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tails89 · 7 years

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Grounded Part 2

Remember when I promised to have this up by the weekend... this is technically a weekend even if I am a month late.

This is it guys. All finished! Hope you enjoyed!!

Part One

“I told him to take it easy.” Astrid was marching through Berk searching for her wayward boyfriend. He hadn’t been at his house that morning when she had gone to visit. “He promised me he’d take it easy.” She pulled her furs in tighter around herself. The wind howled between the buildings and the air smelled of snow.

Astrid spotted her target. Blue eyes narrowed. “But of course he’s not going to take it easy,” she mumbled to herself. “What was I thinking? It’s Hiccup!”

Astrid stomped into the forge. “Your dad is looking everywhere for you.” She leant against one of the pillars near the entrance.

Hiccup was sitting on a stool, a pile of leather in his lap. His crutch lay discarded on the floor.

“Astrid.” He raised his hands. “This is not what it looks like.”

“Really?” Astrid mocked.

“Really.” Hiccup put his work down. “I’m taking it easy! I am. I just had to get out of the house.”

Technically he wasn’t wrong. The sewing he was doing didn’t look particularly strenuous. Curious, Astrid walked over.

“What are you working on?”

“I’m making some adjustments to Toothless’s saddle,” Hiccup gestured to the parchment rolled out beside him. “The saddle itself wasn’t badly damaged, but I’ve got some ideas for some improvements.”

Astrid picked up the drawings.

“These look really good.” She sat on the floor by the stool going over the lines. “What are these?” She pointed at two of the markings on the paper.

Hiccup peered over her shoulder.

“Handles,” he explained. “They control the tail fin just like the pedals,” he pointed to another design. “I can lie along Toothless’s back and still help him fly.” Hiccup’s voice filled with excitement, the way it usually did when he spoke of flying. It was hard not to get caught up in it. “This lever here will switch between the pedals and the handles.”

“Have the pedals changed?” A few more modifications had caught Astrid’s eye.

“Yeah,” Hiccup leant down with a wince. Realising he was going for the other pile of parchment, Astrid gathered the pieces up to hand them to him. He rifled through the stack, looking for the right one. Locating the one he wanted, Hiccup showed the pictures to Astrid.

“This one here is for flying.” Hiccup waved the first drawing in Astrid’s face. “And this one is for walking, and maybe one more for walking on ice.”

“These are great,” Astrid’s brows wrinkled together in thought. “But are you really going to carry around all three of these?”

“That’s the beauty of it Astrid.” The parchment fluttered wildly in Hiccup’s flailing hands. “It’s one leg with interchangeable feet. See here-“ It was flapping too much for Astrid to really see the design. “-you twist this bit, and it swaps them over.”

It was always nice and warm in the forge. Today, with the wind howling outside Astrid was almost willing to forgo her chores for the day, preferring to sit in the warmth and watch Hiccup work. But she had wasted too much time with him already. Reluctantly, she got to her feet.

“Your dad wanted me to tell you,” Astrid tidied up the stack of papers, “Bucket’s been complaining, so it’s looking like there’s a nasty storm brewing.”

Hiccup put his work down.

“We’ll need to make sure the dragons are secure and close up the stables.”

“We’ve got this Hiccup,” Astrid put her hand on Hiccup’s shoulder. “I’ll gather the Dragon Riders. Between us, your dad, and the A Team we’ll get everything secure before the storm hits.”

Hiccup reached up to take Astrid’s hand.

“I can help. I can’t just sit around and do nothing. I could… I could supervise!”

Astrid narrowed her eyes.

“If I let you come with me, will you promise me you’ll stay on Toothless?” Astrid asked. She bent down to retrieve Hiccup’s crutch and hand it to him.

“Yes, I promise!”

“Hiccup Haddock you liar.”

Astrid emerged from the path leading down to the stables. It was one of the many entrances the villagers could take down to the cave within the cliffs. Stormfly was tucked up inside where she would be safe from the storm. Berk was prepared for the wild weather ahead. The wind had picked up while she’d been gone, blowing away anything that had been missed and wasn’t tied down.

“I was just-“

Astrid cocked an eyebrow and waited.

“I was just…” Hiccup trailed off lamely. “It was going to blow away.” He passed Astrid the basket he’d climbed off Toothless to retrieve. He leaned gingerly against his wooden crutch and wobbled slightly on his single leg. Toothless nudged his head under Hiccup’s free elbow to steady him.

“You were supposed to watch him,” Astrid turned her frustration on Snotlout who was lounging against Hookfang.

