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Hugo wasn’t the best at communicating his feelings.
In his defense, he didn’t really have much practice. Donella was many things, but emotionally vulnerable was not one of them.
Living in a castle full of people who were so comfortable expressing their emotions was a culture shock, to say the least. The first time he’d ever seen Rapunzel cry had been about 3 days after he moved in after a drawing she was trying to make didn’t turn out the way she’d wanted. She immediately turned to Eugene, and buried her head in his shoulder, sobbing out of frustration.
She cried way too much. Or he didn’t cry enough. The jury’s still out on that one.
He and Varian were different in a lot of ways- but this was something they had in common. On the surface, Varian seemed like someone who wore his heart on his sleeve. The longer Hugo knew him, the more he knew that couldn’t be further from the truth. He’d accidentally walked in on Varian pressed in a corner, covering his mouth to muffle his sobs enough times to know that boy was just as emotionally stunted as he was.
Sometimes, it was a good thing they were both at a similar level, emotionally. They helped each other get better; they understood each other better than most people did. He’d never felt more comfortable crying than he did wrapped in Varian’s arms, hidden away from the world in the dead of night.
Sometimes though, it meant conflict. It meant one of them would hurt the other, and instead of opening up and working out a solution, they would hold a grudge until it boiled over into something bigger and more explosive than it had started.
The last time it happened, Hugo had said something stupid (if he was being honest, neither of them even remember what he said). They didn’t talk for an entire week- Hugo was left guessing what it was he had said, and Varian was stuck locked away in his lab, convinced that Hugo’s lack of an apology meant he didn’t care about him.
Maybe he should be using that experience to learn. Maybe a more mature person would realize that communicating when you’re hurt helps prevent it from happening again.
Maybe. Not Hugo though. Holding a grudge was more satisfying.
Honestly, of all the things to be angry over, this was probably one of the weakest. They’d been joking around. He was being pathetic.
Their conversation replayed over and over again in his head, making him feel sick.
“I swear, Goggles. Old Lady Crowley has it out for me.”
“She kind of does.”
“You’re supposed to disagree with me. Tell me that I’m lovely and wonderful and I’m blowing everything out of proportion.”
Varian snorted.
“I’m not going to lie to you.”
“Ouch, low blow.”
“Don’t take it personally, I don’t think Old Lady Crowley likes anyone. I don’t think I remember the last time I saw her smile.”
“Oh well that’s a relief. I was scared I was losing my touch.”
“Your touch?”
“My charisma.”
“You have charisma?” Varian grinned cheekily, causing Hugo to roll his eyes.
“I wouldn’t expect you to know much about charisma,” Hugo smiled.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re a disaster, Goggles. I love you, but you’re a disaster.”
Varian shoved Hugo halfheartedly.
“Please, like you’re any better. This is all coming from the guy whose only friend was a robot mouse.”
Hugo felt his stomach drop. Varian looked at him bright-eyed, a teasing grin sliding across his face. Hugo’s chest felt cold as he forced himself to smirk.
“Ouch,” Hugo snickered. His chest felt heavy as he turned back to his work.
Hugo pressed his head into his hands, squeezing his eyes shut. It wasn’t that big a deal. It wasn’t that big a deal. Varian had matched his teasing. Who the hell was he to get upset?!
He could tell himself that all he wanted, but that didn’t take away the tightness in his eyes as he thought about what Varian said. He didn’t realize his past was still as sore of a subject as it was.
That conversation had happened right before they went to bed. It was about 7, and he’d been short with Varian all day. Varian caught on- of course he did. He’d tried to get Hugo to talk over and over again, but even though inside, Hugo was screaming at himself to have that conversation, he couldn’t help the snide remarks that would come out instead.
He banged his head against the wall of his room, pressing his knees closer to his chest. He was going to die. This was the end.
He flinched as he heard a knock on the door. It was too late in the day for any of the staff to be bothering him. He knew Rapunzel had left the castle not long ago, and he knew she wouldn’t be far from Fitzherbert. There wasn’t really anyone else who would be knocking on his door except-
“Hugo? Are you in there?” Varian’s voice came muffled through the door.
Sun help him.
“No,” Hugo yelled back, pressing his back against the headboard of his bed.
The door creaked open, and Varian cautiously poked his head in.
“Hugo, can we talk?”
“Nope.”
“Hugo-”
“Nope.”
Hugo glared at the wall as Varian stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. He stood over Hugo, casting a shadow over his bed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Who says anything’s wrong?”
