Let's Give it a Year

Chapter 26

Stirring awake with a pounding headache and the feeling of a thousand feet running through her head, Astrid awoke the next morning feeling the unbearable consequences of her actions. She knew that she shouldn't have drunk that much, despite her usual high tolerance for alcohol, but she was desperate to wash away the pain.

Climbing out of bed lazily, Astrid placed her feet on the ground and sat up in bed as she felt the sun's rays hitting her back. Her head still pounded like mad, a thousand voices screaming out at her with a dozen footfalls rushing through her ears. It felt as though she was drowning in her own madness and she wanted it to stop.

"Ugh... Never again." Astrid promised herself as she rubbed her temples, massaging some of the pain away as she made a concerted effort to stand up without collapsing onto the floor in pain.

Making her way over to the bathroom, she smelt something delicious coming from downstairs. The smell of fried eggs and bacon filled her nostrils as she smelt the familiar smell of an old English fry up, and her tummy roared. So - with a promise to return - Astrid rushed into the bathroom to look for some painkillers and to use the toilet to relieve herself.

Making her way downstairs after she was finished in the bathroom, Astrid slowly made her way downstairs, following the tempting smell of breakfast. The smell only seemed to get stronger as she made her way down the stairs, edging closer to the kitchen, her headache and pains quickly forgotten as the promise of breakfast lingered in front of her.

As she crossed the threshold into the kitchen, her breath hitched as her eyes fell upon a sight that caused her race and her blood to rush to her cheeks. There, stood with his back to Astrid, was Hiccup. Shirtless. Although she couldn't see his bare chest, his bare and surprisingly muscular back was on full display for her, and it made her heart race.

Blushing madly at the sight, she tried to tear her eyes away from the scene, but she was already enchanted by the view. Hiccup hadn't noticed her arrival yet and was too concerned with cooking the perfect breakfast for her, and so didn't feel Astrid's eyes boring into his back as she admired every crevice and curve and muscle that shaped his back.

But soon, Hiccup turned around, coming face-to-blushing face with Astrid. She quickly turned her gaze away from him, attempting to hide her red face as he looked at her and revealed his even more impressive chest. Her glimpse at the shirtless man, now facing her, made a desire spread throughout her body that she had never felt before. Something inside her begged her to do something that she tried very hard to resist.

Despite the temptation...

"Morning, Astrid!" Hiccup called out to her with a beaming smile, a smirk hidden beneath as he noticed her blushing face. He knew exactly what he was doing to her, and he just wanted to tease her.

"Morning," She hobbled over to the kitchen island and took a seat there, not daring to look Hiccup's way. Smiling to himself, he turned back around and continued to watch over the cooking.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Sort of..." Astrid scratched her head, slightly distracting her attention away from Hiccup's shirtless torso. "I had the strangest dream though, and I just can't seem to remember anything about last night." She added, rubbing her temples in thought as she tried to force her drunken amnesia to subside.

"Hey, don't think too hard." Hiccup warned as he watched her rub her temples gently in frustration. "I don't think there's any rush to knowing. You went out, got drunk, I took you home, and I put you to bed. What more is there to know?" Hiccup said plainly, shrugging as he recalled the facts of the previous night vaguely.

"Still," Astrid rubbed her head again, feeling as though there was something important she missed last night. "I feel like there was more to it..." Shaking her head, before quickly regretting it, Astrid broke herself free from her frustrations and looked over to Hiccup. "Anyway, why are you making breakfast?" She asked curiously, trying to ignore his exposed chest and back on full display for her.