Hello, hello, hello, wonderful readers! I hope your week has been doing well.
Alright. So this chapter is actually a separately published one-shot of mine, but I'm not feeling that great today and don't want to write anything. This has some baby Hiccstrid in it, so I think this will satisfy you all. :-) Hopefully, I'll feel better by Sunday when I do the last Hiccstrid week chapter.
Axestrid: When Astrid comes to the forge to get her axe fixed, Hiccup is all too eager to help out. In doing so, he realizes how much Astrid loves her weapon... so, he creates a nickname for her. But what will happen when Astrid discovers what he's been calling her?
This one is my own idea, of course. It's set a few months before the first movie. I'll do a requested one for you on Sunday, though, don't worry!
Well... enjoy, guys!
Axestrid
Hiccup peeked around the corner of the shelf, holding his breath.
She was right there.
Astrid Hofferson, the toughest female Viking of this generation, was standing in his shop. Right there. She was only fourteen, but already a legend. Well, to him anyways. Fierce, brave, a true Viking... Hiccup's dream girl.
Why couldn't he stop staring?
"Hello?" Astrid called from up front. She had just walked into the forge. She looked bored. Which only made her ten times cooler. "Helloooooo?"
"Oh! Hello, Astrid!" Gobber greeted, coming from a weapons rack in the back room. "Didn't see yeh there. How'eve you been doin', lass?"
Astrid shrugged. "Fine, I guess." She then held up an axe Hiccup hadn't realized she had been holding. "I can here to get my axe fixed up."
The blade of the weapon was a little chipped and had a jagged crack running through it. Having worked in the forge for ten years, everything wrong with it rolled through Hiccup's mind. The problem. The solution. Fixing it. Giving it back to Astrid... her face swelling with pride in him... her grateful look... Astrid's-
"Hiccup!" Gobber bellowed. "Hiccup, yer friend is here!"
Hiccup ducked back behind the corner, face tight in panic. Oh, no, oh, no, what was he supposed to do? He couldn't go out there and talk. Now that would be a disaster... Oh, Thor-
"Ah, there you are, laddie!" said Gobber cheerfully, yanking him from his hiding spot. Hiccup gulped, and Gobber lowered his voice. "It's yeh girlfriend...," he chuckled.
Hiccup shook his head back and forth before being dragged out to where Astrid could see him. "No, Gobber!" he hissed, trying to fight back, but it was like trying to do something useful. Impossible. "I can't go out there—not with Astrid—"
"Here he is!" Gobber interrupted, plopping Hiccup out in front of Astrid. "Little thing was back there makin' somethin' very interestin'. Hiccup!" He grinned at his apprentice. "Why don't yeh tell Astrid all about it?"
"No, I-I couldn't—Go-Gobber, um—"
Astrid shifted, looking mildly curious. "You make stuff?"
Hiccup nearly fainted. Astrid Hofferson was talking to him. And she wasn't yelling about him spilling her catch of fish or muttering about how stupid whatever he had done was. She had actually said something that wasn't an insult!
"Well, I—um—sorta—kinda—" he tried, but couldn't form his words correctly. Blood rushed to his face. What to say, what to say...
Gobber placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "Oh, yeah, he makes all sorts a' stuff! Like... the thingamajumper, and the... whatsitflinger." He chuckled nervously. "Great stuff."
Astrid's brows lowered. "Yeah. Well, about my axe. Those muttonheads Ruffnut and Tuffnut made me mad, so I hit it against a rock." Hiccup and Gobber both winced, but Astrid's expression was cool. "I need the blade fixed or replaced."
Gobber studied it once Astrid handed it over. She watched him handle it with a look like a mother may watch a person holding her child. Wow, Hiccup realized. She really loves her axe. Sure, he had seen her stomping around with it. Polishing it. Swinging it. But Vikings took good care of their weapons. After all, they were practically your only defense in battle. But Astrid seemed to actually care about her axe.
The blacksmith ran a finger over the fracture in the blade. "Well, with this kinda stuff, you'll probably need it replaced. It's in good shape overall, though. I s'pect you clean it?"
Astrid nodded. "Every day."
"Wonderful. Alright, well, if yeh leave it here, yeh can probably have it fixed and ready within a couple o' days. Mebbe four. Depends on how far down the list yeh are."
"But what if there's another dragon raid?" Astrid crossed her arms, her bangs falling into her eyes. Hiccup watched her in awe that she luckily didn't notice. "If my axe is here, then I won't have a weapon."
Gobber gestured to the rows and rows of Viking armory and weapons he and Hiccup had spent days forging. "Look around, Astrid. Take whatever one yeh want until your axe is done—and try not to ruin another blade."
Astrid allowed a tiny smile and walked over to check out the weapons.
Gobber turned to Hiccup immediately after. "Well?"
"W-well what?"
"Well, do yeh want to fix 'er axe!" grinned Gobber.
Hiccup shuffled back, wishing he could just disappear. "I don't know." Astrid probably thought he was a fool... stuttering... nervous... and he had had the perfect chance to impress her!
