#randis stuff

(And their second born Philadephos technically but shhhhh)

OH BOY WOULD I

Alright SO. I feel like Astrid, much like the rest of her tribe, was always disappointed that they got Hiccup as an heir. At first. Until he starts doing well in dragon training, and he starts sneaking off, and she can always see the gears turning in his brain, and that's when she realizes the heir to Stoick the Vast might actually have a very very real shot at succeeding on day. So she starts to follow him, and we all know the story from there.

I always imagined the kisses she gives him in the first movie, the first one after the romantic first flight on Toothless and the second after he wakes up from defeating the Red Death, were a sentiment to how she's come to love his mind. Astrid is a warrior through and through, so physical strength is almost a given in Viking culture. But Hiccup has a strength of the mind that she can't help but be drawn to; it's different, it's refreshing. It gave him a way to command his peers through the battle with a different outlook, one that focused on weighing their individual strengths to overcome rather than just brute force. And in her opinion, only someone with that strength of mind would ever consider befriending the enemy to solve a centuries-long rivalry. And it WORKED. And it was beautiful. And she couldn't wait to see how that kind of mind would reshape her tribe for the better.

Now. RTTE. The SLOWBURN. Hiccup is away from his element, and his mind can really shine out there with no one else to lead them. They all truly have to rely on Hiccup for the first time in their lives, and in Astrid's opinion, he could not have delivered better. She sees him think his way through every obstacle that they face, ensuring his friends' safety and the safety of their dragons, ensuring the comfort of the creatures they can't imagine living without, taking it all in stride, and Astrid is head over heels. And that terrifies her. Because never once in her life has she ever imagined herself with another person. She was a warrior first and foremost, training was always the focus. She never stopped to think about what a life intertwined with another person would be like, because frankly, it was hard enough just to make sure she survived to adulthood. But now she found herself all but glued to Hiccup's side, loving his company, wanting to hear everything that beautiful mind had to say.

And then we get to Blindsided. Not only is Hiccup smart and focused and logical, but he's also kind and gentle and soft. He's all those things FOR HER. And Astrid sees that immediately. She had always been so focused on her sight, and once it's taken away she's forced to focus on her other senses. The slight hint of smoke and singed clothes from the forge, the feel of his rough and calloused hands gentle guiding her on her arms, the worried timber in his voice that he's trying so hard to hide, the firm grip on her waist as he held her onto Toothless's back, the earnest and confident way he says "There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid" that makes her heart flutter, the hot taste of his breath on her tongue as he leaned in to kiss her before the Triple Strike interrupted. She knew she loved his mind, but the whole experience awakened a need in her that she had never experienced before, something she didn't quite understand. Not until the bandages were slowly removed from her eyes, and her pupils adjusted to the harsh light. And there he was, standing before her with a gentle and hopeful smile, eyes full of adoration and longing. She needed HIM, she needed ALL of him, she needed him and no one but him by her side for the rest of her life. "Astrid, are you...?"

"Looking at you? Seems like it." Oh, she was looking at him alright. Suddenly she could see it. She could see all of it. She could understand the looks her parents shared, the way they always had their hands on each other and the small smiled they exchanged at the simplest little things, things that seemed so insignificant to Astrid before. But now? Now she wanted nothing to more than to have something like that for herself, and no one would fill that desire unless it was Hiccup. She didn't want any of the snide remarks or teasing or not-so-thinly-veiled advances that Snotlout gave her. She wanted the gentle, thoughtful, longing, LOVING glances and words that came from Hiccup. Never once did she want some "strong man" protecting her for the rest of her life, but now she wanted nothing more than to fight alongside the brilliant mind of Hiccup Haddock as the equal she knew he believed her to be.

And the RELIEF that flooded his face at hearing that she was healed, oh it only made it worse. All he wanted was for her to be safe, and happy, and healthy, (and loved, her mind suggested) and she couldn't help standing out of her chair and embracing him. Yes, he hesitated for just a split second, but once his arms wrapped around her they were strong and warm and Astrid prayed he would never let her go.

And then... Her lips tingled all day remembering his breath on them. She had been startled when it happened, but now... Suddenly... She DESPERATELY wanted to know what it would have felt like if he had closed the distance, if the Triple Strike had been just a few minutes behind. She remembered the weight of his body crashing into her, the protective hold he had when he twisted through the air so she would land on top of him instead of the other way around. Her whole body trembled at the thought of laying there on the ground wrapped in his arms, and she didn't know what to do with that feeling. But later, when Hiccup finally, FINALLY kissed her, she knew exactly what to do with that feeling.

