YES YES YES I really adore Merstrid as a BroTP!!! Highkey I think they'd be best friends if they ever met. Honestly I see them being closer friends than Merida and Rapunzel (steaming hot take, I know lol)--like Rapunzel and Merida would be close for sure, but Astrid and Merida are both so stubborn and determined and badass and have a TON in common, and I can see them being extremely ride-or-die for each other. Absolute BFFLs and you can't change my mind! Lowkey Merida might have to play mediator if Rapunzel and Astrid ever butted heads (which I kinda think they would lol).
I DO think they're a bit too similar for them to last as a romantic pairing, BUT I actually kind of love the idea of them being each other's Gay Awakening and maybe experimenting together a little??? Like I can see them being childhood best friends and then once they realize they're both gay they're like "well...should we date or something???" They're kinda into each other, but they're not sure if their affections are platonic or romantic because they've been friends for so long??? So it's hard to tell??? Maybe they date for a bit and it doesn't work out, but I like to think there wouldn't be any hard feelings and they would agree to always stay best friends! Fr this is such an underrated dynamic, and one of my top BroTPs in the fandom for sure. Honestly the only other pair I BroTP this hard would be Rapunzel/Anna!
Back in ye olden days of the fandom I saw a lot of takes that these two would be rivals over Hiccup, or just in general, but that just seems...so dumb??? Like boy are so low on BOTH their priority lists lmao, they ain't gonna waste energy fighting over one. And I can't see them just hating each other for no reason (unless they bought into the Scots/Vikings rivalry, which I sorta doubt they would because they both seem smarter than "hate this person from a rival tribe because they're from a rival tribe" lol)--like they both value strength and cunning and kicking ass with their weapons and smashing the patriarchy and all that good stuff, so yeah, they'd get along FANTASTIC. In this house Astrid and Merida are besties!!!
Also Anon I think it would please you to know that once in a Hiccanna fic I wrote a while back, I got so annoyed with the Hiccstrid/Mericcup shipping wars I saw going on at the time that I paired Astrid and Merida up in the story solely out of spite. It was the pettiest shit but I still can't help but be proud TBH XD
Asshole who is only a sweetheart to their significant other
Strong, athletic, though girl x Nerdy boy who can't lift a twig to save his life.
Just because we are stuck together to save the world doesn't mean I like you. I mean, I DO like you but NOT because we are stuck together to save the world.
We've kissed once but never again even though we both want to kiss 100 times more.
A doesn't believe in love, heartless and disappointed in life, but B is the only exception and A might as well reconsider falling in love again.
And they were roommates. Omg they were roommates.
Never-ending mutual pining
Competitive tropes, specially enemies to lovers slow-burn
Fitting for Mermay, here’s a picture of Astrid as a mermaid. (Kind of...) I wouldn’t say it’s Undine!Astrid, because my Undine doesn’t have the typical fishtail of a mermaid. But she’s definitely inspired by her as this Merstrid doesn’t really have a solid form either, not until she chooses so. All that’s solid at this point is her head and her right hand as she reaches up toward the surface, longingly. Huh... maybe it is some form of Undine!Astrid after all... ^^”
Hmmmm... how about a cute hiccstrid date featuring Mer!strid?
One of the prompts for my 500 followers special :)
This is an alternative version of the original httyd movie. Pure fluff this time! Hope you enjoy :D
Ffnet version
“Big night, eh?”
Hiccup shot up from his spot on the ground, his headonly narrowly missing the edge of the table in the workshop. Traitorous reddotted his cheeks, all the way to his ears, and his eyes fell to the ground, hislips forming a closed smile.
“Maybe?” he rubbed the back of his neck slowly. “Idon’t know.”
“I know that look, laddie.”
Hiccup coughed into his free hand.
“What look? There isno look.”
Gobber hummed in disbelief, watching his apprenticewith a sideways grin. Sure, Hiccup may have defeated a dragon the size of anisland, but beneath it all he was still the shy and awkward kid that wanted tofit in so desperately.
It was so easy to forget that, at times.
And, Hiccup mused as he walked through the deep Berkwoods later in the day, a wicker basket propped on his shoulder - he would nothave possibly done it if not for the help of some. When Toothless appeared inhis life, Hiccup felt like he belonged, truly belonged, for the first time ever- and his best friend’s impact on his life was indescribable, truly. But theNight Fury wasn’t the only one who made him who he was today. Almostunconsciously, a soft smile slipped onto his face at the mere thought.
