Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It started slowly at first. She was the daughter of the mayor, so she was privy to information that others weren’t. People were getting sick. Immediately her father started working on a safe place for them. The public weren’t made aware of how bad it was going to be. She wanted to tell her friends, she really did, but she was forbidden. Then came the panic. Shops closing, necessities disappearing from the shelves. She asked her father to spare some of their own. People were suffering, she wanted to help. He forbid her, saying the worst was still to come. The isolation was next. As soon as their bunker was ready, her father moved them down into it, taking her phone, taking away any communication she could have with the world. How would she know when this was over? He would be informed her father said. She didn’t believe him, but she didn’t argue. Who could argue with the government?

She spent her days doing mindless activities, until about a month in. Someone had found a way into their bunker. She wasn’t allowed to see, but she heard everything. From what she gathered it was a boy, a child, begging for help. Something happened to his father, he was scared. She wanted to help, her mother kept her away, her father forced him out. She didn’t speak to either of her parents for a week. Why had they done that? Weren’t they supposed to be helping each other?

Then her mother coughed. It was allergies she said. It didn’t mean anything she assured. Not two days later, her father separated them. She wasn’t allowed to see her, she wasn’t allowed to speak with her, it was like her mother had died. She knew she hadn’t though. Her father was on the phone everyday. What do you mean there’s no cure? What do you mean it’s getting worse? What do you mean it’s far from over?

She wanted to help, she wanted to see her mother. When her father was on the phone, she snuck out of her room and to her mother’s. What she saw wasn’t her mother, it couldn’t be. Her voice trembled when she called out. The creature turning to face her, eyes sunken, skin cracking, and the absolutely terrifying hiss that sent foam flying from her mouth. She screamed, scrambling back, and rushing to shut the door. If it hadn’t been for her father was would have been killed. Her eyes wide with fear, shaking hands, and tears blurring her vision, she didn’t realize her father had been bitten.

The changes were slow. First the cough, it always started with a cough. Then his eyes started to look hollow, he was just tired, he was going to find a way to save mother. Next his skin cracked, no matter how much lotion he used the cracks were always there. Then one day she woke up to an empty bunker. There was note on the kitchen counter, explaining that he had locked himself in the room with her mother, that they weren’t going to make it, but she might. He explained how there was a van full of supplies and a gun by the note. One shot to the head, that’s all it took to end these things. With shaky hands she loaded the gun and placed two merciful shots in her parent’s heads. She took a moment to contain herself before getting behind the wheel and going out into the world for what seemed to be the first time in her life.

Windows were shattered, cars abandoned in the streets, bodies were everywhere, some moving, some not. None of the creatures seemed to be aware of her existence as she drove quietly down the street, carefully avoiding any bodies or debris.

She slammed on her brakes as a man jumped in front of her car. His brown eyes wide, but other than that he looked normal. “Open the door!” He yelled, eyes darting to the side, where a heard of the creatures were making their way towards them. She complied, swinging the passenger side door open, and waiting for him to buckle up. She couldn’t keep her eyes off the creatures, watching with her heart in her throat, as they got closer and closer. “What are you waiting for? Go!”

She slammed on the gas, tires squealing, attracting the attention of the other creatures around. She was less careful of the things around her, trying her best to get as far away, as fast as possible. Her eyes darting desperately around for the best way to go. In the distance she saw two figures, one looked to be waving there arms for help, the other was limping behind. “We have to help them.” She decided, swerving the car in their direction.

“Are you crazy?! That could be a trap! Look at all the stuff you have in here, Blondie, I’m surprised you haven’t already been mugged.” The man said, gesturing wildly to her supplies in the back.

“We’re helping.” She said simply, eyes narrowing in a way that left no room for argument.

He held up his hands in defeat. “Fine, whatever you say.” He hopped into the back of the van, gun at the ready in one hand, using the other to balance as he made his way to the door. “Pull up and I’ll open the door and help them in. Whatever happens, do not stop. Got it?”

She nodded, slowing to as slow as she could get without stopping. He swung to doors open, holding his hand out for the small group, hoisting them inside the car, and slamming the door back shut. “Any bites?” He asked, keeping his gun trained on the newcomers.

“No. You?” A woman responded, the only bite being in her words.

“No.” He responded, slight hesitation in his voice, probably realizing he hand never asked her.

“I’m Rapunzel!” She chirped, startling everyone as she slammed on the gas again, the creatures getting further and further away. A smile tugged at her lips, happy to no longer be so alone.

“Uh, Eugene.” The man introduced, shooting her a strange look.

“Cassandra.” The woman said, not looking up from where she was working on making a makeshift splint for the boy’s ankle.

“I’m Varian!” The boy said, matching her enthusiasm where the others didn’t. He winced as Cassandra moved his foot though.

“So where to?” Rapunzel asked, Eugene and Cassandra shooting each other a look.

“Anywhere, but here.”

Chapter Text

“Rider to V, I’m in position.”

Varian spun around in the chair, turning to face the computer, one foot tucked underneath him. “Copy.” He hit a few keys on the keyboard, cameras focusing on a blonde girl. She had her hair tied in a high ponytail, stopping in the middle of her back. She wore a tight purple dress with a low cut. The simple golden sun pendant she wore stopped just above her chest. “All eyes on you, Sunshine.”

She turned her bright green eyes to the nearest camera shooting it a wink. “Thanks!” She responded nodding to the bartender that handed her a drink, although they knew the response was for their sake.

A low whistle sounded through his earpiece. “Looking good, Sunshine.” Eugene said, and Varian could hear the smirk on his face. He rolled his eyes as Rapunzel’s laugh echoed through the earpiece, her face turned down away from the camera.

“Please keep the airways clear of idle chatter.” Cassandra’s voice came, as she appeared on screen. She had her curly black hair tied into a braided bun two loose strands framing her face, and wore a form fitting blue suit, her black heels echoing against the floor.

“You always ruin the fun, Eclipse.” Eugene huffed.

“Some of us take our jobs seriously, Rider.” She shot back, eyes flickering to the camera for a second. Varian ignored them a fond smile on his face as he inserted his flash drive into the computer and started downloading the information. He pushed himself to the other computer easily disabling the security system.

“Security system is down. You are a go, Rider.” Varian informed, unwrapping a sucker and popping it into his mouth.

“Awesome. Herz Der Sonne’s journal will be back where it belongs in no time.” Eugene laughed, clapping his hands together. “Going dark.”

“Copy.” Varian responded as Eugene muted his line. He turned his attention to the cameras watching as a man with a bun entered the room. “Target has entered the building. Do your thing, Sunshine.”

Rapunzel nodded, rising from her seat and making her way over to the man. She stumbled dropping her drink onto the man. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I can be so clumsy. I don’t know why I still insist on wearing heels.” She laughed, pulling some napkins out of her bag and blotting up the spilled drink.

“It’s fine.” The man said, lips curling in disgust as he grabbed her wrists and pushed her away.

Rapunzel blinked with wide eyes, looking every bit the innocent girl she was trying to pass for. “Sorry again!” She called as he stormed over to the bar. Once she was out of earshot she spoke for her team to hear. “That was too easy. Activate the tracker, V.”

“Tracker activated. Do you have the print?” Varian asked, watching as a blinking dot appeared on his watch, red instead of the blue they represented.

“Of course I do.” She responded, holding up a gold bangle which now spotted the man’s fingerprint.

“Perfect. Rider, are you ready for Sunshine?” He asked.

“Always.” Eugene responded. Rapunzel’s laugh following soon after. “You going to join us, Eclipse?”

“As soon as this scumbag leaves.” She answered, into her drink.

Varian turned his back to the cameras, rigging the explosives as the download worked. “Download in progress. Explosives set. Let me know as soon as you’re ready and we’ll blow this popsicle stand.” Varian leaned back in his chair, propping his feet on the desk, it turned out to be a pretty easy gig. He crunched into his sucker, closing his eyes. They shot open a second later when, Cassandra’s voice came over his earpiece.

“We have a problem. Target is headed your way, V.”

“V, get out now.” Rapunzel’s voice sounded frantic.

“I can’t. The download isn’t finished.” Varian explained, tapping on the keys, trying to find a way to speed up the process.

“Eclipse, put the target down, now!” Eugene instructed, sounding out of breath.

“In a room full of people. I don’t think so.”

Varian ignored their argument as the download finished. He quickly pulled the flash drive from the computer and tucking it into his pocket. “Guys, it’s done. I’m-“ He tripped, eyes going wide as the timer started on the explosive device. “Fuck!”

“Fuck? Fuck what?” Eugene asked, worry evident in his voice.

“I-I tripped over the wire. We have a minute and a half to get out.” Varian responded. He knew this was a bad idea, him and explosives did not mix.

“Fuck.” Eugene whispered. “Okay, we have the journal. Rider and Sunshine out.”

“Your Dads going to be pissed, kid.” Cassandra commented, the telltale sound of her gun loading sounding over his earpiece. He pushed himself to his feet, running as fast as he could to the exit, screams echoing from Cassandra’s device followed by gunshots. He was almost to the door when it swung open. Their target stood in front of him. He took a step back. He wasn’t prepared for this. His father only allowed him to go on missions on the strict basis that he was not to be in contact with targets. He was only sixteen.

“I’ve lost the target.” Cassandra’s voice came in. Varian swallowed thickly, unable to move from his spot.

