Hiccup shyly glanced up at the girl in front of him. Their faces were so close, lips only inches apart from touching.
"I never thought I.." Astrid whispered, leaning back to look up at him. Her azure eyes were shining with emotion.
"Never thought what?" Hiccup whispered, his breath caressing her face. He had followed her back to her apartment and they were now standing in the darkness of her living room.
Astrid watched him through her eyelashes shyly. She was just about to lean forward to kiss him when Hiccup suddenly stepped back, looking both sad and guilty.
Astrid frowned at him, confused. "What's wrong?"
Hiccup sighed, stroking her hand before letting go. "Astrid, we can't."
Hurt and rejection struck her face. "You don't want me?" she whispered.
Hiccup bit his lip, sighing again. He couldn't do this to Eret. He had promised to stay away from Astrid and he couldn't back down on his word now, no matter how strong the temptation might be.
"I'm sorry," he said, genuinely remorseful.
Astrid blinked back tears and turned her back to him. "Please leave."
It hurt him to break her heart, especially since he felt the same way, and he wanted nothing more than to grab her by the waist and pull her back to him in that moment, but he resisted and did what she asked him to.
He left. Out of her life and away from everything he once knew.
Astrid had just finished showering and wrapped herself in a small towel. She stared in the mirror, finding a stranger looking back at her. The once ambitious, competitive girl had been replaced by an illusion. She was married to a man she didn't love and had no friends of her own. It was as if she had been placed inside a role and could only follow the directions.
The doorbell suddenly rang, startling her. Astrid rushed down to answer it.
When she swung the door open, she found herself looking at the last person she ever thought she would see again.
Hiccup was wearing a black motorcycle jacket and his was face full of scars. And top it all, he was holding a bouquet of roses.
"Hello Astrid."