"What've you got there?" Rapunzel asked, leaning over Hugo's shoulder. The boy fumbled with something between his fingers before turning to face the girl.
"Nothing- nothing important." He chuckled, tucking the ring away.
"Uh huh." The brunette grinned and walked off past Hugo, "He's gonna love it." She whispered as she went.
Hugo smiled at this then turned to watch Varian and his father packing luggage into a wagon.
When he approached, Varian grinned,
"Finally decided to come and help us, then?"
"I was sayin' goodbye to Cat and Angry." The boy explained, taking a sack from Varian's arms.
"You're leaving goodbyes this late?" He chuckled.
"Just making the rounds, Goggles." The blonde turned to put the bag in the cart.
"It's weird leaving again...Somehow it feels different from last time but...the same."
"Well, you got me this time round." Hugo smirked.
"Hooray." Varian joked, earning a nudge from the other boy.
"This is the last one." Quirin walked over with a crate, placing it in the wagon.
"Thanks for the help, dad." Varian smiled.
"Of course." Quirin smiled and his eyes fell upon Hugo, who looked aside, nervously.

"Varian!" Lance called, "Thought you could leave without saying a final goodbye?" The man wrapped an arm around Varian and ruffled his hair.
The boy forced a smile, brushing his hair back, "'Course not, Lance."
"You've gotta come say goodbye to the girls."
"Sure."
The two walked off and Hugo risked a glance at Quirin only to meet his stony gaze.
"Quirin..."
"Hugo..."
There was a short silence.
"There was, uh...there was actually something I wanted to ask you." Hugo started again, looking up at the man.
Quirin crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, "Go on."
Hugo stared for a moment.
"Right." Hugo shuffled where he stood and cleared his throat, "I...well- y'know..." The blonde looked around then lowered his voice, "I want to propose to Varian...but only with your blessing." The boy fiddled with his fingers and finally looked at Quirin again.
For a moment, the boy was sure he was about to receive a stern talking to. Then Quirin's face broke into a smile and he moved close to embrace the boy.
Hugo's eyes widened and he tensed up,
"Not...that I'm not thrilled by this sudden development in our relationship, but this isn't the reaction I was expecting." He chuckled.
Quirin laughed too as he moved away,
"I'll admit I had my reservations about you at first...but I can see how happy you make Varian." The man looked over at his son, who was laughing with Angry and Catalina, "Of course you have my blessing, Hugo." Quirin chuckled and the blonde smiled widely.
"Y'know, you're not as scary as I always thought."
The man furrowed his brows.
"Is...what I would say if you weren't such a great and understanding guy."
"I understand." Quirin smiled, "I was a knight, you know."
"Oh..." Hugo cleared his throat, "That would...explain it." He joked, "Well, I'm gonna go over there now." Hugo pointed to Varian, Lance and the girls then made himself scarce.