“He’s here.” Varian spoke. He brought his gun up, leveling it to the man’s chest. He had only been given one as a safety precaution, only been taught to use it for the same reason.

“You don’t have the guts, kid.” The man said, taking a step forward. He was right, he didn’t, there was no way he was going to make it out of this. His eyes darted to where the timer was slowly ticking down.

“Tell my Dad I’m sorry.” He ignored their protests, blinking back his tears. “V, going dark.” He moved his gun to the pile of explosives and pulled the trigger.

*************

The funeral was on a Tuesday, it didn’t even have the audacity to rain. Rapunzel cried quietly into her tissue, snuggled tightly into Eugene’s side. She felt the occasional drip of his tears falling into her hair. Cassandra stood off to the side, her right side wrapped in fresh white bandages. She hadn’t even been discharged yet, but she insisted on being there. Rapunzel’s head snapped up at the sound of footsteps approaching.

“You shouldn’t be here. You have no right to be here.” Quirin said, eyes red from crying. She wanted to say something, anything, but nothing seemed like it would be enough. “I told you he wasn’t ready, but the lot of you insisted. He was a child. You swore to protect him, each and every one of you, and you failed.”

“Quirin-“ Eugene started.

“There wasn’t even anything left to bury. Do you know how that feels? Not only did I lose my son, I didn’t even have anything left of him to bury.” He turned before they could respond. Rapunzel sobbed into Eugene’s chest. She had no words, none of them had any words. They had lost an important member of their team, they had lost a friend.

Chapter Text

“Why don’t you just ask Lance to buy you one?” Varian asked an eyebrow raised at the two girls in front of him.

“I-I guess I could.” Catalina answered, eyes having not left the floor since she asked her question.

“Can you make it or not, nerd?” Angry spoke over her sister, evident, well anger, on her face.

“Oh no, I can. Just, why?” He asked despite his better judgement, his curiosity too strong. And his curiosity always won out in the end.

“It-it’s stupid. Forget it.” Catalina grabbed her sister’s wrist and pulled her towards the door, Angry sticking her tongue out at the alchemist.

“Wait. I’m sorry I asked. I can- I’ll make it.” Varian rushed out, stopping the girls’ progress.

“You will?!” Catalina was practically jumping out of her boots, hands clasped together excitedly.

Varian nodded. “Just one question, what color do you want it?”

“Orange!” Catalina exclaimed, wrapping Varian in a hug before turning red and releasing him. “Thanks, V.” He nodded in response, gently patting her head.

The project would be fairly simple. He already had the base formula in his glowing vials, he just needed to up the potency so the glow would last through the night. Then he would pour it into a large crystal to make the glow softer and it would stay upright on her nightstand. Once everything was prepared he poured the substance into a beaker and put it on the burner.

“Okay, it’ll be all done in about thirty minutes.” Varian stated, pushing his googles up into his hair. He had gotten better at actually wearing them since the Rooster incident. “What do you want to do in the mean time?”

“I know!” Angry jumped off the chair she had perched on, grabbing a piece of chalk that was on Varian’s desk and drawing several boxes. “Hopscotch.”

“You guys go ahead.” Varian laughed, rubbing the back of his head. “I don’t know how to play anyways.”

Catalina rose from her seat, taking Varian’s hand in hers and leading him to the squares. “It’s easy! We’ll teach you.”

“Yeah it’s simple. You throw your rock, jump over to it, one square is one foot, two is two feet, pick it up, and hop back.” Angry explained, demonstrating as she did so.

“I’ll go next.” Catalina volunteered so that Varian could watch again. She hopped back easily handing him the rock. Varian tossed the rock, wobbling unsteadily as he made his way to it, which had of course landed in a single square. He bent down to pick up the rock, falling as he did so.

“Awww, better luck next time, V.” Angry chuckled, picking up the rock and giving it a soft toss into the air. Catalina laughed softly behind her hand. They both stopped noticing that Varian was shaking, concern flashed across their features at not being able to see the older boy properly due to half of him being under his desk. “Are you okay?”

“Never better!” He laughed, a snort breaking up the laughter every now and again. “That was so much fun!” He sat up, hitting his head on the desk, causing the beaker above to fall. The orange-yellow liquid dropped to the floor. Varian’s eyes widened upon seeing it, scrambling out from under the desk and pushing the girls’ back with him, all traces of happiness gone. “Stay back, don’t let it touch you.”

Catalina and Angry exchanged a confused look. Nothing had happened, the liquid pooled on the floor, but it didn’t burst into flames, it didn’t do anything. In fact some had gotten on Varian’s shoes and pants and still no reaction. Angry took the initiative, placing a hand on Varian’s arm. He startled tearing his eyes away from the liquid, eyes slightly watery. “Hey, V. Nothing’s happening. And I know I’m not a ner-scientist but I don’t think anything’s going to happen.”

Varian blinked rapidly, plastering a smile on his face and rubbing the back of his neck again. “Right. S-sorry for scaring you. I, uh, I must’ve thought I mixed up the chemicals or something.” His smile fell immediately when he moved to clean up the mess, eyes fixated on the liquid, that just so happened to be the same color as the amber. The amber his father had been encased in, the amber he tried encasing Cassandra in.

“It’s okay.” Catalina started, faltering when Varian met her gaze. “To-to be scared. That’s why I asked for a night light.”

“I-I’m not following.” Varian admitted, tilting his head to the side, Angry giving her sister a small nod of support.

“I have nightmares sometimes. A-about not being able to control the wolf a-and hurting someone. It’s different every time. Sometimes Angry, sometimes Dad. And the light helps chase them away. I know you’re too old for one, but maybe a night light would help you too.” Catalina comforted, feeling satisfied with her speech when Varian gave her a soft smile. Her face turned red at the eye contact. “We could have matching ones.”

Angry face palmed at her sister’s pretty much confession of her crush on the alchemist. But Varian was ever oblivious, nodding instead. “What do you think about green?”

Catalina nodded, honestly green wasn’t her favorite but she’d agree to whatever made him happy. “That’s perfect.”

Chapter Text

He wasn’t sure when it started, scratch that, he knew exactly when it started, but then it was just an admiration for a thing of beauty. He was his enemy, he couldn’t catch feelings. That didn’t mean he couldn’t indulge in some playful banter. And he certainly wasn’t going to deny that his fellow alchemist wasn’t the most brilliant person he’d ever met, besides himself of course. These were all things he could handle, from a distance, so when he switched sides they became increasingly more challenging to deal with. And that was exactly how he found himself pacing outside of Varian’s tent, at war with himself if he should could confess his feelings or not. On one hand it would take a lot of stress off of him, he might actually get to be more like himself again instead of the flustered mess he became as of late whenever he was in Varian’s presence. If the others had noticed they were certainly kind enough not to say anything. On the other hand it wasn’t exactly fair to Varian. He had a lot on his plate at the moment, being on a quest to reunite with his mom and all. He really didn’t need him to dump his feelings on top of that too. It wouldn’t be fair to Varian. He hated that he was even thinking of Varian’s feelings and well-being. It showed how far he’d let himself fall. He sighed stepping away from the tent, deciding to leave this battle for another day. He’d lost count of how many times he’d put off having this conversation. Apparently fate had different plans.

The flap to the tent opened, revealing a very tired looking Varian. His shoulders were slumped forward, although Ruddiger didn’t seem to mind still asleep around them. His googles were pushed up into his hair and by the way strands of his hair stuck out haphazardly he knew they had only recently been shoved into their position. The younger alchemist startled slightly upon seeing him, a lazy half smile tugging at one corner of his lips, and giving him a small wave. “Hey, Hugo.”

“Hey.” Hugo responded simply, not quite trusting himself to say more. His face was red enough as it was, he didn’t want to risk embarrassing himself further. He just hoped Varian hadn’t noticed. Apparently luck also hated him.

“Are you feeling okay?” Varian asked, giving him no time to respond before pulling his glove off and pressing the back of his bare hand to the older male’s forehead. Which in turn did nothing but increase the redness of his face. Hugo grabbed Varian’s wrist, opening his mouth to respond, only to be completely taken with how perfectly his fingers encompassed Varian’s wrist. He ran his thumb over the soft flesh, if Varian noticed he didn’t say anything, just waved his other hand in front of his face. “Earth to Hugo, you okay?”

Once again he was at a loss for words. He honestly didn’t think his face could get any redder, but he was wrong. He threw all caution and concerns to the wind upon feeling Varian’s pulse quicken under his touch. Logically it was probably due to concern for him, since he still hadn’t provided an answer to anything. It didn’t matter to him in the moment, for once he wasn’t going to listen to logic. Logic had gotten him involved in crime, listening to his heart had led him to Varian, and that was shaping up to be the best decision he ever made. So he made a decision with his heart, tightening his grip slightly around Varian’s wrist. “We need to talk.”

“Okay, yeah. What abo-“ Varian’s question died on his lips as he was pulled back into the tent, worry etched into his features. Ruddiger apparently had enough and jumped off Varian’s shoulders, scurrying out of the tent probably to beg for scraps from the others. Hugo pushes his glasses further up his nose, trying to gather his thoughts. He could still back out of this, he could easily make up some lame excuse as to why they needed to talk, but he couldn’t bring himself to lie to Varian anymore consequences be damned.

