Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Varric]

"Never seen a dwarf before?" Varric says dryly. Gods, what is wrong with this place? Next the kid's going to tell me he's never tasted ale before or something.

[Carver Amell]

"Bright Drumlin is a Dwarf," argues Carver. "Dwarves are old and stern and talk about rocks and beer all the time."

[Varric]

"Beer's just poorly made ale. Ale is brewed using a warm fermentation method, resulting in a sweet, full-bodied and almost fruity taste. It comes in roughly seven categories: pale, brown, golden, mild, old, orcish, gnomish and sun paled. Some argue that dwarven wine is also an ale, but they're fools- wine is wine, not ale. Ales typically have a bittering agent to balance the malt and act as a preservative. Some people prefer using gruit, a mixture of herbs boiled in the wort before fermentation. Others use hops, which is easier and cheaper, if you're near the right climate, but doesn't allow for as much customization for the flavor profile, which is very important for a proper gnomish ale."

Varric gives Carver a hard look. "Don't challenge a dwarf on his drink, son. Some of us take it hard." A beat. "And rocks are durable."

[Bethany]

"...boys are weird," Bethany declares. "Even dwarf ones."

[Carver Amell]

Carver squints at him, frowning for a moment. Finally, he nods, straightening up a bit. "Okay. You get a B- in dwarfiness." 

[Varric]

"Thank you for grading me on my heritage," Varric says dryly. "Now that we've covered proper haft grips, ale, boys being weird, incidental racism and my name, not necessarily in that order, how about we talk about my window? The one with the jagged hole in it."

[Carver Amell]

Carver blushes a bit. "O-oh yeah. I di-- I mean, it was my fault." Two instincts war inside Carver: Don't get in trouble, and protect Bethany. If he didn't do it, Varric would probably punish Bethany. But at the same time, Carver doesn't want to get punished either. 

[Bethany]

"Nu-uh," Bethany protests automatically. "Well, sorta. It was Tedin that threw the ball, you just hit it," she reasons, trying to protect her brother.

[Carver Amell]

"Shh!" he hisses. Girls are so stupid. Does she want to be a snitch as well as a witch? Snitches and witches get stitches! 

[Bethany]

"Do the crime, serve the time," Bethany says stoutly. "Bright Drumlin said so. So yeeh!"

[Carver Amell]

"Yeah, well just last week Ted was saying snitches get stitches," he hisses. "If he hears you tattled, I'll have to fight him!"

[Bethany]

Bethany takes on a smug expression. "Nah, Marian'll take'em," she says with a firm nod. "Besides, Ted's a dummy."

[Varric]

Well, this is all very... fascinating. No, really, the gossip, power structure and interpersonal dynamics of human (grublings) children is just... great (why am I here?).

[Carver Amell]

"You don't think I'll fight him for you?" Carver seems angry, turning to scowl at his twin. 

[Bethany]

His twin steps back, eyes wide. "Course you would," she denies hotly. "But Marian's bigger, so-"