THREE: Early Exasperations

Hiccup woke happy with an armful of Astrid Hofferson. Warm, soft and drooling slightly on him, Astrid was perfect-even when her hair went crazy overnight and she managed to push him unconsciously to the very edge of the bed. He glanced over to the window, seeing the cloudless blue sky through the gap between the curtains and hearing the faint sounds of the sea. He gave a sigh of contentment as Astrid stirred and her blue eyes fluttered open.

"Morning, Babe," she murmured and stretched up to kiss him.

"Morning, Milady," he smiled. "Did you sleep well?" She sat up, swiping her wild hair off her face and she stretched.

"Fantastically," she told him. "You are the best pillow ever."

"I thank you," he said, slowly sitting up. Automatically, he reached over the side of the bed and fond his prosthetic leg, pulling it on with practised ease. It was a part of him, just like not having a Mom, both results of a drunken truck driver who hadn't seen the red light or the car until it was too late. Life had changed that day-but after he had recovered from the surgery and was working through the grieving process with his father, he had decided not to waste any more time. So he had taken a chance and had worked on his friendship with Astrid. And when he had finally plucked up the courage to ask her out, her only response had been: 'What took you so long?'

Astrid was up quicker than he was, dashing into the bathroom before he could and he smiled. Her competitive edge would never permit her to come second in anything and he loved her for it. He wasn't competitive-well, not really. The one time he had gone all out in a competition at school, he hadn't liked who he had become and he never wanted to revisit that person. So he waited until she emerged from a fast shower with clean teeth and braided hair, wrapped in a towel. Smiling, he had gone in for a quick shower as well and then emerged, ready for the day. There was no disguising his prosthetic, of course, but he was used to the looks. There was nothing he could do about it anyway so anyone's problem with it was their problem. Astrid had put on her pale blue bikini under her white vest top and cropped denim shorts while Hiccup had knee length shorts over his swimming shorts and a loose pale green shirt. Astrid's large blue beach bag contained her purse, phone, a book, the sun cream and her fold-up straw hat while Hiccup's bush hat was jammed on his head and he had his shades on. Phone, wallet and ear buds were buttoned into his pockets as they checked the room and headed down to breakfast.

The previous night had been filled with laughter and catching up as they had gone out with the others-except Snotlout who had tried to get into the double room, stormed down to reception, been told of the situation and finally gone to the bar. And Hiccup had enjoyed the beers and meal with his friends in the little bar round the corner from the hotel. He and Astrid had shared a giant paella while the others had had fish, chips, hot dogs and burgers. It had been a wonderful and unexpected pleasure and seeing Astrid smiling and laughing had lifted his heart. So walking down with her to breakfast, her hand twined with his, had caused his heart to soar.

For about five seconds until Snotlout intercepted them. Astrid had screeched to a halt as well and glared at the stocky man, her fists balled as Snotlout had stared at them.

"I know what you did," he said evenly as Hiccup had steeled himself for another argument. Then Snotlout stuck his hand out. "And honestly, it was brilliant."

"All we did was regain what was already ours," Astrid told him firmly.

"Can't blame a guy for trying," he shrugged. "Friends?" Hiccup stared at him for a moment and fought a brief war within himself. He didn't trust Snotlout and his cousin had treated him badly for years-but here was Astrid who believed he was better than he instinctively wanted to be. And he had to be the better man. They were far from home and reluctantly, he grasped Snotlout's hand and shook it.

"Okay," Hiccup said and glanced at Astrid. She sighed.

"No funny business-and the room is ours!" she snapped. Snotlout smiled.

"Of course," he said. "Now what are we having for breakfast?"

"Astrid and I are having breakfast alone. Together," Hiccup said firmly. Snotlout's eyes widened.

"Really?" he asked dryly.

"Hiccy?"

"And that happened," Hiccup sighed. "Morning, Tuff."

"We saved you a place, Hiccy," Throk called and waved as Astrid grabbed Hiccup's arm and pulled her to join their friends.

"C'mon-we can sit with them," she said eagerly and dragged him to the table.

"Of course-because no one would ever want to spend any time on your romantic holiday with just the person you are on holiday with," he muttered defeatedly. But he forced himself to smile and sit down as Astrid fetched them both coffee and juice. Then she dragged him along to the buffet and as they chose their meals, he kept thinking how lucky he was to have her. But when he got back to the table, Snotlout had stolen his place and refused to move-so Astrid had grabbed his arm and steered them to another table, sitting down primly and tucking into her breakfast pastries. Hiccup had grabbed his coffee and their juices and had shrugged, smiling with relief.

