Chapter 30: In which Hiccup and Astrid complete each other

Her breathing was even now.

Astrid had fallen asleep against his side, her head resting upon his slender chest. Hiccup hadn't loosened his hold on her. He couldn't, not after almost losing her.

His heart had plummeted to the bottom of his stomach when he realized Astrid had fallen from the saddle. There was little comfort when he looked back to find she'd landed on a ledge. The red dragon had instantly sensed her presence there.

"We gotta go back, bud!"

Toothless didn't hesitate firing at the red dragon. He aimed for its most vulnerable part – the eyes (and Night Furies never miss) - and the dragon retreated, furious and snarling. The short window gave them enough time to rescue Astrid.

There was a lot to be said and discussed. A plan to formulate. A village and a whole fleet of dragons to protect. But now was not the time.

Hiccup had noticed Astrid's behavior after the rescue. She was clearly shaken and upset, but when she collapsed in his arms sobbing uncontrollably, it was then that Hiccup realized how deeply it had affected her. Astrid was a pillar of strength, and to see her in such a state of distress had jarred him.

A new commitment welled up inside him. A fierce need to protect that he'd never experience before.

Hiccup was always the one in need of protection. He was the talking fishbone that could barely lift a weapon. He never had to worry about anyone but himself, really. But now? There was more at stake than just his puny wellbeing.

Hiccup squeezed Astrid's sleeping form a little closer against him, planting a tender kiss to her golden crown. He kept his lips pressed in her hair and whispered the three words he wished to utter aloud, "I love you."

As if his confession stirred her from slumber, Astrid shifted in his arms. Her hair brushed his jawline as she lifted her head to sleepily look at him. Hiccup waited with bated breath. Had she heard his confession? Would she return the endearment? The first signs of daylight were peeking on the horizon, and the lamp continued to burn low on the bedside table. She blinked her eyes, still puffy from the breakdown she'd had not even a couple hours before.

Astrid cupped his cheek, her fingertips brushing softly on his skin. Hiccup nuzzled into her palm. He'd never had the chance to feel a loving touch before. He never knew his mother and his father only held him as a young boy. He'd longed for something his skin had never experienced. But now, he could have it and he closed his eyes to savor the caress of Astrid's hand upon his cheek.

He was pleasantly surprised with a soft kiss that he returned in sweet pecks. They continued to plant little kisses on each other's lips as Astrid pull him with her to sit up on the bed. They'd both gotten better at kissing, having lots of practice as of late. Hiccup was thankful they'd gotten passed the awkward dance of shyness of expressing their affections.

With hand upon the back of his neck, Astrid drew him into a deeper kiss. A kiss that told of unspoken need. A kiss that told of unspoken of love. Astrid broke away, though only mere inches from Hiccup's face. Their heavy breathes warmed each other's faces. He longed to capture her lips with his once more, to pour out the love that were overflowing inside of him.

Then Astrid spoke the words that made his heart soar, "I want to be your wife in every way."

He searched her face, the reassurance of her gaze leading him on. This was what he'd longed for. "I want to be your husband in every way."

Rap. Rap.

Hiccup's face scrunched at the loud noise banging in his head.

Rap. Rap. Rap.

He groaned at the noise banging faster. He rolled over to hide under his pillow, or at least he would have if he wouldn't have been held down. He blinked away the blur in his vision to find an arm strapped over his chest. The golden crown of his wife was cushioned against his shoulder, and her leg was thrown over his. She was cuddled up to him like he was an oversized stuffed toy.

"Hiccup? Astrid?" the all-too familiar heavy lilt of Gobber called from outside.

Why was Gobber at their front door? Hiccup peered out the window, eyes widening in realization. It had to at least be lunchtime!

"Astrid!" he hissed, taping her arm splayed over his chest. She'd never slept this deeply before, and Hiccup wondered why she was so tired-

Oh.

The thoughts of their union just a couple hours ago suddenly slammed into his memory like a magnificent, engulfing wave. The innocent exploration of each other's bodies. The awkward positioning as they figured out how to fit together. The satisfying pants on one another's faces at the height of pleasure that hit all too soon. The odd thought that, yes, there was blood afterwards mingled in just as Astrid had said on their wedding night. Heat flushed on his face when Hiccup remembered they didn't bother redressing and were sleeping against each other in their birthday suits.

Astrid rolled off him, eyes slit open just enough to see him. "Huh?"

Hiccup jumped out of bed. "Gobber is here looking for us. I think it's lunchtime already!" Glancing down at himself, he flushed at his bare skinny body. No time to linger on the fact that he was completely nude in the middle of the day in front of his wife. He fumbled with his shirt that had been strewn on the floor, shivering at the chill of it on his warm skin. Not bothering to put on undershorts, he tugged on pants, nearly falling over in the process. He dashed down the stairs to the bottom floor, dodging furniture on the way to the front door.

Hiccup yanked open the door, revealing Gobber with hook hand half raised to knock. "Hey, Gobber," he greeted, slightly winded. Hiccup tried to look casual as he leaned against the door, planting the other hand on his hip and giving a toothy smile that wasn't fooling a yak.

"Hiccup, you and Astrid missed dragon training this morning. I was wondering if one of those beasts had eaten you two for breakfast."

