I'm like 5 years late to watching the cartoons but after seeing The Hidden World I finally binged all the cartoons and I couldn't stop myself from finally writing a tiny bit of Hiccstrid. I still wanna write a lot more, but I don't think it'll get a lot of attention this late in the game, so this is just a small thing.

Set directly after Buffalord Soldier.

Disclaimer: I do not own How To Train Your Dragon.

The Heart Of A Warrior

Chapter 1. Evening Company

Misty pink sunlight spills across the horizon and over the rippling ocean waves until it dyes the walls and planks of the Edge in quiet evening colors.

Hiccup has just finished up his nightly routine – checking maps, scribbling notes, pacing, thinking, bringing in the fish, ensuring there are no unexpected fires or explosions, thinking again, and pacing some more.

Behind him, Toothless is finishing his dinner, cod tail still dangling out of his jaws as he watches his rider with wide, curious eyes. The dragon coos, then swallows before making his way over, but Hiccup turns and starts pacing back the other way. Toothless follows, but every time he gets close Hiccup changes direction. Toothless snorts before running him down, knocking into the back of his knee to stagger him.

"Hey- Whoa, whoa!" Hiccup grabs onto his dragon for support like he's done so many times before. It's starting to become more of a natural reflex to grab for Toothless rather than prepare to hit the ground. "What's the matter, bud? Still hungry?"

Toothless gives him a deadpanned look, then snorts again. Hiccup sighs.

"Gah, you're right, you're right. It's time to get some shut-eye."

He pats Toothless on the head before they both make their way up the stairs of the hut. Hiccup sits on the edge of his bed and watches Toothless brew fire for his own. Once the dragon has settled, he looks up at Hiccup and tilts his head. Hiccup gives a shrug and a sigh.

"Get some rest, Toothless. I'm gonna stay up a little longer."

Toothless hums, then starts to heave. Grimacing, Hiccup looks away just as his best friend coughs up half a fish and nudges it in his direction.

"Uh, no thanks. I'm good, bud."

Toothless pouts, downs the fish again, and eventually drops his head and closes his eyes.

Hiccup hunches forward, elbows on his knees, and rests his face in his palms. Now that all the pacing and patrolling and feeding and writing is done for the evening, his best and worst hobby comes to haunt him now.

Thinking.

He just can't stop thinking about what had happened – and what had almost happened. He still can't wipe the images from his mind; images of Astrid, her skin a sickly pasty pallor, her weight limp and shivering in his arms, her blue eyes fluttering in illness and agony, rimmed with awful green shadows.

Even though she's better now - and he knows it, because he'd helped and seen it with his own two eyes - he still can't stop thinking about what had almost happened.

And only now, when the sun has set and all has been said and done, and his mind can run freely and wildly with the worst-case scenario thoughts, does he fully understand what had almost happened.

He'd almost lost her. And while it hadn't been the first time, it had been the worst he'd ever known. That sickness wasn't an enemy she could've fought with an ax or chased off with words and wit. She'd been helpless, feeble, scared. Things he's never known Astrid to be – not like that.

When Hiccup closes his eyes now, he just can't stop thinking about her like that, unable to walk or speak or barely even catch her breath...

With a grunt, he pushes himself back up. Toothless lifts his head and blinks.

"Sorry, bud. You get some shut-eye."

Hiccup gets to his feet and makes for the exit. Toothless calls after him and starts to get up, but Hiccup stops him.

"It's okay, Toothless. I'm just goin' for a little walk."

He looks out across the Edge, toward a certain hut outlined with blue paint. From what he can discern there's still a torch lit inside.

Toothless must follow his gaze and instinctually catch on, because Hiccup hears him purr out a chuckle.

"Oh quiet, you... The amount of dragon sass I have to deal with, I swear to Thor..."

With this, Hiccup exits his own hut and walks out into the cool evening. There's just a faint bit of skylight left to see by, but for the most part he relies on the torches around the camp.

Normally he'd be checking the skies for rouge dragons, or the seas for hunters' ships.

But those things don't even cross his mind tonight. Only Astrid.

Some part of him still doesn't believe the antidote had worked; what if he finds her collapsed and withering all over again?

He hurries to her hut and curls his hands into fists, trying to chase the terrible thoughts away. He raps his knuckles on the metal and clears his throat.

"Astrid? I-It's me."

And the paranoia kicks in again; what if her response is thin and rasping? What if there's none at all...?

He frets for a split second until her voice replies, as naturally as ever, if not a bit exhausted.

"Hiccup?"

He lets out a sigh just in hearing her say his name. It's always made him feel better, even in the heat of battle. But especially now.

"Yeah."

"Come in."

He moves the drapes aside and makes his way in.

