Title: A Serious Question

Summary: Set in Season 6 of Race to the Edge. A question has been bothering at Hiccup for years so he finally asks it. Of course it's Hiccup so things go... well... you know. Lots of Hiccstrid, dragons, comedy and angsty stuff.

Tuff threw his hands in the air and said in a low voice, "And then I said... 'But which one was yours?'" Everyone in the Clubhouse laughed and cheered the funny story. Snotlout nearly spilled his drink on Heather, but Dagur pushed her back in time. Ruff threw a fish at her brother and he dramatically dodged it like she had just thrown a battle axe at him. This just made everyone laugh even harder.

Hiccup laughed at the groups antics. He looked over at Astrid sitting beside him laughing also. She really was beautiful, especially when she laughed. He had been in love with her even before he first noticed girls. Of course she was oblivious of him. She was a strong warrior and sure of herself and brave and a real Viking. He was a small, weak, pathetic, awkward talking fishbone. The only reason anyone on Berk even put up with him was because he was the son of the Chief. This has always made him wonder why Astrid suddenly noticed him. He had never been brave enough to ask her... but now. He put his hand on her upper arm and nodded to the door. She smiled and nodded back, rising to follow him.

"Had enough of Tuff's crazy stories for tonight?" she laughed as she walked beside him, giving the Edge a quick look over.

Hiccup smiled and did one of his shrugs, "Nah, I'm glad he's enjoying himself. We've had a very busy few weeks."

"Tell me about it. I haven't had the chance to go up on Stormfly just for fun in so long," she looked longingly over at the stables.

Hiccup perked up at her tone and looked at the pink, purple sky with the stars just coming out and a big full moon shining. "Why... Why don.. don't we go up together now? Toothless would love a nice sunset flight with you and Stormfly. Besides there's something I'd like to ask you."

The biggest smile cut Astrid's face in half, "REALLY? You're not to tired?"

"Nah! I'm never to tired for a flight. I'll meet you at the perch by the Stables in a few minutes, okay?"

Astrid balled her hands into fists in front of her face and shook with glee, nodding so hard he was worried she might hurt her neck. She took off running across the boardwalk, waving at him as she went.

Hiccup turned around smiling and took about three steps and it hit him. 'Oh boy! She's going to ask me what I wanted to ask her! What if I can't do it? What if I freeze? Ahhh the Gods hate me!'

Hiccup found Toothless sitting by their Hut looking up at the stars. Hiccup realized it had been a long time since they had been up together for something other than patrol or damage control or fighting the Hunters.

He walked over beside Toothless and ran his hand along the top of the Night Fury's head. Of course the dragon heard him coming so wasn't startled. He looked at his rider and made a soft 'hello' purr that made Hiccup smile sweetly. "Hey Bud, I just asked Astrid to go on a nice moonlight flight around the Edge. How does that sound?"

Toothless jumped up happily, his eyes huge with joy and let his tongue hang out as he moved around to make it easy for his rider to get on. Hiccup just laughed and slipped his foot and metal leg into the stirrups. "I thought you'd feel that way, Bud! Let's meet them at the Stables."

Toothless crouched low spread his wings and took to the air in a shot. Once a ways up Hiccup opened the tail and they glided softly towards the stables. Once they were pointing the right way they say the other half of their moonlight flight was heading towards them.

Astrid came up along side them smiling, "Sorry Hiccup, but we couldn't wait. Stormfly is so happy to get in the air."

Hiccup shook his head and raised a hand, "No worries, Tootless was the same when I told him. They really haven't been able to have fun lately. This will be good for them and us."

"Agreed! It's so relaxing up here. Just the wind in your hair, the stars shining above you and the beat of your dragon's wings. I could stay up here all day." Astrid spread her arms out wide in air like she was flying herself, her eyes closed and a satisfied smile on her face.

