A/N: What can I say? Hormones make people do funny things… ;)

And to ladyamethyst21: ... ... ... I'd like to say there's no reason to be scared but... I'll just go and... hide over there...

. o O o .

Chapter 6: Preparations

On his flight back to Berk, Hiccup was distinctly more at ease.

He'd stayed for the meal and for a while had chatted with his friends who didn't see him as their Chief. It had been simple, calm and relaxing. Like spending time with Astrid, not taking into account his worries over her well-being lately. Maybe he should put an effort into spending more time like this, just among friends and not as Chief. He'd even gotten to hear Fishlegs discovery about the caverns beneath Berserker Island and theorizing about it without caring about whether it served some greater good had been cathartic. And Heather had been able to calm him, too, had told him about how her pregnancy hadn't been as easy as it had seemed to them as well. And still, she'd made it. All in all, a reassuring and calming visit.

Not that the thought of having any Redthorns on his island was a calming one! But in the end, he was still glad that this was settled now as well. They would find a way to cope with their visitors. It would work! It had to…

At the very least, he would be able to stay close to Astrid, to hold her during the nights, to be there for her when she needed him. In whatever way… He would be there to help her, care for her, be there when their baby would be born. And he would be there to care for every one of her needs. Hiccup swallowed thickly as his thoughts began to wander and memories of just how she needed him often lately rose in his mind.

Their intimate relationship had changed during the last months. Before, they had simply been exploring, together and each other. They hadn't known the tiniest bit about sex except the simplest basics and figuring out how exactly it worked so that Astrid would fully enjoy it, too, had taken a while. He had let her take the lead as she knew better what she liked and only had taken over occasionally when he'd wanted to test a theory.

Now, things were different. After that dreadful journey last year and their very successful experiments - and repetitions of those -, they had become more curious. Astrid had seemingly heard a lot from Ruff but refused to ask her for more details even though, apparently, those details were important. Hiccup couldn't blame her, the mere thought of talking to Ruffnut about sex was… urg… Eret, on the other hand, was easy to talk to and after his own initial bashfulness had passed he'd had some quite interesting conversations with the ex-trapper.

Now it was Hiccup who mostly took the lead, in bed or wherever else they found themselves. Not that Astrid was docile or submissive. Those surely were terms that would never apply to her! But she willingly let him test whatever Eret had told him and let him teach her as well. In addition, she wasn't able to do much anymore anyway. The bigger her bump grew the more her desire seemed to grow as well but at the same time, it became harder and harder for her move like she was used to. Hiccup could only guess what this meant for her in general. She had always been active and agile, now being hardly able to take a walk had to disturb her immensely.

And she was in pain. She never said it, maybe wasn't even admitting it to herself, but he could see it. He saw the thin sheen of sweat on her forehead and the lines on her face, saw how tense she always was and heard the strain in her voice. Sometimes it seemed to him that the pain was so omnipresent, she didn't even register it anymore. But it was still there and to him, it was as if he could feel it, too. Because in the end, she was in pain because of him.

Hiccup sighed and absentmindedly scratched Toothless'neck. He knew that if he ever said this out loud, Astrid would punch him and rightly so. Some part of him understood that it was stupid. It wasn't like he had deliberately hurt her or anything. But the fact remained, she was in pain because of him and he hated it. As happy as he was and as much as he was looking forward to getting to know that invisible human being inside her, he hated that Astrid was in pain, that she was suffering. So he would do whatever he could to make it easier for her. When she was too dizzy to get up in the morning, he brought her a late breakfast in bed and when she was about to go stir-crazy, he took her on a walk or sometimes even a flight. When she could sit sidewise on a dragon and hold on to somebody else it was better for her. Not good, but better. He did all this whenever he found the time between all his other duties, which wasn't as often as he would have liked…

Only a couple of months… He knew that it wouldn't get easier but she only had to endure a couple of months more and than her ordeal would be over. He just hoped that nothing would go wrong… No, he had to believe that nothing would go wrong or he would go crazy!

During the last days, she'd been more sick than anything else again and he hoped this day hadn't been too bad for her. She'd seemed to be fine this morning but he was worried nonetheless. He just wished he had more time to care for her, to be there for her and make it easier. He knew that Gobber, Spitelout, and Valka already took care of a couple of things when it came to making smaller decisions about running the village, making sure their defenses were in order and about the Dragon Academy but still. He always felt like he had a hundred things to take care of when all he wanted right now was to care for Astrid.

. o O o .

When Toothless finally landed on the plaza in the middle of Berk, the sun was still relatively high up in the air. Even with the extended visit, they'd made it back sooner than Hiccup had expected.

