Jab, right cross, left hook, right cross.
Jab, jab, rolling, right hook.
Uppercut, left hook, jab.
Astrid's fists flew as she threw heavy punches at the old, worn sandbag, her body following the sequence of movements with ease.
Students had the Sunday off, and most of them liked to take the opportunity to sleep in, making her the only person crazy enough to go to the gym that early in the morning. She swung her body, landing a butterfly kick at the boxing bag, and as she landed, she took a glimpse at her reflection on the mirror wall on the other side of the room. Patches of sweat darkened the fabric of her shirt, wet bangs stuck to her forehead, face flushed, ragged breathing, uneven pants echoed through the empty room, and enraged expression hardened her eyes and formed a crease between her eyebrows.
She looked like an insane person out for murder. And in all honesty, Astrid couldn't bring herself to care.
She was exhausted. She was stressed, and sleep-deprived, and mad at the world as a whole. And all she wanted was to hit something with her fists. At least, she had satisfied herself with attacking an inanimate object this time.
Elsa was right, the extra sessions of exercises helped, and every punch Astrid threw, every contact she made with the bag, she could feel herself becoming lighter. With every sequence of attacks, she felt that rush of endorphins being released, and, for a moment, she was able to forget her frustrations.
She didn't know exactly how long she had been there, but her limbs had started to feel numb, her chest burned, and she was having difficulty keeping herself up with her legs wobbling under her, so she decided to give herself a break. Taking her boxing gloves off, she collapsed on the bench and reached for her water bottle. She poured water on her forehead, and the liquid ran down her face, wetting the already drenched neckline of her shirt. She focused on the sound of her own breathing, letting the air in and out of her lungs slowly.
She was almost done with her water bottle when she heard the gym's front doors opening. She looked up out of curiosity, and almost choked. She finished the rest of her drink to get rid of the itch on her throat.
"Oh, hey, Astrid!" Hiccup waved, making his way toward the girl. "What a coincidence finding you here."
"Coincidence… Yeah…"
Hiccup walked around a weight training bench, inspecting it as if it was a spaceship. He occasionally touched a pulley or a handle, but seemed confused about the machine's functioning.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
Hiccup rolled his shoulders back and looked at her. "I thought I could work on these," he said, flexing his arms. "Why else would I be here?"
"You telling me you came to the school gym on a Sunday morning because you like bench press so much?"
"'Like' would be going too far," Hiccup mumbled, sitting down and trying to find a comfortable position on the bench. "But I know my way around exercising equipment."
Astrid narrowed her eyes as she watched Hiccup clumsily fighting with the handles. Despite Hiccup's efforts, the weights moved little, and Hiccup's face started to change color.
"Stop before you hurt yourself."
"Please." Hiccup rubbed his hands together before gripping the handles determined. "I'm just warming up."
"Hiccup," she called, crossing her arms. "Spill it."
"What are you talking about?" He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I—uh…"
She simply looked at him and watched as his fake-bravado crumbled, and all that was left was a mess of a boy with slumped shoulders who couldn't even meet her eyes.
"Violet told me you were gonna be here," he blurted out.
She groaned. "Of course she did."
Hiccup leaned back and stretched his legs. "And I was under the assumption that you would enjoy the company."
"Your assumption was wrong."
"Yeah, I can see that," he said, scowling at her. "Still, this was an adventure. I think this is the first time I stepped foot in this place."
"Was that supposed to surprise me?"
He shrugged.
She uncrossed her arms and leaned back on her hands. "So what is your deal anyway?"
Hiccup frowned. "My… deal?"
"You are weirdly in shape, despite your lack of upper arm strength."
"Are you checking me out?" He raised an eyebrow.
She snorted. "I am definitely not."
"Really?" He leaned over, resting his elbows on his thighs. "Because it looked like you were—"
"Answer the question, Hiccup," Astrid snarled, cutting him off.
Hiccup scratched his chin, as if deep in thought. "Well, I do have a secret working out routine, I suppose."
"What is it?"
"Well, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you," he argued, making wide gestures with his arms.
She narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me?"
"You gotta earn the right to know it," Hiccup explained nonchalantly.
"What are you talking about, you idiot?"
Hiccup got on his feet, casually folding his arms behind his back. "Meet me here next Sunday, and I'll tell you everything."
"You gotta be kidding," Astrid said, clenching her teeth.
He waved at her as he made his way to the entrance. "See you next week, Astrid."
"Where do you think you're going?" she shouted, but he continued walking.
She stood up, stomping her foot. "Get back in here, Haddock!"
But he just chuckled and gave her a two-finger salute before letting the door close behind him.
Astrid blinked, her brain having difficulty processing Hiccup's attitude. "The fuck just happened?"
What the fuck just happened indeed.
