[Varian stares at his steampunk abomination for a moment, at war with himself. Eventually, he sighs, putting his tools down and walking over to Fern, moving to sit beside him on the table. ]

You're not being selfish.

[Because this, this he gets. He's felt selfish too, at times- aside from Rapunzel and the collected Corona animals, everyone he has here is from another world. What happens when they just... go? Never to remember the people they knew here. It's like they never even existed. ]

He was really important to you. It makes sense you feel awful about him going. B-because once people leave here, you might never see them again. It's not like most of us are even from the same worlds. It's almost like someone dying. Except not here dying. When they leave here, they're gone for good, mostly. I know the thought of losing the people I care about here is one of the many things that keep me awake at night. Like- how.. how are you supposed to make peace that the people you care most about will one day just... go?

[He guesses it's like regular life- he remembers losing his dad vividly. He got him back, but for over a year, the man might as well have been dead. He glances at Fern again, then carefully puts an arm around him, pulling him a little closer. He'd failed to give the hug at the right time before, he doesn't aim to this time.]

You're amongst those people, by the way. The- the ones I can't bear to lose. But I get it. It's... hard. Losing people.