Agh! I was going to update on Thursday but I totally forgot about it! ): Urggghhh! Well, here it is now, on Sunday...
I'm sorry, everyone, I forgot to mention how to pronounce certain names. It's very important how they're pronounced because they're not spelled like it, but anyway: Aislin isn't pronounced EYEz-lin, it's pronounced EYEsh-lin. Look it up on Google translate if you don't know what I mean (English to Norwegian). And Auda is pronounced like OW-da not AH-da. So yeah, thought I would say that nowww.
Well, chapter is full of surprises. Yay!
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Hands on Sunshine
Chapter Nineteen
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Astrid woke up the next day earlier than she had in months. The sun had literally just risen when she pushed open her window. The bright sunlight warmed her chilly skin and she smiled, then walked over to her vanity to sit down and brush her hair so it shined. Normally she would have been annoyed that she woke up before her entire family, even her mother who was the earliest riser in the house, but she was oddly full of energy. Astrid cleaned her entire room though there wasn't much to clean, changed for the day—which took her forever because she couldn't decide what to wear—and when she got to the kitchen, she cleaned that, too. Seeing that her mother had set out dough to sit and rise over night, Astrid also baked the bread. She was on a roll, a whirlwind in the kitchen but she kept quiet. And all the while she hummed.
Ingrid walked into the kitchen with her hair loose in a braid that reached to her waist just as Astrid was leaving to feed the chickens through the back door. She yawned, seeing with blurry eyes that her daughter had started baking. "Thank you, dear!" Ingrid shouted weakly before the door slammed shut.
Having a quick breakfast with fresh, warm bread and strawberry preserves, Astrid left for Hallbera's, the village fully awake now. She said a chirpy 'hello!' to Hallbera when she walked in through the front. "Where's Stinkeye and Ranka?" she asked, pulling out her red dress she was nearly done with.
"Stink gave birth last night," Hallbera said with a wide smile, dropping her arms full of clothes that needed to be mended onto her table.
"Oh, did she?" Astrid smiled back, though she felt a sting in heart. "How did it go?"
Hallbera felt a little guilty for bringing it up, but she offered a reassuring smile. "Very well. Mother and daughter both healthy and strong."
"She had a daughter? She's going to be so spoiled," Astrid chuckled. So Stinkeye survived and is well. If it had been any other day, she would have been jealous and angry because her sister obviously did not survive, but today, she didn't mind. She was happy for Stinkeye and her family. Also, it made her feel a little better, if only just a bit. If that string bean Stink can get through it, I definitely can, no problem.
"I know! Isn't she?" Hallbera burst out laughing, sitting down and threading a needle. "She named her Rattail. Cute child," she nodded and Astrid sat down, pulling the dress over her lap to begin sewing, threading her own needle. "On the other side't of things, Ranka is taking care of her sick grandmother. Svala said she didn't 'ave much longer."
"That's unfortunate. I'm sorry to hear that," Astrid said and made a frown.
"Yes, me as well, but I talked to Ranka today and she said she herself was doin' alright. She's ancient, anyway, that woman. Thor almighty," Hallbera shook her head and chuckled deeply along with Astrid, who laughed only because she was shocked to hear Hallbera nearly poking fun at the woman's age.
"Isn't she, like, ninety or something?"
"Ninety-two. She was old when I was young."
"Oh, gods, you're evil," Astrid shook her head, threading the needle through and knotting it without hardly having to look at it.
"Not even, you knoow it's true."
"It's true," Astrid confirmed and together they burst out laughing as they sewed.
Much later, sometime just after noon, the sun started getting blocked out by a thick blanket of dark clouds. Astrid stood at the window and furrowed her brows, irked that the sun wasn't shining anymore. It was so lovely outside and now, she could see, it would probably start raining, too. Now finished with her dress, Astrid decided to clean some more. She was in a very cleaning-orientated mode today and she couldn't stop it; it came pouring out of her like a floodgate had opened.
Since the whole backroom was one giant mess, she started around her table in the back. She organized all the boxes under the table and sorted through them to put like cloth, spools, needles, rulers, bracers and a whole lot of other things in the same box, and she swept the floor and killed the bugs that crawled out. While Hallbera was up front helping fit a dress to a village woman, Astrid was heard shouting, "Die! Die! Die!" to all the ants, spiders, centipedes and other creepy crawlies that tried scurrying away. Hallbera looked to the woman and laughed nervously. "Astrid's on a cleanin' rampage," she shrugged and the woman only laughed.
