Notes:

1. Since anyone reading this is probably 'up' on Race to the Edge, this epilogue breaks canon timeline in that 'A Time To Skrill' would be the first time Toothless gets hit by a dragon-root arrow, not in "Enemy of my Enemy." Also, I'm going to go ahead and assume that the effects wear off with time for Night Furies, since the Riders don't know about the cure yet.

2. Are they kidding?! HOW could Toothless take the arrow for Hiccup in "A Time to Skrill" and then not be affected? 'Knocking it aside' my left hind leg. Arrows hit moving targets just fine.

3. Also, HOW IS NOBODY TALKING ABOUT THAT FLAT-OUT SUICIDAL MOVE HICCUP PULLED?

4. Anyone who SCREAMED, like me, at the Hicctooth love at the climax of that episode is my favorite person. PM me.

Is his human an idiot?!

If Toothless wasn't on the floor writhing in pain, burning from the inside out, he'd roll his eyes. Because, really, what kind of question is that? Of course Hiccup is an idiot.

The idiot in question is sitting with his back against the clubhouse wall, holding Toothless in his arms as he hurts and trembles, draped across Hiccup's lap, the human's legs underneath Toothless' head and neck for support. "I'm sorry, bud. I'm so sorry. It'll be okay, I promise. Just hang in there."

As Hiccup wraps himself around him, Toothless is surrounded by Hiccup's comforting, familiar scent, clearing the stench of sickness. The feel of Hiccup's soft little arms wrapped about his neck helps take Toothless' mind off the pain of dragon-root eating through his veins. Thank you, he chirrs. He tries to meet Hiccup's eyes, but it hurts too much, so he just slumps and lets Hiccup take care of everything. I'm glad you're here.

"Oh, Toothless. I'm here. I won't let you go," Hiccup murmurs. Helplessly, Toothless moans and burrows deeper into the safe touch-scent-cocoon, pressing close as Hiccup nuzzles Toothless' face with his own. It's not very dignified, but he needs Hiccup so much and he's hurting so bad. Poisoned arrows will do that to you.

And all for his idiot of a human.

The title is well-deserved. Hiccup has thrown himself off a cliff more than once, so often he's made a habit of it, in the blind faith that Toothless will catch him. His foolhardy human has gone up single-handed against dragon hunters, bounty hunters, crazed chiefs and angry mobs. He's reached out to touch dragons that would pump him full of venom as soon as look at him—and that's not even counting that first time he offered his entire arm to a Night Fury by way of a snack, on the strength of some forlorn hope that Toothless would forget his wild nature and turn out to be just as much of an idiot as Hiccup is.

Which he did.

Oh, they're a pair all right. Toothless almost chuckles. It comes out as a moan instead.

"Ah, Toothless. Shh. Shh. It's okay, bud." Hiccup's scent wraps him all around. Small, soft hands cool the burning on his face—hands belonging to his human, whom he feels satisfied as having established as an idiot. His Hiccup has risked his life more times than Toothless can count, rushed headlong into situations where he's been blasted out of the sky, captured, knocked out, locked up, and really anything you care to name—and all willingly. He doesn't think his human has a death-wish, so the only remaining theory is that, of course, Hiccup is an idiot.

But nothing proves it more than this last ridiculous stunt. Hiccup stood in front of a Skrill, arms outstretched – outstretched! – like some sacrifice on the thing the humans call an altar, while Ryker aimed a dragon-root arrow at his chest. Hiccup placed his own slight body squarely between an arrow and the Skrill. Because, apparently, in one Hiccup Stoickson Horrendous Haddock III's (what? He gets Viking nomenclature, mired in the past as it is, and full of clan references to make up for not being able to scent-mark) twisted mind-world, an arrow piercing his own chest (Toothless' chest constricts at the thought) is somehow preferable to that same dragon-root arrow piercing a Skrill's.

So Toothless had to jump between Hiccup and the arrow. What was the alternative? It was already in flight, and human reflexes are ponderous and sluggish compared to dragons'. So he took the leap. The alternative was unthinkable.

