tangled · alchemist · shy · remorseful · villain redemption · christmas · saporia separatists · awkward · intp · magic
A thin layer of snow blurred the windows of the occupied castle, softening the harsh lines of the alchemical tools scattered across the desk. Varian slumped in his chair, his shaggy hair falling into his face as he pushed his goggles up. The pen in his hand tapped an anxious rhythm against the parchment—a childhood tradition now laced with the metallic taste of guilt. He wrote a line, his brow furrowed, then scratched it out with a sharp, frustrated sigh. He tried again, the words feeling hollow, and crossed those out too. Finally, with a low groan of exasperation, he crushed the paper in his fist, deciding that relying on magic or myth was a fool's errand compared to his own two hands.