GUUUUUUYYYYSSSS. GUYS, I DID A THING. I DID A THING, GUYYYSSSS. GUUUUUUYYYYYSSSSSS. I DID CHAPTER 2. CHAPTER 2, WHOOOOOO! :D Sorry, I'm being weird again. :P As usual...
Well, I hope you all enjoy this! And I might make this a three-shot...I don't know honestly. If you guys want me to make it a three-shot I will. Just let me know. :D Enjoy chapter 2! :D
"Are you alright, Hiccup?" Astrid asked for the upteenth time, re-wetting the now humid cloth before laying it back on the sick boy's forehead again. He hadn't been getting better, and it had been roughly half an hour since Snotlout and the twins left for Berk. With how Hiccup's health was plummeting down hill, she was worried for his wellbeing.
Hiccup sighed and shrugged. "I'm alright," he said. "I've been better, and I feel awful, but...but I'm alright." He rolled over on his side and curled into himself. "Do you have any ideas for what you want to do next time we go exploring?"
"Well, I was thinking," Astrid began, "that maybe we could go to an uncharted island next time we discover one and, if it's safe, set up camp and stay for the night. Maybe we'll find more nocturnal dragons that don't come out during the day. And then…"
Hiccup wasn't listening to the actual words she was saying. Her voice was quiet and calm right now, and it normally wasn't like that, so having it like that now was soothing. Listening to her talk helped him keep his mind off his headache, and his churning stomach.
"...And, well, I think that's a good idea," Astrid concluded. "Don't you think so?"
"Mmmhhhnn," Hiccup murmured quietly, his eyes closed. He felt himself drifting off, but then, there was an itch in the back of his throat that he couldn't ignore, and after another moment, he started coughing. It was soft and frequent at first, but then, it turned for the worst, and before he knew it, he was hacking and coughing violently.
Astrid grabbed him by his shoulders and forced him into a sitting position. Before he could protest, she slapped him on the back, probably harder than she intended to. See, Astrid's version of "soft" was usually a normal person's version of "hard." It hurt, but he couldn't bring himself to care, because right now, her forceful slaps were helping him get his coughing under control, so he voiced no complaints out loud.
At length, he finally stopped coughing, resting his heavy head against Astrid's shoulder and shutting his eyes. He hated being sick normally, but Eel Pox was just the worst. He could handle the flu or a cold, or even a fever, but Eel Pox was like having all the common sicknesses at once. Short breath, coughs, nausea occasionally, fevers, dizziness, headaches, lightheadedness, weakness, fatigue...all of it. It didn't help that he'd stayed up until midnight the previous day, either. If he'd known he was sick with Eel Pox, he wouldn't have done it.
But unfortunately, there wasn't really any reason for regrets. He did what he did, and he made a mistake, yes, and there was no changing it, so might as well deal with it instead of wishing he had acted differently.
"Hey, you still there?" Astrid asked, shaking his shoulder. "Did you fall asleep?"
Hiccup shook his head, keeping his eyes shut. "Tempting, but no," he murmured. "Not yet."
She pulled away, much to his protest, and forced him to look at her, holding his head with her hands on his cheeks. "You look tired," she commented. "You should sleep."
"Alright…" His eyes were already closing on their own, and he couldn't stop it, try as he might. Astrid laid him back, and he rolled over on his side again, sighing in both frustration and contentment; it felt good to rest, but at the same time, he hated feeling vulnerable, especially in front of Astrid. He coughed harshly twice into his fist, and Astrid rubbed his back.
"Try to get some rest," Astrid said. "I'll see if Fishlegs can make you some soup. It'll help your throat, and it'll help you keep up your strength."
He nodded. Astrid pushed his bangs out of his face, like she had done so many times since he had taken ill, and after a few moments, he was sleeping. Astrid watched him for a few more minutes before rising to a stand. She didn't want to leave him, but she wanted to see if Fishlegs had any word from Snotlout or the twins. So, she left Hiccup with Toothless, who was curled up next to the bed.
"Come get me if something happens, Toothless," Astrid said over her shoulder, and left promptly afterwards, mounting Stormfly and heading towards Fishlegs' hut. It didn't take her long to get there, and as soon as she did, she dismounted and made for the door.
"Wait for me, Stormfly," Astrid said, and Stormfly chirped in acknowledgement and laid down on the ground, curling her tail around her body and shutting her eyes. Satisfied with that, Astrid turned and knocked on the door.
Fishlegs opened it and greeted her. "Oh, Astrid!" he said. "You're here! Alright. I was wondering how Hiccup was doing." He stepped away to let her in, and once she had entered the abode, he shut the door behind her again.
"He's doing okay," Astrid said. "His fever's pretty high, but no delusions yet. He's still got a nasty cough, though. Any word from Snotlout or the twins?"
"Astrid, they haven't even been gone for an hour yet," Fishlegs said blatantly. "They probably won't be back for somewhere around twenty four hours. It'll take them probably almost ten hours to get to Berk, and then not to mention they have to find the Eel Pox cure, and then, they need to get back here."
Astrid sighed. "They'd better hurry up," she said. "Is there something I can give Hiccup for his fever, or his cough?"
Fishlegs nodded and took a small pail off the table and handed it to her. "Here, I made some soup earlier, just in case he decided he wanted to try and eat something," he said. "And as for his fever...I'll make some peppermint and yarrow tea and bring it over for him. It should help his cough, too."
"Thanks, Fishlegs," Astrid said. "I'm glad you're here and not Snotlout. Snotlout wouldn't have any part in helping Hiccup."
Fishlegs shrugged. "He just doesn't want to get sick," he said. "Which I understand. Do you remember what happened the last time Snotlout got Eel Pox? I don't think I want to see it happen again." He shivered, and Astrid smiled, if faintly.