"Asshole," Astrid had growled. "And I know you wanted a little more time with me. Don't worry-I wanted to go on holiday with you. not with a whole gang. I think Dagur and Mala want some private time as well so we won't be the only ones."

"Oh thank Thor," he sighed and bit into his croissant. "I'm not against spending time with them-just as long as I get some time alone with my beautiful, fierce, smart girlfriend..." She smiled and nibbled her blueberry muffin.

"And I came here to be with my Sasscup," she reminded him.

"Sasscup? Thor, that's almost as bad as Hiccy," he groaned. "I am sorely wounded, Milady..."

"Well, you can call me Sasstrid if you want," she reminded him.

"I wouldn't dare," he smirked and sipped his coffee. "I mean, you might punch me and it would also sound like we were brother and sister like Ruff and Tuff."

"Yes, that would be weird," she admitted, chewing more muffin. "And as we're going out, it would be like we were one of those very odd couples from Freezing-to-Death where brother and sister get married..."

"Bleurgh!" Hiccup commented. "I prefer going out with the fabulous Astrid Hofferson so one day I have the possibility of asking her to get married." She chuckled.

"So sappy," she commented, draining her freshly-pressed orange juice. "But I love you too, just as you are, Hiccup."

"Got room for one more?" Snotlout asked, sitting right beside Astrid and pressing himself far too close to her. She pulled a face and slid along the seat, leaving Hiccup facing the stocky man, not his girlfriend.

"No," Hiccup said impatiently. "Look, can't you recognise when a couple are having a quiet two-person breakfast?" Immediately, Snotlout looked stricken.

"That was what it was?" he said in an apologetic tone. "Oh, I'm so sorry..."

"No-it's okay," Astrid said with a sigh. "We were finished anyway." Hiccup crammed the croissant into his mouth and nodded.

"Mmmph," he said, then swallowed with an effort. "And we were just going to the pool..."

"Pool? POOL?" Tuff said, outraged., leaning over and draping an arm around Hiccup's shoulders. "The place to be is the BEACH! Sun, sea, white sand between your little toes..." Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"I have half as many toes as anyone else," he reminded the male twin as Tuffnut frowned.

"You never told me you had webbed...oh...is this the leg thing?" he guessed. Hiccup sighed.

"Yes, Tuff-this is the 'leg thing'," he replied tiredly. "As in I only have one foot and ankle so sand is pretty hard for me..."

"No, it's not-it's really soft and snuggly and...oh, you meant for walking?" the male twin realised. "But the beach is so much awesome..." Snotlout leaned over, earwigging.

"Well, if hopalong here can't take you to the beach, Babe-I'll go with you," he put in smirking. "You really want a man who will keep up with you and be able to do things with you-rather than not even being able to walk on the beach!" Astrid glared at him furiously and then over at Tuff who was explaining what the problem was at the top of his voice.

"You know, I love Hiccup and I know his limitations-and the fact that he never lets anything stop him," she told the stocky man sharply. "And if he doesn't feel like the beach today, I will happily spend the day by the pool with the man I love rather than some asshole who just doesn't know when to shut up and back off!"

The restaurant went quiet and Hiccup felt himself cringe under the scrutiny. He could guess that most of the guests were from the Archipelago and had understood pretty much everything she had snarled. But Snotlout leaned forward with a smug look on his face.

"Hey-if you'd just come with me, you wouldn't need to get so furious," he told her as Astrid prepared to attack him. But Hiccup was quicker, swiftly grasping her hand and giving a gentle squeeze. She turned to him and she could see the dismay in her eyes. He gave a small smile.

"Milady-if you want to go to the beach, I'll manage," he told her gently. "I know you want to spend more time with the girls and I can sit in the shade and read while you get up to whatever daredevil sports you want." Her eyes widened.

"Are you sure?" she checked and he nodded.

"My love, this is both our holiday and if you want to go to the beach, then we go to the beach-because wherever you are is where I want to be," he told her as she grinned happily.

"You are the best guy ever!" she said and flung herself onto a huge hug. Giving a small sigh, he hugged her back.

"Whatever Milady wishes," he murmured.

oOo

It had been the only possible decision he could have made because Astrid loved the sea and wanted to spend time with her friends, but Hiccup was already regretting the decision as they headed over the road. She was already chatting eagerly with Ruff and Heather as they walked down while Hiccup fell in step beside Fishlegs. He smiled at his friend who was already excited to be able to see Mediterranean seaweed and compare to their local species. Chuckling, Hiccup wondered if anyone else would even imagine it to be of interest-but he respected Fishlegs as a person. They carefully crossed the road.

