Twenty Two: Direct Hit
As soon as the show was over, Astrid had to head for the airport to join the team for their away match against the Shivering She-Devils. Hiccup and Cami accompanied her to the Terminal with Hiccup carrying her bag and feeling like he was floating as she held his hand all the way to check-in. As she paused, she turned to him and took her bag.
"Go kill them-not that you would actually kill them but I mean…um, I think you know what I mean, Um…yeah…" Hiccup rambled as she smiled.
"So where's the sassy, confident guy from the TV studio?" she teased him.
"Stuck in traffic-he sent me instead…" he sassed and sighed. "Be careful and good luck." He paused. "Not that you need it because you're awesome and brilliant and…"
"And you always need luck," she reminded him, rising onto tiptoes and kissing his cheek. "Both of us." He hugged her and then kissed her back.
"Be safe, Milady," he smiled. "I'll be cheering you on!"
"You better be," she smiled and then turned to the check-in. "I'll be watching."
He watched as she was handed her boarding pass and handed over her case and then she glanced over her shoulder at him, flashed him a swift smile and walked on into Security. He stared after her for longer than was strictly necessary before turning back-and finding Cami staring at him thoughtfully, her arms folded and wild blonde hair moving in the light breeze from the main doors.
"You know, you got it bad," she commented as his eyes widened and he opened his mouth to protest. "Don't worry-I won't give away your secret. C'mon, sport-let's get you a coffee on the way back."
"I think I may need something stronger," he muttered and she winked.
"I'm sure we can manage that," she grinned and he nodded.
"At least I can cheer her on tomorrow," he muttered as they wandered back to the car.
oOo
He was sitting on the couch, flicking through the channels aimlessly that night when he saw a trailer for the upcoming programme that had him going rigid with fear and his heart racing in his chest. Woodenly, he thumbed the volume up using the remote, his eyes fixed on a picture of him and Astrid-but coloured in a menacing red and black. The voice over was more suited to a movie trailer than a talk show:
"The dark side of the Archipelago's Golden Couple-a cheating boyfriend and a scarlet woman. And in the middle…the innocent victim of these two selfish and callous users. On 'Ron The Viking' tonight, we have an exclusive interview with the abandoned fiancee of Hiccup Haddock, the man now supposedly engaged to the Soccer Valkyrie. Stay tuned-after the break!"
"Oh Thor," Hiccup muttered and grabbed his phone, desperately firing a text through to Astrid…but as the trailers ended and the brash theme music sounded, he knew that she hadn't seen it. He texted her again, more desperately and then he groaned. Maybe her team was like the International Team-no phones. So he tried one last time and then stared at the screen as Ron 'the Viking' Bergstrom walked forward.
The host was a large man-solid starting to tend to fat with a broad frame and faded reddish hair, his eyes dark and intelligent in a calculating face. His suit was a loud brown tartan with a cream shirt and an orange striped tie. He was brash and very smug, grinning insincerely at the audience as he rehearsed his intro.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome!" he roared. "It's a privilege to have you sharing your evenings with us!" He grinned and looked into Camera Two. "My special guest this evening is a woman who has been wronged. Arabella Harsem imagined she had a perfect life with her fiancé…until he met up behind her back with his former school friend, Astrid Hofferson. Suddenly, Arabella loses everything and he ends up engaged to the most famous woman in the Archipelago!" There were boos as Hiccup's picture-a very unflattering one-flashed up on the big screen behind the host. "So let me invite the woman herself to tell her story. Give a big Viking welcome to Arabella Harsem!"
There were wild yells and cheers as Bella walked in, smiling. Her long blonde hair was loose over her shoulders and she wore a demure white cotton dressed with a simple blue ribbon tied around the waist. She gave a shy smile and simpered at Ron, who chivalrously kissed her hand and then invited her to sit on the big orange couch.
"How are you?" he asked solicitously as she gave a small sniff.
"I'm doing my best, Ron," she said with a pretty smile and Ron nodded understandingly.
"So tell me what happened?" he invited her and she took a shaky breath, looking as if she was struggling to frame her words. The watching Hiccup felt his stomach twist, recognising Bella at her most persuasive. He felt sick as she smiled pathetically and used the small, high pitched voice that made her seem so helpless and innocent-but which Hiccup knew could instantly turn into a screech and either rip him apart of presage the onset of pain… Instinctively, he curled in on himself, even though he was safe in Astrid's apartment with Toothless. The little cat padded over, hearing the hated voice and hissed feistily, his already fluffy tail puffing up almost to the size of his body. The ferocious reaction somehow heartened Hiccup-especially as the cat jumped protectively onto his lap, parking himself facing the screen and making a growling noise. Wrapping his arms around the warm, furry body, Hiccup forced himself to continue watching the interview.