Astrid only got a good third of the backroom clean before Hallbera shoved an old cloak in her hands and told her to leave. It was pouring outside when Hallbera pushed Astrid out the door, apologizing for sending her out in the rain but not really apologizing. "I 'ave to close the store, you crazy geel," Hallbera said to Astrid with a playfully scolding glimmer to her eyes before closing the back door and locking it. Astrid pulled up the droopy hood and groaned, puling the thick cloak around her before stepping out into the rain.
Astrid ran to Hiccup's house, trying to avoid all the puddles she could but being so dark it was hard to see them, and the rain was pelting down on her so hard she could barely see three feet in front of her when she could and she almost got lost on her way. She got her whole legs soaked and probably her whole body was drenched but she couldn't tell, and by the time she reached Hiccup's front porch her sandals were completely full of mud. She rinsed her feet and her legs all the way up to her calves in a puddle before climbing the stairs and knocking on his front door.
Hiccup ushered her inside and took off her cloak for her and hung it by the fire, now all worried over her well being for being soaked to the bone. He grabbed a tunic for her and made her change into it, respectfully turned as she changed in the middle of the large room though she told him many times she didn't care if he looked but Hiccup still kept turned around as he fixed her some supper. It started thundering and lightning later that night when Hiccup made Astrid some seasoned herring and bread since she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. From inside they could hear the sheets of rain slapping the roof and practically all sides of the house. They looked out the front window that faced the ocean and from their place on top of the hill, the ocean was fierce and dangerous and dark.
"Wow. I hope there aren't any boats out at sea. It would be a terrible time to be out there right now," Hiccup said quietly and a bolt of lightning flashed miles away on the surface of the ocean.
"Yeah, no kidding. That would suck," Astrid said and bit into a piece of buttered bread.
After she finished eating, Hiccup brought Astrid up to his room and together they fixed a leak in his roof and a few more they discovered around the house. But after all that, he sat her on his bed so he could sketch more of her, and after zoning out for awhile drawing, Hiccup looked over his board on his knee with the parchment pinned to it and saw Astrid sleeping on his bed. He smiled, finding her so endearing. She told him about her busybody day so he could only chuckle. She was exhausted.
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Hanging out at the bay a few days later, Astrid opened her eyes from a good nap and yawned, sitting up from lying on Hiccup's chest. She pulled herself up to stand and stretch, the warm sunlight through the leaves helping to loosen her muscles, but in doing so she woke Hiccup up.
"My butt is sore," Hiccup grumbled with a cheery smile, standing up next to Astrid to stretch backwards beneath the tree.
"That was a lovely nap, if I may say," Astrid smiled, still looking a little sleep-dreary when she turned to face him.
"It was, I have to agree with you. I dreamed about you, by the way," Hiccup jumped up to touch an overhanging branch, making the leaves shudder.
"Oh, really? What was it about?" Astrid asked and sat down with her legs stretched out. Hiccup sat against the tree trunk where he leaned on before dozing off with Astrid in his arm, picking up his sketchbook he had set aside awhile ago to draw the scenery for the fourth time.
Hiccup chuckled, tapping his mouth with the unburned end of his charcoal pencil. "You transformed into a Nadder and laid chicken eggs," Hiccup said beneath a deep laugh. "Not your most flattering moment, there, dear."
Astrid giggled and rolled her eyes, lying down on the grass with her hands behind her head. She sighed contentedly and watched the leaves above shake in the gentle sea breeze that made its way across the bay through the channel. Hiccup finished sketching and together they flew back to the village on their respective dragons after a few detours, showing off to each other and trying out new moves and later showing them to the other village kids flying around, avoiding their chores like Astrid was currently doing. Astrid waved goodbye after a long while and Hiccup waved back before diving toward the sea with Snotlout. She veered Spike away and flew calmly home while the sun started to fall in the sky, casting warm oranges on the village that made it look picturesque and rather welcoming, the stone statues out in the sea starting to be lit like they were advertising Berk. Astrid smiled and scratched Spike's neck; she really did like this island, even though years back all she wanted was to leave, but she knew now that this was where she was meant to be.
Astrid left Spike in the barn and scattered some hay for her before going inside through the back kitchen door. Walking inside, she was thoroughly surprised to see an older middle-aged woman sitting at the table she hadn't seen before with a cup of ale and milk dressed in midwife's garb, and a child sitting next to her with a baby in her mother's arms. Astrid couldn't help but stare with a gaping mouth, looking between the three mysterious people with furrowed brows and a more than confused expression on her face. And to help, neither Auda nor her mother seemed to give any hints or explanations except Ingrid's eyes were watery as she smoothed down the baby's wild and dark hair.