He entered the familiar cove, ducking his head under ashield that got stuck in-between the two rocks years ago. Soft light shonethrough the tree crowns, birds sung happily. He loved the serenity of theplace, its magical aura, impossible to recapture.
“I was starting to worry you were not coming.”
Hiccup grinned at the familiar melodic voice, turningon his heel to face the lake again. Astrid was seated by the edge of the water,her wet hair falling over her shoulders and chest. She leaned on her arm, herhead propped on her shoulder.
“Sorry, I got held up,” Hiccup ducked his head,instead showing off the basket. The girl quirked an eyebrow, eyeing itcuriously.
“Whatcha got there?”
Hiccup neared the lake, plopping by Astrid’s sidecomfortably, like they had done many times before. His eyes briefly swept overthe girl’s gleaming scales covering the length of her fish-like tail, halfdipped in the water and half-exposed in the sun. It had taken him a while toget used to the fact the girl he met accidentally one day at the cove was acreature of the deep and unknown, a mermaid. She was hostile towards him for along time, too - but it simply clicked once they settled down theirdifferences. She was there when he needed her most. When they took awayToothless, when he had a fight with his dad, when the responsibilities andpressure became too much - she was always there to talk sense into him, she washis voice of reason.
He set the basket between them, opening up the lid.
“I thought we could have a picnic,” he shruggedcrookedly. His friend’s inhumanly crystal blue eyes shone with surprise and shegrinned, her hand travelling to the inside of the basket hungrily. She alwaysloved when he brought some ‘human’ food with him. It took them some time butAstrid was eager to learn about the traditions and daily life of a Berkianvillager. He taught her how to be curious about the world, she always said.
“What is that?” she asked with her eyes wide withexcitement as she bit into a scone he had picked up from the baker’s earlier inthe day. “It’s so sweet.”
“It’s meant to be,” he chuckled to himself at herwonder. He fished out another item and handed it to her. “Try this.”
He didn’t have to tell her twice as she wasted no timeto check it out.
“This is amazing,” she concluded, her mouth full.“What do you call this?”
“It’s some bread with honey.”
“So good,” Astrid repeated, and he felt so full ofjoy, so calm, the way only she could make him feel. He knew that falling for agirl that wasn’t even human to begin with posed an obstacle quite hard to getover but he couldn’t help it; she was truly breathtaking, awe-inspiring,life-changing.
If only he had the courage to tell her.
“You there?” a slim hand flew before his eyes.“Midgard to Hiccup?”
“Sorry, sorry, I… got lost in thought.”
“I can see that,” she smiled softly at him, tiltingher head. “What were you thinking about then?”
“I-” he hesitated, his cheeks heating up upon beingcaught. “don’t…remember.”
He winced at his own words, even more so when Astridlaughed in response. (Her laugh was so melodic and beautiful though, and hecouldn’t possibly stay mad.) She watched him with a smile and a look hecouldn’t decode.
“Perhaps this could refresh your memory.”
And then she leaned in, her eyes shut, and kissed him.His brain shut down in that one quick moment, thoughts swirling in his headlike mad. Her lips felt so soft and so right. He could taste the honey and thesalty water from the sea. He grasped the hand she had over the basket andfinally gathered up the courage to kiss her back.
His heart soared, his stomach fluttered, his mindblank.
Astrid pulled back first, stupid smiles stretchedlazily over both of their faces.
The Calling of the Sea - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 (coming soon!)
Hiccup’s father was chief of their little island, but he was a fisherman by trade. And so it was only natural that Hiccup be brought out and trained, on their little buoy at first, not far from the shore, and later, in their fishing vessel. On one cloudy day, early in Hiccup’s life, he discovered something--or someone--rather incredible. A little mermaid, about his age.
Though he claimed to have seen her on a few trips, his father never believed him--nor the rest of his village. As he grew up, like most grown-ups are unfortunately wont to do, he chopped up the experience to an overactive childhood imagination.
That is, until one day, an old friend decided to pay him a visit...
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AKA I got a hankering for merstrid and!!! baby hiccstrid??
Anyway, might flesh out this au some more... cause it fun :]
