Boredom. That's all I'm gonna say.

Hiccup sat alone. Again. At the feast. Well, not alone, persay, but it definitely felt like it.

The people around him just laughed and ate and drank and talked...but he didn't necessarily want a part of it tonight. Part of the reason was because his leg was killing him (though he couldn't leave because of his "status"), and the other part was because the people he really wanted to talk to had left. Ruffnut and Tuffnut had gone to make mischief...Fishlegs never thought the feasts were his "thing" (antisocial came to mind)...even Snotlout. But most of all, he just wanted a chance to talk to Astrid. She always knew what to say, whether she actually knew that or not.

So he sat, trying to stay invisible, and finally decided that he would leave. Screw whatever his duties were as the future chief, he was damn tired. So, he slipped out a few moments later when the men – and a few women – were drunk enough not to notice.

The cool night air calmed him as he finally made it through the doors. The small group of teens (who fortunately – and sometimes unfortunately – never separated) were sitting a little ways off around a small fire. They had obviously gotten into the stores of mead, probably the twins doing, and were joking around with over-exaggerated motions.

"...and then Fishlegs over here – oh, hey Haddock!" Ruffnut stood up, swayed, and pulled him towards the circle. "Come on, sweety, have a seat!" She slurred in his ear. He could see Astrid's sapphire eyes glinting in the firelight, and they didn't exactly look too happy with Ruffnut.

Hiccup pushed her off and let her fall back into her spot. "I'm good..." He walked around until he found that Astrid had made a spot for him. Naturally, he sat down too.

"Hey Hiccup," Astrid whispered in his ear. "Too crowded in there for you?"

He sighed audibly. "No, of course not. I'm too masculine for something as ridiculous as 'personal space'," He said, waving air quotes around the last words. Astrid smiled and grasped his hand, interlocking her fingers with his.

"Hey, Haddock," Tuffnut said, looking across the fire curiously. "You two have been together for what, three months now?"

"Mmhmm," Hiccup said with a proud nod, giving Astrid's hand an affectionate squeeze.

"Well," Ruffnut said with a devious smile. "I haven't seen you locking lips once. So how are we supposed to believe you?"

"Come one, Ruff, leave 'em alone." Snotlout didn't look too excited about where the conversation was going.

"Uh-uh," She shook her head. "Not until I see this happy couple macking at it."

"What? That doesn't even make sense..." Hiccup tried to put the sentence right in his mind. He noted with annoyance the look of expectancy crossing Fishlegs face.

"Uh, dude, drunk," Tuffnut said, gesturing at his intoxicated twin. Hiccup shrugged and nodded.

"Ugh, come on! I wanna see some action!"

"It's funny, Ruff," Astrid said airily. "You sound the same whether you're drunk or your normal semi-inebriated. What's with that?" Hiccup sighed gratefully at her somewhat tactful change in topic. Her talent with language was quite the weapon sometimes.

"Oh, shut up and kiss 'im!" She said, pointing a half-full mug at them and sloshing some into the fire in the process.

Astrid sighed impatiently. "Must we? I don't think that this will prove any - "

"Oh, don't act like you don't want to!" Ruffnut slurred. "I can tell this boy really does it for yah!"

"Ugh, that's really more suggestive than the situation calls for." No matter how relieved he might be that Astrid was deflecting Ruffnut's advances, he couldn't help but feel slightly put off. She did want to, did she not?

"Fine," Ruffnut said. Hiccup could hear a hidden meaning behind her words.

"Thank you-" Astrid said, but was cut off by Ruffnut standing up unsteadily, walking around the fire, and pulling Hiccup up by the collar.

"Then I will!" She said proudly. Her vice-like grip was pulling him in for, oh Hel, a long, messy kiss -

Ruffnut disappeared in a split second. Hiccup looked around and jumped back as he saw Astrid wrestling with his attacker. She had her pinned in a second and was firing off a round of dirty insults that would offend anyone faint of heart within a three mile radius. Even Snotlout was cringing at her choice of words.

"...and your mother must have been - "

"Ooooo-kay!" Hiccup said loudly, ending Astrid's merciless tirade. "I think we oughta - "

"I'm not done yet!" She said angrily, standing up and brushing her blonde bangs out of her eyes. Ruffnut stood up and backed away from the fuming Viking girl.

"Well, I just figured - "

"Oh, just shut up and kiss me, you handsome fool!" Astrid clutched his collar and pulled him in, meeting his lips in a surprisingly tender embrace. It was an amazing kiss, and soon enough her arms were wrapped around his neck and his were pulling her closer by the waist. Ruffnut could be heard clapping, Tuffnut was snickering, and Fishlegs just gasped at the sight.

"Now that's entertainment!" Ruffnut said grandly.

"No, you're just creepy," Snotlout said with poorly disguised disgust. They still hadn't separated, and within a minute Snotlout had left.

"Okay, that's good," Tuffnut said nervously.

"You just don't know how to enjoy life's little moments," Ruffnut sighed in mock irritation.

Hiccup surfaced, but still held her close with one arm. "Hey, this isn't a free performance, kiddies," He said, pointing at the three still left.

Ruffnut rolled her eyes. "Fiiiiiiine."

Tuffnut shook his head and pushed her towards home. "I'm gonna douse the fire, you two...don't start gettin' at it right here."

It was Hiccup's turn to roll his eyes. "Fine, mom." With that, he turned them both towards Astrid's house. "Come on, I'll walk you home."

Astrid smiled kindly and yawned. "Sure thing, Haddock."

Maybe this is a little too adult? Oh well, it sounded like fun anyway. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do. :D