A Hiccstrid Story | When worlds collide

Trial Run

Chapter 50!!! 💛

***

"Wooooah!" The twins gazed at the new bruise forming on Snotlout's jaw.

"That was awesome!" Ruffnut awed.

"Do it again!" Tuff cheered.

"Do what again?" Heather wondered.

"Heather! Is Astrid okay?" Hiccup questioned.

"She's fine, Hiccup. She's just feeling a little sick." Heather assured. "It's all starting to get a little real. And she's a little freaked out."

Hiccup thought hard for a moment when a fiendishly brilliant idea popped into his head.

"Woah, what happened to Snotlout?" Astrid wondered as she entered.

"I punched him." Hiccup shrugged as if it were perfectly normal, returning to his seat, shortly followed by Astrid.

"Oh, okay."

"It was awesome. It was like Thor's mighty hammer, meeting Snotlout's paper jaw!" Tuffnut described.

"Hey," Hiccup whispered in Astrid's ear. "How do you feel about spending the weekend at home?"

"Why?"

"No reason. Just thought it might be nice." He fibbed.

"You always have a reason. And you're making your super-secret idea face. What are you up to?" She wondered.

"Wha-nothing. I just... thought it might be nice since we haven't been home in a while."

***

Hiccup and Astrid arrived at the Haddock house. Stoick was away on a business trip. So they had the whole house to themselves. At least for the next thirty minutes. Until there was a knock at the door.

"Aunt Lucy." Hiccup greeted the young woman with a baby in her arms.

"Hey, Hayden." She smiled.

"Come on in." He stepped aside, inviting her into the house, shortly followed by a young girl you might be slightly familiar with.

"Uncle Hiccup!" A small voice cheered, racing into Hiccup's arms.

"Hey, Harls! How's my favorite cousin doing?" He said as he scooped her up. "Wow, you're getting big!" He noted.

"That's because I'm this many!" She said holding up seven little fingers.

"Wow!" He gasped. "How about my other favorite cousin?" He asked his aunt Lucy.

"He's doing just fine." She chuckled. "How's your little one doing?"

"Oh," Hiccup remembered. "Aunt Lucy, you remember Astrid. Astrid, Lucy." He reintroduced.

"He's doing just fine." Astrid chuckled.

"She." Hiccup corrected.

"He." Astrid insisted.

"She... she's a little on the small side. She should be around 4.6 inches but she's only around 3 but they aren't too concerned."

"Are you gonna clue me in on what you're up to?" Astrid wondered.

"You didn't tell her?" Lucy asked.

"Tell me what?"

"If I told her, she wouldn't have come." Hiccup explained. He turned his attention to Astrid, bracing himself for a punch he was sure was coming. "We are babysitting Hugo for the weekend. I thought we could use the practice."

"Yeah, you did the right thing, not telling me." Astrid folded her arms.

"Well, I know you were a little worried about it. So, I thought we could do with a trial run and Lucy wanted to spend the weekend with Harley. So it's a win-win." Hiccup explained. "His stuff's in the car?" He asked. Lucy nodded.

He headed out to collect Hugo's things.

"So, how've you been?" Lucy asked the blonde. "Last time I saw you, you weren't much older than Harley."

"Yeah, a lot has changed." Astrid chuckled.

"You could put it that way," Lucy smirked. "I remember when Harley came to visit me in the hospital when I had Hugo. The first thing she said was 'Uncle Hiccup's got a girlfriend'. Actually, she practically screamed it didn't you Harley?"

"I was excited!" She admitted. The older girls rolled their eyes and chuckled.

"Well, if you ever need anything, even just to talk. Give me a call." Lucy handed her a card with her number on it.

"Thanks." Astrid accepted it gratefully. "What... what's it really like?" Astrid sighed.

"Which part?"

"All of it."

"Exhausting," Lucy explained. "For the first few weeks especially. You're gonna be sore and tired, and everything is gonna feel a little disorienting." Astrid sighed, wrapping her arms around herself. Lucy made her way over, placing Hugo in her arms. "But, it's all worth it. You'll see."

Astrid smiled down at the bundle in her arms.

"He's so small." She whispered.

"He's almost one. They start smaller than that." Lucy chuckled.

"I hope so!" Astrid joked. "They just look so fragile."

"They're a lot stronger than they appear."

"Ahem." Hiccup cleared his throat. Hugo's thing we're piled against the wall. He was leaned against the door frame, smirking at the scene he just witnessed.

"Right, We better be going." Lucy gave Hugo a quick kiss on the cheek.

Harley tugged Astrid's hoodie to get her attention.

"You got this." She whispered.

"Thanks," Astrid whispered back.

***

"Here." Astrid handed the baby to Hiccup. "You're better at this than me."

"Astrid, that's why we're doing this." He explained. "To help you practice."

"What if I pass out? I don't wanna drop him." She worried.

"You're not gonna drop him." Hiccup reassured, handing him back. "Just relax." He suggested.

The baby began to stir as he awoke from his nap. A small cry turned into a roar of tears within a matter of seconds.

"Now what?" Astrid panicked.

"Trust your instincts." Hiccup told her.

"Hiccup, I don't have any instincts!" She explained. "My only instinct is to panic!"

***