[Abandonment issues are the freaking worst. The only thing that tops them for Varian is all his validation issues- but if he were honest, they tended to come hand in hand. One almost inevitably followed the other. He wasn't good enough for people, so they left. Or they put up walls. Or they turned their back on him when he needed them most. Sometimes, that all felt like an inevitability.

Varian is less easy with the lies these days. Not when it matters. He's pretty sure he could still run a manipulative ring around someone if he really wanted to- but he's trying to be better. And despite everything, despite how messy and complicated everything was right now, he didn't want to see Fern hurting. It's been far too much in too small a space of time. So he relaxes a touch when Fern doesn't shove back. ]

I don't know. If I knew how this place worked I would have tried to pick apart something by now. I know Peter said he wants to find a way for people to leave, or stay or... or go wherever they-

[As Fern sits up, he nearly falls away from the empty space he was occupying.]

...What?