Work Text:
Varian’ POV:
“Deep breaths… Deep breaths…”
The view from the castle windows has never been this intimidating before.
I pace around the dining room, quadruple-checking each and every decoration made. The flowers aren't wilting yet, which is good. Nothing appears to be out of place. I then examine the dishes, silverware, and other table toppings.
“Ok, good. Everything is lined up– wait!”
I immediately realign a spoon, being extra careful that it matches with the other spoons laid across the table.
“Varian–”
“GAH–!” I yelp, nearly jumping out of my skin. I turn and see Princess Rapunzel standing at a distance behind me. Her brows are knit together with distinct concern, which matches with the way her hands link together nervously.
“Are you alright?” Rapunzel asks, stepping closer to me. “You seem… really anxious.”
“Anxious is an understatement,” I reply with an unconvincing and uncomfortable grin. “I feel like I'm about to cry, throw up, pass out– take your pick.”
“I'm sorry,” she mumbles sympathetically, setting a gentle hand on my shoulder.
“It's fine,” I say. “It'll be fine. I'm just… scared– terrified, actually. I have no idea if I'm going to be able to handle this. It's been years since I last saw her. What if she doesn't want to see me, or what if I make a complete fool of myself while she's here?”
“Varian–”
“No, no, no–” It's nearly impossible to hide the panic in my voice. “This is going to go well. I’ll be just fine. In fact, I’ll be so fine that she won't even know I was scared to begin with! I am a master of confidence. Just look at me! I'm hiding this all decently, right?”
Both of Rapunzel's hands are on my shoulders now. “Varian, you need to calm down. You're worrying me.”
Our eyes meet, and I momentarily freeze to catch my breath. She looks up at me, scanning me for any signs of distress.
“Varian, it's only a tea party,” Rapunzel says softly once she can tell I'm slightly calmed down. “This is Y/n we're talking about. She's not one to critique how fancy the table looks. How do you know she won't be happy to see you?”
“I don't know– maybe because I haven't heard from her in a long time,” I reply, fear rising once again. I gently swipe the princess’s hands off me so I can return to pacing.
Rapunzel sighs and softly speaks my name again. However, I'm not listening.
“I have waited five years, and today is the day,” I sing slowly. I sigh. “I have spared no expense. All that stands in my way… is a tiny little castle with a tiny little table, filled with tiny finger sandwiches…”
Rapunzel stares at me expectantly.
“I am not ok.” I clear my throat, and the pacing becomes increasingly faster. I reinspect the table for the millionth time. “Only four hours left, and there's too much to do. I don't know what to wear, what to say, how to stand when she's standing inside the foyer– of a tiny little castle at a tiny little table filled with tiny finger sandwiches– Haha, drown me in the bay!”
“Varian?” Rapunzel says. “It's seven o’clock in the morning.”
“Today's the day!” I shout before promptly clearing my throat. Now rather embarrassed, I continue. “Have you got everything you need in the shape of– of tea?”
Rapunzel perks up instantly. “Ah, I picked up, uh, some lemon cakes at Attila's.”
“At what?”
“It's a... it's a delicatessen. I hope that's okay?”
“Yes, of course, of course. They're fine, Princess.” I freeze up at the sound of thunder rolling across the cloudy sky. “Paper says the rain should pass by.”
“A quick summer storm,” Rapunzel agrees, stepping close to the window. She stares outside with a wide grin on her face. “Maybe there'll be a rainbow!”
“This is an omen” – I throw my hands up– “We need to cancel the whole thing!”
Rapunzel rushes over to me and sings, “It is tea, it's only tea. No need for such commotion” – One hand rests on my shoulder while the other swipes through the air– “Soon you'll be laughin', reminiscin' – you will see. It is tea, it's only tea–”
I start to walk away. “I'm gonna walk into the ocean.”
She stops me. “You're gonna go and put your feet up and leave it all to me.”
“Of course, you're right,” I say nervously. My hands fidget without end. “I'll just go get changed and– Well, I didn't want to be a bother, so I picked up a few tea things. I'll bring those on by– and some shrubbery.”
“And remember, It's only tea!” Rapunzel calls out as she briefly leaves the room.
“Put the oysters on ice. Cut the lilacs and cake–”
Castle staff bursts in. “Shuck the oysters! Cut the cake!”
“Bring them over at once– This is all make or break.”
“Bring them over! Make or break!” The castle staff does what they are told.
“It's a simple chance encounter at a simple little table filled with simple little sandwiches. This is a mistake.”
“It’s time for tea! It's time for tea!”