"Someone needed to get a little energy out of his system I guess?" He murmured while rubbing Toothless' neck and the dragon answered with a happy warble. Flying was another thing he barely had enough time for lately. Put in on the to-do list for after things calmed down a bit again… He thought with a sigh and glided off of Toothless' back. And groaned as both his unequal feet hit the ground. Pain shot up his numb legs and for a moment, he had to literally cling to Toothless' saddle least they would give way beneath him. Damn, he really needed to go flying more often if just a few hours in the saddle were already too much again. He hadn't gotten numb legs from flying since… He couldn't even remember when that had happened the last time!

"You're working too much!" a booming voice sounded from behind him and with a strained smile, Hiccup turned.

"Gobber!" He greeted his mentor and tried not to stumble as the blacksmith brought his heavy hand down on Hiccup's shoulder. "No, I'm not. There are so many things that need to get done, there's no way around it. And now, we need to prepare for the signing as well!" Hiccup ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. Another point on his list, preparations for the Redthorn visit…

"So, Dagur agreed?" Gobber asked but kept on talking without giving Hiccup time to answer. "Ah, of course, he did. I bet he was glad to not have them around his sister. So now we'll have to deal with them, great…" A shadow crossed over his face but it was gone a moment later. "But back to the main topic. Yes, you are working too much! Look at you! Always tired, even thinner than usual and don't get me started on your face. You don't need to do all those things that need to get done yourself. You need to delegate!"

Hiccup sighed and rubbed his forehead. This wasn't the first time somebody told him that but nobody seemed to understand. He'd seen how his father had run the village, had witnessed it first hand! All he could do was try to live up to that, no matter how hard it was. "Gobber… I appreciate your advice but my dad-"

"Your dad!" Gobber interrupted him agitatedly but slumped down somewhat a moment later. "Stoick was a great leader. He did everything within his power to ensure Berk's well-being. He spent his days among his people and his nights brooding over whatever problem might have come up. That's what you wanted to say, right?" The blacksmith' voice had become thick with emotion and Hiccup gulped. If there was one person who missed his dad just as much as he did himself then it was probably Gobber. Maybe even more, so Hiccup only nodded. Gobber sighed and shook his head at his former apprentice.

"Do you know why your dad did it? Because he had nothing else left! After your mom was gone and you old enough to roam around the village on your own, he had nothing left but an empty house with too many memories. He buried himself in work and only lived to serve his people because there was no-one else waiting for him. Don't get me wrong, he loved it. But he didn't exactly choose that life. And even he relied on the entire council to take care of different matters.

"And you!" Gobber pointedly poked the round side of his hook against Hiccup's chest. "You are not your dad! Stop thinking about that fact as a fault. You're not better or worse, just different. And most of all, you have a wife who needs you! Make use of the people around you, trust them to do things correctly. And you take care of Astrid, she's more important right now than anything else."

Hiccup averted his eyes and pressed his lips into a thin line. Of course, Astrid was more important than anything else to him, always would be. But his people needed him, he had to keep them all safe, had to make sure they would have enough food in the next winter, had to supervise the extension of the stables for all the new dragons that had begun to settle on Berk, had to-

"Hiccup!" Gobber's voice tore him out of his thoughts again. He seemed to have been able to guess where his mind had gone, judging by his words. "I mean it! She carries your heir, that is more important right now than anything else. An heir will give the village some stabilization and will calm those who fear disputes about your succession. Go and care for your wife and let us deal with the rest." The older man paused for a moment, grimacing before he went on. "So, we're going to have visitors in a few weeks. Tell me what you've thought of, how are you planning to go about it and I'll take care of the preparations. Trust me!"

Hiccup closed his eyes and tried to think through what Gobber had said, his mind working rapidly. He had made it sound like caring for Astrid was another service to his people and it sounded almost too good to be true. But a part of him realized that Gobber was right. Maybe it really wasn't just about making sure the love of his life was alright, maybe caring for her would actually help the village. He nodded and with a sigh, looked up at the other man again.

"I can't really argue against that, can I?" He asked with a small smile which Gobber answered with a wide grin. "And I do trust you, Gobber! If not you than whom else?" He paused to think for a moment. "Right… We will need a free hut for the Redthorns to live in during their visit. I want it to be close to the Great Hall so they don't accidentally get lost in some alley." His hands balled into fists at his side at this. "Maybe Spitelout would be willing to make his available for the duration of their stay, that would be the easiest solution. And I want them watched at every time! We need to schedule a rotation for guards, men who keep an eye on them no matter whether they are up in the Great Hall, sleeping or out to piss! And I want everyone else on high alert as well. Tell the men the truth! That it's about their wifes, sisters, and daughters. We need to keep them separated from the Redthorns so make sure the women know that, too. It would be best if they stay in their homes as much as possible during that time. It will only be a week, two at the most. It should be manageable. And the dragons! The Redthorns are not used to them being around, so make sure everyone keeps their dragons close. They'll make the Redthorns uncomfortable and provide additional safety if needed." Hiccup hesitated and nodded once. "That should be it for now."

