CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE THROUGH TO RUDDIGER. PLEASE LEAVE FOOD AT THE END OF THE BEEP. MESSAGES CANNOT BE GUARANTEED DELIVERY IF FOOD IS NOT PROVIDED. [VIDEO | AUDIO | TEXT]
[Okay, the new rock and the Omen stuff is all weird and he isn't sure he's got either fully figured out, but this seems like a good a time as any to text it all out! Varian's having a rough time, no doubts there, and Fern feels like he's faltering in helping him settle in. So he gives a lot of thought as to what he could do to help, or at least make things slightly easier, and eventually it comes to him!]
[Oh well, he wasn't expecting this. Varian turns on the feed and he still looks just as exhausted as he did before. He's got bags under his eyes that he can take on vacation. His skin is starting to turn a strange, ashen colour, too. That's totally healthy, right? ]
Yup! The anxiety has now evolved into this weird paranoia and it's like something's watching me all the time and I hate it. It's the worst.
[Changing into a human went smoother than Fern could have ever imagined, and while he hasn't been able to shake the uncomfortableness associated with having his entire body change its physical make-up, he isn't having a complete and total breakdown like what happened in the lab. He texts Varian that he's okay, and makes his way home.
He figures Varian is down in his lab, working away at some alchemy experiment as a means of distraction from all of this. He knows, know Varian isn't happy with this, but it feels necessary, and he's anxious for the support of his boyfriend. He heads down the stairs, feet still bare (but with the right amount of toes now), and peeks into the lab.]
Uh, hey.
[He still sounds like Fern. He even looks like Fern, mostly - same long blond hair, same green eyes, he's even still missing the same teeth - but he's just... human, now.]
[Fern would be absolutely right, of course- Varian isn't happy about this. He's afraid this will mean Fern backsliding into wishing he was Finn all over again, all the steps he's made towards accepting himself as his own person wiped away. Worse still, he feels a surge of guilt for not being happy about this, for having trepidation for something that is clearly still important for Fern. What sort of person does it make him baulk at this? What sort of boyfriend does it make him? He shouldn't even be bringing his own feelings into this at all, he's sure. It makes him feel selfish, on top of all the guilt and worry churning in his stomach.
So Fern is dead on the money- he's working on something in his lab- it looks to be the beginnings of some kind of engine- trying desperately to focus on that instead of the growing worry screaming at the back of his skull. He's not sure how he's going to react to Fern's new body- he desperately wants to support his boyfriend, but he knows he's not especially good at faking emotions, either. He's doesn't want to lie to Fern, either- to convince him there's happiness here that's...not.
He's at least pleasantly surprised to see Fern's human body isn't just a Carbon Copy of Finn. It's what he was expecting, what he was dreading, just to see that same face that looked at him like he was a stranger in the mountain lab. He puts down his tools, walking over. He manages a smile that is at least real- even if worry tinges at the edges of it. ]
Hey. [He rubs the back of his neck, unsure of the right words to say, but knowing he needs to say something here. ] You look... [human, so very very human] g-good? Uh. How are you feeling?
[Varian's not great at smalltalk either, this suits him well. He sounds pretty tired too- this is the last thing he wanted to be dredged up again and yet here they are. ]
Yeah, Dib. He's a new person, showed up when we did, but definitely wasn't in the dream. I told him it was a bad idea- he wants to get a...message across to his home world I think?
[Zib comes from a goddamn mess of a world and there's a lot Varian's still sus about. ]
hey, so i made this bet with Stan about you and him and i thought you might want to see i came up with i think you'll appreciate it a lot!!!
Fern's list of really cool things that both Stan and Varian have in common:
1. neither of you get the jitters easily 2. both of you are stubborn 3. both of me like me 4. both of you built robots 5. both of you are really creative6. both of you have committed crimes 7. both of you have been to prison/jail 8. neither of you are very enthusiastic about magic or supernatural shenanigans 9. you two love your family a lot! 10. you've both also really, really messed up your family. like wow, if you guys haven't talked about that you totally should, because i'm 100% sure you can bond over that 11. but you both also totally fixed things with your family so it's all good!!!
NO. There's no way we have that much in common! He's a weird old man who cons people out of money with fake monster skeletons that aren't even REMOTELY scientifically accurate. I don't think he can even SPELL science.
