I must completely offer the credit of this chapter to my co-writers. I did nothing except cheer them on really.
-HTTYD-
When Hiccup returned to his room, Astrid was already lying on his bed again. It was a great sight to come back to, especially after the long summer months – and the fact that she still wasn't wearing anything was only a bonus.
"You're already done with your laundry?"
He asked, partially to think of something else then how much he liked her sprawled across his dragon-patterned blanket and partially out of honest surprise. His trip to the kitchen hadn't taken that long, had it? Astrid just shrugged.
"Yeah… I just stuffed it all back into my bag and will sort it later when I'm back at my dorm. That's more practical anyway."
She said with an all-too-innocent expression on her face that made Hiccup chuckle.
"And I'm sure that's the only reason. It has nothing to do with you not wanting to waste any time whatsoever."
He commented as he handed her one of the bottles of water he'd gotten - refuels were necessary when Astrid was in their bed.
"I didn't say that."
Somehow, Astrid managed an insinuating smirk as she took a big gulp from the bottle, making something in Hiccup's belly flutter. Again! Damn, she was one tempting vixen. Trying not to pay too close attention to her nude body - he'd seen it enough that he ought to be used to it... and yet he wasn't - he sauntered around his bed and flopped down next to her.
"Here, this is the only thing I could find in regards of a quick snack."
He offered her the bag of chocolate-coated nuts he'd sneaked from Eret's stash, and tried hard to not appear too eager for another round. Not that he thought she would mind, but still. Astrid liked to lounge around naked, he wouldn't automatically assume it meant round... whatever they'd reached. He lost count quite often.
"Awesome!"
They went through the bag without a pause, laughing as trying to throw them first into their own then each other's mouths turned into just finging them at each other. Hiccup might or might not have enjoyed eating the one that had landed in her belly button more than he should – or licking traces of melted chocolate off her skin for that matter – but he had certainly enjoyed the general sense of playful bantering too.
"Can I ask you something?"
Astrid asked as they lay entangled in a comfortable cuddle, both panting from a tickle fight that had ended only moments before, and Hiccup enjoyed the way her eyes sparkled with amusement. So beautiful...
"Whatever you want," he hummed into her hair, chuckling "but I reserve my right not to answer in case you want to ask about my browser history. That's private."
Astrid raised her eyebrows at him, immediately rolling over to question him with the distracting sight of her chest pushed up by the bed.
"Oh, is that so?" she asked, snickering "now I'm intrigued. What have you been looking at? Are you seriously not getting laid enough? Or do you and Eret watch porn together?"
Hiccup grinned. He knew that, with Astrid's computer skills she would easily be able to find out whatever he'd looked at, and he couldn't help but laugh as he imagined her face when all she would find were new cookie recipes. But it was fun to tease her, so he played along.
"No, no, no. I said that's private. What was it you wanted to ask anyway?"
Astrid pouted.
"Spoilsport. But, well, that wasn't what I wanted to ask anyway. It's just… you once said you two had been attracted to me for years before already. And, well, I was wondering for how long exactly."
Well, now THAT hadn't been a question he'd expected. But then, it also didn't surprise him, not really at least. Being home had probably brought up old memories. Chuckling, Hiccup shook his head.
"That's what you want to know? Ah, well…" his head laid back on the pillow, Hiccup pondered the past for a moment. "I don't know when it started exactly, but I remember the moment when I realised. Do you remember that one time where I ran into you and that weird boyfriend of yours at a party some years ago?"
"Gustav, yes."
Astrid confirmed, her nose wrinkled in mild disgust. It was cute on her.
"That's when I realised. Because even as you two jumped apart in this... almost ridiculous film-like stunt of being caught, I'd seen enough. Him backing you up against that wall, your hands on his back, and you making out, and I… well, I guess I should have been embarrassed or angry, how that idiot dared to touch my sister or how stupid you were to make out in such a relatively public place. But all I felt was… jealousy. Because, in that moment, I wanted nothing more than to push him aside and take his place."
He paused, his hand lightly trailing over Astrid's skin, tracing inked lines. Even after months of them having sex now, it still felt weird, surreal. Too good to be true. Astrid, who had been surprisingly quiet throughout his monologue, hummed and arched into his touch before turning on her back and looking up at him.
"Do you know what's funny?" she eventually asked. Hiccup shook his head, frowning "the thing is… I do remember that night, very clearly. And if you had pushed him away to take his place… then I would have let you."
