In Another Lifetime

Chapter 10 - Pyjamas and Confessions

They headed back to the boy's dormitories, talking feverishly about the night ahead.

"Come in at eleven o'clock," Hiccup told the girls, "we won't be caught then and everyone else will be asleep."

"Why not now?" Merida squirmed with impatience as she looked at him imploringly. Hiccup smiled at the floor and Jack gave him a nudge.

"We'd be caught," Rapunzel explained, "it'd be too easy for someone to walk in on us. We have to do this subtly."

"Agreed," Jack said as they turned the final corner leading to their dormitories. "We'll meet you at eleven, in here, OK?" The two girls nodded.

"Oh," Hiccup added quickly as they were about to turn into their room, "if anyone asks why you weren't at dinner, say you ate before you left or you weren't hungry. OK?"

"Sure," Merida smiled at him, went inside and closed their door. Hiccup's insides felt like they'd melted like ice cream on the hottest day of the year; Jack pulled him inside their dormitory, slammed the door and turned Hiccup to face him.

"What?" Hiccup questioned. Jack just grinned at him knowingly."What?!"

"What's going on with you and Merida then, huh?"

"N - nothing..."

"Pft. Like I'm going to believe you."

"I don't know what you -"

"You've got a crush on her haven't you?"

"No!"

Jack raised his eyebrows at him as if to say, I can see right through you.

"I don't like her!"

"Hiccup - I've seen it all. The way you smile at the ground when she looks at you -"

"I don't!"

"The way you blush when she talks to you -"

"That's a lie -"

"And you stare long after she's gone."

"What the hell Jack?!"

"Just admit it."

"... Maybe." Hiccup sighed, looking up into Jack's grinning face, but quickly recovering himself as he said, "Well, what about you and that Rapunzel?"

"There's nothing there -"

"Oh really?"

" - Yes."

"What about when we were talking to them earlier and you smiled because Rapunzel introduced you as the first person she'd met here?"

"That was nothing -"

"I saw you blushing."

"No - you didn't."

"Yes I did."

"C'mon Hic!"

"Look, it's kind of obvious."

"... Fine."

Hiccup grinned. He knew he was right! But then again Jack had his secret figured out too. But this couldn't be real could it? He had literally just met her, hadn't he? You can't fall for someone that fast. It's impossible. Unless you knew them beforehand - but that was out of the question. Hiccup searched for a memory that might have had Merida somewhere, anywhere, but there was nothing. The only thing he remembered that didn't feel like it belonged in his head was a laugh. He had a recollection of a clear, chiming laugh that made him smile to remember. But where from?

~ Next Door ~

The girls decided to get changed. They'd taken out their emergency sweet rations for later, and the pair of them were trying to decide which pyjamas to wear.

"Punzie?!" Merida asked, panicking slightly, "which ones do I pick?"

"Well, with your eye colour -" Rapunzel started, then turned to stare at her, "hang on, why are you asking me? You hate fashion stuff!"

"Well -" Merida blushed and looked away.

"You want to look nice for Hiccup, right?" Rapunzel smiled.

"No!"

"Don't worry, I won't tell."

"Look, which ones?" Merida tried to change the subject.

"I like the dark blue ones with the tartan."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's cute. Now help me out!"

"Um... " Merida started. Rapunzel sighed and turned to face her.

"You really don't have a clue about fashion do you?"

"Well they're pyjamas!" Merida said in exasperation.

"I'll just wear the purple ones. God, Merida, I'm going to need to help you with this kind of thing!"

"No one cares what you look like when you sleep!"

"Apart from Hiccup."

"I don't like him!"

"Well you'll have to admit it sooner or later."

"How come?"

"You do realise we're going to be playing truth or dare with them, right?"

A/N Thanks to everyone who gave me ideas! I've dedicated this chapter to Penguinz16 for the truth or dare idea, I was seriously running low on creativity, so thank you!!