Chapter 16: In which Astrid gets what she craves
"Hey Gobber," Hiccup's voice called from the arena floor, standing by casually as a Deadly Nadder chased the other teens in training. "I noticed the book had nothing on Night Furies. Is there another book? A sequel? Maybe a Night Fury pamphlet?"
A blast suddenly scorched the wall beside him. Astrid resisted the urge to not jump down through the chained roof and shake her husband back to his senses.
"Focus, Hiccup!" Gobber yelled, "you're not even trying!"
Hiccup seized up as the Deadly Nadder spotted him and made a mad dash his way. He looked almost comical as he sped off this way and that before choosing a path through the maze.
"How's your hand, lass?" Gobber's question shook Astrid from her focus on Hiccup and his lack of trying to fight the Deadly Nadder tearing through the maze.
"Better," she replied, distantly. She flexed her right hand, the sting not as sharp as it had been. "I think I'll be ready to return tomorrow."
Gobber's students raced around the maze like trapped mice with Hiccup trailing behind them. The Nadder cornered the twins, both trying to fit in its blind spot but failing. Hiccup slowed right under where Gobber and Astrid were observing.
"Hey, how would one sneak up on a Night Fury?"
Gobber did not look amused. "One has never seen a Night Fury and lived to tell the tale." He stabbed a finger through the air. "Now get in there!"
Astrid rolled her eyes. It was strange, she mused. Ever since the whole Night Fury fiasco, Hiccup had become overly interested in the elusive dragon species. It was almost like the incident changed his perspective.
Fishleg ran by screaming as the Nadder threw spikes at him, the deadly objects penetrating his shield.
Gobber sighed in frustration and rubbed his aching head. "I fear for our tribe's survival with this lot." His hammer prosthetic gestured toward Astrid. "You're the only one that has any sense around here."
"I don't think Hiccup will ever be ready for battle," Astrid pointed out. She'd been adamantly against his involvement in dragon training, but the Chief had spoken and there was no going back on his order.
"None of these knuckleheads are," Gobber flung an appendage out toward the arena floor, "so he fits right in!"
As if on cue, Snotlout threw his hammer at the Nadder missing it by a mile. "The sun was in my eyes!"
The lame excuse made Astrid roll her eyes. Gobber was right. These knuckleheads weren't fit for battle. She itched to get in there and show them how it was done.
The Nadder hopped onto the top of the maze walls, it's weight no match for the wooden structure and it began to topple like a domino effect.
Hiccup was back again, standing under them. "Has anyone ever seen one in person?" he asked, paying absolutely no mind to the other teens running in terror right passed him.
"Hiccup!" Gobber pointed to the Nadder practically surfing upon the wooden walls as they collapsed.
"Idiot!" Astrid hissed through gritted teeth. She ducked underneath the rails, unsheathing her axe from her back as she leapt down without a thought for her own safety.
She toppled upon Hiccup and they both hit the dusty floor. She shook the stars from her vision, her face incredibly close to her husband's. She tried untangling herself from him, but he ramblings and struggling weren't helping.
"Oooo…love on the battlefield," neither was Tuffnut's remark.
The impact of her jump had caused her axe to embed in Hiccup's shield. She tugged with all her strength to dislodge it, but it wouldn't budge. She gasps at the Nadder came barreling toward them. It took several yanks, but she finally dislodged the shield from Hiccup's grip and smashed it on the Nadder's head just in the nick of time. The dragon retreated, shaking its spiky head.
Adrenaline had taken over in that critical moment. Astrid's hand throbbed and she curled it into itself, ignoring the sharp sting. So much for returning to training tomorrow. Her breathing began to calm, and she spun around to find her husband curled up on the ground.
"Is this some kind of joke to you?" she spat at him, pointing her axe that still had a chunk of broken shield stuck to it. "At least try to do something, Hiccup! Anything besides paying no attention to the death machine coming at you!"
Astrid pivoted toward the arena entrance and stormed off, her anger lingering in the air. She wanted so badly to keep him safe, but he was making that rather difficult when he freely put himself in the path of danger.
It was passed sunset when the front door creaked open. Hiccup had run off – again – and stayed gone practically the entire day. Gobber was fit to be tied that his apprentice was slacking on the job for a second day in the row.
Astrid was waiting for him, arms crossed over her chest and a scowl that could spoil milk. "Where were you this time?"
Hiccup froze still holding the door handle. He looked positively stunned and guilty. He swallowed hard then threw on a quirky attitude that was fooling no one. "I went for another walk in the forest. Had to clear my head after training."
Astrid narrowed her eyes. "Should I be jealous of the forest? It seems you two have been spending way too much time together."
Hiccup took her hand and rested it over his heart. "My heart only belongs to you, milady."
Astrid huffed then gritted her teeth, trying to ignore the little tingle in her chest. She was supposed to be mad at him! For what happened in training and slacking on his duties! He'd fallen back into his irresponsible behavior ever since the dragon raid. His unexpected fascination with Night Furies was becoming a distraction.
But somehow, he'd softened her like butter sitting on a windowsill.
Astrid glared for an extended moment, causing Hiccup's cheesy smile to droop. His hand was still atop hers over his heart, and she twisted her wrist to grab his.
"Come on."
"Where're we going?" nervousness tinged his voice as she dragged him out the door.
"To eat," she replied, moving to grip his hand instead. "Gobber and the rest of the gang are eating around a fire atop the lookout pillar. We're joining them."
It was hard enough being in training with the other teens. "I really don't—"
Astrid gave his arm a quick tug. "Oh, you are."
She heard him groan. There was no escaping this time. After the last few days of screw ups, she was through treating him gently (as gentle as she could manage) as she had been the first few weeks of marriage.
