"Astrid Hofferson?" he exclaimed. "What in Thor's name are you doing here?"

Astrid stared at him and her mind whirled. Ruffnut and Tuffnut (or Raquel and Timothy) Thorston were twins from her year at Raven Pointe High School who had been reasonably good friends until Dagur had slaughtered her reputation after the aftermath of Prom Night. They-as everyone else-had ostracised her for the last few weeks of School and she had lost all contact with them. Both were insane extroverts, wild pranksters and hopelessly distractible. Ruff was definitely not the girl for Hiccup-so she felt a lot easier in revealing why she was here to Ruff's twin.

"Wingman," she said. "Your sister's date-the 'poor sap' as you put it-is a good friend of mine." Tuff shrugged.

"Yeah-well, you know why I'm here," he confessed. "Much as I enjoy tormenting Butt-Elf, I don't want her hurt, so I always act as wingman for her on dates." They both contemplated their drinks and sighed. "Sucks, doesn't it?"

"Amen to that," Astrid agreed. She sighed and Tuff peered at her.

"You'd rather be on the date, wouldn't you?" he realised and she started. Gods, was she that obvious?

"Not going to happen," she sighed.

"Why? You're his friend, aren't you?"

"Tuff? Remember why you and everyone else treated me like crap at the end of High School?" she asked irritably. He made a dumb face. "You know-the fact I ended up pregnant?" There was a pause and realisation dawned.

"Ah...how did that go?" he asked.

"My daughter is three, Tuff," she told him with forced patience.

"Hey-is she here? I'd like to meet the little dude..." he asked, his face brightening but Astrid gave her trademark Hofferson scowl.

"Timothy 'Tuffnut' Thorston-this is a damned sleezy bar and no place for a three year old little girl!" she snapped and he grimaced.

"Sorry, Astrid," he said with genuine contrition and then he shrugged. "Maybe I could see her somewhere more appropriate?" There was a pause and she gave a small nod, a pang of nostalgia hitting her.

"I'd...like that..." she admitted. "You remember where my parents live?" He nodded. "If you call there, we can arrange to meet up." She paused and gave a little smile. "Actually, I think Emma would like to meet you..." Tuff gave a small smile.

"Hey, I don't have that far to think down to three-year-old-level," he admitted. Smiling, Astrid sipped her water and smiled, suddenly enjoying her job a bit more with someone to talk to.

"Tuff-regrettably, my daughter at three is already older than you!" she smirked and Tuff chuckled.

"Missed you too, Astrid," he admitted. "You think your boy can keep pace with my sister?"

"Not a hope on Midgard," she sighed. "Tuff-he's actually a really nice guy. He doesn't drink much, he's had some bad leg injuries in a car crash end of last year and he's pretty shy."

"Sounds like you really like this guy," Tuff commented. "I repeat my earlier question."

"Though he's nice, why would he want to go out with someone with a small child in tow?" Astrid sighed. "I mean, what lunatic would want to take on another man's child?" She rolled her glass in her hands. "Face it-I ruined my life when I fell pregnant, Tuff." The male twin peered down the bar as Hiccup was handed a second 'Thorson Special' and winced.

"How do you know until you ask him?" he asked. "I mean, he's game enough. He's risking alcohol poisoning with my sister. He's clearly so far out of his depth but he's continuing..."

"Because I asked him to try dating when he was dumped by his first girlfriend when he was involved in the accident," she sighed. "When he was badly hurt in the accident."

"If he'll go through all this for you, Astrid-maybe he would go out with you?" Tuff asked her but the girl shook her head, her shoulders slumped.

"I've been rejected so many times because I have Emma, I would rather hang onto his friendship than risk losing it all just for a disastrous date," she sighed.

"But he knows about your daughter, doesn't he?" Tuff insisted.

"Yeah-but knowing your friend has a daughter is different to agreeing to accept her into your own life," Astrid sighed. "Please drop it, Tuff. It's no use: he isn't interested in me like that..." And then she peered down the bar and frowned. "Thor-what is she doing to him now?" Tuff craned his neck.

"Oh dear," he commented, ordering another beer and some bar nuts. "She's going to play win or dare on the dance machine." Astrid gaped and stared at Tuff.

"Thor...Hiccup can't dance and he's a lightweight with alcohol!" she muttered. "He's utterly doomed..." Tuff gave her a grin and pushed his bowl of nuts towards her.

"He's a big boy," he murmured. "So let's see what happens..."

