trans_9 | Everybody is Somebody's Fool [bendytimed to right after the Masquerade] [closed]

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Everybody is Somebody's Fool [bendytimed to right after the Masquerade] [closed]

Crashing the dance had been fun, but after only a little dancing, Hiccup had worn himself out. He really didn't have the stamina to keep up long.

A hasty exit was made, partly because they didn't know how the host would react and partly because Hiccup was about to fall over. Astrid was helping support him since he was a little unsteady on his feet.

"That was so great!" he effused. "I mean, ow, other than. You know. The ow. Ow."

He quickly added, self-consciously, with a tough guy sniff, "But I'm--I'm tough. I can take it. S'just a little aching. It will be dealt with. In--in a manly fashion."

Couldn't have the girlfriend thinking he was a wuss about some aches and pains. What Viking couldn't deal with a little dancing a day out of the Medbay, after a horrific injury? Certainly not him! He was tough! He was manry! He could dance while only getting a little bit out of breath!

He could...lean heavily on his girlfriend and limp along holding his tummy. Yeah.

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His act gets him a hearty pat on the back and just when he is about to stumble, Astrid loops an arm with one of his, keeping the boy steady again, and closely against her. "Alright, tough guy, you convinced me," she humors him. "I recall I did say I'd let you take charge and decide what you'd like to do for the day, sooo I'm listening."

Initially, after following through with his party crashing scheme for a bit of downtime fun, Hiccup was to return to their quarters and continue his recuperation. Understandably, he grew restless being constrained in one place for too long. It's the Viking nature within him. And while she is deeply concerned for his health above all else, Astrid didn't have the heart to deny him this time.

She closed an eye and gave a tender smile, adding, "--Nothing strenuous. That's the condition." The dancing and excitement took a minor toll on him, she could tell. Moment he does anything that contravenes this single condition of hers, his butt will be hauled back to the recovery bed.

"Well, I was--I was thinking, we could do something...quiet. And unstrenuous. The date doesn't have to stop here, right?"

He added quickly, "Not that this is a date. I just figured a dance, that's a thing that could be construed to be possibly date-like. So this could be a date or couldn't be a date. That really depends on...what you want to call it."

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"Date," she immediately confirmed aloud.

She avoided his eyes, hiding her embarrassment, and with her arm still clinging on his, her hand sought out his own. Emboldened albeit somewhat tentative, she laced their fingers.

...Was this too forward? Hopefully it isn't too forward.

Hiccup raised his eyebrows a little, but it wasn't because he thought she was being too forward. (She could be as forward as she wanted, honestly). He was surprised over how readily she said that.

Squeezing her hand with his, affectionately, he said, "Okay. Okay, yeah, so, this is a date. Let's...let's not have the date end yet."

They really hadn't had a date yet. Sure, they spent tons of time with each other, and back home in Berk, that was the best you could do for courtship: long walks, holding hands, that sort of thing. There were no fancy restaurants or balls or places to go to.

The ship was a little different. You could make things special.

Hiccup intended to.

"Let's grab another Sensorium, and--and we can call up something nice and quiet and comfortable and just...hang out."

Edited 2010-10-06 21:13 (UTC)

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"Right. Date." Astrid nods in agreement, satisfied with the idea. "I feel a little bad ditching the guys back there. And--and leaving Toothless with someone," she admitted, free hand scratching her cheek sheepishly. "Yet... now that you're better, I'm happy we can be... alone."

A chuckle. "...I'm selfish, aren't I. Totally selfish."

"No, that's..."

They went into a different Sensorium and the door shut behind them.

"I mean, we're used to a lot of time--"

This was such mushy territory they'd strayed into as a couple, wasn't it?

"We usually have a lot of quiet time together. I'm used to that, too. But that was a little hard during all that time in the Medbay, with the doctors and the visitors and everybody."

Hiccup led her into the Sensorium a bit, looking thoughtful.

"You know what? Close your eyes. I have an idea."

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Ever since their last days on Berk and their release from the pod caverns, "mushy" and the pair of teens seem to be synonymous.

She tipped her head curiously, raising an eyebrow. Fine, she'll go along with it and close her eyes.

