#but leaves room for varian if he feels it´s necessary

[amyriadfthings]

Thomas leaning against things while waiting for Varian to come to him:

important gifs by @verarin-i-love-i-love-i and @barrowsteeth 💖 

[varian-the-unstable-alchemist]

Dont ask for context. I just wanted to post this so its in one place to share-

Regular text was written by me, and italicized text was written by @purple-steven​ ‘s mun

---

Varian groaned, his mouth was dry and it felt as though his head was splitting open. He went to rub his eyes before he realized.... right. He was tied to a chair. At least it was a chair this time. It wasn't exactly comfortable, but it was better than being hung from the ceiling by his wrists, which was what he had woken up to last time. He didn't try to struggle. He knew it wouldn't help. He held his eyes closed, mentally assessing his body. He was mildly disappointed to find he still only had on a thin tank top that was far too big for him, the same worn trousers, and a small tight-fitting metal collar. Everything else had been taken from him. His gloves, his boots, his goggles, even his binder. Gone. He didn't know how long he's been here, but by how long his once sleek, but now matted and tangled hair had grown he could tell it had been at least two months. Anger had long since bled into despair and he held little hopes that he would ever be released. That he would ever see his friends again. His brothers and sister. He should just forget them, he wasn't going to see them again. He only hoped they weren't still looking for him. 

Everything ached, but the lack of open wounds was proof enough that he had died again. After a few moments of deep breaths, which felt like he was inhaling shards of glass, he opened his eyes. He was met with the same dark stone room that his eyes had long since become accustomed to the light level of. Andrew was sitting in the corner of the room. His emerald eyes shining in the darkness. a smile slipped onto his face when he saw the ravenette was awake. Varian had no energy to react at all, so he just gazed at him with empty eyes. Eyes that had been glazed over with hopelessness since he realized there was nothing he could do or say to make Andrew let him go. 

"Good morning sleeping beauty" Andrew whispered as he steadily made his way towards the bound alchemist. Time had no meaning anymore. It could be morning, it could be night, he didn't know. 

"What should we do with you today?" Andrew continued when Varian gave no reaction. "Maybe I could give you a treat and take you outside...? Leaving you in the ocean to drown a couple times could be fun..." 

Varian knew Andrew was only playing with him. He already knew exactly what he was going to do with him. He always did. Andrew reached up and took his face in his palm with a gentleness that didn't fit the situation. Varian instinctively tensed at his touch but resisted the urge to jerk away, knowing it would only result in pain. "I think we're going to do something a little different today... Im sure you miss your friends, right?"

Varian didnt respond, but he repressed a whimper of pain as Andrew's grip started to tighten.

"Right?"

" ...y-yes..." Varian rasped.

Andrew smirked, releasing him and starting to walk towards the door on the far side of the room. "Well, how about we send them a message?"

Varian looked after him and he entered it and came out with a video camera. Varian's breath caught as he started setting it up in front of him and he realized what he was planning, a look of fear breaking through the wall that had been built to protect himself. The video camera was old, the kind that used a VHS tape. Well, to him it was new, as he was from the past, but it was old compared to the kind of technology this current time period has. He shook himself out of that train of thought. He needed to get himself out of the habit of analyzing everything he sees. Alarms went off in his head as soon as Andrew turned it on, setting it on top of something that was about on his head level. 

---

There was a package left outside the library. Nothing special, just a brown cardboard box with a red ribbon wrapped around it. There didnt seem to be anyone around, and it was probably left there sometime that night

Lav was still searching for Varian, he's so worried, he hasn't been able to catch any leads or anything... He hasn't even been sleeping well, he was going out for fresh air. But he noticed the package. He grabbed it, opening it quickly, he's got a bad feeling. Mysterious packaging is always a bad sign.

Inside was a folded piece of blue clothing, after further inspection, it was obvious that this was varian's hoodie. It was ripped in places and bloodstained. Underneath the hoodie was what looked like a cassette tape, where there's supposed to be a label, there was just a smiley face that looked like it had been drawn with blood by a finger.

Lav was... Staring at it, shaking, racing to the living room and pushing in the tape, turning it on. He needed to know what had happened, he needed to know where they were.

