Together

The sheer size of the Red Death had startled the Chief when he first layed eyes upon it. But all that had dwindled in comparison to how small and helpless he felt when he held Hiccup's languid form in his arms. Hiccup's injury's were extensive. Multiple bruises littered every inch of Hiccup's body. And Stoick had been worried that his son would never wake. But Hiccup drifted in and out of consciousness, as Gober attended to his injury's. Hiccup a woke for a moment when Gober applied a set of fresh dressing to his leg, but soon drifted off.

For Stoick, these thoughts seemed to hold him captive. If it wasn't for all the dragon's that now shared the Isle of Berk with the vikings, Stoick shuddered to think of what state of mind he would've been in given the option to remain idle. It had been a busy day. Stoick had been to nearly every corner of the Island of Berk to oversee the preparations. But as the day wore on the tasks at hand failed to keep his mind from the one thing that truly worried him. Hiccup. Stoick couldn't help but think of the battle that Hiccup and fought and won nearly three months prior.

As he reached the main square at the center of Berk, he glanced up towards his hut. His breath caught as he saw Hiccup stumble out the front door. With in moments Stoick made his way up the steps and wrapped his arm around Hiccup. Even as he and his son exchanged casual banter, he couldn't help but notice that Hiccup seemed to be leaning heavily against him.

Hiccup's steps were shaky, but the moment Hiccup saw the new riding gear Gober had made he couldn’t help but tremble. Toothless was so excited the moment Hiccup got up in his saddle he almost lept forward before he heard the familiar click of Hiccup's safety harnesses.

Stoick marveled as Hiccup raced the other teen's through the village. The smile on Hiccup's face was one Stoick was sure he would never forget. It took everything in him to not spend the whole day watching his son fly atop his dragon. But Stoick still had his chiefly duties to attend to.

It had been a long day. By the time Stoick made it home the sun had set. Glancing at the empty bed that still remained on the main level, Stoick felt his chest tighten as he remembered how he'd spent the last three months caring for Hiccup as he slept soundly. Shaking his head, Stoick remembered that Hiccup had indeed awoken, and was with his dragon. Stoick made his way over to his arm chair and sat down. With in moments Stoick dozed off as the exhaustion from the day had taken its toll.

A creaking door brought Stoick out of his slumber. Snorting loudly, Stoick glanced up and his eyes locked on Hiccup as he wobbled around the large door. The room was dimly lit so Hiccup payed no heed to his surroundings. The pain in his leg had started with in the last hour. It was dull at first, but soon grew in strength. Toothless quickly followed him and helped him push the door close.

“Thanks...bud...” Hiccup cooed.

Hiccup turned and took a step towards the stair case. But as he moved forward a searing hot pain shot up his leg. Hiccup groaned as he fell backwards. Toothless scooted behind him and attempted to steady him with his muzzle. Hiccup fell to the floor and landed on his backside. For a moment Hiccup froze as the pain seemed to spread to every part of his weary frame.

Stoick gasped as saw Hiccup fall. He was on his feet in a matter of moments. By the time he reached Hiccup, Hiccup was on his hands and knee's. Toothless leaned in next to him and crooned softly. As Stoic knelt down next to his son he blinked as he saw Hiccup's arms were trembling.

“Are you all right?” Stoick asked.

Hiccup whimpered and looked away. Stoick leaned forward and took hold of Hiccup's arm. Hiccup groaned as he felt his dad clasp his arm. A yelp fell from Hiccup's lips as Stoick stood and pulled Hiccup up.

“Hiccup?” Stoick asked.

Hiccup began to breathe loudly as the pain in his leg seemed to ebb and flow. He warbled as he felt the room start to spin. He fell against Stoick and took hold of his father's tunic to steady himself. Toothless immediately leaned forward placing his head under Hiccup's left arm.

“Hiccup, you're shaking...” Stoick stammered

The moment Hiccup heard his father's voice shake, he lost control. Hiccup could no longer hold back the tears. His shoulder's shook as he slipped out of his father's grasp and fell to the floor. Stoick gasped as Hiccup fell to the floor. Quickly he knelt down and placed a hand atop Hiccup's shoulder. Hiccup cried even harder when he glanced up and saw his father staring down at him.

“I can't do this...” Hiccup uttered, scant of breath.

Hiccup hissed as a wave of pain washed over him. Stoick gasped as Hiccup's whole frame seemed to shudder vehemently. With out a moments hesitation, Stoick rose and scooped Hiccup into his arms. He made his way back to Hiccup's bed and set him down on it. The moment Hiccup sat down, he doubled over. Stoick knelt down at Hiccup's bedside, and tried to look Hiccup in the eye.

