RTTE canon-verse S5, in between Snotlout's Angels and A Matter of Perspective

On one of their date nights at the Edge, Astrid recalls the time she started falling for her Hiccup. Flashback three years ago, after the Red Death, she confessed to him some things and feelings she never thought she'd have for the scrawny one-legged Viking. Requested by NaddersoftheStar – if y'all want to request a one-shot, then leave a review!

How to Fall for a Boy

Italics mean flashback.

It's a cool quiet night on a beach in Dragon's Edge. There were no signs of Dragon Flyers lurking nearby, which prompted Hiccup and Astrid to go on a date night – they left Fishlegs in charge of the base for now. It was their first anniversary dating and Astrid couldn't help but reflect at the one year she had been blessed to have Hiccup as her boyfriend. After three years of friendship, Hiccup decided to finally make that move on his best friend and just 7 months into their relationship, he took it to the next step by proposing to Astrid. The couple were just sitting on the sand as the sun set below the horizon.

"Mmm," Astrid moaned delightfully after a warm make out session with Hiccup. "You're a really great kisser, Hiccup."

"I try my best milady." her boyfriend smiled. His eyes darted from her sapphire orbs to the betrothal necklace resting idly on her chest. "Do you even remove the necklace when we're out fighting?"

"Nope. I usually keep it tucked under my shirt, and I only take it off when I'm having a bath." Astrid explained. 'And I'd love for you to see what's underneath it.' she muttered to herself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." There was a long silence between the two, except for the waves crashing, before Astrid spoke up again. "I wanna tell you a story about the time I visited you after the Red Death ordeal."

"What about it?" her boyfriend's brows furrowed.

"Well, that's the time when I started to fall in love with you, and you were oblivious to all the emotional breakdowns I had back then." and this is the story Astrid told.

The skies of Berk filled with the sound of Terrible Terrors singing and people still trying to figure out how to tame the countless number of dragons they've got following the defeat of the Red Death the week before. In just that short timeframe, the first dragon riders – minus Hiccup, were able to properly teach the rest of the Berkians how to train their dragons. One of those riders is 15 y/o Astrid Hofferson, who had just awoken to the sound of Stormfly's squawking from the stable behind her hut. Her parents had just left her for another trading trip, which gave her reason to visit her friend Hiccup. He had been out with a coma and his left leg had to be amputated following the Red Death battle.

After helping herself to some breakfast and feeding Stormfly some chicken, she made her way to the Haddock residence, where she was greeted by one six-foot nine bear of a Chieftain – Stoick the Vast.

"Morning Astrid, what brings you here today?" he smiled.

"I want to check on Hiccup. Is he awake?" Astrid asked.

The redhead bearded man shook his head. "I'm afraid not yet, lass. But he's in his room with the Night Fury if you wanna see him." Astrid nodded as the Chief of Berk left the hut.

She became a regular visitor of the Haddock household and Stoick already treats the blonde shieldmaiden like his future daughter in law. With great haste, she headed upstairs to Hiccup's room and opened the already ajar door. There lay Hiccup Haddock's wiry frame on his bed, with Toothless curled up to the right like a cat. The Night Fury opened his green eyes and saw the visitor. Astrid inched closer to him and scratched his chin, making him purr in delight.

"Hey bud." Astrid greeted, "Thanks for being here with him." After patting Toothless's head once more, she sat on a chair beside Hiccup's nightstand and held his cold hand. She glanced at the scrawny figure of the Chief's son – small, cold, and had a piece of cloth wrapped around his left leg, or what's left of it. She winced at the sight of his leg, wondering how in Thor's name could he handle a peg leg at such a young age.

"Hey Hiccup," Astrid started, "I'm…I'm sorry you ended up like this. Please wake up, we all want to make it up to you." She tried her best not to tear up at mentioning all the injustices they've done to him, but the more she recalled the things they've done, the usually fearless shieldmaiden broke down in tears. Astrid moved Hiccup's hand to her lips, kissing his knuckles.

"I...I'm sorry, for everything. We all are." She silently sobbed against his hand for a while before finally getting the courage to speak up again.

