The Thing
Hiccup and Astrid sat in silence at the latter's kitchen table while her parents argued and debated in hushed tones and whispers above their heads. Hiccup's request to be allowed to court their daughter warranted a serious discussion.
The pair sat across from each other, smiling nervously whilst straining to hear the discussion going on upstairs. Both hoped it was going in favor of allowing their courtship. It was important that her parents give their blessing. Though both were very defiant and stubborn they didn't want to outright defy her parents' wishes.
"So…" Hiccup started as a hand came up to rub at the back of his neck. "How do you think it's going?" he asked with a weak laugh as he pointed a finger upward.
"Hard to say," Astrid answered back with a shrug. She looked down bashfully, fidgeting with her hands in her lap. "I gotta say I'm surprised you proposed this whole courtship thing," she said quietly.
"Why's that?" Hiccup asked curiously.
"I mean at the Great Hall, when your dad suggested a marriage," she reminded him. "It's just...you seemed so against it."
"OH GODS NO!" Hiccup cried in horror. Astrid's head snapped up and she looked directly at him with widened eyes, surprised by his reaction. Hiccup cringed, embarrassed by his own response before collecting himself.
"I mean that I didn't want it to happen...like...that," he struggled to explain.
"What do you mean?"
Hiccup sighed and rubbed at his eyes, struggling to find the right words. "I mean that I didn't want to win you like a prize," he finally got out. "Like I didn't want you to have to marry me just because I beat Ulrik."
Astrid blinked as she began to comprehend his reasoning. "Oh."
"Yeah, like...I've really enjoyed all this time we've spent together since I got back. But we still don't know a lot about each other. I mean we weren't exactly friends before," he paused and gestured around vaguely ",you know...the dragons and stuff."
"Well...yeah. That's true," Astrid conceded.
"And well, if something were to happen between us-if you felt something for me that was more than just friendship and if I felt the same and if we both agree that the time is right and everything between us is good and you can actually tolerate being with me-" he said all in one breath while Astrid watched on intently.
He paused as his cheeks began to redden. He glanced away and raised a hand up. He began scratching his cheek nervously. "Then maybe we can actually...well...you know," he trailed off.
Astrid was blushing along with him as she smiled sweetly at him. She actually found his nervousness cute. It made her nostalgic for the old days when they were younger and he would struggle to talk to her. She liked seeing a bit of vulnerability from him. It was something she hadn't witnessed since he'd been back.
"Ok," Astrid said in agreement.
Hiccup flinched before looking back to her. "Yeah?" he asked carefully.
"Yes," she reiterated.
Hiccup let out a breath in relief that Astrid was in agreement. He'd been hoping he wasn't making a fool out of himself with his explanation. But it seemed he'd gotten his point across, even if it hadn't been so eloquent.
"Say 'if' again," Astrid teased to ease the tension some more.
"Oh Gods," Hiccup said in exasperation. Astrid giggled in good fun while he managed a few chuckles. Then they both stopped. They stared at each other, glad to have cleared the air.
"Astrid, I really l-" Hiccup started. Astrid tensed and felt her heat leap into her throat as he heard him start to form the 'l'.
But before he could finish they heard a door open upstairs, followed by a pair of heavy footsteps and the creaking of wood. The pair straightened up and Astrid obediently stood up to face her parents. She moved to the side as they came to sit across from Hiccup.
Hiccup sat up straight and steeled his nerves, preparing himself for whatever was to come.
Astrid's father scowled at him, lowering his spirits ever so slightly while his wife was more neutral.
"Well Hiccup," Astrid's mother began. "We were both quite surprised by your sudden proposal to court our dear Astrid," she expressed.
"Yes," Hiccup acknowledged. "And I apologize for the rather impromptu discussion," he added respectfully.
"Yes. But of course Hiccup, as we know you are aware, courtship and marriage, especially for a woman, is meant to secure her future. Ideally it's the duty of her parents to find her a man with the means to provide and care for her."
Astrid clenched a fist, resisting the urge to shout about how she didn't need a man to coddle and take care of her like some helpless damsel. But this was an adult discussion, and shouting like a child wasn't going to help her or Hiccup's case.
