Storyline 360: Need help with what I think is a 'variables' problem

Not sure it is a variable problem if you have a trigger on each button to show layer 1 or layer 2 no need for variables, unless I have misunderstood what you want to do

Sorry Cindy, I don't quite follow what you are wanting to do. So you have 2 buttons, the action for each is to show something on a layer? Button 1 to show what's on layer 1 and button 2 to show what's on layer 2 correct? But you don't want the user to be able to press button 2 until they press button 1? In that case, make the initial state of button 2 disabled. when the user presses button 1 create a trigger that says change state of button 2 to normal when user clicks button 1. 

I do have triggers on each button to show their associated layer.

Here's the scenario:

I click button 1 and view the layer with the reveal text.

When I click button 2, I want to still be able to see the reveal text for button 1, AND see the reveal text for button 2 on layer 2.

And the reverse: if I click button 2, and then click button 1, I want to be able to see the reveal text for button 2.

So if that is the case, you just need to change the layer properties for each slide to not hide other slide layers. This will allow both slide layers to be visible at the same time.

That's IT! thank you!