So this actually started off as a complete and utter joke between me and some friends of mine that completely took off and we became a lot more involved in this AU than we ever planned to be and ended up loving it. So here's the first chapter.

I have to admit, I don't remember all the details concerning RttE season 5. I'm not entirely sure whether the Riders already know Krogan at this point or not.

Constructive criticism is appreciated!

Enjoy!

Unexpected To Say The Least: Prologue

This particular morning was a strange one for Hiccup.

He woke up later than he normally would. Not that he was an early riser, much to Stoick's dismay. He threw off the covers, sat up in bed feeling more or less like a hot steaming pile of dragon crap with his hair even more of a mess than usual, and sighed deeply. His eyes were still heavy with sleep. He yawned.

Something didn't feel quite right with him. He couldn't put his finger on the reason why. There were occasional, and barely even noticeable, cramps in his stomach. They were the only sensation physical and recognizable enough that he had the words to describe at least that.

Toothless was by his side the moment he realized his Rider had awoken, lying his head on Hiccup's lap.

"Hey, Bud." He greeted him, scratching behind an ear fin of his.

He still felt so tired. Like he had stayed up all night, even though he'd gone to bed earlier than usual. There was the urge to just lie back down and sleep the rest of the day away.

He decided against doing it because he knew there was much that needed to be done. They were expecting Trader Johann to come visit Dragon's Edge too. If all went right, the seafaring merchant had information to share regarding a secret project Hiccup had been working on for the past two weeks.

So for as bad as he felt, Hiccup needed to get up.

"Toothless?" Hiccup questioned his dragon as, when he swung his legs over the side of his bed with the plan to pick his prosthetic up from the floor next, Toothless stopped him.

With a protesting growl, the Night Fury attempted to push him back down again, apparently very fond of Hiccup's previous idea to sleep the rest of the day away, though he didn't recall sharing it with the dragon. Toothless wasn't being forceful, he was being quite gentle about it, using the flat of his head to make him back up. Hiccup scooted out of his reach.

"Bud?"

With his snout, he prodded the other's agitated belly and looked up to him with big, concerned eyes and a croon. Hiccup didn't need to think twice before his figured he knew what was bothering Toothless.

"You can tell something's up with me?" Hiccup asked and Toothless' earfins perked up. He barked to confirm his suspicion.

"Don't worry about it, Bud, they're just some cramps. I'm perfectly fine." But then he gave the dragon that answer and Hiccup didn't get the chance to give his best friend another scratch before Toothless' nubs flattened and he dropped his head down on the bed. He seemed so disappointed somehow.

"Well, geez, grumpy pants, sorry for being fine." Hiccup teased him, but the only response he got was a grumble.

Hiccup grabbed his metal leg and pulled it on.

Patting Toothless' head and then pushing himself up to his feet, Hiccup needed to take a moment to steady himself before he could search for his leather armor wherever he had left it the evening before.

Finding and putting his pauldrons on was easy, but his chest piece brought with it some discomfort. It's been uncomfortably tight around his middle for weeks, but it didn't trouble him as much as it did that morning. Tight clothing was just Hiccup's preferred attire. There was less that just hung loose and billowed in the wind during a flight.

Today, however, it seemed to make his stomach feel even worse. It wasn't long before the chest piece was back off and thrown onto the bed.

Toothless raised his head in surprise.

As another cramp passed, Hiccup let out a deep sigh. He didn't know what was causing them and he frankly did not care. He couldn't fall ill now. Not with some guy out there hurting innocent dragons or all the other stuff he still needed to deal with. Such as the usual patrols and the upcoming annual dragon census.

And the completion of his Dragon Eye Two, the super-secret project he was fighting to keep hidden from his friends. He wanted it to be a surprise. Just the thought of their faces when he could finally reveal his creation thrilled him. He could hardly wait.

Now dressed and, surprisingly enough, still starving despite how awful he felt, Hiccup wanted to make his way down the stairs to reach the ground floor of his hut, but Toothless came to stand between him and his descend. He sat down with a mumble and a very disapproving look.

"Bud?" There was still that worry in his eyes even as he made himself an unmovable object in front of Hiccup. It seemed like the Night Fury didn't want him to go about his day today. He didn't even want him to leave his bed.

Having stumped him, Toothless again tried to push his Rider back, effectively turning him on his heels. He was being careful, something that Hiccup also found to be quite unlike him.

