Hiccup levered himself painfully to his feet, grabbing his crutches. He had barely touched his food and doubted Alvin would allow him to finish. Astrid looked up at the Principal, seeing the dark eyes glitter with hatred and feeling her stomach chill with the knowledge she had of his true nature. The boy forced himself to smile, his eyes wary as he carefully faced his step-father.

"Oh-hey, Al! How as your Snoggletog? Had a good time with all your family?" he asked pleasantly.

"I 'eard yer were knocked down, boy!" Alvin growled. "Shame yer got up..." Hiccup stared directly into his face.

"Light relief compared to home," he said directly.

"I needs a word with yer..." Alvin growled and the boy gestured to his plate.

"Mind if I finish, Al?" he asked calmly. "I mean, the cuisine here ain't great but it tastes better than nothing...and the docs did say I was to build myself up. Seems I've been malnourished for the last couple of years...they were very concerned..." Alvin's huge fists tightened and he lunged at the boy.

"I said yer was comin' with me now!" he shouted. Hiccup grimaced as he was grabbed and hauled away and for a moment, he glanced despairingly at Astrid before he was jerked away.

"I'll bring your bag to Art, Hiccup," she said and his shoulders slumped in resignation.

"Thanks, Astrid," he sighed as Alvin hauled him out. Unstable, barely able to keep up, he staggered into a wall and looked up warily, trying to get his crutches in place as the big man paced up and down. "Um...you know the entire canteen saw you drag me out...if I turn up covered in bruises, someone might notice..."

"No one cares about yer, 'Iccup," Alvin growled. "Not yer mother, not me...and not anyone in that canteen..."

You're wrong, Hiccup thought anxiously, not taking his eyes off the Principal and praying hard. Astrid would notice. Probably. I hope. But aloud he said: "You do know this is a hallway? Anyone can walk past...and some students here cling to the illusion you're a human being..."

He stumbled back as Alvin slapped him hard. The sound echoed round the hall as he cringed back. Pressed hard against the wall, he shook his head and glanced up. "Wow. You hate me enough to risk your job...I'm touched Al, I really am..."

"Yer know I were rung several times by a woman trying ter tell me about yer injury," Alvin sneered, grabbing Hiccup and hauling him towards his office. "I don't like being bothered!"

"I dunno-maybe they imagined that my step-father should care if I was alive or not after a serious accident...maybe that my only living parent would want to see me," Hiccup snapped bitterly as Alvin shoved him ahead and he struggled to stay upright and ahead of the big man. "Clearly they didn't realise you'd make sure she refused to answer!"

He flinched as Alvin lunged at him and the Principal laughed cruelly. "Not so brave, are yer?"

More than you can ever imagine...

"Says the man who abuses skinny kids and women..." Hiccup snarked back. The Principal opened the door and violently shoved Hiccup through, watching him fall to the floor. Menacingly, he prowled round as the boy scrambled back. reaching for his crutches. "What do you want, Al?" he asked tiredly.

"Where are yer stayin'?" Alvin shouted. "Yer not dead and yer look clean so someone is puttin' yer up..."

"Gee, I think you may be right!" Hiccup taunted him.

"Where?" Alvin shouted, grabbing his jumper and dragging him to his feet. "I have to know!"

"Why?" Hiccup asked him directly. "You threw me out. You're claiming I ran away. I'm clearly safe. D'you want people to know I was your step-son? That you are the abusive step-father?" He stared deep into the man's eyes. "Because the hospital have seen my scars, Al..." He braced himself and pushed the man's hands off him. "And if they ask who did them again...I may tell..." Alvin glared at him...then swung, the punch slamming him back to the floor.

"I'll expel you, you little bastard!" he roared.

"Do it...and you see the cops that evening!" Hiccup told him.

"Yer'll lose yer mother forever if yer lies ter them about me..." Alvin told him fiercely as Hiccup struggled to his feet, blood on his face.

"I am already lying by saying you aren't my step-father and that I won't tell who harmed me," the boy said sternly. "And way I see it, you've already taken Mom. I mean...she wouldn't even speak to me when I was in hospital, in the frickin' ICU! So nothing left to lose there. High School is the only thing I want, Al-and you're gonna deliver. No more detention, no more 'little chats'-much though I love them, by the way, no more telling the teachers to under-mark me or fail me on principle...and you warn Savage, Thuggory, Dogsbreath and Madguts off...or family services and the cops find out who burnt my arm repeatedly, who broke all those bones, who was starving me, who left the scars on my back..and do you think they'd believe a Principal or the boy he abused?"

"You little..."

Hiccup raised a finger.