“I’m no one’s babysitter,” Snotlout crossed his arms over his chest.

“You volunteered to do it!”

“Yeah, well it was that or go do all that other work. Jeez Astrid, it’s like you don’t even know me.” Snotlout pushed away from Hookfang.

“Sometimes I wish I didn’t,” Astrid grumbled. She tucked the basket away where it wouldn’t blow off.

The first snowflakes were beginning to fall, fluttering down to stick on clothes and catch in hair. The clouds overhead were dark and heavy.

“We should probably head home.” Fishlegs and the twins had joined the others. Fishlegs was looking nervously at the sky, like it was going to open up right above them.

“We’re just about done here,” Astrid agreed. “You guys go get out of the storm. There’s one more thing I’ve got to do.”

“I’ll come with you.” Toothless crouched so that Hiccup could climb onto his back.

Astrid nodded. “Let’s go.”

With Toothless and Hiccup beside her, Astrid walked through Berk.

“Where are we going?” Hiccup had to call out to be heard above the wind.

“Home.”

It was snowing heavily by the time they reached the front door of the Chief’s house. Visibility was down to almost zero. The late afternoon sun was completely obscured bringing nightfall to the island early. The small beam of light that glowed from beneath the door was all the two Vikings had to go by.

Astrid struggled with the door. Snow had already banked up in front of it, making it difficult for her feet to find purchase on the slippery ground. A shove from Toothless got the door open and quickly she staggered inside. Toothless followed, leaning on the door to shut it again.

“You made it.”

Stoick was already sitting in his chair by the fire.

“It’s getting pretty wild out there.” Hiccup slipped carefully from Toothless’s back. He sat down by the fire and rubbed his leg gingerly. The swelling was beginning to go down, but bad weather would often make his stump ache.

“I should go before it gets worse.” Astrid took the opportunity to fix her hood. It had blown back in the wind.

“You can’t go out in this weather lass.” Stoick gestured for Astrid to take a seat. “Stay at least until it calms down a bit.”

Toothless had curled up on the floor behind his rider. Astrid sat down with them, holding her hands out towards the fire.

The house creaked in the fierce wind. Every now and then a gust would blow through a gap in the roof eliciting a mournful whistle. Outside the storm raged on.

There was a loud knock at the door.

“Stoick? Are you in there?”

The Chief went to the door, revealing two snow-covered figures. Lanterns flickered and sputtered, almost going out in the gale.

“Stoick! The roof has blown off the Thoreson’s house!”

The Chief of Berk jumped to action immediately.

“Right I’m coming.” He grabbed his heavy fur coat from where it was drying beside the fireplace.

“Do you need any help?” Astrid was already on her feet, ready to go.

“No, it’s too dangerous out there.” Stoick took another lantern at lit the candle inside. “We’ll get them up to the Great Hall and wait there until the worst of this storm passes. I want both of you to stay here.” He rushed out into the darkness, slamming the door behind him.

“So I guess it’s just you and me then.” Astrid shrugged out of her coat. The snow trapped in the fur had melted into the fabric. She hung it by the fireplace and instructed Hiccup to toss her his damp jacket. “So what else have you been working on?” She spotted a pile of his work sitting on the table and went over for a look.

“Oh those? They’re nothing. I’ll just- you can-“

Astrid shuffled through the papers coming to a picture at the bottom of the pile.

“Oh.”

She pulled it out to look closer.

“It’s me.”

The rough sketches had been drawn hastily, as if the artist had been afraid of being caught in the act. Pictures of Astrid on Stormfly. Astrid with her axe. Running and jumping as she trained.

“You drew me?”

Astrid looked over at Hiccup.

“You like them?” He wouldn’t meet her eye.

Astrid went and sat back down beside him. She lay her head on Hiccup’s shoulder, basking in the glow of the fire.

“Like them? I love them.” She turned her head and pressed her lips to his cheek.

“Maybe I should draw some more?”

“Mmhmm,” Astrid kissed down near Hiccup’s jaw, trailing downwards. He turned his head and ducked, capturing her lips with his own.

“Could you imagine if your dad came home right now?” The words were mumbled against his mouth.

“Really Astrid?” Hiccup pulled away slightly. “That’s what you choose to say right now?”

“We’ve never made out in your house before,” Astrid pulled Hiccup in close to kiss him again.

“That’s one thing I miss about Dragon’s Edge,” Hiccup mumbled. “Less chance of someone walking in on you.”

“We’ll just need to find better hiding places around Berk.”

The cove where Hiccup first found Toothless was their usual go to spot. This time of year it would be completely snowed in and the pond would be iced over.

