A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the late update, but I hope you like this chapter. P.S: This chapter is RATED T/M so, you have been warned.
Hiccup's POV
The walk to the forge was filled with awkward silence after that little chat for the first minute or so, but I don't why it was so awkward. Was it just because the girl of me dreams was walking beside me and I didn't know what to say? Or was it that a week ago I tried to kill her and she had poured her heart out to me and did something I thought I'd never see...cry.
We both tried to minimize eye contact because we didn't want to engage in conversation since both of us knew we'd end up in awkward silence again...or just because we didn't know what to say to each other, either way. I didn't see Toothless after we left Treeroot's house, I guess he's probably with Bladewing catching up on old times. It would have been so much better if he were here because then I can have someone to talk to without it being awkward.
"So...how long have you lived in this forge?" Astrid asked breaking the silence, and I'm sort of glad she did.
"Well, Treeroot gave it to us when we first came and handled the dragon problem. It was pretty run down, but we managed to get it back in working order" I answered as enthusiastically as I could.
"Did you add any personal touches...something that would make it feel like home?" she asked.
"Define home" I said. I meant it as a joke but I noticed she looked away, trying to hide a frown because of the guilt she had for not doing anything. "Hey I meant it in a funny way...we're past that now...besides it doesn't mean anything to me anymore" I said, trying to lighten her mood. I lied, but I didn't like seeing her like this, not after what we've been through.
"It might not mean anything to you...but it does to me. You don't know how much it hurt me when I finally realized the pain you went through. I feel mad at myself for not doing anything to help you...and I shouldn't be forgiven" she said. I smiled at her, a kind and loving smile and absentmindedly, I put my arm around her shoulder and brought her close.
"It means so much to me that you understand what I feel, you're the only one from Berk who has understood me and probably the only one who will...but I've grown used to it, more than you think that it just seems like normal to me...and now that we've made up, I have definitely become more of my old self again" I said. She smiled and looked at my eyes and I looked at hers. Her eyes were the most beautiful I had ever seen in my life. Those sky blue eyes showed fire, passion, a spirit that could not chained, a spirit that would fight to its very last breath. But other than the sheer fire of her spirit, those same eyes also showed kindness, care, love; a side that I had never seen from her...and I think I was experiencing that side right now.
Astrid's POV
I don't know why he's so forgiving...I have never met a person like that and probably never will. All this time I've been taught that kindness was a weakness...that you just let your enemies live when they should have died...but are dragons really our enemies now? Hiccup let Toothless live and look where they are now. Same story with Ripper and Bladewing...both pairs are inseparable. Perhaps kindness and compassion are the strongest trait a Viking can have.
But as I looked into those eyes, I saw the warmth, kindness, understanding, loving, caring boy...no, man in them. But I also something else. He said he might have been used to being a screw-up, that it's him now, but I can see the pain, suffering, ridicule and torment in those same eyes. If I was him I wouldn't want to be anywhere near the person who sealed his faith...someone like me. And yet here is, with his arm around my shoulder, bodies side by side, telling me through those same eyes that he doesn't care what I did...since he had forgiven me. But I knew I had to make it up to him one way or another.
Hiccup's POV
I realized that I had my hand around her and we were extremely close to each other...so close that we could feel each other's body heat. I immediately pulled my arm off and moved a bit farther and she did the same. My cheeks flared up, and I knew if I looked into a mirror, I would be red as a tomato. I think Astrid was also trying to hide her blushing because she had her face turned the other way when I glanced in her direction.
"Uh...sor-sorry...b-about that" I stuttered. Wait, how long has it been since I stuttered?
"No, there's...nothing to be sorry for Hiccup, I got too close" she said, this time looking at me and pushing away a few bangs from her eye. We again found ourselves caught in a stare, but she quickly moved on.
"So...is that where you live?" she asked, looking ahead of us. I turned my sight forward and saw the forge on the hill. A small smile made its way to my lips, it was good to be home. It looked just as I had left it. Ripper told me he didn't make any changes since I left, and that it was in tip-top shape. Seeing it brought back so many memories as well.
