Varian and the Seven Seas

Chapter Nine: A Soft Side

Olivia scampered over the desk to her master, handing him a strange looking tool with a screwdriver on the end of it. Grasping it, the blond captain tinkered with a small ornate box with sapphires embedded into it. The golden mouse stood on her hind legs and squeaked up at him.

"Don't remind me," Hugo said, running his free hand through his hair nervously.

There was a knock at the door. "Captain?" He heard a young man's voice on the other side. "Can I come in?"

"Go ahead, Yong."

The door creaked open as his first mate peeked in. "Oh, you're not with Will?"

"I broke things off with Will."

"Really? But you were so keen on him." He closed the door behind him, walking forward.

Hugo placed the box down, folding his arms agitatedly. "I thought my romantic interests were made clear on Ruby's boat when Captain Varian and I..." His words trailed off.

"Yeah, but, you're the one who told me men are meant to use, abuse, and lose—"

"Yong!"

"What? They're your words."

He glanced to the side guiltily. "I never should have told you that," he mumbled.

"Well anyway, speaking of Captain Varian, his ship just entered Emerald Cove's harbor."

"Oh, shit," he exclaimed, standing up. "You really like burying the lead, don't you? Oh no." He picked up a nearby hand mirror, looking into it while patting his hair. "Do I look okay?"

Yong grinned. "You're really serious about him, aren't you? I've never seen you so flustered before." He glanced down at the captain's green and silver vest with small crystals sewn into it, buttoned over a light green, long-sleeved puffy shirt. "You're wearing your fancy outfit? What for?"

"That's enough, Yong," he hissed, taking him by the arm and walking him out of the room. "Go let Varian's ship in and send him up here."

"Aye, aye, Captain," he said with a smug expression. "Wouldn't want to keep your lover boy waiting." He giggled when he saw the death stare Hugo was giving him and quickly closed the door behind him.

The blond exhaled, putting a hand over his face.

"Sounds like you're pretty serious about me."

He whipped around to see Captain Varian sitting on his windowsill. His long black hair was tied back as it always was, but it looked tidier than usual. He wore a sapphire blue vest over a white puffy shirt with the sleeves rolled up over his forearms, his usual black gloves absent. Varian got down, walking towards him, a glint of humor in his eyes.

Hugo backed up against the door, locking it. "You came."

"I wrote to you that I would." He stood right in front of the blond captain, looking up at him flirtatiously. "You didn't think I'd brush you off, did you?" He gently grabbed him by the collar, pressing his back against the door.

Hugo reached out, softly tracing a finger over his cheek. "I missed you, my dove."

Varian leaned forward, planting a gentle kiss on his lips. "Now who's being soft?"

Wrapping his arms around the smaller captain, he leaned into another kiss. "Varian?" he asked when their lips were apart again.

"Hm?"

"I want to show you something." The smaller captain blinked up at him. "Come here."

Hugo took his hand, leading them away from the door and towards two glass doors covered with green curtains on the other side of the room.