Ruff spun the bottle next, and it landed on Snot whom happily obliged into a small peck on the lips. So far I had little to nothing to drink, a can of beer and some champagne, but I was feeling just a slight buzz that seemed to mellow everything out. We were out at the beach, the sky hummed with summer life and the occasional breeze blew warm air through the camp. We had an empty bottle of something hard that Snot took from his dads stash. It sat on one of Leg's gigantic map books. There were 7 of us in a circle, Ruff, Tuff, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Heather, Hiccup, and me. The rules were unspoken but preset as all of us were headstrong about who our lips would grace. (To say politely)

Snot spun next, he was trying to hide the fact that he just couldn't hold nearly as much alcohol as his cousin. The spin landed on me and I looked up straight, raising a daring eyebrow. The whole group "aaawwww"'d like a juvenile class would when some kid is called down to the principal's office. Snot held his arms out and gestured for me to move in on him, when I stayed poised he took his foot out from under him to come closer.

"C'mon, you know you want some of this-"He started but I cut him off with a palm to his face, pushing him back to lose balance and fall onto his butt. Everyone snickered all except Hiccup, who sat with a knee pulled up to his chest in complete disinterest.

"No, I'll pass." I said the last part almost too dry. Snotlout knew better than to get up so he tossed his arms up and looked around at the circle with the 'what can you do?" face. Ruff giggled next to me and I passed her side-eye. "Give it to Ruff." I shrugged and leaned back onto my hands, my knees bent to the side. The two met again in the middle for a lingering, rather nauseating, embrace before sitting down and Tuff laughed his ass off from where he sat.

"Alright- Alright" He swayed his hands in front of himself. One free hand was open open and the other held a beer. "Amp it up a bit- every 3rd spin gets 7 minutes in heaven." I rolled my eyes. I could get up and leave, but I decided to stay. I gave the next spin to Heather who got rather lucky for herself and spun Leg's. Then Leg's landed on Hiccup and they hugged it out. The third spin was Hiccups. I watched the bottle spin with a sharp flick of his wrist and bit the inside of my cheek only for a second as the bottle landed in a B line towards me. Hiccup was nonchalant, as was I. He didn't make a move, so I didn't. I knew him well enough to understand him, this wasn't his thing; this type of game wasn't one that he was particularly swept up in.

"C'mon Astrid, kiss our poor Horrendous." Snot slapped Hiccup, who has come into his name over his childhood nickname.

"Give the one footed kid something boast about" Ruff laughed at Hiccups expense, gesturing to his prosthetic left lower leg pulled up into his chest. Hiccup was sullen and looked away, he was on the verge of 19 and embarrassment wasn't something he felt anymore. I am proud of him for many things, and sometimes, I don't think they knew just how close we have become over the years. There were a few people talking at once, all hassling both of us because we were the 3rd spin of the round. I looked at Hiccup through my bangs and told him straight

"You don't have to if you don't want to, Horrendous." I said, tucking hair behind my ear. Hiccup stood up, ignoring them completely and I couldn't help but smirk. He walked the long way around the circle and I stood up, brushing sand off of my long beach skirt. Everyone was dead silent. I raised that same questioning eyebrow and he leaned compliantly into me. I didn't mean to kiss him with as much intent as I did but it was a meaningful quick kiss. I cupped his jaw and looked him in the eye as we parted with an audible pop.

"WOOOOH she got into that one." Ruff leaned over inwards towards Heather. Hiccup nodded over to the end of the beach and I walked with him. Leaving my sandles where they were along with my phone.

"YESS" someone, I believe Tuff, called out and Heather whooped and clapped. Not to taunt but rather sincerely.

The dunes along the beach were woven in with straw and a thick tree line. We stopped where we knew they could no longer see us and I laughed at Hiccup. He was a little red in the face and although he was looking at me, I knew his mind was somewhere else.

"What can I say Ren? I think you showed them." I playfully punched his arm. I wasn't one to push him, but I certainly wanted him to not be so afraid to be himself around those jerks anymore. When he didn't return my playful action something torched to life in my chest, maybe it the alcohol, or maybe it was my own intent to act. The tone changed and suddenly they didn't mean anything. Hiccup looked out towards the barely visible bon fire and something was in his gaze. I've seen it a few times before, an unnamed flicker of emotions past him.

"You know, it doesn't matter if we kiss or not. If you don't want –"

Crash

I gasped when his hands cupped my face and his lips crashed onto mine. It wasn't rough or forceful, just firm and surprised me enough to make my arms fly up in a weak attempt to deflect him. I stopped and rested my hands on the crook of his elbows. I pulled him with me once our lips parted, my back rested gently against the tree and kept his hands from leaving me. I was hoping he wouldn't let go and was relieved when he didn't. He was warm and sweet and something about it seemed wonderfully fulfilling. It was different than the few or more times I've kissed him in the past. This time, he was the one kissing me. He made it a delightful fight for the bottom lip, and at the same time it was even and fair. In my head I was begging myself and him to keep going, braving it up to swipe the tip of my tongue just along his bottom lip. Hiccup slid his tongue along my lip as well in response and just as it passed my lips I pulled away. I chickened out. I didn't know how to kiss him.

Ren looked at me with full attention. "I'm sorry, Astrid." He started to pull back, probably feeling the same apprehension that I was a few seconds ago. I didn't know how but I didn't truly want to stop. He let me pull him back to me and gave no resistance as our mouths met again. Maybe we weren't completely sure of what we were doing, but it was called 7 minutes in heaven, not in hell,