Hiccup's eyes widened a little, but before he could make any rhyme or reason of her words or find some form of explanation in her eyes, she averted her face and explained herself.
"Back then… there wasn't a day where I didn't hear at least three people swooning over how handsome and sexy you or Eret were. At first, it was amusing, but it quickly became… I don't even know. Weird? Annoying? Intriguing? Most would only sigh whenever you passed by or make a random comment about how they wouldn't mind meeting you in a darkened bedroom. Or an alleyway, for that matter. But there were a few… I remember one in particular, the older sister of one of my classmates. We were all gathered there for a pyjama party, and she went into this... graphic detailed description about how she imagined a threesome with you two. I think she didn't know who I was and nobody felt comfortable telling her, so she went on and on…" a wry smirk played around her lips as her eyes met his again "what was it you just said? It should have been embarrassing or disgusting to have those images in my head… but it wasn't. It was intriguing and…" sighing, she closed her eyes for a moment "and when you ran into me and Gustav making out that night… That was me trying to get those images out of my head. I just took the first person expressing interest and… So yeah. If you had taken his place, I would have let you. Gladly."
"I wonder what would have happened if I had," Hiccup mused after a short pause "I mean... that night, Eret and I had a long talk. I told him what had happened, how I'd felt… And we realised that we both… wanted you. But we also decided not to act on it, ever. So thinking back now..."
Could they have been doing this for years? Where would that have brought them? Hiccup tried to imagine the months away at university without her and it ached. He already tried not to think of how he and Eret would graduate the end of the academic year, which felt closer and closer and then Astrid would be there alone. They'd be apart again...
"I've thought about that too. And I don't think it would have done us any good back then."
"Oh?"
Astrid shook her head.
"First, if you'd kissed me then and there, I'm sure someone would have noticed – Gustav at the very least. And I honestly don't even want to imagine the drama that would have caused in secondary school. But I also think that I for that matter… wouldn't have been ready for all this?" she made a vague gesture between him and herself and their general surroundings "I would have drowned in thinking how wrong it all was."
"And you don't think so now anymore?"
He asked carefully. He knew how he and Eret felt about this matter, that they had accepted it as part of who they were, and had stopped worrying long ago. But Astrid's thoughts still were a bit of a mystery every now and then. If she didn't want to share, she wouldn't. Hesitantly, she shook her head.
"No, I don't. Not like I would have back then, at least. It's… I still know that it's not quite right. I just don't feel it anymore."
Her hand splayed over his chest, stroking his tattoo there, and he didn't need more words to understand. Logically, he knew that this was not how siblings were supposed to behave. He knew that nobody on the outside would ever understand the simple intimacy they shared, because they were siblings.
As if to prove her point, Astrid reached up and pulled him down into a soft yet promising kiss. Hiccup obliged happily, kissing her as deeply as she craved before he shifted and trailed a line of lighter pecks down her body. It was playful as ever, so wonderful and light, just like interacting with her always had been, even though her moan as he latched onto her breast and sucked at her nipple certainly lacked past innocence. His hand wandered further down, ghosting over the smooth skin over her stomach, her tattoo, further still, groaning as he felt how wet she was. Beneath his hand and mouth, Astrid squirmed, arching up and seeking more. Gods, he loved the filthy sounds she made, like that high-pitched yelp when he bit down on her nipple or that drawn-out moan when his fingers toyed with her clit.
"S-stop tea...aahh… teasing!"
She urged after a few minutes, panting. Hiccup would have happily ignored her request and kept playing with her, but when she added a desperate pleading "Hiccuuup!", he let go of her. Who could deny such a tone of need? Chuckling breathlessly, he pushed himself up to look at her again.
"And what does Milady want instead?"
He asked, using the nickname she'd earned years ago for occasionally being rather touchy. Her answer, however, was not ladylike in the slightest. Nor was that fire in her eyes, drawing him in.
"Fuck me!"
Hiccup complied happily, shifted until he was above her, kneeling between spread thighs and pushing into her only seconds later.
"Gods, you feel so good,"
He moaned as her molten heat surrounded him in a silken grip, though there was a brief tension for the sudden fullness. Shuddering, he waited for her to adjust, placing distracting kisses onto her lips, her face, until she signaled with a high little whine that she was ready for more.
