#eel pox at dragon's edge

[thepurplewriter333]

"I told you," Hiccup huffed, struggling to sit up in bed. "I'm fine."

Astrid placed a fake smile on her lips, rolling her eyes. "Sure you are! That's why you're burning up all over, and have thrown up three times already today. Come on, face it, Hiccup- you're sick!"

"I'm not sick," Hiccup muttered. "Just... just..."

"Ooh ooh!" Tuff cried from the other side of the room. "Just what? Ugh, don't tell me... how many guesses do we get?"

Astrid put a hand on her hip. "Tuff, this is serious. We don't know what Hiccup is sick with, and if there's some type of cure we need to get... Tuffnut, are you even listening to a word I'm saying? Tuffnut!"

Tuffnut was not listening to Astrid at all. In fact, he was mimicking how Astrid was acting to Ruffnut, and the twins laughed to themselves. "I'm Astrid," Tuffnut mocked, swaggering around. "I want everyone to do exactly what I say, and when I say it. Na na na..."

Astrid was ready to draw her axe, but Heather interceded. "Come on, guys. Hiccup's sick. At least show a little compassion."

Hiccup groaned, sinking into his bed covers. "Not sick..."

"Based on your symptoms so far, you are," Fishlegs said, adding a little whimper at the end like he was afraid to break the news. "But with what, though?"

Snotlout crossed his arms. "Probably just a little cold. Leave it to Hiccup to get this sick!"

Hiccup sat up. "For the last time, guys, I'm not-" His face suddenly turned an ugly shade of green. "I need a bucket," he gasped, clutching his stomach. "Now."

Astrid, knowing what he meant, was on him in an instant. She grabbed the bucket she had washed out earlier from the doorway, and ran over to Hiccup, placing it under his chin. The boy convulsed, throwing up once... twice… and then three times.

"Oh, man, he really is sick!" Snotlout laughed. "Wow!"

Astrid shot him a glare, angry with him for laughing at a thing like this. "Was that not clear already?" When Snotlout silenced, she returned her attention to Hiccup. She winced at the sight of him now. He looked dangerously pale at the moment, and was shaking all over. "Hiccup? You okay?" she asked.

Hiccup looked up at her with a dazed expression. "Hot," he managed out, right before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he passed out.

The group gasped, and Astrid yelled, "Hiccup!", catching his head.

"Oh Thor," Fishlegs murmured, a hand flying to his mouth. "Oh Thor, oh Thor..."

Tuffnut looked amazed. "Woah! He like totally passed out!"

"I want to do it too!" Ruffnut declared, stomping her foot down. "Why can't we be sick, too? Hiccup gets all the fun! He's always being kidnapped, wounded, or knocked out. He never lets any of us have a chance." She huffed, annoyed.

"Uh, shouldn't we do something?" Heather asked, worried. "Something is most definitely wrong with Hiccup. Why'd he pass out like that all the sudden?"

Astrid bit her lip, slowly lying Hiccup down on his bed. "Guys, be quiet. Hiccup… he's not waking up… Hiccup! Come on..."

Everyone in the room silenced, watching their unconscious friend with wide eyes. But one minute later, the limp boy groaned, eyelids flickering until they completely opened up. But Hiccup's normal, healthy green eyes were now doused with fever, and he looked very confused when he saw Astrid leaning over him. "What... what happened?"

"You passed out," the girl explained, stroking his arm. "Moving around must have put too much stress on your fever. So no more of that, okay? Gods, I knew you were sick..."

Hiccup cocked his head. "Me? Sick? Nah, I'm not sick. I feel fine! I feel... amazing!" He sat up, stretching while smiling. "Now, let's go troll-hunting before the vermin steal our left socks!" He giggled, and swung his legs over the side of the bed, standing up shakily. "Who's ready to go? I know I am!"

Astrid rushed over, and forced him to sit down. "Hiccup! What's going on?" she scolded. "This is no time for jokes!"

Laughing, Hiccup fell backwards on his bed. "I want to go outside!" he yelled excitedly, fists pumping in the air. "And then I can ride my dragon and we can obliterate everything in our path! KAPOW! KAPOW! KAPOW!" He demonstrated by pretending to pound the air.

Fishlegs looked nervous. "Guys… I think I know what Hiccup's sick with."

"Oh no," Heather breathed. "I've heard of this…. But he can't have-"

"Eel pox?" Astrid interrupted, marching up to Fishlegs. "But how? There hasn't been an outbreak of that for years! Why would Hiccup get it, and why wouldn't we?"

Fishlegs shrugged. "I really don't know. I'd have to do some tests, but-"

"KKAAAAAAAPOOOWWWW!" screamed Hiccup, sitting up straight in bed. The riders were startled by the loud sound, and swerved over to him. Hiccup was beaming at the attention. "KAPOW KAPOW KAPOW KAPOW!"

Ruffnut broke into a grin. "Yes! Hiccup's at last come to join Loki's side!"

Tuffnut wiped an imaginary tear away from his eye. "I always knew this day would come…"

"Guys, focus," Astrid pressed, annoyed. "We need to get the cure for him, and soon."

Tuffnut scratched the back of his head. "I don't know, Astrid… I kind of like this new Hiccup!" He turned to the other boy, who was currently sitting up in bed, watching them with fascination. Tuffnut grinned. "How about some explosions? Huh, H?"

Hiccup nodded enthusiastically.

Astrid smacked her forehead. "Okay, okay… let me think… okay. Heather, you and Fishlegs go get the cure for Hiccup's Eel Pox. Fishlegs, you remember the ingredients of the cure, right?"

Fishlegs whimpered. "Yes, I have an excellent memory, but-"

"Good," Astrid cut in, already moving back over to Hiccup. "You'll have to go to Healer's Island and Eel Island to get all the herbs, and then bring them back here as soon as you can. Hiccup obviously needs the cure soon as possible."

Heather nodded, rearing to go. "Of course." She looked over at Fishlegs. "All right, are you ready to leave now?"

"Uhhh…" Fishlegs swallowed. "Yeah. Okay. For Hiccup."

Smiling, Heather slowly made her way over to the door. "Then come on," she said. "We don't want Hiccup getting any worse." She grinned supportively over at Astrid.

Astrid smiled back, and nodded.

"Well, we'll be off now!" the black haired girl announced, hopping onto Windshear who awaited outside Hiccup's hut. "And we're not coming back without the cure."

Fishlegs climbed aboard Meatlug, grimacing. "Yeah… bye guys." He gulped.

The two riders nudged their dragons to take off, and soon they were flying away in the bright morning sky, leaving the others behind.

Astrid put her hands on her hips once they were gone, watching the giggling Hiccup who was rolling around in his bed. She sighed, wringing her hands together. "All right, guys… this shouldn't be too hard, right? We've dealt with sickness before."

Snotlout snorted, crossing his arms. "Yeah. Like we'd want to deal with Eel Pox again." He shivered. "There's some things I remember about that day when all of Berk got it, and none of it is good."

"Well," Astrid groaned. "Isn't this going to be fun?" She looked over at Hiccup, who was lying down in bed, staring at the ceiling with wide eyes. She pursed her lips. "Hiccup, what are you doing?"

A smile twitched at the boy's lips, and he pointed to the place he was looking at. "I see the stars above!" he grinned. "So many stars… so many!"

Astrid ran a hand down her face. Maybe this wouldn't be as simple as she had expected.

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The first person to take care of Hiccup was Astrid. She had insisted that everyone take a turn watching him for a few hours a day until he got the cure, and reluctantly all the riders had agreed.

When Astrid arrived at Hiccup's hut with a bucket of water and a rag to keep down his fever, Hiccup was quiet and shivering. "Hey, you okay?" she asked, dropping the water bucket on the floor next to his bed. "You don't look so good."

Hiccup moaned, turning over in bed. "I'm cold…"

Astrid grimaced, and nodded. "I'll get you a blanket, then." She was about to go to the end of his bed to grab one, but Hiccup said something else before she could have the chance to.

"Astrid?"

"Yes, Hiccup?"

Hiccup shivered. "Can you… can you cuddle with me?"

Nearly bursting, Astrid's face turned scarlet. "Cuddle? Hiccup-!" She stopped before she could go any further. It's just his fever talking, she told herself, fists clenching. He'd never say that to me if he was feeling well. It's not his fault, Astrid… he's delirious...

"No, Hiccup," she told him, wincing. "If I… um… cuddle with you, I might catch Eel Pox as well. And who would take care of you then?"

Hiccup stopped rolling around, and looked up at her with those shining green eyes, now full of hurt. He coughed, about to protest, when he noticed a lock of his brown hair hanging down in front of his face. He cocked his head, intrigued. "Hmmm... Astrid? Why do I have fuzzy hair and you have straight?"

Astrid was confused at Hiccup's sudden change of conversation, but she shrugged, going along with it. "I don't know… genes?"

Hiccup sat up in bed, sweating all over from both the high fever and excitement. "Genes... genes... wait. Do you… do you mean genies?"

"Genies?" Astrid frowned. "Hiccup, what-"

Hiccup grabbed a piece of his hair, and closed his eyes. "I wish… I wish…" His eyelids shot open with exhilaration. "I wish I could become a dragon!" He waited happily for a change to come while Astrid face palmed herself.

"Hiccup, you're not-"

Hiccup began to flap his arms, smiling. "Rawwwrr! I'm a dragon," he growled, looking over at Toothless. "I can fly!"

Astrid sighed. "Hiccup, no you can't."

Even more propelled than before, Hiccup swung his arms around and around until he fell out of the bed, face flat on the floor. He giggled. "I flllleeewwwwwwwwwwwwww, Astrid…. I ffflllleeeewwwwww!"

Toothless gave Astrid a questioning look, and Astrid shrugged. "Come on, dragon boy, let's get you back into bed for you get any sicker…"

Hiccup shook his head, his nose being flattened against the floor. "No! I want to fly again!" He started to spread his arms out and then back in, like he was making snow angels- except, on the floor. "See? I'm flllyyyyyyiiiiiinnnnnggggg!" he laughed.

Astrid sighed, putting her hands on her hips.

It was going to be a long day.

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The next person to take care of Hiccup was- unfortunately- Snotlout. The beefy boy couldn't say he was happy about this arrangement, but it was either that or facing Astrid's axe.

