HTTYD: You Don't Know the Meaning of "Nice"? (Hiccstrid)

Chapter 10

Astrid's P.O.V.

I walked into the garage and threw my bag against my locker. "Tough day?" my boss, Gobber, asks as I throw on my apron.

"You can say that," I growl under my breath as I storm to the car I was working on yesterday.

"I'll finish that one, lass. We got a new order to fill and I need you to start on it," he says and points to a black car...Hiccup's car.

"I really just need an oil cleaning," a smug voice says behind me and I slowly turn around to see Hiccup leaning against the wall with a stupid smirk on his face.

"Right away, sir," I say before getting to work. I felt Hiccup's gaze boring into my back as I opened the hood and started to clean and change the oil. Half-way finished, I pause and slowly turn my head to look at him, seeing him looking at me with narrowed eyes. "Uh...can I help you?" I ask.

"Nah, you just keep doing what you're doing," he says distractedly before winking at me. I let out a disgusted scoff before finishing the job and putting the hood down.

"That'll be 25," I say as I wipe my hands on a towel and walk towards the counter. "And before you try, we don't take cards," I add as I open the cash register.

He pauses, half way handing me the money. "You know," he says slowly, "You look kinda cute with oil smeared all over you."

"Haha, very funny," I say sarcastically as I reach for the money. My finger brushes the 25 before he pulls it away. Hiccup holds it between two fingers as he leans on the counter, looking at me with mischievous eyes. 

"I'll throw in an extra 50 if you kiss me," he says with an evil smirk. I growl through clenched teeth as I think about it. I didn't want to kiss him, but the garage needed all the money it can get. Maybe I can get him to pay more.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid kisses are 200," I tell him and he reaches into his pocket before pulling out two hundred bills. He waves them in front of me.

"Come on, Asty, just one little kiss and the money's yours to do what ever you want with. I'm sure your 'boyfriend' won't mind," he says.

"One, why are you acting like this? Two, what's with the air quotes around 'boyfriend'?" I ask, leaning on the counter by my arms, stretched to the sides.

"Stop playing dumb, Astrid," he orders, "I know Derek's not real." I sigh, hanging my head slightly.

"Still, it was nice having someone helping me pay the rent," I sigh then add under my breath, "All Mom does is spend it." Hiccup waves the money at me again.

"One kiss can help you pay the rent for this month," he says and I cringe as he grins.

"Ugh, fine," I groan quietly before facing him. I take a deep breath before he leans over the counter and tilts my chin up gently. He slowly connects our lips and, remembering that the money was for a kiss from me, I kiss him back. After a minute he pulls away but doesn't release my chin, making me look him in the eyes. His green eyes.

"Thank you, M'Lady," he says softly before walking to his car and driving out of the garage, leaving me to stare after him in shock. I...I enjoyed it?! The feeling of his soft lips still lingered on mine as I slowly tapped one with my middle finger tip. I look at my hand to see that he had placed 100 extra in it while he used the kiss as a distraction. So, all together, there was 325 instead of the agreed upon 225. I thought about taking the extra hundred and either returning it, giving it to Gobber for the garage, or using it for my rent.

"Uh, G-Gobber?" I call and a moment later, he shows up from around the corner.

"So, ye kissed 'im fer extra pay?" he says, wiping his hands.

"Y-You saw?" I ask and he nods with a smile.

"Ye both looked like ye was enjoying it, if I do say so meself," he says, bouncing his eye brows.

"He gave us an extra hundred, what do you want to do with it?" I ask, handing him the money. He examines it before chuckling. 

"I want ye to take fer yer rent," he says, handing me the hundred. I look from the bill to him and back again.

"But what about the garage?" I ask.

"Study this," he says, placing the money in my hand. I obey and see a note on the back, from Hiccup.

Astrid,
This is for your rent. If you need more, feel free to come to me, got it? You're a strong, independent girl, but if you're willing to kiss someone, just to be able to pay for an apartment, you might as well become a stripper. I don't want to see that happen to you. It's alright to ask for help when you need it, okay?
-Hiccup.

I sigh as I finish reading it. I flop down in my swivel chair and prop my elbow on the arm rest as I massage the bridge of my nose.

"How bad is your rent?" Gobber asks.

"400 a month," I tell him.

"Why don't you ask for a raise?" he asks.

"Because you can't afford to give me one, Boss," I chuckle.

"I know for a fact that you have a job at City Hall, and Starbucks," he says flatly.

"I'm still new! Think about it! A-basically-trainee asking for a raise on her first week of work. They'd fired me!" I find myself snapping, accidentally.

"Even if they knew your living situation?" he asks.

"They don't care! They only care about bringing in money for the city/company! And you should too! Take this for the garage! If I get evicted, I can sue my mom for using all the money I earn!" I shout, slamming the hundred on the desk before storming to my locker. I throw my apron down and grab my bag, without breaking stride. "I'm taking a personal day!" I scream before slamming the door shut and running full-sprint down the street. After about ten minutes, I find myself panting in front of the school. I throw my bag on a bench and sit, rubbing my head in exasperation as sobs seize my body. Haven't cried since my dad got high and shot my ear. I take a few suffocating breaths before lifting my head and looking at the door of the school. I looked inside and saw it empty... Maybe just once. I grab my bag and walk inside, happy when I find the doors unlocked. I drop my bag in the commons and run to the hall way my class rooms were in. I skid to a stop at my locker and open it before taking out a can of spray paint. I shake it up before closing my locker. I start spraying the lockers with it, letting my mind come up with an image. When I'm done with the black, I open my locker again and pull out the green along with some other colors.

One hour later

I wipe the sweat form my brow before standing back to admire my work. Every locker in the hall shared a part of the schools mascot: a green-eyed, black dragon called a Nightfury. I walk to another hall, with my paints and start painting those lockers in an array of blue and yellow.

One more hour later

I smile as I finish. This hall of lockers was a dragon I like to call, a Deadly Nadder. I look at the clock to see that it's passed my curfew. I sigh before putting my paint back in my locker and running back to the commons to find my bag, not where I left it. I distinctly remember leaving it on the floor, and now it was on a table. I shake it off before grabbing it and running home, getting there to find my mother in the living room.

"Hi, mom," I sigh before pausing, realizing she was out of it. I slink passed her to my room to find Stromfly, asleep on my bed. I sit on my bed and pull my book out of my bag, my mind clouding with confusion when a piece of paper falls off the cover. I read it after seeing it was a note.

Meet me outside school, tomorrow. I have a proposition for you.
-Hiccup.