Part 6: Relaxation
Astrid grimaced as she came down the stairs and padded toward the kitchen in the early morning. Soft sunlight streamed through the large windows as she sat about taking out a few cooking utensils and a waffle iron. Astrid was still in her pajamas, the penguin-themed ones, and her hair was a mess, sticking up at odd angles. She didn't particularly want to do the whole beauty routine right now because she'd have to remove and rebandage part of her face, which in all honesty she didn't like. Before she started making breakfast she took two tablets of painkillers her doctor prescribed.
She was in her own little world, making a very high stack of waffles for Hiccup and herself. He had been so helpful that she just wanted to repay him. She figured she may as well cook breakfast and dinner as he did say her cooking reminded him of his mother. While Astrid was blushing at the comment she hadn't heard the front door open, nor had she heard the footsteps as they came to a stop near her.
"Well hello, babe. I think you're waffley-cute!" The voice said which caused Astrid to startle. Within a flash, she had picked up one of the waffles from the stack and backhanded, or rather waffle-smacked, the intruder.
"AAAH FREYAS GHOST! What the hell are those made out of?! Cast iron?!" The shorter man uttered loudly as he clutched his reddening waffle-patterned cheek.
"Who are you?!" Astrid growled out as she held a spatula threateningly against the intruder's nose.
"Snotlout… I'M SNOTLOUT… Hiccup's cousin!" The other quickly uttered as the spatula was too close for comfort. If this woman could do damage with a waffle who knows what else she could use.
Astrid frowned or tried to with half of her face still stiff and healing. "You're Hiccup's cousin?" She questioned. "You look nothing alike,"
"Did you notice my manliness?" Snotlout boasted as he flexed his muscles once the immediate danger, a.k.a. The spatula, had been placed on the counter.
"I just thought you'd be taller," she deadpanned.
"What the hell was that noise?" Hiccup asked, coming down the stairs clad in only black silk pajama pants. Snotlout definitely noticed the woman 'discreetly' looking Hiccup's way before quickly turning back to the waffle iron.
"Yo cuz! You should have told me that you had company over," Snotlout uttered, winking at Hiccup, as he went to greet him.
"She's my new roommate Snot," Hiccup told Snotlout with exasperation which caused the man to stop, stare at his cousin, back at Astrid, and then back at Hiccup once more. "Damnnnnn, I need to get myself a roommate," Snotlout muttered which earned him an elbow to his side from Hiccup.
"Hiccup, breakfast is ready," Astrid jovially announced. "I made too much I think. There's even some for your cousin if he wants to eat with us,"
"You know what…," Snotlout said as he eyed the waffles "I think I should go. Got a shop to open and all. I just came to tell you aunt Valka is hosting another Charity ball this Saturday. She expects you there this time,"
"What about breakfast?" Astrid asked while Hiccup nodded that the message was received.
"I already ate!" Snotlout called out while Hiccup picked up a fork to spear his waffle. Only the fork speared nothing; the waffle was rock solid. Looking at the retreating figure of his cousin Hiccup wondered if Snotlout knew what he'd just avoided. He picked up the syrup hoping that some liquid might soften the waffle up.
"So I was wondering," Hiccup mumbled as his fork now somehow got stuck in the waffle. "Would you like me to pick up some takeout today for lunch? I'll only be in the office for half a day."
"Didn't you tell me you had this important project your firm is working on?" Astrid asked. "Can you really afford to take time off?"
"Of course," Hiccup told her. "The deadline is well over a month away and the design team is already well ahead of schedule."
"If…. If you're doing this because I got hurt…" Astrid muttered. "I'm not an invalid you know. I can take care of myself." She found it really endearing that Hiccup was going so far for her, even putting such an important project on hold, but she didn't want to drag him down.
"It's not… look, I'm a bit worried alright. The Police haven't caught Eret yet," He uttered.
"And?" Astrid frowned. "I'm taking time off work so I'll be in here all day." She looked at Hiccup as her eyes narrowed. "What aren't you telling me?"
Hiccup sighed "I'm not pitying you. I'm genuinely worried about your safety. Look I wasn't going to bring this up because it's not certain yet but our doorman saw someone fitting Eret's description loitering around the tower yesterday evening. That would have been a few hours after you were discharged."
"You're thinking he followed me to find out where I live now?" Astrid frowned.
"I don't know but I've alerted security so they will be extra vigilant." He told Astrid.
"Right, fine," Astrid muttered. She wasn't happy about the news but wanted to change the subject for now so she asked "So this charity ball?" This earned her a groan from Hiccup.
"My mother has a couple of charities she sponsors. While I'm all for helping out and donating I'd rather avoid certain crowds of people." He stated.
"The Press?" Astrid guessed but Hiccup shook his head.
"I'm pretty used to the Press. It's the blood-sucking mosquitoes I don't like," He uttered. Astrid raised a brow which made Hiccup elaborate. "The Charity ball's guests. They're just donating to make themselves look good and foster a relationship between their family and mine. I've seen them kissing ass so many times it's become annoying. They also love to foist their daughters… and sons, he added, on me especially if they remember that I'm Markless."
"You don't keep that a secret?" Astrid asked, mainly because of the stigma attached to it. Hiccup just chuckled "One good thing about being open about it is that I know friend from foe,"
"And it can't be used as blackmail," Astrid realized because most Markless are too ashamed to announce their status, afraid of how the world would treat them.
"You know you're quite cynical," Astrid observed. "So I'm guessing your mother sent Snotlout to tell you about the ball because…"
"I flaked on the last three. This way she's making sure I can't claim I didn't know," Hiccup sighed. "She either wants us to catch up or she has another blind date to introduce me to,"
"I know she just wants to see me happy and thinks that having a partner will lead to that but…"
"You haven't told her why you're so cynical about the whole Mark thing, have you?" Astrid surmised.
"How can I tell her that…," Hiccup stopped before he said something he didn't want to. "Let's just say it would break her heart," He muttered.
"I don't know if it's my place but… maybe you should tell her, Hiccup. I know for some reason or another you're trying to spare your mother's feelings but if it ends up hurting you…"
"I might… after the ball," Hiccup stated as he looked at Astrid. It was as if a lightbulb went off because the next thing he blurted out was "Why don't you be my date?"
"Excuse me what?!" Astrid's brows shot up.
"Come to the Charity ball with me as my date," Hiccup repeated.
"We're roommates Hiccup, not romantic partners," Astrid stated as she figured out what Hiccup was getting at. "Using me to thwart your mother's matchmaking plans will only go so far. What about the next ball? Or the one after that?"
"What about just coming with me as a friend?" Hiccup all but begged.
"You'll have to offer me something good if you want me to keep the hyenas at bay," Astrid told him.
"The ball has free food," Hiccup stated. "Michelin quality,"
"Go on," Astrid said.
"There's an open bar," He added.
"So very tempting." Astrid thought aloud. "If you provide the wardrobe I'm in. I doubt I have anything in my closet to compete on that stage,"
"I'll loan you my black card," Hiccup stated. "And trust me, you can be as vicious to the bloodsuckers as you want to be,"
"Oh goody, deal!" Astrid said, holding out her hand which Hiccup took.
"Are you more excited by the ensuing violence than the open bar?" Hiccup asked.
"After the days I've had it will be good to blow off some steam," Was all Astrid said.