Gobber's expression had changed during Hiccup's monologue. He'd become grim, his unibrow furrowing dangerously but now a dark grin was spreading across his face. "Aye, Chief!" he said and the proud undertone in his voice was unmistakable. "I'll spread the words and talk to Spitelout and Valka. They'll help with the guards and the dragons. Don't you worry, we'll take care of this!"

"I know you will…" Another smile spread across his face, a much truer and softer one. Gobber was right, he didn't need to do everything himself. There were people around him, capable people whom he could trust. Together, they would make sure that everything worked out!

. o O o .

Hiccup climbed the stairs that led up to the Great Hall. Gobber had excused himself after their conversation a few minutes ago which had left Hiccup more lighthearted than he was willing to admit to himself. Putting order into his thoughts, outlining the plan that would ensure Astrid's safety along with that of everyone else on Berk as well, it had put his mind at ease to a great degree.

It would work! That wasn't just a meaningless thought anymore, not an empty phrase he kept chanting over and over to convince himself. Talking to Gobber had made him realize that, yes, it would work! It wasn't impossible, his wish to stay close to Astrid wouldn't lead into disaster after all.

Relieved like this, his mind and feet were now free to wander to where he longed to be. He was looking for Astrid! Because it was closest, he first dropped by at her parent's house but she wasn't there. Brenna could only tell him that she'd wanted to go to the Great Hall earlier and since Helka was there as well, she had been able to calm his mind further by assuring him that Astrid was fine today, much better than during the last days.

Now, he was making his way up the stairs and his blood was boiling. Because if Astrid was fine, it usually meant something else these days. When he reached the gate, he swallowed thickly before opening the door. After Gobber's speech, he was more than ever willing to do whatever he could to make Astrid feel better but if she was fine, if she wasn't sick or tired or dizzy… Well, he would still do whatever he could to make her feel better. It only meant it would be more fun.

He was a little torn at that point because she'd tried to explain it to him once. Being horny wasn't exactly pleasant for her these days, not just longing and anticipation and impatience. It was also painful in a way and he shouldn't enjoy it so much when she was. He didn't!

Well, he at least tried to not look too much forward to it. Although, this was one problem at least where he was fairly well able to help her with. And having sex always left her tired which also meant she wasn't in pain or anything while she slept. It was better than being sick at any rate. And he really shouldn't enjoy it that much!

Finally inside, his eyes needed a moment to adjust to the dim light. Not many people were here, not at this time of day. He saw Mulch and Bucket at the far end of the room, carrying baskets full of fish toward the cool storeroom back there while a group of women sat on one of the long tables, busy preparing tonight's meal. And on another table nearby, he recognized a group of very familiar figures, all laughing cordially at Tuffnut's performance of a duck dance on top of the table. Chuckling, Hiccup made his way toward them.

"You guys enjoy your day off, I see?" He asked lightly, eyes wandering along the seats, searching for the one person who clearly wasn't there.

"H!" Tuff's performance found an abrupt end as the male twin tripped, startled by Hiccup's appearance and only barely avoided landing on his sister. Still giggling, she and Lia stood to help him up again while Eret shook with laughter, barely able to hold on to Refflout in his arms.

"Hey, Hiccup. You're back early." Snotlout greeted him, the only member of the gang who'd instantly sobered up at his sight. "How did it go? Did Dagur agree?"

With an apologetic shrug, Hiccup nodded. He knew that Snotlout hadn't been thrilled by his idea and Hiccup couldn't blame him. But Snotlout's son was already born and he wouldn't have needed to accompany Hiccup just for the signing anyway.

"I see. " Snot grunted defiantly. "And what's the plan? You've seen how they are, how do you intend to prevent them from raping their way through Berk?"

Blunt as ever… Hiccup sighed inwardly but straightened up a little nonetheless. "We'll deal with them! They are just a few against our whole village, we know to be on guard and we have the dragons for protecting as well. That ought to be enough."

Hiccup saw how his cousin's mind works, slow but steady until his expressions softened and he nodded in agreement. "I guess you're right" Snotlout finally admitted. "I just hope your plan will work" He turned to throw a glance over to where Ruff and Lia were still trying to pull a playfully reluctant Tuff back on his feet.

Hiccup followed his gaze and murmured a short "Me, too!". Berk was a peaceful place and he intended it to stay that way. But for what felt like the billionth time during all these months, he dearly hoped the making this treaty had been the right choice!

"Hey, Chief! Good to see you back already," Eret greeted him, grinning widely. "I think there's someone itching to see you although she'd rather die than admit it…"

Hiccup heard Snotlout's low snort but choose not to react to it as Eret's words had been enough to turn his guts into a tight knot again. He tried not to let it show though, swallowed and let his gaze wander through the room. "Where is Astrid anyway?" He asked and tried not to sound too eager. "Her mother said she went to meet you guys here?"

Eret nodded in confirmation. "She did. And I dare say we kept her well enough entertained, she only snapped at me once" The tattooed man chuckled and knowing Astrid, Hiccup had to secretly agree. Only once was a good average these days.

