"And you're absolutely positive," Hiccup asked Gothi for the hundredth time, "that he'll change back to normal at the full moon?"

Gothi scribbled in the sand. "Yes," Gobber interpreted. "The effect of the potion with birthday cake—Ow! Oh, sorry—The effect of the potion he drank by mistake only lasts until the full moon."

The baby Night Fury chirped in Hiccup's lap. All huge green eyes, big soft pawpads and tiny fledgling wings, Toothless as a hatchling was even cuter than his adult self, and that was saying something: Hiccup had always privately thought that there was nothing more adorable than his best friend. He lifted the hatchling to his face and nuzzled the baby-smooth scales of his snout. "Hear that, Toothless?" he smiled. "In a couple weeks you'll be good as new."

Toothless pouted and grumbled – Gothi had told them he still retained his adult consciousness just fine – but then curled up and snuggled into Hiccup's chest. Hiccup hitched him up more securely in his hold, taking his weight in his right arm and rubbing his head and back with his left. "Thank you, Gothi," Hiccup said, taking his leave and starting the trek down the hill with Astrid and Fishlegs. Gobber was staying behind 'for private reasons' and long experience had told Hiccup to run for the hills when his mentor used that particular phrase. Anyway, he had more important things to worry about. "Hungry, Toothless? You want a fish?"

The baby Night Fury shook his head and chirped. "Well, I've got one right here in my bag if you change your mind," Hiccup crooned, bending to the little black hatchling and nuzzling his face. "Okay? You'll tell me when you get hungry?"

Toothless crooned, nuzzling back. Then he pushed his face into Hiccup's vest, nosing around curiously, and ended up climbing the human. Hiccup laughed out loud. "Just love your exploring, don't ya, bud."

"Want me to take him off y…" Astrid began.

Hiccup all but glared at her. "No!"

By now, baby Toothless had clambered all the way up Hiccup's shoulders and ended up perching precariously on them, trying to reach the top of his head. Hiccup laughed aloud, squeezing his eyes shut, as he reached up to take the tiny front paws and seat Toothless comfortably on his shoulders in the same position as a human child. Toothless' broad baby paws scrabbled for purchase in Hiccup's hair while tiny, still-flightless wings fluttered to keep his balance. "Oh my gods, Hiccup," Fishlegs gasped. "He's adorable."

Toothless frowned at the insult, and roared. Unfortunately, his roar as a baby dragon was so cute that it sent both Astrid and Fishlegs squealing. "It's okay," Hiccup grinned up at him. "I know you're ferocious. Deep down." A smooth, round little snout looked down at him, blinking big green eyes. "Deep, deep down," he affirmed, sternly holding back from making any high-pitched noises himself.

"Purrr…." The hatchling's green eyes widened as though he had never seen the scenery from this vantage point before. Although a seasoned flyer as an adult, baby Toothless was transfixed, fascinated by the view from Hiccup's shoulders.

"Like the view, huh?" Hiccup chuckled, reaching up with both arms to hold his charge in place and double-check that he was safe. "I can give you a better one. What do you say we go up the hill before your nap?"

"Up the hill?" Astrid frowned. "That's kind of far, isn't it?"

"Astrid, Toothless has been carrying me all over the Archipelago from Day One. I never dreamed of being able to do the same for him. Now," said Hiccup, eyes sparkling with joy as he petted the tiny black dragon, "now I finally get a chance to return the favor, and I'm not gonna waste a single minute of it."

And he trotted off, carrying Toothless on his shoulders.

Note: Odin help me, I am now taking prompts in this 'verse.