AN: Another oneshot for The Haddock House (for those wondering why it's not posted there yet, it will be added once I've finished the current two-shot).
This one has more intimate Hiccstrid than I usually write - T rated to be safe. Enjoy :)
A CUDDLY RIVAL
Thunk. Thunk. THUNK.
Hiccup froze mid-stair, looking down with a cringe. Damned prosthetic, he could swear it was going to be the end of him tonight.
(Or this morning, depending on how one viewed the passing of twilight.)
Gaze fixed on the traitorous limb, he strained his ears for consequence, but was relieved to be met with silence instead. He breathed out deeply and counted the stairs ahead. Not much further now. At the thought of his heart's completeness awaiting him, he embraced the remainder of the journey with resolve.
Climbing the last stair, his eyes fell on the door across the hall and his lips curved into a grin as an ardent longing sprang to surface. Him and Astrid's room. Gods he'd missed her in that miserable tent! Her cuddled up in his arms, nose in neck; sleek tresses gliding between his fingers; soft breaths warming his being. And her being entirely entwined in his, no foreign chieftains or Hooligans or adoring little munchkins to keep them in halves.
Even after years of marriage Hiccup still grinned giddily at the thought. But he did have another couple of stops first, of equally paramount yearning to satisfy.
And besides, he was early.
He turned right toward Nuffink's room, steps careful but strong as he readily pushed the door open and his breath caught in his throat. Beam spreading, heart melting, he gazed at his family curled up in the world of slumber, completely and utterly oblivious to his presence.
He headed straight for Nuff's bed, watching his wife sleep half-propped against the headboard with an arm around each of the kids snuggled at either side of her. The thunks of his steel leg faded into the background, for with every footfall came a fresh swell of enchantment at the sight.
Zephyr's sleep-strewn bangs were tucked beneath Astrid's chin, catching the candlelight and shining like copper. One arm hidden, the other draped loosely across the latter's stomach. Nuffink's leg sprawled over their mother's as he lay nestled atop her breast, head softly rising and falling in tune with her breathing.
The dazed chief swept a hand through his hair, pushing it from his face as he sat down on the bed. After an eternity that could stretch beyond the meaning of forever and still deprive his eyes of drinking in every detail, he reached up to do the same for Astrid, fully aware that the action was enough to wake her.
She stirred only a little, reflexively hugging Zeph closer, before he trailed his fingers down to her jaw and slowly, leisurely, her lids drifted open.
"Hiccup…" she murmured, and he drowned in her oceany orbs. He felt her move beneath his touch and leaned in carefully, pressing his lips to her forehead. "You just came in…? It's late…"
"I'm early though," he whispered softly against her skin.
"Early in the morning… it's morning already."
"Exactly – Odin's day." Warm breath wafted across to her ear, "Got a little lonely without me, huh?"
She chuckled lightly, about to retort when a soft tangle of copper shifted against her neck.
"Daddy?"
"Hey, precious," Hiccup pulled back, beaming down at their daughter.
He caught a glimpse of identical ocean before her eyes drifted shut again and she nuzzled back against Astrid with a clumsy smile, "You're early…"
He gave his wife a victorious smirk. She pouted – a very endearing look in her current state – before she touched a kiss to the top of Zeph's head. "Time to go, sweetie."
Zephyr rubbed her eyes and made an effort to push the bangs out of her face. Mussed and tousled, the thick, auburn tresses disobeyed her muted command, sliding back down her forehead. "Do I have to?"
"Yup," Astrid gave her a passionate squeeze, "Go on, Daddy will tuck you in."
Zeph fell back against the arm he curved behind her and Astrid grinned, shaking her head as he brought her up again. She reached up to stroke her freckly cheek and murmured a loving goodnight – an affection that warmed Hiccup as he stood to carry the little girl to her room.
Zeph was almost asleep by the time he set her down, managing a lop-sided grin as her eyes fell shut.
"'Night, Daddy," she mumbled before rolling on to her side, and her breaths eased under the calm lull of dreamland.
Hiccup smiled, pulling the furs over her. He bent down to kiss her forehead, "'Night, Zeph."
