Having grown up to next to Eret, Hiccup often felt inferior and inadequate. Eret was muscles, charm and confidence. While he was awkwardness in a lanky, human form.

If Hiccup was good at something, Eret was always better.

Hiccup felt completely invisible next to him. He only ever yearned from afar, watching Eret seize every possible opportunity.

So naturally when it came to girls, the same rules applied.

If Hiccup fancied someone, Eret would encourage him to make a move, but the girls always ended up in Eret's arms at the end of the night.

Hiccup accepted it. He would never get a girlfriend. For why would any girl waste her time on him if she could have Eret?

With that in mind Hiccup constantly kept his head low, and one day literally ended up colliding into someone.

Her blue eyes had been furious at first, but then melted once the shock wore off.

They didn't speak, saving their conversation for the next time they would encounter, which coincidentally happened to be in an abandoned part of their college canteen.

Hiccup had been thoroughly fed up that day, to the point he began ranting about the flavorless lunch out loud. His tray almost scattered all across the table, the harsh sound echoing through the room. Hiccup didn't notice the person that was seated across from him. Not until a hearty laugh interrupted his furious mutterings.

It made him pause and blush.

His wary green eyes widened in surprise when they rose up to meet her gaze. It was the same girl he crashed into a week ago. He might also have a class with her.

"Sorry," he muttered, face turning another shade of red.

"Oh no, I agree," she replied with a chuckle. "The food here sucks." Hiccup glanced at the half eaten sandwich on her plate. It looked even less appetizing than his breakfast burrito.

She began pulling up her bag to collect her books. Hiccup fought the urge to say something, but eventually couldn't help himself.

"So.. what's your major?" he blurted out randomly and felt a wave of regret wash over him at the stunned expression on her face.

As if she would want to small talk with someone like him.

But then the most unexpected happened. She smiled at him and shyly tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"I'm pre-med right now," she said in a voice laced with enthusiasm. "What about you? Is this your first semester, too?"

He nodded, returning her smile full-heartedly. "Engineering."

She ended up staying in the cafeteria with him a while longer after that.

Eret had been walking to the gym with his eyes glued to the phone in his hand. So naturally he was bound to bump into an unfortunate soul and spill coffee all over them. Although in this specific case, he considered it a good turn of events.

Because this "unfortunate soul" happened to be absolutely stunning. Eret took a sharp intake of breath, eyes widening.

"I'm so sorry," he began to apologize quickly although it earned him naught but a scowl in return.

The girl tried to rush past him.

"Let me make it up to you over some coffee?" he insisted, even throwing her one of his classic, charming Eret smiles. Very few women could resist that.

But sadly it didn't seem to faze this girl in the slightest.

She quickly pushed past him and this time managed to slip by before he could get a hold of her arm again.

Eret remained staring after her, feeling a strange warmth start to spread through him.

He wondered if he would ever see her again.

I know this chapter is really short but the next one is much longer I promise! This was just a small and vague-ish insight into the backstory which will be further explored later on.

The real fun is going to start in the next chapter. Eret is going to come up with all kinds of evil schemes to try to break them up.

Hiccup and Astrid are 18 in this while Eret is 22.