It's the Science Fair part 2. Not a lot of action lately but Varian really needs to sit down with an adult who is not trying to use or manipulate him. What will come of this remains to be seen.
Content warning: Talk of past abuse and neglect.
Chapter 15
Sad Math
Claudie Kanté led Varian over to the concession area, gave him a bottle of water and sat him down.
"I'm sorry." he said, not meeting her eyes. "I didn't mean to cause a scene." She looked at him for a few moments before she spoke.
"First of all, how are you feeling, Varian? You seem OK but you looked pretty sick when you left a few days ago." Varian blinked in surprise.
"Oh, that…yeah sorry about the scare. It looked worse than it was. I was fine by morning."
"Does this happen often? The headaches I mean." Varian rubbed his head as if remembering the phantom pain from earlier.
"Not really, no. It only happened once before and again I was fine the next day." He wasn't used to people asking about his well being. Gabriel didn't really count, he was more of a partner looking after an investment but Max's Mom? What was her angle? She seemed nice but…
"Well I'm just glad you're alright." It…felt nice to hear. If she was being genuine of course. When he didn't respond she switched topics.
"It was always tough for Max, especially as a kid. It's not easy being smarter than all the other kids around you, even some of the adults as well. But I get the feeling you know something about that don't you." Varian looked up and slowly nodded but didn't speak.
"He was so lonely that he made his own friend."
"You mean Markov?" she nodded.
"I was so proud my boy could create something like that at such a young age but as a mother it was heartbreaking to know he felt like he had to. As sophisticated as Markov is, it's not the same as a human friend." Varian might have argued that friends didn't have to be human but he would have to reveal Ruddiger and it would kind of prove her point if he did.
"So imagine my surprise when the local jock he was tutoring starts hanging out with him outside of school. It may seem like an odd pairing but I see the way his eyes light up whenever Kim comes around. They balance each other out in a good way." Whether it was jealousy or bitterness, her words made Varian scoff.
"Sure he's not just using Max? Butting him up so that he'll help out only to ditch him when he's the one who needs help." He hadn't meant to say that out loud. He was debating about running when she spoke again.
"Is that what happened to you?" He gripped the table so hard his knuckles turned white beneath his gloves. She covered them with hers and he relaxed them a little. "I confess I was a little suspicious at first but as it turns out Kim has some insecurities himself. He covers them up well but he's more easily hurt than most people think. One of the reasons I think they became so close was because Max is very non judgemental and Kim can be more open with him."
She didn't go into details but what she said did make sense. Varian knew he was a bit prideful and that it could come across as being condescending. Another reason he had trouble making friends. He took a large swing of water and sighed. He knew where this was going, he'd heard it before many times.
"I get it. I'm the outsider here and Max has his own friends. I…I'll stay out of the way." He moved to get up but she grabbed his arm to stop him.
"Whoa, whoa, that's not what I meant at all!" she sounded seriously alarmed by his response which was confusing.
"What do you mean? This is the part where the parents tell me to stay away from their kid isn't it?" She looked like he had just slapped her in the face. "Hey it's OK, at least you were nice about it." As soon as she picked up her jaw from the floor she gently sat him back down.
"I only wanted to point out that even though Max and Kim are very different people they made a close connection and became friends. Just like I see you and Max are doing now. You can connect with him in a way Kim can't and for Kim it must be frustrating. I wasn't asking you to stop being Max's friend, quite the opposite." Varian looked like he didn't fully believe her, like he was waiting for the punchline.
"Varian, what was your home life before…before Gabriel took you in?" Varian rubbed his arms nervously.
"I'm not sure what you mean. It's just been me and my Dad since I was a kid."
"Any extended family or friends?" Varian shook his head.
"I don't know if Mom had any other family, Dad never talked about her after she died. He doesn't even talk about his life back in….Russia." He almost slipped and said the Dark Kingdom so he just used the geographical equivalent instead. "For all I know I could have a feral uncle and a warrior for an aunt." He tried to joke but she just looked at him sadly.
"Any friends back home?" He couldn't hide the scowl on his face.
"No."
"Didn't you have any-"
"I don't want to talk about it!" He snapped but then quickly back peddled. "Sorry." She tried a different topic.
"How is it living with Gabriel Agreste?" At that Varian relaxed a little.
"Safe." she wasn't expecting that. "Like someone finally hears me and doesn't lie, even if it's not always what I want to hear." She admitted she had been looking for signs of abuse, Varian was setting off a lot of red flags.
