Face Value

Part 10

TEN:

Astrid woke late on Sunday, eyes widening when she saw the time. She had been exhausted and she was surprised that Finn hadn't woken her but she was grateful for the rest. Then she automatically reached for her phone and peered at the screen-and then her lips stretched up in a smile, for there were a couple of texts-from Hiccup.

[11:36]

I JUST WANTED TO THANK U 4 AN AMAZING EVENING. SERIOUSLY. BEST EVENING OF MY LIFE. EVEN BEING PUNCHED WAS WORTH IT 2 SPEND TIME WITH U

[11:39]

AND I HOPE IT DOESN'T CAUSE U 2 MUCH TROUBLE ON MONDAY. I MEAN, YOU CAN IGNORE ME IF YOU WANT 2 SO THE GIRLS AREN'T MEAN 2 U AGAIN.

[11:40]

THOUGH I REALLY HOPE U WON'T

[11:41]

SLEEP WELL. AND C U MONDAY :) X

She clicked the screen off and sat up, running her fingers through her dishevelled hair. Finn had shared his pizza with her and they had watched a stupid slapstick comedy that she remembered from her childhood. Then she was up, hitting the shower and dressing casually before bouncing down the stairs to find Finn sipping a steaming hot coffee and reading the 'Berk Marauder' newspaper. He looked up to see the smile on her face and he grinned.

"Morning, Asti," he greeted her cheerfully. "Coffee's brewed, there's porridge in the pan and I can make some toast." She grinned and poured herself a cup, sitting down and sipping the hot liquid as she sighed. "Now are you going to tell me anything about the handsome young man who drove you home?"

She glanced at him and smiled.

"That was Hiccup," she explained as Finn chuckled.

"Ah-I see the good old Berkian naming traditions haven't died out yet."

"Nope," Astrid admitted. "Though I think the poor guy would rather they did."

"So should I be worried? As your Uncle?" he asked and she shook her head.

"He's a good guy," she explained, smiling, thumbing through her phone and finding two pictures Heather had sent her. She demonstrated the one of them dancing. "He was rejected by his friends when he lost part of his leg in a fire and he's been trying to be my friend for over a year. But I was...so sore and angry I was mean to him as well. Until I regained my friends and then I realised I had done something that had hurt him. It made me feel...dreadful...and he was...really good about it. I finally allowed myself to see that he was worth being friends with and forgave him for who he was before."

Finn rolled his cup in his hands and looked thoughtful.

"He's not after you for your...new found fame?" he asked carefully but she shook her head.

"He's been trying to be my friend for over a year. The day Mom was taken ill...he asked me if I was okay when I came in. I grumped at him...but he said I looked sad." She noted Finn give a small smile.

"He knows what you look like," he murmured. "I guess he's not popular?"

"Treated like dirt by the rest of the populars...especially the people who used to be his friends," Astrid admitted, getting up and putting some bread in the toaster.

"I can't begin to understand the intricacies or vagaries of teenage school hierarchies," Finn commented, "but that seems a vile way to treat your friend when he has just suffered a terrible accident and needs your help. And though of course I would never think of offering you advice, I will just say that people who treat their so-called friends like that are not to be trusted. Leopards don't change their spots and the way they treated Hiccup...is how they will treat anyone else who falls below their personal standards of worthiness."