So please don't kill me! I know its been over a year and I have no valid excuse. I'm sorry, but I'm hoping that this is the story back on track now.
"Bloody hell! It's still freezing out there." Merida complained as Astrid opened her apartment door.
"Well it is only February. Won't be sunny for a while Mer." Astrid said while taking jackets from Merida and Jack.
"Besides you lived in Scotland for most of your life. Shouldn't you be used to the cold?" Jack joked as he dove for a seat on Astrid and Hiccup's couch.
"Just because I lived in shitty weather doesn't mean I like it." Merida moaned as she wedged herself between Jack and the side of the couch.
"You guys took your time." Anna mumbled with a mouthful of marshmallows.
"We would have been on time if Jack hadn't taken so much time ordering his coffee." Merida rolled her eyes.
"It's a hard choice! At least I opted for the mature choice and didn't get a hot chocolate." Jack defended himself.
"Who says hot chocolates are for kids?" Hiccup called as he walked into the room holding a tray of hot chocolates.
"Come on, they are definitely the drink that kids have after they've been playing in the snow for so long."
"Alright. More for us I guess." Hiccup said as he passed the tray around.
"Well, I mean if you've already made me one I guess it'd be pointless to let it go to waste." Jack said as he eyed Merida's mug topped with cream and marshmallows.
"Too bad they're for kids." Merida grinned as she also took his mug into her other hand.
"Three hot chocolates in an hour? It's amazing you're not diabetic." Jack said in disbelief as he scooped his finger into one of the mugs Merida was holding.
"Here, have it. I'm not drinking it now your grubby hands have been all over it." Merida pushed the mug to him causing some of the hot beverage to spill down his grey shirt.
"Ah! For fuck sake Merida!" Jack screamed as the rest of the group sniggered at him.
"Oh, shit." Merida laughed. "I'm so sorry."
"Jack, go to the bathroom and I'll get you a new shirt." Astrid said as Jack started moaning about his satin shirt.
"So what have we all got planned for the rest of the day?" Anna asked after Jack had left the room and the rest of the group stopped laughing at him.
"I was hoping to maybe look at some wedding stuff. Anyone interested?" Astrid asked looking hopeful around the room.
"I would love to! It'll be so much fun!" Rapunzel squealed.
"Can we leave now?" Anna asked slightly too eager.
"I was thinking in maybe an hour? What'd you say Mer?" Astrid said causing everyone to look her way.
"I have plans with Jack to go see a movie, sorry." Merida replied sipping her hot chocolate.
"Aw, Mer! Don't be a bore! Please, please, please come!" Rapunzel begged.
"Already got plans, sorry." Merida shrugged. To be quite honest she was glad she didn't have to go wedding shopping, she couldn't think of anything she'd less like to do.
"Fine." Astrid gave up and flopped down on the couch next to her. "Go give this t-shirt to Jack for me." Astrid flung the clothing at Merida.
"Why me? I'm already so comfy in my seat." Merida moaned.
"Cause you're the one who ruined his shirt in the first place." Astrid stated.
"Ugh… It was an accident!" Merida huffed as she dragged herself from the couch.
Once Merida was at the bathroom door she knocked but after there was no answer she slowly opened the door. To her surprise she saw a shirtless Jack and Elsa rubbing his bare chest with a wet cloth. "Er… I er… have a t-shirt for you…" Merida mumbled awkwardly.
"Merida!" Jack jumped back from Elsa's touch, as if he had been caught doing something wrong.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." Merida quickly walked out of the bathroom after dropping the t-shirt to the floor.
Merida made her way back to the rest of the group looking extremely embarrassed. "You okay?" Anna asked. Before Merida could reply Jack ran into the room with the new t-shirt on.
"Merida, it's not what you think! " he stated as Elsa walked out from behind him.
"Just forget it happened." Merida mumbled not looking his way.
"Let me explain." Jack pleaded but Merida just stayed silent. "Merida!"
"Jack, just sit down." Elsa tried to guide him over the the couch.
"No! Merida we need to talk about that." Jack demanded.
"Talk about what? How I walked in on Elsa feeling you up? Seems pretty self-explanatory to me." Merida shouted as she glared at him.
"What?" Hiccup said in shock. "You guys were doing what in my bathroom?"
"For fuck sake mate." Flynn shook his head.
"That's not what happened!" Jack said seriously looking straight at Merida.
"Fine then, explain it to me." Merida folded her arms.
"I will, but not in front of everyone."
"Fine." Merida got up from her seat and walked into a spare bedroom in the apartment.
"So what was going on?" Merida asked standing in the door way of the room.
"She… she was helping me." Jack stuttered.
"Helping you? Helping you what? Change? Thought that'd be something you could do yourself."
"She was soothing my burns. The hot chocolate bloody burnt me." Jack pulled up his t-shirt to reveal slightly red marks down his chest.
"Why were you so awkward about it?" Merida asked after observing the marks on his bare torso.
"Because it felt wrong when you walked in. Why were you awkward?"
"I thought you two were getting it on."
"Were you jealous?" Jack smirked.
"What? No! I actually think you and Elsa are really good together?" Merida could feel her stomach twisting as she lied through her teeth.
"Really?" Jack asked feeling let down.
"Yeah Jack." Merida mumbled. The two stood in silence for a bit neither wanting to say anything in fear of it being the wrong thing. Merida finally broke the uncomfortable situation they had found themselves in when she said "Astrid wants me to go wedding shopping with her and the girls later today. I'm going to have to give the movies a miss today."
