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Behind the Scenes

Astrid considered the empty office chair with a growing sense of apprehension. Hiccup's voice had cut off, sounding confused, then fell silent. Without a single warning, he had shot up and left with pursed lips and a stiff posture, refusing to look at her.

She felt the fear now; like a brand of fire spreading from her chest to her throat. The papers on the desk were forgotten as she cradled her head in her hands. Countless possibilities for his behaviour raced through her head and mounted on the other. For some reason, it hurt that he had ignored her. He had dismissed her entirely. Coming from Hiccup, it made the tightness in her throat seem suddenly more pronounced.

"Lass?"

Astrid refused to lift her head. "Hi, Gobber."

A pause. "You taking a nap?"

Astrid buried her head further in her hands. "Totally."

A few clanking noises (heavier than Hiccup and more of a rasp from the metal) came closer to her desk, and something was placed in front of her head. Astrid peeked from her hiding place to see Gobber looking down at her with a soft expression. The plate of cottage pie steamed comfortingly between them, and she felt her visage crack.

"Oh." Her voice was smaller than she intended. "Thank you, Gobber. That's...that's really nice of you."

For his part, Gobber didn't immediately pry. He simply hooked his leg round a nearby chair and yanked it over, sitting and making the plastic groan worryingly. Astrid started to pick at the mince, trying to school her face back to her unruffled mask. There was another couple minutes of Astrid chewing slowly before Gobber spoke.

"Why the long face?"

Astrid pushed some mash onto her fork, concentrating on trying to make a mini cottage pie on the end of the prongs. Gobber waited patiently for her answer, despite Astrid's obvious reluctance. At her silence he dug around in his apron and pulled out a small pepper shaker, placing it by her plate.

"Why don't you pepper your mince, and then tell me all about it."

Hiccup hadn't been this livid in a long time.

Things like this didn't really tend to happen. The uncontrollable feelings bursting in different directions made it almost hard for him to breathe. He wished Toothless was here and not in his enclosure, playing up to the tourists and acting like a giant kitten. Instead, Hiccup was alone with the offending letter lying on his desk like some death warrant.

Astrid lied. Lied about her previous experience, to him and to everyone else. Hiccup knew his relationship with his peers was more friendly than usual – they were like a small tribe here; keeping everyone together and on good terms. The occasion argument broke forth, but no one ever disputed the fact that they were family. This was their home.

And now he had to actually be the boss and do something. He couldn't let it lie, surely. Legally, it was grounds for dismissal for one. They had never fired someone before – everyone either stayed or left of their own volition.

A smaller part of him felt genuinely betrayed. He trusted Astrid. Had trusted that smile that tore up his insides. He wasn't an idiot – of course he knew he was dealing with some quasi crush. But it had never conflicted with his work – he was too interested in the animals to pay attention to the flirting attempts.

She had seen him, too. Seen his stump, seen his drawings, liked Toothless. If something was to be there, it had all the right ticks. He had almost started to believe that he could, for the first time since high school, ask her out for a drink.

Too bad she was a liar.

Growling not unlike Toothless in a mood, he threw off his suit, his boots and prosthetic. He was sleeping the day away. The world could move without him for a couple hours.

"...and I haven't found anywhere yet." Astrid scraped her fork mournfully across the now empty plate. "In just over a week, I'll truly be screwed."

Gobber twirled his moustache with one massive hand. "That's a mouthful, lass. Don't get me wrong, it was stupid to lie to get here."

Astrid groaned. "I know. I was desperate, and stupid, but I really like it here. I want to stay. As soon as my permit gets denied everyone will know. I don't want them to think I've been two faced."

"And you haven't?"

Astrid felt like crying under Gobber's harsh stare. But something about his eyes made her feel like she was doing the right thing, telling him. "Maybe at the start. But not now. God, everyone's so nice here. It's like a family. And Hiccup..."

