Chapter 8

We return with the two teens finally agreeing to the terms that gobber oh so carefully thought of much to hiccups dismay, well he had no choice or rather he already accepted the fact that he would train astrid but the constant threat of being punched wasn't really that good of an incentive… but he had to admit it made him focus more on training astrid. After laughing his ass off gobber left the two alone to finally start their long awaited training but just before gobber had the chance to walk off hiccup calls out to him, surely he hasn't forgotten about their little deal right, that after obediently finishing everything he was asked to do for today he would have full permission to go anywhere in the woods to look for his soccer ball and so he reminds gobber and unfortunately he was right gobber totally forgot about it but nothing a good talking to wont fix. After a few seconds gobber scratches his head and looks towards the woods, of course he hasn't forgotten their promise he just hoped that with the whole training astrid ordeal it would maybe somehow slip his mind but I guess hoping for a whiz kid like hiccup to forget something, not to mention something he treasured was a long shot in itself so gobber just reassures him but again stressing the danger that comes with it and makes hiccup promise to not on any circumstances go without him, I mean without him who would supervise where they would go and how they should tread the unfamiliar woods, and what if another mad dog or even worse the black wolf shows up what would hiccup do then he'd just be another meal for the wild beasts at least with gobber there they would have a chance of fighting back, well gobber's the only one willing to do any fighting but you get the point. And so with that in mind gobber looks back on the many times where he and hiccup's father stoic would venture out into the woods just to have a little competition. It was to see who could catch or even kill more dogs on the streets or in the woods, oh how times have changed now it's not even allowed to go out at night let alone walk into the woods without getting arrested by the police for breaking curfew rules huh… gobber takes one final breath and then walks off towards the gym and proceeds to wherever he had to go leaving astrid and hiccup finally alone together… hiccup didn't know where to begin or what to do first, maybe because just talking with astrid seemed like a very difficult task especially for him not to mention every conversation they've had so far always ends up with hiccup being physically hurt and if that's not the case then he'd just be insulted... The thought makes hiccup think twice about the whole situation but he faintly remembers Astrid's face which makes him look at her out of instinct. He yet again thinks about her and what had happened during their loud argument, the expression she had, the look in her eyes it made him feel sorry for her for some reason just then the person he was thinking about suddenly talks to him

"Hey, Are you just gonna stare at me all day or what?" She asks in an authoritative manner seeming all the more impatient, whilst looking back at him. To which hiccup silently replied while looking at another direction "or what..."

With that he passes the thoughts to side and tries to start a peaceful conversation with her, hiccup then proceeds to walk closer to astrid whilst scratching his neck and asking "u-um... What do you usually start off with?"

"Huh? What?" She asks curiously with a slight hint of frustration and hiccup reconstructs his question carefully as to not anger her for some reason.

"I-i mean you're usual training patterns... Y-you know, with gobber?" He stutters at some of the words but hopefully astrid got what he was asking

"training patterns huh?" She says, after that remark she pauses for a short while to think and then says "well, he'd usually have me do basic stretches with at least to 2 reps"

"Ok sounds basic enough then?..." Hiccup asks, to which she eagerly replied "then he'd have me run 20 laps around the field"

"Ok you're already good there... soo next is?" He asks again whilst gesturing his hands in a circular fashion signaling astrid to keep answering

"So you're just gonna make me copy my whole training regimen then?" She asks irritidly. Hiccup quickly answers "n-no i was jus-"

But before he could explain himself astrid fires another question at him this time with a more skeptical but still irritated tone "do you even know what you're doing?"

Hiccup was taken aback by Astrid's sudden aggression towards him, was it something he said? But he even made sure to be extra careful with what he's saying, he didn't even plan on saying anymore sarcastic jabs, he figured astrid and sarcasm doesn't really go that well together. And so hiccup tries his best to respond to her calmly "I-i know what I'm doing o-ok..."

"Well It doesn't look like it" she states in a rather insulting manner to which hiccup takes offend to but stuttering like that doesn't really help prove his case but astrid was kinda right, hiccup hadn't practiced or trained himself let alone another person in a very long time now not to mention this job was thrown at him just a while ago leaving him no time to prepared any sort of warm ups or drills. So basically every drill and exercise he's about to give astrid is all spontaneous, up to the point where he's agreed to do the job until the session ends but astrid doesn't really need to know that little detail he could just imagine what her reaction would be but still how is he supposed to do that? And with no equipment no less… well except for a stopwatch but that doesn't help much. With virtually nothing to work with but the field around them and the court inside the gym, he tries to recall all his previous drills and exercises thinking of something that would work best with astrid's body and sport. As he was thinking astrid decides to call out to him because he was just standing idle again, so she just irritidly says "So what now Manager?"

