Dragon tales
Story 1 problems already
Chapter 3 what to do

Authors note: so here's the next chapter^^ Sky Dragons can be so stubborn- or maybe its just Jack, I dunno, but either way they got him to relax now time to see what happens next^^ hope you enjoy it, please lave a review like always and the next part will be tommorow(yeah this story turned out longer than I expected too)

Hiccup sighed and buried his head in his hands. They'd finally got Jack into the bed. That was a task- he could be so stubborn sometimes. But he was there now.

He looked back at him. He could almost be sleeping soundly, if not the slight trembling and deathly skin tone- woah, no. Don't even go there- do not use that word. It is not going to get that far- it was just a, erm... sickly skin tone. Yeah, that's all it was. Just a little sickness- he'd recover.

He stood and turned his thoughts to how to help him get better. He paced a little, before sliding a hand onto Jack's forehead. Yeah, because he's gonna miraculously have got better in a matter of minutes. He was still burning up. They needed to get him cool again. He found a bucket and held it out to Toothless, who took it as they headed down towards the sitting room together.
"You know what to do, bud." He told him. The dragon rumbled, reassuringly, and ran off outside with the bucket.

At the sound of the door opening, and the cool air rushing in, Cloudjumper, who'd been sleeping soundly in the corner, woke up. He watched and blinked, confused, as Hiccup quenched the fire. He made a slight, subtle growl to get his attention- clearly asking what he was doing.
"The fire's got to stay out, Cloudjumper." He told him, unsure of how much the dragon would understand (though intelligent, he wasn't exactly fluid in Norse). "Doctor's orders." He said, gesturing back towards his room. The Stormcutter narrowed his eyes, as he scented in the direction he pointed. Apparently, he got a good idea of what was going on, as he blinked a slow affirmative to show he understood, and settled himself down in front of the empty fireplace.
"Thanks." He said, stroking the dragon's nose in gratitude. Just at that moment, Toothless came in, with a bucket full of snow hanging from his mouth, to see someone else getting Hiccup's affections.

He immediately narrowed his eyes at the two and pushed the Viking away from the older dragon, hard. Ushering him, forcibly, back into the bedroom as he growled a warning, from around the bucket, over his shoulder. Hiccup couldn't speak dragon in the same way Jack could, but he was pretty sure Toothless was saying "my human."

He just let himself get steered back into the- wait, what's Jack do-! He rushed over to the bed, where Jack already had one foot on the floor, ready to climb out the bed. Toothless put the bucket to one side, and roared a reprimand- "idiot," no doubt (or perhaps "feather brain" as that seemed to be one of Jack's favoured dragon insults, and, judging by the look on the Night Fury's face, he was throwing his own words back at him). He doubted Jack even heard the roar though- he seemed really far out of it, as he eased him back into the bed. He really didn't like to stay down, did he.

'Jack, you promised.' He thought, softly. Through the haze of illness, he heard a vague, half nonsensical reply.
'I know... But.. weren't there.. and.. panicked...' Hiccup sighed, it looked like his brain really was fried.
'You know I wouldn't have gone far.' He said, pointing to his head to prove his point. His slightly glazed eyes locked onto him.
'Couldn't see you, though.' He insisted. No, his brain hadn't fried, he decided, it'd gone all soft. So much for the tough, scary Sky Dragon, he thought. Honestly he was just like a Gronkle (he looked like a big, tough beast, but on the inside he was just a big softie).

He took his hand.
"Well, I promise, I'm not going to leave again." He muttered. "I'm gonna stay right here until you're better again." He promised, gently. And he meant it. Every word. He wouldn't be able to do anything productive with his mind constantly on Jack, checking up on him every five seconds, anyway. He might as well be here- that way it'd put both their minds at ease. Not that he'd leave him, anyway. Even if he was commanded to move away from his side, he'd refuse. He was staying right here, until he was better again.

He felt the hand he was holding, curl round his own slightly, and he smiled. That was the first time he'd held his hand like that and he'd other times...
"Hey. You know what this reminds me of?" He said. A dull curiosity was recieved in response. "The first- well, second- time we met." He could tell Jack was straining himself to think that far back.
'... Just been attacked.. Saved me.' He recalled.
"Mm hmm." He confirmed. "I stood right by your side, all night, just willing you to live. And I held your hand the whole time." He smiled as he reminisced.

Jack looked slightly confused.
'But.. barely knew each other.' He thought.
"Yeah, but if I held you're hand the right way... I could feel your heart." He told him, raising their hands up to his chest. "It gave me hope, that you would make it." He continued. Jack paused for a while before asking.
'Can you feel it now?' Yeah, he could. He nodded, humming quietly. He could still feel that gentle throb under his fingers... But...

He tried to carry on smiling, but it faltered after a while. He sighed, inwardly. He hated seeing Jack like this. So weak, and sick- not even able to lift his own head, or speak a word. Even forming thoughts was a taxing effort, and he hated that- it was so un-Jack-like it would be like his dad taking up knitting. He was never so still, or so lethargic. He should be bouncing about the place, full of energy- not lying, barely stirring, on a bed like this.

"All night...?" Jack's voice reached him. It was weak, and the words were barely definable, but it was a voice. He reached into Jack's mind, and felt it soften with warm gratitude. They both knew what they were willing to do for each other, but not always what they had already done- and it was those simple acts of kindness that truly strengthened their bond.
"All night." Hiccup repeated. Then, he frowned as he remembered the last time he... No. He decided not to bring it up. The problem is, choosing not to bring something up brings it up in your mind.