“I need you to listen to me, and no interruptions.” Hugo demanded, his tone harsher than he’d have liked.

“Aren’t you the one who usually interrupts?” Varian teased, raising an eyebrow, a teasing smile on his lips.

“Th-that’s an interruption.” Hugo hated the way he stuttered. It was so unlike him. Although he was rarely himself around Varian, or perhaps he was more himself. He didn’t know and it was driving him insane.

“Touché.”

“Varian!” He cursed the way his name glided off his tongue, like it was meant solely for him to speak it.

“Sorry!” Varian quickly apologized, eyes darting briefly to where his wrist was still trapped in the other’s grasp. Hugo shot him an incredulous look. “Okay, okay. I’ll shut up now, promise.”

Hugo took a deep breath. He really, really, hadn’t thought this through. His confession lacked his usual flair, the words just flying out of his mouth before he could take them back. “I like you, Varian.”

Varian beamed and for a second his heart soared. “I like you too! We’re friends, aren’t we?”

And just like that reality came crashing down on him. Maybe he should have taken it as a hint, but he was stubborn, refusing to accept defeat so easily. “No-“

“No? Oh.” Varian’s face deflated, shoulders sagging again.

“No! That’s not- if you’d let me finish. I-“ Hugo couldn’t believe the stammering mess he’d become in a matter of seconds. But his words were failing him and he was quickly losing control of the situation, and Varian doing that adorable little head tilt he did when he didn’t quite grasp something did not help matters in the slightest. So he did the only thing he could think of at the moment. He tugged Varian’s wrist, pulling him flush against him. He gave the younger alchemist no time to respond before crashing his lips against his. The kiss lacked all the finesse he had wanted it to, but it got the point across and there was no way for Varian to misinterpret it’s meaning. He pulled back almost as quickly as he had initiated the kiss, staring into Varian’s wide blue eyes. There was an emotion behind them he couldn’t quite grasp.

Hugo dropped his wrist, taking a step back. “I’m sorry.“ And now he was apologizing, another thing he didn’t do, the exception always being Varian. He couldn’t say anything else, he needed a reaction, a rejection, anything. But Varian just stared, that same unreadable expression on his face. “Just forget this happened.”

“Hugo.” Varian started, and he listened because his name coming out of Varian’s mouth sounded just as heavenly as his felt rolling off his tongue. He didn’t get to respond this time as Varian closed the space between them, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and pulling him into another kiss. This one was sweeter, gentler, and everything he imagined their first would be, not the mess he had initiated. His hands quickly found Varian’s waist, pulling him closer. Varian broke the kiss, pressing their foreheads together. “I like you too.”

Hugo laughed, pecking his lips. Maybe he should listen to his heart more often.

Chapter Text

“Come on, mommy, we’re almost there!” Rapunzel called, pulling on the sleeve of her mother’s dress.

Arianna laughed, moving her daughter’s hand from her sleeve to her hand, and tugged the girl closer to her stopping their progress. She bent down to her level, moving some of her blonde hair out of her face. A pout present on said face now that they were stopped. “Calm down, dear, you promised to be on your best behavior.”

“I am!” The girl whined, stomping her foot and crossing her arms. Arianna simply raised an eyebrow at her. Rapunzel sighed. “I’m sorry, mommy.”

“Good girl.” She ruffled her hair, standing as she did so. She took her daughter’s hand again and started making their way to the tent again. She handed the girl her ticket, knowing she loved to be the one to hand it over. She watched, a smile on her face, as Rapunzel’s eyes lit up with wonder and awe. The lights sparkling off her bright green eyes. The girl was practically bouncing out of her seat with excitement. Arianna tapped her nose lightly, earning the girl’s attention for half a second. “Remember, don’t tell your father.”

Rapunzel nodded briefly before the show started, a wide smile on her face the entire time. She mumbled under her breath. “Best. Day. Ever.”

*****************

Rapunzel pulled the hood of her cloak tighter over her head. She couldn’t believe she was doing this. She gripped her suitcase until her knuckles turned white. It wasn’t too late to turn back. True she had runaway from home, but did it actually count as running away now that she was eighteen. She was finally making a decision for herself. She hesitated a moment longer before pushing the curtain of the tent back.

“I’d like to audition!” She announced proudly, despite the confused stares that were caused by her entrance. A man stood, pushing himself off the wooden benches. She shrunk back, slightly intimidated, slightly embarrassed. He wore a white tank top with tight black pants and matching black boots. She had never been to this circus but one look told her he was the ringmaster.

“Sorry, Blondie, but we’re closed. Auditions are in the morning.” He said, before turning to the dark haired woman in a security uniform in the corner. “Way to do your job, Cassandra.”

“I’m sorry, I’m on my break. Or do you want me to call the union again?” Cassandra asked, raising an accusing eyebrow as she popped her spoon into her mouth.

“But-“ She started. She couldn’t really go home. If she did she’d never be allowed to leave again.

“Come on, guys. Shouldn’t we give her a chance?” A boy asked, shuffling a deck of cards between his hands. He bounced over to her, extending his hand. “I’m Varian!”

She gladly shook the offered hand. “I’m Rapunzel! Thank you so much for giving me a ch-“

“Yeah you can go now.” Varian said, turning his back to her and walking back over to the group. She blinked, confused at his sudden change in behavior. Cassandra stopped his progress, turning him back around and leading him back to Rapunzel.

“Give it back.” She demanded.

“I don’t know what you’re talk-“ Varian started, only for the woman to shake him none to gently. He huffed, rolling his eyes and dropping a diamond bracelet, her diamond bracelet, into Cassandra’s outstretched hand. “You’re no fun, Cassie.”

“What’s our number one rule?” Cassandra chastised.

“Don’t use Eugene’s hair products?” Varian asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms. The man, Eugene she presumed, laughed, clapping Varian on the back.

“You got it, kiddo!” He wiped a tear from his eye as Varian beamed up at him with pride.

“No! We don’t steal.” Cassandra sighed, running a frustrated hand down her face. Apparently this was a conversation she had often.

“Eugene said it’s the only way we break eve-“ Eugene clamped a hand over Varian’s mouth before he could finish his sentence, laughing awkwardly.

“What he meant to say is that we in no way need to steal from our customers and he is very very sorry.” Eugene rambled.

“That makes no sense.” Rapunzel commented, crossing her arms. “You know what this was a bad idea. I should probably head home.”

“Wait!” Eugene called after her. “You’re not going to tell anyone about this are you?”

“I should.” She countered, eyes narrowing before lighting up with an idea. “But if you let me audition now, I promise I won’t.” Eugene still looked unconvinced, so she added more for good measure. “And when I promise something I never break that promise. Ever.”

“Fine. You can audition.” Eugene relented.

“Really? Yay!” She bounced excitedly, dropping her suitcase on Eugene’s foot. He yelped. “Sorry.”

Rapunzel sat in the rafters, edging herself closer to the edge, her hands gripping the cloth tightly. She took a deep breath. She had never actually done this outside her room before. Granted she had very high ceilings, but this was a whole new level. She took one more breath, she didn’t have anything to lose anyways, and swung herself off the rafters.

She finished her routine effortlessly, finding her nerves gone as soon as she started, untangling herself to the sound of applause.

“That was awesome!” Varian cheered, pumping a fist in the air and throwing a flower into the circle she stood in. Where he got it she didn’t know, but right now it didn’t matter to her.

“Gotta hand it to ya, Blondie, you’ve got talent. You’re in.” Eugene congratulated, fist bumping her.

“Seriously?!” She squealed more than asked.

“Yup. Welcome to Luminos Circus!” He threw an arm around her and gestured around the tent.

She squealed again. “Best. Day. Ever!”

Chapter Text

Quirin finished packing the ham sandwiches, glancing outside to gauge how much the sun had risen. He frowned, it was a bit later than he had wanted but they should still have plenty of time to explore before the lanterns were released. He smiled fondly at his son, who had fallen back asleep almost as soon as he finished getting ready. He gently moved some of his hair from his eyes. “Varian, you need to get up if you want to go to the capital.”

The boy’s eyes peeked open, just enough for Quirin to see the blue that reminded him so much of his wife. “‘M tired.” The toddler huffed, rolling away from him.

“Okay then. Old Corona has plenty of lanterns. We can celebrate here.” Quirin said, making a show of slowly opening the pack. He really hoped this worked, he didn’t actually want to unpack everything.

“No! I’m up!” Varian protested, jumping to his feet in record speed and ran out the door. Quirin sighed, picking up the pack and following him. He caught up easily, Varian having waited for him on the other side of the door. He bent down to pick him up, but Varian shook his head. “I can walk.”

Quirin took his hand instead, knowing it wouldn’t be long before he was going to have to carry the boy. He was pleasantly surprised when Varian lasted an hour before asking to be picked up. The rest of the journey was fairly easy, Varian babbling about random things from atop his shoulders, although he did get the occasional kick whenever Varian got particularly excited about something. But that all changed when they made it to the bridge connecting to the capital. He could feel the excitement coming off of Varian in waves, despite the boy’s silence. Varian suddenly squealed loudly, climbing down him, regardless of how he protested. Varian was running across the bridge as soon as his feet hit the ground.

