AN: Considering my collection of Haddock House oneshots is random in timeline and expanding, I thought I'd post each as a separate story as I go along for those who don't consider reading long fics or enjoy certain stories but not others. Also, am sort of curious to see which character bonds/settings people prefer most for future fics so this is an opportunity to see what/who you guys are interested in clicking to read about.

If you do find yourself enjoying more than one, do check out the collection under 'The Haddock House.'

Cheers, everyone.

A LONG NIGHT

"We have a problem, Chief Haddock."

Add it to the pile, Astrid thought satirically as the door gave a familiar squeak and a sleep-mused mane of russet appeared through the gap.

The address had included her – hence the use of family name – but for the moment their burly guest's attention was on Hiccup. A good thing; patience was a virtue her husband had in abundance, and Astrid's already substandard supply was growing thin for misbehaving little tots and querulous northern chiefs, vital allies or not.

She caught Hiccup's guilty glance from across the room – their usual seating arrangement, asserting her role as New Berk's Chieftess rather than his wife. Though tonight Astrid felt exclusively the latter, leaving the room every few minutes to carry one restless child back to bed while the other kicked in her eminently swelling womb. That, coupled with the bout of Eel Pox doing the rounds, which had invoked the protectiveness waiting to burst forth in full fanatical form from her husband the past few moon cycles ("We're not leaving Zeph with a sitter, and you should be at home safe and resting").

Soothing his guilt with a tired smile, Astrid left him with the Northlander and made her way toward the petite set of fingers curled at the door-frame.

"Zeph…" she sighed at the cheeky, freckled face gazing up at her; those breathtaking orbs didn't quite drown her this time but that didn't stop the prickling urge to yield. She would have squatted down if it weren't a physically troublesome endeavor, and if they weren't on round… what was it now? Seven? Eight? (Astrid had lost count fifteen minutes ago.) So instead, she took her daughter's hand and gave it a gentle tug in the direction of the stairs.

"Back to bed, you. Come on."

Zephyr stubbornly held her gaze, eyes wide and betrayed. Her lower lip quivered a little. Oh the kid was good, Astrid thought with unwilling pride – a devious little Hiccup through and through. And despite an inseparable partner missing from her clutches, the series of trips up and down the staircase didn't seem to have the slightest effect on her energy reserves.

Unfortunately in her condition, the shieldmaiden couldn't say the same. "Is that Windshear I hear? She sounds a little lonely…"

Zeph's sulky expression morphed into one of concern, and without pause she grasped her mother's hand and led her up to her room. Dashing to the bed, she seized the stuffed Razorwhip to her chest, murmuring a string of apologies.

Astrid couldn't help but beam at the sight. Zeph loved the little toy dragon, so fervently that its head-horn and a wing were coming loose. It was patterned in the blue and yellow scales of Stormfly, though it had Toothless' bright green eyes; for her third nameday Heather had stitched a mix of all three dragons, but Zeph had been especially taken with the Razorwhip in Hiccup's sketchbook and (to the latter's chagrin) named it in honor of the Berserker's own.

Much like her budding worldview; she loved a great plenty things, but those at the top she fawned with inextinguishable fervor and, good Thor, she absolutely loathed missing out on anything.

"Do you have to go back, Mommy?" she whispered as Astrid helped her onto the bed and proceeded to tuck her in.

"I do, sweetie. Daddy and I still have some important things to discuss with Chief Harald."

Her brow furrowed with that unwaning determination she'd donned all evening, "Can't we come too? Pleeeease?" and Astrid racked her exhausted mind for new strategy as she brushed a tangle of copper from her eyes.

She sat down gently, placing her hands over her daughter's at Windshear's sides. "Do you remember when Daddy told you about the villages outside of New Berk?"

Zeph nodded.

"Well, Chief Harald's from a village far away – high up in the north at the top of Daddy's map. And up there no one knows that dragons are our friends."

Her eyes widened with astonishment, "Vey don't?"

Astrid shook her head, thumbs fondly tracing little knuckles. "Sadly, the dragons had to go back to the Hidden World before they could make friends with the Northlanders. So the people there never came to understand them and still find them a little scary because of that."

Zephyr frowned as she glanced down at the toy. "Do you fink Chief Harald will be scared of Windshear, Mommy?"

"Probably," Astrid felt a fresh swell of pride at her empathy, "and Windshear might be scared of him too, so I need you two to hold the fort here okay?" She leaned in to press their foreheads together, gazing affectionately into the pools of matching sea, "Do you think you could do that for me?"