As soon as I opened the door and walked in, I was met with the sweet smell of iron, steel, and the smell of the hearth. To many people that might not be reminders of home, but to me, after spending my entire life in a forge...it's as close to home for me than anything else. Me and Ripper messing about in the forge brought back the memories of near disasters that took place...except it never resulted in the forge exploding or being severely damage. Caused a bit of commotion here, but unlike Berk, the villagers here didn't berate me or Ripper for the mistakes we made. Instead, they just told us to be careful when we were working, which we were half of the time, and said it was alright. How could Berk be so different than this village? Was it just because I had name to live up to, a title that gave me control over arguably, the most powerful tribe in the Archipelago's, or was it just because who I was before I was banished. Berk always showed signs that they never wanted me as a chief, and couldn't believe I was Stoick's son. I was nothing like him at the time...and still aren't.
"This is...cosy" I heard her say, interrupting my train of thought.
"Yeah, it isn't a house like those in the village, but it's as close to a home as I have" I said, moving a few papers around from my desk, which was left untouched for a whole year.
"We weren't ever a real home to you were we?" she asked. I turned to look at her and she was examining some of the forged weapons on hanging on their racks.
"No...no, I never felt at home in Berk. Viking law dictates that a new born that appears to be weak or smaller than the average new-born should be cast away at sea and let the Gods decide its fate...I bet my mom stopped my dad from doing that, because I remember clearly that my mom protected. She used to shout at my dad for yelling at me, she talked to Snotlout's parents every time he bullied me...she was always there for me" I said.
Astrid stopped her tour of the forge and looked at me. "Well, I guess, no one understands a mother's love right?" she said.
"No, most people take it for granted. You'll never know until it truly is gone...and never coming back" I said, sitting down on a stool as I felt a few tears come to my eyes. I then felt a hand on my shoulder, and looked to see Astrid standing in front of me, with a sympathetic look on her face.
"I remember your mom. My mom always spoke highly of her, how she wouldn't let anyone stop her from doing things she wanted and mainly beating up anyone who made remarks about her son. She told me that Viking law did demand you to be cast off, but your mom threatened to actually kill anyone who came near you. She even told her that you would grow up to be the strongest Viking there is...I guess she was right" Astrid said pulling me up with both her hands.
"Enough about the past, tell me a tale of one of your famous adventures" she said, setting me down on my bed and pulling up a chair from my desk for her to sit on.
"Well, I've been on many adventures, so I don't know where to start" I said.
"Come on! There has to be something...I mean new dragons, new enemies...wait if you've travelled, then that means...did you meet anyone special?" she asked. I immediately began to feel my cheeks heating up when she asked me this.
"You did didn't you?" she asked. By the sound of her voice, to me she sounded...jealous?
"W-well...I-I might have met...a few girls...yes" I stuttered.
"How were they?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"What do you mean?" I asked, although, I think I did have an idea of what she was asking me.
"Like, were they beautiful, did you fall for any of them?" she asked.
"Well, honestly, not really. There were some beautiful girls I met...but none of them caught my eye. But one thing's for sure, I certainly caught their eye, because they were literally swooning all over me" I said with a chuckle but stopped when I saw Astrid's steaming face. "Does that bother you?" I asked, knowing it did.
"What no, Freyja herself could throw herself at you and I wouldn't care" she said, turning around, but once she did, she laid eyes on my desk and the wall adjacent it...where there were literally hundreds of sketches of landscape, Ripper, Heather, Toothless and Bladewing which hung on the wall.
"Hey Hiccup, do you mind getting me some water, I'm pretty parched" she says.
"Sure, no problem" I said, and got up and walked into the next room. But when I took the jug, it was empty and I didn't have any other supplies of drinking water in the forge. "Hey, I have to go to the stream that runs near here and get some water ok?" I say, and I hear an 'ok' from her, so without a second thought I left the forge and left her in the room with all my secrets.