“Varian!” Quirin called, trying to push down the panic that arose in his chest. The capital was far larger than Old Corona and given that it was the crime rates were naturally higher. He couldn’t lose his son. They were almost all the way across the bridge before he caught up to him, grabbing his arm maybe a bit too harshly if the way Varian yelped was any indication. He quickly loosened his grip and bent down to his level. “Varian, you can’t go running off like that. This isn’t Old Corona. This is a very big place and I don’t want you to get lost.”

Varian nodded, eyes downcast and sniffling a bit. Quirin cupped his face, pressing a kiss on top of his head. “I love you, Varian, but you have to be more careful.”

“Yes, Daddy.” Varian responded still looking rather upset.

“How about we eat lunch first? I packed ham sandwiches.” Quirin suggested. He got the reaction he wanted, Varian’s eyes lit up and he nodded fervently. He gripped his father’s hand tightly and pulled him into town. They found a nice table and quietly ate their lunch, Varian’s eyes darting from place to place taking in all the sights and sounds. They spent the rest of the day running from stall to stall, until finally the sun started to set. Quirin laid down a blanket on the sand, watching as Varian ran around letting the waves chase him. From here they could see the bustling capital they had left and the boats that gathered in the dock. Quirin’s eyes drifted to the sky, smiling as the first lantern made its appearance.

“Varian.” He called softly. Varian turned, pushing his brand new googles into his hair, only for them to fall back around his neck. Quirin laughed and pointed to the sky. Varian gasped, settling on his dad’s lap and bouncing excitedly. This made lighting their own lantern difficult, but it was a small price to pay for his son’s happiness.

“Now?” Varian asked, little hands already reaching for the lantern.

“Not yet.” Quirin warned. He kept his eyes on Varian, almost missing their opportunity as he was so entranced with how his son’s eyes lit up brighter than any of the lanterns. “Now.”

He guided Varian’s hands around the lantern and pushed it up. “Wow.” Varian breathed, eyes lighting up more if that was even possible. Quirin smiled, pulling his son close. He was dreading the journey back to Old Corona, but he hoped they would have many more memories like this one.

Chapter Text

Rapunzel stepped excitedly out of the limousine. Her twin brother following albeit less excitedly. She wrapped her arm around him, pulling him close despite his protests. “Can you believe it, Hugo? We’re finally here!” She squealed, bouncing on her feet.

“Yeah, real exciting, sis.” Hugo said dryly, removing his sister’s arm from around him and hefting his bag over his shoulder. “I’m going to go find my room.”

“Oh, okay! Text me when you’re all set up and we’ll grab lunch!” She called, the only response she got was the small wave over his shoulder. She felt slightly less excited now that she was alone. Her parents had said goodbye last night as they had very important work meetings today that couldn’t be missed. She pulled her suitcase from the car, rolling it behind her as she headed to the registration table.

***********

Varian rocked back and forth on his heels, fingers digging into the straps of his small backpack. His too big pants being held up by a too big belt which was covered by a too big shirt and flannel. He smiled up at the building, his home for the next school year, his sanctuary.

“Hey, Varian.” He turned at the voice calling him, Cassandra, his neighbor, stepping out of her car. “Didn’t see you much this summer. Your Dad must’ve been pretty pissed about that B, huh?”

“Yeah.” He answered, eyes darting to the ground. They both knew his home life wasn’t the greatest, but his dad only did the things he did because he knew Varian could be better, he wanted him to be better. “He had every right to be, I should’ve tried harder.”

Cassandra gave him the same sad look she always did whenever they talked about his dad and he ignored it just like he always did. She stuffed her hands in her tight black skinny jeans, her middle showing slightly thanks to her red crop top. “Let’s just go check in. We can talk about this later.” She said, moving ahead. He followed closely, knowing there never would be a later, there never was.

***************

“This is it, Lance! We’re finally seniors! We’re practically royalty now. Can you believe it, buddy?” Eugene exclaimed excitedly, punching his best friend in the shoulder as he pulled into a parking space. He turned off the beat up car, giving it some much needed relief despite the fact they had just driven down the street.

“Oh yeah! And next year we’ll be free! Free to do our own thing without Oldie breathing down our necks.” Lance responded, pulling their bags from the car.  Eugene couldn’t wait. He’d be eighteen and then it was out of the orphanage for him, he had given up on being adopted a long time ago. His eyes scanned the building, noticing a petite blonde girl struggling to pull her suitcase up the stairs. He jogged over ignoring Lance’s shouts of protest.

“Hey, Blondie, need help?” He asked. The girl looked up, her bright green eyes meeting his brown ones. She wore a purple skirt that went to the middle of her thighs, her pink t-shirt tucked into the waistband. Her golden sun pendant bounced off her collarbone as she tugged on the suitcase, her hair in an intricate braid laced with flowers.

“That would be great! My-my brother was with me but he went on ahead.” She laughed, the sound bringing a smile to his face.

“So you’re freshmen?” He asked, lifting the suitcase for her.

She laughed again. “No. We’re juniors, we transferred.”

“Oh, where from?” He questioned, leading her to registration.

“We’re homeschooled. Took a lot of convincing to get our parents to agree to this.” She explained, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

“Must be sticklers. I’m Eugene, by the way.” He said, offering her his hand.

“Rapunzel.” She answered, shaking his hand rather enthusiastically.

Eugene was about to say more, but he could hear Lance calling for him in the distance. “Well see ya later, Blondie.” He skipped away, smiling to himself as she waved. Maybe this year would really shape up to be something special.

************

It had been fairly easy to find his new room, even easier to unpack without his sister hovering over his shoulder. As much as he loved Rapunzel she could be a handful sometimes, and today he just wasn’t in the mood. Their parents had always favored her. He never tried to take it out on her but sometimes that required putting distance between himself and his sister. He never told her about his feelings, however, she’d just overreact. So when he had been accepted to this boarding school it was the opportunity to branch out and be his own person without having to worry about his parents or sister overshadowing him. He didn’t expect them to agree on the terms that she also join him. She was their precious sunshine child he didn’t think they’d want to give her up like that. He agreed regardless he’d still have his space more or less. He just hoped his roommate would be tolerable. What he didn’t expect was for him to be cute. Sure the other boy was wearing clothes two sizes too big, but his blue eyes were absolutely enchanting and each freckle only seemed to highlight them more. Even his buck teeth were perfect.

“Hi, I’m Varian.” He introduced, sticking his hand out for him to shake.

“Hugo.” He said simply, shaking his hand, the movement causing Varian’s sleeve to move up a bit revealing a nasty bruise. He didn’t say anything about it, it would be rude to ask. So he picked a different topic. “I didn’t think they let freshmen room with upper class men.”

Varian rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Oh they don’t. I’m a junior. I just skipped a grade. I’m fifteen.” He added on the last bit as if for clarification. He watched as he unpacked, his items barley taking up any space in the drawers, his bed just having a blanket and no sheets, no pillow. Hugo wasn’t an idiot, the boy obviously didn’t come from much, so he tossed one of his pillows onto his bed. Varian’s eyes wide in shock at the action.

“I packed too many. It was an extra.” He said as a way of explanation, making his way to the door, not wanting to hear his protests. Part of him knew he wouldn’t get any, Varian looked at the pillow as if he’d just given him the world. He felt a bit of pity stab his chest for the other boy, calling over his shoulder. “I’m meeting my sister for lunch. You can come if you want. My treat.”

“I- thank you.” Varian answered, following him out. He knew Rapunzel wouldn’t mind the extra company. He hoped she was having a good experience with her roommate.

***************

“And then I thought maybe we could paint the walls. Do you like pink? I like pink. Or maybe a blue? Oh, we could paint a mural!” Cassandra groaned as Rapunzel went on and on about the various things she wanted to do to their shared space. It was just her luck to get paired with the peppiest girl in the school. Not that Rapunzel seemed like a bad person, she just wasn’t the kind of person she could she herself being friends with.

“I’m going to go get lunch.” She announced, pushing herself out of her bed, effectively cutting off whatever rant the girl had gone off on.

“Can I come?” Rapunzel asked. Cassandra inwardly groaned, how could she say no to those big green eyes, especially when the way her freckles framed her face reminded her so much of Varian.

“Fine.” She said, wincing as the girl squealed.

“Yay! I can already tell we’re going to be the best of friends!” And Cassandra couldn’t help but think the girl was terribly mistaken.

Chapter Text

This had been a nice change of pace, a much needed break. After months of travel they were finally feeling the effects of their adventure. Morale seemed low and everyone was just going through the motions. So when Varian spotted the frozen stream he couldn’t help but suggest that they take a break and skate on it. Nuru had been able to fashion some makeshift skates for everyone. The real surprise coming when Yong and Hugo confessed to not knowing how to skate. Nuru had volunteered to teach Yong, since he was smaller it would be easier to help him if he were to fall. Varian responded perhaps a little too quickly that he had no problem teaching Hugo. It should have been romantic, skating down the frozen stream hand in hand with his boyfriend as the snow fluttered down around them. But he should’ve known to expect the opposite from Hugo.

“I hate this.” The older male grumbled for the umpteenth time since they started their detour. Varian laughed in response. Hugo squeezed his hand tighter as he wobbled again. Varian hardly paid it any mind, having lost feeling in it some time ago due to Hugo’s steel grip. They had barely made any progress but they were a fair distance further than Nuru and Yong who had gone a whole foot.

