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

Chapter 51: Fishlegs's Advice Actually Makes Sense

I ate the porridge and went back to bed, I looked for my phone and it was nowhere to be found. I tried looking for my bag that I used yesterday and I found it on the floor on the side of my bed.

I leaned down to get it, the stretch I did was accompanied by a groan.

I managed to reach the strap and pulled it closer towards me, I searched inside.

"There you are." I laid back to my bed, I opened my phone and luckily, it's not dead yet.

The first thing I saw was the notifications about yesterday's game, "Good thing that we won yesterday. This issue with Astrid is really messing me up, I need to let this off of my chest or it will just continue affect my game." I told myself.

"I should thank her for last night or I won't hear the end of it from my dad." I spent about an hour on scrolling through my social media and I was completely surprised by the significant growth of the number of followers I have.

I left my room bringing the tray and the bowl I used downstairs, I saw my dad on the living room watching TV.

"I thought I told you too rest. I would have cleaned it up later." my dad said, "It's okay, dad. I need to move my body." I replied, "Are you feeling okay?" he asked, "Yep, Kinda. Just muscle aches and body pains." I replied, "I saw your game in the news, you played good once again." he told me, "No biggie." I smiled at him.

"But... You were playing angry, weren't you?" he asked and my eyes grew wide, "I'm your dad and I have watched you play ever since you were little, of course I know when you play angry. So what's the matter?" he added, "It's nothing. I just had a bad day." I replied.

"I know you know that playing angry makes you do reckless things. Remember in your middle school when one kid shoved you to the ground and you got angry and in the very next play, you paid him back with an elbow to the face." my dad told me and I could see him trying his best not smiling, "I have a vague memory of that. I get your point, it's still something I'm working on. I'm able to control it into a certain extent." I said, "Just don't let your emotions get to your head." he lectured me, I nodded before going back up to my room.

- - - - - - -

The next day, my body was feeling much better when I woke that morning and my fever was gone so I immediately went to my backyard after having breakfast to shoot some hoops.

"Hey son , don't over do it. You just got better!" my dad shouted, "Don't worry. I've been on my bed the whole day yesterday, I need to move around." I replied while getting off some shots.

Third Person's POV

Hiccup made up his mind to move past his problems. He was finally having fun again after being in complete despair and anger in the last few days. He plans to take his mind off of her and solely focus on basketball, he doesn't want to risk their chance on making it to the Nationals just because of a crush.

Hiccup was moving around, doing dribbling moves, practicing basketball moves as well, and he even tried dunking once or twice. 

Hiccup's POV

I was in the middle of doing a move when I suddenly heard my dad calling for me, I put the ball away and wiped my sweat off before entering inside the house.

"Yes dad?" I asked while running the towel along my arm, "Fishlegs is looking for you." he replied and I saw him standing at the front door with an awkward smile etched on his face, "Hey." I greeted with a wave and he just kept looking at me retaining the weird smile.

"Ahmm... Let's go to the backyard." I pointed at the door leading to the backyard and I saw him nod, "Thanks, Mr. Haddock." I heard him tell my dad before following me to the backyard.

"Working out?" Fishlegs asked, "Yeah. My body needed to move." I replied, "It means you're all good now." he grabbed the ball laying on the court, "Uh yeah. Just light work out, been cooped up in my room yesterday." I answered.

"Thanks by the way. My dad told me that you brought me home." I told him, "You're welcome but you should thank Astrid since she's the one who asked his dad to drive you home." he responded, "I know that too. But I don't know if I can approach her after what happened between us." I sat down on the bench. 

"Speaking of Astrid, it seems you haven't seen it yet." he told me but I didn't have any idea what he is talking about, "Huh? What do you mean?" I asked him, "I went here because I thought you've seen it already." he opened his phone and showed me something but because of the glare from the sun, at first I can't make anything out of it, I shielded my eyes from the glare of the sun and leaned in to get a clearer look.

The first thing I saw was the headline, "It seems that the Berk Institute Basketball Power Couple has broken up.", "Hmm... How did they knew about that?" I asked, "Maybe someone else saw you two." Fishlegs commented, "Next day will be troublesome." I said and I saw Fishlegs chuckle, "The life of a celebrity, huh?" he followed, "I hate it already." I said which made him chuckle more.

"But with all seriousness, what did happen between you two?" Fishlegs sat beside me, still holding the ball, "I guess it's alright to tell you the truth." I said, "Truth?" he looked at me confused, "I'm not really dating Astrid." I said, "Duh... I know since you just broke up." he told me, "No. What I mean is, Astrid and I were never in a relationship to begin with." I clarified, "I'm not really getting what you're saying, Hiccup. " he was now even more confused, "I clearly heard you said that you couldn't handle it anymore and that you want to end it." he added, "Yeah, what I was ending was our agreement, that I would pretend to be dating here so that Snotlout would leave him alone." I said, "Wow... That's brazen. You fooled everyone in school and the nation." he responded, "I don't know if it's okay to ask but I'm gonna ask anyway, why did you end your relationship with her. It's not like Snotlout has left Astrid alone yet." he followed, I let out a sigh. 

"It's because I was... I was falling for her for real, you know." I said, I saw his eyes widen, "So I absentmindedly said to her that we should just date for real but it seems she doesn't see me in that way. The way she looked at me broke my heart." I continued, "I don't blame you since it was a dangerous game you were playing and it was with your childhood crush." he replied, "I didn't say anything about Astrid being my childhood crush." I remarked, "Please. Everyone knew Astrid was your crush when we were kids and it seems she still is." he pointed out.

"So that's really it between you two?" he asked, "There's nothing I could do. She doesn't like me." I answered, "Maybe it's not like that. Maybe she's just afraid that if you two really became a couple and it doesn't work  out, she'll ruin your friendship and lose you for real." I looked at him in surprise since he just spit out some real wisdom, "Where did you read that from?" I teased, "I know my stuff and my mom watches love stories day and night so I picked up a thing or two." he smiled.

"In my opinion, you should tell her what you really felt." he instructed, "But I already did." I said, "No. You should really tell her what's in your heart and if she still doesn't accept you then forget her and move on." he declared and it made me ponder, "I'll think about it." I took the ball from him and ran to the court. 

"You know, I went to 'THE PIT' yesterday and I heard an interesting rumor." Fishlegs followed me, "Uh... What rumor?" I replied but I already know where this conversation will lead to.

"Some of the guys said that the 'Night Fury' played and defeated 20 guys in 1v1s in a span of two days. They said that he was an absolute beast and his opponents never had the chance." he told me, "Hmmm... Interesting rumor." I sarcastically replied, "So you released all of your frustration at 'THE PIT'?" he asked, "Yeah. I don't know what to do with what I was feeling so I just did what I do best and that's basketball." I took a shot and made it.

"But... This got me thinking, the whole school knows about you and Astrid being in a relationship, what will you do about that?" Fishlegs asked as eh threw me back the ball, "I don't have anything figured out yet since everything was burst of emotions, you know." I shot again before grabbing my water bottle.

"Are you really okay?" he asked with concern in his voice, "I'll get over it. I'll focus on basketball and getting us past the Qualifiers is my top priority right now." I replied while staring at the bottle in my hands, "Let's stop at that and just play. First-to-21 and the loser treats the winner for a meal." he took the ball and dribbled towards the court, he challenged me with a smug look on his face, "You're on." I stood up and went inside the court.