Symphony of Shadows

29. Company

A/N: Enjoy this extra long chapter:)

The Viking in front of her looked like a Gronckle had taken a steaming load in his boots. She had been waiting for him for about an hour now when she heard the familiar mutterings from her favorite eccentric. She couldn't help but smirk at his reaction and teased him.

"You look like you've seen Odin's ghost. I thought you'd be happy to see me, Hiccup."

As Astrid slid down the rock she had taken to sharpening her axe on, she tried to hide her wince at the pain in her thigh. The pain caught her off guard, and she tumbled forward, palms out to minimize the impact of hitting the ground. But the only impact she felt was a strong pair of arms wrapping around her middle.

Hiccup's hold on her should have been innocent; he was just trying to stop her from falling to the ground, but to Astrid, it was far from that. His hold on her was secure but gentle, and his warmth enveloped her as she regained her footing. Hiccup's kind, compassionate eyes seemed to search her face for any signs of discomfort or pain, and time seemed to stop as she flushed under his attention. Now that they were this close, she could see the splattering of his freckles across his cheeks and the small scar on his chin. Her fingers twitched as she restrained herself from brushing a hand to trace the adorable marks.

Adorable? Get a grip, Astrid. Maybe the days she has spent bedridden have affected her mentally. Yes, that would explain why she was so busy drooling over Hiccup. She was his friend, for Odin's sake. Nothing could ever happen between them.

She wasn't even sure that he didn't have a partner already. Astrid loathed to admit that the thought of him with another girl made her gut twist.

"Are you alright?"

Astrid cleared her throat.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for catching me."

He flashed her a bright smile, and she was secretly disappointed when he let go of her.

Hiccup asked slowly, "So, what have you been up to?"

Briefly, she contemplated whether or not she should tell him about her near-death experience, but she knew she would eventually have to explain why she was walking with a limp.

Astrid shrugged and kept her tone lighthearted.

"I was a little busy almost dying after a dragon raid, but it's all in a day of being a Viking, right? When are we not staring death in the face?"

Her attempt at sarcasm clearly fell flat because Hiccup's look of concern only grew. Maybe she shouldn't show him her new scar.

"Why in Thor's name are you not recovering then? You shouldn't be here, Astrid."

Who was Hiccup to tell her what she should and shouldn't do? She didn't need him or anyone else dictating how she should live her life.

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"I told you I'm fine. If I spend one more day rotting in Gothi's hut, I might not make it out sane. But if you don't want me here, I'll just leave—"

His eyes widened as he interrupted her.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just don't want you to get hurt anymore than you already are."

He reached out and placed a reassuring hand on her arm.

"But to be honest, I'm really happy to see you."

Why did Hiccup always say the exact words she needed to hear? She felt herself blush, and the weight of his hand comforted her. When she placed her hand over his, she swore to Freya that Hiccup reddened slightly.