Hugo caught Varian by the arm as he swayed slightly, preventing him from falling over. "You alright? Maybe we should have done the bumper cars first or something..."
"No, no." The prince waved his hand, standing on his own now. "It is quite alright."
"So, did you enjoy it at all or—"
"Hell no. I was convinced of my own inevitable demise numerous times."
"Oh." He rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. Sorry about that."
"Do not apologize." The way Varian gently grabbed Hugo's upper arm made a small shiver shoot up his spine. "There is still so much more for us to enjoy, and I am glad I get to experience this with you, Hugo."
"You sure?"
"Am I someone you expect false flattery from?" The sassy expression made him laugh.
"Definitely not. Oh! You like ice cream, don't you?"
"I do indeed."
"Well, I have an experience for you! Come on!" Taking him by the elbow, he led him over to a stand with pictures of plastic cups filled with what looked like colored beads in them displayed on the front.
"DippingDots?" Varian questioned, reading the sign.
"It's ice cream but... little dots!" He beamed at him, and Varian looked up, blinking in response.
"That's ice cream? How do they do that?"
"Dry ice, I think. It freezes things super quick."
"I see. You know, in my era it is very difficult to have frozen treats. To think everyone here simply has access to these frozen boxes... It is revolutionary."
"Yeah, we're a bit privileged, huh? What's your favorite flavor of ice cream then?"
"Rosewater," he said dreamily, "or nutmeg. You know, I had violet ice cream once and it was delightful. Do you think they have that flavor here?"
"Oh, um... Wow. I didn't even know violets were edible. I don't know about those flavors, but it looks like they have blue raspberry."
"Blue? Blue raspberries grow in this world? Why am I not surprised..."
"No," he gave a short laugh, "it's the flavor blueberry and raspberry put together. Blue raspberries do sound cool though."
"Blueberry and raspberry would be delightful!" There were stars in his eyes. "I will have that flavor, yes." Hugo considered him for a second then smiled.
It was their turn next in line, and after grabbing their frozen dots, they went to a small table with an umbrella over it and sat.
"They're like little rocks," Varian exclaimed, moving the bright blue pebbles around with his spoon. "How wonderful!" He took a bite and his eyes widened. "Oh! That nips at my tongue! My, the flavors in your world are so very intense."
"You don't like it?"
"Quite the opposite! I find it simply delectable. Thank you for offering this to me. What flavor are you having?"
"Cookie dough. You wanna try?" He pushed his cup slightly towards him.
The prince dipped his spoon in and tried a small amount, licking his lips and thinking for a minute. "That does taste like cookies. May I have some more?"
He exhaled quickly. "Sure, but only if you let me try yours."
"Yes, of course. Open up then." Scooping up some of the blue dots, Varian held the portion to Hugo's mouth. Blinking for half a second, the blond accepted it, feeling heat spread over his nose. Dark eyelashes fluttered downward as blue eyes examined Hugo's lips. "You like it?" he asked softly.
"Huh?" He didn't even taste the ice cream before swallowing it, saying dreamily, "Like what?" Varian searched his face for a second, then went to open his mouth when Hugo quickly added, "The ice cream! Of course. Yes, I like it. What flavor was it again? Right. Blue raspberry. How could I forget..." His cheeks reddened, and the prince giggled.
"Are your thoughts elsewhere, Hugo?"
"N-no, I just... well, anyway. Where do you want to go after this?"
He cocked his head to the side, a hint of humor in his eyes. "I am unsure. What do you suggest?"
"Let's see... There's a haunted house, and some overpriced fair games, and there's a carousel where you get to ride a ceramic horse very slowly in a circle."
"Ooo! Yes, the horse one! That sounds interesting. Take me there next!"
After riding the carousel several times, the two men took a chair lift that brought them over the park so they could see everything. Varian loved that. He wouldn't stop pointing and gawking at everything, grabbing Hugo's arm almost every time, not that he minded.
After that, they went into a gift shop and bought Varian a pair of sunflower shaped sunglasses and Hugo got himself a little kitten plushie with a top hat that the prince immediately was doting on after they left the store.