After that? Well, to tell the truth, Toothless can't remember that much of what happened after that in their ill-fated last stand against Ryker. All he recalls is the blind panic of Hiccup screaming "No!"; Hiccup's arms open, his fragile chest exposed and welcoming; seeing, faster than human sight, Ryker's hand let loose the arrow, the bowstring vibrating, the metal shaft headed unerringly for Hiccup's heart.

Recalls the exquisite relief of his own leap, the sensation of the arrow piercing his hide, seeing Hiccup's face shocked but not pained and his chest blessedly intact, knowing Hiccup's heart beat on.

Then, the pain burst in on him. He landed in a heap, crushed by the weight of the poison coursing through his veins. Above him, Hiccup's ragged voice called his name, so much grief in the sound that Toothless wondered if he was dying. Then, a small, soft human body draped over his own, and he was swamped in the scents of fear terror love love love, even as the poison wormed its way through his veins. Hiccup's presence became the only thing he could cling to as the sounds of battle raged above him. Toothless barely registered the Skrill bowing in obeisance - as well she might, after seeing Hiccup buy a ticket to Valhalla for her sake - before he slumped, giving up the fight. It's humiliating to know they must have carried him back to the Edge in a net or something, but he can't find it in himself to be too offended. Because it hurts.

Toothless writhes and moans with another wave of sick burning - not the clean burn of heart's fire, but the sick gnawing of acid. "Oh, Toothless. Easy. Easy, bud." Hiccup's voice sounds ragged. Toothless tries to tell him he's all right, but a spasm takes him just then and he stiffens, finally crying out. "I'm sorry. I know it hurts. I know." Hiccup just croons reassurances and rubs his cheek against the top of Toothless' head, plastering himself impossibly closer as Toothless lies, suffering, in his lap. And still, through the pain, Toothless has one thought: When he can move again, he is going to kill his human.

Because, seriously? A dragon they don't even know? Hiccup was prepared – willing, even – to die saving a dragon they don't even know. This is beyond idiocy. This is suicide. Is his Hiccup suicidal? Does he really value his own life so little?

The thought that it might be true, that Hiccup might really not believe his own life has any value, makes Toothless moan again. The knowledge burns painful and hot, hotter than the relentless 'fever' wearing him down. It's the humans' name for it: a sick heat burning him from the inside out. He recalls how hot Hiccup's face was during those long, terrible days he lay unconscious, when he—when his leg… Toothless' brain is foggy. He feels his thoughts drift.

Something soft slips beneath his head. The drifting isn't as bad. Coolness covers his burning face. He purrs. "Yeah, bud. I'm sorry." Hiccup's voice is tight. "I'm so sorry." Fragile bird-arms press the cool cloths to his head, rocking back and forth. The sensation lifts Toothless up above the pain. He's still weak, but it keeps out the worst of the burning. He tries to slit his eyes open to look at Hiccup, but the light is a spike in his eyes. All he can do is croon his thanks.

"Ah, buddy, anything for you. I'm here." Hiccup presses even closer, enveloping all of Toothless' burning head with his soft, cool human body. "I'm here with you. Right here. Not going anywhere." His hands stroke and soothe, so tender that Toothless would cry if reptiles had tears. "I'm so sorry, Toothless. This is all my fault."

"Yes, it is." Astrid's voice comes from somewhere above Toothless' head. "Hiccup… we were all really shocked by what you did back there."

"Yeah." There's another soft voice. A wave of pain hits, so bad for a moment that all he can think is 'the Gronckle rider.' The human's voice keeps talking, and he manages to put a name to the voice. Fishlegs. Toothless likes Fishlegs. Maybe he'll be able to talk some sense into his suicidal human. "You were," Fishlegs' voice is tentative, "inviting Ryker to kill you back there."

My thoughts exactly, Toothless thinks triumphantly.

"Is this the right time?" Hiccup grouses, burying his face in Toothless' scales.

This is a perfect time. Answer the human. Toothless may be burning, but he still has enough energy to shrug off Hiccup's hold, force his eyes open a slit, and fix Hiccup with an accusing stare.

"Oh, you're taking their side now. I wouldn't expect that from a sick dragon," Hiccup snarks.