They kissed again. The howling wind giving them confidence that Stoick wouldn’t be back any time soon.

Hiccup glanced over at Toothless. The dragon was watching them curiously, his intelligent eyes taking everything in. Hiccup flicked his eyes up towards the stairs. The Night Fury followed his gaze, head tilted in question. Hiccup did it again and the dragon seemed to get the message. Pushing to his paws he yawned and stretched before padding upstairs.

“Did you just send your dragon away?” Astrid was leaning back, watching the exchange.

“Having Toothless watch is almost as bad as having my dad watch,” Hiccup complained.

“You’re such a dork,” Astrid teased. She pressed a trail of kisses down her boyfriend’s neck.

Hiccup’s hands came up. One snaked around Astrid’s waist while the other rose to cup her cheek. With nothing to prop themselves up they fell. Hiccup overbalancing backwards and Astrid tumbling on top of him.

“Ow. Ow. Ow!”

“I’m sorry,” Astrid was laughing as she said it.

“If you were sorry you would move,” Hiccup pointed out, grinning through the pain.

“I’m comfortable here.”

They were both laughing, rolling around on the ground. Hiccup was clutching his side.

“I’m not. I can’t breathe!”

Astrid rolled sideways so that she was lying on the floor on her back.

“Better?”

Hiccup found her hand, lacing his fingers through hers.

“Better.”

The sky had cleared by morning, and the work to repair the village had taken several days.

Astrid surveyed the scene below as she flew Stormfly through the crisp air above Berk.

“Hiccup, what are you doing?” Astrid guided Stormfly down to land beside Hiccup and Toothless. In a graceful leap, she jumped down to land in the snow.

Astrid placed her hands on her hips, coming to stand in front of Toothless. Hiccup was perched on the Night Fury’s back, adjusting one of the straps on the saddle.

“Remember I was showing you the plans to add handles to the saddle?” Hiccup demonstrated by tugging on one of the new levers that sat at the front of the saddle. Toothless’s red tail fin snapped out.

“Hiccup, you have two broken ribs. You shouldn’t be flying.”

“We’re not flying, are we bud.”

Astrid inspected the metal pieces in Toothless’s tail rigging.

“Have you been working in the forge?”

After the storm, all able-bodied Vikings had been busy repairing the damage to the village. Hiccup had been left alone for three days and had obviously taken advantage of the situation.

“Just a little,” Hiccup hopped down from Toothless. He was wearing his prosthetic leg again and was only limping slightly as he made his way to Astrid.

“You’re impossible.” Astrid grinned mischievously. “So have you tried it out yet?”

“Not yet,” Hiccup looked at Toothless with longing. It had been over a week since they had last been in the air.

“Is it ready?” Astrid asked. “Why don’t you try it out now?”

“Two minutes ago you were lecturing me on flying,” Hiccup reminded her.

“I know,” Astrid sighed. “But we both know you’re going to do it anyway and Toothless hasn’t been in the air in days. I know I’d be going crazy if I was grounded for that long.”

“Just a quick flight around the island,” Hiccup was already limping back towards Toothless.

“No crazy stunts.” Astrid climbed back onto Stormfly as Hiccup mounted Toothless. The Night Fury had a big gummy grin.

“Let’s go bud.”

Powerful muscles bunched under black scales and the dragon sprang into the air. Higher they climbed into crisp winter air. The sky was clear and cold with no clouds in sight.

Levelling out, Hiccup pulled the right handle, shifting the position of Toothless’s tail.

“Looks like it’s working.” Astrid circled above on Stormfly.

“Okay bud, we’re going to take this nice and slow.” Hiccup shifted the handles again and Toothless dove.

He cried out in exhilaration as the wind streamed through his hair and pushed him back in his seat. In that moment, the difficulties of the past week were forgotten. It was just Hiccup and Toothless soaring through the sky.

With a flick of the new handles, Toothless pulled effortlessly out of the dive.

“Yes! It works!” Hiccup twisted in his seat to check the position of the tail ignoring the twinge of pain it caused. They climbed back up to where Astrid and Stormfly were watching.

“Looking good, babe.” Astrid called down to them“Ready head back?.”

She was surprised when Hiccup nodded and guided Toothless back towards land.

They touched down by the edge of the forest behind the Berk.

“Well?” Astrid jumped from Stormfly’s back to land lightly beside the Deadly Nadder. Hiccup’s dismount was much less graceful.

“Maybe you were right and it is still too soon for flying.”

“Words I never thought I would hear coming from your mouth.”