Varian let out a frustrated tiff.
“Hugo, you’ve been acting weird all day.”
“I’m always weird.”
“Hugo, please,” Varian’s voice broke. Hugo looked up at him and frowned. Varian’s eyes were red and puffy, and he looked genuinely exhausted. He felt guilt start to worm its way up into his chest.
“Var-” Hugo started. When he realized he didn’t know what to say, he clicked his jaw shut.
“Are you mad at me? You’ve been acting mad all day and I don’t- I don’t know what I did and I- I don’t-” his voice trailed off.
Hugo swallowed, sitting up properly on the bed. Varian stared back at him, silently pleading. He sighed.
“I’m sorry I’ve been weird with you,” he grumbled. Varian perked up.
“Was it something I did?”
Hugo let out a deep breath. “It wasn’t anything you did , it was what you said. ”
Varian’s face fell. He wrapped his arms around his middle.
“You- it,” Hugo let out a frustrated whine, rubbing his eyes.
“Can you tell me what I said? I don’t- I don’t know what it was, and I don’t want to hurt you again,” Varian said quietly.
Hugo snorted.
“Look, it’s- I know it’s whatever, but you made a joke about Olivia being my only friend and that’s pretty much how we joke around but it hurt, so whatever,” Hugo shrugged. He crossed his arms, glaring at the wall.
Varian let out a small sigh of relief.
“Oh OK,”
It took him a second to process what he’d just said- in that second, Hugo had tensed up, curling his fists so tight his knuckles turned white.
“That’s- no that’s not what I meant. I don't mean it's not a big deal, Hugo, I’m so- no- ” Varian fumbled.
“No, that’s fine. I get it,” Hugo spat.
“Hugo, no , please that’s not what I meant, I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, Goggles. ‘M gonna take a walk.”
Hugo stood up, hurrying towards the door.
“Hu-”
Before he could finish his sentence, Hugo slammed the door shut. Varian pressed his back against the wall, sliding down as he buried his face in his hands.
Hugo had rubbed his eyes raw by this point. They were burning, causing him to squint. Despite his blurry vision, he began to recognize the hallway he was making his way down. Somehow even without trying he had managed to walk towards the portal to the library. Muscle memory was funny like that.
That thought made a ball of bile rise up his throat. He coughed, swallowing to keep it down.
He heard a loud squeak. He flinched, looking down at his shoulder where Olivia was shouting angrily at him.
“What, Liv?”
She gestured behind him.
“I’m not going back. You heard him. I’m making a thing out of nothing. We both just need time to forget about it.”
She crossed her arms, huffing.
Hugo frowned. He didn’t want to be this angry. He didn’t want Varian to be upset with him. He wanted to go back and work things out, but doing that would mean seeing his face again, and with the way his heart was pounding against his chest, he wasn’t sure if he would end up kissing him or punching him.
He sighed, pushing the lever to the portal down. The familiar blue light washed over him. He smiled, stepping through the gateway. The familiar fresh scent hit him like a wave, making him feel dizzy with relief.
“Nerd kingdom, sweet nerd kingdom,” he sighed. “Right, Liv. Do you remember where we were mapping last?”
Olivia let out a small metallic grumble.
“I’m not going back, Liv. If you’re not going to help, then I’ll work out where to go on my own.”
He spun his arm around, walking in the direction he ended up pointing when he stopped. He walked down an aisle, surrounded by tall twisted oak trees that cast shadows over him. He looked up, smiling in awe. He’d been in here more times than he could count, but it still stunned him into silence just how gorgeous this place was.
The sky seemed to sparkle, a radiant, deep blue that coloured everything around him. It was bright enough that he could see but dark enough that his brain could relax. Flecks of light hovered around him, illuminating the spines of endless columns of books.
With his head pointed towards the sky, he didn’t notice the small rock in his way until it was too late. His foot collided with it, sending him hurtling towards the floor. He let out an oof as he landed fast first on the grass.
He groaned, pushing himself onto his side. He blinked, patting the floor to find his glasses. He smiled as his fingers brushed the cool metal, pushing them back onto his nose.
He blanched as he noticed a small crawl space in front of him.
It was large enough that he could squeeze through if he really tried but small enough that he wouldn’t have noticed it if he hadn’t stumbled into it. Literally.
He should investigate this another day. That’s what Varian would want him to do- wait until he was there so they could make sure it was safe. Together.
Hugo's face darkened as he stared at the hole. Ignoring Olivia’s protests, he squeezed through.
