I will save you

Chapter 9: Strange Behaviour

Hiccup's POV

After a few long days of discussing an alliance with some of Berk's closest and strongest neighbors, I had finally been able to return back home to my island, and to my loving wife. I had so looked forward to seeing her upon my return, praying to every god that she was as real as she had been for the past two weeks by the time I got home.

And real she was. I had been overjoyed to see her when I returned. We had sat down and discussed our future together, and had come to the conclusion that we had to set that on hold for a short period of time. Then she started acting ... strange.

The mornings were different as she slept longer and rarely went on morning flights with Stormfly. Another morning she had grown so sick of the smell of Toothless' fish that she couldn't stand to be in the same room as him as he ate, and the very next morning she ate a strange mixture of oatmeal and cooked, smoked fish.

We were sitting at the dinner table, eating our dinner when my curiosity finally got the best of me. I furrowed my brows as I put down my fork and narrowed my eyes at Astrid. "Astrid, are you sure you're alright?"

She raised a brow at me, lowering the chicken leg she had been ferociously chomping on earlier. "What do you mean? Of course I'm alright!"

I placed my hand atop hers and gave it a light squeeze, my forehead creasing with worry as I began interrogating her. "Then why do you run out of the house each time Toothless eats breakfast? And why don't you take Stormfly out flying anymore?"

Astrid's eyes widened as she swiftly yanked her hand out from under mine. "Uh ... because Stormfly has gotten sick! Yes, it's ... quite tragic."

I raised a brow at her, refusing to believe a word that came out of her mouth. "Are you sure it isn't ... something else?"

She narrowed her eyes at me as her face grew a deep crimson. "What are you suggesting, Hiccup?"

"I don't know ... perhaps I'm suggesting that the reason you leave every time Toothless eats his breakfast and you stay away for hours is because you've found ... someone else." I raised a doubtful brow as I studied her, searching for any proof of infidelity in the many emotions that raged across her face.

"I cannot believe you, Hiccup Haddock!" She fumed, shooting up from the table as she stomped towards the door. "How could you even think to accuse me of such a thing? I really can't believe I married you sometimes!"

A wave of regret immediately washed over me at her reaction, and I was compelled to follow after her. "Astrid, Wait!"

"No!" She roared, spinning around to face me in the doorway. "I don't want to see your face for the rest of the day, is that clear?"

"Astrid—" I reached out for her, but was quickly swatted away as she stomped away from the house. I let out a sigh as I went back inside and slumped down on my chair, placing my head in my hands.

A coo came from the other side of the hearth as Toothless slithered over to my side, nuzzling me with his head before placing it in my lap. "I've done it again, bud, I've chased her away."

Right as I was about to pat Toothless' head, the front door swung open, revealing a puffy-eyed Astrid with tears streaming down her bright red cheeks. "Hiccup, I'm so sorry!"

Never in the many years I had known Astrid, had she acted like that. I had rarely seen her cry, and just the sight of a teary-eyed Astrid in front of me made me wonder if it was all just a dream. But my suspicions were crushed as she threw her arms around me, sobs ripping through her chest as she apologized over and over for her little outburst.

After a moment, I rested my arms around her. "It's alright, I'm not mad."

Astrid wiped her tears as she slowly rose back up. "I-I think I'll just go hang with Ruffnut for a moment. See you tonight, babe."

I raised a confused brow as she quietly closed the door behind her and dragged herself over to the Thorston house. When had she become so close with Ruffnut that she would willingly hang out with her? I glanced down at Toothless before turning my gaze back to the Thorston house. "Dear Gods, Toothless, what happened while we were gone?"

Astrid's POV

I rapped my knuckles against the front door of the Thorston home. After hearing an audible groan from the inside, I had to wait a short while before the door swung open, revealing an unimpressed Ruffnut.

"What are you doing here?" Ruffnut yawned, scratching her butt in the process.

I ignored the butt-scratching as I pushed past Ruffnut and scanned the room for any signs of another human being in the room. Fortunately for me, it seemed to only be Ruffnut and I in the house, unfortunately for me there was an unholy amount of trash, clutter and animal skins in every direction, which made me wonder when the last time the twins' parents had been home. "Are you alone?"

Ruffnut closed the door as she slumped down on the couch in the corner. "Yup. Mom and dad are out ... doing whatever — I didn't really follow when they told me where they were headed. Oh yeah, and Tuffnut is at dragons edge with Fishlegs and Snotlout to go marry Chicken or something."

"Great," I paused, taking in the information Ruffnut had given me. "Wait, Tuffnut is going to marry Chicken?"

"Yeah, he proposed to Chicken the last time we were there, forced me to draw an engagement drawing of them as well. But whatever, as long as Tuff is happy, he can marry all the chickens he wants for all I care." Ruffnut said nonchalantly as she picked her teeth with the tip of her nail.

"Alright ... but that's not the reason why I am here." I began as I removed a sock from the chair opposite of Ruffnut and sat down.

Ruffnut raised a brow at me. "Then what brings you to the ol' Nut-house, Mrs. Haddock?"

"Hiccup seems to have been noticing my behavior lately." I admitted to Ruffnut, pinching the bridge of my nose as an uncomfortable feeling arose in my stomach.

"You don't say?" Ruffnut replied sarcastically. "It's not like you have stopped doing pretty much all the things you enjoy and are only left with sitting at home or throwing up on the lawn."

"Ruffnut ..." I said dangerously, warning her to tread a bit more carefully the next time she spoke.

Ruffnut rolled her eyes as she flicked away a small fishbone that had gotten stuck between her teeth. "Then why don't you just tell Hiccup that you're pregnant?"

"Astrid is PREGNANT?!" Snotlout gasped, looking like he was almost going to faint where he, Fishlegs, Tuffnut and Chicken stood in the doorway.

"Ruffnut!" I hissed at Ruffnut, who held her hands up in defense as she gestured towards Snotlout.

A hot boiling rage built up inside me as I turned to the crowd in the doorway. I took a moment to close my eyes and take a deep breath before calmly rising up from my chair to glare at the three men and the chicken in the doorway.

"If any of you three even try to say a word to Hiccup about this before I do, I will personally ensure that your deaths will be long and agonizing." I spoke to them in such a cool tone I could've sworn I felt the temperature drop in the room as the three men ahead of me grew ghastly pale. They all nodded in unison, fearing to open their mouths.

Ruffnut got up from the couch, stretching before placing her hands on her hips. "Now boys, how about you come inside so we can catch you all up to speed?"