Author's Note: For wallmans-spitfire, here sweetie happy v-day!
She wakes up alone and only manages to drag herself out of bed because Brucely’s whining sadly by her feet wanting to be fed.
“Ok, boy I’m up.” She pats his head, “Except it’s not my turn…”
The blonde looks over to the empty space beside her and sighs. She’s not one to complain these days but it sure is a hell of a way to wake up, today of all days. She walks into the kitchen and digs around until she finds his dog food. While he eats she walks over to the sink and fills up his water bowl. When she moves over to the fridge she catches sight of him. He’s practically falling off the couch by the crocked position he holds. So she walks over and nudges him awake with her foot. Beside him she notices some three textbooks and papers scattered all over not to mention the little trail of droll beside his mouth.
“Wally!”
He jolts awake and almost crashes into her.
“What!” He blurts, “Wait – what time is it?”
“Almost nine.”
The speedster’s eyes widen and he flashes out of her way, the only word she catches before he disappears into the bedroom is, “Shit!”
“Yea,” she sighs, “Happy V-day to you too.”
Artemis retreats to her room later that evening and tries to avoid the speedster at all costs. She had just one late class in the morning and had ended up back in the apartment earlier than expected. And after all her efforts to find a buffet that would actually let them in she was sitting there crushed. When a nudge came from the door and she watches Brucely hobble in. She puts her textbook down and goes in to pet him when she catches sight of the red ribbon wrapped around his collar. Attached to the ribbon is a very tiny bouquet of white tulips. Like one of those they sell from the corner store. She loosens up the ribbon and feels the soft petals through her fingertips. A quiet chuckle slips out from her. Finally she looks back up where the red head now takes a seat next to her.
“Artemis…”
“Hmm…?” She sniffs her flowers.
“I forgot.”
“So you did,” She nudges him playfully.
“Babe?”
Her eyes wander over to his where his green eyes seem to be glowing. “Yea?”
“Would you still be my Valentine?”
She chuckles again and leans in close to him, “I guess you’ll do.”
“Works for me.”
By the floor Brucely scratches the rest of the silly ribbon off sitting by the bed and covering his ears. He knows his mom and dad are making funny noises again and decides it’s time for another nap.
Summary: Sometimes Astrid needs a little break from Berk. Hiccup doesn't seem to grasp that. (Hiccstrid)
Words: 2,741
Rated: T
Astrid Hofferson did not like feeling lost. She liked being on top of things and, frankly, a little bit ahead of everyone else. She was used to knowing exactly what to do, prepped and ready. All that changed when her fingers tightened around that stupid piece of paper. Naturally, Astrid was not one for second guessing, and when the large helmet was held in front of her, she confidently thrust her hand in and pulled out the first paper she touched.
Her fingers danced around the corners as she unrolled to minuscule scroll, and her eyes fell upon the one name she was dreading. The center of the paper read Hiccup in Gobber's messy scroll. Astrid crumpled it up and clenched her fist tightly around it. If I had just been a little more indecisive she thought miserably as she watched the rest of her friends choose their victims, laughing on cue when the wind blew the helmet away from Tuffnut. Her eyes fell on Hiccup and he shifted his weight on and off of his prosthetic leg in anticipation. Astrid felt a small smile creep up her face, and she didn’t try to suppress it. He was so cute, goddamnit, and it was going to ruin her.
“Who’d you get, babe?” whispered Snoutlout as he dug his fingers into her arm. She recoiled and slapped his hand away.
“Don’t call me that,” she rolled her eyes. Shrugging him off, she turned back and watched Ruffnut pick, not so secretly looking at Fishlegs afterward. Some people are so obvious.
“I’m just sayin’-you don’t have to be so secretive. I mean, it’s obvious that you’re stressing because you don’t know what to get me,” he wiggled his eyebrows. Astrid sighed and turned away. “I mean, all I really need from you is a kiss, babe,” he smirked.
“Don’t call me that,” she hissed, turning on her heel and stalking away. She heard Gobber yelling for her, and she quickened her pace to a run, not stopping to wipe the angry tears from her eyes. Why I am I crying? Snoutlout hits on me all the time, I’ve got to get myself together. Blinking, she continued to run, and the wind howling against her had drowned out her friends’ voices by then. She swallowed and slowed to a jog as she approached the stable. Her breath came in gasps as she recovered from her run, and she paused to slow her breathing before she pushed open the doors.
