Hello, and Happy Friday! Thank you to all my followers and favourites, and especially to those who took the time to review. I love hearing how you think the story will evolve. :) Also, I've been working on fan art. If you have a scene you would like to see drawn, let me know! I am craving inspiration. 3

Chapter Nine: Heat

Hiccup couldn't sleep. He stared at the ceiling of the Great Hall, his home for the past month, tapping his fingers on his other hand. A few of the men were talking by the fire, all posted to make sure Hiccup slept and nothing more. They guarded him from himself, and that made Hiccup both uncomfortable and unreasonably frustrated. He kept staring at the rafters, counting the wooden foundation rafters over and over (forty-four, front to back) and he looked over at Toothless who was just as awake.

"Hey, bud," he murmured gently, scratching his neck. Toothless' eyes flicked over sharply. He was on edge, not being allowed to fly for an entire moon, his wings cramped from staying unused for so long. Supervised walks were okay, but flying was too risky. Hiccup could not be let out of sight, lest he run into his bride or go to some quiet corner to relieve himself from a buildup of angst.

Toothless groaned as Hiccup sat up, patting his head and smiling. He grabbed his dragon's mouth gingerly and opened it, looking at his tongue. "Tongue all healed up," he sighed. "Gods, it's so hot in here."

He kicked off his blankets and the men turned to see him.

"Ho there, Hiccup! Can't sleep?" Fishlegs laughed. "Excited for the big day tomorrow?"

"I guess you could say that," Hiccup muttered. To be honest, Hiccup was anxious. It had been a month since seeing Astrid's face, since kissing her on the sea stack, and it made him ache. He had never felt that, and his dreams were plagued by thoughts that made behaving too difficult to bear. He was scared that she wouldn't be there, too. That she would change her mind and forget about him. He shook his head and stood up.

"I need some fresh air," Hiccup said. "It's too warm in here."

"Is that what you call it?" Tuffnut asked with a snort.

"Please," Hiccup groaned, annoyed. "Toothless needs to stretch his wings and I need a minute."

"No can do," Fishlegs sighed. "We have the sworn duty to make sure that nothing goes awry before your wedding."

Hiccup dug the palms of his hands into his eye sockets. "Seriously?"

"Did we stutter?" Tuffnut asked with a raised eyebrow. "Nope."

Hiccup groaned and Toothless' teeth emerged from his gums. He snarled and Hiccup placed a hand on his head. He smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, what do we have here? An angry Night Fury with a wing cramp?"

Hiccup gave Toothless a subtle wave, a command. Toothless shrieked and leapt forward, fanning out his wings in front of Hiccup. He clipped his foot into the saddle.

Fishlegs and Tuffnut both cried out in terror and jumped to the side. Toothless bounded out the door and Hiccup finally felt the relief of the night air on his skin, and more importantly, the loneliness of the wind on his face.

"Come on, bud, let's make up for lost time!" Hiccup whooped. Toothless let his tongue hang out as they shot through the air, faster than a catapult's thrust. They soared around the island, drinking in the air and staying hidden in the darkness. Oh, to be alone. Hiccup felt all the pressure of the month collect in his gut, deep and low and hungry. He felt his eyelashes flutter and he focussed on other things. Free or no, he would honour Astrid by not breaking that rule.

He hauled Toothless into the air, screaming into the wind, letting his voice crack. He could barely feel the cold on his skin. Toothless dove and the two spun out of control, the rush so wonderful and yearned for that the pair became exhausted very quickly.

They came to a hover, gliding over the trees of Berk, the two of them panting and sore.

"Take me to the cove, bud. I need a drink."

He let Toothless fly them there, moving his foot when he needed to, but keeping his focus on the sky above him. Finally, they landed in the familiar bowl in the earth. Toothless began drinking in the lake before Hiccup dismounted, cupped some water in his hands, and drank. He drank and drank for what seemed like forever before he turned and found Toothless hanging upside down, sleeping gently in the soft wind. Hiccup smiled and sighed. To see Toothless finally sleeping was nice to see.

Hiccup decided to walk back. He knew Toothless had a way out of the cove – he had constructed a ladder of sorts for him to get out years before – and casually walked through the woods.

