Chapter 18

Hiccup was marching down the corridor with his hands clenched in fists when Ruffnut caught up to him. She managed to grab one of his arms but was out of breath. For a lanky fishbone he sure walked fast. Hiccup turned to her, his eyes still narrowed but they softened once he saw who it was.

"Hiccup where are you going?" Ruffnut asked with worry.

"Don't know," Hiccup grumbled as he averted his eyes. "Just somewhere else."

"Then you can come to my room!" Ruffnut insisted as she started tugging Hiccup's arm in the direction of the living quarters. He didn't protest as she dragged him along and once she closed the door to the apartment she and Tuffnut shared he asked a question she hadn't thought about. "Why is there a chicken on the couch?"

Said chicken turned its head due to hearing the door close and clucked at Hiccup and Ruffnut. "My idiot brother decided to rescue it from becoming dinner yesterday." Ruffnut sighed.

"So she's Tuff's pet now?" Hiccup asked.

"I guess," she shrugged. "I'd still like her better fried or nicely oven roasted."

The chicken actually clucked indignantly before ruffling its feathers and walking off the couch. Hiccup didn't know if it was a chicken-thing or if the chicken understood Ruffnut.

"Sit anywhere you want," Ruffnut said as she started rummaging around. Hiccup took a seat on the couch and Ruffnut came back with a mug of purple liquid. Hiccup stared at it for a moment, sniffed it, took a sip and then his eyebrows shot up. "This is alcohol!"

"Of course it is," Ruffnut shrugged as she took a sip from her own mug. "Figured that after everything that happened you could use some."

"No.... yes..... Wait... how did you even get this stuff?" Hiccup asked as he looked at Ruffnut perplexed. "I thought the Berkians depleted the ale stores, and this doesn't even taste like ale." Hiccup would know. He stared at the liquid and then back at Ruffnut. One day, after a particularly rough journey the Berkians decided to celebrate. Even Gobber had brought out the good stuff.

"The Biodome has grapes. Your girlfriend helped us ferment it." Ruffnut explained. "Those nanites really speed up the process."

"So...... you asked Astrid to make you alcohol in secret?" Hiccup asked just to be sure before turning his head to the ceiling out of habit. "Astrid you supplied the twins with wine?!"

"Yes," Astrid answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Whyyyyyyy!!!!" Hiccup nearly shouted. The last time the twins had tried to make alcohol....... This caused a shudder to run through his body. Let's just say it involved an explosion and Spitelout losing his beard and half his eyebrows. His uncle was still sour about the beard not growing back.

"The making of alcohol is not illegal in Arcadia." Astrid chirped. "I am also monitoring the twins to make sure it was handled responsibly. Besides I was curious."

Hiccup let out a sigh and then proceeded to down the rest of the wine in three gulps. Once he was done he set the mug on the table and leaned back. The burn in his throat was a pleasant distraction. "You feeling better?" Ruffnut asked after a minute or two.

"I guess," Hiccup said. "Do you think that I overreacted?"

"To the apology? No." Ruffnut stated and then sighed. "To tell you the truth, the gang hasn't apologized to you either. How can you even stand to be around us?"

"You guys aren't so bad........" Hiccup mumbled. "And I can't blame Snotlout now because I overheard him and his dad arguing."

"You heard that?" Ruffnut asked surprised.

"Yeah......" Hiccup mumbled. "You knew?"

"I might have overheard them arguing once or twice as well," Ruffnut admitted. "Spitelout isn't as subtle as he thinks. But enough of that. Do you think you'll ever forgive the Chief?"

"I honestly don't know." Hiccup sighed. "Part of me wants to forgive him, I actually want my dad in my life. Another part of me is screaming that he doesn't deserve forgiveness. When he started apologizing it actually filled me with some hope."

"I know it's not my business but from what I saw, Stoick looked genuinely sorry. He might not be too good with words." Ruffnut stated. "You didn't see his face after you left. It looked heartbroken."

"Do you think I should talk to him?"

"Oh heck no!" Ruffnut said and leaned forward slightly causing Hiccup to startle. "The Chief might not be good with words but it's still his apology to make. Let him crawl back to you." She huffed. "Honestly, if Tuffnut did half the things your dad did then I'd have him dangling naked by his ankles over a swamp!"

"That is not an image I wanted to picture." Hiccup coughed.

