AN: For this fic Regner = Denmark, Magnus = Iceland and Jakob = Norway. I used the names that my roleplaying group uses, sorry, and thanks to their players!

Once again, thank you to all of those who favourited, added or commented on this. I really appreciate your support in my writing, and I love hearing what everyone thinks.

- Gil

"Peter? Peter? Come on, you can't stay in there forever."

There was no reply, save for perhaps the slightest hint of a sniff. Tino knocked on the door softly again. "It's all right, you know. There's nothing wrong with it. You can just try again next time! It'll be fine!"

Silence. "Pet'r? You're m'king your dad worry." Still no answer. "You're m'king me worry."

They waited a little longer. "Well, when you're ready to talk, we'll be here for you, all right? Just so you know. No matter what you want to say, we'll listen."

"We're still pr'd of you."

Tino squeezed Berwald's hand, and they hesitated for a while longer, but eventually, with a long, worried sigh from Tino, headed back down the stairs. "Do you think he'll be all right?" Tino asked, looking at Berwald for reassurance.

Berwald nodded by way of answer. "Event'lly."

Tino led the way up the stairs, glancing back at the three brothers in the lamplight. "He's not come out of his room yet, so if you could try… I'm sure he'll appreciate you coming to visit him anyway." He offered them a tired, worried smile, and Eduard squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

"He'll be all right by the morning." He said.

Tino nodded, and passed him the lamp. "Good luck."

Toris was the one to knock, cautiously leaning forward. "Peter? It's Toris. Eduard and Raivis are here too."

"Hello, Peter." Eduard said, and then the two brothers looked at Raivis.

"H-hello, Peter." Raivis mumbled.

They paused, hoping at least for a response, but there was none. "Um, well. We just wanted to say that we don't think that you did badly."

"Not everyone is made to be a rider." Eduard said, pushing his glasses back up his nose, and Toris pulled a face at him, gently nudging his arm. "Ah, what I mean is, some people have to wait to find the right dragon."

They paused again, but there was still no response. "Well, we look forward to seeing you when you're feeling better then." Toris said, and started to head off.

Raivis didn't move, though, gently knocking on the door again. "Peter? I'm worried about you." He paused, listening for a response. "Please come out?"

Toris put his hand on his little brother's shoulder, gently leading him away. "Why don't you come back and try again tomorrow? He's probably asleep. After all, it's been an exhausting day for all of us."

Raivis glanced back at Peter's door, but allowed himself to be lead back down the stairs.

Alfred was the next to visit, first thing the next morning, which surprised Berwald and Tino. "I just wanted to check that the kid was all right, y'know?" He said, beaming. "Because heroes don't let kids be miserable. I'll cheer him up for you!"

He flashed them a grin, then barrelled up the stairs. "He'll keep going until he thinks he's found the right door." Matthew said, making Tino jump. He hadn't noticed him standing there! "Which one is it? I'll go and point him in the right direction."

"F'rst on the r'ght." Berwald said, with a nod. "Th'nk you."

Matthew inclined his head, then disappeared up the stairs after his brother redirecting him from talking to Tino and Berwald's empty room.

"Hey, Peter? It's your awesome hero, Alfred! I just wanted to tell you that I really don't think any less of you. You can still be awesome, you know! And you can always find another dragon some other time!"

"I hope you're all right, Peter. Alfred's right, you're still young. Perhaps the right dragon for you just wasn't there this year?"

"Oh, and also, Arthur's worried about you. He's doing that pacing thing that he does when I'm injured and I'm not, so he must be worried about you. But don't tell him I told you that!"

Matthew shook his head and smiled. "You're worrying your parents too. Why don't you at least come out to eat something?"

"Yeah! You don't want to starve away to nothing!"

They both paused, listening, and Alfred looked at Matthew, frowning. "Do you think he's sleeping?"

Matthew shook his head. "I think he still needs a little more time. Come on, let's let him be."

"All right." Alfred turned back to the door, though. "I think you'd still make a pretty awesome hero, Peter!" He said, grinning happily, then leading the way down the stairs.

"I hope you feel a little better soon." Matthew said, more softly, and then followed his brother.

Alfred and Matthew had barely left when Berwald's brother and cousin appeared. Regner grinned broadly as he swaned into the kitchen. "So, how's the little runt doing? I bet he cried the place down last night?"

