I should be sleeping I have to be up in like five hours, but naturally writers block ends when its the worst time for writing...
So here we are.
-HTTYD-
Maddie came out of the nursery beaming, and Hiccup felt immeasurable relief, having been expecting tears. Astrid's daughter Alexis was latched firmly on to her arm, chattering a mile a minute with her backpack hanging off one arm rather haphazardly. As soon as they looked up, Alexis released Maddie to let them head over to their parents, though as they were still stood together with the other parents, it wasn't much of a divergent trip.
"What does spirited mean mom?"
"Why do you ask Lex?"
"The nursery woman called me spirited."
He heard Astrid laugh, but his attention was soon diverted as Mads held her arms up to be picked up, hugging tight to Hiccup with a sigh of relief herself.
"I missed you!"
"Missed you too Mads. Have a good first day though, yeah?"
"Yeah, I did."
A nudge at his knee prompted Hiccup to look down, seeing Alexis waving.
"Bye Maddie, see you tomorrow."
Hiccup and Astrid exchanged a farewell/see-you-at-drop-off-tomorrow-maybe, and then split toward their cars. Buckling Maddie into her booster seat, Hiccup smiled in return to her soft, happy expression.
"I like Lex."
He almost corrected her, but imagined that at the very least, Alexis had let Maddie refer to her that way. He'd check in with Astrid tomorrow maybe. They set off home, Maddie's keen eye spotting a car that didn't belong on their street and tugging his hand to point at it.
"Who's that?"
Squinting, Hiccup spotted the plate sticker.
"It's a rental car Mads. Probably someone visiting or who doesn't have their car right now."
"Oh. Ok. Let's go in so I can get some juice."
Putting his key in the door, Hiccup frowned as it responded in a way that said it was already unlocked. His parents had keys, so maybe they had dropped by unannounced. It happened. And he was planning to invite them over anyway.
Of course, one other person had a key...
"Mom!"
Glowing with a deep, golden tan borne of Australian sunshine, Mala was - rather surprisingly - sat in the kitchen, drinking from her mug and clearly waiting for them to return. Maddie barely handed over her backpack to Hiccup before she hastened over to greet her mother, who was equally enthused to see her daughter.
"Surprise!"
Hiccup nodded to his ex-wife as Mala looked over Maddie's shoulder, their resemblence never more clear than when the two smiled so warmly at each other.
"Maddie, go change out of your clothes?"
He knew once Maddie got started, she'd be tough to peel away from her mother. Especially since it was an unexpected visit.
"But-"
Mala cut off her protests.
"Madeline. I will be right here when you come back down."
"Fine!"
Pouting, Maddie huffed slightly as she headed upstairs. She was capable of dressing herself easily in little pull-over dresses, though Hiccup wouldn't be surprised to hear her call for a parent just because.
"I apologise for simply dropping by. I did mean to surprise her last night by being here for her first day, but my flight was delayed."
"Mala, you know you're always welcome. That's why you have a key."
She smiled, reaching to embrace Hiccup. They hugged, a certain comfortable familiarity in friendship he felt came with having, at least at one point, known everything about the other - they were married, after all. There was a hint of weariness around her eyes - probably jet lag. It wasn't a short trip from Australia by any means.
"Thank you. Still, I shall not make a habit of turning up unannounced. I know it can disrupt Madeline's sense of my presence in her life."
Managing their family wasn't without it's trials, but Hiccup reckoned their bright, smiley daughter was evidence they at least weren't doing too badly at it.
"How long are you around for this time?"
"A few days. I was actually already going away anyway."
"Oh? Travelling again?"
"I wish. No, work. So I bartered a few days away to come and see Madeline first."
Hiccup nodded, smiled.
"Well, like I said, always welcome. I hope you can entertain yourself though, since Mads has just started nursery and I'm back to work tomorrow."
She returned his smile, reaching for her mug to finish it again.
"I am sure I can manage."
Freshly changed and geared up to spend time with her mother, Maddie came charging down the stairs again.
"I can't wait to tell you all about my first day."
"And I can not wait to hear about it."
Already running late because Lexi couldn't find her shoes - how that happened. Astrid wasn't sure since they came off said childs feet as soon as she got in from nursery - and because Astrid then couldn't find her patient book for work. Finally clutching everything and only a few minutes late, Astrid probably pushed the speed limit a touch.
"Who's that?"
"I think... that's probably Maddie's mother."
The woman was hard to not notice, frankly, with her height and distinct Australian accent, the rich tan of someone who clearly got a lot of sunshine. And once Astrid got a look at her face - dragged over by Lexi, but curious nontheless herself - she could see the resemblence to Maddie.
"Hi Maddie!"
"HI Lex! This is my mom. Mom, this is my new friend."
Hiccup did the adult introductions while Lexi stared up at the tall woman with a little awe at first.
"Astrid, this is Mala, Maddie's mother. Mala, this is Astrid, Alexis' mother."
"The one you went for coffee with, yes?"
Oh, he had mentioned her then. Hiccup nodded, and the two young girls seized that information rather suddenly and tightly.
"You guys went on a date?"
Astrid and Hiccup both went wide-eyed. Mala seemed remarkably unconcerned either way. Or maybe Astrid just couldn't tell. She'd never met the woman.
"No, Lex! We did not go on a date. Now shoo, we were already late."
Rolling her eyes, her precocious little girl shrugged on her backpack and grabbed a hold of Maddie again. They both looked up at the collection of parents, waving again before hustling off as the nursery teacher called out to them.
"You want a ride back before I head to work Mala?"
"I can walk. Also your mother invited me to brunch, so I will not be returning until later."
"Of course she did. Well... I better head off then. Mom's picking Mads up... shoot, I better go let them know. You better come too, then they'll know who you are. See you tomorrow Astrid."
"It was nice to meet you Astrid."
"You too. Bye."
Astrid stood rather awkwardly for a few seconds before realising she was already late. Clambering into her car, she mused on the way Mala had looked at her daughter. There was definite love and adoration there, and she and Hiccup didn't appear to have a single ounce of awkwardness between them. It made the idea that Mala had voluntarily left that life so much stranger to imagine.
-HTTYD-
I mean this chapter was probably terrible sleep deprived rubbish but it's a chapter. Enjoy.