Chapter Text
A few weeks had passed since school had started again, and Varian hated most of it. The times he enjoyed school were when he was hanging out with Nuru in languages or sitting in the art room at lunch whenever she wasn't in. (The art room being where Rapunzel worked, saying how she was one of the art teachers in Sun Stone High.) Fortunately, now was one of those times. He was sat in one of the cafeteria tables in a corner with Nuru, her talking about some of her lessons and how she made friends with this girl called Amber... Hold on.
Amber?
Varian held a hand out to cut Nuru off from possibly changing the subject again, "Wa- wait. Pause. Amber? As in, my cousin, Amber?" Varian asked, as if Nuru hadn't already explained this before.
"Yes, Var, your cousin," She answered, looking at him as one would when they've repeated the same thing multiple times, "I mentioned that like, ten minutes ago."
Varian huffed and nodded. Okay, maybe he did recall Nuru mentioning something about Amber, but he was too lost in his thoughts to question it until just then. Seeing his nod, Nuru continued. Varian sat quietly and listened, knowing that if he interrupted her again, she'd probably kill him.
Blah blah blah, Amber, blah blah blah, Mrs Sonne, blah blah blah, weird blonde kid in the back of my maths, blah blah blah...
Varian looked around him, still nodding to whatever Nuru was saying, but also trying to find a way to distract himself with something a little bit more entertaining, or an excuse to leave. Things happening around him weren't really better, in his opinion. Just some kids kicking the vending machines, people queueing in those awful queues for food, others sitting down on more tables, a group of people cornering some kid in the opposite side of the cafeteria. All of this happened every day, it wasn't new. And it was boring. Everything happening right now was boring. Varian was bored.
"... And then he- Varian? Helloooo, Varian?" Nuru waved a hand in front of his face, pulling him out of his daydreaming or whatever again, "Are you even listening?"
Varian blinked, opening his mouth to speak, then shutting it. Then opening it again,
"Um, no. Sorry, Nuru, I …daydreamed again. Yeah." He mumbled, though loud enough for her to hear.
She groaned and shook her head.
"Can never properly speak to you anymore..." Nuru whispered under her breath, running a hand through her carefully-done hair, "Okay, it's fine. Tell me about your seating plan's then. I've already told you mine, if you were listening."
Varian didn't understand why she constantly wanted to talk about seating plans out of everything. Boring, boring, boring.
"Well my English is the same. 'Nd art too, I requested that though since I like sitting by myself," Varian said, "Most are tolerable. Wait, apart from my chemistry."
Nuru looked up from her food when he said that, nodding for him to carry on.
"I got sat next to Hugo. Out of all people,"
Her face twisted in disgust. One thing Varian knew about Nuru, is that she's hated that blonde since he first started picking on Varian. And even though he said to leave it, she holds grudges. (Though it may not be a grudge considering how Hugo is still picking on Varian.)
"Eugh. That string bean? He best not be doing anything, V, or I swear, I'll-"
"Not yet, no. He hasn't, it's unusual. Still calling me names and stuff but, y'know ...less physical than usual," Varian told her, trying to ignore the look she shot him after cutting her off.
Nuru tilted her head back down and messed with her food with her fork. "Good. Well not good, but better. I suppose. But if he tries anything again, I'll..." She breathed in sharply, trying to come up with something that sounded less violent, “Bite his face, or something. I just hate that idiot, he's always so-"
Aaaand Varian was back in his thoughts. Every time he brought up Hugo, Nuru would go on a ramble for ages about how much she hated him. And as much as Varian despised Hugo too, she often said the same things, and it got dull to listen to.
・・・・・
Speaking of Amber.
”V! How you doing?” The ginger girl asked, bumping shoulders with her cousin after joining him to walk through the corridors.
Varian looked at her, smiling a little but shoving his hands in his pockets. ”Good. Just a little tired, really. You?” He replied, staring back down at the floor as the two walked and his voice quieter than usual. You know, because he’s tired.
”Fine, fine,” Amber looked him up and down. Eh, he probably wasn’t in the mood to talk, “You coming to the party tonight? I think like, everyone’s going.”
Varian shot his head up at her. Party? 1. Why would Varian, Sun Stone’s well-known NERD, be going to, let alone invited to a party, and 2. Why hasn’t he heard about it? Usually when parties are happening, it’s all he can hear for the whole school day.
”Um. I don’t know, haven’t heard about it,” He shrugged, turning a corner in the hallway.
