I do not own the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.

Safe!

Hiccup tried to not to fidget as his father appeared at the top of the stairs. Mustering up a smile, he said, "Hey, Dad."

"Son," greeted Stoick. "I thought I heard you moving about up here."

"Just woke up."

Stoick nodded. "Ah. Well, don't dawdle. I have some errands for you to-"

"Achoo!"

Body freezing, Hiccup slowly turned to Toothless, who blinked at them innocently, wings furled tightly around his body in an obviously odd manner. Head turning back to his father, his heart pounded painfully at the narrowed-eyed look he was now receiving.

"He's coming down with a cold," he attempted to excuse. "But he's fine."

"That was not a dragon sneeze. And Toothless doesn't normally sit like that."

Hiccup's fingers started their nervous twitching. His eyes darted side to side, his mouth going dry. "Uh…um…"

His son's agitation clear, Stoick crossed his arms over his massive chest. "Hiccup. What's going on?"

"Uh…uh…" Unable to come up with a fathomable excuse for this current situation, Hiccup howled, "It's not what you think!" and tore past his father and down the stairs before the burly man could even blink.

Taking this as her own cue, Astrid rolled out from the cover of Toothless' wings. Stoick jolted violently at her sudden presence, but before he could react the blonde shrieked, "We didn't do anything!" and dove out the window.

Landing rather painfully in the grass below, she only grunted and stood up. She was about to run for it when she remembered with stark clarity that she was practically naked.

Oh, Odin. Either humiliate myself and my family by running home or wait here until Stoick comes down.

"Busted!"

The familiar cackle was both a relief to hear and an annoyance. Ruffnut crept out from her place from behind the tree and held out a pair of clothes.

"I don't know if I should thank you or kill you," breathed Astrid, wrestling into the skirt, leggings and boots.

The door to the front of the house flew open and a small brunette form streaked out. Twisting on his heel, Hiccup ran backwards for a moment so he could face the two blondes gathered on the front lawn of his house. "Your fault!" he shouted before whirling back around and continuing his mad dash.

Stoick appeared in the open doorway, his face an ugly purple colour. Ruffnut and Astrid immediately bolted after their fleeing friend, flinching as their chief's shout echoed behind them.

"YOU LOT GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!"

"Oooh, you're so getting banished," panted Ruffnut as she and Astrid quickly caught up to Hiccup, who was running at an impressive speed.

"Ruffnut, you're sick," wheezed Hiccup.

"Excuse me, you both enjoyed this dare and you know it. You should be thanking me!"

Astrid spared some sprinting energy to slug her female friend in the shoulder. "For the record, he saw you too, you moron."

Her face fell. "Oh, Thor."

There was a sudden whoosh and a gust of wind threw the teens back a few steps. Shielding his eyes from flying dirt, Hiccup turned another shade paler as his father landed in front of them on Thornado.

"Where's Toothless?" hissed Ruffnut, gripping the boy's arm as she eyed the dismounting chief nervously.

"Probably laughing his dragon butt off," returned Hiccup, knees trembling as his father loomed over them. "Dad, please don't kill us. I swear it's not what you think."

Stoick breathed furiously, his chest rising and falling. His fists clenched at his sides and his eyes were all but slits. "It better not be what I think," he growled. "Or I swear, boy, you'll be sore until next Snoggletog."

"It was just a sleepover," said Astrid desperately. "An impromptu sleepover that Hiccup didn't even know about!"

"I don't care what it was!" snapped Stoick, his booming voice causing the teens to cower. "It was inappropriate! You're not even close to coming of age! I ought to put you on opposite sides on the island and build a wall between you."

"That's not necessary," said Hiccup hastily. "I swear it won't happen again!"

Stoick studied his son intently. "Nothing happened?"

While Hiccup nodded hard, Astrid spoke up, "Nothing at all. I'm so sorry for being disrespectful, sir. It won't happen again."

Stoick eyed the two teens before moving suspicious eyes to the teen lingering behind them. Ruffnut offered an innocent grin, but Stoick just knew she was at the root of this problem. His son and Astrid were respectable Vikings, and never before did they show any signs of venturing past their known limitations for their current age.

There was also the fact that her hair was a bright pink.

But he knew that he wouldn't get anything out of the teens right now-they would not give forth any information if they believed it would only get them in trouble when they were currently off the hook.

"Two weeks of doing whatever Gobber tells you," he finally said, pointing at his son. "And you-"he swung his finger to Astrid, "two weeks of farm duty."

"Yes sir," the two teens said immediately.

"You-"Ruffnut's eyes grew wide at the address-"stay out of trouble."

The blonde gave a nod, keeping her smirk suppressed.

"If this happens again, you will be sorry."

With that, Stoick mounted Thornado and took off. When his father was out of sight Hiccup crumpled to the ground with a moan of relief. Astrid slugged Ruffnut once more in the shoulder, sending the girl to the ground. Looking up towards the sky, Astrid flung her arms to the side.

"Thank you Odin!"

…

When Hiccup, Astrid and Ruffnut filed into the Great Hall for breakfast, Fishlegs eyed them in concern. "What happened? We could hear Stoick yelling from in here."

"My dad has that ability," said Hiccup, dropping onto the wooden bench.

"This idiot dared me to sleep with Hiccup-not in that way, you pervert," snapped Astrid, glaring at Tuffnut and Snotlout, who were snickering. "We got busted."

"And that means you lose a pass," said Ruffnut cheerfully. "I can see victory!"

"In your dreams," snorted Astrid. "Wait until your dare-"

"Intervention!" hollered Tuffnut, flinging himself onto the table, sending plates scattering about.

"Tuff!" complained Fishlegs, gingerly brushing an egg off of his lap.

"What the heck is wrong with you?" demanded Snotlout.

"I'm overriding them," declared Tuffnut. "I have a group dare!"

"Oh great." Hiccup dropped his head on the table.

"I dare you all to have an awake-a-thon!"

Ruffnut rolled her eyes. "Lame."

Tuffnut smirked mischievously. "Those who fall asleep lose a pass. You have to stay awake from five in the morning until five in the morning the following day."

Astrid crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "That sounds too easy."

"Fishlegs and I may or may not have some tricks to make you lose," said Tuffnut idly.

Fishlegs stared with wide eyes. "I didn't agree to this."

"Too bad. I'm gonna need help with this one." Tuffnut grinned around at the four remaining players. "We'll do it here, in the Great Hall. In addition to not sleeping, you can't leave the Great Hall for any reason. Doing so will also make you lose."

"Fine," agreed Ruffnut.

"Whatever," said Snotlout.

"Piece of cake," dismissed Astrid.

"Can we please wait a few weeks?" pleaded Hiccup. "Just until I'm sure Dad doesn't have an eye on me at all times?"

"Sure. I'm gonna need some time to plot with Fishlegs anyway."

"Great. Now that's over with…"Snotlout reached over and gave Tuffnut a shove. "Get off my food, loser."

Friends, thought Hiccup wearily. I just had to have friends.

Next chapter's dare suggestion is by: Rising Equinox

Next chapter: In which Snotlout, Hiccup, Astrid and Ruffnut try to overcome their own bodily needs and Tuffnut's dirty tricks.