Chapter 10

"Heather, do you think now is the right time?!" Astrid asked worriedly one Saturday morning as she put on some lipstick in front of her bathroom mirror. She looked to her right to see Heather leaning against her doorway while dressed in her blues. Astrid herself was wearing a sky-blue sundress that came just over her knee and was sleeveless. She'd chosen this particular dress because for once the weather report from Berk Channel 3 News actually stated that it would not be chilly outside.

"You've asked me this five times already," Heather just rolled her eyes at her friend. "What has it been? Three weeks?"

"A bit over four," Astrid corrected.

"Right, just over four weeks that you've been dating Hiccup. And much to my surprise... Oh don't give me that look," She added "He's been good for you. He's made you laugh and you've got a spring in your step even with all the other crap that's been happening over the weeks,"

Astrid grimaced at that comment. Yeah, the last few weeks hadn't been all that stellar. Her landlord had hiked the rent, she still hadn't found an extra job and her manager at the store was breathing down her neck for some reason.... Oh yeah, and her physics teacher still had his eyes on her. "That is beside the point," she replied. "Today is a big day." She turned and did a twirl for her friend. "Hiccup's finally meeting Damian today and well... you know kids. They don't always take to change well."

"And I'll be there glowering in the background if he tries anything," Heather reminded.

"Heather!"

"What? I have time to glower. My shift doesn't start for another two hours." she shot back with a smirk.

"My best friend's a cop and I'm dating an alleged Mafia boss... what's the worst that could happen?" Astrid nervously chuckled.

"MOOOOOOOOOOM!!! The doorbell is ringing!" Damian shouted from the living room slash kitchen area.

"Oh shoot, that's Hiccup! I'm late!" Astrid said as she bolted out of her bedroom with bare feet. Heather just rolled her eyes and bent down to pick something up.

Damian was sitting on the rug in front of the TV munching on some chips in a small bowl while his mother ran past to open the door. The boy looked over his shoulder for a moment to see his mommy talking amicably to someone before turning back to his show. He was watching Pokemon when mommy called for him. "Damian I want you to meet someone," mommy said a bit nervously. The boy looked upwards to see his mommy crouching a bit along with a skinny man next to her. "This is Hiccup,"

"Hi," Damian said before turning back to the TV just in time to see a Farfetch smack the Psyduck with its leek thingy.

"Damian!" Astrid uttered, taken aback by the quick 'Hi' and subsequent dismissal. "What did I tell you about greeting people properly?"

"Astrid it's no big deal," Hiccup laughed and then winked at her. "The boy is just engrossed in his Pokemon,"

Damian looked at the skinny man when he mentioned the show. "You know Pokemon?"

"Sure do," Hiccup answered as Astrid just raised a brow looking between the two.

"What's your favorite?" Damian then asked "And don't say Pikachu. Everyone loves Pikachu,"

"Well I like Jigglypuff," Hiccup answered. "That one's a little spitfire, getting mad when everyone falls asleep when she sings,"

"Mommy can sing too but no one falls asleep. I just cover my ears," Damian stated frankly.

"Damian! My singing isn't that bad!" His mother admonished.

"Oh out of the mouth of babes," Hiccup just laughed.

"Not you too!" Astrid elbowed Hiccup, who just laughed.

Damian looked from mommy to the skinny man and back. Mommy seemed happy. "Mister Hiccup," Damian said as he drew their attention again. "If you hurt mommy I'll shove macaroni up your nose,"

"Thor help me," Astrid groaned while Hiccup just laughed. He patted Damian on the head, ruffling his hair a bit, and assured him that he wasn't going to hurt his mommy,"

"Oh that's just rich," Heather laughed as she made her presence known. "Astrid aren't you forgetting something?"

"Huh," Astrid questioned and then she saw the black flats in Heather's hand. "Oh my God my shoes!" She walked over and grabbed them out of Heather's grasp who just chuckled before looking in Hiccup's direction.

"So you're Hiccup," she said as she stalked forward like a hyena.

"And you're the one who clued Astrid in," Hiccup stated while not backing down.

"I swear if you guys start a fight in my living room..."

"Relax Astrid," Heather said as she looked Hiccup up and down. "You're skinnier than I imagined."

"He's more muscular than you'd think," Astrid uttered upon hearing Heather's comment. Both Heather and Hiccup looked at her and then when she realized what she'd said, began to blush. Hiccup was blushing too and rubbing the back of his neck due to nerves.

"So Heather, right?" Hiccup asked as he extended his hand which Heather took and shook. "Astrid told me a lot about you,"

"All good things I hope,"

"Of course," Hiccup answered. What followed was silence... very awkward silence.

