Hi guys! I think Hiccup is really smart, but when it comes to subtle hints and betrothal gifts, he's clueless. Plus, I love flustered and nervous Hiccup!
Surprisingly, I didn't use Erica again for this one. Just another random OC!
This happens before HTTYD2, they look like how they are there. Enjoy!
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"Well, that's the Sven's sheep problem done" Hiccup announced, walking over to Astrid, who nearly laughed at how tired he looked, and their dragons.
"What did the sheep do to you?" She asked, her faced torn between amusement and concern. Hiccup rolled his eyes at her and took her hand.
"Let's just say taming a sheep requires a different tactic than a dragon" Hiccup muttered and she chuckled as they walked back to the village, their dragons tailing behind and playing with each other.
"So, anymore tasks?" Astrid asked him and he shook his head, a smile rising on his face. "Actually, no. I think we're done for the day" Hiccup answered and sighed in relief.
For the whole week, Stoick had appointed Hiccup as acting chief and left for a meeting on another island. Stoick also appointed Astrid as acting chieftess to Hiccup in which they both blushed beet red. ("If you don't propose to the lass, I'll propose for you! Just marry her!" Stoick told Hiccup. "Dad!")
Both Astrid and he had things to do for their jobs and decided to do them together so they were less tiring.
"Thank Thor, all our stuff are finally-" Astrid was cut off by a someone shouting for them. "-not over yet" She finished, a tired sigh leaving her lips.
Hiccup laughed softly and they turned back, seeing a guard and Gustav come up to them. "Chief Hiccup, there's an unknown boat approaching our docks" The viking told him and he nodded.
"Astrid, the twins set the stables on fire!" Gustav said to her and she frowned in disbelief. "For the second time today?" She asked and he nodded, making her frown more.
"At least yours is easier" Hiccup said, trying to make her calm down. Astrid raised an eyebrow and she shrugged.
"At least yours doesn't include scolding your two friends and putting out another fire" Astrid replied and he grinned.
"Well, have fun, m'lady" He told her sarcastically and kissed her cheek before letting go of her hand and following the guard.
Astrid smiled a little, watching her boyfriend walk away, and turned back to Gustav who had a smug look on his face.
"What?" She asked and he pointed to his cheek. Astrid glared and pushed him aside. "Take a hint, Gustav" She sighed, shaking her head.
Stormfly squawked angrily at the boy and Gustav yelped, recoiling and jumping away.
•••
At the docks, the ship had already arrived. A girl his age was helped by what looked like her guards and waited for Hiccup to arrive.
She wore a red dress and a gold bracelet around her neck. Her brown hair was down in curly locks and her hazel eyes watched as Hiccup and a viking went over to her.
Hiccup looked over to the sail of her boat and recognized the crest from another tribe. He looked back at the girl and she smiled at him.
"Hiccup Haddock, acting chief of Berk. Dad's at a meeting. Are you from the Blue Forest tribe?" Hiccup introduced himself and she nodded.
"Tove Osmund, the chief's daughter. Yes, I am" She introduced as well and smiled sweetly, making Hiccup a little uncomfortable.
"Well, welcome to Berk! What's your business here?" Hiccup asked her. "Oh, just visiting" She replied innocently and he couldn't help but think that she wasn't by the tone in her voice.
"Hiccup, your dad must really trust you to let you be acting chief. And from the stories I've heard, he should be" Tove gushed and he opened his mouth to object when he heard a familiar squawk.
Stormfly and Astrid landed behind them and Hiccup grinned as she walked over to them. "You scolded the twins that fast?" He asked her and raised an eyebrow.
"They ran away before I could say anything" Astrid answered with a sigh and glanced at Tove. Astrid gave her a smile, standing by Hiccup's side.
"Astrid Hofferson, Stoick forced me to say this, but acting chieftess of Berk" She introduced herself, blushing slightly when she said it.
Tove looked between the two and arched an eyebrow. "You two are married?" She asked and they both shook their heads.
"No, but we're betrothed" Astrid answered, taking his hand and making him chuckle. "We technically are" He suggested but she squeezed his hand to tightly.
"Never mind then" Hiccup quickly said and Astrid hid a smile. Tove smiled widely and clasped her hands together.
"Awwwww! You guys are so cute together!" Tove cooed and the couple blushed even more. "I definitely ship you guys! You're so cute!" She exclaimed. Astrid tucked a stray hair behind her ear and Hiccup chuckled nervously.
"So, tour?" Astrid asked after an awkward pause and Tove nodded excitedly, following them to the village.
•••
For the whole tour, Tove commented on the two's relationship a lot. 'So cute!' and 'Adorable!' could be heard every time they did anything towards each other.
When they reached the forge, Astrid had to leave because the twins made another fire. She kissed Hiccup's cheek before leaving and Tove awwed.
"Okay, so this is the forge" Hiccup told Tove, leading her inside the forge and showing her around. Tove nodded and went closer to him.
"I do a lot of work here like making saddles, more inventions, and WOAH! Okay, to close!" Hiccup exclaimed when Tove placed her hands on his chest. He pried them off her and stepped away, crossing his arms.
"Just a kiss, Hiccup" Tove told him and smiled at him, making him frown in confusion. He blushed and shook his head.
"What?!" He asked in disbelief and stepped away from her. "Come on, won't it be nice?" Tove asked him and he laughed nervously.
"No. I have a girlfriend" He said and looked outside to see if Astrid was coming back. "I know" Tove said simply and kept inching towards him.