Astrid is sitting up on her bed, but she isn't hunched over and coughing this time. Instead, she's pulling a seashell comb through her hair, which is down for the first time he's seen in as long as he can remember. She looks up at him curiously, but he doesn't miss the ounce of panic in her eyes.

"What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, yes..." He makes his way over, but stops a few paces away, putting a hand to the back of his neck bashfully. "Sorry about the late hour, but I was, uh... actually wanting to ask you the same thing. How're you feeling?"

Astrid puts her comb aside and rolls her eyes.

"Hiccup, I'm fine. Seriously, I mean it this time. You can stop worrying."

"Can I?"

"I mean, I wish you would."

She makes room for him and invites him to sit beside her. Hiccup accepts the offer, hoping he doesn't seem too eager.

Now that he's this close to her, he can definitely sense she isn't sick anymore. There's no discoloration to her skin, no weight to her breathing, no glaze in her eyes.

He's just about to let out another sigh when she coughs suddenly. Hiccup tenses up immediately and turns to her, his voice thick with concern.

"Astrid...?"

She coughs again and quickly lifts her hand to stop him.

"Sorry. It's all right. It's not what you think." She gets up promptly and crosses the room to where she keeps a bucket of fresh water. She scoops a cup out of it and drinks a little before turning back to him. "That Buffalord saliva just dried out my throat a bit. That's all, Hiccup."

"Are-Are you sure?"

"Yes. I promise." She makes her way back to him, and only then does he realize just how badly he'd missed her presence at his side. She's moving without any kind of hindrance and certainly doesn't seem to be dizzy or ill anymore. When she sits beside him again this time, she's a little closer than she'd been before.

"Thanks for worrying about me, Hiccup. I really appreciate it. But don't make yourself sick over this."

"What? I-I'm not-" He cuts off when she gives him that look. Hiccup relents. "I just... needed to make sure..."

"That's fine with me." She leans her back against the wall and invites him to do the same, knowing he can use support in whatever way necessary. "I'm... really glad you came to check on me, Hiccup. Not because you need to, but just-"

"I-I know. I get it."

He smiles, and she smiles back.

They both come to a silent, mutual understanding of the mixed feelings, and eventually lean against one another. The lack of her shoulder armor allows Astrid to get a little closer than usual.

And Hiccup hesitates at first, but eventually he slips an arm around the small of her back. Her hair's longer than usual without the braids to tie it, and it's extremely soft too. All of her is, in spite of her ferocious viking battle skills. He's content to believe no one else in the world has ever gotten this close to her before.

A sigh from her has him glancing her way, only to find she's closed her eyes.

"Thanks for coming, Hiccup. I could really use the company..."

He shifts closer to give her more support.

"Glad I'm not the only one."

Hiccup covers Astrid's hands in her lap with his, rubbing his thumb gently. She moves her fingers just a little, turning her hands over to meet his.

"You're... welcome to stay... if you want to..."

Hiccup softly nuzzles his head against hers.

"I think I might."

He lets her sleep first. They've all had a long day, but Astrid had been the one in real danger. He knows the sickness hadn't let her get a wink of sleep for nearly two days and nights now. It shows, because he can hear it in her voice.

"Hiccup...?"

Her eyes have already fallen shut, and rather than let her think she needs to open them again, he simply brushes his cheek against hers to keep them closed.

"Yes?"

Astrid sighs, slouching into him as much as she can.

"Thank you... for everything..."

Hiccup brings her as close as he can, and presses his lips to her temple.

"Don't mention it. Now get some rest."

"Mn... you too..."

"You first, m'lady."

She lets out a small laugh that ends in a deep sigh, and doesn't make a sound after that.

Hiccup can't describe how immensely this has helped him, and Astrid too, no doubt. Not only does it confirm she's all right now, but it also satiates his constant longing to be next to her. That's a feeling that hasn't gone away in years.

Maybe there will come a time when he never has to leave her side.

But for now, he takes it for all it's worth.

Astrid is out within minutes, and rightfully so. Her breathing is soft and even. The pulse in her wrist is faint, but persistent, matching the rhythm he can feel beneath his palm at her side. The last time he'd held her, he'd felt it too, and it had been hard, straining with effort to compensate for all of the energy and strength the sickness had been stealing from her.

But now it's returned to normal, a steady beat like that of battle drums.

She's always had the heart of a warrior, more so than anyone else he's ever known.

Hiccup considers himself the luckiest viking alive that she's willing to share it with him.

A/N: I just needed to write something for them. I've loved this series and these two for a decade, and even if I'm half a decade late to the Race to the Edge party, I just whipped this up as soon as I saw the episode.

I really wanna write some more, like maybe something taking place after Blindsided or an original idea of my own, but we'll have to see. For now I hope whoever found this enjoyed it!

Please review!