Chapter 9 – Interruptions
Leaving the horses at the stables back at Astrid's, the two made the mile or so walk into town and ended up at one of her favorite places in all of Berk, Dragon's Edge, a little cafe tucked in an alleyway off the streets of downtown.
The younger woman taking their order noticed the young prince immediately and her hands shook as she began making their drinks.
Hiccup's eyes widened as he saw the blueberry muffin placed on their table, "That is almost as big as your head."
Astrid laughed, "I would offer you some, but I'm starving and these are the best muffins ever." She placed a fork full in her mouth and the auburn haired boy's face broke into a wide smile when he saw every ounce of her relax as soon as the pastry entered her mouth.
Hiccup took a sip of his cream filled coffee, his eyes still not leaving the girl sitting across from him.
Astrid took another bite and leaned back in her seat, "So, Henry...have any deep dark secrets you'd like to tell me?"
"The stuff I told you back on the beach wasn't enough, huh?" Hiccup said, his heart suddenly beating faster.
"Your leg doesn't count," she smirked, "It's not a secret if it's revealed the second you wear shorts."
Hiccup took a look around at the cafe around him. There weren't many people in there with them, just a few buried deep in their phones or their laptops, not really caring about anything other than what was staring back at them on their screens.
Even if he wasn't looking at her, he could still feel her piercing blue eyes on him, waiting on him to spill some amazing secret about his past.
"Why do you want to know?" Hiccup turned back to face her and asked, playfully.
The corner of her mouth quirked up, "It's that bad, huh?"
He took another sip of the still really hot coffee and cringed when he felt it burn his tongue, "I hate to be called Henry."
"Okay, what should I call you then?" She asked him, intrigued.
He looked down at his cup, "Hiccup."
He heard her laugh, "You're joking, right?" She knew the answer when he didn't begin to laugh along with her.
He looked up from his cup now and stared at her amused face, "I've gone by it since I was a kid."
"And you like it?"
He shrugged, "I was called it for so long that it just kind of stuck."
"How did you even get such a nickname?"
"The other kids had different names for me every week and one day I showed up to school with a horrible case of the hiccups that lasted for days. Well, I guess the other kids thought out of all the other names they called me, that one was the most fitting."
"Why do you still go by it then?" Astrid asked, wondering why anyone would go by a name a couple of bullies gave them back in elementary school.
This question took Hiccup by surprise. He had never really thought about why he chose to go by the name or why he even preferred it.
Astrid took his silence as him saying he didn't want to tell her the reason, "Look, you don't have to tell me if you-"
Hiccup shook his head, "No one has ever asked me that before," he clasped his hands together and began pulling at his fingers nervously, "I guess I like it because being called Hiccup made me work hard. It made me work hard because I was determined to not be Hiccup anymore," he paused. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that it was the push I needed to help me become the person I am today."
"I sure hope those jerks see you now." Astrid smiled, smugly.
Hiccup chuckled quietly and looked back down at his almost empty mug. Suddenly, her small hand was laying on top of his clasped hands. He looked up at her then and gave her a half-smile as he felt her give them a gentle squeeze.
Astrid wasn't sure what she was doing as she slowly leaned her face closer to his. She just couldn't seem to take her eyes off his chapped lips and had no idea what would've happened next if the bright camera flashes hadn't interrupted the moment.
Hiccup didn't even notice the men pointing their large cameras into the windows of the cafe. He was too focused on Astrid's soft pink lips and the loud beating of his heart as he imagined what they would feel like pressed against his.
It was when Astrid pulled back and stood up from the table that he realized something was going on.
"Shit!" She muttered angrily under her breath.
Hiccup froze in his seat as more men with cameras bigger than their heads began pointing and taking photos of him. He froze just like he had at the opera last night.
He watched Astrid wrap her muffin up in a napkin, "Come on, we have to go." She said while she waved her hand, signaling him to hurry up.
When he had no intention of moving, she grabbed his arm, pulled him up, and dragged him towards the front door.
"Prince Henry!" They all repeated over and over as flashes went off, blinding both of them in the process.
"Don't you idiots know how to mind your own business?" Astrid yelled as she pushed past the men, jabbing them in their large stomachs with her elbows. She was still pulling the shocked prince behind her.
They made it out of the alleyway, a couple of the cameramen still following them to get the last couple of shots they wanted. Once the two were about two blocks over, Astrid let go of Hiccup's arm and stopped running so they could both catch their breath.
"What happened to you back there?" Astrid asked him. He was bent over, resting his hands on his knees and breathing hard.
"I just froze." Hiccup said and stood back up straight.
"You're going to have to learn to handle it. All of that," she gestured back in the direction of the cafe, "is going to happen to you a lot from now on. Better get used to it."
Hiccup groaned.
"Let's get out of here." Astrid began walking back in the direction of her home and Hiccup had to walk quickly in order to catch up to her.
The walk back was silent. Astrid thinking about how she got way too carried away and Hiccup wondering if it was right to feel disappointed that the moment was ruined.
The silence was too awkward, "I see you saved your muffin." He pointed to the still wrapped up pastry.
He saw the corners of Astrid's mouth turn up into a smile, "I could never let something so delicious go to waste."
"And you're seriously not going to let me taste it?"
The mood was suddenly lightened. She shook her head, a playful smirk on her face, "Nope. Guess we'll just have to go back another time so you can try one for yourself."
Hiccup didn't ignore how excited that made him feel.
Gobber had been looking for the prince all day. He couldn't find him anywhere and he got nervous every time he went back to tell the king that his son was still nowhere to be found.
So, when he heard the nasal voice ring throughout the palace, he all but ran in the direction he heard it come from. However, he stopped and hid behind the corner before he could be seen when he saw who he was with.
