TWENTY:

After a lovely meal and a surprisingly fun evening being bankrupted at Monopoly by the ruthless Hofferson women, Hiccup had gone home to an interrogation by Stoick and Gobber who had demanded a blow-by-blow account of his evening. The nudges and winks this had provoked had almost caused terminal embarrassment but the time with Astrid-and the soft kiss she had given him when he had left her to return home had been worth it.

They had texted over the weekend as Hiccup had wrestled with work from the period he had been off and Astrid had found herself helping him and feeling all the better for the knowledge that even the smartest student in the class needed help sometimes. In return, Hiccup had nudged her in the correct direction to complete her Math homework successfully and the pair had found themselves looking forward to the coming week. Heather had spent the weekend away with Dagur visiting some distant relative and the twins had been busy with some project that Tuff was being surprisingly secret about-though Hiccup assured Astrid that this happened about once or twice a semester.

Suddenly it was Monday again and Finn had collected Hiccup from home and given him a lift to school alone with Astrid. Still unable to drive after his concussion, the chance to come in with Astrid had been an unexpected pleasure that he had treasured-until they had arrived at the school door and caught sight of a shape that had Hiccup's stomach congeal in worry. For in the middle of the hallway, holding court despite his leg in plaster and crutches, was Snotlout. There was the faded remains of a graze on his cheek but apart from that-and the full length plaster that enswathed his right leg-he looked completely unconcerned. Thuggory and Eret were standing by him, laughing and joking and a small crowd of younger students were surrounding them, hanging onto his brash words, as if the lies and unfounded accusations never happened. And then Snotlout looked up and saw his cousin.

"You!" he spat as his friends and the younger students turned to face the auburn-haired student. "Why are you still here, Useless? After everything you did?" Hiccup's eyes widened but he had Astrid at his side as well as the truth and he pulled his shoulders back as he stared at his cousin.

"Still not really friends with the truth, are you?" Hiccup asked him pointedly. "What I did? You pushed me down the stairs. You could have killed me! And you ended up injured because I tried to grab anything to stop my fall-and you, as the person who pushed me, was closest. You ended up injured because of your own vicious attack on me!"

"Hogswash!" Snotlout sneered. "You're just so jealous and..."

"You do know there is a video of the whole incident?" Hiccup asked him. "That everyone in the school has seen and that proves you're lying. It shows exactly what's happened!"

"So maybe you should stop recycling that same weak line about being poor Snotlout and face up to what you did," Astrid added.

"In fact, I'm shocked you're here and not suspended or expelled," Hiccup added, frowning. "You attacked me, remember? Twice. So why aren't you being punished, Snot?"

"Hey-give the guy a break!" Thuggory protested. "He's been hurt."

"He's lost his career," Hiccup pointed out. "He'll never play again. Ever. So...he's not a jock any more. He's as much a jock as I am. No football. No scholarship." Eret frowned.

"Snot?" he asked guardedly as the stocky teen rolled his eyes.

"It's Hiccup being a jealous nobody," he said brashly. "I mean, how could I lose my career? I've had operations and I'm just healing. I'll be back in no time..."

"I believe an anterior and posterior cruciate rupture is a good six months if it's uncomplicated...and yours wasn't..." Hiccup pointed out, watching his cousin start to sweat. "Not to mention the fracture-dislocation of your ankle as well..." Astrid rested a hand on his arm and nodded.

"Of course, being the good friends you are, I'm sure you'll be a great support to Snotlout during his rehabilitation-not to mention all the work he needs to catch up on if he's to have any chance of getting his diploma..." she added pointedly, watching the two dark-haired jocks share a look. She had picked up on Hiccup's point: that Snotlout's 'friends' were as superficial and self-centred as the stocky young man himself. She was well aware of the way they had dumped Hiccup after his accident and part of her was wondering whether they would treat their leader Snotlout in the same heartless way. Snotlout gave a false laugh.

"Guys-why are you listening to Hiccup? He's always been jealous of me-what with me being awesome and handsome and the best Footballer and..."

