#this must be my shortest one yet for the week XD

[kawaiikichi]

Just a Hug’s Enough (Day 6: Comfort)

@oumasaiweekblog

Here is Day 6 for Oumasai Week 2019!

Today’s prompt is comfort. This takes place after the class trial in Chapter 4, where Shuichi talks with Kokichi about how he really felt throughout the whole ordeal with Gonta and offers him a shoulder to cry on, basically.

I hope you guys like it! :)

Title: Just a Hug’s Enough

Prompt: Comfort

Summary: After the fourth class trial, Shuichi is still upset by what Kokichi did. However, he couldn’t help but feel that what he witnessed before wasn’t the true Kokichi. In order to figure things out, he calls the supreme leader out to talk and realizes that Gonta’s execution had affected him more than he let on.

Notes: Shuichi and Kokichi are secretly dating; there is a slight canon divergence after the trial (ex. Shuichi going to talk to Kokichi about what happened)

Warning: NDRV3 spoilers for Chapter 4; read at your own risk!

Continue reading under the cut!

“Goddammit!”

The pillow that Shuichi hurled across the room hit the door with a ‘thwack’.

He dropped down on the bed, bringing his arm over his eyes.

Why would he do such a thing, he asked himself.

Gonta’s the culprit.

Gonta killed Miu.

Kokichi manipulated Gonta.

Kokichi made Gonta kill Miu.

Just thinking back on the trial made him sick.

“God, how in the world do I face him now...?” he muttered out.

Our relationship is going to be all awkward now, thanks to this trial, he thought to himself.

He thought back to what he said to him after the trial.

“You’re alone, Ouma-kun, and you always will be.”

It was something he said in the heat of the argument. It fell from his lips without much thought. But, it was enough to paint a look of utter devastation on the supreme leader’s face.

It looked so real that for a moment, he began to think that that was what he was really feeling.

Shuichi immediately shook his head.

No, there’s no way that he was really upset about what I said to him. Knowing him, it was all an act, he told himself.

He then furrowed his brows.

Something doesn’t feel right, though...his voice cracked a little when he spoke after that. Not only that, I saw his lip tremble. It was subtle, but it definitely did happen, he thought to himself.

He released a groan.

“Aaaaaagh, forget it already!” he shouted as he grabbed for the other pillow on the bed and he chucked it at the door.

He panted harshly, watching as the pillow slid down to the floor.

This is going to keep me up all night. Maybe if I go and talk to him about it, maybe it’ll give me some peace of mind, he thought to himself.

He stood from the bed and he began to head over to the door, kicking the pillows off to the side. As his hand curled around the doorknob, a thought came to him.

But...what if he refuses to talk to me, he asked himself.

Shuichi shook his head.

“No, I shouldn’t be thinking like that. If he refuses, then I’ll have to get him to talk to me.” he said out loud before opening the door and stepping out.

He took the stairs to the second floor and he headed to Kokichi’s room, which was on the left side to the end. He stopped in front of Kokichi’s door, his heart thudding against his rib cage nervously.

“Well...here goes nothing...” he muttered under his breath as he reached out to knock on the door.

“Um...Ouma-kun?” he called out as he knocked on the door.

He was answered with silence. Shuichi frowned at this.

Did he step out, he asked himself.

He knocked again.

“Hey, Ouma-kun, it’s me. I want to talk to you about something.” he said.

There was still no response.

Maybe he really did step out, he thought to himself.

That was when he heard a light thud from within.

“So, he’s actually in there...” he trailed off.

Just as I thought, he thought to himself.

He knocked once more.

“Please, we need to talk. This is really important.” he pleaded.

However, Kokichi refused to open the door. Shuichi stared at Kokichi’s door, slowly lowering his fist.

He really doesn’t want to talk to me, does he...I don’t blame him, considering what I said to him a few hours ago, he thought to himself.

He got ready to turn and leave when the door opened. Shuichi looked to see Kokichi peering at him through the small crack in the door.

“Fine. Let’s talk.” he said before opening the door and turning to walk back inside.

Shuichi swallowed as he stepped into Kokichi’s room and closed the door behind him. The lights in the supreme leader’s room were dimmed, save for the lamp that he had on atop the small table. It was hard to make out what exactly was in his room, but he was able to spot a whiteboard along with the inner tube from Kirumi’s trial.

Why does he have that in here, he asked himself.

“Okay, before you say anything, let me guess where this conversation will be going.” Kokichi stopped before his bed and turned to look at Shuichi, arms crossed over his chest. “It’s the inevitable break-up talk, isn’t it?” he guessed.

“Break-up talk?” Shuichi immediately shook his head. “No, that’s not what this is. I didn’t come here to break up.” he said.

“Huh, that’s weird. I’d like to think that you’d break up with me after what happened during the trial.”

“Well, you see, what I wanted to talk to you about has something to do with the class trial.”

“Oh? What about it?”

“It was about how you acted starting from right before Gonta’s execution.” Shuichi licked his lips. “Something about it seemed...off.” he stated.

“What, the fact that I lost a few marbles and finally went insane?” Kokichi asked.

“That is not what I meant and you know it.” Shuichi balled his hands into fists. “I need you to tell me how you really felt when Gonta got executed and what happened afterward.” Shuichi said.

It was silent for a few minutes between them. Then, Kokichi snorted.

“Are you being for real right now? You saw how I felt about it. I killed Gonta-chan, what exactly is it that you want me to feel?” Kokichi asked.

“Did you feel sad? Devastated? Crushed? Or a mixture of all three and then a few other emotions here and there?” Shuichi asked.

“Why the hell would I feel emotions like that? Like I said, I killed Gonta-chan—“

“Don’t you dare lie to me, Kokichi. I know how to tell the difference between you faking an emotion and you actually feeling something. What you showed me after what I said told me how it was you really felt. And also, why do you keep insisting that you’re the one who killed Gonta?”

“It’s because it’s true! I forced his hand, so I did indeed kill him!”

“That makes no sense!”

“I am trying to tell you that I am indirectly responsible for it all! I killed him!”

“But why?! If you really did kill Gonta like you said you did, then why would you do such a thing?!”

“I had no other choice!”

