Thanks for all the reviews guys! I didn't expect to get this chapter out so soon, but when I started writing I just couldn't stop! In fact, I wanted to make this chapter more eventful but the whole HicAstrid thing took up more time than I expected. The next chapter will be more action packed, so look forward to that!
Kathryn Elwin: Thank you for the awesome advice! I agree that my past two chapters have been rather scarce on the details, but hopefully this one makes up for that!
Please continue to favorite and review, and again, I appreciate any advice!
Hiccup squinted as the morning sun crept into his room. He sat up and yawned, feeling his back crack as he stretched out his arms. His muscles were sore; he'd been working in the forge nonstop for the past week. There was a lot more work to do these days since the dragon raids had become more frequent. People needed weapons now more than ever, so he and Gobber were busy making piles of axes, swords and maces.
Still, Hiccup had some time to spare for his side projects. He had just put the finishing touches on his mutilator, a device that launched bolas and could hit a target hundreds of meters away. Sure there were still a few glitches, but at least it fired in the right direction now. And then there was his second, special project: Astrid's gift.
Hiccup looked underneath his bed and pulled out a small wooden box. He traced his fingers along the carved floral pattern. His mom had made the box when she was a little girl. His father said said she spent an entire week in the woodshop making sure every carving was perfect. It was her favorite possession. Hiccup had never met his mother, but something about holding something she cherished made her feel close.
Hiccup opened the box and took a moment to appreciate all the treasures he had collected so far. There was the belt buckle made of bone that Gobber had given him. He fought and armada of frozen Vikings to get it, but Hiccup never believed his crazy stories. Then there was the pen his father had bought during an overseas trip. While the tip was made of charcoal, the rest of it was carved from oak, with a serpent-like dragon engraved in the wood. Apparently it fell in the ocean during a storm and his father searched for three days before finally finding it in the belly of a tuna. Again, that's what Gobber said so it wasn't from the most reliable source.
Hiccup carefully rummaged through the rest of his belongings until he pulled what he was looking for. It was a small pendant, about the size of an apricot. The silver was bent into petals that formed a flower around the small, black jewel in the middle. Hiccup spent two years saving up enough money to buy the materials, and another two months to forge it together. He held the pendant to the sun. The jewel glistened in the sunlight, forming a red sheen around the entire piece.
Hiccup smiled, hoping Astrid would like it. Today was the anniversary of the day he and Astrid first became friends: a friendiversery as they called it. Every year they would exchange gifts and spend the day together. He usually got Astrid a weapon of some sorts, but this year he wanted to do something different. After all, they were getting older, and although Astrid would never admit it, she was getting a little more girly. She cared more about her clothes, started wearing perfume, and he swore he saw her wear makeup once. She was still the same tough-as-nails Astrid he had grown up with, but something was just more feminine about her, and Hiccup didn't mind. And who knows, maybe she'll see him differently too, maybe even as more than a friend. Hiccup quickly pushed that thought out of his mind. She'd never want a walking fishbone like me, he thought.
Over the years Astrid started caring more about her reputation, and unfortunately for Hiccup, being friends with the village screw-up didn't help with that. She started avoiding him in public, and it got to a point where she would pretend he didn't even exist. She valued her pride as a Hofferson over everything else, and Hiccup understood. I don't mind, he would say to himself, but that was a lie. It hurt, of course it did, but he chose to ignore it. After all, it's not he didn't get to hang out with her on a daily basis. It just had to be in the woods, alone, where no one could see.
Hiccup shook his head and cleared his mind. Only happy thoughts today, he thought. He carefully placed the pendant in a small leather pouch and made his way out the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" asked Stoick, sitting at the dining table finishing his breakfast.
"Oh, just to the forge. Gobber says we have a new shipment of axes that need repairing," Hiccup replied. His father didn't know about his daily treks into the forest, and he preferred to keep it that way. Gobber would cover for him like he did every year.
"Very well. Be back before dark, and pick up some food from the market while you're out."
"Yes sir," said Hiccup before bolting out the door.
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"Late as usual," Astrid said as she saw Hiccup climbing up the hill.
"Did it ever occur to you that you're just always early?" Hiccup retorted with a smug smirk on his face.
"Haven't you learned by now? I'm always right," she said, smirking back at him.
"Oh I see. Need I remind you of the Snoggletog fiasco three years ago?"
Astrid's face turned pink. That was the day she tried out her signature drink: yaknog. The entire village had the stomach flu for a week. "I guess not all the time," she said.
Hiccup started laughing. Astrid, not happy with being teased, tackled him into a nearby tree, pinning his body to the bark.
"Ok, ok, you win!" he said, still laughing.
Astrid smiled, satisfied at her victory. She helped him back up and started brushing bark off of his shirt. She suddenly felt a sharp pain on her right index finger, forcing her to recoil her hand.
Hiccup's smile faded and he put on a look of concern. "You ok?" he asked.
