xix.
The next day is busy at the shop; seemingly, half the cars in Berk have experienced auto trouble after hectic fourth of July holiday. Astrid is busy answering the phone and helping customers nearly all day, and she's taking a call when the bell above the door signifies that someone is walking in. She hears the clacking of heels against the cement floor. A shadow falls across the desk, and a throat clears.
She holds up a finger while she listens intently to the person on the other and.
"Yes, Mr. Ingerman, I'll let Mr. Haddock know. Yes. Yes,, alright."
She saw hiccup as she hang up the phone, and called him to stay in her place a little, so she can go to the bathroom.
Hiccup hears nails clacking against the edge of the desk, and he sighs, "Can I help you?"
"Actually, yes."
Hiccup looks up to see the smirking face of a grimace. "Heather," he says through gritted teeth. "How may I assist you?"
"I'm here to pick up my brother's Porsche," she says, sitting on the edge of the desk.
"It'll be just a minute," Hiccup tell her. "We're busy today, as you can see-"
"Oh, I've got time," Heather says breezily. "I can just have a nice chat with you instead."
Hiccup swallows. He really hopes Astrid will come back out here soon.
"So, still a lonely old cat boy?" Heather asks. "Doomed to roam the earth alone until God takes pity on you and finally puts you out of your misery?"
Hiccup smiles acidly at her. "Actually, I'm seeing someone, but thank you for your concern."
Heather scoffs. What, that blonde girl? Please, she's just taking pity on you!"
Hiccup feels anger bubbling in the pit of his stomach, but he thinks he knows why Heather is lashing out. She's jealous.
"Maybe so," Hiccup says, reaching down for some paper work. He takes a deep breath before adding, "But it di didn't seem like that last night when we fucked on the desk you're sitting on."
Heather's eyed grow wide as saucers, but she doesn't move. "You're lying," she says, her tone accusatory.
Hiccup smiles at her sweetly. "Am I?"
Heather hastily jumps off the desk, wiping off her butt hastily with her hands. "You're disgusting," she seethes.
Hiccup shrugs. "And you're jealous, so shall we call it even?"
"Hey, Hiccup."
Hiccup grins, turning to look at Astrid. Just in time. "Yeah, milady?"
She raises an eyebrow at he use of the pet name. "I was just wondering when you were going on lunch break."
"I just have to help my friend Heather here, then I'll be right in, okay?"
"Okay," Astrid smiles, and then he disappears back inside.
Heather gapes for a second before she finds her composure. "I-I'll pick up the car tomorrow." She makes for the door, then she turns back to add, "I hope you and that girl get thrown in jail for crimes against humanity." She pushes the door open then, and she's gone.
Hiccup starts to laugh, and soon she's laughing so hard his stomach aches and tears are streaming down her cheeks. Astrid pokes his head around the corner once more. "Babe, are you okay?"
She nods, but she's doubled over, gasping for air, so he's not sure she sees. "Im fine," she finally gasps out. "I- I'm coming for lunch."
He stand up, wiping his eyes, and he ignores her bemused expression as he takes her outstretched hand. He'll fill her in on the rest later.
xx.
The rest of the summer goes by smoothly, but Astrid dreads the end of it, because she knows that Hiccup will be leaving for New York, and she'll see him rarely over the course of her senior year. Her heart aches just thinking about it. So she does the only logical thing she can think of.
She decides she has to break up with him.
She tries telling that they're going in two different directions, that they won't be able to handle being apart, that it was all just a summer fling.
He call her out on her lies. "Astrid," he says, taking her face between his hands. "You're scared. I get it. We've seen each other every day this summer, and suddenly we won't, and that scares you. Honestly, it scares me, too. But I love you, okay? I love you, and we'll make it through this."
She sniffs, and he wipes away a stray tear that streaks down her cheek. "You won't fall in love with some gorgeous New York college girl?"
He laughs, kissing her forehead. "I haven't so far, and I think it's because I was waiting for you to come along. How can I fall in love with someone else when my heart belongs to another?"
She gives him a watery smile, and she kisses him back when he presses his lips against hers.
"I'll visit every weekend if I have to," he whispers.
"Or I can visit you," she says around the tears convoluting in her throat.
"Yes," he adds, his thumbing gently gliding over her cheek. "You can visit me."
"I'm s-sorry I tried to break up with you," she wails, wrapping her arms around his neck, but he just shushes her, rubbing her hair.
"Shh, baby, it's okay," he soothes, letting her sob into his shirt, her tears dampening the fabric. "It might be hard at first, but we'll be okay."