Hiccup focused a chuckle, trying to hold up his pants that he carelessly tied on while stumbling down the stairs. "No. Me and Astrid had a long night." He feigned an exaggerated yawn. "We uh… just overslept."

Gobber narrowed his beady eyes suspiciously then the older man's bushy eyebrows lifted into his forehead. His mustache spread into a wide smile. "Oh, I see." He leaned in close as if there were people around that might hear. There was actually no one nearby. "Did you two finally decide to take your honeymonth?"

If this was anyone besides Gobber, Hiccup would have been terrified of the consequences. But even so, he went stock still.

Gobber chuckled lightly. "Oh, don't worry, Hiccup. Your secret is safe with me. It's okay that it didn't happen right away. You two are young and still discovering your bodies. Ye just needed to get some practice in before the big event."

Hiccup raked twitchy fingers through his hair that was most likely disheveled more than usual. As much as he wanted to sink into a hole talking about the private matter, he was thankful it was Gobber as the listening ear. Gobber was probably the only one in the entire village who'd take an understanding to their decision to wait. "Yeah, I guess we did."

Gobber straightened as he stood back. "You two kids take all the time ye need. I'll see ye back at work when you're ready." He winked before lumbering off in the direction of the forge.

Hiccup stood there in the doorway wondering if that conversation actually just happened. They'd been a bit of controversy about him and Astrid not taking their honeymonth (but when was anything involving Hiccup not met with controversy). It was never addressed to them face to face, but Hiccup overheard hushed tones around the corners of buildings and passing conversation in the Great Hall. Why was the Chief's son not spending the time with his new bride? But their consummation had been confirmed (though a little deceitfully), and they'd had permission from the Chief to continue their duties only because of the fast approaching winter months and the need to train the newest warriors for Berk's defense against dragon raids.

Shaking himself out of his bewildering contemplation, Hiccup shut the door.

"Did Gobber give you an earful?"

Hiccup spun around to find Astrid at the top of the stairs. Dressed in a red tunic. His red tunic. With pale, bare legs extending from the hem. He stared, awestruck, mouth slightly gaping. He'd never seen her in red, but he knew instantly he wanted to see her in that color more often.

Hiccup swallowed. "He let us off the hook." He gravitated toward Astrid descending the stairs like she was a magnet pulling him in. As if just the sheer act of kissing her wasn't enough to make him think he was living in an amazing dream, his mind shifted once again to their marriage bed. How his lips yearned to kiss the column of her neck and beyond. "Somehow he figured out we hadn't yet…y'know—" Hiccup laced his fingers together.

Astrid laughed softly. "If you wouldn't have acted so obvious whenever he brought it up."

"How am I supposed to act when talking about…that?" Most Viking men talked quite bluntly and with no shame about the makings of their marriage bed. If Hiccup was supposed to start talking that openly about his and Astrid's privacy, then he'd rather stay in his perpetual awkward state.

Astrid sighed with a little grunt and met him in the middle of the room. "I don't know." Her hand found his shoulder while her other lingered on his chest, teasing the skin between his loosened shirt ties. "I'm happy we became husband and wife completely."

Hiccup felt the breath in his lungs shudder in delight. His hands found her hips. Astrid snaked arms around his neck as he drew her closer. "Me too." He couldn't help the soft smile that crossed his lips. "Gobber excused us from our duties."

Astrid grinned, twirling a lock of his hair around her finger. "That means we can—"

"Go fly Toothless farther again-Ow!" Hiccup retreated into a defensive position when Astrid's fist smacked his shoulder. "What was that for!?"

Astrid crossed arms over her chest. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm competing with a dragon for your affection." Her mouth was an unamused straight line, but her eyes still held a twinkle.

"Toothless can't give me this," he replied in a deep suave tone. He pulled her by the biceps, planting a gentle peck on her lips. He shrugged a shoulder, looking thoughtful. "I mean, he could but it'd be way slobberier."

Astrid's grin was back. "I can hit you again, if you'd like?"

They dissolved into laughter until the moment had passed.

"What're we going to do about the dragon's nest?" The question sobered the mood and laid a heavy blanket of burden around them.

Hiccup frowned. "I don't know. Not yet, at least." The fear that clinched his heart when the massive dragon emerged from the pit returned, but that was nothing compared to losing Astrid off the back of Toothless. He could still feel the sensation of her sobbing in his arms and the fierce need to protect her that had awoken inside him.

Caressing her cheek, he vowed to her with all that was inside him, "I promise, I'll protect you."

Astrid search his eyes then shook her head, determined and strong as the Astrid he knew. "No, Hiccup. We protect each other."

They held each other there in the middle of the living room, the promise bonding them together. Hiccup never knew he could feel this intensely for anything, but as they stayed there, he knew without a shadow of doubt that he'd formulate a plan to protect Berk and the dragons and Toothless. But most of all, the girl that he loved.

Notes:

It finally happened! I'd gone back and forth ever since I started this fic with whether I'd have them consummate the marriage during this fic. As the story progressed, it felt like it should happen. I'm happy with how the story is playing out and there's so many more big things that are about to happen!

Thank you to everyone who is keeping up with this story! Please stay safe out there in this time of uncertainty! 3