Secrets
"What?" Thorn and Astrid exclaimed together.
"What I saw... I must have seen him sneaking back into the classroom and blanked it out somehow."
"We have to do something about this, Hiccup. Arson is a really serious crime. And he endangered the lives of others. And he irreversibly changed yours."
"No. I can't tell anyone. Nobody must know, other than us."
"But Hiccup!" Thorn broke in. "You've got to tell someone so they can do something about it and punish Snotlout."
"That was never the aim of all this, Thorn. I wanted to humiliate him, sure, but I didn't want to see him branded as a criminal." Hiccup was adamant.
"But... but... it's not bad, it's justice!" Thorn wasn't going to give up on her argument so easily.
"Yeah, well, sometimes seeking justice isn't always the best course of action," he replied, pushing between them and moving quickly for the door. His body language told the duo that he didn't want to talk about it any more. Thorn and Astrid just stood there, a little dumbfounded, and watched him quietly leave the workshop.
"We've got to do something about this, Thorn. Even if Hiccup won't."
"Yeah, I know we should definitely do something. But I don't want to go behind his back like that. Anything we say or do, we say or do it together. The three of us. He trusts us to keep it a secret, and if that's the way he wants it, that's how it will stay. For now. Undoubtedly, it's all going to come out eventually."
Hiccup limped alone down the corridor, making slow progress due to the sheer number of people blocking his path. He would have preferred to get away faster, but even with clear corridors he wasn't exactly the fastest man alive. Taking a left, he passed through a set of double doors, finding himself outside. A bench was nearby, and he sat down heavily on it, vaguely remembering that this was the same bench that he'd ended up on on his first day back at school after the fire. He thought wistfully back to that time, wondering if he could ever forget all of the events that had transpired since then.
Despite what Hiccup had said, he did feel some resentment towards Snotlout. If he hadn't been so stupid and irresponsible, he might be standing here, still in one piece and not breaking down every time he walked into that classroom. He could be happily living his life, perfectly healthy, and oblivious to what could have been. As it was, he was living his life, somewhat less than healthy, now with full knowledge that the actions of a foolish boy had changed his life forever. This mind-bending internal torture about what could have been had been plaguing him for some time.
Hiccup's reverie was interrupted by a small boy plonking himself down next to him on the bench.
"Hi. I thaw you thitting here all alone and you look kind of thad. Are you okay?"
Hiccup sighed. "I'm fine, Toothless. I've just found out something really serious about somebody and Thorn and Astrid want me to tell someone, but I won't. I don't think it's right."
"Athtrid? You mean that blonde girl?" Toothless looked hopefully at him.
"No. Not going to happen. Like, ever," Hiccup responded firmly, and Toothless looked crestfallen.
"Who wath it?" Toothless asked.
"Who was what?"
"The perthon who you found out thomething really theriouth about."
"Oh. I'd really rather not tell anybody, Toothless. No offence. I meant what I said. Nobody else can know what I know. It would mess with even more people's lives than it already has."
Toothless looked deep in thought for a moment. "Did you find out thomething about the fire, then?" Toothless asked, his powers of perception pretty astute.
Hiccup nodded resignedly. There was no point in denying it now. "Yes. But I'm not going to say any more. The fire's already messed with my life in far too many ways, and I wouldn't wish any of it on anybody else, no matter who they are." Toothless nodded, again apparently deep in thought.
"My lipth are thealed," he finally replied.
Hiccup spotted Astrid and Thorn making their way down the corridor he had just come out of. "Quick, Toothless, go hide over there or something. Go!" Toothless scampered away, hiding around the corner of the nearby building just as Hiccup caught Astrid's eye and they came outside to meet him.
"Hey, what are you doing out here? It's freezing," Astrid asked, rubbing her bare arms. Hiccup held up his sensibly sleeved arms.
"Well, maybe you should get some clothes suitable for the weather. Although now I wear long-sleeved shirts to cover up my arms more than anything," he replied, pulling up his sleeves slightly to reveal the scarred skin underneath. Astrid's eyes widened slightly, then she quickly regained her composure.
"Um… we were just looking for you, to ask about… you know," Astrid said guardedly. Hiccup nodded almost imperceptibly, trying to indicate that there were people watching.
"The answer's still no."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Thorn glanced at her watch. "We should really be getting to our lessons. Coming?" she asked Hiccup, gesturing to the science block.
"Not yet. You guys go on ahead. I just want a few minutes to myself right now." At his words, the girls stood silently, respecting his request and moving away towards the science block.