"You just missed her," Ruffnut suddenly butted in with a smirk. "Lil' Babyhic was jumping up and down her bladder I guess. But I saw her coming back already. She's getting herself a refill, I think"

Hiccup noticed the mischievous gleam in her eyes, right before his head whipped around to the shadowy backside of the hall. They all knew what it meant when Astrid went to get a refill but he'd sooner cut out his tongue than say anything about that to her. They were all adults and it was no secret that they had a fairly active love life. It was hardly possible to overhear most of the times anyway.

He saw her then, standing in that awkward posture that at least somewhat eased her pain and his vision blurred for a second. As weird as this poise was and although he knew it was often more a necessity than anything else, his body recognized it as what it meant. Her sign. His heart began to beat a little faster and his pants became a little tighter than was comfortable. By all Gods above, he wanted to care for her and make sure she was alright, or as alright as was possible, but he'd be damned if he denied how very much he liked it when caring for her meant having heated and mind-blowing sex with her.

"I guess I'll just…" He mumbled and trailed off, bobbing his head and making a vague waving gesture before he turned and left his friends to their bickering. Adult, they might be but not always grown-up.

Every thought about his friends fled his mind when he entered the cooler shadows in the back of the Great Hall where he could make out her form more clearly now. She stood as expected, slightly bent over and her hips swaying from one side to the other. He couldn't see her face yet but could very well imagine how she looked right now, her eyes screwed shut and her mouth formed into a small 'O' while she tried to breathe through another painful Braxton Hicks contraction. He could hear her pained groan and although his body still very much wanted her, his mind was filled with concern and worry. Helka had confirmed what he'd suspected already, although he was not to tell Astrid to not worry her unnecessarily. These contractions seemed to bother her above the ordinary and they would only get worse during the next weeks. It wasn't bad enough yet to actually get worried but still…

Hiccup was about to approach her, rub her back to loosen up the cramped muscles or do whatever else might help her when she moaned again. This time it wasn't a painful noise though but very clearly a pleasurable one and something about her movements changed as well. Her hips didn't sway from one side to the other anymore but rather rocked back and forth, just as if-

"Mmmmhh… Hic-aah…."

…just as if she was imagining him thrusting into her. Her low but urgent moan cost him his balance and he almost stumbled when his body and mind stopped responding correctly for a moment. Gods, how was it possible that this woman had the power to send him on this endless breakneck flight of emotions. In one moment he was worried sick for her and in the next, she was the most tempting vixen there was and he loved, loved, loved her!

Taking a shuddering breath, he stepped close behind her and placed his hands firmly on her waist to hold her however she would react. A good decision as it turned out because for a moment it seemed like her arms and legs would give way beneath her due to surprise before she caught herself again. Practically sobbing, she leaned back, pressing her enticing behind against him and rubbed, calling even more blood down into his pulsing erection.

His breath escaped him in an audible huff and his hands further tightened their grip on her. He tried not to be too eager. He tried to remember that they were still in the Great Hall and that their friends were not far away, probably watching them. But it was hard... Finding her here always reminded him of all the times before and to where those had led them. Just being here with her was arousing, not to mention her cute ass she was still rubbing firmly against him. Gods, he wanted to grab her and bury himself in her hot wetness, wanted to make her scream while all her muscles clenched and spasmed, wanted to-

With a low groan, he pressed himself harder against her, let her feel him before he carefully pulled her up and against his chest. He would try to be good, this was not the place or the time.

He wound his arms around her waist until his hands cradled her baby bump, supporting the weight a bit while Astrid leaned heavily against him, her head resting against his shoulder.

"You're back!" she finally whispered and Hiccup chuckled.

"Obviously," he replied. "Or is there someone else who tends to hold you like this?"

Astrid huffed in exasperating but he could hear the humor beneath it. "Eret offered to do it once. You know, just to cheer me up. Said, I could imagine it would be you if that would make me feel better"

Hiccup felt how she shook with silent laughter and couldn't help but chime in. It was a very Eret thing to offer. "And did it work?" He asked artlessly, unperturbed by that idea. He knew that he had no reason to be jealous, knew that Eret was nice enough to offer any sort of help and that he would never have any reason to doubt Astrid. It gave him a pang of guilt though, to be reminded of how very little time he'd had for her lately.

But Astrid just snorted. "I didn't even try," she said flatly and snuggled closer to his chest. "He's not you."

Hiccup chuckled against her neck for a moment before he carefully turned her around to look at her. Her eyes were a little dazed and he couldn't help but reach up, cup her face and kiss her. He'd intended it to be a sweet kiss, chaste and with lips only, just to let her know how much he loved her but he should have known better. As soon as their mouths met, she demanded more, grabbed fistfuls of his hair and let her tongue glide across his lower lip, nibbled and sucked until he complied. As light as their exchange just now had been, he could feel her blatant desire in this kiss. He could taste the heat raging through her in the way her tongue ravaged his mouth, heard it in the small gasps she made against his lips and felt it in the way she pressed herself against him, despite her bump. It sent his head spinning and his respondent moan got swallowed by her as his hands tightened around her waist and his fingers dug into her back. Gods, she was a temptress and, by some miracle, she was his!

