Eighteen: Little Problems
Lunch was a fun affair with Astrid smiling brightly as they returned to shore and making sure that he perched next to her while she finished her lolly. Both she and Heather were smiling and seemed relaxed so Hiccup assumed he hadn't messed up too much and when Astrid leaned against him as he perched on the arm of the bench, he felt a flutter run through his chest. Dagur grinned as he caught his new friend's expression and hoped that Astrid would treat Hiccup properly-because Hiccup deserved some luck. His revelations about his ex-girlfriend had worried the former soldier and he hoped that the woman would accept that Hiccup was gone and look for a new plaything…but a small, nagging voice in the back of his head suggested it wouldn't be that simple.
They went to a Brazilian Grill that had opened recently in the Park, a colourful and vibrant space with exotically named cocktails and a very enticing menu…as long as you were a carnivore. The group all went for various skewered meats grilled with salads, fries and cocktails-though Astrid went for the non-alcoholic version since she tended not to drink during the season. She admitted that because of this, she had almost no alcohol tolerance-so she would be a very cheap date. But she was happy and was able to laugh and joke with her friends, while Hiccup thought that his father-a Viking through and through-would love a place like this, filled with cooked meat and alcohol.
"You okay, Hiccup?" Astrid asked and he smiled.
"Just thinking my Dad would love this place," he admitted and she laughed.
"Maybe you can invite him over when things are a little more settled?" she suggested. "I know you miss him." He smiled.
"It's been Dad and me since Mom died," he admitted. "I was only four so I don't recall that much about her…but Dad has always been there. And I didn't see him so much when I was with Bella…because she didn't really like my family. So I miss Dad-and Gobber…" Heather and Dagur shared a look: both their parents were dead so the two only had each other-and Astrid spoke to her family most days.
"Don't worry," Astrid reassured him, resting he hand on his. "You can get him over whenever you want."
"And I can visit?" he asked hopefully. There was a pause.
"Of course," she said though her voice held a 'but'.
"But…?" he prompted her, brows dipping slightly.
"But a new fiancé wouldn't immediately go back to visit his Dad after moving in with his girlfriend," she pointed out. "He would be glued to her side and try to do as many things as possible with her." He stared at her, realising she was correct and feeling a tiny surge of betrayal. Was that all that this trip was-something for the cameras to prove they were engaged?
Stop it! Astrid wanted you to come out because it's Sunday afternoon and normal people go out for Sunday lunch and enjoy themselves-not just couples but friends and family as well. And this is a change from cooking for Bella and waiting for her to criticise what you had made-or for her to tell you to take her out to some place that cost more than you should spend and where she would spend the time appearing the perfect girlfriend and complaining slyly about how useless you are.
"I…understand…" he sighed. She squeezed his hand.
"Hiccup-if you really want to see him, go ahead," she smiled. "You have been so great-whatever you need to do, you do it." His fingers curled around hers and he returned the smile.
"Right back at you," he said. "So what's happening the coming week?" Heather frowned and peered at her phone, checking her calendar.
"You two have an appearance on the daytime TV show 'Archipelago Daily Report' where Tora Hanssen will be interviewing you. You'll also be expected to do a cookery segment together."
"WHAT?" Astrid's eyes were wide in shock and she stared at her friend/manager in dismay. "Heather-you know I can't cook!" Hiccup chuckled.
"Unless the required result is flaming rock cakes!" he teased her and she scowled.
"So mean…" she grumbled. "No one ever forgets…"
"But I can help you," he volunteered with a grin. "What do they want?"
"A simple lunch…" Heather read.
"Chicken, sweet potato and tomato salad?" Hiccup suggested as both woman looked at him.
"Can you give me the recipe to clear with the show's producers?" Heather asked him professionally. "If they're happy, they'll have all the ingredients ready for you."
"And what am I supposed to do?" Astrid asked pointedly. Hiccup grinned.
"Glamorous assistant?" he suggested as she swatted his shoulder.
"You are getting sassy again," she pointed out.
"I could have said veg prep…" he sassed back.
"Aagh! I'd end up chopping my fingers off!" she replied.
"I can teach you to cook…" he offered.
"And burn my apartment down?"
"The whole block, probably," Heather added with a smirk.
"I can promise that you will be fine, Astrid," Hiccup said firmly. "I've seen the show. You chat to the host over a glass of wine while I do all the cooking bits. That way you can handle the questions and manage the interview while I appear as the perfect fiancé. Win-win." They all stared at him.