Hiccup couldn't help but stare at the beautiful sight beside him. She looked so peaceful and content. "I know what you mean. When I finally figured out flying Toothless I would just come up here and lay on his back watching the Aurora all night and petting his side." Toothless made a soft reminiscing sound.

They flew like that for about an hour, both laying down looking up. Astrid decided to steal a glace to her left and was happy to see Hiccup's eyes were closed. He was smiling and his unruly brown hair was waving in the wind. He looked peaceful. She couldn't remember the last time he had looking so calm and carefree. Running the Edge, keeping them all safe from Krogan and his Flyers, protecting all the dragons, it must be such a burden on him. But whatever he was going through he never let it show. He was always confident and sure of his plans when they needed him. He really was the heart that held them all together.

Astrid thinks back to the boy she entered Dragon Training with, just a few short years ago. He was clumsy and unfocused and scared of everything. She thought he didn't take anything seriously and was just riding on his family name to get by. She had to admit she couldn't stand him back then.

Then everything changed when he found Toothless. He hid it well but she could see the sneaky way to moved and couldn't wait to get away from them to get back to Toothless. She didn't like that he was so good so quickly and had to find out how he was doing it. She tried following him a few times, but he was faster then she would have thought.

Finally she caught him in the cove and surprised him. She pressed him for answers and his old stuttering, awkward self tried to cover. She knew now that it was just an act and something was going on, but what... she could never have guessed until Toothless attacked. Seeing them together she felt angry and betrayed by his lies. When Toothless picked her up and threw her into a VERY tall tree over a VERY deep ravine she thought it was over. But, luckily, was she wrong. That first flight was terrifying but also amazing and beautiful. When she was paired with Stormfly and they were heading for their fight with the Red Death she soared a few times like she'd seen Toothless do to feel that thrill again.

When they got back on the ground after escaping the nest she was ready to run home and tell Stoick everything. Hiccup stopped her, fearing for his new best friend. That... was the first time she saw the man he could become. He let her rant about keeping it a secret and then calmly and decisively turned and said 'Yes'. There was no stutter, no second-guessing, just firm belief. THAT was the son of a chief, taking charge and deciding how to handle something.

After his father imprisoned Toothless, she knew something had happened between them. The old unsure, scared boy was back. She knew she had to get the strong boy from that flight back and what better way then to remind him of what changed him in the first place, Toothless.

That all seemed so long ago now. After the Red Death Hiccup stayed that strong and confident boy... except around her. She smiled at how shy and unsure he was talking to her socially. Of course not when he was Head of the Berk Dragon Academy and Leader of the Dragon Riders Hiccup. Then he was every bit their leader... as long as he didn't try to cross her.

She was so caught up in her own thoughts she didn't see that Hiccup was now watching her too. "Berk to Astrid. You still in there?"

Astrid turned bright red at being caught off-guard and quickly tucked a few pieces of hair behind her ear and looked down at Stormfly. "Yeah, I am, sorry, just thinking."

Hiccup smirked, "Yeah, the air up here is great for thinking."

Still a little perturbed, Astrid adjusted herself in the saddled and looked down at the volcano they were flying over now. "So... looks like the volcano is still settled down. We do NOT need anymore new lava additions to the island."

Hiccup just smiled at her quick topic change, but went along with it. "No, no we do not. Then we'd have to go borrow Mala's new little guy to save us again. Although Fishlegs would love seeing him again."

Hiccup saw her nod nervously not even saying anything about his bad jokes. She was clearly distracted. Then he remembered why he asked her out here. He tried to think of a good way to get on the topic. Or maybe he didn't want to hear the truth. Maybe she was just being what he needed for the good of the group. She was a protector, like his dad and keeping him strong kept them all strong. He shook his head, no, that couldn't be it. But what if it had started that way and then she did start to like him for real, that wouldn't be as bad right? No, she wouldn't lie to me about something like that. But she did lie about Heather being undercover with Dagur and the Hunters and he had no idea. Now doubt had a hold of him. "Astrid... can I ask you a serious question?"

