Draugr

Three

"Never said...was so messy..." Astrid mumbled against his neck, drying clay all over her cheeks. He wiped a smear across her chin and grinned, his hair damp and clumped with clay.

"Nothing worthwhile isn't worth getting messy for," he smirked, his lips capturing hers again.

"I think...the wheel...may be a bit...mmm...advanced," she managed between kisses. "I think...maybe...stick to moulding..." His eyes fluttered open and he stared into her sapphire depths, two fingers tenderly stroking her flawless skin.

"I can think of something a little less...complex," he offered as she leaned in to kiss him again, cold hands sliding under his T-shirt and across his scorching skin, causing him to shudder and the blood to pound far more insistently in Astrid's core.

"Show me," she murmured as they kissed once more.

oOo

"I can't believe you talked me into this," Hiccup grumbled half-heartedly, adjusting his tuxedo and allowing Astrid to straighten his bow tie.

"You took me into your world, sculptor-boy...now it's my turn to have you in mine," she marked, looking stunning in a pale cream satin cocktail dress, the perfect amount of diamanté edging her low-cut neckline and swirling down her left hip to encircle the hem. Silver killer heels complimented the dress and plain white diamond studs were in each ear. Her blonde mane was swept into an elegant coil on the crown of her head. Hiccup was in classic black tux and pants with a white dress shirt and black bow tie. His tousled auburn hair had been tamed somewhat but still looked casual and his emerald eyes were sparkling. He offered her his arm.

"I'm usually the entertainment or the poor artist exhibiting," he reminded her. "Not sure your hotshot friends will appreciate an intruder..." She leaned in and kissed him, then wiped the smear of pink lipstick off his cheek.

"They're gonna love you," she assured him.

"Because you do?" he checked with a smile.

"You know it," she grinned and checked her dress watch. "Thor-we'll be late. Is the cab here?"

"For the last five minutes." he assured her as they headed to the front door, past the spotlighted sculpture and leaving a disgruntled Toothless curled in his bed. "Sorry, bud-this isn't walkies...can you watch the house for us, okay?" Giving a small whine, the black mutt rested his head on his paws and closed his eyes as they grabbed Astrid's shawl and headed down the stairs. Autumn had arrived and the evenings were getting cooler but this was the gala dinner that the Berk finance community held each year and this year, she felt confident enough to ask Hiccup to attend-as she hadn't last year when their very new relationship had been only a few weeks old. His presence beside her was warm and comforting and though she knew Heather would be there as well, it was a rare pleasure to be accompanied by someone who could look out for and support her during the evening. His hand laced with hers as they swept through the traffic and up to the entrance of the 'Great Hall', Berk's most sumptuous banqueting venue.

"Miss Astrid Hofferson and Mister Hiccup Haddock," Astrid said as they emerged from the taxi, handing in their invitation to the doorman and accepting two flutes of champagne from the waiter before they headed into the dinner. Before them, waiters deftly swirled and dodged, weaving trays of champagne and other beverages and huge salvers of canapés through the packed room, efficiently attending to the guests' needs. Hiccup sipped his champagne and glanced across the room with a sigh: this was the world he hadn't wanted to enter-but, as he reminded himself, he was visiting on Astrid's behalf. Though he would be infinitely happier at home in his work clothes, throwing a pot on the wheel or working on another abstract piece that was starting to nag at the back of his mind. She leaned in and ghosted a touch on his arm as she headed off for a knot of men in tuxedos, the scent of testosterone metaphorically discernible on the air.