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[droptheious]

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Varian

I'm busy creating life-changing inventions, you're welcome. Leave a message.

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION

FROM: SUBJECT: JUN & HARU Hey Var, do you got a moment? JUN Just so you know, I'm fine, but I might be harder to contact. EVE Hey Varian, are you on this train? JUN Hey honey, where are you? GIL The Cube 4 GIL The Cube 3 JUN Hey Var, is this a good time to run a rather personal ethical dilemma by you? JUN Oh hey, lumber! GIL The Cube 2 GIL The Cube 1 RATIO Some while back... JUN I'm fine, I went to my room. KNI I am sorry. RATIO I will be going back to teaching on Monday. NOCTIS you okay there? JUN Date BLADE Varian. How are you doing? NOCTIS hey, you’re an engineer. JUN birthday NOCTIS hey, it's noctis. from the park? BLADE A little bird told me... ZHONGLI Hello. This is Zhongli BLADE This is Blade. Jusis told me to find you... ROSE You’re Varian, right? AMAL Loser gets adopted FERN Heyyyy V, you busy? DANNY Birthday AMAL Happy nameday to the best scientist I know! JUN Are you busy? There's something I wanted to ask you. AMAL hey varian FERN hey i just realized something great DANNY Hey. I know you're probably busy with everything... ZODIAC Happy Holiday from Zodiac! CLAUDE Hey Varian. You there? ZELOS Heeeey Varian! I'm sure you're busy... FIVE I know you might be busy right now but... FERN heyyy, did you see that guy...

TO: SUBJECT: JUN Two questions. BLADE Hey, hey hey, Blade. JUN Birthday VASH I figure it's probably about time we talk, huh? JUN 愛してるよ ???!!! AMAL Dad? You home? JUN Forgt anyting nuice I said aboout space KNI Happy birthday, Kni! MIKLEO Hey, Mikleo. Jun said it'd be okay to message you... YUUKI So hey, do you think you could... JUN So. Uh. That happened. ELLIOT Hi, Elliot. Can I talk to you about something? AMAL Dad, something happened to Fern. DANNY Hey, Bud. I've got some bad?? news? EVE Hey, Eve. I wanted to make sure AMAL Happy birthday, Dad! AMAL Hey, could I get your opinion on something? VASH Hi there! Texting ahead of time like you asked. FERN Happy birthday, you. FERN Day of Hearts WILL Hey, Will. When are you free? I've got your... ELLIOT ...Hey, Elliot. Can I ask your advice on something? SNOW Hey, you available? ELLIOT Elliot? I'm- I'm really sorry to bother you... AUGUST Hey. Can I ask a follow-up question after my last one? DANNY Hey. There's something important I need to talk to you about. FIVE Hey, I was thinking we should probably talk MOANA Hey. Remember me saying we probably needed to talk... ELLIOT Um. Hey. I wondered if we could talk. AMAL Hey. Are you busy? Can we talk? HUNTER Just so you're aware... AUGUST Can I ask some advice? DANNY Hey, Danny! I think I've figured out something... KEN Hey! The figure you wanted is all finished.

code by cawaii

Comments

[droptheious]

I know you don't. That's what makes you a good person. No matter what you're worried about, it's- it's important that you remember that, Danny. You're a good person. It took a lot to turn that possible future of you into what he was. That makes a difference.

[He has to believe it does. That the reasons behind a person breaking need to be taken into account. But then, he wouldn't be even half as charitable to himself when talking about his own past. At Danny's request, his head shakes once- firm, unmoving.

There was that stubbornness.]

No. I'm not running. Danny, you're- you're like family to me. You're like a brother. I'm not gonna abandon you.

[schrodingersghost]

[...Oh.

Danny hadn't realized until this moment just how much he'd needed to hear that. He'd spent so much time thinking about all the worst parts of himself, wondering where the flaws and weaknesses were that would let that happen. Maybe along the way he'd forgotten a little of why he was trying so hard. He blinks to hold back tears, and when that doesn't work he rubs at his eyes with the back of his wrist.

