Astrid Hofferson x Male Reader

Chapter 5

Berk - Blacksmith's Stall

(Y/n sets the dart down on a barrel)

Y/n: Someone's here.

(Y/n and Tuffnut stand facing Astrid, Hilda, Hiccup, Eret, and Gobber, at work in the stall)

Gobber: Eh?

Hiccup: What?

Y/n: He managed to slip past our scouts and lay a trap in the woods.

Tuffnut: It ruined boy talk!

(Tuffnut tosses the dart, nearly stabbing Eret)

Gobber: Let me at him!

Y/n: Slow down, Gobber. Let's get a search team on the ground and scouts in the air. Raiden, Toothless, Hiccup and I will fly the coastline.

(Eret inspects the dart closely, turning it over)

Eert: Yeah, I wouldn't advise taking Raiden and Toothless anywhere, Chief.

Y/n: Why?

Eret: I knowthis handiwork. Grimmel the Grisly. Famous back where I'm from. Smartest dragon hunter I ever met, well, next to me, of course.

Hiccup: Can't be that smart. If he left his trap unmanned.

Eret: Nothing's accidental when it comesto Old Grimmel. He lives for the hunt. To get inside the mind of hisprey, to control its every choice. It's all a game to him.

(Y/n and Hiccup glance at Raiden and Toothless, eyeing the sky, lovesick)

Hilda: Well, he doesn't know who he's playing with.

Astrid: We've dealt with his kind before.

Eret: Don't underestimate him. Mark my words. He'll be back.

Y/n: Then we'll be waiting for him.

-----Time Skip-----

Y/n and Astrid's House

(Y/n pulls out a tattered, leather-bound book on a shelf, flanked by several others and blows off the dust. He takes it to the fireplace, where several old maps are spread out on the floor. He sits cross-legged and opens the book, leafing through the scribbled notes. He mumbles the words and glances at the old maps, showing detailed explorations of the seas west of Berk)

Y/n: Alright, come on, give me a clue here. Give me a clue, Dad.

(Raiden is snoring in a shadowy corner of the room. Y/n hears a creak. Turns to the door. Nothing. He watches it for a moment, then return his gaze to the book on his lap. He hears a gurgle, water pouring from a jug into a cup. Y/n jumps to his feet, alarmed. The sound of slurping follows)

Grimmel: Oh, I hope you don't mind if I help myself? Mmm. This is quite good.

(Y/n takes out his sword and lights it up, illuminating a figure standing in the shadows of his kitchen, tall and lean, covered head to toe in black leather. Grimmel sips calmly)

Grimmel: That is impressive. But let me finish my drink.

(Raiden stirs. In a flash, Grimmel immediately fires a dart from his crossbow, putting him out with a yelp)

Y/n: Raiden!

(Y/n rushes over to Raiden as Grimmel tosses his cup onthe floor and reloads his crossbow, aiming it at Y/n where he stands)

Y/n: What did you do to him?

Grimmel: Ehh. Nothing that he won't sleep off.

(He crosses the room, crossbow in hand, and sits in a chair by the fire. He strokes the wooden armrest)