Chapter 8
Present day
It was nearly noon on Sunday morning and Hiccup was so goddamn nervous. He once again straightened his polo shirt and sat waiting on the barstool in the very deserted pub.
"Ma'am," He'd heard Ryker say from where the burly man was guarding the doorway.
"Oh, it's you," He could hear Astrid say as she recognized Ryker. It was one of the reasons he'd asked the man to be here. Hoping that if Astrid saw a familiar face she'd feel more at ease. However, his mind sassily uttered 'Sure she'd feel safe while seeing the muscled man that had brought her car back yesterday. She's totally not going to be intimidated."
"Hiccup?" Astrid asked as she looked around the closed establishment. "I didn't think you'd choose a pub for our meeting."
"Eh… it's one of the establishments I own," Hiccup tried to shrug casually but deep down he was nervous.
"And you named it The Prancing Gosling?" Astrid questioned with a raised brow.
"I was drunk…. It was a long story," Hiccup mumbled as he walked to a table and pulled out a chair for Astrid.
'Ever the gentleman,' she thought.
"Do you want anything to drink?" He asked.
"No… I… uhm… I have something to ask you," Astrid muttered "Though I don't know if I should now,"
"You can ask me anything," Hiccup stated as he sat at the table.
"No really, I don't know what I was thinking yesterday. I should probably not say anything about it." She continued.
"Astrid, do you need help with something?" Hiccup now questioned seriously while at the same time, she uttered "You're a great guy and I hate to screw this up,"
"Wait, no you go first," Both said at the same time.
"No, you," They did it again.
"Okay okay," Astrid scooted back a bit while clutching her purse. "I just, well… this might sound totally awkward and probably crazy and you might think that I've gone bonkers," she babbled. "But are you a member of the mafia Hiccup?"
"Yes," Hiccup deadpanned not even taking a few seconds to think about how to phrase it.
"I'm sorry what?!" Astrid sputtered.
"I am a member of the Mafia," Hiccup told her calmly. "In fact, I am the son of the Don and run the Berk branch, so to say,"
"I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO DENY IT!" She exclaimed.
"I am nothing if not truthful," Hiccup replied. "Also why would I deny it? I like you, we have good chemistry and you were quite frank about your situation as well,"
"That was about being a single mother not running the City's underground!" Astrid shot back.
"Well I quite like you and I don't like lying to the people I like," He stated.
"We only went on one date!"
"I'd say it was a pretty great date. Exceptional even, You didn't try to kill me at all,"
"Kill you?! Why would I try to kill you?!" Astrid now asked as she stood up and slammed her hands on the wooden table.
Hiccup awkwardly muttered, "Because my last date tried to off me?"
"Hold up," Astrid backtracked. "Your last date tried to KILL you?! You said you two didn't get along!"
"Who would get along with a date that tries to take your eye out with a steak knife?" He asked.
"Okay, that makes sense," she admitted, then she stopped and looked Hiccup straight in the eyes before asking "Are you telling me all this so casually because you're going to get rid of me too?!"
"What?! No!" Hiccup uttered.
"OMG, I'm going to be sleeping with the fishes!"
"Technically that isn't really a good way to dispose of a body," He corrected. "The cement takes forever to harden," Astrid just stared at him wide-eyed.
"What I meant," Hiccup backtracked "Is that I am not going to kill you. I really like you and would love to take you on a third date,"
"Wait, the third date? We haven't had our second yet,"
"Isn't this the second?" He asked. "I mean…" Hiccup gestured around "We're at a pub, having a heart-to-heart. Honestly in a relationship is something I do value a lot. And well, SWAT hasn't busted down the door yet after I admitted all that so you aren't wearing a wire."
She was quiet for a while and sat back down at the table. "I can't believe I'm thinking of continuing my relationship with you after you admitted that,"
"I'm just a guy helping run the real estate family business," He shrugged. Astrid just glared at the floorboards while muttering "I can't believe I'm considering this,"
"I have a child,"
"He's very adorable," Hiccup commented. "You showed me his picture,"
"His safety?"
"Is assured," He added.
"I still don't get why you'd even want to date a woman with a kid though. Granted you are leagues better than any of my other dates… still, a man in your position…"
"Can do whatever he wants," Hiccup finished.
