Chapter Text
Chapter One
Eugene frowned at the cabin in front of them.
The wood was old and rotted, and the windows were boarded up. Everything seemed dark, quiet, and still, which was entirely unlike the Varian he’d come to know.
“You sure this is the place?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow at Cassandra.
“Do you see any other solitary cabins out here?” she countered, voice edged with irritation. “That guy at the tavern said it was deep in the forest, and here we are.”
“Yeah, I guess so, it just feels weird,” Eugene mumbled, folding his arms.
The man they’d talked to at the tavern had been glad to point them in the right direction, but there was something off. Eugene couldn’t forget the dark glint in his eye when they’d told him who they were looking for.
“That freak?” He’d snorted, taking another swig of his drink. “Yeah, I know of ‘em. Kept poking his nose around town a few months back, ‘till me and some guys ran him out. Keeps to himself now, in a cabin deep in the woods. Which is perfectly fine by us.” At this point, he sat forward in his seat, pointing a thick finger at them. “Word to the wise; be careful with that one. Might be better for everyone if he just stays lost.”
It was a miracle they’d gotten out of there without starting a fight. The whole ordeal had left Eugene horribly unnerved, and he could tell even Cassandra was affected (as much as a heartless ice-woman could be, anyways).
Cassandra huffed a sigh. “Well, I guess we won’t know for sure unless we try it. Come on,” she waved her arm at him and walked up to the door.
Despite the bad feeling in his gut, Eugene followed after her. He’d promised Rapunzel they’d do everything they could to find Varian, and he wasn’t going to quit now after spending so long searching with Cassandra.
“Hello? Varian?” Cassandra rapped on the door. “You in there?”
There was nothing but silence from within, the trees around them groaning slightly from the wind.
Eugene exchanged a glance with Cassandra before reaching for the door handle. “Hello,” he called, nudging the door open. “Varian, are you in here? We just want to-”
“Get back! Go away!”
There was a glint of metal, and Eugene’s eyes, struggling to adjust to the darkness of the cabin, finally registered the nocked arrow pointed at his face.
Varian looked awful. His clothes were in tatters, patched and stained and frayed, and his hair was a wiry, unkept mess. His face was pale and hollowed out, like he’d been missing meals. Most concerning were his eyes; lined with dark circles, and filled with the sheer, wild terror of a hunted animal.
“Woah, woah, easy!” Eugene held his hands up in a placating gesture. “Varian, it’s us. Don’t you remember me? Your old pal, Flynn Rider?”
Recognition flashed in Varian’s eyes, but he didn’t lower his bow. “What do you want?” he asked tersely.
Cassandra gave Eugene a look before taking a hesitant step forward. “It’s okay, Varian, we just want to-”
THUNK.
An arrow flew past Cassandra’s ear, striking the wood behind her. She froze immediately, eyes wide with alarm.
“That’s close enough,” Varian said, his voice shaking.
Eugene put a hand on Cassandra’s shoulder, silently telling her to stand down. This situation would have to be handled carefully.
“We’re not here to hurt you,” Eugene said soothingly. “We just want to talk. Rapunzel sent us to check on you.”
“Rapunzel?” The bow dipped slightly. A flurry of emotions clashed on Varian’s face, primarily pain and regret. “… why?” he asked hoarsely.
“Because she’s worried about you, Varian.” Eugene’s voice was gentle. “You know she didn’t agree with her father’s decision. She just wants to make sure you’re okay.”
Varian was quiet for a moment, and Eugene could sense him struggling. The way things had ended left a lot of hurt for everyone involved, raw emotions that hadn’t been given a chance to be dealt with before Varian was exiled. And it had all happened so quickly, Eugene wasn’t even sure how Varian felt about Rapunzel; he’d gone from a desperate kid to a cold-hearted revenge-seeker and back again in the blink of an eye. He’d seemed remorseful at the trial, but he’d also proven himself capable of hiding his real intentions.
Finally, Varian lowered his bow, his shoulders sagging with exhaustion.
“Okay,” he said, his voice small and broken. “Let’s talk.”
~*~