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"Hey, we should get inside soon, it looks like it might rain," Hugo remarks, glancing at the low set nearly black clouds that are gathering as far as the eye can see.
Warm winds blow across the cliff, tousling the two young men's hair who stand there and bringing the smell of impending rain. Waves crash against the bottom of the cliff, large enough to splash high enough to touch the occupants staring at the storm. Rain is already lashing at Tarria, the town visible on the bluff where their companions Nuru and Yong are picking up supplies for the trip to Ingvarr.
"Yeah, good idea." Varian gathers his notebooks full of alchemical solutions and looks expectantly at Hugo, who is still staring at the impending storm.
"Hugo?"
"Huh? Yeah let's go," He exclaims, snapping out of whatever trance staring at the clouds had put him in.
The pair make their way across the rocky terrain toward the caravan. Stubborn grass chunks grow between the rocks, determined to survive in this hostile environment blow in the wind, rustling against Varian's boots.
"Gentlemen first," Hugo remarks, bowing as he opens the door for Varian.
"Shut up Thief," Varian shoots back, but it sounds halfhearted and he is trying to hide a smile with little success.
"Awww you know you would be so bored if I did that." Hugo locks the door behind him.
"Why would you do that? What if Yong and Nuru come back?"
"If they're smart, they'll find shelter in the village. Can't stand to be alone with me for one night?"
"I suppose I can survive one night." Varian throws himself onto his bunk, curling up almost immediately getting lost in the book he left there.
"Ha, knew it," Hugo remarks under his breath, falling into the chair at the desk and opening one of the draws. He removes a tiny robotic mouse and begins to unscrew a plate covering what would be its underbelly if it was real.
"What was that?" Varian questions, looking up from his book.
"Nothing."
The alchemist harrumphs suspiciously but goes back to the literature in front of him.
Hugo smiles and begins poking at the wiring in front of him. The robotic mammal should be able to operate on its own, but for some reason, it's as dead as a dodo.
He had taken it apart, of course, and examined every single part and nothing seemed wrong. It had been the first thing he had made with her. It had sprung to life when she had built it for him, a pet that couldn't and would never die. Well, that had been a lie he supposed, just like everything she had told him.
Rain begins to pitter at the roof above, a steady calming noise.
Hugo tries to keep his eyes open but the steady droning noise is quickly luring him into dreamland. He tries to fight it but after only a few minutes his eyelids close and he hits the desk.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A noise makes Hugo stir, not the pounding of rain on the roof or the crashing of thunder but a breathing noise that doesn't sound too happy.
He sits up, brushing a screw from his cheek where it had stuck itself. The parts of the mouse are still spread across the desk. Hugo opens a drawer and sweeps the parts into it. He can fix it later.
Hugo stands up, his joints popping as he stretches. He picks up the oil lamp from the desk. It's gone out so he pulls the firestarter Varian made and flicks it open. A small flame sputters to life and he lights the lamp.
Shadows stretch across the room as he holds the lamp aloft, surveying the room. Nuru and Yong still aren't back, judging from their empty bunks. A lump covered by a blanket is shaking uncontrollably on Varian's bunk.
Ahh, so that's where the noises are coming from.
Hugo makes his way to Varian's bunk, sitting down next to him on the edge of the mattress and leaning over to set the oil lamp on the bedside table.
"Hey, Hairstripe, are you ok?" Hugo asks softly.
Varian shifts under the blanket, making no noises except for his quiet sobbing. His breathing sounds strained, even through the cloth.
"Can I come under there?" Hugo asks.
"Mmhm," Varian murmurs after thinking about it for a moment.
"Thank you." Hugo ducks down and pulls the blanket over his head.
Varian is curled up with his back to Hugo. His arms are wrapped around his legs and he's rocking gently. His raven black hair is a mess, it sticks up everywhich way and Hugo longs to run his fingers through it.
"Can you tell me what's wrong Goggles?"
Varian shakes his head violently, making his hair look even crazier.
"That's fine. You don't need to say anything if you don't feel comfortable. Can I touch your shoulder?" He reaches out tentatively, his fingertips hovering over Varian's back.
