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Hiccup's eyes fluttered open as he woke up in bed, the early rising sun streaming in through his bedroom windows as he sat up and stretched. He watched as the sun slowly began to rise, casting a beautiful glow over Central Park's freshly fallen snow. Hiccup walked into the bathroom and showered off as he get ready for work. Within ten minutes Hiccup was back in his bedroom, adjusting his tie as he looked into his vanity mirror over his dresser.
"I really need a better outfit for tomorrow's date," Hiccup said to himself as he looked at the old dress shirt he had on alongside his faded dress pants.
Hiccup walked out of his bedroom and grabbed the apartment keys from a small bowl resting on the kitchen island as he picked up his briefcase and walked out the front door.
"Hey Hic!" Hiccup heard as he walked out of the lobby door of his apartment complex into the blistering cold. Turning his head towards the vicinity of the voice, he saw Jack waiting in his car with the passenger side window down.
"Jack! What are you doing here?" Hiccup asked in surprised as he walked over to the parked car and looked into the window.
"Get in, I'm taking you to work!" Jack said excitedly, his pearly whites shining through his smile as he looked at Hiccup in the snow.
"Awe, you don't have to do that Jack!" Hiccup said, happily surprised as he tried to hide the new blush creeping onto his face. Hoping Jack would just mistake it for the cold weather.
"I won't take no for a answer. Anyways, with the extra time you'd save usually waiting for a bus, I thought I'd take you to go get some morning coffee," Jack said, reaching over and opening door for Hiccup to get in.
Hiccup put his briefcase in the backseat as he got in and closed the door and buckled in.
"I don't know what to say, thank you Jack," Hiccup said, trying his best to keep from smiling like a kid in a candy store.
"Your welcome freckles! Now I know this great coffee place over in Times Square, about a block from work. The Espresso Cafe Lounge, ever heard of it?" Jack asked as he pulled out and began to drive down the street, filled with people rushing to work and to drop their kids off at school.
"Oh yea! My good friend Astrid works there as a server on the week days. I've never had time to stop in for a drink though, always busy with work or personal errands," Hiccup said as he looked up and saw the Freedom Tower in the distance, excitement growing in his heart.
"Well I've been going there ever since I moved here not too long ago. I think it has the best coffee in Manhattan. I literally have not tasted anything better than their white chocolate minty mocha frappe!" Jack said, turning onto the next road as he neared the coffee shop just down the road.
"Oh I can see Astrid now! She's the one with real long blonde hair pulled up into a braid, the one serving that counter table!" Hiccup said excitedly as he saw his friend through the big glass windows of the shop.
"Well come on, lets go inside and get something shall we?' Jack said as he parked the car and stared at Hiccup, his ice blue eyes staring into Hiccup's oak brown ones.
"Yea, sure!" Hiccup said, feeling his heart begin to drop and heave a little as he saw Jack's eyes looking at him.
Both Hiccup and Jack got out of the car and walked across the street, dodging cars and angry taxi drivers as they ran onto the sidewalk together. Hiccup watched as Jack took the lead and grabbed the door handle and opened it wide, waiting for Hiccup to pass by first.
"Well thank you kindly!" said Hiccup as he giggled and walked into the shop.
"Hiccup!" hollered Astrid as she saw her longtime friend walk into the shop for the first time.
"Oh my God! I never thought I'd see you in here in a million years!" Astrid said excitedly as she put down her tray and gave Hiccup a bone crushing hug.
"Astrid, your choking me!" Hiccup said in between exasperated gasps of air, feeling as Astrid then put him down and he could finally take in a big gulp of air.
"Sorry, I'm just so excited to see you. I haven't seen you since we went Black Friday shopping." Astrid said, picking up her tray, finally noticing Jack.
"Oh, pardon my manners. I'm Ashley Jurdenski, but most just call me Astrid. And you are?" said Astrid as she held out her hand to shake Jack's.
"I'm Jack Frost, go figure. Ha ha!" Jack said laughing as he took Astrid's hand and shook it strongly.