“Yes, you did have a choice! You could’ve chosen not to go through with any of it!”

“What the hell would you know, Shuichi?! You had no idea what was going on! That bitchlet was going to have me killed! She altered my avatar in the Neo World Program and had it so that if I went up to the roof, my avatar would be frozen and then she would proceed to murder me!”

Shuichi’s eyes widened in horror.

“What...?” he choked out.

“Yes, you heard me! If Gonta-chan hadn’t murdered her, I would’ve been the victim instead! I wouldn’t be here, having this goddamn conversation with you if things had gone her way. Actually, none of you would be here! You all would’ve been executed and she would’ve survived the trial! If I didn’t choose to take action, I wouldn’t be able to fight her off and then I would’ve died! But, that’s not what happened! I had her get murdered by Gonta-chan! If you really think about it, I had no fucking choice! Even if...I didn’t want to resort to that...” Kokichi trailed off.

Shuichi’s heart clenched at the way Kokichi’s voice cracked as his purple eyes filled with tears.

I think I understand it all now, he thought to himself.

He walked up to Kokichi and he pulled him into a hug. Kokichi stiffened in his arms as Shuichi spoke into his hair.

“I understand now, Kokichi. I’m really sorry for saying such hurtful things to you. If I had known earlier that this was affecting you more than you let on, I wouldn’t have said it.” he threaded his fingers through his hair. “You’ve must felt so hurt, knowing that you had no other choice than to go through with this plan, knowing that everyone would hate you for it. But, you had to do it.” he said.

Kokichi said nothing as Shuichi continued.

“Nobody’s here to hear you, so if you need to, you can cry. I’ll be here to dry every single one of your tears.” he said.

He felt Kokichi tremble in his arms before he heard a choked out sob escape his lips. Then, it turned into loud sobbing as he bawled into his chest. Shuichi smiled, shedding a few tears of his own as he directed them over to the bed, dropping down onto the mattress.

“Yes, let it all out...let it all out...” he cooed as Kokichi continued to cry.

He pressed a kiss to his forehead as he gently rocked him, cooing and whispering sweet nothings to him until the tears subsided and the supreme leader fell fast asleep in his arms.

[hostagine]

FanFic Authors Tag Game Tagged by @ohshcscenerios Ao3 Name: i don’t have one D:  Fandom(s): Ouran High School Host Club & Miraculous Ladybug 

Number of fics: - 39 - (that’s including 1 that’s unpublished) 

Fic you spent the most time on: “She’s Gone” - Oh god uh,,,, it’s been 5 years and counting xD edit: nvm it’s been 4 years and 11 months. *bangs on the fanfiction like a car salesmen* Started this bad boy in 2015 and have yet to finish the last two remaining chapters. RIP lmfao pls don’t read this fic

Fic you spent the least time on: “He Liked Her” -- A little one shot fic that I wrote as a request and decided to turn it into a KyoHaru fic. I think I wrote it in maybe a little over an hour. 

Longest fic: “Luminescent” -- Oh boy. Luminescent is my longest fic, with 281,000 words & 59 Chapters. Ending this fanfic with an uneven amount of Chapters will always be something my OCD hates me for.  

Shortest fic: “Dirty Little Secret”  - The one and only KaoHaru fic I’ve written. At a whooping 560 words xD I wrote this a little over 5 years ago and it was a little thing I wrote in my notebook to pass the time while camping. 

Most hits: “Strawberry Shampoo” --  A HikaHaru story I wrote when I was 13. Many regrets. It still stands as my most popular fic, with 51,000+ hits. (pls don’t read this either. Have mercy on me). 

Most kudos: I don’t use AO3 D: 

Most comment threads: 3 xD 

Fave fic you wrote: “My Muse” -- I was so excited about this story. I spent almost 2 years planning My Muse before I even wrote the first draft of Chapter 1. But, like it always does, the plot started to develop more and more the further I got into the story and I ended up hitting a brick wall. So the story is on Hiatus for now. 

Fic you want to rewrite/expand on: 

I have 2 honorable mentions: 

“Speak Now” -- I started this story, spent a month on it and then stepped away from it for a breather. Now, 4 years later, he sits unfinished. I hope one day I can finally spit the next chapter out and it can finally continue. But alas, time escapes me. 

“Painful Love” -- I’d love to rewrite this story. The plot changed so many times while writing it over the years, that it’s kind of messy. Now that the story is finished and I know how it starts and how it ends I’d love to rewrite it so it’s easier on the eyes. It’s a story that’s been with me for a long time and so it’s like wanting to give justice to an old friend. The only thing keeping me from rewriting it is that it has 50 chapters and 200k+ words and adult me just doesn’t have the time. 

Share a bit of your WIP or share a story idea that you’re planning:

Here’s a little snippet from “Our World” - A little HikaHaruKao story. About A little girl from their past, who wanted to build a snowman. 

- 

Two shadows walk up to her, and she looks up, meeting their faces with eyes full of threatening tears, knowing she just lost all the grocery money her father entrusted her with for this week. 

Until Hikaru thrusts his arm out, holding her bag. “Here.” 

“My bag,” She muttered, standing up with a wobble. “YOu found it.” 

He stuck up his nose, looking away. “Whatever. Just take it. It’s making my arm sore.” 

It was dripping wet, which meant it must have been in the pond after all, but the twins didn’t look wet at all. 

“Don’t get excited. Tamaki’s the one who went fishing. He told us to give it to you.” Kaoru spoke up in a grumble, watching his brother and Haruhi’s hand brush awkwardly against one another. “Your wallet’s in the club room drying.”

Haruhi held it close to her chest, looking up towards the twin closest to her, staring into his eyes before managing to clearly. 

“Thank you.” She said softly. 

Hikaru almost bit into his tongue from clamping his jaw down so tight. His brow furrowed, cursing her in his mind. Because how dare she be anything but that stupid, grubby commoner who wiggled her way between him and Kaoru. How dare she sit between them in class. How dare she cause them this much trouble in their club. How dare she be kind of cute. 

Stupid girl. 

“Whatever,” he almost choked. “Forget it. Come on, Kaoru.”

Hikaru turned on his heel, and stomped away. Kaoru paused, after watching the weird interaction and stared a little longer at the short girl clutching her wet bag, before he finally turned and followed his brother back to the club room, quickly catching up to him. 

