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The forest was quiet in the early morning, soft light filtering through the branches overhead and spilling across the forest floor. The branches in Hugo’s arms shifted as he bent to pick up another piece of fallen wood. Dry leaves crunched under his boots as he moved, the sound carrying faintly through the stillness.
Behind him, Varian snapped a small branch over his knee and tossed it onto the growing pile. “If we bring back any more than this, Yong’s going to think we’re trying to burn down the whole valley.”
Hugo didn’t answer.
Varian glanced up. Hugo was standing very still, staring at the ground like he’d forgotten what he was doing.
“Hey,” Varian said lightly. “Earth to Hugo.”
Hugo blinked hard, as if the sound had to travel a long distance to reach him. He straightened abruptly and grabbed another branch. “I heard you.” His voice was sharp, too sharp.
Varian raised an eyebrow. “Okay. Just saying we probably have enough.”
“I said I heard you.” The words came out harsh and sudden. Varian stared at him. “Whoa. What’s your problem?”
Hugo’s jaw tightened. The anger burned under his skin, sharp and sudden. “Nothing,” he muttered, reaching for another piece of wood.
His fingers felt slow. When he tried to grab the branch, his hand trembled just enough that it slipped away into the leaves.
Varian noticed.“…You okay?”
“I’m fine,” Hugo snapped immediately. But the ground felt strange under his feet, like it wasn’t steady anymore. A pressure throbbed behind his eyes. He rubbed his temple with the heel of his hand. He just needed a minute.
Varian watched him for a moment. “Hue?”
“I said I’m fine.” Hugo turned away sharply. The bundle of sticks in his arms suddenly slipped from his grip scattering across the forest floor his hand jerking and he froze.
Varian’s frown deepened. “Okay, seriously, what’s going on with…” Hugo suddenly grabbed the trunk of a nearby tree. His arm had started shaking. Not a small tremor, sharp, rhythmic jerks that ran up through his shoulder. His other hand clenched tight around the bark like he was trying to hold himself together.
Varian’s voice changed instantly. “Hugo?”
Hugo tried to speak. “Just…give me…”
His knees buckled.
Varian moved before he even thought about it, catching him as his weight gave out. “Hey, hey, I’ve got you,” Varian said quickly. Hugo sagged against him as the shaking spread.
Then, out of nowhere, his whole body snapped rigid. The force of it knocked Varian off balance, sending both of them crashing to the ground.
They fell hard. Varian tried to absorb the impact as best he could Hugo had gone rigid in his grasp Hugo’s arms jerked violently now, his whole body seizing in uneven, uncontrollable movements.
He shoved the fallen sticks out of the way with his foot, making sure Hugo wouldn’t strike any of them.
“Okay,” Varian muttered under his breath, more to himself than anything. “Okay…” Hugo’s body jerked violently against him, muscles stiffening suddenly. Varian gritted his teeth and wrapped an arm around Hugo’s shoulders, pressing him close and holding his head carefully against his chest so it wouldn’t hit the ground.
“There. There,” he said quietly, one hand hovering near Hugo’s shoulder but not holding him down. “I’m right here.”
Hugo’s jaw clenched tight, his body tense, breaths uneven and strained. A low, painful groan slipped past him, raw and involuntary. His body jerked again and again against the ground, muscles pulling in sharp, helpless spasms. Varian swallowed hard. “Just breathe,” he said softly. “You’re okay.” The seizure felt like it lasted forever. Slowly, gradually, the violent jerking began to ease. Hugo’s limbs fell still at last, though his chest still rose and fell too fast. Varian stayed close, one hand resting lightly near Hugo’s arm, unwilling to let him out of reach. “Hue?” he said quietly.
Hugo blinked up at the sky, disoriented. His whole body felt heavy, drained, like every muscle had run a marathon without asking him first. “…mh?”
“I’m here,” Varian murmured, his eyes tense with worry. Hugo weakly tilted his head toward him, movements slow and heavy, like even that small motion drained what little strength he had left.
Hugo managed a weak breath. “Okay…” he murmured hoarsely.
Varian stared at him, his voice quiet and careful. “Hue… are you sure?”
Hugo closed his eyes for a moment, still breathing hard. “Mhh,” he murmured. Varian hesitated, then asked the question that had been forming in his mind. “…Has this happened before?” Hugo didn’t answer right away. He looked pale, his breathing was uneven, his limbs felt heavy against the ground. For a moment, neither of them moved, the forest quiet around them except for Hugo’s strained breaths.
“Hue?” Varian said softly.
Hugo blinked up at the sky, disoriented.
“…Varian?”
“I’m here,” Varian said again.
“It’s okay,” Hugo murmured hoarsely.
“Hugo,” Varian said carefully, “this isn’t okay. You were shaking.”
Hugo closed his eyes for a second.
“…Yeah.”
Varian again. “Has that happened before?”
A pause.
“…Sometimes.” That answer did absolutely nothing to make Varian feel better. Hugo tried to sit up.
The second he pushed onto his elbows, his arms trembled violently, and he sagged back down. Varian caught him before he could fall sideways.
“Okay. Nope,” Varian said immediately, keeping a strong hold on Hugo. “You’re not standing.”
“Can we walk back to camp?” Hugo muttered weakly.
“Walk? Hugo… you can barely hold your own head up,” Varian said, his arms steadying him.
Hugo looked like he might argue, but the exhaustion weighing through his body made the effort pointless. Varian glanced toward the camp through the trees, not terribly far, but not close either. He looked back down at Hugo, steadying him with a firm hand. “…Sorry about this.”
“For wh…” Varian grabbed Hugo’s arm and hauled him upright. Not gently.