Astrid uttered the word manager as if it was a joke and Hiccup slightly gets ticked off, but who could blame him there's a very violent girl riding up his butt right now nagging at him about everything wrong she thinks he's doing… huh… but he's negative disposition doesn't last long were talking about hiccup here he was never the type who'd hold a grudge on someone or get frustrated at a drop of a hat, as opposed to astrid who gets violent way too fast and way to easy some would say their the complete opposite of one another. And so he takes one big exhale and let's go of any negative thoughts and feelings towards her that he might have, besides what good would getting frustrated do him and so he calmly says "could you just trust me ok?"

Astrid took a few moments to think, trust? It was something she never wanted to rely on, at least not anymore probably because the last person she trusted smashed every and any bit of trust she had for him, breaking the ever so fragile thing called trust to pieces right in front of her. It made her wince at the foul memory; she then looks at hiccup, augh! What is he making me think!? He's just some nerd and he wants me to trust him hah! She scoffs at his words which hiccup clearly took as a big no, but before astrid could continue her mental rant hiccup intervenes and says "not surprised there… well if you don't trust me then trust Gobber"

"I still don't know what he sees in you?" she asks the rude question in a manner that sounded more like she was disappointed rather than curious, but then astrid remembered their conversation from back then, the one where gobber was about to say something but then the nerd suddenly covers his mouth like he didn't want coach to go on, isn't he's just a mascot right? But gobber wasn't about to say mascot or was he? Didn't he say something like ace… baah! Whatever like I said I don't care. Hiccup just sighs as he remembered all the other times those types of questions were aimed at him and with the same disappointed tone like "he's dad was a football star back then right?" or the occasional "What happened to his son?" and many more doubtful questions, so by now he wasn't really bothered about it… ok maybe just a little bit but he forgets about it and focuses on the problem at hand astrid's less than friendly attitude

"Honestly me neither... Huh..." Said hiccup sighing just a little bit at the end of his remark, then he continues by saying "buut what i do know is that you're a volleyball player"

"Wow no shit..." She irritidly says whilst staring at hiccup with an expression that symbolizes "no shit" itself but hiccup ignores her rude response and continues but he couldn't help but stutter at the sight of Astrid's face filled with apparent dislike for the teen "a-and volleyball players depend on their verticality and their reaction time"

"And volleyball players depend on their reaction time and verticality right?" And just like that hiccup got astrids attention, she had to ask him to repeat himself because she wasn't sure of what she just heard "what? What did you say?"

Hiccup on the other hand starts to worry, was he completely wrong and in turn astrid who loves the sport is gonna beat him because of it, i mean it's what he thinks the sport is based on, right? Reacting to a ball speeding towards you and of course you'd need lower muscle strength to be able jump and reach above and beyond the net... Oh that's it he must've forgotten to add power you know upper body strength for awesome spikes oh and there's also basic rules and basic formations, not to mention several kinds of ways to return the ball. And so hiccup fearing he'd taste astrids fury started mumbling and stuttering about his idea of volleyball fundamentals and the basic rules and regulations he already knows "D-did i say something w-wrong? Volleyball has three fundamental requirements r-reaction time, v-verticality, and power. R-reaction time is basically..."

Astrid was initially surprised and she thought somewhere along the lines of who would've thought a nerd would know something about volleyball, or any sport for that matter, where could he have learned that, must be from books? but information from books and journals can only take you so far, in game experiences are the best teachers any athlete could have, but certainly that nerd wouldn't know anything about that seeing as he was just the mascot but isn't it strange how he knows these kinds of terms i mean his words weren't that great or highfalutin, but those weren't the words of a novice either maybe gobber was right and this nerd really did train someone before if that's really the case then who was it and what sport did he or she play. As astrid was deep in thought hiccup was taking his sweet time explaining he's view on the sport and kept rambling on about the fundamentals until finally astrid had to stop him "ok, ok, I've heard enough already, stop mumbling you're gonna hurt yourself"

"S-sorry... Am i wrong?" hiccup asked genuinely thinking that something he might've said was wrong to which astrid blatantly replies "No, just annoying…"