"Do you really?" Hiccup asked, wincing at how close she was and stepping away again. "Hiccup, I'm way better than her, so just give in and kiss me!" Tove told him and he scoffed.
"I am not kissing you! And Astrid is way better than you!" Hiccup defended and stepped away again. Tove was about to say something when someone cut her off.
"I don't know how, but they somehow got away again!" Astrid exclaimed in annoyance, walking over to them with a scowling face. Hiccup sighed in relief when she got there and hugged her tightly.
She was surprised from the sudden hug, but still hugged back. From behind her, Tove awwed again but Hiccup saw how she was glaring.
•••
As the tour continued, Hiccup got more uncomfortable every time Tove spoke. She kept saying how they were cute, but he knew that she was faking it.
While on their last stop to the Dragon Training Academy, Gustav approached them again and Astrid groaned in frustration.
"FOUR TIMES?!" She asked Gustav and all he could do was nod and be scared of the angry look on her face.
"I'm gonna kill them" Astrid muttered and left after Hiccup gave her an encouraging smile. Hiccup turned back to Tove and immediately frowned when he saw her smirking.
"No!" He denied again, stepping back and glaring at her. "Let's make a deal, you kiss me once and decide then if you want me or not" Tove told him and he shook his head.
"Yes, totally, definitely, of course!" Hiccup said sarcastically and Tove smiled happily. "I knew you'd understand" She mused and he gaped.
"I was being sarcastic! The answer is no!" Hiccup said exasperatedly and frowned even more. "Sarcastic? I don't see it" Tove shrugged.
He already hated her, but now with the fact that she couldn't understand sarcasm, he somehow hated her more.
Tove rolled her eyes and before Hiccup could do anything, she pulled on his tunic and kissed him. He tried to pull away, but her she laced her hands around his neck and locked him there.
"I know what you'll say, but I locked the twins in jail. They need to-" Astrid started and then saw the two, exhaling sharply and gaping.
Tove pulled away with a grin, looking at Astrid's hurt face. Emotions passed through her face in a series: confusion, anger, hurt, sadness, and a lot more anger.
"Astrid-" Hiccup began, pulling away from Tove's grasp and walking over to her. "Save it" Astrid spat at him, tears gathering in her eyes and glaring at him.
Astrid rushed out of the Academy and Hiccup sighed heavily, running after her and leaving Tove there.
He caught up to her when she reached the burnt stables and went inside. "Astrid!" He called out to her and she turned around abruptly.
"I can't believe you" She told him, her cheeks stained with tears and her blue eyes were cold as ice.
"I tried to pull away" Hiccup said firmly and she scoffed, turning back to the charred pens and checking them.
"Oh I saw the effort" Astrid replied sarcastically and Hiccup nearly smiled at her sarcasm. He sighed again and shook his head.
"Astrid, please listen" He told her and she huffed angrily. "Do not talk to me!" She warmed, walking further into the stables and away from him.
"She forced me! Why would I kiss her, Astrid? Why?" Hiccup asked rhetorically and Astrid whipped around, a tear sliding down her cheek.
"I don't know! I don't-" Astrid's voice cracked and she inhaled sharply, looking away and pushing down a sob. She wiped tears away with her wrist and shrugged at him miserably.
"I don't know, Hiccup. I just know it hurts." She managed to get out, her voice distant and soft. Hiccup's heart ached and he felt tears gather in his own eyes.
"I swear on my life, Astrid. I wanted to pull away, but she forced me." Hiccup told her and she looked back up at him, his green eyes begging for her to understand.
"I'm sorry" He apologized, looking into her blue eyes and seeing how much it hurt her. Astrid bit her lip and slowly nodded, making him sigh in relief.
"If it helps, I hate everything about her." He said, making her arch an eyebrow. "You don't find her pretty?" Astrid asked and he scoffed.
"Beauty isn't everything. And compared to you, she's got none." Hiccup answered sincerely and she gave him a small smile.
"Besides, she can't understand sarcasm." He added and they both laughed at that. Astrid walked over to him and hugged him tightly.
"I love you" She muttered and he hugged her back. "I love you too" He said and kissed the side of her head.
Astrid sighed in content in Hiccup's arms and smiled happily, closing her eyes. She knew Hiccup would never do anything to hurt her, but the scene shocked her so much that all she just felt hurt.
Hiccup was relieved to have Astrid with him again. Tove kissing him didn't feel right at all, but just the touch of Astrid's hand made him feel like he was exactly where he should be.
"Hiccup?" Astrid called and he hummed in reply. "What are we gonna do with Tove?" She asked him and he sighed softly.
"Send her away?" Hiccup offered, but then Astrid suddenly pulled away and she grinned excitedly.
"Can I put her in jail with the twins?" Astrid asked and he laughed at her eagerness, the frowned when he realized what she said.
"The twins are in jail?" He asked and she shrugged. "They annoyed me and technically did commit a crime" Astrid said and he shook his head, smiling again.
"Okay, I'll let them out" She gave in with a sigh and he chuckled, leaning in to kiss her. "Later" She quickly added and grinned, walking away.
"Astrid! Come back! I DON'T CARE IF YOU LOCK THEM UP FOREVER, JUST PLEASE KISS ME!" Hiccup shouted and chased after her.
Tove could ship them or split them up, but that didn't matter. All that mattered to them was that they loved each other. As simple and heart-felt as that.