𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕘𝕖𝕥 {𝕍𝕒𝕣𝕚𝕒𝕟 𝕩 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣}

-Chapter Thirteen- Where We Belong

/do you recall the day where we went wrong?/ time is flying/ ease your weary mind, we'll be alone/ where the skies are gray/ where we belong/

-where we belong, shayfer james

"Rrrgh! No! Why won't it work?!"

Varian flung his goggles off of his head with a dismayed expression, and Y/n took her gloved hands off of the drill controls, the silver tip spinning to a stop.

"It should have worked!" cried Varian, who had stepped away from the tip of the drill and punched the amber as hard as he could, looking like he was about to begin crying again. "It-it should have-"

Y/n stepped over and took his hand, giving him a reassuring look. He stepped forwards and Y/n wrapped her arms around his waist. Varian accepted the hug, sniffling like he was trying not to sob.

"It should have worked." his voice broke. "Why didn't it work?"

The two of them had been trying everything that they could think of since they had discovered the amber. Neither of them had slept in over three days, and it was certainly showing. They both looked terrible. Both Varian and Y/n had dark circles under their eyes, and Varian's hair was matted, while Y/n's golden streak's glow had dimmed from its usual shine.

Y/n had been growing increasingly exhausted as the days went on- her initial rush of anger had remained, keeping her furious, but it was becoming harder to maintain as her energy decreased. Varian, on the other hand, kept swinging between rage and hopelessness, screaming one minute and sobbing the next. Needless to say... neither of them were doing well.

Varian had made the blueprints for the drill in a day, fueled by pure adrenaline. Once Y/n had helped, they had finished it the day after.

It hadn't worked the first time, but Y/n hadn't given up. This is what scientists did- they found out what they did wrong, and they improved it.

But then the next improvement hadn't worked.

Nor had the next.

After this third version of the drill had failed to pierce the amber, Y/n was beginning to lose hope. As her despair grew, her fury only intensified. How dare Rapunzel hurt Varian like this? Y/n was supposed to carry the suffering. She was supposed to carry all the hurt. Varian shouldn't have to feel like this- but he did now, and it was all because of Rapunzel.

"Varian." she said softly, pulling away from him, doing everything in her power to keep the anger out of her voice. She refused to let any of this rage be directed towards him. "I have some alchemy resources back at the palace. Books, papers, the like." She looked into his sorrowful blue eyes, rage flooding her veins when she thought of the reason why he had to feel like this. Your sister.

"Look, these rocks seem unbreakable. Maybe... maybe I can find something. Something we haven't tried yet." Varian looked hopeful, and gave her a weak smile.

"Besides," continued Y/n with a bitter expression. "I can see what Rapunzel is up to."

Varian's expression turned to one of similar emotion. Over the past few days, his respect for Rapunzel had grown into something twisted, and Y/n had watched as her name produced increasingly angry reactions from him.

"Just promise me one thing?" Y/n asked sadly. "Eat something? Please?" As Varian opened his mouth to protest, Y/n interrupted him. "And you're going to sleep when I get back."

Varian looked indignant. "I can't! I can't rest! I have to keep trying, I need to-"

"Varian, your brain can't function without food and sleep. And, just to mention, I think this falls under my duties as an assistant. So if you don't take care of yourself, I'm going to find some blood, and you'll pass out- so you're sleeping either way."