He couldn't look away.

They'd been flying for most of the day, hot and tired and after a particularly rough encounter with a group of baby tunneling dragons; filthy - and when they'd spotted the falls, the spring… even he couldn't say no as the twins whooped and span, Barf and Belch only just managing to avoid getting tangled.

All he'd thought of was rubbing toothless down, brushing off the dust and grime of the days fun - of twisting off his chafing leg and settling down in the cool, clear water below.

He hadn't considered the reality of the others… Of Astrid doing the same. He'd acknowledged it of course, as a leader he'd recognised the merit and was glad to give them the fun but… He'd only truly considered the cooling lap of the water against his sweat soaked skin, picking Fishlegs's brain in regards to the nest they'd just discovered…

He hadn't rationally considered this

Any use of his brain stuttered away alongside his words as the two young women walked towards them, their own conversation not pausing for even one second as they'd slid into the pool; clean from the waterfall to their left and clad only in their undergarments.

He didn't care about Ruff, he'd honestly rather look at Snotlout undressed… But Astrid?

He knew he'd be teased if it wasn't for the fact he was in equally dumbfounded male company, only Tuff immune - and grossly disgusted. He'd think the girls oblivious if it weren't for the fact he spotted Astrids sly smirk; so different from her aggressive smirk or her usual knowing smirk. This one was knowing in a way that made his toes curl beneath the water, made him desperate to look away and stare at her entirely all at once.

She came towards him, water lapping around her stomach till she was close enough to him to set his skin alight but far enough that the others wouldn't feel uncomfortable. She turned, lifting up her damp hair, glancing at him over the smooth, pale dome of her freckled shoulder.

"Help me fasten it up, will you? I don't want to get it wet and Ruff is useless"

The other woman nodded, shrugging. "It's true-Tuff is a true artiste, does my hair every month!"

He simply nodded, brain only half registering Ruffs words; willing his hands not to shake as he gathered the heavy plait, unwinding it whilst keeping it lifted out of the water. A small part of him heard Snotlout's teasing to his right about a new career in hairdressing once Stoick chose him as heir but as he swept his fingertips across the back of her bare neck, as he felt the shudder there… He barely heard the antagonistic words.

He maneuvered it, turning hand over hand till it was a tight, thick twist in his clammy palms. The gold strands caught the light as he coiled it into a knot on top of her head; threading her thin leather tie into the bundle, hands working too quickly for true enjoyment. Too rapid to savour the feeling of her silken hair between his fingers, the velvet of her skin.

But he couldn't take his time; not with the others beside them in the pool with their ever watchful eyes and ever plentiful teasing. She shivered against his touch one final time before walking away, long strides back through the water till she was seated beside the other young woman once more, returning to her conversation as if it hadn't happened at all. The only sign she was as flustered as he was was the very slight flush on her neck and the way she kept looking up at him through her thick lashes.

They returned to their conversation, a knowing chuckle on Fishlegs lips as he began suggesting possible outcomes for the tunneling dragons they'd come across before. Were they best where they were, or safer on the dragon riders island, where they could watch over their growth? Hiccup quickly fell back into the pattern of focusing on research, on solving the constant puzzles lay before him by every new type of dragon they came across...trying very hard not to focus on the half naked woman opposite him still wearing his betrothal necklace.

Though he'd always been a multitasker.

He kept one eye on Astrid throughout it all, on the way the breeze ruffled the baby-hairs on her temple; how she often lazed her hands through the water, her own reflection disrupted by the minute waves. When she vanished to swim, he turned, drafting a map with Fishlegs in the dirt whilst Snotlout floated beside them - giving them all a sight no-one wanted to see.

Truthfully, it was doing wonders to calm his racing heart.

The twins were the first to leave, claiming they had a meeting of all things - Odin pray he didn't return to find the island on fire…

Snotlout left quickly afterwards, bored of floating and disinterested in the 'nerds' planning - snorting and spouting some nonsense about how Hookfang shouldn't spend this long around water. By that point, Astrid had returned and had brought her whetstone into the water, and the soft whine of it against her axe only served as punctuation for Hiccup and Fishlegs's near argument about the heat distribution of gronkle spit when affected by different mineral consumption.