He quickly chose the first option.

Snotlout sighed, watching Hiccup stare up at the ceiling from his spot on the bed. Hiccup didn't exactly look like he needed anything at the moment… maybe he could sneak out and let his cousin be for now… yeah. And so Snotlout was just about to slip out of his room and go destroy things with Hookfang, when Hiccup coughed.

"Snotlout? I'm thirsty… can you get me a water?"

Groaning, Snotlout paused in his footsteps. "Fine, fine…" He looked around the room for a water cup, and saw one sitting on Hiccup's desk. He hastily grabbed it and walked over to the other boy. "Here, drink up. I haven't got all day…"

Hiccup coughed once, grabbing the cup from Snotlout. He held it up to his lips, and there was the slurping, the swallowing, and the gulping before he was finished. "Thanks," he slurred, handing the cup back to Snotlout.

Snotlout took the cup away, and placed it on Hiccup's desk. "Uh, sure, cuz. Whatever."

There was silence for a moment, and then Hiccup closed his eyes. Snotlout smiled, backing away. If Hiccup was asleep, then maybe he had a chance of getting out of this stupid babysitting job. But just as he edged near the door again, his cousin's eyes opened, and he coughed.

"Snotlout..."

Snotlout groaned. "What?"

"I'm thirsty... can you get me a water?"

"Hiccup, you just... you... argh!" Snotlout exclaimed, rolling his eyes. He kicked the side of the room.

"Snotlout?"

"What?!"

"I'm thirsty. Can you get me a water?"

"Arrrghh!"

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After Snotlout's unlucky dilemma, it was Tuff's turn to take care of Hiccup. And boy, was he excited. "Hiccup!" Tuffnut cried, climbing up to Hiccup's loft in excitement. "What do you want to do first, H? Huh? Explosions? Pranks? Ooh ooh, we can we destroy Fishlegs' hut since he's gone?

Hiccup moaned, rolling over in bed. "Tired..."

Tuffnut froze in his tracks, face falling. "Aw, no, Hiccup! You're-you're fine! Come on. Let's explode something!"

Grunting, Hiccup shook his head, eyes closed. "I think I'm going to... be going to sleep now." He paused. "Tuff... can you- can you read me a story?"

At this, Tuffnut burst out laughing, wiping tears away from his eyes. "Haha, very funny, Hiccup..."

Hiccup opened his tear-filled eyes, confused. "But… why can't you read me a story?"

"Wait," Tuff said suspiciously, "you're serious?"

Hiccup nodded.

Tuffnut cleared his throat. "Um, okay, then. Whatever makes you happy..." He walked over to Hiccup, and sat down in a chair next to his bed. "Um, so I only know one story: The Little Viking Who Cried Dragon. Is that okay? Or, you know, we could totally go back to destroying stuff if you don't like it."

Hiccup shook his head, defiant. "No! I want a story!" He gave Tuff puppy dog eyes. "Pweeaase...?"

Biting his lip, Tuffnut nodded. "I can't say no to those eyes, can I? So... hmm..." He cleared his throat. "All right. Once upon a Viking time, there was a little boy named, uh... uh..."

Hiccup snuggled deeper under the covers cozily. "Named what?"

"Named... Hic... yeah, Hiccup!" Tuffnut decided, smiling. "Anyways, this little Hiccup wanted attention from the villagers of his island. One night, when he was out on watch for the incoming dragons raids, he cried falsely, 'The dragons are here! The dragons are here!' And the villagers got up from bed to begin fighting, but there were no dragons. Hiccup had lied."

Hiccup started to sob. "I didn't lie, Tuff! I didn't lie!" he exclaimed.

Alarmed, Tuffnut stood up and tried to calm him down. "No, no, it's another Hiccup! Not you!"

Hiccup blinked slowly. "It... it is?" he sniffed.

"Yeah, yeah, of course..." Tuffnut sat back down in his chair, leaning back. "Uh, so, the villagers learned that Hiccup had lied, and they returned to their huts. The next night, Hiccup was put on watch again as well, and the same exact thing happened: Hiccup lied. He had never learned his lesson from the night before."

Except for a tear trickling down his cheek, Hiccup was silent.

"But, the next night Hiccup was put on watch, he did see dragons coming, and shouted to arouse the villagers. But the villagers didn't believe him because of the last few times, and the dragons took him far, far, away." Tuff paused, smiling. "The end!"

Hiccup shook his head sadly. "Poor Hiccup..."

"I guess." Tuffnut shrugged. "So, are you ready to sleep now?"

"No."

Tuff crossed his arms, confused. "Then when will you sleep?"

Hiccup pouted. "I want a story!"

Tuffnut, groaning, sunk down into the chair. Explosions were certainly not going to come any time soon at this rate.

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Ruffnut cracked her knuckles, looking down at Hiccup. "So. I hear you've been pretty difficult today… is that right?"

Hiccup blinked, shifting his position in his bed. "I don't know."

"Oh, so you're playing the 'I don't know' card, now are you?" Ruffnut glared, putting her hands on her hips. "Well, it's not going to work on me! I know when people are lying. And you're lying at this very moment, Hiccup Haddock! So I, Ruffnut Thorston, will figure out the reason behind your actions!" She narrowed her eyes. "Let's begin. Question number one: what is your defense against this accusation?"

Coughing, Hiccup shrugged. "I don't know."

"Of course you don't!" Ruffnut shouted angrily. "They always don't know!"

Hiccup closed his eyes. "I really… don't feel good…" He coughed again weakly, and Ruffnut suddenly noticed, even through her anger, how pale he was getting. Sweat ran down his forehead, trailed down his neck, and was slowly making a small collection on his shoulders. Hiccup grimaced in pain, clutching himself. "I'm… so hot…"

Ruffnut felt a pang of worry starting to grow inside of her. "Are you all right?"

Hiccup turned over in bed, clutching his pillow. "Hot," he repeated again.

"I should go get Astrid," murmured Ruff, backing away. "Okay, Hiccup! I'll be back here soon, don't worry! You'll feel better in no time."

"Hot…"

"Yeah, I know…" Ruffnut turned to Toothless, who was sitting beside Hiccup's bed in concern. The Night Fury rumbled, and Ruff sighed. "Stay here with him, Toothless," she told him. "Don't let him go anywhere, okay? I'll be back soon enough." Toothless whined in agreement, and Ruffnut ran off from Hiccup's quarters, down the ladder to the loft, and out the door. "Astrid!" she yelled, making her way to her friend's hut. "Astrid!" It was quite dark out, and hard to see where she was going, but she managed to make it to the other girl's hut, gasping for air. "Hiccup's really sick now! He needs help!"

Before Ruffnut could even knock, Astrid's door slammed open, revealing a very concerned blonde. "What?" Astrid demanded, grabbing Ruff by the shoulders. "What's wrong with Hiccup?"

The twin, shrugging Astrid off, began to walk back over to Hiccup's hut, nervous. "He keeps on saying he's hot, and now he's sweating a bunch… it doesn't look good."

Astrid's blue eyes filled with worry, and she quickened her pace. "His fever must be rising… we need to get that cure soon, before the fever gets too high, and-" She stopped herself, shaking her head. "For now, all we can do is try and make him comfortable."

Ruff nodded, but was barely following along. "Right."

The two arrived at Hiccup's hut, and panicked, they raced inside. The girls heard groaning from above, making them look up at Hiccup's loft, exchanging worried looks. "Hiccup?!" yelled Astrid, climbing up to his loft. "Hiccup, are you all right?"

When she reached the top, she saw that Hiccup was rolling around in his bed, moaning. His face covered in sweat, and Toothless was trying to comfort him, but Hiccup was too delirious to calm down. "Oh, Hiccup!" Astrid exclaimed, running over to his bed. "You're going to be all right… it's okay…"

"A..std…?" Hiccup mumbled, clutching onto his blankets. "Hot…"

"Yeah, Hiccup. I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere." Astrid stood by Hiccup's side, bending over to check his forehead temperature. She winced. "Okay, Hiccup. We're going to try to bring down your fever until Fishlegs and Heather get back…"

Hiccup whimpered. "Hot… so hot…"

"I know, I know," Astrid whispered, fetching the water bucket from the floor, along with a rag. "But you'll feel better soon, I promise…"

Ruffnut arrived up at the loft, cocking her head above the floorboards. "What's going on?"

Astrid blew a lock of blonde hair out of her eyes, dipping the rag she was holding in her bucket of water. "I'm trying to cool Hiccup down from his fever… here, you can help. Go and get some more buckets of water- and bring the other riders if you can. We need all the help we can get."

Ruff nodded, surprisingly obedient. "Uh, sure... I'll be back soon, then." And she climbed down once more.

Astrid dabbed at Hiccup's burning forehead with her rag, lips pursed with concern. "You'll be okay, Hiccup," she smiled. "I know you will."

But Hiccup did not even have the strength to reply.

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The next day was extremely hectic, with many errand runs to get more water for Hiccup, or keep a lookout for the much-awaited Heather and Fishlegs.

And Astrid was more frantic than she had ever been before. Hiccup, despite all the riders' hard work, wasn't getting better. In fact, he was getting worse. Nightmares plagued his thoughts at night, making his fevers all the worse, he refused to eat or drink anything, and could barely move at all.

So when Astrid spotted Fishlegs and Heather coming their way the next evening, she was filled with relief. She knew that if Hiccup didn't get the Eel Pox cure soon, he was in big trouble.

"We're back!" Fishlegs cheered, landing with a prominent thud on Meatlug next to Hiccup's hut. Heather and Windshear dropped beside him, looking exhausted and worried.

Astrid raced out of the ground floor of Hiccup's hut, jogging over to the two. "Thank Thor!" she breathed. "Hiccup really needs the cure now. Come on, we have to hurry!"

Fishlegs' eyes widened. "So, I take it he hasn't gotten any better since we left?"

Darkening, Astrid shook her head. "More like a lot worse."

"We have to hurry, then," Heather interrupted, already jumping off of Windshear and walking inside Hiccup's hut. "I have the cure in my satchel. Let's go."

Astrid smiled, following her friend. "Good."

