'We are still kids, but we're so in love
Fighting against all odds
I know we'll be alright this time'

It did surprise her a little...

"How did you even get them?" She asked as Hiccup had closed the door behind them, and then had fastened all of its locks.

He looked at her, astonished, as if he didn't understand the question.

"You have your own keys?" She said, completely aghast.

"And how do you think I got inside this morning?" He replied. "Through the balcony?"

"No, but… It's not fair!"

"Just come here!"

The boy gave her an urging glare, reinforced by the meaningful movement of his right hand. He was already standing in the midst of the stairs, waiting for his fair-haired friend to finally decide to leave her place in front of the door. She did that, but her expression told him she wouldn't let him change the subject of their talk.

"Hiccup, this is not okay."

"What again?"

"There are three people, who have keys to this apartment – Astrid, Heather and I. And it should stay this way."

"And don't you think it would be safer if someone else had it when you're staying there all by yourself?"

"This is exactly when no one should have it."

She almost jumped over the threshold, leaving the building with a determined gait, hastily getting past the boy, who held the door for her. Hiccup had to run up to draw level with her in the lane on which she was scrolling with such an eagerness.

"Look, it's not like I'll get into your house at 3 in the morning. I wouldn't have got in on my own at all, if only you responded to the bell."

"It's just strange to think you have them."

She stopped, gazing at him without anger, yet not entirely neutrally. Wonder reflected in her bright eyes, accompanied by some special, unconcealed reproach.

"Okay, fine." Hiccup sighed. "Those are not my keys, but Heather's. She left them in my car after I drove them to the airport last week and I simply didn't have the chance to return them. You can believe me or not, but I was going to give them back to you. Come on, did you really think I'd have a key to someone else's apartment cut, only to get you out of depression if needed?"

She peeked at him with a new, startled expression. It wasn't until then when she realised, how ridiculous and how gratuitous was her charge and all that annoyed reaction of hers. After all, it was nothing more than a harmless joke, and she was taken in - but as she was, she conducted the whole conversation as if she was personally offended by it.

Stupid, stupid…

She lowered her head, not moving in the slightest.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled under her breath. "That was dumb. Please, don't be mad. I really don't know what's happening to me."

Hiccup smiled reassuringly, not minding the fact that Rapunzel couldn't see him.

"I do." He answered, grasping her chin and raising it a little. "But you won't overcome it by halting 30 feet from your house."

She also gave him a smile, even if it was weak and uncertain; she nodded, and when Hiccup shyly pulled his elbow towards her, she immediately slipped her hand below it, linking their limbs in a friendly grip.

"All right," she resolved. "Let's go."

They were strolling in silence for the next couple of minutes, trying to enjoy the surrounding city. The sun was setting, piercing through the lush crowns of the neighbouring trees, reflecting on the building's walls. Its beams changed their arrangement every time the soft gust of wind made the branches move and Hiccup couldn't help but think that it seemed like they were jerking for a dance and he grinned.

None of the great, famous cities could stand in for their safe, peaceful Berk...

...if only he could make Rapunzel look at it with her usual admiration.

She was walking next to him now, mildly rested on the man's arm. She was glaring aside, avoiding both his sight and conversation. He didn't know if she really was vexed with him or if she felt guilty of her own indignation; or if she simply didn't feel like talking. But at the same time he couldn't forget how she'd been waving a brush before his nose and humming "Singing in the rain" under the shower only a half an hour earlier. If his plan was to bring any positive results, he had to extricate that part of her.

"What about the flower?" He reeled up, unexpectedly. "Are you going to add it?"

"Sorry?" She winced in astonishment and looked up. One point for him.

"On the Tree. In The Return of the King there is this shot, zoomed on one of the branches, on a single, lonely bud. I've always liked that one. And it would look good on your wall, too."

She shook her head.

"I'm not modelling on the film. And in the book..."

"In the book they simply plant a new tree. I know, I know." He interrupted. "But you've already changed some things, why not going a little further?"

"Fairly speaking, I've never really thought of that." This time she laughed quietly and shrugged. Two points. "And you have never mentioned that scene. Why do you like it so much?"

"Because of what is hidden behind it. The linking between the past and the future – showing that even something outwardly wilted and duff can give birth to something good. It's like a new chapter, but on the understanding that you don't cut yourself off from the previous one – even if that former chapter isn't exactly what you wanted it to be."

"There, there. Is that a romantic rousing up in you?"

"Only, if we refer to the Professor."

"Pity. Uh, if only it was that easy." She sighed and then glanced at him almost apologetically. "Sorry, I was supposed to control that."

