Hiccup's POV

I hestitate slightly before picking up.

"Hey Mer," I say as calmly as I can.

"Hi Hic," Merida says. She's upset. Very upset. I can tell from her voice, and she literally just broke up with Jack. Yup. That'll be why then.

"I heard about what happened with Jack. Are you OK?"

"I'm fine, I just don't need a arse like that in my life than all."

"Then why are you so upset?"

She says nothing, but I hear a small sniffle from the other end.

"Merida, you can tell me anything. You know that?"

There's a pause before she speaks again.

"It's really hard to explain."

"Look," I say, concerned for her, "shall I come over? We can talk it over, whatever it is."

"Thanks Hiccup, it should be OK, my parents are out and my brothers are at cub camp for the week."

"I'll be there in ten minutes maximum."

"Bye Hic."

I hang up and let out a sigh. Why was she so upset? She never gets like this, at least not often. Behind her brave and fearless exterior is a quieter and more vulnerable Merida than I would have thought possible. I've only seen her like this once, when her dad nearly got killed on a trip to his family in Scotland where he got attacked by a bear. She was so young then but the memories were as clear as day. I admire her resilience actually. She's braver than I could ever be, ever.

I pull on a slightly faded green hoodie which smelt of woodsmoke from the last time I went camping. That's my favourite smell in the world, woodsmoke. As I pull up the hood to protect me from the rain outside I breathe in memories of sparks and happy laughter. I smile and walk to her house, just across the street. That's another great thing about my friends. For some freaky reason, we all live in the same road. How the heck did our parents manage that?

I knock on the door and I hear the sound of rushing footsteps. Merida opens the door, in her usual blue shirt and beaten up and slightly ripped shorts. That's something else I like about her. She doesn't care if her clothes aren't all Superdry or Hollister or Abercrombie. She only buys clothes when she absolutely has to, and I love her for her stubbornness. It just adds to her character.

Shut up Hiccup and just talk to her!

"Hey Mer."

"Hey."

"You were gonna talk to me?"

"Yeah, d'you want to come in?"

I walk into her house for the billionth time, but for some reason it feels like the first. Because she's from Scottish descendance her family has tartan everywhere. I've always loved her house, it's so warm and welcoming, and in winter they have a log fire burning in the grate. Perfect.

We sit down on the red sofa and she tries not to meet my gaze. I wonder why and I realise that she's deep in thought.

"Merida, what's bothering you?"

"Promise you won't, laugh at me or anything?"

"Mer, my name is Hiccup." I say, laughing lightly. "Y'think I'm going to start laughing at anything you say?"

She chuckles and finally looks at me. Those Mediterranean sea blue eyes... I lose myself in her gaze as she steadies herself and begins to talk.

"It was this, dream I had." She focuses and continues, trying to fit in every single detail she can remember. "It has me and Astrid. You, you have to choose between us. Then something starts chasing us and we have to run before you can say anything or choose anyone. I grab your hand and we get out. Astrid doesn't follow us. I never know where we are, but somehow we can run through the walls until we're safe. I don't know why, but then I, I kiss you. You push me away and I say that I know you still like Astrid. I kiss you again, and again, you push me away, but it's like you don't want to. When I kiss you for the last time you kiss me back. Then Jack texts you and he says that he trusts you but you can't go near me again. We kiss for the last time and that's when I open my eyes. I drift away from you, you grab my hand and tell me to stay."

She sighs and sits back.

"It's probably nothing," she says hurriedly.

I don't want it to be nothing, I find myself thinking, but quickly snap myself out of it.

"Have you had that dream before?" I ask.

"Yes." She thinks back.

"When?" I find I'm almost scared to hear the answer.

"Ever since," she stutters, completely untrue to her bold and headstrong personality. "Ever since you started going out with Astrid."