Hazelnuts and plaid

[Varric]

"Outcome of what?" Varric asks wearily, feeling like he's missing something obvious.

[Helene Dakesh]

"When this one gave advice to Hawke, this one did not anticipate it driving her to drink or that causing a rift between Clan members. This one apologizes for perhaps unnecessary bluntness?"

[Varric]

Varric blinks slowly, eyes squinting as he catches up. "Oh. I didn't realize... was it-- no, of course it was, she asked to talk to you privately," he mumbles. "Nevermind. Wasn't your fault anyway, I overreacted to seeing her drinking wine. Haven't really slept much since Aveline wrote me but what I have gotten has been mostly nightmares."

[Helene Dakesh]

"Do you require a sleep tonic? This one can take Beinn Varric's place in the investigation..."

[Varric]

"Should probably take one tonight," Varric admits with a sigh. "And figure out how to apologize better to Hawke."

[Marian Hawke]

"It's fine." Wearing a fresh tunic and with a fresh glass of wine, though one protected by her hand much more than before, Hawke hesitates in the doorway again, watching Varric closely. 

[Varric]

Varric ducks his head, his hands staying empty thankfully. "Really not though," he disagrees. "Panicking about you dying or not, I shouldn't have just-- just-- just that."

[Marian Hawke]

"Me dying?" she asks, sipping her wine. "I think I'd need more wine than we have in the house to die of drinking wine."

[Varric]

"Not if there's toxin in it," Varric says softly. Juice and wine are close (enough for my imp to find purchase anyway). And Zevran was drinking wine (from you) outright. 

[Marian Hawke]

She hesitates, then lowers her goblet. "You think...? Well, this bottle was already half drunk, and Aveline's fine. Still." She looks at the goblet suspiciously for a moment. 

[Varric]

"No, not really, just-- that was why I..." He grips the air and pretends to pull a trigger. "Nightmares," he adds awkwardly, lowering his hand.

[Marian Hawke]

"That it was me?" she asks, sympathetically. "Yeah. I had nightmares much of last night, too. Not as bad as usual, though. I guess my brain couldn't come up with much worse than what's already been happening." Varric leaving, Merrill dead.... She makes a face, suddenly, taking a longer sip of her drink. 

[Varric]

Varric's eyes track the declining volume of the wine, but he holds his tongue. If it stays at a single half-glass... "Yeah. Just... gut-reaction, removing what the imp labeled a threat to you."

[Marian Hawke]

"So," she says brightly. "Have you figured out what your plan for today is?"

[Varric]

Varric's eyes narrow. "Step one, figure out what you're angling for right now," he says pointedly.