Zeph nodded with resolve. She hugged the miniature dragon, and then Astrid, tight but gentle as their middles bumped.

"That's my girl," the latter murmured, giving her a grateful squeeze before slowly disentangling herself. "Daddy and I will be in bed soon too, so we'll see you in the morning, okay?"

But a palm reached for the bulge in her tunic when she made to stand.

"And the baby?" Zeph whispered with a soft caress. Her fingers crawled lovingly across the material, and the shieldmaiden smiled, reveling in the action for a moment before lifting them to her lips.

"And the baby," she affirmed, relieved that both her children seemed (semi) settled at last. "You know what, though? I think he might be asleep already."

Zephyr giggled as Astrid kissed and blew on her hands before releasing them. That seemed to finally satisfy her; she wriggled under the blankets, stretching out to give Astrid's belly a final stroke.

"Goodnight," she whispered to the babe before meeting her mother's enamored gaze. "Love you lots, Mommy."

Hearing it for the eighth time that night was as exhilarating as the first.

"And while we've faced worsening decline in trade, our enemies have been gaining strength. Deny it all you want, but your freeing of the beasts cost the archipelago heavily."

Hiccup's jaw twitched in annoyance, although only Astrid noticed. She couldn't help but admire his restraint, considering it was only twelve minutes since she'd re-subjected herself to the tirade (and zoned out a good two in).

But perhaps the burly Northlander was only partly to blame. And perhaps it was a good thing he was so caught up in his spiel – otherwise he'd catch the way she'd gaze at her husband every time he ran an absent hand through his hair, or the way she'd chew her lip when he'd stroke the russet fuzz beneath his. Or how she'd draw his focus when caressing their other little culprit who seemed about as restless with the wearisome rant as them both.

So restless in fact, that Astrid wondered if said rascal might just decide to come out and join them despite the healers' judgement of a month remaining. It wasn't an entirely implausible thought (she was sure she hadn't been this big with Zeph, and couldn't recall her baby girl kicking this hard). Though Berk's healers being down with the Pox was no notion to entertain – especially if her husband's frenzied antics were going to be a repetition of last time.

(In addition to her own, which was another story.)

"…and if we are to withhold this alliance, we expect Berk's aide in putting things right."

I know, I know, Astrid agreed at another punt. Flexing soothing fingers across her belly, she looked up to find Hiccup gazing at her with a smile that made her heart flutter. Unfortunately, so was their guest, whose expression brought on flutters of an entirely different sort.

She cleared her throat and formally returned his stare. "Even if you were to accept the word of rumors, Chief Harald, trade can be reclaimed."

"And multiplied," Hiccup added, "in other kinds of ventures."

Harald's narrowed eyes lingered on him for a moment before returning to Astrid who met his gaze with equal stoicism. Realizing he wasn't going to get anything on their scaly secret, he turned back to her husband with a sigh. "And what such ventures might you suggest?"

Not at all fancying another immediate venture herself, Astrid cringed as the door creaked again and a sniffle reached her ears. Ignoring Hiccup's pitying gaze, she left the room to be met with mournful eyes and a suffocating Windshear.

"Oh, honey," she murmured, inducing a fresh spill of tears, "What's the matter?"

Zeph buried her face in her thigh, dampening her leggings and mumbling an unintelligible response.

Astrid sighed, and crouched down with strenuous effort. Too tired to forge a new plan or debate the thought, she gathered the little girl up in a side-cuddle, receiving an eyeful of dragon as chubby arms wound around her neck. "Still can't sleep, huh?"

Zeph shook her head, and with a few burning blinks, Astrid yielded.

"Why don't you come sit with me then, and be my secret lookout?"

Glistening orbs looked up with hope. "Can I, Mommy? Really?"

She nodded, withdrawing a hand to dry her cheeks. "But you have to be stealthy, okay? And so does Windshear. Will you make sure she stays quiet for the whole meeting until Chief Harald leaves?"

Zeph nodded back with enthusiasm and Astrid gave her a defeated but loving smile. Shifting her onto her hip, she grasped the doorknob and Harald's whinging flooded into the hall.

"West?! Beyond the archipelago? It's impossible to navigate on such a stretch of open sea. We'll starve out before we even catch a glimpse of this rich land – which might not even exist!"