"I think what he's found out is getting to him more than he's making out to us," Astrid said in a low tone.
"Yeah, I know. He's always like this. But we're just going to have to wait until he's ready to admit it himself." Thorn glanced back at Hiccup, who was still sitting on the bench. He looked lonelier and more lost than ever.
Hiccup stared at the mirror, which he had plucked from a pocket, in his hand, watching them walk away. He saw Thorn's glance backwards, and waited until they were almost out of sight to beckon Toothless over. He came over, but continued to stare at the retreating backs of Astrid and Thorn.
"Still no. Never," Hiccup said, and Toothless sighed.
"Well, I gueth I'll thee you around. Bye, Hiccup. And thankth again. For thaving me latht year. When'th your birthday? I thould get you a prethent."
At the mention of birthdays, Hiccup started in surprise. He quickly got to his feet. "Tomorrow," he said quickly to Toothless, before swinging along at full speed to catch up with Astrid and Thorn.
"Astrid! Thorn!" he yelled, drawing a few odd looks from the surrounding students. Thankfully Thorn heard his first call and turned. She pulled Astrid to a halt, and together they stood amongst the throngs of moving bodies, an island in a turbulent sea. Hiccup fought his way awkwardly through the masses until at last he reached them.
"Do you guys want to come round tonight? I've just remembered I've got my party tomorrow night, and I think I need a helping hand to get it all set up. Are you in?"
Both Astrid and Thorn nodded enthusiastically. "Great. My dad will pick us up after school; undoubtedly he's already started hanging streamers and banners all over the place. He always goes way over the top for any birthday celebration I have because he thinks that it's great that I actually have friends." At his comment, they all laughed, a moment of happiness following a shocking discovery.
"I haven't even got your present yet," Thorn said. "With everything that's been happening, I've completely forgotten. I'm really sorry." Thorn's expression told Hiccup that her apology was genuine, not just something said insincerely to get by.
"It's okay. You don't have to get me a gift. Just knowing you're here for me, and you're my friend is enough. You too, Astrid."
"Um… I've actually already got you a present," Astrid replied, looking nervously at the floor. "But if you don't want it, it's okay," she added quickly.
"I'm really happy you remembered. Not like some people," he replied, glancing at Thorn with a look of feigned disdain. The look earned him a hefty punch in the arm. Hiccup pulled away, and started to walk as fast as he could towards the science block.
"Catch me if you can!" he said loudly to the others. Astrid and Thorn grinned at each other, then broke into an easy sprint and caught up to him within seconds.
"We win. Your forfeit is to go the rest of the day without your prosthetic," Thorn said, holding out her hand. Hiccup sighed, thinking that she'd forgotten about that, and pulled off his prosthetic and handed it to Thorn. She stuffed into the gym bag that she still hadn't returned to its place on the floor by her locker, and stashed it outside the science block. The trio walked into science, jovial and excited about the evening of party preparation.
Astrid sat through Chemistry and Physics, Thorn and Hiccup through Biology and Chemistry. Even Thorn, lover and master of Chemistry, was getting fidgety and impatient as the end of the school day ticked closer and closer. She almost flew out of her seat with relief as the bell rang. All three of them practically ran outside and stuffed their things into their bags, eager to get out of school and focus on something other than the disturbing discovery they had made at lunch time. Walking three abreast, they went out to the car park where Stoick was waiting.
"Is it okay if Astrid and Thorn come round tonight?" Hiccup asked him.
"Of course. You'll need someone to help with the party preparations. As long as it's okay with their parents, it's okay with me." Hiccup's father had been uncharacteristically jovial for the past few days, and it was beginning to worry him. He didn't know if it was a permanent change, or if he'd just go back to his old, taciturn ways the moment the last guest left the house after the party.
Both the girls nodded, and Stoick pulled open the back doors for them. "Pile in."
Once everyone was seated, Stoick started the engine and began the short drive home. Hiccup tried breaking the awkward silence hanging inside the car with what he hoped sounded like casual conversation.
"So, dad, what sort of stuff have you been up to today?"
"Oh, the usual. Washing, ironing. And I've made a start on the party preparations too. I've got all the food and drinks, and I also dug out some old decorations."
Uh... what kind of decorations?"
"The usual kind. Plates, balloons, napkins. I think there's even some streamers."
"Okay, but when you say old, what exactly do you mean? Like, how old?"
"Well, judging by the bees and ladybugs on them, I'd guess at least seven years," his dad replied, still in the same jovial tone. Behind him, Thorn and Astrid sniggered.
