Chapter 4:

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Astrid got back home at 8pm.

Her and Heather went to diner together and so, she could forgot about her encounter and all of the trouble of today.

She flopped on her couch and groaned. She was exhausted but mostly, the skin on her belly was tight after all she had eaten. Heather insisted to take her in this fancy restaurant called the Mead Hall and the food was just excellent. She couldn't even see the receipt as Heather caught it before and went to pay. That girl wasn't going to let Astrid pay for her anytime soon and it made Astrid upset, she wanted also to invite her best friend to diner and be the one actually paying.

But she put that on the side of her brain and told herself she will get it soon. For now, she needed to sleep as tomorrow, she had to see Hayden again and she had to fight for him cause apparently he wasn't going to.

She went to put her pyjama. A simple baggy short and a cropped top. She brushed her hair and teeth and went back to her living room. She switched on Netflix and then went to warm some milk. Once her drink was hot enough, she walked back to the sofa and played The Witcher since she didn't finished it last time. She put a blanket on her and got comfortable.

She was tried to focus on the show but couldn't somehow. Too much was in her mind. So after 20mn, she decided to stop and go to bed. She put the blanket on Stormfly's cage and ran under her cozy blanket.

She closed her eyes, searching for sleep but nothing. Only the stress of the upcoming day of facing Hayden and his stubbornness again, and that woman face, that didn't want to leave her sight. She shook her head and took a deep breath.

Astrid took her phone and put a meditation playlist on YouTube. She felt her body finally relaxed and sighed of relief.

Sleep had took over her almost instantly.

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Astrid was on her way to work, still as early as the day before. And just like yesterday, Hayden was waiting for her. She put a smile on her face and walked toward him.

-"Hi!", she said trying to sound motivated.

-"Hey.", Hayden said flatly.

Astrid opened the door and the stores and Hayden immediately went pass her, straight to the back room.

Astrid went to her locker and let out a groan of frustration. She was annoyed by that guy because he was rude to her just because she was actually helping him. It was not fair.

Once her shoes on, she took her water bottle and headed to the back room. She opened the door and got welcomed by a surprisingly standing Hayden.

-"You got up on your own?", Astrid raised an eyebrow while going to put her bottle on the near table.

-"No, I grew up a leg again.", Hayden answered.

Astrid blinked and rolled her eyes.

Not in a good mood today. Great. Like she needed it.

-"Alright, enough sarcasm. Let's go.", Astrid ignored his last comment and went to take his hand, which he snapped away.

He hopped on one leg to the bars and put himself between them, holding them for support.

Astrid sighed and went for it.

-"Okay so, you're gonna lean your hands on both bars, and just balance your weight on your left leg. You don't have to make it touch the floor, just straighten your leg and balance it back and forth. You need to feel your leg before trying to walk.", Astrid explained.

-"I already feel my leg, trust me. I don't need a reminder on how short it is now.", Hayden said coldly.

-"It's not about that, it's just so you can move it again like anything happened and also to make your blood flood correctly since you're sitting in a chair most of the time. It's like a stretching.", Astrid insisted.

-"Whatever.", Hayden sighed.

He did what she asked for and Astrid felt a bit relieved.

He balanced his leg back and forth, bending it, straightening it. He was looking at what he was doing but he didn't look happy on how this worked. This was getting ridiculous for him. Was that girl postponed the confirmation that he won't walk again?

-"Hold on, I'll bring you some water.", Astrid said, seeing Hayden starting to be out of breath.

While she had her back turned, Hayden thought it was the right moment to actually try to walk on his own. He wanted this to be over as soon as possible.

He put his prosthetic on the carpet and leaned on it like he was doing a step. But his stump told him otherwise. It was almost shouting at him that it was not a good idea and it wasn't ready. But Hayden played deaf and did his step anyway.

Indeed, a bad idea.

The pain stroke him like lightning and he yelled before falling. Astrid jumped and turned around, just to see a Hayden laid on the soft ground, holding his leg painfully, and groaning.

She rushed to check on him.

-"Oh my, are you okay?!", she asked.

-"I'm fine! I'll be fine!", Hayden almost yelled at her.

