Author's Note:

Hello everyone and welcome to the first chapter of this one-shot collection. I'll probably update this sporadically as it is just a place to gather any story ideas I have that aren't really long enough to be fics on their own. Most of them will be set in my 'Differently Similar' verse but if any aren't then I will specify in the Author's Note for that chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

I do not own any aspect of How To Train Your Dragon.

Illness

Snotlout was ill.

It was a rare occurrence for him to get sick but when he did he really got sick and this time was no exception. He was currently curled up under a pile of blankets feeling and looking absolutely miserable.

He'd woken up that morning only for his stomach to greet him by emptying itself; fortunately there had been a handy empty bucket nearby which he'd managed to grab to throw up in. When he'd finished he saw Hiccup sitting up in bed staring at him worriedly and he smiled at his cousin, "I probably just ate too much last night but I'm fine."

Snotlout knew he was most definitely not fine, he could feel the sweat on his brow and his head felt like there was a dragon rampaging through it, and when Hiccup just frowned at him he knew that his cousin didn't believe him. Hiccup got up from his bed and started to head down the stairs, "I'll tell Dad."

With that Snotlout knew that his uncle would spend the next few days at least watching him like a hawk and would instantly fly to his side in worry if he so much as coughed. It seemed that one of the things which would make the great warrior Stoick the Vast become a mother hen was his nephew or son being ill. The only reason they could come up with for this was that illness was about the only thing Stoick could do little about, out with the obvious he couldn't protect them from it and was pretty much helpless if one of them was ill and Stoick the Vast did not like being helpless.

Snotout could hear Hiccup telling the chief and in a flash the man was upstairs checking Snotlout's temperature a worried frown creasing his features. His uncle turned to Hiccup, "Go get Gothi."

Hiccup nodded and headed off back down the stairs with Toothless, who'd been watching everything from his stone slab, close behind. Stoick gently pushed Snotlout back down into bed and placed the cover back over him, "You stay right there and I'll be back in a moment."

His uncle picked up the vomit filled bucket and hurried of to the lower floor with it. True to his word he was soon back with the bucket now cleaned out and empty, he placed it on the floor within easy reach and sat on the edge of Snotlout's bed and ran a gentle hand through his hair. Snotlout felt the banging in his head ease a bit at the touch and he concentrated on that rather than his churning stomach and clogged up throat as he answered his uncle's questions about his symptoms. It was several minutes before they heard the main door open announcing Hiccup returning and they were thankful that with dragons it was a lot quicker to get Gothi's assistance. He appeared at the top of the stairs holding a stick left from the fire and Gothi close behind. The elderly woman went straight to her patient's side and began examining him as Stoick related Snotlout's symptoms to her. She didn't take long and soon shuffled over to Toothless' stone slab, Hiccup gave her the stick he'd brought up and she used the burnt end to scribble something on the stone as Hiccup gave the translation, "She says that she can give you something to ease your headache but that's all she can do. We just have to let it run its course."

Stoick walked over beside her, "Is that all we can do?"

She began scrawling again and Hiccup quickly translated, "He's to be kept warm and have plenty of water but that's all we can do to help."

Gothi nodded to confirm Hiccup's translation and shuffled towards the stairs to go and prepare the headache medicine, Stoick returned to Snotlout's side speaking to Hiccup as he went, "You should go and take her back Hiccup and then make your way to the academy. You're already late as it is."

Hiccup nodded and walked over and put a hand on his cousin's shoulder, "I'll make sure Hookfang gets some attention and is fed, you just worry about getting better."

Deciding that speaking was too much effort Snotlout slighty nodded and Hiccup smiled and headed off, Toothless gently nuzzled him before following his rider. Stoick also stood, "I'll get you some water and more blankets."

He hurried downstairs and Snotlout turned onto his side, curled up and drifted off to sleep.

When he next woke he felt even worse and was about to throw up again.

He sat bolt upright in his bed, a heap of blankets falling off of him as he did so, and Stoick was instantly there bucket in hand and ready. As Snotlout emptied his stomach yet again his uncle placed an arm around his shoulders and rubbed his back. He finished vomiting and groaned, his uncle took the bucket away and held up a cup with a small amount of liquid in it. Snotlout sniffed it and, guessing it was the headache medicine, pulled a face, "Do I have to drink it?"

He knew he sounded whiney but he didn't really care at the moment and it made no difference to his uncle's answer anyway.

"Yes Snotlout. It'll lessen your headache."

He grumbled some more but dutifully drank as his uncle brought the cup to his lips. He was surprised when instead of tasting horrible as previous medicines had it actually tasted quite nice. Stoick refilled the cup with water and held it up and Snotlout slowly drank some, when he was finished his uncle lowered him gently back and replaced the thrown off covers. Feeling exhausted and with his headache dulling down Snotlout once again closed his eyes and went to sleep.

He woke again to find that his uncle wasn't about but he had a new person watching over him.

