Chapter 7.
Astrid twirled her coffee mug about in her fingers, dragging it across the tabletop before letting go and repeating the process. Her chin in her hand, baggy sweater folded around her shoulders and messy hair hanging in her face, she was exhausted from a sleepless night.
It didn't help that Taylor had driven to their parents for a couple nights, helping to complete a bathroom project that they were attacking. She'd only left the night before, but alone in a house with two- three counting Toothless- ghosts wasn't exactly a remedy to fitful rest.
Sighing heavily and running a hand through her hair, Astrid swallowed thickly. She didn't feel well. Her forehead felt like fire, as did her whole body, and her stomach was turning nauseously. Earlier she'd merely passed it off as nervousness, but it was steadily growing worse.
She turned back around and gave the clock a half-hearted stare. It was still only five AM. She'd been sitting at that table for almost an hour now, she had to go back to bed and try to get some sleep. Her work day would suffer terribly if she didn't.
Sliding out of her chair, Astrid shuffled back to the servant's quarters and to her bedroom. She hunched over when a spasm of uncomfortable pain washed through her throat and gut, making her mind flash with the desperate need for a bucket.
Rushing to the bathroom, she bent low over the toilet and heaved, disposing of yesterdays pasta. Dry heaving painfully, she straightened and went to the sink and washed her hands and brushed her teeth consciously. Miserably, she returned to her bed and crawled under the covers. No wonder she hadn't gotten any sleep last night.
"What a perfect time for Taylor to be away." Astrid mumbled with a hiccup. Rolling onto her side with her arms wrapped around her stomach, she closed her eyes and tried to rest.
She finally dozed off, mindless to the time as her exhausted body fell into a flu-induced sleep. It wasn't until she heard a light patter on her door that she fluttered her eyes open, starting when they landed on her alarm clock.
"CRAP!" She threw the blankets off and jumped to her feet, rushing towards her dresser to get dressed. She only made it two steps before she clamped her hands over her mouth and made a detour to the bathroom.
"Miss Astrid?"
She vomited roughly, her throat screaming for a relief. But of course it would be Hiccup to find her in such a state.
"D-don't c'min!" Astrid managed through her heaving. "I-I'll be... there in a second!"
There were a few moments of silence, giving her time to get control of her breathing and her stomach. Astrid could here another little knock on the door, followed by Hiccup's concerned voice.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Astrid gulped, nearly vomiting again just from the taste lingering in her mouth. Going to the sink she hastily washed her hands and rinsed out her mouth, wondering faintly if ghosts were able to catch illnesses.
She opened the door, too miserable to care about her sloppy appearance. Hiccup's eyes shadowed his surprise, but he hid it well behind a crooked smile. "It... was just a bit late and I didn't know if-"
"No, thank you for waking me. I'm already late for work." Astrid forced a smile, hoping it was convincing as she gestured weakly to herself. "I'm just going to quickly get dressed."
Hiccup nodded silently. He looked hesitant, but she gathered from his demeanor that he was suspicious. She grinned hopefully.
"Tom and I will be in the kitchen." He finally replied. With a little duck of his head he left, leaving her to her own suffering.
She wandered to her bed and plucked up her cell phone, quickly typing out a text to Taylor. "Am sick with flu, don't know what to do with the boys."
Setting it aside she stood and began to dress in simple, comfortable clothes. Not comfy enough to look odd, but not too uncomfortable to look normal either. If she was going to be sick she'd rather be warm and comfortable over convincing. Hiccup probably already guessed that something was amiss anyways
Brushing her hair, her stomach began to cramp. Shoving it aside and attempting to ignore it, she got back on her feet with a dizzy sway, cursing her weak body.
Before she could chicken out and hide in the bathroom, she opened her bedroom door and entered the kitchen. Wobbly and stomach bubbling, she tried to put on a bright smile when all she wanted to do was lay down and wallow in self pity.
"Morning!"
Tom looked up from a newspaper, while Hiccup leaned against the stove with a glass in his hand. Toothless was headfirst in the garbage, snuffling for scraps.
Tom opened his mouth to return the greeting, but paused when he glanced away from the paper to her face. Dang it, was her illness that obvious?
"You feeling well?" He asked instead, making her realize that it was no use trying to hide. She thought all men were naive to things like this- her father always had. It had taking full explanations and proof to get that man to realize anything.
These two were obviously more sensitive.
She sighed and rubbed a hand against her forehead, unsurprised by the heat emanating from her skin. "Truthfully... no. I didn't get much sleep last night and my stomach's been bothering me."
Tom smiled hopelessly, giving a pitiful shrug of his shoulders. Welp, men were still men, and no matter how sensitive they may be, they were still hopeless when it came to offering any help or support to a woman.
"I'm sorry." Hiccup said quietly. "Is there anything we can do..?"
"No- well, actually... today I'd planned on cleaning up the gardens. If you guys could start it, that would be great."
