Hey all, I apologise A) for the wait - life has been crushing my mojo, and B) for the poor quality of the chapter! I just need to start things flowing again. I know where I'm going, I'm just struggling to get there! Please forgive me and bare with me! I love you all!
Chapter 4 – Barkeep Advice
The morning had been decidedly unpretty. Astrid woke up, not too bad but with a mild headache and a severe case of bed head. Heather was asleep beside the toilet and vomit was on her face, her dress, the floor and the loo seat. She looked in an awful way. There was even vomit in her hair and she startled awake and vomited again when Astrid stumbled into the bathroom to wash.
"Gross…" Astrid groaned as she headed for the shower, only to find vomit in there too. "Oh come on!"
"Don't yell… hurts." Heather moaned as she heaved over the toilet again.
Astrid just wanted to shower and eat something. Where had Ruff ended up? She moved slowly out of the bathroom, leaving Heather to vomit some more, and went to see what state Ruff was in. She found her dragging herself into the kitchen and brewing a cup of coffee. Her top was stained and she held her head and sought aspirin.
"That was rough."
"You look rough." Astrid responded.
"Feel it too. Tuff dared me to down something that I'm pretty sure was some ridiculous percentage of alcohol." She urged but held it back. "Stupid brother. Heather didn't sound good."
"She's not."
"Figures. Eurgh. Should probably make her coffee too. What you going to do today?"
"Dunno. Go see James for a catch up."
"I love James, but please, PLEASE, tell me you aren't getting with him?"
"What? No! I love him too, but not like that. We're just friends and former co-workers." Astrid assured her.
"Thank the gods."
"Even you? Really?" Astrid moaned.
"I'm not saying anything." Ruff said, holding up her hands in defence before making three coffees.
"You didn't have to." Astrid said glaring. She sniffed and then pulled a face. "I hate coffee. I mean, I'll drink it, especially post heavy drinking, but I hate it."
"Do you want the coffee?"
"Yes, I just said. I drink it…"
"Then stop moaning."
Ruff pushed the coffee towards her and then went after Heather.
"Ewww gross Heather!" Came her voice before more vomiting.
Astrid sighed and drank the coffee before pulling a face.
The sight at the Haddock house wasn't any prettier. But the boys followed their usual pattern and began a slow recovery. The talk last night of games and such weighed on Hiccup's mind predominantly. If Astrid was playing games, he needed to learn the rules fast. He'd lost the bet last night, he owed her a steak dinner. But that was ok with him. Meant he was guaranteed a date! Maybe he would call the girls, see if he could pin Astrid down one night for that dinner.
"Don't do it bro." Tuff said from where he was sprawled on the sofa, an arm across his face.
"Don't do what?" Hiccup asked puzzled
"Call the girls." Snotlout grumbled from his location on the arm chair.
Could they read his mind? And why shouldn't he call? They'd phoned before.
"Why not?" Hiccup asked.
"Space bro. Don't push Astrid too soon. Give her some space."
"I would only be phoning them all to see how they're all doing this morning!"
"Space Hiccup." Snotlout reiterated.
"Listen to us bro. Give her some space. She'll call if she wants to. At least give her a few hours." Tuff insisted.
Toothless was laying on Hiccup's lap and even he gave Hiccup a look and snorted, nudging the phone from his hand.
"You too bud? Fine. I won't call." He folded his arms and mock pouted.
"Atta boy." Snotlout mumbled, dozing off.
"There she is!"
"James, I am not that badly hungover. You don't need to shout to try and evoke a reaction." Astrid said as she entered the bar and headed over to James.
"Just checking. Come on over lovely, let's chat." He said, wiping down the bar and gesturing to a seat.
"If we're doing this, you must be impartial and no trying to tell me what to do or how I should be with Hiccup or anything. Got that?" She insisted before taking a seat.
"You have my word." James assured. "Drink?"
"I won't. Got to meet the girls later, should probably be sober."
