Behind the mask

Just go

The week finished with another away match for the Team against Lava Louts Lightning. After a rough encounter, Berk Vikings won.

Hiccup had remained in Berk, walking Toothless and waiting at home with Astrid's parents. He had been ridiculously self-conscious as he had arrived at her home without her, waiting for five minutes before even daring to knock on the door...and he had gulped a huge sigh of relief that as Ingrid opened the door with a smile. He was sure if Mr Hofferson had answered the door, he wouldn't have been let in. And there had been an awkward silence as they sat eating dinner...so he had escaped upstairs as soon as he could, doing homework as the only option. He had no excuse to go with the Team because quite frankly, he wasn't welcome.

It had been with an enormous sigh of relief as he heard the front door open and admit Astrid. There was a pang of nostalgia as he heard her call out to her parents and heard their cheerful calls back to see how she was an how things had gone. Her excited voice echoed through the hall, detailing the victory and how well her team had performed. He had almost forgotten how it had been, before his Dad died and when he was part of a family. He lay back on the bed with a sigh and wondered despondently when they would ask him to leave.

He was lying on the bed, his eyes closed and trying not to wonder what would happen to him next when a knock sounded.

"Hey?" It was Astrid. He opened his eyes and looked over at her.

"Hey." Somehow, the word was lifeless. She walked in, still munching her sandwich and perched on the desk, her feet swinging.

"You okay?" she asked, chewing. He sighed.

"Just dandy," he muttered. She sighed.

"Okay-spill!" she huffed.

"Who made you my mother?" he asked, sitting tiredly up.

"Ugh! That would be weird! No one. But I'm volunteering for the vacant friend berth," she offered, finishing her sandwich. "You look like a wet day."

"Ah...so a nice summer's day in Berk," he said with a faint smile.

"Hiccup-what's wrong?" she asked as he folded his legs and sat on his heels. He gave a small cough into his hand and sighed.

"How long's it gonna be before your parents want me to go?" he asked her directly. "I mean, your Mom has been great and all but your Dad looks at me like he's just trodden in something...I know he doesn't approve of me. I guess he thinks I'll turn you into an Outcast and a criminal...like that's gonna happen..." She frowned and read the faint anxiety in his sarcastic words. She swung her legs and tried to understand his concerns. She knew her parents would never turn someone out on the streets who had nowhere to go...but Hiccup felt he was in a very precarious place.

"I don't think Mom would ever throw you out onto the streets," she assured him, "but shouldn't you at least try to speak with your Mom? I mean..." He scowled.

"I know what you mean..." he said sharply. "Patch it up like a good boy and go home. Yeah, can really see my step-dad welcoming me home with open arms-NOT! I'll be on the streets before you can say evil bastard..."

"No, that's not what I meant!" she protested. "You must want to see your Mom?" He sighed.

"Yeah...but it's pretty hard to see her without him being there..." he admitted. "Look...I'm sorry. I...I guess I'm stressed..."

"Hiccup Haddock stressed? That really smacks of effort and caring..."

"C'mon, Miss Perfect. I care about literally several things!"

"Name one!"

"Toothless!" he managed after an embarrassing pause and she gaped, then burst into giggles. "Oh, you are playing with fire, trying to contain all this bad boy...ness..." he replied with a grin. "There will be consequences!"