“Say, Hika?”

“What?”

“Doesn’t she seem kind of familiar to you?” he asked. 

“She’s a commoner, Kaoru.” Hikaru injected a bit of his wisdom. “They all look the same.”

“Hey, wait!” She suddenly spoke up, and the twins stopped, surprising themselves that they’d ever stop for anyone but each other. 

“You... never told me your names.” 

They turned just enough to look over their shoulders. 

“As if we’d tell you.”

-

@kayleana @avelyst 

[shipmistress9]

FTLOAP: Chapter 35: I Will Be Right Here Waiting For You

Fandom: HTTYD

Theme: Hiccstrid - Medieval-style AU - Romance - Angst/Hurt/Comfort

Summary: Reduced to little more than a stable boy, Hiccup, despite his noble birth, has few prospects for more in life. But when he meets a girl who came to look at the horses, being a stable boy might not be enough anymore. Together, they have tough choices to make and great risks to navigate if they want to survive and be together.

Rating: Explicit

FF-net  -  AO3 -

Discord-server for discussions and questions

Part 1: Prologue; Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Chapter 6; Chapter 7; Chapter 8; Chapter 9; Chapter 10; Chapter 11;

Part 2: Chapter 12; Chapter 13; Chapter 14; Interlude 1; Chapter 15; Chapter 16; Chapter 17; Chapter 18; Chapter 19; Chapter 20; Chapter 21; Chapter 22; Chapter 23; Chapter 24; Chapter 25; Chapter 26; Interlude 2; Chapter 27: Chapter 28 ; Chapter 29 ; Chapter 30; Chapter 31; Chapter 32; Interlude 3; Bonus 1; Chapter 33

Part 3:

Chapter 34

Alpha/Co-author: @athingofvikings

. – * – _ . o O o . _ – * – .

I again want to invite everyone who is interested to athingofviking's Discord server. It's growing constantly and slowly turning into a general HTTYD fan server. You can find the invite like above.

This week's title comes from the song 'Right Here Waiting' by Richard Marx. For this chapter, I was actually looking for an extremely cheesy title (because... reasons) and listened through a playlist of rock ballads. Let's just say... I cried a lot! xD In the end, I choose this title then. It's probably not quite as dramatic as the song, but I thought the line fit nicely anyway. ^^

. o O o .

Absentmindedly, Hiccup brushed over the spot on his arm where he could still feel Astrid’s touch. Last night, she’d gripped him so tightly that her fingers had left bruises. Smiling to himself as he groomed Chomp, he mused about how it must have hurt at the time, at least a little, but he couldn’t remember the pain by any stretch of the imagination. As always, being with her had been perfect, and those bruises were nothing but sweet reminders of their time together.

Although, if he wanted to avoid other bruises of a less pleasant nature, he’d better focus on the big horse in front of him. Of all his charges, Chomp was the most aggressive, and it was probably only thanks to the months they’d spent in close proximity that the stallion hadn’t used Hiccup’s distracted state for his own advantage.

With a hint of nervousness, Hiccup thought about why he had to groom Chomp to perfection today. Any minute now, Eret and Dagur would arrive, and bringing with them Snotlout of House Jorgenson, Chomp’s new owner. Hiccup couldn’t help but wonder what kind of person he was. He’d heard lots of stories about him by now, back during his time on Berk from the occasional merchant and during his years searching for information from the talkative men in the taverns, and then more funny and personal ones from Eret, Dagur, and Astrid over the last few months. All those stories had painted a certain picture of the man, whom Hiccup had never met despite their connection.

He didn’t need to wait long before the men arrived, Dagur’s booming laughter giving Hiccup warning of their approach.

"Morning, Hiccup," Eret greeted him with a tired smile as they came into view.

"Good morning, my lords," he replied, bowing. He was holding formal behaviour with a bit more enthusiasm than usual, and more earnestly. Carefully, he glanced at the new man following Dagur into the stables. He was short, certainly the shortest of them all, but far more bulky than Hiccup at least. He clearly was a trained warrior, muscles shaped by fights and practice. His black hair was relatively short, even though Hiccup still noticed that it had a familiar unruly streak to it. His face was neutral, polite but not really interested, as the man's eyes glided over him, noticing and dismissing him at the same moment. To Snotlout, Hiccup was nothing more than a lowly servant.

Hiccup glanced at Eret. So they hadn't told Snotlout anything yet. That was good, Hiccup supposed, but it certainly couldn't stay that way. Sooner or later, he would notice something anyway, so they had better tell him directly before he drew his own conclusions. He gave Eret a small nod, which he returned after a moment's hesitation.

With a bit of a smirk, Eret gestured from one of them to the other. "May I introduce? Sir Snotlout, ducal heir of House Jorgenson. And this is my squire, Hiccup..."

Hiccup could practically feel the tension hanging between them, how not only he but Dagur and Eret as well had their eyes on Snotlout, gauging his reaction.

At first, the expression on Snotlout's face barely changed. "Nice to meet you. Hiccup, eh? With that name, I guess you're from the North?"

"I am, Sir," Hiccup replied, directly meeting the other man's gaze. He could see the moment Snotlout noticed that something was off. Hiccup didn't know whether it was because Eret and Dagur were still staring at them or because Hiccup met his eyes without the usual deference of a servant, but it was as if something in Snotlout's eyes changed, something shifted, clicked into place.

"Hiccup you said?"

Hiccup nodded, still not taking his eyes off of Snotlout's. The other man frowned. "Are you..." he trailed off, glancing at Eret. "Is he... who I think he is?"

Eret took a deep breath and nodded. "I guess so?"

Anxiously, Hiccup waited for the reaction. What would it be? Surprise, certainly. Disbelief. Maybe anger? A certain hostility? There was a reason why they'd never met before, after all... But when the reaction came, it was nothing like Hiccup had expected.

“I can’t believe it!” he exclaimed, a wide grin on his face. “Ayye! Cousin!” He held out his hand toward Hiccup which he took more out of reflex than anything else, and was pulled into a friendly but bone-crushing hug. Snotlout pounded him fondly on the back and said, “I never thought us meeting at last would happen in a stable, of all places!”

