Happy Valentine's Day! In honor of this romantic holiday, I thought I'd make this month's drabble focused on Hiccstrid (best Dreamworks couple ever)!

Title: Just Checking

Takes Place: After the episode Buffalord Soldier of Dragons: Race to the Edge

Summary: Even though Astrid has been cured from the Scourge of Odin, Hiccup still can't get over the shock of one of his best friend's coming down with a deadly disease. So in the middle of the night, he decides to check on her.

…..

In his hut on Dragon's Edge, Hiccup lay in his bed, tossing and turning.

He and his friends had returned about three hours ago after burning down the ship full of unlucky victims who had perished from the Scourge of Odin, courtesy of Viggo Grimborn. Now it was the very middle of the night and he should have been asleep but he wasn't.

And it was all because he couldn't stop thinking about his Astrid being sick with the Scourge of Odin just recently.

Sure, he they had found the Buffalord and had cured her with its green-colored, herb-mixed saliva in the nick of time but he still couldn't get over it.

Whenever he closed his eyes, he could still see the pallor on Astrid's hardened but beautiful face. For as long since he had known her, her expressions were always so tough, hardcore, determined. And to see those usual expressions replaced by exhaustion and pain was just unnerving to him.

At times, he could still feel her body against his own when he had cradled her in his arms just hours ago. He also couldn't get over the fact that he had the strength to carry her. Just years ago, he didn't even have the strength to carry the heaviest weapons. Perhaps it was the friendship he had formed with Toothless and the joy of everyone who had once taunted him becoming kinder to him that gave him the strength to do so.

Along with that fear and worry still lingering in his heart, there was great anger. Anger towards Viggo for attempting to make such a deadly disease break out again after countless centuries. It was Viggo who was responsible for attempting to destroy innocent lives including the life of his Astrid. Now he felt more determined than ever to defeating that cold-hearted Dragon Hunter for good.

At that moment, Toothless stood up on the stone slab from the other side of the room and walked towards his bed. Laying his chin down against Hiccup's stomach, the Night Fury grunted curiously.

Smiling softly, Hiccup patted his friend's head. "No, Toothless, I can't sleep. I just can't stop thinking about Astrid being so sick."

Toothless grunted again.

"Yes, bud, I know she's better but it was still a shock of seeing her so sick like that." Sitting up, he looked into Toothless' lime-green eyes which shone against the blackness of the room. "Toothless, I really believed I was going to lose her."

Toothless stared at him for second then he nuzzled his cheek. Smiling, Hiccup patted Toothless' head again.

"Come on, bud. What do you say we go check on her?"

His eyes lighting up, Toothless chirped happily and tilted his head towards his back.

"All right, all right," Hiccup chuckled. "But we have to be very quiet so we don't wake her up. Even if she is all better, she still needs her rest."

Hiccup mounted on Toothless' back and once his prosthetic tail fin had been opened up properly, the Night Fury took off from the loft of the hut and swooped down through the exit.

It was a short flight from Hiccup's hut to Astrid's as hers was closest to Hiccup's. In fact, her hut was closer to his own than any of the other Dragon Rider's huts.

Once Toothless landed on the platform outside the entrance, Hiccup slide off his dragon's back. Looking at his friend, Hiccup put a finger to his lips.

"Shh," he warned quietly.

Tiptoeing as quietly as they could, they both poked their heads through the doorway. The moon was shining brightly that night so they were able to see into the room.

Stormfly was curled up on the floor next to Astrid's bed. She reminded one of a guard dog keeping watch over its owner. As for Astrid, she was sound asleep. Hiccup smiled at the relaxed smile on Astrid's face as she slept compared to the restless, pained expression she had worn just hours ago.

Turning to Toothless, Hiccup said, "Well, she's looking all right. Come on, bud. Let's be heading back to bed ourselves."

Toothless nodded and grunted in agreement.

But as Hiccup approached to mount Toothless again, he stepped on a creaky plank of wood on the platform. The noise made Hiccup's eyes widen and his face cringe. From inside Astrid's room, he could hear Stormfly squawking in an alert sort of way followed by Astrid's voice.

