The prompt, via putri_nih: Fishlegs playing a banjo in the mead hall.

Astrid cocked her head and followed the odd twanging sound, weaving through the crowd more or less inebriated Vikings that always occupied the Hall at night. She pulled up short when she saw Fishlegs. He was standing in an open area and strumming away at a strange instrument with a round head and a long, stringed neck. Ruffnut was sitting nearby, listening raptly.

"What is that?" Astrid asked her quietly when she got close enough.

"He calls it a bang-o or something, I wasn't really paying attention," Ruffnut said.

"Where'd it come from?"

Ruffnut shrugged. Astrid looked at Fishlegs again, then called, "Hey Legs, where'd you find that thing?"

"Oh, I didn't find it!" he said. "I made it! Or, well, I designed it, and Hiccup helped me put it together."

Astrid lifted her eyebrows. "Huh. Speaking of, where is the little inventor?"

"He went off somewhere with Snotlout and Tuffnut."

"They're drunk!" Ruffnut whispered loudly to Astrid. "The lot of 'em!"

"No!" Astrid said in pretend shock, looking from Ruffnut's hazy gaze to the empty tankards on the table next to her. "I'm gonna go grab some mead. You guys want anything?"

"Yes please!" Ruffnut chirped, and Fishlegs shook his head. Astrid smirked a bit and wandered off.

The bar was even busier than usual, and it took Astrid some time to get the drinks and head back. Then she had to force her way through the crowd that had for some reason gathered in the area she had left Legs and Ruff. As she tried to dodge errant elbows and axes, she could hear odd snatches of unusual music, and found herself wondering how much noise a bang-o could make on its own. Then she finally reached the front of the crowd and came to an abrupt stop, jaw dropping in shock.

"Hi Astrid!" Hiccup called from where he, Snotlout, and Tuffnut had joined Fishlegs in what had become an impromptu staging area. "We made a band!"

"Out of what, garbage?" Astrid asked, but he didn't answer. He was busy plucking away at some twine he had strung between the top handle of a butter churn and its base. Lout and Tuff and improvised instruments too, although they hadn't seemed to put nearly as much thought into theirs. Snotlout had a cowbell that he banged with a spoon, and as far as Astrid could tell Tuffnut was just blowing into an empty jug.

Still, considering that Astrid was afraid to ask how much mead they had to have consumed to make this seem like a good idea, they at least managed a decent rhythm. And everyone around looked like they were having a good time. So Astrid shook her head and went to stand by Ruff.

Ruffnut was waving her arms in the air and bouncing in her seat like she was trying to dance without having to stand up. "What're you doing?" Astrid asked.

"I'm being a groupie!"

"You're...okay, why not?" Astrid said, and sat next to her, deciding to just go along with it.

A few minutes later they boys finished up whatever song they had been playing to enthusiastic applause. Ruffnut jumped up and cheered. "Thank you, thank you," Fishlegs said. "For our next number -" Ruffnut tackled him, and the bang-o fell to the ground with a clatter.

Tuffnut laughed, and Hiccup said, "I think that means our set's up, guys." He turned to see Astrid standing next to him. He regarded her for a moment, then motioned grandly towards the butter churn. "Ta-da!"

Astrid smirked. "You have weird hobbies."

"Yes! No wait, I mean, I mean...wait, yeah, yeah I do."

"And you're drunk."

"Yes!"

Astrid looked past him to Fishlegs and Ruffnut. "And I think we should go now."

Hiccup quickly turned around, then just as quickly looked back at Astrid. "Yes!"

"Come on rock star," Astrid said with a smile, taking his hand and leading him away.