Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Marian Hawke]

"That doesn't make you their daddy. You don't get to tell them how to live. They do chores for you, fine, but that's all." 

[Carver Amell]

Carver might shed a tear or two himself as he cradles Bethany close. He'll never tell, though. "It's okay. I'm here. We'll be okay."

[Varric]

Varric makes a face there. "Damn right I'm not. And I'm not telling them how to live. I'm giving my opinion, laying out what I see. Up to them if they listen."

[Bethany]

"H-how did he kn-know?" Bethany asks after a few minutes.

[Carver Amell]

"I don't know," he says, hugging Bethany. "Did... did I hurt you?"

[Marian Hawke]

"Bullshit." Marian jabs a finger at him. "You were using Socratic teachings." 

[Varric]

Varric gives her a long look. "Do you actually know what that means or did you just hear the phrase somewhere?"

[Bethany]

Bethany hunches in a little, pressing her face tighter against his shoulder as she tries to come up with a way of answering that isn't 'yes' or a lie.

[Marian Hawke]

"You were leading him to a foregone conclusion via a series of seemingly-innocent questions." She jabs the finger again.

[Carver Amell]

"I'm sorry," whimpers Carver. "Please tell me what I did?"

[Varric]

"Huh. That's pretty good for a rural education. Known more than a few people in Nyra, upper class, that wouldn't know that reference if it bit them," Varric says with clear approval. "You top of your class I bet?"

[Marian Hawke]

"I guess," she evades. "But that's not the point."

[Bethany]

"...I don't want to hurt you," Bethany mumbles.

[Varric]

"You guess? Or you are?" Varric says firmly.

[Carver Amell]

"Well you didn't. So everything's okay. Right?"