Fate~ Hiccstrid Modern

Chapter 8: Secrets

"Astrid..." a soft voice whispered, waking me from my drowsy state. I could feel the warmth of gentle fingers brushing my cheek with care and love. "Astrid, we're home. Wake up, M'Lady."

My eyes open to a blurry green. "Hmm..." I placed my hand on his cheek, soft skin with a prickly feel from an after shadow. "Morning, Hiccup," I giggled.

His bright smile lit up his face as he gazed into my eyes. "You've only slept an hour. Come on, it's time to go in," Hiccup whispered.

I nodded my head and made a move to get out of the truck, but Hiccup grabbed my arm at the last second. I tilted my head in question. "What is it, Hiccup?" His eyes angled down towards my right leg and I followed his gaze. Oh, right... that little detail. "Oh, thanks."

Hiccup nodded his head and got out of the car walking to the tail of the truck. He took the wheelchair and placed it on the ground, rolling it to my open door. I stretched my arms, rubbing sleep from my eyes as Hiccup set the chair in its proper function. Hiccup sighed, putting a hand on the dashboard as we stayed unmoved in silence. Hiccup puffs out his cheeks and looks at me with such strength. "Astrid, it's time to go inside. Ready for the chair again?"

I shake my head and look at the house. It was at least a two story house with a possible basement. In other words, it has a lot of places I can't get to.

Hiccup grabbed my hand, giving it a comfortable squeeze before moving my arm around his neck and moving his around my back and under my legs. "Ready?" he whispered, his forest green never leaving my icy blue.

I nodded slightly. "I'm ready as I'll ever be."

Hiccup picked me up with ease, green frozen to blue. He moved slowly, his strength never wavering. The look in his eye was something unexpected and sweet. My breath caught in my throat. Hiccup set me down in my chair and moved to the front of me. Our faces were close to each other, his eyes were half open with strong emotion washing over his features. His cheeks were slightly pink. I'm sure I didn't look any better. The heat in my cheeks was burning, and the heat from his breath was causing me to feel drunk. We were so close, and kept getting closer. So close our noses were touching.

"Astrid..." Hiccup breathed, cupping my cheek causing me to tilt my head. "Astrid..." he repeated. Our bodies said it all as we continued to get closer to the point our lips were millimeters apart. It felt like we were in that position forever. "Astrid..."

I had enough of this prolonged longing that I wrapped my hands around the collar, about to crash my lips into his when I heard a gasp to the right of us. Hiccup and I separated quicker than slamming on the gas pedal of a race car.

A little girl, about four years of age, stood there holding a doll. She seemed shocked and blushed a bright red with her eyes covered in embarrassment. Hiccup turned to the girl with a bright smile. "Cassy, how are you today?"

She seemed to look at me and shy away. "I'm okay," she whimpered.

Hiccup cocked his head to the side and looked at her. "Did your teacher force you to run again?"

Tears came to her eyes as she ran to Hiccup, who easily caught her and held her in a tight embrace. "He just won't listen to me," she cried. "I keep telling her what happened, but won't believe me without 'visible proof.' Whatever that means."

To me the girl looked like she was a second grader, but by the sound of her voice and diction usage, she sounded like a seventh grader. Hiccup seemed to have sensed my confusion and mouthed a 'fifth grader.' I nodded my head and kept quiet, seeing as I had nothing to do with it.

"You know what, Cassy," Hiccup pulled the girl away from the hug to look in her eyes. "I want you to meet someone who is very important to me." Cassy turned her head to me. Hiccup smiled. "Cassy, this is Astrid Hofferson."

Cassy looked at the chair I was in and then back at me. "What happened? I mean, Hiccup told me you've been the best volleyball player he's ever seen. He even told me about your miracle win in middle school and that no one believed that you guys would win. But he never gave up, saying that that was the most beautiful moment he's ever seen. I believed he called it the apple of his eye."

My eyes widened with realization or was it pure coincidence, but it had to wait for when I had time to think by myself. I smiled at the girl. "I was in midair when I was pushed out of the way by a teammate of mine. Landed on my ankle and shattered my knee. This dork here," I said, pointing to Hiccup who snorted in response. "is probably the kindest, and most heroic person I ever met." I was greeted with victory when Hiccup's cheeks turned a handsome color of crimson.

Cassy giggled. "You don't have to tell me. Hiccup saved my life when my house caught on fire."

My eyes gazed at Hiccup with a sweet smile. "Let me tell you a secret about Hiccup."

She giggled again and moved in close so I could whisper in her ear. "Okay," I whisper so only she can hear it. "I need you to gasp, then giggle, and walk home as if I told you a huge secret."

And she did just that. She gasped, then giggled, and as she walked home Hiccup called out to her. "Wait, Cassy, what did Astrid tell you?"

She turned around with a wicked grin. "That's a secret for another day. Why not ask Astrid?"

I already know that Cassy and I will get along swimmingly.

~

Cover Art: by wild_turtle_art on Instagram

Thank you for reading!