Nineteen: Scandal

"GAY?" Hiccup repeated, staring at the front page of the 'North Star' Daily newspaper. It was the worst type of tabloid, with stories eschewed by more serious journalists splashed all over the front page, including the infamous 'Aliens Ate my Yak' hoax and any number of Celebrity Scandal pieces-always accompanied by large full colour pictures.

"Well, that's the clear implication," Heather pointed out.

The front page had two pictures, both of which featured Hiccup…one of him and Dagur on the rowing boat, halfway through helping him sit upright. Dagur had his hands on Hiccup's shoulder and arm and both men were smiling in a very genuine way while the second picture was of Astrid kissing Hiccup. The headline was: WHICH TO CHOOSE? with the line beneath reading: Celebrity Fiancé Beds Soccer Star And Ex-Soldier In Bed Swap Romp.

"But I have only ever kissed Astrid and Dagur hugs everyone!" he protested wildly. "Astrid-I swear I haven't done anything and I'm not into guys and I haven't even met Dagur without you being there and…"

"It's okay, Hiccup," Astrid said quickly, seeing his panic. "We don't believe you're gay or two-timing…"

"And frankly the Bed Swap Romp had Dagur falling off his chair laughing…" Heather said grumpily. "He says you're cute but not his type."

"And how can they claim there was some bed-swap romp when it never happened?" Astrid growled. "Isn't there a law against it?"

"Defamation," Heather told her. "I've already called our lawyer, Throk Kriger, to serve papers against North Star and its parent company, Archipelago Print Inc. The allegations against you and your reputation are scandalous."

"Um…and my reputation?" Hiccup asked, raising his hand. Heather cast him a cool look that eloquently asked the question: what reputation?

"It's both our reputations," Astrid insisted, frowning at her friend. She poured Hiccup a cup of black coffee which he unwisely swallowed before realising Astrid had made it. He choked and his eyes watered.

"How in Thor's name did you manage to ruin coffee?" he gasped, trying to wipe his mouth on his sleeve. She stared at him and took a sip of hers.

"It's okay," she said defensively. "I mean, it's not as good as yours…I wasn't sure which coffee to use so…I put a bit of all of them in…"

"You put twelve capsules in the machine? Gods, no wonder this tastes like engine oil! It's a wonder it doesn't have lethal caffeine levels…" he said urgently, pouring the coffee away and then pouring the jug down the sink. Panicking, his hand resting on his chest, he could almost convince himself that his heart was ready to explode…but he forced himself to calm down. He had only had a sip…which admittedly probably contained as much caffeine as a normal mug of coffee. Stealing a glance at Astrid, who was looking downcast at her disaster at the coffee, he popped a new capsule into the machine and made some fresh coffee as Heather shook her head.

"We're gonna need a press conference and fast," Heather decided.

"Wouldn't it be better to leave it in the hands of the lawyers?" Astrid asked, accepting the new cup of coffee. She sighed in relief. "Much better…" Heather sipped her new cup and nodded gratefully.

"If you ever want a career as a Barista, you've got it," she said briskly. "It will take days. We need a swift rebuttal and then leave the lawyers to get a retraction and damages. I'll arrange it for this morning. I'll square it with the club."

"That's gonna go down well," Astrid grumbled.

"Best clothes-you need to look smart and sober…though that really won't work with Dagur," Heather grumbled. "He won't wear anything except the clothes he normally wears."

"He is who he is," Hiccup said calmly. "But Astrid and I have to be the best we can be to persuade people these lies can't be true…" And then he paused. "Which medals did he win, by the way…?"

Heather gave a wan smile.

"Pretty much all of them." Hiccup grinned.

"A soccer star, an engineer and a decorated war hero…boy, they picked the wrong group to mess with," he smirked. "Can I make a suggestion?"

oOo

Astrid, Hiccup and Dagur sat in front of the assembled press in the Archi Valkyries' Press Conference Room as Astrid looked across the waiting journalists. Smart in a sleek black dress, pale blue jacket and her hair restrained in an asymmetric bun, Astrid looked the epitome of professional while Hiccup was in the charcoal grey suit he had been bought with a deep claret shirt and black and grey patterned tie. His hair was nearly tamed and he looked pale and anxious. Dagur was calm in a black vest, black leather body warmer and black combat pants and boots. He was still wearing his leather cuffs-though Hiccup now knew why-and his stubble was unaltered. His pale green eyes swept over the assembled reporters and he scowled.