“This is so stupid. How does anyone get any enjoyment from this.” Hugo complained again.

“If you’d just let go and let your momentum carry you, you’d be fine.” Varian explained struggling to keep the amusement out of his voice. “Just watch me.”

“No! Don’t you dare let go!” Hugo protested tightening his grip as Varian tried to pry his hand off.

“Would you just trust me.” Varian finally got Hugo’s hand off of him. He expertly moved behind the other, putting his hands on his hips. He couldn’t help but sneak a kiss to his neck. It earned him an elbow to the gut, but it was worth it. “Okay, I’m going to give you a push, just move your feet.”

“You’re going to wha-“ Hugo yelped as he started moving forward. “Varian! Stop!”

“Move your feet!” Varian instructed not stopping his movements.

“I can’t! I can’t do this!” Hugo protested despite the fact that he was skating. Varian laughed, removing his hands.

“You’re doing it!” Varian called, picking up his pace so he was skating next to his boyfriend.

Hugo startled, wobbling slightly but still moving. He laughed a smile spreading on his face. “I’m doing it!” Hugo cheered, pumping his fist in the air.

Varian cheered along with Nuru and Yong. His eyes darted ahead, smile slipping off his face as he spotted the thinner ice up ahead. They were moving too fast. He knew for a fact Hugo wouldn’t be able to stop in time, he was too inexperienced. So Varian reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling him back in one swift movement.

“What the fuck?!” Hugo yelled as he landed harshly on the ice. Varian breathed a sigh of relief, trying now to stop his own forward movement. He was too late, the added momentum from sending Hugo backwards only added to his forward movement. Still he skidded to a stop in the middle of the thinner ice. He held out his hand to stop the others from coming out onto it as well, Nuru had already helped Hugo up with some difficulty.

“Hugo, Yong, off the ice now!” She instructed.

“What’s going on?” Yong asked, fear evident in his voice.

“It’s fine. It’s going to be fine. The ice is just a little thinner where Varian is, but we’re going to get him off before anything happens. I need you two to get a rope.” Nuru said.

“I think I can jump to the side and make it to the bank that way.” Varian added.

“No! Don’t move! Any changes in weight distribution could crack the ice. Hugo, the rope!” Nuru had more urgency in her voice. Varian didn’t want to look at the ice, he didn’t need to in order to hear the ice splintering. Hugo still hadn’t moved seemingly frozen in place. Yong, however had scrambled to the bank and was running towards their supplies. Varian was thankful the boy’s back was turned, he didn’t need to see what was bound to happen any second now.

“He’s not going to make it back in time. I’m going to try for the bank.” He said, Nuru shaking her head in protest. All it took was a small shift, he had barely moved at all but it was enough. The ice cracked and he was submerged in seconds. In hindsight skating on a stream probably wasn’t the best idea. It was ever moving and the currents were strong, so instead of staying in place he was swept away. He knew thrashing about was not what he was supposed to do, but it was hard to think logically when one was submerged in ice water and couldn’t breathe. All he could think about was getting out as fast as possible. He pounded on the ice, it was impossible to make any real damage when he was still moving. He couldn’t breathe, his lungs burned, and he couldn’t feel anything but mind numbing cold. Finally it had become too much, despite the consequences he knew it held he opened his mouth trying to suck in air only for the ice cold water to fill his lungs. He was stuck in this terrible cycle of trying to breathe, only for his lungs to be filled with water, trying to cough up the water, only for them to be filled with more. Spots danced in his vision as a crack formed in the ice a ways ahead of him. He didn’t get to see what became of it before he gave into the darkness.

************

Hugo was panicking. Usually it wasn’t a problem but he was completely out of his element in so many ways here. He’d never admit it out loud, he had been genuinely enjoyed the skating until Varian had thrown him onto the ice and then promptly fallen through it. Nuru had at least kept her head, skating full speed ahead as they tracked Varian under the ice. She had a rope tied around her waist and a pick axe in hand as she sped passed Varian, sliding on her knees and slamming the axe into the ice. He held onto the other end of the rope, Yong did as well but he doubted the boy would be much help. Nuru worked quickly, they had already failed twice at this.

“Okay boys, get ready! I’m going in three, two, one!” Nuru dropped into the water, Hugo’s grip on the rope tightening from his spot on the bank. After a few heart stopping seconds he felt a tug from the other end of the rope. He pulled, it was definitely not easy with the current going against them and the weight of the two others. Finally, Nuru’s head popped out of the water, gasping for air she dug her axe into the bank. He so badly wanted to drop the rope and help her pull Varian out, there was no way Yong would be able to hold them on his own.

“Go!” He said to the boy. He didn’t really need the help anymore, he was mostly there in case Nuru were to slip in. Yong was quick to respond, helping pull Varian out of the water and then Nuru. As soon as she was clear of the water,  he dropped the rope and ran to Varian’s side. He pulled him into his lap, wiping away the water from his face as if it would wake him up.

“Move, idiot!” Nuru growled, turning Varian to his side, some water draining from his mouth and nose before turning him onto his back. Hugo watched helplessly, mind a complete blank despite the fact that he knew exactly what to do. “Mouth to mouth!” Nuru instructed, snapping him from his trance. He wanted to snap at her that why didn’t she do it, but her breathing was still ragged.

“Right.” He responded, tilting Varian’s head up and pinching his nose. He took a deep breath and exhaled into Varian’s mouth. He repeated the process two more times, waiting with bated breath for him to do something, anything. He really didn’t want to do chest compressions, he knew from experience it could result in some nasty broken ribs, but he prepared his hands nonetheless. Thankfully he didn’t have to as Varian started coughing, water spilling from his mouth. Nuru nudged him onto his side and let the water flow out. He just noticed that she was wrapped in one of their heavier blankets and Yong had their other at the ready for Varian. He rubbed soothing circles on his back as he continued to cough. Eventually Varian rolled back over onto his back, breaths still too short, his blue eyes slightly hazy.

“Hey, guys.” He wheezed out. Hugo was glad that Nuru smacked the younger alchemist’s shoulder because he was two seconds from doing it himself.

“Don’t ever scare us like that again.” She warned before wrapping him in a tight hug.

“What would we have done without you?” Yong added joining the hug. Hugo didn’t join, now that the situation had time to sink in he was a storm of emotions. The current being infuriated at Varian’s nonchalance at the situation.

“I’m going to set up camp. We’re not going to make any more progress tonight.” He announced, rising from his spot and moving away before he could hear their protests. He was gathering wood for the fire when Varian approached him.

“Okay, what did I do now?” Varian asked, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, still shivering underneath.

“It’s not what you did, it’s what you didn’t do.” Hugo shot back.

“Are you mad at me?” Varian had the audacity to look appalled.

“Yes! Do you not care that you almost died today?” He was shaking the events of the day weighing heavily on his mind. He couldn’t lose him, not like this, not ever.

“Yeah. I care, but it was me or you and-and I couldn’t lose you.” Varian shrunk back, eyes darting to the ground, face flushing red.

“You-you don’t get to make that decision.” Hugo huffed, how dare he use his own reasonings against him. “I can’t lose you, Var. I-I thought I lost you. You need to stop this self-sacrificing bullshit because I really, really, can’t lose you. I’d be lost without you.”

“You think I don’t feel the same about you?” Varian asked softly.

Hugo dropped the wood he was carrying, taking Varian’s hands in his own. They were too cold for his liking. “I know you do. But if something happened to me you have a family, a life, to return to. This, you are all I have.”

“Hugo-“ He didn’t let Varian finish his response, swallowing it with a kiss. Varian broke it, pushing away from him slightly determined to get the words out. “I can promise you, you’ll always have me.”

“I’ll keep you to that.” He answered, leaning down for another kiss, Varian met him in the middle. He pushed Varian against a nearby tree deepening the kiss. “Maybe you should spend the night in my tent, so you don’t catch hypothermia.”

Varian nodded and bit his lip in a way that did nothing for his self control. “Definitely.”

Chapter Text

Varian couldn’t sleep. There wasn’t anything wrong, per say. He knew when something was wrong, he’d stay up all night tossing and turning, refusing to fall asleep because he knew he’d have nightmares about any of the various unfortunate events that had happened in his young life. No, this wasn’t like those times, this was something different. It was almost a sinking feeling, that strange place between joy and fear, the calm before the storm. Tomorrow they would start their journey for the last totem and from there it would be over. They’d go their separate ways, possibly to never see each other again. It was an odd bittersweet that gnawed at his insides and prevented him from sleeping. So he gave up the notion, dragging himself from his tent and perching on a log. He settled his journal on his lap, the journal much like Rapunzel had, she had given it to him before he left. He didn’t use it for anything but his alchemy notes, the odd doodle in the corner, but tonight he needed something to clear his head. He flipped to a blank page, almost at the end of the journal, it seemed that too was ending.

He sighed, gripping his pencil tightly as he brought it to the paper. He didn’t think after that, just let the pencil flow as it so chose. The end result was messy, sketch lines all to evident in the work, but he was satisfied with it nonetheless. He flipped the page fully intending to start another drawing when footsteps sounded behind him. He didn’t need to look to know it was Hugo, still he waited for the other to speak before acknowledging him.

“I can hear you moping all the way from my tent.” Hugo nudged him. Instead of moving over Varian opted to sink onto the grass, Hugo settling behind him.