"Been together for three years…since the end of his first year of University," Bella continued, fluttering her eyelashes. "I mean, he's got no social skills and actually stammers terribly…but he was clever and funny and he was always saying he loved me."
Liar, Hiccup thought.
"When he asked me to move in, I was overjoyed," Bella continued. "Of course, I had to contribute because he used to spend his money on goodness knows what…"
You. You took every penny I made…
"He used to be moody and mean but I loved him so much…and he was my first…" She snatched a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. Hiccup was sure the tissue would remain dry.
Nope. But you were mine. Something I will always regret.
"So when he asked me marry him, I was overjoyed and said 'yes' immediately," she said and showed her left hand, with an amethyst ring. Ron peered at it and nodded.
"It must have been romantic," he prompted her.
"Oh, it was," she assured him. "We were in Raven Point Park, by the cliffs. He got down on one knee and asked me for my hand in marriage. It was perfect, a perfect moment and I knew he was the one. We kissed and told our families. It was wonderful…"
"But then…" Ronn urged her, seeing her smile fade.
"But then, he meets with Astrid who he met at the airport," she said in a choked voice. "He betrayed me-and never told me he had gone out with her…"
That's the first truthful thing you've said. And we all know why I didn't tell you, don't we?
"And then I find out he's engaged to her! He didn't even have the decency to speak to me-instead, I am-am humiliated in the middle of her mother's birthday party-Thor, I feel so sorry for her. And he was vile. He took me aside and dumped me publicly in front of everyone…"
There were loud hisses and boos from the audience and even Ron contrived to look outraged. The picture of Hiccup and Astrid leaving the party, the night the news broke appeared on the screen behind them.
"That must have been terrible," Ron sympathised and Bella dabbed her eyes again, her voice wavering even though her eyes were dry.
"I was shattered, heartbroken," she sniffed. "I mean, I loved him, we were engaged and starting to look at venues of your wedding…and I'm carrying his child…"
"What?" Ron's voice was disgusted. "He abandoned the mother of his child?" She nodded.
"He knows-I told him a few weeks before that woman reappeared-and he seemed so happy…" she said, sniffing. Hiccup stiffened.
We both know there is no child. You're always 'pregnant' when you want to humiliate me. It's a great way to make me look like absolute scum…especially when we haven't slept together for weeks and weeks before Astrid returned…because you kept telling me it was disgusting having to do anything with me…
"So what was he like…you know?" Ron asked lecherously and Bella managed a happy smile.
"He was wonderful," she said and giggled. "We were together all the time. And I couldn't be happier…"
Hiccup stared at the screen and wondered if he had actually definitely gone mad. Seeing and hearing all the lies, everything the polar opposite of what he had experienced for the last couple of years. He blinked, his throat thick with dejection. Toothless trilled an angry retort at the hated shape and Hiccup absently rubbed the little cat, rubbing his head hard against Hiccup's gentle touch.
"…and then he dumps me! What kind of swine would do that?"
"What kind indeed?" Ron echoed, looking meaningfully into the camera. The audience hissed as the image turned to a close up shot of Hiccup which they had managed to get from the Archipelago Daily Report broadcast. "So what do you think when you see them together, playing the perfect couple?" Bella sighed.
"I feel sad-because I know it's all a lie," she said firmly. "He's only after her for the money-she is rich, unlike little me…" Her voice cracked again. "And I know baby and I will have to cope because I love him but he…doesn't even care…"
"Haven't his family supported you?" Ron asked and she sighed.
"His family don't like me," she said in a sad little voice. "They hate that he was so in love with me that he spent every waking minute with me. And I tried to get him to keep in touch with his friends and family but all he wanted to do was be with me, ignoring them all. And maybe I should have encouraged him more-or reached out myself to make sure he maintained the ties…but they all blame me for the isolation. And now he's done it again, cutting me out, sending me horrible texts and blocking my number…"
Well one of those. But are you sure we aren't living in a mirror universe where you blame me for all the things you've done to me?
"That must be heartbreaking. So what would you want to say to them?" Ron asked her as she took a dainty sip from a glass of water. Her lip quivered.
"I would ask him to come home," she said, obviously resting her hand on her flat stomach. "Baby and I miss him so much. Please come home, Hiccup. Come back to the people who love you, not the woman you're only with for her money." Her voice hardened. "And to Astrid, I would say-why did you have to steal another person's fiancé? You are supposed to be so upstanding and decent, a role model…but all I have seen is an underhand witch who stole my man and wronged me! I'm calling you out for the coward and backstabber you are!"
There were gasps and cheers from the audience in equal measure.