Out of all the possible reactions Hiccup had contemplated, this was pretty far off the track. And apparently, Dagur and Eret were just as surprised as Hiccup was. They stood to the side and stared at Snotlout with clear bewilderment on their faces, and it didn’t take long before Snotlout noticed.

“What?” he asked with a huge grin. “Didn’t you know that we’re related?” He gestured between himself and Hiccup. “His father was my mother’s brother, may she have a good spot at Freya’s tables.”

Eret and Dagur shared a look, and Hiccup couldn’t help but feel the same confusion. “As a matter of fact,” Eret eventually answered. “We did know that. But…” he paused, licking his lips. He threw a quick glance at Hiccup, clearly asking a question, and Hiccup nodded. It wouldn’t be feasible to keep this secret from Snotlout anyway. “Is… is that all you’re surprised about? To see Hiccup here?”

Snotlout frowned, quickly glanced at Hiccup as if hoping for an explanation from his cousin, but then shrugged. “Yes? Despite our relation, we’ve never met before. I know you always were close to that part of your family, Eret, but for me it’s been different. We were always busy enough with our problems in Westhill, so visiting family never was a high priority. And it’s not as if his family ever made much effort to stay in contact either…” he added, his tone slightly grumbling.

Hiccup grimaced, but didn’t know what to say. It was true that they hadn’t stayed in contact with House Jorgenson, especially after Snotlout’s mother, his father’s sister, had died and Grand Duke Spitelout had remarried. But they had always been somewhat reclusive, from the mainland branches of the family as well as pretty much from everyone outside of the Tribes; it hadn’t been personal. But Snotlout seemed to take it that way, and Hiccup couldn’t really blame him for that. However, this wasn’t what was odd about Snotlout’s reaction anyway.

“He doesn't know,” Dagur stated flatly, something like hysterical laughter bursting from his chest. Not even he was able to fully make fun of a situation like this.

“‘Doesn’t know’ what?” Snot inquired, clearly getting a little irked now. “Are you making fun of me?”

Again, Dagur and Eret shared a glance, clearly uncomfortable now, but Hiccup felt weirdly detached. “I shouldn’t be here,” he said in a monotone voice. “Because I’m supposed to be dead. My whole family is dead, and I should have died with them.” The truth of these words burned with a sudden flare in his chest, and only the glow of his connection with Astrid was able to soothe the guilt. Yes, he should be dead too… But what would that have done to her?

Snotlout’s eyes widened in shock. “Dead?” he whispered, then turned to look at Eret and Dagur as if seeking confirmation. “They’re dead? All of them? When? How?”

“Nobody really knows how,” Eret sighed. “But it’s already been two years... And you really never heard about it? I know the tribes aren’t exactly forthcoming with any information, but…”

Snotlout shook his head, troubled. “No… I mean, we really have enough problems of our own, but I would have thought…” He glanced at Hiccup again. “I’m sorry to hear that, for your loss and… and for not knowing. I still can’t believe…”

Hiccup took the words with a silent nod. He’d know that meeting Snotlout would probably bring this topic up, had been prepared. But it was still jarring.

“Nobody knows that Hiccup is still alive though,” Eret eventually said. “Hence the squire charade. That way, nobody will look too closely at him. So I hope you understand that you can’t tell anyone.”

Snotlout frowned, but then nodded. “Of course,” he agreed. “I trust that you have your reasons, so I won’t say anything.”

An uncomfortable silence overcame them. Hiccup couldn't tell whether his secret would be safe with Snotlout; he didn’t know his cousin at all, after all. But Eret and Dagur had assured him that he was trustworthy, and it wasn’t as if he had a choice anyway. He just hoped that Snotlout wouldn’t tell the wrong person after all, ending in Hiccup waking up one day to… well, to not wake up at all.

“All right,” Eret eventually broke the silence, clapping his hands. “We came here for a reason, didn’t we? Snot? This here is your new stallion: Firewind Hookfang–”

“Or Chomp, as everyone calls him,” Dagur threw in.

“He’s got a bit of a temper, but since you’re used to our horses already, I don’t think you’ll have... many problems with him.”

Snotlout took the hint to change the topic, and joined Eret at Chomp’s stall. “I might be used to having them around, but I’m not really used to riding one,” he corrected airily. “But I’ve got to say, I’m looking forward to it. Thor, he looks impressive! Just what I’d hoped for.”

A short while later, all traces of awe or smugness had left Snotlout. Instead, he was cursing all of Eret’s and Dagur’s ancestors as he once more got up from the paddock’s floor, rubbing his backside, while Eret was trying to recapture Chomp and Dagur was laughing cordially.

“Yeah, that’s how I imagined this,” the redhead burst out, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. “Beautiful. Ah, that makes up for all the boring training with the recruits and formal dinners. Seeing the fine Lord Snotlout covered in dust and dirt, and for once it’s not even my fault.”

“Nor mine,” came another voice from behind them. “Loki, that almost makes up for having to walk the whole way out here again.”

All four men looked up, and Hiccup felt as if the sun was rising once more when his eyes fell on Timothy – with Astrid two steps behind him.

“Swanja!” Eret greeted her enthusiastically as he led an intractable Chomp at his side. “Now, that’s a surprise. I didn’t expect you to show up here today.”

“And neither did I,” Astrid agreed. “But I certainly didn’t say no when Father suggested I ought to… to enjoy this last day with you.” There was a slight trembling in her voice that certainly nobody missed, but also nobody reacted to – even though Hiccup felt the strong urge to go to her and take her in his arms.

“Plus, there’s not much she can do in the castle anyway,” Timothy added. He leaned down to fish an apple out of the basket he’d been carrying. “The castle is a nightmare, everyone buzzing about preparing for tomorrow. Honestly, I can’t remember things ever being this crazy.”

“It’s been pretty busy,” Eret agreed, frowning. “But I assume that’s because of the accolades? I mean, three high noble accolades in two seasons... well, that’s special, so more people than usual decided to make the journey here and get all three of them done. And they take the royal birthday as a bonus.”