Amber followed, obviously.
”Weeeeell, you should come. I’m inviting you, anyway.”
Varian scoffed, stopping to turn and look at her. “Are you serious? Why would I— I’d get laughed at,” He replied, hands coming out of his pockets to now mess with the strings of his backpack.
“You won’t get laughed at if you’re with me, swearsies,” The ginger girl reassured, placing her hands on his shoulders, raising an eyebrow.
Though, Varian was having none of it. He knew for a fact that if he showed up at a party full of people who took the piss out of him on a daily basis, even if he was with Amber, it wouldn’t be any different than how it is at school. Everything would still suck. People would still laugh at him. Not a single thing would change just because it’s a party and he’s with his cousin.
“I’ll …think about it,” That was a lie, because he wasn’t going. Varian had made his mind up five minutes ago.
Amber frowned, sighing as her hands slipped off his shoulders and back to her sides, “Got it …just, consider it this time?” She asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.
Varian stared at her silently for a few seconds, then with a huff, “Fine, fine. We’ll talk later.”
A smile grew back on her face then she hugged him, squeezing tightly before pulling back. “Talk later!” Amber shouted whilst running off back around the corner.
・・・・・
Varian stared into his mirror, seeing himself reflect back. He sighed in annoyance and something else he refused to name because he’s been trying not to be self-degrading recently? For Rapunzel’s sake anyway …it was not working.
He didn’t want to go to this party, but he maybe, kind of just got off the phone with Amber and said he was going. (Only because she kept asking and asking and asking and …you get it.)
The plan: Eugene drops him off early at Amber’s house, and he just sticks with her …and maybe Nuru if Amber invited her, which he really hoped was the case because he had a strong gut feeling his cousin was going to be drinking and probably leave him alone.
His gaze didn’t break away from the mirror; this happened every time he looked into one. He’d just stare and stare as if looking into it for ages was going to change something. In the end, he’d get snapped out of it by Rapunzel or Eugene and realise nothing was really going to change.
“Kid? Ugh, Varian?” A lower, annoyed voice said from his door. Greeeaaat. He probably got lost in his thoughts again and ignored Eugene the first few times.
“Yeah. Yeah, sorry? Are we— are we going now?” Varian asked, turning to face the door. The older man had his hands on his hips and an eyebrow raised like he was about to lecture him …gods he best not. Varian was really not in the mood.
“Yes, so quit looking at yourself and get in the car. Please.” Eugene told him, before walking away and down the stairs. Varian took one last look again then grabbed his bag and walked out the room. It won’t be that bad. His brain is just making him worry.
Just as Varian was about to follow Eugene out the door, a loud, excited squeal came from behind him. Rapunzel, obviously. She came running up to him and wrapped her arms tightly around his torso, lifting him up in a spin hug.
“Oh, Varian! I’m so happy for you! You’re finally going to a party!” She gushed, squeezing him one last time before putting him down onto the floor, a creak coming from the floorboards as she did so.
“It’s not that big of a deal …s’just a party,” Varian brushed his hair back, staring at the hyper brunette who had just spun and squeezed the life out of him.
Rapunzel gasped forcefully loud, as if Varian’s words had just cut her deep in the chest and twisted, “‘Just a party’? Varian, parties are where cool and …laidback or whatever people are!” She explained, then grabbed his shoulders and shook him whilst yelling, “You’re cool!”
Sheesh, Varian didn’t know whether to be offended or to play along with her, but both seemed like a bad option in this case. “Um. Yeah, I guess…” He mumbled, giving her one last, weak hug then heading back towards the front door where Eugene was standing.
He huffed as he got into the car and slammed it after he sat down, buckling his seatbelt then immediately turning his head to look out the window. He didn’t want to go to this party, not really. And he didn’t want to speak to Eugene about it, or anything right now.
When Eugene got into the car, it was …oddly quiet. Too quiet. It’s usually the complete opposite when he’s present. Maybe he knows Varian doesn’t actually want to go and that he’s really unhappy with his decision and the only reason he’s actually going is because his cousin kept nagging him to and because maybe she bribed him with ham sandwiches made with that really nice ham.
That’s probably not it.
Varian watched Rapunzel wave at them with a huge smile as the car pulled out the drive, then she slowly disappeared out of sight when they drove away.
This was fine. Everything was going to be fine. Fine.
・・・・・
It was not fine.
