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Chapter 22

"Oh, hell no," Astrid got out of bed in a hurry. "No. No. No. No. NO."

"What?" Hiccup put his hands up in defense.

"Hiccup, we can't have a cat."

"Why not? He was all alone, and scared, and hungry, and cold, and wet.."

"And he's a cat! They're nasty animals!"

"Look at him, does he look nasty?"

"They crap everywhere! And it stinks!"

"Your poop doesn't smell like flowers, either."

"I also contribute to the rent. My shit is allowed to smell."

"Just give him a chance,"

"No." Astrid shook her head and crossed her arms. "I had a cat, once, and I couldn't stand it. The thing was as stupid as a brick, but a brick is a lot more useful."

Hiccup sighed and looked down at Toothless. He didn't look the least bit worried. He had a nice place to sleep, for a change, and to him everything was perfect. How was he supposed to throw him back out into the cold?

"Oh, don't make that face," Astrid whined.

It took Hiccup a moment to realize she was talking about him. "Please, Astrid? Just for a little while?"

She sighed. She looked down at the cat. Toothless opened a green eye and carefully watched her.

"Fine. Just for a little while." Astrid groaned.

"Thank you,"

"And I expect you to clean up after him,"

"You got it,"

"And we're going to have to go shopping to get stuff. And find a vet, he looks awful."

"First thing after breakfast."

"And you," Astrid said, pointing a finger at Toothless, "Aren't sleeping in my bed. Down. In the floor. Off you go."

Toothless watched her motion at him, but didn't move. Finally, Astrid pushed him off with her hand and he unwillingly jumped to the floor. His ears were pinned back and his eyes were bright with dislike as Astrid straightened the bed that he had been denied. Hiccup sighed, and shrugged at the cat as his green eyes pleaded with him.

"Sorry, Bud, she's the boss,"

"Hiccup, he's a cat, he doesn't understand excuses." Astrid said as she padded toward the bathroom. She groaned something about litter boxes as she shut the bathroom door.

X

The snow plows were already working on the streets and Stoick had little difficultly, other than the expected, as he drove into town. There was little that his truck couldn't handle. It was much more suited to the elements that Hiccup's girlfriend's tiny little matchbox of a car. It could probably fit comfortably in the bed of his truck. He laughed at the thought as he parked in front of the hardware store.

He treaded over the drift left by the plow and the little bell rang as he walked inside.

"Morning, Stoick," Finn Hofferson called from the far side of the counter. He was in the middle of opening a tightly tapped package.

"Morning, Finn, I just need some light bulbs." Stoick said. He knew where they were and was back at the counter in less than a few minutes. Finn was still fighting the tape and took a break to work the register.

"Just you today?" Stoick asked, looking up and down the store for Finn's wife, Ingrid.

"I'm afraid so, Ingrid's come down with that cold that's been going around." Finn shrugged. He laughed, "She's a mess and I'd rather be here,"

Stoick returned a chuckle as he laid the bulbs on the counter and pulled his wallet from his back pocket. He laid a ten beside the bulbs.

"How was your trip out west?" Finn asked casually as he rang the bulbs.

"Better than I expected," Stoick said, nodding. "Of course, I was expecting the worst when Hiccup didn't answer my calls, so I went straight to his junky apartment. The door was unlocked so I let myself in, and do you know what I caught him doing?"

"Nah," Finn cocked a grin.

Stoick laughed, and then leaned in to the counter to whisper, "He was fucking a girl,"

"What?" Finn looked as surprised as Stoick thought he'd be.

"I couldn't believe it, either!" Stoick said, the blush threatening to reemerge, "And she was a looker! Slender and blonde, and had quite the attitude. I didn't know my boy had it in him,"

Finn chuckled, "How he'd pull off that?"

Stoick shrugged, "I don't know. I've never seen Hiccup successfully even talk to a woman. But that's not all. Apparently, he's decided to go to school down there. He's already moved in with this girl. I couldn't believe it when he told me."

Finn shook his head, "That boy's full of surprises. That girl of his got a name? You know everyone's going to be talking about her, now."