Hiccup knew by now that Astrid liked it rough, and usually, that was something both he and Eret gladly delivered. But he also quite enjoyed making his partners squirm and beg. So, instead of giving Astrid the hard thrusts she certainly hoped for, Hiccup moved in slow rocking motions only, stroking her insides and watching her getting more flushed and frustrated with every lazy thrust.
And he enjoyed every single moment. Seeing her with that beautiful blush all the way down to her breasts, hearing all those little noises she made, his senses flooded with her scent and her taste... Freya, he'd coveted her for so long, but even now, after months of her in their bed, he still could hardly believe how much better it was than he could ever have imagined. On a sudden whim, he leaned down to kiss her properly, intertwining his fingers with hers beside her head. Despite his former intentions, his movements became more forceful, thriving on her reactions as Astrid arched into him, those sweet soft noises growing louder.
"Fuck, yes!" she howled. "Hiccup, harder!"
Unable to resist, Hiccup complied. He reached for one of her legs and placed it over his shoulder, the other tightly wrapped around his hips, and finally gave her the hard thrusts she wanted.
"Okay, guys. Give me a minute to… just wait here a minute, okay?"
Eret gave his three companions a serious look even as they rolled their eyes and grumbled some incoherent nonsense. Suppressing an annoyed sigh at their presence, he entered his and Hiccup's home alone. It had become a routine by now, making sure there was no inappropriate activity right there in the living room when they were not coming home alone, even before keeping their thing with Astrid secret had become important. Neither he nor his brother were shy about their sexuality, but not everyone enjoyed an unexpected audience. Today, however, the caution hadn't been necessary. There were a couple of clothes lying around that hadn't been there earlier, but aside from that, the living room was empty. Eret was almost disappointed he hadn't caught Hiccup and Astrid on the sofa again...
"Okay, come in."
He called out to the waiting men. They weren't his friends by any means, but Professor Grimborn had insisted on them working in groups of his choosing for this project, and Eret could even kind of see his point. If they wanted to be successful in their business careers, they would have to learn how to deal with unpleasant partners. Even though, he was certain, Thuggory was one of the worst.
"So, this is what it looks like, the famous home of sin and lust," he sneered now as he entered, and eyed everything with a scrutinising look "eh, I don't understand what's supposed to be so special about this."
Eret sighed. He'd known that their insisting on coming here to work on their project had mainly been because they'd wanted to have a look, but honestly, it was annoying.
"Do you really believe the way we arranged our furnitures has any influence on who we fuck? I can promise it's not our Feng shui that gets us laid."
He commented sourly. He was so done with people like him, but dropping a subtle brag definitely cheered him as Thuggory scowled.
"Well, it's certainly not because of your splendid look, inkface," Thuggory retorted "but then, I assume most of those rumours are untenable exaggerations anyway. If you honestly got around as much as those claim, then you probably should be banging whoever's next on your list right now instead of actually working for your degrees. But here we are, and–"
Eret was just about to interrupt Thuggory and his stupid rambling, when another noise sounded through the house, doing the work for him.
"Fuck yes! Hiccup, harder!"
A sly grin spread across Eret's face. Astrid always did have impeccable timing.
"You were saying?"
He asked, smirking. As if they'd just been waiting for some kind of cue, Astrid's loud moans were well and truly audible now. In a way, it amused him how easily he was able to recognise her sex noises by now, but then… he had certainly heard them often enough. And usually, hearing them would have been enough for Eret to drop everything and join his siblings, but today, watching his visitors' reactions – or mostly Thuggory's to be precise – was almost as satisfying.
"Oh, for fuck's sake," he grumbled, and grimaced "is that some recording or what?"
Chuckling, Eret shook his head. Like a recording could do Astrid justice anyway.
"If that's what you want to believe, Thugg… Sure, it's a recording."
An especially loud outcry was audible, making Eret hum quietly. She was close to coming.
"I think there's a real girl here."
One of the other guys, Sven was his name if Eret remembered correctly, muttered. He crouched down, and when he straightened again, he held a lacy black bra with green detailing up for everyone to see.
Poor Hiccup. Not that Eret expected him to have put up much of a fight, but if Astrid had specially dressed up to seduce him in these, then he'd really had no chance against her advances. His own trousers were growing a little tight at the image of Astrid in that particular set in his head, and his only solace was that his unwanted companions probably didn't feel any better. And they didn't even know it was Astrid in there.
