Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

"Tell her," he begins, his voice muffled by bleeding thumb. He removes it, then, squatting to rinse it in the stream. "Tell her there's no reason to worry. I won't ever leave her side." He sounds resigned, distant, rather than passionate or sweet. 

[Varric]

That... sounded like a man sentencing himself. "Physically maybe. But you're already leaving her in the way she's afraid of most."

[Carver Amell]

"I'm leaving her?" he snarls, whirling on Varric, his eyes narrowed, his teeth bared. "How dare you!" 

[Varric]

"Bit mutual and I couldn't say with certainty who took the first step, but yes. You're both inching away, and have been for a while. Stepping away of late though," Varric says calmly, voice still low.

[Carver Amell]

"Fuck you," he spits. "I would do anything for Bethany." 

[Varric]

"Then talk to her. Find out why she did what she did. And either accept it, really accept it, not just tolerate it, or walk away. She can't handle half-way." Varric sighs, rubbing his temple. "It's a lot to ask, I get it. That sort of thing is... not something your village taught you to accept for several reasons. But that's the hand you have in front of you."

[Carver Amell]

"I will never leave her," he growls, turning his back on Varric to wash his finger again. "She doesn't get a choice."

[Varric]

Now Varric's eyes harden. "Like hells she doesn't. You can't just force yourself into her life, Hound."

[Carver Amell]

"Watch me." His voice is a low, menacing growl.

[Varric]

"You want to try that again? Or maybe explain why you're forcing yourself on your sister?" Varric asks very, very softly. his words very deliberately chosen.

[Carver Amell]

Carver stills, something about the wording pricking at him. When he realizes it a moment later, he doesn't bother with words: he whirls, lunging at Varric with claws for nails, intent on gutting him or maybe ripping out his throat. 

[Varric]

Varric isn't the most skilled with close combat, especially unarmed. But he's very good at dodging, good enough to avoid a still green fighter attacking without focus. And it doesn't take long for him to draw out a weighted sap, the dwarf unwilling to pull a dagger on Carver. 

[Bethany]

Not that they get very far into their fight before Bethany fires a sphere of below freezing vapor between them, her bloodline talent modifying the more common acid cantrip. "Stop it! What's wrong with you? Varric, what did you do?" she demands, struggling to her feet on the slick riverstones and almost falling as she puts her weight on the lamed leg.

[Carver Amell]

Carver springs back to his feet, stepping between Bethany and Varric, facing the Dwarf. He doesn't lunge again, he only growls, claws still out. He hunches oddly, as though his ears are flat back against his head, as though he's ready to spring forward on four legs. 

[Bethany]

"...Packbrother?" Bethany whispers softly, eyes wide as she regains her footing. "...you have claws?"