In Order To Survive
Rated; M for Mature
Pairing; Hiccup X Vera[OC]
Disclaimer; I do not own How To Train Your Dragon, movies or books. Everything belongs to Dreamworks or Cressida Cowell
More Of The Same
=Normal POV=
[Friday, 2/2/2018-9 pm]
[Copenhagen, Denmark-Kastellet Military Base]
Despite Hiccup having a slight meltdown; training continued as normal through the rest of the day. From 1 pm to 3 pm; it was shooter practice with various types of guns and some grenades, but they were dummy ones; they only gave a boom and little small to a medium-sized puff of smoke. The Vikings knew Hiccup was working, so they tried to refrain from asking him questions, at least until later on when he might not be so busy. 3-4 was a verbal pop quiz about military history, protocols, and conduct. 4-6 was another small workout and drill commands. Finally, there was dinner from 6-7. And from 7-9 was a combat scenario to infiltrate an enemy base and defeat the boss. There were 2 sides to this, as a massive, war version of capture the flag. Hiccup team won, and then everyone lined up to be dismissed for the night.
"Good work today, soldiers!" Colden called. "Now, off to the barracks with you! I'll see you bright and early at 0500! Hand salute!" he stated. The soldiers brought their hands up and saluted. "At ease," Colden added afterward as the soldiers relaxed. "Dismissed, and goodnight," he smiled.
"Finally!" Brynjar sighed out.
"Ready to hit the sack, Hic?" Davyn inquired.
"Sergeant Haddock," Colden stated.
"Yes, sir?" Hiccup replied.
"That eval…I scheduled it for Sunday at 7:15 pm. Work for you?" Colden replied. Hiccup nodded to him. "Oh, and since you have about 20 people; you get E Barrack with them. The rest of you, males in A and C. Females in B and D!" he informed.
"Yes, sir!" the soldiers replied and began to break off. Hiccup motioned for the Vikings to follow him.
"So, what is an E Barrack?" Camicazi asked.
"A barrack is a large space that 30-60 soldiers share. Some are wooden; others are metal. It's a long building with a bathroom, and then one open area filled with beds," Hiccup explained while walking. "E is just the letter that helps the officers keep track of which groups are where, and there is no co-ed sleeping. Males and females stay separated,"
"Why can't they sleep together? We all do at your house?" Thuggory wondered.
"Military has its own set of rules, and that happens to be one of them. It's more to do with the fact it's easier for all guys to be in one space, and the girls in theirs. In the mornings, we have half an hour to shower and get dressed. In most cases, the males and females being separated are just to avoid the 2 genders seeing one another with barely anything on. For males, when we leave the bathroom; we're typically only in a towel or our underwear. Guys don't really care if they see one another, neither do girls, but they don't like to see each other," Hiccup shrugged.
"Example-wise, you're saying that if you're in a room with about 30 others, all males; you guys don't care if you see one another naked?" Dagur blinked.
"Not really, no. Sure, it's a little uncomfortable in the start when you're just meeting these people in basic training, but by the end of all that; you stop caring. Guys all have the same parts, so it's not like we'd be seeing anything new," Hiccup reached the barrack and opened the door while flipping on the light; he walked in and let the other file in behind him.
"And the girls don't care about seeing each other?" Astrid inquired. Hiccup shook his head. Once they were all inside, Hiccup closed the door and faced them as they were unsure of what to do from here.
"Guys, it's just like at my house. Find a bed; these are a little different, but they serve the same purpose," Hiccup tossed his bag on the bottom bunk of a bed closest to the door.
"Why are they stacked on top of one another?" Stoick asked.
"Oh, that's because they are bunk beds. It's supposed to be that way and how we fit so many people into one space," Hiccup explained. "Just…Grab a bottom bed as I have, and I'll tell you more. I figured you'd have questions about the military base. Usually, civilians aren't allowed to be here; you're a special case as I'm your caretaker," he informed. The Vikings found beds close together on either side of the room and put their things down. "Okay, quick rundown. Beds, metal closet, and bathrooms are down at the end of the hall. It's not like at my house where there is only one sink, shower, and toilet, so come on," he motioned for them to follow.
Reaching the bathroom, Hiccup brought them inside. "It's very simple. There are 10 stalls, each with one toilet inside. There are 10 sinks and urinals. And a urinal is just another place men can piss in as males stand up when doing so. There are 12 showers, no tubs. This is because in the morning, for those who choose to get ready at 4:30 am have only 30 minutes to use the bathroom, shower, shave if necessary, and get dressed to meet on the field for 5 am. And that's a lot of people to get ready at once in such a short time, so we've been trained to get in; shower, shave, and get out within 6 minutes, and then get dressed," he explained.