When Varian first got at Amber’s house, he couldn’t even find her, only first seeing her twenty minutes in. He wasn’t happy about that, of course, but chose not to say anything to her about it because it was silly, really.
He was grateful Nuru was at the party because Amber had been pulled into the kitchen to sort out a …big mess that happened in the kitchen, so she and Varian sat on a couch that was pressed against the back wall in the living room.
Sitting in the front room maybe wasn’t the best choice, as that’s where the main party was located; there were more people in this room than there were in the kitchen. Varian felt stiff, his back straight instead of relaxed against the back of the couch. He was also sat on the edge, leg bouncing up and down as he stared at all the people in front of him.
“I still don’t understand why you came, V. Everyone knows how much you hate these things,” Nuru said from beside him, a hand coming to his shoulder in an attempt to soothe him.
“Amber kept asking, I’d feel bad if I didn’t come,” Varian answered, taking a sip from the apple juice carton he managed to snag from the kitchen cupboards before, “It seemed liked she really wanted me here this time …I just don’t see why.”
Nuru raised an eyebrow, her hand retreating off his shoulder after realising it wasn’t really helping, “Really? I don’t think there’s anything going on…” She mumbled to herself, looking away and trying to think what Amber could have wanted him here for.
“I told her I didn’t wanna come. I said people were gonna laugh,” Varian added, looking around at all the people again. There were a few people staring and pointing and whispering about him …It wasn’t as bad as his imagination had made it out to be though.
Nuru opened her mouth to speak again, but was cut off by a loud crash coming from the kitchen. What was Amber doing in there? She was supposed to be sorting a mess out, but by the sounds of it, she’s making more!
The brown-haired girl suddenly got up, facing Varian, “I’ll be right back, promise. Let me go see what that sound was,” She told him then turned and ran towards the kitchen. Varian stared towards where Nuru had ran off to, sighing before taking another sip of his apple juice.
Great, now he was alone again. Alone, at a party he didn’t want to be at, in a room he didn’t want to be in, staring at someone dressed in all black with their hood up and a face mask on.
Wait, what?
Varian locked eyes, well he thinks he did, considering the big mask the other person was wearing, with the figure across the room. They were just …stood there, staring at him. It creeped him out.
He slowly stood up, never taking his gaze away from the dark figure, and took one step towards them. Just as he did, they ran. Immediately, Varian’s reaction was to chase after them.
He pushed past all the party people, running after the figure. Gosh, they were a fast runner …so was Varian. Eventually, the person lead him to the garden. Amber’s back garden was pretty big, so the figure was able to run right to the back of it and keep Varian behind them.
He stopped at the back fence, but there was one problem …the figure was gone? How did they just disappear like that? It wasn’t like they could climb the fencing, it was too tall.
Varian looked around him, no shadows or black figured in sight. One thing did catch his gaze, however. A paper note, left on the floor. Full of curiosity, he crouched down and picked it up, reading it.
To Varian,
I know your secret.
I know you killed your father, and I’m going to expose you in front of the whole school.
Don’t try to find out who I am, you won’t succeed. But do know, that I have eyes everywhere. You can’t keep anything from me.
— F
The colour drained from Varian’s face, and his eyes went wide, hands shaking. Never mind his hands, his whole body was shaking. How could someone even find this out? The only people who knew about the accident was him, Rapunzel, Eugene, Nuru, Amber, the doctors, and his dad himself. There was no possible way for somebody else to know unless one of those people said anything.
But he trusted Rapunzel and Eugene. He trusted Nuru and Amber. Plus, the doctors weren’t allowed to tell anyone without permission, and his dad was … well the only thing keeping him alive was wires and machines, so.
His breathing got heavier and uneven. Why would someone even want to do this? He was already hated enough, people didn’t need to know about his dad. If they did, they’d take the piss out of him more than they already do. And the worst part about it? They’d have a reason to.
He wiped his eyes, gripping the note tightly to the point it started creasing. Angrily, he shoved it into his jacket pocket and got up, fists clenched. They can’t do this, that secret can’t get out. He needs to find out who this ‘F’ was.
As he went to turn around, he bumped into someone holding a drink, which spilled all over his shirt. That’s just fantastic. Someone’s threatening to expose his secret, and now he has what he guessed was cranberry juiced mixed with some sort of alcohol all over his shirt. Varian glared up at the person who bumped into him, expression faltering ever so slightly when he seen the same infuriating blond who sat next to him in science.
“Hugo?” He asked, staring up at him. Hugo looked down, rocking on his feet.
