The idea for this one-shot came from Edlover23. After reading Fly Swatter War, she suggested I do one about bath time, where Hiccup does not want to take a bath. So here it is!

Edlover23: I hope you like the way I interpreted your idea!

Enjoy!

Bath time

'Hiccup! Hiccup, where are you!'

Stoick sighed. Every time it was the same. When it was bath time, Hiccup would disappear. Whenever the tub moved from it's storage place to it's place in front of the fire, Hiccup would vanish. Because of his small size, he could get into placed Stoick couldn't even fit his hand in. This made it a near impossible task to find the boy.

'Hiccup, come on out. Come on son, come here!'

He heard a giggle and turned around. He saw the boy run around a corner and chased after the child.

'Hiccup! Come here!'

He was losing his patience. The boy disappeared into the forge, but even there he could hide anywhere.

'Ah, is it tha' time again?'

Stoick sighed. 'What am I going to do Gobber. He never listens, he keeps running away and hiding from me. Do you know where he went? I saw him go in here.'

'Ya might want to check tha back room.'

Stoick nodded and moved towards the curtain. Before he could pull it aside, Hiccup came running out of the room. He tried to slip past his father, but Stoick was faster. He grabbed the boy, lifting him in the air and carrying him back to the house. Hiccup protested loudly, flailing his arms and legs trying to escape his fathers grasp.

When they were inside the house, he succeeded in getting away from his father. He ran away, hiding from the man. Stoick sighed and sat down at the table. He was getting tired of Hiccup's antics. He would refuse to take his bath, he would refuse to eat his food, he would refuse to listen...

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud splash. He turned around, looking at the tub. Hiccup had climbed in it, clothes and all, and was playing in the water. Stoick took a deep breath, trying to keep his irritation under control before he stood up.

'Hiccup... you can't take a bath with your clothes on.'

Hiccup looked up at him, his auburn hair dripping with water. It was clear that he thought otherwise.

'Come on. Let me get your clothes off. You can't get clean if you keep them on.'

Stoick had a hard time getting Hiccup out of the now soaked clothes. The boy wouldn't sit still, constantly splashing water at his father. When he finally succeeded in undressing the child, Stoick's was just as Hiccup's clothes. And he hadn't even begun to wash him yet!

It was even harder to wash the boy. Hiccup would constantly try to climb out of the tub, declaring he was clean. It took almost an hour and by that time, there was more water on the floor and Stoick then there was left in the tub.

'Okay, you're all clean now. Come on out.'

'NO! I don't want to come out!'

Grunting, Stoick stood up. At first he had refused to go into the tub, then he couldn't wait to get out again and now he refused to get out of it completely. He turned around, rubbing his face.

'Odin, what have I done to deserve this...'

He heard the pitter patter of small feet on the floor and something pulled his tunic. When he looked down, he saw Hiccup looking up at him.

'I'm done now daddy.'

'Are you? I believe you're still wet. You need to dry off before you're done. Come here!'

Stoick snatched the child from the ground, wrapping him in the towel that was ten times Hiccup's size.

'You need to dry here!' Stoick rubbed Hiccup's stomach and chest. 'And here!' He rubbed his legs and feet. 'And don't forget to dry behind your ears!'

'Daddy no, that tickles!'

Hiccup's shrill laughter filled the house as his father continues to dry him off, purposely tickling the child in the process. He rubbed the towel over Hiccup's head, spiking the boy's hair in every direction. He laughed at the sight.

'Alright little Hiccup, now you're done! Let's get some clothes on you and then it's time for bed.'

'But I don't wanna go to bed.'

Stoick took a deep breath and looked down on the child on his arm. Hiccup was pulling the breads in his beard.

'Hiccup...'

'I'm not tired!'

'Well, that may be so, but you're still going to bed.'

'But I don't wanna sleep!'

Stoick sighed and took a deep breath. Raising a child was so much harder than he thought. Especially when that child was a stubborn viking. His patience was paper thin at the moment. First, Hiccup had refused to get into the tub for his bath. Then, he had refused to come out of it after he was done. Now he was refusing to go to bed, claiming he wasn't tired. It seemed like the boys mind was set on doing the exact opposite of everything his father said.

Stoick carried Hiccup up the stairs. Even though the boy had claimed that he wasn't tired, he was practically sleeping already. He tucked the boy in, the child protesting and refusing to lay still. Eventually, Hiccup closed his eyes and Stoick left as silently as he could. He put some more wood on the fire and sat down, closing his eyes.

There was a tuck on his arm and his eyes shot open again. There was a small figure standing in front of him, one hand holding the blanket, the other a small stuffed Nadder.

'Hiccup!'

'I can't sleep.'

'Oh for the love of... come here.'

He lifted the child from the ground, wrapping him in the blanket. Hiccup snuggled up against his beard, the little toy Nadder his mother made for him in his hands. He plucked at his fathers beard, pulling the braids.

Stoick closed his eyes again. It wasn't long before Hiccup fell asleep, safely in his fathers arms. Stoick smiled as he looked down at the sleeping child. He knew he had to get him back to his bed so that he too could get some sleep, but he couldn't get up and possibly disturb his son's sleep. He settled for staying in the chair by the fire, soon falling asleep himself.