Under Darkness [AU]

[Tethras Clan]

"Anders what are you- you already have that future. All you have to do is to keep doing what you've been doing. Before this morning anyway. What pressure?" he demands.

[GamesMaster]

"That's what I thought about Marian," he groans. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Well, you're not crazy anymore, so that'll help. And you know it's not a one and one thing," Varric points out. "But seriously, what pressure are you talking about?"

[GamesMaster]

"My whole life, I've had shit for being gay," he says quietly. "Then Marian comes along and I'm not. I panicked."

[Tethras Clan]

"So you're biseuxal? Fight right in then," Varric says gently. "The only one that would have ever given you shit over it is Carver and he's... trying to be better than that. Work in progress, but he's trying."

[GamesMaster]

"I still-- in all these years, there have been two women, Varric, only two. It may be years before there's a third, if ever. Some part of me says I have to make this work or I'll never have children."

[Tethras Clan]

Varric considers that a moment. If I met someone, the only someone (if anyone, wouldn't it have been Hawke?) that... I actually... (ugh) wanted, that way, how would I react? "Aren't you like... not even thirty? With those odds, that's about five, ten years. Tops. And, again, you're already in. You're on track. You don't have to do anything stupid, just... keep being Anders. Hells, even if you don't want them for sex, Merrill wants tons of kids, she'd probably be happy to raise a few with you just as friends."

[GamesMaster]

"I'm going to screw this up," he whispers. "I already have. How did I not notice I was falling for her until it was too late?"

[Tethras Clan]

"That actually seems to be typical," Varric informs him. "Least as well as I can tell from the outside anyway." A pause. "Or... personally, if you widen your definition of love. Hawke as supposed to just be my assistant. Just a bit of charity to make up for cleaning up after my idiot brother instead of stopping him. Merrill was just my assistant's goofy friend. Hells, she was supposed to just be a job, just a simple escort mission. And now they're Clan."

[GamesMaster]

"I knew it was wrong. I knew. But then she was under my robes and I'd say anything not to let it end. If this goes on much longer, I'll abuse my power worse."

[Tethras Clan]

"...I can talk to her. She's not ready for sex anyway, even you pressed, she'd just have a panic attack. And you wouldn't... push, knowing that. Because it did stop there, didn't it? So clearly, you have more control than you thought. But..." Varric considers it for a moment, then shrugs. "Shite, if you're really worried about it, I have compounds I can make that will... discourage little Justice from manifesting. Or we can get a geas on you. 'Go a year without sex' is limited enough it wouldn't need a recast. And it could be renewed if we needed it."

[GamesMaster]

"Justice is gone," he says quietly. "The idea of a year without sex sounds unbearable, though I guess that's mostly because that's about how long it's been. But a geas to not have sex with your daughter would be welcome." 

[Tethras Clan]

Varric stares a moment. "Little Justice. Your erection. I can make something that will dampen your libedo," he clarifes. "But also the geas if you want it."

[GamesMaster]

"Oh." He blushes. "That's... not something I've ever even considered calling... that." 

[Tethras Clan]

Varric shrugs. "I don't... often nickname those sorts of things, but it's traditional for it to be Little 'something' so.. anyway. Point is I can help with that. And meanwhile, we can... try and talk though your weirdness about marriage."