"Wow, that's fast," Heather said.
"Have to be for war situations; you have to be ready when called to fight whenever. Enemies aren't going to wait for you to get out of the shower, dry off, and get dressed," Hiccup chuckled while leading them out to the central area again.
"So what's with the bunk beds again?" Eret inquired.
"Okay, when you join the army and get sworn in; you ship off to Basic Combat Training. It's 9 weeks long, so a little over a month. When you ship out; you start at Reception Battalion, its about 3-5 days long where you fill out a bunch of paperwork, takes some tests, get your uniforms, dog tags, and whatnot. From there, you move to Basic Training and get to pick a battle buddy. This person basically becomes your new best friend through training. You do everything together. You have each other's backs, and if one of you gets into trouble, both of you suffer the punishment. The bunk beds are because you sleep in the place as your battle buddy," Hiccup sat on his bed now.
"One person on top, and the other on the bottom bed?" Snotlout blinked.
"That's right," Hiccup nodded.
"Who is your battle buddy?" Vera wondered now.
"Sigvard," Hiccup chucked.
"The one who was saying he wanted to have sex with you?" Soren stated, a bit surprised.
"No, that was Jolgeir," Hiccup replied. "They were messing around; it would never happen," he laughed a little while unlacing his boot and setting them at the foot of his bed. After that, he took off his jacket and laid it across the trunk at the foot of the bed along with his belt.
"But why do they make jokes like that?" Signy questioned.
"Just for fun; that's all it is. Good, clean fun with friends," Hiccup shrugged while removing his shirt. "Not everything is about work; you gotta be able to laugh and have fun. So after a long day of training before lights out happen; we crack jokes and tease one another," he added.
"What's lights out?" Tuffnut asked.
"During basic training; we're all on a set schedule. It starts at 4:30 am, then we train from 5 am to 6 am. Breakfast from 6-7am. More training from 7-12. Lunch from 12-1. Training 1-5. Dinner, 5-6. Training 6-7. 7-8 is Drill Sergeant time. Then, personal time 8-9. Lights out at 9. It means they shut the lights off and you're expected to go to sleep. Lord help you if you leave your bunk for anything other than the bathroom or a medical reason," Hiccup explained.
"But, it's 9 now?" Viggo said.
"I said during basic. For the monthly drill, we get until 10 pm before they shut 'em off. So right now, this is basically our personal time. We can do laundry, shower, call home, read, or sleep if we want to. It's an hour to wind down after the day," Hiccup stated.
"What do you mean when you say lord help you if you leave your bunk for anything other than two reasons?" Alvin spoke up.
"During Basic, you do what you're told, as you're told, and when you are told. Everything is Yes Sir or No Sir. Well, Ma'am if you have a female drill sergeant. Those are the people who train us when we join. You always speak loudly, respectfully, and never make your drill sergeant have to repeat themselves, or it's hell for you. But after lights out; it's bedtime no matter what. You don't leave your bed unless it the bathroom or you need to see the medic. If it's for anything else…You will get the scolding and workout of the lifetime,"
"Has it ever happened to you?" Fishlegs wondered.
"What? Gotten my ass chewed out for doing something wrong?" Hiccup asked as they nodded. "Yeah, plenty of times on Berk," he chuckled. "I'm kidding, partially; that wasn't exactly untrue. But yes; it's happened before," he nodded. "Look, I'm gonna go shower because I don't want to have to deal with it tomorrow morning. You wanna ask more after that, I don't mind," Hiccup grabbed his tower and shower bag; then he moved down the aisle into the bathroom.
"Well, I guess we wait for him to get back," Gobber shrugged.
. . .
[9:20 pm]
[Kastellet Military Base; E Barrack]
Hiccup returned 10 minutes later wearing his pants, socks, and the towel over his shoulder.
"Still got that wild hair, don't ya?" Gobber mentioned with a chuckle.
"Yeah, I gotta cut it again. The military is gonna yell at me if I don't get it back to regulation length," Hiccup stated.
"It has to be cut a certain way?" Ruffnut blinked.
"Yeah. The girls have to have theirs pulled back in a bun, that thing that Katja does with hers sometimes was it's in a small ball behind her head. For guys; they can do a lot of different things. It can be fully shaved like Colden's. Short, one-length all around like Brynjar's. Uh…Shaved around the sides, shorter top," Hiccup informed.
"How do you do yours?" Thuggory questioned.
