Eret scrambled after the scrawny kid before him. Hiccup could hear him not a second behind him. "Think you can just get away with it?!"

Eret tackled Hiccup to the ground, and the smaller boy's face hit the ground with surprising force. As Eret sat on Hiccup, he glared into his green eyes. "Astrid is mine. She doesn't date garbage like you."

Eret sneered at him as though Hiccup was a bad-tasting candy at halloween. "And making her give you a blowjob just to make me jealous isn't fucking okay Hickey."

Hiccup's eyes widened. "You think I made her do that? Why would I force anyone into such a thing!!?" Hiccup was disgusted. "That's abuse. And unlike some peop-"

Hiccup was silenced by a stark slap to his face.

He looked up to see a grinning Eret still atop him. "You think I care about whether you forced her or not?" Eret chuckled darkly. "I'm just here to tell you that she doesn't love you."

He smiled. "In fact, yesterday when you were gone she said she hated you and wished you and the rest of your stupid family was dead." Eret laughed, enjoying it.

"Including your weak bitch of a mother."

Hiccup roared, suddenly grabbing Eret by the collar and throwing him off. "I don't care if you bash me!" He screamed as he picked Eret back up off the floor. "I don't care if you beat me to death!" He smashed Eret into a nearby row of lockers and held him up by his shirt with un-hiccupy strength. "But you with never-EVER!! Say that my mother is a bitch! Or that she's weak!!" Hiccup pushed Eret up higher. "Because my mom deals with shit you only see in your nightmares." Hiccup's voice quieted. "And she loves me more than anyone could ever love someone like you."

Hiccup released Eret, sending him crashing to the floor and scrambling away from the taller man. Hiccup's chest was heaving, and a sudden realization hit him.

Someone was watching him.

He spun around to reveal Astrid, wide eyed and grinning. "Hiccup?" She made quick footfalls to get to him and wrapped him in a tight embrace. "You did it." She rubbed his back gently with her hands. "You finally stood up for yourself..." She took a deep breath. "I was going to come beat him off of you but then I saw that glow in your eyes that said you were done."

He grinned in her hair, not quite believing it himself. "I did. I did stand up for myself... I did it all alone... But..." He let go of Astrid and looked into her crystal blue eyes. "I could have never done it without your help. You give me strength, Miss Hofferson. You give me a kind of magic that I've never felt before." He took her hand and put it on his chest, right over his heartbeat

"Here." He smiled.

"You are the most beautiful and wonderful girl I have ever lay my eyes on. And you stayed by my side even when I said I didn't need you..."

Hiccup kissed her deeply and held her face in his hand.

"I love you, Astrid Hofferson."

Astrid blushed. "I..." She grinned, a smile so beautiful Hiccup felt like he'd died and done to heaven. "I love you too, Hiccup Haddock."

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There ya go folks!! Yet another upload that my other fics looked at me with dissaproval as I wrote! (They're just jealous)

IcyForest: How's that for more assertive? Did he come across as more assertive??

And by the way, Hiccup and Valka are afraid of leaving Stoik or calling the police on them because he will indeed beat the pulp out of them. Have you seen this beast of a man? Imagine a drunk, 6.5 foot giant looming over you as you called the police on him... yeah.

So, hope ya'll like this new chapter!! I love all of you so much and appreciate every comment and idea you throw out there!!

Have a wonderful night!

-Patrick Bailey