Behind the mask

Unlikely Hero

He stared at the sight. Astrid's golden hair was coming out of the braid, her azure eyes shimmering with tears and she was desperately struggling against the much bigger and more powerful teen who had her helpless in his grasp. Dogsbreath was clearly drunk, his eyes hazy and movements a little clumsy...but more than compensated for by his strength. Astrid didn't stand a chance.

He sneaked up the stairs until he was fully on the landing, watching the struggle and Astrid's eyes alighted on him. The azure depths were dark with desperation.

"Help me," she pleaded, struggling. Dogsbreath blinked and looked at him...then his face fell into a scowl.

"Get lost, fishbone!" he sneered, his voice slurred.

"Hmm...may be a problem since I have an excellent sense of direction," Hiccup shot back, assessing his options. There didn't seem to be any especially promising since he knew Dogsbreath could probably beat him to a pulp without breaking a sweat and probably still hang onto Astrid.

"Well, take your sense of direction and frickin' get outta here!" Dosgbreath sneered. "Me and Miss Perfect have got some fun planned..."

"Get off me!" Astrid shouted. "Please..." Dogsbreath dragged her back into the bedroom and kicked the door closed, then dragged the girl towards the bed, tossing her down and pinning her to the bed. Staring up at the more powerful boy, she continued to struggle and tears spilled from her terrified eyes. "Please...get off me..." she whispered as he began to slide her dress up.

Hiccup stared at the closed door and heard the whispered plea. And while she had been cruel and dismissive to him and treated him unfairly-even when he had helped her-she was a human being and she was afraid and powerless. He glanced at the door. Dogsbreath would make his life Hel...so he might as well make it worth his while. Then he saw what he needed...

"No..." Astrid whimpered...and then the door slammed open and Dogsbreath looked up-to meet a chair. He gave a loud grunt as Hiccup swung the chair again and knocked him off the pinned girl. Astrid was frozen, face streaked with tears and trembling. Her scarlet dress was slid up above her waist, displaying white lacy panties that Dogsbreath in his drunken clumsiness hadn't managed to remove...yet. Hiccup grabbed her wrist and hauled her to her feet.

"C'mon-I think I only stunned him," he said urgently. "He really does have rocks for a head!" She was shaking but he pulled her onto the landing and cast around for the bathroom. She paused, then darted towards the stairs. "No!" he hissed. "Madguts and Savage are down there by the door. I'm sure they know he was up there with you. They'll hold you up until he can get you!" She froze and stared at him with frightened eyes.

"What?" she whispered. He looked embarrassed.

"They're not very nice people," he admitted. "Sorry. Now come on unless you want to wait for him to get up and come for you again?" She snatched her purse-which she had dropped-in the struggle-and followed him into the bathroom. He slammed the bolt home and winced, staring around. "Are you okay? He didn't...you know...?" he asked her in a gentler voice. She shook her head, still breathing fast and wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"No...he didn't," she admitted, still very shaken. "What do we do now?" Hiccup went to the window and opened it, shoving it wide open. There was the garage roof, a few yards down and almost directly below the bathroom. A blast of cold air hit his face and he glanced around. The garage was far enough to the side of the house that they could sneak down the other side and make it to the road unseen. He beckoned her over.

"Do you think you can make that?" She peered down in shock, then read his face: he was deadly serious. And then she heard hammering at the door and the sounds of a horribly familiar voice.