Stoick laughed. That was probably true. He thought back, he knew that she'd told her name. What was it? Abigail? No, that's not right. "Astrid, I think was her name."

"Astrid?" Finn repeated, eyebrows raised and his smile vanished from his face.

"Something wrong?"

"I don't think so," Finn shook his head. "But, my niece was named Astrid. You remember, Fredrick's troubled kid? The last I knew about her was that she was going to some school in Missouri. But, what are the odds, right?"

Stoick's balloon deflated a bit. "She was, now?

Finn cleared his throat. "Don't get me wrong, Stoick, it's not that I don't love my niece, but…she was a nightmare of a child."

"What can you tell me about her?" Stoick leaned in on the counter.

"Well, I only actually met her a couple of times when she was young, back when Ingrid and I would meet Fredrick and his wife in St. Louis once or twice a year. But when she got older, she got to be so rebellious, and mean, that Fredrick didn't know what he was going to do with her. She was always getting into trouble, fighting, drinking, drugs, sleeping around, you name it. We've sent emails back and forth a few times, like annual 'I'm not dead' announcements. She had no problem in telling me that she was stripping. I told her I could send her money, but he refused my help. She's always been stubborn like that, too proud, like her father."

"Ah," Stoick let this information sink in. He knew of Finn's estranged brother, but he didn't know the finer details.

Finn sighed, "I hope for Hiccup's sake that it's not the same Astrid."

"Thanks," Stoick said as he pulled the plastic bag off the counter and slid his change into his pocket. He hoped the same, but he wouldn't admit that to Finn. It would be his luck, though. Hiccup always did pick the most complicating way of doing things.

X

December flew by and on the nineteenth, Hiccup was beyond relieved to come home after his final day at the welding shop. He'd never have to go back to that smelly workshop or sweat his clothes through or work such horrible hours again. He opened the apartment door to find the lights still on and Astrid sitting on the couch with a book on her lap while Toothless played with a mouse-shaped toy.

Since his first trip to the vet, Toothless had gained weight and the limp in his foot was not as severe. The vet told them it was likely permanent, caused by a poorly healed injury, but it wouldn't be problematic until he was old enough to have arthritis. He had made the apartment his home, despite the occasional squabble with Astrid, and had no interesting in going outside.

"Glad to see you two are still being civil," Hiccup grinned as he pulled off his coat and boots.

"Someone, and I won't point fingers, pooped THREE times today." Astrid glared down at the nonchalant cat.

Hiccup laughed. He spied the empty litter box. "Well, on brighter news, I'm done with that horrible job forever."

Astrid heaved a sigh.

"What?"

"I'll miss the musk." Astrid leaned onto her elbow and looked at him. "Some men would pay a hefty price tag to have such a distracting scent."

Hiccup laughed, "And I get paid to smell this bad. Correction, got paid."

Astrid laughed. Hiccup strolled to the fridge and withdrew the makings for a sandwich. With the simple meal in hand, he joined Astrid on the couch. He hadn't told of her of his strange encounter with Eret. What would he say? That he threatened him at gun point and told him that he was a dead man if he broke her heart? It sounded stupid just thinking about it. She'd gone to work at Rachel's since then, but she acted no different.

There was something about Eret that didn't settle well. Hiccup just didn't know what it was yet.

Hiccup ate while Astrid read and Toothless played. He set his empty plate on the coffee table. Astrid sighed as she closed the book, yawning.

"I'll hit the shower before bed," Hiccup stood. "See you in the morning,"

He leaned down to kiss her, but she reached up and held him in place. "Since you're not going back to work, why not let it linger a little longer?"

"You want me to not bathe?"

Astrid nodded, kissing him again, sweeter. She stood up and he wrapped his arms around her waist. He slipped one hand underneath her shirt and flattened his palm against her skin. He eagerly kissed her back, pushing his tongue passed her lips, and tasting the mint toothpaste.

Meow.

Toothless jumped onto his hind legs and pawed at Hiccup's knee. The kiss was broken as claws sunk into his pants and poked his skin.