The trio rushed inside, and one by one they made their way up to Hiccup. Snotlout and the twins were busy dunking towels in the water buckets, and they looked up in relief as Heather, Astrid, and Fishlegs came in.

"Well, it's about time!" Snotlout complained, throwing his wet towel down on the floor as he stood up. "I swear, my arms feel like they're about to fall off!"

"Yeah!" Tuffnut agreed, dropping his towel on the ground too. "Hiccup gets so needy when he's sick."

Astrid shot the two boys a death glare. "Hiccup's ill with Eel Pox, guys, and there's still a chance of… of him not making it. So this is no time for self pity, useless complaints, or blaming Hiccup for something he's not even control of!" She turned to Heather, eyes wild with worry. "Okay, now where's the cure?"

Heather grabbed her brown satchel from her side, and dug through it until she fished out a large bottle filled with a dark green liquid. She handed it over to Astrid quickly. "Here it is."

Astrid barely even paused to thank her before she uncorked the bottle, walking over to where Hiccup laid. "Hey, dragon boy?" she began, bringing the medicine closer to him. "You're going to have to drink this, okay?"

Hiccup mumbled something incoherent, his eyes still shut.

Biting her lip, Astrid pressed the bottle's top up to Hiccup's mouth. "All right, drink up."

Hiccup's mouth slightly parted open, and he forced himself to swallow the green liquid. When almost all of it was gone, he pulled away, gagging. "Tastes… awful…," he moaned.

Fishlegs nodded from the corner of the room. "As to be expected."

"How do you feel?" Astrid asked after a moment. "Any better? Worse?"

Hiccup peeked open his green eyes, sparing a glance at her. "I feel… a little better, I think…" He smiled. "Good, the room isn't dancing any more. Good, good, good, good, good…" He trailed off, eyelids closing. "Still hot, though…"

Astrid smirked, relieved. "Yeah, well you'll feel better in the morning, Hiccup.”

Hiccup slowly nodded. "I know," he whispered. "And… and thank you, guys, for all your help. I don't r-remember a lot of what h-happened while I was delirious, but you all helped m-me through it, so thank you."

"Well, don't expect it to happen again!" Snotlout warned. "That was a one time thing. The Snot Master doesn't care for anyone."

He received a punch from Astrid.

Smiling, Hiccup's face relaxed. "See you… all… in the… morning… I guess."

Astrid placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll see you in the morning too, Hiccup. Now hush and try to go to sleep. You'll need all the strength you can get to recover." She allowed a small grin to appear on her face. "Just don't ever get sick like that again, okay? You really had me worried."

"Okay…"

Then Hiccup's eyes shot open.

"Wait," he said slowly. "If Eel Pox is contagious, and you guys have been hanging around me the whole time, then… then… you all are at risk of catching it!"

"Huh. Now that you mention it, I do feel kind of hot," Snotlout admitted, fanning himself. "Gods, my stomach hurts a little bit too…"

"Oh, no," Fishlegs groaned. "Not again…"

Astrid nodded, heaving a sigh. "Yes, Fishlegs. So... you guys will be off to bring back more of the cure for all of us?"

Heather smacked her forehead. "Oh gods."

"Well, I'll see you two in a few days, I suppose," Astrid chirped, putting her arms around Fishlegs and Heather's shoulders, directing them to the bottom floor. "You better hurry, or else it's going to be a madhouse here when you get back."

"But we just… Hiccup's cured, and…" Fishlegs whimpered. "Ugh, why does it have to be us?"

Astrid shrugged. "Because it is. Now... goodbye!" She laughed, pointing to the door. "Hurry up and get that cure!"

And groaning, Heather and Fishlegs had no choice but to oblige.

Astrid smiled, flexing her fingers. Good. She had avoided another Eel Pox disaster.

She paused.

Right?

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Haha, well I hope you enjoyed this long one-shot where Hiccup gets Eel Pox! :D Poor Hiccup, though. (Not XD) If everyone else gets Eel Pox while Fishlegs and Heather are still gone, he’ll have to take care of them :D

Well, hope you liked it!

-thepurplewriter333

[howtowhumpyourhiccup]

We Care Not

Summary: On Berk, children quickly learned that their friends weren't there to stay. Harsh Winters, famines, illnesses, dragons, so many of them barely even made it to the age of ten. And sure, Hiccup made it to the age of fifteen. But why should the other remaining five care about him? He was a runt, destined to be taken from them sooner or later. Why open up their hearts to him, why care, when all that would lead to is even more hurt?

Rating: Teen and up (I think?)

Words: 1 706

Author’s Notes: Had this one sitting in my list of "fics to post" for ages because I was never sure if I should post it. Not quite sure whether this one counts as whump or not either. Or how to even properly tag this one.

Constructive criticism is highly appreciated.

Enjoy!

Also, Tumblr, bring back the ability to put lines into a post with a button.

Also, also, this fic is based on @digitaldaisy99‘s post. You can view it here.

Ao3

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Astrid remembered having a friend once. A dear friend.

She was four, like Astrid was at the time. Their birth had been almost days apart. Because of this, they celebrated them together.

Her hair was as black as charred wood and ended at her shoulders, just like her mother's. It wasn't often Vikings kept their hair short, but they did. Her eyes were a clear blue, like a rare sunny sky. She was the most fun of all her friends.

Second only to Hiccup, who could draw and made such pretty pictures with charcoal and paper, with sticks and in dirt.

Named Unn, she always came up with the most fun games. Her energy was endless and she never failed to make them all laugh. The memories Astrid kept of her, they were bright. The few times she took a moment to remember her, she would smile.

Unn was small, though. Her legs and arms were as spindly as thin tree branches. Or more like twigs. Not as small as Hiccup, but there was barely a difference between the two. She wasn't even an inch taller than him and everybody was taller than him.

Sometimes they played on the plaza, other times they played in the forest right outside the village, the beach was also a fun place to be. When they were daring enough, they would even go up to Mildew's cabbage patch at the edges of the village. It was always Unn who suggested teasing the old man. He was mean to the village children.

She was an innocent girl. A playful girl.

When her life was taken, it was during a raid. Not by dragons, but by other people. The Winterbeards, a tribe of hardened Norsemen and women who sought resources that they didn't have and stole them from other islands.

Astrid didn't know until the morning after the fighting. When those that couldn't defend themselves, like them, were allowed out of hiding and she wondered why Unn and her mother never joined them in the Great Hall.

She never got to say goodbye. They never got to play again. So sudden had Unn been taken away from her.

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There was once a little boy on Berk by the name of Ivar and he was Snotlout's best friend. Strong, husky, boisterous, he was the dream son any Viking couple would've loved to have. He was a big one ever since the day of his birth.

The two of them were always up to no good. They'd get in trouble, either with Mildew or other Vikings on Berk. Several times they had also sought out the dangers in the forests outside of the village. Usually ended up running at the smallest of sounds too.

Out of all his friends, Snotlout thought he was the best.

There was a harsh Winter one time. Not the harshest ever, but harsh enough. On their island, that particular season was followed by an Eel Pox epidemic. Every single year, again and again, without fail.

Little Ivar got sick. Many of the Hooligans did. It took Gothi much too long to receive the ingredients necessary for a cure. More than half of the crew send out with a longboat to gather them got sick on the way, delaying their journey further.

One afternoon six-year-old Snotlout walked up to Ivar's house to ask if he was all better and if he could come out to play yet. What he found were two mourning parents instead.

Neither Ivar, nor his little sister, Inge, had made it.

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The Thorston twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, they once had an older brother.

Like most Nuts, that is exactly what his name ended on. The thing with him was, his name was Nutnut. "Nut The Nut" they used to call him. Or simply, "Nut" for short.

He wasn't like other Thorstons. He wasn't the epitome of chaos and trouble. In fact, he was quite calm. Shy even! When the twins were five, Nutnut was already on his way to puberty.

He was a caring big brother. Always looked out for his younger siblings, got them out of any trouble they may end up in, made sure they ate and washed and slept on time. The twins were a handful and they knew it. When their mother needed a helping hand, with no supportive fathers in their lives, Nut was always there. He was a loving son.

During one bad dragon raid, Nut couldn't find his siblings.

Unaware of the dangers they were putting themselves in, Ruff and Tuff followed the fire brigade around instead of staying hidden like all the others who were told to hide.

Nut spend so long finding them, evading dragons and their fire left and right until he was unfortunate enough to cross paths with a Monstrous Nightmare in a ruined part of the village where there were no adults around.

There wasn't enough left to identify him with.

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Fishlegs' interest for books and dragons, it was greatly influenced by another girl in the village.

Dagny was a cousin of his and like many of the members in his family, she was a hefty girl. Vikings would say she had the promise to be a brawny one later in life, but she was much more of a brainy one instead.

Families were close on Berk and Dagny often read books together with Fishlegs and his older sister, who often told them many stories. Dagny and Fishlegs were of the same age. Dagny was only a few weeks older.

Nobody talks about Dagny anymore. Her passing due to a famine caused by the dragons was a painful one. Dagny's parents, they didn't last long after her death. Many believed they followed her to the next world, a broken heart too much to bear.

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There were twenty-five of them. That Winter, Hiccup was the first of twenty-five babies born the following twenty-four months.

A lot of them didn't make it to their first year. More died by the time they were five. When Hiccup reached the age of ten, once again the first of that season, the six of them were all that remained.

It didn't hurt. At some point, waking up one morning and finding out another friend had died became commonplace.

They took it as a lesson. A lesson that caring hurt far worse than not caring did.

And so they all stopped.

"Guys!"

Astrid remembered having a friend once. A dear friend. Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Fishlegs, they all remembered.

His name was Hiccup. He was fun, he could draw, he was really smart, but he was also small.

He was born too early. When a famine struck he was always one of those most affected. Every year during "Eel Pox Week", Gothi called it a miracle he wasn't taken back by the Gods. With each new attack by either dragon or man, he needed to hide because he couldn't defend himself. Unlike the other kids, he couldn't even lift up a bola. He was the most defenseless.

He was the next one. They were all sure of it.

"Guys?" On his eight birthday, three years after Snotlout started picking on him and two years before their very last friend died, Astrid, Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut also decided to stop playing with him.