"You are out for the season and not getting a scholarship," Eret murmured thoughtfully. "Not going to be helping us train..." Thuggory nodded.

"And shorty was never much good at doing anything for anyone but himself," he commented.

"But guys-I've had your backs against everything," Snotlout protested.

"If you can keep up, hop along!" Eret sneered.

"Atali will back me up, you miserable nobody!" Snotlout retorted.

"Except she's suspended for two weeks-and Mindy..." Thuggory snapped. "And she got herself suspended for supporting what you said against Hiccup about your fall!"

"He deliberately grabbed me!" Snotlout shouted.

"After you pushed him down a flight of stairs in front of everyone!" Eret sneered. "No one believes you any more!"

"Hey-these guys do!" Snotlout protested, appealing to the younger students who had miraculously melted away as they were reminded what had happened. It had been habit to hang around the jocks and admire Snotlout...but not when they recalled how he had attacked another student. "Guys?"

"HA!" Thuggory gloated. "You think anyone will lift a finger to help you? As of now, you're just another student who isn't worth dime one!"

"But..."

"Don't make yourself look more pathetic, shorty," Eret sneered as he slung his bag over his shoulder and stalked away. Seething, Snotlout cast his hate-filled gaze at the shapes of Hiccup and Astrid, watching the confrontation.

"YOU! Useless, I should kick your ass for what you just did..." the stocky young man threatened. Unable to contain himself, Hiccup started chuckling.

"You know, if you try to do that, you'll fall over?" he pointed out as Astrid burst out laughing. The few students hanging around who were in earshot all started laughing as well. Turning red with fury, Snotlout glared at them.

"SHUT UP!" he yelled. "Do you know who I am?"

"Hopalong Jorgensen!" a voice offered as the laughter grew louder.

"Shut up, whoever you are!" Snotlout yelled. Hiccup offered Astrid his hand.

"Shall we leave him to his friends?" he asked as Snotlout turned to glare at them.

"I didn't say you could go!" he snapped.

"Snotlout, you should get moving now-the bell will go in a few minutes and you're not as fast as you used to be..." Astrid suggested reasonably.

"Like I need advice from you..." Snotlout sneered as Hiccup squeezed her hand and the two walked away. Somehow, it had been less horrible than anticipated but as Hiccup heard Snotlout yelling after them, he doubted life would be that simple.

oOo

Thankfully, Snotlout wasn't in any of their lessons, for they were taking AP classes while Snotlout was definitely at the lower end of the educational attainment scale, but Hiccup was still wracked with anxiety and confusion. How was his cousin even here, after blatantly lying and trying to cause such appalling trouble for Hiccup? Where was the justice and penalty for those actions.

He's injured and lost his career, his conscience pointed out.

But those happened when he shoved me down the stairs, which could have broken my neck, he mused. Where is the punishment for his lies, for the bullying and the abuse I suffered? For making me feel so wretched that maybe killing myself would be a relief?

And then he blinked. He had striven not to be 'that guy', not to be as hateful and vicious as his former friends had been...but it was hard, because there was part of Hiccup that really wanted Snotlout to learn a lesson for his actions and his lies. Especially since he had the temerity to repeat them on his return to school, despite the fact they had been comprehensively proven to be untrue.

"You with me, Babe?" Astrid whispered as they entered the last five minutes of Math, the final lesson prior to lunch. He nodded absently. "Because you've been doing that equation for the last ten minutes and you've got six different answers." He blinked, crossed out his work and redid it correctly. Then he sighed.

"Thanks," he murmured as the teacher called time and collected their assignments. Their homework assignment was handed out and they rose as the bell rang, heading for the door. Astrid stared at his face and saw him deeply unhappy.

"It's Snot, isn't it?" she guessed. Absently, he nodded as they headed for the canteen.

