Astrid convinced her impatient self to stay and train at the arena until the sun finally started to sink low enough to redden the blanket of sky.

Fortunately, she managed to get in and out of practice without directly interacting with Cato. The most that had occurred between the two of them was some uncomfortable eye contact from a distance.

She did not care if Hiccup was finished with his work at the blacksmith shop or not, she was headed there either way and even if she had to wait for him, she would.

When Astrid approached the forge, a white tail of steam was spewing out the chimney, providing her that Hiccup was still pounding away at the ironworks.

She slipped into the warmth of the building, embraced by the dim flicker of amber shadows, the scent of smelting metal and burning coals filled her senses.

The fire-lit room was adorned with countless, glittering weapons of all different breeds and sizes. The bricks of steel, iron, and especially bronze that were piled up in organized stacks on the floor reminded her of giant bars of chocolate. She had been inside the shop a couple of times before throughout her lifetime of residing in Berk, but never had she been inside while Hiccup was presently working.

He hadn't seen her walk in, he was intently focused on sharpening a long two-handed sword, his hot, worked face close to the rapidly moving grindstone was grazed by the bright sparks jumping out.

He had never appeared so attractive to her before this very moment. From the moment she walked into the room, she had fixed her cat-like eyes on him and the chase for her catch had begun. If truth be told, the hunt started when she first awoke, this morning, from her potent dream of him.

There was something enticing in seeing him hard away at work, tired and sweaty and completely unaware of her presence; it somehow felt peculiarly arousing, in light of the theme of today was rather sexual.

She was very tempted to slink up behind him and snake her arms around his thin waist, lay tender kisses down the side of his throat, adoring the way he would jump beneath her longing touch.

Nonetheless, her confidence fuse seemed to short out while waiting for the grindstone to stop moving and once it did, alternatively, she ambled up to his turned-away figure, and chose a more innocent gesture, setting her hand down on his shoulder.

To her satisfaction, he still jumped, just like she wanted him to and the look of relief in his eyes as he turned around to see her coy smile was significantly rewarding inside.

"Hiccup."

"Oh, hey," he managed to say coolly, greeting her with the dearest grin, an oversized apron was draped over his petite figure, "I just finished up here."

"I couldn't wait to see you," Astrid admitted, treasuring the way her heart absolutely fluttered as she told him, "Everyone else is so boring."

He laughed and she was more than fulfilled when she witnessed his face light up red.

"Trust me, I feel the same way," he said, the massive sword he began carrying across the room made him look dainty and adorable, "You're the only one here that's nice to me."

A frosty cloud of sympathy snowed her heart in and she wanted to hug him so badly. How could anyone mistreat him? He's so harmless.

"Who's mean to you? Tell me their names," she demanded.

"I can't exactly say," he replied timidly, sliding the freshly sharpened sword into a weapon rack.

"Why? Are you protecting them?" Astrid questioned hastily, feeling the fiery instinct to keep him safe, They didn't deserve the confidentiality. "It's okay to be a tattletale sometimes, Hiccup. I want to kick their asses."

He laughed warmly again, a beautiful soprano that was pure music to her ears.

"I honestly don't know their names," he said sincerely, his hand paused on the leather handle of his finished product, "I mean other than Cato, of course."

"Well, point 'em out to me next time so I can ruin their day."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And for Cato? Well, that's a work in progress," she said as she casually crossed the shop to reach his vicinity, "I think he's finally beginning to understand it, though."

Hiccup remained where he stood; she sensed the nervous shift in his energy as she moved closer to him, ultimately stopping only a step away.

They were almost exactly the same height as one another and though most girls she knew might be bothered by this factor, she had grown to adore his physique in little to no time at all. She couldn't blame him; like herself, he had only hit puberty just a couple of years ago and had plenty of time ahead of him to fill out and grow taller.

She was able to distinguish his facial features without any effort now that she was so near. His chilling eyes mesmerized her; they seemed to glow under the smoky ash smudged over his youthful skin.

She wanted so badly to touch that skin with her restless fingertips, nevertheless, she reached up to meet her own face and gently brushed her bangs off to the side, something she longed to do for him.

"Understand what?" Hiccup had asked some time ago.

"That he doesn't own me. And that I never wanted to be with him," she swallowed, it felt weird to talk about Cato in this sense with him, "that between him acting like a possessive dick face to me and abusing you, I don't even consider him and I friends anymore."

"Good call. I think you dodged a really toxic 'friendship' there."

"Fucking A."

They shared a small laugh.

"So, I'm really the only person who treats you nicely?" She revisited the touchy subject, "You really don't have any other friends?"

She felt a terrible, little heartbreak when he appeared somewhat embarrassed, furrowing his brow a touch, as he gazed down at his boots.

"Well, I mean, sometimes I talk to the adults," his thin voice cracked a bit as he reunited with her eyes, "like I guess I would say I'm friends with Gobber."

"Hmm," she stared at him for a moment thoughtfully, disregarding his growing discomfort with every passing second of silence.

"I have a really good idea," she finally announced.