It was easier to stop caring for him than it was to care and lose him too.

Hiccup met them on the plaza that day, as he always did once his father finally let him go.

They didn't listen to his calls, ignored his requests to play, they pretended he didn't exist at all as they walked away.

The following days and onwards, he would notice they were starting to be mean to him too. Like Uncle Spitelout and some of the other adults.

There was little Hiccup could do, but watch them leave him behind as they decided to play elsewhere. Away from him. And it hurt.

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The remaining oldest children of Berk, now all fifteen and fourteen years of age, they met up to train together in the woods. They'd seen Astrid go there to practice with her axe and simply followed her there. Dragon training was about to begin for them soon, they wanted to train too.

Although, for the twins and Snotlout that meant fooling around. For Fishlegs, it wasn't so much as "training" as it was avoiding the three others as they picked on him.

As for Astrid, she didn't get much done when the other teens refused to leave her alone.

As they made their way back home, practice quickly forgotten, Astrid's gaze caught the sight of Hiccup as he worked at the forge as Gobber's apprentice.

Her axe swung over one shoulder, she took a moment to watch as he gathered some swords and struggled to hold them all in his arms.

When they fell, he threw his arms up in exasperation and Astrid felt a sigh escape her. A sigh of disappointment.

Briefly, their eyes met and Hiccup froze up. He only stood there for about a solid second before he ducked behind the counter awkardly. Either to hide or pick up the swords he'd dropped.

When was the last time they'd talked? Not as friends, but as mere acquaintances?

Astrid realized she didn't care. She didn't mourn the friendship they used to have and lost so many years ago now.

She didn't care. None of them did.

Hiccup was going to die sooner or later. All their previous friends had and many of them had been much bigger and stronger than him. Being friends with the heir only meant pain in the future. It was easier not too care.

She joined the other teens again. The ones who made an inkling of a chance of making it to adulthood in this world. She wouldn't say she was friends with them, but they were all headed into the same direction and they were about the only others of her age. Who else was she going to hang out with?

They were heading towards the Great Hall for supper. They headed there, not knowing that this would be the night Hiccup would shoot down a Night Fury, changing Berk for the better.

[wolfie-dragon-rider]

Blind Spots Ch. 18: ...If You Would Fight For Me

A/N: It's been a bit since the previous update, but now I finally returned to give you the thrilling conclusion of last time's cliffhanger! I hope you enjoy it! Next chapter will be the long-awaited wedding!

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"Got the water! Now let me tell you all about Snotlout!" Ruffnut shouted as she ran back into the clearing. Her giddy mood disappeared however, when she saw it was empty.

"Astrid? Are you there?" she asked loudly, looking around. No trace of her. Her weapons and shield were gone, and so was her pack. Very odd. As uptight and lonesome Astrid could be, just vanishing like that was not like her.

Walking around the edge of the clearing, Ruffnut noticed one of the trees had a few gashes in it, like Astrid had been using it to practice axe throwing. So she had stayed for at least a bit after Ruffnut left. She turned around again when something in the grass caught her eye.

There were a few red dots, leading to the bushes near her bag. A quick rub confirmed it was blood, and Ruffnut frowned. Odd. Had Astrid cut herself while throwing and run back to Berk? Why would she take all her things then? And run in that direction? It was away from Berk, towards the rocky beaches.

Maybe she was overthinking this. Astrid had been crazy about the dumb Hiccup fight. She probably had some weird love revelation while training, and couldn't wait to tell her boyfriend all about it. Probably while kissing him silly and holding his hand and sitting in his lap and being all sweet and cute and ugh!

Ruffnut was not in the mood to see that. Especially after Astrid had apparently just abandoned her. Sure, they had never been close as such, but they were the only two girls of their age, so they had often overlooked each others flaws to allow them to talk about things the boys wouldn't understand.

And for that bond to be thrown out like garbage because of a boy? Ruffnut wasn't happy. Dammit, she had let Astrid rant and complain and rant some more about Hiccup for hours, and the moment she got to talk about Snotlout, the freaking girl runs off!

Ruffnut kicked the gashed tree and suppressed the urge to scream at the betrayal, before picking up her things. Well, if Astrid was off snogging Hiccup and having a wonderful time, she'd get a nice bath in the hot springs.

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When Astrid woke up, her first thought was that she must be in Helheim, the realm of sickness and dishonorable death.

Actually, that was her second thought. Her first thought was "Everything hurts and feels like death," leading to the second thought.

She felt like Jörmungandr himself had swallowed her and spit her out, giving her a nice dose of venom in the meantime. It was worse than that time she had eel pox. Even worse than the morning after her birthday, when she had drunk so much she passed out. Her head was pounding, her limbs felt like they were pressed to the ground, that was how heavy they were, and her stomach churned wildly, burning and pulsating. Her ears hurt, and her balance felt off. The room seemed to rock and rotate around her, though when she opened her eyes it was still. Her left arm was completely numb.

Astrid took a breath, and immediately coughed from the dust entering her mouth. She was lying on her stomach on a very dirty wooden floor. How had she gotten here? Her thoughts were muddy and slow. It was like she was sleepy, but she wasn't.

When the room moved again she realized this wasn't just her head spinning. The wood creaked, and she recognized that sound from somewhere, though her thoughts were too slow to figure it out.

As she breathed in more of the dusty air, she suddenly smelled human waste, coming from somewhere nearby. That, combined with another sudden shift of the floor and the churning of her stomach, pushed her over the edge.

Astrid only barely had the strength to pull herself up to her hands and knees before vomiting. The contents of her stomach splattered over the wooden planks, staining her hands when the room moved again. She groaned, tears springing to her eyes. She didn't even have the strength to wipe them off. Instead, her vision became blurry. When she finally spat out the last of the vile puke, her numb arm gave out. She fell to her side, only barely avoiding the puddle.

A wave of exhaustion swept over her. She wanted to sleep again, but she couldn't. This wasn't right. She wasn't just sick, she was… somewhere. Somewhere wrong. She had to figure it out.

Gathering her strength, she looked up, away from the stained floor to look at the walls. More plain wood, though when she turned her head to the left she saw iron bars. Was she in a prison? A moving prison?

She looked down again, and noticed an odd thing. The pool of vomit kept sliding closer to her, then back away again, and the realization came slowly.

The room was rocking back and forth. A ship. She was on a ship. But whose ship? Why? When? Astrid tried desperately to remember what had happened. She remembered… a portrait? Something with Hiccup. And Ruffnut?

"Look at this. The great Dragon Conqueror, laid low by my hand!" a man shouted. Astrid whipped her head up before grunting in pain from the sudden motion.

"W-W-What?" was all she managed to say, squinting her eyes to try and focus on the large figure on the other side of the bars.

"Strong stuff, isn't it? It's from the far south, extracted from a rare dragon. Just a drop is enough to knock out a Monstrous Nightmare for an hour. You… Well, let's just say you got more than a single drop," the man said, taking out a dagger and holding it through the bars to let her take a look. She lunged, cursing when she found her left arm still numb and collapsing under her weight. Her right hand grazed the handle of the weapon, but the strange man quickly withdrew it. It clanged loudly against the iron bars, a few drops of the blue poison falling on the floor.

"Feisty, aren't ya? But yeah, I don't think you're gonna use that arm for a couple hours… or days maybe. I'm not sure, never used it on humans before," the bastard chuckled, pointing at her arm. She looked down at it for the first time since waking up, involuntarily gasping when she saw her vest stained with blood. There was a large cut right below her armpit. Bile boiled in her stomach again when she saw it was swollen and purple.

It was finally coming back to her. Talking to Ruffnut, training on her own, and then suddenly this man had appeared. He had thrown that knife. She remembered pain and burning in her arm… and then nothing.

"Who are you?" she managed to ask after a few seconds.

"I'm Alvin the Treacherous! I'm sure Stoick told you all about me!" the man said, sheathing his dagger and straightening his back. Astrid moved to sit up against the wall.

Her blank stare clearly wasn't what he had been hoping for.

"I'm his mortal enemy? True heir to Berk and the entire archipelago? Exiled from Berk for countless crimes?" Alvin said, his voice becoming more and more desperate when she just shook her head. Honestly she mostly shook to get rid of the dizziness, but if she could piss off this bastard, bonus.

"I have no idea," she said slowly, feeling exhausted. Astrid was not in the mood to entertain delusional morons.

"Stoick never talked about me?" he said, eyes wide. When she shook her head, he scoffed. "Well, I'm his rival he exiled for trying to take over Berk. That was twenty years ago, but I haven't forgotten. And now you, the Dragon Conqueror, will help me get my revenge. I have captured quite the collection of dragons, and you will train them for me," Alvin chuckled, and Astrid shook her head again.

"But… But I'm not the Dragon Conqueror, Hic-" she said before stopping herself abruptly. She couldn't put Hiccup in danger. If this Alvin wanted a Dragon Conqueror, she wouldn't let him take her love.

"Hiccup? Stoick's pathetic blind kid? I know you're all lying about him being this great hero. I saw him today. He couldn't conquer a rabbit. No, it's all a desperate attempt from Stoick to give his son legitimacy as ruler. He's still afraid I'm coming to usurp his throne. And he's right. Berk deserves better than that weakling-" Alvin laughed before jumping back with a yelp when Astrid lunged at him, almost grabbing his beard through the bars.

"Ooh, touched a nerve there? Of course, when I take over Berk, you won't become the power behind the throne like you'd hoped. But at least you won't have to whore yourself out to that… hehe, hiccup anymore," taking another step back when Astrid threw herself at the bars with a scream. She was not gonna let anyone talk about Hiccup like that. No matter how sick or tired she was, she'd never stop fighting.

"Aww, don't tell me you actually care for the boy. We'll get rid of that soon enough. You won't have time or energy for pining on Outcast Island. Because I promise you, you will never see your precious Hiccup ever again," Alvin said, brandishing his dagger once more before turning around and leaving. "You, stand guard. Don't let her leave that cell," he said as he climbed the stairs, and a man with a wild dark beard descended to stand in front of her cell.

Astrid growled and pushed at the bars for another minute, but when the guard just chuckled, she gave up and sat back against the wall again. Why was this happening? She couldn't believe it. Just this morning everything was fine. And then she and Hiccup fought over something so stupid, and now she was…

Oh no. Oh gods no. Please no!

