HTTYD Oneshots

Long Journeys

Dedicated to my fellow author E. Wills of tumblr, whose dear husband was recently deployed in Korea for a year. She requested a drabble to no one in particular, and I took her up on the offer. She is an amazing writer and an even more amazing person so go follow her on tumblr and read her stuff!

Post-HTTYD2. Hiccstrid is approximately mid to late 20s. Already married and Astrid is expecting their first baby.

Astrid heard the excited screech of the Night Fury before the human commotion even started. Her face immediately lit up in a smile and she ran to the door as fast as her legs could carry her. Pregnancy did not mix well with speed, and being almost eight months along did not help matters at all. She grabbed her cloak off the hook and just barely got it fastened around her shoulders before yanking the door open and rushing outside.

People were everywhere, coming out of their homes in droves to see the chief that had been gone for nearly six months. Hiccup had been summoned to an urgent meeting of chieftains from all over the archipelago, and he was to attend unaccompanied. Astrid had begged and pleaded to go with him to the point where both of them were on the verge of tears, but Hiccup would not give in.

"Astrid," he'd said in as comforting a voice as he could muster, "I wish I could take you with me, trust me I do, but I don't know some of the names on this list, and for all I know some of these chiefs could be hostile if the rules are not followed correctly. Even Toothless has to stay; I'm forced to go by boat."

Astrid remembered him shuddering at the thought. She also remembered her rebuttal: "But what if something goes wrong? What if you need me and I can't get to you? What if--"

Hiccup had silenced her protests with a sweet peck on her lips. "Shh, love, relax." He'd moved her bangs away from her face, her blue eyes shining with the tears that threatened to spill over and run down her cheeks. "I won't be gone long."

"Six months, Hiccup--"

"I know, I know, it feels like a long time, but I'll be back before you know it. I promise."

Astrid had eventually given in and stayed behind. Many nights had been spent with Toothless in her bed, the two comforting each other in a way only they could. It made them feel both better and worse inside, being together but missing a crucial piece to their family. The baby Astrid carried within her didn't seem to like the absence of its daddy either. As the weeks passed, Astrid seemed to contract every pregnancy symptom Thor could come up with, forcing Valka to take on the majority of Astrid's chores as the young blonde was constantly laid up in bed, throwing up or sleeping off her problems. More than once Astrid had been compelled to relieve herself of bent-up sexual tension, as her pregnancy symptoms included a fierce craving for sex that just couldn't seem to be satisfied without the gap-toothed dork that had spoiled Astrid from the start. It was maddening.

Now, though, all those stresses faded away as she half jogged, half waddled down the beaten dirt path to her husband, currently making his way towards the Haddock household. Fishlegs and Snotlout trailed behind him, helping him carry the large baskets of necessities Hiccup had brought for his incredibly long trip.

"Hiccup!" Astrid called, announcing her presence. Hiccup looked up, and the smile that lit up his tired face rivaled anything Astrid had ever seen.

"Astrid!" Hiccup called back to her. He dropped everything he had been carrying and ran to his wife, enveloping her in a hug before she'd even finished descending the hill that the Haddock house sat on. Astrid hugged him back just as tightly, albeit a bit awkwardly with her inflated belly in the way. Astrid nestled her face in the crook of Hiccup's neck, smelling leather and sweat and ash and everything else that was so uniquely Hiccup. Everything she'd oh so deeply missed over the past six months. She felt Hiccup bury his nose in her hair, his arms wrapped around her just tight enough that he wouldn't squish the precious gift growing within his wife that was currently keeping them from hugging properly.

"I missed you so much," Astrid choked out through the tears she hadn't realized were falling. Her shoulders shook with happy sobs and Hiccup rubbed her back, soothing him as much as her.

"I missed you too," he whispered back. "Gods, Astrid, you have no idea..."

"I think I do." Astrid looked up at him, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. Hiccup matched her smirk and leaned down, kissing her passionately. Behind them, Snotlout and Fishlegs couldn't help but smile as they ascended the hill towards the Haddock residence, carrying Hiccup's travel baskets with them. Both of them had witnessed Astrid's low points over the past month, and both had tried to comfort her in any way they could.

Their loving kiss was abruptly broken when Baby Haddock realized who was touching its house. Feeling the child within her move, Astrid pulled back a bit and rested a hand on her swelled abdomen. "I think someone else missed you too," she said through a slight giggle.

"Is that what that was?" Hiccup teased. "I thought that was you kicking me."

"Right, because my legs are totally inside my own stomach."

Hiccup chuckled and knelt down to kiss his wife's baby belly. "Hey there, little one," he said softly. "Sorry I left for so long. Daddy had chief business to take care of. But I'm home now, so you can stop giving Mama so much trouble." Fishlegs had quickly informed Hiccup about Astrid's wellbeing, as that was practically the first thing out of his mouth when he'd stepped off the boat. Astrid had only been a couple months along when he'd left, and they'd only known about the baby for about a week before Hiccup had left. He was somewhat glad he'd missed most of Astrid's up-and-down hormones. Angry Astrid was not a fun Astrid, no matter who was on the business end of her axe.

Astrid smiled and ran her free hand through his hair, her heart lifting when she felt the baby kick for Hiccup. The baby hardly kicked for anyone aside from Valka, as she was Astrid's prime caretaker, so it was heartfelt and amazing that the baby seemed to recognize who its father was, absurd as it was.

The pregnant blonde opened her mouth to say something, but was immediately cut off by Toothless barreling into Hiccup and knocking him over. Astrid stepped back quickly so as not to end up on the ground with them.

"Gah! Toothless!" Hiccup said through laughter as he was given a chief-size tongue bath by his scaly companion.

Astrid chuckled softly. "He missed you."

"I can see that. Come on bud, off!" Hiccup half-heartedly shoved the dragon off of him, ignoring the pitiful hatchling eyes he was given in response. "I'll take you out flying later, okay? Right now I would really love a warm bath."

"Can I get in on that?" Astrid asked with a playful smirk.

Hiccup's eyes lit up and he smiled back at his wife. "I thought you'd never ask."