"And I bet she'd like to have her clothes back without some morons drooling on them. Or worse."
Eret commented dryly in means of distracting himself from the telling cry echoing toward them now. He reached to take Astrid's bra from Sven, then quickly picked up whatever other clothes of hers he could spot.
"How about you set up your stuff for us to get started? I'll be back in a mo, doubt she'd want to come in here naked."
"A shame."
Marcus, the fourth guy, commented, grinning.
"Don't take too long or we're all coming in."
Thuggory called after him and made a distinct gesture with his hips. Rolling his eyes to himself, Eret wandered off in the direction of Hiccup's bedroom and tried to keep from retching.
Some people really were insufferable. He would never understand how men like them thought they'd do anything to get laid, yet refused to do the one thing that really mattered: respect their partners. He doubted that there was anything special about him or his brother that drew people toward them. Sure, the threesome-with-twins thing seemed to be a thrill and over time and with practice, they'd gotten fairly good, if he was allowed to think so himself. But what mattered, in his opinion at least, was that, even with one-night-stands they didn't intend to interact with again, he and Hiccup always treated their bedmates as people. Not just a toy to be used, but a human to be respected, to be cared for. Even after the sex - they never stopped talking to people they'd hooked up with unless they became incessantly persistent about another go.
Everyone was different, liked different things, and part of the thrill was to learn what every new partner liked (and watch Hiccup, he admitted to himself). It wasn't just about sex and pleasure, but so much more. And as long as people like Thuggory didn't understand that, their success with women would never change. There was one point though where Thuggory had been right, even though Eret hated to admit that. Just leaving Astrid's clothes by the door and not entering to join them in their bliss was hard, and it was solely because of Thugg's crass comment that he refrained. Sure, Astrid would happily oust all but Eret and Hiccup, but they hardly wanted her caught there.
On his way back to his visitors, he pulled out his phone and typed a quick message to Hiccup and Astrid.
E: Thanks you two, for the entertainment. Was highly enjoyable. But I ought to mention that we aren't alone. Astrid, your clothes are at the door.
He added a few emojis, indicating a group of people, study books, and a green face being sick by way of explanation. The reply came as he entered the living room, two laughing faces, one forom each of his siblings. Fondly rolling his eyes, he was about to put his phone away, when another message came in.
A: Wait… there are other people here? Shit! I need to get out! I'm meant to meet Heather about right now! As in, I'm probably already late because of Hiccup's dick.
Grimacing even as he fought back a laugh, Eret typed back an answer.
E: That might be a bit difficult right now. Can't you cancel that or tell her to meet you later?
A: I was supposed to be at the launderette, remember? If I cancel our meeting, she'll want to know why, and she's suspicious of me having a secret boyfriend enough as it is.
There was a pause, probably Hiccup and Astrid talking directly, then:
H: Okay, I have an idea. Let's hope that works. Ret, just be your usual friendly host, I'll do the rest.
With a slightly worried frown, Eret reread the last message, but then shrugged and put his phone back into his pocket. More often than not Hiccup's ideas could be a little overdramatic, but they also usually worked.
"Oh, wow, you're back already? Only fapped all over the poor girl and left again? Thought you had more stamina than that."
Thuggory sneered, and Eret had to hold back not to punch him. Odin, he hated men like him, so deep in the closet that they were denying their sexuality in Narnia. When he didn't comment, Thug continued.
"Or no, wait. Isn't Saturday one of those days you and your brother go out to pick up the next on your list anyway? I guess even someone as sex-possessed as you is able to wait a couple of hours."
Biting on the inside of his cheek, Eret forced himself to ignore the comment, satisfying as it would be to make Thuggory profoundly uncomfortable with a response about him being a little too interested in the twins sex life, the sort of quip that would have the others with them roaring with laughter. But the sooner they finished the work, the sooner Eret could kick Thuggory out and go hear all about Hiccup's time with Astrid... shaking his head to clear the horny thoughts, Eret dragged his mind back to business.
"Okay, how about we get started and don't drag it out any longer? I'll get us some drinks, and you think about who takes on which task."
Their open kitchen space didn't really allow for him to get away from his guests, but it was at least something. Punching Thuggory in the face won't do you any good, he kept repeating to himself as he got four glasses from the cupboard and contemplated whether something harder than water would make the next hours more bearable. He decided against it, but when he returned to the others almost regretted it.