Thor's great hammer why was that soft whine of metal so arousing?

It took a mere yawn from Meatlug and Fishlegs heaved his large body from the refreshing, cool water.

"Fishlegs!" Hiccup shouted, and his friend turned, part way through pulling his boots back on.

"I'll tell the others you're on night patrol, looking out for a whistling death we saw whilst flying back, the three of us" the blonde man smiled, and Hiccup felt himself go bright red, heard the strangled laugh of Astrid behind him. He coughed, stuttering madly as he tried to choke out his reply; failing so miserably that Fishlegs simply continued, cutting off the mad ramblings of his embarrassed leader

"It's fine, you two deserve some time alone"

"T… That's very kind Fishlegs" Hiccup finally spat out, gesturing with a shrug as he spoke. "But I was just going to ask you to make sure the twins don't destroy the island"

Fishlegs went pink. "Oh. You. You know they don't exactly listen to me Hiccup"

"Still, I trust you to keep an eye on them. And…" he continued, looking down at his own hands with embarrassment. "I think a night patrol sounds like a good idea"

As always, he was grateful to Fishlegs, who had been his friend when he was still the town mistake. When his father had found him ashaming and the beautiful woman opposite was something he could only imagine.

Fishlegs chuckled, pulling on his remaining boot and climbing onto Meatlug's back. "We'll figure out those baby dragons tomorrow"

Hiccup nodded, watching as their remaining chaperone lifted slowly into the air.

"Fishlegs!" he shouted, and the dragon hovered in place, small wings near invisible with the strain of keeping the two afloat. "Go home via Beserker Island would you? I think Heather wanted to talk to you!"

Flushing under his ears, the viking nodded. "As you wish Chief"

"I hate being called chief" he groaned, watching his friend depart and turning, breath catching in his throat, as he found Astrid close enough to feel her heat through the chilled water. He hadn't even heard her approach…

"What if I call you it?" she asked, lifting a hand to rest it against his suddenly tense shoulder.

"I. Astrid. Um"

She stepped forwards once more and any blood that could have possibly allowed for sensible speech left him entirely as her body pressed flush against his.

He wanted to speak, to compliment her, to say… Anything intelligent, or seductive, or witty. Instead, he could only manage a strangled half noise as her powerful hands skimmed up the bare skin of his sides and her mouth reached his ear; the whisper she left there transforming the startled half noise into a low moan.

"You owe me, Hiccup"

He coughed, stammering out his reply "I do… I do remember saying something like that"

"I remember it very clearly, Hiccup"

He felt his confidence grow as he remembered the forceful look of longing she'd given him before leaping from his window onto stormfly; as he remembered her above him, back arched as he thrust against her from below.

He pressed his lips against hers, drinking her in like sweet honey mead, his own forgotten hands trailing up her bare back - feeling every bump of her spine till he found the tightly wrapped bindings.

"It's fastened in the back" she whispered against his lips, the feeling of her breath against his the ticklish skin there making him shudder. He felt his way along the cloth, exploring, fingers testing the tight bindings for the knot that would unwrap her. As much as anything else… he didn't imagine the binding was exactly comfortable.

She gasped as her breasts met the cool air, the pool around them feeling almost warm now as the evening air called in.

"Astrid" he gasped, leaving her lips to kiss down the proud column of her neck, gently scraping with his teeth and sucking at the pale flesh til it bloomed with a gentle pink. She replied with his name in kind, the gentle moan of it a sound he knew would stick with him for life, like a Nightfury blast or a Whispering Death song..

"Have you thought about it often?" he asked, horrifically embarrassed as the words left his mouth but knowing he was onto the right track as he felt her tense beneath his hands; her breath puff out against his hair..

Her answer was short, confident - if a little breathless. "Yes"

"What… What have you imagined?"

He reached the swell of her breast, eager to proceed but in entirely new territory now. He pressed small kisses down, mesmerised by the sudden increase in her breathing, the way it caught as he flicked out his tongue to taste her.

Skin, it was just skin, no different to her throat or her hand but it lit him alight like dried grass kindling as he reached the raised, pebbled skin of her nipple and her hands wove tightly into his hair. "Hiccup" she gasped, and he paused, not entirely sure what she wanted. More of this? For him to move on?