"Hey, are you about ready to leave?" Varian asked as Hugo approached.
"Yeah- just saying bye to...your dad." The blonde responded, awkwardly.
"Great- I think I've said goodbye to everyone, so let's get going- we wanna reach Vlamudia before dark."
"You got it, Goggles." Hugo replied and Varian walked off towards the wagon. Hugo was about to follow when Lance stood between him and Varian.
The blonde heaved a sigh and crossed his arms, "Lance. I'm gonna miss you so much while I'm gone. Be strong. We'll be back before you know it." Hugo said in a dull, routine tone.
Lance just stared, slowly narrowing his eyes. Hugo furrowed his brows, "What're you doin' right now?" He backed away slightly.
"I know that look." The man said.
"Huh?" Hugo raised an eyebrow.
"Eugene!" Lance called, "Get over here!" He said through gritted teeth once he had gotten the King's attention. Eugene looked around then joined them, "What is it, Lance?"
"Do you see that look in his eyes?" Lance questioned, gesturing to Hugo, who suddenly became a bit self-conscious.
"What look?" Hugo asked.
Eugene looked the blonde in the eyes and narrowed his own before gasping, "You're going to propose."
Hugo's eyes widened and he looked around frantically, "Wha- no- no, I'm not."
"You can't fool me. I've seen that look many a-times." Lance commented.
"Let me give you fair warning- proposing is not easy." Eugene grabbed the boy's shoulders.
"How hard can it be? I just offer him a ring and ask him to marry me." Hugo smirked.
"Oho," Eugene looked to Lance, "He thinks he's prepared."
"Tragic." Lance added.
Hugo nudged the brunette's hands off of him.
"Lemme tell you- from experience...it's not that easy. What if he says no?" Eugene crossed his arms.
"What if he hates the ring?" Lance asked.
"Woah- woah, I don't need you two whispering doubts in my ears. I'm nervous enough as it is." The blonde chuckled anxiously, looking over at Varian.
"As you should be." Lance put a hand on Hugo's shoulder, "You know how long it took Eugene to get Rapunzel to say yes?"
"About three years?" Hugo grinned.
"Exactly- and it was so, so sad to watch- you should ask Hook Foot-"
"That's quite enough, Lance!" Eugene insisted.
"Ok, well first of all- this is completely different cause Varian wasn't locked in a tower for eighteen years with magic sunshine hair and second...what was second? Oh, yeah- I'm way more charming than you are." The blonde smirked smugly at Eugene.
"But Varian does have the whole 'glowing hair' thing going on." Lance reminded Hugo, who lost the smug smirk quickly.
"Well, I think our work is complete." Lance looked to Eugene as Hugo's face fell into a more concerned expression, "And if you ever need any more expert advice-"
"'Expert advice'?" Eugene laughed, "You've never proposed to anyone."
"Yes, but I've never had my proposal rejected by anyone either."
"We're married now, aren't we? We just had to get the timing right. Look, kid...I don't know why I'm trying to help you after all your pranking...but here's my advice: Take your time, communicate, and you'll know when the time is right." Eugene patted the blonde's shoulder and him and Lance walked away, leaving Hugo contemplating the whole proposal idea.

Hugo joined Varian on the front of the cart once he had gathered himself, and Quirin and Eugene checked the luggage was properly secured.
"You're good to go." Eugene patted a crate in the wagon then walked around to speak to Varian, "It feels like only yesterday we were last saying goodbye to you, kid."
Varian smiled and Hugo's head popped out from behind him,
"Did you still have all those wrinkles back then?" The blonde teased and Eugene glared.
"Hugo, you can't speak to the king like that." Varian looked back at Eugene, "You can barely notice the aging." Varian smiled in what he must have thought was a reassuring way but Hugo stifled a laugh and Eugene slapped his hands against the sides of his face in shock.
Rapunzel wrapped her arms around one of Eugene's and laughed softly, "They're just messing with you, Eugene. You look as handsome as the day I met you." Rapunzel nuzzled her nose against Eugene's and Hugo pretended to gag.
"Let's get going before I really am sick." He muttered to Varian and Ruddiger climbed onto the cart and into the blonde's lap.
"Ready for another trek across the kingdoms, buddy?" Varian asked the raccoon who chittered in return,
"Alright, this is it- are you sure we have everything we need?"
"Mm...I'm at least eighty percent sure."
"Good, that's- wh- that's not very reassuring."
Hugo leaned back and rested his head in his hands, "Just being honest, Stripes."
Varian rolled his eyes then turned his attention to everyone; his friends and family, "We'll be back before you know it."
"I'm sure you will." Rapunzel laughed, "We'll miss you both."
"We will?" Eugene asked and Hugo gasped.
"Come on, now, Your Highness." The blonde turned his attention to Varian, grinning, "Don't let him hurt your feelings, Varian."
"I wasn't-" Eugene sighed and Hugo flicked the reins, "We'll miss you, Varian. And if you wanna come back without Hugo that would be fine- appreciated, actually!" He called after the wagon and Rapunzel nudged him.
Varian waved at everyone until they disappeared over the horizon.

"I can't believe I'm leaving Corona again..." Varian expressed, leaning back in the seat and puffing out his cheeks.
"Believe it, Goggles, cause I bet this lost and forgotten Kingdom of Tonitrua is gonna be just as pleasant as the trials."
Varian sighed, "I know most people our age would probably love the prospect of dangerous adventuring but I think I'd rather be working in the lab."
Hugo chuckled, "How very you....So, what d'you think Tonitrua's like?"
"No idea..." Varian yawned, "Derelict and booby-trapped, probably."
"Yeah." Hugo laughed, "You should rest." He told the boy beside him.
"You sure?"
"Hundred percent."
Varian smiled and rested his head on Hugo's shoulder. The blonde blushed and placed a kiss on Varian's head.