“Aye, that’s probably it.” Timothy took a hearty bite from his apple. “Either way, I’ve got to go back and help too.” He grimaced. “Astrid’s governess was in a bit of a panic just now, something about a missing tax collector, and Ruff threatened to read Chicken scary bedtime stories for a month straight if I don’t return as soon as possible and help her deal with the madwoman. So, as much as I’d like to laze around for a while, I’ve got to go. Eret, she’s your responsibility now.”

“As always,” Eret replied, and shook his head at how quickly Astrid’s warder retreated. Chuckling, he turned his attention toward Astrid. “But since when does your governess care for any belated tax collectors?”

Astrid snorted. “I have no idea,” she emphasised. “I mean, she’s been acting weird for a couple of weeks now, being even stiffer and stricter when it comes to my manners than usual but also being surprisingly supportive whenever I was to spend the day with you guys.” She shrugged. “I gave up on trying to make sense of her.”

Everyone agreed, chuckling, then they all turned their attention back on Snotlout and his new stallion. Hiccup and Astrid shared a quick, longing glance, but with so many people around, they didn’t dare to hold eye contact or, Freya forbid, even move closer. Hiccup had to admit though, just being near her was enough to soothe his anxiety from before. It was enough to hear her laughter when Snotlout landed in the dust again with a vile curse, enough to see her from the corner of his eyes.

All in all, it was a relaxed day. In-between Snotlout’s rather painful-looking attempts to befriend Chomp, they made an extended break, ate the bread and fruits from the basket Timothy had brought, talked and laughed, and generally enjoyed the day.

When the sun was a good bit past its zenith, Astrid yawned, drawing everyone's attention.

"I think I'd like to go for a walk," she declared, and stretched. “As much fun as all this is, just sitting around here makes me tired.”

"Really?" Dagur asked in a playfully exaggerated tone. "How can you get tired of watching Snot land in the dirt?"

"Haha, very funny," Snotlout grumbled.

Astrid chuckled, such a wonderful and light sound that made Hiccup smile despite himself.

"Where would you want to go?" Eret asked, frowning. "Just up and down here along the paddock?"

Astrid shook her head. "No... I don't know. Just walking around a bit; maybe over to the pond and watch the swans." She shrugged.

"I'm not..." Eret muttered, grimacing. "Dagur? Would you want to accompany her?"

"And miss the show here?" he asked, gesturing to where Snot was about to mount Chomp once more. "I don't think so."

Astrid, however, rolled her eyes. "You do know that I can walk that bit on my own, right?" she said sourly.

"I do," Eret assured her. "But I officially took over the responsibility for you. And if anyone was to spot you wandering around unsupervised, your governess will want my head. And I can't leave Snot alone here."

Astrid grimaced, but didn't say anything, and Hiccup had the feeling that she wasn’t really annoyed or even surprised by this anyway. Nobody, surely not Eret, doubted her capability. As always, it was all just about appearances.

Or maybe, it was all part of a plan. She threw him a quick glance when nobody was looking, and Hiccup spoke without thinking much about it. "How about I go with her?"

Two or three months ago, such a suggestion would have been dangerous. But after the past weeks, the only one looking surprised or worried by those words was Snotlout.

"That would be an option. Is that all right for you, Swanja?" Eret asked.

Astrid snorted, playing her role well. "If it makes you feel better," she said, a mixture of amusement and light annoyance in her voice.

With that matter settled, Hiccup and Astrid headed off in the general direction of the little swan lake. It was broad daylight, and being outside where they could get seen by any random by-passer made them cautious enough not to even walk too closely to each other. But Hiccup had to admit that just this, walking side by side through the sunlight, felt good. Another memory he would treasure.

"This is nice," Astrid eventually commented, apparently thinking the same as him. She threw him a warm smile, and her hand twitched as if she wanted to take his but caught herself in the last moment.

"It is," he agreed, returning her smile. And it was. It was good to do something so ordinary as taking a walk together. In a couple of days, he'd dearly miss this.

When they reached the pond, however, Astrid's mood visibly fell.

"They aren't here," she muttered. "Again."

Hiccup let his eyes wander over the water and the high grass around it, but couldn't spot the swans either. "Maybe they're looking elsewhere for food? Or are breeding?"

"Maybe," Astrid nodded, sighing. “But coming here was more of a pretence anyway,” she added, a small smirk tugging at her lips. She glanced around, then looked at him again and gave a nod toward the forest. “Let’s go that way.”

Once they were relatively well hidden between the trees and bushed, Astrid weaved her finger through his as they walked on through the forest. Hiccup mused how different this was from how scared she’d been of getting caught in the beginning, and it made him smile. She’d come so far. Oh, he knew that part of this new-found confidence was due to the desperation of getting separated. But he was also sure that another not quite irrelevant part was due to her being less afraid in general, and he just loved to see this side of her. Confident. Happy. Free.

Hiccup didn’t keep track of where they were going, only followed Astrid’s lead. They only talked occasionally, quietly, and otherwise enjoyed the comfortable silence and the touch of their hands, listening to the singing birds and to the wind rustling through the leaves and branches. It was a wonderful day for a walk like this, warm enough so that even here between the trees where it was a little cooler, it was still warm enough, the sun painting small specks of light onto the ground and their skin.

Hiccup could have walked on endlessly like this, so he was quite surprised when, after only half an hour, the stables came back into view. He threw Astrid a puzzled look, but she just winked and pulled him on. Apparently, their walk had led them around the stables in a wide loop, because they were nearing the building from the backside, invisible to the others who could still be heard at the paddock. Hiccup’s heartbeat quickened when he realised what Astrid’s goal was: a small niche between two parts of the building that wouldn't be visible to anyone unless they came close enough to peer around a nearby shrub.

Astrid didn’t waste time. Her lips tasted of apple and honey from their earlier meal when he returned her kiss, backing her up against the wooden wall as he knew she liked. With her hands in his hair, tugging and pulling, it quickly became difficult to think about anything. In his head, there was only her, only this wonderful and amazing person that owned his heart and soul, and who was so easily able to drive him crazy with her teeth nipping at his lips.

Hiccup lost all sense of time as they kissed, and they only paused when the noises coming from those on the other side of the building changed. There was a shift in voices and tones, then very audibly the opening of the front door and the sound of hooves on stone as Chomp was led inside.