"Astrid," he already was starting to protest.

"What if you and I went and trained in the arena together, tomorrow after lunch?"

"No way," he shook his head, his russet bangs flicking over his forehead.

"Please, Hiccup," she disliked how whiny she sounded, "I know it'll be scary, but I'll be there with you."

"But, Astrid, you know that they'll—"

"No one will be mean to you. They're not allowed to. I'll kill them."

He couldn't help the little laugh that came out of him as a short exhale.

Hiccup took it as a lighthearted joke but little did he know, her threat was grave and she would make them pay if they wronged him.

She beamed at him appreciatively, taking his subtly positive reaction as an agreement,

"And I know someone I think you'll get along with really well,

He gave her a cynical look.

"Maybe you've already met him before, his name is Fishlegs," she continued.

"I have," he answered dryly.

She ignored his unwilling tone, proceeding to build up her case.

"He's quiet and soft-spoken, like you."

"I'm what?" Hiccup raised an eyebrow.

"And he hates most of our combat training lessons and he loves to read books!"

"Yeah—I don't know. I've met him a couple of times before and he's hardly said a word to me," Hiccup shrugged his little shoulders.

"He seems standoffish before you get to know him, but I just know you guys could be great friends," Astrid insisted.

"I don't know…" he repeated himself, uncertainty twisted over his freckled face.

"Please, Hiccup, it can just be the three of us training together tomorrow. Pretty please?" She begged, romantically fluttering her long lashes at him before adding, "For me?"

"Alright, alright, fine," he grumbled, his arms crossed, "only for you."

"Yay!" She celebrated, launching off his shoulders to bounce up and down and a buttery smile seized his face, revealing that cute, little tooth gap of his.

Without any warning, Astrid ceased her hopping to loop her arms around Hiccup's neck and pull him into an exhilarating kiss.

He returned the motion after a second of realization, moving his lips against hers delicately, though she could feel the hesitation gripping his every movement.

His soft, gentle lips were all she had ever craved since the first time she kissed him. Afterward, she knew it would be difficult to satisfy this impending itch without him. There was nothing else in the world that would compare to his invaluable taste. Her cat and mouse chase had finally ended and victory was hers.

Hiccup relaxed under her eager mouth, allowing himself to lean into her as she curled her fingers through the soft hair wolfing at the nape of his neck. It was so rare to have him against her like this, it was a rush that made her head swim in hot pools of excitement.

Without any incitement out of her, all by himself, he dared to let his hands rest on an innocent patch of her waist, his heavy black-smith gloves still on.

She loved the way it felt to be in his grip.

Hiccup's attempt to stifle a gasp failed, as she drew herself flush against him, the front of their adolescent bodies pressed together and for the first time they shared the strange spell of lust that overtook them together.

She could tell he wanted more by the way he gave in, so she parted her lips and to her gratification, he copied the erotic gesture.

She inhaled his queer flavor, playing her greedy tongue over his, exploring every part of his hot mouth. He had this odd taste she wouldn't expect to be so addicted to.

Perhaps it was her hormones, but after she drew in close, his pungent, sweaty, boy scent had her very turned on.

She wasn't brave enough to vocalize it out loud, especially not to his face, but if she was being honest with herself, she wanted so badly for Hiccup to drive her up onto the craftsman table and take her right here, right now. She knew he would never do such things to her unless maybe she asked politely, which she couldn't find it in herself to do just yet. If it came down to drastic measures, she thought of teasing him until he would beg for her.

The gruff clearing of an adult man's throat from across the room caused the two teens to spring off of each other as if they were burning hot to the touch.

"Sorry, kids, I didn't mean to interrupt," Gobber addressed them awkwardly.

"Uh, where were you?" Hiccup asked uneasily, unable to make eye contact with his superior.

"I had to get more lumber from the mill," Gobber replied, "I thought I told you that already, remember?"

Hiccup's answer was silence as he sheepishly scratched the back of his neck.

Gobber then turned to Astrid casually, "How are you, my dear? Keeping up with those empty fades and front guards, I hope?"

"Yes, sir," she answered, still quite embarrassed from the older man's sudden, unexpected presence. Although they were fifteen and hardly seen as children anymore, especially in a Viking society, for some reason it still felt like they had been misbehaving under an adult's authoritarian eye.

"Hiccup, my boy, would you mind giving me a hand with all that lumber out front?" Gobber asked as he hobbled over to the fire pit to retrieve the empty textile log sling. "It's overflowing that old wheelbarrow."

Hiccup failed to stifle an irritated sigh and before starting for the door, he turned to Astrid, "I guess I'll have to catch up with you in a few," the disappointment on his face was obvious.

"Alright, no worries," she gave him a smile of reassurance, "and if not, I'll just see you tomorrow at lunch. And we're going to the arena afterward, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember," he replied unenthusiastically.

He clearly was anxious about it. It was rare to see him there. She couldn't recall the last time he had participated in any training hours.

"It'll be fun," she insisted, giving his hand a goodbye squeeze, "I can't wait."

He couldn't help but smile back at her weakly, "Me either."