Jack slid his back down the wall, sitting on the floor, and watched as Gobber, their PE teacher marched back and forth in front of the lined-up students.
"Listen up, lads," Gobber yelled, his voice carrying through the gymnasium. He continued to pass a rubber ball between his hands as he walked. "Today, we're doin' somethin' I like tae call… dodgeball."
Students' reactions were split between excitement and annoyance, and Gobber silenced them with an arm.
"Ye all know the rules," Gobber continued. "If ye're hit, ye're out. Ye catch the ball, ye out the thrower and bring someone from yer team back. Now, lessee…" He looked at the faces of each kid and snapped his fingers twice. "Astrid, Jack, ye're team captains." The teacher threw the ball at Astrid, who caught it with little effort.
"Perfect." Astrid went to the front of the group followed by Jack. "Just what I needed: a school-approved opportunity to kick your ass."
Jack chuckled, shaking his head. "Careful, beautiful. Haven't you gotten in enough trouble for using violence already?"
"You better be ready to lose, asshole," Astrid snarled, tossing the ball at him.
"In your dreams, Hofferson." Jack started, tossing the ball in the air and catching it. "I still have to get back at you for trying to ruin Hiccup's pretty face."
"Please, leave me out of your territorial dispute," Hiccup grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"They can't help it, they're both too alpha," Andy explained.
"I thought it was because they were both too possessive of Hiccup," Violet argued.
Jack chuckled, and his amusement only grew as he watched the blonde beside him fuming.
Astrid gritted her teeth. "You say that again, you're getting a ball to the face."
"Save it fer the field, lass," Gobber grumbled as he watched the ordeal from the sidelines. He leaned back on his chair and gestured at the teens with both arms. "Move along, we don't have all day."
"What do you say we make things a little more fun?" Jack asked in a low voice, turning his face so their conversation was private.
The blonde threw her head back and laughed. "What's more fun than humiliating you in front of the whole class?"
"How about a bet?"
She put her hands on her hips. "What do you suggest?"
"Loser has to shave one of their eyebrows," Jack said with an arched eyebrow.
"Loser has to shave both of their eyebrows," Astrid immediately countered.
"Deal." He looked over at the rest of his classmates and pointed at Elsa. "Arendelle, you're our witness."
"No, thanks," the platinum-blonde mumbled, shaking her head. "I'd rather not be compliant with whatever happens between the two of you."
Jack flashed her a charming smile. "Jealous?"
Elsa rolled her eyes. "Why does your brain always go in that direction?"
"Alright," Astrid said, crossing her arms. "You're on, Frost. Maybe this will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
"Game on, gorgeous."
Astrid thrived amid the chaos like a scarlet-bladed Valkyrie in a war site. She moved with precision, swiftly avoiding balls thrown at her, and roaring in triumph every time she successfully hit her targets. The weak had long been eliminated, and only a handful of warriors remained on the battlefield. And out of all her opponents, Jack Frost annoyed her the most.
He danced through the court with such grace and lightness to his steps that it almost looked like he floated in the air. His stance was casual, relaxed. He was having fun, and he found amusement in watching the opposite team lose their composure. So he mocked them, laughed and joked, teased them into making mistakes, and then he attacked.
Astrid's team was being annihilated. She gritted her teeth. It was time for a counter-attack. Taking possession of the ball, she aimed, and she fired. But Jack was prepared, and despite the speed of her throw, he managed to dodge it at the last second. She heard him laughing, and her eyes followed the ball's trajectory. She had a clear view of it as it happened: the ball sped past Jack and ended up hitting someone else.
The game stopped. Shocked gasps echoed through the gymnasium. Hiccup cried profanities as he collapsed to the floor, gripping his nose.
"Shit," Jack cursed as he took a careful step in the other guy's direction. "You okay there, Third?"
Hiccup had the energy to glare at the silverhead, and his voice was more nasal than normal as he shouted, "What do you think, idiot?"
Jack recoiled, slumping his shoulders. "I'll take that as a no."
"Oh, my God!" Elsa covered her mouth with her hands and rushed to the injured boy's side. "Hiccup, you're bleeding."
Hiccup pulled his hands back, and they were indeed smudged with blood.
"Shit, you went too far this time, babe," Violet said.
Astrid couldn't make her feet move, and she remained planted on the same spot. "I didn't mean to hit him!"
"Ach, move yer sweaty bodies out of tha way, will ye?" Gobber approached, shooing students out of his way. He looked at the auburn-haired boy with an eyebrow raised. "My, don't ye look stunnin', Hiccup?"
"I think I broke my nose, sir."
"Not on my watch, ye didnae. Come, lad. I'll take ye tae tha infirmary." Gobber pulled Hiccup up like he weighed less than a feather, and started dragging the teen out.