Berwald looked like he was going to hit Regner, but Tino put a warning hand on his arm, and then Jakob did it for him, frowning at the taller man as he punched his arm, hard.

"Is he in his room?" Magnus asked.

Berwald nodded.

"We can't get him to come out." Tino elaborated.

"Well, I'll get the brat out." Regner said, grinning, and stamping away up the stairs. Berwald wasted no time in following him, which was just as well, because as they reached the top Regner moved to break down the door. Berward grabbed him by the arm, pulling him away.

"Wh't're you th'nking?"

"Going to get the kid out, duh!"

The smaller three followed them up the stairs, and Jakob and Magnus moved forward to get between Regner and the door, and Tino moved to pull Berwald away again, sighing at the familiarity of it all. Magnus knocked on the door. "Peter?"

"Hey, Peter, it's your best uncle! Stop sulking and let us in." Regner pushed forward again, trying to get closer to the door. He only managed to wait for a moment before he frowned a bit and tried again. "Oi, kid! Come on!" He ignored Berwald's glare.

Magnus tried again, rapping on the door. "Peter, you really should come out."

"Aren't you hungry?" Regner asked, butting in again.

Jakob hit his arm, frowning, but then turned to the door, and tried knocking again. There was still no answer from the room, and the three visitors looked at each other, and then at the worried parents behind them.

"Are you sure you don't want me to knock down the door?" Regner said, a slight pout on his face.

"Yes!" Tino said, quickly. "He'll come out when he's ready."

Regner huffed a little, and moved towards the stairs. "Ffft. Fine. Are you making lunch soon? I'm starving."

Tino rebalanced the tray in his hands carefully, and hesitated, before knocking. "Peter?" He waited again, hopefully, and then knocked again. "I've brought you something to eat. Papa made meatballs." He paused. "Your favourite." He added, hopefully. There was still no response from the room, and Tino chewed on his lip worriedly. "We'll make Regner, Jakob and Magnus go away if you like." He could hear the noise that Regner was making downstairs, and he just hoped that Jakob and Magnus prevented any serious fights from happening.

There was still no movement from the room though, so Tino sighed. Leaning forward, he pressed his forehead against the door for a minute. "Peter, I'm worried." He said, quietly. There was still no reply though. "I'll leave the tray outside, all right. Please take it? I don't mind if you don't want to come downstairs, but please eat." He put it down, and waited another minute, just incase. "We love you, Peter."

It was getting dark when Raivis turned up. He hesitated outside the house, before slowly knocking on the door. In the minutes before Tino came to open it, the timid boy almost fled. Tino smiled tiredly when he saw the blonde. "He's still not come out, I'm afraid."

Raivis nodded, and held up a bag. "I-I made the cookies that he likes. Toris said they might make him feel a b-bit better."

Tino nodded, and stepped aside, holding the door for him. "Why don't you try giving them to him yourself? I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

"A-are you sure?"

"Of course. Come in."

Cautiously, Raivis stepped inside, flinching a little when he saw Berwald walk over to see whom it was. Tino led him past and up the stairs, where he'd removed the full tray a while ago. Petting him gently on the shoulder, Tino gave him a smile and then padded away back down the stairs.

Raivis knocked lightly on the door, chewing on his lip. "Peter? It's me again." He waited, just in case, and thought that he heard a little movement. "T-Toris said that you might want something to cheer you up, so I made some more of those c-cookies that we made that other time. R-remember?" He waited, but there were no more sounds from the room. "U-um, well. There here if you w-want them, all right? P-please eat. A-and please come out. Y-you're worrying people." He paused again. "You're worrying me." He was quiet again to see if this had any impact, but unfortunately not. He sighed deeply. "All right. I'm putting them d-down here, if you w-want them." He leant down, putting the bag where Peter would be able to reach without coming out of his room, and retreated down the stairs.

About ten minutes later, the door opened a crack, and Peter peered out with red-rimmed eyes. He snatched up the bag, and closed his door again, leaving no sign that he had moved except for the now empty corridor.

Tino and Berwald were surprised when the young rider arrived at their door, but even through their worry, they couldn't help but smile at the boy's enthusiasm.

