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Sorry for delay; busy work shifts don't leave much time for Hiccstrid.

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New Home, New Feelings

"This the last box?"

Astrid dropped her suitcase on the blank mattress of her new bed, blowing hair out of her mouth to answer Ruff. "Huh?"

The modelesque blonde, her hair scrunched up in a messy bun, waggled the cardboard box in her arms. "This super light box was the last one in the van – I told the mover guys you were done and they took their finely muscled asses out of here." The sentence was finished with an appreciative pop of her gum.

Astrid couldn't help but laugh at the other woman's description. "I didn't look, but thanks anyway for the butt update."

She took the box and jiggled it to hear the contents rattle in response. The label said MISC, denoting that anything and everything could be sealed between her hands. Ruff loomed in the doorway like an attractive beanpole, stretching her arms up and behind her back to crack her bones.

"Butt updates are important."

"I'm sure they are."

Ruff snorted. "You just say that because you haven't seen a butt worth mentioning." When Astrid deigned not to answer her comment, she stepped awkwardly around the boxes littering the floor to fall onto Astrid's bed with a squeaky bounce. "What's in your suitcase?"

Astrid looked up from deciding where her MISC box should go. "Just clothes; other last minute things. I forgot my towels and had to run up the stairs again to grab them."

And hadn't that been a piece of cake. With not a day to spare, Astrid had signed, sealed and delivered her fine self over to Ruff's; a two bedroom bungalow that boasted cheap bills and rent. Ruff, despite her tough exterior, was oddly domestic when not at work. The bungalow was well looked after; especially Astrid's room. The walls had been repainted to cover the ostentatious red Tuff had liked to a more subtle green for Astrid. Ruff had clearly put effort in making her home look welcoming, and Astrid felt her heart warm at the gesture. She wasn't used to all of these caring gestures. The park employees seemed to bring them out whenever Astrid was involved.

"You have a hideous shoe selection – you can borrow any of mine if you get tired of your fluffy wuffy slipperkins."

Astrid mentally stuck a pin in her 'Ruff is a Saint' balloon. "Not everyone can afford to have shoes for every occasion. Besides, they're my bunny slippers, not stiletto heels."

"Still." Ruff made various faces as she rifled through Astrid's clothes. "You'd think you hadn't been shopping in months."

"Close enough." Astrid began to throw open the boxes near her feet. Ruff was silent save for the popping of her gum and the slight squeak of the bed at her constant soft bouncing. It was quiet long enough for Astrid to become absorbed in a box of books before she spoke again.

"So, I was thinking of setting you up with Tuff when you first got here." Ruff settled into folding Astrid's clothes with surprising efficiency, ignoring her spluttering of indignation. "But you're like, way too smart for him. I love him, but we got half a brain each, yeah?"

Astrid groaned into her armful of books. "I don't need a date. I'm fine on my own."

Ruff continued on like she hadn't heard her. "Fishlegs is engaged, Eret is mine..."

"Wait, what?"

Astrid actually let her books fall onto the top of another box, staring shell-shocked at a smug Ruff. "Fishlegs is engaged?"

"Oh yeah." Ruff finished folding the clothes and leaned onto the uncovered pillows. "Been together since high school. She's a real peach; works at the local school as a science teacher."

Astrid pondered this new information, bending to deal with her books more gently than she had before. She never really thought about the other members of the park and their personal lives. It was always her, focusing on her problems, or on how she could solve them. The same way she'd got through moving away from home, and being top of the class at university. Hearing Ruff talk so candidly about Fishlegs and his life made Astrid painfully aware of how little she knew – how little she had bothered with any of them.

"So...you and Eret?" Astrid asked hopefully. She had to start somewhere, and she really did like Ruff. She hoped it wasn't too late to start building a good friendship.

"URGH! That specimen of pure godliness all rolled up in a muscled perfect example of man." Ruff actually swooned on the pillows, fanning her face with a wide palmed hand. "He doesn't know it yet. But we're meant to be together."