She got part of the story from Max but all she knew was that something happened to his father and he was on his own for a while until Gabriel came along. That and he was being homeschooled like Adrien used to be while working on some top secret project in the basement. That also worried her a little.
"Max says you're also working on a project with Mr. Agreste, what's that like?" He tensed up again.
"Can't talk about that, not yet. Sorry." she relented, whatever this was she wasn't getting anything out of him, at least not for the project.
"That's fine." she reassured him not wanting him to run off. "But it must get stuffy working all day in the basement. I had to train for working in a confined space as part of my astronaut training. It was hard work but the view was worth it." Her tactics worked; he seemed genuinely interested in her space training. He went home sick so they didn't really get a chance to discuss it. The conversation relaxed him a bit so she tried prying just a bit more.
"Some of my work was classified as well, I worked behind locked doors a lot."
"Same for me, well, locked from the inside at least."
"Not both ways?" she tested.
"Oh no, my doors are never locked, that's a rule." she blinked for a moment.
"So anyone can just walk in on you?"
"No, the rule is I can't be locked in. I can keep people out if I want." he said casually taking a sip of water like this was a perfectly normal thing to say.
He missed her shocked expression. That was more than a little disturbing. Why would there need to be a rule not to lock a child in a room?
"Was that your idea or his?"
"His," he said without hesitation. "He wanted to make me feel more comfortable and not-" but he cut himself off as if he just realized he was saying too much. "I mean…it's a safety protocol. You know, in case there's an emergency or a fire I have a way to get out quickly." He laughed nervously. "Anyway, I should get back to Max the Judges will be around soon and I still owe him an apology. I'll try not to embarrass him or fight with Kim either. Bye." He said quickly as he ran off not wanting this conversation to continue. She tried calling him back but he was already gone.
Even though Varian was trying to keep quiet, what he let slip told her a lot. While she wasn't sure what his relationship with his father was like the man seemed closed off. Having a child with an extremely high IQ can sometimes make it difficult for parents to relate to their children. She loved Max but she did struggle a bit in those early years. Fortunately they got some help and their relationship became even stronger because of it. It didn't sound like Varian and his father had that.
She did wonder if he was in an abusive foster home, one where he was locked up. He described Gabriel as "safe" and that was his first response. It implied where he was before was anything but. She wasn't the biggest fan of Gabriel Agreste and how he tried to shelter Adrien from the world but for someone like Varian, that security might feel a little different. She also couldn't discount the fact that the man had rushed over when Varian was sick and gotten him the help he needed. She still thinks there was a lot more to Varian's story than any of them knew but for now he seemed to be in good hands. She would make a point to keep an eye on him in the future.
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Adrien was having the worst day. Anything and everything seemed to be hellbent on stopping him from getting to the science fair. He even tried to sneak off and transform in to Chat Noir but every time he tried someone one would pop up. At this point he didn't trust his luck to keep on trying. But he would not give up! He would talk to Marinette today if it killed him.
The fire coming from the rear of the bus he was on almost seemed to be taking pleasure in the irony of his last statement.
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The judges came and went and at the end of the day Max won first prize and a lot of praise. The prospective colleges were already jockeying up to offer him scholarships and a few even offered early admission. It was common knowledge he could have skipped a grade or two but wanted the full school experience and didn't want to leave all his friends behind. It was a great day, one of the best he'd ever had. He just wished that his two closest human friends would stop glaring at each other. Oh well, at least they weren't fighting.
Varian kept looking at Kim who kept glaring back. He then looked at Max who had a happy but sad expression whenever he looked at the two of them. Swallowing his pride, Varian turned to Kim.
"You were right about one thing," Kim looked back with one eyebrow raised. "You're there for Max more than I am. I'm still not sure how much longer I'll be in Paris so it's good to know he'll still have someone he can depend on." Kim stared at him wide eyed, not sure what to say. Finally he found his voice.
"Yeah well, maybe I was a little jealous that you just swooped in and had his full attention. But I see the way he gets excited to talk to someone about his work who can totally follow along. Part of me wishes I could, you know?" Varian smiled sadly. This was what a true friendship looked like, it was a shame he could never be a part of it.
"Max is patient, if you put in a little work I'm sure he could teach you a few things."
"Don't I know it, he's the reason I didn't flunk out." he was quiet for a moment. "And not once did he make me feel stupid." Varian sighed. He never outright called the other boy such but he may have implied it a few times.