I've moved on from worrying about the table setup to my clothes. “Is it pinstripe or plaid? Is it two-piece or three?”
“Pinstripe, plaid– What does he need?”
“Is it olive or Orval or brown? I want carefree and fun but not rodeo clown!” My voice grows louder with panic. “She should know that I mean business, but I'm also being casual with teeny-tiny sandwiches. I should go lie down.”
“Itty-bitty, teeny-tiny, scrummy-yummy sandwiches!”
“It is tea, it's only tea. It's not so complicated.”
“It’s not to complicated–”
“Soon we'll be sittin', sippin', lost in memory. It is tea, ha! It's only tea. It's just been elevated–”
“And not premeditated!”
“ –with a pleasant bit of serendipity.”
My singing grows softer as I gaze out the window.
“Will she see I've made my world in the image of her dreams?” I sing. “The closer that I get, the farther that she seems. But there is no too much. There is no too far. There is only tea and a rewrite of the stars!”
Rapunzel suddenly enters. I adjust my tie for her.
“How do I look?” I ask.
“Perfectly tailored,” she replies with a smile.
“Too tailored? I told them to keep it casual!” I huff.
The princess and I have our backs turned towards each other. The staff moves all around us, fixing everything to make sure it's all perfect.
“It is tea, it's only tea,” we sing together.
“No need for ostentation–” Rapunzel begins.
“A little decoration!” I try to move away to go fix something, but the princess pulls me right back.
“Soon you'll be laughin', reminiscin'” – She spins me like we were in a waltz– “you will see. It is tea, it is tea–”
I move over towards the exit, determined to leave. “I'm going home!”
“It's only– Wait, what was that?”
“If Y/n isn't coming. I am going– Thanks for helping! – but I cannot wait all day.”
“Wait!” Rapunzel cries out.
“She is late, so I'm off to go scream in a jar.”
“She's not late, Varian– Stay where you are!”
I run my fingers through my hair, tempted to rip some of it out of my skull. “In a tiny little castle where I'm quickly going manic. A tiny little castle–”
My shoulders are gripped harshly by the princess. “This is not the time to panic.”
“A tiny little castle In the hull of the Titanic…”
Rapunzel lets me go and rushes to the window as I sing. “There she is!”
“It's time for tea!” The staff announces.
“Varian?”
Y/n’s POV:
It has been five years since I had last set foot here at the castle. It towers above me in a menacing way. Though, that could be due to the dark clouds that are hanging above it.
The minute I step outside the carriage, Pete and Stan rush up to me with an umbrella.
“Good morning, Miss Y/n,” Stan greets me, graciously hovering the umbrella over my head. “It's such a pleasure to have you here today.”
I smile warmly at them both. “Just Y/n is fine. Thank you for the umbrella. I really appreciate it.”
“It's no problem at all, Y/n,” Pete says. “Come right this way. The princess is expecting you.”
As I follow the two men inside the castle, a sanctuary of butterflies resides in my forever-churning stomach. It took a lot of convincing my father to actually let me be here. In any other circumstance, he would've said no. However, Princess Rapunzel supposedly was summoning me over to discuss important matters regarding Old Corona and their recent struggles to keep out local, crop-eating pests. Once he understood what the summon was about, he was eager to push me out the door just so we can get this problem fixed.
I'm nervous but glad to be here at the same time.
It's been ages since I last got to go somewhere somewhat far from home. I've been stuck in the fields for far too long recently.
We eventually reach the entrance to the dining room. Stan and Pete station themselves by the doors, open them, and remain behind as I enter the room. My eyes widen at how beautifully decorated it is. Various kinds of flowers are everywhere, bringing all sorts of color to what could've been something simple. The table is also decorated with a lacy tablecloth and fancy dishes and silverware. The princess paces around the room anxiously, her hand thoughtfully under her chin. She's muttering to herself incoherently.
“Er, excuse me, Princess?” I call out.
Rapunzel snaps up instantly, smiling in a friendly manner. “Oh, Y/n! It's so wonderful to see you again. How are you?”
“Good,” I reply, taking note of how strangely worried she appears. “How about you?”
“Oh, everything's fine,” she says unconvincingly. “I, uh, I told you that I wanted to discuss Old Corona’s pest problem, but I, uh… just wanted to have a tea party with you.”
I glance over at the table, noticing the China glass tea set and finger sandwiches. I smile eagerly, feeling myself start to relax. “Oh, that's nice of you to offer. I… I was actually hoping for something like this– something relaxing.”
Rapunzel's fingers entwine. “Great! Take a seat, then. Ooh, this should be fun!”
