The man kept his left hand in his pocket as he lazily took another long drag on his cigarette, tip burning a bright orange for a moment before he released the smoke, mixing with his cold breath, into the chilly city air. The street was busy just outside the arena, full of jovial young adolescents all celebrating with the Celtics recent victory. The bar across the street was packed, as to be expected at this time of night on a Friday, as the cigarette dropped, used to the ground and he lit another.

The crossing light blinked white and a host of new bodies passed each other, one in particular standing out. A young man, no older than early twenties, stepped off the street onto the curb and thumbed his phone before shoving it into his jacket pocket, a sulky look on his face. He kept biting his lip and glancing towards the bar across the street that he had exited from. He ran his hand through his thick, brown messy hair and bit his lip before turning away. Obviously something was bothering him greatly.

"Want a cigarette?" the middle-aged man asked, pack open in his hand towards the youth.

"I don't smoke."

"That's not what I asked."

The young man reluctantly took one and the older gentleman produced a lighter. "Gobber." He said with a slight muffle, cigarette still in his mouth.

"Hiccup."

"So what's wrong Hiccup?"

Hiccup coughed after taking a drag and the man smiled as Hiccup recovered his composure. "Long story."

"Then make it quick. Smoke for a story."

Hiccup closed his eyes and sighed, "It's really stupid."

"Most things your age are."

"It's just…..lame. There is this girl I really like, Astrid, and we have been friends for a while and… God, it sounds really fucking dumb saying it out loud."

The man looked on in silence for a few moments before gesturing for Hiccup to continue. "And?"

"And she's up there at the bar trying to get us drinks and this guy is getting all handsy with her, touching her ass, pulling her waist; and shes just laughing and giggling and feeding into it, you know? Like leaning into him to say something or touching his shoulder and shit." Another drag off the cigarette, "and I really just think I'm going to go home."

Gobber listened quietly, nodding a few times while Hiccup talked, letting him finish before saying anything.

"So you like this girl a lot then?"

Hiccup nodded sullenly.

"And you don't like watching her flirt with other guys?"

He nodded again.

"Have you told her how you feel?"

A vigorous head shake was all the answer Gobber needed as he laughed a little.

"So you have been friends with her a while then?"

"A few months now…."

"Do you two hang out often just you guys?"

"Yeah, all the time. I was hoping it might turn into something but…. I've been too scared to actually say anything or make a move."

"A few months and you hang out all the time? Yeah, this girl is definitely into you."

A sharp bark of a laugh escaped Hiccups mouth and he wore a rueful expression, clearly disbelieving.

"Any of your friends see you come out here?"

"Yeah, my buddy Fish."

"Well she's gonna come out looking for you."

Another sarcastic laugh.

"She will, and I'm about to give you the best advice you have ever gotten. When she does come over here, which she will, interrupt whatever she starts to say. Tell her 'I'm sorry, I'm about to do something really stupid, but I have to know." Gobber kills the second cigarette on a long drag, releasing the smoke high into the night sky, and pulls out a third. "And then just kiss her."

Hiccup scoffed loudly in protest, "Uh, no way, I'm not doing that."

"I'll take a pack of smokes as a 'thank-you'" Gobber continued as if Hiccup hadn't spoken. "You should cancel that Uber you ordered, too."

Almost on queue, Hiccup took a sharp inhalation of breath, as a beautiful blonde girl walked out of the bar and quickly glanced left and right before turning her attention to her phone. A few moments later Hiccups phone vibrated in his hand as he was checking on his Uber pickup.

"That her?" Gobber asked, nodding towards the blonde woman. Hiccup nodded slightly. "Damn, son. Shes like a 98-99 mile per hour fast ball. You struck me as a 69-70 slider kind of guy."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means you have incredible bat speed. Don't text her back, just wait."

After a few more seconds of looking around, the Astrid's eyes locked onto Hiccup and she gave a small wave from across the street, gravitating towards the intersection awaiting the walk signal.

"Remember what I said." Was the final thing Gobber said as he shuffled a few feet away, pretending to be just another civilian.

Astrid crossed the street quickly and made her way past Gobber to stand by Hiccup, her hands in her jacket pockets to shield them from the crisp air.

"Hiccup! I was looking everywhere. Fish said-"

"I'm sorry." Hiccup said suddenly, his hands going up in front of him defensively. His eyes flickered past Astrid to Gobber, who nodded towards Astrid with his eyes going wide in encouragement.

"I'm sorry, but I'm about to do something really stupid. I have to know something."

Astrid cocked her head to the side slightly, a confused look on her face.

In an instant, Hiccup moved a half-foot forward to close the space and slightly craned his neck down, eyes closing. Astrid eyes went from confused to startled as Hiccups face descended towards hers. As their lips touched her eyes flew open in shock, but only for a moment as they fluttered and then stayed closed. The two stood like statues, neither moving for a long moment until slowly, ever so solely, Astrids hands came out of her pockets and gently closed into fists, grabbing onto Hiccups shirt near the waist. They parted lips but neither opened their eyes, as Hiccups hand found her waist and hers moved further up, grasping his shirt at the chest and pulled him towards her again, into a much more passionate kiss.

After another few moments they separated just enough for them to rest their foreheads on each others. Their eyes locked like no one else in the world existed, and for them, they didn't. The a creeping smile spread across Astrid's flushed face as she darted in again for a last, quick kiss before pulling Hiccup towards the cross walk.

"Let's go back inside."

Gobber watched with a wide grin as the boy moved as in a stupor, like he was being guided along by the girls pull with no will of his own, but before re-entering the bar he quickly said something to her and darted into the 7-11 on the corner, reappearing with a handful of packs of cigarettes. Jogging back across he handed them all to Gobber before flashing him the worlds biggest smile.

"Thanks."

"Don't fuck it up."

With a laugh he crossed back to the waiting Astrid, who had a quizzical look on her face. Gobber could see Hiccup say something and Astrid let out a sparkling laugh as she turned to face Gobber and gave a hearty wave, then placing her hands together in a prayer sign she mouthed 'thank you' as they both disappeared back into the bar.

Gobber took a deep breath, warmness filling him as he dropped the cigarette onto the ground and pressed a toe to the embers. Turning, he walked into the night.