I Don't Love You Too

Chapter 9 - Got What You Came For

(For maximum feels, listen to the song whilst reading. I cried whilst writing, no joke. Olly Murs's new album is AMAZING)

I lay in bed that night happy and content. I was filled with a warm, fuzzy sensation that I didn't quite understand but loved. I was about to drift to sleep when I heard my phone buzzing. I fumbled around for it and as I read the caller ID my brow furrowed angrily. It was Astrid.

"Hello?"

"Hiccup," Astrid was speaking frantically and in a rush, "you have to help me. Now."

"Why should I help you?"

"It's Hans. He's been run over and he's bleeding like mad. He has to get to hospital, he's going to die otherwise."

All thoughts from earlier vanished and I realised this was a serious situation.

"Where are you?"

"Just south of the Corona shopping centre. The backstreets. You have to get here fast!"

"I'll be there in two minutes."

I hung up and flung on some jeans and a jacket before scribbling a note to my father, texting Merida as fast as my thumbs would allow and running out of the house, jumping onto my bike and pedalling as hard and fast as I could through town. I didn't bother with a helmet. People turned and stared but that wasn't on my priority list. Even though Astrid had been a complete bitch I couldn't just leave her there.

Hans was lying in a pool of his own blood whilst Astrid was leaning over him, trying to console him and staunch the blood running from his chest. She looked up and saw me, and yelled,

"Call 999! Quick!"

"Why didn't you do it before?"

"Both our phones are dead!"

I called and frantically explained the situation. The ambulance turned up within minutes and Astrid climbed in too. I didn't know what to do, but Astrid looked so traumatised I got in with her. I couldn't leave her when she was so stressed and Hans was in such a critical situation. I sat next to her as the vehicle began to move again and she began to tremble. I put an arm around her to attempt to console her.

"Hey," I whispered, "it's gonna be alright. I promise."

Astrid didn't speak, she just buried her face into my jacket. I could feel her tears, hot and wet, being absorbed by my shirt and making contact with my chest. 

We arrived at the hospital pretty quickly and Hans was rushed out. We were ushered into a waiting room which was virtually empty at this time of night. It was actually quite warm in there but Astrid was quaking in her boots.

I looked at her; she wasn't blinking, just staring ahead of her with wide eyes. I then realised why I'd liked her before. In this light she seemed totally innocent. Astrid wasn't the hard person she pretended to be. She was just as vulnerable as me. I put an arm around her and pulled her close to me. She still didn't react, so I held her hand that was lying on her lap. But I didn't mean anything by it. I just wanted to make sure she was okay.

She looked up at me with tears running from both of her eyes.

"Hiccup?" She stared at our hands, entwined together. "Does this mean what," she coughed slightly, "what I think it does?"

I was confused, and thought she meant that, yes, I still cared for in a friendly way. So I nodded. Her eyes lit up and she hugged me tightly. I was slightly taken aback but rested a hand on her head gently. I was just glad we were friends again.

About half an hour later a nurse rushed in and Astrid sat up like a shot.

"He's stable. He'll live, that's for certain, but he's going to need a blood transfusion and lots of surgery. His parents have been contacted."

Astrid nodded and relaxed back into my arms. She was shocked, and no wonder. She and Hans had been childhood friends for years but I'd never really liked him after he'd bullied the Arendelle sisters, Elsa and Anna. Astrid stuck with him through it all though.

(start music) After a while, we left the hospital. It was starting to snow and I smiled. I loved snow, but not as much as Jack. Gods, one look at it and he goes crazy. One of the reasons that we nicknamed him Jack Frost. Astrid slipped her arm through mine; I thought of it as a friendly gesture and grinned at her. She smiled back through her tears. 

After walking through the snow for a little while, we came to the bridge where I was with Merida the other night. I stared into the water which was beginning to freeze at the edges. I caught some snow in my hair and my vision got obscured slightly. Astrid was standing there smiling at me through it all. Somehow it looked like she thought more of it all than I meant it to be.

"Astrid, I -" I began. I couldn't finish. Astrid had swooped forwards, planting her lips on mine with unnecessary force, pushing me back to the railings of the bridge. Her lips were hard, firm and very forceful. It was clear who was in control here. I tried to push her away, but knowing Astrid, she wasn't going to let that happen.

This wasn't right. 

"There's no need to say anything," she whispered as she drew away.

"No, I -" I tried to speak again, but she silenced me with a finger to my lips.

"I knew you didn't really like Merida. I've always liked you Hiccup. More than you ever knew."

"Astrid, please -"

Too late. She'd planted her lips on mine again. This wasn't right After a few incredibly uncomfortable seconds I heard a shout. And dear Thor, it was the last voice I wanted to hear at that moment.

"Hiccup?!"

Merida. She was clutching her phone in one hand and her cheeks were shining with tears.

My eyes snapped open and I pushed Astrid away when her strength weakened for a second. Her eyes were filled with confusion.

"You're going after her?"

"Astrid - I don't like you like that anymore." She looked at me with hurt coming through every motion she made. "I broke up with you. Don't you get it? Gods, this is so complicated; I have to go."

I left Astrid standing there, but that wasn't my priority. I had to find Merida. As soon as I possibly could.

She was already running, no wonder. My bike was lying on its side; I jammed my helmet on my head and lept on and stood up on the pedals to make myself go faster. I caught up with her in seconds; I jumped off of the bike and pulled at her arm to make her turn.

"Merida listen, I -"

Slap.

"NO!"

Merida's eyes were red and blotchy from crying so much. Her hair was filled with snow and it was sparkling in the light of the moon. I now had a hand-shaped mark on my cheek, but I didn't let go of her hand.

"Merida, you don't understand -" My heart was breaking as I spoke.

"No," Merida turned, laughing manically. "No, you don't understand Hiccup Haddock." Oh shit. "I trusted you. I thought you really loved me. You really had me convinced. But no! Gods no. I couldn't have been more wrong, could I?"

"Please," I said imploringly, "Let me just tell you what happened -"

"You don't need to!" Merida cried, tears flowing freely now from both of our eyes. They landed on the pavement below us, melting the snow there. "I saw it all! You kissed her! Why did I ever trust you?"

In a moment of mad rage and heartbreak she shoved my bike over, making the fifth gear come off of its cog and the paintwork get scratched. I'd saved up for that bike for months and it was one of the only things I was proud of but in this moment I forgot about that. I had to get Merida to listen.

"MERIDA!" I yelled in a fit of despair, running after her and grabbing her hand to turn her round. She stared at me with a look of utter disgust, and that was what killed me most. "Please, you have to understand what happened - it wasn't what you think it was -"

"I really hope you enjoyed it Hiccup," Merida yanked her hand out of my grip. "I hope you got what you came for."

She walked away and I was left standing there in the middle of town, with a broken bike and a broken heart.