He squinted as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. It was like a small cave, with small glowing gemstones sprinkled around the wall casting a faint yellow hue onto the ground. On a flat rock sat a gold mirror, reflecting the light and creating small dots on the cave walls.
He walked up to it, touching the handle gently. Slowly, he turned the mirror around so the reflective side faced him. He frowned as his eyes met his reflection’s. It was him- he’d seen mirrors before, thank you very much. He couldn’t figure out what , but something was off about this reflection. He picked the mirror up, looking at his face from as many angles as he could.
He turned his head to the side, turned back at the mirror, and let out a choked noise as the reflection took a second too long to meet his stare. A faint smile traced the edge of his reflection’s lips. Hugo jumped, letting go of the mirror. It let out a loud clang as it collided with the stone floor, but it didn’t smash.
“Hugo,” a small voice echoed off the walls of the cave. Hugo’s eyes darted around, trying to find the source.
“Who’s there?!”
“Hugo,” the voice said again. If he didn’t know any better he’d think it was his-
Hugo looked down at the mirror again and felt his heart sink. He crouched down, slowly picking up the handle and rotating the reflective side to face himself.
“Hello,” his reflection smiled.
“What the fuck,” Hugo whispered under his breath.
“I’m sorry, you must be a little confused.”
Hugo snorted.
“I think that’s an understatement.”
“Let me try to explain. I’m not you. I’m using your reflection to communicate with you.”
“That doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence.”
“I know how it sounds. It took me a long time to adjust to this myself.”
“Adjust?”
“You think I’ve always been stuck in a mirror?”
“Look, I’m talking to my reflection right now. I feel like any kind of logic or deductive reasoning I could use has been tossed out the window.”
His reflection chuckled.
“I understand. I was a kid much like you before I was trapped here.”
“How do you even get stuck in a mirror?” Hugo snorted.
“I was hurt by the one I loved the most. In my anger, I sought out a sorceress to take away my pain. She tricked me and trapped me in here,” his reflection shrugged.
“Why’d she trap you in a mirror?”
“Do I look like a sorceress to you?”
Hugo raised a hand defensively.
“Hey, I’m just asking.”
“And what about you? What brings you in here?”
“I work here. I’m mapping the library.”
“Hm. But that’s not why you’re here right now, is it?”
“How did you-”
Hugo’s reflection raised an eyebrow, causing him to sigh in defeat.
“I had a fight with my boyfriend.”
“Oh? I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s fine. Honestly. It wasn’t that big a deal, just-” he trailed off.
Hugo’s reflection nodded slightly, urging him to continue.
“He said something that really hurt my feelings and when I tried to talk about it, he kind of brushed me off by accident. It’s- really not that big a deal but here we are, I guess.”
His reflection nodded.
“I understand.”
“You do?”
“I do. I can help you kid,” his reflection whispered, almost like he was telling him a secret. Hugo’s eyes narrowed, as he leaned in closer.
“What makes you think I need your help?”
Hugo felt his heart drop as he watched his reflection disappear as the mirror glowed white. He shut his eyes as the light became blinding, causing his head to burn.
He opened his eyes, and he was standing in the middle of the library. In the same place that Varian had-
“Varian!”
He heard his own voice call out. He whipped around and felt his jaw drop slightly as he made eye contact with himself. The version of himself looked through him, locked onto Varian who stood feet away from them.
His eyes glowed a hauntingly familiar blue. Hugo swallowed.
“Please!”
“You think he wants to come back? After everything you’ve done to him? He gave me his body willingly so he would never have to see you again.”
“Goggles, you have to fight her!”
He remembered this moment vividly. He was forced to relive it at night, to the point where he could write down every word he, Ulla and Varian had said.
“No, Hugo, I don’t,” Varian snarled, the blue in his eyes vanishing for a moment. He curled his lip in disgust as his eyes began to glow again.
The other version of himself let out a pathetic noise, before Ulla slammed him against the wall, knocking him out.
Hugo frowned, blinking back tears as he watched the scene play out. He knew this wasn’t real- he knew Varian fought Ulla and won. He knew that Varian had woken up and forgiven him, but seeing his worst nightmare playing out so vividly in front of him made his head feel muddy. He couldn’t piece together where his memory ended and the nightmare began.
His vision wobbled, and as soon as he blinked, the scene changed. Suddenly, the other version of himself was hobbling out of the library. Nuru and Yong stepped back, their eyes wide. Nuru wrapped her arms around Yong as he shook his head sadly. She glared, taking another step away from him.
