Every Step of the Way

Chapter Fourteen

{I apologize for taking forever to update. Life happened.}

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Varian had absolutely no clue what had happened.

He had blinked and BAM! Cassandra was mad at him and going crazy.

He had been serious, though, whenever he mentioned to her that she was so much more than she thought. He had named Cassandrium after her because it did remind him so much of her- just inanimate and unmoving. And the song he had written? He had written it with her on his mind- his feelings for her and how she was so much more than she even dared to think.

But... was that possibly what put her over the edge?

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked quietly, slumping back against Cassandra's bedroom door, dejected, "because, if I did, I didn't mean it."

He didn't know who he was trying to say this to, but the act of just saying the words soothed him.

"You know I would never mean to do any such thing. It's just... I want you to know that you aren't just... you aren't just what's on the outside. Nobody may ever completely know you, even you, but... there is just so much more to you than what's on the outside."

Varian sighed, letting his hands flop to his sides in defeat.

But he never moved from that spot on the floor just outside of Cassandra's door.

~-~

Unbeknownst to Varian, Cassandra was right on the other side of the door, also slumped on the floor.

She could hear everything that he was saying, and she fought hard to not reply, to not break down and consent to everything he was saying.

"...Cassandra, I know you, and I know that you are a very special person. I hope you understand that. Nothing could ever change that. I swear."

His quiet voice wobbled through the door, surrounding her.

"And... if you ever need anything, even someone to just be there, just know that I'm always right here for you."

She turned to face the door, to face him. Putting a hand to the door, she sighed quietly, longing for truth.

Was anything that he was saying to her, anything he had said to her before- was any of that true?

Truth might hurt at times, but sometimes, it came as a comfort.

Something hard, solid, something to lean on in this time of crazy, mad, hurried thoughts and feelings. Lies and deceit.

Was it too much to ask for just a little bit of truth?

"Cass... I know how it feels," he whispered, "I know how it feels to not know who you really are, okay? For years, I thought I was just a kid who wanted nothing more than to please his father. A weak people-pleaser who didn't look or think or act like 'normal' people. But then... you and Rapunzel and Eugene came along and taught me that I am so much more than how I look, so much more than people's first impressions of me. You taught me to be strong, to be brave, and to be myself. I just hope you'd heed your own words, listen to your own advice."

That did Cass in.

She choked out a sob, all of the world coming down around her. All that seemed to be there anymore were herself and Varian, separated only by the door and her feelings.

"Cass...?"

"I... I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about..."

She cut him off, "yes, I do. I've been this crazy, whacked-out person, constantly pushing you away, and all you ever do is just wait for me, reassure me that everything's going to be alright."

"Cass, please don't... please don't cry."

She smiled a little before speaking again. "Thank you, Varian. For always being there for me, even when I'm being a jerk."

"You're not being a jerk," he said quietly, "you're just... confused."

"Okay, then. Hey... I'm gonna open the door, so, wherever you are, you might want to move out of the way."

The young boy quickly scrambled to his feet in the hallway, rushing out of the way of the door.

"Okay. Open it whenever."

She tentatively reached for the doorknob before twisting it and opening the door.

It felt nice to have the door open again. When she had closed her bedroom's door, it actually mirrored how she felt on the inside- closed up to anyone and anything, not willing to let them in.

But having an open door both physically and mentally... it felt great. It felt freeing.

She gave a watery smile before running right into Varian's open arms.