“At least now, with a working tail, Toothless can fly,” Hiccup’s mood was better than it had been all week.” It’s not fair that he’s been grounded this whole time too.”

“And soon you’ll both be back up in the air.” Astrid assured him.

With snow crunching under their boots, the two Vikings made their way home.

“Okay bud, what do you think?” Hiccup sat on the stool in front of the forge fire. On the bench beside him he’d laid out the bits and pieces he’d been working on.

The wooden attachment for his new leg was finished, as were the individual metal pieces that would make up the ‘feet’. Hiccup held the new flying attachment for Toothless to inspect.

“This is just one part,” Hiccup explained. “But I won’t have to change my leg every time it snows.” He exchanged the flying attachment with the walking attachment.

The dragon sniffed curiously at the metal. He gave a big grin.

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool.” Hiccup put the foot down and picked up the wooden cup. He’d lined the inside so that it would be comfortable on his leg. The gears were tricky to fit together, they needed to move smoothly when the bottom section was twisted.

Hiccup worked slowly, attaching bits of metal, tightening nuts and screws, explaining the process to Toothless as his fingers carefully pieced his new leg together. The dragon sat and watched while his rider muttered about the different components. He knew Hiccup liked to talk as he worked.

With an experimental twist, Hiccup switched the legs over.

“Huh, it works. Should we test it out?”

Hiccup removed his old leg to attach the new one. It was a good fit. Even before the crash he’d been meaning to upgrade his leg, his old one had been getting a bit short.

He stood, testing how the new prosthetic held his weight. Toothless eyed the contraption warily as it creaked, but the metal held. Hiccup balanced on one foot as he switched the feet over and tested each one. His ribs only protested slightly as he bent over. After weeks of taking it slow and resting he was almost completely healed.

When Hiccup had rebuilt Toothless’s flying harness, he had removed the old foot pedal in preparation for his new prosthetic leg. He’d been using the new handles he’d installed to fly while he completed the leg. In place of the old pedal, he’d attached a new lever, one that would connect to his new foot.

“We’ll take it slow,” he told Toothless. “Stay low to the ground until we’re sure this works.” He climbed up into the saddle and reached down to twist the dial that would switch his feet over Carefully, he slid his foot into place. It latched with a click.

Toothless gave a wiggle and hopped forwards out of the forge and into the open area outside. Muscles bunched and flexed as the dragon leapt into the air. As they gained height, Hiccup shifted the new pedal experimentally.

The movement was different and would take some getting used to, but the gears turned smoothly and the tail popped open easily.

“This is it bud,” Hiccup lay a hand against Toothless’s neck. “Let’s see what it can do.”

They climbed higher into the wispy clouds above Berk.

With another click, the lever slid forward and Toothless dived down towards the ocean. They pulled up at the last moment barely grazing the ocean. Hiccup closed his eyes against the salty sea spray.

Warbling in joy, Toothless spun in the air. They were close enough to the water that Hiccup’s head got a good dunking.

The Viking snorted sea water from his nose as the dragon righted himself.

“Really Toothless?” The dragon snorted and they climbed again, turning for Berk. Astrid was waiting for them when they touched down.

“You look like you’ve been struck by lightning.” She was grinning.

Hiccup looked at her, confused. Astrid gestured towards her hair. Hiccup took the hint and raised a hand to his own hair, newly dried from the wind. He could feel that it was sticking out at all angles, so he ran a hand through the locks in an attempt to smooth them down. Astrid was laughing at him, so Hiccup figured he’d failed. Maybe he needed a helmet. With a visor. That would help with visibility and keeping the wind out of his eyes.

Hiccup was already making the plans in his head. He missed the last part Astrid had said.

“I’m sorry, I promise I’m listening now.” Hiccup made another quick attempt to smooth his hair. Astrid beckoned him over to fix the damage.

“I said you look pleased with yourself.” She twisted another braid behind his ear under the pretence of untangling.

“Can you tell what’s changed?”

Astrid held Hiccup at arm’s length to look him over.

“Well, your hair extra big today, but I don’t think that’s it,” she teased. “You finished the foot!”

She directed Hiccup to sit so she could examine his new prosthetic.

“This is really amazing work Hiccup.” Astrid finally clambered back to her feet. “But now that you’re longer grounded, we have some work to do.”

“You’re right,” Hiccup stood and brushed the snow from his pants. “Shall we Milady?”

#httyd #grounded part two #hiccup #astrid #hiccstrid #so happy i finished #now on to the next chapter of land below the waves #and maybe a few more prompts

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