"So...Heather..." Hiccup commented as they hit the sands and he slowed down. Though he wore very secure and supportive sandals, he found walking on sand difficult with his prosthesis and it was as awkward he had expected. Snotlout had forged ahead with the twins to grab a good spot and Dagur and Mala were walking up ahead, talking in low voices so Hiccup felt very self-conscious as he trailed behind. Fishlegs squeaked.

"I never expected her to say yes," he confessed, "but I've never been happier. She's wonderful and caring and honestly, I can't imagine a future without her in it."

"I feel the same about Astrid," Hiccup sighed. "To me, she is perfect. I wanted this trip to be special-I've been saving up and looking out for something like this for a while. I mean, we've been on holidays together on Berk and the neighbouring islands but never away. I wanted it to be perfect..."

"And us being here is hardly perfect," Fishlegs realised. Yet Hiccup smiled at him.

"I think Astrid likes the company," he sighed. "But you and Heather-and Dagur and Mala-all appreciate you need time just as a couple. The others don't get that. At all..."

"I know," Fishlegs sighed in agreement. "Any holiday with the twins-and especially Snotlout-is going to be the opposite of relaxing."

"I really wanted to go to the pool," Hiccup confessed. "I like swimming but it's much easier by the pool for transfers once my prosthesis is off. I'm not sure I can get into the sea on one leg-so I guess I won't be able to swim..." There was a pause as they trudged down the sand towards the fixed parasols and lines of beds.

"I'll think of something," Fishlegs promised as they arrived at the gang. Astrid was arguing with Snotlout who had occupied the last bed under the parasol, leaving Hiccup a bed in full sun. He sighed.

"Look, Hiccup needs the shade because he burns really badly!" Astrid ground out, clearly repeating herself. Snotlout sat back and laced his hands behind his head.

"And I need to protect this beautiful complexion from the sun," he said arrogantly. "I think it's too late for Hiccup...he's just a disaster..."

"Thanks," he said ironically as Astrid growled in her throat.

"Oh, you did not say that!" she snapped. "You are the most selfish, vain, arrogant, obnoxious man I have ever met..." Then she grabbed Hiccup's hand and her bag and started dragging him across the sands to the next parasol along. "C'mon, Babe-we're finding you a parasol so you don't burn and away from that asshole!" Trailing along and stumbling in the fine sands, Hiccup felt his heart soar as Astrid located a parasol, warned off another family with a ferocious glare that Medusa would be proud of and slammed her bag down on one lounger while pushing Hiccup into the lounger in the shade.

"You know, I think my day has just got better," Hiccup murmured, waving to the attendant and handing over a few Euros to get the mattresses and towels put on the beds and a waiter from the nearly Beach Bar sidled up, allowing Hiccup to order drinks. But Astrid insisted on paying.

"You got the beds, I'll get the booze," she smiled, watching the waiter speed away and return with a large pitcher of Sangria and bowls of olives, potato chips and salted peanuts.

"Ooh-Hiccup got in the drinks," a horribly unwelcome voice said as Snotlout grabbed Hiccup's glass and drained it. Then he had the temerity to ask: "Aren't you having any?" Snatching his glass back and wiping the lip pointedly on his towel, Hiccup nodded.

"Yes, I am," he said firmly. "But you aren't. Get your own!" Snotlout scowled for a second, then plopped down on the bed next to Astrid and laced his hands behind his head.

"Some people are just jealous of their obvious superiors," he said airily and then flexed his muscles. Astrid stared at him in shock. "Like what you see, eh?"

"No!" she said in disgust and rolled onto her front. "Do my back, Babe?" Ignoring Snotlout, who made to get up, Hiccup swiftly rose, grabbed the sunblock and carefully rubbed it into Astrid's pale back, fingers trailing sensuously over the silky skin. "Hiccup," she moaned as he gently massaged it in. "You are a treasure..."

"Meh meh meh treasure," Snotlout imitated cruelly. "You're a one-legged fishbone who will burn in the sun and can't go swimming. You know you don't deserve a Babe like Astrid."

"I am the only one who decides that," Astrid growled, lifting her head. "Now will you shut up so I can relax-or so help me, Snotlout-I will find the most ferocious crab and shove it right up your..."

"There you are!" Dagur commented, walking up carrying the parasol he had bodily wrenched from the sands. He and Mala settled down as the twins, Throk, Heather and Fishlegs trailed up and all clustered around the pair. Hiccup lay back in the shade, hearing the twins argue about which of them could get drowned sooner and closed his eyes.

"So much for a nice peaceful day on the beach," he sighed.