"Of course ma'am. I am aware," Hiccup said with a nod. Hiccup wasn't in a strong position at the moment. If he was still heir and had his father's backing they'd probably be falling over themselves to draw up a marriage contract and start the courtship. But as it stood he had no possessions besides his swords and armor and a meager job at Gobber's forge.
"But," her mother continued. "Given all that you've done for this village, and having saved Astrid's father all those years ago during the battle with the Red Death and ending our war...we've decided-"
"Begrudgingly! Very begrudgingly!" Astrid's father interjected grumpily.
"We've decided to allow your courtship with our daughter," she finished. She gave her husband a disapproving look. He grumbled and looked to the side, refusing to meet her gaze.
Hiccup's eyes were wide in surprise. He could scarcely believe they'd given their blessing to him.
"That's great. Thank you!" he said happily. He looked to Astrid and saw the relief and glee written on her face. They smiled at each other, a faint blush on either of their faces.
Hiccup stood from his seat and gave her parents a bow in gratitude. He held it for a few short breaths, a learned tradition from Japan. Then he stood up and her parents rose.
"It's rather late now I'm afraid," her mother pointed out.
"Oh yes, of course," Hiccup said, taking the suggestion to excuse himself from their home. "I'll take my leave. And thank you both, again," he said quickly as he made for the door.
He reached out and grabbed the door handle and paused. He looked back to Astrid with a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, Astrid," he said warmly and with a wide smile.
"Yeah. Tomorrow," Astrid confirmed, hands behind her back and smiling coyly. She was already looking forward to it.
After a few moments of holding each other's gaze Hiccup opened the door and left the home. The Hoffersons kept their gaze on the door silently before Astrid interrupted it with a cry of gratitude.
"Oh thank you Mom and Dad!" she said as she threw her arms around them and squeezed.
"Of course dear," her mother said sweetly as she returned the hug.
Astrid's father however grumbled something the women didn't hear. Astrd didn't care to ask him to repeat himself either. She pulled away and smiled at them both before going upstairs and to her room.
Astrid had a smile plastered on her face during her whole nighttime routine. She was giddy and filled with excitement and energy. She wasn't even sure she'd be able to fall asleep.
But after changing into her nightdress she settled into bed and pulled the blankets up to her chin. She stared at the ceiling, a smile still glued to her face before she forced her eyes closed and willed sleep to come.
The next day Hiccup awoke with a smile and a bounce in his step. He felt light as a feather, like he could walk on air. His dragon watched him curiously, noting his exuberant demeanor. He cocked his head to the side and watched as Hiccup prepared for the day.
Hiccup threw open the window and was greeted by the cold breeze of the early morning. He breathed in the air and watched as the sun began to rise. He looked to his companion with a grin, "Let's get in some training bud. Then we can see if Astrid and Stormfly want to get in a ride with us," he proposed.
The dragon hopped up, trilling with excitement at the mention of the Nadder and flying. Hiccup laughed, eager to see Astrid but patient enough to wait till after some sword practice. He and the dragon made their way downstairs and were about to rush out the front door when he was halted.
"Ah, Hiccup. You're up early, good," came the voice of Stoick. Hiccup turned to find Stoick at their kitchen table.
"Morning Dad," Hiccup greeted.
"Morning Hiccup," Stoick said back before continuing. "I have news son."
"Oh?" Hiccup asked, intrigued.
"Aye," Stoick said with a nod. He raised a hand to reveal a letter. "A messenger arrived late in the morning. The other tribes have convened a meeting of the chiefs. They want to gather and discuss the Vandal situation," he explained, face serious.
"Hmm. So they're calling The Thing? I can see why that would be important," Hiccup said thoughtfully. "How soon do you leave?"
"As soon as we're ready. An hour and a half at most," Stoick answered.
"Alright. Well, safe travels Dad. See you when you get back," Hiccup said before turning back to the door and reaching a hand out.
"Actually!" Stoick chimed in before his fingers could graze the knob. Hiccup looked back to his father. "I was thinking you should join me, Hiccup."
Hiccup arched a brow in question. "Why?"
