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Chapter 32 -
Varian’s Small Reminiscence
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Varian had shown you the five giant machines under his village and you have to say, it was amazing. Sure, Quirin doesn't know, but if he saw what use these things can do for the village, then he'd be impressed by Varian.

You hum a random tune while walking with Varian underground as he holds a lantern. “They all are in check. No problems.” He goes up to a machine and gently taps the pressure meter.

“That's great! I’m impressed you got all this done in a few months, Varian.” You say and glance around.

“Yeah.” He turns to you, frowning a little. “I'm still sorry I didn't send any letters during that time. I wanted to get these done on time.”

You smile softly and hug Varian’s side, “Varian, it's okay. I mean I was really worried and…. A bit mad, buf more worried.”

He wraps an arm around you, while you two walk back toward the way back out. “Still.” He blows out the lantern and climbs up the ladder.

You sigh and look at the machine’s glow from around the corner of the cavern.

“(____)? You alright?” Varian calls from above.

“I'm fine.” You call back and climb up.

Varian holds out his gloved hand and you take it while being pulled up. “So…..do you want to go on a walk?” Varian asks, grinning.

“A nice, non-dangerous walk?” You say playfully.

Varian laughs lightly, “A CASUAL walk.”

You two walk down the dirt path and kick a small pebble back and forth to each other. There was no conversation and you two were content with that.

“Why would a triangle shaped sandwich taste better than a square one?”

Varian raises a brow at your random question, “Are you asking me?”

You hum and speak sarcastically, “No, I was asking the boy walking next to me.”

He rolls his eyes, smiling, “Well if you want my answer, the triangular shape allows for maximum exposure to flavors due to the increased surface area of its more flavorful ingredients.”

You listen and grin as he starts turning to a smarty pants.

“Plus. It's a fact even in science and math, basically everything, that triangles are the strongest shape.” He smiles and kicks the pebble into a bush, “Because any added force is evenly spread through all three sides.”

“Wow. You should've been my teacher, Mr. Genius Brain.” You smirk and laugh.

Varian’s cheeks flush lightly and he shrugs, smiling sheepishly, “Nah. I wouldn't be good as a teacher, I mean if you need help with anything, I'm up for teaching.”

You giggle softly and look up at the leaves above you two. The sun peeking through to leave a sunlit and faint shadow design on the path.

“Does it make a person an idiot when he says positive?.” You stated.

“No. Everyone says positive when they agree to things.”

You try to hold back a laugh, “Not everyone.”

Varian chuckles, “I'm sure everyone says positive.”

“You sure?” You look at him and snicker as Varian crosses his arm, seeming determined about his answer.

“Positive.”

It's quiet and a bird chirps happily in the background. Varian’s eyes narrow before his face scrunches in thought, “Wait a minute.”

You laugh wholeheartedly, feeling your stomach hurt from so much laughing. “Your face!”

Varian facepalms his forehead and lightly groans, “I can't believe I walked right into that.”

You try to calm down, but you couldn't help it and laughed more, “No, your brain RAN into that one.”

Varian stares at you and wondered where that sudden laughing fit came from. He shakes his head and laughs too, “Alright, calm down, (____).”

“I'll try.” You say breathlessly.

The both of you took a detour back and passed many trees and bushes on the grassy ground. At one point, Varian had pulled you away from poison berry bush before you ate it. He found good berries not far off and picked them after making a tiny basket from twigs.

You two ate while strolling along and you balanced on thick roots from trees, sometimes you'd jump all the way around a tree. Varian smiles softly at your actions.

At the top of a decent sized hill of grass, you grin at the slight high slope. “Come on, Varian!” You lay down then proceeded to roll down while yelling cheerfully.

Varian laughs and lay down before rolling after you. Somehow, you and Varian ran into each other. You cling to him, your face on his chest as you two continued to roll down hill.

Once the rolling stopped, you two looked up at the unbalanced world around you then laughed out loud.

It was calm now and a few birds flew by above in the sky, along with a few animals running from bush to bush. You turned to lay on your stomach and picked a tiny purple flower, twirling it between your fingers.

“Did you have a good childhood?” You question and full of curiosity.

Varian turns to lay on his stomach too and watching a ladybug crawl on a blade of grass. “I guess it was fairly standard. Just like all the others, though I did love when my mom told me stories and sang a lullaby to help me sleep.”

You move the flower toward the ladybug which crawled onto it. “What was your mom like?”

The two of you watch the ladybug fly off. “She wasn't like a mean mom like some kids.” He answered and smiles to himself. “She would work hard almost every day, but she always had a smile on her face.” He chuckles.

“She was always so supportive with whatever I did. She even showed me a few chemical reactions and that's another reason I love Alchemy.”

Varian takes off his goggles, running his thumb over the lense and gazes sadly at the imaginary reflection in it. A woman is kneeling in front of a small Varian and holds out of pair of goggles.

“My beautiful little prodigy, let these goggles be a reminder of my never-ending support and love for you. Let it be a source of validation that inspires you to create amazing things to make this world a better place. So long as you wear it, you'll always have a bit of me with you.”

You tilt your head and you feel worried at Varian's distant look, “Varian?”

He takes a deep breath and smiles tenderly, “She made my goggles. They were big on me at the time, but I always wore it around my neck until it fit.” Varian smiles more, “I have a bit of her wherever I am, which is why I wear it.”

You suddenly felt bad and guilty, you had no idea why. Your hands gently take Varian's goggles and you put it back on his head, “Well, now you always know that your mom has given you never ending love.” You smile softly.

Varian looks at you and grins softly, “Yeah.”

Soon, you're sitting up and Varian's head is laying on your lap as he look up at the sky. “You know half of the stuff in my lab actually belonged to my mom. Sometimes I would hear her making something, but I never knew what it was.”

“Well it must have been something important if she never showed anyone.” You say.

“It seems like it or she got caught up in her work like me.” Varian laughs. “My mom use to always tell me that; the world can't tell you who to be because you are not what they see.”

You listen while steadily putting tiny flowers in Varian's hair, “Your mom sounds like she use to be a free spirited person.”

“I heavily agree to that.” He smiles up at you then tilts his head slightly, “What are you doing?”

“Making you beautiful.” You snicker and dust your hands, “Done.”

Varian sits up and some flowers tumble to the ground, “Seriously?” He ruffles his hair as the rest fall out.

You groan dramatically and fall back, “My perfect work, ruined!”

Varian chuckles and stands. “We should head back home now.” He dusts himself off and begins to walk away.

You pout, “Varian!”

He walks backwards, “What?”

“Don't leave me!” You reach out.

“I’m not pulling you all the way back. Now get up.” Varian crosses his arms.

“I'm lazy.”

“I'll make cookies.”

“What kind?”

“Possibly chocolate chip.”

You groan, “But I'm still lazy!”

“Well I'm not carrying you.” Varian looks away.

Silence greets the boy and small movement gets closer before arms cling to Varian's leg. He looks down. You hold on tightly, “Pleeeeeeease.”

Varian sighs and now he's giving you a piggyback ride. You happily have your arms around his neck and you smiles, “Thank you, Varian.”

“You're lucky I'm a good friend.”

“Not really. If you had done this in the first place, we would've all been on good terms.” You say, laughing cheerfully.

Varian pouts, “I will drop you.”

You hug him and lightly nuzzle his hair, “No. You care for me too much to do that.”

His cheeks turn slightly pink and he rolls his eyes, grinning, “Uh-huh. Whatever you say, (____).”