"What about you?"
She frowned. Did they expect her to work when she was puking her guts out like she was? "...Me?"
Hiccup nodded and set his mug aside, rubbing his arm in an awkward gesture. "Yes... we can't just leave you in here by yourself. What if you need help?"
Astrid smiled in realization. She should've known. Hiccup, while quiet and withdrawn, was seriously one of the sweetest guys she'd met. Next to Fishlegs, they were an even tie. "Don't worry, it's just the flu. I can handle it alone."
"I can work on the garden." Tom volunteered willingly. "Hiccup can stay in and help."
Hiccup nodded in agreement. "Yes, I don't feel like we should leave you when you're not feeling well."
Astrid had mixed feelings. She wasn't some feeble maiden to be rescued, but the thought of having company did sound inviting. She was a big girl, she could take care of herself.
"The company would be nice..." She said with hesitation. "But I do not need help."
The boys nodded respectfully. They seemed to have caught on quickly that hey, she was an independent woman and didn't need babying.
"Just in case." Hiccup said with a nod.
"Alright... and I'd better message my boss and tell him I'll double up on hours this weekend."
Toothless pulled his head out of the trash, holding a moldy piece of pizza in his mouth. At the sight, Astrid's stomach rolled and she doubled over, arms wrapped tightly around her middle as she made a mad dash towards the can.
There was a very still and very awkward silence as she bent over, disposing a stream of noodles and water. Feeling drained and weak, she shook as she remained hunched over the garbage with the smell of her own vomit filling her nostrils.
A gentle hand rested on her back. "I... I think you need to go back to bed."
She nodded quietly and allowed herself to be steered back in that direction, but rooted her feet to the floor halfway. "Actually- let's go to the living room instead. My laptop is in there."
Hiccup blinked, but obediently began walking towards the assigned room. Opening the door for her like the gentleman he was, he also exited only to return with a blanket and bowl in his hands.
"Thank you, sir." She teased. His eyes sparkled and fizzed with embarrassment as he blushed scarlet, the color a stark contrast to his pale but freckled skin.
"Yer w'lcome." He mumbled self consciously. He began to fade, guilting Astrid for making him so flustered.
"You want to stick around and watch something with me?" She hurried to ask before he could disappear completely. "I'm thinking about picking back up on Heartland if you'd like to see it."
Hiccup came back into sight, nodding his head in excitement. "O-on what? Your book?" He gestured towards the laptop distractedly, to what he couldn't comprehend as being not a book, but a computer. She went along with it smoothly.
"Yes, if you bring it here I'll set it up."
Hiccup eagerly went and plucked up the device off the table and set it in her lap. She flipped it open and hurriedly logged in and went to the Netflix app. Hiccup walked to the back of the couch and watched curiously as she scrolled through the entertainment options. This wasn't the first time he'd seen her use the laptop over the past week of his being there (with them knowing he was there, anyhow) yet every time it still seemed to send him into an amazed stupor.
"Okay. It's been awhile since I've watched these so we'll start at the beginning. That way you're not confused." Astrid clicked episode one and extended the laptop onto the coffee table, patting the couch beside her for Hiccup to take a seat. He did so without once taking his eyes off the screen.
The next forty minutes was filled with intense silence as Hiccup stared in admiration at the laptop. It was obvious how into the show he was, for his expressions mirrored the characters on screen.
The next episode began to play automatically, and just as the beginning credits rolled, Astrid gripped the bowl tightly in her arms and turned away as she vomited for a fourth time, fully convinced that this was to be her last time. Did she even have anything left in her stomach?
Coughing in disgust, she wiped her mouth with her arm before turning back to face Hiccup. Gnawing on his lip and thick eyebrows tilted in concern, he was the picture of worry.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm perfectly fine." Astrid mumbled miserably. Slouching into the cushions, she sniffed and swallowed thickly.
"That much is clearly obvious." The sarcastic reply was unexpected, and made her look at him with wide eyes. He instantly backed down, looking ashamed and apologetic.
"I'm so-"
"Oh, shut up." Astrid shook her head. "You don't need to apologize for everything, you know. Especially when there isn't anything to apologize about."
Hiccup's jaw snapped shut, the only sound being that of the makeshift tv. Getting to his feet he went and took the bowl and disappeared from the room, taking the bowl with him.
Astrid felt terrible. She'd offended him without meaning to. She had only wanted to make him feel more comfortable, make him feel like he could be himself. She just had to keep her patience with her and deal with his blundering apologies until he felt himself at home enough to be himself completely. Having spoken to Tom, and from reading the Diary, she knew full well that Hiccup had a sarcastic mouth.
That was just the first time she had really heard him use it.
Hiccup reappeared by the doors, this time with a tray of snacks and glasses to accompany the bowl. He set them down beside her, still not making any comment on her previous statement.