"Nice to meet you Jack, how do you know Hiccup?" Astrid said, getting back to her customers as she walked about the store.
"From work, I work in his cubicle as of recently," Jack said as he and Hiccup took a seat at one of the nearby booths.
"Oh, so you two work at North Industries right?" Astrid asked, handing a elderly woman a biscuit and a steaming ceramic cup of tea.
"Yea we do, it's getting busy here lately with Christmas just a month away!" Jack said as he watched Astrid move about the shop, with more agility and grace than a ballet dancer doing point.
"I bet! But hey we should hang sometime. What are y'all doing tomorrow?" Astrid asked as she returned to the counter and set down her tray, another waiter already filling it up again with orders.
"Oh, I'm taking Hiccup on a date tomorrow to the Freedom Tower for my friend's business party," Jack said, causing Hiccup to begin coughing out of control.
"Well congratulations guys! Maybe some other time then?" Astrid said as she picked up her tray once more and began moving about the shop again.
"Well I don't wanna rush off or anything Astrid but Jack and I have to get our drinks and get to work before we are late," Hiccup said as he stood up, a deep crimson blush robbing the color of his cheeks still.
"No problem. What can I get you guys?" Astrid asked, pulling out her notepad and pencil, finally standing still.
"I'd like a white chocolate minty mocha frappe, what would you like Hic?" Jack asked, turning his head to look at the blushing Hiccup.
"Oh I'm not sure. Just give me a regular mocha frappe with whipped cream on top," Hiccup said, looking at the expansive menu of items.
"Okie dokie, that'll be sixteen dollars and forty-seven cents" Astrid said as she wrote down the order and slid it across the counter towards the barista's.
Jack handed Astrid the money as he sat back down and looked at Hiccup who was now looking outside the window at the bustling city people.
"I don't wanna sound like a creep or anything, but when the sun hits your eyes just right, it's like they are emeralds against a cloud backdrop.
Hiccup felt as his stomach began to do flips, as Jack noticed his surprise and began to laugh to himself.
"You sure know how to charm someone don't you?" Hiccup asked, turning to look at Jack who was still laughing.
"Nah not really, just you." Jack said, the laughing beginning to fade as he looked at Hiccup still with a smile. "Honestly Hiccup, your my first real example of a friend since I moved here. It wasn't easy to leave Burgess, I still have a little brother there living on his own now. His name is Jamie, he was so against the idea of me moving up here but in the end he wanted me to be happy and make my own choices. It hasn't been easy adjusting to this big city life, I still can't sleep at night with the sound of car horns honking and the immense light protruding into my room. I still haven't gotten around to soundproofing my windows or getting curtains, I've just been so busy trying to find work and make a living so I wouldn't fall flat on my face out here. I didn't have time to make friends or go on dates or anything really. But the day we met at the office, and you seem to take a interest in me, even with something as small as my glass ball; well it made a big difference to me. That's why I instantly took such a interest in you, not because I'm someone who trusts too quick or too easily; but because you took a genuine interest in me and my life. I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you Hiccup, thank you for bringing me happiness after such a long time without it. I know it's only been such a short while, but I feel like the more we talk and hangout, the more and more it seems I've known you a whole lot longer than what I have. Your a great guy, and from the looks of it, you have a just as great personality. And I can honestly say I can't wait to take you out tomorrow night!" Jack finished saying, giggling more to himself than to anything else as he looked back into Hiccup's green eyes.
"Ya see, you are a charmer! But seriously, thank you Jack for being so open and awesome as you have been. I appreciate it, and I can't wait either!" Hiccup said, reaching over and giving Jack's hand a slight squeeze.
"Here's your coffee guys! Have a nice one!" Astrid said as she walked over and put both of their frappe's down onto the table.
"Thanks Astrid! I'll text you tonight about making some plans sometime soon!" Hiccup said as he and Jack picked up their coffee's and walked towards the door.
"Now let's get you to work freckles. North doesn't tolerate tardies," Jack said as he held open the door for Hiccup once more and the both of them walked out into the snowy city