“I’m not moping, just thinking.” Varian responded, snuggling further into Hugo’s touch as the other wrapped his arms around him.

“Well, you’re thinking pretty loudly.”

Varian just hummed in response, turning his eyes to the stars. “What will you do, when this is all over?”

He felt Hugo stiffen behind him, hold tightening ever so slightly around him. Hugo let out a puff of air, the sensation sending shivers down his spine. “Don’t know. Haven’t really thought about it.”

Varian turned in his grip, blue eyes searching Hugo’s green ones. “Liar.”

“Fine. I’ve thought about it, but it’s not pretty.” Hugo admitted, rolling his eyes.

Varian leaned back against him, closing his eyes. “Tell me anyways?”

Hugo sighed, placing a kiss on top of his head. “I think Nuru would return to her kingdom. Probably become the wisest queen they ever had. I think about Yong, he would return to his home as well. He would open a fireworks stand, the little pyromaniac.”

Varian laughed interlacing his fingers with his boyfriend’s. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”

“Wait for it.” Hugo placed another kiss to his head, this one softer somehow, sadder. “I think about you. You’d return to Corona, mom in hand. You’d be happy. Your family whole again. You’d spend the weekends at the castle with that other princess friend of yours. The rest of the time at your home with your crazy family. Ruddiger would have all the apples he could possibly imagine.”

“Ruddiger thanks you for that.” Varian chuckled.

Hugo laughed a bit himself, the action sounding forced. “You’d have everything you ever wanted. You wouldn’t need me. I think about myself. Left behind, forgotten, nowhere to go, no place to call home. No real family.”

Varian felt the steady drip of tears falling into his hair. He turned in his seat, cupping Hugo’s face as best he could given their current position, thumb wiping away the stray tears. “Do you want to know what I think?”

“Not really, no.” Hugo answered one a way that would have been much more defiant if it wasn’t for the sniffle that followed.

Varian just shook his head, it was just like him to put up a wall despite that he was literally falling apart in front of him. “I think you’re right about Nuru and Yong. But you’re wrong about the rest. I think I’d return to Corona with you and my mom. My dad would give you a hard time, but you’d grow on him. Same with Aunt Adira and Uncle Hector, probably Eugene too. Rapunzel and Lance would love you right away. So will mom, I think. Ruddiger will have a normal amount of apples.”

“I’d sneak him a few.”

Varian yawned, turning around and placing his head on Hugo’s thigh like a pillow. “I know you will. We’ll spend holidays with Nuru, picking up Yong on the way. Maybe we’ll even see Cass. We’ll spend the days at the castle, always returning home in time for dinner. We can swim in the lake in the summers and skate on it in the winters. We’ll be a family. You’ll always have a home with me. I’m not letting you go so easily. You’re stuck with me.”

Varian closed his eyes, placing a kiss on the other’s knee. He didn’t see Hugo’s smile, or when he picked up the discarded journal. Instead he focused on the way Hugo’s arms wrapped around him, how his touch felt like electricity in the best way, and how he melted every time he kissed him. And it was with those thoughts that Varian fell asleep.

Hugo, however, stayed awake. His fingers tracing the drawing in the journal. It was a big group portrait, some people he recognized, some he didn’t. But what really caught his attention was that him and Varian were in the middle of it all. The picture Varian placing a kiss on picture Hugo’s cheek. He smiled softly, placing the journal on the ground and pulling Varian closer to him. He knew the other was already asleep, it didn’t matter to him, he still placed a soft kiss to his cheek.

“I love you, Varian.” He whispered, knowing the words fell on deaf ears. Maybe one day he’d be brave enough to actually say them to the other, but for now this would suffice.

He knew he wouldn’t go to sleep. He didn’t know what the future held, so he needed to stay in this moment as long as possible. He refused to sleep, he wouldn’t let the time pass so quickly. So he stayed awake, focusing on the way Varian felt against him, memorizing each freckle on his face, as if it was the last time he’d get to do this. And it was with those thoughts Hugo stayed awake.

Chapter Text

Varian ran. He ran as fast as his legs would allow. Feet pounding relentlessly against the ground. Each breath sending a wave of pain throughout his chest, his lungs burning, but he couldn’t stop, he wouldn’t stop, lest he be dragged into the unforgiving darkness. Moss covered the stone walls, vines dripping ominously from above in this twisted maze he’d found himself in. He had been separated from the group, they had all been separated from each other, expertly, deliberately. And now he was being chased by something, he didn’t know what. The creature had no face from what he could tell from his brief encounter with it, but it was real, so very real, and it wanted blood. The deep scratches along his arms were proof of that. Blood still flowed from the wounds, each droplet that fell to the ground becoming a silent beacon for the creature. 

He skidded, feet sliding uselessly against the slick ground. Shockwaves of pain worked their way up his arms as he used them to propel himself away from the wall and continue his mad dash away from the creature. He was slowing, he could feel it. He didn’t even know if he was actually getting any air to his lungs at this point, feeling lightheaded from the blood loss, lack of air, and the disorienting experience of it all. He had given up trying to solve the maze, his only thought being to get away, and now he was paying for that mistake. He needed to get out, but after a series of taking random directions he had no way of telling which way he had been already. Retracing his steps was definitely not an option, he’d be dead for sure. His only option was to keep moving, praying, hoping, he didn’t hit a dead end. 

It was of course then his luck ran out. He stopped his movements just before slamming into the wall, the dead end. “No, no, no.” He frantically moved his hands along the walls, trying to find something, anything that could help him. It was a difficult feat, he couldn’t really see anything beyond the dim light the vial around his neck gave off, he had lost his staff long ago. The green light was doing nothing but adding to the eerie experience. He couldn’t go back, the soft scraping sound of the creature’s claws dragging along the floor echoing all around. His breathing was erratic, heart pounding in his ears. He had no way to defend himself, all he had was the vial around his neck. He could sacrifice it, the chemicals weren’t harmful, but having the item chucked in its face might startle the creature long enough for him to get away again. Doing so would sacrifice his only means of seeing in this god forsaken maze, but it might also save his life. There were too many ‘mights’ for his liking, he didn’t really have a choice in the matter, he was out of options. He took a deep breath, turning to face the darkness, hand grasping the vial, shrouding him in the darkness he was trying to avoid. 

All there was in that moment were the scraping sounds, his erratic breathing, and the sound of his heart pounding. He didn’t hear the wall opening behind him, but he screamed as an arm wrapped around his waist, a hand clamped over his mouth, pulling him into the new opening. He trashed in his attackers grip, panic increasing as the wall slid soundlessly closed. He brought his elbow into the person’s, creature’s?, gut. He was released immediately, he turned pressing his back against the wall, hand reaching for the vial fully intending to throw it. 

“What the fuck, Var?” Varian froze, eyes wide in fear as he registered Hugo’s face. He had his hand clutching his side, most likely where Varian had elbowed him, there were tears all over his shirt and pants, dirt smeared across his face, a slight crack running along his glasses, and a cut on his forehead, a matching one on his cheek. Hugo’s glowing blue vial made him look far less eerie than Varian’s green. 

“Hugo?” Varian questioned, not sure if he could believe his eyes. He stepped forward, bringing shaky hands up to cup the other’s face. Hugo nodded in confirmation and Varian laughed, the sound hysterical even to his own ears. He leaned his forehead against his chest, laughing and crying, fingers trailing over Hugo’s form as if it would disappear at any second. Hugo was here and he’d be fine, this nightmare was almost over. 

“Did he hurt you?” Hugo asked, bringing Varian’s arm up to inspect the scratches there. He flinched when the other ran a finger lightly over them, his nails looking longer than usual. “He wasn’t supposed to hurt you.” The words spoken so lowly that Varian didn’t catch them, eyes solely focused on Hugo’s too long nails, reminding him too much of the creature he had just escaped. Hugo dropped Varian’s arm, cupping his face and bringing his eyes up to look at his. “Let’s join the others.” 

Varian nodded despite the chill that ran up his spine at the contact, and not the usual chill that he got when Hugo touched him. This one screamed to run, to get away, that this thing wasn’t Hugo. His eyes were too green, nails too long, smile too wide, but he couldn’t raise suspicions. He still needed a way out, a safe route, so he let himself be led away, mind reeling as he tried to figure a way out. 

*****************

Hugo banged frantically on the wall. He needed a way in. Varian was still in there and there was no telling what these things wanted. His mind was still fuzzy with the events that had unfolded. They had all been chased by those things. He remembered reaching a dead end and then nothing. The pain in his head told him he’d probably been knocked out, when he came to he was outside along with Nuru and Yong, Varian nowhere to be found. His knuckles were already bloody from hitting the wall as if it would get it open. He raised his fist again, it’s motions stopping abruptly when Nuru grabbed his arm. 

“Stop it! This isn’t helping anything.” She said, eyes glistening with concern. “We need to think about this logically. It’s a maze so there has to be a way in and out.” 

Hugo’s eyes scanned their packs, eyes lighting up when they landed on a stick of explosives sticking out of Yong’s bag. “Or we could make one.” 

******************

Varian stared in awe at the chamber they had entered. The walls were higher, still covered in moss and vines, runes glistening underneath them. The air was thick with magic, a pedestal in the middle of the room spreading it throughout. Bodies were trapped in the vines, some fresher than others. He knew what this was, he knew what he was here for. He was a sacrifice. 

