All These Lights

butterflies

Helloooo everyoneeee. Ellie here. I wanted to add a bit of a warning lmao, not a trigger warning, just a warning because I haven't finished editing/rewriting all the chapters in this story, so they might not make as much sense together anymore. I feel bad for doing that but this story is heading in a better direction now and once it's all done it'll be fantastic. so just beware I guess...

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Hiccup wasn't sure how it all happened. One minute he was getting his makeup done, the next minute Astrid burst in the room and yanked him out of the chair.

"Astrid? What's going on?"

She didn't speak until she dropped him on the couch of Snotlout's dressing room. The other Us Four boys were in there along with Eret. Astrid stood before them, arms crossed. "Campfire. Now."

All of them spoke at once.

"Ah." She stopped them. "I need one explanation not five."

No one spoke.

"Fine, I'll talk. You listen. I don't know what happened today, I don't even care because right now you need to get it together. You're going to be on national television in a matter of minutes and you decide that the best way to spend that time is to start a shouting match. You managed to embarrass your label, your families, your staff, and me in the span of ten minutes. So pray tell, what was so important that you couldn't have a civil discussion about it?"

Her question was met with silence.

"You guys were surrounded by cameras. Cameras and you couldn't even try. Do you know what's going to happen when that footage gets out?" Astrid buried her face in her hands. "All hell is going to break loose and it's going to be my job to put it right back in its Thor-forsaken can. Don't you understand that your actions have consequences? I would think you of all people would see that every single step you take is nothing but money to those snakes, and yet you can't bother to watch your step."

"Astrid." Hiccup breathed, surprised at her sudden outburst. He sent a look toward Fishlegs, what happened?

Fishlegs just nodded his head toward Eret.

"So if I'm not going to get an explanation, and since I don't have enough energy to make you all regret the day your parents conceived you, I'm going to make sure that footage never gets anywhere near the internet." Astrid moved toward the door but stopped. "I suggest you all cry your rivers, build your bridges, and get over it in time to show the rest of the world that we're just one big happy family. You have five minutes." She slammed the door.

"What the hell happened?" Hiccup asked after a moment.

"Son of Eret over here thought it'd be fun to change our setlist for today." Snotlout replied.

"Because you can't sing a song nobody has heard of."

"You're saying my song isn't good enough to be sung on tv?" Tuffnut put a hand over his heart. "I'm hurt."

"Okay guys, why don't we try being reasonable?" Fishlegs tried.

"There's no reasoning with this one, Fishlegs." Snotlout spat.

"Excuse me?" Eret was taken aback. "How am I unreasonable?"

"You changed today's setlist. You changed hotel arrangements for Rouge. You changed venues for our first meet and greet next week. All without Astrid's approval." Snotlout counted these things off.

"You're blaming me?"

"Absolutely." Snotlout answered.

"100%." Tuff added.