YaAz97 - don't worry, Cami knows he wasn't intentionally being a jerk, he's just upset.

FuntasticMe - yes! Valka knows!

Karate Koala - hey! No bad karma vibes here thank you very much. And I almost lied and said no game plan, I'm just trying to prolong your torture but... I'd be lying. I have a game plan.

Leader of shadowz - you are correct! However, I now realise I failed to mention in last chapter that Hiccup disabled that so he could look at Astrid's face without timeout.

DyingSunlight - if I stop, you'll never know what happens!

BrawlerGamer - I don't know if I'm impressed or mad you worked it out!

I genuinely dread to think what you guys would all be like if this story was updated weekly! Would you all be rolling around or plotting some kind of mass hunt for me? I've spoilt you all with this lack of waiting but I'm determined to finish this story without losing the daily update streak.

-HTTYD-

"Personally? I think you should let them suspect. Leave him squirming trying to come up with an explanation."

Astrid could see the merit in Heather's suggestion, she really could but it would only risk hurting Hiccup, and she wasn't quite at revenge stage yet. She fiddled with the post it note in her hand, wondering when she had reached a stage of missing him so much just seeing her name in his writing was almost a comfort.

Gods she was pathetic.

"Oh, by the way... I know this is a terrible time for you to hear about my relationship, but I was wondering if you would mind me telling my dad I'm staying at your house tomorrow."

Astrid's ears pricked up, eyes noticing Heather's flushed cheeks.

"And why's that? Somewhere to be?"

"Justin asked if I wanted to stay the night. In a seperate room!"

"That's so innocent it makes me sick. Sure. Are you telling your mom where you'll really be?"

"Yeah, of course. Just don't want dad and Dagur outside his house with binoculars and a baseball bat."

Despite her low mood, Astrid found herself laughing. She could totally see ex-military Osvald outside with Dagur just in case Justin dared touch something more adventurous than Heather's hand.

"You need any condoms? Just in case... not like I have any use for them now."

Heather blushed and tried to deny it, but took a couple of the little foil squares anyway. Astrid doubted anything was going to happen, but apparently she had finally drilled in some practicality to her friend.

"What are you planning to do with your weekend?"

Astrid shrugged, keenly aware that had nothing gone wrong, she would right now be in Hiccup's arms in that chilly little barn, basking in the warmth of his gorgeous green eyes. Instead she was trying to encourage Heathers relationship and despair at letting herself fall for that idiot.

"Catch up on the weeks Mechanics work, I'm not giving that ass the satisfaction of driving me away from that class now I finally enjoy playing with engines."

Heather smiled, digging through her bag for her weeks work so Astrid could do the same tasks. With no Heather, she needed time killers during the Sunday daytime and skipping Hiccup's classes meant she was up to date on the rest of her work.

"Well, mom wants us both in the morning for Saturday lunch sugar rush, then we'll both do our thing. Sound good?"

"Definitely, I can come home with a box of cake and eat my feelings."

"You think you're gonna be able to go back volunteering?"

"I hope so. I miss it. I'm just not up to seeing him for four hours, which happens even if he's not there because he looks just like her, especially when they both get excited about owls. Plus he always brought me home and that's a tough association to break."

Heather slung an arm around Astrid, hugging her close and just being there to support her. She had never approved of their 'relationship', but she knew now wasn't the time for 'I told you so'.

"You'll get over him, and have a funny story when you're old about managing to bang your college professor."

"Thanks... I think."

"That's my girl. You crashing here or going home?"

Astrid didn't want to go back to a bed she had shared with Hiccup on a night she was supposed to be sharing another with him, but she needed to prove to herself she wasn't just going to mope.

"Home. I want my fuzzy slippers and those are in my room."

Heather hugged her and sent her on her way, waylaid by Dagur who gave her his famous Berserker bear-hug when he saw her looking a little down.

"You ever need me to beat somebody up, you tell me ok little sis?"

"Thanks Dagur. Now put me down so I can go to bed."