"What?! But... but... dad! There is no way I'm going to put those out in our house. No way. Ever. Take us to the party supply store. Now."
"You know, I'm sure they'd be fine if you-"
"Now!" Stoick sighed.
"Fine. One trip to the store coming up. Happy?" Thorn and Astrid were still holding in their laughter.
"Yeah. Way happier."
The trip to the store was uneventful. Hiccup pointed at items and the girls bundled them into a large trolley. Mostly, he went for coloured paper plates and plain napkins. After all, most respectable almost sixteen-year-olds don't have football napkins and juvenile table coverings. When they went to pay, the assistant gave Hiccup a funny look, but quickly turned his attention to the task at hand. Hiccup was used to the weird stares he got now. It was almost like people's eyes were attracted to injury. Almost like they had some morbid fascination with it. Either that, or it was just the fact that he was different that made people stare.
When the total of all the goods came up on the register, the face of the assistant at the sight of Hiccup was nothing compared to the face of his father at the sight of the price. Nonetheless, he obediently pulled out his credit card and paid. The trio were struggling to hold in their laughter until they got to the car, at which point they could suppress it no longer and just collapsed in hysterics, Hiccup literally so. Astrid and Thorn heaved him to his feet, and he got back into the car.
They still couldn't stop laughing for the rest of the journey to Hiccup's house. Even when they started unloading the car, then finished, then made a start on organising the decorations, they were still occasionally sniggering.
"Right, so what are we going to do first?" Thorn asked.
"Well, you guys can come round tomorrow night and help do all the food and stuff; there's no point doing that now. So, what's left?"
"We could put up the gazebo in the backyard," Astrid suggested. Hiccup nodded, and the three of them went out to the garden. Thorn pulled open the box which contained the gazebo that Hiccup's father had kindly left out on the grass. She lifted one end, and poles and plastic sheeting slid out of the other. Astrid bent down and rifled through the materials until she produced a slightly crumpled instruction booklet and handed it to Hiccup.
"You direct, we'll build," she told him. He opened the booklet and began to direct the others, but it wasn't particularly successful. After half an hour of fruitlessly trying to erect the gazebo under his command, Astrid and Thorn relegated him to the sun lounger and proceeded to do the job by themselves in about fifteen minutes.
By the time the gazebo was up, the sky was beginning to darken.
"Thanks for doing that, guys. I don't know what I would have done without you."
"Probably just stand there stupidly staring at the instructions for an hour, or telling your father how to to it wrong," Astrid said with a chuckle.
"Thanks for that, Astrid. I was actually thinking, did I really need your help at all?" This comment earned him a slap on the face and a punch on the arm simultaneously.
"Mr Ungrateful!" Thorn, the deliverer of the slap, said. Hiccup rubbed his cheek, then his arm.
"How did I ever end up with you guys as friends? You're so violent."
"Only when we're insulted," Astrid replied, grinning. Her grin was contagious, and soon they were all smiling.
"Well, I never punch people when they insult me. It hurts. And I've been on the receiving end enough times to know that people don't like being a punch bag." Hiccup was trying to be serious, but he didn't quite pull it off on account of the smile that was still on his face. Thorn's phone rang, and she quickly dug it out of her pocket and answered it. Hiccup and Astrid listened confusedly to half of the conversation, until Thorn hung up and clarified things for them.
"That was my mum," she said. "I, um, I sort of forgot to tell her that I was coming over here, and now she's a bit mad at me. I should probably go before she gets even madder. Sorry guys."
Astrid pulled out her own phone as the trio walked back through the house and to the front door. Hiccup opened the door, and watched and waved as Thorn walked quickly away. Astrid waved distractedly- she was currently on the phone to her mother because she'd also forgotten to tell her where she was.
"See you tomorrow!" Hiccup yelled at Thorn's departing back. She turned and waved one last time as Hiccup closed the door. He turned just as Astrid was hanging up the phone.
"I just told my mum where I am. I forgot too," she said as an explanation."Can I stay for a bit longer, even if Thorn's not here?" she asked.
"Course you can. There are still a few things that need to be done." The two of them went back through into the kitchen, and Astrid started rifling through the remaining bags.
"Um, what else exactly is there to do?" she asked.
"Well, we could just mess around or something. There's some streamers around somewhere- if you want we can attack the gazebo with them." He grinned, and went off to find the streamers. Astrid spotted a stereo in the corner of the kitchen, and went over to it, trying to fathom how to work it.