She walked lightly across the rock slabs, trying her best not to wake up the inhabitant. This failed, and Stormfly was sitting up and stretching her wings by the time Astrid reached her. The beautiful dragon shoved her muzzle into Astrid’s shoulder and let out a noise that vaguely resembled a purr. Astrid laughed lightly and scratched her best friend behind the ears. “Hey girl,” she murmured. “Do you want to go for a fly?”
Stormfly retracted her head from Astrid’s side and tilted it slightly, displaying her obvious confusion. “Yeah girl, I know we went out awhile ago, but I need to clear my head a little, and what’s better than spending time with you?” Astrid held out her hand. Stormfly snorted and a spike sailed harmlessly over Astrid’s head. Astrid sighed. “I know you’re tired, but if you want to we can go to the meadow.”
Stormfly perked up and lowered herself so she was close enough to the ground for Astrid to climb onto her back. Astrid grinned as she ran over and pulled herself up. “I love you,” she whispered. Stormfly blew a puff of air out of her nose in a display of affection as she walked out of the stable. Their heads were barely out the doors when they heard the voices.
“Astrid, where are you going?” yelled Tuffnut.
“We weren’t finished!” whined Ruffnut.
“Don’t take off, Secret Odin is a tradition!” Fishlegs piped up. Astrid whirled around and fixed him with a glare. He shrank back and held his book to his chest. She met Hiccup’s eyes. He more confused than angry, unlike the rest of them.
“I picked,” Astrid announced loftily.
“Come on, just tell us what’s going on!” Hiccup begged. She took a sharp intake of breath and she looked into his eyes. He was upset, she was making him upset. Swallowing, she turned to Stormfly.
“Go, girl. Run, take off as soon as you’re at a safe distance,” she whispered. Stormfly heeded her commands, and took off sharply. Astrid held on tight as they took off into the darkening sky, ignoring her friend’s pleas for her to stay. Stormfly knew the way, and Astrid laid her head upon her friend’s neck and let out her anger in hot, salty tears and the occasional scream.
The trip took a little over an hour, and by the end Astrid’s cheeks were blotchy, her eyes were red, and she had only stop crying because she seemingly couldn’t cry another tear. When they touched down, Astrid slid off Stormfly’s back and stroked her head. “Go have fun, Stormfly. I’ll see you in a bit.”
Stormfly padded off to the other side of the grassy meadow, presumably to the lake, and Astrid sat down in the green. “What am I doing?” she muttered, uprooting sections of grass and tossing them over her shoulder. “I’m being a prissy, obnoxious, lovestruck girl. I promised myself I would never do that.”
Over her shoulder, Astrid noticed something light up. It wasn’t dark yet, but the sun was setting, casting a gloomy grayness over the fields. But something was breaking it. Little flickers of light appeared and disappeared, seemingly floating through the air. They were small, no larger than her pinky fingernail, but they were fascinating.
Astrid walked towards them, slipping off her socks and fur-lined boots as she waded ankle deep into the water. The lights were hard to spot, and at that moment, it looked like they had all disappeared. Disappointed, Astrid turned and walked back towards shore. She leaned down to pick up her boots but jerked her hand away when she saw the light. “What?” she murmured, reaching for it. Ready to jerk her hand away at any heat, Astrid gingerly touched the tip of her finger to the light. It disappeared, but Astrid felt the strange sensation of legs crawling up her arm. She gasped as the light appeared again, illuminating the body that carried it around. “Bugs,” she whispered. “It’s always bugs.”
A display of deadly spikes raced over Astrid’s head, and when she turned she saw that Stormfly had found the bugs too. She didn’t seem to like them as much as Astrid did. Laughing, Astrid ran over to the dragon, the grass tickling her bare feet. She laid a hand on Stormfly’s side. The dragon let out a low whine.
“Relax, Stormfly. They’re just bugs. They’re really beautiful too. Don’t you like them?”
Stormfly blew a puff of air out of her nose in distaste. Astrid laughed again. “Do you still have those jars we were using for Gustav’s-er-motion sickness?”