Varian tenses before relaxing slightly, which Hugo takes to mean yes.
He sets his hand between Varian's shoulder blades and begins to rub small circles on his back. Varian sinks into his hand like a cat. After a few minutes, his breathing begins to even out.
"Feeling better now?" Hugo asks.
"Ye," Varian mumbles, rolling over so he's facing Hugo.
"Good. Are you alright-" Hugo starts but a deafening clap of thunder drowns out the rest.
An immediate change can be seen in Varian. His eyes widen and his face is a sea of panic and terror. He dives into Hugo's chest, nearly knocking the thief over.
"Are you frightened by the storm?" Hugo whispers, stroking the alchemist's hair. "Is that what triggered this?'
"Y-Y-Ye-Yes," Varian manages to say, his breath coming out in quick short gasps. Another sob escapes his throat and he buries his face in Hugo's shirt again.
"You're ok. We're inside, the storm can't get us in here. You're safe. Nothing bad is going to happen."
"B-But what if it can? What if the walls aren't strong enough or-or Lightning strikes us? You can't guarantee that nothing bad will happen," Varian protests, his eyes darting around frantically as if he's looking for an exit, which he might be doing. He always seems a little jumpy and nervous.
"That's true. But the chances of that happening are extremely unlikely. And besides, if anything bad does happen, I'll be your knight in shining armor," Hugo jokes, hoping he might be able to distract Varian from the storm and his anxieties.
"You can't fight a natural occurrence. It's much too strong. Lighting is five times hotter than the surface of the sun, did you know that? Humans can only survive 44 degrees, you would cook in minutes," he sniffles, resting his head on Hugo's shoulders.
"Oh yeah? Well, I think I can beat that. Only five times hotter? I'm ten times, just ask the girls from my kingdom. They can't get enough of me," Hugo smirks.
Varian presses his face into the thief's shoulder, this time to hide his blushing face. Why did Hugo have to have such a beautiful smirk? Everything about him was beautiful, not that Varian would ever let him know that.
"Don't know why anyone would think you're even warm, let alone hot," he remarks, letting a small smile grace his lips as he wipes his tears away.
"Well, obviously they'd think I'm amazing because they have a brain and functioning ocular system. Something that people out here just don't appreciate." Hugo sighs dramatically and falls onto his back, bringing Varian down on top of him as he couldn't regain his balance in time.
"I have a functional ocular system and you're mediocre at best. Sorry Earrings, but it's the truth." Varian snarks. He rolls off of Hugo so now he's lying beside the other boy.
"Earrings? That's the best you could come up with? Disappointing. I really thought I taught you better."
"Well sorry, but I came up with it on the spot,"
"I take it you're feeling better now?" Hugo asks, propping himself on his elbows.
"Huh? Oh yeah. That. Sorry, it was stupid, I really didn't mean to wake you." Varian rolls onto his stomach and rests his head on his folded arms.
"It really was no problem. Don't want you suffering dramatically over here without my extra flair." Hugo says.
"It's because of the prison," Varian says suddenly.
"Huh?"
"You know I was in prison for a while after I tried to murder my kingdom's princess correct?" He looks expectantly at Hugo, then continues when he nods understandingly. "Well, you know that the guards didn't care much for us prisoners' safety. And it would rain sometimes, like near hurricane strength. And the prison cells were in the basement..." He trails off, not able to finish his explanation.
"And it would flood, wouldn't it? And the guards didn't do anything to help you guys. You could have died and they wouldn't have given a shit?" Hugo guesses.
"Yep," Varian mutters miserably. "Would have been a lot easier for them if we just drown. They were perfectly safe and dry inside of course. Why would they risk their lives to save a bunch of scoundrels and criminals?"
"That's horrible. I'm really sorry you had to deal with that. I've been in some nasty prisons but Corona's sounds like it could beat them all." Hugo apologizes, nestling up next to Varian.
"Yeah. For a kingdom with such a bright and cheerful exterior, it hides some pretty dark things beneath the surface," Varian laughs hollowly.
