Forget-Me-Not (Varian x Reader)

Chapter 69- The Garden

Varian and I weave through the crowd of people, muttering "Excuse me"'s as we travel. Varian pulls me out of the crowd and through the courtyard entrance, onto the cobblestone street of Corona. I send him a questioning look, and he doesn't say anything. Instead of entering the city like I anticipated, Varian turns a corner and guides me along the palace wall until we reach the royal garden.

The garden, in peak bloom, is stunning. Perfectly sculpted hedges shaped like horses stand guard on either side of the entrance, and the stone pathway leading into the garden is lined with bushes full of pink roses. The sky is painted a shade of pink similar to my gown, and the glowing sun casts a golden glow onto the garden. I gaze at it all in awe. I had only been in the garden a couple of times before; until Rapunzel showed up, my parents wouldn't allow me into the garden because it isn't walled off. "How'd you..."

"-Know about this place?" Varian asks, admiring my wonderstruck face. "Rapunzel told me about it earlier. I know how busy you've been with the wedding preparations lately, and I think you deserve a break."

"Aww, Var..." I wrap my arms around the young man and hold him tight. "Thank you."

"Anything for my angel." He grins and gently kisses my forehead.

My cheeks turn the same shade as the sky as I look up into his beautiful blue eyes. Although his face has changed over the past few years: it's matured with age, he's gained new freckles on his cheeks, and some scars now paint his skin...but through it all his eyes are still the same ones I fell in love with. "I love you." My lips blurt out.

Varian doesn't hesitate when he replies, "I love you, too."

We gaze into each other's eyes for a moment, before I ask, "...So why did you choose the garden?"

"It's kinda romantic, don't you think?" His fingers gently select a nearby rose and he offers it to me. "We don't have much time, but would you take a stroll with me, m'lady?" His voice comes out overly formal and I giggle.

"But of course," I reply, accepting the rose and taking his arm.

As the two of us stroll through the stunning garden, I listen to the songbirds that float through the wind singing. Varian occasionally points out a rare type of herb he's used in his alchemy before, and I hang on to every word he says, making mental notes for future birthday gifts. After a while, we find a secluded bench underneath a pergola covered in blue flowers. Varian brushes a couple of leaves off of the bench, so I don't potentially soil my gown and get in trouble before I sit down. As Varian sits beside me, I find myself in perfect bliss.

"(Yn)?"

I look away from the flowers and turn to my boyfriend. "Yeah?"

His cheeks are rosy, and he takes my hands in his own hands when he says: "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything." He pauses. "(Yn), you've changed my life. You were the only one who wanted to be my friend when we were kids. You always believe in my dreams, even when they sound crazy. You listened to my doubts and fears. You never gave up on me, even when everyone thought I was beyond redemption." Tears begin to leak from his eyes, and I gently cup his cheek in my hand and wipe them away with my thumb. "You're the reason I'm the person I am today." He continues. "Without you, I'd still be rotting in that cell. I never would've freed my father, and I never would've become the royal engineer of Corona. I never would have seen the light again. But when I look back on those times and what could've been, the thing that scares me the most is that I wouldn't have you in my life." He squeezes my hand. "Because I love you more than anything."

Tears fill my (ec) eyes as I listen to his confession; my heart swells with nothing but love for him. Varian is everything I could've ever wanted. "I'd do it all a thousand times over for you, Var. You're worth that and so much more. I love you."

The sun dips beneath the horizon, and in the last light of day, I look only at his face. We slowly lean our faces closer together, until our lips gently press against each other. My eyelids flutter shut as we kiss, and my hands gravitate to his head, my fingers running through his black hair. Varian grabs my waist and pulls my body closer to his, close enough for me to feel his heartbeat against my chest.

"I love you~" I mumble into his lips.

He hums in reply and seizes his opportunity to deepen the kiss while my lips are parted.

I tug on his hair a bit from the sudden action...although I'm not complaining about his boldness. I lean forward in an attempt to get even closer to him, pushing his body against the pergola. The dainty smell of flowers rubs onto his tailcoat and I breathe in the beautiful scent.

I suddenly feel his mouth leave mine. Any disappointment is short-lived, however, when his lips trail down to my neck and begin peppering my skin with kisses. He's gentle with me, so much so, that it feels like little butterflies are landing on my neck. My breath hitches and I feel Varian's mouth curl into a smile.

Even after being an official couple for almost two years now, our make-out sessions never cease to leave me a blushing mess.

My body continues to gravitate closer and closer to Varian, absolutely addicted to his touch.

Crack.

Varian and I gasp as one of the four support beams of the pergola begins to crack, and abruptly snaps, sending the two of us toppling into the bush behind us. As we land in the bush, me on top of Varian and our faces mere centimeters apart, we stare at each other a moment before we burst into a fit of laughter.

"What are we going to tell my parents?" I sputter out through my giggles.

Varian's eyes widen and his laughter subsides. "Your dad's gonna kill me."

I quickly peck his lips. "Nah...he knows how much I love you," I reassure while standing up, wincing as the branches of the bush swipe my skin.

I offer my hand to Varian and help him to his feet. He steals a glance at the now-rising moon. "We should probably get back before people start to get suspicious." He comments.

"I think they're already going to be suspicious, Varian." I gesture to his dress suit, which is now covered in soil, leaves, and pollen, and then my gown which is stained and torn from the rose thorns.

Varian groans and buries his face in his hands. I only giggle. "It will be alright. Besides, I had fun." I wink at him.

Varian smiles a bit and I carefully run my fingers through his now-messy hair in a futile attempt to tame it and brush out any leaves from the fall. My heart practically stops when I notice something poking out of his black locks. I slowly free the item and show it to Varian.

His blue eyes twinkle and the corner of his lip tweaks into a grin as we stare at it.

A single blue forget-me-not.

Fin.
(Stay tuned for the epilogue!)