Oookay, so this did NOT turn out as expected, and by 'as expected' I mean, I thought this whole thing was gonna be a lot shorter. But apparently I can't DO short with Hiccstrid, so here we are, chapter 10 part ONE of two (or three? Three at most)! In this chapter we have like 1/3 hella good tropes and also some fish?

Here are some replies to my Groovy Guests!

25/01: Haha, I'm afraid there are multiple more of these in this one, sorry! ;^)

ToothlessisiMine: Oh my god. I am SCREAMING at your review, I'm so happy you like it! And as someone who ALSO doesn't read a lot of unfished stories, this means even more to me, so thank you. And YES my friend, you did interpret it correctly ;^) Also, I'm really glad you enjoy the characters, I will DEFINITELY continue this, I'm too hooked on this, haha.

26/01: Hah, well, it's like ... slow burn as heck but I also kinda don't want it to be but now I got myself into this mess, so now I'm gonna do this RIGHT! :^)

The hug-guest, 26/01: Honestly, that's a legit feeling I always wanted to go for sooo heck yes! *hugs!*

The crying-guest 26/01: Aaah no I'M crying at your kind words! Glad you like it!

03/02: Aaw, thank you so much! Happy you're enjoying this :D

Now, onto the chapter!

Chapter 10, Part 1 - In The Eye Of The Storm

Toothless could not understand. There were, of course, a couple of things he was not able to grasp - advanced mathematics, for example, or why all-you-can-eat feeding stations were not an established thing yet.

Right now, however, it was beyond him how his nervous, asthmatic fire-battling human could be this daft. He was currently pacing around the flat, his clicks and thumps disturbing Toothless' peaceful slumber. That is, it had been peaceful since about twenty minutes ago.

Apparently Hiccup had thought it was a good idea to get up at nine a.m. after a night shift to rattle around and start cleaning the flat.

"Toothless! C'mon, bud, I have breakfast ready!"

Toothless yawned and stretched, getting up from his nook on the bed and trotted into the kitchen where his human was waiting for him, a big grin on his face as he crouched down to scratch his ears.

"Hey, bud. You slept well?"

I did until you woke me up.

"Sorry I forgot yesterday night, I really am. Lucky us Astrid came to the rescue, huh?"

I could have starved if it hadn't been for her, Toothless meowed indignantly and flicked his tail.

Still, he had been happy to see Astrid. He liked her. She was gentle and had given him an extra snack and cuddled him and smelled nice. And she made Hiccup happy.

So why, Toothless wondered, didn't she stay here all the time so she could feed and pet him and make his human grin like an idiot at any given moment?

Why all the constant travelling between their respective homes?

Maybe they weren't sure they really wanted to spend so much time together? After all, it had been only him and Hiccup for quite some time now, since they had move out of his father's house. Toothless yawned again and settled on Hiccup's lap, curling into the warmth of the human's body, deciding the two humans should come to a better solution today.

"Good morning."

The woman looked up from her computer screen and smiled at the familiar auburn-haired man in front of her.

"Henry, what brings you here?"

Hiccup smiled at her. "I just wanted to stop by to ask my father something. Is he in?"

"Yes," she replied, frowning. "Henry, I … don't suppose you know what this fuss about all these cloth cases he brought in yesterday was all about?"

Hiccup bit back a groan, mumbling, "Oh, bother" under his breath before flashing her a quick smile and hurrying towards his father's office.

"Uh, I'll check that out. Thanks, Bertha."

He knocked twice, thrice. His father's cheerful voice answered.

"Come in!"

"Dad, I heard-"

Hiccup fell silent at the sight of him. Bertha had not prepared him for what he wouldactually see.

There sat his father, in-between at least three clothing bags and a small cardboard container, grinning at him.

"Ah, son, there you are!"

"Dad, what …"

"I solved your clothing problem!"

The young man threw his hands up, widldly gesticulating at the bags.

"For the next five years?"

Stoick Haddock hummed and leaned back in his chair, watching his son intently as he chuckled, "Well, I was hoping she sticks around longer than that, but, essentially, yes."

Hiccup stepped closer, his hands flying up to his hair.

"Are those … are those ties?"

"Yes, you might never know. I have prepared multiple options and combinations for you. And they do, you know," he chuckled. "tie the whole look together."

"I see," Hiccup deadpanned, his expression so helpless Stoick barked out a laugh and got up to give his son a well-meaning pat on the back.

