The Night Rider

Chapter 28: Reunion

ASTRIDS POV.

WARNING: Sexual reference

The two quietly crept down the stairs at a slow speed trying to make as little noise as possible. "How are you doing?" Astrid asked Hiccup when she noticed how heavy his breathing had become from under his helmet. "Yeah I'm fine." He replied between breaths. "You know your a lot heavier than you seem." Astrid said re-positioning Hiccups arm that was around her neck.

From under his mask Astrid heard Hiccup reply to her with a short and tired chuckle. After two minutes the two reached the bottom of the stairs and turned around and made there way over to the back door. To make it to the arena they would have to sneak around the backs of buildings just in case any people were out wandering the streets because the last thing they needed was an angry Viking wanting there pound of flesh for Hiccup's relationship with dragon kind.

Astrid had Hiccup lean up against a wall while she opened the wooden back door letting in a cold breeze when she did. Astrid went back over to Hiccup and slung one of hid arms over her neck again and the two stepped out into the cold night. She immediately felt Hiccup begin to shiver out in the cold air and pulled him slightly closer to herself hoping that some of her body heat would heat him up.

"Sorry, we probably should have grabbed you a shirt." She said realizing that Hiccup didn't have a shirt on only the bandages that were wrapped around his wounds. "It's fine, let's just hurry." He replied between his slightly chattering teeth and the two continued to make there way behind houses and to the arena. Earlier when they had been bringing Hiccup to his house Stoick had had her carry a torch that was almost out so it could provide some light but not enough to draw to much attention to themselves but now they were walking in complete darkness.

The only light that they could use was the light that came down from the stars and the moon. "What's it like? Flying at this time?" Asked Astrid. "What?" Replied Hiccup not understanding her question. Astrid grabbed Hiccup by the shin and pointed his head up towards the sky. "What is it like flying among the stars?" Astrid explained looking up at the sky that was littered with hundreds of glistening stars.

"The first time I went up there I was expecting what you would. To fly among the stars but in truth no matter how high you get the stars never seem to grow any closer." He said. Astrid looked away from the stars and back in front. Ever since she had first ridden on a dragon she had wondered what it would be like to fly among the stars but apparently it wasn't anything special.

"But that's not the good part." Said Hiccup resuming their conversation. "The best part is looking down." Astrid felt her stomach tighten at his words and as the memories of looking down on her last flight flooded her brain. "Because when you look down you see all the stars reflect off the glass like ocean waves. It's..." Hiccup paused and Astrid could see him close his eyes through the slits of his mask.

"It's like nothing you can possibly imagine." He said and Astrid smiled at the thought of it. For the next several minutes there short journey to the arena was uneventful. Just the two of them trudging along behind the houses of Berk clocked in darkness. "I'm sorry that my dragons attacked Berk Astrid." Hiccup said as they walked passed what used to be a house but was now a pile of charcoal.

"It's fine." She replied. "It's not like you had them do it." More moments of uninterrupted silence ensued until Astrid felt a question pushing on her throat. Should she ask it? It wasn't really any of her business. "Hiccup, can I ask you something?" She asked quickly nervous about the question she was going to ask, but even more nervous about the answer he could return.

"I know it's not any of my business but I overheard what you said to your father in the tent." She began and she could feel Hiccups muscles tighten at the question. "Oh." He replied. "You said that you were done being the Night Rider. But I think we both know that's not true." There was silence between them before he responded.