The Alchemist ✰〘 Varian One-Shots 〙

✰13. The Tale of The Corpse Bride 🍂

Key:

(H/c): Hair color

(Y/n): Your name

(E/c): Eye color

Bold italics: Singing

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"Varian - are you sure we should be out here, tonight?" the (h/c) girl asked while shrinking into herself, terrified of the dark trees and shadows that surrounded them. The slender alchemist just kept walking and didn't pay much attention to her concerns.

"Of course it's fine (Y/n), it's just the Snuggly Duckling," Varian explained with a comforting smile, "the world's friendliest tavern filled with ruffians and thugs from all over the seven kingdoms..." his smile started to fade as he heard his own words, "You can hold my hand if you're scared."

"I'm not scared of them, I'm scared of...other things..." (Y/n) looked over her shoulder and shivered.

"Just because it's Halloween night, it doesn't mean there's ghosts hanging around." he sighed and threw his hands in the air in frustration. (Y/n) had been petrified the entire walk from Corona. Soon, his irritation softened when he saw how genuinely anxious the (h/c) girl was. "Look, we're going for Rapunzel. You know you're gonna be protected from anything when she's around." Varian spoke assuredly, earning a smile from (Y/n). Then her eyes trailed to the distance.

"Oh we're here, finally." She cooed when she spotted the warm glow from the windows of the rustic tavern further down the path. The pair walked to the source of light and the faint music and laughter grew louder and louder. Just as they approached the doorstep, Varian hit his toe on the raised root of an oak tree.

"gAh! This is why I don't walk at night." He exclaimed and leaned against the thick bark of the tree beside him. (Y/n) gave a small chuckle at his misfortune, and they resumed their journey to the front door. With a creak, (Y/n) pushed the wooden frame open; releasing a blast of hot air and noise into the chilly outdoors. Varian stepped beside her and the whole tavern stopped their chatter to stare at the pair. A few seconds of deathly silence passed, with only the crackling of the fireplace making a noise. But soon a friendly voice broke the hush.

"Varian! (Y/n)! You made it!" A short-haired brunette ran to them with a grin spread on her freckled face. With her acknowledgement of the new arrivals, the selection of thugs and pub-goers resumed their merriment.

"Hi Rapunzel!" Varian and (Y/n) said in unison with a wave to their charismatic friend. She took the duo by their hands and led them to a table by the fire, then handed them a plate filled with delicious looking snacks and sweets.

"You should try some of Atilla's pumpkin pie. Best. Pie. Ever." Rapunzel emphasized as she filled up their tankards with some sort of berry juice.

"It's so good to see you Rapunzel, I saw 16 things that could've possibly been ghosts on the walk over here." (Y/n) said as she took a drink of the purple juice, only to scrunch up her nose in response to its bitter taste.

"No, I looked at all of those things and we discovered that they were all shadows or bunnies - remember?" Varian expressed while discreetly pushing his tankard away, mostly because of (Y/n)'s reaction to it.

"Well, you know The Snuggly Duckling had a ghost. She was a really good singer actually." Rapunzel sat down opposite them and recalled her paranormal encounter.

"A ghost?!" (Y/n) stopped chewing a piece of pumpkin pie in shock.

"Come on, there's no such thing as ghosts." Varian stated as Rapunzel gasped.