Disclaimer: Once upon a time I didn't own httyd the end.

Author's Notes: Well… If this update doesn't make you happy then I don't know what will…

Setting: 5 years before the movie.

"Why Did You Do That"

Keep your breathing deep and slow. Keep your sights on the target. What you need to do is keep an open mind. Remember what dad said, and most importantly, don't panic. Hiccup chanted in his head as he crept stealthily towards his unsuspecting victim. Today, his target was a huge deer, easily the size of Stoick. Deers were normally docile creatures, but would cause serious harm if provoked, especially with those huge antlers of theirs. Just a little bit more.Hiccup murmured to himself as he slowly rose the dagger above his head. And… hit it where it will it instantly!Hiccup grunted as he stabbed the deer on it's neck, deep enough that it wasn't going to be easy to dislodge it without using any force. Hiccup was pushed back as the deer rose on its hind legs and released a blood curdling scream at the top of its lungs. It staggered for a bit before falling on its side, it was dead before it hit on the ground.

"Way to go son!" Stoick ran towards Hiccup and scooped him off the ground and squeezed him tight.

"Dad…can't…breath" Hiccup wheezed as Stoick let go of him and mumbled an apology. Hiccup coughed and banged his chest, trying to get air back to his lungs, and turned his gaze back to the dead deer. He was proud of himself. Not only was he able to kill it with minimal damage, they still needed to skin it, but he also managed to get close to it when any other Viking would have trouble just not making any noise.

Just then another anguished scream could be heard just a little ways away from them.

Looks like Astrid got her kill too.Hiccup smiled to himself as he wiped the blood off of his dagger. It has already been a week since their hunt started, and in that time range both Hiccup and Astrid have already learned enough that they could hunt for themselves, with the adults supervising them of course.

"This is great son!" Stoick interrupted Hiccup's thoughts. He was actually beaming and Hiccup found it weird since he never smiled like that for long periods of time. "With the rate we're going, we'll have enough meat to last us a week!"

Technically it should be a month's worth, but with your appetite, that probably makes your point valid then. Hiccup mentally added, a smile on his face. He was actually quite jealous of his father able to devour that amount of food. He hoped that one day he could eat that much too. But not too much though, he still wanted to not look like a barrel.

"Come on Hiccup, let's meet back with Grudge and Astrid. It's about time that we head home, don't you think?" Stoick said as he hoisted Hiccup's kill on his back, not even caring that blood was still dripping from the corpse.

Hiccup cringed at his father's blooded back. Even though he had already killed at least a dozen animals, he still felt uneasy when he saw their bloodied carcasses. "Yeah, and as much as I hate to admit, I'm already missing crafting in the forge. I just hope Gobber didn't leave me a hug pile this time." A year ago, Hiccup caught the flu that made him bed-ridden for about three days. When he returned, Gobber left him a pile of weapons to be mended almost as tall as he was. Hiccup complained about it of course, but Gobber only told him not to get sick next time then.

When Hiccup and Stoick met with the Hoffersons, Astrid beamed at Hiccup and told him about how she snuck up to a doe and killed it with one blow to the head with her favorite axe. She said that the swung so hard that the head fell off. Hiccup was just happily listening to her since he found that she was so cute when she was excited.

"And then dad told me that he was going to forge me an axe. He even drew the designs! Here, let me show you!" She said excitedly as she took a stick and started drawing on the ground. Hiccup would've laughed at how crooked the lines where for the handle but decided otherwise bcause of how happy she looked. When Astrid finished drawing, Hiccup looked at it and nodded his head in agreement to the designs proposed. It was a drawing of a double sided battle axe, and Hiccup couldn't think of any other melee weapon that was perfect for her.

"Nice design, although the handle could be a little shorter and the blades could be a little less wider so that you will be slowed down by its weight."

Before Hiccup could continue with his assessment, the adults called for the kids so that they could prepare for their trip back to the village. After packing up their stuff, and counting their kills, they went off.

"Hey Useless!" Snotlout shoved Hiccup towards Tuffnut, who then grabbed his arms and bend them behind his back. "We've missed you while you were gone." Snotlout started punching him the stomach, which each punch making Hiccup bend forward only to be righted up again. "How've you been cus?" He sneered as he punched Hiccup on the face. They were currently in an alley, away from prying eyes.

Hiccup coughed. "Well considering not seeing your troll of a face for a week… it was great." he sarcastically replied with a pained smile on his face.

Tuffnut tried to hold in his laughter but failed to hide his snorts making Snotlout mad. Snotlout sneered at Hiccup and continued punching him.

After a while, Hiccup finally gave in and fell to his knees and clutched his stomach. Snotlout looked down at his cousin in disgust for a while before snorting and walking away along with Tuffnut.

When they were out of sight Astrid walked in from just outside the alley and stood next to him. "They're gone."

Hiccup stopped clutching his stomach and stood up like nothing happened to him, except he had a bloody nose and his left eye was swelling. "That could've gone worse." he sarcastically droned, as he looked over himself to see if there were any bruises.

Smack!

