So, yes. I am back with another one-shot. :) This is just something I really wanted to write (it's been on my mind for quiet a while now), and so yeah, here it is! I'll leave you guys to determine whether or not you like it. :) I hope you enjoy! :D

When Hiccup doesn't show up at the Academy, I have the feeling something's wrong.

He's never been late before, really, from what I remember (and since I have an excellent memory – not to brag or anything – then it's a big deal). When any of us are late, he always gives us extra assignments to accomplish in our spare time, having to do with whatever lesson we miss.

He's never late; he says it sets a bad example for the other Academy members. Of course, I agree with him wholeheartedly.

So where was he now?

After a few more minutes, I mount Stormfly and head out towards Hiccup's house. Maybe he overslept, or something. None of us will blame him if it turns out that he had. It's only been about a month since he woke up after fighting the Red Death. He's still getting used to his prosthetic and everything.

I look towards the ground, just in time to see Stoick shout up to me. I instantly tell Stormfly to land, which she does as soon as the words leave my mouth.

I dismount once Stormfly touches down, and approach my Chief.

"Morning, sir," I say. "Have you seen Hiccup?"

"I have, Astrid," Stoick responds. "That's really what I wanted to ask you about."

Yep, something's wrong. "What is it?" I ask.

"He had a fever this morning," Stoick says. "I told Toothless to stay with him, but you know how Hiccup can get."

"Yeah," I say. "He just can't stay in the same place very long."

Stoick nods. "Would you mind making sure he's still in bed, and not half-way across the island doing who-knows-what?" he asks.

"Yeah, sure," I respond. Stoick nods at me, and I turn back to look at Stormfly.

"Come on, girl," I say as I mount her – again. Stormfly chirps, and spreads her wings, taking off towards the Haddock residence.

It takes a remarkably short amount of time for us to get there. I slide off my dragon's back, patting her in a thank you and telling her to stay put. Stormfly doesn't have a problem with it, curling up on the ground to wait for my return. I open the door to Hiccup's house, and make my way up the stairs to his loft.

I knock on the door twice.

"Who's there?" Hiccup asks.

"Astrid," I say.

"Astrid who?"

Now he's being difficult.

"Astrid, 'I will break down this door if you don't let me in'," I say in response.

"Oh, so you meant that Astrid!" Hiccup says. I can almost hear him rolling his eyes. "Come in…?"

I push the door open. Hiccup's leaning against the headboard of his bed, drawing something in his notebook that I can't see.

"Stoick told me that you're sick," I say simply.

"I'm not sick," Hiccup responds offhandedly, not looking up from his doodling. "I'm just under the weather."

"Oh, yeah," I say sarcastically. "That explains the flushed cheeks, pale complexion, and fever."

"Exactly," Hiccup turns to me, pointing his charcoal pencil in my direction. "Under the weather!"

"It's called being sick," I argue.

"No it's not," Hiccup says.

"Yes it is."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"No it's not."

I roll my eyes, knowing I'm not getting anywhere. "I think your Dad's worried about you," I comment.

"Yeeeep," Hiccup says, popping the P. "Well, you can tell him not to worry. I can take care of myself."

I smile. "Yeah, like the time you broke your wrist," I say.

"That's different…" Hiccup mumbles.

"Or that time you cracked your rib while doing that stupid stunt on Toothless," I remind him.

"Astrid…you are really not helping…"

"Or remember when you dropped that hammer on your hand? You broke four fingers! Or that time you sprained your ankle, or hey, how about when-"

"Astrid, I'm fine!" Hiccup says. "Besides," Hiccup turns to me again, jabbing his charcoal towards the corner of the room, "it's not like I'm going to go anywhere, what with the walking fireplace keeping me in bed."

Toothless snorts angrily. I glance at the dragon, and then notice that he's posing in an upright position. I look at Hiccup's drawing, and smile.

"Copying Toothless' pose?" I ask.

"I suppose you could say that," Hiccup says. "Pun intended," he adds matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I figured," I say, rolling my eyes (again).

"Okay, buddy," Hiccup says, setting down his half-finished drawing. "I'll pick it up later. I'm starting to get a headache."

Toothless pouts, his ears going flat against his head.

