Chapter Text
Hiccup and Astrid: about 22 years old
“So does everyone understand the roles they have been assigned?” Hiccup bellows. His voice doesn’t fill Meade Hall like his father’s would have, but it still holds a different kind of authority. And after some working and encouraging, I know Hiccup has come to accept that by now.
The group of Vikings before him only grumble in response.
Just as I’m about to swing my axe at the idiots and remind them of their place, my husband beats me to the punch. “Guys, come on,” he says. “We have to go back to some of the old ways, and we have to make do with where we are currently. Unless you would all prefer to move again.”
Suddenly the grumbles are much more affirmative, with varying degrees of “yes Chief,” “no no, this’ll do,” “no need for a rash decision,” and complaints that I choose to ignore.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Hiccup mutters, though still loud enough for multiple people to hear. I chuckle. I see more and more of his father in him as the days pass. “Alright, we’re just about finished here, then. Council, any announcements?” Hiccup looks around at the group, but at first no one steps up. Per usual; if any of the council members, most of whom were the initial Dragon Riders, have anything to say they usually bring it up before the meeting so Hiccup and I are aware. He still asks at the end of every village meeting before wrapping up though, just in case. Which confuses me, because I thought he would want to break the news to his people; so why is he wrapping things up already? Maybe he’s just leaving it for me. We haven’t exactly done many things the traditional way, after all.
Well, I guess here goes nothing. I stand up swiftly and gaze over the group of confused Vikings before me, taking a deep breath. “We had planned to wait until the next moon’s meeting to bring this up, but some changes will be taking effect much sooner than that so I thought it best not to wait. For the members of the new armada, I will be working much more closely with Snotlout so he can learn the ropes. Eventually he will be taking over for me temporarily, but I want to start working with him early.” I look over at Snotlout, who is quite confused. “I’m sorry, Snotlout, I never got the chance to talk to you about it, but I’ll meet with you in the next few days.” He nods, still looking confused, but I’d explain everything later.
A low murmur buzzes along the Hall, which quickly gets on my nerves. “I know you’re all wondering why; I’m getting there. Hiccup and I are expecting our first baby, so the duties that can’t wait while I’m-” I hear a loud thud to my left and a short scratching of wood against stone. An entire Hall of heads turn around to see Hiccup sitting in his Chieftain’s chair. No, wait, he had fallen back into his Chieftain’s chair. He looks dazed and flushed, hand to his head as if he’s about to pass out. “Hiccup!”
Valka, Gobber, and I all immediately surround him. “Hiccup? Son, are you alright?” Valka asks, feeling his forehead. He doesn’t answer, just continues to look straight through us.
“Hiccup? Babe, what’s wrong?” I ask frantically, grabbing his shoulders. He stirs slightly at my voice and touch, which brings a small smile to my face. But then his eyes drift down my body and stall at my stomach, and he starts breathing heavier.
“Uh, lassie, you didn’t happen to clue Hiccup into the news before you told the whole village, did yeh?” Gobber asks, one eyebrow cocked as he takes in Hiccup’s reaction.
“Gobber, don’t be ridiculous, of course I told Hic-” Wait a second... I quickly think back over the last few days.
Oh, gods. Oh, Thor, I never told Hiccup. “Oh my gods, Hiccup. I’m so sorry, I-I’m pregnant,” I stutter. How did I forget to tell my husband we were expecting?!
Hiccup’s eyes slowly pull back up to my face. “Yeah-huh,” he says slowly. “Yeah, I-I think I uh, I think I got that part.”
We all watch him carefully, not making a sound. He keeps his eyes locked on mine. I can feel the sting of tears, the guilt of forgetting to tell him eating away at my stomach and my heart. I had been thinking of so many other things... And yet that’s no excuse, because he was the one person I was most excited to tell over the past 3 days since I knew.
He lifted his hand to cup my face, catching a tear that I didn’t notice had fallen with his thumb. The Hall of people around us fades away. “You’re really... You’re really pr... We’re having a ba...” he tries to say, not able to fully create the words, his expression remaining stoic. His eyes fall away from mine, but don’t seem to focus on anything else.
I hold his hand to my cheek. “We’re really having a baby, Hiccup.” I say, holding my breath.
He exhales, and then takes a deep breath. And then he exhales again.
“Hiccup?” I ask timidly.
His emerald green eyes find mine yet again. And he smiles.
I release the breath I was holding in a rush of air. He seems to do the same, almost laughing now. And before I know it, he pulls me down into his lap and wraps his arms around me, pressing his lips to mine. “I love you,” he says between tears and kisses. He secures his left arm firmly around me and combs his right hand through my hair. “Gods, I love you so much.”
I think the crowd around us begins cheering. I honestly can’t say. All I know is that I am so ready to have a family with this man holding me tight to his chest. And I know I couldn’t imagine a better father for my children.