In sickness and in health
Merida coughed so violently that tears made it out of her eyes. She reached for the glass of water that stood beside her bed and quickly took a big swallow which immediately made her throat feel better.
"How are you feeling?" a voice came from the door and she looked up.
There stood Hiccup with a tray in his hands and a kind smile on his lips.
"I'm fine, just like I've been all day" Merida answered, annoyance in her voice. "I don't understand why you won't let me go outside"
Hiccup chuckled and walked up to her, handing her the cup of tea he had carried on the tray.
"You're really stubborn, you know that?" he said and placed the tray on the bedside table before reaching with his hand to feel on Merida's forehead. "You're still burning up, It's a wonder you're as brisk as you are"
Merida rolled her eyes and took a sip of the tea. It actually made her sore throat feel like heaven, but she wouldn't tell Hiccup that. She would act like she was completely fine, even though it felt like her headache would make her faint.
"I just need some fresh air" she said in hopes that he would let her go outside.
"I actually agree on that matter" Hiccup said and Merida's eyes widened in surprise.
Hiccup walked to the window and opened it up, letting a cool breeze fill the room.
"There, fresh air" he said, very content with himself and went back to sit beside Merida on the bed.
"I don't need you looking after me like this" she said but Hiccup just shook his head.
"If I didn't you would just go out and feel even worse" Merida rolled her eyes again.
She was so bored of just staying in her room like this, Hiccup doing everything for her so that she wouldn't get out of bed.
Actually, that gave her an idea.
"I'm hungry" she groaned.
Hiccup quickly kissed her on the forehead and stood up.
"I'll get you something really good" he said and walked out the door.
As soon as the door closed Merida snuck out of bed. She took a quick sip of her tea before as quietly as possible leaving the room.
Opening the door, she was very happy that it wasn't one of those doors that creaked very loudly. Instead she was lucky to have a very quiet door which made it easy for her to sneak out.
She started sneaking down the hall, very careful not to make any sounds to alarm Hiccup. She made it all the way to the front door and was just about to open it when she sneezed very loudly.
"Merida?" she heard Hiccup calling from the kitchen and groaned. It only took a few seconds and then he was right in front of her. "What are you doing? You're sick, you can't go out" he said and put his arm around her shoulder to lead her back to the bedroom.
"I just want to go out and breathe a little" Merida tried to win him over.
But Hiccup wouldn't have it.
"No, you're staying in bed today" he said firmly and tucked her in under the blankets. "I'm making you some fish soup, it should make you feel better" he smiled and once again kissed her on the forehead before leaving the room.
Now she really wanted out of there. Hiccup wasn't a very good cook but the kind of food he was worst at, was fish food.
Merida looked at the window. Their apartment was on the first floor, she could easily climb out the window. So that's what she did. With no problem at all she jumped out of the window and landed softly on her feet.
Happy to have made it outside she started walking around the building towards the sidewalk. What she didn't think about was that she walked past the kitchen window, making Hiccup spot her and hurry outside too.
"Merida!" he called and made her stop in her tracks, groaning loudly.
She turned around and faced her irritated boyfriend.
"Why don't you just accept that you're sick and stay in bed?" he asked and started to lead her back inside.
"Like you wouldn't do the same thing if it was you" Merida muttered and Hiccup pretended not to hear.
He knew that if he was sick he would still try to go outside just like Merida did right now. But there was no way he was going to admit that. He would do anything to keep Merida in bed so that she would get better as soon as possible.
Back in the bedroom, Hiccup once again tucked his girlfriend in. And then he called for hiss cat, Toothless. The black cat with the striking green eyes entered the room with a questioning look.
"Watch her bud" he said and left the room.
Toothless jumped up on the bed and sat down, staring at Merida. She groaned.
"Come on Toothless, you know how boring it is just staying inside" she pleaded. "Just let me sneak out and don't tell Hiccup"
The cat just stared and Merida groaned, again. There was no way Toothless was going to let her go out. She turned around, so that she was laying on her stomach, and buried her face in the pillow.
The next thing she knew Hiccup was patting her on the shoulder, saying her name with a soft voice. She looked up at his smiling face, and realized that she had fallen asleep.
"I've got your soup" he said and Merida saw the bowl on the bedside table.
And she smelt the stink.
"Thank you" she just said instead of telling her boyfriend that she didn't want to eat it.
Hiccup smiled and left the room again. Merida turned to Toothless.
"You can have it if you want" she said and the cat's face lit up in happiness.
He jumped over her to the table and with happiness started eating from the bowl.
Merida stayed in bed for the rest of the day. She coughed a lot, she sneezed a lot and the headache never left her alone. Most of the time she slept, she played a lot on her Gameboy too and talked to Toothless.
To her surprise Hiccup came in around 8pm and told her to go out to the living room. She found it lit up by dozens of candles and on the TV her favorite movie was ready to play. Hiccup followed her into the room, a sheepish smile on his face.
"I thought I should cheer you up somehow" he said and within two seconds, Merida pressed her lips against his.
When they finally broke apart she looked him right in the eyes and said "Thank you".
They sat down in the couch together, cuddling as they watched the movie and ended up falling asleep on the couch.
The next morning Merida got up feeling much, much better. Actually she felt completely well and ready to meet the day.
When Hiccup woke up he found her sitting by the kitchen table painting on her bow.
"Morning" she said, loudly and happily.
"Quiet down Mer, I've got a headache" Hiccup answered right before he started coughing like crazy.
Merida laughed.
"Looks like someone has to stay in bed today"