Ok so I know this chapter is far overdue, life is far too hectic. This is chapter 2 of the original story: The Ring. So yeah, I hope you all enjoy and review please. It makes my day when you do. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Do we have to go over it again? When will you frickin learn that I don't own HTTYD?!

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Toothless had woken me up incredibly early this morning and for once I was pleased.

"When am I ever happy when you wake up, Bud?" Hiccup asked. Toothless warbled in response.

I had put on my thick fur coat and headed out the door. As I walked to the forge I passed the Hofferson house. I noticed Stormfly wasn't in her barn, Astrid must have gone out flying. Perfect!

"Perfect? Why perfect? Don't you want to see me? Or not?" Astrid asked.

Astrid was out flying, that meant that she would be occupied for a few hours and she wouldn't come find me in the forge. Less chance she would find the ring.

"Why is everything always so perfectly orchestrated with you Hiccup?" Astrid asked.

"A little bit of luck, and a little help from you." Hiccup grinned.

I finally made it to the forge and hung my coat up on the rack. The forge was warm which could only mean that Gobber had been in here not to long ago. I wandered into the back room and opened the bottom draw of my desk. I grabbed the gold and the little bag containing the gem. I checked the gem was still ok, I saw it glistening in the bottom of the bag and I still couldn't believe that Johann had just given this to me. I couldn't even imagine how valuable this tiny little gem was. I closed the bag and put it safely back in the draw.

"Wait Johann, gave that to you?" Snotlout asked dumbly.

"Snotlout have you been paying attention at all?" I asked.

"And yes, he did give me that gold, in case you were wondering." Hiccup said sarcastically.

I walked out to the furnace and began to melt the gold. Now, how am I going to make this thing. I need a mould! and I need her finger size, I said less enthusiastically. Great, how I'm the name of Thor was I going to get the size right? She would get suspicious if I start measuring her ring finger. I would have to do it discretely. I hid the melted gold and left it to cool.

"You know Hiccup, your blacksmithing skills are really useful sometimes." Gobber said. Astrid nodded in agreement.

How could I get the size of her finger? Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted.

"Umm hiccupfan guy." Snotlout began.

"Jay." I interrupted, irritated.

"Ok Jay. Why do you care so much about Hiccup and Astrid. I mean, she is so obviously going to choose me." Snotlout preened.

"One thing Snotface. She won't choose you and I know that. Why would she choose you? You're fairly unintelligent, your way too self confident, and you don't care at all for her feelings. Your ego is huge, and her being with you, would only bloat it even more. Also, I'm from the future, so I know what is going to happen. And you are nothing more than a friend in that future. Now let's continue shall we?"

"Where have you been all day?"

That's definitely something I would say. Astrid thought.

"Astrid, hey. Hey Astrid, hi. Um I've just been busy you know doing stuff." I said scratching the back of my neck.

"Pretty slick Hiccup. Not suspicious at all." Tuffnut snickered. Hiccup didn't answer knowing that he was right.

"I've been looking for you all day. After I got back from my morning flight with Stormfly I went straight your house. You weren't there so I asked Stoick if he knew and he said he didn't. I looked for you around the village but couldn't find you anywhere. I went home and finished my chores and decided to come here to the forge to look for you, and here you are, finally!"

"Yea I've been here all day."

"What are you working on?"

"Nothing important, just helping out Gobber." I hoped she wouldn't see through my lie.

"There is no way that is going to work!" Ruffnut piped up. "Astrid too smart for that trick!"

"Oh, ok."

Phew!

"What?! How did that work? I always see through your lies Hiccup. You sneaky little-" Astrid began.

"And you still love me." hiccup interrupted. Astrid basically melted at those words.

"So have you got any time left for me today?" She said staring at her hands.

"Always."

"Is that even a question Astrid? You know that I always have time for you! Even when I don't I make time."

"Woah dude you can make time? Cool! Can I have some sometime?" Tuffnut asked.

"Yeah me too. I need more time in the day to beat Tuff up." the female Thorston said.

"Speaking figuratively guys." Hiccup rolled his eyes.

I put my hand on her cheek and guided her lips to mine. The kiss was brief but full of love. I loved her and very soon I would be asking her to spend the rest of her life with me. But for now I was more worried about getting the size of the ring right.

Mo one commented on the intimate moment between the two. The Two we are talking about were blushing harder than ever before.

We slowly walked to the cove without saying a word. We often spent time there, nobody was ever there but us. It was our private place where we could talk about anything we wanted, or do anything we wanted and no one would judge us. It was perfect.

"Well if you're both gone, we know where to find you now." Stoick said with a chuckle. "Just don't have too much fun out there." Stoick started laughing uncontrollably.

"Dad, really, you went there? Was that necessary?" Hiccup asked.

When we finally reached the cove we sat on the grass facing the water. Astrid pulled out three long strands of grass and began to weave them together.

"What are you making?" I asked curiously.

"A bracelet. Me and Ruff make them all the time."

That was it! I could make a ring out of grass and make it fit her finger! That way I could use the size of the grass ring as a base for my mould. I picked up Astrid's hand and placed it on my leg.

Well there is a plan. maybe I can do something like it. Hiccup thought.

"What are you doing?" She asked

"Just wait and see."

I pulled a long piece of grass out from the ground and wrapped it around her finger.

"What's that supposed to be?"

"Well it was supposed to be a ring, but if you think it's that bad I'll have it back." I said laughing as I pulled it off her finger and tucked it into my pocket.

