Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Bethany]

"What... kind of... scars?" Bethany asks brokenly.

[Varric]

Varric is silent a bit. "Bad ones. She has a magic item, it... makes an illusion, she uses it to... cover them. Don't push her to not use it."

[Carver Amell]

Gods, thinks Carver. Gods. Gods. "She's...  like Merrill," he whispers. "When we found her. Alone. Broken."

[Varric]

Varric is quiet a moment, then... "Worse," he admits almost despite himself. "But... also better. Merrill... Merrill is a sweet girl, but... your sister has a core in her that bends but never breaks. Might not ever get it back to the shape it used to be, but it's still her deep down in there." Her. Should I..?

[Carver Amell]

"Gods," he chokes out. "I can't imagine -- she really was the best of us. Gods."

[Varric]

"Best is relative," Varric says softly. Truth be told, I think you could have... you'd be broken but mostly whole as well (but not Beth).

[Bethany]

Bethany sniffles, then shifts so her face is mostly clear. "But we'll help her. All of us."

[Carver Amell]

"Not even a tenth what she went through and I'm falling apart. She went through all that, all alone...." He shakes his head. "We have to help her. We have to be there for her, let her know she's not alone anymore. We have to remind her we're family."

[Bethany]

"Here here," Bethany says with a teary laugh. "How... how are you doing, Carver? With... I mean, Marian needs our help but... we can't ignore each other either."

[Varric]

"Or ourselves," Varric says quietly.

[Carver Amell]

"I... better, some. The urges are fading, and, I like holding you like this," he admits. "I'm scared I'm going to fuck up with Marian."

[Varric]

"We will. We all will, at some point. I already have, with not coming up with better than that oath of silence I made." Varric keeps his voice even for all of that, then winces. No. I have to trust them too (be an example). "It's... it hurts. And it's terrifying. Knowing how important this is. Knowing that there's no way to avoid a misstep, not forever. At some point, we'll make a mistake. But that just means someone else has to catch us. With Helene, Aveline and Adonis, each of the three of us have someone to help us. And Seli and Lovan, Kenta, Ari, Seeker Lelledorin... we need to remember to reach outwards when we need help." His voice shakes a bit and he swallows. "Even if that sounds..."

[Bethany]

"Painfully embarrassing? Imposing and... selfish?" Bethany offers, getting a nod from the dwarf.

[Carver Amell]

"Terrifying beyond all reason," says Carver, his voice too soft. "Like the world's ending, like the city upended and any moment we'll all fall into the sky."

[Varric]

Varric laughs a little, giving Carver a look. "And you think yourself stupid? That's... that's exactly it."