Varian. I'm messaging you about this since I've never gotten to talk to Reaper myself.
Did you know about him torturing that guy Lance? Was he in his right mind? I know this kind of stuff happens in Deerington, but then Lance said he reminded him of that, and I don't understand why he would that.
Because that...that bothers me, that'd we have someone in the house capable of torturing someone.
[Varian already knew Luz's OWN baggage regarding that].
Hey, Luz. No, I didn't know about that. I know he has a...sketchy past and I know he was in the dream a long time and with that does come... well, stuff happened. If you lived there long enough.
[He's quiet for a moment, uncomfortable.]
Um. You... you do remember I'm capable of that too, right?
[It may have been a long time ago now, but it didn't mean his actions were gone forever. He might not be interested in doing that anymore, but he still did it.
But he does know Luz's (very awfully earned) baggage about this and sighs softly.]
Look. Once he comes back, we can all sit down and talk to him. As a household. We'll work out from there where everyone stands and what... what to do about this.
[With Usagi having only just barely emotionally recovered from a guilt-ridden hellscape the Walking Terrors induced, it takes Usagi a few days before she calls up Varian about something, well, rather important.]
[He's...honestly so glad for this call. He's been in emotional turmoil since they arrived - not exactly a rare state for him to be in, but this is a whole new kind for him. When he responds with his own video, he offers a smile, but there's worry tugging at the corners of his eyes, and he knows Usagi knows him well enough to pick up on it.]
They sure are. It's uh - it's definitely something that happened this month.
[The smile fades, replaced with a soft frown.]
Did you see Cass? [That she still had the Moonstone. ]
[He's hiding in his lab, trying to science his way out of this problem like he does everything else. The corruption sure isn't getting any better, and the added stress this change has given him is definitely not helping matters.]
I know. I don't... I think he caught something from the Omni? So try not to go on it.
[He looks up from whatever chemicals he's mixing, worry etched on his face.]
I'm trying to find some sort of cure, but I honestly can't tell what he's got to even start finding a way to fix it.
[As deep into corruption Varian is settling, it's NICE to see a message from Mako. Mako is good and solid and he often provides a mission, something to do, a distraction from everything else. And here he is, not disapointing.]
Hey Mako. I have, I've been trying to help people out. At least we don't get cold out there, right? The least we can do.
Have you? Do you need someone to go out there with you? Manabu said that was important. Doing it in pairs.
[Early Christmas morning wrapped up in a towel and nuzzled in a basket with sprigs of evergreen pines and dried orange slices will be a honey walnut pie. While Snow White doesn't really know... anything, about science, she knows how important bees are to everything, and the shape of their hives felt in line with Varian's interest.
Attached is a card with elegant writing:]
Merry Christmas Varian! I hope you stay warm and safe! Love, Snow White
[He's going to eat and adore that pie- she'll get a thank you letter once he's back to his senses- but hey at least he's eating? That's...probably something!]
[She doesn't get a response which is probably...worrying. Not even a little thank you note (as much as he'll love these gifts once he's back to normal) but you know, he's probably fine. ]
[Maul's fiendish delight in the holiday means he's once again broken into people's houses and used all the stealth he possesses to leave those he likes a gift or two. Sometimes, he even goes right down the chimney like a demented version of Santa Claus. Given how things turned out last year at the Disaster House, he just leaves them all on the porch instead. He leaves for Varian some unique spice holders and a pocket watch that he thinks is just the boy's style. He also leaves him a short note.]
Merry Christmas to you Varian. I hope you will enjoy these.
[Though Varian's definitely out of it by Christmas time, he will appreciate this so much- even with the creepy breaking and entering (uncle, please!) they're the best! ]
[So things have been getting... better. On a few fronts. Rapunzel's still worried, and she's been quick to dote on Varian or volunteer for cooking duty so nothing is too stressful around the house, so it's been making her hopeful. Hopeful that emotions won't run high anytime soon, which is why she wants to try Something.
At some point in the afternoon, Rapunzel makes her way up to Varian's room, and knocks on the door.]
[Having Rapunzel around had definitely helped speed up Varian's recovery in a way he's not sure it would have if she wasn't around. She's important to him in a way that's difficult to voice. A rock to cling to when the sea might threaten to drown him otherwise.