What if Alvin was right? What if she could never talk to Hiccup again? Their last words, her last words… insults and curses. She couldn't let that be how Hiccup remembers her. He had to know she hadn't meant it. Any of it. She just wanted him to be strong. To be the man she knew he was.

She had just been so hasty. Why hadn't she given him more time? He was improving, so so much. It wouldn't be like their lives would stop and become static the moment they'd get married. It would only be the start. The start of a new journey, a new story.

If they could even get married now.

Astrid shuddered, covering her face with her hands, and she could feel tears appear.

No. She was not going to sit here and cry and do nothing. She was going to fight and get back to Berk, get back to her Hiccup. They would get married and live in their own house and have children and do all the things that just yesterday had seemed terrifying, but that Astrid suddenly realized she wanted more than anything in the world.

She was going to fight for them, dammit. It didn't matter anymore if Hiccup could fight off enemies, she'd fight for both of them. For their life together.

She moved to stand, but her arm buckled when she tried to push herself up. Damn paralysis. Damn exhaustion. Damn sickness. But it would pass. She'd bide her time. She would rest for a few hours at least, observe the guard and figure out a plan to escape.

They wanted a conqueror? They'd get a conqueror.

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"Chin up, chest forward, shoulders back," Hiccup was still softly chanting to himself when he reached his home. It had taken him a while to get back to a place he recognized, and from there to his house. Toothless warbled loudly when he saw him, interrupting his games with Stormfly and Cloudjumper to run over.

The dragon warbled sadly, clearly seeing Hiccup was upset. It made the boy smile, despite what had just happened. Toothless warbled something that sounded like "Astrid?" and Hiccup shook his head.

"She's not coming over today, bud. I screwed up, I think. I don't know, it's all so confusing," he said, before letting go of his dragon's head and walking to the front door.

"Mom? Dad?" he called into the house to no answer. They must still be at the Great Hall. Hiccup was hoping to ask them for advice, but right now he didn't feel like going out into public again. So he sat at the table as the dragons moved into the house, Stormfly squawking repeatedly.

"Astrid is fine, Stormfly. She just… wanted to be away from me for a bit," he said, before grabbing the nearby pile of blank paper and starting a letter to Camicazi. Maybe she'd know what to do. He put a thin wooden grid over the paper, and wrote one letter through each rectangular hole in the grid. It was a new method he was experimenting with, to write without overlapping letters accidentally. Still, it went very slowly as he carefully drew each rune, making sure he didn't mess it up.

Just as he was finishing up the letter explaining his situation to Cami, the door opened. Hiccup recognized his parents' footprints, light and happy today. Cloudjumper ran outside, but Stormfly and Toothless didn't move from their spot near the firepit.

"Hey son! Astrid isn't here? I saw you two leave together, I figured I wouldn't see you anymore today!" Stoick said, obviously cheerful. 'Happy with the perfect painting', Hiccup couldn't help but think.

"No, we… we had a fight," he said, signing his name at the bottom of the letter in what was surely an unintelligible scrawl. He'd send it when Fishlegs came back from his trip.

"Oh, what about? Let me guess, she wanted the painting for herself! It's amazing, I wish you could see it!" Stoick said, and Hiccup sighed. He wanted to take a stand, to demand a better portrait like Astrid expected him to. But without her with him, with the dark cloud of their argument still hanging over him, he couldn't muster the courage to do it.

"No, she… it's complicated. She wants me to be more… yeah, more," he eventually said, sealing the letter.

"Well, I think if you want to be more, you'll need the energy! Let's go to the Great Hall and get dinner! Kirsten is making a huge meal to celebrate the painting. I think she's trying to do a trial run for your wedding as well, though," Valka laughed as she grabbed Hiccup's shoulder, trying to pull him up from the chair. He flinched. Didn't they get that he didn't want food or cheer?

When his mother came back, Hiccup hadn't expected it to change everything so much. Now it seemed that they were just happy all the time, and had no eyes for anything else.

Not even their son, he thought bitterly. Hiccup wanted to be happy for them. Hell, he was happy his mother was back. But it was still confusing.

"Fine," he said through gritted teeth, more frustrated than ever.

They walked silently to the Great Hall. Well, Hiccup was silent at least, following his parents who were talking and giggling animatedly. Normally they weren't so bad. Or maybe normally he just noticed it less because he'd be focused on Astrid walking next to him. "Chin up, chest forward, shoulders back," Hiccup kept muttering to himself.

Behind him the dragons were following slowly, playing and chasing each other all the way. Toothless had eagerly welcomed Cloudjumper into their home, and Stormfly was always happy to meet new friends.

Finally, after a slow climb up the stairs they entered the Hall again, where they were greeted by Astrid's parents.

"Hey there, Stoick, didn't you just leave? Back already for more food? Ah, you brought Hiccup, he can always use another bite, right?" Kirsten said as she guided them to a table. "Oh, where is Astrid?" she asked Hiccup as she grabbed his shoulder to sit him down, and he nearly lashed out. Instead he took a deep breath.

"I don't know. She went into the woods a few hours ago," he said, grabbing his cup of mead and taking a deep gulp.

"Ah, avoiding me, I suppose. Maybe I've been a little harsh on her lately. But there's just so much I still have to teach her! That girl can wield any weapon in the world, but give her a sewing needle and she is defeated!" Kirsten laughed, and Valka laughed with her.

"I did the same before I married Stoick! I just couldn't figure out how to use them! I pricked myself so often my mother said I should just sell everything I made as red cloth from all the blood!" Hiccup's mother shouted, and Stoick laughed as well.

Hiccup tuned out the banter, his thoughts wandering back to the fight. Toothless crooned, nudging him, but he pushed the dragon away.

"Jeez, you people are still partying? Not that I don't like a party, but I hoped that with my bro and the other boys away, I could get some peace and quiet!" Ruffnut shouted, pulling Hiccup from his thoughts.

"Hey, where is Astrid? How come she isn't all over your face?" the twin asked, stopping right next to Hiccup.

"I don't know, okay?! Why does everyone think she should be with me every second of the day!" he shouted, cringing when the hall fell silent.

"Jeez, you don't have to be so insulted. Just admit you two are inseparable normally. Hell, even this dumb portrait couldn't keep you apart. Astrid ran off a while ago to meet you and make up!" Ruffnut said, sitting down next to him and stealing his mead.

Hiccup frowned, anger flowing away, replaced by confusion.

"Wait, what? I haven't seen her since this morning! We had a fight and she ran off," he said, sensing Ruffnut shrug.

"I know that! She was ranting about it to me, we were training together. I told her she shouldn't take it all so seriously, and she calmed down a bit. But then I left her for a minute to refill my water skin, and when I came back she was gone. I figured she had run off to you to make up," Ruffnut said, taking another sip of mead.

"No… she didn't go to me. Were there any other weird things?" Hiccup asked, his stomach becoming heavy.

Depends on what you'd call weird. I thought it was weird she left without saying anything. All her weapons were gone as well. Oh, and there was some blood on the grass. I figured she had cut herself throwing axes," Ruff said. Stormfly lied down next to him, squawking sadly, and Hiccup wondered if she was feeling the same dread. He didn't like this at all.

"So she disappeared a few hours ago, left bloodstains, and now no one knows where she is?" Hiccup said, voice rising.

"Son, I'm sure it's fine. She probably wanted to be alone for a bit," Stoick said, finally taking his attention off Valka for a second.

"I don't like it. I don't trust it! Something is wrong, I can feel it! What if she's badly hurt?!" he shouted, standing up and grabbing his cane.

"Okay, we can send out a search party into the forest. If she's there, we'll find her," Stoick said, standing up too.

"I'll lead the men. If anyone can survive in there it's my girl, but if she hasn't come back… She probably just broke her ankle, something like that. She's tough," Tolfdir said, standing up and grabbing his sword. It made a grating sound as he put it in its scabbard, and then his footsteps were running out the door and down the steps.

"See Hiccup, Tolfdir will find her in no time," Stoick said, but Hiccup wasn't reassured. He walked away, shaking his head. The adults started whispering among themselves, and Toothless warbled next to him.

Suddenly Hiccup's cane hit something metal, and he realized he was next to the painted shield. The portrait that had caused the fight.

The shield that portrayed a Hiccup as different from him as could be.

Stormfly made a loud croon as he ran his hand over it and wondered what it looked like. Strong and tall and with eyes, Astrid had said, but it was hard to imagine.

"Hiccup... Look, if Astrid is in some kind of trouble, she or Tolfdir or Stoick can surely fix it! You're not… Just don't worry, she'll be back in no time!" Valka suddenly said from next him, and he jumped a bit. He frowned, feeling like she was patronizing, though he knew she just wanted to reassure him.

But it still felt like she was saying he was too weak to help her. Not able to save her. He ran his hand over the portrait again.

The portrait of a Hiccup Astrid said he had been once.

A Hiccup she might need.

A Hiccup… he could be again?

"No. No, I'm gonna find her! I'll fly on Toothless… Stormfly can track her! Come on, Stormfly!" he shouted, the Nadder jumping up towards him.

"Hiccup, at least wait until the other riders are back from their trip! I don't think… You shouldn't be out there alone-!" Stoick said, and Hiccup whipped around, raising his cane to point to where he thought his father was. It wasn't until his dad suddenly shut up that he realized he was standing tall and straight without even having to think about it.

"Astrid shouldn't be out there alone either, but she is! And the riders won't be back for another two days! Who knows what could happen to her in that time," he said, climbing on Toothless' saddle and fitting his prosthetic into the pedal.

For a few seconds Hiccup was sure his dad would protest again, but all he said was "You're right, son. Find her."

The boy didn't waste any time. Stormfly was already out the door, flying towards the forest, and Toothless was right behind.

Astrid was strong, so much stronger than him. But together they could do anything. Hiccup was sure of it. No matter what had happened to her, he'd find her and they'd find a way back home together.

Who cared what the stupid portrait showed? What was important was what Astrid saw in him, and for some crazy reason Hiccup couldn't comprehend she saw something to believe in.

And he believed in Astrid. That was all the motivation he needed.

