What Words Can't Say

...

This isn't the best quality, but it's important to me because it's based off of a real life situation. And let me tell you, hugs from the guy you care about (and who cares about you) are the best:) Especially when he isn't good with words.

...

Astrid was angry.

No, she wasn't the kind of angry where she gave the silent treatment. She also wasn't the kind of angry where she could be satisfied by throwing her axe in the woods. She was the kind of angry where she knew that if she saw him, she'd explode.

The him was Hiccup. Now, she and Hiccup were good friends. Best friends, actually. Best friends who maybe liked each other as more than just friends. Maybe.

But at that moment, she was questioning her feelings because of one little thing that'd happened. One little thing that had turned into something big. Bigger than it had needed to. Perhaps she was overreacting. Perhaps he needed a reality check. Or perhaps it was a bit of both. She didn't know. All she was certain of was that he'd be sorry if he crossed paths with her.

The problem was this. Astrid knew that Hiccup was the dragon expert on Berk. However, the comment he'd made to her the other day suggested that she was on the intelligence level of a mutton-head in regards to dragon training.

And she did not appreciate that. At all.

She'd told him how she felt. However, he didn't believe that he was in the wrong. He was somehow convinced that he was superior than both herself and his other friends. And just because Stoick had named him not only "Dragon Master," but also the "Pride of Berk."

It was Thawfest all over again.

"Hey, Astrid."

The blonde turned to see him standing behind her. "What?" she asked coldly. Her eyes were like ice, and her hands were clenched into two tight fists.

"Uh...I um..."

"You think you can just come in here and act like everything's okay?" Astrid spat.

He turned his gaze to the ground and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, this is my Dragon Training Academy," he responded eventually.

"Listen. I don't know what's gotten into you, Hiccup, but I don't like it." She took a step towards him.

"Nothing's gotten into me."

"Woah, woah, woah. Hold up a second. First, you treat me like I'm some mutton-headed idiot. And now you have the guts to sit here and say that nothing's wrong with the way you're acting?"

"Because there is nothing wrong, Astrid."

The blonde's eyes narrowed as she delivered a punch just below his shoulder.

"What was that for?" He rubbed the sore spot on his arm.

"What do you think it was for?" She let out a sigh. "You know, I thought you were different. But I guess not. I guess you're just as self-centered and cocky as every other guy I know. Maybe even more."

"Astrid, I -"

"Goodbye, Hiccup." With that, she twisted around, jumped atop Stormfly's back, and flew out of the Academy.

...

Since her encounter with Hiccup, Astrid hadn't been able to sleep well. Her mind was a whirlwind of guilt (for losing her temper with him) and disappointment at the fact that he was acting the way he was.

She didn't know why she felt guilty, though. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she liked him. A lot. Probably more than she should. After all, what reason did she have to crush on a guy who was acting like a jerk?

He was right. She was a mutton-head. No girl in her right mind would want a potential boyfriend who didn't even care that something he'd said had hurt her.

But yet here she was, going to his house to apologize. For what? She wasn't exactly sure. All she knew was that it would make her feel better to do so.

"Hey," he greeted as he opened the door, allowing her to step inside. "What...what...what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, Hiccup." Astrid looked up at him, her eyes glazed with pain. "I...I shouldn't have treated you the way I did."

The auburn-haired Viking rubbed the back of his neck. "No, don't be sorry. I...I sorta think I deserved it."

She shook her head. "But two wrongs don't make a right. I didn't have to -"

"Listen, Astrid. You don't have anything to be sorry for. I do."

The blonde opened her mouth to speak. But before words could escape her lips, he was drawing her close to his chest. She knew he wasn't good with words; neither was she, for that matter. The difference between them was that she was slightly more generous with affection. He rarely initiated anything. The fact that he was holding her close told her that his apology was sincere.

Letting out a contented murmur, she returned the embrace. She wasn't sure how long they remained in each other's arms. It might have been a couple minutes. It could've only been a few seconds. All she was certain of was that she felt safe, loved, and content. She felt that everything was okay again.

And most importantly, she felt that everything would be okay for a very long time.