Knight's Honor

After Action

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Astrid's guess was right, as soon as he was alone The Black Knight went straight to the forge, he'd made certain all the doors were locked and began pounding away at a sword. He would do this whenever he was distressed, giving him something else to think about and allowing him to take his frustrations out on the metal. He didn't pay any attention to anything that wasn't blacksmithing until he began to lose track of time. He might have been working until midday when he was snapped out of his thoughts by a loud banging sound the doors made. He unlocked the doors and pulled them open to find an inpatient Toothless.

"It's about time!"

"Sorry bud," Hiccup replied sheepishly, "I really got into my work."

"Yeah, I noticed. So how did things go with the she-Viking and why are you still wearing that mask?"

Hiccup put the hammer down and sat on a stool sighing. "I was afraid she might sneak up on me and see my face. I had to lie to her and tell her my face is horribly disfigured, but I don't think she bought it." He explained what happened.

"Is this right, bud?" He asked when he finished retelling.

"Honestly, I don't know."

He threw his hands up in frustration. "I don't know either! It's driving me crazy! Is it sensible or cowardly not telling her the truth? I mean one of our tenets says 'At all times to speak the truth.' And I already told her so much already; why not finish it? I'm tired of speaking in riddles and giving vague hints!"

"Yes, it's vexing, but only a few more days to go then she'll be gone." Toothless tried to reason.

"Yeah...," He said uncomfortably, "she'll go back to Berk and who knows when I'll be able to tell her everything, I would like nothing more. But what would she do if I did? What would happen when she tells Berk? And what would happen if they found out? Gods, I had to threaten her to get her to drop it! Why am I always in these predicaments?" He said slamming his fist into a sheet of iron.

"Why did you ask her to dinner in the first place if you're concerned about this?" Toothless demanded.

He shrugged. "The plan was to get Astrid on our side. I thought it would be nice to share a meal with her, that's all and looked how that turned out!"

Toothless went over to him and looked at him straight in the eye. "I think there's more to it. I think you've always had feelings for her and that a part of you was hoping to indulge in them tonight." Hiccup sighed and sat down again, taking off the mask and running his hands through his hair in exasperation.

"Am I right? Is that what you've been hoping for? Are you trying to get Astrid as your mate?"

"I'm thinking I ought to teach you dragons a few human terms to make conversations like this less awkward." Hiccup chuckled.

"Different words, same meanings, and implications," Toothless snorted. "But if it makes you feel better; what do you hope to gain by spending time with Astrid?"

He sighed. "She doesn't have a lot of time left here. I want to make the most of what we have left."

"Spending more time with the human who just happens to be the same human whom you've had feelings for since you first laid eyes on her? The same human you've compared to every single female on our travels? The same human you have feelings for?" Toothless listed.

"I never said that."

"Oh please, how long have we known each other?" He looked at Hiccup square in the eye again. "You still have feelings for her, admit it."