But they had to get out of here first. If she wanted sex, he would gladly deliver but he wasn't drunk enough to try anything here again and neither were the other residing Vikings. She would have to wait just a little longer…

"I thought you wouldn't be back until long past nightfall," Astrid whispered a little breathlessly after they'd parted and Hiccup snorted.

"Guess I was eager to return to you. Despite the entertainment on Berserker Island." He mused with a light tinkle in his eyes and she grimaced.

"So the Berserkers weren't able to hold your attention for long? Not even Dianne? I wish I could visit them and finally see her, too…"

"You will, milady!" he assured her and thought about how to distract her from that gloomy thought. "And no, they weren't. Not even Dagur in his frilly apron!"

"His… frilly… what?" She stared at him disbelievingly for a moment before she burst out laughing. "That's got to be a joke! He wouldn't…" She trailed off as she caught his raised eyebrow and started to laugh again. "Oh, of course, he would. He's Dagur!"

Hiccup winked, released her out of his embrace and held his hand up for her. "Are you fine with going for a walk? Doesn't have to be long, but the sun is still up and it's warm. You shouldn't spend all day inside." Astrid's lips twitched knowingly but she didn't say anything, just took his arm to lean on if necessary and let him lead her out of the Great Hall.

Once outside, they actually went for a little walk, down the steps into the village and around a few houses. Hiccup had assumed Astrid would make it a very short walk indeed, just down the few steps to their house but he'd been wrong. She seemed to enjoy the sun and the exercise and although there was a spark of disappointment down in his guts, Hiccup was relieved. She was fine and that was all that mattered.

On their way, they were greeted cheerfully by their fellow Vikings and Hiccup assumed that Gobber hadn't yet had enough time to spread the news or his people wouldn't have been in such a good mood. Or maybe the blacksmith thought it would be his duty as Chief to break this news to them. He would be right at that point and Hiccup probably needed to talk to him again.

Without his aid, his gaze wandered to Gobber's forge as they got closer and heard the blacksmith' awful singing. He could do it right now, get it out of the way. It wasn't usual for every Viking to gather in the Great Hall for dinner but surely it could be arranged. He should go and ask Gobber to-

"How much time do you have?" Astrid asked suddenly, absentmindedly rubbing her baby bump. Her gaze had followed his and Hiccup noticed the despondent expression with which she looked at the forge. "How long until you have to get back to being Chief?" There it was again, that pang of guilt. He really had neglected her too much but from now on he would do his best to make it up to her!

He turned her around to face him and gave her a warm smile. "I need to see Gobber," he said and when he noticed how her face fell, he added: "But it will only take a minute or two. And after that-" he reached to lift her face. "After that, I'm all yours. For the rest of the day, if you're okay with eating dinner in the Great Hall."

At this, Astrid's face lit up with joy. "Really?" She asked and it made a lump rise in his throat. She'd always been understanding, had encouraged him whenever he'd struggled with how little time he had for her because of his duties. But here now she was, practically glowing with happiness because he'd told her he would have more than just an hour or two for her today.

"Really!" Gobber had been right! She was more important than anything else right now. He still had to take care of other things as well but he wouldn't let himself get carried away again like before. "And tomorrow, too! And the day after tomorrow. And the day after that…"

With gleaming eyes, she gazed up at him and Hiccup could see a whirlwind of emotions in her eyes. Joy and happiness, relief, mischief and unconcealed desire that made his heart beat fast.

"Okay, go and talk to Gobber!" She suddenly ordered and Hiccup was about to nod when a strained grimace crossed her face. "I'll just… wait here and-" With a grunt, she clutched at her bump and leaned heavily against the stone wall beside her.

"Astrid!" He was at her side in an instant, hands raise to steady her, hold her, help her however possible but she just waved him off.

"I'm fine…" Astrid pressed through gritted teeth. "Just another one of these cursed-" a pained groan escaped her and his hands fluttered up to rub her back. "Hiccup, go!" She snapped! "It will be over in a few moments, no need to worry. Just go, talk to Gobber and then you can take me home, alright?"

Despondently, Hiccup nodded and he left her there, leaning against the wall. She was right, the longer he took to get this settled, the longer it would take to get her home afterward where she could sit and rest, where he could properly care for her. And he knew that those Braxton Hicks contractions as Helka had called them were no reason to worry, he knew! But he worried nonetheless. Because Astrid was in pain and there was nothing he could do to change it.

As expected, he found Gobber in his forge, working on some replacement parts for various saddles and with a cheerful expression. Hiccup wondered where that came from but didn't want to waste any time with small talk.