But he loses any attempt at holding back his emotions when Varian continues. He'd known they were close friends... but family? Brothers? That just...

Danny had never complained, but he'd been terribly lonely at home all this time. His parents were gone so much, and he couldn't talk to them about any of what had been happening even when they were here. And he didn't have anyone else. The idea of being family, brothers... It was something he'd never known he wanted.]

...You really mean that?

[droptheious]

[Varian notices Danny fighting his tears and reaches out to put a hand on Danny's shoulder. Part-way through, he changes his mind, instead pulling the other boy in for a hug. Varian's not exactly the huggiest person in the world- but he has a feeling Danny really needs one right now.

And maybe he does too, a little. ]

Of course I mean it.

[schrodingersghost]

[ In any kind of normal day, Danny would have protested. Hugs weren't cool, okay? (Ignoring that he had been known to tackle hug friends at emotional moments).

But Danny had been having a very bad day. A string of bad and stressful days, ending in an emotional breakdown. And right now, it was much appreciated. Danny hesitates a moment, and then hugs him back.]

Thank you. That... It just means a lot.

[The words are said quietly, but with sincerity and feeling.]

[droptheious]

[Varian awkwardly pats Danny on the back for comfort. He's really not good at this part of things, he feels. It requires a level of social skill he's never quite got a grasp on, but he'll try his best for his loved ones! ]

Anytime. I'm- I'm glad it helped.

[Genuinely. As awkward as he is, he meant every damn word of it.]

[schrodingersghost]

[Danny pulls back and lets go. He wasn't quite smiling yet, but it was closer to a real smile than he'd been for quite a while. Right now Danny mostly just felt tired and wrung out. But it was better, and that was the important thing.]

It did. I think... Maybe I was just focusing on all the worst parts. It helps to be reminded that I'm not alone. [A moment of hesitation.] I can't really talk to my parents about any of this, you know? And it kind of felt like if I talked about it to anyone it would make it more real. And I'd just make people worry.

[droptheious]

Sometimes that's too easy to do. Focusing on the worst parts, I mean. Those are the parts that usually scream the loudest. They're...harder to ignore.

[He has plenty of experience in that department. ]

And I get not wanting to...burden people with this kinda stuff. It feels like you just...deserve to bear it alone, huh? [So much experience.] I'll always listen, y'know? I don't mind. You've heard all my stuff, it's only fair.

text; un: fern

[laminae]

[Fern is well aware of how stress Varian has been lately.

Well. Not so much lately....

There was the disaster with the gates and dinosaurs, then exploding their apartment and getting in deep with Zodiac. The weird fallout from getting peach guts all over them hasn't helped, and now all those Black Order jerks showing up have been making things worse. Fern can tell. Varian isn't exactly good at hiding his emotions when they're together.

Which is why, one day, he's sending this incredibly dumb text.]

hey i just realized something great
if those BO nerds turn out to be evil we'll be able to smell them coming!!

1/2

[droptheious]

[Varian really has been very stressed lately. Working in what feels like the hornet's nest has been deeply unsettling- even more so because on his first day there he quickly realised the people working in Zodiac aren't monsters. Unless they're exceptionally good actors, they're just...people. And the Black Order folks are just people too. Weird people, people who have high connections, but still...people.

Everything's making him feel unsettled and he doesn't know how to handle any of it.

And then Fern's post comes. He stares at it for a moment, confused. Is this a werewolf joke? No, no he said we.]

2/2

[droptheious]

...Is that a body odor joke?

[HE'S GOTTA CHECK, OKAY? His grasp on modern-day slang isn't the best.]

[laminae]

you got it in one!

[He will forever be supportive of Varian's futile attempts to keep up with nonsense slang.]

since y'know
Black Order
BO
body odor
they really should've given more thought to their super secret club name
the jokes write themselves

[droptheious]

[Okay, that gets a laugh out of him then. Bless his boyfriend for trying.]