"Haha, did you see that? I made it all by myself, da ze~. I invented dragon riding!"

Berwald rolled his eyes, but Tino led Yong Soo into the house. "Did you fly all the way by yourself?"

"Yep! Yao wanted someone to deliver a letter, so I said I would, da ze~. Did you know, I invented letters!"

"Wh're's the l'tter?" Berwald asked impatiently.

"Oh!" Yong Soo searched for a minute, and then tugged a crumpled envelope out of his pocket and passed it over. "Here. Yao said that he wished you the best, da ze." He hesitated, expression falling a little. "I hope the kid's okay."

Tino smiled at him and nodded. "Would you like some cookies before you head back? I just made some."

Yong Soo perked up again instantly. "Yes please!"

Tino gave him cookies and milk, before helping him back onto his dragon and waving him off. By the time he returned inside, Berwald had already opened the letter, and was reading it. Sitting down in the chair next to him, Tino leant into him to read it too. He smiled as he read the beautiful, soft script.

'Dear Tino and Berwald.

I hope Yong Soo found you safely and didn't cause too much trouble. He means well.

I'm terribly sorry about what happened to your Peter, and I hope that he's taking it well. He seems like a lovely boy, and I'd hate for his spirit to be hurt by this. Let him know that although things may seem bleak at the moment, his time is yet to come. Not all of us are made to be dragon riders, and Hiccup himself was older than most of our children are when he found his dragon. Peter will be welcome at the next ceremony, and maybe there he'll find his dragon.

Best wishes,

Wang Yao.'

"K'nd of him." Berwald said, when he finished, keeping the letter up so Tino could finish reading it.

Tino smiled and nodded as he finished. "It is. Come on!" Standing up, he pulled Berwald up to Peter's room, where he knocked on the door. "Peter? Yao sent us a letter."

Almost unsurprisingly by this point, there was no reply. "He says you c'n try ag'n." Berwald said.

"Would you like to hear what he said?" Tino asked. There was no reply, so Tino read it out anyway, and then they waited for a response. "Don't you think that was nice?" Tino asked.

"Y'ng Soo br'ght it." Berwald said.

Tino nodded. "He wished you well too." Sighing deeply when there was still no response, he smiled a little when Berwald wrapped an arm around him and pulled him in close to him, supporting him.

"We'll be making dinner soon. We'll make a tray for you." Tino said, quietly.

Tino blinked in surprise when he opened the door, and Arthur hesitated. "Here, I brought these." He said, shoving a box towards Tino.

Opening it, Tino hesitated again, concentrating on keeping his expression clear. "Scones! Thank you. Yum." Arthur nodded bluntly, and then clearly hesitated. Tino took pity on him. "Would you like to come in?"

"Alfred said that the brat was still hiding in his room. I assume you managed to get him out since then?"

"Actually…"

Arthur frowned, and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Well, has he eaten at least?"

"He's had a couple of cookies, yesterday and today, but nothing substantial."

Arthur looked down at his feet, and then back up at Tino. "Could I try talking to him?"

"Of course." Tino said, stepping away. "Come on in."

Berwald looked up from his workbench as they passed and glared at Arthur, who looked away. Tino led him to the stairs, and then stepped away, giving him a little privacy.

Arthur knocked on the door. "Peter? Come on, brat. You're worrying everyone! Tino looks like he's been crying, and Alfred's pissing around annoying people." He huffed when there was no response. "Oh, for goodness sake. Fine, be a twat. But… no one thinks any worse of you, you know." He paused. "So stop worrying people and come out!" He waited a little longer, and then huffed again, and stormed away down the stairs.

"Stupid kid. Good luck with him. I'd suggest breaking the door down." He said, as he passed Tino, and then paused. "Can I do anything?"

Berwald stood up and came over, shaking his head. "Th'nk you f'r trying."

"I guess we'll have to force him out in the morning, but we're hoping he'll come out of his own accord."

Arthur nodded, and let out a sigh, reaching up to massage his forehad. "Well, let me know if there's anything I can do to help." He realised that he was showing some worry for the boy. "Alfred's driving me insane, blaming me."

Tino nodded. "All right. We'll let you know. Thank you, Arthur."

Arthur nodded stiffly, and looked up the stairs one more time, before disappearing away again.