Chapter Text
Hugo’s hair is not naturally blonde. Which is very hard to believe, considering how much pride he takes in his ‘all-natural’ good looks.
But, the truth was, it was not all natural.
Hugo had never been confronted by anyone about this fact. Until today.
The group was currently riding in the caravan, on the way to the next trial. Yong and Nuru were in the front, and Varian and Hugo were sitting in the back (terrible idea), after a lot of time dedicated to convincing, or more so, forcing Varian to just take a damn break from steering…
They were both laying down on Hugo’s bunk, which Hugo didn’t appreciate, because he ‘didn’t want Varian’s smell to inhabit his sleeping quarters’, or something like that.
“So, what’s the deal with your hair?”
“That’s what I should be asking you, Hairstripe.” Hugo fiddled with a few wires and bolts, but not making anything in particular. “There’s nothing wrong with my hair.”
Varian looked at him inquisitively. “But… you do see yourself, right? Your roots are literally brown, but the rest of your hair's blonde-”
“I- what?!”
See, when Hugo had first joined Yong and Varian on this tedious journey, his hair had been completely platinum blonde. But, he supposed that when you’ve spent so many months on the road with no way to refresh, he was starting to look like–
He shot up into a sitting position. “...Get me a mirror. Now.”
Varian stood up, did as told, then sat back down next to Hugo, as the (blond?) haired boy snatched the mirror out of his hands. Hugo held up the mirror to his face. A few scratches and bruises here and there, natural. And then he looked up…
Varian was right. His roots were peeking out. Which was a problem. A very, very bad one.
“Wha- uh-” He cleared his throat. Lying. That always helps.
“I don’t see anything other than blonde, V. Must be a trick of the light. I dunno why you’re accusing that this beauty isn’t all natu-”
“Hugo! Come here, you gotta see this!” They heard Yong’s voice call from outside. Both of the boys were apparently too invested in conversation to notice they'd stopped moving.
Hugo was the first to walk out, wanting to get the hell away from Varian, for once, with the alchemist himself following him a few seconds later, for some reason he didn't feel like thinking about. Just his luck. They didn’t even call Varian’s name.
His wish to avoid the topic for the rest of his life was denied by the gods, because it appears that they’d found one of Hugo’s wanted posters.
Normally, that wouldn’t be a problem. He’d brag about how good he looks, even in a painting, and then brag about how many crimes he’s committed, how he’s never been caught by any authority, blah blah blah…
The last part of that actually wasn’t true, but he decided that was a story for another time. And by ‘another time’, he meant never.
But, see, this poster was different. It was an old one. From way back when he was about, what, 13?
Yong pointed to a tree with a face on it. “Hugh, look! This guy kinda looks like you, isn’t that weird?”
Hugo sprinted over, and grabbed the poster from off the tree. Yep. That was definitely him. None of the others knew this, though, and he felt no good reason to tell them. So, he plastered one of his signature smiles on his face and feigned indifference.
Sometimes, it felt tiring to maintain that kind of persona, but, it’s not like he could just... stop.
Wait, did Yong just give him a nickname—
“Oh yeah, Sparkie. He sorta does look like me. What a coincidence.” He shot Yong a confident look, then tried his best to shrug the whole situation off. “Well, we don’t really have time to stop for this long, right Goggles?”
Varian shook his head out of some sort of a daze. “Wh- yeah. Yes, Hugo’s right, we should probably get moving again. We don’t have all the time in the world.”
Hugo feared that Varian was still suspicious of him, but, thankfully, the shorter boy didn’t mention anything more.
Nuru seemed the most skeptical out of them all, guessing by the look on her face. “Hugo, are you sure this isn’t–”
Hugo had to immediately shut that conversation down. “Alrighty, then!" He clasped his hands together. "You all heard Stripes here. Let’s get going.” He speedwalked back into the caravan, without sparing another glance at their confused faces. Which probably caused more distrust to form, but not that it matters. It’s not like he cared about any of these people, or how they feel towards him.
Hugo laid face down in his bed, and silently screamed into his pillow.
‘You know what,’ he thought, ‘it’s okay. I’m not the main focus here. It’s all Goggles.’ He didn’t know this for 100%, but what he did know was that Varian was his main focus.
-Because he was the main one Hugo was going to have to betray, obviously! No other feelings attached.
…None at all.
[ Strike I ]