Hiccup tried fluffing his hair as he stood up and headed for the door. When he got about halfway he decided it was best to go back and sit down. He sat down only to get back up again and repeat the process. It was safe to say he'd done this about four times.

He couldn't determine whether he should wait inside or outside the building. When he realized people were beginning to watch him and whisper he firmly planted himself in his seat.

Today was going to go perfect and he refused to accept anything other than that.

But in all honesty he was terribly nervous and had reason to be. Today was the day of their redo date. It had been about 2 weeks since their first attempt and they had finally decided on today would be the day.

They would talk to each other in class, walk the halls, they even got into the habit of having lunch together, with Rapunzel and Jack present of course. But today was just them, just him and her, and a room full of arcade games.

Since he had royally screwed up the last time with his plan Merida thought it best if they met up somewhere fun and figure out the rest as they go. However out of all the places to go he didn't peg her for an arcade gamer.

If anything she was more….

"Here. She's here." Hiccup exclaimed in his head. "Looking amazing as usual."

"Hey Hiccup. I sorry. Again. No matter what I always seem to show up late."

The truth was that Rapuznel was over at her house doing her hair and rejecting outfits.

"That's fine. You look beautiful. I like your hair." He stared.

"Hiccup?"

"Huh? Oh? Sorry. You look nice."

"Thanks." She said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck. "So lets get started."

"Right any game in particular you feel like playing?"

"You choose."

Hiccup looked around and decided on a racing game. He was pretty good at it and wanted to show Merida in cool side by winning.

He carefully guided Merida in the direction while maintaining their relaxed distance they'd gotten accustomed to. As he walked around the room he could feel eyes upon them, well on Merida.

Girls were a rarity in the arcade especially girls who looked and carried themselves like Merida. He himself couldn't help but gawk over her beauty especially with her hair pulled into a high ponytail, single curls cascading along her cheeks. He watched as they bounced and swayed with every step. And then he watched as other guys watch as they bounced and swayed with every step.

Hiccup gentle took Merida's hand, completely oblivious to her blushing red face, and closely guided her to the game.

Luckily it was unoccupied allowing them to get right in.

"You've played before right?" Hiccup asked.

"Oh come on Hiccup give me some credit."

"Okay then let's start."

They both chose cars, and revved their engines at the start of the finish line. Hiccup taking off with a good lead, dodging obstacles and passing the other computer generated competition. His concentration only breaking when he heard Merida gasp.

He looked over to see her trying to get around a building only to fail and spin out.

"Um Merida. I thought you said you've played before."

"Technically I never said that. I just thought it would be like driving a regular car."

Hiccup couldn't help but give a small laugh as he got out of his seat and stood by Merida's.

"It's not funny." Merida pouted since she'd come in last.

"I'm not laughing." He smirked.

"Just show me what to do."

"Alright first you want…"

"Here." Merida said scooting over. "Sit down."

"Huh?" Hiccup said confused.

"Sit down and show me what you did. I'll be darned if I come in last again." She spoke seriously.

"Okay." He said hesitantly

Hiccup slid in besides Merida, the seat barely having enough room for the both of them. His body completely freezing up as he grabbed the steering wheel.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Of course…The first thing you want to do is ease on the gas slowly building up your acceleration."

"That makes sense, I sorta just slammed on the pedal. I guess it not like a regular car."

Hiccup watched out of the corner of his eye as Merida watched the screen intently.

"I don't think she's actually been in arcade before, but she seems to really be enjoying it." Hiccup thought.

"Hiccup the tree!" Merida exclaimed grabbing the wheel and steering him away. "Are you sure you're okay? I thought you were good at this. That was something I would've done."

"Merida I think we both can agree that you would've drove straight into the water."

"That's a lot of talk for someone who almost he a tree."

"That wasn't my fault I was distracted."

"By what? The road." Merida laughed.

Merida could feel Hiccup's eyes staring into her own, filling her with butterflies.

"Nothing." He said rubbing the back of his neck. "Want to try a different game."

Merida and Hiccup went to one game after another, Merida getting frustrated as they went. Hiccup was winning every single time, but most importantly she was losing…horribly bad. They had time for one more game and she wanted to win at least once.

Merida's eyes lit up when she finally saw it, her redemption.

"Lets play that." She pointed getting up.

"A shooting game?"

"I'm positive I can beat you at that."

"Competitive aren't ya?"

"You have no idea." She said with a glint in her eye strutting away.

As they started the game, Hiccup could sense the atmosphere around Merida change. They played one on one, her against him, best of ten and she was winning hands down.

"How are you good at this?"

"My dad has an admiration towards gun…so to speaks, so he often took me to the gun range and on the hunts." She said killing Hiccup for the final point.

She held the plastic gun and blew into it, daring Hiccup to challenge her again.

"Your dad hunts?"

"…In more ways than one I suppose. Every year we take a trip back to Scotland and we participant in the Hunt."

"The Hunt?" Hiccup asked as they walked to a different game and began playing table hockey.

"Its something of a tournament held with the Highland games. You hunt deer, birds, and pheasants, there's even a shooting contest and some other things."

"Sounds…fun?"

"Not your type of thing?"