Hiccup's head was spinning as the barman lined up five shot glasses of Akvavit, the slightly-yellow spirit gleaming golden in the subdued light. He had managed to finish his second cocktail though he was sure he'd probably get alcohol poisoning before the evening was out. But Ruff was grinning madly as she dragged his unsteady shape over the the 'DANCE OFF 3000' game and engaged two player mode. Blinking, his emerald eyes bleary, Hiccup frowned.

"Wash...wash...whathaveigottado?" he mumbled as she lined up on the 'Player 1' position. Ruff shoved him into the other position.

"Dance, match the moves and highest score wins," she grinned. "Loser takes a shot!" Hiccup's eyes trailed to the line of glasses and gulped. He had already drunk more this evening than he had in the last year and now he suspected he was going to have to swallow even more-because he was a hopeless dancer. He couldn't even manage 'Dad dancing'-the most despised dancing on the planet. 

"Ish-ish there a handicap shyshtem?' he asked hopefully. Ruff lunged at him and he pawed at her to try to keep her slobbery kiss off his face. She gave up, patted his ass instead and leered.

"Nope," she smirked. "Nice ass!" He yelped as she stabbed the button and the silhouettes began and the illuminated foot-tiles began flashing. The music began and Hiccup groaned and had a go. But it was obvious that his lanky and drunken shape was hopelessly out of synch with the silhouettes. Ruff was astonishingly good-probably due to her much higher alcohol tolerance and much greater experience. It was a crushing victory as the bar erupted into applause and the bartender handed over the first shot. Hiccup winced, looked pleadingly at Ruff and then drank the horrifically alcoholic spirit, grimacing at the flavour. Ruff grabbed his arm.

"Time for round two!" she shouted to the cheers of the bar. Hiccup staggered to his position and his expression grew determined.

"It'sh on!" he slurred and crazily began dancing, his lanky shape and total lack of coordination causing him to fall over and take out Ruff. Both were disqualified so both had to take a shot, though Hiccup almost choked on his. Ruff smiled and necked the drink easily, then dragged Hiccup back to the game.

"You're getting the hang of it," she grinned, hauling the disorientated young man over to the game again. Astrid nudged Tuff.

"This is going too far," she growled. "Poor guy is almost out of it..." Tuff gave a reluctant nod-and then he gestured. 

"And I think the fun is over anyway," he said, pointing to a group of bikers who barged their way into the bar. Two headed for the bar to grab a couple of bottles of spirits while the others homed in on Ruff and Hiccup. More alert and so able to weigh up the situation swiftly, Ruff tried to grab Hiccup and back away-but they were surrounded and two of them grabbed her arms.

"Hiya, beautiful," the leader said. He was a very hairy and bulky man, his face scarred and unpleasant.

"Not right back at you!" she replied snarkily. The man trailed a hand down her braids.

"Aww...you should more friendly..." he growled.

"I think...she doeshn't want your attentionsh," Hiccup slurred bravely, staggering forward. A biker grabbed him and jerked him back. He was starting to look green around the eyes as he struggled feebly. Astrid shared a worried look with Tuff.

"I'm not going to let them hurt my sister," the male twin growled, making to rise-but Astrid could see that was just going to end up with both twins and Hiccup on the wrong end of the fight. Especially as Ruff kicked the ugly biker in the leg. He yelped as Hiccup slammed his foot onto the other man's boot and stumbled away, pushing Ruff ahead of him. He looked up, eyes bleary and panicked as he heard the bikers all turn round to face them and he unwisely raised his fists in a very unimpressive defensive pose.

"Oh Thor," Astrid muttered, face-palming. "He's suicidal! Be ready to grab them on my signal."

"What's your signal?" Tuff asked her, his expression mildly impressed.

"You'll know it when you see it!" she told him, racing off away from he bar. Tuff finished his beer and turned to see the bikers shove Hiccup backwards, the completely drunken young man desperately trying to keep between Ruff and the bikers. Not that Ruff was playing ball as she lunged forward and punched out a smaller biker. The leader gave a huge roar.

"Grab them!" he bellowed-as the familiar strains of YMCA blared out once more. Astrid bounced into the centre of the 'dance floor' and launched into the dance. The bikers stared at her in shock, jaws hanging slack-as the whole of the bar scrambled to their feet and joined in. Jostled and annoyed by bouncing and gesturing construction workers, punches began to be thrown and in a few seconds, there was a mixture of 'YMCA' moves and brawls all over the bar.

Astrid glanced to her side and saw Tuff hauling along Ruff and both of them half-dragging the completely wasted Hiccup. The female twin's eyes popped wide in shock.

"Astrid?" she gaped.

"Talk later!" Astrid ordered her as she grabbed Hiccup and began to help Tuff drag him from the bar. Hiccup peered drunkenly at her, his face falling into a wide grin.