Hah, that's actually pretty funny. You're right, they really should have thought better before they settled on that name. Heck, even Black Order is weird. Like, if they don't wanna be seen as shady, maybe 'Black Order' isn't the way to go.

Thanks, that really brightened up my break here.

['Here' being Zodiac. ]

[laminae]

right? they should've named themselves something like the Fluffy Nonthreatening Cuties or something

no prob, i know you've been real stressed about
well
everything
i thought you could use a pick-me-up

[droptheious]

It definitely sounds less cool, but probably more towards what they're going for. Except for that one that apparently eats people, I guess.

Yeah, it's been a lot. But it's only a month- and then they'll be off our backs.

[Except probably not. Because he's desperately trying to figure out how to stop them from using the peach and he knows they won't like that at all.]

[laminae]

yeah that one's weird
apparently that biz isn't cool here so who knows what her deal is

cool
that doesn't sound very long so i hope they don't got you doing anything real bad

[droptheious]

I guess we'll just have to wait and see if she eats any of us.

I'm not allowed access to the really bad stuff. Almost like they don't trust me. Ha ha.

[He's playing it light. He doesn't trust Zodiac not to have this tracked. It's fine, just jokes. ]

[laminae]

if she even thinks about eating you i'm stabbing her

oh
ok yeah

[That's valid given... everything.]

so i guess you're stuck slogging through boring junk until they let you go

[droptheious]

Thanks, Bärchen, I appreciate the sentiment.

Yup. Just a little science grunt, that's me. Honestly, I think they mostly want to keep me from doing more experiments OUT of their sight.

[God, he HATES lying to Fern, he makes a mental note to make it up to him later. ]

...Some of the people here are okay though.

[schrodingersghost]

Yeah... I'm starting to get that.

[Maybe trying to deal with everything himself hadn't been the best plan after all. Because after a while all he could think of was all the ways everything could go wrong.

He shrugs.]

I don't know about deserve. But it just felt like there wasn't anything else I could do. I mean, who gets this upset about an alternate future that an alternate self broke? I figured most people would just tell me that it wasn't me and that was enough.

[Never mind that maybe it wasn't his direct future, but that the possibility that something similar could happen was all too real. He still had the potential for that kind of power in him, and it scared him.

And now at least a hesitant smile.]

You're sure? It won't bother you?

[laminae]

you're welcome!

so they're a bunch of lameos
you're a great scientist, they shouldn't try to stop you

[He really has no clue.]

seriously? it sounds like they suck

[droptheious]

I think that's still a pretty understandable thing to be upset about, Danny. He might not be you, but I can see why you'd be worried you'd end up making the same choices as he did. Especially given how little we know about how these...past live things work. A little worry is...expected, I'd think.

[As much as he doesn't believe in destiny, he feels it shows how good Danny is of a person that he HAS worried about it and not dismissed it out of hand. He smiles, nodding.]

Sure thing. If I can make the whole thing easier for you, then I'm happy to help. I promise there's not much you can dump on me that I haven't already turned inward at this point.

[ Self-loathing is great. Ha ha.]

[droptheious]

I think they're more concerned about me blowing up THEIR labs.

No. I mean. The people at the top suck. They're just awful. But everyone else? They're just...people. Just doing what they have to do to get by.

[laminae]

oh
well
isn't that just a risk of doing good science?

seriously? they aren't like
evil minions
or something?

[droptheious]

It is, but they are teaching me a thing or two. To make it a little safer. So I can still do good experiments but with less chance of killing everyone around me.

Most of them are just regular people trying to make a living. They know Zodiac isn't the best place to work for, but it's the best place to protect them from everything that happens here.

[One of those things being HIM, they made that very clear. Which...fair, honestly. ]

[laminae]

i guess that's a pretty good thing, then

geez
i never thought much about Zodiac but i know they're not popular on our phones
dunno if people would like hearing the guys they're making out to be their enemies are normal just like them