By the time they had arrived in Vlamudia, it was late in the night. Hugo found a place for the cart then covered the luggage with a pinned down cloth. Once the boy had set up an amount of traps he was happy with, he moved to the front of the wagon again and looked upon a sleeping Varian. He smiled then let Olivia run down his arm and squeak in the other boy's ear.
Varian jolted up and fell out of the cart and onto the ground. He grunted and Hugo sniggered offering him a hand. Varian slapped the boy's hand away and stood up straight, adjusting his goggles and brushing off his waistcoat.
"You know a 'Varian, we're here' would've sufficed."
"Wow, it's like you want our relationship to lose its charm." Hugo kissed Varian's cheek then walked off towards the gates ahead of them.
Varian narrowed his eyes and let Ruddiger hop onto his shoulders before following Hugo.

"Whereabouts does the kid live?" Hugo asked Varian as they explored the kingdom.
"Somewhere that way." Varian pointed to their right.
"'Somewhere that way?'"
"It's been a while." Varian chuckled, "I'll know it when I see it."
And he did. When the two were passing a fair-sized house, Varian tugged on Hugo's arm and dragged him to the front door.
"It's gonna be great seeing Yong again." The dark-haired boy could barely contain his smile as he knocked loudly on the door.
"Tell me about it. I miss the random comments- and the dreams...oh, the dreams."
"I hope he hasn't grown up too much- you know what they say about kids." Varian said and the door opened.
Standing in the doorway while kids ran every-which-way behind her was a short black-haired woman.
The woman took a moment to examine the boy then nodded at him in recognition, "Varian. It's so good to see you again after all this time."
"Varian?" One of Yong's sisters popped her head out, looking Varian up and down, "Have you got a girlfriend yet?" She asked.
"Shan!" Yin looked back at her daughter.
"Uh...about that." Varian laughed nervously.
"Come in- have something to eat." Yin gestured them inside then disappeared into the chaos.
"About that, huh?" Hugo grinned and Varian nudged him.

"Varian!" Yan, a tall woman with white hair, greeted him then turned her attention to Hugo, "And you must be Hugo. Yong speaks very fondly of you."
"Oh, does he?" Hugo smirked.
"Yeah- you shouldn't feed his ego or he won't fit his head through the front door." Varian joked and Hugo narrowed his eyes.
"But- speaking of...where is Yong?" Varian looked around as Yin laid the table and Yan moved to help.
"He didn't tell you?" Yin looked up from the cutlery she was laying on the table.
"Tell us..?" Hugo looked to Varian then between Yin and Yan.
"He's away from home training." Yan said, proudly.
"Oh..." Varian felt a little disheartened by this.
"Good for him." Hugo nodded, "When did he leave?"
"A week ago, now." Yin said, sadly, holding a plate close to her chest. Yan went over and placed a hand on her shoulder, "We miss him, of course, but we're so incredibly proud. After he completed the trials with you, he worked non-stop on his inventions..."
"Not one of them has blown up." Yin added.
"He's even managed to sell a few- a firework launcher and a dragon launcher..."
"Such a talented little boy." Yin fanned her teary eyes with her hands.
"They use them in the firework shows now."
"That's my boy!"
"Anyway, I think Yong thought he wasn't best using his talents here so he decided to travel. I guess he missed life on the road."
"That's great...Maybe we'll see him." Varian looked to Hugo.
"Let's hope so. I miss that kid." The blonde laughed.
Yin smiled, "We all do."

The boys stayed for dinner, catching up with Yong's family, deeply interested in his life since they had parted ways. Later that evening, the woman offered to have Hugo and Varian stay the night. Although Varian was reluctant, Hugo reminded him they had nowhere else to stay without a caravan.
"It's no trouble, really." Yan told the boys.
"You can stay in Yong's room- since he's away." Yin led the way to the end of what seemed like a very long hallway. She opened the door to Yong's room and Hugo and Varian walked inside. The room was fairly small but made Varian smile widely. The walls were covered in papers, pinned up erratically. There were half-finished projects lying around, books scattered across the floor and a neatly-made bed with fire-themed bedsheets.
"You'll be alright sharing a room?" Yin asked.
"Well." Hugo grinned and Varian shot him a look before smiling at Yong's parents.
"Of course. Thanks for having us." The dark-haired boy said.
"You're always welcome here." Yan told them.