"Ouch, Toothless!" Hiccup shook his leg as the cat meowed at him again.

"He's missed you," Astrid sighed. "He still won't accept my attention."

Astrid released his shirt as Toothless rubbed up against his shin, looking up at him with wide green eyes, as if he knew what he'd just interrupted.

"Oh, by the way, a package came for you."

There was a small brown package on the counter. How had he walk past that? Who would send him things? That mystery was solved as he read the sender's name. It was from his fathers. He shook it. Plastic? Paper? Curious, he took the scissors from the drawer and sliced through the packing tape. Hiccup's face exploded into a deep red at the contents. Inside was a card, laying innocently on top of a smorgasbord of little flat, square, and colored packages. Condoms.

"What is it?" Astrid yawned as she appeared beside him.

"Nothing," Hiccup quickly tried to yank the box from her view.

"Is it underwear?" Astrid said lowly. She laughed, "You know I wash your underwear, right? We've crossed that bridge."

"No," Hiccup sighed, set the box on the counter, and pushed it over to her.

She peeked inside. She burst into laughter and her sudden outburst made Toothless jump. She reached in and pluck a golden wrapped condom from the pile. "Who sent you condoms?"

"…my father."

Astrid's laughter was renewed. She collapsed onto the floor, clutching her side, wiping tears from her eyes, and fought to catch her racing breath. Hiccup stood at the counter, face reddened, staring down at the card on top. Sighing, he took it, and opened it.

Son,

it's not Christmas yet but I thought you might be a little embarrassed to open this one with the family. I'm happy that you've found someone. But be careful, I'm too young to be a granddad. Also, if she isn't doing anything else, bring that girl of yours home with you for the holidays.

- Dad

Hiccup read it twice. He didn't think his father had ever been happy with him. But did that justify sending him a entire box full condoms? That seemed…excessive. Hiccup knew that his father wanted grandchildren, but not before he had a daughter-in-law. He was traditional.

Astrid's laughter finally died down and she pushed herself back to a standing position. She fingered another condom, "You want to try one of these out?"

Hiccup glared at her, "Not anymore."

"Why not?" Astrid asked, still smiling. Her laughter was still fresh on her tongue.

"Not after you laughed so hard that you cried."

"Do tears of joy not turn you on?"

"No, actually, they don't." Hiccup shrugged. She was still smiling. "Do they do anything for you?"

"Oh, I love watching boys cry. It's my favorite."

Hiccup shook his head. "Laugh at me and then sass me…"

"What?" Astrid asked, a laugh curving her word. "We can take a shower, if you want."

Hiccup shrugged, "I don't know, you kind of killed the mood."

"Okay then," Astrid laughed. She stepped closer and flattened her palms against his chest. "I'm going to go to bed. But, if you want to bring it back, you know where to find me."

She kissed him quick, before Toothless could interrupt, and slipped into the dark bedroom. Was she swinging her hips on purpose? He smirked as she peered over her shoulder at him, and pushed the door almost closed, leaving it barely ajar.

Meow

Hiccup looked down at Toothless, sitting on the floor with the toy mouse between his feet. His tail flipped and he looked up at Hiccup with wide eyes. Hiccup walked over and scratched the little cat on the head. He jumped up to nose his hand, and meowed when the attention stopped.

"We'll spend tomorrow together, okay, Toothless?" Hiccup whispered to the cat as he stepped toward the bedroom. He flipped off the living room light and nudged the bedroom door open. He shut it again quickly before Toothless could come inside.

Hiccup wiggled out of his jeans and left them and his t-shirt on the floor. He slipped into the bed, but paused, in case Astrid had fallen asleep. His question was answered when he felt her hand on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and she nestled into his touch. Their lips met and the blanket swished as they squirmed to tangle themselves.

"You want to be on top?" Astrid murmured, biting his ear.

"Yeah," Hiccup kissed her cheek.

Hiccup pressed her into the bed, his hips on hers, chests pressed together, hands lost in hair, mouth gasping for breath between rough kisses. Her legs slid along his and folded together on the other side of his waist.

"Ready?" he whispered in her ear.