"I've heard you had your reasons." He put his hand on hers and gave her an understanding smile. It widened when on his arm, he felt a gentle grasp. "You're sure you don't want to share?"

"Quite the opposite. But I can't figure out, how."

"I think it will be the best to start with the first thing that comes to your mind and then it will flow on its own. Don't try to sort it now, that's not the point."

Now it was him who squeezed her hand. She sighed again.

"I really, really believed I was over it. He didn't leave me yesterday."

"I told you, it doesn't matter. Besides, even if it wasn't yesterday, it wasn't that long ago, either. How much is it, four months?"

"Four and a half."

"Even if it was more, what does it change? If you treated it seriously, and I know you did, you can't be expected to accept it and move on just like that."

"Eugene has." She muttered.

"Eugene is a different story. All I want is for you to understand, that there's nothing unusual in the way you take it. I'm slightly worried about your friendship with Astrid being affected… But this will be because of her behaviour, not yours."

"Don't say that." She replied firmly, taking up the cudgels on behalf of her friend. "She did nothing wrong. She would never even think of starting anything with a guy of whom she'd heard so much from me."

Hiccup frowned, still unconvinced.

"But in the end, they are together. So..."

"Listen, when he first talked up to her after this entire… situation, he ended up with his hair soaked with beer."

"Excuse me?"

"You know. There are women who, finding themselves in such a position, simply gush their drinks in a man's face; Astrid stands up from her sit and cold-bloodedly pours the content of your mug right on the top of your head. It seems that she would've gladly given him a few bruises, too, if Heather hadn't been there to stop her."

"Okay, that actually sound very much like Astrid. But still, it didn't end there. How did you even find out about them?"

"Heather let it slip. Astrid immediately declared she wanted no truck with him and cut the conversation off. But later on it turned out that she'd had a crush on him for a long time and the only reason why she'd started to avoid him, was me."

"They know each other? I mean, besides both knowing you?"

"They've been working together in a bar for the past six months. Hiccup, it's almost impossible not to know someone here."

"True."

"Anyway, I tried to get some sense into her and explain, that she can't reject somebody only because they used to flirt with her friend. She obviously didn't want to listen, but I've managed to convince her. And apparently, it's working."

Silence fell between them. Hiccup couldn't have missed the sadness hidden under the girl's calm edge; once again he was forced to ask himself how on earth was it possible, that people of this sort even existed. The silence didn't last long.

"You're way too good for him. For both of them."

"Too good, too bad, not good enough… What does it even mean? If you care, if you… love, then you'll always feel like you don't deserve the other person. But if you keep thinking that, then you'll never achieve anything. Besides, it's not like Eugene is some kind of a cad who seduced me, and then left me for the first girl he saw; you know that much. He didn't fool me, he didn't cheat on me – if he had, I'd never try to persuade Astrid to give him a chance. And I prefer to think that we simply didn't match. That's all."

He made no answer, quietly weighing her utterance. Who knew, maybe she was right? After all, her fiancé manqué was a very decent man and, frankly speaking, even his breakup with Rapunzel was done properly. Only, Astrid…

"It still doesn't feel right. Isn't it awkward for her to date someone, who still means so much to you?"

"Probably. That's why we both agreed that a separation would make us good. Besides," She laughed. "I am the one wandering around at night with her ex, aren't I?"

Hiccup raised his sight to the sky.

"Now that's a nice comparison. Do I really have to remind you that we are not a couple?"

"Details." She shrugged and after a moment, added, "The one thing I'm afraid of is that I won't get over it any time soon; if I do at all."

"Nonsense. If I managed to get over Astrid Hofferson, then you'll surely get over Eugene."

"Maybe you're right."

"I am always right."

"Oh, sure." She raised an eyebrow, watching him carefully; she giggled.

"What again?"

"I just remembered how you first came to see me, but it was Astrid who opened the door. I wish you could've seen your face."

"Well, that was a little… embarrassing." His free hand was on his neck again, massaging it nervously. "Nevertheless, you really could've warn me."

"How?" She bridled. "Neither of you had never mentioned the other one!"

"That's impossible, you could pry anything out of me."

"Apparently, not. Perhaps it is because we'd only know each other for a month at the time."

"Perhaps."

"But you know, I'm really happy you've managed to resolve it so well. It would be distressing to have two friends, still bearing grudge for the old times' sake."

"I suppose we like each other too much to do so." Hiccup replied with a particularly pensive expression, which she could by no means explain. Could it be that he also was afflicted with their friend's new choice?

"Do you miss her?"

"Who, Astrid?"

"Yes."