"She is darling, Hugo! Look at her tiny feet! What did you name her again?"
"Ms. Fluff. She fits right in my front pocket too. See?" He slipped her into the little breast pocket on the front of his quarter-sleeve T-shirt.
He made a sound that didn't even sound human, making the most loveable face, and with the big flower-shaped lens, Hugo felt himself melt. "I should like to hold her again when she is finished taking a ride in your pocket."
He breathed out humorously. "You sure you don't want your own plushie?"
"Perhaps, but I love our Ms. Fluff more than any other."
"Our?"
His face paled slightly. "Uh, I only mean to say that you chose well. I am not suggesting she belongs to anyone but you—"
"She can be ours, if you want." He bit back a little grin as he handed the plushie over. "I'm glad you like her too."
Once Ms. Fluff was in his hands, Varian was pressing her to his cheek. "I have never felt so endeared to something before."
Hugo had to admit that neither had he, only he wasn't thinking about the kitten.
After visiting a few more places including a fountain feature and a small garden area, the two decided to head to the water park.
Changing in a stall next to Varian's, Hugo stripped, checking his hair in the reflection of his phone when there was a soft knock on his door.
"Psst! Hugo!"
He fumbled with the device, nearly dropping it. "Uh, y-yeah, Varian?"
"Um, are you sure I can go out in public like this?"
He rushed to get his swim trunks on. "Like what?"
"In this outfit. It does not seem appropriate."
"The swimsuit? It's pretty standard here."
"Are you sure? I feel so entirely exposed."
He unlocked and opened the stall door. "I'm wearing the same thing, so are all the dudes here, except the brave ones who wear speedos... You're fine."
"Oh. Okay." He gripped himself around the chest. "I will trust you."
Taking one look at him, Hugo stuffed the rest of his things in his locker, locked it, and stepped forward, resting a hand on Varian's shoulder. "It'll be alright. Just stick with me and I'm telling you, literally no one will take notice of you because of your outfit. Come on." Leading him away, Hugo felt bad for thinking it, but this nervous, self-conscious side of Varian was way too precious. He needed to be protected at all costs.
The moment they stepped out into the water park, a gasp left Varian's mouth and he covered his eyes for a moment from the sight of near nudity that awaited him. "Hugo!" he hissed. "Where have you taken me? You should have let me know earlier we were attending a brothel! I would have picked out something scantier!"
"Wha—It's not a brothel, Varian, holy fuck, there are children here!" he whispered back, his face flushing. "What happened to you feeling embarrassed about your outfit?"
He looked around in awe now. "You did not prepare me for this."
"That's just what people wear to swim around here, Varian. Tssk! Stop staring!" He had to smack him on the arm when Varian's head turned almost all the way around as a busty woman in a black string bikini walked past.
"How can I not? Not even my concubines wore so little."
"Jeez, don't say that out loud!" Some old ladies nearby gave them both a critical stare. "Why don't we do the lazy river first? Maybe if I douse you in water, you'll cool the fuck off."
"Hey!" Varian complained as he was grabbed roughly and pulled forward after he'd unblinkingly been staring at a fit young man in a black speedo that Hugo swore was a size too small by the way the butt cheeks popped out of the bottom.
After grabbing two tubes, the men stepped into the shallow part of the lazy river, and thankfully, Varian was now more interested in the inflatable floaty than anything else.
"Incredible! What in heaven's name is it made of?"
"Plastic. It's a synthetic material that holds air in it. I'll show you how to get on." Putting his own tube in the water, Hugo hoisted himself up, then switched his hips and flipped over so his butt was snugly in the center with his limbs draped over the top. "Now you try."
Varian blinked, then went further into the water with his tube until he was waist deep. Placing his hands on top as Hugo had and putting a determined look on his face, he pulled himself up out of the water and tried to flip himself but ended up flying straight into Hugo's lap and dunked them both under the surface.
Coming up for air, Hugo took off his glasses and wiped his eyes, coughing and laughing.
Varian popped up next to him. "Oh dear! Are you alright?" He had a hand on his arm. "That was not quite it, was it?"
He chuckled, shaking his lens off. "Well, at least we can say you tried."