"The other chieftains are bringing their heirs as well," Stoick revealed.
"Ok, and why would I go? I'm not exactly your heir anymore dad," Hiccup reminded him. He knew the meeting of chieftains would generally only include a small contingent of the chief's men and maybe their heirs.
Stoick was disappointed in Hiccup's reaction. He'd hoped he'd jump at the chance to join him on such an important trip, as a sign he was near to rejoining the tribe as his son and next in line. But it seemed Hiccup was still not interested in reclaiming his former status in the tribe.
Stoick was left reaching for a reason Hiccup should come. He didn't want to push too hard and he couldn't command him to come.
But Stoick wasn't chief of Berk just because he was strong. He was just as clever, one had to be to ensure his people's problems weren't all solved with violence.
"You've had a few encounters with the Vandals. I believe you have valuable insight to offer," Stoick answered.
The men stared at each other as Hiccup mulled it over. It'd been a long time since Hiccup joined his father on a tourney to meet with the other chieftains. He didn't particularly want to go, the experiences hadn't exactly been fun. But, given the threat the Vandals posed, he wanted to see if the chiefs had something in mind to deal with them.
He sighed and relented. "Alright Dad. I'll come."
Stoick gave a smile and nodded. "That's good to hear son," he said before walking over. He stopped before Hiccup and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm glad you'll be joining me. You best start preparing."
"Right," Hiccup said with a nod.
"Oh...and there's one more thing," Stoick added.
Hiccup arched a brow.
Sometime later Hiccup was at Astrid's door. His smile was gone, despite his excitement at seeing her. He'd been looking forward to spending the day with her, deepening their relationship. But this meeting of the tribes was important, and he felt obligated to attend with his father. He was pretty sure she'd understand. Her sense of responsibility and duty was stronger than anyone's.
He knocked on the door and waited. He heard movement and footsteps from the other side. A moment later the door opened, and he was met with the sight of the beautiful shield maiden, who graced him with a beaming smile.
"Morning Hiccup," she said chipperly, delighted to see him. Hiccup internally groaned. She looked amazing today, as always. Her face looked like it's been washed, and her hair gleamed like gold, having run a brush through it countless times.
"H-hey Astrid," he greeted.
Astrid cocked her head, noting his greeting seemed lacking in enthusiasm. "Is everything ok Hiccup?"
He sighed. "My dad received a letter early this morning."
She blinked as she stepped out of her house and shut the door behind her. "Is it bad?" asked, tone serious and ready to jump into action.
"Well...it's not exactly bad...just not ideal," he started. He gave her a quick recap of his discussion with his father.
"So the other tribes are starting to take the Vandals as a serious threat," Astrid said thoughtfully. The kidnapping of a chief's daughter must have been the last straw.
"Seems like. They want to meet and discuss, and my dad wants me to go with him," he revealed.
"When do you leave?"
"Soon. Probably like an hour now."
Astrid blinked. Her spirits sank briefly, disappointing at the notion of Hiccup leaving and thus preventing them from spending time together. Especially since they were supposed to be officially in a courtship. But as she thought about it she found a silver lining.
Hiccup watched as her lips turned upward into a smile. Her eyes twinkled excitedly. "That's good," she said enthusiastically.
"You think so?"
"Of course. You're the chief's son. You should be with him," she insisted. Truth be told, Astrid hoped their courtship and budding relationship would serve as the catalyst to Hiccup rejoining the tribe. She could only see good things by Hiccup going and taking more responsibility for the welfare of Berk.
"Yeah I guess," Hiccup said, very blasé about the entire thing. "Anyway, I came here to ask a favor?"
Sometime later Hiccup stood with his arms crossed as he watched his dragon finish his last lap above the village. He watched closely as the black form of his partner descended. A few moments later and with one final flap of his wings Toothless landed before him, with Astrid on his back.
"What do you think?" Hiccup asked.
"It feels a bit weird," Astrid commented as she glanced down at her left foot that was in the pedal mechanism that controlled Toothless' artificial tailfin. "I don't have to do all this stuff when I fly with Stormfly. But I think I've got it," she said with a confident nod.
