October 18th-Muffled Scream.

Hiccup leaned back against the headboard of his bed. Astrid had told him she'd help with a minor infection developing in his left leg. At first he had protested. His amputation sight was one of the most sensitive parts of his body after all. He had told Astrid he could clean the open wound on his own with the hot water and herbs that stung. He knew deep down that he wouldn't have been able to. The task was far too painful.

Astrid now sat on the end of the bed between Hiccup's legs. His right leg was behind her while his left leg was in her lap. This was to keep him from accidentally kicking her. Having treated many amputation sight wounds during the days of the dragon war, along with some minor illnesses and infection, Astrid knew that this was a very real possibility.

Hiccup had a piece of cloth between his teeth as he tried to look at his purring dragon rather than his leg. Toothless nuzzled his left cheek reassuringly, trying to keep his rider distracted. His heart raced as Hiccup anticipated the sting that was the hot cloth covered in healing herbs.

Though he knew it was coming, Hiccup still let out a muffled yell of pain as the cloth collided with his angry red skin. Tears sprung to his eyes as he clawed at the blankets below him, though he didn't let himself cry in front of Astrid.

The girl he loved.

Toothless purred and roared in an attempt to get Hiccup's attention back on him. Hiccup lay his forehead against his Night Fury's, closing his eyes with the cloth still between his teeth. Another scream was muffled by the material, and he could tell by the way she was tensing and hesitating Astrid hated doing this.

Deciding he'd swallowed enough of the lump in his throat to keep from crying when he first spoke, Hiccup let the cloth drop from his mouth, arms still locked tightly around the neck of his dragon.

He didn't make eye contact with Astrid, but he did try and reassure her as she allowed the hot cloth to lay on his amputation sight and pull out some of the infection. She went to work gently massaging what she could which Hiccup appreciated greatly.

"I-I'm okay Astrid." Hiccup spoke in a cracked, raspy voice. "Not your fault. I-I am glad you're helping me. I-It hurts but...but I can-" He coughed into his elbow, two tears making their way down his cheeks when she hit a sensitive spot with her rough hands, though he wiped them before she could see them.

"I can get through it."

Astrid smiled warmly when Hiccup finally looked at her, face flashed and red marks where the tears had fell on his cheeks. She didn't mention them, knowing he didn't want her to see that he had cried in front of her. She wouldn't have minded of course, she had seen grown men brought to their knees crying because of certain types of infections, and some even became delusional and she had to clean up after them when they'd miss the toilet. Her family was full of worriers, so when she was too little to actually fight, she would help take care of the wounded in her clan.

Hiccup wasn't even close to as bad as she'd seen in the past, but the boy had a pride that she would never get around no matter how hard she tried.

"I know you can." Astrid crawled up Hiccup's body and kissed another stray tear from his cheek. The boy blushed deeply, not knowing that one had fallen and feeling bad that he'd let her seen. At the same time, this was the first time Astrid had kissed his cheek in years.

When she continued working on his leg again, Hiccup found it easier to get through the pain. Astrid soft lips and Toothless' warm scales were plenty to occupy his mind.