Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Isabela]

Isabela laughs. "It's quite pleasurable for either gender," she points out. "In either position," she adds, gesturing to the toy she'd used on Beth earlier.

[Bethany]

Bethany flushes a little, her mind giving her an image of how that might work, of being atop Isabela as she pumps into her, watching her back arch and her cheeks quiver. "Umm. I've never... thought about it," she mumbles, clearly thinking about it now.

[Isabela]

"Do you want to try? Zevran's an expert," she points out. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Again, lube is key, this time for simply everyone but it is indeed very enjoyable," Zevran agrees easily. "I prefer tongue to cock or toy, but any and all are pleasurable. And before you wonder, you do clean the area prior, unless you enjoy the... taboo of not. Personally, I have too good a sense of taste and scent to do so but to each their own."

[Bethany]

Bethany makes a face. "Yes, that. Definitely clean. I prefer to use a presti before eating out a girl, much less... yeah. Ummm. How do we... start?"

[Isabela]

"Well, first you come kiss me for luck," Isabela teases.

Over the next hour, they try both the toy and Zevran's finger. Beth finds it far less painful than vaginal penetration, though it's not as nice to her as clitoral stimulation, and they show her how much lube is needed by having her re-apply to the toy a few times until she's got the hang of it. Then, when they're all clear on how it works, they fall into it properly, with Isabela riding Bethany from behind as Zevran uses his nimble fingers on her breasts, her clit, her thighs. 

When they're done, finally done, Isabela sends Beth home with a good supply of her lubricant and that toy for solo practice later. After all, there's less than a month until Don's heat...

[GamesMaster]

A sharp knock on Varric's study door. It's been three days since Carver left; the house has been way too quiet, with only Beth, Merrill, and (sometimes) the healer. Something about her face when she enters, the perfunctory way she knocks, reminds Varric too strongly of another visit by a stranger delivering bad news. 

(This can't be bad news, can it? They'd had Wynne herself look over Merrill, surely there can't be worse news than that?)

"Mr Tethras," begins the Bastionite, with a small bow. "I have some unfortunate news about my charge."

[Tethras Clan]

Fuck you luck. "Start at the beginning, say it straight," Varric says firmly, setting himself for the hit. He thinks a moment about the bottles in his desk, but his eyes flick to the still sleeping figure on the cot in the corner of the room, behind a small screen. No. Not a drop until they'e awake. 

[GamesMaster]

"I have reason to believe her memory is worse than anticipated. When we parted over lunch the first day, she seemed to forget who I was, but at the time I believed she had simply forgotten my name. The second day, I had to re-introduce myself twice. Today, it seems like each time I left her for a few moments, she forgot I was coming back. My name and other details simply...don't stick. I tested her, and she remembers you perfectly well, so she can recall people when they're not in front of her, but only family members. She doesn't recall the dog she played with on our walk yesterday, or the visit with Beth's friend the day before that."

[Varric]

Varric bows his head, heart aching and mind spinning. "I... I see. It is just people or does she forget... factual data?" he asks carefully.

[GamesMaster]

"Factual information seems fine. She recalls why I'm there, just not that I'd been there before or that she knows my name. Similarly, she was able to recall meals she's eaten with reasonable accuracy."

[Varric]

"That's... something. Her memory works, in theory, just..." Varric rubs his forehead. "Alright. Please... please tag the Doctor in your report when you leave, he'll need to know our schedule just got bumped up."

[GamesMaster]

"Of course." A slight bow, then the healer -- never much for too many words, making her a great fit for the over-talkative Merrill -- retreats back to her charge. 

[Tethras Clan]

Varric gathers both his active kids that night after dinner to quietly explain the bad news. It was... clearly hard on them, on both of them, though Carver naturally took it worse. He had then explained that, given how Merrill's state of mind is at the moment, Carver is absolutely required for the Delve. And that he, Varric himself, and Bethany are the only people awake that have a chance of being able to interact with the mindscape. Which is far, far too few for a Delve, even one that should be less dangerous than Cindy's mindscape, but what other option do they have? Thanks to a hesitant suggestion from Carver, two: Hunter and Silence.

Normally animals wouldn't be able to enter a mindscape, even most intelligent ones, thanks to the too significant differences in the way they think. But mabari are an exception in this case, like they often are. And Merrill both loves the mabari as 'best doggos' and because they're so deeply connected to her boyfriend and her boyfriend's sister. So that... helps, perhaps not in succeeding at the Delve but at least in surviving it. The Delve itself is scheduled for tomorrow before lunch.

That morning, Carver arrives with Silence, expression grim. Varric had taken him aside and warned him that a Delver with... issues with another Delver can cause issues and had wanted to be sure they were okay enough to go in together. After a brief talk, Carver had assured his Dad they were... but the conversation had made him realize he needs to talk to someone else before the Delve, someone currently in the kitchen trying to distract herself by making a half dozen casseroles and savory pies so food at least will be sorted, however the Delve ends...

[Carver Amell]

"Beth," he says quietly, taking a deep breath as he grips Hunter's ruff tightly for comfort. "Can we talk? Before the delve? I... I'm worried about... us. Being okay."