"He's actually right," Dagur commented. "And it would work…provided you don't let Astrid anywhere near the food."
"Ha ha," the soccer player said coolly. "And then I'm off Friday lunchtime for the Away Match against the Shivering Shores She-Devils." Hiccup frowned.
"So what do I do?" he asked. "Is there a team bus to go on or…"
"Many of the HABS don't go to Away matches," told him, draining her 'Red Parrot' cocktail. "They're only there at home matches for the publicity, not because they're soccer fans. But I can…"
"I want to be there," he said firmly. "Look…Astrid works hard and this is what she's best at. And as her friend, let alone her fiancé, I want to be there to support her." The blonde stared at him in shock and then she smiled, rising to kiss him.
"Thanks," she whispered.
"My pleasure, Milady," he smiled.
oOo
Monday morning in the apartment was already swathed in familiarity, with a tired Hiccup making breakfast and Astrid up early, bouncing and full of energy. Once she had headed for training, he showered, tidied up and turned to his work, sitting back with a mug of coffee and peering at the plans. He opened his computer, checked the specifications and then dialled his boss in Berk Aero. Going to speaker and logging into the joint server, he began to amend the plans while discussing with the group.
He only realised how long he had been bouncing ideas back and forth and getting his list of problems to solve for the next couple of weeks when the door opened and Astrid returned-and he realised it was mid-afternoon. He smiled and waved as she walked past with her bag slung over her shoulder and she grinned back, winking as she headed for the shower. Sighing and stomach now growling in hunger, he continued his job, finally finishing the brainstorming session as she emerged from her room, damp and showered and tired. He sighed, stretched cramped muscles and rested his phone down.
"Have you been at it long?" she asked as she went to get a drink. He sighed.
"Since you left," he admitted as she stared at him. "And I've got a couple of hours of work to do before I can finish." She smiled.
"You want a drink?" she asked him.
"Soda water would be perfect," he admitted and she calmly poured him a large glass and then sat by him. "How was your day?" She sighed.
"Hard session and a lot of video tactics discussion," she admitted. "The She-Devils are an incredibly hard team to play against because they're well-organised and very deft. Not the biggest team but…" And then she sighed. "But you need to work, don't you?" Reluctantly, he nodded, because he enjoyed Astrid talking to him like a friend. She rose to her feet. "You work," she said understandingly, "while I do a little research." She grabbed her tablet and headed for the couch as he sighed and turned back to his computer.
It was only when he closed the computer and stretched again, his head thick with weariness and rose the move his cramped limbs that he realised it was late afternoon. Astrid was surfing the net on her tablet and updating her BerkBook, Instagram and Twitter feeds as he stumbled to the kitchen and cracked his neck, wincing at a stab of pain. There were a pile of letters of the counter and idly, he turned them over. They were all addressed to him.
"Astrid?" he asked and there was a pause as she looked up.
"Sorry-those arrived care of my manager so Heather handed them over," she replied. Hiccup frowned and opened the first one.
DEAR HICCUP,
I FEEL I KNOW YOU ALREADY. YOU ARE SO HANDSOME WITH THOSE DREAMY EYES AND CUTE FACE. I AM ALREADY IN LOVE WITH YOU AND WISH YOU WOULD LEAVE ASTRID AND BE MINE. MY NAME IS HILDE AND I LIVE IN VISITHUG AND…
He stared in shock. The sender was a twelve year old girl who had included a polaroid. She even had braces and he thought back to his Middle School days and wondered what he would have done if one of his friends had been sending letters and picture to older men. Of course, his only female friends then were too sensible to do that…or in Ruffnut's case, would have sent said adult male running for cover… He hastily stuffed the letter back in the envelope and looked at the next one. It was even worse.
DEAR HICCUP,
HOW DID SUCH A SKINNY UGLY NOBODY GET WITH MY BEAUTIFUL VALKYRIE. I AM GOING TO FIND YOU AND ONCE I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOU ARE GONNA WISH YOU'D CUT YOUR OWN THROAT BECAUSE I AM GOING TO DO THAT TO YOU AND SO MUCH WORSE. IN FACT THE FIRST THING I AM GOING TO DO IS…
He dropped the letter as if it scalded him and he felt his breathing accelerate. The writer detailed his dismemberment and murder in excruciating detail and he couldn't process why a stranger would make such horrible threats just because he was engaged to Astrid. It was clear this person was a stranger, not someone who knew Astrid or who was anyone of any value in her life…and so he realised this was a stalker, a madman who felt the woman was his property, even though she didn't even know him.