"Knew you would shave me..." he slurred as they erupted into the cold night and ran for Astrid's car. The twins came with them, helping support the sagging Hiccup and whooping and high-fiving each other in relief at getting out of the bar..

"Hmm-I don't know you that well," she smirked as Hiccup grinned insanely at her.

"You're sho amazshing!" he sighed as they manhandled him into the passenger seat. Unbidden, Ruff and Tuff scrambled into the back seat, jostling each other and pressing their faces against the back windows. Tuff instantly tried to get into Emma's car-seat and Astrid rolled her eyes as she clambered into the driver's seat, pulling on her seatbelt and starting the engine as bikers and construction workers boiled out into the street, still brawling. She sighed.

"It would be less trouble taking Emma to nursery," she huffed as the twins began playing with her toys. "QUIT IT!" she snapped.

"Yes, Mommy!" Ruff replied sarcastically. "Honestly-this happens EVERY time!" Astrid peered through the rear view mirror and glared at her.

"You knew this would happen and you still came here?" she asked in a dangerous voice. Ruff nodded happily as her twin rolled his eyes.

"It's always a laugh!" she grinned. "And I have to say, despite the fact he's a skinny, clumsy, shy boy, he did try to stand up for me...which was kinda sweet..."

"Leave it," Astrid snapped.

"Jealous?" Ruff chuckled as she and her twin shared a glance. "Hey-why are you here, Ast?"

"Wingman," she said. "Hiccup is a friend..." Ruff stared at her and a guilty look entered her eyes.

"Sorry-didn't know," she mumbled. "He's a nice guy, isn't he?" Astrid stole a glance at the dozing Hiccup, who was leaning against the window, mouth open and snoring.

"Yup," she said softly. "He's a really nice guy." Ruff leaned forward and patted her shoulder.

"He's really not my type," she said and elbowed her brother. "Thank him when he wakes up for a great evening and for standing up for me. Only my brother has ever done that for me before. Really appreciate that." And she sat back with a thoughtful look on her face.

Astrid dropped them off at their home-which she knew because they had been friends at school-and then she drove Hiccup home. He was difficult to rouse but she had managed to manhandle him out of the car, up the steps and into his apartment. He clung to her, tripping over his feet, his left leg almost buckling but Astrid was strong and she managed to haul him all the way through the main room and into his bedroom. He clung to her, a hazy smile on his face, eyes completely bloodshot and bleary.

"Thank you," he mumbled as she managed to drag his coat off. He was almost totally boneless as she eventually gave up and just tossed him up onto the bed and dragged a blanket over him. He was fully clothed and had his boots on but she didn't feel right, unclothing him while he was so drunk. "I couldn't do anything without you," he slurred in an adoring voice. She smiled.

"You deserve to find someone who cares for you," she said gently as he hugged her fiercely.

"Already found her," he slurred. "Astrid...." And then he passed out.

She sighed, made him comfortable and headed out of the bedroom as his peaceful snores filled the air. But because she had a sense of responsibility, she phoned her mother and spent the rest of the night on the couch by the fire, watching over her friend.

oOo

He didn't make the Diner the next lunchtime and Astrid wasn't surprised, though she did text him to check he was alright, concerned for his friend after his binge drinking on the date..

He had been up half the night vomiting and had been restless for the rest of the night once the drunken stupor had worn off. She had got him up, made sure he was okay and fed him dry biscuits and fluids to help with his horrific hangover. Clutching his pounding head, he had pitifully begged for death or at least decapitation but she had given him aspirin and paracetamol and told him to sleep it off. And he had painfully smiled at her and thanked her for staying. Something warm had curled in her chest this words and she had stroked the messy bangs off his face and smiled as he had dropped asleep again before she left.

She had finished her shift at tea-time and gone to collect Emma from her mother, who had loved having her granddaughter round for a whole day. Emma had been happy and chattered all the way home. But as they unlocked the door to Astrid's apartment and walked into the living room, they suddenly realised they were not alone. 

Sitting on the couch, eyeing a pink cloth dolly with a puzzled expression, was a tall, very buff shape in leather sleeveless vest and black jeans and boots, his carrot-red hair cropped short and stubble all over his chin. There were three tattoos over his left eye in the shape of claw-marks and his pale green eyes were fey as he gave a wild smile at the new arrivals.

"Daddy's home!" he grinned, rising to his feet and spreading his arms wide. "Haven't you got a kiss and a hug for me, honey?" Astrid clutched her daughter to her and gasped in horror.

"DAGUR!"