"What? No! Come on, don't let what just happened make things weird between us. Don't avoid me."
"I'm not! Astrid needs me today, otherwise the girls will drive her mad with frills and sparkles. I'm seriously not bothered by what happened before, it was just awkward."
"Okay…" Jack said not entirely convinced that she was okay about the Elsa incident but decided not to press on the subject too much. "You owe me for cancelling though."
"Yeah, yeah whatever you say." Merida chuckled as she left the room with Jack following behind.
"You guys kiss and make up?" Flynn asked as he chucked a marshmallow across the room which bounced off of Hiccups nose instead of into his open mouth.
"Shove off! But yeah we're all good. Right Mer?" Jack asked as her took his seat back on the couch.
"Yeah, all good." Merida said behind gritted teeth, although nobody noticed her discomfort except from Jack and Astrid. "When are we planning on going shopping?" Merida said trying to sound more relaxed.
Astrid gave her a strange look but understood to go along with Merida's sudden change of plan. "I suppose as soon as everyone is ready?"
"Sounds good." Merida replied as she rushed to finish her drink.
The girls all found themselves crammed into a couch in a luxurious wedding boutique while Astrid was trying on different wedding dresses. Astrid had decided that she wanted to get her wedding dress first and sort out everything else after. The girls were all giggling away when Astrid stepped out in the first dress. It had a sweetheart neck line, corset body and puffy skirt with sequins on the out layers of the skirt. She made her way up onto the podium and instantly the girls burst out laughing. "What the hell are you wearing?" Anna said as she pulled out her phone to try and take a photo.
"I know! I said this definitely isn't my style but the woman wouldn't listen. I look like a meringue." Astrid huffed as she looked at herself in the mirror.
"Go try something else on." Merida said as she took a glass of champagne of the tray next to her.
"Mer, will you come with me? You know dresses and clothes better than anyone that even works here." Astrid pleaded.
"I guess, but I'm not sure I'll be much help." Merida followed Astrid to the changing rooms and picked up a few dresses along the way. "Here, try this one." Merida handed Astrid and ivory dress with a mermaid tail skirt.
"I can't actually believe I'm getting married." Astrid said as she stepped out of her other dress.
"I know it's crazy to think, but it's the next step."
"I know, it just still feels so surreal. I can't believe my first serious boyfriend is the one I'll be with forever."
"Hiccup was your first boyfriend?"
"Hiccup was my first everything, we met in high school and started dating towards our last few years of school."
"That's actually amazing, and actually really cute."
"Speaking of cute, what's going on with you and Jack?" Astrid side eyed Merida
"What? Nothing." Merida blushed.
"Come on."
"There isn't anything going on."
"But you want there to be something?"
"Astrid don't be ridiculous."
"Merida I know were not as close as you and Rapunzel but I know something is up with you."
"Fine, I think I may have a teeny tiny, and I mean minuscule, crush on Jack."
"I knew it! Oh my gosh! This is so exciting." Astrid screamed jumping around in her underwear.
"No! You have to stop. He doesn't feel the same, he has a thing for Elsa obviously." Merida said as she help open the dress for Astrid to slip on.
"What do you mean obviously?"
"You've got eyes, they're like the perfect couple together."
"Yeah, I've got eyes, and what my eyes are telling me is that Jack has been spending more time with you in the last few months than he has even Flynn."
"Yeah but that's just because Flynn is always with Rapunzel."
"Flynn's has girls before and Jack always stays to himself or is on nights out picking up 'chicks'. He's never just hung out with a girl before."
"That doesn't mean anything. I know for a fact that he likes Elsa."
"Well I know for a fact that he doesn't."
"What do you mean?"
"She means that Jack rejected me." Elsa says as she's standing in the door way.
"Elsa?" Merida almost screamed.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Just wanted to make sure you were okay." Elsa apolgised.
"I just wasn't expecting you. And if you don't mind me asking what did you mean rejected you?" Merida asked.
"At the new years party at Jack and Flynn's flat. We both needed someone to kiss as the bells went off, so we did. When I wanted to take it further, like go to his room further, he apologized and said he couldn't because he likes someone else's and doesn't want to ruin his chances."
"It's so obvious he means you." Astrid almost screamed with joy as she slipped on her heels.
"Did that actually happen?" Merida asked completely ignoring Astrid.
"Yup." Elsa gave her a small smile. "Honestly Merida I'd say go for it. Jack was just some fun for me, nothing serious. He's a good guy, but I'm sure you already know that. Now come out Astrid and show the rest of the girls this dress, I still don't think it's you." Both Elsa and Astird left the dressing room leaving Merida alone. She was about to follow them when her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Sent to: Merida
Sent from: Jack
Sorry about before, I swear nothing happened. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. Hope we're still okay. I really don't want to do anything to ruin our friendship. I value it too much to screw it up.
Merida had a choice now either leave everything as it is and stay friends or risk it all and maybe loose Jack forever.
Sent to: Jack
Sent from: Merida
Don't worry about it, I overreacted. Obviously we're okay, one wee tiff isn't going to ruin our new found friendship. I value it too.
Like I said before I am so so so so so SORRY! This story was on my to do list every single week but honestly I had really bad writers block and life just started to get in the way.
Hopefully I can post more regularly now that I have some structure to my life now. I'm at uni 5 days a week (got into the course I wanted! WOOHOO! Thank you to everyone that congratulated me for getting an offer - it's been so long since the last chapter I have now finished first year and am about to go back for my second year!) and work weekends but hopefully I can keep this story going and updated on a regular basis.