"Yeah, yeah, bummer for you," Hiccup says. He looks, finding I'm still standing in the doorway. "You can go if you have something better to do," he says simply.

"That's no fun," I say.

"If you want fun," Hiccup says, "then tell Ruffnut and Tuffnut that Snotlout has explosives. Besides, I can get you sick."

I smirk. "You said sick," I say, smiling.

"I meant under the weather."

"Sure you did…"

"Shut up."

I hang my hands. "I'm just sayin'!" I defend myself.

"Well…um…" Hiccup sighs, running his hand over his eyes. He shakes his head, and I smile in satisfaction. "Seriously, though," he says. "You'll get my germs."

"No I won't," I say. "I never get sick."

"But you might get under the weather," Hiccup says.

"Nah, no I don't," I respond. "Need anything?"

"You're not going to be my slave, Astrid," Hiccup says.

"But that's fun!" I say. Hiccup groans in frustration, and I smile. "Seriously, Hiccup," I say, my tone again serious. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm fine-"

"Water, okay," I say. "Be back in a second!"

"Wait!" Hiccup calls after me, but it's pointless. I'm already down the stairs. "ASTRID!"

"Be back in a second!" I repeat, not even pausing, or turning around. I can hear Hiccup groan, following by Toothless laughing. I return in another instant, handing Hiccup the cup of water I bring him. He drinks it, and then sets the cup down on the desk.

"You don't have to stay here," he says. "You probably have more important things to do."

"No, not really," I say. "Besides, I like taking care of you. It's not the first time…" I freeze, realizing what I had just said. Hiccup looks at me, and for a moment, I hope he hadn't really heard me…

"What do you mean?" he asks.

Man, he heard me.

I look back at him. "Nothing," I say.

"No, you mean something, Astrid," Hiccup says. "You know I want you to be honest with me. Besides…you're a terrible liar."

"I am not!" I say.

"You lie," Hiccup says, cracking a smile.

"Stop it!" I snap.

"Astrid, come on," he says. "What can be so bad that you can't…"

"The amputation!" I blurt. "Okay, I said it!"

"The…what?" Hiccup questions suspiciously.

I sigh. He doesn't remember. Of course he doesn't. He was unconscious. He doesn't know anything that happened in between the fight with the Red Death and when he woke up a week afterwards.

"The amputation," I repeat quietly. "You didn't know, and I really didn't want to tell you, but now that you've kind of made me…" He stares at me, asking silently for me to continue. "We amputated your leg," I say. "You know that, but…well, it was horrible, Hiccup. You were unconscious, but…you still…you still felt it, Hiccup." I wince at the memory: Hiccup's screams echoing throughout the volcanic island…

"Oh." Hiccup falls quiet. "Sorry you had to see that…"

I'm shaking my head before he even finishes speaking. "After that," I say, "Toothless didn't let anyone near you. Anyone…but me. It was because of that flight, Hiccup. He trusted me with you. I was the only person besides you to have his trust back then."

"I'm missing your point, Astrid."

"You were in a coma for a week, Hiccup," I say. "I was the only one Toothless trusted with you. I took care of you the first week of your recovery." The memory flashes through my mind; me trying to force water down Hiccup's throat in an attempt to keep him hydrated, holding his hand…

Hiccup remains silent, nodding every now and then. "Well, I'm glad you told me," he says. "Now I can thank you."

"Thank me?" I repeat. Hiccup nods. "I was just…paying you back, Hiccup. You ended the war between dragons and Vikings…I really owed it to you."

"Yeah, but you didn't have to do it, either," Hiccup says. "No one forced you to do it."

"No one could keep me away," I say. "They tried to get rid of me one point…they gave up when I put my axe to the door…"

"I can really see you doing that," Hiccup comments.

I shove him. "So, yeah," I say. "You aren't getting rid of me now either, Hiccup, unless you want to get another door…again."

"Nope, not in the mood for replace my door," Hiccup says.

After a few moments of awkward silence, I decide to change the subject. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been mauled over by a flock of Terrible Terrors and poisoned at the same time, but other than that, great!" Hiccup replies, and I can't help but smile. "I'll probably be back on my feet – um…foot – by tomorrow."

"You do that," I say. "And…it's okay to admit that you're sick."

"Under the weather," Hiccup corrects me.