She focuses o the feel of his arms around her and the smell that's part laundry detergent and part distinctly Hiccup as she takes in a deep breath. He's right. They'll be okay.
This isn't just summer fling. This is real.
"I'll never break up with you," she whispers into the collar of his shirt. "Not for real, anyway."
She feels his lips press against her forehead. "Me neither. And even if you try a stunt like this."
Despite herself, she smiles.
xxi.
He comes back from New York to take her to her senior prom, which she finds incredibly sweet.
"You don't gave to," she had told him, but he'd simply shut her up with a kiss and insisted that he wanted to.
So now she beams up at him as she, Hiccup, Snotlout and his date Ruffnut Thorston, all pose for pictures in her front yard.
"You look beautiful," he murmurs into her hair as he lightly squeezes her waist, her parents shouting for them to get closer together.
"You clean up well yourself," she teases, tweaking his tie. He leans down to kiss her cheek.
"Perfect!" her daddy shrieks, the camera clicking madly. "Absolutely adorable!"
Astrid giggles, leaning further into his side. "I love you," she murmurs. "Tonight is going to be perfect, all thanks to you."
He drops another kiss on her hair. "It'll be sure to be better than my senior prom, that's for sure. When she looks up at him questioningly, he adds, "Dagur spiked the punch, and I spent the night tending to a very drunk, very pissed off Heather. She didn't win prom queen."
"Oh," Astrid says knowingly. "You won't have to worry about that with me."
"Yeah?" he asks, his sparkling.
She nods.
"Good."
She beams up at him until her parents say they want just one more picture, and as she's scooting impossibly closer to him, she feels her heart swell with thoughts of the future – their future. This summer, she'll be moving into an apartment with him that's equidistant from NYU, and she'll be living in New York City with the guy of her dreams, attending the school she's been trying to get into for as long as she can remember.
She's pretty sure tonight will be the beginning of the life she's always wanted, and she can't wait to start living it, with Hiccup by her side.
xxii.
Five years later, she and Hiccup make the trip back to lime for Thanksgiving. They arrive in Berk at around one, and they get a rental car to drive to his parents' house, where they'll be staying for the long weekend. Since it's actually the day before Thanksgiving, they decide to go visit Stoick and the shop.
"It'll be just like old times," Astrid smirks as they walk in the door. "I always thought you were pretty hot in that greasy jumpsuit of yours."
"Baby, I think I know," he winks. "I'm pretty sure you proved it to me on that desk right there, actually."
"Excuse me?"
They both freeze, looking over to see Stoick standing in the corner, a crease visible between his eyes as he frowns at them. "You fornicated in the shop when that was the one thing I specifically told you not to do?"
"Six years ago!" Hiccup points out desperately. "I- I mean, It's all water under the bridge now, isn't? I mean, Astrid and I are engaged and stuff now, so…"
"Oh, good, I feel a lot better knowing that you're at least marryin' the girl you sexed up in my shop."
Astrid feels her cheeks turning crimson. "But we're really-"
"Yeah, yeah, save it," Stoick says gruffly. "Nothing' I can do about what you did as teenagers. Just… you know, don't do it again."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Astrid says quickly.
"Totally," Hiccup Agrees.
"Well, I need to finish up her, then I'll see you two back at the house, alright?"
"See you then," Hiccup says quickly, grabbing Astrid by the elbow and ushering her quickly out of the shop.
"Oh my god, that was mortifying," Astrid says once they're outside. "Stoick knows that we- we- you know – in the shop!"
"Six years ago!" Hiccup reminds her.
"Still, it's so embarrassing," she moans, covering her face with her hands.
"Hey, you don't regret it though, do you?" he asks, his voice gentle, slowly prying her hand away from her face.
"No," she admits quietly. "I don't."
"Then don't worry about it, okay? Stoick's not even really mad."
"Okay," she whispers, her lips curling upward into a small smile.
Hiccup takes her chin in his hand, pecking her lightly on the lips. Her eyes flutter closed, and she keeps them closed as he pull away, focusing on the warm, fuzzy feeling in the pit oh her stomach.
"So you're game for sneaking back into the shop tonight for a sequel?"
Her eyes flow open to see him smirking at her, and she whacks his arm. "Hiccup!"
He laughs. "Is that a 'no'?"
She ducks her head so he won't see her smiling as she turns to walk back to the car. "That's a maybe."
She hears him mutter "God I love you" before he hurries to catch up with her, intertwining his fingers with hers as they head for the car.