The Dance of Hearts

Chapter seven: rings

Hugo woke groaning the next morning. Reaching out for Varian, his hands groped the air.

He suddenly sat up, heart racing.

He was gone.

"Freckles?" He said quietly, looking around the room.

At the sight of a sleeping Ruddiger on the pillows Hugo began to freak out.
Ruddiger was always near Varian, and if Ruddiger didn't notice him leave or-

His mind raced with a million possibilities and fears.

"Freckles!?"

He stood up, scrambling the throw on some clothes.

Heart racing He ran into the other room.
But still not sign of him.

"VARIAN!?" He practically screamed, voice thick with worry.

He heard the door to the workshop open, and saw Varian's head poke around the corner.

"Is everything alrigh-"

Hugo was over there in and instant, pulling Varian into a tight embrace.
Varian smiled softly hugging him back.

"What've I told ya about not tell where ya go off to?" Hugo mumbled into his shoulder.

He sighed in relief, breathing in the smell of Varian's hair.

"Sorry Hugh " he said, Earning a smile from Hugo at the nick name.
"But- you just looked so peaceful and - I didn't want to wake you up this early. "

Hugo looked over towards the window, noticing the still dark sky.
He started to pull Varian back towards the bedroom.

"Come on Freckles, your going- we're going back to bed."

"But i-"

"No excuses "

"But-"

"VARIAN "

Varian stood still, looking down.
Hugo groaned and lowered his voice.

"Look hun, I know you love your job, but getting up at the butt crack of dawn and spending all fucking day in there forgetting to take care of yourself isn't healthy."

"I never said I was going to do that today..."

Hugo looked at him, noticing his hands behind his back.

He lifted Varian's head, so he could look him in the eyes.
"What ever you are working on isn't as important as yourself Varian. Please come back to bed."

Varian was about to protest but he gave a shrug, looking back towards the workshop.

"Let me put my stuff away real quick then. "

"Ok, you do that, I'll he waiting for you ok?"

"Yeah yeah, " he said running back to the workshop.

Out of Hugo's sight, he started putting his work away.

Holding up what he had hidden in his hands to the candlelight, he sighed.
This was more important than him.
He set the piece of amber down.

He looked behind him towards the door, and after a bit he turned back to his work.

Hugo- he. Varian looked back at the piece of amber.
Picking it up he continued to shape and carve it.

This was something that had made a turning point in his life.
And he was taking it on, head on, turning the cursed amber into something he could really appreciate.