Author's Note: *Bursts into room with a flourish* AH, YES. IT'S ME, MOON. AND I'M BACK WITH ANOTHER DRABBLE FOR "STICKS AND STONES!"

Why am I talking in caps? I don't know. Just felt like doing so. X)

*Waves happily* Hello, everybody! Welcome back to "Sticks and Stones!" *Sighs* Man, this one-shot collection is my longest story (well, if a one-shot collection even counts as a story, but, eh. Whatever XD) It's almost forty chapters, and I'm having so much fun writing it if you couldn't tell already. One-shot collections are *jazz hands* amazing. =D

Okay, okay, enough of my rambling. X) So, as the HTTYD franchise progresses, all of the Dragon Riders grew up. The one who changed the most for me was...Hiccup. The other Dragon Riders I can still see as their younger selves, but Hiccup...he looks like a totally different person! I actually thought he was someone else until I heard his voice in HTTYD 2. XDD

Anyway, I wanted to write a little drabble focusing on Astrid's thoughts about Hiccup's change in appearance, but also in personality and behavior, so here it is! =D I hope you guys enjoy it!

Summary: Hiccup has changed in both appearance and personality, but Astrid still sees the freckled, auburn-haired teen who bonded vikings and dragons. (Pre HTTYD 2)

Handsome

"Whoa, what happened to Hiccup?"

Astrid looked up from where she was sharpening her axe and turned to where Ruffnut and Tuffnut were staring. The two weren't the most observant vikings, and they always seemed to be the last to realize that something had changed or happened, so Astrid wasn't that surprised when the twins suddenly noticed that Hiccup had changed.

"He's grown more…handsome," Ruffnut stated as her blue eyes followed the auburn-haired viking as he walked in and out of the forge, assisting Gobber with several weapon orders. Ruffnut placed her head in her hand. "It's official. Hiccup has become a man."

Tuffnut shook his head. "Our little Hiccy. He's so grown…so old."

"Guys, Hiccup is literally twenty," Snotlout said as he crossed his arms. "And he's not even close to being as manly as me. He's still a stick."

"A tall stick," Tuffnut corrected.

"Taller than you," added Ruffnut with a snicker. Snotlout opened his mouth and then he shut it.

"Shut up…" he muttered.

Fishlegs looked up from his book. "When did Hiccup say that he would be done at the forge?"

"In a few minutes," replied Astrid. She watched as her Dragon Boy handed a man a newly sharpened sword. Hiccup ducked when the bearded man gave it a swing. The two talked for a bit, and Hiccup waved when the man walked away with a bright grin. Astrid felt her lips curl into a smile.

Astrid, Hiccup, and the rest of the Dragon Riders had planned to have a race that afternoon. It had been a long time since Dragon's Edge, and they wanted to avoid growing separated like they had before they left to live beyond the archipelago's borders. So, the Riders decided to have a race to Dragon Island and back, just like they used to back when they were sixteen.

Astrid ran her small stone against her axe blade, and the shining silver grew sharper and sharper as the Hofferson ran the stone against it. Her thoughts drifted to Hiccup, her boyfriend whom she had been dating for two years now, and thought about what Tuffnut had said earlier. Hiccup really had changed. He had grown taller, and he was more sure of himself and no longer stuttered when he talked. Since their time on Dragon's Edge, Hiccup had grown in personality and leadership. And his looks…Hiccup had definitely changed in looks too. Astrid called him handsome sometimes, and Hiccup would always roll his eyes with a small blush whenever Astrid did so.

But despite his change in appearance and personality, Astrid still saw the freckled, auburn-haired teen who bonded dragons and vikings. The young teen who had shown her the truth behind dragons. The teen who bravely led the Dragon Rides on numerous escapades and earned his place in the tribe of Berk. The young teen who loved dragons, drawing, and inventing…

And the young teen she had fallen in love with during their first flight together.

At that moment, Hiccup hurried up to the other Riders, brushing his hands against his green pants. Toothless stood at his side. "Sorry, guys. That took longer than expected. Who's ready for a race to Dragon Island?"

Astrid's sapphire blue eyes met with Hiccup's forest green ones briefly. They sparkled like emeralds, and his reddish-brown hair glistened in the sunlight. In that small, brief exchange, Astrid could see the fifteen-year-old Hiccup inside of the twenty-year-old one standing in front of her.

The Hofferson grinned and swung her axe. Stormfly squawked at her side. "I'm ready. Let's go!"

And the Dragon Riders were off, flying above the clouds, chasing after each other. Astrid managed to fly at Hiccup's side and couldn't help but soften at his features. Hiccup caught her staring and smirked.

"What is it?" he asked.

Astrid smiled. "Oh, nothing. It's just that you're really handsome, you know that?"

Hiccup rolled his eyes and smiled. "You keep on reminding me."

"I know," said Astrid. Hiccup flew ahead, and the Hofferson smiled. Her blue eyes glittered.

"That's because you always have been," she added in a whisper. Then, she urged Stormfly to fly after Hiccup.

Author's Note: *Dabs eyes with tissue* The Dragon Riders grew up so fast...Hiccup grew up so fast...They all grew up so fast...

I hope you guys enjoyed this little drabble, and I'll see you in the next edition for "Sticks and Stones!" =D

Until the next chapter!

-BeyondTheMoon1203