Time Skip
“He's been really overbearing of me these past few years,” I sigh, plucking my fourth finger sandwich from the tray and setting it on my plate. “I can't go anywhere without him wanting to know exactly what business I have with those places.”
“That sounds stressful,” Rapunzel empathizes with me. “My dad is the same way sometimes. I'll never forget the time he locked me in my room and put bars on the window. He means well, but… he can take things too far when he feels the need to protect me.”
I nod in understanding, taking a bite of the sandwich. “I’m relieved I was able to come here today. My father doesn't like me coming here, you know.”
“That would explain why I haven't seen you in a while,” Rapunzel muses. She takes a sip of tea. “How come?”
I swallow the bit of sandwich in my mouth, a pit of sadness bubbling inside me. “He doesn't want me to see Varian anymore.”
Rapunzel nearly chokes on her tea. “What?”
I shrug, trying to hide the pain I feel deep down. “He still thinks Varian’s dangerous. Varian's blown up Old Corona too many times, according to my father. Not to mention, there's that criminal record of his…”
“But he's made up for what he did!” Rapunzel protests, setting down her teacup. “He’s proved that he can be trustworthy from now on.”
“I know that, but my father doesn't seem to agree.” I sigh and shove the rest of the finger sandwich in my mouth. “I told him that being the Royal Engineer is a perfectly respectable career and solid proof that his crimes had been pardoned, but no! He just doesn't see how wonderful Varian can be. He never understood that. I don't know how to convince him that Varian isn't dangerous. I miss him a lot.”
“He misses you, too,” Rapunzel tells me.
My eyes light up and my posture straightens out. “Have you heard from him recently? Is he still out on that journey he told me about?”
“He's come back, actually,” she replies with an enthusiastic smile.
“Oh, gosh– really?!” I gasp. “Is he here? Where is he?”
Rapunzel shrugs. “I'm not sure. He ran off before you arrived. This arrangement was set up so he could get a chance to see you again.”
My heartbeat quickens. I can't believe what I'm hearing. “Wait, are you serious?”
Rapunzel jazz-hands at me. “Surprise!”
“I… I can't believe this…” I mumble, heat rising to my cheeks. “Do you happen to know where he ran off to?”
She shakes her head. “No, I'm sorry, I don't. You can look around for him, though. I won't stop you.”
I stand up and wrap my arms around her gratefully. “Thank you.”
She returns the hug. “Of course. I'm happy to help out a friend.”
Once we separate, she shoots me a look of determination. “Go get ‘im, Y/n.”
I nod in response, just as determined as she is. “I will.”
I book it towards the door and wave goodbye to her. “See ya, Raps!”
Rapunzel waves back with a smile on her face. “Let me know if you find him!”
The search for Varian around the castle proves to be more difficult than I anticipated. The castle is large and spacious, and Varian is apparently excellent at hiding.
The more I wander around, the more sorrowful I become as I remember the last time I saw Varian. Our last interaction had been bittersweet, heavily implying that I might never see him again. My father had done a very good job keeping me away from him, but that didn't stop me from wanting him by my side.
My heart aches desperately, yearning to feel his hands in mine once more. I long to observe his beautiful features and hear his lovely voice. Those blue eyes of his look like clear pools of water that I could swim in. I used to point out constellations in his freckles and admire that rebellious blue streak in his raven-colored hair.
But I can't love him the way I do…
… not when I know I'm not supposed to.
My father would never allow me to love him, anyway– no matter how much I want to.
However, I'm tired of waiting for my father to change his mind. I know he never will.
I'm going to find Varian, I decide, and I'm not going to lose him again.
The elegant sound of music fills the hallway around me, tickling my ears with a sensation of calming serenity. I turn my head towards the direction of the alluring melody and follow it until I reach a room I'm not familiar with. My head peeks around the doorframe. The room I discover is large with a green-tinted, glass dome as its ceiling. Lots of vegetation grows here– vines, flowers, and other similar plants. In the center of it all is Varian himself and a grand piano. He's playing a song on the piano– a beautiful and gentle song. It soothes me upon hearing it. I stand back, terrified of disturbing him. He doesn't appear to have noticed my arrival. Then, he lets out a sigh and begins to sing softly.
“Can you see through the mist? Look out this way.” His fingers move gracefully along the keys of the piano. His voice is low but still audible. “Can you see the green light just 'cross the bay? Sometimes it's winking, sometimes it's warning, blinking its message to me until morning. It's a lighthouse, it's a signal flare. Stay back, come quick, move on, stay there. Only we know what we're going through. If I save you, will you save me too?”