Stormfly turned and Astrid noticed that the satchel she had put on the dragon was still there. She grinned. Finally, she knew what she was doing for Hiccup.
She ran over the the walls of the cliff and wrestled one of Stormfly’s spikes out of the wall. Grabbing a jar, she jabbed the spike through the lid several times until she created adequate air holes. She opened the jar and gently placed the first bug inside. She sealed the lid tightly and ran to the other side of the meadow, scooping the beautiful bugs out of the air with surprising ease, for they never seemed to stop appearing. They crawled around her hands as she raced back and forth from the jar to the edge of the lake, where most seemed the gather. She kept collecting until there were enough in the jar that there was always a shred of light shining, and then she hopped onto Stormfly’s back. “Back to Berk, girl,” she whispered, tightening her grip on the jar.
Stormfly happily obliged, the ‘dancing lights’ were making her quite uncomfortable. Within five beats of her powerful wings they were up, and sailing through the skies of their homeland. The aurora borealis was arching across the skies, and Astrid leaned back against Stormfly’s warm, scaly hide. She watched the beautiful colors ripple overhead and she sighed contently. As rash as her decision had been, she had needed a break from Berk. Flying across the islands with her best friend and discovering the beautiful light bugs had calmed her down and put her in a tremendously better mood. The gentle blues and vibrant greens danced around her, and everything was perfect.
Or...not so perfect.
Stormfly turned with a jerk, her neck craning as she let out a bellowing roar that shook Astrid from her hazy rest. Keeping a firm grip on the jar of bugs, she crawled forward. “What is it, Stormfly?” she whispered. Stormfly whined. Astrid could tell the situation was making her uneasy, so she rubbed circles into the back of her hide. “It’ll be okay, it’s okay,” she murmured. The auroras no longer seemed beautiful, they seemed suspicious. A dark shadow was moving across the edge, barely noticeable, but Astrid was proud of her keen eyesight. “Right there, Stormfly. Now, don’t attack, it could be a friend. Move forward-slowly.”
Stormfly creeped towards the shadow, and the shadow mirrored her movements. Astrid wished that Hiccup were with her, he would help her stay patient. All she wanted to do was charge at the stupid thing. Putting in a silent prayer to Thor and Odin, she yelled “NOW!”
The shadow moved quicker than Stormfly, and she could see the outline of a dragon, a smaller dragon. A black, sleek dragon that melted into the night sky with a very handsome one-legged rider. “STORMFLY, STOP!” Astrid screamed. She could hear Hiccup frantically directing Toothless away from them, but the dragons were both moving at too great of speeds and crashed dead on.
Astrid rarely admitted terror, in fact she rarely felt it. But hurtling straight down into uncharted territories in the pitch black night? Terrifying. She couldn’t see the world around her change as she fell, but she could hear it. The air made a high, whistling sound as they fell through it, and Astrid held tight to her jar of bugs. “HICCUP HADDOCK! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" she screamed. She knew he probably wouldn't hear her, and was surprised to hear a garbled response.
"Wanted---make sure---okay!" Astrid couldn't see him, but a hand grabbed her arm, and she squeezed her eyes shut and waited for certain death.
It never came.
What did come was a tangled mess of scaly wings and a slightly cushioned landing.
The dragons had caught them. It was amazing, really.
She was alive, conscious even.
In fact, Astrid was so astounded by her state of consciousness that it took her several moments to notice that her fingers were turning purple from her grip on the light-bug jar. Cursing quietly, she tossed it over her shoulder. She turned over, noticing Hiccup for the first time. He seemed fine, just a little dazed, and she prodded his shoulder. "Haddock," she said sharply.
"Yes?" he mumbled, probing himself up on his elbows. "Any reason you're being harsh, Astrid?"
Astrid just glared at him. "We need to get off of this island, but I can't find a place that's safe to take off from."
Hiccup sat up fully, looking attentive. "We can wait until the morning and look when there's light," he suggested.
Astrid shook her head. "Too risky. We don't know where we are or what lives here," she glared at Hiccup, "and we wouldn't be dealing with this if you trusted me."
Hiccup looked at her incredulously. "Really, Astrid? You expected me to not worry about you after you just take off, no explanation? I care about you, okay? I'm sorry I worried."