"Ah-ha..." he said, gripping his crutches and levering himself to his knees then feet. "Nice as it has been, Al, I have classes to attend and a Diploma to achieve...and I WILL get my Diploma." He moved to the door and paused. "You have a real nice day," he smirked and left the room. He heard the chair crashing and the sounds of destruction but for once, it wasn't Hiccup on the receiving end of the abuse so he carried swiftly, back towards the canteen.

Alvin wanted him to be a bad boy? He'd be a bad boy...but not a pest or a loser...he'd be the bad boy blackmailing the Principal to finally stay off his back. And because Al had taken his Mom, he'd taken the only thing that had stopped Hiccup standing up for himself. And somehow, it felt wonderful.

oOo

He had actually caught the gang before they left the canteen and had managed to snaffle the remains of his lunch as well. Astrid had still carried his bag as she walked alongside him to Art and he had almost felt like he was dreaming, because she had talked to him, laughed with him and treated him like...normal.

But some of the students had already changed towards her-a handful of Lilah's friends-and they were giggling and pointing at her in the hall, the sounds of scornful laughter sounding as they walked past. Hiccup had been used to it but Astrid's face had grown pale and he could tell she was incredibly upset.

"You could always break up with me and tell them all you were being blackmailed by the bad boy," he murmured to her gently. "Then they would all pity you and be on your side..."

"And not on yours," she realised, staring over into the emerald eyes. He gave a slight smile.

"As long as my security detail stay with me, I can survive...at school," he replied softly. "If that happened at home, of course, I wouldn't make it." She stared at him. "I am crazy about you, Milady. Which is why I'm happy to be ignored and scorned at school...if it helps you..." She stopped and turned to face him.

"Hiccup...that isn't going to happen," she reassured him and pecked a very quick kiss on his cheek. She didn't mention the split lip and bruised cheek from his encounter with the Principal but she felt anxiety. By going public, she worried she would become a target for the man.

Art went well with their Project progressing well. As Hiccup had planned, Astrid handled the research and narrative elements of their topic while Hiccup concentrated on reimagining their work of art. It was a test of his artistic abilities...especially since Astrid had insisted their subject was the most famous artwork in the world-la Giaconda...the Mona Lisa. Hiccup smiled quietly to himself as he sketched the girl sitting with a patient smile on her lips. He still couldn't believe that he was planning to paint Astrid Hofferson as the Mona Lisa...

"Hmm...I think that's one of your best works," Miss Sylvester commented over his shoulder. He looked up and smiled.

"Thanks, Miss Sylvester," he said with a smile. "That means a lot. And I have a great subject!" Miss Sylvester leaned close.

"And rumour has it that you are fonder of her than anyone realised," she murmured. He blushed fiercely and stared at his hands.

"I think...having you to support me, to make me help her...was really important," he admitted. "I owe you so much..." She gently patted his shoulder.

"You know you're a good boy, Hiccup? I know you have that don't-care mask you wear but I think there's someone underneath who is really worth knowing." She smiled.

"Awww, you'll make me tear up," he said lightly and grinned. "But thanks..." She nodded and moved on to the next pair as Astrid frowned slightly.

"Everything okay?" she called. Hiccup nodded.

"Actually...yes," he smiled and turned back to the sketch.

After the class, Tuff was waiting to escort him to English, his final class but as Astrid emerged, there was a bellow down the corridor.

"MISS HOFFERSON!" Alvin snarled and she stiffened and turned to face him, the grim knowledge of how he had treated Hiccup suddenly making her very wary in his presence.

"Yes, sir?" she asked politely as Hiccup grabbed Tuff and stopped them moving. His stomach was suddenly dancing with apprehension.

"I've had complaints about yer conduct!" he growled and she started.

"Sir?" she asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Hiccup turned and began to move towards her but she cast him a warning glance. Alvin saw the move and grinned cruelly.

"Yes...it seems some of the students have been disturbed by your inappropriate sexual conduct," he snapped. Her eyes widened., her head already shaking.

"Sir, I..."

"SILENCE!" he roared and she stumbled back a pace. Lilah had appeared at the end of the Hall and was grinning broadly so at least Astrid knew who was behind this. "You were seen 'making out' with some ragamuffin boy in front of the while student body in the canteen!" She blinked in shock at the hypocrisy: they had kissed, like a dozen, a hundred others had during the year...so why was she being singled out?

Because it was Hiccup.

She cast him a worried glance and his stomach clutched with fear. This was Alvin's revenge: he couldn't target Hiccup any more...so he would swing his evil attentions to the one person that Hiccup was known to care for. And ultimately Hiccup knew he had achieved nothing...because he had made her a sitting duck.

"Detention," Alvin snapped. "And any more of this...and I may need to remove you as Class President or expel you."