Toothless smiles inwardly. He's picked this up from humans – his human – the ability to say with your voice 'I challenge you' while saying with your body 'I love you.' He purrs as Hiccup replaces the cool compress on his head, easing the pounding caused by that blasted poison, but narrows one eye and raises one brow. You bet I'm taking their side.

"Even Toothless is on our side." Astrid's voice is serious. Good. Maybe the humans will convince Hiccup where Toothless has failed.

"Hiccup. I'm sorry, but I have to ask this." Fishlegs' voice is shaking, but he holds it steady. "Are you… suicidal?"

"What?!" Toothless is relieved to hear the genuine shock in Hiccup's voice. "No! No," he repeats more firmly. "Where did you get that idea?"

Oh, I don't know, maybe seeing you stand in front of an arrow with arms wide open was a clue. It was like you were welcoming death. Toothless shudders. Hiccup, the idiot, gets distracted and runs his hands over Toothless' flanks. It feels good, but not good enough to distract Toothless. "Guys, can we do this later?" Hiccup's tone is pleading. "He's looking worse."

Toothless shrugs him off, ignoring how much it hurts. Not worse than you'd have looked with an arrow in the heart, he grumbles. Prize idiot.

"We saw it, Hiccup." Astrid's normally strong voice is soft and …scared? Astrid is never scared. "You stood between the Skrill and that arrow – and your arms were open."

"The arrow was pointing at your heart," Fishlegs adds.

At the mention of that moment, Toothless can't help a groan. Is Hiccup trying to give him a heart attack? Well, dragons don't get heart attacks, or at least he doesn't think so; he stole that phrase from Stoick. His point stands, though.

Mistaking his groan for pain, Hiccup nuzzles Toothless' head again. Toothless aches with relief, wanting nothing more than to melt into his human's comfort and lose himself in his scent, but this is important. The arrow was pointing at Hiccup's heart. He shifts so that Hiccup can see his eyes and frowns, looking at Fishlegs and nodding.

"What? Both of you—You too, Astrid-! I'm not suicidal!"

"Sure had a funny way of showing it." Snotlout slouches in.

"Yeah!" Tuffnut pulls the curtain aside and spreads his arms wide, mimicking Hiccup's pose. "C'mere, arrow! Give me a hug, arrow! Give me a great big hug, arrow, right in the heart!"

"Yeah!" chimes in Ruffnut. "I mean… Do you know what arrow in the heart can do?"

"I don't know," her twin responds. "Do you know what an arrow in the heart can do?"

"No, what?"

"Uh." Tuffnut scratches his head. "I have no idea. I thought you knew."

Toothless has just about had enough of this. His head's aching enough as it is. He silences them with a mighty roar — that's the intent, anyway. What comes out is a groaning whine embarrassingly like a Buffalord hatchling with a stomach-ache. It works, though. Hiccup yells, "Keep it down! Toothless is sick!"

"Aw, T, I'm sorry." Tuffnut drops to the floor, cross-legged. "We were just talking to your suicidal rider here."

"Oh, for the love of— I am! NOT! SUICIDAL!" Hiccup bellows. "I didn't think he'd really go through with it!"

Toothless forgets his pain and stares. So, he realizes, do Tuffnut, Ruffnut, Snotlout, Astrid and Fishlegs. "You what?" Astrid finally says incredulously.

Hiccup seems to shrink a bit with so many pairs of eyes scrutinizing his thought process. Which, Toothless thinks, is only fair, since Hiccup's thought process more often than not does not stand up to scrutiny. "I... He was aiming for the Skrill, all right? And I know he doesn't respect dragons, but I didn't think…" Hiccup's voice hitches, and Toothless would have comforted him if he wasn't hurting so bad. "I didn't think he'd go so far as to murder a human. In cold blood. So, I," his voice takes on the lilt it has when he suddenly realizes how stupid it is what he's said, "stood there."

"You do realize you're talking about Ryker Grimborn?" Fishlegs finally cuts in.

"I figured it would stop him."

"Ryker." Astrid states. "Grimborn."

"That's right." Hiccup looks from one to the other. "Look, it was stupid, all right? I didn't think…"

"Oh, you didn't think all right," Ruffnut can't resist, of course.

"That's our specialty. You are stealing our thunder."

