An Extraordinary Girl

Thirty-Five

Hiccup's POV

I awoke pretty early giving me plenty of time to get ready for breakfast. I took a shower and got dressed. Nothing fancy but like I was ready to start a casual day.  I made my way downstairs around 8:40 to see my dad doing something in the kitchen.

"Morning dad, what are ya doing?" I asked walking into the kitchen.

"Startin' breakfast son," he said putting on an apron.

"Oh, when did you get the apron?" I asked gesturing to the... odd apron.

My dad stopped for a moment and looked down at the apron then back at me," it was yer mothers, I found it in a box downstairs."

"Oh I see, it's a little small on ya though," I chuckled noticing he had barely gotten the strings tied in the back.

"Hiccup, despite how bad your mothers cookin could be, I figured it would guide me to cook more like her on a morning like this." He said making pancake batter.

"Oh I didn't mean it to be upsetting or insulting or anything," I said sitting at the table feeling slightly bad for unintentionally bringing up the topic of mom.

He set the bowl and whisk down," ya know, ye can ask me bout your mother right? It's not a sore subject or anythin. Does Astrid even know about her?"

I sighed," I know, and no Astrid doesn't know, it's kinda weird to just bring that up. Ya know?"

He sighed," yes I understand but I figured at least as a boy you woulda asked more questions about her but ye barley asked me anythin."

I met my fathers gaze," I don't know why I don't have questions, but it's kind of hard to ask you questions about someone when-"

I cut myself off, I wouldn't  mean what I was about to say. I mean I would mean it but not in the way he would have taken it.

He raised his eyebrow," when what?"

I took a deep breath," I am not saying you're a bad parent when I say this, but it's hard to ask about her when you're not always here to answer them."

He furrowed his eyebrows," boy for the past few months I haven't seen ya because you have yer own life. I know I hadn't  had much time off even before that." He paused and his eyes slightly widened."Now that I think about it- and it's a bad time to mention it- I have another business trip I'll be gone 5  days- but after that. We can sit down and have a chat about anythin we want, sound good?"

He's leaving, again, I know he's got to work now that he runs his own branch in a new place. While I have my own life and have spend most of my time here at Berk with Astrid and the others. We haven't been able to really talk in forever, about anything," sounds good."

"Good, now yer on bacon duty, you know how I like it," he said stepping aside so I could help him.

I walked around to the stove after washing my hands and got to work," ya like it burnt right?" I asked.

"No Hiccup CRISPY I like it CRISPY not burnt," he said shaking his head.

"I've seen how you cook your bacon, it's burn't," I said.

"DAMMIT I DO NOT EAT BURN'T BACON!" He boomed.

"OH YEAH for SURE!" I shouted back sarcastically.

There was a knock at the door.

Astrid's here...

"I'll get it, don't burn that damn bacon, I want it CRISPY, got it?" He said walking to the door.

"Dad I could have gotten it!" I shouted.

"Nah she will probably be happier to see me than you anyways." He paused before he opened the door and looked back at me," do women even like you?"

I rolled my eyes," open that door and find out for yourself." I said as I pointed towards the door.

He opened the door and greeted Astrid.

"Hello Astrid, it's nice to finally meet ya," he said sticking his hand out.

She extended her arm and shook his hand. I smiled as I watched the interaction. Astrid is quite small compared to my father so when they shook hands a small shake for him, was Astrid's arm flopping up and down.

"Come on in why don't ya?" My father said as he stepped aside to let her in.

Astrid stepped inside and made eye contact with me. She smiled and waited for my father to close the door and lead her towards the kitchen. She could see me and clearly knew where it was but she probably found it rude to just wander around.

"Shoes or no shoes?" Astrid asked my father.

He just looked at her for a second.

"Is wearing shoes inside okay or not okay?" Astrid asked this time.

"Ooooh, no shoes," he said shaking his head.

"Okay," Astrid happily replied taking her shoes off.

They both make their way into the kitchen and I smile at Astrid," hello."

"Hello," she chimes back.

She sits down on the other side of the island and leans over slightly to see what I'm doing.

"Makin bacon?" She asks.

"Nope, just making some coal for my dad," I replied as I flipped the bacon.

She rolled her eyes," oh yeah that's why it smells like bacon and looks like bacon."

I pause for a moment and look at her," no truly, that's just the way dad likes it."

"Hiccup, you take that back," my father demanded.

"Fine, fine, you don't like to eat burnt bacon, you just like it to have a hint of burnt flavor," I said smiling.

"Hiccup." My father said walking closer to me and now towering over me," I'm showin Astrid yer baby pictures. Hell I'll give her a copy."

My face went pale," that's not really necessary is it??" I said getting nervous.

He smiled at me then looked over to Astrid," after breakfast how about we dust off some of those old boxes."

PTK