“Guys-”
“Traitor,” Yong snapped.
They stormed away. He watched himself reach his hand out weakly, before letting it drop.
“I always knew you were worthless,”
He heard Donella’s voice spit from behind. Both he and his other self flinched.
“Don-”
“I thought maybe I could make something out of you. I was wrong.”
“Don,” he tried again.
“If you ever darken my doorstep again, I’ll treat you like the rat you are, understand?”
He watched sadly as the other Hugo folded in on himself, wrapping his arms comfortingly around his middle.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Donella stormed away, and he was left staring at himself. There was no more noise, and no one was left behind. It was silent. His ears started to ring.
He blinked, and suddenly he was in the cave again. The mirror was back to normal, with his not reflection staring at him knowingly.
“Why-”
“You’re afraid. I know you are because I was too. I was like you. I was so afraid of losing everything that I lost touch with what was important. I hate to watch someone else fall into the same trap.”
“Why would you even want to help me?”
“I’ll explain it to you, but first, I need your permission.”
“My permission?” Hugo’s brows furrowed.
“To help you.”
Hugo scoffed at that.
“My permission? Yeah I mean I guess you have my permission now what-”
Hugo’s words were ripped from his throat as another blinding white light emitted from the mirror. His reflection stared back at him- the ghost of a smirk growing into a grin. His heart sank.
“Wait-”
It was too late.
Hugo had nightmares where he’d been the one Ulla had possessed. Those were the dreams that would scare him badly enough that he couldn’t sleep. His eyes would work, but his body moved outside of his control. He would wake up screaming, imagining Varian on the side he had been on, desperately begging for Hugo to wake up as he was forced to slam him against the wall.
He never thought he’d live that nightmare.
He wanted to scream. He wanted to claw his eyeballs out and rip out his tongue just to create a sensation in his body that belonged to him. He wanted to punch something, wanted to grab the nearest person and shake them to get help.
He couldn’t do anything other than watch. He was a spectator in his own body.
Olivia squeaked, trailing behind him. They’d left the library and were moving down the castle hallway. Whoever or whatever was in him paid her no mind, eyes kept straight forward.
The echoing sound of footsteps in the distance caused an adrenaline rush to wash over him. His nerves lit on fire as he used every spare ounce of energy he had to stop moving.
His body jolted as he came to a sudden stop. The muscles in his face twisted into a smile.
“You got some zing to ya, kid,” his captor said. “I’m almost impressed.”
“Who are you?” he choked out.
“I suppose it’s fair you know my name. I’m Thane.”
Hugo struggled to reply. He felt his muscles begin to shake, but no matter how hard he fought, his mouth wouldn’t open.
“It’s not worth fighting, your body’s mine for as long as I want it. You let me in, remember?”
Hugo wrinkled his nose in disgust.
“I know, I’m sorry for tricking you. It was the only way I could get you to help me. See, Hugo? I wasn’t totally lying before. I did hire a sorceress, and she did trick me, just not the way I told you she did. She took the pain away but it came at a price. When my time came, my soul became bound to her. She trapped me in the space between life and death. When villagers began to realize the horrible things she’d done, they sought revenge. They came prepared with a mirror to trap me, knowing that I was her only line of defense. They killed her, and I’ve been stuck wasting away in a mirror for a hundred years.”
“Tragic,” Hugo strained.
“Hm, it is, isn’t it? You’re going to help me right those wrongs though, Hugo. Whether you like it or not.”
“Hugo?” A voice came from down the hallway. The footsteps had gotten even louder. Hugo’s body went rigid. “Is that you?”
Thane glared at the dark figure with Hugo’s eyes. Hugo felt his stomach drop as he recognized Fitzherbert rounding the corner.
“Ok, it is you. Kid, what the hell happened? Varian’s looking for you and he seemed really upset.”
“We don’t have long then,” Thane replied ominously, shoving past Eugene. Eugene blinked in confusion as he walked away.
“The fuck?” Eugene muttered, scratching his head.
A loud scraping noise caused his eyes to break away from where Hugo had gone. Eugene looked down and locked eyes with Olivia, dragging a small broken mirror towards him. She let out a panicked squeak.
“What?" he asked, throwing up his hands. "I don’t speak mouse,” he sighed. She squeaked again, louder this time. Eugene looked at her for a second, before looking back down the hallway where Hugo had left.