"Blind date. Funny, Hiccup," she smirks.

"Hey, you're the one that just made the bad joke there," he said, reaching up and putting his hands over her eyes. No peeking.

"Now, tell me, what's something you miss about Berk? Not necessarily the houses or anything from it, or the people, because that would just be depressing. Just...something from home, a small part you wish could be here."

For Hiccup, it was the breeze, cool and salty and muggy, sweeping in from the sea, the currents rising up and twisting this way and that because of the mountains.

Astrid could likely feel that breeze lightly tousling her hair.

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Astrid smiles when he completely obscures her vision just to be extra sure. Right, no peeking. Then when he urges her to tell him, he'd feel her blinking in slight bemusement behind his hands.

She ponders silently.

"I... I...," she slowly responds, memories of Berk weaving back together from the depths of her heart.

It takes a long moment and just when it looks like nothing will happen, as if on cue, the atmosphere begins to shape in another direction and eventually overlaps with Hiccup's.

Something cold hit her nose. It;s followed by more of the same, a light shower of... something, delicately landing on her exposed skin.

Hold on. She knows this feeling. It's unmistakable. And she becomes visibly uncomfortable at this realization.

"...Really? 'Cause that's one of the things I miss the least."

The breeze was slightly colder now, but still on the calmish side, and not bitingly cold.

"But I guess I can see it. When it looks like like this and isn't four feet deep."

Hiccup removed his hands.

"Open your eyes."

It wasn't a lake from home, but it was like the lakes of home, ringed by trees that were lightly dusted with snow. The ground near the water was flat, and the grass was covered in the thinnest dusting of powdery snow--almost sandlike. There was a little leanto there, lit up by a roaring campfire, and lined with fluffy blankets and pillows to lean on.

The stars were breathtaking, like someone had gathered a handful of that silvery dust and tossed it into the sky. The moon was up and huge, lighting up the whole clearing, shimmering on the lake.

And in came that balmy breeze, every so often, far off from the sea.

When he removes his hands, Astrid's first response is to inwardly grimace and resists facepalming. She can't help blushing. Oh no, she visioned up something extremely corny just now. Even the most renowned romanticist would laugh.

She ducked her head modestly, biting her lip. "Childish, yeah I know."

'Course only the flurry of snowflakes, and the memory of snow, were all her doing... but it wasn't any less shamefully sappy!

Honestly, the scenery laid out for them is beautiful. Comforting. She thoughtfully observes every detail. "--But it's... just right. You did it better than anything I'd imagine alone..."

"Still not perfect, though," he said, standing there, on hand thoughtfully tapping his chin.

He looked up at the moon, small and pale.

"I think I know how to fix this."

With that, he started to swing around an imaginary rope, grinning at her at first, and then he turned and pretended to throw it at the moon.

Then he pulled, feet skidding slightly across the snow. For a moment, he even dangled from the invisible rope, using his bodyweight to pull it down. Sure enough, the moon seemed to move closer to the earth, and get even bigger and brighter in the sky.

Letting go, he dusted off his hands and looked smug.

"Better? I think that looks better."

Edited 2010-10-07 02:31 (UTC)

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It's fun playing Gods, isn't it, Hiccup. (No copyright infringing here!)

Easily impressed, Astrid approves. "Nice touch. Hm, though I think we're missing something..."

A snowball soars and explodes against his back, powdered snow likely in his hair now.

When he wasn't looking, she collected the softest patch of snow from the ground, and... well, she couldn't resist being Astrid.

"That's better," she cackles.

"I can just feel the love," he said wryly, shrugging, and wiping snow out of his hair. "And--and it's melting and dripping down my back."

C'mon, plantsuit, absorb faster!

"I'll show you what's better," he said, bending down and making a snowball himself. Running a few steps, an evil grin on his face, he tossed it as hard as he could...

And it fell short.

Sigh.

"If we get into this, it's going to be very one-sided. You should know that ahead of time. And honestly, where's the fun in that?"

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"And your "Sifu" has been teaching you what now?" she teases, shaking her head with an amused smile.

You poor boyfriend thing. Here, she'll be nice and kindly help wipe off leftover snow, also a perfect excuse to touch his hair and brush away the bangs from his eyes.

