A/N
I am so so so so sorry for the wait that must've felt like forever (it did for me, I'll tell you that right now!) I mean, last chapter was updated when SMASH BROS 3DS had JUST COME OUT! What?! But, I'm back, even though the chapter is so short, which I'm sorry for but it's necessary to make the story flow a little better :3
Jack: FINALLY! WE'RE BACK! JESUS IT TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH!
Author: Well excuuuuuse me! It's not my fault that school wants to ruin my life! Deal with it.
Hiccup: She's right, Jack; we should give her a chance!
Jack: -pouting like a child- Yeah but I miss the readers...
Hiccup: So do I, Jack, but we gotta be understanding here, right?
Jack: I guess...
Author: Thank you, boys. What would I do without you?
-group hug-
All: ENJOY THE CHAPTER!
Hiccup's P.O.V
"Astrid, wait!" I cry during the process of scrambling from my place, being tangled in Jack's arms, so that I can make even a slight attempt to explain to Astrid what she just saw before fleeing from the scene with complete disbelief flooding her features to manipulate them into a mould of fury. I need to get this sorted quickly; if she goes blabbing to everyone about this, I know that word will eventually reach the ears of the person that I want to know the least by some means. In this modern-day world, everyone's connected, so there's no telling how easily 'gossip' will spread, though now that things such as Facebook exist, it'll probably take a mere few days at the most. I need to stop her from relaying the event that she just witnessed before it's too late! "Astrid!" I shout again, now on my feet and stumbling after her, almost tripping over my own legs in the process as my desperate scramble for my own stability seems to be fruitless, causing me to chase after her like a drunken platypus. However, I'm soon forced to a stop when she whirls around to meet my eyes, her own completely enraged as her eerily cobalt irises quiver in the wavering amber sunlight, causing fear to suddenly pulse through my being with an unpleasant jolt.
"When were you planning to tell me, Hiccup?! This isn't just something that you keep from someone you've known your whole life! You could've at least let me know that you had a boyfriend," her voice, thick with not only disbelief, but also hurt towards the fact that I was concealing news such as this, tears through what was once the silent area, an understandable rage also managing to accompany the many different tones that hold a place within her words. I can't help but feel terrible about not telling her about something as big as this; I know that if she'd have done this to me, then I'd probably be as pissed as she is, however, I'm willing to bet that she doesn't know my true reason for not telling her about my relationship with Jack.
"I didn't even know until last night, Astrid! I know it's a shock but you don't have to freak out this much. Just calm down and let me explain." Hoping that it will calm her rage and eradicate the sense of betrayal that she's projecting towards me, I ensure that my tone possesses a soothing quality that usually settles even the densest of furies; sometimes, it's my last resort of getting through to her when she seems to be beyond the point of settlement.
"Fine! But it better be good," she retorts, obvious anger now completely overriding her tone as she speaks to me in a bitter voice full of what seems to be hurt, as if she feels like me getting together with Jack without uttering a word to her has broken some kind of sacred vow between us. I need to make her see reason, so I start with the facts that will probably make her the most understanding in the current situation, given that she knows someone who has knowledge of how it feels. And, though I'm not sure if Jack will forgive me for this, I'm confident that I can trust Astrid with anything as long as she knows that it's to be kept from all ears apart from our own.
"Last night, I found out something horrible, okay? Something to do with Jack and I want to help him overcome it, and the only way I can do that is if I stay by his side no matter what. I don't care what people think, or if society excludes me for how I feel, or even that we've been this way for less than a day; I really care about him." With those final words, I see even single inch of Astrid's face soften whilst I desperately try to settle my hammering pulse as it thuds roughly in my fingertips, though my heart begins to slow when I notice the look that's now covering her irises and returning them to their lighter azure colour, though it's still obscured by a citrus hue. She believes me. Yet, even through the now calmed composure, her eyes suddenly widen as if in fear and her hands grasp for my arms, locking me in a steel grip whilst she just stares at me with definite terror in her irises.