"He just has absolutely no insight," he said. "I mean, he's still repeating the same lies when we have video of him shoving me. He could have killed me-and yet he whines about how he was injured as a result of that attack! And what is he even doing in school anyway? His Dad was all for me being suspended or expelled for 'attacking' his son-so why is he still here when he attacked me twice in a week?" His voice was growing more animated and his eyes flashed with anger at the injustice. Sighing, Astrid halted.

"I don't know, Babe," she sighed. "Look-can we grab some lunch...and maybe go and ask Principal Wing? She's the only one who can answer you!" He looked at her and then sagged.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I don't mean to rant..." She stepped forward and rested her hands on his arms, looking up into his troubled eyes.

"Hiccup," she said, silencing him with the gentle word, "you don't have to worry about upsetting me. The truth is-I am furious as well. I want to know what's going on...and why your attack isn't being treated as serious!" He calmed his breathing as she sighed. "And I'm glad you feel strongly enough to speak up-because you normally don't. You endure because you're stubborn and brave and pig-headed and you suffer because you want to be some mythical viking..."

"Which, to be fair, I'm definitely not," he mumbled as she smiled.

"While I am certainly a Valkyrie," she added. "We have publicity shots to prove it. And I will stand by you through this-you know that?" He managed a wan smile, his hands finding hers, the tension easing from his shoulders slightly.

"I am so lucky," he murmured. "You are the absolute best girlfriend ever...and I definitely don't deserve..."

"Hey! Useless! Get your scrawny carcass and Nerdstrid out the way! Injured sportsman coming through!" Snotlout purposely shoved Hiccup sideways as he came past-though there was plenty of room-and he and Astrid stumbled and ended up in a heap on the floor. Laughing, he swung into the canteen, grinning as he pushed his way into the line for food.

"That is IT!" Astrid growled, scrambling up and hauling Hiccup to his feet. "We grab sandwiches and then we go and see the Principal. I want and answer as well!"

So twenty minutes later, trying to ignore Snotlout, who was still holding court to anyone who would listen about how he would be back in no time and running the attack of the Football Team once more, they were sitting outside Principal Wing's office once more. Astrid was furious, having been forced to stand in line for ten minutes and listen to Snotlout's diatribe, grinding her teeth and casting dagger-like stares at the stocky boy and somehow, her anger made Hiccup feel a little more validated. But he was nervous once more because he never seemed to be sitting here for any good reason. And he was positively taut with anxiety as Mala Wing called them in.

Sitting in front of her, the two teens looked over the desk at her elegant shape and she sighed, her cool green eyes reading their faces.

"I should have expected this," she said, her voice calm. "You have met your cousin?"

"Kinda hard to miss him, Ma'am, since he was in the middle of the Hallway, repeating the same old lies," Hiccup said, trying not to sound bitter. "I mean, he and his Dad tried to get me totally thrown out of school and basically destroy my life! For something that Snot knew he did! No one will ever understand how much abuse I got for what he said. The names I was called. How...hopeless I felt. How I felt like maybe dying would be the best. How people were telling me to kill myself-all because of what he and Atali were saying. And yet...he's allowed here, a few days after I had to fight to retain my school career-which I would have lost if Gustav hadn't stepped forward, because I still have memory loss from where HE pushed me down the stairs!" He paused and took a breath.

"So why is he here, Principal Wing?" Astrid asked directly. "Snotlout attacked Hiccup-twice. What he did-and what he asked people to do for him-was awful. But he's here, like nothing happened and as if he's not done anything wrong! But he did-something terribly wrong. So why isn't he being treated like how he wanted Hiccup treated? Why isn't he being punished?"

The Principal inspected her calmly, long enough to allow a flush to rise in her cheeks.

"You think he isn't?" she asked the blonde girl thoughtfully.

"But he's here, boasting and mean and lying and he hasn't learned anything!" Astrid exploded. "He was spouting the same lies to his hangers on as soon as he arrived-and no one was challenging him! He pushed us aside on his way into lunch. He's just acting as if everything is normal!"