"Thank you for coming. I regret having to do this…but I cannot allow such scandalous allegations to go without answer," she said, reading a carefully prepared statement that she and Hiccup had written. "My fiancé, Hiccup Haddock, is not engaged in any illicit affair with Mr Dagur DeRange, my Security Adviser. My fiancé and I have not yet been…intimate. There has been no bed swapping or two-timing…and Hiccup does not have any choice to make. The story in the North Star are scurrilous allegations that are the definition of libel and are in the hands of my lawyers. We will, of course, be suing for maximum damages to our reputations. I believe the value of the two is a couple of million dollars."

"So it's all about money?" the Berserker journalist asked her in a sneering voice.

"Nope-the money is to replace lost earnings due to reputational damage…as well as remind reckless and irresponsible journalists that breaking the law carries a price," Astrid said. Hiccup leaned forward, his voice a little nervous.

"I have loved Astrid for about ten years and all I ever wanted was her," he admitted and offered a shy smile. "And we have kissed…which was wonderful and about everything I ever dreamed of…which probably makes me the lamest man in the Archipelago…though in my defence, I am an engineer…certified nerd over here…" There was a ripple of laughter at the self-deprecating humour. "The shots of Dagur and I…well, Astrid wanted a girls' chat with Heather, her manager and as her brother and security Chief, Dagur was more than eager to tell me about his exploits and have a man to man chat. And he just started goofing around and rowing us in circles…and because I'm a clumsy idiot as well as a certified nerd, I fell over and he had to help me up. Honestly…have none of you guys ever goofed off when you're off duty on a Sunday?" There were more than a few nods. "And guys and boats…not a great combination, hmm?"

There were laughs.

"I mean-honestly…if we had stayed out there much longer, you probably would have had a shot of someone having to rescue me from falling out of the boat. And I hadn't even had a drop!"

The laughs were more genuine then, the reporters warming to the normal guy who admitted his faults and described an experience many of them could relate to. Dagur folded his arms and glared.

"Honestly, you people," he growled. "I served my country and almost lost my life in the process. I suffered a lot of trauma and my sister-and my friend, Astrid, helped me rebuild my life. So I would never do anything to hurt her. Hiccup is her fiancé and my charge…so I would never do anything other than hug him and teach him some martial arts…and protect him with my life." His voice was scornful. In the back row, Heather smiled. That was the protective older brother she loved and who she wanted to protect. She leaned towards the tall, red-haired man sitting next to her in a silver silk suit with deep cream shirt and silver tie, his light hazel eyes picking out every detail of the Press Conference, a hand casually taking notes on his tablet.

"So where did you serve?" the reporter from the Berk Advertiser asked.

"Same as everyone else-Iraq and Afghanistan," Dagur said reluctantly, though Hiccup realised he was uncomfortable in discussing himself.

"Where he was awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the War Again Terror Medal, the Archipelago Medal and Thor's Star, both for bravery in battle and Odin's Cross with Cluster for outstanding and unsurpassed courage in the defence of the Archipelago," Hiccup added. There were gasps. Astrid looked across the room and found the North Star journalist.

"I challenge the NS reporter to reveal who purportedly 'witnessed' this so-called romp," she said gravely. "Because I think we all want the name of someone who witnessed something that didn't happen…"

All eyes turned on the seedy man who suddenly sweated under so much hostile scrutiny.

"The source was a good one," he blustered to the disappointed looks of the others.

"Name," Astrid insisted.

"We can't reveal the source…" the journalist retorted, falling back on the same line they always used at the North Star…until the legal department got involved.

