𝓑𝓮𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓭

Chapter 21 - Flirting is Hard

Hiccup walked Mala around the two huts on Hadan, the Queen was really impressed with the buildings that were on the island.

The hut that Hiccup and Astrid once slept in, now belonged to Astrid and Heather, the Hofferson wasn't going to give it up.

A few hours earlier the convoy had arrived at Hadan after a week-long journey, they had come across a few setbacks, but it had been a fruitful voyage.

" And, this is mine and Dagur's hut, after Heather and he moved here permanently, we had to build a second one." Mala nodded, taking a look at the pile of terrible terrors sitting on its roof.

" I'm rather surprised as to how many dragons live here." Mala looked around the common area they were standing in, most of her people had found a clearing not too far away and had set up camp.

The common area was paved with sand paths and each path was lined with large stones, in the centre sat a fire pit and four log benches.

" Hiccup, I can't tell you grateful I am to you for letting my people stay here." Mala placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder, the boy nodded and watched Astrid and Heather walk over to their hut.

Hiccup smiled at the blonde Valkyrie who chatted away with Heather, their dragon's flanking them.

Hiccup wished he could tell Astrid how he felt, she was the first person who has ever believed in him and he wanted to tell her what his heart yearned to release.

" Mala, on the subject of your proposal." Mala turned to Hiccup, she had a male Galeslash sniffing her and smiling at the Queen.

The Galeslash was a hybrid dragon that Astrid and Heather had found out on patrol, the adolescent dragon and his two siblings were rather distraught.

The female riders had brought the young family back to Hadan and Hiccup had basically fainted once he saw them.

He had never heard of dragons cross-breeding, now there was proof it was possible and he began recording everything about the new dragons.

" Hiccup, I can clearly see that your affection is for someone else and I accept that," Mala answered, Hiccup was about to say something but stopped.

" I hope you find the courage to tell Astrid how you feel," Mala whispered in Hiccup's ear, before walking over to Throk, who seemed to be waving her over.

Toothless stood next to Hiccup and chuckled, the boy had a shocked expression on his face, as he and his dragon watched the queen walk away.

" Looks like you didn't have to do anything at all." Toothless nudged Hiccup, who shook his head and let out a shuddered chuckle.

" You have no idea, I think I need a long cliff session." Toothless couldn't agree more, He and Hiccup walked down one of the paths, intending to find a cliff.

Heather who had been listening to the conversation between Mala and Hiccup, smiled, perhaps there was a chance for Astrid.

" Hey did you hear that?" Heather elbowed Astrid who was unpacking her supplies from Stormfly's saddle.

" Hear what?" Astrid turned to her best friend, holding a sleeping sack, Heather shook her head, Hiccup wasn't the only oblivious muttonhead.

" Hiccup just declined Mala's proposal and he's heading to a cliff, alone," Heather answered in a sing-song voice, Astrid threw her sack onto the ground.

" Heather no, I'm not gonna do what your planning on me doing." Astrid crossed her arms across her chest, Heather looked at Astrid, before smiling.

" Well, I guess I can just tell Hiccup your interested or we can go with our original plan." Astrid looked at Heather shocked, the raven-haired girl kept smirking.

" Heather don't you dare, ok, fine we can go with your plan." Heather pulled Astrid closer to her and wrapped her arm around her.

" You my dear friend are going to experience the joys of flirting." Heather smiled, before leading Astrid down the same path Hiccup had gone.

Astrid knew this wasn't going to end well and just hoped her friendship with Hiccup, wouldn't be jeopardised.

~ Line Break ~

Hiccup and Toothless lay on one of Hadan's many cliffs, this cliff, however, looked out at Hadan's intriguing landscape.

Toothless was watching a butterfly that had landed on his tail, with the intent of pouncing, Hiccup was leaning against his dragon drawing in one of his sketchbooks.

Not too far away sitting in a clearing, shielded by their dragons, was Astrid and Heather, the raven-haired girl was giving her friend a last-minute flirting lesson.

" Ok, you need to just be yourself, don't overdo the batting of the eyelids, just go out there and try to act seductive." Astrid nodded, she half got what Heather was talking about, before standing up and taking in a deep breath.

She stepped out onto the cliff, walking in confident, yet delicate steps towards the boy she had been crushing on for three years.

" Hey, Hiccup." She greeted him in an almost sing-song voice, Hiccup looked up from his sketchbook and smiled.

" Hey, I thought you would have been whipping Eret into shape?" Hiccup closed his book and moved over slightly, allowing Astrid to sit down next to him.

" Nah, I'd rather be with you." Astrid bat her eyelids and sat down, leaning against Hiccup's side.

" Ah, are you ok?" Hiccup asked, watching Astrid's strange behaviour, Toothless noticed the blonde's change in tone and rolled his eyes.

" Absolutely fine, but I'm more interested in you." Astrid leaned a little closer to Hiccup, looking up into his forest green eyes, blinking slowly.

" You don't seem fine, are you sure you not coming down with something?" Hiccup pulled away from Astrid, giving her an almost weirded out look.

" Oh, come on Hiccup, let's have some fun, just relax, it's just you and me." Astrid placed a hand on Hiccup's chest, the boy blushed a wild red and gulped.

" Ah...I'm not...so sure I..." Astrid placed a finger over the boy's lips, leaning in closer and looked up at him.

" Just close that pretty little mouth of yours and enjoy this moment." Astrid was almost at, Hiccup's lips, until the sqwark of a Terrible Terror caught his attention.

" Ah, I better go see what that is." Hiccup pulled away from Astrid's grasp and gestured for Toothless to follow, Astrid just sat there in defeat.

Heather waited until Hiccup was gone and walked over to her friend, who sat looking down at the clearing.

" You did amazing, he's definitely into, girl." Astrid groaned and fell backwards onto the grass, looking up at the sky.

" How could he be into me, he thinks I'm sick!" Astrid yelled, waving her hands around, Heather shook her head and sat down next to her friend.

" Oh, Astrid, Hiccup being so clueless means he's into you, just you wait, he'll be running to you in no time." Heather nudged her friend's side, but Astrid didn't respond, she just thought of what she had said.

Flirting wasn't something she normally did, it made her think of Berk and how Snotlout flirted with her, she didn't want that feeling.

She sat up and crossed her legs, looking down at Dagur, who was having an animated conversation with Eret, she knew one thing, Flirting was harder than it looked.