A/N: WOW. You guys are amazing. Seriously, your reviews are the nicest and most heartwarming things EVER. I cannot express how sweet you have all been. So, I'm going to respond to some reviews here, AND I'm posting a new chapter earlier than normal as a kind of thanks

ZirciX: I cannot wait for the sequel either. I'm just hoping they don't butcher the story they've got going so far. But your review was so flattering. Your comment seriously just made my day, and I'm so glad you like this story. I hope it keeps you entertained.

TreepeltA113 :Thank you so much! I'm so flattered you think I'm amazing. :D I'm glad you like the way I portrayed their friendship, and while this chapter focuses more on the sentimental side of their relationship, I hope you enjoy it just as much. I also hope you enjoy As The Skies Open, and happy reading!

MillionDollarNinja: Your prediction was correct! Congradulations, you just won a thousand virtual chocolate chip cookies (sorry, I have no real prize to offer)! But I hope you find this chapter rewarding.

And thank you to all my other reviewers! I'm sorry I can't respond to all of you right now, but I hope this chapter will make up for it. It focuses on the sentimental side of the Toothless/Theo and Hiccup friendship, and hopefully will give you reason to smile. :D Enjoy, and please review!

Theodore wandered around the high school stadium. There was a football game in just under and hour, and as much as he hated the football players at Berk High, he was kind of stuck at the game. He'd gotted detention from his psychology teacher for talking back again. Hiccup always tried to convince him that the defiance wasn't worth the drudgery of detention, but that hadn't stopped him yet. Theo got trash duty – clean up the immediate area around the stadium so it looked nice for the game. It was the big rivalry match – tensions ran high throughout the schooSl all day.

Well, at least now it was nice an quiet. People probably wouldn't start showing up for another twenty minutes or so, and Theo only had ten minutes of detention left. He emptied the nearest trashcan, taking the bag to the dumpster, and walked around the corner to the backside of the stadium. It was much darker there than anywhere else, for the stadium lights created long shadows on this side.

For many other people, the backside of the stadium would have been intimidating, creepy, and even downright frightening. But Theo didn't scare easily – he'd never been afraid of the dark, and he was plenty capable of fighting off anyone who dared to bother him. He was over six feet tall, coated in lean muscle, and had faster reactions than most humans. He'd been trained in different defensive arts since he was four – some martial arts, some boxing. He never devoted himself to anything in particular – he was no martial arts champion – but he had a natural ability for fighting, especially hand-to-hand combat. He was strong and quick and smart – he never gave in to blind rage, and he kept his wits about him at all times.

Furthermore, if anyone came across him right now, they'd probably end up being the one scared. In addition to his imposing stature, Theo had an angular face, brows drawn in a natural frown over his eyes that made him look perpetually angry. His brows and hair were both black, but most frightening was his skin. It was pale while, without the sun out, and made his stern features look unnatural and menacing.

So Theo walked unperturbed to the nearest trashcan, and was about to haul it out when he heard a noise. There was a muffled squeal, and then two hushed voices from behind one of the stadium pillars. Theo stepped closer to listen.

"...you'll pay for this, you little -" Theo heard one voice cuss violently.

"Andrew can't play tonight, all thanks to you! You snitched, you got him caught for cheating on Mr. Langston's test!" the second voice hissed, furious. "We needed him for the game tonight!"

"Don't pretend it wasn't you. You were the only one done early, I saw you talk to him! It was right after that he busted me!" the first voice accused again. Again came the muffled protests, as if whoever the two were picking on was gagged or had a hand covering their mouth.

There was a moment of silence, then the sound of someone getting punched. Then came a muffled yelp. Theo stepped closer, starting to wonder if he should break them up himself or get a teacher.

"Hold him, Snotlout. This little pipsqueak is gonna pay!" The first boy growled. Theo's eyes narrowed – Snotlout was everyone's nickname for Shaun, Hiccup's cousin. And everyone knew who his favorite victim was.

"Stop! Stop! Please, Shaun!" A new voice pleaded, panicked. Theo froze in shock; he suspected Hiccup might be involved, but actually hearing his voice, especially when it was so desperate, was not something the older boy was prepared for.

Hiccup's voice was cut short by the sound of another punch, accented by a kick. Theo heard his friend cry out in pain, and anger rushed through him that two jocks had the nerve to think they could beat up his best friend and get away with it. Theo didn't think things through, he just ran. He rounded the pillar, and punched the guy who had attacked Hiccup as soon as it was clear which one he was. The boy dropped to the ground, clutching his face and grunting in pain. Theo then rounded on Snot, punching him right in the nose; not hard enough to break, but enough to give him a really bad nosebleed and two black eyes. Snotlout lost his grip on Hiccup, who dropped on his knees to the ground.

