It was a long night, full of pacing around Astrid's house, cuddling with Toothless when the chair got to be too much, and just standing staring at Astrid as she slept. But when the sun came up and she started to stir he was awake and ready.

"Astrid? It's Hiccup, I'm still here."

"I know it's you, silly. I can hear your leg walking around." She yawned and stretched. "Do you think I can take this rag off now? My eyes feel weird and tingly."

"Gothi said by about this time today, so yeah. Here, let me help you untie it." He reached behind her head and undid the knot his father had done up the night before. His father was stronger, but he had smaller fingers to get in there. The knot finally slipped out, along with a few blond strands that had come loose from her braid. Astrid kept her eyes pinched shut, even though the rag was gone from her face.

"Astrid, turn toward my voice, please?" Hiccup asked. He wanted to see the skin along her face. To his great relief it looked completely normal.

"Ok, go ahead and try opening your eyes. Tell me what you can see." He held up two fingers in front of Astrid's face.

Slowly, Astrid opened her eyes and blinked several times. Already to Hiccup they looked better. They weren't red anymore, and he could see her focusing. He watched her face as she gave him a relieved smile.

"Two. You're holding up two fingers." Her entire body seemed to sag as the realization hit her that her vision was back, and it was absolutely fine. Her face crumpled and again she pulled her hands to her eyes.

Scared that she was immediately relapsing Hiccup was at her side and pulling her hands from her face. "Astrid, it's ok. Open your eyes again. Look at me?"

She did, and Hiccup was surprised to see that they were full of tears.

"I'm ok, Hiccup. I was just so scared. If I couldn't see... A Viking who loses an arm or a leg can still fight. You're proof of that. So's Gobber. But a Viking who can't see? What good is that? What would I have done if I couldn't see anything?" With that the last day's fears came pouring out and she cried into Hiccup's shoulder. He held her and pat her back somewhat awkwardly at first. Then when he remembered that this was Astrid he enveloped her in a more meaningful hug.

"Let it out. It's ok to be scared sometimes. The bravest of people still feel fear, they just work through it. And you're one of the bravest people I know, Astrid Hofferson."

He held her for a few more minutes as she composed herself. She pulled back with her hands on his shoulders, then leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"That's for everything. Thanks."

"Hey, if it means I get a kiss without getting a punch, you can go blind any time, milady."

For that remarked he earned himself a punch to the shoulder.

"Ow, and there is it. Astrid, back to normal."

She smiled at him.

"C'mon, let's get back to riding dragons."

She took his hand, called to Toothless, and bounded out into the sunlight, eager to see everything the world had to offer again.