Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD in any way. This fic is only for my own entertainment and literary practice.

AN: Trying my hand at oneshots.

Punches

A wise man once said, "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger." Hiccup thought about that every now and then. He had decided that the logic behind it was that, "what doesn't kill you," is a learning experience for the body.

Smack. He remembers the sensation of the first time Astrid punched his arm. He could still remember the cool air that he felt as her fist neared his arm. He could remember the sound of his muscles groaning, his humerus slightly forming tiny fractures when her attack connected—it was anything but humorous the first time it happened. He could remember the heat around the collision area that had remained after Astrid's fist disengaged. He could remember that little peck that made the impact feel like the caress of a gentle breeze, like a melodic symphony (of breakage), and like a soothing warmth.

Smack. "Hey, Hiccup. You're spacing out again." said Astrid to Hiccup.

Hiccup was lost in his memories; but he knew—he knew that that jab was not in his imagination. Why he knows this was less because he was aware of his surroundings at that particular moment, but because it did not feel like it did before.

"Helloooo? Earth to Hiccup." Astrid waved her hand in front of Hiccup's downcast, blank gaze.

What was different? That was the question Hiccup could not answer. Was it because he grew and matured quite a bit after a 3 years? Was it because Astrid's jabs were getting softer—no, definitely not that. Was it how she did it? Hiccup could've sworn that Astrid has done it now the same way she had all the times before. What doesn't kill you, is a lesson for your body.

"Okay that's it," said Astrid in exasperation, "Toothless, lick him." Toothless, who was sitting close by with his tail wagging, watching Hiccup deep in his thoughts, lunged towards his best friend and happily proceeded to lick Hiccup.

Hiccup was pushed out of the log he was sitting on and onto the grass. "Tooth-Toothless! Stop!" said Hiccup as he shielded his face. "What's gotten into you?"

Toothless stared back at his rider with his wide eyes, and then sounded his usual taunt.

"What's gotten into him? You mean, 'What's gotten into you.'" Astrid crossed her arms. "Spill. You've been out of it all day!"

Hiccup raised himself with his arms to a sitting position. He stared at Astrid.

"What is different?" he thought as he pet Toothless. Astrid is still Astrid; and he is still himself. What other factors could've made it so that he couldn't "feel" her jabs of socialization.

"Punch me again." Hiccup, with a serious look, told Astrid.

"You're reaaally starting to weird me out."

Hiccup got up and stood in front of Astrid. Needless to say, Astrid backed a step away.

"What are you doing?" She asked Hiccup in the same tone she uses when she's questioning the sanity behind some of Hiccup's experiments or decisions.

Hiccup moved in closer and grabbed one of Astrid's arms, which he then guided to his arm.

Nothing. It felt empty to Hiccup. What is missing.

Astrid gave Hiccup a concerned look. "Meeting. Now."

"I knew this would happen eventually! Hiccup finally snapped!" Tuffnut rejoiced.

"Totally called it. You owe me your vest." said Ruffnut to her twin.

"Perhaps you have remembered incorrectly, my dear sister; for it is I who have predicted this very moment from day 1." Tuffnut raised his chin, placed one hand on his chest and raised the other, palm facing him, in triumph.

Ruffnut stood up. "Yeah? I called it from day 0!"

"Touché."

Astrid slammed the table. "No," Astrid began, "he hasn't."

"Then why hasn't he said a word this whole meeting." said Snotlout, who had his feet on the table.

"H-he's just..." Astrid glaned at Hiccup.

"He's been staring at your hand this whole time." Ruffnut pointed out.

"I hate to say it but, I can confirm that." joined in Fishlegs.

"Kookoo." Tuffnut sounded; to which Snotlout snickered.

Smack. Astrid jabbed Hiccup on the arm again.

No, still nothing. It did not feel like it did before.

"You'd think I got used to your occasional craziness by now." Astrid shifted her weight to her other leg and put one hand on her waist.

Got used to. It then dawned on Hiccup. "I could get used to it"—this was what he had said 3 years ago; the second time Astrid hit him as a form of conveying what she felt. That might be it. His arm has had the same experience over and over. It had learned to get over the feeling. The sensation has been desensitized. It didn't kill him; ergo, it made him stronger—his body had learned to resist. What doesn't kill you... makes you numb? That feeling—that warmth; he might never experience it again. It must not be so!

