A/N: Thanks for all the feedback, guys! It's nice to see people are still around for this story. Okay, so here's a new chapter! Looks long, but it's not really. Just a lot of dialog. The chapter's title is based off a Miranda Cosgrove song. I think it suits Fishlegs in this chapter pretty well. ["Can we bring yesterday back around? 'Cuz I know how I feel about you now."] Thanks for reading!
"Did she tell her?" Fishlegs asked as soon as Astrid and Hiccup returned to the blacksmith shop.
"No," Hiccup answered. "She didn't get a chance to."
Astrid huffed. "What makes you so sure I was gonna tell her?"
"Why else would you go to the well?"
"You needed water!"
Hiccup tapped the empty bucket his girlfriend was holding. "Still do, apparently."
Her cheeks went red. "You distracted me!"
"Well, I can't argue with that." He returned with an impish grin. "I can be pretty distracting."
Astrid hit him lightly with the bucket and turned towards the door. "Fine, I'll just go back then."
"No!" Fishlegs cut in.
"No," Hiccup repeated, pulling the container from her hands. "I'll go."
"No," She also repeated, tossing the bucket into the remaining teen's lap. "Fishlegs will go. He has to tell Ruffnut how he feels, anyway."
"Right," He started, rubbing the back of his neck. "About that.."
Fish shot a look at Hiccup. "You didn't tell her?"
"Tell me what?"
The young blacksmith cleared his throat. "Fishlegs is certain that what he felt towards Snotlout and Ruffnut last night was not jealousy, but an angry attitude due to lack of sleep and hunger pangs."
Astrid blinked. "That's the stupidest thing I ever heard." She glared at over at Fishlegs. "What's wrong with Ruffnut?"
"N-nothing, I just-"
"Then why is it so hard for you to admit you like her back?"
"Back?" He questioned. "What 'back'?"
"She likes you," Astrid said. "And you like her back."
"She doesn't like me."
"Well, yeah - maybe not anymore."
"No, she never liked me," Fishlegs said. "She told me."
"She told you that?"
He nodded. "She said she only came over a few nights ago to apologize about a book she 'borrowed' and then lost." He paused, while Astrid considered this. "She didn't actually take a book, but I-"
"When did she tell you this?"
"The other night," Fish answered.
"Why did she tell you this?"
"I don't know," He shrugged. "It just came out after I told her I didn't like her."
Astrid's face suddenly flooded with realization. She lowered her head and let out a soft noise that appeared to be a laugh. "Guys are-"
"Such idiots," Hiccup finished. "We know."
"What?" Fishlegs questioned.
"She didn't mean it, Fish."
"Then why'd she say it?"
"You had just admitted you didn't like her back," She explained. "She felt stupid. Embarrassed. Any girl in their right mind would've done the same thing."
"I don't under-"
"She was just being stubborn. Kinda like how you're being about liking Ruffnut."
He didn't speak for a minute or so. Fishlegs was still wrapping his head around everything Astrid had just told him. It all made sense, of course. The kiss, the nonexistent book, the date with...
"Well, if she still likes me – or liked me, anyway – why did I see her on a date with Snotlout last night?"
"It wasn't a date!" Astrid shouted, defending her friend.
"It was a date," Hiccup added. "Snotlout told me."
"No, it wasn't."
"Yes, it was."
"It wasn't!"
"It was," Fishlegs cut in. "I was there. I know what I saw."
"And what did you see, exactly?"
"I don't know," He said, with a shrug. "Snotlout. Ruffnut."
"And?"
"And they were together."
"So?"
"So.." Fishlegs almost sneered, though the action was fairly new to him. "What else is there to tell?"
"Don't you think there was a slight chance they were just, you know, hanging out?"
"No," Hiccup spoke up. "Because they were-"
Astrid shushed him and turned her attention back to Fish. She blinked, "Well?"
He released a breath. "No, I didn't think that, because I've been thinking too much lately. I'm tired of thinking!"
She had to stifle a giggle. "Fishlegs? Tired of thinking?"
"Well," He started, twiddling his thumbs. "I've come to the conclusion that when Ruffnut is involved, it's best to never think. To act without thinking." He swallowed. "It's what Ruff would do, anyway."
Hiccup and Astrid stared at their friend. He had a point.
"So, what are you going to do?" Hiccup asked, breaking the silence that had filled the room.
"I don't know."
Astrid sat on the floor in front of him. "Well, let's start simple. What do you think of-"
He glared at her.
"Sorry," She mumbled. "Not think. Uhm...oh! Okay, when I say Ruffnut, what's the first thing that pops into your head?"
"Her hair," Fish answered automatically. The other two teens stared back. "It's...well, it's kinda pretty."
Astrid forced herself to hold back a grin. "Good, and how do you feel about her?"
"I think..."
She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Er..I know," He sighed, dropping his head. "Maybe...I like her, a little? Maybe a lot."
She nodded her approval.
Fishlegs let out another sigh and looked up at Astrid. "I have to tell her, don't I?"
A/N: Oh, yes, Fishlegs - you do. ;P I already have the next chapter written up, so I'll see you all soon! Thanks again for reading! Comments is love. :]