"Alright, rodent. Let's figure out what the hell's going on," he said, crouching to let Olivia climb up his arm and settle on his shoulder.
Varian rubbed his face, staring at the lab ceiling. It was late. He should be getting ready for bed. He should be reading, or doing something else that wasn’t work-related.
Being in his room made him feel sick. He kept thinking about the hurt look on Hugo’s face. He was pretty sure if he stayed in his room for one more minute he was going to spontaneously combust. His lab wasn’t much better but at least it was full of distractions.
Eugene and Lance had both said they’d keep an eye out for him, but Varian wasn’t holding out hope. If Hugo didn’t want to be found, he wasn’t going to be found.
Varian sniffed, staring down at the equation in his journal. He’d been stuck for the last half hour. He didn’t know what to do- usually, at this point, he’d be asking Hugo for help. He felt his chest tighten as the numbers became jumbled in his head.
Ruddiger chittered sympathetically, stroking his foot with his paw.
“I don’t suppose you know anything about thermodynamics, do you, Ruddiger?”
Ruddiger tilted his head. Varian sighed.
“I’m just stuck on this calculation. I don’t-” Varian’s voice broke. “I’m stuck.”
A rapping on the door caused Varian to flinch. He wiped his eyes quickly, racing to answer it. His face fell a little as he met Eugene’s eyes. Eugene looked down at him frantically.
“Euge-”
“So, kid. Good news, I found your boyfriend. He was leaving the library. He’s also not hurt, so that’s also good news.”
Varian’s heart sank.
“Eugene, what-”
“Bad news, something’s wrong,” Eugene said, fidgeting.
“Wrong how?”
“He’s acting weird, kid. Not his usual kind of weird, either. His mouse is freaking the hell out. I don’t know what she’s trying to tell me.”
Suddenly, Varian became aware of the figure on Eugene’s shoulder. Despite being a robot, the panic she was emanating was clear and sobering. The mirror in her hand dangled behind Eugene’s back.
“What’s that, Liv?” he asked, holding his hand out towards her. She set the mirror down in his hand. The glass was cracked, but everything else on the mirror seemed in perfect condition. He traced the frame, looking carefully at it.
“Did Hugo have this?”
Olivia nodded.
“Is this why he’s acting weird?”
She nodded again. What he wouldn’t give for her to be able to talk. He made a mental note to make a voice box for her when they find Hugo.
'If we find him,' his brain unhelpfully supplied.
He turned the mirror around, staring at the symbols carved into the back.
“Do you know what it is?” Eugene asked. Varian shook his head.
“No. I might recognize these symbols, though.”
“What are they?”
“I saw them when I was mapping the paranormal section. They were supposed to ward off or trap spirits. I don’t remember which one.”
“Well, that seems like a pretty crucial difference.”
“Good thing I’m not a ghost hunter,” Varian retorted.
“Fair enough,” Eugene said placatingly.
Varian chewed his lip for a second.
“Eugene, what did Hugo do that made you think something was wrong?”
“He didn’t do anything. He’s just talking funny. He’s not acting like himself,” Eugene shrugged.
Varian’s face fell.
“Where did he go?”
“Towards the main doors, but kid-”
Varian didn’t give him a chance to speak. He grabbed Olivia and the mirror, and slammed the door open, barreling down the hall.
His hands slammed into the wall as he turned a corner. He barely kept his head from following close behind. He used his momentum to spring himself off the wall, darting further down the hall. Frazzled castle goers jumped out of his way as he barreled down the hall. If he wasn’t in such a blind state of panic he would turn around and apologize, but as it was he couldn’t bring himself to think about anything other than finding Hugo.
He blanched as a figure came up in front of him. Without time to slow down, he collided with them, sending them both hurtling to the floor.
“Oof, Varian-” Rapunzel groaned, grabbing her head. Varian struggled to climb back onto his feet, gasping for breath.
“Sorry, Rapunzel, sorry I, sorry I need to. I need- have you, I-” he fumbled.
“Varian, breathe,” she said gently. Varian let out a frustrated whine.
“Have you seen Hugo?!” he asked again, silently pumping his fist as the words came out in order this time.
“Hu- yeah, I passed him coming back in. He’s acting-”
“Which way,” he gasped. Sensing Varian’s urgency, Rapunzel's eyes widened.
“He was in town square. He was heading towards the edge of town, Varian what- ”
Varian felt his blood run cold. He scrambled to his feet, dashing out the castle doors.