"Are you okay, Hiccup?" Astrid asked from behind him. He gave a small yell and jumped visibly, resting his hand on his chest and giving a shuddering breath.
"Thor-please don't do that…" he begged her in a breathless voice. She looked into his face-ashen with shock and she unhesitatingly rested her hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly and then peered at the letter lying on the counter. "Oh-a death threat. We'll pass that on to Dagur and then on to the police. I'm afraid I have an army of lunatics who imagine I am their property. It's why I live here and have Dagur. I'm sorry-if we could've located that letter, we would have."
"Is this going to happen again?" he asked her in a shocked voice. She looked at the pile of letters.
"Yeah," she admitted as she looked at the remaining letters. "What's next?" He ripped the next one open-pine and smelling strongly of perfume.
HEY HICCUP,
I'M A FIFTY-TWO YEAR OLD HOMEMAKER AND I'M IN NEED OF A MAN. YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE PERFECT…AND I'M SURE YOU NEED A REAL WOMAN. WE CAN MAKE SWEET MUSIC TOGETHER, YOU KOW WHAT I MEAN? DUMP THAT CHILD AND COME TO ME. I LIVE AT…
A picture fell out of a naked, rather overweight woman with greying dark hair and nothing left to the imagination. Hiccup covered his eyes and cringed as Astrid burst out laughing.
"Babe-I was really hoping you would attract a better class of weirdo," she laughed. "Oh Gods…just as long as the next one isn't from Gothi…" Hiccup ripped open the next envelope and screamed. A polaroid of Gothi, the Elder of Berk and oldest woman in the Archipelago dropped out. Thankfully, she was fully clothed. Astrid doubled up, helpless.
"It's not funny," Hiccup protested. "It's dreadful…"
"It's hilarious," Astrid gasped, still laughing hard. "I mean, I know you're cute and handsome and have the most amazing green eyes and so I can understand why the woman who have watched us on TV think you're gorgeous…"
"But they're all so old…" he protested. "Or young…" His cheeks flared with shame and she smiled.
"It's okay, Hiccup," she reassured him. "There are a lot of weird people out there. And if you're in the public eye, you will get bag loads of mail-some of it creepy, some of it raunchy and some of downright menacing. You can bin or keep the others-but the threats need to go to Dagur so he can forward them to the police-and register who they are. He keeps a database of all the threats and scans all letters and envelopes…so he can pick up any commonalities and be ready."
"Wow…" he murmured and eyed the last letter. The address was typed and the postmark was smudged so he ripped it open. The letter was very short.
YOU WILL REGRET WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. THEY'RE HERE ON BERK AND YOU'RE AWAY WITH HER. WHO DO YOU THINK WILL PROTECT THEM.
There was no signature but Hiccup knew who had sent it. It had all the hallmarks of Bella.
He wordlessly crumpled it up and studded it in his pocket.
"You look like you've seen a ghost…" Astrid commented and he sighed.
"Just a very inappropriate suggestion," he said nervously and gave a sigh. "Sorry."
"Don't worry," she reassured him. "How about I get you a nice glass of wine and then we order in some dinner?" He looked up and forced himself to smile and nod, though he hated himself for lying to Astrid. His mind was in turmoil and he just wanted to stash the letter in his room, waiting for the right time to hand it to Dagur.
"Thanks, Astrid," he sighed. "What do you prefer?"
"I think…Chinese," she smiled. "That okay?" He smiled at her eagerness.
"Whatever you want…" he said and rapidly retreated to his room.
oOo
He had spent a restless night, tossing and turning and worrying about his father and friends and imagining all species of horrific scenarios as Bella tormented him by slowly destroying everything he loved…so he was deeply asleep when there was a bang on his door. He started, half sitting up and blinking at the light streaming through the curtains and he frowned as the hammering on the door was repeated.
"Are you decent?" Heather asked through and he frowned-then realised that he was only wearing a short-sleeved tee-shirt in bed. The scars were obvious on his arms.
"No!" he yelped and leapt from the bed, casting around until he found and snatched a hoodie, hauling it over his head as the door opened. "Aagh!"
"We need to talk!" Heather said grimly as she and Astrid walked into the room. Wordlessly, he stared at them, his stomach suddenly fluttering and heart pounding with anxiety at the abrupt awakening and their grim expressions. He ran his hands through his hair and encountered the little braids that Astrid had put there. He blinked once more as she walked forward. "We have a problem."