"Gobber!" He called after knocking as to not startle the blacksmith so close to the heat of the forge. "Could you do me another favor?"

The burly man turned and gave his Chief a broad grin. "Sure, laddy. What do you want me to do? I'm in a good mood, you might as well make use of that"

Hiccup frowned but didn't let himself get distracted. "I want to talk to our fellow Berkians tonight, tell them about the changed plan and what it's going to mean for every one of us. Could you spread the word? Tell everybody to come up to the Great Hall tonight?"

"Sure, I can do that. Wanted to go for a walk anyway, it's just such a lovely day!"

"Thanks, Gobber." Hiccup said wholeheartedly and added after a short pause. "What put you in such a good mood anyway?" Not, that he had time for a long story but Gobber's behavior struck him as odd after how grim he'd been earlier.

"Oh, it's just…" Gober began and giggled. He actually giggled! "I talked to Spitelout already, about his hut, you know? And he agreed without complaining. Said that would be a great chance to spend some time with his son again and that, surely, he could live with him for a week or two. And I just don't know who to pity first, Spitelout, Snot, Ruff, or Eret" And without another word, Gobber turned back to finish his piece of forgery, humming cheerily to himself.

With a pained smile, Hiccup left the forge again. It really only had taken him a minute and the thought of Spitelout sharing a roof with his free-spirited friends was hilarious but he didn't have space in his mind for something like that right now.

Astrid was still leaning against the wall where he'd left her. She looked up when he approached her and smiled. "Hey, that was quick. Got everything done?"

Hiccup stepped close toward her and carefully placed his hands on her belly. "Yeah, everything's settled." He mumbled. "Are you feeling better already?" She looked better. There was no hint of that pained strain on her face left and her smile seemed genuine.

"Hiccup, I told you, I'm fine!" She sighed. "These Braxton Hicks contractions come and go in the blink of an eye, they hurt but they are no reason to make a fuss about me. Now tell me, how did your visit go, except the frilly apron? What did Dagur say? And about what did you have to talk with Gobber just now? I feel like I'm missing a lot these days, care to fill me in?"

Chuckling, Hiccup reached for her hand and placed a soft butterfly kiss on each of her knuckles. How was it possible that he was so lucky to have her? She had so much to endure because of her pregnancy and yet here she was, brushing his concerns for her aside as if they didn't matter. As if she wasn't the most important part of his entire world. "I love you. Did you know that?"

"I think you might have mentioned that – once or twice" Astrid answered dryly, reached up with her free hand to cup his cheek and pulled him toward her to give him a quick kiss. "But you can stop worrying about me now, alright?"

"Oh, I'll never stop worrying about you!" He murmured, eyes closed. "That's just the way it is!"

A soft expression spread across her face as she recognized his words and with a fond smile she answered: "I guess that goes for me, too." He could feel her fingers on his skin as she caressed his face, smoothing out some lines and brushing aside a few strands of his unruly hair.

And then she grabbed one of the little braids she regularly put in his hair just for this purpose and tugged at it to make him wince. "But enough of that gloomy mood now! Home! Now!" She commanded. "You can tell me all about your plan on the way"

Gladly, Hiccup obliged. He told her everything Dagur had said, told her about the concerns they all had about this visit and how he planned to go about it. She wasn't happy with the thought of being kept separated from the Redthorns. As if she couldn't do that on her own but Hiccup was adamant. This was a topic where he wouldn't take any chances. He would still need to outline the details but he wanted someone to be around her at any time then and, grudgingly, she agreed.

When they reached their home, Hiccup craned his neck to take a look at the attached stable while Astrid went ahead inside. Toothless and Stormfly weren't there but at this time of day that wasn't surprising. Ever since that journey to Redthorn Island all those months ago, Toothless was wearing the automatic tailfin he'd once despised so much. Hiccup guessed his friend still wasn't all that happy about it and neither was he himself but it was necessary. Toothless needed to fly, to move and to hunt and Hiccup had not enough time to simply fly around for hours every day. Not anymore. They still spent a lot of time together as Toothless accompanied him most of the time whether he kept him company during a gripe day or carried him around to inspect the outer fences but the dragon also spent many hours flying, on his own or with Stormfly and the other dragons. With a sigh, Hiccup followed Astrid inside. Flying was another point on the list of things he wanted to have more time for.

Once inside, Hiccup almost choked in surprise, hastily shut the door behind him and locked it. Astrid sat at the edge of the table in the middle of the room and smirked at him, completely naked.

"I think we wasted enough time now," She said and by all means sounded as if she was talking about the weather. "C'mere!" She lifted her hand, made this small gesture with her index finger that meant she wanted him to come closer and Hiccup obeyed hesitantly.