"Soooooo....." Astrid asked while chuckling nervously.

"Oh right," Hiccup suddenly uttered. "Since you've introduced me to your best friend I should introduce you to mine. He's actually waiting in the hall,"

"Wait what?" She questioned but Hiccup was already walking to the door and sticking his head out to call someone. A portly blond came into view and waved awkwardly.

"Astrid, Heather, this is Fishlegs. I've known him since kindergarten when he sat on me,"

"HICCUP!" Fishlegs uttered aghast.

"What? It's true,"

"Nice to meet you Fishlegs," Astrid gave him a handshake and so did Heather. She figured this Fishlegs person had to be quite high up in Hiccup's organization to be so chummy with him. At the pub she'd only been briefly introduced to the three men that had been cheering outside the door. Hiccup had promptly dismissed them afterwards and they hadn't objected.

"Oh Hi," Astrid heard Heather awkwardly giggle. She looked between her friend and Fishlegs and her eyes narrowed. 'Was her brain deceiving her or was Heather blushing,'. Hiccup noticed it too but said nothing as well.

"Fishlegs normally accompanies me almost everywhere," Hiccup started to elaborate...

"That's because you have a tendency to go off schedule." Fishlegs sighed and gave Hiccup a look. "Since you'll be spending the morning with Miss Hofferson, perhaps I could accompany Miss Heather?" he asked.

"Unfortunately I need to work today but I'm free tomorrow," Heather replied.

"May I have your number?" Fishlegs boldly requested.

"You may," Heather giggled as the two walked out of Astrid's apartment and towards hers across the hall.

"Hiccup, what did I just witness?"

"I do believe we just did an accidental matchmaking," Hiccup voiced while watching the retreating pair with a raised brow.

"Fishlegs isn't just your close friend is he?" she asked while looking at him.

"He's not... directly affiliated," Hiccup confessed "But he does manage the books. It's why we call him The Accountant. If I'm not available then he'd help you with anything you may need,"

"Heather probably already suspects the same thing you know," she pointed out.

"I know but still, she hasn't ratted our relationship out to her boss by now. That speaks enough of where her priorities lie,"

"How do you even know that?!" Astrid questioned but then said when Hiccup lifted a brow "No, wait... I don't want to know. Just know that if your friend hurts mine I will unleash something worse than Ragnarok upon him,"

"Noted,"

"Damian, grab your backpack. We're heading out,"

"Mom, five more minutes!!"

"You have five seconds mister," Astrid warned. "That is unless you don't want to go on the picnic,"

"I wanna goooo!" Damian shouted which caused Hiccup to laugh.

"His show is almost over. Perhaps let him finish it and then we can head out,"

"PLEASEEEE MOM! FIVE MORE MINUTES!" Damian begged as he looked at her with those big eyes and pleading expression.

"Fine, fine, finish your show." She uttered before turning back to Hiccup. "You are lucky you're cute,"

"Oh, I'm cute are I?" He smirked and then placed his arm along her waist.

"So I have a little surprise for you after the picnic," Hiccup mentioned. "You don't have any shifts today right?"

"No, I took the day off though my manager wasn't happy,"

"You're allowed PTO." Hiccup raised his brow.

"It's complicated,"

"Astrid, even I give my guys time off to be with their families or to destress. Why would your manager not be okay with it?"

"She's had it out for me since three weeks ago after she learned I was looking for additional jobs. She walked passed me in the lunch room and saw me scrolling on Indeed," Astrid sighed. "Apparently she thinks her subordinates should be at her beck and call,"

"That's nuts," Hiccup commented.

"Tell me about it. She already has it out for one of my other colleagues, Jess, and no one knows why." she mentioned. "Honestly, the job was great until she was sent to replace our previous manager that retired. We've even nicknamed her Trunchbull due to how she runs the store,"

"Want me to help you out?" Hiccup asked. "I could make the problem disappear,"

"It's fine Hiccup, really," She quickly said. "I should be able to handle my own problems,"

"Okay but the offer still stands if you need any help. That's what boyfriends to right? They help,"

Yeah," Astrid said with a smile.

"Mommy I'm done," Damian's voice was heard and she felt a tug at her dress hem. "I'm hungry now!"

"I've got the car waiting," Hiccup said with a smile as the trio walked out of Astrid's apartment.

"Food!!" Damian happily exclaimed as if he hadn't eaten a whole bag of chips while watching TV.

Unbeknownst to them a pair of narrowed eyes watched the happy couple through one of the security cameras.

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AN: And we are all caught up with Hiccup and Astrid's pasts.... for now. (Sips wine), hence why there is no flashback in this chapter. Things will be getting more interesting no (Somewhere Hiccup and Astrid shiver).