"So you weren't really expecting him to shoot? That's a relief," Fishlegs sighs. "Dumb. But a relief."

Hiccup's hand is absently stroking Toothless' front leg. "To a man like that, killing dragons—he thinks that's okay. Even killing a human in battle he'd think was okay. But I didn't think he'd go that far. I was unarmed. I wasn't resisting."

"Yeah." Fishlegs exhales. "He's a murderer, all right."

Toothless glares at all of them. They're all missing the point: that Hiccup's life means so little to him that he'll risk it like that.

"Hiccup," Astrid says slowly. "Does your life really mean so little to you that you'll risk it like that? Offer yourself to a killer on the off-chance that maybe he isn't a murderer?"

Vindicated, Toothless settles his aching head in his paws. Thank goodness someone has their head screwed on right. This is part of the reason he'll share Hiccup with Astrid if his friend chooses her as a mate. He looks up at Hiccup, curious as to what his crazy human will say.

Hiccup the Crazy Human is, of course, stammering and hemming and hawing. "It's not like that, Astrid. I just…"

Astrid's voice rises. "You saw the Skrill being threatened and the most logical course of action to you was to make yourself into a human shield?"

"I wasn't a human shield!" Hiccup snaps, voice rising to match.

"Are you kidding?" Fishlegs says with uncharacteristic volume. "What you did was the definition of a human shield!"

Toothless can feel Hiccup's hand tightening on his shoulder. "Why are you making such a big deal out of this?!"

"Because," Snotlout manages to make it sound like an insult, "you're throwing away your life like it means nothing to you!"

"That's not what it's about." Toothless can smell that Hiccup is feeling cornered.

"Well, what is it about?" Snotlout almost sneers.

"Nothing!" Hiccup swipes a hand through the air. "I'm used to it, is all!"

"Used to WHAT?" Astrid snaps.

"Being the one who's expendable!" Hiccup blurts. His eyes widen. Then he clamps his mouth shut and looks away.

Bitterness fills Toothless' gut. He's flung back to long days spent together in the cove, days when a much younger Hiccup would pour his heart out to him, about being unwanted and ignored and belittled. About being bullied and harassed and beaten up. About being 'Hiccup the Useless.' Some of those days, Hiccup would cry. Back then, Toothless didn't fully understand his now-partner, having only had a glimpse of his courageous and loving and giving heart, but he ached to see this kind, trusting young human crushed by his own, by the ones who should love and protect him. Toothless did try to ease his pain, when he realized the full extent of it, and it sort of worked. Hiccup has forgiven his former bullies, now his friends. He's forgiven his father, and the other villagers as well. Hiccup has a soul filled with limitless forgiveness and a heart filled with oceans of love. But Toothless—Toothless does not.

Making Hiccup grow up believing he was more use dead than alive? That, Toothless will never forgive. Forget, maybe, bury it. But in moments like this? No, he cannot forgive that.

And he knows, as he looks Hiccup's former bullies in the eyes, one by one, that they know it too. Their eyes slide away satisfyingly.

There's a ponderous silence in the room. Hiccup, of course – of course – breaks it with an apology. "Sorry, guys. I'm on edge. I shouldn't have said that."

"On edge, that's a good one, because we're on THE Edge, Dragons' Edge, you know…" Ruffnut peters out like a deflated balloon. She draws a breath and folds her arms. "We don't want you to die. Duh." Her voice sounds even rougher than usual.

Astrid steps forward and lays her hand on his shoulder. "Who gave you the idea that you were expendable, Hiccup?"

"I've, just, uh…" Hiccup waves a hand. "Kinda… Old habits die hard, I guess?"

The collective flinch that runs through them all is clear to Toothless, strong enough to be visible even to a human. Astrid puts an arm around Hiccup's shoulders and squeezes, though her own face is set. "You're not expendable," she says passionately. "Don't ever think that."

His friends chorus things on the same lines. "Okay, okay." Hiccup smiles and holds up his hands. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. But for the record, I really wasn't trying to get myself killed."

"Good," says Tuffnut, "because that would be awkward." He reaches out to pet Toothless' forehead. "And T here would die before he'd let that happen," he goes on in an irritating baby-voice. "Wouldn't you, T?"