"Gobber, I can walk," Hiccup mumbled. His arm was thrown over Gobber's broad shoulders, and Hiccup limped as he tried to keep up with the teacher. "It's my nose I hurt, not my legs."
"Sir, would it be okay if I went with you?" Andy asked, already rushing after the two.
The teacher grumbled some incoherent response, then, to the rest of the class, he shouted, "Rest of ye, go study in tha library or somethin'."
As soon as the three left and the gymnasium's doors closed, the teenagers howled thrilled at the news.
"So… we have the rest of the period free." Violet had to raise her voice to be heard in the middle of the noise her classmates were making.
"Woo-hoo." Jack sighed. "With Hiccup and Andy in the infirmary, I have nothing to do. Might as well go put my head in the oven."
"Oh, poor you." Violet pinched his cheek. "You can hang with us, Frosty."
The silverhead snorted. "So I can talk about nail polish and cute boys with you three?"
"We don't do that," Astrid said, narrowing her eyes at him.
He smirked. "Well, that's a letdown."
"How about we go buy a get-well gift to cheer Hiccup up?" Elsa suggested as the group reached the doors.
"I know something that would cheer him up, all right," Jack whispered, exchanging glances with Violet.
"Wanna go make your friend company in the infirmary?" Astrid asked, crossing her arms. She seethed.
The silverhead shrugged. "I don't know. Wanna be charged with two attempted murders? Three if you count that day you jumped at Haddock at rehearsal?"
"Dramatic much?" Elsa asked, placing a soothing hand on Astrid's shoulder, and the gesture helped ease the knot on the latter's throat.
Jack winked at the platinum-blonde. "You know me, Your Highness."
"Yes. An idiot through and through."
"Thank you."
Astrid groaned, giving the silverhead a shove. "Let's just go."
"I think it's about time we talk about your punishment, Hofferson," Jack said, pointing at the blonde with his fork.
Astrid looked up from her dinner and stared at him from across the cafeteria table. "Punishment?"
"Our bet? You shaving your eyebrows?"
She snorted before going back to moving food around on her plate. "That would only happen if you had won the game."
"Which I did."
"Did not." Astrid dropped her fork and crossed her arms. "The game was interrupted."
"By someone breaking Hiccup's nose," Violet mumbled, faking a cough.
"For the last time, I didn't do it on purpose!"
Andy sighed. "Leave it at a tie, guys."
"It's a better option than both of you admitting defeat," Elsa suggested. "And facing punishment together."
Jack narrowed his eyes and looked at Astrid. He munched on a piece of broccoli as he pondered if he should take the deal or not.
"You realize your pretty face would be ruined with no eyebrows, right?" Violet asked.
The silverhead frowned. "... How long does it take for eyebrows to grow back?"
"At least four months," Andy answered.
"Four months?!" Jack shouted, pieces of food flying off his mouth.
"What the hell, idiot?" Violet shouted back.
Andy offered the brunette a napkin. "At least."
"Have fun looking like a white alien for that long," Violet grumbled, wiping broccoli off her arm.
Jack looked at Astrid with an arched eyebrow. "Tie?"
Astrid huffed, putting an elbow on the table and holding her head with her hand. "Whatever."
"Hello, boys and girls." A vacant chair was pulled and Hiccup sat on it. He had an ice pack pressed against his nose.
"How are you doing, Hiccup?" Elsa asked.
Hiccup snorted, putting the package down. His nose was swollen, and a purplish-black blotch colored the area between his eyes. The mere sight of Hiccup's injury caused the others pain.
"You think that will be gone by the night of the play? You look like a zombie." Jack asked scowling, and he received a whack to the back of the head from Andy.
Elsa threw a pointed glare at the silverhead. "Don't worry, we can cover it with makeup," she said, smiling reassuringly at Hiccup. "What matters is that you're okay."
"Thanks, Elsa," Hiccup mumbled with one side of his face pressed against the table.
"Not gonna eat, Third?" Jack asked with a frown of concern.
Hiccup closed his eyes. "Nah. Loss of appetite is one of the side effects of the painkillers Goethel gave me."
"Hiccup." Violet for the auburn-haired guy to look at her. "If you get scrawnier, you will disappear."
Hiccup snorted and closed his eyes again.
"Vi is right," Andy said. "You gotta eat something—"
He stopped talking at the sound of Astrid pushing her chair back and standing up.
"Where are you going?" Violet asked.
"I'm done eating," Astrid said, and before she had even finished speaking, she was already walking with her food tray in hands. "And I have homework to do."
The group stared at the blonde as she left.
"Wow. Rude."
"Violet…" Elsa warned.
"Did I say something wrong?" Hiccup asked with a frown.
"You didn't." Elsa sighed. "She's just moody."
"Why?" Hiccup laughed unamused.
"Someone tried to break her nose with a rubber ball too?"