"Just because you're smart doesn't mean you can't act stupid." Kim looked at him surprised. "I've done some really stupid things in the past, some I'm…still trying to fix." An image of his Dad trapped in the amber flashed before his eyes. Kim's eyes softened a little.
"Just because you have to go back to Germany doesn't mean you won't be friends with Max anymore." That…wasn't going to work but Kim had no way of knowing that.
"Maybe, long distance relationships are hard to maintain."
"Don't you talk to your friends back home." Kim didn't miss the flash of anger that crossed his face. It took him a little by surprise.
"I don't have any to speak to." Kim would fully admit he wasn't the smartest kid in the class but the fact that Varian was angry at the mention of friends from his homeland implied he used to have friends but they weren't anymore.
"If it's that bad back home why not just stay here?" The anger faded from Varian's face and was replaced with a sad expression. As if he would like nothing more than to just say here but he just couldn't.
"My Dad needs me." was all he said but it was a reminder that not everything about Varian should be envied. Kim rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Listen, I think we both got off on the wrong foot. As long as you're here, for however long, let's try and make the most of it." Varian looked up surprised to see Kim's extended hand. At best he had been hoping to avoid the other boy but now he was giving Varian a peace offering. He was still skeptical but he was also tired of fighting. If Kim could be the bigger man than for Max's sake at least Varian could follow.
"Alright," he said, shaking his hand. "I'm willing to try if you are." Kim beamed, shaking back with enthusiasm. They weren't friends, they didn't even really like each other but that didn't mean they had to be enemies. Suddenly they heard a sob from behind them. They quickly turned to see Max staring at them both with tears in his eyes.
"Max, are you OK?" Kim exclaimed, running towards him.
"Are you hurt?" Varian exclaimed, equally worried. Max sniffed but there was a definite smile on his face.
"I'm…I'm just so happy." he wiped away a fresh wave of tears leaving the other two boys stunned. "When I was a kid I tried to create an algorithm for making friends…it proved unsuccessful. Then I tried to calculate my chances of making friends and the math was…sad." Markov patted his shoulder with his one metal hand.
"I have done the math myself and Max is correct, it was sad. Sad math." Max smiled back sadly at his robot companion."
"You don't want to even know the odds I'd have two friends fighting over me." Varian raised an eyebrow.
"You calculated the odds of that?" Max nodded.
"I was very thorough, maybe a little too much. But I used all that research as the basis for Markov's programing." The little robot hovered over his shoulder. "And that's how I made my first friend." It was a sad story even though it did have a happy ending.
"Now I have two close human friends as well! Thanks for trying to get along. I care about both of you." Both boys smiled but for Varian it didn't meet his eyes. Max saw this and assumed it was about him going back home at some point.
"Kim's right, you know, we can still be friends even if it is long distance. We can email and skype and social media makes it so much easier to stay in contact." Max said, hoping to alleviate some of Varian's worries.
"Yeah you really need to get online more. You don't even have a twitter account." Kim suggested.
"He's right, why don't you have any online accounts except email and text? Even Adrien does and well, you know how strict his father is." Varian was growing more and more uncomfortable by this minute. He knew the cover story Gabriel had come up with but he had honestly hoped he wouldn't have to use it.
"Look, don't spread this around but…the real reason I'm not in school or on Social Media is that I'm not exactly in this country legally." It wasn't really a lie he had no paperwork when he was dropped into Paris France. "After my Dad…I got a little disparate and those stupid mistakes I mentioned? Well they got me into a lot of trouble. Gabriel helped me out but he's also taking a risk by letting me stay."
Kim was surprised but Max had suspected something like this. Varian had a right to keep his private life private but some of the pieces were now starting to fall into place. Not enough for a full picture but some of his suspicions were now confirmed.
"It's it safe for you to go back home? Even with your father still there?" Varian rubbed his arm trying to center himself.
"Not really but I can't abandon him. We're trying to find a solution though." Kim frowned.
"What kind of trouble are we talking about here?" but Varian shook his head.
"Better you don't know." They weren't quite sure what to make of that but Varian was already looking like he was on the verge of a panic attack so they let it go.
"Thank you for opening up a little Varian." Max said, keeping an eye on him. "I know it must be difficult to talk about your past but we'll be here when you need to talk." He wanted to believe that, he really did, but he knew they would turn their back on him if they knew the full truth.
"I need you both to keep this a secret. I wasn't really supposed to tell anyone so I'm really trusting you guys." He looked at them with pleading eyes.