He stepped closer until he stood between her thighs, as close as her bump would allow and let his hands glide over her arms, shoulder and down to her waist. "Are you sure?" He asked, voice hoarse with barely concealable desire. Gods, she was unbelievable, so tempting and sexy and yet… "Those contractions… I don't want you to hurt, are you sure it's alright?" His trousers were painfully tight already and she must have noticed that, too, but still. Yes, he wanted her, only Freya knew how much, but even more than that he wanted her to be alright.

Astrid looked at him through half-lidded eyes and reached to draw his face toward her. "I am! Now, shut up!" She pressed her lips to his and after only a moment's hesitation, he returned her kiss.

It wasn't a calm or slow one, not at all. Their lips parted in an instant, tongues sliding and teeth scraping. Hiccup placed his hands on the table as to not put too much weight on her while he swallowed her hungry moans. Soon, their kiss became more breathless, interrupted by small gasps and little bites and Astrid shudders as her hot skin rubbed against the cold leather and metal of his riding gear. Damn, why hadn't he changed right after he'd landed? Taking it off now would take longer than he was willing to wait.

Astrid seemed to think the same and Hiccup felt her practiced hands on his armor a moment later. Without much trouble, she opened the belt around his waist and let her hand glide beneath the leather vest to where cords held his trousers in place. Yep, she definitely didn't want to wait either! Once loose, she pulled the fabric down, not far, just as far as was possible with the holster still attached to his leg but it was enough. Hiccup groaned desperately as her warm hand closed around his now free cock and carefully began to stroke him.

"I need you" she whispered, her voice heavy with desire and Hiccup's head dropped down to her neck while she kept pumping him. Gods, he needed her, too! For a few moments longer, he enjoyed the feeling of her hand around him and lightly bit into her shoulder, unnecessarily keeping her from stopping. It just felt so fantastic. But then he tore himself away from her and made a step backward. Astrid's eyes were on him, waiting, expectant.

"Turn around!" He ordered and with a devious gleam in her eyes, she obeyed. She got into the same position she'd been before, up in the Great Hall, hands resting on the table to support her weight, feet a foot apart and ass invitingly outstretched. Hiccup swallowed, and let himself enjoy the view for a moment before he reached for her hips. This had become their favorite position during the last weeks because her bump wouldn't be in the way but it also served to make seeing her standing like this in the Great Hall so much harder. His hands drew meaningless patterns on the skin of her thighs, her ass, and her back until she was trembling with anticipation.

"Hiccup…" came her pleading voice.

"I want to make sure you're ready…" He murmured, barely able to conceal the humor in his voice. He'd learned his lesson and would never again just slam into her like that but this now was more fun than real preparation. He could see how slick she already was!

"S-stop teasing! Nee-ah! Need you inside mmmhh…" His hand had wandered further down, around her hips, closer to her center and it seemed to make forming coherent words harder for her.

"Are you sure?" His other hand glided down her ass, between her legs and lightly caressed her golden locks. "I don't want to hurt you…"

"Hiccup!" Astrid's cry was a mixture of a growling threat and a desperate plea and he decided it was enough. His skilled hand found her entrance and he slowly pushed two fingers into her. Her wordless moan rang in his ears as his vision began to swim.

"Gods, you're so wet" He gasped while he testingly pumped his fingers into her.

"Have –Ah!- have been all d-day! Now, f-fuck me alreaahh-" The last thrust with his fingers had been a little harder, just to take her breath away and the result was beautiful. She shuddered and with a low whine, she sank down on her elbows, face pressed against her arm. Right, outside it was still broad daylight and even through the closed shutters, he could hear chatting Vikings and playing children. Regrettably, it was a good idea to try and stay quiet.

Hiccup pulled his fingers out and brought the tip of his cock into position. He rubbed along her slit to cover his shaft in her arousal which drew a series of low curses and moans out of her before he slowly, very slowly pressed into her.

Freya, she felt divine! So hot and wet and tight and hot! "Gods, Astrid…" He groaned when he was only halfway inside her and paused to give her time to adjust. It was wonderfully maddening, her trembling body beneath his hands and her urgent noises in his ears. He looked down to watch himself sink deeper into her when she suddenly moved, obviously impatient.

"Oh Gods, yes!" Astrid positively sobbed, muffled into her arm as she speared herself onto his length. Apparently, she hadn't wanted to wait any longer and Hiccup couldn't blame her. For a second, they both stood still, gasping and relishing in the intense feeling of being one. He would never get enough of this, of her! Astrid was the one to break the moment, moving forward a little bit but just to push back again a moment later and Hiccup got the message. He began to move as well, pushing her open with slow and steady strokes that matched her own rhythm.

Hiccup wasn't worried to hurt her, not now anymore. He knew from experience that once her body had accepted him inside her there was no reason left to worry. And he trusted her that should he actually do something that hurt her, she would stop him immediately, for her sake and their child's. So far, that had never happened though so he kept thrusting into her and listened to her beautiful yelps and cries. When her pushing back against him became faster, he followed, his hand wandering around her hips to her front. Soon, it became very hot beneath his armor, sweat soaking his tunic and running down his face but he didn't care. Everything around him began to black out until nothing was left except her hot wetness around him and her mesmerizing noises in his ears.