Astrid was surprised to hear a giggle escape her mouth. It had been a while since she had laughed thoughtlessly – it felt good. "How did you know?"

Ruff sprang on all fours, making both the suitcase and the bed flop and creak alarmingly. "It was my first day. I saw him – my mind went blank. All I could think of...take me!" She hugged her middle and winked salaciously at Astrid. "We got together once at a New Year's party a couple years ago. Mind. Blowing. I'd like me some more of that."

The smaller blonde smirked and moved onto another box, leaving the sorted books where they lay. Ruff's comments tinged her cheeks red. Drunken fumbles in first year – give or take a couple make-outs in the back of a taxi – did not a sexy vixen make. Astrid wasn't yearning for intimacy like her fellow young students, because she had lost her virginity to her high school boyfriend, Jake. It had been an interesting experience; but too quick, too sore. But he had treated her gently and with respect, despite a small voice in the back of her head demanding more from the man who was meant to set her lions aflame. When they broke up, Astrid didn't regret it – it had happened, they had been in a relationship, and she had no qualms about 'saving herself' or whatever.

Still. The 'mind blowing' sex Ruff was reminiscing about did sound like something worth missing.

"Yeah." Astrid pensively closed the lid, done unpacking for the moment. "It sounds it."

Ruff eyed her for a minute, angled eyebrow arched over her narrowed eyes, before shrugging. "Want to order pizza? Some random leaflet came through my door this morning."

Astrid nodded, feeling brighter already. "That sounds great."

The next time Astrid saw Hiccup, it was before opening time about a week after her move in with Ruff. Her hours had changed to reflect a more nine to five rota, and she was admittedly loving the longer sleep. But as she walked up to him, waved and brightly said hi, he smiled politely and walked past without a word.

At first, she thought he was just busy. Given how much work he had to do, she figured he was just tired, and would return to his mocking self in no time. She tried to catch him alone, to thank him again. But he was always busy or on his way to something – and his entire attitude had changed. He no longer joked, or teased, or make fun of her violent tendencies.

Astrid worried something was wrong, and wondered if everyone got the same treatment.

The instant she saw Heather, however, re-evaluated her opinion on that particular sentiment.

He was snorting with laughter as they noisily entered the office, both gushing about a new animal potentially coming to the park. Heather's fingers combed through her hair as she flashed a coy smile up at Hiccup, who gamely offered his handkerchief so she could dry her hair. Never mind that there was a bathroom full of paper towels right next door. Astrid then watched, a strange tightening in her chest, as Heather held onto it like a trophy, giggling at his use of the word ma'am.

That should have tipped her off, really. But then Heather left Hiccup in the office alone with a strangely seething Astrid, who couldn't manage to stop her snarky comment escaping.

"Heather, huh?" She started typing furiously onto her keyboard. After begging Gothi, a new desktop computer was installed for Astrid's use. It made things infinitely easier, but only having Astrid in the office made it her job to work through all of the paperwork. "She seems to really like you."

She heard Hiccup splutter and clank in his distinctive way of shuffling his feet, before calming down and answering her. "Heather? No. We're just good colleagues."

"Colleagues?" This time, Astrid turned to face a stock still Hiccup. "You called them your tribe, once. Like family. And suddenly they're just people you work with?"

"Do you have a problem, Astrid?" Hiccup's voice was steady. Astrid paused, biting her lip. Technically, no. Glancing at his schooled expression, she felt her heart sink at the polite interest in his eyes. It made her feel like she was over-reacting.

She shook her head minutely, still unable to offer a reason for her behaviour.

Seeing his nod at her silence, and then his quick clanking departure, confirmed her suspicions. She sighed, irritated at her own actions, before spying the handkerchief left sitting on the desk by the door.

Astrid left it in spite. Maybe it would teach her not to be possessive over things that weren't hers.

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