{Three Days Later}
Hiccup and Astrid returned to the village well after dark, and he walked her home. The two young lovers shared passionate kisses outside Astrid's home shortly after arriving there around 9:30 pm. Of course, the small make out was interrupted by someone walking by and seeing them. At the time it happened, Hiccup had Astrid pressed up against the inner wall of Stormfly's stable; a rather intense scene. Hiccup and Astrid would have just continued where they left off, but Asvora Hofferson came out looking for Astrid because she heard Stormfly's squawk. Hiccup kissed Astrid goodnight, and then the two went to their homes for the evening. Hiccup was stopped by his father because Stoick wanted to apologize to Hiccup for putting them in the awkward situation. Hiccup told his dad not to worry about it, then he said he was tired and going to get some sleep. Stoick smiled and nodded as Hiccup reached his bedroom, then laid down and went to sleep with a huge grin on his face.
The next day, Hiccup and Astrid met in the Great Hall for breakfast, and a good portion of the village saw Hiccup pull Astrid to her feet, twirl her once, so her back was against his front, and then their lips met in a deep kiss. Stoick cleared his throat when the kiss went longer than five seconds. Hiccup and Astrid broke the kiss, then sat down together to eat their meal. Throughout the day, though, a few people went to Stoick about Hiccup and Astrid's public displays of affection. Stoick learned that Hiccup and Astrid were always together, kissing, holding hands, and hugging. At first, Stoick didn't care, he just said that Hiccup and Astrid were two teenagers in love and that they weren't hurting anybody. For Stoick, though, it was his job as a father to worry; he wouldn't intervene right now. Stoick wanted to keep watching and now, having to listen to if anyone else came to him regarding Hiccup and Astrid.
The day following that; there wasn't much said to Stoick regarding his teenage son. Astrid and Hiccup were caught a few times in the Great Hall or the forge making out. If someone tried to say something to them, the two would run off laughing. Today, Stoick was at the storehouse to do inventory on what they had. Stoick saw Mulch approach with the crate of fish he'd asked for that morning. However, Stoick noticed Mulch's unsure and shocked expression.
"Mulch, my friend. You look as if you've seen a ghost," Stoick gave a hearty laugh and pat the man's shoulder.
"I didn't see a spirit, Chief, but I did see something you might want to know about," Mulch informed.
"Define something?" Stoick asked arching a brow.
"Hiccup and Astrid," Mulch replied. Stoick stiffened a bit. This again? Stoick pulled Mulch off to the side now.
"Tell me what you saw," Stoick asked gently, "And don't leave anything out," he added.
Mulch nodded to the Chief. "I was on my way here with the fish…" he began.
/Flashback; 4 pm/
Mulch was heading to the food storehouse with a cart holding several barrels of fish; all a different variety and separated to store away as Stoick sent Mulch and Bucket to do earlier that morning. The process took a good portion of the day to catch the fish and then separate them into barrels of which kind they were. Mulch was walking past forge when he heard panting. Mulch peeked around the corner to see if someone might need help but found Hiccup laying on the ground with Astrid sitting on top of his waist, a proud look plastered on her face. Hiccup's hands were on her waist as he tried to move her off him.
"Not bad, babe. You made it through two rounds. Had enough yet?" Astrid asked Hiccup.
"Yeah, that's enough for one day. Now, will you get off before someone catches us?" Hiccup stated. Mulch quickly turned around and left before he was seen.
/End Flashback/
"And that's what I saw and heard, Chief," Mulch confided looking down. Stoick wasn't sure he had a reaction to what he just learned.
"And you didn't see anything else after that?" Stoick asked.
Mulch shook his head, "No, Chief. I'm sorry, I left before Hiccup, and Astrid saw me. I just thought you should know," he informed.
"I see. Thank you, Mulch, for the information and the fish," Stoick told him. Mulch nodded and walked off as Stoick sighed looking up at the sky. Stoick knew what Mulch saw sounded like something he should be worried about. Yet, Stoick trusted his son. Hiccup said that he and Astrid weren't breaking the laws, so Stoick believed him.
