—a s t r i d

My mental constipation ended when the bell rang and the frustrated hooligans came dashing out the door. School ended, what a great time to be alive.

I was indeed pushing my luck when I ran out the school barricades to avoid a certain someone when, unsurprisingly, he swoops in to jerk my arm back. Hiccup Haddock saves the day, hooray. (Note sarcasm again, times two.)

"Leave me alone."

"You promised to tell me what's wrong. I refuse to leave until you tell me why you're ignoring me," he raised his eyebrows.

"I didn't promise, darn, Thor have mercy on my soul," I almost belched out a Norse prayer. "My parents are waiting for me, it's late —"

"No, cut the crap, just tell me why —"

A perfectly nice school bag gets smashed across his face. "Why am I always getting either horribly punched or horribly, horribly punched by you?" He groaned.

"Hey, stop stepping boundaries, if I say no, I meant it." I put my hands on my hips.

"Ugh," he exclaimed again, "I'll just fetch you a ride home, I'm sorry."

"I don't trust strangers."

"That stung more than I expected it to."

I rolled my eyes so hard I could see the Andromeda winking at me. "Fine, just make sure to not get me kidnapped, or I'll get you kidnapped too."

"How even —"

"Just shut up, Haddock."

And just like the good, punctual kids we were, Hiccup fetched me a ride.

On a bus.

Heh, thought it would be some sweet motorcycle? Aw Hel, naw.

When we arrived home, courtesy of Hiccup's pocket money and a school bag bruise to the face, I met my mom at the gate's entryway, her smile beaming. She welcomed her usual grin at me, then saw familiar company. She eyed Hiccup down, leaving his face annoyingly slow, as if trying to decipher if she somehow knew him from the distant past.

All my suspicions died down when she started, "Never thought you'd be the type to get a boyfriend on the first week, dear."

"Don't even start, mom, it gets pretty cliché." I turned back to Hiccup, finally feeling the embarrassment enter my system. "Hey... thanks. I'm home. I mean —! Of course I'm home, you brought me here. No scratch that — I meant —" I sighed. "Thanks," I muttered, finally. "You brought me home safe."

Hiccup just smiled, a familiar radiance glowing around him.

"It's rude to let your guest wait outside, honey, let him in." Mom called out.

"Mom, he's not a guest —"

"Brown-haired dear, I hope you don't mind cold pizza for dinner." She said, cold as steel, I could hear her grin.

I turned to Hiccup, trying to calm my fray nerves down. "Fine, you get to come in. Happy?"

He indeed looked very happy.

—

He sat on the couch, looking a tad bit too serious.

"So... am I finally going to know why you were avoiding me?" His eyes glinted near sorrow, as if he'd been showing that expression his whole life. I wanted to swerve out again, lie, maybe tell me a thing or two, but he looked almost too defeated, I felt bad not telling the truth.

"I've been thinking..." I started. "This whole... thing. This 'you and me' fiasco. It's not everyday some antisocial kid suddenly gets attention from who seemed to be the most popular dude around. I don't like being bullied, Hiccup. I had enough of that."

He gaped, shocked, then there was a slow realization, a slow connection of words and phrases spilling over rough edges. He slowly understands. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking —"

"To think of it, there was only this childhood friend I had back in Berk. I can't remember his name, but it's been a long time. He was some sort of hero to me."

—

—h i c c up

"Hero..."

When I was four, Berk felt a little too big. I had big dreams, and an awful complex surrounding me at such a young age. My older cousins let me read their hero comic books, and though I understood nothing save for the sudden bursts of action on various panels, I dreamed of being a protector.

I didn't exactly understand why the angelic next door neighbor moved away, but I remember her being bullied, and I was the only one who stood up for her.

Hero complex at four years old, I'm kind of glad it never escalated to a lifetime sentence of narcissism. 

That's when I saw it. Her all-too familiar eyes. So, very blue. So, very hopeful. So, very wise.

I remember falling for those eyes. A stupid puppy love blooming at age four, and I was a complete goner.

"Hiccup..."

"Yes. Yes, I remember, Astie. Welcome back home."

—

Note: I cut a few parts! I cringed at the motorcycle stuff written prior to editing, they were fourteen! Man, 2014 me was absolutely wilding. My bad, guys! I hope the changes make the plotline a bit bearable now.

Old Author's Notes:

I came back from a hiatus. /covers my face in embarrassment/

How has everyone been so far? Is the revision okay?

And I had exams, please don't cut me \(».«\)

This chapter is pretty long, estimated 1300 words so I'm pretty proud for updating this xD

Yes, yes, thank me, my people. (joking aside, lmao.)

And also! I changed my name from TheCoolestAstrid to aegyosthetic. I still care for HTTYD, okay? I just happened to change fandoms.

And yes, my username is a mashup between aegyo and aesthetic. Pretty neat, huh? ||Fun fact: 애교 (aegyo) means 'an act of cuteness'.

--TheCoolestAstrid [aegyosthetic] 2015, xx

-■°○Author's Note○°■-

Cliffhanger!

Sorry,I'll update the next chapter today! :D

What happened to Hiccup?

And what is the flashback Astrid got while ago?

Stay tuned! ;)

~TheCoolestAstrid

BRB after I train mah dragon!  :)