over her shoulders, reaching halfway down her back. She stood up and spun a circle, her hair and skirt swishing around her. He looked amazed.

'Like what you see?'

He smiled as he grabbed her hand, pulling her closer. Laughing, she sat down on the edge of the bed, before stomping him on his shoulder.

'OW! WHY would you DO that!?'

'That is for scaring me.'

Before he could react, she pressed her lips against his in a quick kiss. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled sheepishly.

'That's for everything else.'

He touched his lips like he expected them to become poisoned and fall off, before a wide smile crept across his face. She let her hand dart over his chest, her hair falling over her face as she looked down on his skin where the bandage didn't cover it. He brushed her hair aside and cupped her cheek. She leaned into him, but just when she was about to kiss him, he stopped her, a finger on her lips.

'Wait... Where's my dad?'

'In the Great Hall.' She muttered, pushing his finger aside and leaning in closer.

This time, he didn't stop her as their lips touched. He answered her kiss passionately, his fingers combing through her hair. She was the one to break the kiss staring into his eyes before looking down on his torso. Gently, not to hurt him, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head down on his shoulder. She felt him tense up a moment, then he relaxed, his fingers still playing with her hair. Her heart was racing. Never had she been this close to him before. Never had she been this close to any man before. She could feel his heart beat against her temple, the steady rise and fall of his chest as he breathed was strangely calming. Her fingers were fidgeting with the bandage around the cut until he grabbed her hand and pressed a gently kiss on it.

'Does it hurt?' She asked, referring to the wounds underneath the bandages. He shrugged lightly.

'I've felt worse. I'll be fine Astrid, just another scar.'

She sat up, her hand on the headboard as she looked down on him, her hair brushing his cheeks. She kissed him again, her hand in his hair. He smiled as she pulled away. He pulled his left leg and now she realized she was sitting on it, probably cutting off the blood flow. She moved, sitting down on the mattress as she stared at his legs.

She had forgotten about his missing foot.

She looked at the single bulge from his right foot, and the fall where the blanket should have covered the other. He caught her staring and chuckled, before flipping the blanket to reveal his stump. She gasped. She had only seen it from a distance, but she had been right. The cut was straight, clean. She had half expected teethmarks, because he had told her Toothless had bitten it off, but there weren't any. She ran her fingers across the area where his foot had been severed.

'It has been cut?'

He snickered. 'Of course it has! What, you expected teethmarks?'

'I suppose...'

She looked back at him, he was staring at her with an amused smile on his face, leaning against the headboard. She suddenly felt guilty for her obvious interest in his handicap, and pulled the blanket over his leg again. He chuckled when she turned to him again.

'It's impressive how you managed to defeat Snotlout with that.'

His face darkened a little. 'People always underestimate an amputee. I never expected Snotlout to be any different.'

'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you.'

The smile softened his face again as he traced a finger over her cheek. 'You haven't. Not yet...'

She punched him again before kissing him. Then she sat up, her face serious.

'What are you going to do to him?'

'Snotlout? I don't know...'

He ran a hand through his hair and that led her to a new discovery. It spiked in every direction for a moment, before falling back to it's semi-flat state. She ran her own hand through his auburn locks, mesmerized by the way they behaved. His hand on her back snapped her back to reality. She looked at him, the serious expression still on her face.

'You can't just forgive him. He tried to kill you! The Heir of Berk!'

He shrugged, almost non-caring. 'So? He isn't the first who tried and failed. Besides, no matter what, he's family. I can't just kill him.'

'Let me do it. I'll blood eagle him. I'll make him pay for hurting you.'

His head snapped up at the mention of the cruel execution method. 'Astrid! You can't mean it!'

'Why not?'

'That's something from old times! Nobody does it these days!'

He seemed genuinely shocked that she had mentioned it. She ran her hand through his hair.

'You must get the villagers to respect you. If you just forgive Snotlout, they never will take you seriously.'

'That doesn't mean you can do something like that to him. He's my cousin!'

'He tried to kill you! You should punish him, no matter the blood relation!'

'I won't let you do that...'

'Blood eagle?'

'Yes! I won't let you do it!'

'But why not? The penalty for trying to kill the heir is death. They never specified how that had to happen.'

'Because it's horrible and unnecessarily cruel. Because I don't care that he tried to kill me! Nobody did anything when he would beat me up every month, now they suddenly all care!'

She pulled away from him. It was an indirect accusation towards her. He took a deep breath when he sensed her discomfort. He got up a little and grabbed her wrist.

'Astrid...'

She shoved him back and he landed against the headboard with a soft cry. Almost immediately she turned around again, afraid she might have hurt him. He was leaning over, clutching his chest with both arms. She knelt next to him, her fingers darting across his back.

'Hiccup? Hiccup are you alright? I'm sorry...'

He let out a stifled groan, a shudder run through his body. Suddenly she was worried. She put a hand on his hair, stroking it gently.

'Hiccup?'

As she leaned in even closer, he suddenly took her face in his hands and kissed her again. At first she was shocked, then she returned the kiss. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her close to his chest, not breaking the kiss. Her fingers got entangled in his hair as she reveled in the sweet sensation of his kiss. He was smiling when he broke the kiss, regret flashing through her body. She didn't want it to end. She leaned in closer, bringing his lips down on his again.

'I still won't let you blood eagle Snotlout.' He whispered.

'Oh shush.'

She felt him tremble under her as she kissed him again. It was clear he wanted it just as much as she did. Her fingers darted across his chest, tracing every scar they could find, before darting lower, towards his abdomen. He giggled when she tickled him and pulled away from her, taking hold of her wrists. She bent forward and kissed his nose. She stared into his sparkling eyes before placing another quick kiss on his cheek.

'I should go...'

She slipped of his bed, but he held her wrist. She turned to him, questioningly.

'I don't want you to.' He whispered, while gently pulling her back.

She let him pull her back to his side. She sat next to him, gently tracing the outline of his jaw, then she slipped her arms around his waist again, her head on his shoulder. He pulled the blanket over her, and she wrapped her legs around his left one. It felt weird to not feel his foot, but she didn't care. His fingers were combing through her hair, massaging her head and she felt her eyes slid shut. Soon she was asleep in his arms and Hiccup smiled. He had been dreaming for this for most of his life, he just never thought it would actually happen. He breathed in her scent, closing his eyes. Her weight felt familiar on his chest, like it belonged there. Like it had always belonged there. He rested his head against the headboard and took a deep breath. Soon he too was fast asleep, Astrid snuggled up against his chest, smiling in her sleep.