“It’s time to go back,” Astrid murmured. She pushed him back a little until their eyes met. “You’re having a date today, after all. And an important question to ask,” she added cheekily.

“Right,” Hiccup muttered, grimacing. He still wasn’t so sure about her suggestion to try anal sex. Not that he didn’t want to; the idea was lurking in the back of his mind ever since she’d come up with it last night and refused to leave. But still, it felt like cheating, like skirting the rules in a not-quite-acceptable manner.

“I haven’t forgotten, don’t worry,” he assured her. “But remember, I can’t promise anything. Besides, I don’t know how tonight will turn out anyway. With Snotlout being there too, I don’t know if I’ll even get the chance to ask Cami in private or will be able to sneak away at all. It… It’s…”

“It’s okay,” Astrid interrupted him gently. She reached for his hand and started playing with his fingers, averting her eyes. But when she continued speaking, she sounded sincere. “If you can’t get away, I mean. There’s no need for you to feel… bad or anything. And the same is true for when you’re back in Eastervale, or in Westhill come summer. I don’t mind if you sleep with an Ástir, you hear me? You don’t need to hold back because of me.”

Warmth spread through Hiccup’s chest, and he let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. How was it possible that she kept saying or doing things that made him fall in love with her over and over again?

“I know,” he breathed, placing a hand beneath her chin to lift her head and look at her again. “But you don’t understand. I don’t want to. I only want you; every other woman lost her appeal to me. You have bewitched me in the most wonderful way, and I love you, so much, more than words can say.”

Astrid’s eyes grew softer, and nuzzling into his hand she placed a soft kiss to his palm. “It’s the same for me too,” she murmured. “But still…”

But still…

Hiccup grimaced. But still there was the problem that he didn’t even know what to expect from tonight. Sighing, he nodded, then leaned in to bury his face in her hair. The all-too-familiar scent of mayweed immediately made him dizzy and at the same time comforted him, and he idly contemplated whether to buy a bottle of scented oil to take with him to Eastervale. The noises from the other side grew louder, more active, and Hiccup pressed himself closer against her. “I don’t want to go,” he groaned. He was aware of how often he’d said those words lately and the different circumstances were amusing to a degree, so he couldn’t really begrudge Astrid chuckling shakily.

“Yeah, I’d rather stay here with you all night too,” she whispered. She tilted her head to nuzzle against his neck, and a light shudder ran down his spine. “But we both know that won’t happen. Besides, I really want to know what Cami is going to say, so…”

Hiccup couldn’t help but chuckle as she trailed off suggestively. Her eagerness was amazing. “I promise that I’ll do whatever I can to be here with you tonight!”

Astrid's face turned into a soft smile. “I know. And I’ll be right here, waiting for you,” she breathed.

“Swanja? Swanja, we’re heading back. Where are you? Hiccup?”

They both winced as Eret’s voice echoed toward them, and reluctantly, they parted. “Time to go,” Astrid stated, but Hiccup didn’t feel like doing so just yet.

Once again, he leaned down to kiss her, one hand softly cupping her cheek. He was careful not to lose control again though, and pulled back when he felt that the urge to just continue regardless of any consequences grew.

When they finally parted, Astrid’s cheek had turned a lovely shade of pink, her eyes hazy, and the smile she gave him was dazzling. Gods, how was he supposed to live even one day without her?

. o O o .

“You haven’t told him?” Hiccup looked incredulously from Eret to Dagur and back again.

Eret just shrugged. “It didn’t really come up so far,” he muttered.

Dagur, however, wore an obscenely huge grin. “And I’m dying to see his face!”

Hiccup shook his head in disbelief, but didn’t say any more when Snotlout returned from the outhouse to where they’d been waiting for him in the entrance hall of Freya’s temple. Despite their closer relation, Hiccup didn’t feel like it was his responsibility to inform Snotlout about possibly important details, even though he still thought it would have been better if they’d told him about Cami before.

But as it was, they hadn’t, and if Hiccup was honest to himself then that wasn’t what really bothered him anyway. Far more pressing to him was the question of what would happen after he’d seen her. Would Hiccup be able to sneak away and back to Astrid like he usually did? How would Snotlout react if they told him he would spend the night with his secret girlfriend instead? Was that something he dared to reveal to his cousin? And what was the alternative? Snotlout knew about Eret and Dagur, so they wouldn’t need to keep that facade at least. But the idea of having sex with Cami tonight, of possibly even sharing her with Snotlout, just to keep his secret hidden didn’t sit well with him. He hoped there would be another way out.

But when Cami finally joined them, everything went differently than he’d thought it would.

“What in all Gods’ names is this?” Snotlout exclaimed as Cami appeared between him and Eret.

She was dressed in a pretty gown in varying shades of blue and her golden mane artfully arranged in intricate braids all around her head, as usual for her role. As expected, Dagur burst out laughing and Cami joined in with a low chuckle, but to Hiccup it was clear that neither Snotlout nor Eret found the situation even remotely funny.

“This is Cami, an old friend of mine. She’s our date for tonight,” Eret tried to explain. “And Cami, this is Snot. We told you about him, right? Sir Snotlout of House Jorgenson.”

Cami threw Snotlout a cheeky grin and curtseyed elegantly. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Sir Snotlout. I’ve already heard a lot about you.”

Snotlout didn’t seem to be in the mood for pleasantries though. “Is this supposed to be a joke?” he asked, turning his attention back to Eret. He looked angry, but Eret shook his head.

“No, believe me, we were just as surprised as you are the first time we saw Cami like this,” he replied quietly, his body language reserved, as if trying to keep the other people in the atrium from looking in their direction more than they already were.

“And still you…” Snot began, but broke off directly. He threw measuring glances from Eret to Dagur, then one at Hiccup, and eventually nodded. “I see,” he murmured, grimacing, and Hiccup got the impression that Snot’s thoughts probably weren’t so far off the truth.

“Is there a problem here?” Cami asked cheerfully, and linked her arm with Snotlout. “Shall we go upstairs and talk there?”

Snotlout nodded mutely, but pulled his arm back from her, and with a stony expression followed the others to Cami’s room. Once the door closed behind them, however, he didn’t hold back any longer.