"...the start of the new semester is always my favourite time of the year. It's much easier to find a willing girl among the newbies that weren't already ruined by The Twins."
Thuggory jeered up at Eret, but didn't acknowledge his return otherwise.
"I dunno, I do alright, personally."
Sven answered, but Thuggory was on a mission to malign someone it seemed.
"Just like last fall. There was this stunning blonde that was incredibly eager to get to bed. I'm telling you, she was really something. Blond hair almost to her ass, perfect to grip and hold her in place when I fucked her. She usually wears it in a braid though, which is a shame. More practical though to feed her my cock until those blue eyes of hers are filled with tears. But after she was here, she wouldn't even look at me again, that stuck-up bitch. Well, her loss."
Even though it was a little embarrassing to admit, Eret was pretty sure that he knew almost everyone around campus. And he had a damn good idea who Thuggory was talking about. But he could control himself... with an internal satisfaction that Thuggory didn't recognise Astrid's sounds - clearly, Astrid had more fun with Hiccup just now than she had with this brutish moron.
"You ought to be careful, Thugg. I have an idea who you're talking about, so let me tell you just this as a warning: she's well capable of breaking your arm if she ever hears you talking like that."
He was serious, but apparently, Thuggory just took his words as a joke.
"That pin-up chick? I highly doubt that. She didn't put up any fight whatsoever the last time I screwed her. I might put more effort into...convincing her though, just to see whether you're right."
Eret's hand balled into a fist at his side. Certainly, a broken nose would be acceptable, right? He could always claim it had been an accident of some sort. Or a broken arm, making it impossible for him to masturbate. Yeah, that was the right punishment for someone like him. He deserved it.
But before Eret could do something stupid, a voice from the other end of the flat drew all their attention.
"And you are wondering why no girl wants to get near you, Thugg? I might have an idea why that is."
Hiccup sounded casual, almost lazy even. For a moment, Eret wondered how he could stay so calm with how that moron had just spoken about Astrid, but it only took him one look at his brother to understand. Hiccup was playing a role, his dramatic flair showing again, and staying calm certainly was part of that. There was still a tension in the way he crossed his arms, but to others who didn't know Hiccup's tells, it would look effortless really.
He wore nothing but a loose pair of trousers hanging from his hips, his feet bare as was his chest, showing bitemarks and scratches in varying degrees of healing. He wore a lazy smile on his face, and his hair was even more ruffled than usual. All in all, his whole appearance practically screamed well-fucked. Eret tried to focus on Thuggory instead, so he wouldn't suddenly pitch a tent in none-too-forgiving jeans.
Hiccup sauntered past them, got a bottle of water from the kitchen, then leaned against the counter to drink, his lean body elongating even further. It was actually funny to watch how uncomfortable Hiccup's appearance made the others, especially when Eret was hard pressed not to simply jump his brother, audience be damned. Eret reached for his water, mouth suddenly dry.
"Ah, that's good," he almost moaned. "Gods, I love a demanding tryst. How about you guys? Got any lately?"
"Eat my dick, fishbone."
Thug growled.
Hiccup seemed to consider, but then wrinkled his nose. "Nah. I mean, thanks for the offer, that is something I do" Thuggory shifted uncomfortably at how calmly Hiccup took the 'gay' jab "but I have to decline. I'm just here for a break, there's still a demanding lady waiting for me to return" he grinned, green eyes sparkling mischievously as he made a vague gesture back toward the bedroom. "She's just taking a shower because, well, it was necessary, then I have to get back to her."
He nodded to the other end of the flat, and now that Eret paid attention to it, he actually could hear the sound of running water. What in Odin's name were Hiccup and Astrid playing at?
Thuggory's sneer turned into a condescending grin.
"Well, then how about I take your place instead? Show her how it is to be with a real man? I bet she'd like that, and there's nothing you could do about it."
It was clearly a threat, but Hiccup just shrugged as a show of dismissing said threat. The motion stretched several of his 'injuries', highlighting the pattern of some clearly energetic sex along his skin.
"You could, I guess? You're right, I probably can't stop you. I could come watch though, since this is my home... " that wiped the smile off Thuggory's face, and Hiccup wasn't done "but you'd have to get past Eret though, which might be a bit more difficult. And then, just as a warning, the lady in question might just end up breaking your arm if you tried to touch her. But sure, go ahead. Let's see how far you get."
He settled back with a wry smirk, arms loosely crossed in front of him and made of show of watching, waiting for the show to start.