Well...he'd spent his entire life so far simply discovering as he went, why break the habit of a lifetime now?

He smirked as he realised however that he'd been largely ignored and also that he didn't want to move on yet, not till he'd tasted everything here. Her fingernails were blunt against his scalp but the small scratches were intoxicating as he pressed out with the flat of his tongue, drawing her nipple into his mouth and sucking once before releasing her.

Her moan dissolved into a frustrated whine and he looked up to the most beautiful glare he'd ever encountered.

"You didn't answer"

"Answer what?"

"What… have you imagined?"

"This! Gods Hiccup I've been trying to get you alone for weeks and you want to spend our time talking?"

He chuckled, shaking his head and pulling her into his mouth once more, skimming his hands down her hips squeeze to the perk muscles of her rear.

"Off"

He immediately backed away; confused by the mixed messages but not wanting to take advantage of the situation. If she'd suddenly decided that yes was a no, then of course he'd listen. She met his raised an eyebrow with a surprisingly focused look; her confidence betrayed by the deep pink of her cheeks and the shyness in her hooded eyes.

"Take them off"

He nodded, unable to do anything else but slide the tips of his fingers into the sodden fabric and drag it down the swell of her hips. "As you wish my Lady"

This was...more than he could ever imagine,more than he had considered to be in the realm of possibilities for today.

She lifted her feet, one at a time, and he had to pull back and drink in the sight of her completely nude before him, only his betrothal necklace visible against her milky skin.

His hand moved to her breast, feeling the gentle weight there, before moving down her stomach - his eyes never leaving hers. She didn't stop him, didn't take her eyes off him, only widened her stance slightly and his heart stopped in his chest as his fingers met soft curls.

They stood there, eyes locked for what must have only been seconds but felt like an eternity as he waited for her to speak, to give permission or ask him to stop - anything. He would do anything that this amazing woman asked for.

"I thought about your fingers Hiccup"

His mouth was dry as he drifted those fingers down further, parting her gently to find her slick and wanting; incredibly jealous of her ability to simply tell him what she wanted. He'd never been so easily eloquent when it came to her.

"You did?"

She only nodded, lifting one leg til it was wrapped around his waist, gasping as it forced his fingers against her clit. He kept them there, lips finding hers in a searing kiss as she rocked against him, small motions drawing soft, fluttering moans from her.

He had absolutely no idea what he was doing, but was more than happy to let her take the lead, to try and match her movements with his own. It was incredible, all of it - the feel of her, firm and strong and so soft against his lips; but it very quickly became not enough.

He wanted more, wanted to see her, and slid his hand away, drinking in her annoyed, frustrated whine. He didn't abandon her though, sliding it down to press her against him, letting her feel how much she was affecting him.

"Climb up onto the bank" he whispered against her neck, hating that he couldn't do it himself. "I would… Lift you but…"

Her gaze softened; some of that hunger draining out of her eyes as she took in his tone, the way he buried his face in her neck, peppering kisses there, slow and hesitant.

"A chief knows when to delegate, Hiccup" she teased, resting her hands on the bank behind her and lifting herself up. She met his gaze through every second of the action and he was completely mesmerised, drinking in the sight of her skin glistening in the evening sunset.

She was magnificent, one of Odin's valkyries sent down for him. "Well, my Chief?" she asked, head cocked to one side. He leaned forwards between her newly spread legs, the term of endearment causing fire to roll in his gut. He reached down to her core once more before kneeling against the stone shelf, halfway in the water.

"Did you imagine this?" he asked, feeling as confident in that moment as he did riding the wind with toothless. He was built for this, built for her; and he knew it with every fibre of his body as he dipped down to taste her, struck with sudden inspiration, and she moaned his name loudly into the air around them. He did promise her this, and he'd fulfil that promise, even as his own erection strained against the tight, sodden material of his shorts.

He slid his fingers inside of her, marvelling at the sheer heat of her; how tight she was. She fell back against the grass as he pumped his fingers firmly; following her cried instructions to the letter. Harder, faster, whatever she asked for he did his best to manage, unable to avoid imagining how it would feel to be inside her himself; drinking in her cries as he leaned down to press his mouth where his fingers had been before.

