Hello! I live! Sorry it took so long. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with this chapter and then I'm also trying to write a novel, so I spent some time finishing a chapter for that. I hope you can forgive me.

I do not own How to Train Your Dragon.

Read on!

The room was so hot that it was almost unbearable, and yet the sight in front of her seemed to double the heat. She could feel that her cheeks were cherry red.

Hiccup stood in front of the anvil, with his back to her, shirtless. He was pounding on a piece of metal and every time he did, the muscles in his back shifted. Sweat rolled down his back and his dragon mark glistened. Before she could stop herself, she let out a strangled noise in the back of her throat.

Hiccup turned around and smiled seeing her there. She quickly shut her mouth that had been hanging open from the shock.

"Hey Astrid," he said stopping what he was doing. He plunged the piece of metal into a bucket of water that sat beside the anvil and then withdrew it, placing it down on a counter. "I didn't hear you come in. How long have you been standing there?"

"Not long," Astrid managed to reply watching as he picked up his shirt and pulled it over his head covering up bare skin. In all honesty she had no idea how long she had been there. It could have been a few seconds, it could have been a few minutes, she had no idea. "What are you working on?" she forced herself to say, trying to jumpstart her brain.

"Now that, milady, is a surprise," Hiccup replied with a mischievous grin. He wiped his hands on a cloth and walked towards her. She noticed a small smudge on his cheek. She slowly reached up and wiped it off using her thumb. As she did she found herself gazing into his eyes. He gazed into hers. She felt him lean into her hand slightly. Then she realised just how close they were. He leaned closer and she let him, her heart beating faster and faster in her chest. He kissed her slowly and she kissed back, the hand that rested on his cheek now at the back of his head. It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Hiccup pulled away with a smile. Astrid couldn't help but smile as well as the warm feeling in her stomach grew.

"We should probably go before your mother begins to worry about you," Hiccup said not taking his eyes off Astrid.

"I suppose," Astrid replied sadly, not letting go of her hold around his neck. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her head.

"How about we spend tomorrow just the two of us?" he asked. "Today we do what we have to do, but tomorrow we go off and hide from everyone."

"I like sound of that," she replied, her voice slightly muffled as her face was buried in his shoulder. She felt him gradually let go and she let go off him. They stepped out of the forge and he shut the door behind them. Astrid slowly led him down to where she had last seen her mother, only to find she hadn't moved but was now talking to someone different.

"Astrid! There you are!" she said upon seeing her daughter. "Hiccup, it's good to see you."

"Hello, Mrs Hofferson. Are you settling in ok?" Hiccup asked.

"Just fine. It's nice to be back after all these years." Astrid could see how happy she was.

"Hiccup! Where have you been?!" they turned around to see Gobber running over.

"I was in the forge," Hiccup replied.

"Your father and I have been looking everywhere for you. He needs your help preparing for the feast later." Hiccup nodded and turned to Astrid.

"I'll see you later?" she nodded and he smiled before turning back to Gobber and telling the man to lead the way.

Having all that she needed, Ingrid asked her daughter if she wanted to go back to the house. Astrid was quite happy to go, grabbing some of the things from her mother's arms to make her load lighter.

Once inside the house, Ingrid went straight upstairs to put away the things that she had bought. Astrid was about to follow her when someone knocked on the door. Realising that her mother hadn't heard, she decided that it was best to at least find out who it was. She opened the door and was surprised to find Stormfly standing outside with a basket full of clothes.

"Hey Astrid!" she said cheerily.

"Hi Storm," Astrid replied slowly. "Did you need something?"

"No," the girl said smiling. "I just thought that since you don't have many clothes, you might like some." She gestured to the basket in her arms.

"You mean you brought all these clothes for me?" Astrid asked, her jaw slack.

"Yup," Stormfly replied. "My mother is a seamstress and she's teaching me the trade. I make clothes all the time."

"Wow, that's so nice of you!" Astrid said, unsure of how to reply to such a kind gesture.

"You can say thank you by taking this basket. It's not exactly light." Astrid quickly snapped out of her thoughts and grabbed the basket and put it down on a table near the door.

"I suppose you'll be wanting these back now," Astrid said gesturing to the clothes she was wearing. "I was going to wash them before I gave them back."

"Nonsense!" Stormfly snapped waving her off. "They look better on you than they ever did on me."

"It's really kind of you to do this. Thank you so much!" Astrid said in reply.

"It's nothing, honestly," the younger girl said. "Anyway, I'd better get going. I'll see you later!" And with that she was gone.

Astrid wondered about what she had said. That she'd see her later. Hiccup had said the same thing. And Gobber had mentioned a feast. As she was thinking, her mother came down the stairs.

"I thought I heard you talking. Was someone at the door?"

"It was Stormfly. She wanted to drop off some clothes." Ingrid looked at the basket and started sorting through the clothes.

"How sweet of her!" she exclaimed. "That girl is definitely an Ingerman. Her eye for detail is incredible. Dare I say it, I think she's a better seamstress than her mother, and that's saying something."

I stepped towards her and started looking through the clothes with her. They were well made, and in all sorts of colours. She smiled as she picked up a red skirt with leather strips over the top to of the material.

"You should wear that later," Ingrid said. Astrid looked up to see her mother smiling.

"What is later?" Astrid asked lowering the skirt back into the basket. "People keep saying that they'll 'see me later', but I don't know why."

"With every great celebration, there comes a great feast," Ingrid replied. "Tonight celebrates the return of the younger generation."

Astrid nodded in understanding. She grabbed ahold of the basket and hoisted it up the stairs placing it on the floor by her wardrobe. She turned around to see her mother looking her up and down with a calculating gaze.

"What?" she asked.

"It's only a couple of hours until the feast. I'm deciding how you should look at you first official village event. You need to make the right impression."

Two hours later Astrid stood at the bottom of the stairs to the Great Hall listening to the laughter and cheering coming from inside. She wore the skirt that she had seen in the basket earlier, as well as a red top that matched the skirt and the fur that she had been wearing around her shoulders earlier. She wore a leather band around her head to keep her hair from falling in her eyes and another piece of leather had been delicately wrapped around and intertwined around her right hand and arm.

"Are you ready, Astrid?" Sigurd asked looking down at her from where he stood with Ingrid on the top step.

"I guess," she replied slowly. She forced her feet up the steps and followed her parents as they made their way into the Great Hall. The giant, wooden doors loomed up in front of her. Gathering all her courage, she stepped into the hall and was soon enveloped in the noise and smells inside.

So? What do you think? Next chapter is the feast and quite possibly the reveal of Hiccup's project from the forge. I haven't thought that far yet.

Dracologistmaster: Thanks.

Sarnakh the Sunderer: Hiccup is 17 so well guessed.

Scapitancedrus: Thanks.

Nightfurylov3e: Nope, wrong answer. Well done for trying though!

Dragonfan47: What else?

GreenBlueCat: Yeah, decided not to do that in the end. Would have been pretty funny though. Thanks for the idea!

Secret love writer: Yup

Dreamydragonrider: Num 1 is correct though I'm not sure why 3 is even an option…

FirstBookworm: Thanks!

The SkrillRider: I'm sorry! This one doesn't really help either.

Toxic Girlfriend: Of course!

Miti-sweets: Thanks!

Thanks to everyone that reviewed. Reviews keep me writing!

If you haven't already, please follow, favourite and review.

Until next time!