"That's another thing," Astrid says. "You need to take better care of yourself, because however hard you fall, Toothless is always going to be there to catch you. So if you step in front of a dragon-root arrow…" Her cool fingers barely brush against the puncture wound in Toothless' side. Even the slight contact is hot and painful and he roars. No no no no no no no hurts! Astrid snatches her hand away. "Sorry, Toothless!"

Hiccup's arms are around Toothless at once. "Okay, okay!" he says to Astrid. "Point taken!" He shoos them out. "Guys, could you give us some peace and quiet? I'm hoping his fever breaks soon."

His friends trickle out, leaving him with Toothless in the candlelight. "Ah, bud," Hiccup mutters. "You took that arrow for me."

Toothless raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, okay, I know, Hiccup the Obvious. But I just…" He glares at Toothless. "What kind of idiot are you? That was a dragon-root arrow! We don't know how they affect Night Furies! Toothless, if anything happened to you…" Hiccup's voice trembles, his scent tinged with unimaginable terror grief.

For answer, Toothless swings his tail around with great effort. His prosthetic tailfin is off - as soon as they got to the Edge, Hiccup stripped off not only Toothless' saddle and riding gear, but anything that might conceivably add to his discomfort. Aiming carefully, Toothless delicately points the very tip of his single tailfin at Hiccup's chest, right over his heart. Right where the arrow would have struck. He shudders: he barely, barely caught it in time.

"You saved my life, bud, I know. I know if it had hit me, I'd be dead. Yeah, it was stupid. But it was all I could think of and…"

Cutting off the flow of words, Toothless taps his tail against Hiccup's heart again. This time, he turns his tailfin sideways and rests it there.

Through the fin, Toothless feels Hiccup's chest rise in a deep inhalation. His right hand reverently traces the curve of Toothless' tail even as his left hand slips beneath the tailfin to rub reflexively at his own heart, where the arrow would have struck. Toothless presses Hiccup's hand with the fin. For a long moment, they just breathe together. Then, Hiccup meets Toothless' eyes. Toothless shakes his head. And presses the fin a little tighter over his Hiccup's heart.

"I… know," Hiccup stammers. "I know I'm not expendable." He averts his gaze. Taking a deep breath, he brings his right hand up to cover the tailfin caressing his left. Looking up into Toothless' eyes again, he confesses, "Toothless, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I act like I'm expendable, okay? I know I'm not, I know none of us is, but…" He takes a deep breath, turning the hand that was over his heart to wrap around the tip of Toothless' tail. "Sometimes I can't seem to think of anything else. It just makes sense."

Toothless growls. The fire in his veins from the poison is replaced with a flame of indignation. 'Makes sense?!' In what world does Hiccup sacrificing himself make sense?!

"Buddy, I…"

Frustrated, Toothless wriggles his tail out of Hiccup's grasp and uses the tip to point at the place on his own side where the dragon-root arrow grazed. Where he came between the deadly point and Hiccup's heart.

"I got you hurt. I'm sorry."

Toothless resists the urge to smack his own face with his tail-fin. Instead, he meets Hiccup's eyes as patiently as he can, and shakes his head.

"It's not about that?"

Toothless shakes his head. Then he stills in shock as the pain disappears.

Hiccup has been absently stroking Toothless' chin, and when he moves— Oh!—Hiccup pushes his fingers into the pressure point on Toothless' lower jaw, and the pain is numbed. The relief is so sweet that Toothless warbles.

"Oh, Toothless…" Hiccup croons to him. "Is that helping? Hurt less when I do that?" Toothless nods. Hiccup keeps up the pressure, his other hand scratching the top of Toothless' head. "I'm glad." Toothless is swamped in a new wave of Hiccup's scent, saying relief relief happy glad protect heal cure love you love you love you, and it only makes his own relief sweeter and more joyous. Suspended in the blessed, fragile absence of pain, Toothless purrs. Hiccup murmurs along with him, smiling in delight, snuggling close. Finally, Toothless slips him a side-glance with serious eyes. "Yeah, bud?" Hiccup asks tenderly.