The cold night air sent shivers running down Hugo's back. Goosebumps prickled his arms. His muscles burned with the urge to move. He wanted to fold his arms, rub his hands together, do anything to warm himself up, even a little. He was stuck walking forward like a puppet on a string.
They had passed the town square. People he walked past smiled at him. He even saw Rapunzel, and despite every single part of him on the inside screaming and begging for help, his face only smiled, waving politely at each hello.
Soon, they made it to the edge of the capital, steadily approaching a cliffside that overlooked the lake. He knew this place well- it was somewhere he went frequently when he needed to get away for a few moments.
“Where-” he managed to say. Thane stopped walking, raising his eyebrow. Hugo strained to get more words out. He nearly gasped in relief as Thane released a small ounce of control, giving his mouth the freedom to move.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“The lake,” he shrugged, continuing their brisk pace towards the cliff.
“I can see that, but why?”
Thane sighed as they arrived at the cliff’s edge. Rocks littered the base, causing the water to turn white as it crashed into them.
“You’re smart, Hugo. As much as I appreciate you giving me your body to escape the mirror, I can’t stay linked to you forever.”
Hugo snarled.
“I didn’t give you my-”
“Either way, being linked to you is no better than being trapped in that mirror. I had to break that blasted thing to escape into you, so-”
Hugo felt the world around him flip. If he were in control, he knew he would have stumbled.
“You’re going to jump.”
“I really am sorry for tricking you, Hugo. I spent so long trapped there. You have no idea what it’s like.”
Hugo closed his eyes. He felt the fight drain out of his body leaving only a cold sense of dread as he watched a sharp rock be completely submerged by a large wave.
“Please,” he whispered. “Please don’t do this.”
“Think of it this way: at least now people will remember you fondly.”
Tears welled up behind his eyes, but he couldn’t let them go. He couldn’t do anything but watch as his foot dangled over the edge of the cliff.
Wherever he was, somehow, he hoped Varian would know this wasn’t his fault.
He began to lean, and his stomach dropped.
“Hugo!” he heard Varian’s voice yell.
Thane whipped around, glaring as Varian raced towards them.
“Hugo!” he yelled again, more panicked than before.
“Go away,” Thane snapped.
“Hugo please-”
“You think I want to talk to you? Someone as selfish and worthless as you, Varian?”
Hurt flashed across Varian’s eyes. Inside, Hugo was screaming. The fight had rushed back into him, but Thane had a tight grip over him. His mouth didn’t belong to him, but Varian didn’t know that.
“You don’t mean that.”
“Of course I do. I don’t want you here. I don’t want you around, period. So go away .”
Varian crossed his arms. His heartbroken look immediately faded away, replaced by a confident smirk.
“You’re so close to getting him right. I’m almost impressed,” he snarked.
Thane raised an eyebrow.
“Let him go,” Varian growled, tightening his grip around the handle of the mirror.
Thane whistled.
“That was fast,” he said. “What gave it away?”
“For one, I think I can count the number of times Hugo has said my name in all the years I’ve known him on one hand. For two, you think I’m not going to notice that some creep is masquerading as my boyfriend? We have experience.”
“Ah yes, your mother . His memories are jumbled, but that one is probably the clearest in his mind.”
“It is?” Varian asked quietly.
“Oh yeah, he’s got so much guilt stored in this little noggin of his. Your boyfriend’s pretty pathetic, sweetheart.”
Varian gritted his teeth.
“He’s scared of you too, even though he won’t even admit it to himself. Mommy left an impression on him.”
Varian frowned guiltily. Hugo’s heart pounded out through his chest.
“You two really are a mess of a pair. I almost wish I could keep him around so I can entertain myself with you two. Almost ,” he sighed, turning back towards the cliff.
Varian let out a shriek as Hugo’s body leaned back over the cliff. He grabbed his arm, yanking him backwards onto the grass.
Thane let out a frustrated yell, pushing himself onto his feet, and gripping Varian’s arm. Varian cried out as his grip began to bruise. He threw Varian to the floor, causing his head to slam into the grass. He kicked his ribcage, causing Varian to wheeze, curling up protectively.
Thane crouched down, gripping Varian’s face and forcing it up to look at him.
“Pathetic,” he muttered.
Thane raised his hand to strike Varian again. He squeezed his eyes shut, wincing preemptively.
His arm began to shake in the air as Hugo put every ounce of energy he had into keeping it still.
Varian couldn’t help the stupid grin that fell across his face. Hugo let out a small smile of his own.