"Shaved sides and back, shorter top," Hiccup said as he hung his towel to dry on the post of the top bunk; then pulled on a green t-shirt that ready ARMY STRONG in black letters across the chest. Hiccup put his dog tags back in and sat down on the edge of his bed before laying back. "Ow…Gods, everything hurts,"
"That bad, huh?" Vera giggled.
"I'd like to see you do what I do for just an hour and tell me it doesn't hurt," Hiccup smiled before he sat up again.
"How come you and the others are always saying…0500, 2100?" Dagur inquired.
"Military time," Hiccup stated.
"Explanation?" Tuffnut pushed.
"So you know how I taught you all to read a 12-hour clock, right?" Hiccup began as they nodded. "The military clock is 24 hours,"
"How is that possible when the clock only has 1-12?" Camicazi questioned.
"Because there are 24 hours in a day and each hour on the clock has an AM and PM number," Hiccup said.
"You've lost me," Stoick remarked.
"Okay, let's try it this way. The new day starts at midnight, right? The next hour is 1 am; then 2, 3, 4, 5…You get it," Hiccup began. "When you hit 12 pm or noon, the next hour is 1 pm. Still following?"
"Yes…" they replied slowly.
"Okay, for us…Midnight is 0000 hours; the start of a new day begins at 0. Next is 0100, 1 am. Then, 0200, 2 am. This continues all way to 1200, which is 12 pm or Noon," Hiccup continued.
"So, then you start at 0100 again, don't you?" Astrid stared.
"No. After 1200, we go to 1300; then 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000, 2100, 2200, 2300, and finally 2400. Which, to you, would mean 1 pm all the way through until 12 am when the new day begins again," Hiccup said.
"But you said 12 am was 0000," Fishlegs pointed out.
"Yes, but it's also 2400. Look, it's just how we read things, okay? So, right now it's 2130, 9:30 pm," Hiccup checked his watch.
"It's…confusing, but interesting," Vera smiled.
"That generally how the military is," Hiccup shrugged.
"What do you learn in Basic?" Gobber asked.
"Military history, time, protocol, and laws. Drill commands, marching, teamwork, how to shoot a gun and throw grenades, staying up late, being on guard, awareness to surroundings, how to fight, etc.," Hiccup replied.
"And you have to be on that weird schedule, right?" Eret said.
"Yes," Hiccup nodded.
"And this drill weekend happens every month?" Alvin questioned next.
"Only for 11 of the 12 months. There is one month; usually, June or July where we have to come here for 2 weeks. It's our annual training, physicals, test, so on and so forth," Hiccup enlightened gently.
"Brynjar was saying something about that earlier this morning," Viggo nodded, recalling what his eldest child had said when the soldiers were doing the workout.
"What happens to us when you have to go for 2 weeks?" Heather wondered now.
"Well, that comes down to if you end up going back to the Archipelago by the time it happens. If not and I get your training far enough along to where I feel you can be left alone unsupervised; I may leave you at my house while I go away. Henrik can check in on you, and I'll call to make sure everything is fine," Hiccup stated calmly. There was a knock as Hiccup looked at the door to see Brynjar and his 5 team members.
"Hey, Hic. Can we come in?" Sigvard asked.
"Sure, just don't get in trouble," Hiccup nodded.
"Brynjar said it was okay until 10 pm," Oivind informed.
"Nice. What brings you over?" Hiccup looked at them.
"Just checking on you," Davyn reported.
"I told you; I'm good," Hiccup grumbled.
"Well, we know that now, but still. You were pretty pissed off earlier, had us worried something was going on," Brynjar admitted. "Kongur thinks it's PTSD,"
"I've got my moments, but nothing to be concerned for," Hiccup enlightened.
"As long as you're sure. You know you can talk to us, a counselor, or even your dad if a moment becomes too much," Eirik said. "So what goes on in the E Barrack?"
"Just answering questions," Hiccup shrugged.
"Sounds fun," Jolgeir chuckled. "What question are we on now?"
"Don't know, just finished talking about what happens to them when we go for annual training," Hiccup stated. "You 18 wanna know anything else?"
"How many months of training do you have to do when you join?" Stoick inquired.
"Well, Reception Battalion is 3-5 days. Basic Combat Training is 9 weeks. Right there, that's about 10 weeks, so…2 and a half months. But…That's just Basic. After a week passes when you graduate that as a full-fledged soldier, everyone splits off to do their AIT or Advanced Individual Training. For me…It was only 4 weeks more. Others. It can vary depending on the job someone picked when they joined the army," Hiccup informed.