She was TERRIFIED. She was in uncharted territory. But that was okay, as long as Hiccup was there to draw the map with her.

Oooo okay, so in the movies I love Astrid's development and they way they show her evolving from a cold-hearted warrior to a warrior that thinks a little more with her heart. I love that they keep the essence of her consistent throughout the story, but you can clearly see how her interactions with Hiccup widen her view.

So my dear friend, I ask you a simple question:

What happens when you combine Telemachus with a sudden bout of baby fever?

Oh my friend you know just what to say to get me to lock the hell in. Bet.

For those of you who saw the last thing me and my wonderful friend Gub wrote out of a sheer whim, you know how crazy this is about to get.

For those of you that haven’t seen it, this is that silly little post that turned into a whole fic if you’d like some backstory to these two sappy little love birds.

Now! Let’s see where our little dove and jellyfish are a year after that crazy night, shall we?

————

“Telemachus?”

Telemachus turned slowly at the sound of his husband’s voice, a smile across his face before his eyes found the beauty curiously watching him. He was met with a soft smile and a bit of a chuckle as Peisistratus crossed their bedroom to where he stood on the balcony. Telemachus held out his hand, and Peisistratus curiously complied. Telemachus pulled the smaller man against his chest, secured an arm tightly around his back and dipped him as he kissed him. Peisistratus giggled lightly into the kiss, holding on tightly to Telemachus’ shoulder even once he stood upright again. “Yes, Peisistratus?” Telemachus finally answered, not bothering to hide his love-drunk smile from his husband.

“Watching the waves again?”

Telemachus shrugged. “Just enjoying a quiet moment, wishing you would walk in the door to make it even more enjoyable. And look at that, you did!”

Peisistratus playfully rolled his eyes, a bit of suspicion sneaking into his smile. “Not talking to the Earthshaker again, are we, my dove?”

“Not today, my jellyfish. Don’t tell me you miss him.”

“No, and I don’t trust the two of you together anymore.”

Telemachus chuckled at the teasing but chose to ignore the comment. “Are you done for the day?”

“I am. Do you still want to go down to the market?”

“I do, but you don’t have to come if you don’t want to. I just need to get some more ink and parchment.”

Peisistratus pecked his lips. “Of course I’ll come with you. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

Telemachus hummed. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” He wrapped his arms around his husband and gave him a proper kiss before taking his hand and leading the way out the door.

The last year of their lives had been quite the adventure despite not leaving Ithaca. Telemachus had enjoyed every moment of getting to reacquaint himself with his husband after they both finally admitted to themselves that there was more to this political arrangement than they first believed. Telemachus had never been happier; mornings had never felt so warm, meals had never tasted so delightful, music had never sounded so sweet as they did with his heart by his side.

Even mundane trips to the market were far more enjoyable with comforting fingers laced into his own. Sure, they had walked through the markets hand in hand during the first year of their marriage, but it had all been for show. Now it was as if Telemachus could feel Peisistratus’ heart beating in his hand, and he reveled in the knowledge that his heart beat only for him.

They chatted idly as they made their way down the path from the palace, catching the other up on the things they did in the few hours they were apart. Their chatting died down as they entered the market square, squeezing through the crowd and smiling at the bowed heads directed their way as they passed. The market was always busy at this time of day, but Telemachus never minded. Though it did make the trek to the stall at the far end of the market a bit longer, he enjoyed seeing his subjects mingling and happy now that the days of awaiting the King’s return were behind them.

As they stepped up to the stall Telemachus was aiming for, Peisistratus pulled gently on his hand. “Go ahead and get your ink and parchment. Penelope asked me to get some more of that blue thread while we were down here. It’s pretty crowded, it might take a while so we better divide and conquer.”

“Good idea. I’ll meet you at Lady Aphrodite’s statue?”

Peisistratus nodded and quickly kissed his lips before disappearing into the crowd.

Obtaining the ink and parchment didn’t take too long thanks to the vendor’s familiarity with the materials Telemachus preferred, though the walk back through the crowd took a little longer. That’s what they got for coming at peak hours, Telemachus supposed, but they weren’t in any rush. He knew the stall Peisistratus would be looking for was roughly halfway between the statue and the stall Telemachus had come from, so he figured it wouldn’t be too much longer. He settled by the base of the statue, set slightly off from the center of the market, which made a perfect meeting place for when they separated to run their errands as opposed to the other godly statues situated further into the fray.

Despite the slight chaos of the busy market, there was a clear open space right at the center with no stalls that a group of children had taken over. The adults, despite the bustling, parted around the children’s acquired play space and flashed them fond glances as they rushed by. Telemachus found himself chuckling along with the children’s joyous laughter and squealing, enjoying the chance to witness such carefree little smiles.