"Gods, Hic-Ah! Hiccup! Aahh! Ha-Ah! Hard-nng-er!" Astrid's urgent moans were barely understandable, stifled against her arm and interrupted by little gasps and cries but he noticed how she trembled and shook and understood. Thank Thor, she was close as well! With a desperate groan, he sped up his thrusts and rolled his hips to hit her deeper. The new angle would hit just the right spot on her inside while his practiced fingers played her outside. It didn't take much longer until her noises changed to desperate sobs, until her fingernails uselessly scraped over the table and until her body tensed up beneath his hands.

"Oh yes! Hic- nngh- gonna… gonna come!" After that, only one last deep thrust was enough to make her shatter and burst. Witnessing her wailing and spasming in pleasure in combination with her inner muscles brutally clamping down on him then was enough to break him as well. His teeth dug deep into his lip to keep the howl locked inside as he spilled into her welcoming body and it was incredible.

A minute later, they were both still panting and still locked in the same position as before. Astrid rested heavily on the table while Hiccup did his best to keep her and himself on their feet as the world slowly began to return to them. His thumbs drew soothing circles on her hip before he slowly pulled out of her. Hiccup gave himself another moment to gather up his senses before he pulled his covering into place and reached to carefully pull Astrid up as well. She snuggled into his arms, her naked skin against his leather and sighed happily.

"Thank you!" She breathed, afterglow-shivers still running up and down her body.

Hiccup chuckled lightly. "You're more than welcome!" He mumbled into her hair and she hummed. He could feel how her body got heavier and he shifted his arms beneath her to carry her bridal style over to their bed in the other room. He quickly took off his armor and sweaty clothes and sat down on the bed, content with simply watching her for a moment. When she lay there between the crumpled sheets, looking up at him with a lazy smile, he was once more overcome with how utterly beautiful she was. Even with her disheveled braid, her bangs sticking to her forehead and her swollen body, she was perfect. Or maybe it was because of all that, Hiccup couldn't tell. She was simply perfect, period.

Astrid seemed to have noticed his dreamy look and returned it for a moment before she stretched her arm out for him. She took his hand in hers and brought it to her lips, just like he'd down early in front of Gobber's forge as well. She placed soft kisses on his rough knuckles and breathed a low "I love you, too!" against his skin, caressing him with her lips until he leaned down to kiss her.

"Iloveyouiloveyouiloveyou" he mumbled against her skin, post-coital bliss making him a little mellow and Astrid chuckled. She pulled him down next to her and cuddled into his side, finally skin on skin, warm and secure and home.

"I mean it…" she whispered after a pause and Hiccup frowned. "I love you! So much it sometimes hurts. And I feel like I'm not saying it often enough. You're doing so much, for me and for everyone else as well and you're amazing! I love you, Hiccup Haddock. I love you!"

With a breathy laughter, Hiccup carefully rolled around to take her into his arms, covering them both with a blanket in the process. "I meant it, too. I love you, Astrid Haddock. More than my life, more than anything. I…" he broke off and shook his head. Words were too weak to express his feelings for her and so he just pressed another kiss into her hair as she snuggled closer into his embrace.

They lay like this for a while, just basking in each other's warmth until Astrid groaned and rubbed her belly.

"Another contraction?" Hiccup asked anxiously but Astrid shook her head.

"No" she gasped, combined with a short laughter. "Your son is just kicking me, that's all. See?" She pushed the blanket aside and turned so her baby bump was fully visible and really, there on the one side was a visible smaller bump protruding from the bigger one.

Hiccup gulped and reached for it, but hesitated and glanced back at Astrid's face. "May I?" He asked and Astrid smiled.

"Of course!"

His gaze wandered back toward that small bulge and carefully, he laid his hand over it. At first, he didn't feel anything different but then the bulge beneath her skin moved! It nudged rapidly against him a few times and then pressed outward, filling his suddenly shaking hand.

"Hey there, little one," he breathed, overwhelmed by this first contact. Up until now, the idea of Astrid carrying a human being inside her had been more abstract than anything else. He'd known but had never really understood. But now he did. He did understand and it was glorious.

The pressure against his hand lessened a bit and he heard Astrid's relieved sigh but kept his hand on her belly, close to their child while he stretched to kiss her again.

This moment was perfect.

Hiccup knew that they only had less than an hour left before they needed to get dressed again. He had to talk to his people, tell them the not so good news about the unpleasant visitors that would arrive in a few weeks. He had to tell them about his plan to deal with them and how he would need all their help for that. He needed to tell them how their visit would confine them all in their daily life, needed to apologize and explain why all that was necessary. All in all, he had no good news to tell them.

But right now, with Astrid in his arm and their child nudging against his hand, everything was perfect.