"Same difference," I say. "I'm going to go tell Stormfly she can go on home. I'm not going to leave any time soon-"

"I love it how you just invite yourself into my house," Hiccup says. I'm not sure if he's being sarcastic or not.

I groan. "It's called taking care of my friend," I say. I turn without another word, and then began walking towards the stairwell again.

"Astrid!" Hiccup calls after me. I turn to face him again. "Thank you," he says.

I smile back at him. "Any time," I say.

And I mean it, too.

…

I wake up somewhere in the middle of the night in cold sweat. I sit up, rubbing my hands over my eyes. My forehead is hot. Great. Now I'm sick.

I feel someone place something against my forehead. I spin around, my blue eyes meeting green eyes.

"Well…" I say. My throat is unbelievably scratchy. "Someone's feeling better."

Hiccup nods. He's pressing a wet cloth to my forehead. "Yeah, and someone else is feeling worse," he comments.

I groan, and he smirks. "I wanted to tell you something," he says.

"Well, go for it," I mutter.

Hiccup stands up, and I watch him. "I won't get sick!" he says in a mocking tone, and I know he's imitating me. "I never get sick!"

"I'm not sick!" I say. "I'm just…"

"Oh, no, no, wait, let me guess," Hiccup says, twirling his index finger around his forehead. "You're not sick. You're just 'under the weather.' Yeah, I know that trick, Astrid. I invented that trick."

I growl under my breath. Hiccup smirks, and then takes a cup of a liquid I can't make out off the nightstand and hands it to me.

"Drink this," he orders.

I take a whiff of it, and instantly recoil. "No, I'm not going to drink that!" I say. "It'll be gross!"

"It is cherry flavored."

"The labels lie, Hiccup! It's some sort of death medication!"

"Nice try." Hiccup picks a spoon off the table, and pours some of the liquid onto it. "Drink it. Now."

"I didn't make you do this!" I say.

"No, you didn't, and I am forever grateful," Hiccup says. I moan in anger. "The sooner you drink it, Astrid, the sooner you get it over with."

"There is no way I am-" I am cut off when Hiccup shoves the spoon into my mouth. I cough for a moment, but in the end, swallow the liquid.

"Sorry," Hiccup says. "Your mouth was open."

"Jerk…" I mutter.

"Oh, well that was rude," Hiccup says with fake offense. "It's called taking care of my friend, by the way," Hiccup goes on, flipping my own words right back at me. Somehow I knew he was going to say that.

"Why'd you come over here?" I ask.

"Stormfly came and got me a few minutes ago," Hiccup shrugs as he speaks. "She seemed worried."

"Well, she has right to be worried," I say angrily. "You gave me your bug. Thanks a lot."

"Hey, I warned you!" Hiccup says. "Now it's time for you to leave me out of it. It's not my fault."

"Yeah it is."

"No it's not."

"Yeah it is."

"No it's not."

We stare at each other.

"This isn't working," Hiccup says.

"Yeah, no, it's not," I agree. "Let's just call it even."

"Let's," Hiccup says. "But you're not off the hook about the medicine."

"Oh, come on!" I groan. "Please!?"

"Nope," Hiccup says.

"I hate you," I mutter, but I'm suppressing a smile.

"You're welcome," Hiccup says, handing me the cup. "Drink it."

I promise revenge on Hiccup for the next time he gets sick. And this time, it'll be so much worse than just cherry flavored medicine.

Author's Notes:

Do people who make cherry flavored medicine actually know what cherries taste like? You know, just curious. I really do NOT like cherry flavored medicine. If it smells like KoolAid, you can pretty much know without tasting it that it's gonna taste terrible. I speak (sadly) from experience. (BERRY FLAVORED=BERRY GROSS) :D

I had one of my teeth pulled because one of the roots didn't disintegrate like it was supposed to (we shall get into NO details), and then it got infected, so they gave me this CHERRY FLAVORED MEDICINE and I SMELLED IT and was like "LOL, NOPE." Yeah, but I still had to drink it...d a r n. :)

I really like the idea of Hiccup getting sick and Astrid taking care of him, since really, she's not known for caring. And Hiccup is stubborn; too stubborn to admit he needs help. I really think it's a fun mix. :)

Until next story!

-BeyondTheClouds777