Hiccup's closed his eyes tight as his hand fell to his leg. He groaned even more as he tried to apply pressure on it. Stoick watched a deep frown etch its way upon Hiccup's face. Glancing down Stoick saw Hiccup's left leg was shaking badly. Hiccup began to breathe loudly as a searing hot pain seemed to radiate through his entire body. Hiccup felt his stomach lurch as pain seemed to engulf every fiber of his being.

“Oh...gods..” Hiccup mumbled.
“What is it!?” Stoick asked, his voice laced with concern.

Hiccup moaned as his stomach continued to churn ominously. Stoick noted that Hiccup's completion was starting to pale drastically. Hiccup seemed to double over as he continued to rub his leg.

“I...think...I'm gonna...gonna...” Hiccup mumbled.

Suddenly Hiccup cupped his hands over his mouth. Stoick stood suddenly and went to the kitchen. With in moments he returned with a bucket in hand. Hiccup whimpered as he saw his father place the bucket next to him. With out warning, Hiccup turned and began to heave ardently.

“Thor almighty..” Stoick swore.

Hiccup's whole frame grew tense as he expelled into the bucket. Toothless growled as Hiccup continued to empty the contents of his stomach into the bucket. Toothless grew more frightened as Hiccup's heaving grew more forceful with every bout. Stoic moved around to the opposite side of the bed and knelt down. Toothless jarred back as Hiccup continued make sick and lept up to the loft above.

Stoick held his breath as he placed a hand around Hiccup's middle to steady him. Hiccup gasped as he felt his father's grip around his torso. With a final surge, Hiccup heaved into the bucket. Stoick took hold of his son's hand as he saw his face paling even further. Hiccup panted as he felt his stomach calm itself.

“I...did this...” Stoick lamented.

Hiccup looked up as he heard his father's voice hitch. As he looked to his father he saw that Stoick had turned his head and had his eyes closed tightly. It was almost too subtle, but Hiccup was sure he saw his father's chin begin to quiver.

“Uh...I'm pretty sure I'm the one who just 'did this'.” Hiccup quipped.

Stoick scoffed as he shook his head. Hiccup's voice was wavering, but he could hear the same sarcastic tone that Hiccup always used. But it seemed to have a different sense of kindness about it. Stoick could tell that Hiccup knew exactly what was on his mind. Looking over, he met his sons gaze.

Stoick saw tears forming in Hiccup’s eyes as the two stared at each other. All though Hiccup was still trembling from being ill, a shaky smile etched its way across his face. Hiccup held tighter to his father's hand as he began to shake his head.

“ Please Dad...” Hiccup uttered quietly.

Stoick bit back the sob that rose in his throat as he heard the genuine kindness in Hiccup's voice. Hiccup started to tremble more as he moved his hand and placed it at his side to steady himself.

“Don't ...” Hiccup panted, closing his eyes.

Suddenly he fell sideways as the room began to spin. Stoick caught Hiccup and wrapped an arm around him. Leaning over carefully, Stoick took the pale and set it on the floor. Then he turned and looked to Hiccup.

Here was the mighty chief of Berk holding his pain ridden son, and he felt completely useless. Hiccup continued to shake and groan as the Stoick held him. Stoick couldn't help but let the tears fall as he silently thanked Thor for saving his son from the certain death that would have taken him during the great battle. But he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of guilt as he held his son. He had never treated his son properly. He never encouraged Hiccup. He hadn't truly known just how much he loved his son until the moment he saw Hiccup and Toothless falling from the sky during the epic battle against the Red Death.

“Don't...cry...duh-” Hiccup mumbled.

Stoick looked down as Hiccup spoke. His eyes were open slightly as he continued to shudder. Hiccup's teeth began to shudder as the shivering continued. Stoick sighed and embraced Hiccup.

“I don't know what'd I'dve done if-” Stoick stammered, his voice shaking.

Hiccup burst into tears a new the moment he heard his father speak. He had never seen his father show anything other then suppressed disappointment, let alone heard his father utter anything other then a cutting remark. Hiccup's lamentations cut Stoick short. He held his breath and hugged his son tighter.

“I'm sorry....I'm so suruh-” Stoick soothed, rocking Hiccup back and forth gently.

Hiccup cried harder as he heard the comforting tone in his father's voice. He felt his father hug him tighter, and suddenly he felt a great well of sadness burst forth. All the years that he'd longed for his father to see him for who he truly was came bursting forth. He was finding hard to believe everything that had happened. Hiccup started to breathe loudly as panic began to settle in. His whole body seemed determined to tell him that his leg was indeed gone. But for some reason his mind seemed to differ. It was almost as if Hiccup could still feel every inch of his left foot. But having his father there with him, holding him was only adding to the panic. Hiccup  knew his father was a changed man, but all the years of neglect seemed to surface as he felt his father's strong arms around him.