"Fine, now then. Talk."
Astrid raised an eyebrow at him.
"Thought I said not to tell me what to do?"
"Yeah well, I'm the barkeep, you're my friend and you need to talk so I'll tell you to talk."
Astrid gave him a look but he was unfazed and shrugged.
"What have you got to lose?"
"Eurgh fine. What exactly am I meant to talk about?"
"You. What's going on with you Astrid?"
"Nothing."
James raised an eyebrow. He didn't buy it. Astrid rolled her eyes and groaned.
"Astrid…"
"James…"
"Come on, just talk about how you're feeling."
"But I don't know, James!" She exclaimed loudly, throwing up her arms in frustration. "I don't know ok?!"
"Well that's something." He calmly wiped a glass clean. "What don't you know?"
"Everything! When I was last here, I did things I don't feel good about, ok? I always swore I would never mess around with a guy who was taken. I did! A lot! I didn't want to… but it was like, all rationality went out the window with him."
"Ok, so you feel bad about the last time. But he's single now. So, what's holding you back? The guilt?"
"Yes… but no…" James gave her another look. "It's complicated alright?"
"I've got time and I've probably heard worse."
"Last time, I rushed headlong into things. I'm used to travelling, I meet someone and I know, they know, it's temporary. We probably won't stay in touch. I'm not used to meeting someone different… When I met Hiccup, I knew it was different. Yeah, there was an attraction, but it was different. He was a good friend to Heather, he wasn't likely to be temporary."
James gestured to her to continue.
"I went too far. I let myself get caught up. And not only did I go too far since he was taken, but I rushed it like he was temporary. And he… he can't be. It would be too hard. You saw how excited everyone was for us to get together, and I've barely been back two days!"
"Ok… So, you don't want to rush this time?"
"I just… I don't want to rush… but he's single now… and yeah, I'm pretty sure I still like him, but I need to know for certain. I need to start again with him. But there's even more to it than that."
"It gets more complicated?"
"I like being on my own. I travel at my pace, at my own desire. I do what I want, when I want. I'm not tied down to anyone, to any place. And I like it that way. I'm not about to stop that for anyone. Not Heather, not the others, not my family and not Hiccup."
"O…kay?"
"I've been on my own for years and I like it that way. Hiccup is tied to this place. He won't give it up. And I'm not ready to settle. I can already tell the others want me to stay for a while, maybe for good. But I can't. This isn't my home. Nowhere is. I'm travelling and I love it. I want to live, to explore, whilst I can. I'm not ready to settle so I won't."
"Maybe they hope someday you'll come back. Maybe even settle here."
"I'll settle wherever I want to. I love Heather and the gang, and I'll visit, but it won't be regular. Besides, you settle in the place that feels like home. And you only know somewhere is home when you miss it."
"So, you're holding back because you feel bad about what you did with Hiccup last time, because you want to start over with him, because you aren't sure you're ready to commit to a serious relationship, because you're afraid he or the others will expect you to settle here and because you aren't ready to settle?"
"Pretty much. I just, I need to start again with Hiccup. And I don't even know if I'm ready for a proper relationship. I need to figure my head out before I start with his."
James nodded and pursed his lips slightly.
"Ok, well we can work with that."
"We can?" Astrid said with a raised eyebrow.
"Yup. You guys need a different set up. Chances to encounter that aren't strictly social or something. Come back to work here for a bit, I know, I know, you aren't sticking around, but just for some extra cash."
"That helps how?"
"For starters, if he gets a drink when you're working, you're working. It's not social. And, on Friday nights and some Saturdays, he and the boys play live music. So he'd be working too, but there's some contact in a less pressured situation."
Astrid considered him for a moment.
"Ok fine. I could use the cash anyway."
"Fantastic!"
"Thought you were meant to be impartial?"
"Oh I am… I'm just thinking of the extra tips now you're back!" He teased. Astrid punched his shoulder playfully and laughed with him.
