AN: GOOD LORD! Thanks to: Paranoidman, ranni, SagenWarrior, Rei no Baka, cutiecat92, RinTikari, EmeraldWit, My Eternal Facade, If Wishes Were Blue Skies, xxHaleinaxx, darkdaylight, Ivan's Kitsune, Tefnut Talvi, Someone, Caris L. Clearwater, gamerfreak007, mpkio2, Son-Of-Sparda, Detective V, Byakushii, Amaterasu17, EcchoKat, KaitlynAM, crazysquirl, and others who may be following in anon! Thanks so much everybody! Glad you all are enjoying it!

Sorry for the wait—I'm busy with my senior book and memorizing a monologue for Drama class. (Playing an egotistical, angry and hungry demon is not as easy as it seems. Hurts the throat! XD) I just wrote all this so forgive any mistakes and I'm sorry it's short and not much.

DISCLAIMER: No… But I'm seeing it for the fourth time tomorrow! This is the only movie I've ever seen more than once in theatres. Isn't that sad? Or is it sadder because I'm an adult? –giggle-

Unease

Throwing the ax into the target, Astrid dove and rolled perfectly back onto her feet. Taking an offensive stance, she gripped the weapon tightly, yanked it, and launched it forcefully towards the spinning target Gobber had set up.

The young woman smirked jubilantly; all her marks were vital areas.

"Wow, Astrid! That was great!"

The girl whipped around, beaming at Hiccup. "Thanks! It's taken me a while, but I think I'm getting better."

"No doubt about it." Hiccup replied.

Astrid felt her face redden from the compliment and an uncharacteristic feminine giggle emanated from her throat, looking down shyly. Hiccup felt his heart speed up. Gods, she was lovely…!

But then, Astrid was Astrid, and she affectionately punched his arm. It wasn't as hard as usual, but he still felt the spot become sorely nettled from the unexpected abuse. Either way, he enjoyed her company and he produced a wineskin pouch from his belt. "Here."

Nodding thanks, she drank the water gratefully, using some to splash onto her face. She then glanced about and wondered whether she should ask where Toothless was. Ever since the incident, Hiccup was not exactly with Toothless very much. It had become even more apparent when Hiccup had gone to go find Toothless a couple of days before. She didn't know what happened then and she was not entirely sure if it was her place to ask.

No time like the present. "Where's Toothless?"

"No idea."

This honestly surprised her, and her brows rose at the casual statement. Deciding to be blunt she said, "You two don't spend too much time together nowadays."

"No…" he replied. "I guess we don't."

Astrid looked at Hiccup. "Why?"

This conversation was sounding too familiar. "Why does it matter to you all of a sudden?"

"Well, he's your best friend isn't he?"

Hiccup held in check the desire to roll his eyes, but he knew she was right. "Yeah…"

The young woman set aside her weapon, trying to place what tone his voice had now taken. "Why aren't you with him, then? It's not like he betrayed you or anything like that."

"I know," he replied, trying to play ignorant to the awful feeling in his chest. "But it's…"

She waited for him to continue. When he didn't, she reiterated, "But it's…"

"Awkward."

"Hiccup, I'm afraid I don't follow."

He laughed once, the left side of his mouth tipping in a frown. "I know—it doesn't make much sense to me either."

Astrid sighed lightly, wanting to find the right words to say. She could always smack him upside the head, but good would that do aside from produce a massive headache? So the young woman just wrapped an arm around his shoulders, kissing his cheek, close to the side of his mouth.

"It'll make sense somehow, then."

Hiccup barely caught what she said; the sheer proximity of her soft body pressed against his tightened his throat, his stomach clenching as his heart pumped wildly. He looked into those lovely waters and boldness surged through him. He reached out to cup her face in one hand, the other holding her sturdy yet smaller one.

Her mouth parted slightly, stock-still from his move. Hiccup was leaning in, his breath coming out in quick nervous gasps. Astrid closed her eyes, waiting. He skimmed his lips on hers… Her taste drove him crazy, her arms around his waist pulling his closer. He nearly groaned when her hips accidentally grinded against his.

There was a sudden chuckle, deep and sonorous.

"Toothless!" the girl cried out, jumping from her spot.