-"Come here.", Astrid helped him getting out of between the bars.

But he refused it, and crawled on his own, his leg still stinging badly.

-"I'll bring you some ice.", Astrid announced.

-"No! Don't bother! We are done!", Hayden groaned, climbing back on his chair.

-"The training isn't over. You need-"

-"I don't need anything! Okay?! Your stupid idea of making me "available" again is just bullshit! I'm not going to be! Not now or ever! I don't want to do this anymore cause this is just fucking ridiculous!", Hayden shouted at her.

-"Hayden I'm sorry but please-"

-"Just leave me.", he spat.

-"You just need to be patient and it-"

-"No! I'm fucking done! I don't want your help!", he rolled his chair toward the door.

-"Hayden-"

He didn't listen to her and reached for the doorknob.

And that's when Astrid decided that it was enough.

She ran to his chair and pulled him away from the door. He yelped at the sudden pull aback and watched Astrid stand in front of him, hands on her hips, brows furrowed.

-"Okay that's it! I'm done with you ranting about yourself! You're playing stubborn, too bad cause I'm just as stubborn as you. I'm not going to let you go just because you decided so. Because you're giving up like a coward would do."

Hayden gasped.

-"I'm not a coward.", Hayden retorted.

-"Oh yeah? Then why are you running away from the only chance you're given to walk again?!"

-"Because it's useless just as much that it's pointless!", Hayden shouted.

-"No it's not! You're the only one thinking that. You're the only one neglecting yourself for what it's worth."

Hayden didn't answer. He looked down and frowned.

Astrid looked at him and sighed. She calmed down and knelt to catch his eyes.

-"Look. I know it must be really hard to learn something you're suppose to know how to do since you're a child. And I'm very sorry for that. But avoiding learning won't make it easier. And mostly, you need to face the truth. The terrible truth of... losing a limb.", Astrid started gently, "It's not easy, I'm sure of that. But what's easy is going step by step. Literally. You don't have to make it like it's over for you. No. You need to grab your guts and say, okay I lost a leg but it won't stop me in living my life. Many other people went through the same thing and nothing stopped them to live again. They are brave people. And so are you. If they can do it, so do you. Also, you're part of the luckiest one to have a prosthetic. And you need to understand that. It's not at everyone's reach unfortunately. So please, process the fact that you're alive and given another chance.", Astrid put a hand on his, "Again, I'm really sorry. But I'm here to help, not to make you feel bad. I don't want you to feel bad.", she spoke more softly, "I can't make you grow a leg. But I can make you feel like you never lost one.", Astrid finished.

Hayden just stared at her the entire speech. He didn't say a thing for a while.

-"Hiccup."

-"What?"

-"You can call me Hiccup.", Hayden said.

-"Excuse me?", Astrid asked confused.

-"I've been given this name since I was little, not since the accident. But yeah, my close friends and also my family calls me like this. I don't mind as it's quite catchy.", Hayden shrugged.

-"Why would I call you Hiccup?", Astrid asked again, still not getting why he told her that.

-"Because I'm not very used to people call me by my real name. And since we are going to spend almost every morning together from now on, I would like to get comfortable.", Hayden explained.

-"So you're accepting to do the re-education?", Astrid asked hopeful.

-"...yes. Yes I am.", Hayden sighed.

-"That's amazing!", Astrid cheered.

-"Don't get your hopes up, I'm sure it will take a long while before I can stand on my two feet.", Hayden warned.

-"That's okay. I'm not going to let you go anytime soon.", Astrid grinned.

Hayden leaned his head down, so she couldn't see his small blush.

-"You're sure you're okay with the Hiccup name? I mean at least right now?", Astrid wondered.

-"Yeah. Don't worry about it.", Hayden nodded.

Astrid just smiled at him. She was proud that her words made him change his mind. And here she thought she sucked at motivational speech.

-"So. Let's do this?", Hayden asked.

-"Yeah! Let's do this!", Astrid smiled wildly.

(Thank you for your reviews on the previous chapters, it means a lot. So please, keep posting them. It's really motivating me to keep writing (: )