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It didn’t matter that it was the middle of autumn. Out here around Mt. Chimney, it was sweltering. The heavy heat made his lungs feel cloying in his chest. Damp air that was difficult to breathe in. But even with that complication to his already shoddy constitution, Hazel was excited.[break][break]



At the mere mention of having to go hunting for a certain artifact, Hugo had roped him in–hook, line, and sinker. It probably hadn’t taken very long for his husband to get a bit exasperated with the sheer amount of questions Hazel had immediately fired off about what his client knew, and what he’d asked for. Then there was his own super dive into the area the object was meant to be located, and the local ancient history that he could take into consideration when it came to successfully identifying and procuring the artifact.[break][break]



He knew it was for a job, of course, but…letting the item go after they had found it did not sound fun for Hazel who would undoubtedly want to hoard it for himself.[break][break]



Hazel frowned, casting a stubborn look over at his husband. “Of course I’m going to make it,” he retorted, annoyed at the fact that his breath was thinner and wheezier than he wanted it to be as he spoke. His lungs did hurt from the prolonged height and the climb in elevation the further they hiked. Not that he really wanted to admit as much because he wanted to be considered capable. Still, he knew that Hugo wouldn’t put up with that obstinance, as evidenced by the shift to a gentler tone.[break][break]



He reached out, a hand resting on the other’s arm then curling into the thin shirt fabric there. “Yeah,” he agreed with a sullen nod, “yes, please.” Hazel wouldn’t meet his eye, embarrassed. Even though this was Hugo, and Hazel knew he wouldn’t fault him for slowing them down. “Just a break, though. Just a rest. Remind me what it is we’re looking for?” As if Hugo hadn’t already told him a hundred times. He just liked to hear it.[break][break]

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“Good, yeah. Just a little one.” His head nodded, and Hazel realized he was more out of breath than he’d initially thought. It was almost a little difficult to puff the words out between breaths.[break][break]

He knew Hugo was humoring him by acting more tired than he actually was. Hazel wasn’t dumb, he knew Hugo was far more sturdy and in shape than he was. In the past, he might’ve been offended by the effort. Would have taken it as a personal slight, and then caused a fuss as a result. That had been a bad habit of his–spurring unnecessary arguments over little things that didn’t matter. Or misconstruing them into something far worse than they actually were. But time had a way of softening his edges where Hugo was involved, and he’d come to appreciate the little moments where Hugo took the fall for Hazel’s pride. Even when it was just the two of them there. It showed his care.[break][break]

Settling on the rock beside him, Hazel took the water bottle and drank. Then, once he’d passed it back off to Hugo, he leaned to settle his head on his husband’s shoulder, eyes closing against the incessant heat for a moment as he took measured breaths to even out the rapid beat of his heart. It was a good opportunity to do so while Hugo elaborated on everything he’d already explained to Hazel before now.[break][break]

“I am the expert, you’re right.” A soft smile curled on his lips as he replied. “Maybe it’s a tomb. Or a shrine.” His efforts to calm down were nearly wiped out by the excitement worming its way back into his system. “You do so well with fibs, but I am technically a researcher, even if not what they’re expecting.” He was splitting hairs, of course, but that was just Hazel. He cracked one eye open, glancing up at Hugo’s profile. “Show me your best researcher impression. I’m curious.”

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Hugo was more patient than Hazel likely deserved. Patient with his physical setbacks, patient with how fickle and stubborn Hazel could be about relenting to what he couldn’t do. Even more patient still with how snappish it could often make Hazel as a result. It wasn’t that he meant to lose his temper with Hugo, it was just frustrating when he couldn’t do something as easily as others might. When he’d never allowed it to keep him from his goals. It wasn’t uncommon, though, for Hazel to wander back later, emotional and contrite for his behavior, but he was working on it so it wouldn’t be an issue in the first place.[break][break]

