Chapter 1: The Call

"Where are we going to stay? We missed our deadline, all because we procrastinated so much!" exclaimed Rapunzel her nerves getting the better of her. She was a young brunnette of short hair, at the age of 18. She was with her friend, and both at the moment were trying to figure out how to solve a very big problem they were currently in. It would only get bigger if they didn't.

"I don't know...I don't know!" Merida exhaled throwing her hands up in annoyance. She didn't like being put in a position like the one she was in.

Merida was also an 18 year old girl, but unlike her friend, she wore a red mess of long curls that shot out in every direction. The clear dark blue color in her eyes contrasted with her hair, making it shine brighter than a flame. She had been trying to figure out where she and her friend were going to live when attending college, for the past few hours. To her deception, and her friend's, they had both missed the deadline to apply for a dorm. Now they were left wondering where they, two unemployed teenagers were going to live.

"We could call and check if anyone cancelled their application..?" Rapunzel suggested, but her tone was more of a hopeful question, as if Merida could give her a reply and it was final.

"I tried Punz...but they said we would have to wait about a month or two into the semester to know if anyone cancelled or didn't show up to get their dorm" Merida muttered in annoyance. How could she have let such an important date go by.? Her mother was going to kill her! Merida could already hear her mother shouting infinite variations of the word 'stupid' or 'dumb' at her, for having forgotten. This time she was to admit her mother was going to be right.

"What are we going to do then? If only we had just applied to the university where our other friends went, then maybe we would have had someone to live off while we found a place of our own. But seriously how did I let it sli-" Rapunzel didn't get to finish her sentence as Merida rose from her slumped over position on the kitchen chair, making a loud noise which startled Rapunzel.

"Ah ha! You are brilliant Punz! Yes you are. You just gave me the answer to our problem...and it is called Hiccup!" Merida declared as she stood up and began to pace back and forth in an excited manner around the kitchen, trying to remember the phone number of this young fellow.

"Hiccup…?" Rapunzel questioned. She thought Merida was referring to the little cough slash choke you have when you need to drink water, or need someone to scare you.

"Yes, my cousin Hiccup" Merida replied, but she just kept pacing back and forth, mumbling random numbers as she went about.

"Wait, Hiccup is a name? I thought it was that thing you...nevermind about that" Rapunzel shook her head and waved the thought away with her hand. "How is your cousin Hiccup going to help us?" She asked, staring curiously at the pacing Merida.

"Hiccup goes to Netherfield University. He is going to be a third year this upcoming year in which we enter. I heard him talking with my dad about how he, and a friend, were going to pitch in together to get an apartment because he didn't like how the dorms had a curfew, or something like that. I also remember him saying that it was going to be a two bedroom apartment. Maybe I could convince him to let us pitch in some money too and we can share a room" Merida explained.

"Oh that would be so great! What are you waiting for? Call him so that we can know already. Do you think he will? Does he get along good with you? Is he nice? Are you sure he will let you? I mean, because if not we have to keep looking" Rapunzel began to bombard Merida with questions. Merida had to raise her hand to silence her friend.

"I will call him, I am just trying to remember his phone number. He gave it to me last time he came because he changed his phone, but I don't remember if it ended on 45 or 54..." Merida mumbled.

Rapunzel didn't wait for Merida to figure it out. She reached for the house phone and handed it over to Merida.

"What?" Merida asked confused.

"Try both and see which one works" Rapunzel shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "I 'm sure you know how your cousin sounds on the phone right?"

Merida raised a brow at her friend as a smile, too, began to form on her lips. "Alright, and you guess right."

Merida took the phone and dialed the numbers she already knew and then added a 54 to the end, hoping that one was the one. It sounded more fluent with the other list of numbers, but she didn't think they were the right ones, and not just because they flowed it meant they were the right ones. Luckily for her they were the right ones.

"Hello?" Answered the all but too familiar voice of Merida's cousin.

"Hey Hiccup! It is Merida...and I wanted to ask you something…." she said, starting off really happily but finishing in somewhat of a mumble.

"It better not be to lie about that you are staying over at our h-"

"No no, those days are over. I am much better at lying to my mum now" Merida teased, but she had become better at hiding things from her mother. Like when her and Rapunzel would run off to an Archery tournament, or a painting contest, each supporting their friend. "What I actually wanted to ask was an actual favor, but a huge one...that I will probably have to owe you back on some day."

"And you sure this has nothing to do with lying to my aunt?" Hiccup questioned in a confused tone. She was making it sound like she had a very big scheme or needed him to be her ally for something.

"I am sure" Merida assured. She knew Hiccup, just as well as many others were afraid of her mother when she was angry, or disappointed.

"Ok, so what is it?"

"So...I remember you telling my dad last time of how you were going to get an apartment with a friend because of reasons, is that true?" Merida asked, taking it slowly even though she had a waving Rapunzel who urged her to ask the question already.

"Yeah..." Hiccup was confused as to where it was going.

"Well surprise surprise me and a friend are going the Netherfield University" she said, trying to smack Rapunzel hands away, which were pointing at the phone, but almost poked her.

"Cool" Hiccup said in all honesty.

"Ok so here comes the big favor slash question for you. It is very big though and I really hope you agree because if not I am going to get in really big trouble with my mum and-"

"I thought this had nothing to do with my aunt?" Hiccup inquired, and you could hear the raising of his brows in the question.

"Well it really doesn't it just includes me and Rapunzel, but if I don't fix it, it will involve my mum. Not the point Hiccup! Just tell me if yes or no' she stated and stayed silent.

Hiccup stayed silent on the other side of the line, waiting for the question or favor she still had not said. "So is there a question?" he asked after she took some time to continue.

"Yes! Just give me a sec! I am trying to figure out how to ask this..." Merida took a short breath and then quickly added in a very quick mumble, "Could me and Punz room with you guys?"

Now it was Hiccup's turn to stay silent while thinking up what to say. "Why?" Was all that slipped through his lips.

Merida sighed, "It is because Rapunzel and I forgot to send in the dorm's application on time and we were left without a dorm. If we don't get a dorm we will not be able to go to school. If we do not go to school my mum will kill me. if my mom kills me I won't be able to be the best archer" Merida continued to ramble until Hiccup interrupted her.

"It's fine with me if it is fine with my aunt. I am sure my friend won't mind sharing a room with me. The rooms are pretty big and enough space for two people" Hiccup replied, with a shrug that he knew Merida wouldn't be able to see.

Rapunzel smiled wide as she rose from her seat and did a small dance. Merida could have squealed or even shouted in relief, but it wasn't triumph yet.

"Thank you so much Hiccup. I'll call you back after I speak with my mum" she said and hung up.

"Why aren't you happy?" Rapunzel asked.

"Because now I have to ask my mother. Do you think she will let us room with two other guys. Maybe she would be fine with Hiccup, but not his friend who we don't even know..." she mumbled.

Rapunzel knew it was true, but they had a chance and if she was there with Merida, she was sure they could convince Elinor.