Astrid's POV
I never turned my head from the wall that was adorned by sketches of Hiccup's closest friends and his...new family. There were sketches of the village, and even...an aerial view? I took that sketch down and looked at it more closely. I swear if I was up in the clouds right now, and held this image right in front of me and looked down at the village, it would look exactly the same. How can he be this good at drawing?
I put that sketch down and examined the others. There were some of Heather and Ripper laying down in the grass together watching the sunset with Toothless and Bladewing in the distance, I guess 'talking' to each other. I never knew Hiccup has this talent...then again, what did I know about him? I ignored him my whole life, treated him like an outcast and just saw him as an itch the village could never get rid off. "I really don't know him" I said out loud, since I knew no one was in the forge.
Glancing back to the table, I catch something brown under a few papers. I move them out of the way and find a medium to small book. It didn't look like a book that you could learn about, it looked more like a...journal...Hiccup's journal. I picked it up and just stared at the cover, contemplating whether I should go through it. But if I did, I would be invading his privacy, but then this could be my only chance to know him...his thoughts, be it bad or not...I need to know his feelings, because if I do, then I could possibly resolve my feelings.
I opened the book and turned to a random page:
Gobber gave me the task to create my first real weapon. I had been working in the forge for over an year now, and for being 10 years old, I was pretty good with mastering the skills of sword and axe making, and repairing them. I guess it's the only good thing that I can do without getting in anyone's way...except Gobber's but unlike my dad or the village, he doesn't mind it...to a certain extent, which I am deeply thankful for.
He told me to create an axe, that should be about my size. I didn't know why he asked me to, but just said it was an order by someone from the village. So I did my task, created the most perfect weapon I ever made. It took me about three days to make it, but on the third day when I was almost done, I overheard Astrid (the love of my life)...
I smirked at this comment.
...talking with her dad. "Dad when can I get my present!?" she asked, pulling on her dad's arm.
"Now, now Astrid, it's a surprise" he said, continuing on his walk with Astrid still pulling on his arm. "But dad, I really want to know!" she said. She was always stubborn and wouldn't take no for an answer.
Stubborn huh Hiccup? Wait till you get back with that water so I can drench you in it.
"Well let's just say that I told Gobber to make it" her dad said.
That's why Gobber wanted me to work on this axe and make it my size. But then, since it was almost ready I ran back to the forge and took it to the smelter. I kept the blade in it to get hot enough for me to engrave a phrase into it. I wrote in Valkyrie's Blade...because she was Valkyrie in my eyes. One of the most beautiful girls I've ever and will see. But who am I kidding, she'll never fall for a talking fishbone like me.
I stopped reading there and flipped to another page. I frowned when I saw the date of the page, it was a few days after Hiccup and Ripper ran away.
Well, we found a new home, made a new friend and changed the life of a village completely. Not a bad day if I say so myself. But...there's something nagging me. I don't know what but every time I think about it...it takes me back to...her. Why couldn't she listen! Why couldn't she see what dragons really are. She ran to tell Stoick about Toothless, she was the reason my best friend was taken from me, and the reason I almost lost another.
I can't believe I ever liked her, and for what...her looks? Her fiery attitude? Or was it because I thought she was different from the rest of Berk? I'll never know, and I don't care...she's in my past and past can burn in Hel for all I care.
I winced at these comments...but I don't know why. Everything he said holds truth in them. I turned the pages again and came to something that stopped my heart. It was a sketch of me, holding me axe over my shoulder and one hand on my hip. This sketch was near the end of the book, possibly in the last week or so. Beside the image was a text:
I guess the Gods have had fun reuniting me with Astrid. But I don't know if it's good or bad. She said she was sorry for everything, and I believed her. I hope I'm not making a mistake by doing so. But something else came up when I saw her after all those years...a feeling that I thought I had buried when I left Sharkslane.