Yin and Yan left to put their children to bed and Hugo wandered Yong's room, snooping through shelves and opening drawers.
"Really? I thought you quit doing stuff like this." Varian said from the bed, where he was writing in his journal.
"What can I say? Once a snoop, always a snoop." He chuckled and glanced at Varian, "What y'writing?"
"Uh, just some new combinations for potential chemical compounds. I figure we'll need some new arsenal for this journey. Not that Nuronium didn't work wonders for us last time."
"Nuronium?" Hugo asked.
"Pink goop."
"You named it after Nuru."
"Yeah- she deserves a compound named after her as much as you or Yong."
"Ok, but my compound was terrible- why's Nuru's the useful one?"
"Jealous?" Varian grinned.
"Yes."
"Aw." He pouted.
Hugo rolled his eyes, a grin twitching at the corners of his lips.
"Y'know- if you wanna hear about weird dreams, I should tell you about the one I had on the way here." Varian laughed but Hugo was preoccupied, rummaging through Yong's things,
"I was running some composition tests on my compounds-" Varian continued while Hugo opened another drawer.
"Aha." The blonde said and Varian looked up at him.
"Are you even listening to me?"
"Nope, but look what I found." Hugo spun around, holding a piece of folded parchment between his slender fingers.
"At least you were honest." Varian muttered in annoyance, "What is it?" He asked.
"Well, it's got hearts drawn all over it sooo...love letter?" Hugo grinned, beginning to open the letter.
"Hugo, put it back." Varian stood up and moved to snatch the parchment from the blonde. The taller boy held it above his head so Varian couldn't reach,
"Come on, the kid wouldn't mind."
"Yong wouldn't mind us snooping through his room?" Varian crossed his arms, unimpressed.
"He loves us." Hugo smirked, "And apparently whoever Ava is too." The boy read the bottom line which had been unfolded.
"Ava?" Varian raised a brow, his interest piqued.
"Wanna read it now?" Hugo smirked wider.
After a second's silence, Varian nodded, standing close to Hugo as he lowered the letter and unfolded it. The blonde cleared his throat then impersonated how he thought this Ava might sound,
"'My dearest, Yong'- wow, see that comma? Already off to a great start." He nudged Varian excitedly, "'I've been missing your visits to Mayimgar. Things are so dull here without you and I find myself gazing up at the moon wondering whether you are too. When can you visit next? I hope it's soon.
Love, Ava.'" Hugo finished, "Well, it seems Yong's found himself a girlfriend. He never told me...Ah, well he can thank me when we see him."
"Thank you?" Varian scoffed.
"For my advice." Hugo told the boy, who sniggered.
"Uh, yeah. I'm sure Yong's relationship has everything to do with your advice."
"I won you over." Hugo grinned, leaning towards the boy with his hands behind his back.
"You're unbearable." Varian laughed, walking to the bed.
"Then you must really enjoy suffering to have put up with me for two years." Hugo jumped onto the bed beside Varian.
"Yup."

•

He blinked and he was in a dark room. It was so dark he couldn't see his own hands.
"This again..." Varian sighed. He wandered further into the shadows as he had last time. The stripe in his hair begun glowing green again. Brighter and brighter the further he went, until it brightened his surroundings. He was in the Eternal Library; again.
"Mom?" He called into the chamber. He read the spines of the books again, still unable to read the names though they were right there.
Still frustrating. He looked to the figure in the distance as he'd done before, his movements like clockwork. Varian walked reluctantly towards the shadowy figure, unable to make out any features this time but knowing full-well who stood before him. He stopped and waited for his mother to turn around, knowing what was coming next.
"Help me, Varian." Ulla said in a whisper, turning to face her son, "Varian, help me." She spoke louder,
"Varian...Varian!" She grabbed his arm.

Varian felt as though he had fallen back into his body, his eyes opened wide and darted around the room. Once they had properly adjusted, he could see Yong's bright red wall, and when he tried to move, he felt Hugo's weight against him. The blonde's long arms were wrapped around Varian's waist, his snoring face pressed against his chest, and their legs intertwined.
Varian smiled and kissed the top of Hugo's head, running his fingers through his long blonde hair.
The boy stirred and Varian felt him stretch.
"Mornin'." He smiled and Hugo grumbled, staying exactly where he was, "Come on, we better get going if we're gonna catch Yong." Varian started, "If Ava's in Mayimgar, I bet we could find Yong there, or at least ask her if she's seen him."
"Mm..." The blonde grunted into Varian's chest and the boy pried him off and climbed out of bed.
Hugo rolled onto his back and opened one eye to look at Varian, "What's the rush, Stripes?"
"Does my mother's lingering spirit ring any bells?" Varian asked, gathering his things.
"I'm sure she's doin' fine."
"I wouldn't be so sure. I had that dream again."
"The one about the chemical composition analysis?"
"Wha- no. The one about my mother...begging for my help- the one where my hair glows."
"Right." Hugo sat up, "We should get going, then." He pulled his hair back into a ponytail and put on his glasses. When he climbed out of the bed, he placed a kiss on Varian's forehead.
"Y'know, I bet Yong would love to help us free your mom."
A smile broke through Varian's worried expression, "I bet he would."