The keys on the right end of the piano seem to twinkle as Varian plays them. He gazes off towards the green, glass-stained window of the dome, his expression softening as he smiles sadly. “Can you see through the mist? Look, 'cross the bay. Can you see the green light? It's yours, Y/n, dear…”
My heart thumps wildly in my chest as I hear his singing start to die down. He stops playing. My legs and arms tremble and wobble like I'm at sea, but I push myself to move forward and towards the piano. Varian finally sets those beautiful eyes of his on me, taken aback by my sudden appearance. I clasp my hands together, fingers entwining near my aching chest. I start to sing my own tune.
“I thought you'd disappeared, thought you were gone. Buried you in my heart, but as I moved on…”
Varian gasps, clutching the sides of the piano bench like he sees a ghost.
“I had this feeling, as I was falling, the sound 'cross the bay was the sound of you calling,” I continue. “Like a foghorn, like a siren song. Retreat, return, be lost, belong… Only heaven knows what I might do. If I save you, will you save me too?”
Varian stands up, tears filling his eyes. “Save me too…”
He embraces me, and the world seems to slow down. I return the gesture affectionately.
“My green light…” we sing together. “Blinking permission, sending a code. Granting admission, follow the road. Wrong or right, my green light…”
Seemingly out of nowhere, fireflies flutter out from the plant life inside the room. Their green lights flicker as they fly around us. I'm astonished by the sight. Varian pulls himself off of me, though keeping his hands in mine. With a firm hold on me, he starts us off on a waltz. I'm able to able to catch on to the dance quickly, following along with the rhythm. He hums the melody of the song he was previously playing as a way to keep in time. I can't look anywhere but his dazzling eyes, and the same can be said about him. Eventually, we come to a stop. Our hands still interlocked, I give his a gentle squeeze.
“I thought you'd disappeared," I sing softly, “thought you were gone…”
“Buried you in my heart, as I carried on…” Varian continues.
“Buried you in my heart, but as I moved on…”
“As I moved on–”
We sing in harmony once more. “I had this feeling, as I was falling, the sound 'cross the bay was the sound of you calling.”
My turn. “You're a lighthouse.”
Then his. “You're a lighthouse.”
Now together. “You're a signal flare. There's love and danger everywhere…!”
We start dancing again. “Only we know what we've both been through. If I save you, will you save me too? Save me too… Save me.”
The waltz progresses quickly until we feel our legs grow tired. And, with one last spin, we stop dead in our tracks. We're staring deep into the depths of our souls. There's so much warmth inside him– I can feel it. In this moment, there is no one else in the world but us.
“Save me too…!”
At the end of our song, I pull him in for a passionate kiss of admiration. Varian, much to my surprise and excitement, kisses back. The way our lips move together is magical. I can feel the world start to slow down again. The fireflies surround us, flickering their light as they travel. My arms are around his neck, while his around my waist. Once we part, I find myself lost in his eyes once more.
“I can't believe it's really you,” Varian whispers. A single tear falls from his left eye. “Y/n, I… I missed you– so much.”
I reach up to wipe that tear away. Varian melts into the touch, accepting every part of it. I smile with my lips quivering profusely as I try to hide back tears of my own. “So did I.”
His hands still on my waist, Varian pulls me close. Our bodies sway slowly from side to side, my cheek pressed against his chest. I feel his quickening heartbeat against my ear, which has grown to be quite hot during this interaction.
I look up at him and say to him softly, “Varian, can I say something crazy?”
Varian chuckles with a smile that practically melts me down to a puddle. “I love crazy.”
“Well, I… I love you, Varian,” I confess to him, my hold on him growing stronger. “I've loved you for a long time, and– and I’ve always wanted to tell you, but my father was always holding me back. I was terrified of what he might think about me– about us. But now… I'm done holding back. I want to love you freely and without a worry in the world. So here I am, saying this to you. I love you– with all that my heart has to offer.”
Without saying anything at first, Varian moves his hands up to my face. He cups both sides of my face and lowers his head to plant a kiss on my forehead. Then, he says to me, “I love you too, Y/n. I always have.”
I'm rendered speechless for a moment before suddenly bursting into a gentle fit of giddy laughter. I start to cry, only these tears are ones of joy. Varian takes this opportunity to scoop me up into a bear hug, rubbing my back up and down. His cheek nuzzles against my hair, each exhale fluttering its strands.
We stand like this for a while, subconsciously refusing to let go of the other. For a moment, I hear him thank God for sending me back to his loving embrace, to which I do the same internally.
My father will more than likely be furious with my choice to be with Varian, but I don't regret returning to him.
He will forever be my green light.