Just like Hiccup to worry about the smallest things, Astrid thought as she sucked her finger. "Yeah just a splinter."
"Let me see," said Hiccup, reaching out his had.
"It's fine Hiccup, it will probably just fall out on it's own."
Hiccup shook his head. "It could get infected, and then you won't be able to swing your axe for at least a week with a swollen finger. Common, it'll only take a second."
He always knows the right words to convince me, Astrid thought as she apprehensively offered her hand.
Hiccup took a moment to study the injury. It was a sizable piece of wood that was buried fairly deep in her skin. He reached into his bag and pulled out a flint and a needle. After making a small fire and heating the needle he said, "This is only going to hurt for a moment. You ready?"
Astrid nodded and winced as Hiccup carefully dug the needle into her finger. It hurt more than she anticipated, but she kept a composed face. Real warriors can't show any weakness, after all.
"See, that wasn't so bad," Hiccup said, giving her a huge smile. There was something about his smile that made Astrid feel, well, warm. Maybe it was the way he crinkled his nose, highlighting the freckles that covered his cheeks, or maybe it was the way his front teeth were too large, making the his face look goofy and innocent.
Hiccup gave her a weird look and she realized she'd been staring. "Soooo, what's the plan for today?" she asked, interrupting the awkward moment.
Hiccup smiled and reached into his fur coat. He pulled out his notebook and flipped to a list on the last page. "Shall we get started?" he asked.
They spent the rest of the day together, finishing every item on the list. They climbed trees in the morning, fished for their lunch at noon, went boating down the rapids after eating eating, and explored the caves underneath the Berkian hills at late afternoon.
They ended the day the same way they ended every friendiversery: by watching the sunset on top of the largest hill on Berk. They sat in silence as the sun kissed the ocean, making its daily journey to the ends of the world.
"What do you think is out there?" Hiccup finally asked, breaking the silence.
"Out where?" Astrid asked.
"You know, out there." Hiccup gestured to the horizon. "I've only ever known Berk, but there's so much more out there. What would it be like, exploring the world?" He looked down at his metal foot. "To be free?"
Astrid looked at him for a few minutes. His face was so serious, so determined. She finally shrugged and said, "everything I know and love is right here on Berk. I wouldn't want to give that up."
"Yeah," Hiccup replied and turned to her. He smiled and said, "same here I guess."
Astrid's blushed when her eyes met his. She quickly turned away her gaze and said, "it's getting late. We should probably head back."
Hiccup nodded and suddenly remembered the pouch in his pocket. "You're gift!"
"Oh yeah! Nearly forgot," Astrid replied. "Here, me first." She reached in her bag and pulled out a small hammer. "I got it from Trader Johann. He said it was made by the finest blacksmith in a hundred leagues."
Hiccup smiled and held the hammer in his hands. The head was made out of steel, stronger than any steel he had seen on Berk. The handle was perfectly crafted and covered in a thin layer of gold. "I love it!" he said and gave her a smile.
Astrid smiled back. "Glad you like it."
Hiccup reached into his pocket and pulled out the little leather pouch. "I have something for you too," he said as he opened the pouch and lifted the pendant.
Astrid gasped. The silver petals were perfectly shaped, perfectly aligned around the black jewel in the center like a metallic flower. Hiccup held up the pendant in what little sunlight was left. Brilliant sparks of red sparkled around the jewel, like little dancing stars. Dragonstone, Astrid thought.
"May I?" asked Hiccup, unhooking the chain of the necklace. Astrid bowed her head, allowing him to carefully place it around her neck.
"It's beautiful," Astrid whispered, not knowing what else to say. She quickly gave Hiccup a punch on his arm.
"Ow!" he said. "You know, after seven years, you'd think I'd be used to that."
Astrid smiled and, out of impulse, gave him a peck on the cheek. They both blushed and avoided eye contact for a few minutes. "It's getting late," Astrid finally said, still blushing.
"Oh right, yeah, we should probably head back now," Hiccup replied, "thanks for the hammer by the way."
"Oh no problem, and thank you for the necklace."
"Oh right," Hiccup gave a nervous laugh, "the necklace."
"Well… See ya later!" Astrid grabbed her bag and dashed into the woods.
"Bye," Hiccup whispered, lightly touching the cheek where Astrid kissed him.
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I kissed him. Really? Why would I do that? Astrid thought as she walked back to the village. She had never felt like this before. Here stomach felt like moths were fluttering around, trying to escape out her mouth. She closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind. But her thoughts kept coming back to him. She kept thinking about the way he exaggerated his arms when he talked, the way he'd twiddle his thumbs when he was nervous, the way he would look at her, with those big green eyes, like she was the most important person in the world.
I can't be- No!. She couldn't be falling for him, not Hiccup. Not the town screw-up. Sure, he was her friend, her best friend, but she had always put her pride in front of everything else. Sure, he was the chief's son, but everyone saw him as a walking disaster. And if she went out with him, imagine how everyone would see her! She'd never be treated like a real Viking, like a real warrior. She knew this, but she still couldn't stop thinking about him, and every time she did, her heart would beat a little faster and she'd find herself with a smile on her face.