Hookfang had his head and shoulders sticking through the large window looking at him in concern. Snotlout smiled at his dragon and the Nightmare responded by grinning back and he could hear a dull thunking sound which was probably the dragon's tail hitting the side of the house as it wagged.

"Hey Hookfang."

His friend shoved his head even further inside and he weakly raised a hand to scratch the Nightmare's chin causing Hookfang to lightly growl in delight. It wasn't long before Snotlout grew tired and had to let his hand drop down again, Hookfang made a grumbling noise then noticed his rider beginning to fall asleep again. The dragon then managed to pick up a bucket full of water up by its handle and place it by Snotlout and gave a light barking growl to get his attention. He looked at his dragon who nudged the bucket towards him and he saw that there was a ladle already in it, he sighed, "Hookfang I don't feel up for drinking anything right now."

The dragon frowned and snorted before reaching his head in further and poking him with his snout. Snotlout stubbornly stared at Hookfang waiting for him to relent, the Nightmare was not easily swayed and simply stared right back until Snotlout eventually gave in, "Fine."

Hookfang grinned and lifted the bucket again holding it in easy reach of his rider who slowly lifted the ladle and took a few sips. This wasn't enough to please his friend who held the bucket in place until he'd drunk the whole ladleful; when Snotlout had done that Hookfang was then satisfied and gave a pleased rumble.

Snotlout could feel himself drifting off again and he smiled at his friend as he lay back down, "Thanks Hookfang."

The dragon smiled and used his mouth to replace the covers back over him finally letting his friend sleep again.

It was night when he awoke for the third time.

It must have been quite late as his uncle was sleeping in a chair he must have moved up at some point next to his bed. Though Snotlout still felt lousy his headache was largely gone and he chanced raising his head, he was surprised to be greeted with the sight of Toothless at the foot of his bed staring at him. His surprise only grew when the Night Fury then wandered around and half clambered onto the bed and placed his head gently on his chest. Bemused he began petting the dragon's head and Toothless began making a sort of purring sound. A quiet squeaking caused both of them to look towards the stairs and they saw Hiccup carefully come up holding a steaming bowl. Hiccup smiled upon seeing his cousin, "I thought you were about to wake up again so I made some broth for you."

He came over and Toothless used his head to help Snotlout sit up and then clambered onto the bed behind him acting as a back rest. The dragon's tail curled around him and helped support the bowl that Hiccup placed on his cousin's lap, Snotlout made to lift the spoon and was pleased to find that he wasn't yet at the stage where Hiccup had to spoon feed him. He took a spoonful and swallowed it glad that his cousin was the one who made it, not that his uncle's cooking was bad but Hiccup's definitely tasted nicer. He managed a few spoonfuls but had to stop when he felt his stomach begin to protest and his headache suddenly decided to return again in full force. He couldn't suppress a groan at the sudden reappearance of the pain and Hiccup was instantly measuring another dose of the headache medicine into a cup and then handing it over for him to drink. Snotlout drank and was pleased that the nice tasting stuff that morning wasn't a one off, Hiccup took the bowl and cup away and Snotlout felt himself going back to sleep again. He dimly registered that Toothless had now curled himself around him and he sub consciously snuggled into the dragon's side, he felt Hiccup tuck the many blankets around him speaking quietly as he did so, "See you tomorrow Snotlout." There was then a short pause and Hiccup then spoke to his dragon, "Thanks Toothless."

Toothless gave him a gentle growl in response before settling down to sleep himself as Snolout slipped off into slumber.

Snotlout's illness lasted the for at least two weeks and he couldn't think of a time when he was left alone at all during that period. Whenever he woke up from his many periods of sleep there was always someone with him. Largely it was his uncle and/or Hookfang during the day and Hiccup and Toothless at night (though Stoick was present then but was more often then not asleep at his bedside), his uncle pretty much coddled him while Hookfang would always make sure he drank at least a little water whenever he was awake, Hiccup made him some sort of broth for him to eat each night and Toothless would curl around him keeping him warm through the night. Occasionally Gobber would be there if the duties of a Chieftain had called Stoick away for some reason and once he had woken up to find Astrid watching over him instead. He was also had a suspicion that Fishlegs and the twins had also been by though he hadn't been awake for their visits and there was an increasing amount of home baked bread in the house that could only have come from the various women around the village. Gothi came by to check on him each day and she even gave him a smile when he said how nice the medicine had tasted, she'd then sneakily revealed that it was a special mixture that she'd made just for him because he was her favourite and patted him on the head.

Eventually his illness passed and was finally allowed out of the house for the first time in two weeks and Hookfang was waiting right outside the house for him. Unfortunately Gothi had banned him flying at least for another day so he made to walk to the arena, Hookfang was apparently of the opinion he wasn't ready for that yet and refused to let him go until he allowed the dragon to carry him there. While he grumbled loudly about it from the dragon's back for the sake of the people around them he secretly scratched Hookfang's neck thankful that he had people around him who cared for him as they did.

PS-Thanks for reading and please let me know what you thought.