{One Week Later}
The week was nearing the end, and Stoick had a total of two complaints regarding Hiccup and Astrid. The first happened four days ago and told by Hoark to Stoick; Hiccup and Astrid were spotted by Hoark and two others in an unusual position. Evidently, as Stoick recalled the talk; Hiccup had Astrid pinned to the wall, sandwiched between Hiccup and the staircase leading up to the Great Hall. Hiccup had Astrid's arms above her head with one hand while his other arm was snaked around her waist, both of them were panting again. The second instance occurred yesterday where Not So Silent Sven told Stoick that he caught Hiccup and Astrid coming out of Stoick's house, both having red faces, smiling, and holding hands.
Stoick wanted to confront Hiccup about all this. On Stoick's count, four people had spotted Hiccup and Astrid together in odd situations that insinuated they were having sex. However, Stoick couldn't call Hiccup out on it; not without proof first. Stoick decided to leave it be, and wait to see if this continued to happen.
(Three Weeks Pass)
Stoick was just returning from a meeting with Chief Mogadon of the Meathead Tribe. As his ship pulling into the Berk docks, Gobber was there to greet him. However, Stoick noticed the look of seriousness on Gobber's face, and he sighed.
"What happened while I was away?" Stoick asked.
"Let's go to your house, Stoick," Gobber suggested.
"Let me guess; it's about Astrid and Hiccup?" Stoick inquired as Gobber nodded once. Stoick grabbed his bag as the two long-time friends started walking through the village to get to Stoick's house. Once they arrived and got inside, and Gobber closed the door tightly. "Where are they now?" he wondered as he placed his sack down.
"As far as I know, Hiccup is in the forge working, and the lass is at home resting because she doesn't feel well," Stoick's eyes widened a bit. Stoick feared that all the complaints he heard from the villagers were signaling to Hiccup and Astrid having sex, and now she's pregnant. Gobber saw Stoick's worried face, then waved his hand. "Not to worry, my old friend. Gothi confirmed it as a stomach ailment, and she'll be okay by tomorrow," Stoick breathed a sigh of relief. "However, there is another cause for concern, Stoick. Agnar, Phlegma, and Seamus all reported seeing Hiccup and Astrid in questionable situations while you were away,"
"Alright, lay it on me," Stoick sat down.
"Phlegma the Fierce stated she walked by the forge and found Astrid bent over Hiccup's work table with his hands on her hips. Astrid and Hiccup were both sweating and trying to catch their breath. I guess the shop was closed up, but Phlegma could see them through the slightly opened window," Gobber informed.
"What else?" Stoick questioned.
"Well, there's what Agnar told me," Gobber went on.
/Flashback/
Agnar made his way to the docks to locate Bucket or Mulch about something when he heard a voice say, "Ow, be easy. You're not as weak as you look," the voice was female. Agnar decided to investigate as got down and peered under the dock to find Hiccup and Astrid there.
"Well, gee, thanks, babe. Just for that, I'm going to give all this raw Vikingness at once," Hiccup stated as Astrid screeched a bit and Hiccup shushed her. "Be quiet before someone sees us," he told her as Agnar was unable to see everything, but he did catch sight of Hiccup on top of Astrid, her hands on his chest, but a smile on her face as she nodded to Hiccup. Agnar wanted to know nothing more, he quickly stood and rushed away to find Gobber, who was acting Chief while Stoick was away.
/End Flashback/
"And Agnar couldn't make out what they were doing? Just that Hiccup was over Astrid, as in on top of her?" Stoick asked after Gobber finished the story.
"Aye, Chief. As for Seamus, he caught them on the beach behind the rocks. Hiccup laying on a blanket with Astrid straddlin' his hips while his hands were on hers. And Seamus reported that Hiccup's armor was carelessly tossed to the side, as was Astrid's. I guess Hiccup pushed up Astrid shirt a bit, then Seamus left, and came to find me. That happened two days ago," Gobber informed. Stoick sighed heavily with closed eyes. By the Gods, he did not want to believe any of this, but Gobber was his oldest and most trusted friend. Stoick knew he wouldn't lie because this was a serious matter.
"What should I do, Gobber?" Stoick asked.
