Set at the end of RTTE.
***
Knock Knock.
"Astrid?" Hiccup called as he poked his head into her hut. "You ready to go?"
"I guess." She sighed, looking around her room. Hiccup snuck up behind her and snaked his arms around her waist, resting his head on her shoulder.
"Hey, are you okay?" He wondered. "You've been acting weird all morning." He noted.
"I just..." She hesitated. She spun in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. "What if we didn't go back?"
"What are you talking about?" Hiccup thought, furrowing his brow at her.
"I like it here." She admitted. "Why can't we stay?"
"I thought you missed home?"
"I do. It's just... complicated." She explained.
"Hey..." He spoke softly as he gently lifted her chin until their eyes locked onto one another. He gently swept her bangs from her face and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead before cupping her cheek in his hand. "What's going on in that head of yours, huh?"
"I just don't know if I'm ready to leave yet." She admitted, subconsciously leaning into his touch.
"Astrid, we won. The dragons are safe." He reminded. "We can go home now."
"You're right. I guess I'm just gonna miss it being just the seven of us." She confessed.
"It's been one heck of a ride, huh?" Astrid nodded in agreement. "Well, I for one will feel a lot safer with my father around. He gave us a bit of a scare there."
"Right."
***
Two weeks later
***
"Hey, has anyone seen Astrid?" Hiccup asked the riders as he ventured into the arena in the early hours of the morning. "I can't find her anywhere."
"No, haven't seen her." Snotlout denied. The twins quickly agreed.
"Not since she ran out at dinner," Tuffnut explained.
"Jokes on her. She didn't even touch her mutton chops so we split em. 60. 40." Ruff added.
"You said it was 50. 50." Her brother growled.
"This isn't like her." Hiccup thought.
"Sure it is." Tuffnut disagreed. "She's been like this since we got back. Skipping meals, sneaking off, and now that I think about it, she's been awfully quiet. Not that I'm complaining."
"Wait? So you knew that something was going on with Astrid and you didn't think to tell me?!"
"You didn't ask!" The twins defended.
"Besides, she's your betrothed. We thought you knew." Ruff added.
"You know, Fishface is being awfully quiet over there." Snotlout noted.
"Uhhhh." He hummed nervously.
"Fishlegs..." Hiccup glared. "Do you know something?"
"Okay okay!" He huffed out. "Last night Meatlug had a nightmare so we went for a late-night flight to calm her down and we heard a lot of shouting and crashing coming from the Hofferson house." He took a deep breath. "Then Astrid ran out and flew towards Raven's Point. It looked like she was crying but you know Astrid so probably not. You happy now?!" He rasped in one final breath.
