She was absolutely stunning. Her long, blonde hair cascaded over her shoulder, a crown braid encircling her head. As he sat at the bridegrooms table watching her, Hiccup couldn't dream of anything beyond the perfection that was his wife. The music played on in a never-ending stream that played beyond his notice. The celebration would last far into the night, he knew, but Hiccup couldn't wait any longer. He desired to be with his new bride, just the two of them – sharing each other alone.

Hiccup downed the last of his mead, the warmth coating his chest and loosing his ambitions. He went to Astrid, purpose in his steps, and pressed a palm to the small of her back. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, remaining in her space as he whispered close to her ear, "May I steal you away, milady?"

Astrid rested a hand on his chest, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Steal me all you want, husband."

"Oh, I plan to the rest of our lives." Hiccup nodded in farewell at the guests that had been occupying Astrid's time. He grasped her hand, leading her from the mass that was there to celebrate their union.

They scampered into the night like two kids sneaking around, heighted whispers and giddy laughter. They arrived at the Chief's hut, but Hiccup paused before opening the door.

"Our first time in this house as husband and wife. I think we should make a grand entrance."

Astrid snorted a laugh. "And who's going to see it? Not even our dragons are here tonight."

"It'll be just for me and you."

Astrid bit her lip in contemplation. "Go for it, babe."

A delighted smile broke out on Hiccup's face, and he scooped Astrid up into a bridal hold, his wife squealing in surprise at his unexpected move. He bounced her once to get a better hold on her. With all the added material of her wedding attire, finding a sturdier grip was a bit hard. But soon she was secure in his arms and Hiccup nudged the door open with his prosthetic foot.

Astrid helped push the door the rest of the way open as he walked in. "You know, if you really wanted to make a grand entrance, I should have carried you instead."

Hiccup's eyebrow raised. "And that would have been incredibly epic," he said, knowing all too well that she could have easily carried him. She'd done it before. "But I like this better."

Astrid ran her fingers along his fur-lined cape. "Fur looks good on you. You should wear it more often since you are the chief now."

"I'll take note of that."

"Good."

Hiccup stopped at the stairs leading to his room. He gently set Astrid down, and took her hand in his. His mother had offered the master bedroom, which had been Stoick's domain Hiccup's entire life. But he couldn't accept it. It would always be his father's room and Hiccup felt that his mother deserved it. He and Astrid would reside in his childhood room until one day when they needed more space to accommodate the little ones that would fill the house with tiny voices and pattering feet.

Astrid gave Hiccup's hand an encouraging squeeze. That was all he needed to draw him from any thoughts that were trying to take away from their night. He led her up the stairs. The room looked strange without Toothless on his stone bed, and Hiccup hoped his best friend wasn't too distraught about sleeping in the stables with Stormfly just for this one night.

He pulled Astrid toward the bed; a new, larger and longer frame in place of his old, smaller bed. A fur blanket was spread over the planks with two pillows at the headboard. Hiccup looked at Astrid, his heart starting to pound. This was it. No more waiting. No more dreaming. They could share the last part of themselves with each other at last.

Astrid traced her fingertip on his jawline along the roughness of his growing beard. The gesture sent a shiver through Hiccup and a burning coursed into his belly.

"Do you know what happens on the wedding night?" he asked, his voice thick. He had to see how much Astrid knew, or he'd feel horrible for dropping the consummation on his new bride.

Astrid let out a breathy laugh. "I know a husband and wife are to lie together. I'm not exactly sure how all the mechanics work, but my mother said we'd figure it out."

Hiccup threw his head back for a moment. "Oh, thank Thor." He grasped her waist, drawing her to him. "I don't know the details either, but it'll be fun figuring it out."

Astrid smiled. "You got that right."

Their lips met in a kiss that spoke more than any words ever could. How their lives had changed tremendously since their first kiss days after the battle with the Red Death.

Astrid's fingers unlatched the clasps on Hiccup's fur cape and tossed it to the side as they continued to explore each other's lips. Hiccup's fingertips dug pleasantly into her waist as he trailed passed her mouth, leaving a string of kisses along her jawline to the beginnings of her neck, stopping to suckle a patch of skin. He moaned as Astrid grabbed tuffs of his hair to hold on to.

They'd gone this far before, the results leaving a red mark on Astrid's neck. The saving grace was the winter weather that helped her conceal the mark with her fur hood. The couple had shared secret glances, the evidence of their private activities hidden behind fur and stained cheeks.

"We should get out of these clothes," Astrid suggested.

Their traditional white wedding attire cut from the finest fabric hung heavy on their frames, beautifully adorned in orange and gold detailed lining. In record time, Hiccup had tugged free of his tunic, leaving his chest bare. Astrid had only begun to work off her cape.

She eyed him with a twinkling gleam. "A little help?"