"You have my word." Max assured him.
"I won't say anything unless you say it's OK." Kim did as well.
"Promise?" He emphasized needing to be reassured. "You can't tell anyone, not even your Mom Max?" Varian knew she meant well and he could have used someone like that in his corner back in Corona but he couldn't have someone looking too closely at him. Max seemed a little unsure at the specific request but in the end he agreed.
"Promise." they both said and Varian finally felt himself relax a little. He wasn't expecting a Science fair to be this emotionally draining.
He had kept his first promise to Max but he still had one to keep for Gabriel. He didn't want to do it but it might help him get his Dad back. The more he stayed in this world and the more people he met the more he was wishing he could just be a normal kid here and have an actual chance at a good future for himself.
What a terrible son he was for thinking that.
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In the kingdom of Corona the royal adviser Nigel fought the urge to curse. He had come a long way from his humble beginnings and wasn't about to resort to such undignified manors even in private. But he couldn't help but lament that his carefully laid out plan had gone up in smoke. It was going perfectly and he was just about to introduce the Sapporian to the boy when he just vanished into thin air. At least he wasn't dead, he knew that much. Nothing would be salvageable if that was the case.
But now he had to rearrange everything. He had to convince the King to be patient, he had to stall the Princess even longer and most importantly he had to find that damn brat!
He closed the door to his private quarters and looked into a seemingly ordinary mirror on the wall. "The House of Yesterday's Tomorrow" he spoke and moments later the mirror glowed green and he was greeted with an image of Matthews or Troumus as their master had named him.
"Ah good to see you again Nigel. Any news on-"
"No." Nigel cut him off. "I have several of our brothers and sisters searching but so far no luck." Troumus raised an eyebrow.
"He must be either at the ends of the Earth or protected by magic if you're having this much trouble." Nigel fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"He vanished into a hole in the ground of course there's magic involved." He rubbed his chin in deep thought. "I just can't figure out who's." Troumus looked half amused at his brother's plight but also half concerned. The plan was currently jeopardy and so many pieces were currently in play.
"Do you require my assistance?" Nigel glanced back at the mirror. Troumus's house was one of the more powerful magical tools in the world but he was also confined to it. He was very useful but would not be much help finding the boy.
"You may have to delay the Princess and her party a bit longer." He laughed.
"Longer? Last I heard from my sources they were still at the Spire." Nigel couldn't tell if he was more relieved or frustrated that they were so far behind. True this worked in his favor but what could possibly be taking them so long?
"That's fine then, that makes it easier on us. Still hold off on your assignment until I say so we might need to change things around a bit."
"So long as the mission is successful I can be patient." Nigel ended the spell and the mirror once again reflected his face. He had a little more time than he thought but he knew better than to waste it. He needed to update the King as well as their ally on the road.
The game was far from over and he would see to it that they won no matter what the cost.
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The Science fair was officially over and most of the people had either left or were heading out. Varian spotted Marinette waving goodbye to Alix as the girls went their separate ways.
"Guess Adrien wasn't able to make it." He thought sadly knowing how much he wanted to smooth things over with Marinette. He was about to head for the pick up area where Gorilla was supposed to be waiting when he received a call from Nathalie.
"Hey Nathalie, the science fair's wrapping up so I'm heading out-"
"Varian, have you heard from Adrien at all today?" The question caught him off guard.
"I saw him at breakfast this morning, he said he had a fitting. Why? What happened?" Nathalie sighed.
"He disappeared from the fitting a few hours ago. I was hoping he contacted you, but he's not answering his phone."
Varian paled, should he tell her Adrien was planning to come here? If he left hours ago he should have been here by now. She sounded worried, no doubt Gabriel was losing his mind about now. He took a deep breath. Adrien could be in trouble, she needed to know.
"Actually Nathalie, I think he's-"
"MARINETTE!" The few people who were still at the fair all turned to the main entrance to see a very disheveled Adrien Agreste who looked like he just survived a war. He was panting and sweating, looking nothing like that perfect persona he usually wore.
Marinette was too shocked to run, and looked a little concerned as well.
"Adrien?" He nodded, relieved she wasn't running.
"Can we talk? Please." Varian almost forgot he was on the phone as Nathalie asked him what he knew about Adrien.
"...right here."
To be continued…
Adrien finally talks to Marinette. And no memory loss, Akuma attack, time travel shenanigans or even Chloe Bourgeois will stop him.