"Come on, boy, lighten up a little! After all, you might never know," his voice dropped to a conspirational tone. "maybe she justso happens to know how to tie them and will help you."

"Wasn't that actually your job to teach me?"

His red ears gave him away, making Stoick laugh again.

"If you want, just take the shirts for now. I got you both button ups and downs, since I thought you didn't care. And I couldn't choose. Plus, Gobber wasn't really helping over the phone, he just kept telling me to leave the shop. He does seem to be about sixty percent of my self-control these days. Oh well."

"I - I'm not even sure how to respond to that, if I'm being honest here, Dad."

"Just take them?"

His son sighed but smiled at his father. "Thanks. You really saved me."

After a short pause, he added, "I'll ... choose carefully."

Stoick grinned. "That's what I wanted to hear. Now, off you go, and have fun today! By the way, talk to Gobber about your overtime."

Hiccup's voice was muffled against all the clothing and plastic in his arms.

"Thanks, Dad, I will. I'll, uh - I'll call you."

He was already out the door when he heard his father shout after him, "Remember our talk about intentions!"

Hiccup's ears were burning. From the direction of the desk in front of the office he just heard a dry, "Oh, so it was about you."

It was noon by the time Astrid had dragged herself out of her bed and into the shower. A sigh escaped her lips as the hot water drummed down on her, easing some of the tension in her neck and shoulders.

As she lathered up her hair she idly thought back to last night. The job had been the usual, sure - but everything had seemed a bit less awful after her visit at the fire department and Hiccup's flat.

The young woman smiled up at the ceiling, screwing her eyes shut. Spending time with Hiccup and Toothless for a bit had recharged her batteries for the rest of the shift. And, well, she had also felt a bit flattered that Hiccup had trusted her with his. It had been a bit weird, being in his apartment without him, but she now knew that he was a naturally tidy person - at least at home, away from his desk at the department.

For a moment she wondered what it would be like to come home to that - to him. She imagined herself turn a copy of his keys in the lock of the apartment and enter as silently as possible, placing her shoes beside his and groping her way through the darkness to their bedroom, careful not to wake him as she'd quickly strip and crawl under the covers next to him. Maybe he'd shift in his sleep and curl himself into her.

She exhaled and scrubbed her hands over her burning face as she realised how much she actually wanted this. And yet, it didn't scare her anymore. The idea of being this intimate with him suddenly did not seem that scary to her at all.

'God, I want this.'

Astrid wasn't sure wether she only felt like this simply because it was Hiccup and she just couldn't help it, or if something inside her had shifted.

She thought back to the moment he had sat down next to her on that plank bed - they'd sat way too close, and at the same time not close enough, but her breath had hitched in her throat as he'd wrapped his arm around her, timidly, and had found herself wishing he'd hold her.

Funny, almost, how this would be enough for her if he'd ask. She knew that if Hiccup would ask her, she would be satisfied with the hugs and hand-holding and kisses on the cheek. If he said this was as far as they would ever go, she'd accept.

Then again, she'd seen the way he'd look at her sometimes when he thought she wasn't paying attention. She couldn't quite describe it other than intense. She only knew that this expression was very farfrom innocent. The memory of it sent shivers down her spine despite the hot water and steam around her.

Yet, he had always held back. In the end it came down to execution. But he was so adorably shy about it all. Of course, Astrid knew that by no means she was any more experienced in these matters than he was - heck, she'd regretted every person she'd ever kissed so far. A distinct feeling told her she couldn't (and wouldn't) regret him.

She, too, had never gone as far as she wished they would go together. Which made this all the more new and confusing to find herself drawn and attracted to him in way she had never experienced before.

He was new. And confusing. And challenging. And pretty much irresistable.

She could see him grin at her even from the distance they were still at. He waved at her, his smile broadening the closer they got. Involuntarily she picked up a faster place, soon almost running, and it was stupid and silly, but she just couldn't bring herself to care, laughter spilling over her lips as he caught her by the waist as she crashed into him, using the momentum to spin her around.

"Hey there," he mumbled into her hair, grinning. "Miss me already?"

She snorted, her hands fisting themselves into the fabic of his shirt. "You're the one to talk."

Hiccup chuckled. "I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed when I found my keys in my mailbox this morning."

Astrid grinned, linking her arms behind his back, burying her smile in his chest.

"Sorry, I couldn't risk you waking the cat."

