Loopedy loopedy loopy, my name is Miss Sloopy. No, actually, my name is BeyondTheClouds777 and I am here to totally crush everyone with angst and cliffhangers and kill the main character multiple times-
Oops, wrong flashcard. Not supposed to be reading that one...
Yeah, sorry. So, I got inspiration for this fanfiction, and hopefully, it won't turn out to be a death!fic. I really don't think it will...really, this story is about Valka and Hiccup's Mother/Son bonding, and, well, a bit of Hiccstrid thrown in there don't hurt nuthin'. :) (Misspelled on purpose)
Shout-outs:
silverwolvesarecool: I'm glad you're liking it so far! You seem to like all my stories...:)
HiccupHaddockIII: I AM SO EVIL TO POOR HICCUP SOMETIMES! THANKS FOR LIKING IT! :D
midnightsky0612: "Uh oh" is right! :(
Guest (#1): Here's your new chapter! :D
Guest (#2): Sorry about the suspense! I'm updating now! :D
jackaroo126: WHOA, MADE-UP-WORDS, TERRIFYING! I MUST UPDATE! Thanks for your review! :D I always smile SO BIG when I see one in my email inbox. :)
dragonlovewater: EXACTLY! :D
Sarah and Bella: Nah, I don't think this will be a death!fic. I've done quite a few of those...and in answer to your question, in the last chapter while Hiccup and Astrid were talking and everything, Valka was still sleeping. :)
OTHER: So I did a lot of research on animal bites and diseases caused by animal bites, and found some interesting stuff, so if you ask in the future, yes, I did research it, and yes, I do know what I'm talking about. Or, at least I hope I do...hmmm...no, I'm just joking, I really honestly DO know what I'm taking about. If you guys have any ideas, too, that would be great. The more ideas I get, the faster I may update. :) Enjoy the chapter! :D
"Hiccup…?" Astrid said, shaking him gently. He had a fever, and it was high. How had she not seen it before? The flush of his cheeks while the rest of his face was washed out by a sickly pallor along with the deep breaths he was taking should have made his illness obvious. However, she had been oblivious to it. She felt remarkably stupid and scornful of herself, yet kept from thinking about it too much. She had to make sure Hiccup hadn't fallen unconscious. That was what she was really worried about.
"Hiccup, come on, you have to wake up," she tried again. For a few moments, she was afraid that he really was unconscious, and that he was sicker than she had thought. However, when Hiccup's eyes opened and he looked up at her, she was so relieved she could have cried.
"I don't get you," he said drowsily, squinting against the sunlight that filled the room. "One minute, you're yelling at me and ordering me to sleep, and then the next thing you know you're practically begging me to get up. I'll never understand that-"
"Hiccup, you have a fever," Astrid said blatantly.
Hiccup looked at her. "Oh, so that's why it's so hot in here," he said. He draped his arm over his forehead. "Uh-huh, fever…man…"
"I'm going to wake your mother up," Astrid said. She was still whispering, despite the fact that there wasn't anyone she was really planning on keeping asleep. She was going to wake Valka, and Toothless was bound to wake up another instant later. Astrid stood up from where she was seated on the couch, and then made for Valka's room. She stopped when she felt Hiccup's hand grab her wrist.
"No, don't…" he said pleadingly.
Astrid was just about to jerk away from him and go get Valka anyways, but something kept her from doing so. "Why?" she asked, just out of curiosity.
"She's…she's already so worried," Hiccup said quietly. "I don't want to burden her anymore than I already have…"
"Hiccup," Astrid said, sitting down next to him again, pulling his hand from her wrist so that his fingers entwined with hers. "Your mother wants to take care of you. I know she does. You're not a burden. She'd be more worried if we don't tell her than if we do."
"No…please," Hiccup said.
"I have to, Hiccup," Astrid said. "It's part of being a good friend. You're going to get worse unless you get some help, alright? Let me and your Mom help you. We want to."