"…What? I-I… who?" Astrid asked to no one in particular, the little girl at the table staring at her with a blank expression that made Astrid a little wary.
"Meet your niece and nephew," Auda said, leaning against the counter, looking a little pale. "Whom I've been entitled to take care of now. Thanks, Aislin," she said in a sarcastic tone, taking one last gulp of whatever it was she was drinking, probably something with alcohol in it because she didn't look too happy.
"What? This is Snare and Ragna?" Astrid asked in a shrill voice until the midwife shushed her, looking pointedly to Snare sleeping in Ingrid's arms. "Don't 'shh' me, woman! I don't even know you—,"
"Astrid!" Ingrid said in a harsh whisper, looking at her daughter in a way that would always make her feel a little scared. "Don't be so rude. Odin's eye. And yes, this is Ragna and Snare, and yes, they'll be staying with us, particularly under Auda's care but she can't do it herself. Sit down, Astrid," Ingrid pointed to the seat next to her, across from Ragna. Astrid ground her teeth and sat down, avoiding Ragna's stare as much as possible.
Ingrid sighed and adjusted Snare in her arms, his socked foot sliding out from the blanket. "In the storm a couple of days ago, Kollr and his ship of men were lost at sea on their way back from the mainland. There were search parties, Alhildr told me, but they weren't able to recover any of the men. When Aislin was dying, she told me she wanted Auda to take care of her children if anything were to happen to Kollr, and he respected her decision to let his family know if anything like that came to pass. Well…," Ingrid paused and smiled sadly at Ragna, who only stared back with her big green eyes reminiscent of her mother's. "here they are. This is their wet nurse Alhildr, so she'll be staying with us for awhile, too."
Astrid raised her brows in shock. "Wow. Okay. Wow. Uhm," she put a hand to her forehead, trying to sort out her thoughts. "This happened way too fast," Ingrid and Alhildr nodded while Auda only rolled her eyes—she was not excited at all, it seemed. She looked incredibly nervous, actually, Astrid could see. "So… who's staying where?"
"I'm still thinking about that. I know Snare and Alhildr will stay in the living room and I'm not quite sure where Ragna will stay. Either in your room or in Auda and Brandan's," Ingrid explained slowly, rocking Snare just a little.
"There isn't any room in our room," Auda said with hints of exhaustion.
"We can make room. There's plenty of storage space in the attic," their mother replied.
"We were going to bring all that when we got a house, mom," Auda said curtly, annoyance now tingeing her words.
"I don't think you'll be getting a house anytime soon, Auda. Your father and I aren't going to be here forever and Astrid will be moving out. Enough," Ingrid said with her motherly I-don't-want-to-hear-anymore-of-this-conversation voice. She was about to start speaking again until Ragna interrupted her with her tiny voice.
"I want to stay with her," she said rather quietly but everyone could hear her, pointing sheepishly to Astrid with a chubby finger.
"Okay, that works," Auda raised her hands and grinned in spite. Ingrid tossed her a nasty look before Auda left the kitchen. Both Astrid's mother and Alhildr smiled at her, happy to have come to a decision.
"It's settled, then."
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"No, it's Astrid. Aaaastrid."
"S'did."
Astrid slapped a hand to her forehead. "No, Ragna. My name is not S'did. Aaaaastrid. Say it with me. Aaaastrid."
"Aaaahsdid."
Astrid sighed. "Close enough. Say it again."
"S'did."
Astrid paused and stared at her. There was no changing it, she supposed. "Just don't call me Diddy, please. Turn around," Astrid said as gently as she could and Ragna turned around on her bed, giggling.
"Diddy!"
"Oh, no," Astrid rolled her eyes and pulled her brush gently through Ragna's long and fine and snarly brown hair.
"Aunt Diddy," Ragna said, contemplating it while she kicked her little feet off the edge of the bed. "I like your room, Aunt Diddy," she looked around curiously so Astrid had to hold her head to keep her still.
"Do you?" Astrid said without any interest whatsoever.
"Yeah. You have pretty things," Ragna folded her hands delicately in her lap and Astrid smirked. Didn't Aislin say she was supposed to be like me, though? I hated pretty things when I was three, Astrid thought. "But I like your axe more."
Okay, much better. "Good. But don't touch it. It's very, very sharp and it's too heavy for you. You can only look at it, got it?" Astrid grinned wider. They might get along after all.