'What is it?' He heard Jack asking, and he couldn't help but manage a slight smile. Concerned for him, even now.
'It's just... the last time I saw you like this was just after you defeated that Nightmare dragon." He told him. It took a while for the understanding to dawn on his face. That had been when he'd died. He'd come back, obviously, but the memory of it was still enough to make Hiccup's heart tremble.

He'd almost lost him once- he couldn't let that happen again, couldn't let him die... because there wouldn't be a 'next time' if he did. If he died now, he stayed dead. It was a fact that rarely haunted them, since most people got only lived once anyway... but now...

A sudden, violent spasm of sneezes sent Jack reeling, and Hiccup could only watch, giving him empty comforts and reassurances. He hated feeling so powerless. He could do nothing- except wait this out by his side. And seeing him like this... Worry suddenly grasped him. He.. he wasn't going to lose him, was he? He couldn't! He'd only just got him back! They'd only just got their happy ending- they were supposed to stay together until the end of Hiccup's days. They couldn't get torn apart- he was not going to lose him again!

His grip on his hand tightened. The throb of his pulse was giving him hope like it always did, but it wasn't enough. He'd seen, and heard, about sickness and disease claiming many a mighty warrior. It didn't matter how big, or how powerful, you were. If illness struck, all you could do was pray to the gods- your life lay in their hands now. So he prayed. He put out a prayer to all the gods- Thor and Odin, even Jokul Frosti, which had turned out to be Jack himself. He pleaded to them all: please, don't take him.

'Am I a god now?' He heard the feeble attempt at humour push weakly into his mind, in an attempt to disperse his worry. Hiccup frowned- he shouldn't be expending his energy, pushing into his mind like that. He needed all the strength he could get! He pushed it back, but not before Jack's thick, heavy mind somehow managed to grip onto his own.
'Stop worrying. I'll be fine, as long as you are here.' He reassured him.
'It's supposed to be me telling you that.' Hiccup pointed out, allowing a slight tease to enter his tone. He felt Jack's mind settle through the fog that surrounded it with the mocking tone. Satisfied, he wasn't stressing anymore.

Worrying himself worried Jack, he told himself- and so he kept himself calm, for Jack's sake. He just had to keep his spirits up, and help him get better.

He stood up and moved away- already, with two steps, Jack attempted to lean up and see where he was going. He only grabbed a stool and used it to sit down beside him.
'I'm fine, mum.' He smiled, bringing back his words from the previous morning. He wondered who was fretting about who more- him or Jack. His mind lightened somewhat at the joke.
'Now try to get some sleep.' He suggested. Rest helped when you were ill, right. He was pretty certain of that.
'You'll stay here?' He heard the thought, but he knew it wasn't really a question.
'You know I will.' He promised.

And he sat and and watched as, slowly, his breath deepened and evened... Although, it still rattled a lot. And then, there was that slight tremble in his limbs that refused to go away. It was somewhat familiar to Hiccup... Wait. That wasn't a tremble, he realised.

Shivering. Jack was shivering.

But when he held his hand earlier- he was warm! Way too warm! That settled it. He couldn't just wait around and do nothing. Surely, there was something he could do to help him-. His foot kicked the long forgotten bucket and it sloshed a bit of snow onto the floor. Oh yeah- he'd completely forgotten about that. He'd asked Toothless to get this for him, right? Why didn't he remember this sooner?! This was perfect! Snow helped heal him- so surely it had to help cure him too. And, even if it didn't, it should help bring the fever down.

He dug through his cupboard and found an old T-shirt (it was clean). He tore it into a rough rag and dumped a load of snow in the middle, tying the top to make an improvised bundle. It wasn't exactly high quality, but hopefully it would help. He put it gently on Jack's forehead, careful not to wake him. Then, he waited, nervously...

It didn't seem to be doing any good- if anything, it only made his shivering worse! But it would help, right- it had to! Just... maybe it took a while? Yeah- that had to be it!

He buried his head in his hands- what was he supposed to do? There had to be something more he could do- there had to be something that could help- but how should he know what?! He wasn't a herb specialist, or a doctor like-. He froze. Gobber. Goathi. How had he not thought of this before?! He had to see them immediately- Goathi especially. Surely, she'd know what to do! She was the wise woman, after all- she probably knew what was wrong already!

He raced up towards the door... but then his hand paused at the handle.

Slowly... he stepped away from it. He couldn't. He'd promised. He'd have to get someone else to go for him.

"Toothless." He whispered, quietly. The dragon pricked his ears up, and went over to him immediately. Padding quietly so as not to wake their friend. "Come on, bud, we need to find someone to help." He told him, going to the window. Wait, who would be up at this time in the morning? It was even earlier than the last one- it was barely even dawn- who would-?

Astrid! She always went out on early morning training flights with Stormfly, right! Oh Thor, please say they hadn't gone too far- and please say they were up this early.
"Toothless, call Stormfly." He whispered. The Night Fury nodded, and poked his head out of the window- shooting a plasma blast high up into the sky. It was a good job it was so early, otherwise hundreds of dragons would've raised a raucous around chief's house at the summons of their Alpha.

Hiccup could only pray it got the attention of who they wanted. He paced back and forth, as he waited. Not knowing that the boy right next to him wasn't as asleep as he thought.