“Hi, Goggles.”
Varian snorted.
“Hi.”
“You got something on your forehead,” Hugo smirked.
Varian furrowed his eyebrows, touching his forehead lightly. He swiped away the blades of grass that had stuck to his skin.
Hugo winced as he felt his control waver. Before Varian could move away, his hand was clenched into a fist, slamming the side of his jaw. Varian let out a gasp as his face was forced backwards.
Hugo screamed, grasping his head with both hands and pulling his hair. Varian watched, trembling in the grass. He reached out his hand, but Thane reacted, burrowing Hugo’s boot into his hand.
“Stop!“ Hugo screamed. “ Stop!”
Thane snarled, driving Hugo’s boot into Varian’s chest again. Varian wheezed, gasping as the air was forced out of his lungs.
With Varian out of commission, Thane turned Hugo’s body around, walking him back towards the cliff.
Varian struggled for a moment to rise to his feet. His arms shook as he tried before he crumpled back onto the floor.
“Hugo,“ Varian whimpered. Thane turned his head but didn’t stop walking.
“Hugo, I’m sorry,“ Varian said quietly.
Hugo froze. Varian smiled a little bit at the sight.
“I’m sorry about what I said. I didn’t realize I hurt you that badly. I meant it, I don’t want to hurt you again. I-“ his voice trailed off as it began to crack. He swallowed a lump in his throat before he continued.
“I was scared you were going to leave me when I confronted you,“ he admitted quietly. “You were acting weird and standoffish and I didn’t know why and the only reason I could think of was that you wanted to leave me. I didn’t- I didn’t think before I spoke. I was just-“
Varian let out a loud sob.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. You don’t- I don’t-“
“Goggles,“ Hugo said quietly. “It’s OK.“
“I love you,“ Varian cried. “So so much.“
“This is touching,“ Thane cooed. “I see I’m not going to get anywhere while you’re here.“
Hugo felt the blood drain from his face as Thane pulled out his dagger.
“I can fix that.“
“No,“ Hugo snapped.
“Don’t worry, kid, it’ll be over soon and then you can join him in whatever afterlife you two believe in,“
Varian’s breathing began to spike. His eyes began to flit around, looking for something to keep Hugo’s form from creeping towards him.
He locked eyes with the mirror. His eyes widened.
Thane seemed to catch onto what he was planning. He growled, lunging towards it at the same time as Varian.
Varian’s fingers grasped the handle of the mirror, but before he could move it, Thane loomed over him, stabbing the knife towards his middle.
Varian rolled away just as the knife went down, causing him to stab into the dirt. Thane let out a frustrated noise as he struggled to pull the knife out.
Varian smirked, crawling back towards the mirror, but before he could, green eyes bore into him, casting a shadow as he kneeled to the ground. He rested the blade of his dagger against Varian’s neck. Thane tightened his control over Hugo, nearly choking him. He was completely helpless.
“Any last words?”
Varian let the tips of his buck teeth show in a mocking smile. His fingers began to inch away from his side, towards the mirror that sat just out of reach.
“Yeah. Get out of my boyfriend,“ he spat. His fingertips touched the edge of the mirror, and he dragged it up, twisting it so the broken, reflective side faced Hugo.
“No,“ Thane whispered as the mirror began to glow white. “No!“
Hugo felt himself being ripped in two. Suddenly, every nerve and every inch of skin belonged to him again. They were alight with sensation, crashing over him like a tidal wave. His muscles trembled as he felt the exhaustion from the last few hours creep in.
The light dissipated. Hugo and Varian gasped for air.
Varian stared at the back of the mirror for a second. He could hear faint screaming coming out through the cracks in the glass. Hesitatingly, he lowered it, staring at Hugo’s face.
“Hugo?“ he asked cautiously.
“Goggles?“
“Is he gone?“
Hugo grinned.
“I think he is.“
Varian let out a loud noise, before he clambered to his feet, slamming into Hugo at light speed. His momentum sent them both hurtling towards the floor. Hugo’s head hit the grass, and Varian’s collided with Hugo’s chest.
“Oof,“ he wheezed.
“Sorry,“ Varian gasped, struggling to get off of Hugo. Hugo wrapped his arms around Varian’s middle, forcing him to stay pressed to his chest.
“Are you OK?“ Hugo asked, brushing hair away from Varian’s forehead.
“Am I OK?!“
“Goggles, you got the shit kicked out of you. Sue me for being worried.“
“Hugo, you were- he almost-“ Varian stammered.