He pulled back, raising an eyebrow at her smug face for a split second before breaking out into a toothy, dopey grin, his arms still locked around her.

"You ready to go?" he asked her then, stepping out of their embrace, reminding her of their inital plan. Astrid nodded, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers.

"Yeah, let's go."

It was a quiet walk, their joined hands swinging between them, shoulders sometimes bumping. The air felt heavy in contrast to their light conversation. Hiccup was pretty sure that spending his day off with Astrid was pretty high in his top ten. Scratch that, top 3. Top anything, ever.

The market was, to neither of them a surprise, buzzing with people.

He absentmindedly told her about how the biggest part of Berk's income was through export, mostly fish and seafood, but also some vegetables that were lucky enough to survive the winter. She laughed at that.

"I didn't think it was that bad."

"Oh, you just haven't experienced the real thing yet, trust me. Last winter was LIGHT. That was NOTHING. Just you wait, you're in for a real surprise."

"Is it really a surprise if you're telling me about it?"

"Not really, I just don't want you caught off guard, can't have you stuck in your arpartment without any food and water," he retorted, shooting her a small grin. Behind his teasing was a slight hint of concern and Astrid felt her smile widen, heart fluttering as she thought of deep, snowed-in winter, burying herself in blankets and maybe his arms.

"You fany salmon or tuna?" she heard him ask and piped up. They'd came to a halt in front of a STAND. Hiccup grinned at the two men behind the counter.

"Hey Mulch, Bucket. Long time no see, how've you been?"

"Oh, haven't you heard, Hiccup?" the dark-haired man of the two asked, lowering his voice conspirationally. Hiccup stopped, a frown on his face as he leaned in to hear the other man.

"No, what happened?"

"Bucket's been having his headaches again."

Astrid paused, confused at the way Mulch told Hiccup this as if delivering bad news.

"Oh, well-"

"I give it twenty more minutes," Bucket moaned from behind, cradling his head as he sat down on a stool behind the counter. "And it's gonna be a big one. You kids better hurry back inside."

"Okay then, we'll just, uh … take some salmon and tuna. Thanks."

Mulch handed him the fish and exchange, then nodded solemnly. "Always trust the bucket, Hiccup."

"I don't - neverm - okay, thanks. I'll see you guys around."

Astrid started slightly when she felt his hand rest on the small of her bag and lightly pushed her forward; they started moving again.

"Sorry about that," he mumbled. "Bucket swears his headaches can predict the weather. According to him there's a storm headed to us."

"And you don't believe that?"

He shrugged. "Not really. He always used to tell us that, sort of like a children's tale. You know, growing up."

Astrid nodded but before she could respond, she felt a raindrop hit her forehead.

Hiccup stopped dead in his tracks, squinting up at the sky and then narrowing his eyes at her when she tried to keep herself from laughing. "Alright, so there's a bit of rain …"

The rain got worse with every step they took away from the market and soon, they were running, again joining their hands as they stumbled through the streets, laughter spilling over their lips.

"You were saying?" she spluttered as they came to a stumbling halt at his apartment.

"Okay, so there's a lot of rain," Hiccup replied, turning around to her. Astrid snorted at that, grinning up to him, making him hesitate shortly as he caught her gaze.

They were absolutely soaked. Astrid's fringes hung into her eyes, but somehow he looked at her like she was a revelation of sorts; slowly he reached out and gently brushed the hair out of her eyes, his fingers tingling as they came in contact with her cold skin. Astrid smiled up at him and she was blinding.

He blinked. She'd said his name.

"Yes?"

"Could you unlock the door?"

"Oh - yeah, of course, sorry," he spluttered, digging for his keys.

They stepped inside, shivering at the sudden change of temperature. Outside it was properly pouring now; in the distance, thunder was rolling over howling wind. Hiccup huffed. Great. Bucket had been right.

He'd given her one of his jumpers and a pair of sweatpants. Now, sitting in his kitchen, dry and warm, a purring Toothless on her lap, Astrid watched Hiccup fiddle with the regulators on his old radio, muttering to himself. At the sight of him, his hair freshly towelled try, brows furrowed in concentration, the young woman felt a wave of affection wash over her.

His face lit up when he finally found the frequence and threw her a short glance, lips twitching upwards. The voice of the radio commentator filled the room.