Taking the cup with a grateful grin, she took a sip to rid her mouth of the horrible aftertaste. Setting it aside, she unpaused the show and let that claim some of Hiccup's attention, although it was clear he wasn't as into it as he had been before.
"I'm sorry, that was very rude of me. And out of place." Astrid said softly. Resting a hand on his arm, she tried a smile. "I'm just... tired of the masquerade is all. I've seen you with Tom, you're a totally different person. But I get it, so... yeah. I was wrong, and I'm sorry."
"As am I."
"No, you don't have to. You can't, actually, because there's no way you can be." She frowned and raised her eyes. "That... made sense in my mind."
He grinned with one side of his mouth, that quirky grin that she'd come to be fond off. It was nice to see him using it. "Thank you, ma'am. I'll... it'll just take some time. It's been a century since I've talked to anyone, and a week just isn't quite enough time to re-adjust."
"I understand."
The next episode ended with the next beginning, when Hiccup disappeared suddenly to who knows where. Startled and confused, Astrid sat still as she waited for him to return. Fifteen minutes later the air fizzled to her right, where he suddenly appeared holding a bowl of popcorn in his hands.
"I know you're probably not very hungry, but I brought you some toast and applesauce just in case. And this is unbuttered, so it shouldn't upset your stomach too much." Hiccup explained with a smile. Sitting back down he extended the items to her, which she took gratefully. For while she felt queasy, there was hunger lingering beneath.
"Why don't Ty and Amy just dance? I think they like each other." Hiccup mumbled under his breath. Astrid grinned around her toast in amusement.
"Maybe they're just being difficult?"
Hiccup's eyes glowed. "Hm, right..."
Astrid flipped the blanket off and got to her feet with a little sway. Grabbing onto the back of the couch she started towards the door.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, I just want to go get my phone. I'll be right back." Astrid continued to the dining room and through the kitchen to the bedroom. Sitting on her bed she picked up the phone and swiped at the three new messages.
"The guys are big boys they can take care of themselves :P" was Taylor's witty reply.
Thank you, sis.
The next was from Fishlegs, with wild caps and exclamation points. Blinking hard to try and actually focus on what he was saying, she hurriedly scanned through the lengthy message.
"JUST MET TAYLOR AT YOUR PARENTS PLACE AND FLDIADOPFAHD CAN I PLEASE COME SHE TOLD ME EVERYTHING."
Astrid double blinked in shock, before scrolling past and biting her lip in anxious worry.
He had added: "please"
Running a hand down her face, she fell back against her bed and dialed Taylor's number. Holding her phone to her ear, she waited as her anger and frustration began to build.
"Hey, Astrid."
"Don't you dare hey me!" Astrid growled. "How could you!?"
"Don't get so excited- I only told Fishlegs! He asked how we were doing at the knew place and if he could come and visit... and, you know Fishlegs- he's such a nerd I just thought-"
"Don't tell anyone else!" Astrid exclaimed angrily. "Do you know what could happen if someone caught wind of this? We could be sent to the crazy house- or something could happen to Hiccup and Tom. Is that what you want?"
There was a long quiet pause on the other line. "Yes, of course, Astrid. I just... Fishlegs is a good friend, and I thought it was safe to tell him."
Astrid sighed heavily before closing her eyes, mind reeling as thoughts and ideas swirled about. What to do...
"Astrid?"
"Yeah, I'm here. Um... fine. Tell Fishlegs he can follow you here and we'll give him a grand tour, but make sure he knows this entire thing is a secret. If Snotlout or the twins find out, the world will know."
"Gotcha."
"Good." Astrid's stomach growled loudly and her head pulsed with the interruption. Great, a headache, just what she needed.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like crap, thank you." Astrid huffed sarcastically. "I just want to go and lay back down. Hiccup's probably starting to wonder where I got to anyways."
"Alright, I'll be home by tomorrow morning- with Fishlegs. Say hi to the boys for me."
"I will." Astrid hung up abruptly and tossed her phone back on the table. With another sigh of exhaustion she got to her feet and slipped back down the hall and into the kitchen.
Hiccup was still sitting on the couch where she'd left him, but he gave a little jump and fizzed from sight for a split second when she re-entered.
"You were gone so long, I thought you were in the outhouse again..."
Astrid couldn't help but smile at his stubborn use of title for the bathroom. "No, I ended up calling Taylor. Turns out she told one of our friends about you, Tom, and the house... so we'll be having a guest tomorrow morning."
Hiccup's eyes flickered. "A... uh, um..." He cleared his throat. "Who?"
"His name is Fishlegs." Astrid smiled reassuringly and tilted her head. "Somehow, I think you two will get along."
A/N: Thanks for all the feedback! And I'm so sorry for this update being three days late- it's the Christmas season and it just so happened that my parents decided to take this weekend to get the decorations up. It's been rather hectic to say the least. XD
The gang is slowly making their way into this story. The others will come soon as well, I promise. ;)