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Astrid groaned as feeling returned to her left arm, in the form of massive tingling. She wasn't sure if this was better than the numbness of before, but at least she could move it now. Honestly she didn't trust it to swing a weapon, but thankfully it was just her left arm.

The guard outside her cell paced back and forth, often groaning and moaning. He seemed to handle seasickness about as well as she did. When he wasn't looking, Astrid had checked under her skirt, making sure they hadn't touched her there. And finding a tiny dagger, little bigger than a cheese knife, sewn into the inside of the skirt, just where she left it.

Astrid remembered laughing when her mother suggested the secret weapon. She already had two daggers, in her sleeve and boot, what more could she need? But now she was glad she had the weapon. Now just to find a way out of the cell.

After she glared at him a few times, the guard had put the keys on a hook on the other side of the hallway, well out of her reach.

He had just run into a side room, out of sight, though the sounds of him emptying his stomach still echoed through the hold. Grimacing, she took the opportunity to rub her knife on the drops of poison Alvin had left earlier. The sight of the blue potion, the sounds of the sick guard, the movement of the ship, and the smell of her own vomit and the bucket in the corner made her stomach churn, but she suppressed it. She couldn't let it overwhelm her again.

A minute later the guard was done dealing with his seasickness, but he didn't immediately walk out of the storage room. Instead he was humming curiously, and Astrid moved a little closer to the bars.

"Ooh, nice shield! Light as well! I wonder if Alvin will notice if I take it…" the guard mumbled before appearing with her Gronckle Iron shield, and she saw an opportunity to get the key.

"Is this yours?" he asked, walking to the bars and holding out the shiny shield. Astrid moved her numb hand under her, grabbing the knife in her fist while being careful not to touch the poison, and tried to look tired and worn out.

Honestly that wasn't hard.

"What?" she slurred, squinting her eyes and crawling closer. The guard kneeled a bit to put the shield at her eye level, and she sat on her haunches on the other side.

"Oh… Oh yeah… There are hidden weapons in here. Look, if you press the button on the bottom here, it'll reveal it," she said slowly, trying to appear drugged and barely aware. The guard took his eyes off her, and instead moved his head down to look for the button, while his hands moved around the shield.

For a moment, Astrid hesitated. She only had one shot at this. Could she do it? Attack this person?

But then Hiccup flashed through her mind and her resolve hardened. Jumping up with practiced speed, she reached through the bars. His eyes widened in surprise when she grabbed the man's head with her right hand while stabbing his exposed shoulder with the knife in her tingling left hand. Turning his head around so it faced away from her, she slammed it against the bars before clamping her hand over his mouth.

He struggled. His mouth produced muffled screams and tried to bite her, and his arms reached up to dislodge her, but she stabbed him once more with the poisoned knife. When he tried to jump up, she slammed his head against the bars again.

A minute later he went still. Astrid suddenly realized she was breathing hard. Slowly she released him, terrified he'd scream again.

He just slumped against the bars. He was still breathing, just knocked out, like she had been.

Her hands were shaking, and the knife fell to the floor with a thump. Astrid held her breath as she listened carefully, but no one came to investigate the noise. Her eyes fell on the knife. She could slit his throat. It'd be so easy.

But she looked at the man again. Was he just following orders? He hadn't hurt her. He was seasick, just like she had been. Would Hiccup kill him?

No, he wouldn't. He'd urge her to get out of there. She didn't have much time. Surely they'd check on her soon. Pushing the man to the side, she grabbed the shield through the bars and awkwardly turned it around so it faced the hook with the key.

Aiming was hard like this, especially with her hurt arm. The first shot from the grappling hook missed, hitting the wall next to the key with a bang that made her cringe. Thankfully a big wave hit the ship at the same time, making the hull creak loudly.

Astrid quickly pulled the grappling hook and rope back, reloading the launcher and taking aim again.

This time it hit the key, which fell to the ground with a happy chime. Another shot entangled the key in the hook, and she carefully pulled it back, suppressing a nervous giggle when she touched it.

"Okay, time to get out," she whispered, awkwardly unlocking the door from the inside and pushing the guard a little further away to allow it to open. Checking one more time to see if he was still unconscious, Astrid walked out and strapped her shield to her left arm. It might be numb and tingling, but it could lift and block, and that was all she needed.

Silently she walked into the side room and found her axe and daggers there. Quickly putting the daggers back where they belonged, she grabbed her axe and swung it a few times. Perfect.

"Get ready, Alvin," she whispered, looking around the hold of the ship for a way out. Just the ladder leading up to the deck. Astrid could hear shouts and orders through the planks above her. How many men were there? A dozen? More? But she had to escape now. If they made it to Outcast Island, there'd be dozens if not hundreds of enemies.

As quietly as she could she climbed the ladder and pushed the trapdoor up just a notch, glancing through the small gap.

It was evening, the last rays of the setting sun drawing long shadows from the men at the front of the ship. There were three of them, and when she looked to her sides she spotted another four. All were looking away, focused on their ropes and oars.

Holding her breath she lifted the planks up a tiny bit more so she could look behind her. There, on the rear deck, was that bastard Alvin. He was flanked by a strange man wielding what looked like a large bone. Another man was sitting nearby, rubbing a bandaged and splinted arm. Astrid recognized him with a flash. She had broken that arm. For a second she felt guilt, but then she remembered Hiccup and the only thing left was determination.

As far as she could tell, Astrid only had two ways out: One was to steal a rowboat and sail back to Berk without them noticing. Unlikely to work for more reasons than she could count.

The other was to get to Alvin and make him bring her back. It wouldn't be easy. There were eight other men, not counting the wounded one. She'd have the element of surprise on them, but still…

No. She couldn't doubt now. She had trained her entire life for this. She had to do this. For Hiccup, and for herself.

Astrid took a deep breath, and was about to jump out when one of the men shouted and pointed at the sky. Astrid quickly dropped the hatch, before lifting it again when she heard footsteps running to the side.

Nearly all of the men were at the port side now, pointing at something she couldn't see and preparing the catapult.

"Take it down!" Alvin shouted, running towards the front of the deck, and Astrid knew she'd never get a better opportunity. She jumped up and ran towards the enormous man, raising her axe. He turned around just as she grabbed him and put her axe to his throat.

"No one move! You move, your boss gets it!" she shouted, mind racing. Alvin chuckled, and she pressed the axe tighter to his throat. The men froze, clearly unsure of what to do. The closest one was only a few feet away, and Astrid staggered back a bit, dragging Alvin with her to the tip of the ship.

"Throw your weapons overboard, and then turn this ship around. We're going back to Berk," she said, trying not to show her fear.

Alvin laughed again, but before she could tell him to shut up, something fell from the sky. The men screamed and scattered, and Astrid nearly dropped her axe when she recognized the black dragon.

"Hiccup? What are you-" she started to ask, but just then Alvin jumped back, throwing her off.

Some fighters say that in the heat of battle everything slows down, that sound becomes muffled and you can see every move your opponent makes.

Astrid realized now that that was yakshit.

Grunting, she barely managed to raise her shield in time to block a slam from Alvin's sword, taking a step back trying to create distance between them so she could swing her axe.

"Astrid!" she could hear Hiccup somewhere, but in that moment all she could focus on was Alvin, managing to block another strike. She took another step back, but lost her balance when her back hit the railing.

A quick look over her shoulder was her downfall, as she didn't see Alvin slam her hand with the pommel of his blade. With a cry of pain, she dropped the axe.

"Astrid! Let her go!" Hiccup shouted, his footsteps and cane coming closer, but Astrid couldn't see him. A strong arm pushed her around and wrapped around her chest, pushing her back against Alvin's front.

Astrid tried to kick and stomp, but froze when she felt his sword against her throat. Their positions were reversed now. Astrid closed her eyes for a moment, forcing herself to calm.

Not easy when she could feel a trickle of blood run down her neck.

"Stop right there! Hiccup, wasn't it?" Alvin said clearly, and Astrid now saw Hiccup standing next to Toothless in the middle of the deck. The henchmen were scattered around the deck, weapons raised. Hiccup's face was unreadable from this distance, and she wished she could hold his hand. It was such a silly thought in that moment. She had a sword to her throat, and she wanted to hold her boyfriend's hand?

"Who are you? Let Astrid go right now!" Hiccup shouted as he moved towards them, cane rapidly tapping the deck. There was fire in his words, and Astrid found she was holding her breath.

"You're blind, aren't you? Well then, let me paint you a picture of the situation here. I am holding a sword to your conqueror's neck. One more step, and I will slit her throat," Alvin said, and Hiccup froze as if struck, metal foot hovering in mid-air. After a second or two, he slowly put it back down, raising his free hand in a clear conciliatory gesture. Toothless growled, but Hiccup whispered something to calm him down.

"Good. I'm in control here. Remember that. Now, I am Alvin the Treacherous. I am sure your father told you all about me," Alvin said, pushing Astrid's arms between them when she struggled again.

"Uh… No?" Hiccup said. The henchmen grouped up around them, looking at Alvin for instructions.

"Oh come on! You too? Is Stoick so scared of me he doesn't even dare speak my name?!" Alvin shouted and lifted his blade higher. Astrid couldn't help but squeal when another drop of blood spilled on his sword. Hiccup flinched at the sound.

"Yes, t-that's definitely it! I am c-certainly t-terrified, and I'm sure my dad is as well!" he stuttered, raising his hands up further.

"And you should be. Now, I'm gonna be nice here. I could kill you right now, but I'm feeling merciful. You're gonna run back to your daddy and tell him Alvin is coming with an army of dragons, trained by the Dragon Conqueror herself! He can surrender, and his life will be spared," Alvin said, and even from this far away Astrid could see Hiccup frown. She knew his face, even beneath the blindfold, and she could tell he was thinking quickly.

"But… No, I'm the Dragon Conqueror. I trained the Night Fury, and all the other dragons. You want me. I'll take Astrid's place. Just… Just let her go," he said after a short silence.

"No! Hiccup, don't!" Astrid shouted, but Hiccup shook his head.

"I can't let him hurt you!" he simply said, lowering his arms and slumping, looking defeated and small. Astrid wanted to scream, to tell him to stand straight and fight, dammit! But before she could, Alvin punched her in the gut.