He did, leaning out of the front door to watch her to her door. He was a little overbearing, but Dagur was a good brother. Even to Astrid, who had broken his nose when she was nine and him twelve for saying he wanted to be her boyfriend. They laughed about how awkward it would have been now, and he always pretended to shield his face when it came up.

Of course, it probably helped that Dagur was now as gay as could be. Or rather, always had been but hadn't come out. Nobody would dare pick a fight over his sexuality, not when Dagur was built like a house.

Astrid crawled into her bed after a brief conversation with her mother, letting herself cave to the urge to hug her pillow to her chest, the thoughts of how she wanted Hiccup's arms around her filtering in to those lucid dream moments between wakeful and sleeping.

She woke Saturday morning doubly determined to get herself together, showering and dressing with more angry energy than really needed. She braided her hair and tried not to think of the way Hiccup had unbraided it, making her shiver as his fingers ran through her blonde tresses. Heather, slightly less of a morning person than Astrid, yawned into her coffee when Astrid got to her house, then started applying her light layer of makeup. The girl didn't need it, but Hel, it was her face.

"Ok, lets go surround ourselves with delicious temptation."

"You say that like you ever eat at work."

Heather scarcely touched any of it unless she was at home, where she would cram her mouth full hungrily in a very un-ladylike manner.

"True."

Following her friend out, Astrid slid into the passenger seat of Heathers car and clipped in her seatbelt. They trucked along to the bakery, Heather taking pride of place in front of house while Astrid took her usual spot surrounded by cake ingredients and started pummeling some bread dough, each one pictured as her own frustration about her feelings.

The good lady of the bakery gave Astrid her desperately needed box of sweet treats to smother her feelings in, leaving Astrid to hide away in her room pretending Heather was there with her as she tried to work on mechanics without thinking of Hiccup.

It was a pointless venture. Every time she let her rigid control over thoughts waver for a second, his animated excitement as he explained things and the true investment he had talking about how engines worked slipped into her mind. It was so unfair that she had to miss him so much. He probably didn't even miss her - he had Cami if he needed to get his end away, Astrid was both sexually and emotionally frustrated.

She fiddled with her phone constantly, not yet capable of deleting his number even if she refused to text him. Astrid wasn't sure what she wanted to hear, but still she sort of wished he would try.

Grabbing another cupcake, Astrid shoved it into her mouth in roughly bitten chunks and growled to herself. He wasn't worth being this distressed over. Astrid hated that she still wanted him when he hadn't had the decency to even try and apologise. The closest to communication had been a post it note sent via Heather. He could have texted her.

Unless he deleted her number. That was a distinct possibility now he was done with her. He hadn't even tried to make it sound like he wanted her back in his class. Just said she was raising suspicion.

Astrid wanted to go with Heather's idea and leave him to take the suspicions. But... She didn't want to hurt him. And it was hardly fair to put his job at risk for pettiness. If she lowered herself... she was no better than him for leading her on.

Heather came back the next day, unmistakably glowing and yet no matter how much Astrid asked, she wouldn't say they had sex. Just that they had kissed. Alot. She would be lying if she said she wasn't jealous, because gods she missed Hiccup's kisses.

This whole not thinking about Hiccup was not going well.

"Are you ok?"

Sighing, Astrid let Heather start playing with her loose hair, experimenting with braid patterns.

"Dreading tomorrow."

"You'll be ok babe. I'll be right there with you, and he can't do a thing without risking getting caught out."

"I know, I'm just not sure I can take ninety minutes of what basically used to be flirting which will now just be painful."

Not usually one to admit things got to her, Astrid knew if she could tell anyone, it was Heather.

At one time, she thought she might have been able to include Hiccup in that too. Alas, it was not to be.

"I'm gonna go make us some tea, you pick a movie and we'll just relax ok?"

"Yeah. Thanks babe."

The two had called each other babe for as long as Astrid could remember, which had caused some confusion when out and about as apparently, using a pet name for each other automatically made them lesbians. Between the two girls fists and the odd threat in the shape of Dagur, most had stopped assuming that eventually.

