Astrid had Hiccup on a strict schedule that often involved nightly sleepovers. There were only three times in two whole weeks that one did not stay the night at the other's residence.

By the end of those weeks, Hiccup was sure that he now didn't know anything but the English language. He felt like all other knowledge had been rudely shoved out his ear.

"Don't be such a baby," Astrid rolled her eyes when he voiced his complaints.

Even for all his whining, Hiccup was proud as could be when he aced the practice test Astrid had given him.

"You did it!" She cried out, circling the 98 she had scrawled at the top with vigor before throwing her fists in the air. Then she brought down both hands to cover her mouth. "Finally," she tried to sound exasperated, but couldn't quite pull it off with the giant smile that took over her lips.

In a final act of excitement, the blonde threw her arms around her student. He hugged her back quickly before she pulled away, keeping a hand on each of his shoulders. "So now that's done! I can get through at least this semester without a hitch! I can probably keep my academy forever unless my dad goes back on his word, which doesn't really sound like him, I mean, he's an okay guy, but y-"

Astrid isn't one hundred percent sure what exactly possessed her to do it. Maybe it was because she was still completely enthralled - the lack of sleep she had gotten last night taking its toll on her emotions and keeping her on that high. Maybe she just wanted him to shut up for once because she knew from personal experience that nothing could stop him once he started ranting. All she was really certain of is that she would be perfectly content with doing it again... and again, and again, and again.

And so, grabbing his well-worn brown hoodie, she yanked him forward and pushed her lips against his. The sudden action obviously caught him by surprise, judging by the high-pitched squeak he made, and Astrid noted that kissing someone while they're talking isn't the brightest idea, because her lip collided a bit with his teeth.

All in all, it wasn't particularly the most romantic smooch of the century, in fact it was mostly awkward.

Astrid quickly moved away, releasing his jacket, which she now realized she had been clutching. Hiccup just stared at her with wide, green eyes, his mouth falling open slightly as words stuck in his throat in an attempt to all race out at once. Instead of them, his tongue darted out and he licked his lips nervously.

"I... got...ta go..." she stood up, grabbed her bag, and fled the scene, fitting in a quick, louder than necessary, "Bye," before slamming the door behind her.

Luckily it was still early in the evening, so Astrid was able to catch the bus, fumbling her phone as she sank into her seat.

Ray could barely greet her caller before Astrid said, "My house, now. Bring ice cream." After a thoughtful pause she added, "And beer."

Ray was laughing when she hung up the phone, but the promise of something to drown her embarrassment in was much higher on Astrid's list of things that mattered.

Her friend was already lounging on her couch when she got home, a pack of beer on the table with two tubs of ice cream with plastic spoons stuck in the middle like flag poles.

This time, Ray was the one to interrupt her friend's greeting. "Sit, talk." she held out Barf the kitten. "And cuddle."

Sensing her owner's grief, Stormfly was already perched on Astrid's shoulder as she sat down and was handed a tub of Rocky Road. On a scale of one to oh, God, how cheesy was it that Astrid's first thought was that the ice cream she cradled was a reflection of her last hour or so?

"Well? Spill!" Astrid stared at her friend for a moment before obeying with a whine.

"I kissed him."

"What?" Ray squealed in delight. "Why, oh why do you look so downcast, then? In case you haven't noticed – and never, ever tell him I said this – Hiccup is hot."
"Because," she paused, considering her friend's point. "It wasn't completely... mutual?"

When pressed for details, she continued only after gulping down the rest of her beer and inhaling deeply.
I have no idea why. It was weird and seriously awkward and when I pulled away he was making this face." She gave her very best, if slightly drunken, impression of Hiccup's reaction and Ray was floored.

She didn't stop giggle-snorting until Astrid shoved a spoon in her mouth.

"Amnd?" Ray asked around her ice cream. "What wash it like?"

Astrid's spoon snapped.

"Awkward, like I said. But, uh..." She paused as she went to get a new spoon. "If it was under different circumstances and his tooth didn't smash into my lip, I wouldn't totally mind doing it again?" She plopped back onto the couch and glared as Ray suggestively waggled her eyebrows.

"So, like, did he say anything? Did shenanigans ensue?"

"Not... exactly? I, uh, kinda hightailed it out of there."

"Astrid!" After her exclamation, Ray proceeded to give Astrid an hour-long lecture on exactly why not to run out after practically headbutting someone with your mouth. Astrid sat as though she was a child being scolded.

"It doesn't even matter now, though, cause you're gonna see him again, like, tomorrow."

"Aaaaaaaaugh," Astrid returned, eloquent as a caveman.

XxX

Ray stayed the night and was waiting with Astrid for their ride when a familiar, recently-out-of-the-autoshop grey car pulled up in Taylor's usual spot containing one Hiccup Haddock. It was only then that Ray spoke.

"Whoa, look at that," she gasped as she yanked the passenger door open and shoved Astrid inside. "I guess I accidentally called two people to pick us up. I am such an airhead."

"Can't argue that!" came a call from behind them, and Astrid glanced in the rearview mirror to see a grinning Taylor in the car behind them. Ray pushed down the car lock and slammed Astrid's door.

"Hiccup Haddock the Third if you don't floor it, so help me..."

Astrid didn't hear her friend's threat as they pulled out and sped away. Hiccup looked so scared of Ray that Astrid would have laughed, had she not run out after kissing him just twelve hours ago.

Hiccup tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "So, uh... last night happened,"

"It did." She pressed her lips together in a way that mimicked his own nervous tic.

"And you left before I could really react. Beyond, you know..." He made a face that was an exaggerated version of the one from the previous night. He smiled slightly. "Sure, it would have taken a while for me to say anything intelligible aside from 'what', but-"

"It's okay, Hiccup, I get that it was weird. I mean, you don't have to say anything. Spare me the 'I don't see you like that' speech."

"Um, but... What if that's not what I was going to say?" At her wordless surprise, he continued. "I mean, er, I kinda... do see you like that." He grinned at her. "I like, like-like you."

"God..." Astrid buried her face in her book-bag for a moment before smiling at him. "You are so lame!"

Hiccup sat in stunned silence, the red light in front of them enabling him to turn and cock his head at her. Then he laughed. "Astrid Hofferson, do you ever think before you move your lips."

"Nope." She answered without hesitation. "Light's green, nerd."

Hiccup grinned and coughed. "So, uh, what do you... You, uh..." He turned red. "Do you, um..."

"Do you ever not think before you move your lips?" she mocked.

"Do you wanna go out with me?" The trainer blurted before quietly adding, "Or something..."

After a highly unnecessary moment's thought, just to make him squirm (which he did. Literally.) Astrid nodded and grinned. "Sure, I could swing that. I, like, like-like you, too."

"Dork." Hiccup mumbled affectionately under his breath.

Yup okay so that chapter was a lot more romance-oriented than I had planned, but that's okay, we'll manage.

I hope you enjoyed the efforts I put into this chapter to make is as cheesy and give you as much second-hand embarrassment as I possible could, given my current personal circumstances.

Please leave a review and I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can!