"Dad, where are the rest of the decorations?" Hiccup yelled, not sure where his father was.
"Up here. On my bed," a voice floated down from upstairs.
"Of course they are," Hiccup muttered under his breath, starting to climb the stairs. He made it to the top, and turned to his father's bedroom. Pushing open the door, he immediately spotted the big box of decorations on the bed.
"How am I meant to pick those up?" he said to himself. Thinking for a moment, then deciding it was a good thing that Thorn wasn't around any more to scold him, he went over to the box and balanced his crutches on top. Bending down carefully, he grasped the box underneath as securely as he could, then tried to lift it.
"God, this is heavy," he grunted as he managed to lift the box off its perch on the bed. Acutely aware that every moment of added weight on his prosthetic would result in an even more painful ache afterwards, he quickly limped towards the door. With each uneven step, the crutches wobbled uncertainly on top of the box. Trying to make his gait more even, he came to the door, only to realise that he'd pushed it pretty much closed when he'd entered.
"Well. This could be a problem," he said to the door, thinking hard about how he could overcome it. He didn't want to put down the box, because it would be nigh on impossible to pick it back up again. He couldn't use one hand, because the box was too heavy for him to hold in one hand. He couldn't use his foot to open the door, because that would mean putting his full weight (and that of the box) on his prosthetic, and...
"Gotcha," Hiccup whispered as his brain finally grasped the solution. He lifted up his prosthetic and tried to hook the narrow curved end around the edge of the door. He hadn't realised how heavy it was, but he persevered and finally managed to hook the metal around the door and gently pull it open. The door began to swing open slightly, and with a little extra help from his leg, it was soon fully open. Hiccup dropped his leg back to the floor, the crafted length of wood and metal landing on the heavily carpeted floor with a soft thunk. He made his way out onto the landing, trying to keep himself and the box from overbalancing. As he was nearing the stairs, he finally tilted the box too far, sending the crutches sliding off the box and onto the floor. Hiccup froze, hoping that nobody had heard the noise. He was intent on doing it all himself.
The stairs were a daunting prospect, but Hiccup attacked this challenge with gusto. He fearlessly started down the stairs, trying to descend as fast as possible. Unfortunately, his haste was also his downfall.
Three steps away from level ground, Hiccup lost his grip on the carpeted stairs and slid down with a crash. The box was overturned in the process, spilling out old decorations everywhere. As the crashing sounds subsided, he noticed a quiet melody floating into the hallway. The melody was swiftly followed by Astrid, who had run out to the hall when she'd heard the crash. It didn't take any huge leap of logic to work out that it was probably Hiccup creating the commotion.
She rounded the corner and saw Hiccup lying on his back amongst a selection of decorations.
"What were you doing? Why didn't you come and get me first?"
"I was trying to bring the box downstairs," he said breathlessly.
"You still haven't answered my other question. And how did you even manage to hold the box?"
"I thought... no, I wanted to do it myself. To prove I could."
"Why do you need to prove that?" Astrid asked.
"Because... because I'm a failure. A hiccup. I've failed at everything I've ever done." Tears were quickly forming at the corner of Hiccup's eyes. Astrid could see he needed to let out some of his thoughts, so she just stayed silent and waited for him to continue.
"It's all been so... unexpected, I guess I mean, who usually ever imagines that this will happen to them? They'll end up useless, or even more useless, unable to even walk ten steps in a straight line or open a door or carry a box? I can't even do the simple things anymore. I'm not even independent anymore. I have to rely on people for the simplest tasks. I want to show people that I can do things, even if I can't really. I never wanted any of this. I just want to be normal. Or, at least, for things to go back to how they were. Before... everything," he gestured expansively. Tears were now silently falling from his cheeks.
"You didn't fail at saving that kid," Astrid said quietly.
Hiccup turned his head to her. "What?"
"I said, you didn't fail at saving that kid," she said, more confidently this time. "That kid, in the fire. You saved his life. That's not a failure. And you worked out who did it. That's not a failure."
"Yeah, it is. I failed at saving his life because when it really mattered, I wasn't there. I ended up crashing the kart that should have driven us to safety properly. I fell over the debris and hurt my leg, which meant that we had to use the kart in the first place. I failed because I wasn't there the whole time."
"But that's not the point!" Astrid said explosively. "You weren't there because you couldn't be there. It wasn't your fault that there was so much smoke you couldn't see and you fell over," she said, trying to remember the few facts Hiccup had told her about the fire. "It wasn't your fault that the kart crashed- you didn't bring the debris down in front of you. I'm not just going to stand here and let you take yourself down where you should be putting yourself up."