“It’s alright.“
“Are you OK?” Varian asked, lifting slightly off of Hugo’s chest to meet his eyes. He settled one hand to cup Hugo’s face, stroking the cheekbone with his thumb.
Hugo sniffed, leaning into Varian’s hand.
“I’ll be OK,“ Hugo said after a brief pause. Varian nodded. It was as much of an answer as he was getting out of him.
“I love you,“ Varian mumbled, lowering his head to speak into Hugo’s skin. “I love you, I love you, I love you I love you I love you,“
“I love you too, Goggles,” Hugo snorted, bringing his hand to lift Varian’s chin.
Varian took the invitation, crashing his lips into Hugo’s. Hugo sucked a breath through his nose, leaning forward to deepen the kiss. Varian moved his hands up Hugo’s neck to tangle in his hair. He moved slowly, tracing each line and curve and committing them to memory.
Hugo’s hands settled on either side of Varian’s face, holding him like he was a piece of treasure.
Varian pulled back first, huffing for breath. He shifted so his face was pressed into the crook of Hugo’s neck. He pressed his nose into his skin.
Hugo chuckled, running his hand up and down Varian’s arm.
He turned his head to the side and quickly snapped his head away as he made eye contact with the drop that was several meters away. They were nowhere near the cliff, but they still weren’t far enough.
Varian noticed him tense and lifted his head, meeting Hugo’s eyes. He frowned knowingly, crawling off of Hugo with a small groan. He climbed to his feet, holding his chest as he rose. He held out his hand for Hugo to take. Hugo used Varian’s weight to pull himself up off the grass.
“What should we do with the mirror?” Hugo asked, nudging it with his foot. “It’s broken. I don’t think it’ll hold him properly.”
Varian chewed his lip.
“It should hold at least for a few days. I can try and find a more permanent solution in the library.”
“Just you?”
“Hugo, are you sure you want to-”
“Goggles, it seems like every time one of us is alone in that library, we get possessed. Better late than never to start taking precautions.”
Varian chuckled a little, bending down to pick the mirror up.
“Heh. You’re right. We should start taking bets.”
Hugo rolled his eyes, wrapping his arm around Varian’s shoulder and pulling him close. Varian leaned into Hugo as they stumbled back towards the castle.
That night, as soon as he collapsed into bed, Hugo tugged Varian down on top of him, pressing him tightly on top of him as he kissed him fervently. Varian pressed back just as hard, both of them desperate to merge their bodies into one.
Varian broke the kiss, looking up and placing his hand on Hugo’s cheek softly. He followed the lines of his cheekbones with his fingertips, moving up to trace his forehead.
“Varian?” Hugo asked quietly.
“I’m sorry,” Varian said, ducking his gaze away from Hugo’s eyes. Hugo chewed his lip, taking a long breath. Varian took his silence as permission to continue.
“I-I got really scared and that doesn’t justify me brushing you off the way you did. I’m so so so so so sorry ,” he choked out.
Hugo pursed his lips, watching as a few tears began to slip down Varian’s cheeks. Guilt twisted around in his gut. “I am too.”
Varian furrowed his eyebrows.
“You- Hugo, I was the one who-”
“I’m sorry for not telling you I was upset,” Hugo clarified. “I- I can be a bit stubborn sometimes-”
“Sometimes?”
“Shut it,” Hugo chastised halfheartedly. “Like I was saying, I left you to guess and that wasn’t fair. I'm sorry I freaked ya out over nothing.”
“It wasn’t nothing, Hugo. I hurt your feelings. That matters,” he asserted.
Hugo sucked a breath, nodding.
“I guess, but either way, I should have talked to you more than I did. ‘M sorry.”
“We’re a mess, huh?” Varian snorted.
“Mm, maybe a little,” Hugo grinned.
“I love you,” Varian sniffed, pushing himself up to press a kiss to Hugo’s forehead where his fingers had just been. Hugo felt his eyes grow tight as tears began to push against his tear ducts. He let them fall, leaning back into the pillow as Varian curled up on top of him.
“I love you,” Varian mumbled into Hugo’s neck. His breath tickled his skin. Hugo pressed a small kiss to the top of Varian’s hair.
“I love you too, Goggles.”
Hugo flexed his fingers, relishing in the feeling of the muscles straining. He ran his hand up and down Varian’s spine lightly.
They melded together like a chemical reaction that mixed two volatile compounds to create a stable one. A perfect mess. Both of them were right where they belonged.