Author's Note
GUYSGUYSGUYSGUYSGUYSGUYS I HIT 100 REVIEWS! THANK YOU SO MUCH! THIS IS HUGE FOR ME! In just 10 chapters, this is amazing for my first fanfic! Thank you to all you amazing people who take the time to review every chapter! You motivate me to write more chapters! Thank you again! Now I'm overusing the exclamation point! But I'm very excited! Haha!
The first bit here at the top of this chapter has been inspired by an idea given by Sa-Shame8910 with a bit of a twist. Thanks again! :) And somebody requested that I do another scene where they text, so there's that too!
IMPORTANT NOTICE: I will not have wifi until the beginning of September, so I will probably won't be able to respond to all your reviews right away but I will as soon as I do! Thank you for understanding.
I apologize for the lack of flow with this chapter. The transitions between each section are very blunt. XD
Disclaimer: I don't think I need to remind you that I don't own How To Train Your Dragon and its characters but hey, all those smart people in the government do.
The month had gone by and Astrid was able to resume her swimming again. Which she was very pleased about. It had been a very long month.
Which was exactly what went through her mind as she watched Hiccup fall down the stairs.
She hadn't even seen him at first. She was stuffing things in her locker, thinking about stuff, when there was a loud noise. It was the first day of school all over again.
And naturally, as did everyone else did, she turned and looked.
She felt the déjà vu. This time, from the day she watched Snotlout kick him. She's been here before. People staring, people who don't care, people moving on with their lives.
She has definitely been here before.
His books were sprawled on the ground with his open backpack laying nearby. He had been on the second step to the ground, so it wasn't that bad of a fall.
But he was clutching his leg and biting his lip in pain.
The one that wasn't there. But nobody else knew that.
Well, besides Fishlegs, but his locker wasn't on this floor.
She could go help him. Or she can bury herself under the mass of people and be another passive, invisible person.
What matters? Her reputation? Or Hiccup- she's his so-called friend?
You know what? She thought to herself, I don't even care anymore.
She walked over to him, ignoring people's stares.
He barely gave her a nod of recognition. And now that she was right there, she could see the pain etched in his face. She didn't even bother asking him what was wrong. Silently, she helped him up and started in the direction of the nurse's office.
x
Hiccup ended up going home. He honestly couldn't take it anymore. More than once, he felt like crying out. But he didn't.
The doctor had warned him about phantom pains. He had experienced them before. But the gods knew it had never gotten that bad.
All he knew is that it struck him as he was walking down the stairs to fourth period. It felt like a million knives piercing his leg and then being set on fire afterword. Not pleasant at all.
Which has now brought him to his sofa, where his father was carefully wrapping his stump. It was silent throughout the whole house- as it usually is. Hiccup fidgeted with his fingers.
"Hey, Dad?"
"Yes, son."
"Th-thanks. For, you know, coming from work."
Stoick looked up and gave him a tired smile."You don't need to thank me."
Hiccup smiled back.
Later on, his father left because he still had mayor-ly work to get done before he came home for the night. Toothless had jumped up on the sofa and was now cuddling with Hiccup, which was kind of pathetic. You know. The loser sits at home, alone as always, and pets his cat. Though, Hiccup smiled down at Toothless and appreciated the fact that he was enjoying those very few times when Toothless wasn't a sassy spoiled brat. More like a sassy spoiled cat.
So, home alone, he was left to dwell in his thoughts through the silence, besides the occasional purr.
When Hiccup was smaller, he'd usually stay with his dad's friend, Gobber (who also happened to be the sports coach at his high school) for all the times he had no one to look after him.
But sometimes in the summer, when he had no school and Gobber wasn't around, his dad would bring him to his mayor-ly office in his mayor-ly building. And Hiccup would jump around, spin around on his sectretary's chair, causing all kinds of minor trouble and whatnot, bothering Stoick while he was trying to focus. ("I'm hungry, Daddy!" "We had lunch an hour ago, Hiccup." "My belly doesn't think so!")