"Neither did I," Astrid said through the device. Hiccup arranged his thoughts for a moment and then came up with a wicked idea. He might let it slip to the Hoffersons that Stoick knew nothing about tea either. Let the man sit through a few hours of that lecture. A grin spread on his face and Ruffnut who was sitting near him poked his cheek. "What are you plotting? I know that evil grin. What the hell are you plotting and why aren't you including me!"

"Oh nothing," Hiccup laughed as the wine was starting to take effect. "So tell me, anything happening in your life with the exception of you colluding with Astrid to make wine?"

Ruffnut's cheeks suddenly turned pink and she tried to hide it from Hiccup. "Nothing much......." She mumbled.

"Really?" Hiccup prodded and then looked at her with angelic green eyes.

"Ugggghhhh! You're a devil in disguise aren't you!" Ruffnut commented as she couldn't resist those innocent inquiring eyes. "Fine if you must know, I somehow ended up in a love triangle!"

Hiccup looked at her, not at all surprised and then Ruffnut punched him hard in the shoulder when she figured it out. "You knew didn't you!"

"OUCH!" Hiccup shouted as he rubbed his arm. "I may have encouraged Fish a bit." He admitted nervously.

"So you are the reason I'm in this dilemma!" Ruffnut groaned. "I didn't even know what to say!"

"You didn't say anything?"

"I just stood there with an open mouth while I was getting confessed to!" Ruffnut muttered as she hit her head with one of the couch pillows. "What am I going to do?!"

"Uhm.... you could let Fish down gently if you aren't interested." Hiccup said. "I mean, it might be sad but if it wasn't meant to be........."

"That's not what I meant!" Ruffnut grabbed the front of Hiccup's clothes and shook him. "I like both! You hear me! I LIKE BOTH!"

As Hiccup was getting his brains shook out he thought 'Just what the hell did I get myself into.'

Hiccup made his way back to his and Fishlegs' apartment, albeit somewhat more buzzed. In the end, Ruffnut and he had finished an entire bottle of wine as they tried to figure their problems out.

When Hiccup entered the room he noticed that Fish wasn't anywhere in sight. He let out a yawn as the alcohol was making him a bit drowsy. He quickly got out of his clothes for the day and settled under the covers of his bed.

He was drifting off and smiled as he remembered the upcoming date he and Astrid were about to have.

"Hiccup...... Hiccup....." He cracked open an eye as someone was poking his cheek. "Hiccy........."

"Did you just call me Hiccy?" Hiccup laughed as he opened his eyes and came face to face with Astrid who was back to wearing a leather outfit. Though this one was a two piece. A black leather halter top with lace sleeves and tight leather pants. Hiccup gulped as he looked at the beautiful woman who was leaning over him.

"Why hello M'lady," Hiccup decided to be a bit bold as he sat up and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh aren't you just a charmer." Astrid giggled. "Are you ready for our date?"

"Of course," Hiccup smiled as a door appeared in the white room. He offered Astrid his arm as they walked towards the door. "So what do you have in store this time?"

"Why don't you find out?" Astrid winked as she gestured to the door. Hiccup opened the door for her and when he stepped through after her he gasped at the sight. "OH MY THOR!"

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AN: (Sitting on a set of lawn chairs with Thearizona drinking cocktails)

Zona: "Hey there is something stuck on your horns."

Vala: (Grabs the envelope that one of the horns had pierced and opens it up) "Oh it's a question from Crystal_Hearted."

Zona: "Well what does it say?"

Vala: "They are asking 'What is it with you and "devil horns", seriously!'"

Zona: "Pffffftttttt"

Vala: "I can't believe you're laughing at that!"

Zona: "Well you do seem to favor the horns a lot."

Vala: "Because they are practical!"

Zona: "Soooooo.........?"

Vala: "Hold on" (Replaces demon horns with angelic halo)

Zona: "I still don't get it."

Vala: (Shows Zona the rest of the script for A.I. while wearing the halo)

Zona: (reads plot, looks at angelic Vala, reads plot again) "Okay this isn't working." (Replaces halo with devil horns again) "Much better."

Vala: "See what I mean?"

Zona: "I'm sorry, but you don't deserve to be within 50 miles of an angelic halo..... So I'm assuming the readers will riot when this gets out."

Vala: "Of course."

Zona: "You aren't going to tell them what's coming up are you?"

Vala: "Heck no!" (inserts demonic laugh here) "Where would my fun go then?"

Zona: "So true." (rubs hands devilishly)

Vala: "They'll just have to find out next Monday." (Winks at readers)