Symphony of Shadows

44. Moonlight

A/N: Hi everyone! I really appreciate every single reader, so here's an early chapter :) The next chapter will be out on Wednesday!

Hiccup tossed and turned in his 'bed' when he thought he heard someone crying. At first, he figured it was a bird, but no bird would be sobbing at night.

It had to be Astrid.

He jumped up in alarm. Was she okay?? Maybe flying had been too much at once for her.

But she'd seemed so happy, so free. Majestic, even.

After their flight, he realized just how wrong he'd been. He'd been wrong that the Vikings didn't want to befriend or be at peace with the dragons; they didn't even know it was a choice. They'd never seen the beauty of what a dragon could do, just the sheer brutality of flame and fangs.

He'd studied her features carefully when she reacted in wonder to the beautiful sunset. Watching her reaction was as perfect as his first time on the back of a dragon. Hiccup felt goosebumps when she reached for the clouds for the first time. He'd been living in a different world for so long that he'd forgotten the indescribable awe of flying. The clouds were his second home, so it was a true privilege to introduce Astrid to his world.

Another sob echoed through the camp.

Damn it, he should've taken it slower. Now she was overwhelmed, and it was his fault for trying to rush her.

He made it to the front of the hut and gave Stormfly a friendly pat, as she chittered happily. Yes, the sobs were definitely coming from Astrid, and they were only getting louder. Was she hurt?? He didn't want to barge in—even though it was technically his hut—but needed to know that she wasn't actively dying.

"Astrid, is everything alright in there?"

He asked hesitantly. The crying paused, then resumed even more vigorously. Fuck it, he was going in. Hiccup refused to leave her to suffer alone. What if it was another one of her panic attacks?

"I'm coming in, okay?"

Moonlight quietly illuminated the room, and there on the crumpled furs she lay. Tears streamed down her face as her shoulders shook with each sob. He scanned the room for any reasons behind her emotional state but came up with nothing. Hiccup stepped closer, and Astrid turned towards him. Her red-rimmed eyes met his, and instead of yelling at him to get out, she whispered—her gentle voice teetered on the edge of breaking.

"It was you."

And now he was even more confused. It must've shown on his face because she patted the space next to her. Hiccup joined her but gave her space; he still couldn't assess what was going on. Astrid sniffled and tried to wipe her tears away. His heart shattered seeing her this upset.

"The night I almost died in that forest fire. It was you who saved me and took me to Gothi's hut. I... I remember now."

Oh.

Oh.

He'd tried to erase that night from his memory—the smell of burning flesh and her hoarse screams. He'd never expected her to remember and had been more than okay to leave it in the past. Plus, it was a traumatic night, and he didn't want to make her relive such a distressing experience. So much for that.

Her lip quivered, and she looked away, her expression troubled.

"Why didn't you say something?"

Hiccup's brow furrowed; his motivation seemed obvious to him.

"I didn't want you to think that you owed me anything."

It was the truth. He didn't need her to think that she owed him a life debt; it was his responsibility to keep her safe. He'd just found her; it was going to take a lot more than dragonfire to lose her. If anything, Hiccup was the one who owed her everything. She'd shown him true happiness, genuine friendship. Even if he'd been the one to ruin it all.