Now that Toothless has Hiccup's attention, he points to Hiccup's undamaged heart, then to the wound in his own flank, then gives Hiccup his best gummy smile. Then he lets his face look as sad as he feels.

"Let me get this straight," Hiccup interprets, "you think I shouldn't be expendable because… because that's dangerous for you?"

Toothless thinks for a moment. 'Dangerous' implies risk, or choice, but what he means is far more of an inevitability than that. He wonders how to convey it. There's not much he can do, suspended in this position to keep the pain away. Finally, he sticks the side of his tongue out of his mouth and flaps it the way it flaps in the wind when they're diving from the clouds.

Hiccup's indrawn breath tells Toothless that maybe this time he's got it right. "You're saying… that you'll always catch me. Aren't you, bud?"

Pleased, Toothless rumbles, nodding with as little lower jaw movement as possible, since Hiccup's fingers on his chin are keeping the pain at bay. Then he gestures again, first heart, then wound.

"S—o…" Hiccup says slowly, "you'll take an arrow to keep it from killing me. But that means it'll get you hurt."

This time Toothless nods fully. The pain streaks back down his nerves. "Easy, bud!" Hiccup cries, but he had to say this, he had to: Always.

They settle. Hiccup finds the pressure point again and Toothless slumps, boneless with relief. Phantom pains echo through him still, but Hiccup is there and he wraps Toothless in his scent protect protect protect and he steadfastly keeps up the pressure, softly raking his little human fingernails over Toothless' head, until the echo of pain is chased away and he's cool and soothed and safe. "I get it," Hiccup says slowly. "If I put myself in front of that Skrill… and since you'll always save me… then I was putting you in front of the Skrill. The arrow. All of it."

And there's no place I'd rather be than between you and danger, Toothless tries to say by looking in his eyes. But I'd rather there be no danger in the first place. And this last stunt… He narrows his eyes in distress and whimpers as he gestures again to Hiccup's heart.

"It was too close," Hiccup says slowly. "That's what you're saying, isn't it? It's one thing to take risks, but it's another thing," he swallows suddenly, "to—to invite certain death. Right?"

This time, when Toothless nods, Hiccup manages to keep his hand on the pressure point throughout. "Okay, Toothless," Hiccup says soberly. "No more being a human shield. Not when I'd be risking your life along with mine."

Toothless rumbles in annoyance. Hiccup is no more expendable than Toothless. In fact, Toothless would quite gladly die for him. He smacks Hiccup in the chest with his tailfin. You, he tries to say by tapping him several times, are important.

"I know, bud, I know…" Hiccup sighs deeply. "It's just…" He shrugs. "It's hard to think of it that way."

Well, think of it that way – Toothless double-taps the tip of his fin to Hiccup's temple – for me. His tail comes round to tap the side of his own head.

"Okay." Hiccup nods. "I promise to think about it."

Think about it? Toothless shakes his head as humans do. Gently, he brings his tail around. With the tip of his fin, he taps Hiccup's heart once. Then he brings it around and flips it to lie flat against his own heart.

Hiccup freezes. His hand tightens on the pressure point. "Bud…" The words seem to stop in his throat.

Toothless makes eye contact with Hiccup. His focus still isn't perfect, but he does the best he can. He stares unblinkingly into Hiccup's wide green eyes. He repeats the process in reverse, touching his tailfin to his own heart, then to Hiccup's, keeping their gazes locked. Hiccup swallows hard. "I… Okay. Okay, Toothless, you win. I won't do any—anything t—to…" he has to swallow again, blinking rapidly, "Anything to hurt your heart. Okay?"

Toothless nods, rumbling. Hiccup squeezes his eyes shut and throws himself across Toothless, the way he instinctively protected him with his body when the Skrill was free and shooting lightning all over the place. And that's another thing. Since when is a fragile human body any kind of shield for a powerful dragon?

Oh well, no nest was built in a day, Toothless supposes. He brings his tailfin up to cover Hiccup as much as he can with his friend half-lying over him. This human shield thing is clearly an instinct with Hiccup. It'll take time to cure him of it. And if getting poisoned with dragon root is a way to knock some sense into his rider, Toothless supposes – in the face of the alternative – that it's a relatively small price to pay.