"Okay. Will you teach me?"
"How to use an axe?"
"Yeah."
"Of course. Not until you're older, though. When the boys start to tease you I'll teach you some awesome moves to shove their faces in the dirt and scare them off. Sound good?"
Ragna giggled and nodded her head vigorously. "I want to see you do some."
"Oh, I can. I know a perfect subject to help with that," Astrid sniggered, imagining Hiccup's face fall and turn pale.
"You'll be all like 'whoosh!' and 'bam!' and—," she made a noise that sounded like something falling apart while sticking her tongue out. "and he'll be dead."
Astrid laughed. "Not quite dead, Ragna. You don't want to kill anybody, but he'll be scared out of his pants."
"No pants?"
"No pants!" Astrid laughed and braided Ragna's hair when she was done brushing it and Ragna giggled hysterically. "That way, you get to laugh at him as he runs away naked."
"Eeeww! Nakey!" Ragna stuck her tongue out and covered her eyes with her chubby hands. Astrid pulled the covers of the bed away and Ragna crawled underneath them, pulling up her stitched-up rag doll. Astrid tucked her in and blew out some candles before lifting up her side of the covers and lying down.
"Time for sleepy time, Ragna," Astrid said when she noticed that Ragna hadn't even bothered to shut her eyes.
"My mommy used to sing me good night and Hildy does too," Ragna said in a small and innocent voice and Astrid's stomach dropped. That was the last thing she wanted to hear.
"I can't sing, Ragna. I'm sorry," Astrid rolled over towards her and said, barely able to discern the small girls' face in the dark with only slits of light from the moon outside coming in.
"Please, Aunt Diddy? I can't sleep."
"Try to, Ragna."
"I can't, though!" her voice started to be choked with tears and Astrid felt even worse. She hardly remembered the lullabies from when she was a kid, and her mom never sung her to sleep! Why did Aislin decide to?
"Ragna, I can't sing to you, I don't even know any lullabies. I can read a story?" Astrid offered lamely though she knew she would have to dig to find those books.
"No! I want Hildy!" she started crying.
"Ragna, she's sleeping. You have to go to sleep, too. Shh, be quiet. Time for sleep. Shh," Astrid propped herself on her elbow and tried calming her down by stroking her forehead but Ragna only turned onto her side, away from her, and cried into her pillow and blanket.
Astrid found herself feeling terrible. She felt horrendous and stupid that she made her little niece cry because she couldn't sing her a simple lullaby. And it was hard to hear Ragna sniffle and whine so adorably but so sadly that it made Astrid's heart and stomach wrench. She laid down on her bed again and stared at the darkness above her, wishing Ragna would stop crying so she wouldn't feel like the worst person on Midgard. She covered her ears and that helped a little but she couldn't sleep like that so she rolled onto her side and used her pillow to cover her ears. However, after awhile, Ragna started getting quieter and she eventually fell asleep, but even then Astrid had a hard time sleeping. Why did she feel so terrible?
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Despite Ragna's little fit in Astrid's room, she hung around her 'Aunt Diddy' nearly all the time. She wanted to do the things Astrid did, she repeated her sentences, replayed her actions, and even found a ribbon to act as a temporary fillet. Astrid was mixed between feeling quite flattered and annoyed, but even though she was only three years old, she was really intelligent and they got along well for being fourteen years apart. Ragna grew on Astrid in the short span of two days after hanging around to help her mother and sister to 'childproof' the house once again, hiding or hanging up weapons from reach, re-arranging furniture to make it easier for child navigation and to get Alhildr's curtained-off room situated with her chest of things and Snare's crib, along with their small collection of toys. Astrid, however, often sneaked out of the house while Ragna wasn't paying attention to go see Hiccup and find some solace from the craziness that suddenly became her home. It was much like the Thorston's house and she often found herself wanting to pull her hair out sometimes when she was there.
When Snare was awake, he was a cheerful baby, though still small and wrinkly and unable to do much but eat, sleep and make dirty cloth diapers. He didn't cry often, which was a great relief on the whole family, and Auda started growing accustomed to him as well after Alhildr taught her a few basics with some input from Ingrid. She was taught how to change and bathe a baby but Alhildr breastfed him and demonstrated once how to do it but Auda never asked again. She tried a few times to get Ragna to change into a certain dress, even chasing the little girl, naked, around the house.