“Are you insane?” he hissed, gesturing at Cami without looking at her. “She looks just like Swanja!”

Dagur snorted from where he’d let himself fall into one of Cami’s cushioned chairs. “Believe us, we noticed,” he said dryly, and reached for a cookie on a tray – another visitor must have brought them before.

Snotlout threw him an irritated look. “And still you meet with her? Repeatedly, if I understand correctly? All of you? I mean, I get that this is ‘not what it looks like’ –” he gestured elaborately at Eret and Dagur, “–but still. What are you thinking? What are the people supposed to think?”

Eret closed his eyes and gave a heavy sigh. “The people,” he emphasised, “already think that Swanja and I are a couple. And that she’s supposed to marry one of us one day anyway. So whatever rumours there might be, they won’t say anything new.”

“And what about Swanja?” Snotlout threw back harshly. “What if she hears about this? That we, who should know better, meet with an Ástir who looks like her and indulge in the fantasy of banging her all at once?”

“She already knows,” Hiccup interjected despite himself, but Eret spoke over him.

“Swanja knows better than to believe that,” he replied, equally harshly now. “She knows about Cami, they’ve met–”

“–and became friends,” Cami threw in, but Eret didn’t stop.

“–and she knows why we meet with her. Not because she looks like her, but because we knew her before. Because she’s our friend and covers for us. And even Hiccup knows her from Eastervale and doesn’t see Cami as Swanja.”

Snotlout threw him another calculating look, grimaced, and shook his head. “I still don’t like this. If this works for you and Swanja doesn’t mind, then... whatever. But I can’t do this, not with her!” Again, he gestured toward Cami who at least didn’t seem to be offended.

“And that’s all right,” she said, calmly and in a much more natural tone than before. She even moved differently, much more like Hiccup remembered her from Eastervale. More like herself and not her role. “I understand and respect your reasons, Sir Snotlout. If you prefer, I can see which of my sisters would be available for you?”

Snotlout hesitated, once more throwing glances at those around him. He looked uncomfortable, torn between leaving and staying with his friends.

“Hey, it’s okay. We understand,” Eret said with a slight smile. “We’ll catch up again tomorrow.”

Snotlout nodded, then turned toward Cami and finally looked at her directly again. “Thank you for your offer. And I take it gladly. Please know that I didn’t mean to be offensive, but–”

“Don’t worry, I understand,” Cami interrupted him, smiling genuinely. “In fact, I see it as a compliment that my role is good enough so that it even convinces those who know the Princess in person. Now, if you’d follow me?” She left, and after one last glance around, Snotlout followed her, leaving the other three men in silence.

“Yep,” Hiccup eventually commented dryly, “that went just as brilliantly as I’d thought. Maybe you should have told him earlier after all.”

Eret gave a non-committal grunt, and even Dagur looked a little remorseful. But deep down, Hiccup was actually glad how things had turned out.

Even as the prospect of asking Astrid’s question was a little daunting.

. o O o .

“So, what are we going to do today?” Cami asked once the door to her bedroom had closed behind Eret and Dagur. She sauntered over to her table, sank down into a chair, and reached for a cookie. “Do you want to play cards or just chat a little?” She smirked as his face scrunched up. “Oh, is there something you want to talk about? How do you feel about leaving?”

Hiccup grimaced even more. He tried not to think about leaving, or else he might go crazy. But then, with Cami he at least could talk about it. He followed her to the table and took one of the cookies as well, mainly to distract himself. “What do you think how I feel?” he eventually muttered, and slumped down into another chair, the cookie forgotten in his hand.

Cami cocked her head, her blue eyes never leaving him. But she didn't say a word, and after another minute Hiccup sighed.

“I feel horrible, okay? I've gotten so used to her presence, to talking to her, to feeling her warmth at my side when I wake up. It feels so right, so wonderful, and the idea of going without that for w-… for months is driving me insane.” He averted his eyes, hoping that Cami hadn't noticed his slip up. It would probably only be weeks until Astrid came to Eastervale if everything with the wedding worked out as they hoped. But he couldn't tell Cami that – it might give away too much about his lady love's identity. Although, his worries seemed to have been for nothing.

“Yeah, that's what I thought,” she sighed, shaking her head. “How often have you been meeting lately?”

Hiccup swallowed, and nibbled at his cookie after all. “Every night?” he admitted a little sheepishly. “And we've at least seen each other nearly every day, too. She's become such a big part of my life that I can barely imagine spending just one day without her.”

“Have you exchanged some tokens, something to remind you of the other? I've heard that helps, at least a little.”

Cami sounded truly concerned, and that actually made Hiccup smile. Not because the situation was funny in any way, but because he was grateful to Cami for her genuine interest. That she cared enough about him.

“We have,” he replied with a light nod, his hand wandering to his chest where he carried Astrid’s little key. “Remember the horse statue? Apparently, she placed it next to her bed.”

That made Cami chuckle. “Oh, so that's the perfect place for her to remember you?” she asked, mirth glinting in her eyes. “I really wish you'd tell me who she is so that I can show her how to pleasure herself once you're gone. I'm beginning to think that it actually was rather unfair to introduce her to sex, only to withhold it from her after all. And for so long. I think I'd go insane.”

At that, Hiccup grimaced again, for more than just one reason. “You know I can't tell you who she is,” he muttered, but he knew that wasn't really an issue for Cami and he’d only brought it up to buy time. Because the other thing he needed to talk about with Cami was back at the front of his mind from what she’d said, and he honestly wasn't sure how to begin. He ate the cookie, then a second one and drank a glass of the light wine before he felt ready to start. “But… but on that matter… there's something I wanted to ask you.”

“Oh?” Cami’s head perked up in amused – and predatory – curiosity. “What about?”

Hiccup swallowed at the look; she had far too much fun in getting as many details about his and Astrid’s relationship out of him as she could, for Hiccup’s taste at least.

“Yeah,” he went on, hesitantly. “It’s… I need your advice on a certain practice. You know, how to go about it, what to heed. I mean, I do have some experience, but she doesn’t, and I don’t know what to do to make it easier. I want it to be as pleasant as possible for her. And I couldn’t live with myself if I hurt her because I did something wrong.”

