Behind the mask

'Twas the night before Snoggletog

School had finally broken for the midwinter holidays- Christmas or Snoggletog, dependent on upbringing, though Snoggletog tended to predominate in Berk-and Hiccup was enjoying a well-earned lie-in. He had worked a couple of extra evenings and Astrid had brought herself to the Forge once Practice was over so he could walk her home. Despite her independence and general ferocity, she was aware of Dagur and his friends and was wary to walk home alone.

Gobber, of course, imagined it was some sort of a date and ribbed Hiccup mercilessly-though he allowed the boy to make his friend a warm drink and sit by the good heater as she started on her homework. Hiccup had just been as sarcastic as he could at the older man's presumptions...mainly because they had been far too close to home.

But it was now Snoggletog Eve and Astrid was bouncing on his bed, moaning at him to get up and help them decorate the tree. He had cracked his emerald eyes open and sighed: he could still recall the happy times when it had been the three of them-Dad, Mom and Hiccup-with his Dad, a huge man of six ten and four hundred pounds of muscle and sinew, lifting the runt younger Hiccup had been to place the dragon on top of the tree.

"C'mon! It'll be fun!" Astrid whined and he groaned. He recalled how determined she had been in persuading Gobber to give him a chance and he wearily sat up, realising he could never hope to win.

"If you say so," he murmured. "It's kind of a family thing, isn't it?"

"And you're part of my family now!" Astrid said easily, dragging at his covers. He grabbed them urgently and gave a small scream.

"Getting up!" he yelped. "Please let me get dressed first!" She grinned, pointing to the cup of coffee she had left by the bed.

"Don't let it go cold!" she smiled and sauntered out.

After a very fast shower and dressing in his favourite green long-sleeved T-shirt as well as an older pair of baggy jeans and black socks, he had sped downstairs to find the whole family assembled by a naked Snoggletog tree, all dressed in their finest. He had almost cringed, feeling underdressed as he compared his outfit with Martin's festive reindeer jumper and Ingrid's tinsel shrouded top. He managed a very small wave.

"Um...hi..." he mumbled, blushing. "What do you want me to do?" Astrid handed him a red bauble.

"You're the guest," she said. "You can put on the first decoration!" He looked at her and his jaw dropped.

"Um...are you sure? I might ruin it or break it..." he said, turning the glass orb over in his hands: it had holly painted on it. Astrid gave a strained smile.

"Put it on the tree, already!"  she growled through her teeth. Hiccup stared at her then hesitantly attached the bauble to the nearest branch. Astrid stiffened and he realised with amusement that she had planned some other decoration for there and was itching to move it... And then he met Ingrid's amused smile and realised she had guessed the same. Both burst out laughing. Astrid huffed and glared at Hiccup and for a moment, he wondered if he'd overstepped the bounds of his welcome...but Ingrid caught his arm and smiled.

"I'm afraid my daughter is an absolute perfectionist when it comes to the Snoggletog tree," she admitted. "I'm not even allowed to touch it..."

"Nor me," Martin murmured as Astrid fished decoration after decoration from the box and swiftly and accurately hung them from the tree. The girl looked up, her azure eyes sparkling with annoyance at being teased and blonde brows furrowed with concentration.

"That's because you have no sense of style, Dad," she told him firmly. "Hiccup, could you help please?" His emerald eyes widened and he picked up the box as directed, handing over baubles and decorations as instructed.