"You take care of her," Auda groaned and threw to dress to Astrid's lap while she was eating a bowl of steamed oats at the table, and threw up her hands in defeat as Ragna giggled hysterically from the corner of the kitchen. "I'll take care of Snare. I have no patience for children!" Astrid only rolled her eyes and smiled, waving Ragna over.
Arnheim didn't much like the idea of having a toddler and a baby back at the house and he loudly expressed his opinion to his wife one night in their room, away from everyone else. Ingrid talked some sense into him, pointing out that Aislin had asked this of her sisters and mother and only then did he understand. However, he refused to hold Snare even when Auda offered and preferred to stay away from Ragna though she liked to play with his beard. For being such a small child, she managed to give him a little bruise on his hand after he challenged her to punch him because she was gloating about her strength to him one night. After that, Arnheim was willing to have Ragna sit in his lap as he read to her almost every night after supper through the first week.
Brandan and Ragna got along almost as well as Astrid and her, and he would often play tag with her and other sorts of games she would subject him to. Often times, she would sit on his back and Brandan would hold onto her legs tight as he flew around like a dragon, making roaring noises and pretending to spit fire. He would also act like the 'evil' sea serpent guarding the treasure chest and Ragna would slay him. She would always manage to make someone laugh with her witty words or her cheeky smile with white little teeth starting to come in, and though she was a rambunctious little thing, she had a soft spot for her brother. Ragna would bring him flowers from outside or bring him his toy so he would stop crying when he did, and she would pat his head when he giggled. After a week's time, it almost felt like the two children had always been there.
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"Well, hey, you're alive after all!" Hiccup exclaimed when Astrid walked into the forge. He threw off his gloves and went over to her, sweeping her into a huge hug and spinning her around as she laughed. Hiccup kissed her passionately since he hadn't in days; the last time he saw her was three days ago when she had ran out of her house to get away from Ragna. "The last time I saw you, you were nearly pulling your hair out," Hiccup said when he lowered her back to the ground and let her go, walking back over to the anvil where he left his gloves to put them back on.
"Yes, but I'm less frustrated now. Ragna is still clingy, but at least I can leave her without her bawling her eyes out," Astrid said as she inspected a sword, spinning the hilt around in her grip to make it arch and gleam. "And… I missed you," she said and smiled at Hiccup warmly when he looked at her from the anvil. He grinned, a little soot on his cheek—he looked adorable.
"I missed you, too. I was beginning to think she stole you from me," Hiccup said loudly over his pounding on the iron rod to shape for a saddle someone had commissioned him for.
Astrid guffawed. "Nah, never," she put the sword back where it hung on the wall and folded her arms behind her back as she strolled to where Hiccup stood. She waited briefly for him to pause hitting the iron so she could snake her hands around his waist, pressing her pull palms into his tunic, his warm skin beneath the fabric nearly radiating. Hiccup smiled and she set her chin on his shoulder and held him close. She sighed contentedly and kissed his shoulder. Astrid slid her hands beneath his apron and moved her hands up and down on his stomach and palmed his hips, kissing the back of his neck while barely on her tip toes. She smiled when she heard him sigh and melt into her.
"Astrid…," Hiccup whispered, shaking off his gloves and swallowing hard.
She nuzzled her nose into his skin and made an 'mmm?' noise just before Hiccup turned around in her grasp and took her cheeks in her hands, pressing his forehead to hers. She barely opened her eyes, seeing his hundreds of freckles in the warm light from outside and the fire crackled some feet behind him. Astrid could feel the edges of his lips with his slightly open mouth like he was intentionally trying to entice her to kiss him first. She didn't, and instead gripped handfuls of his tunic, building up the tension until they were about to cripple.
Astrid pulled Hiccup down to her and he pulled her up to him and they kissed each other hard and pressed impossibly closer. Something different possessed them both as they kissed rather roughly; Hiccup biting her lip and Astrid digging her nails into his back, but neither could say it wasn't exciting. Hiccup pushed Astrid backwards into a nearby counter hard enough so it shook and knocked a couple of things over, and possibly leaving an indent in her lower back. Astrid pulled at his hair and nipped at his tongue while Hiccup raked his fingers down her sides and squeezed her breasts enough to make her gasp but not enough to cause lasting pain. Astrid arched into him and a familiar warmth flowed through her and pooled at her core, and little did she know that Hiccup felt the same sensation, almost mirroring it.
