Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Coquette Blacquin]

Gold looks relieved to see her return. "All is well?"

"He is saying you've been focused on a young man, Will Smith?"

He frowns. "Not in particular. Why?"

"Ah, see? Just a mistake." She smiles.

[Tethras Clan]

"Recognized the name right off then do we?" Zevran notes.

[Coquette Blacquin]

Cindy frowns, but Gold shakes his head. "That's why I say not in particular. Perhaps I have, but not by name or on purpose."

Cindy describes the man, in detail, and Gold shakes his head. "Doesn't ring a bell. Could be a lot of people. Why? Who is he?"

"Nobody."

A dark look crosses Gold's face, just for a second. Cindy doesn't seem to notice.

[Tethras Clan]

"She meant Will, not you," Zevran informs Gold helpfully. "I understand the confusion, but it's just her telling you that you don't need to know, not an insult."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"I know that," he snaps.

"Gold? What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing," he bites off. "Who is this Will really?"

[Tethras Clan]

"My money is on boyfriend," Zevran offers.

[Coquette Blacquin]

Gold's face sours; Cindy looks apalled. "No, what?! He is like my brother!"

"How many almost brothers do you have stashed about?" Mutters Gold.

[Tethras Clan]

"Ah, so that's your interest," Zevran says sympathetically. "You want to fuck her but she's not interested. Or have you just not had the nerve to ask?"

[Coquette Blacquin]

As he sputters, Cindy frowns. "No, we... We talked about this," she begins.

"Yeah, about how I'm not good enough. You would rather have Ozymandias!"

"That's not-- this isn't right," she frowns. "This isn't how it went. This isn't how he found out about Will."

[Tethras Clan]

"How did he find out about Will?" Zevran asks curiously, seizing on the change of topic to keep Cindy from falling back into complacency. 

[Coquette Blacquin]

"I... I don't know," she says slowly ."He must have followed me."

[Tethras Clan]

"You just said 'this isn't how he found out about Will' so... how did it really happen?" Zevran presses. "You know the answer."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"I don't know," she says, with a shiver. "I really don't. I just... I just got a note and--"

She stops, shuddering, and he can see her fade as if into the shadows, leaving behind a thin, transparent shell woth a smile.

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran rolls his eyes, then follows her into the Dark Truth. "Got a note?" he prompts her there.

[Coquette Blacquin]

She looks up, startled, and she's holding a note crushed in one hand -- and there are tears streaming down her cheeks. She leans against the wall, sliding down it, to the floor, her breath ragged. "I-- I can't-- I can't. This can't be, I can't."