"Tell me something, Bruno. What did you whisper to Hiccup that day to get him to swallow?"
"Oh, that…"
Bruno nervously rubbed his arm and let out a shy giggle. It had been a long time since I had seen him do that. The years on the street, the pain of heartbreak, and the need for determination to recover love had forced him to put aside shyness and fight every single day.
"I just… I thought of something I had seen him swallow with before."
"And what was that?"
"Astrid undoing her braid."
"Really?! He hears us begging him and doesn't pull out his strength and then swallow for that?!"
"There are things to which one cannot avoid reacting…"
"There are?" I asked maliciously. "And what are those things for you?"
"Look! There they are! Astrid and Hiccup!"
Hiccup waved from a distance and I ran to hug them.
"I'm happy to see you guys!" I said somewhat moved as I almost took their breath away from the squeeze.
"If you want to see us again, we're going to need for you to loosen up," Astrid laughed.
"Sorry, I got carried away."
"How are you? How was your honeymoon Viking style?" Hiccup asked hugging Bruno as well.
"Amazing!" I answered almost out of control. "I still wonder why you guys wanted to get out of there. Thanks for the recommendation."
"So… are you already married… married?"
My cheeks lit up at the direct statement from my dear turned-out-he-had-never-been-husband, and dozens of images began to cross my mind: Bruno on top of me whispering his love into my ear while his tanned and surprisingly agile body took hold of me carefully and with passion; his curls falling down his strong back as he moaned in pleasure at the contact with my body; his kisses down my neck; his hands in my hair… the most absolute climax I ever imagined reaching.
"Married-married; no doubt. Totally married."
Hiccup and Astrid laughed at my reaction and Astrid slapped Bruno on the arm so hard I thought she would break him.
"Holy arepas, huh?"
"More than you can imagine," he replied.
"No! Please! I don't want that kind of detail!"
"No, no! I wasn't talking about… that. I meant that they were very helpful the day we told the family."
"Her grandma had a heart attack, didn't she?" she said with total nonchalance.
"No!" we both exclaimed in chorus.
"But my mom made sure to keep everyone a little more relaxed than usual… We didn't want any accidents."
"Your mother is my heroine," she said squeezing Hiccup's hand tightly.
"Also mine," I admitted.
Never in my life could I thank my mother enough for everything she had done and continued to do for me. Not only did she save Hiccup's life, but she also kept our secret quiet, helped us get out without being seen, accepted our peculiar situation just to see us happy, helped us make the rest of the family understand, and also kept Bruno healthy and jovial. In more ways than one, I owed my life to her.
"And, what about you?" Bruno asked with interest.
"Married, I'm sure," Hiccup answered as Astrid rolled her eyes comically.
"Yeah… I meant how are you doing in the Big Apple."
"Well, a construction company has bought me the rights to exploit the fireproof material that I invented a few years ago, so now I also have health insurance," he chuckled.
"He lives like a king, but he still keeps filling my house with junk…" Astrid protested with feigned indignation.
"Funny, I have not seen you complain about the heating pillow, or the foot massager, or the…"
"Fine, fine, you win."
"Yeah, sure…"
Astrid looked at Hiccup with a tender smile.
"I win? Really? That had never happened to me. Mmmm…" he said, closing his eyes as a sign of relaxation. "That's the magic of the Encanto."
"Cut it!"
"You could let me savor it a little more…"
"Nah, I don't want you to get used to it."
"And… so far my victory has come…"
Bruno and I share an amused look. Seeing them together was always a real show.
"Haa… I miss the peace of the Encanto," Hiccup said looking around and taking a deep breath to catch on all the aromas. "This place is the complete opposite of New York."
"And even more so now that Bruno has showered," Astrid joked.
"Changing your target?" Bruno asked without the slightest hint of offense in his body.
"Just so you don't miss me."
"Will you come back often?" I asked somewhat afraid of the answer.
"Of course we will! This man doesn't know how to live without you!"
"You're exaggerating," he said blushing.
"How will Mirabel be doing? How will she be eating? Will she still be using my anti-snoring invention?" she listed overacting while faking Hiccup's voice.
"Is that supposed to be my voice?! I don't sound like that!"
I hugged Hiccup again and he finally stopped complaining as little tears formed in his eyes.
"I miss you too, Hiccup."
"Are you happy?"
"More than ever. You?"
"I'm happy, Mira; thanks to you."
"Don't stop coming, okay?"
"There will be buñuelos?" he asked looking into my eyes with a silly smile.
"Only if you bring me bagels."
"I guess I can do that."
"So…"
"Deal?"
"Deal."