“Hiccup!?” Stoick cried, rubbing Hiccup's back.
“it's gone...” Hiccup rasped.
“I know, son...” Stoick soothed, his voice hitching.
“Dad?” Hiccup asked. “What's gonna...happen to me?”

Stoick froze as his mind began to drift back to the night everything changed. His mind began to spin as images of the look of terror that etched upon Hiccup's face the moment Stoick uttered his harsh words of banishment transpired. Hiccup's pale face appeared in his mind as Stoick cradled the languid form of his son in his arms. It was quickly after Stoick leaned down and heard the still small beat of Hiccup's heart that he saw Hiccup's leg. Suddenly Stoick looked away as he felt his eyes began to well with tears. The memories were proving to be too vivid for his liking.

Hiccup searched every feature on his father's face in an attempt to will his father to answer. A lump began to grow in his throat as the saw something don his father's face. Something he thought he would never see coming from his father. Hiccup gasped as he saw a sullen look befall his father's features. Hiccup buried his head in his hands. His shoulder's began to shake as the dead silence hung in the air. With in moments Hiccup was sobbing silently.

A bark came from above. Both father and son gasped and looked upward. A pair of emerald eyes looked down from the loft above. Toothless looked at the pair below and crooned softly. Gingerly the dragon lept down to the main level and made his way towards his master. He stopped when he passed the bucket and turned to examine it's contents. One smell of the sick and Toothless recoiled in disgust. Hiccup groaned upon seeing Toothless's reaction. His stomach seemed to protest in tandem with the dragon's reaction.

“Easy...easy...” Stoick soothed.
“I'm ok...I'm..ok...I-” Hiccup answered.

Hiccup stopped suddenly. A wave of pain jolted through his body. He reached out and took hold hold of Stoick's arm, holding tight. Stoick gasped as Hiccup's entire frame grew taught. Hiccup was trembling horribly as his knuckles turned white. Toothless whined hopelessly as he leaned further in.

“Hiccup!” Stoick cried, trying ease Hiccup's hold on his arm.
“No, please!” Hiccup begged, his voice trembling. “Oh Gods this hurts!”

Hiccup's left leg started to buckle as the pain seemed to sweep over his body again and again. Toothless moved and bent down, sniffing at Hiccup's prosthetic. A low growl worked it's way out of the dragon as he took in the smell of mettle against flesh.

“It needs to come off.” Stoick stated.
“Whah?” Hiccup blurted out, swallowing loudly.
“No wonder you're in so much pain son.” Stoick stated.

Hiccup followed his father's gaze and gasped as his eyes settled upon his prosthetic. He saw that his leg was shuddering. He began to shake his head as he willed his leg to stop.

“No...please...” Hiccup whimpered.

A deep frown began to work it's way across Hiccup's face as he realized what his father was asking him to do. His teeth resumed their chatter as he realized he felt rather feverish. He shook his head and fell against his father.

“I give...up..” Hiccup sputtered. “I..don't...”
“Don't what?” Stoick questioned nervously.

Hiccup looked up to his father. He couldn't mask his true sadness anymore. Stoick gasped as he saw tears pool in Hiccup's eyes as he pulled his lips in. He began to breathe loudly.

“Don't what?” Stoick prompted.
“I can't do this...” Hiccup mumbled, scant of breath.
“Yes you cah-” Stoick answered.
“I don't feel well.” Hiccup interrupted, nestling into his father's chest.
“There there now...” Stoick tisked.

Gingerly, Stoick moved his arms around Hiccup and began to untie his prosthetic. He felt Hiccup cringe as his fingers fumbled to shimmy the encasing off his left leg. With a quick motion, Stoick gently pulled the wood and metal piece away from Hiccup's leg. Hiccup jumped the moment he heard his father set the prosthetic on the floor.

“Easy...” Stoick soothed.

Stoick returned his gaze to Hiccup and gasped at what he saw. Hiccup looked as if he'd seen a ghost. His gaze was fixed on what was left of his leg. Hiccup began to breathe loudly as his eyes took in what he dared not believe. Stoick felt his chest tighten as he saw his son's shoulder's began to shake. Stoick didn't hesitate as he wrapped his arms around his son and held him dearly.

No sound came from Hiccup, but Stoick held tighter as he felt his son's body began to shudder. Looking down he saw Hiccup was sobbing dryly. His own chest tightened as he sought help Hiccup.

“We'll make it through this...” Stoick soothed.
“How?” Hiccup whimpered.

Leaning in, Toothless crooned softly and gave a gentle nudge to Hiccup. Stoick sighed heavily and rested a hand atop Toothless's head. He knew the dragon understood what Hiccup needed.

“Together.” Stoick replied.