Riders of B E R K

Part 37: Can we trust her?

Hiccup stared at me for a long moment and shook his head. "I don't know," he murmured and peered at the message. His green eyes flicked over the words and I could see him analysing the phrases: when she had been back in the base after her capture, her manner had been...off. Hiccup and I had both seen it and been suspicious. I didn't know her that well but he probably did.

"Who knows her best?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Ozzie. Dagur."

"Neither of whom are likely to answer any time soon," I said and regretted the flippant comment. He winced but gave a resigned shrug.

"Eret," he added. I frowned. Heather's boyfriend-who had also noticed she had been behaving weirdly and who had mouthed his apologies for her treatment of me. Then I nodded though something was nagging at the back of my mind.

"Do you want me to speak to him?" I asked. He paused then shook his head.

"We'll see him together," he decided. He turned to look at his father: Stoick was barely awake, his eyes closing as he struggled to remain conscious. "Dad...I need to see Eret, to get an answer..." Stoick gave a small smile, his large face with the full beard unused to such a subtle expression.

"Let her stew," he murmured. "If she's honest, she'll understand your qualms. If not, she may start pressing. It's a big decision..." Hiccup leaned forward and hugged him again.

"Glad you're back, Dad," he murmured as Gothi appeared at the door. I nodded as Hiccup and I left and the General was surrounded by his worried medical attendants. He murmured into his com, requesting Eret to meet us in the Base Commander's office. Then we paced up the corridor and his hand automatically found mine. I looked up to meet his tired green gaze.

"You may want to ask Cami and Ruffnut as well," I suggested. He rolled his eyes at the suggestion of the female twin but my next words stopped him. "There is a girlie friendship thing they have that means they actually spend time together. And I think Cami may well have more insight than you guess. Even...Ruff...though she seems currently very interested in our sex life." He froze and turned bright scarlet.

"Wh-what?" he gabbled, his mouth working but no sounds coming out. "You...I...we..." I started giggling. I couldn't help it: he looked as horrified as an adolescent being told that parents have sex.

"I refused to say anything but she did start asking after you apparently dumped me yesterday!" I warned him.

"When you kicked my ass," he added carefully, realising he was in dangerous waters. But I had forgiven him and nodded.

"And then some!" I shot back with a smile. He visibly relaxed. Then he groaned.

"Oh Thor-please don't tell me that Tuffnut will be asking me the same thing?" he moaned. "Shoot me now!" I punched him lightly on his good shoulder and smiled.

"After you've spoken to Eret," I suggested. He nodded, squeezed my hand and we walked more slowly to the General's office. He was staring at the floor for a long time as he walked and I could tell, from the way he walked, that he was feeling very self-conscious again. The fact his face had almost caught fire when I mentioned sex told me all I needed to know. I squeezed his hand and he glanced up, looking embarrassed. "Don't worry," I whispered loudly. "It doesn't matter. Everything will happen in its own time." He shook his head.

"Useless," he murmured quietly and opened the door to the office. I followed him but as soon as the door closed, I grabbed his hands and pulled him to face me, standing close to his stiff shape and staring into his ashamed face.

"Look, you are the only person I want, Hiccup-so don't go overthinking everything again!" I told him gently, feeling his discomfort. His shamed green eyes flicked up to inspect my face. "If all I wanted was a boyfriend who had slept with everything in a skirt, I wouldn't have punched out Snotlout!" I squeezed his hands with an I can't believe I just said that look and he gave a small shrug.