Today was Merida's birthday and a certain redhead was getting impatient. Her boyfriend had been telling her all about how much she'd (hopefully) love her birthday present and she was getting restless. All she knew was that she had to pack enough clothes for a week which had to include a raincoat.

"How long will this journey TAKE Hiccup?" Merida whined as she hauled her suitcase onto the train. "I'm so tired... Can't you just tell me what's going on?"

"Fine," Hiccup called back as he struggled with his prosthetic leg. Merida gripped his hand and helped him in. Hiccup decided that it was time for the big reveal. "Next time I won't take you to Scotland."

Merida almost dropped the suitcase she was half-way through hauling onto the luggage rack.

"Are you serious?!" she said as quietly as she could so she didn't disturb the other passengers who were looking at them with a smile. Her eyes had lit like a match being struck. When Hiccup nodded with a dorky grin she thew her arms around his neck and buried her head in his shoulder.

"Happy Birthday Merida," he whispered into her hair. Full of mad happiness she kissed him hard, not caring about the carriage full of people who were watching them. Hiccup was slightly taken aback but he responded with full enthusiasm, pulling her closer and placing a hand on her back, running his fingers through her hair until -

"Ahem... Tickets please."

They broke apart and whipped around to stare into the face of a very angry ticket inspector.

"Oh," Hiccup mumbled, fumbling in his pockets, producing them with a rosy blush covering his cheeks. The inspector handed them back, raising his eyebrows at the pair of them which only made Hiccup more embarrassed.

"Control yourselves please," he snapped at them. Hiccup nodded but Merida scowled. Except it wasn't her who spoke. A little old lady with flyaway hair, a green shawl and a wooden necklace in the shape of a bear yelled at the inspector,

"Just because you're going through a midlife crisis with your wife doesn't mean you can get angry at other happy couples!" She smiled at Merida and Hiccup who was rubbing the nape of his neck.

The ticket inspector stamped their tickets angrily and slammed the compartment door shut as he went into the next carriage.

"Thank you," Merida said to the old lady. She merely smiled in reply.

"You don't need to thank me dearie. He needed to be set straight."

Hiccup smiled weakly and took Merida's hand, leading her into an empty carriage. She followed, dragging her suitcase behind her. As soon as they had them stowed on the luggage rack they collapsed onto the seat; Merida kissing his cheek softly.

"Is your birthday present up to scratch?" Hiccup whispered as he placed an arm around her.

"It's perfect," Merida hugged him tightly, like she couldn't bear to let him go. "It's, I don't even know what to say -"

"Then don't." 

One of Merida's curls of fire had twisted around his finger. Their gaze locked and Hiccup leant down to kiss her forehead. Merida giggled like she was five again and pulled his shirt to allow their lips to seal, properly. Hiccup smiled into the kiss and cupped her face gently with the palms of his hands. They were so big in proportion to Merida's cheek, she was like a china doll. So perfect, so breakable. Their foreheads were pressed against each other's and their mouths were carved in a u-shape of happiness.

"Oh Thor I love you so much," Hiccup breathed, brushing a stray curl out of Merida's eyes.

"Let's not forget Mr Handsome," Merida smiled, gripping his chest tighter. Hiccup grinned, as did she. He pulled her into another kiss, the pair of them laughing as their noses rubbed together.

"You ready to go back home?" Hiccup whispered as drowsiness overcame them both.

"You mean we're seeing Mum and Dad? You've finally agreed to meet them?"

Merida's voice was laced with hope as her eyes grew wide and her grip on his hoodie went tighter. Hiccup nodded, a smile breaking out uncontrollably on his lips as he saw his own happiness reflected ten times more powerfully in Merida's eyes. She leant in to kiss him hard, but was met with softer lips. Hers moulded instinctively to suit and as the minutes turned to hours they fell asleep in each other's arms.

Four hours later they awoke. They were here. Merida was home.

She practically extracted Hiccup from his seat and their massive luggage felt like feathers as she pulled them off of the train in her excitement. Hiccup laughed as he helped her get it into the taxi which was waiting outside the station. He gripped her hand like a vice whilst the taxi took them to Merida's parent's house. This was the first time Hiccup would have met them, the first time he had plucked up the courage. This would be an important meeting too. Merida didn't know just how important, but it would probably the most important meeting of his life.

They arrived at the small cottage, halfway up a hill in a small hamlet that overlooked a lake that could have been a sea. Merida hadn't been here for years and she was almost breaking down with all the memories that were flooding back. She walked up to the small front door and hesitated before knocking, closing her eyes and breathing, hard. Hiccup held her other hand and smiled at her. It was like she drew strength from him. She knocked three times and a woman with greying brown hair answered.

Elinor was tall and elegant, you could tell she had been beautiful when she was young. Her long fingers were slightly wrinkled now and slight bags hung beneath her eyes. However a twinkle of her youth still resonated in her hazel eyes which lit like a match to petrol the moment she saw her daughter.

"Merida!"

"Mum!"

Her arms were round her in an instant, drawing her closer. After a moment she drew away, holding Merida as arm's length. Her gaze strayed to Hiccup who was smiling at the reunion.

"Who's this?" Elinor raised her eyebrows at her daughter with a small smirk. "You never told us you had a man in tow!"

"That's, um," Merida mumbled, "That's kind of why I'm here. Mum, meet Hiccup. Hiccup, mum."

Hiccup looked at Elinor with a nervous smile.

"It's lovely to finally meet you in person Mrs Dunbroch."

In person? Merida thought to herself. But they hadn't met at all before... had they?

"You did well with this one Merida," Elinor whispered to her daughter who blushed furiously. "It's an honour to meet you, Hiccup. A very unique name you have there."

"My mum was from Scandinavia," Hiccup began to explain, but before he could continue Merida's father, Fergus, interrupted.

"Where's the thief who's stolen my daughter's heart?"

The moment he saw Hiccup a great, beaming smile spread across his lips, lighting every aspect of his aged face. He, too, hugged Merida tightly and was introduced to, in his terms, 'the thief'.

"That's not necessary," Fergus smiled, waving away Merida as she gestured to Hiccup. The two men were wearing identical smiles, but Hiccup was digging his hands into his pockets deeper than usual. Merida looked confused. "All of us set this up for your birthday Merida, because it needed to be arranged in advance."

"What..?" Merida was even more confused, however a smile was still planted on her face. Her father grinned. "What are you talking about Dad?"

"Don't ask me," Fergus smiled as he gestured to the shaggy haired man behind her. "Ask him."

 Merida whipped round to Hiccup who was holding his hands behind his back.

"Hiccup..?"

Without another word, Hiccup was down on one knee. Suddenly Merida knew why Hiccup was digging in his pockets. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Merida," Hiccup began, his voice just above a whisper due to nerves, "I can't tell you how much you mean to me. I, I love you more than words can even express. I'd go on but I'm too scared of ruining it. So," he opened his hand to reveal a small ring embedded with a single sapphire, "will you - will you marry, will you marry me?"

His eyes turned wide and glassy as he finally looked up to face Merida. Her parents were watching with smiles as wide as the Grand Canyon. It took a second to register, but in an instant Merida's arms were around his neck and only one word could be heard, whispered into Hiccup's ear.

"Yes."

A/N I don't know how I feel about this one-shot, I don't think it flowed very well. Any other opinions?