The chamber broke off in many pathways, if he had to guess this was the center of the maze. He just needed to pick a direction and run. So he did. He ran straight, dodging the pedestal in the middle, the thing that had stolen Hugo’s form letting out an inhuman scream. The sound shook the walls, debris raining from above, rattling the inside of Varian’s skull. He dropped to his knees, hands uselessly covering his ears in an attempt to block out the noise. He could feel blood trickling from them, he might’ve screamed as well, it was hard to tell when all he knew was the terrible screeching. He hadn’t realized it had stopped, mind hazy from the pain, until he felt something wrap around his ankle. He looked back, eyes blown wide in panic as a vine slithered up his leg. He dug his fingernails into the ground, a futile attempt at stopping himself from being dragged back into the chamber. 

“Help! Hugo, help me!” He screamed, a feeling of hopelessness settling in his stomach. 

“No one can help you now, child. You are the final piece.” He hated hearing those words coming from Hugo’s lips, hated the way this thing borrowed his voice and twisted it into something sinister. 

“Whatever you want from me I won’t do it. I won’t help you.” Varian responded, defiance in his voice despite the fact that he was now dangling upside down about a foot above the pedestal. 

“You already are. It’s not as fresh as I would have liked but it’ll do.” The creature laughed. Varian’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion, the steady drip of blood from the cuts on his arms drawing his attention. They must have started bleeding again when he was dragged across the floor. His eyes followed the path, the pedestal humming with each droplet that touched it. “The blood of a child from the kingdom of the moon. You’re a tricky species to come across these days. But no matter, you are here and you’ll free me from imprisonment.” 

“I won’t let you.” Varian spat back, bringing his hand to grab the vial around his neck. He threw it despite the awkward angle, it shattered on impact, smearing all over the creature's face. It got the desired effect, Varian dropped to the ground as the vines loosened, landing harshly on the pedestal. He ran again, every inch of his body protesting at the movement. The creature’s form rippling like water that had been disturbed. 

This time he made it out of the chamber, the screams barely reaching him as he stumbled around in the dark. If he had to guess the creature returned to its original form, the scraping of its nails echoing in the darkness. His own hands held out in front him to prevent him from running into walls. He turned the corner, ramming straight into something else. He landed harshly on his butt, fighting the urge to scramble back as the scraping got closer. 

“Varian?” He brought his eyes up, meeting Hugo’s green ones, ones that were the right shade of green, that held the right amount of concern, and mouth turned down in a lopsided frown. He wanted to launch himself into the other’s arms, but he didn’t have to, Hugo was already pulling him up and into a tight hug, the blue glow of his vial encompassing them. “I thought I lost you.” 

The words were so soft, spoken only for him to hear, no demon, no creature, could ever replicate the emotion behind them. And that was why Varian couldn’t say anything in response, not yet, not until they were safe. “We need to go. That thing is still chasing me.” 

He didn’t wait for Hugo to respond, taking his bloodied hand in his and pulling them down the corridor. “Follow the rope, it’ll lead us out.” Hugo called, Varian noticing the object for the first time. Hugo’s appearance matched the creature’s version of him to a tee, the only exceptions being the rope around his waist and his bloodied knuckles. It was alarming really, but he tried not to linger on it, he’d panic if he did and right now he couldn’t afford to panic. Instead he worked on gathering the rope, it would be dangerous to leave a trail of their path. It was in doing so that he stumbled, the only thing stopping his fall was Hugo grabbing his upper arm. 

“Would you leave it?! It’s-“ Hugo’s words cut off into a yelp as the rope was pulled, Hugo going along with it. Varian gripped the back of his shirt, a desperate attempt at keeping the other with him. Hugo’s fingers fumbling to undo the knot as he was stuck in this twisted game of tug of war. Varian dug his heels into the ground, trying and failing to stop them from moving. Hugo’s hands were shaking as they worked at the knot. “It’s no use. Leave me, Varian. Follow the rope, you’ll be fine.” 

Varian shook his head, gritting his teeth as he pulled harder. “This is not the thing your stubborn ass gets to give up on!” Varian protested, the light of the vial glinting off a nearby rock. He couldn’t help but smile at the change in luck, the rock looking sharp enough to cut the thin rope. He grabbed it, lifting the item high in the air. He must’ve looked insane, Hugo’s eyes widening as he held his hands in front of him. 

“Wait!” 

His protest fell on deaf eyes, Varian bringing the rock down to expertly cut through the rope, accidentally slicing Hugo’s thigh in the process. They could deal with that later, Varian pulled the other to his feet as the rope fell away, and they continued their sprint. The screeching started again, debris clouding their already limited vision. Varian’s ears were ringing and if the grimace on Hugo’s face was anything to go by so were his. The scrapping was getting closer, almost sounding frantic as it sounded from the ceiling, walls, and ground. Varian couldn’t help but laugh when he spotted the exit, they were so close, they were going to make it. The screeching sounded louder, Varian and Hugo stumbling towards the exit. Varian chucked the rock towards the sound in a last ditch attempt at getting the sound to stop. It worked. 

Varian and Hugo stumbled into the bright sunlight of the day. Varian blinked rapidly, trying to clear the spots that danced in his vision as his eyes adjusted to the light after being submerged in the darkness for so long. He almost missed Hugo’s instructions. “Get back.” 

Hugo stood defensively in front of the group. For a split second, for a horrifying second the creature was revealed in all its nightmare inducing glory, it’s long nail brushing the tip of Hugo’s nose briefly before it and the maze burst into dust. Varian let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, turning his attention to the rest of the group. “Is everyone okay?” He asked checking Yong over and placing a kiss to his forehead when he was satisfied he was unharmed, doing the same to Nuru despite their confirmations of being unharmed. He turned his attention to Hugo, eyes searching his. 

He opened his mouth to ask Hugo the same. Hugo seemed to have other plans, grabbing Varian and dipping him into a passionate kiss. Varian forgot that they weren’t alone for a moment, returning the kiss eagerly. Hugo broke the kiss keeping their foreheads pressed together. “If you ever scare me like that again,”

“You’ll kill me?” Varian chuckled. 

“I’ll never let you leave my side.” Hugo finished, bringing their lips back together. 

The kiss didn’t last long, Nuru clearing her throat. 

“As happy as I am that you two are finally done hiding your relationship, may I remind you there are children present?” 

Varian laughed, pulling away from Hugo, but keeping their fingers interlocked. “Right, sorry guys.” 

The group gathered their things then, looking for a spot well away from the horrific maze to rest. Hugo tugged on his hand, waiting until Nuru and Yong were a distance away. “We’re going to talk about what happened back there.” 

Varian shook his head, lips pulled into a shaky smile at the thoughts of what could have been. “It’s not necessary. We’re alive aren’t we?” 

“We are, but that’s not the point. A lot of fucked up shit happened in there, you shouldn’t keep it bottled up. So when you’re ready,” Hugo placed a soft kiss to his forehead. “We’re going to talk.” 

Varian nodded, not trusting himself as his eyes watered and a lump formed in his throat. Instead he settled for placing a kiss to the other’s lips, casting one last glance at the pile of dust behind them. 

Chapter Text

“We grew up in the same place, do you remember?” Varian leaned over the counter, stirring the cream and sugar into the cup. Too much sugar just like always, he didn’t say anything just like always. Instead he turned his eyes to the window, the fog rolling in ominously. Hugo pulled his coat a little tighter around himself, glancing briefly to Varian, his blue eyes sparkling as he slid the cup across the counter to him. 

If he knew what was going to happen he would’ve had a different answer, he would’ve focused longer on his eyes, his freckles, his smile, but he didn’t. His eyes turned back to the foggy morning outside the cafe. “No, I don’t remember.” 

“Your coffee.” Hugo barely registered Nuru’s outstretched hand, Varian’s replacement, she would cover his shifts until he returned. Still he didn’t grab it. “Hugo.” 

He met her yellow eyes, wishing they were blue. It was enough to bring him back to reality, dumping a few loose coins into the tip jar as he took the cup. “Thanks.” He didn’t give her a chance to respond before heading out the door, the cool air a stark contrast to the warmth in the cup. He grimaced as he took a sip, it was perfect, just the way he liked not too sweet. He popped off the lid, adding another packet of the artificial sugar. He swirled the contents, eyes darting to the lamppost and the faded missing posters there. They didn’t do Varian justice, they never had. He glanced back at the cafe as the bell chimed above the quiet of the empty street. 

Varian stuffed his hands in the pocket of his coat, bounding up to Hugo. “It’s cold tonight.” Varian’s breaths came out in little clouds in front of him, the tip of his nose already pink from the cold. 

“I told you to bring a jacket.” Hugo shrugged his off, wrapping it around the younger. Varian smiled widely, pecking Hugo’s lips as a thank you. 

He grabbed his hand, swinging it back and forth. “Walk me home?” Varian’s eyes shined, nothing but pure love and adoration in them. Hugo’s did not. 

He dropped his hand. “I can’t.” He could’ve, he should’ve. 

“Where were you the night Varian went missing?” Hugo tore his eyes away from the two way mirror in the interrogation room. He instead let them linger on the golden name tag that rested above the officer’s heart. “Hugo. I need you to answer.” 