The young prince had said something and it must've been funny because Astrid smiled and began to chuckle which led to Hiccup laughing along with her. Gobber smiled and remained hidden behind the wall, enjoying seeing the young lad look so happy.
He realized that this was the first time he saw him look so carefree which is why when the two began making their way up the stairs, he turned right back around to tell the king he still hadn't seen any sign of his son.
The two walked up the stairs together and when Hiccup turned in the same direction as her, she was confused. His room was down the other hallway.
She turned her head to look at him curiously, "Aren't you going the wrong way?"
Hiccup scratched the back of his head, "I...I thought I would walk you to your room."
Not even ten steps later they were standing in front of her door.
Neither of them knew what to say so they stood there in awkward silence. Astrid playing with her braid and Hiccup rubbing the back of his neck.
Hiccup cleared his throat, "I had a good time today."
She glanced up at his bright green eyes, "It was a good day. Even with all the stuff that happened at the cafe."
Heat rose to Hiccup's cheeks because his mind went straight to her leaning over the table and getting closer and closer to him and not the men who interrupted the moment with their cameras, "Right…that." He chuckled nervously.
"Those people live off of interrupting every moment of our lives." Astrid rolled her eyes.
That's when Hiccup realized she wasn't talking about the moment right before that and he released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, "Oh. Yeah…"
There was another moment of silence between the two, "So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Astrid said quietly.
Hiccup nodded, "Goodnight, Astrid." He turned around and began walking down towards his own room.
"Hiccup!" He heard Astrid call his name and turned back around to see her walking towards him, the brown leather jacket in her hands, "Here's your jacket." She held it out for him to grab.
"You can keep it." Hiccup smiled.
The girl shook her head, "No, it's yours," she placed it in his arms, "And plus, I think it looks good on you."
Astrid turned back around before he could see the blush rise up in her cheeks. Hiccup was still standing in the middle of the hallway holding his jacket long after she walked back into her room and shut the door.
He eventually found his way back into his room and for the first time in over a month, he wasn't dreading the next day. Instead, he was really looking forward to it.
Stoick stomped up the stairs, the morning paper held tightly in his hand. He didn't even bother knocking on his son's door. He pushed it open with so much force, it swung open and slammed right into the wall.
Hiccup shot up out of bed, his hair a tangled mess on top of his head, "What's going on?" He asked his father groggily.
The king threw the newspaper on the bed, "Explain this."
Hiccup rubbed his eyes. He didn't have his contacts in and had to hold the paper close to his face in order to see it clearly. His eyes grew wide and his heart stopped beating the second he saw the photo of him and Astrid at the cafe on the front page.
It was a photo of that moment. The moment her hand was placed on top of his and when he was watching her round face grow closer and closer to his.
"Stoick-" Hiccup started, trying to find some kind of explanation of the photo, but coming up blank.
His father crossed his arms and pursed his lips, "Is this where you were all day yesterday?"
"Yeah, she asked if I wanted to hang out." Hiccup replied.
"Why?"
This question took Hiccup by surprise, "I don't know…"
Stoick turned around towards the door and Hiccup thought he was leaving, but he just shut it before walking back over to his previous spot, "You will not do it again."
"Do what again?" Hiccup asked even though he already knew the answer.
"Go on a date with Astrid Hofferson."
Hiccup's jaw clenched, "It wasn't a date."
Stoick raised his eyebrows, "It sure looked like a date to me." He pointed to the photo again.
"It wasn't." Hiccup said, sounding disappointed and not meaning to.
Stoick's face fell and when he looked up at his son again, the disapproval and anger in his green eyes were now filled with empathy, "This is all part of her plan, son."
"What are you talking about?" Hiccup removed his blanket and sat on the edge of his bed.
"Her plan. To steal the crown." Stoick stated.
He held up the newspaper, "What does any of this have to do with that?"
"She's just pretending to like you so you'll let your guard down."
He pressed his lips together, "You don't know that."
"The Hofferson's are very sneaky people and I don't want to see you get hurt, son." Stoick said, sincerely.
He scrunched up his face, "Since when did my feelings start meaning so much to you?"
Stoick sighed, "I don't want you to get your heart broken."
"I can take care of myself." Hiccup bit his bottom lip.
"Just promise me there will be no more sneaking around with Astrid." Stoick said firmly.
Hiccup didn't answer his father. He just placed his head in his hands. Stoick took one last look at his son, wondering if he should say anything else before deciding it was best to just leave him alone. He turned around and walked back out of his room.
Hiccup didn't reply. He sat there on the edge of his bed replaying yesterday's events in his head.
He didn't want his father to be right. He wanted him to be wrong but there was a part of Hiccup that believed that he was right. And that part started to eat away at all the other parts of him that believed Astrid Hofferson did like him.
What reason did she have to like him? He was lanky and awkward. And most of all he had the job she wanted most. The job she had probably dreamt of having ever since she was a little girl.
Everything moved so fast yesterday that he didn't have the time to wrap his head about why she was taking him to a spot that meant a lot to her or why she kept leaning closer to his face only seconds before the camera flashes went off.
What if everything yesterday was just part of her plan? Every touch and every smile she gave him could've been a lie. But that isn't what hurt him. What hurt him more than anything was that every smile and every touch he gave her yesterday meant a lot to him. None of it was a lie.
And that is when he realized that he had been an idiot to fall for her blue eyes looking back at him like she was falling for him just as much as he was falling for her.
That is when he realized his father was right.
Uh oh. Stoick has put doubts in our boy's head! What ever will happen now? hehehe
Also, did you all enjoy THAT moment? I sure did.
Don't be afraid to leave a comment. I love them more than Astrid loves blueberry muffins! :D
