What Happened After Everything?

A painfully awkward cold day

"Hiccup, hurry! A storms coming and we can't just stand here drawing castles in the sky!" Astrid said, shaking my body.

"Oh. Sorry..." I said while picking up the last few equipment needed for us to bring back.

I was thinking about the whole Merida and Eret incident. The picture of the embarrassed Scottish princess and the lonesome heartbroken Viking kept playing in my mind. It made my head spin.

"You've been acting strange lately. What's going on?" She said with concern in her voice.

It was clear that she felt disquiet but I couldn't answer her. Why couldn't I answer her? Why... She then began to vociferate.

"Hiccup! Answer me!" She beseeched.

In my shocked state, I dropped the things that I was carrying. I looked back at her. I was so nonplussed at that moment.

"I..." She said. "Never mind... Guess I was too hard on you." She turned her head to the opposite side, clearly disappointed that she didn't get an answer out of me.

I picked up the fallen equipment and we proceeded walking to our destination, the mess hall.

We manhandled the large and heavy wooden doors open and our cold red and sore faces were immediately greeted by a warm and soothing mist of air. How delightful.

"Thanks, Snotlout. We needed that." Astrid said, very pleased.

It turns out that Snotlout was told to keep any visitors who came in here warm. How? His dragon could breathe out hot steam.

All who volunteered to help out and scavenge for supplies would soon meet up at the grand mess hall for everything to be distributed and accounted for. Apparently my fiancé and I were the first ones who arrived.

I put all the heavy dinguses that I collected down on a table nearby and I took it upon myself to help Astrid with hers right after. As I was about to head the other direction, trying to find a vacant seat for my blonde companion and I to sit on, I was hit on the head by an unknown object. I rubbed my aching head in pain.

"Ouch! Dang it! Who did that?" I said, turning in circles, trying to find my culprit.

"Sorry Lad! It was me." Merida said, appearing out of the shadows.

"M-merida? But why?" Astrid said, questioning her.

"None of your business, blondy!" She said as she pulled me back up.

"Merida... What's the meaning of all this?" I asked.

"I need to talk to you." She whispered in my ear.

I raised a brow.

"In private, Dummy." She said, rolling her eyes.

"Be right back." I said to the the others.

They had cringed looks in their faces.

Astrid sighed.

"Just go." She said.

"Really? You're letting him!" Snotlout said with disbelief in his eyes."Have... Have you gotten all soft or something?" He said, gesturing his hands towards the redheaded princess and I.

She gave him a clout behind the back.

"Ouch! You, bit-" Snotlout ecxlamed before being dragged away by Astrid.

"I'm just letting you go. FOR NOW. Not because I'm going soft but... Ever since these past few weeks, this isn't the weirdest thing you guys have done. So, whatever and just go already." She shrugged and gave us a playful smile.