AN: This story shall take place right after battle with Drago. Lines from that last scene on HTTYD 2 will act as the hook to begin the fan fiction.

To all readers, I thank you in anticipation and wish you a splendid day! ^_^

"You never seize to amaze me, bud." Hiccup admiringly said as he approached his best friend, rested both hands over the reptile's wide, black head and caringly caressed it.

Toothless snorted before slipping out his massive tongue and bathed the boy with his sticky dragon saliva. Hiccup lost his balance and fell flat on the ground. Laughing, "Ah, Toothless! You know that doesn't wash out!"

Everyone around them started laughing. Joyous, knowing they had won the battle against Drago. To them, this meant they could finally go back to their usual lives once again, or at least...that's what they thought until they realized how messed up the village was after Drago's attack. Almost everything was covered in ice spikes and some houses collapsed thanks to the now unstable grounds. They knew their joyful moments would last shortly.

Once Toothless finally decided to quit his game on Hiccup, the boy managed to stand back up and started to glance at his surroundings. He wanted to make sure no one was hurt. He watched how dragons found their beloved riders and felt even more happiness well inside. His eyes searched for a particular figure in the crowd but the massive amount of people and dragons and the huge spikes of ice only made it even harder to find someone in particular.

Recklessly, his eyes searched and searched without a sign of giving up until his ears alarmed his eyes with the sound of one of his favorite laughter, lighting up his thoughts. He heard her laugh, not so far from him, but not quite reachable. And still, he heard her. He would undoubtedly recognize her voice even through a fierce storm. Simply, because that sweet, adventurous and determined voice had always drove him insane—in a good way.

His eyes followed the young maiden as she excitedly skipped to her dragon and embraced her Deadly Nadder as much as her slim arms could reach. They snuggled together, looking like they hadn't seen each other in a long while.

"Oh, come give me a cuddle Grumpy!" Goober exclaimed with his arms wide open, catching Hiccup's attention as Grump happily landed on him.

Hiccup laughed. Not really helping it. After the twins, Snotlout and Fishlegs reunited with their dragons, Eret bonded with Skullcrusher and Valka promised to never leave Berk again. Hiccup was about to say something when he caught his mother glance away and his eyes landed on the one person he never thought he could be able to talk to on that hectic day. Slowly walking towards him, slightly nodding at Valka in respect for interrupting, Astrid said, "See? Told you it was in here..."

Just when he began to slowly lean towards her in search for a kiss, the sneaky Viking pulled on one of his flight suit modifications, and made his manmade fins immediately pop out from his suit.

All three of them laughed, Hiccup rolled his eyes, swayed a bit, and then caught her off guard by snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her against him.

"Come here you," forgetting they were right in the middle of a suddenly silenced crowd, his lips pressed against hers. Astrid didn't hesitate in pushing hers back against his in response, knowing that he wouldn't settle down until she claimed his lips hers again.

But...that was just two months ago.

Battle against Drago, finding Valka, losing Stoick, Eret learning how to bond with the dragons instead of desiring to trap them all the time, Hiccup becoming chief, Astrid teasing him in the middle of work to join her into the Dragon Race, beginning the construction and restoring Berk, all that...was just two months ago. And it kept on, though. Berk was finally taking a nice form with all the help from dragons and Vikings, especially now that apparently, new dragons came and went every once in a while.

Hiccup had to let Astrid take complete charge over the Dragon Academy. Fishlegs would be the second in command and he would take her place if she was needed elsewhere.—which was basically almost every day at some point.

Eret, was asked to split his day duties in half. From sunrise till midday, he and Skullcrusher had to help rebuild houses or get rid of as many ice peaks as they could in a day. From midday to sunset, he would report himself in the Academy so he could train with the others.

All in one, no one ever thought on how genuine expectations could get into a tight twist over time.

That evening, Hiccup called a night for all of the constructions. He asked everyone to stop working and meet at the Mead Hall for a nice and warm dinner. He wanted the tribe to forget about the construction for a few hours and simply relax.

Yet, one of his reasons to call it a night so early, before sunset, was to spend a while with his long lost mother, who he hadn't seen since like...never and whom just decided to stay in Berk, with him.

"No way!" Ruffnut snarled as she slammed her mug on the table.

Hiccup glanced up at her, who was sitting across the table. Tuffnut to her right and Fishlegs to her left.

"What is it now?" Hiccup asked with a mouth-full.

"Ugh, she, is babbling about how mister I-am-way-better-looking-than-you is always having the best fun around the woods and never think of inviting her in." Tuffnut said while pointing his thumb at his twin.

Hiccup rose an eyebrow. When he swallowed his food, he finally asked, "What exactly are you talking about?" Not really knowing whether Tuffnut's word selection was even coherent or not.

"I think what he means is, Eret son of Eret gets to fly with Skullcrusher for an extended period of time while we have to work on the construction." Fishlegs explained.

"Guys, he trains at noon." Hiccup said.

"Correction, he is having fun at noon." Snotlout said as he walked towards their table holding a plate with two fat salmons and a chicken drumstick in one hand and a mug in the other. He settled his food on the table beside Hiccup and sat down.

"He is, and doesn't take me with him." Ruffnut muttered.

"Why would he? And, does anything any of you say makes sense? Can someone please speak clear enough?" Hiccup asked—irritated.

"Well, it would be easier to understand if he would help more on the village than flying off to the unseen with her. Just because he has a tattoo beard, geesh, what is it with you women?" Snotlout complained while waving his drumstick side to side.

Hiccup was even more confused now. So he just stared at them all, waiting for a clearer answer.