"Harder," said Hiccup quietly.

Astrid punched with even greater magnitude—partly because of irritation, and partly because she doesn't know what to do anymore.

Still nothing. No warmth, no breeze, no anything. Why.

"Is that all you've got?!" Hiccup presented his arm to Astrid as a target and braced himself.

Smack. With all the power she had, she managed to break Hiccup's stance. "What is wrong with you?" Astrid exclaimed.

"Uh... should we leave?" Fishlegs asked.

Hiccup still couldn't feel what he was looking for. "Maybe," he thought, "if she hit something else, the feeling would come back." Hiccup was just throwing ideas around now. He had to feel it again; for-uh-research... for science!

He extended his arms sideways, provoking another jab.

"I'll take that as a yes." Fishlegs scurried out of the treehouse, dragging the others with him.

"Wait, I want to watch this till the end!" Snotlout protested whilist being dragged.

The protests of Snotlout and Tuffnut faded into the background.

Smack. Smack. Smack. Smack. Smack. A flurry of punches to the gut.

Still nothing—well, not the feeling at least. Hiccup felt excruciating pain; enough pain to make his voice sound as if lacking air. "I almost have it figured out. Just one more."

"No."

Hiccup was confused, "Huh?"

"I don't want to." Astrid hugged herself. "Tell me what's going on."

"It's kinda hard to explain."

She chuckled softly, "'Ya think?"

"I can't feel it." Hiccup admitted. "I can't feel it anymore."

Suddenly, the emotion Astrid was feeling and the moisture that was starting to build up in her eyes, disappeared. "Are you saying I'm weak?"

"W-what? No!" Hiccup nervously laughed. "I-I never said that."

Astrid searched Hiccup's face for something readable to her—she couldn't. Hiccup might really have snapped.

Hiccup saw the concern in Astrid. He realized that what he's doing really did seem insane...and unsettling; severely unsettling. He had to clear things up; and, maybe, just maybe, Astrid would jab once more.

"Remember the first time you rode on Toothless?"

Astrid nodded.

"Toothless and I were trying to get you to see things our way. Toothless flew us around Berk, in a path that showcased all of nature's beauty."

"Yeah, after flying around wildly and getting us wet."

"Not the point. Anyways, after that, you learned to see dragons in a different way—to see them as friends."

"I don't see how this is related to your sudden masochism."

"I am not—" He thought for a moment that maybe he was but quickly dismissed the idea. "You punched me after that."

Astrid stepped back. She had read about this pattern. Intelligent, awkward to a degree, tries to relive a childhood trauma—oh great Thor, don't let it be so.

"I don't know what you're thinking, but I'm pretty sure it's waaaay off the mark."

"That punch," Hiccup continued, "it hurt at first. But afterwards, it felt like Valhala sent a masseuse who relieved me from everything negative. It was warm. It was fuzzy. It was... like home; like the most natural thing."

"These days, I haven't been feeling it. It's like it never happened. I want to feel it again. No, I need to." Hiccup stated.

He, once again, extended his arms to the side. He closed his eyes, "So, please help me."

This was by far, the weirdest Hiccup has ever been. So much so that he seemed so out of character. And what was he talking about—warm and fuzzy, a punch? What? Either he's a complete M, or he has done the most roundabout method conceivable to receive a kiss. Come to think of it, she hasn't done that in a while. Who can blame her? It got a lot more shyness-inducing for her the more she realized her feelings grew for this sassy eccentric.

Hiccup waited with his eyes closed. Astrid slowly stepped forward, and leaned in closer. Hiccup awaited the impact.

He lips met Astrid's. Soft, sweet, magical. He opened his eyes.

Astrid was still clinging to Hiccup. "If you want one; just say so. I like you—you know that, don't you." He should. She had been so obvious.

Hiccup was in a daze. He met Astrid's blue eyes—eyes that you easily get lost in if you aren't careful.

He felt it...sorta.

"Could we try that again, but with a jab before that?"

Hiccup woke up feeling a little dizzy. He sat, and blinked, trying to adjust his eyes to the light.

"Good morning sleepyhead," greeted Astrid as soon as Hiccup saw her.

"Hi."

Suffice to say, Hiccup couldn't remember most of what happened the past few hours.