And he'd always remind Hiccup he had a lot of work to do, and he'd have to wait. He'd have to go sit on one of the chairs and play quietly.
And little Hiccup would always feel sad, because he always had a lot of energy that was bursting to be used and curiousity bursting to be satisfied. But at the end of the very long day, he'd get to walk out of the very big building holding his daddy's hand and everything was right in the world.
He didn't have to. He could've stuck him with a daycare to watch him from morning to night. It certainly would've been an easier choice for Stoick.
But he didn't. He put up with Hiccup. He had always put up with Hiccup. He was more often than not an annoyance to the burly man, but he still loved him.
His father came all the way from work to pick him up, go to the doctor, come home and help him feel comfortable. His father and him are very different people; they don't communicate properly most of the time. But as Hiccup sat on his sofa alone, he understood something. That no matter how much work he has, no matter how much he doesn't understand him... his father always puts him first.
x
A: hey, what happened today? you ok?
H: Hey thanks for asking, I'm okay. it was phantom pains. which basically makes me feel like I have my foot again- which isn't really pleasant
A: that sucks. sorry for your loss.
H: Thanks haha
H: wAIT WAS THAT A PUN
H: CAUSE I LIKE
H: LOST
H: MY LEG
Three minutes passed slowly.
A: I just got it and
A: that was completely unintentional no hiccup I haven't sunk down to ur level
H: You just killed all my hopes and dreams.
A: I'm completely unapologetic
H: if I say I'm having phantom pains rn would you pity me?
A: no
H: PITY ME
H: PLS
A: isn't that what a cat is for?
H: Well I've got one of those
A: haha. but seriously it went away now right? how are you doing now?
H: Phan-tastic, thank you! In fact I'm feeling like I could run a marathon right now!
Astrid mentally slapped herself. How did she not see that coming?
A: I honestly have no idea how to respond to that
H: I honestly have no idea how you were responding up to now, but basically you just click the little white letters on your keyboard, click send, and violà! You've responded!
She rolled her eyes. He thought he was sassy or something. Astrid glanced at the top of her too-bright-for-night phone screen where the time was. 11:48.
A: thank u captain obvious. but it's like tomorrow go get ur beauty sleep gods know you need it :P
H: Wow, Astrid. Thank you for that vote of confidence. Anyway- I can't go to sleep if someone keeps texting me, right?
A: Don't blame your incompetence on me!
H: I can, and I will.
A: your defiance will get you killed
H: Correction: your violent nature will get me killed
A: Don't imitate my responses.
H: Is this another rule in the Astrid Hofferson Handbook that I'm not aware of?
A: There are many rules in the Handbook that your obviously not aware of
H: Elighten me, Astrid.
A: 1) don't tell puns
H: BUT
A: 2) don't even think of telling me puns
H: BUT PUNS ARE MY LIFE
A: that's why you're going to lose it soon
H: Was that a death threat I smell?
A: yes because u haven't followed the rules correctly
H: Does that make me a rebel and you the ruler
A: gods above
A: hiccup
A: hiccup
A: hiicccuuppp
H: Yes Astrid that's my name, congratulations you finally remembered it
A: I will come to u in the middle of this night and strangle you with my bare hands
H: but but
H: what happened to the no violence policy
A: haha I don't remember signing that ur on ur own sucker
H: I like living though
A: too bad :)
H: Toothless has claws you know he'll defend me
A: I've never seen Toothless but I'm sure he would switch to my side
A minute later, she got a picture: a completely black cat laying at the edge of a bed, brooding. It came with the caption: In all honesty Toothless would ditch me in a heartbeat
A: shut up hiccup and don't bad mouth ur cat. look at that adorable face I'll take him if he doesn't want u anymore!
H: Great so you're both ganging up on me?
A: Yes
H: So you're in a cons-purr-acy against me
A: seriously hiccup
A: another reason why me and toothless will take you down
H: *toothless and I
A: oh shut up we both haven't been using proper capitalization or punctuation this whole time and you didn't have a problem, but now you do?