Fishlegs startled himself when he could finally read Hiccup's expression and with a trembling voice, he responded, "Oh, he's talking about Astrid."

Hiccup pulled himself back and raised an eyebrow. He hadn't heard her name in days, he barely sees her now and if they exchange any word or share a conversation, it wouldn't last any longer than a few seconds as it mostly has to do with their daily duties. Nothing close to what or how a couple should behave with one another. He missed her, dearly, but he also knew that he had duties and she too. Yet, the times he'd plan to surprise her with a visit, something would come up. Being chief was beginning to get in between his relationship with both Astrid and Toothless. But Toothless was different, he lived with Hiccup and he was also the one who helped him take over the hefty situations in construction. So Hiccup could find some time to talk with his best friend while working as well.

He surely didn't expect to hear her name now, especially not on this kind of conversation.

"What about Astrid?" Hiccup asked, sounding much more uncomfortable than what he expected to be.

"Oh wow, you don't know?!" Tuffnut asked surprised. "Astrid spends her evenings with Eret now. They fly off overseas together after class in the Academy is over."

Hiccup relaxed his shoulders, sighed and rolled his eyes, "Guys, I asked her to train him with Skullcrusher."

"Yeah, but why can't he train with the others during the day at the Academy?" Ruffnut asked.

"Because we are talking about Skullcrusher. My late dad's dragon being trained by a man who believed himself to be a dragon trapper all his life. Does that ring any kind of bell to you?"

"Uh, no. All bells already rang two hours ago, dinner time is almost over." Tuffnut answered with his mouth vaguely open.

Hiccup let out a strong, exasperated sigh. They've grown up together and he still couldn't believe how stupid these two might get.

"Yeah but that's not the point, Hiccup," Fishlegs carefully added, "Some have seen Astrid act as if she was somehow possessed by a happy spirit lately, especially when she is hanging around Eret and others say they have seen her out in the river with him."

"Yeah and it's weird to see Astrid all happy and blissful all the time." Ruffnut added.

"Kinda creepy, actually." Tuffnut mumbled to his sister.

"So? Rivers are full of fish." Hiccup shrugged. "And you've all seen her acting all excited and cheerful even before meeting Eret."

"We're still not used to it, though." Tuffnut muttered again.

"Do you seriously think they will go out to the rivers all by themselves just to catch some fish?" Snotlout asked rhetorically shaking his head.

"Are you insinuating my future bride is doing inappropriate stuff with a new rider, Snotlout?" Hiccup growled. "Listen to yourself. Sounds like you hardly even know Astrid." He didn't realize how angry he was beginning to sound until every Viking near them fell silence and stared at them.

Snotlout didn't seem to care, he answered right away with a shrug, "How can you be so sure she is still your girl, Hiccup? You barely even talk."

"Technically, it is only natural that if someone doesn't receive love and affection from its partner, he or she will find warmth in the arms of another." Tuffnut said.

All eyes on Tuffnut. Surprised. "Um, actually, that is true." Fishlegs agreed.

Hiccup snarled within and stood—annoyed— from his seat, "I've heard enough." He muttered before taking in a deep breath and clenching his teeth. He left the Great Hall.

It wasn't the rumors that got him off his good judgment, it was the way his friends talked so carelessly. As if they didn't know Astrid, as if they didn't know her at all. They all knew how fearless and determined she was, heck, Astrid was known as the best young female dragon rider in all the northern hemisphere.—After Valka, of course—. Plus, she was also known as the best female warrior Berk has ever had so far.

She wouldn't let anyone take advantage of her, she knew better than that...Hiccup knew better than that…

Yet, it wasn't that easy to remember when you've been busy all the time with many things haunting your head restlessly and then hear that your future wife might be having a slip-off somewhere else. It could be a low shot from Hiccup to believe that though, it would mean that he hardly trusted her.

But at this point, he was confused. He didn't know what to think or how to react. He just wanted to do what he had longed for ever since they last kissed in front of all Berk, he wanted to see her...he needed to see her.

His feet led him to her house. By this time, she should be home.

"Hiccup!" Valka called from a distance, running towards him with a wide smile tattooed on her lips. When she finally reached him, her smile faded as she noticed his worked up expression.

"What's wrong son?" She asked, laying a hand on his cheek. He shook his head, "I'm looking for Astrid. Have you seen her?"

"Oh, no, I haven't. But I was just talking to her mother, she said Astrid was on her way home when she last saw her about an hour ago."

"Thanks," Hiccup breathed out, "I'll see you later. Sorry mom, gotta go."

Not giving Valka a chance to answer, Hiccup ran straight to Astrid's house. The sight of an unexpected image before his eyes halted him just a few feet from the entrance. Stormfly was sleeping in her hut and Skullcrusher laid next to her. The Rumblehorn was wide awake, looking at everything and nothing at the same time.

Hiccup didn't want to think beyond what his eyes were seeing, he shouldn't...if Skullcrusher was here, then it meant Eret was too.

He just smiled faintly at the dragon, knowing that if he gets closer, he might wake Stormfly up. So he just walked straight to the house.

He knocks three times. No answer.

Knocks once again. Nothing.

He was starting to get impatient, so he searched his pockets for the spare key Astrid had given him for emergencies only. His exasperation grew even thicker when he couldn't find the key as quick as he hoped. He dug his hand in the inner-left pocket of his vest and finally took a hold of it. At the light touch of the key against the door lock, the door moved open.

The door was unlocked.

Tilting his head to the side in wonder, Hiccup slowly pushed it further open and peaked his head in. He walks in and closes the door behind while his eyes searched the area.

To be continued.