"Mm, sorry. Guess you could say you had it coming after so long." Now thinking about it, how many winters did they miss out on. ...Oof, depressing thoughts. None of that. That's strictly forbidden here.

Well, her snickering is stopped short when she suddenly lets out a sneeze. (Politely directing it away from him, mind you.)

Nngh. Funny how a little thing like temperature change can make you emit embarrassing, trivial noises. Time to sidle over to the fire or someplace warmer.

Hiccup could only gaze at her with a dopey little look on his face as her hand brushed against his face, and then he just grinned when she sneezed.

"And this would be why you're crazy for wanting snow," he snorted, dancing away from her.

"I wasn't joking. The cold is the only thing I don't miss." He added, "Not that I'm complaining. It's not so bad this way."

And it wasn't so bad with the company.

He wasn't quite finished playing yet. In fact, he picked up a handful of snow and tossed it in the air, where it briefly glittered in the light and then...

Then it became a dusting of new stars in the night sky.

Waving his hands and hopping a few steps, he made a ribbon of light appear and then the aurora was there, changing colors and shimmering across the sweeping expanse of sky, as well.

Edited 2010-10-07 05:31 (UTC)

She rolls her eyes, mouthing a snarky retort of 'Bite me'.

"Eh, the chill isn't my favorite thing, either. Hunting lessons and training in the cold can help a deal. Now I think we can agree the blizzards were terrible."

Her eyes follow his movements as he played and manipulated the elements, watching on in awe of the sheer creativity.

Then she just has to say something.

"...Arrree you treating the sky like your personal space notebook? I'm warning you now; don't do anything funny with those constellations," she scoffs playfully.

Joke, it's a joke.

"Ha ha ha ha. Ha," he said flatly. Just loud enough for her to hear, he went on, also joking, ""

"I. Heard. That," she hums dangerously. Bearskin? She won't ask.

He thinks he's real funny. Just to show him, she tampers with his "mural", flicking away stars and they fly across the night much like their shooting star name.

"Oops."

"Kidding. Kidding."

Hey, that was neat. He flicked a few stars himself.

"Okay, this is--this is officially nearly-perfect, but I know there could be something we haven't thought of," he said, hands on his hips, looking around. His gaze went up to the sky.

"Ship! Hey, ship, what's this whole picture missing? Got any suggestions?"

Lakeside, there suddenly appeared a circular pool of water, separated from the lake itself by wall of stone. It was steaming lightly, warm air rising off it.

Hiccup's eyebrows rose. "Huh."

A hot springs?

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Sure, it fits the theme. There were hot springs in the surrounding territory on Berk and she's visited a private location on more than one occasion, but...

She blinks, opening her mouth to say something then closes, then eventually asks, "...Do you think it's joking?"

Does the ship joke?

Hiccup squatted down and dipped his hand in.

"It seeeems okay."

There was a furtive look darted in her direction as he swished his hand around in the warm water.

"We don't have to use it, I guess." His eyes went back to the water, "buuut do you maybe...want to? Go for a little swim?"

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He's polite, she will give him that.

Astrid tenses, really caught off-guard.

She rests her hand on her hip, bending forward and eyes him closely. "...You're asking me to get in with you stark naked? That what you mean?"

He looked over at her, eyes wide and face blushing visibly even in the dim light.

"No! No no no no. I didn't, uh--I mean--while that would be not a big deal, hey, skinny-dipping, it's dark, it's, you know, just skinny-dipping, I just meant..."

Naked actually wasn't what he meant. Surprisingly.

"I'm sure we could ask the Sensorium to give us something to swim in. Is what I meant."

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Hiccup's flustered expression is so easy to make out at this proximity. In fact, she is staring awfully suspiciously at his dumb face, until she glances back at the spring beside them.

Maybe it's the damned moonlight again. Or maybe it's the few drinks she had partaken at the ball. Because she is definitely mulling it over. (Did she just briefly lick her lips just now?)

Then, Astrid's eyes lock back on him... and she performs a fake bow, her hand extends out formally to the water. If he's any better at reading her body language, that naughty gleam in her eye is clear indication of her answer.

"Heroes first."

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