"You bet your ass," Astrid smirked against his cheek as she smacked his bare behind.

Hiccup kissed her cheek, and denied any apprehension he felt, refusing to give him to nerves. No one was going to barge in. No alarm was going to go off. He was going to do this. He braced himself, and pressed into her, and the sensation reverberated through his entire body as her body enclosed around his. She let out a soft gasp and hooked her arms around his neck as he pumped, adding her own movements to his. It felt…natural. It felt amazing, and incredible, and mind-blowing, but natural.

Her nails dug into his shoulders and her gasps quickened. He felt it coming, but he desperately wanted to get her off as well. He tried to postpone it, but failed, and came before her. The moan that escaped his lips was both ecstasy and disappointment.

She kissed his cheek, "What? Was it bad?"

"No," Hiccup kissed her back. "You didn't…"

Her small laugh that followed was one of surprised, not worry, "Oh, that can be easily remedied. Do you want to finish me or do you want me to?"

"I want to," Hiccup kissed her.

He started a trail of wet kisses down her chin, her tender neck, her collarbone. He made his way down her chest, lingering on her breast, kissing the hard center just to hear the soft moans that she made. With his mouth on one, he freed a hand to touch the other.

"Hiccup," Astrid gasped and arched at his touch. Her hands clutched at the sheets. He left her chest, a bit regretfully, and continued his kisses down her stomach. He scooted back on his legs, tracing fingers down her smooth legs, and kissed her knee. He started up with his mouth, feeling her tense under his touch with every kiss, until he arrived at his destination. Her breath became soft gasps and her nails flexed on the sheets, clutching them in fistfuls.

"Hiccup…ugh," Astrid moaned, her voice an octave higher, breaths shallow and sharp.

Whatever he was doing, he assumed he was doing right, because she gasped and squirmed. It didn't take long for her to spasm around his fingers and shout out. She collapsed onto the bed with limp muscles. He withdrew himself, crawled back up the bed, and laid beside her.

She slid a hand onto his chest and licked his lips before she kissed him.

"How's that taste?" Hiccup whispered.

"Better than you know," she smiled against his lips. "Goodnight,"

"Goodnight."

X

Astrid sat on the couch and braided her wet hair while Hiccup took Toothless's little "gifts" to the dumpster behind the building. Was he getting revenge for being shut out of the bedroom? Hiccup returned to find Astrid making two cups of coffee. She handed one to him.

"Thank you," Hiccup sipped it. Astrid had been right about the percolator. The coffee was fantastic. It actually tasted like coffee.

"We're running low on milk," Astrid sighed as she poured a small amount into her coffee.

"Oh, I forgot, my dad invited you to Christmas."

"He did?"

"Yeah," Hiccup sat down at the counter. The box of condoms was still there. "It was in his card he sent with the condom present."

"Oh," Astrid hummed.

"Is that okay?"

"Yeah," Astrid said quickly.

"But…?"

"I don't know."

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Hiccup said. "I mean, I'm sure you've got your own thing to do, right?"

Astrid murmured something.

"What?" Hiccup asked. "Aren't you going home for Christmas?"

"This is home, Hiccup."

"You're going to stay here by yourself?" Hiccup asked. When she didn't answer immediately he assumed the answer was a yes. "But…it's Christmas!"

"So?"

"You can't stay here by yourself." Hiccup shook his head. "It's like…not having cake on your birthday. It's a time for friends and family and love and sharing and food and monkey bread…it's like the one of year that you're supposed to be sappy and remind people that you love and care about them."

"Monkey bread?"

"Yeah, it's a dessert thing that we always make. It's like a tradition. We all help out in the kitchen. It's annoying and someone usually ends up yelling, or mad, but it's kind of fun."

"Oh," her voice was monotone.

"Astrid, come home with me for Christmas." Hiccup reached out for her arm. "I'd like to have you there. I-I don't know if I can go that long without you."

Astrid smirked, he could hear the little sound she made, like a sharp but quiet inhale. "Okay,"

Hiccup leaned over to her and kissed her cheek.

X