Eret wondered exactly what his plan was, but then he could practically feel Astrid's presence behind him. He didn't dare to turn or move at all, to draw attention as she slipped past him. If either Thuggory or one of the others only so much as turned their heads, they would surely spot her. But all attention was on Hiccup as he kept talking, riling up Thuggory even more. Eret wasn't sure whether that was a good idea in the long run, but for now, it seemed to work. Besides which, Eret would put Thuggory in the hospital if he dared lay a hand on Hiccup.
Behind him, the door to their entrance room closed with a low clicking sound, and his shoulders dropped as the tension left his body. Hiccup kept on for a little bit longer, then made a comment about joining his visitor in the shower and bid his farewell. As he passed him, Hiccup and Eret shared a look that said everything.
That had been damn close.
When the door to her brothers' entrance room closed with a low click, Astrid couldn't suppress a relieved sigh. Gods, that had been close. She took a moment for her heart rate to normalise again, her hand pressed to her chest, before she rummaged through her bag of clean but untidy clothes.
She couldn't believe that Hiccup's mad plan actually had worked. Grabbing the clothes Eret had placed at the door for her, getting the bag with her clean clothes from the bathroom and turning the water on as a disguise, then cleaning up hastily before getting dressed, and sneaking out while Hiccup distracted their guests – it had certainly sounded like one of Hiccup's more insane ideas. And that was no small feat, given Hiccup's overdramatic tendencies he'd gotten from their equally eccentric mother. But it had worked, they hadn't seen her. Even as sneaking away as if she'd done something forbidden left a bad aftertaste in the back of her thoat. Because that was exactly what she was doing, wasn't it?
Scowling, she pushed the thought aside as she put on her shoes and pulled her light jacket over the fresh shirt. Eret must have missed the one she'd worn earlier, but if she remembered correctly, that one had landed somewhere behind the sofa, so she couldn't really blame him for not spotting it. Luckily, she'd had enough other shirts at hand.
On her way out of the building, she send a quick text.
A: Hey. My shirt still has to be lying around in your living room. Could you make sure none of your visitors get their hands on it?
She didn't wait for an answer - Eret might not be checking his phone right away, and Hiccup was probably in the shower himself - and stuffed her phone deep into her bag, grimacing at what Thuggory might do with her shirt. Seeing him there at the twins' dining table just now had been surreal, not what she'd expected. She always associated their flat with fun, comfort and amazing sex, while Thuggory pretty much represented the opposite. Thinking about the one time she'd hooked up with him – more out of desperation than anything else – and the countless times he'd tried to hit on her again since then was a major turn-off. Flirting was fine. Aggressively invading her space with pick ups that were little more than "well you put out last time and I wanna get my end away" was not fine.
Shaking that thought off with a grunt, she hurried on – back to the dorm to drop off her clothes and to get her books. She was late already and sneaking out had cost her even more time, she could only hope that Heather wouldn't be too grumpy or ask too many questions. Walking quickly was proving just a little bit uncomfortable though, the soreness of getting well-fucked the previous night and again that day a constant presence. Shudders ran down her spine at the memory of them truly reconnecting after the long summer break. They hadn't really gotten much sleep last night – or the whole past week in general, really. Just thinking about it was enough to send a delicious reminder through her entire body, enhancing the lingering throbbing of what she and Hiccup had been up to just half-an-hour ago.
With a sigh, Astrid slid the strap of her bag securely back over her shoulder as she climbed the stairs to her floor at the dorm. This one week of reconnecting and making up for the summer had been great, but the memories would have to last for a while. Tonight, they were to go out separately to prevent new rumours from popping up. Less fun, but necessary. Not that Astrid had any intentions of hooking up herself with anyone, she was a little too tender and being yelled at by her body as it was for not slowing down. Hushing said body, Astrid enjoyed the memories a little longer...
When she turned the corner, however, she stopped dead in her tracks.
Oh shit.
There was Heather.
In front of her room's door.
Waiting.
Turning back, Astrid hid behind the wall, her heart racing, and a quick glance at her watch made her groan. They'd been supposed to be meeting at the café to study far too-long-ago-now. Damning Hiccup's distracting dick again, Astrid sighed. No wonder Heather had decided to come here instead. After fishing her phone back out of the bag, she groaned again. Yep, Heather had sent a couple of messages already, asking her where she was, and had even called. Astrid hadn't heard it buzz amongst all the clothes.