"No, of course not." He denied, shaking his head vigorously. "Why would I?"

"Just a random thought. You never know."

"Seriously, that case is totally out of date. I admit, at the beginning, it was hard. It was… awful. Day and night, I tried to put it in my mind that it was the right decision, made for the sake of both… But you probably know that this kind of explanation hardly changes the way you actually feel. But I've already told you – I'm over it."

"So you never wonder what it could be like?"

"Not really. I used to miss the idea, but that's as far as it got."

She glanced at him searchingly, not fully understanding what her friend had in mind.

"You know, the first love. A crush that had lasted almost from Primary School, then my gaining her sympathy, friendship, mutuality at last… There are times when you'd truly want it to look this way. So that first love would turn out to be the only one. The dreamed one. The last one."

"I've always thought that's how the naive teenager girls imagine it."

"Well, they're not alone."

"Then you have to admit that your romanticism overreaches the borders of Middle Earth." She elbowed him gently, content with her own remark. Hiccup didn't reply; in this case, she decided to resume their previous topic, and ask the question that had been bothering her all along. "How did you learn not to think of her?"

Now he shrugged, pondering for a while.

"I guess it wasn't such a big deal, after all. A high school romance, undoubtedly pleasant and sweet but that's all it was. Maybe it could be a bigger thing, except it's not. Plus the fact we broke up almost three years ago is quite a helpful thing."

"We?"

"No nitpicking, please. She broke up and I pretended to agree. Either way, it doesn't matter now."

"Either way, you haven't been on a single real date since then, not to mention any serious relationship."

He glanced at her unenthusiastically. The last sentence she'd pronounced had clearly tripped him up, even though he knew it was free from the usual tartness. It also might have been the reason why it did.

"It's not exactly like that." He mumbled, aggrieved.

"Toothless doesn't count."

The boy snorted in response, however, hearing her repressed chuckle, he simply sighed and assured her, "Don't worry about me. I have my reasons, too, but they have hardly anything to do with Astrid."

He was afraid, for a moment, that Rapunzel would try to get the details out of him; he felt gratitude seeing that the girl accepted his explanation and refrained from asking further questions. He was well aware he couldn't answer any of them.

She was right. It had been almost three years since his first, great romance; and while Astrid, despite her choosy taste, was happily involved in the third serious relationship, he remained single. Of course, he turned all the comments on the matter away with a shrug, but that didn't stop his friend from worrying. And they never failed to remind him of that, in their own, characteristic ways.

His cousin, Scott, couldn't abstain from jeering at his alleged diffidence, which was said to preclude his impressing the opposite sex.

Heather, however gentle and discreet, did her best to convince him to forget Astrid and try his luck with someone else.

And last, but not least, the Twins, who, professing the law of directness, with the greatest joy led him to various accidents. Those, in their understanding were supposed to give him an opportunity of establishing an intimate relation with all kinds of belles, chosen by the siblings themselves. For some incomprehensible reasons all the candidates were ginger.

Hiccup took their good advices, letting them believe they'd managed to guess the reason of his loneliness correctly, simultaneously laughing at the knowledge of how mistaken they all were. For all this time the explanation was living right under their noses, and they seemed almost determined not to see it.

And it was so simple.

He smiled at his own thoughts, for the thousandth time remembering the actual reason of his foregoing demeanour. This very reason was now sauntering by his side, tightening her fingers on his forearm. It had long, golden hair and marvellously deep, green eyes, that observed the surrounding world with such an awe. It had a petite nose, sprinkled with a whole lot of freckles and small lips, subtly parted in a gentle smile. Finally, it had this unique kind of charm, so rarely found in the modern world – and it was the most astounding miracle Hiccup had ever had a chance to meet.

Was he this miserable example of a caring friend, deprived of hope of his love being requited? He very much doubted it. He'd never felt particularly wronged by the circumstances, and he surely was far away from playing the part of a martyr, following the object of his affection like a shadow. In his relationship with Rapunzel, one of the things he valued most was their undisputed equality – how many times did she spend an evening, sobbing in his sleeve, only to lend an ear to his own moaning in the next? Of course, she caught his attention at the very beginning; a single meeting was enough for him to realise he wanted to develop their fresh acquaintance – because she was sweet and helpful, yet brilliant; kind, and confident of her beliefs.

However, it was also the time when Eugene Fitzherbert was looming on the horizon, and Hiccup could do nothing, except yielding, assuming the necessary role of the girl's best companion. So he became her friend, her brother almost, and only deep inside there was a hidden, undesired question: "what if…?"

It all got complicated four months back.