He watched with quiet fascination as her little chest rose and fell, and found himself sitting on the bed beside her. Fingers trailed absently through her locks. In contrast to the coppery hue from Nuff's night candle, they glowed a sleek cinnamon under the moonlight spilling in, and not for the first time Hiccup found himself entranced, resisting the urge to gather them into his calloused hands and start braiding.
No wonder Astrid so oft sought to play with them. (And his, seeing they were to his credit – he may have to comprise a little more on that part.)
Reluctantly letting the strands cascade from his fingers, he brought a tender thumb down Zeph's cheek. Her grin widened ever slightly at his touch and he leaned in once more to wish her a final goodnight.
He was half startled half amused to find his wife and son just as he'd left them.
"No… bit longer…" he heard Nuffink mumble, chubby limbs wrapped tight around Astrid's middle. He'd snuggled closer in attempt to lock her down – and succeeded by the captivated look on her face. Amidst adoration, Hiccup couldn't help but envy the boy.
Crouching next to the bed he rested a palm to his cheek. "Hey there, little prince."
Nuff opened tired but joyful eyes, "Daddy!" and reached an arm across Astrid, petite fingers grasping at his father's tunic. "I missed you."
"I missed you too, very much," Hiccup resumed his position beside them. He gave his locks a ruffle, "I see you've done a good job looking after Zeph and Mommy."
Nuff giggled and shot him a toothy grin.
"He sure did," Astrid smiled down at him proudly, "My strong little warrior. We didn't expect Daddy to be back until tomorrow, did we?"
He shook his head, golden locks tickling her jaw.
"Well, he must be very tired," Hiccup said seriously, "Even strong little warriors need their rest – especially when they've been working so hard to protect their own."
Astrid looked up lovingly at her husband. "Thankfully I'm in good hands now with Daddy here, so our warrior can go ahead and get all the rest he needs." Her tender fingers trailed through their son's locks. "What do you say, little man? Can Daddy and I go to bed now?"
Nuffink tilted his head back, contemplating her for a moment. Then, to both parents' surprise, he shook it.
Hiccup and Astrid shared a glance, and the former decided to try a new tactic. "Mommy looks very tired as well… and as a warrior herself, she could also do with a good rest in her own bed."
But Nuff only nuzzled his face further into her neck, mumbling an unintelligible response in negative.
"And Daddy's been lonely with all his chiefing over the week," Astrid tried. "He's gonna need me to cheer him up and keep him company tonight."
Hiccup caught the underlying longing in her tone and her desirous look sent a surge of heat through him. He must have given himself away, for her mouth twisted into a smirk, and he had to sternly remind himself that they were under the vigilant watch of a six-year-old.
A six-year-old who, unfortunately, didn't incline to budge.
"Since you and I were together for the whole week," Astrid continued, eyes back on her baby boy, "I think it's fair to give Daddy some time now, don't you think?"
Nuffink shook his weary head with a pout, "No."
Hiccup sighed inwardly. There were times he downright adored Nuff's special want for his wife's attention – much like Zephyr had for him (his 'daddy's girl' as Astrid had dubbed it). But having been deprived of his better half too long, and seeing the lips he craved resting in a fluffy blonde cushion while the arms he yearned around him cuddled a little munchkin instead, he couldn't ignore the green-eyed monster in his chest. Nor the rising well of pity for himself.
Still, he couldn't help but admire the kid's determination. (And, by gods, he loved him to pieces.)
Hiccup leaned closer to his little rival, feigning defeat. "Well, I suppose we could spend the night here. I've got lots of chiefing to fill Mommy in on with all the meetings we had up north."
Astrid grinned as Nuff visibly tensed at the word 'meetings.'
"All the construction work… and crop measurements… and the Oakenshields' wedding planning… If we start now, I'm sure we'll have most of the details down before dawn."
Nuffink gazed at him, his pout morphing into a look somewhere between serious cogitation and disdain.
Satisfied, Hiccup turned his eyes to Astrid. "And then…" he said dramatically, leaning in over her until their noses brushed, "We can spend the rest of the night talking about how much Mommy and Daddy love each other."