Astrid scowled, talking wasn't going to fix their situation. Sliding off the back of the dragon that caught her-it was too dark to tell which, but she suspected it was Toothless, she turned to where she thought Hiccup was. "Whatever. We need to figure out a way to see.”
Astrid could hear Hiccup shuffling around behind her and she sighed. This was all her fault. If she had only kept her anger in check they wouldn’t be stuck out here, they wouldn’t be trapped on a dark, uncharted island.
“Astrid…?” Hiccup whispered. Astrid turned around slowly, curling her hands into fists, anticipating danger.
“What?” her voice was urgent. “What is it?”
“Why-why is that jar glowing?”
Astrid’s face lit up. “Hiccup, you’re a genius!” she ran over to him and hugged him tightly.
“I-I am?” he asked. Astrid laughed.
“Yes! Yes! Where’s the jar, Hic?” she was almost jumping up and down by now.
“Um, I just saw-THERE!” he grabbed her arm and pointed towards a small bit of light, barely visible under a rotting tree branch.
Astrid ran towards the light, stumbling over rocks and branches on the way. She scooped up the jar in her hands and kissed the cool glass. “We’re getting out of here!”
“Good,” he chuckled. His hand was on her arm, and she wrapped her arms around his torso, burying her grin in his shoulder, letting the jar slip from her grasp and onto the forest floor. His hands found her waist and they stood there for a long, long time, just two young adults, wrapped up in each other’s affection, illuminated by the pulsing lights from the jar.
“Hey, Hiccup?” Astrid mumbled, her face still pressed into his shoulder.
“Yeah?” he pulled away from the hug slightly, raising his hands in a slight surrendering fashion.
Astrid grabbed him the the collar of his vest, trying best to make her face look menacing. “If you ever do that again I’ll-”
“I know, I know,” Hiccup smiled, pulling her close again.
Astrid was silent for a few seconds before whispering, “Those bugs were supposed to be part of your Snoggletog present.”
“Hmm?” Hiccup raised his eyebrows.
Astrid pulled away from his embrace picked the jar up off the ground. “Stormfly and I, we found a whole meadow full of them. It’s so beautiful Hiccup, they light everything up. I was going to give you the jar and then take you to see them in action,” she refused to meet his eyes, looking instead at the rippling reflection of trees along the sides of the jar.
“Hey, it’s alright. I was able to see them, wasn’t I?” he cupped his hand around her cheek and turned her to face him again. “They’re beautiful. I couldn’t ask for anything else.”
Astrid bit her lip, trying to hide the joy his statement brought her. “Well, only the best for my Secret Odin.”
Hiccup raised his eyebrows. “I’m your Secret Odin? Really?”
“Yeah...why is that so surprising?”
Hiccup smiled and pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. He unfolded it and revealed the name Astrid. Astrid smiled, laying her piece in her palm, identical in all ways but one, the messily scrawled Hiccup. “I love you,” he took her hand in his, pressing the two pieces of paper together.
Astrid grinned. “I love you too,” she squeezed his hand and began to pull him in for a kiss. Hiccup stopped her.
“How come you always get to start the kiss?” he whined. Astrid shoved him playfully.
“Don’t be a baby,” she teased.
Hiccup fake-pouted, and Astrid laughed. “One thing first,” Hiccup said as he leaned over, picking up the glass jar of lights. He unscrewed the top and set it at their feet.
“What’re you doing?” Astrid asked, her eyebrows furrowed.
“Floating lights are romantic,” Hiccup smirked, and, finally, pulled Astrid towards him, pressing his lips gently to hers. “Happy Early-Snoggletog?” he whispered.
Astrid pulled several centimeters away. “Definitely.”
They kissed again, and the pulsing lights began to rise from their container, spiraling around the young couple, illuminating their happy faces. They danced into the sky, casting shadows down onto the foliage below. They buzzed throughout the trees, bringing light to the forest that had never existed before. Two dragons, each along with a single rider, flew leisurely past them.
was surprised with a spitfire fic on my ask courtesy of the sweet, wallmans-spitfire, so here's the full thing. thanks again babe!