It's not like he was never cautious, but usually, he needed a reason. At that moment, Hiccup couldn't think of a single one.

He was feeling off, tired, and occasionally hurt, but it shouldn't cause Toothless to act this way no matter how overbearing he could sometimes be. On any other day, Hiccup would be downright thrown back onto the bed, or even the stone slab, and pinned down by Toothless' full weight until he had no other choice but to surrender and be met with the face of a very, very smug dragon.

"Toothless, Bud, I need to go." Hiccup passed the Night Fury by with a spin to try and leave, but soon found his hand to be caught in a very slimy grip. Looking back with an expression of distaste, he saw Toothless biting down on it with his teeth retracted.

Hiccup tried to ignore the cold chills running down his spine. His hand was going to smell like fish for the rest of the day.

"Wow, you really don't want me to leave, do you?" He let the dragon pull him back to bed with a growl. They were only his gums, but his grip remained strong.

Sopping wet, but surprisingly strong.

At least for a moment, Hiccup decided to humor him and sat back down. Toothless put his head on his lap again and he was content for the time being.

As Hiccup petted the top of his head, Toothless purred, he let his thoughts drift away.

Hiccup knew Toothless was acting more than a little bit odd lately. They barely ever took to the sky, Toothless despised even the easiest missions, rough play between the Riders was strictly forbidden, and the rare times they did take to the sky, it was for smooth flying only. No tricks, no rolls, nothing. Hiccup could no longer even eat whatever he wanted.

Tuffnut sometimes pretended not to recognize Hiccup because his hair was neat for once without the wind blowing it into a near-permanent mess.

For as overly protective as he could be, this behavior was unlike Toothless and it was something that's been happening for weeks. Well, it's been this bad for weeks. This new side of his first started showing itself just a mere month or two, three since the Dragon Riders had come to live here on the Edge.

Hiccup wasn't an idiot. At least, not a total one. He did worry, but he was also aware that, because of their recent war with Viggo Grimborn, he got hurt a lot since moving here. Either they crashed, ended up captured, or kidnapped and Hiccup figured that must be the reason.

Insisting he stay in bed was new, though.

"You know, bud," As a full hour was passing by, Hiccup figured he should try to get up again, shaking away the drowsiness creeping up on him. It was unusual for him to nearly doze off while sitting up. It could happen if he were to pull all-nighter after all-nighter, but he had slept well and long last night.

Toothless gave him a grumble, but otherwise stayed quiet. He knew what the human was about to say and he didn't like it.

"I should get up. The other Riders are probably starting to wonder where I am and I'm starving." The dragon raised his head and gave a croon.

"And no, you can't go and get me food."

There he went again. Back on his lap. Hiccup let out a sigh.

"I've been here a whole extra hour, Toothless, I need to go. There I things I need to do!" Lifting him off his lap himself, Hiccup seized his opportunity to stand and leave.

Toothless growled in dismay, but didn't try to stop him again. He was starting to realize keeping Hiccup here was futile.

Hiccup glanced at him from atop the stairs before he took it down.

It was on days like these that he wished he understood what dragons were saying. He and Toothless could've talked it out ages ago and the Night Fury wouldn't be upset with him now.

As Hiccup opened the oversized hatch leading to his living space, footsteps approached. Despite how deceptively soft they were, Hiccup still heard them over his quite loud front entrance. The hinges needed to be oiled.

Looking back, Toothless was already right behind him.

Just like his Rider and Stoick, he could be incredibly stubborn as well. It surprised Hiccup to see the Night Fury decide to join him as he wasn't above just staying put whenever Hiccup didn't listen and sulking about it. But for whatever reason, that wasn't the case today.

Hiccup was glad. He'd spend the rest of the day worrying if Toothless had decided to stay put for much longer.

"Let's go, Bud. I know there's a nice dish of haddock with your name on it." The years spend with humans forced Toothless to roll his eyes at Hiccup's tease, but the latter could tell it was done in a friendly way. He laughed.

But the moment Hiccup set a foot outside his hut it wasn't Fishlegs searching for him or Astrid and Stormfly coming to get him for a sparring match that made him halt. It was whatever ailed his stomach.

It felt more painful for some reason.

But Hiccup decided he didn't have the time to fall ill and continued on his way, meeting with both Fishlegs and Astrid on the way to the clubhouse.