Title: Care

Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon (2)

Rating: T

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Family

Characters: Hiccup, Astrid, Valka, Toothless

Pairings: Slight Hiccup/Astrid

Disclaimer: I own nothing and make no money from this. I just love these characters!

Spoilers: Contains MAJOR spoilers for How to Train Your Dragon 2

A/N: Hello all! I know I have two other stories that need updates, and I am getting to that, but this one has been percolating in my head and I really wanted to publish it. After seeing the second HTTYD movie 3 times, I have become completely obsessed! This story takes place sometime after the second film.

Chapter 1

Valka watched her son, curled up under his blanket furs, with a pang of sorrow. Hiccup's cheeks were flushed red, the rest of his face washed out by a sickly, chalky pallor. His eyes were ringed by dark shadows, his pale countenance was glistening with sweat though he trembled with chills beneath the thick covers, his nose was fiery red and chapped, and he was whimpering in his sleep. Slowly, she approached him, setting the broth and warm sheep's milk she carried by his bed and fussing with the covers draped over his son's wiry frame. Slowly, the young chief opened his bleary, fever-bright eyes and looked groggily up at his mother.

"Mom," he rasped, coughing just as harshly into the furs as he had all night.

"Shh," Valka soothed, smoothing her son's hair comfortingly. "Rest. Your coughing has kept you suffering all night." Hiccup finished his choking and wiped his watering eyes with a sniffle. His nose began to twitch, an itch taking up residence in his sinuses that he couldn't shake. It tickled, and no measure of rubbing was making it better.

"I don't feel well," he admitted, closing his eyes against the pounding in his head that was making it hard to hear. Suddenly though, his eyes flew open as the tickle in his sinuses flared. He let out a soft, wet "Hehhhrr… nnnxxtSCHHuu!" into his tunic sleeve, groaning as it worsened the ache in his skull. He gazed up at his mother with glassy eyes.

"I know," the woman acknowledged, placing her other palm against his forehead. She drew back suddenly, as though his skin may burn her, then replaced the back of it on his brow to provide comfort to the ailing boy. Hiccup closed his eyes immediately, leaning into his mother's cool, gentle, familiar touch. "You're running a temperature," she commented, her voice never rising above a whisper. "I'm calling a healer as soon as the village wakes," she added, sweeping her hand across his hairline and brushing a few errant locks back and off his sweaty forehead. She stood abruptly, retracting her hand much to Hiccup's dismay, and went quickly down to get a small bucket of cool water and a rag.

Downstairs, Toothless followed her around like a sad begging puppy until she finally conceded to let the restless dragon visit his sick friend. He was probably itching for a ride, but Valka did not know how to work the dragon's tail, and Hiccup was too sick to be leaving his bed at all this day. Still, she hoped letting the dragon see Hiccup would be beneficial to both of them. She brought the bucket and the beast to the bed chamber and began to soak the rag in the water.

Through the haze of fever, Hiccup recognized Toothless' presence and forced a weak smile despite the mounting pain and exhaustion. "Hey, bud," he said softly, his voice a hoarse croak. He reached out his hand to stroke the Night Fury's head and chin, shaking like a leaf. He began to shiver all the harder, the cold air in the room enveloping and chilling his skin. "Haa-ahh…sscchhh! IITTSSCHHuuuh! Ugh." This particular fit inspired a new bout of coughing that bent the young Viking nearly double and left him and gasping for air. Hiccup rubbed his lowest ribs gently, groaning in agony. All his coughing had left him in severe pain. The dragon recognized something was wrong immediately and looked to Valka for an answer.

"He was up coughing all night," the woman told the dragon as she soaked and wrung out the rag several times. She recalled the previous night, with Toothless pacing restlessly in the back while she sat up with her bedridden boy, holding him close while he coughed and snuffled miserably. She had used her body as a shock absorber to hold him steady as his fits pitched him forward. Every time they had seemed to subside, he'd lie back, only to shoot up again seconds later when a new fit would violently grip him. He hadn't slept a wink all through the night, unable to stop the coughing. She had tried a honey and tonic mixture, but it hadn't worked at all. He had only been able to settle down when the first rays of dawn had beamed over Berk. When he had quieted enough to let exhaustion overtake him, she had left him sleeping fitfully and had gone to make him broth.

"He's sick, Toothless, and running a bad fever," she concluded, squeezing the rag out one final time to drain the excess water. She shook it, making it unfurl, and folded it in half. The Night Fury eyed his weakened friend with a worried face. His eyes studied the suffering rider, taking note of the symptoms visible on his face. Hiccup managed another weak, unconvincing smile in reply.

"'m fine, buddy," he rasped. "I feel better." It was a lie, one his mother saw right through.

"Yes, you feel fine and I'm the Alpha," she teased gently, coming back to the bedside. Toothless lowered his head suspiciously and gently licked his rider's forehead, wincing at the heat and leaving traces of cool saliva. Hiccup's eyes immediately closed and he moaned softly. Valka smiled affectionately, her eyes sad, and pressed the cold rag to her son's burning forehead. Hiccup shuddered, exhaling pleasurably.

"F-feels good," he stuttered, his shivering picking up dramatically. "Hehhh… Hehhhrr… nnnxxtSCHHuu. IhhhSSCHHuu!" The last sneeze hurt and he whimpered softly once again.

"Mm," Valka said with a nod, pressing the cloth down again and skimming the sweat off Hiccup's brow. "Velsigne." She softly hummed as she sponged the sweat from his face and neck, working to cool and comfort him. After one solitary cough, Hiccup's eyelids grew heavy and he couldn't force them open anymore. Toothless rested his head on the young chief's chest, snuggling to him and keeping him warm. Hiccup cuddled the dragon and listened to his mother's voice as humming turned to singing and wet cloth was set down on his forehead to leech the heat from his skin. Valka ran her fingers lightly through her son's hair as she sang softly to him, just as she had to his father not long ago, and to Hiccup back when he was just a babe. Hiccup felt soothed by the familiar melody and safe under his mother's care, despite the mounting fever haze, crippling pain, and distracting nausea clawing endlessly at his stomach. The words lulled him, took him on a comforting journey, and fell into a warm, restless sleep.

Valka watched over him for a few more moments before leaving him in the dragon's care and succumbing to her own exhaustion. The healers would not be awake at this hour. Hiccup would be alright for now. She went for a nap, confident that Toothless would get her if something was wrong. She lied down and was also quickly overtaken by sleep.

It had been only an hour or so into her rest when Hiccup began to toss and turn, muttering feverishly to himself in his sleep and flailing about restlessly.

A/N: Just got back and already leaving it on a cliffy! Hope you all enjoyed, and there will be more soon! Also, to those of you following my other stories, all are getting updates in the coming days. If you feel compelled, please review!

Thanks!

~SS