Settling back in her seat with her daughter curled up against her, Astrid shared an loving look with her husband. If the northerner cared for the presence of their new companion he gave no acknowledgement, nor did the three-year-old spare him any. Her bright beaming expression was entirely for her father, an exchange that brought a warm, fuzzy feeling to Astrid's gut.

Or perhaps that was the babe. Either way, it was a welcome one.

"You really expect me to risk my ships and reputation on such a delusion?"

Hiccup blinked under Harald's gaze, recovering with a fluster. Zeph nestled closer to Astrid. Her legs swung back and forth while tiny fingers fidgeted with the toy in her lap, and Astrid drew her in sideways for lack of room on her own.

"Unless of course," the stocky chief narrowed his eyes, "Berk has been hiding more secrets?"

Hiccup suppressed a scowl as he got up toward the fireplace. "No secrets," he asserted firmly, knowing full well where the conversation was going – or going back to. He blew out all but one nearby candle. "We have not traveled to any lands across the Sullen Sea. But it is possible to go west on the open waters, using this."

Returning from the mantelpiece, he presented the taper and a circular board of wood centered with a pointer. Harald's frown deepened skeptically while Zephyr let out a gasp. She looked up at Astrid, a glint of excitement in her eye, and the latter grinned back.

Zeph loved to watch and (pretend to) help her father while he invented. And he loved to watch (and get distracted by) her face lighting with mirth. Fortunately Harald himself was too intrigued by the tool to notice.

"It's a sunboard," Hiccup eventually snapped out of his daze, shifting the flickering flame over it. "Imagine this candle as the sun; it rises higher and higher into the sky until noon," he lifted the tallow in emphasis, "See how the shadow shortens? At noon, it is at its shortest. You mark a circle around the pointer there, and when you set sail, you watch the shadow."

As he drew on the wood, Zeph snuggled up to her mother's breast. She gazed admiringly at his demonstration, eyes shimmering under the candlelight as her lashes slowly drooped, and for the first time that night Astrid felt at peace.

"If it only touches the circle, the course remains true." She smiled drowsily, lips pressing into a soft pillow of russet. "If it passes outside the circle like this, then you have drifted," her kiss lingered there, "meaning you must steer further south," and as her husband tilted the candle, she felt a tiny hand glide across her belly just as a little thump came from within. "And if it never reaches the circle…"

"Then you are too far south," Harald nodded, "and must steer more to the north."

While their guest was making his conclusion, Zeph let out a giggle, and meeting her sea-blue stare filled with irresistible mirth, Astrid melted.

Instead of hushing her daughter, she enclosed her free hand over hers, shifting it ever slightly to rest right over the kicks. For Harald's voice suddenly seemed an ocean away, and were it not for her husband's charming stutter she would have completely and utterly drowned in the moment.

"Exactly… so as long as…" Hiccup trailed off rather lamely and Astrid sensed his gaze follow hers.

From their side-snuggle Zeph shot him a sleepy grin, Windshear clutched in one hand and Astrid's swollen middle beneath the other. Overwhelmed with nothing but tremendous love for her family, the latter looked up at her besotted husband and knew he was hopelessly lost in the scene.

"So… as long as you keep the noon's shadow on the circle's edge," Harald finished, shifting his own gaze from the sunboard to its holder, "then your course will remain true; west."

It was an awkward time to zone out, at the pinnacle of his contention, but Hiccup was about as entranced as a Nadder in a field of chickens. Astrid quickly cleared her throat. Though unfortunately that didn't work, and Chief Harald was waiting expectantly.

Pretending to miss his glance, she gently gripped Zeph's shoulders and kissed her cheek with a whisper, "I think Daddy needs a little rescuing. What do you reckon?"

Zeph looked up merrily and Astrid matched her grin, lifting a finger to her lips.

She bit back a smirk as her daughter raced over to Hiccup and stood on tippy toes, cupping her mouth as she pressed it to his ear.

Dazedly, he glanced at his wife. She drew her finger across her lower lip, and eyes widening in understanding, he exchanged the candle and sunboard for Zeph's hand.

A violent blush crept across his face. "I, uh… if you'll please excuse me, Chief Harald, I could use a stretch while I tuck my daughter in. You and Astrid, uh, continue – I won't be long."

"Sorry about that," the shieldmaiden smiled as their baby girl all but dragged him from the room. Though the northerner seemed in deep contemplation, brow knitted tightly under the candlelight. He stared at the instrument for a long time, and under the warm flickering she felt her eyelids grow heavier.