Catching her lips with his, he felt her grin widen, and she brought her free hand up into his hair. She tilted her head up to deepen the kiss and he suppressed a groan for sake of their spectator, who gawped at the scene for about two seconds before rapidly deciding that his palms were a nicer sight.
"Yuck!" Nuff blanched, letting go of his mother at last to frantically rid his eyes of the image.
The couple leisurely pulled apart, and Astrid chased her husband's lips a moment longer before her eyes opened to half-lidded.
"Or," she smirked, holding his gaze, "Daddy and I could talk about how much we love each other first and then have the meeting, if there's enough time left." She brushed her thumb through Hiccup's beard, tracing the scar beneath on his chin. "How about it, Nuff?"
Face scrunched in horror, the young boy lowered his hands from his eyes. "It's okay, Mommy… you and Daddy can go to sleep now."
Hiccup bit back a chuckle at the permit. Watching Nuff's revulsion sift into disappointment, however, he suddenly felt like a trapper stealing a Terror from a young child.
How did the kid do that – inherit his eyes and make him want to yield his everything?
"Tell you what," he said gently, "Mommy and I will catch up on our chiefing tonight and then we'll all spend the whole tomorrow together. How does that sound?"
Nuff looked up with glee. "The whole day?"
"The whole day," Hiccup confirmed. He turned back to his wife, "Dagur can wait, can't he?"
"If he doesn't notice you're back," she laughed. "I'm sure the twins can come up with something."
"Good." (Hiccup had no pity for Dagur at that suggestion – the Berserk chief's showing up unannounced the day before he and Astrid were to sail north was the reason for his solo journey in the first place.)
"So no chiefing?" Nuffink's voice floated in, pulling him back from the world of self-pity.
"No chiefing," Astrid grinned and Hiccup nodded, beyond grateful.
"Just you, me, Mommy and Zephyr."
Nuff beamed from ear to ear before a gigantic yawn overcame him, making both parents chuckle.
"But that's only if we're awake tomorrow," Hiccup said, "which means all non-chief warriors in the house should follow Zeph's example in getting a good night's sleep."
He stood, offering Astrid his hand and she let him pull her up as Nuff crawled to the headboard, sliding his legs under the furs and snuggling down beneath them.
"So we have a deal then?"
The young boy nodded enthusiastically. "Deal!"
"Good man." Astrid tucked the furs neat around him and bent down to kiss his cheek, wishing him goodnight. Hiccup followed suit with a passionate hug, before slipping his fingers back through his wife's and letting her lead him outside.
At the door, the couple watched their boy drift to sleep a moment longer until Hiccup felt Astrid squeeze his fingers. Her free hand found his bicep, spoke desire through his skin. Her gaze was a maelstrom of passion. Quietly, he closed the door.
Hiccup's eyes never left her as she tugged on his hand and stepped into a powerful, purposeful stride toward their bedroom. He gripped her fingers trustingly, following her down the hall with a bounce in his step and almost crashing into her when she stopped just past the doorway.
He managed to shut the door behind him just in time. For in one swift movement Astrid took his face in her hands, rocked up onto her toes and kissed him fervently. The combination threw him off-balance, and they both staggered a fraction of a second before his hands caught her waist – steadying them both and pulling her flush against him. Restless arms beseeched backs and shoulders as mouths fought for dominance and heartbeats merged into one.
Hiccup allowed her lips supremacy, pursuing her movements as she drunk him in and breathed a powerful fire into his body. Astrid let him lead hers, reversing in sync with his avid strides as he steered her to the bed and they collapsed heatedly on the furs.
"Chiefing," she panted as he pulled back for breath, hands snaking wildly up and around his neck.
"Mmh?" he swept the rogue tresses from her cheeks, gripping her side as she hauled him back down.
Her mouth caressed his, "Catch me up," and fresh heat seeped through him as his fuzzy mind absorbed the command.
Even with a decade of wedded bliss, Astrid's face flushed charmingly and Hiccup's heart somersaulted. Eyes smirking, he caught her lips again, and she grasped his hair as she kissed him back ravenously.
"You know, when Dagur turned up, I… mmh… wanted to throttle him." His lips traveled behind her ear, across her jaw, down to her collarbone.
"So did I," she clutched at the nape of his neck, "Eret's snor–mmph… nnmh… too much for company?"