"So a woman scorned and abandoned, a child whose father has fled before his birth and an engagement abandoned when a better option came along," Ron said sneeringly. "The sordid truth behind the so-called Golden Couple! Arabella Harsem, thank you for your bravery in coming forward and exploding them. Now-after the break, we have Gerard Wing, the host of 'Guess my Vegetable' to explain how the new "Speed Veg' quiz will work. Back in a few!" And the show cut to the commercials…but not before Hiccup had seen the triumphant smirk that no amount of acting could erase from Bella's face.
She had struck back at them both, fulfilling her threats to hurt them and destroy Astrid's image.
And she had scored a direct hit.
oOo
He couldn't sleep. He couldn't rest. In fact, he was absolutely certain that he was going insane. The show had continued but he had been forced to switch it off, staring at the blank screen and replaying the interview in his mind, over and over. He had resisted the temptation of call Astrid because she should be asleep, preparing for the match the following day and he couldn't disturb her with his absolute panic. Because he didn't want to hear her say the words, didn't want to hasten the moment when she cast him aside and ended it.
He walked to the window, resting his splayed hands on the glass and staring into the night, seeing the reflections of the lights in the docks. It was a beautiful sight but all he could feel was darkness. He was here, in Archi but Bella had followed him, lying brazenly on camera and painting him as an utter grasping, shallow callous bastard. She had been her usual plausible self, the little innocent girl and she had got in first, firmly fixing her tale of woe in the public consciousness and leaving anything he said as a pathetic excuse. Sagging, he sighed and closed his eyes. If his father had seen the programme, if he heard what Hiccup was supposed to have done…he would have been utterly ashamed of his son. And though it was lies, he knew the people of Berk would believe it.
"I'm sorry, Dad," he murmured. "I'm not the son you deserve. I'm not the man you would expect. I'm just…a failure…"
Toothless gave a little trill and wound firmly around his legs, the determined rubbing against his calves reminding the man that he wasn't alone.
"Thanks, bud," he managed dejectedly. "At least you believe me-because you're the only one who witnessed it. You know what she is." Toothless sat down and looked up into Hiccup's ashen face, his big green eyes unblinking. "Yeah, I wish you could speak, bud. You could tell everyone what a pile of yak dung that was…" He leaned down and scooped the little cat in his arms. "But no matter what happens, bud-I have you. And since Bella is determined to lose me everything else, I am very grateful for that!"
oOo
He eventually fell asleep on the couch around four, exhausted by the emotions of the day and feeling too wretched to bother going to the bedroom. Toothless had made himself comfortable and had curled up on Hiccup's chest, his head resting over the man's heart and purring lightly. But it was a restless sleep, his mind tossed by nightmares of being back with Bella once more, rent apart by her words and trapped in the apartment at her mercy. And with no one left who loved him or cared if he even lived or died. Not even Astrid…
He jerked awake as the door opened and slammed shut and he sat up, muzzy and blinking at the sunlight flooding the apartment. Toothless gave a sleepy mew and dug his claws in to prevent Hiccup moving. There was the clatter as Heather threw her keys and bag down on the kitchen counter and turned to him, her green eyes blazing with anger as she glared at him.
"Okay-talk!" she demanded. "I asked you if there was a problem and you said there was nothing there."
"I said she would tell lies," he said roughly, his voice still hoarse from sleep. "Boy, she's delivered on that…" Heather clicked on the kettle and then turned back to Hiccup, seeing him disentangle the cat from his chest and place the irritated Toothless on the cushion.
"Which ones were lies?" Heather demanded. He frowned at her, running his hands through his wild auburn hair.
"Pretty much all of it," he snarked back, rising and grabbing himself a coffee.
"Hiccup-it was pretty devastating," Heather told him angrily. "She was sweet and sad and apparently, you were engaged and she's pregnant?"
"It's a lie," he said, suddenly unreasonably angry. "Gods, you think I wouldn't know something like that? Thor, I have endured so many taunts about how pathetic and unattractive and frankly repulsive I am, about how useless I am in bed and how sick she feels when she decides she wants to sleep with me-which really isn't that often. And afterwards, oh Gods, you really don't want to know what she calls me. But she isn't pregnant-that's the thing she says in public to shame me. To always make me the callous boyfriend and her the victim!"
"Are you engaged?" Heather pressed him, sipping her coffee. He banged his cup down on the counter.
"Heather-I'm not engaged to anyone!" he said bitterly. "And the only person I would ever ask would be Astrid." There was an awkward pause as Toothless bounced up onto the back of the couch and nonchalantly began to clean his posterior.
"And the ring?" Heather challenged him and he gave a bitter laugh.
"That? Oh, I have never bought a ring…but Bella has-using my credit card, the day I left Berk for here." He sighed and looked at her. "I need to explain to Astrid what has happened…" But Heather shook her head.
"No," she said firmly. "No, you're not seeing her…"
"But the match…" he protested. Heather glared at him.
"Hiccup-there is no match," she told him flatly. "You're not going."