Theo didn't bother with tormenting the two football players further – he hauled Hiccup to his feet, and draped one of the scrawny boy's arms over his own shoulders.

"C'mon Hiccup," he urged.

"Dun take me to thu nurse," Hiccup responded thickly. Theo couldn't see what exactly was wrong with him, but the younger boy was limping pretty badly and it sounded like he'd gotten hit in either the mouth or the nose pretty hard.

"Why?" Theo asked incredulously.

"Becaud. It's ondly gunda make it worse wid dem," Hiccup groaned.

"Okay, okay. I think you're bleeding, so can we at least clean you up in the bathroom?" Theo asked. Hiccup nodded, so they made their way over to one of the boys bathrooms on campus. Inside, there was plenty of light, and Theo frowned.

Hiccup obviously was not built for abuse. His scrawny frame looked limp, as if even the short beating had sapped him of absolutely all energy. He already had a nasty black eye forming, and there was blood dripping from his nose and a scrape above one eyebrow. His reddish-brown hair was mussed, and the ends of his bangs were matted with a mix of dirt and blood.

"You're a mess," Theo scolded, grabbing a handful of paper towels and wetting them in the sink.

"I ndow," Hiccup replied, sagging gingerly against the wall. With the wet paper towels, Theo wiped away the worst of the blood and dirt, and gave his friend a dry paper towel to plug the nose bleed with.

After holding the towel to his nose for a moment, Hiccup pulled it away and examined it. Theo watched in alarm as the scrawny boy blanched, then swayed suddenly. The older of the two was forced to lunge forward and catch his friend before Hiccup hit the ground.

"Whoah!" Theo exclaimed, standing his friend upright again. This time, though, he kept his hands on the younger kid's shoulders to make sure he didn't fall over again. "You are not in good shape."

"Unghh." Hiccup mumbled in reply. "Don'd like blood."

Theo had to resist rolling his eyes. "Of course not. C'mon, let's get you home." And with that, he slung one of Hiccup's limp arms over his shoulders, and ended up half-carrying the semi-conscious boy to his car. By the time he got there, he was definitely worried about his friend. Hiccup was obviously too frail to be bullied, and he was only partially responsive.

"Hiccup. Hiccup!" he shook his friend. "Do I need to take you to the hospital? You look really bad."

"No," the boy groaned. "I'mb aldways like dis afder Sndot beats mbe up. Plus, I didn'd sleep mbuch last night."

"Why?" Theo asked as he started the engine.

"Looking indo research about your skind condition. You don'd say mbuch, but I ndow you hate it. I cand tell," Hiccup mumbled. Theo was touched by his friend's words – even though he thought it was ridiculous for Hiccup to lose sleep over trying to help his strange genetic mutation, it was by far the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him.

"Thanks, buddy," Theo said quietly, turning to smile at his friend while they were stopped at a red light.

"No problemb. Dat's what friends are for, right?" Hiccup responded weakly.

"Yup."

So Theo took Hiccup home, and helped him get cleaned and bandaged up from his beating. They weren't forced to sneak around, because Hiccup's father had not yet returned home. In all likelyhood, he was probably at the football game right now – a famous football coach, he volunteered with the high school team, and everyone knew he was a large part of their success.

After several minutes of wiping the blood and grime off Hiccup's face, and disinfecting his wounds, Theo bid his friend goodbye. Right as he was leaving, Hiccup said something, his voice much clearer now that the blood had been cleaned from his nose.

"Hey, on Saturday, do you mind coming over here?" Hiccup asked, fidgeting a little bit.

"Isn't your dad home on Satudays? I thought you didn't want him knowing anything."

"Yeah...but I changed my mind. He doesn't like people who are...different, like you. I guess that's why he doesn't like me much. But I want to show him I don't care what he thinks. I don't think my best friend should have to be a secret."

Theo smiled. He knew it took a lot of courage for Hiccup to make that decision, and that it would take even more when he acutally met Hiccup's dad.

"Works for me, buddy. And for the record, you're my best friend too."

Hiccup rushed at him then, hugging him briefly. Theo was taken by surprise by the sudden display of affection, but hugged back. After all, no one else was here to see him lose his tough facade, and Hiccup already knew that it was all just a mask.

It was awesome to have a best friend.

There! I hope you liked it, and please review! Also, check out my profile and take a look at some of my other stories, if you'd be so kind!