"But it isn't," Mala Wing told them calmly. "Simon is well aware that his standard of behaviour and conduct have been unacceptable and that this will be reflected in his references for whatever work or further education he may contemplate after leaving school. He has detention every evening for the remains of the semester. And he has lost his career in the only area of his schooling that he actually excelled in." Hiccup bowed his head, feeling embarrassed but also still angry.

"He's still acting like the ass and bully he always was," he mumbled. Mala sighed, reading the hurt in Hiccup's expression.

"And he hasn't apologised," she added, remaining calm. Guiltily, emerald eyes looked up to meet her calm demeanour. "I cannot make him think he has done wrong when he lacks the insight and honesty even to himself. I cannot make him behave better-though maybe you should consider that perhaps his behaviour is a mask to hide the hurt and distress he feels at the loss of his career. He can claim as much as he wants but the prognosis is very clear: his knee is unlikely to stand up to any professional sport and will be just useable for light exercise like jogging. He will be prone to early arthritis and he will get significant pain from it later in life." She stared at the two students facing her. "I am not betraying a confidence since his father screamed the facts both to my secretary and then to I when he launched a tirade against my imposition of detention. It was only when I explained that I was being very generous in accepting Simon back at all that his bluster evaporated and he accepted my ruling."

Astrid's hand gripped his and she sighed.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "It-it just didn't seem right that he was here, being so cruel to Hiccup again when Hiccup is innocent in all this! And some of the younger ones are still looking up to him and hanging onto his every word..." Mala sighed.

"I am sorry he does not seem to have learned," she said gently. "Please-report any abuse to me and I will remind him that his presence here is on sufferance. But rest assured: he is not getting off scot free and the severity of his offences have not been underestimated." She sighed. "I allowed him back because if I suspended him, it would not be possible for him to catch up and graduate. I am giving him a chance. But only a chance. The rest is up to him." Hiccup rose.

"Thanks, Principal Wing," he said unhappily as she shook her head.

"I would not have expelled or suspended you unless there was incontrovertible proof that you made a premeditated attack on another student, Hiccup," she told him. "And I am sorry that you feel that I have been overly lenient on Simon. I am certain that returning to school will not be easy-especially in light of the extremely cruel nature of his friends. All I ask is that you do not actively try to harm Simon." Hiccup's eyes widened.

"I would never even contemplate that!" he said urgently. "I just want nothing to do with him." Mala Wing smiled.

"Good," she said. "I trust you, Hiccup. You have developed into a fine young man. And you, Astrid, are brave, smart and loyal. I know, between you, you will do the right thing."

oOo

The next morning at break, Hiccup could tell his friends were worried and considering how to broach a subject with him. Fishlegs was eating his fifth bag of potato chips and the twins were quiet and not fighting. Sliding into the seat next to the husky boy, Hiccup inspected his face.

"Something's worrying you guys," he said without preamble. "You know you're my friends. You can tell me anything..." Astrid slid into the seat opposite as the others shared a glance. Finally, Heather sighed.

"We've all received requests for tutoring," she revealed quietly. Hiccup frowned.

"We all offer tutoring...and there's still enough time to make a difference to final grades," he murmured, sensing there was more to come.

"All our requests are from Snotlout," Fishlegs said anxiously,

Astrid stared at Hiccup and saw his shoulders sag. He closed his eyes and took a slow breath.

"What did you say?" he asked tonelessly.

"Wait-no one asked me," Ruff put in suddenly.

"He probably didn't want his hair pink and green," Tuff chuckled. His sister pouted.

"True, though," she conceded.

"No one has accepted his requests," Fishlegs said in a low voice. "He's emailed us six or seven times since he put in the initial request."

"We haven't said anything because we wanted to check with you," Heather explained honestly, her face uncertain. "You are our friend and we all know what happened. We know what he did, what he said and how he tried to steal your chance to graduate."

"We wouldn't accept him if you didn't want us to...even if we wanted to," Tuff commented dryly. "I mean, that boy is the complete textbook definition of a muttonhead. In fact, he may be an insult to your average muttonhead. I'm not sure he even is tutor-able!"

"That may be true," Astrid murmured.

