Happily Never After

Part 13

Chapter 12

"Finally back home!" Astrid happily announced as she opened the door for Hiccup who was on crutches. Astrid had been discharged three days prior and had gone back to pick up Hiccup since he was in no condition to drive. They also needed to stop by the pharmacy to stock up on some pain meds.

"Oh...," Astrid said upon realizing that their bedrooms were on the second floor and that there was no elevator to make it easier for Hiccup.

"It's fine, I can manage," Hiccup announced as if reading her thoughts. "I can probably sleep on the couch. It's very fluffy you know,"

"You will do nothing of the sort," Astrid huffed as she closed the door. "I can help you up and down the stairs."

"Astrid you really don't..."

"I insist," She countered amid Hiccup's protest. "It's either I offer you my shoulder or I Princess-carry you up those stairs."

Hiccup groaned as he was certain Astrid could probably make good on her threat as he had seen her benchpress his weight.

"Fiiiine!" Hiccup grumbled.

"Thank you. No one should feel restricted in their own house." Astrid stated while she put the prescription meds away in the fridge. "You just take it easy and recover while I make lunch,"

Hiccup nearly choked upon hearing Astrid would cook and was about to insist that he'd do it. So far he'd managed to limit the times she cooked with convenient excuses but he realized that today that wasn't going to fly. Hiccup was actually glad to be able to sit down. His ankle was throbbing from the elevator ride, though he never said anything for fear Astrid might take it badly. He suspected that she was somehow blaming herself for the whole incident. Yet he had no way of bringing it up casually.

Hiccup thought that that would be the end of it but oh how he was wrong. Astrid was very helpful, in fact she was exceedingly helpful over the coming weeks as his ankle healed further. He still walked with a limp, which according to the doctors was permanent, and at times during cold weather with a cane as his leg throbbed a lot more then. Yet Hiccup had learned to manage and could be self-sufficient given his new limitations, if only Astrid would stop treating him as if he was made of glass.

Things finally came to a head one night when Hiccup snapped at her for coddling him. Astrid looked shocked and dropped the remote she had been intending to hand him before standing up and wordlessly leaving the room, nearly running up the stairs. Hiccup watched the whole thing and, unsure if he fucked up or not, called his mom immediately.

"Mom.. I..." Hiccup said after the call was picked up after two rings.

"Son, yer mother is a little busy right now," Stoick was the one to answer the phone instead which made Hiccup pause.

"Dad, why are you answering mom's phone?" He questioned but before Stoick could answer he added "Wait, nevermind. I need some advice."

"Did ya screw up with the lass son?" Stoick asked.

"WHAT NO! WE... UHM... MAYBE? I don't know!" Hiccup went from defensive to confused in about three seconds. "Dad, are women always this complicated?"

"You have no idea son. No idea," Stoick muttered. "Now just between you and me how did ya screw up?"

"Uhm, well, I might have snapped at Astrid because she was... you know... pitying me. I mean, she's been treating me as if I'd break for the last week. It's been really noticeable too,"