Sorry about the wait guys
Sleep was a sweet, sweet relief. That night Hiccup was so tired that he had turned in his weapon and gear before immediately crashing in his bunk. His exhausted body and mind had completely shut down. He drifted into a deep slumber only to be awoken at 6:00 am sharp, as his body was programmed to do. To his surprise no one else was awake. None of his other squad members were even out of their bunks. Including Frank, who always woke up before Hiccup to get first dibs at the Mess Hall. Hiccup shrugged and made his way outside towards the gym as was his custom. An early morning run on the treadmill, breakfast, back to the gym for weight training, an hour of down-time, Mess Hall for lunch, back to the gym, then get orders. That was basically Hiccup's daily plan, usually Gobber didn't make an appearance in the mornings unless there was an important announcement to be made.
He jogged 10 kilometres on the treadmill. 10 km's seemed like a breeze now. Soon enough he was finished. He was headed to the Mess Hall for his morning breakfast when he was interrupted by Gobber.
"Haddock!" he yelled
Hiccup spun and was face-to-face with Lance Corporal Belch
"Haddock, what are you doing up? You know protocol" Gobber lectured
"Protocol?" Hiccup said, confused
Gobber sighed "You should be sleeping. Mandatory Psych evaluations after combat?" Gobber queried
Shit "Oh, I forgot" said Hiccup lamely. After a section was faced with a combat situation they were allowed a single day of rest and recovery as well as a mandatory Psych evaluation before they were cleared to return to active duty.
"You should be resting, Haddock"
"Yeah, yeah. I'll just get some food and head back then" said Hiccup "I just gotta make a call"
Hiccup took his time having breakfast, he was sure Astrid was probably still asleep and didn't want to wake her. After half an hour of picking at his food he grew bored and went back to his bunker to retrieve his laptop. He quickly logged on and called Astrid
He felt better than he did last night. He still felt guilt, eating at him, but now it was eating away at him at a slower pace than it was last night.
Astrid answered after 10 seconds of ringing. To Hiccup's surprise she didn't look all that tired.
"Hey" he said, smiling
"Hey" she replied meekly
"Listen" started Hiccup "About last night…I'm really sorry about dumping all of that stuff on you"
She waved it off "It's fine Hiccup, it really is. If you need someone to talk to, you know I'm here, right?"
"Yeah, thanks Astrid. That means a lot" he smiled warmly "I'm sorry but I've gotta go. I have a rest day today, and I'm really tired. I'll probably be sleeping all day and we have to go through this mandatory Psych evaluation tonight. But I'll be on later tonight, if you want to talk?"
"Yeah" she smiled "Sounds great"
"Alright, I'll talk to you later then?"
"Yeah, bye Hiccup"
"Bye" he hung up
He decided to also call his dad, it was best if he did. He didn't want him to fret, especially if Astrid had told his father what had happened last night.
He knew his father probably wouldn't be at home, so he wouldn't answer skype so Hiccup used the Base's phone
His father didn't pick up but Hiccup left a quick message "Hey dad, just letting you know I'm alive. I'm gonna be busy all day today, but I'll call again tonight. Bye"
The psych evaluations weren't extremely in-depth, just the usual 'are you having any negative thoughts?' and a bunch of other questions about guilt and PTSD. Hiccup passed with flying colours. One of the guys in their squad, Anderson, he didn't. Hiccup guessed that he just snapped, that the stress was too much.
Before he knew it he was back in routine. During the rest of his tour Hiccup only faced combat four more times, none as brutal as the first. The fighting was always from a distance, Hiccup never knew if any of his shots killed or even maimed anyone. He would usually just sit in cover, poke his head up, and spurt 3-round-bursts in the general direction of the enemy. The distance that was between them made it hard to get a clear shot, or even see them. The other squads in the 1st Infantry Division were fairing the same. Hiccup's section, Charlie, had only lost one member, Anderson, he had been medically discharged after his psych evaluation.
But now it was all coming to an end. He was waiting at the airport, the plane he would soon be boarding was fuelling up. Eret and his other squad members were seated beside him.
"We'll be home soon" Eret spoke up
"Yeah" said Hiccup "What is it, a 14 hour flight?"