They lazily watched movies, not really taking anything in but the background noise and the company helped Astrid feel a little less adrift when it came time for Heather to go home could both shower and get ready for college in the morning. Astrid felt like she was preparing for a war, dressing for comfort and even throwing on her old faithful hoody 'liberated' from Dagur a couple of years ago. It wouldn't fit round him now, but it still felt like a comforting big-brother hug to the only-child Astrid.

Her stomach protested the thought of breakfast - that could have been nerves or the weekends cake binge - so Astrid stuck with coffee, drumming her hands nervously on her legs as Heather drove them to college. It took a minute to convince her legs to carry her toward Hiccup - luckily, Heather was kissing her boyfriend (apparently now they were an actual thing) and that both helped while she composed herself and made Astrid painfully jealous.

The corridor to the classroom had never felt so long. The sounds of students milling about had never been so loud. Astrid was scared to look up, to see him before there was a desk between them. She had never been so thrown in her life, and Astrid kind of wished she could toss all feelings aside and forget all the ways Hiccup had rocked her world, with his mouth and his hands and his-

"Astrid! You ok?"

Blinking, Astrid turned to see Heather looking concerned. Justin was nearby, making a show of not listening in and Astrid appreciated that greatly.

"What?"

"Are you ok? You look a little glazed."

"Spaced out. Is it time?"

"Yep."

They walked in, taking their seats and looking up to an empty desk. After all of Astrid's panicking...

The bastard was off sick!

Hiccup was panicking. He had to confess to his mother. He was terrified to see her disappointment.

"I... I was seeing Astrid."

"Yes, I know that."

He just about fell off the sofa.

"You knew?"

"Hiccup... you have never been able to lie to me."

He felt completely shaken.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?"

"Honestly... I didn't want to know. If I knew, that meant I knew you were hiding things from me, and that you were risking your job, your future."

There it was. The disappointed tone. He felt it coil down through his guts like a snake, constricting somewhere in his lower belly and crippling him with guilt.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to... and it's done with. I... I messed it up."

Valka came around the sofa, sitting next to him and cupping his face to examine him closely. Hiccup had never been able to get away with anything as a boy, because he always felt like she could see every thought in his mind.

"Is this why you've been so sad these past few days?"

He felt worse; he hadn't been fooling her at all.

"I know you probably think I was just... I was just sleeping with her but I wasn't. It was so much more than that, if it wasn't I wouldn't have-"

She placed a finger on his mouth, silencing a confused and nervous Hiccup.

"I know. I've been watching the two of you... I hadn't seen such a light in your eyes since you were a boy. I just hoped you would come to me and tell the truth."

Feeling very much like a naughty child, Hiccup felt his brow furrow in confusion.

"Even though you don't approve?"

"Hiccup, you're a grown man. You don't need my approval."

He shook his head, still feeling like a little boy being turned away by his daddy for cuddles only to be welcomed into a warm embrace by his mother. Now he was scared he was to be turned away by her too.

"I do mom. I have been so guilt-ridden, because you're the most important person in my life and I couldn't believe that I was falling in love and I couldn't tell you-"

"You're falling in love?"

He nodded, knowing the second it left his mouth that it was true.

"Doesn't matter though. Not now I've ruined it."

"Fix it."

He blinked in surprise.

"What?"

"If you love this girl Hiccup, then fix it. Don't ever be unhappy for my sake son."

His momentary elation for her encouragement soon faded.

"It's not just you. My colleagues are suspicious, I'm worried Mala is watching me. The fact Astrid's not been attending my class while she's been at everyone elses probably didn't help."

Out of nowhere, his mother stood up and walked off, leaving a perplexed, emotionally wrecked Hiccup on the sofa with Toothless licking his hand where the man had wiped tears from his eyes. Valka returned, holding an envelope with his name and her address on.

"Open this. It came a few days ago, but you've obviously not seen it."

Hiccup didn't check the mail often unless he was expecting a parcel, as hardly anybody wrote to him.

"What is it?"

He took the envelope, seeing the little dragon stamp in the corner that told him the sender was likely to be the company that made his pride and joy.

