Heart of a Dragon (A Hiccup x Astrid HTTYD AU Fanfic)

Chapter 23: Milady

Because of the training sessions, I felt significant changes to my body; I was faster, stronger, and I could definitely jump higher compared from before.

We just finished the training session today and tomorrow is the day of the try-outs, I was sitting at the free-throw line, resting. 

"Here." Astrid brought me a bottle of water, "Thanks." I accepted it, "Are you ready for tomorrow?" she asked, "Yeah. I think so." I replied while opening the water bottle, "Are you nervous?", "I don't know yet.", "Just play how you always play." she told me, "That's my line." I smirked, "But... What if it's not enough?" I asked, my voice has a hint of worry in it, she sat down behind me.

We were sitting back-to-back and I felt her lean her head on my head. Ever since we have been continuously communicating with each other, I felt that we got closer.

"Just do your best. You beat me one-on-one after all." Astrid reassured me, "How about this? We make something up to calm each other before every game that we play, like a secret handshake or something?" she followed, "You get nervous?" I asked, "Of course. I carry everyone's expectations so sometimes it's really nerve wracking." she told me,  "Never knew that about you. Let's do it. I always wanted to have a secret handshake." I replied.

We took a couple of minutes before coming up with something we both agreed on as cool. "Let's try again. Two front sides and then one back side of the hand then palm slide then lock, next is one shake and kill gesture, sliding the thumb horizontally along the neck." We both said as we did the secret handshake we created, "It's cool." I commented.

"Are you gonna watch the try-outs tomorrow?" I asked her, "Of course! Do you not want me there?", "It will be my honor if you are there tomorrow, milady." I gotten less awkward when it comes to things like this, I saw her eyes widened.

"Milady? Where did that come from?" Astrid asked while having a delighted expression, "I'm just trying different ways of calling you, you don't like it?" I replied, "I really like it actually. It's much better than the 'honeypie' you called me last night." she reminded me, "Yeah... I knew that it was a bad idea as soon as it left my mouth." I started smiling remembering how she laughed so much.

"That made me laugh so much last night." she told me between laughs, "You were the one who keep telling me to come up with something." I told her, "But 'honeypie'... That was the worst pet name I ever heard." she started laughing again, "I know already. Just forget that I ever called you that." her laughter was so contagious that I found myself laughing alongside her.

- - - - - 

Narration:

Hiccup set his alarm at 7:00 am but he was already awake at 6 am, his nerves were getting the best of him.

This was the first time he felt this nervous for a basketball game, even the last do-or-die game for the championship back in his middle school days didn't rattle him this much.

Hiccup needed to calm his self so he went down to their backyard to get some fresh air.

Hiccup's POV

I woke up an hour early than how I usually wake up. After meditating a bit in the backyard, I made myself coffee before going back to my room.

Since I have a lot of time before I need to go to school, I started preparing the things I'll be needing, I laid the items I'll be bringing for the try-outs on my bed.

I went to my closet to pick the pair of shoes I'll be playing in later. I was sipping my coffee when I heard my phone ringing, "Who might this be?"

"Good morning." I heard her voice and it sounded like she was just waking up, it made smile hearing her voice, "Good morning, milady. You seem up early." I replied stifling my laughter from how cute she sounded, "Look who's talking." I laughed at her reply, I was now calmer.