They set off after breakfast, Yin insisting they took some food with them and Varian having to assure her they had plenty back in the wagon. Once the boy had escaped Yin's concerned parent act and Shan's advances, he and Hugo left the house and made their way back to the cart.
"That girl's relentless." Hugo laughed, "Should've just told her you only have eyes for me." He grinned.
"I don't lie." Varian smirked, walking ahead of Hugo. The blonde scoffed and caught up to the other boy.
"Go on, who is it? Tell me, I won't be hurt." Hugo had the usual cocky look on his face, walking beside Varian with his hands behind his back.
"It's Shorty." Varian nodded slowly.
"Knew it."
"You knew it?" Varian snorted.
"I've seen the way you look at his beard. I...I can't compete, really." Hugo brought a hand to his chin, gesturing to the hair there, "Still doing better than you, though."
Varian went slightly pink, "I could grow something- if I wanted to. I choose not to."
"Mhm. You're lucky I happen to find clean-shaven, short, befreckled men with a grouchy attitude in the morning incredibly charming."
"...Befreckled?" Varian laughed, "I'm pretty sure it's just freckled."
"I stand by what I said." Hugo grinned.

"So...last time it took us almost three days to get to Mayimgar." Varian said, reading through his journal once they were on the move again.
"Ugh, don't remind me." Hugo commented and Varian glared, "What? You were really hard to like back then."
"And you were just so likeable." Varian retorted, "Anyway- last time we got held up by those thieves...I'd say if all goes to plan this time round, we'll make it there in about two days, give or take a few hours.
"Great." Hugo huffed, "That means finding somewhere to set up camp between Kingdoms. That's gonna be a pain."
"It won't be so bad." Varian reassured the boy, "Camping could be fun."

A day later, Varian and Hugo had set up camp somewhere off of the path to Mayimgar. Nightfall had come by quickly and the two had been taking shifts steering Prometheus all day. Needless to say, they were exhausted and despite his earlier complaining, Hugo was more than relieved to set up camp and have a proper rest without the discomfort of trying to sleep on a moving wagon, travelling along a rocky dirt path.
That relief was short-lived, however, as rain hit. The two sat inside a fairly big tent, as far as tents go. It was spacious enough for them not to get in each other's way. Hugo laid on a bundle of blankets, listening to a repetitive dripping coming from a patched up tear in the tent. The two had ripped it by accident, putting it up. Before the rain hit they were able to do a makeshift job patching it.
Although the rain seemed to be bothering Hugo greatly, each drip etching into his skull, Varian was unphased. He was sitting a few feet from the blonde, working on some new compounds with Ruddiger.
As another drip fell, Hugo sat up, "I can't take it, Stripes! The silence is killing me- and that dripping..." Hugo fell down into a laying position again.
"Do something to distract yourself- you're good at that." Varian joked.
There was a bit more silence until Hugo began muttering in a sing-song voice, using the dripping as a beat. It wasn't long before he was giving Varian a full, unwanted but not unpleasant performance.
Fortunately, it wasn't so distracting he couldn't continue his work. It was actually quite enjoyable.

Then there was a rustle from outside. Neither boy made a comment, obviously assuming it was a tree branch or an animal. Then there was a sound like wet footsteps. Hugo looked to Varian and their gazes met. Varian stood slowly and Hugo reached for a weapon on his belt. It was a handheld weapon with a silver barrel and a colourful orb on the back of it. He pointed the weapon at the tent's entrance, his finger hovering over the trigger.
Him and Varian exchanged looks when the footsteps stopped. Hugo began lowering his weapon until someone began struggling with the latches on the tent. Varian raised a brow but kept his guard up. An awkwardly long amount of time passed as the stranger outside struggled to enter the tent. Then the rain begun beating down heavier and there was a yelp a split second before someone tumbled into the tent before them.