She twisted around with her back to him, and Hiccup's nimble fingers unbuttoned the long gown. Astrid leaned her shoulders forward and worked her way free from the wrist-length sleeves. She pushed the bunched material at her waist down her legs then stepped over the pile that was her wedding dress. She turned to face Hiccup with a little grin. Only Astrid's chest bindings and skivvies remained.

Astrid had seen Hiccup bare chested before. She'd tended to his injuries obtained in battle or training that went wrong. But her lack of clothing was a whole new venture for Hiccup, and his stare of wide-eyed wonder had frozen him on the spot.

Hiccup felt heat rising up his body as if a dragon had lit the very place where he stood on fire. Astrid twirled her loose hair in a coy way that was unlike her but genially becoming. He could tell she was undergoing the same butterflies as he was. This was new to both of them. They'd kissed, they'd touched, they'd slipped so close to full on intimacy. But never this far; not sharing every last piece of themselves with each other.

Hiccup moved to grasp Astrid's hand. He led her to the trunk at the end of the footboard and sat them there. He gazed at their clasped hands, trying to take in the moment.

"Look at us," Astrid laughed softly, "We'll fly full on into battle, but we're shy as mountain goats when it comes to this."

Hiccup looked up at her. The warmth of her love was too much, and he wished to lay kisses on every inch of her. The heat of his body licked at him still. "We'll never get passed this if we still have clothes remaining."

"You're right," Astrid agreed. She turned her back to him. "Unclasp me."

Hiccup took a deep breath as he worked the several clasped that held his wife's chest binding. Astrid tossed the binding aside, and faced him again, revealing it all. Hiccup's mouth took the form of an 'O' as he stared at her breasts.

"Oh, sweet scrap metal."

"Hiccup!" Astrid smacked her fist on his abdomen with a laugh.

It'd been an inside joke between them ever since the scrap metal incident from their time on Dragon's Edge. Astrid had remarked how she'd tried to get his attention by blatantly waving her chest adorned with the betrothal medallion at her clueless boyfriend, and ever since then Hiccup had fondly dubbed that part of her 'scrap metal'.

"We might as well go to bed now if you're trying to bruise my ribs, young lady!"

The joke had cut the shy awkwardness, and Hiccup looked questioningly at her. Astrid gave the permission he sought. He carefully touched her breasts, taking in the weight of both as if measuring a bag of coins. In all the years, he'd wondered if a woman's chest looked any different from a man's and now he saw the only difference was the size of the bosom.

He ran thumb pads over Astrid's nipples, causing her to visible shiver. A sly grin crossed his lips as he repeated the action. Her chest rose quicker with each touch and pinch, and her reaction was causing his pants to grow tighter.

"Hiccup," Astrid gasped his name in a way that she was about to fall over the edge, and he was falling right behind her.

"I know, Astrid."

They quickly yanked off what clothing was left, along with Hiccup's prosthetic. Their lips smashed together in a heated frenzy. They crawled onto the bed, Hiccup trapping Astrid underneath him.

Astrid's palms explored Hiccup's torso, feeling the firm sheet of muscle on his stomach before digging her fingertips into his taut backside. All the years of being a dragon rider had really worked wonders for his lean body. It wasn't as scrawny as it appeared.

Hiccup trailed kisses down her neck, pressing a long, wet kiss to the space between her breasts, her mounds brushing against his cheeks as her chest rose and fell. He met her eyes, panting, and Astrid nodded for him to continue with the cues their bodies were giving.

Hiccup positioned himself against his wife's opening, his downward parts seeming to know where to go. His length was about ready to explode, and sliding it into Astrid nearly did him in. He breathed in unsteadily through his nose, attempting to control the sensation that nearly overwhelmed him.

Hiccup opened his tightly shut eyes to look at Astrid, needing to share this incredible moment with her. Her breath was just as ragged as his, her eyes gleaming with pleasure. Her right hand withdrew from his back to caress his cheek. With that one simple but profound gesture, Hiccup responded with a sharp thrust. Astrid drew in a sharp intake of breath, her eyes squeezing shut, and that was all Hiccup needed to fall over the edge.

He hid his face in the space next to Astrid's shoulder, panting. After several gasps, he raised his head, a wobbly smile spreading his face. He felt a warm seepage down below and knew what that meant. "I guess we better get cleaned up."

Hiccup pushed off Astrid, and glanced at the fur blanket, his face ashen at the sight of blood. "Oh gods, did I hurt you?" What if he'd gotten carried away with pleasure and didn't realize how hard he's pushed? He'd never trust himself if he hurt Astrid powered by the strength of his want for her.

Astrid calmed his fear with the touch of his chest. "Hiccup, I'm okay. My mother mentioned for a first time there would be some blood. It's perfectly natural." With that confirmation, he sighed in relief.

They cleaned themselves and the bed as best they could then found their way under the warm blanket.

"I think we figured it out," Astrid remarked a while later as she traced invisible lines on Hiccup's chest.

Hiccup chuckled softly. "I think so too." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Love you, my wife."

He felt her smile on his skin. "Love you too, husband."