Just loved the easy intimacy between Astrid and Hiccup in that clip from HTTYD2, so I thought I'd write a little lemon/fluff since the relationshippy stuff that got them to that point hasn't been shown onscreen. In fact they seem to be frustratingly stalled in terms of relationship development on the TV series, so here is my attempt to fill in the blanks.

I've done my best to be canon compliant to the movies (including shorts and deleted scenes) and TV series, but drop me a line if you spot something I missed.

Astrid had always thought she'd end up with a brawny alpha male with bulging muscles and more bluster than brains, if only by default. Scratching out a living was tough on a windy island like Berk, so its people had to be even tougher. She's always been small and slim but she's parlayed that seeming disadvantage into speed and agility. Constant training and sheer determination make up for the rest- she'd helped kill a boar from thirty paces at the tender age of seven, and she was always Snotlout's main competition at Thawfest. (He always won anyway- the strength based events and his dad's pull with the judges pretty much ensure that.) Still, even he doesn't dispute that she's the champion in the fighting arena- superior technique and ruthlessness means she's disarmed and pinned the lot of them consistently since they were kids, even if they outweigh and outreach her.

So it still surprises her to realize how drawn she is to thin and thoughtful Hiccup, who is nothing like the rest of them except for a wide stubborn streak. He still lacks the physical prowess of a typical Viking, although growth spurts and hours of riding Toothless have made him tall and fit in ways that make her heart skip faster. But he's made his creativity and sensitivity valuable in a place where might has always been right; shown that strength is not the only way to get things done, whether it's defending Berk, making the most of its meager resources, or settling disputes. He's really come into his own, and hitting her own growth spurt is making it harder to ignore those feelings of attraction.

She just wishes he would be a little more... assertive sometimes. She's always the one initiating kisses, and it's starting to make her wonder. Is he being his typical respectful self or does he simply not want her the same way she wants him? She's sure they're friends- he often seeks out her company whether it's for an official village mission or just to hang out. And his reactions have always seemed to indicate that he's interested. But the way he made an awkward quip and pulled back after she planted a kiss on him last night has left her reeling a bit.

So she's avoiding him and the gang to stew over it while she cleans her room. Beating out dust and scrubbing helps vent her frustration, and since their place hasn't burnt down for the last couple of years, stuff has been piling up. But her thoughts keep circling unhappily. What if he's over that childhood crush and she's been forcing herself on him, as oblivious as Snotlout?

They've never actually talked about the whole kissing thing- she grimaces just thinking about how awkward it would be. She wishes rather keenly that her mother were still alive- it's not the sort of thing she feels comfortable asking Dad about, and any of their friends would be rather short on sensitive advice and rather long on sniggers.

A knock on the shutters startles her out of her thoughts, and she gulps and carefully blanks her face.

"It's open!" she shouts.

Hiccup and Toothless poke their heads in and she attempts a smile before turning back to tuck in the covers. It hurts just to look at him after the bruising train of thoughts she's been on.

"Hey- we missed you today. Was worried you were sick."

"Nope, just doing some spring cleaning. It's been way too long. Some of those dust bunnies were threatening to take over."

He looks around. The place smells of soap and the floorboards –normally covered with discarded clothing, saddles and books on dragons- have been cleared and scrubbed bone white. But she's refusing to meet his eye even if her explanation sounds plausible.

"…Is something wrong?" he ventures.

She stops and shrugs stiffly. Curse his stupid sensitivity. "…I don't know. Maybe."

"…Need a friend to help you figure it out?"

She flinches, unsure. But when she turns to look at him his green eyes are full of concern and he's smiling encouragingly.

Hoffersons fear nothing. Not even rejection.

So she takes a deep breath and plows on ahead despite the color she can feel rushing into her cheeks. "You know what? Maybe you're just the person I need to talk to."

He gives her a curious look, nods and dismounts smoothly before jerking his head at Toothless, who departs with a leap.

Hugging herself, she sits down on the bed and takes a deep breath. "See, I have this friend. And… I really like him. But lately I've been getting the feeling that… that maybe I like him more than he likes me. And I don't want to force him to like me. But he never makes a move even when we're… close. So I guess I just want to figure out where we stand because I thought he felt the same way. And I want to be friends even if we're not, you know, friends."

He flushes and scrubs at the back of his neck before gingerly sitting next to her.

"Have you… perhaps, threatened guys with, I don't know, bodily dismemberment for ah, touching you without permission?"

"What? You're supposed to be smart! I've kissed you a bunch of times now- how much clearer do I have to be? And last night you were just- Oh wow, look at the time! Toothless must be getting hungry!"

At least he's as red as she is. "Well, as somebody who has never come close to beating you in combat and is notably, already down a limb, I thought keeping my hands to myself was smart. And let me tell you: no small feat because I was feeling pretty… excited."

She huffs and tosses her head, mollified despite the mortification.

"Well…okay then."

"Yeah?" He glances at her.

"Yeah, fine," she snaps, and he winces.

"Okay, but…why didn't you just tell me? You're not usually shy about saying what you want and, you know, I don't really have any experience at this sort of thing. You? You've always been the prettiest girl on the island."

She brushes her hair back, flustered. "I don't know, okay? I guess…I'm used to beating back guys, since they don't actually listen to me unless my fist is backing it up." She looks at him and shrugs awkwardly. "You can touch or kiss me if you want, okay? If I don't like what you're doing I'll tell you to stop."

He tilts his head, raising hs eyebrows reflectively. "Or… throw a punch."

She gives him a withering look but her lips twitch and a laugh bubbles out.

"Well what do you expect if you're being a moron?" She bumps her shoulder to his, relieved that the tension seems to be dissolving. "I'll try to reserve the punches for emergencies."

He nods. "Fair enough. I'll work on making moves on girls."

That gets an instant reaction. "Girls?"

"No, I mean a girl! You. Gods, what is wrong with me? I'm hopeless at this!" he groans.

She grabs his hand, eyes blazing. "Hey! You stop that, Hiccup! You know, not a day goes by that I don't think you're amazing. Not one."

He shifts closer, blushing. But there's a kind of intensity in the way he's looking at her that makes her breath hitch with anticipation. "Well… " he says, "just so you know- the feeling is totally mutual."

And when he pulls her close and kisses her, she's not the only one who feels utterly triumphant.