Eret shrugged "Something like that" Hiccup gave him a small smile before returning his attention to the plane "You gonna get that girl, or what?"
Hiccup pulled the photo of Astrid from a pocket on the front of his vest. "If she'll have me" Hiccup sighed
"What?" asked Eret, he could tell something was off about the tone of Hiccup's voice
"It's been 6 months, how do I know she hasn't found someone else. Someone better" he mumbled the last part
"Nonsense" exclaimed Eret "You talked to her last week didn't you?"
"Yeah, I don't know. I've just never really felt like…this" he said. Eret looked at him as if to say keep going "No one has ever really cared about me, like, at all. My dad couldn't give two shits. Astrid barely even gave me a second glance. I just, I'm not used to this, and now I've got it, it's something I could lose. And I don't know if I'd be able to go back to being Hiccup the Useless"
"You're not Useless Hiccup. If you were Useless you'd be dead, I'd probably be dead" Eret said, slapping a meaty hand on Hiccup's shoulder
"Thanks man"
"We're done here" called an engineer
"I guess that's us" Eret stood and collected his gear, Hiccup did the same
"I wonder what home is like" pondered Hiccup "I wonder if it's changed at all"
"Eh, probably not" Eret and Hiccup walked side-by-side onto the lowered ramp at the rear of the plane and ascended into the cargo-hold. The climbed found a seat at the end of the row and strapped in.
A short time later the pilot climbed down the ladder and checked that we had done our straps correctly.
"You boys ready?" the pilot asked the group
He was met with a wave of nods
"Good, wheels up in 5"
Home thought Hiccup. It seemed like such a strange concept, he would be returning home. He would not have to carry around a weapon when he went outside, people would probably not try and kill him, and he wouldn't kill anyone. At least, not for another 3 months until he's sent back to Afghanistan.
"Come on, come on" exclaimed Astrid "We're gonna be late"
"Someone's excited" said Ruffnut as she wiped over the last few tables
"Hiccup's coming home" she said, bouncing on the balls of her feet
"Calm your tits, woman" Ruffnut threw the dirty cloth at her "There, all done. Now let's go get your boy-toy"
"Not my boy-toy" Astrid deadpanned
"Yeah, you wish he was though. I've never seen you like this, all jittery" Ruffnut waved a hand over Astrid's body as if it were an apt explanation
"What?"
"You're seriously wound up, when's the last time you had sex?" asked Ruffnut
Astrid bit her lip. She hadn't realised it had been so long, it was before graduation. She had lost her virginity at some random party with a random, nameless guy because she was drunk and horny, and that guy had been in the right place at the right time.
"It's been…a while" she said slowly
"Well, now that Hiccup's home I'm sure you'll be getting plenty of it, don't worry"
Astrid bit her lip. Would Hiccup want her, want sex? She didn't know. She knew she liked him, she liked what the Army had done to his body. And ok fine, she definitely wanted to have sex with him. He was very attractive, was that a crime?
Ruff collected her keys from the desolate counter. "Come on, let's go get you some Hiccup dick"
Astrid didn't even hit her, or have a remark ready. She was too enraptured in the mental image of Hiccup's dick.
She shook her head What's happening to me. Her sexual experience had been strictly limited to a drunk one-night stand. And it wasn't that great at all, that's why she hadn't ever taken up any of those offers from guys she got at the diner. Sex didn't seem like a great thing, just something to pass the time. Some for guys to get off on. But now…now she wanted to jump Hiccup's bones. Oh god, this wasn't good. She needed to stop thinking about Hiccup, naked Hiccup, no STOP.
The drove in silence to the airport. Astrid couldn't stop clutching her jacket a bit too tightly, and tapping her leg. Hiccup had gotten a plane into Brisbane and then got a small plane out to Berk. The Berk Airport wasn't exactly large. They had no problem finding a parking spot.
They spotted Hiccup, he was laying down across a bench, still in his army gear, using his backpack as a pillow and his hat to block out light.
She ran over to him and something about him seemed off. He seemed…bigger, more bulky. She slowed down as she neared him.
