Work Text:
"When should we set the date?" Hiccup asked quietly. His right cheek was pressed to the golden crown of the love of his life while his left hand was running up and down her naked back.
"Must you be in such haste to get rid of your bachelor status?" Astrid mumbled sleepy; her eyes still closed in utter bliss as she was enjoying his soft ministrations.
"I'm in haste to finally call you my wife," he whispered emphasizing his last word in that unique way that always made her completely boneless and light as her soul was soaring on the cloud nine. Never in her life was she so happy.
"I like the sound of that."
"So, when do you want to marry me?" he asked again and she just knew he was smiling from ear to ear.
It had been a week since he had proposed and she had said yes; seven glorious days of celebration, of getting used to being not just boyfriend and girlfriend but being engaged. In fact, nothing had changed in their lives as they had been dating and living together for three years by now but it was a big step forward. It was official now.
"I’ll sign papers any time you want, Babe," Astrid promised, smiling in return, and left a ghost kiss on his chest.
"Woah, woah, wait a second!” said Hiccup, somewhat taken a back. “What do you mean by ‘sign papers’?
He rolled his girlfriend on her back which made her wince and groan in protest as her naked skin touched the cold sheets. She felt his penetrating gaze even through her closed eyes, so she had no choice but to open them.
Blue met green expecting sadness, disappointment and even frustration but they were just confused. Hiccup stared at her a few more seconds as if he was waiting for her to say "sorry, I am just kidding" but when it was clear that she wasn't, the serious conversation was inevitable.
She knew she had to say something, explain herself and prove she wanted to be his wife more than anything in this world. She loved him, nothing could change that, and she couldn't wait to spend her life with him as his wife, to love and to hold, to bear and raise their children, to grow old by his side.
And it was possible without a so-to-called wedding.
"I've never worn white, Hiccup," she said quietly, her eyes penetrating his. "While other girls grew up dreaming about it, the thought of being squeezed in a tight and heavy dress makes me sick to the stomach. And then I would have to walk down to the aisle, terrified of falling while everyone is staring at me. To look at their faces, not always knowing who that person is, to smile and accept their congratulations, then answer their awkward questions and nodding at their unnecessary pieces of advice… I can’t do this."
She did imagine such picture in her head so many times before but recently it was just getting more and more terrifying. She could take a lot, to face any troubles and get through them as a warrior but not a wedding ceremony though.
Hiccup rolled off her on his right side yet his arms were still around her. She listened to his steady heartbeat, basking in the heat of his body and feeling safe like she never did before. She already knew he would understand.
"Are you afraid of getting marrying?" He simply asked, his hand in her hair again.
Astrid turned her head and hid her nose in his chest breathing his sent in and out. Her quiet 'no' was muffled by his skin and like a tickle ran down his spine. "Publicity?"
She nodded and leaned back to look at him.
"I don't want to spend lots of money, nerves and time on just one day that will be still important and wonderful without a dress, a cake and guests," she confessed. "I'm doing it for me, for you and only with you."
She didn’t get why everyone was so exciting about a ceremony and regret no money on it, trying to make it as bigger and preposterous as they could afford. In her eyes, it seemed like a way to prove her relatives and friends she happened to fall in love and how much her lover would do for her. But it wasn’t guests she wanted to please. It was and would always be Hiccup.
So, if he would insist on the grand event, she would go through it. Even if it would make her unhappy.
"But if you want..."
Hiccup pressed a finger to her lips shushing her.
"No, I don't. You and your wishes are all that matters to me,” his lips touched hers. “If you want it to be just the two of us, then there will be two of us in our kitchen signing the papers the day we want. Though our families will be so furious at us for robbing them of a great feast they have been planning for so long and saying about it post factum."
"I love you," she beamed at him.
"And I you," he smiled back. Their lips met again. The kiss was soft and tender that swept all her worries away and made her heart flatter.
“We don’t say a word to our families until the deed is done, do we?” Hiccup asked as they parted.
“We don’t,” Astrid whispered and left a kiss on his cheek. Then she giggled remembering something. "My dad will be so sad he won't have an opportunity to buy a tuxedo he dreams about."
“Hey, we can always buy him one as a gift,” her soon-to-be husband suggested as he pressed her closer to him and started kissing down her neck. "But I do not regret preventing a long and embarrassing speech my father is famous for," he added between kisses.
“He will give it to us anyway,” Astrid laughed running her fingers through Hiccup’s hair. She closed her eyes again, enjoying the magic his lips were working on her body. “But I doubt our parents will talk to us after we’ll tell them. So, we’ll have some peaceful time to relish our honeymoon.”
Yes, their parents would be really mad at them but a big wedding wasn’t and isn’t a proof of love and happiness. Beautiful words and loud vows, the prettiest dress and lots of guests are not that important or extremely needed to be shown to everyone. After all, happiness loves silence.