"C'mon!" said Gobber in a whisper. "That's how yeh win the ladies' hearts!"
"By fixing their broken axes?"
Gobber bobbed his head, his blonde beard swinging back and forth. "Exactly! If that isn't the most original tale of falling in love on this island, I'm a dragon's uncle."
Hiccup was giving into it as he watched Astrid try out different weapons. "You really think that will work?"
"You betcha!"
The apprentice cast one last look over to Astrid. She was holding a mace now and seemed satisfied with it. He'd have to make his decision soon. "I... alright, I'll do it, I'll do it! I know I'm going to regret this... but, okay."
Gobber ruffled Hiccup's hair with his real hand, making the boy protest. "I can't wait to tell Astrid that at yeh're wedding... can I be the ring bearer? I won't forget the rings like last time, I promise!"
As Hiccup glared at Gobber's teasing, Astrid came back over with the mace. "This one," she decided. "I've always wanted to try one. But I wouldn't trade my axe for anything."
"Alright, then!" Gobber gestured to Hiccup. "Well, Hiccup here has just offered to fix yer axe for yeh! And it's good he did, it's more like he's runnin' the forge... he's so great... and... well, great!" Hiccup motioned to him to say he was over-doing it.
Astrid looked over Hiccup with a skeptical countenance. "You sure you can handle it?"
What, fixing the axe? Fixing it would be the easiest part. He could do that in just a few days. But returning it to Astrid... that, he wasn't quite sure he could manage.
He tried, anyway. "Erm—yep. I'll fix it I-I can fix it right up very quickly. D-d-don't... d-don't worry."
He felt relieved that he had managed three sentences. Well, more like one and a half; two were so small.
"Good," she said carefully, then leaned in and spoke in a whisper. "And if you mess it up, I swear the last thing you'll ever see is my new mace flying towards your head." She straightened. "Thanks, Gobber." With a last glare at Hiccup, she turned and left.
"So... no pressure or anything?" the young Viking squeaked.
Gobber chortled. "Nope! Don't worry, Hiccup. Of course yeh can fix Astrid's axe."
Hiccup frowned, scratching his head. "Wait, what did you just say?"
"I said of course yeh can fix Astrid's axe."
There it was again. With Gobber's accent and the weapon name right next to Astrid's, it was almost like he was calling her 'Axestrid'. Hmm... Axestrid... Astrid loved and used her axe so much, it was almost like a part of her. Axestrid... Hiccup liked that.
"Well," Hiccup sighed, "I'd better get started. I'll postpone my others projects and orders. Don't want Axestrid thinking I'm slacking off."
Before he could make it out of the room, he heard Gobber laugh.
"Axestrid?" the blacksmith mumbled. "Gods, that boy has an active imagination... Axestrid... heheh..."
And as Hiccup started to work, he smiled.
The axe was done.
It had been two days since Astrid had come in the forge and two days since he had started working on it. It's impressive, Hiccup thought, unable to stop himself, that I've replaced the blade of an axe and gave it the standard cleaning treatment in a mere two days when it usually takes three or four. He couldn't keep back an elated smile. Astrid will be so impressed.
Astrid—or Axestrid as Hiccup now called her in his mind—had visited the forge twice a day wondering if her axe was done. It was surprising that she had nothing better to do. But, apparently, she spent most of her time doing target practice with her axe on now unfortunate-looking trees. She needed her regular weapon to continue doing that.
"Hiccup? Yeh still here?" Hiccup heard Gobber limp over to him. "Thor, Hiccup, yeh've been workin' all day, and it's nightfall now. Yeh should go home."
Hiccup nodded. "Oh, I will. Soon enough. But, Gobber, look." With obvious difficulty, he picked up the axe from the table, sagging with its weight. "I've finished."
Gobber looked surprised. "Already?"
"Uh-huh."
The Viking's eyebrows raised. "That's very impressive, Hiccup. It's only been wha', three days?"
"Two," Hiccup corrected, setting the axe back down on the table. His arms were already tired.
"Two," Gobber amended. "So, are yeh gonna wait till Astrid shows up tomorrow, or bring it to her tonight?"
Hiccup became nervous. "Well, I... I don't know... you're the one who suggested I fix Axestrid's axe." A chuckle from Gobber at the name. "Now, what?"
Gobber patted the axe. "I'd say yeh should bring it to 'er. Shows that you're a gentleman, I think."
"But I don't want to seem like a gentleman," said Hiccup miserably. "I want to be a Viking."
"All the same," Gobber assured. "Go on. She doesn't live too far from here. I'll tell Stoick not to worry that you haven't come home yet."
Hiccup looked down. "My father wouldn't even notice."
"Sure he would."
The apprentice glanced up with a dubious expression. "You really think that?"
Gobber's smile faded. "Well... eventually."
Hiccup sighed. "Alright, I think I'm going to bring the axe to Astrid now. Maybe she'll think I'm strong and capable for doing that!"
"Whatever yeh need to tell yourself." Gobber ruffled Hiccup's hair, and Hiccup yelped, pushing him away. "Go on, then. Go return it to—Axestrid." He chortled as he walked out of the room.