"Oh, ok… just annoying… that's it?" hiccup asks seeming a little bit peeved and disappointed at the same time, I mean he was glad that he was right but still maybe hiccup thought that after saying all that he knew he'd maybe get praised a little maybe something along the lines of "wow you know volleyball" or "I was wrong" but all he got was you're annoying but what would he expect from astrid, just then he gets his wish and hears astrid say "Fine, I get it you know a few things about volleyball… but playing volleyball isn't your job, its mine…"

Hiccup was about to smile, but astrid just had to say something else and in hiccups mind he was thinking "was that a compliment or an insult… I guess it's just physically impossible for astrid to end a conversation with a compliment huh… but I'll take what I can get" and so with that in mind he just plays it off like a compliment rather than an insult so it wouldn't seem so aggravating. He responds in way that would help him prove he's knowledgeable about his job "Believe me, I really wasn't planning to… I just said a few things that'll be accounted for your training regimen"

"Really now… well then what're you waiting for?" astrid replied with a fair amount of doubt in her voice, whilst gesturing hiccup to lead the way

"An actual plan and a training regimen maybe" that's what hiccup wanted to say but of course for his own safety he can't and so he feints confidence instead and says "O-ok then let's do it! I hope you brought a towel, cause you're gonna need it"

"Please… like id use a towel for this" she states gesturing at the field and whatever they were doing, probably because they were both just standing on the field doing nothing but small talk. Just then while looking at the same field where he did everything before, hiccup suddenly recalls his old daily exercises plus the drills he used to do before quitting everything and just focusing on his studies. So without any more leads to go on with he settles for what his memory can remember and asks astrid to try it, his exercises were a number of footwork drills and brisk cardio workouts after 5 sets with one set composed of 25 repetitions, hiccup then focused on the strength aspect and made her do push-ups and pull-ups on the goal post which astrid opposed but eventually hiccup convinces her, he made her repeat the drills for the same amount of time as the first exercises after some time now hiccup ultimately decides to take a break since his daily exercises were, if memory serves him right, very exhausting. While experiencing first hand hiccups training sessions and the methods he used, especially the way he talked about every drill they were doing, he took every precautions and said every detail up to what muscle was being enhanced down to the strain that it could put on said muscle. She started to view hiccup in a slightly new way, well not enough to call him henry and still not enough to think of him as a friend but maybe gobber was right as much as she hated to admit it he really did know what he was doing and because of that she felt like it was getting a little bit easier to swallow the fact that hiccup was now her new manager. And as an added bonus she now thought of him as maybe not just a nerdy kid that didn't have a single athletic bone in his body, there's just maybe a small tiny tiny bone somewhere inside that skinny frame... At least there's a little bit of progress something is better than nothing right, nearing the end of the whole session Astrid found herself unexpectedly tired but this just pumps her up more, the feeling that she's improving and the hunger to get even better but first she had to say something to hiccup despite not wanting to she had to hand it to him, he slightly lived up to Gobber's highly exaggerated description of him and so she said "I have to admit your training regimen isn't so bad, I'm really working up a sweat"

"so you Can say nice things? Now was that too hard?" hiccup said playfully while smiling at astrid, he now felt a little bit at ease with her enough to slightly tease her with a joke or two this is maybe due to the fact that they spent most of the afternoon training together and the fact that astrid followed his instructions and even praised his training, she actually praised it… well in her own way but that was something that rarely happened simply because its astrid the only people she acknowledges are her team mates and her coach, maybe the teachers.

After hearing his cheerful joke astrid while panting smiles and says "My fist is pretty hard" she clenches her fist whilst still keeping the smile on her face, this makes hiccup laugh nervously while still for some reason smiling as he says "ha ha Kidding, astrid relax… aaand that's time, good work you breezed through the whole regimen"

"Of course, that all you've got?" she confidently asks, but obviously her body was still tired even if her mind was still full of energy. Hiccup was genuinely surprised she finished his training, granted he did lower the number of sets and he modified the drill and exercises to lessen the strain to her body since their body wasn't physically the same but still hiccup was impressed. He then takes a look at astrid and notices her already heavy breathing and sweating this was a sure sign that astrid was already exhausted and so he limits the training and asks her to calm down "Whoa there, calm down she hulk you need to take a day off before I can give you a higher regimen"

"but I can handl-" astrid quickly dismissed the thought of stopping and demands hiccup to keep going but before astrid could finish her statement hiccup immediately shut her down saying "no astrid… I know training is essential but rest is just as important…"