She shifted again looking over at him. This time he was different, unsure again, nervous, looking down at his hands, not at her. Seeing him like this shook her more than she would admit. Her heart went out to him and she had to know what was bothering him. "Of course... you can always ask me anything Hiccup. What's on your mind?"

Hiccup shifted, refusing to look at her, playing with the strap to one of the saddlebags. He decided to just close his eyes and flat out ask her. "I don't know how to ask this... I... need you... to... t..tell me... oh Gods I can't do this."

He turned away and was about to go into a dive to escape. She caught Toothless's eye and shook her head not to go, he nodded back holding his speed and altitude. She dug her feet into her stirrups to hold on and flipped Stormfly on an angle to came in close. She grabbing her boyfriends hand and said, "Hiccup... what is it? What's bothering you? What do you need me to tell you?"

She thought he would procrastinate again but was surprised when he turned and blurted out, "Why do you think you love me now and you hated me before? What changed?"

Astrid was so shocked she nearly fell off her dragon. She ripped her hand out of Hiccups and slid a little to the right. Stormfly quickly righted herself level to help Astrid keep hold. The dragon could tell this question had sent her human friend for a loop. Stormfly had never known an Astrid that didn't care about Hiccup so she looked at Toothless who looked just as surprised. His ears were all up listening to everything he could hear from his rider.

Finally Hiccup hesitantly opened one eye and looked towards Astrid. She was still in shock at the question but was slowly starting to think of likely a polite way to answer. But he didn't want a polite answer he wanted the truth. "I need a real unfiltered answer. Don't try to make me feel better about the truth. You wouldn't give me the time of day before, you criticized me all the time, you always stayed as far away from me as you could get. When I was doing so well in training you where enraged I was doing better than you. I bumped into you once and you yelled and pulled away like I had the Scourge. Did one flight on Toothless really change your mind that much? Or... did you just play the part to keep me on track for the betterment of the team? But if you did at first, when did you start to actually care about me? I do believe you care now but when and why did that start?"

Astrid just looked at him like he had five heads. She narrowed her eyes like she thought he was crazy. "What? Where is this coming from? Why are you asking me this now?"

Hiccup looked away and closed his eyes again. "I need to know Astrid. When we finally kissed, it was one of the best moments of my life. I meant what I said, I love you Astrid. I even have your betrothal gift already. But if we are going to keep going I need to know. I've been wondering it for years but was never brave or strong enough to ask."

"Hiccup don't do that to yourself. You are one of the strongest, bravest, most selfless people I have ever met. You found confidence and became a real leader after you found Toothless. How could I not care about that new better version of you." Astrid immediately regretted her choice of words.

Hiccup's head snapped up like she had just slapped him in the face. She realized it seemed to confirmed his fears and that's not what she meant to do. Gods she said 'care' not 'love' and 'new better version'? Where did that come from? "Wait! No! That's not what I meant."

But it was to late, they were already diving towards the water to get away. Astrid was furious with herself, what in Thor's name had she just done? How could she do that to her Hiccup. She dived to try to catch them but Hiccup looked back and pushed Toothless. They were the fastest of all the dragons teams, if he didn't want to be caught there was no way Stormfly could gain on them.

"HICCUP! PLEASE! I'M SORRY! LET ME EXPLAIN!" She watched them fly away and being a Night Fury the dragon blended in perfectly with the night sky. After a few seconds she couldn't make them out anymore. "GODS! What have I done! Odin please, help me fix this. I do love him! How do I prove that?"

Before she had a chance to think about what to do she saw fires on the beach. Krogan was attacking the Edge again. Clearly Hiccup had seen it too and had Toothless shoot a distress call into the sky but accompanied by an attack warning. This would let the others know not to come find them but to prepare the Edge defences.

Astrid looked out over the water and saw Hiccup engaging two Flyers. He needed help, whether he liked it or not.