A: hypocritical.
H: Says the person who supposedly is my friend but steals my cat and plans to take me down.
H: Hypocritical.
A: I'm completely unapologetic.
x
The first swim championship for her team was that Saturday, and naturally, Astrid was excited. They were having a bake sale that afternoon to fund the trip there. While it wasn't particularly a bad or poor school, Berk High was not rich. And the price was a bit too high for the school to pay on their own.
Astrid couldn't bake- even if she wanted to. And she definitely didn't want to. On the walk to school, she picked up three boxes of cupcakes, which now she was currently regretting. Astrid scowled as she felt her grip loosen on the box at the bottom. It was pathetic, she fumed, that those stupid round balls of sugar and fat with artificial and barely editable, colorful smiling faces on top couldn't get themselves to the pathetic building. Stupid smiley faces. She was feeling the exact opposite of smiley at the current moment.
Astrid silently cursed that stupid bakery place. The boxes didn't need to be that huge! The cupcakes would've fit fine in smaller boxes! But no, let's complicate her life even more. She huffed and tried to lean to the side to get a view of where she was going. A block and a half away. On the topic of cursing people, she also decided to give others that honor as well. She cursed her stupid excuse for a mother for not being like a normal mother and not driving her to school if she needed help. Stupid bakery, stupid mom. Hm, what could be add on to the list? Screw her life, screw walking, screw the stupid still smiling cupcakes, screw her swimming team, screw swimming, screw school, screw everything.
And most of all, stupid grip! (or rather, the lack of)
Okay, Astrid, She closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down, Just breathe in, breathe out.
Only a few minutes went by when the blonde grunted in frustration as she felt her hands about to slip. And she could already see everything tumbling to the floor. Oh, and then she'll would react much worse than just thinking of things she feels at the moment should burn in hell.
On that positive note, the cupcakes did not tumble out of her hands, and for a brief moment she was surprised.
"Oh, watch it. They're gonna fall."
Astrid didn't even have to lean over to see who it was. Who else had that stupid nasal voice that he had?
"Oh thanks. Couldn't tell." She grumbled sarcastically.
"Somebody's in a bad mood." She could pratically hear him rolling his eyes. "Want me to help? There's a block left."
With a scowl, she handed off a box to him and continued walking without a second thought. He had looked like he was about to offer to hold two but she had stopped him with a glare. She handled three boxes the whole time; she could handle two stupid boxes for a stupid block. He caught up with her brisk pace and walked alongside her. "Are you mad at me? Cause you seem mad."
She stopped short. Okay, so maybe she was taking the cupcake problem out on him. "It's just these stupid cupcakes. I'm not in a good mood."
He glanced at her from the side and smiled weakly. "What are they for?"
"Bake sale to fund the trip to our swim championship." Three quarters of the block left.
"Ooo, cool! Good luck!"
"Thanks." Astrid hoisted the two boxes up. Better than before, but still. She swore cupcakes off for the rest of her life.
"When's the bake sale?"
Did anyone ever tell him how annoying he is? Always asking questions.
"Afterschool."
"Awesome. I'll have my money ready."
She felt her gratitude rise up in her chest- he knew how much swimming meant to her. But she simply nodded her thanks.
As they approached the school, he glanced at her through the boxes. "Where are we putting these?"
Oh, I don't know, Astrid rolled her eyes mentally, where else would you put food?
"Cafeteria. Where else?" She tried hard not to sound annoyed.
But he must of heard it in her tone, because he had the decency to look sheepish. "The faculty room?" He offered up weakly, but she shot it down with a dry look. "Cafeteria, okay. That would make sense."