"In Thor's name… You really are the Conqueror, aren't you? And it would shame Stoick to have his son surrender to the enemy. Though it's probably just another disappointment on the end of a long list. How about that Night Fury? Will he follow you? Will you make him obey me?" Alvin asked, and Hiccup nodded rapidly.

"Yeah, Toothless does what I want him to! Just let Astrid go and I'll serve you forever… my lord!" Hiccup said, doing a sort of short bow, and Astrid frowned. Hiccup could be a nervous wreck, but he was never this… subservient.

Alvin grinned. "Fine. She can get the dingy, and if she makes it to Berk she can tell Stoick all about his son's shame. I'm feeling generous, so I'll give you two a moment to say goodbye," he said, before lowering his sword.

Astrid didn't waste any time running away from the horrid man. Hiccup had the same idea, running towards her and grabbing her hand.

"I'm sorry, Astrid. I'm sorry that this happened. But I want you to know I love you. I love you so much, and I'll never forget you!" he rambled, and Astrid was so confused she just wanted to punch him. How could he give up like this?

But then she noticed his thumb moving over the back of her hand, signing. Hiccup kept proclaiming his love and apologizing over and over again, but silently he was telling her a completely different message.

Stormfly-S-K-Y-Go to-Toothless-Meet up with me-Combat Training

It was a confusing use of their every day messages, but she quickly understood what he was trying to say.

"You and me, together against the world," she whispered, moving to pull him into a kiss, but before they could connect a henchman pulled her away.

"That's enough. Come here, Hiccup the Useless. I want to see you kneel," Alvin said. Two of the other men threw a net over Toothless, who looked furious but didn't attack.

"Of… Of course, my lord," Hiccup said, awkwardly feeling the deck with his cane as he slowly moved towards Alvin. The big man chuckled, and then laughed as Hiccup kneeled before him. Only Astrid noticed Hiccup moving into a combat stance as he stood up, his thumb moving over the small button on the cane.

"Oh, if only Stoick could see-" Alvin never managed to finish that sentence. Hiccup clicked the button to release the speartip before attacking, jumping to Alvin's side to stab his sword arm. Just like they practiced. The man screamed, making all the sailors turn around in confusion.

Astrid didn't waste any time, tearing her eyes away from Hiccup to grab her dagger from her sleeve and stabbing the henchman pulling her in the gut. Blood spilled over her wrist, but she couldn't stop to think about that.

"Stormfly!" she shouted as she ran towards Toothless, who was trying to claw at the nearest enemy through the net. She quickly cut the rope anchoring the net, and pulled it off the dragon as her Nadder dove from the sky and shot a stream of fire between her and a group of goons. Men screamed in agony.

Astrid was sure the dragons could handle themselves now, and ran for her axe. Just before she reached it, a man ran in her way, sword raised. She didn't stop to think. Her shield went up purely instinctual, bashing the man and making him stagger. A moment later he fell to the ground when she slashed his leg.

A plasma blast flew right past her when she crouched to pick up her axe, making her look up. She froze at the sight. Alvin lay unconscious on the deck, but two other men were advancing on Hiccup. The one Hiccup was blocking was struck by the plasma blast. He screamed loudly as he staggered. Faint guilt rose up in Astrid when she saw him fall over the railing, a smoke trail from his burning clothes and a loud splash the only proof he had just been there.

Had been alive.

But then she saw the other man, the tall second-in-command, raise his strange bone weapon. Hiccup clearly hadn't noticed him, confused by all the sound and chaos.

Suddenly nothing else mattered. Astrid screamed something, she couldn't tell what, and threw her dagger. It struck the man in his lower back, piercing deeply, and Astrid knew the blade had slipped between his ribs.

The bastard fell backwards with a strange muffled gasp, a fountain of blood spurting from the wound. Astrid's eyes moved from the enemy to Hiccup, who had not reacted to what she had just done.

Instead, he recovered from his fight with the other goon, raising his spear and turning around, obviously ready for more.

Astrid forgot about the battle for a moment, entranced by her Hiccup, standing tall and powerful. The last sun rays bathed him in glowing red, his hair and blindfold shining bright.

He looked like a god. He looked like he could fight a god. He had fought a god. He had slain the Red Death, he is the Dragon Conqueror, and who were these puny mortals to stand in his way?

But then an axe flew right past her face, so close Astrid could feel the wind rustle her hair, and she remembered they were mortals too.

"Hiccup! We gotta get out of here!" she shouted, grabbing her axe and running towards him. "Get on Toothless! We can't fight them all!"

Toothless seemed to understand her as well, slamming a goon between him and Hiccup. The blind boy quickly found his dragon and wasted no time jumping in the saddle while Astrid fought another man, bashing his head with the broad of her axe until he staggered back.

"Astrid! Hop on, now!" Hiccup called out, and she climbed behind him on Toothless. The dragon took off as soon as she was in position, and then they were flying. Astrid looked back, seeing the unmoving bodies on the deck. The largest one caught her attention, and she couldn't bear to let him get away.

"Stormfly, fetch!" she shouted, pointing at Alvin, and the Nadder grabbed him in his claws, firing spikes at the few remaining Outcasts when they tried to interfere.

"Come on, back to Berk!" Hiccup shouted, and Astrid suddenly realized she was holding onto him with all her might.

--------------------------------------------------------

They flew for a few minutes, the screams of wounded men and the creaking of the ship making way for dead silence. The only sounds Hiccup could hear were the flapping wings of Toothless and Stormfly, and Astrid's shuddering breaths against his neck. She had her arms tight around him, still holding her weapons. Her axe was cold against his face.

His mind was blurry, still trying to process all that had happened. He had come so close to losing Astrid.

"Are you okay?" the question made Astrid jump a little, pulling her arms back and flinching when a tip of her axe got caught in his shirt. Hiccup could feel her hands shaking as she sheathed her axe behind her back.

"I'm fine. They didn't hurt me," she said flatly, and he didn't believe her. But before he could ask her again, she grabbed his head and turned it around gently, so he faced her.

"You're okay too, right? If they hurt you, I'll… I'll…" her voice trailed off, trembling with anger, completely different from her denial seconds before. Hiccup opened his mouth to say something, he didn't know what, but she pulled him to her, kissing him hard and aggressively.

"You came for me," she mumbled between open-mouthed kisses, her tongue intertwining with his and then letting go in an unpredictable pattern. Although Hiccup was glad she was there with him, this felt wrong. She had never been this rough with him before, and it scared him. His hands landed on her waist, moving up her arms to her shoulders.

"Stop," he managed to say, pushing her back a bit.

"Why? Don't you want this?" she asked angrily, trying to kiss him again before freezing. Maybe she saw the terrified look on his face.

"I'm sorry. I just… I just had to… to know, to feel you're alive. That you're with me. That… That I'm not back there," she whispered, dropping her hands to his sides.

"It's okay. I was just a bit overwhelmed. You were intense!" he said, trying not to sound scared. "Also, and I'm really sorry for saying this, but you smell awful, and it kind of ruined the mood for me," he chuckled. It wasn't a lie, she reeked of shit and sweat and puke and blood and things he didn't even wanted to know.

She snorted, a weird mix of laugh and cry, before pulling back a bit.

"I feel awful. When we get back, I just want a long hot bath," she said, and Hiccup suspected it wasn't a joke.

"They didn't… touch you, did they?" He hated to ask it, the very thought made him sick, but he had to know she was okay, that those bastards hadn't…

"No. They didn't do that," Astrid said wearily. "I'm just… They knocked me out with some kind of poison, and the cell was filthy, and I just feel dirty."

Sighing, Hiccup put his arms around her. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you," he whispered, not feeling very strong anymore. He could feel Astrid back straighten.

"What? Are you kidding me?! You came for me! You fought that bastard, and saved me! Without you I'd never have escaped!" she said heatedly, putting her hands on his shoulders and shaking him softly.

"Seems like you were escaping just fine when I arrived. All I did was offer you a ride home," he said, and she chuckled.

"Sure, dragon conqueror," she laughed, before falling solemn again.

"I can't stop thinking about it. While we were fighting I wasn't thinking at all, but now I keep seeing it over and over in my head. All the blood. I stabbed people. I... Do you think I k-killed them?" Astrid slowly asked, her hands holding him almost painfully tight. He shook his head, not sure what to say.

"I don't know," Hiccup eventually said. "There were a lot of them to help their wounded buddies, and maybe they got their wounds bandaged in time. Or you didn't hurt them that badly," he said, knowing they were empty words even as he spoke. Her tone of voice made it clear they had not been simple scratches.

"But Astrid… You did what you had to. To protect yourself. And to protect me, and Stormfly, and Toothless! That's what I love about you. You didn't hesitate fighting off everyone who would harm us. I don't think they'll be coming after us again anytime soon," he said, rubbing her shoulder gently. She slowly nodded.

"I suppose you're right. But it still feels… I don't know. It was never like this in my mother's stories. At least we captured Alvin. I don't think he's dead," she said, her arm releasing him to point somewhere, and Hiccup remembered she told Stormfly to fetch as they escaped.

"Good job, Stormfly!" he called out to the Nadder flying somewhere nearby, and got a happy squawk in reply. But Astrid was still troubled and tense in his arms.

"Look, lots of crazy stuff just happened. Of course you need time to process it. But you've got me, and Stormfly, and your parents, and Camicazi, and we'll all be there to help you, okay? Whatever you need," he said, pulling her into a hug.

"You freaking… dork! Why do you have to be so freaking sweet and perfect and know what to say!" she sniffed, and Hiccup felt tears fall on his shirt.

"It's okay. You're a hero to me, no matter how you feel," he whispered, and she punched his arm lightly.

"You're the hero. You should have seen yourself on that deck after fighting off Alvin. Gods, that should have been on that shield," Astrid said heatedly.

"Haha, maybe we should tell my father that," he laughed, and Astrid tensed a bit.

"I wasn't should tell your father that. You just fought off Alvin the Treacherous single-handedly, you can tell him you deserve a shield that's you. Strong and tall and incredible, even with your handicaps. You showed me you are that man. Now show Berk," she said, and he pulled out of the hug just as Toothless signaled they were approaching Berk and that Hiccup had to switch the fin to landing mode.

