Eleven: Dinner and Not a Date

Back in the apartment, Astrid was actually excited at the prospect of her meal. Once they had left the pharmacy, Hiccup had taken charge-once he had checked if she had any food allergies or preferences or dislikes. Standing back, it had been refreshing to see him walk forward with confidence in the shops, picking meat and vegetables and browse the pastry section with complete ease, while Astrid was mesmerised. In the little grocery section, he expertly harvested herbs and spices and stock-which she had no idea about, except it was something to so with merchandise for shops. And hearing his voice speak with confidence, joking with the grocer and talking pleasantly with the butcher, had made her heart warm in her chest.

Back in the apartment, he had carefully carried the food in, as well as an armful of bags of his new clothes. Camicazi and Astrid had willingly carried the rest and they had dumped the carriers in the guest bedroom as Hiccup carefully stowed the food and looked on with pride at his selection of condiments. And the little smile on his lips had just made Astrid feel warm. Then she had changed to go to her yoga mat to relax while he vanished into the bedroom to stow his purchases.

Alone in the guest room, Hiccup looked on a room that was the size of most master bedrooms with its own ensuite and a bank of mirrored wardrobes. The bed had pristine white bedclothes, a huge fluffy duvet and plentiful pillows-in fact, it looked like a hotel room. Trying to avoid thinking about the fact that he was essentially lodging in his friend's home because he was hiding from his ferocious ex-girlfriend, he carefully unpacked the meagre few items he had brought himself and the new clothes, shoes and personal items he had acquired. And then he looked at the new wardrobe and a surge of pride and shame welled in his chest. These were literally the only clothes he possessed, apart from the couple of pairs of jeans and his dress suit he had left at his father's and they were definitely not what Bella would have chosen…but perhaps, they were what Hiccup himself would have, had fate been kinder.

He blinked. He had been very careful not to allow the extremely helpful but intrusive assistants glimpsing his body. There were just too many scars, too much wrong there to be ashamed of that he wouldn't willingly share with anyone. But he now could look like a real person…if only he was't such a sight anyway.

Honestly, Hiccup-why would anyone else want to go out with you? I mean-you stammer, you're clumsy, you have a big nose and weird hair and no social skills. You should be grateful I'm willing to put up with you.

He stared at the shape in the mirror, hunched shoulders making him look down and subdued. The man he was looking at was in hiding, pretending to be what he was not, penniless and broken. All he was good for was serving whichever woman would take pity on his wretched self. On the pathetic specimen he was. He stared harder into the emerald eyes in the mirror: shamed and wary…but he looked up and lifted his chin.

NO! You can't keep listening to her. Bella wanted you cowed and broken and Thor, she did that. But this is your chance, you muttonhead. And if you don't take this, you're a disgrace to a thousand years of Haddocks.

OK, I'm a disgrace anyway-but Astrid believes in me.

I wish I believed in me.

He pulled away from the reflection, turning to the door and heading for the kitchen. Bella hadn't believed that she should serve him in any way-because she had reminded him constantly that she was doing him the favour by being his girlfriend…so he had developed his already good cooking abilities to ensure she couldn't complain about his culinary skills. But she had anyway, even though he knew he was producing good food. Smiling at Astrid, who was locked in concentration as she maintained her Plank to make sure her core was astonishingly strong, he headed to the kitchen, make himself a coffee and began to cook.

Losing himself in the complex processes of cooking, he lost track of time and didn't hear Astrid finish her workout, take a quick shower or emerge on her phone, talking in a low voice to Heather. But he did notice when she walked into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around him, for he went rigid and waited for the blow to fall. She noticed immediately and released him, stepping back and wondering why on Midgard she had done that. But she had momentarily forgotten and had wanted to make him feel at home…but instead, she had achieved the opposite. Hiccup remained static for a long second and then forced himself to move, a false smile plastered on his pale features.

"Good workout?" His voice wavered and she cringed inwardly but forced herself to rest against the oven and nod.

"Yeah-sorry," she sighed. "I didn't mean to startle you…"

"Startle me?" he repeated. "Thor, all this Vikingness doesn't startle. I was just…miles away…" She accepted it with a small smile and sniffed at the appetising aromas seeping from the oven.

"So what have I got to look forward to?" she asked him playfully.

"Ah-you will need to wait and see," he teased her, reaching over and fishing a bottle from the fridge. Carefully, he poured a glass of a pale yellow liquid and she looked at it with a frown.

"I have a match in three days and I'm not supposed to drink…" she reminded him as he smiled.

