A/N: So here is a little something I wrote to cover the time until TGS's Sequel is ready. It's also my attempt at the 'Enemies to Lovers' Trope. I should add that you shouldn't expect this to be a long story. Certainly not on the scale of TGS, unless something goes quite wrong.
Anyways, welcome to 'To Mend A Soldier'. I hope you enjoy it.
…
Something was nudging Hiccup's arm.
He wasn't sure what, mostly because he had his eyes closed, but he could feel that it was hard and stiff and poking his elbow. It was metal too, if the cool touch was anything to go by. He grumbled something under his breath and tried to push it away without waking up. It relented, and he sighed happily and snuggled back into his arm.
It came back. Except that this time it continued to poke and prod no matter how much he growled and grumbled. When he tried to swat it away, it hooked behind his hand and drew it out. This resulted in his face slamming down onto something hard, cool and covered in a faint sheen of drool.
His eyes snapped open a second later, and then narrowed as light infused them and burned his retinas. He hissed like a startled cat, except that his throat felt dry and it came out more like a dry rattle. His tongue felt too big for his mouth, the light was too bright, and there was a dull throbbing in his head that just wouldn't go away. He recognised the signs instantly. He had a hangover. A real doozy of one, too. He groaned and pressed his forehead into his wooden desk, vaguely recalling Aage and Eret bothering him until he went out drinking.
He didn't remember anything else, though it looked like he'd retired to his office to slump over his desk and fall asleep. Not the comfiest of places, as his sore neck and back were letting him know. "Crap," He hissed, hand coming up to rub his forehead. "What the hell was I thinking?"
"That is something I would like to know as well, Captain Hiccup Haddock," a masculine voice prodded. His eyes widened and he glanced up into Finn's, the base's doctor stood on the other side of his desk, leaning on the cane that had been pressed into his cheek a few moments earlier. "I can't say I expected to find a veteran such as yourself passed out in a puddle of his own saliva."
"I-It's early morning," Hiccup yawned.
"It's ten," Finn countered
"Shit. I-I mean oops?" He amended, suddenly noticing his raised eyebrow. Hiccup groaned and pushed back in his seat, wiping a nearby towel over the drool he'd left behind. He gestured to the seat opposite, but Finn chose to stand, not that he blamed him. He wouldn't sit at a desk someone had just passed out over, either. "So," He began. "What can I do for you?"
"You did not receive any of my messages?" Finn prompted. "I expected you in my office twenty minutes ago."
Hiccup stared. "My appointment was today?"
"Yes. But since you've missed my messages, my niece is waiting in my office. She wants to meet her new patient."
"The feeling is not mutual."
"It's been years since high school. At least try to move on."
A frown marred Hiccup's face. "Not your place to say anything, Finn. You've never been bullied. Now I have work to do. Good day to you. Oh and tell Astrid that if she wants to meet her new patient, she can come here. Otherwise, I'll decide a time. Not you or her."
He continued, pointing. "There's the door, doctor."
…
"Is Captain Haddock in here?"
Hiccup lowered his head upon hearing the familiar feminine voice. It was now lunchtime, and Hiccup was sitting alone at a table in the canteen, doing his best to appear anonymous.
It didn't work as intended, as eventually footsteps headed his way and someone sat down across from him.
The person coughed when he didn't look up, and instead went on eating. "It's rude to ignore people you know."
"Suck it up, Hofferson. Or don't and go away. Would suit me just fine."
"Wow, you're in a bad mood today, eh? Unfortunately, I don't do what little boys tell me to do."
"That's good then, because there aren't any little boys around here. I certainly haven't seen any, with the exception of my cousin."
"Really? Because I think I'm looking at one."
Hiccup sighed and finally looked over at his unwanted guest. "What do you want, Hofferson? Why are you still here? I'm eating."
"More talking than eating, but I digress. Why didn't you show up for your appointment with my Uncle? What's the reason?"
"I'll give you one guess. Come find me when you figure it out."
And with that, Hiccup decided to leave the canteen, taking his tray laden with his food along with him.
But he had only gotten out of view of the canteen doors when Astrid caught up with him. "It's me, isn't it? You don't like to be around me-"
"Whatever gave you that idea?"
"-because I ignored you during highschool when you used to get bullied. Well, get over it. We all have our own problems, and not all of us have the mayor of Berk as a dad."
"Consider yourself lucky then. Now, what's your rank?"
Astrid blinked. "My rank? Uh…"
"My point is it's fairly likely I outrank you. And in that case, I want you to make yourself scarce. That's an order. Ignore that order and I'll have you thrown in a cell."
And so Hiccup left her in the middle of the hallway, watching him walk away while awkwardly balancing a tray of food and moving with the assistance of a single crutch.
And contrasted against the sock and shoe on his right foot, a cheap metal prosthetic helped him walk with a noticeable limp.
She stared at the artificial limb for a few seconds, before turning away.
…
The door to Finn's office opening with a slam made him look up from his paperwork, just in time to watch his niece slam it shut again and lock the door.
"Hello, niece dearest. What brings you here in such a mood?" he drawled.
"Why didn't you say it was Hiccup and that he had a prosthetic."
"I said he was injured-"
"But not wearing a prosthetic-"
"If I had mentioned his name or anything else about him, you wouldn't have agreed to take him as your patient. Not that it mattered in the end, stubborn boy," then Finn's gaze cooled. "That said, I know about what you and your friends did to him in High school, and I'm frankly glad he refused to come along."
Although Astrid was twenty-seven and as such very much an adult, her uncle's words had her looking past him, through the window behind his desk where he sat.
"T-that wasn't all me."
"I know. And that's why I even entertained the thought of letting you help him. Now get out there and figure out a way to bring him to one of your physical therapy sessions. And remember; be civil with him."
…
His head snapped to the side, then again in the other direction. Blood dripped from his nose and malicious laughter came from the lips of his cousin; nay, the thug who claimed to be as such, and from the twins who prevented him from moving to avoid the blows.
Inhale. Ignore the pain. Count to four. Exhale.
"Got something to say, useless? I believe you owed us an apology."
Inhale. Ignore the thug. Count to four. Don't look him in the eyes. Exhale.
"Go fuck yourself, Snotlout. I was minding my own business."
"Wrong answer."
Again he was punched. But this time, it was to the underside of his jaw.
Inhale. Ignore the pain. Count to four. Exhale.
Inhale. Ignore the pain. Count to four. Exhale.
Inhale. Ignore the pain. Count to four. Exhale.
"S-sorry Snotlout."
"What was that? I didn't hear you."
"I'm sorry Snotlout! I'm sorry about whatever it is I did wrong. Can I go now?"
The thug's expression turned even more merciless if that were possible.
"No, cuz. We're just getting started here."
Another punch was thrown.
Everything faded to black.
And in the present, Hiccup jerked awake.
His eyes darted around the room, to the door, a glance at each wall and the floor, before finally gazing down at the desk in front of him, where his fingers had dug in tightly.
Slowly, he let go, his knuckles turning back to a shade that matched his skin tone and his breathing slowed back to normal.
"Not again…" Hiccup groaned.
Outside his room stood Astrid, a hand curled into a fist to knock on his door, held in the air mere centimetres from it.
She let her hand drop. Try to be civil, Uncle? I can do that. But just not today. He clearly deserves time alone first.
And so Astrid turned away, walking back down the hallway as quietly as she could, his screams still ringing in her ears.