"And if there is no sun?" Harald eventually asked, "How do you find your way then?"

Astrid grinned inwardly. Distracted as he could get around a certain copper-haired munchkin, her husband was a genius. Slowly, she stood and made her way across the room, picking up one last item still left on the mantelpiece. "Using this."

She handed Harald the flat crystallized rock. "Hiccup calls it a sólarsteinn; you hold it up toward the sky and use it to catch the sun when it's cloudy."

"This rock?" he repeated, though not with quite as much skepticism as before, "Catch the sun?"

She gave an affirmative, taking her husband's seat. "We can show you tomorrow. Here on New Berk we rarely see the sun to begin with, so Hiccup had to find a solution before we could think about navigating."

The chieftain was silent for a while. He twisted the rock in his stocky fingers, examining it with awe. Disbelief slowly ebbing, he swallowed hard, and then – with clearly begrudging effort – met her eyes.

"It seems I may have underestimated you Berkians."

It was as close a compliment and apology as one could expect from a Northlander. "We're pretty unconventional. It's been known to happen."

He let out a gruff chuckle, "That you are – especially that husband of yours. I never quite knew what to expect from Stoick's boy, even in his youth."

Astrid found herself smiling fondly. "Neither did I. In fact I still don't, he always is full of surprises."

"And if this all works… if it really is possible to reach western lands, can we expect anyone from New Berk to sail with us?"

"We're glad you asked, Chief," Hiccup's voice floated in from the doorway. "We've already discussed the matter with our captains, and Eret expressed interest in joining you once this wave of Eel Pox has passed over."

"Eret's our… temporary General," Astrid explained with a quick glance to her stomach, "and the best sailor on the island."

Harald's leave invited a much needed peace. Astrid leaned back with blitheness as her husband's arms wound around her, his hands reverently massaging her abdomen, lips pressed to her cheek.

"Thanks for saving me back there."

"Mmh," she grinned sleepily, anchoring his hold, "Seems I'm still the one looking after you. Though I think Zeph deserves the credit on that one."

She could sense his blush and it gave her a satisfaction. After months of being excessively doted on, a little achievement of the reverse felt good. (Not to mention she'd kept a competitive count of saving his ass since they were kids – a count she was still winning at, for the record.)

Hiccup hummed in thought for a moment. "You know, we could always let Zeph run the next meeting," he rocked her ever gently, hot breath descending to her collarbone where he paused for a more passionate kiss, "Seeing as she's so keen for it."

Astrid laughed. "We are not doing that again. Especially not with another little one running around."

"Fair point, milady."

They both peered down at her belly, Hiccup augmenting his massage. His touch was warm, strong, enveloping… yet tender, so tender. It melted her.

"Your mother's right you know," he whispered to their son (they were having a boy, Astrid was sure of it), "You're distracting enough already."

She narrowed her eyes with a smirk, twisting around to face him. "I'm the one getting kicked all evening, and he's distracting you?"

Meeting his gaze, however, she felt her breath hitch.

If Astrid had known the heft of carrying their second child all these months, it took on a new level now, for all of a sudden her belly was blatantly in the way, antagonizing the desire to crush every pocket of air between them. She felt enormous, not to mention dog-tired. But Freyr, Njord be damned, she felt like the most beautiful thing in the archipelago under that loving, idolizing expression he'd worn during the meeting.

Now up close, it frazzled her senses – in a delectable sort of way – and Astrid wasn't sure whether to ascribe the somersault in her lower stomach to him or the babe.

No… it wasn't the baby.

It definitely wasn't the baby.

"Hiccup…" she breathed as he leaned down to close the distance. With tender hands he drew her into him, their middles softly brushing, her fingers trailing the biceps of his fervid arms wrapped around her. He opened his mouth to taste her, and she brushed her lips over his, tilting her head to better match their contour.

They stayed like that for a long time, simply kissing one another, and Astrid marveled in the reality of being this man's wife. Gods she loved him. And gods, if she weren't heavily pregnant right now another child would certainly be in the books. Their lips parted with a faint sound and she pursued him for half an inch before realizing he had pulled back.

Slowly, she opened her eyes to meet his, feeling every bit as captivated as he looked. Their embrace lingered though; the dimness and lull of sleep only enhanced the snug space they had created in the candlelight.

Hiccup tucked a coil of bangs behind her ear. "I think we'd better follow Zeph's example. You look exhausted."