So that was why he accepted Hugo’s suggestion without being too begrudging about it. The hike was taxing, but still exciting.[break][break]

He tutted, nudging his shoulder against Hugo. “No way. Where’s your enthusiasm?” It wasn’t a baseless concern on the part of his husband, though. If it turned out to be nothing, Hazel would be disappointed. And would likely go into a brief mourning period as a result over the missed potential. So it was smart to soften the excitement with a small dose of reality. “Gold is so boring, though,” he huffed, before pausing, “well, unless it’s minted from an older era. Then it merits some study…”[break][break]

Not what Hugo was interested in, he knew. But he couldn’t help but add it, teasingly so. The impression drew a laugh from him, and he leaned over to peck him on the lips, his hand replacing Hugo’s where had curled under his chin. “I don’t ignore everything you say…” he continued to tease, tone guilty and conspicuous. “But that’s spot on.”[break][break]

Hazel knew what he was doing. He shot Hugo a knowing look, one that said he saw right through him. But it was tinged with an exasperated resignation, the soft smile stuck on his mouth belying the fact that he wasn’t too pressed. “Finnneee,” he sighed, "if you absolutely must.” In fact, Hazel quite liked it when Hugo opted to sweep him up, whether in his arms or settled on his back.[break][break]

It made him feel young and dumb again, like they were still new honeymooners and not several years married. And of course, he’d want to spend a honeymoon doing something like this – looking for dusty old objects. Hazel pushed himself up from the boulder, stretching his arms out and comfortably resigned to his fate for the rest of their hike.

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Hugo Albrecht // i remember to tag this time hehehe

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“It’s not boring!” he howled back, giving Hugo his very best scandalized look. Hazel’s eyes rolled back at him. “No…okay, maybe a third.” The teasing glint in his eyes betrayed the fact that he wasn’t all too serious about it, either. He did pay attention to his partner. It was also just that he could get wrapped up in the contents of his own mind. Both for good and bad reasons, depending on the situation or his mood, but Hugo was far more patient with him than he deserved and never really held that spaciness against him.[break][break]

Plus, who was to say there weren’t just as many conjured up scenarios about Hugo himself as there were about work? In fact, if Hazel caught sight of the other at just the right moments, or he got a particular look on his face when he was avidly talking about some weird, bizarre thing he’d discovered on the internet, Hazel was, in fact, subjected to some particularly vivid daydreams, amplified and exaggerated by his recreational reading choices.[break][break]

It was unfortunate that they had a timeline to meet at that particular moment was all, in short.[break][break]

“Leave my shrimpy legs out of it,” he grumbled from Hugo’s back, but from the way his head nestled itself against the other’s neck, it was obvious that Hazel wasn’t too offended. Though he was tall, he knew that he was…delicate. As much as he hated it, it was a known fact. His eyes fell shut as Hugo hiked them up the rest of the way. Not dozing, but listening to his partner’s breath as his own steadied out. Breathed in his husband’s familiar scent, and simply enjoyed the quiet of the remaining trip.[break][break]

Once released, Hazel was eager to take off, but instead stooped beside Hugo and fished out the water bottle again to offer. “Need you tiptop so you can point me in the right direction,” he teased before his expression softened, “thank you, darling.”

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Hugo Albrecht // i remember to tag this time hehehe

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“Mmm, can you blame me, though?” He cooed in response, face still comfortably tucked in the hollow of Hugo’s neck and shoulder, “What else was I supposed to do when faced with someone so handsome and debonair?” It was more than just that, and they both knew it despite his teasing. “Gotta stay sharp, dearest.” He wouldn’t exactly class himself as artistic, but his mind was nearly always exploring some sort of new idea that had captured his interest or attention. And of course, it could be utilized in other..ways…too.[break][break]

