Medieval College Student

Chapter Five: Back to the Future

"Varian... I'm from the future."

A solid four seconds passed in silence, then the prince snorted.

"I'm serious."

"Mm hm." He gave a quick nod. "No, no. I believe you."

"No, you don't." He removed his hands from Varian's shoulders. "Look, believe what you want. I traveled in time to get here so I could study Old Corona, and I'll travel again to retrieve your cure. I just need to find my chest and we can get started—"

As he made to leave, a now sobered up Varian seized him by the front of his doublet. "Where do you think you're going? You still need to answer my question."

"I did. Listen, just let me get what I need, and you can start healing."

Impatience crossed his face, then defeat, and a big sigh left his mouth. "Very well. Retrieve your chest or whatever it is." He looked deflated then. "It is beyond me why I believed such outrageous claims when you said you could save me. I suppose I am desperate. What a gull I was."

Hugo searched his face. "Wait, Varian—"

"That's Prince Varian to you."

He froze. Something familiar about that look crushing his insides. It was the same face Cyrus had made when he ended things with him. He wasn't furious or heartbroken, just... disappointed, like no matter what Hugo did in this life, past or future, he was never going to be deserving of lasting love or friendship.

He blinked away, the gaze physically hurting him. "O-okay. I'll go."

Varian's grip on him loosened as Hugo walked away. It only took a few seconds to find the golden chest. Luckily, he'd moved the key to this new outfit's pockets the day before and he produced it quickly, lifting it to the lock.

Varian watched him silently, his arms folded in a defensive posture. Unable to look up, Hugo turned the key. Always unprepared for the chest's power, he was nearly knocked off his feet from the force of it as a bright glowing ball of light emerged from within the now open device.

He just needed to stick his hand in the light, and he'd be back home, and he'd never have to think about the prince or the castle ever again. This was what he'd wanted. Nothing was holding him back now, except... okay, yeah, there was.

Green eyes finally looked up at a bewildered Varian who was picking himself up off the floor. Hugo looked down at the chest then back up at the prince. "I'm sorry," he projected, giving a weak smile, "but I will come back with your cure. I swear to it. I won't forget about you, and I won't let you die, Your Highness." He went to lift his hand when he spotted his laptop still on the desk. "Shit, I need that."

Holding the artifact in one hand, he made his way back over, taking the computer in his free hand and tucking it under his arm.

"H-Hugo?" He turned and the prince was now only a few inches away from him. "Who... who are you?"

"I'm nobody. Just stumbled on the artifact one day and stole it. I'm nothing but a poor research student who thinks they can play God by time traveling around and acting cocky. I never meant to..." He swallowed. "I'll be back in only a second with the cure. You don't need to worry about that."

Something spread over his face. "You... are still helping me? Why?"

"I can't let you die." They searched each other's eyes until Hugo was shying away. "I know we just met, but this is my chance to finally be a good person and not... a failure. Please. Let me do this. Let me heal you. I don't expect you to believe me or want anything to do with me after this. Just... don't throw your life away because of me." There was a pause. "I'm going now..." A gentle hand took his arm, and he looked up.