"Not so much, but you seem to love it. Maybe…we could…go to the gun range together." He said nervously. "Since you seem to like it so much."

Merida didn't answer right away which made him a little nervous causing him to feel the silence.

"Or made we could do something else, like the horses or archery."

Merida continued to stare simply for the fact that she was awed. He'd taken and interest, and had remembered the things she said. And just with that she was reminded just how much she was falling for Hiccup.

"Or not?" Hiccup concluded after a while. "Maybe we should leave I'm kind of hungry." He tugged on his collar.

"Dude way to seem desperate." Hiccup thought. "Good job coming off needy. She wanted you to be yourself, but don't ruin it."

Merida quickly jumped to Hiccups side grabbing his hand completely surprising him like he did her earlier.

"I would really like that Hiccup."

"What? Seriously?"

"Yeah. Hanging out at those places with you." She stated again. "I'd really like that."

"Really?"

"Yes Really. Those are some of my favorite things I like to do, so of course I would like to do them with the guy I like."

Hiccup immediately plastered a grin on his face from hearing the words 'guy I like'.

"Okay."

"Okay." Merida beamed. "And just so you know I'm looking forward to learning and seeing the things you like to do."

(0.0)

After the arcade their day only seemed to be getting better. For the moments that they spent together it was as if the world had changed.

Saying that might seem farfetched or a bit overdramatic, but it wasn't for them. For the first time they could completely be themselves and there was this unspoken confidence that the other person wouldn't judge them for it, but accept them.

The shyness and the awkwardness that seemed to envelope Hiccup every time he was nervous, slowly disappeared when he was just being his normal self.

And for Merida it was the first time that she actually connected with someone. Someone who liked her hobbies and her thoughts, someone who genuinely took an interest in her.

The night was coming to an end and just like that first night Merida had seen Hiccup, she didn't want it to end.

"Thanks for the ride Hiccup."

"No…problem." Hiccup said slowly and looking around.

"It's the same place before." Merida laughed when she saw the look on his face.

But he couldn't help it. The first time he brought Merida home he was too focused on her to notice she lived in what could only be associated with a mansion.

"Want me to walk you to the door?"

"No." Merida said quickly.

"Oh.."

"No I…I didn't mean it like that. I just…umm." Merida gave up on the struggle on finding the right words and simple got out the truck.

Hiccup had put the truck in drive when he saw Merida turn around. He quickly stopped the truck and rolled down his window as she came around.

"Did you forget something?"

Hiccup didn't have time to think, because in a flash Merida had pulled herself up to the window and was leaning in. He soon felt the warm sensation of her soft lips pressed against his cheek.

It was her second time now.

"Good night Hiccup." She said biting her lip.

He watched in awe as her fiery red curls bounced and swayed all the way to her front down disappearing inside.

Merida could feel her face swelling with happiness, she just hoped she hadn't been too weird. She'd wanted Hiccup to walk her to the door, but if they'd been seen by her mother it would've a series of questions she wouldn't have be ready to answer.

"Merida dear is that you?" She heard her mother call.

"Yes. I'm back."

Merida walked into their living room to see her father and brothers on the floor wrestling while her mother sat on the couch with a book in her hand.

"Welcome home." Said her dad being put jumped on by Hamish.

"We're you with Rapunzel?" asked Elinor.

"Huh?"

"Who were you with?"

"Oh. Yeah. I was with Rapunzel."

Merida mentally sighed, she'd tell her about Hiccup eventually.

(0.0)

"Morning Merida." Rapunzel sang jumping on her.

Merida tried to retreat under her covers but Rapunzel wasn't having it.

"Oh no you don't." She said pulling them off. Leaving Merida's only option being to cover herself with her pillow.

"Ugghhh. How'd you get in?"

"Your mother."

"What's wrong with you early risers?"

Rapunzel grabbed the pillow and threw it at the foot of the bed.

"Punzie." She whined. "Why are here so early?"

"It's 9 for heaven sake."

"Exactly."

"Well sorry I didn't think you you'd have a late night with Hiccup. I mean how many dates have you been out on now, five?"

Merida quickly hopped up shaking off her sleep and covering Rapunzel's mouth.

"Shhh. Not so loud, what if she heard you?" Merida said in a whisper.

Rapunzel looked at Merida confused, trying to figure out the situation.

And then it dawned on her.

"You haven't told your mom about Hiccup yet." She said removing her hand.

"No I haven't, and I don't want her to find out by you yelling it through the house."

"But Merida…"

"Please don't 'but Merida' me, you know how she is. And I like Hiccup…I really like him."

"All the more reason to tell her."

Merida covered her face and shook her head.

"I will eventually. I…I just…don't want to talk about this anymore. It's too early and I'd like a subject change."

Rapunzel agreed that maybe now was not the time or place for this conversation even though it was a bit concerning. But it wasn't the only reason she'd come over.

"Fine then, on a more exciting note Flynn comes home tomorrow." She said happily.

First let me say I know nothing about arcade games or racing, so some things might not be accurate, sorry bout it. ;) Anyway I hope you liked how I sneaked in Eugene. Please continue reading, and a major thanxx to 'An Amber Pen' for commenting and reading, I love reading your guys's remarks. Anyway I hope you enjoyed xoxoxo