Hazelnuts and plaid

[Isabela]

"We're fine here, he doesn't dool." Upon seeing the look Helene's giving her, she raises her hands in surrender. "Kidding, kidding! Yeah, that's fine."

[Varric]

"I'll give you a hand," Varric offers, smiling wanely at Marian as he does so; can't slip off and eavesdrop if he's helping Isabela, who is canny enough to catch him out of he tires. Which Hawke would be aware of.

[Marian Hawke]

Marian and Helene slip out to the back garden while Aveline clears the dishes and Varric and Isabela put Zevran to bed. Helene comes in shortly after they finish, informing them that Hawke will be along in a moment, wanting time to think; when Hawke joins them in the parlor, where they're talking, she has a wine glass half full, raising it to her lips again from the doorway. 

[Varric]

"...I am freely and ashamedly admitting I overreacted," Varric announces, Bianca vanishing just as quickly as she'd emerged.

"You put a bolt in my wall!" Aveline struggles to get to her feet to go over and check on Marian.

"Greatly overreacted. And I am sorry. Err, to you for the wall and also even more to you, for uh..."

[Marian Hawke]

Marian stares down blankly at the wine and shattered glass she's now absolutely dusted with. "...What the actual fuck, Varric."

[Varric]

"Yeah... that. Sorry for that," Varric mumbles as Aveline starts brushing Marian off. When Beka approaches, she warns the mabari off, instead instructing her to glare at Varric.

[Marian Hawke]

"I'm allowed to drink a glass of wine once in a while!" she scolds, before waving Aveline off and just pulling the tunic over her head carefully. "Here, shake this off into the garden while I go hunt up another," she says casually, as if she didn't just strip down to breastband and form-fitting leggings in front of Helene, Isabela, and Papa. 

[Varric]

Aveline lifts her eyebrows but doesn't comment. Check her out, yes, but comment, no. Across the room, Varric was already rubbing his forehead before she'd done it. "I-- it wasn't about that, exactly. It was more... More it being wine," he explains quietly. "Sorry."

[Marian Hawke]

"Look, I know I said I'd cut back on the drinking, but I am not going to be able to get through the next few days entirely sober either. Let me try to moderate it before you freak out on me."

[Varric]

"No, that's-- that's fine, quitting abruptly can be worse for you," Varric says, waving her off. "Just caught me off guard, seeing you... holding a glass of wine, given... current events," he concludes weakly.

[Marian Hawke]

"Great." She takes a deep breath. "You owe Aveline a wineglass," she points out, turning to stalk back into the back bedroom to get changed. 

[Varric]

"Yeah, that's fair," the dwarf admits. "Wall too."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene rubs at nir head, with a small sigh. "This one... did not anticipate this outcome," ne admits. 

[Varric]

Varric slowly lifts his head, expression tired and resigned. "Sorry?" he asks, tone indicating that he's asking for clarification or repetition rather than apologizing or being politely aggressive. Word is remarkably versatile sometimes.

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one did not anticipate this outcome," ne repeats. "This was.. unexpected."