A nice, cool breeze blew through Corona, and Varian shuddered slightly. But he wasn't about to back down from his plan.
For years, he had been harboring a major crush on Cassandra. And today... Today, he was planning on telling her. Admitting his feelings to her. He would not be ignored, he would not back down out of fear. No. He had a plan, he had a goal. And, despite his fears, he was going to execute it.
It was the Day of Hearts, the celebration of the union of Old Corona and Saporia, and Varian was determined to make the most of it this year.
Holy cow, Varian thought, I'm actually going to do this...
"Hey, Varian," a familiar voice called out, "what are you doing here?"
He looked up at Rapunzel, managing a weak smile. "Hey, Rapunzel. I- I..."
He sighed, pulling out a small, heart-shaped piece of paper. The princess's gaze softened, recognizing what it was, what it symbolized for the young alchemist.
"Oh, Varian!" she said, trying her hardest not to get overexcited, "how exciting! You've got this, I know it!"
"I- I hope so," he muttered, "but, even if I don't freak out... Who's to say that I'm not going to be rejected? Who's to say that I'm not making the biggest mistake of my life?"
"I'm not saying that you're not wrong, but... You never know until you try. For all you know, this could be one of the turning points of your life."
Varian had heard all of this said before, but... It seemed different when the princess said it to him. He felt better about it already.
"Yeah... Thanks."
"Hey, anytime," she smiled, giving him a hug, "you've got this."
-----
Varian was failing in his resolve. He didn't have this, he couldn't do this...
He stayed in Corona all day long, near the castle, trying to gather his courage. But as soon as he saw her, his resolve died.
Everything inside him just seemed to... Die down.
And he wasn't even close to her. They were across the courtyard from each other, and she hadn't even noticed him... It wasn't too late to run.
Which he did, accidentally leaving the slip of paper behind.
-----
"Varian!"
He knew that voice. The voice only made him feel more nervous than he was before. But he turned around to face Cassandra.
"Hey."
"Hey. I-- you left this in the courtyard," she said, pressing the paper into his hand, "I don't know what it is, but... It must be important to you."
Varian's body was tingling. His head spun, and he felt like throwing up. But... She had presented him with an opportunity. One that he had to take, or else he would regret it for the rest of his life.
"Yeah, it is important to me," he said, "thanks."
And he pressed the paper back into her hand. She looked at him quizzically.
"I-- it's for you, actually."
She cautiously opened it up-- a wise decision, really, since Varian was known for accidentally exploding things-- and read it quickly.
The more she read it, the more surprised she looked. "Varian... I-- I never knew."
Varian shrugged like it was no big deal-- even though it was anything but.
"Well... This is kind of awkward," he muttered after a little while, looking at the ground, "umm... You can leave now. If you want."
"Why would I want to leave?" she smiled at him, offering her arm, "come on."