Hiccup forced a smile. "Well, I've definitely taken myself down, but I could use a hand getting back up," he said, stretching an arm skywards. Quickly figuring that Hiccup was no longer talking about his supposed failures and was making a terrible attempt at a joke, she grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet.
"Where are your crutches?" she asked.
"At the top of the stairs," Hiccup said, turning to climb the stairs and retrieve them. He was halted by a strong hand on his shoulder, forcing him to sit down on the bottom step almost as soon as he had regained his feet.
"Nope. You're not going anywhere. Sit right there," Astrid commanded, and went upstairs to grab his crutches. She came back down and handed them to Hiccup, then began to pick up the various party decorations that were now scattered about the floor. She bundled them all in the box before lifting it and carrying it through to the kitchen. Hiccup followed, suitably chastened.
"Next time, ask someone for help. Please?"
"But-"
"No buts. Just do it, will you?"
"Then how am I meant to prove to people that I'm not a failure?" Hiccup asked.
Astrid turned to him. "You can prove it just by staying strong and being yourself. Everybody can see that you're strong and not a failure. But right now? To prove to me that you're not a failure? Don't ever doubt yourself. Don't ever doubt your strengths and achievements. You can start by drying your eyes," she said gently, moving over to him and wiping the tears softly from his cheeks. When his face was dry, she moved silently back to the box of decorations. The awkward silence stretched on for more time.
Hiccup realised that it was the first time he'd broken down, doubted himself, without Thorn there to help or comfort him. It was the first time he'd broken down in front of Astrid. And she'd had to cope with it and comfort him instead. It had felt... weird. Not having someone you're hugely familiar with comforting you and wiping your tears away. Caring and being kind to you, even though you're of no real value or importance to them. Even if they don't know your story, if they don't know much about your life. It's the random care and kindness of those we don't know well that really makes the difference.
"Um," Hiccup said, finally breaking the silence, "thanks. For doing a good job."
"Good job? When?"
"Just now. I mean, you don't know me really well, you weren't even there before the summer, but you still tried to comfort me. You still did comfort me. And I'm grateful for it. If you hadn't, I could have been there for hours torturing myself with my own thoughts. You pulled me out of the black hole of misery I sink into sometimes."
"You're welcome." Astrid smiled. "Do you want to finish off these decorations?" she asked, pulling out some tape and streamers. Hiccup nodded, glad of the distraction, and together they went outside to start attacking the gazebo with the coloured strips of paper.
After an hour, it was pitch black outside, and the duo were still working. Astrid stepped back from securing the final streamer and said, "I would comment on how good it looks, but I can't see it, so..."
"Hang on. I'll get a torch," Hiccup said hurriedly, going quickly inside to retrieve a torch. The music Astrid had turned on as a surprise for Hiccup while he went to get the decorations was still playing, a melancholy tune breaking the quiet nature sounds of the night.
Hiccup returned, a torch clutched awkwardly in his left hand. He flicked the switch, and brilliant white light illuminated the gazebo, revealing their handiwork. The gazebo, which was once white, was now a multitude of colours, rainbows wending their way around the support poles and dangling like stalactites from the roof of the gazebo.
"Well, that looks..."
"Different?" Hiccup suggested, a grin playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Definitely," Astrid replied with a smile. She glanced at her watch.
"Um, I really should be going now. It's getting really late, and my mum hates it when I walk home in the dark."
"Do you want my dad to drop you home? I'm sure he wouldn't mind."
"Really? That would be perfect. Thank you." Hiccup, followed by Astrid, went back inside the house to ask his dad for a lift. He agreed immediately, and went out to the hall to start putting on his shoes. Hiccup gave Astrid a glance which said this is getting weirder and weirder as they followed him out of the front door. Hiccup rode shotgun, while Astrid sat in the back seat. Stoick flicked on the headlights and, with guidance from Astrid, drove steadily to her house.
He pulled up outside and Astrid climbed out, yelling her thanks over her shoulder as she made her way quickly towards the front door of her house. Hiccup and his father watched her mother open the door and usher her inside. Their last glimpse of Astrid was of her fingers as she waggled them briefly before disappearing into the house.
Wordlessly, they drove back to their house. The silence was eerie. As they got out of the car, Hiccup checked his battered old watch and broke the silence with, "It's late. I'm going to bed." His father didn't even bother to reply; he just nodded and, silently, Hiccup made his way up to his bedroom and climbed tiredly into bed. His head resting gently on the pillow and his eyes slowly drifting closed, his innermost thoughts did not torture him for long.
