Hiccup And The Gang Short Stories

Wedding Day

Astrid was ecstatic, and that was the underestimate of the year. Her heart was fluttering as though it had spread wings, and there were dozens of butterflies in her stomach. She skipped through the plaza, which she wouldn't have done any other day, because she was excited. She was beyond excited. She was thrilled. She couldn't actually believe this day had finally come.

Her wedding day.

Hers and Hiccup's wedding day.

The wedding itself would take place that evening, as soon as the sun set, and midday was when Astrid and Hiccup would start getting ready. But before that, Astrid wanted to see Hiccup.

Which was why, early morning, she was skipping towards his house, ecstatic, because she was excited. She wondered if he felt the same way, hardly able to contain himself. She was surprised he wasn't already out and about the village like she was. She had had a hard enough time falling asleep the previous night, too excited about today.

She was a little nervous, of course, but that was always overwhelmed by happiness.

She knocked a little rhythm on the door and waited. When no one answered, she knocked again. "Hiccup, it's me!" she called. "You up?"

No answer. She shrugged and pushed the door open. Maybe he had overslept. It wouldn't have surprised Astrid, honestly. If she hadn't been so excited, she would have overslept, too.

The house was quiet; Valka must have been out with the dragons, like she did every early morning from dawn until the rest of the village woke. Toothless was, more than likely, with her, as the Alpha dragon.

Which meant that Hiccup had either gone with them, or he was still sleeping.

"Hiccup!" she called into the empty house, and when she still got no response, she turned and started up the stairs. "Hiccup! I was coming to-"

She stopped when she reached the top of the stairs.

"Hiccup?"

Her mood shifted instantly, and she raced over to the bed in worried leaps. Hiccup was sleeping, but not soundly. He was horribly pale, and his cheeks were flushed. Astrid smoothed back his sweaty hair and pressed her hand against his head.

He was burning up.

"Oh, Hiccup..." she whispered, shaking her head sadly, and after another moment, she withdrew her hand and hastened downstairs. She filled a bucket with water from a barrel and found a clean rag. She took both upstairs, letting the cloth soak in the cold water.

When she made it back upstairs, she set the bucket on the floor, sat on the edge of the bed beside Hiccup, and wrang out the cloth, squeezing out all excess water. She pressed it against his forehead in an attempt to get his fever down.

Hiccup swallowed and opened his eyes slowly, blinking up at her in confusion. "Astrid...?" he whispered, voice barely audible. Astrid nodded and smiled softly. "What...what're you doing here...?"

"I came to say good morning," said Astrid, re-soaking the rag in the water and returning it to Hiccup's forehead. "You have a fever."

Hiccup swallowed again. "Yeah..." he murmured. "S'pose I do..."

"When did it set in?" Astrid asked, taking his cold hand in her own.

"I dunno..." Hiccup said, shutting his eyes. "I was okay yesterday, but now..."

"It just came in all of a sudden, didn't it?" said Astrid.

"Yeah..." Hiccup said. "It did..."

Astrid refreshed the rag again and kissed his hand. "Do you want me to go get Gothi?" she said. "She could bring something by for your fever-"

"No," said Hiccup quietly. "You don't have to. I'm alright."

"Okay," said Astrid, and that was the end of that. She made a mental note to go see Gothi anyways as soon as she could; she didn't know what was ailing Hiccup, but she didn't want it to go on for any longer than it had to.

"I'm sorry," Hiccup whispered, and Astrid looked back towards him.

"What do you have to be sorry for, Hiccup?" she asked him, slightly confused. She couldn't think of anything off the top of her head-

"Our wedding day," he said, and Astrid suddenly remembered. She had completely forgotten about their wedding in her concern for Hiccup, and now, she remembered.

"I ruined it," Hiccup whispered, shutting his eyes. A tear rolled down his cheek. "I'm so sorry, Astrid..."

"No, Hiccup," Astrid said, shaking her head, and when Hiccup denied it, she pulled him into her arms and rested her back against the headboard of the bed. "It's not your fault. You didn't do anything."

"I'm s-sorry-"

"Hush. You don't have anything to be sorry for." She held him tighter when she felt his tears hit her neck, and this time, he embraced her back equally tight. After a while, Hiccup's breathing evened out, and Astrid was sure he was asleep for a moment, but then, his thick, soft voice met her ears.

"I'm sorry..."

"Hiccup, I told you, you don't have to be sorry."

"But you were looking forward to it...and I was too..."

"Yeah, I was," said Astrid, "and I still am. We're not cancelling, Hiccup. It just means we'll have to reschedule for when you're feeling a little better, alright?"

"Alright..."

"That's right," said Astrid, kissing his forehead. "And you know, I'll always love you, in sickness and in health."

Hiccup smiled tiredly. "Till death do we part..."

"You got it," said Astrid.

"Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me." Astrid paused for another moment, absentmindedly twisting bits of Hiccup's hair into another braid. "Want me to get some soup for you?"

Hiccup frowned. "As long as you don't make it," he said.

"I'll get it from the Great Hall," said Astrid, "don't worry. But you know, you might have to get used to my cooking pretty soon..."

"Ohhh no I won't. When we're married, I will do the cooking, milady. For the good of us both."

Astrid laughed softly. "Sounds good," she said.

"And I'll always love you no matter how bad your cooking is."

"Thanks, Hiccup."

"In food poisoning and in health-"

"Hiccup!"

"Seriously though, Astrid...I love you."

"And I love you too."