"Good to hear," Hiccup said in satisfaction. "I really appreciate this Astrid," he added in gratitude.
Astrid dismounted the Night Fury and gave him a pat. "I appreciate you trusting me with this."
"Well, it was really between you and Fishlegs. No way I'm letting Snotlout, much less either of the twins ride a Night Fury. But Toothless likes a bit of excitement when he flies and Fishlegs doesn't strike me as daredevil."
Astrid chuckled. "Probably not."
"It's probably good for at least one of you to know how the tailfin works anyway." Hiccup looked up to check the position of the sun. "Let's head to the docks."
Astrid nodded and they fell into step. "Sucks you can't take Toothless with you."
"I know, but dad says the other tribes are still iffy about dragons. I'd rather not take the chance that some Viking wants the glory of being the first to kill a Night Fury."
"Makes sense," Astrid agreed.
They stopped when they reached the edge of the docks. Hiccup looked down to the water to see His father and a crew making preparations to sail. "Looks like they're just about ready," Hiccup noticed.
"Guess this is it then," Astrid said a little glumly.
"Yeah. I'll be back in a few days though," he reminded her. Then he looked at his partner. He kneeled down and put a hand under his chin while his other scratched his head. "I gotta go, bud," he said to his partner.
Toothless made a sad coo and his eyes grew big.
"I know bud. I'll miss you too and I wish you could come with me, but it's not safe for you," he insisted. Toothless gave a growl to show he wasn't afraid. "I know you could probably take any Viking. But let's not tempt fate," he countered.
The pair looked into each other's eyes. They'd scarcely spent any significant amount of time away from each other since their journey to Japan and their return to Berk. They both felt sadness, as if each was going to be missing an important piece of themselves during their separation.
"I'll come back in one piece, bud. Promise," Hiccup assured. The dragon gave a disappointing snort before nodding in understanding. He pressed his head against his snout and closed his eyes. Toothless did the same as they shared a special moment.
Then they opened their eyes and Hiccup stood up. "Well then, I'm off," he said in goodbye to his companions.
"See you in a few days. And I'll take good care of Toothless. Promise," Astrid said, a small but sad smile on her lips.
He nodded and gave her a smile back before turning and making his way down the dock stairs and to the waiting ship.
"Hiccup! There ya are son! We're about to depart!" his father called from aboard the ship.
"Just taking care of some things dad," Hiccup called back. He was about to step foot on the boarding ramp when a shout caught his attention.
"Hiccup!" came Astrid's voice. He stopped and looked back where he'd come to find her jogging toward him.
"Astrid, something wrong?" Hiccup asked in concern as she reached him.
"You forgot something," she answered.
Hiccup looked at her in confusion as he did a quick mental check. All his things were loaded on the ship, save for his swords at his belt. With nothing amiss coming to mind he asked, "I did?"
"Yes," Astrid said as she stepped a bit closer. Before he could react, she reached up and grabbed him by the front of his shirt and gave a gentle tug while leaning in. Hiccup froze and his eyes widened as she planted a kiss on the corner of his mouth.
She pulled away as Hiccup stared in shock. She blushed with a shy smile and brushed some hair out of her face. "Didn't want you leaving without that," she said softly.
"Oh-uh-yeah. Did-didn't want to leave without that," he stammered out. But his face broke into a crooked grin as he flushed slightly.
She grinned back. Then she threw her fist forward and gave him a light punch on the arm. "You better come back," she threatened teasingly.
"I definitely will," Hiccup assured her with a vigorous nod.
"Good," Astrid whispered just loud enough for him to hear.
There came a few whistles and hoots from the crewmen. The couple blushed more furiously and Astrid bit her bottom lip shyly.
"By Hiccup," she said quickly before turning and jogging away.
She dashed up the steps while Hiccup watched her rejoin Toothless. Then he stepped aboard the ship. With him on board Stoick gave the order to raise anchor and sail. The crew did as told as they set sail. Hiccup kept his eyes on Astrid, standing at the back of the ship and watching as she became a blob of red before she and the island faded away.
