VariCassTober 2019

Day One (October 1, 2019)

Day One: Holding Hands at Night

This piece takes place somewhere in the middle of the chapter that I am currently writing for Step by Step, chapter two.

It was dark outside. Darker than Varian had ever really remembered it being before. Then again, he hadn't been outside much in the last few years. Or ever, really. Varian preferred the indoors, where he could perform his experiments in almost-complete peace and quiet. Occasionally, he would go outside at night to go stargazing. But not terribly often.

Tonight, there were no stars. There was no moon, either. It was pitch-black.

He fumbled around, trying to find something, anything, that could provide him with at least a little bit of light. His elbow accidentally jammed into something.

"Okay. Ow."

Make that someone.

A match was struck in front of him, partially illuminating the face of Cassandra. She used the flame from the match to light the lantern in her hand, providing much better lighting for the area.

"Oh, god... Cass, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you."

Cass rolled her eyes, though there was a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth. "I know you didn't. It just surprised me."

"It's dark!" he retorted, "I can't see anything!"

"I know that, too," she responded coolly, "but you're going to have to get used to a little bit of darkness for now. Until we get past the bridge, there's a fairly good chance that we'll be caught if someone sees the light of this lantern."

Varian gulped back but nodded nonetheless. "Alright. Fine. I... I can handle that."

I think.

Cass nodded her affirmation and held the lantern up to her face. She blew out the flame, again plunging the two of them into complete and utter darkness.

Varian immediately fumbled around again, finding her hand. He took it, holding it tightly. He trusted her to keep him safe, and to not lead him astray even in the midst of the darkest night that he had faced.

"Varian."

"Yes?"

Cassandra sighed a little. "... Never mind."

She knew that this wasn't exactly his element. She would just have to accept her fate.