"Hiccup, what's your dad gonna say?! You know how opinionated he is! If he finds out about this-"
"-He won't find out!" I exclaim a little louder than intended, tearing my arms free from her grasp so that she can't fill me with the same sense of panic that's possessing her mind, as well as her actions; she's worried for me and, for that, I can't blame her, though I wish not to mutually feel this way because I'm determined to avoid it. If I want to help Jack overcome his self-harming issues, I can't afford to allow emotions such as fear and worry to overcome me. It's best that I build up a resistance whilst I can. Just as I'd like, Astrid's expression once again slackens, as does her grip, until I'm able to take back my own arms and allow them to hang them by my sides again.
"Whatever you say, Hiccup. But I've known you, and him, for the entirety of my life, and if he finds out, there's no way he'll let it continue." Her tone is now as smooth as I'd like it to be, though it's not enough to soften the truth behind her statement; she's right. My dad isn't exactly the most open-minded person so, if he ever did find out that I was dating someone, let alone another guy, there's no way that he'd let it go forward. I can't let him know, for the sake of my relationship with Jack, which will be torn apart if it's discovered by him.
"I know. Just please don't say anything to anyone; Jack already has enough teasing to deal with without having something like this thrown in as well." Just as I'm pleading her to keep this information concealed, a pair of extremely thin arm slither around my waist from behind, his hands locking together over my abdomen whilst I hold them there, latching on to what little heat Jack's body radiates as it's pressed against mine. I watch Astrid's eyes flicker up slightly to meet with Jack's face, and I can see the obvious hesitance to completely accept that her life-long friend is actually homosexual, something that I can understand since news as big as this must be difficult to adapt to at first. However, just to make things worse for Astrid, yet better for me, he buries his head into my neck until my cheek is able to nestle into the ivory strands of his hair, a smile plucking on my lips beckoned from the sensation of having our bodies tangled together.
"You really do care about each other, huh?" Astrid remarks, much to the surprise of both Jack and I as we both halt our display of affection to gawp at her in disbelief; is she seriously OK with this? Wow, that was fast. "I mean, I guess it's gonna be hard to get used to, but I'm not gonna ruin this for you guys." As we recover from our innate response of shock, we resume our previous position however I keep my eyes on Astrid whilst she throws a smirk in my direction, one that I've gotten to know throughout my life; it's her way of saying 'you're forgiven'.
"Thanks, Astrid," I murmur before she eventually turns her back to us in order to proceed back into the main block of the college, holding up a hand to wave us both goodbye as she goes. I can't really sum up the welling relief that's beginning to fill me from the tips of my toes right to the top of the last strand of fly-away hair. I was so worried that she wouldn't accept us, that she'd disown me as a friend for keeping something like this a secret from her, though, granted, I didn't exactly have long to let her know, unless you count the time that I spent falling for Jack since we met. Probably; it was most likely the first sign that I was showing interest in my own gender beyond the boundaries of friendship. Even still, I should've counted on Astrid to deal with it without resorting to such means, which warms my heart; I've chosen my friends well. However, just before she enters the building, Jack's lips subconsciously brushing against the skin of my neck whilst we wait for her to leave, she turns back to us with a playful grin on her face, making me wonder just what it is that she has on her mind. What's she up to?
"Good luck on hiding this from your dad during the break, Hic. See ya in about a week!"
A/N
Sooooo... I told you this chapter was short, but, like I said, it's gonna help the story flow much better (I was going to include something else into this chapter but it didn't really seem right just plonking it in here)
I'm super sorry but I hope you can forgive me; next chapter, we're going to be meeting a very significant character who's gonna keep a very close eye on his son and the boy that's staying in his house for the next week whilst they're on October break x'D This is gonna be fun (and hilarious bc cockblocks)
Peace out, my lovely peeps!XxX
Hiccup: Oh Gods, Jack, how're we gonna go a whole week keeping this a secret?
Jack: Ummm... Do the whole 'meeting at a wall at midnight' like Romeo and Juliet?
Hiccup: Wait... is this what this story is, Emily? Just Romeo and Juliet but gay?
Author: Hmm? What? I couldn't hear you over my DVD of the latest Romeo and Juliet!
Jack: Motherfucker's basing our life off of Shakespeare!
Hiccup: Jack! That's so harsh!
Jack: But she is, Hic! I can't believe this...
Hiccup: Well... I'm sure that Emily won't kill either of us so there's that to hope for, right?
Author: Yeeeaaaaaaaaaaah... -looks awkwardly away-
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Hijack: WHAT?!
Author: Until next time!