"im telling you I can handle it" astrid quickly demanded to which hiccup responds by sternly saying "and I'm telling you, you need to rest, I'm not gonna let you injure yourself, so just "

Hiccup's words surprises astrid, it confused her and makes her swallow whatever she was about to say too prove she was more than capable to keep going. It left her wondering, wondering why? Why would he show concern… to me of all people, she further analyzes his words, it really confused her, he's concerned… about me when I've done nothing but insult him… wait he's my manager right? So it's his job to worry about me to keep me healthy… right that's gotta be it, he's just worried about me because he has to… I get it. While she was meticulously decoding hiccups words and intentions she nearly forgets they were in the middle of a conversation and just stutters while saying "f-fine… but-"

But hiccup being in full manager mode just cuts her off and says "no buts, I'm gonna ask gobber to bench you for tomorrows practice"

And just like that astrid was snapped out of her thoughts "what?! You can't do that" she exclaimed to which hiccup playfully replies "uhh yes I can, I'm your manager remember"

hiccup said it in a way that sounded like he was stating a fact, strange when he's in manager mode astrid doesn't seem all that scary well seeing her fairly exhausted kinda boosted his courage, but just then astrid wittingly says "oh really… you know, I can just tell him you wasted my time and the rest is up to me"

hiccup upon hearing astrid's threat ponders on his response and somehow figures something out, and so he calmly says "you could do that… but you won't"

"and what makes you so sure I won't?" asked astrid, while wiping her sweaty arms and face with her towel a feat that just a while ago she declared she wouldn't do but it escapes both of their minds, it seems like their conversation right now was more important than astrid arrogant statement. She asked her question with a fair amount of genuine curiosity to which hiccup cheerfully replies "Cause I don't think you're the type of person that lies that much… and I guess on some levels I already trust you…"

This just adds to astrids curiosity he trusts me?... Like I need his trust, but I guess he's the first in a very long while that a guy has said he trusts me… not even Scott tells her that he trusts her, he mostly just mumbles on about how hot I am like I want to smothered by him but its what hiccup first said that got astrid laughing, well she only laughed internally, it was just the fact that hiccup couldn't be more wrong I'm not the type that lies what a load of crap she's always been lying, always been hiding, hiding all her scars from everyone else mostly because of her fears and insecurities. So she just calmly says "has anyone ever told you, you trust people too much… And talk too much…"

"a few people here and there..." hiccup cheerfully replies while smiling and gesturing to both of his sides but just then Astrid says a few words that came as a surprise to him "but I guess you didn't exactly waste my time so you're good… for now"

Hiccup looks to where astrid was but was surprised to see that she was looking away from him its as if she was avoiding his gaze or maybe she was just admiring the view either way her words seemed different from her usual harsh and almost belittling insults and maybe with this she truly has accepted hiccup, so he answer cheerfully "yes mam hah"

Just then while she was looking at the scenery she finds herself wondering again, didn't he despise the idea of training me? I mean just this morning he was practically on his knees begging gobber to make him quit she didn't want to seem like she was interested in his reason after all he was just a nerd to her but alas curiosity got the best of her and she suddenly just blurts out her question while still looking away "say what made you change your mind?"

"about what?" he asked genuinely confused at Astrid's sudden query, which Astrid clarifies by saying "about this whole thing… being my trainer?"

Her questions confused hiccup in a sense that he didn't have an answer to it or maybe he actually didn't know why he agreed but he faintly remembers Astrids expression the way she seemed like she was so helpless and desperate it made him want to help her but of course an answer like that would only get him punched so he scavenges for another answer hopefully one that's not so deep or more importantly an answer that won't end up with him getting bruises all over his face so he nonchalantly answers "ah… nothing special really… you seemed like you needed help so I gave it… and you kinda remind me of someone…"

Astrid quickly rebuffs hiccups answer she needed help from him? Like that'll ever happen… but he's training wasn't worthless so I guess it helped me even if it was just a tiny bit… but I had no one else left so I had no choice but to stick with him, plus he didn't weigh me down like I thought he would, so maybe I should say something to him for not being a burden so she turns around and now they we're apparently staring face to face with one another then she says "hey I don't need your help it's just that… I don't have any other choice… got that"

