50 Reasons Why I'm Not Gay

-Hugo-

Hugo's POV:

"GOGGLES!! GET AWAY FROM HIM!!" I screamed out, slashing my dagger at the man over him who had seemed to be saying something.

My eyes widened as the stranger somehow escaped my blade, my dagger sailing right through air as misty white fog enveloped him in an instant. I slashed through the fog determinedly, seeing if I could land a blow on the weird freak, but it felt like he was gone.

I spun around, trying to search for him, waiting for an attack.

Nothing but grayish white clouds roiled around me as I then met eyes with Varian, the two of us alone now in the fog.

I had found him...

My heart was beating way too loud, the sound filling my ears as I stared into his blue eyes.

I tried to catch my breath, figure out what to say to get him to snap out of whatever the curse this hell hole had.

I then watched in surprise as he just sneered at me, turning away without a word.

"G-Goggles! Hey!", I strided over and grabbed his wrist, "STOP!"

Cold washed over me as he was held back, his arm behind him as my fingers kept tight hold of wrist. His pulse echoed my own heartbeat, while the terrifying anger burned through his skin.

Without warning, he turned around and slapped me hard, making me cry out in pain as my head shot back. I stumbled from the unexpected impact, falling down onto my ass painfully.

"Don't. Touch. Me.", he said vehemently, his eyes burning into me, "Don't you FUCKING dare touch me!"

"Listen Hairstripe.", I stood up quickly, ignoring his anger as I snatched and grabbed both his wrists, "All this built up tension isn't real, okay?! It's the damn place, this town somehow makes you think that way!! Snap the hell out of it!!"

I held him in place as he tried to rip away from me, his face displaying pure hatred.

"LET ME GO BASTARD!!", he screamed at me, trying to kick out as he pulled and twisted, "LET ME GO RIGHT NOW!!"

"NO!! I'M NOT LETTING YOU GO TIL' YOU LISTEN YOU STUBBORN IDIOT!!", I screamed over him, wrenching his arm painfully behind his back to restrain him, "WAKE UP FROM THIS, THIS ISN'T YOU!! AND I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW IT!!"

Varian only screamed out angrily in frustration, fighting back as he cried out in pain from the position he was forced into. "I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!! YOU'RE JUST SAYING SHIT TO GET WHAT YOU WANT!!"

"OH YEAH?! IS THAT WHY IM HERE THEN, TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF YOU?!", I fired back pulling on his arm harder, "YOU ALREADY GAVE ME THE TOTEMS YOU DUMBASS, I DON'T NEED ANYTHING ELSE TO GET THAT LIBRARY OPEN ANYWAY; IM HERE TO SAVE YOUR STUPID ASS!! IM TRYING TO STOP YOU FROM MAKING THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF YOUR LIFE!!", I screamed, my words rough as I tried to get him to listen.

"YOU'RE A LIAR, A THIEF AND A FUCKING PLAYER!!! YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE BESIDES YOURSELF!!", he struggled, his jaw clenched from pain, "SO STOP LYING AND LET ME GO!!"

I felt my eyes grow hot, threatening to tear up from his first couple words...

No. I couldn't do that. Not here, not now.

Shaking my head, I mentally slapped myself.
I couldn't let myself get caught up in what I was doing before... what I still planned on doing-
Otherwise I'd drown into this heavy mist along with him and we'd all die.

Gritting my teeth I brought my face closer to him, my words full of emotion, "No, I won't, I won't let you go. This place is cursed, and you're getting angry like this because of it! I'm not lying to you about this. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO GAIN IN SAVING YOU. IM DOING THIS BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT FRECKLES!!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!! JUST SHU-AGGHHH!!!", he yelled before being abruptly cut off as I kicked him down hard to his knees, ramming my foot into the back of his leg.

He fell to his knees with his arms held behind his back, his head hung low as he whimpered in agony from the unnatural position I held him in.

It stung me... hurting him this way.
But I had to get him to listen before it was too late... before he could escape and just kill himself like I knew he would if he had the chance.

"Goggles... you came here for a reason. You have a purpose, a mission.", I said my voice firm as I tried to drill it through the fog surrounding his mind, "You need to remember that! Remember what you're here for! None of this shit in you is real!! Snap out of it!!"

He groaned in pain as he turned his head to look up at me, his hair covering his face and his mouth drawn, "Why.. why do you f-fucking care? I've got nothing. Nothing Hugo.", he spat his voice shaking, "You've g-got-ten what you w-wanted."

"No. No, I haven't.", I said, "I'm nowhere even close to getting what I want.", my voice now shook like his had been, my heart feeling heavy for some reason, "What I want is you to remember what you're here for. What your purpose is and your goal! You had a reason Hairstripe!! THINK!!"

I shook him a little, making him cry out as tears of pain appeared in his tired eyes.

The pain seemed to wake something in him though... the dull blue suddenly having a spark of recognition. Of thought and some hope.

It was all I could do not to shake him harder as I did it again, "C'mon Goggles!"

"T-The Library...", he suddenly choked out, "Mom's journey... I have to find it...", he shook his head, "I...", he cut off, struggling to breathe.

I released him as I saw the intense pain in his face, the tears coming down now...

He collapsed to the ground in surprise, him now holding his head in confusion and pain.

"Hey. Goggles, you've got to stop.", I told him kneeling down, "You've got to get up and hold onto that now. You're out of it but you're not safe til' we leave."

"What happened to me?! How did it get that bad?!", he looked at me panicked and his eyes looking a little lost, "Where did that even come from?!"

I watched as he held himself tightly, his eyes become more unfocused.

Panic clenched around my heart as I stood up and jerked him to his feet, grabbing his arm, "HEY!! NONE OF THAT!! You need to stay focused!! You've got to stay with me here!", shaking him once more, "I can't have you going out on me again!!"

He looked at me again, his eyes startled but awake, "I'm.. I'm trying...", he said haltingly, "It hurts..."

"I know. I know it does, but listen, OUR TWO YOUNGER IDIOTS are ALL BY THEMSELVES IN THIS MESS!! We have to find them. WE. As in you and me before they off themselves like you were trying to do!", I told him pointing to the thick fog, "But we can't do that if you go berserk again!! I need you to stay with me so we all can get out of here. ALL OF US."

Varian opened his mouth, about to answer as he suddenly pushed me aside, his eyes blazing with anger as he whipped out a vial from his belt. "WHAT DO YOU WANT AND WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY FRIENDS?", he demanded angrily, "WHERE ARE THEY?!"

I then whipped around, my hand on my dagger as I turned to face the danger, my eyes resting on the creep who had been talking to Varian before.