He's also been trying to not hole himself in his lab forever, even if it means sometimes having a quiet moment in his room to try and relax a little. All in the effort to take better care of himself. He opens the door on hearing Rapunzel's knock, smiling.]
Hey, Princess. Sure am, uh...you wanna come in? Fern's out right now, so it's just us.
[And if she steps in she'll likely notice a flower that looks VERY MUCH like the Sundrop Flower sitting on his windowsill next to a little daisy. Both are looking a little bedraggled around the edges- but in the way of plants healing from something traumatic rather than the other way around. ]
[The... camera is focused on the ground. Icy ground. And clawed feet. While bat-like wings flap around, slapping at the device. Someone is speaking - but, tragically, they're speaking Dovahzuul.]
[After contacting Willow, Luna, and John to make sure they weren't hurt, her next call was to Varian. Because they were both "Team Redemption" for Maul, and she knows Varian puts a different weight on Maul's redemption. So she hopes...]
Hey, Vivi. Are you... how are holding up after... everything?
[He definitely doesn't look great, but after last month, his reserves for dealing with bullshit are at an all-time low. He can't draw from the well of hurt right now, so all he finds are exhaustion and disappointment. ]
Honestly, not great. I just- how many times do we have to go round in circles like this, Usagi? Is he ever going to change or is he just gonna spit this back in our faces every time?
[After that post by Maul and his chat with Luna, guess who Fern is going to hunt down?
That's right, this nerd. He's concerned, intensely concerned for both him and Usagi. They stuck their necks out for Maul and the guy doesn't seem to care, and he's well aware just how deeply this is going to hurt both of them.
He goes looking for Varian down in the basement lab, creeping down the stairs and poking his head in. Blodeuwedd is on his shoulder, her antennae twitching.]
[Varian knows, he knows that locking himself away and wallowing is the opposite of what he should be doing. Especially right now, when his recovery is still so shaky. He should be out and about and talking about how much this is hurting.
But old habits are hard to break, and he's just so done with everything. So he's holed himself up in his lab- trying to work on an experiment or two in order to shake the feeling of betrayal that's seeping into his chest.
At the sound of Fern's voice, he does pause. The coldblood effects are still very much with him and ease some of the anxiety just having him nearby. He shifts from the bench he's peers around to the door of the lab, raising a hand in greeting. ]
[So, January was pretty awful! Which has made it awkward to really talk to Varian too much recently: not just because of Varian recovering from beasthood, but because the latter half of the month had Zib shedding his skin like crazy and making him physically and mentally a mess for a moment there. Thankfully Luz helped, but it seems he's still experiencing some... lingering side effects, so to speak.
Varian is the first person he finds himself comfortable with the idea of saying something about it to, since the other has some experience and, he likes to think, is a cool older brother type that won't judge him too much here. He hadn't before during that awful memory trip, after all.
So, with all that in mind,he sends the following message.]
hey you know how you suddenly grew horns and a tail briefly and it was a sign of things to come before turning into the big fire breathing rock monster
[... wow zib could you have asked that with any less tact]
[January was a pretty terrible month, one of the worst Varian has ever experienced. He hated it a great deal, but at least now it's over and he can start to heal again. He's glad to see Zim's message, he's been worried about his friends while everything has been going on- touching base has been tricky.
But wow that is sure a message right there. ]
That's a comforting sentence to read. Yes, I do remember that vividly.
( It's the middle of the night when the message to Varian comes. And it seems... like the person texting is maybe having a bit of a hard time with it. )
[Varian is trying his best to take better care of himself these days- get as good a night's sleep as he can in, not stay up all night working on projects and the like. So he was sleeping when his omni goes off with a message. Grumbling out of sleep, he untangles himself from Fern's sleeping form to squint at the message.
Well. That's Peter's username but that definitely isn't Peter. There's only one person in the entire city that refers to him as Fern's Mate. Paimon is the last person he ever thought would be messaging him and for a second he's wondering if he's having some sort of nightmare. But nope. This is a thing that's happening. ]
I've been studying the pthumerians a lot since I got here. Her name keeps coming up as one linked to October, even if that's Cloverfield's domain. It's weird. She's supposed to be the patron of forgiveness and regret.
...Do you think it might be her? I've had my concerns but I kind of hoped I was wrong.
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droptheious) wrote2021-06-20 12:39 am
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