An Unknown Sickness - httyd

Struggle

Snotlout woke up on the Edge and all was quiet. He was the only one there, apart from Hiccup who was now sleeping all the time. Gothi would be coming back soon with medicine from Berk. Even though she didn't know what Hiccup had, Snotlout was sure that some of her herbs would help somehow. They always did.

Hiccup was somehow always okay. He could get shot in the heart but survive and make a full recovery. But for some odd reason, Snotlout was getting a feeling that Hiccup might not make it. He pushed that strange feeling aside.

The first thing Snotlout did was eat. Fishlegs had time to make a lifetime supply of soup before he went with the others. 

Snotlout was alright staying behind this time. He meant what he had said, about wanting to be the cousin Hiccup needed all his life. Snotlout was ashamed of how he had treated Hiccup in the past. Those memories still haunted him. He had remembered a time where he had beaten Hiccup up in the woods when he was alone. No one had believed Hiccup that Snotlout had beaten him up and instead believed Snotlout when he said that Hiccup had eaten weird berries that made him hallucinate and he had fallen down a slope and injured himself. Snotlout told everyone that he had luckily found Hiccup and saved him. How dumb Snotlout thought he was now for playing such a hideous trick. 

After eating, Snotlout took a bowl for Hiccup. There was a big chance that he wasn't even awake. If that was the case, he would leave the soup on Hiccup's desk and leave. 

Snotlout walked over to Hiccup's hut and went in. Everything was dark inside. He had trouble walking up the stairs without spilling the soup that was now starting to get cold.

"Snotlout?" A weary voice came from Hiccup's bed.

"Hey, cuz," Snotlout said to his cousin who was laying with his eyes open slightly. 

It was a little scary for Snotlout to see his cousin like this. Weak and pale. Snotlout secretly admired Hiccup's leadership and bravery. Hiccup always knew what to do and was always the one to take care of the riders. But seeing him like this was something Snotlout wasn't used to. Sure, Hiccup got hurt during battles. But he always got up and kept going. Now he was literally unable to stand. 

"I brought you some food," Snotlout said and stood over by Hiccup. Toothless was close by, he seemed to be sleeping. "Fishlegs made it before him and the other riders left."

"Where did they-" Hiccup interrupted himself and started to cough. 

Snotlout didn't need him to finish the sentence. "They are out looking for that dragon. We need to know what the poison is and how we can stop it," Snotlout explained but Hiccup started to look worried. 

"It's too dangerous!" He said and started coughing again. Hiccup quickly recovered. "We don't know anything about that dragon! Only that it is massively dangerous and poisonous!" Hiccup seemed exhausted after his burst. 

"That's exactly why they are going to go find the dragon," Snotlout said gently. Ugh. Snotlout admired that his cousin always put his friends before himself but he was gonna get killed one day doing it. 

Hiccup didn't say anything. 

"I know this is hard, but you will get through this," Snotlout said but he couldn't help but keep the uncertainty out of his voice. He wasn't really good with pep talks or encouraging speeches. That was more of Hiccup's thing.

Hiccup sighed and Toothless came over to his rider. Hiccup started to stroke Toothless's nose.

"They'll be fine..." Snotlout said and Hiccup suddenly sat up quickly and clutched his stomach. "Are you okay?" Snotlout asked quickly as Hiccup started breathing quicker. "Hiccup, what's wrong?" Panic started to make its way into Snotlout's brain when Hiccup didn't respond right away. His eyes were squeezed shut and he was bending over. "Hiccup, lay down," Snotlout said in a commanding voice and started to push Hiccup back on the bed. Hiccup hissed through gritted teeth. Snotlout could feel his cousin's muscles were tight and tense.