"Hiccup?" she said, creeping forward
"Don't wake it, I can't deal with it right now" came a familiar nasal voice from behind her
She whirled around and was face to face with Hiccup, also decked out in his army gear. Astrid ran and leapt onto him, crash tackling him to the ground
"HICCUP!" she shrieked
She hugged him as tightly as she could, as if he'd disappear the moment she let go. She buried her face into his chest.
Hiccup chuckled slightly "Astrid…it's good to see you too"
"I missed you" she mumbled into his chest
He grabbed her chin and tilted her face upward. He leant forward and placed a kiss solidly on her lips. Eventually they had to part for air "I missed you too"
"So Hiccup" said Ruff in a sultry voice. Hiccup looked over and saw Ruff staring at a dishevelled Eret, it appeared their antics had woken him up "Are you going to introduce us to your friend?" she grinned slyly at Eret, coked her hip, and winked all at once.
Eret looked horrified, he gave Hiccup a look that plainly said 'HELP ME'
Hiccup untangled himself from Astrid and offered her a hand to help her get up
"Uh…guys. This is Eret, he's in the 1st ID with me in Charlie squad"
Eret waved meekly "Oh…Eret. Such a strong name, for a strong man" said Ruff, giving one of Eret's biceps a squeeze
"Uh…thankyou" said Eret, backing away "Strange person who is oddly forward"
"Oh" said Ruff, batting her eyelashes "I'm Ruffnut" she continued to stare at Eret as if he were a piece of meat
Hiccup still had an arm around Astrid, it was gently resting above her waist "Okay" he said slowly "Sorry Ruff, but we're tired and I've got to get Eret back home so….." he trailed off
"He could come home with me" she said in a husky voice
Eret gulped "No thanks" he gave a fake yawn and stretched "Oh, I'm so very tired. I'm afraid I'll have to decline"
Ruff pouted "Fine. Have fun with lover-boy" she called over her shoulder as she stalked away
"What…was that?" exclaimed Eret
"Sorry about that" said Astrid "Ruff can be pretty….full-on"
"So this is the infamous Astrid, ey?" Eret stood and walked over to them "I am Eret, son of Eret" he extended a hand which Astrid shook "I don't get it" he said after a moment. He looked at Hiccup "She's not swooning and collapsing into my arms, confessing her undying love for me. What kind of wicked hold do you have over this woman?"
Hiccup chuckled "It must be the sarcasm, I hear it's a huge turn-on"
Astrid smiled faintly, because really, it kinda was.
"What are you doing?" asked Hiccup "Do you want to go home or…?" he trailed off yet again
"I could stay at yours the night, I don't think your dad will mind, he's not even here. But he'll be back on Tuesday"
Hiccup nodded "Cool, so you all set Eret?"
Eret nodded "Good to go" Ruff had the pleasure of living right next to the airport, well it wasn't really a pleasure since whenever there was a light it was extremely loud in her house. So Ruff had walked home and left Astrid her car for the night. Astrid couldn't drive here because it was in at the mechanic's getting fixed.
The three adults got into Ruff's small hatchback and set off towards Hiccup's large house on the other side of town.
"Oh" Eret spoke up "I am actually quite tired. So if you two plan on…doing the deed…please do it quietly"
Astrid blushed and to her surprise Hiccup chuckled and didn't seem the least bit perturbed. He glanced over to her "That's just Eret, you'll get used to it"
"Joy" she said sarcastically
Once they got back to Hiccup's Eret immediately took off his long sleeve shirt, threw it in a corner, and collapsed face first onto the couch.
"Goodnight" said Hiccup as they walked past. Eret raised a hand in response. It seemed all too soon that they reached Hiccup's door
"I guess I'll just…" she said, gesturing to the guest-room across from Hiccup's
"Or…you could stay" he replied in a quiet voice
His eyes didn't meet hers and she gulped. "Yeah" she said, 100% confident "I'll stay"
Hiccup grinned shyly and opened his door. As soon as it was closed she crashed her lips against his and pushed him back onto the bed.
I need your opinion. I don't know if I want to do lemony things with this fic. I've never written lemon before. So, yes or no?