The words stumbled around her mouth, never forming the way she wanted to. Gobber waited patiently, his eyebrow still raised.

"He's been more than considerate." She managed to choke out. "He puts everyone before him. He deserves a better employee."

"Now, now. No need to be so dramatic. Why don't you tell him this?"

"No." The word was confident. "He can't know. I can do this on my own. I just need...more time."

The cook scratched his neck with his claw. "You're out of time, lass." He stood and collected the empty plate with a deft hand. "I'll have a look around. You keep your head up."

Astrid looked after him as he left. She wasn't sure if she felt better or not.

Gobber caught up with Hiccup just as he had finished the handover . "Oi, Hiccup. Come here a sec."

Hiccup followed Gobber sullenly to the kitchens, having woken up in equally a bad mood as before he'd gone to bed. "What, Gobber? I gotta go let Toothless out."

"I need to talk to you about Astrid."

Her name made him tense and gnash his teeth. "What about her?"

Gobber peered curiously at Hiccup, seeing his dull countenance and countering it with a grin. "You woke up without a foot or something?"

"Ha, ha. Very funny. I have things to do, so..."

"Hold on a minty, boy." Gobber clawed him back with his hook and gave his shoulder a solid shake. "You're all bent out of sorts. What's up?"

Hiccup crossed his arms, reluctant to tell anyone. He knew everyone should know about her lying. But on the other hand, the smaller, softer part of him was worried at the hateful reactions she would get. He was still as big a softie as he was when he first met Toothless. "Astrid...lied to get the job." He spat out, the words sour in his mouth. "She has no experience with animals, and probably doesn't even like them. I found out when her permit was denied."

"Ah." Gobber looked surprisingly calm about the information. "That's a shame. No wonder, though, regarding her personal circumstances."

Hiccup eyed the older man. Gobber and Stoick had been best friends for years before Hiccup had even been born. He was the gruff uncle; the teasing familiar comfort when Hiccup needed advice. But he seemed to know something directly relating to Astrid, making him more suspicious.

"Her personal circumstances?"

Gobber folded his own arms, regarding Hiccup solemnly. "She's had it rough. She's about to loose her flat, and needed a new job after becoming redundant. She lied, but was in a desperate situation."

Hiccup reeled. She was about to become homeless? His mind flashed back to her questions about the canteen, and the obvious new clothes she'd been sporting today. Her reluctance to go back to her flat, and stay in the park.

Her face, thanking him as she sat on his bed, after he offered her to stay in his hut for the night.

"But she lied." Hiccup gritted out. "She played me for an idiot."

"Is that what's got your caw? She played us all, but that was before she liked it here. I chatted with the lass. She wants to stay – is desperate to stay. And not just because of the money."

Hiccup turned away from Gobber and placed a hand on the nearby counter. He wasn't sure what to think.

"The relationship she has with everyone, including you, isn't fake, Hiccup." Gobber's voice was oddly gentle. "You both get along. It's a shame she lied, but it would be a bigger shame if we just watched her become homeless, and then loose her job."

"We don't owe her anything." The words tasted foul.

"No. But you owe it to yourself." Gobber placed his hand on his shoulder. "I'm not blind. You and Astrid..."

"We what? There is no Astrid and I." Hiccup ducked away from Gobber's knowing eyes, flushing red. "We get along. That's all."

"Aye. And I don't pack a spare pair of undies."

"What- what's that got to do with anything, anyway?"

Gobber rolled his eyes and picked up his duffel off the floor. "Ach. Just think about it. Time to be the man with the plan, Hiccup. You're the boss."

Hiccup stayed in the canteen for a long moment after that, still digesting the information.

But later on in the evening, standing in the tidy office with Toothless crooning under his palm, an idea clicked into place. Hiccup had to admit Gobber was right – he did owe it to himself. He always found a way out of dire situations.

She had already done something stupid. Now it was his turn to do something crazy.

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