A.I.: Orphans of Terra (HTTYD)

18

Chapter 18

Hiccup was marching down the corridor with his hands clenched in fists when Ruffnut caught up to him. She managed to grab one of his arms but was out of breath. For a lanky fishbone he sure walked fast. Hiccup turned to her, his eyes still narrowed but they softened once he saw who it was.

"Hiccup where are you going?" Ruffnut asked with worry.

"Don't know," Hiccup grumbled as he averted his eyes. "Just somewhere else."

"Then you can come to my room!" Ruffnut insisted as she started tugging Hiccup's arm in the direction of the living quarters. He didn't protest as she dragged him along and once she closed the door to the apartment she and Tuffnut shared he asked a question she hadn't thought about. "Why is there a chicken on the couch?"

Said chicken turned its head due to hearing the door close and clucked at Hiccup and Ruffnut. "My idiot brother decided to rescue it from becoming dinner yesterday." Ruffnut sighed.

"So she's Tuff's pet now?" Hiccup asked.

"I guess," she shrugged. "I'd still like her better fried or nicely oven roasted."

The chicken actually clucked indignantly before ruffling its feathers and walking off the couch. Hiccup didn't know if it was a chicken-thing or if the chicken understood Ruffnut.

"Sit anywhere you want," Ruffnut said as she started rummaging around. Hiccup took a seat on the couch and Ruffnut came back with a mug of purple liquid. Hiccup stared at it for a moment, sniffed it, took a sip and then his eyebrows shot up. "This is alcohol!"

"Of course it is," Ruffnut shrugged as she took a sip from her own mug. "Figured that after everything that happened you could use some."

"No.... yes..... Wait... how did you even get this stuff?" Hiccup asked as he looked at Ruffnut perplexed. "I thought the Berkians depleted the ale stores, and this doesn't even taste like ale." Hiccup would know. He stared at the liquid and then back at Ruffnut. One day, after a particularly rough journey the Berkians decided to celebrate. Even Gobber had brought out the good stuff.

"The Biodome has grapes. Your girlfriend helped us ferment it." Ruffnut explained. "Those nanites really speed up the process."

"So...... you asked Astrid to make you alcohol in secret?" Hiccup asked just to be sure before turning his head to the ceiling out of habit. "Astrid you supplied the twins with wine?!"

"Yes," Astrid answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Whyyyyyyy!!!!" Hiccup nearly shouted. The last time the twins had tried to make alcohol....... This caused a shudder to run through his body. Let's just say it involved an explosion and Spitelout losing his beard and half his eyebrows. His uncle was still sour about the beard not growing back.

"The making of alcohol is not illegal in Arcadia." Astrid chirped. "I am also monitoring the twins to make sure it was handled responsibly. Besides I was curious."

Hiccup let out a sigh and then proceeded to down the rest of the wine in three gulps. Once he was done he set the mug on the table and leaned back. The burn in his throat was a pleasant distraction. "You feeling better?" Ruffnut asked after a minute or two.

"I guess," Hiccup said. "Do you think that I overreacted?"

"To the apology? No." Ruffnut stated and then sighed. "To tell you the truth, the gang hasn't apologized to you either. How can you even stand to be around us?"

"You guys aren't so bad........" Hiccup mumbled. "And I can't blame Snotlout now because I overheard him and his dad arguing."

"You heard that?" Ruffnut asked surprised.