But the longer he watched, he felt a slight heaviness settle in his chest. He tried to shrug off the strangle feeling, but it persisted no matter what he tried. He focused his attention on studying the children playing, trying to unravel the rules of their made-up game, but that only made the heaviness grow.

A shrill cry had him whipping his head around, looking for the source. He quickly spotted a woman holding a small infant, smiling down at the bundle in her arms and cooing until the cries settled. Tiny hands reached up to her, and she offered a finger for them to wrap around. A man stepped up next to them, his arm wrapping around the woman’s back as he smiled down at his child and cupped his other hand under the baby’s head.

And suddenly that heaviness in Telemachus’ chest pulled into a deep, consuming ache.

Telemachus quickly looked away, but the damage was done. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, but all he could see behind his eyelids was Peisistratus smiling down at their own little bundle, Telemachus’ arms around them both. And even when he opened his eyes, the image danced in the back of his mind as if taunting him.

“Sorry, my dove, there were a lot of people waiting at the- Hey, are you alright?”

Telemachus looked up into the concerned eyes of his husband and flashed his most convincing smile, trying to blink away the building moisture in his own eyes. “Yeah. Ready to go?”

Peisistratus smiled back at him and nodded, but his pinched brow told Telemachus he wasn’t convinced. Still, he took Telemachus’ hand and led the way towards the path to the palace. Telemachus couldn’t help glancing back at the couple and their infant one last time before they were swallowed by the crowd.

It wasn’t the first time Telemachus’ mind had been distracted by the sight of a baby. Far from it, in fact. Telemachus used to love interacting with the children of Ithaca, infants especially. Peisistratus, however, changed that. His relationship with his husband, especially in the last year, was nearly perfect if not for one glaring issue.

The need for heirs.

After the arrangement with Peisistratus, the sight of a baby filled him with an odd resignation, knowing that either him or his husband would one day have to find a lover. And knowing how much he loved his husband, he knew it would be difficult for him to come to terms with it when the time came. After their revelation a year ago, that resignation turned to dread.

The ache, though… The aching was new.

His mind drifted back to that first night they had, the whirlwind of an evening when they finally confessed their shared love a year into their arranged marriage. They had joked multiple times about praying to the gods to allow them to expand their family on their own, but they were only jokes. In the end, they had agreed to carry on with the plan as it had been: marry to strengthen their kingdoms, find lovers to secure heirs. Simple enough.

The ache rotted away his chest at the thought now. Inviting a third into their marriage bed felt like treason to their vows. He wanted no one but his Istra, and Peisistratus clearly felt the same about him. But what other choice did they have? Neither of them could bear children.

Then again, Athena and Poseidon had mentioned-

No. He wouldn’t ask that of Peisistratus. His poor husband had seemed horrified by the suggestion. What he had said while they were fucking was irrelevant.

Still… The image of Peisistratus holding their baby was seared into his mind now. The thought of a woman in that picture put a sour taste in his mouth. Maybe… Maybe they could just adopt. It wasn’t unheard of, though the circumstances were usually unexpected. It would be difficult, but not impossible. Not anymore impossible than the idea of inviting a woman into their relationship, at least. But how would they even-

“Dove?” Peisistratus shook the hand folded into his own to get his attention. “You’re falling into your own mind again. What’s bothering you?”

Telemachus glanced up. They were nearly at the palace steps now. He couldn’t even remember stepping out of the chaos of the marketplace. “Sorry, jellyfish. It’s nothing, really.”

“Telemachus.”

Telemachus flinched at the flat tone accompanying his name. His husband knew him too well. He sighed. “Istra, I’m fine. Just… Thinking a lot.”

“I know you’re a warrior of the mind and all, but thinking doesn’t usually put that much of a scowl on your face.” Peisistratus’ tone was lighter now, teasing. “Come on, talk to me.”

Telemachus’ brow furrowed. “It’s… I just…”

Peisistratus pulled him to a stop, reaching out for his other hand and turning Telemachus to face him. “You can tell me, dove.”

Telemachus quickly found himself lost in those emerald green eyes patiently waiting for him to speak. That was a mistake, because the next thought that crossed his mind was a little baby staring up at him with those same green eyes, maybe Telemachus’ dark hair falling around its face, a cute little button nose just like his Istra’s too…

Hey NobOdy I’m sorry everyone won’t stop touching your hair

Willow means well I’m sure but she could do to learn a smidge of fear

(mpreg and a little bit of lore dump under the cut)