Part 5: Confrontation

"Who are you?!" Astrid's mother demanded to know once more as she stopped just in front of him.

"Just a guy standing in public next to a very rude woman," Hiccup responded. Which was the truth though apparently, the older woman didn't like that answer.

"Excuse me?!" She uttered looking very offended.

"You're excused," Hiccup quipped back as he proceeded to walk away to the parking lot. He didn't see the woman's reaction but Astrid's mother just gaped at his retreating back while her silent husband even cracked a small smile. Hiccup made it to his parked car in record time as he didn't want to linger for long especially if the woman decided to track him down.

When Hiccup got back to the penthouse he grabbed one of the carry-on suitcases from a closet and then took out the list of the stuff Astrid needed. "Let's see... pajamas, a robe, hairbrush," He mumbled as he read what Astrid had written down. "U..Underwear!!" Hiccup's brows rose and he blushed. "Oh Thor," He looked back at the list to see that Astrid had left a little note next to the underwear. 'So help me Thor if you bring the penguin ones. I will emulsify you,'

"Duly noted," he responded aloud to himself. The other things on the list were mainly toiletries, her phone charger, and a change of clothing for when she'd be discharged.

When Hiccup made it back to the hospital he was quickly let through as he was only dropping off Astrid's personal items. "Hi," Hiccup said after knocking on the door to Astrid's room. "I got your stuff and I bought a Sudoku for you as well,"

"Oh Thank Thor. I'm stuck watching Larry King," Astrid muttered while motioning to the TV on the wall in her room. "Did you know the nurses forbade me from watching Golden Girls," Astrid tried to pout but with half her face bandaged it didn't work so well. "They said I shouldn't laugh so much with my face and all this way."

"You need rest either way," Hiccup stated as he put the carry-on down near her bed. "Anything else you need?"

"Just to charge my phone so I can call Heather," Astrid answered. "I was going to charge it at work but well....," She made a hand motion to the current situation. "Oh Hiccup, you're going to love her," Astrid told him. Hiccup just nodded at that. He hadn't met any of Astrid's friends yet so he'd take it as it came he guessed.

The following day, Hiccup was, as promised, at the hospital to visit Astrid. However, he never thought he'd meet one of Snotlout's friends sitting in Astrid's room. "The Guacamole lady?" Hiccup questioned upon noticing Heather.

"The what now?!" Astrid, still somewhat high on morphine today as well questioned as she looked from Heather to Hiccup and back.

"Oh my god, you were at the party?!" Heather's cheeks turned red. "I can't believe someone remembers that."

"Okay, can one of you guys fill me in here?" Astrid questioned while suppressing a wince.

"I think it was after you left," Heather muttered. "Dagur was hoarding my homemade guacamole and he and I got into it. We were fighting over the bowl when he let go and the contents hit me in the face." Heather could only sigh. "I swear my brother did not grow up,"

"What she left out was that afterward, she scooped up a lot of the guac and slapped it on Dagur's face," Hiccup added.

"Oh gods..." Heather sighed while Astrid brought her knuckle up to her mouth and was biting on it to stop herself from laughing.

"Now I'd wish I'd stayed for that," She said as Heather shot her a glare.

"So you two know each other?" Astrid asked while brushing off the glare she had been privy to for years.

"Nope," Hiccup said while at the same time Heather answered with a "Not at all,"

"I think you won the clinic across from my cousin's flower shop," Hiccup mentioned.

"Short, muscled, and weird pick-up lines?" Heather questioned.

"You know, that describes Snotlout to a T," Hiccup responded.

"Hiccup Haddock," he introduced himself with a handshake.

"Heather Ingerman," She grasped the offered hand and smiled. "If you need any blackmail on your cousin I have a video of him singing Johnny Be Good to a bouquet of daisies."

"Oh goody," Hiccup perked up at that.

"Oh gods. What have I done letting you two meet," Astrid groaned. She hadn't even met this cousin yet and was already feeling sorry for the guy.

When Astrid was finally discharged Hiccup went to pick her up at the hospital. As Astrid, still bandaged up, walked into the apartment she proceeded to drop her handbag on the coffee table and flop on the very cozy couch. "I missed this," She groaned. "Hospital beds are uncomfortable,"

"You know, I can't believe that went so smoothly," Hiccup commented as he took his loafers off. "Considering the run-in I had with your parents I'd figured they'd put up more of a stink but I've not heard a word from them."