"Which is why this is fizzy grape juice-containing no alcohol at all," he told her smugly. "I pay attention to what you told me about your training regime! Take a seat, Milady-while I just finish the meal…" She took a tentative sip and a slow smile spread across her face.

"You are the most thoughtful person I have ever met," she told him and winked, then sidled over to the couch and sat down, resting her head back and closing her eyes. "You know, even when I was going out with that slime Dag, all he did was fry steaks and make smoothies. He expected me to be able to cook for him…not that he made that mistake twice."

"Well, no one from Berk would ever make that mistake," he reminded her gently, getting the meat out of the oven. "Well, not if they don't like their food flambé…"

"One time, I would love for people to forget that!" she sighed. He glanced over to her as he laid the table.

"Astrid, only a handful of people know that-because all most people know about you is that you're a fabulous soccer player, a beautiful woman and the brains behind Team Astrid. No one out there knows you're the culinary equivalent of a blowtorch!"

"While you are full of surprises," she said, rocking her head to stare at him as he served the food up. He quietly gestured to the table, lifting the plates.

"It's ready," he said and she almost leapt up, enticed by the delicious aromas, her eyes fixed on the table, seeing a candle set up and water glasses by the two place settings. Astrid gasped and then smiled as she took her seat, staring at the plate laid in front of her. Hiccup had made crusted rack of lamb, celeriac mash and steamed green spring vegetables with a mint and redcurrant gravy. She stared at the plate in astonishment and then took her first bite.

"You, sir, are a complete treasure," she hummed in pleasure, chewing the flavourful mouthful in ecstasy. "Gods, if I wasn't already engaged to you, I would marry you just for your cooking."

He stilled and stared at her. Gods, she wouldn't say that if she knew, if she understood what a train-wreck he was… But he smiled because it was a genuine compliment and something stubborn underneath all the scars wanted to believe that someone appreciated something he did.

"You know, I don't only cook-I also wash up as well," he purred and she burst out laughing.

"Thor, you are multitalented!" she giggled, then grabbed her glass of grape juice and raised it. "To Hiccup Haddock-the best not-fiancé a girl could have!" He lifted his own glass.

"And to Astrid Hofferson-the only person I would ever want to pretend to be engaged to," he smiled. There was a brief moment as their glasses met with a tiny crystalline ting that had Hiccup feeling everything was at peace and for once, all was going to be alright. Especially as he stared into Astrid's deep sea blue eyes and saw them warm with kindness and affection.

And then they turned back to their meals and their first private 'date'.

oOo

Waking up was strange, for Hiccup woke in a large, soft bed in new clothes without having to be tense or wonder if he would be criticised for waking late. But peering at the sunlight streaming through the curtains, he knew it was still early as he sat up and stretched. The previous morning, he had been tense and on edge, waking by the snuggled shape of Bella and scarcely daring to move for fear he would wake her and have to face her ire. Lying still in bed had been the calm before the storm…and the most eventful and stressful day he had every lived through. Quietly, he ran his hands through his hair and reached for his computer, which he had put on charge the previous night, before flipping it open and checking his emails. There were a couple from Gary, confirming specification queries he had sent two days earlier and a snide, supposedly-jokey-but-not-very-funny one from his cousin, who had been personally offended by Hiccup's 'engagement'. And there was also an update on his newsfeed.

Frowning, he clicked on the link and found a brief article detailing an interview with a Mrs Karlson from the Jotun Rise Pharmacy about her encounter with him-and he blushed to read himself described as a nice, polite and helpful young man who didn't hesitate to help an elderly woman in need. It made him blush and cringe in equal measures as he waited for there to be sounds of life before he moved. He was aware that Astrid needed her beauty sleep and he didn't want to disturb her by showering until he was sure she was awake. But as he opened his work programmes, he realised he needed more room so cautiously, he grabbed the laptop and sneaked out of his room, every sense on edge. He could hear the soft sounds of Astrid sleeping through the door to her room and he froze, recalling times when he had woken Bella before she was ready to get up. But the apartment remained silent so he quietly padded to the dining table, set up his computer and opened the programme. As an afterthought, he filled up the coffee machine and switched it on, helping himself to a large mug of coffee with milk while leaving it ready for when Astrid emerged.