He pushed open the door with one hand and after he had gotten in, he held it for her. "Thanks." she mumbled, trying to balance the two boxes while trying to see where she was going. She made her way to the back- where the refrigerators were and stuff. She heard the door slam closed and his footsteps as he scurried to catch up with her.
x
"Hiccup! Oh my gods!" She jumped up and slapped his arm in excitement. They had been a bit early and there were a couple minutes left until they had to enter that hell- whoops, she meant school. They had been standing next to each other in mildly awkward silence when Astrid remembered something. He was her math tutor and she hadn't told him the grade she got on her math test!
He turned to her, rubbing his arm while giving her a look of discontent. "What's the matter now?"
Astrid grinned wholeheartedly. "It's been days and I forgot to tell you the grade I got on that math test!"
His eyes lit up in anticipation and he immediately stopped rubbing his arm. (Funny how that works. He's been faking hurt this whole time, that son of a half troll.) "Right! What'd you get?"
"96!" She replied happily, putting her hands on her hips.
His smile reached his eyes. "Oh my gods, Astrid! That's amazing, I'm so proud of you."
Astrid beamed at him and then laughed. "I couldn't do it without you."
She suddenly felt a pair of bony arms being wrapped around her- what?
Hiccup was hugging her.
He was hugging her.
Her body went stiff, as it was unexpected, but she couldn't help but feel little sparks everywhere. She didn't quite know how to respond, and by the time she realized she should probably hug him back, he had already pulled away.
He awkwardly ran his hands through his hair and avoided eye contact. "I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean-"
Astrid cut him off with a punch.
He was always so fidgety. Gods, it was annoying.
"Shut up, Hiccup, for once, and relax. I haven't killed anyone. Yet." She added with a smirk.
He only rubbed his arm (Again. Being the little half troll he was) and smiled weakly in response.
x
She didn't have lunch with Ruffnut at the same time today, so Astrid slumped in her usual spot and sighed. She noticed Hiccup sitting alone at his usual table, and for a split second she thought about joining him, but she shook the thought away. She needed to think about more important things.
Okay. Swim competition on Saturday. Their last practice was today, after the bake sale. Well, she should be fine. As long as she maintained the speed she had, she'll do fine. But Gobber had said that-
A lunch tray clattered on the opposite side of her. She looked up to see who it was and... ughhh.
It was Snotlout. Of course.
Okay. Hiccup was sounding ten times better right now.
She really hadn't missed him. And there was no Tuffnut to be seen that could occupy him. She didn't need this distraction!
"Hey, babe."
Astrid groaned and dropped her fork. "I hate you, leave me alone!" To someone else, her greeting might've come off as rude or nasty, but with his thick skull? Might as well get straight to the point.
He sat down and gestured to the whole cafeteria. "Astrid, look at all the hot girls I could be chasing right now! But you know I only have eyes for you."
She felt like throwing up. "Yeah, I noticed that I'm the only one cursed."
"You love me. You're just playing hard to get. It's okay, Astrid. I know I'm irresistible."
Why was she still sitting here?
Snotlout sent her that stupid, arrogant smile and she felt all the warmth slither out of her and then by the force of habit, she scowled and glared at the table.
And then it hit her over the head. She's always like this. She's always cold and... hostile and doesn't care about anyone else.
And then she thought about Hicccup, how he made her laugh and how he was genuinely happy for her and she can just feel his arms sending sparks through her again when he hugged her. The way he gave her those lopsided smiles and ran his fingers through his hair... the way he cared. The way he was thoughtful and he knew her. The real her.
And then she felt herself smile, all because she lost herself in a memory.
Why was she still sitting here again?
So she grabbed her tray and walked away from everything she used to be and then she's sitting across from him. He stuttered out a weak hello and his baffled smile comes through his emerald eyes, and he pushed his hair from his face. And the warmth comes back again, and her stomach fills with butterflies she can't explain, taking flight and she can't help but feel utterly free, free of requirements and expectations and limitations and...
And that's when it hits her. In full force.
His green eyes suddenly felt so vibrant, so wide and she wondered how she never got lost in them before.