He huffed once let down, a foot tapping impatiently. “There is nothing adorable about them. I would very much like them to be a bit sturdier.” That would probably never happen, however. His brattiness was quickly forgotten, though, in favor of being led further. “Okay, let’s go, let’s go.” Hazel’s excitement puffed up once again, and he eagerly wove his hand into Hugo’s, allowing him to lead the way.[break][break]

The closer they drew, the more Hazel seemed to buzz with excitement– almost as if his prior exhaustion had been wiped away entirely. It was still there, of course, but entirely subdued in his eagerness to get his hands on their findings first. Awkwardly, he hopped down, hands settling on his husband’s shoulders as waiting hands caught him.[break][break]

Then, before they went any further, he was rummaging through his bag for a brush and chisel. “Gotta…be prepared immediately..” Already explaining, lest he draw any teasing from his partner.
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Hugo Albrecht // i remember to tag this time hehehe

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There was a deep seated appreciation that Hazel held for Hugo’s ability to tolerate his incessant knowledge-seeking. Not because he didn’t think Hugo wasn’t prone to doing the same (he was,) but because most didn’t usually grant him the degree of patience that Hugo did. He knew that he could be a lot, and his tangents could go on and on. He knew that he could be pretentious and lofty about the information he gathered. But somehow his husband navigated these things with a steadiness Hazel didn’t always feel he deserved. He loved Hugo for that. Adored him, even.[break][break]

“Well, you said there were others coming?” he rebutted with a light huff, “I’ll not have them interfering.” It was something that stirred a bit of competitiveness in him. Or…perhaps more than just a bit. It couldn’t be helped. He wanted to be the first to pick apart this information, and he wasn’t about to tolerate others encroaching on that. Even if they were meant to be the actual specialists of this dig site.[break][break]

Hastily, he clambered down. His foot tapped impatiently as he waited for Hugo before beelining toward what looked like an old pillar. Long buried and encased in fallen rubble, but preserved in place. He squinted, an obvious pout settling on his face. “This language is old,” he grumbled, glancing back at his partner with a degree of disappointment. “I’m not sure I know it, exactly.” Hoennian myth, of course, wasn’t his specialization.[break][break]

But that wasn’t about to stop him.[break][break]

“If we could just…take some of this…” Then he could compare it to his notes. As an afterthought, he pulled a journal from his bag and thumbed through it, to little immediate result. “Why didn’t I bring more notes?” There were far too many to carry up the side of the mountain.
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Hugo Albrecht // i remember to tag this time hehehe

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“Thank you, dearest,” he chimed back, tossing an appreciative look over his shoulder as Hugo settled in to wait out Hazel’s geekiness. “Remind me to treat you for that later.”[break][break]

He brushed at the tablet with his tools, trying to get a clearer picture of the artworks littered among the text. His fingers traced over the grooves in the stone carefully. Noting bits of mineral and mixture to color the rock, which had long since faded. It was a beautiful thing, wasn't it? Selfishly, he wanted access to all of it. Though in the end, he’d take what he could get and hope it was the rarest part.[break][break]

He frowned, looking over at Hugo. “What do you me—“ the question was soon swallowed up by noise and movement within seconds.[break][break]

A horrified shriek volleyed its way up Hazel’s throat at the sight of the runerigus ripping out part of the pillar, and the sound of stone cracking apart. He whirled on Hugo after eventually managing to tear wide eyes away from the sight. “Darcy! What on earth do you think you’re doing?” Yikes. Reverted back to his family name.[break][break]

His voice climbed to a shrill pitch as he marched over to his husband. His delicate chisel and brush clenched in one hand as both balled into fists at his hips as he stared up at Hugo. “Do you have any idea of the disaster you could have just caused?” Everything on that pillar…lost if it had crumbled.[break][break]

“Not to mention you could’ve uprooted the structural integrity of the place by messing with that pillar. What if you’d brought it all down on us?” In spite of himself, though, his eyes still darted greedily over to the tablet again where the runerigus was holding it up.
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Hugo Albrecht // i remember to tag this time hehehe

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