Somehow exhaustion, vast as it was, had shrunk to something on the side, and Astrid found herself leaning in again. But it was well into the early hours of morn by now, and Hiccup's lips met her forehead instead. He looked in half a mind to shove her into bed. She was in half a mind to let him.

They packed up wearily (he insisted she rest and she insisted he let her help). They talked about the meeting, the alliance, about sailing west, until Hiccup went ahead to check on their own little West Wind – who Astrid was surprised to imagine had remained obediently in her bedroom, fast asleep at last. She was wrong.

Reaching Zeph's open doorway, she found an empty bed and the legs of her husband sticking out from under it.

"Hiccup? What are you doing?"

He jerked up in surprise, grunting as his head collided with the wooden base. Emerging red-faced, he shoved a hand in his copper locks and looked at her guiltily, "Looking for our daughter."

"You lost her?" Astrid stifled a yawn as he visibly cringed, though somehow after all the evening's troubles she found herself smirking – oh yes, tiredness was definitely sinking in. Of course their sweet and equally artful little girl wouldn't have stayed in bed without a bribe!

She leaned against the door-frame with folded arms. "What did you tell her?"

Shock flashed across Hiccup's features – at the fact that their child was missing or at her lack of reaction, Astrid couldn't quite tell – "I just told her to hold the fort!"

"Me too," she smirked at the look of horror on his face, "and she ended up in the meeting."

Hiccup blinked at her for a moment, then gave a tired sigh, the corners of his lips tugging in mirror of her own. He strode past swiftly, poking his head into the hallway, "Zeph?!" There was no response.

He tried again, also to no avail, before half amusedly half worriedly muttering to himself, "She can't have gone far, at least the doors are all locked… I'll go find her."

As Astrid motioned to follow he put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll find her. You get some sleep – you really should be resting."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm pregnant, Hiccup, not defective."

"Exactly, and heavily so," he asserted, ignoring the latter part of the statement. And with his palm placed on her middle again, the baby took the moment to kick against his fingers, hard.

"See?" he caught her poorly-masked wince, hiding an equally obvious smirk with a kiss to her cheek. "Now off to bed with you."

Astrid scowled up at him, smile twitching. How did he always, always, have that affect on her?

"And you," he knelt before her belly, making her blush as he pressed his loving lips to it, "behave; your mother's had a tiring enough night already." And he was down the hall before she could protest, leaving her feeling as Zeph must have done, in addition to outright infatuated.

Astrid shook her head dazedly, watching him disappear before turning toward their bedroom. She hated unfinished business, especially when it involved her family. Though considering it was well past twilight it would only be a few hours before they'd reconcile.

"Traitor," she whispered to her son, giving him an affectionate rub where the warmth of Hiccup's kiss lingered.

The baby kicked in reply. "Yup, your father's a real cheesy sap."

Odin above, though, she certainly wouldn't complain if this kid took after Hiccup in enamoring fervor – along with an archipelago full of his features. As much as she loved to gloat Zeph's Hofferson traits already, Astrid absolutely adored each bit of Hiccup she discovered daily within their daughter.

She laughed at another spirited punt. "Mmh, he is right though, bed does sound wonderful…"

Decisively, she grinned down at him, "So I guess it's just you and me then, huh?" and wandered into her and Hiccup's bedroom rather gratefully, only to discover that she was once again wrong.

From under the blankets in the middle of the bed poked a russet mop, a tiny set of fingers curled a few inches away. Sheets rose and fell in tune with gentle breaths and a peaceful smile graced an adorable pair of lips. Zephyr was curled up in a deep slumber – looking so beautifully content in fact, that for a moment all plights for the evening seemed imaginary. Partly too mesmerized at the sight and partly too hesitant to chance awakening upon closer survey, Astrid found herself rooted at the entrance, beaming cordially.

A fair few minutes must have passed, for she soon heard her husband's footfalls behind her. When he approached the doorway with concern she reached for his hand and motioned forwards.

Hiccup followed her gaze to their bed. Eyes crinkling with fondness, he unwound his fingers from Astrid's to slide his arm around her. "Well, she did hold a fort," he whispered, causing them both to chuckle.

His free hand glided to her belly as he looked down, "And how about you, little man?"

Astrid felt only the fuzzy warmth spread from his fingers. Relieved, she smiled up at him, "Well, I think that settles it," and succumbing to long-fought fatigue at last, she rested a hand over her husband's and nuzzled side-on into his chest.

"What say you, Chief?" she murmured sleepily, "Shall we follow suit?"