Stormbound

Scene 16: The cells

Hiccup's eyelids flutter.

"Hey, muttonhead," a familiar voice says.

Hiccup groans and reaches a heavy hand to rub his squinting eyes. Slowly the blurry blonde figure resolves into a familiar smiling face.

"Astrid..?" he manages weakly.

"Took you long enough," she scolds, but her face has relief written all over it.

A jolt of adrenaline jerks him upright. "Astrid!" he cries, "you-" a wave of dizziness swamps him and he groans, clutching his head.

Astrid pushes him gently to the floor with one finger. "Ah, ah, ah," she chastises, crossing her arms, "no sudden movements. Healer's orders."

"How did you-"

"I followed our informant's directions and let them capture me. Stormfly's bringing the A team to rescue us."

Hiccup frowns. "You shouldn't have done that."

"What, found you?"

"No, gotten yourself captured."

"Well on the plus side, I destroyed all their other ships."

"Astrid-"

"Do you trust me?"

"Astrid that's not fair!"

"Do you trust me?" she asks again, looking straight into his wide green eyes.

Hiccup sighs, looking away. "Astrid, you know I trust you."

"Then let me handle this. You focus on getting better. And that means," she points at him, propped up against the ship's curving wall, "stay."

Nothing much happens in the next few hours. Astrid sits beside Hiccup, telling him about Berk and the A team and her plan, scolding him for getting shot, and recounting her journey to find him.

Hiccup tells her how he freed the Thunderdrum and how Heather and Dagur had taken the arrow out.

"I was out for most of it," he shrugs.

Astrid glares at him.

"What?"

"I don't hear an apology," she says.

"Sorry for getting captured by the Hunters. Astrid, I couldn't really help it." he protests.

"Sorry for getting shot," she corrects, "from what you told me, you could help that."

"I was protecting Toothless!"

"Dragonroot arrows are designed not to be deadly to dragons, Hiccup. Toothless is bigger than you; he can take an arrow wound better than you can. Now we have to wait for you to heal before we can get you out."

"I'm fine! I can even stand, see?" He pushes himself up.

Astrid's eyes widen. "Absolutely not! Sit back down right now!" She jumps to her feet and puts both hands on Hiccup's shoulders, noticing the white bandages beginning to turn pink. She scowls, trying to push him down.

"Astrid," Hiccup places his own hands on her shoulders, steadying himself. Astrid looks up, blue eyes catching his. "I'm sorry I took the arrow." The corner of his mouth twitches, "I've certainly been punished for it."

Astrid punches him lightly on his good shoulder.

"Ow!" he protests.

"Do you have ANY IDEA how worried I've been?!" she cries.

"I know. I'm sorry for that too. Probably you'll ground me or something when we get back."

That gets a smile out of her. "Just until you're better," she jokes, eyes softening. "I'm glad to have you back, Hiccup. I missed you."