"Why are Dragon Wheels writing to me? It's not my yearly review yet..."

"Just open it son."

Hiccup flipped it over, curiosity buzzing as he carefully tore the flap open and reached for the letter inside.

"We received your... hang on, I never sent them my designs."

"No, but I did. I had a feeling you and Astrid were inevitable, and that you may need to search for alternative employment."

"So you sent my designs to Dragon Wheels to see if they liked them?"

His mother nodded, looking rather proud of herself.

"Well?"

"They are offering me an interview... on Monday. It's a good job you made ne open this. You did this for me, so I could do exactly what I promised you I wouldn't do and start a relationship with a student?"

Still looking really quite smug, his mother hummed to herself in that "I knew I was right" way she had.

"Yes?"

He was stunned.

"I... I don't know what to say."

Placing the letter that felt like it weighed about twenty kilos, Hiccup shifted and threw his arms around his mother. She laughed joyfully until she realised he was practically sobbing, overcome with the love, acceptance and effort emanating from the woman next to him.

"Sorry. To Astrid. Although... perhaps not yet."

Hiccup did a double-take, half wanting to get up and go apologise to the girl he loved there and tjen.

"Why?"

"Wait for your interview son. Perhaps you can go to her with the news that you won't always be her teacher."

"You think?"

"I think... you ought to tell me everything. Within reason."

They made tea and ordered food - it was good the Nature Centre was such a good workout, though both of them were naturally slender - and Hiccup felt infinitely lighter as he poured his heart out to his mother, barely stopping to eat their pizza as he went through it all.

Admitting all the times he had lied to her wasn't his proudest moment, but by the time they both called it a night at one in the morning and she gave him a proper mama-Valka cuddle, he felt like they may actually be closer for it.

And he had what he hadn't realised he really needed until then. He had her blessing.

Hiccup knew it sounded mad to need his mothers approval to date a girl, but... he lived in her home. And for most of his life, his mother had been his only friend. She had never thought him weird or limited, encouraged his hobbies whether they were stereotypically masculine or not. Valka had kissed every skinned knee better, scared away every nightmare and even when she had to escape his father, Hiccup had always known she was there.

She had even been ready to welcome him with open arms when Hiccup moved in with her. He may well love Astrid, but he loved his mother too and he couldn't have gone on with Astrid if it would drive he and his mother apart.

That concern alleviated, he went to bed lighter and cheerier than he had been since Astrid ran away from him. Next concerns were that he needed to 'smash' the interview, get himself a job that wouldn't have a rule against his relationship with Astrid.

Hiccup scoured the letter properly over breakfast that morning with his mother, groaning when he saw he had to wear a suit but brightening when he saw they also wanted him to bring overalls. Hopefully he could make up for social awkwardness by showing he was an excellent grease monkey.

He texted Cami to apologise for his terrible behaviour, promising to explain everything properly the next week. Her unusually short replies had Hiccup wondering if she was... not quite alone, but he didn't pry. She might have been coming off a tough computer job and was just tired.

Bounding with a light heart as he went to volunteering with his mother, Hiccup practiced interview answers on rabbits and sheep, tried not to let his mind run away as he realised - even if absolutely everything else went right, Astrid was not obligated to forgive him. Even so...

Working for Dragon Wheels would be his dream come true. He couldn't believe they liked his designs, couldn't believe his mother had sent them in the hope he could be free to be with Astrid.

It was too good to be true, and it was terrifying but Hiccup didn't let fear take him over. The woman who bore him believed in him, and Hiccup had the motivation of both her and the girl he wanted to love and adore for a long, long time.

His mother helped fuss over his clothes and panic about an interview, made sure his hair would behave at least for a couple of hours, then smiled and kissed his forehead.

"You can do this."

"I can do this."

Hiccup had to get a train for the interview (after calling off sick with a sudden virus his mother confirmed), though if he understood the letter, he would be working closer to home, but the main office place was a little distance away. Hiccup had a map printed off in his pocket, had sketched a picture of Astrid smiling to cheer himself up that morning (it did no justice to the real thing though) and prayed his leg didn't play him up as he stepped into the building.