He dragged his eyes up to the officer’s face, a concerned frown etched into his features. He snorted, a laugh bubbling out from between his lips. “It’s been a year. Your guess is as good as mine.” 

Eugene sighed, slumping in his seat. “Listen, I know this hasn’t been easy, but you need to cooperate.” 

Hugo didn’t answer, once again turning to look at the mirror again. He knew she was on the other side, she had to be. He stuck out his tongue, letting out another hysterical laugh as he imagined her offended face. If she had truly been his friend she’d have looked for him sooner and maybe they wouldn’t be here now. 

“We found his phone. You were the last person he texted. Hugo, did you go to the woods that night?” He froze, eyes focused solely on the cracked screen of the phone, the harsh glare of the screen hurting his sensitive eyes. 

“No.” 

Varian took a long drag from the joint, letting the smoke gather around them, before leaning back on the hood of the car. He laughed, turning on his side to face Hugo. “Let’s run away. We can meet in the woods. No one has to know.” 

Hugo ignored him, looking up at the stars as he took his own hit. “You say the stupidest shit when you're high.” 

Varian laughed again. “But you love me.” 

Hugo rolled his eyes, still refusing to look at Varian. He wished he had kissed him, held him, told him how much he cared and how hard it was for him to admit it. “I don’t.” He did. 

“Not blue. He hated blue.” His voice sounded foreign to his own ears, rough from disuse. As much as he hated this, it needed to be known, for Varian’s sake. 

“Not blue, then.” Quirin confirmed, placing the flowers back down. He ran a hand down his face, looking just as tired as Hugo felt. “What color?” 

He let his fingers brush over the top of the flowers, the soft petals leaving a strange feeling on his skin. He retracted his hand immediately, stuffing it back into his coat pocket. “I don’t know. This is stupid.” He was out the door before Quirin could protest. He wanted no part of this, they were burying Varian before there was even a body. It felt wrong to give up hope like that, it all felt so wrong. 

He stared at the text message for a solid ten minutes before responding. 

V: meet me in the woods

H: I’ll be there in ten

He leaned against his car, the engine still running, suitcase in the backseat. He had been waiting an hour for Varian, he had been waiting an hour and still no word from the other. He knew he wasn’t the best boyfriend, but he didn’t deserve this. He’d follow Varian anywhere, do whatever he wanted, that’s why he was there, that’s why he was still waiting. His finger hovered over the call button, he never pressed it, he didn’t want to be a bother. How he wished now he had pressed the button, how he wished he had waited longer, how he wished he had looked for Varian. He stayed long past the sunrise, watching for any sign of the other, waiting for a text message, a call, anything. He never received anything ever again. 

Hugo stood on the edge of the cliff, overlooking the woods, the fog rolling off the mountains, his tie done loosely around his neck. It still felt tight, everything felt too tight. He held Varian’s phone close to his chest, letting the tears roll down his cheeks. 

“Hugo. Please, come over here. We can talk about this.” Nuru looked beautiful in her black dress, it made her eyes pop, she was a good friend, she didn’t deserve this. So he smiled. 

“It’s okay.” It wasn’t, nothing was, not anymore, but it would be. He took a step forward, reaching for Varian’s hand that beckoned him, welcomed him. He didn’t hear Nuru’s screams, he didn’t hear her cry. He smiled as the ground rushed up to meet him. He smiled as he felt Varian’s arms around him, saw his smile, heard his laugh, kissed his lips. He closed his eyes and when he opened them he saw Varian’s eyes. When he opened them, he was home. 

Chapter Text

“Do you remember the plan?” 

“Of course I do.” Varian scoffed, pushing his goggles up into his hair and setting down his wrench. The chair squeaked as he turned to face Andrew, the older male standing with his arms crossed, an unimpressed look on his face, the golden crown on his head tilted ever so slightly. 

“Good.” Andrew said in a way that made Varian think it was not in fact good. Varian shifted in his seat, keeping his eyes focused on Andrew as he made his way around the lab, his stomach twisting as Andrew’s fingers ghosted over the various tools on his work table. “And the automatons?” 

Varian swallowed thickly, this was the news he’d been dreading giving. Andrew was going to be so disappointed, and he hated disappointing him. “The automatons will be finished within the week.” 

“And the Quirineon?” Andrew asked, his hand resting on the cool metal of the automaton Varian was currently working on. 

Varian instinctively scratched at the scar on his face, whenever Andrew was around it seemed to irritate him more. “The progress has to be pushed back if I’m to finish the autom-“ 

“What?!” Andrew hissed, his nails dragging across the metal, Varian barely suppressing a wince at the sound. 

“If I had more manpower, I could finish both within the week. I can’t do it all by myself.” Varian said, already digging through his notes to show Andrew the progress he did make. 

Andrew slammed his hand down over the notes, and this time Varian did flinch. He took a steadying breath, his fingers digging into the table. Andrew wasn’t going to hurt him, he wouldn’t, everything he did was because he knew Varian had the potential to be better, everything he did was because he loved him. Slowly, he brought his blue eyes back up to the angry brown ones in front of him. “Are you saying you’re incompetent?” 

“No, sir.” Varian said, already crunching numbers in his head to see how he could make this work. It was impossible. Even if he cut out eating and sleeping completely, it just wasn’t possible. “But if I could borrow Kai or, hell, even Clementine, I can finish both. I can.” 

“So let me get this straight,” Andrew said, picking up Varian’s discarded wrench and grabbing a fistful of Varian’s hair, pulling back enough that he was forced to look up at the older male, a constant sting from where his hand yanked the strands. Varian’s eyes watered, but he refused to show any signs of discomfort, refused to look anywhere but Andrew’s face, even as the wrench entered his line of sight. “You want me to waste more resources on you? Are you not grateful for all I’ve done for you? If it wasn’t for me you’d still be rotting away in that prison cell. Is that what you want? Or would you prefer if we took a little trip-“ 

“No!” Varian shouted, his eyes wide in terror. He couldn’t go back there, not again, not now, not ever. Andrew simply raised an eyebrow at his outburst, letting the cool metal of the wrench tap Varian’s nose. It didn’t hurt, not in the slightest, it was simply a warning, a reminder of what could be. And it left Varian scrambling for an apology, so that the phantom pain he felt coursing through his cheek would remain just that. “No, sir. Sorry, sir. I’ll figure it out. Both projects will be done in the week. I won’t sleep until it’s done.” 

“I know you won’t.” Andrew said, his words laced with an underlying threat. Varian didn’t have a choice in this, he wouldn’t be allowed to sleep, not until the projects were complete. “Now, what’s the plan?” 

Varian swallowed thickly, taking a small breath as Andrew moved the wrench away, the hand in his hair still remaining. “Find the princess, bring her here.” Varian said, the words rolling effortlessly off his tongue. They’d practically been drilled into his brain after they captured Flyn- Eugene. 

“How?” Andrew asked, his grip tightening, tears pricking at the corners of Varian’s eyes as his roots fought to stay attached to his skull. 

“By any means necessary.” Varian answered, narrowing his eyes in determination. The princess would soon get what was coming to her. She would pay for turning her back on him, on his father. 

“Good. I’m proud of you, buddy. Now, go give ‘em hell.” Andrew said, releasing Varian. And Varian smiled, his heart leaping in his chest, he may never be able to make his father proud, but at least he could make someone proud. He tossed his goggles onto his workbench, a newfound fire burning in his eyes as he headed towards the exit. 

“Varian!” The boy stiffened, his back ramrod straight as he turned towards the sound of the voice. Eugene struggled against his bindings, his gag having slipped from his mouth. “Varian, please listen to me, you don’t have to do this.” 

“I don’t?” Varian laughed, the sound twisted and cruel as he made his way into the room, kneeling down in front of his former idol. “Then what exactly do you propose I do, Eugene.” 

“Let me go. We can find Rapunzel and she’ll-“ 

“Help?” Varian finished, anger bubbling in his chest the longer he stayed in the room, the longer he stayed in Eugene’s presence, the longer he was reminded of his past. “Because she did that so well last time! No, instead she decided to throw me out into the middle of blizzard and let my father fucking die! Is that what you call helping, Eugene? Or did the definition suddenly change when it wasn’t convenient for the princess!” 

“Look, kid, I know she wasn’t there when you needed her, but we’re here now! We can fix this.” Eugene pleaded. 

“Oh, we’ll fix it alright. Once the princess is here, once she’s under our control, New Saporia can rise, and then she’ll pay for what she did to me. For what she did to my father.” Eugene looked like he wanted to say something more, hell, he opened his mouth to say more, but Varian simply shoved the gag back in place. He didn’t want to hear it. He was sick of people telling him what was right and wrong. He was finally taking matters into his own hands, everyone else be damned. “Don’t worry you’ll be seeing your precious princess soon enough.” 

Eugene pulled at his restraints harder, his cries muffled by the gag. Varian smirked as he stood, fully intending to leave then and there, but something caught his eye. In the corner of the room, a piece of crumpled fabric, or more specifically Eugene’s jacket. It must have somehow been discarded in the confrontation. But, no matter how it got there, it was his now. He slipped it on, the jacket swallowing him. It didn’t matter really, it would serve its purpose in getting the princess to believe him, to follow him, to lure her into their trap. And once she was here, once she was theirs, then there’d be hell to pay.