They pierced her world, her walls, and suddenly the last crack is made and it's just enough to send them all crashing down. One by one, every guard she ever put up against the world was shattered and she was left with nothing to defend herself.
And he's sitting right there, innocently picking at his food, awkwardly, unaware of what he's done.
Because the walls that were supposed to protect her ended up only trapping her and now they were crumbling to the feet of a simple glance. The walls that stood everything, that lasted through everything, that never had even cracked even at the lowest points of her life.
Ice collided with emerald and every bit of crystal shattered and sparked the downfall.
And honestly, as he peers up at her, obviously struggling for the confidence to ask why she decided to randomly appear at his table and just stare at him when she should be asking him why he decided to just randomly appear in her life and tear down every wall she had...
She decides she doesn't really mind.
Author's Note
I think we've reached a milestone in their relationship. You know, seeing Astrid just acknowledged her feelings for him. *hiccstrid fans clap and confetti falls and the world explodes with happiness*
A math session should be in next chapter! Astrid's doing okay, so she might not need it. Maybe there's another motive to why she's still going... ;P
PLEASE PLEASE CHECK OUT MY NEW HTTYD STORY, "SAVAGE SEAS" It would mean THE WORLD to me! It's Hiccstrid too. It would be so amazing if you checked that out! Thank you SOO much in advance! :D I love all my readers so much!
Review Info:
In response to a guest reviewer, I am a girl. And to make a FF account is free! Lol.
There were, uh, quite a few interesting guest reviews between the last chapter and this one... I'm still slightly confused with what's going on, but there seems to have been some things going on between guest reviewers. Thank you to those who defended me, but I want to politely ask that this does not happen again. My review area is not a battlefield. XD
For future reviews, please keep all of them revelant to the story you are reviewing. And while I am grateful for every single review, I just want to ask you to please don't curse in your reviews the same way I don't use curses in my story. They don't encourage me in any way to write any faster. Thank you.
SHOUTOUTS:
Winter Frolics (guest): Awww, thank you thank you thank you! You're too kind :) Thank you for checking Frostbite On Your Spleen out!
Sir Baron (guest): Glad you like it! Thank you, that's exactly what I was aiming for. Lol. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
fanficlover121 (guest): Lol, you said and predicted the whole story! XD Hiccup and Astrid are friends, then will come to terms with their feelings, then you know what comes afterward. :P But it's a very slow process. That's why, at Chapter 10, Astrid has just acknowledged her feelings for him, though, she's felt them in previous ones. They will kiss, lol. Eventually XD Thank you!Glad you liked Hiccup's puns :D
MY FELLOW HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON PEOPLE. 4 WORDS:
RACE. TO. THE. EDGE. (spoilers ahead. you've been warned. and if you've haven't seen RTTE, I demand that you stop reading fanfiction and GO WATCH IT AT THIS PRESENT SECOND) (if you don't have Netflix, I know a website, just ask)
It is soo AMAZING! I love their sarcasm, it's hilarious! I love the plot so much! The TV show has definitely improved since the beginning episodes. I'm so impressed, I couldn't stop watching! aLSO CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT HEATHER AND ASTRID HAD A GIRL TO GIRL TALK ABOUT BOYS THE WORLD IS ENDING. Oh, Astrid's in denial. XD BUT HICCUP HAS 2 BRAIDS IN HIS HAIR! Astrid, you've crossed too many lines to say 'just friends' I think they were at that tense stage of their relationship, where it was something more than just friends but they hadn't put a label on it yet. Like, between-the-lines sometimes flirting and stuff. After all, they're 17/18 in that. We know that in two/three years they'll be dating. SHE PUT HER ARMS AROUND HIM AT THE END, I WAS CRYING IN FEELS BY THEN. AND THEY WERE SITTING ON THE BEACH TOGETHER IN ONE EPISODE AHH. They're adorable. I can't :D
Okay this is longer than it should be, I'm sorry XD I really want that next batch of 13 episodes!
Also, check out CreativeWriter96, who is awesome and reviewed many times for this story! :D