"… will hit Berk in its full velocity at approximately 17:00. It is not yet certain when the storm will subside. But until then, we advise all our listeners to stay inside their homes for safety."

She watched his chest deflate as he let out a light sigh and straightened his back.

"Well, looks like we're stuck here for a while."

He sat down in front of her, leaning on the table, eyes apologetic. Astrid hummed, a small smile playing on her lips as she leaned forward.

"Could be worse. At least we're stuck together."

Together. He smiled and looked down to his hands, clasped together on the table. Without thinking, he reached out and took one of her hands, making her uncross her arms on the table, his thumb drawing gentle circles on the back of her hand.

His voice was low when he finally spoke.

"Astrid, are we …" his eyes flitted up to hers for a moment as he inhaled. "Are we a couple?"

She hummed again, cocking her head to the side.

"Isn't that what you asked me yesterday? To be your girlfriend?"

He shrugged. "I did, I just, uh, didn't do it properly. Left some room to interpretation, huh?"

He let out a nervous chuckle. Astrid squeezed his hand, somehow anchoring him. Suddenly the words tumbled over his lips, almost easily, as if they had been waiting to be spoken.

"Astrid Hofferson, would you like to be my girlfriend?"

A wide smile blossomed on her lips as her other hand found his across the table.

"Hiccup Haddock, I can't even begin to tell you how much I would like that."

Hiccup looked at her with a wondrous expression, as if he couldn't quite believe she was real, and she would have just kissed him, her resolution to wait out the window, had he not stood up and pulled her against his chest.

"Thank you," he mumbled into her hair. Astrid smiled and wrapped her arms around his middle. "What for?"

He shrugged against her frame. "For just … I don't know. You. Call me cheesy, but I'm just really glad we met."

Astrid hugged him tighter and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply, breathing in a warm, comforting soapy scent. Her answer was muffled against his chest.

They stayed like this for a little while, until Hiccup piped up, loosening his grip around her.

"You wanna get started on the food?"

Her stomach growled loudly, making him laugh.

"Guess that's a yes."

Astrid had learned that making sushi took longer than she had initially expected. She also learned that Hiccup was a very patient teacher. Her first roll had fallen apart three times to the point of her frustration; he had given her gentle instructions and suggestions each time, until she had finally managed one that didn't look half bad. Part of her couldn't really understand how he could be so calm while cooking, when for her it usually involed lots of rushing and still accidentally burning things.

"By the way, how's your job situation looking?" he asked while cutting up the last roll. When he laid down the knife and raised his head to look at her, he found her grin at him.

"I started writing my application. I can quit the Smith's in two weeks."

She almost squealed as he suddenly leapt up, pulled her out of her chair and spun her around before pulling her into an embrace.

"That's … Astrid, that's amazing!"

She chuckled at his excitement but tightened her grip around him. "It feels a bit weird," she admitted then, her voice muffled by the material of his thick jumper.

Hiccup hummed, one hand coming up to her shoulder as he drew imaginary maps on her skin through the wool.

"No more night shifts, huh?"

"Actually, yeah. I kind of … got used to it. Is that weird? Working a job I hate and getting used to it?"

She pulled back, eyes quizzically searching his and Hiccup could have sworn he had never felt anything more real than the weight of her hands on his chest. He hummed again, hands resting on her waist as he held her gaze and replied softly, "I think it's human, to get used to things. You kind of had to, to get through it, don't you think?"

Astrid nodded, her eyes dropping to her hands shortly, before a slow smile blossomed on her lips.

"You know,we gotta hand it to the night shifts, though. They're sort of the reason we met. If I hadn't taken that job and tried to cook at unholy hours, I'd ... well."

"Not be grateful for the night shifts?" He suggested, grinning lopsidedly. Astrid scrunched her nose at him.

"And not know you. Which would make my life a whole lot bleaker, to be honest."

His eyes softened.

"True," he admitted and resisted the urge to just kiss her right then and there, all else be damned, because some things needed to be said rather than done. "Same goes for me. At this point, I couldn't even imagine not knowing you, or at least I don't really want to. And I, uh, like life better with you."

Astrid smiled up at him and for a moment, he thought she was going to kiss him right then and there, all else be damned, but she only leaned back into him, arms sneaking around his middle again.

He exhaled slowly and buried his face in her neck, closing his eyes. A sense of peacefulness overcame him.

Outside the storm was raging on.

This fic is a slow burn but like, on a constant 3 at all times