"The point is-what do you want us to do?" Fishlegs asked him and he looked up at his friends. Everyone looked tense and he felt a pang of guilt that they were there, on tenterhooks, wondering how he would react. And how should he? Snotlout had always been an ass, long before High School and young Hiccup had been bullied by his bigger, stronger cousin. Snotlout had been the main instigator of Hiccup's expulsion from the group after he lost his leg and of course, he had been the one who had masterminded putting the auburn-haired teen into the dumpster. His lies had caused Hiccup to be trolled and had led to the confrontation with Spitelout and the online bullying that had almost broken him.

But Snotlout's actions had harmed himself as well. Principal Wing had recognised that his attack on Hiccup had led to the stocky boy destroying his own career and losing his glittering future. His friends were ignoring him, no matter how oblivious Snotlout had tried to be about it and he was in danger of failing to graduate. He had missed time that he could ill afford with his poor marks and it was reasonable for him to ask for help.

But was it right that his friends should help the guy who had tried to harm Hiccup-a guy whose actions could have killed him? Was it right they should help him get his Diploma when Snotlout deliberately tried to ruin Hiccup's school career? But was it right that Hiccup should make himself as bad as Snot, that he should repay his cousin's actions with revenge?

Was that who he wanted to be?

He sighed.

"I really am grateful that I have such good friends," he said, his hand stretching out to find Astrid's. She smiled: Snotlout hadn't even bothered to contact her, for she wouldn't have had any hesitation in giving her rejection. "And I am grateful you are all such good, decent people. As was pointed out to me, Snotlout has paid a high price for his actions in attacking me. So I'm not going to tell you what to do. You should do what your conscience dictates and I won't be upset either way. If you chose to help Snot, you're better people than me but I wouldn't blame you." And he looked up. "But thanks. For asking. For thinking of me. And being my friends."

"GROUP HUG!" Tuff announced and flung himself around Hiccup with his sister a beat behind. Astrid, Fishlegs and Heather all joined in and Hiccup grimaced and then gave a sigh.

"AIR!" he gasped they finally withdrew. Tuff shared a look with his sister.

"You okay, li'l Hiccy?" he checked.

"Hiccy?" Hiccup murmured dryly.

"It's cute," Astrid commented.

"Yeah-real cute-Hoffy!" he retorted as she socked his shoulder. "And ow!"

"Okay, Babe...though I think Hiccy may join the roster..."

"Asti?" he tried. She grinned.

"Finn already calls me that...though I would accept that from you, my fabulous boyfriend," she told him smugly. "Though I do prefer the Hiccup-specific term of 'Milady'..." He smiled then and stared into her eyes.

"Milady it is," he confirmed with relief.

"No," Tuff said and the two teens looked up.

"What?" Hiccup asked, puzzled. "Because I actually do call her 'Milady' and..."

"No-you're cute together," Ruff told them.

"No was to tutoring the muttonhead," Tuff said bluntly.

"Same here," Heather added. "I've spent more than enough time with him when I was 'popular' and Thor, he is dense! And self-absorbed. And lacking in any insight. And gratitude. I would end up doing all the work and he would just moan and not learn anything!" She took a deep breath. "Sorry, but I really needed to get that off my chest!" Astrid nodded.

"Can't blame you," she admitted.

"I'm out as well," Fishlegs said after a further moment. "I know you gave us a free choice and I really appreciate that, Hiccup. I bet if the situations were reversed, Snotlout would absolutely forbid his friends to have anything to do with you."

"He did," Hiccup reminded him with a small smile. "Hopalong Hiccup, remember?" Everyone grimaced at the quiet reminder of the cruel term. "But I don't want to be that guy."

"And we do appreciate that," Fishlegs said. "None of us wants anything to do with Snotlout after everything he's done. He wasn't just mean to you, after all..." He looked round the group. "We're all your friends and I know you gave us a choice-but we all choose you, Hiccup." The auburn haired teen smiled.

"Now we just have to see how he takes it," he said.