Accidental Fiancé

25: New Reality

Twenty Five: New Reality.

Waking with a pounding head, the hot pain from an injury and disorientation about what had happened wasn't that unfamiliar to Hiccup and the young man forced his eyes open. Above him, a white ceiling was featureless and as his eyes regained their focus, he realised he was in what appeared to be a hospital room. There was an IV taped to his hand, the hot sting of the needle making him wince. His head was pounding and his face felt stiff from the blow. Raising a shaking hand, he ghosted a touch of the swollen skin and hard bruising from Bella's punch and he winced. He knew she could hit like a man, despite her deceptive appearance as a small innocent woman and she had been furious.

Remembrance swirled back and he felt himself shrouded in a mixture of astonishment and cringing fear. How had he ever found the courage to defend himself against her and worse-attack Bella? She knew he had been to the police, had reported her for stealing his money and she knew he had recognised she was using him as a meal ticket-ironically, the same accusation she had made against him about Astrid.

If only she knew the truth.

Thor, she must never know the truth.

His hand drifted up to the lump on the back of his head, feeling the sharp scratch of stitches against his fingers. He had been shocked that Bella had attacked him in full view of the national audience, screaming insults and threatening to kill him. She was his private monster, always acting so innocent, always the wronged party, the person who gave and who was doing him a favour in putting up with his disappointing presence...but for her to lose control so catastrophically and publicly had finally freed him. No longer the perfect girlfriend, never putting a foot wrong...she had revealed her true face to the whole of the Archipelago and more, he had defied her. And all it took was Astrid.

He cringed inwardly. Astrid! Gods, she had seen and heard...everything. She knew what a pathetic excuse for a man he was, what an utter disaster his life and relationship was. She had seen Bella tear him apart, seen him cringe like the worthless article he was as she attacked him. In fact, everyone had seen...and they had all watched, shocked, as he had allowed it to happen.

Except Astrid. She had come to his rescue, punching Bella and standing over him like the protective Valkyrie she was. She had called him...'her Hiccup'. And she had said...she loved him.

It must have been the concussion...

There was a window and sunlight was leaking through, revealing it was morning and somehow, he had managed to mess everything up. He was alone and he wondered if Heather would engineer the end of their supposed engagement now, maybe citing the fact he was irrevocably damaged and unsuitable as a fiancé for the Soccer Valkyrie. He closed his eyes and sighed the beeping of his heart monitor accelerating. The truth was that he couldn't love Astrid more, that being with her was the best part of his life and even if she dumped him now, the fact she had protected him would remain with him forever. Even if the dream came to an end now.

Even though that would shatter what remained of him after Bella had ruined most of Hiccup.

The door opened and he started, eyes fluttering open to see the concerned shape of Astrid peeking round, her face filling with relief as she saw him awake. Her hair was just pulled back in a casual ponytail, a loose baby blue 'Team Astrid' hoodie slung over a deep navy lycra top with navy training pants and aquamarine Skechers completing the outfit.

"Hey, babe," she smiled as she walked in, closing the door behind her. "How are you feeling this morning?" She leaned forward and kissed him, her lips gently brushing his in a casual gesture that meant far more than it should to him. He kissed her back automatically and as she wrapped her arms around him, he hugged her back, feeling her breath soft against his neck. "I was so worried, Hiccup," she whispered. "When you passed out..."