"Alright, I'm going to take this to him," she said after a pause. "And thanks again, Fishlegs."
"You're welcome," Fishlegs replied, and Astrid headed off.
It took her a remarkably short amount of time to get back to Hiccup's residence, and as soon as Stormfly's feet touched the ground, Astrid slid off her back and started towards the door.
Just as she was about to open it, Toothless bounded out of it, looking frantic. He jumped when he saw Astrid, and as soon as he got over his fright, he roared at her and nodded towards the inside of the abode.
That couldn't have meant something good.
Astrid stepped inside instantly, setting the pail down on the table before turning and racing towards Hiccup's bedside. He was still, hardly moving at all except for the rise and fall of his chest, and for a few moments, Astrid thought that maybe Toothless had been overreacting about whatever he was going on about.
But then, Hiccup twitched and whimpered in his sleep, his once peaceful face being replaced with one pinched in an unspoken agony Astrid couldn't determin. She put her hand over his, and when he tensed, grabbed his hand and held it in both of her own.
She really hoped this wasn't a delusion. She didn't think she would be able to stand Hiccup in such a state like that.
"No…" he murmured, tossing his head. Astrid re-wet the cloth and laid it back on his forehead, but it didn't seem to help. "No...Astrid...no…"
Her eyes widened. She didn't know what he was going through, or what he was seeing, but she decided that she had to wake him up, before it got worse. She wondered what he was seeing in his dream. It obviously involved her, or else he wouldn't have been moaning her name, but she knew she really didn't have time to think about it. Her friend was in pain, and she was going to do everything in her power to take the agony off his shoulders.
"Hey, I'm here," she said, squeezing his hand in a silent reassurance. "I'm right here, Hiccup. I'm not leaving, and neither are you."
His whimpering quieted for a brief moment, but then, it worsened. "No...don't...don't hurt...hurt her…" he groaned. "Don't...please...please don't!" His voice was rising, along with Astrid's concern. He sounded so desperate, so small, so helpless that she couldn't help but feel as though her heart were breaking into a million pieces.
"I'm not hurt, Hiccup," Astrid promised. "I'm fine. I'm right here. Feel me holding your hand?" She squeezed his hand even tighter, and he squeezed back, although he wasn't awake, his eyes shut tightly as if he were in pain. "I'm right here for you." She readjusted the cloth on his forehead with her free hand, her other hand holding onto Hiccup's tightly.
It wasn't enough to help Hiccup, though.
"Astrid!" Hiccup shrieked, bolting into a sitting position. Astrid herself almost screamed, not expecting his sudden awakening and especially not expecting him to wake up shouting her name. She watched him look around wildly for a few moments, and when he looked at her, he screamed again and reached for his dagger.
He doesn't know it's me, Astrid realized with a pinch of horror. Who knows how he sees me thanks to the Eel Pox.
She didn't have time to stop him before he drew his weapon, but she did manage to grab his wrist before he had a chance to hurt her or himself. His grip was surprisingly weak, and Astrid was able to pry the small dagger out of his hand. He was shaking like a leaf, and she tossed his weapon aside and put her arms around him. He was tense and breathing heavily, and she didn't know what else to do other than be there for him.
"I'm right here," Astrid whispered. "I'm not hurt. I'm fine. And so are you. You're alright, Hiccup."
After a few more moments, Hiccup spoke. "Ast-trid?" he rasped. His voice was weak, and it cracked so many times she had to think for a moment before she realized he had said her name.
She nodded. "Yeah, it's me," she said. "It's me. You're fine. We're both fine."
For whatever reason, just hearing her say that made Hiccup burst into tears. She didn't know what was wrong, or what he had seen in his dream, so she simply settled for holding him tighter.
"I-It was t-terrible, Astrid…" Hiccup sobbed. "D-Dagur...Dagur g-got you, and he...he...h-he said...that…t-that he would h-hurt you if I d-didn't help him...but...but e-even though I helped him, he...h-he still..."
"You don't have to tell me," Astrid said. His fever had spiked; she would have to bring it down when she had the chance to. "I know, I know...it was a dream. A nightmare, Hiccup. None of that happened, and it won't ever happen, alright? I'll always be right here, and if Dagur has anything to say about it, I'll kick his deranged behind all the way to America."
"B-but America doesn't exist…"
"Exactly."
Hiccup sighed and leaned his head on her shoulder, but a moment later, he pulled away again. "Astrid," he said.
"Yeah?" she asked.
Hiccup swallowed. "I'm...I'm going to be sick…"
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Astrid stood, releasing Hiccup in the process and looking for a bucket. She found one in the corner of the room, and she instantly grabbed it and raced back to Hiccup again. She shoved the bucket underneath his chin, and not a moment too soon, either. She sat down next to him while he retched and heaved into the bucket, feeling sorry for him every moment of it.
"Sorry," she whispered.
Hiccup coughed. "No, don't be," he said. "N-not your fault…" He ducked his head again, and Astrid combed her fingers through his sweaty hair.
"Think you're done?" she asked after a few more moments. Hiccup nodded shakily, and Astrid took to disposing of the bucket while Hiccup laid back against his bed once again. Minutes passed before Astrid returned, and when she did, she sat down on the edge of the bed once again, soaked the rag in water, and laid it across his forehead. Afterwards, she pulled the blanket back over his body up to his shoulders. It was still reasonably cold outside; she would rather he be too warm than get chilled, especially with his fever and all.
"Thanks," Hiccup whispered, breaking her from her thoughts. She looked back down at him. Funny, she had been sure he was asleep. "For staying."
She took his hand and smiled faintly. "You're welcome," she replied.