But alas she couldn't admit what she really thought, and to be saying such things right to His face no less. I guess her pride's still preventing her, especially when all she ever did was doubt Hiccup's efforts mostly saying it's impossible because he's a weak nerd well now that she's been proven wrong all she wants to do is just stay quiet and not make her mistake apparent, little did she know hiccup never even entertained thoughts about bragging to her, and hiccup not even once thought about making her eat her words because as far as he was concerned he was genuinely trying to help her in whatever way he could. But astrids reply kinda let him down it made him feel distant towards her and to think he already felt like they were becoming even if just a tiny bit closer but he ultimately ignores this notion and says with an apparent sad expression on his face "yes mam…"

Astrid upon noticing hiccups downed reaction, feels somewhat guilty I mean the guy tried his best to be a good manager today couldn't she have said a simple thank you for all his efforts and so Astrid reluctantly stands up looks the other way again, maybe the scenery was really beautiful or maybe she was just embarrassed to say it to hiccups face and quietly says "but thanks for… you know"

hiccup was initially dumbfounded Astrid thanked him? Astrid actually thanked him, he was waiting for Astrid to say something else you know a follow up insult maybe because he was just convinced a while ago that Astrid couldn't possibly say something nice especially to him. After a few seconds of convincing himself that astrid really did say thank you and to him he couldn't stop the smile that was quickly growing on his face. He felt happy and relieved at the same time mainly because in his mind he always believed that astrid was somehow angry at him being nothing but aggressive towards him ever since they first met but now that she's showed some kind of niceness. Was it still crazy to think that they could be closer and even maybe become friends. Upon hearing Astrid's hushed words of gratitude hiccup felt like something was somehow odd, odd in a sense that her tone of voice was different from her usual sharp and belittling words it felt like to him a sincere thank you, this comes as a shock and makes hiccup ponder on his next actions, what's up with Astrid suddenly thanking me, I mean I'm happy she did but how should I answer her, should I say something about it… probably not a good idea maybe I'll just play it cool and not make a big deal about it but still he stutters while saying "aah… yeah sure n-no problem"

she keeps walking and raises one hand and begins to do a go away action perhaps like swatting off a fly with the back of her hand and nonchalantly says "Alright then, I'm heading back... You're free to go"

it's as if she wanted to sound cold towards hiccup to make up for that thank you earlier but hiccup just takes it as Astrid's own way of saying goodbye, just as Astrid was about to leave hiccup calls out to her and extends his hand whilst simultaneously saying his name "wait… hi, I'm henry haddock"

"huh? What're you doing? We already met genius" she said looking first at hiccups extended hand then shifting to his face, to which hiccup cheerfully explains "I know that, but I think we got off on the wrong foot… so…" after saying his piece he once again extends his hand towards her

Astrid after hearing hiccups suggestion scoffs at him and focuses on his face to which hiccup takes notices off and slightly averts her gaze, he was about to pull his hand away when astrid finally holds onto it saying "fine if it'll shut you up… nice to meet you "hiccup"… I'm astrid hofferson" whilst smiling smugly

"hah very funny astrid" said hiccup in his usual sarcastic manner, but still keeping an unmistakable smile on his face Astrid suddenly noticing their somewhat friendly conversation quickly states "don't get any weird ideas ok, this does not mean we're friends got it?"

"What me and weird ideas? That's just crazy, the thought never even crossed my mind" hiccup says sarcastically, despite what Astrid just said hiccup sorta felt like she meant the opposite but maybe its just him, and hiccup now knew that Astrid is very violent and very rude but on very rare occasions she can be nice too. Astrid just replies a simple "whatever" and hiccup notices something strange about her, her mouth was in that moment shaped in a frown all most too much it was like she was holding back a smile but again maybe he's just imagining things and so with that hiccup says a few parting words "well hate to leave you but I've still got a date to go to"

And just like that hiccup got astrids attention once again but probably for the wrong reason she couldn't help but voice out her disbelief and so she frankly says "date? No offense but you're the last person id expect to have a date on a Sunday night"

To which hiccup nonchalantly responds "Non-taken, I think… me neither, if only my date was a girl… huuh…"

His answer shocks astrid and in her head she was already thinking what what what?! He's date isn't a girl then that means he's and with that she again frankly asks "Wait, you're-"

But before she could finish her blunt question hiccup says while pointing at a certain direction "and here comes my date now… oh and Not gay"

Astrid looks to where hiccup was pointing and exclaims "huh? But that's-"

As the man was steadily approaching hiccup takes the liberty of introducing him "I believe you've already met" to which Astrid quickly replies "your date is… Gobber?"

End of chapter eight