He swiftly lost all sense of time as he concentrated on reviewing his work and correcting obvious mistakes he had made over the past few days. Dealing with the stress, the constant comments and, of course, Bella, had scrambled his brain and what he had saved definitely wasn't his finest work, though it was serviceable and a start. But here, in peace and quiet, he allowed his mind to fly, staring over the vista and seeing the sun reflect on the water. A little smile lifted his lips and he narrowed his eyes, seeing the curved reflections and he turned back, allowing the curves to inspire him, modifying the sweep of the wings, the nose cone and then he moved on to the aerodynamics…

He had lost track of time and jumped when a gentle hand landed on his shoulder, jerking him from his own little world and he spun in his seat-to meet Astrid's smiling face, a bowl of porridge in her hand.

"Morning," she greeted him as he tried to calm his breathing. "Slept well?" He gave a small smile.

"Um…great," he said.

"But you're up early?" she probed and he gave a self-conscious smile, sipping his cool coffee.

"Strange bed," he admitted. "But I'm good…" She smiled and sat by him, peering at the screen.

"Wow," she said and took a mouthful of her porridge. "That looks so complicated." He shrugged.

"Um…it is a bit…all you have to do is visualise the aircraft and the way you want it to perform and then…well, it's just maths and some physics and maybe a bit of material science…" he mumbled as she swallowed.

"Hmm…you did a four year degree in two and are the best designer your boss has," she reminded him. "While all I did was run off and kick a ball around." Her smile faltered and she stared at the screen and the elegant plans for the aircraft. "You know, you must think I'm a total airhead…" His eyes widened in shock and he almost knocked over his coffee in his rush to grasp her hand reassuringly.

"Oh no no no no no!" he said hurriedly. "Astrid-I would never think that of you! Because it's not true. You are smart and brave and determined and hard-working. And though you never went to college, you design and run your own clothing line! You're decent and polite to everyone who wants to talk to you, no matter how inane and stupid the questions. That tells me you're a fantastic person-and I know, if and when you put your mind to it, you can get whatever degrees you want!"

She stared at him, then rose and pecked a quick kiss in his cheek.

"You know, that is seriously one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me," she told him in a low voice. "Thanks, Hiccup…" And she grabbed her bowl and headed back to her room, snatching a cup of steaming coffee as well. He heard the shower start and then he sighed, saving his work and heading for a shower himself.

By the time he was finished and dressed, Astrid had emerged in her casual training clothes with a large bag containing a change of clothes and as he helped himself to another coffee. "I'm off for training," she told him. "I'll be back about mid-afternoon, since we've got a match in a couple of days and I need to discuss tactics with the Boss."

"Okay-I'll stay here and maybe work…" Hiccup said, casting a glance at his computer. He could really do with a draughting table now but knew he would have to wait. He couldn't keep asking for things from Astrid when all he was doing was eating her food, sleeping in her apartment and requiring things to wear…and contributing nothing.

You're truly worthless.

"Oh…and my security adviser will come along to have a chat to you," Astrid told him as she headed to the door with a wink. "His name's Dagur, by the way…"

"Dagger?" Hiccup asked, looking up in shock, visualising a knife-wielding maniac. "Um…what kind of person is named after a knife?" Astrid looked back at him and winked.

"What kind of person is named after an involuntary bodily function?" she replied and left as he was processing the tease. As he heard the door slam, his face fell.

There it is, he thought glumly. Sooner or later, they all realise I'm named after some embarrassing problem people get and then they realise I'm just an embarrassing problem as well-to be cast aside or got rid of. Thor, what was I thinking? That Astrid Hofferson liked me? That someone like her would treat me like a real person and not someone who should be grateful anyone of the female sex even knows I'm alive. I mean, I'm sure some females know I'm alive but only one of them actually wants to spend any actual time with me…

Stop it! Look, Astrid wanted you here. If she was going to dump you, she would have just phoned. She's let you stay with her, she's clothed and provisioned you. And she liked the meal you made her, she spends time with you and she wants to make sure you're safe.

And you will have to tell them about Bella…

He walked to the window and felt as if he was hollow. A chill ran down his spine and he folded his arms across his chest, staring across the docks.

And that would mean owning up to being so pathetic that I got beat up by a woman and treated like…nothing. To a man named after a weapon.

Not happening. No matter what, Astrid can't ever know the truth. Seeing her pity me, seeing her so disgusted and disappointed that her former friend has become such a…a useless, worthless, weak excuse for a man would kill me.

Better that Bella does it than shame does.

Pouring himself another coffee, he turned back to the screen and returned to his work, his mind clear. He would do everything Astrid asked but Bella was his problem. And he would be damned if he let her ruin his friendship with Astrid.