Cursing quietly under her breath, Astrid let her head fall back against the wall. She hadn't even meant to stay that long, knowing that she mustn't miss her appointment with Heather. Putting on Hiccup's favourite set of underwear had merely been a reflex. They were clean, she insisted. But she'd been so distracted, she'd forgotten all about it, and what at first had been Astrid popping by to innocently use her brothers' washer while they were out had turned into something much more saucy when Hiccup had gotten home unexpectedly early, tempting her with his kisses and hands... until she'd completely forgotten everything else.
She peeked again, catching Heather knocking on her door, calling softly as though expecting Astrid may be sleeping. Shit. What was she supposed to do? Should she wait until Heather was gone? Pretend to have been busy in some way or other? No, that wouldn't do her any good. Eventually, Heather would confront her anyway. Better to bite the bullet.
Astrid took a deep breath before turning into the hallway, trying to put on an air of innocence and slight annoyance.
"Astrid!" Heather called when she noticed her, her hands in her hips and a scowl on her face. "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you."
"Yeah, sorry about that," Astrid grumbled. "I was at the laundrette–" she indicated her bag "–but it took ages until I was done there. I… I wanted to call you but my battery died. Can you forgive me?"
Heather's scowl lasted for a second longer before it turned into a smirk.
"At the laundrette, eh? Sure… And, yeah, I can forgive you – if you agree to let me into your room and finally tell me what's going on!"
Hiding her grimace by turning away from Heather to open her door, she sighed.
"Sure, come in. But there is nothing to tell."
"Yeah, I totally believe you…"
Heather seated herself on Astrid's chair, watching her intently, and Astrid was glad for the excuse of having to pay attention to her clothes as she put them back into her wardrobe. It meant avoiding Heather's gaze didn't look as suspicious.
"So?"
Heather eventually interrupted the silence.
"So... what?"
"So, when are you going to stop pretending? Because I don't believe you, you know? You look too well-fucked way too often for that coming from random hookups. You can't tell me that you're that lucky. I know you keep telling me that you don't have a secret boyfriend, but I'm calling that bullshit."
If Astrid gripped the stack of underwear a little tighter and stayed turned toward her wardrobe a little longer than was strictly necessary, well, then so be it. What was she supposed to do? Averting public rumours had been manageable and keeping their parents from noticing anything had actually been far easier than she'd feared. But Heather? Heather had too keen an eyes and knew her too well to be fooled. She also saw Astrid with bruises a little too often, and Astrid had had to confess to liking it rough to end Heather's concerns.
"I… have no idea what you're talking about."
"Astrid, please. You're a horrible liar, do you know that?"
Biting her lip, Astrid clenched her hands into fists in order to keep them from trembling. What was she supposed to do?
"So… what if I had a secret boyfriend?"
She eventually muttered. It felt like a bad idea to admit that much, but what else could she do? Further denying it wouldn't convince Heather, not by this point. But at least for now, her small confession seemed to have appeased her friend as she sounded much more forgiving.
"Then I'd be happy that you stopped lying to me."
She said, and when Astrid threw her a cautious glance, Heather was smiling. Astrid smiled in return, tentative relief washing through her.
"And then I'd start wondering who it might be."
Heather added with a mischievous grin. Groaning, Astrid fully turned toward her.
"Heather, please."
She implored, but to no avail.
"I mean, if you think it necessary to keep his identity a secret, then there's got to be a reason," she went on, unperturbed and still grinning. "Is he one of our tutors? Or a Prof even? If it was me, I'd totally suspect your Prof for computer science, the good lady Mala, because, damn, she's quite something! I mean, I would... but last time I checked, you weren't that interested in women, so I guess not. Her assistant maybe, that Throk guy? He seems awfully quiet, but who knows..."
Astrid snorted at the thought of bedding her stiff and weirdly formal tutor, but didn't contradict her. If Heather thought she was sleeping with a teacher… well, that was actually a far safer assumption than the truth.
But it didn't seem as if Heather was done yet.
"Well, it could be something like that, I suppose… but I think I'll stick to my former suspicions."
"And that would be?"
Astrid inquired, torn between not really wanting to talk about this topic any longer and wanting to make sure Heather wasn't hitting too close to the truth.
