How Not To Drive Home for Snoggletog

3: Awkward

Three: Awkward

Hiccup had almost lost feeling in his legs as he noticed Astrid yawn for the fourth time and he sighed. Reaching out, he tapped her on the shoulder and her head snapped up, eyes blinking owlishly.

"I'm awake!" she snapped. He rolled his eyes.

"Not for long," he grumbled. "Were you planning on taking a break or just driving until you fell asleep and crashed me again?"

"No, of course not!" she said irritably, her eyes red from tiredness."I'm fine."

"Excuse me for not believing you! When were you planning on taking a break. And where?"

She drove on for a few moments, her headlamps illuminating the empty road ahead of them. "I was just gonna find a place and sleep in the car for a few hours," she admitted.

He almost choked. "Thor, no way!" he coughed. "Apart from how freakin' dangerous that is..."

"Did you just say 'freakin''?" she smirked.

"Um...yeah...but not sleeping in a car!" he protested.

"Well, the other option is the ground outside," she snapped.

"Actually...I have a motel booked...about ten miles up the road," he told her. She stared at him and swerved. He gave a small shriek as she wrenched the wheel and just avoided driving off the road.

"AARGH! Can you even drive?" he shouted.

"Of course I can!" she yelled at him.

"So not convinced!" he retorted. "You nearly killed me and now you nearly crashed us both!"

"How did you know we would be here?" she demanded.

"I expected me to be here and knew this would be far enough before needing a break," Hiccup told her shortly. "Now are we going to make it alive or should I call ahead and tell them to cancel because we'll be dead in a twisted pile of metal?" Astrid muttered under her breath, her eyes fixed on the windshield.

"Ten miles?" she asked.

"Probably nine now," he said and they sat in awkward silence until the motel appeared on the left. Astrid swerved across the carriageway and screeched to a halt by the main entrance. Hiccup tentatively opened his eyes and muttered a prayer to Thor. "I'm alive," he muttered and opened the door, wincing as he unfolded and staggered, his legs almost buckling. "I'll check in," he said and tried to rub the life back into his cramped muscles. Astrid sprang out and stretched, then shook her head.

"I'll come with you, biker boy," she said sharply.

"Biker Boy? I have a name, you know..." he protested, limping in.

"Are you going inside or not?" she asked him tartly. He groaned and walked in, shaking his head and nodding to the man at the desk. The formica top was peeling and the floor was uneven. The fluorescent strip in the ceiling was flickering, casting a harsh pinkish-white light that highlighted the general grubbiness of the little reception.

"Harrison Hanson. I have a reservation...twin room," he said tiredly. The man looked him up and down, his balding head and stubbly jowls topping a grubby green shirt with the 'Happy Motel' chain logo on.

"Thought yer weren't comin'!" he said as an excuse "So I let yer room..." Hiccup gave a growl.

"But I have paid. In full. In advance!" He fished out the confirmation and waved it furiously under the man's nose. The man peered at it disinterestedly.

"Sorry-I've rented your room!" he said with a yellow grin. Hiccup leaned closer.

"You owe me a room!" he growled, leaning forward and grabbing the man by the shirt. "I have already paid! You have to have somewhere..." Dark eyes flicked up and met blazing emerald and then sweat beaded his brow. His hand snaked down and snagged a key.