Dawntime Plans
[I have over 15 fic requests right now. This is neither of those. But sometimes a scene will just jump fully formed into your brain, and then you have to write it. It's a law.]
Hiccup is now quite awake, not quite asleep when, just before dawnbreak, the hinges of the shutters creak, followed by low thud, then soft footsteps.
He doesn't startle—the sound is so familiar, it doesn't register as a threat, even to his hazy, half-there mind.
The next moment the corner of the blanket lifts and Astrid slips under it, tucking herself into his chest. Hiccup's arm curl around her on its own, pulling her close, as he lets out a content sigh—he doesn't tell her with words how glad he is to have her there, but he hopes she still knows that as he nuzzles his nose into her hair. She is so soft and warm and smells so nice, feels so right in his arms, and he is just about to fall back into proper sleep when she speaks, her voice a shy whisper.
"Hiccup?" He mumbles something so she knows he's listening. "I want a baby."
Her words only half-register at first; all he knows is that she wants something, and his first instinct is to give her whatever that is. But it's so early…
"Can it wait until morning?"
There is a sound, almost like a chuckle, then she pinches his arm, and the sharp sting is enough to make him alert.
And for the realization to slam into him.
His eyes pop open. "You want a baby?" he repeats, his voice comically high.
Her blue eyes dance in the pre-dawn haze. "My sister had her baby during the night, and she said I was now old enough to attend," she says as an explanation. "And childbirth is… it's horrific, Hiccup. It's painful and bloody and scary." A soft smile touches her lips. "But then the baby was born, and she started to cry and suddenly… it just didn't seem to matter. I wish you could have seen it, the joy on my sister's face. How happy everyone was. It was… magical." He can't be sure in the gloom, but he swears she blushes. "I want that too."
"So you want a baby…" He swallows. "Now?" It doesn't escape his attention that she is in his bed and they're alone and the village is still asleep—these are prime baby making conditions.
"Not now. Of course not now," she replies, but her voice is not as harsh and determined as he would have expected. "But…" She pushes him on his back and lays her head on his chest "…can we make it a part of the semi-short term plan?"
"The semi-short term plan?" he repeats. He feels like all he is doing this morning is repeating her words.
"Like…" Her fingers are drawing nonsensical patterns on his torso, just under his ribcage. "In a year or two?"
He lets out a sigh, eyelids slowly closing. "Yeah… I can do a year or two. I think." He wants to sound more sure, but this whole thing has just been sprung upon him, when he wasn't even fully awake yet, and a baby? A baby is a big deal. The biggest. But Astrid seems to be satisfied with his answer, because she relaxes on top of him, her limbs going loose, her head becoming heavy upon him.
"Okay," she says in that happy-blissed sigh of hers. "I'm going to sleep now."
"Sweet dreams," he says, because what else is he to say?
It doesn't take long for her breathing to slow and deepen as she falls asleep, while Hiccup, serving as her pillow, remains wide awake.
A baby… in a year or two… It's a scary thought, especially this early in the morning. But, this he can't deny as he idly caresses Astrid's hair, scary doesn't necessarily mean bad.