"Pretty smart Hiccup. But don't get caught." Ruffnut teased.

"Hey!" She called out after me. But it was no use I was off.

"You know, you are pretty fast with that prosthetic, Hiccup." Gobber said.

"You're almost as fast as me!" Astrid told him. "Notice I said ALMOST."

I had gotten up and ran off and I was now on the other side of the cove with Astrid following up closely behind me. That's when I had an idea. I flicked of my boot and ran into the water. I quickly pulled of my prosthetic and threw it onto the bank before I swam deeper into the water. She soon followed suit, kicking off her own boots and diving into the water.

"Come back here!"

"Nope!" I called back as swam around until I was behind her.

"Wait what? You can swim with only one leg?" Ruff and Tuff asked.

"I guess I can in the future."Hiccup replied.

Astrid knew I was behind her. She spun around and splashed water in my direction but I had gone under the water.

"Hiccup? Where are you?"

I grabbed her and tugged her under the water. Once she was under I quickly swam away. Astrid came back up to the surface and chased after me. Once she finally caught up to me she splashed me in the face. I grabbed Astrid's waist and held her close.

"Just another fun day at the beach, eh Hiccup?" Gobber asked.

"Sounds perfectly normal to me, Gobber." Hiccup replied.

We swam to the shore. I waited in the shallows as Astrid grabbed my prosthetic from the bank. She came back into the water and helped me strap the prosthetic on my leg. We started the long walk back to the village, Astrid's hand in mine. We were soaking wet and I could feel the water squelching in my boot, however the long walk home meant we were almost dry by the time we got back to the village.

"How far is that cove from Berk?" Stoick asked.

"Far enough that no one but me and Astrid know about it." Hiccup replied cheekily.

"Well I better get home. I'll come see you after dinner."

"See you later Astrid."

She started sprinting in the general direction of her house, and I headed back to the forge. I sat down at the bench in the forge and began to sift through the contents of my pocket.

"Got it!" I accidentally called out aloud.

"Way to announce it to the world Hiccup. This is a private matter, yes? Stoick asked.

Hiccup sighed. "Well, it was supposed to be in the story."

I looked around to make sure no one heard me call out. The little grass loop that I had put on Astrid's finger was still in my pocket. I pulled it out and studied it. This would definitely help me get the size right. I measured the grass loop and carved the exact size into a piece of rock. I carved the other rock out so that when I put the two halves together it made the ring inside. I began to heat the gold up again. Once the gold was liquid I poured it into the mould.

"Wow no one heard. And of course, any proposal gift would have to be handmade by Hiccup." Gobber said.

"Well I want it to be special. you only propose once you know." Hiccup replied to the amusement of everyone in the room.

Once the gold had finally cooled I opened up the rock and removed the gold ring. It was flawless, no lumps or bubbles. I studied it carefully, and I was pleased. Now it just needed to attach the gem. I put the ring safely away in the pouch with the gem and pulled out my sketch book. I drew the ring and drew a picture of the gem on top. How could I attach it? I drew four little prongs connecting from the ring and hooking over the top of the gem. I hoped that would work.

"Knowing Hiccup, it will." Gobber whispered to Stoick.

"No question." Stoick whispered back.

I melted the left over gold and while it was still hot attached the four little prongs onto the ring. I carefully fitted the gem in between the prongs and gently bent the tips over the top of the gem, securing it tightly. I held the ring over my right hand and carefully turned it upside down. The gem didn't fall out! i placed the completed ring inside a small wooden box and hid it in the bottom draw of my desk in the forge. I knew it would be safe there as I am the only one who goes in that drawer.

"Well, there are secrets in the forge I had no idea about. What else is in there Hiccup? My missing battle-axe attachment?" Gobber joked.

"Wellllll, you never know." replied Hiccup

I wiped the sweat of my forehead with my apron as I took it off and hung it back on the rack. I made my way home. When I got home I was greeted by my father.

Oh brilliant. This is going to end well. Hiccup and Stoick thought simultaneously.

"Hello son." He said as he handed me a smoked fish. "What have you been up to?"

"I made that ring I was talking about."

"Good, good. Have you planned when your going to propose yet?"

"Why would you ask me that? You know what the answer will be." Hiccup said.

"No,no not yet. I am working on it, slowly."

"Good."

We sat in silence until there was a knock at the door. Stoick got up and headed over to the door.

"Unless there is an Outcast attack, there is only one person who would be at the door." Hiccup said.

"Hello there Astrid. I take it you want to see Hiccup, he's just in here."

"Yep, I was right."

Astrid walked in the door and sat down next to me.

"I just wanted to say goodnight." She smiled sweetly at me.

"Well you are just so kind." Hiccup whispered to her.

"You bet I am. To you at least. Even when I don't seem like it." Astrid replied.

"Isn't that the truth."Hiccup mused.

"I'll walk you home."

We stood up and walked to Astrid's house without saying another word. When we reached her door she grabbed my shirt and pulled me into a kiss. It slow and sweet, like always and I wouldn't change it for the world.

"Bossy!" Hiccup told her jokingly.

He got a light puch in the arm for a reply.

"Goodnight Astrid, I love you."

"I love you to." She whispered into my ear.

"I mean that Hiccup." she said lowly so only I could hear.

I smiled broader than I ever had in my entire life.

Astrid disappeared into her house and closed the door. I turned to walk away when I heard the door open again.

"Goodnight Hiccup." She called out before disappearing into her house once again.