"How is he?"
Astrid's worried expression didn't look like someone's who hadn't heard from her friend since she was a child.
"Still burning with fever. Did you get the aspirin?"
"Yeah. We gotta get him to eat something."
"We have to take him to the doctor, Astrid."
"It's not so easy, Mirabel…" Astrid bit her lip as she watched Hiccup panting as he lay on her bed, covered only in a t-shirt and underpants and terribly pale and flushed at the same time. "They won't take care of him. You don't have money, you don't have insurance… we can't use my insurance for him, and I… I'm here on scholarship: I can't afford it either."
"There is no one you know who can help us?"
"No… Since I arrived in New York I have focused on my studies; I haven't had time to make friends. Bruno is the closest thing I have to a friend and, as you can imagine, he is not in a position to pay anything…"
"So, what do we do? We give him aspirin and trust that whatever it is won't kill him?! What's wrong with this country?! What are doctors for?! Didn't they study thinking about saving people?! My mother would never leave a patient unattended…"
"Your mother? Is she a doctor?"
"Well… kind of."
"What do you mean by kind of?"
I couldn't tell her the secret about my family; I didn't know her well enough. Hiccup (perhaps aside from Fez) was the only one outside of the Encanto who knew, but I knew he could be trusted. Hopefully, he wouldn't take the secret to his grave too soon.
An awkward silence settled between the two of us. She waited for my answer, but she didn't deign to look at me; she couldn't take her eyes off Hiccup's chest, of how it went up and down as if it was going to be the last time.
"C'mon," Hiccup said while panting, "It's not like I'm gonna die from a little fever, you know? Don't worry so much. I would appreciate that aspirin, though…"
"Ah, I'm on it!"
I ran to get some water and something for him to eat while Astrid pulled the pill out of her pocket with tears in her eyes.
"Hey, Astrid…" Hiccup whispered offering her his hand to come closer to him, "we both know you've beaten me up way harder than this," he said with an attempt at a smile as she gently took his hand and stroked it.
"You can't imagine how much I've missed your unfunny jokes…"
"Ow… Now I am also hurt in my pride."
"Don't die, okay? I want to keep hearing them."
He caressed her face and she refreshed and changed the cloth on his forehead.
Was it me or the wife in that scene was not me?
"Ehm… everything is ready," I said interrupting a little despite myself. "Do you think you can sit?"
"I can try."
Each one on one side, we helped Hiccup to get up until he was seated. Then, a coughing fit came out of his chest and a couple of drops of blood stained Astrid's neat sheets.
"Hiccup!" I exclaimed terrified.
"Oh, damn it…" he muttered looking at the stains. "I'm sorry for your sheets…"
Astrid looked at me wide-eyed and full of fear. It was clear what we were both thinking.
"In the end… Maybe you won't have a husband who gets in the way of your relationship, huh?" he half joked.
"What are you saying, Hiccup?"
"If I leave and I'm not here to take care of you... maybe he decides to stay with you. Everything has a good side."
"Are you stupid?!" I yelled desperately. "Do you think I want you to die?! Do you think that will make me happy?! You are the best friend I've ever had and I want you by my side!"
I heard Astrid clutch the pill box with all her might, but my gaze was focused on him.
"Ow… Do you know that you are yelling at an ill person?"
"I may not be in love with you, but if I married you it's because I love you. So if you dare to die, watch out, because I'm going straight to Valhalla to kick you back, you hear me?!"
"I couldn't not hear you… Hey, Mira…"
"I don't have time for this. Astrid, you have a car, right?"
"I do…"
"And you drive, don't you?"
"I fly down the road, dear."
"And you'd do anything for Hiccup, wouldn't you?"
"You know I will," she answered with determination and a hopeful smile before my husband's astonished look.
"Fine, then please see that he eats, takes his pill, gets dressed, and goes to the bathroom. I have to go see someone."
"Someone? Who are you going to see? Do you know of someone who can help us? Wait, to the bathroom?!"
"Oh, and, one more thing: no questions allowed."
"But, what…?"
"Trust her," Hiccup said struggling to take the plate with the food, "Mirabel is crazy, but she has her own ways to help."
"If you're going to save Hiccup, count on me."
"Don't count your chickens before they hatch: I don't know if I'm going to make it."
I ran out of that place with my eyes forward and a heavy heart. One of the most important men in my life was torn between life and death and, the other… he was right in front of me.
"Bruno, I need you."