He realized he was by himself, completely alone. He slowed his pace and licked his lips, eyebrows furrowed.

"Astrid."

He let her name flow over his tongue, the first time in weeks, savouring the sound and feel of it. He smiled and said it once more, quickening his pace. He was marrying Astrid in the morning. He would feast and dance and say her name as many times as he could and then when the sun set, they would be totally alone –

He felt a blinding pain in his shoulder blades, the wind knocked out of his lungs. He fell to the ground and groaned. He heard a gasp and feet skittering over the crunchy earth.

"Hiccup?!" a familiar voice hissed. Hiccup's head jerked upwards. He saw a figure cloaked in shadow, bright blue eyes illuminated by a tiny beam of moonlight. Astrid flung herself behind a tree as Hiccup made it to his feet. He ran to the tree. "Don't come any closer!"

Hiccup froze, on the other side of the tree, his hand on the bark.

"You hit me," he panted.

"I thought you were someone else," she spat.

"Has a moon made you forget me?" he asked.

"No, of course not. What in Thor's name are you doing out here?"

Hiccup bonked his head on the trunk, closing his eyes and trying his hardest to stay on his side of the tree. "I needed to be alone. I couldn't take it, I can't sleep and Toothless needed to be flown."

Astrid took a moment. "Ah. A minute alone."

Hiccup's eyes flew open. "No, no no no, not for that, I swear –"

"Uh huh."

"Seriously!"

"Sure."

"Astrid, I'm telling the truth!"

"We're getting married tomorrow," she breathed. She took another loud breath. "…I… I think it just hit me."

"Astrid?"

He heard her body slide down the tree. He almost moved around the tree before he heard her breathe again.

"Gods… I'm marrying you tomorrow."

"Is that a problem?" he asked carefully. "Because if it is…"

"No… it's wonderful. But gods…"

Hiccup nodded and sat down on the other side of the tree. He hugged his knees and rested his chin on his arms. "Yeah… it's kinda weird to think about, eh?"

"You know about tomorrow night?" she asked timidly.

"My dad tried to explain it to me."

"Sweet Odin."

"Yup."

"…Are you scared?"

Hiccup bit his lip. "By the fact that my knowledge is based on a conversation my dad tried to have with me in the middle of a knife-throwing competition where I became a target? Yeah."

Astrid laughed. Then she was quiet again. "I think I am, too."

"Hah. Astrid Hofferson, afraid?"

"It's not like I've done it before," she sneered.

"Hey, I haven't either. Remember, Stoick the Vast trying to be anatomically correct with me? It didn't really work out."

"Nightmares?"

"Nightmares."

They laughed again and sighed.

"How did you get loose?" he asked Astrid.

Astrid groaned painfully. "I made it look like someone was in my bed and I snuck out the back. I'd been listening to Olga chewing her bread crusts for the past two hours. For some reason, that was the tipping point."

"Gross."

"That's an understatement."

Hiccup nodded and sighed. He heard Astrid clear her throat.

"…Could you do me a favour?"

"Anything."

"I've been separated from you for an entire moon. And it's been so much harder than I wanted it to be."

"So?"

He heard Astrid move. "Close your eyes."

Hiccup jumped. "What? What are you doing?"

"I'm going to close my eyes and you're going to close yours. Okay?"

Hiccup laughed again and closed his eyes. He heard rustling as Astrid moved again.

"Keep talking to me, I can't find you in the dark with my eyes closed if you stop."

Hiccup smiled and lost his breath for a moment. "Uh… okay? My name is Hiccup, I am twenty-one winters old and –"

"Seriously? That's what you're going to say?"

"You were the one who told me to talk!"

"Couldn't you try something a bit more… I dunno… romantic?"

"Uh, I think you look good when you're filthy?"

"Do you want a fist to the face, my love?"

Hiccup laughed nervously and sucked in a breath. "Okay, okay."

There was some more rustling as Astrid made her way closer.

"I like what you said. Not the punching part, but the 'my love' part. It was nice."

Astrid scoffed. "I was being sarcastic."

Hiccup's smile fell. "You mean, you didn't mean it?"

