You breathed in the fresh morning air as you walked down the streets of Old Corona. Under your arm, you had a basket filled with ham sandwiches.
Quirin had left Old Corona on business a couple days ago and wouldn't be back for a few more. Varian hadn't left his house once within that time. You figured he might approximate some company, considering how often he was alone.
You walked up the front steps and knocked on the door. There was no answer.
"Varian?" you said leaning your ear against the door. You jumped when the door slightly opened. It wasn't locked.
"Hello?" you called stepping inside. "Varian? Are you home? Hello?"
You yelped when something jumped in front of you. You sighed in relief when you saw it was just Rudiger. You laughed a little. "You scared me," you said. "Do you know where Varian is?"
Rudiger didn't respond in any way. He just turned and ran.
"Rudiger, wait!" you said chasing after him. He seemed to run all over the place until he ran in to what you could tell was Varian's lab.
You pushed the door open and walked in. "Varian?" you softly called. "Are you in here?"
"(Y/n)?" you heard a familiar voice say.
"Varian," you happily said approaching him. "I was starting to worry that something bad happened--" You gasped and stopped in your tracks. Varian was right in front of you with a long stick in his hand and bandages wrapped around his eyes.
"Varian!" you exclaimed dropping your basket and running up to him. "What happened to you?"
"It was an accident," Varian said.
"Y-y-your eyes," you said. You saw a few tears slip out of the bandages. You carefully embraced him and lowered both of you to the floor until you were sitting. You continued to hold Varian close as he sobbed into your shoulder.
"I'm sorry," Varian said in between his cries.
"Sorry?" you asked looking at him confused.
"You told me to stop doing experiments that could hurt me, and I didn't listen," Varian said. "I'm an idiot. I'm a handicapped idiot."
"No, Varian," you said rubbing circles on his back and stroking his hair. "It's okay. I'm not mad, and you're not an idiot."
"You say to the guy that blinded himself," Varian said.
"That doesn't make you any less capable," you said. "You could tell I was here by relying on your ears instead of your eyes." You picked up one of the ham sandwiches from the basket and put it in Varian's hands. "You can tell what this is by using taste instead of sight."
Varian carefully lifted the sandwich to his mouth and took a bite. "Ham sandwich!" Varian happily exclaimed and continued to gobble it down.
You giggled a little at Varian's excited state. You reached forward and took hold of his arm before taking his glove off. You motioned for Rudiger to come to you two. Rudiger did as he was told. You placed Varian's bare hand on Rusiger's fur. "You can tell who this is by feeling it."
"Rudiger," Varian said. Rudiger happily chittered and jumped into Varian's lap.
"See?" you said. "Your still just as capable as you were."
"Thanks," Varian said with a smile.
"Varian?" you asked. "Do you think you could tell what anything was by just feeling it?"
"Maybe," Varian said. "I mean based on what you've told me so far."
"Well, can you tell me what this feels like?" you asked leaning forward.
"What?" Varian asked.
You quickly pressed your lips against his. You could sense some shock in the way he reacted, but you felt him ease into it. You both pulled away after a few seconds. Both of your faces were bright red.
"Oh my gosh," you said covering your mouth. "I'm-I'm sorry! I don't know why I did that! I-"
"(Y/n)," Varian said placing his hand on yours. "It's okay." You saw a smile creep across his face. "I like you, too."
"You, you--" you tried to say.
"And even though I can no longer see your beauty," Varian said. You rolled your eyes a little trying to hold back a laugh. You knew he was definitely going to be overdramatic. "I can still hear your sweet voice and feel your soft lips.
You laughed as you embraced him in another hug. "You're such a dork," you said.
"Yeah, your dork," he simply responded. You blushed and smiled.