Hiccup sighed, yet complied, nodding in silent confirmation. Before Astrid even had a chance to get to her feet again, they heard the sound of a door opening. Valka stepped into the main room, her eyes falling on Astrid and Hiccup. Astrid turned in the woman's direction. Valka must have been awake for at least a few minutes, because she didn't look like she had just woken up.
"Hiccup," she whispered, racing over to him and Astrid. Astrid moved out of the way, letting the mother get to her son easily. Valka put her hand against Hiccup's cheek, and then moved it to his forehead.
"Good gosh, Hiccup, you're burning up," she said. It was very plain to Hiccup and Astrid that she was trying to keep hysterics out of her voice, but she did a very poor job of it.
"Astrid," Valka said, "please, go fetch some water, and hurry."
Astrid nodded, grabbing a bucket by the door as she made a break for the well. Valka sat by Hiccup, carding her fingers through his hair, shushing his frequent whimpers with compassion only a mother would know towards their child.
"No, you don't have to get up, sweetheart," Valka said as Hiccup kept constantly trying to sit up and tell her that he was fine. She always shushed him before he got a word out. "You can just lay back."
"Mom, I don't know what's…wrong," Hiccup said. "I didn't…I didn't feel like this earlier..."
"Shhhh, you don't have to try and explain yourself," Valka said. "You didn't do anything. I do want you to rest, though. Astrid will be back soon, and then we can work on getting your fever down, alright?"
Hiccup nodded, laying back. A few minutes later, he shot into a sitting position abruptly. Valka was about to push him back against the bed again, but Hiccup stopped her.
"Mom," he said, his voice strained, "I'm gonna…gonna…"
Before Valka could ask what he meant, she figured it out. The arm Hiccup had wrapped around his stomach made it clear as day. Valka stood up abruptly, grabbing another bucket set by the door before returning, putting it in front of Hiccup. Almost instantly, he grabbed the bucket and expelled into it. Valka rubbed his back, whispering soothing nothings in an attempt to calm him.
Hiccup coughed in between heaves, his entire body shaking. The door opened, and Astrid stepped in the house, a water bucket dangling from the grip of her hand. Her eyes widened at Hiccup's condition, and she hurried over, setting down the bucket by the couch.
"He wasn't like this when I left," Astrid said. Valka looked at the girl with concern in her eyes, and Astrid met her gaze. "Does this mean he's getting worse?" she asked quietly.
"I don't know," Valka admitted. Hiccup coughed violently, and Valka patted his back in an attempt to help stop his choking. He fell against her wearily, nuzzling his head underneath his mother's chin. Valka reacted accordingly, wrapping her arms around Hiccup's shaking frame and kissing his forehead gently.
"Should I go get a healer?" Astrid asked.
"No…no h-healer…" Hiccup said. "P-please…pl-please n-no healer…"
"Hiccup, you need a healer to look over you, son," Valka said. "You're very sick."
"Please…Mom," Hiccup said. "Don…don't want…the village to…f-find out…n-not yet…please…"
The desperate, pleading tone of his voice nearly broke Valka's and Astrid's hearts alike. Neither of them were used to hearing Hiccup sound so broken. Valka looked at Astrid, who then nodded silently.
"Alright, Hiccup," Valka said finally. "We'll do what we can, but if you don't show signs of improvement by tomorrow, then I'm sending for a healer, alright?"
Hiccup nodded against her neck. "T-thanks…" he said, just before falling asleep, cradled in his mother's comforting embrace.
"What do I do to help?" Astrid asked.
"Start by asking Gobber to take over as far as running the village goes," Valka said. "Tell him not to tell anyone else of Hiccup's condition. No need to spread panic. It's not what Hiccup wants. And then…well, come back when you've finished that, and we'll discuss what to do next."
Astrid nodded. As she left, she closed the curtains so that the house was darkened and no one could look in. Then, she left, hoping that when she returned, Hiccup wouldn't be even worse.