Hiccup crouched and put his hands underneath Astrid's rear to lift her up onto the counter and he gathered up her dress in the process to bunch it around her hips. An excited jolt electrified Astrid when Hiccup pulled her underwear down to her ankles without a second guess or any hints of hesitation, taking the initiative, and she found him irresistible when he looked at her briefly with sharp eyes and a crooked smirk. She moaned loudly into his ear when his hand met her hot center until he kissed her to keep her quiet, sliding his finger along her clit. He rubbed the little pearl of flesh and reveled in Astrid's fingers in his hair, stroking along his jaw, pulling at his apron as she spread her legs further for him.
Hiccup enjoyed making Astrid shake and quiver and sigh, especially when his name was on her lips. Usually in these sexually-charged situations he wasn't so wanton and slightly lewd but something came over him and Astrid only seemed to keep drawing it out. He was more comfortable with the gentle touches, the soft words, and until five minutes ago he didn't know he was capable of this roughness. Astrid was the rough one of the two, but because Hiccup wanted to please her, she brought out his rough side and he complied, and he didn't mind because Astrid was writhing beneath him. He slid his first two fingers into her and went to his knuckle, nibbling at her lip. Astrid pulled away and threw her head back and shouted quietly to Valhalla, allowing access to her pristine pale neck he found he wanted to violate. Hiccup suckled a spot that would be easily hidden by her mass of hair and gently nipped at her skin while she breathed heavily.
"Faster, Hiccup, damn it," Astrid groaned in a gritty voice, hardly able to keep herself up even with her hands behind her on the counter because she was trembling so much. Hiccup did what she asked and ground his teeth. She threw her head back and nearly screamed but Hiccup put his hand over her mouth and she spitefully bit his hand.
Hiccup narrowed his eyes and smirked devilishly. "Naughty," he pushed Astrid down to the counter and held her down by her shoulder. She let out an airy laugh before moaning shrilly that let Hiccup know she was really close to her climax.
A few more pumps and swirling her sensitive flesh, Astrid fell apart on the counter. Hiccup had put his hand over her mouth once again before she went over her peak but he removed his hand as soon as her eyes appeared from the back of her head, and he swiftly pulled her up to sit so he could kiss her hard and deep, holding her tight. Astrid was a little surprised by this but she didn't mind since she was filled with such affection and gratitude for him. Completely changed from his actions before, he stroked her hair and cheeks and kissed her carefully on her swollen lips.
Astrid pulled away so she could breathe and catch her breath. She still hugged Hiccup, bent forward so she rested her chin on his shoulder comfortably, smoothing down his hair she royally messed up. In her arms, she was surprised to feel him shaking. "Hiccup, why are you trembling?" she asked, sitting back to hold his face in her hands to look him in the eye.
"Because," he simply stated, his eyes awake and livid and beautiful. Because I love you, Astrid, he thought with a sigh, smiling.
"Because why?" she asked him seriously. "Did I do something that you didn't like, or…?" she tried to guess but Hiccup only chuckled lightly and shook his head.
"No, not at all. I hope you didn't not like anything."
"Oh, no. That was the quickest ever," she laughed and blushed and Hiccup guffawed.
"Well, I'm happy, then. Don't worry about me, silly," Hiccup removed her hands from his cheeks and kissed them before lowering her hands to her lap. He caressed her bangs out of her face and kissed her brow before stepping away to help her off the counter.
Astrid jumped off and her knees buckled, unused to balance after all that, but Hiccup caught her before she could fall. Astrid giggled with a blush of embarrassment and righted herself so she could pull up her underwear. "Thank you, sweetheart," she said quietly and Hiccup found her so cute with her blush across her lightly freckled cheeks, and with this he felt his heart swell even more; she called him sweetheart.
"No need to thank me," Hiccup said bashfully with his own blush edition, turning to go over and pump the bellows until he saw the fire had died. He let out a loud, over-done huff. "No more forge work today; the fire's out."
"That's perfect because I was going to ask you if wanted to do something. Hang out, go for a walk, go for a ride. Something," Astrid shrugged and started sweeping the packed dirt floor.
Hiccup shut the doors to the fire and took off his apron and hung it on the designated hook. "Okay, I can do that," he winked at her and she rolled her eyes.
"What can't you do, right?" Astrid said sarcastically with a playful smile and she helped him shut the windows.
"Right. I can make your knees buckle," Hiccup laughed when Astrid punched his shoulder hard enough to make it go numb and tingle.
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Anonymous:
Faker: Thank you so much, that's awfully kind of you :) I really appreciate it!
Tekotchi: Thank youu as well! I hope this chapter was good enough, though it's still a little short. I promise Chapter 20 will be longer! :)