She looks just as beautiful as ever, how her hair glows in the sunlight and moonlight, the same fiery spirit, but seeing another whole new side to her...she was caring, kind, even loving...and she finally saw what I was talking about, how dragons are not mindless creatures but caring, loving and loyal to their friends. But...GAH! Why is this so hard to say even in a book?!
I think...I...love her.
I felt a tear run down my cheek when I read this. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, loves me. A few years ago I would have been revolted by that idea...but now, I don't know what to think.
I've done many dangerous things in the past. Facing the Outcasts alone, confrontation with a Roman ship, being trapped on an island with wild Whispering Deaths...but none can compare to my fear of telling her this. I don't know what to do.
I closed the book and kept it back on the table. I didn't want to read any further because I knew more tears would just come to my eyes. That's when I heard footsteps behind me.
"You've done some dangerous things in the past right?" I asked without turning to face him.
"Yes, I have..." he said, but his voice sounded off. It didn't have the confidence or the 'Hiccupness' like it did before. He was uncertain of something. "...but there's one thing that I'm afraid to do" he said.
I turned around and saw that he was standing in front of me now. I got up so I could look him in the eyes, even though he was a bit taller than me.
"You've faced Outcasts, a Roman Ship, wild dragons...what possibly can compare to that" I asked. We were both talking in low voices...and our breathing had increased. My stomach felt as if it was doing hurdles ten times over and being tossed in a storm. My emotions were screaming at me...I wondered if he was feeling the same thing.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you" he said. Our faces weren't that far apart now.
"Don't tell me...show me...show me that bold action you're afraid to do" I said, and he did it.
I felt his lips touch mine and he had his eyes closed. I closed my eyes to see the feeling of the kiss and I felt him hold my hand as we kissed. For the first time in my life, I felt I had found someone. Someone, who loves me for me...now I knew how Heather felt when she told me that. Someone who just doesn't go for my looks, but my personality as well, and I drove that someone from home 5 years ago and here is now kissing me. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, he pulled away. I opened my eyes from possibly what was the best experience in my life and looked to see him staring at me with those soft, emerald green, caring eyes.
Hiccup's POV
I couldn't believe what I just did. When I had left to collect water, that gave me a chance to collect my thoughts...about Astrid. I don't know what's happened to me! Just over two weeks ago I wanted nothing to do with her and since the time she showed up, the time she begged for forgiveness, and seeing a whole new side to her...Gods! What's wrong with me?! DO I LOVE HER!? Did those feelings ever die down? But it's too late for that because I just kissed her...on the lips...of Astrid Hofferson. I waited to get a response from...
THWACK!
I felt a huge pain in my left cheek as I stumbled back a bit from the blow. My immediate reaction was to bring my hand to my cheek and hold it. I bet my life it was red as a Monstrous Nightmare's hide. I looked at her and saw her retracting her arm which she had used to punch me.
"What was that...mhmm" I couldn't finish my sentence as she snaked both arms around my neck and brought us into another deep kiss. I was so surprised to say the least as she just punched me and now kissing me? I guess I'll never understand her. But right now, the situation I was in...I didn't care. I closed my eyes to make my experience more enjoyable for myself and her.
I pushed her back onto the edge of the table...her arms had never left my neck. I used my left hand to support us, while my right hand snaked around her lithe figure. We probably spent ten minutes in that position without even knowing it...but we didn't care. Our emotions had taken full control of us and we loved it. That's when I decided to try something. I pushed my tongue against her teeth, begging for entrance to her mouth. She must have understood because I soon felt her teeth part ways and entered my tongue into her mouth.
"Mhhm" I heard. Did Astrid Hofferson just moan?!
We both disengaged from the kiss for a minute just to catch our breath after some intense lip-locking. "So, since when did the great Astrid Hofferson moan?" I asked, a small smirk grazing my lips. My heart was travelling far above the ground right now, and wouldn't come back down, meaning that I wanted to continue.