"All right, who's there?! I've got an axe here – an axe my mom passed down to me on my tenth birthday and I'm not afraid to use it!"

"Astrid, it's okay, it's just me! Just don't slice my head off, if you please?" Hiccup called out.

"Hiccup?" Astrid called back. "What are you doing here?"

"Checking on you of course," Hiccup replied as he and Toothless stepped into the room.

Stormfly had just stood up from her spot on the floor and Astrid was standing in front of her bed gripping her axe. She looked ready for action or at least she would have been if she was wearing a hardened expression instead of a surprised one.

"Checking on me?" she asked.

"Yeah," Hiccup said matter-of-factly. "Just making sure you're feeling well and that you're not sick again."

"I'm feeling just fine, Hiccup, see?" Astrid insisted.

"Yes, I see. Just the same, I was still a little worried and I just wanted to know for certain that you're fine. You gave us all quite a scare being sick like that. Especially me."

Astrid's face softened at what Hiccup was saying and placed her axe down.

"I know I did and I apologize."

"No, Astrid, don't apologize," Hiccup insisted, putting his hands on her shoulders. "It's not your fault you got sick. If it's anyone's fault, it's Viggo's. It was because of him that I almost lost you."

Astrid's eyes narrowed at the mention of Viggo's name. "Hmm. Yeah, it is. But we'll show him, Hiccup. We'll put an end to his evil deeds, somehow."

Hiccup smiled a bit at his girlfriend's determination. "I know we will."

"But if we're going to do that, we both have to get back to sleep," Astrid insisted. "We'll have much more energy to stop him once we're all rested up."

"You're right. But the problem is I can't get back to sleep because of my worrying about you."

"Hiccup, if you're so worried about me, why don't you just spend the night right here in my hut?" Astrid suggested.

Her crystal-blue eyes widened in surprise at her own suggestion as did Hiccup's. Both Toothless' and Stormfly's pupils constricted in surprise as well. For like a minute or so, everyone was quiet.

"Uh…okay," Hiccup said slowly. "I guess Toothless and I will just sleep right here on the floor."

Astrid forced out a laugh. "Hard, cold floors are for dragons, Hiccup. Why don't you just lie here on the warm, soft bed with me?"

Again, she and everyone else looked stunned.

"You want me," Hiccup said, pointing to himself, "to sleep on the bed with you?" He pointed to her.

"Well…yeah," Astrid said as if it were obvious.

"I've never done this before," Hiccup pointed out.

"Neither have I," Astrid admitted.

"But I guess there's always a first," Hiccup said, shrugging.

"Yeah, I guess there is," Astrid replied, also shrugging. Then she gestured to the bed. "Well, go on. Make yourself comfortable."

"No, no, it's your bed, you first," Hiccup offered.

"Okay."

Astrid awkwardly sat down on the edge of the bed before sliding her legs onto it and she scooted over to the other side. Looking up at Hiccup, she patted the empty spot right next to her. Also awkwardly, Hiccup lifted one knee onto the edge and then the other before lying down on his side so that he was facing her.

For about fifteen seconds, they were both just quiet and staring at each other until Hiccup was the first to break the silence.

"Well, this is…quite…comfortable."

Astrid nodded. "Yeah, comfortable."

"Well, good night, Astrid."

"Yeah, good night to you too, Hiccup."

Hiccup rolled onto his back and placed his hands behind his head. After staring up at the ceiling for about thirty seconds, he closed his eyes.

It wasn't long before he felt something cuddling up against him.

Opening his eyes, he saw that Astrid was resting her head against his chest, her arm wrapped around him. Hiccup looked stunned at first but then he smiled softly.

Wrapping an arm around her, he whispered again, "Good night, Astrid."

…..

(The Dragons' POV)

Toothless and Stormfly kept watch over their Riders, both asleep and cuddled up against each other.

Turning to Stormfly, Toothless grunted softly, "I know for sure our Riders are destined to be mates."

Stormfly nodded and squawked quietly, "You're right, Toothless. These two are simply meant to be."

….

Hope you enjoy and please review! Next drabble's in March!