“Hhhhhmmmmm??” He mumbled, squinting as if he could barely see Varian.
“What are you— you spilt your drink all over my—” Varian cut himself off when he realised something. What was Hugo doing at the back of Amber’s garden? Nobody else was back here apart from Varian and that person before…
He gasped then pointed his finger accusingly at Hugo, jabbing his chest, “It was you!”
The blond stumbled back, almost tripping over his own feet. So he was drunk, Varian gathered, interesting to know.
“Wh- what was me…?” He asked, blinking and rubbing his eyes.
“You were the one who left the note! The one who knows my secret? You’re F!” Varian shouted, shoving past him and stomping back to the house. He wanted to leave, he wanted to go home. Or go somewhere nobody would find him and just die. It had to be Hugo, right? He was the only other person at the back of the garden. He had no reason to be there!
He could hear steps behind him, then soon a hand on his shoulder which spun him back around.
“Hoooooold on …who- who’s this ‘F’ you’re on …on about?” Hugo slurred out, his hand gripping tighter onto Varian’s shoulder.
Varian just rolled his eyes and shoved the blond away, making him fall onto the floor. He took a few steps back from Hugo, before turning around again and running. If Hugo really was this mysterious F …then he needed to avoid him as much as possible. And also tell Nuru and Amber.
If they were serious about knowing his secret, then Varian was in big trouble. Big trouble. And he’ll probably have to move schools again. So he needs to find out where and who the letter came from before they tell anyone.
He didn’t stop running until he was far away from Amber’s house and knew for sure that nobody had followed him. Panting, Varian stumbled down a quiet street; other than the people in houses and apartments, he was confident he was the only one walking down it. Hundreds of thoughts were flooding the front of Varian’s mind, making it difficult to think properly. He was on the verge of a panic attack, for sure.
Just make it back home.
But was home even safe anymore? He hadn’t felt safe since he picked up that note. God knows what could be waiting for him when he arrived at the front door. Oh, what would Rapunzel and Eugene say …should he even tell them about this? They’re both already worried about him after what happened, making them aware that he possibly had a stalker would just make everything worse for them.
And so, Varian made the decision to not tell them. The only people he would tell would be Nuru and Amber. Every so often, Varian took a few glances around him. He’s still wary that there could be someone following him, who wouldn’t be? When he got closer to home, he put his hood up, just a precaution.
・・・・・
“You’re home early. For a party anyway.” Eugene asked from the couch as soon as Varian walked in. He was already suspicious just because he got home early. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
“Don’t get on his case immediately, Eugene. It was his first one, maybe it was too much,” A softer voice cut the man from carrying on, Rapunzel, “Did you have a good time?”
Varian let her take his jacket and hang it up on the clothing rack, trying to avoid from looking out the window or doing anything that would hint that there was a reason he came home early, “Uh, yeah it was …okay. Just too much people. So I left early, that’s all.” He replied, sniffing from the cold and heading towards the stairs.
“Oh, um. That’s okay- Varian, do you not want any food?” Asked Rapunzel, who was clearly a little startled at how eager the younger boy was to get upstairs.
“No thanks. M’not hungry,” He answered quickly, then ran up the stairs and into his room.
Varian closed his door, then all his windows and curtains, and finally locking his door. The boy grabbed at his hair, tugging hard.
“This is fine, Varian, everything’s …everything’s fine.”
Not fine, no. Everything was the opposite of fine actually. This was a tricky situation. A bad situation. Nothing here was okay, he didn’t feel fine, didn’t look fine, nothing was fine! After a few tries, he managed to pull the note out of his pocket, the paper being creased due to him scrunching it into a ball and stuffing it into his pocket at the party.
The whole school.
Everyone in Sun Stone High was going to find out, and his life would be even worse. To the point where he couldn’t ignore it and distract himself with alchemy or Ruddiger or something!
Ruddiger.
Where was Ruddiger.
Varian’s eyes immediately scanned around the room, he couldn’t find the cat in sight. He crawled onto the floor, moving things around under his bed to see if he was under there. Nothing. His breathing quickened faster than before, heart pounding against the walls of his throat. This couldn’t be real, it had to be fake. Why would this just happen on a random Friday? It was a dream. It had to be a dream.
That didn’t stop the panic attack Varian was having though. His vision quickly started blurring, and his muscles locked up. Nothing was working, he couldn’t move. Soon after, Varian saw his vision darken, eyes closing, and he collapsed from his knees onto the floor.