"I don't want to be caught up in any of your shady dealings," she muttered. "I don't mind looking the other way because your group cut down on crime in the city but…"
"Astrid, I don't mix business with pleasure," Hiccup stated dead serious. "What I want is a lady that I can love and spoil. I don't need any more Lieutenants." With that said he took her hand and kissed the palm of it. She shivered slightly as warm lips met her cold palm and not because Hiccup let some of his authority show. No sireee.
"So Miss Hofferson, can I schedule a third date?" Hiccup asked with a smirk.
"Uhm… yes,"
Before Hiccup could respond further a resounding yell of "SHE SAID YES!" It was heard from the other side of the door followed by cheering.
"What in the…?!" Astrid questioned while Hiccup just groaned.
Three years and 1 month ago
A cab pulled up in front of a rather rundown bar that was being renovated. Hiccup got out of the yellow cab and got his suitcase from the driver who helped him get it out of the trunk while A portly blonde man exited from the other side.
"Fish, is this it?" Hiccup asked as he looked at the dilapidated building with some skepticism.
"This is the address the twins gave us," Fishlegs answered as he came to stand next to Hiccup.
"I know we need an initial base of operations but a pub called 'The Toenail'? Really?!"
"This is Berk, Hiccup. It's like Florida on steroids." The other answered with a shrug. "You gotta put more faith in the twins. They're the family's best Cleaners,"
"I've always done my own housekeeping Fish, you know that." Hiccup shot the other a knowing look before heading inside with his luggage dragging behind him.
The interior of the pub surprised Hiccup. His brows raised upon seeing both of the twins near the jukebox holding a mug of mead or probably beer. Their eyes locked and upon spotting him and Fish, Tuffnut exclaimed a welcome and walked towards the duo. 'Henry The Hiccup, what an honor. The big boss himself popped in."
"Just Henry or Hiccup is fine," The other coughed awkwardly.
"Hiccup it is!" Tuffnut clapped him on the shoulder. "Say you haven't met my sis yet have you?" Tuffnut asked while gesturing to a blonde with two braids hanging over her back. "Hiccup, Ruffnut, Ruffnut, Hiccup,"
"Charmed," Ruffnut answered as she looked Hiccup up and down. "So you're our new boss?"
"Seems that way," Hiccup nervously laughed.
"And who is this hunk beside you," Ruffnut then asked as she batted her eyes at Fishlegs.
"This is Fishlegs," Hiccup introduced. "He's a friend of mine that I've chosen to be my consigliere,"
"Well hello handsome," Ruffnut uttered.
"Hiccup she scares me!" Fishlegs urgently whispered at his friend.
"Will ya two stop lollygagging and help me move tha mead?! We open in two hours and the bar isn't even wiped down yet!" A voice sporting a distinct Scottish accent disrupted both parties. Hiccup looked to his left to see a woman, probably no older than himself dragging in a crate. She had big bushy red hair and she was glaring at the twins.
"So this is Merida," Tuffnut introduced. "It's technically her pub but we're like… ya know, silent investors."
"Merida, this is Hiccup. He's the one technically funding us,"
The woman, Merida, looked Hiccup up and down before uttering "I'd thought you'd be a buffer. Ya look like a midsummer's breeze could tip ya over lad."
Hiccup, while blushing slightly out of embarrassment, simply replied "I'm working on it!"
"Anywho," Tuffnut interrupted while his sister was refilling her drink from the tab. "Merida's pub hasn't been doing so well since her father passed and gangs have been vandalizing the place,"
"That bunch of crooks want me to open mah backroom for them ta deal drugs." Merida uttered with great disdain. "They won't stop hassling me 'till I do and my ma and me… we're now on our own,"
"We're crooks too ya know," Hiccup told her as a matter of fact.
"Oh, I know but at least ya ain't no drug dealers. This place used to be a Speakeasy in my grandfather's day. He taught me to tell the good from the bad seeds. Ya won't try to peddle any merchandise to kids," Merida's eyes narrowed. "I've seen a lotta my classmates' futures go down the drain from all the smack these gangs been peddling. The ones who can't pay with cash they make pay with their bodies,"
"That's… disgusting," Hiccup's face mirrored his statement.
"Aye lad," Merida said while she handed Hiccup a tankard of ale or mead… he couldn't be sure. Merida held up her tankard. "Here's to a fruitful partnership, I'll even let ya rename tha pub if ya beat me in a drinking contest,"