"Okay, Mom! I'm leaving now," Wally called through the house as he was shrugging on his coat. Mary's head popped out of the kitchen. "Don't get into any trouble this year," she told him. "Come on, Mom," Wally sighed. "It's just a New Years Party at the Cave with a couple heroes." He flashed her a grin before making his way out the door.
He zeta'd into the cave mission room and almost immediately a plate of cookies appeared under his nose. "Wally, you made it," the green martian chirped excitedly. "Oh course I'm here," the speedster said before picking up a cookie and stuffing it into his mouth. "Have you seen Artemis?" M'gann thought for a moment as Wally ate another cookie. "I think she said she was heading to her room o get something," she finally replied.
"Alright, thanks, Megs," the speedster said before running away with a hand full of cookies. He soon reached Artemis' room that she had in the Mountain. Before he could knock on the door it opened to reveal the archer. She had a box in her hands that was wrapped in paper with flash insignias on it.
"Wally!" she gasped, moving the box behind her back. The speedster raised an eyebrow at her. "Babe, it's not Christmas anymore," he mused. She frowned and glared at him. "I know that," she growled. "Then what's with the box," he asked, unfazed. "Did you forget to give me a present?"
"Who said the present was for you," she countered. "Then who is it for?" "Uh- M'gann," she tried. "You lie," Wally said, shaking his head. He made a grab for the present, but, as expected, Artemis sidestepped him and backed into her room. Wally followed her and listened to the door slide shut behind him.
"Come on, Artemis," Wally said as he continued to attempt, and fail, to snatch the present from her. "Who's the present for?" "Knock it off, Wally," the blonde shot back. The two seemingly danced around the room until Wally finally managed to get Artemis to fall onto her bed.
Wally moved quickly and pinned her down on the bed. "Get off me," she growled at him, struggling against his strong grip. "Can I open the present now," he asked instead of complying. "No," she replied glaring at him. Wally grinned mischievously. He shifted his weight so he could keep Artemis pinned down as he reach for the present that was discarded n the bed beside them.
Before he could grab the present Artemis flipped them over and pinned him down. He gulped as Artemis glared down at him, her grip tight on his wrists. "I said 'No'," she growled at him. His mouth was dry as he tried to find a response. After a few moments of silence Artemis blew a breath of air into his face and got up.
"You just can't be patient can you," she sighed. She tossed the present at him as she sat on the other side of the bed. "You know me," was his only reply as he sat up. He stared at the present for a few moments before setting it aside. "When do you want me to open it," he asked her.
The blonde smiled at him. She moved across the bed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I'll let you know," she answered. Wally turned his head and kissed her before she pulled away. "Come on, lets go join the other before they come searching for us," she said as she got off the bed. Wally picked up the present and tucked it under his arm before following her out. (The End!)
(Continued) The blonde smiled at him. She moved across the bed and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I'll let you know," she answered. Wally turned his head and kissed her before she pulled away. "Come on, lets go join the other before they come searching for us," she said as she got off the bed. Wally picked up the present and tucked it under his arm before following her out. (The End!)
(Continued) "You just can't be patient can you," she sighed. She tossed the present at him as she sat on the other side of the bed. "You know me," was his only reply as he sat up. He stared at the present for a few moments before setting it aside. "When do you want me to open it," he asked her. (To be continued...)
(Continued) Before he could grab the present Artemis flipped them over and pinned him down. He gulped as Artemis glared down at him, her grip tight on his wrists. "I said 'No'," she growled at him. His mouth was dry as he tried to find a response. After a few moments of silence Artemis blew a breath of air into his face and got up. (To be continued...)
the real mystery is how artemis put up with his mess.
(Continued) Wally moved quickly and pinned her down on the bed. "Get off me," she growled at him, struggling against his strong grip. "Can I open the present now," he asked instead of complying. "No," she replied glaring at him. Wally grinned mischievously. He shifted his weight so he could keep Artemis pinned down as he reach for the present that was discarded n the bed beside them. (To be continued...)
(Continued) "Come on, Artemis," Wally said as he continued to attempt, and fail, to snatch the present from her. "Who's the present for?" "Knock it off, Wally," the blonde shot back. The two seemingly danced around the room until Wally finally managed to get Artemis to fall onto her bed. (To be continued...)