He still kept his gaze toward Berk when a hand fell onto his shoulder. Hiccup snapped from his trance and looked up to meet the eyes of his father.
"Attaboy Hiccup!" he said in pride. "So when's the wedding?"
Hiccup flinched and was about to speak when the big man burst out laughing. "I'm just joking with you son," he revealed teasingly. He gave a hearty laugh and gave his shoulder a squeeze and a pat before releasing him and turning his attention to the ship and crew.
After two days of sailing the crew came to the isle of the Shivering Shores. It was an island many of the tribes used as a meeting place for the various chieftains to gather and discuss. It was home to a neutral tribe to whom the others paid a small tribute to use their shores as a meeting place.
They docked their ship and disembarked. Stoickmet with their host, paying tribute with a gift before being welcomed and told the other chieftains had arrived and were already gathered at the great hall. Stoick nodded in understanding before turning to Hiccup.
"I'm going to meet with the other chieftains now, Hiccup," he told his son.
"Got it," Hiccup said with a nod.
"Don't wander off too far. I'll call you when I feel there's something for you to contribute."
"Right."
With a final nod Stoick turned and followed the chief to their Great Hall. Hiccup watched his father go before looking around for something to kill time. The island was cold and covered in trees and blanket of snow, being further north than most islands and subject to snowfall almost all year round.
He walked around the village, thankful for the numerous fire pits used to keep the village and people relatively warm. Individuals from other tribes were walking around, making small talk or trading various items and goods amongst themselves.
Hiccup was paid little attention, being given a cursory glance or nod of acknowledgment as he walked the village. As he was looking around he suddenly stopped as he noted two familiar individuals. Standing near a fire pit were two of his fellow, rather former fellow, heirs.
One was a tall, burly man with shaggy black hair. On his muscular right arm was a tattoo of a serpentine dragon wrapped around his bicep. He wore a grey tunic with leather wrist cuffs and dark brown pants with furred boots. Like most Vikings he wore a helmet on his head with horns that jutted straight on either side. His left ear was pierced with a simple silver hoop earring.
He was Thuggory, son of Mogadon and future chief of the Meathead tribe. He'd always been the biggest and strongest of all the heirs, and it seemed he'd only gotten bigger and stronger over the years. He was just shorter than all but the biggest of Vikings.
He stood with his arms crossed and his face passive as he spoke with another future chieftain.
Standing next to him with a dagger in hand was the heiress of the Bog-Burglar Tribe. She was Camicazi, daughter of Big-Boobied Bertha. She was a young woman who looked to be of equal height with Astrid, or perhaps an inch shorter. She had a mane of wild blonde hair with various braids woven in.
She wore a red shirt under a dark brown furred vest. She wore dark leather arm guards and dark brown pants with tanned boots. Around her neck she wore a necklace of emeralds and at her wrists an assortment of gold and jeweled bangles. Her various jewelry her spoils and a personal display of her prowess as a thief.
She waved her dagger around in Thuggory's face as she spoke to him, likely a subtle attempt to intimidate and unnerve him. To which Thuggory responded with a show of indifference, to show he wasn't perturbed in the slightest of a weapon being poised in his face.
Hiccup stared at his old...well "friends" wasn't quite the word he'd use to describe his relationship to the two heirs. They'd never quite mocked him like other Vikings had. They'd actually seemed to find his oddities and quirks to be amusing, but not in a pitying or scornful way. They'd actually been somewhat kind to him. Which more or less equated to them not hitting him as hard as they possibly could when they had their mock battles as children.
Curious as to how they'd been, Hiccup took a breath and let it out as she psyched himself up. He turned and walked calmly toward them. When he was within a few feet they both turned their attention toward him.
Hiccup offered a smile and stopped in front of them. "Thuggory. Camicazi," Hiccup said to each of them in turn. "It's good to see you both again," he greeted.
Thuggory only stared at him, brow arched in scrutiny. Camicazi was silent, dagger still in hand, eyes narrowed, and her face echoing her fellow heir's suspicion.
It was silent for a few moments and Hiccup was starting to feel awkward when Thuggory turned to him, arms still crossed and asked gruffly, "Who the Hel are you?"