The next morning he was greeted by Astrid and Thorn at the gates.
"Happy birthday!" they chorused.
"Thanks, guys," Hiccup replied with a smile. Astrid could see that his sadness the previous night had only been a short episode, and he wasn't dwelling on it too much.
He had too much else to dwell on.
Together, they walked to their form room and sat in their usual seats at the front of the class. Snotlout and his cronies were already present.
"Hiccup! We're all looking forward to your party tonight. Is it okay that I invited a couple of people?" Snotlout yelled across the classroom. He was incapable of going over to someone to talk to them; either that, or he didn't want to be associated with the least popular kid in the year, even though he had invited himself to their party.
"Yeah... fine. I'll see you tonight," Hiccup said back, a tone that was only understandable to Astrid and Thorn in his voice. Snotlout turned away, and Hiccup turned to Astrid and Thorn.
"I've just realised how awkward it's going to be tonight. I mean, how do you hang around someone knowing that they've done something terrible? I might have to just cower in my room or something..."
"No way. You're not going to be a coward or anything tonight. Remember what I said last night? Don't doubt yourself. You can handle that guy."
Thorn looked confused for a moment. "Wait. What happened last night?" she asked.
"Hiccup sort of... had a moment of self-doubt. But it's okay now," Astrid added quickly.
"Yeah. I'm fine now. Really," Hiccup said. He glanced over at Astrid. "And thanks Astrid. I guess I've already broken my promise to you."
"Your promise isn't broken until you actually doubt yourself. Like, you'd be breaking your promise if you actually did go and hide upstairs in your room."
"Besides, we can't handle everyone at once. And you're the reason they're there," Thorn added helpfully.
Hiccup sighed. "Am I ever going be right?"
"You were right just then. Right to trust us," Thorn said gently. Hiccup smiled slightly, the teacher walked in, and the conversation was over.
After registration, the trio went their separate ways- Thorn and Hiccup to English, Astrid to maths. They spent the rest of the day sitting through lessons, sometimes together, sometimes not. All through the day, people were wishing Hiccup a happy birthday and his party had suddenly become quite a big thing. Loads of people in his year were talking about it.
"I hope they realise that it's not going to be as great a party as they're imagining," Hiccup said to Astrid and Thorn as they walked to his car together. The three of them climbed in eagerly, wanting to get to his house and get everything ready before the first guest arrived. Astrid and Thorn were sleeping over that night; Hiccup had figured that going home at a ridiculous hour after cleaning up was stupid, so he had basically ordered them to stay. Not that either of them would refuse, of course.
Thorn pulled a list out of her pocket. "Right, here's what we've got to do. Sort out the food, sort out the drinks, clean up the place a bit and lock the doors to everywhere you don't want people to go, get your dad out of the house-"
"Hey!" Hiccup's father interrupted.
"Dad. I don't want you to be there. Can you just leave for a few hours? Please?"
"Well, I guess I could go to the movies or something..." he trailed off, and the trio grinned.
Thorn continued with her list. "Check lights, check music, and all that before the first guest arrives."
"That doesn't sound too bad," said Astrid.
"Yeah, but if you're like my son, you'll barely get it done in time because you'll always find something to distract you," Stoick commented, drawing a groan and a chuckle from his son as they pulled into the driveway.
Hiccup, Astrid and Thorn all jumped out and practically ran to the door. Hiccup pulled out his key and unlocked the door, then Thorn and Astrid burst in and got straight to work. Hiccup remained standing on the doorstep for a moment.
"You've got some dedicated friends, I'll give you that," his father said to him, passing by him on his way inside. Hiccup quickly followed, and joined Astrid and Thorn in the kitchen, where they were already starting to open boxes of food. They set up the food and drinks in record time, then Hiccup went around the house locking all the rooms that he didn't want to be used during the party. Astrid vacuumed, dancing along to the music they'd turned on while they worked.
Just as she turned the vacuum cleaner off, the doorbell rang.
"Hiccup! Quick, get by the door. I'll hide this, and then you can open the door," Astrid hissed. Hiccup stood ready by the door as Astrid quickly wheeled the vacuum cleaner into the kitchen, stowing at away in its rightful place.
"Okay. Ready," she said, and Hiccup turned the handle and pulled open the door.
A/N: Sorry it's been a bit longer than usual, but this is a pretty lengthy chapter to make up for it. I hope you enjoyed it, and please tell me what you think!