"When you wake up Hiccup, I'm gonna kiss you okay?" she whispered, tears still falling from her cheeks. "You might think I sound crazy, but I can't imagine a world without you in it. I know the gang gave you a hard time adjusting, but we're all on your side, the whole of Berk is."

"Everyone loves you now Hiccup, but I know you'll have to adjust to that. I want to help you feel that you are needed, I'm now your friend. We need you to help us become better dragon riders, but more than that, I need you. I need you in my life because I love you Hiccup." Astrid confessed, blushing in the process. Toothless perked his head up at hearing that line, and that made Astrid blush even harder.

"I know it's still early for you to ask me as your girlfriend, but I'd love to call you mine. I ain't marrying if it's not gonna be you I'd be spending the rest of my life with." It was a bold statement, but Astrid knew about Hiccup's little crush on her, so why not make the feeling mutual? She saw something in Hiccup that most Vikings don't - intelligence. She never thought of having the best brawler as her boyfriend because she could actually beat him up easily. With Hiccup, it's a different ball game; he always thinks first before striking and puts his life on the line for others. He is someone whose level-headed nature could calm Astrid down on one of her outbursts.

Over the course of Hiccup's coma, Astrid would stop by every morning to talk to him, even though he's not talking back to her. She would talk about her family or ramble about Snotlout's latest antics at the newly formed Dragon Academy, which is the old dragon killing arena. She secretly thanked the gods that Hiccup couldn't see her crying like a baby, not like she's already acting a bit softer towards him. She also bonded with Toothless better; sometimes talking to a dragon who growls in reply is better than talking to an unconscious boy.

One day, Astrid was giving Stormfly a bath when she heard commotion near the Great Hall and a shout she so desperately wanted to hear.

"HICCUP'S AWAKE!" a hoarse voice shouted from a distance, most likely Gobber.

Astrid felt alive at hearing those words, so once she was done with her Nadder, she flew towards the Haddock home. The moment Hiccup appeared out of his home, Astrid skipped merrily towards the group of Vikings flocked around the newly crowned Dragon Master. She wanted to surprise him in typical Astrid fashion – first with a punch followed by a kiss. He was facing opposite of her, which made it easier for her to surprise him.

"That's for scaring me." She landed a punch on Hiccup's shoulder.

"Wh..what..is…is it always gonna be like this?!" Hiccup rambled, before a pair of soft lips shut him up. He smiled into the kiss before kissing Astrid back, her hands placed on his chest. The other Vikings cheered for the couple. When they pulled out, Hiccup was ecstatic - he felt like he could die right then and there after being kissed by his longtime crush.

"I could get used to it." he added, causing the blonde girl to blush slightly. Grabbing his hand, Astrid took him towards their dragons to have a little flight.

"Race you to the cove?" she offered, mounting aboard Stormfly.

"Oh it's on now."

Reverting to the present day, Hiccup was nonetheless stunned at the flashback his girlfriend/fiancée shared. It was him that opened Astrid's eyes that she was capable of falling in love with someone, that she was able to train dragons, and that she would become his future wife.

"So…you…you really said you love me, huh?" He asked, trying to put two and two together. Astrid nodded.

"Yes Hiccup. I was never good at expressing myself with words, so I showed it through our hugs and kisses. But if it helps, then I'll say it again." Astrid hesitated, before gazing at Hiccup lovingly, "I love you Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third, with everything I have, and I always will."

Hiccup blushed at hearing those three words from his milady. "And I love you more, Astrid Hofferson." He cupped her left cheek, before they shared a short but sweet kiss.

"You know, for someone who used to be hellbent on being a shieldmaiden, you're one lovesick woman Astrid." Hiccup riposted.

Astrid giggled, adjusting her position so now she's straddling on Hiccup's lap. "It's your fault I'm so in love with you, babe!"

"Then it's mutual, future Mrs. Haddock." Hiccup replied flirtatiously as his thoughts went blank when it was Astrid's turn to return the kiss. He would never, ever get tired of holding, cuddling, and kissing his blonde beauty of a fiancée.

A/N: Nothing better than a fluffy Hiccstrid one-shot. Next one's focused on Heathlegs! Read and Review!