Under Darkness [AU]

[Marian Hawke]

"Keindranas isn't so bad," she spits. "Plenty of people in this world need to be tortured to death. Maybe I could do more good on that front."

[Tethras Clan]

Aveline's jaw tightens. "If you're still looking to hit people, I'd prefer you use your fists. Or your staff, thank you."

[Marian Hawke]

"What? What does that even mean?" she snarls, hands balling into fists. 

[Tethras Clan]

"It means I'd rather you punch me again rather than lash out with words, amata. Just because you're angry and upset with what Jadan and the drow did you doesn't mean you should take it out on yourself or us." Aveline has regained control of her temper, well enough to speak evenly again at least.

[Marian Hawke]

'Lash out with words'.

Hawke's eyes widen, and she recoils as if slapped. "ohgodsI'msosorryIdidn'tmeanto," she blurts, covering her mouth with btoh hands in horror. 

[Tethras Clan]

"I know," Aveline says softly, wrapping her arms around Hawke again. "I forgive you, amata. Always."

[Marian Hawke]

She shakes her head, pressing it against Aveline's chest a moment later. When she can speak again through the sobs, she adds, "Th-th-this is w-what got me th-thrown o-out."

[Tethras Clan]

"Hawke... you moved out. After Carver stabbed you, then your bitch called Varric your pimp," Zevran reminds her carefully.

[Marian Hawke]

She sniffles and nods. "B-b-but it's b-b-asically the s-s-same th-thing. S-she d-didn't w-w-want me a-after I s-sassed off and-- and-- she j-just w-wanted my m-money."

[Tethras Clan]

Okay, good, she does recall things as they happened, she's just putting them through the Marian-guilt filter. "Hawke, no. It wasn't about that. You might have a bit of a mouth from time to time but that wasn't what... caused that. Leandra was just... a terrible person."

Aveline sighs softly before cutting in to help Zevran out. "Your mother lost herself to selfish grief. She stopped caring about anyone other than herself. There's nothing you could have done to satisfy her. Even Bethany couldn't have made her happy by the time you were in Nyra. It wasn't about that anymore, wasn't about your sister. It was about her... it was about Leandra feeling put upon, feeling like she deserved to be... that she deserved to get her way because she'd suffered. Even if the people she was trying to get things from weren't the ones that had hurt her. Were in fact also hurt by the same things."

[Marian Hawke]

Hawke takes a couple deep breaths, shaking her head.  "Ask C-Carver. I was... I w-was a firebrand. I t-try, so hard, not to be that w-way anymore but..."

[Tethras Clan]

"You've learned how to... channel it, yes," Aveline says with a laugh. "But you're still a passionate and driven woman Hawke. You've just learned subtly and cunning. Probably from a certain dwarf- and a certain sexy someone," she adds with a wink at Zevran.

"And, based on my interactions with Carver, if firebrand you were, it is a clear family trait," Zevran chimes in as he runs a hand down Aveline's hip. "Carver is not exactly without temper of his own."

[Marian Hawke]

There's a brief pause. "Are you t-ttrying to distract me with s-sex? Because it's w-working."

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran snickers a little. "Aveline started it."

"I did not- I just made a joke, you're the one who..." the paladin sputters. She's come out of her shell a great deal in the last month or so but she's still very easy to fluster.

[Marian Hawke]

Hawke sighs a contented sigh. "I love you."