"Well, did ya talk to Hiccup when I first brought this to your attention?" Gobber inquired.
"I did. I asked Hiccup right out if he and Astrid were having sex, and Hiccup said no. I told him not to lie, and he said he wasn't. Hiccup stated that he knows the laws and traditions; to not worry about anything because he and Astrid weren't doing anything they weren't supposed to," Stoick enlightened.
"Maybe it's time to pull him aside again, Stoick. I'd like to think the lad wouldn't break the rules either, but Hiccup is not like the rest of us. Let's not forget he hid Toothless on the island for weeks, and nobody knew," Gobber reminded. Stoick looked down; that was an excellent point. "Who knows, maybe it's something else, and everyone is taking it the wrong way. However, given what I first told you, and all these situations seem to be the same…I don't know, Chief. Something is going on," he shrugged.
"Thanks, Gobber. I'll decide what to do from here," Stoick told him. Gobber nodded and exited the house as Stoick tried to figure out how to handle this latest development. Gobber was right, something was definitely going on between Hiccup and Astrid, and Stoick wanted to know what it was.
{Four Weeks Later}
Stoick tried to hard to believe in what Hiccup said to him two months ago about him and Astrid not having sex, but with all Stoick heard in the last eight weeks, he couldn't trust what his son anymore. Stoick heard reports about villagers catching Hiccup and Astrid together in situations that Stoick never imagined he would have to hear about Astrid and Hiccup in. Stoick heard about an instance of someone seeing Hiccup backed against a wall with Astrid in front of him, her hands positioned rather low and Hiccup saying; Ow. Don't pull it, Astrid. It's still attached. Stoick did want to contemplate what was going on that day. Another situation was Gobber coming to Stoick about something he heard in the side room of the forge again. Gobber said that Hiccup and Astrid went in together, there was a lot of noise, panting, and groaning. When Stoick what else happened, Gobber had been rather afraid to respond, but Stoick made him.
/Flashback/
"Stoick, for the love of everything sacred, don't make me hafta repeat what I heard," Gobber pleaded with his friend.
"Gobber, this is not a game. For two months, I have heard about those two, and I've got nothing stable enough to accuse Hiccup and Astrid of having sex. All the reports coming in state that villagers see or hear Hiccup and Astrid in questionable predicaments, but nothing to suggest they're doing that with one another. No clothes were reported to be off, except maybe Astrid shirt being pushed up by Hiccup, and then the one I heard last week about Hiccup fixing his pants and telling Astrid he can get them off himself," Stoick said as Gobber arched a brow.
"Wait, what?" Gobber asked.
"Spitelout told me that he saw Hiccup and Astrid behind the forge. I guess Astrid was on her back, arms spread out as she was trying to catch her breath. Hiccup was over her, as in…between her legs. Both were clothed from what Spitelout could see, but Hiccup had one of Astrid's legs pushed up to her chest and then he leaned back messing with the ties of his pants. Spitelout said Hiccup stated; Settle down, I don't need help getting my pants off." Stoick explained. "So tell me what you heard,"
"Fine. After Hiccup and Astrid had been in the side room for close to an hour, I heard Astrid said she was going to make it harder for him," Gobber began as Stoick choked on the drink he'd been taking, then coughed hard.
"What!?" Stoick boomed.
"Let me finish," Gobber told his friend. Stoick tried to relax a bit, then he nodded for Gobber to continue. "After that, I heard Hiccup groan. About five minutes later, he yelped and said; Ow! Not so hard or I won't be able to stay up, babe," Again, Stoick had a hard time relaxing. "This happened an hour ago. I didn't come straight to you because Hiccup was still in the forge with Astrid, she was watching him work, commenting on how defined his muscles were becoming from all their sessions together. I acted like I hadn't heard a thing, but after they left with their dragons, I came right here,"
/End Flashback/
Stoick didn't have a choice anymore. For two months, he'd been listening to these complaints regarding his son and Astrid; it was time to do something about it. Stoick prayed to the Gods that Hiccup didn't hate him for bringing this matter up a second time, but with everything Stoick had heard, it was fair to say these were all convincing complaints that Stoick needed to address as soon as possible.