Their main office had a dragon carefully coiled to resemble a motorcycle, with a wheel at front and back and he loved the look of it, had drawn that logo dozens of times himself for fun. A man typing away on a computer looked oddly out of place in the foyer, full of designs and random mechanical parts in a sort of beautiful chaos.

"Can I help you sir?"

"I have an interview at twelve?"

"Name?"

"Haddock. Hiccup Haddock."

The secretary snorted, but Hiccup let it roll off him. His name was weird but he didn't care - it sounded just fine on Astrid's tongue.

"Yep, here you are. If you follow the flames on your left Mr Haddock, you'll find a giant skull with Mr Skull-drone written on it. First door on your right. Sign in here first" the secretary gestured boredly "fire safety and all that."

"Thank you."

Having never had such bizarre directions in his life, Hiccup signed in and found the wall lined with flames, followed them until he got to the right place. Taking a deep breath, he knocked the door.

"Come in."

A gruff voice answered, and when Hiccup opened the door he had to hide the horror of seeing three people waiting for him.

"Haddock right? Come on in lad."

The boss looking type stood up and held out a meaty hand, nearly breaking Hiccup's smaller one as he attempted to match the shake. The other man, who introduced himself as Throk, did something similar and by the time he reached to shake the lady of the room, Sarah's hand, he couldn't feel his fingers.

"Don't look so scared lad. We've been dying to meet ya. Let's do the boring bit first, then we can talk the art of this place. So... tell us about your history in mechanics."

Feeling a little like he was being interviewed by a friendlier version of his father, Hiccup tried not to stammer.

"My dad's a mechanic and runs a repair shop, I've grown up around engine parts all my life and worked in his shop alongside my official training, and at the moment I'm a mechanics teacher at college."

"A teacher? You're just a babe!"

Sarah looked surprised, and Hiccup flushed lightly.

"I've been in training since I was sixteen, becoming a teacher was easier."

They quizzed him a little more on each individual bit, Throk throwing in questions about specifics to keep him on his toes while the other two jotted down things on notepads. Then it was time to talk about his designs.

"So... you drew all these?"

"I did. Art is my main hobby, other than working on my Night Fury."

"Drawing is one thing. We've got designers that can design stuff like this, but none who can back it up with the techie know how. I could take these to our developers tomorrow and have this... what's it called?" he squinted "Zippleback in production within a couple of months. You're the whole package lad."

Cheeks burning now, Hiccup could only smile awkwardly

"Well, thanks I guess."

"Alright then, I'm bored of wearing this monkey suit. You brought some grease monkey gear right lad?"

"Yes sir."

"Good man. I'll show ya where you can get changed, then you can prove you can back up these drawings."

He was nervous as he changed, nervous as he followed them but when Hiccup was given a half-finished engine and a stack of spare parts (some of which didn't belong to the same type of engine, he spotted) he felt calm. He could do this in his sleep. They watched and took notes, occasionally leaning in closer but after his dad had used to loiter and occasionally shout, Hiccup could handle a little personal-space-invasion.

"All done."

"Assuming that's all correct, that might be a new Dragon Wheels record."

They swarmed the completed engine, examining it up close and then going through the spare parts left to ensure he had used all the right pieces.

"I'll be damned. When can you start?"

Hiccup left the building, completely stunned but utterly thrilled - they accepted he would probably have to finish out the school year their college followed, but if anything happened he was to call them and they would update his contract. The job offer was official; Hiccup worked for Dragon Wheels.

First thing he did was call his mother, hearing the anticipation in her voice.

"How did it go?"

"Pretty much perfect. Said they'll wait until I've finished, but wouldn't say no to me starting as soon as possible. They want me so much they'll accommodate me with my current job so long as I'm with them by August."

"That's wonderful Hiccup! I'll see you tonight?"

"Actually mom... I was planning to go see Astrid."

-HTTYD-

I actually finished this chapter yesterday (today right now but obviously when you get it it'll be yesterday) so not only am I daily-updating? I'm a day ahead! Haha