"Ow! What was that for?!" Hiccup rubbed the back of his head where Astrid whacked him.

"Explain yourself!" She said as her hands went to her hips. "Why didn't you defend yourself? Wasn't that part of the reason why you started training? You know, to protect yourself from their beatings?" she glared at him, but it softened a second later. "Just tell me please."

Hiccup gulped but answered her honestly. "Because I don't want to stoop to their level." He started, face serious. "Just because I have the strength to fight back, doesn't mean I should. And also, revenge isn't the reason why I started training, I wanted to better myself."

Astrid just sighed and shook her head. "Really? Can't you just, I don't know, do it less painfully?" She asked snidely but Hiccup could see that her eyes were filled with worry.

"I'll try," He shrugged and was suddenly dragged by Astrid. "Woah! Where are we going?"

"Come on, let's let the healer check if your brain can still function properly." She jokingly said.

"Hey! Are you saying that I'm crazy?"

"Yep."

"Can't I have a say in this?" He tried desperately to pry her hand off but she was still stronger than him.

"Nope."

"This feels very one-sided Astrid!" He tried pulling himself away to no avail.

"Does it look like I care?" She looked at him a raised eyebrow.

Hiccup blinked and sighed. "No…" he hung his head in defeat and simply allowed her to drag him wherever she wanted.

It was only later when they arrived at the healer's hut did both kids realized that they were holding hands and immediately jumped apart with blushes on their faces.

Astrid coughed while playing with her hair, clearly uncomfortable with what just happened. "W-Well… We're here."

"Y-Yeah" Hiccup stuttered while rubbing his arm.

Astrid quickly recovered and looked at Hiccup expectantly. "Aren't you gonna knock?" Astrid asked looking at him with a raised brow.

Hiccup frowned. "How about you do it?"

Astrid shook her head, hands on her hips. "No, you."

"Wait, you were the one who said that we should go to the healer to check my injuries so you should be the one knocking!" Hiccup took a step forward.

Astrid's eyes narrowed as she too took a step forward. "Who's fault was that? I wouldn't have brought you here in the first place if you didn't let them kick you're a-"

"Quiet ye two! Tha's enough! Come inside!" the healer, Acne, called them from her door, looking very tired.

Even though Acne was known as the olders living person in Berk, she still looked like she was on her fifties. She had a tall, straight stature, a voice that could make men cower in fear, and, if she wanted, she could punch the living daylights out of anybody.

Hiccup and Astrid looked at each other briefly before turning away with a huff and walked inside. Acne sighed as she shook her head and closed the door.

"Wut seems te be te probl'm?" Acne asked with her thick accent, she obviously looked like she just woke up and both kids felt bad for disturbing her slumber.

"Well the thing is-" Hiccup started but Astrid cut him off.

"This idiot over here got himself hurt by becoming a punching bag for Snotface and Tuffbutt." She said matter-of-factly, smiling triumphantly at Hiccup.

Hiccup sighed for the nth time that day and nodded his head in resignation. "What she said."

"Weel let me tek a look at ye then" she grabbed Hiccup to investigate his swollen eye when she suddenly saw a vision.

*Cue in flashes and odd music*

"Hiccup! You idiot!" Fifteen year old Astrid shrieked while she whacked Hiccup on the back of his head. "How many times have told you that curiosity could kill you!"

Fifteen year old Hiccup groaned. "If my memory is still intact from all your pounding then I guess for a about a thousand times." he sarcastically supplied while Astrid was applying some ointments on his burnt arm.

"Hiccup," Astrid sighed as she gazed at him softly. "You know I love you right?" Hiccup nodded, touched. "Then stop being an idiot before I kill you myself!" She snappedand slapped him on the arm that caused him to shriek in pain.

"Okay okay! You win!" Hiccup hissed. "I just wanted to know if that dragon was tamable or not." He defended himself.

"If it makes you feel any better I think the night fury has finally warmed up to you." Astrid smirked, clearly amused by her pun. Hiccup rolled his eyes at it but he smiled nonetheless.

"Let's just hope it stays that way. Just imaging what we could learn from it and we could use that knowledge during dragon training." They both smirked at the prospect of that possibility.

*Cue in flashes and odd music*

"Hello…" Astrid waved her hand in front of Acne's blank face. "Can you hear me?"

Acne blinked and looked back at Hiccup, her hand still holding his face. "Uhmm can we go now?" Hiccup asked hesitantly. "I mean, you are done healing me, right?"

Acne was relieved to know that she was still doing her job unconsciously as her mind wandered.

"Oh of c-course… go along an' take care of yerself ok?" she shooed both Hiccup and Astrid to get out of her hut so she could rest again.

When the two kids were finally out of the house Acne released a breath that she didn't know she was holding.

"Those two… They're going to be a huge pain in my backside for a long long time."

Author's Notes: Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuun! Was that a glimpse of the future?! Or does Acne have a screw loose?

Enjoy and don't forget to review! Like I said before the more views I get the faster I'll update.

Additional AN: What?! I was actually bribing people to review my story?! How unprofessional! I feel so ashamed for my past self!