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Astrid storms behind Hiccup, following him from the stables to his hut. He had only returned moments ago from confronting Viggo on his own. The riders had been informed of Viggo’s death, as well as his supposed redemption, before Hiccup said he was going to bed.
He was clearly upset. But Astrid really doesn’t care right now.
“Are you fucking kidding me?”, she yells as they enter Hiccup’s hut. She feels Toothless come in behind her, the faint feeling of his scales brushing her legs. The door swings shut behind her.
“Ast, please. Not right now.” Hiccup pleaded.
“Don’t fucking ‘Ast’ me right now, Hiccup. Do you understand how scared I’ve been? We had no idea where you were! And you let yourself get captured knowing that you were completely off our map?”.
“I was fine”, Hiccup says, sitting down on a chair and beginning to remove his armour. “I had Toothless, and Viggo-”.
“Yeah, Viggo”, Astrid scoffs, taking a step forward. “How could you just trust him like that! You put your life in his hands, the hands that have tried to kill us many times, and were just okay with it?”
“You weren’t there Astrid! I had no other option! And yeah, maybe I was a bit too trusting, but in the end he died for me. And I did not fucking want that!” Hiccup grows angier and angier with each word. Toothless coos quietly, putting his head on Hiccup’s lap and wrapping his tail around his legs.
“And if he had just betrayed you and let you die instead?”
“If that's what it took to put a stop to Krogan and Johann, then maybe”.
“Oh my Gods, Hiccup!”, Astrid cries. She’s growing frantic. “Do you even hear yourself! You can’t keep doing this! You can’t be willing to sacrifice yourself for every single cause! I can’t sit back and let you kill yourself for every damn thing! Nothing is worth more than your life!”
Hiccup suddenly stands from his chair, jostling Toothless. “Thats just who I am, Astrid! If I’m not willingly to die for every single good thing in this world, then I don’t deserve to lead this!”
“Gah!”, Astrid yells. She flails her hands around frantically, frustrated, and one of them accidentally slams into the wall. The sound causes Hiccup to flinch slightly, still jumpy from the day’s events.
Toothless notices. And starts to growl.
It's a deep, rumbling, threatening growl. A protective growl, baring his teeth at Astrid.
A long, tense, silent moment passes as Astrid starts to laugh to herself.
“I-I can’t. I can’t keep doing this”, she chokes out through barely held back tears. “I can’t do this anymore”.
“Astrid”, Hiccup solemnly says, stepping over Toothless and attempting to take her in his arms. She steps back.
“No. I can't sit by and watch as you let yourself get killed. I won’t. I can’t. I can’t keep fucking doing this, Hiccup”. She keeps moving until she reaches the door.
“Astrid, please. I’m sorry”, Hiccup softly pleads.
“Don’t”.
The door slams shut behind her.
And Hiccup is left to think.