"Hiccup! Are you alright?!" His father's booming voice rang clear through the general murmuring when Toothless landed in the square.

"Dad, people of Berk…" Hiccup started as he jumped off Toothless, legs a little shaky on solid ground. "May I present my prisoner… Alvin the Treacherous!" he said as Stormfly landed, dropping something heavy with a loud thud.

"...How?" was all Stoick managed to say after a stunned silence.

"It's a long story. Now first of all, Gothi has to check out Astrid. I think she's fine, but we should make sure. We need to get Alvin to the prison. And thirdly… I demand a shield that actually portrays the heir of Berk," Hiccup said loudly. Suddenly he felt faint. He was doing this. He couldn't believe he was saying these things.

But then Astrid was there, grabbing his hand and drawing a little heart. It made him stand straight, shoulders back and chin up.

"As you can see, I can fight, I can win, even with my blindfold and my leg. And… And I think the portrait should show that! But it wouldn't be complete either without Toothless on it. I couldn't have done it without Toothless. And Astrid. She completes me, and no portrait of me is complete without them."

"Son…" Stoick started, voice flat. "You're absolutely right! Now that's a chief talking! And the shield shall portray a chief!" he shouted, grabbing Hiccup without warning and lifting him in the air, squeezing tightly.

"Dad! Air!" Hiccup managed to groan, not feeling very chiefly when his father released him. But then Astrid grabbed his hand again, and he felt like the strongest man alive.

[thepurplewriter333]

                                                REVELATION

"What's wrong with him now?" Snotlout asked, eyebrows raised in astonishment as he looked down at the scraggly figure of his cousin lying still in his bed. Even though he didn't care much for Hiccup, the thought of such a lively boy now so silent was unnerving. "He was fine a few days ago."

Stoick resumed his concerned expression. "Gothi doesn't know. He doesn't have Eel Pox or pneumonia, or even a cold—"

"He hasn't been stabbed, kidnapped, or working himself too hard lately, either," added in Fishlegs.

Astrid rubbed the back of her neck, just as worried as the others. "No recent dragons in need, maybe? You know how he always is with adventure."

Toothless rumbled in grief, setting his head down on Hiccup's bedside, eyes full of longing.

"Maybe he ate something bad?" Tuff suggested, his face scrunching up in a deep thinking process. "One time that happened to me, and, oh, believe me guys, it did not end well."

"I would know," Ruffnut cut in hastily from his side. "I had to deal with it for days."

"No." Stoick breathed out in distress as he sat in the chair by his son's bed. "He just... didn't get up yesterday."

All six pairs of eyes watched hopefully as Hiccup moved slightly in bed, his head shifting to the side, but he still didn't wake. Toothless looked even more defeated than before, if that was possible. "May I sit with him a bit, sir?" Astrid asked Stoick, almost pleadingly. "You look like you could use a break."

"Yeah, Chief." Fishlegs took Stoick's arm and coaxed him out of the chair, much like a mother hen would to her chicks. "Let's at least go get something to eat."

"Yes! Food!" Tuffnut cheered, and Ruffnut nodded eagerly.

Stoick rose, and Astrid was quick to slide into the chair before the Chief could have second thoughts. "I'll call you if there's any change," she promised him. "And don't worry- after all, it's Hiccup. He's always all right."

Stoick nodded wordlessly and allowed Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins to usher him from the room, and to the stairs. Toothless reluctantly followed the bunch after a quick nudge at Hiccup's foot.

Astrid slid forward in her seat once they were all gone, and brushed a few brown locks of hair from Hiccup's forehead. "What happened to you, Hiccup?" she asked softly. Her rough fingers trailed down his cheek, searching for any traces of fever. But his smooth skin was cool, though- almost too cool. She took Hiccup's limp hand between his own, and found it ice cold. She frowned. "Let's see if we can't get you warmed up a bit."

She rose and unfolded the extra quilt from the foot of the bed, then pulled it to Hiccup's chin. She tenderly tucked first one, then the other of Hiccup's arms under the heavy covers, but jerked in surprise when she felt a sudden grip on her wrist. Her breath caught in her throat, but she didn't allow her hopes to soar too high in fear they would be crushed again. "Hiccup?"

Hiccup struggled to lift his eyelids, and Astrid could see he was having trouble focusing on the world around him. "Hey, dragon boy, it's time to wake up," she urged.

"Astrid?" The voice was barely a whisper.

She took a stronger hold on his hand, now feeling protective. "I'm here."

"Where . . ." Hiccup swallowed and tried again. "Where are they?"

"Stoick, Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins are downstairs. I'll go get them-"

"No." His head tossed restlessly on the pillow. "Not Dad . . . or the others. Them." His tone grew more urgent. "Where are they?"

"Where's who?" Astrid asked more forcefully, trying to get through to Hiccup's foggy mind. "Who, Hiccup? Who are you looking for? Tell me, and I'll go get them. Whatever you need, I'll do it for you, but you have to tell me, okay?"

Hiccup smiled faintly, his eyelids fluttering. "Knew I could count on you . . . you'd understand. Dad and the rest of the team try, but . . . it just doesn't happen as much for them. Please, Astrid… you have to help me. I'm not sure of how much more of this I can take."

Astrid felt tears prick at her eyes and blinked them back furiously. "Whatever you need, dragon boy," she choked out.

Hiccup took a stronger hold on her hand, and his voice gained strength as he fought to tell Astrid what he needed. "Find them for me, Astrid. They've all disappeared- I don't know why they've left us. Haven't you noticed? No new adventures, no new dragons, no new islands. Just training exercises, endless pranks of the twins, Viggo's useless attacks against Berk and the Edge- and nothing except that ever happens." His voice began to climb and he tried to sit up in bed, energy fueled by sudden determination.

"Hiccup, lie back down," Astrid pleaded as she pushed gently on Hiccup's shoulders. "Come on, please, work with me. You're sick."

"They've deserted us, Astrid," Hiccup managed out, falling back in bed. "You have to find them and make them come back. Please."

Sudden understanding lit Astrid's blue eyes, and she nodded. "All right, Hiccup. I… I think I know what to do now. Just settle down now and rest, and I'll take care of everything, don't worry. It'll all go back to normal soon."

Hiccup searched her face uncertainly, as if wondering if he should believe her.

She stroked the unruly pieces of hair from Hiccup's forehead again as she spoke soothingly. "Don't worry, I'll find them for you. Fearless Astrid Hofferson will take care of it, dragon boy, and you won't have to be troubled by this any more. Just sleep… rest."

Hiccup gradually relaxed and sank back into the pillows. His eyelids drooped, but he managed to ask her one last time, "You'll find them?"

"I'll find them."

"You'll make them come back?"

"I promise. I've missed them, too, you know."

Hiccup opened his eyes again, and a slight grin tugged at his mouth. "So, nothing happened in dragon training today?"

Astrid shook her head, smiling. "Nothing at all. Boring as one of Mildew's useless rants, actually."

Strangely, that seemed to reassure Hiccup more than anything Astrid had said. "All right. You find them, Astrid. You talk them into coming back."

"I will, dragon boy. I will."

She sat there a little longer, making her plans as she waited to be sure that Hiccup fell asleep again. When she was certain her friend was resting peacefully once more, she rose and silently left the room. She wore a thoughtful frown as she descended the small staircase, and only raised an eyebrow at the sight of Hiccup's father and the rest of the gang sitting in the kitchen, enjoying a warm stew, with an anxious Toothless at their side. She didn't join them, to their evident surprise, but headed for front door instead, grabbing her axe.

"Astrid?" Stoick set his bowl of stew down with a clink, rose and walked over to the young woman's side. "You're leaving?"

Astrid nodded as she tightened her hold on the weapon.

"But why?" Fishlegs pressed, shocked. "You going to desert Hiccup when he's sick?"

"I'm going to fix what made him sick," Astrid said with a determined grimace. She tested her axe's flexibility, and then smiled, satisfied with its strength.

Hope lit up Stoick's face. "You know what's wrong with him?" he asked hopefully, eyes shining. "You can make him better?"

"Yeah," she said, and when she looked up, they could see the rock-solid determination of a young woman who would protect her friend, no matter the cost. "I'm going to go find them and make them pay attention, make them fix it so this never happens again. I'm sorry, Chief, but you two don't know what it's like. Hiccup just can't take it, not like I can. I can last a while without them, but Hiccup… his heart pulls too hard for adventure. He needs action, new dragons, new things." She gazed at the top of the stairs for a moment, before returning her attention to the Berkian Chief. "I'll be back as soon as I can, sir. Make him hold on while I'm gone."

"But . . . but where are you going?" Stoick spluttered, still very confused.

Astrid paused with her hand on the door latch. "I'll go wherever they are, do whatever it takes to get them back. And when I do find them, they're going to either listen to me or be sorry."

"Get who back?" Snotlout asked, just as bewildered as the others.

"The writers. I don't know where they all went this summer, but they're going to learn they can't ignore us anymore." And she slammed out the door, a woman with a mission.

Tuffnut breathed out a sigh of relief, slumping back into his dining chair. "She will, too, I bet. When Astrid gets that look in her eye..."

"That very same look when we mess up big time," Ruffnut added in thoughtfully. "Well… I sure feel sorry for those writers now." Toothless warbled in agreement.

A weight lifted from Stoick's shoulders, and he managed a smile. "Yes, we can leave it in her hands. I trust her with this." He nodded at the other teams, gesturing to the stairs. "Now, let's go see Hiccup. After all, we've all got a big day ahead of us tomorrow, now don't we?"

The group chimed in with agreement, and started up the stairs to tell their friend the good news.

THE END

(maybe)

Betcha you didn't see that coming, huh? :D Well, now it makes sense. GO AND RE-READ IT IF YOU ARE STILL SLIGHTLY CONFUSED. IT WILL ALL MAKE SENSE THEN. *shoos you off*

Okay, IF you have re-read it again, you may continue on reading this. (Or even if you haven't, whatever.) *clears throat* I've noticed that HTTYD fanfics have been dropping lately. Updates are getting slower, authors are getting less encouraged- so I wrote this! Hope you all enjoyed the surprise ending, and don’t stop loving HTTYD! :D

-thepurplewriter333