"Well, I meant it…"

THere was a slight pause as they reminded themselves to breathe. Hiccup leaned his head to the side, quiet.

"Were you at all freaked out when I said that I loved you?"

"Were you telling the truth?" Astrid asked. She stumbled, but she was close. Hiccup grinned and moved as silently as he could, away from where her voice was coming from.

"Yes, I was being honest," Hiccup said.

"Then why would it freak me out?"

"Because when I said it, you never said it back."

Astrid stopped for a moment. "That doesn't mean anything… where the hell are you?"

"You know, a wife should love her husband, and should say it," Hiccup invited playfully, backing away from the tree.

"Hiccup, you know I feel the same way, now stop moving and stand still."

"Not until you say it!" Hiccup said. He had a huge smile on his lips. "Come on, Astrid, it's not hard."

He felt hands on his riding suit, and Astrid grunted. She shoved him down onto the frosty moss and he felt her frigid hands on his burning face.

"You're warm," she sighed desperately. The cold in her fingers touching the warmth of his body made her swoon in an innocent way.

"Say it," he repeated. "Say that you love me."

"Are you wearing a cloak? It's freezing out here," Astrid shivered.

"Say it."

"Stop telling me to say it!"

"Say it."

Astrid growled and squirmed on top of him. Hiccup forced himself to keep his hands off her.

"Fine," she spat, frustrated. "It."

"Very funny," Hiccup chuckled. "It's not that hard."

"I beg to differ," she replied.

Hiccup blinked and froze and bit his tongue. He tried to move his hips away from her, but that made it worse. "Awkward."

"Yeah."

"Do you want to move?"

"No, you're warm."

"Say it."

Astrid sighed and shivered on top of him. She was freezing, like a block of ice inside a sheath of flesh. She growled. "If I do, then what?"

"I guess you'll have to find out."

Astrid shivered again. "Fine. I love you."

"I'm sorry? I couldn't hear you."

"I love you," Astrid repeated. But it sounded softer. Hiccup took a moment to let those words enter his heart, to give his stomach a whirl, and he smiled gently. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Hiccup wrapped his arms around her and rolled them over. Astrid gasped as Hiccup pulled her cloak off.

"Hiccup, we can't –"

"Don't worry, Astrid, nothing's going to happen."

Hiccup pulled the cloak over himself and rested his body lightly over Astrid's. He buried his face in the crook of her cold neck.

"Tell me if I'm crushing you or something."

"…Okay."

He let himself down, rearranging their legs so they fit together comfortably.

"You're so cold," Hiccup said, concerned.

"I can't feel my fingers," Astrid admitted.

Hiccup reached between them and unbuckled his riding suit vest, opening it at the neck. He grabbed her hand and placed it inside his suit against his chest. Her fingers were like ice, and Hiccup was too warm to care. Astrid purred and nuzzled her face into his shoulder.

"Why are you so warm?" she asked, envious to return warmth to her fingers.

"To keep you from freezing. Is it working?"

"Mhmm."

They lied there for a time, listening to a distant river rush and the sound of their deep breaths. Hiccup didn't recognize her scent. It was flowery and soothing, but her scent was still there. He couldn't explain it. But he wanted to see her face. He resisted the urge to lift himself up and peer down at her, but when he heard her snore softly against his shoulder, he couldn't help it.

He gently lifted himself up and looked at her with his tired eyes. Her face was rosy, her lips pink and warm from their body heat. One hand was curled over her chest, the other still tucked against his chest. Her fingers twitched against his skin and he blinked. She was so beautiful when she slept. He smiledand lied next her, putting an arm under her head and pulling her against him. He told himself to not fall asleep, to let his betrothed sleep for a few hours. She looked exhausted. He let his eyes fall shut, convincing himself that he could stay awake.

But of course, Hiccup was startled by Toothless sniffing at him, pawing at him to wake up. He peeled open his eyes and saw that Astrid was gone. And the sun was rising. He leapt to his feet and whirled around, lost and confused for a moment before Toothless barked at him. He jumped into his saddle, clutching at the ropes.

"I can't be late for my own wedding, bud!" he said worriedly. And the two of them raced back to the village.