A/N: This chapter follows my other fanfic "Hunting The Outcast".

FYI: For those who don't know, in HTTYD 2 Hiccup and Astrid are 20 years old and in this chapter they are 18. This chapter does contain Hiccstrid, but my next chapter wont if you were wondering.

Anyway, enjoy the first one-shot chapter of Scars :)

Cut Arm

Astrid remembered that night vividly, and the outcome of it. Every time she looked at the faded brown scar on her bicep, she remembered her determination that night; to get her best friend back.

That was three years ago, and that week was one wild ride. Maybe even wilder than her first flight on the Night Fury; Astrid had to trust a girl who was very deceitful and shifty, but turned out to be a girl who wanted to be trusted again. She had to deal with The Outcast and she took on leadership when Hiccup and Toothless were taken. Now this scar was not just broken skin from a battle, but a reminder of a love she has for someone else.

If someone told her five years ago that she would become friends with the runt of the tribe then later court him, ride a Night Fury, and have a Deadly Nadder of her own, she would have called that person mad and have Stoick banish him for thinking such things.

Today, she looks at the woman she is now. Even at eighteen years old, Astrid was still learning about life. Her life was changed that night and everything after. She had never been so scared for someone else and had to lead her fellow dragon riders to save their next chief.

After they got Hiccup and Toothless back and came home, Astrid started to adore the scar she held on her arm. She always said "it's only fun if you get a scar out of it", but this blemish was one to favor. This wasn't her scar, it was theirs. This faded brown mark had shown Hiccup that no matter whom and what got a hold of him; she would always have his back and he would have hers. Even the little things that bothered them, they supported each other.

Like the other night when Hiccup and Astrid were practicing for the Dragon Race. They were having their own personal training for the sport all evening, and their only light was the moon and stars that were being reflected by the black ocean. With everyone asleep in the whole village, the only sound being heard was the wind being picked up by their dragon's wings. When Astrid was about to take her last lap, she felt her dragon doing down. "Hiccup, Stormfly is losing altitude! I have to land!" Astrid called and saw the Night Fury stopping and flew towards her.

"I saw the cove not that far from here." With all the strength Stormfly had left, they flew to the grassy wet ground. Astrid was starting to feel bad, the last thing she wanted to do was tire out Stormfly. The blue dragon fell on her stomach and breathed violently. The young woman crouched down to the beast and patted her scaly head. The Nadder gave a look that read "I'm fine, don't worry", but that was all Astrid could do. She then saw Toothless coming towards them, the young woman almost forgot they were there. The black dragon started to rub his head on Stormfly to give her comfort.

The rider of the Night Fury had the same idea; Astrid felt a force on her shoulder pad and saw a hand on it. She looked up and saw the man crouching down next to her. "You alright?"

Astrid heard the concern in his voice. "I'm fine….I just can't believe I wore her out. I didn't want her to go through that." She sighed then turned her head to look at him, and then blue met green at that moment. "I'm going to stay here for the night. Stormfly won't be strong enough to fly for hours." She said, but Hiccup didn't like that idea. "Astrid, you can't stay here. Your parents would kill me keeping you out this late."

"Hiccup, I'll be fine. I'm a big girl, I braid my own hair and everything." She said turning back to Stormfly who now sleeping.

"Well, I don't want you to be out here by yourself." Hiccup saw Astrid pulling her head back in frustration and groaned. "Hiccup, you shouldn't worry. Since when do I let myself get kidnapped?" she said with a smirk.

"You're seriously going there?" he said playfully and saw Astrid turning her head away from him with the smirk still planted. Hiccup watched her get up from the damp ground and looked down at him. "Well, maybe you should learn how to fight without the help of your dragon." She said getting ready to run knowing what would happen next. "Okay, that's it." Astrid started to run away from her boyfriend seeing him get off the ground.

Toothless watched his rider teasingly chasing the shieldmaiden around the cove. When he got close enough to her, Hiccup got behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle and pulled her towards him. Astrid let out a small shriek when he grabbed her, but started to laugh. With his arms still around her, she turned around and looked at him. They both chuckled at each other and Astrid put her hands on each side of his face. The couple just enjoyed each other's company with their eyes closed and noses touching.

She felt her body being pulled into his and his arms clutching around her. Astrid smiled feeling the contact of each other. Astrid never thought she would be a cuddlier, but having his arms blocking the cold wind was always worth it. With eyes still closed, she pulled her lips by his and swept them together. She felt his lips pushing onto hers; smiling under his lips she wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt his hands rubbing her back and one snaking up into her hair. Astrid tilted her head into his hand and felt his other hand sliding up on her marked arm.

She felt his cold hand on her bare arm and his thumb rubbing on her scar. Astrid shivered under his touch and felt the bumps forming all over her body. She then released her arms from his neck and placed her hands on his chest, feeling his rapid heartbeat under her palms. Feeling her shudder, Hiccup went back to covering her torso but kept his fingers on her scar. He loved touching that once broken skin; it was a scar that was formed because she tried to save him from The Outcast back when they were enemies with Berk. Seeing and feeling the scar always remind him of her love. Even though he knew that a scar didn't need to remind him, all it did was that it showed him how much she'll protect him.

After a few minutes of kissing, sleep started to take over and they leaned against on a rock to rest. Hiccup felt Astrid dozing next to him and he slightly picked her up so her head would be on him than the stone. The shieldmaiden felt the top half of her body being moved and her head fell on her boyfriend's shoulder. Trying to get more comfortable, she put herself in front of him and put her head on his chest. Hiccup smiled down at her and saw that her eyes were shut. The future chief crossed his legs and lifted her up to sit on him. Astrid smiled that he was trying to make her feel content; it was one of the things she loved about him.

After a few moments, Hiccup felt her breathing steadily and softly, he knew she fell asleep. Looking down at her, he brushed the bangs that fell in front of her face. He thought he woke her when her face scrunched by the touch, but her face softened then relaxed. The young man smiled at the woman who was on him, he never thought that Astrid Hofferson would be his girlfriend. If someone told him that he would court Astrid when he was a child, he would have thought that person was crazy. Looking at his life now, he never thought to be this lucky to be with the most amazing woman on Berk.

With the little light being shown from the heavens, he saw the blemish on her bicep. He put his hand on her arm and started to brush the brown mark with his thumb. He loved that scar; he remembered how blotchy and red it was when he first saw it three years ago. Ever since he defeated The Red Death, he made a mental note to himself: To protect his people. With Astrid being on top of the list of people to protect, he made sure of it, and he knew she would do the same for him.

A/N: Hope that the fluff was okay, and that Astrid wasn't too OOC. I wanted to make her a little more playful since in HTTYD 2 she's more lighthearted and likes to make fun of Hiccup.

If you want proof on why I made Astrid a little more playful, go to YouTube and watch the Hiccstrid clip of HTTYD 2 with Obama blocking the screen.