Cami nodded, a tiny smirk playing around her lips. “I didn’t expect any less of you. But if you want me to give you any advice then you actually have to tell me what ‘practice’ you’re talking about.”

He gulped. “I... uh... you see... there was this book, and we were reading it, and...”

She snickered. “Last I checked, reading a book to your beloved worked better with less stammering.” He gave her a light glare, which made her break out into giggles. “So, what was this book?”

“The Exotics of the Southlands,” he said, looking down. Cami made a noise of surprise, and he continued, “And, well...” he swallowed and blurted in a rush, “I need advice on anal sex.”

There was a very long pause, so he hesitantly looked up at Cami, and then flinched. She was giving him a cool – no, make that frigid – look, and then fluidly rose out of the chair where she’d been casually sprawled only moments before.

“That book. Oh, yes. I know it. And did you pick it out of the royal library ‘accidentally’, Hiccup?” Her tone was acidic and accusatory. “I know you’re quite the scholar. Did you see it and figure you could convince your lady love to–”

“She’s the one that brought it to me! And she asked me when we found those pages! I had no idea!” he protested in a rush.

Cami blinked and then gave a small harsh chuckle. “Well.” She continued pacing around him.

Hiccup tracked her motions around the chair. “Well... what?”

“If it were anyone else, I’d call bullshit,” Cami said bluntly. “I know men. Hel, my entire profession is about giving men a warm place to shove their cocks, when you get down to it. And while I enjoy what you’re asking for, the thought of having that be the first thing you give your girl as a way to loophole through the rules... well, you’re not the first to come up with that idea, and normally I’d be reporting you to the Fyrir for censure and fining. Possibly some public shaming.”

Hiccup swallowed.

“But... this isn’t normal. And you’ve been honest with me from the beginning – except about who in Freya’s name your girl is – so I’ll buy it for the moment, that she’s as keen as you are, if not more.”

Hiccup relaxed slightly. “Thank you, Cami. And it’s more, I swear.”

She leaned down in front of him and gave him a flat look. “Don’t thank me yet. Before I say anything, do you swear to me before Frigga that this truly was her idea?”

Swallowing again, he nodded and said, “I swear on Frigga, Freya, and Odin that what I told you was true.”

She looked him in the face, sighed, straightened and rubbed her temples. “Great. So, two things before I tell you anything.”

“Yeah?”

“First, I really wish you could tell me who it is,” she said. “She’s in the palace, I’ve figured that much...” she said leadingly.

Hiccup shook his head. “I can’t. I promised.”

“Even if that means I won’t tell you anything?” Cami pressed.

He nodded. “I’d rather go without sex with her than betray my word to her. Like I said, it was her idea, she was very insistent, and I promised I’d ask you. If you say no, then that’s that.”

She smirked. “That was the right answer. Fine.” She eyed him. “But I will find out one day, just so you know.”

“Cami, once everything is settled, you might even be one of the bridesmaids,” he said earnestly.

She laughed. “I’ll hold you to that, then!”

They fell silent for a moment, and then Hiccup asked, “And the second thing?”

“The second thing I’d like to know is… why do you want to try that.” Hiccup wanted to reply what he’d said before, but she waved him off with a quick gesture. “So let’s say I believe you and your oath that it’s not about you just getting it in,” she commented. “And I actually don’t expect you to give me a detailed answer. But I’m going to ask you two to talk about it. If she’s as eager as you said, then what’s her reason? Because if it’s just about getting it over with for her, just about doing it, then that’s not a good enough reason either. Don’t allow that she pressures herself into anything because of this upcoming separation, okay?”

Hiccup nodded mutely, but it wouldn’t have needed her warning; he would never want Astrid to feel pressured into something either.

“Good. And now that that’s settled,” Cami went on, turning away from the chair and walking over to one of her decorated shelves, “let's talk about the technicalities. If I remember correctly you already know about the necessary rules of hygiene, right?”

“I do,” Hiccup murmured.

“Right. No need to go into the details there then.” She reached for a small object on one of the upper shelves. “So we can focus on the preparation. Because that's the key, especially for someone who's never done this before. First point: you need good lubrication.”

She came back to him and handed him the small object. On closer examination, it turned out to be a ceramic pot in the form of a swan, delicately sculpted and painted in white with blue-ish shadows. “What is this?” he asked hesitantly.

“It’s a scented oil. You can keep it and use it as lubrication; don’t worry, I have enough. And be sure to use enough. Go slowly. And by that, I mean really slowly. Take the usual time for foreplay and preparation and at least double it. Actually…” She paused for a moment, then nodded. “You have two nights left, is that right? Good. Then my advice would be to only prep her tonight. Let her get used to the feeling, see if she likes it at all, and let her body get accustomed to it. Play around a bit, but leave the main event for tomorrow night.”

Hiccup nodded to show that he’d understood. “That is a good idea. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. And Hiccup?”

“Yes?”

“When I’m your beloved’s bridesmaid...”

“Yes?” he repeated as she trailed off significantly.

“I’m going to ask her about what we just talked about. And if you did just lie to me about whose idea this was, and took the gods’ names in vain for that oath...” she smiled at him with all her teeth. “I won’t deprive the poor girl of her wedding night. But once you’re done, I’ll serve you your dick, fried and with onions. Got it?”

He winced. “You don’t need to worry.”

“All right.” She nodded, still smiling eerily, before glancing at a candle clock hanging near the wall to her bedroom. “Your usual half hour isn't quite up yet. So, is there anything else you'd like to talk about?”

Chuckling, Hiccup shook his head. “No, not really.” After this talk just now, he was pretty much done with talking for tonight. To her at least.

They spent a couple of minutes in companionable silence, and Hiccup's attention turned back to the small pot she'd given him. Carefully, he opened it, and an all-too-familiar scent rose from the oil, making his heart flutter and his head spin. “Mayweed?” he asked, glancing up at Cami still standing over him.

She grinned. “Yeah. Originally I used rose oil, but after your suggestion, I pretty much changed everything to mayweed. You don’t like it?”

Chuckling, Hiccup shook his head as he put the lid back onto the swan-shaped pot, caressing it gently. “It’s perfect.”

. o O o .

  And finally... all domino pieces are in place...

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