Chapter 16: Love in the Air

                                    

                                          
It was late morning by the time Astrid woke in Hiccups arms. He was still fast asleep when his girlfriend lifted her head up to look at him. She smiled. His lips were barely parted, left hand still rested on her back and lying as still as can be, except for the rising and falling of his chest in which Astrid had her head on. With her right hand she wiped a small trail of drool from the corner of his mouth. The young man snorted in protest before wiping his nose and mouth with the back of his left hand.
                          
Astrid giggled and trailed her finger along his stubbly jaw. Hiccup shuffled his shoulders, but groaned in pain. She sighed, seeing his wound again. The bandage had a little dot of blood that had seeped through.
                          
There was a slight knock on the door.
                          
"Hiccup?" Valka asked, opening the door slightly.
                          
Astrid sat up carefully, so that she would not wake him. "Morning Valka." She whispered. "He's still sleeping."
                          
Valka chuckled, opening the door farther. She walked over to the bed and studied her son.
                          
"We'll have to give him new bandages when he wakes." She said.
                          
Astrid nodded, stretched and then stood.
                          
"Would you like something to eat?" Valka asked.
                          
Astrid placed her hand on her now growling stomach. "Oh yes please."
                          
A few minutes after the two left Hiccup started stiring. He tried to push himself up with his right arm, but it collapsed on him. After gathering himself, he pushed upward with his left hand instead. 
                          
His head pounded and his body ached. The young man looked himself over, groaning when he saw the wound. After shaking his hand, putting on his prosthetic and standing, he walked over to his dresser and pulled out a comfy pair of clothes. It was basically the same thing he used to wear five years ago, just bigger and better made. 
                          
It irritated him more that he had to mend his flight suit more than that he was actually injured. He put the damaged suit in the drawer and pulled on his pants with only his left arm. After many tries of attempting to pull his shirt on, he gave up. With his shirt in hand, he wandered down stairs.
                          
"Mom? Astrid?" He called weakly. 
                          
Valka's head peaked up from the couch, closely followed by Astrid. They both stood and came over to him.
                          
"Are you okay?" Astrid asked and he nodded.
                          
"What happened?" His mother asked.
                          
"I'll tell you later." He said rather huskily.
                          
Astrid walked over to the counter and grabbed the bandages. "We need to change that." She said.
                          
"I'm going to find Gobber, ya know, get started on your list for today." Valka announced, walking out the door.
                          
Her son thanked her.
                          
Hiccup sat in his chair with Astrid sitting on the armrest, undoing his bindings. The father down she unraveled them, the more soiled they became. It sickened Astrid.
                          
"Is there a reason why you don't want to tell me what happened?" Astrid asked.
                          
Hiccup chuckled. "In due time."
                          
She smiled slightly, but kept unraveling. Once the old bandages were out of the way, she smeared more ointment on and began to wrap on new bandages. They sat there for a moment, staring into each others eyes, before Hiccup chuckled again.
                          
"What?" Astrid asked.
                          
"Can you help me put on my shirt?" He asked.
                          
Astrid shook her head, laughing. "Of course."