Hiccstrid Shorts

The Sky And The Ground

"You're not leaving, are you?"

They are laying in the grass, on a new island somewhere in the archipelago. Astrid can't bring herself to care about her location other than that she is lying on his chest, their bodies tangled, a quiet mess similar to the emotions throwing themselves into her words when she finally gives them room after days of searching.

He pauses, his hand on her shoulder stopping.

"What do you mean?"

His voice is levelled, curious almost, but his heartbeat is betraying him. Astrid screws her eyes shut, worry gnawing at her own. It pushes the word over her lips.

"Going with your mother. Leaving Berk. Exploring dragons."

He is silent for some time. Then, he says, so lowly she almost can't hear him, "I'd be lying if I said I never thought about it."

Astrid decides she doesn't want to know after all. Mainly because she fears that if his answer is yes, he wouldn't want her to come. She tries not to think about how she'd follow him to the edge of the earth if he'd ask her to.

She's saying his name and suddenly he moves under her, pulling her up with him. His eyes rest on her and hers are tearing up because the fear that this would be one of the last times she'd see them is taking over.

Hiccup takes her hands, smoothing circles over them, he's pulling them close to his chest.

"But I never really gave it much thought," he whispers then and releases one of her hands to gently - he's spent years of his life in the forge, how can his calloused and roughed-up hands be so gentle when touching her? - catch her tears and wipe them away.

"Wanna know why?"

She finds herself nodding, and she does, but mainly she just wants him to say he'll stay.

Hiccup smiles softly and his hand wanders to brush her hair out of her face.

"I've got too much keeping me here."

Astrid closes her eyes and she swears his hands on her skin is the realest thing she's ever felt.

"My mother hasn't been here for the past twenty years, and I'm not going to abandon the people that were."

His second hand joins the one on her skin, and then he's leaning forward, softly kissing her tears away.

"And besides," he mumbles against her skin. "I've got a marriage contract to fulfill, don't I?"

He pulls away and then his name is spilling over her lips and suddenly his arms are around her and suddenly they're tumbling down again, and she buries her face in his chest, breathing in the smoke and leather and he tightens his grip around her, his breath warm in her neck.

"Why'd you think I'd leave?" he mumbles against her, hands re-drawing their map on her shoulderblades.

Astrid hesitates, inhaling his scent again.

"I just thought you'd want to be with her, after all this time," she admits then, resting her chin on his chest. "I thought that maybe this isn't enough for you anymore. That you want ... more, see more, fly farther. You've always been searching."

He hums and she feels the vibrations in his chest.

"I do want to see more," he says then, and she feels him smile, teeth grazing her neck. "but I'd rather continue doing that at our pace. I can fly as far as I want, but I don't want to do it without looking back and seeing you. Truth is, I don't think I'd want to see the world without you."

It's her turn to smile, and she hides it in the leather covering his chest.

"Me neither," she confesses, and his hands move down to her lower back. Her smile widens and she raises her head, searching his gaze. There is something different in his eyes now, and just when she's thinking 'I know this look' he leans in and kisses her softly.

She sinks into him, her arms coming up to his shoulders, supporting her weight as she melts into his touch, warmth spreading over their bodies.

Hiccup hums and now she can't stop smiling, her chest feels like it's going to burst, so she lets him swallow her smile and gently bite her lower lip as he does.

Her hands tangle themselves in his hair, his own roaming over her body, drawing her closer still as she relaxes into his embrace. They are a mess of teeth and wide smiles and hands and Astrid thinks about how he taught her to fall in love with the mind and the sky.

They're both not so sure how they ended up like this, melted and breathless, but here they are, and despite all, they're the most solid thing they know.

"Besides," he breathes as they part, grinning at each other, his hair even more tousled than before, voice husky. "You need me to come up with names for the islands we discover. I'm a creative genius."

Astrid laughs, nudging his shoulders back onto the grass. "Oh, so you're telling me I couldn't have come up with The Really Long Beach myself?"

"Okay, not my best one," he chuckles, his hands pulling her down to him again. "In my defense, that *is* a long beach."

"I know, we walked the entire thing together, Hic," she reminds him and he chuckles again, pressing a kiss on the crown of her head.

"I love you," she whispers then, and it's a reminder and assurance and habit all at once, the feeling making itself way through words for once, and maybe that's why he looks so surprised still after five years.

Five years and he still looks at her like she's a revelation of some sorts, like he can't believe she's actually there sometimes. A grin blossoms on his face and she wants to kiss him again, to give the feeling more room.

"I'm glad you do," he says. "'Cause otherwise I'd be looking very stupid right now."

He kisses her again - there's a noise at the back of her throat, but he swallows it as he's pulling her back against him for what seems like the hundreth time this day, and somehow they're always touching, always close, something solid in-between the clouds and the sea and it is then Hiccup realises she has taught him how to be present, frank and proud in the same way he has taught her how to pour thoughts into another person.

He smiles against her lips, tightening his embrace, and it is a brilliant, blinding thought that they will always have each other.