They trekked along in silence for a couple minutes, their footfalls the only sound. Darkness had fallen over Berk and most individuals were either at home or in the Great Hall. She felt Hiccup finally relax in her grip. She focused on his hand in hers. They'd never held hands this long, and it was another little intimate gesture that Astrid could learn to enjoy.
"Y'know," she cut through the quiet of the evening, her recent contemplations manifesting into words, "I bet you and Fishlegs would get along. You're both huge geeks, and Fishlegs knows a hel of a lot about dragons."
"I don't know." The hefty boy was usually projecting the stink eye at Hiccup. "He seems to look down on me."
Astrid glanced over her shoulder, flashing a grin that was caught in the passing torch light. "That's because he's taller than you."
Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Har har, Astrid."
Astrid laugh rang out as she playfully gave his arm another yank. "But really, I think you two would make good friends."
"Maybe—" Hiccup mumbled, unconvinced.
They arrived at the lookout tower, firelight glowing bright from the top. Astrid inwardly lamented releasing Hiccup's hand as they began to climb the stairs. The haughty voice of Snotlout then Gobber's knowledgeable lilt filled the night air. Already a rollicking conversation was in full swing.
"You two made it!" Gobber smiled as they approached the deck. His wrath must have been dissolved – at least, until morning – by a few drinks already in his gullet. "Grab a stick and your choice of meat." He waved at the two buckets of raw chicken and fish.
Astrid glanced at Hiccup, noticing his posture was less than confident. His head hung and an arm was secured across his torso as if to shield himself. In training, he seemed fine around the other teens. There was (loose) structure in training and he wasn't put on the spot to socialize with the others. In this situation though, there was more chance of interacting.
She promised him she'd take care of him in situations like this, so Astrid reached for his hand once more. Hiccup snapped up his gaze to meet her encouraging smile that she hoped to show him that they were in this together.
Astrid chose the chicken while Hiccup chose a fish. They skewered their meats on the sticks provided and sat down on the bench near the stairs.
It was a perfect night. A full moon illuminated the sea, the gentle churn of the water rippling its light. The fire's heat was just right, driving away the night's chill. The conversation was…lively to say the least. Fishlegs brought up an outrageous thought about if a you could still control your hand after a dragon swallows it. Snotlout, in all his thick-witted glory, proclaimed he'd chop off the legs of any dragon he found…with his face. Yep, he said that.
Astrid shook her head. No wonder why this group was doing so poorly in dragon training. She looked at Hiccup as he listlessly picked at his fish. She softly bumped his shoulder with hers grabbing his attention to exchange small smiles.
"It's the tails and wings you want," Gobber corrected, ripping off a wing from the whole chicken carcass he planned to eat. "A downed dragon is a dead dragon."
A rustle beside her drew Astrid's attention. Hiccup had gotten to his feet and was setting his half-eaten fish dinner down. "Where're you going?"
Hiccup gestured for her to join him on the stairs so he wouldn't have to raise his voice over the boisterous conversation taking place. "I just thought of something I really need to get done at the forge."
"Do you want some company?"
He shook his head. "Nah, I'll probably work late. You stay here and enjoy the nice evening and," he glanced around her, "fascinating conversation."
"Okay." Astrid couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that she couldn't join him, "I'll see at home."
Hiccup leaned up to press a kiss to her cheek. Astrid fingertips touched where his lips had just been, shook by how much a simple kiss on the cheek could affect her. She watched him disappear down the spiraling stairs then made her way back to the circle.
She felt someone's gaze on her and looked over to find Ruffnut nodding her head and gawking. The other girl waggled her eyebrows suggestively. All Astrid could do was roll her eyes and go back to roasting her chicken leg, tucking away one more weird behavior from her husband in the past few days.
She'd fallen asleep with her arm draped over his pillow waiting for him to come home. Hiccup was burning the midnight oil at the forge. How Hiccup could live off a few hours of sleep was a mystery to her.
After weeks and weeks of awaking to his charcoal pencil scratching over parchment, she was in tune to listening for him. She was roused from slumber at a noise of metal thudding on wood. Astrid opened her eyes, blinking away the blur of sleep.
Hiccup had set his lantern down on his desk, his back to her. He pulled off his tunic, exposing his skinny form. Astrid watched entranced by finally catching a glimpse of the skin underneath his usually fully covered body.
She'd become comfortable removing her clothing in front of him. Though Hiccup had not seen her front half completely nude, he'd seen her bare back multiple times. During those times, she could sense his gaze upon her. It was a bit unsettling at first with a boy catching a glimpse of a state that only her mother had seen in recent years. But now that she was used to it, his gaze sent lovely little shivers along her skin without even a single touch.
She continued to watch, the fur blanket tucked under her chin, as Hiccup covered himself with his white nightshirt and removed his tights. He turned and gave a comical double take at finding her staring at him.
"Were in waiting for me?" he asked in a whisper as if speaking any louder would be wrong.
"I tried, but dozed off."
A warm ball of contentment rested in her chest as she watched him join her in bed. It was strange how the haze of sleepiness could affect your way of thinking. All Astrid wanted right there was to be close to her husband, and that same sleepy haze gave her fortitude to be forward about it.
She sidled over to Hiccup, lifted his arm, and cuddled up against his side with her head resting on his chest. She barely noticed the hesitancy of his arm wrapping around her as she snuggled her head to find the most comfortable place on his bony chest. She finally settled on his right breast.
A comfortable warmth radiated from him that seeped into Astrid's skin. His palm idly rubbed across her back. This was what she had been craving.
"I'm happy your home," she murmured into his nightshirt.
She vaguely registered his cheek pressing gently onto the crown of her head. "Me too."