50 Reasons Why I'm Not Gay

-Varian-

Varian's POV:

I yawned loudly as I got up and stretched, feeling sore from sleeping on the hard dirt.

My mood was lifted as I saw the campsite.

The sun was barely up, just a sliver on the horizon as morning mist swirled around in the few rays giving it a beautiful otherworldly look. Dew dotted everything over the last dying embers of the fire and the land around us, giving even more beauty to the scene.

I shivered slightly as I felt a chill from the cold drops on my clothes and face.

I apparently had fallen asleep outside.

Then two tents rustled softly as a gentle breeze blew against the fabric as I heard Nuru and Yong's gentle breathing.

I stood up after a moment of taking in the peaceful moment and brushed myself off, making my way over to the tents.

I peered in the boy's and only saw Yong and my brow furrowed with slight worry; where was Hugo?

I looked around and wondered if had somehow fallen asleep outside as well. Or had something happened to him??

My mind was jumping around to a hundred different conclusions and it took a great deal of force to call them down.

"Hugo? You out here?", I called walking toward the trees, "Hugo??", I felt almost small as I disturbed the silence, "Hugo?"

I wandered around the area a bit, finding no sign of him except for some slightly smushed grass under a tree some distance away.

Wherever he was, it wasn't here anymore...

Suddenly I turned around and ran back to my backpack, a rush of anger and sadness going over me.

Of course! I was such an idiot!

Hugo had taken the totems and run for it last night, now that the hard part was over! How could he just use us all like that?! Use me?? I-

I suddenly stopped as I saw every one of the precious totems we had collected, all safe and accounted for in my pack.

My brain was sending out all kinds of confused thoughts into my mind as my heartbeat seemed to throb.

Suddenly I felt a pair of eyes staring into me and I whirled around, seeing Hugo standing there with his arms full of a snare of rabbits and wood.

"You called for me?", he questioned watching me with a suspicious look; as if he knew what I had been thinking of him.

I felt like my heart was in my throat as I managed to nod.

Hugo sighed, "I just got up to hunt so we could have time to cook and eat before we got moving Goggles.", he said before giving me a shrug, "But I get it, you assumed the worst out of me. Once a criminal always a criminal, am I right?"

His voice was laced with sarcasm, anger and hurt but he held his head high, as if he were trying to convince himself it didn't really bother him.

I swallowed and shook my head, "It isn't like that!", I interjected as my throat continued to pound.

"I don't why you're lying to me Goggles, I just saw you rush over and check for the totems. And I said I get it-
No one has ever fully trusted me ever."

I lowered my eyes to the ground in shame as Hugo started another fire in silence.

What could I say to that?

He was right. I had assumed the worst about him even though I said I would give him a second chance and trust him.

"Hugo... it wasn't like that. Well, not completely.., I saw you were missing from the tent so I looked for you! I didn't think or assume the worst at first... and I'm sorry I even did think that you just made away with the totems.
I'm so sorry. I did something that wasn't fair to you, I should have put more faith in you Hugo and I will put more trust in you. I promise.", I apologized looking straight up at him.

Hugo was staring at me, his green eyes widened with surprise. But just as quickly as that look had come, it was gone.

Hugo rolled his eyes, "Fine, whatever. Put more trust in me or don't, I don't care. Just make up your mind though."

"I have.", I answered seriously, "And I choose to trust you."

"Good for you Goggles. Now hand me the salt.", he said holding out his hand, clearly moving on as I pulled out a bag of salt from the wagon.

He nodded in appreciation as he prepared the meat and soon the fire was hot enough to cook the rabbits he had caught.

I watched as he set up the metal spit and watched as he turned it.

I felt a wave of homesickness go over me as I started to smell the aroma.

My dad and I had used to cook together and had done even more so after I became the royal engineer. We had bonded together better as a family.

The cooking meat reminded me of one of my favorite meals we had done before I discovered my mom's journal and taken this whole journey.

I missed Corona so much... and I missed my father-

"How long you going to watch me cook?", Hugo asked looking at me.

"Oh sorry! Does it bother you...? I just remembered cooking rabbit with my dad back home..."

He shook his head, "No, I just thought it was weird you staring at a piece of meat cooking like that."

I half-laughed, "Well, I am hungry if nothing else."

"I guess the smell of the rabbit here isn't helping any matters for your stomach then.", Hugo smirked as he continued to rotate the spit slowly.

"It really isn't."

"Well, that's payback for suspecting me.", he joked.

"Hey, I said I was sorry!", I said, "But thanks for proving me wrong Hugo... I would've been pretty upset if I had been right. You're pretty good edition to the team."

We both shared a smile, locking eyes for a moment before whatever moment passed, had gone.

Hugo then slightly cleared his throat, "So, who wants to eat?", he called.