"What run-in? You never said anything about a run-in," Astrid sat up. "What did my mother do now,"

"Eh... nothing much. I just brushed her off," Hiccup shrugged. "Don't hate me for saying this but she seemed a bit... uppity to me,"

"You... brushed off.... My mother....," Astrid stared at Hiccup with incredulity. "Wow, I think you just made my day."

"And to the matter of why they weren't there is because Heather rained fire and brimstone on them... figuratively speaking of course," She explained. "They came by after you left to go back to work. Heather was still there and they, well... my mother, very rudely demanded that I move back home with them until this 'fiasco' with Eret is solved. I think she still had it in her head that I would or should forgive him,"

Hiccup frowned as he sat down and gave his roommate a 'what-the-hell' look.

Astrid sighed but said "You might as well know. I grew up in a very Traditionalist household." She explained. "Both my mother and father are soulmates and met when they were in High school, I believe. The Traditionalist values are dying out in this day and age but back then when they met they were raised on them, and thus raised their kids on them as well. Neither my sister nor I were allowed to date. If they weren't our soulmates we were forbidden from getting romantically involved with them. Mother, especially was adamant about that, saying that we would sully ourselves if we slept with anyone other than our soulmate." Astrid sighed as she grabbed a pillow and fluffed it up.

"I think that's mainly why my sister was so adamant about finding her soulmate. We were actually forbidden from having dates to the Proms because of that stupid rule. I ended up just taking Heather," Astrid shrugged. "I never really got my parents' view and argued more times than not. Mother practically fainted when I told her that I wasn't and wouldn't be actively looking for my other half at age 16."

"Oh, right... I forgot that at 16 you can legally publicize your mark." Hiccup mumbled. The newspaper classifieds were always full of emblems with a contact number but lately, they have been appearing on online databases as well.

"I'm of the opinion that the whole soul mark thing is blown out of proportion. Sure the same mark might brand two people but that might just mean that they are very compatible." Astrid stated as she leaned back. "There's still the whole relationship to work on. I mean, what's good about being soulmates if you don't put in the work to understand your partner."

Hiccup nodded, "I can see where you're coming from. My parents have different marks but they work great together and love each other. Even if their soulmates were to show up at the door I don't think they would split up. They each are too emotionally invested in their relationship."

"That's exactly what I mean. There are thousands if not millions of people who don't end up finding their soulmate yet they still get married and have families. But that option was something my mother would never hear of. She always called them 'pitiful creatures' for missing out on completion." She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, I am so done with my mother's fanaticism."

"Well then I know not to mention around her than I'm Markless," Hiccup joked but Astrid had a grim expression on her face.

"I think that... might be a good idea," She softly said.

"Let me guess, she thinks the Markless are heathens? Never to enjoy love?" Hiccup raised a brow. When Astrid grimly nodded he sighed.

"Well, it's not like I haven't heard that before." Hiccup then shrugged. "There are even people that claim that the Markless must have done something horrific in their past lives so the next one they will never find love."

"I have nothing against you, just so you know," Astrid stated. "The people who said those things are idiots."

"Thanks, but not a lot of people think as you do," Hiccup sighed. "There's a reason I don't really date anymore even though my mother keeps throwing eligible ladies... and men my way. She even got Snotlout involved now," Hiccup laughed.

"That cousin you mentioned?" Astrid raised a brow.

"Yeah, it's a wonder you guys haven't met yet. He usually raids my fridge on weekends." Hiccup stated and was glad that Astrid didn't ask further about his non-existent social life.

"Speaking of raiding the fridge, why don't I cook dinner tonight," Hiccup said as he stood up.

"I can cook," Astrid said.

"No no, you sit. You need your pain meds soon too. I'll cook. Seriously, I'll cook," Hiccup hurried to the kitchen after saying that leaving Astrid no room to argue more.

"Then I'll make breakfast tomorrow," Astrid stated. "I've been meaning to try out a new recipe."

"Is it edible?" Hiccup muttered from the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. Can you speak up?" She asked after not having caught that sentence.

"I said, that would be incredible!" he quickly corrected himself while he set a pot of water on the stove for some pasta. Thor, Loki, and any of the Norse gods out there; help him come lunch tomorrow he prayed.