Hiccup took the axe in his arms.
"You've been waiting for this your entire life, Hiccup," he told himself. "Like Astrid said: don't mess it up."
With another heaving sigh, he left the forge.
Hiccup knocked on the Hofferson's door and nearly dropped Astrid's axe in the process. "Um, hello?"
A Viking woman—most likely Mrs. Hofferson—opened the door. At first, she seemed jolly, but when she looked down and saw Hiccup's narrow figure, she scowled.
"What do you want?" she barked.
Anxiousness clouded any thoughts of speaking clearly. "W-well, I—um—I—your daughter's axe... it's ready..." He showed her the weapon, cursing himself for stuttering.
Mrs. Hofferson scrutinized it. "I'm surprised you can carry it," she remarked.
Me too, thought Hiccup.
"Well..." She removed herself from the doorframe. "Come on in. And be quick about it, we haven't got all night!"
Hiccup scurried inside at the woman's command. He stood quietly by the door while Mrs. Hofferson turned and bellowed, "ASTRID! YOUR AXE IS READY! GOBBER'S APPRENTICE IS HERE!"
She was responded by a yell with equal force. "FINE! I'M COMING!"
Soon enough, he heard a door slam and footsteps thud their way down the hall. Hiccup waited nervously.
Astrid appeared, looking annoyed. But her expression lightened when she saw her axe in Hiccup's hands.
"I'll leave you two alone, then," said Mrs. Hofferson, and she stalked off, leaving the two teenagers by themselves.
"Um—I fixed your axe," Hiccup tried. Yes, I barely stuttered that time!
"Well, that's why you're here, isn't it?" Astrid shot.
Oh. Um...
At Hiccup's wounded expression, she tried to soften her face a little. "Well... thanks. Can I see it?"
Hiccup handed the girl her axe, and she took it carefully. He refrained from smiling as Astrid started moving it around and testing its weight out. He was beyond relieved when she seemed content with it.
"It's better," she said.
"What?" Hiccup had been too busy staring at her to listen.
Astrid rolled her eyes. "The axe. It was sometimes a little too light before. But now, it's balanced correctly."
Hiccup flushed with her attention. "O-oh, well, it-it isn't that hard. You j-just have to—"
"Hiccup," she exasperated, looking pained. "What I'm trying to say is thank you."
What?
Had the fierce Astrid Hofferson actually said thanks?
It was all Hiccup could do not to pass out right then and there. "Oh. Um. You're welcome, Axestrid."
He realized his mistake all too late. Astrid's face seemed to fall into anger in slow motion. She grabbed the collar of his shirt, and hissed, "What did you call me?"
Hiccup recoiled. He had only dreamed of Astrid coming this close. But for this particular reason, he would've rather stayed hiding in the forge.
"A-Astrid, of c-c-course."
Astrid didn't buy it one bit.
"I don't think you did," she spat. "It sounded more like... Axestrid."
Oh, gods. He had been found out. And he knew that Astrid would never back down from the argument. She had heard what he had said, and there was no changing that.
Hiccup sighed. "I—um—could you let me go first?"
Astrid's grip had become concerningly tight in the last couple of seconds. Now, however, she released him, using her death glare to make him swallow.
"I—well—I did call you Axestrid," Hiccup admitted.
Her glower harshened.
"But I d-didn't mean it as an in-insult!" he said. "Just, y-you're really good with t-the axe, and you u-use it a lot, so I j-just thought... I thought..." He let out an unmanly whimper. "Sorry, A-Astrid."
The girl frowned, staring at him with some wariness.
She's going to kill me, Hiccup realized.
But she didn't hit him with her axe. Instead, she blew a bang from her eye. "Axestrid," she repeated, making Hiccup flinch. But she didn't seem as hostile as before. "That's kind of clever."
Hiccup couldn't believe his ears. After he had supposedly insulted Astrid, she was calling him clever? "Um—well—thanks."
Astrid ignored him. "Axestrid... hmm. I sort of like that. A name to strike fear the hearts of my enemies." She hefted her axe in emphasis.
"Ahh," said Hiccup, pretending to be scared. He was beyond surprised when Astrid smiled.
"You know," she said, "you can be funny. Sometimes."
Hiccup's heart fluttered. "Thank you... Axestrid."
Astrid's smile disappeared. "Just because I like it doesn't mean that you get to call me that. Now, I'd get out of here before I change my mind and decide to smack you after all."
Hiccup gulped, knowing it was true. "Okay... er... g-goodnight."
As Hiccup ran out into the darkness, he could've sworn he heard Astrid's voice quietly say, "Goodnight, Hiccup."
Yep! Well, that's that...
Special thanks to these special people...
thepurplewriter333, FanWriter02, DragonRider015, devufairy, imagination-running, phieillydinyia, Guest, annnndddddd DragonGirl310! Each and every one of your reviews is deeply appreciated. :-) Thanks, guys!
Well, I think I'll go lay down now so I'm back in business for Sunday... until next time, guys! I hope you enjoyed!