He well remembered standing at the door of his old mate, Edward Ingerman – whom nobody called anything else but Fishlegs – waiting for the boy to leave the apartment himself. He held a box in his hands, a very heavy one, filled with the most various trinkets, whose destiny he couldn't even imagine, and wondered why on the deuce was Fishlegs keeping them; but, well. He'd promised him to help with the removal and that was exactly what he was doing.

While he was waiting, his phone vibrated, announcing an advent of a message. Unhurriedly, he pulled the device out of his pocket and checked the in-box. It was Heather who'd texted him.

"We've got a crisis. Raps locked herself in a room and refused to talk. She says she's feeling unwell, but something's clearly off. Fitzherbert, if you ask me."

By some miracle, she let him in, apparently convinced that he would be able to understand her. Or maybe she simply knew that he wouldn't ask all those questions she did not want to answer? He spent good couple of hours with her then, talking, listening, drawing her attention from the painful topic and allowing her to bring it back when he felt she needed it. Trying to buck her up as well as he could.

At the same time, he could not miss the chance that situation gave him. No matter if wanted it or not, if he was ready, or not, the ray of hope had flared up, not letting him withdraw to his previous, safe position. Forced to rethink the case once more, he finally sorted out the feelings he didn't even think existed, coming to the conclusion that was both fantastic and terrifying.

Two years of his friendship with Rapunzel didn't decline his involvement in the slightest – on the contrary, it gave it that depth, which can never be found in a naive infatuation and the so-called love at first sight. It didn't take long before the young man could neatly state what he really desired. His feeling toward his fair-haired friend were more than clear and Hiccup knew he was ready to take their relationship on the whole new level.

He'd spent the past four months wondering what he'd have to do to make her take that step, too.

"Hiccup…?" Rapunzel's voice roused him from his meditation. He winced, surprised, and turned towards her immediately. "Is there any specific destination we're heading to, or are we just scrolling with no target at all?"

"I have a few ideas." He replied absent-mindedly, trying to gather his thoughts. "But we can just scroll or… maybe you have any wishes?"

"Not at all." She shook her head and the thick plait swayed on her back. "Lead the way, wherever you want. I'm good."

He smiled awkwardly and bit his lower lip.

"I zoned out, didn't I?"

"You did."

"For how long exactly?"

"A few minutes."

"Few meaning two or…"

"Oh, does it matter?" She laughed. "Two or eight, I really don't mind. Although, I'd like to know what absorbed you so much."

"Oh, really? I'm not sure if I want to share my most protected secrets with you."

"That hurt, you know."

"I'm sorry."

"Besides, you do remember that I'm the one responsible for the tactic side of your romantic plans? So you'll have to tell me anyway, sooner or later. Maybe it will be best to do it at once."

"And you're obviously convinced that it's all about my affairs." He gave her a disappointed look, however, seeing her innocent face, finally brightened up with joy, he conceded. His own visage gained a more serious expression when, with all his straightforwardness, he answered the question she'd never really asked.

"I was thinking about you." He started, surprised with the tranquillity of his own voice. "I remembered how you'd looked at the very beginning and I dare say that the difference is significant. Really, Raps, you have no idea how happy I am to see your condition changed so much. And it's all for the better."

"That's probably because I feel much better, too." She answered, squeezing his arm again. "Not only better than four months ago, but also three, two.. Better than last week or even today's morning, when I was fighting that awful tree. And it's all thanks to you."

Before he had a chance to respond to that unexpected compliment, he felt Rapunzel's grip tightening as she herself shifted closer to him, and snuggled her face onto his shoulder just a moment later.

"Thank you Hiccup. It wouldn't make any sense without you."

He had absolutely no idea how to answer her. That stupid, meaningless gesture made his heart pound like a hammer and he could only hope she did not hear that. He wanted to stop and embrace her, just like he did that very morning, except something was telling him it wasn't the best of ideas. Not yet.

So they kept walking, and he knew that even if he was to wait forever, he would never give her up.

Author's note: And another chapter is up! I know, I promised to update the story on Saturday but... there were a few hiccups with the editing part. I hope you don't mind.

Once again, huge thanks to water-star for helping me with editing this story. If you guys still haven't checked her stories out... do it now.

And of course, I need to make another shout-out to Noctus Fury. I mean... This! This is a review! Seriously, it makes me so happy to read your thoughts. It means a lot if someone is ready to spend their time writing such a comment, only to share their thoughts and show the appreciation of what I'm trying to do here.

I'm grateful for every single review, though, even if it's a short one. Your feedback is more important than you may ever imagine.

God bless!
Margaret