Hugo gave a startled sound as Varian pulled him to his feet, slinging one of Hugo’s arms over his shoulders.
“Varian!”
“Lean,” Varian said. Hugo did, mostly because his legs felt like water. Varian tightened his grip around Hugo’s waist and began dragging him through the forest toward camp. Hugo’s boots scraped the ground every few steps, his weight leaning heavily against Varian. “Relax,” Varian muttered as Hugo tried to push himself upright.
“Stop squirming, Hugo. You’re dead weight right now anyway.”
“…Rude.” Hugo didn’t have the strength to fight.
“Do you still… like me?” Hugo asked slowly, his voice rough.
Varian leaned closer, half-smile tugging at his lips. “Do I still like you? Hugo… seriously?”
“People tend to leave at this point,” Hugo murmured. “Once they realise this is… a thing that happens.”
Varian shook his head. “I’m not abandoning you. Not now, not ever.”
By the time the camp came into view, Hugo was leaning almost completely against Varian, utterly exhausted and barely able to keep himself upright.
Nuru looked up from the fire first.
She immediately stood when she saw them. “What happened?”
Varian kept Hugo close, supporting him every step of the way toward the tent.
“He had some kind of seizure,” Varian said, his breath uneven from the effort.
Nuru’s eyes widened slightly. “A… what?”
She rushed to Hugo’s other side, helping him stay steady. “Yeah,” Hugo murmured, rubbing his face. “It’s not a big deal,” he added, voice weak. Varian’s sharp look silenced him instantly.
Yong peeked up from the ground, his stick still clutched tightly. “Hugo… sick!”
He scrambled to his feet and trailed after them, curiosity outweighing caution.
Between Varian supporting him and Nuru steadying his other side, they guided him the short distance across the camp. Yong’s small voice piped up. “Is he… going to be okay?”
Varian slipped into the tent, carefully. Ruddiger, his raccoon, twitched an ear and slowly got up from his nap. The raccoon padded over to them, sniffing at Hugo, circling him cautiously, as if checking he was okay.
From outside the tent, Nuru smiled gently at Yong. “He’s just tired.” Hugo gave a faint, weary nod, making an effort to agree. Varian plopped him on the bedroll and wrapped him carefully in blankets, tucking him in until he was snug and secure in a small cocoon of fabric. Hugo leaned back, and Ruddiger clambered onto him, nuzzling into his face, trying to comfort him until he settled down on Hugo’s chest. Pale and exhausted, “Are you warm enough?” Varian asked quietly. Hugo nodded weakly and finally let his body go completely slack.
Nuru crouched near the tent’s entrance. “How’s your head?”
“Feels like someone hit it with a hammer,” Hugo murmured, too tired to keep his voice sharp. Varian tucked the blanket closer around Hugo’s neck, making sure he was snug. Then he slipped quietly out of the tent, leaving Hugo resting with Ruddiger on watch.
Varian crouched slightly to meet Yong’s wide-eyed gaze. “Go on, run off and play for a bit,” Yong glanced back at the tent, Varian said gently. “I’ll keep an eye on him. Okay?” Yong then nodded slowly and scampered off, stick clutched tightly in hand.
Once the child was out of earshot, Varian turned to Nuru, his voice low. “I think it was a seizure,” he explained quietly. “He started shaking… uncontrollably.”
Nuru glanced behind Varian toward the tent, concern in her eyes, but her voice remained calm. “…But why?”
“I’m not a doctor,” Varian said softly, keeping his voice low, “but from what I know, this can happen.”
He glanced toward the tent. “His body… it just lost control for a moment. Shaking, stiffening… he couldn’t help it.”
Nuru’s brow furrowed, but her tone stayed calm. “But it’s not permanent?”
“No,” Varian replied. “He’ll be okay. He just needs rest and someone to stay with him.”
Nuru smirked, folding her arms. “Let me guess… you’re staying in there all day?”
Varian glanced back over his shoulder, expression soft but firm. “Take care of the camp for me,” he said, slipping quietly into the tent.
Hours later…
In the quiet of the night, the blankets rustled. Hugo’s eyes fluttered open, heavy and slow. Ruddiger stayed nestled on his chest, warm and comforting. Hugo pushed against the bedroll, attempting to sit up a little straighter.
Varian looked up from his book. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked from the side.
Hugo’s voice was weak. “We’re supposed to pack today… We leave in a couple of hours, right?”
Varian eased him back onto the bedroll. “No, we’re not going anywhere.” “We’re staying another day,” he added, pressing a gentle kiss to Hugo’s temple, his hands resting protectively on him.
“I’m fine,” Hugo muttered, trying to push himself up. “We don’t have to.”
“No,” Varian said, softer now, brushing a hand lightly over Hugo’s shoulder. “You need to rest.”
Hugo opened his mouth to argue, but exhaustion caught up with him again.
“…You don’t have to do that,” he murmured.
Varian eased closer on the bedroll. “Yeah,” he murmured. “I do.” He rested his head carefully on Hugo’s shoulder. Hugo leaned back and made room, letting Varian slide under the blankets beside him. The soft warmth of the shared fabric made him sink a little further into comfort.
Inside, everything was calm. Varian stayed there, his head resting against Hugo, listening as Hugo’s breathing slowly settled into a steady rhythm. “Thank you, Varian… and I’m sorry for shouting at you,” Hugo murmured.
“It’s okay… I love you,” Varian said quietly, his voice growing drowsy. “I love you too,” Hugo murmured, leaning down to kiss Varian gently on the forehead, sharing the warmth between them. Ruddiger made a content little sound and rolled over happily, in between Varian and Hugo’s.
Outside the tent, the campfire crackled softly. Everyone else was asleep in their tents, the night still and quiet around them.