"Oh no, are your spectacles intact? Can you still see?"
The glasses were over his face again. "Ish, but they'll dry out in a bit. Don't worry about it. It's all just a bit blurry."
"I will be your guide then." He offered his hand, making a determined face. "Allow me to lead the way."
He considered him, then smirked. "Varian, you can't even get in the tube. Where will you be leading me exactly? Into the water again?"
"Tssk! How dare you! I offer charity, and this is how you respond?"
He giggled. "My deepest apologies, Your Highness—" He received a splash, causing him to laugh more. "Okay, okay. No splashi—" A sudden flash of water in his face abruptly cut off that sentence. "Varian! Okay—" Another splash. "That's it. Here, Sire. Allow me to help you into your tube."
Before Varian could get him again, Hugo bent down and scooped him up in his arms and all but threw him into the tube with a loud splash.
"Hugo!" he cried, but the blond was turning him and thrusting him into the current.
"I'll be right behind you," he called, following after him and failing to hold back laughter as the indignant prince thrashed around.
"When I figure out how to get out of this thing," he bellowed, squirming like a cat with a bag stuck on its head, "you will be severely repentant! Do you hear me?"
Hugo put a hand over his mouth as he floated after him, snickering uncontrollably. "Yes, Your Highness."
"And stop calling me that! I swear, you can be so infuriating..."
Now on his belly on the tube, Hugo caught up and grabbed the side of Varian's, bringing them both closer together. "True, but then why do I get the feeling you kinda like it, hm?"
Varian inhaled like he had something to say, then closed his mouth, his face flushing. "Well," he glanced away with his nose in the air, "whatever. I do rather like this lazy river as you call it."
He grinned. "It's nice, huh?"
"Yes. It is." Varian's eyes shifted to something behind his head and the blue eyes widened. "Oh, Hugo! I want to try those twisty water portals next!"
"The what?" He turned to look at the water slides, then back at Varian in shock. "You do?"
The enthusiastic nod and determined grin were convincing enough for the simp named, Hugo.
Varian went down the water slides likely more than ten times by Hugo's counting when he was finally convinced of something else, and they were now in the little kid area, playing with the different buttons, spouts, and toys available while some judgey adults shook their heads at them.
They later found themselves in a mostly desolate regular old swimming pool with slightly chilly water where they waded in the deep end, then migrated to an underwater step in the shallow end. Only their lower halves remained submerged now as they sat, chatting.
"This has been so delightful, Hugo!" the prince exclaimed, sitting with both hands propped behind him while he wiggled his legs lightly in the water. "This reminds me a lot of a bathhouse actually, only none of us are bathing, well, at least not intentionally."
He chuckled. "Yeah no. You don't want to bathe here. I'll let you in on a disturbing secret and that is that little kids unload an unthinkable amount of urine into the pool. Adults too actually..."
"Oh." He looked away guiltily. "Were we not supposed to urinate here?" he muttered, and Hugo gasped, shoving his arm.
"Varian! You didn't!"
He shrugged defensively. "You never informed me I should not."
"Because it was inferred!" He held his sides as he burst out laughing. "You're a prince, for fuck's sake!"
Varian clicked his tongue. "Enough of that. It is perfectly normal at a lake or river. I do not see the big fuss."
Nudging his arm, Hugo snickered. "You surprise me sometimes. You're not quite what I expected a medieval prince to be like."
"Oh?" He nudged him back. "And what exactly were you expecting then?"
"Someone super formal with no sense of humor and no hidden wild side. Definitely not an adorable cat lover who nerds out over research and hangs out with an accused witch, such as myself."
He snorted. "You are not a witch, Hugo."
"Mm, don't be so sure."
He rolled his eyes, then his expression sobered up. "I do appreciate your honesty, and I will admit, I was never expecting to meet someone like you either."
"Oh? Is that a good thing?"
"Of course. You are kind and open, and ever since I came to this era, I have felt nothing but welcomed and comfortable. I..." He licked his lips then swallowed. "You are everything and more than I ever imagined." Hugo's eyes widened. "I would not take back any of it for anything. The truth is... well, I must confess something to you, Hugo."