She held the pendant in her hand; it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. He must have spent months working on, years even. So much time, so much effort, just for her.
Astrid groaned in frustration. She finally reached the village and saw the other teens hanging out in the village square. She shook her head to remove any trace of her feelings from her face before approaching them.
"I'm gonna kill more!" yelled Tuffnut,
"Yeah right, I bet you'll be eaten on day one!" Ruffnut yelled back. Her helmet was interlocked with her brother's as the two pushed each other back and forth.
"What're you two fighting about now?" Astrid asked, breaking the twins apart.
"Didn't you hear?" asked Fishlegs, clapping his hands excitedly. "We're starting dragon training next week!"
Astrid grinned. Dragon training! Finally a chance to show my skills!
Snotlout wrapped his hand around her shoulder and said, "don't worry babe, if you ever find yourself in danger you can always come to me." Astrid gave him a disgusted look before shoving him away. "She wants me," he said, unfazed.
"I'm gonna be the one to win," Tuffnut boasted, puffing out his chest. "You all can get a horn after I kill my first dragon."
"Pfffft," Ruffnut sneered, "watch, when they let out the first dragon, you'll be in the corner crying like a baby."
Tuffnut tackled his sister and the two rolled around on the ground wrestling for sometime.
Astrid rolled her eyes.
"So, where have you been?" Fishlegs asked Astrid.
"Yeah," said Ruffnut as she got up, dusting off the dirt from her clothes. "I haven't seen you all day."
"Oh you know, I've just been in the forest, training," Astrid replied.
"Nice necklace," said Fishlegs, pointing at the pendant.
"Bet you anything Hiccup gave it to her," Tuffnut chuckled, still sitting on the ground.
"W-What, no!" Astrid replied. She could feel herself blushing, "My mom gave it to me! Why would you think Hiccup gave it to me?"
"Well, it's pretty clear you like him," Fishlegs shrugged. "I mean, you both disappear into the forest at the same times. And you never insult or make fun of him."
"Bet they were making out in the woods," Tuffnut laughed.
Ruffnut shrugged, "personally I don't know what you see in that scrawny dweeb, but to all they're own."
Astrid could feel her anger boiling up.
"Pease don't have too many babies with him," Snotlout teased. "We can't have too many screw-ups running around the village."
The other teens laughed, and Astrid's patience had run out. "We are NOT an item!" she blurted out. "We are NOT together nor will we EVER be! I WOULD NEVER BE WITH A USELESS LOSER LIKE HIM!" Astrid was breathing heavily after her rant. The other teens just looked at her in shock. Why are they so surprised, Astrid thought, it's not like they haven't said worse.
She heard something fall to the ground behind her. She turned around and saw Hiccup, one arm carrying a bag of meats and another bag of spilled vegetables at his feet. His eyes were large and watery, full of hurt and betrayal. She wanted to say something, say she didn't mean it. But she just stared blankly as he picked up the vegetables and ran away, avoiding her gaze.
"Awkward," said Tuffnut, breaking the silence.
"Wow, I guess you really do hate him," Ruffnut added.
"I guess this means I've got a shot," said Snotlout, inching his way towards Astrid.
Astrid gave him a hard punch in the face before briskly walking back to her house, feeling guiltier than ever.
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Stupid, stupid, stupid! Hiccup thought as he paced around his room. He wiped some tears that had been trickling down his face. Vikings don't cry, he reminded himself, but he couldn't help it. Hiccup had felt pain before: pain from breaking his arm when he was six, pain from disappointing his father on at least once a week, but this pain was nearly unbearable. He grabbed his chest, hoping his heart would start hurting.
Why do I feel like this? he thought. It wasn't like he expected Astrid to like him, or to ever be with him. But why did she kiss me? Maybe it was just out of pity. Or maybe it was just some cruel joke and she found pleasure in playing with his emotions. Or maybe their entire friendship was a lie.
Hiccup groaned. He sat by his window, hoping something, anything, would distract him from his pain. He looked at the village. It was so calm, so peaceful. A few Vikings were finishing up their farming duties, while the fishermen were tallying today's catch. Hiccup looked up at the sky, staring at the glimmering stars shining brilliantly against the black background. He would give anything to be up there, to fly, to be free.
Then something caught his eye: a bright orange star becoming larger and larger. No, it wasn't a star; Hiccup's eyes widened when he realized it was a fireball, coming right for him. He quickly grabbed the box from under his bed, tucking it way safely under his arm as he ran out the room. He barely made it before the fireball slammed through the ceiling. Hiccup found a large blanket from his father's room and threw it over the fire, putting out most of the flames. He then looked up through the hole in his roof. The once serene sky was filled with wings and fire.
"Dragons," he whispered before heading down the stairs and running out the door.