"Not enough."
Her arms wrapped tightly around his back, tracing the faded scars through his shirt, and his hand slid beneath her tunic to the stretch of her abdomen unscathed by war. Loving fingers crawled over the flat, smooth skin, marveling in the fact that two little lives had once grown beneath.
They kept like that for a few minutes, kissing and caressing one another – fully clothed (said little lives with disrupted sleep routines were about as unpredictable as Snow Wraiths). Astrid's touch continued to aerate the fire within him, and Hiccup reveled in the phenomenon of this woman being his wife, his greater half, the mother of his children.
"Hiccup," she murmured after an all-too-short eternity, and he pulled back to look at her with all the world's reverence.
Her sea-blue orbs widened in a gesture toward the door, and catching on with mirroring expression, he quickly rolled off of her. (Thank Odin for her warrior senses – for they had a mere few seconds to dive beneath the furs before the door creaked open and a mop of tousled blonde appeared.)
"Nuff?" Astrid called as she sat up to look at their son, "What's wrong, honey?"
"I can't sleep."
The couple sighed softly as they exchanged glances, certain they'd ensured said event had occurred just minutes ago. But then Astrid's lips twitched into a weary smile, and Hiccup knew exactly where this was going…
Nuffink lifted a chubby fist to rub his eyes, "Can I sleep here?"
Little extortionist, Hiccup thought, casting a half resentful half amused smirk at his wife. Wonder where he gets that from.
He watched Astrid practically melt at the sight of the kid: the wide, puppy dog eyes; the trembling bottom lip; the chubby little arms hugging around his nightshirt. He was her baby boy alright. (And although the grown man next to her was a sulky baby inside right then, no way in nine realms did he stand a chance.)
Astrid lifted the sheets, "Come here, you," and Nuff's face broke into a grin as he dashed to her side and hoisted himself up onto the bed. Her hand curved around him, pulling him snug against her breast once more.
And once more Hiccup found himself enamored, envy dissipating like soot from dragon fire. Good Thor, his prosthetic might not be the end of him after all; how did her offspring always, always, affect him so?
A smile graced his features as he spread out comfortably and extended his arm to invite his wife closer. But instead of her free limbs greeting his, a tangle of smaller, rougher appendages climbed across her middle to manoeuvre its way between them. She shot her husband and apologetic smirk, which he almost replied with snark. Almost.
For the tiny fingers curling up in his tunic and the soft, warm cheek nuzzling into his neck brought the young father's every emotion to surface. And in that moment he wanted nothing more than to give all of who he was and all that he had to this child – to his family.
Releasing his shirt, Nuffink's hand reached to take Astrid's behind him, and she shuffled closer to press up against his back, letting him wrap her arm around him and Hiccup both. Lids drifting shut, the young boy did the same with Hiccup's, draping the latter's arm over Astrid's waist. And with that, and a soft, peaceful smile, he drifted off to sleep.
Ocean held forest, shimmering with love. Hiccup stroked Astrid's side with a tender palm and eyes never leaving hers.
She pressed her lips into the gold pillow of fluff between them, and only at the lull of sleep overcoming her did their gaze finally break, leaving him entranced by Nuff's breaths and the small, adoring smile on her lips.
Sleep gradually flooding his own senses, he just barely felt the little touch on his arm, lifting it from her waist, drawing it to his other side, curving it around itself. Heavy lids lifting, he met that beautiful oceany stare once more.
"You forgot to take your leg off, Daddy," Zephyr whispered, and Hiccup felt her leg brush against him, remembering vaguely that he should have detached it. But he was too tired now, and Nuffink was sleeping so serenely on his chest.
"Is it bothering you?" he asked, giving her an apologetic smile.
Zeph shook her head and snuggled against him. Eyes closing merrily, she mumbled in a sleepy daze, "I'm glad you're home early, Daddy."
Early… Yes, he was back early. And his heart was complete in a moment he wouldn't trade for anything.
"Me too, Zeph," he murmured, hugging his daughter close while his wife and son slept peacefully against him, "Me too."
Good? Bad? Let me know your thoughts.
Take care, and blessings to you all with the COVID-19 chaos. Keep well xx