"You'll have to in court…and if they can't turn up to be cross-examined with dates, times and hard evidence, I think your paper will be sacking a whole host of reporters to pay for the damages as well as the fines," Astrid told him firmly. "I play the game, gentlemen. I am accessible. I give you all as much time as you need. I answer every question with a smile. But to print scurrilous outrageous lies about me and the man I love is below contemptible!"

"So produce the source or retract the piece with a full apology and admission that it was fake news," Hiccup told him sternly. The journalist, Lars Femling, stared in shock and wanted to defend himself but he knew full well that the Editor had gone with an 'Anonymous' source that swore they had evidence… Faced with such total denial, Femling had a nasty suspicion that the 'Anonymous' source would be uncontactable and the paper would be left high and dry. And all three of the people harmed by the story knew it.

"No comment," Femling muttered and pretended to scribble on his Tablet and then scurried from the room. Astrid looked up brightly-and smiled.

"Any questions?" she asked and the journalists all shook their heads, their expressions all speaking of their intention to turn on and attack the North Star for what was clearly an unfounded defamation. Astrid sat back and glanced over at Hiccup. "You were awesome," she commented as his emerald eyes flicked guiltily over to look at her.

"I'm supposed to look out for you," he said. "I know you and I have only ever kissed. I have never kissed a guy at all. Ever. Or done anything else with one, in case you ask! And though my Dad and Gobber would probably be immensely proud I was involved in a sordid bed-swapping bisexual romp, I have to disappoint them because it never happened-and never would. Thor-I've only ever had sex with one person…and it wasn't you." He face-palmed and his voice dropped, shame filling his words. "It was Bella. She was my first…and though she did sort of laugh at me and call me useless and disappointing…there were moments it was sort of nice…"

He sighed heavily and her hand found his.

"That's nothing to be worried about," she reassured him so kindly that his heart plummeted to his boots. "You were in a relationship and…"

and the girl I had always loved had left me and hadn't bothered to contact me in over two years so I accepted that Bella was the best I could hope for. So she took whatever I could give and scorned me for it. And though I did my best…I-I never loved her. Freya forgive me.

"…and it's still the worst regret of my life because I gave up on you," he mumbled. Dagur glanced at him and patted his shoulder.

"It's okay, brother," he said reassuringly. "We all make mistakes. But today…you showed who you truly are. And I wouldn't have argued with you. You fought for her. For us both." Astrid snuggled against him, not caring that the last few reporters were in the room and saw the pair. The smart ones recognised natural, genuine affection and captured the images for their reports as Astrid smiled and snuggled against the lean, auburn-haired man.

"And you know I'll fight for you," she hummed as he wrapped his arm around her.

"You may need to," he breathed as he thought back to the letter he had received. And then he realised that he had picked up his mail on the way in-but hadn't opened it because he hadn't wanted any distractions. Nuzzling against Astrid's silky hair, he shuffled through the envelopes he had stuffed in his pocket and smelled perfume on two, suggesting they had joined the 'We want to Marry Hiccup' Club. And honestly, he only wanted one member of that club-and she was leaning against him.

He opened three envelopes, finding his female fans-none of whom were his age-all sending pictures, another of which was an extremely disrobed and rather hairy older woman. He showed it to Astrid.

"Why do they do this?" he winced.

"Good," she mumbled and he stared at her.

"What?" he yelped as Dagur stared at the picture and made vomiting noises.

"Oh my Thor…" he said in shock.

"Why would you say that?" Hiccup protested. Astrid blushed lightly.

"Because I want you for myself and I don't want naked pictures of pretty young woman coming through the post," she told him as he and Dagur both gaped. The former soldier started laughing.

"She has a point," he sniggered as Hiccup opened the last envelope. It was bulky and he snatched the letter from within, recognising the printed words.

I WARNED YOU. NOW SEE HOW WELL YOU DO WITHOUT ME. OR HIM.

Heart hammering in his chest, Hiccup handed the letter to Dagur and then with trembling hands, he fished the item from the envelope. There was a small, sad jingle and he stared at it in horror.

It was a cat collar. With a small silver bell. And a fish-shaped medal bearing nine letters that froze his heart.

TOOTHLESS.