"Oh shut up and kiss me" she said before pulling me back in, creating a more passionate kiss.
I brought my hands to her thighs and lifted her, and on instinct she wrapped her legs around my waist while I held her up.
"Well, you've really become stronger" she said, smiling a bit from the brief pause of kissing.
I moved over to the bed, which was right opposite my work desk, and gently laid her on the bed, without pulling away from her lips for a second. I could feel her hands get entangled in my hair, continuously pressing my face to hers. My hands left her legs and began roaming along the sides of her body. Being on top of her, in a position of command...kissing her! I must be dreaming...but if I am, it's a dream I don't want to wake up from.
Astrid's POV
"I can't believe he's kissing me!" was the only thought that was going through my head. When he first kissed me, I punched him because that was for leaving, but I didn't get to tell him that, but I just wanted to experience that feeling again so I kissed him...and here we are, on his bed, my hands tangled in his hair and his hands exploring my body, the exterior anyway. The way our lips blended with each other...the love, the passion in the kisses...it was nothing like I've ever experienced and it was something I didn't want to end soon.
I moved my hands from his head to his back...and boy did I receive the shock of my life...he had muscle! He was still relatively thin compared to traditional Vikings, but I didn't mind that. I could feel the outline of his muscles, most probably forged by his training, flying and forging of weapons. Wait...if his back was what I thought it would like, then what about his abdomen?
"What am I thinking? I'm Astrid Hofferson, best shield-maiden on Berk...and yet here I am wondering how Hiccup would like without a shirt". Ah screw me reputation. No one from Berk is here to see this, so if any person is going to see my true self, it might as well be Hiccup. I moved my hands from his back to the point where his shirt met his waist and started to pull it over, but he stopped.
He disengaged from the kiss and looked at me as if I, and I began to worry that I had done something wrong. He pulled back up so now he was in a straddling position, and held my hands. "I don't think you want to see what's beneath" he said. His voice had a mixture of fear and resentment (not about me, but something else).
"What wouldn't I like?" I asked quietly, somewhat annoyed that he ruined the moment.
"It's just...I...I have some...scars underneath, and I'm not...comfortable with...people seeing them" he said slowly. Scars? Really, he was worried about that?
"Hiccup...it doesn't matter if you're face is covered in scars right now...I see you for you now and nothing will change that" I said.
"It's not that Astrid...it's just...I was alone when I got them...no other person was with me, and...that left lasting impressions on my life" he said. I made a small frown, nothing would be accomplished this way. I caught him off guard and quickly flipped us so that he was lying on the bed and I was on top, and I got myself into a straddling position on his hips.
"Why would you think that I would think any less of you just after finding out what you've been through?" I asked.
"Because no one would understand Astrid" he said, looking at me with his emerald green eyes...Gods were they handsome. I held his shirt from the bottom, "Then let me try and understand" I said and began removing his shirt. He sat up for a while so I could remove his shirt...and shocked would be understatement at I saw.
On one side of his torso, there was a scar that led right from his stomach to over his heart. There were also a few other cuts, most likely from swords but he never said he was in any fights. "That huge scar from my stomach to my chest was by Armedis when I first met him. I might have escaped with my life, but it was a reminder to never go near him again" he said. I traced my hand along that scar, and he winced a bit. I don't think it was from the pain, since it was a long time ago...but I think it was because this was the first time another person actually saw it. "Luckily Toothless was there to help me get back and heal myself" he finished.
"What about these other scars" I asked, seeing about five to seven more scars on his body. He smirked a bit.
"Three of them are daggers and four of them were from whips" he said. I immediately looked back up at him, disbelief in my eyes. He had gone through torture?
"I was captured by the Romans once. It was in a land south of here, and they saw me trying to train a dragon. They captured me, and tortured me to share the secrets of Dragon Training, but due to my Viking stubbornness, I didn't comply. Once again Toothless saved me and we escaped" he said. I looked back at his scars. Toothless was the only companion he had who stood by him no matter what. Hiccup has gone through so much, and no one was there for him to confide into, or understand him, just Toothless. But that was going to change today.
I leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on his lips. "You're not alone now" I said, and began to remove my shoes, and tossed them on the floor. I then moved to my shoulder pads and uncoupled them and tossed them on the floor as well.
"Astrid...what are you doing?" he asked, as I bet he knew where I was going with this. I made a small smirk at him before lifting my shirt over and tossing that as well. It was amusing to see Hiccup's expression.
Normal POV
Hiccup couldn't help but stare at the sight before him, Astrid Hofferson, straddled on his waist and without her shirt. She did have her breast bindings on but, her beauty had just reached new levels. Even in the dimness of the candle lights, her skin seemed to glow, her eyes sparkle, and from just staring at her skin, could tell that it would be the softest thing he ever touched.
"No one was there for you at Berk...but I want to change that Hiccup...I want to be with you...and I'm not just saying that because I want you to come back, but because I...I..." she paused as she couldn't find the right words to say it, but Hiccup beat her to it.
He cupped her face in both his hands and placed a tender, yet loving kiss. "I love you too...I always have" he said, staring off into her sky blue eyes. Astrid smiled as she took in the reassuring feeling from his hands...happy that someone understood how she felt, but then, she decided to reward him.
She pulled back and her hands reached up to her braid and a few seconds later, her hair came falling down into what seemed like a majestic, smooth wave of gold. She shook her head a bit as she wasn't used to having her hair down, but when she looked back at Hiccup, she saw that he was completely entranced by her.
Then all of a sudden he grabbed her and flipped her over, so now he was back on top and immediately gave a deep passionate kiss, to which she gladly accepted.
"How many men have had the honour of seeing you with you hair down?" he asked as he moved along her jawline, moving up her face, placing kisses as he went.
"Only one man...and he's right on top of me as we speak" she said, her eyes closed to enjoy the experience he was giving her.
"Not even your own father has seen you like this" he breathed into her neck, causing her to release slight, pleasured gasps.
"No" was all she answered before they carried off where they left off. Hiccup had one focus, to make this experience for her the best, and he was doing exactly that. Their tongues battle for supremacy, but Hiccup was coming on top most of the time, and Astrid didn't have any problem with that. For most of her life she was always the one in control...who would've thought she loved being the one controlled.
Hiccup masterfully moved his hands along her goddess like frame, treating it like the most precious diamond ever found. For someone who worked in the forge all his life, his hands were hard, but Astrid noticed that he handled her with extreme care. Most men would just be forcing their way in a situation like this...but Hiccup wasn't. Now she knew what Heather meant.
Their hands began roaming into the 'forbidden' areas of the opposite sex, as their session became more heated. Astrid's moans were like music to Hiccup's ears, informing him that he was doing a good job. But soon they had to release due to the lack of air.
"I'm not sure if this lust or...love" Hiccup breathed, not taking his eyes away from those of his love.
"Neither am I...but it feels...so..." Astrid breathed. "...Right" they both finished off. That's when they looked to where each other's hands had gone and looked back at each other.
"We can't go that far...not right now anyway" Hiccup said.
"You're right...we can't" Astrid said, stating it in a disappointed tone.
"But I know other ways on how to pleasure you" he said and attacked her neck. Astrid immediately arched her back upwards, as she released a more pleasured moans and gasps at Hiccup's actions. This was going to be one eventful night.
Meanwhile
A pair of cat-like green eyes stared at the young couple making out with extreme passion on the bed. Toothless had wandered in after his discussion with Bladewing and had caught the scene before him. He didn't want to interrupt because he knew the two young adults needed their space. But that couldn't stop him from having one thought.
"Well, took them long enough" Toothless thought with a smirk.
A/N: Well guys, hope this scene isn't too rushed, especially how Astrid and Hiccup's feelings for each other escalated into a full makeout session. Either way, I hope you enjoy it.