"Fuck! Hiccup"

He nearly lost it then and there, the sheer need in her cry almost wrenching his own orgasm from him, completely untouched. When he'd been figuring out dragons he'd found something that worked and continued with it, and employed that method now- continuing with vigor as she near sobbed, back arching against the grass as her thighs tightened around his head.

That strong, unwavering warrior fell apart around his fingers, his mouth; and he knew immediately that much like flying this was something he'd never tire of. She caught her breath for less than a second before she was on him, lips against his, tasting herself as she did so.

"Hiccup, that was-"

He could feel his nerves settle back in slightly as he came to his senses a little more, but shoved them back.

"Maybe dragon training isn't the only thing I'm a natural at" he teased, laughing as she slapped his shoulder.

"Did you… ?" she asked, kissing lightly at his jaw, tired and boneless.

"Almost" he admitted, embarrassed that it had almost happened so easily, again, and she smiled against the stubble of his cheek; knowing she'd feel the burn of his unshaven face later between her legs and remember what they'd enjoyed together.

"Can I?" she asked, trailing her hand down his chest towards his waistband and he nodded.

"I probably won't...last...very long but I mean o… OfOf course you can"

She smiled, in the way he imagined spiders did whilst evaluating flies. "let's switch places"

Oh as quickly as it had arrived the confidence swiftly left him. He looked around, somehow only noticing now that the dragons had left them and Toothless still had his leg…

"Is something wrong?" she practically purred, sliding into the water smoothly and pressing herself against him. She knew what was wrong and it frustrated her endlessly that she had to continuously reassure him that she truly didn't care about his leg. He hesitated, and she slid her hand down between them, softly caressing the waistband of his soaked shorts; finding great enjoyment in the way his words stuttered out til they gave up completely.

"Can I?"

"Mmhmm. Yep. Sure. I mean, if you want to then I of course wouldn't say no"

He was so easy to tease and watching the shrug of his shoulders it was near impossible not to mimic him, to laugh. She didn't want to tease him too much though, not after he'd pleasured her so ferociously that her legs still felt weak. She slipped her hand underneath the waistband, wrapping her fingers around him carefully and experimentally lifting her hand up, then down.

She'd expected him to gasp or perhaps whimper, but she realised looking up that the reason he was so silent was that he hadn't actually taken breath yet; the air caught in his throat as he looked shocked to his core. He needed to breathe and she told him so, admonishing him between kisses as she continued to stroke him below the water's edge. She wanted to taste him, to feel the weight of it on her tongue; but there would be plenty of time for that later. She didn't want him to worry about the mottled, scarred appearance of his stump- didn't want him to think about anything but the sensation of her mouth around him.

His hands tensed on her upper arms, his gasping breath making her feel heady as he so desperately dragged his tongue against hers, their breaths in unison as he reached the precipice.

"Astrid. I… i"

She smirked, enjoying the butterflies that danced in her chest as the sight of the person she was set to marry so close to the edge- and she thought he'd been the natural.

"I love you, Hiccup" she gasped against his lips, looking down in wonder as he came, glad for the cleansing water as quickly washed her hand.

He murmured the sentiment back, forehead resting against hers; a slight shiver over the two of them as their own warmth wore off and the reality of standing, of...playing in a cool pool under the evening sky became apparent.

"What do you say" Hiccup began, fingers finding hers beneath the water; interlacing tightly, "that we find our dragons-"

"A good a plan as any"

"-put warm, clean clothes on-"

"Definitely"

"-then head back to Berk and find the nearest hearth and some roast goose?"

She smiled, hoisting herself onto the bank once more and holding her hand out to Hiccup, heart swelling as he hesitated for a second before accepting her strong tug onto the dry grass.

"Only" she continued, hand still in his; waiting to lift him to his feet, "If we can plan when we can next sneak out like this"

He laughed, slightly wobbly as he balanced on the one leg, waiting as Astrid pulled her underwear back on so she could act as his crutch whilst they called their dragons. "It's a deal, Astrid Hofferson"