The night was peaceful it had gotten a bit cooler yet warm the last few days leaving it much nicer out to be outside, though at the moment everyone was sound asleep tucked in their beds. The star night sky hovering over them, as they slept peacefully.

That was all but Quirin who was having a very hard time falling asleep, the larger male stared up at the celling after much tossing and turning leaving a painful knot in his stomach. He sat up rubbing at his eyes his body slouched over with a slump.

Taking off his Glove Quirin glanced down at the mark on his hand, tears filling his eye's. He covered his face with his hands body shaking as silent tears streamed down them.

14 years had gone to fast, leaving Quirin reeling at just where it had gone. Tomorrow Varian would be 14 ½ leaving Quirin dreading that day, he still had to tell his son the news.

How do you tell a child who had only known his father for 14 years that he wasn't his father?, and the King had asked him to raise him up someplace safe? And that starting tomorrow he would be living in the Dark Kingdom. Being raised up until he turned into an adult. By a man he never even remembered.

Quirin had tried not to get attached, knowing that he would one day have to give Varian up. Tried to keep him at arm's length. But as Varian grew up Quirin found it harder and harder to do.

Leaving Quirin heartbroken at the thought of losing his son,

Well I guess he wasn't even his son.

Putting his glove back on running his fingers through his hair Quirin got up able to navigate through the room even with the lights off, he paused at his son's door for a moment. Before opening it, it was dark all but the nightlight attached next to Varian's bed.

Quirin smiled sadly at this. Varian still was afraid of the dark, after all these years. Would the Castle have nightlights?

Quirin shook his head trying to rid him of those thoughts, he quietly made his way into his son's room closing the door behind him. Sitting on the bed he gazed down at Varian who was snoring softly chest raising and falling. His beloved Raccoon Rudiger curled up at his side.

Quirin felt tears well up again knowing this would be his son's last night living with him, which made an empty hole in his chest. He gently ran his fingers through his son's hair, stroking it gently. Varian leaned into the touch with a sigh body relaxing.

He scooted over in his sleep laying his head on his dad's knee, he curled further into the blankets falling back into a deep sleep.

Swallowing thickly Quirin continued to run his fingers through his son's hair, a couple tears fell onto his gloved hair eye's clenching tightly shut. When they blinked open sorrow filled them. If he could've taken back this arrangement he made years ago. He would.

But then the bittersweet realization hit him, he never would've met Varian. He never would've gotten the joy to have this bright young man in his life for 14 and ½ years. But the time had come and gone so fast, Quirin wished he would've stopped having the fear. And spent as much time with his son as he could have.

Now it was too late.

By this time tomorrow he would be alone once more, never again would he have moments like this. Have Varian cause experiments that would cause the Village to erupt into chaos. See his son making experiments late into the hours, and have to remind him to sleep and eat.

The innocence of his alchemy would not be tolerated by the King, leaving King Edmund to try and force his son into be a mini him. And Quirin shuddered at the thought. Varian was perfect the way he was. Mistakes and all.

Quirin had no idea how he would break it to his son, no matter if he wasn't his or not. This was his son, bitterness filled Quirin.

He did all the hard work and then Edmund got to swoop in and take what was his, someone who he loved and cared for years. By himself. His wife passing only a few years after they have been entrusted with their son.

Sherry had been thrilled about raising a child even if he wasn't hers, though Quirin was pretty sure that she would've handled the time coming to an end as hard if not harder than he. Though how Quirin was feeling right now, he didn't even know if that was possible.

They never were able to have kids, Sherry having gotten a bad terrible illness which she had passed from over time. So taking care of the Kings child was just as good.

"Da…d?".

Quirin jolted out of his gaze eyes glancing down at his son who blinked sleepily up at him.

"What are you doing up?" Varian mumbled eye's drawing in concern expression still sleepy. "And in my room?".

"I just came to check in on your". Quirn have his son a soft smile. Reaching over running his fingers again through his son's hair. Who leaned into the touch with a soft sigh.

"Dad you've been crying?" Varian made to sit up, when Quirin put a steady hand on his shoulder pushing him gently back down.

"Go back to sleep Varian, don't worry about me I'm fine".

Lies his mind told him.

'Are you sure?" Worried blue eye's gazed up at Quirin making Quirin swallow thickly. Trying not to think about that soon he wouldn't see his baby boy anymore.

Quirin forced a painful smile nodding.

"I'm fine son". His voice wavering cursing himself for showing emotion.

Varian searched his dad's eye's and didn't seem to believe it, but he dropped it as he laid back down eye's never leaving his dad before burying into his pillow. He reached out gently laying his hand ontop of his fathers.

"I love you dad".

Quirin gave a sad smile ignoring how those words were like a hammer to his heart.

"I love you to son".

"Will you stay?" Varian mumbled already half asleep.

Quirin stood up nodding as Varian scooted over leaving plenty of room for Quirin to lay down, once he was settled Varain scooted back over to his father resting his head on his father's chest. Yawning he curled up against the man using his chest as a pillow.

Within seconds he was out, soft snores escaping him as he slept trustingly in his father's arms.

Sleep came much harder for Quirin that night.