"That's true. But the chances of that happening are extremely unlikely. And besides, if anything bad does happen, I'll be your knight in shining armor." Hugo jokes.
"You can't fight a natural occurrence. It's much too strong. Lighting is five times hotter than the surface of the sun, did you know that? Humans can only survive 44 degrees, you would cook in minutes," he sniffles, resting his head on Hugo's shoulder.
"Oh yeah? Well, I think I can beat that. Only five times hotter? I'm ten times, just ask the girls from my kingdom. They can't get enough of me," Hugo smirks.
Varian presses his face into the thief's shoulder, this time to hide his blushing face. Why did Hugo have to have such a beautiful smirk? Everything about him was beautiful, not that Varian would ever let him know that.
"Don't know why anyone would think you're even warm, let alone hot," he remarks, letting a small smile grace his lips as he wipes his tears away.
"Well, obviously they'd think I'm amazing because they have a brain and functioning ocular system. Something that people out here just don't appreciate." Hugo sighs dramatically and falls onto his back, bringing Varian down on top of him as he couldn't regain his balance in time.
"I have a functional ocular system and you're mediocre at best. Sorry Earrings, but it's the truth." Varian snarks. He rolls off of Hugo so now he's lying beside the other boy.
"Earrings? That's the best you could come up with? Disappointing. I really thought I taught you better."
"Well sorry, but I came up with it on the spot,"
"I take it you're feeling better now?" Hugo asks, propping himself on his elbows.
"Huh? Oh yeah. That. Sorry, it was stupid, I really didn't mean to wake you." Varian rolls onto his stomach and rests his head on his folded arms.
"It really was no problem. Don't want you suffering dramatically over here without my extra flair." Hugo says.
"It's because of the prison," Varian says suddenly.
"Huh?"
"You know I was in prison for a while after I tried to murder my kingdom's princess correct?" He looks expectantly at Hugo, then continues when he nods understandingly. "Well, you know that the guards didn't care much for us prisoners' safety. And it would rain sometimes, like near hurricane strength. And the prison cells were in the basement..." He trails off, not able to finish his explanation.
"And it would flood, wouldn't it? And the guards didn't do anything to help you guys. You could have died and they wouldn't have given a shit?" Hugo guesses.
"Yep," Varian mutters miserably. "Would have been a lot easier for them if we just drown. They were perfectly safe and dry inside of course. Why would they risk their lives to save a bunch of scoundrels and criminals?"
"That's horrible. I'm really sorry you had to deal with that. I've been in some nasty prisons but Corona's sounds like it could beat them all." Hugo apologizes, nestling up next to Varian.
"Yeah. For a kingdom with such a bright and cheerful exterior, it hides some pretty dark things beneath the surface," Varian laughs hollowly.
"The happiest things have the worst secrets. That's why I don't trust happy people." Hugo remarks in an attempt to sound wise.
"I shouldn't have trusted Rapunzel," Varian deadpans.
"Oh damn, I completely forgot about that. I am so sorry."
"Nah it's fine. We're mostly cool now."
The pair stare at each other for a minute before subsiding into giggles.
"We're so sleep-deprived," Varian laughs.
"Yep. Let's get out from under this blanket so you can make an attempt at not being sleep-deprived ok?" Hugo questions.
Varian nods and Hugo pushes the blanket away. The sudden rush of cold air stings his skin and he longs to snuggle under the blanket again.
He's just about to stand up when he hears Varian's voice.
"Could you stay with me for a bit, just until I fall asleep? I know you need sleep too, but the storm is still really loud."
"Of course, I can. It's not a stupid fear, tons of people are afraid of storms." Hugo falls back onto the bed.
"Nuh," Varian murmurs, pulling Hugo down so he's snuggled up next to the alchemist.
Hugo accepts his fate and stays next to him until his breathing slows and Hugo's sure he's asleep. He tries to sit up, but Varian is holding him tightly.
"Can I leave?' He asks gently, still trying to pull away.
"Nnn stay," Varian mutters sleepily.
Hugo isn't about to protest. He wraps a protective arm around Varian, ready to protect him from the storm.