Hiccup had an unspeakable urge to curse at the gods; always giving him the most impromptu of times. He whirled around, planning to give Toothless a death glare, but halted at the expression on Toothless' face.

Toothless' brow was quirked, his mouth a smirk.

"What?" Hiccup demanded.

Toothless shrugged noncommittally.

Breathing out frustration, Hiccup rose to his full height, folding his arms over his chest. "You came here for something. What is it?"

Astrid was about to elbow him—there was no need for that tone—but Toothless remarked first.

"Didn't mean to interrupt you and your mate; next time, I'll just wait—that whole process doesn't take too long."

Both Astrid and Hiccup became a deep red. Hiccup began to stutter so hard nothing intelligible came out.

Toothless took this as a perfect cue to exit.

As he strode away, Hiccup regained his tongue and said to Astrid, "I'll talk to you later." He then sprinted off after Toothless, never feeling more humiliated and bitter and choleric than right now. Striding up to the dragon's side, Hiccup glowered.

Toothless met his gaze equally, keeping his brisk walk as they crossed the large bridge.

"What did you want?"

"Nothing really; I just came on you two at the wrong time it seems."

"You're damn right you did. But why did you say that?"

"Say what?"

"What you said back there—that thing about me and Astrid!"

Toothless looked down at Hiccup, cocking his head. "I don't see anything wrong with what I said."

"It actually does! What exactly were you trying to imply?"

Toothless suddenly bristled, his mouth curling up in a ferocious sneer—his usual scowl looking strangely out of place yet not on this human face. "I was not implying anything. I came on you two at the wrong time—that's all. And I don't see why I need to explain myself to you if it were otherwise!"

"Acting up like that is definitely something that needs to be explained!"

"No it does not! Why is it that you just can't accept that my coming was an accident!"

Toothless wasn't lying in the least. He had been sent by Gobber to go fetch Hiccup so the young Viking could help around in the shop. The dragon was completely set on the task, searching for Hiccup everywhere till Fishlegs told him where he could find the boy. It had been a total surprise when he found them pressing their faces to one another. Of course, he had seen it before, but he could not understand why humans did this.

He just knew that this was, typically, part of their coupling ritual. And that thought had made his brain reel, his insides of a sudden caving. He felt nothing more than pure envy; a rage to tell Hiccup he loved him overflowed, barely containable, just so he could transform and take Hiccup far away from that fair-haired temptress.

He had chuckled unintentionally at the thought; and that's how they were where they are now—fixing each other daggers.

"You are being so hardheaded!"

Toothless' beryl eyes widened, and he scoffed. "I'm being difficult? Me?"

"Yes you are!"

Toothless barked a laugh, his eyes now a raging green storm. "This is coming from you—you who have been avoiding me like the plague for the past couple of days! That is rich, Hiccup, just perfectly hypocritical!"

Hiccup felt that slap his face—because it was true; every word.

The dragon was seething, and he was amazed at the clamor building within this body; it was comparatively smaller than his true form, and yet, there was an insurmountable flow of energy increasing inside. It was so daunting that he could just release it all with his voice and have the boy understand. He was not a dragon anymore—everything can just come out, easier, faster, more forcefully.

But the energy depleted just as quickly. So, after he had said that, he felt reprehensible for yelling such crude things to Hiccup. He sighed, looking at the ground. Finally, after a moment of dreading silence, Toothless said, "I'm sorry… I didn't mean that."

"No, you had every right to."

Toothless glanced at Hiccup and swallowed. "Gobber had sent me."

The Viking blinked. "He did?"

"Yes. He needs your help at the shop—that's why I went to go find you."

"Oh…" Hiccup murmured, his cheeks tinting. He really was overreacting to everything.

Toothless began to walk when he felt a slim hand grip onto his shoulder; he turned his head abruptly, confused. Hiccup was staring at him intensely, his brows marring together.

"I'm sorry."

Toothless tilted his head to the left. "For…?"

"For being such a jerk to my best friend; that's what's for."

The dragon couldn't help the smile curling his lips, his heart fluttering instantaneously. "But you're my jerk. I can put up with you."

Hiccup blinked thrice rapidly at the stunning grin and hurriedly pulled away; however, he returned the gesture with his own grin and resumed walking, Toothless close behind. Hiccup felt lighter than he had for a while. It was not so awkward at the moment anymore.