"Well… I already had my suspicions before the summer break, but now… I think it's too big a coincident that your 'brother'–" she put air quotes around that word, "–can sound that much like Hiccup. Seriously, that voice is pretty distinct. And at that party last week, you conveniently disappeared right when the Twins couldn't be found either. I still have no idea why you'd hide your relationship with them, but I'll figure it out eventually."
"What makes you think that?"
Astrid tried to sound unalarmed, disbelieving even. However, she wasn't so sure whether she'd succeeded, so she tried to play it down further, feeling a little guilty for how she tried to turn it on Heather but damn she needed not to have this conversation again.
"I mean, not that I'd mind. Gods, that night with them was amiazing! But you know as well as I do that they don't take repeated hook-ups. Besides, aren't they still hooking up with random people all the time? I guess they would eventually stop if they had a girlfriend? How does one even date twin brothers?" Shaking her head, she forced a light laugh. "Seriously, Heather, you have too much of an imagination."
"Maybe..." Heather hummed, scrutinising her. But then her features relaxed and she chuckled too "or maybe it's just my fixation on them because they still haven't hooked up with me. Not that I… need that, but I'm curious, you know? What all the fuss is about. I've had a threesome before, it wasn't that spectacular."
Trying not to respond to that tidbit, Astrid tried to sit down without being noticably uncomfortable.
"Uh-huh, sure, I believe you,"
Astrid teased. Heather rolled her eyes.
"Okay, maybe I'm also wondering what's so hideous about me that they wouldn't respond to my advances. And let's be honest, if you were that mysterious blonde everyone was talking about during first year, that would be an explanation. As in, they wouldn't hook up with their girlfriend's best friend, out of respect or something."
Or by request, Astrid added mentally. Out loud she said
"Yeah, wouldn't that be a sensible explanation?"
And laughed, and made a note to kick herself later on. If she hadn't asked her brothers to keep their hands off Heather, she'd probably be less suspicious.
"It certainly would."
After a beat, Astrid turned it back again.
"Maybe it was me, but not directly... like, didn't they hook up with Dagur the year before we started? And then me... maybe they try not to work through people too close to each other too fast. I gotta imagine they've had issues with jealous people at some point? And you gave up after a couple of tries."
"Huh. Never thought of that."
Heather mused, nodding, then she jumped up.
"Anyway. Are you going to that party today? I think I have an appetite tonight, and it's not chocolate chip ice cream."
Chuckling, Astrid shook her head.
"Sorry, but I think I'll pass. I'm not in the mood to waste a good night's sleep with some idiot. Have fun though."
"Hah! So you did get laid today already!"
Heather crowed, and escaped out of the room before Astrid could throw anything at her.
Smiling, Astrid shook her head as she gazed after her friend. But after only a couple of seconds, that smile faded and gave way to a worried frown. Heather hadn't only been too close to the truth, she'd nailed it. She had to get her off track somehow, or she'd sooner or later find out about just why she and the twins wouldn't - or rather, couldn't - make their relationship public.
It's not a relationship! she sternly reminded herself. Astrid reached for her phone, and couldn't help another smile tugging at her lips as she saw that she had two messages.
E: Don't worry, I found your shirt and put it away. It'll wait for you next to the jackets whenever you come over again.
H: Unless it misses you too much and we need to cuddle it for comforts. Then you can find it in one of our beds.
Hiccup's message was followed by a winking smiley with its tongue peeking out which made Astrid chuckle. Shaking her head in amusement, she typed back:
A: I never thought I'd ever be jealous of a shirt! But now, I want comfort cuddles too.
E: You're always welcome to come back!
Biting her lip, Astrid had to fight against jumping up and doing just that. Not that she hadn't had enough sex during the past twenty four hours, but… well, she wouldn't say no to a night of lazy cuddles and a film or two. Maybe some gentle sleep-time sex... but it was not to be.
A: You know I would love to… But we've got to be careful. Heather is beyond 'vague suspicions' by now, and I don't want to give her any more reasons.
She paused for a second, then typed in another message.
A: On that point though… I know this sounds weird but I'm lifting the ban on you two hooking up with her. I mean, it was mainly to prevent her telling me more details than I could stomach, but that's a very moot point by now anyway. In case you want to, I mean. Or she wants to. But I'm pretty sure she's your type, and it might throw her off track if you guys aren't dodging her advances any longer.
Rubbing her face with a sigh, Astrid hit send.
-HTTYD-
This definitely cannot go wrong in any way at all.