The video started, and a dark room flickered into view. In the center was Varian, tied to a wooden chair with thick ropes that look old and worn. He was pale and dangerously thin, his once beautiful blue eyes were clouded over and he was trembling visibly, despite the low quality of the recording. He was wearing a black collar around his neck, there were dark purple bruises blossoming on his wrists where he was tied too tight than necessary and his hair was quite a bit longer and hung in clumps around his face. The tank top he was wearing was thin and far too big for him. He looked cold. He gazed at the camera with a look of despair and fear, tears starting to form in the corner of his eyes. 

Lav was shocked at the sight, he wasn't sure how to react. He was mad, he was sad, he was feeling the weight of guilt. He had let this happen. He had died, and he didn't stop Andrew. He was close to the TV, far too close than he should've been, and he was scared. Scared for what was to come.

"Something wrong?" Someone out of frame asked, and varian's eyes flicked from the camera to a point slightly above and to the left. "I thought you would be happy to be given a chance to talk to your friends again... hmm... that reminds me. who should I give this to? What about the hybrid you call your "older brother"? I bet he would love a chance to hear from you again..." It was obvious that whoever it was was smirking, just from his tone.

Varian opened his mouth for a moment before he hoarsely whispered, "...lav..." at a volume so low it was only barely picked up on the tape, his eyes going out of focus for a moment.

"VARIAN!" He was shouting, banging at the TV. God, what was he doing? He knew he couldn't get to him, he was too late, he needed to search for something, anything that would help him get there. But he couldn't look away from the sight. He felt sick, watching what he felt was a younger brother of his being this bruised and battered. He wanted to help. He needed to help, he's let this happen for so long...

The voice chuckled and stepped into view, walking over to stand sightly to the side and behind varian. He was immediately recognizable as Andrew. He twirled a dagger between his fingers as varian started at the camera in fear, frozen, not knowing what to do. Andrew leaned down next to varian's ear at the same time he raised the dagger to varian's neck, pressing the cold blade against his pale skin and whispering just loud enough for it to pick up on tape. 

"Nothing to say? Not even a hello? Come now, dont be rude...."

Varian visibly swallowed before repressing a sob and choking out, ".. H-hello lav..." His voice was raspy and hoarse.

Lav was shaking the TV, unaware of the tears that were streaming down his face, coughing with the tears choking him. He could only watch, trembling with anger towards Andrew.

Andrew smiled in satisfaction and drew the knife away. Only to drive it into the flesh on his right lower arm, smiling wider as varian let out a strangled scream, tears streaming down his face as he instinctively tried to jerk away. Anderw gripped his upper right arm in one hand and his jaw with the other, forcing him to look at the camera. "Go on, ask for help. Beg for him to find you, tell him where you are so he can come to your rescue. You know this is the only way he'll hear you. I'll reward you with a quick death this time...."

"Varian, please, hang on, please... Tell me, tell me..." Lav was desperate, looking at him in the eye, trembling more the more he stared. He could see the pain in his eyes, he could see the tears well up, he let this happen...

Varian was trembling harder now, the dagger still protruding from his arm and the hopelessness and despair visible in his eyes. He closed his eyes and shook his head to the best of his ability, but cried out again when Andrew tightened his grip. Starting to yell what andrew wanted, just for a bit of relief "aAAAAHH! I-I dont know where I am! L-Lav.. im scared..." he choked on his words. "p-please.. p-please help me, please I-"

Andrew drew the knife out of his arm and plunged the bloody dagger into varian's gut. Varian's eyes widened for a few seconds before he gagged, doubling over in pain as tears streaked down his face, his body shaking feebly. Blood dripped from his mouth as he looked up at the camera one last time with an expression of agony. "...l-lav... please... help me...."

Lav didn't know how, he didn't know, he had to find him. But there was nothing, only darkness and a chair, a bloody one too. He needed to find him, he had to do something, he needed to find him at any cost. And he needed to kill Andrew. He had to, otherwise he'd be doing this forever. He just stared, he felt overwhelmed with guilt and anger, his hands clenched in to fists as his eyes stayed fixated on the sight. God, he felt sick.

The broken alchemist let out one last sob before his energy drained and he slumped forward against the ropes. After a few seconds, his ragged breaths followed. Andrew slowly pulled the knife from varian's body, brushing his hair out of his eyes and smearing varian's blood on his face. He stepped towards the camera, obscuring varian from view. 

"You wont find him. This I can guarantee" He whispered before the screen flickered to black.

Lav just... Stared. He's not sure what to feel. Andrew... god, he... he should've been stronger, he shouldn't have let this happen. Now, he had to make this right. It's his fault after all. He knew was he had to find him. No matter what it takes.