"Isn't the army itself the job?" Eret blinked.
"Well, yes, but there are a bunch of little jobs that make up the army as a whole. Like…There are medics, people who are trained to take care of sickness and injury. There are drill sergeants, people who train soldiers. There are radio and computer operators, mappers, vehicle and chopper drivers; the list is about endless, but whatever they picked before shipping to Reception Battalion is what they'll go to AIT for," Hiccup said.
"What is your job in the army?" Viggo questioned.
"Me? I'm Infantry," Hiccup revealed.
"And that is?" Snotlout pushed.
"It means we do the missions and fighting. You need information about enemies; you send us to find out. You need someone captured; you send us. You need to infiltrate an enemy base and destroy it from the inside out; you send us. You need a battle fought; we will fight," Hiccup informed. "To put it simply; we're on the front line. First to fight, last to leave, always ready to defend; that's what we live by,"
"Couldn't have said that better myself," Brynjar nodded. "We're a Infantry Battalion; that means all of us are Infantry Soldiers," Suddenly, Hiccup's phone started vibrating as he leaned over to check it since the device was charging. Hiccup groaned in defeat. "What's up?"
"Who is it?" Oivind asked.
"Olivia…" Hiccup sighed as he put a finger to his lips, slid the icon to answer; then tapped speakerphone. "What?"
"Is that any way to talk to your wife?" Olivia inquired.
"Is what you did to me anyway to treat your husband?" Hiccup countered. "What do you want?"
"You've been ignoring me all day," Olivia remarked.
"Well, I'm not divorcing you so I can talk and spend time with you," Hiccup huffed.
"Come on, Hiccup; I just want to talk about things…Please?" Olivia tried.
"No, Olivia. I don't want to talk about what happened; I don't even want to see or hear from you. There's nothing left to talk about," Hiccup responded.
"We can work things out if you'd stop being so stubborn," Olivia sighed.
"It's not about being stubborn; you hurt me in ways I didn't think you were capable of doing and that fact that no matter what I do; I'll never forget about you or what you did. The pain will always be there. There is no working out what happened between us, Olivia. You cheated on me for 7 months with my best friend's boyfriend, and got knocked up by him; then tried to pass it off as my baby," Hiccup proclaimed.
"I know I messed up, Hiccup. It was an accident! What do you want me to do to make it up to you?" Olivia bargained.
"I want the only thing I said I wanted the day I kicked you out; a divorce. I don't want apologies; I don't want excuses…I just want the divorce," Hiccup repeated. "I can't forgive you, because it hurts too goddamn much knowing what you did while I was fighting a war to protect you and everyone else I care about," Hiccup explained. "I do love you, and Odin knows part of me always will, but unfortunately, it's not enough to fix what you've done. And it's clear you don't love me as much as you claim,"
"Please talk to me…I've been trying all day; that should show you how dedicated I am to loving you, and wanting to fix things," Olivia said
"Olivia, just stop, okay? You're only making this harder on yourself, and me. You don't know how this feels for me; to know what you did to me after what we talked about before I left in April 2017. You knew how much I wanted to start a family. You knew how excited I was to become a father. We were going to start when I got home…But it looks like you couldn't wait for me. So instead, to hide your unfaithfulness…You played with my heart and broke it with your lies," Hiccup voiced softly.
"Where are you anyway?" Olivia inquired. "I'm at the house, let me in…"
"I'm not at the house; I'm away, training. So why don't you do what you did before and go find someone else to fuck since I'm not around all the time. Find someone else to play because I'm done with your game and you. Sign the divorce papers and leave me alone," he hung up.
Hiccup tossed the phone away from him and lowered his head to rub his temples. "Hic?" Jolgeir asked. "You alright?"
"I'm fine…Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just gonna go to bed," Hiccup informed.
"Back to the barracks, boys," Brynjar ordered. "You need anything; a friend to talk to, a shoulder to cry on, a hug, Hiccup…You need anything at all; you come to see me. We're right next door in C. Oh, and if she calls again; bring me the phone. I'm going to give her a piece of my mind. We've all just about had it with how much she's upsetting you,"
Hiccup nodded to him as Brynjar and the other 5 left. Hiccup laid down on his bed and closed his eyes. "Good night," Hiccup said quietly. Not more than 10 minutes later, Hiccup was knocked out.
"LIGHTS OUT!" yelled a loud voice. Thankfully, the Vikings were already laying down an in their beds as the lights automatically shut off. Slowly, they all drifted to sleep by 10:30 pm knowing that tomorrow, according to Hiccup at least, would be more of the same training they witnessed today.
