It was an awkward morning, and Astrid just couldn't focus on her work. She was supposed to be writing an email, telling someone Dancing and the Dreaming would be happy to take on their wedding. Instead, all she could think about was that Dancing and the Dreaming wasn't happy at all in the moment. Hiccup was sitting at his own computer desk, his shoulders tense.

"You know something, Hiccup?" she said, gazing at him determinedly.

"Hmm?" He just wasn't talking to her.

"I made tea for my parents yesterday." She sat up straight in her chair, and her statement made him look at her in confusion. Finally. "They took one sip and told me, 'Astrid, you should never make tea again in your life.'" His lips quirked slightly in amusement. "But you?"

Hiccup's brows furrowed. "What about me?"

"You drank my horrible tea without a single word of complaint." She shook her head. "Not a word. What, did you think you'd hurt my itty bitty feelings?"

He didn't say anything, only looked guilty as he turned his head back to his computer.

"I'm not hurt!" Astrid insisted, throwing her hands in the air. "I'm just confused! We haven't even spoken properly since -"

"Since what?" he asked with gritted teeth, closing his eyes.

Oh, hell no, he was not going to pretend like it never happened. He had enjoyed himself, and so had she. He didn't need to treat her so daintily. "You know what! We slept together! I'm not like other girls, Hiccup, I don't need to be treated daintily. It's okay."

Maybe now he'd finally ask her out.

One of his eyes cracked open, and then the other, and after a few seconds, Hiccup let out a long relieved sigh. "Thor, Astrid, you scared me. I - I thought you thought it meant a long life of marriage and kids and whatever."

Astrid laughed softly, and he rolled his chair right next to her, his familiar grin back in place.

"I was scared, I mean it! I thought, oh great, she's gonna start liking me when all we did was sleep together. You're absolutely right, you are not like other girls. You're smart. It didn't mean anything, right?"

Something dropped in her stomach, and suddenly Astrid was hurt. Truly, deeply hurt. Didn't mean anything? That wasn't what she meant. Was that really how he felt about it? "R-right."

Hiccup kept grinning, unaware of how she felt. "Exactly. You were right, you know. Love and business - they don't mix at all. Excellent rule." He snapped his fingers. "I'm gonna make tea, something much better than your monstrosity of a drink." With that, he stood up and was off to the kitchen, and Astrid was staring at the empty chair spinning.

Her gaze fell on a short mirror next to her computer, and suddenly, Astrid was horribly mad at herself.

"You fool," she whispered, clenching her fists, "you idiot. You absolute idiot. You wanted that rule, didn't you? Love and business don't mix. You got it, good job."

There was a tear trickling down her cheek already, and furiously, Astrid wiped it off. If it didn't mean anything to Hiccup, then it shouldn't mean anything to her.

In fact, he shouldn't mean anything to her. Nothing. Not a potential boyfriend, not a friend. Not even a partner. It had been her business idea in the first place.

And so when her eyes were thoroughly dried up and Hiccup came back with two mugs of tea, Astrid resolved that that was how she would treat him from now on.

Something was still off, Hiccup thought. While it had been awkward inside the office yesterday, today it was tense. Astrid had snapped at him not to bother her when she was making a phone call. Something was off - but it must be a home thing. He didn't remember doing anything to her.

After the phone call was done, however, they had to discuss another wedding plan. Decor, to be specific. They were finally getting richer clients, which meant they had to switch their style up, at least a little bit.

But Astrid didn't think so.

"Absolutely not," she said firmly, when she saw his design. "That isn't Dancing and the Dreaming."

"Yes, but we're not doing our typical stuff," he insisted, and then began to point at a few things on the paper he printed, "look at this part of -"

"I said no!"

Hiccup turned to her in confusion at her sharp tone. She was actually mad, her lips were pursed, and her fists were clenched. "Hey, design is my department, so I do get final say."

She shook her head, not dropping the harsh gaze on her face. "No, we both get final say. Unless you've forgotten, this business is still technically mine."

She had not just said what he thought she said.

"Ours," he reminded, his voice getting a little louder.

"My idea," she spat out, shoving the paper towards him, "if you want to use that garbage, then go make your own business."

Astrid didn't even give him a chance to retort before she stood up and was out the door, calling someone, probably Gobber.

Now he was exasperated and a little irritated. Whatever was going on with her, she needed to get over. It wasn't going to help their work ethic if she didn't bother to listen to his ideas.

Dancing and the Dreaming rested on both of them, not just her.